| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08797372B2 |
Device and method for controlling screen brightness
The present invention provides a device and method for controlling screen brightness. The method comprises: a light sensor acquiring a brightness signal intensity value of external environment and transmitting the brightness signal intensity value to a comparator; the comparator comparing the received brightness signal intensity value with a stored brightness signal intensity value and outputting a comparison result to an integrator; if the comparison result is that the received brightness signal intensity value is greater than the stored brightness signal intensity value, the integrator increasing the stored brightness signal intensity value by a fixed value according to the comparison result; and if the comparison result is that the received brightness signal intensity value is less than the stored brightness signal intensity value, the integrator decreasing the stored brightness signal intensity value by a fixed value according to the comparison result. |
| US08797371B2 |
Method for driving field sequential liquid crystal display device
To reduce crosstalk in sequential frame periods. An image signal is written to a pixel in a first sub-frame period. Then, just before a second sub-frame period, the light source is lit in accordance with the image signal written in the first sub-frame period and sequentially, the image signal is written in the second sub-frame period of the right eye frame period. Then, just before the next first sub-frame period, the light source is lit in accordance with the image signal in the third sub-frame period and sequentially, writing of the image signal is performed in the third sub-frame period of the right eye frame period. |
| US08797368B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and driving method thereof
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display device capable of reducing power consumption within a range in which an image quality is not lowered, and a method of driving the OLED display device. The OLED display device includes: an image analyzer for obtaining an emission ratio and a saturation of an input source image, the emission ratio indicating light-emitted degrees of pixels constituting the input source image; an emission ratio adjuster for adjusting the emission ratio according to the saturation; a brightness adjuster for adjusting the brightness of the input source image according to the adjusted emission ratio; a data driver for establishing a data voltage of a data signal corresponding to the input source image based on the adjusted original brightness; and a pixel unit including an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), the pixel unit being configured to establish a driving current according to the data voltage. |
| US08797365B2 |
Image transmission method, device, and computer-readable storage medium storing image transmission program
An image transmission method includes using a computer processor, acquiring operation information at a transmission device from another device that instructs to scroll an image; determining a scroll direction and a scroll speed based on the operation information; generating a moving image from a plurality of images that are sequentially displayed on a screen of the other device at a display time interval when an image displayed on the screen of the other device is scrolled to the scroll direction at the speed for a time; and transmitting the moving image to the other device. |
| US08797364B2 |
Display device and display control method
When a display position for any of a plurality of images is designated using a touch panel, an instruction accepting section enlarges, for a predetermined period of time, an area for accepting the input of an instruction associated with any of the image of the plurality of images that is displayed in the designated display position, in accordance with speed of change that is detected by a speed detector at the time of the designation. |
| US08797363B2 |
Method of controlling touch panel display device and touch panel display device using the same
A method of controlling a touch panel display device, and which includes displaying a first display screen on the display device; receiving, via a controller of the touch panel display device and a touching signal indicating a touching action at a specific point on the first display screen; magnifying, via the controller, a predetermined area surrounding the specific point on the first display screen; displaying a second display screen including the magnified predetermined area with the specific point located at a center of the magnified predetermined area; receiving, via the controller, a selection signal indicating a selection of release touch icon displayed on the display device; and displaying the first display screen in response to the received selection signal. |
| US08797362B2 |
Rotary input device and electronic equipment
Disclosed is a rotary input device including: a rotary operation device; a rotation driving section; a detection section; a force sense presenting section to present a force sense by a combination of at least two of applying the rotary force in a clockwise direction, applying the rotary force in a counterclockwise direction, and stopping applying the rotary force; a display control section; a magnification ratio change instructing section; and a scroll instructing section, wherein the magnification ratio change instructing section instructs enlargement when rotating in one side, and instructs reduction when rotating in the other side; the scroll instructing section instructs on the basis of the depressed position; and the force sense presenting section changes a way of presenting the force sense in order that the operator can perceive a display state pertaining to a display position or a display magnification ratio of the image under display distinguishably. |
| US08797355B2 |
Information processing device and method of processing information
A method and apparatus adapted to input a position and orientation of a viewpoint in an image in MR space obtained by superimposing a first virtual object to be displayed on a display of a real space; to input a position and orientation of the real object; to calculate an amount of change in a relative orientation between the orientation of the viewpoint and the orientation of the real object; to switch a first virtual object to be displayed to a second virtual object to be displayed which is different from the first virtual object to be displayed when the amount of change exceeds a predetermined threshold; and to output an image in the MR space obtained by superimposing the second virtual object to be displayed on the display of the real space in accordance with the position and orientation of the viewpoint and the position of the real object. |
| US08797351B2 |
Method for graphically representing the surroundings of a motor vehicle
In a method for graphically representing the surroundings of a motor vehicle, whereby graphical elements, which serve to assist the driver in interpreting the spatial information, contained in the scene image, are superimposed on a scene image, which represents a three dimensional surrounding scene of the surroundings of the motor vehicle and which is out two dimensionally or three dimensionally to the driver of the motor vehicle, the graphical elements are at least partially configured and arranged in the scene image such that they embody in the surrounding scene at least one virtual boundary object, which has a three dimensional spatial shape and which exhibits at least one reference surface that delimits a free space, which can be attained by the motor vehicle without the risk of a collision, from an obstacle space, which can be attained only with the risk of a collision. |
| US08797347B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
A brightness control unit includes: a “feedback brightness control unit” that calculates a first gain from a corrected image data and multiplies the first gain by image data prior to correct; and a “feedforward brightness control unit” which, when a scene change is detected, calculates a second gain on the basis of a difference between the first gain which is calculated from the corrected image data and the first gain which has been multiplied by the pre-correction image data of the corrected image data in order to correct the difference, and multiplies the second gain by the corrected image data. |
| US08797345B2 |
Color gamut boundary information generating device, color gamut boundary information generating method, and computer readable medium
A color gamut boundary information generating device includes a receiving unit, a tetrahedralizing unit, a first generating unit, and a correcting unit. The receiving unit receives pieces of coordinate information indicating points in a color space. The tetrahedralizing unit performs a tetrahedralization process. The first generating unit generates boundary information, which is a set of outermost triangular faces among triangular faces obtained through the tetrahedralization process. The correcting unit selects a target face from among the triangular faces included in the boundary information, regards a tetrahedron including the target face as a target tetrahedron, determines whether or not the target tetrahedron satisfies a condition, and, if the target tetrahedron does not satisfy the condition, selects the triangular faces included in the target tetrahedron except the target face, eliminates the target face from the boundary information, and adds the selected triangular faces to the boundary information, thereby correcting the boundary information. |
| US08797342B2 |
Method for visual project modeling
A method, apparatus and computer-readable medium for generating a graphical tree based on a hierarchical structure includes receiving a request to convert a first hierarchical structure into a first graphical tree. Each of a plurality of elements of the first hierarchical structure, and the relationships among the plurality of elements are identified. A first graphical tree is generated based on each of the plurality of elements and the relationships among the elements. The first graphical tree is then displayed. Additional graphical trees can be displayed simultaneously and associations between nodes of the different graphical trees can be designated. |
| US08797340B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for modifying a pixel value as a function of a display duration estimate
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for modifying a pixel value as a function of a display duration estimate. In use, a value of a pixel of an image frame to be displayed on a display screen of a display device is identified, wherein the display device is capable of handling updates at unpredictable times. Additionally, the value of the pixel is modified as a function of an estimated duration of time until a next update including the pixel is to be displayed on the display screen. Further, the modified value of the pixel is transmitted to the display screen for display thereof. |
| US08797338B2 |
Platform agnostic screen capture tool
A method for platform agnostic screen capture is provided. The method includes acquiring screen data from a computer having a display screen, where the screen data represents an image currently displayed on the display screen. The screen data is converted into a representation capable of being expressed in a plurality of software platforms. The representation of screen data is rendered into a vector graphics file that may be published to a plurality of platforms. |
| US08797334B2 |
Facilitating efficient switching between graphics-processing units
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates seamlessly switching between graphics-processing units (GPUs) to drive a display. In one embodiment, the system receives a request to switch from using a first GPU to using a second GPU to drive the display. In response to this request, the system uses a kernel thread which operates in the background to configure the second GPU to prepare the second GPU to drive the display. While the kernel thread is configuring the second GPU, the system continues to drive the display with the first GPU and a user thread continues to execute a window manager which performs operations associated with servicing user requests. When configuration of the second GPU is complete, the system switches the signal source for the display from the first GPU to the second GPU. |
| US08797333B2 |
Video wall system and method for controlling the same
A method for controlling a video wall system, in which the video wall system includes a plurality of host processors. The method includes the step of transmitting a plurality of continuous commands without time interval therebetween one by one to the host processors and the step of the host processors synchronously performing corresponding operations according to the commands. A video wall system is also disclosed herein. |
| US08797326B2 |
Display control apparatus
When a list of file names is to be displayed on a display device, a comparison is made between a necessary display width of each of the file names and a width of a display area of the display device. For each of the file names having a necessary display width greater than the width of the display area, it is checked whether the file name contains a particular character string portion of a predetermined type, and, if so, the file name is displayed in the list in a partly-omitted display style where a leading end portion, particular character string portion and extension of the file name are left in the list with the other part of the character string omitted. The particular character string portion can function as an important element for identifying the data item in question. |
| US08797322B2 |
Systems and methods of defining rays for ray tracing rendering
Some aspects pertain to ray data storage for ray tracing rendering. Attribute data for a first ray can be stored. To define a second ray, data defining such can comprise a reference to the first ray (in one example) and attribute source information indicative of shared attributes between the first and second rays. The attribute source information can be shared among many rays, and can be selected based on ray type. Definition data for unshared attributes can be explicit with the second ray. A plurality of rays can reference one ray for shared attribute data. Referencing rays can be counted and decremented as referencing rays complete. Shared attributes can be indicated with masks. Interface modules can service ray data read and write requests made by shaders, and shaders can explicitly reference attributes of rays, without using such interfacing modules. Data structures can be used as attribute sources without being associated with particular rays, and can be defined and selected as attribute data sources based on ray type. |
| US08797319B2 |
Systems and methods for visualizing multiple volumetric data sets in real time
Systems and methods for visualizing multiple volumes of three-dimensional data. A graphics card is used for voxel intermixing, pixel intermixing and image intermixing, which produces a final-combined image of the three-dimensional data in real time. |
| US08797317B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
The present disclosure relates to a mobile terminal and control method thereof for allowing a touch input to a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. The method disclosed herein may include displaying a three-dimensional stereoscopic image including a plurality of objects, detecting the location of a detection target in a detection region corresponding to the three-dimensional stereoscopic image, selecting a first object based on the location of the detection target, moving the first object along the movement of the detection target in a state that the first object is selected, and generating at least one object between the first and the second object when a distance between the first and the second object is increased in one direction due to the movement of the first object. |
| US08797315B1 |
Segmented editor for tours of a geographic information system, and applications thereof
Embodiments relate to editing a tour in a geographic information system. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method efficiently edits a tour through a three-dimensional environment on a geographic information system. In the method, a user is enabled to define a tour comprising a series of segments. Each segment specifies a duration of the segment in the tour, a position of a virtual camera in the three-dimensional environment during playback of the segment of the tour, and an asset to be visible at a specified position in the three-dimensional environment at a time relative to when the segment of the tour is played. A user is also enabled to alter an order of the series of segments. In response to an input to play the tour, for each segment of the tour in an order specified by the series of segments, the virtual camera is moved to the position specified by the segment to display the three-dimensional environment from a viewpoint of the virtual camera. The asset is displayed in the three-dimensional environment. |
| US08797313B2 |
Driving method for discharge lamp, driving device for discharge lamp, light source device, and image display apparatus
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a driving device for a discharge lamp includes an alternating current supply section and a frequency modulation section. The alternating current supply section supplies two electrodes of the discharge lamp with an alternating current. The alternating current comprises a plurality of modulation periods. The frequency modulation section modulates a frequency of the alternating current so as to provide a plurality of retentive periods within each of the modulation periods. Each retentive period has a constant frequency that is different from a frequency of its temporally adjacent retentive periods. The frequency modulation section shortens a length of at least one of the retentive periods in the modulation period in response to a predetermined condition occurring. The frequency of at least one of the retentive periods is equal to or less than a predetermined reference frequency. |
| US08797311B2 |
Organic light emitting display and image compensating method thereof
An organic light emitting display device and a method of compensating image of the organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device includes a sensing circuit that is separate from a pixel circuit to sense a current supplied by a driving transistor. Accordingly, mura, spots, or image sticking generated due to deterioration of the driving transistor may be compensated for. |
| US08797308B2 |
Method of driving display apparatus and driving circuit for display apparatus using the same
In a driving method of a display apparatus using a driving circuit, when an image signal is a film image signal, first, second, and third original image signals are extracted based on the film image signal. Then, a first compensation image signal is generated based on first and second original image signals, and a second compensation image signal is generated based on second and third original image signals. The first original image signal, the first compensation image signal, the second original image signal, and the second compensation image signal are sequentially output to have a driving frequency higher than an input frequency. In addition, the first original image signal, the first compensation image signal, the second original image signal, and the second compensation image signal are output i, k, j, and k times, respectively. Thus, a trembling phenomenon perceived by a viewer of a film image may be prevented. |
| US08797306B2 |
Display device with optical sensors
In a display device with optical sensors, a recognition processing portion (22) performs recognition processing on a scan picture generated by optical sensors (2), and calculates a position. A mode control portion (24) determines whether or not the mode is standby so that the recognition processing portion (22) is stopped from operating. At the time of transition to the standby mode, decimated image memory (25) stores a decimated image with a decreased number of pixels. The mode control portion (24) performs pixel-by-pixel comparison between the stored decimated image and a decimated image supplied anew, and exits the standby mode when the number of pixels whose difference in pixel values is greater than or equal to a first threshold is greater than or equal to a second threshold. Here, the first and second thresholds are appropriately set in accordance with an ambient luminance L from a luminance sensor (20), and therefore, any change in the image can be accurately distinguished from noise, thereby preventing the standby mode from being or not being cancelled by mistake. |
| US08797305B2 |
Display device and method for driving same
Provided is a display device for carrying out seamless display so that a sense of strangeness is not given to a viewer or the sense of strangeness is reduced. In at least one embodiment, a display device includes a display panel on which a plurality of display elements are disposed in a matrix, the display panel having a frame area which is located at an end of the display panel and in which no display element is provided; a light guide element provided on the display panel, the light guide element changing a light path of part of light emitted from the plurality of display elements so that the part of light is guided to the frame area; a photosensor provided on the display panel, the photosensor detecting environment illuminance; an image signal correcting section which (i) corrects, in accordance with the environment illuminance detected by the photosensor, an image signal to be supplied to a display element included in an area where the light guide element is provided so that a reduction in luminance or coloring of display light of the image caused by the light guide element is reduced, and (ii) outputs a corrected image signal; and a driving section which drives the display element in accordance with the corrected image signal. |
| US08797304B2 |
Display device and electronic device
To increase a reading speed in a display device having a touch-panel function. The display device includes a display panel 101 and a controller substrate 115. The display panel 101 includes a pixel portion 102, source drivers 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, and 110, display gate drivers 111 and 112, and reading gate drivers 113 and 114. The controller substrate 115 includes a controller IC 116. The controller substrate 115 is electrically connected to the display panel 101 through a connecting FPC 117. |
| US08797303B2 |
Amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film transistor fabrication method
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for fabricating thin film transistor devices. In one aspect, a substrate having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region between the source region and the drain region is provided. The substrate also includes an oxide semiconductor layer, a first dielectric layer overlying the channel region, and a first metal layer on the dielectric layer. A second metal layer is formed on the oxide semiconductor layer overlying the source region and the drain region. The oxide semiconductor layer and the second metal layer are treated to form a heavily doped n-type oxide semiconductor in the oxide semiconductor layer overlying the source region and the drain region. An oxide in the second metal layer also can be formed. |
| US08797302B2 |
Flexible display panel and fabricating method thereof
In a flexible display panel and a fabricating method thereof, the flexible display panel includes a flexible substrate, a plurality of electro-phoretic pixel units, a plurality of electro-wetting pixel units, a transparent protective layer and a driving circuit. The electro-phoretic pixel units and the electro-wetting pixel units are formed in a first displaying area and a second displaying area of the flexible substrate respectively. The transparent protective layer is formed on the electro-phoretic pixel units and the electro-wetting pixel units, and the driving circuit is formed in the non-displaying area of the flexible substrate and electrically connected to the electro-phoretic pixel units and the electro-wetting pixel units. The flexible display panel may display static pictures through the electro-phoretic pixel units and display animation through the electro-wetting pixel units. Therefore, the flexible display panel has both the abilities for saving power and displaying animation. |
| US08797299B2 |
Stylus with extended and retracted states
A stylus comprises a stylus barrel, a connecting element and a stylus body. The stylus barrel has a receptacle defined therethrough. The connecting element is fixed to one end of the stylus barrel. The stylus body is retractably and slidably coupled to the stylus barrel. The stylus body is configured to be optionally supported by the connecting element in an extended state or locked to the opposite end of the stylus barrel in a retracted state with the stylus body received within the receptacle of the stylus barrel. |
| US08797294B2 |
Capacitive touchscreen system with switchable charge acquisition circuit
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a capacitive touchscreen system which includes switchable charge acquisition circuits and corresponding charge integrator circuits for sensing mutual capacitances associated with a touchscreen. Various embodiments of the switchable charge acquisition circuits and corresponding charge integrator circuits provide lower power consumption, increased operational stability, substantially reduced integrated circuit area, and increased temperature stability. |
| US08797292B2 |
Touch pad with flexible substrate
A touch sensor device is provided that uses a flexible circuit substrate to provide an improved input device. Specifically, the present invention uses a touch sensor controller affixed to the flexible circuit substrate, which is coupled to a sensor component to provide a flexible, reliable and cost effective touch sensor suitable for a wide variety of applications. In one embodiment the touch sensor uses a flexible circuit substrate that provides relatively high temperature resistance. This allows the touch sensor controller to be affixed using reliable techniques, such as various types of soldering. The sensor component can comprise a relatively low-temperature-resistant substrate that can provide a cost effective solution. Taken together, this embodiment of the touch sensor provides reliability and flexibility at relatively low cost. |
| US08797290B2 |
Sense electrode spine interpolation
An electrode layout for a touchscreen includes multiple sense electrodes. Each sense electrode has multiple spines coupled to each other, including a main spine and at least one spaced apart interpolation spine running in the same direction. The interpolation spine of one sense electrode is positioned adjacent a spaced apart interpolation spine of a neighboring sense electrode to provide interpolated sense electrodes. |
| US08797288B2 |
Human user interfaces utilizing interruption of the execution of a first recognized gesture with the execution of a recognized second gesture
A method is provided for a user interface recognizing the interruption of the execution of a first gesture with the execution of a second gesture. Measured information responsive to user interaction actions made by a user is received from a user interface sensor. At least one operation is applied to the measured information to produce a sequence of symbols or gestemes. The sequence of symbols is first used to determine that the user's execution of a first gesture has been interrupted. The sequence of symbols is used to determine that the user's execution of a second gesture has been started and completed resuming the first gesture. The sequence of symbols is used to determine that the user's execution a first gesture has been completed. Both the first and second gestures are recognized. Semantic content can be assigned to the existence of and various details regarding the interruption and gestures involved. |
| US08797287B2 |
Selective scan of touch-sensitive area for passive or active touch or proximity input
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a touch sensor comprising a touch-sensitive area, and a touch-sensor controller coupled to the touch sensor. The touch-sensor controller is operable when executed to: select one or more regions associated with a stylus within the touch-sensitive area, and scan one or more electrodes within each region. |
| US08797281B2 |
Touch-screen panel with multiple sense units and related methods
This document discloses, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture, related to position sensors and uses of such sensors. Multiple panels can be arranged in close proximity to one another and one or more sense or drives lines associated with each respective panel can be associated with a control circuit of the other adjacent panel. |
| US08797278B1 |
Aircraft charting system with multi-touch interaction gestures for managing a map of an airport
A method and apparatus for managing a map of an airport. The map of the airport is displayed on a display device. A movement of a number of fingers with respect to a number of aeronautical objects on the map of the airport is detected. Information generated by an operation based on the number of aeronautical objects on the map of the airport is displayed in response to detecting the movement of the number of fingers with respect to the number of aeronautical objects on the map of the airport. |
| US08797277B1 |
Method for multiple touch position estimation
A method of estimating multiple touch positions on a touch sensor array, based on centroids calculated in the vicinity of a local maxima determined for the touch sensor array. |
| US08797272B2 |
Electronic devices with preselected operational characteristics, and associated methods
Electronic devices with preselected operational characteristics and associated methods are disclosed. The electronic devices can include a touch sensing component that senses a touch from an input mechanism and an input circuitry that measures at least one parameter of the touch from the touch sensing component. The electronic devices can also include a processor that performs an analysis of the measured at least one parameter of the detected touch and implements preselected operational characteristics of the electronic device based on the performed analysis. |
| US08797269B2 |
Automatic keypad backlight adjustment on a mobile handheld electronic device
A method is set forth for automatically adjusting keypad brightness on a mobile electronic device having a light sensor, a keypad and a backlight for the keypad, comprising obtaining light level samples from the light sensor, turning the backlight from off to on in the event a current light level sample is less than a threshold value below which backlight illumination becomes necessary in order to read the keypad, and from off to on after a predetermined time period in the event the current light level sample is greater than the threshold value. |
| US08797267B2 |
Virtual hard keys on a wireless device
Embodiments of the claimed invention provide systems and methods whereby the functionality of soft keys on a mobile electronic device may be shifted depending on the orientation of the device. The device detects its orientation and then maps a different function to the appropriate soft keys to ensure that the soft keys retain their functionalities from the end-user's perspective. |
| US08797261B2 |
Image manipulation based on tracked eye movement
The disclosure relates to controlling and manipulating an image of an object on a display device based on tracked eye movements of an observer. When the object is displayed according to an initial view, the observer's eye movement is tracked and processed in order to determine the focus of the observer's attention or gaze on the image. Thereafter, the displayed image is modified to provide a better view of the part of the object in which the observer is most interested. This is accomplished by modifying at least one of the spatial positioning of the object within the viewing area, the angle of view of the object, and the viewing direction of the object. |
| US08797251B2 |
Gate driving circuit and display device including the same
Embodiments may be directed to a gate driving circuit. The gate driving circuit includes a pre-charge unit, a pull-up unit, a boosting unit, and a discharge unit. The pre-charge unit pre-charges a first node in response to a first input signal. The pull-up unit outputs a first clock signal as a gate driving signal in response to a first node signal of the first node. The boosting unit boosts the first node signal of the first node in response to the first node signal and the first clock signal. The discharge unit discharges the first node to a gate-off voltage level in response to a second input signal and a second clock signal. |
| US08797250B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, and timing controller and signal processing method used in same
A liquid crystal display device is provided which is capable of reducing EMI (ElectraMagnetic Interference) noises while simultaneously responding to requirements for the high-speed transmission of image data, miniaturization and thinning of a signal processing board. A timing controller outputs, in accordance with an input data signal and input clock signal, a data line driving circuit controlling signal, internal data signal, internal clock signal to a data line driving circuit and outputs a scanning line driving circuit controlling signal to a scanning line driving circuit. The timing controller has a clock signal frequency setting mode in which a frequency of each of clock signals is set to a different value and the clock signals are supplied to the data line driving circuits and other data line driving circuits in one region and another region. |
| US08797249B2 |
Thin-film transistor (TFT) array structure and liquid crystal display (LCD) panel thereof
A thin-film transistor (TFT) array structure and a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel thereof are described. The TFT array structure includes a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of first data lines, a plurality of second data lines, a plurality of pixel units and a plurality of control module. Each of the control modules is coupled among the scan line, one second data line and one pixel unit. The second data line charges the later control module when the scan line is selected to be activated for charging the pixel unit by the first data line. The charged later control module charges another pixel unit when the scan line is inactivated and another scan line is selected to be activated for charging another pixel unit by the first data line. The TFT array structure can reduce the charging duration of the pixels. |
| US08797245B2 |
Display device with display panel and backlight
A projecting portion is formed on first and second side walls of the inner frame parallel to two sides of the non-overlapping region of the first substrate which intersect with one side of the non-overlapping region of the first substrate. The projecting portion of the inner frame has an opening portion. The lower frame has an opening portion through which the projecting portion of the inner frame penetrates. The projecting portion of the inner frame penetrates the opening portion of the lower frame and projects to a side of the lower frame opposite to the display panel. A protruding portion is formed on the casing correspondingly to the projecting portion of the inner frame. The inner frame is fixed to the casing by making an opening portion formed in the projecting portion of the inner frame engage with the protruding portion of the casing. |
| US08797242B2 |
Projector and method for projecting an image
A projector, having an illumination modulator having multiple illumination pixels a projection lens projecting the light being modulated in a pixel-individual manner onto an image modulator having multiple image pixels to generate the image. A controller generates illumination control data for the illumination modulator and generates image control data for the image modulator. The illumination control data has either an on-value or an off-value The illumination control data (MS) is generated such that the on-value for each illumination pixel is associated with at least one image pixel that is to represent a brightness value within the image and an off-value for all other illumination pixels, with the exception that the illumination control data for at least one of the other illumination pixels that is at a distance by not more than one predetermined pixel number, has an on-value. |
| US08797240B2 |
Display device and method for driving display device
A display device including: pixels, each provided with first to fourth transistors, a light-emitting element, a control terminal of the fourth transistors is connected to a scanning line, a second electrically-conductive terminal of the second transistor, a first electrically-conductive terminal of the third transistor, a control terminal of the third transistor are connected to each other; and a second control line (AZC) shared commonly by at least two pixels. The at least two pixels being such that the fourth transistors of the at least two pixels are connected to different scanning lines, and second electrically-conductive terminals of the third transistors of the at least two pixels are connected to the second control line, the at least two pixels being such that the third transistors of the at least two pixels are concurrently turned ON, after the first transistors of the at least two pixels are sequentially turned OFF. |
| US08797234B2 |
Display device including light-transmitting cover with lens portion and electronic device including same
A direct-viewing type display device according to the present invention includes: at least one display panel having a display region and a frame region provided outside the display region, with a boundary extending along the first direction between the display region and the frame region; and at least one light-transmitting cover disposed on a viewer's side of the at least one display panel. The at least one light-transmitting cover includes a lens portion disposed astride the boundary for refracting a portion of light going out from the display region toward the frame region; and a viewer-side surface of the lens portion is a curved surface, and a rear-side surface of the lens portion is also a curved surface. |
| US08797231B2 |
Display controller, display device, image processing method, and image processing program for a multiple viewpoint display
To overcome issues generated due to the light-shield part in a display device which displays different images towards a plurality of viewpoints, and to provide a device for easily synthesizing images to be displayed on a display part. A display controller includes: an image memory which stores viewpoint image data for a plurality of viewpoints; a writing control device which writes the viewpoint image data inputted from outside to the image memory; a parameter storage device which stores parameters showing a positional relation between a lenticular lens and the display part; and a readout control device which reads out the viewpoint image data from the image memory according to a readout order obtained by applying the parameters to a repeating regulation that is determined based on layout of the sub-pixels, number of colors, and layout of the colors, and outputs it to the display module as synthesized image data. |
| US08797227B2 |
Slot halo antenna with tuning stubs
An antenna of the present disclosure has a housing having a shallow cavity in the housing and a flat, disk-shaped radiating element disposed in the shallow cavity, the radiating element having an arc shape slot. In addition, the antenna has a substantially circular parasitic element disposed in the shallow cavity on the bottom of the housing. The antenna operates as a half-wave antenna at a frequency range of 450 MHz to 470 MHz and as a full-wave antenna at a frequency range of 902 MHz to 928 MHz. |
| US08797225B2 |
Antenna device and communication terminal apparatus
An antenna device includes a plate-shaped radiating element, a frame-shaped radiating element arranged to surround the plate-shaped radiating element, and a feeding unit that includes a feeding circuit and a frequency stabilizing circuit and that is connected between the plate-shaped radiating element and the frame-shaped radiating element. The plate-shaped radiating element and the frame-shaped radiating element are connected to the feeding circuit through the frequency stabilizing circuit as a result of a first terminal portion of the frequency stabilizing circuit being connected to the frame-shaped radiating element, a second terminal portion of the frequency stabilizing circuit being connected to the plate-shaped radiating element, and a third terminal portion of the frequency stabilizing circuit being connected to the feeding circuit. |
| US08797223B2 |
Antenna system with two grids of spots with nested complementary meshes
An antenna system is able to cover a geographical zone with two grids of spots with nested meshes, shifted one with respect to the other. The multi-beam system covers a geographical zone decomposed into a plurality of spots, the antennas each comprising an array of radiating elements able to receive and/or to transmit radioelectric signals, and being configured so as to cover, in reception and/or in transmission, the zone with two grids of spots, several spots of the first grid, generated by a first antenna, being positioned according to a first geometric pattern, so that points are situated substantially equidistantly from several adjacent spots, several spots of the second grid, that are generated by a second antenna, being positioned according to a second geometric pattern chosen as a function of the first geometric pattern, such that several spots of the second grid are centered on the points. |
| US08797222B2 |
Directional slot antenna with a dielectric insert
A directional slot antenna comprises a radiating component coupled to a reflector. A reflector spacing gap or cavity between the radiating component and the reflector has a height which is less than a predetermined height of a free-space reflector spacing cavity associated with desired gains for frequencies of interest. A dielectric material insert is positioned within the reflector spacing cavity and fills or partially fills the cavity. The reduced-height cavity including the dielectric material insert provides an increased electrical separation between the radiating component and the reflector that corresponds to the predetermined height of the free-space reflector spacing cavity. |
| US08797216B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a detachable first casing, an antenna, and a first coupling element. The antenna is disposed in the detachable first casing, and the first coupling element is disposed at an inner wall of the detachable first casing. In addition, the first coupling element does not contact the antenna and overlaps the antenna in a vertical projection plane. |
| US08797214B2 |
Tracking implementing geopositioning and local modes
A wireless device provides location data concerning an object by use of geolocation in order to provide distance tracking and local location techniques in order to provide local tracking. The geolocation and local location techniques may be implemented at the same time or individually, reconfigurable on demand, in both the tracking and tracked devices. The tracked wireless device includes a wireless communication circuit capable of communication with a multiuser wireless subscriber network. A geolocation reading circuit provides GPS or similar location data and is capable of obtaining geolocation data concerning the object. A local locating device parses local location data, and an indication is provided of geolocation based on the geolocation data, and is further responsive to the local location data which is used to modify the geolocation data with the local location data. |
| US08797213B2 |
Methods and systems for estimating angle of arrival
Methods and systems for estimating an angle of arrival are provided. In an embodiment, a system for estimating angle of arrival includes a snapshot determining module configured to receive a signal from each antenna of an antenna array and to generate a snapshot vector including values based on the signals and an angle of arrival processing module configured to estimate an angle of arrival for the electromagnetic signal relative to the antenna array based on the snapshot vector. Each signal is representative of an electromagnetic signal incident on a respective antenna of the antenna array and each value is representative of a phase of a respective signal. |
| US08797209B2 |
Optimized ordering of assistance data in a mobile radio network
An implementation of a system, device and method for communicating location data of a mobile station, enhancing location data, optimally communicating Assistance Data, and/or reducing rebids of Measure Position Request messages in a wireless network. |
| US08797205B2 |
A/D conversion device and radio device
