| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07668489B2 |
Toner path opening and closing apparatus, image forming device having the same and toner path opening and closing method thereof
A toner path opening and closing apparatus of an image forming device includes a first shutter elastically supported by a first elastic member to open and close a first toner path, and a second shutter elastically supported by a second elastic member having an elastic modulus smaller than the first elastic member to open and close a second toner path by the first shutter. After the second toner path is opened by the first shutter, the first is opened, so that the first and second toner paths communicate with each other. The first toner path is a toner supplying pipeline to which a toner is supplied from a toner cartridge, and the second toner path is a toner injecting port disposed in a developing unit. In mounting of the developing unit, after the toner injecting port disposed in the developing unit is first opened, the toner supplying pipeline is opened, and in dismounting of the developing unit, after the toner supplying pipeline is first closed, the toner injecting port is closed, so that in mounting and dismounting of the developing unit, toner is prevented from being leaked through the toner paths. |
| US07668484B2 |
Charging roller and image forming apparatus incorporating same
The invention delivers a charging roller which is capable of preventing current leakage to a photoreceptor throughout life-time and which has a stable resistance value throughout life-time. The charging roller contains a metal core and a rubber layer formed on the core. The rubber layer is an epichlorohydrin-based rubber base material to which an electronic conductive agent and an ionic conductive agent are added. The rubber layer is subjected to surface processing by spraying the surface with a solution containing an isocyanate compound and heating. The amount of the electronic conductive agent added to the rubber base material is limited so that a volume resistivity when only the electronic conductive agent is added to the rubber base material is 1.46×106 Ω·cm or greater. In addition, the amount of the added ionic conductive agent is increased so that a volume resistivity when the electronic conductive agent and the ionic conductive agent are added to the rubber base material is 1.93×106 Ω·cm or less. |
| US07668483B2 |
Image forming apparatus
Provided is an image forming apparatus which includes a cylindrical image carrier, on which at least an electrostatic latent image is formed, and a charge roller for non-contact charging the image carrier with a predetermined charge gap, and applies at least an alternating current (AC) voltage to the charge roller to non-contact charge the image carrier, wherein a predetermined number of partition members for partitioning an internal space of the image carrier into a plurality of sub-spaces are arranged at a central position of an axial direction of the image carrier or in the vicinity of the central position of the axial direction of the image carrier, in the image carrier. |
| US07668482B2 |
Sticking substance removing apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus that is capable of solving the problem of abrasion or load caused by an unevenly installed cleaning member and capable of realizing excellent cleaning performance. A cleaning section in the image forming apparatus has a cleaning member in the shape of a board, which contacts the surface of the charging roller through it's a first surface, and a fixing member, which supports the cleaning member at least at an upstream side of a contact position between the charging roller and the cleaning member with respect to the rotation direction of the charging roller. The fixing member is formed so as to not contact the cleaning member in an area of a second surface which is opposite to the contact part of the charging roller and the cleaning member. |
| US07668481B2 |
Developing device and image forming device including a seal member
A regulating member includes a protrusion protruding from a supporting member toward a developing roller. The length of the supporting member in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the protrusion in the longitudinal direction. A seal member includes an extending portion extending from a space for carrying developing agent. The extending portion is turned backward along an end of the regulating member with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof toward the supporting member. |
| US07668480B2 |
Cleaning device for use with image forming apparatus
A cleaning device for use with an electrophotographic image forming apparatus has a charging brush positioned in contact with an endless image bearing surface of a rotatable image bearing member to form a contact region in which the brush provides an electric charge with a certain polarity to toner particles passing through the contact region according to a rotation of the image bearing member, and a cleaning member positioned on a downstream side with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member and in contact with the image bearing surface of the image bearing member to collect the toner particles from the image bearing surface. The charging brush has a base and a number of bristles planted in the base. A contact force of the charging brush against the image bearing surface is set to be more than 0 N/m and equal to or less than 1.5 N/m. |
| US07668473B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
There are provided a fixing device and an image forming apparatus capable of reducing a sensing error of a surface temperature of a heating roller. The fixing device includes a temperature sensor for sensing the surface temperature of the heating roller, and a temperature calculation circuit. The temperature calculation circuit includes a noise removal prevention circuit. The temperature sensor includes an infrared ray sensing thermistor and a compensation thermistor, and the noise removal prevention circuit prevents removal of a part of an AC component (such as a high frequency component in a noise) included in a difference between outputs (difference output) of the infrared ray sensing thermistor and the compensation thermistor. Thus, the AC component is prevented from being offset when the difference outputs are averaged, thus reducing the sensing error of the surface temperature of the heating roller based on the average value of the difference outputs. |
| US07668465B2 |
Dispersion-managed optical transmission system
An optical transmission system that alleviates waveform distortions due to nonlinear effects in fibers. A transmitter sends WDM signals to a receiver over a dispersion-managed optical transmission line with in-line optical repeaters. The transmission line is divided into a plurality of dispersion compensation intervals each composed of a main segment and a compensation segment. Chromatic dispersion is managed such that the dispersion compensation intervals have a non-zero net dispersion at every boundary point between them, or such that the number of zero-dispersion boundary points is reduced. The main segment is a series of repeater sections with negative dispersion, while the compensation segment is a single repeater section with positive dispersion. Non-uniform distribution of net chromatic dispersions over the transmission length is achieved by combining repeater section with different average dispersions, dispersion compensation intervals with different numbers of repeater sections, or repeater sections with different span lengths. |
| US07668452B2 |
Apparatus for automatically controlling exposure of image sensor
An automatic exposure control apparatus employed by an image sensor module including a lens unit, an image sensing unit having a shutter, and an image signal processing unit, the apparatus including: a brightness calculator extracting average brightness of a image signal; a brightness adjustment determiner determining whether to fix or adjust a speed of the shutter based on the average brightness; an adjustment path controller controlling the speed of the shutter by using the brightness error; a digital filter filtering the brightness error; a shutter speed adjuster adjusting a present shutter speed value by using one of the brightness error and the filtered brightness; and a shutter speed controller controlling a speed of the shutter by using the adjusted shutter speed value. |
| US07668451B2 |
System for and method of taking image
An image taking method includes the steps of taking an image of an object to be taken, thereby generating image data. A predetermined objective body is detected from the image data. Exposure and/or focusing position are determined for each of the detected objective bodies. The image taking means is caused to take an image of each objective body according to the exposure and/or the focusing position determined for each of the detected objective bodies in response to one image-taking action. |
| US07668448B2 |
Flash apparatus and imaging apparatus
A flash apparatus is provided. The flash apparatus includes: an attachment portion capable of being attached in a freely detachable manner to an attachment target portion provided on an imaging apparatus; a main body supported in a turnable manner in an anteroposterior direction with respect to the attachment portion by means of a first turning portion; and a light-emitting portion supported in a turnable manner in an anteroposterior or vertical direction with respect to the main body by means of a second turning portion, including a light emitter directly or indirectly emitting light to a subject. |
| US07668445B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting condition of a heating element
A control for an electric water heater detects a condition of a heating element when the heating element is not being energized. A switching module is operable to interrupt power to the heating element, which de-energizes the heating element. A detector module detects the condition of the heating element when the heating element is de-energized. The detector module senses current flowing through the heating element and generates a detection signal that is indicative of the current. |
| US07668443B2 |
Device and method for the controlled heating in micro channel systems
A method of controlled heating of a micro channel reactor structure (46, 48, 50) comprises providing a structure (b1, b2, B1, B2) defining a desired temperature profile. A preferred embodiment of a heating element structure comprises a pattern of areas of a material capable of providing heat when energized, disposed over said micro channel reactor structure. |
| US07668442B2 |
Apparatus for providing a visual effect
An apparatus for simulating flames includes a light source, a viewing screen capable of diffusing and transmitting light, a rear reflector disposed behind the viewing screen, and a light producer for producing moving beams of light. The light source is disposed below the reflector and behind the viewing screen. The light producer is disposed in front of the light source and below the screen and light from the light source is reflected by the light producer onto the reflector and is reflected by the reflector onto the screen to produce a perceptible image viewable on the screen. |
| US07668440B2 |
Recording medium, recording method, reproduction apparatus and method, and computer-readable program
An AV Clip generated by multiplexing video and graphics streams is recorded on a BD-ROM. The graphics stream is a sequence of PES packets. The PES packets include ODSs (Object Definition Segments) carrying graphics data and PCSs (Presentation Control Segments) carrying control information. A PCS indicates that graphics data in a preceding ODS in the arrangement is to be displayed at a predetermined time in a state of being overlaid on the video stream. The PCS and the preceding ODS belong to different DSs, and the graphics data in the preceding ODS may be non-referenced graphics data that is not referenced by a PCS which belongs to the same DS as the preceding ODS. |
| US07668436B2 |
Video information recording device and reproducing device
A method is provided for recording video information in which copy control information of video information is managed in the case of copying the content of data from one recording medium to another recording medium. Copy control information (CCI) or a watermark (WM) of an inputted AV stream is detected and whether the content of the copy control information or watermark has changed is determined. Change point information of the copy control information or watermark and the content of the copy control information or watermark are acquired, and management information for managing the copy control information is generated on the basis of the acquired change point information. The generated management information is recorded together with the video information to a recording medium at a copy destination. |
| US07668435B2 |
Multimedia signal processing system
A multimedia signal processing system utilizes an easily manipulated, low-cost storage and display system that allows the user to view a television program and instantly review previous scenes within the program. The invention also allows the user to store selected programs while simultaneously watching or reviewing another. A versatile system architecture enables providing the invention in multiple configurations, each adapted to receive input signals from a different source. At the highest level, the system includes an input section and an output section. Across all configurations, the output section remains substantially the same, while the input section varies according to the signal type and the source. Thus, several configurations are provided, each one requiring only minor system board modifications. The system architecture thus simplifies the design and manufacturing challenge presented by producing units to serve different markets, such as digital satellite, digital cable and analog cable. |
| US07668433B2 |
Cable trough system and method
A telecommunications cable management system includes trough elements including a planar top surface and sides for cable routing and management. The trough elements are made from separate parts assembled together with a mating arrangement. The mating arrangement allows assembly of the system on site, such as by snapping the parts together. The trough elements are then assembled together to form the cable management system. |
| US07668432B2 |
Multi-drop closure systems and methods for fiber optic cabling
Multi-drop closure systems for fiber optic cabling include an enclosure and a ganged drop plug. The enclosure defines a splice chamber therein and has a main cable access opening and a drop cable access opening into the splice chamber. The drop cable access opening is displaced from the main cable access opening. The ganged drop plug is configured to be sealingly inserted into the drop cable access opening. The ganged drop plug has a plurality of drop cables extending therefrom. |
| US07668431B2 |
Grommet and plate assembly for sealing fiber optic closures
There is provided grommet and plate assemblies for sealing fiber optic closures into which and/or out of which fiber optic cables are routed. The grommet of the assembly includes a central portion with an axial opening adapted to receive the fiber optic cable through a slit in the central portion. The grommet also includes an end cap portion on an axial end of the grommet, and the end cap portion includes a deformable outer lip that overhangs an outer surface of the central portion to provide axial retention of the grommet once it is inserted into an opening of the plate. The plate includes a plurality of openings into which grommets may be selectively inserted. The plate may be received within an opening of the fiber optic closure and includes a slot for receiving a protrusion within the opening of the fiber optic closure. |
| US07668430B2 |
Telecommunications chassis and module
Telecommunications chassis and associated modules for use with the telecommunications chassis are disclosed. Embodiments of the telecommunications chassis include structures such as horizontal channels and/or horizontal surfaces with ridges and/or slots in one surface and slots in ridges of another for receiving edges of modules that mount within the chassis. Other structures of embodiments include divider slots in the horizontal surfaces that receive edges of divider walls to fix the divider walls in place, heat baffle surfaces included within the chassis, and/or cable guides with radius limiters. Module embodiments include structures such as faceplates with angled portions with fiber optic cable connections directed toward the fiber cable's direction of travel. Other module structures include shells that enclose the circuit board and/or provide angled portions with fiber optic cable connections. Module embodiments may also include circuitry for converting electrical signals to optical and optical signals to electrical, and the circuitry may selectively operate at multiple data rates. |
| US07668428B2 |
Optical fiber and optical device
An optical fiber includes a core region and a cladding region formed on an outer circumference of the core region. The cladding region includes a plurality of holes arranged around the core region and has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the core region. A zero dispersion wavelength of the optical fiber is shorter than 1150 nanometers. The optical fiber propagates a light having a wavelength longer than 1000 nanometers exclusively in a fundamental mode of LP01 mode. An effective core area of the optical fiber is equal to or smaller than 12.0 μm2 at a wavelength of 1064 nanometers. |
| US07668422B2 |
Arrangement for multiplexing and/or demultiplexing optical signals having a plurality of wavelengths
An arrangement for multiplexing and/or demultiplexing optical signals having a plurality of wavelengths, including a multiplex body having two parallel surfaces between which light is reflected back and forth and in this case is coupled in or out in a wavelength-dependent manner, and structures for coupling optical signals into or out of the multiplex body. According to the invention, the structures for coupling optical signals into or out of the multiplex body have a plurality of essentially structurally identical subassemblies, each subassembly having an optoelectronic transducer and an associated optical system, by which light having a wavelength is respectively coupled into or out of the multiplex body. |
| US07668418B2 |
Machine with data transfer from one machine part to another machine part which is able to be rotated relative to the one machine part
A machine having two machine parts, of which one is able to be rotated relative to the other, in which light signals are transferred from the one part to the other part. The light signals are transmitted radially to the axis of rotation of the rotatable machine part. In a first embodiment a plurality of light sources couple light into an optical waveguide ring which is coupled out over the entire outer circle of the optical waveguide ring so that it is guaranteed that light signals reach a receiver arranged radially outside in each case. In another embodiment light sources couple light into optical waveguide structures, with branches of the optical waveguides guaranteeing that on the outer circle of the one component the exit points for light are sufficiently dense that for any given angular position of the rotatable component at least one of two receivers receives a light signal. |
| US07668417B2 |
Integrated termination for EO modulator with RF signal monitoring functionality
The invention relates to RF termination for reducing electrical signal reflections at the end of transmission line electrodes on an electro-optical (EO) optical modulator. The disclosed termination incorporates a RF tap which permits the monitoring of the RF power and reflection conditions at the EO modulator. The integrated termination/tap can also be integrated with detection circuitry, such as RF diodes and passive components, giving improved performance, lower cost manufacturability as well as a more compact and efficient package. |
| US07668402B2 |
Method for generating a composite image
A method for generating a composite image includes receiving a separate image into a computer system, comparing the separate image to the composite image so as to generate a mismatch value, and modifying at least one of the composite image and the separate image to reduce the mismatch value. |
| US07668400B2 |
Image layout constraint generation
In a method for generating a dimensionally tractable set of image layout constraints, a selected constraint is applied to limit a dimension of a highly dimensional solution space. Through random selection one or more unconstrained dimensions of the highly dimensional solution space are identified which, when constrained, will further limit the highly dimensional solution space to a dimensionally tractable solution space. The tractability of the dimensionally tractable solution space is associated with a capability of a computational resource. |
| US07668398B2 |
Generating and displaying spatially offset sub-frames using image data with a portion converted to zero values
A method of displaying an image with a display device is provided. The method comprises receiving image data associated with an image, generating a set of three sub-frames using less than all of the image data, and alternating between displaying the set of three sub-frames in first, second, and third positions, wherein the second position is spatially offset from the first position, and wherein the third position is spatially offset from the first and the second positions. |
| US07668388B2 |
System and method for single image focus assessment
An image focus assessment method is provided that works reliably for images of a variety of relatively dissimilar workpieces or workpiece features. The focus assessment method is based on analysis of a single image (without the benefit of comparison to other images). The robustness of the focus assessment method is enhanced by the use of at least one classifier based on a plurality of focus classification features. In one application, a primary advantage of assessing focus from a single image is that an overall workpiece inspection time may be reduced by avoiding running an autofocus routine if an image is already in focus. In various embodiments, the focus assessment method may include an ensemble of classifiers. The ensemble of classifiers can be trained on different training data (sub)sets or different parameter (sub)sets, and their classification outcomes combined by a voting operation or the like, in order to enhance the overall accuracy and robustness of the focus assessment method. |
| US07668387B2 |
Selective local transient improvement and peaking for video sharpness enhancement
A method of selectively sharpening an image may include, for at least some pixels in the image, determining a frequency content associated with a pixel value in the image. The pixel may be linearly sharpened if the frequency content exceeds a threshold. The pixel may be non-linearly sharpened if the frequency content does not exceed the threshold. In some implementations, the non-linear sharpening may include wavelet decomposition of the image and enhancement of decomposed components. |
| US07668386B2 |
Lossless compression algorithms for spatial data
The present invention is related to routines for the processing of quantized vector data into one or more arrays of integers whose values are closer to zero than the integers in the quantized vector data. The arrays are input to a compression engine resulting in compressed bytes of data that may be transferred to a computing device for the decompression of the data. The quantized vector data can include vertices expressed as a pair of integer values that may represent geometric, spatial elements, such as points, interconnected lines (polylines), and polygons. These geometric objects may be representative of information on a map. The compressed bytes may be grouped according to grids, wherein each grid represents a distinct geographic area of a map, so that a consumer can store and decompress only the portion of the map data which is of interest. |
| US07668381B2 |
Decoding apparatus and encoding apparatus with specific bit sequence deletion and insertion
The decoding apparatus in the present invention includes a memory operable to hold encoded data representing one of a compressed sound and a compressed image, a memory read-out unit operable to sequentially read out the encoded data from said memory, a match determining circuit operable to determine whether or not data matching a specific bit sequence exists in the encoded data read out by said memory read-out unit, a deleting circuit operable to delete a part of the specific bit sequence from the encoded data read out from said memory, when said match determining circuit determines that the specific bit sequence exists, and a decoding circuit operable to decode the post-deletion encoded data. |
| US07668379B2 |
Image processing defined by a hierarchy of data processing nodes
Apparatus for processing image data is provided, comprising first storage means, processing means and manual input means, wherein said first storage means is configured to store said image data and said image data includes a plurality of components defined by a hierarchy of data processing nodes, and said processing means is configured to process each of said nodes in turn. The nodes include standard nodes and switch nodes, each switch node having at least two child nodes one of which is the designated child node of said switch node. The processing means is configured to process a standard node only when each of its child nodes has been processed, and process a switch node when only its designated child node has been processed. Additionally, said processing means may include second storage means and stores, in either said first or said second storage means, information recording the states of said switch nodes that defines a version of said image data. |
| US07668377B2 |
Method of obtaining a depth map from a digital image
A method of obtaining a depth map from a single digital image of a three-dimensional scene containing geometric objects is provided that includes the identification in the image of at least one horizontal plane or one vertical plane of the three-dimensional scene and the assignment to every point of the image forming part of the identified plane, or to each one of the identified planes, of a depth level according to its distance from, respectively, a predetermined horizontal or vertical reference straight line of the image. In particular, the identification of at least one plane includes the identification in the image of at least two vanishing lines corresponding to two parallel lines in the plane and the assignment of a depth level made in accordance with the angular coefficients of the identified vanishing lines. Also included is a completely automatic method for obtaining a depth map from a single digital image of any three-dimensional scene. |
| US07668375B2 |
Method of employing a chirographic stylus
Disclosed herein is a chirographic signal pulse-emitting source and chirographic reader system. In an embodiment according to the present invention, contact-free proximity sensors may replace mechanical sensors. Ultrasonic transducers emit position-signaling pulses from a tip of the signal pulse-emitting source. Ultrasonic sensors on a reader typeface frame receive the pulses (transmissions). Proximity may be determined from the duration of travel of a pulse. Also disclosed herein is a reader subsystem including at least two separate modules. The at least two separate modules may include a pulse transmitting unit for a hand-held part and a stationary typeface frame reader sensing and receiving unit. The method may provide multiple triangulation measurements from a sensor arrangement to sense a multi-dimensional direction of the signal pulse-emitting source. The method may also provide pulse-width resolution by averaging multiple triangulation measurements for each signal pulse. |
| US07668374B2 |
Method for supporting low-level flights
A method for supporting low-level aircraft flights in which a warning is provided for the pilot upon a reliable recognition of wire-like obstacles, even during extreme environmental influences, such as clutter, or even when such obstacles are seen against the sky. The method is performed upon the collection of information on the topography of the surrounding terrain by at least one sensor located on the aircraft, such information representing raw data, based upon which an image-like representation is calculated, such representation including a pixel quantity with pixels P(i, j) in columns j and lines i, which image-like representation is evaluated by calculating altitude values in a geodetic coordinate system using the flight condition from the aircraft, evaluating pixel quantity by comparing each pixel P(l, j) to threshold values or ranges of values, evaluating the image-like representation and highlighting each pixel as a picture element if any of various cases is present. |
| US07668371B2 |
System and method for adaptively separating foreground from arbitrary background in presentations
System and method for distinguishing between foreground content and background content in an image presentation. An initial background model is provided, and a final background model is constructed from the initial background model using the image presentation. The foreground content and background content in the image presentation are then distinguished from one another using the final background model. The present invention permits foreground content and background content to be separated from one another for further processing in different types of computer-generated image presentations such as digital slide presentations, video presentations, Web page presentations, and the like. |
| US07668370B2 |
Segmenting a series of 2D or 3D images
The invention relates to an apparatus for segmenting a series of 2D or 3D images obtained by monitoring a patient's organ or other body part, wherein a first segmentation is carried out on a first image of the series of images and wherein the first segmentation is used for the subsequent segmentation of the remainder of images of the series of images. A series of transformations are carried out wherein each separate transformation embodies a fitting operation between two images of the series of images, and wherein substantially all images of the series of images are subject of such a transformation. The first segmentation on the first image of the series of images is modified and subsequently applied to any further image of the series of images according to the transformation or sequence of transformations that fits the first image to a further image of the series of images. |
| US07668356B2 |
Automatic determination of joint space width from hand radiographs
A computer-implemented method for determining a joint space width includes providing image data for a skeleton, thresholding the image data, and performing a connected component analysis on thresholded image data. The method further includes extracting contours of the thresholded image data according to the connected component analysis, performing a skeletonization of the thresholded image data using a first fast marching analysis of the thresholded image data, locating at least one finger joint of skeletonized image data, extracting bone boundaries using a second fast marching analysis of gradient information of the image data inside a region of interest, which includes a finger joint of the at least one finger joint, determining the joint space width given extracted bone boundaries, and outputting the joint space width. |
| US07668354B2 |
System and method for tracking and classifying the left ventricle of the heart using cine-delayed enhancement magnetic resonance
A system and method for tracking and classifying the left ventricle of the heart using cine-delayed enhancement magnetic resonance (Cine-DEMR) are provided. The method for tracking the left ventricle comprises: delineating myocardial borders of the left ventricle in an image of a first phase of a cardiac cycle of the heart; registering the image of the first phase with an image of a second phase of the cardiac cycle; copying the myocardial borders from the first phase onto the second phase; fitting the myocardial borders of the first phase to myocardial borders of the second phase; and refining the myocardial borders of the second phase. |
| US07668345B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing system and recording medium for programs therefor
An image processing apparatus, for example, a multi-camera monitoring system is provided for processing images with the intention of protecting the individuals' privacies in accordance with the type of customers in a store which is equipped with the multi-camera monitoring system, and for deleting or modifying individuals' privacy information to protect the individuals' privacies while permitting the identity of a person to be determined among a plurality of cameras. The image processing apparatus processes an image captured by an imager device to output the resulting image. A processor detects a person from an image, and an image database stores feature information on the person. The processor extracts features from the detected person and the database, processes the extracted feature amount in the stored feature information, and generates an output image based on the processed features. |
| US07668344B2 |
Stain inspection method and apparatus
(A) Luminance data is prepared. (B) A group of first order differential values is obtained from luminance values of said luminance data along a first direction, a group of second order differential values is obtained from the group of first order differential values, and first data is output in accordance with the group of second order differential values. There is provided a stain inspection method having high inspection correctness. |
| US07668343B2 |
Surface position measuring method and apparatus
A measuring apparatus for measuring a position of a surface of an object while the object is scanned in a scanning direction in an X-Y plane. A detecting unit detects the position of the surface of the object in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, a stage scans the object relative to the detecting unit in the scanning direction, and a controller causes the stage to pre-scan the object relative to the detecting unit in two scanning directions, in the X-Y plane, opposite to each other, to detect, using the detecting unit, with respect to each of the two scanning directions, a position of the surface in the Z-direction for each of the same detection points on the surface, to determine, with respect to each of the two scanning directions, a reference surface based on the detected positions of the surface, to calculate an offset value, which is a difference between the detected position and a position of the reference surface in the Z-direction for each of the same detection points with respect to each of the two scanning directions, to calculate a correction value for correcting the calculated offset value in accordance with a corresponding one of the two scanning directions based on a difference, in the Z-direction, between positions of the determined reference surfaces obtained with respect to the two scanning directions. |
| US07668340B2 |
Gesture-controlled interfaces for self-service machines and other applications
A gesture recognition interface for use in controlling self-service machines and other devices is disclosed. A gesture is defined as motions and kinematic poses generated by humans, animals, or machines. Specific body features are tracked, and static and motion gestures are interpreted. Motion gestures are defined as a family of parametrically delimited oscillatory motions, modeled as a linear-in-parameters dynamic system with added geometric constraints to allow for real-time recognition using a small amount of memory and processing time. A linear least squares method is preferably used to determine the parameters which represent each gesture. Feature position measure is used in conjunction with a bank of predictor bins seeded with the gesture parameters, and the system determines which bin best fits the observed motion. Recognizing static pose gestures is preferably performed by localizing the body/object from the rest of the image, describing that object, and identifying that description. The disclosure details methods for gesture recognition, as well as the overall architecture for using gesture recognition to control of devices, including self-service machines. |
| US07668338B2 |
Person tracking method and apparatus using robot
A person tracking method and apparatus using a robot. The person tracking method includes: detecting a person in a first window of a current input image using a skin color of the person; and setting a plurality of second windows in a next input image, correlating the first window and the second windows and tracking the detected person in the next input image using the correlated results. |
| US07668334B2 |
Conditioning imagery to better receive steganographic encoding
The present invention relates to steganography and digital watermarking. In one implementation, we provide a method to analyze a digital image to determine whether the digital image will be a suitable host to receive steganographic encoding or digital watermarking. Suitability is determined, at least in part, by analyzing the digital image relative to an expected workflow process through which a watermarked version of the digital image is expected to flow through. Our methods and systems determine whether the digital image forms a suitable host to receive digital watermarking relative to the expected workflow process. If the digital image is not suitable, the digital image is modified to better receive digital watermarking in anticipation of the expected workflow process. |
| US07668333B2 |
Speaker frame and speaker device having a speaker frame
A speaker frame comprising: a rear end wall; a damper support portion; an edge support portion to which an edge as an outer circumferential portion of a vibration plate is to be stuck and fixed; and plural frame arms which connect the edge support portion to the rear end wall and the damper support portion, wherein: a width of each of the frame arms increases as the position goes from the edge support portion to the damper support portion, and damper-support-portion-side end portions of side edges of adjoining frame arms are continuous with each other to form a single as an axis of symmetry, a bisector of an angle formed by the adjoining frame arms; and a single vent window is formed in each of the frame arms, and a reinforcement rib erects at a circumferential edge of the vent window. |
| US07668332B2 |
Audio porting assembly
Both water intrusion and wind noise issues are addressed with an audio porting assembly including a single frame (102) having a speaker cavity (110) and a microphone cavity (112) formed therein. An opening (114) formed within the frame (102) between the speaker cavity (110) and the microphone cavity (112) provides a path for indirect porting from the speaker cavity into the microphone cavity. A unitarily molded membrane (104) provides a seal over the frame (102). |
| US07668331B2 |
Fidelity speaker
An improved-fidelity speaker system is presented. The sound system includes a frame and a pair of matching speakers. The frame is formed to hold a first speaker and a second speaker, each having a front side, a back side, and central axis. When attached with the frame, the two speakers are substantially aligned along their central axes in a configuration selected from a group consisting of being mounted in the frame such that the front sides of the speakers are facing away from each other, and being mounted in the frame such that the front sides of the speakers are facing towards each other. When the speakers are operated in unison, a sound wave is generated and pushed outward from the frame and approximately radially from the central axes of the speakers in up to 360 degrees, expanding outward about a plane approximately perpendicular to the central axes. |
| US07668330B2 |
Ear warming article including electronic device and easily interchangeable advertising areas
An ear warming article that can be comprised of a C-shaped resilient band, an outer sleeve and a speaker or other electronic device is described. The outer sleeve is dimensioned to contain the resilient band, and includes two insulating, ear-receiving portions as well as a first opening through which the resilient band can be inserted or removed to yield an assembled or disassembled article, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the article includes an electronic device having one or more speakers located at the ends of the resilient band; additional openings in the outer sleeve may exist for any control functionality associated with the electronic device(s). The outer sleeve can be comprised of a washable fabric material, particularly suitable as a means for interchangeable advertising (team logo, branding, etc.). In other embodiments, the ear warming article includes additional advertising and/or securing features. |
| US07668329B2 |
Acoustin structure of seat back
An acoustic structure of seat back, with an acoustic unit provided in a hole of padding of the seat back. The acoustic unit includes speaker unit(s) and a support box in which the speaker unit(s) is/are supportively received. The support box is accommodated in the afore-said hole of padding, with an opened side thereof facing to a forward side of the padding. A sound-conductive cushion element is supported by that support box so as to lie on a forward side of the speaker unit(s). The support box may include an acoustic hollow portion therein. Those padding and sound-conductive cushion element are covered with a trim cover assembly. A speaker support cushiony element may be provided in the support box to support the speaker unit(s), with a high sound conductivity. The speaker support cushiony element and/or the sound-conductive cushion element may be of network structure. |
| US07668328B2 |
Adjusting and display tool and potentiometer
An adjusting tool having two electrical contacts provides a means for measuring an electrical signal that is used for adjusting electrical parameters of an object as the object is being physically adjusted by the adjusting tool. In an embodiment, the adjusting tool is configured such that the two electrical contacts make electrical contact with electrical contacts of a potentiometer of a hearing aid to receive an adjustment signal that is also applied to circuits in the hearing aid. The two electrical contacts of the adjusting tool maintain electrical contact with the electrical contacts of the potentiometer as the adjusting tool physically adjusts the potentiometer. In an embodiment, the adjusting tool includes a display to provide a visual representation of the adjustment signal as the potentiometer is adjusted. |
| US07668327B2 |
Hearing aid with a volume wheel
A hearing aid (1), fitted with an aperture (4) in a wall of a case (2, 3) receiving an adjustment wheel (5) which can be rotated from the outside by finger action around an axis of rotation (6) configured parallel to the wall (2), the adjustment wheel (5) driving a continuously adjustable electric volume control (7, 8), is characterized in that the adjustment wheel (5) rests in such manner at a shifting element (10) mounted in the case (2, 3) that a switch (13) shall be actuated when said wheel (5) is driven against a spring force (14) in the direction of shifting (17, 18, 19, 20). |
| US07668326B2 |
Battery compartment for a hearing aid
A battery compartment for a hearing aid. The battery compartment comprises a first portion for accommodating a battery and a second portion, where the second portion comprises at least one retaining element for securing the position of the battery compartment with respect to a housing of said hearing aid. The first and second portions of the battery compartment are provided as first and second separate parts (1, 2) comprising releasable interlocking means (12, 14) for mutual engagement. |
| US07668323B2 |
Electrostatic ultrasonic transducer and ultrasonic speaker
A push-pull type electrostatic ultrasonic transducer includes a vibrating film having a conductive layer and a pair of fixed electrodes provided at respective surfaces of the vibrating film. The front-side fixed electrode and the rear-side fixed electrode sandwich the vibrating film. A plurality of through holes are provided in the front-side fixed electrodes and through holes having the same shape are provided in the rear-side fixed electrode in positions opposed to the respective through holes provided in the front-side fixed electrode. A sound absorbing material is provided facing the rear-side fixed electrode. |
| US07668322B2 |
Device for detecting pressure fluctuations, display device, recording device and sound reproduction system
Part of the (synthetic material) substrate (8) of a display is combined with a light source, e.g. a LED (14) and a photodetector (20) to be used as an optical microphone. A membrane (11) is formed which deforms due to air pressure fluctuations caused by sound waves. The fluctuations are detected by the photodetector for further processing. |
| US07668317B2 |
Audio post processing in DVD, DTV and other audio visual products
The method and system of present invention sequences audio post-processing algorithms to simulate live or theater sound. An audio signal is selectively post-processed according to equipment availability and listener preferences. Downmixing or Prologic algorithms are applied to a signal arriving at sound system. A listener inputs their speaker configuration to a player console. Desired post-processing effects are likewise indicated to the console. For instance, if surround sound equipment is both available and selected, then surround portions of the audio signal are parsed to surround speakers. Bass management techniques then transfer low frequency channels of the signal to compatible speakers. VES or DCS algorithms further manipulate the surround portion of the signal to create an illusion of immersion, and a center channel equalizer balances the signal playback. Alternatively, the post-processed signal is transmitted to a headphone set. |
| US07668315B2 |
Local authentication of mobile subscribers outside their home systems
Methods and apparatus are presented for providing local authentication of subscribers travelling outside their home systems. A subscriber identification token 230 provides authentication support by generating a signature 370 based upon a key that is held secret from a mobile unit 220. A mobile unit 220 that is programmed to wrongfully retain keys from a subscriber identification token 230 after a subscriber has removed his or her token is prevented from subsequently accessing the subscriber's account. |
| US07668314B2 |
System and method for communicating encrypted data
