| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07710557B2 |
Surface defect inspection method and apparatus
A surface defect inspection apparatus is structured to add detection signals of multi-directionally detected scattered lights to detect a tiny defect and to individually process the respective detection signals to prevent an error failing to detect an anisotropic defect. |
| US07710551B2 |
Model-based synthesis of band moire images for authentication purposes
A band moiré image layout model enables predicting the band moiré image layer layout produced when superposing a base band grating and revealing line grating of given rectilinear or curvilinear layouts. Thanks to the band moiré image layout model, one can choose the layout of two layers selected from the set of base band grating, revealing line grating and band moiré image and obtain the layout of the third layer by computation, i.e. automatically. A composed layer made of a base band grating and of a revealing line grating separated by a small gap yields thanks to the parallax effect, when tilting the composed layer, dynamically moving moiré shapes. The presented methods can be used for protecting various categories of documents (banknotes, identity documents, checks, diploma, travel documents, tickets) and valuable products (optical disks, medical drugs, products with affixed labels, watches). |
| US07710546B2 |
Laser receiver and laser receiving system
In a laser receiver receiving a laser beam from a laser transmitter and a laser receiving system composed of a plurality of laser receivers, a plurality of photo devices are arranged on an acceptance surface so that acceptance angles of the laser beam thereof are mutually different in order to detect distances between an acceptance position of a center point of a received laser beam on an acceptance surface and a reference point and an elevation angle of the received laser beam from a reference surface. Also, distance detection means respectively compare acceptance levels of the photo devices detected by the level detection means with thresholds, thereby detecting distance between the center point of the laser beam and the reference point of the acceptance surface by combination of comparison results thereof. Elevation angle detection means respectively compare acceptance levels of the photo devices detected by the level detection means with thresholds, thereby detecting elevation angles from the reference surface by combination of comparison results thereof. |
| US07710543B2 |
Scanning exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
A measurement apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to execute first measurement at each of a plurality of measurement points on a substrate, which are juxtaposed in one of a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction and an oblique direction with respect to the scanning direction, and to execute a second measurement at each of the plurality of measurement points, while the substrate is shifted in a direction different from the scanning direction and a processing unit configured to select some measurement points from the plurality of measurement points on the basis of a change in a measurement value at each measurement point, which is obtained by the first measurement and the second measurement. |
| US07710542B2 |
Imaging device in a projection exposure machine
An imaging device in a projection exposure machine for microlithography has at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, having a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element. The linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis. The subregions are interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements with an active axis and via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis. |
| US07710540B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A position control system for a substrate support of a lithographic apparatus includes a position measurement system configured to determine a position of a sensor or sensor target on the substrate support, a controller configured to provide a control signal based on a desired position of a target portion of the substrate and the determined position, and one or more actuators configured to act on the substrate support. The position control system includes a stiffness compensation model of the substrate support, the stiffness compensation model including a relation between a difference in a change in position of the target portion and a change in position of the sensor or sensor target as a result of a force exerted on the substrate support. The position control system is configured to substantially correct at least during projection of a patterned radiation beam on the target portion, the position of the target portion using the stiffness compensation model. |
| US07710539B2 |
Method and arrangement for predicting thermally-induced deformation of a substrate, and a semiconductor device
The invention provides a method for correcting thermally-induced field deformations of a lithographically exposed substrate. First, a model is provided to predict thermally-induced field deformation information of a plurality of fields of the substrate. The pre-specified exposure information used to configure an exposure of the fields is then modified based on the thermally-induced deformation information as predicted by the model. Finally a pattern is exposed onto the fields in accordance with the pre-specified exposure information as modified. The predicting of thermally-induced field deformation information by the model includes predicting of deformation effects of selected points on the substrate. It is based on a time-decaying characteristic as energy is transported across substrate; and a distance between the selected points and an edge of the substrate. |
| US07710534B2 |
System and method for manufacturing liquid crystal display devices
Disclosed is a system for fabricating a liquid crystal display using liquid crystal dropping and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display using the same. The present invention includes a liquid crystal forming line dropping liquid crystals on the first substrate, a sealant forming line forming the sealant on the second substrate, and a bonding and hardening line bonding the two substrates to each other and hardening the sealant, printing a sealant, bonding the substrates each other, and hardening the sealant and an inspection process line of cutting the bonded substrates into panel units and grinding and inspecting the unit panels. And, the GAP process line includes And, the present invention includes the processes of dropping LC on a first substrate using a dispenser, forming a main UV hardening sealant on a second substrate, bonding the first and second substrates to each other in a vacuum state, UV-hardening the main UV hardening sealant, cutting the bonded substrates into cell units, grinding the cut substrates, and inspecting the grinded substrates finally. |
| US07710532B2 |
Reflective liquid crystal display device having cholesteric liquid crystal color filter
A reflective liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a display region and a first non-display region, the first non-display region being disposed at a boundary of the display region. A second substrate faces and is spaced apart from the first substrate, the second substrate including a second non-display region corresponding to a portion larger than the first substrate. A light absorption layer is on an inner surface of the first substrate. A cholesteric liquid crystal color filter (CCF) layer is at the display region and the first non-display region is on the light absorption layer. A common electrode is on the CCF layer. An array element is on an inner surface of the second substrate. A light shielding pattern is on the array element, the light shielding pattern corresponding to the CCF layer at the first non-display region. A retardation plate and a polarizing plate are sequentially formed on the outer surface of the second substrate. A liquid crystal layer is interposed between the common electrode and the array element. |
| US07710528B2 |
Electro optical device and electronic apparatus
There is provided an electro optical device including an electro optical panel formed by sticking a first substrate and a second substrate together, and a flexible wiring substrate connected to the electro optical panel. The first substrate includes a extension portion flaring from the second substrate, the wiring substrate includes a base material having flexibility and a conductive pattern provided on the base material, the wiring substrate is connected to the extension portion of the first substrate by using an adhesive agent, the wiring substrate includes a wide width portion connected to the extension portion and a narrow width portion continuing to the wide width portion and extending outwardly from an edge side of the extension portion in the flaring direction, and an edge side of the wide width portion at the narrow width portion side is matched to the position of the edge side of the extension portion in the flaring direction or is positioned inside of the edge side of the extension portion in the flaring direction. |
| US07710527B2 |
Thin film transistors substrate and liquid crystal display having the same
A thin film transistor substrate includes; a substrate, a plurality of gate lines disposed on the substrate, a plurality of data lines disposed substantially perpendicular to the gate lines, wherein the plurality of data liens include a plurality of outermost data lines, a plurality of thin film transistors (“TFTs”) connected to the gate and data lines, a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the plurality of TFTs, and a plurality of dummy patterns connected to the outermost data lines. |
| US07710525B2 |
Thin film transistor, fabrication method thereof, liquid crystal display panel device having the same, and fabrication method thereof
A TFT that provides an efficient layout, a fabrication method thereof, an LCD device having the TFT, and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The TFT has a gate electrode and source/drain electrodes with an active layer interposed. The source electrodes and the drain electrodes are alternated in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. Thus, the same source electrodes and the same drain electrodes are arranged in a diagonal direction. Source lines are connected with the source electrodes arranged in a diagonal direction and drain lines are connected with the drain electrodes arranged in a diagonal direction. Since a channel width is formed between the source electrode and adjacent drain electrodes, the channel width can be maximized within a limited area. Also, the source lines and the drain lines are arranged in a diagonal direction, so that an area use rate is maximized. |
| US07710522B1 |
Liquid crystal device having variable reflected wavelength
A liquid crystal device comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal material interposed between a transparent front plate and a back plate. The cholesteric liquid crystal material is switchable between a transparent state and a reflective state in response to an electric field applied in a first direction. In the reflective state the material reflects light characterized by a first wavelength when no electric field is applied. Electrodes are provided for applying an electric field lied to the cholesteric liquid crystal material in the reflective state in a second direction distinct from the first direction. In this manner the cholesteric liquid crystal material is altered to cause the material to reflect light characterized by a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. A display device may thus be produced having pixels capable of a wide range of colors, thereby achieving a multicolored image for the display. |
| US07710520B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with reduced defect rate and improved color reproductivity
A liquid crystal display device that reduces the likelihood of liquid crystal misalignment and driving errors is presented. The liquid crystal display device also improves color reproductively. The device includes a first substrate, and second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer placed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate includes a gate line and a data line that define a pixel region, a thin film transistor provided at an intersection area of the gate line and the data line, an organic film formed on the thin film transistor and having a depressed portion, a reflective film formed on the organic film, a black matrix, a color filter layer formed in the pixel region, and a pixel electrode formed on the color filter layer. The color filter layer has a different thickness in the depressed portion than in the rest of the pixel region. |
| US07710518B2 |
System for displaying images
A system for displaying images is disclosed. A display device comprises a first substrate comprising a plurality of pixels, each comprising RGB transparent sub-pixel regions. A second substrate comprises RGB regions opposite the first substrate, wherein the transparent sub-pixel regions respectively correspond to the three major color regions. A light blocking layer is disposed in one of the transparent sub-pixel regions of the first substrate. A photo spacer corresponding to the light blocking layer is formed, supporting the opposite first and second substrates. |
| US07710512B2 |
Prism sheet, backlight unit and liquid crystal display
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display having excellent brightness without moiré patterns. The present invention also relates to a prism sheet and backlight unit which may improve the brightness of the liquid crystal display while removing the moiré patterns. A prism sheet comprises a protective layer including a base material consisting of a light-transmissive resin; and a plurality of diffusion particles distributed in the protective layer to scatter the light input into the base material; a base film disposed on a surface of the protective layer, wherein the light emitted from the protective layer is input into the base film; and a plurality of linear prisms having a pitch of between about 32 μm and about 38 μm and disposed in parallel on a surface of the base film. |
| US07710509B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a slide mounting bracket
A front cover (1) is engaged with a plate-like slide mounting bracket (3b), a liquid crystal panel (2) is fixed to the front cover (1) by a panel contact portion (31) of the slide mounting bracket (3b), and a back cover (5) is fixed to the front cover (1) through the plate-like slide mounting bracket (3b) by screwing a screw into a tapped hole (33). As a result, it is possible to narrow a width (b) which is obtained by subtracting a width of an overlap portion of the liquid crystal display panel (2) from a width (B) of a frame portion of the front cover (1) because no fixing boss for mounting the back cover (5) is required for the front cover (1). Consequently, the frame of the front cover (1) can be narrowed. |
| US07710505B2 |
Method and apparatus for remote control of audio visual systems
The invention provides a method for improving the functionality of the jump button associated with television, cable/satellite receiver, or any other multi-channel device controlling remote control. The apparatus provides a jump button with the ability to access a wide variety of channels in an intelligent manner. At present, the jump button has the functionality such that the jump to location associated with selecting the jump button is the previously viewed channel, regardless of how the current channel being viewed is selected. The invention disclosed herein is a method of performing jumps on a device like a remote control in a more useful manner. |
| US07710501B1 |
Time base correction and frame rate conversion
Apparatuses and methods are described for performing time base correction and frame rate conversion with respect to signals. An apparatus includes circuitry to synthesize an output video clock. The apparatus has circuitry that receives an input video synchronization signal. The apparatus has circuitry to change a frequency of the output video clock based on an intended number of video clock cycles per input vertical period and a period of the input video synchronization signal. |
| US07710498B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program
A motion vector detection section detects a motion vector by using an image that is made up of multiple pixels and acquired by an image sensor having time integration effects. A time resolution creation section generates an image that has a higher time resolution by using the detected motion vector and the image made up of the multiple pixels. A motion-blurring-mitigated image generation section generates a motion-blurring-mitigated image in which motion blurring of a moving object is mitigated by using the detected motion vector on the assumption that a pixel value of pixel of the moving object in the image is a value obtained by integrating, in a time direction, a pixel value of each pixel in which no motion blurring that corresponds to the moving object occur as it is moved. |
| US07710497B2 |
Visual presenter
A visual presenter includes a camera support arm pivotally mounted on a base and having one end on which a camera is mounted, a pivot support including a bracket, a pivot having one end formed with a male thread, a disc spring fitted with the male thread and a nut brought into threading engagement with the male thread so that the spring is fastened to the bracket by the nut with a result that a brake force is effected and a free stop function is given to the pivot support, and a one-way clutch fitted with the pivot to allow the pivot support to be free against rotation causing the pivot support to stand up and to exert a clutching function against rotation causing the pivot support to lie. The camera support arm is pivotally mounted on the pivot support with the one-way clutch being interposed between them. |
| US07710476B2 |
Color filter array, imaging device, and image processing unit
A color filter array includes a plurality of filters, each having one of a plurality of types of spectral sensitivity and being disposed at the location of a corresponding one of a plurality of pixels. The filters of a predetermined type selected from among the plurality of types are arranged at the locations of the pixels in a checkered pattern, and the filters of some or all of the other types are randomly arranged at the pixel locations at which the filters of the predetermined type are not present. |
| US07710473B2 |
Smear-corrective device
A smear-correcting device that corrects a smear of an image signal from a CCD having photoelectric conversion elements including a smear-correcting photoelectric conversion element, is provided and includes: a determining section determining whether a smear component is contained in an image signal from the photoelectric conversion elements other than the smear-correcting photoelectric conversion element, based on a corresponding smear-correcting signal from the smear-correcting photoelectric conversion element; a section correcting the smear of the image signal determined to contain the smear component, based on the corresponding smear-correcting signal; and an output section that outputs an image signal. When the determining section determines that the image signal contains a smear component, the output section outputs the image signal after correcting a smear of the image signal, and when the determining section determines that the image signal does not contains the smear component, the output section outputs the image signal without smear correction. |
| US07710472B2 |
Detection and/or correction of suppressed signal defects in moving images
Techniques are described for detecting a vertical line artifact in an image captured with a digital camera. The vertical line artifact may be caused by a defect in the digital camera. Techniques also are described for correcting a vertical line artifact in an image captured with a digital camera. It may be determined that the vertical line artifact includes at least one pixel in the vertical line having a non-zero suppressed signal. A value for the pixel having the non-zero suppressed signal may be determined. A statistically-based correction may be applied to the pixel having the non-zero suppressed signal based on the determination that the pixel has a non-zero suppressed signal and the determined value of the pixel. The image may be a portion of a movie stored on a DVD. |
| US07710471B2 |
Pixel individual anti-eclipse circuit and its operation manner
An anti-eclipse circuit of an image pixel includes a pixel coupled to a pixel output line and a circuit for receiving and storing a pixel reset voltage from the pixel on the pixel output line and for using the stored pixel reset voltage as a parameter to control a reset voltage level on the output line in a manner which maintains the pixel reset voltage on the pixel output line above a predetermined minimum voltage. |
| US07710470B2 |
Image processing apparatus that reduces noise, image processing method that reduces noise, electronic camera that reduces noise, and scanner that reduces noise
In a noise reduction apparatus or method, at least one of a luminance noise estimate value estimating a luminance noise of a target pixel and a chrominance noise estimate value estimating a chrominance noise of the target pixel is estimated in accordance with an average of luminance signals allocated to a first set of pixels including the target pixel. A noise reduction is performed to a selected one of the luminance noise and the chrominance noise one target pixel by one target pixel based on a corresponding one of a first set of information including the average of luminance signals and the luminance noise estimate value and a second set of information including an average of chrominance signals and the chrominance noise estimate value, the average of chrominance signals being allocated to a second set of pixels including the target pixel. |
| US07710468B2 |
Imaging apparatus with memory for storing camera through image data
An LCD driver starts reading a digital image signal of one frame from a VRAM in response to a reproduction timing signal. A driving timing signal generator generates a driving timing signal in response to a synchronizing signal, whose phase is shifted by a delay time from the reproduction timing signal. So a phase difference corresponding to the delay time is provided between the driving timing signal and the reproduction timing signal. Synchronously with the driving timing signal, an image sensor is driven to shoot a subject and output an analog image signal of one frame. After being converted into a digital form, the image signal is written in the VRAM sequentially from the first line of one frame. The phase difference is determined so that the LCD driver starts reading the image signal sequentially from the first line, immediately after the first line is written in the VRAM. |
| US07710466B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a camera module to compensate for the color spectrum of a white LED
A method and an apparatus enabling use of a light source emitting a spectrum of light not following characteristics of a blackbody source of light with a camera module programmed for use with light sources following characteristics of blackbody sources of light, wherein a white-balance patch is transmitted to the camera module to cause the camera module to accept color coordinates representing a point on a chromaticity chart that partly defines a region of color coordinates on the chromaticity chart into which color coordinates of the light source fall and to which color coordinates of a reference white color derived by a white-balance routine of the camera module are constrained. |
| US07710464B2 |
Image photographing and recording device and method
An image photographing and recording device and method. In the device and method, a scene is repeatedly photographed at a predetermined frame rate as a static image of a predetermined resolution. Static image data outputted by photographing is successively recorded on a recording medium, the static image data being in non-compressed or compressed by a compression method which does not utilize correlation between frames. A static image or a dynamic image as an object of output is designated. When a static image is designated, static image data corresponding to the static image is read-out from the recording medium. When a dynamic image is designated, a static image data group corresponding to the dynamic image is read-out, and image processing for a dynamic image is carried out thereon, and data obtained by the image processing for a dynamic image is outputted as dynamic image data. |
| US07710463B2 |
Method and system for compensating for parallax in multiple camera systems
A camera array captures plural component images which are combined into a single scene. In one embodiment, each camera of the array is a fixed digital camera. The images from each camera are warped to a common coordinate system and the disparity between overlapping images is reduced using disparity estimation techniques. |
| US07710458B2 |
Image pick-up apparatus with a shake reducing function
When a hand shake reducing mode has been set for shooting a subject, an exposure is controlled in accordance with a program diagram (solid line) B for the shake reducing mode, which is different from a program diagram (broken line) A for a normal mode. In a state where a shutter speed is set to less than “ 1/80”, two-pixel addition and/or four-pixel addition is executed on an imaging signal to amplify subject luminance, raising ISO sensitivity. A shutter speed set to fall in a high speed range reduces deterioration in image quality due to hand shake and/or subject movement during a shooting operation. |
| US07710457B2 |
Motion detector camera having a flash
A motion detector camera includes a housing, a camera mechanism located within the housing, a motion detector exposed on a surface of the housing. The camera can include a solar panel coupled to the housing to provide power to the camera mechanism. The camera can include an information display exposed on an outer surface of the housing. The camera can include digital camera electronics and an image display screen. |
| US07710456B2 |
Remote control device, method and system
According to a remote control device of the present invention, the operation situation according to the transmission of the remote control signal is judged based on a changing brightness of the image, and the information of the content according to the result of judgment is displayed. Thereby, it is possible to investigate a reaction of the apparatus to be controlled to the remote control signal, and visually indicate the reaction to the user. |
| US07710455B2 |
Node management system and node managing program using sensing system
On the basis of state change information acquired by one of sensor nodes forming a sensor network, an instruction indicative of emitting a signal is issued to another node to acquire a photographed image from a camera. An image processing device identifies the ID and actual position of the node by issuing the signal issuance instruction to the node and detecting a signal obtained from the node from the photographed image. On the basis of personal information stored in a database, the image processing device detects a not-allowed action. |
| US07710454B2 |
Video bit stream test
The present invention is a method for MPEG compliance testing that designs test bit streams such that every frame of the expected decoded video is known. The test bit stream is generated, decoded and stored as an expected output decoded video. The test bit stream is fed to the device under test where it is decoded. Actual output video is compared with the expected decoded video on a frame-by-frame basis. The test results are indicated by discrepancies, which can be visually examined by human or by computer, through a comparison of the two videos. During generation of the test bit stream, for a given GOP structure, the subsequent P and B frames are determined by varying the selected testing MPEG parameter with the whole range of its possible values, while keeping other parameters constant. |
| US07710447B2 |
Optical disk image forming apparatus and optical disk image forming method
An optical disk image forming apparatus that forms an image on an optical disk, comprises: an optical disk drive that includes a rotating unit for rotating an optical disk and a laser light irradiating unit being movable in a radial direction of the optical disk; and a control unit that sets a plurality of pixel areas on the optical disk, allocates predetermined writing densities to the plurality of pixel areas, respectively, and controls the optical disk drive to irradiate the laser light onto each pixel area according to the allocated writing densities. When the allocated writing density is a halftone writing density, the control unit corrects the halftone writing density so as to be lighter darker than the allocated writing density. |
| US07710445B2 |
Light source unit, optical scan apparatus, and image formation apparatus
A light source unit is provided which includes a light source with a plurality of light emission portions two-dimensionally arranged; a substrate on which the light source is mounted; a first support portion supporting the substrate; a bias member biasing the substrate towards the first support portion; a coupling element coupling a light beam emitted from the light source; a second support portion supporting the coupling element; and a holding member holding a position of the substrate relative to the first support portion. |
| US07710444B2 |
Image forming apparatus for forming a latent image on an image carrier
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier that has an image carrier surface moving in a direction; a supporting member that faces the image carrier; a plurality of light emitting elements which are provided on a surface of the supporting member facing the image carrier and emit light to form a latent image on the image carrier; a roller which is arranged on the surface of the supporting member facing the image carrier such that a rotational shaft thereof extends in a direction traversing an image carrier surface; and an urging unit which urge the supporting member against the image carrier so that the roller comes into contact with the image carrier. |
| US07710437B2 |
Color interpolation algorithm
A method for interpolating pixel colors in a digital system is provided. The method comprises obtaining at least two pixels of a first color having a first level of similarity, wherein the at least two pixels are positioned adjacent a first pixel to be restored; calculating average values of the two pixels for the first color; restoring the value of the at least two pixels for the first color; and restoring a value associated with a second color for the at least two pixels by an interpolation method using a gradient of a brightness. |
| US07710435B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating visual effects
A visual effect generating module for changing visual effects of a selected image block within an image area is disclosed. The visual effect generating module includes a color changing module for receiving and changing pixel values of a plurality of pixels within the selected image block and a first multiplexer coupled to the color changing module for selectively outputting pixels corresponding to the image area or pixels output from the color changing module. |
| US07710429B2 |
Stationary semantic zooming
A system and method for stationary semantic zooming. Stationary semantic zooming allows selected non-spatial rendering attributes, such as level of detail, to be varied according to other specified non-spatial rendering attributes. Stationary semantic zooming allows low importance objects to be rendered with a lower level of detail than higher importance objects. A system and method for displaying network status and realty information using stationary semantic zooming are also disclosed. |
| US07710428B2 |
Method and apparatus for filtering the display of vectors in a vector image
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method retrieves a vector image from a device. The vector image illustrates the device and comprises a number of embedded handles, each handle of which is associated with a set of vectors in the vector image. The method proceeds with parsing the vector image in accord with a filter key to identify a set of handles that correspond to the filter key. The method then causes one or more sets of vectors, associated with the set of handles corresponding to the filter key, to be displayed differently than one or more sets of vectors that are not associated with the set of handles corresponding to the filter key. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07710426B1 |
Buffer requirements reconciliation
Buffers may be shared between components in a system. The components may be loosely coupled, allowing the components to be assembled into various different configurations, and yet buffers may still be shared. A buffer requirements negotiator of the system analyzes the buffer requirements of each of the components and determines, if possible, a set of requirements that satisfies all of the components. Accordingly, savings may be achieved in buffer memory, as well as in copying and converting between unshared buffers. Further, the individual components may operate as efficiently as possible because the buffer requirements of the components in the system are all met. One implementation accesses a first component's buffer requirements and a second component's buffer requirements, determines a reconciled set of buffer requirements that satisfies the buffer requirements of both components, and provides the reconciled set of buffer requirements to one or more components. |
| US07710425B1 |
Graphic memory management with invisible hardware-managed page faulting
A computer system in which a graphics accelerator unit manages page faulting of texture data invisibly to the host processor. |
| US07710424B1 |
Method and system for a texture-aware virtual memory subsystem
A method and system for accessing texture data is disclosed. The method includes the step of storing a low resolution version of a block of texture data in a low latency memory and storing a high resolution version of the block of texture data in high latency memory. Upon a request for the high resolution version of the block of texture data, the high resolution version is fetched from the high latency memory to the low latency memory. The low resolution version is subsequently accessed from the low latency memory until the high resolution version is fetched into the low latency memory. |
| US07710421B2 |
Map data updating system
A map data updating system is basically provided with a map distribution system and at least one map data updating device. The map distribution system includes a map data generating section and an information distributing section. The map data updating device is configured to process the distribution map data from the map distribution system, and includes a map data updating determining section and an update map data requesting section. The map data generating section configured to generate distribution map data including at least one target map data unit of a map that has been divided into a plurality of map units, with the distribution map data including map data version information for a target map unit to be updated and at least one perimeter map unit existing along a perimeter of the target map unit to be updated. The information distributing section configured to electronically distribute the distribution map data. The map data updating determining section configured to determine whether to update previously stored map data corresponding to the target map unit based on the map data version information included with the distribution map data. The update map data requesting section configured to send an update map data delivery request to the information distributing section when the map data updating determining section determines previously stored map data version information of the map data updating device relating to the at least one perimeter map unit does not match the map data version information included with the distribution map data. |
| US07710414B2 |
Common voltage regulating circuit of liquid crystal display device
Disclosed is a common voltage regulating circuit of a liquid crystal display device which can be adjusted by software, comprising: a pulse signal generating means for outputting a pulse width modulation signal in response to up/down signal for adjusting a common voltage; a smoothing means for smoothing a pulse width modulation signal to a direct current level provided from the pulse signal generating means; and an amplifying means for amplifying the signal smoothed by the smoothing means to a predetermined level and then outputting a common voltage signal. Accordingly, since a common voltage can be adjusted by software by means of a surplus pulse width modulation signal generated in an integrated board without installing a separate hardware, the common voltage can be easily adjusted. Further, since a variable resistor has not been used, not only manufacturing cost but also possibility of breakage can be reduced. |
| US07710410B2 |
Electro-optical device, method of driving electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes an entire screen display mode in which an entire screen is displayed and a partial display mode in which a part of an entire screen is set to a display region and the remaining part is set to a non-display region. A scanning line driving circuit supplies a first voltage to the scanning lines of the display region for a predetermined period in the entire screen display mode, and supplies a second voltage to the scanning lines of the display region for a period longer than the predetermined period in the partial display mode. |
| US07710406B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a wiring substrate provided with a plurality of wiring patterns formed thereon, and an anisotropic conductive adhesive layer. The first substrate has a first conductive layer and first electrodes extending from two opposite sides of the first conductive layer. The second substrate has a second conductive layer confronting the first surface with a space, and second electrodes extending from two opposite sides of the second conductive layer. The anisotropic conductive adhesive layer connects a terminal portion of the wiring patterns to at least one of the first electrodes and the second electrodes. The wiring substrate has a slit or an aperture between the wiring patterns at one end thereof. The touch panel of this structure is easy to produce, and provides reliable operation and electrical connection and separation. |
| US07710401B2 |
Portable terminal device with pointing device
A mobile phone includes a pointing device and an activation mark in the vicinity of the display section. When a user moves a pointer on the display section to a position indicating the mark and operates the decision key, a predetermined action is activated. The number of icons that can be displayed on the display section of the mobile phone is limited. Therefore, in order to easily activate a number of actions of the mobile phone, the aforementioned mark is utilized. |
| US07710400B2 |
Touch panel having a transparent insulation film resistant to peel-off
A touch panel having a film/glass structure includes an upper electrode member including a transparent insulation film having upwardly-inclined end surfaces at each entire peripheral side. A touch panel having a film/film structure includes an upper electrode member including a transparent insulation film and a lower electrode member including a transparent insulation film, wherein the transparent insulation film and the transparent insulation film have upwardly-inclined end surfaces at each entire peripheral side. |
| US07710397B2 |
Mouse with improved input mechanisms using touch sensors
A mouse having improved input methods and mechanisms is disclosed. The mouse is configured with touch sensing areas capable of generating input signals. The touch sensing areas may for example be used to differentiate between left and right clicks in a single button mouse. The mouse may further be configured with force sensing areas capable of generating input signals. The force sensing areas may for example be positioned on the sides of the mouse so that squeezing the mouse generates input signals. The mouse may further be configured with a jog ball capable of generating input signals. The mouse may additionally be configured with a speaker for providing audio feedback when the various input devices are activated by a user. |
| US07710392B2 |
Pointing device for a computer system with automatic detection of the state of motion, and a relative control method
A pointing device for a computer system includes a displacement transducer of the pointing device, provided with: an inertial sensor, supplying acceleration signals indicative of an acceleration according to two axes of detection; and a processing unit, which, on the basis of the acceleration signals, generates velocity signals regarding the pointing device. The processing unit further includes: a state-recognition stage, for selectively recognizing a condition rest and a motion condition of the pointing device on the basis of the velocity signals; and an estimating module, controlled by the state-recognition stage for determining an estimate of stationary disturbance contained in the acceleration signals when the pointing device is in the rest condition. |
| US07710391B2 |
Processing an image utilizing a spatially varying pattern
