| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08810918B2 |
Large-aperture zoom lens
Wide-angle large-aperture zoom lens provides a field angle greater than 75° at the wide-angle end and a variable magnification power of 2.5 or greater, and can downsize a compensation mechanism for image blur due to hand tremors. The zoom lens includes a first lens group LG1 of positive refractive power, a second lens group LG2 of negative refractive power, a third lens group LG3 of positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group LG4 of positive refractive power, all arranged in sequence from the closest to an object to the closest to an imaging plane, and permits magnification power to vary by varying clearances between adjacent ones of the first lens group LG1 to the fourth lens group LG4. Part of the lens pieces in the third lens group is moved orthogonally to the optical axis to compensate for image blur due to hand tremors. |
| US08810913B2 |
Projection display
The present invention relates to a projection display (10) for displaying an image to a viewer, comprising a curved waveguide (14) made of light transmissive material and having first and second opposed curvilinear surfaces (26, 28), an image-providing light source device arranged to inject collimated image bearing light into the waveguide, an input grating (20) coupled to or within the waveguide to diffract said image bearing light to propagate internally along the curved waveguide by total internal reflection, an output grating (22) provided along a side of the waveguide by which the image bearing light is diffracted out of the waveguide for viewing by the viewer, wherein the input grating and output grating have variable pitch gratings so that a collimated image injected into the waveguide can be output from the waveguide as a collimated image having an increased exit pupil. |
| US08810905B2 |
Stereomicroscope fluorescence system
A stereomicroscope fluorescence system has a light source, a light guide, a focusing lens assembly, a stereomicroscope with two eyepiece receivers, and two eyepiece assemblies. The light guide is operably attached to receive light from the light source to transmit the light to the focusing lens assembly. The focusing lens assembly includes an excitation filter coated on the focusing lens. The eyepiece assemblies each have a barrier filter and are adapted to be mounted on the eyepiece receivers. |
| US08810904B2 |
Optical contact micrometer
Certain examples provide optical contact micrometers and methods of use. An example optical contact micrometer includes a pair of opposable lenses to receive an object and immobilize the object in a position. The example optical contact micrometer includes a pair of opposable mirrors positioned with respect to the pair of lenses to facilitate viewing of the object through the lenses. The example optical contact micrometer includes a microscope to facilitate viewing of the object through the lenses via the mirrors; and an interferometer to obtain one or more measurements of the object. |
| US08810903B2 |
Imaging optical system
The disclosure generally relates to imaging optical systems that include a plurality of mirrors, which image an object field lying in an object plane in an image field lying in an image plane, where at least one of the mirrors has a through-hole for imaging light to pass through. The disclosure also generally relates to projection exposure installations that include such imaging optical systems, methods of using such projection exposure installations, and components made by such methods. |
| US08810902B2 |
Multi-pass optical apparatus
An apparatus includes a first plurality of concave reflecting surfaces; a second plurality of reflecting surfaces facing the first plurality of concave reflecting surfaces such that a region is defined between the first and second pluralities; and an input for an optical beam to enter the region and an output for the optical beam to exit the region. The first and second pluralities of reflecting surfaces are arranged relative to each other so that the optical beam is re-imaged at a reflecting surface of one of the pluralities after only one reflection from a reflecting surface of the other of the pluralities and so that overlap of two or more optical beams on each of the reflecting surfaces is avoided. |
| US08810901B2 |
Wavelength-tunable light source
In at least one embodiment of the wavelength-tunable light source (1), it comprises an output source (2), which is capable in operation of generating electromagnetic radiation (R). Furthermore, the light source (1) has a wavelength-selective first filter element (5), which is situated downstream from the output source (2). Moreover, the light source (1) contains a first amplifier medium (3), which is situated downstream from the first filter element (5) and is capable of at least partial amplification of the radiation (R) emitted by the output source (2). The light source (1) further comprises at least one wavelength-selective second filter element (6), which is situated downstream from the first amplifier medium (3), the second filter element (6) having an optical spacing (L) to the first filter element (5). The first filter element (5) and the at least one second filter element (6) are tunable via a control unit (11), which the light source (1) has. The filter elements (5, 6) are tuned for this purpose so that first filter element (5) and second filter element (6) are transparent to a partial radiation (P) of the radiation (R) in a time delay (T) to one another, the delay (T) being equal to the quotient of the optical spacing (L) and the speed of light in vacuum (c). |
| US08810899B2 |
Color display devices
The present invention is directed to color display devices which are capable of displaying multiple color states. The display device comprises a plurality of display cells, wherein each of said display cells is (a) sandwiched between a first layer comprising a common electrode and a second layer comprising a plurality of driving electrodes, wherein at least one of the driving electrodes is a designated electrode, (b) filled with an electrophoretic fluid comprising at least two types of pigment particles dispersed in a solvent or solvent mixture, and (c) capable of displaying at least four color states. The display device may also comprise hiding layers or a brightness enhancement structure on the viewing side. |
| US08810897B2 |
Method for improving metallic nanostructure stability
A method is provided for improving metallic nanostructure stability. The method provides a substrate, and using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process for example, deposits metallic nanostructures having a first diameter overlying the substrate. Some examples of metallic nanostructures include Ag, Au, and Al. The metallic nanostructures are annealed in an atmosphere including an inert gas and H2. The annealing temperature is less than the melting temperature the metal material in bulk form. In response to the annealing, stabilized metallic nanostructures are formed. If the stabilized metallic nanostructures are exposed to an ambient air environment the stabilized metallic nanostructure maintain the first diameter. Typically, the metallic nanostructures are initially formed having a rectangular shape with corners. After annealing, the stabilized metallic nanostructures have a dome shape. |
| US08810893B2 |
Low voltage electrowetting device and method for making same
An electrowetting device includes a substrate having a first face, a charged adhesion layer immobilized on the first face of the substrate and a dielectric layer bound to the charged adhesion layer. An unbound ionic liquid phase contacts the dielectric layer. |
| US08810889B2 |
Connectors for smart windows
This disclosure provides connectors for smart windows. A smart window may incorporate an optically switchable pane. In one aspect, a window unit includes an insulated glass unit including an optically switchable pane. A wire assembly may be attached to the edge of the insulated glass unit and may include wires in electrical communication with electrodes of the optically switchable pane. A floating connector may be attached to a distal end of the wire assembly. The floating connector may include a flange and a nose, with two holes in the flange for affixing the floating connector to a first frame. The nose may include a terminal face that present two exposed contacts of opposite polarity. |
| US08810888B2 |
Electrochemical device
An embodiment of the present invention relates to electrochemical devices including an electrochemically active layer having the ability of electrochemically altering its redox state. By providing a portion of an electrode of corrosion resistant material between an electrolyte and an electrochemically active layer, undesired discoloration due to the electrochemical reaction of an electrochemical device is reduced. |
| US08810887B2 |
Ink for electrochromic device and electrochromic device and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed is ink for an electrochromic device including an electrochromic material, a metal salt, and a solvent. Disclosed also is an electrochromic device that includes a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other, an auxiliary electrode disposed on the first electrode or the second electrode, an electrochromic layer applied on the auxiliary electrode, and an electrolyte interposed between the first electrode and second electrode, wherein the electrochromic layer is formed using ink including an electrochromic material and a metal salt. Disclosed also is a method of manufacturing the electrochromic device. |
| US08810878B2 |
Optical device and virtual image display
An optical device includes: a light guide plate receiving, for each of N types of wavelength bands, a plurality of parallel light beams with different incident angles each corresponding to view angles, and guiding the received parallel light beams; a first and a second volume hologram gratings of reflection type having a diffraction configuration which includes N types of interference fringes each corresponding to the N types of wavelength bands, and diffracting/reflecting the parallel light beams. The optical device satisfies for each wavelength band, a relationship of ‘P>L’, where ‘L’ represents a central diffraction wavelength in the first and second volume hologram gratings, defined for a parallel light beam corresponding to a central view angle, and ‘P’ represents a peak wavelength of the parallel light beams. |
| US08810876B2 |
Dynamic image gamut compression by performing chroma compression while keeping lightness and hue angle constant
A method and apparatus are provided by which optimum usage of available color space of an output device, e.g. an inkjet printer or laser printer, is achieved. Gamut compression is dynamically computed by being dependent on contents of a print job, as opposed to only using pre-calculated or static tables or ICC rendering intents. |
| US08810875B2 |
Image reading apparatus and method, and image forming apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes a tray to place a document, a conveying mechanism for a document, a reader for a document image, a detector for detecting a sheet jam, an image processor and a controller. The image processor performs an image processing for removing document smear from an image read by the reader. The controller controls a document conveying operation by the conveying mechanism and a document reading operation by the reader. If a jammed document is removed and the document is placed again on the document tray after the detector detects a sheet jam, the controller performs a sheet jam recovery processing for causing the conveying mechanism to convey the document again and causing the reader to read the image of the document. The image processor performs the image processing on the image of the jammed document read by the reader during the sheet jam recovery processing. |
| US08810870B2 |
Scanning device
A scanning device including a body, a transparent cover, a scanning module, a flat-cable and a pressing unit is provided. The body has a space, a first inner-side and a second inner-side. The transparent cover covers on the body to hide the space. The scanning module disposed in the space is capable of moving back and forth between the first and the second inner-sides. The flat-cable is disposed in the space and connected with the scanning module and the body. The pressing unit is pivotally connected on the scanning module with a side thereof, so that another side of the pressing unit without being pivotally connected on the scanning module leans against on the flat-cable through the weight itself to suppress the flat-cable, so as to prevent the flat-cable from contacting with the transparent cover when the scanning module moves back and forth between the first and the second inner-sides. |
| US08810868B2 |
Mark detection apparatus and method for detecting mark
A mark detection apparatus includes a reading unit, a converter, and a determination part. The reading unit reads an image on a document. The converter compares respective portions of the image read by the reading unit with a plurality of preset reference patterns, and converts a portion of the image to a character associated with a corresponding reference pattern. The determination part determines that the portion of the image to have been compared on the document is a mark in a case in which the character converted by the converter is a preset first reference character, and that the portion of the image to have been compared on the document is not a mark in a case in which the character converted by the converter is not a preset first reference character. |
| US08810866B2 |
Optical device, optical scanning apparatus, and image forming apparatus
An optical device is disclosed, including a surface emitting laser element having a surface emitting laser which emits a light in a direction which is perpendicular to a substrate face; a light receiving element which monitors the light of the surface emitting laser; a package provided with a region on which the surface emitting laser element and the light receiving element are provided; and a lid which has a window through which passes the light of the surface emitting laser, the window being formed with a transparent member, and which covers the surface emitting laser element and the light receiving element. |
| US08810857B2 |
Method and printing system for gray balance correction of a printing process, computer program product and computer program storage device
A method and a printing system for gray balance correction of a printing process include determining first color values at on a gray axis of a color space of a reference printing process. These first color values determine tonal values describing a corrected gray balance of the target printing process. To avoid wastage and a further proof for gray balance calibration of the printing process, second color values of the printing process, describing the corrected gray balance, are derived from the first color values. The tonal values of the target printing process corresponding to the second color values are determined from first characterization data and the second color values of the printing process. A correction function created from these tonal values describes the corrected gray balance. Determining corrected characterization data is also possible. A printing form is produced and a printing material is imaged by using the corrected gray balance. |
| US08810854B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image drawing processing method, software program, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus includes a drawing process controller and a hardware processor useable for drawing processes. In a first drawing process, print data including main image data input-able to the image forming apparatus is processed to convert the main image data to output-able data of the image forming apparatus based on an image drawing command. The hardware processor conducts a second drawing process for pre-set image data settable to the image forming apparatus and expressed in an output-able data format output-able by the image forming apparatus, based on an image drawing command, to prepare the pre-set image data as output-able data of the image forming apparatus, and further combines the main image data expressed as the output-able data and the pre-set image expressed as the output-able data as an output image. |
| US08810849B2 |
Printing method, printing apparatus, and print producing method based on printable printing area and size of the large prints
A printing method that alternately repeats a transport operation that transports a continuous medium in a transport direction and an image forming operation that moves a head to form an image to thereby print out a first image and a second image, which has a smaller length in the transport direction than the first image, on the continuous medium. The printing method includes: setting a unit area, which is equal to or smaller than the size of a printing area that is printable through the one image forming operation, on the basis of the printable printing area and the size of the first image; generating print data for the unit area such that, within the unit area, an integer number of the first images are aligned at a first spacing in the transport direction, an integer number of the second images are aligned at a second spacing in the transport direction, and the integer number of the first images aligned in the transport direction and the integer number of the second images aligned in the transport direction are printed so as to be aligned in a width direction that intersects with the transport direction; and performing printing using the print data repeatedly so that, on the continuous medium, a plurality of the first images are aligned at the first spacing in the transport direction and a plurality of the second images are aligned at the second spacing in the transport direction. |
| US08810846B1 |
Updating data in a one-time programmable data storage device
A system and method are disclosed for updating data stored in a one-time programmable (non-rewritable) non-volatile storage device (“OTP”). The OTP is segmented so that updated data may be written to unused areas. Valid data may be differentiated from stale data using a data recognition technique such as tallying or indexing. According to a tallying technique, an updated event count may be obtained by counting the number of blown bits in the OTP. Each time the event occurs, the next bit is blown. According to an indexing technique, each bit in an index corresponds to a data block in the OTP. When updated data is written to the next (empty) data block in order in the OTP, the corresponding (next) index bit is blown. A valid data set may be located by counting the number of blown bits in the index. |
| US08810843B2 |
Method for generating digital imaging data, and raster image processor
A method for generating digital imaging data for an imaging unit, in which digital imaging data are defined from a signature of input image data, in that a section of the signature corresponding to the imaging format of the imaging unit is processed (24) into a raster image by a raster image processor, the section being defined on the basis of geometric parameters of an image area of the input image data. A raster image processor for implementing the method includes a raster-image-processor program having at least one section, in which geometric parameters for defining the section to be processed, are assigned (16) to input variables for the rasterization. |
| US08810841B2 |
Print data processing system
A print data processing system includes plural main interpretation devices that interpret print data described in a page description language and generate print image data to be supplied to a printer, auxiliary interpretation devices that interpret the print data, generate print image data to be supplied to the printer, and are not powered on when the plural main interpretation devices are powered on, and an allocation device that divides the print data in prescribed units and allocates interpretation processing of divided print data of the respective units to the plural main interpretation devices, wherein the allocation device includes a load evaluation unit that evaluates the loads of the plural main interpretation devices, and a power-on unit that, when the loads of the plural main interpretation devices evaluated by the load evaluation unit exceed a prescribed on threshold value for activating the auxiliary interpretation devices, powers on the auxiliary interpretation devices. |
| US08810840B2 |
Image forming system, output management method, and program product, configured to determine type of PDL in output data
An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus and an output management server. The output management server includes a receiving unit to receive an output data, an analysis unit to analyze the output data and determine a PDL required for outputting the output data, a management unit to determine whether the PDL is available, and a transmitting unit to transmit the output data and an executable file of the PDL to the designated image forming apparatus, when the PDL is determined as available. The image forming apparatus includes a receiving unit to receive the output data and the executable file of the PDL, a control unit to activate the executable file of the PDL and develop the output data, an output unit to output the output data, and a deleting unit to delete the executable file of the PDL, after the outputting of the output data is completed. |
| US08810836B2 |
Printing server, printing system, and printing method for creating image data representing an image based on print data and an additional image to be added to the image
When print data transmitted by a PC is accumulated in a printing server, the printing server creates display data for displaying on the PC an image based on the print data and an image corresponding to an advertisement image to be added to the image, and transmits the display data to the PC. When print data is created so that an image is printed on only the front side of a recording paper, image data is created so that an advertisement image is printed on the reverse side of the recording paper. The PC previews an image on the surface and an image on the reverse side based on the received display data on an LCD of a display section. |
| US08810835B2 |
Data-processing apparatus that causes device to execute process
A data-processing method for being executed by a data-processing apparatus having a storage unit, includes: specifying a type of data or a function that corresponds to a process desired to be executed; reading, from the storage unit, device identification information that is stored in the storage unit in correspondence with the specified type of data or the specified function; and communicating with a device that is identified by the device identification information so as to cause the device to execute the desired process. |
| US08810834B2 |
Image processing apparatus, charging management system, charging management method, and recording medium
An image processing apparatus stores therein a use charging table that shows a charging condition with respect to use of the image processing apparatus and a cooperative job charging table that shows a charging condition with respect to execution of a cooperative job. In the case where a received job is an apparatus job to be executed only by the image processing apparatus, the use charging table is read. Charging processing is performed based on the read charging table, and a remaining amount is calculated. In the case where a received job is a cooperative job to be executed by the image processing apparatus and a service providing apparatus cooperatively with each other, the cooperative job charging table is read, and charging processing is performed with reference to the read cooperative job charging table as necessary. |
| US08810829B2 |
Method and apparatus for a print driver to control document and workflow transfer
A method and apparatus for a print driver to control document and workflow transfer are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a request to print an electronic document. The method may also comprise capturing workflow configuration data with a workflow print driver. In one embodiment, the method further comprises deploying the electronic document into a workflow based on the workflow configuration data. |
| US08810828B2 |
Image forming device, image data control method, and program therefor
An image forming device connectable to plural external devices controlling image data through a network including: a setup unit configured to set up an identification name and communication identification information for the image forming device and the external devices, the communication identification information having a setup content different based on a communication method; a device information control unit; a registration unit configured to associate the identification name with the communication identification information and to register these into the device information control unit; a source candidate display unit configured to display an identification name list registered in the device information control unit as candidates which can be chosen as a source of the image data; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire the image data from the plural external devices based on the communication identification information associated with the identification name. |
| US08810822B2 |
Image reading device
An image reading device includes a reading portion and a communication portion. The reading portion reads an image. The communication portion performs communications with an external device by using a first class driver and a second class driver simultaneously. The communication portion includes a first transmission portion, a receiving portion, and a second transmission portion. The first transmission portion transmits to the external device, using the first class driver, data that are used for executing an application that enables the external device to issue a command to the image reading device. The receiving portion receives a command to read an image from the external device using the second class driver. The second transmission portion transmits to the external device, in a case where the receiving portion has received the command to read an image, using the second class driver, an image that has been read by the reading portion. |
| US08810821B2 |
Method and system for managing service activity in a network printing context using a cloud administration system
A cloud administration system for managing service information in a network printing context may include a processing module in communication with a plurality of print devices and a plurality of remote systems, and one or more storage modules in communication with the processing module. The processing module may be configured to receive fault information, store the received fault information, send at least a portion of the fault information to the remote systems, receive response information associated with the at least a portion of the fault information, aggregate the received response information into a set of response information, and cause at least a portion of the set of response information to be displayed at one or more of the print device from which the fault information was received, and a computing device associated with a service technician servicing the print device from which the fault information was received. |
| US08810819B2 |
Image forming system, image forming device, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image forming system includes plural image forming devices each of which forms an image corresponding to image data. Each image forming device includes a memory, a determining unit, a selecting unit, a specifying unit, and a transferring unit. The memory stores one or more pieces of image data. The determining unit determines whether or not usage of the memory is larger than a threshold. The selecting unit selects, if the determining unit determines that usage of the memory is larger than the threshold, a piece of image data to be transferred from among the pieces of image data stored in the memory. The specifying unit specifies a specific image forming device to which the selected piece of image data is to be transferred among the other image forming devices. The transferring unit transfers the selected piece of image data to the specific image forming device. |
| US08810818B2 |
Image data storage system, document reading apparatus and image forming apparatus with jam detector in auto document feeder
A document reading unit performs a first reading mode for generating image data by reading a document fed by ADF and a second reading mode for generating image data by reading a document set on platen. A first reading receiver receives a first reading instruction to cause the document reading unit to continue reading a plurality of documents in the first reading mode when a jam is detected. A second reading receiver receives a second reading instruction to continue reading the plurality of documents in the second reading mode after the reading of the plurality of documents is continued in the first reading mode by the document reading unit. The document reading unit continues reading the plurality of documents in the first reading mode when the first reading instruction is received and continues reading the plurality of documents in the second reading mode when the second reading instruction is received. |
| US08810816B2 |
Electronic document having a component of an integrated display and a component of an electronic circuit formed on a common substrate and a method of manufacture thereof
An electronic document, and a method of manufacture thereof, which includes a component of an integrated display and component of an electronic circuit formed on a common substrate. The electronic circuit is coupled to the integrated display to enable display of information. At least a portion of a component of the integrated display and a component of the electronic circuit are formed at the same time during a process. |
| US08810814B2 |
Image processor and image processing system
An image processor including a memory to store information on the file format and the maximum file size of image data processable by the image processor and image data processable of one or more external devices; a judging device to judge whether image data input to the image processor can be processed by the image processor or one of the external devices in terms of the file format and file size; an image converter; a transfer controller to transfer the input image data to the external device when the input image data cannot be processed by the image processor but can be processed by the external device while transferring the image data to the image converter when the image data can be processed by the image processor; and an output device to output an image based on the image data processed by the external device or the image converter. |
| US08810809B2 |
Character output apparatus, character output method and computer readable medium
A character output apparatus includes an intermediate character information generating section, an intermediate character information modification section and a character output section. The intermediate character information generating section generates intermediate character information indicating a certain character. The intermediate character information is formed by element information pieces. And each element information piece has a start point and an end point in an X-axis direction in a two-dimensional coordinate system for characters. The intermediate character information modification section performs modification processing for changing a thickness of the certain character onto each element information piece of the generated intermediate character information, by changing the start point and the end point of each element information piece in accordance with a modification amount. The character output section outputs the certain character based on the changed start point and the changed end point of each element information piece. |
| US08810803B2 |
Lens system
A fragmented lens system for creating an invisible light pattern useful to computer vision systems is disclosed. Random or semi-random dot patterns generated by the present system allow a computer to uniquely identify each patch of a pattern projected by a corresponding illuminator or light source. The computer may determine the position and distance of an object by identifying the illumination pattern on the object. |
| US08810802B2 |
Auxiliary device of a drilling machine and control method
A drilling apparatus and control method is disclosed. An auxiliary device can be connected to a drilling machine. The auxiliary device includes a camera aligned in a working direction for recording an image of a working surface and a drill hole generated by the drilling machine. An image processing device is provided for identifying the drill hole in the image. Based on a distance from the drill hole to a reference point in the image, an evaluation device determines a distance from the drilling machine to the workpiece. A display device serves to indicate the determined distance. |
| US08810799B2 |
Height-measuring method and height-measuring device
A height-measuring device (100) in which the focal position of an image-forming optical system (20) is moved in relative fashion in the direction of an optical axis with respect to an object (10) to be measured; scanning is performed; images of the object (10) to be measured, which are formed by the image-forming optical system (20), are obtained in order; and the focal position for individual pixels of the images is found, thereby yielding a relative height value of the object to be measured (10) at positions corresponding to the pixels; wherein a second function (g) is defined on the basis of a first function (f) fitted to a numerical value sequence comprising a coordinate value on the optical axis and a light intensity value for the pixels of a plurality of the images obtained by the scanning, or the coordinate value and a numerical value obtained by processing the light intensity value; and positions on the optical axis at which a correlation value between the numerical value sequence and the second function (g) becomes a maximum value or a minimum value serve as the relative height values of the object to be measured at the positions corresponding to the pixels. |
| US08810796B2 |
Light processing system and method
A portion of a first portion of light (13, 90, 90′) from a source of light (11) is masked by a mask (138), and the resulting masked first portion of light (90″) is combined using a beam splitter optic (136) with at least one second portion of the light (30) that had been subject to scattering by a medium (20, 20′, 20″). The mask (138) is configured so that interference patterns (104, 47) generated from the first and at least one second portions of light are substantially mutually exclusive even though those interference patterns (104, 47) would otherwise overlap one another absent the mask (138). |
| US08810792B2 |
Polarization compensated beam splitter and diagnostic system for high power laser systems
A beam sampling system, includes a first beam splitter adapted to split a laser beam having a primary polarization component and a secondary polarization component, into a first intermediate sample beam, and a first beam splitter output beam, the intermediate sample beam including first percentage of the primary polarization component and a second percentage of the secondary polarization component. A 90-degree polarization rotator is positioned in the intermediate sample beam line. A second beam splitter is mounted so that the intermediate sample beam is split into an output sample beam on an output sample beam line, and a second transmitted beam, the output sample beam including substantially said first percentage of the secondary polarization component and substantially said second percentage of the primary polarization component. |
| US08810788B2 |
Broad band structures for surface enhanced raman spectroscopy
Broad band structures for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy are disclosed herein. Each embodiment of the structure is made up of a metal layer, and a dielectric layer established on at least a portion of the metal layer. The dielectric layer has a controlled thickness that varies from at least one portion of the dielectric layer to at least another portion of the dielectric layer. Nanostructures are established on the dielectric layer at least at the portion and the other portion, the nanostructures thus being configured to exhibit variable plasmon resonances. |
| US08810787B2 |
Single molecule optical spectroscopy in solid-state nanopores in a transmission-based approach
Methods and apparatus in the field of single molecule sensing are described, e.g. for molecular analysis of analytes such as molecular analytes, e.g. nucleic acids, proteins, polypeptides, peptides, lipids and polysaccharides. Molecular spectroscopy on a molecule translocating through a solid-state nanopore is described. Optical spectroscopic signals are enhanced by plasmonic field-confinement and antenna effects and probed in transmission by plasmon-enabled transmission of light through an optical channel that overlaps with the physical channel. |
| US08810783B1 |
Fiber fault sniffer
A fault detector for fiber optic cabling is provided in a hand held device for detecting fiber faults, presence/absence of signal and wavelength of light present on an optical fiber. Audible and visual indicators of the fault/status and wavelength are provided. |
| US08810779B1 |
Shape matching automatic recognition methods, systems, and articles of manufacture
Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for automatic target recognition. A hypothesis about a target's classification, position and orientation relative to a LADAR sensor that generates range image data of a scene including the target is simulated and a synthetic range image is generated. The range image and synthetic range image are then electronically processed to determine whether the hypothesized model and position and orientation are correct. If the score is sufficiently high then the hypothesis is declared correct, otherwise a new hypothesis is formed according to a search strategy. |
| US08810778B2 |
Sensor and method for optically measuring a distance, a position, and/or a profile
An optical sensor for measuring at least one of a range, a position, and a profile of an object that is to be measured, the measured object emitting electromagnetic radiation due to the temperature of the object to be measured, and the sensor having a light source for illuminating the surface of the measured object and a detector for detecting the illuminating light reflected at the object to be measured, wherein with respect to the measurability even on the bodies that emit electromagnetic radiation, the light generated by the light source has a wavelength below the peak of the Planck radiation spectrum of the object that is to be measured. A corresponding method is specified. |
| US08810775B2 |
EUV mirror module with a nickel electroformed curved mirror
An EUV mirror module is disclosed that comprises a substrate with a curved upper surface and a curved electroformed mirror. A self-adjusting bonding material is disposed between the substrate and the electroformed mirror. The bonding material is flowable at a melting temperature and self-adjusts to conformally fill the region between substrate to the electroformed mirror and bond the substrate and the electroformed mirror. The substrate may have at least one cooling channel for cooling the mirror module. |
| US08810772B2 |
Position detector, position detection method, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing device to align wafer by adjusting optical member
A position detector (16), configured to detect a position of a mark on an object to be detected, comprises an image pickup unit (34), an optical system, a noise obtaining unit (36) and a correction unit (38). The image pickup unit picks up an image of the object to be detected. The optical system forms an image of the object to be detected on an image pickup surface of the image pickup unit. The noise obtaining unit obtains noise information by picking up an image of a region other than the mark using the optical system and the image pickup unit in accordance with the result of adjustment of an optical member included in the optical system. The correction unit corrects, using the noise information obtained by the noise obtaining unit, the image of the mark obtained using the optical system and the image pickup unit. |
| US08810769B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, an illumination system, a projection system and a method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic apparatus
A gas curtain is provided to separate a component of a lithographic apparatus from contaminated gas. The gas curtain is supplied by an opening. The opening is at a boundary of a protection environment with which a surface of the component comes into contact. The gas curtain may separate the component from a moving part of the apparatus. |
| US08810768B2 |
Environmental system including vacuum scavenge for an immersion lithography apparatus
A lithographic projection apparatus includes a liquid confinement structure extending along at least a part of a boundary of a space between a projection system and a substrate table, the space having a cross-sectional area smaller than the area of the substrate. The liquid confinement structure includes a first inlet to supply liquid, through which the patterned beam is projected, to the space, a first outlet to remove liquid after the liquid has passed under the projection system, a second inlet formed in a face of the structure, the face arranged to oppose a surface of the substrate, and located radially outward, with respect to an optical axis of the projection system, of the space to supply gas, and a second outlet formed in the face and located radially outward, with respect to an optical axis of the projection system, of the second inlet to remove gas. |
| US08810765B2 |
Electroluminescence element
An electroluminescence element includes an electroluminescence substrate including a thin film transistor substrate, and a light-emitting layer provided over the thin film transistor substrate and divided by picture-element separating portions so as to correspond to unit picture elements; and a sealing substrate arranged to hermetically seal the light-emitting layer of the electroluminescence substrate. At least one of the electroluminescence substrate and the sealing substrate is a flexible substrate. Spacers are provided between the electroluminescence substrate and the sealing substrate. |
| US08810764B2 |
Lateral-electric-field mode liquid crystal display device
To provide a structure for achieving high transmittance in a lateral-electric-field mode liquid crystal display device through stably controlling the domains in the terminal parts of comb-shaped electrodes where the liquid crystal molecules rotate in the reverse direction. In the lateral-electric-field mode liquid crystal display device in which common electrodes and pixel electrodes are formed on a same layer, a protrusion part is provided in a direction in an obtuse angle with the comb-shaped electrode and substantially in parallel to a scan line in the terminal part of the comb-shaped electrode of the pixel electrode or the common electrode, a floating electrode is extended in the extending direction of the comb-shaped electrode to overlap with the comb-shaped electrode in the terminal part, and a liquid crystal reverse rotation locked structure is formed with the protrusion part of the comb-shaped electrode and the floating electrode. |
| US08810761B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a first substrate; a pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate; a first alignment layer disposed on the first substrate and the pixel electrode; a second substrate facing the first substrate; a common electrode disposed on the second substrate; a second alignment layer disposed on the second substrate and the common electrode; and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the common electrode has a plurality of cutouts having a cross shape, and when viewing the first substrate and the second substrate upward, the edge of the cutout is protruded from the edge of the pixel electrode. |
| US08810759B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An MVA mode liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules having negative dielectric constant anisotropy held between a first substrate and a second substrate. It includes a structural body which controls an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules to form a multi-domain in each of pixels. The structural body includes a first structural body which overlaps a light-blocking wiring line, and a second structural body which is disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first structural body and is narrower than the first structural body. |
| US08810756B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
A color filter layer includes a first filter, a second filter, and a third filter of different colors. Further, the color filter layer includes a fourth filter of a color same as that of one of the three filters, and a black matrix partitioning the four filters. A hole is formed on the fourth filter. The hole extends in the direction along the first line portion of the black matrix, and the first line portion forms a part of the edge of the hole. With this structure, it is possible to prevent variation in the area ratio of a hole formed in the fourth sub-pixel for improving brightness in a liquid crystal display panel. |
| US08810755B2 |
Display panel and liquid crystal display comprising the same
A display panel and a liquid crystal display device, in which one of a plurality of color filters is a net-shaped color filter and the other color filters are island-shaped color filters, are provided. According to this approach, a thickness uniformity of the display panel may be achieved. |
| US08810754B2 |
Interference filter and display device
According to one embodiment, an interference filter includes a base body, a lower semi-transmissive layer, and an upper semi-transmissive layer. The base body includes a major surface. The lower semi-transmissive layer is provided on the major surface. The upper semi-transmissive layer is provided on the lower semi-transmissive layer. The base body, the lower and upper semi-transmissive layers form a first region to selectively transmit blue light, a second region to selectively transmit green light, and a third region to selectively transmit red light, arranged in a plane parallel to the major surface. A distance between the lower semi-transmissive layer and the upper semi-transmissive layer in the second region is shorter than a distance between the lower semi-transmissive layer and the upper semi-transmissive layer in the first region, and shorter than a distance between the lower semi-transmissive layer and the upper semi-transmissive layer in the third region. |
| US08810752B2 |
Thin backlight system and liquid crystal display device using the same