This A/D convertor includes: a first D/A conversion unit configured to sample an analog input signal, and to generate a first difference signal by performing successive comparison of the analog input signal based on a reference voltage; a precharge capacitor unit configured to hold the reference voltage; a first comparing unit configured to compare the first difference signal with a reference value to generate a first digital signal; and an amplifying unit configured to calculate by using the first difference signal and the reference voltage to generate a residual signal. |
| US08797201B2 |
Driving circuit
A driving circuit includes a plurality of reference voltage lines and a digital to analog converter. The reference voltage lines are configured for respectively transmitting different grayscale reference voltages, in which the grayscale reference voltages are divided into at least two groups, and the wire diameter/wire width of at least one reference voltage line among the reference voltage lines of a first voltage group among the at least two groups is different from the wire diameters/wire widths of the reference voltage lines of a second voltage group among the at least two groups. The digital to analog converter is coupled to the reference voltage lines to receive the grayscale reference voltages and is for converting a digital signal into a grayscale voltage according to the grayscale reference voltages. |
| US08797200B2 |
Delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter and method for operating same
A delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter generates a digital signal as a function of an analog signal and a clock signal having a first phase and a second phase. The converter includes a first branch that applies an analog input signal, a feedback branch having a digital-to-analog converter that feeds back an analog reference signal, a loop filter, a quantizer, and a switch. The switch includes, and is timely correlated with, an output switch of the digital-to- analog converter. The switch functions to connect an input resistance on the first branch and disconnect the digital-to-analog converter during the first phase, and disconnects the input resistance and connects the digital-to-analog converter during the second phase. |
| US08797198B2 |
Linearized optical digital-to-analog modulator
A modulator device for converting digital data into modulation of an optical signal includes an electronic input for receiving an input data word of N bits and an electrically controllable modulator for modulating the intensity of an optical signal, the modulator including M actuating electrodes where M≧N. An electrode actuating device, most preferably a digital-to-digital converter, operates actuating electrodes so that at least one electrode is actuated as a function of values of more than one bit of the input data word. According to an alternative, or supplementary, aspect of the invention, the set of electrodes includes at least one electrode having an effective area which is not interrelated to others of the set by factors of two. In one preferred implementation, a Mach-Zehnder modulator also provides phase modulation to give QAM functionality. Another implementation employs a semiconductor laser. |
| US08797195B1 |
Smart synchro generator unit
The present invention is typically embodied as a portable handheld unit that generates synchro signals for input into synchro motors and other synchro devices. A primary genre of inventive application is the testing of hardware and software in synchro systems. The inventive unit typically includes a numeric keypad, an LCD display, a microcontroller, a serial-to-parallel binary data converter, and at least one digital-to-synchro converter. The keypad and display are used to enter decimal data. The microcontroller converts the decimal data to serial binary data. The serial-to-parallel binary data converter converts the serial binary data to parallel binary data. The digital-to-synchro converter(s) convert(s) the parallel binary data to synchro analog data. Some inventive embodiments implement plural digital-to-synchro converters individually corresponding to channels for independently outputting synchro signals. Each channel can represent a specific type of synchro operation, e.g., ship rudder angle, ship speed, ship engine shaft revolution, ship heading, etc. |
| US08797187B2 |
Street parking availability estimation
A system and method for estimating street parking availability for a user is disclosed. The system comprises a communication module and a parking probability generator. The communication module receives data describing a set of traces for a group of vehicles associated with a group of users. The parking probability generator assigns the set of traces to one or more street segments based at least in part on street segment data describing the one or more street segments. The parking probability generator generates one or more parking probabilities for the one or more street segments based at least in part on one or more user densities in the one or more street segments. |
| US08797182B1 |
Vehicle operator signaling system
A vehicle operator signaling system includes a pair of units with each having a control circuit and a transceiver coupled to the control circuit. A plurality of emitters is coupled to the control circuit. A plurality of actuators is coupled to the control circuit and each is associated with one of the emitters. The transceiver of one of the housings emits a distinct signal associated with an actuated one of the actuators and the transceiver of the one of the housings turns on the emitter associated with the distinct signal. |
| US08797178B2 |
Efficient stream sharing for multi-user sensor data collection
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or techniques that facilitate and/or effectuate efficient stream sharing for multi-user sensor data collection. The system includes mechanisms that locate within a query a specification that includes spatial regions over which data is required, based on the spatial regions the mechanism determines which sensors are situated within the region or ascertains which of the sensors in the region is actively streaming data and/or has persisted data in order to fulfill the query, constructs or utilizes a directed acyclic graph to obviate redundancy in a functional requirement included in the specification and imposed by the query, and formulates a result in fulfillment of the query that is delivered to an application. |
| US08797177B2 |
Medical telemetry system and medical telemeter
A medical telemetry system includes: a medical telemeter including: a measuring portion which measures a biological signal of a patient as biological signal data; a communicating portion which wirelessly transmits the biological signal data; and a connection information storing portion which stores connection information; and a receiver including: a non-contact communicating portion which executes first non-contact communication to read the connection information in a non-contact manner; a storage portion which stores the connection information read by the non-contact communicating portion; and a receiving portion which starts reception of the biological signal data transmitted by the communicating portion, when the connection information is stored in the storage portion. |
| US08797174B2 |
Extension cord with environmental condition sensing ability
An extension cord with environmental condition sensing ability has a plug for connecting to a power source, and includes a main body, a sensor unit, and a current control unit. On the main body, there are provided a first socket group and a second socket group, which are electrically connected to the power source via the plug. The sensor unit is electrically connected to the second socket group for sensing an environmental condition and thereby generating a signal. The current control unit and the sensor unit together form an electric circuit, and the current control unit receives the signal generated by the sensor unit and turns on or cuts off electric current being supplied to the second socket group according to the received signal. |
| US08797173B2 |
Method and apparatus for charge control of a portable terminal having a solar battery
Provided is an apparatus for controlling charging of a portable terminal equipped with a solar battery that converts solar energy into an electrical energy, the apparatus including a thermistor in which a resistance value changes according to a temperature change; a comparator which outputs a first signal when a temperature surrounding the thermistor is less than a preset reference temperature as determined by the resistance value change of the thermistor according to the temperature change and outputs a second signal when the temperature is at least the preset reference temperature or more; and a charging unit which is activated and receives the electrical energy from the solar battery to charge a battery when the first signal is inputted from the comparator, and is deactivated and blocks the charge of battery in case the second signal is inputted. |
| US08797172B2 |
Transmitter with battery status indicator
A battery powered transmitter is provided with a battery status circuit that determines an output voltage level associated with the battery. The battery status circuit is provided with multiple voltage reference thresholds. One or more visual voltage status indicators are electrically coupled with the battery status circuit. The battery status circuit actuates a visual voltage status indicator when the battery status circuit determines the voltage output level of the battery to be within a first output range. One or more additional visual voltage status indicators may be actuated when the battery status circuit determines the voltage output level of the battery to be within other output ranges. |
| US08797164B2 |
Hard cover product with concealed printed security device
A hard cover product with a pair of cover boards attached to an outer liner in spaced-relation to define a spine, with a thin-film ink-circuit security device printed on a laydown area, and having an inner liner. The laydown area can be defined in the spine, and the inner liner or an inner body attached to the cover boards conceals the printed security device from casual observation of its presence. The laydown area can be defined on a surface of a sheet laminated to another sheet to define one of cover boards. The laminated sheets sandwich the printed security device without a surface indication of the presence of the ink-circuit printed security device therein. In another aspect, the thin-film ink-circuit security device printed on a surface of the cover board is concealingly covered by the inner or the outer liner. |
| US08797159B2 |
Occupancy sensor with stored occupancy schedule
An occupancy sensor detects expected and unexpected occupancies in a monitored area with an expected occupancy schedule. The occupancy sensor includes a real time clock, a memory, a sensor element, a processor, indicator lights and a network interface. The occupancy sensor transmits an occupancy correction signal to a network if the actual occupancy of the monitored area does not match the expected occupancy state of the monitored area. |
| US08797157B2 |
System and method for monitoring usage and predicting failure of visual notification appliances
A system and method for monitoring usage and predicting failure of visual notification appliances are disclosed. The visual notification appliances may be strobe lights, which can be provided with an internal counter circuit that obtains a cumulative tally of the number of times the strobe has flashed. Since strobe service life is directly proportional to the number of flashes, monitoring the number of flashes enables proactive repair or replacement of the strobe prior to failure. Flash counts can be stored in the appliance and periodically transmitted to a remote location such as a fire panel or remote monitoring center. Flash counts can also be locally displayed, or can be readable by a user with a handheld device. Alarms or other indications may automatically be generated to alert building or service personnel when an end of life condition is approaching for one or more strobes. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08797156B1 |
Transfer-related alerting for a passenger on a public conveyance
In some embodiments, techniques comprise receiving route data that includes information relating to a stop, at a portable device that is personal to a passenger on a public conveyance; determining a second destination; determining a first destination that is related to the stop, wherein the first destination is a transfer destination en route to the second destination; determining a current location of the portable device; determining, based at least in part on the current location, that the portable device has nearly reached the first destination; providing a first alert at the portable device; determining a second current location; determining that the second current location is related to the second destination; and providing a second alert. |
| US08797153B2 |
Rotary control device with haptic feedback
The present invention relates to a rotary control device with haptic feedback to be mounted in a control panel (5) of a motor vehicle, said rotary control device (1) comprising: a rotary control member (2), an angular sensor (3a, 3b, 3c) representative of the angular position of said rotary control member (2) and the output of which is intended to be connected to a processing unit of said motor vehicle, a device for generating haptic feedback (4), which is coupled to said rotary control member (2) in order to apply vibration to said rotary control member (2), characterized in that said rotary control member (2) has a control surface (6) of a general planar shape, which is intended to be substantially flush with said control panel (5) and in that said device for generating haptic feedback (4) is intended to be controlled by said processing unit in order to select a predetermined vibration from a plurality of predefined vibrations in such a way that said generating device (4) applies the selected vibration to said rotary control member (2) in response to the output signal of said angular sensor (3a, 3b, 3c). |
| US08797151B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, control target device, and information processing system
There is provided a remote commander including an input section which accepts input of operation information from a user, a communication section which communicates with a control target device via a radio signal, a service information-acquisition section which acquires, from the control target device via the communication section, service identification information for identifying each of one or a plurality of services which the control target device is capable of providing the remote commander with, and a notification section which selects any of one or a plurality of pieces of the service identification information acquired by the service information-acquisition section based on the operation information, the input of which is accepted by the input section, and which notifies the control target device of the selected service identification information via the communication section. |
| US08797150B2 |
Method and system for power line networking for industrial process control applications
A real-time management networking system for a manufacturing environment, e.g., chemical, assembly, automobile, electronic, petroleum. In a specific embodiment, the system has a spatial region, which is adapted for one or more manufacturing equipment devices. The one or more manufacturing equipment devices is associated with a manufacture of a product. In a specific embodiment, the manufacturing equipment is able to generate a high frequency noise, which causes interference with a conventional data signal, which is often unshielded. In a specific embodiment, the system has a power line gateway device provided within a desired region of the spatial region. |
| US08797147B2 |
Upright type apparatus for charging wireless IC tags
An upright type apparatus for embedding wireless IC tags, the upright apparatus including: a vibration alignment unit for aligning the wireless IC tags in the same direction by applying a vibrating force to the wireless IC tags; a separating unit for separating the wireless IC tags aligned by the vibration alignment unit and dropping the separated wireless IC tags one by one into a vertically-dropping passage; a plurality of IC tag processing units disposed along the vertically-dropping passage in a vertical direction; a plurality of IC tag pressure feeding sections disposed at a lateral side of the plurality of IC tag processing units, respectively; and a defective wireless IC tag reception section provided beneath the vertically-dropping passage. |
| US08797146B2 |
Autonomous battery-free microwave frequency communication system
An autonomous battery-free microwave frequency communication device which includes a capacitance, at least one antenna, a microwave energy harvesting system, a microwave frequency transceiver, and a control system. The energy harvesting system is configured to harvest and store microwave energy received via the antenna onto the capacitance. The transceiver is empowered by energy stored on the capacitance, and is configured to autonomously generate a microwave frequency carrier and to autonomously transmit information using the microwave frequency carrier according to a predetermined communications protocol via the antenna. The control system is empowered by energy stored on the capacitance, and is configured to provide information for transmission. Energy may be harvested from various communication forms, such as wireless network protocols or cellular communications. The frequency band from which energy is harvested may differ from the frequency band used for communications. The energy storage enables autonomous communications with external devices according to common or standard wireless communication protocols. |
| US08797139B2 |
System-level chip identify verification (locking) method with authentication chip
A system for authenticating electronic devices, particularly chips or integrated circuits is described. This allows authenticating that the devices are authorized by the original manufacturer for operation in critical applications. |
| US08797135B2 |
Transformer power combiner having a plurality of current combiners coupled in series and a voltage combiner coupled to a series connection of the current combiners
A transformer power combiner includes a plurality of current combiners and a voltage combiner. The current combiners are coupled in series, and include a plurality of primary winding conductors magnetically coupled to a plurality of secondary winding conductors respectively. Each of the current combiners is configured to combine currents flowing therethrough. The voltage combiner is coupled to a series connection of the current combiners, and is configured to combine voltages across the current combiners to thereby generate an output of the transformer power combiner. |
| US08797132B2 |
Accessory for a mobile electronic device and method of providing and using the same
Some embodiments include an accessory for a mobile electronic device. Other embodiments of related accessories and methods are also disclosed. |
| US08797124B2 |
Planar filter assembly
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a support assembly for a planar filter. The assembly includes a u-shaped housing with angled surfaces at the inner corners of the u-shape, a first dielectric plate having a first angled surface in contact with one of the angled surfaces of the housing, a second dielectric plate having a second angled surface in contact with the other angled surface of the housing, at least one compressible ring, and a cover. The planar filter is supported between the first dielectric plate and the second dielectric plate. The cover compresses the compressible ring to apply downward force on the first and second dielectric plates. The downward force is translated to an inward force by the angled surfaces of the housing. The angled surfaces of the housing apply an inward force on the first dielectric plate and the second dielectric plate. |
| US08797122B2 |
Butler matrix
A butler matrix includes at least one input coupler that is positioned at an input end of the butler matrix, receives an input signal, and divides and outputs it to a plurality of paths, and at least one output coupler that receives a signal from the input coupler and divides the signal into a plurality of paths to output it as an output signal. A separation coupler is formed in an intersecting path including an intersecting section at which transmission paths intersect among a plurality of paths through which a signal is transmitted to separate signals transmitted through different transmission paths. Further, a compensation coupler is formed in a path excluding the intersecting path to compensate a phase difference. |
| US08797120B2 |
Low-loss tunable radio frequency filter
A tunable RF filter comprises a signal transmission path having an input and output, a plurality of resonant elements disposed along the signal transmission path between the input and output, and a set of non-resonant elements coupling the resonant elements together to form a stop band having a plurality of transmission zeroes corresponding to respective frequencies of the resonant elements, and at least one sub-band between the transmission zeroes. The set of non-resonant elements comprises a first plurality of non-resonant elements respectively coupled in parallel with the resonant elements, and a second plurality of non-resonant elements respectively coupled in series with the resonant elements. The first plurality of non-resonant elements comprises at least one variable non-resonant element for selectively introducing at least one reflection zero within the stop band to create a pass band in one of the one sub-band(s) without varying any of the second plurality of non-resonant elements. |
| US08797117B2 |
Modulation circuit with balun shielding
A module includes a substrate including an IC disposed on an upper surface side thereof. The IC includes a modulation circuit unit arranged to modulate a baseband signal into an RF signal and a demodulation circuit unit arranged to demodulate an RF signal into a baseband signal. The substrate includes a first wiring layer provided on the upper surface side, a second wiring layer disposed on a lower surface side of the first wiring layer, and an insulator layer disposed between the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer. A baseband signal-use wiring pattern is provided in the first wiring layer, an RF signal-use wiring pattern is provided in the second wiring layer, and on one surface of the insulator layer, a substantially flat-plate ground electrode pattern is arranged to cover substantially an entire surface. A balun is provided in the second wiring layer. |
| US08797115B2 |
Coupler and electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, a coupler transmits and receives an electromagnetic wave by electromagnetic coupling between the coupler and another coupler. The coupler includes a line-shaped coupling element having a first open end and a second open end, a ground plane, a feeding element connecting the coupling element and a feed point, and a short circuiting element connecting the coupling element and the ground plane. The feeding element comprises a first end connected to an intermediate portion of the coupling element between the first open end and the second open end, and a second end connected to the feed point. The short circuiting element comprises a third end connected to the intermediate portion of the coupling element, and a fourth end connected to the ground plane. |
| US08797114B2 |
Differential transmission line with a set relationship to a ground conductor and method of manufacturing
Two transmission lines are formed adjacent to each other at spacing on an upper surface of a base insulating layer, and a ground conductor layer is formed on a lower surface of the base insulating layer. The ground conductor layer is arranged to be opposite to at least part of one transmission line and at least part of the other transmission line in a width direction of the two transmission lines. When a width of one transmission line, a width of the other transmission line, a spacing between the two transmission lines and a width of the ground conductor layer in an arbitrary cross section perpendicular to the two transmission lines are referred to as W1, W2, S, Wg, respectively, the width Wg of the ground conductor layer is set to satisfy relationship of Wg<(W1+W2+S) and S≦0.8 Wg. |
| US08797111B2 |
Poly-phase filter, and a single-side band mixer including the same
A 4-phase filter includes four filter units including resistors and capacitors which inputs input signals, and provides the input signal via a switch buffer to a secondary capacitor provided in parallel to a primary capacitance of each filter unit, thus enabling a shift of an operational frequency band according to whether or not the switch buffer is in an output-high-impedance state. |
| US08797103B2 |
Apparatus and methods for capacitive load reduction
Apparatus and methods for capacitive load reduction are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power amplifier system includes an envelope tracker configured to provide a supply voltage to a plurality of power amplifiers. The power amplifiers include power supply inputs electrically connected in a star configuration so as to reduce a capacitive load of the envelope tracker. The distributed capacitance of the power amplifiers is used to provide RF grounding so as to reduce the size of or eliminated the use of bypass capacitors. |
| US08797102B2 |
Power amplifying circuit and high-frequency module
A high-frequency module including a power amplifying circuit includes a high-frequency power amplifying element, a matching circuit, and a driving power-supply circuit. The high-frequency power amplifying element includes a high-frequency amplifying circuit and a directional coupler. A first end of a main line of the directional coupler is connected to an output terminal of a latter-stage amplifying circuit of the high-frequency amplifying circuit. A second end of the main line of the directional coupler is connected through an output matching circuit to a high-frequency signal output terminal of the high-frequency power amplifying element. The output terminal of the latter-stage amplifying circuit is also connected to a second driving power-supply voltage application terminal of the high-frequency power amplifying element. The second driving power-supply voltage application terminal is connected to the high-frequency signal output terminal by a connecting conductor. |
| US08797099B2 |
Power amplifier device and power amplifier circuit thereof
The present invention relates to a power amplifier apparatus and power amplifier circuit, and the power amplifier circuit uses the Doherty circuit structure, and uses a high voltage heterojunction bipolor transistor (HVHBT) power amplifier to achieve a Carrier amplifier of the Doherty circuit structure, and uses lateral double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) to achieve a Peak amplifier. The power amplifier apparatus and power amplifier circuit in the present invention improves the efficiency of the power amplifier. |
| US08797098B2 |
Variable gain amplifier
A method may include applying an input differential voltage to input terminals of an amplifier, a first input terminal coupled to a gate of a first transistor and a second input terminal coupled to a gate of a second transistor. The method may also include varying a gain of the amplifier by varying at least one of: a resistance of a first resistor, the first resistor coupled between a source of the first transistor and a source of the second transistor; and a resistance of a second resistor, the second resistor coupled between a source of a third transistor and a source of a fourth transistor; wherein: the third transistor is coupled at its drain to the drain of the first transistor; and the fourth transistor is coupled at its drain to the drain of the second transistor and a gate of the third transistor and coupled at its gate to the drain of the third transistor. |
| US08797097B2 |
Filtering device with low-pass filtering function and band-pass filtering function
A filtering device, applicable in a transceiver, includes: a capacitive circuit coupled to an amplifying circuit by a first capacitive configuration or by a second capacitive configuration; and a resistive circuit coupled to the amplifying circuit by a first resistive configuration or by a second resistive configuration; wherein when the capacitive circuit is the first capacitive configuration, the filtering device is used to perform a first filtering process upon a receiving signal of the filtering device, and when the capacitive circuit is the second capacitive configuration, the filtering device is used to perform a second filtering process upon a transmitting signal of the filtering device. |
| US08797096B2 |
Crosstalk compensation for high speed, reduced swing circuits
Structures and methods are provided for reducing or eliminating crosstalk in devices. Based on a predetermined compensation schemes, a compensation scheme is selected that minimizes the deviation of the non-aggressed victim signal caused by one or more aggressor signals. Instances of a compensation circuit corresponding to the selected compensation scheme are placed along a victim signal line at locations defined by the compensation scheme. |
| US08797094B1 |
On-chip zero-temperature coefficient current generator
Embodiments of the invention generally provide generating a ZTC current using resistors that may be integrated into an IC, even if these resistors vary with temperature. Specifically, instead of applying a bandgap voltage across a ZTC resistor, the bandgap voltage may be applied to a temperature-dependent resistor to generate a first current that varies (either proportionally or complementary) with temperature. Additionally, a second current may be generated which compensates for the temperature variance of the first current. If the two currents change in the same manner relative to temperature (i.e., the respective slopes of the currents are the same when the underlying circuit elements are exposed to the same temperature variations), the difference between the currents remains constant. Thus, subtracting the two currents, regardless of the current temperature, results in a ZTC current—i.e., a current that is independent of temperature variations. |
| US08797090B1 |
High-voltage charge pump
A charge pump circuit is disclosed. The charge pump circuit comprises a transfer capacitor receiving a first clock phase and a driving capacitor receiving a second clock phase, the second clock phase opposite to the first clock phase. The circuit includes a first switch coupling an input node to the transfer capacitor. The first switch being controlled by the driving capacitor. The circuit further includes a second switch coupling the input node to the driving capacitor. The second switch being controlled by the transfer capacitor. The circuit also includes a third switch coupling the transfer capacitor to an output node. The third switch being controlled by the driving capacitor. The third switch operating in phase opposition to the first switch. The circuit finally includes a charge storage capacitor coupled to the output node. |
| US08797086B2 |
Switching device
The present invention provides a switching device capable of further minimizing the ON resistance of a switching element. Switching element has field application electrode that is connected to semiconductor substrate with insulating film interposed therebetween. Field control unit of driving unit is connected to field application electrode and source electrode of switching element, and applies a bias voltage Ve between field application electrode and source electrode. Field control unit applies an electric field from field application electrode to a hetero-junction interface of semiconductor substrate, by applying the bias voltage Ve exceeding a threshold value to switching element. In short, in the ON state of switching element, the electric field that is applied from field application electrode to semiconductor substrate works to increase electron concentration in a channel region by a field effect and decrease the ON resistance of switching element. |
| US08797085B2 |
Level conversion circuit and semiconductor device
A first conversion circuit converts a first clock signal based on a signal level of a first voltage into a second clock signal based on a signal level of a second voltage. A flip-flop circuit supplied with the first voltage as an operation voltage latches and outputs a signal, which is based on the signal level of the first voltage, in accordance with the first clock signal. A second conversion circuit supplied with the second voltage as an operation voltage converts a signal level of an input signal, which is based on an output signal of the flip-flop circuit, into the signal level of the second voltage in synchronization with the second clock signal. |
| US08797084B2 |
Calibration schemes for charge-recycling stacked voltage domains
A method and system are disclosed for calibrating a mid-voltage node in an integrated circuit including an input-output circuit having charge-recycling stacked voltage domains including at least first and second voltage domains. In one embodiment, the method comprises transmitting data through the input-output circuit, including transmitting a first portion of the data across the first voltage domain, and transmitting a second portion of the data across the second voltage domain. The method further comprises measuring a specified characteristic of the data transmitted through the input-output circuit; and based on the measured specified characteristic, adjusting a voltage of said mid-voltage node to a defined value. The voltage of the mid-voltage node may be adjusted to accomplish a number of objectives, for example, to achieve a desired trade-off between power and performance, or so that the two voltage domains have the same performance. |
| US08797083B2 |
Methods of operating timers to inhibit timing error accumulation
Methods of operating timers include generating a periodic timing signal having a first frequency that differs from a desired timer frequency (1 KHz) by a first amount. This periodic timing signal having the first frequency can be generated by dividing a frequency of an input clock signal (e.g., 32.768 KHz) by N, where N is a positive integer greater than one. A typical value of N may be 32. The methods also include techniques to inhibit timing error accumulation by switching a frequency of the periodic timing signal from the first frequency to a second frequency that differs from the desired timer frequency by a second amount. This periodic timing signal having the second frequency can be generated by dividing the frequency of the input clock signal by M, where M is a positive integer unequal to N (e.g., M−N equals ±1). |
| US08797082B2 |
Apparatus and methods for clock characterization
A system and method for efficiently performing timing characterization of high-speed clocks signals with low-speed input/output pins. An integrated circuit includes a clock generator that generates a high-speed clock signal. A clock characterizer circuit receives the high-speed clock signal. The clock characterizer generates a corresponding low-speed clock signal. The generated low-speed clock signal is output through a low-speed general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pin for measurement. The generated low-speed clock signal is sent to a sequential element for staging. The staging of the generated low-speed clock signal is done with sequential elements that use a reverse polarity of a clock signal than the polarity used by a previous stage. The high-speed clock signal is used for the staging. The output of each stage is sent to a low-speed GPIO pin for measurement. |
| US08797081B2 |
Circuit for the clocking of an FPGA
The circuit for the clocking of an FPGA comprises an FLL-circuit; a reference clock of a first frequency, or a reference clock input for the reception of a signal of a reference clock of a first frequency; and a digitally controlled oscillator, which outputs a clocking signal for the FPGA, wherein the FLL-circuit is designed in order to register a first number of clocking signals from the digitally controlled oscillator during a second number of periods of the reference clock, the first number is larger than the second number, and, in order to give out a feedback signal to control the ratio between the first number and the second number, as the feedback signal acts on the frequency of the digitally controlled oscillator. |
| US08797079B2 |
Differential delay line, ring oscillator and mobile communication device
A differential delay line includes a series connection of a plurality of differential delay stages. Each differential delay stage includes a first delay element and a second delay element. The first delay element has a first input, a second input and an output. The second delay element has a first input, a second input and an output. The output of the first delay element of an n-th differential delay stage of the plurality of differential delay stages is coupled to an input of the second delay element of an (n+m)-th differential delay stage of the plurality of differential delay stages, wherein m is an even natural number larger than or equal to two. |
| US08797072B2 |
Pulse generation circuits in integrated circuits
Integrated Circuits (ICs) comprising circuits configured to generate a power on reset (POR) pulse are disclosed. An IC comprises a power supply sense circuit configured to generate a sense signal in response to a transition of a power supply signal from a first level to a second level, and a pulse generation circuit coupled with the power supply sense circuit. The pulse generation circuit is configured to generate a power on reset (POR) pulse of a threshold duration based on the sense signal. The IC further includes a reset generation circuit coupled with the pulse generation circuit to receive the POR pulse. The reset generation circuit is configured to generate a reset pulse based on the POR signal and of at least one control signal, where the reset pulse is configured to be utilized to perform a reset of one or more elements of the integrated circuit. |
| US08797071B2 |
Semiconductor device including power-on reset circuit
A semiconductor device including a power-on-reset (POR) circuit. The semiconductor device includes a driving voltage generator configured to generate a first voltage that rises at a first slope and subsequently rises at a second slope greater than the first slope and a first POR signal generator configured to receive the first voltage and generate a first POR signal having a first ramp-up time. |
| US08797066B2 |
Detection of bad clock conditions
There is provided a circuit and method for detecting a bad clock condition on a clock signal that includes sampling the value of the clock signal at a first plurality of time delays following a rising edge on the clock signal. This method also includes sampling the value of the clock signal at a second plurality of time delays following a falling edge on the clock signal. |
| US08797065B2 |
Selector circuit and processor system
A selector circuit includes a plurality of first selection circuits each configured to select one of plural input signals on the basis of a first selection control signal and to output a first output signal and a second selection circuit configured to select one of the first output signals on the basis of a second selection control signal. Each of the first selection circuits includes a charging circuit configured to charge a first node by electrically connecting the first node to a first voltage in a first period, and a discharge control circuit configured to control, on the basis of the first selection control signal, the input signals and the second selection control signal, whether to discharge the charged first node by electrically connecting the first node to a second voltage source having a potential lower than the first voltage source in a second period following the first period. |
| US08797061B2 |
Partial reconfiguration circuitry
Integrated circuits may include partial reconfiguration (PR) circuitry for reconfiguring a portion of a memory array. The PR circuitry may include a host circuit, a control circuit, an address register, and first, second, and third data registers. The host circuit may send a series of PR instructions to the control circuit. The control circuit may include a decompression circuit for decompressing compressed instructions, a decryption circuit for decrypting encrypted instructions, an error checking circuit for detecting errors in the instructions, and a logic circuit. The address register may select a desired frame. The selected frame may be loaded into the third data register. The contents of the third data register may be shifted into the first data register. The contents of the first data register may be modified according to a desired logic function using the logic circuit, shifted into the second data register, and written into the selected frame. |
| US08797059B2 |
Implementing carbon nanotube based sensors for cryptographic applications
A method and circuit for implementing security protection with carbon nanotube based sensors for cryptographic applications, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A carbon nanotube layer is incorporated with a polymeric encapsulation layer of a security card. Electrical connections to the carbon nanotube layer are provided for electrical monitoring of electrical resistance of the carbon nanotube layer. |
| US08797058B2 |
Solar cell characterization system with an automated continuous neutral density filter
Techniques for solar cell electrical characterization are provided. In one aspect, a solar testing device is provided. The device includes a solar simulator; and a continuous neutral density filter in front of the solar simulator having regions of varying light attenuation levels ranging from transparent to opaque, the continuous neutral density filter having an area sufficiently large to filter all light generated by the solar simulator, and wherein a position of the continuous neutral density filter relative to the solar simulator is variable so as to control a light intensity produced by the device. A solar cell electrical characterization system and a method for performing a solar cell electrical characterization are also provided. |
| US08797055B2 |
Prober and method of inspecting semiconductor chip
A prober includes a probe card provided with a support board and a probe attached to the support board, a stage on which a measurement wafer is mounted, a camera provided over the probe card to observe an electrode pad of a first semiconductor chip formed on the measurement wafer, and a stage moving unit for moving the position of the stage relative to the probe card. |
| US08797053B2 |
Positioning and socketing for semiconductor dice
Devices and methods useful for testing bare and packaged semiconductor dice are provided. As integrated circuit chips become smaller and increasingly complex, the interface presented by a chip for connectivity with power supplies and other components of the system into which it is integrated similarly becomes smaller and more complex. Embodiments of the invention provide micron-scale accuracy alignment capabilities for fine pitch device first level interconnect areas. Embodiments of the invention employ air-bearings to effectuate the movement and alignment of a device under test with a testing interface. Additionally, testing interfaces comprising membranes supported by thermal fluids are provided. |
| US08797052B2 |
System and method for gradient thermal analysis by induced stimulus
A thermal gradient is induced in a device-under-test (DUT) and used to determine the location of a defect. In one embodiment, a laser creates a moving thermal gradient from a test site on the DUT and a respective time of flight for the thermal gradient to trigger a condition associated with the defect is determined. Repeating the time of flight testing at additional test site provides information used to trilaterate the defect in three dimensions. Alternately, a static thermal gradient is induced across at least a portion of the DUT along a first axis. The thermal gradient is incrementally walked along the first axis until the condition associated with the defect is triggered, thereby defining a first region. The thermal gradient is then induced along a second axis of the DUT and the process is repeated to define a second region. The location of the defect is determined to be the intersection of the first region with the second region. |
| US08797050B2 |
IEC 61158-2 electrical circuit with water detection means comprising a physical layer attribute modifier
An electrical circuit confirming to the IEC 61158-2 standard comprising a power supply, a device as a load thereof, and monitoring means adapted to monitor one or more physical layer attributes of the electrical circuit, in which the device comprises an enclosure, device function electronics disposed therein and two terminals connecting said device function electronics to said electrical circuit, in which water detection means is disposed inside said enclosure, and comprises water detection probes and a physical layer attribute modifier mounted across said electrical circuit in parallel with said device function electronics, and in which when said water detection probes detect water said physical layer attribute modifier makes a modification to a physical layer attribute of the electrical circuit, which modification is detectable by said monitoring means. |
| US08797047B2 |
Method and device for checking a sensor signal