An interactive video window display system. A projector projects a visual image. A screen displays the visual image, wherein the projector projects the visual image onto a back side of the screen for presentation to a user on a front side of the screen, and wherein the screen is adjacent to a window. An illuminator illuminates an object on a front side of the window. A camera detects interaction of an illuminated object with the visual image, wherein the screen is at least partially transparent to light detectable by the camera, allowing the camera to detect the illuminated object through the screen. A computer system directs the projector to change the visual image in response to the interaction. The projector, the camera, the illuminator, and the computer system are located on the same side of the window. |
| US07710385B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving liquid crystal display device
An data driver for driving an LCD device includes a modulator that generates modulated data from input data; and a control circuit to selects between converting the modulated data to first analog data of a driving output and converting the input data to second analog data of the driving output, and to supply the driving output to the plurality of data lines. The driving output may provide a gray-to-gray response time of the LCD device substantially the same as one of a black-to-white and a white-to-black response time of the LCD device by reducing actual liquid crystal response time of the LCD device. |
| US07710384B2 |
Pulse output circuit, shift register and display device
A drive circuit of a display device, which comprise only single conductive TFTs and in which amplitude of an output signal is normal, is provided.A pulse is inputted to TFTs 101 and 104 so that the TFTs would turn ON and then potential of a node á rises. When the potential of the node á reaches (VDD−VthN), the node á became in a floating state. Accordingly, a TFT 105 then turns ON, and potential of an output node rises as a clock signal reaches the level H. On the other hand, potential of a gate electrode of the TFT 105 further rises due to an operation of capacitance 107 as the potential of the output node rises, so that the potential of the output node would be higher than (VDD+VthN). Thus, the potential of the output node rises to VDD without voltage drop caused by a threshold of the TFT 105. An output at the subsequent stage is then inputted to TFTs 102 and 103 to turn the TFTs 102 and 103 ON, while the potential of the node á drops down to turn the TFT 105 OFF. A TFT 106 turns ON at the same time so that the potential of the output node would reach the level L. |
| US07710378B2 |
Drive apparatus of liquid crystal display device
An apparatus includes a polarity reversing section which generates a polarity reversing signal for the liquid crystal drive voltage; a liquid crystal driver which reverses the polarity of the liquid crystal drive voltage based on the polarity reversing signal to drive the liquid crystal display panel; a warning signal generation section which generates a warning signal indicating the polarity reverse before the polarity of the liquid crystal drive voltage is reversed; and a regulator section which controls a supply of the liquid crystal drive voltage in accordance with the warning signal. |
| US07710377B2 |
LCD panel including gate drivers
Provided is a liquid crystal display panel having gate drivers. The LCD panel includes a gate line shift circuit setting a gate line scanning order such that the gate lines are sequentially scanned in units of n gate lines with k−1 gate lines between each pair of adjacent gate lines in each unit according to an interleaving method in response to a gate line-on signal received from a timing control unit outside the LCD panel, wherein the LCD panel reproduces source data output from a source driver outside the LCD panel in the gate line scanning order set by the gate line shift circuit. The LCD panel inverts the polarity of a common voltage for every unit of n gate lines, instead of every gate line, thereby reducing power consumption. In addition, since every kth gate line is scanned according to the interleaving method, deterioration of image quality such as a flickering phenomenon can be prevented, which is an advantage of a line inversion driving method. |
| US07710374B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes a plurality of subpixels respectively having switching elements and arranged in a matrix, a plurality of gate lines connected to the subpixels via the switching elements and transmitting a gate signal for turning on or off the switching elements, and a plurality of data lines connected to the subpixels via the switching elements and transmitting a data voltage. The respective subpixels are located in areas defined by two adjacent gate lines and two adjacent data lines, which are uniquely connected to a pair of gate line and data line, and at least one of the subpixels is connected to the different gate lines or the data line positioned at opposite side with respect to the other subpixel of the same row. In this case, a pair of subpixels adjacent above and below are connected to the gate line therebetween or the gate lines positioned at opposite side each other. In this way, any inversions for each color can be performed without changing conventional driving ICs. |
| US07710373B2 |
Liquid crystal display device for improved inversion drive
A liquid crystal display device is composed of first and second data lines, first and second operational amplifiers, and a short-circuiting circuit. The first operational amplifier is configured to drive the first data line to a potential of a first polarity during a first period, and to drive the second data line to a potential to the first polarity during a second period following the first period. The second operational amplifier is configured to drive the second data line to a potential of a second polarity complementary to the first polarity during the first period, and to drive the first data line to a potential to the second polarity during the second period. The short-circuiting circuit is configured to short-circuit the first and second data lines during a short-circuiting period between the first and second periods. Drive capabilities of the first and second operational amplifiers are controlled in response to a short-circuit potential of the first and second data lines during the short-circuiting period. |
| US07710366B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
Each pixel includes: a light emitting element; a capacitor; a driving transistor that has a control terminal, an input terminal, and an output terminal and supplies a driving current to the light emitting element to emit light; a first switching unit that diode-connects the driving transistor and supplies a data voltage to the driving transistor in response to a scanning signal; and a second switching unit that supplies a driving voltage to the driving transistor and connects the light emitting element and the capacitor to the driving transistor in response to an emission signal, wherein the capacitor is connected to the driving transistor through the first switching unit, stores a control voltage being a function of the data voltage and the threshold voltage of the driving transistor, and is connected to the driving transistor through the second switching unit to supply the control voltage to the driving transistor. |
| US07710363B2 |
Control method for a matrix display screen
A method of controlling display of a grey level at an associated image point on a matrix display screen. The screen includes lines and columns for which the intersections form an image point. Samples with non-linear proportional light intensity are used to display grey levels, instead of using samples with linear proportional light intensity, by selecting a coding that matches the response curve of the human eye because the eye is more sensitive to brightness differences at a low illumination level than at a high level. Its perception of brightness follows a non-linear law called the gamma correction law which in particular has been modelled by the International Lighting Commission (ILC). |
| US07710361B2 |
Plasma display apparatus and method of driving the same
A plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same are disclosed. In the plasma display apparatus, a relative time ratio of one of a reset period, an address period or a sustain period of an r-th subfield of each of a p-th frame and a q-th frame is substantially equal to each other at a reference time point of the r-th subfield of each of the p-th frame and the q-th frame. The relative time ratio is the ratio of a duration of a portion of one period of a reset period, an address period or a sustain period in one subfield to a total duration of one period. The duration of the portion ranges from a start time point of one period to the reference time point. |
| US07710357B2 |
Method for driving plasma display panel
A method for driving a plasma display panel that can generate stable and reliable discharge without making the circuit configuration of the driver complicated. According to this drive method, a plasma display panel where a pixel cell is formed at each intersection of a plurality of column electrodes and a plurality of row electrode pairs is driven such that, in a sustain process of at least one subfield out of subfields in one field display period, an auxiliary discharge is generated along with the sustain discharge in the pixel cell by applying an auxiliary pulse to the column electrode only while a first sustain pulse is being applied. |
| US07710354B2 |
Plasma display apparatus and driving method thereof
Provided are a plasma display apparatus and a driving method thereof. The apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising a plurality of scan electrodes, and a scan driver. The scan driver drives the plurality of scan electrodes, divides the plurality of scan electrodes into a plurality of scan electrode groups, and distinguishes a level of reset pulse supplied to at least one of the plurality of scan electrode groups from a level of reset pulse supplied to the others of the plurality of scan electrode groups. |
| US07710353B2 |
Driving method of a display panel
A method of driving a display panel is provided which can reduce power consumption. During a unit display period, the number of times of second and subsequent selective erase operations performed on one display cell of each pixel is different from the number of times of second and subsequent selective erase operations performed on another display cell emitting light of different color from that of the one display cell. |
| US07710351B2 |
Load drive circuit and display device using the same
A load drive circuit, successfully suppressed in unnecessary electromagnetic wave generation through suppressing transition time in the drive voltage waveform even under a reduced effective load, and a display device using this circuit are provided, wherein the circuit comprises a drive circuit inversively amplifying a signal, used for driving a load, input through an input terminal, and output from an output terminal; a first current source connected to the input terminal of the drive circuit and being capable of controlling current output; and a first switch circuit connected between the input terminal of the drive circuit and a first reference potential point. |
| US07710346B2 |
Heptagonal antenna array system
An antenna system includes a heptagonal antenna array having one center antenna element and seven circumferentially surrounding antenna elements offering improved near and far sidelobe rejection, which is well suited for mechanically-gimbaled and time delayed electrical steering antenna applications. |
| US07710345B2 |
Enhanced magnetic field communication system
Devices and methods are provided to enhance magnetic field communication. One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method for transmitting and receiving signals using an antenna element electrically connected to a driver and an amplifier. According to various embodiments of the method, a first signal is transmitted from the antenna element and a second signal that was induced in the antenna element is received. Transmitting the first signal includes driving the first signal through the antenna element using the driver, and monitoring the first signal through an input impedance of the amplifier. Receiving the second signal includes reducing the input impedance of the amplifier, and receiving the second signal at the amplifier through the reduced input impedance. Various embodiments shield the antenna element from electric and electromagnetic fields. Other aspects are provided herein. |
| US07710344B2 |
Single pole vertically polarized variable azimuth beamwidth antenna for wireless network
A single pole antenna array architecture provides an azimuth variable beamwidth. The array includes a number of driven radiating elements that are spatially arranged having a pivoting actuator so as to provide a controlled variation of the antenna array's radiation pattern. |
| US07710340B2 |
Reconfigurable payload using non-focused reflector antenna for HIEO and GEO satellites
An antenna system for generating and configuring at least one defocused beam is provided. The antenna system includes a reflector having a focal plane and a non-parabolic curvature for forming the at least one defocused beam, and a plurality of feed antennas that illuminate the reflector. Each feed antenna is disposed in the focal plane of the reflector. The antenna system further includes at least one incoming signal dividing network that divides at least one incoming signal into a plurality of sub-signals, each corresponding to one of the feed antennas, a plurality of variable phase shifters, each receiving one of the sub-signals from the incoming signal dividing network and phase shifting the sub-signal to generate a corresponding phase-shifted sub-signal, and a plurality of fixed-amplitude amplifiers, at least one corresponding to each of the feed antennas. The at least one amplifier for each feed antenna amplifies the corresponding phase-shifted sub-signal to generate an amplified phase-shifted sub-signal which is provided to the corresponding feed antenna. |
| US07710335B2 |
Dual band loop antenna
An antenna assembly is disclosed. The antenna assembly includes a dual band vertical loop wire antenna extending from a printed circuit board positioned over a ground plane, wherein the wire antenna includes: at least one coiled section, at least one straight wire section, and at least one feeding post section. |
| US07710333B2 |
Fastening and connection apparatus for a panel-mounted vehicle antenna module
A panel-mounted vehicle antenna module includes exterior and interior components that are joined in a single operation to simultaneously achieve both mechanical fastening of the module and through-the-panel electrical connections of the antenna. The exterior and interior components are equipped with electrical connector terminals that are coupled when the exterior and interior components are joined, and alignment features that ensure accurate alignment of the connector terminals. The exterior component is temporarily retained against the panel, the interior component is temporarily attached to the exterior component, and a bolt is driven from the interior component into the exterior component to complete the mechanical attachment and electrical connections. Electrical cables hard-wired to the interior component are connected to the vehicle wiring harness to complete the installation. |
| US07710327B2 |
Multi band indoor antenna
A wide band indoor antenna includes a low band section with four modified spiral (MSE) elements, a high band section with a bent folded monopole (BFM) radiator mounted on a ground plane and a feeding plate for feeding the low band section and the high band section via a diplexer. The BFM radiator mounted on the ground plane can serve independently as a high frequency monopole antenna. |
| US07710326B2 |
Antenna clusters for active device reduction in phased arrays with restricted scan
A plurality of antenna clusters form an antenna array used in microwave imaging. Each antenna cluster has at least two antenna elements and an active device. The active device controls the two antenna elements to direct microwave radiation to and from an object to capture a microwave image of the object. |
| US07710324B2 |
Patch antenna with comb substrate
A patch antenna having a plurality of structures, referred to herein as comb structures, is disclosed that results in an antenna having a reduced overall patch size and weight as well as a broader the angular response pattern of the antenna. In a first embodiment, comb structures are attached to one of the surface of the patch or the surface of the ground plane. In a second embodiment, the comb structures are attached to both the patch and the ground plane in a manner such that the structures interleave with each other. The structures may be pins or ribs that are electrically connected to the ground plane and/or the patch, or may be any other suitable configuration depending upon the polarization of the signal to be transmitted or received. |
| US07710323B2 |
Flat mobile antenna system
An antenna system comprising a first multi-layer Printed Circuit Board having multiple antenna elements disposed thereon, at least a second multi-layer PCB, which is mounted below the first multi-layer PCB, and which comprises electronic components for processing Radio Frequency signals received by the antenna elements; and multiple RF transitions, which are mounted between the first and second multi-layer PCBs and are operative to transfer the RF signals from the first multi-layer PCB for processing by the electronic components in the second multi-layer PCB. |
| US07710322B1 |
Extensible object location system and method using multiple references
An ultra wideband (UWB) or short-pulse RF system is disclosed that can be used to precisely locate or track objects (such as personnel, equipment, assets, etc.) in real-time in an arbitrarily large, physically connected or disconnected, multipath and/or noisy environment. A system implementation includes multiple zones or groups of receivers that receives RF signals transmitted by one or more timing reference tags and one or more objects having associated object tags. Each zone or group may share a common receiver. By combining a multiple reference tag system with a virtual group of receivers, i.e., a zoning technique or system, a cost-effective system can be provided that offers scalability and flexibility to monitor a significantly expanded coverage area. |
| US07710319B2 |
Adaptive beam-steering methods to maximize wireless link budget and reduce delay-spread using multiple transmit and receive antennas
A method and apparatus for adaptive beam-steering are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises performing adaptive beam steering using multiple transmit and receive antennas, including iteratively performing a pair of training sequences, wherein the pair of training sequences includes estimating a transmitter antenna-array weight vector and a receiver antenna-array weight vector. |
| US07710318B2 |
Method of enhanced cold start and associated user interface for navigational receivers
The present invention provides systems and methods for reducing the ‘cold start’ TTFF of navigation receivers. The systems and methods receive geographical information from a user, such as the nearest city, state or country, and use this geographical information to approximate the position of the receiver. The systems and methods then make use of the approximate position to reduce the ‘cold start’ TTFF. In an embodiment, the approximate position of the receiver is determined from a co-ordinate database in the receiver based on the geographical information provided by the user. In another embodiment, a user provides geographical information to the receiver through a displayed map with several stages of zooming capability. |
| US07710313B2 |
Method of using a microwave and millimeter frequency bistatic radar for tracking and fire control
A method of using a bistatic passive radar system for tracking a plurality of targets utilizing transmitted radar signals from at least one satellite platform in a geosynchronous orbit with the earth, a radar receiver capturing signals from a reflection of the transmitted radar signals from each target, tracking a position of each target over time, and a processing method for computation of a fire control solution of each target. |
| US07710310B2 |
Detection system, method for detecting objects and computer program therefor
A detection system (1) having an optical sensor (3), a radar device (2) and a signal processor (4) communicatively connected with the optical sensor and the radar device. The signal processor comprises: a first detector (41, 410-413) for detecting a first object on the basis of a first signal coming from the optical sensor and determining at least one first property of the first object; a second detector (42, 420-421) for detecting a second object on the basis of a second signal coming from the radar device and determining at least one second property of that second object, and a signaling unit (43) for producing a signal if the at least one first property and the at least one second property satisfy a predetermined condition. Further, a method for detecting objects, comprising: generating (100) a sensor signal with an optical sensor; detecting (101) a first object on the basis of the sensor signal; generating (200) a radar signal; detecting (201) a second object on the basis of the radar signal; producing (300) a detection signal if both on the basis of the sensor signal and on the basis of the radar signal the same object is detected. Also, a computer program with program code for performing one or more steps of such a method. |
| US07710307B2 |
Method and device for high-resolution imaging of test objects by electromagnetic waves, in particular for monitoring people for suspicious items
In order to image test objects by electromagnetic waves, in particular millimetric waves, a test object is illuminated with the electromagnetic waves, the scattered waves are received, and are evaluated for a representation of the test object in the form of an image based on the principle of “synthetic aperture radar” (SAR). In order to allow as large an area as possible to be imaged with high resolution in a short time, the phase centres of the transmitting and receiving antennas are, according to the invention, moved on a circular path parallel to the respective digital focus planes of the imaging system, and are at the same time shifted linearly in a further direction parallel to the respective focus plane. The method can be used for monitoring people for suspicious objects, for example for monitoring airline passengers at an airport. |
| US07710304B2 |
A/D converter and semiconductor device
In an A/D converter including a switched capacitor integration circuit, to suppress an effect of a noise generated in the switched capacitor circuit while suppressing increase in a forming area of the circuit. A first-stage integrator of a differential input type A/D converter includes first and second switched capacitor circuits, and includes a noise cancel circuit for generating a noise cancel signal to cancel a kickback noise generated due to switching operation thereof. |
| US07710303B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter offset and gain calibration using internal voltage references
A mixed signal device having an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with offset and gain calibration using internal voltage references whereby the digital processor calibrates out offset and gain errors in the analog-to-digital converter by adjusting the analog input amplifier gain and offset or with software compensating the digital representations of the voltages measured. Two different known voltage values are used in determining the offset and gain adjustments needed to calibrate the ADC against the two know voltage values. The mixed signal device may further comprise a Bandgap voltage reference having an accurate known voltage value. Wherein the Bandgap voltage reference may be used for further offset and gain calibration of the ADC to produce substantially absolute voltage values. |
| US07710302B2 |
Design structures and systems involving digital to analog converters
A digital to analog converter (DAC) system comprising, a first segment, wherein a segment comprises, a first path including an array of resistors connected in series between a first reference voltage node and a second reference voltage node, wherein the array is connected to a first switch device disposed between nodes of the array and an output node, and a third path including a second resistor in series with a second switch device, wherein the third path is connected in parallel with the first path. |
| US07710301B2 |
Digital/analog converter and transmitter for complex signals
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a digital/analog converter includes: a decoder that converts a (n−1)-phase input digital signal to a n-phase output digital signal; and a signal generating unit that generates analog signals according to the n-phase output digital signal. |
| US07710297B2 |
Method and apparatus for entropy coding and decoding
This apparatus includes a generator which generates a reference matrix having a correlation with an information matrix to be coded from the information matrix. A classifier classifies matrix components around the ith row component of the reference matrix, and generates a set of matrix components equal in distance from the ith row component. A calculator forms a context tree including a plurality of internal nodes corresponding to the matrix components of the set, and a plurality of branches and a plurality of leaf nodes which have one-to-one correspondence with the symbols of the components, associates a sequence of the symbols with a path extending from the leaf node to the root node of the context tree, and calculates the coding probability of the ith row/jth column component of the information matrix. A coder arithmetically codes the ith row/jth column component of the information matrix in accordance with the coding probability. |
| US07710295B2 |
Inverter based return-to-zero (RZ)+non-RZ (NRZ) signaling
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for inverter based return-to-zero (RZ)+non-RZ (NRZ) signaling. The interface circuit contains multiple ganged drivers (some or all of them are turned on at one point of time) and edge detection circuitry (to configure/modulate edges of the input data signal). These two circuits together generate weighted return-to-zero (RZ)+non-RZ (NRZ) signal. |
| US07710292B2 |
System and method for improved data entry
A system and method for entering text via a numeric keypad. The keypad is logically divided into columns, with each column having four rows. The first column includes at least the keypad number associated with a particular key, the second column includes the lowercase letters associated with the key and the third column contains the shifted versions of the characters in the second column. |
| US07710291B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating driver assistance information of traveling vehicle
A method for generating driver assistance information of a traveling vehicle. The method can restructure traveling environments into an image based on a sensor system capable of removing blind spots around a traveling vehicle, and a scheme capable of exactly detecting a lane and a vehicle, and give a collision warning when there is a possibility of collision. Further, the method integrates recognition results of front/rear vehicles based on a lane recognition method applicable to various road environments, including the shape, curvature and loss of a lane, improves the stability of lane recognition, and distinguishes a solid line from a dot line, so it is possible to provide a driver with the subdivided degrees of danger. In addition, when a vehicle deviates from a lane, a voice warning may be output and the position of the vehicle for a road is restructured as an image. |
| US07710288B2 |
Wireless self-powered sensor
A self-powered sensor detects or measures an event by converting one form of energy into another form. The converted energy may be conditioned and regulated to drive a wireless transmitter and encoder. A receiver may detect and validate a received message. If validated, the message may be processed or decrypted and processed to determine what has been identified or requested. |
| US07710280B2 |
Flame detection device and method of detecting flame
A device and method for detecting flame using real-time continuous imaging and pattern recognition of infrared (IR) images of a flame region. Infrared emissions radiated from the region pass through a wide field-of-view lens and are detected by a Charged-Coupled Device (CCD) array sensitive to the near IR range. The system then digitizes the image, extracts characteristic parameters from the measurement and stores both the image and characteristic information for pattern recognition. To accomplish the pattern recognition function, the derived real-time characteristics of the current measurement are statistically compared to pre-stored patterns representative of images of radiation emitted from the region while known flame conditions prevail within the region. Based on this comparison, an assessment is made to determine the presence or absence of flame. The characteristic measurements are also used for evaluating the quality of flame. |
| US07710279B1 |
Safety Alarm steering wheel sensor and timer device for drivers
A safety alarm system for motor vehicle drivers is disclosed. The system is removable from a steering wheel and includes a control box system with power supply, switch, alarm and timer. The driver monitors the timer via a visual display. The timer repeatedly counts down until a time-out event occurs causing an alarm to activate. Removable and manually operated sensors are provided on the rim of a steering wheel that monitor tactile pressure or feedback from a driver. Upon receipt of driver feedback, the sensors send a reset signal to the timer and the timer renews its countdown. The safety alarm device is adaptable for installation on a steering wheel by a steering wheel cover configured for adaptation to a particular vehicle. |
| US07710278B2 |
Systems and methods of identifying/locating weapon fire using envelope detection
Systems and methods are disclosed for processing gunshot information. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method for processing gunshot information via identification of characteristics of detected gunfire. Moreover, the method may include detecting a particular gunshot event, deriving envelope information for the particular gunshot event, accessing one or more known envelopes associated with known gunshot events, and associating the particular gunshot event with a known weapon or known weapon types as a function of a comparison of the envelope information of the particular gunshot event with known envelope information associated with one or more known weapons. Other exemplary implementations may include comparing attack, sustain, and delay characteristics of the particular gunshot event with known attack, sustain, and decay characteristics associated with the known weapon. |
| US07710277B2 |
Endangered child in vehicle alarm
An alarm system is disclosed for detecting and signaling that a human or an animal is in an enclosed space such as a motor vehicle which includes a monitoring device for monitoring temperature in an enclosed space. The monitoring device may specify a minimum and/or maximum temperature, or a range of temperatures in the enclosed space. A detection device detects the presence of a human or animal in the enclosed space when an unacceptable temperature is reached. In the system disclosed, the human or animal is unable to exit the enclosed space, and a signaling device is used to communicate a signal to a receiver outside the enclosed space indicating the presence of the human or the animal in the enclosed space. |
| US07710273B2 |
Remote communication devices, radio frequency identification devices, wireless communication systems, wireless communication methods, radio frequency identification device communication methods, and methods of forming a remote communication device
Remote communication devices, radio frequency identification devices, wireless communication systems, wireless communication methods, radio frequency identification device communication methods, and methods of forming a remote intelligent communication device are provided. According to one aspect, a remote intelligent communication device includes communication circuitry configured to at least one of receive communication signals and generate communication signals; and an antenna coupled with the communication circuitry and substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies, the antenna being configured to communicate wireless signals corresponding to the communication signals including at least one of receiving wireless signals and outputting wireless signals. Another aspect includes a wireless communication method including providing a remote intelligent communication device having an antenna substantially tuned to a plurality of frequencies; and communicating wireless signals using the antenna including at least one of receiving wireless signals at one of the frequencies and outputting wireless signals at one of the frequencies. |
| US07710271B2 |
Method and system for lighting control
A method and a system control at least one lighting arrangement, in which the lighting arrangement modulates the light it emits by lighting arrangement data that contains an identification code identifying the lighting arrangement. A user control device is suitable to receive the light from the lighting arrangement and to derive therefrom the lighting arrangement data. The user controlled device measures a property of the received light, apart from it representing data, to provide additional data which is associated with the lighting arrangement which is associated with the identification code contained in the received data. Data about a location of the user control device is determined, the user controlled device transmits the data it gained, and a main control device is suitable to receive the data transmitted by the user control device and to control the at least one lighting arrangement dependent on all the data. |
| US07710267B2 |
Information terminal, method and apparatus for providing store information, and computer product
A movement information determining unit determines a moving direction and a moving speed of a user using position information detected by a position information detecting unit. A moving-speed determining unit determines whether the moving speed exceeds a predetermined threshold speed. An information display unit displays high-speed movement information corresponding to the position information and the moving direction when the moving speed is determined to exceed the threshold speed, and low-speed movement information corresponding to the position information and the moving direction when the moving speed is determined not to exceed the threshold speed. |
| US07710263B2 |
Escape notification system
A pet escape notification system for notifying a pet owner when a pet has escaped from a predefined boundary. The escape notification system is used in association with an electronic animal containment system for maintaining a pet within the predefined boundary. A pet unit transmitter is provided for delivering a proximity alert signal to a base unit when the pet unit receives a transmitting antenna signal. After receiving the proximity alert signal, the base unit begins sending a location inquiry signal to the pet unit. Upon receipt of the location inquiry signal, the pet unit broadcasts a location inquiry response signal. If the location inquiry response signal is received by the base unit receiver, the base unit processing unit determines that the pet is still within or close to the boundary. Otherwise the base unit controller activates a communication network to notify the pet owner that the pet has escaped. |
| US07710261B2 |
Method and device for displaying part of an airport on a viewing screen
A presentation device includes a searching device that searches for elements of an airport that are displayed on a display field of a screen. A verification device verifies, for each of the elements, whether the element forms part of a first group for which a main anchoring point is located inside a label zone or a second group for which the main anchoring point is located outside the label zone. A determining device determines, for the elements of the second group, a secondary anchoring point located at an intersection between an axis of the element and the label zone. For each element, a label for the element is presented on a screen. The labels associated with the first group are located at the main point and those associated with the second group are located at a secondary anchoring zone. |
| US07710254B1 |
Automatic brake light safety system
An integrated progressive brake light system for vehicles in which different sequences of brake lights are illuminated dependent on operator activation input. The brake light system uses a progressive multiple selective illumination in which additional central oriented brake lights are actuated as metered increase of operator input to indicate the relative degree of applied braking force as will be evident to the visual interpretation thereof. |
| US07710251B2 |
Wireless sensing system
A wireless sensing system and method for wireless sensor interrogation are disclosed. The wireless sensing system includes a plurality of radio frequency sensors distributed within a predefined area, a forward communication link with an energizer coupled to a transmission cable. The energizer is adapted to provide radio frequency signals intended for the plurality of radio frequency sensors to the transmission cable. The transmission cable is adapted as a leaky waveguide antenna selectively slotted and routed within the predefined area for effective air linking of leaked radio frequency signals to the plurality of wireless sensors. The method for wireless sensor interrogation includes providing a plurality of radio frequency sensors distributed within a predefined area, providing a forward communication link including an energizer coupled to a transmission cable, routing the transmission cable through the predefined area in proximity to the plurality of radio frequency sensors, selectively slotting the transmission cable in regions proximate the plurality of radio frequency sensors, transmitting radio frequency signals through the transmission cable, and air linking radio frequency signals to the plurality of radio frequency sensors through the slotted regions proximate the plurality of sensors. |
| US07710248B2 |
Human-machine-interface (HMI) customization based on collision assessments
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates collision warning. During operation, the system receives information on one or more predicted collisions and determines a utility of issuing a warning for a predicted collision based on the received information. The system further schedules one or more warnings for the predicted collisions based on the utilities of issuing the warnings. |
| US07710246B2 |
Vehicle driving assist system
A vehicle driving assist system including a front-side environment recognizing unit for generating distance information of a front-side environment, a visual line position detecting unit for detecting a driver's visual line position, and a gazing distance estimating unit for estimating a driver's gazing distance on the basis of the distance information and the visual line position. |
| US07710243B2 |
Driver-assistance vehicle
Disclosed is a driver-assistance vehicle including one or more lighting members which are placed within peripheral vision of a driver and which are arranged on respective sides of the vehicle. Furthermore, the driver-assistance vehicle includes a vehicle behavior sensing unit for predicting or sensing a state of the vehicle, and a light controller for controlling the lighting members, based on the sensed state. With this driver-assistance vehicle, the driver can be assisted in distributing his attention. |
| US07710240B2 |
RFID device having nonvolatile ferroelectric capacitor
A capacitor applied to a voltage multiplier and a modulator/demodulator of a RFID device is formed as a nonvolatile ferroelectric capacitor formed by the same process of a memory cell capacitor. The nonvolatile ferroelectric capacitor has a high dielectric constant to reduce the area of the capacitor. |
| US07710238B2 |
Mobile terminal circuit including an RFID tag and wireless identification method using the same
A mobile terminal circuit for transmitting radio frequency identification (RFID) data to an RFID reader. The mobile terminal circuit comprises an antenna for communication with the RFID reader; a memory portion for storing RFID data together with mobile terminal protocol data; a codec for encoding the RFID data into RFID codec data; a modulator connected to the codec, for modulating the RFID codec data into RFID modulation data; a processor connected to the memory portion, for extracting RFID data stored in the memory portion and delivering the extracted RFID data to the codec; a detector connected to the antenna and the processor, for informing the processor of approach of the RFID reader; a first clock generator connected to the processor and the memory portion, for providing operation timing to the processor and the memory portion; and a second clock generator connected to the first clock generator, the codec and the modulator, for providing operation timing to the codec and the modulator. |
| US07710231B2 |
Ignition coil