A thin backlight system includes: a light emitting section emitting lights that have different dominant wavelengths; and a plurality of light transmitting portions, the thin backlight system deflecting the lights and then converging the lights on the plurality of light transmitting portions. The thin backlight system further includes: an imaging optical system provided to face surfaces, of the plurality of light transmitting portions, on which the lights are converged. The imaging optical system including a plurality of identical lenses arranged in a vertical and/or a horizontal direction at a pitch determined by multiplying a pitch at which the plurality of light transmitting portions are arranged in a vertical and/or a horizontal direction by the number of types of the different dominant wavelengths and being configured to converge the lights from the light emitting section on light transmitting portions to which the different dominant wavelengths of the lights correspond. |
| US08810747B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An LCD device adapted to simplify a configuration and to secure a ground continuity for driving components is disclosed. The LCD device includes a liquid crystal display panel; a front cover encompassing edges of the liquid crystal display panel; a backlight unit applying light to the liquid crystal display panel and having a front surface supporting the liquid crystal display panel and a rear surface; a back cover receiving the backlight unit; a metal plate fastened and electrically connected to the front cover; and a driver on the metal plate, the driver electrically connected to the metal plate. |
| US08810746B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof
A TFT substrate includes a pixel region which is a rectangular region where a plurality of pixels are formed in a matrix, a frame region which is outside the pixel region and frames the pixel region, a light blocking metal wire which is formed so as to surround the outside of at least three sides of the rectangular pixel region and has slits, a disconnection detection metal wire for detecting disconnection thereof formed outside the light blocking metal wire, two terminals are connected to the disconnection detection metal wire, and common electrodes which are connected to the light blocking metal wire and are maintained at the same potential as a common potential in the pixel circuit. |
| US08810745B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention is provided in which an additional storage capacitor is formed to a subpixel electrode connected to the dividing switching element, thereby increasing the total storage capacitance. Due to the additional storage capacitor, the kickback voltage difference between two subpixels that may be generated by the additional dividing switching element is eliminated such that the display quality deterioration has been improved by preventing the kickback voltage difference between the two subpixels. |
| US08810742B2 |
Display apparatus and variable lens array
A display apparatus includes: a display unit that displays a two-dimensional image; and a variable lens array disposed to face the display unit, wherein the variable lens array includes a variable phase difference layer that receives incident linearly polarized light polarized in a first direction and allows the linearly polarized light polarized in the same direction to exit or allows linearly polarized light polarized in a second direction switched from the first direction and different therefrom to exit, and an optically anisotropic layer that receives the light having exited out of the variable phase difference layer and works as a lens array for one of the light polarized in the first direction and the light polarized in the second direction whereas working as a transparent layer for the other light. |
| US08810739B2 |
Projection type display apparatus and optical unit
In a blue-color liquid crystal panel out of a plurality of liquid crystal panels used in a projection type display apparatus, an integral value obtained by integrating absorbance of the liquid crystal layer thereof in a wavelength range from 300 nm to 350 nm is smaller in comparison with those of the other liquid crystal panels (a red-color liquid crystal panel and a green-color liquid crystal panel). In addition, the absorption end on the long wavelength side of the liquid crystal layer of the blue-color liquid crystal panel is positioned on the short wavelength side in comparison with the liquid crystal layers of the red-color liquid crystal panel and the green-color liquid crystal panel. |
| US08810734B2 |
Bi-modal switching for controlling digital TV applications on video devices
A portable digital television (DTV) comprises a processor, a channel and volume changing button arrangement, and a navigational button arrangement. Either or both button arrangements can be used in at least a bi-modal operation. In a first mode of operation, the button arrangements provide their normal functions, and in the second mode of operation, the button arrangements provide an interactive application interface to the user. Preferably, one of the two button arrangements is selected for the bi-modal operation. The selected button arrangement is associated with at least an optical element for lighting the button arrangement. The controller operates the optical element such that the selected button arrangement has one color in one mode of operation and has a different color in the other mode of operation. |
| US08810731B2 |
Phase motion detector for baseband YC separation
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for a motion detection system for video signal processing that includes a luminance motion detector, a chroma motion detector, and a smoothness detector. These systems and methods may also include a phase motion detector, a baseband YC separation circuitry for video signal processing, a chip for video signal processing, and a video signal processing system used in an electronic article. |
| US08810730B2 |
Receiving device for audio-video system
The invention relates to a receiving device for an audio-video system. The receiving device comprises a connector, a video processing unit, an audio processing module, and a monitoring unit. The monitoring unit detects a status of an inputted signal received by the connector and controls the operation of at lease one of the video processing unit and the audio processing module in accordance with the detected result to avoid the audio-video system display abnormal image or play noise when the receiving device did not receive the inputted signal by accident. |
| US08810723B2 |
Quad-core image processor
A quad-core processor for use in a hand-held device with a CMOS image sensor. The quad-core processor has an image sensor interface for receiving data from the CMOS image sensor and four processing units interconnected with each other for parallel processing of data from the image sensor interface. The four processing units and the image sensor interface are integrated onto a single chip. |
| US08810721B2 |
Camera module
A camera module includes a lens module, an image sensor, at least one first spacer, and a bump element. The lens module includes a lens unit and a supporting unit connected to the lens unit. The image sensor is disposed corresponding in position to the lens unit for sensing light from the lens unit. The first spacer is disposed between the supporting unit of the lens module and the image sensor for separating the lens module and the image sensor. The bump element is disposed on the supporting unit. The bump element is located between the first spacer and the lens unit for preventing the first spacer from contacting the lens unit. |
| US08810720B2 |
Imaging device support-attaching part cover
Provided is an imaging device that does not let a user experience a sense of discomfort by touching a support attaching part. The imaging device includes: a support attaching part that is disposed on a support attaching surface and includes a screw hole; and a support attaching part cover that moves between a first position covering the support attaching part and a second position uncovering the support attaching part without generating convexness with regard to the support attaching surface. When a support is attached to the support attaching part, the support attaching part cover moves from the first position to the second position; and when the support is removed from the support attaching part, the support attaching part cover moves from the second position to the first position. |
| US08810719B2 |
Electronic apparatus having camera sensing circuit and object sensing circuit used for switching between two different operation modes and related computer-readable medium
An electronic apparatus includes a circuit system, a camera sensing circuit, and an object sensing circuit. The circuit system is utilized for controlling an operation of the electronic apparatus. The camera sensing circuit is coupled to the circuit system and utilized for sensing at least a portion of a portrait of a user. The object sensing circuit is coupled to the circuit system and utilized for sensing whether any object(s) is/are near to the electronic apparatus. The operation of the object sensing circuit is different from the operation of the camera sensing circuit. The camera sensing circuit is used for determining whether to notify the circuit system to switch from a first operation mode to a second operation mode. The object sensing circuit is used for determining whether to notify the circuit system to switch from the second operation mode to the first operation mode. |
| US08810718B1 |
Hybrid IR flash for trail camera
A camera assembly including a camera that has an image-capturing device. The camera assembly also includes an illumination device that is coupled to the camera and that is adapted to illuminate a subject when the camera is capturing an image, and a control unit. The illumination device is capable of illuminating in at least two different peak wavelengths. The control unit automatically configures the camera assembly to use one or more of the at least two different wavelengths. |
| US08810717B2 |
Camera body and flash device with compatibility determination of external auxiliary light source
The camera body includes an imaging element, a hot shoe, an internal light source, and a camera controller. The camera controller is configured to calculate an evaluation value on the basis of the image data produced by the imaging element, and perform video autofocusing on the basis of the evaluation value. When the camera controller decides that the auxiliary light is needed, and that the flash device mounted to the hot shoe has an external auxiliary light source arranged to emit near infrared light, the internal light source emits light during the video autofocusing. |
| US08810716B2 |
Imaging apparatus and camera system
An imaging apparatus capable of performing photographing in which a light emitting unit executes main light emission includes a photometric unit that executes photometry, a selection unit that selects a certain area in a photographing screen, and a control unit that determines a main light emission amount of the light emitting unit based on a photometric value acquired by photometry executed by the photometric unit when the light emitting unit executes pre-flash emission and controls, based on a position of the area selected by the selection unit, a light receiving amount of the photometric unit during a photometry period for acquiring the photometric value used for determining the main light emission amount. |
| US08810715B1 |
Methods and systems for user guided automatic exposure control
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, methods and systems for user guided automatic exposure control. Multiple sequential user settings for ordered choices of image capture settings and associated limit values are used to determine values of image capture settings including aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, such that a proper exposure is obtained within the guides set by a user. |
| US08810711B2 |
Catadioptric optical system and image pickup apparatus having the same
A catadioptric optical system of the present invention includes a first imaging optical system that collects a light beam from an object, and a second imaging optical system including a refractive portion that forms an intermediate image by receiving a light beam from the first imaging optical system and to form an image of the intermediate image on an image plane, the first imaging optical system includes a first optical element and a second optical element, a reflection surface of the reflective portion of the first optical element and a reflection surface of the reflective portion of the second optical element are disposed so as to face each other, and an aperture stop is disposed between the first optical element and the second optical element. |
| US08810709B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and control method thereof
An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of an object via an optical system, a display unit configured to display the image captured by the image capturing unit on a screen, a detection unit configured to simultaneously detect a plurality of touch positions on the screen on which the image is displayed, and a control unit configured to adjust a focus state in accordance with a change in a distance between a first detected touch position and a second detected touch position, so as to change a focus area. |
| US08810705B2 |
Solid-state image sensing apparatus
A solid-state image sensing apparatus, comprising, a pixel portion, a conversion portion including a first group and a second group each of which includes at least one analog/digital conversion unit to convert an analog signal of the pixel portion into a digital signal, and a clock supply unit including a first clock buffer and a second clock buffer connected in series for propagation of a clock signal, wherein each of the analog/digital conversion units includes a comparison unit and a counter unit, the comparison unit compares the analog signal with a comparison reference potential, the counter unit measures a time from the start of the comparison to the change of the comparison result, each of the first clock buffer and the second clock buffer corrects a duty ratio of a clock signal by using a differential circuit. |
| US08810703B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device, driving method of solid-state image pickup device, and electronic device
A solid-state image pickup device includes: a plurality of unit pixels including at least a photoelectric converting section, a charge-to-voltage converting section, and one or more transfer means for transferring a charge in a predetermined path; a light shielding film for shielding a surface of the plurality of unit pixels excluding at least a light receiving section of the photoelectric converting section from light; and voltage controlling means for controlling a voltage applied to the light shielding film; wherein transfer of the charge by one of the transfer means is controlled by controlling the voltage applied to the light shielding film. |
| US08810701B2 |
Image sensor system and amplifying/digitizing circuit therof for promoting performance while saving on power consumption and reducing the circuit area
An amplifying/digitizing circuit with a signal amplifying capability and a comparator capability is provided. The amplifying/digitizing circuit includes an amplifier having an input end and an output end, and a control circuit. The control circuit is coupled to the input end and the output end of the amplifier. When the amplifying/digitizing circuit is operated under an amplifying mode, the control circuit has a first configuration to receive a first input signal and makes the amplifier generate an output voltage at the output end according to the first input signal and an amplification factor. When the amplifying/digitizing circuit is operated under an ADC mode, the control circuit has a second configuration to receive a second input signal and makes the amplifier generate a comparison result according to the second input signal and the output voltage. |
| US08810695B2 |
Image sensing apparatus and defective pixel detection method
An apparatus includes an image sensor, a detection unit, and a control unit. The image sensor photoelectrically converts an incident light from an object. The detection unit detects a defective pixel of the image sensor based on an image signal generated by the image sensor. The control unit controls, when a first defective pixel for irregularly outputting an abnormal level and a second defective pixel for regularly outputting an abnormal level in the image sensor are detected, storage time of the image sensor at the detection time of the first defective pixel to be longer than storage time of the image sensor at detection time of the second defective pixel and a number of image signals used for detection to be larger. |
| US08810691B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging method and computer-readable recording medium
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit that captures a subject to generate image data of the subject; a display unit that displays the image; an image separating unit that separates a subject image and a background image from the image displayed; a special effect input unit that receives information related to special effects respectively applied to the subject image and the background image; a special effect image generating unit that generates a special effect image of each of the subject and background images by applying special effects corresponding to information received by the special effect input unit; a storing unit that stores special effect information for assigning an advisability corresponding to a combination of special effects which the special effect image generating unit applies to the subject image and the background image; and a synthetic image generating unit that generates a synthetic image using the generated special effect image. |
| US08810690B2 |
Method of controlling digital photographing apparatus and digital photographing apparatus using the same
Provided is a method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus recording moving image data being input to a recording medium in a moving image photographing mode. The method includes creating a moving image file in the recording medium and storing the moving image data being input in the moving image file when a first signal is generated by a first button of the digital photographing apparatus pressed by a user, stopping storing of the moving image data being input when the first signal is generated by a second button of the digital photographing apparatus pressed by the user, continuing to store the moving image data being input in the moving image file when a second signal is generated by the second button pressed by the user, and stopping storing of the moving image data being input and completing the moving image file when the second signal is generated by the first button pressed by the user. |
| US08810688B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
A database stores a plurality of image data to which the shooting date is attached. A list displaying unit displays on a display device a list of thumbnail images of the image data. An instruction receiving unit acquires a thumbnail image as a specified image. An image classifying unit generates one or a plurality of groups of images by classifying the plurality of image data in terms of the year when the image data were shot. A representative image selector acquires, as a representative image of each image group, image data having a shooting month-day identical to or close to the shooting month-day of the image data corresponding to the specified image from each image group. The list displaying unit displays a list of the each image group for each year and displays the representative image placed at the head of each image group. |
| US08810684B2 |
Tagging images in a mobile communications device using a contacts list
An improved image tagging system that tags images in a mobile handheld communications device, based on the user's contacts list stored therein. The image tagging system compares a face in a given picture (that the user has just taken using the built-in camera) to faces in the user's contacts list images. A matching contact is found in the contacts list. The picture is then tagged with information from the matching contact. The picture is tagged by inserting identification information into a header of the picture. |
| US08810683B2 |
Method of controlling image capturing based on a distance to an object
An image capturing apparatus and a control method thereof relate to an image capturing apparatus such as a camera array. The image capturing apparatus comprises a plurality of image capturing units. An image capturing unit to be activated out of a plurality of image capturing units is decided based on the capturing distance of an object included in a captured scene. Electricity is supplied to the image capturing unit decided to be activated. |
| US08810678B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method of driving solid-state imaging device
An imaging apparatus includes a solid-state imaging device and a driving unit. The solid-state imaging device has a plurality of pairs of first and second photoelectric conversion elements having different spectral sensitivity characteristics. The driving unit independently controls an exposure time of a first group of the plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements and an exposure time of a second group of the plurality of second photoelectric conversion elements. A wavelength range where the first photoelectric conversion element of each pair mainly has a spectral sensitivity and a wavelength range where the second photoelectric conversion element of each pair mainly has spectral sensitivity fall within the respective wavelength ranges of specific colors of visible light. A half width in the spectral sensitivity characteristic of each first photoelectric conversion element is wider than a half width in the spectral sensitivity characteristic of each second photoelectric conversion element of the pair. |
| US08810669B2 |
Image input device having different wireless communication states, control method and program therefor
An image input device connects to a network, and achieves, when a user wants to connect to a particular communication counterpart by operating the image input device, reliable connection with the counterpart that the user wants to connect by smoothly avoiding connection with other communication counterparts. Meanwhile, if the user wants to connect to the image input device by operating an information processor, connection with a communication counterpart which has issued a connection request earliest is achieved without operation of the image input device. For example, a digital camera has a wireless communication function of wirelessly connecting to a PC (personal computer), which is an information processor. Pairing information for identifying a PC to be a communication counterpart is set in advance, by connecting to the PC via a USB cable. When the start of connection with the PC is instructed, the digital camera transitions into a state capable of wireless connection with the PC based on the set pairing information. |
| US08810665B2 |
Imaging device and method to detect distance information for blocks in secondary images by changing block size
An imaging device is provided that includes an image blur evaluator, an imaging processor, an edge contour extraction processor, an image divider, and a distance information detector. The image blur evaluator evaluates the amount of blurring in an image. The imaging processor captures secondary images of the same object at different lens positions. The edge contour extraction processor extracts edge contour components of the secondary images and creates an edge-contour extracted image for each of the secondary images. The image divider divides each edge-contour extracted image into a plurality of relatively large blocks when blurring is evaluated to be relatively substantial, and into relatively small blocks when the blurring is evaluated to be moderate. The distance information detector detects distance information of the objects captured in each block based on the contrast. |
| US08810659B2 |
Delay and lip sync tracker
A delay tracker utilizes a special code on the tracked signal in order to recognize such signal and ascertain any delays associated therewith. |
| US08810658B2 |
Estimating a visible vector representation for pixels in an infrared image
What is disclosed is a system and method for estimating color for pixels in an infrared image. In one embodiment, an infrared image is received which has been captured using a N-band infrared imaging system comprising a multi-spectral camera or a hyperspectral camera. The IR image is composed of an array of pixels with N intensity values having been collected for each pixel in the image. Then, for each pixel of interest, a search metric is used to search a database of vector samples to identify a visible-IR set which is closest to the intensity values of the IR band vector collected for the pixel. A visible vector representation is then estimated for the pixel based upon the visible portion corresponding to the closest visible-IR set. Thereafter, color coordinates for this pixel are computed from the visible vector. The method repeats for all pixels of interest in the IR image. |
| US08810656B2 |
System and method for detecting motion and providing an audible message or response
The present invention is to provide a system and method for monitoring a location that may include detecting motion in an area and providing an audible message in the area where motion is detected. The system may include a central processing unit (CPU), one or more video cameras coupled to the CPU, each camera monitoring an area and transmitting a video signal of the area to the CPU, and one or more audio output devices (AODs) coupled to the CPU, each AOD capable of producing an output and providing the output to at least one of the areas. A system may be provided in which the CPU is programmed to analyze the video signals from the video cameras to detect whether there is motion in one or more of the areas and transmits an audio file to the AODs producing an output to the one or more areas in which motion is detected. A method according the present invention includes the steps of monitoring at least one area using one or more video cameras, transmitting one or more video signals of the at least one area from each of the video cameras to a central processing unit (CPU); detecting motion in the at least one area; and transmitting an audio file over one or more AODs in the at least one area when motion is detected in the at least one area. |
| US08810655B2 |
Surveillance system
A surveillance system for preventing the theft of clothing. In particular, a clothing rack includes a surveillance system and an indicator to warn customers that they are under surveillance. In one embodiment, the clothing rack includes an elongated hollow body adapted to support at least one hanger by its hook, at least one bore extending through a wall of the elongated hollow body to provide a filed of vision and an indicator. A camera is enclosed within the elongated hollow body of the clothing rack and positioned such that the camera lens is substantially aligned with the bore in the hollow rigid body. A surveillance monitor displays the views from the cameras and, in one embodiment, records such views. |
| US08810651B2 |
Pseudo-color covert night vision security digital camera system
A digital security camera system and method for pseudo-color covert night vision is provided. The system includes one or more light sources adapted for providing selective illumination at a plurality of infrared wavelengths, such as 730 nm, 830 nm and 940 nm. A monochrome digital image capture device records multiple images of a target illuminated in the plurality of wavelengths and stored in a storage device. A processor retrieves the set of recorded images and assigns each wavelength to a specific color channel. The color channels are combined into a composite color image. |
| US08810647B2 |
Time-of-flight based imaging system using a display as illumination source
The present invention concerns a time-of-flight based imaging system having a photon emitter used as an illumination source, a photon sensor, and an electronic system for delivering a signal depending on the reception time of photons by said photon detector. The electronic display is used as the photonic source. |
| US08810637B2 |
Universal camera control unit
An endoscopic video system that provides for multiple differing inputs from a plurality of different attached devices types including, for example, High-Definition and Standard-Definition signals, the camera control automatically sensing and configuring itself based upon the connected devices (e.g. camera and display). The system further provides for scaling of input and output signals depending as necessary. |
| US08810629B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes: an image synthesis unit generating a synthesized image by inputting images photographed at different positions and connecting strip areas cut from the images. The image synthesis unit generates a left-eye synthesized image applied to display a 3-dimensional image by connecting and synthesizing left-eye image strips set in the images and generates a right-eye synthesized image applied to display a 3-dimensional image by connecting and synthesizing right-eye image strips set in the images. The image synthesis unit performs a process of setting the left-eye image strip and the right-eye image strip in an allowable range of set positions of the left-eye image strip and the right-eye image strip used to generate the left-eye synthesized image and the right-eye synthesized image, which are at different observing points, applicable to display the 3-dimensional images by acquiring the allowable range from a memory or calculating the allowable range. |
| US08810628B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive an encoded stream, an image capture type, and image capturing order information, the encoded stream being produced by encoding image data of multi-viewpoint images including images from multiple viewpoints that form a stereoscopic image, the image capture type indicating that the multi-viewpoint images have been captured at different timings, the image capturing order information indicating an image capturing order in which the multi-viewpoint images have been captured; a decoding unit configured to decode the encoded stream received by the receiving unit to generate image data; and a control unit configured to control a display apparatus to display multi-viewpoint images corresponding to the image data generated by the decoding unit in the same order as the image capturing order in accordance with the image capture type and image capturing order information received by the receiving unit. |
| US08810626B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for generating panorama images
In accordance with an example embodiment a method and apparatus is provided. The method comprises receiving an image and a subsequent image having an overlapping region in a storage. The overlapping region comprises a first and a second overlapping region. A substantial portion of the second overlapping region in the subsequent image may be blended with a substantial portion of a non-overlapping region of the subsequent image, and then modified in the image based on the substantial portion of the blended second overlapping region in the subsequent image. A portion of the panorama image may be generated by combining the modified substantial portion of the second overlapping region with the substantial portion of the non-overlapping region of the image. The modified substantial portion of the second overlapping region and the substantial portion of the non-overlapping region of the image may be removed from the storage. |
| US08810625B2 |
System and method for remotely configuring and capturing a video production
A remote video capture system includes a first camera, a control device, a video device, and a server. The first camera records a first video during a video shoot in response to a record signal from a remote device. The control device receives a record mode request signal associated with a first camera from the remote device and adjusts a view of the first camera based on received adjustment signals. The video device provides a video feed from the first camera to the remote device in response to the record mode request signal. The server is in communication with the first camera and with a second camera. The server creates a video chat session between the server and the remote device, provides a substantially real-time video from the second camera to the remote device via the video chat session, and stores the first video when the video shoot is completed. |
| US08810616B2 |
Device and method for extending light emitting diode printbar life or improving image quality
A device including: a photoreceptor; an LED printbar; and a computer processor for: determining how long LEDs on the printbar are energized while the device is operated to generate an image output; determining that a first plurality of LEDs has been energized less than a second plurality of LEDs; energizing the first plurality of LEDs for a correction time period as the LEDs are aligned with an inter-document zone (IDZ); and de-energizing the second plurality of LEDs during the time period. Energizing the second plurality of LEDs is unrelated to energizing the LEDs for purposes of evaluating an image. The time period is concurrent with operation of the device to generate an image output. |
| US08810615B2 |
Display device, drive method thereof, and electronic device
A display device includes: a timing controller (10) for driving a scanning line driving circuit (4) and a signal line driving circuit (6) by providing a scanning period (T1) and a pause period (T2) which follows the scanning period (T1); a data analyzing section (101) for obtaining detection data on an external light intensity; and a BL luminance setting section (104) for outputting, at least during the pause period (T2), a BL control signal for adjusting, in accordance with the detection data obtained by the data analyzing section (101), a luminance of light to be emitted to a screen. |
| US08810614B2 |
Method, device and system for displaying three-dimensional stereo images
A 3D displaying device includes a first panel, a second panel and a backlight unit. The first panel includes a first liquid crystal layer for providing a left-eye image and a right-eye image. The second panel includes a first driving electrode substrate, a second driving electrode substrate and a second liquid crystal layer disposed between the first driving electrode substrate and the second driving electrode substrate, whereby light passing therethrough to generate polarization of a first angle or a second angle, wherein the second panel includes at least three sub-panel units. The backlight unit is disposed below the first panel and includes at least three light-emitting areas respectively corresponding to the at least three sub-panel units for providing a light source to the first panel and the second panel. |
| US08810613B2 |
Driving method for image display apparatus and driving method for image display apparatus assembly
Disclosed herein is a driving method for an image display apparatus which includes an image display panel and a signal processing section. Each of the pixels includes a first subpixel for displaying a first primary color, a second subpixel for displaying a second primary color, a third subpixel for displaying a third primary color and a fourth subpixel for displaying a fourth color. The signal processing section is capable of calculating a first subpixel output signal, a second subpixel output signal, and a third subpixel output signal. The driving method includes the step, further carried out by the signal processing section, of calculating a fourth subpixel output signal based on a fourth subpixel control second signal and a fourth subpixel control first signal, and outputting the calculated fourth subpixel output signal to the fourth subpixel of the (p,q)th pixel. |
| US08810608B2 |
Device for displaying a waveform with variable persistence and method of providing the same
A device includes a memory storing a persistence bit for each of a plurality of pixels of a display device, the persistence bit having a first value when a corresponding pixel should be illuminated for displaying a persistent image, and having a second value when the corresponding pixel should not be illuminated for the persistent image; a pseudorandom pixel value generator which during each video frame receives a seed value and generates pseudorandom pixel values for the plurality of pixels, each pseudorandom pixel value being not greater than a specified variable persistence value; a frame value generator outputting a frame value for each video frame; and a match detector which, during each video frame, compares the frame value to the pseudorandom pixel values for the plurality of pixels, and for each pixel where the comparison indicates a match, makes the persistence bit for the corresponding pixel have the second value. |
| US08810607B2 |
Flexible display and a method of manufacturing a flexible display
The invention relates to a flexible display comprising a first flexible layer configured to comprise pixels 5 of the flexible display, a second flexible layer superposed on the first flexible layer, which second flexible layer comprises a color filter with a plurality of color elements 1, 2, 3, 4 associated with said pixels, wherein the pixels comprise color sub-pixels 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, the color elements and/or color sub-pixels being discontinuously arranged to counteract misalignment between respective color sub-pixels and color elements. The color elements 1, 2, 3, 4 are arranged to substantially overlap respective sub-pixels 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a whereby the buffer zones 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d are arranged to overlap a portion of said sub-pixels as well. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing a flexible display. |
| US08810606B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
A display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a pixel including a first subpixel and a second subpixel; a first signal line connected to the first subpixel and transmitting a first signal; a second signal line connected to the second subpixel and transmitting a second signal; a third signal line intersecting the first and the second signal lines, connected to at least one of the first and the second subpixels, and transmitting a third signal; and a fourth signal line intersecting the first and the second signal lines and transmitting a fourth signal, wherein the first subpixel and the second subpixel are supplied with data voltages having different magnitude, and the data voltages applied to the first and the second subpixels are originated from a single image information. |
| US08810596B2 |
Cursor for application of image adjustments
Systems and techniques are disclosed for applying an effect to a digital image using a cursor. An effect can be applied to an image at a region under a cursor. The cursor has an outer periphery and an effect indicating periphery within the outer periphery. The outer periphery defines a maximum extent to which the effect is applied. The effect indicating periphery indicates how the effect will be applied to the image, such as providing a visual indication of a softness setting. |
| US08810589B1 |
Method and apparatus for refreshing display
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a first memory, a memory controller, and a display controller coupled to a display module. The memory controller is selectively coupled to the first memory and to a second memory that has higher power consumption than the first memory. The second memory includes a frame buffer storing pixel data of images to be displayed on the display module. When the integrated circuit enters a power saving mode, the memory controller, while coupled to the first memory and the second memory, pre-fetches pixel data of an image from the second memory into the first memory at a first data rate. Further, when the integrated circuit is in the power saving mode, the display controller streams the pixel data from the first memory to the display module at a second data rate that is lower than the first data rate, and the second memory is configured into a memory power-saving mode after the pre-fetching until the second memory is accessed for additional pixel data. |
| US08810585B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing vertex
A method and apparatus for processing a vertex may fetch pieces of position information of vertexes, may extract pieces of target position information from the fetched pieces of position information, may perform tile binning on the pieces of target position information, may fetch pieces of attribute information having same indexes as the pieces of target position information, and may shade the fetched pieces of attribute information. |
| US08810584B2 |
Smart power management in graphics processing unit (GPU) based cluster computing during predictably occurring idle time
A method includes automatically acquiring, through a resource manager module associated with a driver program executing on a node of a cluster computing system, information associated with utilization of a number of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs associated) with the node, and automatically calculating a window of time in which the node is predictably underutilized on a reoccurring and periodic basis. The method also includes automatically switching off, when one or more GPUs is in an idle state during the window of time, power to the one or more GPUs to transition the one or more GPUs into a quiescent state of zero power utilization thereof. Further, the method includes maintaining the one or more GPUs in the quiescent state until a processing requirement of the node necessitates utilization thereof at a rate higher than a predicted utilization rate of the node during the window of time. |
| US08810583B2 |
Apparatus and method for creating animation from web text
An apparatus and method for creating animation from a web text are provided. The apparatus includes a script formatter for generating a domain format script from the web text using a domain format that corresponds to a type of the web text, an adaptation engine for generating animation contents using the generated domain format script, and a graphics engine reproducing the generated animation contents in the form of an animation. |
| US08810581B2 |
Character input method
A system, method and apparatus are described herein for input of characters into a mobile device. In one implementation, a user can input representations of character strokes of logographic characters, such as Chinese characters, using a trackpad module. The system can then associate the character strokes with a character the user desires to input based on the received inputs and a series of well-known rules for writing the logographic characters. One implementation of the trackpad includes an optical trackpad comprising a plurality of sub-sections that can be used to determine the direction of movement of an object over the optical trackpad, for example, a finger over the optical trackpad. |
| US08810580B2 |
Method and tool for creating irregular-shaped tables
A computerized method of creating an irregular-shaped table of cells comprises detecting one or more cells of a table to be removed, removing each detected cell from the table and creating a table object representing the resultant irregular-shaped table. |
| US08810579B2 |
Method and apparatus for interactive curve generation
A system of curve generation takes a sequence of control points and constraint codes for each control point, and outputs a curve in which each of the constraints is satisfied. The set of constraints is chosen from the tangent angle, curvature, first derivative of curvature, and second derivative of curvature. The interactive curve design uses as its primitive, a curve whose curvature is a polynomial function of arclength (whose intrinsic equation is a polynomial). At each control point, a choice of G2 curvature continuity (tangent angle and curvature) or G4 curvature continuity (tangent angle and curvature plus first and second derivatives of curvature are continuous) is input. The desired curve is expressed as the solution to the chosen set of constraints. |
| US08810577B2 |
Visualizing jobs in a distributed environment with limited resources
Visualization used to show resource usage over time by different entities or jobs allows a user to see the resource usage of entities over time. Entities or jobs may be shown as horizontal bundles, possibly expanding or contracting within the constraints of the capacity of the system. Bundles can expand or contract but maintain continuity in a direction, for example, a horizontal continuity. The visualization or layout in one embodiment is updated not only for new incoming events, but also retroactively for past events, thus achieving smooth horizontal bundles as much as possible. |
| US08810574B2 |
Displaying pie charts in a limited display area
A system and a method are disclosed for visually displaying data points using pie charts on a display screen with limited display area. Detailed information is presented for individual sectors compared to other sectors displayed. The sector is selected for displaying detailed information based on its orientation with respect to a centerline axis of the chart. The pie chart can be rotated to cause detailed information to be displayed for different sectors. The mechanism is used to display detailed information of data points for other kinds of charts including multi-series pie charts and donut charts. |
| US08810573B2 |
Method and systems for displaying graphical markers in a discrete box chart
This disclosure describes, generally, methods and systems for plotting a graphically displayed box chart. The method includes receiving a data set including data points, where each of the plurality of data points consists of an ordered pair with a first axis and a second axis. The method further includes determining that the first axis and the second axis are discrete, and generating a table of graphically represented configurations of data points, where each configuration in the table includes a distinct number of data points within the configuration, and where the graphically represented configurations position the data points such that each of the data points is equally positioned within the graphically represented configuration. Further, the method includes, based on the graphically represented configurations of data points, plotting the data points and graphically displaying the plotted data points in a box chart format. |
| US08810571B2 |
Methods and systems for generating continuous surfaces from polygonal data
Methods and systems for generating surface data from polygonal data are disclosed. The methods and systems receive polygonal data which describe discrete points on an object. The methods and systems analyze and use the data to calculate and define a continuous BREP object which accurately represents the original polygonal object. In some embodiments, the generated BREP is G2 continuous at substantially all points. |
| US08810561B2 |
Dual laser drive method. apparatus, and system
A scanning projector includes a scanning mirror that sweep a beam in two dimensions. The beam is created by multiple laser light sources, at least two of which create light at substantially the same wavelength. The two light sources at the same wavelength may be driven at different times, or may be driven simultaneously (equally or unequally). |
| US08810560B2 |
