| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07668385B2 |
JPEG processing engine for low profile systems
A method is provided for processing minimum coded units (MCUs) in a Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) bit stream representing an image. A data structure is generated for storing MCU block numbers, corresponding MCU block coordinates, and corresponding MCU block editing lists. When an editing operation to the image is received, the editing operation is saved to a group of the MCU block editing lists of a group of the MCUs affected by the editing operation. Later the MCUs are retrieved from the JPEG bit stream one at a time and then processed according to the editing operations in the corresponding MCU blocking editing lists. |
| US07668383B2 |
Image processing, compressing, decompressing, transmitting, sending and receiving devices and methods, programs thereof and displaying device
Image processing, compressing, decompressing, transmitting, sending and receiving devices and methods, their programs and a displaying device, in which a bit plane number is increased again after the bit plane number is first reduced to enable it to largely improve or remove granular quality deterioration in a mild gradation area and a plain gradation area within an image. For data compression, a first image processor includes a block coder for executing a reversible compression of image data of pixels of a raster image and a bit plane compressor for conducting an irreversible compression of the image data. For data decompression, a second image processor includes a bit plane decompressor for carrying out an irreversible decompression of the compressed data and a block decoder for executing a reversible decoding of the compressed data, to output decompressed image data to a display for displaying a reproduced raster image. The compressed data is once stored in a memory. |
| US07668373B2 |
Pattern evaluation method, method of manufacturing semiconductor, program and pattern evaluation apparatus
A pattern evaluation method includes: acquiring an image of a pattern to be evaluated, detecting edge points of the pattern from the image, creating a parameter curve having the detected edge points as control points thereof, and evaluating the pattern based on the created parameter curve. |
| US07668369B2 |
Using camera metadata to classify images into scene type classes
In one aspect, a metadata-based classification result is obtained based on metadata associated with an image. A histogram-based classification result is determined based on a histogram of intensity values derived from the image. The image is classified into a scene type class based on the metadata-based classification result and the histogram-based classification result. In another aspect, a first condition is applied on a first one of metadata associated with an image corresponding to a measure of amount of light received in capturing the image to obtain a first metadata-based classification result. A second condition is applied on a second one of the metadata corresponding to a measure of brightness of the image to obtain a second metadata-based classification result. The image is classified into a scene type class based on the first and second metadata-based classification results. |
| US07668367B2 |
Image processing for generating a representative color value indicative of a representative color of an image sub-area
A method of processing successive images of a video signal to generate a representative color value indicative of a representative color of an image sub-area. The method includes detecting a color property of the image sub-area in a current image, generating a filtered color property in respect of the current image by combining a color property for the current image with a filtered color property derived in respect of a corresponding sub-area of a previous image, and deriving the representative color value in dependence on a difference between the color property of the sub-area of the current image and the filtered color property. |
| US07668365B2 |
Determination of main object on image and improvement of image quality according to main object
A CPU 411 splits selected image data GD into a plurality of areas (pixel data groups), analyzing the image data GD in terms of area units, and determining the color range of the areas of the image data GD. The CPU 411 determines color range areas by associating adjacent areas of the same color range when determining the color range for the areas of the image data GD. The CPU 411 acquires position data for the color range areas that have been determined. The CPU 411 acquires position conditions (main object conditions) from ROM/HDD 413, and narrows the main object candidates to “sky, green, or people.” The CPU 411 finally determines the main object by comparing the position data of the color range color areas and the position conditions corresponding to the narrowed main object. |
| US07668363B2 |
Lockbox imaging system
A system and method for imaging and capturing information from checks and documents contained in a lockbox remittance. A computer workstation is used to generate and print a header sheet that includes information identifying the check. The header sheet is appended to the front of the documents and the document are imaged using a scanner. Identifying information from each of the documents is used to create a data record for each document. In parallel to the scanning of the documents, the checks are scanned and images are created for each of the checks. Additionally, identifying information from each of the checks (e.g., the check number, the amount, etc.) is manually input into a database, thus creating a data record for each check. Once all of the data entry and scanning has been completed, an automatic association process takes place in which the check data records, the check images, the document data records and the document images are all automatically associated and cross-referenced such that the system recreates an electronic version of the original batch of physical papers. All of the associated data and images are contained in a database, from which all of the information for a lockbox customer can be electronically retrieved over the Internet. |
| US07668362B2 |
System and method for assessing virtual slide image quality
Systems and methods for assessing virtual microscope slide image quality are provided. In order to determine whether a virtual slide image has any out of focus areas and is therefore a candidate for manual inspection, the various focus points used to scan the virtual slide image are used to calculate a best fit surface for the virtual slide image. The distance of each focus point from the best fit surface is then calculated and the largest distance is compared to a predetermined value. If the largest distance from a focus point to the best fit surface is larger than the predetermined value, then the virtual slide image is designated as needing a manual inspection and possible re-scan. |
| US07668360B2 |
Image processing method and X-ray CT system
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method for reducing noises without causing a side effect and an X-ray CT system that performs the image processing. An input image is wavelet-transformed using a gradient form. Resultant wavelet vectors are classified into categories of strongly edged objects, weakly edged objects, radial lines, and noises. The wavelet vectors classified into the category of strongly edged object are left intact. The wavelet vectors classified into the category of weakly edged objects have the directions thereof filtered. The wavelet vectors classified into the categories of radial lines and noises are smoothed. The resultant wavelet vectors are inverse-wavelet-transformed in order to produce an output image. |
| US07668359B2 |
Automatic detection of regions (such as, e.g., renal regions, including, e.g., kidney regions) in dynamic imaging studies
In some preferred embodiments, a system for the automatic identification of cortical and/or medulla regions of the kidneys in renal dynamic studies is provided that includes: a computer module configured to perform principal component analysis on a dynamic sequence corresponding to only one of the kidneys based on a linear combination of the first few component images with coefficients for the principal component analysis as normalization factors. |
| US07668355B2 |
Method for detection of caries
A method for forming an enhanced image of tooth tissue for caries detection obtains fluorescence (50) and reflectance (52) image data from a tooth (20). Each pixel in the fluorescence image data is combined with its corresponding pixel in the reflectance image data by subtracting an offset to the reflectance image data value to generate an offset reflectance image data value, and then computing an enhanced image data value according to the difference between the fluorescence image data value and the offset reflectance image data value, whereby the enhanced image (64) is formed from the resulting pixel array of enhanced image data values. |
| US07668353B2 |
Method for preparing the appraisal of tomographic colon pictures
A method is for preparing the appraisal of tomographic colon pictures, in particular of CT or MR pictures of the colon, in the case of which both a manual personal search takes place during which the lesions thus detected are confirmed, and a search for lesions carried out by a computer, if appropriate with automatic preliminary confirmation, takes place, the appraising person also rechecking the computer aided preliminary confirmations. In the method, those lesions that have already been classified as known and confirmed after a comparison with the set of the lesions already detected manually are excluded from the set of the lesions detected with computer assistance and that are to be presented again for personal confirmation. |
| US07668351B1 |
System and method for automation of morphological segmentation of bio-images
Medical images are automatically segmented by customizing the morphological segmentation of features identified in the image based upon statistical analysis of the features within each region to be analyzed. The statistical description of the features, as reported through a feature vector, informs the system as to which input variables to select for further segmentation analysis for features residing within the region of the image analyzed. By customizing the automatic segmentation analysis to produce an enhanced image, features within the image are characterized more efficiently and precisely. False positive identification of lesions are minimized without sacrifice of true positive identifications. |
| US07668349B2 |
Three-dimensional segmentation using deformable surfaces
An image processing system comprising 3D image data processing means of automatic mapping a 3-D Surface Model onto the surface of an object of interest in a 3-D image, for estimating a model-based 3-D segmentation surface, comprising visualizing means and further comprising means of interactive adaptation of the segmentation surface to the actual surface of the object of interest including means of interactive selection of a 2D data plane (DP) that intersects the 3-D segmentation surface along a 2-D Model Curve (MC), said Data Plane having a user-selected orientation with respect to said surface, which is appropriate for the user to visualize a 2-D portion called Aberrant Curve (AC) of said Model Curve to be modified; means of interactive definition of a Guiding Curve (GC) in the 2-D Data Plane; means of interactive adaptation of said Aberrant Curve (AC) to said Guiding Curve (GC); and means of further automatically adapting the 3D segmentation surface within a neighborhood of the interactively adapted Aberrant Curve. The surface Model is favorably a Mesh Model. |
| US07668348B2 |
Image classification and information retrieval over wireless digital networks and the internet
The invention provides a internet hosted system to find, compare, contrast and identify similar characteristics among two or more individuals or objects using a digital camera, cellular telephone camera, wireless device for the purpose of returning information regarding similar objects or faces to the user The system features classification of images from a variety of Internet accessible sources, including mobile phones, wireless camera-enabled devices, images obtained from digital cameras or scanners that are uploaded from PCs, third-party applications and databases. Once classified, the matching person's name, or the matching object, image and associated meta-data is sent back to the user. The image may be manipulated to emphasize similar characteristics between the received facial image and the matching facial image. The meta-data sent down with the image may include sponsored links and advertisements. |
| US07668347B2 |
Digital watermarking of picture identity documents using Eigenface vectors of Eigenface facial features of the document facial image as the watermark key
An improved method of watermarking picture identification documents (IDs) such as passports, driver's licenses, identification cards and the like which combines biometric information with digital watermarking to provide an improved secure picture ID document and authentication of same. A facial image—that is part of the identification document—is processed such that particular facial features are extracted from the overall facial image. The extracted features are used to generate a watermark key that is subsequently used to embed a unique watermark into the facial image or other location on the identification document. |
| US07668342B2 |
Method of bioimage data processing for revealing more meaningful anatomic features of diseased tissues
The present invention discloses a method for generating elevation maps or images of a tissue layer/boundary with respect to a fitted reference surface, comprising the steps of finding and segmenting a desired tissue layer/boundary; fitting a smooth reference surface to the segmented tissue layer/boundary; calculating elevations of the same or other tissue layer/boundary relative to the fitted reference surface; and generating maps of elevation relative to the fitted surface. The elevation can be displayed in various ways including three-dimensional surface renderings, topographical contour maps, contour maps, en-face color maps, and en-face grayscale maps. The elevation can also be combined and simultaneously displayed with another tissue layer/boundary dependent set of image data to provide additional information for diagnostics. |
| US07668341B2 |
Image recognition apparatus and image recognition method
An image recognition apparatus is capable of recognizing an image of an object of interest with high recognition accuracy even when the object is difficult to recognize only from image information acquired by an image pickup apparatus. The image recognition apparatus includes image information acquisition means for capturing image information of an image taken on a road, road feature information acquisition means for acquiring, from map information, road feature information C associated with a feature in the neighborhood of a position where the image information is taken, and image information recognition means for recognizing the image information using the road feature information C to recognize an image of an object to be recognized corresponding to the feature included in the image information. |
| US07668320B2 |
Sound reproduction in portable electronic equipment
The present invention is directed towards a portable electronic equipment (10) comprising a speaker (16) and a receiver (18), wherein the receiver (18) is damped while the speaker (16) is active to provide good sound reproduction. |
| US07668318B2 |
Distributed stereo system
This invention concerns a distributed stereo audio system. Distributed stereo audio systems are used to provide stereo sound to several rooms or areas from a single source of signal. The system includes two or more speakers for the broadcast of stereo audio signals; a source of stereo audio signals; a stereo amplifier to amplify stereo audio signals and drive the speakers; and a mains operated electrical power supply to provide power to the amplifier. The amplifier is located in the same room as the speakers, and remote from the signal source and power supply. The amplifier is connected to the signal source and power supply by means of a category 5 four pair twisted cable which provides, in respective twisted pairs, right channel audio signals from the signal source to the amplifier, left channel audio from the signal source to the amplifier, DC power from the power supply to the amplifier, and control signals from the amplifier to the signal source. |
| US07668316B2 |
Method for encrypting and decrypting metadata
A method of encrypting metadata that can be represented by a tree structure. The method involves generating an encryption key for a predetermined node of the metadata using a function that takes as input parameters an encryption key for an upper node of the predetermined node and information specifying the predetermined node, and encrypting data of the predetermined node using the generated encryption key. |
| US07668313B2 |
Recipient-encrypted session key cryptography
A method for protecting secret keys, such as HDCP device key sets, during the manufacturing process is disclosed. In particular, the present invention comprises a method for securely sending and receiving data, such as HDCP device key sets, for use in a cryptosystem. In operation, a first party, referred to as a sender (107) is to send original data (106) to a second party, referred to as a recipient (100). To facilitate the secure transmission, the recipient (100) randomly generates (101) a session key (102) and encrypts it with its private key-encryption key (103). The recipient then securely sends both the encrypted and unencrypted session keys to the sender. The sender (107) then encrypts the original data (106) using the unencrypted session key (102) and includes the encrypted data (108) along with the encrypted session key (104) to the recipient (100). The recipient (100) then decrypts the encrypted session key (104) using the private key-encryption key (103) and then decrypts the original data (106). |
| US07668311B2 |
Method and system for transmission of decrypting information
At the moment of the diffusion of Pay-TV with multi-channel signals, each channel is associated to authorization messages (ECM) which allow to decrypt this channel according to the rights of the subscriber. When changing channel, a very short time is accepted before one has determined these new rights in relation with the new channel. The heavy encrypting algorithms are thus excluded. To avoid this drawback, to decrypt a channel, a system is proposed using the combination of the authorization information for a channel (ECM), and thus encrypted by a fast algorithm, with authorization information (MECM) for a group of channels. These latter are encrypted by a high security algorithm and are thus slower to decrypt. |
| US07668309B2 |
Portable accessory holder
A portable electronic accessory holder for insertion into an existing vehicle cup holder includes a body having a continuous side wall that is sized to be received within the vehicle cup holder and an upper surface that coincides with at least a portion of the side wall. A pair of spaced sides extend upwardly from the upper surface to thereby define a gap therebetween. The gap is dimensioned to receive and hold a portable accessory, such as a portable phone, with the upper surface defining a support surface for the portable accessory. One or more cavities may also be located in the holder for providing multiple mounting positions for portable accessories. |
| US07668308B1 |
In-the-ear headset and headphone enhancements
Various embodiments of active headsets and/or headphones, including in-the-ear devices with boom microphones, are presented with, among other things, power-saving features, cell-phone functions, and automated activation and deactivation. Various novel methods and related circuitry are also presented. |
| US07668307B2 |
Reconfigurable and moldable electronic device
A portable electronic device (10, 24, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130) is provided having a base unit (12) and a plurality of add-on components (14), each encased within a moldable/conformal material (22). Each component (14) comprises component circuitry and communication circuitry for communicating with at least one of the base unit (12) and one of the other components (14). The base unit (12) and the component circuitry of the plurality of add-on components (14) comprise the electronics for the portable electronic device. A moldable material (22) encases at least a portion of each of the plurality of components (14) and the base unit (12), wherein the moldable material (22) of all of the components (14) and base unit (12) may be joined to form the integrated portable electronic device. |
| US07668305B2 |
Communication system based on SIP, and communication terminal
A communication system based on a communication protocol such SIP includes a first communication terminal Bob and a second communication terminal Bill, wherein the second communication terminal Bill has a unit, when the first communication terminal Bob receives an incoming message from a source communication terminal Alice, transmitting a substitute response control message to the first communication terminal Bob, the first communication terminal Bob has an incoming message transferring unit, when receiving the substitute response control message, transferring the incoming message given from the source terminal Alice to the second communication terminal Bill and has a response message transmitting unit transmitting to the source communication terminal Alice a response message containing contact information for specifying the second communication terminal Bill, and a call is established between the source communication terminal Alice and the second communication terminal Bill. |
| US07668303B2 |
Call tracking using SIP presence mechanism
A method and apparatus are provided for processing a call within an automatic contact distributor between a caller of the call and the automatic contact distributor. The method includes the steps of assigning a call identifier to the call when it arrives at the automatic contact distributor and transferring a call registration message from a resource of the automatic contact distributor to a tracking server of the automatic call distributor to register a presence of the call at the resource using the assigned call identifier. |
| US07668298B2 |
System and method for collecting backscattered electrons in an x-ray tube
A system and method for collecting backscattered electrons within a substantially evacuated vessel containing both an electron-emitting cathode assembly and an electron-attracting anode assembly. The system and method comprises an electron collector assembly including a first plate, a second plate, an internal member, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. The first plate is mounted within the vessel closest to the anode assembly. The second plate is mounted within the vessel closest to the cathode assembly. The internal member is positioned between the first plate and the second plate, and includes an internal conduit for conveying a heat absorbing cooling fluid therethrough. |
| US07668296B2 |
X ray tube assembly and method of manufacturing and using the X ray tube assembly
In one embodiment, an X ray tube assembly is provided. The X ray tube assembly comprises an evacuated envelope, an anode disposed at a first end of the evacuated envelope and a cathode assembly disposed at a second end of the evacuated envelope. The cathode assembly comprises a cathode filament and a cathode cup defining a plurality of electrically isolated deflection electrodes. Further, the cathode cup comprises at least two portions, a first portion comprising an electrically conductive material and a second portion comprising an electrically insulating material. In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing the X ray tube assembly is provided. |
| US07668293B2 |
High voltage x-ray generator and related oil well formation analysis apparatus and method
An apparatus and method for determining the density and other properties of a formation surrounding a borehole using a high voltage x-ray generator. One embodiment comprises a stable compact x-ray generator capable of providing radiation with energy of 250 keV and higher while operating at temperatures equal to or greater than 125° C. In another embodiment, radiation is passed from an x-ray generator into the formation; reflected radiation is detected by a short spaced radiation detector and a long spaced radiation detector. The output of these detectors is then used to determine the density of the formation. In one embodiment, a reference radiation detector monitors a filtered radiation signal. The output of this detector is used to control at least one of the acceleration voltage and beam current of the x-ray generator. |
| US07668291B2 |
Leaf sequencing
Systems and methods of controlling the leaves of an aperture in radiation treatment are disclosed. In some embodiments, these systems and methods allow the delivery of different radiation fluences to different parts of a treatment volume in a single rotation of the aperture around the treatment volume. In some embodiments, different radiation fluences are achieved by radiating different parts of the treatment volume from opposing positions of the aperture around the treatment volume. In some embodiments, different radiation fluences are achieved by assigning different leaf pairs to radiate different parts of the treatment volume. |
| US07668290B2 |
X-ray diagnostic system
An X-ray diagnostic system has a display unit, a selection unit, a calculation unit and an imaging execution unit. The display unit displays images of a plurality of frames collected by a predetermined frame rate about an object. The selection unit selects an image of a particular frame from the images of the frames displayed on the display unit. The calculation unit calculates a delay time to the particular frame selected by the selection unit based on the frame rate. The imaging execution unit executes an imaging based on the delay time calculated by the calculation unit. |
| US07668284B2 |
Tube-in-tube threaded dashpot end plug
A nuclear fuel assembly having a tube-in-tube control rod guide tube design that incorporates an end plug that extends axially upward to an elevation above the lower most grid where it is sealed at its upper end to the lower end of the control rod guide tube. The guide tube lower end plug has a threaded recess in its upper surface that mates with a corresponding dashpot end plug threaded extension that is formed as an insert in the lower end of the guide tube. A hole formed through the outer wall of the guide tube end plug at the elevation of the lower portion of the recess provides a positive inspection port for assuring the proper seating of the dashpot. A method of manufacture of such a fuel assembly is also disclosed. |
| US07668282B2 |
Method for assembling a pressurized water reactor core, and reactor core configuration
The core of a pressurized water reactor is assembled in such a way that if the fuel elements on the edge of the core are bent, these fuel elements are oriented such that the bending of the fuel elements points outwards in a convex manner. When the reactor is in operation, forces arise which increase the size of small gaps between the fuel elements at the expense of greater gaps and counteract the bending effect of the fuel elements. |
| US07668281B2 |
Method and tooling for dismantling, casking and removal of nuclear reactor core structures
A method is provided for removing radioactive internals structural members in the core of a reactor pressure vessel in a containment vessel. The method includes placing a first cask in a first internals assembly, detaching radioactive first internals structural members from second internals structural members in the first internals assembly, placing the detached first internals structural members in the first cask, placing the first internals assembly in a second cask, and removing the second cask containing the first internals assembly and containing the casked detached radioactive first internals members from the containment vessel. The first internal members may be radioactive baffle plates, and the second internals members may be former plates bolted to the radioactive baffle plates. Novel tooling, framework and fixtures facilitate disassembling, moving and storing the radioactive baffle plates. |
| US07668279B1 |
Signal processing system with low bandwidth phase-locked loop
A signal processing system includes a phase-locked loop to provide an output signal used, for example, as a delta sigma modulator operating clock signal. In at least one embodiment, a frame clock that provides synchronization for one or more blocks of data is used by the phase-locked loop as a reference signal. Utilizing the frame clock as the reference signal allows the signal processing system to reduce the number of clock signals present in the signal processing system. In another embodiment, a phase-locked loop includes a loop filter that utilizes a sample and reset circuit, a feed forward integrator, and a feed forward stabilizer to provide a low frequency phase-locked loop bandwidth. In at least one embodiment, the feed forward integrator amplifies capacitance of the sample and reset circuit, which reduces the size of loop filter capacitors and, thus, allows on-chip capacitor integration. |
| US07668277B2 |
Apparatus and method for clock data recovery with low lock frequency
For clock and data recovery (CDR), a clock processor generates sampling clock signals from original phase-shifted clock signals each having a frequency that ⅛ of a frequency of an input data signal. The sampling clock signals are used to sample the input data signal for generating error signals and reference signals that determine a voltage control signal that indicates a clock frequency of the original clock signals generated by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). |
| US07668274B2 |
Eye center retraining system and method
A system and method is provided for bit eye center retraining. In general, the system samples an incoming data stream to determine where transitions in the data stream occur, selectively compares the location of the transitions to the expected locations to produce difference values, and combines pairs of difference values to determine when the sample point of the data stream needs to be adjusted. |
| US07668271B2 |
Clock-data recovery (“CDR”) circuit, apparatus and method for variable frequency data
A circuit, such as a CDR circuit, includes a sampler to receive a data signal having a variable data bit-rate responsive to a clock signal in an embodiment of the present invention. A clock circuit is coupled to the sampler and generates the clock signal responsive to a selectable update rate and a selectable phase adjust step-size. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the circuit includes a Stall logic that is coupled to first, second and third stages and is capable to hold the phase adjust signal responsive to the first and second stage output signals. In a third embodiment of the present invention, an indicator detects the variable data bit-rate and a counter provides the selectable phase adjust step-size for the adjust signal. In a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the circuit includes the Stall logic, the indicator and the counter. In a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the circuit includes an Averaging circuit to output a phase adjust signal responsive to the averaging of a first and second adjust signals for a predetermined period of time. |
| US07668267B2 |
Search efficient MIMO trellis decoder
A decoder generates distance and label metrics associated with each label of a coset transmitted in a multi-input multi-output communication system having Mt transmit antennas and Mr receive antennas by performing 2(“u+n”)(Mt−1) searches, where n is the number of encoded bits used to identify one of 2u cosets at the transmitting end and u is the number of unencoded bits used to select one of 2u labels at the transmitting end. The decoder forms an intermediate vector quantity associated with one of the transmit antennas to compute the metrics associated with each of the remaining transmit antennas. The decoder then forms a second intermediate vector quantity to compute the metrics associated with the transmit antenna that was used to form the first intermediate variable. The metrics so computed are used by a Viterbi decoder to identify the coset and the most likely transmitted label in that coset. |
| US07668261B2 |
Method and apparatus for selective data reception
A terminal 13 for selectively receiving broadcast data in a transport stream 7 over a first network, the broadcast data including a series of bursts of associated data packets (B1), comprises a controller 16 and a receiver 19. The controller 16 is configured to extract information identifying a group of data packets from the data packets within a first burst, e.g. Packet Identifier (PID) PID1, PID2, calculate a burst length and burst interval for the series on the basis of the times at which data packets are received by the receiver and to calculate one or more instances of time ts at which one or more subsequent bursts in the series will be received based on the calculated burst length ts3 and/or burst interval t1. The receiver 19 is operated to selectively receiving the transport stream 7, e.g. by switching the receiver 19 between its on and off states, the receiver 19 being switched on at time is for a period equal to the burst length in order to receive subsequent data bursts in the series. The terminal 13 may be further configured to enable mobile telephone communication via a second network. |
| US07668260B2 |
Method of and apparatus for detecting impulsive noise, method of operating a demodulator, demodulator and radio receiver
In a digital receiver for receiving COFDM modulated television signals or the like, consecutive samples are compared with a detection threshold and the number of samples having amplitudes greater than the threshold is determined. This is compared with a further threshold and, if the number of such samples exceeds the further threshold, affected samples are blanked to zero. Similarly, an automatic gain control loop is disabled when the samples are blanked. A demodulator forms the difference in phase of pilot carriers from symbol to symbol. If the variance of the phase differences exceeds an averaged value, this indicates the presence of impulsive noise and is used to inhibit signal correction techniques within the demodulator. Noise energy is thus reduced and propagation of effects resulting from impulsive noise from symbol to symbol is substantially reduced. |
| US07668259B2 |
Signal recognition for combined receiver for remote keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring systems
A receiver is utilized to receive signals from various systems within a vehicle such as tire pressure monitoring system (TPM) and a remote keyless entry system (RKE). During the on time, the receiver sequentially is open to receive a first signal with a first baud rate. If the signal of the first baud rate is not received, the receiver receives a second signal at a second baud rate. Upon receipt of a transmission, the receiver operates according to a mode that corresponds to the transmission indicated by the specific baud rate. The operation of the receiver can include specialized filtering, or other known signal processing that is tailored to the specific transmission data communication requirements. |
| US07668258B2 |
Systems and methods for transmitter diversity expansion
Methods and systems for transmitter diversity expansion are provided. The methods and systems include steps and modules for applying a number of data streams (K) to a larger number of antennas (N). This is performed by applying each of the data streams to a single base antenna, such that K data streams are applied to K base antennas, and by shifting and combining the K data streams to produce N-K data streams to apply to N-K extension antennas. |
| US07668257B2 |
Transmissions with reduced code rate in 8VSB digital television
Procedures performed prior to convolutional interleaving of 8VSB digital television signals restrict the alphabet of symbols in novel methods of generating trellis-coded digital television signals that include more robust symbol coding using a restricted alphabet of symbols selected from a full 8VSB symbol alphabet consisting of −7, −5, −3, −1, +1, +3, +5 and +7 normalized modulation levels superposed on a background modulation level. Certain of these novel procedures generate pseudo-2VSB or P-2VSB robust symbol coding with a restricted alphabet of symbols consisting of −7, −5, +5 and +7 normalized modulation levels superposed on a background modulation level. Others of these novel procedures generate prescribed-coset-pattern-modulation or PCPM robust symbol coding intermixing two restricted alphabets of symbols according to a prescribed pattern. One of the two restricted alphabets of symbols used in PCPM consists of −3, −1, +5 and +7 normalized modulation levels superposed on a background modulation level. The other of the two restricted alphabets of symbols used in PCPM consists of −7, −5, +1 and +3 normalized modulation levels superposed on a background modulation level. |
| US07668256B2 |
Method and apparatus for the generation and detection of optical differential varied-multilevel phase-shift keying with pulse amplitude modulation (ODVMPSK/PAM) signals
Methods and apparatus are described for generating and receiving amplitude and differential-phase encoded signals in which the number of phase states at a given amplitude level is always less than or equal to that at a higher amplitude level and at least two amplitude levels have different numbers of phase states. |
| US07668254B2 |
Real time dynamic correlator for evaluating electrical characteristics of a transmitter
Systems and methods for evaluating electrical characteristics of a transmitter in real time are provided. A particular system includes a code generator configured to generate reference code and test code. The reference code and test code both include a plurality of frames of data. The code generator is further configured to output the reference code at a first rate and to output the test code at a second rate that is different than the first rate. The system also includes a modulator configured to modulate the reference code into a first modulated code. The system further includes a correlator configured to correlate the first modulated code with test code that has been modulated and transmitted by a transmitter as a second modulated code. |
| US07668251B2 |
Scalable post-channel estimate phase corrector, method of correction and MIMO communication system employing the corrector and method
The present invention provides a post-channel estimate phase corrector for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) receiver employing M receive antennas, M being at least two. In one embodiment, the post-channel estimate phase corrector includes a pilot sequence coordinator configured to receive a pattern of pilot sequences from the M receive antennas during data symbol time periods. The post-channel estimate phase corrector also includes a phase calculator coupled to the pilot sequence coordinator and configured to calculate phase corrections for individual channel estimates based on the pattern of pilot sequences. |
| US07668244B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing data transfer rates through a communication channel
A system for receiving data on a communication channel. The system examines the state of a bit that was previously received on the channel. If the state of the previously received bit was high, the system looks for a falling edge while receiving a subsequent bit on the channel. Otherwise, the system looks for a rising edge while receiving the subsequent bit on the channel. While looking for a rising edge or looking for a falling edge, the system samples a signal on the channel at discrete time steps within a symbol interval, wherein the symbol interval is a time period during which the signal can change states. The specific discrete time step at which the signal changes state is associated with a specific decoded output symbol. Note that the signal can also convey information by not changing states. Also note that not all symbols require the same time to be transmitted, because some symbols can be associated with signal transitions that happen sooner, whereas other symbols can be associated with signal transitions that happen later. |
| US07668242B2 |
Dynamically adaptive multimedia application program interface and related methods
A method of interfacing non-integrated media processing system elements is presented, the method comprising identifying one or more characteristics of one or more media processing system elements, and dynamically negotiating which system elements will perform certain media processing tasks based, at least in part, on the identified one or more characteristics of the system elements. |
| US07668238B1 |
Method and apparatus for a high speed decision feedback equalizer
A method and apparatus for advantageously utilizing the reset state of an RTZ shift register to guarantee proper data alignment at the feedback taps to facilitate decision feedback equalization (DFE). An input data stream (DATA) is sliced into an even data stream and an odd data stream. Each bit of the even data stream is propagated through RTZ latches and each bit of the odd data stream is propagated through RTZ latches. At any given instant in time, half of the RTZ latch outputs contain zero information, so that each latch output may be summed in a current mode without the need for any intervening logic. The input data stream is then summed in current mode with the feedback data and converted to voltage prior to sampling of the currently received data bit. |
| US07668237B2 |
Equalizer containing a plurality of interference correcting equalizer sections
An equalizer includes at least two first mutually interfering equalizer sections, and at least two second interference-correcting equalizer sections, arranged in series. Each of the second equalizer sections corresponds with one first equalizer section, such that although each corresponding equalizer has the same center frequency, the second equalizer sections have an equalization response opposite the interference effect, and the gain of the corresponding second equalizer at the respective common center frequency contains the negative gain of at least one first equalizer adjacent to the corresponding first equalizer at the center frequency of the corresponding first equalizer. |
| US07668235B2 |
Jitter measurement algorithm using locally in-order strobes
A method of jitter measurement is provided and includes sampling a device-under-test (DUT) output signal, having a repeating pattern, using an asynchronous clock over a desired period of time and mapping the samples onto a single period of the repeating pattern. Each period of the repeating pattern is sampled at least twice. A sampling frequency of the asynchronous clock is based on user inputs. Sampling the DUT signal comprises capturing logical state information representing each edge of a single period of the DUT signal at least once. The method further includes, separating the samples into subsets and mapping the sample subsets onto a single period of the repeating pattern wherein the samples within a particular subset are mapped to a set of times which are in the same order as in which the samples were obtained, processing the samples within each subset independently of samples in other subsets, and combining results of the processed subsets and processing the combined results of the subsets. |
| US07668233B2 |
Method of determining jitter and apparatus for determining jitter
In accordance with illustrative embodiments, methods and apparati, which determine jitter are described. In one example embodiment, a method includes receiving a signal, wherein the signal comprises a first data pattern which was generated at a first bit rate. The method also includes sampling the signal at a second bit rate to generate a second data pattern. The period of the second bit rate is different from the period of the first bit rate. The method also includes comparing the first data pattern and the second data pattern to determine differences between the first data pattern and the second data pattern. Furthermore, the method includes determining jitter in the signal according to the differences between the first data pattern and the data second data pattern. In other embodiments, by using two different bit rates to determine jitter, jitter can be determined in communication systems in a convenient and cost effective manner. |
| US07668231B2 |
Modular data device
The system includes a modem unit with a standardized form factor and standardized connector. The modem unit can be connected to a phone shell personal digital assistant and for other data units. Connected to the phone shell, the modem unit transmits voice data. Connected to the personal digital assistant or other data device, the modem unit transfers data. By having a modem unit that can usable both for voice and data, a single cellular transceiver can be used for both voice and data without requiring a wired connector. Additionally the standardized form factor and connector allows a second modem unit, having a second type of cellular connection, to be used in place of the first modem unit. The other type of cellular connection can be a different communication standard. |
| US07668230B2 |
Non-intrusive digital subscriber line transmit adjustment method
In one embodiment, a first device for communicating over a digital-subscriber-line (DSL) line comprises a digital-subscriber-line transceiver to transmit and receive data over the DSL link. A set of one or more performance parameters are associated with the DSL link by which the quality of the DSL link can be determined. The first device further comprises a controller coupled to the digital-subscriber-line transceiver. The controller causes a non-intrusive transmitter adjustment operation to be performed by the digital-subscriber-line transceiver. |
| US07668226B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating gain offsets for amplitude-modulated communication signals
A method of processing an amplitude-modulated traffic signal involves the determination of a gain offset between the traffic signal and a reference signal, e.g., a pilot signal, received in association with the traffic signal, based on relating values known or determined from the reference signal to that gain offset. For example, in at least one embodiment of a wireless communication receiver, one or more processing circuits are configured to compute the gain offset based on the average magnitude of estimated traffic symbols and a signal-to-noise ratio. The received traffic symbols can be estimated using soft combining weights calculated from the reference signal, as can the signal-to-noise ratio. With the gain offset thus determined, the estimated traffic symbols can be scaled properly for subsequent processing, such as in log-likelihood ratio processing to recover the traffic signal data. |
| US07668216B2 |
Coherence reduction of diode lasers