An encrypted data communication system for communicating an encrypted stream as an encrypted data stream from a device at transmitting end to a device at receiving end to suppress the effect of an erroneous detection of a dummy code is disclosed. A device at transmitting end generates a data stream having the bit sequence of a marker for determination, a synchronization marker and a location identification code after the data, encrypts the bit sequence of the data and the marker for determination and transmits the encrypted stream. A device at receiving end receives the encrypted stream, detects the bit sequence of the synchronization marker and the location identification code and decrypts the encrypted stream. In the case where the bit sequence of the data and the marker for determination is decrypted, the detection of the valid bit sequence is determined, while the detection of a dummy bit sequence is determined otherwise. |
| US07668310B2 |
Cryptographic computation using masking to prevent differential power analysis and other attacks
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for improving DES and other cryptographic protocols against external monitoring attacks by reducing the amount (and signal-to-noise ratio) of useful information leaked during processing. An improved DES implementation of the invention instead uses two 56-bit keys (K1 and K2) and two 64-bit plaintext messages (M1 and M2), each associated with a permutation (i.e., K1P, K2P and M1P, M2P) such that K1P{K1} XOR K2P {K2} equals the “standard” DES key K, and M1P{M1} XOR M2P{M2} equals the “standard” message. During operation of the device, the tables are preferably periodically updated, by introducing fresh entropy into the tables faster than information leaks out, so that attackers will not be able to obtain the table contents by analysis of measurements. The technique is implementable in cryptographic smartcards, tamper resistant chips, and secure processing systems of all kinds. |
| US07668306B2 |
Method and apparatus for connecting packet telephony calls between secure and non-secure networks
Described herein is a method and apparatus for connecting packet telephony calls between secure networks and non-secure networks. |
| US07668304B2 |
Display hierarchy of participants during phone call
The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for providing advanced features to a telecommunication device. The systems and methods determine a hierarchical relationship of participants of a conference call and when one participant is communicating with another participant, the parties are made aware of their hierarchical relationship relative to each other. |
| US07668302B1 |
System and method for reducing toll charges to a customer service center using VoIP
A method and system are disclosed where a call center operator having multiple locations, including a call center is able to utilize existing network infrastructure to route telephone communications to the call center to the location where the lowest toll rate is applicable. The telephone communications are converted into data packets and routed to the call center using VoIP technology. No toll would apply to the transmission of the data to the call center. |
| US07668301B2 |
Simulated user calling test system and method with built-in digital SPC-exchange
The present invention disclosed a kind of simulate user calling's test system and method which built-in digital SPC exchange, include background processing module, foreground calling control processing module and hardware subsystem, therein: background processing module operation on exchange servicing platform, for supply user setting parameter and display operate interface for test result, foreground calling control processing module is include in the exchange main control module, for control said hardware subsystem execute test process according to designed logical flow and user mount parameter, hardware subsystem composed of loop circuit relay single board, simulation user interface board, interface board control processing unit, multifunction resources process board. Adopt present invention may use few cost to reach the test result which equal to commercial calling device, and may reach more mobility, reach inline test function. |
| US07668297B2 |
X-ray tube and nondestructive inspection equipment
In an X-ray tube 1A that makes electrons emitted from an electron gun 17 into a target 9 of an anode 8 arranged in a tubular vacuum enclosure body 6, and extracts the X-rays through an X-ray exit window 18, the anode 8 is arranged on a tube axis C1 of the vacuum enclosure body 6, and in a sealing portion 5g provided at an end portion of the vacuum enclosure body 6, provided is the X-ray exit window 18 eccentric with respect to the tube axis C1 of the vacuum enclosure body 6. |
| US07668295B2 |
System and method for high voltage transient suppression and spit protection in an x-ray tube
A system and method to improve the high voltage performance of an x-ray tube with electrostatic deflection of an electron beam focal spot. The system and method provides protection of bias circuits from high voltage transients and spit protection in x-ray tubes through the use of a high voltage transient suppression and spit protection circuit assembly coupled between the bias circuits of a high voltage generator and an x-ray tube vacuum housing of an x-ray generation system. |
| US07668294B2 |
Method and system for adjusting the image acquisition size in a biplane angiography
A system and method are disclosed for acquiring images in a biplane angiography system. The system and method allows synchronization of the image zoom format settings for the x-ray images acquired from the two planes of the biplane angiography system thus allowing the user to adjust the image zoom format setting for only one image plane. |
| US07668288B2 |
Discrete sampling of gamma ray field over multiple portions using multiple heads with spaces between the different portions
A medical imaging system, e.g., a computed tomography system includes at least one radiation detector that is relatively rotatable with respect to an object of interest. The angular range is divided into discrete continuous acquisition ranges and unsampled angular ranges, wherein the discrete continuous acquisition ranges are separated by unsampled angular ranges. |
| US07668283B2 |
Pressuriser for a pressurised water nuclear power station
Pressurizer for a pressurized water nuclear power station, comprising an outer casing which delimits an inner space; a duct (11) which extends beneath the casing and which is capable of being tapped from the coolant system of the nuclear power station; a tap (18) which places the inner space of the casing in communication with the duct (11), this tap (18) being welded to the duct (11) by means of a weld seam (32); a sleeve (42) for protecting the weld seam (32), which sleeve is arranged inside the tap (18) and which has a lower peripheral edge (46) which is engaged in the duct (11), the sleeve (42) defining with the tap (18) and the duct (11) an annular space (74) which is capable of being filled with the primary liquid; wherein the annular space (74) is open along at least a portion of the lower peripheral edge (46) of the sleeve (42) and opens inside the duct (11). |
| US07668278B2 |
Phase-locked loop
An oscillator (30) supplies a high frequency signal (S) to a frequency divider (31). A phase comparator (32) produces a signal measuring phase difference between the divided frequency signal (QA) and a reference signal. A low-pass filter (34) controls the oscillator on the basis of the measurement signal. A measurement window, of duration defined by counting cycles of the high frequency signal, is generated in response to each active edge of the divided frequency signal. The measurement signal is activated during the measurement window so that it comprises, when an active edge of the reference signal falls within the window, a first pulse between the start of the window and this edge and a second pulse, opposite to the first, between this edge and the end of the window. |
| US07668276B2 |
Phase adjustment apparatus and method for a memory device signaling system
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for adjusting phase of data signals to compensate for phase-offset variations between devices during normal operation. The phase of data signals are adjusted individually in each transmit data unit and receive data unit across multiple data slices with a common set of phase vector clock signals and a corresponding clock cycle count signal. The transmission of signal information between a first device (such as a memory controller) and a second device (such as a memory component) occurs without errors even when the accumulated delays between the first device and second device change by a half symbol time interval or more during operation of the system. The apparatus reduces the circuitry required, such as phase-lock-loops, for individually adjusting the phase of each transmit data unit and receive data unit across multiple data slices, which in turn results in reduction in complexity and cost of the system. |
| US07668272B1 |
Method and apparatus for data transfer between mesochronous clock domains
Error-free data transfer between mesochronous clock domains can be accomplished by writing data to and reading data from a plurality of data storage elements in coordinated fashion. Write operations are controlled by execution of a state sequence synchronously with the source clock domain, and read operations are controlled by execution of the same state sequence synchronously with the destination clock domain. The states respectively correspond to the data storage elements, and the read and write executions of the state sequence do not simultaneously assume the same state. |
| US07668269B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for phase noise mitigation
A method of signal processing according to an embodiment includes estimating a response of a transmission channel during a symbol period. Based on an estimated response of the transmission channel, components of a model of a phase noise process during the symbol period are estimated. Based on the phase noise process model, an estimate of a symbol received during the symbol period is obtained. |
| US07668268B2 |
Lower complexity computation of lattice reduction
A signal vector is received over a plurality of channels. A channel matrix H is determined that represents at least one of the plurality of channels. An iterative algorithm such as Lenstra-Lenstra-Lovasz is used to determining a change of basis matrix T that when multiplied with the channel matrix H converges to a matrix H*T that is more orthogonal than the channel matrix H. In one aspect the iterative algorithm is upwardly bounded in the number of iterations (e.g., 20 or 30 iterations) that it may perform for any specific channel realization to determine the change of basis matrix T. In another aspect the algorithm is initiated with a matrix derived from a previously determined change of basis matrix. Both aspects may be combined in a single method or device, or either employed separately. |
| US07668265B2 |
Ultra wideband interference cancellation for orthogonal frequency division multiplex transmitters by protection-edge tones
A method of wirelessly communicating is disclosed. The method comprises determining a matrix W based in part on limiting a plurality of active interference cancellation tone values (416), determining the active interference cancellation tone values (416) based on W and based on a plurality of information data values (410), and transmitting an orthogonal frequency division multiplex signal (310) based on the plurality of active interference cancellation tone values (416) and the information data values (410). |
| US07668264B2 |
Apparatus and method of decision feedback equalization in terrestrial digital broadcasting receiver
A decision feedback equalizing apparatus and a method of decision feedback equalization make a channel property of an inferior receiving signal to mild by using a channel-matched filter and decrease decision errors of symbol detector output signals by using a trellis decoder with decreased complexity, whose trace back depth is 1 (TBD=1). |
| US07668255B1 |
Creating training sequences for space-time diversity arrangements
A training sequence is created for space-time diversity arrangement, having any training sequence length, while limiting the training sequence to a standard constellation. Given a number of channel unknowns that need to be estimated, L, a training sequence can be creates that yields minimum means squared estimation error for lengths Nt=kNPRUS+L−1, for any positive integer k≦1, where NPRUS a selected perfect roots-of-unity sequence (PRUS) of length N. The training sequence is created by concatenating k of the length N perfect roots-of-unity sequences, followed by L−1 initial symbols of that same PRUS. Good training sequences can be created for lengths Nt that cannot be obtained through the above method by concatenating a requisite number of symbols found through an exhaustive search. |
| US07668252B2 |
Frequency offset tracking
The present invention relates to estimating and correcting for frequency offset errors in wireless receivers, and is particularly but not exclusively related to MIMO WLAN applications. The present invention provides an improved method of tracking receiver frequency offsets in a receiver for MIMO systems. These receiver based frequency offset components are caused by errors or inaccuracies in various receiver sub-systems such as phase lock loops or carrier frequency oscillator error, and sampling clock rate errors. The frequency offsets due to each of a number of receiver sub-systems are estimated by monitoring frequency offsets on a number of channels or subcarriers (such as OFDM pilot channels) on different frequencies. These channel frequency offsets are preferably estimated by detecting the phase rotation between adjacent pilot symbols on each respective channel. They are then weighted according to a quality parameter of the estimates, which corresponds to their accuracy. An example of a quality parameter is the effective SNR of the respective channels, or preferably the error variance of the phase rotation. In an embodiment the quality parameter is or is proportional to ∥Hx∥2. The weighted channel frequency offsets are then used to determine one or more receiver sub-system frequency offset components. For example a least squares line fit analysis can be performed. |
| US07668250B2 |
Time-dependent trellis coding for more robust digital television signals
Different sets of symbols are precluded at prescribed times in time-dependent trellis coding. This increases the distances between different individual symbols as well as the distances between trellis codes, which increases the robustness of data transmission. The symbols that are precluded in this time-dependent trellis coding are determined in advance according to a prescribed pattern, which pattern does not depend on the history of previous symbols. The Viterbi decoder used for trellis decoding in a receiver can be designed to take advantage of knowledge concerning which different sets of symbols are precluded at prescribed times. |
| US07668249B1 |
Oversampling rate converter with timing control for a digital radio frequency transmitter modulator
The present invention includes a digital quadrature rate converter and an oversampling interpolator, which are used to receive digital quadrature modulation data at one clock rate and to provide oversampled digital quadrature modulation data at a higher clock rate. Rate conversion and oversampled interpolation are used to accommodate systems with multiple clock frequencies and to generate modulation signals with low distortion. Some embodiments of the present invention add timing control to the oversampled interpolation. Some embodiments of the present invention may combine the rate conversion, oversampled interpolation, and timing control operations into a single digital circuit. |
| US07668247B2 |
Methods and systems for performing an overlap-and-add operation
A system is provided that includes a first device 110A that transmits an information symbol with a zero-padded suffix (ZPS) and a second device 110B that receives the information symbol with the zero-padded suffix. The second device 110B performs a Fourier transform on at least one sample of the information symbol before a ZPS sample is overlapped-and-added to another sample of the information symbol. |
| US07668245B2 |
Method and device for monitoring carrier frequency stability of transmitters in a common wave network
The method for monitoring the stability of the carrier frequency (ωi) of identical transmitted signals (si(t)) of several transmitters Si of a single-frequency network is based upon a calculation of a carrier-frequency displacement Δωi of a carrier frequency ωi of a transmitter Si relative to a carrier frequency ω0 of a reference transmitter S0. For this purpose, the phase-displacement difference (ΔΔΘi(tB2−tB1)) caused by the carrier-frequency displacement Δωi between a phase displacement ΔΘi(tB1) at a first observation time tB1 and a phase displacement ΔΘi(tB2) at a second observation time tB2 of a received signal (ei(t)) of the transmitter Si associated with the respective transmitted signal (si(t)) is determined relative to a received signal e0(t) of the reference transmitter S0 associated with the reference transmitted signal s0(t). |
| US07668243B2 |
Audio and video clock synchronization in a wireless network
System and method for synchronizing clocks and maintaining packet timing relationships in a wireless communications system. A preferred embodiment further comprises periodically synchronizing local clocks at a transmitter and a receiver to a clock reference, adding a timestamp to each application packet at a transmitter of a wireless network, setting the timestamp to a value of a local time at the transmitter plus a link delay, buffering a received packet at a receiver, and releasing the buffered packet to an application level when a value of a local time at the receiver equals the timestamp value in the packet. This can help to ensure that the timing relationships between data packets present at a transmitter is maintained at a receiver, regardless of transport delays (waiting, transmission and processing) incurred by the data packets. |
| US07668239B2 |
System and method for transmit timing precompensation for a serial transmission communication channel
An improved method and apparatus for transmitting digital signals in a communications channel by compensating for distortions due to attenuation of high frequency components suffered by the digital signals. In a preferred embodiment, the digital signals are pulses and the compensation is performed at the transmitter without the need for an emphasis driver, by widening the pulses to compensate for the distortion in the channel that results in narrowing of the pulses incurred in the channel. The resulting pulse train is pre-compensated for the distortions caused by the communications channel. The amount of pre-compensation can be determined statically or dynamically. |
| US07668236B2 |
Multi-stage cable equalizer
The present invention discloses a multi-stage cable equalizer, comprising a fixed gain device and an adjustable gain device. The fixed gain device compensates the loss caused by the cable at a major band, and the adjustable gain device further compensates the loss at adjusted bands. The multi-stage cable equalizer of the present invention exhibits advantages in design flexibility and reduced cost. |
| US07668232B2 |
System and method to determine power cutback in communication systems
A system and method for adaptively determining power cutback in communication system is described. According to an embodiment, the receiver determines noise on each sub-channel for different internal gain settings. It calculates what gain setting would be optimal from an SNR point of view and what power cutback value would lead to that gain setting. |
| US07668224B2 |
Encoding for digital communications in a multiple-input, multiple-output environment
Transceiver circuitry for use in a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO), orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), communications environment, is disclosed. Error correction coding according to a fixed-block size code, such as low density parity check (LDPC) coding, is implemented. The codeword length, and codeword arrangement, are selected by determining a minimum number of OFDM symbol periods required for a payload size, and the number of available information bits in those symbol periods. A rule-based approach, for example in a table, is used to select the codeword length, and the number of codewords required. Shortening is then applied to the code, followed by determining whether puncturing or repeating of bits is necessary to efficiently use the available OFDM symbols. |
| US07668223B2 |
Integrated photonic semiconductor devices and methods for making integrated photonic semiconductors devices
A photonic semiconductor device and method are provided that ensure that the surface of the device upon completion of the SAG process is planar, or at least substantially planar, such that performance of the subsequent processes is facilitated, thereby enabling higher manufacturing yield to be achieved. A photonic semiconductor device and method are also provided that ensure that the isolation region of the device will have high resistance and low capacitance, without requiring the placement of a thick dielectric material beneath each of the contact pads. Eliminating the need to place thick dielectric materials underneath the contact pads eliminates the risk that the contact pads will peel away from the assembly. |
| US07668222B1 |
Dual flow common combustor chemical laser
The invention herein is directed to a dual-chamber combustion laser assembly having lighter weight (per unit flow area), a more compact, flexible configuration for packaging in spacecraft, aircraft, or ground mobile vehicles, higher mass efficiency from lower heat loss and proven power extraction efficiency of linear lasers, superior output beam quality by incremental compensation of gain medium optical path disturbances and by reduction in time-dependent variations in structural and gain medium characteristics, lower cost and shorter fabrication time for modular dual flow laser and linear optics, more efficient pressure recovery with side-wall isolation nozzles and compact diffuser configurations, and increased small signal gains for more efficient extraction of overtone power. |
| US07668220B2 |
Single mode vertical cavity surface emitting laser using photonic crystals with a central defect
Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers are disclosed, one example of which includes a substrate upon which a lower mirror layer is formed. An active region and upper mirror layer are disposed, in that order, on the lower mirror layer. In particular, the upper mirror layer includes a plurality of DBR layers formed on the active region. The upper mirror layer additionally includes a photonic crystal formed on the plurality of DBR layers and having a periodic structure that contributes to the definition of a central defect. As a consequence of this structure, the photonic crystal has a reflectivity that is wavelength dependent, and the central defect enables the VCSEL to propagate a single mode. |
| US07668218B2 |
Nitride semiconductor laser element
The present invention provides a nitride semiconductor laser element, comprising: a nitride semiconductor structure having a first nitride semiconductor layer, a second nitride semiconductor layer, and an active layer provided between the first and second nitride semiconductor layers; a cavity end face provided to the nitride semiconductor structure; and a protective film having a hexagonal crystal structure, and having a first region provided on a first crystal surface of the nitride semiconductor structure in the cavity end face and a second region provided on a second crystal surface in the surface of at least one of the first and second nitride semiconductor layer, the first and second regions of the protective film are oriented in the same axial direction as that of the respective first and second crystal surfaces. |
| US07668213B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining and maintaining mode-locking in fiber laser systems
A method and apparatus for detecting and controlling the conditions needed for starting and maintaining mode-locked operation of a laser system including a fiber oscillator and high power fiber amplifier. The invention is used to monitor the output power and repetition rate of the fiber oscillator and control the operation of the oscillator such that the oscillator obtains and maintains correct mode-locked operation despite changes in environmental conditions such as temperature, and also with changes due to component aging or degradation. |
| US07668210B1 |
Method and apparatus for reducing current demand variations in large fan-out trees
A method and apparatus are provided for reducing current demand variations in large fanout trees. The fanout tree is split into at least 2 sub-groups, each preferably with substantially equal parasitic capacitance. Data is then scrambled according to a scrambling sequence function to provide scrambled data having a constant number of bits that are toggled with respect to time, such as when observed in pairs of sub-groups. Functionally, an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes 3 blocks: a scrambler, egress logic, and a de-scrambler. The egress logic is simply a block of storage that can reorder the bytes received from the scrambler. The de-scrambler de-scrambles the retransmitted data based on the scrambling sequence function. Embodiments of the present invention can be applied to any system where data must fanout from a single source to many destinations, such as switches. |
| US07668208B2 |
Method for synchronizing packet based digital data streams
The present invention relates to a method for synchronizing packet-based digital data streams. Key idea of the inventive method is to perform a state machine process (S3) with respect to received primary digital data streams (D1-1, D1-2) based on derived time stamp structure data (TSD), thereby synchronization state data (SSD) are generated which are representative for the synchronization state of the received primary digital data streams (D1-1, D1-2). |
| US07668200B2 |
Apparatus and method for latency control in a communications system
The present invention provides a method for controlling transmission latency in a communications system, wherein the communications system is subject to a noise signal having at least a first noise phase and a second noise phase. The method includes determining a first bit rate for symbols transmitted during the first noise phase, and a second bit rate for symbols transmitted during the second noise phase, the first bit rate and the second bit rate being constrained such that a transmission latency does not exceed a pre-determined maximum allowed transmission latency; and transmitting symbols at the first bit rate during the first noise phase and at the second bit rate during the second noise phase. In other variants, the invention provides an apparatus, a constrained rate receiver, a transmitter and a signal. |
| US07668197B1 |
Codeset communication format and related methods and structures
A codeset is described in a Public Codeset Communication Format (PCCF) as a format block. The format block includes a plurality of readily decipherable fields of ASCII character values. One field is a mark/space information field that includes a sequence of mark time indicators and space time indicators for an operational signal of the codeset. A second field is a signal characteristic information field for the operational signal. Signal characteristic information may include carrier on/off information, repeat frame information, toggle control information, and last frame information. The PCCF is a codeset interchange format of general applicability. In one method, a second entity describes a codeset in the PCCF format and then communicates the PCCF format information to a second entity. The second entity converts the information into a format usable by a rendering engine. The rendering engine is then usable to generate operational signals of the codeset. |
| US07668196B2 |
Communicating between communications components having differing protocols absent component modifications
Communication between components having differing protocols is facilitated by a protocol converter coupled between the components that converts communications of one protocol into communications of another protocol. This conversion is performed without requiring code modification to either of the components. The conversion includes translating identifiers of one protocol to identifiers of another protocol. |
| US07668193B2 |
Data processor unit for high-throughput wireless communications
A data processor unit includes at least two operation-execution units, each one adapted to receive input data, perform a respective operation on the input data and outputting output data resulting after applying said operation; the data processor unit further includes: a data storage unit including at least two individually-accessible memory devices adapted to store data; a programmable controller adapted to be programmed so as to execute a selected program; a first data routing circuit arrangement adapted to receive data from the at least two memory devices, from the programmable controller and from a second data routing circuit arrangement, and for selectively routing selected ones among the received data to the input of the operation-execution units; the second data routing circuit arrangement is adapted to receive the output data outputted by the operation-execution units and to selectively route the output data to the at least two memory devices, to the programmable controller, and to the first data routing circuit arrangement. The programmable controller is operatively coupled to the at least two operation-execution units, to the first and second data routing circuit arrangements, and to the at least two memory devices for controlling the operation thereof. |
| US07668190B1 |
Method for supporting multiple devices on a high speed physical link
In some embodiments, a method for supporting multiple devices on a high speed physical link may be described. An embedded device may assert a link request pin to request to transmit data on a multi-point communications link that may serve a plurality of embedded devices. A controlling device may receive the link request signal. When the controlling device finishes sending data on the link, it may address the plurality of embedded devices in a round robin format and may determine which device asserted the link request pin. The embedded device that asserted the link request pin may send an acknowledgement signal to the controlling device when it is addressed. |
| US07668185B2 |
Distribution apparatus, receiving apparatus tree-type distribution system, and information processing method etc.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a processing apparatus, a tree-type network system, processing program and recording method that are capable of performing requests to a higher-order apparatus at the same time, while reducing the load that is concentrated in the communication path upstream in the network. One node apparatus which is provided with tree-type network system including broadcasting apparatus sending inquiry information as request-reception-begin data etc. for requesting sending response message as select-node information etc. to a plurality of node apparatus, receiving inquiry information that is sent from other processing apparatus that is connected in a higher-order layer above the processing apparatus, transferring to other processing apparatuses that are connected in a lower-order layer below the processing apparatus, receiving the reply-result information that is sent from other processing apparatus, creating its reply-result information based on own processing apparatus, and replying created reply-result information based on reply information included in reply-result-information and created reply information to other processing apparatus that is connected in a higher-order layer. |
| US07668182B2 |
Synchronous multi-cluster network architecture
A network for data transmission comprises a plurality of sub-networks for transmitting data in data frames. The sub-networks have different transmission rates and are connected to each other via at least one gateway. The transmission of the data frames is effected with a defined timing relationship between the sub-networks. |
| US07668181B2 |
Virtual private network based upon multi-protocol label switching adapted to measure the traffic flowing between single rate zones
Virtual Private Network (VPN) dedicated to a customer using a physical transmission network based upon Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology including a plurality of Provider (P) devices and a plurality of Provider Edge (PE) devices, the customer owning at least two specific Customer Edge (CE) devices amongst a plurality of CE devices, a specific CE device being attached to a specific PE device and enabling the customer to gain access to any other CE device belonging to the same VPN, by the intermediary of PE devices to which are attached the CE devices. The VPN comprises several billing zones (10, 12, 14) being each defined by the application of a single flat rate. A PE device (18) belonging to each billing zone includes a virtual router (58, 60, 62) associated with each billing zone, two virtual routers being interconnected by a virtual circuit (38, 40, 42) transmitting all the traffic exchanged between the two associated billing zones so that the traffic flowing between the two billing zones can be measured and therefore precisely billed to the customer. |
| US07668176B2 |
Universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) quality of service (QoS) supporting variable QoS negotiation
A UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) core network supports the negotiation of variable quality of service (QoS). A QoS information element (IE) is defined that supports downgradeable QoS requirements by allowing multiple traffic classes to be specified in a priority order. Similarly, a QoS information element (IE) is defined that supports upgradeable QoS requirements. |
| US07668175B2 |
Dynamic power management for I/O resource pools
Methods and apparatus for managing a pool of I/O interfaces associated with one or more I/O devices are disclosed. The I/O bandwidth utilization of the I/O devices is ascertained and compared with an upper threshold and a lower threshold. When the I/O bandwidth utilization is greater than the upper threshold, the resources provided by the pool of I/O interfaces are increased. When the I/O bandwidth utilization is less than the lower threshold, the resources provided by the pool of I/O interfaces are decreased. |
| US07668170B2 |
Adaptive packet transmission with explicit deadline adjustment
The embodiments of the invention relate to source content streaming, particularly to transmitting data units scheduled for dropping or non-transmission. This data unit in the buffer scheduled for dropping is instead transmitted by dropping one or more consecutive data units later in the transmission order in the buffer and which meet a lower priority threshold. In some embodiments, the data unit is transmitted with a modified time value, e.g., a modified timestamp and/or an allowable presentation time range value. |
| US07668160B2 |
Methods for performing packet classification
Methods for performing packet classification. In one embodiment, packets are classified using a rule bit vector optimization scheme, wherein original rule bit vectors in recursive flow classification (RFC) chunks are optimized by removing useless bits that have no effect on the ultimate rule identified by an associated RFC lookup process. The unique optimized rule bit vectors for associated chunks are then cross-producted to produce an optimized downstream chunk. In another embodiment, a rule database splitting scheme is employed. Under this technique, split criteria is defined to split a rule database, such as splitting based on a particular field value or range. A respective set of downstream chunks is then generated for each partition, beginning with the chunks in a split phase. The applicable rule bit vectors for the chunks associated with a common group and partition are identified, and then unique applicable rule bit vectors for those chunks are cross-producted to produce downstream chunks. |
| US07668156B2 |
Apparatus and method for a voice portal
A voice portal and a method for operating a voice portal are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, voice a voice portal is connected to multiple telephones of various protocols by both a voice signal interface and a data signal interface. The voice portal is also connected to one or more telephony networks. The voice portal is capable of receiving requests for functions from the telephones; retrieving the requested functions from memory and sending the functions back to the telephone for execution. The functions supplied by the voice portal are programmable and customizable and control all functions of the telephones. |
| US07668155B2 |
IP telephony system, VoIP terminal, and method and program for reproducing hold sound or audible sound used therein
A hold sound and audible sound data memory area of a memory holds a plurality of types of hold sound and audible sound data which are stored in a payload format of an RTP packet. An RTP/hold sound or audible sound switching function writes one of an RTP packet and the hold sound or audible sound data into a DSP. A hold sound or audible sound data selection function selects a hold sound or audible sound to be reproduced from the plurality of types of hold sound and audible sound data. A hold sound or audible sound intermittence control function restricts the input of the hold sound or audible sound data into the DSP, to control the intermittence of the hold sound or audible sound. A hold sound or audible sound periodic reproduction function periodically inputs the hold sound or audible sound data into the DSP. The DSP converts the RTP packet such as voice or the hold sound or audible sound data into a voice signal of a PCM signal. |
| US07668151B2 |
Time synchronizing method and apparatus based on time stamp
Provided are a time synchronizing method and apparatus based on a time stamp. The time synchronizing method includes: transmitting a local time stamp based on a free-running local clock to a master node; receiving a response time stamp from the master node; calculating a delta time value based on the response time stamp; filtering the delta-time using a digital low pass filter running at the free-running local clock rate; and adjusting a local clock time based on the filtered delta time value. |
| US07668150B2 |
Packet-priority control apparatus and method thereof
An apparatus for packet-priority control for controlling a priority for packets input includes packet-priority setting means for setting hierarchically the priority for the packet input based on predetermined elements, and to adjust, taking into account other elements according to which the priority for the packet varies over time, the set priority, and wireless-resource allocating means for determining a packet for which a wireless resource is to be allocated in accordance with the adjusted priority. |
| US07668145B2 |
Method to support mobile IP mobility in 3GPP networks with SIP established communications
The invention proposes a method for controlling a connection between a first network node and a second network node, wherein the connection is controlled by a packet filtering function filtering packets such that a packet is discarded in case a source address and/or a destination address do not comply with a filtering rule, wherein the packet filtering function is configured at a connection set up, and at least one of the first or second network node is adapted to change its address, the method comprising the steps of informing, the packet filtering function about the new address of the network node having changed its address, and updating the packet filter of the packet filtering function by using the new address of the network node having changed its address. The invention also proposes a corresponding network system comprising at least a network node and a packet filtering network element. Furthermore, the invention proposes a corresponding packet filtering network device. |
| US07668143B2 |
Wireless packet communication method and apparatus
For data packet transmission in special format generated by connecting or patching data frames, a request packet and reply packet receivable only by STAs supporting the special format are transmitted/received before the data packet transmission, to check and manage the STA supporting the special format. Based on management information in own station, the data packet is transmitted in the special or standard format according to a receive-side STA. For generating plural data packets in special format in which plural data frames are patched, the plural data frames having subheaders added are connected and divided to data blocks. A main header including information necessary to restore patched data frames are added to each data block, and a control information field and a frame check field of a data packet are added before and after the data block having the main header added thereto, respectively, to generate data packets. |
| US07668140B2 |
Roaming between wireless access point
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for roaming between wireless access points with relatively less disruptions to a service in handovers. In one embodiment, a method of communication in a wireless network that includes an access point and a target access point comprises detecting an indication of roaming to the target access point at a mobile terminal associated with the access point and communicating with the target access point using an existing communication link between the mobile terminal and the access point to prepare the mobile terminal for a handover event from the access point to the target access point in response to detecting the indication of roaming. The mobile terminal may communicate with the target access point via a backend channel to prepare for an actual handover to the target access point. By enabling a make-before-break connection, the mobile terminal may proactively prepare a connection to a next access point through a currently existing link to an access point. Use of a proxy access point, in a communication system, may reduce connection delays experienced when a user of a wireless communication device, such as a mobile or wireless terminal roams between access points. |
| US07668139B2 |
Mobile handover utilizing multicast in a multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)-based network
Methods and devices are disclosed for communicating in a wireless network using multi-protocol label switching (MPLS). A network service node is configured to send identical packets substantially simultaneously to each of a serving network access station and one or more target network access stations via two or more respective MPLS tunnels in response to a handoff trigger message. Additional embodiments and variations are also disclosed. |
| US07668137B2 |
Method and system to provide increased data throughput in a wireless multi-hop network
It is the object of this invention to provide a method of increasing the data throughput of a multi-hop wireless link. A method is provided which mitigates self-interference, without precluding the use of omni-directional transceivers. Distributed protocols for channel allocations in a multi-hop wireless communication system are described. These protocols result in channel allocations that increase the capacity utilization of the network and render the system robust to localized interferers and jammers. |
| US07668136B2 |
System, network, mobile terminal, computer program product and method for cross-paging a mobile terminal via a data burst message
Systems and methods are provided to permit a network, such as a data only network, with which a mobile terminal is not currently communicating to notify the mobile terminal that the network desires to establish communication with the mobile terminal, even in instances in which the mobile terminal is actively communicating via another network, such as a voice and data network and has stopped monitoring for paging messages. The mobile terminal can then end communications with the network with which it has been previously communicating and commence communications with the other network that has transmitted the paging message. For example, a mobile terminal may terminate voice communications via a voice and data network in order to receive a Multimedia Message Service message via a data only network upon receiving notification that the data only network desires to establish a communications session with the mobile terminal. |
| US07668135B2 |
Enhancing the traffic carrying capacity of telecommunication networks
The present invention relates to methods and systems for enhancing the traffic carrying capacity of telecommunication networks, in particular those involving optical networks and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). |
| US07668134B2 |
Optimal frequency of walsh mask broadcast for forward high-speed packet data channels
A base station in a wireless communication network multi-codes a shared packet data channel using a continually changing set of spreading codes, and dynamically updates the transmission frequency of messages identifying the spreading codes to be used for that multi-coding based on tracking the net gain in data throughput for the shared channel that is obtained by transmitting such messages. In a 1xEV-DV network context, for example, a Walsh code in the defined Walsh code space that is not contiguous with the Walsh codes currently allocated to multi-coding the 1xEV-DV Forward Packet Data Channel (F-PDCH) generally remains unavailable for such use until an updated Walsh Mask Broadcast (WMB) message is transmitted to the mobile stations being served on the F-PDCH. The base station thus is configured to determine the frequency at which to send such messages and thereby make the unavailable codes available for multi-coding use. |
| US07668130B2 |
Apparatus for allocating transmission period in a wireless communication system
An apparatus is provided for efficiently allocating a transmission period in a wireless network system. An access point (AP) transmits a PSMP frame indicating a downlink period provided to each station (STA) and a minimum amount of an uplink period allocated to each STA, and at least one sub PSMP frame indicating an uplink period additionally provided for an STA that transmitted a resource request message for remaining queued data in the uplink period indicated by the PSMP frame. If the uplink period indicated by the PSMP frame is insufficient to transmit the queued data, the STA transmits a data unit including a part of the queued data and a resource request message for the remaining queued data in the uplink period. After transmitting the resource request message, the STA receives the sub PSMP frame after the full period indicated by the sub PSMP frame, and transmits the remaining queued data to the AP in the uplink period indicted by the sub PSMP frame. |
| US07668128B1 |
Features of power save in 802.11e wireless local area networks (WLANs)