Methods and apparatus for scrambler synchronization
Methods and apparatus for enhanced synchronization of a descrambler, such as used in a signal interface that carries scrambled data. In one embodiment, the descrambler self-synchronizes to a scrambled bit stream (rather than receiving an external “sync” trigger), thereby allowing for much more rapid synchronization. This is accomplished in one variant by identifying a scrambled symbol that has an expected value, predicting an internal scrambler seed based on the expected value, and verifying the predicted seed. For example, an invention-enabled device can synchronize to a DisplayPort stream during blanking intervals which are filled with known “dummy” bytes. Blanking intervals are much more frequent than explicit synchronization symbols, thus an invention enabled device can greatly improve synchronization times, and eliminate e.g., visual artifacts. |
| US08810557B2 |
Display device and method of driving the same
According to one embodiment, a display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, a partition electrode, a luminescent layer and a voltage source. The luminescent layer includes a luminescent material emitting light rays due to an electrochemical oxidation or reduction reaction thereof. The voltage source is configured to generate a driving voltage between the first and second electrodes so as to apply first and second potentials, wherein the first and second potentials are maintained at one and opposite polarities in respect to the reference potential during a predetermined segment period respectively and are periodically reversed, each of the first and second potentials is changed first to second absolute levels during the predetermined segment period, the second absolute potential is determined depending on the gradation of input image data, and the first absolute potential is higher than the second absolute potential. |
| US08810546B1 |
Touchscreen panel frequency response determination
Apparatuses and methods of frequency-response calculation are described. One method measures a charge on an electrode of a touch panel by a capacitance-sensing circuit of a processing device. The processing device measures a frequency response of the touch panel and selects an operating frequency of the touch panel in view of the frequency response. |
| US08810543B1 |
All points addressable touch sensing surface
An apparatus for determining at least one centroid location for a contact at a touch-sensing surface may include a first slave controller coupled to a first capacitive touch panel comprising a first plurality of sensor elements, where the first slave controller is configured to measure a first set of capacitance values for a plurality of intersections of the first plurality of sensor elements, and a master controller coupled with the first slave controller, where the master controller is configured to receive the first set of capacitance values and calculate a first centroid position of a contact based on the first set of capacitance values and a second set of capacitance values. |
| US08810535B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling same
A method includes detecting a touch associated with an edge of a display of an electronic device, identifying a navigation device function associated with the touch, and performing the navigation device function. |
| US08810529B2 |
Electronic device and method of controlling same
A method includes detecting movement of a touch on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device from a first touch location to a second touch location. When the distance between the first touch location and the second touch location meets a first threshold, the second touch location is reported to an application layer of the electronic device. After the first threshold is met, a third touch location is reported to the application layer when movement of the touch from the second touch location to the third touch location is detected and the distance between the second touch location and the third touch location meets a second threshold. |
| US08810528B2 |
Illumination device with metalized light-turning features
This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus for a front illumination device with metalized light-turning features. In one aspect, an illumination device with integrated touch sensor capability includes a light guide having a metalized light-turning feature and an electrode system for sensing changes to the capacitance between electrodes in the electrode system induced by the proximity of an electrically conductive body, such as a human finger. The metalized light-turning features may be electrically connected to and/or part of the electrode system. |
| US08810525B2 |
Electronic information displays
The present invention offers an electronic information display which can be updated at a very low cost. This is accomplished by an electronic display device and a separate writer device. The writer device may comprise an electronic backplane, a mechanical fixture which can be easily be pressed against the electronic information display, and a wireless network and computational infrastructure which connect the writer device to a data base. |
| US08810520B2 |
Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and also provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special |
| US08810516B2 |
Angular sensitized keypad
Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to improving the efficiency of text input by measuring the angle of each key press and rejecting improbable keys pressed at an off-center angle. Examples include a text-entry device which has logic for resisting error while the user enters text on a keyboard of the text-entry device. Each key determines the angle at which the key is pressed. Keyboard logic on the text-entry device assigns a range of acceptable angles to each key. If a key is pressed within the range of acceptable angles, which is typically around the center, then the entry is permitted. If a key is pressed outside the range of acceptable angles, which is typically on the edges, then the entry is denied. Once text is entered, the keyboard logic assigns a prediction value to each key based on a statistical probability that the key will be entered next. The keyboard logic then adjusts the range of acceptable angles based on that statistical probability. |
| US08810513B2 |
Method for controlling interactive display system
A method for controlling a multi-user interactive display system including a soft-copy display including at least an information display region and a command control region, and a digital image capture system positioned to capture a time sequence of images of users located in a field-of-view of the soft-copy display. A time sequence of images is analyzed to detect a plurality of users, and at least one of the users is designated to be a controlling user. The captured images are displayed in the command control region, wherein the detected users are demarked using graphical elements. The captured time sequence of images is analyzed to detect a gesture made by the controlling user and content displayed in the information display region is updated accordingly. |
| US08810511B2 |
Handheld electronic device with motion-controlled cursor
A handheld electronic device of the present invention includes a display, a memory, a motion sensor, and a controller. The memory is configured for storing a viewable output of at least one software application. The controller is in communication with the display, the memory, and the motion sensor. The controller includes a first control logic that generates a first image on the display representative of a portion of the viewable output of the software application. The first image has a field of view (FOV), where the viewable output includes an inner region and an outer region. A second control logic adjusts the FOV of the first image based upon movement of the handheld device. A third control logic displays a second image of a cursor in the inner region. A fourth control logic displays the second image of the cursor in the outer region. |
| US08810508B2 |
Display device
The display device includes: a flexible display panel including a display portion in which scanning lines and signal lines cross each other; a supporting portion for supporting an end portion of the flexible display panel; a signal line driver circuit for outputting a signal to the signal line, which is provided for the supporting portion; and a scanning line driver circuit for outputting a signal to the scanning line, which is provided for a flexible surface of the display panel in a direction which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the supporting portion. |
| US08810503B2 |
Thin displays having spatially variable backlights
A display has a light source layer having control inputs for controlling the light source layer to emit light such that the light output varies smoothly with position in a manner determined by the control inputs. An LCD panel or other spatial light modulator modulates light from the light source layer. The light source layer may be thin. |
| US08810502B2 |
Display system capable of switching two-dimensional/three-dimensional mode and method thereof
A display system capable of switching 2D/3D mode includes a signal source, a 3D backlight control signal generation circuit, and a display. The signal source is used for transmitting a vertical synchronization signal and a left eye/right eye control signal. The 3D backlight control signal generation circuit is used for executing a first logic operation on the vertical synchronization signal and the left eye/right eye control signal to output a 3D left eye backlight control signal, and executing a second logic operation on the vertical synchronization signal and the left eye/right eye control signal to output a 3D right eye backlight control signal. The display displays 3D images according to the 3D left eye backlight control signal and the 3D right eye backlight control signal. |
| US08810501B2 |
Method and system for driving a backlight in a display
A backlight control system is configured to control a backlight of a display that includes light sources positioned at light source positions for providing illumination to the backside of the display panel. The system includes a drive value generator configured to provide light source drive values for causing the backlight profile to gradually descend around a high luminance portion of the display at a rate that is independent of a position of the high luminance portion with respect to the light source positions. The high luminance portion of the display has a higher luminance than an area around the high luminance portion of the display. |
| US08810497B2 |
Signal control device, liquid crystal display having the same and signal control method using the same
A signal controlling method for a display device for signal processing between an external system and a display panel that displays an image by receiving a signal from the external system. The method includes receiving N clock signals and N data signals synchronized with the N clock signals from the external system through N channels, N being a natural number no less than 2; writing the received N data signals in N storage units in order of reception time of the N data signals; extracting one clock signal from the N clock signals; and outputting the N data signals written in the N storage units simultaneously in synchronization with the extracted clock signal. |
| US08810496B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display includes a timing controller and a liquid crystal panel. The timing controller sequentially receives first through third primitive image signals and sequentially outputs first through third corrected image signals. The liquid crystal panel displays an image based on the first through third corrected image signals. The timing controller generates a first converted image signal having a first gray level based on the first primitive image signal and stores the first converted image signal. The second primitive image signal has a second gray level and the timing controller generates a second converted image signal having a third gray level higher than the second gray level when the second gray level is lower than the first gray level. The timing controller generates the third corrected image signal using the second converted image signal and the third primitive image signal. |
| US08810493B2 |
Display system, control system, and display method
To provide a display device which can reduce driving frequency of a controller and a driver for inputting a signal to the display device and increase brightness of a screen without increasing the driving frequency. The display device includes: a display screen having a plurality of pixels provided by corresponding to intersection points between scan lines and data lines; a scan line drive circuit which drives the scan lines; a data line drive circuit which drives the data lines; and a display device body having an image display control device which operates the drive circuit so as to sequentially and repeatedly display two or more types of images. The image display control device causes the scan line drive circuit to simultaneously select two or more scan lines for at least one type of image among the two or more types of images sequentially displayed. |
| US08810488B2 |
Display device and method for driving the same
An erasing TFT 13 is provided between a gate terminal of a driving TFT 11 and a control line Ei, and a gate terminal of the erasing TFT 13 is connected to the control line Ei. When performing data erase, a potential not lower than a sum of a potential of a power supply line Vp and a threshold voltage of the erasing TFT 13 is applied to the control line Ei before performing data write, and an organic EL element 15 is controlled to be in a non-light-emitting state. A high level potential applied to a control line Wi is a potential at which a writing TFT 12 is maintained in an OFF state when a potential applied to a data line Sj is a high level potential corresponding to the non-light-emitting state. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent electrooptic elements from emitting light unnecessarily along with changes of potentials of the control lines without increasing the number of power supply or wiring. |
| US08810487B2 |
Flat panel display and method for driving the flat panel display
A flat panel display including a display unit, the display unit displaying a first image, an input unit, the input unit being positioned adjacent to the display unit when the display unit is folded toward the input unit, at least one sensor, the sensor detecting luminance information of a second image displayed on the display unit when the display unit is folded toward the input unit, and an optical correction unit, the optical correction unit receiving the luminance information from the sensor and correcting a luminance of the display unit using the luminance information. |
| US08810484B2 |
Organic light emitting display
An organic light emitting display includes pixels at crossing regions of scan lines, data lines, and emission control lines, a display unit including the pixels and divided into at least i blocks, wherein i is a natural number greater than 1, each of the blocks including corresponding scan lines, scan drivers each coupled to a corresponding one of the blocks for supplying scan signals to the corresponding scan lines, emission drivers included in the blocks for supplying emission control signals to the emission control lines, each of the blocks includes corresponding emission control lines, a data driver for supplying data signals to the data lines, a timing controller for controlling the scan drivers, the emission drivers, and the data driver and for supplying emission block control signals to control light emission of the pixels, wherein the pixels are set in a non-emissive state when receiving the emission block control signal. |
| US08810479B2 |
Multi-panel display device configured to align multiple flat panel display devices for representing a single image and method of driving the same
A multi-panel display device and a method of driving the same, which can simplify a driving circuit for driving multiple flat panel display devices, thereby decreasing the fabrication cost and reducing noise, are disclosed. In the multi-panel display device configured to align the multiple flat panel display devices for representing a single image, the multi-panel display device includes at least one image display unit configured to align the multiple flat panel display devices in an n×m formation (wherein m and n are integers being equal to or different from one another, and wherein m≧1, n≧1), and at least one data converter being configured to correspond to each image display unit, dividing externally inputted video data in accordance with offset information inputted by a user, and converting the size of the divided video data, thereby providing the converted divided video data to each flat panel display device. |
| US08810476B2 |
Wireless apparatus
In a wireless apparatus which includes two circuit boards overlapping each other, it is contrived to improve antenna characteristics without using a sleeve ground part of a flexible cable.A wireless apparatus 20 includes a first circuit board 21, a second circuit board 22 and a connector 23. An antenna element 25 is mounted to the first circuit board 21. The second circuit board 22 can be in a state that the second circuit board 22 overlaps with the first circuit board at least partially. The connector 23 has a shape extending from one side of an area overlapping the first circuit board 21 and the second circuit board 22 toward the other side. The connector 23 is connected electrically with the first circuit board 21 and the second circuit board 22. The connector 23 controls electrical current distribution which is generated in the first circuit board 21 and the second circuit board 22 due to applying an electrical current to the antenna element 25. |
| US08810473B2 |
Non-penetrating mounting system for antenna
A non-penetrating antenna mounting system is provided. The system includes a frame, an antenna, and an airfoil. The frame is configured to retain ballast to secure the frame to a surface of a structure without penetrating the surface of the structure. The antenna is mounted on the frame. The airfoil is mounted on the frame and is oriented relative to the frame to impart a downforce on the frame when exposed to wind. The airfoil can be rotatably mounted on the frame. The system can also include a wind vane mounted to the airfoil, with the wind vane and the airfoil being configured to turn into the wind. |
| US08810470B2 |
Dual band antenna, in particular for satellite navigation applications
The invention relates to a dual band antenna, in particular for satellite navigation applications, comprising a multilayer structure that is provided with an upper first antenna element (12) for receiving electromagnetic waves having a frequency in a first frequency band, a lower second antenna element (16) arranged below the first antenna element (12) for receiving electromagnetic waves having a frequency in a second frequency band, two electrically conductive ground layers (20,28), a first and a second one, that are arranged one above the other and that are arranged in turn below the lower second antenna element (16), and a conducting-path layer (24) having at least one first conductive path (30,32) for electromagnetically coupling with the first antenna element (12) and having at least one second conductive path (34,36) for electromagnetically coupling with the second antenna element (16). The first ground layer (20) facing the lower second antenna element (16) comprises an aperture (40,42), below which the at least one second conductive path (34,36) extends. The at least one first conductive path (30,32) is connected to the upper first antenna element (12) by means of an electrical conductor (46,48) that extends through the first ground layer (20) and the lower second antenna element (16) in such a way that the electrical conductor is electrically insulated from the first ground layer and the lower second antenna element. Furthermore, the multilayer structure is provided with a first line adjustment element (58,60,62,64) coupled with the at least one first conductive path (30,32) for suppressing the coupling into the first conductive path (30,32) of electromagnetic waves having a frequency in the second frequency band which are received by means of the lower second antenna element (16) and coupled into the electrical conductor (46,48), a second line adjustment element (44) coupled with the at least one second conductive path (34,36) for suppressing the coupling into the second conductive path (34,36) of electromagnetic waves in the first frequency band which are received by means of the upper first antenna element (12), and several dielectric layers (14,18,22,26) that are arranged betweeen the antenna elements(12,16), ground layers (20,28), and conducting-path layer(24) that lie one above the other. |
| US08810461B2 |
Antenna coupler
An antenna coupler for testing a mobile-radio device with a coupling element formed in a flat manner by strip conductors on a printed-circuit board and with a retaining device formed on a first side of the printed-circuit board for positioning a mobile-radio device in the vicinity of the coupling element. On the first side of the printed-circuit board, at least one slit structure is introduced into an ground metallization formed there. For feeding the slit structure serving as the coupling element, at least one stripline formed on the second side facing away from it forms a microstripline with the ground metallization remaining between the slit structure of the first side. |
| US08810458B2 |
Handheld device with two antennas, and method of enhancing the isolation between the antennas
The invention relates to a handheld device comprising a first antenna (401, 701, 901, 931, 961, 1101, 1151, 1301, 1501) arranged to operate in at least a first frequency band, and a second antenna (402, 702, 902, 1102, 1302, 1502, 2210) arranged to operate in at least a second frequency band, wherein said second frequency band is different from said first frequency band. According to the invention, the second antenna comprises a slot antenna comprising at least one slot in at least one conductive layer. The invention also relates to enhancement of the isolation between first and second antennas in a handheld device. |
| US08810450B2 |
Global positioning system receiver timeline management
Satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver that has a plurality of modes and channels, where a timeline module configures the channels based on the mode of operation of the SATPS receiver and reconfigures the channels if the mode of operation of the SATPS changes. |
| US08810449B2 |
Satellite radio receiver
A satellite radio receiver includes: an acquisition unit for setting one reception frequency in turn at a first frequency interval over a first frequency range, allowing a processor to acquire a signal having the reception frequency as digital data having a first bit number, and detecting the satellite signals based on a result of predetermined processes with the digital data; and a specifying unit for, in response to detection of satellite signals by the acquisition unit, concurrently setting predetermined number of reception frequencies in turn at a second frequency interval narrower than the first frequency interval, allowing the processor to acquire the respective signals having the reception frequencies as digital data having a second bit number smaller than the first bit number, and specifying reception frequencies of the satellite signals based on the result of the predetermined processes concurrently executed with the predetermined number of digital data. |
| US08810446B2 |
Radar device, radar receiver, and target detection method
According to one embodiment, a radar device includes a radio module, a pulse compressor, a Doppler filter processor, a signal processor, an integration processor, an estimation module and a target detector. The radio module receives a plurality of received pulses corresponding to transmission pulses transmitted from a transmitter. The integration processor generates third data by integrating first data generated at the signal processor with second data generated based on first data obtained by a previous scan. The estimation module estimates a position at a time of a next scan based on the third data to generate second data. The target detector detects a target based on the third data. |
| US08810445B2 |
Method and apparatus for recognizing presence of objects
An object recognition apparatus is provided, which enhances accuracy in recognizing more than one object to be detected closely located along a scan direction. In the apparatus, measured-distance datums included in an area formed by those measured-distance datums which are spaced apart by a distance of not more than a predetermined allowable value are grouped as one candidate area. The candidate area, if it has a size larger than a specified value, is regarded as a special candidate area. An object area on an image datum corresponding to the special candidate area is subjected to an image recognition process to define the range of the objects residing therein. The special candidate area is divided at a border between the objects based on the defined range. All candidate areas including the divided new candidate areas are subjected to a tracing process to confirm an object in each candidate area. |
| US08810443B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter system and method
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system and method. The ADC system in accord with one embodiment includes a sampling digital-to-analog converter configured to sample a combination of an analog signal value and an analog dither value, and a control circuit comprising a mismatch-shaping encoder. The control circuit is configured to sequentially apply a plurality of digital codes to the sampling digital-to-analog converter during an analog-to-digital conversion operation to derive a digital code representing the combination of the analog signal value and the analog dither value. Several embodiments are presented. |
| US08810438B2 |
Membrane circuit board and keyboard having the same
A membrane circuit board and a keyboard device having the same are provided in the invention. The membrane circuit board is defined with a plurality of key regions. Each of the key regions is with a pressing region and at least one light-pervious region thereon. The membrane circuit board comprising at least two light-pervious membranes stacked with each other, and at least one light-pervious adhesive layer sandwiched between the two light-pervious membranes and at least fully filled in the light-pervious region. |
| US08810437B2 |
Systems and methods for generating electronic map displays with points-of-interest information based on reference locations
Methods and systems are provided for generating an electronic map display. In one implementation, a method is provided for receiving route information associated with a route having an origination point and a destination point, determining a location of a reference point along the route, assigning a spatial identifier to the reference point, searching for points of interest (POIs) in a search area associated with the spatial identifier, ranking, using a processor, the POIs based on distances of POIs from the location of the reference point, and providing POI information for an electronic map display, wherein the POI information is associated with one or more POIs and selected based on the ranking of the POIs. |
| US08810433B1 |
Garage door opener and parking guide combination
A garage door opener and parking guide combination includes a male connector that is configured to be removably extended into and electrically coupled to a light bulb socket. A light bulb is electrically coupled to the male connector and emits light when electricity is supplied to the light bulb socket. The light bulb is non-removably coupled to the male connector. The male connector includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is threaded. The light bulb includes a plurality of light emitting diodes. A first electrical coupler is mounted in and non-removably affixed to the second portion of the male connector. The first electrical coupler is in electrical communication with the male connector. A laser light assembly is removably electrically coupled to the first electrical coupler and emits laser light when the male connector receives electricity from the light bulb socket. |
| US08810431B2 |
Highway merge assistant and control
A vehicle merge control system includes a host communication system in a host vehicle for exchanging vehicle position and kinematics data with a remote communication system in at least one remote vehicle. A vehicle host processor determines respective positions and paths of travel of the at least one remote vehicle and the host vehicle. The host processor determines a time to intersect based on the positions and predicted paths of travel between the host vehicle and remote vehicle during a merging maneuver. A host vehicle is configured to transmit a host vehicle intention message from the host communication system to the remote communication system for negotiating a merging position between the host vehicle and the at least one remote vehicle. The host vehicle executes the merging maneuver using the negotiated merging position. |
| US08810428B2 |
Electrical transmission between rotating and non-rotating members
A rotary coupler for transferring electrical power and data between members is presented wherein the coupler has a first member having an internal surface, a first inductor positioned on the internal surface, a second member and a second inductor carried on a portion of the second member and positioned internal of the first inductor, wherein one of the inductors rotates relative to the other inductor. |
| US08810427B2 |
Control system of an actuator for the actuation of submarine devices
Electronic control system for a submarine actuator, said actuator comprising a container body, from which a drive shaft projects that is suitable for inserting in a seat of said submarine device. The system comprises an electronic control board for at least one electric motor arranged inside said container body suitable for moving said drive shaft. |
| US08810414B2 |
Situational awareness system and method for disconnect switches in electrical substations
A method and system (30) are disclosed for providing situational awareness to a lineworker executing a switching order in a distribution substation (10). The method includes the steps of wirelessly transmitting a status of at least one circuit breaker (20) in the distribution substation (10), wirelessly receiving the status at a location adjacent a target switch (16) in the distribution substation (10); and displaying the status to a lineworker at the location to allow the lineworker to verify the status immediately prior to executing a switching order for the target switch (16). The system (30) includes a wireless transmitter (32) to perform the transmitting step of the method and one or more wireless receivers (34) to perform the receiving and displaying steps of the method. |
| US08810410B2 |
Activity meter
A pedometer includes an activity amount acquisition unit that acquires an activity amount of a user, an index acquisition unit that acquires an index relating to the activity amount, and an index output unit that outputs the acquired index. The index acquisition unit includes an activity age acquisition unit that acquires an activity age represented by a standard age of a person who does the same amount of activity as the activity amount acquired in a unit period, using body information of the user, and acquires an index enabling the active age to reach a target activity age, based on the acquired activity amount. |
| US08810402B2 |
Electronic article surveillance
Methods and apparatuses for activating an electronic tag with an identifier via an access to a storage area of the electronic tag without database or authentication operations are described. The storage area may be accessed as a scratch pad memory. The identifier can identify an inventory including a plurality of articles. One of the articles is attached with the electronic tag. The electronic tag is active if the identifier is stored in the storage area. When the electronic tag is located within a proximity of the electronic gate device, the electronic tag may be inspected wirelessly from the electronic gate device. An alarm may be activated or caused via the electronic gate device if the inspection indicates the electronic tag is active. |
| US08810398B2 |
Container status monitoring systems and methods
A container monitoring system can generally comprise a first door controller, a second door controller, and a controller module. The first door controller module can be disposed in communication with a controller module. The first door controller module can be configured to receive a first random generated code from the controller module and further configured to store the first random generated code. The second door controller module can be disposed in communication with the controller module. The second door controller module can be configured to receive a second random generated code from the controller module and further configured to store the second random generated code. The controller module can be configured to separately interrogate the first door controller and the second door controller and configured to establish an alarm condition based on one or more signals received from the first door controller and the second door controller. |
| US08810394B2 |
Reservoir monitoring for implantable fluid delivery devices
A number of parameters related to the operation of a fluid delivery device are determined based on a pressure within the device sensed using a pressure sensor. In one example, the volume of therapeutic fluid added to or removed from a reservoir of a fluid delivery device is determined based on a sensed pressure of the reservoir. In another example, the volume of therapeutic fluid added to or removed from the reservoir is determined based on a sensed pressure of a refill port assembly of the device. In another example, an initial temperature of the reservoir as a therapeutic fluid is removed from the reservoir is estimated based on a sensed pressure within the device. In another example, a temperature of a therapeutic fluid added to the reservoir is estimated based on a sensed pressure within the device. |
| US08810393B2 |
Wireless device locations services
A system for determining location information for a wireless device is described. The system includes a UE, a LE and multiple LMUs. The LE sends, to the LMUs, reception instructions with characteristics of the signal transmission from the UE and each LMU receives, from the LE, the reception instructions. The UE sends a signal transmission. Each LMU receives the transmitted signal from the UE, determines locating information based at least in part on the received signal and sends the locating information to the LE. The LE receives the locating information regarding the transmitted signal and determines a location of the UE based at least in part on the received locating information. Methods, apparatus and computer readable media are also described. |
| US08810391B2 |
Sensing exposure to environmental factors
A method of sensing exposure to one or more of a plurality of environmental factors includes exposing a code circuit to at least some of the environmental factors, the code circuit disposed over a substrate and including a plurality of electrically-connected sensor patches, each sensor patch susceptible to one of the environmental factors, wherein the code circuit has an electrical state. An electrical excitation signal is passed through the code circuit, and a corresponding received electrical signal detected, using a transceiver formed on a transceiver substrate separate from and disposed over the substrate, wherein the transceiver includes a controller and the received electrical signal depends on the excitation signal and the electrical state of the code circuit. Using the controller, the received electrical signal or a representation thereof is automatically stored in a memory. The checking and storing steps are automatically repeated after one or more selected time intervals. |
| US08810389B2 |
Apparatus and method for path finding in multimodes
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for path finding in multimodes. The apparatus for path finding in multimodes includes: a location-tracking unit that tracks current locations of a plurality of terminals to generate a plurality of pieces of location information; a path-finding unit that receives a path-finding request for specific destinations common to the plurality of terminals from the plurality of terminals to find paths to the specific destinations from the location of each terminal at the time of the path-finding request and generate the plurality of pieces of path information; and a sharing server that transmits the plurality of pieces of path information and the location information of the plurality of terminals on the found paths to the plurality of terminals. |
| US08810388B2 |
Position tracking and mobility assessment system
The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring the location, movement and health of one or more individuals within an environment by a monitoring individual, such as a care giver. The system used includes optional monitoring devices including a wireless transceiver, access point devices including a wireless transceiver, a hub access point device including a wireless transceiver, and a local computing device. The system is programmed such that it has the capability to operate with or without the measure of time of flight value from the optional monitoring devices such that the system has the capability of monitoring the location, movement and health of an individual whether or not the individual is wearing the monitoring device. |
| US08810386B2 |
Collision avoidance method for transmitting data from multiple wireless tire condition sensors
A collision avoidance method for transmitting data from multiple wireless tire condition sensors on a vehicle is executed by each wireless tire condition sensor having a unique ID and multiple different wake-up times. After the sensor is operated to sense data, the method has steps of reading the ID and computing a determination value with the ID and a variable, selecting one of the wake-up times according to the determination result, and after the selected wake-up time expires, transmitting the sensed data. As the selected wake-up times of the sensors differ from one another, data collision at the receiving end arising from data transmission from the sensors can be avoided. Additionally, besides the wake-up time, a time gap between data transmitted twice consecutively from each sensor can be employed to achieve data collision avoidance. |
| US08810385B2 |
System and method to improve the efficiency of vehicle inspections by enabling remote actuation of vehicle components
A handheld, portable device is used to facilitate inspection of vehicles, by wirelessly conveying an activation command to the vehicle to actuate a vehicle component, to facilitate inspection of the actuated component. The activation command is received by a wireless data link in the vehicle, which is electrically/logically coupled to either a switch that controls actuation of the component, an actuator configured to manipulate the component, and/or a vehicle processor configured to selectively convey an actuation command to the component. In some embodiments, in response to conveying the activation command, the handheld device enables the user to input a condition of the actuated component, which is added to an inspection record. In some embodiments, the handheld device sends a query to the vehicle, which results in the handheld device providing an indication to a user of each component in the vehicle that is capable of remote actuation. |
| US08810381B2 |
Vehicular heads up display with integrated bi-modal high brightness collision warning system
A head-up display device is presented having first and second display units that are provided on a surface of an instrument panel of a vehicle opposed to a windshield of the vehicle. The display device is configured to selectably indicate a plurality of information dots in a row on the windshield such that the plurality of information dots are superposed on a real image in a traveling direction of the vehicle. |
| US08810380B2 |
Golf scoring management system
A system for automated scoring of a golf match for a group of players includes a controller with a memory in communication with a processor. The memory includes program instructions for execution by the processor to load player data including handicap information into a server, load course data into the server, identify team members, automatically assign team pairing based on handicap information of each team member and generate a scorecard for the golf match, the scorecard including the handicap information and team pairing information. |
| US08810379B2 |
Bed exit night light
The invention is a Bed Exit Night Light System designed to illuminate a hospital room if a patient leaves his bed, but is not activated by the presence of hospital staff or casual movement of equipment. |
| US08810377B2 |
Portable, in particular media-enabled console
A portable console includes at least one control and display unit, and at least one communication interface for communicating within a predefined range of functions with at least one household appliance. The range of functions includes a plurality of functional areas which are dependent on and limited by a distance of the console from the household appliance. |
| US08810370B2 |
Wireless collection of fastener data
Data is remotely collected from a plurality of fasteners in response to a query signal wirelessly transmitted by a reader. Each of the fasteners includes a sensor for measuring a parameter related to the stress on the fastener. A device adapted to be attached to each of the fasteners receives the query signal, activates the sensor to measure the parameter and wirelessly transmits the data including the parameter to the reader. |
| US08810365B2 |
Random location authentication
An authentication string, such as a password, consists of characters. Each of the characters in the authentication string is randomly associated with a defined location on a device. For example, an area on a touch screen can be associated with a character in the authentication string. When a user selects a location associated with the character, feedback is provided that identifies the character. When the user selects a location that is not associated with the character, feedback is provided that does not identify the character.If the user responds by indicating that the associated location matches the character, the character is authenticated. If the user responds by indicating that a location not associated with the character is a match, the character is not authenticated. This process is then repeated for each character in the authentication string. |
| US08810357B2 |
Transmitting instructions in a medical supply unit
A medical supply unit includes a bus system for transmitting instructions of control elements to actuators. The bus system is provided with transmitters and receivers being connected to each other by a transmission system. Via the transmission system, commands of the transmitters are transmitted, which are controlled by the control elements, and the responsive receiver transfers the command to a switching instruction at an output of the responsive receiver so as to control an actuator. |
| US08810355B2 |
Thin film resistor
The present disclosure relates to a thin film resistor that is formed on a substrate along with other semiconductor devices to form all or part of an electronic circuit. The thin film resistor includes a resistor segment that is formed over the substrate and a protective cap that is formed over the resistor segment. The protective cap is provided to keep at least a portion of the resistor segment from oxidizing during fabrication of the thin film resistor and other components that are provided on the semiconductor substrate. As such, no oxide layer is formed between the resistor segment and the protective cap. Contacts for the thin film resistor may be provided at various locations on the protective cap, and as such, are not provided solely over a portion of the resistor segment that is covered with an oxide layer. |
| US08810352B2 |
Laminated inductor element and manufacturing method thereof
In a laminated inductor element, outer electrodes and terminal electrodes are electrically connected by via holes, internal wiring lines, and end surface electrodes. The via holes on an upper surface side are provided immediately under the outer electrodes and in a non-magnetic ferrite layer. The via holes on a lower surface side are provided immediately above the terminal electrodes and in a non-magnetic ferrite layer. Since outermost layers are defined by the non-magnetic ferrite layers, a parasitic inductance is not increased, even if the outermost layers are provided with the via holes. In this case, the internal wiring lines are not routed on a surface of the element. Therefore, there is no complication of a wiring pattern, and it is possible to prevent an increase in a mounting area of the element. |
| US08810347B2 |
Method and apparatus for activating an electric machine, and electric machine
A method of activating an electric machine having a stator, and a rotor which rotates about an axis with respect to the stator; the stator having a plurality of stator segments arranged about the axis; the rotor having modules made of magnetizable material and arranged about the axis; and the method including the steps of connecting the rotor to the stator by means of a bearing; and magnetizing the modules of magnetizable material when the rotor is connected to the stator. |
| US08810344B2 |
Disconnector switch for voltage transformer
A disconnector unit for a medium voltage application, with a conductive pen inside a housing. The conductive pen is moveable between an operational position in which an electrical contact is provided between a first terminal and a second terminal positioned inside the housing, and an off position in which no electrical contact is present between the first terminal and the second terminal. The conductive pen includes a first actuating part inside the housing, optionally, in the form of a magnet. The disconnector unit further includes a second actuating part positioned outside the housing, wherein the first actuating part and second actuating part form a non-mechanical link. |
| US08810342B2 |
Electromagnetic relay
An electromagnetic relay includes a relay body, a connector and an electronic-component connection terminal. The connector is provided integrally with the relay body. The electronic-component connection terminal is disposed so as to protrude from the relay body. |
| US08810336B2 |
Reduced size cavity filters for pico base stations
An improved microwave cavity filter used in cellular communication systems such as base stations is disclosed. The cavity filter has a conductive housing forming a cavity therein and a hollow conductive resonator configured in the cavity with a folded hat shaped upper portion. A tuning screw extends from the top cover of the housing into the top folded hat portion of the hollow resonator to fine tune the resonator. The resonator also may preferably include two different diameter sections providing a first high impedance section with smaller diameter and a second lower impedance section with a larger diameter configured at an upper end of the resonator. This configuration provides a significantly smaller cavity height for a given power handling capability. The resonator is preferably of constant thickness allowing low cost stamping or other forming techniques to be used in forming the resonator. |