The invention provides a method of reducing a time-averaged coherence of laser radiation for current-tunable lasers, and a laser apparatus realizing the method, by modulating the laser drive current using a modulation function optimized for obtaining a pre-determined time-averaged spectral profile of the laser radiation. In a preferred embodiment, the pre-determined time-averaged spectral profile has a substantially Gaussian shape. The method is described in reference to laser diodes. |
| US07668212B2 |
Optically triggered Q-switched photonic crystal laser and method of switching the same
An improvement in a method of controlling lasing in a semiconductor laser fabricated in a photonic crystal laser having a plurality of holes into which a birefringent material with low refractive losses and low optical loses with controllable spatial refractive index orientation has been infiltrated comprises the step of rotating the molecular orientation or changing the physical orientation of the birefringent material infiltrated into the holes of the photonic crystal laser to switch cavity modes. The liquid crystal is aligned by use of an alignable photo addressable polymer layer adjacent to the liquid crystal. The cavity modes are optically switched within the laser without any requirement of external energy to maintain the lasing state of the laser, which allows its use as a memory element. |
| US07668211B1 |
Waveguide-pumping gain guided index antiguided fiber laser
Methods, systems and devices for a waveguide pumping gain guided index antiguided fiber laser having a fiber selected for a refractive index crossover at a wavelength between a pump wavelength and a laser emission wavelength. A waveguide pumping system pumps a light having a pump wavelength into the fiber allowing a laser light to be captured by a gain guided process in the core while the pump light, propagating in the cladding is coupled to the core. The fiber selection includes selecting a fiber with a cladding material having a refractive index less than a core material refractive index for a pump wavelength and a core refractive index at the laser emission wavelength is less than the cladding refractive index at the same laser emission wavelength to allow the pump light to propagate through the cladding as a conventional wave guided fiber laser, white the laser emission is captured within the core as an index antiguided, gain guided wave. |
| US07668209B2 |
Method of processing traffic information and digital broadcast system
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change. |
| US07668205B2 |
Method, system and program product for the insertion and retrieval of identifying artifacts in transmitted lossy and lossless data
Identifying artifacts are inserting in radio frequency broadcast data at the transmitter and retrieved at a receiver, allowing verification of the receipt of the transmitted data, authentication of transactions that use the transmitted data, or activation of processes dependent on receipt of the carrier data. A content system receives content data to serve as carrier data, and an identifying artifact insertion system inserts artifact data into the carrier data based on predetermined characteristics of the carrier data without requiring human intervention, and then generates a composite data sequence. A data transmit system connected to the identifying artifact insertion system and the content system transmits the composite data sequence. A receiver system performs real-time, automated extraction of identifying artifacts within lossy carrier data and verifies the reception of the data artifacts in the carrier data. |
| US07668199B2 |
Methods and systems for communicating using transmitted symbols associated with multiple time durations
In at least some embodiments, a system may comprise one or more devices configurable to communicate according to a first protocol that permits interpretation of transmitted symbols associated with a first time duration. The system may further comprise one or more devices configurable to communicate according to a second protocol that permits interpretation of transmitted symbols associated with multiple time durations. The one or more devices configurable to communicate according to the second protocol are operable to communicate using transmitted symbols associated with the first time duration and to communicate using transmitted symbols associated with a time duration that is not supported by the one or more devices configured to communicate according to the first protocol. |
| US07668198B2 |
Method for inserting length indicator in protocol data unit of radio link control
A method for inserting a PDU LI in an RLC is disclosed. According to the preferred embodiment, if a current PDU size corresponds to the total size of components of the PDU and the current PDU has information indicating that the current PDU size corresponds to the total size of components of the PDU, a component of the next PDU does not include information indicating that the current PDU size corresponds to the total size of components of the PDU. Therefore, the next PDU is free from unnecessary insertion of the LI value so that waste of network resources can be prevented and overhead required for processing unnecessary LI values also can be reduced. |
| US07668194B2 |
Dual speed interface between media access control unit and physical unit
A system and method to implement a dual speed network interface. A first code is transmitted from an initiator unit to a follower unit on a first output datapath (“OUT_DP”) of multiple OUT_DPs coupling the initiator unit to the follower unit. The first code is transmitted to initiate a speed change of a link to a physical medium for communicating data. The first code is transmitted at a first datapath speed. A second code is received on a first input datapath (“IN_DP”) of multiple IN_DPs coupling the follower unit to the initiator unit. The second code indicates to the initiator unit that the follower unit received the first code. The first OUT_DP is then placed into an idle state in response to receiving the second code. Subsequently, the first OUT_DP is enabled after the idle state at a second datapath speed different from the first datapath speed. |
| US07668187B2 |
Method for reordering sequenced packets
There are disclosed a method and apparatus for reordering sequenced data packets. An expiration time is calculated for each received data packet. The expiration time and a packet sequence number are stored in a table. The table is read to determine the next data packet to be transmitted in sequence number order. The next data packet is output if available. If the next data packet is not available, a true expiration time is determined for the unavailable next data packet. If the unavailable next data packet fails to arrive before a current time is greater than the expiration time of the unavailable data packet, the unavailable next data packet is considered lost. |
| US07668183B2 |
Flexible SIP profile for mixed networks
An apparatus in one example has: a plurality of networks operatively coupled to one another, and having respective end points; and a single SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) profile useable by each network of the plurality of networks; wherein two end points, via signaling mechanisms within SIP, negotiate a level of support for ISUP (Integrated Services Digital Network User Part) services that are usable between the two end points. |
| US07668180B2 |
Distributed multimedia and messaging router over layer 2
A system and a method are disclosed which utilizes the standard communication devices at the users' premises and a standard LAN communication in order to enable utilization of IP communication possibilities such as V/FoIP calls, SMS and MMS messaging and video communication over IP network. The system includes a single Local Server and multiple Endpoint Interface Units. The Local Server connects the LAN to the external IP communication and each Endpoint Interface Units connects the communication devices to the LAN. According to the preferred embodiment all communication between the Local Server and the Endpoint Interface Units is established using a layer 2 communication protocol which improves the data transport capabilities of any given network and lowers the overall costs of the system's implementation. In a second embodiment the data processing procedure is performed on an external server which establishes a VPN communication with each Local Server. |
| US07668178B2 |
Methods and apparatus for implementing VPN services
Implementation of a VPN service such as a VPLS (Virtual Private Local area network Service) is performed utilizing a two-stage process. A first stage of the two-stage process involves providing notification of whether a PE (Provider Edge) router in a label-switching network has VPLS capability. Notification can include broadcasting a message from a PE router to remote PE routers in the label-switching network to indicate whether the broadcasting PE router is VPLS enabled. A second stage of the two-stage process involves, based on receiving a notification that a PE router is VPLS enabled, generating a query message to discover a set of VPLS instances to which the broadcasting PE router belongs. In this way, a given PE router generating the query message can identify other PE routers in the label-switching network associated with the same VPLS for purposes of setting up the VPLS in the label-switching network. |
| US07668173B2 |
Method and system for an adaptive wireless routing protocol in a mesh network
A method and system for an adaptive wireless routing protocol in a mesh network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises routing datagrams between a plurality of nodes in a mesh network. Update messages are routed to one or more of the plurality of nodes, wherein the update messages include hello packets and update packets. |
| US07668169B2 |
Device and method that allows single data recovery circuit to support multiple USB ports
A method and apparatus for routing data in a device having a plurality of parts. A signal is received at a first port. A detection is made that the first port received the signal. information contained in the signal is selectively routed from the first port to a data recovery circuit. |
| US07668165B2 |
Hardware-based multi-threading for packet processing
Methods and apparatus for processing transmission control protocol (TCP) packets using hardware-based multi-threading techniques. Inbound and outbound TCP packet are processed using a multi-threaded TCP offload engine (TOE). The TOE includes an execution core comprising a processing engine, a scheduler, an on-chip cache, a host memory interface, a host interface, and a network interface controller (NIC) interface. In one embodiment, the TOE is embodied as a memory controller hub (MCH) component of a platform chipset. The TOE may further include an integrated direct memory access (DMA) controller, or the DMA controller may be embodied as separate circuitry on the MCH. In one embodiment, inbound packets are queued in an input buffer, the headers are provided to the scheduler, and the scheduler arbitrates thread execution on the processing engine. Concurrently, DMA payload data transfers are queued and asynchronously performed in a manner that hides memory latencies. In one embodiment, the technique can process typical-size TCP packets at 10 Gbps or greater line speeds. |
| US07668164B2 |
Methods and arrangements in a telecommunications system
The invention comprises an overlay network that can be under full control of a service provider. Routing of packets between nodes in said overlay network is performed by means of an underlying large communication network. The nodes in the overlay network comprises specific nodes in the large communication network. Therefore, routing of packets according to the invention is transparent for nodes not belonging to the overlay network. One or more federative nodes manages the routing information. The federative nodes are connected to the network and comprise a computer and software, designed for providing said management of the routing information. The management of routes in the overlay network may of course be distributed over several hosts, for scalability of large overlay networks and reliability reasons. A purpose of the invention is to enable a user organization to control the routing of packets for their overlay network via different external networks. |
| US07668161B2 |
Classifying data packet protocol values
An apparatus for classifying data packet protocol values in a packet architecture comprising a packet header and a packet payload including an extension header is described. The apparatus comprises a processor configured to specify a packet protocol value in an extension header of a type requiring mandatory examination by at least one device receiving a packet. For example, an apparatus comprises a packet processor unit configured to generate a data packet comprising the extension header, wherein the extension header specifies a packet protocol value, wherein the extension header is a mandatory extension requiring examination by a receiving apparatus to which the packet may be sent, wherein the packet protocol value is also carried in one or more additional headers in the packet, and wherein the extension header enables classifying the packet based on the packet protocol value and without traversing the additional headers in the packet. |
| US07668154B2 |
Information processing apparatus, communication control method, and communication control program
The information processing apparatus comprises a network setting information storage portion for storing network setting information corresponding to each of a plurality of locations; a communication interface setting information storage potion for storing communication interface setting information corresponding to each of plural pieces of network setting information; a network setting portion for selecting one piece of network setting information corresponding to the location of the information processing apparatus; a communication interface setting information setting portion for selecting one piece of communication interface setting information from plural pieces of communication interface setting information associated with one piece of network setting information; and a communication portion for performing communication based on setting according to the one piece of network setting information and the one piece of communication interface setting information. |
| US07668153B2 |
Method for data converter sample clock distribution
A unit for use in a communication system comprises a communication module having an oscillator configured to generate a master clock signal; a plurality of conversion modules; and a distribution component configured to distribute the master clock signal from the communication module to each of the plurality of conversion modules. Each of the plurality of conversion modules comprises a filter configured to filter the master clock signal; and a converter configured to use the filtered master clock signal in converting between analog and digital signals. |
| US07668152B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient bandwidth utilization for subscriber unit initialization and synchronization in a time-synchronized communication system
A bandwidth efficient subscriber unit initialization and synchronization method and apparatus is described. The inventive subscriber unit initialization and synchronization method and apparatus uses a combination of an access burst format and a data transportation technique to efficiently use bandwidth when initializing and synchronizing subscriber units in a time-synchronized communication system. Advantageously, the present invention provides a mechanism for a base station to receive multiple access bursts from multiple subscriber units in a single contiguous time period. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, bandwidth is efficiently utilized by searching for multiple initial access bursts from multiple mobile stations during a single time period known as a new access opportunity. The preferred embodiment of the present invention initializes and synchronizes subscriber units in a “contention-based” manner. |
| US07668146B2 |
Internet-oriented ad-hoc network
A hierarchical directional internet-oriented ad-hoc network, defined by a software infrastructure, is composed of fixed gateway nodes and a plurality of wireless nodes, which may be fixed or mobile, and which may act as subscribers, routers, or both. The infrastructure hierarchy is defined by the hop count of each node (distance of that node to a fixed gateway node). The software infrastructure includes two tables associated with each node in the network: the upstream routing table which provides shortest routes to fixed gateway nodes through upstream neighbors, and the downstream routing table which provides shortest routes to subscribers through downstream neighbors. These two tables are used by routing algorithms. A peer table can also be used for alternate routes. The maintenance of the aforementioned tables is performed by autonomous algorithms operating locally on each node by receiving and processing signals from their neighbors. |
| US07668144B2 |
Dynamically extensible communications device
This invention discloses a generalized software gateway function which can be housed within small devices and is scalable up to the largest server or other hardware environment which eliminates the differences between devices at the application format, communications protocol and device characteristics layers. |
| US07668138B2 |
Cell selection in soft handover using user equipments' buffer occupancies as occupancies as a selection criterion
Soft handover techniques are disclosed for use in a system comprising a base station and a plurality of user equipments. The amount of data in the data buffer of each of the user equipments is determined, the amount of data in the data buffers is compared to obtain a relative indicator, the relative indicator indicating how full a user equipment's data buffer is in comparison to the data buffers of the other user equipments, and a base station is selected as an active base station in dependence on the relative indicator. |
| US07668133B2 |
Presence server unit
A presence server unit, which manages presence information relating to the availability of a communication unit and informs a plurality of checking units about changes to the presence information on the basis of a notification ranking which is specified by priority information. |
| US07668132B2 |
System and method for received channel power indicator (RCPI) measurement
A received channel power indicator (RCPI) value is used as a measure of the received RF power in the selected channel, measured at the antenna connector. This parameter is a measure by the PHY sublayer of the received RF power in the channel measured over the PLCP preamble and over the entire received frame. RCPI is a monotonically increasing, logarithmic function of the received power level defined in dBm. |
| US07668129B2 |
Learning mechanism to configure power save parameters for automatic power save delivery
A mechanism to configure power save parameters of a wireless client station. When data frames carrying voice, video, or other multimedia traffic are received at the client station via a wireless link, a frame rate of the received data frames is measured for a period of time. Then a power save parameter of the client station is configured based on the measuring to adjust delivery of the data frames to the client station during a power save state of the client station. |
| US07668122B2 |
Communication apparatus using a transmission medium and method for the same
Provided is communication apparatus and method using a transmission medium, in an environment where at least one transmitter and at least one receiver are connected to at least one human body which is a conductive transmission medium, in which the receiver requiring any information data requests a transmission to the transmitter or the transmitter sends a signal indicative of a transmission of required information data, and then, the transmitter provides the required information data to the receiver requiring the corresponding information data, thereby providing a communication environment without interference between the transmission means and the receiving means. |
| US07668120B2 |
Virtual IP-based A/V inputs for universal media servers
In one embodiment, a universal media server (e.g., a set-top box) has zero or more physical audio and/or video (A/V) inputs configured to receive A/V data, and at least one Internet Protocol (IP) input configured to receive IP data. In particular, the universal media server has one or more virtual A/V inputs, each virtual A/V input corresponding to an IP-based A/V source device having a corresponding IP source address and configured to receive IP-based A/V data from the IP-based A/V source device on the at least one IP input. The universal media server also has at least one A/V output configured to selectively output A/V data according to a selected input of the physical and virtual inputs. |
| US07668119B2 |
Ad hoc network formation and management based on aggregation of ad hoc nodes according to an aggregation hierarchy
Each mobile ad hoc node has an assigned hierarchy position within an identified tree-based aggregation group. Each ad hoc node is configured for selectively attaching to one of a plurality of available ad hoc nodes based on identifying a best match, for the assigned hierarchy position within the identified aggregation group, from among identifiable hierarchy positions of identifiable aggregation groups. Each ad hoc node also is configured for selectively attaching to any available ad hoc node based on a determined absence of any available ad hoc node advertising the identified aggregation group of the ad hoc node, or an aggregation group containing the identified aggregation group. Hence, a root node of an aggregation group can filter group-specific routing information from packets destined toward a network clusterhead, resulting in a scalable routing protocol that is not adversely affected by added nodes. |
| US07668118B2 |
Directional topology discovery for downhole networks
An apparatus and method for discovering and monitoring a collection of nodes in a downhole network may include receiving data packets originating from several downhole nodes. These packets may be read to extract a unique identifier and hop count for each of the nodes. This information may then be used to create entries in a network topology table corresponding to each of the downhole nodes. Each entry may contain unique identifier identifying the respective node, a hop count identifying a location of the node within the downhole network, and a direction identifier. The method may further include modifying one or more entries in the topology table having a conflicting hop count and direction identifier. |
| US07668115B2 |
Switching apparatus
A switching apparatus for use in a network includes a packet reception processing unit which generates a reply packet as a response to a request packet having a virtual local area network tag and transmitted for a ping test via a network to the switching apparatus, and sets the same priority class in a virtual local area network tag of the reply packet as that in the virtual local area network tag of the request packet, wherein the switching apparatus performs priority control on the reply packet based on the priority class in the virtual local area network tag of the reply packet. |
| US07668113B2 |
Method for implementing distribution of link state information in an optical network
A method for implementing distribution of link state information in an optical network includes: determining information of each link protection attribute section included in a Traffic Engineering (TE) link; carrying the information of each link protection attribute section in a customized TLV, respectively; distributing the TLV in the optical network via Traffic Engineering Link State Advertisement (TE LSA). With this invention, all the link state information such as multiple kinds of protection types included in one TE link can be carried in the customized TLV to distribute. Therefore, in the implementation of this invention, one TE link corresponding to one optical fiber can be configured with multiple kinds of protection types. |
| US07668109B2 |
Method for determining mobile terminal performance in a running wireless network
In a second variation, the system, which is configured to determine the performance of a mobile terminal within a wireless communications network, may comprise a first message receiving unit for receiving messages transmitted via the communications network associated with user transactions, a second message receiving unit for receiving messages transmitted via the communications network associated with mobile terminal type information, a correlating unit for correlating data within the received user transaction messages with data within the mobile terminal type information messages, and a derivation unit for deriving one or more performance indicators by mobile terminal type information from the correlated data. |
| US07668108B2 |
Performance indicator for a high-speed communication system
A method and apparatus for generating a performance indicator in a high-speed communication system. A plurality of disparate communication status signals with differing formats from a transceiver are combined in a logic module to create a single link quality indicator signal. The link quality indicator signal is used to encode different operational states of the transceiver from fully operational, to marginally operational, to failed. The link quality indicator signal is advantageously employed to drive a LED creating a visual performance indicator. |
| US07668107B2 |
Hardware implementation of network testing and performance monitoring in a network device
An embodiment of the present invention offloads the generation and monitoring of test packets from a Central processing Unit (CPU) to a dedicated network integrated circuit, such as a router, bridge or switch chip associated with the CPU. The CPU may download test routines and test data to the network IC, which then generates the test packets, identifies and handles received test packets, collects test statistics, and performs other test functions all without loading the CPU. The CPU may be notified when certain events occur, such as when throughput or jitter thresholds for the network are exceeded. |
| US07668104B1 |
Inter-device flow control
A network switching system comprises a managing device and a first switching device comprising first and second ports. The first port communicates with the managing device. A queue communicates with the second port, stores frames for later output by the second port, and generates a congestion signal when filled above a threshold. A control module directs frames received from the second port to the first port, and selectively sends an outgoing flow control message to the first port when the congestion signal is present. |
| US07668103B1 |
Inter-device flow control
A system with switching capability comprises a controlling device, a first switching device, and first and second ports. The first port communicates with the controlling device. A control module selectively instructs the second port to assert flow control when a flow control message is received from the first port if the received flow control message designates the second port as a target. |
| US07668095B2 |
Traffic management for frame relay switched data service
A new type of data transport service which uses a frame relay layer 2 data link connection identifier (DLCI) to select among various service types, feature sets, and/or closed user groups (CUGs). A layer 3 address may be extracted from a layer 2 frame, and the layer 3 address information may be used to route a data packet over a packet-switched network according to the service classes, feature sets, and/or CUGs selected. At the destination, the layer 3 data packet may again be enclosed in a layer 2 frame with a DLCI indicating the service classes, features sets, and/or CUGs. Because the use of conventional permanent virtual circuits (PVCs) is not required in aspects of the invention, new methods of measuring and managing network traffic are presented. |
| US07668091B2 |
Program, storage medium, information transmission apparatus, and information transmission method
In transmission of data to a receiving terminal, loss of packets is prevented even when the processing capacity of the receiving terminal is low. A necessity-of-adjustment determining module determines whether a receiving terminal, specified as the destination of each transmission unit of packets received from a packetizer module, needs adjustment of transmission intervals, on the basis of a necessity-of-adjustment table which is a list of receiving terminals which need adjustment of transmission intervals. If it is determined that the receiving terminal needs adjustment of transmission intervals, the one transmission unit of packets is transferred to a transmission interval adjustment module. The transmission interval adjustment module adjusts the packet-to-packet transmission intervals for the received one transmission unit of packets and transmits the packets included in the one transmission unit of packets, packet by packet, at the adjusted transmission intervals over a network via a transmission module. |
| US07668087B2 |
Hierarchical metering in a virtual router-based network switch
Methods and systems are provided for applying metering and rate-limiting in a virtual router environment and supporting a hierarchy of metering/rate-limiting contexts per packet flow. According to one embodiment, multiple first level metering options and multiple second level metering options associated with a hierarchy of metering levels are provided. A virtual routing engine receives packets associated with a first packet flow and packets associated with a second packet flow. The virtual routing engine performs a first type of metering of the first level metering options on the packets associated with the first packet flow using a first metering control block (MCB) and performs a second type of metering of the second level metering options on the packets associated with the first packet flow and the packets associated with the second flow using a second MCB. |
| US07668086B2 |
Verification and correction of 10GBASE-X lane routing between nodes
In a network having a first node and a second node, a method of verifying a lane routing between the first node and the second node. The first node and the second node operate according to a protocol in which: (1) a character is converted to code groups, (2) each code group has a corresponding lane, and (3) the code groups are communicated across the lanes in a parallel manner. A first set of code groups is transmitted from the first node. Preferably, the first set of code groups is different from a set of code groups predefined by the protocol. A second set of code groups is received at the second node. The second set of code groups corresponds to the first set of code groups. A determination is made whether the second set of code groups matches the first set of code groups. An identity of the first set of code groups can be preprogrammed within the second node. Preferably, the first set of code groups has a different code group in each lane. Optionally, the lane routing between the first node and the second node is corrected if the second set of code groups mismatches the first set of code groups. |
| US07668074B2 |
Home network system
The present invention discloses a home network system (1) using a living network control protocol. The home network system (1) includes: a predetermined network; at least one electric device (40 to 49) connected to the network based on a predetermined protocol; and at least one network manager (2 to 23) connected to the network based on the protocol, for controlling and monitoring the electric device (40 to 49), wherein the protocol comprises an application layer, a network layer, a data link layer, and a physical layer, wherein the physical layer further comprises a special protocol for providing an interface with a dependent transmission medium, and the network layer further comprises a home code control sub-layer for managing a home code for network security when accessing the dependent transmission medium, the home control sub-layer processing a packet from the data link layer or the network layer, according to a predetermined home code. |
| US07668073B2 |
Hybrid disk and method of writing data to and/or reading data from the hybrid disk
A hybrid disk useable with a recording and or reproducible apparatus having an optical pickup. The hybrid disk includes a first recording layer having a first format on which data is recordable or readable by a first format beam and a second recording layer having a second format on which the data is recordable or readable by a second format beam. The transmivities and reflectivities of the first and second recording layers are interrelated to control relative intensities of the first and second format beams incident on the optical pickup. |
| US07668070B2 |
Optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers
A phase-change disk has first and second disk sections each including a recording layer and a reflective layer. The first disk section includes a transmission-factor control film including first through third dielectric layers having refractive indexes of n1, n2 and n3, where n1>n2 |
| US07668069B2 |
Limited use memory device with associated information
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, methods of retrieving information from a data storage device previously deactivated by modification or degradation of at least a portion of the data storage device are disclosed. |
| US07668061B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting specific signal pattern in a signal read from an optical disc
A method utilized for detecting a physical mark in a signal read from an optical disc, including: generating a matching signal capable of being utilized to identify the physical mark according to a reference clock and a wobble clock; generating a comparison signal by comparing the matching signal and a wobble data signal; determining whether a period of which the level of the comparison signal surpass a predetermined level within a predetermined period is greater than a threshold or not; and if the period greater than the threshold, generating an indication signal corresponding to the location of the physical mark. Wherein the wobble data signal and the wobble clock is generated according to the read back signal. |
| US07668060B2 |
Optical disc apparatus, method of adjusting focus offset for optical disc apparatus, and program for executing focus offset adjustment
In an optical disc apparatus, whether an unrecorded recording layer without information recorded thereon is included in the multiple recording layers of the optical disc mounted inside the apparatus is judged. then when the unrecorded recording layer is judged to be present, a signal for focus offset adjustment is recorded in a non-user data recording area of the unrecorded recording layer, and reproduction of the recorded focus offset adjusting signal is followed by its quality evaluation, which is further followed by calculation and setup of an appropriate focus offset value based on evaluation results. |
| US07668052B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting tracking error signal using multiple phase clocks
An apparatus and method for digitally detecting a tracking error signal using multiple phase clocks. The apparatus includes a phase extractor receiving four divided outputs in response to light reflected from an optical disk and extracting four divided phases, respectively, a phase difference detector detecting phase differences between two phases among the four divided phases, a multiple phase clock generator generating a plurality of phase clocks in response to a predetermined clock signal, a phase error detector counting phase differences in response to each of the plurality of phase clocks, summing the counted phase differences, and detecting a phase error, and a tracking error output unit detecting the tracking error signal in response to the phase error and outputting the detected tracking error signal. |
| US07668050B2 |
Tracking error control system and method
A tracking error control system includes a tracking error signal generator in communication with an optical pickup head, a DC detector in communication with the tracking error signal generator and a comparator in communication with the DC detector and the tracking error signal generator. The operating optical signals received by the optical pickup head are operated with an offset signal to generate a tracking error signal. A direct current voltage of the tracking error signal is detected and compared with a reference voltage. The offset signal is adjusted according to the comparison result and fed back to the tracking error signal generator to adjust the tracking error signal. |
| US07668048B2 |
Optical head and optical disc device provided therewith
In an optical head according to the present invention, an act base on which an objective lens is arranged is formed in a rectangular shape with through holes formed in four corners thereof. A base on which a collimating lens is arranged has projections to engage with the through holes in correspondence with the through holes when the act base is arranged. With the through holes of the act base engaged with the projections of the base, an adhesive is injected to the through holes to thereby fix the act base to the base. This improves the accuracy in bonding between the base and the act base, and permits laser light of a more stable intensity accordingly to be irradiated to the optical disc, thus permitting suppressing failure involved in data recording or reading. |
| US07668042B2 |
Method for obtaining a seismic wavelet using seismic data and well logs in a deviated well
A method for obtaining a seismic wavelet using seismic data in a deviated well includes the steps of: (a) extracting seismic data along the well path; (b) calculating the well path in the time domain; (c) extracting a window of seismic data in the time domain along the well path in the time domain; (d) combining the extracted window of seismic data to obtain a composite seismic trace; and (e) extracting a seismic wavelet using the composite seismic trace. |
| US07668038B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including a write recovery time control circuit
A semiconductor memory device may include a clock buffer, a command decoder and a write recovery time control circuit. The clock buffer may generate an internal clock signal based on an external clock signal. The command decoder may generate a write command signal by decoding an external command signal. The write recovery time control circuit may gate a plurality of bank pre-charge control signals in a wave pipeline mode based on the internal clock signal, the write command signal and a write recovery time control signal having a plurality of bits to generate a plurality of gated bank pre-charge control signals. Therefore, the semiconductor memory device may decrease a number of flip-flops required to control a write recovery time. |
| US07668035B2 |
Memory circuits with reduced leakage power and design structures for same
A memory circuit includes a global read bit line, a global read bit line latch, and a plurality of sub-arrays, each of which includes first and second local read bit lines, first and second local write bit lines, and first and second pluralities of memory cells interconnected, respectively, with the first and second local read bit lines and the first and second local write bit lines. The local read bit lines are decoupled from the local write bit lines. A local multiplexing block is interconnected with the first and second local read bit lines and is configured to ground the first and second local read bit lines upon assertion of a SLEEP signal, and to selectively interconnect the local read bit lines to the global read bit line. A global multiplexing block is interconnected with the global read bit line and is configured to maintain the global read bit line in a substantially discharged state upon assertion of the SLEEP signal and to interconnect the global read bit line to the global read bit line latch. Also included are design structures for circuits of the kind described. |
| US07668034B2 |
Power voltage supplier of semiconductor memory device
The present invention provides a power voltage supplier for stably supplying a noise-free power voltage without increasing a size of a reservoir capacitor by employing a sharing scheme of the reservoir capacitor. The power voltage supplier of a semiconductor memory device includes: a first power voltage supply line for supplying a first power voltage; a second power voltage supply line for supplying a second power voltage; a first reservoir capacitor for supplying the first and the second power voltages stably; and a reservoir capacitor controller for selectively connecting the first reservoir capacitor to the first power voltage supply line or the second power voltage supply line. |
| US07668029B2 |
Memory having sense time of variable duration
In one form a memory and method thereof has a memory array having a plurality of memory cells. A bit line precharge operation is based on a clock edge of an external clock signal. A word line is selected after the beginning of the precharge operation. A sense operation is begun after enabling the word line, where the sense operation is for sensing a logic state of a memory cell. A data bit is output from the memory array corresponding to the sensed logic state of the memory cell. In one form the bit line precharge operation further comprises the bit line precharge operation having a predetermined duration that is independent of the clock signal, and the sense operation begins a predetermined delay time after enabling the word line, the sense operation having a variable duration. |
| US07668027B2 |
Semiconductor device, testing and manufacturing methods thereof
In order to easily perform a timing test on a memory interface included in a semiconductor device so as to satisfy a restriction on latency, the present invention provides a semiconductor device with the memory interface including: a clock output terminal that outputs a clock signal associated with an operation of a memory connected to the memory interface; a command terminal that outputs a command signal associated with control of a state of the memory; a data terminal that exchanges a data signal with the memory; and a data strobe terminal that exchanges a data strobe signal for establishing the data signal. This semiconductor device includes a testing terminal that outputs in advance a signal for starting a test on the memory interface apart from the command signal. |
| US07668024B2 |
Hybrid static and dynamic sensing for memory arrays
A hybrid circuit for a memory includes: a skewed static logic gate circuit; a dynamic pre-discharge device coupled with the skewed static logic gate circuit for operating the static logic gate circuit as a dynamic circuit. |
| US07668023B2 |
Page buffer circuit of memory device and program method
A page buffer circuit of a memory device including a plurality of Multi-Level Cells (MLCs) connected to at least a pair of bit lines includes a Most Significant Bit (MSB) latch, a Least Significant Bit (LSB) latch, a data I/O circuit, an inverted output circuit, a MSB verification circuit, and a LSB verification circuit. The MSB latch is configured to sense a voltage of a sensing node in response to a control signal and store an upper sensing data, and output an inverted upper sensing data, or store an input data and output an inverted input data. The LSB latch is configured to sense a voltage of the sensing node in response to the control signal, and store and output a lower sensing data, or store and output an input data received through the MSB latch. The data I/O circuit is connected to the MSB latch and a data I/O line, and is configured to perform the input and output of a sensing data or the input and output of a program data. |
| US07668020B2 |
Data input circuit of semiconductor memory apparatus and data input method using the same
A data input circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a plurality of data input sense amplifiers, each of which amplifies input data in response to a data input strobe signal and generates amplified data, and a data selecting block that selectively outputs a plurality of amplified data in response to starting addresses. |
| US07668019B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and erasing method thereof
In one aspect, a non-volatile NAND-flash semiconductor memory device is provided which is configured to execute at least one of a pre-program operation and a post-program operation before and after an erase operation, respectively. Each of the pre-program and post-program operations includes applying a program voltage to a subset of a plurality of word lines defining a word line block of the memory device. |
| US07668018B2 |
Electronic device including a nonvolatile memory array and methods of using the same
An electronic device can include a first memory cell and a second memory cell. The first memory cell can include a first source, and a second memory cell can include a second source. The first memory cell and the second memory cell can lie within a same sector of a memory array. In one embodiment, erasing the electronic device can include erasing the first memory cell while inhibiting the erase of the second memory cell. A third memory cell can have a third source and lie within another sector. In another embodiment, inhibiting the erase of the first memory cell can include placing the first source and the third source at a same potential. In a particular embodiment, the first source can be electrically insulated from the second source. |
| US07668015B2 |
Nonvolatile memory devices capable of reducing data programming time and methods of driving the same
In a method of driving a nonvolatile memory device a first data state is determined from among the plurality of data states. The number of simultaneously programmed bits is set according to the determined first data state and a scanning operation is performed on data input from an external device to search data bits to be programmed. The searched data bits are programmed in response to the number of simultaneously programmed bits. The number of simultaneously programmed bits corresponding to the first data state is different from a number of simultaneously programmed bits corresponding to at least a second of the plurality of data states. |
| US07668013B2 |
Method for erasing a flash memory cell or an array of such cells having improved erase coupling ratio
A flash memory cell is of the type having a substrate of a first conductivity type having a first region of a second conductivity type at a first end, and a second region of the second conductivity type at a second end, spaced apart from the first end, with a channel region between the first end and the second end. The flash memory cell has a plurality of stacked pairs of floating gates and control gates with the floating gates positioned over portions of the channel region and are insulated therefrom, and each control gate over a floating gate and insulated therefrom. The flash memory cell further has a plurality of erase gates over the channel region which are insulated therefrom, with an erase gate between each pair of stacked pair of floating gate and control gate. In a method of erasing the flash memory cell, a pulse of a first positive voltage is applied to alternating erase gates (“first alternating gates”). In addition, a ground voltage is applied to erase gates other than the first alternating gates (“second alternating gates”). In a second method to erase the flash memory cell, a pulse of a first positive voltage is applied to the first alternating gates and a negative voltage is applied to the second alternating gates and to all control gates. |