Depending on a sensor signal, a noise signal which suppresses a useful signal spectrum of the sensor signal is determined by filtering using a filter. A noise variable, which is a measure of a noise of the sensor signal, is determined depending on the noise signal. An error of the sensor signal is identified depending on the noise variable determined. |
| US08797046B2 |
Method of sharing a test resource at a plurality of test sites, automated test equipment, handler for loading and unloading devices to be tested and test system
A method of sharing a test resource at a plurality of test sites executes respective test flows at the plurality of test sites with an offset in time, the respective test flows accessing the test resource at a predetermined position in the test flow. |
| US08797045B2 |
Device for detecting partial discharge in an insulation system of rotary electric machines
A device for determining partial discharge in an insulation system of a rotating electrical machine with low capacitance decoupling has a coupler as a high pass and an adapter device connected or connectable to the coupler. The adapter device has a frequency separating filter for dividing a decoupled signal provided by the coupler into a high frequency signal and a low frequency signal. A mixer is provided for the high frequency signal and the low frequency signal for converting the high frequency signal. An output is provided where the converted high frequency signal is tapped for evaluation by an evaluation device connectable to the adapter device. |
| US08797044B2 |
MXM interface test system and connection apparatus thereof
A connection apparatus for connecting a mobile peripheral component interconnect express module (MXM) interface to a test apparatus includes a circuit board, a golden finger connector, and a group of signal test contacts. The test contacts are connected to the golden finger connector and configured for connection to the testing apparatus. When the circuit board is inserted into a MXM interface, the test contacts connect to the MXM interface. |
| US08797040B2 |
Method, electric circuit arrangement and electric memory unit for determining a characteristic status parameter of the memory unit
The invention relates to a method for determining a characteristic status parameter of a memory unit via an electric circuit arrangement. In the circuit arrangement at least one inductive component and at least one capacitive component are arranged, forming a tuned circuit with the memory unit. The method has the following steps of energizing the tend circuit by temporary charging of the capacitive component, the energizing being carried out by an energizing device electrically supplied by the memory unit, and determining a time-dependent voltage change at the capacitive component after terminating the energizing and determining the characteristic status parameter from the time-dependence of the voltage change. The invention further relates to a corresponding electrical circuit arrangement and an electrical memory, including such a circuit arrangement. |
| US08797038B2 |
High voltage DC power for electromagnetic survey source
A marine electromagnetic survey system includes a power cable configured to couple to a power supply at one axial end, and to a head unit at the other end. The power supply includes a source of direct current which is coupled to the power cable. The head unit includes equipment configured to output a lower voltage at a higher current than the source of direct current. At least one electromagnetic antenna is coupled to the head unit and is configured to receive the output of the head unit equipment. |
| US08797037B2 |
Apparatus and methods for providing information about one or more subterranean feature
A method of approximating or determining at least one dimension or other characteristic of at least one underground geological feature in a zone of interest proximate to a well bore includes generating an electric field in the zone of interest. At least two sensing electrodes are provided in the well bore and configured to detect differences therebetween in electric potential caused by at least one target object in the zone of interest. Proppant containing signal generating devices (SGD) is delivered into the geological feature(s). The SGD generate a detectable signal in response to at least one downhole condition or property. At least one receiver receives the detectable signals and provides data relating thereto. At least one dimension or other characteristic of the geological feature is approximated or determined based at least partially upon data provided by the sensing electrodes and receiver(s). |
| US08797036B2 |
Methods and apparatus for adaptive source electromagnetic surveying
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for adaptive source electromagnetic (EM) surveying. In accordance with one embodiment, a source waveform signal is generated, and an outgoing EM signal which is based on the source waveform signal is transmitted using an antenna. A responsive electromagnetic signal is detected using at least one electromagnetic sensor, and a receiver waveform signal based on the responsive electromagnetic signal is obtained. A feedback control signal which depends on at least one input signal is determined. Based on the feedback control signal, the source waveform signal is adapted. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed. |
| US08797034B1 |
Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
A magnetic resonance imaging configuration to straighten and otherwise homogenize the field lines in the imaging portion, creating improved image quality. Through use of calibrated corrective coils, magnetic field lines can be manipulated to improve uniformity and image quality. Additionally, when the apparatus is composed of non-ferromagnetic materials, field strengths can be increased to overcome limitations of Iron-based systems such as by use of superconductivity. A patient positioning apparatus allows multi-positioning of a patient within the calibrated and more uniform magnetic field lines. |
| US08797030B2 |
Magnetic resonance radio-frequency coil and method of manufacturing
A Magnetic Resonance (MR) Radio-Frequency (RF) coil and method of manufacturing are provided for a multi-modality imaging system. The multi-modality imaging system includes a Magnetic Resonance (MR) scanner portion configured to acquired MR data of a patient using one or more MR Radio-Frequency (RF) coils. The one or more MR RF coils are formed from carbon nanotube conductors. The multi-modality imaging system also includes a radiation potion configured to transmit radiation through or detect radiation from the patient. |
| US08797023B2 |
Coercive force specifying apparatus
Provided is a coercive-force specifying apparatus capable of creating a demagnetization curve for each divisional area of a coercive-force distributed magnet without breaking the coercive-force distributed magnet and of specifying an average coercive force for each divisional area precisely.A coercive force specifying apparatus of the present invention includes: a yoke including an insertion space into which a coercive-force distributed magnet is to be inserted; a magnetizing coil; a search coil that detects a magnetization change when the magnetic field is applied to the coercive-force distributed magnet; and a tracer that creates a demagnetization curve on a basis of a voltage value generated due to the magnetization change. The end face is provided with two or more loop-shaped thread grooves bored therein, the search coil being provided in each thread groove. The coercive-force distributed magnet includes a divisional area defined so as to correspond to each of the two or more search coils, and a voltage value due to a magnetization change detected by each search coil is transmitted to the tracer for creation of a magnetization curve at a corresponding divisional area as well as for specification of an average coercive force. |
| US08797022B2 |
Ultra-slim sensor device and manufacturing method thereof
An ultra-slim sensor device, comprising: a sensor element; lead wires (or lead frames) connected to the sensor element; a support for protecting the sensor element and the lead wires disposed therein; and upper and lower films disposed on upper and lower sides of the sensor element, the lead wires and the support to insulate them, wherein a thickness of the support is greater than that of the sensor element in order to protect the sensor element and the lead wires from external shocks, and the support gradually becomes thin toward the end thereof such that the upper and lower films come into contact with each other in order to remove a space between the upper and lower films. |
| US08797020B2 |
Closed-loop fluxgate current sensor
Electrical current sensor comprising a measuring circuit (6) and an inductor (4) for measuring a primary current IP flowing in a primary conductor (2), the inductor comprising a saturable magnetic core (10) made of a highly permeable magnetic material and a secondary coil (12) for carrying an alternating excitation i configured to alternatingly saturate the magnetic core, the coil being connected to the measuring circuit. The measuring circuit is configured to supply a positive or negative voltage to the inductor, to switch off the voltage when a condition signalling saturation is reached, to measure the time to saturation t1 in one direction and the time to saturation t2 in the other direction of the magnetic core and determine therefrom a value of the primary current for small current amplitudes, the measuring circuit being further configured for evaluating the average value of the excitation current i and determining therefrom the value of the primary current for large currents. |
| US08797019B2 |
Handheld fiber optic current and voltage monitor for high voltage applications
A handheld fiber optic current and voltage monitor for applications in high voltage environment. A light source generates constant optical signal that is split by a fiber optic splitter into two paths. One path feeds a DMEMS based current sensor that is driven by a current to voltage conversion device that converts the current in a conductor into a voltage. The other path goes to a DMEMS based electric field sensor driven by a condenser antenna that converts the electric field near a high voltage power line conductor into a voltage. The output optical signals from the current sensor and the electric field sensor are received by respective optical receivers and converted into electric signals. A signal processing unit processes the signals, and a display screen displays the results. All these are mounted on a plastic mast for handheld operation. |
| US08797015B2 |
Switching power supply device, and adjustable power supply system including the same
According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a switching power supply device including a rectifying circuit and a switching operation conversion circuit. The rectifying circuit receives a phase-controlled alternating voltage to rectify to a direct voltage. The switching operation conversion circuit starts up by being applied with the direct voltage, and includes a normally on type switching element and an off driving circuit. The normally on type switching element passes an input current, and the off driving circuit turns off the switching element when the input current reaches a prescribed value. The switching operation conversion circuit converts the direct voltage to an output voltage different from the direct voltage by repeating a switching operation of turning on and off the switching element. |
| US08797012B1 |
Hysteretic regulator with output slope detection
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes output voltage comparison circuitry that compares an output voltage of a regulator and a reference voltage and outputs an output voltage comparison signal based on the comparison. Slope detection circuitry detects a slope of the output voltage and outputs a slope comparison signal based on the slope detected. Duty cycle determination circuitry receives the output voltage comparison signal and the slope comparison signal and outputs a pre-driver signal having a duty cycle based on the output voltage comparison signal and the slope comparison signal. The pre-driver signal is used to regulate the output voltage of the voltage regulator. |
| US08797004B2 |
Power factor correction device
Disclosed is a PFC (power factor correction) device for shaping an input current of a power converter. The device includes means for receiving a rectified input voltage derived from an AC input voltage; load determining means for determining a load value L which represents the power drawn by a load supplied by the power converter; current shaping means for shaping the input current of the power converter to follow a reference waveform; and control means for controlling the current shaping means to operate over a conduction interval α during each positive and negative half cycle of the AC input voltage. The duration of the conduction interval is controlled in accordance with the load value L. The current shaping means may shape the input current to follow the reference waveform which crosses zero at phase angles which substantially correspond to the start and end of the conduction interval. |
| US08797002B2 |
Control device and control method for a vehicle AC generator
The control device including: a power transistor (502) for controlling conduction/non-conduction of a field coil (3) in accordance with an output voltage of an AC generator (1) mounted on a vehicle; an RPM detection section (511) for detecting an RPM of the AC generator (1); a drive duty setting section (510) for determining whether or not the RPM detected by the RPM detection section (511) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, and reducing a conduction ratio of the field coil (3) when determining that the RPM is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold; and a driver (504) for driving the power transistor (502) based on the conduction ratio. In this manner, the conduction ratio of the field coil (3) is reduced to suppress the drive torque. |
| US08797001B2 |
Capacitor charger system and digital control module and isolated acquisition module for such a capacitor charger system
The invention relates to a capacitor charger system (100) comprising a capacitor charger module (110), an isolated acquisition module (120), and a digital control module (130). The isolated acquisition module (120) is configured for sampling an output voltage level of said capacitor charger module (110). The digital control module (130) is connected to the isolated acquisition module (120) via a bi-directional link and connected to the capacitor charger module (110) via a control signal interface. The digital control module (130) is configured for generating control signal information and synchronization signal information based on data representative of sampled output voltage levels received via the bi-directional link from the isolated acquisition module. The digital control module (130) is further configured for sending the control signal information to the capacitor charger module (110) via the control signal interface and for sending the synchronization signal information to the isolated acquisition module (120) via the bidirectional link. The capacitor charger module (110) is controlled based on the control signal information from the digital control module, and the isolated acquisition module (120) is configured for performing sampling based on the synchronization signal information. |
| US08797000B2 |
Charging control system
In a charging control system for recording data regarding charging a secondary battery, a status recording unit refers the charging voltage value and the charging current value and records the referred charging voltage, the referred charging current and reference time when the charging current value is referred and time when the charging voltage value is referred, on the recording unit. A battery protecting unit stops the charging the secondary battery when the charging voltage exceeds the predetermined target voltage value. The status recording unit starts recording of the charging voltage value, the charging current value, and the reference time on the recording unit, when the charging voltage exceeds the target voltage value as a result of a fail in stopping the charging by the battery protecting unit because of occurrence of a trouble in the battery protecting unit. |
| US08796999B2 |
Wireless power transfer for low power devices
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power transfer to simultaneously recharge power to more than one device and a user interface for setting charging duration. A method of operating a wireless receiver may comprise receiving wireless power with a receive antenna and conveying power from the receive antenna to a chargeable element. The method may further include electrically isolating the receive antenna from the chargeable element upon detecting that the chargeable element is fully-charged. |
| US08796995B2 |
State of charge indicator for a battery charger
A method is provided for indicating state of charge of a battery being charged by a charger. The method includes: supplying a charging current from a battery charger to a battery pack; determining voltage of battery cells residing in the battery pack; and illuminating a visual indicator on the battery charger to indicate state of charge of the battery pack, where brightness of the visual indicator correlates to the voltage of the battery cells in the battery pack. |
| US08796994B2 |
Control apparatus for secondary battery and control method for secondary battery
Provided are a control apparatus for a secondary battery and a control method for a secondary battery, which suppress decreases in released power and absorbed power. When a power storage device is requested to release power, a limit for power supply to a power consuming body is set relatively higher, and when the power storage device is requested to absorb power, the limit for power supply to the power consuming body is set relatively lower. When the power storage device is requested to release power, a command value PD for released power is calculated by adding supplied power PS to a requested value PE for released power. When the power storage device is requested to absorb power, a command value PC for charged power is calculated by subtracting the supplied power PS from a requested value PA for absorbed power. |
| US08796992B2 |
Basic unit of lithium-ion battery, battery pack comprising the same, and charge/discharge equalizing method thereof
A basic unit of lithium-ion battery, including: at least two series-connected lithium-ion cells; at least one lithium-ion cell for balance; controllable switches with the same number as the lithium-ion cells; a drive module for the controllable switches; a voltage detection module for detecting a voltage at two ends of the lithium-ion cells; and a controller. The lithium-ion cell for balance is connected in parallel to the lithium-ion cells. The controllable switches control the turn on/off of the connection in parallel between the lithium-ion cell for balance and each of the lithium-ion cells independently. The drive module for the controllable switches and the voltage detection module are connected to the controller. A battery pack including the basic unit of lithium-ion battery and a method for real-time charge/discharge equalizing of the basic unit of lithium-ion battery are also provided. |
| US08796990B2 |
System and method for inductively transferring AC power and self alignment between a vehicle and a recharging station
A method and apparatus for hands free inductive charging of batteries for an electric vehicle is characterized by the use of a transformer having a primary coil connected with a charging station and a secondary coil connected with a vehicle. More particularly, the when the vehicle is parked adjacent to the charging station, the primary coil is displaced via a self alignment mechanism to position the primary coil adjacent to the secondary coil to maximize the inductive transfer of charging current to the secondary coil. The self alignment mechanism preferably utilizes feedback signals from the secondary coil to automatically displace the primary coil in three directions to position the primary coil for maximum efficiency of the transformer. |
| US08796989B2 |
Wireless charger for charging control and charging control method therefor
A coil structure and a charging control method in a wireless charger having a primary coil are provided to supply an induced electromotive force suitable for a charging target having a secondary coil. Concentric coils having different radii are arranged in a wireless charger, and a coil suitable for the location of a charging target placed on the wireless charger is selected. An input power corresponding to the selected coil is determined, and the determined power is applied to the selected coil. Then the same charging efficiency can be provided irrespective of a location of a charging target placed on the wireless charger. |
| US08796988B2 |
Input-output circuit
A power supply detection circuit detects power feeding to a VBUS terminal from the outside. A charger detection circuit detects the kind of charger by monitoring voltages of a DP terminal and a DM terminal. A control unit adjusts timing and instructs the charger detection circuit to start a charger kind detection process after a notification of detection of power feeding is received from the power supply detection circuit. |
| US08796987B2 |
Refuelable battery-powered electric vehicle
The electrical vehicle energy storage system permits the electric refueling of the electric vehicle just like an automobile would be refueled with gasoline at a gas station. Circuitry on board the vehicle accessible by the electric refueling station enables the determination of the energy content of the battery module or modules returned to the electric refueling station and the owner of the vehicle is given credit for the energy remaining in the battery module or modules which have been exchanged. Selective refueling may take place for given battery modules by removing them from the battery system and charging them at home, office or factory. A process for operating an electric vehicle is also disclosed and claimed. |
| US08796986B2 |
Battery management system and driving method thereof
A battery management system of a vehicle utilizing electrical energy and a driving method thereof is provided. The battery management system includes a sensing unit and a main control unit (MCU). The sensing unit detects voltage of a battery cell. MCU determines an operation state of a vehicle, and generates a sampling signal depending on the operation state of the vehicle. The sampling control signal transmits to the sensing unit, and controls the detection of the voltage of the battery cell. The operation state of the vehicle includes a running state and a stopping state. |
| US08796985B2 |
Electric power supply system
An electric power supply system can determine a sharing ratio of an electric power so as to increase and decrease an output electric power supplied by an electric power generator in accordance with an output electric power value required for the electric power supply system, in a fuel cell following region where a frequency of a magnitude of the electric power is equal to or higher than a predetermined value in a frequency distribution of a magnitude of the electric power, and can determine the sharing ratio of the electric power so as to increase an output electric power supplied by an electricity storage device, in an assist region where the frequency is lower than a predetermined value in the frequency distribution, and can prevent an excess of discharging from an electricity storage device. |
| US08796983B2 |
Method and system for determining a position of a rotor of an electric motor with noise reduction
A data storage device stores previous position readings of the rotor for a previous cycle of a pulse width modulation signal applied to the motor. A current raw position reading for the current cycle is received. A predicted position reading for a current cycle is determined based on at least one of the stored previous position readings of the previous cycle. A data processor determines whether a difference between the current raw position reading and the predicted position reading for a first mode and a second mode is within one or more preset thresholds. The data processor selects the current raw position reading as a verified reliable final position reading if a first difference for the first mode is equal to or less than a primary preset threshold or if a second difference for the second mode is equal to or less than a secondary preset threshold. |
| US08796980B2 |
Fault detection system and method for overspeed protection speed sensors
A fault detection system for an over-speed protection system of a rotating machine includes a first speed sensor, second speed sensor, and third speed sensor sensing a speed of a shaft of the rotating machine. The system includes a first input configured to receive a first pulse train from the first speed sensor, a second input configured to receive a second pulse train from the second speed sensor, a third input configured to receive a third pulse train from the third speed sensor, and a processor configured to generate a shutdown signal for the rotating machine based on the first pulse train, the second pulse train, and the third pulse train. |
| US08796974B2 |
PMSM initial position detection system and method
A system for determining an initial position of a rotor (9) of a PMSM motor includes a motor controller (2) coupled to a plurality of phase windings of the motor by means of an actuation circuit (3). A processor (12) and an interface circuit (14) are coupled to the processor and the phase windings. The processor determines if the rotor speed is zero, and if so causes the actuation circuit to sequentially apply voltage signals (Vab, Vba, Vac, Vca, Vbc, and Vcb) to the phase windings to produce corresponding phase winding current signals (Iab, Icb, Ica, Iba, Ibc, Iac) in the various phase windings. The phase winding current signals are sensed and digitized. The processor then determines a position of a magnetic flux path associated with the rotor by computing the initial position of the rotor from one of the digitized phase winding current signals associated with the predetermined magnetic flux path. |
| US08796973B2 |
Filter apparatus and method for brushless DC motors
In a multi-phase brushless DC motor, a zero crossing N-bit filter includes a comparator and a phase multiplexer. The phase multiplexer connects each motor phase to each of a positive and a negative input of the comparator, with a switch in each connection to form a switch array. A microprocessor is disposed to operate the switches, and is configured to measure a BEMF for a first phase by opening the switches connecting all other phases to the positive input of the comparator and by opening the switch connecting the first phase being measured to the negative input of said comparator. The comparators output is received by a shift register. The microprocessor is configured to respond to a zero crossing when a majority of bits in the shift register change between high and low. |
| US08796970B2 |
Method for controlling a multiphase electric motor operating in star-connected mode
A method serves for starting a polyphase electric motor which is operated in a star connection. The method conductively bridges at least one winding part of a phase of the motor and electrically disconnects the bridged winding part, in order in this manner, to supply a higher voltage to the remaining, electrically effective windings, and thus to increase the flow of current and thus the torque. |
| US08796963B2 |
Multi-phase rotary machine control apparatus and electric power steering system using the same
A multi-phase rotary machine control apparatus executes calculation processing of an angle error caused by position error in attaching a rotation angle sensor to a motor. The control apparatus sets d-axis and q-axis current command values to zero. A rotary shaft of the rotary machine is rotated externally. The control apparatus detects phase currents caused by a counter-electromotive force, converts phases and outputs voltage command values so that the current detection values become zero. The control apparatus calculates an angle error based on the voltage command values, and stores the angle error as an angle correction value. The control apparatus corrects a detection value of a rotation angle sensor by the stored angle correction value. |
| US08796955B2 |
Reduction of harmonic distortion for LED loads
Apparatus and associated methods reduce harmonic distortion of a excitation current by diverting the excitation current substantially away from a number of LEDs arranged in a series circuit until the current or its associated periodic excitation voltage reaches a predetermined threshold level, and ceasing the current diversion while the excitation current or voltage is substantially above the predetermined threshold level. In an illustrative embodiment, a rectifier may receive an AC (e.g., sinusoidal) voltage and deliver unidirectional current to a string of series-connected LEDs. An effective turn-on threshold voltage of the diode string may be reduced by diverting current around at least one of the diodes in the string while the AC voltage is below a predetermined level. In various examples, selective current diversion within the LED string may extend the input current conduction angle and thereby substantially reduce harmonic distortion for AC LED lighting systems. |
| US08796954B2 |
Dimming control for electronic lamp
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive a dimming input to control a dimming level of a lamp. Also, the apparatus includes circuitry configured to generate a control signal based on the dimming input. The control signal indicates the dimming level for a converter of the lamp and the converter is configured to interpret the control signal to control to the dimming level of the lamp using a sinusoidal signal. |
| US08796952B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting devices having selectable and/or adjustable color points and related methods
Semiconductor light emitting devices include a first string of at least one blue-shifted-yellow LED, a second string of at least one blue-shifted-green LED, and a third string of at least one LED that emits light in the red color range. These devices include at least a first circuit that is configured to provide an operating current to at least one of the first LED or the second LED and a second circuit that is configured to provide an operating current to the third light source. The drive currents supplied by the first and second circuits may be independently controlled to set a color point of the light emitting device at a desired color point. |
| US08796949B2 |
Ultraviolet light irradiation device
The present invention provides an ultraviolet light irradiation device having a planer UV light source in which the irradiation intensity of UV light can be adjusted finely in a wider range. The ultraviolet light irradiation device of the present invention comprises an UV light source and a housing that holds the planer UV light source. In the UV light source, a plurality of thin plasma tubes, each of which has an UV phosphor layer formed therein, are arranged in parallel with each other on an electrode support sheet, and drive circuits apply a pulse voltage to electrode pairs provided between the electrode support sheet and an array of the thin plasma tubes. A control circuit controls a factor of the pulse voltage to be applied to the electrode pairs so as to adjust the irradiation intensity of the UV light. |
| US08796948B2 |
Lamp color matching and control systems and methods
Lamp color matching and control systems and methods are described. One embodiment includes a lighting node and a controller. The lighting node can include a plurality of light emitting diodes configured for illumination and further configured for optical communication with the controller, a communicator configured for radio communication with the controller, a memory configured to store a node identifier, a control logic, and a temperature sensor. The controller can include an optical sensor configured to sense the correlated color temperature and brightness of the lighting node and further configured for optical communication with the lighting node, and a communicator configured for radio communication with the lighting node. The controller can calibrate the lighting node as well as perform light copy and paste, light following, and light harvesting operations with the lighting node. |
| US08796943B2 |
LED lamp and illumination device including the LED lamp
In an LED lamp according to one embodiment of the present invention, a PWM control unit 25 performs PWM control of a current i flowing through an LED unit 24 using by driving a pulse at a frequency higher than a predetermined frequency when a frequency of an external alternating current inputted between input terminal parts 20a, 20b is lower than the predetermined frequency, and does not perform PWM control of the current i flowing through the LED unit 24 when a frequency of the external AC inputted between the input terminal parts 20a, 20b is higher than the predetermined frequency. Accordingly, by replacing a previously mounted fluorescent lamp, the LED unit drives pulses at a high frequency and lights up for illumination, regardless of whether a ballast of an illumination device is of a glow starter, rapid starter or inverter lighting type. |
| US08796941B2 |
Method and circuit arrangement for operating at least one discharge lamp
A method for operating a lamp, wherein in the preheating phase a first value of the voltage drop correlated with the reciprocal of the electrical resistance of a coil of the lamp is determined across a resistor at a first instant, and a second value of the voltage drop is determined at a second instant, may include: a) determining the difference between a first and the second value; b) b1) if the difference is greater than a first threshold value: carrying out an algorithm for lamp-type recognition; b2) if the difference is not greater than the first threshold value: c1) if the difference is greater than a second threshold value: d1) if the second value is greater than a third threshold value: determining a coil short circuit; d2) if the second value is not greater than the third threshold value: operating the lamp with the current set of operating parameters. |
| US08796926B2 |
AC, RF or pulse excited microdischarge device and array
An AC, rf, or pulse-excited microdischarge device and array are provide by the invention. A preferred array includes a substrate. A plurality of microdischarge cavities that contain discharge medium are in the substrate. A transparent layer seals the discharge medium in the microdischarge cavites. Electrodes stimulate the discharge medium. The microdischarge cavities are physically isolated from the electrodes by dielectric and arranged relative to the electrodes such that ac, rf, or pulsed excitation applied to the electrodes stimulates plasma excitation of the discharge medium. The microdischarge cavities are sized to produce plasma within the microdischarge cavities. |
| US08796923B2 |
Photocathode
The present invention aims at providing a photocathode which can improve various characteristics. In a photocathode 10, an intermediate layer 14, an underlayer 16, and a photoelectron emission layer 18 are formed in this order on a substrate 12. The photoelectron emission layer 18 contains Sb and Bi and functions to emit a photoelectron in response to light incident thereon. The photoelectron emission layer 18 contains 32 mol % or less of Bi relative to SbBi. This can dramatically improve the linearity at low temperatures. |
| US08796922B2 |
Phosphor-containing LED light bulb
An LED bulb, which includes a shell, a filler material within the shell of the bulb, at least one type of phosphor dispersed inside the filler material and at least one LED within the shell. |
| US08796921B2 |
Flexible display panel
A flexible display panel including: a flexible substrate comprising a first area and a second area, wherein the first area is formed in a first direction, and the second area is formed in a second direction that is different from the first direction; a first display area formed on the first area of the flexible substrate; a second display area formed on the second area of the flexible substrate; a bending area formed between the first display area and the second display area; and an encapsulation substrate encapsulating at least the first display area and the second display area. Accordingly, as a display area is not formed in a bent portion, display defects due to bending may be prevented. |
| US08796918B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and a method of manufacturing thereof
Discloses is an organic light emitting display device including a first substrate divided into a pixel region and a non-pixel region. An organic light emitting element includes a first electrode, an organic thin film layer and a second electrode formed in the pixel region. A scan driver and a metal film corresponding to a region of the scan driver are formed in the non-pixel region. A second substrate is spaced apart from the pixel region and the non-pixel region of the first substrate. A frit is formed along an edge of a non-pixel region of the second substrate, wherein the frit is formed so that it can be overlapped with an active area of the scan driver formed in the non-pixel region. |
| US08796911B2 |
Light-emitting device including a dual emission panel
There is a problem in a dual emission device emitting light out of both surfaces that an image on the surface and an image on the rear surface are different from each other (either image is mirror-reversed). A dual emission device is disclosed in which either light emitted from the light-emitting device is reflected by glass including a semi-transmissive film to display on glass an image same as another image obtained also from the light-emitting device, and simultaneously, external information can be viewed through the glass. A mirror can be arranged between the dual emission device and the glass including a semitransparent film. |
| US08796908B2 |
Piezoelectric body, ultrasound transducer, medical ultrasound diagnostic system, and nondestructive ultrasound test system
Disclosed is a piezoelectric body having both broad band property and improved piezoelectricity, which can be suitably used for a sensor, an actuator, an ultrasound transducer and the like. The piezoelectric body is featured in that (a) it comprises a laminate structure which is represented by the following general formula,General formula G2MX4 wherein G represents an organic onium, M represents an element of Group IV or a transition metal, and X represents Cl, Br or I, the organic onium G and an inorganic phase MX4 being alternately superposed on each other in the form of layers; or in that (b) it comprises a composite of a graphene structure and a perovskite structure, the graphene structure being composed of aggregate particles with an average particle size of not more than 200 nm. |
| US08796902B2 |
Electrostatic induction power generator
An electrostatic induction generator has a first substrate and a second substrate that can move relative to each other while remaining opposed to each other, an electret provided in the first substrate, and a first electrode and a second electrode provided on a surface side opposed to the electret in the second substrate. A positional relationship between the electret and the first electrode and a positional relationship between the electret and the second electrode change in association with a change of relative positions between the first substrate and the second substrate, whereby an electrostatic capacitance between the electret and the first electrode and an electrostatic capacitance between the electret and the second electrode change to output an electric power. A structure that decreases the electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US08796899B2 |
Rotary electric machine
The stator winding includes: a first three-phase wye-delta hybrid winding that is configured by connecting phase windings of a first wye winding to respective output ends of a first delta winding; and a second three-phase wye-delta hybrid winding that is configured by connecting phase windings of a second wye winding to respective output ends of a second delta winding. The phase windings of the first and second wye windings are configured by connecting two winding portions in parallel, and those two winding portions are configured such that distributions of radial positions inside slots of conductor wires that constitute the winding portions are equal. |
| US08796896B2 |
Electric motor
An electric motor, especially a brushless PMDC motor, has a stator and a rotor rotatably installed inside of the stator. The stator has a housing with an open end, an end cap fixed to the open end of the housing, a stator core fixed to an inner surface of the housing, and windings wound on the stator core. The rotor includes a plurality of permanent magnetic poles. The housing has a flange bent inwardly from the open end of the housing and abutting against the end cap inwardly and axially to thereby fix the end cap to the housing. The length of the flange measured along the circumferential direction of the housing is greater than half of that of the housing. |
| US08796895B2 |
Electric motor and electric vehicle having the same
An electric motor disposed in an electric vehicle includes a stator, a first rotor located at an outer side of the stator, and a second rotor located at an inner side of the stator, wherein each of the first rotor and the second rotor includes a plurality of first permanent magnets and a plurality of second permanent magnets, made of different materials from each other, whereby a material cost can be reduced and an output can be enhanced. |
| US08796894B2 |
Combination radial/axial electromagnetic actuator
An electromagnetic actuator includes a body and first and second poles residing apart from the body. The first and second poles communicate magnetic flux across a gap with opposing end facing surfaces of the body. The body, the first pole, and the second pole are magnetically coupled and define an axial magnetic control circuit. A plurality of radial poles reside apart from the body, adjacent a lateral facing surface of the body, and communicate magnetic fluxes with the lateral facing surface. The body and the plurality of radial poles define a plurality of radial magnetic control circuits. The plurality of radial poles communicate magnetic fluxes with the lateral facing surface and at least one of the first pole or the second pole, and the body, the plurality of radial poles, and at least one of the first pole or the second pole define a magnetic bias circuit. |
| US08796891B2 |
Brushless DC motor
A brushless DC motor is provided and includes: a stator assembly; a rotor assembly including a sleeve; a case assembly; and a circuit board assembly which has an electronic component mounted thereon. The case assembly is provided with an opening, the electronic component passes through the opening so as to protrude inside the case assembly, and a groove is formed at an axial end of the sleeve of the rotor assembly in order to prevent the electronic component from making contact with any part of the rotor assembly. Thus, the axial dimension of the brushless DC motor that includes the electronic component disposed to protrude inside the case assembly can be successfully reduced in such a manner that the electronic component is accommodated within the groove. Further, no electronic component is disposed around the outer circumference of the stator assembly and therefore the radial dimension also can be kept small. |
| US08796890B2 |
Power control module
A power control module including a socket, a switch circuit and an interface control circuit is provided. A plug is adapted to be inserted into the socket, and the socket has a positive terminal, a first negative terminal and a second negative terminal. When the plug is inserted into the socket, a negative terminal of the plug sequentially contacts the first negative terminal and the second negative terminal. The switch circuit receives a power voltage through the positive terminal. The interface control circuit determines whether to generate a switching signal to the switch circuit according to a voltage level of the second negative terminal. When receiving the switching signal, the switch circuit outputs the power voltage. |
| US08796886B2 |
Automatically tuning a transmitter to a resonance frequency of a receiver
Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. The wireless powered local computing environment includes at least a near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power supply arranged to wirelessly provide power to any of a number of suitably configured devices. In the described embodiments, the devices arranged to receive power wirelessly from the NFMR power supply must be located in a region known as the near field that extends no further than a distance of a few times a characteristic size of the NFMR power supply transmission device. Typically, the distance can be on the order of 1 meter or so. The NFMR power supply is used to tune a transmitter in order to maintain a high Q factor. |
| US08796885B2 |
Combining power from multiple resonance magnetic receivers in resonance magnetic power system
Various embodiments of a wirelessly powered local computing environment are described. A system and method for utilizing wireless near field magnetic resonance (NFMR) power transmission in a computing environment. A small form factor wireless power unit can be used to replace conventional batteries. |