| US08810333B2 |
Multiband coupling architecture
A multiband coupling circuit including: a number of paths equal to the number of frequency bands, each path having a first terminal and a second terminal; a third terminal and a fourth terminal; a number of distributed couplers equal to the number of paths, all couplers being identical and sized according to the highest frequency band, and each coupler including a first conductive line between first and second ports connected to the first and second terminals of the concerned path, and a second conductive line coupled to the first one between third and fourth ports; a first set of attenuations between the third ports of the couplers and the third terminal of the circuit; and an array of filters between the fourth ports of the coupler and the fourth terminal of the circuit. |
| US08810330B2 |
DC power supply circuit, oscillator circuit and method for generating a DC power supply signal
A DC power supply circuit comprises an output configured to provide a power supply signal to an RF element for generating an RF output signal. Furthermore, the DC power supply circuit comprises an input configured to receive the RF output signal. The DC power supply circuit is configured to generate the DC power supply signal based on the received RF output signal. |
| US08810327B2 |
Vibrating member, vibrating device, and electronic apparatus
A vibrating member includes a base portion, a plurality of vibrating arms which extend from one end portion of the base portion, are provided in parallel in a first direction, and extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a linking portion which is provided between the base end portions of two adjacent vibrating arms and extends from the other end portion of the base portion, and a support portion which is connected to the base portion through the linking portion. |
| US08810321B2 |
Oscillator auto-trimming method and semiconductor device using the method
An oscillator auto-trimming method is provided. The oscillator auto-trimming method includes receiving, by a subtractor, a first count result and second count result to output a difference between the first count result and the second count result as an offset frequency, receiving, by a divider, the offset frequency to output a divided signal corresponding to a result of dividing the offset frequency by a reference offset frequency output from a micro control unit, and receiving, by the micro control unit, the divided signal and determine whether to change an oscillator frequency. |
| US08810320B1 |
Phase-locked loop runaway detector
In a circuit having a runaway detector coupled to a phase-locked loop (PLL), the PLL may include a loop filter to receive a control voltage within the PLL and provide a filtered control voltage and a voltage-controlled oscillator to receive the filtered control voltage and provide an output clock signal. The runaway detector may provide a control signal for adjusting the filtered control voltage in response to a predetermined PLL condition. The runaway detector may include a comparator to receive a first and second input voltages, where the second input voltage is based on the output clock signal. When the predetermined PLL condition exists, the runaway detector may be active to adjust the filtered control voltage, thereby enabling the PLL to return to a lock condition. |
| US08810319B1 |
Dual-stage continuous-time linear equalizer
One embodiment relates an equalizer which includes a first amplifier stage and a second amplifier stage. The first amplifier stage is configured to apply a first gain at a characteristic frequency while attenuating frequencies in a low frequency range. The second amplifier stage is configured to apply a second gain at the frequencies in the low frequency range. The first amplifier stage may be configured before the second amplifier stage, or vice versa. Another embodiment relates to a method of linear equalization. Another embodiment relates to an amplifier which may be used for linear equalization. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed. |
| US08810316B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a low noise amplifier with associated gain and input impedance
An apparatus with associated gain and input impedance includes gain devices, a switching unit and a resistor. A first differential pair of gain devices and associated bias circuitry is configured to operate in a full gain mode. A second differential pair of gain devices is configured to operate in a reduced gain mode. The switching unit is configured to disable the first differential pair of gain devices and enable the second differential pair of gain devices in the reduced gain mode and to disable the second differential pair of gain devices and enable the first differential pair of gain devices in the full gain mode. The resistor is configured to maintain constant input impedance of the apparatus when in the reduced gain mode. |
| US08810315B2 |
Differential amplifying circuit
A differential amplifying circuit includes: two metal oxide semiconductor transistors to form a differential pair and receive a differential signal; a plurality of capacitance elements coupled in series between drains of the two metal oxide semiconductor transistors; and an inductance circuit coupled between at least one connection node of the plurality of capacitance elements and a bias power terminal. |
| US08810313B2 |
Multi-band power amplifier
A power amplifier (20) for operation in at least a first and a second frequency band, wherein a center frequency f2 of the second frequency band is higher than a center frequency f1 of the first frequency band, is disclosed. The power amplifier (20) comprises a transistor (35) for amplifying an input signal of the power amplifier (20) and an output coupling network (45) for connecting the power amplifier to a resistive load (55). The output coupling network (45) is operatively connected to an output terminal (40) of the transistor (35), has an output terminal (50) for connection to said resistive load (55), and is configured such that, when the power amplifier (20) is connected to said resistive load (55), the power amplifier (20) is arranged to operate in class F for frequencies in one of the first and the second frequency bands, and operate in inverse class F for frequencies in the other one of the first and the second frequency band. A related radio transmitter circuit (10) and a related radio-communication apparatus (1,2) are also disclosed. |
| US08810312B2 |
Apparatus and method for improving performance in Doherty amplifier
An apparatus and an operating method of an asymmetric Doherty power amplifier. A Doherty power amplifier apparatus includes a power divider configured to provide a power signal to a carrier amplifier and a peaking amplifier. The apparatus also includes the carrier amplifier configured to amplify a power of the signal input from the power divider. The apparatus further includes the peaking amplifier configured to have a maximum output power magnitude different from the carrier amplifier and amplify the power of the signal input from the power divider. The apparatus still further includes at least two offset transmission lines disposed at ends of the carrier amplifier and the peaking amplifier and configured to regulate a load impedance. The apparatus also includes an output combiner configured to combine and output outputs of the carrier amplifier and the peaking amplifier of different sizes. |
| US08810307B2 |
Apparatus and method for tuning a GM-C filter
An apparatus to control a tuneable Gm-C filter, including and a filter that can be reconfigured as a free running oscillator by toggling the feedback sign of an output amplifier (304), a digital controller (42), sensitive to the output of the filter in the calibration configuration, and a DAC (44) to provide an analogue control signal (48) to the gm inputs of the transconductance amplifiers (310, 320) composing the filter. |
| US08810302B2 |
Low voltage isolation switch, in particular for a transmission channel for ultrasound applications
A low voltage isolation circuit is coupled between an input terminal for receiving a high voltage signal and an output terminal for transmitting the high voltage signal to a load. The isolation circuit includes a driving block; having a first driving transistor coupled between a first voltage reference and an intermediate node and a second driving transistor coupled between the intermediate node and a second voltage reference; an isolation block connected between the input and output terminals and, through a protection block to the intermediate node. The protection block includes first and second protection transistors (MD1, coupled in anti-series to each other and having control terminals receiving complementary protection driving signals. The isolation block includes a voltage limiter block, a diode block and a control transistor connected across the diode block between the input and output terminals and having a control terminal connected to the intermediate node through the protection block. |
| US08810300B2 |
Wave clocking
Embodiments provide systems and methods for dynamically regulating the clock frequency of an integrated circuit (IC) based on the IC supply voltage. By doing so, the clock frequency is no longer constrained by a worst-case voltage level, and a higher effective clock frequency can be supported, increasing the IC performance. Embodiments include a wave clocking system which uses a plurality of delay chains configured to match substantially the delays of respective logic paths of the IC. As the delays of the logic paths vary with supply voltage and temperature changes, the delay chains matched to the logic paths experience substantially similar changes and are used to regulate the clock frequency of the IC. |
| US08810299B2 |
Signal flow control through clock signal rate adjustments
Control circuitry and adjustable clock signal generation circuitry is provided to control the signal transmission rate for electronic devices and systems of electronic devices. The control circuitry may receive status signals indicating current clock rates of a signal transmitting and receiving circuit as well as current processing capacity from the signal receiving circuit. The control circuitry may then generate control signals which control adjustable clock signal generation circuitry. The adjustable clock signal generation circuitry may be used to adjust the rate of generated clock signals for the signal transmitting and receiving circuits which can increase or decrease the signal transmission rate between those circuits. |
| US08810294B2 |
Balanced auxiliary on time generator for multiphase stackable constant on time control architecture
A control circuit configured to control a switching power supply including a ramp generator configured to generate a triangular waveform. A comparator is configured to generate a series of pulse width modulated (PWM) pulses at a first frequency and to regulate the switching power supply. The ramp generator includes a capacitor, a charging current source configured to provide a charging current to charge the capacitor, and a discharging current source configured to provide a discharging current to discharge the capacitor. The ramp generator also includes a closed loop current balancing current source configured to balance the currents from the charging and discharging current sources to establish a substantially zero direct current (DC) bias across the capacitor. The controller also includes a multi-phase configuration to provide a stackable multi-channel architecture. |
| US08810281B2 |
Sense amplifiers including bias circuits
Sense amplifiers including bias circuits are described. Examples include bias circuits having an adjustable width transistor. A loop gain of the bias circuit may be determined in part by the adjustable width of the transistor. Examples of sense amplifiers including amplifier stages configured to bias an input/output node to a reference voltage. |
| US08810280B2 |
Low leakage spare gates for integrated circuits
Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with spare gates are described. In one embodiment, a spare gate in an integrated circuit has a disconnected discharge path to minimize or eliminate current leakage. |
| US08810273B1 |
Apparatus and methodology for instantaneous AC line fault detection
Provided is an apparatus that includes sensors configured to ascertain two or more alternating current voltage signals. In some aspects, a first AC voltage is sensed at a resistor branch and a second AC voltage is sensed at a resistor-capacitor branch. A processor is configured to transform the two alternating current voltage signals into two instantaneous direct current voltage values. Analysis of at least one direct current value is performed to determine whether or not the instantaneous RMS line voltage is within or outside the range of the required (or expected) RMS line voltage. If the direct current value indicates that the line voltage is outside the expected RMS voltage value, it is determined that an alternating current line fault has occurred or is occurring. |
| US08810271B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing photovoltaic devices
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus used for simulating spectrum of solar radiation and testing a photovoltaic device using the simulated spectrum of solar radiation. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a light-source device configured to reproducing spectrum of solar radiation, the light-source device comprising a radiation plate divided into a plurality of cells, and each of the cells comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes emitting at least two different wavelengths, and a substrate support disposed opposite to the light-source device. In one example, the plurality of light-emitting diodes emit a wavelength that is selected from the group consisting of colors blue, green, yellow, red, a first and a second color in infrared having different wavelengths with respect to each other. |
| US08810270B2 |
Wafer probe station capable of actively controlling tilt of chuck and controlling method thereof
The wafer probe station includes: a plurality of the pressure sensors; a tilt correction unit which is constructed with a plurality of actuators, a plurality of displacement sensors which are disposed at positions adjacent to the corresponding actuators and a microcomputer; and a control unit which allows the wafer to be come in contact with the probe card by lifting up a Z-axis stage by a predetermined overdriving amount, extracts the pressure values of the installation positions from the pressure sensors, calculates driving amounts of the actuators of the tilt correction unit by using the pressure values so that a uniform load is applied to the chuck, calculates X and Y directional displacement values w occurring according to a change in a tilt of the chuck, lifts down the Z-axis stage, and after that, corrects an eccentric load of the chuck by driving the actuators of the tilt correction unit according to the driving amounts, and controls movement of the XY-axis stage by using the X and Y directional displacement values w. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately sense an eccentric load occurring at the time of performing the overdriving, and it is possible to rapidly and accurately perform initial setting for the eccentric load by adjusting a tilt of the chuck, so that it is possible to reduce a read time of a testing process. |
| US08810269B2 |
Method of testing a semiconductor structure
An integrated circuit (IC) comprises routing circuitry including a plurality of signal line segments in routing layers of the IC, and a plurality of micro-bump contacts coupled to the routing circuitry. The IC includes a plurality of test circuits coupled to respective subsets of the plurality of signal line segments. Each test circuit is configured to connect micro-bump contacts in the respective subset to form first and second sets of daisy chains. Each test circuit is configured to test the first and second sets of daisy chains for open circuits and test for short circuits between the first and second sets of daisy chains. Each test circuit is configured to determine the locations of detected open circuits and determine the locations of detected short circuits. |
| US08810268B2 |
Built-in self-test circuit for liquid crystal display source driver
A built-in self-test (BIST) circuit for a liquid crystal display (LCD) source driver includes at least one digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and at least one buffer coupled to the respective DAC, wherein the buffer is reconfigurable as a comparator. A first input signal and a second input signal are coupled to the comparator. The first input signal is a predetermined reference voltage level. The second input signal is a test offset voltage in a test range. |
| US08810266B2 |
Spray cooling thermal management system and method for semiconductor probing, diagnostics, and failure analysis
A micro-spray cooling system beneficial for use in testers of electrically stimulated integrated circuit chips is disclosed. The system includes micro-spray heads disposed about a probe head. The spray heads and probe head are disposed in a sealed manner inside a spray chamber that, during operation, is urged in a sealing manner onto a sealing plate holding the integrated circuit under test. The atomized mist cools the integrated circuit and then condenses on the spray chamber wall. The condensed fluid is pumped out of the chamber and is circulated in a chiller, so as to be re-circulated and injected again into the micro-spray heads. The pressure inside the spray chamber may be controlled to provide a desired boiling point. |
| US08810264B2 |
Methods and devices for sensing corrosion under insulation (CUI)
A method of sensing corrosion of a pipe covered by a layer of insulation comprises positioning a CUI sensor radially adjacent an outer surface of the pipe. The CUI sensor comprises a non-conductive base having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. In addition, the CUI sensor comprises a first test circuit mounted to the base. The first test circuit includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and a first testing element extending between the first conductor and the second conductor. Further, the method comprises exposing the first testing element to the same environment as the outer surface of the pipe. Still further, the method comprises determining whether the first testing element has corroded through. Moreover, the method comprises assessing whether corrosion of the pipe has occurred based on the determination of whether the first testing element has corroded through. |
| US08810259B2 |
Method of inspection of sealed capsules with a process of determination of the quality of the seal and related equipment for in-line inspection
An exemplary embodiment of this invention relates to a method of inspection of a filled hard capsule sealed with a solvent sealing agent, including a process for determining the quality of the seal. The process may include: supplying a filled hard capsule sealed with a solvent sealing agent; supplying a microwave resonator wherein a measuring field having a resonance curve is generated; directing the capsule through the measuring field; measuring characteristics related to the modification of the resonance curve produced by the presence of the capsule in the measuring field, in comparison with a reference resonance curve corresponding to an empty state of the resonator; and using the measured characteristics to determine a value associated with the quality of the seal. Other exemplary embodiments of this invention relates to a method for sorting capsules on the basis of the result of the inspection method and to an associated equipment able to carry out such methods. |
| US08810257B2 |
Signal measurement systems and methods
Signal measuring systems, and measurement methods are disclosed. |
| US08810253B2 |
Characterization of electrical power distribution systems using characterization matrices
Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for characterizing an electrical power distribution system are disclosed. One method includes applying a plurality of test signals to a first plurality of test points of the electrical power distribution system, measuring a plurality of response signals at a second plurality of test points of the electrical distribution system, deriving a characterization matrix for the electrical power distribution system from the plurality of test signals and response signals, and characterizing the electrical power distribution system based on the derived characterization matrix. |
| US08810251B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for locating faults on an electrical distribution network
Certain embodiments of the invention include systems, methods, and apparatus for locating faults on an electrical distribution network. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for locating faults on an electrical distribution network. The method can include monitoring, by one or more smart meters, a plurality of voltage values associated with the electrical distribution network; and when one or more of the plurality of monitored voltage values are detected to be less than or equal to a predetermined voltage for a specified time: storing at least a portion of monitored line voltage values; indicating a detected fault by transmitting one or more messages from the one or more smart meters or line sensors to a central station receiver, and determining a fault location based at least in part on the one or more messages and a topological and electrical model of the electrical distribution network. |
| US08810249B2 |
E-field sensor arrays for interactive gaming, computer interfaces, machine vision, medical imaging, and geological exploration CIP
A 3D Motional Command System (MCS) is disclosed for interactive gaming, computer interfaces, communications, imaging, and geological exploration. The system can perform standoff gesture recognition and also function as touch-screens. E-field sensors and array topologies are disclosed comprised of FET discrete transistors. The designs facilitate the fabrication of high density sensor arrays similar to LCD displays. The system can be used in portable and wearable electronic devices. Uses are for PC computers, portable devices, and gaming systems such as the Wii. Other applications include wireless connection of sensor and audio data from a simple headphone jack output. |
| US08810241B2 |
Methods for detecting damage to magnetoresistive sensors
A system and method for detecting a damaged magnetoresistive sensor includes measuring a median DiffPN value of a group of GMR sensors on a module, the sensors characterized as having been deposited on a same wafer and having been lapped as a single unit; comparing the DiffPN values to the median; determining that physical and/or magnetic damage has occurred to an individual sensor if the difference in the DiffPN value of the individual sensor from the median is greater than a statistically predetermined value for the group of sensors; where the difference is at least one times the average of the standard deviations of a large number of normal modules or the average of the standard deviations of a large number of modules, wherein at least the largest and the smallest DiffPN value within the module is not included in the calculation of the module's standard deviation. |
| US08810239B2 |
Angle sensor
Disclosed is an angle sensor, which is capable of accurately measuring an angle of a steering shaft by selecting an optimum gear ratio between main and subsidiary gears constituting the angle sensor, measures a rotation amount of a vehicle steering shaft, and includes a ring-shaped main gear rotating along with the steering shaft, a first subsidiary gear rotated by rotation of the main gear and having a magnet coupled to a surface thereof, and a magnetic device detecting a change in magnetic field of the magnet and outputting data on a rotation amount, so that the first subsidiary gear rotates four times while the main gear rotates once, and a value of a scale factor is minimized during a process of acquiring valid data for measuring the angle of the main gear and thereby an error of a measured value is minimized. |
| US08810235B2 |
Current sensor and method for manufacturing sensor module for use in current sensor
A current sensor for outputting a detection signal corresponding to a current flowing through a bus bar. The current sensor includes a magnetic core that concentrates and amplifies magnetic flux generated by the current near a detection portion of the bus bar. A magnetic detection element detects the magnetic flux concentrated by the magnetic core and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the detected magnetic flux. A signal processing circuit includes electronic components and processes the electrical signal output from the magnetic detection element to generate the detection signal. A lead frame holds the magnetic detection element and the electronic components. The magnetic detection element, electronic components, and lead frame are combined to form a single sensor module. The current sensor detects the current flowing through the bus bar with the sensor module and outputs the detection signal. |
| US08810233B2 |
Phase identification system and method
A phase identification system includes a power distribution station and a phase detection device. The power distribution station includes a phase distortion device for generating voltage distortions of a known harmonic frequency in at least one of three phase voltage signals of the power distribution station. The phase detection is configured to receive at least one of distorted three phase voltage signals and to identify a phase of the received voltage signal. The phase detection device includes a delay circuit to generate a phase shifted voltage signal of the received voltage signal and a transformation module to transform the received voltage signal and the phase shifted voltage signal into d-q domain voltage signals of a known harmonic frequency reference frame. A phase determination module in the phase detection device determine the phase of the received voltage signal by comparing an amplitude of a harmonic of the known harmonic frequency in the received voltage signal with a threshold value. |
| US08810232B2 |
Momentarily enabled electronic device
A method and apparatus for providing intermittent or interruptible power to an electronic device. The circuit may provide power upon user initiation and interrupt that power in response to a user command, fault state, period of inactivity and so forth. As one example, interruptible power may be initially provided to activate or “power up” an electronic device and constant power provided after the initial activation. The initial powering up of the device may be facilitated by closing two contacts. The circuit may continue to provide power after the button is released through a monitoring and/or feedback mechanism. |
| US08810231B2 |
System and method for switching voltage regulator to reduce ripple in output voltage
A system and method for controlling ripple in an output voltage of a switching regulator is described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a ramp circuit to selectively charge and discharge a ramp capacitor. The ramp capacitor provides a ramp voltage. The ramp voltage is selectively added to the output voltage to generate a summation voltage. The summation voltage is compared to a reference voltage to generate a control signal. An input voltage is coupled to an LC circuit based on the control signal. The LC circuit provides the output voltage. The input voltage is selectively coupled to the LC circuit when the ramp capacitor is selectively charged. |
| US08810230B2 |
Power supply device and semiconductor device
Switching loss is reduced by decreasing the switching frequency of a PFC power supply in light load condition, whereas the switching frequency is maintained high in heavy load operation. Efficiency in light load operation is thus improved without enlarging a boosting inductor and an output smoothing capacitor. A capacitor is provided in a triangular wave generating circuit and the triangular wave generating circuit outputs a triangular wave by charging and discharging this capacitor. Charging and discharging of the capacitor are controlled by an oscillation frequency control circuit output current which is input to a comparator. |
| US08810229B2 |
DC/DC converter
In a DC/DC converter, a control circuit determines an upper limit value of an inductor current based on a load current and an input dc voltage, and changes at least one of an on time and an off time of a switching element in such a manner that the detected inductor current does not exceed the upper limit value. |
| US08810228B2 |
Method for correcting current of PWM converter
The present invention relates to a method for compensating a current of a DC/DC converter that detects an average value of a pulsatory current that is output as a chopping wave form from an inductor that is used in a DC/DC converter to compensate an offset value in real time. A method for compensating a current of a DC/DC converter can include analyzing a PWM signal for a switching DC-DC converter, if the PWM signal is on, comparing a delay time with a rise half cycle size between a detected current and a real current that is output by an inductor, calculating a current variation amount and determining an offset compensation value for compensating a current variation amount according to the comparison result of the rise half cycle size and the delay time, and applying the offset compensation value to compensate the detected current of the inductor. |
| US08810221B2 |
System, method and apparatus for controlling converters using input-output linearization
A system, method and apparatus for controlling boost and buck-boost converters using input-output linearization and leading-edge modulation is provided. The controller includes a summing circuit connected to the converter to create a third voltage representing a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage. A gain circuit is connected to the summing circuit to adjust the third voltage by an appropriate gain. A modulating circuit is connected to the gain circuit, the converter, the first voltage, the second voltage and the second current to create a control signal based on the first voltage, the second voltage, the adjusted third voltage, the fourth voltage and the first current. The control signal is used to control the converter. Typically, the first voltage is a converter output voltage, the second voltage is a reference voltage, the fourth voltage is a converter input voltage, and first current is a converter inductor current. |
| US08810220B2 |
Power supply device, a processing chip for a digital microphone and related digital microphone
A power supply device, a processing chip for a digital microphone and related digital microphone are described herein. In one aspect, a power supply device includes: at least two cascaded low-dropout linear regulators. In another aspect, a processing chip for digital microphone includes a processing module and a power supply module, wherein the power supply modules includes at least two cascaded low dropout linear regulators. In another aspect, a digital microphone includes a microphone and a processing chip, wherein the processing chip includes a processing module and a power supply module, wherein the power module includes at least two cascaded low-dropout linear regulators. Embodiments described herein provide a power supply device with higher PSRR. |
| US08810213B2 |
Power control method and apparatus for tracking maximum power point in a photovoltaic system
A power control method for tracking a Maximum Power Point (MPP) in a photovoltaic system including a solar cell and a boost converter. The power control method includes finding the MPP by applying a continuous ON/OFF signal to the boost converter as a first control signal for controlling a duty ratio of the boost converter, and maintaining an operating point of the photovoltaic system at the MPP by applying a second control signal for controlling the duty ratio to the boost converter depending on a constant-voltage command. In tracking an MPP in a photovoltaic system, an MPPT algorithm may remain at the MPP, without self oscillation, improving fast dynamic characteristics upon a change in solar radiation. |
| US08810207B2 |
Communication systems and methods for transmitting communications between a charge system and an AC adapter
Communications systems and methods for transmitting communications between a charge system and an AC adapter are disclosed. In one embodiment, a communication system comprises an AC adapter disconnect switch that is switchable between coupling and decoupling an AC adapter DC output voltage to the charge system and a charge controller configured to modulate the AC adapter disconnect switch between coupling and decoupling to provide a communication signal to the AC adapter. |
| US08810205B2 |
Charging device for vehicle
An electric power reception terminal is configured such that it can electrically be connected to an AC power supply. A charger is configured to convert AC power input from the electric power reception terminal to a prescribed DC voltage. A non-contact electric power reception portion is configured to receive electric power in a non-contact manner from an AC power supply as a result of magnetic coupling to an electric power transmission portion of the AC power supply. The non-contact electric power reception portion is connected to an electric power conversion circuit of the charger. A charge ECU compares conductive-reception electric power with non-contact-reception electric power, and controls the charger to perform charging by using any greater one of the conductive-reception electric power and the non-contact-reception electric power, based on a result of comparison. |
| US08810203B2 |
Battery control device and battery control method
A power storage device has a NaS battery for storing electric power, a Hall current detector for measuring charge/discharge current value I of the NaS battery, a bidirectional converter for converting electric power between a direct current and an alternating current bidirectionally, and a controller for controlling the power storage device. The controller integrates the charge/discharge current value I of the NaS battery and calculates the calculated value of the discharge capacity in the NaS battery. The controller calculates estimated error Er(t2) of the calculated value of the discharge capacity, specifies NaS battery 1004 that requires the correction of the calculated value of the discharge capacity, charges/discharges the NaS battery to a depth of discharge at which the calculated value of the discharge capacity is corrected, and corrects the calculated value of the discharge capacity in the charged/discharged NaS battery. |
| US08810196B2 |
Inductive charger and charging method
A charger for inductively charging one or more battery powered appliances simultaneously includes an external unit configured to inductively provide power to the battery powered appliances. The external unit includes two or more primary coil pairs that are arranged in a circular pattern; an AC power source for providing an alternating current (AC) to the primary coil pairs for generating a rotating magnetic field between respective primary coils of the primary coil pairs; and a processor for driving the AC power source. The one or more battery powered appliances are configured to be arranged inside the circular pattern of the external unit. Further, each appliance includes a secondary coil for enclosing part of the magnetic field and, in response, generating a current for charging the battery of the appliance. |
| US08810195B2 |
Electronic device, battery charger, and electronic device battery-charging system
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device capable of receiving payment of a charge required for a charging process even though a secondary battery of the electronic device ran into an overdischarge state and also extricating itself from the overdischarge state, and a charger used for the same. A charger (3) executes a power transmission before it conducts a proximity noncontact communication with an electronic device (2), continues this power transmission until a preliminary charging stop notification signal is sent from the electronic device (2), and conducts the proximity noncontact communication regarding to a billing process with the electronic device (2) when the preliminary charging stop notification signal is sent. After the communication regarding to the billing process is ended, the charger (3) gives a charge of electricity to the electronic device (2) again. The electronic device (2) charges a secondary battery (28) by using the power transmission, then executes the charging up to a level at which the proximity noncontact communication regarding to the billing process can be conducted, then conducts the proximity noncontact communication regarding to the billing process with the charger (3), and then restarts the power transmission from the charger (3) to execute the charging until the secondary battery (28) is fully charged. In this manner, the noncontact charging and the proximity noncontact communication are executed between the electronic device (2) and the charger (3) in a time-division system. |
| US08810193B2 |
Charging apparatus having gas generation detector and charging method for the same
A charging apparatus for charging a cell group, in which a plurality of secondary cells are connected in series, by supplying a charging current Ic to the secondary cells is provided with an overcharge protection circuit including discharge route circuits 34 provided to each of the secondary cells and adapted to cause the secondary cells to discharge during charging by connecting the secondary cells to the discharge route circuits based on cell voltages Vb of the secondary cells or to stop discharging by cutting off the secondary cells from the discharge route circuits; and a charger controller for continuing charging while reducing the charging current Ic until the discharge of the secondary cell having started discharging to the discharge route circuit is stopped when the discharge of any one of the secondary cells to the discharge route circuit is started by the overcharge protection circuit. |
| US08810187B2 |
Method and apparatus for misstep detection and recovery in a stepper motor
A stepper motor system and apparatus use a position-feedback device, which may have a resolution capability as low as 200 counts per motor shaft revolution, for misstep detection and motor step recovery. In use of the system, position deviation is computed periodically and cyclically, by subtracting the feedback position from the corresponding commanded position, to determine the load angle, implicitly, and the operating status of the motor. If the load angle is within an established allowable range of values, normal stepper operation along the programmed trajectory is maintained, without adjustment. A load angle that exceeds the limits of that range however indicates that a misstep has occurred, and the system controller initiates immediate action to recover lost motor steps, to reestablish synchronism, and to then continue toward the final target position, with minimal loss of time. |
| US08810186B2 |
Motor drive device, timepiece device, and electronic device
A motor drive device includes a charging detection and reverse current prevention portion and a pulse selection control portion. The charging detection and reverse current prevention portion detects a charging state of a secondary battery that is charged by an electromotive force of a solar battery, the charging state indicating whether the secondary battery is being charged. The pulse selection control portion causes a first drive pulse for driving a motor to be generated and, in a case where the charging state that is detected by the charging detection and reverse current prevention portion is different after the first drive pulse has been output from what it was before the first drive pulse was output, causes a second drive pulse for driving the motor to be generated. |
| US08810185B2 |
Drive circuit and method
A stepping motor includes two coils. A driver circuit drives the stepping motor by setting dissimilar phases of supply currents to these two coils. One terminal of one coil is connected to ground and another terminal is set to a high impedance state, and an induced voltage generated at that coil is detected as a voltage with respect to ground. Then, in accordance with the state of the detected induced voltage, the magnitude of motor drive current supplied to the two coils is controlled. |
| US08810184B2 |
Motor driving circuit and motor driving system
The characteristic is defined by a characteristic line that connects a lowest point at which the duty of the PWM signal is a minimum value and the rotation command signal is a minimum rotation command signal, and a highest point at which the duty of the PWM signal is a maximum value and the rotation command signal is a maximum rotation command signal. The duty calculating circuit updates the characteristic so that the characteristic line passes through a first control point at which the duty of the PWM signal is a value set based on the first setting signal and the rotation command signal is a first rotation command signal between the minimum rotation command signal and the maximum rotation command signal. |
| US08810183B2 |
PWM signal output circuit
A PWM-signal-output circuit includes a detecting unit to detect periods in which a speed signal with logic level changing alternately and having a period corresponding to a motor-rotation speed is at one and the other logic levels, a dividing unit to divide each of the periods into first to third periods; a first output unit to change a PWM-signal duty-cycle in a stepwise manner toward an input-signal duty-cycle in the first period, a second output unit to cause a PWM-signal duty-cycle to become equal to an input-signal duty-cycle, to maintain a current flowing through the motor coil constant, in the second period; and a third output unit to change a PWM-signal duty-cycle in a stepwise manner from an input-signal duty-cycle, to decrease a current flowing through the motor coil, in the third period. |
| US08810177B2 |
System and method for implementing a remedial electrical short
A vehicle includes a polyphase, permanent magnet synchronous electric machine, DC and AC buses, a battery module, a traction power inverter module (TPIM), and a controller. The controller, which is in communication with the TPIM, executes a method to detect a fault condition, fixes the pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycles of all phases of the electric machine to 50% such that all phases switch simultaneously, and applies a polyphase OPEN state to the AC bus in response to the detected fault condition. The controller then transitions to a polyphase SHORT state by automatically inserting an adjustable deadtime at each PWM switching transition of the TPIM over a calculated ramp duration, thereby transitioning from an initial deadtime to a minimum deadtime over the calculated ramp duration. The transition reduces peak overshoot of the negative d-axis current of the machine during the fault condition. |
| US08810176B2 |
Converter control device for vehicle
A boost control section for controlling a converter includes a PI control section and a resonance suppression section. The PI control section calculates a basic command value based on a deviation between a drive voltage generated by the converter and a target voltage to equalize the drive voltage and the target voltage. The resonance suppression section calculates, based on the state of variation of the drive voltage, a correction value for correcting the basic command value to suppress the variation. The basic command value is corrected by adding the correction value. First and second drive pulses corresponding to the corrected command value are outputted to the converter. |
| US08810173B2 |
Rotating machinery condition monitoring using position sensor
Continuous monitoring and fault diagnosis of rotating machinery during variable speed operation is performed using only a position feedback signal. The position sensor generates a periodic waveform having multiple pulses per revolution of the machine. A circuit is included to detect, for example, a zero crossing or edge of the periodic waveform. At each detected zero crossing or edge, the time and position of the event is stored in memory. Other data, such as the current in the motor, may also be sampled and stored in memory. Because the sampled data is triggered by repeated feature of the position feedback signal, the sampled data is in a stationary reference frame in the position domain. Frequency analysis is performed on the sampled data, and the frequency components present in either the sampled signal are analyzed to identify the presence of a fault in the rotating machinery. |
| US08810170B2 |
Methods and apparatus for electric motor controller protection
A method for monitoring input power to an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The method includes determining, with a processing device, an average input current to the motor, the average input current based on a voltage drop across a shunt resistor in series with the motor, measuring an average input voltage applied to the motor utilizing the processing device, multiplying the average input current by the average voltage to determine an approximate input power, and communicating the average input power to an external interface. |
| US08810169B2 |
Method and system for estimating rotor angle of an electric machine
Position samples are stored from an encoder coupled to a permanent magnet electric machine. A data processor determines first changes in position between successive position samples and second changes between successive first changes in position. A data processor determines whether each first change in position is generally increasing, decreasing or constant. A corrective motion factor is applied to each stored position sample based on whether the first change in position is generally increasing or decreasing. The data processor estimates a final rotor angle of the electric machine based on a particular one of the position samples and a corresponding first change in position associated with the particular one of the position samples corresponding to a respective time. |
| US08810164B2 |
Vehicle door opening/closing control device
In a vehicle door, an opening/closing control device is provided. In the device, a controller is connected to an input current path connected to a vehicle battery. By a switching relay circuit, electricity is supplied from the vehicle battery to a closing motor or a release motor selectively. Between the switching relay circuit and the closing motor, a closing relay circuit is provided. If electricity is supplied to the closing motor, the closing relay circuit will be switched to ON where electricity is supplied to the closing motor or OFF where electricity is not supplied to the closing motor. |
| US08810162B2 |
Low cost LED driver with improved serial bus