| US07668011B2 |
Serial flash memory device and precharging method thereof
Provided herein is a serial flash memory device and precharging method thereof in which a single local bit-line data is sensed in synchronization with a clock. The method includes precharging two or more local bit-lines in synchronization with a first clock; and disprecharging one of the two local bit-lines in synchronization with a second clock and sensing and amplifying data of the other local bit-line. Accordingly, two precharged local bit-lines are not adjacent to each other, thereby eliminating a coupling noise effect. In addition, the time for performing the precharging operation and the sensing operation is easily secured, compared to the prior precharging method in which corresponding local bit-lines are precharged at every clock. |
| US07668004B2 |
Non-volatile switching and memory devices using vertical nanotubes
Non-volatile and radiation-hard switching and memory devices using vertical nano-tubes and reversibly held in state by van der Waals' forces and methods of fabricating the devices. Means for sensing the state of the devices include measuring capacitance, and tunneling and field emission currents. |
| US07667993B2 |
Dual-ported and-type match-line circuit for content-addressable memories
A dual-ported AND-type match-line circuit includes at least one dual-ported dynamic AND gate. The dual-ported dynamic AND gate includes a group of CAM cells and a dual-ported dynamic circuit. A group of CAM cells connected to a dual-ported dynamic circuit and to the GND. The dual-ported dynamic circuit is connected to a group of CAM cells. The dual-ported dynamic circuit includes a setting circuit, a first directing circuit, a second directing circuit, a first AND dynamic output circuit and a second AND dynamic output circuit. |
| US07667992B2 |
Power source module
A power source module is assembled on a main printed circuit board. The power source module comprises an input processing circuit, a PFC/PWM control circuit, a conversion circuit, and an output processing circuit. The input processing circuit is for rectifying an alternating current voltage to be a primary direct current voltage. The PFC/PWM control circuit is for modulating the primary direct current voltage. The PFC/PWM control circuit is assembled on a subsidiary printed circuit board electrically connected to the main printed circuit board. The conversion circuit is for converting the primary direct current voltage to be a secondary direct current voltage. The output processing circuit is for rectifying and filtering the secondary direct current voltage. |
| US07667991B2 |
Sine wave lamp controller with active switch commutation and anti-flicker correction
A pulse width modulated half bridge dimming controller is provided for dimming a lighting ballast is described. The top half of the bridge is comprised of two switches, the top switch set, and the bottom half of the bridge is comprised of two switches, the bottom switch set. Each switch also has a diode in parallel with it. The drivers for the switches are configured so that each of the switches can be turned on and off independently of all of all the other switches. Preferably, the controller is capable of operating in all four quadrants. In one preferred embodiment the switches are IGBTs. The switches are controlled in a manner so that when one of the switches sets changes states, the second switch set has one switch on and one switch off, so that one of the diodes in the second switch set is disposed to block shoot through and provide a path to allow current to continue flowing in the inductive load. |
| US07667988B2 |
Filter
EMC filter, for connection between a mains supply network and a mains-operated appliance to reduce conduction noise between said supply network and said appliance, comprising a voltage divider connected to said mains network, for generating a voltage lower than a voltage of said mains network; rectifying means, connected to an output of said voltage divider, for generating a DC voltage; and an electronic active circuit, supplied by said DC voltage, for absorbing a noise current transmitted between said supply network and said appliance. |
| US07667986B2 |
Power system with power converters having an adaptive controller
A power system having a power converter with an adaptive controller. In one embodiment, a power converter coupled to a load includes a power switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle to provide an output characteristic at an output thereof. The power converter also includes a power converter controller configured to receive a signal from the load indicating a system operational state of the load and enable a power converter topological state as a function of the signal. |
| US07667984B2 |
Adjustable EMI baffling apparatus for data storage systems
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for reducing and constraining EMI (electronic magnetic radiation) emissions without affecting the internals of data storage system components. A baffle is attached to the exterior of the housing of a data storage system component by baffle mounts. The baffle is operable between a closed position, where the baffle blocks EMI emitted by connectors on the data storage system component, and an open position, where the connectors are not blocked allowing for servicing and cable management. The baffle may comprise an EMI absorbing material and be tuned to meet specific EMI requirements. The baffle mounts offsets the baffle from the data storage system component and the baffle includes a number of holes to allow airflow. The adjustable EMI baffling apparatus does not interfere with other mounted components while the data storage system component is mounted in a cabinet. |
| US07667981B1 |
Multifunctional composite sandwich element with embedded electronics
A composite sandwich structure carrying an externally applied structural load and having embedded electronics, that in one embodiment includes two multilayered composite facesheet laminates, a central core, embedded electronic components within the central core region, embedded electrical conductors within the central core region, and two multilayer printed circuit laminates that are secondarily bonded or cured to the inner surface of the sandwich facesheet laminates. The electronic components and electrical conductors, which are located in the central core region of the sandwich element, are attached to one or both of the two circuit laminates. |
| US07667980B2 |
Printed circuit boards for countering signal distortion
Printed circuit boards for countering signal distortion are disclosed that include: a conductive pathway on a printed circuit board between a transmitter and a receiver, the conductive pathway comprised of traces and vias connected together for conductive transfer of a signal from the transmitter to the receiver; a parasitic element on the printed circuit board, the parasitic element having a parasitic effect that distorts the signal; and one or more passive elements mounted adjacent to the conductive pathway without connecting to the conductive pathway, the passive elements having a corrective effect to reduce the distortion from the parasitic effect on the signal. |
| US07667977B2 |
Mounting board, mounted body, and electronic equipment using the same
The mounting board has a capacitor-forming sheet made from a valve metal, first and second board-forming structures, first and second electrodes, an extractor electrode, and a conductive polymer. The capacitor-forming sheet has an inner layer and a rough oxide film on at least one face of the inner layer. The first board-forming structure is provided on a face of the capacitor-forming sheet, and the second board-forming structure is provided on another face thereof on a side opposite to the first one. The first and second electrodes are isolated to each other and provided on a surface of at least one of the first and second board-forming structures. The extractor electrode and conductive polymer are provided inside at least one of the first and second board-forming structures. The extractor electrode electrically-connects the first electrode with the inner layer. The conductive polymer electrically-connects the second electrode with the rough oxide film. |
| US07667975B2 |
Lighting device of discharge lamp, illumination apparatus and illumination system
A lighting device for a lamp device is provided. The lighting device includes a circuit board and film capacitors packaged on the circuit board by using leadless flow solders. Each film capacitor comprises polypropylene films and lead wires, and a material of the lead wires has a thermal conductivity lower than a thermal conductivity of copper, and terminals and internal materials of the film capacitors are leadless. A diameter of the lead wires is 0.6− (mm) or less, a cross-sectional area is 35 mm2 or less, and a temperature at a terminal end of the lead wires in the film capacitors during a soldering process is 130° C. or less. |
| US07667974B2 |
Module and mounted structure using the same
A module that can not only achieve the reduction in size and manufacturing cost but also be impervious to noise due to electromagnetic waves, and a mounted structure using the same are provided. A module (1) includes a substrate (12) and a plurality of semiconductor packages (11a, 11b), each including a semiconductor chip (10), mounted on the substrate (12). Each of the plurality of semiconductor packages (11a, 11b) includes a first radio communication element (16) for transmitting and receiving a signal between the semiconductor chips (10) in the plurality of semiconductor packages (11a, 11b) by radio communication, and the first radio communication element (16) is constituted independently of the semiconductor chip (10). |
| US07667970B2 |
Heat sink assembly for multiple electronic components
A heat sink assembly for removing heat from two heat generating-components mounted on a printed circuit board, includes a first heat sink, a second heat sink, a plurality of poles each having a head at a top end and a double-layer spring. The first heat sink includes a base and a plurality of fins arranged on the base. The second heat sink has a first shoulder extending from a lateral side thereof. The first shoulder is disposed on the base. The double-layer spring includes an outer spring and an inner spring having a top end connected to a top end of the outer spring. One of the poles wearing the double-layer spring extends through the first shoulder and the base. The outer spring is compressed between the head of the pole and the first shoulder. The inner spring is compressed between the head of the pole and the base. |
| US07667967B1 |
Liquid-cooled rack with optimized rack heat exchanger design for non-uniform power dissipation
A cooling system for a rack-mount server including at least one blade and a system enclosure includes a liquid cooling line, at least one heat exchanger connected to the liquid cooling line and including a plurality of fins divided into one or more sections of the plurality of fins, wherein the fin density of the plurality of fins varies over the one or more sections, and a plurality of fans configured to blow air through the at least one heat exchanger and cool the at least one blade in the rack-mount server. |
| US07667963B2 |
Mount module for an inverter and inverter having a plurality of mount modules
A mount module for an inverter includes a housing element with a recess being open to the front face, for holding a single inverter. The upper face and the lower face of the housing element are complementary to one another, and/or the right side and the left side of the housing element are complementary to one another, and/or the rear face of the housing element is complementary to itself. The respective side or sides and face or faces of the housing element each have at least one connection device. A relatively large number of the mount modules can be disposed one above the other, alongside one another, and/or with their rear faces against one another and can be connected to one another in order, for example, to form a central inverter unit for large photovoltaic installations. |
| US07667962B2 |
Wireless devices with flexible monitors and keyboards
A portable device (e.g., a wireless device such as a cell phone) is provided with a flexible keyboard and a flexible display screen. Such flexible components may be stored in the housing of the portable device when not in use. The flexible display screen and flexible keyboard may be expanded from the housing when the flexible components are utilized by a user.Non-flexible display and input components may be provided on the exterior of the portable device such that the device may be used, in some form, while the flexible components are stored. In one embodiment, a portion of the flexible display (or flexible keyboard) may be utilized when the flexible display (or flexible keyboard) is stored in said first housing. |
| US07667960B2 |
Disk-drive-equipped electronic apparatus and the disk drive
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing having a receptacle, a disk drive removably housed in the receptacle of the housing, and a shock-absorbing rubber member, which is elastically deformable and interposed between the receptacle and the disk drive. The shock-absorbing rubber member is provided on the disk drive and has a pickup portion on which a user puts fingers when the disk drive is to be removed out of the receptacle. The pickup portion is formed integral with the shock-absorbing rubber member. |
| US07667959B2 |
Foldable electronic device having double-axis hinge and locking spring
A foldable device has a hinge to allow it to be opened or closed. The hinge has two shafts separately secured to two panels of the foldable device. Each shaft has a coupling section with a recess on the shaft surface. A substantially planar spring having two curved sections is used to join the shafts through the corresponding coupling sections. Each curved section has a protruding portion on the inner diameter of the curved section. When the foldable device is in the closed position, the protruding portion in the second curved section is engaged in the recess of the second shaft, while the first curved section is disengaged from the recess of the first shaft. The foldable device can be opened toward a locking position where both protruding portions are engaged in the respective recesses. At any position, the hinge is rotated around only one of the shafts. |
| US07667958B2 |
Display unit
A display unit comprises a display unit body, a display part displaying information, a first button so provided as to protrude from the bottom surface of display unit body and a second button provided on the upper surface of display unit body. A first function is realized by pressing a region of the upper surface of display unit body adjacent to second button to rotate display unit body and to push first button into display unit body. A second function different from the first function is realized by pressing second button with a prescribed load to rotate display unit body and to push first button into display unit body. |
| US07667957B2 |
Thin-type display
A thin-type display including: a panel main body having a panel, a frame for accommodating the panel and a transmission interface for receiving signals; a movable bracket having a connecting section fixedly connectable to the back of the panel main body and a fixing section pivotally connected with the connecting section; and a support arm composed of a jacket, a slide member, a leaf spring assembly and a sleeve. The movable bracket is disposed at an upper end of the support arm. A lower end of the support arm is connected with a base. The back face of the frame of the panel main body is formed with a downward extending recessed section. The connecting section of the movable bracket is connected with the panel main body at lower end of the recessed section distal from the transmission interface arranged on the top face of the recessed section. |
| US07667955B2 |
Liquid crystal display
In a liquid crystal display, an enclosure is formed by detachably fitting a synthetic resin-made front enclosure including a liquid crystal panel with a synthetic resin-made rear enclosure, and the enclosure is fitted upright to a stand by drilling a substantially U-shaped stand hole in the middle of a bottom plate of the rear enclosure. Further, the stand is attached to the exterior casing of the liquid crystal panel by screws, the stand in the stand hole is removably formed on the outside of the rear enclosure through the cutout portion by forming the cutout portion reaching the stand hole from the edge of the bottom plate at the bottom plate of the rear enclosure 1B, and a sealing plate for sealing the cutout portion integrally protrudes from the central portion of the edge of the bottom plate of the front enclosure. |
| US07667954B2 |
Capacitor
A capacitor includes a container, a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a fluid electrolyte. The positive electrode includes a metal substrate and an active material provided in contact with the metal substrate. The active material includes at least one of poly(ethylene 3,4-dioxythiophene) and a titanate. |
| US07667952B2 |
Connection system between capacitor batteries
The invention concerns a connection system between batteries or banks of capacitors associated with a circuit, for example of the inverter type and whereof the capacitors are connected by a busbar consisting of two thin bars of different polarities stacked and separated by an insulating layer. Each busbar comprises at least one protuberance designed to co-operate with a linking member between two protuberances derived from two batteries or banks of adjacent capacitors. The linking member comprises two conductive strips designed to be contacted each with the bars of same polarity of two opposite protuberances, said strips being arranged on either side of an insulating layer. One of the protuberances or of each co-operating zone of the linking member with one protuberance comprises a clamp forming a slide enabling the other to be slidingly positioned perpendicular to the axis of the link. Clamping/releasing means enable the linking member to be fixed to each protuberance, said means being maintained as one single assembly upon release. |
| US07667949B2 |
Capacitor having improved surface breakdown voltage performance and method for marking same
A capacitor having improved surface breakdown voltage performance and a method for applying laser marking to capacitors which does not reduce capacitor surface breakdown voltage, can be applied using existing laser marking technologies and apparatus, and which results in a mark that is legible and clear, is disclosed. In a first exemplary embodiment a capacitor includes a laser mark which is located near one of the capacitor terminals. The exact location is not critical as long as the mark does not make physical contact with the terminal. Conventional laser marking technologies and apparatus may be used to fix the mark in the new location. In a second embodiment the laser mark is oriented so that a flat portion of the mark is is oriented closest to the adjacent terminal. |
| US07667947B2 |
Operating control comprising a capacitive sensor element and an electrical device comprising an operating control of this type
An operating control device, such as for an appliance, is disclosed comprising sensor elements with a capacitive sensing function, the elements being located underneath a metallic surface that is used as the operating field. An insulating layer is situated between the elements and the metallic surface. When pressure is applied to the metallic surface the capacitance of the sensor element is altered by capacitive coupling. This alteration of capacitance can be determined by a corresponding evaluation circuit or the like for detecting activation of the device. |
| US07667940B2 |
Power switching apparatus with open-load detection
Power switching apparatus comprising switch means having a control terminal and output terminals for connection in series between a power supply and a load. The switch means is responsive to a control signal applied to the control terminal to switch between an ON-state in which it supplies power supply current from the power supply through the output terminals to the load and an OFF-state in which it interrupts the supply of power through the output terminals to the load. The apparatus includes detection means for detecting an open-load condition of the load at least during the ON-state of the switch means, comprising detection control means operable in the ON-state of the switch means for modifying the control signal so as to start switching the switch means to the OFF-state during a lapse of time substantially less than the time required for the switch means to reach the OFF-state and for restoring the control signal to a value corresponding to the ON-state at or before the end of the lapse of time, and comparator means responsive to variation of voltage at the output terminals during the lapse of time. The duration of the variation of voltage during the open-load detection is too short and its magnitude too small for the variation of load current to be perceptible, notably in the case where the load is a lamp. |
| US07667938B2 |
Power node switching center
A circuit fault detector and interrupter which consists of parallel current conduction paths, including a path through a mechanical contactor and a path through a power electronics switch. A fault can be detected by a fault detection circuit within 50 microseconds of the occurrence of the fault, causing the mechanical contactor to be opened and the fault current to be commutated via a laminated, low-inductance bus through the power electronics switch. The power electronics switch is thereafter turned off as soon as possible, interrupting the fault current. The fault current can be interrupted within 200 microseconds of the occurrence of the fault, and the device reduces or eliminates arcing when the mechanical contactor is opened. |
| US07667935B2 |
Aircraft applicable circuit imbalance detection and circuit interrupter and packaging thereof
The aircraft applicable current imbalance detection and circuit interrupter interrupts an electrical circuit when a current imbalance is sensed. The current imbalance detection and circuit interrupter includes a housing, power supplies, a sensor system for sensing a current imbalance at the line side of the electrical circuit, a logic controller and a power controller including a power relay having contacts capable of surviving carry-break and make-carry-break types of ground fault conditions at anticipated current levels. At power up, the device performs a test to confirm that none of the relay contacts have failed in a closed position, and to check whether a switching FET which controls the relay coil has shorted. |
| US07667930B1 |
Disk drive suspension and flexure with doubly and differentially deflected frame
A disk drive suspension has a doubly increased dimple contact force through separate, differential deflections of the flexure frame toward the load beam so as to carry the flexure tongue having dimple engagement with the load beam closer to the beam, and thus have greater dimple contact force without adverse PSA alteration. Doubly deflecting the outrigger struts of the flexure toward the supporting load beam in differential relation with a greater deflection and local strut displacement in a first location and a lesser deflection and local strut displacement in a second location on the initially deflected portion of the frame outriggers provides increased dimple contact force. |
| US07667929B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for fabricating a patterned media imprint master
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for fabricating a patterned media imprint master. A substrate and a deposition mask may be fixably attached by an intervening spacing element, such that the substrate and deposition mask act as a unified element during a deposition process. A deposition mask may include a plurality of apertures generated by a conventional lithographic process. Material may be deposited onto the substrate through the deposition mask from more than one deposition source oriented at a unique deposition angle. A resulting substrate deposition pattern thus exhibits a density greater than a deposition mask aperture density while avoiding deposition pattern distortion. |
| US07667921B2 |
Suspension having magnetic head assembly mounted thereon and magnetic recording disk drive using the suspension
A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 μsec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head. |
| US07667920B2 |
Correcting a track pitch error with a subsequent servo-write pass
A method for correcting a track pitch error in servo tracks written on a magnetic recording media coupled with a disk surface, by using a subsequent servo-write pass, comprises propagating servo tracks across the magnetic recording media in a previous servo-write pass. The servo tracks have radial positioning servo code. The servo tracks enable a magnetic transducer to be positioned to at least one radial position on the magnetic recording media. At least one corrected radial reference point is calculated for the track pitch error written on the magnetic recording media, by identifying at least one inconsistency between a mechanical response of an actuator and the track pitch. A corrected location for at least one servo track is identified. At least one new servo track at the corrected location is propagated with the subsequent servo-write pass. Optimum data track distribution across the disk surface and optimum reading and writing of data to and from the magnetic recording media is enabled. |
| US07667919B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying pushpin resonance mode for a servo track writer
A system for generating resonance mode information associated with a servo track writer system comprising a drive VCM, a drive arm assembly, an external VCM, an external arm assembly, and a mechanical connection between the external arm assembly and the drive arm assembly. The system of the present invention comprises a controller, a position sensor, and a processor. The controller is adapted to apply an injection signal to the drive VCM such that the injection signal causes movement of the external arm assembly through the drive arm assembly and the pushpin. The position sensor is configured to generate an output signal indicative of a position of the external arm assembly. The processor generates the resonance mode information based on the injection signal and the output signal. |
| US07667917B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling write parameter according to voltage variation
Provided is a method and an apparatus for controlling a write parameter according to a voltage variation. The method for controlling the write parameter includes monitoring a voltage supplied to a pre-amplifier before performing a write operation and adjusting the write parameter supplied to the pre-amplifier based on the monitoring result. Controlling the write parameter includes reading a predetermined write parameter from a write parameter table based on the monitoring result, and adjusting the read write parameter to the write parameter which will be supplied to the pre-amplifier. |
| US07667911B2 |
Self servo writing disk controller and methods for use therewith
A self servo writing disk controller detects a plurality of spiral sync marks and a plurality of spiral bursts corresponding to one of a plurality of servo spirals from a read signal from the read/write head. A timing reference signal is generated based on timing of at least one of the plurality of the spiral sync marks. A position error signal is generated based on timing of at least one of the plurality of spiral sync marks and a magnitude of at least one of a plurality of spiral bursts. The timing reference signal and the position error signal are used by the disk drive for timing and positioning in self writing initial servo wedges to the disk. |
| US07667910B2 |
Magnetic disk drive, servo writer, self-servo writer and methods for use therewith
A servo writer includes a servo data generation module that generates servo data corresponding to a plurality of servo wedges and a plurality of tracks of a disk, the servo data including burst data that is repetition coded. A servo write module writes the servo data on the disk. |
| US07667907B2 |
Rotatable camera module
A camera module includes a lens barrel, an image sensor, a holder and a driving member. The lens barrel and the image sensor are received in the holder. At least one magnet is arranged on the outer wall of the holder. The driving member includes a spherical casing, a plurality of induction coils and a control unit. The casing has an opening for entry of the holder. The plurality of induction coils is mounted on the inner wall of the spherical casing. The control unit is received in the spherical casing. The control unit is electrically connected with the induction coils. The control unit is configured for controlling the electric current through the induction coils to form an electromagnetic field, thus a magnetism is generated between the at least magnet and the electromagnetism. |
| US07667906B2 |
Lens module with magnetic focusing mechanism
An exemplary lens module includes a lens barrel (10), a lens (20) and a sleeve barrel (30). The lens barrel includes an adjusting magnet (15). The lens is mounted in the lens barrel. A part of the lens barrel is slidably mounted in the sleeve barrel, the sleeve barrel includes a positioning magnet group (33), and the positioning magnet group cooperates with the adjusting magnet to selectably position the lens barrel in at least two different positions in the sleeve barrel. |
| US07667903B2 |
Retractably mounted magnifying glass assembly
A magnifying glass having a frame with gripping means, the frame forming the periphery of a magnifying glass formed of a clear plastic polycarbonate, the frame having an attachment member for attachment of a biased, retractable, flexible cord, which flexible, retractable cord is biasly secured to and stored within a mount member, the mount member affixable to any flat surface, the mount member having a securing member for securing the magnifying glass to the mount when not in use, the magnifying glass selectively removable from the mount member and transportable for a distance equal to the length of the flexible, retractable cord stored in the mount member, the return of the magnifying glass to the mount member, causing slack in the flexible, retractable cord, such that it is rewound or retracted within the mount member. |
| US07667902B2 |
Pickup lens
A pickup lens is provided with various aberrations corrected satisfactorily, with a short optical length, and with a sufficient back focus secured. The configuration comprises an aperture diaphragm S1, first lens L1, second lens L2, and third lens L3, and is configured by arranging, in order from the object side to the image side, the aperture diaphragm, first lens, second lens, and third lens. The first lens is a lens having positive refractive power, in a meniscus shape with the convex surface on the object side. The second lens is a lens having negative refractive power, in a meniscus shape with the convex surface on the image side. The third lens is a lens having negative refractive power, in a meniscus shape with the convex surface on the object side. Both of the surfaces of the first lens are aspherical, both of the surfaces of the second lens are aspherical, and both of the surfaces of the third lens are aspherical. |
| US07667898B2 |
Zoom lens and projector
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having negative power, a second lens group having positive power, a third lens group having positive power, and a fourth lens group having positive power, disposed in this order from the enlargement side to form the entire structure. At the time of zooming from the wide angle side to the telephoto side, the first lens group shifts from the enlargement side to the reduction side and the second and third lens groups shift from the reduction side to the enlargement side and the fourth lens group is fixed. The overall length of the zoom lens becomes the maximum at the wide angle end. |
| US07667896B2 |
DVD recording and reproducing system
The objective of the present invention is to provide a high-speed, miniaturized, low-cost DVD recording and reproducing system. The present invention is particularly directed to a motorless optical pick-up device for recording and/or reading information on or from an optical disc (CD or DVD), which provides focusing, tracking, seamless layer jumping, tilt compensation, and CD/DVD compatibility. |
| US07667894B2 |
Security element and process for producing the same
A security element for securing value documents has a first light-polarizing layer that is present at least in some areas and includes a cholesteric liquid crystal material, that selectively reflects light having a predetermined circular polarization, and that selectively reflects light of a firs wavelength range in a first reflection direction and light of a second wavelength range having a second, different reflection direction. A second light-polarizing layer is present at least in some areas and selectively reflects light having the opposite circular polarization to the predetermined circular polarization and selectively reflects light of the first and second wavelength range in the first and second reflection direction, respectively. A semi-transparent filter layer on which the first and second light-polarizing layer are stacked, absorbs light from the visible spectral range and transmits light from the first and/or second wavelength range. |
| US07667893B2 |
Microlens front projection screen
A display screen is provided. The display screen may be configured to receive an image from a display device, and includes a first surface with a topography configured to transmit light from the image, and a second surface configured with light reflecting portions and light absorbing portions. The light reflecting portions may be configured to substantially reflect light transmitted from the first surface, and the light absorbing portions may be configured to substantially absorb environmental light. |
| US07667890B2 |
Cytological imaging systems and methods
The present invention relates to the analysis of specimens. Specifically, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for reviewing specimen slides, including apparatus for holding the slides. The invention also relates to an automatic focusing method for an imaging system and methods for accommodating vibration in the imaging system. In particular, the methods and apparatus may be applied to the automated analysis of cytological specimen slides. |
| US07667889B2 |
Methods and systems for gain control in pulsed optical amplifiers
A method of operating an amplifier system includes providing a pump signal at a pump wavelength. The pump signal is a function of a pump power. The method also includes providing an input signal at a signal wavelength and coupling the pump signal and the input signal to an optical amplifier. The optical amplifier includes a gain medium characterized by a gain value at the signal wavelength. The method further includes amplifying the input signal to provide an output signal, detecting a feedback signal related to the gain value, and modifying the pump power based on the detected feedback signal. |
| US07667886B2 |
Multi-layer sheet for use in electro-optic displays
A multi-layer film, useful as a front sub-assembly in electro-optic displays, comprises, in this order: a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer (114); a light-transmissive first protective layer (112); a light-transmissive moisture barrier layer (108); and a light-transmissive second protective layer (106). This multi-layer film can be used in forming an electro-optic display by the processes described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,982,179 or Patent Publication No. 2007/0109219. |
| US07667883B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus and its optical element, method and apparatus for positioning and fixing the optical element, and a molding tool for making the optical element
Method and apparatus for optical scanning includes a sliding bed and a center adjusting unit. The sliding bed predetermines a position of an optical element in a light axis direction. The optical element has at least one lens surface to be have been subjected to a precision-figure transferring and optically scanning at least one light beam generated by a plurality of light sources and deflected by a rotary mirror. The center adjusting unit moves the optical element to make a lateral center of a curvature radius of the optical element exactly on a light axis center. This paper also describes an optical element itself, a method and apparatus for positioning and fixing the optical element. This paper further describes a molding tool for making the optical element. |
| US07667877B2 |
Document reader
A document reader includes a document feeder conveying a document along a document conveyance path, a first image reader reading an image formed on a first side of the conveyed document, and a second image reader reading an image formed on a second side of the conveyed document. Each of the first and second image readers is of an optical reduction system constituted of a light source, a mirror, a lens and an image sensor. The second image reading means is unified into a single assembly including at least the mirror, the lens and the image sensor, to be thus detachably attached, as a single unit, to the document feeding means. Thus, the document reader can clearly read the images formed on the first and second sides, it requires a short period of time from image reading to image outputting, and its maintenance is readily conducted. |
| US07667876B2 |
Generating a normalized image from an original image
An apparatus, method, system, and computer program and product, each capable of generating normalized image data from original image data are disclosed. To generate the normalized image data, feature information is extracted from the original image data, and predetermined image processing is applied to the original image data using the feature information. |
| US07667875B2 |
Textured HT screens for improved uniformity appearance
An image processing method for adding noise-like texture to the print through the manipulation of halftone screens. The method injects noise into halftone thresholds arrays rather than directly into the image. The method operates by creating a halftone threshold array of suitable size to support the desired noise characteristics. A textured pattern of a corresponding size is created having the desired noise characteristics and boundary transitions. The texture pattern is applied to the halftone threshold array by an amount determined by a noise amplitude control curve. The incoming contone image is then processed with the modified halftone screen. |
| US07667874B2 |
Method and system for improving print quality
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for improving print quality. In one embodiment, a method of optimizing printer output quality is provided which includes identifying media in at least one media tray, querying a media database for a record corresponding to the identified media, extracting data from a record of identified media, adjusting printer operation based upon the extracted data, and printing on the identified media, wherein the printer operation is adjusted on a page-by-page basis within a single print job. Typical parameters which are adjusted during the print job are the transfer voltages and the volume of toner deposition. In another embodiment, media is assigned to groups based upon its color and print parameters are adjusted as different colors of media are used. |
| US07667871B1 |
Visual cryptography and voting technology using a pair of enhanced contrast glyphs in overlay
In some embodiments, techniques for voting and visual cryptography may include various enhancements. |
| US07667867B2 |
Printing apparatus and correction data generating method
A printing apparatus for measuring proper density and generating correction data with high accuracy by eliminating influences of adjoining areas. A plurality of scanning coordinates SAx are set to a middle position in a primary scanning direction of each of pixel lines Q on a test chart. Scanning areas SA are set to positions where the scanning coordinates SAx intersect scanning coordinates SAy indicating numerous positions in a secondary scanning direction of the pixel lines Q. Density data of the scanning areas SA is averaged to generate correction data for updating a correction table. |
| US07667862B2 |
Method and system for streaming images to wireless devices
A method for interactively viewing raster images using scalable vector graphics (SVG), including receiving an SVG document, the SVG document including a reference to a raster image within the SVG document, the reference indicating a rectangular portion, a display width and height, and an IP address for a server computer, passing the SVG document to an SVG viewer, rendering the SVG document, including requesting from the server computer a first portion of raster image data corresponding to the rectangular portion, display width and display height, the first portion of raster image data being derived from the raster image, receiving the first portion of raster image data from the server computer, displaying the first portion of raster image data, transmitting a user request for a different portion of the raster image data, receiving a modified SVG document, modified according to the different portion requested by the user, passing the modified SVG document to the SVG viewer for re-rendering. A system and a computer readable storage medium are also described and claimed. |
| US07667861B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus including: a plurality of image data acquisition units for respectively acquiring one or more page(s) of image data; a color or monochrome determining unit for determining whether each of the acquired pages is in color or in monochrome; an image forming unit for performing image formation of each page switchably using a monochrome-only image forming function for a monochrome page or a color and monochrome image forming function for a color page and a monochrome page; an image data switching unit for sequentially selecting and arranging the acquired pages of image data one by one so that the image formation of each page is performed in the order of selection; a function selecting unit for selecting either one of the monochrome-only and color and monochrome image forming functions for each of the arranged pages on the basis of the determination result made by the color or monochrome determining unit; and a control unit for controlling the image forming unit so that image formation of each page is performed using the selected image forming function. |
| US07667860B2 |
Control arrangement for a printing system
A printing system for producing prints from a print job is provided. The printing system includes first and second digital fronts ends as well as an image path. The image path communicates selectively with the first digital front end and the second digital front end, and receives (1) printable information from the first digital front end when the first digital front end and the image path are configured in a first mode, and (2) printable information from the second digital front end when the second digital front end and the image path are configured in a second mode. A selection system disposes the first digital front end and the image path in the first mode, or the second digital front end and the image path in the second mode. |
| US07667853B2 |
Quantum bit reading device and method
An apparatus includes a material in a resonator and containing systems, each of the systems having five energy states, a unit generating first and second pulse that resonate in a second transition and a third transition, respectively, a unit controlling the first and second pulse to make the first and second pulse temporally overlap each other to obtain third light, a unit emitting the third light to each system, a unit generating observation light to be coupled to the resonator mode, a unit introducing the observation light to the resonator from an outside thereof, a unit reading one of quantum bits by measuring an intensity of one of reflected light and transmitted light of the observation light, a unit controlling the first and second pulse to make the first and second pulse temporally overlap each other to obtain fourth light, and a unit emitting the fourth light to each system. |
| US07667850B2 |
Imaging system with low coherence light source
An imaging system uses a low coherence light source to image objects at a relatively far distance (at least 10 cm) and/or of a relatively large size (having a dimension of at least 10 cm). An imaging plane is located such that its image path is substantially equal to a reference path that the light follows within the imaging device. The imaging plane has a thickness of about the coherence length of the light. Only light returning from the imaging plane forms part of the image. Light returning on other paths is effectively negated due to a lack of coherence. The imaging plane may be a fixed distance from the imaging system. Alternatively, the imaging plane may be at a variable distance from the imaging system, with the reference path having a changeable length. |
| US07667847B2 |
Photogrammetric system and method used in the characterization of a structure
A photogrammetric system uses an array of spaced-apart targets coupled to a structure. Each target exhibits fluorescence when exposed to a broad beam of illumination. A photogrammetric imaging system located remotely with respect to the structure detects and processes the fluorescence (but not the illumination wavelength) to measure the shape of a structure. |
| US07667845B2 |
Color evaluation apparatus and method
A spectral distribution error evaluation apparatus is used to evaluate precision of color matching between evaluation and target colors. A first weighting function generator generates a first weighting function on the basis of color matching functions, wavelength characteristics which are independent of a light source of the target color, and visual characteristics which depend on wavelengths. A second weighting function generator generates a second weighting function on the basis of light source information of selected light sources. A difference calculator calculates error values between the evaluation and target colors for respective frequencies. An evaluation value calculator applies the first and second weighting functions to the error values, and calculates the sum total of the error values as an evaluation value. In this way, a precision evaluation value which has high correlation with actual color appearance and is used to improve the color matching precision can be calculated independently of a change in condition such as a light source or the like. |