An ignition coil includes a coil body, a plug connection portion protruding from the coil body, and a connector for electrically connecting the ignition coil to an outside. In the coil body, a primary coil is arranged on an inner peripheral side of a secondary coil, and a center core is arranged on an inner peripheral side of the primary coil. The secondary coil includes a secondary electric wire having thereon an insulating film, wound around an outer periphery of a resinous secondary spool. Furthermore, the connector is formed integrally with an end of the secondary spool in an axial direction. |
| US07710228B2 |
Electrical inductor assembly
An electrical inductor assembly comprises an inductor core having a circular shape, a wire guide that surrounds the inductor core and includes a plurality of slots, at least one of the slots forming a path winding around the inductor core, and at least one wire placed in one of the plurality of slots to form a winding. A method of forming an electrical inductor assembly comprises forming an inductor core having a circular shape, surrounding the inductor core with a wire guide, winding at least one wire around the inductor core along a slot in the wire guide, and applying an insulating material to the slot containing the at least one wire to electrically insulate the at least one wire. |
| US07710227B2 |
Electromagnetic energy transducer
An electromagnetic energy transducer comprising a permanent magnet (1), a soft-magnetic element (9), an electrical coil (6) and stop points (8a-8d). The electrical coil surrounds a part of the magnetic circuit, wherein the permanent magnet (1) and the soft-magnetic element (9) are arranged to form a magnetic circuit with a first flux direction. At least one of the soft-magnetic element (9) and the permanent magnet (1) is mounted for rotary movement about an axis (4) with respect to the other. End points of the rotary movement are formed by the stop points (8a-8d). |
| US07710225B2 |
Actuator
The present invention provides the actuator, which is capable of preventing biased abrasion by lowering a surface pressure at a contact portion of a movable element with a guide surface and increasing a movable range, in which a specified output force can be gained. Magnetic resistance of at least one of the surfaces (Y1, Y2) of first and second yoke parts (5, 6) corresponding to peripheral surfaces (P1, P2) of a plunger (7), on which magnetic flux acting surfaces are formed by energization, is unbalanced in the circumferential direction so as to act a resultant force of magnetic forces acting on the movable element in the radial direction eccentrically to a radial one end (E1) side. |
| US07710224B2 |
Electromagnetic relay assembly
An electromagnetic relay enables current to pass through switch termini and comprises a coil assembly, a rotor or bridge assembly, and a switch assembly. The coil assembly comprises a coil and a C-shaped core. The coil is wound round a coil axis extending through the core. The core comprises core termini parallel to the coil axis. The bridge assembly comprises a bridge and an actuator. The bridge comprises medial, lateral, and transverse field pathways. The actuator extends laterally from the lateral field pathway. The core termini are coplanar with the axis of rotation and received intermediate the medial and lateral field pathways. The actuator is cooperable with the switch assembly. The coil creates a magnetic field directable through the bridge assembly via the core termini for imparting bridge rotation about the axis of rotation. The bridge rotation displaces the actuator for opening and closing the switch assembly. |
| US07710219B2 |
Merged-filter multiplexer
A multiplexer circuit may include a first-frequency-quarter-wavelength transmission line extending between a junction between a common terminal and a second-frequency terminal, and a first-frequency low-impedance circuit electrically directly connecting the first transmission line to a circuit ground. In some examples, a second-frequency-quarter-wavelength transmission line may extend between the first transmission line and a third-frequency terminal. A second-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically directly connect the second transmission line to the circuit ground. The first and second transmission lines and the first and second low-impedance circuits may provide a third-frequency transmission line. A further second-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically couple the second terminal to the first transmission line. A third-frequency low-impedance circuit may electrically couple the second terminal to the circuit ground. The first-frequency, further second-frequency, and third-frequency low-impedance circuits and the first transmission line may provide in combination a second-frequency transmission line. |
| US07710218B2 |
Variable power coupling device
Systems and methods for a coupling device are shown. In various embodiments, a variable frequency divider comprises a first transmission line and a second transmission line. The first transmission line may comprise a first and a second end. The first end may comprise a first terminal and the second end may comprise a first branch and a second branch. The first transmission line may be configured to receive a first signal at a first frequency at the first terminal and divide the first signal to output the divided first signal at the first branch and the second branch. The second transmission line may be proximate the first transmission line and configured to receive a second signal at a second frequency to control the frequencies of the output divided first signal at the first branch and the second branch through electromagnetic influence between the first transmission line and the second transmission line. |
| US07710217B2 |
Matching circuit and dual-band power amplifier
There is provided a matching circuit, in which a main-matching block and a sub-matching block are connected in series. The sub-matching block includes: a series matching block of which one end is connected to the main-matching block; and a parallel matching network connected to the other end of the series matching block. At a first frequency f1, the connection point of the series matching block and a first parallel matching block is caused to be in an open state for a radio-frequency signal, and the connection point of the first parallel matching block and the second parallel matching block is caused to be in a short state for the radio-frequency signal. Impedance matching is performed by the main-matching block and the series matching block at the first frequency f1, and is performed by the main-matching block and the sub-matching block at the second frequency f2. |
| US07710216B2 |
Balun circuit and integrated circuit device
A balun circuit includes a first CPW line 11, a second CPW line 12a, and a third CPW line 12b that serve as signal input/output ports; a first CPS line 14a that is a differential transmission line, the first CPS line 14a relaying the first CPW line 11 to the second CPW line 12a; a second CPS line 14b that is a differential transmission line, the second CPS line 14b relaying the first CPW line 11 to the third CPW line 12b; and at least one connection section that connects grounded conductors of each of the first CPW line 11, the second CPW line 12a, and the third CPW line 12b. |
| US07710213B2 |
Method for voltage limitation in a transponder
A circuit for voltage limitation is provided in a transponder with a resonant circuit, which comprises at least one inductor, a capacitor, a depletion layer component with an input, output, and a control input, a first resonant circuit terminal, which is connected to the input of the depletion layer element, and a second resonant circuit terminal, which is connected to the output of the depletion layer element, whereby there is a connection between the control input of the depletion layer component and the first resonant circuit terminal and the second resonant circuit terminal. A method for voltage limitation in a transponder is provided, whereby for voltage limitation in the transmitting and receiving resonant circuit, the control terminal of the depletion layer element is driven by the voltage of the first and second resonant circuit terminal. |
| US07710211B2 |
Injection-locked frequency divider with a wide injection-locked frequency range
An injection-locked frequency divider includes a signal injection circuit and colpitts VCO. The signal injection circuit is for injecting an injection signal. The colpitts VCO includes first and second transistors, first and second LC tank circuits and a cross-coupled transistor pair. The first terminals of the first and second transistors receive the injection signal. The first and second LC tank circuits are for determining resonance frequency of an oscillation signal of the colpitts VCO. The cross-coupled transistor pair includes third and fourth transistors. The control terminals of the third and fourth transistors are respectively coupled to first terminals of the fourth and third transistors. The first terminals of the third and fourth transistors are respectively coupled to a first terminal or control terminal of the first and second transistors for providing an equivalent negative resistance. The injection signal and oscillation signal are mixed in frequency to generate differential output signals. |
| US07710210B2 |
Apparatus for distributing a signal
An apparatus is provided that includes an injection locked oscillator and a transmitting device. The injection locked oscillator to receive a first clock signal and to provide a second clock signal by skewing the first clock signal. The transmitting device to receive an input signal and to receive the second clock signal as a clocking signal, the transmitting device to transmit an output signal based on the received clocking signal. |
| US07710205B2 |
Capacitor detection by phase shift
A method and apparatus for detecting capacitive devices are disclosed. A circuit including two circuit paths is connected to an oscillator voltage source. Connecting a test capacitive device to a path of the circuit modifies the electric potential waveform at a point along the path. Passing the first circuit path through a reference comparator and the second circuit path through a phase-shifting comparator produces two output signals that are phase-shifted with respect to each other when the test capacitive device is functional. Analysis of the output signals allows detection or measurement of the test capacitive device. |
| US07710204B2 |
Adaptive protection circuit for a power amplifier
A radio frequency device comprises a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) operably coupled to a protection circuit for minimising voltage standing wave ratio effects, wherein the protection circuit comprises a current limiter indexed to a power supplied to the RF PA.In this manner, the protection circuit combines detection of both current and voltage increase in order to provide a direct feedback on the final RF PA stage via a bias control. |
| US07710200B2 |
Output buffer and power amplifier comprising thereof
The present invention relates an output buffer and a power amplifier having the same. The output buffer includes a push-pull circuit unit, an output unit, and a driver. The push-pull circuit unit includes transistors connected to each others in a push-pull formation between a high level power voltage and a low level power voltage. The output unit is connected to the high level power voltage and the low level power voltage, and the driver drives the output unit according to a signal from the push-pull circuit unit. |
| US07710197B2 |
Low offset envelope detector and method of use
A system for processing a signal is provided. The system includes a differential amplifier receiving a radio-frequency input signal at a first differential input. A rectifying device such as a transistor has a control terminal that is coupled to an output of the differential amplifier and an output that is coupled to a second differential input of the differential amplifier. The second differential input of the differential amplifier receives a low frequency feedback signal from the output of the rectifying device, such as by damping the frequency response at the output of the rectifying device using a capacitor and a current source coupled to the output of the rectifying device. |
| US07710196B2 |
AC differential connection assembly between a trans-impedance amplifier and a post amplifier for burst mode receiving
An AC differential connection assembly between a trans-impedance amplifier and a post amplifier for burst mode receiving comprising means for coupling a differential output of the trans-impedance amplifier to a differential input of the post amplifier, the means for coupling comprises a coupling capacitor assembly; and a switching circuit coupled across the differential input of the post amplifier, the switching circuit having an ‘on’ state with low impedance and an ‘off’ state with high impedance; wherein during burst mode receiving, the switching circuit is in the ‘off’ state and the coupling capacitor assembly having a time constant to maintain a stable DC level such that a payload is received accurately by the differential input of the post amplifier; and during an idle period, the switching circuit is in the ‘on’ state and the coupling capacitor assembly having a time constant to recover a DC level of the differential output of the trans-impedance amplifier. |
| US07710195B2 |
Two stage voltage boost circuit with precharge circuit preventing leakage, IC and design structure
A two stage voltage boost circuit, IC and design structure are disclosed for boosting a supply voltage using gate control circuitry to reduce gate oxide stress, thus allowing lower voltage level FETs to be used. The voltage boost circuit may include a first stage for boosting the supply voltage to a first boosted voltage and a second stage for boosting the first boosted voltage to a second boosted voltage. Each stage may include a passgate and a gate control circuit for generating an on-state gate voltage level for the respective passgate adjusted to reduce gate oxide voltage stress on the passgate. The circuit may also include a precharge circuit for coupling a voltage on a high node of the second stage to a gate node of a precharge transistor thereof for disabling the precharge transistor and preventing leakage back to a power supply voltage. |
| US07710194B2 |
Voltage pumping device
A voltage pumping device for generating a high voltage that is a boosted voltage is disclosed. The voltage pumping device includes an oscillator for generating a first pulse signal or second pulse signal in response to a control signal, and a high voltage pump for pumping a high voltage of a constant level in response to the first pulse signal or second pulse signal. |
| US07710190B2 |
Apparatus and method for compensating change in a temperature associated with a host device
An apparatus for compensating temperature changes in a temperature associated with a compensated device includes: (a) An input circuit having a first input locus for receiving a temperature-indicating signal and a second input locus for receiving a sign-indicating signal. The temperature-indicating signal indicates magnitude of the temperature. The sign-indicating signal indicates a first sign when a control signal is greater than a predetermined value and indicates a second sign when the control signal is less than the predetermined value. (b) A signal processing circuit coupled with the input circuit and with the host device for presenting a substantially a zero value temperature-compensating signal when the ambient temperature is at a predetermined level, and for presenting the temperature-compensating signal substantially opposite in polarity with substantially equal magnitude as the temperature-indicating signal received at the first input locus when the ambient temperature is not at the predetermined level. |
| US07710189B2 |
Semiconductor device for RF switching
A semiconductor switch according to an embodiment of the invention includes resistive members connected with a source and a drain witch are n-type diffusion layers formed in a P-well of an n-type MOSFET. When a gate of the n-type MOFET is turned off, a positive voltage is applied to a node between the resistive members for a reverse bias at a PN junction between the source and the drain, and the well. When the gate is turned on, the node between the resistive members is set to 0 V. |
| US07710187B2 |
Gate drive circuit
A gate drive circuit includes a turn-on side circuit for turning on a gate of a power switching device, the turn-on side circuit including a first turn-on side power supply circuit and a second turn-on side power supply circuit, the first turn-on side power supply circuit including: a first turn-on voltage source for supplying a first turn-on voltage; first turn-on wiring; and a first turn-on switch connected in the first turn-on wiring and controlled by a gate drive signal; and the second turn-on side power supply circuit including: a second turn-on voltage source for supplying a second turn-on voltage applied to the gate of the power switching device to set the power switching device in a steady (on) state; second turn-on wiring; a second turn-on switch connected in the second turn-on wiring; and a turn-on side delay circuit for delaying the gate drive signal and passing it to the second turn-on switch. |
| US07710185B2 |
Tuneable circuit for canceling third order modulation
A CMOS transconductor for cancelling third-order intermodulation is provided. The transconductor includes a transconductance circuit and a tuneable distortion circuit. The transconductance circuit takes an input voltage and generates an output current having a transconductance element and an IM3 element. The distortion circuit takes the same input voltage and generates a current having an IM3 element of equal amplitude and opposite phase to the IM3 element of the transconductance circuit. A controller circuit tunes the distortion circuit to adjust its IM3 element to substantially equal the amplitude of the IM3 of the transconductance circuit. The distortion and transconductance circuits are arranged to sum their output currents thereby effectively cancelling the IM3 elements, leaving the transconductance relatively unmodified. |
| US07710184B2 |
ISI reduction technique
The invention refers to signal processing circuits, more particularly, to switch capacitor circuits, and methods for reducing inter-symbol-interference. A switch capacitor circuit with reduced Inter-Symbol-Interference effect is provided, comprising: a voltage source, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and at least one switch configured to be switched in a way that the first capacitor is charged to a first voltage by means of the voltage source, and then discharged by means of the second capacitor, thereby reducing the Inter-Symbol-Interference effect. |
| US07710183B2 |
CMOS level shifter circuit design
A level shifting circuit has a pair of assist circuits. The level shifting circuit includes an input point, an output point, a pair of cross-coupled PMOS transistors coupled to the output point, and a pair of NMOS transistors coupled between the input and output points. Each assist circuit includes a pair of PMOS transistors, one responsive to an input applied to the input point, the other responsive to the drain voltage of one of the NMOS transistors. The assist circuits temporarily weaken the cross-coupled PMOS transistors when an input changes from low to high, or from high to low. The assist circuits also transiently boost the output. |
| US07710176B2 |
Voltage disturbance and harmonics monitor
An electronic monitor for monitoring characteristics of an AC power line for swells, sags, RMS voltage, impulses, total harmonic distortion (THD) and frequency. The waveform is received at the monitor, scaled to a lower magnitude, rectified by an op amp with zero offset voltage, converted a digital form which is representative of the waveform and processed to determine the occurrence of any irregularity in the AC power waveform. Two DMA channels are used to store each cycle, or groups of cycles, of the waveform into two buffers for further processing. An input surge protective circuit limits impulse voltage to the power supply. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US07710168B2 |
Apparatus and method for two tier output stage for switching devices
A circuit for reducing EMI is provided. The circuit includes driver circuitry that drives a power switch, such as a power MOSFET. The power switch provides an output voltage. The circuit decreases the drive strength by which the power switch is driven during each output edge (i.e. when the output goes from low to high (rising edge) or high to low (falling edge)), and returns the drive strength to its normal level when the output edge is complete or approximately complete. Reducing the drive strength of the driver circuitry causes the output edge to occur over a longer period of time. This results in reduction of the EMI of the device. |
| US07710160B2 |
Stacked inverter delay chain
Stacked inverter delay chains. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a series stack of two p-type devices is coupled to a series stack of three n-type devices, forming a stacked inverter comprising desirable delay, die area and power characteristics. Two stacked inverters are coupled together to form a stacked inverter delay chain that is more efficient in terms of die area, active and passive power consumption than conventional delay chains comprising conventional inverters. |
| US07710158B2 |
Command decoder and command signal generating circuit
A command decoder generates a command signal based on first to fourth control signals in response to a second chip select signal generated by delaying a first chip select signal for a predetermined interval. |
| US07710151B2 |
Level shifter circuit
A level shifter circuit includes a level shifter, an inverter, a first switch circuit and a second switch circuit. The level shifter includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor and a fourth transistor. The inverter receives an input signal and thus generates an inversion input signal. The first transistor and the second transistor are respectively controlled by the input signal and an output signal to output an inversion output signal. The third transistor and the fourth transistor are respectively controlled by the inversion input signal and the inversion output signal to output an output signal. The first switch circuit is coupled to the level shifter and turns off the fourth transistor when the third transistor is turned on. The second switch circuit is coupled to the level shifter, and turns off the second transistor when the first transistor is turned on. |
| US07710147B1 |
Techniques for configuring programmable logic using on-chip nonvolatile memory
Techniques and circuitry provide fast, accurate, proper, and reliable transfer of configuration data from an on-chip nonvolatile memory to the programmable logic core of a programmable logic integrated circuit. A first technique includes not allowing the programmable logic to be configured until the data held in the on-chip nonvolatile memory can be read correctly and reliably. A second technique includes verifying the configuration data is transferred from the nonvolatile memory to the programmable logic core correctly and without error during the transfer process. These two techniques may be combined or used individually during the configuration of an integrated circuit. |
| US07710144B2 |
Controlling for variable impedance and voltage in a memory system
A memory interface device, system, method, and design structure for controlling for variable impedance and voltage in a memory system are provided. The memory interface device includes a calibration cell configurable to adjust an output impedance relative to an external reference resistor, and driver circuitry including multiple positive drive circuits and multiple negative drive circuits coupled to a driver output in a memory system. The memory interface device further includes impedance control logic to adjust the output impedance of the calibration cell and selectively enable the positive and negative drive circuits as a function of a drive voltage and a target impedance. |
| US07710142B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes power supply pads of two or more kinds, switches each of which is connected between adjacent two of the power supply pads to allow short-circuiting them, and at least one control line connected to control terminals of the switches according to the kinds of the power supply pads connected to the switches. |
| US07710141B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic characterization of reliability wearout mechanisms
A method and apparatus for dynamic characterization of reliability wearout mechanisms is disclosed. The system comprises an integrated circuit incorporating a device under test to be measured, structure for inputting a waveform to the device under test for a first predetermined time interval, structure for disabling the inputting of the waveform to the device under test, structure for measuring one or more fundamental parameters of the device under test after a second predetermined time interval, and structure for calculating an aging estimate of the device under test without the influence of recovery effect based on the one or more measured fundamental parameters. The time between stressing and measurement is precisely controlled, providing for repeatable experiments, and serves to minimize measurement error caused by recovery effects. |
| US07710140B2 |
Methods and apparatus for testing electronic circuits
Methods and apparatus are provided for testing to determine the existence of defects and faults in circuits, devices, and systems such as digital integrated circuits, SRAM memory, mixed signal circuits, and the like. In particular, methods and apparatus are provided for detecting faults in circuits, devices, and systems using input control signals to generate controlled-duration, controlled pulse-width, transient power supply currents in a device under test, where said transient power supply currents are of controllable bandwidth and can be used as observables to determine faulty or defective operation. Additionally, methods and apparatus are provided to permit high bandwidth sensing of transient supply currents as need to preserve the narrow widths of these current pulses. These methods may include autozero techniques to remove supply current leakage current and DC offsets associated with practical current sensing currents. The sensed transient supply currents can be compared to single or multiple thresholds to assess normal or faulty or defective operation of the device under test. |
| US07710135B2 |
Method for registering probe card and a storage medium storing program thereof
A probe card registration method is for registering a probe card for use in inspecting electrical characteristics of a target object in a probe apparatus for performing the inspecting. The probe card registration method includes detecting a height of a load sensor provided at a mounting table for mounting thereon the target object by using a first imaging unit disposed above the mounting table; contacting the load sensor with a probe by moving the load sensor by the mounting table; and stopping the movement of the load sensor when the load sensor starts to make contact with the probe. The method further includes calculating a height of a needle of the probe based on a height of the load sensor and a stop height thereof. |
| US07710133B2 |
Testing method for semiconductor device having ball-shaped external electrode
Disclosed is a method of testing electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device having a ball-shaped external electrode. The method comprises preparing a plurality of cantilever-type contactors each supported by a support plate at a given position, and formed in such a manner that a tip thereof has a flat surface with an arc-shaped edge in an outer peripheral region thereof, and a cross-sectional diameter in a vicinity of the tip is greater than a radius of the ball-shaped external electrode, and pairing the cantilever-type contactors to provide paired two contactors. The method includes the steps of: pressing either one of the support plate and the semiconductor device toward the other in such a manner that the arc-shaped edges of the paired two contactors are brought into contact with respective ones of two surface regions of the ball-shaped external electrode divided by an axis of the ball-shaped external electrode passing through a middle point between the two positions where the paired two contactors are supported, so as to form Kelvin contacts; and further overly driving either one of the support plate and the semiconductor device relative to the other in such a manner that the arc-shaped edges of the paired two contactors are slidingly moved along respective ones of the two surface regions of the ball-shaped external electrode to perform a wiping operation. |
| US07710131B1 |
Non-contact circuit analyzer
A non-contact circuit analyzer includes a computer system having a memory with circuit parameters stored therein wherein the circuit parameters specify acceptable operating characteristics for a circuit. The analyzer further includes a magnetic field detector coupled to the computer and configured to detect the magnetic field emitted from the circuit while operational. The magnetic field relates to current in the circuit. The analyzer further includes an electric field sensor coupled to the computer and configured to detect the electric field emitted from the circuit while operational. The electric field relates to voltage and/or operating frequency in the circuit. The magnetic field detector and the electric field detector are configured to send signals for the detected fields to the computer system. The computer system is configured to compare the signals to the circuit parameters to determine whether the circuit is operating within the circuit parameters. |
| US07710130B2 |
Volume resistivity measurement apparatus for dielectric layer of electrostatic chuck and measurement method using the apparatus
A pair of conductive rubber electrodes including measurement surfaces opposite to a surface of a dielectric layer of an electrostatic chuck as an objective of measurement, in which the measurement surfaces are arranged at an interval individually on the same plane, are provided. A direct-current power supply and an ammeter are connected to the pair of conductive rubber electrodes. The conductive rubber electrodes have resistance values equal to each other, and have a shape in which the measurement surfaces have areas equal to each other, in which volume resistivities are 1×105 Ω·cm or less, and hardness is within a range of 60 to 80 Hs in JIS-A hardness. An interval between the conductive rubber electrodes is six times or more a thickness of the dielectric layer of the electrostatic chuck as the objective of the measurement. |
| US07710129B2 |
Potential measurement apparatus and image forming apparatus
A potential measurement apparatus is provided which can suitably maintain the oscillation state of an oscillator including a detection electrode and stably measure the potential of a measurement object. The potential measurement apparatus includes a bearing part, an elastic supporting part supported by the bearing part, an oscillator movably supported by the elastic supporting part, detection electrodes installed in the oscillator, a drive mechanism driving the oscillator and a signal detection unit. The signal detection unit is connected to the detection electrodes to detect electrical signals appearing in the detected electrodes. A stress detecting element for generating an electric signal according to the stress of the elastic suspension part 142 is provided. |
| US07710128B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling the sensitivity and value of a capacitive humidity sensor
A humidity sensor apparatus and method of forming the same. A substrate can be provided upon which a plurality of humidity sensing components are disposed to form a humidity sensor thereof. Each humidity sensing component generally includes an associated particular parasitic capacitance. This parasitic capacitance is utilized to reduce and/or control a sensitivity and a total capacitance value associated with the humidity sensor without increasing a size of the humidity sensor and/or humidity sensor components (e.g., capacitors). |
| US07710127B2 |
Test strip reader system and method
A system and method is provided for reading a test strip by measuring the light intensity incident on a photodiode. The method may include reverse biasing the photodiode, measuring a time required to charge a capacitor using current generated by the photodiode, and using the time required to charge the capacitor to determine a condition of the test strip. The system may include a photodiode being reverse biased and a capacitor being charged by the reversed biased photodiode. The length of time to charge the capacitor may be proportional to the light intensity incident on the photodiode and may be used to determine a condition of the test strip. |
| US07710123B2 |
Voltage variance tester
An exemplary voltage variance tester includes a first to a third testing circuits each comprising an adjustable power source and an electrical switch; a first to a third signal generators providing a first to a third signals respectively; a connector having a first to a third terminals connected to the first to the third testing circuits respectively for receiving the adjustable power sources, a fourth to a sixth terminals connected to the first to the third signal generators for receiving the first to the third signals, and a seventh terminal; and a control circuit connected to the seventh terminal of the connector for receiving a power on signal to turn on the first to third electrical switch, wherein, voltage variances of the motherboard are tested by adjusting the first to the third adjustable power sources. |
| US07710120B2 |
Abnormal voltage detector apparatus for detecting voltage abnormality in assembled battery
An abnormal voltage detector apparatus is provided for an assembled battery including a plurality of battery blocks connected in series to each other. In the abnormal voltage detector apparatus, a detecting part detects whether or not each of the battery blocks is in a voltage abnormality state by comparing either one of a voltage of each battery block and each battery measuring voltage, that is a voltage lowered from the voltage of each battery block, with a predetermined reference voltage, generates each of abnormality detecting signals containing information about a detected result, calculates a time ratio of a time interval, for which the assembled battery is in a voltage abnormality state, to a predetermined time interval, based on the abnormality detecting signals, and detects a voltage abnormality of the assembled battery based on a calculated time ratio. |
| US07710119B2 |
Battery tester that calculates its own reference values
A battery tester that is capable of calculating its own reference values is provided. The battery tester includes test circuitry that is configured to obtain dynamic parameter values for batteries, and to compute at least one reference value based on the dynamic parameter values. |
| US07710112B2 |
Reed relay for magnetic field measurement
An apparatus for measuring a strength of a magnetic field, including a switch including contacts configured to change position when a switching threshold is reached, wherein the switching threshold is reached by modifying an external magnetic field around the switch, and a coil wound around the switch, wherein the coil is used to modify the external magnetic field, wherein a first current is driven through the coil wound around the switch until a first switching threshold is obtained, wherein a second current is driven through the coil wound around the switch until a second switching threshold is obtained, and wherein a value of the first current when the first switching threshold is reached and a value of the second current when the second switching threshold is reached are used to determine the strength of the magnetic field. |
| US07710111B2 |
Nondestructive inspection method and device
The present invention nondestructively analyzes the position or corrosion state of a magnetic material present in the interior of a non-magnetic material structure. The magnetic material is magnetized from the outside of the structure, and magnetic flux density of the thus-magnetized magnetic material is measured at the outside of the structure, to thereby specify the position of the magnetic material or to analyze the corrosion state of the magnetic material. The magnetic material is magnetized in two stages. After the position of the magnetic material magnetized through first-stage magnetization is specified through measurement of magnetic flux density of the magnetic material, the magnetic material is demagnetized through application of an alternating magnetic field. After second-stage magnetization is performed at a position facing the thus-specified magnetic material position, magnetic flux density of the thus-magnetized magnetic material is measured, to thereby analyze the corrosion state of the magnetic material. |
| US07710110B2 |
Rotary sensor with rotary sensing element and rotatable hollow magnet
A robust solution for eccentricity issues in 360 degree rotary sensor application utilizing a hollow cylindrical magnet. A hollow cylindrical magnet design can be implemented to drive a parallel field magnetic sensor based on Hall/AMR technologies. Eccentricity variations of +/−0.46 mm on X and Y axes can be reduced by at least 20%, in turn improving the repeatability, linearity error and a correlation error associated with the sensor. For tilts of +/−3 degrees, the error can be reduced to at least 50% compared to a solid magnet, thereby increasing the repeatability and accuracy of the rotary sensor. The disclosed design improves linearity, is robust in vibration and improves reliability in lifecycle as the sensor configuration is less affected by wear and tear due to mechanical vibrations. |
| US07710108B2 |
Hall effect accelerator module
An accelerator module for an electric vehicle, including a rotor actuator designed to hold a magnet in one end and to provide a drive interface with the vehicle at the other end. The accelerator module employs a Hall Effect chip configured to produce a variable voltage output in proportion to the relative locations of the magnet and the Hall Effect chip, such that when the rotor actuator is caused to rotate, the magnet is rotated across the Hall Effect chip. The Hall Effect chip includes a Hall Effect sensor, which senses differences in magnetic fields. When the magnet is passed across the Hall Effect sensor, the magnetic field will change in proportion to the amount of rotation of the rotor actuator. The variable voltage produced by the Hall Effect chip may then be translated into variable acceleration for the vehicle. |
| US07710103B2 |
Preventing false locks in a system that communicates with an implanted wireless sensor
The present invention determines the resonant frequency of a wireless sensor by adjusting the phase and frequency of an energizing signal until the frequency of the energizing signal matches the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system energizes the sensor with a low duty cycle, gated burst of RF energy having a predetermined frequency. The system receives the ring down response of the sensor and determines the resonant frequency of the sensor, which is used to calculate a physical parameter. The system uses a pair of phase locked loops to adjust the phase and the frequency of the energizing signal. The system identifies false locks by detecting an unwanted beat frequency in the coupled signal, as well as determining whether the coupled signal exhibits pulsatile characteristics that correspond to a periodic physiological characteristic, such as blood pressure. |
| US07710099B2 |
Power control apparatus for motherboard
A power control apparatus for automatically turning on or off a motherboard includes a first connector, a second connector, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a timing chip, a first variable resistor, a second variable resistor, a first capacitor, a first switch element, and a second switch element. When the first capacitor is charged, the output terminal of the timing chip outputs a high level signal, the first switch element and the second switch element are turned on, the control circuit outputs a 5V voltage to the motherboard. When the first capacitor discharges, the output terminal of the timing chip outputs a low level signal, the first switch element and the second switch element are turned off, the control circuit does not output 5V voltage to the motherboard. |
| US07710095B2 |
Power converter having PWM controller for maximum output power compensation
A PWM controller compensates a maximum output power of a power converter having a power switch. The PWM controller includes an oscillator for generating a saw signal and a pulse signal, a power limiter coupled to the oscillator for generating a saw-limited signal in response to the saw signal, and a PWM unit coupled to the power limiter and the oscillator to generate a PWM signal for controlling the power switch in response to the saw-limited signal and the pulse signal. The saw-limited signal has a level being flattened during a period of time before an output voltage is generated, and is then transformed to a saw-limited waveform after the period of time. |
| US07710090B1 |
Series regulator with fold-back over current protection circuit