| US08796884B2 |
Energy conversion systems with power control
In one embodiment, a power conversion system includes a controller to provide power control to a converter, and a distortion mitigation circuit. In another embodiment, a system includes a converter to transfer power between a power source and a load having fluctuating power demand, and a controller to provide power control, where the controller may selectively disable the power control. In another embodiment, a power conversion system includes a controller to generate a drive signal to provide power control to a power path in response to a sense signal from the power path, where the sense signal is taken from other than the input of the power path, or the drive signal is applied to the power path at other than a first power stage. |
| US08796879B2 |
Two-wire power and communications for irrigation systems
A two-wire power and communication system is provided, having a decoder that draws a constant amount of current for communication signals despite changes in the voltage on the power and communication wires. In one example, decoders have a constant current sink circuit that includes a shunt regulator that controls a field effect transistor. |
| US08796874B2 |
Method for operating a power plant
A method is provided for operating a power station (10) with turbine shafting (11) including a gas turbine (12) and a generator (18) that is driven directly by the gas turbine (12) and that generates alternating current with an operating frequency. The output of the generator is connected to an electrical grid (21) with a given grid frequency. An electronic decoupling apparatus or variable electronic gearbox (27) is arranged between the generator (18) and the grid (21). The decoupling apparatus decouples the operating frequency from the grid frequency. In the event of a temporary over-frequency or under-frequency event in the electrical grid (21), the mechanical rotational speed of the gas turbine (12) is decreased more than the grid frequency during an under-frequency event of the electrical grid (21) and is increased more than the grid frequency during an over-frequency event of the electrical grid (21). |
| US08796870B2 |
Hydro-mechanical electric power generator and method of generating electric power
An electric power generator having two water tanks, and two chambers movable up and down inside the two water tanks respectively in opposite directions. Each chamber has a top wall having an air outlet covered by a pressure valve, and a bottom wall having a plurality of apertures serving as both water inlets and outlets. An electric motor drivably connected to two chains from which the two chambers are hung respectively. Upper and lower electromagnetic holding devices provided at top and bottom of each water tank for holding or releasing the chambers. Continuous up and down movement of the two chambers in opposite directions by buoyancy and gravity alternately and continuously drives the electric motor to generate electric power. A method of generating electric power is also disclosed. |
| US08796866B2 |
Micro-electromechanical pressure sensor having reduced thermally-induced stress
Thermally-induced stress on a silicon micro-electromechanical pressure transducer (MEMS sensor) is reduced by attaching the MEMS sensor to a plastic filled with low CTE fillers that lowers the plastic's coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to be closer to that of silicon. The MEMS sensor is attached to the housing using an epoxy adhesive/silica filler mixture, which when cured has a CTE between about ten PPM/° C. and about thirty PPM/° C. in order to match the housing CTE. The adhesive also has a glass transition temperature (Tg) above the operating temperature range. This design provides good sealing of the sensor and stable sensor outputs. |
| US08796865B1 |
RFID tags with bumped substrate, and apparatuses and methods for making
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are provided, along with apparatuses and methods for making. In some embodiments, the RFID tags include an RFID tag chip that is attached to an inlay and/or a strap. The inlay or strap has one or more contact bumps formed thereon. In some of these embodiments, the RFID tag chip includes pads for electrical contacts, but not chip-bumps, thanks to the contact bump. |
| US08796864B2 |
Flip chip bonded semiconductor device with shelf
The semiconductor device according to the present invention has a planar semiconductor chip having projecting connection terminals provided on one surface thereof. A shelf is provided where a peripheral edge of a surface of the semiconductor chip opposite one surface thereof onto which connection terminals are provided is removed. This makes it possible to secure a larger volume of the fillet portion of the underfill, thereby helping improve the function of preventing the rising up of the excess underfill by providing a shelf in the semiconductor chip. |
| US08796861B2 |
Semiconductor package having support member
Semiconductor packages including a substrate, a plurality of first semiconductor chips stacked on the substrate, a second semiconductor chip interposed between the substrate and a lowermost semiconductor chip among the first semiconductor chips, and a supporting member disposed between the substrate and the lowermost semiconductor chip among the first semiconductor chips to support the first semiconductor chips, may be provided. The supporting member may include a passive element such as a capacitor, a resistor, or an inductor. By including the supporting member, the semiconductor packages may achieve a smaller planar size and have an improved tolerance for subsequent interconnections. |
| US08796860B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a multi-layer wiring layer formed on the substrate, and including a signal line and ground lines extending above the signal line, one of the ground lines extending toward a direction in a layer and another one of the ground lines extending from the one of the ground lines toward another direction in the layer, a first pad on the multi-layer wiring layer, and a redistribution layer formed on the multi-layer wiring layer, including a second pad, a redistribution line coupling the first pad and the second pad, and an insulation film covering the redistribution line. |
| US08796859B2 |
Multilayer interconnect structure and method for integrated circuits
A multilayer interconnect structure is formed by, providing a substrate (40) having thereon a first dielectric (50, 27) for supporting a multi-layer interconnection (39) having lower conductor MN (22, 23), upper conductor MN+1 (34, 35), dielectric interlayer (DIL) (68) and interconnecting via conductor VN+1/N (36, 36′). The lower conductor MN (22, 23) has a first upper surface (61) located in a recess below a second upper surface (56) of the first dielectric (50, 27). The DIL (68) is formed above the first (61) and second (56) surfaces. A cavity (1263) is etched through the DIL (68) from a desired location (122) of the upper conductor MN+1 (34), exposing the first surface (61). The cavity (1263) is filled with a further electrical conductor (80) to form the upper conductor MN+1 (34) and the connecting via conductor VN+1/N (36, 36′) making electrical contact with the first upper surface (61). A critical dimension (32, 37) between others (23) of lower conductors MN (22, 23) and the via conductor VN+1/N (36, 36′) is lengthened. Leakage current and electro-migration there-between are reduced. |
| US08796858B2 |
Virtually substrate-less composite power semiconductor device
A virtually substrate-less composite power semiconductor device (VSLCPSD) and method are disclosed. The VSLCPSD has a power semiconductor device (PSD), a front-face device carrier (FDC) made out of a carrier material and an intervening bonding layer (IBL). Both carrier and IBL material can be conductive or non-conductive. The PSD has back substrate portion, front semiconductor device portion with patterned front-face device metallization pads and a virtually diminishing thickness TPSD. The FDC has patterned back-face carrier metallizations contacting the front-face device metallization pads, patterned front-face carrier metallization pads and numerous parallelly connected through-carrier conductive vias respectively connecting the back-face carrier metallizations to the front-face carrier metallization pads. The FDC thickness TFDC is large enough to provide structural rigidity to the VSLCPSD. The diminishing thickness TPSD effects a low back substrate resistance and the through-carrier conductive vias effect a low front-face contact resistance to the front-face device metallization pads. |
| US08796856B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device manufacturing method is disclosed. The method includes etching a silicon on insulator (SOI) from its surface (i.e., semiconductor substrate layer) to form a first trench and a second trench. The first trench extends through the SOI substrate and reaches an electrode pad. The second trench terminates in the semiconductor substrate layer. The manufacturing method also includes forming an insulation film that covers the surface of the semiconductor substrate layer as well as the side walls and bottoms of the first and second trenches. The manufacturing method also includes removing the insulation film from the bottoms of the first and second trenches to expose the electrode pad from the first trench bottom and to expose the semiconductor substrate layer from the second trench bottom. |
| US08796854B2 |
Hybrid interconnect structure for performance improvement and reliability enhancement
A hybrid interconnect structure (of the single or dual damascene type) is provided in which a dense (i.e., non-porous) dielectric spacer is present on the sidewalls of a dielectric material. More specifically, the structure includes a dielectric material having a conductive material embedded within at least one opening in the dielectric material, wherein the conductive material is laterally spaced apart from the dielectric material by a diffusion barrier, a dense dielectric spacer and, optionally, an air gap. The presence of the dense dielectric spacer results in a hybrid interconnect structure that has improved reliability and performance. Moreover, the hybrid interconnect structure provides for better process control which leads to the potential for high volume manufacturing. |
| US08796850B2 |
Wiring connection method and functional device
By forming a metal layer 14 on at least one of a connecting electrode 12 of a first substrate 10 and a connecting electrode 17 of a second substrate 15, placing the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 15 together in order that the connecting electrode 12 and the connecting electrode 17 face opposite to each other via the metal layer 14, increasing temperature up to anodic bonding temperature, and applying DC voltage between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 15 while maintaining that temperature, the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 15 are anodically bonded, and at the same time by melting the metal layer 14, the connecting electrode 12 and the connecting electrode 17 are electrically connected. The method achieves anodic bonding of substrates with high yield and at the same time establishes wiring connection, effective for packaging. |
| US08796846B2 |
Semiconductor device with a vertical interconnect structure for 3-D FO-WLCSP
A semiconductor device is made by forming a first conductive layer over a carrier. The first conductive layer has a first area electrically isolated from a second area of the first conductive layer. A conductive pillar is formed over the first area of the first conductive layer. A semiconductor die or component is mounted to the second area of the first conductive layer. A first encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and around the conductive pillar. A first interconnect structure is formed over the first encapsulant. The first interconnect structure is electrically connected to the conductive pillar. The carrier is removed. A portion of the first conductive layer is removed. The remaining portion of the first conductive layer includes an interconnect line and UBM pad. A second interconnect structure is formed over a remaining portion of the first conductive layer is removed. |
| US08796845B2 |
Electronic device covered by multiple layers and method for manufacturing electronic device
An electronic device according to the invention includes: a substrate; an MEMS structure formed above the substrate; and a covering structure defining a cavity in which the MEMS structure is arranged, wherein the covering structure has a first covering layer covering from above the cavity and having a through-hole in communication with the cavity and a second covering layer formed above the first covering layer and closing the through-hole, the first covering layer has a first region located above at least the MEMS structure and a second region located around the first region, the first covering layer is thinner in the first region than in the second region, and a distance between the substrate and the first covering layer in the first region is longer than a distance between the substrate and the first covering layer in the second region. |
| US08796843B1 |
RF and milimeter-wave high-power semiconductor device
High-power and high-frequency semiconductor devices require high signal integrity and high thermal conductance assembly technologies and packages. In particular, wide-gap-semiconductor devices on diamond benefit from spatially separate electrical and thermal connections. This application discloses assembly and package architectures that offer high signal integrity and high thermal conductance. |
| US08796840B2 |
Semiconductor assembly that includes a power semiconductor die located on a cell defined by first and second patterned polymer layers
A semiconductor assembly includes a first subassembly comprising a heat sink and a first patterned polymer layer disposed on a surface of the heat sink to define an exposed portion of the first surface. The exposed portion of the first surface extends radially inward along the heat sink surface from the first layer. The subassembly also includes a second patterned polymer layer disposed on a radially outer portion of the first patterned polymer layer. The first and second layers define a cell for accommodating a power semiconductor die. Solder material is disposed on the exposed portion of the heat sink surface and in the cell. A power semiconductor die is located within the cell on a radially inward portion of the first layer and thermally coupled to the heat sink by the solder material. |
| US08796835B2 |
Package on package having improved thermal characteristics
Provided is a package on package (POP) having improved thermal and electric signal transmitting characteristics. The POP may include a first semiconductor package, a second semiconductor package larger than the first semiconductor package and mounted on the first semiconductor package, and a heat slug adhered to a bottom of a second substrate of the second semiconductor package and surrounding a side of the first semiconductor package. The heat slug may be a capacitor. |
| US08796834B2 |
Stack type semiconductor package
A stack package includes a core layer having a first surface and a second surface, and including first circuit wiring lines; a first semiconductor device disposed on the second surface of the core layer; a first resin layer formed on the second surface of the core layer to cover the first semiconductor device; second circuit wiring lines formed on the first resin layer and electrically connected with the first semiconductor device; a second semiconductor device disposed over the first resin layer including the second circuit wiring lines and electrically connected with the second circuit wiring lines; a second resin layer formed on the second circuit wiring lines and the first resin layer to cover the second semiconductor device; and a plurality of via patterns formed to pass through the first resin layer and the core layer and electrically connecting the first circuit wiring lines and the second circuit wiring lines. |
| US08796833B2 |
Solder bump for ball grid array
A solder bump structure for a ball grid array (BGA) includes at least one under bump metal (UBM) layer and a solder bump formed over the at least one UBM layer. The solder bump has a bump width and a bump height and the ratio of the bump height over the bump width is less than 1. |
| US08796832B2 |
Wiring device for semiconductor device, composite wiring device for semiconductor device, and resin-sealed semiconductor device
A wiring device for a semiconductor device, a composite wiring device for a semiconductor device and a resin-sealed semiconductor device are provided, each of which is capable of mounting thereon a semiconductor chip smaller than conventional chips and being manufactured at lower cost. The wiring device connects an electrode on a semiconductor chip with an external wiring device, and has an insulating layer, a metal substrate and a copper wiring layer. The wiring device has a semiconductor chip support portion provided on the side of the copper wiring layer with respect to the insulating layer. The copper wiring layer includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a wiring portion. The first terminal is connected with the electrode. The second terminal is connected with the external wiring device. The wiring portion connects the first terminal with the second terminal. |
| US08796829B2 |
Thermal dissipation through seal rings in 3DIC structure
A package includes a die, which includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of through-vias penetrating through the semiconductor substrate, a seal ring overlapping and connected to the plurality of through-vias, and a plurality of electrical connectors underlying the semiconductor substrate and connected to the seal ring. An interposer is underlying and bonded to the die. The interposer includes a substrate, and a plurality of metal lines over the substrate. The plurality of metal lines is electrically coupled to the plurality of electrical connectors. Each of the plurality metal lines has a first portion overlapped by the first die, and a second portion misaligned with the die. A thermal conductive block encircles the die, and is mounted on the plurality of metal lines of the interposer. |
| US08796819B2 |
Non-volatile memory device including a variable resistance material
A non-volatile memory device including a variable resistance material is provided. The non-volatile memory device may include a buffer layer, a variable resistance material layer and/or an upper electrode, for example, sequentially formed on a lower electrode. A schottky barrier may be formed on an interface between the buffer layer and the lower electrode. The variable resistance material layer may be formed with a variable resistance property. |
| US08796818B2 |
N well implants to separate blocks in a flash memory device
A semiconductor memory device that has an isolated area formed from one conductivity and formed in part by a buried layer of a second conductivity that is implanted in a substrate. The walls of the isolated area are formed by implants that are formed from the second conductivity and extend down to the buried layer. The isolated region has implanted source lines and is further subdivided by overlay strips of the second conductivity that extend substantially down to the buried layer. Each isolation region can contain one or more blocks of memory cells. |
| US08796815B2 |
Interconnect line selectively isolated from an underlying contact plug
A means for selectively electrically connecting an electrical interconnect line, such as a bit line of a memory cell, with an associated contact stud and electrically isolating the interconnect line from other partially underlying contact studs for other electrical features, such as capacitor bottom electrodes. The interconnect line can be formed partially-connected to all contact studs, thereby allowing the electrical features to be formed in closer proximity to one another for higher levels of integration, and in subsequent steps of fabrication, the contact studs associated with memory cell features other than the interconnect line can be isolated from the interconnect line by the removal of a silicide cap, or the selective etching of a portion of these contact studs, and the formation of an insulating sidewall between the non-selected contact stud and the interconnect line. |
| US08796814B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor substrate device includes a plurality of memory elements formed on the top surface of a semiconductor substrate, interlayer insulating films buried between the adjacent memory elements, a protection film formed on sides of each of the memory elements and the top surface of the semiconductor substrate between the adjacent memory elements, and contacts formed in the interlayer insulating films. The protection film includes a first protection film formed on the sides of each of the memory elements and the top surface of the semiconductor substrate between the adjacent memory elements and a second protection film formed on the first protection film. The first protection film is made of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, or a silicon oxynitride film, and the second protection film is made of a boron film or a boron nitride film. |
| US08796812B2 |
Self-aligned trench over fin
A stack of a first hard mask portion and a second hard mask portion is formed over a semiconductor material layer by anisotropically etching a stack, from bottom to top, of a first hard mask layer and a second hard mask layer. The first hard mask portion is laterally recessed by an isotropic etch. A dielectric material layer is conformally deposited and planarized. The dielectric material layer is etched employing an anisotropic etch that is selective to the first hard mask portion to form a dielectric material portion that laterally surrounds the first hard mask portion. After removal of the second and first hard mask portions, the semiconductor material layer is etched employing the dielectric material portion as an etch mask. Optionally, portions of the semiconductor material layer underneath the first and second hard mask portions can be undercut at a periphery. |
| US08796806B2 |
High-performance diode device structure and materials used for the same
A diode and memory device including the diode, where the diode includes a conductive portion and another portion formed of a first material that has characteristics allowing a first decrease in a resistivity of the material upon application of a voltage to the material, thereby allowing current to flow there through, and has further characteristics allowing a second decrease in the resistivity of the first material in response to an increase in temperature of the first material. |
| US08796804B2 |
Forming sensing elements above a semiconductor substrate
An integrated circuit structure includes a substrate and a metallization layer over the substrate. The metallization layer includes a dielectric layer and metal lines in the dielectric layer. The integrated circuit structure further includes a sensing element over the metallization layer. The sensing element may be formed in passivation layers. |
| US08796802B2 |
Semiconductor photodetector and radiation detector system
Semiconductor photodetectors are provided that may enable optimized usage of an active detector array. The semiconductor photodetectors may have a structure that can be produced and/or configured as simply as possible. A radiation detector system is also provided. |
| US08796800B2 |
Interposer package for CMOS image sensor and method of making same
An image sensor package and method of manufacture that includes a crystalline handler with conductive elements extending therethrough, an image sensor chip disposed in a cavity of the handler, and a transparent substrate disposed over the cavity and bonded to both the handler and image sensor chip. The transparent substrate includes conductive traces that electrically connect the sensor chip's contact pads to the handler's conductive elements, so that off-chip signaling is provided by the substrate's conductive traces and the handler's conductive elements. |
| US08796798B2 |
Imaging module, fabricating method therefor, and imaging device
An imaging module includes an imaging chip including a micro-lens guiding incident light and an imaging element in a semiconductor substrate and converting the incident light into an electric signal, and a polarizing glass chip including a polarizing filter glass having a polarizer determining a polarization direction of the incident light arranged on a transparent substrate such that the polarizer faces the micro-lens and a spacer member connected to the polarizing filter glass to adjust a gap between the polarizer and the micro-lens of the imaging chip. In the imaging module, a melt-bonding surface of the spacer member is melt-bonded to the semiconductor substrate such that the polarizer of the polarizing glass chip and the micro-lens of the imaging chip are arranged close to each other via the gap, and the imaging element and the micro-lens of the imaging chip are sealed by the polarizing glass chip. |
| US08796796B2 |
Method and system for providing magnetic junctions having improved polarization enhancement and reference layers
A magnetic junction is provided. The magnetic junction includes a reference stack, a nonmagnetic spacer layer and a free layer. The reference stack includes a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) layer and a graded polarization enhancement layer (PEL) between the high PMA and nonmagnetic spacer layers. The PEL is magnetically coupled with the reference layer. The PEL includes magnetic layers and nonmagnetic insertion layers. At least part of the PEL has a spin polarization greater than the PMA layer's. The nonmagnetic insertion layers are configured such that the magnetic layers are ferromagnetically coupled and the crystalline orientations of the high PMA and nonmagnetic spacer layers are decoupled. Each nonmagnetic insertion layer's thickness is insufficient for the crystalline orientations to be decoupled in the absence of the remaining nonmagnetic insertion layers. The free layer is switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. |
| US08796795B2 |
MRAM with sidewall protection and method of fabrication
BEOL memory cells are described that include one or more sidewall protection layers on the memory device (including, for example, an MTJ element) deposited prior to interconnect via etching to prevent the formation of electrical shorts between layers. One embodiment uses a single layer sidewall protection sleeve that is deposited after the memory device has been patterned. The layer material is vertically etched down to expose the upper surface of the top electrode while leaving a residual layer of protective material surrounding the rest of the memory device. The material for the protection layer is selected to resist the etchant used to remove the first dielectric material from the via in the subsequent interconnect process. A second embodiment uses dual-layer sidewall protection in which the first layer covers the memory element is preferably an oxygen-free dielectric and the second layer protects the first layer during via etching. |
| US08796793B2 |
Magnetoresistive element, magnetic random access memory and method of manufacturing the same
A magnetoresistive element includes: a lower magnetic layer; a barrier layer; and an upper magnetic layer. The barrier layer is provided on the lower magnetic layer. The upper magnetic layer is provided on the barrier layer. One of magnetization directions of the lower magnetic layer and the upper magnetic layer is fixed. The barrier layer has a first surface which includes a surface contacted with an upper surface of the lower magnetic layer. The upper magnetic layer has a second surface which includes a surface contacted with an upper surface of the barrier layer. Each of the first surface and the second surface is larger than the upper surface of the lower magnetic layer in area. |
| US08796792B2 |
Micro-electro-mechanical system having movable element integrated into leadframe-based package
A MEMS may integrate movable MEMS parts, such as mechanical elements, flexible membranes, and sensors, with the low-cost device package, leaving the electronics and signal-processing parts in the integrated circuitry of the semiconductor chip. The package may be a leadframe-based plastic molded body having an opening through the thickness of the body. The movable part may be anchored in the body and extend at least partially across the opening. The chip may be flip-assembled to the leads to span across the foil, and may be separated from the foil by a gap. The leadframe may be a prefabricated piece part, or may be fabricated in a process flow with metal deposition on a sacrificial carrier and patterning of the metal layer. The resulting leadframe may be flat or may have an offset structure useful for stacked package-on-package devices. |
| US08796791B2 |
Hybrid intergrated component and method for the manufacture thereof
Measures are proposed by which the design freedom is significantly increased in the case of the implementation of the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element of a component, which includes a carrier for the MEMS element and a cap for the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element, the MEMS element being mounted on the carrier via a standoff structure. The MEMS element is implemented in a layered structure, and the micromechanical structure of the MEMS element extends over at least two functional layers of this layered structure, which are separated from one another by at least one intermediate layer. |
| US08796787B2 |
Semiconductor device
In a semiconductor power device such as a power MOSFET having a super-junction structure in each of an active cell region and a chip peripheral region, an outer end of a surface region of a second conductivity type coupled to a main junction of the second conductivity type in a surface of a drift region of a first conductivity type and having a concentration lower than that of the main junction is located in a middle region between an outer end of the main junction and an outer end of the super-junction structure in the chip peripheral region. |
| US08796784B2 |
Devices and methods to optimize materials and properties for replacement metal gate structures
Devices and methods for device fabrication include forming a gate structure with a sacrificial material. Silicided regions are formed on source/drain regions adjacent to the gate structure or formed at the bottom of trench contacts within source/drain areas. The source/drain regions or the silicided regions are processed to build resistance to subsequent thermal processing and adjust Schottky barrier height and thus reduce contact resistance. Metal contacts are formed in contact with the silicided regions. The sacrificial material is removed and replaced with a replacement conductor. |
| US08796780B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
Provided is a semiconductor device capable of having a single metal/dual high-k structure with a good shape and having flat band voltages suited for nMOS and pMOS, respectively. The semiconductor device according to the one embodiment of the present invention has a first conductivity type MOSFET and a second conductivity type MOSFET. The first and second conductivity type MOSFETs are each equipped with a first insulating film formed over a semiconductor substrate, a second insulating film formed over the first insulating film and made of an insulating material having a higher dielectric constant than the first insulating film, and a gate electrode formed over the second insulating film and having, as a lower layer of the gate electrode, a metal layer containing a material which diffuses into the second insulating film to control a work function thereof. The second conductivity type MOSFET is equipped further with a diffusion barrier film formed between the first insulating film and the second insulating film to prevent diffusion of a work-function controlling material into the interface of the first insulating film. |
| US08796762B2 |
Buried gate transistor
An embodiment of the invention provides a semiconductor fabrication method. The method comprises forming an isolation region between a first and a second region in a substrate, forming a recess in the substrate surface, and lining the recess with a uniform oxide. Embodiments further include doping a channel region under the bottom recess surface in the first and second regions and depositing a gate electrode material in the recess. Preferred embodiments include forming source/drain regions adjacent the channel region in the first and second regions, preferably after the step of depositing the gate electrode material. Another embodiment of the invention provides a semiconductor device comprising a recess in a surface of the first and second active regions and in the isolation region, and a dielectric layer having a uniform thickness lining the recess. |
| US08796760B2 |
Transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A manufacture includes a doped layer, a body structure over the doped layer, a trench defined in the doped layer, an insulator partially filling the trench, and a first conductive feature buried in, and separated from the doped layer and the body structure by, the insulator. The doped layer has a first type doping. The body structure has an upper surface and includes a body region. The body region has a second type doping different from the first type doping. The trench has a bottom surface. The first conductive feature extends from a position substantially leveled with the upper surface of the body structure toward the bottom surface of the trench. The first conductive feature overlaps the doped layer for an overlapping distance, and the overlapping distance ranging from 0 to 2 μm. |
| US08796759B2 |
Fin-like field effect transistor (FinFET) device and method of manufacturing same
A FinFET device and method for fabricating a FinFET device is disclosed. An exemplary FinFET device includes a semiconductor substrate; a fin structure disposed over the semiconductor substrate; and a gate structure disposed on a portion of the fin structure. The gate structure traverses the fin structure and separates a source region and a drain region of the fin structure, the source and drain region defining a channel therebetween. The source and drain region of the fin structure include a strained source and drain feature. The strained source feature and the strained drain feature each include: a first portion having a first width and a first depth; and a second portion disposed below the first portion, the second portion having a second width and a second depth. The first width is greater than the second width, and the first depth is less than the second depth. |
| US08796758B2 |
Selective epitaxial growth of semiconductor materials with reduced defects
A semiconductor device includes a substrate formed of a first semiconductor material; two insulators on the substrate; and a semiconductor region having a portion between the two insulators and over the substrate. The semiconductor region has a bottom surface contacting the substrate and having sloped sidewalls. The semiconductor region is formed of a second semiconductor material different from the first semiconductor material. |
| US08796756B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A charge storage layer interposed between a memory gate electrode and a semiconductor substrate is formed shorter than a gate length of the memory gate electrode or a length of insulating films so as to make the overlapping amount of the charge storage layer and a source region to be less than 40 nm. Therefore, in the write state, since the movement in the transverse direction of the electrons and the holes locally existing in the charge storage layer decreases, the variation of the threshold voltage when holding a high temperature can be reduced. In addition, the effective channel length is made to be 30 nm or less so as to reduce an apparent amount of holes so that coupling of the electrons with the holes in the charge storage layer decreases; therefore, the variation of the threshold voltage when holding at room temperature can be reduced. |
| US08796753B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device including: a semiconductor substrate; a source region and a drain region that are formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to be separated from each other and so as to define a channel region therebetween; a tunnel insulating film that is formed on the channel region; an insulative charge storage film that is formed on the tunnel insulating film; a conductive charge storage film that is formed on the insulative charge storage film so as to be shorter than the insulative charge storage film in a channel direction; an interlayer insulating film that is formed on the conductive charge storage film; and a gate electrode that is formed on the interlayer insulating film. |
| US08796752B2 |
String floating gates with air gaps in between
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of strings spaced a first distance from each other, each string including first preliminary gate structures spaced a second distance, smaller than the first distance, between second preliminary gate structures, forming a first insulation layer to cover the first and second preliminary gate structures, forming an insulation layer structure to fill a space between the strings, forming a sacrificial layer pattern to partially fill spaces between first and second preliminary gate structures, removing a portion of the first insulation layer not covered by the sacrificial layer pattern to form a first insulation layer pattern, reacting portions of the first and second preliminary gate structures not covered by the first insulation layer pattern with a conductive layer to form gate structures, and forming a capping layer on the gate structures to form air gaps between the gate structures. |
| US08796749B2 |
Reverse conductive nano array and manufacturing method of the same
A high-speed photodiode may include a photodiode structure having a substrate, a light-absorbing layer and a light-directing layer that is deposited on a top surface of the photodiode structure and patterned to form a textured surface used to change the angle of incident light to increase a light path of the incident light when entering the photodiode structure. In one embodiment, the light-directing layer may include a plurality of polygon such as triangular projections to refract the incident light to increase the light path thereof when entering the photodiode structure. In another embodiment, a plurality of nanoscaled sub-triangular projections can patterned on both sides of each triangular projection to more effectively increase the light paths. In a further embodiment, porous materials can be used to form the light-directing layer. |
| US08796748B2 |
Transistors, methods of manufacture thereof, and image sensor circuits
Transistors, methods of manufacturing thereof, and image sensor circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, a transistor includes a buried channel disposed in a workpiece, a gate dielectric disposed over the buried channel, and a gate layer disposed over the gate dielectric. The gate layer comprises an I shape in a top view of the transistor. |
| US08796746B2 |
Method and structure of monolithically integrated pressure sensor using IC foundry-compatible processes
A monolithically integrated MEMS pressure sensor and CMOS substrate using IC-Foundry compatible processes. The CMOS substrate is completed first using standard IC processes. A diaphragm is then added on top of the CMOS. In one embodiment, the diaphragm is made of deposited thin films with stress relief corrugated structure. In another embodiment, the diaphragm is made of a single crystal silicon material that is layer transferred to the CMOS substrate. In an embodiment, the integrated pressure sensor is encapsulated by a thick insulating layer at the wafer level. The monolithically integrated pressure sensor that adopts IC foundry-compatible processes yields the highest performance, smallest form factor, and lowest cost. |
| US08796745B2 |
Monolithically integrated active snubber
A semiconductor device containing an extended drain MOS transistor with an integrated snubber formed by forming a drain drift region of the MOS transistor, forming a snubber capacitor including a capacitor dielectric layer and capacitor plate over the extended drain, and forming a snubber resistor over a gate of the MOS transistor so that the resistor is connected in series between the capacitor plate and a source of the MOS transistor. |
| US08796738B2 |
Group III-V device structure having a selectively reduced impurity concentration
There are disclosed herein various implementations of a semiconductor structure and method. The semiconductor structure comprises a substrate, a transition body over the substrate, and a group III-V intermediate body having a bottom surface over the transition body. The semiconductor structure also includes a group III-V device layer over a top surface of the group III-V intermediate body. The group III-V intermediate body has a continuously reduced impurity concentration wherein a higher impurity concentration at the bottom surface is continuously reduced to a lower impurity concentration at the top surface. |
| US08796735B2 |
Fabrication of a vertical heterojunction tunnel-FET
Exemplary embodiments include a method for fabricating a heterojunction tunnel field-effect-transistor (FET), the method including forming a gate region on a silicon layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate, forming a drain region on the silicon layer adjacent the gate region and forming a vertical heterojunction source region adjacent the gate region, wherein the vertical heterojunction source region generates a tunnel path inline with a gate field associated with the gate region. |
| US08796732B2 |
Thyristor component
The invention relates to a thyristor component, wherein a p-conductive trough (30) adjoins an n-conductive trough (20) at two opposite sides. Highly n-conductive areas (21, 23) and highly p-conductive areas (22) are disposed in the n-trough in alternating sequence, such that outer n-areas (23) are spaced apart at a smaller distance from the p-trough than the p-areas. Further n-areas (35) and further p-areas (36) are disposed in the p-trough on both sides of the n-trough, wherein the further n-area is disposed in each case at a smaller distance from the n-trough than the further p-area. Connection contacts (41, 42) are present on the n-areas and on the p-areas of the n-trough, except for the outermost n-areas nearest to the p-trough. The connection contacts are electrically conductively connected to each other. Further connection contacts (45, 46) are present on the further n-areas and on the further p-areas, wherein the further connection contacts are electrically connected to each other. |
| US08796730B2 |
Power semiconductor module
Disclosed herein is a power semiconductor module including: a circuit board having gate, emitter, and collector patterns formed thereon; a first semiconductor chip mounted on the circuit board, having gate and emitter terminals each formed on one surface thereof, and having a collector terminal formed on the other surface thereof; a second semiconductor chip mounted on the first semiconductor chip, having a cathode terminal formed on one surface thereof, and having an anode terminal formed on the other surface thereof; a first conductive connection member having one end disposed between the collector terminal of the first semiconductor chip and the cathode terminal of the second semiconductor chip and the other end contacting the collector pattern of the circuit board; and a second conductive connection member having one end contacting the anode terminal of the second semiconductor chip and the other end contacting the emitter pattern of the circuit board. |
| US08796728B2 |
Photonically-activated single-bias fast-switching integrated thyristor
Preferred embodiments of the invention include a thyristor core that is single biased by a source, such as a power source (or a portion thereof) that is being switched through the thyristors. An optically activated transistor that is preferably a minority carrier device is in series with the thyristor core. The thyristor core has an optically activated gate. The turn-off of the thyristor can be accelerated by the turn-on (conduction state) of a gate switch, which ensures a unity gain turn-off of the core thyristor. |
| US08796727B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode display includes: a substrate; a display area including an organic light emitting element on the substrate; an organic encapsulation layer covering the organic light emitting element and having a second boundary spaced from a first boundary of the display area by a first distance; and an inorganic encapsulation layer having a peripheral area contacting the substrate and covering the organic encapsulation layer. |
| US08796720B2 |
White light emitting diodes
A white LED includes a red light emitting unit, a green light emitting unit, a blue light emitting unit, and an optical grating located on a same plane. The red light emitting unit, the green light emitting unit and the blue light emitting unit are located around the optical grating. Each light emitting unit includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer and a first reflector layer stacked in that order. The optical grating includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer stacked in that order. The first semiconductor layer of the optical grating and the first semiconductor layers of the light emitting units are a continuous integrated structure. |