A method and apparatus for limiting the length of a service period in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) including an Access Point (AP) and at least one station is presented. A maximum service period (SP) length for at least one station is determined. A value in a max SP length field in a control field of an uplink frame sent from said station to said AP is set. The value of the max SP length field is determined at the AP. Frame transmittal from the AP to the station is triggered during a service period when the value is non-zero, while downlink frame delivery from the AP to the station is prevented when the value is zero. |
| US07668127B2 |
Power management for throughput enhancement in wireless ad-hoc networks
The present invention relates to power management within the context of wireless ad-hoc networks. More specifically to the effects of using different transmit powers on the average power consumption and end-to-end network throughput in a wireless ad-hoc environment. This power management approach reduces the system power consumption and thereby prolongs the battery life of mobile nodes. Furthermore, the invention improves the end-to-end network throughput as compared to other ad-hoc networks in which all mobile nodes use the same transmit power. The improvement is due to the achievement of a tradeoff between minimizing interference ranges, reduction in the average number of hops to reach a destination, reducing the probability of having isolated clusters, and reducing the average number of transmissions including retransmissions due to collisions. The present invention provides a network with enhanced end-to-end throughput performance, and lower transmit power. |
| US07668126B2 |
Beacon coordination and medium access
Each of a plurality of nodes in a wireless network is capable of generating, transmitting, and receiving beacons in a distribute fashion. Each beacon contains information regarding the order of which other nodes are to transmit beacons and wireless medium access information at to when various nodes are to access the network. Nodes that are in separate “extended neighborhoods” are permitted to transmit their beacons simultaneously without risking beacon collisions. The beacons contain information that is used to ensure this result. Using the distributed beacon mechanism, each nod can reserve access to the wireless medium. In the disclosed embodiments, a central coordinator is not needed. |
| US07668125B2 |
Incremental redundancy transmission for multiple parallel channels in a MIMO communication system
For incremental redundancy transmission on multiple parallel channels in a MIMO system, a transmitter processes (e.g., encodes, partitions, interleaves, and modulates) each data packet for each parallel channel based on a rate selected for the parallel channel and obtains multiple symbol blocks for the packet. For each data packet, the transmitter transmits one symbol block at a time on its parallel channel until a receiver recovers the packet or all blocks have been transmitted. The receiver performs detection and obtains symbol blocks transmitted on the parallel channels. The receiver recovers the data packets transmitted on the parallel channels independently or in a designated order. The receiver processes (e.g., demodulates, deinterleaves, re-assembles, and decodes) all symbol blocks obtained for each data packet and provides a decoded packet. The receiver may estimate and cancel interference due to recovered data packets so that data packets recovered later can achieve higher SINRs. |
| US07668124B2 |
Position based WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) management
Position based WPAN (Wireless Personal Area Network) management. Based on either the relative position or the specific location of devices within a WPAN, communication between the various devices is managed by grouping the devices into two or more groups. In addition, the communication between theses various devices may be governed by profiles assigned to the groups (or even the actual individual devices) that are assigned based on their locations within the WPAN. The relative locations of the devices may be made using ranging that is performed by transmitting UWB (Ultra Wide Band) pulses between the various devices within the WPAN. Alternatively, each device may include GPS (Global Positioning System) functionality and information corresponding to the specific locations of the devices may be communicated between the devices, and that information may be used to group devices user and/or assign profiles to govern the communication to and from the devices. |
| US07668123B1 |
Network access device location
In a network in which a plurality of geographically distributed network access points are connected to a plurality of ports of a network switch, the invention provides a method of determining the location of a network access device within a LAN environment and/or the identity of network access devices or users active at a specified location. The method includes performing one or more SNMP queries on a plurality of ports of said network switch to produce a query output, processing the query output to determine what devices, and thus what users, are active at the different access points of the LAN. |
| US07668114B2 |
Communication apparatus and method with enhanced anonymity via modified use of addresses
A communication apparatus receives identification information and generates source information indicating a source of transmission made based on the received identification information. The communication apparatus changes the source information and a transmission route. The transmission route corresponds to the identification information used in generating the source information. |
| US07668110B2 |
Method of determining reverse data rate in mobile communication system
A method for determining a data rate for transmitting traffic data from a mobile station to a base station in a mobile communication system includes steps of receiving data rate control information from at least one base station; obtaining, based on the received data rate control information, a maximum transmittable data rate; obtaining a plurality of data rates for transmitting traffic data to the at least one base station, the plurality of data rates being obtained by considering a status factor of the mobile station; and determining the data rate of the traffic data to the at least one base station by selecting one of the obtained maximum transmittable data rate and plurality of data rates. The method determines the reverse data rate based on data rate control information and according to its own status, to provide system stability and minimize interference with other mobile stations while increasing the throughput for the sector and maintaining a desired QoS level even when the mobile station transmits at less power while. |
| US07668106B2 |
Network management system, and network management method
To collectively manage user networks connected to a virtual private network (VPN) without such time and effort necessary for an operation management server to be ready for an expansion MIB for each of vendors. Provided is a network management system, including: a first edge router, an operation management server and a second edge router which connects to the first edge router, the second edge router being included in the network constituted for each of the user groups, wherein the first edge router includes: collecting unit for collecting management information regarding constituent elements of the network constituted for each of the user groups from the second edge router on the network constituted for each of the user groups, unit for storing the management information in correspondence with the virtual private network for each of the user groups, and unit for returning the management information when receiving, from the operation management server, a request for the management information brought in correspondence with the virtual private network for each of the user groups, and the operation management server includes requesting unit for designating the virtual private network for each of the user groups and requesting the first edge router to return the management information regarding the constituent elements of the network constituted for each user group connected to the virtual private network. |
| US07668102B2 |
Techniques to manage retransmissions in a wireless network
Method and apparatus to manage retransmissions in a wireless network are described. |
| US07668101B1 |
ARQ in a point to multipoint network
The systems and methods for incorporating an automatic retransmission mechanism into a point to multipoint network MAC layer that does not already incorporate retransmission are provided by virtue of one embodiment of the present invention. For example, the DOCSIS MAC layer protocol developed for data over cable networks may be modified to incorporate an automatic retransmission mechanism. This allows DOCSIS to be applied more effectively to communication channels such as the wireless communication channel. |
| US07668100B2 |
Efficient load balancing and heartbeat mechanism for telecommunication endpoints
The present invention is directed to load balancing call signaling channels at the times that they are established, the use of variable frequency keep alive mechanisms depending on the state of the call signaling channel, and the establishment of a call signaling channel when resources are available or otherwise based on need. |
| US07668097B2 |
Method of dormant data session reactivation
A method for dormant data session reactivation may include a packet control function (118) in a radio access network (104) receiving a first data packet (150) having a source IP address (152), where the first data packet has a destination IP address (152) addressed to reactivate a dormant mobile station (102) coupled to the radio access network. The packet control function may receive a plurality of subsequent data packets (160) having the source IP address, where each of the plurality of subsequent data packets has a subsequent destination IP address (162, 164, 166) and a corresponding time stamp (163, 165, 167). For each of the subsequent destination IP addresses that are substantially sequential, evaluating an absolute value of a slope (270) of the difference between the subsequent destination IP addresses that are substantially sequential over a difference in the corresponding time stamps. If the absolute value of the slope is less than a threshold function (280), denying the first data packet and preventing reactivation of the dormant mobile station by the first data packet. |
| US07668096B2 |
Apparatus for modeling queueing systems with highly variable traffic arrival rates
An apparatus is provided for modeling queuing systems with highly variable traffic arrival rates. The apparatus includes means to associate a value with a pattern of highly variable arrival rates that is simple and intuitive, and a means to accurately model queuing delays in systems that are characterized by bursts of arrival activity. The queuing delay is determined by a sum of queuing delays after first applying a weighting factor to the queuing delay based upon a random arrival rate, and a different weighting factor to the queuing delay based upon a bursty variable arrival rate. The weighting factors are variants of the server utilization. The model facilitates specification of server characteristics and configurations to meet response time metrics. |
| US07668094B2 |
Time-offset regulated method and system for synchronization and rate control of media data
A method and device for synchronization and rate control of media data comprising adaptively computing an offset time using the reference time of a server, a local time of a client, and an associated time for presentation of the data, stamping the offset time on the media data, receiving the offset time stamped media data into a first buffer, processing the offset time stamped media data, computing an altered offset time, including the altered offset time with the processed media data, storing the processed media data in a second buffer, and selectively supplying the processed media data to a presentation sink unit according to the altered offset time, the server reference time, and the associated time of the media data. |
| US07668090B1 |
Setting pre-congestion notification admission and preemption thresholds in computer networks
A method and apparatus for setting admission and preemption thresholds in a computer network are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving traffic information including a first bandwidth utilization on each link located between ingress nodes and egress nodes based on a traffic matrix with no failures at the nodes or the links, and a second bandwidth utilization on each of the links based on the traffic matrix with planned failures at one or more of the links or the nodes. A preemption-to-admission ratio is calculated based on the first and second bandwidth utilizations on the links. An admission threshold is calculated at one of the links based on the second bandwidth utilization on the link and the preemption-to-admission ratio. At least one of the preemption-to-admission ratio and admission threshold is transmitted to a network device for use in flow admission. |
| US07668088B2 |
Handheld electronic device including voice over IP quality indicator, and associated method
A method of placing a call from a handheld device to a receiving device using VoIP includes initiating the call, transmitting a plurality of voice data packets to the receiving device, determining whether the receiving device has detected one or more missing or delayed packets, and providing a poor voice service indicator if it is determined that the receiving device has detected one or more missing or delayed data packets. Also, a method of placing a call to a receiving device over a network system which allocates bandwidth includes sending a request to the network system for a bandwidth allocation for the telephone call, determining whether the request has been granted, providing a poor voice service indicator to the user of the handheld electronic device if it is determined that the request has not been granted, and transmitting a plurality of voice data packets to the receiving device. |
| US07668084B2 |
Systems and methods for fault-tolerant high integrity data propagation using a half-duplex braided ring network
In one embodiment, a network comprises a plurality of nodes that are communicatively coupled to one another using bidirectional, half-duplex links. The network has a logical first channel over which data is propagated along the network in a first direction and a logical second channel over which data is propagated along the network in a second direction. For a given period of time, at least one of the plurality of nodes is scheduled to be a transmitting node that transmits data on both the first channel and the second channel. A first subset of the nodes not scheduled to transmit during the period are scheduled to relay data received from the first channel along the first channel. A second subset of the nodes not scheduled to transmit during the period are scheduled to relay data received from the second channel along the second channel. At least one of the nodes not scheduled to transmit during the period does not relay any data on at least one of that node's outbound links for at least one of the first channel and the second channel. |
| US07668079B2 |
Multiple endpoint paths for point-to-multipoint (P2MP) SPVC
A method and system for implementing Multiple Endpoint Paths (MEP) for Point to Multipoint (P2MP) calls over Soft Permanent Virtual Connections (SPVC) are provided. When a condition is detected that requires a particular endpoint to be switched to an alternate endpoint, all calls of the P2MP group that used the particular endpoint are torn down in sequence, in accordance with SPVC procedures. Once all of the calls are torn down, any calls that are enabled for MEP are re-established using the alternate endpoint to replace the particular endpoint. |
| US07668071B2 |
Phase-change optical recording medium having tracking signal smaller than saturation value
A phase-change optical storage medium has a substrate and a recording layer having a plurality of tracks for storing information. A material of which the recording layer is made has been initialized in a crystalline state in which an amplitude of a tracking-detection signal is smaller than a saturation value of the amplitude, the tracking-detection signal being obtained by receiving a reflected beam from the recording layer when the recording layer is irradiated with a laser beam in an off-track state while the optical storage medium is being rotated. |
| US07668068B2 |
Rotation responsive disk activation and deactivation mechanisms
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms. |
| US07668064B2 |
Optical pickup unit and information recording/reproduction apparatus
According to one embodiment, an optical pickup unit which can record, reproduction and erase information in/from an information recording medium has tracks with different pitches, the dividing means has at least a part of a dividing boundary line placing between an end of a 1st order diffraction light with the largest diffraction angle and an end of a 1st order diffraction light with the smallest diffraction angle of the reflected laser beam. |
| US07668063B2 |
Optical disk device
A parameter acquisition unit acquires parameters of a write strategy corresponding to the type of an optical disk upon which data is to be recorded, and a recording unit irradiates pulse modulated laser light upon the optical disk based upon the parameters of the write strategy acquired by the parameter acquisition unit, and forms marks corresponding to the data to be recorded in order upon the optical disk. A timing setting unit sets a sampling period, using the parameters of the write strategy acquired by the parameter acquisition unit, within the period from after the completion of formation of a mark upon the optical disk to the start of formation of the next mark. And, during this sampling period which has been set, a sampling unit performs sampling of a signal used for servo control, and a sampling servo control unit performs servo control based upon the signal which has been sampled. |
| US07668051B2 |
Methods, apparatus and computer program products for detecting oscillation of a servo controller
An apparatus for detecting an oscillation of a servo controller of an optical disk is provided. An oscillation detector, electrically coupled to the servo controller of the optical disk, is provided and is configured to receive an error signal associated with the servo controller. The oscillation detector is further configured to compare an amplitude, a width and a period of the error signal with a reference amplitude, a reference width and reference period to determine if an oscillation is present in the error signal. Related methods and computer program products are provided. |
| US07668049B2 |
Optical pickup actuator and optical recording/reproducing apparatus
An optical pickup actuator is provided. The actuator comprises a bobbin, on which one or more objective lenses are mounted for allowing light to be incident onto an optical information storage medium, and which is supported by a support member to be movable in relation to a base. The actuator also comprises a magnetic circuit for independently driving the bobbin in focusing and tilt directions. |
| US07668046B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining the position of an object in 3-dimensional space
An apparatus and method is disclosed for determining the position of a user interface mouse using time of arrival measurements. A transmitter transmits a signal to an array of receivers that are spatially separated from one another. The time difference of arrival for is found for each receiver relative to a predetermined reference receiver. Using the time difference of arrival (TDOA) of each receiver, the location in 3-dimensional space of each receiver, and the speed of sound the position of the transmitter in 3-dimensional space relative to the reference receiver may be found. |
| US07668041B2 |
Apparatus and methods for acquiring seismic data while tripping
A system for acquiring logging data comprises a controller for causing the generation of a signal in a formation surrounding a wellbore. The controller has a first clock for time-stamping a record of the generated signal. A receiver is deployed in the wellbore and is adapted for detecting the signal. A second clock comprises a double-oven surrounding a crystal oscillator. A controller is operatively coupled to the double-oven to maintain the crystal oscillator temperature substantially at the crystal oscillator turnover temperature. The second clock is synchronized with the first clock before deployment in the wellbore, and the receiver references the second clock in order to record a time-stamp associated with the detected signal. |
| US07668040B2 |
Memory device, memory controller and memory system
The memory device has: a plurality of banks, each of which has a memory cell array having a plurality of page areas that are selected by row addresses respectively, and each of which is selected by a bank address; a row controller that controls activation of the page areas within each of the banks in response to a first operation code; and a group of data input/output terminals. A memory unit area within each of the activated page areas is accessed based on the column address. The row controller generates bank activation signals for the plurality of banks in response to multi-bank information data and a supplied bank address that are supplied along with the first command, and generates the row address of each of the plurality of banks in response to the supplied bank address and a supplied row address. The plurality of banks activate the page areas in response to the bank activation signals and the row addresses generated by the row address calculator. |
| US07668039B2 |
Address counter, semiconductor memory device having the same, and data processing system
An address counter includes FIFO units and first and second command counters that control the groups. The first command counter has a first mode in which any one of input gates is conducted in response to a first internal command and a second mode in which a plurality of input gates are conducted in response to an internal command. The second command counter has a first mode in which any one of output gates is conducted in response to one of second and third internal commands and second mode in which corresponding output gates are each conducted in response to one of the second and third internal commands. Thereby, when tCCD is small, the first mode can be selected, and when the tCCD is large, the second mode can be selected. |
| US07668032B2 |
Refresh operation of memory device
A memory device includes a refresh generator and a refresh command generation circuit. The refresh generator generates a refresh signal for a refresh operation enable. The refresh command generation circuit logically combines the refresh signal and a reset signal to produce a refresh command. The refresh command generation circuit produces the refresh command only when either the refresh signal or the reset signal is enabled. |
| US07668028B2 |
Dual in-line memory module, memory test system, and method for operating the dual in-line memory module
A dual in-line memory module (DIMM) for use in test includes a memory array with a plurality of memories, a test signal input/output unit, and a normal data input/output unit. The test signal input/output unit is provided in the respective memories to perform an input/output operation of a test signal with an external test mode controller for a test mode operation. The normal data input/output unit is provided in the respective memories to perform an input/output operation of a normal data with an external memory controller for a normal mode operation. |
| US07668026B2 |
Data I/O line control circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit having the same
A data I/O line control circuit includes a control unit for outputting a control signal after a predetermined time from an activation of a column select signal, and a switching unit for selectively separating a pair of first sub-middle I/O lines, which is coupled to a pair of local I/O lines located at one side of the switching unit, from a pair of second sub-middle I/O lines, which is coupled to both the pair of the local I/O lines and a data bus sense amplifier located at the other side of the switching unit. |
| US07668022B2 |
Integrated circuit for clock generation for memory devices
A device for generating clock signals for use with a plurality of DDR memory devices on a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) board is provided that has a data buffer for buffering data. A clock divider divides a first clock signal (CLK1) having a first clock frequency to generate a second clock signal (CLK20) having a second clock frequency which is an integer multiple of the first clock frequency. A shift register (SH) receives the second clock signal as a data input signal, and comprises a plurality flip-flops having clock inputs coupled to receive the first clock signal (CLK1), and further coupled so that the data output of a preceding flip-flop is coupled to be the data input of a following flip-flop. The second clock signal is shifted through the shift register (SH) in response to the first clock signal (CLK1) to generate a plurality of shifted clock signals (CLK 21, . . . , CLK32) at respective data outputs of the plurality of flip-flops. A multiplexer commonly coupled to the data outputs of the flip-flops selects one of the shifted clock signals (CLK 21, . . . , CLK32) to serve as an output clock signal for transmission of the buffered data to a memory device. |
| US07668021B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including output driver
A semiconductor memory device has a data output device. The data output device is provided with a slew rate control unit for detecting the number of transitions of a plurality of output data to output slew rate control information; and an output driving unit for driving the plurality of output data with a pull-up drivability and a pull-down drivability adjusted based on the slew rate control information. |
| US07668017B2 |
Method of erasing non-volatile memory cells
A method includes determining groups of rows to erase together in order to minimize the margin loss associated with bake after a large number of program and erasure cycles. The method alternatively includes determining groups of rows to erase together to minimize the width of a resultant erase threshold voltage distribution, erasing the groups together, stopping erasure of a group when the group is erase verified and performing the step of erasing on those groups which were not previously erase verified. |
| US07668016B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices and programming methods thereof including moving electrons through pad oxide layers between charge trap layers
Non-volatile memory devices and methods of programming a non-volatile memory device in which electrons are moved between charge trap layers through a pad oxide layer are provided. The non-volatile memory devices include a charge trap layer on a semiconductor substrate and storing electrons, a pad oxide layer on the first charge trap layer, and a second trap layer on the pad oxide layer and storing electrons. In a programming mode in which data is written, the stored electrons are moved between a first position of the first charge trap layer and a first position of the second charge trap layer through the pad oxide layer or between a second position of the first charge trap layer and a second position of the second charge trap layer through the pad oxide layer. |
| US07668014B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and program method
A non-volatile memory device, related memory system, and program method for the non-volatile memory device are disclosed. In the method, memory cells in a memory cell array are accessed through a plurality of word lines by applying a program voltage to a selected word line, wherein the selected word line is not adjacent to an outmost word line, applying a first reduced pass voltage to word lines adjacent to the selected word line, and applying a second reduced pass voltage to the outermost word lines. |
| US07668012B2 |
Memory cell programming
One or more embodiments include programming, in parallel, a first cell to one of a first number of states and a second cell to one of a second number of states. Such embodiments include programming, separately, the first cell to one of a third number of states based, at least in part, on the one of the first number of states and the second cell to one of a fourth number of states based, at least in part, on the one of the second number of states. |
| US07668010B2 |
Flash memory having insulating liners between source/drain lines and channels
A memory array comprises a semiconductor body having a plurality of trenches aligned generally in parallel. The trenches contain semiconductor material, such as doped amorphous silicon, and act as source/drain lines for the memory array. Insulating liners lie between the semiconductor material within the trenches and the semiconductor body. A plurality of word lines overlie the plurality of trenches and channel regions in the semiconductor body in an array of cross points. Charge trapping structures lie between the word lines and the channel regions at the cross points, providing an array of flash memory cells. The charge trapping structures comprise dielectric charge trapping structures adapted to be programmed and erased to store data. A method for manufacturing such devices includes patterning and forming the sources/drain lines with insulating liners prior to formation of the charge trapping structure over the channel regions. |
| US07668009B2 |
Method of decreasing program disturb in memory cells
The present invention provides a method of decreasing program disturb in memory cells, comprising: finding an initial programming condition that ensure programming memory cell normally; selecting one parameter from the initial programming condition as a variable for the program disturb test; performing the program disturb test to the memory cell for at least two values of the variable; obtaining a programming condition with minimum program disturb based on the result of the program disturb test; and applying the programming condition with minimum program disturb as the programming condition for memory cell. The method according to the present invention can minimize the program disturb for the memory cell and can be performed easily. |
| US07668006B2 |
Multi-port phase change random access memory cell and multi-port phase change random access memory device including the same
A multi-port phase change random access memory (PRAM) cell, includes a PRAM element including a phase change material, a writing controller configured to operate in correspondence with a writing word line, the writing controller connecting a writing bit line to the PRAM element, and a reading controller configured to operate in correspondence with a reading word line, the reading controller connecting the PRAM element to a reading bit line. |
| US07667996B2 |
Nano-vacuum-tubes and their application in storage devices
The scale of the devices in a diode array storage device, and their cost, are reduced by changing the semiconductor based diodes in the storage array to cold cathode, field emitter based devices. The field emitters and a field emitter array may be fabricated utilizing a topography-based lithographic technique. |
| US07667994B1 |
Magnetic racetrack with current-controlled motion of domain walls within an undulating energy landscape
A method for use with a magnetic racetrack device includes placing domain walls having a first structure and domain walls having a second, different structure along the racetrack at stable positions corresponding to different regions within the device. The domain walls having the first structure and the domain walls having the second structure occupy alternating positions along the racetrack. A current pulse is applied to the racetrack, so that each of the domain walls moves to an adjacent region. This results in a transformation of the domain walls having the first structure into domain walls having the second structure, and vice versa. The first structure may be a vortex structure and the second structure may be a transverse structure. |
| US07667985B1 |
Computer network device and method of assembly
One embodiment of the present computer network device comprises a subassembly. The subassembly includes a support plate, a standoff extending from the support plate, a printed circuit board (PCB) secured to the standoff, an electromechanical connector secured to the PCB, an electromagnetic interference (EMI) cage secured to the PCB, and an EMI gasket engaging the EMI cage. The computer network device further comprises a guiding and retaining member that engages the support plate and assists in securing the subassembly within an enclosure. In a method of assembling the computer network device, the subassembly is first assembled before the subassembly is secured within an enclosure. Relative motion of the PCB and the standoffs is thus eliminated during the assembly process. |
| US07667983B2 |
Electronic transmission port cover assembly
An electronic transmission port cover assembly has a body, a sliding bracket and a cover. The body is mounted securely in an electronic device adjacent to an electronic transmission port. The sliding bracket is mounted slidably on the body. The cover is attached pivotally to the sliding bracket and has cover springs. The sliding bracket is pushed relative to the body and the cover is pushed away from the body and pivots relative to the sliding bracket to uncover the transmission port. |
| US07667979B2 |
Protective circuit board for battery pack
A protective circuit board for a battery pack for controlling charge and discharge states of the battery pack includes an insulation layer and a first signal pattern disposed inside the insulation layer. The circuit can further include a second signal pattern disposed inside the insulation layer. The circuit can include a first dummy pattern spaced from a first side of the first signal pattern and a second dummy pattern spaced from a second side of the first signal pattern. |
| US07667976B2 |
Electronic circuit device and method of making the same
A method of making an electronic circuit device includes preparing an electronic element having at least one projection, mounting the electronic element on only a first side of a circuit board in such a manner that the projection is substantially held in point contact with the first side of the circuit board to form a gap between the circuit board and the electronic element, placing the circuit board in a mold cavity in such a manner that a second side of the circuit board is held in close contact with an inner surface of the cavity. The method further includes encapsulating the circuit board in a casing by filling the cavity with a resin material so that the gap is filled with the resin material. |
| US07667973B2 |
Waterproof case
A waterproof case for housing an electronic component includes a case member that has a plurality of breathing holes, and a breathable waterproof filter fitted to the case member at a position corresponding to the breathing holes to cover the breathing holes. For example, open surfaces of at least two of the breathing holes, opened outside of the case member, can be made to face in different directions. Furthermore, the breathing hole has an open area on a side of the breathable waterproof filter, which is larger than an open area of the breathing hole on a side opposite to the breathable waterproof filter, in the case member. Accordingly, the waterproof case enhances waterproofness while circulating air between the inside and the outside of the waterproof case. |
| US07667972B2 |
Connector with a heat sink
A connector with a heat sink to prevented a card from being damaged due to friction when the card is inserted or removed includes a frame provided with two guide arms and two elastic members, each guide arm containing two chutes, each chute containing an upper and a lower limit zones; a pressurizing-down mechanism connected to the frame, a leading post received in the chute being disposed on each side arm, and a heat sink being provided on top; card insertion driving the pressurizing-down mechanism to move with its leading post in the chute for the heat sink to contact the card to conduct the heat generated from the card; and the elastic member moving the pressurizing-down mechanism into the upper limit zone to remove the card. |
| US07667969B2 |
Pump structures integral to a fluid filled heat transfer apparatus
Presented is a heat sink arrangement, incorporating a fluid media, which transfers heat between stationary and movable objects. Included are pump structures which are designed to be or operate integrally with the fluid-filled heat transfer apparatus, and are adapted to provide optimum and unique cooling flow paths for implementing the cooling of electronic devices, such as computer chips or the like, that require active cooling action. The pumps and heat sink arrangements selectively possess either rotating or stationary shafts, various types of impeller and fluid or cooling media circulation structures, which maximize both the convective and conductive cooling of the various components of the electronic devices or equipment by means of the circulating fluid. |
| US07667968B2 |
Air-cooling system configuration for touch screen
A cooling system for an electrical device includes a receptacle unit having a main opening with an inner chamber, a cooling unit operably associated with the electrical device arranged in the chamber of the receptacle unit, intake and exhaust openings arranged between the electronic device and the receptacle unit, an intake path extending from the intake opening to the cooling unit via the chamber of the receptacle unit and an exhaust path extending from the cooling unit to the exhaust opening via the inner space of the receptacle unit. |
| US07667965B2 |
Acoustically absorptive anti-recirculation panel for one or more electronics racks of a data center
An acoustically absorptive panel is provided configured to reside above multiple electronics racks disposed in a row within a data center. The acoustically absorptive panel is configured to extend a height above the multiple electronics racks sufficient to at least partially block hot air recirculation from one or more air outlet sides of the multiple electronics racks to one or more air inlet sides of the electronics racks. The acoustically absorptive panel includes an acoustically absorptive material selected to attenuate noise, and in one embodiment, includes printed material on at least one side thereof related to one or more of the multiple electronics racks. |
| US07667964B2 |
Panel type display device
A panel type display device for minimizing temperature increase in the interior of a case and a display panel. The display device includes a case, a display panel mounted in an interior of the case, at least one circuit board for controlling the display panel, a first cooling fluid path for cooling the display panel, and a second cooling fluid path for cooling the circuit board. In the display device, the first and second cooling fluid paths are separated from each other. |
| US07667961B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus is provided with a case, a printed circuit board which is contained in the case and includes a first surface and a second surface formed on the side opposite from the first surface, a first heating element mounted on the first surface, a second heating element mounted on the second surface, a first cooling fan used to cool the first heating element, and a second cooling fan used to cool the second heating element. A thickness of the second cooling fan is smaller than a thickness of the first cooling fan. The second cooling fan is mounted so as to overlap the first cooling fan in a direction parallel to the first surface of the circuit board and be situated within a range of the thickness of the first cooling fan. |
| US07667953B2 |
Electrolytic capacitor
An electrolytic solution, for use in an electrolytic capacitor, comprising a solvent and a solute wherein water accounts for 20 to 100% by weight of the solvent and the total solute content is from 1.5 to 44% by weight, and an electrolytic capacitor comprising a capacitor element, a case containing the capacitor element, and a sealant with which the case is sealed, the capacitor element comprising a pair of electrode foils each comprising a dielectric, a separator for isolating the electrode foils from each other, and the above electrolytic solution filled between the electrode foils. |
| US07667951B2 |
Electronic component
The invention relates to an electronic component including a capacitor and provides an electronic component in which electromigration can be prevented and whose capacitor element has an accurate capacity value. The electronic component includes a bottom conductor formed on a substrate, a dielectric film formed to cover the bottom conductor, an organic insulation film formed on the dielectric film, and a top conductor formed in an opening provided in the organic insulation film over the bottom conductor, the top conductor forming a capacitor element in combination with the bottom conductor and the dielectric film. |
| US07667950B2 |
Multilayer capacitor and electronic device
A multilayer capacitor has a laminate body in which a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode are alternately laminated with a dielectric layer in between, a first terminal electrode provided on one end side of the laminate body, and a second terminal electrode provided on the other end side of the laminate body. The first internal electrode has a first lead portion connected to the first terminal electrode. The second internal electrode has a second lead portion connected to the second terminal electrode. The first internal electrode consists of plural types of first internal electrodes and the plural types of first internal electrodes have their respective first lead portions at different positions. Distances between the first lead portions of the respective types of the first internal electrodes and the second lead portion are different from each other. |
| US07667948B1 |
Digitally controlled oscillator and associated method
A digitally controlled capacitor includes a first set of N capacitors, wherein the first set has a first capacitance value and each of the M capacitors has a second capacitance value, and at least one second set of N capacitors. The second set has the first capacitance value and each of the N capacitors has a third capacitance value that is greater than the second capacitance value. M and N are integers greater than one and M is not equal to N. |
| US07667945B2 |
Bipolar carrier wafer and mobile bipolar electrostatic wafer arrangement
The present invention relates to a bipolar carrier wafer and a mobile, bipolar electrostatic wafer arrangement. Carrier wafers and wafer arrangements of this type can be used in particular in the field of handling technology of semiconductor wafers. The carrier wafer according to the invention serves for mounting a disc-shaped semiconductor component. It has a first surface (2a) as front-side and a second surface (2b) which is situated opposite the first surface (2a) as rear-side. The carrier wafer is configured such that it has a carrier layer (2), an electrically insulating cover layer (3) which surrounds the carrier layer and an electrically conductive layer (4), the latter being disposed on the electrically insulating cover layer and being structured in at least two regions which are separated from each other electrically as electrodes. Electrical contacts are disposed on the rear-side (2b) of the carrier wafer, these electrical contacts being connected to the two electrodes disposed on the front-side (2a). On the electrically conductive layer (4), in addition an electrically insulating cover layer (8) is disposed which covers both the front-side (2a) and the edge of the carrier wafer between the front-side (2a) and the rear-side (2b). |
| US07667939B2 |
Bus driver including control circuit for overvoltage protection
A bus driver device is provided with a bus driver circuit connected to a bus line and a overvoltage protection section connected between the bus line and a power supply line. The overvoltage protection section has an overvoltage protection function for the bus line. Further, the bus driver device is provided with a switching circuit for on/off-controlling the overvoltage protection function based on a voltage of the bus line and a voltage of the power supply wiring. |
| US07667937B2 |
Control device for an electronic domestic appliance
A control device for an electronic domestic appliance has a control panel of an electrically conducting material and an electronic control system with a mains-connected circuit and a circuit that is galvanically separated from the mains. To protect the electronic control system from electrostatic discharges the control panel is grounded by way of an electrical connection between the control panel and the circuit that is galvanically separated from the mains and also an electrical connection between the galvanically separated circuit and the mains-connected circuit. The latter electrical connection between the galvanically separated circuit and the mains-connected circuit has at least one protection impedance. |
| US07667936B2 |
High-voltage tolerant power-rail ESD clamp circuit for mixed-voltage I/O interface
A circuit for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection includes a resistor a capacitor connected in series with the resistor, a first transistor including a gate, the gate being connected to a first power supply providing a first voltage to the gate via the resistor and a first terminal connected to the first power supply, a second transistor including a gate, the gate being connected to a second power supply, the second power supply providing a second voltage smaller than the first voltage, the second transistor having a first terminal connected to a second terminal of the first transistor, and a third transistor including a gate, the gate being connected to the second power supply, a first terminal of the third transistor being connected to a second terminal of the second transistor, and a second terminal being connected to a reference voltage different from the first voltage and the second voltage. |
| US07667932B2 |
Method and apparatus using embedded sensor in a piezoelectric micro-actuator in a hard disk drive
A piezoelectric sensor-actuator, including a piezoelectric sensor bonded through non-conductive adhesive to a piezoelectric actuator to determine the pressure and/or temperature near the coupled slider. The piezoelectric actuator contributes to slider positioning. The piezoelectric sensor determines the experienced stress-strain. The hard disk drive uses the piezoelectric sensor-actuator creates a stress-strain measurement, a sensor spectrum, deriving the temperature estimate and/or the pressure estimate from said sensor spectrum, and operating at least one positioning control group member based upon the temperature estimate and/or pressure estimate. The micro-actuator containing at least one of the piezoelectric sensor-actuators, flexure finger, head gimbal assembly, head stack assembly, an actuator assembly, an embedded circuit, and the hard disk drive. The invention includes manufacturing methods and the piezoelectric sensor-actuator, the micro-actuator, the head gimbal assembly, the actuator assembly, the head stack assembly, the embedded circuit, and the hard disk drive as products. |