A series regulator with fold-back over current protection has a high ratio current mirror circuit located between a sense transistor and its voltage output terminal. The series regulator receives an input voltage at an input terminal and generates a stable output voltage at an output terminal. A first amplifier receives a reference voltage. An output transistor is connected between the input terminal and the output terminal and has a gate connected to an output of the first amplifier. A current limiting transistor and the current sense transistor are connected to the input terminal, the output terminal of the first amplifier, and the gate of the output transistor. A voltage divider, connected between the output terminal and ground, generates first and second voltage signals. The first voltage signal is provided to a non-inverting input of the first amplifier. A first current source is connected to the voltage divider and receives the second voltage signal. The current mirror circuit is connected to the current sense transistor, the first current source, and the output terminal. The current mirror circuit returns the sense current to the output terminal and controls the drain-source voltage of the sense transistor. |
| US07710088B2 |
Switching regulator with an adjustable output regulator circuit and a constant output regulator circuit
The switching regulator has a first switching regulator circuit for outputting a variable power according to a pulse width modulation pulse to be supplied; a second switching regulator circuit for outputting or stopping a constant power according to a control signal to be supplied; and a control circuit for controlling the first switching regulator circuit and the second switching regulator circuits. The control circuit increases the variable power of the first switching regulator circuit by an amount greater than a regular amount if a detected voltage changes from a status higher than the target voltage to a status lower than the target voltage, and decreases the variable power of the first switching regulator circuit by an amount greater than the regular amount if the detected voltage changes from a status lower than the target voltage to a status higher than the target voltage. |
| US07710087B2 |
Power converter and power converting method
A power converter and a power converting method are provided. The power converter for converting an ac input voltage at an input terminal thereof into an ac output voltage at an output terminal thereof includes an energy-storing inductor, a first switching circuit coupled to the energy-storing inductor to selectively switch so that the input terminal of the power converter is coupled to the energy-storing inductor, a second switching circuit coupled to the energy-storing inductor and the first switching circuit to selectively switch so that a common terminal of the power converter is coupled to the energy-storing inductor; and a third switching circuit coupled to the energy-storing inductor, the first switching circuit and the second switching circuit to selectively switch so that the output terminal of the power converter is coupled to the energy-storing inductor. |
| US07710082B2 |
Controller for the three-phase cascade multilevel converter used as shunt active filter in unbalanced operation with guaranteed capacitors voltages balance
The present invention comprises a controller for the cascade H-bridge three-phase multilevel converter used as a shunt active filter. Based on the proposed mathematical model, the controller is designed to compensate harmonic distortion and reactive power due to a nonlinear distorting load. Simultaneously, the controller guarantees regulation and balance of all capacitor voltages. The idea behind the controller is to allow distortion of the current reference during the transients to guarantee regulation and balance of the capacitors voltages. The controller provides the duty ratios for each H-bridge of the cascade multilevel converter. |
| US07710081B2 |
Electromechanical energy conversion systems
An exemplary power system may include an electric machine with multiple sets of stator windings, each set of windings being coupled through a separate switch matrix to a common voltage bus, and each of which may be spatially arranged in full pitch around the stator such that stator flux harmonics are substantially reduced. The reduced stator flux harmonics may be associated with phase current harmonic content. In an example application, such power systems may operate in a generating mode to transfer mechanical energy to electrical energy on a DC voltage bus. In some illustrative embodiments, the power system may provide both high-power and high-speed (e.g., 1 MW at 8000 rpm or above) motoring and/or generating capability suitable, for example, for on-board (e.g., marine, aviation, traction) power systems. |
| US07710080B2 |
Capacitor charging apparatus
A capacitor charging apparatus includes a transformer and an output capacitor charged with current flowing through a secondary coil of the transformer, and charges the output capacitor by performing a switching control of a switching transistor provided on a path leading to a primary coil of the transformer. A switching control unit controls on and off of the switching transistor. A voltage detector monitors a voltage at a tap provided in the secondary coil of the transformer. The switching control unit regards the voltage detected by the voltage detector as an output voltage of the capacitor charging apparatus, and controls the on and off of the switching transistor. |
| US07710078B2 |
Battery charger with temperature compensation
A battery charger and method for charging a battery are provided. The method includes comparing a battery temperature with an environmental temperature, charging the battery in a normal charge state if the battery temperature is greater than the environmental temperature and charging the battery in a warm charge state if the battery temperature is not greater than the environmental temperature. The method further includes monitoring a difference between the battery temperature and the environmental temperature when charging in the warm charge state, and switching from the warm charge state to the normal charge state when the difference between the battery temperature and the environmental temperature is within a predetermined range. |
| US07710077B2 |
High performance inverter charger system
Techniques for high performance inverter charger systems are described herein. In one embodiment, a power supply system includes, but is not limited to, an inverter to generate an AC (alternating current) output based on a DC (direct current) input, a current sensing circuit coupled to the inverter to sense an amount of current drawn from the inverter, and a microcontroller coupled to the inverter and the current sensing circuit to reduce the AC output of the inverter according to a predetermined algorithm stored within the microcontroller, in response to a detection that the amount of current drops below a predetermined threshold. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US07710074B2 |
Determining an amount of charge in a battery based on voltage and portable device having the same
Residual charge in a battery is measured based on a discharge voltage from the battery. A device for measuring the residual charge in the battery includes a fluctuation width amplifier configured to amplify a fluctuation width of a discharge voltage from the battery in excess of a threshold voltage. The device includes a display module configured to display the discharge voltage amplified by the fluctuation width amplifier. The discharge voltage amplified by the fluctuation width amplifier corresponds to the residual charge in the battery. The residual charge in the battery may be determined based on the discharge voltage and the application load data due to an operative application program. |
| US07710073B2 |
Secondary battery module, battery information management device, battery information management system, secondary battery reuse system, secondary battery recovery and sales system, secondary battery reuse method, and secondary battery recovery and sales method
A secondary battery module includes a battery information storage unit for storing electric characteristic information and usage history information of the secondary battery module. A battery information management device and a terminal device respectively include interfaces to be connected to the secondary battery module. The battery information management device is provided with a battery information database. The battery information management device is connected to the terminal device through a communications network. In this way, battery information stored in the battery information storage unit, which is acquired by the battery information management device and the terminal device, is accumulated in the battery information database. Moreover, the battery information management device grades the secondary battery module for reuse based on the battery information and a predetermined threshold. |
| US07710069B2 |
Electrical circuit monitoring device
The present invention is directed to a method of (1) providing continuous monitoring of various operating and environmental characteristics using RFID technology or similar wireless technology and (2) capturing data on historical events that have occurred on the circuits used for the transmission and distribution of electric power. The invention has the additional capability to communicate the information to operators at the site, in remote locations, or to other equipment (peer to peer). The invention provides a low cost method and apparatus to monitor and store operating characteristics and events on the electric power distribution circuit. The information can be used to reduce the duration of outages, for improving system reliability, to study the impact on the power grid of various environmental factors, to enhance the ability to react to operating conditions such as overloads, etc. |
| US07710058B2 |
Motor drive architecture for high frequency AC bus
A motor drive for an electric motor receives high frequency AC current, and delivers this current through a converter which is operable to change the current delivered downstream to an inverter and an electric motor. |
| US07710056B2 |
Brushless DC motor and electric apparatus mounting it
Current control circuit controls an output voltage of DC power supply so as to increase current passing through inverter circuit as the motor increases its the speed. The control offers an RPM—torque characteristic of the motor in which torque increases as the RPM increases. By virtue of the RPM—torque characteristic, a ventilating device employing brushless DC motor exhibits preferable air quantity—static pressure characteristic where less change in air quantity is expected even when a pressure loss—outside wind pressure, duct length or the like—varies. |
| US07710055B2 |
DC motor variable kick-start
A method of operating a direct current motor fan assembly is provided in which a motor controller operates to apply full power to kick-start a motor to overcome static forces. As soon as a sensor determines that the motor has begun to rotate, the motor controller changes the motor drive level from full power to a predetermined lower level to maintain a desired rotational speed. |
| US07710051B2 |
Compact accelerator for medical therapy
A compact accelerator system having an integrated particle generator-linear accelerator with a compact, small-scale construction capable of producing an energetic (˜70-250 MeV) proton beam or other nuclei and transporting the beam direction to a medical therapy patient without the need for bending magnets or other hardware often required for remote beam transport. The integrated particle generator-accelerator is actuable as a unitary body on a support structure to enable scanning of a particle beam by direction actuation of the particle generator-accelerator. |
| US07710046B2 |
Balance coil and inverter for driving backlight
Provided is an inverter for driving a backlight such as LCD, wherein the inverter includes a driving circuit for driving at least two of a plurality of lamps; a transformer for connecting the driving circuit to the plurality of lamps; and a balance coil connected to at least two of the plurality of lamps for balancing the current flowing through the at least two of the plurality of lamps, and the balance coil further includes a bobbin having a winding part divided into at least three parts; a core disposed in the bobbin; and first and second coils disposed on the divided winding parts. |
| US07710045B2 |
Illumination assembly with enhanced thermal conductivity
Illumination assemblies include a substrate having a first and second electrically conductive layer separated by an electrically insulating layer. The insulating layer includes a polymer material loaded with thermally conductive particles. At least a portion of the thermally conductive particles simultaneously contact both the first and second electrically conductive layers. A plurality of light sources such as LEDs or other miniature light sources are preferably disposed on the first conductive layer. |
| US07710042B2 |
Plasma display apparatus
A PDP apparatus comprises, in a circuit part, a ramp output device which outputs a ramp wave to electrodes of a PDP. The ramp output device has a ramp generator which generates and outputs a first ramp wave of which inclination is variable, an impedance conversion circuit which receives the first ramp wave as input and outputs a second ramp wave produced by impedance conversion, and a feedback circuit which receives the second ramp wave as input and feeds it back to the input of the ramp generator. The ramp generator outputs the second ramp wave as a ramp wave (output voltage). Techniques to realize output of stabilized ramp wave in a PDP apparatus so as to stabilize PDP display operations are provided. |
| US07710041B2 |
Microwave tube
An output power adjusting mechanisms for adjusting output power is provided on a wave guide of a high frequency output section coupled to an output cavity. The output power adjusting mechanisms is located at a position apart away from the output cavity by a distance of ⅛ wavelength or [(⅛ wavelength)×odd number]. The output power adjusting mechanism includes a reflection adjusting part which is provided in the tube wall of the wave guide so as to be displaceable in the inward and outward directions of the output tube. The output power is adjusted by displacing the reflection adjusting part. |
| US07710038B2 |
Ceramic discharge vessel having molybdenum alloy feedthrough
A ceramic discharge vessel is described that is provided a feedthrough comprised of a molybdenum alloy containing at least 75 weight percent molybdenum and greater than 5 weight percent of nickel and at least one other alloying metal selected from copper and iron, wherein the weight ratio of the amount of nickel to the combined amount of copper and iron, Ni:(Fe,Cu), in the alloy is in the range of 1:1 to 9:1. The thermal expansion coefficient of the alloy is sufficiently matched to that of the ceramic so that the feedthrough may be sealed to the discharge vessel without causing cracking. Preferably, the feedthrough is directly sealed to the ceramic discharge vessel without the use of an intermediate frit material. |
| US07710037B2 |
Plasma display panel
A plasma display panel that can improve a driving efficiency by advancing a structure of at least one of a first electrode and a second electrode in a dummy area or a pad area is provided. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate in which a first electrode and a second electrode in parallel to each other are disposed, a rear substrate in which a third electrode intersecting the first electrode and the second electrode is disposed, and a barrier rib disposed between the front substrate and the rear substrate and for partitioning a discharge cell. At least one of the first electrode and the second electrode includes a plurality of line portions intersecting the third electrode in an active area, and two or more line portions of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode are combined into one in a dummy area at the outer side of the active area. |
| US07710035B2 |
Plasma display apparatus omitting an exhaust unit
A plasma display apparatus is disclosed. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel and a filter positioned in front of the plasma display panel. The filter includes a near infrared ray shielding layer that absorbs or reflects near infrared rays. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate, a rear substrate, and a barrier rib, formed between the front and rear substrates, partitioning a discharge cell. An exhaust unit is omitted in the rear substrate. The discharge cell is filled with a discharge gas containing xenon (Xe) equal to or more than 10% based on total weight of the discharge gas. |
| US07710028B2 |
EL display device having pixel electrode with projecting portions and manufacturing method thereof
Reducing the manufacturing cost of an EL display device and an electronic device furnished with the EL display device is taken as an objective. A textured structure in which projecting portions are formed on the surface of a cathode is used. External stray light is diffusely (irregularly) reflected by the action of the projecting portions when reflected by the surface of the cathode, and therefore a defect in which the face of an observer or the surrounding scenery is reflected in the surface of the cathode can be prevented. This can be completed without using a conventionally necessary high price circular polarizing film, and therefore it is possible to reduce the cost of manufacturing the EL display device. |
| US07710024B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of fabricating the same
An organic light emitting display device and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The device includes: a substrate having a first pixel region, a second pixel region and a third pixel region; a first electrode disposed on the substrate; an organic emission layer disposed on the first electrode; a second electrode disposed on the organic emission layer; and a first organic layer and a second organic layer disposed between the first electrode and the organic emission layer. The first organic layer and the second organic layer have a combined thickness of approximately 500 to 700 Å or approximately 2000 to 2400 Å in the first pixel region, approximately 1600 to 2000 Å in the second pixel region, and approximately 200 to 400 Å in the third pixel region. |
| US07710023B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device and fabrication method thereof
An organic electroluminescent device and a fabricating method thereof are provided. The organic electroluminescent device includes a plurality gate lines and data lines crossly arranged on a substrate for defining red, green and blue sub pixels of a pixel; a non-emitting region formed in each of the sub pixels and including a switching element and a driving element; and an emitting region formed in each of the sub pixels and including a pixel electrode connected to the corresponding driving element, wherein locations of at least two of the non-emitting regions are different from each other with respect to the corresponding sub pixels. |
| US07710020B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device and method for reducing lateral current leakage thereof
An organic electroluminescence device and a method for reducing lateral current leakage thereof are provided. The organic electroluminescence device comprises a cathode, an anode, and an organic electroluminescence unit disposed therebetween. The organic electroluminescence unit comprises a light-emitting layer and a hole-injecting layer (HIL). The HIL possesses a sufficient resistance achieved by adjusting the thickness of the HIL and/or the concentration(s) and/or species of the conductive dopant(s) in the HIL. |
| US07710018B2 |
Substrate for light-emitting element, method for manufacturing the same, electrode for light-emitting element, and light-emitting element having the same
A substrate for a light-emitting element based on an organic light-emitting material and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The substrate can be manufactured at low cost and has long lifespan, and an organic material used on the substrate and has high electrical conductivity. The substrate for a light-emitting element includes a base substrate with metal layer formed on the base substrate and a conductive polymer layer disposed on the metal layer. |
| US07710010B2 |
Electron beam apparatus
A three-dimensional structure forming a space in which a wiring-side portion of a device electrode is located is arranged on a rear plate. A surface potential of the three-dimensional structure is defined so that an electric field intensity of the space becomes weaker than an average electric field intensity expressed below, average electric field intensity=Va/d, where Va is application voltage of an anode electrode, and d is an interval between a rear plate and the face plate. The device electrode includes a high-temperature portion where temperature locally rises when current flows through the device electrode. The high-temperature portion is positioned in the space or at a distance of less than or equal to 20 μm from the space. |
| US07710008B2 |
Field emission electron source having carbon nanotube and manufacturing method thereof
A field emission electron source (10) includes a conductive base (12), a carbon nanotube (14), and a film of metal (16). The conductive base includes a top (122). One end (142) of the carbon nanotube is electrically connected with the top of the conductive base. The other end (144) of the carbon nanotube extends outwardly away from the top of the conductive base. The film of metal is formed on the nearly entire surface of the carbon nanotube and at least on the portion of the top of the conductive base proximate the carbon nanotube. A method for manufacturing the described field emission electron source is also provided. |
| US07710007B2 |
Conversion of ultra-intense infrared laser energy into relativistic particles
Devices and methods for producing relativistic particles are provided. The devices and methods involve collision of a thin collimated plasma layer from opposite sides with two counter-propagating ultra-intense laser (UL) electromagnetic (EM) pulses. The plasma layer is sufficiently thin so that the pulses penetrate and conjointly propagate through the plasma layer. The Lorenz force between induced skin currents and the magnetic field of the propagating pulses accelerates a number of “in-phase” plasma particles to relativistic velocities. |
| US07710004B2 |
Insulating target material, method of manufacturing insulating target material, conductive complex oxide film, and device
An insulating target material for obtaining a conductive complex oxide film represented by a general formula ABO3, the insulating target material including an oxide of an element A, an oxide of an element B, and at least one of an Si compound and a Ge compound. |
| US07710002B2 |
Piezoelectric resonator for oscillator and surface mount type piezoelectric oscillator
A piezoelectric resonator for an oscillator contained in an upper concave portion of an insulating case that has a metal lid with which the upper concave portion is air-tightly closed comprises a GND electrode being conductively coupled to an earth pattern of the piezoelectric resonator and provided on an outer bottom face of the insulating case, a piezoelectric connecting electrode being conductively coupled to an excite electrode of the piezoelectric resonator and provided on the outer bottom face of the insulating case, and an adjustment electrode being conductively coupled to the metal lid and provided on the outer bottom face of the insulating case in such a way that a regulator circuit in an IC part conductively contacts with the adjustment electrode if the IC part including the oscillation circuit is attached to the outer bottom face of the insulating case, wherein the metal lid serves as an adjustment terminal. |
| US07710001B2 |
Piezoelectric transducers and associated methods
Piezoelectric transducers and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a piezoelectric transducer includes a support member, a piezoelectric element attached to the support member, and a pressurized chamber at one side of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element comprises a flexible film, and the pressurized chamber contains a fluid that applies a static pressure to a side of the piezoelectric element. |
| US07710000B2 |
Erosion and wear resistant sonoelectrochemical probe
The present invention, in one set of embodiments, provides methods and systems for integrating conducting diamond electrodes into a high power acoustic resonator. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, in certain embodiments of the present invention, diamond electrodes may be integrated into a high power acoustic resonator to provide a robust sensing device that may provide for acoustic cleaning of the electrodes and increasing the rate of mass transport to the diamond electrodes. The diamond electrodes may be used as working, reference or counter electrodes or a combination of two or more of such electrodes. In certain aspects, the high power acoustic resonator may include an acoustic horn for focusing acoustic energy and the diamond electrodes may be coupled with the acoustic horn. |
| US07709998B2 |
Measurement system for measuring cylinder pressure in an internal combustion engine
A plurality of exchangeable, different piezoelectric pressure sensors (4) comprise integrated SAW elements (60) as identification units whose identification data can be read by an interrogation unit (3) via a common connection cable (61). The analysis unit (2) for the measurement signals and the interrogation unit (3) for the identification data can be connected by a common coupling unit (5) to the connection cable (61). The coupling unit (5) has a coupling capacity (6) which connects with high frequency the interrogation unit (3) to the signal line of the connection cable (61), as well as a coupling inductance (7) which connects with low frequency the load amplifier (1) of the analysis unit (2) to the connection cable (61), thus neatly separating the useful signal from the identification signal and keeping a high-impedance measurement chain from the sensor (4) to the input of the load amplifier (1). An SFSCW radar can further be used to improve interrogation of the identification data. |
| US07709992B2 |
Electric machine
A stator assembly adapted for use in an electric motor. The assembly includes a stator core having an annular rim and a plurality of teeth extending radially inward from the rim. The stator core has an outer diameter, a root tooth diameter and an inner diameter. Each tooth has a root, a neck extending inward from the root, a head opposite the root, and a length measured from its root to its head. The neck has a width. Each adjacent pair of teeth define a slot having an area. The assembly also includes a winding having aluminum and/or copper wrapped around at least three teeth of the stator core. The stator core and winding have four, six or eight magnetic dipoles. The stator core outer diameter is in a range from about 5.1 inches to about 5.9 inches. The stator core inner diameter is less than about 3.0 inches. |
| US07709986B2 |
Direct drive for a cylinder of a converting machine
The invention relates to a direct drive for a cylinder of a converting machine, in particular a printing press or coating machine that converts sheet-type printed materials. The aim of the invention is to develop a direct drive for a cylinder of the afore-mentioned type in such a way that the required lateral corrections are significantly reduced. To this end, the direct drive includes a rotor (14) that is detachably mounted on the end of the cylinder (6, 10) and a stator (15) that is concentric with the rotor and is detachably fixed to the side frame (13). A register motor (16), which is fixed to the frame, is coupled to gearing (17, 18) and this gearing (17, 18) is coupled to a helical gear or screw drive (19, 2, 21, 22), which is in turn coupled to the cylinder (6, 10) by means of an axial/rotative coupling (23, 24). |
| US07709982B2 |
Brushless motor
A brushless motor has a first coupler that includes a molded body with an annular member and a plug integrally combined with a peripheral side wall of the annular member. The plug houses terminal rods therein. Bridges project radially inward from an inner peripheral wall surface of the annular member. Connectors joined to respective leads that extend from an electromagnetic coil are mounted on radial inner ends of the bridges. The bridges axe provided in pairs of adjacent bridges. In each of such pairs, the bridges project in parallel with each other from an inner peripheral wall surface of the annular member. |
| US07709981B2 |
Stator, motor and record medium drive apparatus and method of fabricating stator
A stator includes a base board, a plurality of coil patterns patterned on one face of the base board, a stator core having a ring-like portion formed in a ring-like shape, a plurality of teeth base ends of which are fixed to the ring-like portion and front end portions formed respectively at front ends of the plurality of teeth in which the coil patterns and the teeth are laminated onto the base board to be respectively opposed to each other, and covers having base members bonded to the base board in a state of being respectively fitted to the plurality of teeth and covering surroundings of the respective teeth and conductive patterns patterned to inner faces of the base members and electrically connected to the coil patterns. |
| US07709976B2 |
Dual-input DC-DC converter with integrated ideal diode function
Novel system for supplying power from multiple power sources to a powered device has first and second input power supplies for respectively providing power from first and second power sources. An input selector circuit is responsive to the first and second input power supplies for producing an input power supply signal provided to a power regulator, such as a DC-DC converter, for generating a regulated output power supply signal. The power regulator includes a first transistor device controlled to support conversion of the input power supply signal into the output power supply signal if the input power supply signal is provided by the first input power supply, and a second transistor device controlled to support conversion of the input power supply signal into the output power supply signal if the input power supply signal is provided by the second input power supply. |
| US07709973B2 |
Airborne stabilized wind turbines system
An airborne system for producing electricity from wind energy includes a shaft, wind turbines rotatably mounted to the shaft and arranged to rotate independently in opposite directions when subjected to the same wind, and generators arranged to convert rotation of the turbines into electricity. A lifting section includes combination of kites and lighter than air balloons, generating a lifting force that caused the system being airborne at desire altitude. The center of gravity of the system is lower than the center of lift of the system; when the turbines of the system exposed to wind and start to rotate, torques are inducing on the shaft of the system; these torques are balancing each other and the remaining deferential torque being balanced by returning torque that is generated by the angular deviation of the center of gravity from it's lowest position, the magnitude of this returning torque, increasing as the angular deviation increased, until the system reach angular stability; electricity is generating and conducted through tether to an anchoring section for usage. |
| US07709972B2 |
Wind turbine system for satisfying low-voltage ride through requirement
A wind turbine system is provided with a wind turbine rotor, a pitch control mechanism, and an emergency power supply mechanism. The wind turbine rotor includes a blade having a variable pitch angle. The pitch control mechanism drives the blade to control the pitch angle. The emergency power supply mechanism generates electric power from rotation of the wind turbine rotor and feeds the electric power to the pitch control mechanism, in response to occurrence of an accidental drop of a system voltage of a power grid. |
| US07709970B2 |
Electrical generator
An electrical generator utilizes power produced by falling weights. Falling weights are connected to long arms which turn a shaft. The shaft, through a series of gears, provides power to the generator. |
| US07709969B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device
A solid state imaging device having a back-illuminated type structure in which a lens is formed on the back side of a silicon layer with a light-receiving sensor portion being formed thereon. Insulating layers are buried into the silicon layer around an image pickup region, with the insulating layer being buried around a contact layer that connects an electrode layer of a pad portion and an interconnection layer of the surface side. A method of manufacturing such a solid-state imaging device is also provided. |
| US07709964B2 |
Structure of a micro electro mechanical system and the manufacturing method thereof
A structure of a micro electro mechanical system and a manufacturing method are provided, the structure and manufacturing method is adapted for an optical interference display cell. The structure of the optical interference display cell includes a first electrode, a second electrode and posts. The second electrode comprises a conductive layer covered by a material layer and is arranged about parallel with the first electrode. The support is located between the first plate and the second plate and a cavity is formed. In the release etch process of manufacturing the structure, the material layer protects the conductive layer from the damage by an etching reagent. The material layer also protects the conductive layer from the damage from the oxygen and moisture in the air. |
| US07709962B2 |
Layout structure having a fill element arranged at an angle to a conducting line
A layout structure is provided with a conducting line extending in a conducting line direction, the conducting line being arranged within a substrate area, a fill element being arranged within the substrate area at a predetermined distance from the conducting line, the fill element having a fill element axis extending perpendicularly to a side of the fill element in a fill element direction, an angle between the conducting line direction and the fill element direction being greater than 0° and smaller than 90°. |
| US07709961B2 |
Implantable microelectronic device and method of manufacture
An implantable hermetically sealed microelectronic device and method of manufacture are disclosed. The microelectronic device of the present invention is hermetically encased in a insulator, such as alumina formed by ion bean assisted deposition (“IBAD”), with a stack of biocompatible conductive layers extending from a contact pad on the device to an aperture in the hermetic layer. In a preferred embodiment, one or more patterned titanium layers are formed over the device contact pad, and one or more platinum layers are formed over the titanium layers, such that the top surface of the upper platinum layer defines an external, biocompatible electrical contact for the device. Preferably, the bottom conductive layer is larger than the contact pad on the device, and a layer in the stack defines a shoulder. |
| US07709958B2 |
Methods and structures for interconnect passivation
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to structures obtained by methods (a) for growing a film by an intermixing growth process, or (b) by depositing a film, which film includes chalcogenides of copper and/or silver (but excluding oxides), such as, for example, copper sulfide (CuSX and/or Cu2SX, where 0.7≦X≦1.3; and X=1.0 for stoichiometric compounds). |
| US07709957B2 |
Semiconductor device
The present invention provides a semiconductor device exhibiting an improved reliability of a bump coupling section. A semiconductor device is provided, which comprises: an interconnect layer; a stress-relaxing layer, covering the interconnect layer and provided with an opening exposing at least a portion of the interconnect layer; a post, covering the opening and provided so as to overlap with the stress-relaxing layer disposed around the opening; and a resin layer, provided around the post to cover the stress-relaxing layer, wherein a value of 2A/C is within a range of from 0.1 to 0.5, wherein C is a diameter of the post and 2A is a width of an overlapping region of the stress-relaxing layer with the post. |
| US07709954B2 |
Redistribution layer for wafer-level chip scale package and method therefor
In an example embodiment, there is a method for packaging an integrated circuit device (IC) having a circuit pattern (305) in a wafer-level chip-scale (WLCS) package (300). The method includes depositing a metal layer (5, 10, 15) on a first dielectric layer (315) and filling (20) in bond pad openings (310) and bump pad openings (330); the metal layer (360) has atop (340) and bottom (360) layer. In the metal layer (360), bond pad connections (310) and bump pad connections (330) are defined (25, 30) by removing the top layer of metal in areas other than at bond pad openings (310) and bump pad openings (330), and leaving the bottom layer (360) of metal in areas without bond pad or bump pad connections. In the bottom metal layer, connection traces between the bond pad and bump pad are defined (35, 40). A second organic dielectric layer (325) is deposited (45) on the silicon substrate (305), enveloping the circuit pattern. The second organic dielectric layer is removed (50) from the bump pad connections exposing the bump pads (330). |
| US07709952B2 |
Light emitting diode package
An LED package is improved in heat radiating performance. The LED package includes a package substrate having heat radiating means; a heat radiating layer arranged on the package substrate with an area at least larger than a mounting area of a light emitting diode chip to provide a horizontal heat radiating path; and an electrically-connecting structure including first and second conductive leads arranged on the heat radiating layer. The light emitting diode chip is mounted on the heat radiating layer or the first conductive lead by a heat conductive adhesive layer. |
| US07709946B2 |
Micro universal serial bus (USB) memory package
A micro USB memory package and method for manufacturing the same, which can meet the USB standard specification, can have a light, thin, short and small configuration, can have various applications, and can simply expand the memory capacity thereof. The micro USB memory package comprises a substrate with a plurality of circuit patterns formed on the top surface thereof, at least one of passive elements connected with the circuit patterns of the substrate, at least one of controllers connected with the circuit patterns of the substrate, at least one of flash memories connected with the circuit patterns of the substrate, and an encapsulation part encapsulating the passive elements, the controllers and the flash memories on the substrate, and at least one of USB lands connected with the circuit patterns by a conducting via are formed on the under surface of one side of the substrate. |
| US07709945B2 |
Multichip sensor
A multichip sensor includes an element chip having a detection element of a sensor; a signal-processing IC chip having a signal-processing IC for processing an output signal of the detection element; and a package adapted to accommodate at least the element chip and the signal-processing IC chip and having a surface to be mounted on an ECU board. The plane of the element chip and the surface to be mounted on the ECU board are perpendicular to each other. The plane of the signal-processing IC chip, which is greater than the element chip, and the surface to be mounted on the ECU board are in parallel with each other. |
| US07709944B2 |
Integrated circuit package system with package integration
An integrated circuit package system comprising: providing a package substrate; attaching a base package having a portion of the base package substantially exposed over the package substrate; forming a cavity through the package substrate to the base package; and attaching a device partially in the cavity and connected to the portion of the base package substantially exposed. |
| US07709943B2 |
Stacked ball grid array package module utilizing one or more interposer layers
A multilayer module comprised of stacked IC package layers is disclosed. A plurality of layers preferably having ball grid array I/O are stacked and interconnected using one or more interposer layers for the routing of electronic signals to appropriate locations in the module through angularly depending leads. The stack is further comprised of an interface PCB for the routing of electronics signals to and from the layers in the module and for connection to an external circuit. |
| US07709938B2 |
Arrangement for electrically connecting semiconductor circuit arrangements to an external contact device and method for producing the same
An electrical connection arrangement between a semiconductor circuit arrangement and an external contact device, and to a method for producing the connection arrangement is disclosed. In one embodiment, a metallic layer is deposited onto at least one contact terminal and/or the contacts and the wire, the metallic layer protecting the contact terminal or the electrical connection against ambient influences and ensuring a high reliability. |