| US07667843B2 |
Method of evaluating sensitivity grade of interior material used in vehicles
A method of evaluating the sensitivity grade of an interior material used in vehicles comprises: evaluating sensitivity properties of an interior material before providing noise factors; evaluating sensitivity properties of the interior material after providing noise factors; averaging each of the sensitivity properties evaluated before the provision of noise factors and after the provision of noise factors to obtain the average value (safety factor) of each of the sensitivity properties; comparing the average value of each of the sensitivity properties with a preset target value of each of the sensitivity properties to compute a target value achievement level of each of the sensitivity properties; and determining the sensitivity grade of the interior material based on the sensitivity property with the lowest target value achievement level. By providing an objective standard to evaluate sensitivity properties of an interior material used in vehicles, the present method(s) eliminates the difficulty in communication between customers and manufactures and quality control regarding the sensitivity grade of interior materials used in vehicles. |
| US07667842B2 |
Structure and method for simultaneously determining an overlay accuracy and pattern placement error
The present invention provides a technique for obtaining overlay error and PPE error information from a single measurement structure. This is accomplished by forming periodic sub-structures in at least two different device layers in a single measurement structure, wherein at least one segmented and one non-segmented portion is provided in the two different device layers. |
| US07667841B2 |
Detector configurations for optical metrology
An apparatus is disclosed for obtaining ellipsometric measurements from a sample. A probe beam is focused onto the sample to create a spread of angles of incidence. The beam is passed through a quarter waveplate retarder and a polarizer. The reflected beam is measured by a detector. In one preferred embodiment, the detector includes eight radially arranged segments, each segment generating an output which represents an integration of multiple angle of incidence. A processor manipulates the output from the various segments to derive ellipsometric information. |
| US07667835B2 |
Apparatus and method for preventing copper peeling in ECP
An apparatus and method for preventing the peeling of electroplated metal from a wafer, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a seed layer detector system having a light source and a reflectivity detector. According to the method, the light source emits a beam of light onto a wafer and the reflectivity detector receives the light reflected from the wafer. The reflectivity of the wafer surface is measured to determine the presence or absence of a seed layer on the wafer, as well as whether the seed layer has a minimum thickness for optimum electroplating of a metal onto the seed layer. |
| US07667833B1 |
Alignment method for parabolic trough solar concentrators
A Theoretical Overlay Photographic (TOP) alignment method uses the overlay of a theoretical projected image of a perfectly aligned concentrator on a photographic image of the concentrator to align the mirror facets of a parabolic trough solar concentrator. The alignment method is practical and straightforward, and inherently aligns the mirror facets to the receiver. When integrated with clinometer measurements for which gravity and mechanical drag effects have been accounted for and which are made in a manner and location consistent with the alignment method, all of the mirrors on a common drive can be aligned and optimized for any concentrator orientation. |
| US07667832B2 |
System for identifying refractive-index fluctuations of a target
Systems and methods for identifying refractive-index fluctuations of a target are described in this application. One embodiment includes identifying one or more properties of emergent light, the emergent light to be emergent from a target, and determining refractive-index fluctuations of the target based on the one or more properties of the emergent light. The determining refractive-index fluctuations further comprises determining one or more of the variance of the refractive-index fluctuations and the spatial correlation length of the refractive-index fluctuations. The determining refractive-index fluctuations further comprises determining one or more of the variance of the refractive-index fluctuations and the spatial correlation length of the refractive-index fluctuations. |
| US07667831B2 |
Method and device for inspecting a surface of an optical component
The present invention provides an inspection system for inspecting a surface of an optical specimen. The inspection system includes an optical testing device having a main body and an optical axis. The optical testing device includes an optical imaging system housed in the main body. The optical imaging system includes imaging components for acquiring a microscope visual image and for acquiring at least one interference fringe image of the surface of the optical specimen. The optical testing device also includes a translational mechanism housed in the main body and configured to allow linear movement of the optical imaging system and to prevent off-axis movement of the optical imaging system. |
| US07667830B2 |
Mixer-based time domain reflectometer and method
An apparatus to measure optical characteristics of a fiber optic transmission line or other optical medium may include a source to generate a bipolar pulse signal waveform. The apparatus may also include a mixer to mix the bipolar pulse signal waveform and an optical pulse and reflected signal waveform from the fiber optic transmission line or other optical medium to form a mixed product waveform, wherein the reflected signal is responsive to the optical pulse being transmitted into the fiber optic transmission line or optical medium. |
| US07667829B2 |
Optical property measurement apparatus and optical property measurement method, exposure apparatus and exposure method, and device manufacturing method
An optical property measurement apparatus is equipped with an optical system unit that selectively places an opening section for passing illumination light, a microlens array for measuring wavefront aberration, and a polarization detection system for measuring a polarization state of the illumination light on an optical path of the illumination light. Accordingly an illumination shape and a size of an illumination optical system, wavefront aberration of a projection optical system and a polarization state of the illumination light can be measured together. Therefore, for example, even when exposure is performed with polarized illumination that is a type of modified illumination, highly-accurate exposure can be achieved by adjusting various optical systems based on the measurement results. |
| US07667827B2 |
Systems and methods for remote monitoring of vibrations in machines
A system and method for monitoring the vibrations of a machine that includes a reflective patch affixed to the machine and a vibration detection unit including an optics module. The optics module may be positioned remotely from the machine such that the optics module transmits an electromagnetic beam to the reflective patch and reflected from the reflective patch to the optics module. The optics module demodulates the electromagnetic beam to determine the vibration of the machine. |
| US07667826B2 |
System and method for motion based velocity discrimination for doppler velocimeters
A Doppler velocimeter apparatus and method of forming same. In one implementation a coherent light source is used for generating a beam of coherent light. An optical fiber receives the beam of coherent light. The optical fiber has an output face that is generally flat, thus enabling a first portion of the beam of coherent light to be reflected back on the optical fiber and to form a frequency offset, while a second portion of the beam of coherent light exits the optical fiber. A mechanism is used to move the output face of the optical fiber in an oscillating fashion so that the first portion of coherent light reflected back on the optical fiber produces an oscillating waveform that forms a frequency offset. An optical element receives the second portion of light from the face of the optical fiber and transmits it to a subject, and then receives a reflected optical signal back from the subject. The reflected optical signal, when mixed with the oscillating frequency offset, produces a Doppler shift that is dependent on the motion of the subject. A processing subsystem processes the mixed signal and determines the Doppler shift of the reflected signal. |
| US07667823B2 |
Optical device, and method of measuring the dimension of object using optical device
A device and a method for measuring the sizes of a remote object, for example, concrete crack, without using a high-place work vehicle or a ladder. An optical apparatus (e.g. a measuring device (10) ) used for this purpose is provided with a telescope (16) having a reticule plate (46) . The reticule plate (46) is provided with a plurality of reference scales (52) used for comparison with the size (W) of the image (C′) of an object (C) projected onto the reticule plate (46). The size of the object can be measured using the size of the object image measured with the reference scales (52) and a distance (a distance from a reference point P0 a to the object) measured with a distance measuring unit (20) of the optical apparatus. |
| US07667817B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
A laminated spacer portion formed by laminating various thin films that constitute thin-film transistors is disposed in peripheral driver circuits. As a result, even in a structure in which part of a sealing member is disposed above the peripheral driver circuits, pressure exerted from spacers in the sealing member is concentrated on the laminated spacer portion, whereby destruction of a thin-film transistor of the peripheral driver circuits can be prevented caused by the pressure from the sealing portion. |
| US07667815B2 |
Multi-panel monitor displaying systems
A multi-panel monitor displaying system has a multi-panel monitor supported by one integrated Liquid Crystal Display Glass Module (LGM). The multi-panel monitor contains visually un-detective gaps between panels and, therefore, can provide viewers with high quality visual effect with low productive cost. A set of LGM technologies is utilized to re-design and integrate a plurality of LGMs. After integration, image rotation is also required by the multi-monitor displaying system to ensure perfect image displays. |
| US07667813B2 |
Multi-domain liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same
A multi-domain liquid crystal display (LCD) device including first and second substrates facing each other, gate and data lines crossing each other on the first substrate to thereby form a pixel region, a pixel electrode formed in the pixel region of the first substrate, a laser-irradiated groove having a predetermined width and depth in the surface of the second substrate, a common electrode formed in the second substrate having a predetermined step coverage generated by the surface of the second substrate and the groove, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates. |
| US07667812B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus comprising spacers
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first substrate provided with an alignment film on one surface thereof, and a second substrate provided with an alignment film on one surface thereof. The first and second substrates are arranged to oppose each other with the alignment films inside the opposed first and second substrates. Spacers are interposed between the first and second substrates, and pixels are arranged in a matrix in the display apparatus. The spacers are arranged such that, along a direction of rubbing treatment for the alignment film of the second substrate, not more than one spacer is provided per pixel, at least one spacer is present per three consecutive pixels, and no three consecutive pixels all have a respective spacer corresponding thereto. |
| US07667811B2 |
Liquid crystal display module
A liquid crystal display (LCD) module includes a liquid crystal panel; a backlight unit supplying light to the liquid crystal panel; a PCB including a plurality of output pads connected to the liquid crystal panel and a plurality of dummy output pads; and a cover shield protecting the PCB and including an embossing pattern, wherein at least one of the plurality of dummy output pads facing the embossing pattern is electrically isolated. |
| US07667810B2 |
Display module and portable terminal having the same
A mobile terminal comprising a frame, a flexible circuit wrapped around a portion of an edge of the frame, and a bracket located at an appropriate location between the frame and the flexible circuit along the edge of the frame. The bracket protects certain components of the flexible circuit during assembly of the mobile terminal and supports the frame during use of the mobile terminal. |
| US07667808B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display device includes a first electrode and a second electrode on a first substrate, wherein a horizontal electric field is generated between the first and second electrodes, and a third electrode on a second substrate, wherein a longitudinal electric field is generated between the third electrode and the first and second electrodes. In the liquid crystal display device, control of a wide viewing angle and a narrow viewing angle is enabled. |
| US07667799B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device using the same
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a LCD device using the same are provided. The LCD panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, an optical filter layer and a color conversion layer. The first substrate and the second substrate correspond to each other and seal the liquid crystal layer. Several pixels are constituted by the first substrate and the second substrate. The optical filter layer is disposed on the first substrate for a first color light to pass through. The color conversion layer is disposed at the second substrate. The color conversion layer has a first color conversion area, a second color conversion area and a passing area in each pixel, such that a second color light and a third color light are produced after the first color light passes through the first color conversion area and the second color conversion area, respectively. |
| US07667797B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate having reflective and transmissive regions in a pixel region, wherein the array substrate includes a reflective electrode corresponding to the reflective region and a pixel electrode on a first substrate. A color filter substrate defines the reflective region and the transmissive region in the pixel region. The color filter substrate includes a color filter with first and second portions that correspond to the respective transmissive and reflective regions on a second substrate. The thickness of the second portion is less than a thickness of the first portion. The combined thickness of the scatter and the thickness of the second portion is greater than the thickness of the first portion; and a liquid crystal layer between the array and color filter substrates. |
| US07667796B2 |
Color filter substrate, method of manufacturing color filter substrate, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
There is provided a method of manufacturing a color filter substrate. The method includes forming partition walls on a base member, applying a first functional liquid containing a first resin having translucency to a concave part defined by a surface of the base member and side surfaces of the partition walls, using a droplet discharge apparatus, and applying a second functional liquid containing a second resin having translucency and having transmittance different from that of the first resin to the concave part, using the droplet discharge apparatus. |
| US07667792B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel having an upper substrate and a lower substrate that face each other with a layer of liquid crystal molecules therebetween, and a liquid powder display panel at a lower surface of the liquid crystal panel for blocking light. |
| US07667790B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising a filter layer lying in a same plane as a self-luminous body including a first electrode, an organic substance layer and a second electrode
Disclosed is a reflective type liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display device includes: an upper substrate provided with a polarizing plate on one surface of the upper substrate; a lower substrate spaced away from the other surface of the upper substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the upper and lower substrates; a color filter layer formed at a portion on the other surface of the upper substrate; a self-luminous body coated side by side with the color filter layer in a region besides a pixel region on the other surface of the upper substrate, so as to radiate light by itself depending on the electric current; and a transparent ITO layer covered on the color filter layer and the self-luminous body. It is possible to operate the liquid crystal display device without degradation of reflection efficiency in a dark state wherein light introduced from outside is weak. |
| US07667779B2 |
Image-displaying device and pixel control method therefor
An image-displaying device and a pixel control method therefore are provided. The image-displaying device includes a luminance information extraction unit which is configured to extract luminance information from an image; an image enhancement decision unit which is configured to decide an image enhancement mode based on the extracted luminance information; a pixel control unit which is configured to control a pixel of the image by the decided image enhancement mode; and an image output unit which is configured to output the pixel-controlled image. The method includes extracting luminance information from an image; deciding an image enhancement mode based on the luminance information; controlling each of a plurality of pixels of the image according to the image enhancement mode; and outputting the pixel-controlled image. |
| US07667777B2 |
Enhanced image display
A display device comprises a data input unit configured to convert an image signal to a color signal. The display device also comprises a brightness control unit operationally coupled to the data input unit, configured to extract a brightness level associated with the color signal, to subdivide the brightness level associated with the color signal, and to apply different voltages according to brightness level subdivisions to control brightness of the color signal. The display device also comprises a display unit configured to display the color signal according to controlled brightness. The brightness level may comprise gray levels of a γ curve. The color signal may comprise one of YUV or RGB signals. |
| US07667776B2 |
Video display device, video encoder, noise level estimation module and methods for use therewith
A noise level estimation module includes a pixel block selection module for selecting a plurality of selected pixel blocks over a set of K fields of a video signal, each of the plurality of selected pixel blocks containing a plurality of pixels having corresponding pixel values. A difference calculation module calculates a block difference for each of the plurality of selected pixel blocks based on a pixel difference between the pixel value for each of the plurality of pixels and a pixel value for a corresponding pixel in an adjacent field. A signal generator generates a noise level estimation signal based on a subset of M block differences for the plurality of pixel blocks, wherein M is greater than one. |
| US07667770B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing information, storage medium, and program
In a television set, image quality is adjusted in accordance with parameters calculated on the basis of adjustment values used in the past, depending on a feature of an image and an environmental status. A weight calculator determines a weight depending on the manner in which a user performs a volume control operation. A cumulative weight memory outputs a cumulative weight corresponding to the feature value. Output volume values used in past are stored in a volume value generator. The volume value generator calculates output volume values corresponding to a feature value on the basis of parameters indicating final adjustment values, the feature value, the weight, and the cumulative weight. The calculated volume values are stored in the volume value generator. Under the control of a system controller, the volume values stored in the volume value generator are output to a coefficient generator. |
| US07667769B2 |
Rotatable wireless electrical coupler
A rotatable wireless electrical coupler is disclosed that presents a wireless alternative to mechanical slip rings, such as are used in rotatable mechanical assemblies such as dome cameras. The rotatable wireless electrical coupler is designed to provide for the wireless transfer therethrough of electrical power, video and data signals. A rotatable multi-function transformer of the electrical coupler is designed primarily for the transfer of electrical power therethrough, and can also be used for the transfer of data signals. A rotatable electrical capacitor of the electrical coupler is designed primarily for the transfer of video data signals therethrough, and can also be used for the transfer of control and feedback data signals. In a dome camera, the rotatable wireless electrical coupler transfers power and data signals to and from a rotatable platform/section on which is mounted a video camera, pan and tilt motors and other associated electrical components. |
| US07667768B2 |
Image-capturing apparatus having multiple detachably connectable image capturing units
An image-capturing apparatus is capable of capturing a three-dimensional image and a high quality panoramic image as the need arises, and is portable if it is used as a single lens camera that captures a normal two-dimensional image. A second image-capturing unit having an image-capturing optical system is detachably connected to a first image-capturing unit, which is capable of functioning as an image-capturing apparatus by itself, through joints and a connector. The second image-capturing unit can extensively connect to other units, which have the similar connecting structure. Information is transmitted between the units through a slot for an external storage device. There is provided a means for adjusting the positions of images captured by the second and subsequent image-capturing units with respect to an image captured by the first image-capturing unit. In synchronism with release signals from the first image-capturing unit, the other units are driven to capture the images at the same time or continuously. |
| US07667765B2 |
Digital imaging device shutter calibration method and apparatus using multiple exposures of a single field
The shutter of a digital imaging device may be calibrated by comparing a characteristic of two separate exposures obtained from a single field of the device's imaging sensor during a single exposure cycle. Calibrating the shutter in this manner facilitates the accuracy of even very short exposure times. |
| US07667757B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and driving method for solid-state imaging device
A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit 110, an analog shift register, and signal output units 131 and 132. The analog shift register is divided into a first transfer section 121 and a second transfer section 122 with a substantially central region of the analog shift register being set as a boundary. A common transfer section 123 is provided in the boundary between the first transfer section and the second transfer section. The common transfer section 123 selects, as a transfer path of signal charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit 110, either a first path through the first transfer section 121 or a second path through the second transfer section 122. |
| US07667754B2 |
Amplifying solid-state imaging device
An input side of a switched capacitor amplifier section is connected to output sides of transfer transistors of a photoelectric conversion transfer section group comprised of a prescribed number of a plurality of photoelectric conversion transfer sections, each of which has a photodiode and a transfer transistor. An output side of the switched capacitor amplifier section is connected to a vertical signal line. The switched capacitor amplifier section has a signal charge storage section, an amplification transistor whose an input side is connected to the signal charge storage section, a capacitor connected between input and output sides of the amplification transistor and a reset transistor. A voltage at the ground terminal of an inverting amplifier, which is constructed of a constant current load transistor connected to the output side of the amplification transistor via the vertical signal line and the amplification transistor, is controlled by a vertical scanning circuit. |
| US07667746B2 |
Method and apparatus for programmably setting a sampling delay in an image sensor device
A delay circuit is provided that delays the sampling signal by a selected amount in order to ensure that sampling does not occur concurrently with the occurrence of a noisy event. The noisy events on the IC tend to be periodic and occur at regular intervals. The invention allows the delay in the sampling signal to be adjusted such that sampling does not occur at the same time as the reoccurring noisy event. This ensures that the sample signals will not have noise in them resulting from the occurrence of the noisy event. In addition, the delay circuit is programmable to allow the amount of delay to be set on the fly. |
| US07667745B2 |
Signal detecting system using a difference in sample hold circuit outputs
A signal detecting system for reading a charge signal from an image recording medium includes a signal storing circuit, a first low-pass filter into which the charge signals stored in the signal storing circuit are input, a first sample hold circuit which sample-holds the charge signal passing through the first low-pass filter, a second low-pass filter into which the charge signals stored in the signal storing circuit are input, a second sample hold circuit which sample-holds a reference level signal when the input of the charge signal passing through the second low-pass filter is at a reference potential, a difference circuit which outputs as an image signal the difference between the charge signal and the reference level signal, and a controller which controls the initiating timings of the sample hold circuits so that the initiating timing of the first sample hold circuit is earlier than that of the other. |
| US07667744B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and method of controlling same
In a period of time during which an image effect is being selected, a synthesized image in which the selected image effect is synthesized to an input image is generated and the operation of the image effect of the synthesized image is automatically and repeatedly displayed, thereby allowing the user to check what kind of operation the currently-selected fade function is before recording. |
| US07667741B2 |
Device and method for taking picture while recording moving picture
Provided is a device and method for taking a still picture and recording a moving picture. The device includes a user interface unit for generating a user input instruction to record the moving picture, and a user input instruction to take the still picture while recording the moving picture; a moving picture recorder for compressing the still pictures into the moving picture, and recording the compressed picture; a camera picture capturing unit for, when there is the user input instruction to take the still picture while recording the moving picture, capturing the still picture; a camera controller for controlling an operation of a camera, and an operation of the camera picture capturing unit; a take-while-record setting unit for storing information on picture-taking; and a controller for generating a signal for controlling to detect the user input instruction to take the still picture while recording the moving picture, and take the still picture while recording the moving picture. |
| US07667736B2 |
Optimized string table loading during imaging device initialization
A method for initializing an imaging device includes executing a startup procedure to enter an image capture mode without loading any string tables for a user interface, detecting a need to display text in the user interface, and loading a string table enabling the text to be displayed when the need is detected. |
| US07667735B2 |
Image pickup device and image processing method having a mask function
There is provided an image pickup device in which an overall output image can be prevented from being affected by an image signal of a mask area. According to the image pickup device, a prescribed area in a pickup image is masked to keep the masked area non-displayed in the output image, and the image signal of the mask area is removed from a detection target for image processing to prevent the image signal of the masked area from affecting the image processing on the overall image, whereby the image processing such as automatic exposure processing, automatic white balance processing, etc can be properly performed and the image quality of the output image can be enhanced. |
| US07667725B2 |
Multi-beam image forming apparatus and image forming method using the same
A multi-beam image forming apparatus and a method using the same. The image forming apparatus includes: an image process module to divide first image data into a plurality of second image data; a light scanning unit to scan the plurality of second image data using a plurality of laser beams; and a controller to control the formation of an electrostatic latent image of the first image data on a photosensitive body in an overlapping manner, using at least two of the plurality of laser beams. |
| US07667722B2 |
Thermal head and method of controlling thermal head
A thermal head has plural heat generating elements arrayed therein in a main scanning direction to form a heat generating element row, causes the respective heat generating elements to generate heat while conveying a recording medium in a sub-scanning direction, and forms plural dot lines in the main scanning direction on the recording medium to record an image. A plurality of the heat generating element rows are arrayed in the sub-scanning direction. Respective nth (n is a natural number) heat generating elements among the heat generating elements in the respective heat generating element rows can sharingly form a dot in the same position in an identical dot line according to independent driving for each of the heat generating element rows. |
| US07667721B2 |
Gray-scale improvement circuit and display system
A gray-scale conversion means (10) converts the gray scale of an input video signal (100) as necessary, and outputs the video signal with the converted gray scale. A statistical processing means (13) detects a statistical property of each field or frame of the input video signal; a scene change detection means (16) detects scene changes in the input video signal. A conversion characteristic determination means (22) determines the gray-scale conversion characteristic according to outputs of the statistical processing means (13) and the scene change detection means (16). The gray-scale correction increases contrast regardless of image content, and enables faster response to changes in image content. |
| US07667714B2 |
Patterned polygon rendering apparatus
A patterned polygon rendering apparatus has an edge dot attribute setting section 1 that assigns an attribute dot, which indicates an edge of a polygon, to respective dots located in an edge line of the polygon and stores the assigned attribute dots in work memory 2 on a per-dot basis, to thus perform edge processing; an internal attribute dot setting section 3 that assigns an attribute dot, which indicates the inside of the polygon, to respective dots located in an internal region of the polygon by reference to the work memory 2 and stores the assigned attribute dots into the work memory 2, to thus perform painting processing; and a pattern setting section 4 that sets edge color data to the dots assigned the attribute dots, which indicate the edges of the polygon, by reference to the work memory 2, sets pattern data to the dots assigned the attribute dots indicating the inside of the polygon, and renders the data stored in the work memory 2 to the frame memory 6, to thus perform pattern setting processing. |
| US07667713B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus and computer-readable storage medium
An image processing apparatus is provided with a process unit to carry out a resolution conversion process and an image division process with respect to an input image, and a control unit to control a division number of the image division process depending on a size of an image display region and a resolution after the resolution conversion process. The division number indicates a number of divided image portions into which the input image is divided into by the image division process. The control unit may control the division number of the image division process depending on an image size of the input image in addition to the size of the image display region and the resolution after the resolution conversion process. |
| US07667702B2 |
Normalization of vector-based graphical representations
In order to convert graphical content to a canonical format, the graphical content is separated into linear and filled polygonal planes. Linear features in the linear plane are decomposed into line segments having a canonical line segments ordering. Polygonal features in the polygonal plane are decomposed into trigons having a canonical trigons ordering. |
| US07667701B2 |
Intelligent positioning of items in a tree map visualization
A system for displaying a tree map visualization including a processor, a memory device, and program code resident in the memory device. The program code is executable by the processor to prioritize data in a data set so as to associate a priority with respective elements of the data in the data set, to predefine a pattern that reflects a desired display pattern for the associated priority of the elements of the data in the data set, to generate the tree map visualization that positions within a display space, and to display the tree map visualization on a display device. |
| US07667698B2 |
Image display system for displaying an adjustable widened virtual image
An image display apparatus with a display device for displaying images and a viewing device for viewing an image in the left eye and a different image in the right eye. Two smaller images, a left image and a right image, are created from the same two-dimensional image. The left image includes, as it's left most part, the left most part of the two-dimensional image, the right image includes, as it's right most, the right most part of the image two-dimensional image, and both the left and right images include a common central part of the full image. When the left and right images are displayed such that the left eye sees one image and the right eye sees the other image, the viewer sees the two-dimensional image as a virtual image that can be wider than the viewable width of the display device. The width of the virtual image can be varied to accommodate the viewer. |
| US07667691B2 |
System, computer program product and method of preventing recordation of true keyboard acoustic emanations
A system, computer program product and method of preventing recordation of true keyboard acoustic emanations are provided. In an embodiment, it is determined whether a user has stricken a key on a keyboard. In response to the stricken key a keystroke sound from a mask which is dissimilar to a keystroke sound produced by the stricken key is emitted to drown out the keystroke sound of the stricken key. In another embodiment, when a plurality of keys is stricken, a random keystroke sound is emitted between keystroke sounds made by two stricken keys to blur out word boundaries. |
| US07667690B2 |
Optical pointing device and method of computing movement value thereof
An optical pointing device includes: an image input part emitting light and accumulating the light reflected from a working surface during a sampling period to generate an analog image, and converting the analog image into a digital image to output a sample frame, a correlation matrix generator comparing the sample frame with a reference area to generate a correlation matrix, selecting one weighting matrix of a plurality of weighting matrices in response to a movement value, and outputting a weighted correlation matrix using the selected weighting matrix, a movement value calculator finding a cell having a largest correlation value among the weighted correlation matrix, calculating the movement value and outputting the movement value to a position of the cell, and transmitting the movement value to the correlation matrix generator to select a following weighting matrix, and an interface converting the outputted movement value into a signal of a certain format. |
| US07667686B2 |
Air-writing and motion sensing input for portable devices
The use of motion sensing to perform sophisticated command control and data input into a portable device is disclosed. A motion sensor is embedded or fixedly attached to a portable device to measure movement, motion or tilt of the device in one-, two- or three-dimensions when the portable device is used to air-write or make gestures. The use of full motion information such as rate of change of motion or tilt angle to perform functions and commands is also disclosed. In addition, the use of air-writing to input search criteria and filter schemes for portable devices to manage, search, and sort through various data, files, and information is disclosed. |
| US07667684B2 |
Methods for achieving improved color in microencapsulated electrophoretic devices
A method for manufacturing a full color, reflective display includes the steps of depositing a first plurality of electrophoretic display elements in substantial registration with a first electrode and a second plurality of electrophoretic display elements in substantial registration with a second electrode. The electrophoretic display elements include a capsule containing a species of particles dispersed in a suspending fluid. The selective deposition of the display elements can be achieved by ink-jet printing methods, screen printing methods or other printing methods. In some embodiments the electrodes are printed onto the substrate before selective deposition of the display elements, while in other embodiments the substrate is provided having the electrodes already disposed on it. In still other embodiments, the sequence of printing of electrodes and electrophoretic display elements can be varied. |
| US07667675B2 |
Method and apparatus for driving liquid crystal display device
A driving apparatus of a liquid crystal display device includes a multiplexer array for performing time-division on inputted pixel data to supply time-divided pixel data, a digital-to-analog converter array for converting the time-divided pixel data into pixel voltage signals, and a demultiplexer array for driving data lines in a time-division manner to supply the converted pixel voltage signals, wherein the digital-to-analog converter array receives a plurality of pixel voltage signal levels inputted from an external source and generates the pixel voltage signals using the pixel voltage signal level with a voltage at least one-step higher in absolute value than the original pixel voltage signal level in correspondence to at least one pixel data. |
| US07667673B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display panel
An organic EL display panel having display pixels with an improved aperture ratio. A display pixel includes a control electrode line coupled to control electrodes of first and second transistors and a main electrode of a fourth transistor, and a power electrode line provided substantially in parallel with a data line and coupled to a main electrode of the first transistor. Channels of the first and second transistors are formed substantially in parallel with a scan line. A node of the control electrode line for coupling the control electrodes of the first and second transistors is arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to that of the scan line, and a portion of the control electrode line extended to the main electrode of the fourth transistor is formed substantially in parallel with the power electrode line in a substantially vertical direction, and forms a capacitor together with the power electrode line. |
| US07667671B2 |
Plasma display device and method for driving the same
There is provided a plasma display device that has a first, a second, and a third electrodes, phosphors emitting a light depending on discharges generated by applying voltages of the first to third electrodes, and a drive circuit for applying a pulse to the third electrode in every time discharge light emission is generated by applying an alternating pulse between the first and second electrodes, and the time at which the pulse of the third electrode reaches 50% of its amplitude in the trailing edge takes place before the time of the first peak of the light emission waveform. |
| US07667670B2 |
Plasma display device
A plasma display which can reduce the cost of a heat dissipating structure for a driver IC. A magnesium oxide layer is formed on a surface in contact with a discharge space in each of display cells of a PDP. The magnesium oxide film includes magnesium oxide crystals which are excited by electron beams irradiated thereto to emit cathode luminescence light having a peak in a wavelength range of 200 to 300 nm. Further, a pixel data pulse generator circuit for applying column electrodes with pixel data pulses in accordance with pixel data is divided into and built in a plurality of IC chips. Each of these IC chips is mounted on one of a plurality of flexible wiring boards which are connected to the power supply line and column electrodes, respectively. |
| US07667669B2 |
Vehicle display device having a wireless transmitter
There is provided a display device for a vehicle having a seat. The display device includes an assembly housing adapted to mount at a rear portion of the seat. A receiver is adapted to receive at least one of video and audio signals from at least one external input device. At least one wireless transmitter operatively coupled to the receiver, is adapted to wirelessly transmit the audio signals to at least one wireless headphone set. The display device is adapted to reproduce the video signals. In some embodiments of the invention, the at least one wireless transmitter is adapted to transmit the audio signals based on Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology. |
| US07667668B2 |
Fractional video touch panels
An apparatus or multiple driver video card that simplifies user interface design through displaying portions of a single image on multiple screens, and processing feedback from multiple devices as if the interface was a single device. Method, device, and computer-readable medium embodiments generate a user interface image, separate the user interface image into a plurality of sub-images, convey the plurality of sub-images to remote terminals, and configured to receive input data from the remote terminals. |
| US07667663B2 |
Coupling antenna
A coupling antenna has a substrate, an inducting conductor, a ground plane, a first coupling member and a second coupling member. The inducting conductor is mounted on the substrate. The ground plane is formed on and protrudes from the inducting conductor and is mounted on the substrate. The first coupling member is mounted on the substrate and is connected to a feeding cable. The second coupling member is mounted on the substrate and is connected to the first coupling member. The coupling antenna with the first coupling member, the second coupling member and the inducting conductor has a wide bandwidth and a small size. |
| US07667662B2 |
Antenna
An antenna is provided. The antenna has a ground element, a radiator and a conductive element. The radiator has a body, wherein the body has a first edge, a second edge, a third edge and a fourth edge, and the first edge is parallel to the third edge, a length of the first edge is shorter than a length of the third edge, the first edge is close to the ground element, the second edge connects the first edge and the third edge, a fourth edge connects the first edge and the third edge, and a first slot is formed on the radiator. The second edge and the fourth edge extend separately from the first edge to the third edge. The conductive element connects the ground element and the radiator. |
| US07667661B2 |
Electronic device and short-circuited dipole antenna thereof
An electronic device and short-circuited dipole antenna thereof are provided. The short-circuited dipole antenna comprises a first radiation unit, a second radiation unit and a short-circuited unit. The short-circuited unit comprises a first terminal connected to the first radiation unit, and a second terminal connected to the second radiation unit. |
| US07667660B2 |
Scanning antenna with beam-forming waveguide structure
A scanning antenna with an antenna element having an evanescent coupling portion includes a waveguide assembly including a transmission line, adjacent the coupling portion, through which an electromagnetic signal is transmitted, permitting evanescent coupling of the signal between the transmission line and the antenna element. First and second conductive waveguide plates, on opposite sides of the transmission line, define planes that are substantially parallel to the axis of the transmission line, each plate extending distally from a proximal end adjacent the antenna element, whereby the propagated signal forms a beam that is confined to the space between the plates and thus limited to a plane that is parallel to the planes defined by the plates. The signal coupled between the transmission line and the antenna element is preferably polarized so that its electric field component is in a plane parallel to the planes defined by the plates. |
| US07667659B2 |
Antenna system for receiving digital video broadcast signals
An antenna system operative with a communications device for receiving a radio frequency signal, wherein the communications device produces a first control signal representing a frequency of a received signal. The antenna system comprises an antenna structure for receiving the radio frequency signal, the antenna structure comprising tunable elements for controlling a resonant frequency of the antenna structure; a decoder responsive to the first control signal for producing a second control signal and a switch matrix responsive to the second control signal for configuring one or more of the tunable elements to control the resonant frequency responsive to the frequency of the received signal. |
| US07667657B2 |