| US08796715B2 |
Phosphor blend for an LED light source and LED light source incorporating same
There is provided a phosphor blend for an LED light source comprising from about 25 to about 35 weight percent of a cerium-activated yttrium aluminum garnet phosphor, from about 5 to about 10 weight percent of a europium-activated strontium calcium silicon nitride phosphor, and from about 50 to about 75 weight percent of a europium-activated calcium magnesium chlorosilicate phosphor. An LED light source in accordance with this invention has a B:G:R ratio for a 5500 K daylight balanced color film of X:Y:Z when directly exposed through a nominal photographic lens, wherein X, Y and Z each have a value from 0.90 to 1.10. |
| US08796711B2 |
Light-emitting element
A light-emitting element includes a semiconductor substrate, a light emitting portion including an active layer, a reflective portion between the semiconductor substrate and the light emitting portion, and a current dispersion layer on the light emitting portion. The reflective portion includes a plurality of pair layers each including a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer has a thickness TA1 defined by a formula (1) and the second semiconductor layer has a thickness TB1 defined by a formula (2), where λP represents a peak wavelength of the light emitted from the active layer, nA represents a refractive index of the first semiconductor layer, nB represents a refractive index of the second semiconductor layer, nIn represents a refractive index of a first cladding layer, and θ represents an incident angle of light from the first cladding layer to the second semiconductor layer. T A 1 = λ p 4 n A 1 - ( n In sin θ n A ) 2 Formula ( 1 ) T B 1 = λ p 4 n B 1 - ( n In sin θ n B ) 2 Formula ( 2 ) |
| US08796705B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package and illumination system
A light emitting device is provided. The light emitting device includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer including a plurality of well layers and a plurality of barrier layers on the first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the active layer. An upper surface of at least first barrier layer among the barrier layers includes an uneven surface. The first barrier layer is disposed more closely to the second conductive type semiconductor layer than to the first conductive type semiconductor layer. |
| US08796702B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate, a plurality of pixels on the substrate having a first region configured to emit light and a second region configured to transmit external light, a plurality of pixel circuit units, a plurality of first electrodes, a first organic layer on the plurality of first electrodes, a second organic layer on the first organic layer, the second organic layer including an emission layer, a third organic layer on the second organic layer, the third organic layer being positioned in the first region and outside a central portion of the second region, and a second electrode having a first portion only on the third organic layer. |
| US08796700B2 |
Emissive device with chiplets
An emissive device includes a substrate having a substrate surface; a chiplet adhered to the substrate surface, the chiplet having one or more connection pads; a bottom electrode formed on the substrate surface, one or more organic or inorganic light-emitting layers formed over the bottom electrode, and a top electrode formed over the one or more organic or inorganic light-emitting layers; an electrical conductor including a transition layer formed over only a portion of the chiplet and only a portion of the substrate surface, the transition layer exposing at least one connection pad, the electrical conductor formed in electrical contact with the exposed connection pad and the bottom electrode; and an LED spaced from the chiplet and including a layer of light-emissive material formed over the bottom electrode and a top electrode formed over the light-emissive layer. |
| US08796699B2 |
Method and apparatus for sensing infrared radiation
Embodiments of the invention pertain to a method and apparatus for sensing infrared (IR) radiation. In a specific embodiment, a night vision device can be fabricated by depositing a few layers of organic thin films. Embodiments of the subject device can operate at voltages in the range of 10-15 Volts and have lower manufacturing costs compared to conventional night vision devices. Embodiments of the device can incorporate an organic phototransistor in series with an organic light emitting device. In a specific embodiment, all electrodes are transparent to infrared light. An IR sensing layer can be incorporated with an OLED to provide IR-to-visible color up-conversion. Improved dark current characteristics can be achieved by incorporating a poor hole transport layer material as part of the IR sensing layer. |
| US08796698B2 |
Method for fabricating substrate with nano structures, light emitting device and manufacturing method thereof
A method of fabricating a substrate with nano structures, light emitting device using the substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein a substrate for growing a light emitting device is formed with nano agglomerations, and the substrate is etched by using the agglomerations as a mask to allow nano structures to be formed on the substrate, thereby enabling to grow a crystal defect-reduced, reliability-improved, good quality light emitting structure, and wherein the light emitting structure is formed with nano structures to enhance the light extraction efficiency. |
| US08796697B2 |
Semiconductor device including transistor chips having oblique gate electrode fingers
A semiconductor device includes: a package; an input matching circuit and an output matching circuit in the package; and transistor chips between the input matching circuit and the output matching circuit in the package. Each transistor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having long sides and short sides that are shorter than the long sides, and a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a source electrode on the semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode has gate fingers arranged along the long sides of the semiconductor substrate and a gate pad commonly connected to the gate fingers and connected to the input matching circuit via a first wire. The drain electrode is connected to the output matching circuit via a second wire. The long sides of the semiconductor substrates of the transistor chips are oblique with respect to an input/output direction extending from the input matching circuit to the output matching circuit. |
| US08796693B2 |
Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction process for depositing epitaxial ZnO on III-nitride-based light emitting diode and light emitting diode including epitaxial ZnO
A method of forming a ZnO layer on a substrate and an LED including a ZnO layer formed by the method are provided. The ZnO layer is formed by using a Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) process. The SILAR process includes: applying a first solution to a substrate comprising GaN, to form an inner ionic layer on the substrate and an outer ionic layer on the inner ionic layer; performing a first washing operation on the substrate to remove the outer ionic layer; and applying a second solution to the washed substrate to convert the inner ionic layer into a ZnO oxide layer. |
| US08796690B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate, method of fabricating the same and flat display having the same
A thin film transistor substrate and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. A thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate comprising a plurality of grooves having different depths, respectively, to have a multi-step structure; gate and data lines alternatively crossed in the grooves to form a plurality of pixel areas; thin film transistors formed in the grooves of the substrate to be formed in cross portion of the gate and data lines, wherein active layers of the thin transistors are formed along the gate lines and gate electrodes, the active layers separated from active layers of neighboring pixel areas with the data line located there between. |
| US08796687B2 |
Technique to modify the microstructure of semiconducting materials
A method of treating a sheet of semiconducting material comprises forming a sinterable first layer over each major surface of a sheet of semiconducting material, forming a second layer over each of the first layers to form a particle-coated semiconductor sheet, placing the particle-coated sheet between end members, heating the particle-coated sheet to a temperature effective to at least partially sinter the first layer and at least partially melt the semiconducting material, and cooling the particle-coated sheet to solidify the semiconducting material and form a treated sheet of semiconducting material. |
| US08796686B2 |
Integrated circuits with leakage current test structure
An integrated circuit includes a seal ring structure disposed around a circuit that is disposed over a substrate. A first pad is electrically coupled with the seal ring structure. A leakage current test structure is disposed adjacent to the seal ring structure. A second pad electrically coupled with the leakage current test structure, wherein the leakage current test structure is configured to provide a leakage current test between the seal ring structure and the leakage current test structure. |
| US08796684B2 |
Lithographic method and arrangement
A method is described for obtaining information for use in modeling of a lithographic process. A pattern feature is formed on a target portion of a substrate by projecting a beam of radiation onto the target portion of the substrate. For that target portion the lithographic process is characterized by one or both of a first property that varies in a first direction along a surface of the substrate, and a second property that varies in a second direction along a surface of the substrate. A property of the pattern feature is measured. Using the measured property of the pattern feature and at least one of the first and second properties, information is obtained for use in modeling the process. The lithographic process may be or include the projection of the beam of radiation onto the surface of the substrate. |
| US08796681B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device which is miniaturized and has sufficient electrical characteristics to function as a transistor is provided. In a semiconductor device including a transistor in which a semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode layer are stacked in that order, an oxide semiconductor film which contains at least four kinds of elements of indium, gallium, zinc, and oxygen, and in which the percentage of the indium is twice or more as large as each of the percentage of the gallium and the percentage of the zinc when the composition of the four elements is expressed in atomic percentage is used as the semiconductor layer. In the semiconductor device, the oxide semiconductor film is a film to which oxygen is introduced in the manufacturing process and contains a large amount of oxygen, and an insulating layer including an aluminum oxide film is provided to cover the transistor. |
| US08796680B2 |
Thin-film transistor substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate includes a semiconductor pattern, a conductive pattern, a first wiring pattern, an insulation pattern and a second wiring pattern. The semiconductor pattern is formed on a substrate. The conductive pattern is formed as a layer identical to the semiconductor pattern on the substrate. The first wiring pattern is formed on the semiconductor pattern. The first wiring pattern includes a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode. The insulation pattern is formed on the substrate having the first wiring pattern to cover the first wiring pattern. The second wiring pattern is formed on the insulation pattern. The second wiring pattern includes a gate electrode formed on the source and drain electrodes. Therefore, a TFT substrate is manufactured using two or three masks, so that manufacturing costs may be decreased. |
| US08796678B2 |
Platform comprising an organic field-effect transistor for biological and medical applications
The present invention relates to a device comprising an organic field effect transistor (OFET) with charge injecting contacts containing a semiconductor layer formed by a perylene derivative, to uses of said device as a medical sensor and/or as a medical cell stimulator and to methods of stimulating and/or monitoring biological cellular activity by using said device. |
| US08796675B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A TFT array substrate includes a semiconductive oxide layer disposed on an insulating substrate and including a channel portion, a gate electrode overlapping the semiconductive oxide layer, a gate insulating layer interposed between the semiconductive oxide layer and the gate electrode, and a passivation layer disposed on the semiconductive oxide layer and the gate electrode. At least one of the gate insulating layer and the passivation layer includes an oxynitride layer, and the oxynitride layer has a higher concentration of oxygen than that of nitrogen in a location of the oxynitride layer closer to the semiconductive oxide layer. |
| US08796672B2 |
Perylene-imide semiconductor polymers
Disclosed are new semiconductor materials prepared from perylene-imide copolymers. Such polymers can exhibit high n-type carrier mobility and/or good current modulation characteristics. In addition, the compounds of the present teachings can possess certain processing advantages such as solution-processability and/or good stability at ambient conditions. |
| US08796670B2 |
Light-emitting element
In the present invention, a light-emitting element operating at low driving voltage, consuming low power, emitting light with good color purity and manufactured in high yields can be obtained. A light-emitting element is disclosed with a configuration composed of a fist layer containing a light-emitting material, a second layer, a third layer are formed sequentially over an anode to be interposed between the anode and a cathode in such a way that the third layer is formed to be in contact with the cathode. The second layer is made from n-type semiconductor, a mixture including that, or a mixture of an organic compound having a carrier transporting property and a material having a high electron donor property. The third layer is made from p-type semiconductor, a mixture including that, or a mixture of an organic compound having a carrier transporting property and a material having a high electron acceptor property. |
| US08796669B2 |
Semiconductor tunnel FET transistor device
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate, and a source region of a first conductivity type disposed on a surface of the substrate. The device further includes a tunnel insulator disposed on the source region, and an impurity semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type disposed on the tunnel insulator, the second conductivity type being different from the first conductivity type. The device further includes a gate insulator disposed on the impurity semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulator. The device further includes a drain region of the second conductivity type disposed on the substrate so as to be separated from the impurity semiconductor layer, or disposed on the substrate as a portion of the impurity semiconductor layer. |
| US08796667B2 |
Static random access memories having carbon nanotube thin films
A static random access memory (SRAM) includes: a first carbon nanotube (CNT) inverter, a second CNT inverter, a first switching transistor, and a second switching transistor. The first CNT inverter includes at least a first CNT transistor. The second CNT inverter is connected to the first CNT inverter and includes at least one second CNT transistor. The first switching transistor is connected to the first CNT inverter. The second switching transistor is connected to the second CNT inverter. |
| US08796664B2 |
Graphene-based composite structure and method for making the same
A graphene-based composite structure is disclosed. The graphene-based composite structure includes a graphene layer, a transition metal layer, and a substrate. The graphene layer, transition metal layer, and substrate are stacked together in series to form a sandwich structure. The graphene layer and the transition metal layer are coupled by d-p orbitals hybridization. The transition metal layer and the substrate are also coupled by d-p orbitals hybridization. A method for making graphene-based composite structure is also disclosed. |
| US08796662B2 |
Semiconductor devices with vertical structure including data storage layer or pattern
A semiconductor device includes a first horizontal molding pattern, a horizontal electrode pattern disposed on the first horizontal molding pattern, and a second horizontal molding pattern disposed on the horizontal electrode pattern. A vertical structure extends through the horizontal patterns. The vertical structure includes a vertical electrode pattern, a data storage pattern interposed between the vertical electrode pattern and the horizontal patterns, a first buffer pattern interposed between the data storage pattern and the first molding pattern, and a second buffer pattern interposed between the data storage pattern and the second molding pattern and spaced apart from the first buffer pattern. |
| US08796660B2 |
Nonvolatile memory element comprising a resistance variable element and a diode
A nonvolatile memory element (20) of the present invention comprises a resistance variable element (14) and a diode (18) which are formed on a substrate (10) such that the resistance variable element (14) has a resistance variable layer (11) sandwiched between a lower electrode (12) and an upper electrode (13), and the diode (18) which is connected in series with the resistance variable element (14) in the laminating direction and has an insulating layer or semiconductor layer (15) sandwiched between a first electrode (16) at the lower side and a second electrode (17) at the upper side. The resistance variable layer (11) is embedded in a first contact hole (21) formed on the lower electrode (12). A first area (22) where insulating layer or semiconductor layer (15) of the diode (18) is in contact with a first electrode (16) of the diode (18) is larger than at least one of a second area (23) where the resistance variable layer (11) is in contact with the upper electrode (13) and a third area (24) where the resistance variable layer (11) is in contact with the lower electrode (12). |
| US08796659B2 |
Variable resistance element, semiconductor device including variable resistance element, and methods for manufacturing variable resistance element and semiconductor device
A variable resistance element includes a first electrode, a second electrode and an ion conduction layer interposed between the first and second electrodes. The ion conduction layer contains an organic oxide containing at least oxygen and carbon. The carbon concentration distribution in the ion conduction layer is such that the carbon concentration in an area closer to the first electrode is greater than that in an area closer to the second electrode. |
| US08796656B2 |
Oxide based memory
Methods, devices, and systems associated with oxide based memory are described herein. In one or more embodiments, a method of forming an oxide based memory cell includes forming a first electrode, forming a tunnel barrier, wherein a first portion of the tunnel barrier includes a first material and a second portion of the tunnel barrier includes a second material, forming an oxygen source, and forming a second electrode. |
| US08796651B2 |
Method and apparatus for specimen fabrication
A sample fabricating method of irradiating a sample with a focused ion beam at an incident angle less than 90 degrees with respect to the surface of the sample, eliminating the peripheral area of a micro sample as a target, turning a specimen stage around a line segment perpendicular to the sample surface as a turn axis, irradiating the sample with the focused ion beam while the incident angle on the sample surface is fixed, and separating the micro sample or preparing the micro sample to be separated. A sample fabricating apparatus for forming a sample section in a sample held on a specimen stage by scanning and deflecting an ion beam, wherein an angle between an optical axis of the ion beam and the surface of the specimen stage is fixed and formation of a sample section is controlled by turning the specimen stage. |
| US08796648B2 |
Treatment planning system, device for calculating a scanning path and particle therapy system
In a particle therapy treatment planning system for creating treatment plan data, the movement of a target (patient's affected area) is extracted from plural tomography images of the target, and the direction of scanning is determined by projecting the extracted movement on a scanning plane scanned by scanning magnets. Irradiation positions are arranged on straight lines parallel with the scanning direction making it possible to calculate a scanning path for causing scanning to be made mainly along the direction of movement of the target. The treatment planning system can thereby realize dose distribution with improved uniformity. |
| US08796646B2 |
Beam-induced deposition at cryogenic temperatures
A method of depositing material onto a substrate at cryogenic temperatures using beam-induced deposition. A precursor gas is chosen from a group of compounds having a melting point that is lower than the cryogenic temperature of the substrate. Preferably the precursor gas is chosen from a group of compounds having a sticking coefficient that is between 0.5 and 0.8 at the desired cryogenic temperature. This will result in the precursor gas reaching equilibrium between precursor molecules adsorbed onto the substrate surface and precursor gas molecules desorbing from the substrate surface at the desired cryogenic temperature. Suitable precursor gases can comprise alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes. At a cryogenic temperature of between −50° C. and −85° C., hexane can be used as a precursor gas to deposit material; at a cryogenic temperature of between −50° C. and −180° C., propane can be used as a precursor gas. |
| US08796645B2 |
Exposure apparatus for photoalignment process and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display
An exposure apparatus for a photoalignment process includes; a first photomask including a plurality of transmission parts; and a second photomask including a plurality of transmission parts, where the first photomask and the second photomask partially overlap each other such that each of the first photomask and the second photomask includes an overlapping region and a non-overlapping region, the overlapping region of at least one of the first photomask and the overlapping region of the second photomask includes at least two subregions, and shapes or arrangements of the transmission parts in the at least two subregions are different from each other. |
| US08796641B2 |
Installation for treating articles by electron bombardment
An installation for treating articles with radiation, the installation comprising a structure having pivotally mounted thereon an inlet starwheel and an outlet starwheel respectively arranged facing an inlet and an outlet of a shielded enclosure in which there are mounted at least one pivotal treatment starwheel and at least one electron emitter in the vicinity of the treatment starwheel. The installation comprises a linear inlet conveyor and a linear outlet conveyor extending inside the shielded enclosure respectively facing the inlet and the outlet, the linear conveyors each comprising a respective transporter surrounding a shielded wall forming a baffle. |
| US08796634B2 |
High efficiency proportional neutron detector with solid liner internal structures
A tube-style neutron detector, a panel-style neutron detector incorporating a plurality of tube-style neutron detectors, and a panel-style neutron detector including a plurality of anode wires are provided. A plurality of channels is provided in a neutron detector such that each channel has an inner surface of a coating layer including a neutron-absorbing material. A wire anode is provided at end of each channel so that electrons generated by a charged daughter particle generated by a neutron are collected to detect a neutron-matter interaction. Moderator units can be incorporated into a neutron detector to provide improved detection efficiencies and/or to determine neutron energy spectrum. Gas-based proportional response from the neutron detectors can be employed for special nuclear material (SNM) detection. This neutron detector can provide similar performance to 3He-based detectors without requiring 3He and without containing toxic, flammable, or high-pressure materials. |
| US08796630B2 |
Thermal-type infrared solid-state image sensing device and method of manufacturing the same
In the reference element employed in the thermal-type infrared solid-state image sensing device according to the present invention, a slit used for construction of a light receiving element is opened in insulating films between which a thermoelectric conversion element is tucked to such an extent that the slit pierces into the sacrifice layer; a film made of electrically conductive material covering the light receiving section and the slit is provided and a protective film is provided thereon, and the film made of electrically conductive material and the protective film enter the interior of the slit along a side wall of the slit, whereby a void is left in the interior of the slit. As a result, residual stresses of the insulating films are kept equal in the light receiving element and the reference element, and thereby, the light blocking effect and the heat transfer effect are improved. |
| US08796626B2 |
Optical sensor
An optical sensor includes a visible light sensor includes a visible light sensing transistor and an infrared light sensor includes an infrared light sensing transistor, wherein the visible light sensing transistor receives a first driving voltage through a first driving voltage line, the infrared light sensing transistor receives a second driving voltage through a second driving voltage line, and the visible light sensing transistor and the infrared light sensing transistor receive a reference voltage through a reference voltage line. |
| US08796625B2 |
Carbon nanotube-hydrogen peroxide hybrid based optical sensing method for assessment of antioxidant potency
An ultrasensitive dual optical method for measuring antioxidant concentration and total antioxidant capacity is provided. Using the process, the detection limit for vitamin C is as low as 7 nM. The method is based on a hybrid of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with hydrogen-peroxide. The method provides is a robust, cheap, fast, and reusable optical sensing method for antioxidant and total antioxidant capacity measurement in foods and plasma. The method can also be developed as a miniature assay for both in vitro and in vivo detection. |
| US08796621B2 |
Detector and inspecting apparatus
An inspecting apparatus for reducing a time loss associated with a work for changing a detector is characterized by comprising a plurality of detectors 11, 12for receiving an electron beam emitted from a sample W to capture image data representative of the sample W, and a switching mechanism M for causing the electron beam to be incident on one of the plurality of detectors 11, 12, where the plurality of detectors 11, 12 are disposed in the same chamber MC. The plurality of detectors 11, 12 can be an arbitrary combination of a detector comprising an electron sensor for converting an electron beam into an electric signal with a detector comprising an optical sensor for converting an electron beam into light and converting the light into an electric signal. The switching mechanism M may be a mechanical moving mechanism or an electron beam deflector. |
| US08796618B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling a pipeline-type ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a pipeline-type ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer, in which an ion trap unit of the ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer is capable of using two digitizers at the same time, thus enabling a measurement process for detecting an electrical signal which indicates the mass of ions corresponding to a specific purpose, and another measurement process for detecting another electrical signal which indicates the mass of ions corresponding to another specific purpose, to be simultaneously performed. Accordingly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for controlling a pipeline-type ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer, which can overcome the problems of time delay among control procedures, and can present a signal detection step wherein an excitation electrode is utilized to improve the sensitivity and speed of signal detection. |
| US08796615B2 |
Mass spectrometer
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a quadrupole rod set ion trap wherein a potential field is created at the exit of the ion trap which decreases with increasing radius in one radial direction. Ions within the ion trap are mass selectively excited in a radial direction. Ions which have been excited in the radial direction experience a potential field which no longer confines the ions axially within the ion trap but which instead acts to extract the ions and hence causes the ions to be ejected axially from the ion trap. |
| US08796614B2 |
Apparatuses for generating proton beam
Provided is an apparatus for generating a proton beam, which includes a laser system providing a laser pulse, a target generating a proton beam by using the laser pulse, and a phase conversion plate disposed between the laser system as a light source and the target to convert the laser pulse into a circularly polarized laser pulse having a spiral shape. |
| US08796611B2 |
Sheet and block for enhancing proximity sensor performance
An electronic device can include different components providing different functionality. Some electronic devices can include a proximity sensor for determining when a user's face is near the device. The sensor can include an emitter and a detector that are separated by a foam block to limit cross-talk between the emitter and detector. A sheet can be placed over the foam block to define openings for each of the emitter and detector. Some electronic devices can also include a camera. A glass cover secured to the device enclosure can protect the camera. To improve an adhesive bond between the glass cover and a metal enclosure, an ink layer can be placed between an adhesive and the glass. In addition, the camera or another component may need to be grounded to ensure proper operation. During assembly, however, the position of the camera can shift due to closing an enclosure. A grounding assembly that maintains contact with the camera in its initial and final positions can be provided. |
| US08796607B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging system
An intermediate member is disposed between a peripheral region and a third region, having been fixed to an imaging plate and a retaining plate. The intermediate member does not extend to between at least a part of a middle region and a forth region, such that a void is provided. The difference between the linear expansion coefficient of the imaging plate and the linear expansion coefficient of the intermediate member is smaller than the difference between the linear expansion coefficient of the retaining plate and the linear expansion coefficient of the intermediate member. |
| US08796599B2 |
Induction heat cooking device capable of preheating object using an output value of an infrared sensor
An induction heat cooking device is provided that finishes preheating in a short time and maintains the temperature obtained at the finish of the preheating. When a preheating heating mode is selected as an operation mode, a control unit (8) arranged in the induction heat cooking device starts operation in a preheating mode in which a cooking container is heated with a first heating output. When an increment of an output value of an infrared sensor exceeds a first predetermined increment since the heating starts with the first heating output, the control unit causes a notification unit to notify a user that the preheating is finished, and the operation mode is changed to a waiting mode for performing heating with a second heating output that is lower than the first heating output. Further, when the user sets a heating power by means of a heating power setting unit in the preheating mode, the control unit prohibits changing to the heating power set by the user. When the user sets a heating power by means of a heating power setting unit in the waiting mode, the control unit permits changing to the heating power set by the user, and the operation mode is changed to a heating mode for performing heating with a third heating output corresponding to the heating power set by the user. |
| US08796594B2 |
Semiconductor manufacturing equipment and heater structural connection
A semiconductor manufacturing equipment is provided herein. The semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes a heater element configured to heat a wafer, a first connection part and a second connection part integrated with the heater element, a first electrode electrically contacted with and fixed to the first connection part on a first surface of the first electrode, and a second electrode electrically contacted with and fixed to the second connection part on a second surface of the second electrode. The second surface is perpendicular to the direction of the first surface, and the heater element produces heat by applying a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US08796592B2 |
Staining device having automatic mains voltage detection and voltage changeover
A staining device for staining samples has a heating device including a first heating element and a second heating element. A switch arrangement allows the two heating elements to be connected in parallel or in series. A power connection supplies power to the heating elements. A sensor is designed and located to detect a current supplied to the heating elements. A switching unit is coupled to the sensor and determines a voltage causing the current. Depending on the voltage, the switching unit connects the heating elements in parallel or in series. |
| US08796590B2 |
Oven with low-temperature self-cleaning mode
An oven having one or more low-temperature self-cleaning modes has an interior cavity and at least two heating elements in the interior cavity. A sump is formed in the bottom wall of the cavity. The oven has an electronic control unit, which activates and deactivates the heating elements during operation of the low-temperature self-cleaning mode. The electronic control unit may disable an oven door lock during a low-temperature self-cleaning mode. |
| US08796588B2 |
Heated floor panel for transit vehicle
A system for generating radiant heat in a transit vehicle includes at least one floor panel having at least one heating element disposed therein, and a power switch operably disposed intermediate a power supply source and the heating element for selectively providing and discontinuing a supply of a predetermined power generated by such power supply source to and from such at least one heating element. |
| US08796582B2 |
Laser welding apparatus and method
A laser welding apparatus includes a laser welding unit including a first lens adapted to focus a laser beam; a second lens adapted to diffuse the laser beam to the first lens; and a third lens adapted to guide the laser beam to the second lens. The relative positions of the first lens, the second lens, and the third lens, are adjusted to adjust a diffusion angle and a beam width of the laser beam entering the first lens. The laser welding apparatus performs: actuating the laser welding unit to travel at a predetermined speed along a predetermined trajectory; directing the laser beam at a first welding spot; adjusting the focal length to focus the laser beam at the first welding spot; holding the laser focal spot size substantially constant; and directing the laser beam at a second welding spot after completion of welding for the first welding spot. |
| US08796580B2 |
Processes for welding composite materials and articles therefrom
The invention is directed at a method for welding a composite material and to welded structures thus prepared. The method includes a step of contacting a substrate material with a composite material, wherein the composite material includes a pair of spaced apart steel sheets and a core layer between the sheets; the volume of the core layer is about 25 volume % or more, based on the total volume of the composite material; the core layer includes a plurality of steel fibers arranged in one or more masses of fibers that extend the thickness of the core layer so that the core layer is in electrical communication with the steel sheets; and the steel fibers have a cross sectional area perpendicular to the length of the fibers from about 1×10−5 mm2 to about 2.5×10−2 mm2. |
| US08796579B2 |
Nickel-containing flanges for use in direct resistance heating of platinum-containing vessels
A flange (13) for use in direct resistance heating of a glass-carrying vessel (10), such as a finer, is provided. The flange comprises a plurality of electrically-conductive rings which include an innermost ring (140) which is joined to the vessel's exterior wall (12) during use of the flange and an outermost ring (150) which receives electrical current during use of the flange. The innermost ring (140) comprises a high-temperature metal which comprises at least 80% platinum and the outermost ring (150) comprises at least 99.0% nickel. This combination of materials both increases the reliability of the flange and reduces its cost. In certain embodiments, the flange can also include one or more rings (190) composed of a platinum-nickel alloy which has a lower thermal conductivity than platinum or nickel and thus can serve to reduce heat loss through the flange. |
| US08796578B2 |
Implementing selective rework for chip stacks and silicon carrier assemblies
A method, apparatus, and structure are provided for implementing selective rework for chip stacks. A backside metal layer to create resistive heating is added to a chip backside in a chip stack. A rework tool applies a predefined current to the backside metal layer to reflow solder connections and enables separating selected chips in the chip stack. |
| US08796573B2 |
Circuit breaker
A circuit breaker includes a main case; a switching mechanism accommodated in the main case, and having a mechanical part for opening and closing a circuit; a trip mechanism configured to trigger the switching mechanism to a circuit interrupting position upon detection of an abnormal current on a circuit; and an external device detachably mounted to the main case, wherein the circuit breaker includes an interrupting means configured to interrupt the switching mechanism by contacting at least a part of the external device when the external device is mounted to the main case. |
| US08796571B2 |
Switch for a belt lock
A switch is provided for a belt lock of a safety belt system, for example, in a motor vehicle. The switch includes a switch housing which has a contact space in which two contact sheets interact, and a channel which borders the contact space and in which a slide can be moved. A section of the contact sheet made as a contact spring projects into the channel, as a free end section which projects beyond one contact region of the contact sheets. A connecting opening is located in a position of use of the switch above the contact region of the two contact sheets. |
| US08796568B2 |
Switching assembly having an interlock device for a selector switch
A switching assembly having an interlock device for a selector switch is provided. The interlock device includes a flapper member rotatably coupled to a base member. The flapper member has an aperture disposed proximate to an aperture of a panel such that the selector switch extends through the apertures. The flapper member further includes an indented region and has a first operational position proximate to the panel and a second operational position disposed outwardly from the panel. When an arm portion of the selector switch is disposed within the indented region of the flapper member at the second rotational position and the flapper member is rotated to the second operational position, then the arm portion cannot be rotated outside of the indented region. |
| US08796562B2 |
Combiner box
A combiner box includes a combiner module and an electrical connector unit disposed in a casing. The combiner module includes an insulating board, and plural first and second input electrodes disposed on opposite surfaces of the insulating board along a first direction and corresponding respectively to plural first and second input sockets of the casing. The second input sockets are disposed below and alternatingly arranged with the first input sockets along the first direction. The electrical connector unit includes plural first and second input terminals disposed in the first and second input sockets and electrically connected to the first and second input electrodes, respectively. |
| US08796561B1 |
Fan out build up substrate stackable package and method
A fan out build up substrate stackable package includes an electronic component having an active surface including a bond pad. A package body encloses the electronic component, the package body having a first surface coplanar with the active surface of the electronic component. A buildup dielectric layer is applied to the active surface of the electronic component and the first surface of the package body. A circuit pattern is formed within the first buildup dielectric layer and electrically connected to the bond pad, the first circuit pattern including via capture pads. Via capture pad apertures extend through the package body and expose the via capture pads. In this manner, direct connection to the first circuit pattern, i.e., the first metal layer, of the fan out build up substrate stackable package is facilitated. Further, the fan out build up substrate stackable package is extremely thin resulting in extremely thin stacked assemblies. |
| US08796555B2 |
Molded splitter structures and methods for making the same
Molded splitter structures and systems and methods for manufacturing molded splitter structures are disclosed. |
| US08796553B2 |
Electrical circuit assemblies and structural components incorporating same
Composite structural components are disclosed that include electrically conducting fibers providing multiple signal or paths to electrical components disposed on or adjacent the material. The signal paths may therefore be embedded in the structural component as an intrinsic reinforcing element. Also disclosed are materials for making up the structure and fabrics and methods for the production thereof. |
| US08796549B2 |
Wire bushing
A bushing is provided for a wire. The bushing includes a polymeric body that extends a length from an end to an opposite end. The body includes a pre-coiled shape wherein the body includes at least one coil defined between the ends. The body is biased to the pre-coiled shape and is flexible such that the body is configured to be at least partially unwound from the pre-coiled shape, against the bias, for wrapping the body around the wire. The body is resiliently unwindable from the pre-coiled shape such that the body is configured to at least partially return to the pre-coiled shape as the body is wrapped around the wire. |
| US08796544B2 |
Bio-sensitized solar cells (BSSC)
The present invention provides a wet or dry bio-sensitized photoelectric conversion device (photodetector or photovoltaic) comprising: a stabilized biologically-derived sensitizer, such as a stablilized photosystem I (PS-I), deposited on nanowires, semiconductor material, electrodes and a support. The nanowires provide a greater surface area of the light absorption layer for better energy conversion efficiency and are chosen such as to complement the absorption spectrum of the sensitizer and protect the sensitizer from photobleaching. |
| US08796540B2 |
Method of manufacturing substrate for photovoltaic cell
A method of manufacturing a substrate for a photovoltaic cell, in which the high optical characteristic in a long-wavelength range available for the photovoltaic cell can be maintained, and at the same time, the amount of hazing can be increased. The method includes the step of forming a zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film layer doped with a dopant on a transparent substrate, and the step of controlling the surface structure of the zinc oxide thin film layer by etching the zinc oxide thin film layer using hydrogen plasma. |
| US08796536B1 |
Interlocking edges having electrical connectors for building integrable photovoltaic modules