| US07709937B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device which includes: a semiconductor chip with plural pads; a tab connected with the semiconductor chip; bus bars which are located outside of the semiconductor chip and connected with the tab; a sealing body which resin-seals the semiconductor chip; plural leads arranged in a line around the semiconductor chip; plural first wires which connect pads of the semiconductor chip and the leads; and plural second wires which connect specific pads of the semiconductor chip and the bus bars. Since the sealing body has a continuous portion which continues from a side surface of the semiconductor chip to its back surface to a side surface of the tab, the degree of adhesion among the semiconductor chip, the tab and the sealing body is increased. This prevents peeling between the tab and the sealing body during a high-temperature process and thus improves the quality of the semiconductor device (QFN). |
| US07709936B2 |
Module with carrier element
The invention relates to a module comprising a carrier element having a lower stiffness or a different structure in a first region than in a second region, and also comprising a component applied to the carrier element. The component and the first region are connected to one another by a wire connection covered by a material. |
| US07709931B2 |
Trenched semiconductor device
An IGBT is disclosed which has a set of inside trenches and an outside trench formed in its semiconductor substrate. The substrate has emitter regions adjacent the trenches, a p-type base region adjacent the emitter regions and trenches, and an n-type base region comprising a first and a second subregion contiguous to each other. The first subregion of the n-type base region is contiguous to the inside trenches whereas the second subregion, less in impurity concentration than the first, is disposed adjacent the outside trench. Breakdown is easier to occur than heretofore adjacent the inside trenches, saving the device from destruction through mitigation of a concentrated current flow adjacent the outside trench. |
| US07709928B2 |
Electromigration fuse and method of fabricating same
Fuses and methods of forming fuses. The fuse includes: a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate; a cathode stack on the dielectric layer, a sidewall of the cathode stack extending from a top surface of the cathode stack to a top surface of the dielectric layer; a continuous polysilicon layer comprising a cathode region, an anode region, a link region between the cathode and anode regions and a transition region between the cathode region and the link region, the transition region proximate to the sidewall of the cathode stack, the cathode region on a top surface of the cathode stack, the link region on a top surface of the dielectric layer, both a first thickness of the cathode region and a second thickness of the link region greater than a third thickness of the transition region; and a metal silicide layer on a top surface of the polysilicon layer. |
| US07709927B2 |
Shallow trench isolation structures for semiconductor devices including wet etch barriers
A semiconductor device includes a sidewall oxide layer covering an inner wall of a trench, a nitride liner on the sidewall oxide layer and a gap-fill insulating layer filling the trench on the nitride liner. A first impurity doped oxide layer is provided at edge regions of both end portions of the sidewall oxide layer so as to extend from an entry of the trench adjacent to an upper surface of the substrate to the nitride liner. A dent filling insulating layer is provided on the nitride liner in the trench to protect a surface of the first impurity doped oxide layer. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US07709918B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and manufacturing method thereof
A photoelectric conversion device is provided which is capable of improving the light condensation efficiency without substantially decreasing the sensitivity. The photoelectric conversion device has a first pattern provided above an element isolation region formed between adjacent two photoelectric conversion elements, a second pattern provided above the element isolation region and above the first pattern, and microlenses provided above the photoelectric conversion elements with the first and the second patterns provided therebetween. The photoelectric conversion device further has convex-shaped interlayer lenses in optical paths between the photoelectric conversion elements and the microlenses, the peak of each convex shape projecting in the direction from the electro-optical element to the microlens. |
| US07709915B2 |
Microelectronic devices having an EMI shield and associated systems and methods
Microelectronic devices having an EMI shield, systems including such microelectronic devices, and methods for manufacturing such microelectronic devices. One embodiment of a microelectronic device comprises an imaging system comprising a microelectronic die, an optics assembly, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield. The microelectronic die includes an image sensor, processing components electrically coupled to the image sensor, a first interconnect electrically isolated from the processing components, and a second interconnect electrically coupled to the processing components. The optics assembly is aligned with the image sensor, and the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield is between the optics assembly and the processing components. The EMI shield is electrically coupled to the first interconnect. |
| US07709914B2 |
Image sensor with metal interconnection having protruding convex shape with photodiode conformally following metal interconnection shape and method of manufacturing the same
An image sensor is provided. The image sensor can include a semiconductor substrate including a circuit region, an interlayer dielectric including a metal interconnection on the semiconductor substrate, a lower electrode on the metal interconnection, and a light receiving portion on the lower electrode. The light receiving portion can be a PIN diode formed to have a convex shape. |
| US07709912B2 |
Electronic device and method for manufacturing thereof
An electronic device, including a substrate, a functional structure constituting a functional element formed on the substrate, and a cover structure forming a cavity portion in which the functional structure is disposed, is disclosed. In the electronic device, the cover structure includes a laminated structure of an interlayer insulating film and a wiring layer, the laminated structure being formed on the substrate in such a way that it surrounds the cavity portion, and the cover structure has an upside cover portion covering the cavity portion from above, the upside cover portion being formed with part of the wiring layer that is disposed above the functional structure. |
| US07709911B2 |
Semiconductor device having silicide transistors and non-silicide transistors formed on the same substrate and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a first MIS transistor of a non-salicide structure and a second MIS transistor of a salicide structure which are both formed on a substrate of silicon. The first MIS transistor includes a first gate electrode of silicon, first sidewalls, a first source and drain, and plasma reaction films grown in a plasma atmosphere to cover the top surfaces of the first gate electrode and first source and drain, wherein the plasma reaction film prevents silicide formation on the first MIS transistor. |
| US07709910B2 |
Semiconductor structure for low parasitic gate capacitance
A semiconductor structure provides lower parasitic capacitance between the gate electrode and contact vias while providing substantially the same level of stress applied by a nitride liner as conventional MOSFETs by reducing the height of the gate electrode and maintaining substantially the same height for the gate spacer. The nitride liner contacts only the outer sidewalls of the gate spacer, while not contacting inner sidewalls, or only a small area of the inner sidewalls of the gate spacer, therefore applying substantially the same level of stress to the channel of the MOSFET as conventional MOSFETs. The volume surrounded by the gate spacer and located above the gate electrode is either filled with a low-k dielectric material or occupied by a cavity having a dielectric constant of substantially 1.0. The reduced height of the gate electrode and the low-k dielectric gate filler or the cavity reduces the parasitic capacitance. |
| US07709907B2 |
ESD structure
An IGFET that minimizes the effect of the dislocation at the edge of the device region by displacing the lateral edges of the source and drain regions from the adjacent edge of the opening and the dislocation. This minimizes the lateral diffusion of the source and drain impurities and the formation of metal silicides into the dislocation region. The spacing of the lateral edges of the source and drain regions from the adjacent edge of the opening and the dislocation region is produced by providing additional lateral opposed second gate regions or oxide barrier layer extending from the oxide layer into the adjacent regions of the substrate region and the first gate region extending therebetween. Both the first gate region and the two second gate regions or barrier layer are used in the self-aligned processing of the source and drain regions. The first gate region defines the length of the channel, while the two opposed second gate regions or barrier layer define the width of the channel region. The second gate portion or barrier extends sufficiently into the substrate region to space the width of the channel from the adjacent edge of the opening in the oxide. |
| US07709903B2 |
Contact barrier structure and manufacturing methods
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a gate dielectric over the semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric; a source/drain region adjacent the gate dielectric; a silicide region on the source/drain region; a metal layer on top of, and physical contacting, the silicide region; an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) over the metal layer; and a contact opening in the ILD. The metal layer is exposed through the contact opening. The metal layer further extends under the ILD. The semiconductor structure further includes a contact in the contact opening. |
| US07709897B2 |
Fusion bonding process and structure for fabricating silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor devices
A method of fabricating a semiconductor-on-insulator device including: providing a first semiconductor wafer having an about 200 angstrom thick oxide layer thereover; etching the first semiconductor wafer to raise a pattern therein; doping the raised pattern of the first semiconductor wafer through the about 200 angstrom thick oxide layer; providing a second semiconductor wafer having an oxide thereover; and, bonding the first semiconductor wafer oxide to the second semiconductor wafer oxide at an elevated temperature. |
| US07709895B2 |
Semiconductor device having insulating stripe patterns
An uneven portion is formed on a substrate extending in a linear shape stripe pattern, convex portions of an insulating film that intersects with a crystalline semiconductor film divided into island shapes are removed, and an amorphous semiconductor film is formed on the insulating film. The semiconductor film is melted and flows into concave portions of the insulating film, where it crystallizes, and the semiconductor film that remains on the convex portions of the insulating film is removed. A semiconductor film divided into island shapes is then formed from the semiconductor film formed in the concave portions, the convex portions of the insulating film are removed in portions where channel forming regions are to be formed, thus exposing side surface portions of the semiconductor film. A gate insulating film and a gate electrode contacting the side surface portions and upper surface portions of the semiconductor film are then formed. |
| US07709893B2 |
Circuit layout for different performance and method
A circuit includes a plurality of first MuGFET devices supported by a substrate and having a first performance level. A plurality of second MuGFET devices is supported by the substrate and have a second performance level. The first and second devices in one embodiment are arranged in separate areas that facilitate different processing of the first and second devices to tailor their performance characteristics. In one embodiment, the circuit is an SRAM having pull down transistors with higher performance. |
| US07709886B2 |
Thin film transistor and pixel structure
A fabricating method of a TFT includes first forming a source on a substrate. Then, a first insulation pattern layer is formed to cover parts of the source and the substrate. The first insulation pattern layer has an opening exposing a part of the source. Thereafter, a gate pattern layer is formed on the first insulation pattern layer. Then, the gate pattern layer and a second insulation pattern layer formed thereon surround the opening. Moreover, a second lateral protection wall is formed on an edge of the gate pattern layer in the opening. Afterwards, a channel layer is formed in the opening and covers the second lateral protection wall and the source. Then, a passivation layer with a contact window is formed on the channel layer and the second insulation pattern layer to expose a portion of the channel layer. Thereafter, a drain is formed on the exposed channel layer. |
| US07709885B2 |
Access transistor for memory device
An access transistor for a resistance variable memory element and methods of forming the same are provided. The access transistor has first and second source/drain regions and a channel region vertically stacked over the substrate. The access transistor is associated with at least one resistance variable memory element. |
| US07709873B2 |
Polymer memory with adhesion layer containing an immobilized metal
An embodiment mitigates one or more of the limiting factors of fabricating polymer ferroelectric memory devices. For example, an embodiment reduces the degradation of the ferroelectric polymer due to the polymer's reaction with, and migration or diffusion of, adjacent metal electrode material. Further, the ferroelectric polymer is exposed to fewer potentially high temperature or high energy processes that may damage the polymer. An embodiment further incorporates an immobilized catalyst to improve the adhesion between adjacent layers, and particularly between the electrolessly plated electrodes and the ferroelectric polymer. |
| US07709870B2 |
CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) type solid-state image pickup device using N/P+ substrate in which N-type semiconductor layer is laminated on P+ type substrate main body
A solid-state image pickup device includes a semiconductor substrate including a substrate main body having P-type impurities and a first N-type semiconductor layer provided on the substrate main body, an image pickup area including a plurality of photoelectric converters in which the plurality of photoelectric converters include second N-type semiconductor layers, the second N-type semiconductor layers being provided on a surface portion of the first N-type semiconductor layer independently of one another, and a first peripheral circuit area including a first P-type semiconductor layer formed on the first N-type semiconductor layer. The solid-state image pickup device further includes a second peripheral circuit area including a second P-type semiconductor layer formed on the first N-type semiconductor layer and connected to the substrate main body. |
| US07709864B2 |
High-efficiency Schottky rectifier and method of manufacturing same
A rectifier device (10) comprising a multi-layer epitaxial film (12) and a rectifier and a transistor manufactured in the film (12), wherein the transistor is oriented vertically relative to the plane of the rectifier. The rectifier and transistor are separated by a transition zone of inverted bias. The rectifier is a Schottky barrier rectifier, and the transistor is a JFET. More specifically, the device (1) comprises the film (12), a trench (16), a first region (18) associated with an upper portion of the trench (16), and second region (20) associated with a lower portion. The interface between the p+ material of the second region (20) and the n material of the film (12) creates a p+/n junction. The device (10) has use in high frequency, low-loss power circuit applications in which high switching speed and low forward voltage drop are desirable. |
| US07709861B2 |
Systems and methods for supporting a subset of multiple interface types in a semiconductor device
Various systems and methods for implementing multi-mode semiconductor devices are discussed herein. For example, a multi-mode semiconductor device is disclosed that includes a device package with a number of package pins. In addition, the device includes a semiconductor die or substrate with at least two IO buffers. One of the IO buffers is located a distance from a package pin and another of the IO buffers is located another distance from the package pin. One of the IO buffers includes first bond pad electrically coupled to a circuit implementing a first interface type and a floating bond pad, and the other IO buffer includes a second bond pad electrically coupled to a circuit implementing a second interface type. In some cases, the floating bond pad is electrically coupled to the circuit implementing the second interface type via a conductive interconnect, and the floating bond pad is electrically coupled to the package pin. |
| US07709857B2 |
Light emitting diode package
Provided is a light emitting diode package in accordance with the present invention including a lead frame composed of at least a pair of lead terminals; a mold receiving a part of the lead frame therein and equipped with an irradiation window opened to radiate light, and further including one or more holes formed to expose a part of a bottom surface of the lead frame received in the inside of the mold; an LED chip mounted on the lead frame positioned in the mold; an electrode connection unit for electrically connecting the LED chip and the lead frame; and a molding agent composed of any one selected from transparent epoxy, silicon, and phosphor blends charged in the mold and protecting the LED chip. |
| US07709856B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device excellent in heat radiation
A semiconductor light emitting device is provided which comprises: a semiconductor light emitting chip 2 mounted on a top surface 12 of a support plate 1, wiring conductors 3 disposed adjacent to side surfaces 11 of support plate 1, and a plastic encapsulant 6 for sealing side surfaces 11 of support plate 1 and wiring conductors 3. Each of wiring conductors 3 has one end 13 electrically connected to an electrode 2a of semiconductor light emitting chip 2 and the other end 14 extending away from support plate 1. Plastic encapsulant 6 is formed with openings 7 upwardly extending from a bottom surface 6b of plastic encapsulant 6 between side surface 11 of support plate 1 and an outer surface 6c of plastic encapsulant 6 to open each bottom surface 3b of wiring conductors 3 to the outside through opening 7 so that heat from semiconductor light emitting chip 2 can effectively be radiated to the outside through wiring conductors 3 and opening 7 when a large current is supplied to semiconductor light emitting chip 2 to turn it on with a high brightness. |
| US07709855B2 |
Light-emitting device, backlight using same, and liquid crystal display
A light-emitting device includes a semiconductor light-emitting element arranged on a substrate having internal wiring, a reflector arranged around the semiconductor light-emitting element, and a light-emitting portion, filled in the reflector, having a phosphor which emits visible light when excited by light from the semiconductor light-emitting element. Electrical conduction to the light-emitting element is obtained via the internal wiring of the substrate and the reflector. |
| US07709851B2 |
Light-emitting diode chip including a mirror layer and a light-generating active zone
A thin-film light-emitting diode chip, in which the distance between a mirror layer (4) and a light-generating active zone (3) is set in such a way that a radiation emitted by the active zone (3) interferes with a light reflected from the mirror layer (4), the internal quantum efficiency of the active zone (3) being influenced by this interference and the emission characteristic of the active zone (3) of at least one preferred direction thereby being obtained. |
| US07709848B2 |
Group III nitride semiconductor light emitting device
A group III nitride semiconductor light emitting device according to the present invention includes an intermediate layer formed of AlxGa1-x-yInyN(0 |
| US07709847B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
A nitride semiconductor light emitting device is provided. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a first nitride layer comprising at least N-type nitride layer. An insulating member is formed on the first nitride layer having a predetermined pattern. An active layer is formed in both sides of the insulating member on the first nitride layer to emit light. A second nitride layer is formed in both sides of the insulating member on the active layer and the second nitride layer comprises at least a P-type nitride layer. |
| US07709843B2 |
Display device and method for manufacturing the same, and television receiver
According to the present invention, which is a display device in which a light-emitting element where an organic substance generating luminescence referred to as electroluminescence or a medium including a mixture of an organic substance and an inorganic substance is sandwiched between electrodes is connected to a TFT, the invention is to manufacture a display panel by forming at least one or more of a conductive layer which forms a wiring or an electrode and a pattern necessary for manufacturing a display panel such as a mask layer for forming a predetermined pattern is formed by a method capable of selectively forming a pattern. A droplet discharge method capable of forming a predetermined pattern by selectively discharging a droplet of a composition in accordance with a particular object and by forming a conductive layer or an insulating layer is used as a method capable of selectively forming a pattern. |
| US07709838B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel
The present invention relates to an OLED display and a manufacturing method thereof, including a substrate, a control electrode formed on the substrate, a polysilicon semiconductor formed on the control electrode, a data line including an input electrode at least partially overlapping the polysilicon semiconductor and an output electrode facing the input electrode, an insulating layer covering the data line and the output electrode and having a contact hole, a gate line connected to the control electrode through the contact hole, and a pixel electrode connected to the output electrode. |
| US07709833B2 |
Organic light-emitting device
Provided is an organic light-emitting device in which light extraction efficiency for the luminescent color of each of organic light-emitting elements can be improved without an increase in driving voltage and a reduction in emission efficiency. The organic light-emitting elements for respective luminescent colors are different from each other in thickness of an electron injection layer, and the concentration of a metal or a metal compound in an electron injection layer is adapted to increase as the thickness of the electron injection layer decreases. |
| US07709829B2 |
Organic semiconductor material, organic transistor, field effect transistor, switching device and thiazole compound
An organic semiconductor material comprising a compound having a substructure represented by Formula (10): wherein B represents a unit having a thiazole ring, A1 and A2 each independently represent a unit having an alkyl group as a substituent, A3 represents a divalent linking group, nb represents an integer 1-20, n1 and n2 each independently represent an integer of 0-20, respectively, and n3 represents an integer of 0-10. |
| US07709822B2 |
Phase change memory and manufacturing method thereof
Both a chalcogenide select device and a chalcogenide memory element are formed within vias within dielectrics. As a result, the chalcogenides is effectively trapped within the vias and no glue or adhesion layer is needed. Moreover, delamination problems are avoided. A lance material is formed within the same via with the memory element. In one embodiment, the lance material is made thinner by virtue of the presence of a sidewall spacer; in another embodiment no sidewall spacer is utilized. A relatively small area of contact between the chalcogenide used to form a memory element and the lance material is achieved by providing a pin hole opening in a dielectric, which separates the chalcogenide and the lance material. |
| US07709814B2 |
Apparatus and process for treating dielectric materials
Apparatuses and processes for treating dielectric materials such as low k dielectric materials, premetal dielectric materials, barrier layers, and the like, generally comprise a radiation source module, a process chamber module coupled to the radiation source module; and a loadlock chamber module in operative communication with the process chamber and a wafer handler. The atmosphere of each one of the modules can be controlled as may be desired for different types of dielectric materials. The radiation source module includes a reflector, an ultraviolet radiation source, and a plate transmissive to the wavelengths of about 150 nm to about 300 nm, to define a sealed interior region, wherein the sealed interior region is in fluid communication with a fluid source. |
| US07709811B2 |
Light emitting diode illumination system
In various embodiments of the invention, a unique construction for Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with prisms and dyes and other optical elements can be used to generate a variety of light sources with different emission spectra. In an embodiment of the invention, reflected light can be redirected outward. In another embodiment of the invention, a white LED based light uses a blue LED and associated optics elements, including a high index glass prism or rod, a layer of dyed florescent polymer and an extraction-enhancing optical element or lens, such that all of the light emitted from with the dye layer can be directed outward. |
| US07709810B2 |
Sensing device, sensing apparatus, and sensing method
There are provided a sensing device, a sensing apparatus, and a sensing method capable of realizing effective multi-photon absorption and local plasmon enhancement function. The sensing device can realize a high multi-photon excitation efficiency and selectivity by accurately controlling the material, shape, size, interval, and direction of metal particles arranged on a substrate. By employing the sensing device in various sensing apparatuses such as a fluorescent sensing apparatus, it is possible to realize sensing of detection object material with a high sensibility. |
| US07709809B2 |
Microscope with higher resolution and method for increasing same
Microscope with higher resolution with partial spatial superposition in the illumination by an excitation beam and a de-excitation beam and/or a switching beam in a fluorescing sample, whereby the light from the sample is deflected, whereby, in the excitation beam and/or in the de-excitation and/or the switching beam, at least one combination of devices exercising circular and radial influence on the spatial phase is provided. |
| US07709808B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for single molecule sequencing
An embodiment generally relates to a system for analysis of an analyte. The system can include a transparent substrate. The system also includes an excitation light source configured to induce an evanescent wave excitation of a fluorescently labeled molecule near the access to the transparent substrate and a detector for detecting the fluorescently labeled molecule. |
| US07709805B2 |
Method for generating optical anisotropy in scintillators using pulsed lasers
A method of manufacturing an imaging component is provided comprising placing a focusing device in between a laser generator and a scintillator element; generating a laser using the laser generator; focusing the laser using the focusing device such that a focal spot of the laser is coincident with a portion of the isotropic portion; using the laser to alter the optical properties at the focal spot such that anisotropy is generated in the isotropic portion; and moving the focal spot relative to the scintillator element such that a three-dimensional pattern with altered optical properties is generated. The three-dimensional pattern controls the spread of photons within the scintillator element. |
| US07709804B2 |
Radiation detector
A radiation detector includes a substrate, a lower electrode disposed on the substrate, a radiation detecting layer formed on the upper surface of the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the upper surface of the radiation detecting layer, a protection layer which is formed on the upper electrode, whose end portion extends to an end surface of the substrate and which covers the upper electrode, and a reinforcement member which is formed from the lower surface of the substrate to the surface of the protection layer and which covers the end portion of the protection layer. |
| US07709803B2 |
Light or radiation detecting unit manufacturing method, and a light or radiation detecting unit manufactured by this method
At least part of a readout pattern including carrier collecting electrodes, capacitors, thin-film transistors, data lines and gate lines is formed by vapor deposition or printing. This is formed separately from a semiconductor thick film. The semiconductor thick film and readout pattern constitute a flat panel X-ray detector (FPD) is mounted in a case to form a unit. A weight reduction is achieved by using the semiconductor thick film in place of a conventional glass substrate. The FPD manufactured in this way is free from great restrictions in time of transport and use. |
| US07709802B2 |
Radiation image capturing apparatus and method of processing image information therefor
A radiation detector includes two radiation conversion panels for detecting radiation image information representing a radiation image of a subject. A signal combination judging circuit judges a combination of two serial signals representing the detected radiation image information. Based on the judged combination, an amplitude/phase modulator modulates the serial signal into an amplitude-modulated signal and modulates the phase of the amplitude-modulated signal according to the other serial signal, generating an amplitude/phase-modulated signal. The amplitude/phase-modulated signal is transmitted through an optical fiber to a console. |
| US07709801B2 |
Nuclear medicine diagnosis equipment
The present invention relates to a nuclear medicine diagnosis equipment comprising a scintillator block having a plurality of scintillators, the scintillator block having a plurality of scintillator arrays in a depth direction of an incident γ ray with different decay times for an emitted light pulse; an incidence timing calculating device for calculating an incident timing in the scintillator array; a scintillator array identifying device for identifying a scintillator array, in a plurality of arrays, that has received the electrical signal; and an incidence timing compensation device in a position arithmetic processing part for discriminating whether compensation for an incidence timing calculated by the incidence timing calculating device is to be done or not corresponding to a scintillator array identified by the scintillator array identification part. |
| US07709799B2 |
Terahertz detector
A detector for electromagnetic radiation in the range 80 GHz to 4 THz comprises a laser light source (115) an optical modulator (13) arranged to modulate light from the laser light source (11) and a filter system (17) for selecting a defined range of frequencies of the modulated light. The optical modulator is an electroabsorption modulator (13) with an antenna (15) which is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation in the range 80 GHz to 4 THz. The signal received by the antenna (15) modulates the electric field across the electroabsorption modulator (13), whereby to modulate the light from the laser light source (11). |
| US07709795B2 |
Infrared sensor unit and process of fabricating the same
An infrared sensor unit has a thermal infrared sensor and an associated semiconductor device commonly developed on a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric top layer covers the substrate to conceal the semiconductor device formed in the top surface of the substrate. The thermal infrared sensor carried on a sensor mount which is supported above the semiconductor device by means of a thermal insulation support. The sensor mount and the support are made of a porous material which is superimposed on top of the dielectric top layer. |
| US07709794B2 |
Defect detection using time delay lock-in thermography (LIT) and dark field LIT
To increase inspection throughput, the field of view (FOV) of an IR camera can be moved over the sample at a constant velocity. Throughout this moving, a modulation (e.g. optical or electrical) can be provided to the sample and IR images can be captured using the IR camera. Moving the FOV, providing the modulation, and capturing the IR images can be synchronized. The IR images can be filtered to generate the time delay LIT, thereby providing defect identification. In one embodiment, this filtering accounts for the number of pixels of the IR camera in a scanning direction. For the case of optical modulation, a dark field region can be provided for the FOV throughout the moving, thereby providing an improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) during filtering. |
| US07709790B2 |
Removable ion source that does not require venting of the vacuum chamber
A method and apparatus of combining an ion volume, a lens stack, and an ion optic that similarly cooperates with a detached multipole ion guide is herein incorporated into a single sub-assembly that can be removed from a mass spectrometer instrument without venting. Such an arrangement allows an operator to clean all parts of the ion path that get contaminated in normal operation, reassemble and reinsert in a timely manner and then pump down to an acceptable vacuum without having to vent the system. |
| US07709787B2 |
Stepped electric field detector
An apparatus and method for measuring low or trace concentrations of compounds and mixture of gases. A method and apparatus of the invention permits separating ions of different mobilities by passing them through an abrupt change or step in electric field magnitude. By using the separation method, the compounds of interest may be measured with less interference from other compounds of the gas mixture, which reduces or eliminates the need for prior separation of the components of the gas mixture. Several embodiments of the invention are described including the use of current amplifiers on one, or more, parts of the apparatus. While a single screen can provide a chamber which is divided into two regions of different electric fields, it is within the scope of the invention to include multiple screens to provide several steps in the electric field permitting it to be possible to trap and measure ions with successively higher mobilities. The gases used include halogenated compounds, including fluorocarbons, and most preferable SF6. |
| US07709783B2 |
Biosensor using multiple light sources
Provided is a biosensor that uses multiple organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) as light sources. The biosensor includes a transparent substrate, a plurality of OLEDs which are disposed on a first surface of the transparent substrate and are electrically separated from each other, and a photo detector above the transparent substrate that receives light emitted from a specimen disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the specimen is disposed on a region of a second surface which is a surface opposite to the first surface of the transparent substrate. |
| US07709782B2 |
Optical assembly with adjustable optical element and independently tunable position sensors
A device assembly (16) for a precision apparatus (10) includes a device housing (30), a device (32), a device mover assembly (34), and a measurement system (36). The device mover assembly (34) moves the device (32) relative to the device housing (30) about a first axis and about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis. The measurement system (36) monitors movement of the device (32). The measurement system (36) monitors movement of the device (32) and can include a first sensor assembly (260) that monitors movement about the first axis and a second sensor assembly (262) that monitors movement about a second axis. Each sensor assembly (260) (262) can include a sensor adjuster (474) (476) that adjusts the position of a portion of the respective sensor assembly (260) (262) to independently tune the sensor assemblies (260) (262) and independently enhance the performance of each sensor assembly (260) (262). Further, each sensor assembly (260) (262) can be a magnetic type sensor. |
| US07709775B2 |
Solid-state imaging element, photo-detector and authentication system using the photo-detector
In a solid-state imaging element, reflecting layers are provided on both sides of a photoelectric conversion means, a light entrance window 128 is provided in the first reflecting layer 121 disposed on the photon incidence side, and a concentration means 122 is provided at a position corresponding to the window. Further, a transparent layer 136 is provided between the photoelectric conversion means and a second reflecting layer 120. A structure where photons that entered between the two reflecting layers do not flow outside is preferably employed as the shape of the second reflecting layer 120. According to the present invention, detection sensitivity of a solid-state imaging element and a photo-detector using the same is improved, and a personal authentication system carrying a photo-detector showing improved detection sensitivity is provided. |
| US07709771B2 |
Packaging pouch for microwave oven
An inexpensive packaging pouch for use in a microwave oven, in which the packaging pouch can be prevented from opening at the base part of a branch section when used for retorting or for cooking in the microwave oven, and pressure in the packaging pouch can be automatically released when the pouch is used for cooking in the microwave oven. A packaging pouch for microwave oven hermetically sealed by heat-sealing a plastic film is provided with a branch section, and a vapor release seal part having at least one weakened part is formed at the branch section. Opening preventive means are provided at the branch section and inside a peripheral edge seal part, facing the branch section, of a packaging pouch body. |
| US07709769B2 |
Steam cooker
In a steam cooker, a tray-shaped case (51) of a steam temperature-raising device (50) has a recessed part (51a) into which steam from a steam generator flows through steam supply ports (95A, 95B, 95C) provided in a first sidewall (91). The recessed part (51a) has a planar shape roughly symmetrical with respect to a center line (L) of a steam flow entering through the steam supply ports (95A, 95B, and 95C). First and second steam superheaters (52, 53) are placed in the recessed part (51a) of the tray-shaped case (51) so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center line (L). A spiral heat radiation fin (56) having a fin pitch of 10 mm or less is wound around the first steam superheater (52). The tray-shaped case (51) is placed on a ceiling panel of a heating chamber and at steam outlets with an opening of the recessed part (51a) directed downward. |
| US07709767B2 |
Laser processing method
A laser processing method by which an object to be processed can be cut with a high precision is provided. The laser processing method of the present invention irradiates a planar object to be processed 1 with laser light L while locating a light-converging point P within the object 1. Initially, a first modified region 71 to become a start point for cutting is formed along a first line to cut 5a in the object 1. Subsequently, along a second line to cut 5b intersecting the line to cut 5a, a second modified region 72 to become a start point for cutting is formed so as to intersect at least a part of the modified region 71. Then, a fourth modified region 73 to become a start point for cutting is formed along the line to cut 5b. Thereafter, between the modified region 71 and an entrance face 1a of the object 1 where the laser light L is incident, a third modified region 74 to become a start point for cutting is formed along the line to cut 5a so as to intersect at least a part of the modified region 73. |
| US07709763B2 |
Rotational based actuator configured to impart linear movement
A rotational based actuator configured to impart linear movement. The actuator may be suitable for use in any number of applications where a disk or other feature may be rotated over a wedge to impart linear movement. The forces used to generate the rotation movement may be imparted by the wedge against an element, causing the element to move linearly with the disk. |
| US07709761B1 |
Electrical device cradle with multiple integral support regions
An electrical device can include a cradle having a plurality of integral cradle support regions. A trough is formed through each cradle support region. Each cradle support region includes an aperture that is configured to receive an actuator assembly. Each actuator assembly is movable to open and close electrical connections in the electrical device when the cradle is installed in the electrical device. |
| US07709757B2 |
Microsystem comprising a deformable bridge