Information processing apparatus
The subject is to provide an information processing apparatus serving as a wearable device, which makes it possible not only to reduce the divergence of data toward the peripheral spaces, but also to eliminate the electrode to be contacted to the surface of the living body when wearing it, and further, which is superior in the transmitting efficiency. The information processing apparatus is provided with information processing section 101 to conduct various kinds of information processing; wearing section 170 to make the information processing section wearable onto a living body, by surrounding a part of the living body; antenna section 180 formed in the wearing section and serving as either a loop antenna or a dipole antenna; and communicating section 160 to conduct a wireless communication with an external device by transmitting data, processed by the information processing section, to the external device through the antenna section, or by feeding data, received from the external device through the antenna section, into the information processing section. |
| US07667651B2 |
Polarization agile antenna
A compact polarization agile antenna includes a dual-orthogonal loop structure which is excited by a single RF feed (21). The loop structure includes a pair of loops (8, 10), each loop is connected to ground (45) through a complex impedance via a solid state switch (41, 43). Current flows in the loop when the switch (41, 43) is closed. The switches (41, 43) and impedances (47, 49) in each leg are independently controlled. Additionally, the relative phase of the current in each leg can be controlled over a narrow bandwidth via a complex impedance for narrowband circular polarized applications. Using this approach, orthogonal linear, slant, or left-hand and right-hand circular polarizations can be generated. |
| US07667650B2 |
Planar antenna for mobile satellite applications
The invention relates to a microstrip patch antenna (1) for mobile satellite communications comprising a first electrically conducting ground plane (4) having at least one opening (7), at least one patch radiating element (2), at least one first dielectric layer (L2) disposed between the first electrically conducting ground plane and the patch radiating element and more particularly between the at least one opening and the patch radiating element, at least one feed line (6) for providing signal energy in a contactless manner to or from the patch radiating element through the opening and a second dielectric layer (L3) disposed between the feed line and the first electrically conducting ground plane wherein the antenna further comprises a second ground plane (8) and a third dielectric layer (L4) disposed between the second ground plane and the feed line. |
| US07667647B2 |
Extension of aircraft tracking and positive identification from movement areas into non-movement areas
At most airports, responsibility of air traffic control starts and stops at the entrance or exit to the runway movement areas, which are taxiways and runways. In the non-movement areas, such as hangers, ramps, and aprons, aircraft movements and separation are no longer the responsibility of air traffic control, but is the responsibility of other parties such as the airport itself, airlines, or other parties. The use of tracking technologies for air traffic control is therefore focused on the movement areas, not the non-movement areas, where there are limitations in aircraft tracking. Furthermore, many of the aircraft transmitting devices are switched off in non-movement areas exacerbating tracking problems in these areas. The present invention includes several methods including broadband multilateration, to extend aircraft tracking from the movement areas into non-movement areas without the need to extend special air traffic control equipment into those areas. |
| US07667646B2 |
System and methods for direction finding using a handheld device
A system for indicating the relative direction of a target object or location as determined from the current position of a wireless communication device. The system employs Direction of Arrival determination using an antenna array for indicating the direction of a target device and includes facilities to activate a location-indicating transmission in a target device, the ability to request that a location-indicating transmission be activated in a remote target device, relevant information reception from a target device and the display of all potential target devices within effective transmission range of the wireless communication device. |
| US07667642B1 |
Acquisition, collection and processing system for continuous precision tracking of objects
A system and method autonomously and precisely track objects moving along a known course. The objects include, for example, racing horses, other racing animals, or racing vehicles. The system and method utilize modern satellite navigation satellite systems, signal processing, radio communications systems and computer processing to acquire and analyze performance data of the moving objects during competitions and during training and practice. The data acquisition is performed continuously at a rate of at least 1 Hz during the competition, training or practice even in the presence of objects which affect the quality of the signals received from the satellite system. |
| US07667636B2 |
Vehicle control system
In a vehicle control system, when an inter-vehicular distance between a subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle detected by a radar device is less than or equal to a predetermined value, automatic braking is performed or an alarm is activated to alert a driver to prevent a collision. A stationary object detection threshold value of a reception level of a reflected wave for detecting a stationary object is set higher in a predetermined region compared to a moving object detection threshold value of a reception level of a reflected wave emitted from the radar device for detecting a moving object such as a preceding vehicle. Thus, the system prevents a gate or an article in the roadway, which are not obstacles, from being erroneously recognized as obstacles. As such, unnecessary automatic braking and alarm activation for the gate and the article in the roadway can be prevented. |
| US07667632B2 |
Quantizing circuits for semiconductor devices
An electronic device that includes an internal data storage location coupled to an electrical conductor and a quantizing circuit coupled to the internal data storage location via the electrical conductor. In some embodiments, the quantizing circuit includes an analog-to-digital converter having an input and an output, where the input is coupled to the electrical conductor and a digital filter coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converter. |
| US07667629B2 |
Generating a gray code for an odd length sequence using a virtual space
Methods for generating Gray count for an odd length sequence using a virtual space. More than one set of Gray codes can be generated for a given odd multiple virtual domains that assists in achieving more robust systems which are fault tolerant. Broadly contemplated herein is the use of a simple and elegant algorithm which is less complex and uses only an N-bit sequence. |
| US07667628B2 |
Interleaver for scrambling and information word
Interleaver for scrambling an information word, the information word having a multitude of digits, for obtaining a permuted information word. The interleaver includes a first interleaver stage for a row-by-row arranging of the digits of the information word in a plurality of first rows and first columns, and a second interleaver stage for scrambling the digits of one of the first rows by interchanging at least two digits of the one first row in order to obtain a first scrambled row, and for replacing the one of the first rows by the first scrambled row. The first interleaver stage is configured for reading the first row, which is replaced based on the first scrambled row, in a column-by-column manner in order to obtain the permuted information word. |
| US07667620B1 |
Network enabled survival terminal
In some embodiments, a search and rescue communication may include one or more of the following features: (a) a rescue terminal, (b) a main terminal operably connected to said rescue terminal across a communication network, said main terminal sends an emergency notification message across said communication network to said rescue terminal, and (c) a survival terminal associated with an ejection seat, said survival terminal being in communication with said main terminal, wherein said emergency notification message is delivered by said main terminal when said ejection seat is ejected. |
| US07667614B2 |
Housing for receiving an electrical device
The invention relates to a casing (i.e., housing) for receiving an electrical device, particularly a switching device or sensor, having at least one indicating apparatus for indicating different electrical states, particularly switching states, of the device. The casing is characterized in that each indicating apparatus has a plurality of indicating devices and that the indicating devices of one indicating apparatus are positioned facing one another on the casing in such a way that, from each viewing direction, at least one indicating device of each indicating apparatus can be seen. |
| US07667609B1 |
Expert system rescue of impaired equipment operators
Methods and systems using one or more expert systems to screen equipment operators for impairments, such as chemical impairment, physical impairment, medical impairment, or emotional impairment, to selectively test the equipment operators and rescue the equipment operator and control the equipment (e.g., automobiles, trucks, industrial vehicles, public transportation vehicles, such as buses, subways, trains, planes, ships, watercraft, sport vehicles, and dangerous or potentially dangerous machinery in general) if impairment of the equipment operator is determined. One embodiment is a method to screen and rescue an equipment operator having a chemical impairment, using one or more expert systems. A second embodiment is a method to screen and rescue an equipment operator having an impairment, such as chemical impairment, physical impairment, medical impairment, or emotional impairment, using one or more expert systems. A third embodiment is an equipment operator screening system to determine impairment, such as chemical impairment, physical impairment, medical impairment, or emotional impairment, using one or more expert systems, and rescue the equipment operator and control the equipment. |
| US07667608B2 |
Wetness device lock and key and device ID
The present subject matter relates to absorbent articles and signaling devices for use therewith. An absorbent article may be provided with selected electrical components used as wetness or other type sensors and may also incorporate one or more electrical components, characteristics of which may be determined by a coupled signaling device. An attached signaling device may automatically determine a product identification based on characteristics of the electrical components detected and adjust operating characteristics or parameters for the sensing device. Determinations could be made based on gender, age and approximate weight of the user of the absorbent device. In addition automatic checks can be made to determine mutual operability of the signaling device with an associated absorbent article or visa-versa. |
| US07667607B2 |
Reprogrammable receiver collar
An animal training system including a programming apparatus and an animal training collar. The animal training collar is communicatively couplable to the programming apparatus. The animal training collar includes at least one stimulation probe and a programmable device operatively connected to the at least one stimulation probe to activate the at least one stimulation probe. The at least one stimulation probe also transferring data at least one of to and from the programming apparatus. |
| US07667606B2 |
RF enabled surgical cart and use of same in operating room environment
Activities of individuals and the movements/usage of products are monitored in an operating room during a surgical procedure by disposing in the operating room a first transceiver operating in a long wavelength mode in which 99.99% or more of radiated energy is in the form of a magnetic field, for example 131 KHz. A distinguishable radio frequency-enabled identification tag is associated with each of a plurality of persons assigned to the surgical procedure, including for example, doctors, nurses, and/or the patient, and optionally with products to be monitored. A signal is transmitted from the first transceiver and responses from the identification tags are monitored. A log is created from the monitored responses indicative activities of each of the persons in the operating room or of movements of tagged products. |
| US07667605B2 |
RFID detection of air vent condition in inkjet printer supplies
Embodiments of an ink tank are provided, which comprise an ink tank housing, at least one air vent disposed on the housing, and at least one RFID tag disposed on the housing, wherein the at lest one RFID tag is operable to communicate with an RFID reader. The ink tank further comprises a sealing component operable to close the air vent. The sealing component has conductivity operable to interfere with the communication of the RFID tag and the RFID reader such that the RFID tag is incapable of communicating with the RFID reader when the vent is closed. |
| US07667602B2 |
Multi-directional RFID reader for controlling inventory and shelf stock
An apparatus and method for a multi-directional RFID reader system where multi-directional readers can be place on opposing sides of a hallway leading from a back storage area to a retail floor area. The readers can be operable to detect an RFID tag associated with a product as well as its direction of movement, for example whether the product is moving from a back store room to a retail store or the opposite movement is occurring. |
| US07667599B2 |
Piezoelectric cable-based monitoring system
A system for monitoring and distinguishing occurrences along a perimeter bounded by a plurality of piezoelectric cables. The monitoring system utilizes a plurality of piezoelectric cables that generate electrical signals in response to mechanical stress events. The electrical signals from each piezoelectric cable are analyzed by a base unit to determine event classification and location. The monitoring system alerts users and connects to an existing security system to notify third-parties. The monitoring system includes functionality to communicate with a calibration unit and calibrate itself. The monitoring system also includes functionality to interface with a pet containment system. |
| US07667598B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting presence and range of a target object using a common detector
A multifunction detector for detecting energy reflected from the surface, the detector comprising: a focal plane array in communication with the optical receiving path; and an optical receiving path; a read-only integrated circuit in communication with the optical receiving path, integrated with a focal plane array; and a processor programmed to operate the focal plane array and read-out integrated circuit in a first mode to process signals in a first frequency band, and in a second mode to process signals in a second, wider frequency band. |
| US07667592B2 |
Operation system and method of notifying system operation information of same
A treatment instrument output data analysis section includes a probe ID extraction section, an output waveform extraction section, a data analysis section and an analysis result output section. The analysis result output section of the treatment instrument output data analysis section can display on a centralized display panel a synthetic image made by synthesizing a frame image stored in an image storage section of an endoscopic camera apparatus and an analysis result analyzed by the data analysis section. |
| US07667589B2 |
RFID tag uncoupling one of its antenna ports and methods
RFID tags have an on-chip antenna and an off-chip antenna. One of the antennas can become uncoupled if the proper signal is received, while the other antenna may still operate. The uncoupled antenna can be the larger one, for example the off-chip antenna. Then the tag can then be read only by the smaller antenna, which effectively reduces the range of the RFID tag, but without disabling it entirely. |
| US07667586B2 |
Multi-functional alert safety helmet assembly
A multi-functional alert safety helmet assembly, comprises a safety helmet having a base plate, the base plate being installed with a wireless receiving module and a control unit; the safety helmet further installed with a display panel and indication lamps which are at the base plate; and the display panel is formed by light emitting elements; two sides of the display panel having the indication lamps; the light emitting elements flashing sequentially to present textures or patterns. The base plate is connected to the display panel and indication lamps for displaying signals from the wireless transmitting module; the flash of the indication lamps are controlled by the control unit; and display of the light emitting lights of the display panel; when turning right, right indication lamps will flash and when turning left, the left indication lamps will flash. |
| US07667585B2 |
Method and device for improving visibility in a vehicle
A method and a device for improving the visibility in a motor vehicle, at least one infrared sensor of the motor vehicle producing a sensor signal when a person is situated in the area illuminated by the light source, and the light source being controlled dependent on the sensor signal. |
| US07667584B2 |
Tire administration system
A tire administration system selects a frequency of a high reception probability, when a measured data request signal is transmitted from a receiver module (1) to a sensor module (3), or when a frequency of the data request signal is changed, so as to promptly acquire a measured data from the sensor module (3). The receiver module (1) transmits the measured data request signal to the sensor module (3), at a frequency used for a latest, successful acquisition of the measured data from a sensor module (3), transmits the measured data request signal, if the measured data cannot be acquired, repeatedly until the measured data can be acquired, and transmits, if the transmission number of the measured data request signal reaches a designated transmission number, the measured data request signal to the sensor module (3) at a frequency used for a second latest, successful acquisition of the measured data. |
| US07667583B2 |
Tire pressure gauge
A tire pressure gauge for attachment to a valve stem includes a wall defining a chamber having a first port adapted to sealingly engage a valve stem, a probe being mounted in the first port so as to open a valve of a valve stem sealingly engaged by the first port, a pressure sensor in the chamber, a memory, a display physically supported on the device, a processor being operatively coupled to said display, pressure sensor and memory; and code being stored in the memory and operable by the processor to: retrieve at least one value indicative of a first threshold tire pressure from the memory, determine a pressure sensed by the pressure sensor, and, cause the display to present information indicative of a relative value of the sensed value to the first threshold tire pressure. |
| US07667582B1 |
Tool for creating charts
Techniques are described for defining, creating, and presenting a chart. When the chart is called, up-to-date information is used to create the chart. This allows the chart to reflect current key performance indicators for a business. A tool can also be provided for creating a chart definition, which is used to instantiate the chart. The tool provides graphical inputs for a user to select the inputs, operations and outputs into the chart. The tool enables users to create the chart definition with little or no programming. |
| US07667581B2 |
Pedestrian detector and detecting method using change of velocity of object in image
A pedestrian detecting method including: picking up an image of a scene in front of a vehicle; extracting characteristic points from the picked up image; calculating a velocity at which, and a direction in which, each of pixels representing the respective characteristic points moves in the image; expressing coordinates of each of the pixels in a coordinate system corresponding to an overhead view; determining whether the characteristic points represent a two-dimensional object or a three-dimensional object, and if it is determined that they represent the three-dimensional object, whether or not the three-dimensional object is a moving object, on the basis of the calculated velocity and direction of each of the pixels and the coordinates thereof in the overhead view; and determining whether or not the moving object is a pedestrian on the basis of change in the velocity at which the moving object moves in the image. |
| US07667579B2 |
Interior mirror system
An interior mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle comprises an interior rearview mirror assembly with an information display disposed within the housing and behind the reflective element and viewable through the reflective element by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the reflective element when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted to an interior portion of the equipped vehicle. A control is responsive to a photo sensor and operable to distinguish between daytime and nighttime lighting conditions. The control is operable to vary the intensity of the information displayed by the information display as viewed through the reflective element by the driver of the equipped vehicle. When the information display is operating during daytime lighting conditions, the control may adjust the intensity of the displayed information to at least about 1000 cd/m2 as viewed through the reflective element by the driver of the equipped vehicle. |
| US07667578B2 |
Remote operation control device and remote operation control method
In a remote operation control device, an in-vehicle communication unit receives a drive request signal which is transmitted from a center to request a remote operation of a predetermined in-vehicle apparatus. When the drive request signal from the center is received by the in-vehicle communication unit, a preliminary checking request unit requests an in-vehicle electronic control unit which controls operation of the in-vehicle apparatus, to perform checking of whether a precondition for carrying out the remote operation of the in-vehicle apparatus is satisfied. A remote driving unit carries out the remote operation of the in-vehicle apparatus when it is determined after the drive request signal from the center is received by the in-vehicle communication unit that the precondition is satisfied as a result of response to the request for the checking by the preliminary checking request unit. |
| US07667577B2 |
Tuning algorithm for clock source frequency drift
An emergency evacuation and fire safety system has a plurality of signal devices. The clock source frequencies are tuned using the method and system such that the signals flash in synchronization continuously at a preset flashing interval upon detecting an alarm condition. A synchronization signal including a calibrated time position is broadcast at each predetermined time interval to all notification appliances. A time difference is computed between a local time position and the received calibrated time position by each of the notification appliances at each predetermined time interval and tuning the flashing of each of the one or more notification appliances by adjusting the preset flashing interval based on the computed time difference by each of the one or more associated notification appliances. |
| US07667576B2 |
Method of transmitting signals via reinforced steel bar
The present invention teaches methods and systems for transmitting signals in a building utilizing the reinforced steel bar structure in the building. The methods and systems allow the transmission and receipt of signals in residences and offices in older buildings while avoiding system reconfiguration, high cost cabling, and over-invasive installation. |
| US07667573B2 |
Mobile portal for RFID applications
A mobile portal for RFID applications includes an RFID reader for reading identifications of proximately located RFID tagged items in the environment. A communicator is coupled to the RFID reader to receive the read identifications and then communicate the received read identifications over the wireless interface, through one of the gateways, to the central data processing system. Each mobile portal may be actuated for RFID read operations in response to information sensed concerning operation of the mobile asset/vehicle. Additionally, the central data processing system may issue instructions concerning mobile asset/vehicle operation, with those instructions communicated over the wireless interface to the mobile portal. Responsive to implementation of those instructions, the mobile portal actuates the RFID reader and compares the read identifications to identifications of certain RFID tagged items to be manipulated which were identified in the received instruction. |
| US07667572B2 |
RFID tag data acquisition system
An architecture of an RFID system that facilitates the accessing of RFID tag data within an RFID environment. The architecture includes a plurality of RFID readers, each reader being operative to transmit a first RF signal for scanning at least one RFID tag disposed within an RF coverage region associated with the reader, and to receive at least one second RF signal including tag data in response to the scanning of the tag. The architecture further includes at least one host computer operative to execute at least one client application, and at least one controller/processor communicably coupled to the plurality of readers and the at least one host computer. The controller/processor is operative to control operation of the plurality of readers, to process the tag data received by the plurality of readers, and to provide the processed tag data to the at least one host computer for use by the at least one client application executing thereon. |
| US07667567B2 |
High precision voltage measuring passive network
A voltage divider for high precision voltage measurement has one or more pair of potentiometers. The wipers of each pair of potentiometers are ganged so that the sum of their resistances relative to a first end of the respective potentiometer is a constant. An output potentiometer or a pair of resistors provide an output for measuring the output voltage. The resolution of the voltage divider is the product of the resolution of each potentiometer pair and the output potentiometer. |
| US07667565B2 |
Current measurement using inductor coil with compact configuration and low TCR alloys
This invention discloses an inductor that includes a conducting wire composed of an alloy having temperature coefficients of resistance (TCR) 700 ppm/° C. or lower. The inductive coil has a winding configuration provided for enclosure in a substantially rectangular box with a mid-plane extended along an elongated direction of the rectangular box wherein the conducting wire intersecting at least twice near said mid-plane. |
| US07667562B1 |
Magnetic field replicator and method
A new class of fundamental devices and methods for their manufacture and use. The bulk magnetic field replicators of the present invention require no precision machining or alignment to accurately reproduce magnetic fields of any complexity, nor extreme positional stability to maintain superconductivity. Such bulk devices may be formed of either low or high critical temperature superconductive materials, but are particularly adapted to formation from high critical temperature materials. |
| US07667560B2 |
Membrane actuator based on ferromagnetic shape memory alloy composite for synthetic jet actuator
A membrane actuator includes a magnetically actuatable membrane and a magnetic trigger. The membrane includes a shape memory alloy (SMA), and the magnetic trigger is configured to induce a martensitic transformation in the SMA, to produce a larger force than would be achievable with non-SMA-based materials. Such a membrane actuator can be beneficially incorporated into a wide variety of devices, including fluid pumps, shock absorbing systems, and synthetic jet producing devices for use in an aircraft. The membrane/diaphragm can be formed from a ferromagnetic SMA, or a ferromagnetic material can be coupled with an SMA such that the SMA and the ferromagnetic material move together. A hybrid magnetic trigger, including a permanent magnet and an electromagnet, is preferably used for the magnetic trigger, as hybrid magnetic triggers are easy to control, and produce larger magnetic gradients than permanent magnets or electromagnets alone. |
| US07667559B2 |
Switch, semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof
It is an objective to achieve a MEMS switch which can be mounted with a CMOS circuit and has a contact point with high reliability, both mechanically and electrically. An insulator having a compatibility with a CMOS process is formed at the contact surface of a cantilever beam constituting a MEMS switch and a fixed contact 2 opposite thereto. When the switch is used the cantilever beam is moved by applying a voltage to the pull-in electrode and the cantilever beam. After the cantilever beam makes contact with the fixed contact, a voltage exceeding the breakdown field strength of the insulator is applied to the insulator, resulting in dielectric breakdown occurring. By modifying the insulator once, the mechanical fatigue concentration point of the switch contact point is protected, and a contact point is achieved as well in which electrical signals are transmitted through the current path formed by the dielectric breakdown. |
| US07667558B2 |
Thin film elastic wave resonator
An upper electrode (50) includes a first electrode (51) formed in a circle and a second electrode (52) formed in an annulus outside the first electrode (51). The first electrode (51) and the second electrode (52) are electrically separated from each other via an insulating region. A lower electrode (30) includes a third electrode (31) formed in a circle and a fourth electrode (32) formed in an annulus outside of the third electrode (31). Similarly, the third electrode (31) and the fourth electrode (32) are electrically separated from each other via an insulating region. Further, the third electrode (31)is provided so as to face the first electrode (51) via the piezoelectric body (40) and the fourth electrode (32) is provided to face the second electrode (52) via the piezoelectric body (40), respectively. |
| US07667557B2 |
Thin-film bandpass filter using inductor-capacitor resonators
A bandpass filter including one or more metal layers, each layer having a first region and a second region. The filter also includes two or more LC resonators and one or more coupling networks for connecting the two or more LC resonators in parallel. The two or more LC resonators are contained within the first region of the one or more layers and the one or more coupling networks are contained in the second region of the one or more layers. |
| US07667556B2 |
Integrated power combiner/splitter
A combiner/splitter with distributed lines including a first line formed of a first planar winding in a first conductive level and of a second planar winding in a second conductive level; a second line formed of a third planar winding interdigited with the first winding in the first level, and of a fourth planar winding interdigited with the second winding in the second level; a first capacitive element connecting the external ends of the first and third windings; and a second capacitive element connecting the external ends of the second and fourth windings. |
| US07667555B2 |
Composite right/left handed (CRLH) branch-line couplers
High-frequency couplers and coupling techniques are described utilizing artificial composite right/left-handed transmission line (CRLH-TL). Three specific forms of couplers are described; (1) a coupled-line backward coupler is described with arbitrary tight/loose coupling and broad bandwidth; (2) a compact enhanced-bandwidth hybrid ring coupler is described with increased bandwidth and decreased size; and (3) a dual-band branch-line coupler that is not limited to a harmonic relation between the bands. These variations are preferably implemented in a microstrip fabrication process and may use lumped-element components. The couplers and coupling techniques are directed at increasing the utility while decreasing the size of high-frequency couplers, and are suitable for use with separate coupler or couplers integrated within integrated devices. |
| US07667546B2 |
LVDS receiver for controlling current based on frequency and method of operating the LVDS receiver
In an embodiment, an LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) receiver includes at least one LVDS input buffer, a clock generating unit, and a bias circuit. The clock generating unit includes a voltage controlled oscillator for generating a clock signal tracking a frequency of data received via the at least one LVDS input buffer based on a control voltage. The bias circuit controls current sources that supply current to at least one differential amplifier in the at least one LVDS input buffer based on the control voltage of the clock signal generating unit. Therefore, the LVDS receiver can save current consumed in LVDS input buffers by controlling the amount of current supplied to the at least one differential amplifier included in the at least one LVDS input buffers. |
| US07667544B2 |
Clock reproducing apparatus
A clock reproducing apparatus includes a clock reproducing circuit having: a gated oscillator having an oscillating circuit of two routes; and a frequency control circuit for comparing a phase of an output of the gated oscillator with a phase of a reference clock, and supplying a phase control signal to the gated oscillator based on the comparison result so as to set a delay time, input data is input to a reset input terminal of the gated oscillator, and different route of the two routes of the oscillating circuit operates depending on a case where the input data is “H” and a case where the input data is “L”. |
| US07667542B2 |
Input stage for an amplifier
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an amplifier having an input to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from an output node of a source. An input stage coupled to the amplifier input may include one or more components to aid in processing of incoming signals. One such component coupled between the source and the input of the amplifier is a coupling capacitor used to maintain a bias voltage of the amplifier at a different potential than a DC voltage of the output node. In certain applications, the amplifier and the coupling capacitor may be integrated on a single substrate. |
| US07667538B2 |
Differential amplifier, data driver and display
A differential amplifier comprises terminals for receiving signals, and outputting a signal, and differential pairs, each having an input and output pair, the differential pairs supplied with currents, respectively, a load circuit connected to the differential pairs, an amplifier stage for receiving input, a signal of at least one connection node of the load circuit and output pairs of the differential pairs, the amplifier stage having an output connected to a terminal and a connection switching circuit for controlling switching between connection states of a first differential pair and second differential pair. |
| US07667537B2 |
Method for correcting a harmonic distortion of a power bridge, in particular for a class D amplifier
To correct for harmonic distortion of a power bridge, the form of a pulse at the output of the power bridge and of estimate of non idealities under different current conditions is acquired. An estimate of a current at the output of the power bridge is also acquired. The switching control signal applied to the power bridge is then regulated based on the acquired estimates. More specifically, an area error introduced by the estimated non-idealities of the power bridge for a certain output current is determined and the edges of the switching control signal input to the power bridge are temporally shifted in response to the determined area error so as to account for the determined area error and correct for harmonic distortion concerns in the output signal. |
| US07667532B1 |
Bias control system for a power amplifier
A bias control system for the radio frequency power amplifiers that includes a current source, a mirror current, and a bias voltage. |
| US07667531B2 |
Signal transmission circuit
A signal transmission circuit having four lanes includes a constant voltage circuit to generate a constant voltage, a current supply circuit, and differential driver circuits respectively placed for the lanes. The current supply circuit receives a constant voltage from the constant voltage circuit and generates four currents having a value corresponding to a prescribed voltage-current conversion ratio and outputs them in parallel. The differential driver circuits respectively receive the currents output from the current supply circuit and output a voltage having an amplitude corresponding to the prescribed voltage-current conversion ratio. The current supply circuit includes a voltage divider circuit and an analog selector, which form a current supply control circuit capable of changing the voltage-current conversion ratio. |
| US07667524B2 |
Driver circuit and method with reduced DI/DT and having delay compensation
A method of driving a power transistor switch comprising: receiving a drive input signal; converting the drive input signal into a converted drive input signal; and providing the converted gate drive input signal to a control electrode of the switch to turn on the switch, the converted drive input signal having three regions with respect to time, each having a slope, a first region in time having a first slope up to a Miller Plateau of the switch; a second region in time having a second slope with a reduced slope compared with the first slope; and a third region having a third slope that is greater than the second slope, whereby the control electrode voltage rapidly reaches the Miller Plateau voltage, then more slowly reaches a threshold voltage of the switch and then, when the switch has substantially fully turned on, the control electrode voltage is rapidly increased. The switch delay time is also maintained substantially constant by adjusting the transistor control electrode precharge voltage. |
| US07667521B2 |
Voltage switch circuit of semiconductor device
Disclosed is a voltage switch circuit of a semiconductor device. The subject voltage switch circuit can be used to apply voltage to a semiconductor memory device control circuit. The voltage switch circuit according to an embodiment includes five transistors and a capacitor. An output terminal of the subject circuit outputs VSS when VDD is applied to an input terminal, and outputs a boosted operating voltage when VSS is applied to the input terminal. |
| US07667520B2 |
Level shift device having reduced error in the duty ratio of the output signal
The level shift device of the present invention comprises: a level shift circuit which converts a voltage level of a single input signal; and a duty correcting circuit which offsets a difference in the duty of an output signal of the level shift circuit with respect to the duty of the input signal. |
| US07667517B2 |
System and method for fully digital clock divider with non-integer divisor support
A system and method that use a first clock to digitally generate a second clock, wherein the ratio of the frequency of the first clock to the frequency of the second clock is a non-integer. Circuitry may be used to ensure that the first clock, or input clock, has a frequency at least equal to the highest of the desired output frequencies. The input clock may be used to generate several output clocks with different frequencies. If one of the output clocks has the same frequency as the input clock, the circuitry can be bypassed. The different clocks may be used to drive parts of a system, each of which may require a different frequency. |
| US07667511B2 |
Efficient pulse amplitude modulation transmit modulation
Efficient PAM transmit modulation is provided by a PAM modulator that includes an oscillator (404) that provides a clock signal, CKV, (408). The clock signal 408 and a delayed version (CKV_DLY) 420 of the clock signal are provided to a logic gate (414). The output of logic gate (414) is used as a power amplifier input signal (PA_IN) for radio frequency power amplifier (416). Depending on the relative time delay of the CKV clock signal (408) and the CKV_DLY delayed clock signal (420), the timing and duty cycle of the logic gate (414) duty cycle can be controlled. The duty cycle or pulse-width variation affects the turn-on time of the power amplifier (416); thereby establishing the RF output amplitude. |
| US07667510B2 |
Delay locked loop circuit and method thereof
A delayed locked loop (DLL) circuit for reducing power consumption in updating a delay value of an external clock after locking. The DLL circuit includes a phase comparator for comparing a phase of a feedback clock and a phase of an external clock, and a delay unit for delaying an external clock in response to a comparison signal from the phase comparison. A replica unit receives the delayed external clock and outputs the feedback clock. A toggling controller disables toggling of the delayed external clock that is inputted to the replica unit for a predetermined time at a regular interval after locking. |
| US07667508B2 |
Frequency synthesizer
A circuit for receiving an input signal and generating an output signal, the input signal having a first frequency, the output signal having a second frequency. The circuit comprises a forward branch for generating the output signal and a return branch for feeding back the output signal. The return branch comprises a frequency divider for receiving the output signal, for dividing the frequency of the output signal by a factor, and for outputting a modified output signal. The forward branch comprises a detector for comparing the input signal and the modified output signal and outputting a comparison signal indicative of the comparison; a word-length reduction circuit for reducing the number of bits of the comparison signal, thereby generating a reduced-length comparison signal; a digital-to-analog converter for converting the reduced-length comparison signal to analog, thereby generating an analog signal; and an oscillator, controlled by said analog signal. By reducing the word length of the input to the digital-to-analog converter, the digital-to-analog converter may be greatly simplified. |
| US07667507B2 |
Edge-timing adjustment circuit
According to some embodiments, a method and system are provided to receive a clock input at a first clock adjustment tuner, receive the clock input at a second clock adjustment tuner, output a tuned inverted rising clock signal via the first clock adjustment tuner, output a tuned inverted falling clock signal via the second clock adjustment tuner, receive the inverted rising clock signal and the inverted falling clock signal at a clock synchronizer, output a synchronized tuned clock signal via the clock synchronizer, receive the synchronized tuned clock signal at a third clock adjustment tuner, and output a tuned clock signal. The first clock adjustment tuner and the second clock adjustment tuner provide coarser adjustments than the third clock adjustment tuner. |
| US07667503B2 |
Semiconductor switching circuit with hysteresis
There is provided a switching circuit including, a semiconductor switching circuit comprising, a transistor, a first electrode of the transistor being connected to an electrical source via a load, a second electrode of the transistor being connected to a standard potential, a driving circuit outputting a signal to a control electrode of the transistor on a basis of a potential in the first electrode of the transistor so as to turn on and off the transistor, the driving circuit turning on when an input voltage applied from an input terminal being a first voltage higher than a threshold voltage of the transistor, the driving circuit turning off when the input voltage being a second voltage lower than the threshold voltage of the transistor. |
| US07667493B2 |
Data transmitter
Data transmitter includes a first and second output nodes terminated to a first level, a controller configured to generate an off signal that is activated by logically combining first and second data during a low-power mode, a first driver configured to drive the first or second output node to a second level in response to the first data and a second driver configured to drive the first or second output node to the second level with a driving force different from that of the first driver in response to the second data, the second driver being turned off when the off signal is activated. |
| US07667492B2 |
Input buffer
Methods and corresponding systems for buffering an input signal include outputting a first logic value in response to the input signal being below a lower threshold. A second logic value is output in response to the input signal rising above the lower threshold. Thereafter, the second logic value is maintained until the input exceeds a higher threshold and thereafter falls below the higher threshold. In response to the input signal falling below the higher threshold, the first logic value is output, and maintained at the first logic value, until the input falls below the lower threshold and thereafter rises above the lower threshold. |
| US07667489B1 |
Power-on reset circuit for a voltage regulator having multiple power supply voltages
A voltage regulator and method of voltage regulation for a power-on reset condition are described. Voltage regulation control signals responsive to the power-on reset condition are obtained. The control signals are generated with a first voltage to be associated with a second voltage to provide a first power-on-reset signal and a second power-on-reset signal which are opposite in state to one another. A portion of driver logic is tri-stated responsive to the control signals, and the second power-on-reset signal to at least impede supply to supply current leakage. Voltage is pulled up on a first output port and a second output port of the driver logic responsive to the first power-on-reset signal. A portion of a semiconductor substrate is electrically coupled to a higher one of a first voltage and a second voltage responsive to the pulling up to at least further impede the supply to supply current leakage. |
| US07667486B2 |
Non-sequentially configurable IC
Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (IC). The IC includes at least fifty configurable circuits arranged in an array having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. Each configurable circuit for configurably performing a set of operations. At least a first configurable circuit reconfigures at a first reconfiguration rate. The first configurable circuit performs a different operation each time the first configurable circuit is reconfigured. The reconfiguration of the first configurable circuit does not follow any sequential progression through the set of operations of the first configurable circuit. |