| US07667928B2 |
Thin-film magnetic head having a width-thickness configured shield layer positioned by spacer pieces for use in a head gimbal assembly of a hard disk system
A write shield layer that forms a part of a thin-film magnetic head is set with respect to the widthwise full length W thereof lying substantially on an air bearing surface that is opposite to the recording medium such that when the full length W is trisected, the maximum thickness H1/3side thereof in a range of widthwise ⅓W size positioned at both ends thereof is larger than the average thickness Hm of the whole write shield layer from the air bearing surface up to the rear (H1/3side>Hm), so that the so-called external magnetic field resistance is improved, and inadvertent erasure of the information already recorded in the recording medium is avoided as much as possible. Besides, the PTP (pole tip protrusion) phenomenon arising from the generation of heat from coils, and external temperature changes can be held back. |
| US07667927B2 |
Magnetic head having toroidal coil layer and manufacturing method thereof
First and second magnetic layers of a magnetic head face each other. A toroidal coil layer having upper and lower layer coil pieces (ULCP and LLCP) is wound around one of the magnetic layers. The ULCP extend from a first insulating layer by downward steps to a top of a second insulating layer which is widened at ends of the first insulating layer. Side ends of the first insulating layer extend parallel to a height direction. The ULCP are orthogonal to the side ends. Each of the LLCP is formed on a third insulating layer and has a straight region extending in the same direction as the upper layer coil pieces and a curved region curved toward a facing surface or in a height direction on one end in the track width direction. An end of each of the straight and curved region is connected to an ULCP. |
| US07667923B1 |
Hard drive data platter impairment tool
A system for impairing at least one pair of data platters stacked. An alignment device is pivotably mounted; upper and lower arms of the alignment device are spaced apart from and extend parallel to one another. The alignment device is movable between a stowed position in which the alignment device is spaced apart from the data platters to an impairment position in which the upper and lower arms of the alignment device overlay at least an edge of the data platters. The upper arm includes an opening for receiving an impairment tool, the opening being generally aligned with an impairment opening formed in the enclosure when the alignment device is in the impairment position. The impairment tool is inserted through the impairment opening formed in the enclosure and the opening in the upper arm for engaging a surface of the data platters to impair the data platters. |
| US07667916B1 |
Signal conversion system and method
Apparatus, systems, and methods implementing techniques for converting a signal. In an apparatus form, an input circuit receives a differential input signal and produces a single-ended intermediate signal. An amplifier circuit receives the intermediate signal and produces an amplified signal, and a feedback path couples the amplified signal to the intermediate signal. An inverter circuit receives the amplified signal and produces an output signal. |
| US07667915B2 |
Disk drive having a head amplifier for perpendicular magnetic recording
According to one embodiment, a disk drive is provided which has a head amplifier having a function of, at a data recording time, outputting AC pattern data to a write head prior to the recording of the write data to allow it to be recorded on a write splice section on a disk medium. The write head records an AC signal pattern of a high frequency on the write splice section on the disk medium according to an output timing of a write gate and then write data is recorded with a preamble as a header. |
| US07667914B2 |
Direct coupled wide-bandwidth front-end with smart bias control amplifier
Embodiments of the present invention provide a mixed-mode amplifier for amplifying signals in data storage devices such as disk drives. In one embodiments, a circuit for amplifying data signals comprises a magnetoresistive sensor having a bias voltage applied thereto; a signal amplifier which amplifies a signal detected by the magnetoresistive sensor having the bias voltage applied thereto; a feedback control block which is coupled to an output of the signal amplifier and outputs a feedback current used to vary a loop gain of the circuit; a bias setting circuit which outputs a bias setting current; and a transimpedance amplifier which receives the bias setting current from the bias setting block and the feedback current from the feedback control block and generates the bias voltage applied to the magnetoresistive sensor. |
| US07667905B2 |
Ultra compact zoom camera concept
A device is shown having at least two movable lens units, wherein each of the at least two movable lens units has at least one lens, wherein the at least two movable lens units are movable into a first state wherein the at least two movable lens units are arranged in parallel to each other, and wherein the at least two movable lens units are movable into a second state wherein the at least two movable lens units are arranged on top of each other for positioning the lenses of the at least two movable lens units in an optical axis. |
| US07667904B2 |
Editable instrument assembly
An editable instrument assembly (100) for a vehicle. The editable instrument assembly includes a plurality of lenses (110), each lens having an icon (112) disposed thereon and a lens frame (108). The lens frame is adapted to removably receive each of the plurality of lenses. The editable instrument assembly also includes an instrument panel (102) comprising a lens frame receiving assembly (160) for removably and slidably receiving the lens frame with the plurality of lenses. |
| US07667899B2 |
Zoom lens system and imaging apparatus
A positive first lens group G1, a negative second lens group G2, an aperture diaphragm St, a positive third lens group G3, and a positive fourth lens group G4 are sequentially arranged, and a movement of the lens groups and the aperture diaphragm St during zooming is optimized in combination with an appropriate conditional expression. During zooming, a position of the aperture diaphragm St on an optical axis at a wide-angle end is closer to an image plane than that at a telephoto end, and a space on the optical axis at the wide-angle end between the aperture diaphragm St and the third lens group G3 is larger than that at the telephoto end, thereby suppressing the length of the whole lens. Also, heights of rays passing through the first lens group G1 are lowered, thereby suppressing the lens diameter of the first lens group G1. |
| US07667891B2 |
Desktop display with continuous curved surface
A curved display device comprising a continuous, curved, concave viewing surface having a surface width W greater than or equal to 48 cm and less than or equal to 200 cm, and wherein a distance D from the center of a straight line segment which connects the centers of the display edges in the width dimension, to the center of the display surface in the horizontal dimension is less than or equal to ((0.215W)−6.5). |
| US07667888B2 |
Low cost system and method that implements acousto-optic (AO) RF signal excitation
An acousto-optic modulator includes an acousto-optic bulk medium. A transducer is attached to the acousto-optic bulk medium and formed as a linear array of electrodes. A transducer driver is connected to each electrode and comprises a plurality of amplifiers connected to the electrodes such that each electrode is driven by a respective amplifier as a means to provide a low cost alternative to the use of higher power hybrid amplifiers in conventional AO device applications. |
| US07667879B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
The present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus reading image information of an original while moving the original on an original base plate comprising: a transport rotary member provided opposite the original base plate to transport the original; a supporting member that supports the transport rotary member to be rotatable; and a gap forming section provided in the supporting member to form a gap between the transport rotary member and the original base plate, wherein the transport rotary member and the supporting member each have a high reflectance surface condition. |
| US07667868B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
A light flux emitted from a light source is split into two by a light flux splitting unit, and these are respectively made incident on upper and lower tiers of polygon mirrors of a deflecting unit which coaxially rotates two polygon mirrors one on the other while being shifted in angles from each other. The respective light fluxes that have been deflected for scanning at mutually different timings by the deflecting unit respectively reach individual photodetectors through a first scanning lens, mirrors, and a second scanning lens as a predetermined light system and carry out main scanning. |
| US07667859B2 |
Method and device for hyperacute detection of an essentially rectilinear contrast edge and system for fine following and fixing of said contrast edge
Method and device for the detection of an essentially rectilinear contrast edge (E) in a direction, whereby a periodic sweep (Ω) of global visual angle (Δψ) of the optical sensors, by translation (S) in another direction transverse to the first direction, is carried out. The translation provides a periodic sweep of non-uniform angular speed (ψ) during a part of the period of sweeping and a measurement of a time difference (t) from the signals provided by the sensors (D1, D2), depending on the angular position of the contrast edge (E) with relation to a reference direction (OY12) within the global visual angle (Δψ) from the sweep law (Ω), the reference direction being connected to a specific value for the time difference (t). The above is of application to spatial stabilization of a sight line and the fine following and fixing of an object with at least one contrast edge. |
| US07667858B2 |
Automated process control using optical metrology and a correlation between profile models and key profile shape variables
A process step in fabricating a structure on a wafer in a wafer application having one or more process steps and one or more process parameters is controlled by determining a correlation between a set of profile models and one or more key profile shape variables. Each profile model is defined using a set of profile parameters to characterize the shape of the structure. Different sets of profile parameters define the profile models in the set. The one or more key profile shape variables include one or more profile parameters or one or more process parameters. One profile model is selected from the set of profile models based on the correlation and a value of at least one key profile shape variable of the process of the wafer application to be used in fabricating the structure. The structure is fabricated in a first fabrication process cluster using the process step and the value of the at least one key profile shape variable. A measured diffraction signal is obtained off the structure. One or more profile parameters of the structure are determined based on the measured diffraction signal and the selected profile model. The one or more determined profile parameters are transmitted to the first fabrication process cluster or a second fabrication process cluster. |
| US07667849B2 |
Optical sensor with interferometer for sensing external physical disturbance of optical communications link
An optical sensing method transmits radiation from a source onto an optical link, the radiation being passed through an unbalanced interferometer connected between the source and the link. The radiation which is reflected back and has travelled through a portion of the link which is subject to an external disturbance is received and passed through the same unbalanced interferometer. A detector is used to detect the radiation that has returned through the unbalanced interferometer. To improve sensitivity, the unbalanced interferometer includes a coupler for coupling radiation to the detector, the coupler being an N ×N coupler where N is an integer greater or equal to 3. |
| US07667848B2 |
Imaging apparatus for infrared rays nonlinear molecular vibrational microscopy
Disclosed is an imaging apparatus for infrared nonlinear molecular vibrational microscopy. |
| US07667846B2 |
Device and process for inspecting the bottoms of containers
A system for inspecting container bottoms with an observation device, which observe the container bottoms, with a plurality of viewing windows, which are arranged underneath the container bottoms and which have viewing sections, through which the observation device observes the container bottoms, where the viewing windows are mounted in a carrier plate. Also, holding devices are provided, which transport the containers a certain distance above the carrier plate, and the viewing sections are at least partially offset from a projection of the containers in a direction perpendicular to the carrier plate. |
| US07667840B2 |
Particle-measuring system and particle-measuring method
The present invention provides a particle measuring system which is provided in a processing system that generates an atmosphere obtained by exhausting air or a gas in a processing chamber by a vacuum pump and applies a process concerning semiconductor manufacture to a wafer W in the atmosphere, attached to an exhaust pipe which connects an exhaust opening of the processing chamber with the vacuum pump, and measures the number of the particles in the exhaust gas, and a measuring method thereof, the system and method providing a processing system and a cleaning method which terminate etching process by determining an end point based on the number of the particles in the exhaust gas and perform cleaning of unnecessary films. |
| US07667839B2 |
Aerosol particle sensor with axial fan
A particle sensor for optically detecting an unconstrained particle suspended in a flowing gas includes a sample chamber having a gas inlet and a gas outlet; a gas flow system for flowing said gas from said gas inlet through said sample chamber to said gas outlet, a source of light; an optical system directing said light through said sample chamber, an optical collection system located to collect light scattered by said particles in the gas, and a detection system located to detect the collected light. The total pressure drop through said gas flow system is 3 inches of water or less. The gas flow system includes an axial fan, which may be a high static pressure fan or a counter-rotating fan. In a 1.0 CFM system, the gas inlet nozzle has an area of 25 square millimeters or more. |
| US07667837B2 |
Capillary tube flow cell
Provided is a capillary tube flow cell used in analyses at very low flow rates and, particularly, in liquid chromatographic analyses. To ensure that high detection sensitivity and low noise can be realized, a flow cell which houses a liquid sample and exposes the liquid sample to radiant light for analysis purposes comprises a capillary tube which has a bent portion for incident light, a bent portion for emergent light and a linear passage of appropriate length formed between the bent portions, a passage portion of the capillary tube being inserted into a slit and the slit being provided with a light pass preventing portion. |
| US07667825B2 |
Projector, method of measuring distance to the projector, and method and program for acquiring inclination angles of projection screen
A light source 165 of a projection unit 16 AM modulates an electric current supplied to a built-in LED. The projection unit 16 projects the modulated light on a projection screen. A photoreceiver 171 receives, with a time lag, a reflected portion of the modulated light from the screen, which corresponds to a time required for the light to travel from its projection to its reception. A calculation unit 173 acquires a phase difference between the projected light and its reflection at a respective one of a plurality of points on the screen, acquires a distance from the projector to the respective one of the plurality of points on the screen, and then acquires an inclination angle of the screen. Because the distance from the projector to a respective one of the plurality of points on the screen is acquired based on the corresponding phase difference, the measurement accuracy is improved compared to the triangular distance measuring method. The projector requires no distance measurement-only light source, thereby reducing the size of the projector. |
| US07667824B1 |
Range gated shearography systems and related methods
A range-gated shearography system and related methods. Implementations of range-gated shearography systems may include a laser light source, at least one imaging detector coupled to the laser light source, a shearing interferometer coupled to the at least one imaging detector, and a ranging detector coupled to the laser light source. A method of range-gating a shearography system may include emitting laser light, determining a range interval for at least one object, receiving reflected laser light from the at least one object through a shearing interferometer from the range interval, and collecting at least one shearography image. |
| US07667822B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and stage apparatus
A lithographic apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The support includes a force actuator device to exert a force onto the patterning device in a direction of movement of the support. The force actuator device includes a movable part which is pivotably about a pivot axis and thereby connected to the support. The movable part is in the direction of movement of the support substantially balanced with respect to the pivot axis. The force actuator device further includes an actuator to exert via the movable part the force onto the patterning device, to at least partly compensate for the information or a risk of slippage due to acceleration of the support in the direction of movement. |
| US07667821B2 |
Multi-focus scanning with a tilted mask or wafer
A method for implementing discrete superpositioning of two or more defocal wafer images at different defocal positions in a lithographic step and scan projection system. The method includes tilting one of a mask and a wafer with respect to a scanning direction and splitting an illumination beam into at least two illumination areas which are in different defocus zones of the mask. |
| US07667820B2 |
Method for chemical reduction of an oxidized contamination material, or reducing oxidation of a contamination material and a conditioning system for doing the same
An amount of oxides in an apparatus having a chamber containing an amount of contamination material and an amount of the oxides, the oxides being oxides of the contamination material, is reduced. In the method, a hydrogen containing gas is provided in at least part of the chamber. A predetermined minimum partial hydrogen gas pressure and a predetermined maximum partial oxidants pressure is established in the chamber. In the chamber, a temperature is maintained which is at least higher than a temperature at which, in thermodynamic equilibrium given the predetermined maximum partial oxidants and minimum partial hydrogen gas pressures as established, the amount of contamination material is at least 10 times higher than the amount of oxides. |
| US07667818B2 |
Electrically variable focus polymer-stabilized liquid crystal lens having non-homogenous polymerization of a nematic liquid crystal/monomer mixture
A variable focus liquid crystal lens includes a nematic liquid crystal/monomer mixture having a spatially inhomogenous polymer network structure, and an electrode for applying a substantially uniform voltage to the nematic liquid crystal/monomer mixture. The lens is created within a cell by applying a substantially uniform electric field to the nematic liquid crystal/monomer mixture within the cell, while simultaneously irradiating the nematic liquid crystal/monomer mixture using a laser beam having a shaped intensity distribution, so as to induce formation of a spatially inhomogenous polymer network structure within the cell. |
| US07667814B2 |
Monochromatic liquid crystal display with high contrast
An STN liquid crystal display cell includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first and second transparent substrate, is outwardly provided with a first and second polarizers, and a monochromatic back light. Twist angle of the liquid crystal layer is 95° to 170° or 200° to 280°; a first angle between alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules contacting the first transparent substrate and polarization direction of the first polarizer and a second angle between an alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules contacting the second transparent substrate and polarization direction of the second polarizer are each larger than 0° and smaller than 90°; and sum of the first and second angles is 90°±7°. |
| US07667809B2 |
FFS mode liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the device where the device can control a viewing angle in all directions without forming a white pixel. The liquid crystal display device includes a display control region that is controlled such that liquid crystal molecules are inclined and a viewing-angle control region that is controlled such that liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a horizontal or vertical direction, where a control voltage is supplied through a viewing angle control line independent of a common line for the display control region. |
| US07667807B2 |
In-plane-switching-mode liquid crystal display device
An IPS-mode LCD device includes a TFT substrate and a counter substrate sandwiching therebetween a LC layer. Each pixel includes a pixel electrode covered by a passivation film formed on the TFT substrate, and a common electrode formed on the top surface of the passivation film. The passivation film has a first thickness at a portion in contact with the common electrode and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness at a portion in contact with the pixel electrode, thereby having a flat top surface of the passivation film. |
| US07667805B2 |
Array substrate and display panel having the same
An array substrate includes a pixel electrode, a thin-film transistor (TFT) and a storage line. The pixel electrode has a first electrode portion, a second electrode portion and a connecting electrode portion to electrically connect the first and second electrode portions to each other. The second electrode portion is spaced apart from the first electrode portion by a predetermined distance in a first direction. The TFT is electrically connected to the pixel electrode to drive the pixel electrode. The storage line overlaps a portion of the pixel electrode and has an asymmetric connecting electrode closer to the second electrode portion than to the first electrode portion. |
| US07667804B2 |
In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device
An in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) device, comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate; gate lines and data lines formed on the first substrate and crossing each other to form unit pixel regions; a switching device formed at each crossing of the gate lines and the data lines; at least one common electrode and pixel electrode arranged horizontally on the first substrate and generating a horizontal electric field; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein when a maximum voltage is applied to the at least one common electrode and pixel electrode, a maximum twist angle between liquid crystal molecules constituting the liquid crystal layer is about 90°. Also, the liquid crystal molecules forming the liquid crystal layer include a liquid crystal molecule having a positive dielectric anisotropy and a liquid crystal molecule having a negative dielectric anisotropy. |
| US07667801B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device comprising a first polarizer, a first retardation film satisfying (1) to (6) below, a liquid crystal cell, a second retardation film satisfying (7) to (12) below, a second polarizer in this order wherein the absorption axis of the first and second polarizer and the slow axis of the first and second retardation film are substantially in parallel, respectively: 10 nm |
| US07667795B2 |
Color filter substrate and liquid crystal display panel
A color filter substrate, including a substrate, a light shielding layer, a color filter layer, a conductive layer, first and second spacers, is provided. The substrate has a displaying area and a dummy area. The light shielding layer is disposed on the substrate. The color filter layer is disposed on the substrate and covers the light shielding layer. The color filter layer has at least one first concave in the dummy area. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate and covers the color filter layer and the light shielding layer. The first spacers are disposed on the conductive layer and are in the dummy area. Each first spacer has a fixing part and a supporting part. And the fixing part is disposed in the first concave. A through hole is in each first spacer. The second spacers are disposed on the conductive layer and are in the displaying area. |
| US07667794B2 |
Color element-equipped substrate, method for manufacturing color element-equipped substrate, and electronic device
The color element-equipped substrate of the present invention has a support base, a bank formed on the base that demarcates a pixel region, and a color element formed in the pixel region by depositing droplets of a liquid material in the pixel region. The bank demarcates the pixel region such that the pixel region has a undulated portion. In the color element-equipped substrate, the liquid material can be applied to the entire pixel region. |
| US07667788B2 |
Illumination system for flat panel display device
An illumination system for a flat panel display device includes: a light guide plate made of an optically isotropic material; a light source disposed at a side of the light guide plate; an upper layer disposed on a top surface of the light guide plate and made of an optically anisotropic material; and a polarization selection emitting structure which is disposed at an interface of the light guide plate and the upper layer. The upper layer has two different refractive indices and one of the two refractive indices is the same as a refractive index of the light guide plate. In the polarization selection emitting structure differently polarized light is differently refracted, reflected, diffracted, or scattered based on polarization direction. |
| US07667786B2 |
Curved liquid-crystal display device and backlight used for curved liquid-crystal display device
Backlight with which the uniformity of brightness within a display area of a concavely curved liquid crystal display device is improved while fulfilling the demand for slimmer liquid-crystal display devices, as well as curved liquid-crystal display device including such a backlight. The shape of a frame, an optical sheet, and a scattering plate constituting the backlight unit is the same concavely curved shape as that of the concavely curved panel; and the liquid-crystal panel, the optical sheet, and cold-cathode luminescent lamps are arranged such that the concavely curved panel, the surface of a frame constituting the backlight unit that faces the concavely curved panel, an optical sheet surface, and a surface including the tube center axes of a plurality of cold-cathode luminescent lamps are parallel to each other. |
| US07667785B2 |
Optical separating filter
An optical separating filter separates impinging light into a first and a second part having different properties. The separating filter comprises reflective filters (FR) arranged in funnel shaped structures (F1). Each one of the structures (F1) have an inlet area (IA1) to receive the impinging light (IL) and an outlet area (OA1) smaller than the inlet area. (IA1) to converge reflected impinging light (RL) towards the outlet area (OA1). The structures (F1) comprise a first group of funnel shaped structures (F1) constructed to reflect light which has a first property (C1) towards their respective first outlet areas (OA1) and for transmitting light which has a second property (C2) towards respective second outlet areas (OA2). |
| US07667784B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with light block pattern and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates facing each other with a predetermined space therebetween, a liquid crystal material layer disposed between the first and second substrates, a seal pattern formed between the first and second substrates to surround the liquid crystal material layer, and a blocking layer formed over a first surface of the second substrate to cover the seal pattern. |
| US07667781B2 |
Picture quality adjusting device and a television set having a picture quality adjusting device
A television set carries out communications with a remote control. When the television set displays a picture based on a picture signal subjected to quality adjustment, a signal level of a quality adjustment parameter is obtained, and the data indicating the obtained signal level is transmitted to the remote control. The remote control displays the received data. The user checks the displayed data, and enters data for changing the signal level so that the remote control transmits the entered data to the television set. The television set receives the changed level data, and adjusts the quality relating to the picture signal based on the received level data. The television set displays the picture of the quality adjusted according to the signal level changed by the user. |
| US07667780B2 |
Digital signal transmitter synchronization system
Methods, and apparatus for carrying out the methods, are disclosed for synchronizing a plurality of RF transmitters that are supplied with a common digital information signal for carrier modulation and subsequent transmission on a common channel throughout a prescribed region, whereby the digital signal receivers within the region may receive transmissions on the channel from more than one transmitter. The method involves inserting reference signals into the data sent to the transmitters in order to place them into known states at specific times relative to the digital signals sent to them for transmission. As a result of this method, the digital signals transmitted by each of the transmitters will be identical to one another so that the receivers will be able to identify one received signal as the main signal and the others as echoes. If necessary, the signal transmitted by at least one of the synchronized transmitters may be delayed, such that identical digital signals received from at least two of the transmitters by receivers in the region will arrive at each receiver within a prescribed time window. The methods and apparatus also can be applied to one or a plurality of RF transmitters for purposes of synchronizing processes at the source of the signals and at the transmitters. |
| US07667778B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method, and recording medium and program used therewith
For a pixel of interest whose motion vector is not acquired in processing in the subsequent stage, motion vectors found for peripheral pixels around the pixel of interest in the processing in the subsequent stage, and evaluated values which represent the reliabilities of compensating candidate vectors, each consisting of a zero vector or the like, are calculated. The calculated evaluated values are compared, and a compensating candidate vector determined to have the highest probability is selectively acquired as the motion vector of the pixel of interest. The present invention is applicable to a signal processing apparatus for performing frame frequency conversion from a 24P signal to a 60P signal. |
| US07667767B2 |
System and method for three dimensional capture of stop-motion animated characters
A system and method are described for performing motion capture on stop-motion animated characters. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: embedding phosphor within a moldable material; forming one or more stop-motion objects from the moldable material to create a first phosphor pattern; exposing the moldable material to a light source; removing the light source; and capturing the first phosphor pattern with a first set of one or more cameras. |
| US07667766B2 |
Adjustable spectrum flash lighting for image acquisition
A light module associated with the camera provides flash light having a spectral content that is adjustable according to one or more drive signals. The light module includes one or more emitters of light of at least two different colors that are individually accessible to the one or more drive signals. The flash light is a mixture of the light from the one or more emitters. |
| US07667763B2 |
Image pickup equipment and method
A digital still camera records image data by picking up an image of an object. One mode is set among plural photographing modes including a standard photographing mode and a portrait mode adapted to an image containing an abrupt change in gradation. An optimized exposure amount is acquired according to brightness derived from the image data. When the portrait mode is set, portrait mode image data is acquired by setting exposure lower than the optimized exposure amount. The image data is processed in gradation conversion by use of first or second gamma conversion table. The first gamma conversion table is used for the standard photographing mode. The second gamma conversion table is used for the portrait mode, predetermined to extend a dynamic range of the image data after the gradation conversion in comparison with the first gamma conversion table, to process the portrait mode image data in gradation conversion. |
| US07667761B2 |
Optical imaging device for splitting an initial image into at least two images
There is provided an optical imaging device (18) for splitting an initial image into at least two images with different optical characteristics. The device comprises a dichroic mirror (32) to create first and second optical pathways respectively incident on first and second mirrors (41, 41′) carried on a centrally pivoted rotatable arm, characterised in that the first and second reflective means are moveable along the arm (42) whilst held in fixed relationship to each other, thereby to adjust separation of the first and second optical pathways. A third mirror (46) in fixed relationship to the beam splitter (32) is positioned adjacent where the first and second optical pathways intersect, or just before the intersection of the first and second optical pathways, or just after the point of intersection. |
| US07667760B2 |
Image sensor output correction device
An output compensating device capable of effectively correcting pixel signals composing an image taken and output by the image sensor having a wide dynamic range to be adaptively displayed with high quality and high contrast on a viewable screen area by using means for detecting a minimal value and a maximal value of sensor (pixel) signals output from the image sensor to be displayed on the screen area, means for offsetting the detected minimal value of the sensor signal to a lower limit value of the screen area and means for adjusting a gain of the sensor signal in such a way that an output width determined by the detected minimal and maximal values of the sensor signals may be equal to the maximal width or a specified width of the screen area. |
| US07667758B2 |
Image pickup apparatus for displaying images and information of states and method for controlling the same
A digital single-lens reflex camera determines whether a predetermined time has passed since the start of display. If the predetermined time has not passed yet, the camera performs face detection to determine if a user is looking into an optical finder of the camera. When the face detection is performed, a system control circuit identifies the present content displayed. When the displayed content is an ordinary image, photographing information, or attention-seeking alert, display of the content is immediately stopped. When the displayed content is alert prohibiting imaging, it is checked whether a switch operation has been performed. If the switch operation has not been performed at all, or a switch operation for canceling the displayed alert has not been performed, timer counting is cleared before the timer counting is initiated again. |
| US07667756B2 |
Solid-state imaging device driving apparatus and digital camera
A solid-state imaging device driving apparatus for generating a driving pulse for a solid-state imaging device includes a status memory 48 that stores a status data at each address as a logic value, a command data memory (42, 43, 46, 47) that stores command data sequentially stored, and an output control section (49) that generates the driving pulse based on the status data read from the address, designated by each command data, of the status memory 48. |
| US07667752B2 |
Semiconductor imaging sensor array devices with dual-port digital readout
Imaging sensors having dual-port for digital readout to pipeline readout processes of two different groups of pixels. |
| US07667750B2 |
Photoelectric-conversion-layer-stack-type color solid-state imaging device
A color solid-state imaging device including: a semiconductor substrate; a photoelectric conversion layer provided over the semiconductor substrate, for absorbing light of a first color among three primary colors so as to generate photocharges; plural charge storage regions arranged in a surface layer of the semiconductor substrate, for storing the photocharges; plural first photodiodes arranged in the surface layer of the substrate, for detecting mixed light of second and third colors among the three primary colors that has passed through the photoelectric conversion layer and for storing generated photocharges; plural second photodiodes arranged in the surface layer of the semiconductor substrate, for detecting light of the second color of the mixed light that has passed through the photoelectric conversion layer and for storing generated photocharges; color filter layers provided over the second photodiodes, for interrupting light of the third color; and signal reading units as defined herein. |
| US07667743B2 |
Recording apparatus
Based on a detection signal from a drop sensor, it is determined whether or not an apparatus is actually dropping. When the apparatus is determined to be dropping, access to a HDD for recording or reading is forbidden, while when the apparatus is determined not to be dropping, the access is allowed. When the access is allowed, a process which is performed immediately before the access is forbidden is resumed. |
| US07667742B2 |
Image pickup and reproducing apparatus
An image pickup position information acquisition unit acquires, from a position fixing unit, position information of an image pickup location of a moving image being picked up. A preceding image pickup position information storage unit stores position information of a preceding image pickup location as preceding image pickup position information. A change point detector compares the image pickup position information and the preceding image pickup position information. If the position indicated by the image pickup position information is spaced apart from the position indicated by the preceding image pickup position information by a predetermined distance, the change point detector detects the current position as a change point. The change point is recorded onto a change point position information. Thumbnail data generated by a thumbnail generator is recorded as a change point thumbnail. |
| US07667740B2 |
Elimination of modulated light effects in rolling shutter CMOS sensor images
Disclosed are digital imaging devices that embody a method for eliminating modulated light effects in rolling shutter CMOS sensor images. The digital imaging device comprises an image sensor utilizing an electronic rolling shutter, a processor and firmware for implementing the methods. Embodiments of the method comprise detecting the presence of light modulation and the frequency of the light modulation, and synchronizing the exposure times to the modulation cycle time. |
| US07667734B2 |
Liquid-crystal television set
A single IC-chip includes a video processor, a panel processor, an OSD circuit, a CPU, and a timing controller. A memory 18 stores one test pattern datum that is formed of one font datum of X dots in width and Y dots in height in order to test the position of any bright point, dark point, bright line or dark line on the screen of the liquid crystal panel. At a test step, the CPU acquires the test pattern datum from the memory, and a test pattern is created by the OSD circuit so as to display the test pattern at any desired position on the screen of the liquid crystal panel and to simultaneously display the address values of the origin of the display position of the test pattern. |
| US07667733B1 |
Computer monitor receiver
A computer monitor receiver for monitoring children's internet usage. The computer monitor receiver includes a video tap assembly operationally coupled between a video output and a video display device of an information handling system for routing a monitoring video signal, a signal transmission assembly for conditioning the monitoring video signal for transmission through a propagation channel, a receiver assembly for conditioning a signal received through the propagation channel and a video presentation device for displaying a real time substantially identical image of the video provided to a user being monitored. |
| US07667731B2 |
Video recorder
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for recording video data of an event. The apparatuses include a processor communicating with memory. The memory stores video data of the event captured by a camera, and the video data includes a series of picture frames of the event. A loop buffer also stores video data of the event captured by the camera. A rule-based engine stored in the memory uses a set of rules to store the contents of the loop buffer in the memory. The apparatus utilizes the loop buffer to provide video data prior to occurrence of the event. |
| US07667728B2 |
Video and audio conferencing system with spatial audio
In some embodiments, spatially realistic audio may be provided for a conference call. Voices from participants on the left side of a display, in a conference call, may be directed through audio on the left side of the display at the other conferencing system in the conference call (similarly for voices from the center and right side of the display). In some embodiments, two speakers may be used in the system to create synthesized stereo sound at a location specified by directional information received as side information along with the existing audio channel. The location may be determined by using beamforming with integrated microphones on a camera or speakerphone. In some embodiments, the audio signal and directional information may be sent in the form of a left audio channel and a right audio channel. |
| US07667716B1 |
Apparatus and method for converting an object display description document
There is provided an apparatus for converting an object display description document, which enables to reduce load for displaying an image and a capacity necessary for storing document data. A browser including the apparatus is also provided. The apparatus comprises a generating means for generating, from a set of source objects in a document, a set of new objects to obtain a display image equivalent to a display image obtained from the set of source objects. The new objects are fewer than the set of source objects. |
| US07667715B2 |
Video, audio and graphics decode, composite and display system
A video, audio and graphics system uses multiple transport processors to receive in-band and out-of-band MPEG Transport streams, to perform PID and section filtering as well as DVB and DES decryption and to de-multiplex them. The system processes the PES into digital audio, MPEG video and message data. The system is capable of decoding multiple MPEG SLICEs concurrently. Graphics windows are blended in parallel, and blended with video using alpha blending. During graphics processing, a single-port SRAM is used equivalently as a dual-port SRAM. The video may include both analog video, e.g., NTSC/PAL/SECAM/S-video, and digital video, e.g., MPEG-2 video in SDTV or HDTV format. The system has a reduced memory mode in which video images are reduced in half in horizontal direction only during decoding. The system is capable of receiving and processing digital audio signals such as MPEG Layer 1 and Layer 2 audio and Dolby AC-3 audio, as well as PCM audio signals. The system includes a memory controller. The system includes a system bridge controller to interface a CPU with devices internal to the system as well as peripheral devices including PCI devices and I/O devices such as RAM, ROM and flash memory devices. The system is capable of displaying video and graphics in both the high definition (HD) mode and the standard definition (SD) mode. The system may output an HDTV video while converting the HDTV video and providing as another output having an SDTV format or another HDTV format. |
| US07667709B2 |
System and method for processing graphics operations with graphics processing unit
Disclosed is a system and method for processing graphic operations on a plurality of data structures of an image with a graphics processing unit and memory. The disclosed techniques of the system and method create an accumulation buffer of the data structures for accumulating changes to the data structures. A separate buffer is then created from at least a portion of the data structures of the accumulation buffer. The disclosed techniques read the data structures from the separate buffer with the graphics processing unit. The graphics processing unit operates on the data structures read from the separate buffer with the operation. Then, the disclosed techniques write the results of the operation onto the portion of the accumulation buffer corresponding to the separate buffer. |
| US07667708B2 |
Display controller, electronic instrument, and method of supplying image data
A display controller includes a memory storing at least three frames of image data, a write starting address register to which a write starting address is set, a read starting address register to which a read starting address is set, and a rotation control section performing control for reading out from the memory image data corresponding to an image whose orientation is rotated. When writing of the image data to the area designated by the write starting address is completed, the write starting address is updated and the previous value of the updated write starting address is set to the read starting address register. The image data corresponding to the rotated image is read out by the rotation control section 40 from an area of the memory designated by the read starting address, and then supplied to a display driver. |