An LED driver IC for driving external strings of LEDs comprises a prefix register and a data register connected in series with each other and with the prefix and data registers in other driver ICs. The prefix and data registers of the driver ICs are connected in a daisy chain arrangement with an interface IC. The interface IC loads data identifying a functional latch into the prefix register and data defining a functional condition into the data register of each driver IC. The data in the data register is then transferred to the functional latch to control the functional condition within the LED driver IC. |
| US08810161B2 |
Addressable array of field emission devices
Field emission devices are configured in addressable arrays. |
| US08810160B2 |
Switched mode power converter and method of operating the same
A switched mode power converter is disclosed, together with a method for operating the same. The power converter is adapted to be operable in the boundary conduction mode, and operation is interruptible in the absence of any load requirement. |
| US08810156B2 |
LED driver systems and methods
A light-emitting diode (LED) driver system includes a control circuit that provides a waveform for driving a power transistor to generate a regulated current through one or more LEDs, and an error amplifier that generates an output compensation signal based on a comparison of a desired regulated current and an actual regulated current through the one or more LEDs. The output compensation signal is used to set an output compensation voltage that sets the duty cycle of the waveform. The LED driver system further comprises a dimming control device configured during a dimming control mode to alternate between dimming-on time periods and dimming-off time periods, and a sample and hold switch having a first state for holding the output compensation voltage fixed during each dimming-off time period, and a second state for restoring the error amplifier to its previous dimming-on operating state upon returning to each subsequent dimming-on time period. |
| US08810155B2 |
Illumination light communication device, and illumination apparatus and system including same
An illumination light communication device includes a power supply unit controlling a load current in a light source unit to be maintained constant based on a dimming signal; an impedance unit series connected to the light source unit; a switch element parallel connected to the impedance unit to connect/disconnect the impedance unit with the light source unit; and a control unit controlling on/off of the switch element to modulate a light intensity of the light source unit such that a binary communication signal is superimposed on illumination light therefrom. The control unit controls the impedance of the impedance unit such that a difference between magnitudes of the load currents respectively when the pulse of the communication signal is superimposed and is not superimposed is maintained constant regardless of a dimming rate of the dimming signal in a range of a dimming rate equal to or greater than a predetermined level. |
| US08810152B2 |
Light emitting diode module
A light emitting diode module includes a circuit board, a light-emitting-diode (LED) unit, a light-adjusting unit and a conductive trace. The LED unit is directly mounted on the circuit board. The light-adjusting unit is directly mounted on the circuit board at a position distinct from a mounting portion of the LED unit on the circuit board, and is operable to adjust electric current flowing through the LED unit. The conductive trace is disposed on the circuit board for electrically connecting the LED unit to the light-adjusting unit. |
| US08810148B2 |
Surge-proof interface circuit
In examples of the embodiment, a surge-proof interface circuit (100) comprises a rectifier circuit (20) which is configured to produce a rectified rectifier output voltage at the rectifier output terminals (20c, 20d), in accordance with a rectifier input voltage at the rectifier input terminals (20a, 20b), and a Darlington circuit (30) which comprises at least two transistors (Q3, Q4). Said Darlington circuit (30) comprises a current path (35) which can be controlled on the output side in accordance with a control signal (62) and said current path (35) which can be controlled on the output side is coupled between the rectifier output connections (20c, 20d). |
| US08810144B2 |
Driver circuits for dimmable solid state lighting apparatus
A voltage regulator for generating a housekeeping voltage in a high voltage power supply circuit includes a charging switch coupled to a high voltage node and to a storage device at an output node, and a control voltage regulation circuit coupled to the charging switch and configured to cause the charging switch to generate a current pulse for charging the storage device. |
| US08810143B2 |
Dimmer system and control system and method thereof
A control system includes a detection circuit, a control circuit, and a dummy load system. The detection circuit is operable to detect a voltage level change of a direct-current voltage and output an activating signal when detecting the voltage level change of the DC voltage. The control circuit is operable to receive the activating signal. The dummy load system is electrically connected to the control circuit, and the control circuit controls the dummy load system by generating a turn-on signal in response to receiving the activating signal. A dimmer system and a control method thereof are further disclosed herein. |
| US08810142B2 |
Waveform detection and combined step and linear dim control
The present invention relates to a detection circuit (100) capable to detect a rectified phase-cut or sinusoidal wave-form using its duty cycle or average value and in response, to select the respective dim mode amongst the linear phase-cut and step-dimming. The circuit (100) receives the rectified waveform with its duty cycle, which is derived through a comparator (22, 24) and converted into a DC signal. The latter which is controlled by the duty cycle is then compared to a reference level (40) through another comparator (20) that, in response, supplies a signal controlling a switching device (30). The switching device (30) will be thus automatically connected either to one set signal level when the DC signal is greater than the reference level (40), namely when the circuit (100) detects a rectified sinusoidal waveform, or to the same level as the DC signal when the DC signal is less than the reference level (40), namely when the circuit (100) detects a rectified phase-cut waveform. |
| US08810141B2 |
Illumination light control apparatus and LED illumination system
An LED illumination system comprises a light control apparatus, and an LED illumination instrument including first and second LEDs. The light control apparatus includes: a first control unit determining a total amount of average currents to be supplied to the first and the second LEDs at every predetermined cycle depending on an operation amount of a first operation unit; a second control unit determining a ratio between the average currents to be supplied to the first and second LEDs respectively at the every predetermined cycle depending on an operation amount of a second operation unit; and a supply unit generating currents having the total amount of the average currents and the ratio between the average currents determined by the first and second control units at the every predetermined cycle by using a DC power source and supplying the currents to the LED illumination instrument. |
| US08810140B2 |
AC LED lamp involving an LED string having separately shortable sections
An LED lamp includes a rectifier, an integrated circuit and a string of series-connected LEDs. The lamp receives an incoming AC signal such that a rectified version of the signal is present across the LED string. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of power switches. Each power switch is coupled so that it can separately and selectably short out a corresponding one of several groups of LEDs in the string. As the voltage across the string increases the integrated circuit controls the power switches such that the number of LEDs through which current flows increases, whereas as the voltage across the string decreases the integrated circuit controls the power switches such that the number of LEDs through which current flows decreases. LED string current flow is controlled and regulated to provide superior efficiency, reliability, anti-flicker, regulation against line voltage variations, power factor correction, and lamp over-voltage, over-current, and over-temperature protection. |
| US08810139B2 |
Display device and emitting driver for the same
A light emitting driving apparatus includes light emitting driving blocks respectively having a first node applied with a second light emitting power source voltage, a second node applied with the first light emitting power source voltage, the second node being coupled to a relay signal output terminal outputting a relay signal, a third node applied with the first light emitting power source voltage, and applied with a third light emitting power source voltage, the third node being coupled to a reverse light emitting signal output terminal outputting a reverse light emitting signal, a first transistor turned on by a voltage of the first node to transmit the second light emitting power source voltage to a light emitting signal output terminal, and a second transistor turned on by a voltage of the second node to transmit the first light emitting power source voltage to the light emitting signal output terminal. |
| US08810138B2 |
Apparatus and method of energy efficient illumination
An illumination system correlates solar time to a clock and controls lighting or illumination based on time. The illumination system may turn ON light source(s) at a first level at a turn ON time, correlated to be around or at dusk, and turn OFF light source(s) at a turn OFF time, correlated to be around or at dawn. The illumination system may reduce a level of light output, and hence power consumption, at a time after turning ON a light source, and increases the level of light output at a time prior to turning OFF the light source. Turn ON, turn OFF, decrease and increase times may be determined based on recent levels of light or illumination in the environment, for example via average or median levels over a number of previous daily cycles. Filtering may eliminate aberrant events. |
| US08810137B2 |
Illumination control system for motion and daylight in large structures
A cost effective illumination control system calculating motion and daylight or surrounding light inputs, particularly in large structures where the light distribution is not uniform across time. The system divides the structure into zones each having input capability with regard to occupation and background light levels. Each zone being able to make independent decisions with regard to control of lighting levels in the zone, yet the zones being able to cooperate in a coordinated fashion to provide uniform lighting to the structure as a whole. |
| US08810136B2 |
LED drive circuit
An LED drive circuit that can increase the amount of light with a compact structure. This circuit includes series-connected LEDs, first and second DC power supplies connected in series so as to apply a forward bias to the LEDs, a coil that is series-connected with the LEDs and can accumulate energy from current generated by the DC power supplies, a rectifying element whose cathode is connected between the DC power supplies, a transfer switching element connected to the anode of the rectifying element, and a control apparatus for controlling the transfer switching element. A first closed circuit is formed by the LEDs, the DC power supplies, and the coil when the transfer switching element is switched on by the control apparatus, and a second closed circuit is formed by the LEDs, the second DC power supply, the coil, and the rectifying element when the transfer switching element is switched off. |
| US08810134B2 |
Harmonic cold plasma device and associated methods
A method for generating atmospheric pressure cold plasma inside a hand-held unit discharges cold plasma with simultaneously different rf wavelengths and their harmonics. The unit includes an rf tuning network that is powered by a low-voltage power supply connected to a series of high-voltage coils and capacitors. The rf energy signal is transferred to a primary containment chamber and dispersed through an electrode plate network of various sizes and thicknesses to create multiple frequencies. Helium gas is introduced into the first primary containment chamber, where electron separation is initiated. The energized gas flows into a secondary magnetic compression chamber, where a balanced frequency network grid with capacitance creates the final electron separation, which is inverted magnetically and exits through an orifice with a nozzle. The cold plasma thus generated has been shown to be capable of accelerating a healing process in flesh wounds on animal laboratory specimens. |
| US08810129B2 |
Light emitting device with transmissive film patterned in a stepwise shape and method of manufacturing the light emitting device
On one short side of a rectangular aperture area, transparent conductive films are patterned by being deviated in a stepwise shape. On another side, an end surface of the transparent conductive films is patterned to be aligned. The end surface of the transparent conductive films is covered with an insulating film. |
| US08810128B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device and illumination apparatus
According to one embodiment, an organic electroluminescent device includes a transparent electrode, a metal electrode, an organic light emitting layer and an intermediate layer. The transparent electrode is transmissive with respect to visible light. The metal electrode is reflective with respect to the visible light. The organic light emitting layer is provided between the transparent electrode and the metal electrode and is configured to emit light including a wavelength component of the visible light. The intermediate layer contacts the metal electrode and the organic light emitting layer between the organic light emitting layer and the metal electrode and is transmissive with respect to the visible light. A thickness of the intermediate layer is 60 nanometers or more and less than 200 nanometers. A refractive index of the organic light emitting layer to the visible light is higher than a refractive index of the intermediate layer to the visible light. |
| US08810126B2 |
Light source device and endoscope apparatus comprising the same
A light source device includes a first semiconductor light source, a second semiconductor light source, and a wavelength converter. The first semiconductor light source emits light in a first wavelength range. The second semiconductor light source emits light in a second wavelength range different from the first wavelength range. The wavelength converter absorbs the light in the first wavelength range to emit light in a third wavelength range different from either of the first wavelength range and the second wavelength range, and transmits the light in the second wavelength range substantially entirely. |
| US08810125B2 |
Light emitting element, light emitting device, and electronic device
An object is to improve luminous efficiency of a light emitting element using triplet exciton energy effectively. Another object is to reduce power consumption of a light emitting element, a light emitting device, and an electronic device. Triplet exciton energy generated in a light emitting layer which exhibits short wavelength fluorescence can be effectively utilized by use of a structure in which the light emitting layers which exhibit short wavelength fluorescence are sandwiched between light emitting layers each including a phosphorescent compound. Further, the emission balance can be improved between the light emitting layer including a phosphorescent compound and the light emitting layer which exhibits fluorescence by the devising of the structure of the light emitting layer which exhibits fluorescence. |
| US08810121B1 |
Method and device to produce hot, dense, long-lived plasmas
A device and method to produce a hot, dense, long-lived plasma. In one embodiment, a large electric current is passed through an outer tube enclosing in part a piston, a notched conducting rod and central electrode. Electromagnetic forces accelerate the piston to a point high enough to mechanically separate the conducting rod at the location of the notch before the conducting rod is melted. On separation, a plasma is generated by the passage of electric current though a gas produced by vaporization of the conducting rod and nearby materials. An insulator enclosed within the tube prevents the plasma from shorting to the outer tube until the current flow has produced a sufficient magnetic field to contain the plasma. The piston is then accelerated by a combination of electromagnetic forces and mechanical pressure from the hot gas through which the electric current is passing. |
| US08810113B2 |
Electromechanical transducer and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer and the method for manufacturing the same, which can detect or control deformation and vibration of a structure and flow of fluids by applying controlling forces. The electromechanical transducer of the present invention comprises a base substrate to which initial stress is applied; an electro-active material layer attached on the base substrate; and electrodes installed on the top and bottom side of the electro-active material layer for actuating the electro-active material layer, the base substrate and the electro-active material layer which is deformed when initial stress is removed from the base substrate so that the base substrate and the electro-active material layer have curvatures. |
| US08810110B2 |
Micro-mechanical component with cantilever integrated electrical functional element
A micro-mechanical component including a support element and a cantilever with integrated electrical functional element to which at least two electrical supply lines implemented as printed conductors on the cantilever are routed. The invention proposes to arrange at least one each of the supply lines on the two opposite flat surfaces of the cantilever and/or the support element. The functional element is supplied by the first supply line on a first flat surface, with the second supply line on the opposite flat surface serving as return line. |
| US08810105B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing energy consumption in monitoring means of a plurality of piezoelectric components
An apparatus for reducing energy consumption in monitoring means of a plurality of piezoelectric components comprises a plurality of piezoelectric components as well as monitoring means for monitoring the status of the piezoelectric components. The monitoring means have two states namely active and inactive. The piezoelectric components are connected in parallel to each other. A current detecting circuit comprises a switch and a resistor that is connected in parallel to the switch. A controller having two states that are active and inactive. The controller is configured to open the switch in response to the controller being in the inactive state and to close the switch in response to the controller being in the active state. The closing of the switch triggers a state change in the monitoring means from their inactive state to their active state. |
| US08810101B2 |
Electric rotary machine having claw magnetic poles with flanges having centrifugal force resistance
An AC alternator for a vehicle has a rotor having a pair of pole cores, and a stator. A plurality of claw magnetic pole parts are formed in the pole cores. A permanent magnet is placed between a pair of the claw magnetic pole parts so as to prevent leakage of magnetic flux through the area between the adjacent claw magnetic pole parts. The stator and the rotor are placed in the AC alternator so that the stator faces the rotor at a spacing of predetermined intervals. Flanges are formed at both sides of each of the claw magnetic pole parts. The presence of the flanges fixes the permanent magnets to the pole cores, and prevents them from moving toward the outer radius direction measured from the rotary shaft of the rotor. In particular, the thickness of each of the flange parts is increased from the front end part to the bottom part thereof. |
| US08810100B2 |
Rotor having dividable core for electric motor and production method thereof
A rotor having a dividable core for an electric motor, and a production method thereof. A rotor has a generally annular supporting member; a plurality of shaft portions positioned on the supporting member in a circumferential direction at regular intervals, the shaft portions extending generally parallel to a rotation axis of the rotor; and a plurality of divided cores each having a hole portion which is fitted to each shaft portion. By annularly connecting the divided cores, a generally annular dividable core for the rotor is formed. Each divided core has connecting portions at both circumferential ends thereof, and each connecting portion is configured to be connected to a connecting portion of a neighboring divided core while the divided core is fitted to the shaft portion. |
| US08810093B2 |
Actuating device with a cam disc, in particular for a heating element valve
An actuating device for a heating element valve has a drive motor with a motor shaft, an actuator, and a rotation-linear conversion drive. The conversion drive is coupled on the drive side to the motor shaft and on the output side to the actuator and converts a rotational movement of the motor shaft into a linear movement of the actuator. The rotation-linear conversion drive further has a cam disc on the output side which is provided on its outer circumferential periphery with a plurality of step segments each having a substantially constant distance from the axis of the cam disc. The step segments are connected via connecting segments with a variable axle spacing. |
| US08810089B2 |
Hydrodynamic bearing assembly and motor including the same
There is provided a hydrodynamic bearing assembly including: a sleeve having a shaft inserted thereinto and supported thereby; a thrust plate coupled to one end of the shaft; an extension part formed at the thrust plate to be extended in an axial direction so as to be coupled to the shaft; and a coupling part formed at the shaft to contact an inner surface of the extension part so as to be coupled to the extension part. |
| US08810086B2 |
Rotor for an electric external rotor motor and external rotor motor
Disclosed is a rotor (1) for an electric rotor motor, consisting of a rotor bell (2) with a peripheral wall (4) and at least one one-sided rotor base (6) to enclose a stator, in particular as a part of a motor housing with a high IP rating, for example IP54 per DIN/IEC-EN 60034-5. The rotor bell (2) features a heat sink (12) with high heat conductivity that extends through the rotor base (6) in such a way that the motor heat arising on the inside can be removed via the heat sink (12) through the rotor base (6) to the outside into the environment. Further, the invention relates to an electric rotor motor, in particular with an encapsulated motor housing with a high IP-protection system, for example IP54 per DIN/IEC-EN 60034-5, consisting of a stator and a rotor (1) enclosing the stator in an embodiment of the above-described type. |
| US08810083B2 |
Electromagnetic drive, drive installation and use thereof
The invention relates to an electromagnetic drive (11), which is connected or can be connected to an open-loop control device or closed-loop control device (54) and together with the latter can form an electromagnetic drive installation. The electromagnetic drive (11) contains a hollow-cylindrical drive coil (12), in which an armature (14) can be driven in each case from one to the other of two end stations (26, 28) or back by an electromagnetic pulse of the drive coil (12). Holding means (40, 42), preferably permanent magnets, hold the armature (14) in the end station respectively reached until the electromagnetic pulse is generated once again. |
| US08810081B1 |
Interlock arrangement for controlling the neutral output of a portable generator
An interlock arrangement allows a floating neutral electrical generator having a receptacle, such as a duplex receptacle, absent GFCI protection to be used to provide electrical power to the electrical system of a home or other building during utility power interruption. The interlock arrangement includes structure to disable or prevent access to the duplex receptacle when the electrical generator is coupled to the power cord used to transfer electrical power from the generator to the electrical system of the building. Thus, the duplex receptacles cannot be used to power electrical devices when the generator is connected to supply power to the electrical system of the building. Conversely, when the generator is physically disconnected from the electrical system of the building, the interlock arrangement exposes or supplies power to the duplex receptacles, and may be configured to close access to the receptacle used for connecting to a building electrical system. |
| US08810079B2 |
Battery pack and uninterruptible power supply having the same
Provided are battery packs capable of preventing electrical shorts due to incorrect arrangement of polarities of the battery packs during assembly of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) having the battery packs and a UPS having the battery packs. The battery pack includes: a casing housing a plurality of cells; first and second terminals arranged to protrude outwardly from a first surface of the casing and having opposite polarities; a first attachment unit formed on a second surface of the casing; and a second attachment unit formed on a third surface of the casing, disposed opposite the second surface of the casing, wherein the first attachment unit and the second attachment unit are not symmetrical to each other. |
| US08810077B2 |
Fault tolerant service switch operation in a utility meter
An arrangement for controllably disconnecting a utility power service from a load includes a meter housing, a service switch, an electrically-powered source of motive force, and energy storage device, and a charging circuit. The meter housing includes metrology circuitry configured to generate metering information regarding electrical power provided to the load. The service switch is configured to controllably interrupt a connection between the utility power service and the load. The electrically-powered source of motive force is configured to cause the service switch to controllably interrupt the connection between the utility power service and the load. The energy storage device is operably connected to provide power to the electrically-powered source of motive force. The charging circuit is configured to provide charging energy to the energy storage device. The energy storage device is configured to provide sufficient power to the electrically-power source of motive force after being at least partially charged by the charging circuit. The arrangement further includes a control circuit configured to provide a first signal to a first switch operably connecting the energy storage device to the electrically powered source of motive force, and to provide a second signal to a second switch operably connecting the charging circuit to the energy storage device. The control circuit is configured to receive a disconnect command signal, and to provide the second signal and the first signal in sequence responsive to receiving the disconnect command signal. |
| US08810070B2 |
Series connection of on-off controllers for power transmission in battery systems
A power transmitter for a battery system, a battery system including such a power transmitter, and a motor vehicle including such a battery system are disclosed. The power transmitter includes a plurality of DC/DC converters, each of which has a first and a second input and a first and a second output. According to the invention, first and second inputs are designed to connect a battery module, while the DC/DC converters are connected in series at the output end. |
| US08810068B2 |
System and method for over-voltage protection of a photovoltaic system with distributed maximum power point tracking
A solar panel array for use in a solar cell power system is provided. The solar panel array includes a string of solar panels and multiple voltage converters. Each voltage converter is coupled to a corresponding solar panel in the string of solar panels. The solar panel array also includes multiple maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controllers. Each MPPT controller is coupled to a corresponding solar panel in the string of solar panels. Each MPPT controller is configured to sense an instantaneous power unbalance between the corresponding solar panel and an inverter. |
| US08810061B2 |
Vehicular power supply apparatus, vehicle including the same, and method for controlling vehicle-mounted charger
A charger is configured to receive electric power from an external power supply and charge a main power storage device and a power storage device for auxiliary machinery. The charger includes a capacitor for smoothing charging power outputted to the main power storage device. A PM-ECU controls charging of the power storage device for auxiliary machinery by the charger such that the power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive residual electric charge in the capacitor. The PM-ECU controls the charger, after the end of charging of the main power storage device by the charger, such that the residual electric charge in the capacitor is discharged into the power storage device for auxiliary machinery. |
| US08810054B2 |
Wave-power unit
The invention relates to a wave-power unit for the production of electric power. It comprises a floating body (1) arranged for floating on the sea and an electric linear generator (2) having a stator (5) and a translator (8) reciprocating along a center axis. The stator (5) is arranged to be anchored in the bed of the sea and the translator (8) is connected to the floating body (1) by connection means (3, 7). According to the invention the generator (2) is enclosed in a water-tight encapsulation (4) having an upper end wall with an opening through which the connection means (7) extends. The opening has a seal (12) that seals against the connection means (7). The seal (12) is flexibly mounted. The invention also relates to the use of the wave-power unit and to a method for producing electric power. |
| US08810051B2 |
Inverter generator
In an inverter generator having a winding wound around a generator unit driven by an engine, a converter connected to the winding and adapted to convert an alternating current outputted from the winding to a direct current, an inverter connected to the converter and adapted to invert the direct current outputted from the converter to an alternating current and output it, and a controller adapted to control operations of the converter and the inverter, a battery is connected to the engine, and the winding includes a first winding and a second winding, such that the controller supplies an output of the battery to one of the first winding and the second winding to rotate the generator unit to start the engine. |
| US08810038B2 |
Semiconductor device and wiring board
A semiconductor device includes: a board; a power wire formed on the board; a signal wire formed on the board; a ground wire formed on the board; an insulating layer covering the signal wire, the power wire and the ground wire; and a metal film formed on the insulating layer, wherein a thickness of the insulating layer covering the power wire is different from a thickness of the insulating layer covering the signal wire, and the metal film is connected to a ground potential. |
| US08810036B2 |
Semiconductor device and method forming patterns with spaced pads in trim region
In a semiconductor device, parallel first and second conductive lines having a unit width extend from a memory cell region into a connection region. A trim region in the connection region includes pads respectively connected to the first and second conductive lines but are separated by a width much greater than the unit width. |
| US08810034B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The reliability of wirings, each of which includes a main conductive film containing copper as a primary component, is improved. On an insulating film including the upper surface of a wiring serving as a lower layer wiring, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbonitride film having excellent barrier properties to copper is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a silicon carbide film having excellent adhesiveness to a low dielectric constant material film is formed; on the insulating film, an insulating film formed of a low dielectric constant material as an interlayer insulating film is formed; and thereafter a wiring as an upper layer wiring is formed. |
| US08810030B2 |
MEMS device with stress isolation and method of fabrication
A MEMS device (20) with stress isolation includes elements (28, 30, 32) formed in a first structural layer (24) and elements (68, 70) formed in a second structural layer (26), with the layer (26) being spaced apart from the first structural layer (24). Fabrication methodology (80) entails forming (92, 94, 104) junctions (72, 74) between the layers (24, 26). The junctions (72, 74) connect corresponding elements (30, 32) of the first layer (24) with elements (68, 70) of the second layer (26). The fabrication methodology (80) further entails releasing the structural layers (24, 26) from an underlying substrate (22) so that all of the elements (30, 32, 68, 70) are suspended above the substrate (22) of the MEMS device (20), wherein attachment of the elements (30, 32, 68, 70) with the substrate (22) occurs only at a central area (46) of the substrate (22). |
| US08810027B2 |
Bond ring for a first and second substrate
The present disclosure provides a device having a plurality of bonded substrates. The substrates are bonded by a first bond ring and a second bond ring. In an embodiment, the first bond ring is a eutectic bond and the second bond ring is at least one of an organic material and a eutectic bond. The second bond ring encircles the first bond ring. The first bond ring provides a hermetic region of the device. In a further embodiment, a plurality of wafers are bonded which include a third bond ring disposed at the periphery of the wafers. |
| US08810020B2 |
Semiconductor device with redistributed contacts
A semiconductor device has external, exposed electrical contacts at an device active face and a semiconductor die, which has internal, electrical contacts at a die active face. The exposed contacts are offset from the internal contacts laterally of the device active face. A redistribution layer includes a layer of insulating material and redistribution interconnectors within the insulating material, the interconnectors connecting with the exposed contacts. A set of conductors connect the internal contacts and the interconnectors. The conductors have oblong, tear drop shaped cross-sections extending laterally of the die active face beyond the respective internal contacts, and contact the interconnectors at positions spaced further apart than the internal contacts. The redistribution layer may be prefabricated using less costly manufacturing techniques such as lamination. |
| US08810016B2 |
Semiconductor device, substrate and semiconductor device manufacturing method
The semiconductor device can prevent damages on a semiconductor chip even when a soldering material is used for bonding the back surface of the semiconductor chip to the junction plane of a chip junction portion such as an island or a die pad. This semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip and a chip junction portion having a junction plane that is bonded to the back surface of the semiconductor chip with a soldering material. The junction plane is smaller in size than the back surface of the semiconductor chip. This semiconductor device may further include a plurality of extending portions which extend respectively from the periphery of the junction plane to directions parallel with the junction plane. |
| US08810011B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming shielding layer over semiconductor die mounted to TSV interposer
A semiconductor device has a plurality of conductive vias formed partially through a substrate. A conductive layer is formed over the substrate and electrically connected to the conductive vias. A semiconductor die is mounted over the substrate. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and substrate. A trench is formed through the encapsulant around the semiconductor die. A shielding layer is formed over the encapsulant. The trench is formed partially through the substrate and the shielding layer is formed in the trench partially through the substrate. An insulating layer can be formed in the trench prior to forming the shielding layer. A portion of the substrate is removed to expose the conductive vias. An interconnect structure is formed over the substrate opposite the semiconductor die. The interconnect structure is electrically connected to the conductive vias. The shielding layer is electrically connected to the interconnect structure. |
| US08810009B2 |
Method of fabricating a planar semiconductor nanowire
A composition comprises a semiconductor substrate having a crystallographic plane oriented parallel to a surface of the substrate and at least one planar semiconductor nanowire epitaxially disposed on the substrate, where the nanowire is aligned along a crystallographic direction of the substrate parallel to the crystallographic plane. To fabricate a planar semiconductor nanowire, at least one nanoparticle is provided on a semiconductor substrate having a crystallographic plane oriented parallel to a surface of the substrate. The semiconductor substrate is heated within a first temperature window in a processing unit. Semiconductor precursors are added to the processing unit, and a planar semiconductor nanowire is grown from the nanoparticle on the substrate within a second temperature window. The planar semiconductor nanowire grows in a crystallographic direction of the substrate parallel to the crystallographic plane. |
| US08810008B2 |
Semiconductor element-embedded substrate, and method of manufacturing the substrate
A semiconductor element-embedded substrate includes a semiconductor element; a chip component; a peripheral insulating layer covering at least the outer circumferential side surfaces thereof; an upper surface-side wiring line provided on the upper surface side of the substrate; and a lower surface-side wiring line provided on the lower surface side of the substrate. The built-in semiconductor element includes a terminal on the upper surface side thereof, and this terminal is electrically connected to the upper surface-side wiring line. The built-in chip component includes an upper surface-side terminal electrically connected to the upper surface-side wiring line; a lower surface-side terminal electrically connected to the lower surface-side wiring line; and a through-chip via penetrating through the chip component to connect the upper surface-side terminal and the lower surface-side terminal. |
| US08810005B1 |
Bipolar device having a monocrystalline semiconductor intrinsic base to extrinsic base link-up region
A bipolar device with an entirely monocrystalline intrinsic base to extrinsic base link-up region. To form the device, a first extrinsic base layer, which is amorphous or polycrystalline, is deposited such that it contacts an edge portion of a monocrystalline section of an intrinsic base layer through an opening in a dielectric layer. A second extrinsic base layer is deposited on the first. An anneal is performed, either before or after deposition of the second extrinsic base layer, so that the extrinsic base layers are monocrystalline. An opening is formed through the extrinsic base layers to a dielectric landing pad aligned above a center portion of the monocrystalline section of the intrinsic base layer. The dielectric landing pad is removed and a semiconductor layer is grown epitaxially on exposed monocrystalline surfaces of the extrinsic and intrinsic base layers, thereby forming the entirely monocrystalline intrinsic base to extrinsic base link-up region. |
| US08809999B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a lower electrode formed on a substrate, a first dielectric layer formed of a metal nitride layer, a metal oxynitride layer, or a combination thereof, on the lower electrode, a second dielectric layer formed on the first dielectric layer that includes a zirconium oxide layer, and an upper electrode formed on the second dielectric layer. |
| US08809997B2 |
E-fuse structures and methods of operating and manufacturing the same
An e-fuse structure includes a first doped region and a second doped region formed in a substrate. The first doped region has a first conductivity type and the second doped region has a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The first and second doped regions contact each other. A conductive pattern is disposed on the first and second doped regions and contacts the first and second doped regions. A first contact plug is disposed on the conductive pattern in an area corresponding to the first doped region, and a second contact plug is disposed on the conductive pattern in an area corresponding to the second doped region. |
| US08809992B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device which includes an oxide semiconductor and has favorable electrical characteristics is provided. In the semiconductor device, an oxide semiconductor film and an insulating film are formed over a substrate. Side surfaces of the oxide semiconductor film are in contact with the insulating film. The oxide semiconductor film includes a channel formation region and regions containing a dopant between which the channel formation region is sandwiched. A gate insulating film is formed on and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. A gate electrode with sidewall insulating films is formed over the gate insulating film. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor film and the insulating film. |
| US08809990B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a semiconductor device including a high voltage transistor and a low voltage transistor and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a high voltage region and a low voltage region; a high voltage transistor formed in the high voltage region and including a first active region, a first source/drain region, a first gate insulating layer, and a first gate electrode; and a low voltage transistor formed in the low voltage region and including a second active region, a second source/drain region, a second gate insulating layer, and a second gate electrode. The second source/drain region has a smaller thickness than a thickness of the first source/drain region. |
| US08809989B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a hexagonal crystalline structure with a c-axis and c-planes; and transistors on a c plane of the semiconductor substrate. Source electrodes of the transistors are connected to each other. Drain electrodes of the transistors are connected to each other. Gate electrodes of the transistors are connected to each other. The gate electrodes of the transistors extend along directions that form angles with each other that are 60 degrees or 120 degrees, in a plan view seen from a direction perpendicular to the c plane of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08809985B2 |
Light receiving device, optical device, and method for producing light receiving device
A light receiving device includes a microlens 21 located in each of regions corresponding to pixels, the microlens being disposed on a rear surface of an InP substrate 1. The microlens is formed by using a resin material having a range of a transmittance of light in the wavelength region between 0.7 and 3 μm of 25% or less, the transmittance being 70% or more. |
| US08809981B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device and apparatus for manufacturing same
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: irradiating a growth substrate with laser light to focus the laser light into a prescribed position inside a crystal for a semiconductor device or inside the growth substrate, the crystal for the semiconductor device being formed on a first major surface of the growth substrate; moving the laser light in a direction parallel to the first major surface; and peeling off a thin layer including the crystal for the semiconductor device from the growth substrate, a wavelength of the laser light being longer than an absorption end wavelength of the crystal for the semiconductor device or the growth substrate, the laser light being irradiated inside a crystal for the semiconductor device or inside the growth substrate. |
| US08809980B2 |
Infrared sensor
An infrared sensor according to the present invention includes a semiconductor substrate, a thin-film pyroelectric element made of lead titanate zirconate and disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a coating film coating the pyroelectric element and having a topmost surface that forms a light receiving surface for infrared rays, and a cavity formed to a shape dug in from a top surface of the semiconductor substrate at a portion opposite to the pyroelectric element and thermally isolates the pyroelectric element from the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08809978B2 |
Magnetic memory element and memory apparatus having multiple magnetization directions
A memory element includes a layered structure: a memory layer having a changeable magnetization direction, the magnetization direction being changed by applying a current in a lamination direction of the layered structure to record the information in the memory layer, including a first ferromagnetic layer having a magnetization direction that is inclined from a direction perpendicular to a film face, a bonding layer laminated on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer laminated on the bonding layer and bonded to the first ferromagnetic layer via the bonding layer, having a magnetization direction that is inclined from the direction perpendicular to the film face, a magnetization-fixed layer having a fixed magnetization direction, an intermediate layer that is provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer, and is contacted with the first ferromagnetic layer, and a cap layer that is contacted with the second ferromagnetic layer. |
| US08809974B2 |
Semiconductor package for MEMS device and method of manufacturing same
In some embodiments, a semiconductor package can include: (a) a base having a cavity; (b) an interposer coupled to the base and at least partially over the cavity such that the interposer and the base form a back chamber, the interposer has a first opening into the back chamber; (c) a micro-electro-mechanical system device located over the interposer at the first opening; and (d) a lid coupled to the base. Other embodiments also are disclosed. |
| US08809972B2 |
Apparatus integrating microelectromechanical system device with circuit chip and methods for fabricating the same