Provided are novel building integrable photovoltaic (BIP) modules that are mechanically and electrically interconnectable. According to various embodiments, the modules include channels and protrusion members. A channel of one module snugly fits over a protrusion member of an adjacent module to provide a moisture seal and, in certain embodiments, to collect water in between two modules and direct it downward. In certain embodiments, a channel is configured to interlock with a protrusion member in one or more directions. The channel is positioned along one edge of the module, while the protrusion member is positioned along the opposite edge, so that BIP modules can form a continuous interconnected row. The channel and protrusion member include electrical connectors having conductive elements. Inserting a protrusion member into a channel and, in certain embodiments, sliding one with respect to another also electrically interconnects the conductive elements. |
| US08796532B2 |
Methods for fabricating photovoltaic modules by tuning the optical properties of individual components
Methods for fabricating a photovoltaic module, and the resulting photovoltaic module, are provided and include selecting a photovoltaic cell operable to convert photons to electrons, selecting a light transparent superstrate material having a superstrate absorption coefficient and a superstrate refractive index, and selecting an encapsulant having an encapsulant absorption coefficient and an encapsulant refractive index, wherein an absorption coefficient relationship between the superstrate absorption coefficient and the encapsulant absorption coefficient and a refractive index relationship between the superstrate refractive index and the encapsulant refractive index are selected such that there is a gain in efficiency, and assembling the photovoltaic module using the selected materials. |
| US08796531B2 |
Programmable pickup director switching system and method of use
A programmable pickup director switching system for a musical instrument having a plurality of pickup coils and a pickup director control board communicatively interconnected to the plurality of pickup coils. The system also includes a push/pull potentiometer structured and arranged to activate different combinations of one or more of the plurality of pickup coils, a main multi-position switch having m positions, and a bank select switch having n positions. Additionally, the system includes a switching matrix configured to switch one or more of the plurality of pickup coils into a signal path based on a position of at least one of the main multi-position switch, the bank select switch and the push/pull potentiometer. |
| US08796530B2 |
Musical instrument with acoustic transducer
The musical instrument has a acoustic transducer, which transforms an excitation signal generated by at least one resonator into an acoustic signal. The acoustic transducer is provided with an adjustable oscillation profile, in which at least one profile parameter is defined by a reference profile of a reference instrument. |
| US08796527B2 |
Tone reproduction apparatus and method
Watermark information indicative of content of music piece performance data to be reproduced in synchronism with a first audio signal is embedded into the first audio signal, and the resultant signal is acquired as a second audio signal. In parallel to the above-mentioned processing, the watermark information is decoded from the second audio signal, the content of music piece performance data to be reproduced is identified on the basis of the decoded watermark information, and then a tone signal based on the music piece performance data is reproduced in accordance with the identified content. |
| US08796526B2 |
Booklet handling apparatus and booklet handling method
According to one embodiment, a booklet handling apparatus includes a take in unit to take in a booklet in a closed state, a conveying unit to convey the booklet taken in by the take in unit to a predetermined position in a first direction, a page turning unit to turn, about a stitch of the booklet, a back cover of the booklet conveyed to the predetermined position by the conveying unit, a push up unit to push up a front cover of the booklet pivoting about the stitch thereof by rotating a push up cam arranged in contact with the front cover of the booklet, a support unit to support the front cover pushed up by the push up unit, and a folding unit to fold the front cover by conveying the booklet in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the predetermined position using the conveying unit while the support unit supports the front cover. |
| US08796525B2 |
Musical instrument stand
A musical instrument stand is disclosed that includes at least, a pair of legs pivotally secured to a support portion and disposed within a leg retention channel of the support portion when the support portion is in a closed position, and extracted from the leg retention channel when the support portion is in an open position. Preferably, the support portion includes at least a position stop that limits the extent that each the open and closed positions of the support portion may attain. The musical instrument stand further preferably includes an over center latch assembly interposed between and communicating with the pair of legs, the over center latch maintains a predetermined separation between said first and second legs when the over center latch assembly is in a locked position, and nests within the pair of legs when the pair of legs are disposed within a leg retention channel. |
| US08796524B1 |
Stringed instrument improvements
This disclosure relates to improvements to a stringed musical instrument, and to guitar embodiments for use with transposing and non transposing vibrato mechanisms.Vibrato devices for guitars are known. The device and method disclosed improve the ability to of a player to bend entire chords in a manner that maintains harmonic relationship between individual strings.The disclosure also includes improved manual controls and means to extend the transposing range of such a vibrato device. |
| US08796522B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH637365
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH637365. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH637365, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH637365 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH637365. |
| US08796517B1 |
Maize hybrid X00C185
A novel maize variety designated X00C185 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X00C185 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X00C185 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X00C185, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X00C185. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X00C185. |
| US08796516B2 |
Soybean variety A1036023
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1036023. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1036023. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1036023 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1036023 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08796515B2 |
Soybean cultivar WN0912598
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety WN0912598 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety WN0912598 and its progeny, and methods of making WN0912598. |
| US08796508B2 |
Microprojectile bombardment transformation of Brassica
The invention relates to the genetic manipulation of plants, particularly plants of the genus Brassica. Methods are provided for producing transgenic Brassica plants involving the introduction of a DNA construct by microprojectile bombardment into pre-incubated microspores, microspore-derived embryos and microspore-derived hypocotyls. The methods find use in the development of improved agricultural varieties of Brassica plants through the incorporation of desirable agronomic traits. |
| US08796505B2 |
Specific genetic modification of the activity of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and expression in a homologous or heterologous environment
A method for the preparation of a eukaryotic organism, for example selected from plants, animals and fungi, showing constitutive, inducible and/or organ specific expression of a specifically modified TPS gene, which comprises the steps of providing a TPS gene; designing a suitable modification to the TPS gene by aligning the gene with the corresponding gene of yeast and establishing which part of the gene extends beyond the 5′ terminus of the yeast gene; deleting or inactivating a part of the N-terminal region of the TPS gene extending beyond the 5′ terminus of the yeast gene, in order to achieve an increased trehalose-6-phosphate synthase activity; cloning the thus modified gene into an expression vector under the control of a constitutive, inducible and/or organ-specific promoter; transforming a plant cell or tissue with the thus obtained expression vector; and regenerating a complete plant from the transformed plant cell or tissue. |
| US08796504B2 |
Methods for enhancing the production and consumer traits of plants
The invention provides methods for producing plants, plant materials and seeds that have multiple desirable attributes for consumers of these products, as well as for commercial plant growers, and to improved plants, plant materials and seeds that are produced by these methods. These inventive methods provide hybrid plants, plant materials and seeds having the mutant shrunken-2i (sh2-i) allele incorporated into their genomes, preferably sequentially along with one or more other mutant alleles, such as the sugary-1 (su1), sugary enhancer-1 (se1) and/or shrunken-2 (sh2) alleles, and that have multiple beneficial traits, including an extended sugar retention ability at the post prime eating stage and a significantly enhanced vigor and fitness to the plant, plant material and/or seed during seed germination, seedling emergence from soil, and plant development. |
| US08796502B2 |
Method of marking an absorbent article
A method of marking an absorbent article which has a liquid pervious top sheet, a liquid impervious back sheet, and an absorbent body enclosed there between. The method includes providing at least one strip on an inside of the back sheet material, i.e., on the side adjacent the absorbent body, wherein a color or tint of the strip is different from the rest of the back sheet material and wherein the color or tint of the strip is selected so as to be an indication of product type, product size, or product absorption capacity of the absorbent article; and arranging a wetness indicator on or adjacent the at least one strip on the inside of the liquid impervious back sheet so that the wetness indicator is visible through the back sheet material. |
| US08796498B2 |
Method for production of styrene from toluene and methane
A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor. |
| US08796494B2 |
Process for direct conversion of biomass to liquid fuels and chemicals
A method of catalytically preparing a fluid product from solid carbonaceous material is described. In the method, at least one of the following equilibria is established by one or more catalysts: a) CH3OH=CO+2H2, b) CO+H2O=CO2+H2. In some versions, the solid carbonaceous material is woody biomass. Components of the fluid product can include one or a combination of C5-C9 alcohols. In certain versions, the method can be practiced with substantially all of the carbon in the carbonaceous material being converted to the fluid product. Also, in some versions, the fluid product can be prepared with substantially no char formation. The fluid product of various versions can be used directly as fuel or as a reagent for preparing commodity chemicals without the need for separating the fluid product components. |
| US08796491B2 |
Process for manufacturing adamantane derivatives with high yield
The present invention pertains to process for the amidation of a substituted 1-bromo-adamantane comprising a step (0) of reacting a substituted adamantane with an excess of bromine to obtain a 1-bromo-adamantane and a step (i) of reacting said substituted 1-bromo-adamantane with an amide, wherein the substituted 1-bromo-adamantane is used in the form of a mixture comprising bromine as obtained in step (0), wherein in step (0) a bromine: substituted adamantane molar ratio of from [2.5:1] to less than [5:1] is employed. |
| US08796484B2 |
Polymerizable silicone copolyol macromers and polymers made therefrom
A polymerizable dimethicone copolyol macromer composition is synthesized by reacting itaconic anhydride with a dimethicone copolyol. During the reaction itaconic anhydride spontaneously isomerizes to citraconic anhydride which in turn is esterified by the dimethicone copolyol. The obtained macromers are copolymerizable with olefinically unsaturated monomers. Polymers containing the macromer repeating units are useful in a variety of applications including personal care, textile and industrial formulations to deliver softness, lubricity, fixative, water repellency, gloss, surface modification, and surfactant properties. |
| US08796482B2 |
Oxidation of primary aliphatic alcohols with a noble metal polyoxometalate complex
A process of oxidizing primary alcohols to their corresponding aldehydes is disclosed. The process is effected in the presence of noble metal polyoxometalate complexes. A novel process for preparing noble metal polyoxometalate complexes, and novel noble metal polyoxometalate complexes are also disclosed. |
| US08796481B2 |
Crystalline solvate and non-solvated forms of 6,6′-[[3,3′,5,5′-tetrakis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-[1,1′biphenyl]-2,2′-diyl]bis(oxy)]bis-dibenzo [d,f] [1,3,2]-dioxaphosphepine
The present invention relates to a crystalline non-solvated form of 6,6′-[[3,3′,5,5′-tetrakis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,2′-diyl]bis(oxy)]bis-dibenzo[d,f][1,3,2]-dioxaphosphepine (compound I) and toluene-solvates and acetone-solvates thereof. |
| US08796477B2 |
Oxidation process to produce a crude and/or purified carboxylic acid product
Disclosed is an oxidation process to produce a crude carboxylic acid product carboxylic acid product. The process comprises oxidizing a feed stream comprising at least one oxidizable compound to generate a crude carboxylic acid slurry comprising furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and compositions thereof. Also disclosed is a process to produce a dry purified carboxylic acid product by utilizing various purification methods on the crude carboxylic acid. |
| US08796473B2 |
Method for producing curing agent having acidic substituent and unsaturated maleimide group, thermosetting resin composition, prepreg, and laminate
The invention provides a method for producing a curing agent having an acidic substituent and an unsaturated maleimido group, including reacting, in an organic solvent, a maleimide compound (a) having at least two N-substituted maleimido groups in a molecule thereof with an amine compound (b) having an acidic substituent (represented by formula (I)); a thermosetting resin composition containing the curing agent (A) produced through the method and a compound (B) which is cured with the curing agent, wherein a cured product of the composition has a glass transition temperature of 200° C. or higher; and a prepreg and a laminated sheet produced therefrom. The curing agent produced through the method of the present invention has good solubility in an organic solvent and can provide a thermosetting resin composition exhibiting excellent adhesion-to-metal foil property, heat resistance, moisture resistance, flame retardancy, and copper cladding heat resistance, and low dielectric properties and low dielectric loss tangent. Therefore, the thermosetting resin composition can produce a prepreg or laminated sheet exhibiting excellent performance suitable for a printed wiring board for electronic devices and similar devices. |
| US08796463B2 |
Fungicide hydroximoyl-tetrazole derivatives
The present invention relates to hydroximoyl-tetrazole derivatives of formula (I), their process of preparation, their use as fungicide active agents, particularly in the form of fungicide compositions and methods for the control of phytopathogenic fungi, notably of plants, using these compounds or compositions. wherein A represents a tetrazoyl group, Het represents a pyridyl group or a thiazolyl group and X represents various substituents. |
| US08796461B2 |
1,2,4,5-substituted phenyl compound, method for producing same and organic electroluminescent device comprising same as constituent
A 1,2,4,5-substituted phenyl compound represented by the formula (1): wherein one of X1-X5 is nitrogen and the remainders of X1-X5 are carbon; R1 and R2 represent hydrogen, C1-6 alkyl or C1-6 alkoxy; R3 and R4 represent C1-6 alkyl or C1-6 alkoxy; and m is an integer of 0-4, and n is an integer of 0-5. This compound is useful as a constituent for an organic electroluminescent device. |
| US08796455B2 |
Fused bicyclic mTOR inhibitors
Compounds represented by Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, are inhibitors of mTOR and useful in the treatment of cancer. |
| US08796453B2 |
Processes and intermediates for producing azaindoles
The present invention relates to processes and intermediates for the preparation of compounds useful as inhibitors of Janus kinases (JAK). |
| US08796450B2 |
Boron dipyrromethenes with laser properties
A family of three 8-alkyl boron dipyrromethenes 1, 2, and 3 has been prepared. These compounds are characterized by emission in the green region of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum and exhibit an almost double laser efficiency than other commercial dyes and much greater photostability. The 8-alkyl boron dipyrromethenes are prepared by catalytic hydrogenation (reduction) of the corresponding 8-alkenyl boron dipyrromethenes, which are obtained by Liebeskind-Srogl coupling of thiomethylboron dipyrromethene with an alkenyl boronic acid. |
| US08796446B2 |
Extraction of carboxylic acids with tin compounds
A method of removing a carboxylic acid from a liquid including a tertiary amide solvent includes: forming an extraction medium including an acid-extracting tin species and an extraction solvent that is immiscible with the tertiary amide solvent; subsequently contacting the liquid with the extraction medium, forming a phase including a de-acidified tertiary amide solvent and a phase including the extraction solvent; and removing the phase including the extraction solvent, to afford a liquid including the de-acidified tertiary amide solvent. The acid-extracting tin species is one or more tin species obtained by reaction of a di(hydrocarbyl) tin oxide with less than one equivalent of a carboxylic acid, or tin species obtainable by reaction of a 1,3-diacyloxy-1,1,3,3-tetra-(hydrocarbyl)distannoxane with an aqueous base. A method of preparing a sucralose-6-acylate includes uses the foregoing method to remove a carboxylic acid from a liquid including a tertiary amide solvent and the sucralose-6-acylate. |
| US08796445B2 |
Acylation of carbohydrates
Esterification of a carbohydrate using an acylating agent can effectively be performed using a process comprising: (a) combining the carbohydrate with the acylating agent, (b) adjusting the moisture content of the combination below 40 wt. %, and (c) subjecting the combination to superheated steam. The carbohydrate is especially starch and the acylating agent is in particular an acid, such as an organic acid, amino acid, or diacid. |
| US08796441B2 |
Human sweet and umami taste receptor variants
Identified herein are different forms of sweet and umami receptor encoding sequences that occur in different human populations. In particular, there are provided several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within the exons/coding sequence (and are therefore coding SNPs, cSNPs) of one of the three T1R genes. Some SNPs cause amino acid substitutions, while others introduce a chain termination codon, rendering a truncated product. Differences in these genes are believed to affect the sense of taste of individuals, such that individuals with different SNPs (or different haplotypes) are believed to perceive the taste of sweet or umami (e.g., glutamate) substances differently than the rest of the population. The ability to assay this allelic information is useful in the development of flavorings and flavor enhancers, as it can be used to define groups and populations who perceive tastes differently. This in turn allows the taste preferences of these groups to be addressed at the molecular level. |
| US08796433B2 |
Demulsification compositions, systems and methods for demulsifying and separating aqueous emulsions
The present invention provides compositions, systems and methods for demulsifying an emulsion including an aqueous phase and an organic phase by adding an effective amount of a composition comprising at least one quaternary organopolysiloxane or salt thereof to the emulsion, the composition optionally including at least one of quaternary epihalohydrin/polyamine copolymers or salts, and/or (poly)diallyldimethylammonium halides. |
| US08796432B2 |
Chemically cleavable 3'-o-allyl-DNTP-allyl-fluorophore fluorescent nucleotide analogues and related methods
This invention provides a nucleotide analogue comprising (i) a base selected from the group consisting of adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine and uracil, (ii) a deoxyribose, (iii) an allyl moiety bound to the 3′-oxygen of the deoxyribose and (iv) a fluorophore bound to the base via an allyl linker, and methods of nucleic acid sequencing employing the nucleotide analogue. |
| US08796431B2 |
Efficient production of peptides
The present invention relates to processes for the production of peptides, and the peptides produced accordingly. Peptides produced according to the invention may be produced more efficiently than peptides produced according to prior art processes. The production process of the invention may lead to advantages in yield, purity, and/or price. Methods of marketing peptides are also disclosed. |
| US08796425B2 |
Method for decreasing immunogenicity
A method for decreasing the immunogenicity of antibody variable domains is disclosed. |
| US08796423B2 |
Anti-TSG101 antibodies and their uses for treatment of viral infections
The present invention provides antibodies that bind to the C-terminal region of TSG101. The invention also provides methods of using the TSG101 antibodies for the treatment of viral infections, including HIV and Ebola virus infection. |
| US08796422B2 |
Chemokine-immunoglobulin fusion polypeptides, compositions, method of making and use thereof
This application is directed to chemokine-immunoglobulin fusion polypeptides and chemokine-polymer conjugates. The fusion polypeptides and conjugates can be used for treating chemokine receptor-mediated disorders and modulating inflammation, inflammatory cell motility, cancer cell motility, or cancer cell survival. |
| US08796417B2 |
Three-dimensional structure of functional material
It is to provide an inorganic thin film of titanium dioxide or the like which is controlled at the nanoscale and a three-dimensional structure of a functional material such as semiconductor nanoparticles. A three-dimensional structure of an inorganic material is manufactured by introducing onto a surface of an inorganic substrate ferritin presenting on its surface a plurality of inorganic material-binding peptides; binding the ferritin in a monolayer onto the inorganic substrate; introducing an inorganic material onto the ferritin which is bound in a monolayer, while the inorganic material-binding peptides is having a binding and/or biomineralization ability for the inorganic material; forming a biomineral layer utilizing the biomineralization ability of the inorganic material-binding peptides; and subsequently repeating one or more times the steps (a) and (b) of a multilayering operation: (a) introducing onto the biomineral layer thus formed the ferritin having a binding ability to the biomineral layer, and binding the ferritin in a monolayer onto the biomineral layer; (b) introducing the inorganic material onto the surface of the ferritin which is bound in a monolayer, and forming a biomineral layer. |
| US08796415B2 |
Inhibitors of guanine exchange factors and their use as anticancer drugs
A peptide including the amino acids sequence X9CGYX13X14AX16X17X18MX20X21X22X23X24X25X26X27CPLCX32X33, a nucleic acid coding for the peptide, and/or a recombinant vector including the nucleic acid for the preparation of a drug intended for the treatment of cancer. |
| US08796414B2 |
Identification and use of novopeptides for the treatment of cancer
Disclosed are compositions relating to novopeptides identified by the presence of frameshift mutations in tumor genes previously not identified as being oncogenic. The disclosed peptides can be used in the disclosed methods for the treatment of cancer. |
| US08796413B2 |
Polymer material and method for producing same
Provided are a method for producing a polymer material having a high degree of crystallization, a small variability in degree of crystallization, and a three-dimensionally isotropic crystallinity to thus give high thermal resistance, high isotropy of resin physical properties, and a small variability in resin physical properties; and the polymer material. The method for producing a polymer material includes the steps of: heating a thermoplastic resin to or above a melting point determined from a melting peak measured by DSC into a thermoplastic resin melt; applying a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to the thermoplastic resin melt; starting cooling the thermoplastic resin melt with a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure applied thereto; releasing the pressure on the thermoplastic resin melt after cooling the thermoplastic resin melt to a cooling-end-temperature lower than an upper limit of a crystallization temperature range, wherein during the cooling, the pressure on the thermoplastic resin melt is maintained at the pressure higher than atmospheric pressure or raised. The polymer material is one obtained by the above production method. |
| US08796412B2 |
Polymer electrolyte membrane
Disclosed are a multi-block copolymer, its producing method and an electrolyte membrane using the same. The multi-block copolymer includes a hydrophobic block having a plurality of repeating units represented as chemical formula 1; and a hydrophilic block having a plurality of repeating units represented as chemical formula 2. The multi-block copolymer is acidified, and can be used to an electrolyte membrane and a fuel cell. The use of the multi-block copolymer as an electrolyte membrane ensures excellent dimensional stability. |
| US08796411B2 |
Polyimide precursor composition, polyimide film, and transparent flexible film
The polyimide precursor composition of the present invention is characterized in comprising a polyimide precursor having a structure formed by reacting a diamine component (A) containing a fluorine-containing aromatic diamine (a1) represented by the following chemical formula (I) (in the formula (I), R1 and R2 are each independently selected from —H, —(CF2)n—CF3, and —O(CF2)n—CF3 (n is an integer of 0 or more and 7 or less), and at least one of R1 and R2 is a fluorine-containing group) and trans-1,4-cyclohexyldiamine (a2) with an acid dianhydride component (B) containing an aliphatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride (b1) and an aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride (b2). Use of the composition of the present invention provides a polyimide film and a transparent flexible film having high transparency, low thermal expansion properties, low birefringent properties, and high heat resistance. |
| US08796409B2 |
Use of temperature and ethylene partial pressure to introduce long chain branching in high density polyethylene
The invention describes the preparation of long chain branching in high density polyethylene by using metallocene catalysts in the presence of ethylene. |
| US08796404B2 |
Polymer for optical film, method of preparing same, and optical film including same
A polymer for an optical film including: a repeating unit A including a repeating unit represented by the following Chemical Formula 1; and a repeating unit B derived from a monomer including an unsaturated bond copolymerizable with the repeating unit A: wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, the variables R1 to R9 are defined herein. |
| US08796400B2 |
Double loop technology
A method for the copolymerization of ethylene and a C3+ olefin in a loop reactor and polymers formed therefrom are described herein. The method generally includes introducing an ethylene monomer, a C3+ olefin and a diluent carrier liquid into a loop reactor. A catalyst system can be supplied to said loop reactor. The diluent liquid, ethylene monomer, and C3+ olefin can be circulated through said loop reactor, while copolymerizing said ethylene and C3+ olefin in the presence of said catalyst system to produce a slurry. The slurry can be diverted into a settling leg, and sequentially discharged therefrom and withdrawn from said loop reactor. An ethylene monomer co-feed can be introduced into said loop reactor at spaced locations downstream of the ethylene and diluent. The ethylene co-feed can be introduced in an amount effective to reduce the variation in the ratio of ethylene and C3+ olefin. |
| US08796398B2 |
Superfine pattern mask, method for production thereof, and method employing the same for forming superfine pattern
There are provided a composition for forming a superfine pattern and a method employing the same for forming a superfine pattern. The composition enables to simply produce a superfine pattern with high mass productivity.The composition comprises perhydropolysilazane (I), silicon-containing polymer (II) having a hydrocarbon group, and a solvent. The mixture of those polymers contains silicon-hydrogen bonds and silicon-hydrocarbon group bonds in such amounts that the number of the silicon-hydrocarbon group bonds is in a ratio of 1 to 44% based on the total number of the silicon-hydrogen bonds and the silicon-hydrocarbon group bonds. The composition is applied on a resist pattern to form a spacer formed of the composition on the side wall of the ridges in the pattern, and then the spacer or a resin layer disposed around the spacer is used as a mask to form a superfine pattern. |
| US08796395B2 |
Polyesters containing particular phosphorus compounds blended with other polymers
Described as one aspect of the invention are polymer blends comprising at least one polyester wherein the polymer blend comprises: (A) a polyester composition comprising (I) at least one polyester (Polymer A) which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component comprising: (i) 70 to 100 mole % of terephthalic acid residues; (ii) 0 to 30 mole % of aromatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 20 carbon atoms; and (iii) 0 to 10 mole % of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid residues having up to 16 carbon atoms; and (b) a glycol component comprising: (i) about 10 to about 90 mole % of ethylene glycol residues; and (ii) about 90 to about 10 mole % of cyclohexanedimethanol residues; (II) residues of at least one titanium compound; and (III) at least one chelating phosphorus species, reaction products thereof, or mixtures thereof, represented by the structure: wherein: n=an integer from 1 to 4; R can be hydrogen or C1-C22-alkyl; and R1 and R2 each can be hydrogen, C1-C22-alkyl, hydroxyl, or aryl; wherein the total mole % of the dicarboxylic acid component is 100 mole %, wherein the total mole % of the glycol component is 100 mole %; and wherein the inherent viscosity of the polyester is from 0.35 to 1.2 dL/g as determined in 60/40 (wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.25 g/50 ml at 25° C.; and (B) at least one polymeric component other than Polymer A. |
| US08796392B2 |
Low temperature injection molding of polyarylene sulfide compositions
A method for injection molding a thermoplastic composition that contains a polyarylene sulfide and an aromatic amide oligomer is provided. Due to the improved crystallization properties imparted by the oligomer, the present inventors have discovered that the thermoplastic composition can be molded at lower temperatures to still achieve the same degree of crystallization. In addition to minimizing the energy requirements for the molding operation, such low mold temperatures may be accomplished using heating mediums that are less corrosive and expensive than some conventional techniques. |
| US08796391B2 |
Epoxy resin curing compositions and epoxy resin systems including same
Disclosed are epoxy resins exhibiting a highly favorable combination of tensile strength and elongation with respect to prior art epoxy systems. The elastomeric epoxy resin systems of the invention are prepared utilizing a curing agent containing at least one monoprimary amine, and are particularly useful in applications such as, for example, castings, potting, composites, crack sealing, coatings, adhesives, roofing materials, flooring or reinforced membranes. |
| US08796387B2 |
Rubber composition
It is to provide a high-elasticity rubber composition having a good workability while preventing the deterioration of rubber properties and capable of reducing rubber burning as far as possible by using a vulcanization accelerator having a retarding effect equal to or more than that of DCBS without using a retarder such as CTP possibly causing the deterioration of rubber properties after the vulcanization and problems such as blooming and the like and capable of realizing a higher elasticity and excellent low heat-buildup. The rubber composition according to the invention is characterized by comprising a rubber component, a sulfenamide-based vulcanization accelerator represented by a formula (I), a bismaleimide derivative represented by a formula (II) and sulfur. |
| US08796386B2 |
Thiocarbonyl compound and process for producing polymer using same and that polymer
A thiocarbonyl compound represented by the following formula (a) is useful as a RAFT agent. By using this, a process for producing a polymer having a excellent reactivity or monomer conversion rate and its polymer are provided. In the following formula (a), n indicates 1 to 6, and Z indicates an organic group selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl |
| US08796382B2 |
Two-component structure adhesive for the adhering of rare earth magnets
Disclosed herein is a two-component structural adhesive based on organic compounds containing radically polymerizable multiple bonds, in particular substituted acrylates and/or methacrylates, which on account of their lack of acids are particularly suited for adhering rare earth permanent magnets based on neodymium-iron-boron. |
| US08796377B2 |
Pressure-sensitive hot-melt adhesives adhering to flexible substrates
The invention relates to a hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive. The hot melt pressure sensitive adhesive is particularly well suited for flexible substrates such as plastic and paperboard packaging. |
| US08796376B2 |
Functionalized polymers and oligomers
A functionalized polyolefin having one or more pyridazine moieties is disclosed herein. A method to produce the functionalized polyolefin is also disclosed. A composition including the functionalized polyolefin is also disclosed. |
| US08796375B2 |
Prepreg, metal-clad laminate, printed wiring board, and semiconductor device
A prepreg that yields a semiconductor device which, even when using Cu wire, exhibits excellent reliability under conditions of high temperature and high humidity (heat-resistant and moisture-resistant reliability), a metal-clad laminate and a printed wiring board that use the prepreg, and a semiconductor device that uses the printed wiring board. Specifically disclosed are a prepreg comprising a substrate and a B-staged resin composition comprising (a) a thermosetting resin, (b) a hydrotalcite compound having a specific composition, (c) zinc molybdate, and (d) lanthanum oxide. |
| US08796374B2 |
Conditioner for electroless plating
A conditioner, surface treatment method, and metal plating film forming method for a moist method of providing a plating film with strong adhesion towards a surface with low roughness without forming a metal film or performing an adhesion promoter pretreatment using a wet method, when plating a resin substrate containing a blend of resin material and glass material, and the like. |
| US08796369B2 |
Aqueous base coating composition
The present invention provides an aqueous base coating composition comprising (A) a hydroxy-containing resin, (B) a melamine resin with a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 to 5,000, and (C) a diester compound represented by Formula (1); and a method for forming a multilayer coating film using this aqueous base coating composition. |
| US08796368B2 |
Water-and oil-repellent
A water- and oil-repellent comprising an aqueous dispersion of a fluorine-containing copolymer including as a copolymerization unit (a) a perfluoroalkylalkyl (meth)acrylate represented by the general formula CnF2n+1CmH2mOCOCR═CH2 (wherein R represents hydrogen atom or methyl group; n represents 4, 5, or 6; and m represents 1, 2, 3, or 4), (b) benzyl (meth)acrylate, (c) a fluorine-free polymerizable monomer other than benzyl (meth)acrylate, and (d) a cross-linkable group-containing polymerizable monomer; and a blocked isocyanate added to the aqueous dispersion in a weight ratio of 0.05 to 3.0 to the weight of the solid content of the aqueous dispersion. |
| US08796367B2 |
Thermoplastic polyester resin composition
A thermoplastic polyester resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a thermoplastic polyester resin (A), 5 to 40 parts by weight of a phosphinate (B), and an organosiloxane (X); wherein the phosphinate is a calcium salt or aluminum salt of phosphine acid having the anion part having a particular structure; which, as the organosiloxane (X), comprises 1.5 to 10 parts by weight of an organosiloxane compound (X-1) or 0.01 to 5 parts by weight of an organosiloxane polymer (X-2), relative to 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic polyester resin (A); and wherein the organosiloxane compound (X-1) comprises organic groups bonding to a silicon atom directly or through an oxygen atom, and 40 mole % or more of the organic groups are an aryl group, and the organosiloxane polymer (X-2) is in the form of solid at 25° C. |
| US08796366B2 |
Easily dispersible solid pigment preparations
The present invention relates to solid pigment preparations containing (A) 5 to 99 percent by weight of at least one pigment; (B) 1 to 95 percent by weight of at least one water-soluble dispersing additive based on copolymers that consist of the following structural units: (i) 1.0 to 50 mol percent of structural unit B1; a combined total of 50 to 99.0 mole percent of structural units (B2) and (B3); (iii) 0 to 49 mole percent of structural unit (B4). |
| US08796363B2 |
Flame retardant resin composition and molded product
A flame retardant resin composition including: a thermoplastic resin; and a flame retardant, wherein the flame retardant includes a phosphorylated lignin derivative, and wherein the phosphorylated lignin derivative is produced by adding phosphoric acid to a lignin derivative obtained by subjecting a naturally occurring lignin to a predetermined treatment. |
| US08796360B2 |
Epoxy-rubber composition for cured materials
The invention relates to an epoxy/rubber composition comprising an epoxy resin which comprises an epoxy compound X, the epoxy compound X has epoxy equivalent weight (EEW) from 150 up to 200 and viscosity from 2,000 up to 10,000 cps (25 C), a curing agent, a liquid rubber that is liquid at room temperature and comprises at least 1.5 reactive terminated group, a fluorine contained organic matter, selected from a group, including where: n=1-20; X=—COOH, —CONH2, —CON(C6H5)2, —CH2OH. b) CF3(CF2)nCOOH, where: n=7-9. where: n=3-20. |
| US08796353B2 |
Biomedical devices containing internal wetting agents
This invention includes a wettable biomedical device containing a high molecular weight hydrophilic polymer and a hydroxyl-functionalized silicone-containing monomer. |
| US08796350B2 |
Cationic UV-crosslinkable acrylic polymers for pressure sensitive adhesives
An ultraviolet (UV) crosslinkable acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive comprises an acrylic copolymer and a cationic photoinitiator. The acrylic copolymer comprises pendant reactive functional groups. The pressure sensitive adhesive formed from the acrylic copolymer with the pendant reactive functional groups result in high green strength and/or high temperature holding strength of the adhesive. |
| US08796346B1 |
Method of making a cyanate ester foam
A cyanate ester resin mixture with at least one cyanate ester resin, an isocyanate foaming resin, other co-curatives such as polyol or epoxy compounds, a surfactant, and a catalyst/water can react to form a foaming resin that can be cured at a temperature greater than 50° C. to form a cyanate ester foam. The cyanate ester foam can be heated to a temperature greater than 400° C. in a non-oxidative atmosphere to provide a carbonaceous char foam. |
| US08796345B2 |
Method of forming a polyurethane material with a metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane compound
A method to form a urethane material, the method comprises blending and reacting at least one isocyanate, at least one isocyanate reactive compound and a metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane to provide said urethane material, the metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane is a dimeric structure with general formula wherein M represents a metal providing a 6-coordinated metal center, x and y being 1, R1O and R2O represent an alkoxide bridging the 6-coordinated metal centers, R3OH and R4OH represent an alcohol ligand and each of R5, to R18 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl-, polyether- and polyester ligands. |
| US08796344B2 |
Pre-expanded particles, process for producing the same, and expanded molded article
A process for producing pre-expanded particles, comprising the steps of: impregnating 100 parts by weight of polystyrene type resin particles with a volatile blowing agent in the presence of 0.1 to 2.0 parts by weight of a first antistatic agent to obtain expandable resin particles; and bringing 100 parts by weight of the expandable resin particles into contact with 0.1 to 2.0 parts by weight of a second antistatic agent in the presence of an antifoaming agent, and then pre-expanding the particles, thereby obtaining pre-expanded particles, wherein the second antistatic agent and the antifoaming agent are used in a ratio by weight of 1:0.04 to 1.50. |
| US08796341B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions providing enhanced drug concentrations
A drug in a solubility-improved form is combined with a concentration-enhancing polymer in a sufficient amount so that the combination provides substantially enhanced drug concentration in a use environment relative to a control comprising the same amount of the same solubility-improved form of drug without the concentration-enhancing polymer. |
| US08796339B2 |
Compositions comprising benzyl alcohol derivatives and further antimicrobial active compounds
The present invention relates to a composition comprising or consisting of: (a) one, two or more compounds selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol derivatives of the formula (I) wherein each of the substituents R1, R2, and R3 has a position at the aromatic ring, and wherein the substituents R1, R2, and R3 independently of one another are selected from the group consisting of: H; OH; OCH3; COON; linear or branched, saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; linear or branched, unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 2 to 8 carbon atoms; COOR4, wherein R4 is a linear or branched alkyl radical having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; wherein the total number of carbon atoms in substituents R1, R2 and R3 is 1 to 12, and (b) one, two or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: (i) branched or unbranched 1,2-alkanediols having 3 to 14 carbon atoms, (ii) benzoic acid (INCI: Benzoic Acid) and its esters and salts, (iii) 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and its esters (INCI: Parabens) and salts, (iv) 2,4-hexadienoic acid (INCI: Sorbic Acid) and its salts, (v) 2-phenoxyethanol (INCI: Phenoxyethanol) (vi) 3-iodo-2-propinyl-butylcarbamate (INCI: Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate), (vii) 3-(4-chlorphenoxy)-1,2-propane-1,2-diol (INCI: Chlorphenesin), (viii) urea (INCI: Urea) and derivatives thereof, in particular 1,1′-methylen-bis(3-(1-hydroxymethyl-2,4-dioximidazolidin-5-yl))urea (INCI: Imidazolidinyl urea), N-hydroxymethyl-N-(1,3-di(hydroxymethyl)-2,5-dioxoimidazolidin-4-yl)-N′-hydroxy-methylurea (INCI: Diazolidinyl Urea) and N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N′-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-urea (INCI: Triclocarban), (ix) 1,3-bis-(hydroxymethyl)-5,5-dimethyl-2,4-imidazolidindione (INCI: DMDM hydantoin), (x) 1,2-propanediol, 3-(2-ethylhexyloxy) (INCI: Octoxyglycerin), (xi) isothiazolinones and mixtures thereof (e.g. a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolinone and 2-methyl-3(2H)-isothiazolinone with magnesium chloride and magnesium nitrate; INCI: Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone). |
| US08796335B2 |
Branched 3-phenylpropionic acid derivatives and their use
The present application relates to novel 3-phenylpropionic acid derivatives which carry a branched or cyclic alkyl substituent in the 3-position, to processes for their preparation, to their use for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases and to their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases, in particular for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular diseases. |
| US08796328B2 |
TRPV1 antagonists
Disclosed herein are compounds of formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, or combinations thereof, wherein X1, L, Rx, Ry, Rz, R1, R2, A, m, n, p, q, and r are defined in the specification. Compositions comprising such compounds and methods for treating conditions and disorders using such compounds and compositions are also disclosed. |