| US07667707B1 |
Computer system for supporting multiple remote displays
A multi-display computer system comprises a host computer system that processes windowed desktop environments for multiple remote displays, multiple users or a combination of the two. For each display and for each frame, the multi-display processor responsively manages each necessary portion of a windowed desktop environment. The necessary portions of the windowed desktop environment are further processed, encoded, and where necessary, transmitted over the network to the remote display for each user. Embodiments integrate the multi-display processor with the graphics processing unit, network controller, main memory controller or a combination of the three. The encoding process is optimized for network traffic and special attention is made to assure that all users have low latency interactive capabilities. |
| US07667706B2 |
Data display system, data relay device, data relay method, data system, sink device, and data read method
A repeater comprises an EDID memory to store a control data and a memory control unit. The memory control unit is configured to make access to the EDID memory to read the control data therefrom, store the read control data into the EDID memory and, when access is made to the EDID memory by the set-top box, transfer the control data stored in the EDID memory to the set-top box. In this case, the memory control unit outputs an inhibiting signal to a set-top box to inhibit it from making access to the EDID memory until the completion of an operation of storing the control data from the EDID memory in the set-top box into the EDID memory in the repeater. |
| US07667705B2 |
System and method for controlling animation by tagging objects within a game environment
A game developer can “tag” an item in the game environment. When an animated character walks near the “tagged” item, the animation engine can cause the character's head to turn toward the item, and mathematically computes what needs to be done in order to make the action look real and normal. The tag can also be modified to elicit an emotional response from the character. For example, a tagged enemy can cause fear, while a tagged inanimate object may cause only indifference or indifferent interest. |
| US07667699B2 |
Fast rendering of pyramid lens distorted raster images
A method for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an information representation including the steps of: selecting a viewpoint for the region-of-interest; creating a lens surface for the region-of-interest; the lens surface having a focal region and a shoulder region surrounding the focal region; creating a transformed presentation by: determining boundaries in the representation for the focal region and the shoulder region; determining boundaries on the lens surface corresponding to the boundaries in the representation by applying a distortion function defining the lens surface to the boundaries in the representation; perspectively projecting the boundaries on the lens surface onto a plane spaced from the viewpoint; and, copying information in the representation lying within the boundaries in the representation onto the focal region and the shoulder region of the lens surface using respective focal region and shoulder region stretch bit-block transfer operations; and, displaying the transformed presentation on a display screen to generate the presentation of the region-of-interest. |
| US07667697B2 |
Organic electro-luminescence display device and method of driving the same
The present invention relates to an organic electro-luminescence display device and a method of driving the same that is adaptive for reducing power consumption by removing an unnecessary current as well as for improving a uniformity of a display screen. An organic electro-luminescence display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a display panel in which a plurality of data lines and a plurality of scan lines cross each other and electro-luminescence elements are arranged at the crosses; a pre-charge driver, which detects a gray level of digital video data to be realized at a Nth when a data current corresponding to a gray level of digital video data to be realized at a (N−1)th and calculates a pre-charge current corresponding to the detected gray level of digital video data to supply the calculated pre-charge current to the electro-luminescence elements; a data driver for supplying data to the electro-luminescence elements charged with the pre-charge current; and a scan driver for supplying a san pulse, synchronized with the data, to the scan lines. |
| US07667696B2 |
Plasma display apparatus
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus, and more particularly, to a plasma display apparatus for preventing Electromagnetic Interference (EMI). The plasma display apparatus of the present invention comprises a plasma display panel comprising an electrode, and at least one of a first capacitor connected between a sustain voltage source for supplying a sustain voltage to the electrodes and a first ground voltage source, a second capacitor connected between a scan voltage source for supplying a scan voltage to the electrodes and a second ground voltage source, and a third capacitor connected between a set-up voltage source for supplying a set-up voltage to the electrodes and a third ground voltage source. |
| US07667694B2 |
Touch panel device and contract position detection method
A burst wave is applied to an excitation element of a touch panel main body from an oscillation section so as to excite surface acoustic waves, and the excited surface acoustic waves are received by a receiving element of the touch panel main body. The received signals are A/D converted by a receiving section, and a control section calculates the contact position and the contact width of the object in contact with the touch panel main body, based on time-series changes in the received strength. Based on the received strength of surface acoustic waves, the control section controls the wave number of the burst wave to be applied to the excitation element. |
| US07667693B2 |
Touch sensing apparatus using varying signal delay input to a flip-flop
A touch sensing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes: a flip-flop, a sensor, an AC signal and a detector. The AC signal supplies AC signals to the flip-flop. The flip-flop outputs a first type output signal at the output thereof when the sensor is not touched. The sensor receives electricity signals from an object, and causes a delay of the AC signal to be inputted to the first input of the flip-flop, the delay of the AC signal to be inputted to the first input of the flip-flop further causes the flip-flop to output a second type output signal at the output thereof. The detector detects a change from the first type output signal to the second type output signal at the output of the flip-flop and accordingly identifies a touch on the sensor. |
| US07667692B2 |
Human interface system
A human interface configured to optimize a biomechanical effect of a human user's opposing thumb and fingers by including, on one surface, one or more software configurable input elements manipulatable by a user's thumb(s) or a stylus, and, on another surface, one or more software configurable selection elements manipulatable by a user's finger(s). A selection element may be a pressure sensor pad configurable to represent delineated active areas that are mapped to one or more input functions. Shape changing media may be provided to permit a user to tactilely discriminate between delineated active areas. Tactile feedback may be provided to a user through palpable detents, vibratory or force producing units. Inputting data may include mapping each selection element to a shift function, mapping each input element to text functions, and using the selection elements to shift between text functions associated with an input element to input a desired text function. |
| US07667688B2 |
Cursor control device
A cursor control device includes a main body, a circuit board, a base, a touch support stand, a touch sensor and a knock sensor. The circuit board is disposed within the main body. The base is disposed within the main body and above the circuit board, and includes an elongated slot. The touch support stand is mounted on the base and aligned with the elongated slot. The touch sensor is supported on the touch support stand and electrically connected to the circuit board. In response to a touching action on the touch sensor, a screen scrolling signal is generated. The knock sensor is mounted on the circuit board and under the touch support stand. The knock sensor is triggered when the touch support stand is moved to touch the knock sensor. |
| US07667687B2 |
Resistive and hybrid control schemes for haptic feedback interface devices
A method is disclosed that includes outputting haptic feedback based on a movement of an object in a first direction from a first position to a second position. The haptic feedback is discontinued when the object is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction subsequent to the movement in the first direction. The haptic feedback is output again when the object moves past the second position in the first direction. |
| US07667682B2 |
Display
A display having a shift register circuit capable of suppressing increase of power consumption is provided. This display comprises a shift register circuit including a shift register circuit portion including a first circuit portion having a second transistor turned on in response to a first signal and a second circuit portion having a sixth transistor turned on in response to a second signal providing an ON-state period not overlapping with an ON-state period of the second transistor and an input signal switching circuit portion for switching the first and second signals supplied to the second and sixth transistors respectively. |
| US07667676B2 |
Image signal processing device, image signal processing method, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention reduce display irregularity in order to enhance display quality. A liquid crystal panel includes a plurality of pixel electrodes provided at intersections of a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, a scanning line driving circuit to sequentially select the plurality of scanning lines, and a data line driving circuit to sample an image signal VID supplied to an image signal line that is provided in common to the plurality of data lines and to supply the sampled signal to each data line. A signal correcting circuit has a correction amount specifying circuit to specify a correction amount α of the image signal VID to be supplied to each data line based on the position of the data line with respect to the extending direction of the image signal line; and a correcting circuit to correct the image signal VID based on the correction amount α specified by the correction amount specifying circuit and to supply the corrected image signal VID to the image signal line. |
| US07667672B2 |
Plasma display apparatus and method of driving plasma display panel
A plasma display apparatus and a method of driving a plasma display panel are disclosed. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel including a first electrode and a second electrode, and an integrated sustain driver. The integrated sustain driver supplies a sustain signal of a positive polarity and a sustain signal of a negative polarity to the first electrode during a sustain period. Two light emissions occur during at least one period of a supply period of the sustain signal of the positive polarity or a supply period of the sustain signal of the negative polarity. |
| US07667667B2 |
Radio wave lens antenna apparatus
In a radio wave lens antenna, a lens cover for covering the surface of the lens is stably fixed to the reflector. The antenna has a semispherical Luneberg lens, a semispherical shell-shaped lens cover for covering the surface of the lens, a radio wave reflector, a ring-shaped plate placed along the outer circumference of the lens, a primary feed placed at the focal point of the lens, and a holding part for the primary feed. A flange provided at the opening edge of the lens cover is clamped by the reflector and the plate to fix the lens cover to the reflector, and more preferably, the lens cover is caused to be in contact with the lens, and the lens is pressed also in the radial direction by the plate via the lens cover. |
| US07667665B1 |
Dual frequency aperture antenna
A dual frequency radar antenna for connection to a first radar transmitter/receiver set which operates in a relatively lower frequency band and to a second radar transmitter/receiver set which operates in a relatively higher frequency band. The dual frequency radar antenna has a spherical dielectric lens having a first array of inputs coupled with the first radar transmitter/receiver set and a second array of inputs coupled with the second radar transmitter/receiver set. The spherical dielectric lens forms relatively higher frequency beams that are relatively tightly spaced about a centerline of the spherical dielectric lens while the spherical dielectric lens also forms relatively lower frequency beams that are relatively farther spaced about a centerline of the spherical dielectric lens than are the relatively higher frequency beams. |
| US07667664B2 |
Embedded antenna
The present invention provides an embedded antenna. It is to form meanders on a radiating element of the embedded antenna for dividing the resonant length of the radiating element into several short resonant length to extend the bandwidth of the radiating element. It is also to form meanders on the radiating element to extend the resonant length. This design can minimize the size of the embedded antenna and achieve the same as performance of a larger size antenna. |
| US07667655B2 |
Electromagnetic interference preventing component and electronic device using the same
An electromagnetic interference preventing component (18) includes a high-permeability magnetic film in high-frequency in which a real number component μ′ of complex relative permeability at a transmission band frequency of an electronic device (10) incorporating the electromagnetic interference preventing component (18) is 10 or more, tan δ (=μ″/μ′) is 0.1 or less, and a ferromagnetic resonance frequency (fr) is 1.5 times or more of the transmission band frequency. The electromagnetic interference preventing component (18) having the high-permeability magnetic film in high-frequency is disposed in the electronic device (10) having an electromagnetic wave transmitting function, as to selectively decrease the electromagnetic field intensity in directions in which the electromagnetic waves radiated by an electromagnetic wave transmitting part such as an antenna (16) are not required. |
| US07667645B2 |
GPS gyro calibration
GPS gyro calibration methods and systems are described. In an embodiment, a ground station can receive antenna position data for a spot beam antenna from a global positioning system (GPS) platform where the antenna position data indicates a boresight direction of the spot beam antenna. GPS-enabled receiver(s) can receive scan signals transmitted via the spot beam antenna of the GPS platform, and the GPS-enabled receivers can determine signal power measurements for each of the scan signals. The ground station can receive the signal power measurements from the GPS-enabled receiver(s) and estimate a pointing error of the spot beam antenna based on the signal power measurements and the antenna position data received from the GPS platform. The ground station can then determine gyro calibration parameters from the estimated pointing error and communicate the gyro calibration parameters to the GPS platform to calibrate for gyro drift errors. |
| US07667644B2 |
GPS receiver RAIM with slaved precision clock
A method and a system for providing a substituted timing signal for a missing satellite ephemeris in execution of a RAIM algorithm includes deriving a plurality of position, velocity, and time solutions from a GPS navigation system. The position, velocity and time solutions are derived from a plurality of satellite ephemerides. An atomic clock provides an atomic clock signal. The atomic clock signal is compared to the derived time solutions to arrive at a correction factor. The atomic clock signal is adjusted according to the correction factor to develop an adjusted atomic clock signal. The adjusted atomic clock signal is substituted for a missing satellite ephemeris to execute the RAIM algorithm. |
| US07667643B2 |
Miniaturized satellite transceiver
Described is a miniaturized satellite transceiver for communicating with a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite and a communications satellite. The miniaturized satellite transceiver includes an integrated GPS receiver configured to receive communications from the GPS satellite, a satellite modem configured to transmit and receive communications from the communications satellite, and an operating system. The miniaturized satellite transceiver is installable in a hand-held device, a mobile satellite transceiver system, or an in-flight transceiver and locator system. |
| US07667640B2 |
Determining a geolocation solution of an emitter on earth using satellite signals
Embodiments provide systems and methods for determining the geolocation of an emitter on earth. A solution is obtained from two TDOA measurements that need not be acquired at the same time. A solution is obtained from a TDOA measurement and an FDOA measurement that need not be acquired at the same time and need not be coming from the same satellite pair. A location of an emitter can be determined from minimizing a cost function of the weighted combination of the six solutions derived from the two TDOA measurements and the two FDOA measurements, where the weight of each solution in the combination is determined based on the intersection angle of the two curves that define the possible locations of the emitter based on the TDOA and/or FDOA measurements. |
| US07667638B1 |
Detection and resolution of closely spaced targets in a monopulse system
Systems and methods are provided for determining first and second azimuth angle values representing two closely spaced targets. Monopulse radar scan data is produced and processed to provide quadrature angle data, merged azimuth angle data, and a maximum magnitude of the quadrature angle. A quadrature angle methodology that derives the first and second azimuth angle values from an integration of the quadrature angle data over an angular region within the monopulse scan is applied if the maximum quadrature angle magnitude exceeds the threshold value. A merged azimuth angle methodology that fits the merged azimuth angle data to a polynomial as a function of a boresight angle of the monopulse radar to derive the first and second azimuth angle values is applied if the maximum quadrature angle magnitude does not exceed the threshold value. The first and second azimuth angle values are then displayed to a user. |
| US07667637B2 |
System and method for radar detection of an object
There is provided a radar system for detection of one or more objects. The radar system comprises a radar wave transmitter for simultaneously transmitting a CW radar signal and a FM-CW or MF radar signal, and a first radar wave receiver for receiving CW and FM-CW or MF radar signals, reflected from one or more objects present in a detection range of the radar system. The system may further comprise a first CW mixer for mixing CW transmission signals and reflected CW signals received by the first receiver, and a first FM-CW or MF mixer for mixing FM-CW or MF transmission signals and corresponding reflected FM-CW or MF signals received by the first receiver. The first CW mixer may be a mixer for mixing CW transmission signals and reflected CW signals received by the first receiver to produce one or more first CW beat signals, each first CW beat signal relating to the velocity of an object, and the first FM-CW or MF mixer may be a first FM-CW mixer for mixing FM-CW transmission signals and reflected FM-CW signals received by the first receiver to produce one or more first FM-CW beat signals relating to the distance to and the velocity of an object. The radar wave transmitter may be adapted for simultaneously transmitting a CW radar signal and a FM-CW radar signal, wherein the FM-CW radar signal is a ramp modulated signal. The radar system may further comprise several radar wave receivers for receiving reflected CW and FM-CW or MF radar signals, which receivers may be arranged along first and/or second receiver directions. The radar system may have means for detecting phase differences between corresponding reflected radar signals received by different radar wave receivers. There is further provided a method of radar detection of one or more objects, where the method comprises simultaneously transmitting a CW radar signal and a FM-CW or MF radar signal, and receiving, via a first radar receiver, reflected CW and FM-CW or MF radar signals reflected from one or more object present in a detection range of the radar system. |
| US07667635B2 |
System and method using airborne radar occultation for measuring atmospheric properties
A method for estimating an atmospheric condition existing between a portion of the Earth's surface and an airborne mobile platform travelling over the portion of the Earth's surface. The method may involve emitting a radar signal beam toward the Earth's surface from the mobile platform and receiving back at least a portion of the radar signal beam reflected from the Earth's surface. The time of flight information of the radar signal beam is analyzed as a function of elevation angle to determine a specific time of flight value associated with a specific elevation angle of the radar signal beam. The specific time of flight value is used to determine a refractivity of the atmosphere through which the radar signal beam and the reflected radar signal has passed. The refractivity is used to determine the atmospheric condition. |
| US07667631B1 |
Mixed signal system-on-a-chip integrated simultaneous multiple sample/hold circuits and embedded analog comparators
An integrated circuit includes a plurality of circuit groups, each circuit group containing a plurality of analog inputs, a buffer, a sample/hold circuit and a comparator. Each buffer has an input to which any of the analog inputs in its group may be programmably connected. The output of each buffer is coupled to the input of the sample/hold circuit in the group. The output of each sample/hold circuit is coupled to one input of a multiplexer. The output of the multiplexer is coupled to the input of an amplifier having programmable gain and programmable offset. The comparator in each group has inputs that may be programmably coupled to at least one analog input in the group or to a reference voltage source. |
| US07667625B2 |
Universal and fault-tolerant multiphase digital PWM controller for high-frequency DC-DC converters
A multiphase hybrid digital pulse width modulator can comprise a counter that is selectable between at least two different numbers of states to indicate a first portion of a switching period. Unclocked logic can indicate a second portion of the switching period. The unclocked logic can include a delay line. |
| US07667624B2 |
Methods and apparatus for clinical data compression
A method for compressing clinical data includes monitoring a clinical parameter of a patient using a digital electronic monitoring device, wherein the clinical parameter is a function of time. A processor is utilized to locate exceptional values of the clinical parameter in accordance with predetermined criteria. The method further includes electronically encoding and communicating diagnostically significant information concerning the exceptional values of the clinical parameters to a clinical database repository (CDR) and information concerning normal values of the clinical parameters to the CDR, wherein the communicated exceptional values of clinical parameters and the communicated normal values of clinical parameters are encoded using different methods. |
| US07667623B2 |
Key input apparatus using magnetic force, operating method thereof, and computer-readable recording medium storing computer programs for performing the method
A method of operating a key input apparatus having one or more pressable keys, and a key input apparatus to perform the method, the method including selectively controlling an electromagnetic force to support at least one of the one or more pressable keys, wherein a height of the at least one pressable key is controlled by selectively supplying electric current to an electromagnet to control the electromagnetic force. |
| US07667621B2 |
Primary flight display (PFD) including weather information and terrain awareness
The present invention provides a method and system for displaying critical navigational data on a primary flight display to a pilot of an aircraft. The method includes providing an image representative of weather information on a primary fight display and superimposing an image representative of a terrain warning indicator over at least part of the image representative of weather information. |
| US07667619B2 |
Parking violation surveillance system
A parking control surveillance system is provided for monitoring vehicles within parking spaces for providing parking enforcement personnel information concerning authorized and unauthorized vehicles within the parking space. The parking control surveillance system includes a parking stop forming a curb or having dimensions substantially the same as traditional cement parking stops located at the rear of a parking space. The parking stop includes a video recorder for recording the identity or for obtaining images of vehicles entering or exiting the designated parking space. The parking stop further includes a transmitter for transmitting images and information such as the time of parking transgression to vehicle enforcement personnel. Preferably, the vehicle identity and time of parking are transmitted to a central office for billing the vehicle owner. |
| US07667616B2 |
Electrical control system
An electrical control system includes one or more master nodes that are adapted to control and monitor the operation of one or more slave nodes. The master nodes and the slave nodes are operably coupled by one or more communication interfaces, such as radio frequency, Internet Protocol, power line, or other conventional communication interfaces. A hand-held radio frequency controller includes a controller that is operably coupled to an radio frequency transceiver. The controller includes an operating system and application programs, including a device engine, a scenes engine, an events engine, a system engine, and an away engines. The device engine, scenes engine, events engine, system engine and away engine permit a user of the hand-held radio frequency controller to customize the operation of at least some of the aspects of the master and slave nodes. |
| US07667615B2 |
Message image display device, message image display device control method, and information recording medium
To provide a message image display device enabling a user to grasp a content of each message image when a plurality of message images are displayed. A display control unit (76) causes a display unit (82) to display a screen including a plurality of message images. A remaining-time-information storage unit (74) stores remaining time information corresponding to each of the message images. A judging unit (78) judges whether display of at least a part of the message image is limited by one or more other message images. A remaining-time-information updating unit (80) updates the remaining time information according to the judgment result made by the judging unit (78). The display control unit (76) limits display of each of the plurality of message images according to the remaining time information stored corresponding to the message image. |
| US07667613B2 |
Evacuation status module (ESM)
A new device used in institutions such as, but not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, and other patient-care facilities, and hotels and cruise ships which, when activated, provides a visual indication locally, at or near the room to which it is attached, and remotely at a central control station and/or hand held device, as to whether or not a particular room has been evacuated during an emergency evacuation situation. |
| US07667612B2 |
Method and arrangement for monitoring an object via changes in coupling impedance within a transducer
A method and an arrangement to monitor localization, movement, and properties of an object, such as human body. An excitation signal is connected to a first division of selected conductors of a transducer which includes a distribution of conductors such as a matrix. A first signal including information about coupling impedance between a first and a second selected division of conductors is derived from a coupling of the excitation signal between the first and the second selected divisions of conductors of said transducer. The object is monitored by studying changes of the coupling impedance caused by the object to be monitored during subsequent repeated cycles of the above mentioned steps. |
| US07667611B2 |
High voltage detection system
Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting high-voltage levels associated with a work machine. In one embodiment a high-voltage detection system is disclosed and includes a threshold detector configured to determine a voltage level associated with an element, determine whether the voltage level associated with the element is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and provide a threshold indicator if the voltage level associated with the element is greater than the predetermined threshold value. The system also includes a controller coupled to the threshold detector via an isolation device. The controller is configured to detect the threshold indicator and provide one or more warning signals in response to the threshold indicator. |
| US07667604B2 |
Context-aware and real-time item tracking system architecture and scenarios
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for real-time and context-aware tracking of items. Tags bound to items are read and information read from the tags and location information about the tags is provided by at least two enterprises and used to maintain disposition information about the items, which is made visible to enterprises in the supply chain. The disposition information can be mapped to a world model that tracks the items and circumstances affecting the items, for example, geo-spatial events and traffic delays. Visibility of the disposition information can be controlled through authorization. Visible information can include relationships between particular items and business documents such as order and shipping documents. |
| US07667603B2 |
Embedding items with RFID tags for tracking and calibration
RFID tags of very small size are embedded in products or composed of products in a manufacturing process. The system employs different read and write modes to enable auto-tracking of material, some assembly, assembly and component items through various stages of the manufacturing process. As each item passes special predetermined points in the manufacturing process, the embedded tag is activated and placed in track mode. The tag transmits its ID and a track count representing the number of stations passed. The tag's track count is incremented and the updated track count is stored in non-volatile memory in the tag. The tags can be programmed so that once the count exceeds a predetermined count, a status bit is set in the tag's memory indicating that the item has been completely through the manufacturing process. Thus, the system can determine whether an item or product has been completed. After manufacture the same RFID tag can be used for tracking, inventory and item authentication. |
| US07667600B2 |
Methods and apparatus for security device removal detection
A security device, according to various aspects of the present invention, detects removal of the device from a provided surface. The security device includes a body; at least one magnet coupled to the body; and a sensor coupled to the body proximate to at least one of the at least one magnet. The sensor does not move with respect to the at least one magnet. The at least one magnet magnetically couples the body to the surface. Each one magnet provides a magnetic flux. When the body couples to the surface, at least a portion of the magnetic flux conducts away from the sensor. When the body is not coupled to the surface, at least a portion of the magnetic flux from at least one magnet of the at least one magnet conducts through the sensor thereby indicating removal of the body from the surface. |
| US07667597B2 |
Method and apparatus using magnetic flux for container security
A seal device includes a locking member with a magnetically permeable material portion, and structure that can receive the locking member. The structure supports a magnetic field generator and detector at locations spaced from each other and from a region that is occupied by the portion of the locking member when the locking member is received by the structure. The structure defines a main flux path as a loop having a first portion, a second portion and a remainder that are mutually exclusive, and that collectively define the entirety of the flux path. The first and second portions are respectively within the magnetic field generator and the region, and most of the remainder extends through magnetically permeable material of the structure. The detector is located where the magnetic field has different characteristics when the portion of the locking member is respectively present in and absent from the region. |
| US07667596B2 |
Method and system for scoring surveillance system footage
A surveillance system generally includes a data capture module that collects sensor data. A scoring engine module receives the sensor data and computes at least one of an abnormality score and a normalcy score based on the sensor data, at least one dynamically loaded learned data model, and a learned scoring method. A decision making module receives the at least one of the abnormality score and the normalcy score and generates an alert message based on the at least one of the abnormality score and the normalcy score and a learned decision making method to produce progressive behavior and threat detection. |
| US07667594B2 |
Sensor that can be irreversibly changed
A sensor of this comprises a receiving section that receives a signal that is sent from outside, a circuit whose impedance changes irreversibly in accordance with an environmental change, a measurement section that measures the impedance of the circuit in an event that a signal is received by the receiving section, and a sending section that sends data representing a measurement result of the measurement section. |
| US07667593B1 |
Container monitoring device
A monitoring system for cargo containers coming into the United States from foreign countries, to detect any harmful contents, within the close container, which would prove dangerous to the American people. The system includes a unique flexible plastic strip in which are embedded, 1) a global positioning computer chip, 2) a power source, 3) an encrypted strip serial number computer chip, and thousands of nano detection devices. |
| US07667590B1 |
System for locating a plurality of objects
An object locating system includes a primary portable controller including controls and LEDs, a transceiver, a digital signal processor, and a memory. The memory includes programmable software instructions that cause the primary controller to emit search signals that have corresponding unique frequencies. A phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer circuit is coupled to the signal processor for comparing a feedback frequency of the search signals. Secondary controllers are removably attached to the objects. Each secondary controller includes a transceiver that has an antenna coupled thereto, a processor, and a memory including software instructions that cause the secondary controller to transmit a location signal upon verifying the identity of the corresponding search signal. The primary and each secondary controller memories are EEPROMs. A transducer is coupled to the processor and emits an audible and visual signal in response to receiving the search signal. |
| US07667574B2 |
Signal-processing systems and methods for RFID-tag signals
Systems and methods for reading a RFID-tag signal in the presence of noise and other propagation and circuit impairments using a RFID-tag reader are disclosed. The method includes receiving with a RFID-tag reader multiple copies of an original RFID-tag signal from a RFID tag. The original RFID-tag signal comprises an original bit sequence representative of information stored in the RFID tag. At least some of the received RFID-tag signal copies differ from one another due to noise or other signal impairments. The received multiple copies are processed on a sample-by-sample basis in the RFID-tag reader using digital signal processing techniques to obtain an improved received digitized RFID tag signal that substantially removes the noise and other impairments. This improved signal is used to recover the original bit sequence and thus the information stored in the RFID tag. |
| US07667566B2 |
Inductor structure
An inductor structure comprising a substrate; a plurality of insulation layers on the substrate; a first spiral electric conductive coil positioned in the insulation layers to form an inductor having a first direction of magnetic field; a second spiral electric conductive coil positioned in the insulation layers to form an inductor having a second direction of magnetic field, in which, the two or more inductors are independently positioned in a same 3-D space and have a good integration. |
| US07667564B2 |
Multicharge ignition coil with primary routed in shield slot
A plastic case surrounds a primary winding of a multicharge ignition system, and has a rib in which the high voltage end is routed back to the low voltage end, so that the low and high voltage ends can be closely juxtaposed with each other while advantageously permitting the primary winding to have one and only one winding layer to reduce resistance and size. The rib of the case extends into the slot of the magnetic shields of the winding. |
| US07667551B2 |
Frequency shift keying modulator having sigma-delta modulated phase rotator
A frequency shift keying modulator having sigma-delta modulated phase rotator is disclosed, which includes a phase-locked loop for generating a voltage-controlled signal; a multi-phase generator for receiving the voltage-controlled signal and generating N phase-shift signals having same frequency according to the voltage-controlled signal, the N phase-shift signals having a same phase shift between the phase-shift signals adjacent to each other; a sigma-delta modulator for receiving transmission data and randomly outputting a modulation bit at a modulation clock according to the transmission data; and a phase rotator for receiving the N phase-shift signals and selectively outputting one of the N phase-shift signals and a frequency-divided signal according to the modulation bit, wherein the frequency of the frequency-divided signal is 1 / ( 1 + n N ) of the frequency of any one of the N phase-shift signals. |
| US07667550B2 |
Differential oscillator device with pulsed power supply, and related driving method
The present invention concerns a differential oscillator device, comprising resonant electronic means, capable to provide on at least two terminals at least one oscillating signal VOUT, which comprises a generator electronic means capable to supply at least one power supply pulsed signal to said resonant electronic means in phase relation with said at least one oscillating signal VOUT. The present invention further concerns a process of supplying pulsed power to such a differential oscillator device. |
| US07667549B2 |
Semiconductor device and driving method thereof
A low-power-consumption semiconductor device and a driving method thereof where a clock signal generation is controlled. A transmission and reception control circuit to control signal communication with an outside; a ring oscillator control circuit to detect an edge in a receiving signal and control a ring oscillator; a clock generation circuit to generate a clock signal based on the ring oscillator; and a logic circuit to operate based on a clock signal are included. During signal communication between the transmission and reception control circuit and the outside, the ring oscillator operates and a clock signal is output from the clock generation circuit when the ring oscillator control circuit detects an edge in a receiving signal, and the ring oscillator stops and output of the clock signal from the clock generation circuit stops when transmission of a reply signal from the transmission and reception control circuit to the outside is terminated. |
| US07667548B2 |
Oscillation maintenance circuit for half duplex transponder
An oscillation maintenance circuit for a half-duplex transponder that has an LC resonant circuit, a storage capacitor and a rectifier connected to charge the storage capacitor with a rectified oscillation signal, having an end-of-burst detector providing an end-of-burst signal when the amplitude of the oscillation signal has dropped below a predetermined threshold. A clock regenerator provides a clock signal derived from the oscillation signal. Switching means controlled by the clock signal in the presence of the end-of-burst signal connect the storage capacitor with LC resonant circuit through at least one current limiting resistor during part of the period of the clock signal, in such a manner that energy is fed into the LC resonant circuit. |
| US07667547B2 |
Loosely-coupled oscillator
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a loosely-coupled oscillator including a circuit and an electronic device that are not physically connected. The electronic device may include an amplifier for amplifying a signal to produce an output signal and include a wire connected to an input of the amplifier. The wire can be electromagnetically coupled to the circuit that is physically disconnected from the electronic device. The output signal can be produced at an output of the amplifier without transmitting an excitation signal from the electronic device to the circuit and when the wire is electromagnetically coupled to the circuit. |
| US07667540B2 |
Class-AB driver design with improved frequency response
A class-AB driver design with improved frequency response is disclosed. In one embodiment, the class-AB driver includes a push-pull output stage, a trans-linear loop, an input stage, a current biasing and enabling circuit. Further, the trans-linear loop is coupled to a signal input terminal ABIN via node A, and the push-pull output stage is coupled to the trans-linear loop via node B and node C. Further, the trans-linear loop includes a speed balancing resistor RB in a faster signal traveling path (i.e., ABIN to ABOUT via node A and B) to match up the speed with a slower signal traveling path (i.e., ABIN to ABOUT via node A and C). In another embodiment, the MOS transistors are also used instead of the speed balancing resistor RB to balance the signal traveling time of the two signal traveling paths. |
| US07667535B2 |
Amplifier circuit with input terminals thereof connected to sampling capacitors
Sampling capacitors are connected respectively to a pair of differential input terminals of an operational amplifier. The sampling capacitors sample input signals. Source terminals and drain terminals of dummy switches are connected respectively to paths connecting the operational amplifier and the sampling capacitors, so that a common-mode voltage of differential input voltages to the operational amplifier is adjusted by gate-channel capacitances. |
| US07667534B2 |
Control interface and protocol
In one embodiment, a method for a control interface includes: receiving a signal conveying bits of information over a single line; and for each bit of information, comparing the proportion of time that the signal on the single line is low versus the proportion of time that the signal on the single line is high for a respective bit period defined from one operative edge of the signal to the next operative edge of the signal in order to determine a logic value for that bit of information. |
| US07667533B1 |
Self biased low noise high PSRR constant GM for VCO
A system and method for voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) biasing in low voltage circuits including low resistance elements that are especially susceptible to noise. In one embodiment, a poly resistor and triode resistor is used to cancel or offset the effects that temperature variations have on the circuit. The triode resistor is powered by a voltage source that uses a pair of diodes coupled to a constant transconductance (gm) circuit to generate a reduced noise voltage that is independent of the power supply noise. The size of the triode resistor and poly resistors can be varied. |
| US07667529B2 |
Charge pump warm-up current reduction
A charge pump circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator. The voltage controlled oscillator operates at a lower frequency during a warm-up mode, and operates at a higher frequency during a loading mode. The lower frequency operation during the warm-up mode reduces power supply current requirements. |
| US07667528B2 |
Internal voltage generator of semiconductor integrated circuit
The internal voltage generator of a semiconductor integrated circuit includes at least one variable reference voltage generating unit that generates a base reference voltage increased or decreased according to the variation in temperature, at least one level shifting unit that transforms the base reference voltage outputted by the at least one variable reference voltage generating unit into at least one prescribed reference voltage for generating internal voltage and outputs the transformed reference voltage, and at least one internal voltage generating unit that generates an internal voltage by using the at least one reference voltage for generating internal voltage outputted by the at least one level shifting unit. |
| US07667523B2 |
Orthogonal signal output circuit
An orthogonal signal output circuit having an error correction function for correcting an orthogonal error, including: first and second differential circuits; and first to fourth variable resistors, wherein the first variable resistor is connected to a positive output of the first differential circuit and a positive output of the second differential circuit; the second variable resistor is connected to the positive output of the first differential circuit and a negative output of the second differential circuit; the third variable resistor is connected to a negative output of the first differential circuit and the positive output of the second differential circuit; and the fourth variable resistor is connected to the negative output of the first differential circuit and the negative output of the second differential circuit. |
| US07667522B1 |