One embodiment discloses an apparatus integrating a microelectromechanical system device with a circuit chip which comprises a circuit chip, a microelectromechanical system device, a sealing ring, and a lid. The circuit chip comprises a substrate and a plurality of metal bonding areas. The substrate has an active surface with electrical circuit area, and the metal bonding areas are disposed on the active surface and electrically connected to the electrical circuits. The microelectromechanical system device comprises a plurality of bases and at least one sensing element. The bases are connected to at least one of the metal bonding areas. The at least one sensing element is elastically connected to the bases. The sealing ring surrounds the bases, and is connected to at least one of the metal bonding areas. The lid is opposite to the active surface of the circuit chip, and is connected to the sealing ring to have a hermetic chamber which seals the sensing element and the active surface of the circuit chip. |
| US08809968B2 |
Semiconductor layer structure
This invention relates to a semiconductor layer structure. The semiconductor layer structure described includes a substrate and a buffer layer deposited onto the substrate. The semiconductor layer structure is characterized in that a drain voltage threshold lower than the breakdown voltage threshold is determined by isolating ions that are selectively implanted in just one region of the substrate into the substrate, wherein charge can dissipate from the one contact through the buffer layer towards a substrate region without isolating ions, if the one potential deviates from the other at least by the drain voltage threshold, and wherein the substrate region without isolating ions is located underneath the one contact. The semiconductor layer structure described allows dissipation of currents induced by induction in blocking active structures without damaging the active structures. |
| US08809963B2 |
SRAM structure with FinFETs having multiple fins
A static random access memory (SRAM) cell includes a straight fin and a bended fin physically disconnected from the straight fin. The bended fin has a first portion and a second portion parallel to the straight fin. The distance between the first portion of the bended fin and the straight fin is smaller than the distance between the second portion of the bended fin and the straight fin. The SRAM cell includes a pull-down transistor including a portion of a first gate strip, which forms a first and a second sub pull-down transistor with the straight fin and the first portion of the bended fin, respectively. The SRAM cell further includes a pass-gate transistor including a portion of a second gate strip, which forms a first sub pass-gate transistor with the straight fin. The pull-down transistor includes more fins than the pass-gate transistor. |
| US08809961B2 |
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) guard ring protective structure
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit structure includes several diffusion regions and a MOS transistor. The circuit structure includes a first diffusion region of a first type (e.g., P-type or N-type) formed in a first well of the first type, a second diffusion region of the first type formed in the first well of the first type, and a first diffusion region of a second type (e.g., N-type or P-type) formed in a first well of the second type. The first well of the second type is formed in the first well of the first type. The MOS transistor is of the second type and includes a drain formed by a second diffusion region of the second type formed in a second well of the second type bordering the first well of the first type. |
| US08809959B2 |
Semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof
The performances of a semiconductor device are improved. The device includes a first MISFET in which hafnium is added to the gate electrode side of a first gate insulation film including silicon oxynitride, and a second MISFET in which hafnium is added to the gate electrode side of a second gate insulation film including silicon oxynitride. The hafnium concentration in the second gate insulation film of the second MISFET is set smaller than the hafnium concentration in the first gate insulation film of the first MISFET; and the nitrogen concentration in the second gate insulation film of the second MISFET is set smaller than the nitrogen concentration in the first gate insulation film of the first MISFET. As a result, the threshold voltage of the second MISFET is adjusted to be smaller than the threshold voltage of the first MISFET. |
| US08809958B2 |
Integrated circuits and methods of design and manufacture thereof
Integrated circuits and methods of manufacture and design thereof are disclosed. For example, a method of manufacturing includes using a first mask to pattern a gate material forming a plurality of first and second features. The first features form gate electrodes of the semiconductor devices, whereas the second features are dummy electrodes. Based on the location of these dummy electrodes, selected dummy electrodes are removed using a second mask. The use of the method provides greater flexibility in tailoring individual devices for different objectives. |
| US08809957B2 |
Nanowire FET and FinFET hybrid technology
Hybrid nanowire FET and FinFET devices and methods for fabrication thereof are provided. In one aspect, a method for fabricating a CMOS circuit having a nanowire FET and a finFET includes the following steps. A wafer is provided having an active layer over a BOX. A first region of the active layer is thinned. An organic planarizing layer is deposited on the active layer. Nanowires and pads are etched in the first region of the active layer using a first hardmask. The nanowires are suspended over the BOX. Fins are etched in the second region of the active layer using a second hardmask. A first gate stack is formed that surrounds at least a portion of each of the nanowires. A second gate stack is formed covering at least a portion of each of the fins. An epitaxial material is grown on exposed portions of the nanowires, pads and fins. |
| US08809954B2 |
Partially depleted (PD) semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) field effect transistor (FET) structure with a gate-to-body tunnel current region for threshold voltage (Vt) lowering and method of forming the structure
Disclosed are embodiments of a field effect transistor with a gate-to-body tunnel current region (GTBTCR) and a method. In one embodiment, a gate, having adjacent sections with different conductivity types, traverses the center portion of a semiconductor layer to create, within the center portion, a channel region and a GTBTCR below the adjacent sections having the different conductivity types, respectively. In another embodiment, a semiconductor layer has a center portion with a channel region and a GTBTCR. The GTBTCR comprises: a first implant region adjacent to and doped with a higher concentration of the same first conductivity type dopant as the channel region; a second implant region, having a second conductivity type, adjacent to the first implant region; and an enhanced generation and recombination region between the implant regions. A gate with the second conductivity type traverses the center portion. |
| US08809950B2 |
Semiconductor structure and fabrication method thereof
A method for fabrication of a semiconductor device is provided. A first type doped body region is formed in a first type substrate. A first type heavily-doped region is formed in the first type doped body region. A second type well region and second type bar regions are formed in the first type substrate with the second type bar regions between the second type well region and the first type doped body region. The first type doped body region, the second type well region, and each of the second type bar regions are separated from each other by the first type substrate. The second type bar regions are inter-diffused to form a second type continuous region adjoining the second type well region. A second type heavily-doped region is formed in the second type well region. |
| US08809949B2 |
Transistor component having an amorphous channel control layer
Disclosed is a semiconductor component, including: a drift zone arranged between a first and a second connection zone; a channel control layer of an amorphous semi-insulating material arranged adjacent to the drift zone. |
| US08809948B1 |
Device structure and methods of making high density MOSFETs for load switch and DC-DC applications
Aspects of the present disclosure describe a high density trench-based power MOSFETs with self-aligned source contacts and methods for making such devices. The source contacts are self-aligned with spacers that are formed along the sidewall of the gate caps. Additionally, the active devices may have a two-step gate oxide. A lower portion may have a thickness that is larger than the thickness of an upper portion of the gate oxide. The two-step gate oxide combined with the self-aligned source contacts allow for the production of devices with a pitch in the deep sub-micron level. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08809944B2 |
Semiconductor device including a transistor with gate in a trench and a doped region under the trench to modify the threshold voltage
A semiconductor device includes a transistor with a substrate on which source and drain regions, both of a first conductivity type, and a channel region of a second conductivity type between the source and drain are formed, and a gate electrode formed in the channel region to bury a trench formed so the depth thereof changes intermittently in the width direction of the gate. In the channel region, each on a surface of the substrate and in a bottom portion of the trench, there are formed a second high-concentration region and a first high-concentration region, and the dopant concentration of the second conductivity type is higher than the dopant concentration of the second conductivity type in portions sideward from the trench. The dopant concentration of the second conductivity type in the first high-concentration region is higher than the dopant concentration of the second conductivity type in the second high-concentration region. |
| US08809940B2 |
Fin held effect transistor
A FinFET is described, the FinFET includes a substrate including a top surface and a first insulation region and a second insulation region over the substrate top surface comprising tapered top surfaces. The FinFET further includes a fin of the substrate extending above the substrate top surface between the first and second insulation regions, wherein the fin includes a recessed portion having a top surface lower than the tapered top surfaces of the first and second insulation regions, wherein the fin includes a non-recessed portion having a top surface higher than the tapered top surfaces. The FinFET further includes a gate stack over the non-recessed portion of the fin. |
| US08809939B2 |
Semiconductor device
To suppress short channel effects and obtain a high driving current by means of a semiconductor device having an MISFET wherein a material having high mobility and high dielectric constant, such as germanium, is used for a channel. A p-type well is formed on a surface of a p-type silicon substrate. A silicon germanium layer having a dielectric constant higher than that of the p-type silicon substrate is formed to have a thickness of 30 nm or less on the p-type well. Then, on the silicon germanium layer, a germanium layer having a dielectric constant higher than that of the silicon germanium layer is formed to have a thickness of 3-40 nm by epitaxial growing. The germanium layer is permitted to be a channel region; and a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, a side wall insulating film, an n-type impurity diffusion region and a silicide layer are formed. |
| US08809937B2 |
Semiconductor devices including device isolation structures and method of forming the same
Provided are semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same. A device isolation structure in the semiconductor device includes a gap region. A dielectric constant of a vacuum or an air in the gap region is smaller than a dielectric constant of an oxide layer and, as a result coupling and attendant interference between adjacent cells may be reduced. |
| US08809935B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming an underlayer film that contains atoms selected from the group consisting of aluminum, boron and alkaline earth metal; and forming a silicon oxide film on the underlayer film by a CVD method or an ALD method by use of a silicon source containing at least one of an ethoxy group, a halogen group, an alkyl group and an amino group, or a silicon source of a siloxane system. |
| US08809934B2 |
Semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof
A lamination pattern having a control gate electrode, a first insulation film thereover, and a second insulation film thereover is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A memory gate electrode is formed adjacent to the lamination pattern. A gate insulation film is formed between the control gate and the semiconductor substrate. A fourth insulation film, including a lamination film of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, and another silicon oxide film, is formed between the memory gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate and between the lamination pattern and the memory gate electrode. At the sidewall on the side of the lamination pattern adjacent to the memory gate electrode, the first insulation film is retreated from the control gate electrode and the second insulation film, and the upper end corner portion of the control gate electrode is rounded. |
| US08809928B2 |
Semiconductor device, memory device, and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
An oxide semiconductor is used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor included in a semiconductor device, whereby leakage current between a source and a drain can be reduced, so that reduction in power consumption of a semiconductor device and a memory device including the semiconductor device and an improvement in characteristics of retaining stored data (electric charge) in the semiconductor device and the memory device can be achieved. Further, a drain electrode of the transistor, the semiconductor layer, and a first electrode which overlaps with the drain electrode form a capacitor, and a gate electrode is led to an overlying layer at a position which overlaps with the capacitor. Thus, the semiconductor device and the memory device including the semiconductor device can be miniaturized. |
| US08809925B2 |
Partial buried channel transfer device in image sensors
An image sensor pixel includes a photosensitive element, a floating diffusion (“FD”) region, and a transfer device. The photosensitive element is disposed in a substrate layer for accumulating an image charge in response to light. The FD region is disposed in the substrate layer to receive the image charge from the photosensitive element. The transfer device is disposed between the photosensitive element and the FD region to selectively transfer the image charge from the photosensitive element to the FD region. The transfer device includes a gate, a buried channel dopant region and a surface channel region. The gate is disposed between the photosensitive element and the FD region. The buried channel dopant region is disposed adjacent to the FD region and underneath the gate. The surface channel region is disposed between the buried channel dopant region and the photosensitive element and disposed underneath the gate. |
| US08809923B2 |
Backside illuminated imaging sensor having a carrier substrate and a redistribution layer
A backside illuminated imaging sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface. The semiconductor substrate has at least one imaging array formed on the front surface. The imaging sensor also includes a carrier substrate to provide structural support to the semiconductor substrate, where the carrier substrate has a first surface coupled to the front surface of the semiconductor substrate. A re-distribution layer is formed between the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and the second surface of the carrier substrate to route electrical signals between the imaging array and a second surface of the carrier substrate. |
| US08809919B2 |
Semiconductor device with inverted trapezoidal cross sectional profile in surface areas of substrate
A semiconductor device fabrication method includes the steps of (a) forming a dielectric film on a semiconductor substrate; (b) etching the dielectric film by a dry process; and (c) supplying thermally decomposed atomic hydrogen onto the semiconductor substrate under a prescribed temperature condition, to remove a damaged layer produced in the semiconductor substrate due to the dry process. |
| US08809916B2 |
pH sensor, pH measurement method, ion sensor, and ion concentration measurement method
A pH sensor may include a reference electrode including a p-channel field effect transistor (FET) whose gate includes a diamond surface having a hydrogen ion insensitive terminal, and a working electrode. |
| US08809911B2 |
Semiconductor device
Plural gate trenches are formed in the surface of an n-type drift region. A gate electrode is formed across a gate oxide film on the inner walls of the gate trenches. P-type base regions are selectively formed so as to neighbor each other in the gate trench longitudinal direction between neighboring gate trenches. An n-type emitter region is formed in contact with the gate trench in a surface layer of the p-type base regions. Also, a p-type contact region with a concentration higher than that of the p-type base region is formed in the surface layer of the p-type base region so as to be in contact with the gate trench side of the n-type emitter region. An edge portion on the gate trench side of the n-type emitter region terminates inside the p-type contact region. |
| US08809909B2 |
High voltage III-nitride transistor
A high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device comprises a support substrate including a first silicon body, an insulator body over the first silicon body, and a second silicon body over the insulator body. The high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device further comprises a III-nitride semiconductor body characterized by a majority charge carrier conductivity type, formed over the second silicon body. The second silicon body has a conductivity type opposite the majority charge carrier conductivity type. In one embodiment, the high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device is a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) comprising a support substrate including a <100> silicon layer, an insulator layer over the <100> silicon layer, and a P type conductivity <111> silicon layer over the insulator layer. The high voltage durability HEMT also comprises a III-nitride semiconductor body formed over the P type conductivity <111> silicon layer, the III-nitride semiconductor body forming a heterojunction of the HEMT. |
| US08809907B2 |
Leakage barrier for GaN based HEMT active device
An improved HEMT formed from a GaN material system is disclosed which has reduced gate leakage current relative to known GaN based HEMTs and eliminates the problem of current constrictions resulting from deposition of the gate metal over the step discontinuities formed over the gate mesa. The HEMT device is formed from a GaN material system. One or more GaN based materials are layered and etched to form a gate mesa with step discontinuities defining source and drain regions. In order to reduce the leakage current, the step discontinuities are back-filled with an insulating material, such as silicon nitride (SiN), forming a flat surface relative to the source and drain regions, to enable to the gate metal to lay flat. By back-filling the source and drain regions with an insulating material, leakage currents between the gate and source and the gate and drain are greatly reduced. In addition, current constrictions resulting from the deposition of the gate metal over a step discontinuity are virtually eliminated. |
| US08809905B2 |
Vertical BJT and SCR for ESD
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes a well region formed from semiconductor material with a first doping type and a floating base formed from semiconductor material with a second doping type. The floating base is disposed vertically above the well region. The ESD also includes a first terminal receiving region formed from semiconductor material with a third doping type. The first terminal receiving region is disposed vertically above the floating base. The ESD further includes a second terminal receiving region. The second terminal receiving region is laterally spaced apart from the first terminal receiving region by silicon trench isolation (STI) region. In some embodiments, the second terminal receiving region is formed from semiconductor material with the third doping type to form a bipolar junction transmitter (BJT) or with a fourth doping type to form a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR). |
| US08809904B2 |
Electronic device structure with a semiconductor ledge layer for surface passivation
Electronic device structures including semiconductor ledge layers for surface passivation and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the electronic device includes a number of semiconductor layers of a desired semiconductor material having alternating doping types. The semiconductor layers include a base layer of a first doping type that includes a highly doped well forming a first contact region of the electronic device and one or more contact layers of a second doping type on the base layer that have been etched to form a second contact region of the electronic device. The etching of the one or more contact layers causes substantial crystalline damage, and thus interface charge, on the surface of the base layer. In order to passivate the surface of the base layer, a semiconductor ledge layer of the semiconductor material is epitaxially grown on at least the surface of the base layer. |
| US08809903B2 |
Semiconductor device and power conversion apparatus using the same
A semiconductor device provides a gate electrode formed on a lateral face of a wide trench, and thereby the gate electrode is covered by a gate insulating layer and a thick insulating layer to be an inter layer. Therefore, a parasitic capacitance of the gate becomes small, and there is no potential variation of the gate since there is no floating p-layer so that a controllability of the dv/dt can be improved. In addition, the conductive layer between the gate electrodes can relax the electric field applied to the corner of the gate electrode. In consequence, compatibility of low loss and low noise and high reliability can be achieved. |
| US08809900B2 |
Light emitting diode device and producing method thereof
A method for producing a light emitting diode device includes the steps of preparing a base board; allowing a light semiconductor layer where an electrode portion is provided at one side in a thickness direction to be disposed in opposed relation to the base board, and the electrode portion to be electrically connected to a terminal, so that the light semiconductor layer is flip-chip mounted on the base board; forming an encapsulating resin layer containing a light reflecting component at the other side of the base board so as to cover the light semiconductor layer and the electrode portion; removing the other side portion of the encapsulating resin layer so as to expose the light semiconductor layer; and forming a phosphor layer formed in a sheet state so as to be in contact with the other surface of the light semiconductor layer. |
| US08809898B2 |
Method of fabricating vertical structure LEDs
A method of fabricating semiconductor devices, such as GaN LEDs, on insulating substrates, such as sapphire. Semiconductor layers are produced on the insulating substrate using normal semiconductor processing techniques. Trenches that define the boundaries of the individual devices are then formed through the semiconductor layers and into the insulating substrate, beneficially by using inductive coupled plasma reactive ion etching. The trenches are then filled with an easily removed layer. A metal support structure is then formed on the semiconductor layers (such as by plating or by deposition) and the insulating substrate is removed. Electrical contacts, a passivation layer, and metallic pads are then added to the individual devices, and the individual devices are then diced out. |
| US08809896B2 |
Light emitting device and image display unit
A light emitting device includes a package having a recess, a lead frame buried in the package so that one end of the lead frame is exposed at a bottom of the recess and another end protrudes to an exterior of the package, a light emitting element arranged on the lead frame exposed at the bottom of the recess, and an encapsulant filled in the recess. The package includes, at the side face where the lead frame protrudes, a first side face formed inwardly relative to a side face of the lead frame, and a second side face formed at a lower portion of the first side face and protruded so as to cover a top face of the lead frame. |
| US08809893B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
The present invention relates to a vertical/horizontal light-emitting diode for a semiconductor. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a semiconductor light-emitting diode comprising: a conductive substrate; a light-emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer sequentially formed over the conductive substrate; a second conductive electrode including a conductive via that passes through the first conductive semiconductor and active layers to be connected with the second conductive semiconductor layer therein, and an electrical connector that extends from the conductive via and is exposed outside the light-emitting structure; a passivation layer for covering a dielectric and at least the side surface of the active layer of the light-emitting structure, the dielectric serving to electrically isolate the second conductive electrode from the conductive substrate, the first conductive semiconductor layer and the active layer; and a surface relief structure formed on the pathway of light emitted from the active layer. According to the present invention, a semiconductor light-emitting diode exhibiting enhanced external light extraction efficiency, especially the diode's side light extraction efficiency, can be obtained. |
| US08809889B2 |
Light emitting diode package and display apparatus including the same
A light emitting diode package includes a light emitting diode, an insulating layer, a plurality of light emitting particles, and a plurality of metal particles. The light emitting diode is configured to emit first light of a first wavelength in a visible light range. The insulating layer is disposed on the light emitting diode. The plurality of light emitting particles is dispersed in the insulating layer and is configured to receive the first light to generate a second light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The plurality of metal particles is dispersed in the insulating layer, and is configured to receive at least one light component of the first light and the second light to cause, at least in part, surface plasmon resonance, the surface plasmon resonance being configured to yield a resonance wave comprising a peak wavelength in the range of the second wavelength. |
| US08809885B2 |
Light emitting device
Disclosed is a light emitting device. The light emitting device comprises a light emitting structure comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers; and a light extraction structure on the light emitting structure. The light extraction structure comprises a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers which are alternately disposed with each other to have a negative refraction index. |
| US08809881B2 |
Light-emitting device
A semiconductor optoelectronic device comprises an operating substrate; a semiconductor epitaxial stack unit disposed on the operating substrate comprising a first semiconductor material layer having a first electrical conductivity disposed on the operating substrate and a second semiconductor material layer having a second electrical conductivity disposed on the first semiconductor material layer; a transparent conductive layer disposed on the second semiconductor material layer, wherein the transparent conductive layer comprises a first surface, a directly contacting part disposed on the first surface and directly contacting with the second semiconductor material layer, a second surface substantially parallel with the first surface, and a directly contacting corresponding part disposed on the second surface corresponding to the directly contacting part; and a first electrode disposed on the operating substrate and electrically connected with the semiconductor epitaxial stack by the transparent conductive layer, wherein the first electrode is connected with the transparent conductive layer by an area excluding the directly contacting part and the directly contacting corresponding part. |
| US08809877B2 |
Semiconductor voltage transformation structure
A semiconductor voltage transformation structure is provided. The semiconductor voltage transformation structure includes: a first electrode layer ; an electricity-to-light conversion layer formed on the first electrode layer; a second electrode layer formed on the electricity-to-light conversion layer; a first isolation layer formed on the second electrode layer; a third electrode layer formed on the first isolation layer; a light-to-electricity conversion layer formed on the third electrode layer; and a fourth electrode layer formed on the light-to-electricity conversion layer, in which the first isolation layer, the second electrode layer and the third electrode layer are transparent to a working light emitted by the electricity-to-light conversion layer. |
| US08809875B2 |
Micro light emitting diode
A micro light emitting diode (LED) and a method of forming an array of micro LEDs for transfer to a receiving substrate are described. The micro LED structure may include a micro p-n diode and a metallization layer, with the metallization layer between the micro p-n diode and a bonding layer. A conformal dielectric barrier layer may span sidewalls of the micro p-n diode. The micro LED structure and micro LED array may be picked up and transferred to a receiving substrate. |
| US08809874B2 |
Light emitting diode and light emitting device
The present invention provides an LED and the manufacturing method thereof, and a light emitting device. The LED includes a first electrode, for connecting the LED to a negative terminal of a power supply; a substrate, located on the first electrode; and an LED chip, located on the substrate; in which a plurality of contact holes are formed through the substrate, the contact holes are evenly distributed and filled with electrode plugs connecting the first electrode to the LED chip. The light emitting device includes the LED, and further includes a base and an LED mounted on the base. The manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate; forming on the substrate an LED chip and a second electrode successively; forming a plurality of evenly distributed contact holes on a backface of the substrate, the contact holes extending through the substrate and to the LED chip; and filling the contact holes with conducting material till the backface of the substrate is covered by the conducting material. The LED has a high luminous efficiency and the manufacturing method is easy to implement. |
| US08809872B2 |
Bulk finFET with super steep retrograde well
A method for forming a fin transistor in a bulk substrate includes forming a super steep retrograde well (SSRW) on a bulk substrate. The well includes a doped portion of a first conductivity type dopant formed below an undoped layer. A fin material is grown over the undoped layer. A fin structure is formed from the fin material, and the fin material is undoped or doped. Source and drain regions are provided adjacent to the fin structure to form a fin field effect transistor. |
| US08809871B2 |
Semiconductor element and semiconductor device
A semiconductor element according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type on the semiconductor substrate; a body region of a second conductivity type defined in the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer; an impurity region of the first conductivity type defined in the body region; a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type on the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer; a gate insulating film on the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer; a gate electrode on the gate insulating film; a first ohmic electrode connected to the impurity region; and a second ohmic electrode on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate. The body region includes first and second body regions. The average impurity concentration of the first body region is twice or more as high as that of the second body region. And the bottom of the impurity region is deeper than that of the first body region. |
| US08809867B2 |
Dislocation reduction in non-polar III-nitride thin films
Lateral epitaxial overgrowth of non-polar III-nitride seed layers reduces threading dislocations in the non-polar III-nitride thin films. First, a thin patterned dielectric mask is applied to the seed layer. Second, a selective epitaxial regrowth is performed to achieve a lateral overgrowth based on the patterned mask. Upon regrowth, the non-polar III-nitride films initially grow vertically through openings in the dielectric mask before laterally overgrowing the mask in directions perpendicular to the vertical growth direction. Threading dislocations are reduced in the overgrown regions by (1) the mask blocking the propagation of dislocations vertically into the growing film and (2) the bending of dislocations through the transition from vertical to lateral growth. |
| US08809862B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
The present invention provides a semiconductor device which suppresses a short circuit and a leakage current between a semiconductor film and a gate electrode generated by a break or thin thickness of a gate insulating film in an end portion of a channel region of the semiconductor film, and the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device. Plural thin film transistors which each have semiconductor film provided over a substrate continuously, conductive films provided over the semiconductor film through a gate insulating film, source and drain regions provided in the semiconductor film which are not overlapped with the conductive films, and channel regions provided in the semiconductor film existing under the conductive films and between the source and drain regions. And impurity regions provided in the semiconductor film which is not overlapped with the conductive film and provided adjacent to the source and drain regions. Further, the conductive films are provided over the channel regions and regions of the semiconductor film which are provided adjacent to the channel regions. |
| US08809861B2 |
Thin film metal-dielectric-metal transistor
A transistor is formed having a thin film metal channel region. The transistor may be formed at the surface of a semiconductor substrate, an insulating substrate, or between dielectric layers above a substrate. A plurality of transistors each having a thin film metal channel region may be formed. Multiple arrays of such transistors can be vertically stacked in a same device. |
| US08809858B2 |
Device for protecting an integrated circuit against back side attacks
An integrated circuit including: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type having at least one well of a second conductivity type laterally delimited, on two opposite walls, by regions of the first conductivity type, defined at its surface; at least one region of the second conductivity type which extends in the semiconductor substrate under the well; and a system for detecting a variation of the substrate resistance between each association of two adjacent regions of the first conductivity type. |
| US08809855B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
When a semiconductor device including a transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating film, and an oxide semiconductor film are stacked and a source and drain electrode layers are provided in contact with the oxide semiconductor film is manufactured, after the formation of the gate electrode layer or the source and drain electrode layers by an etching step, a step of removing a residue remaining by the etching step and existing on a surface of the gate electrode layer or a surface of the oxide semiconductor film and in the vicinity of the surface is performed. The surface density of the residue on the surface of the oxide semiconductor film or the gate electrode layer can be 1×1013 atoms/cm2 or lower. |
| US08809853B2 |
Semiconductor device
With a combination of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor material and a transistor including a semiconductor material other than an oxide semiconductor, a semiconductor device with a novel structure in which data can be retained for a long time and does not have a limitation on the number of writing can be obtained. When a connection electrode for connecting the transistor including a semiconductor material other than an oxide semiconductor to the transistor including an oxide semiconductor material is smaller than an electrode of the transistor including a semiconductor material other than an oxide semiconductor that is connected to the connection electrode, the semiconductor device with a novel structure can be highly integrated and the storage capacity per unit area can be increased. |
| US08809851B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a first transistor and a second transistor and a capacitor which are over the first transistor is provided. A semiconductor layer of the second transistor includes an offset region. In the second transistor provided with an offset region, the off-state current of the second transistor can be reduced. Thus, a semiconductor device which can hold data for a long time can be provided. |
| US08809849B2 |
Preparation of cerium-containing precursors and deposition of cerium-containing films
Methods and compositions for depositing rare earth metal-containing layers are described herein. In general, the disclosed methods deposit the precursor compounds comprising rare earth-containing compounds using deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. The disclosed precursor compounds include a cyclopentadienyl ligand having at least one aliphatic group as a substituent and an amidine ligand. |
| US08809848B1 |
Full-band and high-CRI organic light-emitting diode
The present invention relates to a full-band and high-CRI organic light-emitting diode, comprising: a first conductive layer, at least one first carrier transition layer, a plurality of light-emitting layers, at least one second carrier transition layer, and a second conductive layer. In the present invention, a plurality of dyes are doped in the light-emitting layers, so as to make the light-emitting layers emit a plurality of blackbody radiation complementary lights, wherein the chromaticity coordinates of the blackbody radiation complementary lights surround to a specific area on 1931 CIE (Commission International de'Eclairage) Chromaticity Diagram, moreover, the specific area fully encloses the Planck's locus on 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, such that the blackbody radiation complementary lights mix to each other and then become a full-band and high-CRI light. |
| US08809846B2 |
Organic molecular memories and organic molecules for organic molecular memories
An organic molecular memory of an embodiment includes: a first conductive layer; a second conductive layer; and an organic molecular layer that is provided between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and contains an organic molecule selected from a group of molecules that simultaneously satisfy the following conditions (I) and (II) in a molecular system having a molecular frame with a π-electron system spreading along the molecular axis: (I) one of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is delocalized along the molecular axis, and the other one is localized with respect to the molecular axis; and (II) the value of the energy level of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) is −5.75 eV or higher. |
| US08809845B2 |
Display apparatus and image pickup apparatus
A first light-emitting layer of a first organic electroluminescent element is disposed in common to a second organic electroluminescent element, a second light-emitting layer of the second organic electroluminescent element is disposed in contact with the first light-emitting layer and in the anode side, and the second light-emitting layer is a light-emitting layer having a hole trapping property. |
| US08809842B2 |
Donor film, method for manufacturing organic light emitting diode display using the same, and organic light emitting diode display manufactured by using the method
In a donor film, an organic light emitting diode display manufacturing method using the same, and an organic light emitting diode display manufactured by using the method, the donor film includes a donor substrate and a transfer layer formed on the donor substrate. The donor substrate includes a base film, a light-to-heat conversion (LTHC) layer disposed on the base film, and a curved interlayer film provided on the light-to-heat conversion layer and having a wrinkled side. The transfer layer includes an organic emission layer which is formed so as to be curved along a shape of the wrinkled side of the curved interlayer film. |
| US08809841B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, lighting device, and electronic devices
A light-emitting element which at least includes a monomolecular layer including a luminescent center material with a fluorescent light-emitting property, and a monomolecular layer including a host material with a carrier (electron or hole)-transport property and a band gap larger than a band gap (note that a band gap refers to the energy difference between a HOMO level and a LUMO level) of the luminescent center material, between a pair of electrodes, in which the monomolecular layer including the host material and the monomolecular layer including the luminescent center material share the same interface, is provided. |
| US08809838B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
Embodiments provide an organic light emitting diode display. The display includes a substrate, a pixel electrode formed on the substrate, and an organic emissive layer formed on the pixel electrode. A common electrode is formed on the organic emissive layer. In addition, a crystallized light scattering layer is formed on the common electrode. The crystallized light scattering layer may be a crystallized organic or crystallized inorganic layer having a rough surface in order to effectively scatter light and prevent phenomenon, such as Newton's Rings from occurring in the display. |
| US08809836B2 |
Techniques for forming contacts to quantum well transistors
Techniques are disclosed for providing a low resistance self-aligned contacts to devices formed in a semiconductor heterostructure. The techniques can be used, for example, for forming contacts to the gate, source and drain regions of a quantum well transistor fabricated in III-V and SiGe/Ge material systems. Unlike conventional contact process flows which result in a relatively large space between the source/drain contacts to gate, the resulting source and drain contacts provided by the techniques described herein are self-aligned, in that each contact is aligned to the gate electrode and isolated therefrom via spacer material. |
| US08809833B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
Certain embodiments provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device, including: providing a first stack film on a first substrate, the first stack film being formed by stacking a p-type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer having a multiquantum well structure of a nitride semiconductor, and an n-type nitride semiconductor layer in this order; forming an n-electrode on an upper face of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer; and forming a concave-convex region on the upper face of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer by performing wet etching on the upper face of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer with the use of an alkaline solution, except for a region in which the n-electrode is formed. |
| US08809829B2 |
Phase change memory having stabilized microstructure and manufacturing method
A memory device having a phase change material element with a modified stoichiometry in the active region does not exhibit drift in set state resistance. A method for manufacturing the memory device includes first manufacturing an integrated circuit including an array of phase change memory cells with bodies of phase change material having a bulk stoichiometry; and then applying forming current to the phase change memory cells in the array to change the bulk stoichiometry in active regions of the bodies of phase change material to the modified stoichiometry, without disturbing the bulk stoichiometry outside the active regions. The bulk stoichiometry is characterized by stability under the thermodynamic conditions outside the active region, while the modified stoichiometry is characterized by stability under the thermodynamic conditions inside the active region. |
| US08809826B2 |
Memory element and memory device
A memory element and a memory device having the stable switching characteristics with the characteristics of data retention remaining favorable are provided. The memory element includes a first electrode, a memory layer, and a second electrode in this order. The memory layer includes an ion source layer provided on the second electrode side, a resistance change layer provided between the ion source layer and the first electrode, and a barrier layer provided between the resistance change layer and the first electrode, and having conductivity higher than that of the resistance change layer. |
| US08809825B2 |
Paper size detection device having a same sensor triggerable by two opposite switches and detection method thereof
A paper size detection device includes a central switch, at least two switches disposed to two opposite sides of the central switch at intervals, and at least a sensor corresponding to the two switches located at the two opposite sides of the central switch. The sensor can be designated as a light sensor. One switch triggers the sensor and the other switch is without triggering the sensor under an original no paper condition. So that a detection method of the paper size detection device that uses N light sensors to judge N*2 papers' size can be realized by virtue of the above-mentioned setting structure, N is a positive integer, such as 2, 3, 4 and so on. Thus, the paper size detection device has a simple structure and a lower manufacture cost, and the detection method of the paper size detection device is simplified, accordingly. |
| US08809824B1 |
Cryogenically cooled radiation shield device and associated method
A cryogenically cooled radiation shield device and method are provided to shield an area, such as the capsule of a space vehicle, from radiation. A cryogenically cooled radiation shield device may include at least one first coil comprised of a superconducting material extending about the area to be shielded. The cryogenically cooled radiation shield device also includes a first inner conduit extending about the area to be shielded from radiation. The at least one first coil is disposed within the first inner conduit. The cryogenically cooled radiation shield device also includes a first outer conduit extending about the area to be shielded from radiation. The first inner conduit is disposed within the first outer conduit. The cryogenically cooled radiation shield device also includes a first cryogen liquid disposed within the first inner conduit and a second cryogen liquid, different than the first cryogen liquid, disposed within the first outer conduit. |