| US07667485B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuits with power reduction mechanism
A semiconductor device including first and second power lines, and first and second circuit blocks coupled between the power lines. A first switching element is inserted between the first circuit block and at least one of the power lines and a second switching element is inserted between the second circuit block and at least one of the power lines. The first switching element is rendered conductive to allow the first circuit block to receive the power voltage through the first and second power lines while the second switching element is rendered nonconductive to prevent the second circuit block from receiving the power voltage through the first and second power lines, so that a leakage current flowing through the second circuit is suppressed. |
| US07667482B2 |
Inductively powered power bus apparatus
An apparatus for a power bus includes an inductive power harvesting unit structured to provide a first power output arising from current flowing in the power bus, an energy storage unit structured to store energy from the first power output and to provide a second power output, and a selector structured to select one of the first and second power outputs and to provide a third power output from the selected one. A processor is powered from the third power output of the selector. The selector is further structured to normally provide the third power output from the first power output of the inductive power harvesting unit. The processor is structured to determine that the first power output of the inductive power harvesting unit is inadequate and to cause the selector to provide the third power output from the second power output of the energy storage unit. |
| US07667481B2 |
Surface electron emission device array and thin film transistor inspection system using the same
A surface electron emission device array and a TFT inspection system for inspecting a TFT array using a surface electron emission device array may be provided. The TFT inspection system may include a surface electron emission device array, which may have a first electrode disposed to face the TFT array in a first direction, a second electrode disposed in a second direction intersecting the first direction in a region corresponding to a region in which the first electrode and a corresponding pixel electrode of the TFT array may be formed, and an insulating layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US07667480B2 |
Anisotropic conductive sheet, its production method, connection method and inspection method
Provided is an anisotropic conductive sheet (8) having heat resistance and cold resistance and suitable for connection of electrodes. The anisotropic conductive sheet of the present invention has conductivity in the thickness direction, wherein the base film (1), which is a film made of synthetic resin having an electrical insulation property, has a plurality of holes (3) formed in the thickness direction, and the holes (3) are open to one main surface of the base film and closed to the other main surface, wherein a metal is adhered to the closed parts (2a) and the inner walls (2b) of the holes (3) so that by contacting electrodes (7) with the closed parts (2a) respectively from the outside, the electrodes (7) can electrically be connected through the adhered metal to the main surface where the holes (3) are open. |
| US07667474B2 |
Probe device
A probe device includes a stage for fixing a semiconductor device having an external connection pad; a heating unit provided in the stage, for heating the semiconductor device to a predetermined temperature; and a probe card having a probe pin and a support substrate for supporting the probe pin, in which a resistance heating element is provided to the support substrate so as to heat a portion of the support substrate corresponding to a disposition portion of the probe pin to a temperature substantially equal to the predetermined temperature. |
| US07667470B2 |
Power grid structure to optimize performance of a multiple core processor
A reduced number of voltage regulator modules provides a reduced number of supply voltages to the package. The package includes a voltage plane for each of the voltage regulator modules. Each core or other component on the die is tied to a switch on the package, and each switch is electrically connected to all of the voltage planes. A wafer-level test determines a voltage that optimizes performance of each core or other component. Given these voltage values, an engineer may determine voltage settings for the voltage regulator modules and which cores are to be connected to which voltage regulator modules. A database stores voltage setting data, such as the optimal voltage for each component, switch values, or voltage settings for each voltage regulator module. An engineering wire may permanently set each switch to customize the voltage supply to each core or other component. |
| US07667469B2 |
Method and apparatus for dry testing non-conductive containers for carrying people
A method and apparatus for dry testing non-conductive containers for carrying people are disclosed. Two conductive materials placed on opposite sides of a material being tested. High voltage is applied to one of the conductive materials while a ground lead is attached to the other conductive material. Electric current is measured from the grounded conductive material to identify any breakdown of the dielectric properties of the material being tested. |
| US07667465B2 |
Lead insertion system and method
A system for determining whether a lead is securely inserted into a connector includes an actuator for moving the lead to a plurality of positions, a position sensor for measuring a position of the lead relative to the connector, and a force sensor for measuring an actual force exerted on the lead at each of the plurality of positions to define an actual force signature. A processor compares the actual force signature to a predetermined force signature to determine whether the lead is disposed within the opening of the connector. The method includes the steps of moving the lead to a plurality of positions, establishing an actual force signature, and establishing a predetermined force signature. If the actual force signature is within the predetermined force signature, then the lead is securely inserted into the opening. |
| US07667460B2 |
Distinguishing bound and unbound contrast agents using magnetic resonance
Magnetic resonance monitoring of a target (30) uses the detected magnetic resonance to determine movement such as diffusion of contrast agent relative to the object, and uses the movement to discriminate (50, 60) a part of the contrast agent which is bound to the target, from the rest of the contrast agent. The need for clearing agents can be avoided or reduced, and hence imaging is instantaneous. A “stationary spin map” of the object can be formed by comparing the movements in the different directions, and determining if the differences between them are less than a given threshold. Determining isotropic movement in this way for a number of locations on the object allows the map to be generated. |
| US07667458B2 |
Phantom for diffusion tensor imaging
A phantom for Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to measure the main physical quantities of diffusion tensors, such as diffusion anisotrophy, a diffusion principal axis and a route of the diffusion principal axis, and to evaluate the accuracy of DTI are provided. The phantom for diffusion tensor imaging includes: an outer container providing a space; materials for diffusion measurement located in the space of the outer container and formed of bunches of microtubes; and materials for fixing located in the space of the outer container to fix the materials for diffusion measurement to a specific location. |
| US07667456B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing magnetic head with TMR element
A magnetic head testing apparatus having the function of evaluating pin holes in a tunnel barrier layer of a TMR element by a non destructive inspection is disclosed. The testing apparatus comprises a temperature control unit which sets a circumferential temperature of a TMR element, a bias electric current control unit which applies an electric current for measuring a resistance value, an element resistance measuring unit and a CPU which calculates a temperature coefficient. The CPU determines a pin hole state in the tunnel barrier layer based on the temperature coefficient. |
| US07667452B2 |
Detector circuit for measuring current
Detector circuit for measuring relatively strong currents including a main current transformer (1) and two substantially identical auxiliary current transformers (2, 3) where a main current (I1) induces magnetomotive forces in said main current transformer (1), said magnetomotive forces being counteracted by magnetomotive forces induced by a compensating current (i1) while at the same time the two auxiliary transformers (2, 3) are magnetised in antiphase by means of a square wave/modulation signal. Furthermore the detector circuit includes a synchronous rectifier for generating an adjusting signal for the compensating current (i1). According to the invention a compensating current is used for measuring current in a common winding (L3) surrounding the main transformer as well as the auxiliary transformers while at the same time a possible error signal in the shape of a voltage difference between the auxiliary transformers is used to adjust the compensating current (i1) by means of a negative feedback loop. |
| US07667446B2 |
Method for controlling current in a load
One embodiment relates to a control system. The control system includes a controller configured to drive a load based on a set-point of the load. The controller is also configured to measure a load characteristic of the load and compute an average load characteristic. The controller is further configured to determine a corrected set-point based on the computed average and to drive the load in response to the corrected set-point. Other systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US07667445B2 |
Integrated circuit for controlling a switching power supply
An integrated circuit for controlling a switching power supply includes a signal input terminal in addition to a switching input terminal that is also provided in a conventional integrated circuit and is a terminal to switch IC operation modes using an external control signal. The switching input terminal signal is made valid when the signal input terminal voltage is higher than a threshold voltage, such that mode switching using an external control signal is enabled. When the signal input terminal voltage is lower than the threshold voltage, mode switching is automatically conducted by switching a MOSFET ON or OFF using output signals of portions of a comparator connected to a feedback terminal to which an output voltage of a power supply device is applied. |
| US07667439B2 |
Power converter arrangement and method
A power converter arrangement for connecting an induction generator to an electric power network comprises a first path provided for transferring electric power from the induction generator to the electric power network during a first operation condition, and a second path provided for transferring electric power from the induction generator to the electric power network during a second operation condition, where the first path includes an AC-AC converter and the second path includes a switch. A capacitor arrangement is interconnected between the induction generator and the first and second paths and a first AC reactor device is interconnected between the capacitor arrangement and the first and second paths, where the capacitor arrangement is provided for compensating for a magnetization current of the induction generator. |
| US07667437B2 |
Method and system for protection of a lithium-based multicell battery pack including a heat sink
A system and method for battery protection. In some aspects, a battery pack includes a housing, a cell supported by the housing, a circuit supported by the housing and operable to control a function of the battery pack, and a heat sink in heat transfer relationship with the circuit and operable to dissipate heat from the circuit. |
| US07667435B2 |
Secondary battery protection circuit with over voltage transient protection
A secondary battery protection circuit may include an over voltage detector circuit configured to monitor a voltage level of an associated cell of a rechargeable battery and provide an output signal to a switch in response to a comparison of the voltage level of the cell to an over voltage threshold level. The switch may be coupled between the rechargeable battery and a DC power source and capable of moving between conducting and non-conducting states. The switch may also be responsive to the output signal to protect the rechargeable battery if the voltage level of said cell is greater than the over voltage threshold level for a time interval less than or equal to a transient time interval. |
| US07667434B2 |
Method of managing the supply of electrical power, an electrical power supply circuit, and a method of powering an appliance when cold
The present invention relates to a method of managing a supply of electrical power to an appliance that is delivered by means of at least a first battery and a second battery, said method comprising the following steps: powering the appliance by means of the first battery so long as said first battery has a level of charge sufficient for powering the appliance; when the battery has a level of charge that is insufficient, powering the appliance by means of the second battery; and powering the appliance with both of the batteries in parallel when the levels of charge of both batteries are substantially equal and insufficient for it to be possible to power the appliance using a single one of the batteries. The invention also relates to an electrical power supply circuit for implementing said method, and to a method of powering an appliance when cold. |
| US07667428B2 |
Fan system and power monitoring apparatus thereof
A power monitoring apparatus for receiving an external input signal includes a first modulating unit, a second modulating unit and a comparing unit. The first modulating unit receives and modulates an input signal into a first signal. The second modulating unit receives and modulates the input signal into a second signal. The comparing unit is electrically connected with the first modulating unit and the second modulating unit and has a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal. The first input terminal receives the first signal and the second input terminal receives the second signal. When a difference between the first signal and the second signal is higher or lower than a predetermined range, the output terminal outputs a control signal. |
| US07667426B2 |
On-line minimum copper loss control of interior permanent-magnet synchronous machine for automotive applications
A system and method for controlling an IPM synchronous machine in a vehicle that calculates an operating trajectory of the machine on-line. The system defines three operating ranges of the machine based on voltage magnitude, where a first operating range is controlled by a current limit of the machine and second and third operating regions are controlled by a voltage limit of the machine. The system calculates d- and q-axis current reference signals in the reference rotor frame for each of the three regions. The system determines which set of current reference signals will be used to control the machine based on the operating region. The third operating region is used during over-modulation of the machine. |
| US07667423B2 |
Control systems and methods for permanent magnet rotating machines
Systems and methods for controlling a rotating electromagnetic machine. The rotating machine, such as a permanent magnet motor or hybrid switched reluctance motor, includes a stator having a plurality of phase windings and a rotor that rotates relative to the stator. A drive is connected to the phase windings for energizing the windings. A controller outputs a control signal to the drive in response to inputs of demanded torque, rotor position and/or speed. Control methods include calculating a scaled torque demand from the received torque demand to obtain substantially constant torque over a range of motor speeds, calculating an optimal dr-axis injection current using a cost function and a starting method that switches from speed control mode to torque control mode at a predetermined rotor speed or at predetermined start-up timing intervals. |
| US07667420B2 |
Position sensor system
A position sensor system for detecting an absolute angular position of a rotor axle of an electric motor at a predetermined angular resolution W. The position sensor system include, a first Hall sensor device having a first sensor magnet set-up, set up on the rotor axle, and two first Hall sensors, which are set up at an angular offset with respect to the rotor axle so as to achieve a position angle resolution of 90°, and having a second sensor magnet set-up, set up on rotor axle, having n pole pairs and a number m of second Hall sensors, which are set up at an angular offset to one another with respect to the rotor axle, the set-up and the number n of pole pairs and the set-up and the number m of the second Hall sensors being selected so as clearly to detect angular segments at the predetermined angular resolution W within the angular range of the angular offset of 90°. |
| US07667414B2 |
LED lighting apparatus
An LED lighting apparatus can be configured to supply a number of LEDs connected in series with a requisite voltage and power even if an amount of forward voltage of the LEDs connected in series is larger than a supply voltage of a battery. The LED lighting apparatus can include a boosting circuit and an inverted boosting circuit. LEDs can be connected between outputs of the boosting circuit and the inverted boosting circuit. The LED lighting apparatus can also include a current detection circuit configured to detect an LED current, and can include a dual PWM control IC configured to control the boosting circuit and the inverted boosting circuit in accordance with the LED current detected by the current detection circuit so as to keep the LED current substantially constant. The LED lighting apparatus can include a shutdown circuit to stop supplying a power supply when a load that includes the LEDs is in a circuit that is either opened or shorted. |
| US07667411B2 |
Backlight assembly having voltage boosting section with electrically isolated primary side and secondary side
A backlight assembly includes a switching section for switching on/off an input voltage so as to output a primary voltage in accordance with a control signal; and a voltage boosting section for boosting the primary voltage received at a primary side thereof to a secondary voltage at a secondary side thereof. The primary and secondary sides of the voltage boosting section are electrically isolated from each other. In a feedback link for supplying the control signal from the secondary side to the primary side, a signal isolation section is provided for both transmitting the control signal between and electrically isolating primary side and secondary side portions of the feedback link. Additionally or alternatively, a balancing circuit section is connected between the secondary side of the voltage boosting section and a plurality of lamps so as to uniformly supply an alternating current, generated by the secondary voltage, to the lamps, in order to uniformize the luminances of the lamps. |
| US07667409B2 |
Method for driving a lamp in a lighting system based on a goal energizing level of the lamp and a control apparatus therefor
A method and a control apparatus for driving a lamp (14) in a lighting system, in particular a lamp laving a fast response to a change of an amount of energy supplied through the lamp, in which a device controller 8 is connected with the lamp (14) The device controller (8) receives data values from a system controller (2) to change a light output level of the lamp (14). Upon receiving a data value which is different from a previously received data value the device controller calculates additional data values and distribute the additional data values in a following, time interval to smoothen a transition between different light output levels of the lamp (14). |
| US07667405B2 |
Plasma display panel and method of manufacturing thereof
A PDP includes first and second substrates, a plurality of electrodes between the first and second substrates, a plurality of barrier ribs between the first and second substrates to define discharge cells, at least one dielectric layer on the electrodes, at least one photoluminescent layer in each discharge cell, a discharge gas in the discharge cells, and a protective layer on the dielectric layer, the protective layer including magnesium oxide and a light-scattering material having a general formula MOx, where M includes one or more of zinc and/or titanium and 1≦x≦2, the light-scattering material having a particle size of about 100 nm to about 900 nm and being present in the protective layer in an amount of about 1% to about 20% by weight of a total weight of the dielectric layer. |
| US07667403B2 |
Plasma display panel including a color filter layer
A plasma display panel may include a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, barrier ribs disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and at least partially defining a plurality of discharge cells therebetween, a plurality of pairs of discharge electrodes for generating a discharge in the discharge cells, the plurality of pairs of discharge electrodes being arranged in non-display portions of the plasma display panel, and a color filter layer disposed between the barrier ribs and the first substrate. |
| US07667400B1 |
Back-illuminated Si photomultipliers: structure and fabrication methods
Back-illuminated silicon photomultipliers having a substrate of a first conductivity type having front and back sides, a matrix of regions of a second conductivity type in the substrate, a matrix of regions of the first conductivity type under the matrix of regions of the second conductivity type and adjacent the back side of the substrate, with the bottom of the matrix of regions of the second conductivity type forming a p/n junction with the substrate or a matrix of regions of the second conductivity type, the matrix of regions of the first conductivity type having a higher conductivity than the substrate, a common anode formed by a uniform layer of the first conductivity type of higher conductivity than the substrate on the back side of the substrate. Preferably a plurality of trenches filed with an opaque material are provided in the back side of the substrate, the substrate preferably having a thickness of less than approximately 150 um. |
| US07667399B2 |
Large area hybrid photomultiplier tube
A large area hybrid photomultiplier tube that includes a photocathode for emitting photoelectrons in correspondence with incident light, a semiconductor device having an electron incident surface for receiving photoelectrons from the photocathode, and a cone shaped container. The container has a first opening and a second opening. The photocathode is disposed at the first opening, and the semiconductor device is disposed at the second opening. |
| US07667398B2 |
Sealant with colored spaces and flat panel display device employing the same
A flat panel display device, including a substrate, a display unit disposed on the substrate, a sealing substrate affixed to the substrate to enclose the display unit therebetween, and a sealant composition disposed between the substrate and the sealing substrate, wherein the sealant composition includes an adhesive component and colored spacers. |
| US07667397B2 |
Flat panel display device with at least two-layer sealing passivation layer
A flat panel display device including a display area in which a desired image is displayed, and a non-display area arranged outside the display area includes bank portions arranged on a substrate in a predetermined pattern in the display area and partitioning a plurality of first openings, an emission element arranged at each first opening, dummy bank portions formed in the non-display area together with the bank portions and a sealing passivation layer covering the emission element, the sealing passivation layer includes at least a two-layer structure including an organic film and an inorganic film alternately deposited, arranged along a surface defining the dummy bank portions on the upper surface of the emission element, and having a sectional portion directed to and contacting the substrate or a film on the substrate. |
| US07667393B2 |
Luminescent apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention provides a luminescent apparatus having a bright, high-quality image. A reflecting surface-including electrode, and an EL element formed of an organic EL layer and a transparent electrode are provided on an insulator. As shown in FIG. 1, an auxiliary electrode 107 formed of a transparent conductive film is connected to the transparent electrode via a conductor. This structure enables a resistance value of the transparent electrode 104 to be substantially lowered, and a uniform voltage to be applied to the organic EL layer. |
| US07667389B2 |
Light emitting element, light emitting device, and electronic device
A light-emitting element is demonstrated which has a mixed layer between a pair of electrodes. The mixed layer comprises a first region and a second region each of which comprises both a metal oxide and a compound that exhibits an electron donating property to the metal oxide. The light-emitting element is characterized in that the first region and the second region are provided alternately and repeatedly in a thickness direction of the mixed layer and have a thickness of 0.1 nm to 10 nm, and that a concentration of the metal oxide in the first region is different from that in the second region. |
| US07667388B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display device and method for fabricating the same
The present invention discloses organic electroluminescent display device and a method for fabricating the same, which includes: a first hole transporting layer formed in the first, second, and third pixel regions; a second hole transporting layer formed on a portion of the first hole transporting layer in the second and third pixel regions; a third hole transporting layer formed on a portion of the second hole transporting layer in the third pixel region. Light emitting layers are formed on each of the first, second, and third hole transporting layers. The thickness of the second hole transporting layer is approximately one-third (⅓) to two-thirds (⅔) of an optical wavelength difference between the first and second pixel regions, and the thickness of the third hole transporting layer is approximately one-third (⅓) to two-thirds (⅔) of an optical wavelength difference between the second and third pixel regions. |
| US07667385B2 |
Organic thin film transistor and organic electroluminescent device using the same
An organic thin film transistor (OTFT) and an organic electroluminescent display (OLED) device are disclosed. The OTFT includes a drain electrode, functioning as a pixel electrode (anode electrode) of an organic emission element, such that the manufacturing process of an OLED device is simplified. In one embodiment, the OLED device includes: i) a substrate comprising an emission region and a non-emission region, ii) an organic thin film transistor, which comprises, a gate electrode, source and drain electrodes respectively overlapping both side portions of the gate electrode, and a semiconductor layer, and is disposed in the non-emission region, and iii) an organic light emitting element comprising a lower electrode, an organic layer, and an upper electrode. In one embodiment, one of the source electrode and drain electrode of the OTFT extends to the emission region, the semiconductor layer has an opening exposing a portion of the extending electrode, and the exposed portion of the extending electrode acts as a lower electrode (pixel or anode electrode) of the organic light emitting element. |
| US07667378B2 |
Illuminating device, electro-optic device, and electronic apparatus
An illuminating device includes a light source including a light-emitting element, an electrode electrically connected to the light-emitting element, and a heat radiation terminal electrically isolated from the light-emitting element; and a multilayer substrate including a plurality of insulating layers, a plurality of metal layers, an electrically conducting interlayer contact portion, and a heat-conducting interlayer contact portion. The insulating layers include all insulating layer having a mount surface on which the light source is mounted with the electrode and the heat radiation terminal therebetween. The metal layers include an electrically conducting metal layer electrically connected to the electrode and disposed so as to be separated from the light source by the insulating layer having the mount surface and an electrically isolated metal layer electrically isolated from the other metal layers and disposed most distant from the mount surface of all the metal layers. The electrically conducting interlayer contact portion electrically connects the electrode to the electrically conducting metal layer. The heat-conducting interlayer contact portion connects the heat radiation terminal to the electrically isolated metal layer. |
| US07667377B2 |
Laminated piezoelectric element and process for producing the same
A multilayer piezoelectric device including a body having internal electrode layers and piezoelectric ceramic layers alternately stacked. The internal electrode layers contain Cu as a major component, the piezoelectric ceramic layers contain a compound oxide represented by Pb(Ti, Zr)O3 as a major component, and a metal oxide (Nb2O5, Sb2O5, Ta2O5, or WO3) containing Nb, Sb, Ta, or W, which is at least one of a pentavalent metal element and a hexavalent metal element, is incorporated in the piezoelectric ceramic layers such that the concentration of the metal oxide decreases with distance from the internal electrode layers. Thereby, even in a case where internal electrodes contain Cu as a major component, it is possible to provide a multilayer piezoelectric device which can be obtained by low-temperature firing while ensuring a sufficient piezoelectric constant. |
| US07667366B2 |
Rotor winding shield for a superconducting electric generator
A generator rotor core (54) carrying superconducting windings (60) and having a shield (426) over the superconducting windings (60) to prevent external magnetic fields from impinging the windings. Axial shield edges (430/434) mate with corresponding features of the rotor core (54) or with structures affixed to or supported by the core (54) to support the shield (426). |
| US07667363B2 |
Permanent magnet embedment rotating electric machine, motor for car air conditioner, and enclosed electric compressor
Outer circumference of a rotor is alternately provided with a plurality of circumferential portions and a plurality of convex portions. Straight lines each connecting a rotational axis to one of circumferential centers of circumferential portions are referred to as radial lines. Straight lines each bisecting one of convex portions are referred to as bisectors. A plurality of magnetic flux blocking regions are located on a rotor. One of the magnetic flux blocking region is located in a range between the radial line and the bisector adjacent to and preceding the radial line in the rotation direction. Therefore, a permanent magnet embedment rotating electric machine is capable of preventing decreases in torque and suppressing torque ripple. |
| US07667362B2 |
Disc drive apparatus mounted with improved clamping mechanism
A disc drive apparatus mounted with an improved clamping mechanism for driving a disc to rotate is composed of a rotor and a stator, which supports the rotor rotatable freely. The rotor includes a rotor yoke, a clamping section for clamping down a disc on the rotor yoke, a boss and a shaft. The rotor yoke is constituted by a regulating surface for regulating a position in an axial direction of the disc clamped down on the rotor yoke by the clamping section and a center hole. The boss is constituted by a base section in disciform having a through hole and an outer peripheral wall section in an annular shape extending outward around the base section with perpendicularly intersecting to the base section. The boss fastens the rotor yoke by engaging the center hole of the rotor yoke with an outer circumferential surface of the outer peripheral wall section at the bottom. The shaft is fixed to the boss by being inserted into the through hole of the boss. The stator includes a bearing in a cylindrical shape supporting the shaft in a radial direction, a bearing holder holding the bearing at a position crossing a plane including the regulating surface of the rotor yoke and a motor base fixed with the bearing holder. |
| US07667361B2 |
Electric motor and electronic apparatus
An electric motor has a rotor having an end portion and a recessed portion formed at the end portion. A rotational shaft is mounted to the rotor. A stator covers an outer peripheral portion of the rotor and forms a magnetic field that generates a torque around the rotational shaft to thereby rotate the rotational shaft and the rotor. A bearing rotatably supports the rotational shaft and is entirely spaced-apart from the end portion of the rotor in an axial direction of the rotational shaft. A slider is slidably mounted around the rotational shaft and supports rotation of the rotational shaft about a rotational axis thereof. The slider is interposed between the bearing and the rotor so that a portion of the slider is entirely contained in the recessed portion of the rotor and the remaining portion of the slider is disposed in the space between the bearing and the rotor and in contact with the bearing. |
| US07667359B2 |
Stator structure and manufacturing method thereof
A stator structure includes a first cover, a stator assembly and a filler. The first cover has an accommodation space for accommodating the stator assembly therein. The filler is applied between the first cover and the stator assembly to surround the stator assembly. A manufacturing method of the stator structure is also disclosed. |
| US07667358B2 |
Cooling structure of superconducting motor
In a cooling structure of a superconducting motor in which a superconducting coil is attached to a rotor, grooves are concavely provided on an outer surface of a rotating shaft that penetrates and is fixed to the rotor. A refrigerant is circulated through a refrigerant circulation pipe disposed inside the grooves to that the superconducting coil is cooled by the refrigerant. |
| US07667355B2 |
Apparatus for generating amplified cooling air flows
A linear motor comprising a coil assembly and a magnet assembly is provided with a cooling apparatus which comprises a segmented air knife assembly. The segmented air knife assembly has a plurality of slot openings distributed along its length which is coupled to the linear motor and it is operative to discharge cooling air into a gap between the coil assembly and magnet assembly in a discharge direction. An inclined surface extends from the plurality of slot openings and slopes at an obtuse angle away from the discharge direction of the cooling air. Each slot opening is individually configured to discharge the cooling air in the discharge direction at a sufficient velocity so as to entrain atmospheric air along the inclined surface to amplify the cooling air that is so discharged. |
| US07667354B2 |
Sensor unit with safety system
A sensor unit is disclosed with a safety system for use with a signal generator, where at least one evaluation unit is provided for evaluating a signal from a sensor and for producing a first trigger signal based on the signal. In at least one embodiment, a more compact and less expensive version of a sensor unit is provided, which operates reliably under high safety demands. In at least one embodiment, this is achieved by a safety system which has a checking unit for checking the operation of the evaluation unit using a test signal. The test signal is processed by the evaluation unit in the same way as the signal from the sensor. The two-channel output is provided on the basis of a conclusiveness check in the checking unit. |
| US07667352B2 |
Energy transmission device
The invention relates to an energy transmission device having a primary coil for transmitting to a detachable secondary coil electromagnetic energy by induction with the electromagnetic energy being characterized by an energy transmission frequency and sensing component for detecting at least one characteristic variable of a detachable secondary end including the secondary coil. The sensing component is adapted to detect information on the presence of a detachable secondary end in an especially reliable manner. For this purpose, the sensing component couples a measuring voltage having a measuring frequency that is different from the energy transmission frequency into the secondary coil. |
| US07667350B2 |
Electric power source apparatus using fuel cell and method of controlling the same
A method of controlling an electric power source apparatus, which comprises supplying electric power to an electronic device on which a secondary battery is mounted from a power source apparatus having a fuel cell and an auxiliary power source. Electric power is supplied intermittently to a charging terminal of the electronic device by means of a switch for controlling conduction and interruption of an output terminal of the power source apparatus. |
| US07667344B2 |
Coupling communications signals to underground power lines
In one embodiment, a system for coupling communications signals to an underground medium-voltage power line includes a medium-voltage power line, a ground conductor, one or more ferrites, and a low-voltage communications line. The medium-voltage power line includes a center phase conductor and a concentric neutral conductor. The ground conductor couples the concentric neutral conductor to a ground connection. The one or more ferrites substantially surround at least a portion of the ground conductor. The low-voltage communications line includes a first conductor and a second conductor. The first conductor is coupled to the ground conductor between the one or more ferrites and the concentric neutral conductor. And the second conductor is coupled to the ground conductor between the one or more ferrites and the ground connection. |
| US07667342B2 |
Power supply for a vehicle
A power supply system that supplies high-voltage power to a vehicle drive motor is provided to achieve reduction in size, weight and cost of power supply. The power supply system includes a plurality of battery modules connected in series. With the intermediate connection point of the battery modules as an electrical neutral point, power is supplied to a three-level inverter via a three-level-potential high-voltage power supply line having potentials of +150V and −150V relative to this neutral point. In the three-level inverter, direct-current electric power is converted into three-phase alternating-current electric power to drive an electric motor. Accordingly, the withstand-voltage performance required of control units or control elements connected to the high-voltage power supply line can be halved as compared with the related art, thereby allowing a reduction in the size, weight, and cost of the power supply system. Further, the electric power generated by a generator is converted into direct-current electric power by a three-level converter and supplied to the high-voltage power supply line to charge the battery modules. |
| US07667339B2 |
Epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation and semiconductor device using the same
An epoxy resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation includes at least one epoxy resin, at least one curing agent, at least one filler, and at least one first curing accelerator, the first curing accelerator having a tetracyanoethylene, a 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, a compound having the chemical structure of Formula 1, or a mixture thereof, wherein each of R1 through R7, independently, represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-C12 hydrocarbon group, provided that when R1 through R7 are C1-C12 hydrocarbon groups, R1 and R2, R2 and R3, R3 and R4, R4 and R5, R5 and R6, and R6 and R7 can be joined to each other to form a cyclic structure. |
| US07667329B2 |
Electronic micromodule and method for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a micromodule comprising an integrated circuit and an antenna coil electrically connected to the integrated circuit. The method includes manufacturing the integrated circuit and first contact pads of the integrated circuit on a first wafer of semiconductor material, making a conductive winding forming a coil and second contact pads of the coil on a second wafer of semiconductor material, and assembling the first and the second wafers face to face while putting the second contact pads of the coil in contact with the second contact pads of the integrated circuit. |
| US07667325B2 |
Circuit board including solder ball land having hole and semiconductor package having the circuit board
A circuit board and a semiconductor package having the same are provided. The circuit board comprises a base substrate having interconnections, and solder ball lands disposed on one surface of the base substrate. The solder ball lands respectively have land holes having different sizes. The land hole disposed at the center portion of the base substrate and the land hole disposed at the edge portion of the base substrate may have different sizes. For example, the sizes of the land holes may increase from the center portion of the base substrate to the edge portion thereof, and alternatively, the sizes of the land holes may decrease from the center portion of the base substrate to the edge portion thereof. |
| US07667323B2 |
Spaced, bumped component structure
A spaced, bumped component structure including a first plate, a second plate spaced from the first plate by a first gap, a plurality of solder bumps interconnecting the plates and defining the first gap; at least one of the plates having an anomalous section including one of a raised platform and recess for defining a second gap having a different size from the first gap. |
| US07667322B2 |
High-frequency semiconductor device
An example of a high-frequency semiconductor device includes two unit semiconductor devices. Each of the two unit semiconductor devices has a ground substrate, a high-frequency semiconductor element, an input-side matching circuit, an output-side matching circuit, a side wall member, an input terminal, and an output terminal. The ground substrate has heat-radiating property. The high-frequency semiconductor element is provided on the ground substrate. The input-side matching circuit is connected to the high-frequency semiconductor element. The output-side matching circuit is connected to the high-frequency semiconductor element. The side wall member surrounds at least the high-frequency semiconductor element. The input terminal is connected to the input-side matching circuit. The output terminal is connected to the output-side matching circuit. The two unit semiconductor devices are coupled to each other at upper edges of the side wall members. |
| US07667321B2 |
Wire bonding method and related device for high-frequency applications
A wire bond circuit device has a circuit die in which substantially all of the input/output (I/O) pads are disposed along the outermost row of pads. A substrate onto which the die is disposed has wedges that are similarly arranged in rows, with the wedges used to carry I/O placed closest to the circuit die. As a result, lowest-tiered bond wire is used to connect the I/O-related pads to their respective wedges. |
| US07667320B2 |
Integrated circuit package with improved power signal connection
An integrated circuit (IC) package includes a substrate and an IC die mounted on a first side of the substrate. The IC package also includes a plurality of capacitors mounted on a second side of the substrate. The second side is opposite to the first side. The IC package further includes a plurality of conductive contact pads formed on the second side of the substrate and interspersed among the capacitors. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07667318B2 |
Fan out type wafer level package structure and method of the same
To pick and place standard dies on a new base for obtaining an appropriate and wider distance between dies than the original distance of dies on a wafer. The package structure has a larger size of balls array than the size of the die by fan out type package. Moreover, the die may be packaged with passive components or other dies with a side by side structure or a stacking structure. |
| US07667317B2 |
Semiconductor package with bypass capacitor
A semiconductor package comprises a substrate, which has two surfaces and comprises first and second electrical paths. On one of the surfaces, a semiconductor chip is mounted. The semiconductor chip comprises a plurality of pads, which include a first pad to be supplied with a power supply and a second pad to be grounded. On the other surface, at least one bypass capacitor is mounted. The bypass capacitor comprises first and second terminals, which are connected to the first and the second pads through the first and the second electrical paths, respectively. |
| US07667316B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a power transistor formed on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of first metal patterns and a plurality of second metal patterns which are formed right above the power transistor and function as a first electrode and as a second electrode of the power transistor, respectively, a plurality of first buses each electrically connected with, of a plurality of first metal patterns, a corresponding first metal pattern, a plurality of second buses each electrically connected with, of a plurality of second metal patterns, a corresponding second metal pattern, wherein one contact pad is provided to each of a plurality of first buses and a plurality of second buses. |
| US07667314B2 |
Integrated circuit package system with mold lock subassembly
An integrated circuit package system includes: providing a substrate; attaching an integrated circuit over the substrate; attaching an integrated circuit subassembly system having a perforated interposer over the substrate with the perforated interposer having a slot; and forming a package encapsulation over the integrated circuit subassembly system, the perforated interposer, the integrated circuit, and the substrate with the slot filled with the package encapsulation. |
| US07667312B2 |
Semiconductor device including a heat-transmitting and electromagnetic-noise-blocking substance and method of manufacturing the same