The invention relates to a microsystem comprising a deformable bridge, the ends of which are connected to a substrate. According to the invention, at least one actuation electrode, which is solidly connected to the bridge, is disposed between the center of the bridge and one of the ends next to a counter electrode which is solidly connected to the substrate. The electrodes are intended to deform the deformable bridge such that a lower face of the bridge comes into contact with a contact element formed on the substrate. |
| US07709752B2 |
Laser surgery station power system
A surgery power station incorporates a pedestal having at least one internal power panel and a conduit extending from the pedestal and communicating with the interior of the pedestal through a first aperture. The conduit extends upward for engagement to an electrical box integral with a ceiling structure of an operating theater. A channel extends through the conduit and is connected to a central support structure within the pedestal providing a race for primary electrical cabling routed through the ceiling structure from a remote UPS to the operating theater. A primary electrical panel is mounted to the central support structure and connected to the primary electrical cabling. The primary electrical panel provides operating power electrical connectors for an operating theater system such as an opthamological surgery laser. A reagent gas line extends through the conduit and terminates in a connector on the pedestal for connection to the operating theater system. |
| US07709749B2 |
Housing for shielding from electromagnetic interference
Housing for shielding from electromagnetic interference, comprising a first housing component with a first VELCRO-type fastening element and a second housing component with a second VELCRO-type fastening element each made of conductive material, wherein an aperture between the first housing component and the second housing component is closed in an electromagnetically-sealing manner by a third VELCRO-type fastening element made of conductive material. |
| US07709745B2 |
Circuit board with plating bar
A circuit board includes a pad, a transmitting trace and a plating bar. The plating bar is used for forming an electroplating metallic layer on the pad, the pad and the transmitting trace are used for the signal transmission. Due to the plating bar causes a noise during the signal transmission, a dielectric layer having at least one opening is adjacent to at least one side of the plating bar to reduce the equivalent dielectric permittivity thereof and to maintain signal transmitting quality. |
| US07709744B2 |
Gas venting component mounting pad
Venting for component mounting pads of surface mount circuit boards allows the escape of gases from the junction between an electrical component and its associated mounting pad during soldering and facilitates a more complete and effective solder joint between the component base and pad. The venting may be accomplished by either one or more through holes in the board through the pads to allow undesirable gases to escape to the underside of the board, or by one or more solder free channels formed in the pad to allow the gases to escape through the periphery of the pad. |
| US07709743B2 |
Integrated insulator seal and shield assemblies
An integrated insulator sealing and shielding assembly includes a rubber housing having a plurality of radial weathersheds and a tapered end adjacent an endmost radial weathershed. A metal fitting is disposed adjacent to the endmost radial weathershed and receives the tapered end. A collar assembly is disposed at an upper end of the metal fitting and includes two apertures between an outer surface thereof and the rubber housing for receiving a sealant. At least one sealing surface, preferably four, is disposed between the collar assembly and a bottom end of the rubber housing for securing the connection therebetween. |
| US07709742B2 |
Superconductor cable
A superconductor cable is described, having a superconductive flexible cable core (1) , which is laid in a cryostat (2, 3, 4), in which the cable core (1) runs in the cryostat (2, 3, 4) in the form of a wave or helix at room temperature. |
| US07709739B2 |
Elbow connection for multiple-wire electric cable
This invention relates to an elbow connection (10) for an electric cable (6) with several wires (5).According to the invention, the connection (10) comprises a fluted central carrier (1) running longitudinally (L), made up of a flexible stem (2), comprising several substantially parallel recesses (4), and a strengthening rod (3), arranged at the core of the stem (2) and suitable for being bent. |
| US07709734B2 |
Electronic device having holding members
An electronic device, comprises a cage (10) and a peripheral component (20). The cage comprises an inner sidewall (14), and an external sidewall (12) parallel to the inner sidewall, a receiving slot (15) formed between the inner sidewall and the external sidewall, and a shaft (152) formed at an end of the receiving slot with two ends of the shaft respectively connected with the inner sidewall and the external sidewall. The external sidewall comprises a plurality of hooks (126) thereon, and the hooks are above and across the receiving slot. The peripheral component defines a groove (22) in a side thereof. The groove corresponds to the shaft. The peripheral component further comprises a plurality of holding slots corresponding to the hooks. |
| US07709731B2 |
Electric power supply and a method of production thereof
A power supply system including an element connected to a remote power supply source or power consumer through an electric power supply device. The element is movably arranged in relation the source or consumer in an environment in which at least a part of the power supply device is subjected to water and water vapor and to repeated bending motion due to the movement of the element. The electric power supply device includes an electric cable that includes a conductor and at least one layer of an electrically insulating material applied on the outside of the conductor. The device includes a member for preventing water and vapor intrusion into the layer. The member includes a flexible, watertight, vapor impermeable, fatigue resistant, separate tubing that surrounds the electric cable. |
| US07709730B2 |
Dual trough concentrating solar photovoltaic module
A solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system. The collector may have a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, a plurality of solar receivers positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector, and a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework. |
| US07709729B2 |
Thin film solar cell inflatable ultraviolet rigidizable deployment hinge
A flexible inflatable hinge includes curable resin for rigidly positioning panels of solar cells about the hinge in which wrap around contacts and flex circuits are disposed for routing power from the solar cells to the power bus further used for grounding the hinge. An indium tin oxide and magnesium fluoride coating is used to prevent static discharge while being transparent to ultraviolet light that cures the embedded resin after deployment for rigidizing the inflatable hinge. |
| US07709728B2 |
Multiband semiconductor compositions for photovoltaic devices
The highly mismatched alloy Zn1-yMnyOxTe1-x, 0≦y<1 and 0 |
| US07709727B2 |
Circuit arrangement for a photovoltaic system
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for controlling/regulating photovoltaic systems (10b) which comprise a plurality of solar generators (14b) connected in series or/and connected in parallel. In order to prevent power loss of solar generators, which is based on the fact that not all solar generators are operated in the MPP thereof, each solar generator is associated with a variable energy bypass (68b) that is controlled/regulated in such a manner that each solar generator (14b) is operated continuously in its respective current specific MPP. |
| US07709724B2 |
Performance apparatus and tone generation method
Plural key switches are arranged in two dimensions along X- and Y-coordinate axes, and an X-coordinate position of each of the key switches is associated with tone generation timing while a Y-coordinate position of each of the key switches is associated with a tone pitch. Storage section stores a music piece data set that includes tone generating data having data of tone pitches and tone generation timing associated with the key switches. In a repeat-section setting mode, a repeat-section setting section causes the plural key switches to function as setting operators and sets a repeat section of the music piece data set on the basis of the X-coordinate position of any operated one of the key switches. In reproduction of the stored music piece data set, a reproduction section repetitively reproduces the tone generating data of the music piece data set which are included in the set repeat section. |
| US07709722B2 |
Audio signal processing apparatus
An audio signal processing apparatus has a plurality of nodes which include a node in operation and a node on standby for redundancy. Both the node in operation and the node on standby execute the same signal processing on input same audio signals in accordance with supplied same control signals, respectively. Only the node in operation is permitted to output the frame in which the processed audio signals are contained, and the node on standby is prohibited from outputting the frame to the audio bus. In response to a switch instruction, in a sampling cycle, the node in operation turns to be on standby and the node on standby turns to be in operation. |
| US07709716B1 |
Foldable music pedal
A foldable music pedal has a stand, a base assembly and a pedal. The stand has a cross bar, a seat and a moving element. The cross bar is defined opposite to the seat. The seat has an inserting recess. The moving element is retractably mounted through the cross bar. The base assembly has a casing base and an inserting base. The casing base is connected pivotally to the seat. The inserting base is movably inserted through the casing base and inserted into the inserting recess of the seat of the stand, and has a connecting end and a bolt. The connecting end of the inserting base extends out of the casing base opposite to the stand. The bolt detachably connects to the casing base and the inserting base. The pedal has two ends respectively connected pivotally to the connecting end of the inserting base and the moving element. |
| US07709713B1 |
Mounting plate and vibrato assembly for vibrato system on a guitar
A vibrato mounting bracket for a guitar, said vibrato unit having a frame having: a) a generally fiat central portion extending from a bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar, said flat central portion having four vibrato, unit attachment openings therethrough; b) a bottom portion extending from the central portion over the bottom peripheral edge portion of the guitar and having a lower strap screw attachment opening therethrough; and, c) an upper portion extending above the central portion having two opposite lateral openings therethrough spaced to align with i) the two outer string stop bar screws on the guitar, or ii) the two outer bridge attachment screws on the guitar where said guitar has a bridge attachment screw, or iii) the bridge height adjustment screws. The front face and the sound box are then better able to vibrate thereby producing maximum resonance and depth of sound. |
| US07709710B1 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV016780
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV016780. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV016780, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV016780 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 CV016780 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 CV016780. |
| US07709707B1 |
Inbred corn line BS315
An inbred corn line, designated BS315, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line BS315, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line BS315 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line BS315 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line BS315, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line BS315 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods. |
| US07709706B2 |
Cotton variety 04P024
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 04P024. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 04P024. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 04P024 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 04P024 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07709696B2 |
Transgenic mice generated by transposition and uses thereof
A method of inducing transposition in a transgenic embryo, sperm and egg is described, comprising the steps of (a) generating a first adult transgenic organism comprising within its genome one or more copies of a transposon; (b) generating a second adult transgenic organism comprising within its genome one or more copies of a gene encoding a transposase cognate for the transposon and/or a sequence capable of regulating expression of the gene encoding the transposase; (c) crossing the first adult transgenic organism with the second transgenic adult organism to provide a progeny which comprises, in the genome of one or more of its cells, both (i) one or more copies of the transposon and (ii) a gene encoding a transposase cognate for the transposon, wherein the gene encoding the transposase is under the control of one or more inducible regulatory sequences which permit expression of the transposase, and (d) expressing the gene encoding the transposase in the embryo, sperm or egg to cause mobilization of the transposon within a portion of the tissues or cells of the progeny. Using the method, mobilization of a transposon can advantageously be induced at predetermined stages of development of an embryo, sperm or egg and the mutated gene of a single cell may be replicated in subsequent cell divisions, resulting in groups of cells which are essentially homogenous for the transposed gene. |
| US07709694B2 |
Materials with covalently-bonded, nonleachable, polymeric antimicrobial surfaces
This invention relates to methods and compositions for materials having a non-leaching coating that has antimicrobial properties. The coating is applied to substrates such as gauze-type wound dressings. Covalent, non-leaching, non-hydrolyzable bonds are formed between the substrate and the polymer molecules that form the coating. A high concentration of anti-microbial groups on multi-length polymer chains and relatively long average chain lengths, contribute to an absorbent or superabsorbent surface with a high level antimicrobial effect. |
| US07709689B2 |
Homogenous process for the hydrogenation of carboxylic acids and derivatives thereof
A homogenous process for the hydrogenation of the carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof in the presence of a catalyst comprising ruthenium, rhodium, iron, osmium or palladium, and an organic phosphine is described in which the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of at least about 1% by weight water. A process for regenerating a catalyst comprising ruthenium, rhodium, iron, osmium or palladium and an organic phosphine is also described in which the regeneration is carried out in the presence of hydrogen and water. |
| US07709688B2 |
Method for the production of menthol
Processes comprising: (a) enantioselectively hydrogenating a staffing material comprising a component selected from geraniol, nerol and mixtures thereof to form optically active citronellol; (b) converting the optically active citronellol to optically active citronellal; (c) cyclizing the optically active citronellal to form a mixture comprising optically active isopulegol; and (d) subjecting the mixture to further processing comprising: (i) separating the optically active isopulegol from the mixture and hydrogenating the separated optically active isopulegol to form optically active menthol; or (ii) hydrogenating the optically active isopulegol in the mixture to form optically active menthol and separating the optically active menthol from the mixture. |
| US07709686B2 |
Preparation of glutaraldehyde
Provided is a process for the preparation of glutaraldehyde. The process comprises reacting an alkoxydihydropyran with water in the presence of an acidic catalyst. The alcohol by-product distilled from the reaction mixture is subjected to a heterogeneous catalyst that is located external to the distillation column used for distilling the alcohol, thereby increasing glutaraldehyde yield and decreasing the level of alkoxydihydropyran contamination in the alcohol. |
| US07709684B2 |
Process for preparing substituted biphenyls
A process for preparing substituted biphenyls of the formula I in which the substituents are defined as follows: X is fluorine or chlorine; R1 is nitro, amino or NHR3; R2 is cyano, nitro, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkenyl, C1-C6-alkynyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl or phenyl; R3 is C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkenyl or C1-C4-alkynyl; n is 1, 2 or 3, where in case that n is 2 or 3, the R2 radicals may also be different, which comprises reacting the compound of the formula II in which Hal is halogen and X and R1 are as defined above, in the presence of a base and of a palladium catalyst selected from the group of: a) palladium-triarylphosphine or -trialkylphosphine complex with palladium in the zero oxidation state, b) salt of palladium in the presence of triarylphospine or trialkylphosphine as a complex ligand or c) metallic palladium, optionally applied to support, in the presence of triarylphosphine or trialkylphosphine, in a solvent, with a diphenylborinic acid (III) in which R2 and n are as defined above, where the triarylphosphines or trialkylphosphines used may be substituted. |
| US07709682B2 |
Lysine salts of 4-((phenoxyalkyl)thio)-phenoxyacetic acid derivatives
The present invention is directed to a novel lysine salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of disorders and conditions modulated by PPAR delta. The present invention is further directed to a novel process for the preparation of said lysine salts. |
| US07709680B2 |
Preparation of polyisocyanates containing uretdione groups using phosphine catalysts
The invention provides a process for isocyanate dimerization (uretdione formation) and a process for preparing polyisocyanates having a high content of uretdione groups, using specific phosphines as catalysts. The phosphines have one or two tertiary alkyl radicals bound directly to phosphorus. |
| US07709675B2 |
Continuous method for the production of linear pentene nitriles
A process is described for continuously hydrocyanating 1,3-butadiene in the presence of at least one nickel(0) catalyst with chelate ligands, wherein 1,3-butadiene and hydrogen cyanide are used in a molar ratio of from 1.6:1 to 1.1:1. |
| US07709673B2 |
Process for making 3-pentenenitrile by hydrocyanation of butadiene
The invention provides a continuous process for the production of 3-pentenenitrile comprising: (a) contacting, in a reaction zone, a hydrogen cyanide-containing feed, a butadiene-containing feed, and a catalyst precursor composition, wherein the catalyst precursor composition comprises a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand selected from a member of the group represented by Structures I and II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited: wherein R1 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1 to C5 hydrocarbyl, and R2, R3, R4, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1 to C4 hydrocarbyl; and (b) maintaining a residence time in the reaction zone sufficient to convert about 95% or more of the hydrogen cyanide and to produce a reaction mixture comprising 3-pentenenitrile and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile, wherein the 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile concentration is maintained below about 15 weight percent of the total mass of the reaction mixture. |
| US07709668B2 |
Separation technology
A process for extracting a wide range of lipophilic compounds from urea-containing solutions is described. The process utilises a near-critical fluid as the extraction solvent. The process is particularly applicable to the extraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids from the filtrate obtained upon urea fractionation, as employed in the processing of fish and other oils. In contrast to known processes, the lipophilic compounds may be extracted without the use of non-food grade solvents, and are suitable for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use. |
| US07709666B2 |
Transgenic plants containing altered levels of sterol compounds and tocopherols
Provided are recombinant constructs comprising DNA sequences encoding enzymes effective in altering the biosynthesis and accumulation of sterol compounds and tocopherols in transgenic plants. Also provided are methods of using such constructs to produce transgenic plants, seeds of which contain elevated levels of sitostanol and/or sitostanol esters, and α-tocopherol, as well as reduced levels of campesterol and campestanol and their corresponding esters. These seeds also contain the novel sterol brassicastanol. Oil obtained from seeds of such transgenic plants is also provided. This oil can be used to prepare food and pharmaceutical compositions effective in lowering the level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol in blood serum. In addition, novel DNA sequences encoding plant steroid 5α-reductases are also disclosed. |
| US07709662B2 |
Method of manufacturing (S)-N-methyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine hydrochloride (duloxetine)
A method of preparation of (S)-N-methyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine of formula (I) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, in which (RS)-N,N-dimethyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine of formula (III) is reacted with an optically active acid, after which a crystallization is made of that diastereoisomer which yields, by reaction with an inorganic or organic base, (S)-N,N-dimethyl-3-(1-naphthyloxy)-3-(2-thienyl)propylamine of formula (S)-III, which is then demethylated using alkylchloroformates, followed by a hydrolysis and optional conversion of the compound of formula (I) to its salt. |
| US07709658B2 |
Process for synthesizing a substituted pyrazole
The present invention relates to substituted pyrazoles, compositions containing such compounds and methods of treatment. The compounds are glucagon receptor antagonists and thus are useful for treating, preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus. |
| US07709657B2 |
Process for the synthesis of organic compounds
The present invention provides an efficient, safe and cost effective way to prepare 5-(4-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-benzenamine which is an intermediate for the preparation of substituted pyrimidinylaminobenzamides of formula (II): |
| US07709656B2 |
Ionic liquids containing guanidinium cations
The present invention relates to salts having guanidinium cations, to processes for the preparation thereof, and to the use thereof as ionic liquids. |
| US07709654B2 |
Process for producing oxazole, imidazole, pyrrazole boryl compounds
Process for the preparation of oxazole, imidazole, and pyraxole boryl compounds. The compounds are intermediates to functionalized compounds, both natural and synthetic which are cytotoxic, anticancer and antiviral agents. |
| US07709653B2 |
Asymmetric cyanine compounds, their preparation methods and their uses
Asymmetric cyanine compounds represented by general formula I are provided, wherein X, n, R1, R2, R3, R4 and Y− are as defined in the specification. They have a maximum absorption peak at about 640 nm which may not change with ambient temperature. When the compounds bind a nucleic acid to form a dye/nucleic acid complex, the fluorescence intensity of the complexes will increased rapidly, so that they can be used as a staining agent for nucleic acids in flow cytometers. Their spectra are in the near-infrared region, which can effectively reduce the interference from background fluorescence and improve the accuracy of detection. Moreover, the compounds provided can also be used as a staining agent for blood reticulocytes. |
| US07709650B2 |
Process for the preparation of 2-substituted-5-(1-alkylthio)alkylpyridines
2-Substituted-5-(1-alkylthio)alkylpyridines are produced efficiently and in high yield from a non-pyridine source by cyclization. |
| US07709648B2 |
Process for the preparation of 2-substituted-5-(1-alkylthio)alkylpyridines
2-Substituted-5-(1-alkylthio)alkylpyridines are produced efficiently and in high yield. |
| US07709644B2 |
Process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane
The present invention relates to a process for the enantiomeric enrichment of cis-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane with the aid of continuous countercurrent chromatography, which is also described as SMB chromatography (SMB=simulated moving bed).In a further aspect, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of (1S,6R)-8-benzyl-7,9-dioxo-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane using the aforementioned process, which furthermore includes a racemization step. |
| US07709642B2 |
Spirohydantoin compounds and methods for the modulation of chemokine receptor activity
Novel compounds represented by formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined herein, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates and solvates thereof, are useful for the modulation of CCR5 chemokine receptor activity. |
| US07709633B2 |
Ink formulations comprising gallium naphthalocyanines
There is provided an aqueous formulation comprising an IR-absorbing naphthalocyanine dye of formula (II): or a salt form thereof, wherein: M is Ga(A1); A1 is an axial ligand selected from —OH, halogen, —OR3, —OC(O)R4 or —O(CH2CH2O)eRe wherein e is an integer from 2 to 10 and Re is H, C1-8 alkyl or C(O)C1-8 alkyl; R1 and R2 may be the same or different and are selected from hydrogen or C1-12 alkoxy; R3 is selected from C1-12 alkyl, C5-12 aryl, C5-12 arylalkyl or Si(Rx)(Ry)(Rz); R4 is selected from C1-12 alkyl, C5-12 aryl or C5-12 arylalkyl; and Rx, Ry and Rz may be the same or different and are selected from C1-12 alkyl, C5-12 aryl, C5-12 arylalkyl, C1-12 alkoxy, C5-12 aryloxy or C5-12 arylalkoxy; The formulation has a pH in the range of 3.5 to 7 and is particularly suitable for use as an IR-absorbing inkjet ink, providing compatibility with known CMYK inks together with an optimally red-shifted λmax. |
| US07709631B2 |
Oxidized microbial cellulose and use thereof
This application describes a bioresorbable biocellulose suitable for medical and surgical applications. In particular, the invention describes periodate oxidized microbial cellulose that can be produced to have any mechanical and degradation profile, depending on the desired application of the oxidized cellulose. |
| US07709629B2 |
siRNA targeting diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase homolog 2 (DGAT2)
Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to nucleotide sequences for DGAT2. |
| US07709626B2 |
Primer for nucleic acid detection
This application provides universal labeled primers for detection and amplification of nucleic acid molecules. These universal primers can be attached to the 5′-end of a target sequence-specific primer. In particular examples, the universal primer includes a labeled nucleotide flanked on both sides a nucleotide whose complement nucleotides changes a detectable signal from the label when the universal primer hybridizes with its complementary nucleic acid molecule. Also disclosed are methods of using the universal primer in nucleic acid amplification, such as real-time PCR. |
| US07709619B2 |
DNAzymes and sensors incorporating the same
An arsenic ion active DNAzyme includes a nucleotide sequence, which has a base sequence selected from ATCTCCTCCTGTTC (SEQ ID NO: 62), ATCTGCTCCTGTTC (SEQ ID NO: 63), ATCTCCTCATGTTC (SEQ ID NO: 64), ATCTCCTCTTGTTC (SEQ ID NO: 65), ATCTCCAACCTGTTC (SEQ ID NO: 66), and CCGTAGCGCAAAT (SEQ ID NO: 67). A mercury ion active DNAzyme includes a nucleotide sequence, which has a base sequence selected from AATTCCGTAGGTCCAGTG (SEQ ID NO: 68), AATTCCGTCGGTCCAGTG (SEQ ID NO: 69), AATTCCGCCGGTCCAGTG (SEQ ID NO: 70), GGTTCCGAGTCTCGCGTG (SEQ ID NO: 71), and CGTTCAAAAGGGGCACTG (SEQ ID NO: 72). Sensors incorporating the respective DNAzymes are also disclosed. |
| US07709618B2 |
BTL-II nucleic acids
The invention provides isolated BTL-II proteins, nucleic acids, antibodies, antagonists, and agonists and methods of making and using the same. Diagnostic, screening, and therapeutic methods using the compositions of the invention are provided. For example, the compositions of the invention can be used for diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases and for enhancing a mucosal immune response to an antigen. |
| US07709613B2 |
Rhenium-188 and rhenium-186 for treatment of tumors expressing a Na+/I− symporter
This invention provides methods of using Rhenium radioisotopes to detect and treat tumors that express a Na+/I− symporter. The invention also provides compositions and methods of making compositions comprising Rhenium radioisotopes for detection and treatment of tumors that express a Na+/I− symporter. |
| US07709609B2 |
Tumor suppressor gene, p47ING3
The invention provides isolated nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of novel human tumor suppressors, antibodies to such tumor suppressors, methods of detecting such nucleic acids and proteins, methods of screening for modulators of tumor suppressors, and methods of diagnosing and treating tumors with such nucleic acids and proteins. |
| US07709607B2 |
Adiponectin variants
An adiponectin variant with one or more amino acid modifications relative to a corresponding parent adiponectin, wherein the solubility of the variant is improved by at least 3-fold relative to residues 110-244 of human adiponectin. |
| US07709606B2 |
Interacting polypeptide comprising a heptapeptide pattern and a cellular penetration domain
The invention relates to an interacting polypeptide consisting of or comprising a heptapeptide pattern of sequence X1X2X3X4X5X6X7 and a transduction domain, characterized in that it is a chimera polypeptide, the amino acid X7 is located between 5 and 35 amino acids of the C-terminal end of said polypeptide, and that the domain (b) is situated in C-terminal relative to pattern (a). The invention also relates to screening methods for identifying interacting polypeptides capable of modifying the phenotype of a cell and to uses of interacting polypeptides as mentioned in phenotypic screens or for therapeutic purposes. Lastly, the invention concerns interacting polypeptides capable of modifying the function of the HIV-1 Rev viral protein. |
| US07709604B2 |
Selective incorporation of 5-hydroxytryptophan into proteins in mammalian cells
This invention provides methods and compositions for incorporation of an unnatural amino acid into a peptide using an orthogonal aminoacyl tRNA synthetase/tRNA pair. In particular, an orthogonal pair is provided to incorporate 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan in a position encoded by an opal mutation. |
| US07709589B2 |
Low temperature curable polyurethane compositions containing uretdione groups
The invention relates to high-reactivity polyurethane compositions. The invention further relates to low temperature curable polyurethane compositions which contain uretdione groups, particularly useful for polyurethane powder coating compositions and adhesive compositions, and to processes for preparing and using the same. |
| US07709586B2 |
Olefin polymerization catalyst and olefin polymerization process using the same
An olefin polymerization catalyst which includes an organometallic compound of the following Formula 1; aluminoxane; and an organic transition metal compound of the following Formula 2: M1R11R2mR3n or R2mR3nM1R11M1R2mR3n [Formula 1 ] in Formula 1, M1 is selected from the group consisting of Group 2A, 2B and 3A of the Periodic Table, R1 is cyclic hydrocarbyl group of 5 to 30 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are independently hydrocarbyl group of 1 to 24 carbon atoms, l is an integer of more than 1, m and n are independently an integer of 0 to 2, l+m+n is equal to the valence of M1, Q is a divalent group; M2R4pXq [Formula 2 ] in Formula 2, M2 is Ti, Zr or Hf; R4 is cyclic hydrocarbyl group of 5 to 30 carbon atoms, X is halogen atom, p is an integer of 0 or 1, q is an integer of 3 or 4, p+q is equal to the valence of metal M2. |
| US07709585B1 |
Ethylene recovery from a polymerization process
A method for solution polymerizing ethylene wherein an ethane purge stream is separated, subjected to high efficiency cryogenic distillation, and a side cut from that distillation recycled to the polymerization process while the overhead and bottoms from that distillation are removed from the polymerization process. |
| US07709583B2 |
Sulfur-containing cyclic olefin resin and its production method
A sulfur-containing cyclic olefin resin comprising a unit represented by the following general formula (1) and having a weight average molecular weight of from 1,000 to 1,000,000. (Here, R1 to R6 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aromatic group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a cyano group, an alkoxy group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic compound, further R3 to R6 may be a halogen atom, R3 and R4, and R5 and R6 may form a ring containing carbon, oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen, R7 and R8′ each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, . . . represents a single bond or a double bond, and l and m each is 0 or 1.) |
| US07709582B2 |
Epoxy resin composition for fiber reinforced composite material, a production method for fiber reinforced composite material, and a fiber reinforced composite material
An embodiment of the invention relates to an epoxy resin composition for fiber reinforced composite material having an epoxy resin that is liquid at room temperature (component 1), aromatic polyamine that is liquid at room temperature (component 2) and diaminodiphenylsulfone (component 3). The proportion of component (1) relative to the entire epoxy resin in the composition is 60-100 wt %. The sum of the proportions of components (2) and (3) relative to the entire polyamine in the composition is 70-100 wt %. The proportion of component (3) relative to the entire polyamine in the composition is 25-60 wt %. The stoichiometric ratio of the entire polyamine to the entire epoxy resin in the composition is 0.7-1.3. Additional embodiments of the invention relate to other aspects of the invention. |
| US07709579B2 |
Curable compositions for advanced processes, and products made therefrom
Curable compositions, such as benzoxazine-based ones, are useful in applications within the aerospace industry, such as for example as a heat curable composition for use as a matrix resin in advanced processes, such as resin transfer molding, vacuum assisted transfer molding and resin film infusion, and their use in such advanced processes form the basis of the present invention. |
| US07709578B2 |
Adhesive for polarizing plate, polarizing plate, manufacturing method therefor, optical film and image display
An adhesive of the present invention is used for polarizing plate to provide a transparent protective film on at least one side of a polarizer and comprises a resin solution comprising a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, a crosslinking agent and a leveling agent containing an acetylene skeleton-containing compound, wherein 0.01 to 10 parts by weight of the leveling agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the polyvinyl alcohol-based resin. The adhesive for polarizing plate can provide a satisfactory wettability when applied to transparent protective films and allows the production of polarizing plates to have water resistance at high temperature and satisfactory optical properties. |
| US07709571B2 |
Multicomponent lubricant composition for processing rigid vinyl chloride polymers
Lubricant compositions and processes for producing such lubricant compositions. More specifically, low viscosity lubricant compositions for the working surface of an extrusion die during the processing of plastics that require lubricants to render them processable, such as polyvinyl chloride, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride and copolymers thereof. The lubricant composition may include up to about 70% by weight of at least one metal salt while maintaining a melt viscosity low enough to process on conventional finishing equipment such as prill towers or pastillating equipment. |
| US07709570B2 |
Surface modification of triblock copolymer elastomers
Thermoplastic elastomers may be manufactured by mixing together plasticizing oil, a triblock copolymer and one or more additives, e.g., an antioxidant, an antimicrobial agent, and/or other additives, to form a mixture which is melted then cooled into the thermoplastic elastomer. During cooling the thermoplastic elastomer may be molded or otherwise formed into any number of articles including, but not limited to, prosthetic liners, prosthetic sleeves, external breast prostheses, breast enhancement bladders, wound dressing sheets, wound dressing pads, socks, gloves, malleolus pads, metatarsal pads, shoe insoles, urinary catheters, vascular catheters and balloons for medical catheters both vascular as well as urinary. |
| US07709566B2 |
Polytetrafluoroethylene aqueous dispersion and its product
To provide a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) aqueous dispersion, which does not substantially contain ammonium perfluorooctanoate and is excellent in mechanical stability, wettability, permeability and coating property, and its product.A PTFE aqueous dispersion comprising from 15 to 70 mass % of PTFE fine particles having an average particle size of from 0.1 to 0.5 μm, from 1×10−5 to 0.5 mass %, based on the mass of the PTFE, of a fluorinated emulsifier of the formula (1): XCF2CF2(O)mCF2CF2OCF2COOA, wherein X is a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom, A is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal or NH4 and m is an integer of 0 or 1, and from 1 to 20 mass %, based on the mass of the PTFE, of a nonionic surfactant. |
| US07709556B2 |
Radiation and radiochemically sterilized absorbable devices with dose-controlled functional strength retention
Absorbable radiation or radiochemically sterilized medical devices, including sutures, whose breaking strength and absorption profile can be modulated by controlling the total dose received during sterilization are disclosed. |
| US07709555B2 |
Coating composition based on thiol-NCO curing
Coating composition comprising one or more polythiols and one or more polyisocyanates and a latent base catalyst which is activatable by moisture, wherein the equivalence ratio NCO:SH is between 1:2 and 2:1. The latent catalyst is selected from the group of oxazolidine, aldimine, ketimine, and enamine. The latent catalyst is present in an amount of up to 20% relative to the weight of the curable material. The composition further comprises one or more photoinitiators in an amount of up to 4% relative to the weight of the curable material. |
| US07709553B2 |
Photo cation polymerizable resin composition and surface protective material for optical disk
The invention provides a cation polymerizable resin composition excellent in curing properties and corrosion resistance with less resin coloration and less cure shrinkage, which is a material suitable as a surface protective material for optical disk. Specifically, the cation polymerizable resin composition comprises an epoxy compound (A) as an essential ingredient represented by formula 1 wherein R1 and R2 each represent a saturated or unsaturated carbon atom, and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a saturated or unsaturated carbon atom, a cation polymerizable compound (B) other than the epoxy compound represented by formula 1, a photo cation polymerization initiator (C) and a photo radical polymerization initiator (D). |
| US07709552B2 |
Organic/inorganic composite
An organic/inorganic composite including a condensation product of an organic silicon compound represented by formula (I) as a major component; at least one kind of a photosensitive compound which is sensitive to light having a wavelength of 350 nm or less selected from the group consisting of metal chelate compounds, compounds of metal organic acid salts, metal compounds having 2 or more hydroxyl or hydrolyzable groups, hydrolyzates thereof, and condensation products thereof; and/or a compound derived from the photosensitive compound; RnSiX4-n (I) wherein R represents an organic group in which carbon directly bonds to Si represented in the formula and X represents a hydroxyl or hydrolyzable group; n represents 1 or 2; R may be the same or different when n is 2; and X may be the same or different when (4-n) is 2 or more. |
| US07709543B2 |
Flammable blowing agent control and blend systems for PUR/PIR foam
A system and a method of providing PUR/PIR foam using flammable blowing agent. The flammable blowing agent is introduced to PUR/PIR manufacturing equipment via an independent feed-line. This enables a flammable blowing agent storage vessel to be located off site from the foam manufacturing equipment. The independent flammable blowing agent feed-line couples the off-site flammable blowing agent storage vessel with the foam production system. The preferred flammable blowing agent is pentane. |
| US07709540B2 |
Method for preparing organic ligand-capped titanium dioxide nanocrystals