| US08809821B2 |
Holder device, chamber apparatus, and extreme ultraviolet light generation system
A holder device for holding an optical element includes a holder having first and second members to sandwich the optical element therebetween, and a sealing member for creating a seal between the second member and the optical element. |
| US08809820B2 |
Micro-channel-cooled high heat load light emitting device
A lamp head module includes a high aspect ratio, high fill factor array of light emitting devices and a submount. The array includes multiple groups of electrically seriesed light emitting devices that are connected in electrical parallel. The submount is of monolithic construction and includes multiple L-shaped patterned circuit material layers. Each of the L-shaped patterned circuit material layers includes an arm portion and a stem portion. The arm portion functions as a light emitting device bond pad and the stem portion functions as a wire bond pad and a circuit trace. Each light emitting device of a group is affixed to a corresponding arm portion of the submount. The stem portions are located external to the array, run parallel to the length of the array and perform a primary current carrying function for current flow between adjacent light emitting devices of the group. |
| US08809815B2 |
Particle-beam energy changing apparatus, particle beam therapy system including the same, and method of changing particle beam energy
There is provided a particle-beam energy changing apparatus that is capable of changing energy of a particle beam quickly and silently, in which a first energy changing unit and a second energy changing unit for changing energy of a particle beam passing therethrough by varying thicknesses of their attenuators attenuating the particle beam energy are arranged so that the particle beam passes through the first energy changing unit and the second energy changing unit; and the maximum attenuation amount by the first energy changing unit is set smaller than the maximum attenuation amount by the second energy changing unit. |
| US08809813B1 |
Scanned UV-LED exposure device
A scanned ultraviolet-light emitting diode (UV-LED) exposure device, exposing a large area by using a periodic UV-LED exposure light source with a fixed rate in an exposure task without a need of stopping movement of the device, so as to periodically repeat a use of an exposure light source to increase a use efficiency of the energy source, resulting in an improved uniformity of exposure, with the LEDs alternatively arranged policy, which further results in an improved yield. In addition, the overall design of the upper and lower exposure stations and the periodic moving ring assembly sufficiently employs the available space, and results in a reduced volume, a corresponding production space, energy consumption and production cost. |
| US08809795B2 |
Imaging apparatus, radiation imaging system, controlling method of imaging apparatus, and recording medium recording control program of imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a transmitting path to transmit the output electric signal, and a read-out circuit performing a sampling and holding operation for holding the electric signal read out through the transmitting path, and performing a reset operation to reset the transmitting path, and includes a control unit for controlling an outputting drive circuit and a read-out circuit so as to perform the sampling and holding operation row by row after a start of the output operation, to perform the reset operation after the sampling and holding operation, and to terminate the output operation after the reset operation. This can reduce the frame time without reducing the S/N ratio of the image signal. |
| US08809793B2 |
System and method for pixelated detector calibration
Present embodiments relate to the calibration of detectors having one or more arrays of pixelated detectors. According to an embodiment, a method includes detecting optical outputs generated by a plurality of scintillation crystals of a detector with an array of pixelated detectors, generating, with the array of pixelated detectors, respective signals indicative of the optical outputs, generating, from the respective signals, a unique energy spectrum correlated to each of the plurality of scintillation crystals, grouping subsets of the plurality of scintillation crystals into macrocrystals, determining a representative energy spectrum peak for each macrocrystal based on the respective energy spectra of the scintillation crystals in the macrocrystal, comparing a value of the representative energy spectrum peak for each macrocrystal with a target peak value, and adjusting an operating parameter of at least one pixelated detector in the array of pixelated detectors as a result of the comparison. |
| US08809792B2 |
Field-of-view-dependent coincidence window for positron emission tomography
A method and apparatus for determining a coincidence window for imaging a region of interest of an object using a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner. The method includes determining a diameter of a transverse field of view (FOV) for imaging the region of interest of the object; and calculating the coincidence window based on the determined diameter, a ring diameter of the PET scanner, an axial length of the PET scanner, and a time-of-flight resolution of the PET scanner. |
| US08809791B2 |
Continuous time-of-flight scatter simulation method
A continuous time-of-flight scatter simulation method is provided, with a related method of correcting PET imaging data to compensate for photon scatter. Scatter contributions from each imaging pixel in a field of view may be calculated without binning data. |
| US08809790B2 |
Method and system for nuclear imaging using multi-zone detector architecture
A method and system for nuclear imaging normally involves detection of energy by producing bursts of photons in response to interactions involving incident gamma radiation. The detector sensitivity is increased by as much as two orders of magnitude, so that some excess sensitivity can be exchanged to achieve unprecedented spatial resolution and contrast-to-noise (C/N) ratio comparable to those in CT and MRI. Misplaced pileup events due to scattered radiation are rejected for each of the central groups to reduce image blurring, thereby further improving image quality. The reduction in detector thickness minimizes depth-of-interaction (DOI) blurring as well as blurring due to Compton-scattered radiation. The spatial sampling of the detector can be further increased using fiber optic coupling to reduce effective photodetector size. Fiber-optic coupling also enables to increase the packing fraction of PMTs to 100% by effectively removing the glass walls. |
| US08809786B2 |
Microbolometer detector with centrally-located support structure
A microbolometer detector has an improved support structure. The microbolometer detector includes a substrate and a support structure including at least one post connected to and projecting substantially vertically from the substrate. The microbolometer detector also includes a platform held above the substrate and including a central region substantially vertically aligned with the at least one post of the support structure and a peripheral region surrounding the central region, the platform being supported by the support structure from the central region thereof. The microbolometer further includes at least one thermistor located in the peripheral region of the platform. A microbolometer focal plane array may also include multiple microbolometer detectors arranged in a two-dimensional array. The support structures are particularly well suited for supporting relatively large platforms of microbolometer detectors, particularly for far-infrared and terahertz detection and spectroscopy applications. |
| US08809784B2 |
Incident radiation detector packaging
In accordance with particular embodiments, a method for packaging an incident radiation detector includes depositing an opaque solder resistant material on a first surface of a transparent lid substrate configured to cover at least one detector. The method also includes forming at least one cavity in the lid substrate. The method further includes forming a first portion of at least one hermetic seal ring on the opaque solder resistant material. The first portion of each hermetic seal ring surrounds a perimeter of a corresponding cavity in the lid substrate. The method also includes aligning the first portion of the at least one hermetic seal ring with a second portion of the at least one hermetic seal ring. The method additionally includes bonding the first portion of the at least one hermetic seal ring with the second portion of the at least one hermetic seal ring with solder. |
| US08809778B2 |
Pattern inspection apparatus and method
A pattern inspection apparatus configured to perform pattern inspection based on a SEM image previously measures distortion amount data representing a magnitude distribution of positional displacement caused by distortion of the SEM image in a scanning direction. When the pattern inspection is performed, the apparatus makes design data and the SEM image correspond to each other by adjusting at least one of the design data and the SEM image on the basis of the distortion amount data, and places a measurement region on the SEM image on the basis of a correspondence between the design data and the SEM image. The apparatus may further find a matching rate between a pattern of the design data and a pattern of the SEM image. |
| US08809774B2 |
Laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI) for atmospheric pressure, in vivo, and imaging mass spectrometry
The field of the invention is atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry (MS), and more specifically a process and apparatus which combine infrared laser ablation with electrospray ionization (ESI). |
| US08809762B2 |
Photodetector circuit
Light from a photodiode is detected using a phototransistor. At the time of startup, set data concerning a detected current is received at a communication interface, and the received set data is compared with the detected current. A control unit adjusts a current of the phototransistor so that the detected current matches the set data. |
| US08809760B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging system, method of controlling the apparatus and the system, and program
An imaging apparatus includes a conversion unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each pixel including a conversion element, an output switch element, and an initialization switch element; an output drive circuit controls an output operation; an initialization drive circuit controls an initialization operation; and a readout circuit performs a signal sample-and-hold operation and a reset operation. A control unit performs termination of the output operation of a certain row and start of the output operation of another row after the termination of the reset operation, the start of the signal sample-and-hold operation after the termination of the output operation of the certain row and the start of the output operation of the other row, the start of the reset operation and the initialization operation after the termination of the signal sample-and-hold operation, and the termination of the reset operation after the termination of the initialization operation. |
| US08809755B1 |
Aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle with improved control system and method of using
The present invention relates to an aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle with an improved control system, an improved control system and a method of maneuvering an aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle with control surfaces that are movable along a track. The present invention further relates to a method of controlling a aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle using such a control system. One of the technical advantages of the control system on a track (or “tracked control surface”) over other aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle control systems is that the tracked control surface system enables the aircraft, missile, projectile or underwater vehicle to have an unlimited number of configurations, each configuration being tailored to the specific stability or maneuverability requirements during a specific portion of the flight. |
| US08809752B2 |
Booster circuit for enhanced induction heating unit, power-supply unit, and image forming apparatus using the same
A boosting circuit includes a switch element, a first coil, a second coil, and a capacitor. The switch element generates a first alternating current voltage having a first frequency from a direct current voltage. The first coil generates a magnetic field around the first coil with a flow of the first alternating current voltage having the first frequency in the first coil. The first coil also induces an eddy current in the object with the magnetic field to inductively heat the object. The second coil is cumulatively connected to the first coil. The capacitor is connected to the first coil and the second coil in a parallel manner. |
| US08809751B2 |
Modular heater system
A heater system is provided that includes a hybrid insulation cover that has a first cover disposed around hinged carrier members and heat trace sections, and a second cover operatively engaged with the first cover and adapted for detachable placement around a heating target and its varying geometries. A flexible insulation jacket having a similar construction as the second cover is also provided for use with connector assemblies. Furthermore, a heater system is provided that includes at least one heat trace section encapsulated within adjacent insulating members for use with heating gaslines and pumplines of semiconductor processing systems. |
| US08809750B2 |
Electric heating device
An electric heater (10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 70, 80), especially for heating surfaces of components, is provided with an inner metal jacket (11, 21, 31, 41, 61, 71, 81) and an outer metal jacket (14, 24, 34, 44, 64, 74, 84), which are arranged relative to one another such that a space is present between the inner metal jacket (11, 21, 31, 41, 61, 71, 81) and outer metal jacket (14, 24, 34, 44, 64, 74, 84). At least one heat conductor (13, 23, 33, 43, 63, 73, 83) is arranged at least in some sections in the space between the inner metal jacket (11, 21, 31, 41, 61, 71, 81) and outer metal jacket (14, 24, 34, 44, 64, 74, 84). At least two spacers (12, 22, 32, 36, 42, 62, 72, 82), arranged between the heat conductor (13, 23, 33, 43, 63, 73, 83) and inner metal jacket (11, 21, 31, 41, 61, 71, 81) are provided, over which the sections of the heat conductor (13, 23, 33, 43, 63, 73, 83) are guided. |
| US08809741B2 |
Multi-cable umbilical cord system
A system and method for an integrated structural welding system is designed to improve work flow efficiency. Accordingly, a multi-cable umbilical cord system is provided that combines and couples a number of power, control, and gas deliver cables. |
| US08809739B2 |
Welder with positional heat control and method of using same
An electric arc welder for producing a weave pattern across a workpiece with a succession of individual weld short runs or bead, each of which has a center portion extending between two transversely spaced edges. The welder comprising a power source, a wire feeder to direct a welding wire through a movable torch to the workpiece and a controller for creating a welding current between the wire and the workpiece. A mechanical device is used to move the torch along the bead and the controller has a program to perform a first weld process while the torch is moving along the center portion and a second weld process when the torch is adjacent the edges, where the first weld process has less heat input than the second weld process. |
| US08809738B2 |
Method for providing real-time monitoring of contact tip performance
A method for tracking contact tip deterioration in real time in accordance with the present invention includes establishing a reference that relates welding parameters during welding production to contact tip life; monitoring welding parameters of a contact tip during use; comparing the monitored welding parameters to the reference; providing real-time feedback to an operator; and predicting contact tip failure from the comparison. |
| US08809736B2 |
Arc welding method and arc welding apparatus
An arc welding method of the present invention controls a short-circuit current increasing gradient (di/dt), an inflection point at which the short-circuit current increasing gradient (di/dt) changes, the current in a peak period and in a base period, and the time of the peak period in accordance with a difference between a set voltage and an output voltage. This allows the output voltage to be matched with the set voltage, and stabilizes the arc. Thereby, a stable arc welding method can be implemented, even as a method for outputting a welding current based on a welding voltage. |
| US08809734B2 |
Methods and systems for thermal-based laser processing a multi-material device
A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes. |
| US08809732B2 |
Process and apparatus for ablation
An ablation method including a steps of ablating a region of a substrate (1) by a laser beam (3); and removing debris ablated from the region (1) by a flow of a fluid (7), namely, a gas or vapor, a liquid or a combination of the fluids. The flow of fluid (7) is directed to flow over the region so as to entrap debris and thereafter remove the entrapped debris from the region by directing the flow of fluid, with any entrapped debris, away from region along a predetermined path (6) avoiding subsequent deposition of entrapped debris on the substrate. |
| US08809726B2 |
Electrode tip magazine for spot welder
An electrode tip magazine for a spot welder that does not interfere with the welding gun is provided. The magazine includes a magazine body formed with a storage part slidably aligning and storing a plurality of electrode tips therein, one end of this storage part serving as an externally opened supply port, a push-out member disposed to be freely slidable between both ends inside the storage part, a pulley disposed at a position adjacent to the supply port of the magazine body, a spiral spring disposed at a position at the other end of the storage part of the magazine body, and a wire connecting a distal end of the spiral spring and the push-out member with an intermediate portion thereof being wound around the pulley so as to always pull the push-out member toward the supply port by a biasing force of the spiral spring. |
| US08809724B2 |
Strategically placed large grains in superalloy casting to improve weldability
Process for reducing cracking in superalloy metal components by selectively growing large single grains during the casting operation at a region where fusion welding will be required. |
| US08809722B2 |
Circuit breaker with translating electrical contact, circuit breaker electrical contact assemblies, and operational methods
Circuit breakers having an electrical contact assembly with a moving electrical contact that is linearly translatable within an inner cavity are disclosed. A guide linearly carries a moveable contact assembly having the moving electrical contact and the guide has one or more guide supports accessible by a drive member external to the cavity. According to another aspect, a circuit breaker electrical contact assembly and method of operating a circuit breaker is provided, as are other aspects. |
| US08809720B2 |
Arc extinguishing mechanism for mold cased circuit breaker
An arc extinguishing mechanism for the mold cased circuit breaker comprises a plurality of arc grids stacked on one another in a perpendicular direction and supporting plates for supporting the arc grids, and each of the arc grids comprises a U-shaped plate portion made of a ferromagnetic material, and having two leg portions, a plurality of supporting protrusions laterally extending from the U-shaped plate portion to be flush with the U-shaped plate portion, thus to allow the U-shaped plate portion to be coupled to the supporting plates for support, and bent portions extending from the leg portions, respectively, by being bent in a perpendicular direction, to minimize an air gap between the adjacent arc grids stacked on each other so as to increase a force of inducing arc generated in the arc chamber toward the arc grids. |
| US08809717B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel is provided that includes: a substrate; a plurality of X-axis lines disposed on the substrate; a plurality of Y-axis lines crossing the plurality of X-axis lines; and an insulating layer interposed between the X-axis lines and the Y-axis lines, in which at least one first X-axis line and at least one second X-axis line selected from among the plurality of X-axis lines are connected by a first connection portion, and among the plurality of Y-axis lines, a Y-axis line crossing the first X-axis line and the second X-axis line has a first area in a region where the Y-axis line overlaps the first X-axis line and a second area in a region where the Y-axis line overlaps the second X-axis line, and the first area and the second area are different from each other. |
| US08809716B2 |
Haptic steering wheel switch apparatus and haptic steering wheel swtich system including the same
The present invention provides a haptic steering wheel switch apparatus including: a haptic wheel housing unit configured to be disposed on a vehicle steering wheel; a circuit board unit configured to be disposed inside the haptic wheel housing unit; and a haptic wheel device including a haptic wheel device actuator configured to establish an electrical connection with the circuit board unit and including a haptic shaft, a haptic knob connected with the haptic shaft and exposedly disposed in the haptic wheel housing unit, and a haptic wheel device sensing unit configured to detect the rotating state of the haptic shaft, wherein the haptic wheel device is disposed on a front or rear side of the vehicle steering wheel, and a haptic steering wheel switch system including the same. |
| US08809715B2 |
Push button with cable
A push-button device (1) is provided for actuating a technical system (2), especially in a motor vehicle. The push-button device (1) comprises at least one push button (6) as well as a holding device (10). The push button (6) is arranged in the holding device (10) and can be moved between a neutral position and an actuation position. The push-button device (1) is characterized according to the present invention in that a flexible cable device (3) for signal transmission is arranged between the push button (6) and the technical system (2). |
| US08809713B2 |
Switch module
A switch module including a light source element is provided that obtains slimming down and a sufficient click feeling and suitably irradiates a key portion, while suppressing manufacturing cost. A switch module is disposed to face a key portion. The switch module includes a transparent FPC board, a transparent conductive film, an electrode, a metal dome which is in contact with a part of the transparent conductive film and which is allowed to come into contact with the electrode by being deformed, and an LED. Light emitted from the LED and guided in a direction orthogonal to a thickness direction of the board in the transparent FPC board is reflected by a reflecting portion provided on the transparent FPC board, in a direction of the key portion. |
| US08809711B2 |
Electrical contact position indicator apparatus, systems and methods of operation
Embodiments show an electrical contact position indicator. The indicator includes a mechanical indicator and an accessory actuator configured and adapted to mount in a circuit breaker housing, the accessory actuator being coupled to the mechanical indicator. The mechanical indicator is configured and operable to provide a non-electrical indication of an operational configuration of the electrical contact assembly, and actuate the accessory actuator. The accessory actuator is operable to provide an electrical indication of an operational configuration of the electrical contact assembly. Electrical contact position indicator assemblies and methods of operating the same are provided, as are other aspects. |
| US08809709B2 |
Push switch
Provided is a pushbutton switch that can be made thin without requiring that a notch be made into a mounting board. The pushbutton switch is provided with a first substrate having a housing recess part located on a surface of the first substrate, a center contact provided at roughly the center of the interior of the housing recess part, a pair of peripheral contacts provided on peripheral edge parts of the housing recess part, a movable contact spring that is installed on the pair of peripheral contacts and that touches the center contact upon being pressed, and a second substrate, which is provided with a pair of connection pads electrically connected to the first substrate. A cross section of the first and second substrates is formed as a whole into an “L”-like shape. |
| US08809708B2 |
Button assembly with drive assembly
A process is provided for characterizing a tactile response of a first mechanical actuator (e.g., button) based on a back off distance. The first mechanical actuator may include a plunger, a dome-shaped flexible membrane, and an electrical contact, all aligned with each other so that a contact signal is generated when the flexible membrane touches the contact. The plunger can be moved a first distance towards the contact until the contact signal is generated at a contact point. Then the plunger can be backed off a second distance from the contact point. This second distance may be called the “back off distance”. The particular feel of the first mechanical actuator can then be correlated to a particular back off distance. This process can be repeated a number of times to classify a number of different “feels” for the first mechanical actuator based on a number of different back off distances. |
| US08809704B2 |
Cable termination systems and isolating apparatus for electrical power transmission conductors and methods using the same
A conductor termination system for use with an electrical power transmission conductor includes a termination assembly and a connector. The termination assembly includes an end member and an integral retainer mechanism. The end member includes a receiver portion configured to receive a segment of the conductor. The retainer mechanism includes a moveable keeper member on the end member. The retainer mechanism is operable to selectively clamp a segment of the conductor in the receiver portion to the end member and to apply a retention load to the conductor segment. The connector is adapted to be applied to the end member and the conductor to securely clamp the conductor segment to the end member. |
| US08809702B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting a position-based attribute of an object using digital codes
Methods, systems and devices are described for detecting a position-based attribute of a finger, stylus or other object with a touchpad or other sensor having a touch-sensitive region that includes a plurality of electrodes. Modulation signals for one or more electrodes are produced as a function of any number of distinct digital codes. The modulation signals are applied to an associated at least one of the plurality of electrodes to obtain a resultant signal that is electrically affected by the position of the object. The resultant signal is demodulated using the plurality of distinct digital codes to discriminate electrical effects produced by the object. The position-based attribute of the object is then determined with respect to the plurality of electrodes from the electrical effects. |
| US08809701B2 |
Connecting device for electrical junction boxes
A connecting device for electrical junction boxes, including a sleeve member that can be inserted in a first hole of a first wall of a first box and in a second hole provided in a second wall of a second box to be joined to the first box. An annular gasket is fitted around the sleeve and is located between the two walls. The sleeve has a first end provided with a plate that is internal to the first box and a second end provided with an abutment means that engages the inner side of the second wall. The insertion of a wedge member, which is applied between the plate and the first wall, gradually moves the plate away from the inner side, pushing the walls against each other and compressing the gasket between them. |
| US08809695B2 |
Contact structure for an electronic circuit substrate and electronic circuit comprising said contact structure
A substrate for an electronic circuit is provided wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of contact areas (304), a plurality of dielectric areas (307), and a conductor path (301), wherein each of the plurality of contact areas is surrounded by a respective one of the dielectric areas, and wherein at least two of the contact areas are connected with each other by the conductor path. Furthermore, the conductor path is formed at the dielectric area in such a way that it completely covers the dielectric area. |
| US08809692B2 |
Wiring board
A wiring board including a conductor post corresponding to high-density packaging is provided. The wiring board may include a conductor layer, a solder resist layer laminated thereon, and a conductor post provided at least within the through-hole and that is electrically connected to a conductor layer which is disposed in a lower portion of a through-hole provided in the layer, wherein the solder resist layer comprises a thermosetting resin; the conductor post comprises tin, copper, or a solder and includes a lower conductor post located within the through-hole and an upper conductor post located above the lower conductor post and projected outside the layer; the lower conductor post includes an external alloy layer disposed on an external side surface thereof; and the conductor post is brought into intimate contact with an internal side surface of the through-hole via the external alloy layer. |
| US08809686B2 |
Electrical bushing
An electrical bushing for providing electrical insulation of a conductor extending through the bushing is disclosed. The bushing includes: one conductive foil concentrically arranged around the conductor location; and one FGM part, made from a field grading material and partly arranged in the extension of part of a foil edge of a conductive foil. The FGM part and the conductive foil, in the extension of which the FGM part is arranged, are in electrical contact. |
| US08809685B2 |
Superconductive connecting device for the end pieces of two superconductors and method for the production thereof
A superconductive connecting device of at least one embodiment is used to contact the end pieces of two superconductors, each of which includes at least one conductor lead that is made of a superconductive MgB2 material and embedded in a matrix made of a normally conductive material, the conductor lead being directly sheathed with a barrier material. In a connecting region, the conductor leads of the end pieces, which are at least partially stripped of the matrix material and the barrier material, are arranged inside a sleeve or bushing, and a magnesium diboride (MgB2) material is additionally present as a superconductive contacting material which is located at least in some partial regions between the conductor leads. For establishing the connection, the cross-section of the sleeve or bushing filled in this way is reduced. |
| US08809678B2 |
Coated nanoparticles and quantum dots for solution-based fabrication of photovoltaic cells
CIGS absorber layers fabricated using coated semiconducting nanoparticles and/or quantum dots are disclosed. Core nanoparticles and/or quantum dots containing one or more elements from group 13 and/or IIIA and/or VIA may be coated with one or more layers containing elements group IB, IIIA or VIA. Using nanoparticles with a defined surface area, a layer thickness could be tuned to give the proper stoichiometric ratio, and/or crystal phase, and/or size, and/or shape. The coated nanoparticles could then be placed in a dispersant for use as an ink, paste, or paint. By appropriate coating of the core nanoparticles, the resulting coated nanoparticles can have the desired elements intermixed within the size scale of the nanoparticle, while the phase can be controlled by tuning the stoichiometry, and the stoichiometry of the coated nanoparticle may be tuned by controlling the thickness of the coating(s). |
| US08809677B1 |
Molded light guide for concentrated photovoltaic receiver module
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided multiple embodiments of a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) module. In each embodiment of the present invention, the CPV module includes a light guide having a molded, cast or machined hollow funnel with a highly reflective internal surface for use in guiding focused solar rays to the active, front surface of the receiver die of the CPV module. |
| US08809676B2 |
Thin film solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film solar cell includes a first substrate, a transparent conductive layer on an inner surface of the first substrate, the transparent conductive layer having an uneven top surface and including through-holes, a light-absorbing layer on the transparent conductive layer, a reflection electrode on the light-absorbing layer, a second substrate facing and attached with the first substrate, and a polymeric material layer on an inner surface of the second substrate. |
| US08809675B2 |
Solar cell system
A solar cell system includes a number of P-N junction cells, a number of inner electrodes, a first collecting electrode, a second collecting electrode and a reflector. The number of the P-N junction cells is M. M is equal to or greater than 2. The M P-N junction cells are arranged from a first P-N junction cell to an Mth P-N junction cell along the straight line. The P-N junction cells are arranged in series along a straight line. The number of the inner electrodes is M−1. At least one inner electrode includes a carbon nanotube array. A photoreceptive surface is parallel to the straight line. A reflector is located on an emitting surface opposite to the photoreceptive surface. |
| US08809674B2 |
Back electrode configuration for electroplated CIGS photovoltaic devices and methods of making same
A back contact configuration for a CIGS-type photovoltaic device is provided. The back contact configuration includes an interfacial seed layer, made up of one or more layers/sublayers, disposed between a Mo based rear contact/electrode and a CIGS inclusive semiconductor absorber. The interfacial seed layer may be of or include one or more element(s) that make up, or help make up, the CIGS inclusive semiconductor absorber. Various methods and compositions of the interfacial seed layer are disclosed, including a seed layer comprising metallic and/or substantially metallic Cu—In—Ga, CIGS, and/or a stack of alternating layers of or including Cu, In and Ga. Methods for making the back contact configuration, including an interfacial seed layer, are also provided. |
| US08809671B2 |
Optoelectronic device with bypass diode
Optoelectronic devices with bypass diodes are described. An optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, and extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. Another optoelectronic device includes a bypass diode, a heat spreader unit disposed above, but not extending over, the bypass diode, and a heat sink disposed above the heat spreader unit. |
| US08809670B2 |
Solar energy module
A solar energy module is provided and includes a substrate comprising at least one light diffusion layer and a plurality of light guiding layers adjacent to the light diffusion layer, and solar chips disposed on the lateral surfaces of the substrate. Solar light enters the substrate and is diffused by the light diffusion layer, and the diffused solar light is reflected by an interface of the light diffusion layer and the light guiding layer and is collected by the solar chips. A part of the solar light enters the light guiding layers and is reflected by the interface of the light guiding layers, and the reflected light is collected by the solar chips. |
| US08809669B2 |
Photovoltaic arrays, in part having switches for short-circuiting of modules
A photovoltaic generator is provided that has at least one string of multiple series-connected photovoltaic modules, each of which has a plurality of series-connected photovoltaic cells. One quarter to one half of all photovoltaic modules of the at least one string can be short-circuited by means of a switch. Activation of the switch takes place when a predefined voltage value across the string is exceeded. The shorting switch is only present in some of the arrays making up the photovoltaic generator, which reduces cabling costs. Because of the parallel connection of the arrays, the voltage of the arrays without shorting switches is drawn down to a lower voltage that is safe for the inverter. |
| US08809664B2 |
Support function recommending apparatus, a support function recommending method, a support function recommending system, and a recording medium
Plural electronic musical instruments 2 obtain proficiency level related information, that includes items such as usage amounts of plural support functions which are used by a user in performing a playing practice of a practice piece during a period from a previous practice to the last practice and a proficiency level of a playing technique of a practice piece, and supply the information to a server 1. The server stores the received proficiency level related information in a database 14. Upon receipt of the information, a controlling unit 12 of the server 1 sends back the electronic musical instrument 2 information indicating the support function most suitable for practicing the practice piece determined on the basis of the received information and a series of information stored in the database containing the proficiency level related information including the item of the proficiency level corresponding to an aimed level. |
| US08809663B2 |
Synthetic simulation of a media recording
A method and system for generating a synthetic simulation of a media recording is disclosed. One embodiment accesses a sound reference archive and heuristically creates a new sound that is matched against at least one sound in the sound reference archive. The media recording is analyzed and a synthetic sound based on the analyzing of the media recording is generated. |
| US08809660B2 |
Keyboard device for electronic musical instrument
A keyboard device includes hammers 16w, 16b that rock with the rocking movement of plural white and black keys 11w, 11b. The plural white and black keys 11w, 11b include drive units that drive the hammers 16w, 16b. The drive unit is provided on a front end of the key. A positional relationship between a plane including a key support portion of each white key 11w and black key 11b and the front end of the white key 11w and black key 11b, and a top face of each white key 11w and black key 11b is set such that the top faces of the plural white keys 11w and black keys 11b are located on the same plane, when the rocking angles of the plural white keys 11w and black keys 11b reach a predetermined angle respectively. |
| US08809654B1 |
Wheat variety W020757F1
A wheat variety designated W020757F1, the plants and seeds of wheat variety W020757F1, methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing the variety W020757F1 with another wheat plant, and hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety W020757F1 with another wheat line or plant, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of variety W020757F1. This invention also relates to methods for producing other wheat varieties or breeding lines derived from wheat variety W020757F1 and to wheat varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods. |
| US08809651B2 |
Inbred corn line BB93
An inbred corn line, designated BB93, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred corn line BB93, to the plants and plant parts of inbred corn line BB93 and to methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing inbred corn line BB93 with itself or another corn line. The invention also relates to products produced from the seeds, plants, or parts thereof, of inbred corn line BB93 and/or of the hybrids produced using the inbred as a parent. The invention further relates to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line BB93. |
| US08809648B1 |
Maize inbred PH1DF8
A novel maize variety designated PH1DF8 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1DF8 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1DF8 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1DF8 or a locus conversion of PH1DF8 with another maize variety. |
| US08809640B2 |
Soybean variety A1026139
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1026139. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1026139. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1026139 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1026139 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08809638B2 |
Soybean cultivar BY0912931
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety BY0912931 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety BY0912931 and its progeny, and methods of making BY0912931. |
| US08809637B2 |
Soybean cultivar HI0912797
The present invention is in the field of soybean variety HI0912797 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean variety HI0912797 and its progeny, and methods of making HI0912797. |
| US08809636B2 |
Soybean cultivar S060292
A soybean cultivar designated S060292 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S060292, to the plants of soybean S060292, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S060292 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S060292 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety S060292, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S060292 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S060292 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US08809635B2 |
Brassica plant comprising a mutant indehiscent allele
This invention relates to crop plants of which the fruit dehiscence properties are modulated. More specifically the invention relates to improved methods and means for reducing seed shattering, or delaying seed shattering until after harvest, while maintaining at the same time an agronomically relevant treshability of the pods, and for increasing yield. |
| US08809633B2 |
Lettuce cultivar champion
A lettuce cultivar, designated Champion, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of lettuce cultivar Champion, to the plants of lettuce cultivar Champion and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar Champion with itself or another lettuce cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing a lettuce plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic lettuce plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to lettuce cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Champion, to methods for producing other lettuce cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Champion and to the lettuce plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid lettuce seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar Champion with another lettuce cultivar. |
| US08809631B2 |
Screening method for selecting plants that show reduced wound-induced surface discolouration and plant and plant parts thus obtained
Provided is a method for screening a population of plants or plant parts for the presence therein of individuals that show a reduced wound-induced surface discolouration as compared to a control plant or plant part, which method comprises providing a population of plants or parts of the plants from the population; creating a wound surface on the plants or plant parts to be screened and on the control plants or plant parts; incubating the wound surfaces to allow for discolouration to occur therein or thereon; observing the wound surface discolouration in or on the plants or plant parts; comparing the observed wound surface discolouration in or on the plants or plant parts to be screened with the discolouration that is observed on or in the control plant or plant parts. The plants thus selected are also provided. |
| US08809630B2 |
Polynucleotides and polypeptides in plants
The invention relates to plant transcription factor polypeptides, polynucleotides that encode them, homologs from a variety of plant species, and methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to produce transgenic plants having advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed. |
| US08809628B2 |
S-adenosylmethionine synthetase expression elements identified from Arabidopsis thaliana
The present invention provides non-coding regulatory element polynucleotide molecules isolated from the S-adenosyl methionine synthetase (SAMS3) gene of Arabidopsis thaliana and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The invention further discloses compositions, polynucleotide constructs, transformed host cells, transgenic plants and seeds containing the Arabidopsis thaliana regulatory polynucleotide sequences, and methods for preparing and using the same. |
| US08809627B2 |
Plant isoflavone and isoflavanone O-methyltransferase genes
The invention provides enzymes that encode O-methyltransferases (OMTs) from Medicago truncatula that allow modification to plant (iso)flavonoid biosynthetic pathways. In certain aspects of the invention, the genes encoding these enzymes are provided. The invention therefore allows the modification of plants for isoflavonoid content. Transgenic plants comprising such enzymes are also provided, as well as methods for improving disease resistance in plants. Methods for producing food and nutraceuticals, and the resulting compositions, are also provided. |
| US08809623B2 |
Genetic loci associated with resistance to tropical rust in maize
The invention relates to methods and compositions for identifying maize plants that have increased or decreased resistance to tropical rust. The methods use molecular markers to identify and select plants with increased resistance to tropical rust or to identify and counter-select plants with decreased resistance to tropical rust. Maize plants generated by the methods of the invention are also a feature of the invention. Also of interest are methods used to correlate allelic variation with a trait of interest. |
| US08809620B2 |
Heparanase deficient non-human mammals
The invention relates to cells and transgenic non-human mammals having at least one disrupted heparanase allele. The invention further relates to methods of screening therapeutic drug candidates utilizing the heparanase deficient non-human mammals and cells. |
| US08809616B2 |
Cellulosic fiber compositions having odor control and methods of making and using the same
The present invention relates to compositions containing stabilized and/or activated urease inhibitors, as well as methods of making and using the same. |
| US08809614B2 |
Dental wound dressing