| US08796315B2 |
Methods for improved wound closure employing olivamine and human umbilical vein endothelial cells
The present disclosure relates to compositions for and methods of improving wound healing, including compositions for and methods of treating chronic wounds, and compositions for the inhibition and treatment of necrosis and extended quiescence that result in cellular necrosis instead of normal proliferation. The methods for wound healing administer one or more compositions including hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein with cells derived from umbilical cord blood. |
| US08796314B2 |
Heteroaryls and uses thereof
This invention provides compounds of formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3, CY, X1, X2, and X3 are as described in the specification. The compounds are inhibitors of PI3K and are thus useful for treating proliferative, inflammatory, or cardiovascular disorders. |
| US08796306B2 |
Noxious arthropod controlling composition and heterocyclic compound
A noxious arthropod controlling composition comprising a heterocyclic compound represented by the formula (1) [wherein, A1 and A2 represent ═C(R6)—, nitrogen and so on, R1 represents a halogen and so on, R3 and R4 represent optionally substituted C1 to C4 chain hydrocarbon group and so on, R5 represents a hydrogen and so on, n represents 0 or 1] as an active ingredient has an excellent effect for controlling noxious arthropods. |
| US08796300B2 |
Therapeutic compounds
The invention provides compounds of formula (I) wherein u, d, v, m, n, R1, W, X, Y, and Z have any values defined herein, as well as salts thereof. The compounds have activity as anti-proliferative agents. |
| US08796296B2 |
Aminopyrimidine derivatives as LRRK2 modulators
Compounds of the formula I: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein A, X, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of making the compounds and using the compounds for treatment of diseases associated with LRRK2 receptor, such as Parkinson's disease. |
| US08796293B2 |
Purine and deazapurine derivatives as pharmaceutical compounds
The invention provides a compound of the formula (I) or salts, solvates, tautomers or N-oxides thereof, wherein T is N or CR5; J1-J2 is N═C(R6), (R7)C═N, (R8)N—C(O), (R8)2C—C(O), N═N or (R7)C═C(R6); E is a monocyclic carbocyclic or heterocyclic group of 5 or 6 ring members, the heterocyclic group containing up to 3 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; Q1 is a bond or a saturated C1-3 hydrocarbon linker group, one of the carbon atoms in the linker group being optionally be replaced by an oxygen or nitrogen atom, or an adjacent pair of carbon atoms may be replaced by CONRq or NRqCO where Rq is hydrogen or methyl, or Rq is a C1-4alkylene chain linked to R1 or a carbon atom of Q1 to form a cyclic moiety; and wherein the carbon atoms of the linker group Q1 may optionally bear one or more substituents selected from fluorine and hydroxy; Q2 is a bond or a saturated hydrocarbon linker group containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, wherein one of the carbon atoms in the linker group may optionally be replaced by an oxygen or nitrogen atom; and wherein the carbon atoms of the linker group may optionally bear one or more substituents selected from fluorine and hydroxy, provided that the hydroxy group when present is not located at a carbon atom α with respect to the G group; and provided that when E is aryl or heteroaryl, then Q2 is other than a bond; G is hydrogen, NR2R3, OH or SH provided that when E is aryl or heteroaryl and Q2 is a bond, then G is hydrogen; R1 is hydrogen or an aryl or heteroaryl group, with the proviso that when R1 is hydrogen and G is NR2R3, then Q2 is a bond; and R2, R3R4, R6 and R8 are as defined in the claims, wherein the compound is for use in: (a) the treatment or prophylaxis of a disease or condition in which the modulation (e.g. inhibition) of ROCK kinase or protein kinase P70S6K is indicated; and/or (b) the treatment of a subject or patient population in which the modulation (e.g. inhibition) of ROCK kinase or protein kinase P70S6K is indicated. |
| US08796291B2 |
A3 adenosine receptor antagonists and partial agonists
Disclosed are A3 adenosine receptor antagonists and/or partial agonists of formula (I): wherein R1 to R5 are as described herein, as well as pharmaceutical compositions thereof and methods of use thereof. The antagonists or partial agonists find use in treating a number of diseases including cancer, glaucoma, inflammatory diseases, asthma, stroke, myocardial infarction, allergic reactions, rhinitis, poison ivy induced responses, urticaria, scleroderma, arthritis, brain arteriole diameter constriction, bronchoconstriction, and myocardial ischemia, as well as in preventing cardiac ischemia. Also disclosed are radiolabeled compounds of formula (I) and the use thereof in diagnostic imaging of tissues and organs. |
| US08796282B2 |
Method of treating dermatological disorders
A method of treating a dermatological disorder in a subject includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of at least one PPARγ agonist or derivative thereof to the subject. |
| US08796281B2 |
Lighting device having at least one heat sink
The present invention provides pyrazine derivatives of formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein the designation of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is provided herein. The invention also provides syntheses for preparation of such compounds. The invention further provides methods of use of these compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing them for treatment and/or prevention of diseases and for manufacture of medicaments. These compounds and pharmaceutical compositions have antioxidative and thrombolytic effects, and thus can be used for the treatment and/or prevention of cerebral stroke caused by ischemia, and used for manufacture of medicaments for the treatment and/or prevention of nervous system diseases caused by excessive amount of radicals and/or thrombosis, infectious diseases, metabolic system diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and age-related degenerative diseases. |
| US08796277B2 |
Radioprotector compounds and related methods
The invention relates to radioprotectors of formula (I), processes for their preparation and their use in protecting biological materials from radiation damage. In diagnostic and therapeutic radiology, particularly in cancer radiotherapy, the radioprotectors of the present invention may be used to protect certain normal tissues or structures from radiation damage. The radioprotectors of formula (I) may also have uses in decreasing the effects of irradiation in non-medical scenarios, both civil and military. |
| US08796275B2 |
Anti-malarial compounds
The present invention provides tricyclic compounds, arylamide compounds, and other compounds, and compositions comprising the same, for treating malaria, and methods of treating malaria comprising administering such compounds to an animal. |
| US08796272B2 |
Glycine transporter-inhibiting substances
The present invention relates to novel compounds of formula [I] or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: The compounds of the present invention are useful in the prevention or treatment of diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive impairment, dementia, anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, specific phobias, acute stress disorder), depression, drug dependence, spasm, tremor, pain, Parkinson's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, or sleep disorders, which is based on the glycine uptake-inhibiting action. |
| US08796271B2 |
Heteroaryls and uses thereof
This invention provides compounds of formula IA-a or IB-a and subsets thereof: wherein Z, HY, R1, R2, G1, W, n, and A and subsets thereof are as described in the specification. The compounds are inhibitors of PI3K and are thus useful for treating proliferative, inflammatory, or cardiovascular disorders. |
| US08796268B2 |
Heteroaryls and uses thereof
This invention provides compounds of formula IA-i-a or IB-i-a and subsets thereof: wherein Z, HY, R1, R2, R3, G1, W, n, and A and subsets thereof are as described in the specification. The compounds are inhibitors of PI3K and are thus useful for treating proliferative, inflammatory, or cardiovascular disorders. |
| US08796265B2 |
Anti-infective solution comprising a compound of pyrido(3,2,1-IJ)-benzoxadiazine type
An anti-infection solution including (i) from 10% to 30% by weight with respect to the total volume of the solution of at least one compound of Formula (I): wherein: X represents a hydrogen or halogen atom or a hydroxy function, R1 represents: a 1-piperazinyl radical, which may be substituted in position 4 by a methyl, acetyl or 4-aminobenzyl group; a morpholino radical: a 1-pyrrolidinyl radical substituted in position 3 by a chlorine atom or by an amino, aminomethyl, (methylamino) methyl, (ethylamino) methyl or methoxy group; a 1-imidazolyl radical that can be substituted in position 4 by the methyl group, or a 1-piperidyl radical substituted in position 4 by a hydroxy or methoxy group, and R2 represents an alkyl radical, linear, branched or ring, including 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or at least one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, (ii) benzyl alcohol as a stabilizing agent, and at least one stabilizing agent, and (iii) at least one solubilization agent selected from the group consisting of carbolic acids and their esters, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. |
| US08796263B2 |
4-aminoquinazolin-2-yl-1-pyrrazole-4-carboxylic acid compounds as prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors
Aminoquinazolinyl compounds of formula (I) are described, which are useful as prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors. Such compounds may be used in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment of disease states, disorders, and conditions mediated by prolyl hydroxylase activity. Thus, the compounds may be administered to treat, e.g., anemia, vascular disorders, metabolic disorders, and wound healing. |
| US08796261B2 |
Bromodomain inhibitors and uses thereof
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of bromodomain-containing proteins. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising compounds of the present invention and methods of using said compositions in the treatment of various disorders. |
| US08796259B2 |
N3-heteroaryl substituted triazoles and N5-heteroaryl substituted triazoles useful as axl inhibitors
N3-Heteroaryl substituted triazoles and N5-heteroaryl substituted triazoles and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are disclosed as being useful in inhibiting the activity of the receptor protein tyrosine kinase Axl. Methods of using the compounds in treating diseases or conditions associated with Axl activity are also disclosed. |
| US08796255B2 |
Mutant-selective EGFR inhibitors and uses thereof
The present invention provides compounds, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions thereof, and methods of using the same. |
| US08796248B2 |
Oligomer-corticosteroid conjugates
The invention provides corticosteroids that are chemically modified by covalent attachment of a water soluble oligomer. A compound of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits a reduced biological membrane crossing rate as compared to the biological membrane crossing rate of the corticosteroid not attached to the water soluble oligomer. |
| US08796236B2 |
Gene therapy for lysosomal storage diseases
This disclosure provides methods and compositions for treating lysosomal storage diseases in a subject. In one aspect of the invention, a transgene product is delivered to a subject by administering a recombinant neurotrophic viral vector containing the transgene to the brain. The viral vector delivers the transgene to a region of the brain which is susceptible to infection by the virus and which expresses the encoded recombinant viral gene product. Also provided are compositions for delivery of a transgene product to a subject by administering a recombinant neurotrophic viral vector containing the transgene to the subject's brain. The transgene product may be any that is deficient in a lysosomal storage disease. |
| US08796235B2 |
Methods for attenuating dengue virus infection
The present invention pertains to vectors for regulating gene expression having at least one gene expressing cassette and at least one gene suppressing cassette, wherein the gene expression cassette encodes a polypeptide of interest, and wherein the gene suppressing cassette encodes a short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule that reduces expression of a target gene by RNA interference. The present invention further includes vectors that contain suppressor cassettes in conjunction with cassettes upregulating gene expression regulated by either a constitutive promoter, such as a general CMV promoter, or a tissue specific promoter. The present invention further includes vectors that contain Dengue virus gene suppression cassettes. The present invention further includes pharmaceutical compositions containing such vectors, methods of modulating the expression of genes in a host using such vectors, and method of producing such vectors. |
| US08796234B2 |
Crosslinking branched molecule through thiol-disulfide exchange to form hydrogel
In a process for forming a hydrogel, a precursor crosslinkable through disulfide bonds for forming the hydrogel is provided in a solution. The precursor comprises a branched molecular structure, which comprises a plurality of branches. At least three of the branches each comprises a disulfide bond. The pH in the solution is adjusted to initiate thiol-disulfide exchange in the precursor, thus crosslinking the precursor through disulfide bonds formed by thiol-disulfide exchange. After the precursor is sufficiently crosslinked to form a hydrogel, the pH in the solution is adjusted to inhibit further thiol-disulfide exchange in the hydrogel. Further, a hydrogel matrix may comprise a polymer substantially crosslinked through disulfide bonds. The polymer may comprise a hydrophobic poly(amido amine) core and an amino-functionalized hydrophilic shell. |
| US08796233B2 |
Methods and systems for modulating hormones and related methods, agents and compositions
Provided herein are bitter taste receptor ligands, related agents, combinations, compositions, methods and systems for modulating release of a metabolic hormone in vitro or in vivo from cells of the GI tract of an individual. |
| US08796231B2 |
Pest control composition
Disclosed is a pest control composition having an excellent controlling effect on pests, which comprises etoxazole and a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein, R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 is a hydrogen atom, a C1-C4 alkyl group, a C1-C4 haloalkyl group, or a (C1-C4 alkyl)carbonyl group, R3 is a hydrogen atom, a C1-C4 alkyl group, a C1-C4 haloalkyl group, or a (C1-C4 alkyl)carbonyl group, R4 is a hydrogen atom, a C1-C4 alkyl group, a C1-C4 haloalkyl group, or a (C1-C4 alkyl)carbonyl group, R5 is a hydrogen atom, a C1-C4 alkyl group, or a C1-C4 alkylamino group, R6 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R7 is a methyl group or an ethyl group, R8 is an amino group, a C1-C4 alkylamino group, or a di(C1-C4 alkyl)amino group, and X1 and X2 are hydrogen atoms or X1 and X2 together form a single bond. |
| US08796229B2 |
Feedback prodrug
Compounds and methods for use in selectively inhibiting a lytic enzyme based on feedback inhibition are described. The conjugated compound serves as a substrate for a lytic enzyme. Cleavage of the conjugated compound by the lytic enzyme releases an inhibitor of the enzyme. |
| US08796226B2 |
Depot systems comprising glatiramer or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof
Long acting parenteral pharmaceutical compositions comprising a therapeutically effective amount of glatiramer are provided. In particular, the long acting pharmaceutical composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of glatiramer acetate in depot form suitable for administering at a medically acceptable location in a subject in need thereof. The depot form is suitable for subcutaneous or intramuscular implantation or injection. |
| US08796222B2 |
Suspensions of cyclosporin A form 2
Disclosed herein are methods of formulating cyclosporin A Form 2. |
| US08796215B2 |
Neurotrophic peptides
The present invention relates to a neurotrophic peptide having an amino acid sequence of VGDGGLFEKKL (SEQ ID NO: 1) and alternatively comprising an adamantyl group at the C-and/or N-terminal end. The neurotrophic peptide can rescue cognition, correct impairments in neural cell proliferation and synaptic plasticity, and thus address the cognitive defects associated with Alzheimer's disease. |
| US08796204B2 |
β-arrestin effectors and compositions and methods of use thereof
This application describes a family of compounds acting as β-arrestin effectors. Such compounds may provide significant therapeutic benefit in the treatment of chronic and acute cardiovascular diseases. |
| US08796189B2 |
Gear lubricant
A gear oil composition is provided. The composition comprises a major amount of base oil comprising a mixture of a mineral base oil and polybutene; and 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of carbon black, based on the total weight of the gear oil composition. Such compositions can provide improved viscosity stability. |
| US08796188B2 |
Light-weight proppant from heat-treated pumice
A process for forming a strong, low-density proppant, which process includes heating pumice particulates, or shaped agglomerates thereof, so as to form heat-treated pumice particulates, or heat-treated, shaped pumice agglomerates, having an apparent density of 2.4 or less and a crush resistance of no more than 10% fines at 4000 psi. Proppants, and well treatment fluids comprising proppants, meeting these characteristics and processes for treating subterranean formations using fluids which include such proppants are also described. |
| US08796187B2 |
Additives to suppress silica scale build-up
Composition comprising a plurality of particulates wherein at least some particulates are at least partially covered with a coating that impedes the intrusion of water into the particulates; and, a silica scale control additive, wherein the silica scale control additive is capable of suppressing silica scale build-up proximate the plurality of particulates. Some compositions further include a treatment fluid wherein and the silica scale control additive are present in the treatment fluid. |
| US08796186B2 |
System and method for processing large number of biological microarrays
A system and method for processing biological sensors. The system includes a support component configured to support a fluidic component. The fluidic component includes at least a first container and a second container. The first container is capable of holding a first volume of a first fluid, and the second container is capable of holding a second volume of a second fluid. Additionally, the system includes a hybridization component configured to perform a hybridization process on a first sensor and a second sensor. Moreover, the system includes a transport component configured to move the first sensor, directly or indirectly, from the hybridization component into the first container and in contact with the first volume of the first fluid. |
| US08796185B2 |
Self-assembling high density ordered patterned biomolecule array and method for making and using the same
A method for fabricating a universal substrate for attaching biomolecules, including sequencing features and the resulting substrate. A method of direct detection of analytes utilizes a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor with the substrate. |
| US08796184B2 |
Detection assay devices and methods of making and using the same
An article such as a biomolecular detector or biosensor having a nonfouling surface thereon includes: (a) a substrate having a surface portion; (b) a linking layer on the surface portion; and (c) a polymer layer formed on the linking layer; and (d) a first member of a specific binding pair (e.g., a protein, peptide, antibody, nucleic acid, etc.) bound to the polymer layer. Methods of making and using the articles are also described. |
| US08796180B2 |
Aminoquinazoline compounds for combating invertebrate pests
The invention relates to aminoquinazoline compounds or the enantiomers or veterinarily acceptable salts thereof which are useful for combating or controlling invertebrate pests, in particular arthropod pests and nematodes. The invention also relates to methods for controlling invertebrate pests by using these compounds and to plant propagation material and to agricultural and veterinary compositions comprising said compounds. wherein A1, A2, A3, A4, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5a, R5b, R5c, R5d and p are defined as in the description. |
| US08796179B2 |
Fluorescent pseudomonad of the species pseudomonas azotoformans for enhancement of plant emergence and growth
The invention describes an isolate of a fluorescent pseudomonad of the species Pseudomonas azotoformans, strain F30A, which has been deposited at Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen and Zellkulturen GmbH and has been assigned accession number DSM 22077, which is capable of enhancing seed germination, seedling establishment, plant emergence, plant growth and/or the yields of crops treated with the isolate. Accordingly the invention further comprises the use of this pseudomonad for enhancement of plant emergence and growth and agricultural compositions comprising the pseudomonad. |
| US08796153B2 |
Clamped monolithic showerhead electrode
An electrode assembly for a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing. The assembly includes an upper showerhead electrode which is mechanically attached to a backing plate by a series of spaced apart cam locks. A guard ring surrounds the backing plate and is movable to positions at which openings in the guard ring align with openings in the backing plate so that the cam locks can be rotated with a tool to release locking pins extending from the upper face of the electrode. |
| US08796149B1 |
Collector-up bipolar junction transistors in BiCMOS technology
Fabrication methods, device structures, and design structures for a bipolar junction transistor. An emitter is formed in a device region defined in a substrate. An intrinsic base is formed on the emitter. A collector is formed that is separated from the emitter by the intrinsic base. The collector includes a semiconductor material having an electronic bandgap greater than an electronic bandgap of a semiconductor material of the device region. |
| US08796147B2 |
Layer formation with reduced channel loss
Insulating layers can be formed over a semiconductor device region and etched in a manner that substantially reduces or prevents the amount of etching of the underlying channel region. A first insulating layer can be formed over a gate region and a semiconductor device region. A second insulating layer can be formed over the first insulating layer. A third insulating layer can be formed over the second insulating layer. A portion of the third insulating layer can be etched using a first etching process. A portion of the first and second insulating layers beneath the etched portion of the third insulating layer can be etched using at least a second etching process different from the first etching process. |
| US08796145B2 |
Method of manufacturing metal-base substrate and method of manufacturing circuit board
A method of manufacturing a metal-base substrate having an insulative adhesive layer and a conductor layer on a metal-based material is provided. The method includes the steps of dispersing a disperse phase in an insulative adhesive-dispersing medium that contains a wetting dispersant and constitutes the insulative adhesive layer; laminating step of laminating the insulative adhesive on the conductor foil as feeding the roll-shaped conductor foil; curing the insulative adhesive on the conductor foil under heat into a B stage state and thus forming a composite of the conductor foil and the insulative adhesive layer in the B stage state; laminating the metal-based material on the insulative adhesive layer in the B stage state to give a laminate; and then curing the insulative adhesive layer in the B stage state into a C stage state by heat pressurization of the laminate. |
| US08796135B2 |
Microelectronic elements with rear contacts connected with via first or via middle structures
A microelectronic unit includes a microelectronic element, e.g., an integrated circuit chip, having a semiconductor region of monocrystalline form. The semiconductor region has a front surface extending in a first direction, an active circuit element adjacent the front surface, a rear surface remote from the front surface, and a conductive via which extends towards the rear surface. The conductive via can be insulated from the semiconductor region by an inorganic dielectric layer. An opening can extend from the rear surface partially through a thickness of the semiconductor region, with the opening and the conductive via having respective widths in the first direction. The width of the opening may be greater than the width of the conductive via where the opening meets the conductive via. A rear contact can be electrically connected to the conductive via and exposed at the rear surface for electrical connection with an external circuit element, such as another like microelectronic unit, a microelectronic package, or a circuit panel. |
| US08796130B2 |
Diffusion barrier for oppositely doped portions of gate conductor
A method patterns a polysilicon gate over two immediately adjacent, opposite polarity transistor devices. The method patterns a mask over the polysilicon gate. The mask has an opening in a location where the opposite polarity transistor devices abut one another. The method then removes some (a portion) of the polysilicon gate through the opening to form at least a partial recess (or potentially a complete opening) in the polysilicon gate. The recess separates the polysilicon gate into a first polysilicon gate and a second polysilicon gate. After forming the recess, the method dopes the first polysilicon gate using a first polarity dopant and dopes the second polysilicon gate using a second polarity dopant having an opposite polarity of the first polarity dopant. |
| US08796129B2 |
Nonvolatile storage device and method for manufacturing the same in which insulating film is located between first and second impurity diffusion regions but absent on first impurity diffusion region
Provided is an excellent nonvolatile storage device having advantageous in miniaturization and less variation in initial threshold value, and exhibiting a high writing efficiency, without an erasing failure and a retention failure. The nonvolatile storage device is characterized by including a film stack extending from between a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode onto at least a surface of the gate electrode lying on a first impurity diffusion region side, the film stack including a charge accumulating layer and a tunnel insulating film sequentially from a gate electrode side. |
| US08796118B2 |
Method of producing a three-dimensional integrated circuit
Method of producing an integrated electronic circuit comprising at least the steps of: producing a substrate comprising at least a first and second layer of semiconductor between which at least a third layer of material is placed, then producing at least a first MOS device, an active area of which is formed in at least part of the first layer of semiconductor, then producing at least a second MOS device, an active area of which is formed in at least part of the second layer of semiconductor, the active area of the second MOS device being placed between a gate of the second MOS device and the active area of the first MOS device. |
| US08796114B2 |
Method for slicing a substrate wafer
A method for slicing a monocrystalline semiconductor layer (116) from a semiconductor single crystal (100) comprising: providing a semiconductor single crystal (100) having a uniform crystal structure; locally modifying the crystal structure within a separating plane (104) in the semiconductor single crystal (100) into an altered microstructure state by means of irradiation using a laser (106); and removing the modified separating plane (104) by means of selective etching. |
| US08796113B2 |
Laser processing method for wafer
A processing method for a wafer on which a plurality of devices are formed and partitioned by scheduled division lines includes a dividing groove by irradiating a laser beam of a wavelength to which the wafer has absorbency along the scheduled division lines to form dividing grooves which are to be used as start points of division. An external force divides the wafer into individual devices. The dividing grooves are formed by irradiating a laser beam of a first energy which is comparatively low upon a selected scheduled division line to form a first dividing groove which is to be used as a start point of division, and irradiating another laser beam of a second energy which is higher than the first energy upon scheduled division lines other than the selected scheduled division line to form second dividing grooves which are to be used as start points of division. |
| US08796110B2 |
Method for handling a thin substrate and for substrate capping
An embodiment is a method for bonding. The method comprises bonding a handle substrate to a capping substrate; thinning the capping substrate; etching the capping substrate; and after the thinning and the etching the capping substrate, bonding the capping substrate to an active substrate. The handle substrate has an opening therethrough. The method also comprises removing the handle substrate from the capping substrate. The removing comprises providing an etchant through the opening to separate the handle substrate from the capping substrate. Other embodiments further include forming a bonding material on a surface of at least one of the handle substrate and the capping substrate such that the capping substrate is bonded to the handle substrate by the bonding material. The bonding material may be removed by using a dry etching to remove the handle substrate from the capping substrate. |
| US08796108B2 |
Isolated zener diode, an integrated circuit incorporating multiple instances of the zener diode, a method of forming the zener diode and a design structure for the zener diode
Disclosed is a Zener diode having a scalable reverse-bias breakdown voltage (Vb) as a function of the position of a cathode contact region relative to the interface between adjacent cathode and anode well regions. Specifically, cathode and anode contact regions are positioned adjacent to corresponding cathode and anode well regions and are further separated by an isolation region. However, while the anode contact region is contained entirely within the anode well region, one end of the cathode contact region extends laterally into the anode well region. The length of this end can be predetermined in order to selectively adjust the Vb of the diode (e.g., increasing the length reduces Vb of the diode and vice versa). Also disclosed are an integrated circuit, incorporating multiple instances of the diode with different reverse-bias breakdown voltages, a method of forming the diode and a design structure for the diode. |
| US08796105B2 |
Method and apparatus for preparing polysilazane on a semiconductor wafer
A method for depositing a polysilazane on a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method includes steps of disposing a silazane onto the semiconductor wafer, and heating the silazane to form the polysilazane on the semiconductor wafer. An apparatus for preparing a polysilazane on a semiconductor wafer is also provided. |
| US08796104B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a first insulation layer on or over a semiconductor substrate, metal patterns on or over the first insulation layer, a thin film resistor pattern disposed on or over the metal patterns, and an anti-reflection layer between the thin film resistor pattern and the metal patterns. |
| US08796103B2 |
Forming nonvolatile memory elements by diffusing oxygen into electrodes
Provided are methods of forming nonvolatile memory elements including resistance switching layers. A method involves diffusing oxygen from a precursor layer to one or more reactive electrodes by annealing. At least one electrode in a memory element is reactive, while another may be inert. The precursor layer is converted into a resistance switching layer as a result of this diffusion. The precursor layer may initially include a stoichiometric oxide that generally does not exhibit resistance switching characteristics until oxygen vacancies are created. Metals forming such oxides may be more electronegative than metals forming a reactive electrode. The reactive electrode may have substantially no oxygen at least prior to annealing. Annealing may be performed at 250-400° C. in the presence of hydrogen. These methods simplify process control and may be used to form nonvolatile memory elements including resistance switching layers less than 20 Angstroms thick. |
| US08796102B1 |
Device structure for a RRAM and method
A method of forming a resistive device includes forming a first wiring layer overlying a first dielectric on top of a substrate, forming a junction material, patterning the first wiring layer and junction material to expose a portion of the first dielectric, forming a second dielectric over the patterned first wiring layer, forming an opening in the second dielectric to expose a portion of the junction material, forming a resistive switching material over the portion of the junction material in the opening, the resistive switching material having an intrinsic semiconductor characteristic, forming a conductive material over the resistive switching material, etching the conductive material and the resistive switching material to expose respective sidewalls of the resistive switching material and the conductive material, and the second dielectric, and forming a second wiring layer over the conductive material in contact with the respective sidewalls and the second dielectric. |
| US08796094B2 |
Method of manufacturing vertical planar power MOSFET and method of manufacturing trench-gate power MOSFET
In the manufacturing steps of a super-junction power MOSFET having a drift region having a super junction structure, after the super junction structure is formed, introduction of a body region and the like and heat treatment related thereto are typically performed. However, in the process thereof, a dopant in each of P-type column regions and the like included in the super junction structure is diffused to result in a scattered dopant profile. This causes problems such as degradation of a breakdown voltage when a reverse bias voltage is applied between a drain and a source and an increase in ON resistance. According to the present invention, in a method of manufacturing a silicon-based vertical planar power MOSFET, a body region forming a channel region is formed by selective epitaxial growth. |
| US08796092B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device with first and second gates over buried bit line
A semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes forming a cell structure where a storage node contact is coupled to a silicon layer formed over a gate, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process of the device. The semiconductor device includes a bit line buried in a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of gates disposed over the semiconductor substrate buried with the bit line; a first plug disposed in a lower portion between the gates and coupled to the bit line; a silicon layer disposed on the upper portion and sidewalls of the gate; and a second plug coupled to the silicon layer disposed over the gate. |
| US08796091B2 |
Three-dimensional semiconductor memory devices
Provided are three-dimensional semiconductor devices. A device includes an electrode structure including conductive patterns sequentially stacked on a substrate, a semiconductor pattern penetrating the electrode structure and including channel regions adjacent to the conductive patterns and vertical adjacent regions between the channel regions, and a semiconductor connecting layer extending from an outer sidewall of the semiconductor pattern to connect the semiconductor pattern to the substrate. |
| US08796089B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method for making same
An embodiment relates to a method of forming a semiconductor structure, comprising: forming a first semiconductor layer; forming a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer; forming a third semiconductor layer over the second semiconductor layer; forming an opening in the first, second and third semiconductor layers; forming a conductive region within the first, the and third semiconductor layer, the conductive region surrounding the opening, the conductive region being electrically coupled to the first semiconductor layer; forming a dielectric layer in the opening and over the conductive region; and forming a conductive layer over the dielectric layer in the opening. |
| US08796086B2 |
Methods of forming an array of memory cells, methods of forming a plurality of field effect transistors, methods of forming source/drain regions and isolation trenches, and methods of forming a series of spaced trenches into a substrate
A method of forming a series of spaced trenches into a substrate includes forming a plurality of spaced lines over a substrate. Anisotropically etched sidewall spacers are formed on opposing sides of the spaced lines. Individual of the lines have greater maximum width than minimum width of space between immediately adjacent of the spacers between immediately adjacent of the lines. The spaced lines are removed to form a series of alternating first and second mask openings between the spacers. The first mask openings are located where the spaced lines were located and are wider than the second mask openings. Alternating first and second trenches are simultaneously etched into the substrate through the alternating first and second mask openings, respectively, to form the first trenches to be wider and deeper within the substrate than are the second trenches. Other implementations and embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08796082B1 |
Method of optimizing a GA—nitride device material structure for a frequency multiplication device
A preferred method of optimizing a Ga-nitride device material structure for a frequency multiplication device comprises: determining the amplitude and frequency of the input signal being multiplied in frequency; providing a Ga-nitride region on a substrate; determining the Al percentage composition and impurity doping in an AlGaN region positioned on the Ga-nitride region based upon the power level and waveform of the input signal and the desired frequency range in order to optimize power input/output efficiency; and selecting an orientation of N-face polar GaN or Ga-face polar GaN material relative to the AlGaN/GaN interface so as to orient the face of the GaN so as to optimize charge at the AlGaN/GaN interface. A preferred embodiment comprises an anti-serial Schottky varactor comprising: two Schottky diodes in anti-serial connection; each comprising at least one GaN layer designed based upon doping and thickness to improve the conversion efficiency. |
| US08796080B2 |
Methods of epitaxially forming materials on transistor devices
Disclosed herein are various methods of epitaxially forming materials on transistor devices. In one example, the method includes forming an isolation region in a semiconducting substrate that defines an active area, performing a heating process on the active area to cause an upper surface of the active area to become a curved surface and performing an etching process on the active area to define a recess having a curved bottom surface. The method further includes the steps of forming a channel semiconductor material in the recess with a curved upper surface and forming a gate structure for a transistor above the curved upper surface of the channel semiconductor material. |
| US08796078B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
An object is to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device including a thin film transistor having stable electric characteristics. In addition, another object is to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device at low cost with high productivity. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer as a channel formation region, the oxide semiconductor layer is heated under a nitrogen atmosphere to lower its resistance, thereby forming a low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer. Further, resistance of a region of the low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer, which is overlapped with a gate electrode layer, is selectively increased, thereby forming a high-resistance oxide semiconductor layer. Resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer is increased by forming a silicon oxide film in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer by a sputtering method. |
| US08796077B2 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device with a semiconductor chip mounted on a small-sized package substrate that includes a slot, a large number of external connection terminals, and bonding fingers. The bonding fingers are connected to the external connection terminals. The bonding fingers constitute a bonding finger arrangement in a central section and end sections of a bonding finger area along each longer side of the slot. The arrangement includes a first bonding finger array, which is located at a close distance from each longer side of the slot, and a second array, which is located at a farther distance than the distance of the first bonding finger array from each longer side of the slot. The central section of the bonding finger area includes the second bonding finger array, and the end sections of the bonding finger area include the first bonding finger array. |
| US08796076B2 |
Stacked semiconductor devices and fabrication method/equipment for the same
After formation of an opening by exposing and development of the photosensitive surface protection film and adhesive layer which is formed on the circuit side of the semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor chips having a photosensitive surface protection film and adhesive layer thereon is fabricated by cutting individual chips from the semiconductor wafer. After the second semiconductor chip is placed over the first semiconductor chip up by the suction collet, the second semiconductor chip is bonded with the first semiconductor chip by the first surface protection film and adhesive layer. The suction side of the suction collet has lower adhesion to the second semiconductor chip than that between the now bonded semiconductor chips. |
| US08796068B2 |
Tellurium compounds useful for deposition of tellurium containing materials
Precursors for use in depositing tellurium-containing films on substrates such as wafers or other microelectronic device substrates, as well as associated processes of making and using such precursors, and source packages of such precursors. The precursors are useful for deposition of Ge2Sb2Te5 chalcogenide thin films in the manufacture of nonvolatile Phase Change Memory (PCM), by deposition techniques such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD). |
| US08796063B2 |
Superstrate solar cell
A method of fabricating a solar cell includes forming a front contact layer over a substrate, and the front contact layer is optically transparent at specified wavelengths and electrically conductive. A first scribed area is scribed through the front contact layer to expose a portion of the substrate. A buffer layer doped with an n-type dopant is formed over the front contact layer and the first scribed area. An absorber layer doped with a p-type dopant is formed over the buffer layer. A back contact layer that is electrically conductive is formed over the absorber layer. |
| US08796061B2 |
Module assembly for thin solar cells
Solar cells are packaged by placing the solar cells between sheets of encapsulants. The encapsulants are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light to cure the encapsulants and bond the encapsulants together to encapsulate the solar cells. The UV curing steps may be performed to bond one of the encapsulants to a transparent top cover and the solar cells, and to bond the other encapsulant to the solar cells and a backsheet. A protective package that includes the transparent top cover, encapsulated solar cells, and the backsheet is then optionally mounted on a frame. |
| US08796050B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing white light-emitting device
Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor light-emitting device that emits white light by forming a phosphor layer on an emission surface of the semiconductor light-emitting device at a wafer-level. The method includes: forming a plurality of light-emitting devices on a wafer; thinning the wafer, on which the plurality of light-emitting devices are formed; disposing the thinned wafer on a carrier film; and forming a phosphor layer on an emission surface of the plurality of light-emitting devices on the wafer. |
| US08796043B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