The present invention belongs to a method for preparing organic ligand-capped titanium dioxide nanocrystals, wherein the method comprises steps of using methyl titanate, ethyl titanate, n-propyl titanate, iso-propyl titanate, butyl titanate or titanium tetrachloride as a titanium source, and with capping by oleic acid or an organic capping agent, reacting the titanium source in an organic non-polar solvent with an aqueous alkaline substance solution in the interface at a temperature of 25 to 280° C. for 0.5 to 240 hrs, thus a transparent sol containing titanium dioxide nanocrystals is obtained, said the titanium dioxide nanocrystals have particle diameters of 1-20 nm. The preparing process has the features of mild reaction conditions and is a simpler and easier method with a shorter preparation period, thereby facilitating the industrialization. |
| US07709537B1 |
Food materials useful in preventing and ameliorating metabolic bone diseases and preventives/remedies for metabolic bone diseases comprising these materials
This invention relates to drinks and foods having osteogenetic function, each of which comprises as an active ingredient an effective amount of a culture of a propionic acid bacterium and/or a lactic acid bacterium, said culture containing 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone; and preventives and/or remedies for metabolic bone diseases, each of which comprises as an active ingredient a naphthoquinone compound selected from the group consisting of 2-amino-3-carboxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, 5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 8-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-(α-hydroxy-δ-methylpentenyl)-5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and salts thereof. These cultures and naphthoquinones promote bone metabolism and increase bone mass and bone strength. |
| US07709533B2 |
Imines as ion channel modulators
The present invention provides a class of chemical compounds useful in the treatment of sickle cell disease, diseases characterized by unwanted or abnormal cell proliferation and for the treatment of ocular disorders such as glaucoma. The active compounds are tri-(aryl or heteroaryl) methane compounds or analogues thereof which further comprise an imine moiety and where the tertiary carbon atom can be replaced with a different atom such as Si, Ge, N or P. The compounds enhance resistance to degradation in a biological medium, inhibit potassium flux in a cell, reduce mammalian cell proliferation, reduce the Gardos channel of erythrocytes, reduce sickle erythrocyte dehydration and/or delay the occurrence of erythrocyte sickling or deformation. |
| US07709530B2 |
Rodenticidal composition in the form of vegetable paste
The present invention relates to a rodenticidal composition in the form of fresh paste for enticing mice and rats wherein the flour used is mainly of a vegetable origin and the fatty matter incorporated essentially consists of palm oil. |
| US07709529B2 |
Treatment of cancer with glutamine
Provided are methods of treating cancer, and/or the side effects of cancer therapy, involving the administration of glutamine, optionally in combination with a carbohydrate carrier that enhances the absorption of glutamine. |
| US07709525B2 |
Chroman-derived anti-androgens for treatment of androgen-mediated disorders
Methods for the prevention and/or alleviation of androgen-mediated disorders treatable by administering a chroman-derived anti-androgen compound are provided by the present invention. The invention further provides pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compositions containing chroman-derived anti-androgen compounds useful in the prevention and/or alleviation of androgen-mediated disorders, particularly prostate cancer. |
| US07709524B2 |
Use of tellurium compounds for inhibition of interleukin-converting enzyme
Use of tellurium-containing compounds for treating conditions in which inhibition of caspase-1/interleukin-1β enzyme (ICE) is beneficial is disclosed. |
| US07709523B2 |
Alpha-aminoamide derivatives useful as antimigraine agents
α-Aminoamide derivatives useful as antimigraine agents, particularly for the treatment of head pain conditions such as migraine, cluster headache or other severe headache, are disclosed. The antimigraine agents of the invention are able to reduce or even stop the pain deriving from such conditions without, virtually, any side effects. |
| US07709519B2 |
Benzimidazolylidene propane-1,3 dione derivative or salt thereof
Compounds useful as GnRH receptor antagonists are provided. The present inventors have further examined propane-1,3-dione derivatives and confirmed as a result that a propane-1,3-dione having 2-(1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazol-2-ylidene), or a compound which has benzene or thiophene ring substituted with a group derived from 1-hydroxymethyl, shows excellent availability, in addition to its excellent GnRH receptor antagonism, thereby accomplishing the invention. Since the compound of the invention shows excellent availability, in addition to its strong GnRH receptor antagonism, it can be expected that it exerts superior drug effect in the living body, and it is useful for the treatment of sex hormone dependent diseases such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, endometriosis, uterine leiomyoma, benign prostatic hypertrophy and the like. In addition, since the compound of the invention is excellent in metabolic stability in human and also is less in drug interaction, it has more desirable properties as a medicament to be used for the aforementioned diseases. |
| US07709516B2 |
Helix 12 directed non-steroidal antiandrogens
Compounds having the structure (or their salts): are used to treat or reduce the likelihood of acquiring androgen-dependent diseases, such as prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne, hirsutism, seborrhea, androgenic alopecia and male baldness. The compounds can be formulated together with pharmaceutically acceptable diluents or carriers or otherwise made into any pharmaceutical dosage form. Combinations with other active pharmaceutical agents are also disclosed. |
| US07709515B2 |
Compositions comprising ether compounds and pharmaceutical uses therefor
The present invention relates to novel ether compounds, compositions comprising ether compounds, and methods useful for treating and preventing cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemias, dysproteinemias, and glucose metabolism disorders comprising administering a composition comprising an ether compound. The compounds, compositions, and methods of the invention are also useful for treating and preventing Alzheimer's Disease, Syndrome X, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-related disorders, septicemia, thrombotic disorders, obesity, pancreatitis, hypertension, renal disease, cancer, inflammation, and impotence. In certain embodiments, the compounds, compositions, and methods of the invention are useful in combination therapy with other therapeutics, such as hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic agents. |
| US07709507B2 |
Therapeutic fluoroethyl ureas
Compounds of the formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a tautomer thereof, wherein A and B are as described herein, are useful for treating conditions afflicting mammals. |
| US07709506B2 |
Nicotinamide derivatives useful as p38 inhibitors
Compounds of formula (I): are inhibitors of p38 kinase and are useful in the treatment of conditions or disease states mediated by p38 kinase activity or mediated by cytokines produced by the activity of p38. |
| US07709505B2 |
Benzofuran derivatives, process for their preparation and intermediates thereof
Compound of formula (I) wherein A is selected from pyridin-2-yl or thiazol-2-yl and R1, R2 and R3 are as described in the specification and their use in the treatment or prevention of a disease or medical conditions mediated through glucokinase. |
| US07709503B2 |
Pyrrol derivatives with antibacterial activity
Compounds of Formula (1) and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts are described: Formula (1) Processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, their use as medicaments and their use in the treatment of bacterial infections are also described. |
| US07709498B2 |
Quinoline derivatives as antibacterial agents
The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of a bacterial infection comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salt thereof, a stereochemically isomeric form thereof or a N-oxide form thereof, wherein R1 is hydrogen, halo, polyhaloC1-6alkyl, C1-6alkyl, Ar or Het; p is an integer equal to 1 or 2; R2 is C1-6alkyloxy, C1-6alkyloxyC1-6alkyloxy or C1-6alkylthio; R3 is Ar, Het or Het1; R4 and R5 each independently are hydrogen, C1-6alkyl or benzyl; or R4 and R5 together and including the N to which they are attached may form a radical selected from the group of pyrrolidinyl, 2-pyrrolinyl, 3-pyrrolinyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolidinyl, pyrazolidinyl, 2-imidazolinyl, 2-pyrazolinyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, piperidinyl, pyridinyl, piperazinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, triazinyl, morpholinyl and thiomorpholinyl, each of said rings may optionally be substituted with C1-6alkyl, halo, polyhaloC1-6alkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyC1-6alkyl, C1-6alkyloxy, amino, mono- or di(C1-6alkyl)amino, C1-6alkylthio, C1-6alkyloxyC1-6alkyl, C1-6alkylthioC1-6alkyl or pyrimidinyl; R6 is hydrogen, halo, polyhaloC1-6alkyl, C1-6alkyl, C1-6alkyloxy, C1-6alkylthio; or two vicinal R6 radicals may be taken together to form a bivalent radical of formula —CH═CH—CH═CH—; r is an integer equal to 1 or 2; R7 is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl, Ar, Het or Het1; provided that to bacterial infection is other than a Mycobacterial infection. |
| US07709497B2 |
Pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine compound, and its use as a PDE4 inhibitor
The invention provides 4-{[1-(aminocarbonyl)-4-piperidinyl]amino}-N-[(3,4-dimethylphenyl)methyl]-1-ethyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carboxamide, which is the compound of formula (I): or a salt thereof. |
| US07709495B2 |
Methods and reagents for the treatment of inflammatory disorders
The invention features a method for treating an immunoinflammatory administering a compound of formula (I), e.g., ibudilast or KC-764, alone or in combination with a corticosteroid, tetra-substituted pyrimidopyrimidine, or other compound. The invention also features pharmaceutical compositions including the combination above for the treatment or prevention of an immunoinflammatory disorder. |
| US07709494B2 |
4,5-diphenyl-pyrimidinyl-oxy or -mercapto substituted carboxylic acids, method for the production and use thereof as medicaments
This invention relates to a compound of formula I, wherein R1, R2, m, n, V, W, X and Y are as defined herein, or a physiologically tolerated salt thereof, its pharmaceutical composition and use for lowering blood glucose, treating diabetes, or increasing insulin release. |
| US07709493B2 |
4-phenyl-6-(2,2,2-trifluoro-1-phenylethoxy)pyrimidine-based compounds and methods of their use
Compounds of formula I are disclosed, as well as compositions comprising them and methods of their use to treat, prevent and/or manage diseases and disorders: |
| US07709491B2 |
Substituted quinazolines as antiviral agents, especially against cytomegaloviruses
The invention relates to substituted quinazolines and to methods for the production thereof, in addition to the use thereof in the production of medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, especially for use as antiviral agents, especially against cytomegaloviruses. |
| US07709488B2 |
Imidazopyridine-derivatives as inducible no-synthase inhibitors
The compounds of formula (I) in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and A have the meanings as given in the description are novel effective iNOS inhibitors. |
| US07709486B2 |
CXCR4 antagonists
The present invention is drawn to novel antiviral compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and their use. More specifically this invention is drawn to derivatives of monocyclic polyamines which have activity in standard tests against HIV- or FIV-infected cells as well as other biological activity related to binding of ligands to chemokine receptors that mediate a number of mammalian embryonic developmental processes. |
| US07709485B2 |
IL-8 receptor antagonists
This invention relates to novel compounds of Formula (I) to (VII), and compositions thereof, useful in the treatment of disease states mediated by the chemokine, Interleukin-8 (IL-8). |
| US07709480B2 |
Pyrimidine derivatives
The present invention relates to trisubstituted pyrimidines of formula (I) wherein 0Ra to Re are defined as in claim 1, which are suitable for the treatment of illnesses characterized by excessive or abnormal cell proliferation, the use thereof for preparing a pharmaceutical composition with the abovementioned properties, and processes for the preparation thereof. |
| US07709474B2 |
Enantiomerically pure beta agonists, manufacturing and use thereof
The present invention relates to enantiomerically pure compounds of formula 1 wherein the groups R1, R2, R3, m and Ym− may have the meanings given in the claims and specification, processes for preparing them and their use as medicaments, particularly as medicaments for the treatment of respiratory complaints. |
| US07709472B2 |
Antibacterial agents
Naphthyridine and related derivatives useful in the treatment of bacterial infections in mammals, particularly humans, are disclosed herein. |
| US07709471B2 |
Compounds
There is provided a compound of formula (I): processes for the manufacture thereof, pharmaceutical compositions thereof and uses in therapy. |
| US07709469B2 |
P2X7 receptor antagonists and methods of use
The invention is directed to compounds that are P2X7 antagonist and have the formula (I) or (II) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug, salt of a prodrug or a combination thereof, wherein R1, R2, and R3 are defined in the specification. The invention is also directed to a method of selectively inhibiting P2X7 activity comprising administering to a patient in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (III), (IV) or (V) wherein R6, R7, R8, R9, R10, and R11 are defined in the specification. |
| US07709468B2 |
Imidazo based heterocycles
The present invention is directed to novel imidazopyrazine and imidazopyrimidine compounds of formula (I) wherein the variables are as defined herein. The compounds of formula (I) are useful as kinase inhibitors and as such would be useful in treating certain conditions and diseases, especially inflammatory conditions and diseases and proliferative disorders and conditions, for example, cancers. |
| US07709467B2 |
Apoptosis promoters
Compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic family protein members, compositions containing the compounds and methods of treating diseases during which occur expression one or more than one of an anti-apoptotic family protein member are disclosed. |
| US07709463B2 |
Idraparinux (SanOrg34006) for treatment of venous events in patients with deep venous thrombosis
The invention relates to a dose of 2.5 mg of the pentasaccharide methyl O-(2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-6-O-sulfo-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-O-(2,3-di-O-methyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl uronic acid)-(1→4)-O-(2,3,6-tri-O-sulfo-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→4)-O-(2,3-di-O-methyl-α-L-idopyranosyl uronic acid)-(1→4)-2,3,6-tri-O-sulfo-α-D-glucopyranoside or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof for use in therapy, in particular for the treatment of venous thromboembolic events in patients with deep venous thrombosis. |
| US07709462B2 |
Implantable and biocompatible gellable composition
The invention concerns an aqueous biocompatible gel composition of polysaccharides characterized in that it comprises a mixture of at least two polysaccharides one of which is capable of being gelled by chemical process and the other by heat process and the use of such a composition for preparing an implant. The inventive composition is characterized in that it further contains biological tissue extracts and/or an active pharmaceutical principle alone or combined. |
| US07709461B2 |
Methods and products related to pulmonary delivery of polysaccharides
The invention relates to methods for delivering polysaccharides by a pulmonary route to achieve local and systemic therapeutic effects. The polysaccharides may be formulated or unformulated and in some instances have an extremely fast absorption rate. |
| US07709460B2 |
Method for treating or preventing a functional vitamin B12 deficiency in an individual and medical compositions for use in said method
A method and medical composition for the treatment and/or prevention of a functional Vitamin B12 deficiency in an individual that is brought about as a consequence of oxidative stress on biochemical pathways. The functional Vitamin B12 deficiency may eventually present as dementia, other neuropsychiatric abnormality and/or vascular disease. The method involves the administration of a medical composition that supplies a cobalt-sulphur bond in the upper β-ligand of an intracellular cobalamin molecule thereby facilitating intracellular processing of cobalamin. The cobalt-sulphur bond may be provided directly by administration of a thiolatocobalamin, such as glutathionyl-cobalamin or indirectly by the co-administration of Vitamin B12 (or a derivative thereof) with a sulphur-containing molecule, such as glutathione or a precursor thereof. |
| US07709458B2 |
Method for inhibiting cancer cell proliferation or increasing cancer cell apoptosis
Cyclic di-GMP or cyclic dinucleotides thereof can be used to inhibit cancer cell proliferation or to increase cancer cell apoptosis in vitro as well as in vivo in a patient. |
| US07709446B2 |
Multifunctional protease inhibitors and their use in treatment of disease
Fusion proteins of protease inhibitors are provided, in particular fusion proteins of alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) and a second protease inhibitor, such as secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) or tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases (TIMP). Polynucleotides encoding the fusion proteins, vectors comprising such polynucleotides, and host cells containing such vectors are also provided. Methods of making the fusion proteins of the invention are also provide, as well as methods of using the fusion proteins, for example to inhibit protease activity in a biological sample or in the treatment of an individual suffering from, or at risk for, a disease or disorder involving unwanted protease activity. |
| US07709444B2 |
Echinocandin pharmaceutical formulations containing micelle-forming surfactants
Pharmaceutical formulations are described comprising an echinocandin compound or echinocandin/carbohydrate complex and a pharmaceutically acceptable micelle-forming surfactant in a non-toxic aqueous solvent such that the solubilization of the echinocandin compound is optimized and the ability to freeze-dry the solution is maintained. Both the solution and freeze-dried formulations have increased stability. A bulking agent, tonicity agent buffer and/or a stabilizing agent may optionally be added to the formulations to further enhance the stability of the formulation. |
| US07709442B2 |
In vivo synthesis of connective tissues
The in vivo synthesis of connective tissue by fibroblast or fibroblast precursor cells ensconced within a biocompatible scaffold is disclosed. The cells are preferably present in a biocompatible scaffold such as gelatin and placed between two other biocompatible scaffolds such as collagen sponges soaked with a collagenic amount of a member of the TGF-β family of proteins. This composition is then implanted in a host to produce cranial sutures, periodontal ligament or other fibrous tissue structures in vivo. |
| US07709439B2 |
Biomaterials for enhanced healing
The present invention relates to novel biomaterials and methods of using these new biomaterials to facilitate wound healing. The novel biomaterial may be a biocompatible polymer to which at least one bioactive polymer is covalently bonded by graft polymerization, copolymerization or cross-linking. Alternatively, the novel biomaterial may be a polymer blend comprising at least one biocompatible polymer and at least one bioactive polymer. |
| US07709438B2 |
Azeotrope compositions comprising nonafluoropentene and hydrogen fluoride and uses thereof
Disclosed herein are azeotrope compositions comprising 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene and hydrogen fluoride. The azeotrope compositions are useful in processes to produce and in processes to purify 1,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropene. Additionally, disclosed herein are azeotrope and near-azeotrope compositions comprising 1,1,1,2,3,4,4,5,5,5-decafluoropentane and hydrogen fluoride. |
| US07709435B2 |
Alkaline cleaning liquid comprising metallic ions for aluminum or aluminum alloys and method of cleaning
There is provided an alkaline cleaning of aluminum alloy, in which the attained corrosion resistance is equal or superior to the acidic cleaning agent, and which mitigates the disadvantages of the acidic cleaning agent, such as corrosion of plant, processing of the waste liquid, and energy cost, and which attains improved productivity.The cleaning liquid from 0.5 to 40 g/L in total of one or more alkali builders selected from alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal carbonate, inorganic alkali metal phosphate and alkali metal silicate, from 0.2 to 10 g/L of one or more of organic phosphonic acid and its salt (A), from 0.001 to 2 g/L of one or more metallic ions (B) selected from metallic ions having from 5.0 to 14.0 of stability constant with the organic phosphonic acid and its salt, and from 0.1 to 10 g/L of surfactant. Particularly, the weight ratio of (A):(B) is in a range of from 100:0.05˜20. |
| US07709434B2 |
Compositions including Ca and Mg ions and gluconate and methods employing them to reduce corrosion and etch
The present invention relates to compositions including a water soluble magnesium salt, water soluble calcium salt, and gluconate, which have a beneficial effect on corrosion during cleaning. The present compositions can reduce corrosion of glass, aluminum, or steel. The present invention also relates to methods employing these compositions. |
| US07709426B2 |
Solid stick grease compositions
The present invention provides a solid stick composition comprising a thermosetting resin and a grease. Optionally, the solid stick composition may comprise a lubricant, a friction modifier, a thermoplastic plasticizer or a combination thereof. The solid stick compositions may be used for application between two metal surfaces in sliding and rolling-sliding contact such as steel wheel-rail systems including mass transit and freight systems. A method of reducing energy consumption, or controlling friction between a metal surface and a second metal surface by applying the solid stick composition to one or more than one of the metal surfaces, is also provided. |
| US07709425B2 |
Oxidized olefin wax pour point depressants
An oxidized olefin wax useful as a pour point depressant for hydrocarbon compositions and/or additive to reduce the wax particle size of wax precipitates in hydrocarbon compositions is described. Method for reducing the pour point and/or wax particle size of hydrocarbon composition with an oxidized olefin wax are described. |
| US07709424B2 |
Lubricating oil composition and grease composition technical field
A lubricating oil composition, which comprises a perfluoropolyether base oil, and a fluorine-containing polyether diphosphonic acid ester, represented by the following general formula: (R2O)(R1O)P(O)(CH2)aCF(CF3)[OCF2CF(CF3)]bO(CF2)cO[CF(CF3)CF2O]dCF(CF3)(CH2)eP(O)(OR3)(OR4) (where R1, R2, R3, and R4 are hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, cycloalkyl groups, aryl groups, alkylaryl groups, aralkyl groups, or any of the foregoing groups can be halogen atom-substituted groups, subscripts a, b, c, d, and e are in conditions of 2≦a+e≦8, b+d≦28, and 1≦c≦10, and b and d can be 0), and a grease composition which further contains a thickening agent in addition to the lubricating oil composition, have distinguished abrasion resistance and rust preventiveness without deteriorating the heat resistance inherent in the lubricating oil and the grease containing a perfluoropolyether oil as a base oil. |
| US07709423B2 |
Additives and lubricant formulations for providing friction modification
Lubricated surfaces, lubricant compositions for lubricating a surface, and methods for reducing friction coefficients in lubricants. The lubricated surface is provided by a lubricant composition containing a base oil of lubricating viscosity and an amount of at least one hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound effective to provide a reduction in the coefficient of friction of the lubricant composition greater than a reduction in the coefficient of friction of the lubricant composition devoid of the hydrocarbon soluble titanium compound. |
| US07709422B2 |
Method and composition for injection at a tunnel boring machine
A method of boring a tunnel by means of an earth pressure balance tunnel boring machine, comprising the injection at the cutting head of a foamed aqueous solution and an aqueous solution of a water-soluble acrylic acid-based polymer. The method allows easier tunnel boring in soft, sticky soils. |
| US07709419B2 |
Method and thermodynamic inhibitors of gas hydrates in water-based fluids
The present invention relates to an additive that inhibits formation of gas hydrates for water-based drilling fluid, the additive having at least the following constituents (weight percent): a mixture A of glycerol derivatives having 10 to 55% monoglycerol, 15 to 32% diglycerol, and 5 to 12% triglycerol; 0 to 10% of at least one carboxylic acid salt, 0 to 45% of at least one inorganic salt. |
| US07709417B2 |
Security sticker and method for manufacturing the same
The present invention is directed to providing a security sticker which is hard to be counterfeited, cannot be reused if being released and includes a printed image that is stable over a long period of time, and is directed to providing a method for manufacturing the same. The security sticker of the present invention includes: a surface resin layer (A)1 that has a weak affinity with a sublimable dye and allows the dye to penetrate; a print layer (B)2 that contains a low-molecular-weight compound with a molecular weight of 1300 or less in an amount of 0% to 20 wt % inclusive, has an affinity with the dye, and includes an image formed in a thickness direction of the layer by the dye; a self-destructive film layer (C1)3; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (D1)4 in this order, wherein the self-destructive film layer (C1) includes a dye migration preventive resin layer (E) for preventing migration of the dye and a self-destructive layer (F), and the dye migration preventive resin layer (E) is a resin layer containing a certain kind of a vinyl resin as a main component, or a certain kind of a biaxially stretched film. |
| US07709404B2 |
Prepregs for use in building lay-ups of composite materials and processes for their preparation
The invention concerns a process for making a scrim-reinforced prepreg for use in building low-porosity lay-ups, characterized in that a conventional prepreg is formed of a fibrous reinforcement and a heat-curable resin, the prepreg having suitable viscosity and sufficient tackiness to hold a scrim which is adhered to the prepreg by applying light pressure, so that the scrim is impressed onto the prepreg to such a degree, that less than half of the circumference of the scrim strands becomes coated by the prepreg-resin. |
| US07709403B2 |
Silicon carbide-oxide layered structure, production method thereof, and semiconductor device
A gate insulating film which is an oxide layer mainly made of SiO2 is formed over a silicon carbide substrate by thermal oxidation, and then, a resultant structure is annealed in an inert gas atmosphere in a chamber. Thereafter, the silicon carbide-oxide layered structure is placed in a chamber which has a vacuum pump and exposed to a reduced pressure NO gas atmosphere at a high temperature higher than 1100° C. and lower than 1250° C., whereby nitrogen is diffused in the gate insulating film. As a result, a gate insulating film which is a V-group element containing oxide layer, the lower part of which includes a high nitrogen concentration region, and the relative dielectric constant of which is 3.0 or higher, is obtained. The interface state density of an interface region between the V-group element containing oxide layer and the silicon carbide layer decreases. |
| US07709401B2 |
Method of making thermally programmable anti-reverse engineering interconnects wherein interconnects only conduct when heated above room temperature
An interconnect and method of making the interconnect. The method includes forming a dielectric layer on a substrate, the dielectric layer having a top surface and a bottom surface; forming a first wire and a second wire in the dielectric layer, the first wire separated from the second wire by a region of the dielectric layer; and forming metallic nanoparticles in or on the top surface of the dielectric layer between the first and second wires, the metallic nanoparticles capable of electrically connecting the first wire and the second wire only while the nanoparticles are heated to a temperature greater than room temperature and a voltage is applied between the first and second wires. |
| US07709399B2 |
Atomic layer deposition systems and methods including metal β-diketiminate compounds
The present invention provides atomic layer deposition systems and methods that include metal compounds with at least one β-diketiminate ligand. Such systems and methods can be useful for depositing metal-containing layers on substrates. |
| US07709392B2 |
Low K dielectric surface damage control
A method of removing a silicon nitride or a nitride-based bottom etch stop layer in a copper damascene structure by etching the bottom etch stop layer is disclosed, with the method using a high density, high radical concentration plasma containing fluorine and oxygen and further optionally N2 and any one of inert gases, to minimize back sputtering of copper underlying the bottom etch stop layer and surface roughening of the low-k interlayer dielectric caused by the plasma. |
| US07709389B2 |
Method of fabricating a semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising a method of forming an etching mask used for etching a semiconductor base material is disclosed. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming hard mask patterns on a semiconductor base material; forming material layers covering the lateral and top surfaces of the hard mask patterns to form openings between adjacent hard mask patterns, wherein the width of each opening is smaller than the distance between adjacent hard mask patterns; and etching the semiconductor base material using the hard mask patterns and material layers as an etching mask. |
| US07709387B2 |
Polishing apparatus and two-step method of polishing a metal layer of an integrated circuit
The method of manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) according to the invention starts with providing a pre-fabricated integrated circuit (10) comprising an electrical device (2) and having a surface (11) coated with a dielectric material (12) and a metal (15). The dielectric material (12), which may be separated from the metal (15) by the barrier layer (14), has an opening (13), which is filled with the metal (15). Portions of the metal (15) outside the opening (13) are removed by polishing for a first period of time, after which an etching agent (25) is added to the polishing liquid (24) and polishing is continued for a second period of time for removing portions of the metal (15) remaining outside the opening (13). The polishing apparatus (40) is able to perform the method. |
| US07709383B2 |
Film forming method, and substrate-processing apparatus
A film forming method comprising forming a liquid coating film on a substrate by supplying a liquid containing a coating type thin film forming substance and a solvent onto the substrate, substantially converging a variation in film thickness of the coating film, making the coating film stand by in an atmosphere including moisture under a predetermined condition after the substantial-convergence, the predetermined condition being such that a product of a time for which the coating film is exposed to the atmosphere and a water content per unit volume in an atmosphere in the vicinity of a surface of the coating film is made to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and forming a solid thin film on the substrate after the stand-by, the thin film being formed by carrying out an elimination of the solvent in the coating film and heat treatment for generating an irreversible reaction to the coating type thin film forming substance in the coating film. |
| US07709381B2 |
Semiconductor device fabricating method
A semiconductor device fabricating method may include forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a through hole with a first depth in the insulating layer and the semiconductor substrate; forming a metal layer thereon, thereby forming a through electrode in the through hole; and exposing the through electrode by polishing the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US07709379B2 |
Electrical device comprising conductors made of carbonized plastic, and method and apparatus for the production thereof
An electrical device having carbonized conductors and a method and a device for the production thereof is disclosed. The electrical device has electrical components having connections. Furthermore, there are situated between the electrical components regions made of plastic with conductors having carbonized plastic and/or agglomerated nanoparticles. The conductors are connected to the connections of the components and/or to external connections of the electronic device. |
| US07709378B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing thin metal layers
A method and apparatus for processing a thin metal layer on a substrate to control the grain size, grain shape, and grain boundary location and orientation in the metal layer by irradiating the metal layer with a first excimer laser pulse having an intensity pattern defined by a mask to have shadow regions and beamlets. Each region of the metal layer overlapped by a beamlet is melted throughout its entire thickness, and each region of the metal layer overlapped by a shadow region remains at least partially unmelted. After completion of resolidification of the melted regions following irradiation by the first excimer laser pulse, the metal layer is irradiated by a second excimer laser pulse having a shifted intensity pattern so that the shadow regions overlap regions of the metal layer having fewer and larger grains. |
| US07709376B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a dielectric film on a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric film; forming a refractory metal film in the opening; performing a nitriding process to the refractory metal film; removing a nitride of the refractory metal film formed on a side wall of the opening; and depositing tungsten (W) in the opening from which the nitride is removed. |
| US07709375B2 |
Semiconductor device including contact pattern and method for fabricating the same
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a barrier film over a semiconductor substrate and over a gate disposed on the substrate; forming a metal layer over the barrier film; selectively etching the metal layer and the barrier film to form a contact pattern between the gates; forming a spacer over a sidewall of the contact pattern; forming an interlayer insulating film over the contact pattern and the gate; and polishing the interlayer insulating film to expose the contact pattern. |
| US07709368B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A method for easily manufacturing a semiconductor device in which variation in thickness or disconnection of a source electrode or a drain electrode is prevented is proposed A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer formed over an insulating substrate; a first insulating layer formed over the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode formed over the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer formed over the gate electrode; an opening which reaches the semiconductor layer and is formed at least in the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer; and a step portion formed at a side surface of the second insulating layer in the opening. |
| US07709366B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device has a pair of impurity regions in a semiconductor substrate. A silicon layer is formed on the impurity region. A gate insulating film is formed between the impurity regions. A gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film. A first silicon nitride film is formed on the gate electrode. A silicon oxide film is formed on a side surface of the gate electrode. A second silicon nitride film is partially formed on the silicon layer and on a side surface of the silicon oxide film. A conductive layer is formed on the silicon layer. |
| US07709365B2 |
CMOS well structure and method of forming the same
A method for forming a CMOS well structure including forming a plurality of first conductivity type wells over a substrate, each of the plurality of first conductivity type wells formed in a respective opening in a first mask. A cap is formed over each of the first conductivity type wells, and the first mask is removed. Sidewall spacers are formed on sidewalls of each of the first conductivity type wells. A plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed, each of the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed between respective first conductivity type wells. A plurality of shallow trench isolations are formed between the first conductivity type wells and second conductive type wells. The plurality of first conductivity type wells are formed by a first selective epitaxial growth process, and the plurality of second conductivity type wells are formed by a second selective epitaxial growth process. |
| US07709362B2 |
Method for introducing impurities and apparatus for introducing impurities
A method for introducing impurities includes a step for forming an amorphous layer at a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a step for forming a shallow impurity-introducing layer at the semiconductor substrate which has been made amorphous, and an apparatus used therefore. Particularly, the step for forming the amorphous layer is a step for irradiating plasma to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the step for forming the shallow impurity-introducing layer is a step for introducing impurities into the surface which has been made amorphous. |
| US07709360B2 |
Method for manufacturing a crystalline silicon layer
A method of forming a crystalline silicon layer on a microrough face of a substrate by reducing the microroughness of the face and then performing a metal induced crystallization process on the face is disclosed. The method further comprises, after metal induced crystallization and before removing the metal layer, removing silicon islands using the metal layer as a mask. |
| US07709359B2 |
Integrated circuit with dielectric layer
A method of fabricating an integrated circuit with a dielectric layer on a substrate is disclosed. One embodiment provides forming the dielectric layer in an amorphous state on the substrate, the dielectric layer having a crystallization temperature; a doping the dielectric layer; a forming of a covering layer on the dielectric layer at a temperature being equal to or below the crystallization temperature; and a heating of the dielectric layer to a temperature being equal to or greater than the crystallization temperature. |
| US07709357B2 |
Silicon epitaxial wafer and method for manufacturing the same
This method for manufacturing a silicon epitaxial wafer includes: a step of growing an epitaxial layer having silicon on a silicon wafer having a main surface of {110}; and a cooling step of cooling the silicon wafer after growing the epitaxial layer. In a first aspect, in the cooling step, a rapid cooling at a cooling rate of more than 500° C./minute is performed in a range of 750° C. to 650° C. In a second aspect, in the cooling step, a passivation film is grown on a main surface of the epitaxial layer at a temperature of 720° C. or more. In a third aspect, a single crystal silicon wafer in which a misorientation angle of a main surface of {110} surface is in a range from 3.0° to 6.2° inclined towards a <110> direction perpendicular to the main surface or a <111> direction is used as the silicon wafer. |
| US07709355B2 |
Method of producing electronic component comprising electrodes and ring residues
There are provided an electronic component production method and an electronic component by which the number of scribing processes can be reduced and the productivity can be made higher while surely preventing short circuiting during the production. An electronic component including a short ring residue portion and a method of producing the electronic component are provided. |
| US07709351B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and method of manufacturing bonding sheet
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of: preparing a bonding sheet having one or more holes that penetrate from a first surface to an opposite second surface thereof, and a semiconductor wafer having a semiconductor element; affixing the bonding sheet to a predetermined surface of the semiconductor wafer; and evacuating gas present between the bonding sheet and the semiconductor wafer via the one or more holes. |