Low-skew digital lever shifter for I/O
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for low-skew input/output level-shift circuits. One low-skew input/output circuit includes a single-ended-to-differential converter, a level-shift circuit, and a differential-to-single-ended converter. The circuit employs a low-skew single-ended-to-differential converter that provides an output to a level-shift circuit. To reduce skew, the single-ended-to-differential converter includes multiple paths from the input to its inverting and non-inverting outputs. The level-shift circuit translates signal levels between voltages used by the core and voltages used by the input and output circuits of the integrated circuit. An output from the level-shifter is received by the differential-to-single-ended converter. This converter also includes multiple signal paths coupling inverting and non-inverting signal paths. A threshold of an input inverter in the differential-to-single-ended converter is set by appropriately adjusting ratio of the size of its p-channel pull-up and n-channel pull-down transistors to match the rising and falling edges of the signals provided by the level-shift circuit. |
| US07667516B2 |
Clock pulse generating circuit
A clock pulse generating circuit includes a pulse generator, a clock regulator, and a pre-driver. The pulse generator is configured to vary pulse widths of a rising clock signal and a falling clock signal. The clock regulator is configured to regulate output signals of the pulse generator to prevent an overlap and a duty drop of the output signals of the pulse generator. The pre-driver is configured to output data driving signals according to output signals of the clock regulator. |
| US07667513B2 |
Digital duty cycle corrector
A circuit and method of correcting the duty cycle of digital signals is disclosed. The duty cycle of an input digital signal is measured and compared to a desired duty cycle. The leading edge of the input digital signal is passed to an output. The circuit and method adjust the falling edges at the output to achieve the desired duty cycle. The falling edges occur in response to rising edges of a delayed version of the input digital signal. |
| US07667509B2 |
Delay time adjusting method of delaying a phase of an output signal until a phase difference between an input signal and the output signal becomes an integral number of periods other than zero
A delay time adjusting method adjusts a delay time of an input signal so that a phase of the input signal and a phase of an output signal match each other. The delay time adjusting method comprises the step of delaying the phase of the output signal until a phase difference between the phase of the input signal and the phase of the output signal becomes N periods, where N is an integer other than zero. |
| US07667504B2 |
Signal delay element, method and integrated circuit device for frequency adjustment of electronic signals
The invention relates to frequency adjustment of electronic signals. The method comprises the steps of providing an output signal of a frequency generator with a first frequency as input signal for a signal delay element providing an edge of said input signal of said signal delay element; delaying said input signal by adding a delay to each cycle of said input signal until the delayed output signal of the signal delay element is aligned to an edge of said input signal. |
| US07667502B2 |
Low voltage differential signalling driver with pre-emphasis
There is provided a LVDS driver arranged to receive an input signal which switches between two voltage levels. The driver comprises a pre-emphasis block (405) for generating a pre-emphasis signal having a first voltage level for a time period T1 after each switch of the input signal, and a second voltage level at all other times, a differential pair of outputs for generating a differential output voltage across a load resistor (RI); and a driver circuit (401) comprising two parallel branches, each branch being connected to one output and each branch being arranged to receive the pre-emphasis signal. The driver is arranged so that the total current flowing through the driver circuit is constant, and during time period T1, the total current flowing through the driver circuit flows through the load resistor, thereby producing a differential output voltage and at all other times, only some of the total current flowing through the driver circuit flows through the load resistor, thereby reducing the differential output voltage. |
| US07667501B2 |
Correlated double sampling technique
A sampling circuit according to correlated double sampling to generate a difference of two voltages at a sampling node, with the second voltage representing the sum of an input signal and an offset, and the first voltage representing the offset alone. In an embodiment, a first capacitor is charged to the first voltage in a first phase. A second capacitor is then charged to the second voltage in a second phase. In a third phase, the first capacitor is coupled to the input terminal of the amplifier and the second capacitor is coupled between the input and output terminals of the amplifier to cause the amplifier to generate the difference of the first and second voltages. The first capacitor has a capacitance much less than the second capacitor, thereby minimizing the noise power at the output of the amplifier. |
| US07667498B1 |
Relatively low standby power
A circuit includes a first transistor stack that receives an input signal, a voltage reference, a reference potential, a clock signal and an inverted clock signal, and generates an output signal that is an inverse of the input signal. A first inverter receives the output signal from the first transistor stack. A second transistor stack receives the voltage reference, the reference potential, the clock signal and the inverted clock signal, and generates an output signal that is an inverse of an output signal from the first inverter. A pass control circuit includes first and second transistors. The first terminals of the first and second transistors are coupled together and receive the output signal of the second transistor stack, control terminals of the first and second transistors receive the clock signal and the inverted clock signal, respectively, and second terminals of the first and second transistors are coupled together and output the output signal of the second transistor stack. |
| US07667494B2 |
Methods and apparatus for fast unbalanced pipeline architecture
Methods and apparatus are provided for a fast unbalanced pipeline architecture. A disclosed pipeline buffer comprises a plurality of memory registers connected in series, each of the plurality of memory registers, such as flip-flops, having an enable input and a clock input; and a controlling memory register having an output that drives the enable inputs of the plurality of memory registers, whereby a predefined binary value on an input of the controlling memory register shifts values of the plurality of memory registers on a next clock cycle. A plurality of the disclosed pipeline buffets can be configured in a multiple stage configuration. At least one of the plurality of memory registers can comprise a locking memory register that synchronizes the pipeline buffer. The pipeline buffer can optionally include a delay gate to delay a clock signal and an inverter to invert the delayed clock signal. The clock signal can be delayed by the delay gate such that an output of the pipeline buffer is applied to a next stage of a pipeline buffer at a correct time. |
| US07667491B2 |
Low voltage output buffer and method for buffering digital output data
Method and apparatus are provided for buffering a data signal to a low voltage logic device. A circuit for buffering the data signal to the low voltage logic device includes an output buffer (12) having first and second inputs and an output and at least one N-type isolation transistor (13, 19) having a source coupled to one or both of the second input and the output. The first input receives the data signal, the second input receives a supply potential, and the output couples to the low voltage logic device. The isolation transistor has a drain for receiving a first potential and is configured to supply a second potential to the output buffer when the gate receives a bias potential. The second potential based on the first potential. The bias potential is greater than the supply potential. |
| US07667487B2 |
Techniques for providing switchable decoupling capacitors for an integrated circuit
A circuit assembly includes a functional chip and a first capacitor. The functional chip includes a first logic island and a second logic island. The first capacitor is configured to be selectively coupled (e.g., at different times) to a first power supply terminal of the first logic island and a second power supply terminal of the second logic island. |
| US07667483B2 |
Circuit and method for controlling termination impedance
A calibration circuit that can prevent a calibration operation from being delayed by a dummy capacitor when the calibration circuit starts to operate includes a switch unit configured to connect a calibration node to a precharge node in response to an enable signal. The calibration node is connected to an external resistor. The calibration circuit also includes a code generation unit configured to generate a calibration code in response to a voltage of the calibration node and a reference voltage, a calibration resistor unit configured to drive the calibration node in response to the calibration code and turn-off when the code generation unit is disabled, and a precharge unit configured to precharge the precharge node to a predetermined voltage level when the code generation unit is disabled. |
| US07667476B2 |
Measuring module for rapid measurement of electrical, electronic and mechanical components at cryogenic temperatures and measuring device having such a module
Measuring module for the measurement of an object (6), having a measuring chamber (4), with a contact element (5a, 5b), wherein the object to be measured (6) is thermally connected to a first contact surface (9a) of the contact element (5a, 5b), and having a cold head (1b, 2b, 2c) that can be thermally connected to a second contact surface (9b) of the contact element (5a, 5b), wherein the contact element (5a, 5b) consists of material with high thermal conductivity, characterized in that the cryo-refrigerator (1a, 2a) together with the cold head is housed in a refrigerating chamber (3) that is physically separated from the measuring chamber (4) and can be evacuated separately from the latter, and the contact element (5a, 5b) is thermally insulated from the outside wall of the measuring module, is part of a separating wall between the measuring chamber (4) and the refrigerating chamber (3), and makes a local thermal connection between the measuring chamber (4) and the refrigerating chamber (3), and with a contacting mechanism to vary heat flow in the hermetically sealed condition of the measuring module. With such a measuring module, cooling times and heating times of the object to be measured can be greatly reduced. |
| US07667473B1 |
Flip-chip package having thermal expansion posts
A semiconductor package having a substrate and a die includes a plurality of conductive posts attached to the substrate and bonded to an active surface of the die via a plurality of corresponding microbumps. The conductive posts are flexible and extend beyond the top surface of the substrate a sufficient distance to absorb lateral forces exerted upon the microbumps. |
| US07667468B1 |
Capacitive sensor with ratiometric voltage references
A capacitive sensor with ratiometric voltage references includes a voltage source, a charge transfer switch, an integrating capacitor, and a comparator. The voltage source is configured to generate a first voltage reference and a second voltage reference in response to a supply voltage, where the first voltage reference changes proportionally to the second voltage reference in response to a change in the supply voltage. The charge transfer switch is coupled to the integrating capacitor to distribute charge between a sensing capacitor and the integrating capacitor, where the charge is accumulated in response to the first voltage reference. The comparator is coupled to the second voltage reference and the integrating capacitor to compare a voltage on the integrating capacitor against the second voltage reference. |
| US07667466B2 |
Target tester interface
An electronics testing assembly includes a housing, a tester assembly, and an activation assembly. The housing is sized to retain the activation assembly and at least one electronics testing device. The tester enclosure is configured to house a plurality of tester connector interfaces that are mounted to a first connector plate. The activation assembly includes an actuator assembly and a plurality of activation connector interfaces mounted to a second connector plate. The actuator assembly is configured to move the second connector plate between a lowered vertical position and a raised vertical position within the housing while maintaining a fixed orientation of the tester enclosure relative to the housing. In the lowered vertical position the activation connector interfaces are spaced apart from the tester connector interfaces, and in the raised vertical position the activation connector interfaces are engaged with the tester connector interfaces to create an electrical connection. |
| US07667464B2 |
Time segmentation of frequencies in controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) applications
A method for measuring a resistivity of a subsurface formation that includes transmitting continuously a signal at a first fundamental frequency at full power for a first period of time within a single window of time causing electromagnetic energy to propagate in the subsurface formations, transmitting continuously the signal at a second fundamental frequency at full power for a second period of time within the single window of time causing electromagnetic energy to propagate in the subsurface formations, measuring variations in the electromagnetic energy propagated through the subsurface formations at receivers at the first and the second fundamental frequencies, and determining the resistivity of the subsurface formations using the measurements of the variations in electromagnetic energy at the receivers. |
| US07667461B2 |
Sample analyzer and sampling system
A spectroscopic sample analysis apparatus includes an actively controlled, direct contact heat exchanger in serial fluid communication with a spectroscopic analyzer, and a controller communicably coupled to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is disposed downstream of a fluid handler in the form of a stream selection unit (SSU), a solvent/standard recirculation unit (SRU), and/or an auto-sampling unit (ASU). The SSU selectively couples individual stream inputs to an output port. The SRU includes a solvent/standard reservoir, and selectively couples output ports to the heat exchanger, and returns the solvent/standard sample to the reservoirs. The ASU includes a sample reservoir having a sample transfer pathway with a plurality of orifices disposed at spaced locations along a length thereof. The controller selectively actuates the fluid handler, enabling sample to flow therethrough to the heat exchanger, and actuates the heat exchanger to maintain the sample at a predetermined temperature. |
| US07667457B2 |
System and apparatus for detecting gamma rays in a PET/MRI scanner
A gamma ray detector ring for a combined positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system is integrated into a radio frequency (RF) coil assembly such that the detector ring is integrated with a RF shield. Each gamma ray detector in the detector ring includes a scintillator component that emits light when a gamma ray is detected and a photodetector component designed to be sensitive to the frequency of light produced by the scintillator. A RF shield may be integrated into a detector ring such that the RF shield is positioned between the scintillator and photodetector components of each detector, thereby saving valuable radial space within the imaging system. Multiple such detector rings may be located adjacent to one another to increase axial coverage and enable three-dimensional PET imaging techniques. |
| US07667455B2 |
Annular magnetic encoder having pole arrangement that specifies rotational angle
An annular magnetic encoder is provided in which a plurality of S magnetic poles and N magnetic poles are alternately arranged in an arrangement pattern. The arrangement pattern comprises: a plurality of index parts provided in a circumferential direction at fixed intervals; a plurality of standard pitch parts provided between the index parts; and a plurality of specific pitch parts provided in all of the standard pitch parts or in the standard pitch parts other than one standard pitch part, where the specific pitch parts are arranged in different positions within each of the standard pitch parts. |
| US07667451B2 |
Method for determining size of optical disc inserted into optical disc drive
A method of determining a size of an optical disc inserted into an optical disc drive is disclosed. The method includes driving a turntable motor of the optical disc drive to rotate the optical disc at a predetermined rotation frequency for reading data stored on the optical disc, measuring a rotation frequency of the turntable motor, applying a kick-pulse voltage to the turntable motor of the optical disc drive for a predetermined period of time, measuring a change in the rotation frequency of the turntable motor after applying the kick-pulse voltage, comparing the change in the rotation frequency of the turntable motor to a threshold value, and determining that the optical disc is an 8 cm disc when the change in the rotation frequency of the turntable motor is above the threshold value. |
| US07667443B2 |
System and method for near zero light-load supply current in switching regulator
Techniques for near zero light-load supply current in switching regulators are described. In one aspect a voltage regulator operating a normal mode is generating an error signal indicating a difference between the output and the regulated voltage. A control signal, at least in part based on the error signal, actively controls the output of the regulator. The control signal is monitored over a period of time. The monitoring activates a signal indicating when the control signal is inactive for the period of time indicating a light-load condition. The voltage regulator is then placed in a standby mode when the signal is active and the error signal indicates the output is substantially at the regulated voltage. Portions of the voltage regulator are then disabled permitting the voltage regulator to operate at the minimum current draw. |
| US07667438B2 |
Energy storage system with ultracapacitor and switched battery
An energy storage system for a vehicle includes an ultracapacitor that is electrically coupled in parallel with a battery through a diode connected in series with the battery. The ultracapacitor delivers the energy required for all high current surges that occur during engine start, acceleration, and regeneration. The battery is used only to assist with longer duration, high energy loads, such as accessory loads when an engine of the vehicle is not running. In other words, the battery conducts only during longer and less-frequent pulses and, therefore, does not have to withstand high-power pulses. |
| US07667433B1 |
Recharging cover system
A recharging cover system for storing, protecting and recharging an electronic device during transport of the electronic device includes a case receives the electronic device to protect the electronic device from being inadvertently damaged. A recharging assembly is positioned in the case. The recharging assembly is electrically coupled to the electronic device to recharge the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned in the case. |
| US07667432B2 |
Method for interconnection of battery packs and battery assembly containing interconnected battery packs
A system and method interconnects battery packs using a flexible bus bar to prevent vibration from breaking or damaging the connections therebetween. |
| US07667431B2 |
Mechanically featureless inductive charging using an alignment marking feature
An inductive charging system including an inductive charger having an inductive charging surface and an alignment feature depicted on a surface of the inductive charger indicating a location of the inductive charging surface. A structural feature may extend substantially perpendicular to the alignment feature and provides a guide for positioning of a portable device to facilitate inductive changing of the portable device by the inductive charging surface. The inductive charger may include a plurality of inductive chargers positioned to facilitate charging of a portable device by two or more of the plurality of the inductive chargers. |
| US07667430B2 |
Power storage apparatus
A power storage apparatus mounted with a plurality of connected power storage modules and capable of charging or discharging an electric power, and in which a housing is partitioned by a partition plate to be divided into a power storage area and a control device area; in the power storage area, an opening is formed, and the power storage modules are contained; in the control device area, an opening is formed, and a switching protective device section to switch and protect the power storage modules is contained; a main circuit wiring from the power storage modules is led out of the control device area via the switching protective device section; the opening of the power storage area is covered with a detachable cover; and the opening of the control device area is covered with a detachable cover independent of the cover of the opening of the power storage area. |
| US07667429B2 |
Battery pack authentication for a mobile device
Various embodiments are described herein for a mobile communication device that authenticates a smart battery prior to use. The mobile device includes a main processor and a device memory. The device memory stores first and second portions of security information used for authentication. The smart battery includes a battery processor and a battery memory. The battery memory stores a third portion of security information used for authentication. The main processor sends an authentication request including the first portion of security information to the battery processor, and the battery processor generates a response based on the first and third portions of security information and sends the generated response to the main processor. The smart battery is authenticated if the generated response matches the second portion of security information. |
| US07667424B2 |
Servo device
A servo device is provided which includes a drive source made of a brushless motor. A DC motor driving integrated circuit produces output signals and controls the output of a three-phase brushless motor driving integrated circuit to drive the brush less motor. A selection switching section detects information regarding the rotational speed of the brushless motor. The selection switching section extracts the counter electromotive voltage of the brushless motor, feeds the voltage back to the DC motor driving integrated circuit and PWM controls a drive signal output from the three-phase brushless motor driving integrated circuit. This allows the brushless motor to be easily applied to the servo device. |
| US07667421B2 |
Torque compensation method and system for DC brushless motor
A torque compensation method and system for a DC brushless motor. When the DC brushless motor coupled with an asymmetric load is rotating, the difference between an instant current and an average current of a shunt resister is an index of adjusting control signals within an absolute rotor position for the purpose of approaching the corresponding instant current to the average current. |
| US07667418B2 |
Control system for bearingless motor-generator
A control system for an electromagnetic rotary drive for bearingless motor-generators comprises a winding configuration comprising a plurality of individual pole pairs through which phase current flows, each phase current producing both a lateral force and a torque. A motor-generator comprises a stator, a rotor supported for movement relative to the stator, and a control system. The motor-generator comprises a winding configuration supported by the stator. The winding configuration comprises at least three pole pairs through which phase current flows resulting in three three-phase systems. Each phase system has a first rotor reference frame axis current that produces a levitating force with no average torque and a second rotor reference frame axis current that produces torque. |
| US07667417B2 |
Apparatus and method compensating recurring false speed errors in DC motor and disk drive adopting same
Provided are an apparatus and method of controlling a motor by compensating for recurring false speed errors generated in a direct current (DC) motor. The apparatus includes a learning control unit adapted to calculate recurring false speed errors related to a mechanical tolerance associated with the motor in each one of a plurality of controlling sections associated with a single rotation of the motor, and generate a corresponding reference speed for each controlling section, and a motor control unit adapted to control the rotational speed of the motor in relation to a speed error defined by a difference between the reference speed for each controlling section and an actual measured speed of the motor for each controlling section. |
| US07667415B2 |
Backlight control device and display apparatus
A PWM generation circuit is set so as to generate a PWM pulse signal having a frequency that is an odd number times a vertical synchronization frequency. A frequency division circuit frequency-divides the PWM pulse signal generated by the PWM generation circuit. An AND gate calculates the logical product of the PWM pulse signal generated by the PWM generation circuit and a frequency-division pulse signal outputted from the frequency division circuit. An OR gate calculates the logical sum of the PWM pulse signal generated by the PWM generation circuit and the frequency-division pulse signal outputted from the frequency division circuit. A selector outputs an output signal of the OR gate as a dimming pulse signal in a case where the set duty ratio is not less than 50%, while outputting an output signal of the AND gate as a dimming pulse signal in a case where the set duty ratio is less than 50%. Consequently, the frequency of the dimming pulse signal is five-second the frequency of a vertical synchronizing signal. |
| US07667413B2 |
High pressure discharge lamp operation method, operation device, light source device, and projection type image display device
Provided is a method for lighting a high pressure discharge lamp capable of increasing the life thereof. The lighting method is as follows. When the time elapse after lighting up the discharge lamp is within a predetermined condition (e.g. 5 minutes or less), constant current control is performed if the lamp voltage is lower than switching voltage (here, a first voltage value V1) and constant power control is performed to maintain the lamp power at a power value W1 if the lamp voltage is equal to or above the switching voltage. After the predetermined condition (5 minutes) is exceeded, the constant power control is performed by lowering the value of the switching voltage from the first voltage value V1 to the second voltage value V2. If the lamp voltage is equal to or above the switching voltage lowered, the lamp power is maintained at power value W1. |
| US07667406B2 |
Electrode for metal halide lamp with ceramic discharge vessel
Metal halide lamp with ceramic discharge vessel (4), the discharge vessel having two ends (6) which are closed off by stoppers, and an electrically conductive leadthrough (9) being passed through this stopper (12), an electrode (15) having a shank (16), which projects into the interior of the discharge vessel, being secured to the leadthrough. The leadthrough is composed of two portions of different diameters, with the outer portion resting on the end face of the stopper. |
| US07667401B2 |
PDP filter and manufacturing method thereof using a fully etched electromagnetic interference film
The present invention relates to a PDP filter and a manufacturing method thereof using a fully etched electromagnetic interference film, and more particularly, to a PDP filter and a manufacturing method thereof in which the separation between an etching portion and a non-etching portion is removed by etching an entire surface of electromagnetic interference film that has been used by selectively etching a predetermined region on a surface to form an effective screen portion (etching portion) separately from a ground portion (non-etching portion), and when an electromagnetic interference film roll having such a structure is cut into a small size in a winding direction of the roller only it can be laminated with other functional films by a roll-to-roll process so as to make it applicable when required by cutting it into a desired size even though the effective size of a PDP is changed. |
| US07667396B2 |
Encapsulation structure of double sided organic light emitting device and method of fabricating the same
An encapsulation structure of double sided organic light emitting device (OLED) comprises a first substrate and a second substrate disposed oppositely; a first organic light emitting device (OLED) disposed on the first substrate; a second OLED disposed on the second substrate; a supporter disposed between the first OLED and the second OLED; and at least a moisture absorption layer disposed at the supporter for absorbing moisture inside the encapsulation structure. |
| US07667392B2 |
Organic light emitting diode and method of fabricating the same
An organic light emitting diode, and a method of fabricating the same, the organic light emitting diode including a pixel-defining layer disposed on a substrate, the pixel-defining layer having an opening therein and having at least one stepped portion formed adjacent to the opening, and an organic layer disposed in the opening and at least partially covering the at least one stepped portion. |
| US07667390B2 |
Bottom-emission organic electroluminescent display of high resolution and power saving
An organic electroluminescent display comprises a shadow layer, a transparent electrode, a light emitting layer, a reflective electrode and a cap layer formed on a substrate. The transparent electrode is connected to a transistor, located on the shadow layer, and has a larger area than the shadow layer. The cap layer is formed on the upper surface of the transparent electrode, and corresponds to the shadow layer. The light emitting layer is formed on the upper surface of the transparent electrode. And, the reflective electrode is formed on the upper surface of the light emitting layer. |
| US07667387B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device and method manufacturing the same
An organic electroluminescent device (OELD) and a method of manufacturing the OELD are provided. The OELD includes a substrate, an anode electrode stacked on the substrate, an organic light emitting layer that is stacked on the anode electrode and has a plurality of protrusions on the organic light emitting layer, and a cathode electrode that covers the protrusions formed on the organic light emitting layer and is formed of a metal. |
| US07667384B2 |
High-powered diode holder and a package thereof
A high-powered diode holder and a package thereof are disclosed. The high-powered diode holder includes a base and a plurality of metal electrodes. The base is made of ceramic. In the interior part of one end of the base, there is a functional area that is indented inwards. In the functional area, there are a plurality of through-hole units and a plurality of conducting areas whose polarities are different. The second end of the base is connected with a heat-conducting base. The metal electrodes are individually connected with the base, and the metal electrodes are electrically connected with the corresponding conducting areas respectively. In the functional area, there are a plurality of LED chips that correspond to the through-hole units respectively. The LED chips and the conducting areas are connected with conducting-wires respectively, and a package resin element covers the functional areas of the base. |
| US07667383B2 |
Light source comprising a common substrate, a first led device and a second led device
At least one stacked organic or polymeric light emitting diode (PLEDs) devices to comprise a light source is disclosed. At least one of the PLEDs includes a patterned cathode which has regions which transmit light. The patterned cathodes enable light emission from the PLEDs to combine together. The light source may be top or bottom emitting or both. |
| US07667380B2 |
Electron emission device using thick-film insulating structure
An electron emission device includes first and second substrates facing each other, cathode electrodes formed on the first substrate, and electron emission regions formed on the cathode electrodes. An insulating layer is formed on the cathode electrodes with opening portions exposing the electron emission regions. Gate electrodes are formed on the insulating layer with opening portions corresponding to the opening portions of the insulating layer. Phosphor layers are formed on the second substrate. At least one anode electrode is formed on a surface of the phosphor layers. The cathode and the gate electrodes are formed by thin filming, and the insulating layer is formed by thick filming. |
| US07667375B2 |
Broad band energy harvesting system and related methods
A broad band energy harvesting system to harvest energy from a structure and associated methods are provided. The system includes a structure carrying a plurality of environmentally produced vibration frequencies extending over a frequency range and an energy harvesting apparatus positioned in vibration receiving communication with the structure to harvest energy from the structure. Each energy harvesting apparatus includes broadly tuned energy harvesting generators having relatively low quality factor and corresponding relatively wide bandwidth. The energy harvesting generators collectively provide energy harvesting over multiple modes to thereby provide energy harvesting over a substantial portion of the frequency range. Each energy harvesting generator can include a cantilevered beam connected to a common backbone comprised of a resilient material configured to transfer energy between adjacent generators to further enhance energy harvesting. |
| US07667373B2 |
Drive unit
A drive unit (1) includes a stage (3), a first ultrasonic actuator (4A) for driving the stage (3) in the X direction, and a second ultrasonic actuator (4B) for driving the stage (3) in the Y direction. In driving the stage (3) in only one of the X and Y directions, one of the first and second ultrasonic actuators (4A, 4B) corresponding to the one of the directions generates a composite vibration of a longitudinal vibration parallel to a contact surface of the stage (3) and a bending vibration orthogonal to the contact surface, while the other ultrasonic actuator generates only a longitudinal vibration parallel to the contact surface of the stage (3). |
| US07667371B2 |
Electronic device and circuit for providing tactile feedback
A circuit (800) for controlling at least one piezoelectric actuator (142) includes a piezoelectric drive circuit (802) that generates unidirectional voltage drive signal, also referred to as Vout, at node (804). The piezoelectric actuator drive circuit (802) includes a boost switcher circuit or charging circuit (806), a buck switcher circuit or pulsed current sink discharge circuit (808) and a control signal generating circuit (810) that receives an input control signal (812) from, for example, a keyboard processor or other suitable processor (604) indicating that the device has requested generation of haptic feedback utilizing the piezoelectric actuator (142). The control signal generating circuit (810) provides at least two pulse-with-modulated control signals, one to control the charging circuit and one to control the discharging circuit to produce the unidirectional voltage drive signal, that in one example is a raised cosine drive signal (904). |
| US07667370B2 |
Generating device for generating a useful stream of a medium, in particular for generating sound
A generating device (1) for generating a useful stream of a medium (2) comprises at least a medium stream source (14) for generating a high-frequency medium stream (15) and at least a medium stream diode (36, 37) for cooperating with the generated medium stream (15), and at least one medium stream sink (40, 41) for cooperating with the medium stream influenced by the medium stream diodes (36, 37), wherein the at least one medium stream sink (40, 41) suppresses high-frequency stream components in the medium stream such that a useful medium stream (2) in a low-frequency range is obtained. |
| US07667365B2 |
Permanent magnet electric rotating machine and electromotive vehicle using permanent magnet electric rotating machine
A magnetic gap is provided between a permanent magnet of a rotor and an auxiliary magnet pole portion which is arranged adjacent to the permanent magnet in a peripheral direction. A gradual change in a magnetic flux density distribution of a surface of the rotor is obtained and a cogging torque and a torque pulsation are restrained. By obtaining a reluctance torque according to the auxiliary magnetic pole, a permanent magnet electric rotating machine in which the cogging torque and the torque pulsation are restrained can be obtained and further an electromotive vehicle having the permanent magnet electric rotating machine can be provided. |
| US07667364B2 |
Brushless motor
A brushless motor includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes an annular stator core having teeth arranged with a spacing in a circumferential direction of the annular stator core; and coils wound around the teeth respectively. The rotor includes a rotor core and magnetic poles of segment magnets arranged annularly along a circumferential direction of the rotor core. The segment magnets are stacked at a plurality of stages in an axial direction of the rotor core. A length direction of each of the segment magnets is parallel with the axial direction of the rotor core. The following expression is satisfied: (2×β/P)+θ<(360/P) where P is the number of the magnetic poles of the segment magnets at each stage, β (electrical angle) is the effective pole angular aperture on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor core, and θ is the skew angle equivalent to a phase shift angle between the corresponding magnetic poles of the segment magnets at the adjacent stages. |
| US07667353B2 |
Remote electrical device switching control, and status monitoring and reporting system
A capacitor bank status monitoring, control and reporting system for use with a capacitor bank with “wye”-connected capacitors having a common neutral confluence and that can be switched in and out of a multi-phase high-voltage power distribution system. There is a first sensing device that detects the current flowing between the common neutral confluence of the capacitors and a common neutral wire of the distribution system and a second sensing device that detects the voltage of at least one sensed phase of the distribution system. There is an electrical device that controls the switched state of at least one of the capacitors. There is a controller, responsive to the first and second sensing devices, for providing reporting information concerning the status of the capacitor bank and concerning the determined voltage. A wireless communications system transmits the reporting information to a remote location, and receives information from the remote location and provides it to the controller. |
| US07667351B2 |
Method for pulse width modulation synchronization in a parallel UPS system
A method for pulse width modulated pulse synchronization in a parallel UPS system uses the locally measured critical bus voltage to detect a zero crossing and adjust the PWM pulse to coincide with the zero crossing. No communication between the units is required to perform synchronization, and no “master” and “slave” relationship exists to thereby increase the total system reliability. |
| US07667349B2 |
Providing power to a load by controlling a plurality of generating devices
An apparatus for controlling provision of power to a load by a plurality of generating devices in a plurality of phased signals during a first operating condition includes: (a) a sensing unit coupled with the load for presenting an indicator relating to load current; and (b) a control unit coupled with the sensing unit for receiving the indicator and coupled with the plurality of generating devices. The control unit presents a first control signal in response to the indicator indicating a second operating condition. The control unit presents a second control signal in response to the indicator indicating a third operating condition. The generating devices respond to the first control signal to substantially simultaneously provide the power to the load. The generating devices respond to the second control signal to substantially provide no power to the load. |
| US07667345B2 |
Device for an adjusting mechanism, said adjusting mechanism and method
A device for blocking and for releasing an adjusting mechanism having at least two parts which are movable relative to each other is disclosed. The device comprises a blocker configured to be brought at least into a blocking position and a release position relative to the adjusting mechanism. The device further comprises an actuator for changing the position of the blocker between the blocking position and the release position. |
| US07667341B2 |
Power-generating apparatus, such as a generator
A power-generating apparatus includes a frame, an engine supported by the frame, an alternator coupled to the engine and operable to convert mechanical energy from the engine into electrical energy, and a battery charger supported by the frame and electrically coupled to the alternator. The battery charger is operable to charge a battery pack with the electrical energy from the alternator. |
| US07667340B2 |
Power from a non-animal organism
A method for drawing electricity from a non-animal organism, the method including coupling a first electrical conductor to the non-animal organism, coupling a second electrical conductor to a ground rod, embedding the ground rod into soil at a predetermined depth as a function of a desired current level, whereby the current available from the non-animal organism is increased by increasing the depth that the ground rod is embedded into the soil, coupling an electrical load between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor, the electrical load being configured to draw electricity from the non-animal organism via the first electrical conductor, and operating the electrical load using electricity drawn from the non-animal organism. |
| US07667338B2 |
Package with solder-filled via holes in molding layers
The present invention discloses an electronic package to contain and protect an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The electronic package further includes a leadframe, a flexible circuit or PCB type of substrate. The leadframe, flexible circuit or PCB type substrate further includes solder contacts, which are aligned with via holes in the molding layers on the top and bottom sides of the package. These via holes are for placing solder paste or solder balls from above and below for electrical access to the IC chip. These solder balls provide access for electrical testing after the package is mounted on a motherboard. They also provide the connection points for stacking multiple packages vertically. |
| US07667335B2 |
Semiconductor package with passivation island for reducing stress on solder bumps
A flip chip style semiconductor package has a substrate with a plurality of active devices formed thereon. A contact pad is formed on the substrate. An under bump metallization (UBM) layer is in electrical contact with the contact pad. A passivation layer is formed over the substrate. In one case, the UBM layer is disposed above the passivation layer. Alternatively, the passivation layer is disposed above the UBM layer. A portion of the passivation layer is removed to create a passivation island. The passivation island is centered with respect to the contact pad with its top surface devoid of the UBM layer. A solder bump is formed over the passivation island in electrical contact with the UBM layer. The passivation island forms a void in the solder bump for stress relief. The UBM layer may include a redistribution layer such that the passivation island is offset from the contact pad. |
| US07667332B2 |
Method for generating pattern, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, semiconductor device, and computer program product
A method for generating a pattern includes reading out an interconnect layout and a hole layout, the interconnect layout prescribing interconnect patterns, the hole layout prescribing hole patterns configured to connect to the interconnect patterns; extracting one of the hole patterns to be connected within the same interconnect layer level to one of the interconnect patterns in a pattern processing area; extracting a first processing area including the extracted hole pattern; calculating a first pattern density of the interconnect patterns included in the first processing area; and generating first additional patterns in the first processing area based on the first pattern density. |
| US07667330B2 |
Semiconductor device for preventing inflow of high current from an input/output pad and a circuit for preventing inflow of high current thereof
A semiconductor device includes an input/output pad, an input line of an internal circuit, and a plurality of metal lines formed on a lower portion of the input/output pad to have a buffer area overlapping with a plane area of the input/output pad, wherein one of an entirety and a portion of the plurality of metal lines included in the buffer area forms protective resistance interconnecting the input/output pad to the input line. |
| US07667326B2 |
Power semiconductor component, power semiconductor device as well as methods for their production
A power semiconductor component (2) has a semiconductor body with a front face (7) and a rear face (9). The front face (7) has a front-face metallization (8), which provides at least one first contact pad (11). A structured metal seed layer (14) is provided as the front-face metallization (8), is arranged directly on the semiconductor body, and has a thickness d, where 1 nm≦d≦0.5 μm. |
| US07667315B2 |
Semiconductor device having a frame portion and an opening portion with mountable semiconductor chips therein
A semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate having an opening portion and a frame portion defining a periphery of the opening portion. At least one electric element is provided on the frame portion, and has at least one electrode terminal. A first insulation film is formed on the frame portion so that the electrode terminal is partially exposed at the first insulation film to form a plurality of electrode pads. |