After the formation of a first interlayer insulating, an etching stopper film made of SiON is formed thereon. Subsequently, a contact hole extending from the upper surface of the etching stopper film and reaching a high concentration impurity region is formed, and a first plug is formed by filling W into the contact hole. Next, a ferroelectric capacitor, a second interlayer insulating film, and the like are formed. Thereafter, a contact hole extending from the upper surface of the interlayer insulating film and reaching the first plug is formed. Then, the contact hole is filled with W to form a second plug. With this, even when misalignment occurs, the interlayer insulating film is prevented from being etched. |
| US08796040B2 |
System and method of quantitatively determining a biomolecule, system and method of detecting and separating a cell by flow cytometry, and fluorescent silica particles for use in the same, and kit comprising plural kinds of the silica particles in combination
A system of quantitatively determining a biomolecule, which has: allowing fluorescent silica particles capable of emitting fluorescence detectable by a flow cytometer to capture a target biomolecule fluorescent-labelled for quantitative determination; detecting the fluorescence emitted from the fluorescent silica particles themselves by using the flow cytometer; and measuring the intensity of the fluorescence of the labelled target biomolecule, thereby quantitatively determining the target biomolecule. |
| US08796034B2 |
Apparatus and method for diagnostic gas analysis
A handheld, small but accurate and reliable device for diagnostic NO measurements using a NO sensor, where the parameters governing the taking of the sample are different from the parameters optimal for the accuracy of said NO sensor. By temporarily storing a portion of the exhaled air, and feeding this to the sensor at a flow rate adapted to the NO sensor, the accuracy and sensitivity of a system/method involving NO sensors, in particular electrochemical NO sensors, can be increased. The method for diagnostic NO measurements comprises steps for controlling the inhalation of NO free air, as well as the exhalation, both by built-in means and by audible and/or visual feedback to the patient. |
| US08796028B2 |
Method for treating a biological sample with a composition containing at least one polyol and excluding water
The invention relates to a method for treating a biological sample, comprising the following method steps: i) preparation of a biological sample and ii) bringing the biological sample into contact with a composition, comprising: (1) 1 to 100 wt. % of at least one polyol and (2) 0 to 99 wt. % of at least one additive, wherein the total amount of components (1) and (2) is 100 wt. %. The invention further relates to biological samples obtained by said method, a method for analysis of a treated biological sample, devices for treating a biological sample, use of said devices, various kits and use of a composition. |
| US08796021B2 |
Blastomere culture to produce mammalian embryonic stem cells
The present invention relates generally to the field of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and to the creation of cloned animals and cells. The disclosure relates to a method of cloning a mammal, obtaining pluripotent cells such as embryonic stem cells, or for reprogramming a mammalian cell using an oocyte and a fertilized embryo. |
| US08796018B2 |
Use of nanopatterned surfaces and method for enriching or isolating cellular subpopulations
The invention relates to the use of nanopatterned surfaces. It also relates to a method for enriching or isolating cellular subpopulations. To create a simple, versatile and specific method for enriching or isolating cellular subpopulations from a complex mixture, the invention proposes the use of nanopatterned surfaces for isolating and enriching cellular subpopulations from a complex mixture. |
| US08796009B2 |
Clearcoat containing thermolysin-like protease from Bacillus stearothermophilus for cleaning of insect body stains
A substrate or coating is provided that includes a protease with enzymatic activity toward a component of a biological stain. Also provided is a process for facilitating the removal of a biological stain is provided wherein an inventive substrate or coating including a protease is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the biological stain to facilitate biological stain removal from the substrate or said coating. |
| US08796008B2 |
Influenza A virus vaccines and inhibitors
The present invention includes compositions and methods related to the structure and function of the cellular polyadenylation and specificity factor 30 (CPSF 30) binding site on the surface of the influenza A non-structural protein 1 (NS1). Specifically, critical biochemical reagents, conditions for crystallization and NMR analysis, assays, and general processes are described for (i) discovering, designing, and optimizing small molecule inhibitors of influenza A (avian flu) viruses and (ii) creating attenuated influenza virus strains suitable for avian and human flu vaccine development. |
| US08796002B2 |
Polypeptides for a ketoreductase-mediated stereoselective route to alpha chloroalcohols
The present disclosure relates to engineered ketoreductase polypeptides and uses thereof for the preparation of α chloroalcohols from α chloroketones. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase polypeptides and host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase polypeptides. |
| US08796001B2 |
Metalloenzyme inhibitor compounds
The instant invention describes compounds having metalloenzyme modulating activity, and methods of treating diseases, disorders or symptoms thereof mediated by such metalloenzymes. |
| US08796000B2 |
Polyethersiloxane-coated enzyme preparations
The invention is directed to enzyme preparations which are obtainable by providing enzyme immobilizates which comprise enzymes or microorganisms comprising enzymes immobilized on an inert support with a polyethersilicone coating obtained by hydrosilylation, to a process for preparing such enzyme preparations and to the use of enzyme preparations as an industrial biocatalyst. |
| US08795996B2 |
Genes related to xylose fermentation and methods of using same for enhanced biofuel production
The present invention provides isolated gene sequences involved in xylose fermentation and related recombinant yeast which are useful in methods of enhanced biofuel production, particularly ethanol production. Methods of bioengineering recombinant yeast useful for biofuel production are also provided. |
| US08795991B2 |
Increasing bacterial succinate productivity
Improved bacteria for making succinate and other 4 carbon dicarboxylates from the Krebs cycle have modifications to reduce acetate, lactate, EtOH and formate, as well as turn on the glyoxylate shunt, produce more NADH and overexpress In one embodiment, the bacteria are ΔadhEΔldhAΔiclRΔack-pta plus PYC+ and NAD+-dependant FDH+. |
| US08795988B2 |
Primer-extension based method for the generation of siRNA/miRNA expression vectors
Functional shRNA is produced from an expression vector prepared by selecting a two primer design in which the primers are less than about 50 nucleotides in length, annealing and extending the primers using primer extension, digesting the primer extension product and inserting the digestion product into a suitable vector. When the shRNA vectors are inserted into a cell, shRNA transcribed from the vectors modulates gene activity within the cell. |
| US08795987B2 |
Ribonucleic acid interference molecules of Oryza sativa
Sequences of ribonucleic acid interference molecules are provided. For example, in one aspect, at least one nucleic acid molecule comprising at least one of one or more precursor sequences having SEQ_ID NO: 1 through SEQ_ID NO: 11,928 and one or more corresponding mature sequences having SEQ_ID NO: 11,929 through SEQ_ID NO: 24,555 is provided. Techniques are also provided for regulating gene expression. |
| US08795983B2 |
Methods for the characterization of microorganisms on solid or semi-solid media
The present invention relates to methods and systems for scanning, detecting, and monitoring microorganisms on solid or semi-solid media using intrinsic fluorescence (IF) measurements. The methods are further directed to detection, characterization and/or identification of microorganisms on a solid or semi-solid media using intrinsic fluorescence (IF) measurements that are characteristic of said microorganisms. |
| US08795980B2 |
Methods for determination of previous ethanol consumption
An improved method for assessing previous ethanol exposure comprises the steps of obtaining a sample from the body of a subject; quantitatively determining the level of one or several bio-precursors of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) (Formula I) or ethyl-sphingomyelin and the level of the corresponding one or several PEth (Formula II) or ethyl-sphingomyelin homologues in the sample; and obtaining a ratio between the level of one or several bio-precursors of PEth or ethyl-sphingomylein and the level of the corresponding one or several PEth- or ethyl-sphingomylein homologues. The ratio is indicative of previous ethanol consumption of the subject. Furthermore, a method for assessing previous absolute ethanol consumption can be accomplished by correlating the ratios of PEth precursor and PEth homologue levels in subjects to ratios obtained from reference subjects with known previous ethanol consumption. |
| US08795979B2 |
Hydrolase enzyme substrates and uses thereof
The present invention provides novel methods for determining the presence or amount of a hydrolytic enzyme in a sample, based on novel substrates for the enzymes, and also provides compositions and methods that provide highly sensitive assay methods for such hydrolytic enzymes. |
| US08795973B2 |
Methods for identifying inhibitors of mannan-binding lectin associated serine protease (MASP) proteins and uses thereof
This disclosure is directed to methods and compositions to inhibit MASP protein activity using small molecule inhibitors. In one aspect, the disclosure is directed to methods for identifying inhibitors of MASP protein activity, including methods of screening capable of inhibiting MASP protein activity. |
| US08795972B2 |
Reagents, methods and kits for classification of fungi and direction of anti-fungal therapy
Provided herein are methods, kits and compositions to classify fungi. Methods are provided for classification of fungi according to established phenotypes, for example, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. More specifically, the invention provides methods for the use of PNA probes in diagnostic applications, which will aid in the direction of appropriate therapy against fungi. |
| US08795970B2 |
Methods of monitoring conditions by sequence analysis
There is a need for improved methods for determining the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with conditions, including autoimmune disease and cancer. Provided herein are methods for using DNA sequencing to identify personalized biomarkers in patients with autoimmune disease and other conditions. Identified biomarkers can be used to determine the disease state for a subject with an autoimmune disease or other condition. |
| US08795966B2 |
Probe density self-considerations and elongation of complementary looped probes where probes are attached to a solid phase
In a multiplexed assay method carried out in solution, wherein the solution contains nucleic acid targets and, wherein several different types of oligonucleotide probes, each type having a different sequence in a region designated as a target binding domain, are used to detect the nucleic acid targets, said assay method including a method for increasing the effective concentration of the nucleic acid targets at the surface of a bead to which the oligonucleotide probes are bound, by one or more of the following steps:adjusting assay conditions so as to increase the effective concentration of the targets available for binding to the probes, by one or more of the following: (i) selecting a particular probe density on the surface of the bead; (ii) selecting a solution having an ionic strength greater than a threshold; (ii) selecting a target domain of a size less than a threshold; or (iii) selecting target domains within a specified proximity to a terminal end of the targets. |
| US08795964B2 |
GRM3 mutations and use thereof for the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma
Described herein is a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-directed mutational analysis of tumor DNA obtained from melanoma tissue samples. The GPCR gene glutamate receptor, metabotropic 3 (GRM3) was identified as the most highly mutated GPCR gene in this screen. Functional characterization of GRM3 mutants revealed that these mutants promote activation of MEK, anchorage-independent cell growth and metastasis. Thus, provided herein are methods of diagnosing a subject as having melanoma, or susceptible to developing melanoma, by detecting the presence of at least one mutation in GRM3. Also provided are methods of treating a subject with melanoma by detecting the presence of at least one mutation in GRM3 and administering an appropriate therapy. Further provided are methods of selecting a subject diagnosed with melanoma as a candidate for treatment with a GRM3 inhibitor, an MEK inhibitor, or both, by detecting the presence of at least one mutation in GRM3. |
| US08795963B2 |
Genetic markers for risk management of atrial fibrillation and stroke
The invention relates to procedures and methods of determining a susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmia, including Atrial Fibrillation, Atrial Flutter and Stroke, by assessing the presence or absence of alleles at polymorphic markers found to be associated with risk of these conditions. The invention further relates to kits encompassing reagents for assessing such markers, and diagnostic methods, uses and procedures for utilizing such susceptibility markers. |
| US08795962B2 |
Expression vectors based on modified ribosomal protein promoters and uses thereof in post-transcriptional assessment
The present invention relates to expression vector comprising (a) a promoter region comprising a non-inducible constitutively active ribosomal protein gene promoter, (b) an operably linked reporter or gene sequence, and (c) a 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR), which are suitable means for an selective assessment of post-transcriptional regulation, post-transcriptional control elements and factors as well as for identifying compounds that effect post-transcription. The present invention furthermore relates to arrays, expression vector libraries and cell lines containing the expression vector(s). The present invention furthermore relates to a method and kit for identifying compounds that affect post-transcriptional regulation of reporter(s) or gene(s), that utilize the expression vector(s). |
| US08795961B2 |
Preparations, compositions, and methods for nucleic acid sequencing
Preparations, compositions and methods of sequencing nucleic acids are provided. The preparations, methods and compositions employ multiple priming sites on a target nucleic acid and typically utilize single molecule sequencing processes to identify sequence portions of the target which are then assembled to obtain the sequence of the target. |
| US08795959B2 |
Isolated glucokinase genomic polynucleotide fragments from chromosome 7
Provided are isolated genomic polynucleotide fragments that encode human SNARE YKT6, human glucokinase, human adipocyte enhancer binding protein (AEBP1) and DNA directed 50 kD regulatory subunit (POLD2), vectors and hosts containing these fragments and fragments hybridizing to noncoding regions as well as antisense oligonucleotides to these fragments. The invention is further directed to methods of using these fragments to obtain SNARE YKT6, human glucokinase, AEBP1 protein and POLD2 and to diagnose, treat, prevent and/or ameliorate a pathological disorder. |
| US08795954B2 |
Resist pattern-forming method, and radiation-sensitive resin composition
A resist pattern-forming method includes coating a radiation-sensitive resin composition on a substrate to provide a resist film. The resist film is exposed. The exposed resist film is developed using a developer solution including no less than 80% by mass of an organic solvent. The radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a polymer and a radiation-sensitive acid generator. The polymer has a weight average molecular weight in terms of the polystyrene equivalent of greater than 6,000 and includes a first structural unit that includes an acid-labile group. The polymer includes less than 5 mol % or 0 mol % of a second structural unit that includes a hydroxyl group. |
| US08795952B2 |
Line pattern collapse mitigation through gap-fill material application
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mitigation of photoresist line pattern collapse in a photolithography process by applying a gap-fill material treatment after the post-development line pattern rinse step. The gap-fill material dries into a solid layer filling the inter-line spaces of the line pattern, thereby preventing line pattern collapse due to capillary forces during the post-rinse line pattern drying step. Once dried, the gap-fill material is depolymerized, volatilized, and removed from the line pattern by heating, illumination with ultraviolet light, by application of a catalyst chemistry, or by plasma etching. |
| US08795951B2 |
Material for forming resist sensitization film and production method of semiconductor device
A material for forming a resist sensitization film contains a metal salt, a resin and, a solvent. A method for producing a semiconductor device contains applying such material (or a resist) onto a processing surface so as to form a resist sensitization film or a resist film, applying a resist (or the aforementioned material) onto the resist sensitization film so as to form a resist film (or a resist sensitization film); exposing the resist film (or the resist film and the resist sensitization film) to exposure light, and developing the exposed resist film (or the exposed resist film and resist sensitization film) so as to form a resist pattern; and etching the processing surface using the resist pattern as a mask so as to pattern the processing surface. |
| US08795948B2 |
Resist composition, method of forming resist pattern and polymeric compound
A resist composition including a base component (A) which generates acid upon exposure and exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under the action of acid, the base component (A) containing a polymeric compound (A1) including a structural unit (a0) represented by general formula (a0-1) shown below, a structural unit (a1) containing an acid decomposable group which exhibits increased polarity by the action of acid and a structural unit (a6) which generates acid upon exposure (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or a halogenated alkyl group; W represents —COO—, —CONH— or a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group; Y1 and Y2 represents a divalent linking group or a single bond; R′1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R′2 represents a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group; and R2 represents an —SO2— containing cyclic group). |
| US08795943B2 |
Negative photoresist composition and patterning method for device
The present invention relates to a negative photoresist composition and a patterning method for device in which a photoresist pattern having a high sensitivity with a good reverse taper profile can be formed not only to realize an effective patterning of various thin films but also to facilitate removal of the photoresist pattern after the patterning. The photoresist composition comprises an alkali-soluble binder resin; a halogen-containing first photo-acid generator; a triazine-based second photo-acid generator; a cross-linking agent having an alkoxy structure; and a solvent. |
| US08795941B2 |
Thymol derivatives in polyester polymer toner resin
The present disclosure provides a polyester toner resin comprising a polyhydroxylated thymol derivative that may be used in manufacturing an emulsion aggregation (EA) toner for imaging devices. |
| US08795940B2 |
Toner and developer
To provide a toner, including at least: a non-crystalline polyester resin; and a crystalline polyester resin, wherein the toner has a glass transition temperature in a first heating Tg1st and a glass transition temperature in a second heating Tg2nd, and a difference between Tg1st and Tg2nd (Tg1st-Tg2nd) is 10° C. or greater, and wherein the crystalline polyester resin is a modified crystalline polyester resin having a urethane skeleton or a urea skeleton, or both thereof. |
| US08795938B2 |
Toner and image forming apparatus
To provide a toner, which contains: toner base particles each containing a binder resin and a colorant; and an external additive containing inorganic particles and fatty acid metal salt particles, wherein the inorganic particles contain at least hydrophobic silica particles, wherein a liberation ratio Ya of the hydrophobic silica particles from the toner is 1% by mass to 20% by mass, and wherein a libration ratio Yb of the fatty acid metal salt particles from the toner is 30% by mass to 90% by mass. |
| US08795935B2 |
Electrophotographic photoconductor, production method of the same, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge
An electrophotographic photoconductor having a photosensitive layer and a crosslinked resin surface layer over a support, wherein shapes of concaves and convexes in a surface of the electrophotographic photoconductor are measured by a surface roughness/profile measuring device to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, the arrays are subjected to multiresolution analysis (MRA-1) through wavelet transformation to be separated into six frequency components including HHH, HHL, HMH, HML, HLH and HLL to obtain one-dimensional data arrays, the arrays of the HHL are thinned out to be reduced 1/10 to 1/100, thereby producing one-dimensional data arrays, which are then subjected to multiresolution analysis (MRA-2) through wavelet transformation to be separated into six frequency components including LHH, LHL, LMH, LML, LLH and LLL to thereby obtain 12 frequency components in total; and a center-line average roughness (WRa) of the 12 frequency components satisfies relationship (i) below. 1−597×WRa(HML)+238×WRa(HLH)−95×WRa(LHL)+84×WRa(LMH)−79×WRa(LML)+55×WRa(LLH)−17×WRa(LLL)>0 (i) |
| US08795931B2 |
Reflection-type photomasks and methods of fabricating the same
Reflection-type photomasks are provided. The reflection-type photomask includes a substrate and a reflection layer on a front surface of the substrate. The substrate includes a pattern transfer region, a light blocking region and a border region. A trench penetrates the reflection layer in the border region to expose the substrate. First absorption layer patterns are disposed on the reflection layer in the pattern transfer region, and a second absorption layer pattern is disposed on the reflection layer in the light blocking region. Sidewalls of the trench have a sloped profile. Related methods are also provided. |
| US08795930B2 |
Self-polarized mask and self-polarized mask application
A self-polarized mask is provided including a transparent substrate, first and second layers of polarization material consecutively provided on the transparent substrate and polarized in a first and a second direction, respectively. A first region is provided that extends in the first direction and contains only the first layer and no second layer, a second region is provided that extends in the second direction and contains only the second layer and no first layer. Embodiments include exposing a photoresist to light through the mask such that light polarized in the first direction passes through the mask in the first region to expose a first-directional region of the photoresist layer used to form a first-directional semiconductor device structure, and light polarized in the second direction passes through the mask in the second region to expose a second-directional region of the photoresist layer used to form a second-directional semiconductor device structure. |
| US08795927B2 |
Highly durable electrode catalyst layer
An electrode catalyst layer characterized by comprising composite particles comprising electrode catalyst particles supported on electrically conductive particles, a perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid resin (component A) and a polyazole compound (component B), the content of the composite particles being 20 to 95% by weight, the total weight of component A and component B being 5 to 80% by weight, the weight ratio between component A and component B (A/B) being 1 to 999. |
| US08795926B2 |
Pump assembly for a fuel cell system
A pump assembly including a first subassembly and a second subassembly. The first subassembly includes a fluid conduit; an inlet fluidly coupled to the liquid reactant dispenser and the fluid conduit; an outlet fluidly coupled to a reaction chamber and the fluid conduit; and a diaphragm, defining a portion of the fluid conduit, that flexes to pump the liquid reactant from the inlet to the outlet. The diaphragm preferably includes an actuation point coupled to the diaphragm, wherein the liquid reactant is substantially contained within the first subassembly during pumping. The second subassembly is couplable to the first subassembly, and is fluidly isolated from the liquid reactant. The second subassembly includes an actuator that couples to the actuation point, wherein operation of the actuator causes pumping action. |
| US08795925B2 |
Fuel composition for polymer electrolyte fuel cell and polymer electrolyte fuel cell system including same
The fuel composition for a fuel cell for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell includes a fuel, water, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and heteropoly acid. The fuel may be a hydrocarbon fuel. The hydrogen peroxide may be present in an amount of 10 wt % to 60 wt % based on the weight of the mixture of the fuel, water, and the hydrogen peroxide. The heteropoly acid may be present in an amount of 0.0001 parts to 5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of a mixture of the fuel, water, and hydrogen peroxide. The fuel composition may reduce a reforming reaction temperature and also hydrogen generating efficiency and resultantly provides a high power cell. |
| US08795923B2 |
Reinforced electrolyte membrane for fuel cell, fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly, and solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising the fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly
The present invention provides a reinforced electrolyte membrane for fuel cell comprising a porous substrate impregnated with a polyelectrolyte liquid dispersion, wherein either the maximum tensile strength in the machine direction (for sheet processing) (MD) or the maximum tensile strength in the transverse direction (TD; vertical to the MD direction) for the electrolyte membrane is 70 N/mm2 or more at 23° C. at a relative humidity of 50% or 40 N/mm2 or more at 80° C. at a relative humidity of 90%. This reinforced electrolyte membrane for fuel cell, in which the amount of fluorine ions eluted as a result of deterioration of electrolyte membrane components in particular is reduced, has excellent durability. |
| US08795919B2 |
Fuel cell layer
MEAs are formed in regions corresponding to openings provided in a substrate. Each MEA includes an electrolyte membrane, an anode catalyst layer, and a cathode catalyst layer. The substrate has a first gas-impermeable region and a second gas-impermeable region between adjacent MEAs. A third gas-impermeable region is provided between the first gas-impermeable region and the second gas-impermeable region. The third gas-impermeable region having conductive property constitutes a part of interconnector. |
| US08795917B2 |
Fuel cell system with control of the pressure of the reactants within the system
The present invention provides a fuel cell system that controls a pressure for a fuel gas supplied to a fuel cell so that the anode-cathode differential pressure between an anode and a cathode of a fuel cell is maintained within a predetermined range, in order to provide a desired generation amount while reducing the amount of fuel gas discharged to the exterior of the system even if it is difficult to provide an appropriate fuel gas supply amount for a fuel cell load (the generation requirement on the cell). If the system determines that the amount of fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell is less than an appropriate required gas amount for the load (generation requirement) (step S9: NO), for example, if the concentration of nitrogen in the fuel gas reaches a predetermined value or greater, the open and close state of shut-off valves H3, H3A is switched to increase the pressure for the fuel gas supplied to the fuel cell 20 (step S11). |
| US08795914B2 |
Fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack for receiving a supplied reactant gas to generate a power; an air compressor for removing moisture remaining in the fuel cell stack during the stop of the power generation; a secondary cell for supplying an operative power to the air compressor; and a controller for controlling the balance of water flowing into and out of the fuel cell stack so that a time required to remove the moisture remaining in the fuel cell stack by the air compressor is substantially constant. |
| US08795910B2 |
Solid oxide fuel cell device
The present invention comprises individual fuel cells 84 disposed within a fuel cell module 2; a reformer 20; a reformer temperature sensor 148 and generating chamber temperature sensor 142 for detecting the reforming state temperature inside the reformer, and a control section 110 for controlling the fuel cell module operation. In a state whereby a stopping of fuel cell module operation has been executed from a high temperature, this control section skips the normal startup ATR and executes a restart control by the SR when the reforming state temperature is within the normal startup ATR temperature band and a restart of operation has been executed. |
| US08795909B2 |
Porous flow field plate for moisture distribution control in a fuel cell
A flow field plate for use in a fuel cell includes a porous, wettable plate body including a first reactant gas channel having an inlet portion, a second reactant gas channel having an outlet portion that is adjacent the inlet portion of the first reactant gas channel, and at least one moisture reservoir fluidly connected with pores of the porous, wettable plate body. The at least one moisture reservoir can selectively collect and release moisture received from a reactant gas in the outlet portion to thereby selectively move the moisture from the outlet portion toward the adjacent inlet portion. |
| US08795908B2 |
Fuel cell system
A fuel cell system has an oxidizer gas flow rate adjuster that adjusts a flow rate of oxidizer gas of the fuel cell stack and a controller that determines a humidity state in the fuel cell stack. The controller has an average cell voltage calculator that calculates an average cell voltage, a minimum cell voltage calculator that calculates a minimum cell value, a voltage difference calculator that calculates a voltage difference between the average cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage, and a voltage comparator that compares the absolute voltage difference with a preset value. The flow rate of the oxidizer gas is changed based on a comparison between the absolute voltage difference and the preset value, and then the humidity state in the fuel cell stack is determined based on a change in the absolute voltage difference. |
| US08795907B2 |
Compressor system with a freewheeling expander
A fuel cell system is disclosed that employs an expander for recovering mechanical energy from a cathode exhaust fluid produced by the fuel cell system to generate torque. The expander is coupled to a shaft of a compressor with a freewheel mechanism, wherein the freewheel mechanism transfers the torque from the expander to the compressor when a rate of rotation of a driveshaft of the expander is greater than the rate of rotation of the shaft of the compressor, and selectively militates against the expander acting as a restrictor to the shaft of the compressor when a rate of rotation of the driveshaft of the expander is substantially equal to or less than a rate of rotation of the shaft of the compressor. |
| US08795906B2 |
Silicon hydride nanocrystals as catalysts for proton production in water-organic liquid mixtures
Embodiments of the present methods may be used to produce energy in the form of an electrical current from water without the use of fossil fuel. Silicon hydride is very easy to make. This procedure in conjunction with an enzyme to produce hydrogen gas for fuel cells and other small devices. In fuel cells the production of protons may be bypassed, and an oxidant such as permanganate or oxygen from air may be used to drive the fuel cells. In such an embodiment, an intermediate reaction may not be needed to produce protons. In one embodiment, membrane-less laminar flow fuel cells with an external grid for oxygen supply from the air may be used. |
| US08795904B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolyte solvents and additives
A series of polar and aprotic organic molecules, which, when used as solvents or additives in nonaqueous electrolytes, afford improved performance for electrochemical cells that operate at high voltages. These polar and aprotic solvents or additives may contain at least one unsaturated functionality per molecule. The unsaturated functionality is conjugated with the polar functionality of the molecule. The unsaturated functionality that is either a double or triple bond could be between carbon-carbon, or between carbon-heteroatom, or between hetroatom-heteroatom. Nonaqueous electrolyte solutions are provided comprising one or more lithium salts dissolved in the mixture solvents, which comprises, in all possible ratios, at least one of the polar, aprotic and unsaturated solvent or additives, one or more cyclic carbonic diesters such as ethylene carbonate, and one or more acyclic carbonic diesters such as dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and ethylmethyl carbonate. |
| US08795900B2 |
Single-layer microporous foil for batteries having shut-off function
Single-layer or multilayer, biaxially oriented, microporous foil having a shut-off function, which comprises propylene homopolymer and propylene block copolymer, polyethylene and β-nucleating agent. |
| US08795899B2 |
Lithium super-battery with a functionalized nano graphene cathode
An electrochemical energy storage device, lithium super-battery, comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a porous separator disposed between the two electrodes, and a lithium-containing electrolyte in physical contact with the two electrodes, wherein the positive electrode comprises a plurality of chemically functionalized nano graphene platelets (f-NGP) or exfoliated graphite having a functional group that reversibly reacts with a lithium atom or ion. In a preferred embodiment, a lithium super-battery having a f-NGP positive electrode and Li4Ti5O12 negative electrode exhibits a gravimetric energy ˜5 times higher than conventional supercapacitors and a power density ˜10 times higher than conventional lithium-ion batteries. This device has the best properties of both the lithium ion battery and the supercapacitor. |
| US08795898B2 |
Plate-like particle for cathode active material of a lithium secondary battery, a cathode active material film of a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery
An object of the present invention is to provide a lithium secondary battery which has improved capacity, durability, and the other characteristic as compared with conventional lithium secondary batteries. A plate-like particle or a film for a lithium secondary battery cathode active material has a layered rock salt structure. The lithium ion gateway plane is oriented in parallel with a plate surface, which is a surface orthogonal to a thickness direction of the particle and thus exposed at the plate surface, a plurality of layers are stacked together in the thickness direction, and while the layers have the same crystal axis in the thickness direction, as for the plate surface direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, the layers have different crystal axes. |
| US08795895B2 |
Power storage device
A power storage device with favorable battery characteristics and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The power storage device includes at least a positive electrode and a negative electrode provided so as to face the positive electrode with an electrolyte provided therebetween. The positive electrode includes a collector and a film containing an active material over the collector. The film containing the active material contains LieFefPgOh satisfying relations 3.5≦h/g≦4.5, 0.6≦g/f≦1.1, and 0≦e/f≦1.3 and LiaFebPcOd satisfying relations 3.5≦d/c≦4.5, 0.6≦c/b≦1.8, and 0.7≦a/b≦2.8. The film containing the active material contains the LiaFebPcOd satisfying the relations 3.5≦d/c≦4.5, 0.6≦c/b≦1.8, and 0.7≦a/b≦2.8 in a region which is in contact with the electrolyte. |
| US08795893B2 |
Nonaqueous secondary battery electrode, nonaqueous secondary battery including the same, and assembled battery
A nonaqueous secondary battery electrode contains, as an electrode active material, a layered composition including organic backbone layers containing an aromatic compound that is a dicarboxylic acid anion having two or more aromatic ring structures and having the two carboxylic acid anions of the dicarboxylic acid anion bonded to diagonally opposite positions of the aromatic compound and alkali metal element layers containing an alkali metal element coordinated to oxygen contained in the carboxylic acid anion to form a backbone. The nonaqueous secondary battery electrode is preferably used as a negative electrode. In addition, the layered composition is preferably formed in layers by π-electron interaction of the aromatic compound and has a monoclinic crystal structure belonging to the space group P21/c. |
| US08795891B2 |
Positive electrode active material for lithium secondary battery, method of preparing the same, positive electrode for lithium secondary battery including the same, and lithium secondary battery including the positive electrode
A positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery includes a lithium cobalt complex oxide containing an alkali earth metal and a transition metal in a predetermined mixture ratio. A method of preparing the positive electrode active material includes mixing a lithium salt, a transition metal precursor, and an alkali earth metal salt to form a mixture, and performing at least one thermal treatment on the mixture. A positive electrode for a lithium secondary battery includes the positive electrode active material, and a lithium secondary battery includes the positive electrode. |
| US08795888B2 |
Aqueous co-polymer binder for Li-ion battery
A battery having an electrode mix comprising water, a conductive additive and a poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylamide) co-polymer as a binder. The use of poly(acrylonitrile-co-acrylamide) co-polymer eliminates the need for a separate thickener. |
| US08795885B2 |
Lithium-ion battery
A lithium-ion battery having an anode including an array of nanowires electrochemically coated with a polymer electrolyte, and surrounded by a cathode matrix, forming thereby interpenetrating electrodes, wherein the diffusion length of the Li+ ions is significantly decreased, leading to faster charging/discharging, greater reversibility, and longer battery lifetime, is described. The battery design is applicable to a variety of battery materials. Methods for directly electrodepositing Cu2Sb from aqueous solutions at room temperature using citric acid as a complexing agent to form an array of nanowires for the anode, are also described. Conformal coating of poly-[Zn(4-vinyl-4′methyl-2,2′-bipyridine)3](PF6)2 by electroreductive polymerization onto films and high-aspect ratio nanowire arrays for a solid-state electrolyte is also described, as is reductive electropolymerization of a variety of vinyl monomers, such as those containing the acrylate functional group. Such materials display limited electronic conductivity but significant lithium ion conductivity. Cathode materials may include oxides, such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium magnesium oxide, or lithium tin oxide, as examples, or phosphates, such as LiFePO4, as an example. |
| US08795884B2 |
Nonaqueous secondary battery and electronic device
In the nonaqueous secondary battery of the present invention, a positive electrode mixture layer included in a positive electrode contains a lithium-containing complex oxide defined by the general formula LixM1yM2zM3vO2 (where, M1 represents at least one transition metal element selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni and Mn, M2 represents at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ti, Zr, Ge, Nb, Al and Sn, M3 represents an element other than Li, M1 and M2, 0.97≦x<1.02, 0.8≦y<1.02, 0.002≦z≦0.05, and 0≦v≦0.05) and has a density of 3.5 g/cm3 or more. A nonaqueous electrolyte contains a fluorinated nitrile compound including two or more cyano groups or a cyano group and an ester group. |
| US08795882B2 |
Battery
An outside gasket for insulating a cover from an external terminal to be fixed thereto is readily fixed to the cover irrespective of a simple structure. A battery includes: a battery case which contains a power generating element therein and whose top surface is opened; a cover which closes the top surface; at which an external terminal exposed to the outside is disposed at the outer surface of the cover via an outside gasket, the cover having an engagement portion which expands outward and is formed into a shape except a circle, and the outside gasket having a recess to be engaged to the engagement portion. |
| US08795872B2 |
Battery cell system with interconnected frames
A battery cell assembly includes a plurality of sub-assemblies. Each sub-assembly includes a heat sink and a first frame and a second frame disposed on opposite sides of the heat sink. The sub-assemblies are stacked to form a plurality of cell pockets that receive a battery cell. The battery cell assembly further includes a plurality of tie rods for fixing the plurality of sub-assemblies together. The first frame is formed with a plurality of through holes, and the second frame is formed with a plurality of protrusions with a hole extending therethrough. The frames are brought together such that each protrusion is at least partially received in a respective through hole. The interior surfaces of corresponding protrusions and through holes of the stack of frames form a passage for one of the tie rods to extend through. |
| US08795869B2 |
Module for an electric energy storage assembly
The invention relates to a module including a housing (10) in which are provided at least two electric energy storage assemblies (20) connected by connection means (30) and at least one management electronic board (40) for managing the charging and discharging of the energy storage means (20), wherein the different walls of the housing (10) are in thermal contact while being electrically insulated, respectively, for at least one wall relative to the electric energy storage assemblies (20) and for at least another wall with the management electronic board (40), so as to promote the cooling of said module. |
| US08795865B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack that prevents a solder material from flowing down due to a tab electrically connecting a battery to a protective circuit board, thereby improving reliability, coupling efficiency, safety, and productivity is disclosed. The battery pack includes: a multi-cell battery having a positive electrode and a negative electrode, in which a plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to each other; a protective circuit board electrically connected to the multi-cell battery and having via holes; a pair of conductive tabs each including an insert portion inserted into a corresponding via hole and a bending portion integrally extending from the insert portion and bent from the insert portion; and a pair of soldering portions each being formed at at least some portions of a corresponding insert portion and a corresponding bending portion. |
| US08795860B2 |
Secondary battery pack of novel structure
Disclosed herein is a secondary battery pack including a battery cell having a first electrode terminal, a second electrode terminal and a pair of coupling grooves formed at the top of a battery case, a protection circuit module (PCM) including a protection circuit board (PCB), connection members A and B connected to the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminal, respectively, and a safety element, and an electrically insulated top cap having through holes communicating with the respective coupling grooves. |
| US08795859B2 |
Magnetic recording medium
A magnetic recording medium includes, in a main surface of a glass substrate on which a magnetic recording layer is formed, a plurality of annular first thermally-conductive regions having a larger thermal conductivity than the glass substrate that are provided concentrically with the glass substrate. The first thermally-conductive regions are each provided so that it extends across a plurality of tracks. The first thermally-conductive region has a radial width larger than a depth, from the main surface, of the first thermally-conductive region. |