In a multi-chip package having vertically stacked semiconductor integrated circuits (chips), a heat transmitting conductive plate (5) can be interposed between a lower layer semiconductor chip (3) and an upper layer semiconductor chip (4) and connected to a ground wiring of a substrate (2) through a bonding wire (9). A heating transmitting conductive plate (5) at the ground potential can block propagation of noise between the lower layer semiconductor chip (3) and upper layer semiconductor chip (4). Thus, the addition of noise to signals of an analog circuit in the upper layer semiconductor chip (4) can be avoided, reducing noise induced malfunctions. Furthermore, heat generated by the lower layer semiconductor chip (3) and upper layer semiconductor chip (4) can be transmitted through contact points with the heat transmitting conductive plate (5) for dissipation therefrom. This can improve heat dissipating capabilities of the semiconductor device (1) contributing to more stable operation. |
| US07667310B2 |
Paper including semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
Paper embedded with a semiconductor device capable of communicating wirelessly is realized, whose unevenness of a portion including the semiconductor device does not stand out and the paper is thin with a thickness of less than or equal to 130 μm. A semiconductor device is provided with a circuit portion and an antenna, and the circuit portion includes a thin film transistor. The circuit portion and the antenna are separated from a substrate used during manufacturing, and are interposed between a flexible base and a sealing layer and protected. The semiconductor device can be bent, and the thickness of the semiconductor device itself is less than or equal to 30 μm. The semiconductor device is embedded in a paper in a papermaking process. |
| US07667308B2 |
Leaded stacked packages having integrated upper lead
A semiconductor package includes a leadframe. An upper lead is disposed above the leadframe. A first die is attached to a lower surface of the upper lead to provide electrical conductivity from the first die to the upper lead. A second die is attached to the first die. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package includes providing a leadframe having an upper lead, lower lead, and an elevated die paddle. A first die, attached to a plurality of dies in a wafer form, is attached to a second die. The first die is singulated from the plurality of dies. The first and second dies are attached to the elevated die paddle structure. The first die is wire bonded to the lower lead. An encapsulant is formed over the first and second dies. The elevated die paddle is removed to expose a surface of the upper lead and second die. |
| US07667304B2 |
Inkjet printed leadframes
Apparatuses and methods for inkjet printing electrical interconnect patterns such as leadframes for integrated circuit devices are disclosed. An apparatus for packaging includes a thin substrate adapted for high temperature processing, and an attach pad and contact regions that are inkjet printed to the thin substrate using a metallic nanoink. The nanoink is then cured to remove liquid content. The residual metallic leadframe or electrical interconnect pattern has a substantially consistent thickness of about 10 to 50 microns or less. An associated panel assembly includes a conductive substrate panel having multiple separate device arrays comprising numerous electrical interconnect patterns each, a plurality of integrated circuit devices mounted on the conductive substrate panel, and a molded cap that encapsulates the integrated circuit devices and associated electrical interconnect patterns. The molded cap is of substantially uniform thickness over each separate device array, and extends into the space between separate device arrays. |
| US07667303B2 |
Multi-chip package
A multi-chip package including a carrier, a first chip, a second chip and a first conductive layer is provided. The first chip is disposed on the carrier and is electrically connected to the carrier through at least one first wire. The second chip is disposed on the first chip and is electrically connected to the first chip through at least one second wire. The first conductive layer is disposed on the second chip and is electrically connected to the first chip or the second chip through at least one third wire. The first conductive layer is electrically connected to the carrier through the at least one fourth wire. |
| US07667302B1 |
Integrated circuit chip with seal ring structure
An integrated circuit chip includes an analog and/or RF circuit block, a digital circuit, and a seal ring structure surrounding and protecting the analog and/or RF circuit block. The seal ring structure comprises a continuous outer seal ring, and a discontinuous inner seal ring divided into at least a first portion and a second portion. The second portion is situated in front of the analog and/or RF circuit block for shielding a noise from interfering the analog and/or RF circuit block. |
| US07667301B2 |
Thermal treatment apparatus, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing substrate
A thermal treatment apparatus, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a method for manufacturing a substrate, wherein the occurrence of slip dislocation in a substrate during heat treatment is reduced, and a high-quality semiconductor device can be manufactured, are intended to be provided.A substrate support 30 is formed from a main body portion 56 and a supporting portion 58. In the main body portion 56, a plurality of placing portions 66 extend parallel, and supporting portions 58 are provided on the placing portions 66. A substrate 68 is placed on the supporting portion 58. The supporting portion 58 has a smaller area than an area of a flat face of the substrate, and is formed from a silicon plate having a thickness larger than thickness of the substrate, so that deformation during heat treatment is reduced. The supporting portion 58 is made of silicon, and a layer coated with silicon carbide (SiC) is formed on a substrate-placing face of the supporting portion 58. |
| US07667297B2 |
Method for producing a stop zone in a semiconductor body and semiconductor component having a stop zone
A method for producing a buried stop zone in a semiconductor body and a semiconductor component having a stop zone, has the method steps of: providing a semiconductor body having a first and a second side and a basic doping of a first conduction type, irradiating the semiconductor body via one of the sides with protons, as a result of which protons are introduced into a first region of the semiconductor body situated at a distance from the irradiation side, carrying out a thermal process in which the semiconductor body is heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time duration, the temperature and the duration being chosen such that hydrogen-induced donors are generated both in the first region and in a second region adjacent to the first region in the direction of the irradiation side. |
| US07667286B2 |
Light-collecting device, solid-state imaging apparatus and method of manufacturing thereof
A high sensitive solid-state imaging apparatus which corresponds to an optical system has a short focal length (an optical system having a large incident angle θ). Each pixel (2.8 mm square in size) includes a distributed refractive index lens, a color filter for green, Al wirings, a signal transmitting unit, a planarized layer, a light-receiving element (Si photodiode), and an Si substrate. The concentric circle structure of the distributed index lens is made of four types of materials having different refractive indexes such as TiO2 (n=2.53), SiN (n=2.53), SiO2 (n=2.53), and air (n=1.0). In the concentric structure, a radial difference of outer peripheries of adjacent circular light-transmitting films is 100 nm. Furthermore, the film thickness is 0.4 νm. |
| US07667282B2 |
Micromechanical component and method for manufacturing such a component
A method and a micromechanical component which counteract manufacturing-process-related mechanical stresses in the membrane are provided. The membrane is formed on a substrate in a layer system and spans a cavity in the substrate. The layer system includes at least one base layer formed on the substrate for circuit elements. At least one structured masking layer is also formed on the base layer for defining the circuit elements. The masking layer is structured in the area of the membrane in such a way that mechanical stresses acting in the area of the membrane under vacuum are at least partially compensated, the intrinsic stress of the masking layer being taken into account in the layout of the structuring. |
| US07667280B2 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device having a trench isolation structure and a high power supply voltage circuit section including at least a well region and a MOS transistor formed therein. The high power supply voltage circuit section includes a carrier capture region for preventing latch-up in a vicinity of an end portion of the well region, and a depth of the carrier capture region is larger than a depth of the trench isolation region. The carrier capture region in the high power supply voltage circuit section is formed of a diffusion layer which is the same as that of a source or a drain region of the MOS transistor formed in the high power supply voltage circuit section. |
| US07667278B2 |
Metal carbide gate structure and method of fabrication
A semiconductor device such as a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) including at least one FET that includes a gate electrode including a metal carbide and method of fabrication are provided. The CMOS comprises dual work function metal gate electrodes whereby the dual work functions are provided by a metal and a carbide of a metal. |
| US07667277B2 |
TiC as a thermally stable p-metal carbide on high k SiO2 gate stacks
A compound metal comprising TiC which is a p-type metal having a workfunction of about 4.75 to about 5.3, preferably about 5, eV that is thermally stable on a gate stack comprising a high k dielectric and an interfacial layer is provided as well as a method of fabricating the TiC compound metal. Furthermore, the TiC metal compound of the present invention is a very efficient oxygen diffusion barrier at 1000° C. allowing very aggressive equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) and inversion layer thickness scaling below 14 Å in a p-metal oxide semiconductor (pMOS) device. |
| US07667274B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device is disclosed, which comprises a silicon substrate, a complementary MISFET circuit, an insulation film formed on the silicon substrate, a first contact hole formed in the insulation film, a first metal silicide layer formed on the bottom of the first contact hole, the first metal silicide layer being provided by a reaction of the n-channel impurity diffused region of the n-channel MISFET with a first metal, a second contact hole formed in the insulation film, a second metal silicide layer formed on the bottom of the second contact hole, the second metal silicide layer being provided by a reaction of the p-channel impurity diffused region of the p-channel MISFET with a second metal, and a work function of the second metal silicide layer being higher than that of the first metal silicide layer. |
| US07667272B2 |
Semiconductor device including a current mirror circuit
In a semiconductor device, where, with respect to a parasitic resistor in a current mirror circuit, a compensation resistor for compensating the parasitic resistor is provided in the current mirror circuit, the current mirror circuit includes at least two thin film transistors. The thin film transistors each have an island-shaped semiconductor film having a channel formation region and source or drain regions, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, and source or drain electrodes, and the compensation resistor compensates the parasitic resistor of any one of the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. In addition, each compensation resistor has a conductive layer containing the same material as the gate electrode, the source or drain electrodes, or the source or drain regions. |
| US07667270B2 |
Double trench for isolation of semiconductor devices
A semiconductor device has a substrate (50), a buried layer (55), an active area extending from a surface contact to the buried layer, an insulator (130) in a first trench extending towards the buried layer, to isolate the active area, and a second insulator (130) in a second deep trench and extending through the buried layer to isolate the buried layer and the active area from other parts of the substrate. This double trench can help reduce the area needed for the electrical isolation between the active device and the other devices. Such reduction in area can enable greater integration or more cells in a multi cell super-MOS device, and so improve performance parameters such as Ron. The double trench can be manufactured using a first mask to etch both trenches at the same time, and subsequently using a second mask to etch the second deep trench deeper. |
| US07667267B2 |
Semiconductor device having LDMOS transistor and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first semiconductor layer, an insulation layer and a second semiconductor layer, which are stacked in this order; a LDMOS transistor disposed on the first semiconductor layer; and a region having a dielectric constant, which is lower than that of the first or second semiconductor layer. The region contacts the insulation layer, and the region is disposed between a source and a drain of the LDMOS transistor. The device has high withstand voltage in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. |
| US07667264B2 |
Shallow source MOSFET
A semiconductor device comprises a drain, a body in contact with the drain, the body having a body top surface, a source embedded in the body, extending downward from the body top surface into the body, a trench extending through the source and the body to the drain, and a gate disposed in the trench, having a gate top surface that extends substantially above the body top surface. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming a hard mask on a substrate having a top substrate surface, forming a trench in the substrate, through the hard mask, depositing gate material in the trench, where the amount of gate material deposited in the trench extends beyond the top substrate surface, and removing the hard mask to leave a gate structure that extends substantially above the top substrate surface. |
| US07667261B2 |
Split-gate memory cells and fabrication methods thereof
Split-gate memory cells and fabrication methods thereof. A split-gate memory cell comprises a plurality of isolation regions formed on a semiconductor substrate along a first direction, between two adjacent isolation regions defining an active region having a pair of drains and a source region. A top level of the active regions is lower than a top level of the isolation regions. A pair of floating gates is disposed on the active regions and aligned with the isolation regions, wherein a passivation layer is disposed on the floating gate to prevent thinning from CMP. A pair of control gates is self-aligned with the floating gates and disposed on the floating gates along a second direction. A source line is disposed between the pair of control gates along the second direction. A pair of select gates is disposed on the outer sidewalls of the pair of control gates along the second direction. |
| US07667260B2 |
Nanoscale floating gate and methods of formation
A memory cell is provided including a tunnel dielectric layer overlying a semiconductor substrate. The memory cell also includes a floating gate having a first portion overlying the tunnel dielectric layer and a second portion in the form of a nanorod extending from the first portion. In addition, a control gate layer is separated from the floating gate by an intergate dielectric layer. |
| US07667259B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor device and method of fabricating embedded non-volatile semiconductor memory device with sidewall gate
A method of manufacturing a non-volatile semiconductor memory device is provided which overcomes a problem of penetration of implanted ions due to the difference of an optimal gate height in simultaneous formation of a self-align split gate type memory cell utilizing a side wall structure and a scaled MOS transistor. A select gate electrode to form a side wall in a memory area is formed to be higher than that of the gate electrode in a logic area so that the height of the side wall gate electrode of the self-align split gate memory cell is greater than that of the gate electrode in the logic area. Height reduction for the gate electrode is performed in the logic area before gate electrode formation. |
| US07667258B2 |
Double-sided container capacitors using a sacrificial layer
Double-sided container capacitors are formed using sacrificial layers. A sacrificial layer is formed within a recess in a structural layer. A lower electrode is formed within the recess. The sacrificial layer is removed to create a space to allow access to the sides of the structural layer. The structural layer is removed, creating an isolated lower electrode. The lower electrode can be covered with a capacitor dielectric and upper electrode to form a double-sided container capacitor. |
| US07667257B2 |
Capacitor and process for manufacturing the same
Method for solving the problem caused when forming a crown-structure capacitor in a trench which is formed in an insulating film, and having difficulty in electrical by connecting a first upper electrode formed on the inside wall of the trench and a second upper electrode which is to be a plate because of the intervention of dielectric between the first and second upper electrodes. The conducting state of the first upper electrode and the plate upper electrode is ensured by utilizing a tantalum oxide film formed on a titanium nitride film, which is brought to a completely conducting state when heat treated. A crown structure is formed without removing the insulating film, in which a trench has been formed, by wet etching, whereby a stacked trench capacitor, which has double the capacity is provided while eliminating the collapse of the lower electrode or pair bit defect. |
| US07667255B2 |
Deep trench inter-well isolation structure
A deep trench is formed in a semiconductor substrate. The deep trench may comprise a pair of parallel substantially vertical sidewalls having a constant separation distance. A set of outer substantially vertical sidewalls may have a closed shape in a horizontal cross-section. At least one dielectric layer is formed in the deep trench. The deep trench is filled with at least one conductive trench fill material to form a conductive deep trench fill region. A shallow trench isolation structure is formed directly on the deep trench to encapsulate the conductive deep trench fill region therebeneath. The stack of the deep trench and the shallow trench isolation structure form a deep trench inter-well isolation structure that provides electrical isolation of devices on one side of the stack from devices on the other side. |
| US07667254B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device
Wiring is routed to assure insulation between wiring traces in a semiconductor integrated circuit device. The device includes a first wiring trace to which a prescribed voltage is supplied; a second wiring trace that takes on a voltage that exceeds the prescribed voltage; and a third wiring trace that only takes on a voltage less than the prescribed voltage. Alternatively, the device includes a first wiring trace to which a prescribed voltage is supplied; a second wiring trace that takes on a voltage less than the prescribed voltage; and a third wiring trace that takes on a voltage equal to or greater than the prescribed voltage. The wiring traces are routed at a certain wiring space in such a manner that the first wiring trace is interposed between the second and third wiring traces. The first wiring trace for which the potential difference is known to be small beforehand is routed so as to always be adjacent to the second wiring trace. Accordingly, the third wiring trace for which there is the possibility that the potential difference relative to the second wiring trace will become large is never placed directly adjacent the second wiring trace. As a result of such routing, wiring is implemented in such a manner that the insulation between traces can be sufficiently assured. |
| US07667249B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor element provided on a semiconductor layer; a light-blocking wall provided around the semiconductor element; and a wiring layer electrically coupled to the semiconductor element and extended from an aperture not having the light-blocking wall to an outside of the light-blocking wall; wherein the wiring layer has a pattern containing a first section positioned in the aperture and a second section which has a width not narrower than a width of the aperture by providing a branched portion intersecting with an extension direction of the wiring layer; and wherein a surface of the branched portion facing outside of the light-blocking wall includes thereon a convex part. |
| US07667244B2 |
Semiconductor device
On a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode is disposed obliquely across the boundary between an N-type region and a P-type region, and thereby an effective gate width of a region, in which the boundary between the N-type region and the P-type region intersects with the gate electrode, is wider than that of the gate electrode. Accordingly, the occurrence of abnormal resistance, which makes it difficult for an electric current to flow in the gate electrode on the boundary between the N-type region and the P-type region, may be effectively suppressed without physically widening the gate width. Moreover, widening of the gate width of the gate electrode may be eliminated in suppressing the occurrence of abnormal resistance and it is not necessary to enlarge the areas of the N-type region and the P-type region, thereby inevitable enlargement of the overall size of the semiconductor device being avoided. |
| US07667241B1 |
Electrostatic discharge protection device
An electrostatic discharge protection device for protecting a node includes a transistor, a silicon controlled rectifier, a second contact region laterally displaced from the first contact region, and a collection region adjacent the source region. The transistor includes a semiconductor substrate, a source region, a channel region adjacent the source region, a gate over the channel region, and a drain region laterally displaced from the channel. The silicon controlled rectifier includes the source region, a portion of the substrate, a doped well, and a first contact region in the well, laterally displaced from the drain region. The collection region, the source region and the gate, are metallically connected. The node, the first contact region, and the second contact region, are metallically connected, and the drain region is not metallically connected to the node. |
| US07667236B2 |
Optimized contact design for thermosonic bonding of flip-chip devices
A light emitting device (A) includes a semiconductor die (100). The semiconductor die includes: an epitaxial structure (120) arranged on a substrate (160), the epitaxial structure forming an active light generating region (140) between a first layer (120n) on a first side of the active region and having a first conductivity type, and a second layer (120p) on a second side of the active region and having a second conductivity type, the second side of the active region being opposite the first side of the active region and the second conductivity type being different that the first conductivity type; a first contact (180n) in operative electrical communication with the active region via the first layer in the epitaxial structure, the first contact being arranged on a side of the epitaxial structure opposite the substrate; a second contact (180p) in operative electrical communication with the active region via the second layer in the epitaxial structure, the second contact being arranged on a side of the epitaxial structure opposite the substrate; a first contact trace corresponding to the first contact and defined at a surface thereof distal from the substrate, the first trace including at least one area designated for bonding (320n); and, a second contact trace corresponding the second contact and defined at a surface thereof distal from the substrate, the second trace including at least one area (320p) designated for bonding. Suitably, the first contact trace is substantially enclosed within the second contact trace. |
| US07667234B2 |
High density memory array having increased channel widths
A memory array having decreased cell sizes and having transistors with increased channel widths. More specifically, pillars are formed in a substrate such that sidewalls are exposed. The sidewalls of the pillars and the top surface of the pillars are covered with a gate oxide and a polysilicon layer to form a channel through the pillars. The current path through the channel is approximately equal to twice the height of the pillar plus the width of the pillar. The pillars are patterned to form non-linear active area lines having angled segments. The polysilicon layer is patterned to form word lines that intersect the active area lines at the angled segments. |
| US07667230B2 |
Electronic devices containing acene-thiophene copolymers
Electronic devices that include an acene-thiophene copolymer and methods of making such electronic devices are described. The acene-thiophene copolymer can be used, for example, in a semiconductor layer or in a layer positioned between a first electrode and a second electrode. |
| US07667227B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed on a silicon substrate via a gate insulation film in correspondence to a channel region, source and drain regions of a p-type diffusion region formed in the silicon substrate at respective outer sides of sidewall insulation films of the gate electrode, and a pair of SiGe mixed crystal regions formed in the silicon substrate at respective outer sides of the sidewall insulation films in epitaxial relationship to the silicon substrate, the SiGe mixed crystal regions being defined by respective sidewall surfaces facing with each other, wherein, in each of the SiGe mixed crystal regions, the sidewall surface is defined by a plurality of facets forming respective, mutually different angles with respect to a principal surface of the silicon substrate. |
| US07667220B2 |
Multilevel-cell memory structures employing multi-memory with tungsten oxides and manufacturing method
The present invention provides multilevel-cell memory structures with multiple memory layer structures where each memory layer structure includes a tungsten oxide region that defines different read current levels for a plurality of logic states. Each memory layer structure can provide two bits of information, which constitutes four logic states, by the use of the tungsten oxide region that provides multilevel-cell function in which the four logic states equate to four different read current levels. A memory structure with two memory layer structures would provide four bits of storage sites and 16 logic states. In one embodiment, each of the first and second memory layer structures includes a tungsten oxide region extending into a principle surface of a tungsten plug member where the outer surface of the tungsten plug is surrounded by a barrier member. |
| US07667213B1 |
Thermal imaging system
A thermal imaging system. The thermal imaging system includes a thermal image generator, the thermal image generator including a structure having a surface having at least three heating zones; a controller for varying the thermal output of the thermal image generator; and a thermal image detector. |
| US07667211B2 |
Illumination light detecting optical system and optical apparatus and endoscope apparatus provided with the same
An illumination light detecting optical system includes an element emitting excitation light; an insertion part of a long-narrow-shape; a fluorescence luminescence component arranged near a top of the insertion part; an excitation light guiding element which leads the excitation light emitted from the light emitting element to the fluorescence luminescence component; and a light detecting element which detects return light which is a part of the illumination light. The optical system is also provided with a pillar-shaped transparent component for irradiating illumination light arranged coaxially at a forward position of the fluorescence luminescence component; an illuminating-light-extracting-element for extracting the illumination light from the pillar-shaped transparent component, out of the illumination light which enters into the inside of the pillar-shaped transparent component; and a deflecting element by which the extracted illumination light is directed toward the light detecting element. |
| US07667209B2 |
Focused ION beam apparatus
It is an object of the present invention to provide a focused ion beam apparatus capable of prolonging a service life of an aperture, preventing contaminants from increasing when a column valve is closed, and being quickly restarted.A high-voltage power supply controller lowers an extraction voltage applied to an extraction electrode or lowers a control voltage applied to a control electrode to set an emission to 0 μA when a column valve is closed. The high-voltage power supply controller returns the extraction voltage applied to the extraction electrode to an original extraction voltage or returns the control voltage applied to the control electrode to an original control voltage when a column valve is opened. |
| US07667190B2 |
Optical fiber assembly wrapped across roll-nod gimbal axes in a DIRCM system
A control mechanism pins an optical fiber assembly on and off gimbal and between gimbals to route the assembly from an off-gimbal optical source across the gimbal axis/axes to an on-gimbal optical element so that the fiber assembly moves with the rotation of the gimbals. To accommodate a relatively large range of motion, the control mechanism is suitably configured to route the fiber assembly in a “U-shaped” loop with one end pinned off-gimbal in a stationary guide track and the other end pinned on-gimbal point in a rotating guide track so that the loose fiber assembly is constrained in the concentric tracks on and off gimbal. As the gimbal rotates, the loop seats onto one guiding track and peels off of the other guiding track while always maintaining its U shape. To accommodate a relatively small range of motion in other gimbal configurations, the control mechanism is suitably configured to pin one end of the fiber assembly off-gimbal and pass the fiber assembly directly over the gimbal where it is pinned on the other side of the gimbal. In a multi-gimbal pointer, the fiber assembly preferably exhibits different mechanical stresses as it crosses the different gimbals. |
| US07667189B2 |
Optical encoder apparatus for removable connection with printed circuit board and methods of assembling optical encoder
There is disclosed optical encoder apparatus for removable connection with a printed circuit board. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a light emitting component, a light detecting component, a mounting component for attaching the light emitting component thereon, and another mounting component for attaching the light detecting component thereon, wherein each of the mounting components have a removable connection with the printed circuit board. A method of assembling optical encoder apparatus is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method includes attaching a light emitting component and a terminal of a first mounting component to one another; attaching a light detecting component and a terminal of a second mounting component to one another; attaching a terminal of the first mounting component to a printed circuit board; and attaching a terminal of the second mounting component to the printed circuit board. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07667186B2 |
Optoelectronic position determination system
A system and method for accurately determining the positioning of a lens system. The lens system includes a lens and a mono-color light reflecting surface. A position sensor includes a light source and a light detector. An initial signal is sent from the light source to the monor-color light reflecting surface. The light reflecting surface reflects the initial signal to the light detector at a reflection region. The intensity of the reflected signal is dependent upon the distance between the reflection region and the position sensor, which is variable. An electrical output signal is generated based upon the reflected signal from the light source, with the electrical output signal providing positioning information for the lens system. |
| US07667177B2 |
Reading circuit, display panel and electronic system utilizing the same
A reading circuit including a detection module, a first transistor, and a compensation module is disclosed. The detection module detects a light. The first transistor transforms the detection result for generating a current signal. The compensation module compensates a threshold voltage of the first transistor. |
| US07667174B2 |
Solid state imaging device in which each photoelectric transducer of plural unit pixels being located axisymmetrically with a symmetrical axis of a centerline passing through an approximate center of the device
A solid-state imaging device provided with a light receiving surface, in which plural unit pixels, each having a photoelectric transducer to convert light signals into electric signals, are two-dimensionally arranged; a microlens to focus a light beam, the microlens being arranged in each unit pixel corresponding to the photoelectric transducer; an aperture section, to allow the light beam to enter the photoelectric transducer, the aperture section being arranged in each unit pixel corresponding to the photoelectric transducer; a wiring layer, which comprises plural layers, and is formed between the photoelectric transducer and the microlens, wherein the plural unit pixels are arranged such that each of the photoelectric transducer is located axisymmetrically with a symmetrical axis of a first centerline passing through an approximate center of the light receiving surface. |
| US07667172B2 |
Image sensor with expanding dynamic range
A conventional image sensor has a narrow dynamic range, so that the conventional image sensor has the limitation of not representing very dark portions or very bright portions depending on the exposure time when representing an image having such dark and bright portions. The present invention provides an image sensor including at least two storage units for respectively storing at least two image signals; a first switch unit for performing switching applied image signals to be respectively stored in the at least two storage units; and a second switch unit respectively connected to the at least two storage units and for equalizing the image signals stored in the at least two storage units. |
| US07667165B2 |
Electric heating device for motor vehicles
An auxiliary heater for motor vehicles includes an open housing accommodating a layered structure which includes at least one radiator element and at least one heat-emitting element having at least one PTC heating element, and further accommodating at least one spring element pretensioning the layered structure, a plurality of contacts being held in said housing in an insulating manner and electrically connected to the at least one PTC heating element. The layered structure is pretensioned by a displacer which is inserted into a lower housing component when the elements of the layered structure have been inserted in the lower housing component in a tension-free manner. The displacer is inserted into the lower housing component in a direction approximately perpendicular to the plane of the layered structure and, in the mounted position, it is secured in position relative to said lower housing component. |
| US07667164B2 |
Electric heating device with tolerance PTC heating element
For avoiding the selection and storage of PTC heating elements with different departures from rated heating power, additional tolerance PTC heating elements are held ready which uniformly have a lower rated heating power, preferably one half or third of the rated heating power, compared to the standard or primary PTC heating element. By the use of a second standardized heating element, i. e. the tolerance PTC heating element, the storage of a high number of PTC heating elements with different departures can be dispensed with and a cheaper manufacture can be permitted. |
| US07667163B2 |
Thermostat with adjustable color for aesthetics and readability
The thermostat includes a housing having at least a portion thereof illuminated by a light that changes color via a manual input. The light illuminates the display for easy readability while the variable color of the light allows a user to match the appearance of the thermostat to best complement the surrounding décor. User input elements provide for the manual adjustment of one or more characteristics of the light, such as visible color of the light. The light source comprises at least one LED for displaying a plurality of colors. In this case, to change the color of the light illuminating the translucent portion of the housing or backlighting the display, electronics within the thermostat control the drive signals to the LED in order to operate the LED to provide the desired color. The invention also contemplates filtering the light and manually adjusting the filtering to provide the desired aesthetics. |
| US07667161B2 |
Magnetic safety feature for cookware and cooking stoves
Methods and devices for securing the bottom of an item of cookware to the burner of a stove top by use of magnetism. The magnet(s) may be permanent magnets or electromagnets. The cookware may comprise a permanent magnet disposed on or in the base of the cookware. The burner comprises a magnetic material such as steel or iron. The magnetic material may be in the grate of the cook top, in the electric coil of an electric burners in the surface of a vitroceramic or smooth-top stove top, or other component of the cook top in close proximity to the bottom of the cookware when it is on the cooking surface. The magnetic source prevents the cookware from being accidentally knocked off the cook top. |
| US07667160B2 |
Laser machining apparatus, and apparatus and method for manufacturing a multilayered printed wiring board
There is provided a laser processing apparatus, a multilayer printed wiring board manufacturing apparatus, and a manufacturing method to form via holes of ultra-fine diameter. The laser beam from the CO2 laser oscillator (60) is converted to the shortened wavelength beam by a tellurium crystal (94) to control diffraction of the laser beam. Simultaneously, when the laser beam is condensed, a limit value of the condensation limit is reduced. Thereby, the spot diameter of laser beam is reduced and a hole for via hole is bored on the interlayer insulation resin on a substrate (10). Therefore, even when the laser beam output is raised to form a deeper hole, the hole diameter is not widened and thereby a hole for a small diameter via hole can be formed. |
| US07667154B2 |
Three-position apparatus capable of positioning an electrical transfer switch
A multi-position apparatus for use with a system operated in at least three distinct positions. The apparatus comprises (i) a position-selection mechanism, (ii) a first link mechanism and a second link mechanism, each link mechanism being operably coupled with the position-selection mechanism, (iii) a first weight-actuated spring mechanism operably coupled with the first link mechanism, (iv) a second weight-actuated spring mechanism operably coupled with the second link mechanism, (vi) a first output-actuating member operably coupled with the first weight-actuated spring mechanism, the first output-actuating member being arranged to operably communicate with the system, and (vii) a second output-actuating member operably coupled with the second weight-actuated spring mechanism. In one example, the system may be an electrical transfer switch having two separate set of electrical contacts. |
| US07667148B2 |
Method, device, and graphical user interface for dialing with a click wheel
One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which a portable communications device with a click wheel and a display detects a plurality of finger contacts with the click wheel. Each finger contact includes an angular displacement of the finger contact on the click wheel between an initial location and a final location of the finger contact. The device displays an image that includes digits arranged in a circle. The image rotates, in response to each finger contact, by an amount determined in accordance with the angular displacement of the finger contact. For each finger contact, the device determines a digit. The determined digit is independent of the initial location of the finger contact on the click wheel. The device performs a task using the determined digits. Exemplary tasks include dialing a telephone number and sending numeric input to a remote computer. |
| US07667146B2 |
Attachment device for attaching an electrical or electronic device to a top-hat rail
An attachment device for attachment of an electrical or electronic device to a top-hat rail, including an attachable or integrated carrier plate, and a lockable fastener. The carrier plate has a holding device. The fastener is axially movable relative to the carrier plate and has an elongated base region, metal catch hooks, and a spring tongue punched out of the base region. The carrier plate has a projection protruding in a direction of the fastener, and arranged corresponding to the spring tongue. In a mounted state, the spring tongue is deflected by the projection so that the catch hooks are pulled against the top hat rail by a reset force thereof |
| US07667145B2 |
Recessed outlet box assembly
The present invention provides an outlet box assembly including an outlet box having a bottom wall bounded by an outwardly extending perimeter wall forming a housing for receiving a first receptacle. An attachment structure is disposed in the housing for securing the first receptacle to the outlet box. The perimeter wall includes a first portion extending from the bottom wall and a second portion extending at an oblique angle from the first portion. The second wall portion includes an opening for supporting a second receptacle. The assembly includes a cover movable between open and closed positions and between retracted and un-retracted positions. |
| US07667134B2 |
Composite-metal-composite sandwich housing structure
A composite-metal-composite sandwich structure is employed as a housing of a mobile electronic device. A metal sheet is preformed as a desired shape with nuts deposed thereon. A composite sheet is attached to each side of the metal sheet, exposing the nuts such that other components of the mobile electronic device can be screwed on the sandwich structure. |
| US07667133B2 |
Hybrid window layer for photovoltaic cells
A novel photovoltaic solar cell and method of making the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes: at least one absorber layer which could either be a lightly doped layer or an undoped layer, and at least a doped window-layers which comprise at least two sub-window-layers. The first sub-window-layer, which is next to the absorber-layer, is deposited to form desirable junction with the absorber-layer. The second sub-window-layer, which is next to the first sub-window-layer, but not in direct contact with the absorber-layer, is deposited in order to have transmission higher than the first-sub-window-layer. |
| US07667132B2 |
Electric power generating apparatus and control method for electric power generating apparatus
When electric power is obtained from a thermoelectric element, a value of electric current is changed, and two combinations of the electric current value and a voltage value (i1, V1) and (i2 and V2) are obtained. An electric current value it at which the maximum electric power Wmax can be obtained is obtained using an electric current-voltage characteristic estimated based on the obtained two combinations of the electric current value and the voltage value. The electric current is controlled such that the value of the electric current becomes equal to the obtained value it when the electric power is obtained from the thermoelectric element. The value it is represented by an equation, it=(i2V1−i1V2)/2(V1−V2). |
| US07667131B2 |
Player technique control system for a stringed instrument and method of playing the instrument
A system for producing music from a stringed musical instrument includes a sensor/actuating transducer arrangement coupled to each or all of one or a plurality of the tensioned strings and supervisory system that governs one or more motion controllers associated with the transducer to affect the string vibration through at least one actuator transducer coupled to the string(s) in accordance with technique commands issued by the player of the instrument, the technique commands being recognized by processes in the supervisor from among characteristics of signal features extracted by further processes continuously analyzing the motional behavior of one or more strings. |
| US07667129B2 |
Controlling audio effects
An audio effects control for and method of controlling the application of special audio effects applied to an audio signal, comprises a sensor configured to sense movement associated with the generation of the audio signal, wherein the sensor produces a control signal in response to detecting the movement, and the control signal is transmitted to an audio effects unit to control application of an audio effect on an audio signal. |
| US07667119B1 |
Portable keyboard system
A portable keyboard system having a pair of keyboards rigidly secured to and directed outward from one another. The keyboard system is secured to a user with shoulder straps, which allow the user to control one keyboard with each hand. The keyboards are separately adjustable across several sound and intensity parameters. |
| US07667114B2 |
Starch branching enzyme
This invention relates to a new starch branching enzyme, and to the gene encoding the enzyme. In particular, the invention provides a new starch branching enzyme type II from wheat, the nucleic acid encoding the enzyme, and constructs comprising the nucleic acid. The invention also relates to a novel method for identification of branching enzyme type II proteins, which is useful for screening wheat germplasm for null or altered alleles of wheat branching enzyme IIb. The novel gene, protein and methods of the invention are useful in production of plants which produce grain with novel properties for food and industrial applications, for example wheat grain containing high amylose or low amylopectin starch. |
| US07667110B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV935311
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV935311. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV935311, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV935311 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 CV935311 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 CV935311. |
| US07667109B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV407125
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV407125. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV407125, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV407125 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 CV407125 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 CV407125. |
| US07667105B2 |