| US07667309B2 |
Space-efficient package for laterally conducting device
Efficient utilization of space in a laterally-conducting semiconductor device package is enhanced by creating at least one supplemental downbond pad portion of the diepad for receiving the downbond wire from the ground contact of the device. The supplemental diepad portion may occupy area at the end or side of the package formerly occupied by non-integral leads. By receiving the substrate downbond wire, the supplemental diepad portion allows a greater area of the main diepad to be occupied by a die having a larger area, thereby enhancing space efficiency of the package. |
| US07667306B1 |
Leadframe-based semiconductor package
A leadframe-based semiconductor package is revealed, primarily comprising a chip, a plurality of leads of a leadframe, a multi-layer tape, and an encapsulant. The multi-layer tape is attached to the chip and includes an adhesive layer disposed on a dielectric core layer. The internal leads of the leads are partially embedded in the adhesive layer in a manner not to directly contact the dielectric core layer. A bonding interface with a U-shaped profile is formed between the adhesive layer and each internal lead to increase the adhesions of the leads so that the internal leads will not be shifted nor delaminated during molding processes. The concentrated stresses exerted on the internal leads disposed at the corners of the packages will be released and reduced. |
| US07667299B2 |
Circuit board and method for mounting chip component
A circuit board includes a substrate including electrode patterns formed thereon, first chip components mounted on the substrate and a second chip component mounted on a side of electrodes of the first chip components opposite from the substrate. The second chip component is bonded at one electrode to an electrode of the first chip component and is also bonded at the other electrode to an electrode of the first chip component. By stacking chip components in plural stages, it is possible to mount chip components with a high density on the substrate, thereby enabling reduction of the size of the circuit board. |
| US07667296B2 |
Nanowire capacitor and methods of making same
A nanowire capacitor and methods of making the same are disclosed. The nanowire capacitor includes a subrate and a semiconductor nanowire that is supported by the substrate. An insulator is formed on a portion of the surface of the nanowire. Additionally, an outer coaxial conductor is formed on a portion insulator and a contact coupled to the nanowire. |
| US07667284B2 |
Method of manufacturing organic electroluminescent device and organic electroluminescent device
An organic electroluminescent device, which, on a substrate, has a plurality of first electrodes, and a second electrode opposing the plurality of first electrodes. The organic electroluminescent device also including a light-emitting functional layer between the second electrode and one of the first electrodes and a buffering layer that covers the second electrode. The buffering layer having a side end portion with an angle equal to or less than 30°. The organic electroluminescent device further including a gas barrier layer that covers the buffering layer. |
| US07667281B2 |
Method for hard mask CD trim
Broadly speaking, methods and an apparatus are provided for removing an inorganic material from a substrate. More specifically, the methods provide for removing the inorganic material from the substrate through exposure to a high density plasma generated using an inductively coupled etching apparatus. The high density plasma is set and controlled to isotropically contact particular regions of the inorganic material to allow for trimming and control of a critical dimension associated with the inorganic material. |
| US07667279B2 |
Semiconductor device
Disclosed is a semiconductor device which has a circuit-forming region. The semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of insulating interlayer films, a guard ring, and a first MIM capacitor. The insulating interlayer films, which are stacked one upon another, are provided over the semiconductor substrate. The guard ring is formed in the plurality of insulating interlayer films and surrounds the circuit-forming region. The guard ring is separated from an insulating interlayer film including a topmost interconnect. The MIM capacitor is provided between the guard ring and the insulating interlayer film including the topmost interconnect. |
| US07667276B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit switch matrix
There is provided a small-type semiconductor integrated circuit whose circuit area is small and whose wiring length is short. The semiconductor integrated circuit is constructed in a multi-layer structure and is provided with a first semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer transistor formed in the first semiconductor layer, a wiring layer which is deposited on the first semiconductor layer and in which metal wires are formed, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the wiring layer and a second semiconductor layer transistor formed in the second semiconductor layer. It is noted that insulation of a gate insulating film of the first semiconductor layer transistor is almost equal with that of a gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor and the gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor is formed by means of radical oxidation or radical nitridation. |
| US07667275B2 |
Using oxynitride spacer to reduce parasitic capacitance in CMOS devices
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device has a substrate 100, a gate structure 108 disposed atop the substrate, and spacers 250, deposited on opposite sides of the gate structure 108 to govern formation of deep source drain regions S, D in the substrate. Spacers 250 are formed of an oxynitride (SiOxNyCz) wherein x and y are non-zero but z may be zero or greater; such oxynitride spacers reduce parasitic capacitance, thus improving device performance. A method of fabricating a portion of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device involves providing a substrate 100, forming a gate structure 108 over the substrate, depositing a first layer 104 atop the substrate on opposite sides of the gate structure to govern formation of deep source drain regions in the substrate, depositing an oxynitride (SiOxNyCz) layer 250 atop the first layer (in which x and y are non-zero but z may be zero or greater), depositing a second layer 112 atop the oxynitride layer, and depositing a nitride layer 114B atop the second layer. |
| US07667271B2 |
Fin field-effect transistors
A fin field-effect transistor (finFET) with improved source/drain regions is provided. In an embodiment, the source/drain regions of the fin are removed while spacers adjacent to the fin remain. An angled implant is used to implant the source/drain regions near a gate electrode, thereby allowing for a more uniform lightly doped drain. The fin may be re-formed by either epitaxial growth or a metallization process. In another embodiment, the spacers adjacent the fin in the source/drain regions are removed and the fin is silicided along the sides and the top of the fin. In yet another embodiment, the fin and the spacers are removed in the source/drain regions. The fins are then re-formed via an epitaxial growth process or a metallization process. Combinations of these embodiments may also be used. |
| US07667268B2 |
Isolated transistor
Various integrated circuit devices, in particular a transistor, are formed inside an isolation structure which includes a floor isolation region and a trench extending from the surface of the substrate to the floor isolation region. The trench may be filled with a dielectric material or may have a conductive material in a central portion with a dielectric layer lining the walls of the trench. Various techniques for terminating the isolation structure by extending the floor isolation region beyond the trench, using a guard ring, and a forming a drift region are described. |
| US07667266B2 |
Semiconductor device including active pattern with channel recess, and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device including an active pattern having a channel recess portion, and a method of fabricating the same, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes an active pattern including first active regions and a second active region interposed between the first active regions. The active pattern protrudes above a surface of a semiconductor substrate and includes a channel recess portion above the second active region and between the first active regions. A device isolation layer surrounds the active pattern and has a groove exposing side walls of the recessed second active region. A distance between opposing side walls of the first active regions exposed by the channel recess portion is greater than a distance between side walls of the groove. A gate pattern is located in the channel recess portion and extends along the groove. |
| US07667262B2 |
Two bit U-shaped memory structure and method of making the same
A memory structure includes: a substrate; a control gate positioned on the substrate; floating gates positioned at two sides of the control gate, wherein the floating gates have a U-shaped bottom embedded in the substrate; a first dielectric layer positioned between the control gate and the substrate; a second dielectric layer positioned between the U-shaped bottom of the floating gates and the substrate; a third dielectric layer positioned between the control gate and the floating gates; a local doping region positioned around the floating gates channel; and a source/drain doping region positioned in the substrate at a side of the floating gates. |
| US07667253B2 |
Non-volatile memory device with conductive sidewall spacer and method for fabricating the same
The present invention relates to a non-volatile memory device having conductive sidewall spacers and a method for fabricating the same. The non-volatile memory device includes: a substrate; a gate insulation layer formed on the substrate; a gate structure formed on the gate insulation layer; a pair of sidewall spacers formed on sidewalls of the gate structure; a pair of conductive sidewall spacers for trapping/detrapping charges formed on the pair of sidewall spacers; a pair of lightly doped drain regions formed in the substrate disposed beneath the sidewalls of the gate structure; and a pair of source/drain regions formed in the substrate disposed beneath edge portions of the pair of conductive sidewall spacers. |
| US07667251B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, production method and drive method thereof, and camera
A solid-state imaging device capable of reducing an eclipse (blocking) of an incident light at a circumferential portion of a light receiving portion and realizing a larger angle of view and high-speed driving. A single-layer transfer electrode configuration of forming first transfer electrodes and second transfer electrodes by one polysilicon layer is adopted. Two shunt wirings extending in a horizontal direction are formed on the first transfer electrodes connected in a horizontal direction and, for example, four-phase transfer pulses are supplied to first transfer electrodes and second transfer electrodes on transfer channels through low-resistance shunt wirings extending in the horizontal direction. |
| US07667250B2 |
Vertical gate device for an image sensor and method of forming the same
A CMOS pixel cell having a charge transfer transistor adjacent the photo-conversion device. The transistor has a channel region surrounded by a gate and an upper source/drain region over the channel region. |
| US07667248B2 |
Bulk FinFET device
A finFET structure and a method of fabricating the finFET structure. The method includes: forming a silicon fin on a top surface of a silicon substrate; forming a gate dielectric on opposite sidewalls of the fin; forming a gate electrode over a channel region of the fin, the gate electrode in direct physical contact with the gate dielectric layer on the opposite sidewalls of the fin; forming a first source/drain in the fin on a first side of the channel region and forming a second source/drain in the fin on a second side of the channel region; removing a portion of the substrate from under at least a portion of the first and second source/drains to create a void; and filling the void with a dielectric material. The structure includes a body contact between the silicon body of the finFET and the substrate. |
| US07667246B2 |
Field programmable gate array (FPGA) multi-parallel structure
A method of forming a field programmable gate array (FPGA) structure of a semiconductor device capable of reducing manufacturing cost through simpler processes includes forming a contact parallel connection structure in which contacts connected to a gate electrode and a source/drain by way of a first amorphous silicon pattern are connected in parallel with each other; forming a via parallel connection structure in which vias, connected to neighboring metal interconnections by a second amorphous silicon pattern, are connected in parallel with each other at a position not overlapping the contact parallel connection structure; and forming a connection means for connecting the contact parallel connection structure to the via parallel connection structure. |
| US07667243B2 |
Local ESD protection for low-capicitance applications
A semiconductor device for locally protecting an integrated circuit input/output (I/O) pad (301) against ESD events, when the I/O pad is located between a power pad (303) and a ground potential pad (305a). A first diode (311) and a second diode (312) are connected in series, the anode (311b) of the series connected to the I/O pad and the cathode (312a) connected to the power pad. A third diode (304) has its anode (304b) tied to the ground pad and its cathode (304a) tied to the I/O pad. A string (320) of at least one diode has its anode (321b) connected to the series between the first and second diode (node 313), isolated from the I/O pad, and its cathode (323a) connected to the ground pad. The string (320) may comprise three or more diodes. |
| US07667240B2 |
Radiation-emitting semiconductor chip and method for producing such a semiconductor chip
A radiation-emitting semiconductor chip having an absorbent brightness setting layer between a connection region and a current injection region and/or, as seen from the connection region, outside the current injection region on a front-side radiation coupling-out area of the semiconductor layer sequence. The brightness setting layer absorbs in a targeted manner part of the radiation generated in the semiconductor layer sequence. In another embodiment, a partly insulating brightness setting layer is arranged between the connection region and the active layer. Here, the brightness setting layer includes at least one electrically insulating current blocking region and at least one electrically conductive current passage region via which the connection region is electrically conductively connected to the semiconductor layer sequence such that, during operation of the semiconductor chip, part of the electromagnetic radiation generated in the chip is generated below the connection region and is absorbed by the connection region. |
| US07667238B2 |
Light emitting devices for liquid crystal displays
Light-emitting devices, and related components, processes, systems and methods are disclosed. |
| US07667237B2 |
Light emitting device having light emitting elements
A light-emitting device operating on a high drive voltage and a small drive current. LEDs (1) are two-dimensionally formed on an insulating substrate (10) of e.g., sapphire monolithically and connected in series to form an LED array. Two such LED arrays are connected to electrodes (32) in inverse parallel. Air-bridge wiring (28) is formed between the LEDs (1) and between the LEDs (1) and electrodes (32). The LED arrays are arranged zigzag to form a plurality of LEDs (1) to produce a high drive voltage and a small drive current. Two LED arrays are connected in inverse parallel, and therefore an AC power supply can be used as the power supply. |
| US07667232B2 |
Bank structure, method of forming bank structure, device, electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
A bank structure in which a recess corresponding to a pattern formed of a functional liquid is provided includes first recess provided corresponding to a first pattern, and a second recess provided on part of the first recess and corresponding to a second pattern. The second recess has a shape that has a width larger than a width of the first recess and has a circular arc in at least part of an outer circumference of the second recess. |
| US07667231B2 |
Automatic on-die defect isolation
Microcircuits may include polysilicon features that are vulnerable to defects due to undesirable phenomena during manufacturing processes such as, inter alia, over-etching. The same phenomena that may cause defects can be exploited to automatically isolate the affected circuit and thus limit the harm caused by defects or incipient defects. |
| US07667226B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device comprises an active layer having a quantum well structure, the active layer including a well layer and a barrier layer and being sandwiched by a first conductivity type layer and a second conductivity type layer, wherein a first barrier layer is provided on side of the first conductivity type layer in the active layer and a second barrier layer is provided on the side of the second conductivity type layer in the active layer, at least one well layer is sandwiched thereby, and the second barrier layer has a band gap energy lower than that of the first barrier layer in the form of asymmetric barrier layer structure, where the second conductivity type layer preferably includes a carrier confinement layer having a band gap energy higher than that of the first barrier layer, resulting in a reverse structure in each of conductivity type layer in respect to the asymmetric structure of the active layer to provide a waveguide structure having excellent crystallinity and device characteristics in the nitride semiconductor light emitting device operating at a wavelength of 380 nm or shorter. |
| US07667223B2 |
Solid-state optical device
A solid-state optical device includes a solid-state element, a power supplying/retrieving portion on which the solid-state element is mounted, the power supplying/retrieving portion supplying or retrieving electric power to/from the solid-state element, and a glass sealing material that seals the solid-state element. The glass sealing material has a thermal expansion coefficient equivalent to that of the power supplying/retrieving portion. The glass sealing material includes a P2O5—Al2O3—ZnO-based low-melting glass that includes 55 to 62 wt % of P2O5, 5 to 12 wt % of Al2O3 and 20 to 40 wt % of ZnO in weight %. |
| US07667221B2 |
Phase change memory devices and methods for fabricating the same
In a phase change memory, an interlayer insulating layer is disposed on a substrate. A heater plug includes a lower portion disposed in a contact hole penetrating the interlayer insulating layer and an upper portion protruding upward over the top surface of the interlayer insulating layer. A phase change pattern is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer to cover the top surface and the side surface of the protruding portion of the heater plug. An insulating spacer is interposed between the phase change pattern and the side surface of the protruding portion of the heater plug. A capping electrode is disposed on the phase change pattern. |
| US07667216B2 |
Method of achieving CD linearity control for full-chip CPL manufacturing
A method of generating masks for printing a pattern including a plurality of features having varying critical dimensions. The method includes the steps of: (1) obtaining data representing the pattern; (2) defining a plurality of distinct zones based on the critical dimensions of the plurality of features; (3) categorizing each of the features into one of the plurality of distinct zones; and (4) modifying the mask pattern for each feature categorized into a predefined distinct zone of the plurality of distinct zones. |
| US07667215B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing radiation shielding for non-invasive inspection systems
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for providing radiation shielding for non-invasive inspection systems. An embodiment of the apparatus may include a radiation shield having a plurality of slats, where each of the plurality of slats comprises a radiation attenuating material. The radiation shield may further include a support structure configured to hold the slats in a non-planar shape. An embodiment of the method may include gathering a plurality of slats, each slat comprising a radiation attenuating material. The method may further include disposing the slats to form a shielding curtain having a non-planar shape. The method may also include positioning the shielding curtain to cover an opening of a scanner. |
| US07667208B2 |
Technique for confining secondary electrons in plasma-based ion implantation
A technique for confining secondary electrons on a wafer is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus and method for confining secondary electrons in plasma-based ion implantation. The apparatus and method may comprise a magnetic field portion of a magnetic field configuration placed under a target wafer for generating a magnetic field above the target wafer for confining secondary electrons on the target wafer. The apparatus and method may also comprise a magnetic field above the target wafer that is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the target wafer. The apparatus and method may additionally comprise a magnetic field portion comprising at least one of a plurality of coils, one or more current-carrying wires, and a plurality of magnets. |
| US07667205B2 |
Method for determining a particle and sensor device therefor
A method for determining a particle impact on a sensor device comprising M sensing areas, each impact causing a variation of at least one physical magnitude of several sensing portions, said method comprising the steps of: determining an impact center sensing area, where the variation of the at least one physical magnitude is substantially maximal, allocating a result of a sum of the physical magnitude variations of a first set of N sensing areas, said set including the impact center area and other sensing areas neighboring said impact center sensing area, where N is at least 2 and is strict less than M. |
| US07667203B2 |
Gamma vector camera
A gamma vector camera is described for detecting and determining the energy spectrum of a gamma ray source and the direction to the gamma ray source. The gamma vector camera includes a detection system that records a track of a recoil electron produced by a Compton-scattering of an incident gamma ray emitted by the gamma ray source. A processor is configured to determine the energy and the direction of the recoil electron based on the track of the recoil electron recorded by the detection system, and to determine the energy spectrum of the gamma ray source and the direction to the gamma ray source based on the determined energies and directions of a plurality of recoil electrons produced by the Compton-scatterings of a respective plurality of incident gamma rays. |
| US07667201B2 |
Sensitive silicon sensor and test structure for an ultra-sensitive silicon sensor
A thermal radiation sensor is disclosed wherein a semiconductor thermocouple comprised of a pair of silicon diodes is connected in back-to-back relationship, with one of the diodes being located in a detector stage. The other diode is located in a heat bath stage together with a sensed temperature difference amplifier. The detector stage is thermally isolated from the heat bath stage by a low thermal conductivity link that includes electrical wires which connect the back-to-back diodes to the amplifier. |
| US07667200B1 |
Thermal microphotonic sensor and sensor array
A thermal microphotonic sensor is disclosed for detecting infrared radiation using heat generated by the infrared radiation to shift the resonant frequency of an optical resonator (e.g. a ring resonator) to which the heat is coupled. The shift in the resonant frequency can be determined from light in an optical waveguide which is evanescently coupled to the optical resonator. An infrared absorber can be provided on the optical waveguide either as a coating or as a plate to aid in absorption of the infrared radiation. In some cases, a vertical resonant cavity can be formed about the infrared absorber to further increase the absorption of the infrared radiation. The sensor can be formed as a single device, or as an array for imaging the infrared radiation. |
| US07667199B2 |
System and method for ascribing times to events in a medical imaging system
A timing circuit for implementation in a medical imaging system such as a PET scanner, and a method of ascribing times to events in such systems, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the timing circuit includes an n-phase clock having n frequencies of operation, wherein the clock is selectable to provide n-signals that each vary at n frequencies, an n-phase counter including n counter elements coupled to the clock, an n-phase status detection circuit including n status circuits coupled to the n-phase clock, and an n-phase output circuit including n-registers coupled to the n-phase clock and respectively coupled to the n-phase counter and to n-phase status detection circuit, wherein n-registers respectively receive the n-clock signals, the n-count signals, and the n-status signals, respectively, and in response respectively provide n-output signals that collectively form an output signal indicative of a time at which the event detection signal experienced the first status change. |
| US07667197B2 |
Mass analyzing apparatus
The present invention relates to a mass analyzing apparatus, comprising a first metal electrode plate, a second metal electrode plate, an RF power supply, a reactant gas and a mass spectrometry. The second metal electrode plate is grounded. There is a gap between the first metal electrode plate and the second metal electrode plate. The RF power supply is electrically connected to the first metal electrode plate. Electric discharge is caused between the first metal electrode plate and the second metal electrode plate, so that the reactant gas becomes dissociation plasma. The dissociation plasma reacts with a gas analyte from a sample and then enters the mass spectrometry for a mass analysis. In addition, since the dissociation plasma is generated under low temperature and atmospheric pressure, the mass analyzing apparatus of the present invention is applicable for biological samples that need to be analyzed at a low temperature. |
| US07667196B2 |
Sample preparation for mass spectrometric imaging
A method for applying MALDI matrix substances to a surface, especially a histologic thin tissue section, for spatially-resolved mass spectrometric measurements of substance distributions in or on the surface uses vibration to nebulize a solution of the matrix substance without the assistance of a gas and deposits the nebulized droplets, preferably cyclically, on the surface. |
| US07667195B2 |
High performance low cost MALDI MS-MS
The invention comprises apparatus and methods for rapidly and accurately determining mass-to-charge ratios of molecular ions produced by a pulsed ionization source, and for fragmenting all of the molecular ions produced and rapidly and accurately determining the intensities and mass-to-charge ratios of the fragments produced from each molecular ion. |
| US07667193B2 |
Personalised mass spectrometer
A personalized mass spectrometer system is described. By fabricating analyzer components on a module and including with that module an identifier for that module, it is possible to uniquely associate a user or task with one or more modules. The module is removably receivable within a housing and can be replaced with another module if so required. |
| US07667188B2 |
Position measuring device including a scale having an integrated reference marking
A scale and a position-measuring device include the shifting of reference markings in graduation tracks, offset transversely with respect to the measuring direction, by fractions of the interval of the reference markings within a graduation track. It is thus possible to eliminate, or at least to markedly reduce, negative effects of the disturbance of the periodicity of a graduation track by the reference markings. |
| US07667185B2 |
Optoelectronic sensor
This invention concerns an optoelectronic sensor assembly (10) with at least one light emitter (20) and at least one light receiver (30) comprising a spatially resolving receiving element (40), with the receiving element (40) having an inner region (42) comprising at least one photosensitive element (45) for detecting the light beam (25) and an outer region (44) comprising at least one photosensitive element (46, 47, 48, 49) for determining the position of the light beam (25) emitted by the light emitter (20), with the outer region (44) satisfying lower sensitivity and/or bandwidth requirements than the inner region (42). |
| US07667183B2 |
Image sensor with high fill factor pixels and method for forming an image sensor
An image sensor comprising an array of photoelectric conversion elements in a substrate, the photoelectric conversion elements being arranged in rows and columns extending in a first direction and a second direction respectively, a plurality of first junction isolation regions in the substrate that each isolate side portions of neighboring photoelectric conversion elements of a common row, and a plurality of second junction isolation regions in the substrate that each isolate side portions of neighboring photoelectric conversion elements of a common column, and a plurality of dielectric isolation regions in the substrate, that each isolate corner portions of neighboring photoelectric conversion elements. In one embodiment, the photoelectric conversion elements have a first pitch in the first direction and have a second pitch in the second direction and the first pitch is substantially equal for the photoelectric conversion elements of a common row, and the second pitch is substantially equal for the photoelectric conversion elements of a common column. |
| US07667179B2 |
Radiation image detector
A radiation image detector is provided. The radiation image detector is constituted by: a photoconductive layer that generates charges when electromagnetic waves are irradiated thereon; a common electrode to which a predetermined voltage is applied, provided on one side of the photoconductive layer; a plurality of divided electrodes that output signals corresponding to charges which are generated within the photoconductive layer, provided on the other side of the photoconductive layer; and protective layers that cover the edges of the divided electrodes, the edges being the side surfaces and portions of surfaces of the divided electrodes, which are continuous with the side surfaces, that face the photoconductive layer. The interfaces between the protective layers and the photoconductive layer are smooth surfaces across the entireties thereof. |
| US07667175B2 |
Imaging device driver and auto focus unit
An imaging device driver that drives an imaging device, comprising a detector and a controller, is provided. The imaging device has a light-receiving surface. A plurality of pixels are arranged on the light-receiving surface. Each individual pixel generates a pixel signal according to the intensity of light received by the pixel. The imaging device is capable of mixing a plurality of the pixel signals. The detector detects the brightness of a partial or entire optical image of an object captured by the imaging device. The controller determines the number of the pixel signals to mix according to the brightness of the partial or entire optical image. |
| US07667166B2 |
Heat-generating element of a heating device
A heat-generating element of a heating device for heating air includes at least one PTC element and, lying on opposing side surfaces of the PTC element, electric strip conductors. A heat-generating element that is improved with a view to safety from electric flashovers and leakage currents is created with the invention under consideration by providing an insulating gap between the PTC element and the positioning frame material that circumferentially surrounds the frame opening. Also disclosed is a heating device for heating air with multiple heat-generating elements, each heat-generating element comprising at least one PTC element and, lying on opposing side surfaces of the PTC element, electric strip conductors and multiple heat-emitting elements that are arranged in parallel layers and that are held in position in a frame on opposing sides of the heat-generating element with a spring bias. Due to the use of a heat-generating element, the heating device is protected from electric flashovers and leakage currents with a higher degree of certainty. |
| US07667162B2 |
Semiconductor thermal process control utilizing position oriented temperature generated thermal mask
During fabrication, a rotating semiconductor substrate is radiated in accordance with a thermal recipe. Temperature measurements of the semiconductor substrate are obtained along with the position of the semiconductor substrate at the time of each temperature measurement. It is then determined for the position of the semiconductor substrate whether at least one particular temperature measurement of the temperature measurements should be filtered. If so, at least one filtered temperature measurement is obtained. The radiation of the semiconductor substrate is subsequently controlled based on the temperature measurements, the at least one filtered temperature measurement, and the thermal recipe. |
| US07667159B2 |
Resolving thermoelectric potentials during laser trimming of resistors
Thermoelectric effects that occur during laser trimming of resistors (20) are resolved by taking voltage measurements. The voltage attributed to laser heating on a resistor (20) during a low-power simulated trim (10) is used to determine a relatively thermal-neutral location (18) on the resistor (20). A trimming-to-value operation can then be performed on all like resistors (20). Voltage measurements can also be taken before and after every pulse in a trimming operation to establish thermal deviation information that can be used to offset the desired trim value against which resistor measurement values are compared. Spatially distant or nonadjacent resistors (20) in a row or column can also be trimmed sequentially to minimize heating effects that might otherwise distort resistance values on adjacent or nearby resistors (20). |
| US07667158B2 |
Workpiece structure modification
A method of modifying the structure of workpiece (1) is provided. The method comprises a first step of causing relative movement between a power beam and the workpiece (1) so that a region (3) of the workpiece (1) is melted and the melted material displaced to form a projection (2) at a first location in the region (3) and a hole (4) at a different location in the region. The melted material is then allowed to at least partially solidify after which the first step is repeated one or more times, with the region corresponding to each repeat intersecting the region (3) of the first step. |
| US07667153B2 |
Double-pole change-over switch
A change-over switch for the switching of two electric circuits is disclosed, including a housing, a tappet, two contacts of a first electric circuit, two contacts of a second electric circuit, and a switching contact which comprises in an initial state a first shape in which said first electric circuit is closed and said second electric circuit is opened, and which by actuating said tappet may be transferred into a second shape in which said first electric circuit is opened and said second electric circuit is closed. |
| US07667152B2 |
Luminous micro-switch
A luminous micro-switch mainly includes a case which holds a depressing member and at least a first pin and a second pin inside that are spaced from each other. There is a bridging member interposed between the two pins and the depressing member to form electric connection with the first pin in regular conditions and output a signal when the bridging member is connected to the second pin due to depressing of the depressing member. The depressing member has a depressing end which has a holding trough to hold a lighting element which has two conductive terminals to receive electric power to generate light. By holding the lighting element in the holding trough the size of the micro-switch can be made smaller to be used on smaller electronic devices to overcome the bulky problem of conventional micro-switches caused by disposing the lighting element beneath the depressing member. |
| US07667151B2 |
Arrangement including rigid housing and display
Described is a device including a housing and a display arrangement. The housing is integrally formed (i.e., a single-piece housing) and has a predefined substantially transparent area. The housing has also at least one opening. The display arrangement is situated inside of the housing and is inserted into the housing through the opening and aligned with the predefined area. |
| US07667150B2 |
Moveable arm for a circuit breaker and method for making the same
A movable arm assembly for a circuit breaker includes a unitary structure having two blade portions being connected by a bend location. The bend location forms a gapless surface region. A contact is connected to the unitary structure wherein the gapless surface region and a contact surface of the contact are connected to form a joint therebetween. A method for forming a movable arm assembly includes forming a blank from a conductive sheet, the blank including a unitary structure having two blade portions, bending the blade portion at a bend location to form a gapless surface region at the bend location and joining a contact to the unitary structure on the gapless surface region at the bend location to form a movable arm assembly. |
| US07667149B2 |
Safety switch
A safety switch is provided which is increased in durability and which offers a high degree of freedom of mounting the safety switch to place.A switch body has a rectangular solid shape. An actuator entrance hole is formed at one of the opposite corner portions of the switch body whereas a cable lead-out port is formed at the other corner portion, whereby the safety switch is increased in the degree of mounting freedom. Thus is offered a wider choice of place to mount the safety switch. The switch body is formed with only one actuator entrance hole so that the safety switch is prevented from suffering failure caused by foreign substances invading through an actuator entrance hole left unused. In addition, a driving cam may be formed with an engaging portion and a cam curve portion in spaced relation so that the driving cam is configured to be free from an area having poor strength. Thus, the driving cam is increased in strength. This leads to the increased durability of the safety switch. |
| US07667144B2 |
Circuit board and method of fabricating the same
A circuit board including a dielectric layer, a circuit layer, at least one conductive joint column, and a solder mask layer is provided. The circuit layer having at least one pad is in contact with the dielectric layer. The conductive joint column is disposed on the pad. The solder mask layer is disposed on the dielectric layer and covers the circuit layer. The solder mask layer is in contact with the conductive joint column, and the conductive joint column penetrates the solder mask layer. A height of the conductive joint column is larger than a thickness of the solder mask layer. The enhanced reliability of bonding between another component and the conductive joint column will be provided. Further, a method of fabricating a circuit board is also provided. |
| US07667142B2 |
Lightweight circuit board with conductive constraining cores
Prepregs, laminates, printed wiring board structures and processes for constructing materials and printed wiring boards that enable the construction of printed wiring boards with improved thermal properties. In one embodiment, the prepregs include substrates impregnated with electrically and thermally conductive resins. In other embodiments, the prepregs have substrate materials that include carbon. In other embodiments, the prepregs include substrates impregnated with thermally conductive resins. In other embodiments, the printed wiring board structures include electrically and thermally conductive laminates that can act as ground and/or power planes. |
| US07667141B2 |
Flexible printed circuit layout and method thereof
The present invention discloses a flexible printed circuit (FPC) layout and a method thereof. The flexible printed circuit (FPC) layout method comprises steps of: providing a circuit board body; disposing at least an electroplating point on the circuit board body; disposing a plurality of solder pads on the circuit board body, the plurality of solder pads comprising at least a first solder pad and at least a second solder pad being connected respectively to the electroplating point through an internal wire, the first solder pad being further connected to an electroplating zone on the circuit board body through an external wire; performing an electroplating process from the electroplating zone through the external wire so that the external wire, the first solder pad connected to the external wire, the electroplating point connected through the internal wire to the first solder pad, and the second solder pad connected through the internal wire to the electroplating point are electroplated and electrically connected; and providing at least a via hole at the electroplating point on the circuit board body to form an open circuit between the first solder pad and the second solder pad. By using the disclosed method, the flexible printed circuit layout of the present invention can be formed. |
| US07667138B2 |
Electronic apparatus with flexible flat cable for high-speed signal transmission
According to one embodiment, a flexible flat cable includes a plurality of ground lines and a plurality of signal lines. Each of the ground lines is connected to an electromagnetic shield layer by two connection line members. An arrangement of the ground lines and signal lines that are positioned in a region on one side of a center line of the flexible flat cable and an arrangement of the ground lines and signal lines on a region on the other side are symmetric with respect to the center line. In each of two connectors to which end portions of the flexible flat cable are coupled, terminals corresponding to the ground lines are grounded, a terminal corresponding to a signal line interposed between two ground lines is assigned a high-speed signal, and a terminal corresponding to another signal line is assigned a ground potential. |
| US07667137B1 |
Bracket for mounting an electrical outlet box
A bracket for mounting an electrical outlet box on studs. A longitudinal strip is provided with a first end and a second end. The strip has a first double 90° bend offset which is located a first predetermined distance from the first end. A second double 90° bend is offset a second predetermined distance from the second end of the strip. A bendable planar sheet extends from the longitudinal strip and has a main body and a protrusion formed at its distal end. |
| US07667135B2 |
Network cabinet
A network cabinet is provided comprising a support frame and a threshold associated with the support frame. A door comprising first and second lateral sides is mounted to the support frame through a hinge pin. The hinge pin is moveable between retracted and extended positions and is positioned closer to the first lateral side of the door than the second lateral side. A bearing surface is also associated with the support frame and is aligned with the hinge pin such that the door is elevated relative to the threshold with the hinge pin in the extended position and in contact with the bearing surface. |
| US07667128B2 |
Transducer for converting between mechanical vibration and electrical signal
A transducer for converting mechanical vibrations to an electrical signal and/or for converting an electrical signal to mechanical vibration. Damping liquid damps the relative vibration of transducer components. The damping liquid can be selected to optimize the sound quality of acoustic vibrations at the point of transduction. Also, a transducer with components that rotate relative to each other. For example, a permanent magnet component may simultaneous vibrate rotationally and linearly with respect to an electric signal carrying coil. The characteristics of the rotational vibration may be adjusted to optimize sound quality of acoustic vibrations at the point of transduction. |
| US07667127B2 |
Electronic musical apparatus having automatic performance feature and computer-readable medium storing a computer program therefor
In an automatic performance system, song and style data DAi and DCj (i:1 through n, j:1 through m) contains tempo and meter data TPa, TMa; TPc, TMc, respectively, so that the style data DCj whose tempo and meter data matches with those of the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi. On the basis of user's settings, furthermore, style setting data SS (DBi) indicating style data DCk (k:1 through m) to be concurrently reproduced and tone color setting data VS (DBi) for setting a manual tone color are stored in association with the song data DAi. Based on the style setting data SS, the style data DCk associated with the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi, or a manual performance is conducted, during the reproduction of the song data DAi, on the basis of tone color data derived from the tone color setting data VS. As described above, settings of a style and tone color for manual performance suitable for a song is achieved. |
| US07667125B2 |
Music transcription
Methods, systems, and devices are described for automatically converting audio input signal data into musical score representation data. Embodiments of the invention identify a change in frequency information from the audio signal that exceeds a first threshold value; identify a change in amplitude information from the audio signal that exceeds a second threshold value; and generate a note onset event, each note onset event representing a time location in the audio signal of at least one of an identified change in the frequency information that exceeds the first threshold value or an identified change in the amplitude information that exceeds the second threshold value. The generation of note onset events and other information from the audio input signal may be used to extract note pitch, note value, tempo, meter, key, instrumentation, and other score representation information. |
| US07667124B2 |
Graphical user interface and methods of use thereof in a multimedia player