A dental dressing to promote healing and relieve pain and swelling associated with exposed dental alveoli. The dressing includes a three-dimensional dressing matrix to absorb leaked fluid associated with one or more exposed alveoli, and a therapeutic member to provide substantially localized cold therapy to one or more exposed alveoli, the therapeutic member embedded substantially within the dressing matrix and shaped to substantially engage one or more exposed alveoli while fitting substantially between contiguous teeth. At least part of the dressing matrix substantially conforms to one or more exposed alveoli, thereby engaging the therapeutic member with one or more exposed alveoli. |
| US08809607B2 |
Co-production of renewable diesel and renewable gasoline
A process for co-production of renewable diesel fuel range hydrocarbons and gasoline fuel range hydrocarbons from biomass-derived oils and fatty materials (e.g. triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, and free fatty acids) and biomass-derived polyol (e.g. sorbitol, xylitol, trehalose, sucrose, and sugar alcohol), respectively, in a same refinery hydrotreater with or without co-feeding of diesel fuel range hydrocarbons. |
| US08809606B2 |
Process for conversion of organic, waste, or low-value materials into useful products
Methods and apparatus for processing of waste and low-value products to produce useful materials in reliable purities and compositions, at acceptable cost, without producing malodorous emissions, and with high energy efficiency are disclosed. In particular, multi-stage processes are disclosed to convert various feedstocks such as offal, animal manures, municipal sewage sludge, tires, and plastics, that otherwise have little commercial value, to useful materials including gas, oil, specialty chemicals, and carbon solids. Disclosed processes subject the feedstock to heat and pressure, separates out various components, then further applies heat and pressure to one or more of those components. Various materials produced at different points in the process may be recycled and used to play other roles within the process. Also disclosed are apparatus for performing multi-stage processes of converting waste products into useful materials, and at least one oil product that arises from the process. |
| US08809601B2 |
Method for preparing olefin fluorine compounds
The invention relates to a method for preparing olefin fluorine compounds. Specifically, the invention relates to a method for producing a (hydro)fluoroolefin compound, including: (i) in an agitated reactor provided with at least one reactant inlet and at least one outlet, contacting, with potassium hydroxide in an aqueous reaction medium, at least one compound containing three to six carbon atoms, at least two fluorine atoms, and at least one hydrogen atom, with the proviso that at least one hydrogen atom and one fluorine atom are located on adjacent carbon atoms, so as produce the (hydro)fluoroolefin compound, separated in a gaseous state from the reaction medium and from potassium fluoride; (ii) in an aqueous medium, contacting the potassium fluoride formed in step (i) with calcium hydroxide in a second reactor so as to produce potassium hydroxide and to precipitate calcium fluoride; (iii) separating the calcium fluoride precipitated in step (ii) from the reaction medium; and (iv) optionally recirculating the reaction medium after optionally recirculating the reaction medium after optionally adjusting the concentration of potassium hydroxide in step (i), characterized in that potassium hydroxide, with regard to the reaction medium of step (ii), is between 10 and 35 wt % of the weight of the water/potassium hydroxide mixture of the medium. |
| US08809599B2 |
Integrated process for producing ethanol and water balance control
Described is an integrated process for producing ethanol from acetic acid in which the water from ethanol production is used to control water balance in the acetic acid production. In one embodiment, the invention comprises carbonylating methanol in a carbonylation system in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst under conditions effective to form acetic acid, hydrogenating the acetic acid in a hydrogenation system in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water, separating the ethanol from the water to form an ethanol stream and a water stream, and directing at least a portion of the water stream to the carbonylation system, e.g., for use in the carbonylation reaction medium. |
| US08809597B2 |
Separation of vapor crude alcohol product
Recovery of alcohol, in particular ethanol, by separating a vapor crude alcohol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a low energy process. The vapor crude ethanol product is separated in a column to produce a distillate stream comprising ethanol and at least one non-condensable gas. The vapor crude ethanol product may pass through a membrane before the first distillation column to separate the at least one non-condensable gas from the ethanol. The ethanol product is subsequently recovered from the distillate stream. |
| US08809592B2 |
Process for producing DIBK
A process for producing diisobutyl ketone (DIBK) which includes bringing together triacetone dialcohol (TDA) and a bifunctional catalyst that can perform a dehydration and hydrogenation reaction is described. |
| US08809589B2 |
Process for the preparation of enantiomerically pure amines
The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of (R)-1-aminoindan (2), rasagiline (1) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of rasagiline. |
| US08809587B2 |
Systems and methods for producing aromatic amines and removing phenol therefrom
Systems and methods for producing aromatic amines and removing phenol therefrom are provided. The method can include hydrogenating one or more aromatic nitro compounds to produce a reaction product comprising one or more aromatic amines, water, and phenol. The method can also include contacting the reaction product with one or more ion exchange materials to produce an aromatic amine product that contains less phenol than the reaction product. The one or more ion exchange materials can be solid, semi-solid, or a combination thereof. |
| US08809583B2 |
Methods for producing isomers of muconic acid and muconate salts
A method for producing cis,trans- and trans,trans-isomers of muconate by providing cis,cis -muconate produced from a renewable carbon source through biocatalytic conversion; isomerizing cis,cis-muconate to cis,trans-muconate under reaction conditions in which substantially all of the cis,cis-muconate is isomerized to cis,trans -muconate; separating the cis,trans-muconate; and crystallizing the cis,trans-muconate. The cis,trans-isomer can be further isomerized to the trans,trans-isomer. In one example, the method includes culturing recombinant cells that express 3-dehydroshikimate dehydratase, protocatechuate decarboxylase and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase in a medium comprising the renewable carbon source and under conditions in which the renewable carbon source is converted to 3-dehydroshikimate by enzymes in the common pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis of the cell, and the 3-dehydroshikimate is biocatalytically converted to cis,cis-muconate. |
| US08809579B2 |
Glucagon receptor antagonist compounds, compositions containing such compounds and methods of use
Glucagon receptor antagonist compounds are disclosed. The compounds are useful for treating type 2 diabetes and related conditions. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment are also included. |
| US08809575B2 |
Process for preparing isocyanates
The invention relates to a process for preparing isocyanates by reacting the corresponding amines with phosgene in the gas phase, optionally in the presence of an inert medium, in which the amine and the phosgene are first mixed and converted to the isocyanate in a reactor, and in which a reaction gas (1) which comprises isocyanate and hydrogen chloride leaving the reactor is cooled in a quench (3) by adding a liquid quench medium (5) to form a mixture of reaction gas and quench medium as the product stream (7). The quench medium (5) used is a mixture which comprises at least one solvent and isocyanate and which is withdrawn from the preparation process, any solid particles present in the quench medium (5) being removed before addition to the quench (3). |
| US08809574B2 |
Method for preparing isocyanates by liquid-phase thermal cracking
The present invention discloses a method for preparing isocyanates by liquid-phase catalytic thermal cracking. In this method, in a reaction-rectification thermal cracking reactor, using a catalyst composition comprising a superfine powder metal oxide catalyst and an ionic liquid, an alkyl or aryl dialkylurethane, or multialkylurethane being a reactant is liquid-phase thermal cracked for a reaction time of 0.5-3 h under a reaction temperature of 160-220° C. and an absolute pressure of 1000-8000 Pa so as to prepare the corresponding isocyanate. The invention has the characteristics of low thermal cracking temperature, high yield of target products, relatively simple reaction apparatus and good universality for substrates (the yields of HDI, MDI, TDI, HMDI, NDI and IPDI or the like are all>85%) and the like. |
| US08809568B2 |
Synthesis of silylacetylenes
The present disclosure provides a method of preparing silylethynyl compounds in which two of the hydrocarbyl groups bonded to the silicon exclusive of the ethynyl group, are the same and one is different, that may be used in preparing novel silylethynyl functionalized acene semiconductor chromophores. |
| US08809560B2 |
Trans-, trans-conjugated linoleic acid compositions and use thereof
This invention relates generally to trans-,trans-conjugated linoleic acid compositions and use thereof, and in particular to trans-,trans-conjugated linoleic acid produced from photoisomerization of soy oil in the presence of an antioxidant, and used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and human and animal food compositions for improved health. The invention also relates generally to a method for treatment and prevention of health-related disorders of obesity by administration of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and/or food compositions containing and/or prepared from trans-,trans-conjugated linoleic acid-rich soy oil. |
| US08809559B2 |
Enzymes and methods for producing omega-3 fatty acids
The present invention relates generally to the field of recombinant fatty acid synthesis, particularly in transgenic plants. The application describes genes involved in fatty acid synthesis and provides methods and vectors for the manipulation of fatty acid composition of plant oils. In particular, the invention provides constructs for achieving the integration of multiple heterologous genes involved in fatty acid synthesis into the plant genome, such that the resulting plants produce altered levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Also described are methods for enhancing the expression of fatty acid biosynthesis enzymes by co-expressing a silencing suppressor within the plant storage organ. |
| US08809558B1 |
Synthetic methods and intermediates for the preparation of xenicanes
The invention provides novel synthetic intermediates and synthetic methods that are useful for preparing compounds of the xenicane family. Certain compounds of the invention may also possess anti-cancer properties. |
| US08809556B2 |
Oxidation process to produce a purified carboxylic acid product via solvent displacement and post oxidation
Disclosed is a process to produce a dry purified carboxylic acid product comprising furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The process comprises oxidizing at least one oxidizable compound to generate a crude carboxylic acid slurry comprising FDCA, removing impurities from a crude carboxylic acid slurry in a liquid displacement zone to form a low impurity slurry stream. The low impurity slurry stream is further treated in a secondary oxidation zone to produce a secondary oxidation slurry stream which is routed to a crystallization zone to form a crystallized slurry stream. The crystallized slurry stream is cooled in a cooling zone and the resulting cooled crystallized slurry stream is routed to a solid-liquid separation zone to generate a purified wet cake stream comprising FDCA that is dried in a drying zone to generate a dry carboxylic acid product stream comprising purified FDCA (pFDCA). |
| US08809555B2 |
Anti-leishmanial compound and anti-leishmanial drug
Provided is an anti-leishmanial compound represented by formula (1): |
| US08809550B2 |
Androgen receptor antagonists and uses thereof
The present invention relates to novel substituted thioimidazolidinone compounds and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds for treatment of androgen receptor-associated diseases or disorders, such as prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, male hair loss, muscle loss, acne and hirsutism. |
| US08809545B2 |
Aryl pyridine as aldosterone synthase inhibitors
The present invention provides a compound of formula I; a method for manufacturing the compounds of the invention, and its therapeutic uses. The present invention further provides a combination of pharmacologically active agents and a pharmaceutical composition. |
| US08809544B2 |
Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound and method for producing same
There are provided a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound such as a substituted amino-pyridine-N-oxide compound represented by formula (1), which is useful as a synthetic intermediate for an agrochemical and the like; and a method for producing the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound. (In formula (1), R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group; R3 represents a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted or substituted alkylcarbonyl group or the like; R4 represents an unsubstituted or substituted alkylcarbonyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted arylcarbonyl group or the like; A represents a hydroxyl group, a thiol group or the like; m represents any one of integers of 1 to 4; k represents any one of integers of 0 to 3; and k+m≦4.) |
| US08809542B2 |
Salts of benzimidazole compound and use thereof
A sodium salt, magnesium salt, lithium salt, potassium salt, calcium salt or barium salt of (R)-2 -[[[3-methyl-4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-2 -pyridinyl]methyl]sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the salt. The novel salt is useful as an excellent antiulcer agent. |
| US08809540B2 |
N-adamantyl benzamides as inhibitors of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
Novel substituted benzamide based inhibitors, their use in therapy, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, the use of said compounds in the manufacture of medicaments, and therapeutic methods comprising the administration of said compounds are described. The present compounds modulate the activity of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) and are accordingly useful in the treatment of diseases in which such a modulation is beneficial, such as the metabolic syndrome. |
| US08809539B2 |
Dicarboxylic acid derivatives as S1P1 receptor agonists
The present invention relates to new compounds of formula (I) possessing agonistic activity at sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors, their process of preparation and their use as immunosuppressive agents. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds and use of these compounds for treatment/prevention of immune mediated diseases and conditions or inflammatory diseases and conditions. |
| US08809538B2 |
Piperidine-containing compounds and use thereof
A method for preventing and/or treating a metabolic disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc. which comprises administering to a mammal an effective amount of the compound of the formula (I): wherein all symbols have the same meanings as defined in the specification; a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof, a solvate thereof, or a prodrug thereof. And a novel compound of the formula (I-1): wherein all symbols have the same meanings as defined in the specification; a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof, a solvate thereof, or a prodrug thereof has an anti-diabetic effect and a neuroprotective effect. Accordingly, the compound of the formula (I) and the compound of the formula (I-1) are useful in a method for preventing and/or treating for a metabolic disease such as diabetes, cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, etc. |
| US08809532B2 |
Aza-ring fused indole and indoline derivatives
The present application relates to indole and indoline derivatives of formula (I) wherein a, R1, m, L, and Q are as defined in the specification. The present application also relates to compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of treating disease conditions using such compounds and compositions of such compounds. |
| US08809531B2 |
Rhodamine dyes and conjugates
The present invention relates generally to novel rhodamine dyes which upon conjugation with another molecule form single isomeric conjugation products. These novel rhodamine dyes contain only one single functional group on the rhodomine molecule for conjugation so that their conjugation products are single isomeric conjugation products. |
| US08809530B1 |
Compositions of protein receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors
The present invention relates to novel synthetic substituted heterocyclic compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same that are capable of inhibiting or antagonizing a family of receptor tyrosine kinases, Tropomysosin Related Kinases (Trk), in particular the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor, TrkA. The invention further concerns the use of such compounds in the treatment and/or prevention of pain, cancer, restenosis, atherosclerosis, psoriasis, thrombosis, or a disease, disorder or injury relating to dysmyelination or demyelination or the disease or disorder associated with abnormal activities of NGF recptor TrkA. |
| US08809525B2 |
1,2,4-triazine-4-amine derivatives
According to the invention there is provided a compound of formula A1 which may be useful in the treatment of a condition or disorder ameliorated by the inhibition of the A1-A2b or, particularly, the A2a receptor wherein the compound of formula A1 has the structure, wherein, A represents Cy1 or HetA; Cy1 represents a 5- to 14-membered aromatic, fully saturated or partially unsaturated carbocyclic ring system comprising one, two or three rings, which Cy1 group is optionally substituted by one or more R4a substituents; HetA represents a 5- to 14-membered heterocyclic group that may be aromatic, fully saturated or partially unsaturated, and which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from O, S and N, which heterocyclic group may comprise one, two or three rings and which HetA group is optionally substituted by one or more R4b substituents; B represents a Cy2 or HetB; Cy2 represents a 3- to 10-membered aromatic, fully saturated or partially unsaturated carbocyclic ring system comprising one or two rings, which Cy2 group is optionally substituted by one or more R4c substituents; HetB represents a 3- to 10-membered heterocyclic group that may be aromatic, fully saturated or partially unsaturated, and which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from O, S and N, which heterocyclic group may comprise one or two rings and which HetB group is optionally substituted by one or more R4d substituents. |
| US08809520B2 |
Phosphonate nucleosides useful as active ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of viral infections, and intermediates for their production
The invention is directed to processes of preparing phosphonate nucleosides comprising a phosphonalkoxy-substituted five-membered, saturated or unsaturated, oxygen-containing ring coupled to a heterocyclic nucleobase such as a pyrimidine or purine base. These compounds can be described by general formula (II) |
| US08809516B2 |
Therapeutic compositions
This application relates to therapeutic siRNA agents and methods of making and using the agents. |
| US08809513B2 |
Reverse transcription primers and methods of design
The present invention provides novel algorithms for designing oligonucleotides that do not substantially hybridize to a small group of unwanted transcripts, while hybridizing to most other transcripts. Such oligonucleotides are particularly useful as primers for reverse transcription. The invention also provides compositions containing oligonucleotides that do not substantially hybridize to a small group of unwanted transcripts, while hybridizing to most other transcripts. |
| US08809511B2 |
Compositions containing, methods involving, and uses of non-natural amino acids and polypeptides
Disclosed herein are compounds useful in the preparation non-natural amino acids and polypeptides that include at least one non-natural amino acid, and methods for making such non-natural amino acids and polypeptides. The non-natural amino acids, by themselves or as a part of a polypeptide, can include a wide range of possible functionalities, but typical have at least one oxime, carbonyl, dicarbonyl, and/or hydroxylamine group. Also disclosed herein are compound useful in the preparation of non-natural amino acid polypeptides that are further modified post-translationally, methods for effecting such modifications, and methods for purifying such polypeptides. Typically, the modified non-natural amino acid polypeptides include at least one oxime, carbonyl, dicarbonyl, and/or hydroxylamine group. Further disclosed are methods for using such non-natural amino acid polypeptides and modified non-natural amino acid polypeptides, including therapeutic, diagnostic, and other biotechnology uses. |
| US08809510B2 |
Method for purification of complement factor H
A method for purification of complement Factor H from a complement Factor H containing source such as blood or blood plasma, in particular a caprylate precipitate of a Factor H containing source, which is e.g. obtained by addition of caprylate ions to fractions of blood or plasma, comprising the steps of: a) providing a Factor H containing source, in particular reconstitution of caprylate precipitate to provide a complement Factor H containing solution; b) performing a cation exchange chromatography in particular as first chromatographic step; c) performing an anion exchange chromatography; d) performing a hydroxyl apatite chromatography; e) followed by ultra/diafiltration to obtain a complement Factor H concentrate. |
| US08809509B2 |
Protein purification method
A method for manufacturing an antibody formulation in which DNA contaminants are removed by binding the antibody to a protein-A or probtin-G affinity column and eluting the antibody with an acidic eluting solution, preferably of low conductivity. |
| US08809507B2 |
SPARC binding ScFvs
The invention provides compositions comprising SPARC binding ScFc and its use. |
| US08809502B2 |
Mutated anti-CD22 antibodies with increased affinity to CD22-expressing leukemia cells
Recombinant immunotoxins are fusion proteins composed of the Fv domains of antibodies fused to bacterial or plant toxins. RFB4 (Fv)-PE38 is an immunotoxin that targets CD22 expressed on B cells and B cell malignancies. The present invention provides antibodies and antibody fragments that have improved ability to bind the CD22 antigen of B cells and B cell malignancies compared to RFB4. Immunotoxins made with the antibodies and antibody fragments of the invention have improved cytotoxicity to CD22-expressing cancer cells. Compositions that incorporate these antibodies into chimeric immunotoxin molecules that can be used in medicaments and methods for inhibiting the growth and proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cells. |
| US08809501B2 |
Nucleophilic catalysts for oxime linkage
The invention relates to materials and methods of conjugating a water soluble polymer to an oxidized carbohydrate moiety of a therapeutic protein comprising contacting the oxidized carbohydrate moiety with an activated water soluble polymer under conditions that allow conjugation. More specifically, the present invention relates to the aforementioned materials and methods wherein the water soluble polymer contains an active aminooxy group and wherein an oxime or hydrazone linkage is formed between the oxidized carbohydrate moiety and the active aminooxy group on the water soluble polymer, and wherein the conjugation is carried out in the presence of a nucleophilic catalyst. |
| US08809496B2 |
Production method of 11-sugar sialylglycopeptide
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing an 11-sugar sialylglycopeptide easily and with good yield and a high degree of purity on an industrial scale from defatted bird egg yolks. The present invention provides a production method of an 11-sugar sialylglycopeptide. More specifically, the present invention provides a production method of an 11-sugar sialylglycopeptide comprising: an extraction step of extracting defatted bird egg yolks with water or a salt solution to obtain a liquid extract of a glycopeptide, a precipitation step of adding the liquid extract to a water-soluble organic solvent to precipitate the glycopeptide, and a desalting step of desalting the precipitate. |
| US08809494B2 |
Method and compositions for prevention and treatment of malaria infections
Isolated proteins and nucleic acid sequence encoding such protein that interacts with a red blood cell to be invaded by a malaria parasite and link with a component of the actin-myosin based machinery of the malaria parasite are provided. In addition methods for identifying agents which inhibit the function of these proteins as chemotherapeutic and/or immunologic agents for treatment and prevention of malaria infections are provided. Compositions for treatment and prevention of malaria infections and methods for preventing and treating malaria infections are also provided. |
| US08809492B2 |
Method for fabricating nanoparticles
Systems and methods are provided for filtering a fluid containing nanoparticles. The systems and methods generally include introducing a stream of the nanoparticle-containing fluid into a holding vessel, and extracting at least a part of a nanoparticle-containing fluid accumulated in the holding vessel. The extracted nanoparticle-containing fluid is passed through a filtration module to separate a nanoparticle-containing retentate from a permeate, and the retentate is returned to the vessel. The filtration cycle can be repeated until a desired concentration of the nanoparticles is achieved in the holding vessel. In many embodiments, the generation of the nanoparticle-containing fluid and its filtration are performed concurrently. |
| US08809490B2 |
Method for producing unsaturated carboxylic acid-modified vinyl alcohol polymer, and gas barrier film or gas barrier laminate using the same
A method for producing a solution containing at least an unsaturated carboxylic acid-modified vinyl alcohol polymer is characterized by reacting a vinyl alcohol polymer and an unsaturated carboxylic acid compound in the presence of an acid catalyst soluble in the reaction system or a solid acid catalyst, and a gas barrier film is obtained by using the same. An example thereof is a method for producing a solution (A) containing an unsaturated carboxylic acid-modified vinyl alcohol polymer (b), the method comprising following two steps of: (1) a reaction step in which the unsaturated carboxylic acid-modified vinyl alcohol polymer (b) is formed by reacting a vinyl alcohol polymer and an unsaturated carboxylic acid compound (a) in the presence of an acid catalyst soluble in the reaction system; and (2) an ion exchange step in which at least the acid catalyst of acidic compounds is removed by an anion exchange resin. |
| US08809489B2 |
Methods for preparing polymeric reagents and compositions of polymeric reagents
Methods for preparing active carbonate esters of water-soluble polymers are provided. Also provided are other methods related to the active carbonate esters of water-soluble polymers, as well as corresponding compositions. |
| US08809486B2 |
Methods for producing and purifying 2-aryl-3,3-bis(4-hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine compounds, the purified monomers, and polymers derived therefrom
Disclosed is a method for producing a purified 2-aryl-3,3-bis(4-hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine of formula (I) wherein R1 is hydrogen or a C1-25 hydrocarbyl group and R2 is a hydrogen, a C1-25 hydrocarbyl group, or a halogen, and wherein the method comprises dissolving a crude phthalimidine compound in an aqueous base solution; precipitating the dissolved, crude phthalimidine compound from the aqueous base solution by adding an acid in an amount effective to lower the pH of the solution to 9.0 to 12.0, to provide a semicrude phthalimidine compound; and isolating the semicrude phthalimidine compound from the aqueous base solution, to provide the purified 2-aryl-3,3-bis(4-hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine of formula (I), and having a phenolphthalein compound content of less than 2,500 ppm, based on the weight of the purified 2-aryl-3,3-bis(4-hydroxyaryl)phthalimidine. Subsequent trituration with aqueous methanol and recrystallization from isopropanol can result in product having undetectable levels of phenolphthalein derivatives. |
| US08809482B2 |
Silsesquioxane resins
This invention pertains to silsesquioxane resins useful in antireflective coatings wherein the silsesquioxane resin comprises the units (Ph(CH2)rSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)m (HSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)n (MeSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)o (RSiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)p (R1SiO(3-x)/2(OR′)x)q where Ph is a phenyl group, Me is a methyl group; R′ is hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R is selected from a carboxylic acid group, a carboxylic acid forming group, and mixtures thereof; and R1 is selected from substituted phenyl groups, ester groups, polyether groups; mercapto groups, sulfur-containing organic functional groups, hydroxyl producing group, aryl sulphonic ester groups, and reactive or curable organic functional groups; and r has a value of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; x has a value of 0, 1 or 2; wherein in the resin m has a value of 0 to 0.90; n has a value of 0.05 to 0.99; o has a value of 0 to 0.95; p has a value of 0.01 to 0.5; q has a value of 0 to 0.5; and m+n+o+p+q≈1. |
| US08809480B2 |
Silicone resin composition, luminous substance-containing wavelength-converting film, and cured product thereof
There is disclosed a silicone resin composition includes (A-1) a ladder structure-containing polyorganosiloxane having a ladder structure and having two or more alkenyl groups in one molecule, (B-1) a ladder structure-containing hydrogen polyorganosiloxane having a ladder structure and having hydrogen atoms that are bonded to two or more silicon atoms in one molecule, and/or (B-2) a hydrogen polyorganosiloxane having two or more hydrogen atoms that are bonded to silicon atoms in one molecule. As a result, there is provided the silicone resin composition as a light-emitting device protective material having a high transparency, heat resistance, light resistance and gas barrier. |
| US08809478B2 |
Silicon-containing curable composition, cured product of the silicon-containing curable composition and lead frame substrate formed of the silicon-containing curable composition
A curable composition includes: 100 parts by mass of a silicon-containing polymer having a Mw of 3,000 to 100,000 obtainable by hydrolysis-condensation of an organosilane mixture including R1SiX3, R2SiX3, R3R4SiX2 and R5SiX3, the total of R2SiX3 and R3R4SiX2 being 5 to 60 mol %, optionally a prepolymer, optionally a cyclic siloxane compound, 0.0001 to 10 parts by mass of an organic peroxide and optionally a metal catalyst, and 10 to 1,500 parts by mass of a filler, wherein R1 is a C2-6 alkenyl group, R2 is a C1-6 alkyl group, R3 and R4 are each a C1-6 alkyl group, R5 is a phenyl group optionally substituted with a C1-6 alkyl group, and X is a C1-6 alkoxy group, one or more of R2 to R4 is a methyl group, f represents a number of 2 to 10, g represents a number of 0 to 8, and n represents 1 or 2. |
| US08809476B2 |
Polymer
A polymer includes a repeating unit shown by a following general formula (1). R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a fluorine atom, or a trifluoromethyl group. R2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms. Y represents a carbon atom. X represents an atomic group that forms an alicyclic hydrocarbon group together with Y. |
| US08809473B2 |
Methods for controlling ethylene copolymer properties
A method for altering the polymer architecture of ethylene copolymers made with a supported phosphinimine polymerization catalyst. The method involves changing the amount of a catalyst modifier added to a reactor separately from or together with a supported phosphinimine polymerization catalyst. |
| US08809470B2 |
Polymerizable composition
A polymerizable epoxy compound composition containing an anionic polymerization initiator which can be easily produced, can attain a high polymerization rate and a high degree of polymerization, and can realize an epoxy polymer having properties unobtainable so far, an improvement in cured polymer properties, etc.; and a method of polymerizing an epoxy compound. The composition is an anionically polymerizable composition comprising a monofunctional epoxy compound or a di- or more functional epoxy resin and a polymerization initiator, the polymerization initiator comprising the potassium or sodium salt of a monocarboxylic acid monomer. The method, which is for producing a polymer of epoxy compounds, comprises polymerizing a monofunctional epoxy compound or a di- or more functional epoxy resin by anionic polymerization with the aid of the potassium or sodium salt of a monocarboxylic acid monomer. |
| US08809469B2 |
Curable organopolysiloxane composition, optical device sealing material, and optical device
The present invention is a curable organopolysiloxane composition containing (A) a compound shown by the following average composition formula (1), wherein R1 represents an aliphatic unsaturated group, R2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group, R3 represents an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, Ar represents an aryl group, and “n” and “m” represent positive numbers which satisfy n≧1, m≧1, and n+m≧10, (B) a hydrogen atom-containing organic silicon compound having at least two silicon atom-bonded hydrogen atoms per one molecule while not having an aliphatic unsaturated group, and (C) a hydrosilylation catalyst which contains a platinum group metal. Thereby, there can be provided a curable organopolysiloxane composition which can give a cured product having high transparency, high refractive index, and excellent thermal shock resistance; an optical device sealing material; and an optical device. |
| US08809459B2 |
Polystyrene blends
A method of preparing a polystyrene blend that includes combining a first polystyrene composition having a first melt flow index with a second polystyrene composition having a second melt flow index and forming a polystyrene blend, the second melt flow index being at least 2 dg/min higher that the first melt flow index. The polystyrene blend has an observed tensile strength value greater than 3% above the expected tensile strength value. The second polystyrene composition can include a recycled polystyrene material, which can include expanded polystyrene. An alternate method of preparing the polystyrene blend includes combining a polystyrene composition with a styrene monomer to form a reaction mixture, polymerizing the reaction mixture and obtaining a polystyrene blend, where the polystyrene containing composition has a melt flow index at least 2 dg/min higher than the melt flow index of the styrene monomer after it has been polymerized. |
| US08809458B2 |
Polysiloxane composition
A polysiloxane composition having high transparency, while being excellent in heat resistance and light resistance is provided. The polysiloxane composition is composed of (A) a polysiloxane which is a polysiloxane compound having a polyhedral skeleton having 6 to 24 silicon atoms in its molecule and which has at least one group containing a hydrolyzable silyl group bonded to a Si atom constituting the polyhedral skeleton, and (B) a photoacid generator. The hydrolyzable silyl group is preferably an alkoxysilyl group. |
| US08809455B2 |
Elastomeric compositions and their use in articles
A dynamically vulcanized alloy contains at least one isobutylene-containing elastomer and at least one thermoplastic resin, wherein the elastomer is present as a dispersed phase of small vulcanized or partially vulcanized particles in a continuous phase of the thermoplastic resin. The dynamically vulcanized alloy also contains an anhydride functionalized oligomer. The alloy maintains a high Shore A hardness value while obtaining improved flowability for processing. |
| US08809449B2 |
Modified conjugated diene-based polymer, polymer composition, and process for producing modified conjugated diene-based polymer
Disclosed are a modified conjugated diene-based polymer capable of providing a polymer composition improved in tan δ balance, a polymer composition containing the modified conjugated diene-based polymer and silica, and a process for producing the modified conjugated diene-based polymer. The modified conjugated diene-based polymer is obtained by melt-kneading a conjugated diene-based polymer and 0.01 to 2 parts by weight of a Bunte salt per 100 parts by weight of the conjugated diene-based polymer, in the presence of water whose amount is from 0.1 to 1,000 parts by weight per one part by weight of the Bunte salt. |
| US08809447B2 |
Acetoacetate-functional monomers and their uses in coating compositions
Acetoacetate-functional monomers are disclosed that correspond to the following formula 1: in which R is hydrogen, or a methylgroup; X is a branched alkyl or a branched cyclic alkyl having from 5 to 8 carbon atoms; and Y1 and Y2 are independently hydrogen or methyl. Also disclosed are emulsion, suspension, and solution polymers comprising residues from the acetoacetate-functional monomer of formula 1 and one or more additional ethylenically unsaturated monomers. Self-curing coating compositions are likewise disclosed that comprise the acetoacetate-functional monomer of formula 1, and optionally one or more additional ethylenically unsaturated monomers. Latex formulations are also disclosed that comprise a polymer having residues from the acetoacetate-functional monomer of formula 1 dispersed in an evaporable aqueous carrier. |
| US08809444B2 |
Network copolymer crosslinked emulsions and demulsifying compositions comprising the same
The present invention is directed to a network composition the reaction product of: (i) at least one anionic polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer (I) selected from the group consisting of [CH2═C(R3)C(O)OXa(C2H4O)b(C3H6O)c(C4H8O)d]pP(O)(OY)q(OZ)r where R3═H or alkyl of 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; X=alkyl, aryl, or alkaryl diradical connecting group of 0 to about 9 carbon atoms; a is 0 to about 100; b is 0 to about 100; c is 0 to about 100; d is 0 to about 100; q is 0 to about 2; r is 0 to about 2; p is 1 to about 3 subject to the limitation that p+q+r=3; and Y and Z is H, or metal ion; and CH2═C(R3)C(O)OXa′(C2H4O)b′(C3H6O)c′(C4H8O)d′—SO3—Y) where R3═H or alkyl of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms; X=alkyl, aryl, or alkaryl diradical connecting group of 0 to about 9 carbon atoms; a′ is 0 to about 100; b′ is 0 to about 100; c′ is 0 to about 100; d′ is 0 to about 100; Y is H, or metal ion; and (ii) one or more additional monomers (II) selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid/acrylate, methacrylic acid/methacrylate, acrylamides, vinyl acetate and styrene, which are copolymerizable with (I); and (iii) a cross-linking agent (III), capable of copolymerizing with (I) and (II). |
| US08809440B2 |
Method of producing modified conjugated diene rubber, modified conjugated diene rubber, and rubber composition
There is provided a method of producing a conjugated diene rubber capable of being used as a starting material for a crosslinked rubber that can be used in applications such as tire treads and can raise the fuel efficiency. This method of producing a conjugated diene rubber comprises (a) a step of reacting a first alkoxysilane compound having in a molecule at least one group convertible to onium by an onium generator and at least one alkoxysilyl group that has at least two alkoxy groups, with a conjugated diene polymer having an alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal active terminal and obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene compound and an aromatic vinyl compound, thereby to obtain a modified conjugated diene polymer that has the group convertible to onium and the alkoxysilyl group, and (b) a step of mixing the resulting modified conjugated diene polymer with the onium generator and a second alkoxysilane compound having in a molecule at least one alkoxysilyl group and at least one group convertible to onium by the onium generator. |
| US08809439B2 |
Calcium hydroxide, resin composition containing the same, and molded article containing the composition
There are provided calcium hydroxide having a large specific surface area, a resin composition comprising the calcium hydroxide and having excellent thermal stability, and a molded article and a stabilizer for synthetic resins which comprise the calcium hydroxide.There are provided a calcium hydroxide compound represented by the following formula (1): Ca(OH)2-nx(An−)x (1) (wherein n represents an integer of 1 to 4, x represents a number of 0.001 to 0.2, and An− represents an anion derived from at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a silicon-based compound, a phosphorus-based compound, an aluminum-based compound, an inorganic acid and an organic acid.), and a synthetic resin, a molded article and a stabilizer for synthetic resins which comprise the compound. |
| US08809438B2 |
UV-shielding coating composition and coated article
A UV-shielding coating composition comprises (A) a dispersion in a dispersing medium of composite zinc oxide nanoparticles which are obtained by coating surfaces of zinc oxide nanoparticles with an oxide or hydroxide of Al, Si, Zr and Sn, the dispersion having a photocatalytic degradability of up to 25%, (B) a vinyl copolymer obtained from copolymerization of an alkoxysilyl-containing vinyl monomer, a UV-absorbing vinyl monomer, and another monomer, and (C) a solvent. The composition is transparent to visible light, UV-shielding, mar resistant, weatherable, and durable. |
| US08809434B2 |
Process for preparing aramid copolymer
The invention concerns processes for forming a polymer comprising residues of terephthaloyl chloride, paraphenylene diamine, and a salt of formula I wherein A− is a halogen anion, HSO4−, OH−, NO3−, C2H3O2−, or H2PO4−; the process comprising the steps of: a) forming a mixture comprising salt of formula I and paraphenylene diamine in a solvent system comprising an organic solvent and an inorganic salt; and b) adding terephthaloyl chloride to the mixture and allowing the formation of the polymer. |
| US08809432B2 |
Reusable print medium and method of manufacturing thereof
Disclosed is a reusable print medium having a substrate and a sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer contains a hotmelt composition at least having an amorphous material. The amorphous material is a reaction product of a first monomer A, said first monomer A being a polyhydroxyl alcohol comprising X hydroxyl functional groups, wherein X≧2, monomer A optionally comprises a primary or secondary amine functionality; a second monomer B, being an aromatic monocarboxylic acid; a third monomer C, said third monomer C being able to form an ester linkage with an alcohol and/or an amide linkage with a primary or secondary amine; and optionally, a fourth monomer D, being an aromatic monocarboxylic acid different from the second monomer B. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a reusable print medium, a method of printing and recycling a print medium and an apparatus for printing and recycling a print medium. |
| US08809430B2 |
Mixtures, compositions, and methods of applying mixtures as coatings
Mixtures are provided that can include: latex polymer; antifoam; surfactant; plasticizer; ether; fungicide; glycol; and liquid stabilizer. Mixtures comprising: glycol; antioxidant; and defoamer. Compositions are provided that can include: a substrate; and a mixture over the substrate, the mixture comprising one or more of: latex polymer; antifoam; surfactant; plasticizer; ether; fungicide; glycol; liquid stabilizer; and antioxidant. Vehicle tires are provided. Plastic vehicle components are provided. Substrate treatment methods are provided that can include applying compositions to the substrate, the compositions comprising one or more of: latex polymer; antifoam; surfactant; plasticizer; ether; fungicide; glycol; liquid stabilizer; and antioxidant. Vehicle tire treatment methods are provided. Vehicle component treatment methods are provided. |
| US08809428B2 |
Golf ball
The present disclosure relates to golf balls having components including intermediate layers and outer cover layers prepared from blends of polyamides mixed with one or more functional polymer modifiers. The functional polymer modifier incorporates a copolymer or a terpolymer having a glycidyl group, hydroxyl group, maleic anhydride group or carboxylic group, or a mixture of these. When used in golf ball covers or mantles, these materials exhibit improved impact durability when compared to analogous balls but having ionomeric- or polyurethane-based layers of similar hardness. |
| US08809427B2 |
Phthalocyanine compound and production method therefor, and coloring composition containing the phthalocyanine compound
Provided is a phthalocyanine compound which is halogen-free and which has a green hue, excellent resistance to organic solvents and acids, and high chroma. Also provided are a metal-free phthalocyanine compound or a metal phthalocyanine compound represented by specified general formula (1-1) or (1-2) and having a N,N′-disubstituted imidazolone structure or piperazinedione structure introduced therein, and a coloring composition including the compound and a synthetic resin. The phthalocyanine compound of the present invention exhibits a clear green color and is halogen-free, and is thus useful as a clear green pigment for coloring materials such as a coating material, plastic, a printing ink, rubber, leather, textile printing, a color filter, a jet ink, a heat transfer ink, etc. |
| US08809425B2 |
Multifunctional biocomposite additive compositions and methods
Biocomposite compositions and compositions, which include dried distillers solubles, and which can be used in making biocomposite compositions are described. Methods for preparing the compositions are also described. |
| US08809419B2 |
Polymeric dispersants and non-aqueous dispersions
A non-aqueous pigment dispersion includes a pigment, a non-aqueous dispersion medium, and a polymeric dispersant including at least one oxalylamide structural unit according to Formula (I): wherein: R1 represents a first polymeric moiety selected from the group consisting of a linear polymeric moiety, a star shaped polymeric moiety, a dendritic polymeric moiety, a branched polymeric moiety, and a hyperbranched polymeric moiety; and R2 represents a second polymeric moiety selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a polyether, a polyamide, a polyacrylate, a polymethacrylate, or copolymers thereof. |