Tobacco cultivar ‘AOB 176’
The present invention relates to a novel tobacco cultivar designated AOB 176, which has low to intermediate nicotine content. The invention provides seeds of the cultivar AOB 176, plants and parts thereof of the cultivar AOB 176, a tissue culture derived from the cultivar AOB 176, hybrids produced from cultivar AOB 176 and lines derived from cultivar AOB 176, as well as genetically modified forms of the foregoing plants and tissue culture. Also provided are methods of producing cultivar AOB 176 plants, cultivar AOB 176 hybrid plants, and tobacco lines derived from cultivar AOB 176. In addition, products produced from the plants of the present invention are provided. |
| US07667101B2 |
Watermelon line 110-1005
The invention provides seed and plants of the watermelon line designated 110-1005. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of watermelon line 110-1005, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing a plant of watermelon line 110-1005 with itself or with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of watermelon line 110-1005, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US07667097B2 |
Rice pollen-preferential promoters and uses thereof
The present invention relates to rice genomic promoter sequences which promote transcription preferentially in microspores and/or pollen of plants. Also provided are chimeric genes comprising these promoter sequences, and plant transformation vectors comprising these chimeric genes. The present invention also discloses plant cells, plant tissues, plants, seeds and grains comprising these chimeric genes. The invention further discloses methods for expressing foreign nucleic acid sequences preferentially in pollen and for producing plants with modified pollen fertility. |
| US07667096B2 |
Conditional sterility in plants
The present disclosure provides methods, recombinant DNA molecules, recombinant host cells containing the DNA molecules, and transgenic plant cells, plant tissue and plants which contain and express at least one antisense or interference RNA specific for a thiamine biosynthetic coding sequence or a thiamine binding protein or a thiamine-degrading protein, wherein the RNA or thiamine binding protein is expressed under the regulatory control of a transcription regulatory sequence which directs expression in male and/or female reproductive tissue. These transgenic plants are conditionally sterile; i.e., they are fertile only in the presence of exogenous thiamine. Such plants are especially appropriate for use in the seed industry or in the environment, for example, for use in revegetation of contaminated soils or phytoremediation, especially when those transgenic plants also contain and express one or more chimeric genes which confer resistance to contaminants. |
| US07667095B2 |
Transgenic plants having anthelmintic activity and methods of producing them
The present invention provides DNA constructs, transgenic plants containing such constructs, and methods of making the plants. The DNA constructs encode a polypeptide that when expressed results in the production of fatty acid compounds having anthelmintic activity. Transgenic plants expressing such a polypeptide can exhibit enhanced resistance to plant parasitic nematodes, particularly when expressed in vegetative tissues. Transgenic plants expressing such a polypeptide can also be useful for non-pesticidal industrial uses. |
| US07667087B2 |
Soil and water remediation method and apparatus
Disclosed is a method, apparatus and system for the remediation of contaminated soils, groundwater and water. A combination of reagents such as persulfate and ozone or persulfate, ozone and hydrogen peroxide may be used to enhance destruction of organic contaminants. Reagents may be injected into the smear zone to trap and destroy volatile compounds that may otherwise escape treatment. |
| US07667086B2 |
Olefin oligomerization and biodegradable compositions therefrom
A hydrocarbon fluid composition that comprises species of at least two different carbon numbers, an aerobic biodegradability of greater than 40% at 28 days, a cetane number of less than 60, and a certain boiling point range; and a process for making the hydrocarbon fluid composition. |
| US07667085B2 |
Process for the conversion of natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids
A process for converting natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons comprising heating the gas through a selected range of temperature for sufficient time and/or combustion of the gas at a sufficient temperature and under suitable conditions for a reaction time sufficient to convert a portion of the gas stream to reactive hydrocarbon products, primarily ethylene or acetylene. The gas containing acetylene may be separated such that acetylene is converted to ethylene. The ethylene product(s) may be reacted in the presence of an acidic catalyst to produce a liquid, a portion of which will be predominantly naphtha or gasoline. A portion of the incoming natural gas or hydrogen produced in the process may be used to heat the remainder of the natural gas to the selected range of temperature. Reactive gas components are used in a catalytic liquefaction step and/or for alternate chemical processing. |
| US07667084B2 |
Process for the manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane
Process for the manufacture of 1,2-dichloroethane starting with a hydrocarbon source according to which: a) the hydrocarbon source is subjected to a first cracking step, namely a pyrolysis step performed in a cracking oven, thus producing a mixture of cracking products; b) the said mixture of cracking products is subjected to a succession of treatment steps ending with a drying step which makes it possible to obtain a mixture of products containing ethylene and other constituents; c) the said mixture of products containing ethylene derived from step b) is separated into at least one fraction containing ethylene and into a heavy fraction; d) the fraction(s) containing the ethylene is (are) conveyed to a chlorination reactor and/or to an oxychlorination reactor, in which reactors most of the ethylene present is converted to 1,2-dichloroethane; e) the 1,2-dichloroethane obtained is separated from the streams of products derived from the chlorination and oxychlorination reactors; the process being characterized in that a step for hydrogenating the acetylene is carried out upstream of the drying step ending the succession of treatment steps constituting step b) and/or on at least one of the fractions containing ethylene after separation during step c). |
| US07667082B2 |
Apparatus and method for increasing alcohol yield from grain
A method comprising applying a controlled flow cavitation apparatus to an alcohol production process in order to increase alcohol yield. A grain-based liquid medium comprising grain and a liquid carrier can be passed through a controlled flow cavitation apparatus at a velocity capable of generating a hydrodynamic cavitation zone where the grain size can be reduced. One or more controlled flow cavitation apparatuses can be applied at various points of an alcohol production process, such as a starch-to-ethanol production process. |
| US07667080B2 |
Mixtures of C8-C10 alcohols
Mixtures of C8-10 primary alcohols, preferably C9 alcohol rich, comprise from 15 to 70 wt. % unbranched molecules, the balance being branched molecules having an average branchiness of at most 2.00 branches per molecule, at least 80% of the ranches being methyl branches and at least 50% of the branched molecules being mono-methyl branched. Plasticiser esters and surfactant derivatives derived from these alcohol mixtures are also provided. The alcohol mixtures are preferably produced by hydroformylation of octene rich streams formed by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. |
| US07667079B2 |
Processes for recovery of a triarylphosphine from a group VIII metal catalyst complex mixture
Processes for recovering at least one triarylphosphine from a Group VIII metal catalyst triarylphosphine complex mixture are provided. The processes are particularly useful for recovering the triarylphosphine from spent Group VIII metal catalyst complex mixtures. The processes include the steps of (i) forming a distillate from a Group VIII catalyst complex mixture containing a Group VIII metal catalyst complex, a triarylphosphine, and a light ends component wherein the distillate contains at least a portion of the triarylphosphine as a vapor and at least a portion of the light ends component as a vapor; (ii) cooling the distillate to a temperature below the boiling point of the light ends component to form a condensate; (iii) crystallizing at least a portion of the triarylphosphine using the light ends component as a crystallizing liquid; and (v) recovering the crystallized triarylphosphine from the condensate. |
| US07667078B2 |
Asymmetric reaction catalyst and method for preparing optically active compound using the same
An asymmetric reaction catalyst is obtained by mixing a pentavalent niobium compound and an optically active triol or tetraol having a binaphthol structure of R or S configuration, and the triol is represented by the following formula: (wherein, Y is divalent hydrocarbon and R1 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a trifluoromethyl group, or an alkyl group or alkoxy group having at most 4 carbons). |
| US07667077B2 |
Poly-halogenated triazapentadiene compositions
A new class of fluorinated or polyhalogenated triazapentadienes are disclosed. The synthesized triazapentadienes are thermally stable, soluble in typical solvents and have several metal binding sites for complexation with metal ions. The compounds are prepared as colorless crystalline solids. Synthesis takes advantage of a reaction with triethylamine. Synthesized triazapentadienes (with and without complexed metals) inhibit bacterial growth of both Gram positive and Gram-negative bacteria. |
| US07667074B2 |
Method for regenerating catalyst for the production of methacrylic acid and process for preparing methacrylic acid
A catalyst for the production of methacrylic acid comprising a heteropolyacid compound containing phosphorus and molybdenum is regenerated by a method comprising the steps of drying a mixture containing a deactivated catalyst, an ammonium ion, a nitrate ion and water, molding the dried mixture, firstly calcining the molded product in an atmosphere of an oxidizing gas at a temperature of 360 to 410° C., and then secondly calcining the product in an atmosphere of a non-oxidizing gas at a temperature of 420 to 500° C. The regenerated catalyst has substantially the same catalytic activity as a fresh catalyst in a gas phase catalytic oxidation reaction of methacrolein, isobutylaldehyde, isobutane or isobutyric acid to prepare methacrylic acid. |
| US07667066B2 |
Preparation of sterically hindered hydroxyphenylcarboxylic acid esters
A novel manufacturing process is described for producing hindered phenolic alkyl esters, which may be useful as antioxidants. This process simplifies catalyst neutralization and removal during the preparation of hindered phenolic esters. Compositions that comprise the hindered phenolic esters produced according to these methods are also described. |
| US07667064B2 |
Halogen substituted metallocene compounds for olefin polymerization
A metallocene compound is represented by the formula (1): AMXn-1 wherein M is a transition metal atom having a coordination number of n selected from Group 3, 4, 5 or 6 of the Periodic Table of Elements, or a lanthanide metal atom, or actinide metal atom; A is a substituted monocyclic or polycyclic arenyl ligand pi-bonded to M, wherein said arenyl ligand includes at least one halogen substituent directly bonded to any sp2 carbon atom at a bondable ring position of the ligand; and the or each X is a univalent anionic ligand, or two X are joined and bound to the metal atom to form a metallocycle ring, or two X are joined to form a chelating ligand, a diene ligand, or an alkylidene ligand. |
| US07667062B2 |
Fatty acid containing compounds and methods of using same
A novel series of compositions with aqueous chemicals decontamination activity and their uses is described. The preparation of esters of fatty acids with polyols that contain lactic acid is also described. These novel compositions release hydroxy acid and fatty acids slowly into water providing activity over long periods of time with the compounds exhibiting biodegradable characteristics and aiding in the biodegradation of contaminants. |
| US07667060B2 |
Method of producing biodiesel
This invention involves a kind of fatty acid methyl ester (bio-diesel fuel), especially the method of obtaining ester-like substances by means of chemical alterations of oil. |
| US07667058B2 |
Hydrogenation process
Disclosed are heterogeneous processes (i) for the hydrogenation of a compound containing at least one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond, and (ii) for the hydro-dehalogenation of a compound containing at least one C—Cl, C—Br or C—I bond. The processes comprise reacting said compound with a hydrogenating agent and a heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of an ionic liquid. |
| US07667056B2 |
Process and new intermediates for the preparation of steroids with a progestogen activity
The present invention relates to a new process of synthesis and to some new intermediates for the preparation of steroids with progestogen activity, more particularly, for the preparation of Desogestrel of formula (I). Said process is characterized by the regioselective reduction of the compound of formula (II) to give the intermediate of formula (III). |
| US07667051B2 |
Method of obtaining urethane-protected N-carboxyanhydrides of alpha amino acids
The invention relates to a method of preparing urethane-protected N-carboxyanhydrides of alpha amino acids. The inventive method enables the synthesis of urethane-protected N-carboxyanhydrides of alpha amino acids in the presence of a catalytic quantity of triethylene diamine without the addition of a tertiary amine-type base. |
| US07667048B2 |
Green and orange fluorescent labels and their uses
The present invention provides novel fluorescent compounds and covalent attachment chemistries which facilitate the use of these compounds as labels for ultrasensitive and quantitative fluorescent detection of low levels of biomolecules. In a preferred embodiment, the fluorescent labels of this invention are novel derivatives of the hydroxy-pyrene trisulphonic and disulphonic acids which may be used in any assay in which radioisotopes, colored dyes or other fluorescent molecules are currently used. Thus, for example, any assay using labeled antibodies, proteins, oligonucleotides or lipids, including fluorescent cell sorting, fluorescence microscopy (including dark-field microscopy), fluorescence polarization assays, ligand, receptor binding assays, receptor activation assays and diagnostic assays can benefit from use of the compounds disclosed herein. |
| US07667045B2 |
Gas generant and synthesis
A vinylated tetrazole substituted at the 5-position of the tetrazole ring is formed by a water-based method. A gas generating composition 12 containing the vinylated tetrazole is contained within an exemplary gas generator 10. A gas generating system 200 incorporates the vinylated tetrazole therein. A vehicle occupant protection system 180 incorporates the gas generating system 200. |
| US07667040B2 |
Azacyclic ethynyl derivatives
Azacyclic ethynyl derivatives, which are found to be cholinergic ligands at the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and modulators of the monoamine receptors and transporters. Due to their pharmacological profile the compounds of the invention may be useful for the treatment of diseases or disorders as diverse as those related to the cholinergic system of the central nervous system (CNS), the peripheral nervous system (PNS), diseases or disorders related to smooth muscle contraction, endocrine diseases or disorders, diseases or disorders related to neuro-degeneration, diseases or disorders related to inflammation, pain, and withdrawal symptoms caused by the termination of abuse of chemical substances. |
| US07667039B2 |
1,3-dihydro-imidazo [4,5-C] quinolin-2-ones as lipid kinase inhibitors
The invention relates to novel organic compounds of formula (I) processes for the preparation thereof, the application thereof in a process for the treatment of the human or animal body, the use thereof—alone or in combination with one or more other pharmaceutically active compounds—for the treatment of an inflammatory or obstructive airway disease, such as asthma, disorders commonly occurring in connection with transplantation, or a proliferative disease, such as a tumor disease. |
| US07667038B2 |
Tantalum and niobium compounds
The present invention relates to specific, novel tantalum and niobium compounds which can serve as starting materials for the preparation of chemical vapour deposition (CVD) precursors. |
| US07667035B2 |
Imidazole derivatives, their preparation and their use as intermediates for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions and pesticides
The invention relates to new substituted imidazoles of general formula wherein R1 to R3 and X are defined as in the claims, the tautomers, the enantiomers, the diastereomers, the mixtures thereof and the salts thereof, and processes for preparing them and their use as intermediates for preparing pharmaceutical compositions or pesticides. |
| US07667028B2 |
Compositions and methods for angiogenesis-related molecules and treatments
Short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules which modulate the expression of an angiogenesis-related gene by RNA interference are described. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules comprising said siRNA molecules are also described. These molecules can target all, or specific, isoforms of the gene. The use of these molecules and of isoforms of the gene for the treatment and diagnosis of angiogenesis-related disorders is also described. |
| US07667025B2 |
Articles of manufacture for detection of herpes simplex virus
The invention provides methods to detect herpes simplex virus (HSV) in biological samples and further to distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2. Primers and probes for the differential detection of HSV-1 and HSV-2 are provided by the invention. Articles of manufacture containing such primers and probes for detecting HSV are further provided by the invention. |
| US07667019B2 |
Flea ultraspiracle nucleic acid molecules
The present invention relates to flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; to flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; to antibodies raised against such flea ecdysone receptor and ultraspiracle proteins; and to compounds that inhibit flea ecdysone receptor and/or ultraspiracle activity. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising a protective compound derived from a protein of the present invention that inhibits the binding between ecdysone receptor and ecdysone as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to protect animals from flea infestation. |
| US07667015B2 |
Nucleic acid and corresponding protein entitled 151P3D4 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
A novel gene (designated 151P3D4) and its encoded protein, and variants thereof, are described wherein 151P3D4 exhibits tissue specific expression in normal adult tissue, and is aberrantly expressed in the cancers listed in Table I. Consequently, 151P3D4 provides a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic target for cancer. The 151P3D4 gene or fragment thereof, or its encoded protein, or variants thereof, or a fragment thereof, can be used to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response; antibodies or T cells reactive with 151P3D4 can be used in active or passive immunization. |
| US07667008B2 |
Fibroblast growth factor-like polypeptides and variants thereof
The present invention provides novel Fibroblast Growth Factor-like (FGF-like) fusion polypeptides. |
| US07667005B2 |
Polypeptide, novel DNA and novel antibody
The present invention relates to a polypeptide having an activity of suppressing aging; DNA encoding the polypeptide; a method for improving livestock, using the DNA; a recombinant DNA prepared by inserting the DNA into a vector; a transformant harboring the recombinant; a method for preparing the polypeptide of the present invention, using the transformant; an antibody which recognizes the polypeptide; a ligand for the polypeptide of the present invention; a compound inhibiting specific binding between the polypeptide and ligand of the present invention; a compound enhancing the expression of an aging-suppressing gene encoding the aging-suppressing polypeptide of the present invention; an oligonucleotide comprising a sequence of 10 to 50 nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA; and a therapeutic agent for a syndrome resembling premature aging, a therapeutic agent for adult diseases or an aging-suppressing agent, using the same. |
| US07667002B2 |
Peptides and proteins for early liver development and antibodies thereto
Early developing stage-specific liver proteins and the genes coding for them that have been isolated and sequenced are provided, and these genes and proteins can be utilized to diagnose and/or treat a wide variety of liver disorders and other ailments. Since the early developing liver proteins of the invention arise during embryogenesis when the liver and other organs are in transition from an undifferentiated state to a differentiated one, these proteins are involved in tissue differentiation and thus can be utilized in methods of diagnosing and treating a variety of liver diseases and other disorders including those relating to oncogenesis and tissue repair. Antibodies recognizing early developing liver proteins and peptides are also provided. |
| US07667001B1 |
Nucleotide and amino acid sequences, and assays and methods of use thereof for diagnosis of lung cancer
Novel markers for lung cancer that are both sensitive and accurate. These markers are overexpressed in lung cancer specifically, as opposed to normal lung tissue. The measurement of these markers, alone or in combination, in patient samples provides information that the diagnostician can correlate with a probable diagnosis of lung cancer. The markers of the present invention, alone or in combination, show a high degree of differential detection between lung cancer and non-cancerous states. |
| US07666999B2 |
Neutral amino acid transporter and gene thereof
A novel amino acid transporter molecule mediating transportation of amino acids, which are nutrients essentially required in the survival and proliferation of various normal cells constituting a living body and various pathology-associated abnormal cells such as tumor cells, into cells and being expressed specifically in tumor cells compared with normal cells; and drugs for treating various pathogenic conditions such as tumor (cancer) which are obtained by identifying and isolating the above amino acid transporter molecule and identifying a substance capable of inhibiting the biological activity and/or expression of this molecule. Intensive studies were made to identify a tumor cell membrane surface molecule associating or interacting with a cell membrane surface 4F2hc molecule seemingly playing an important role in the activation of an unknown amino acid transporter. As a result, a gene encoding the novel amino acid transporter molecule, which mediates the incorporation of various neutral amino acids, various drugs or physiological substances into cells, has been found out and a substance capable of inhibiting the incorporation of amino acids via this molecule and thus inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells has been also found out. |
| US07666998B2 |
Cell growth inhibitor containing anti-PepT antibody
The present inventors extensively studied and found that an antibody binding to PepT has cytotoxic activity and inhibits cell growth. These results suggest that an antibody binding to PepT, particularly an antibody having a cytotoxic activity, can be used as a cell growth inhibitor, for example, in treating and preventing cancer. |
| US07666997B2 |
Methods of treatment using NBS-1, antibodies and proteins thereto, and uses of the antibodies
Antibodies that will specifically bind to NBS-1 are described. It is also shown that NBS-1 will interact with p53 responsive elements in a p53 promoter. Thus, NBS-1 can be used in subjects having a p53-dependent tumor to inhibit growth of that tumor. |
| US07666996B2 |
Casein derived peptides and uses thereof
Biologically active peptides that are derived from or are similar to sequences identical with the N-terminus of the αS1 fraction of milk casein. These peptides are capable of stimulating and enhancing immune response, protecting against viral infection, normalizing serum cholesterol levels, and stimulating hematopoiesis. The casein-derived peptides are non-toxic and can be used to treat and prevent immune pathologies, hypercholesterolemia, hematological disorders and viral-related diseases, alone or in combination with other peptides or blood cell stimulating factors. |
| US07666990B2 |
Amino acid-substituted coagulation factor V
There is provided FV derivatives that reduce blood clotting activity, by reducing thrombin generation, when compared to wild-type FV. In particular, the FV of the present invention comprises single-point and multi-point mutations, encompassed by aspartic acid 79 to glutamic acid 119 of the wild type sequence (SEQ ID NO:2). The derivatives can be used to treat patient with conditions necessitating reduced clotting activity. |
| US07666989B2 |
Recombinant protein having an anti-cancer effect, its encoding gene and uses thereof
The present invention discloses a recombinant protein having an anti-cancer effect, its encoding gene and uses thereof. The recombinant protein having an anti-cancer effect provided by the present invention is one selected from the group consisting of: 1) a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No:2 shown in the sequence listing; 2) a protein derived from SEQ ID No:2, which has a sequence homology of more than 90% with SEQ ID No:2 and which has the same activity as that of SEQ ID No:2; 3) a protein derived from SEQ ID No:2, which is obtained by adding or deleting 15 or less amino acid residues at the N-terminus of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No:2, and which has the same activity as that of SEQ ID No:2; 4) a protein derived from SEQ ID No:2, which is obtained by adding or deleting 15 or less amino acid residues at the C-terminus of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No:2, and which has the same activity as that of SEQ ID No:2; 5) a protein derived from SEQ ID No:2, which is obtained by substitution, deletion, or addition of one or several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No:2, and which has the same activity as that of SEQ ID No:2. The medicament containing above recombinant protein as active component has significant selective inhibitory effect on tumor cells, and does not induce apoptosis of normal tissue cells, and has important applicable value. |
| US07666981B1 |
Inhibitors of prostasin
A class of proteins useful as inhibitors of prostasin and method for identifying them are provided. These proteins have the structure wherein the amino acids P1-P4 from the scissile bond are respectively leu-ile-ala-arg and the amino acids at positions P5-P15 are serpin sequences. |
| US07666980B2 |
Calcium-binding photoprotein, gene encoding the same, and use thereof
A protein according to the invention can be used to detect or measure calcium ions is provided. Further the protein is useful as a reporter protein or a luminescence marker. A polynucleotide according to the invention is also useful as a reporter gene. |
| US07666976B2 |
Polyamides
Polyamide, whose main chain contains a chemically bound amine selected from the group consisting of 2-methyl-1,5-diaminopentane and 1-amino-2-R-cyclopent-1-ene, where R is a functional group capable of combining with an amino group to form an amide group,and processes for preparing such a polyamide and fibers, films and moldings comprising such a polyamide. |
| US07666974B2 |
Polyphenylene producing method
Disclosed is a method for production of polyphenylene by means of polymerization of phenols. The method comprises using hydroquinone as a phenol, which is predissolved in water or in alcoholic solution, adding hydrogen peroxide in the presence of transition metals aquo-ions, and controlling temperature during polymerization keeping it not higher than the boiling point, and controlling pH in the range of 2-7. In on example embodiment, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni, Co, Zn aquo-ions or a combination thereof may be used as transition metal aquo-ions. |
| US07666970B2 |
Radiation-curing binders and a process for their preparation
The invention relates to a process for preparing binders which contain 1) allophanate groups, 2) groups that react with ethylenically unsaturated compounds with polymerization on exposure to actinic radiation (radiation-curing groups) and 3) optionally NCO-reactive groups, by reacting at temperatures ≦130° C. A) one or more NCO-functional compounds containing uretdione groups with B) one or more compounds that contain isocyanate-reactive groups and groups that react with ethylenically unsaturated compounds with polymerization on exposure to actinic radiation (radiation-curing groups), and then C) with one or more saturated, hydroxyl-containing compounds other than B), at least one of these compounds having an OH functionality of ≧2, in the presence of D) a catalyst containing one or more ammonium salts or phosphonium salts of aliphatic or cycloaliphatic carboxylic acids, the reaction with compounds C) taking place at least proportionally with the formation of allophanate groups. The present invention also relates to the binders obtained by the process of the invention. |
| US07666965B2 |
Method for production of mixed polymers containing silicon
Polymer dispersions of polymers derived from silicone macromers and ethylenically unsaturated monomers are capable of incorporating large amounts of chemically bonded macromer, when the silicone macromer and part of the unsaturated monomer are polymerized in aqueous medium as an initial charge with an oil soluble initiator, and the remaining monomers are fed in and polymerized using a water soluble initiator. The dispersions may be dried to form water redispersible polymer powders. |
| US07666960B2 |
Process for the production of ethylene copolymers
A process for the copolymerization of ethylene and α-olefins which utilizes a mixed modifier comprised of a conjugated diene and alkoxysilane is disclosed. |
| US07666956B2 |
Polymer
The present invention relates to new semiconductive polymers, a process for their manufacture and their use in thin film electronic and optical devices, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLED) and photovoltaic devices, e.g. solar cells and photo detectors. |
| US07666953B2 |
Phosphine-protonated haloaromatic compound accelerator with curing resin and curing agent
The invention relates to a curing accelerator for a curing resin obtained by reacting a phosphine compound (a) with a compound (b) having at least one halogen atom substituted on an aromatic ring and at least one proton atom which can be discharged, and subjecting the reaction product to dehydrohalogenation, a curing resin composition containing the curing accelerator, and an electronic component device having a device component encapsulated with the curing resin composition. The curing accelerator exhibits superior curability under moisture absorption, flow properties, reflow cracking resistance and high-temperature storage characteristics. |
| US07666951B2 |
Coating compositions that include a polyester polyol, related coated substrates, multi-layer coating and methods
Coating compositions are disclosed comprising a polyester comprising at least two reactive hydroxyl groups, a material comprising at least two functional groups reactive with the hydroxyl groups of the polyester, and a free acid. Methods of using the coatings, methods for refinishing an article with the coatings, and the substrates coated therewith, are also disclosed. |
| US07666950B2 |
Process for preparing hydrogenated nitrile rubbers
The present invention provides a novel process for preparing hydrogenated nitrile rubbers comprising subjecting nitrile rubbers in a spinning disk reactor to hydrogenation. The present process is less demanding with regard to its reaction conditions, like e.g. the hydrogen pressure to be applied, compared to known processes and significantly reduces the cost of the hydrogenation process and in particular the equipment cost. |
| US07666947B2 |
Gasket material
A gasket material comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point lower than the melting point of PTFE. Preferred thermoplastic polymers comprise fluorinated thermoplastic polymers, and most preferred fluorinated thermoplastic polymers comprise fluorinated ethylene propylene and perfluoroalkoxy copolymer. The PTFE component preferably comprises full density PTFE, and a filler material may optionally be added. The PTFE component is present in the gasket material in an amount from approximately 50% to less than 100%, based on the total weight of the gasket material, and the thermoplastic polymer is present in an amount from greater than 0% to approximately 20%, based on the total weight of the gasket material. |
| US07666944B2 |
Flame retarded fibers and filaments and process of production therefor
A fiber or filament which is formed from ingredients comprising (a) at least one fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer and (b) at least one polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is provided. The polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer has a bromine content of at least about 50 wt %, and a GPC weight average molecular weight in the range of about 5000 to about 40,000, or a GPC weight average molecular weight of at least about 600,000. When the fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer is a polyester, the polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is present in a flame resistant or flame retardant amount. When the fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer is a polyamide, the polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is at least about 2 wt % of the fiber or filament. When the fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer is a polyolefin, at least one synergist is present and the polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is no more than about 15 wt % of the fiber or filament. |
| US07666943B2 |
Flame retarded fibers and filaments and process of production therefor
A fiber or filament which is formed from ingredients comprising (a) at least one fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer, and (b) at least one polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is provided. The polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer has a bromine content of at least about 50 wt %. When the fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer is a polyester, the polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is present in a flame resistant or flame retardant amount. When the fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer is a polyamide, the polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is at least about 2 wt % of the fiber or filament. When the fiber-forming thermoplastic polymer is a polyolefin, at least one synergist is present and the polybrominated anionic styrenic polymer is no more than about 15 wt % of the fiber or filament. |
| US07666941B2 |
Aqueous polyolefin resin dispersion, process for producing the same, and water-based coating material comprising the same
An aqueous polyolefin resin dispersion, a process for producing the same, and a water-based coating material comprising the same are provided. The aqueous polyolefin resin dispersion contains a polyolefin resin containing 50 to 98% by mass of an unsaturated hydrocarbon having 3 to 6 carbon atoms and 0.5 to 20% by mass of an unsaturated carboxylic acid unit, and a basic compound, and contains substantially no water-compatibilizing agent having a boiling point of 185° C. or higher at normal pressure. The polyolefin resin has a number average particle size of 1 μm or smaller in the aqueous dispersion. |
| US07666937B2 |
Rubber composition for side reinforcement and run flat tire using the same
A rubber composition for reinforcing a side having both low exothermic property and high hardness is provided.The invention relates to a rubber composition for reinforcing a side of a run flat tire, comprising 10 to 100 parts by weight of carbon black having a nitrogen adsorbing-specific area of 30 to 100 m2/g and a dibutyl phthalate oil absorption amount of at least 50 ml/100 g, at least 2 parts by weight of sulfur or a sulfur compound, and 5 to 120 parts by weight of (1) a lamellar alumina powder or (2) fluorine-containing mica having an aspect ratio of 3 to 50 based on 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber component. |
| US07666934B2 |
Aliphatic polyester resin composition and sheets, films or other products molded by the resin
Provided is a thermoplastic resin composition, in particular, an aliphatic polyester resin composition comprising a plasticizer which is soft, exhibits high transparency, is reduced in bleeding out and exhibits high resistance to the extraction by a paraffinic solvent; and a sheet, a film or a molded article formed from the thermoplastic resin composition. An aliphatic polyester resin composition, characterized in that it comprises 100 parts by mass of an aliphatic polyester and, as a plasticizer, 1.0 to 100 parts by mass of a specific ester compound which is an ester formed from a trivalent polyhydric alcohol and an acyl group derived from a carboxylic acid having 2 to 18 carbon atoms and has an average acylation degree of 50 to 90%. |
| US07666932B2 |
Compositions comprising polyphosphonates and additives that exhibit an advantageous combination of properties, and methods related thereto
Disclosed are new compositions consisting of polyphosphonates and specific additive compositions that exhibit superior resistance to degradation due to exposure to air, high temperature and air, moisture or combinations thereof. Also disclosed are polymer mixtures or blends comprising these polyphosphonates/additive compositions and commodity and engineering plastics and articles produced therefrom. Further disclosed are articles of manufacture produced from these materials, such as fibers, films, coated substrates, moldings, foams, fiber-reinforced articles, or any combination thereof. |
| US07666931B2 |
Electret materials
Disclosed are electret materials with outstanding thermal and charge stability. The electret materials comprise a melt blend of a thermoplastic polymer and one or more hindered hydroxylamine ester compounds that comprise at least one moiety of the formula I where Ra′ is a monoacyl or diacyl radical; R1-R4 are each C1-C6alkyl; and R5 and R6 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C6alkyl or C6-C10aryl; or R5 and R6 are together oxygen. The melt blends are subjected to an electet treatment, for example a corona treatment. The electret materials are for example nonwoven polyolefin webs and are employed as filter materials, wipes, absorbent materials, filter masks, acoustic materials, printing substrates, measuring devices or contactless switches. The present electret materials may also comprise a further additive selected from the group consisting of the hindered amine light stabilizers, the hydroxyphenylalkylphosphonic esters or monoesters and the aromatic trisamide nucleating agents. |
| US07666925B2 |
Ink composition for waterless lithographic printing of seamless can for retort food
There is provided an ink composition for waterless lithographic printing of a seamless can for retort food which is excellent in retort resistance and does not have an adverse effect on environment, and a printing method using the same ink composition. This ink composition comprises (A) an alkyd resin containing 40 to 60% by mass of at least one kind of fatty acids and (B) an organic solvent which contains an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent as main component and does not contain an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent substantially, wherein the number average number of carbon atoms of fatty acids in the alkyd resin (A) is from 10 to 14 and a solid content of the alkyd resin is from 30 to 70% by mass. |
| US07666924B2 |
Polymeric dispersants
A polymeric dispersant containing a vinyl polymer having a constitutional unit represented by the following formula 1: wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 and R4 may be the same or different and are each independently an alkylene group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms or an arylene group having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, R3 is an alkylene group having from 4 to 18 carbon atoms or an arylene group having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms, M1 and M2 may be the same or different and are each independently a hydrogen atom or a cation, k and m may be the same or different and are each independently a number from 0 to 20, and L is a number from 1 to 20, with the proviso that L is 2 or more when k is zero. The polymeric dispersant is used for the production of a water dispersion for ink-jet printing. The water dispersion for ink-jet printing is used for the production of a water-based ink for ink-jet printing. |
| US07666923B2 |
Compositions and methods for resisting soil erosion and fire retardation
Compositions and methods for concomitantly resisting fire and soil erosion. The compositions comprise an aqueous mixture of a polymer mixed with an organic material. The polymer preferably comprises polyacrylamide or a copolymer of polyacrylamide having anionic functional groups. The organic material comprises either cellulose, mulch and/or seed and mulch. The methods of the present invention comprise providing or forming an aqueous mixture of the compositions of the present invention and applying them to an area of land sought to be provided with soil erosion and/or fire resistant properties. |
| US07666918B2 |
Foams made from interpolymers of ethylene/α-olefins
Foamable compositions and foams comprise at least an ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer. The foam has a density from greater than 150 to about 500 kg/m3. The foamable compositions further comprise a blowing agent and a crosslinking agent. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymers are a multi-block copolymer comprising at least one soft block and at least one hard block. Methods of making the foamable compositions and foams; and foamed articles made from the foams are also described. |
| US07666914B2 |
Topical preparation and method for transdermal delivery and localization of therapeutic agents
Disclosed herein is a preparation for topically delivering and localizing therapeutic agents, comprising: a vasoconstrictor for retarding vascular dispersion of a therapeutic agent; and a penetration enhancer for facilitating penetration of the vasoconstrictor and the therapeutic agent through a patient's skin. Further disclosed is an associated method of topically delivering and localizing therapeutic agents, comprising the steps of: using a vasoconstrictor for retarding vascular dispersion of a therapeutic agent; in combination with using a penetration enhancer for facilitating penetration of the vasoconstrictor and the therapeutic agent through a patient's skin. Also disclosed are various courses of treatment which comprise applying the various disclosed combinations of agents to the patient's skin. |
| US07666909B2 |
Enhancement of alcohol metabolism
D-glyceric acid has been found to enhance alcohol metabolism and thereby prevent adverse effects of alcohol consumption. D-glyceric acid is administered concurrently with alcohol, to accelerate the elimination of the alcohol from the body. D-glyceric acid is converted into D-glyceraldehyde and further into glycerol in reactions catalysed by NADH-aldehyde dehydrogenase and NADH-alcohol dehydrogenase complexes, which are produced in excess during alcohol oxidation, in the cells of alcohol-metabolising tissues. In these reactions, the NADH complexes become NAD-aldehyde dehydrogenase and NAD-alcohol dehydrogenase complexes. These complexes in turn accelerate the oxidation of alcohol, which is paralleled by enhancement of acetaldehyde oxidation to metabolically harmless acetic acid. D-glyceric acid or its salt or ester is used for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical preparation for enhancing the metabolism of alcohol. A method of enhancing the metabolism of alcohol in a subject by administering said compounds an effective amount of D-glyceric acid or its salt or ester is disclosed. An oral or parenteral preparation comprising said compounds is also disclosed. |
| US07666908B2 |
Method for enhancing cognitive function
The present invention relates to method for enhancing cognitive function in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of the formula (I): Further, the present invention provides a method for treating a disorder of cognitive function in a mammal, comprising administering to a mammal in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of the formula (I): |
| US07666906B2 |
β-Benzyloxyaspartate derivatives with amino group on benzene ring
L-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartate derivatives having a substituent on the benzene ring, represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is hydrogen, a linear or branched lower aliphatic acyl group with the acyl portion optionally substituted, an alicyclic acyl group, an aromatic acyl group with a substituent on the aromatic ring, an amino acid-derived group or a biotin derivative-derived group, having an amino substituent on the benzene ring, and salts thereof, which can easily bind to affinity column chromatography carriers as ligands of glutamate transporter proteins. |
| US07666903B2 |
Reaction products of 2-propylheptanol with 1-halogen-2,3-epoxypropanes and 1-hydroxy-2,3-epoxypropane
The invention relates to reaction products of 2-propylheptanol with 1-halo-2,3-epoxypropanes and 1-hydroxy-2,3-epoxypropane (glycidol), to methods for their production, and to their use as cosurfactants, cleaning surfactants or thickeners. |
| US07666901B2 |
Analogs of 17-hydroxywortmannin as PI3K inhibitors
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3, and R8 are defined herein. |
| US07666897B2 |
Analogs of indole-3-carbinol metabolites as chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents
Novel compounds useful as chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents are provided. The compounds are analogs of indole-3-carbinol metabolites wherein the structures and substituents of the compounds are selected to enhance the compounds' overall efficacy, particularly with respect to therapeutic activity, oral bioavailability, long-term safety, patient tolerability, and therapeutic window. The compounds are useful not only in treatment of cancer but also in prevention of cancer. One preferred class of the novel compounds has the structure of formula (IV) wherein: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R5A, R6A, R7A, R8A, R22 and R23 are defined herein. Pharmaceutical compositions are provided as well, as are methods of synthesis and use. |