In a portable multimedia device, a method, apparatus, and system for providing user supplied configuration data are described. In one embodiment, a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface are provided. A first order, or home, interface provides a highest order of user selectable items each of which, when selected, results in an automatic transition to a lower order user interface associated with the selected item. In one of the described embodiments, the lower order interface includes other user selectable items associated with the previously selected item from the higher order user interface. |
| US07667123B2 |
System and method for musical playlist selection in a portable audio device
A portable audio playing device implements a jukebox manager function to permit the simple generation of musical playlists and the alteration or editing of existing playlists. Data, such as MPEG-3 data or other conventional audio format data, may be readily downloaded into the system for storage in a solid state memory or in a spinning media device. The audio tracks are associated with one or more metatags that are used to describe the content of each track. The metatags and associated audio tracks are stored in a data structure that may be implemented as a database or other convenient data structure that readily permits searching by user-specified search terms. The user generates a new playlist by selecting one or more metatags corresponding to the desired musical tracks. The system queries the data structure using the user-specified metatags and automatically generates a playlist containing one or more audio tracks whose metatags correspond to the user-specified metatags. Alternatively, the system may perform the same query and simply generate a results list that will allow the user to manually specify which of the audio tracks identified by the search process will be added to the newly created playlist. The system also permits the simple editing of existing playlists. New audio tracks may be added in the manner described above using metatags for searching or maybe manually added from the list of stored audio tracks. The system readily supports different audio formats and different playlist types. |
| US07667122B2 |
Motion data generation device, motion data generation method, and recording medium for recording a motion data generation program
To generate motion data of a motion in synchronization with a melody of music. As an embodiment of the present invention, when motion pattern data corresponding to a predetermined motion pattern is stored, music data is analyzed to detect a beat of music based on the music data, and the music data is divided into a plurality of bar intervals based on the detected beat, the motion pattern data is allocated to the bar intervals of the music data being divided to generate motion data. In this manner, when the motion data is reproduced together with the music data, the motion pattern can be switched in synchronization with switching of first bar intervals and second bar intervals corresponding to a bar when the music based on music data is expressed in a musical score. |
| US07667120B2 |
Training method using specific audio patterns and techniques
A method is disclosed that utilizes specific techniques, based upon empirical study, to significantly increase the ability of a trainee to remain focused on the training materials and subject matter and actually learn and retain the training subject matter. More specifically, the present invention utilizes audio and/or visual (e.g., a personal computer) elements, with a strict set of rules which must be followed regarding sentence length, narrators, and underlying music within the dialog to create a specific rhythmic “feel” to the training. As a result of using such techniques, significantly improved results over prior art training methods can be obtained. |
| US07667117B2 |
Musical instrument piston valve
A musical instrument piston valve receivable in a valve casing. The valve includes a valve stem, a valve barrel connected to the valve stem, and a valve guide slidably disposed with respect to the valve barrel. A spring is disposed in the valve barrel extending between the valve stem and the valve guide. A piston extends from the valve barrel and includes one or more ports. There are also various ways of adjusting the angular orientation of the piston in the valve casing. It is preferred that the piston and the valve barrel are monolithic in construction and the piston valve includes an adjustable valve guide. |
| US07667116B2 |
Key actuating system
A key actuating system (1) of a keyboard musical instrument is provided which helps quickly push the keys by reducing reaction force with respect to force of pushing the keys during manual operation, and which supports a person having less strength to play the keyboard musical instrument. The key actuating system for a keyboard musical instrument generates a sound when a key (3) is pushed including: a pressure detection sensor (11) detecting a pushing pressure on the key; a status detection sensor (13) detecting a movement status of the key: an actuator (15) actuating the key in a pushing direction of the key; and a control portion (19), when the pressure detection sensor detects the pushing pressure and the status detection sensor detects motion of the key, controls operations of the actuator in order to maintain the detected pressure by the pressure detection sensor at a pressure threshold which is in a range larger than 0 and smaller than a pushing pressure on the key which is necessary for making a sound. |
| US07667111B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV485971
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV485971. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV485971, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV485971 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV485971 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV485971. |
| US07667106B2 |
Tobacco cultivar ‘AOB 175’
The present invention relates to a novel tobacco cultivar designated AOB 175, which has low to intermediate nicotine content. The invention provides seeds of the cultivar AOB 175, plants and parts thereof of the cultivar AOB 175, a tissue culture derived from the cultivar AOB 175, hybrids produced from cultivar AOB 175 and lines derived from cultivar AOB 175, as well as genetically modified forms of the foregoing plants and tissue culture. Also provided are methods of producing cultivar AOB 175 plants, cultivar AOB 175 hybrid plants, and tobacco lines derived from cultivar AOB 175. In addition, products produced from the plants of the present invention are provided. |
| US07667104B2 |
Tobacco cultivar AOB 171
The present invention relates to a novel tobacco cultivar designated AOB 171, which has low to intermediate nicotine content. The invention provides seeds of the cultivar AOB 171, plants and parts thereof of the cultivar AOB 171, a tissue culture derived from the cultivar AOB 171, hybrids produced from cultivar AOB 171 and lines derived from cultivar AOB 171, as well as genetically modified forms of the foregoing plants and tissue culture. Also provided are methods of producing cultivar AOB 171 plants, cultivar AOB 171 hybrid plants, and tobacco lines derived from cultivar AOB 171. In addition, products produced from the plants of the present invention are provided. |
| US07667103B2 |
Cotton variety FM 991B2R
A novel cotton variety, designated as FM 991B2R, is disclosed. The invention relates to seeds, plants, plant cells, plant tissue, harvested products and cotton lint as well as to hybrid cotton plants and seeds obtained by crossing plants of variety FM 991B2R with other plants. The invention also relates to plants and varieties produced by the method of essential derivation from plants of FM 99IB2R and to plants of FM 991B2R reproduced by vegetative methods, including but not limited to tissue culture of regenerable cells or tissue from FM 991B2R. |
| US07667098B2 |
Expression cassettes for root-preferential expression in plants
The present invention relates to expression cassettes comprising transcription regulating sequences with root-preferential or root-specific expression profiles in plants obtainable from Arabidopsis thaliana genes At1g66280, At1g74500, At1g49570, At1g70710, At5g66690, At3g29630, At5g48070, or At4g17800. The expression cassettes according to the present invention may be employed for expression of a protein, or expression of an antisense RNA, sense or double-stranded RNA. Preferably, expression of the nucleic acid sequence confers to the plant an agronomically valuable trait. Vectors comprising such expression cassette, and transgenic host cell or non-human organism comprising the expression cassette or the vector is also enclosed. Also enclosed is a method for identifying and/or isolating a sequence with root-specific or root-preferential transcription regulating activity. |
| US07667093B2 |
Site-specific recombination system to manipulate the plastid genome of higher plants
A site specific recombination system and methods of use thereof are disclosed for manipulating the genome of higher plants. |
| US07667091B2 |
Method of encoding information in nucleic acids of a genetically engineered organism
The present invention provides a method of producing a genetically engineered transgenic organism, by (a) incorporating into the organism a functional DNA sequence that confers a trait on an organism and (b) incorporating into the organism a non-functional DNA sequence, wherein the non-functional DNA sequence encodes an information message using a predefined coding scheme, wherein the information message provides information about the functional DNA sequence, and the predefined coding scheme can be used to map a plurality of information messages into a plurality of non-functional DNA sequences and additionally, the functional and the non-functional DNA sequence are incorporated into the same chromosome of the organism. |
| US07667090B2 |
Transgenic mouse model of B cell malignancy
A transgenic non-human animal, such as a mouse, has a genome that include a nucleic acid construct having at least one transcriptional regulatory sequence capable of directing expression in B cells of the animal, wherein the transcriptional regulatory sequence is operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a miR155 gene product. A method of testing the therapeutic efficacy of an agent in treating or preventing a lymphoproliferative condition includes assessing the effect(s) of the agent on a transgenic non-human animal. |
| US07667083B2 |
Fluorosulfonyl group-containing compound, method for its production and polymer thereof
A compound containing two fluorosulfonyl groups which are groups convertible to sulfonic acid groups, an intermediate therefor, and methods for their production with high productivity, are provided. Also provided are a fluorosulfonyl group-containing polymer obtained by polymerizing such a compound, and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer obtained from such a polymer.A method for producing a compound of the following formula (m0), such a compound, a fluorosulfonyl group-containing polymer obtained by polymerizing such a compound, and a sulfonic acid group-containing polymer obtained from such a polymer, provided that RF01 is a single bond or a C1-6 bivalent perfluoro organic group, RF02 is a C1-6 bivalent perfluoro organic group, and n is 0 or 1. |
| US07667076B2 |
Amide forming chemical ligation
An amide is formed by reacting an α-ketoacid or salt thereof in a decarboxylative condensation reaction with an amine or salt thereof comprising a nitrogen covalently bound to an atom selected from oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. The amide bond is formed between the α-carbon of the ketoacid and the nitrogen of the amine. The α-ketoacid can be formed using a novel sulfur reagent. |
| US07667075B2 |
Sulphonylated diphenylethylenediamines, method for their preparation and use in transfer hydrogenation catalysis
A diamine of formula (I) is described, in which A is hydrogen or a saturated or unsaturated C1-C20 alkyl group or an aryl group; B is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkaryl, alkaryl or aryl group or an alkylamino group and at least one of X1, X2, Y1, Y2 or Z is a C1-C10 alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkaryl, aralkyl or alkoxy substituting group. The chiral diamine may be used to prepare catalysts suitable for use in transfer hydrogenation reactions. |
| US07667071B2 |
Process for the preparation of gabapentin hydrochloride
A process for preparation of gabapentin hydrochloride by converting 1,5-dicyano-2,4-dioxo-3-azaspiro[5,5]-undecane into 1,5-diaminoformyl-2,4-dioxo-3-azaspiro[5,5]-undecane at a temperature of 65° C. to 85° C. in the presence of a strong acid, and then carrying out Hofmann rearrangement under an alkaline condition. The starting material of the process is readily available. The process is simple, and can reduce the purification procedure of intermediates, reduce production cost, and obtain product with higher purity. |
| US07667070B2 |
Lipophilic compounds and uses thereof
The present invention has for an object a cationic lipophilic compound of the following general formula (I): wherein: a) R1 and R′1 each represent, independently from one another, an alkyl chain, an alkenyl chain or a polyalkenyl chain with from 10 to 24 carbon atoms, with the polyalkenyl chain having from 2 to 4 double links; b) R2 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl chain having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and R3 is a group with the following formula (IIa) —(CH2)n— or following formula (IIb) —C(═NH)—NH—(CH2)n— wherein: n is an integer equal to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and d) A+ is an organic cation; e) X− is an anion. |
| US07667067B1 |
Cosmetic emulsifiers
A composition, process of preparation, and utility of salts of fatty acid esters of amino-alcohols such as dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE) as emulsifiers useful for formulating with lipids and waxes is described. DMAE fatty acid esters were prepared enzymatically in the absence of added solvent, and then salified directly with carboxylic acids to form the salts. The compounds were used to make stable emulsions with a variety of cosmetically acceptable lipids. |
| US07667063B2 |
Method for producing trialkyl gallium
The present invention provides method 1 for producing a trialkyl gallium comprising the steps of reacting gallium, magnesium, and an alkyl halide in an ether, and diluting during the reaction the reaction system with an ether; method 2 for producing a trialkyl gallium comprising the steps of heating in a vacuum a mixture of magnesium and molten gallium, and reacting the mixture with an alkyl halide in a solvent; and method 3 for producing a trialkyl gallium comprising the step of reacting an alkyl metal with an alkylgallium halide compound represented by the formula Ga2RmX6-m wherein R is a methyl or ethyl group, X is a halogen atom, and m is an integer from 1 to 5. |
| US07667061B2 |
Method of preparing a composition using argentation chromatography
The present invention is directed to a method of preparing compositions enriched in compounds containing carbon chains of varying degrees of unsaturation using argentation chromatography. The present method utilizes an argentized cationic resin or a conditioned argentized alumina to separate compounds containing saturated or mono-unsaturated carbon chains from compounds having polyunsaturated carbon chains present in a starting composition. The invention is particularly useful for preparing a composition enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acid alkyl esters from mixtures of fatty acid esters in a starting composition derived from vegetable oils. The present invention is also directed to a method of preparing a conditioned argentized alumina adsorbent having increased selectivity for compounds containing one or more polyunsaturated carbon chains. |
| US07667059B2 |
Process for producing glycerin and fatty alcohol via hydrogenation
The invention relates to a process for producing a fatty alcohol and glycerin by hydrogenation reaction of fats and oils in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the reaction is carried out in the coexistence of an organic solvent. |
| US07667055B2 |
Processes for the production of polycyclic fused ring compounds
The present invention provides processes for the production of polycyclic fused ring compounds. The polycyclic fused ring compounds are produced by protecting a polycyclic fused ring polyol with a bridging silicon-based protecting group and attaching a suitable side chain. Polycyclic fused ring compounds and intermediate compounds are also described. |
| US07667050B2 |
Salt suitable for an acid generator and a chemically amplified positive resist composition containing the same
The present invention provides a salt represented by the formula (I): wherein X represents a C3-C30 divalent group containing at least one divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group, and at least one —CH2— in the C3-C30 divalent group may be substituted with —O— or —CO—, Y represents a C3-C30 cyclic hydrocarbon group which may be substituted with at least one group selected from a C1-C6 alkoxy group, a C1-C4 perfluoroalkyl group, a C1-C6 hydroxyalkyl group, a hydroxyl group and a cyano group, and at least one —CH2— in the C3-C30 cyclic hydrocarbon group may be substituted with —O— or —CO—, Q1 and Q2 each independently represent a fluorine atom or a C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl group, and A+ represents an organic counter ion. |
| US07667049B2 |
Process for producing 3,4-disubstituted pyrrolidine derivative and production intermediate thereof
An industrially advantageous process for the production of (3R,4S)-3-cyclopropylaminomethyl-4-fluoropyrrolidine or an enantiomer thereof that is useful as an intermediate for the production of novel antimicrobial agents 10-(3-cyclopropylaminomethyl-4-fluoropyrrolidinyl)pyridobenzoxazine carboxylic acid derivatives.Highly stereoselective asymmetric hydrogenation of 1-protected-4-alkoxycarbonyl-3-oxopyrrolidine, followed by ester hydrolysis, followed by amidation with cyclopropylamine gives crude crystals. The crude crystals are purified by recrystallization to give a novel compound (3R,4S)-1-protected-3-cyclopropylcarbamoyl-4-hydroxypyrrolidine or an enantiomer thereof at high optical purity. The use of these intermediates enables industrial production of high-quality products of (3R,4S)-3-cyclopropylaminomethyl-4-fluoropyrrolidine or an enantiomer thereof. The process is highly simple and can produce the desired products at high purity and stable yields. |
| US07667047B2 |
Colorant
A colorant contains a crystal of a compound represented by the following formula (1): the crystal having a crystal form showing main peaks at interplanar spacings d of 3.45±0.5 Å, 3.63±0.5 Å, 4.23±0.5 Å, 6.65±0.5 Å, and 7.84±0.5 Å in powder X-ray diffraction pattern with CuKα radiation. |
| US07667046B2 |
N-sulfonyldicarboximide containing tethering compounds
Compounds having two reactive functional groups are described that can be used as a tethering compound to immobilize an amine-containing material to a substrate. The first reactive functional group can be used to provide attachment to a surface of a substrate. The second reactive functional group is a N-sulfonyldicarboximide group that can be reacted with an amine-containing material, particularly a primary aliphatic amine, to form a connector group between the substrate and the amine-containing material. The invention also provides articles and methods for immobilizing amine-containing materials to a substrate. |
| US07667044B2 |
Compounds for the treatment of neurological disorders
The present invention relates to novel inhibitors of prolyl endopeptidase of formula 1 W—KCONH—X—CON—Y—CO—Z (1) wherein K, W, X, Y and Z are specified in the description. The compounds are useful for the treatment of diseases such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer's disease, Down Syndrome, Parkinson disease and Chorea Huntington. |
| US07667043B2 |
Molecular structures with controllable electron conducting properties
Aromatic and heteroaromatic molecular structures with controllable electron conducting properties are derived from the incorporation of electron active substituents in selective positions. Such compounds can form self-assembled layers on metal or other substrates, and can be used in molecular scaled opto-electronic devices including field-effect transistors, light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic cells. |
| US07667042B2 |
Stable polymorphic forms of an anticonvulsant
Stable polymorphic forms III, IV and substantially amorphous form of an anticonvulsant, tiagabine hydrochloride. |
| US07667034B2 |
Chemical synthesis of S-adenosyl-L-methionine with enrichment of (S,S)-isomer
This invention relates to an improved process for the industrial manufacture of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) of formula (I), which consists of stereo-selective methylation of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) with the enrichment of active (S,S)-isomer. |
| US07667030B2 |
RNA interference mediated inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA)
This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating matrix metalloproteinase (e.g., MMP13) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of MMP13 gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of MMP13 genes. |
| US07667029B2 |
RNA interference mediated inhibition of checkpoint kinase-1 (CHK-1) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA)
This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating checkpoint kinase (e.g., checkpoint kinase-1 or CHK-1) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of checkpoint kinase gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of checkpoint kinase genes. |
| US07667027B2 |
Antisense-oligonucleotides for the treatment of immuno-suppressive effects of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)
Antisense-oligonucleotides or effective derivatives thereof hybridizing with an area of a gene coding for transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) comprising the following nucleic acid sequences identified in the sequence listing under SEQ ID NO. 1-56 and 137 or comprising the following nucleic acid sequences identified in the sequence listing under SEQ ID NO. 57 to 136 each of the nucleic acids having a DNA- or RNA-type structure. |
| US07667024B2 |
Oligonucleotides labeled with a plurality of fluorophores
An embodiment of the invention discloses new methods for designing labeled nucleic acid probes and primers by labeling oligonucleotides with a plurality of spectrally identical or similar dyes and optionally with one or more quencher dyes. Oligonucleotides labeled in accordance with some embodiments of the invention exhibit a detectable increase in signal, for example, fluorescent signal when the labeling dyes are separated from one another. Methods for separating the dye include cleaving the labeled oligonucleotides include using enzymes that have 5′-exonuclease activity. In one embodiment nucleic acid primers of the present invention may fluoresce upon hybridization to a target sequence and incorporation into the amplification product. Nucleic acid probes and primers of the present invention have wide applications ranging from general detection of a target nucleic acid sequence to clinical diagnostics. Major advantages of the oligonucleotides including nucleic acid probes and primers of many embodiments of the present invention are their synthetic simplicity, spectral versatility and superior fluorescent signal. |
| US07667023B2 |
Promoter and vectors for plant transformation and methods of using same
The invention is directed to a promoter, designated MuB, sequences which hybridize to same and functional fragments thereof. The regulatory element of the invention provide improved expression in plants of operably linked nucleotide sequences. Expression vectors with the regulatory element is the subject of the invention, which may further include an operably linked nucleotide sequence. The invention is further directed to transformed plant tissue including the nucleotide sequence and to transformed plants and seeds thereof. The regulatory element is useful for driving gene or antisense expression or the like for the purpose of imparting agronomically useful traits such as, but not limited to, increase in yield, disease resistance, insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought tolerance and salt tolerance in plants. |
| US07667014B2 |
Method of detecting the expression of PPN/MG61 and the use of it
The present invention is directed to methods for comparatively detecting the level of human Porcupine (PPN)/MG61, a family member of membrane-bound O-acyltransferases, which is the human homologue of the Drosophila polarity gene Porcupine (Porc), and use thereof. |
| US07667012B2 |
Chemoselective ligation
The present invention features a chemoselective ligation reaction that can be carried out under physiological conditions. In general, the invention involves condensation of a specifically engineered phosphine, which can provide for formation of an amide bond between the two reactive partners resulting in a final product comprising a phosphine moiety, or which can be engineered to comprise a cleavable linker so that a substituent of the phosphine is transferred to the azide, releasing an oxidized phosphine byproduct and producing a native amide bond in the final product. The selectivity of the reaction and its compatibility with aqueous environments provides for its application in vivo (e.g. on the cell surface or intracellularly) and in vitro (e.g., synthesis of peptides and other polymers, production of modified (e.g., labeled) amino acids). |
| US07667010B2 |
Open channel solid phase extraction systems and methods
The invention provides, inter alia, methods of extracting an analyte from a solution comprising the steps of: passing a solution containing an analyte through an extraction channel having a solid phase extraction surface, whereby analyte adsorbs to the extraction surface of said extraction channel; purging bulk liquid from said extraction channel; and eluting the analyte by passing a desorption solvent through the channel. The invention further provides reagents, columns and instrumentation related to this and other methods. |
| US07667009B2 |
Method for purifying modified major mite allergen
A method for purifying a modified major mite allergen obtained by the genetic recombination technique and a purified modified major mite allergen obtained by said method for purification are provided. A method for purifying a modified major mite allergen obtained by the genetic recombination technique, which comprises the purification steps: (1) Washing and recovering inclusion bodies containing a modified major mite allergen obtained by the genetic recombination technique with MF membrane; (2) Dissolving said inclusion bodies followed by refolding; (3) Concentrating a solution containing the modified major mite allergen with simultaneous removal of low molecular weight components with ultrafiltration membrane; (4) Recovering the modified major mite allergen in non-adsorbed fractions with an anion exchanger; (5) Recovering the modified major mite allergen in adsorbed fractions with a hydrophobic gel; and (6) Recovering the modified major mite allergen in adsorbed fractions with an anion exchanger, and a modified major mite allergen with high purity obtained by said method for purification. |
| US07667006B2 |
Anti-HIV antibody
The present invention aims at providing a high affinity anti-HIV antibody. According to the present invention, there are provided an antibody or a fragment thereof that binds to the gp12 glycoprotein of HIV and has a dissociation constant (KD) value of 1.0×10−9 (M) or less; a pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody or fragment thereof; and a method of producing an anti-HIV antibody or a fragment thereof, comprising immunizing a GANP transgenic non-human mammal or a progeny thereof with a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 as an antigen and collecting the antibody from the resultant mammal or progeny. |
| US07667004B2 |
Humanized antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factor
Methods are provided for designing and selecting antibodies against human antigens with high affinity and specificity in silico and in vitro. In some particular embodiments, methods are provided for designing and selecting humanized or fully human antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with high affinity and specificity. In another aspect of the invention, monoclonal antibodies against VEGF are provided. In particular, humanized or human anti-VEGF monoclonal antibodies are provided with ability to bind to human VEGF with high affinity, inhibit VEGF-induced proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro and inhibit VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vivo. These antibodies and their derivative can be used in a wide variety of applications such as diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases such as cancer, AMD, diabetic retinopathy, and other diseases derived from pathological angiogenesis. |
| US07667003B2 |
Antibody directed to human mist (mast cell immunoreceptor signal transducer)
The present invention describes a newly discovered full-length polynucleotide encoding an SH2 domain-containing adapter protein, called human MIST, cloned, isolated and identified from a human spleen cDNA library. Also described are the MIST polypeptide sequence, expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antagonists, antisense molecules, and antibodies related to the polynucleotide and/or polypeptide of the present invention. Novel splice variant forms of human MIST are provided. Methods for screening for modulators, particularly inhibitors, of the MIST protein and use of the human MIST polynucleotide and polypeptide for therapeutics and diagnostics are described. |
| US07666994B2 |
Cloning and expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors
An isolated and purified GnRH protein receptor protein including an amino acid sequence selected from the group and an isolated and purified DNA which comprises a nucleotide sequence coding for the GnRH protein receptor protein. Also, a vector comprising the DNA of the GnRH protein receptor protein, a transformant carrying the vector comprising the DNA of the GnRH protein receptor protein, a process for producing a GnRH protein receptor protein or a salt thereof including culturing the transformant carrying the vector comprising the DNA of the GnRH protein receptor protein under sufficient conditions and for appropriate time to express the GnRH protein receptor protein, and a method of screening for a ligand to the GnRH protein receptor protein including contacting the GnRH protein receptor protein or a salt thereof with a sample to be tested. A screening method for a compound capable of inhibiting binding of the GnRH protein receptor protein with a ligand. Also, a kit for screening a compound capable of inhibiting binding of the GnRH protein receptor protein with a ligand including the GnRH protein receptor protein or a salt. |
| US07666991B2 |
Compositions for needleless delivery of antibodies
The present invention relates, in part, to methods and compositions for needleless delivery of antibodies to a subject. The present invention also relates, in part, to methods for needleless delivery of fusion proteins comprising a bioactive molecule and an antibody fragment to subject. In one aspect, the methods and compositions involve administering to the subject a delivery construct comprising a carrier construct non-covalently bound to the antibody or fusion protein to be delivered, wherein the carrier construct comprises a receptor-binding domain, a transcytosis domain, and an antibody-binding domain to which the antibody or the antibody fragment of the fusion protein non-covalently binds. |
| US07666987B2 |
Bioluminescent caspase assay compounds
A sensitive bioluminescent assay to detect proteases including caspases is provided which employs an aminoluciferin or a carboxy-terminal protected derivative thereof covalently linked via a peptide bond to a substrate for a caspase or an aminoluciferin or a carboxy-terminal protected derivative thereof covalently linked via a peptide bond to a peptide substrate comprising aspartate that is specifically cleaved by a protease specific for the substrate. |
| US07666985B2 |
HLA-A24-restricted cancer antigen peptides
HLA-A24-restricted peptides derived from WT1 which have an activity to induce CTLs in vivo, polynucleotides encoding said peptides, cancer vaccines using those peptides or polynucleotides in vivo or in vitro, or the like are provided. The cancer vaccines of the present invention may be used to treat many cancer patients. |
| US07666984B2 |
Tumour-associated peptides binding to MHC-molecules
The invention relates to a tumor-associated peptide containing an amino sequence, which is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO:79 of the enclosed listing. The peptide has the ability to bind to a molecule of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-I. The invention also relates to the use of the peptides for manufacture of a medicament and for treating tumorous diseases. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition, which comprises at least one of the peptides. |
| US07666979B2 |
Methods for preparing multivalent constructs for therapeutic and diagnostic applications and methods of preparing the same
Methods for the preparation of multivalent constructs for therapeutic and diagnostic applications are provided. More specifically, novel methods for preparing multivalent constructs comprising the formula A-B-C-D-E-B′-F for therapeutic and diagnostic applications are provided which use a novel linker D comprising, in various embodiments, a dicarboxylic acid derivative such as, e.g., a glutaric acid bis N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester or a derivative thereof; or a diamine derivative.The remaining components in the multivalent construct A-B-C-D-E-B′-F are defined as follows: A is a first peptide, B is a first branching group, C is an optional first spacer, E is an optional second spacer which may be the same as or different from said first spacer C, B′ is an optional second branching group which may be the same as or different from said first branching group B, and F is a second peptide which may be the same as or different from said first peptide A. |
| US07666973B2 |
Carbonate copolymers
Copolymer compositions are provided which include a cyclic monomer and an aromatic cyclic carbonate. The copolymer may be produced, in embodiments, by a ring-opening polymerization reaction initiated by the aromatic cyclic carbonate. The resulting copolymer may be utilized in producing medical devices, drug delivery devices, and/or coatings for medical devices. |
| US07666971B2 |
Amide/urea-modified liquid diphenylmethane diisocyanates
This invention relates to novel liquid, storage-stable, amide-modified diphenylmethane diisocyanates and to a process for the production of these liquid, storage-stable diphenylmethane diisocyanates. |
| US07666969B2 |
Silicone resin coating for electronic components
One-component, H-siloxane-containing addition-crosslinkable silicone resins, are prepared by charging a reactor with water and a solvent mixture of at least one aromatic solvent and at least one alkyl ester, adding a chlorosilane mixture containing an Si—H functional silane and a silane bearing an unsaturated hydrosilylatable group with stirring, the temperature not being above 50° C., separating an aqueous phase comprising a one-component, H-siloxane-containing addition-crosslinkable silicone resin, and washing the phase comprising the one-component, H-siloxane-containing addition-crosslinkable silicone resin in at least two washing steps to reduce residual HCl content, a final washing carried out using a 0.01%-1.0% strength aqueous solution of a base with a pH between 7.00-8.50, at a temperature of 20-50° C. |
| US07666967B2 |
Ester compound, polymer, resist composition, and patterning process
A polymer comprising recurring units (2) obtained through polymerization of an ester compound of formula (1) is used to form a resist composition. R1 is F or C1-C6 fluoroalkyl, R2 is H or C1-C8 alkyl, R3 is O or C1-C6 alkylene, R4 and R5 each are H or C1-C10 alkyl or fluoroalkyl, and R6 is H or an acid labile group. The resist composition, when processed by ArF lithography, has advantages including improved resolution, transparency, minimal line edge roughness, and etch resistance. The resist composition exhibits better performance when processed by ArF immersion lithography with liquid interposed between a projection lens and a wafer. |
| US07666963B2 |
Hybrid copolymers
Hybrid copolymers for use as anti-scalant and dispersant. The polymers are useful in compositions used in aqueous systems. The polymers include at least one synthetic monomeric constituent that is chain terminated by a naturally occurring hydroxyl containing moiety. A process for preparing these hybrid copolymers is also provided. |
| US07666961B2 |
Olefin polymerization process
A slurry process for polymerizing ethylene is disclosed. The process comprises polymerizing ethylene in the presence of an α-olefin and a catalyst comprising an activator and a supported bridged bis-indeno[2,1-b]indolyl zirconium complex. The process uses a highly active catalyst and provides polyethylene characterized by a high level of long-chain branching. |
| US07666959B2 |
Dual site catalyst system comprising a hafnocene component for the production of bimodal polyolefins in a single reactor
The present invention discloses a metallocene catalyst system for producing polyolefins comprising: A. a hafnocene-based catalyst component suitable for producing the high molecular weight fraction of the polyolefin; B. one or more metallocene or post-metallocene components different from the component A and suitable for producing the low molecular weight fraction of the polyolefin; C. an activating agent having a low or no coordinating capability. |
| US07666957B2 |
Polymerization process
A process for the polymerisation of ethylene and optionally at least one C3-20 alpha olefin comonomer in the slurry or solution phase in a reactor having a polymer outlet stream, a procatalyst or catalyst feed stream and a hydrogen feed stream, said polymerisation being effected in the presence of a metallocene catalyst, a diluent and hydrogen, wherein said diluent is recycled from said outlet stream to said hydrogen feed stream, said procatalyst or catalyst feed stream is free of hydrogen, said hydrogen feed stream is free of procatalyst or catalyst and said procatalyst or catalyst feed stream does not comprise recycled diluent. |
| US07666954B2 |
Epoxy resin amine curing agent of N,N′-dimethyl secondary diamine polymer
The present invention provides N,N′-dimethyl secondary diamine polymers including methylamine-terminated poly-(N-methylazetidine) and methylamine-terminated poly-(N-methylazacycloheptane). Amine compositions and amine-epoxy compositions comprising N,N′-dimethyl secondary diamine polymers are also disclosed. |
| US07666949B2 |
Curing compositions for fluoropolymers
A curative composition comprising a cation and an anion of the formula Anq−Qpm+, wherein m, n, p, and q are positive integers, wherein m*p=n*q, wherein Qm+ is an organo onium, and Aq− is an anion, provided that at least one Aq− is selected from the formula: wherein each R independently is H, halo, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or cycloalkyl, and which also may be halogenated, fluorinated, or perfluorinated, wherein two or more of R and R′ groups may together form a ring, wherein each R group independently may contain one or more heteroatom(s), wherein R′ can be the same as R, with the proviso that R′ cannot be halo. Also provided are a fluoropolymer composition including this curative, a method of making a fluoropolymer, and fluoropolymer articles containing curable or cured fluoropolymer compositions. |
| US07666946B2 |
Blends of biopolymers with acrylic copolymers
The invention relates to a blend of one or more biopolymers with one or more acrylic copolymers, for the purpose of improving the properties of the biopolymer(s). The biopolymer composition comprises 85-99.9 weight percent of biopolymer(s) and 0.1 to 15 weight percent of one or more acrylic copolymers. |
| US07666945B2 |
Non-gelled curable compositions containing imide functional compositions
The present invention is directed to a non-gelled, curable composition including at least one compound having a plurality of imide functional groups. The compound in particular contains a reaction product of at least one secondary monoamine and at least one maleimide, and is suitable for use in coatings and castings. |
| US07666942B2 |
Exercise putty having variable hardness and method of making same
A therapeutic exercise putty is provided which comprises a uniform mixture of a first mass of putty and modeling clay. The first mass of putty includes hydroxy-terminated polymethylsiloxane having a viscosity of about 20 to about 50,000 cps. |
| US07666940B2 |
Aqueous compositions containing perfluoropolyether di-carboxylic salts for the oleo-repellent paper treatment
Aqueous dispersions comprising a mixture of: A) from 0.05% by weight to 10% by weight of salts of perfluoropolyether di-carboxylic derivatives having formula: T-O—Rf-T (IA) wherein T=—CF2—COOZ or —CF2CF2—COOZ wherein Z=Na, K, NH4, R1(R2)(R3)N wherein R1=R2=alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, R3=H, alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, Rf is a (per)fluoropolyoxyalkylene chain having number average molecular weight between 500 and 10,000. B) from 0.01% to 5% by weight of water-dispersible or water-soluble cationic polymers, having a charge density, defined as number of equivalents per weight unit of dry polymer, higher than 1 meq/g of dry polymer. |
| US07666939B2 |
Dispersions of carbon nanotubes in polymer matrices
Dispersions of carbon nanotubes exhibiting long term stability are based on a polymer matrix having moieties therein which are capable of a donor-acceptor complexation with carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are introduced into the polymer matrix and separated therein by standard means. Nanocomposites produced from these dispersions are useful in the fabrication of structures, e.g., lightweight aerospace structures. |
| US07666938B2 |
Nanoparticle silica filled benzoxazine compositions
Curable compositions, such as benzoxazine-based ones, are useful in applications within the aerospace industry, such as for example as a heat curable composition for use as a matrix resin or an adhesive, and form the basis of the present invention. |
| US07666933B2 |
Organosilane masterbatch
An organosilane masterbatch containing (a) 2-20 parts by weight of rubber, (b) 0-60 parts by weight of filler, (c) 5-55 parts by weight of organosilane and (d) 0-10 parts by weight of dispersing agent. A process for preparing the organosilane masterbatch by mixing the rubber, filler, organosilane and dispersing agent in a banbury or kneader, extruding and cutting into pieces. Rubber mixtures containing the organosilane masterbatch can be used in rubber mixtures. |
| US07666929B2 |
Process for reducing fluorosurfactant content of fluropolymer dispersions using anionic surfactant-treated anion exchange resin
A process for reducing fluorosurfactant content of a stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion. The process includes providing a fixed bed of anion exchange resin having anion exchange groups with counter ions. The anion exchange resin is treated to replace at least some the counter ions with counter ions of non-fluorinated anionic surfactant. The stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion is passed through the treated fixed bed of anion exchange resin. |
| US07666928B2 |
Staged addition of non-fluorinated anionic surfactant to reduced fluorosurfactant fluoropolymer dispersion
A process for reducing fluorosurfactant content of a fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion stabilized with nonionic surfactant. The process includes reducing the fluorosurfactant content of the stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to a predetermined level to provide a reduced surfactant dispersion, adding non-fluorinated anionic surfactant to the reduced fluorosurfactant dispersion, and concentrating the reduced fluorosurfactant dispersion. The non-fluorinated anionic surfactant is added in stages wherein a first portion is added to the dispersion prior to concentrating and a second portion of the non-fluorinated anionic surfactant is added to the dispersion after concentrating. |
| US07666927B2 |
Removing fluorosurfactant from aqueous fluoropolymer dispersions using anion exchange polymer with functional groups resistant to degradation to trialkylamines
A process for reducing fluorosurfactant content of a stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion comprising contacting the stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion with an anion exchange resin comprising a polymer and quaternary ammonium functional groups to reduce fluorosurfactant content, the functional groups being resistant to degradation which releases trialkylamines. The anion exchange resin is separated from the dispersion after the fluorosurfactant content has been reduced. |
| US07666926B2 |
Method of making a photocatalytic material
A method of making a photocatalytic material comprising a base substance and photocatalytic particles bonded on the base substance by chemical bonding through a silane compound. The chemical bonding is bonding a reactive group of the silane compound through graft polymerization to a radical produced on a resin surface of the base substance by irradiating radiation ray. The resulting photocatalytic material has the advantage that, even when used over a long time, the photocatalytic particles are less apt to shed and the resin base is less apt to deteriorate. |
| US07666922B2 |
Flame-retardant biodegradable material and manufacturing method of the same, flame-retardant biodegradable polymeric composition, and molded product and disposal method of the same
A flame-retardant biodegradable material comprises a compound represented by formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R9, R10 and R11 each independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an aralkyl group; R6, R7 and R8 each independently represents an alkylene group; and n, p, and q each independently represents an integer of one or more. |
| US07666917B2 |
Modified catalyst and use of this catalyst for the conversion of synthesis gas to hydrocarbons
Process for conversion of syngas to liquid hydrocarbons using a catalyst composition containing a support and a Fischer-Tropsch metal for the conversion of syngas to liquid hydrocarbons, in which a silylating compound modifier is added to the catalyst composition during catalyst preparation or during a post-treatment stage. |
| US07666916B2 |
Flocculant, manufacturing method therefor, and flocculation method using the flocculant
A flocculant, a manufacturing method therefor, and a flocculation method using the flocculant are provided such that a suspension of tap water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, industrial drainage water or other service water or drainage water can be easily, safely, and quickly treated. A flocculant made from a silicon colloidal solution for gelation through dilution and flocculating suspended matter in conjunction with the gelation. |