| US07709344B2 |
Integrated circuit fabrication process using gas cluster ion beam etching
A method comprises depositing a dielectric film layer, a hard mask layer, and a patterned photo resist layer on a substrate. The method further includes selectively etching the dielectric film layer to form sub-lithographic features by reactive ion etch processing and depositing a barrier metal layer and a copper layer. The method further includes etching the barrier metal layer and hard mask layer by gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) processing. |
| US07709340B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit device may include a semiconductor substrate, a static memory cell on the semiconductor substrate, a tensile stress film on the pull-down transistors, and a compressive stress film on the pass transistors. The static memory cell may include multiple pull-up transistors and pull-down transistors, which form a latch, and multiple pass transistors may be used to access the latch. |
| US07709339B2 |
Method for producing a planar spacer, an associated bipolar transistor and an associated BiCMOS circuit arrangement
Method for producing a planar spacer, an associated bipolar transistor and an associated BiCMOS circuit arrangement. The invention relates to a method for production of a planar spacer, of an associated bipolar transistor and of an associated BiCMOS circuit arrangement, in which first and second spacer layers are formed after the formation of a sacrificial mask on a mount substrate. A first anisotropic etching process of the second spacer layer is carried out to produce auxiliary spacers. A second anisotropic etching step is then carried out, in order to produce the planar spacers, using the auxiliary spacers as an etch mask. |
| US07709335B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device including isolation process
Provided may be a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method may include forming a plurality of isolation patterns including conductive patterns on a semiconductor substrate and forming gaps between the isolation patterns, forming active patterns filling the gaps on the semiconductor substrate, forming a gate insulation layer on the isolation patterns and the active patterns, and forming gate patterns on the gate insulation layer. |
| US07709330B2 |
High voltage MOSFET having Si/SiGe heterojunction structure and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are high voltage metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (HVMOSFET) having a Si/SiGe heterojunction structure and method of manufacturing the same. In this method, a substrate on which a Si layer, a relaxed SiGe epitaxial layer, a SiGe epitaxial layer, and a Si epitaxial layer are stacked or a substrate on which a Si layer having a well region, a SiGe epitaxial layer, and a Si epitaxial layer are stacked is formed. For the device having the heterojunction structure, the number of conduction carriers through a potential well and the mobility of the carriers increase to reduce an on resistance, thus increasing saturation current. Also, an intensity of vertical electric field decreases so that a breakdown voltage can be maintained at a very high level. Further, a reduction in vertical electric field due to the heterojunction structure leads to a gain in transconductance (Gm), with the results that a hot electron effect is inhibited and the reliability of the device is enhanced. |
| US07709327B2 |
Methods of forming semiconductor-on-insulator substrates, and integrated circuitry
Some embodiments include methods of forming voids within semiconductor constructions. In some embodiments the voids may be utilized as microstructures for distributing coolant, for guiding electromagnetic radiation, or for separation and/or characterization of materials. Some embodiments include constructions having micro-structures therein which correspond to voids, conduits, insulative structures, semiconductor structures or conductive structures. |
| US07709325B2 |
Method of forming ring electrode
The present invention in one embodiment provides a method of forming an electrode that includes the steps of providing at least one metal stud in a layer of an interlevel dielectric material; forming a pillar of a first dielectric material atop the at least one metal stud; depositing an electrically conductive material atop the layer of the interlevel dielectric material and an exterior surface of the pillar, wherein a portion of the electrically conductive material is in electrical communication with the at least one metal stud; forming a layer of a second dielectric material atop the electrically conductive material and the substrate; and planarizing the layer of the second dielectric material to expose an upper surface of the electrically conductive material. |
| US07709322B2 |
Methods for fabricating flash memory devices
Methods for fabricating flash memory devices are disclosed. A disclosed method comprises: forming a polysilicon layer on a semiconductor substrate; injecting dopants having stepped implantation energy levels into the polysilicon layer; forming a photoresist pattern on the polysilicon layer; and etching the polysilicon layer to form a floating gate. |
| US07709318B2 |
Method for fabricating a semiconductor device
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor device comprising providing a substrate with a pad layer formed thereon. The pad layer and the substrate are patterned to form a plurality of trenches. A trench top insulating layer is formed in each trench. Wherein the trench top insulating layer protrudes from the substrate and has an extension portion extending to the pad layer. The pad layer and the substrate are etched by using the trench top insulating layers and the extension portions as a mask to form a recess in the substrate. And a recess gate is formed in the recess. |
| US07709317B2 |
Method to increase strain enhancement with spacerless FET and dual liner process
A semiconductor structure and a method of fabricating the same in which strain enhancement is achieved for both nFET and pFET devices is provided. In particular, the present invention provides at least one spacerless FET for stronger strain enhancement and defect reduction. The at least one spacerless FET can be a pFET, an nFET, or a combination thereof, with spacerless pFETs being particularly preferred since pFETs are generally fabricated to have a greater width than nFETs. The at least one spacerless FET allows to provide a stress inducing liner in closer proximity to the device channel than prior art structures including FETs having spacers. The spacerless FET is achieved without negatively affecting the resistance of the corresponding silicided source/drain diffusion contacts, which do not encroach underneath the spacerless FET. |
| US07709309B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
It is an object of the present invention to control the plane orientation of crystal grains obtained by using a laser beam, into a direction that can be substantially regarded as one direction in an irradiation region of the laser beam. After forming a cap film over a semiconductor film, the semiconductor film is crystallized by using a CW laser or a pulse laser having a repetition rate of greater than or equal to 10 MHz. The obtained semiconductor film has a plurality of crystal grains having a width of greater than or equal to 0.01 μm and a length of greater than or equal to 1 μm. In a surface of the obtained semiconductor film, a ratio of an orientation {211} is greater than or equal to 0.4 within the range of an angle fluctuation of ±10°. |
| US07709306B2 |
Active layer island
A method for forming an electronic device including at least one electrically conductive and one semiconductive material deposited from solution, the method comprising: forming on the substrate a confinement structure consisting of a least a first zone and a second zone, depositing the electrically conductive material on the substrate, wherein the electrically conductive material is absent from both the first and second zone, and subsequently depositing the electrically semiconductive material from solution, wherein the semiconductive material is absent from the first zone, but not from the second zone. |
| US07709302B2 |
Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device
A purpose of the invention is to provide a method for leveling a semiconductor layer without increasing the number and the complication of manufacturing processes as well as without deteriorating a crystal characteristic, and a method for leveling a surface of a semiconductor layer to stabilize an interface between the surface of the semiconductor layer and a gate insulating film, in order to achieve a TFT having a good characteristic.In an atmosphere of one kind or a plural kinds of gas selected from hydrogen or inert gas (nitrogen, argon, helium, neon, krypton and xenon), radiation with a laser beam in the first, second and third conditions is carried out in order, wherein the first condition laser beam is radiated for crystallizing a semiconductor film or improving a crystal characteristic; the second condition laser beam is radiated for eliminating an oxide film; and the third condition laser beam is radiated for leveling a surface of the crystallized semiconductor film. |
| US07709299B2 |
Hierarchical 2T-DRAM with self-timed sensing
An embodiment of the present invention is method of forming an array of 2 transistor DRAM cells organized in rows and columns in which the rows represent words and columns represent bits of the words, each bit column having a pair of balanced, true and complement bit lines, the bit lines being connected in a hierarchical bit line structure, comprising at least one local bit line pair and one global bit line pair, a sensing circuit connected to the global bit line pair detects a differential voltage transition on either line during a read access and provides a sensing strobe signal. |
| US07709298B2 |
Selectively altering a predetermined portion or an external member in contact with the predetermined portion
A method for selectively altering a predetermined portion of an object or an external member in contact with the predetermined portion of the object is disclosed. The method includes selectively electrically addressing the predetermined portion, thereby locally resistive heating the predetermined portion, and exposing the object, including the predetermined portion, to the external member. |
| US07709296B2 |
Coupling metal clad fiber optics for enhanced heat dissipation
An integrated optical I/O and semiconductor chip with a direct liquid jet impingement cooling assembly are disclosed. Contrary to other solutions for packaging an optical I/O with a semiconductor die, this assembly makes use of a metal clad fiber, e.g. copper, which will actually enhance cooling performance rather than create a design restriction that has the potential to limit cooling capability. |
| US07709295B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a passivation film made of a polyimide resin film is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor wafer including a scribe line and an outer circumferential portion. Thereafter, only the passivation film which is formed on the scribe line of the semiconductor wafer and on the outer circumferential portion of the semiconductor wafer is selectively removed. A protective tape is then bonded onto the front surface of the semiconductor wafer, followed by grinding of a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer. |
| US07709291B2 |
Method of disposing selectively two types of substances on surface of substrate
The present invention is a method of disposing selectively on a surface of a substrate a first substance having a hydrophilic surface and a second substance having a surface coated with a hydrocarbon group. The substrate has on the surface thereof a hydrophilic first region, a second region coated with a hydrocarbon group, and a third region coated with a fluorocarbon group. The method of the present invention includes the steps of; (1) applying a solution containing the first substance and an aqueous solvent to the substrate; (2) removing the aqueous solvent from the surface of the substrate so as to dispose the first substance on a surface of the first region; (3) dipping the substrate in a liquid containing alcohol having fluorine in its molecule; (4) applying a solution containing the second substance and an organic solvent to the surface of the substrate that has been dipped in the liquid; (5) pulling the substrate out of the liquid; and (6) removing the organic solvent from the surface of the substrate so as to dispose the second substance on a surface of the second region. |
| US07709290B2 |
Method of forming a self-assembled molecular layer
A method includes chemically bonding a polymeric material to a self-assembled molecular film that is chemically bonded to a surface of a substrate. The self-assembled molecular film includes one or more defect sites and a plurality of active device molecules, each of the plurality of active device molecules including a molecular switching moiety having a self-assembling connecting group at one end of the moiety and a linking group at an opposed end of the moiety. The polymeric material chemically bonds to at least some of the linking groups of the plurality of active device molecules, causing the formation of the self-assembled molecular layer covering the plurality of active device molecules and the defect site(s). |
| US07709284B2 |
Method for deposition of magnesium doped (Al, In, Ga, B)N layers
A method for growing an improved quality device by depositing a low temperature (LT) magnesium (Mg) doped nitride semiconductor thin film. The low temperature Mg doped nitride semiconductor thin film may have a thickness greater than 50 nm. A multi quantum well (MQW) active layer may be grown at a growth temperature and the LT Mg doped nitride semiconductor thin film may deposited on the MQW active layer at a substrate temperature no greater than 150° C. above the growth temperature. |
| US07709283B2 |
Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having an insulating protective film covering at least a portion of a tile-shaped element
The invention provides a semiconductor device, a method of manufacturing the same, an electro-optic device and an electronic apparatus which are capable of addressing or solving a problem of mechanical mounting of a semiconductor element chip on a substrate. A semiconductor device includes a tile-shaped microelement bonded to a substrate, and an insulating functional film provided to cover at least a portion of the tile-shaped microelement. |
| US07709276B2 |
Manufacturing method of a semiconductor device and substrate processing apparatus
A by-product (e.g., RuF5) that is produced in the process of cleaning may cover a cleaning subject film and may obstruct the progress of the cleaning. To suppress an accumulation of the by-product, a cleaning operation is divided into plural operations, performing vacuum evacuation between the divided operations to evaporate the by-product and expose a new surface of the cleaning subject film between each supply of cleaning gas. |
| US07709275B2 |
Method of forming a pattern for a semiconductor device and method of forming the related MOS transistor
A method of forming a pattern for a semiconductor device, in which, two hard masks are included between an upper spin-on glass (SOG) layer and a lower etching target layer. The SOG layer is etched twice through two different patterned photoresists respectively to form a fine pattern in the SOG layer. Subsequently, an upper hard mask is etched by utilizing the patterned SOG layer as an etching mask so the upper patterned hard mask can have a fine pattern with a sound shape and enough thickness. A lower hard mask and the etching target layer are thereafter etched by utilizing the upper patterned hard mask as an etching mask, so portions of the etching target layer that are covered by the two hard masks can be well protected from the etching processes. |
| US07709269B2 |
Methods of fabricating transistors including dielectrically-supported gate electrodes
Transistors are fabricated by forming a protective layer having a first opening extending therethrough on a substrate, forming a dielectric layer on the protective layer having a second opening extending therethrough that is wider than the first opening, and forming a gate electrode in the first and second openings. A first portion of the gate electrode laterally extends on surface portions of the protective layer outside the first opening, and a second portion of the gate electrode is spaced apart from the protective layer and laterally extends beyond the first portion on portions of the dielectric layer outside the second opening. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed. |
| US07709268B1 |
Sampling/dispensing device with plunger and housing set onto plunger
A positive displacement type substance sampling and dispensing device comprises a central plunger formed from a first material. A plunger housing is formed from a second material having a melting point lower than the first material, the housing being formed by molding and setting the second material on to the surface of the plunger so that the plunger can slide in the housing to draw a substance into it. |
| US07709267B2 |
System and method for extracting headspace vapor
A system and method for extracting headspace vapor is generally disclosed comprising pressurizing a vessel containing headspace vapor with a carrier gas and subsequently venting the sample mixture through an adsorbent trap and out a vent. A flow controller is employed to gradually increase the flow therethrough as the pressure drops as a result of the gradual depletion of headspace vapor in the vessel and, in certain embodiments, the flow controller maintains a constant flow rate. Due to the time saved, in some embodiments, multiple pressurization-venting cycles are implemented to maximize the amount of vapor extracted from the vial. Due to the constant flow rate, in certain embodiments, the pressure decay is monitored and compared to reference values in order to determine whether the sample vessel has a leak or other defect. |
| US07709265B2 |
Method and system for measuring water hardness
Prior to adding detergent or chelant, the conductivity of water in a washing chamber is measured. The maximum concentration of hard water ions that could correspond to the measured conductivity is determined, i.e., it is assumed that all of the conductivity is from calcium and/or magnesium ions in the water even though other ions may in fact be contributing to the measured conductivity. Enough chelating agent is added to the chamber to sequester this maximum concentration of hard water ions and the conductivity is measured again. Using the two conductivity measurements, the actual concentration of hard water ions is determined. A chelant factor based on the actual concentration of hard water ions is then used to determine the amount of chelant to be added for subsequent wash cycles to sequester all of the hard water ions. |
| US07709262B2 |
Method for detecting and quantifying rare mutations/polymorphisms
The present invention is directed to a method for detecting and quantifying rare mutations in a nucleic acid sample. The nucleic acid molecules under investigation can be either DNA or RNA. The rare mutation can be any type of functional or non-functional nucleic acid change or mutation, such as deletion, insertion, translocation, inversion, one or more base substitution or polymorphism. Therefore, the methods of the present invention are useful in detection of rare mutations in, for example, diagnostic, prognostic and follow-up applications, when the targets are rare known nucleic acid variants mixed in with the wildtype or the more common nucleic acid variant(s). |
| US07709261B2 |
Recycling system for manipulation of intracellular NADH availability
The present invention describes a novel recombinant NADH recycling system that is used as a process for producing reduced compounds. In a specific embodiment, the reduced compounds include ethanol, succinate, lactate, a vitamin, a pharmaceutical and a biodegraded organic molecule. The NADH recycling system effects metabolic flux of reductive pathways in aerobic and anaerobic environments. |
| US07709260B2 |
Sealing closure of bacterial ghosts by means of bioaffinity interactions
The invention relates to a method for preparing closed bacterial ghosts by way of specific interactions between partners of a bioaffinity binding pair, and to the bacterial ghosts which can be obtained in this way. Active compounds can be packed into the closed bacterial ghosts. The closed ghosts can be employed in medicine, in the agricultural sphere and in biotechnology. |
| US07709259B2 |
Enhancement of mammalian embryo development
A method of enhancing in vitro development of a mammalian embryo is disclosed which comprises supplementing the culture medium with a prostaglandin, or a prostaglandin analog, in an amount effective to promote complete hatching of the embryo (i.e., freeing of the embryo from the zona pellucida). The quality of human blastocysts is enhanced in vitro by culturing with a prostacyclin agonist, Iloprost. The in vivo implantation potential and live birth potential of an in vitro fertilization embryo is thereby enhanced and establishment of a viable pregnancy is facilitated. |
| US07709257B2 |
Models for vaccine assessment
The present invention is directed to methods for constructing and using in vivo and in vitro models of aspects of human immunity and, in particular, construction of a human immune system model for the testing of, for example, vaccines, adjuvants, immunotherapy candidates, cosmetics, drugs, biologics and other chemicals. The present invention comprises both in vivo and in vitro models of aspects of human immunity that are useful for assessing the interaction of substances with the immune system, and thus can be used to accelerate and improve the accuracy and predictability of, for example, vaccine, drug, biologic, immunotherapy, cosmetic and chemical development. The invention is also useful for the generation of human monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. |
| US07709251B2 |
Method and apparatus for transferring growth media and infection fluids to a cell growth bag
A method and apparatus are provided for transferring growth media or infection fluids to a bioculture bag having Could Process fitting thereon in fluid communication with the inside of the bag. The media or fluid is placed in a flask. A cap is threaded onto the neck of the flask. The cap has a spout with an opening in a distal end of the spout and a vent hole in the cap. The spout has a tubular end in which the opening is formed, with an O-ring seal adjacent the distal end of the tubular end. The tubular end fits within the fitting and the seal forms a fluid tight seal with the fitting to allow fluid transfer to the bag in reduced time with reduced spillage. The cap is preferably used on a flask having shaped baffles in the bottom. The baffles are highest toward the centerline, and decline in height linearly toward the corners of the flask at an angle of about 9° to the horizontal. The flask is rotated about 80-180 RPM, and the baffles have leading and trailing sides in the direction of rotation that are inclined at about 32° relative to the vertical. A growth media is also provided to culture the cells in the flask. |
| US07709250B2 |
Continuous flow thermal device
The present invention provides a thermal cycling device including: a heat exchanger body (3) having a longitudinal axis and longitudinally divided to provide at least two segments which are able to be heated to different temperatures so that said body has peripheral surfaces of different temperatures; a conduit (2) extending about said body so as to be in thermal contact with said peripheral surfaces; a first delivery device to deliver a first fluid to said conduit to cause said fluid to pass therealong and therefore change in temperature as the fluid passes said segments; and a second delivery device to deliver a second fluid to said conduit so as to flow with said first liquid and therefore also change in temperature. The fluid then leaves the device by conduit (4). The invention also is directed to an injector means for use in the thermal cycling device of this invention, comprising: a septum (26); a needle (20) which is able to pierce the septum; a reservoir (27) in fluid contact with septum (26) having an inlet (28) and an outlet (30); wherein when in use, the needle is urged through the fluid in said reservoir and then through the septum while continually purging the reservoir with said purge fluid. The present invention also includes a scanning detector (5) fitted to the outside of the heat exchange body (3) which monitors the course of reaction inside the conduit (2). |
| US07709245B2 |
Systems for genome selection
Systems, methods, compositions and apparatus relating to genome selection are disclosed. |
| US07709244B2 |
Systems for genome selection
Systems, methods, compositions and apparatus relating to genome selection are disclosed. |
| US07709243B2 |
Biochip and biomolecular detection system using the same
The present invention is related to a biochip and a biomolecular detection system using the same. In particular, the biomolecular detection system is capable of detecting biological molecules (biomolecules) such as DNA or protein at a high speed. The biochip comprises a supporting structure, conductive materials aligned vertically on, and associated with, the supporting structure, and biomolecule probes operably linked to the conductive materials. The biomolecular detection system using the biochip may precisely detect biomolecules as well as the density of the biomolecules. |
| US07709242B2 |
L-tyrosine producing bacterium and a method for producing L-tyrosine
The present invention describes the production of L-tyrosine by culturing in a medium an Escherichia bacterium which has L-tyrosine-producing ability and which carries a mutant prephenate dehydrogenase which is desensitized to feedback inhibition by L-tyrosine, producing and accumulating L-tyrosine in the medium or in the bacterial cells, and collecting L-tyrosine from the medium or the bacterial cells. |
| US07709241B2 |
Method of making microorganism sampling tube containing slanted culture medium and sample tube tray therefor
A method of making sampling tubes containing culture growth media by loading the sample tubes containing culture media into a tray that holds the sample tubes, placing the sample tube trays into a rack with shelving to hold the trays and tubes at a predetermined angle, and sterilizing and cooling the sample tubes in an autoclave or inspissator. The culture growth media solidifies at the predetermined slant angle and the sample tube trays are loaded into the packaging box used for shipment. The trays are subsequently used by the end user for processing microbial growth, including storing and collecting data about microbial samples. |
| US07709239B2 |
Mutant Δ8 desaturase genes engineered by targeted mutagenesis and their use in making polyunsaturated fatty acids
The present invention relates to mutant Δ8 desaturase genes, which have the ability to convert eicosadienoic acid [20:2 ω-6, EDA] to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid [20:3, DGLA] and/or eicosatrienoic acid [20:3 ω-3, ETrA] to eicosatetraenoic acid [20:3 ω-3, ETA]. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding Δ8 desaturase along with methods of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these mutant Δ8 desaturases in plants and oleaginous yeast are disclosed. |
| US07709233B2 |
Method enabling use of extracellular RNA extracted from plasma or serum to detect, monitor or evaluate cancer
The methods of the invention detect epidermal growth factor RNA, epidermal growth factor receptor RNA, her-2/neu RNA, c-myc RNA, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 RNA or any combination thereof in blood plasma, serum, and other bodily fluids. The inventive methods are useful for detection, diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, or evaluation of neoplastic disease. |
| US07709232B2 |
Methods of quantitative detection of genetic recombinants and standard molecules for the methods
The present invention relate to a method of detecting a genetic recombinant by using the PCR method. A method of quantitatively detecting method is provided whereby the total content ratio of the genetic recombinants and the individual content ratio of the genetic recombinant in a population containing plural genetic recombinant lines can be quantified. The method of the present invention comprises performing PCR for the DNA sequence specific to the recombinant and the endogenous DNA sequence shared by the species corresponding to the recombinant using, as a standard molecule, a molecule containing the DNA sequence specific to the recombinant and the endogenous DNA sequence shared by the species on the single molecule, and determining the content ratio of the number of molecules thereof. |
| US07709230B2 |
Process for producing isomaltose and uses thereof
A novel process for producing isomaltose and uses thereof and comprising the steps of contacting saccharides, which have a glucose polymerization degree of at least two and α-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end, with an α-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme, in the presence or the absence of α-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme to form a-isomaltosylglucosaccharides, which have a glucose polymerization degree of at least three, α-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end, and α-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage other than the non-reducing end, and/or to form cyclo{→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→}; contacting the saccharides so formed with isomaltose-releasing enzyme to release isomaltose; and collecting the released isomaltose; and uses thereof. |
| US07709228B2 |
Activatable recombinant neurotoxins
Compositions comprising activatable recombinant neurotoxins and polypeptides derived therefrom. The invention also comprises nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides, and methods of making such polypeptides and nucleic acids. |
| US07709224B2 |
Compositions and methods for enhanced expression of recombinant polypeptides from a single vector using a peptide cleavage site
Vector constructs for expression of two or more functional proteins or polypeptides under operative control of a single promoter and methods of making and using the same are described. The vectors comprise a self-processing cleavage site between each respective protein or polypeptide coding sequence. The vector constructs include the coding sequence for a self-processing cleavage site and may further include an additional proteolytic cleavage sequence which provides a means to remove the self processing peptide sequence from expressed protein(s) or polypeptide(s). The vector constructs find utility in methods for enhanced production of biologically active proteins and polypeptides in vitro and in vivo. |
| US07709222B2 |
Methods for making cancer prognoses based on subcellular localization of biomarkers
This invention provides a method of making a prognosis for a patient afflicted with a type of cancer such as colon cancer, based upon quantification of biomarkers such as thymidylate synthase in subcellular compartments. |
| US07709221B2 |
Biosensor with inorganic-organic hybrid polymer coating
The present invention relates to a biosensor comprising a substrate with a coating system in which a Ruthenium complex and an enzyme is integrated. The enzyme is able to convert bioproducts, e.g. glucose, fructose or glycerol. The depletion of oxygen during these converting reactions can be monitored via the fluorescence of the Ruthenium complex. The inventive biosensor can be used in biotechnological processes, e.g. the synthesis of biofuels. |
| US07709220B2 |
Methods of monitoring treatment of BAFF-R related disease
Disclosed are nucleic acids encoding BAFF-R polypeptides, as well as antibodies to BAFF-R polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions including the same. Methods of treating tumorigenic and autoimmune conditions using the nucleic acids, polypeptides, antibodies and pharmaceutical compositions of this invention are also provided. |
| US07709219B2 |
Compositions and methods for detection of antibody binding to cells
The invention includes Rh(D) binding proteins, including antibodies, and DNA encoding such proteins. Methods of generating such proteins and DNAs are also included. |
| US07709218B2 |
Tumor necrosis factor receptors 6α and 6β
The present invention relates to novel Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor proteins. In particular, isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided encoding the human TNFR-6α & -6β proteins. TNFR-6α & -6β polypeptides and antibodies that bind TNFR-6α & -6β polypeptides are also provided as are vectors, host cells and recombinant methods for producing the same. The invention further relates to screening methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of TNFR-6α & -6β activity. Also provided are diagnostic methods for detecting immune system-related disorders and therapeutic methods for treating immune system-related disorders. |
| US07709217B2 |
Modified human thymic stromal lymphopoietin
Modified, furin resistant human TSLP polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding the modified human TSLP polypeptides are provided. Pharmaceutical compositions, B and T cell activation agents, assays and methods of use are also described. |
| US07709212B2 |
Particle based binding assay
The present invention provides a method for detecting the presence or amount of an analyte in a sample, said method comprising: a porous surface to which particles having attached thereto a binding substance, analyte and binding substance coated label particles are added. If said analyte is present in the sample an immuno- or chemical reaction occurs in the liquid phase. The separation of bound complex from unbound material is achieved by using said surface where the separation occurs mainly two dimensionally on the surface of the porous surface (e.g. grid). Interestingly, the disclosed surface enables a separation where said complexes are distributed two dimensionally on the porous surface (e.g. grid), whereas unbound materials are distributed three dimensionally. Accordingly, said surface enables both a two and a three dimensional separation. |
| US07709210B2 |
Diagnosis and prevention of fetal heart disease
The present invention relates to a method for assessing the likelihood of the presence or formation of fetal heart disease (such as HLHS) in a fetus. In this methodology, the mother, either before or during pregnancy, is tested for the presence of anti-strep antibodies. If positive, the fetus is evaluated and monitored for the presence of fetal heart disease; the fetus can be treated, if appropriate. In addition, either prior to pregnancy or during the first trimester, the mother can be treated to prevent the formation of such antibodies or to neutralize their presence or effect fetal heart tissue. |
| US07709208B2 |
Methods for diagnosis of major depressive disorder
The present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, prognosing or treating diseases or disorders in which elevated levels of Abeta protein, including abeta1-42 are prevalent. In particular, the present invention relates to methods of diagnosing, prognosing or treating a major or minor depressive episode/disorder attributed to elevated levels of Abeta protein, including abeta1-42, found particularly in body fluids including whole blood, blood cells, serum, plasma, urine and CSF. The invention also relates to the treatment of these disorders by administering an agent that either prevents production of Abeta, prevents aggregation of Abeta fibrils, or that increases the degradation or clearance of Abeta. In addition, the invention provides a method of treating or preventing a major or minor depressive disorder comprising administering an agent that prevents or interferes with Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such agents and methods of screening for novel agents. |
| US07709207B2 |
Method for identifying compounds for treatment of pain
Methods and products for the attenuation or treatment of pain and the reduction of nociception are described. The methods and products are based on the modulation of CNS intracellular chloride levels. The methods and products may also relate to modulation of the activity and/or expression of a chloride transporter, such as the KCC2 potassium-chloride cotransporter. Also described herein are commercial packages and uses based on such modulation. Related methods for identifying or characterizing a compound for the treatment of pain, the reduction of nociception and the diagnosis and prognostication of pain are also described. |
| US07709206B2 |
Compositions, methods and systems for inferring bovine breed or trait
Methods, compositions, and systems are provided for managing bovine subjects in order to maximize their individual potential performance and edible meat value, and to maximize profits obtained in marketing the bovine subjects. The methods and systems draw an inference of a trait of a bovine subject by determining the nucleotide occurrence of at least one bovine SNP that is identified herein as being associated with the trait. The inference is used in methods of the present invention to establish the economic value of a bovine subject, to improve profits related to selling beef from a bovine subject; to manage bovine subjects, to sort bovine subjects; to improve the genetics of a bovine population by selecting and breeding of bovine subjects, to clone a bovine subject with a specific trait, to track meat or another commercial product of a bovine subject; and to diagnose a health condition of a bovine subject. Methods are also disclosed for identifying additional SNPs associated with a trait, by using the associated SNPs identified herein. |
| US07709204B2 |
Assessing brain aneurysms
This document provides methods and materials related to assessing brain conditions within mammals. For example, methods and materials that can be used to determine whether or not a mammal (e.g., a human) with a brain aneurysm is likely to experience brain aneurysm rupture are provided. |
| US07709201B2 |
Detection of nucleic acid differences using endonuclease cleavage/ligase resealing reactions and capillary electrophoresis or microarrays
The present invention is directed to various methods for detecting DNA sequence differences, including single nucleotide mutations or polymorphisms, one or more nucleotide insertions, and one or more nucleotide deletions. Labeled heteroduplex PCR fragments containing base mismatches are prepared. Endonuclease cleaves the heteroduplex PCR fragments both at the position containing the variation (one or more mismatched bases) and, to a lesser extent, at non-variant (perfectly matched) positions. Ligation of the cleavage products with a DNA ligase corrects non-variant cleavages and thus substantially reduces background. This is then followed by a detection step in which the reaction products are detected, and the position of the sequence variations are determined. |
| US07709200B2 |
Association of PDE4D allelic variants with stroke
The present invention provides methods for detecting a predisposition for stroke in individuals by correlating allelic variants of the phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) gene and hypertension status. The invention further contemplates kits and computer program products for detecting PDE4D polymorphisms indicative of a predisposition for stroke correlated with an individual's hypertension status. |
| US07709198B2 |
Multiplex detection of nucleic acids
Methods of detecting nucleic acids, including methods of detecting two or more nucleic acids in multiplex branched-chain DNA assays, are provided. Nucleic acids captured on a solid support are detected, for example, through cooperative hybridization events that result in specific association of a label with the nucleic acids. Compositions, kits, and systems related to the methods are also described. |
| US07709196B2 |
Methods and compositions for the identification of antibiotics that are not susceptible to antibiotic resistance
Compositions and methods are provided to identify functional mutant ribosomes that may be used as drug targets. The compositions and methods allow isolation and analysis of mutations that would normally be lethal and allow direct selection of rRNA mutants with predetermined levels of ribosome function. The compositions and methods of the present invention may be used to identify antibiotics to treat a large number of human pathogens through the use of genetically engineered rRNA genes from a variety of species. The invention further provides novel plasmid constructs to be used in the methods of the invention. |
| US07709193B2 |
Methods and kits for separation and detection of proteins in biological samples
Methods and kits are provided for separating a mixture of proteins in a biological sample. Methods for detecting and profiling proteins in biological samples by the separation method and kits are also provided. These methods are particularly useful in assessing damage to cells such as cardiac and skeletal muscle cells and in the early clinical diagnosis of myocardial damage by detection of myofilament proteins in serum of a subject. |
| US07709191B2 |
Heteroduplex tracking assay
A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV positive individuals over time and may be indicated by a shift in coreceptor use from CCR5 to CXCR4. The shift in coreceptor use to CXCR4 has been shown to correlate with increased disease progression. In patients undergoing HAART, the predominant populations of virus may be shifted back to CCR5-mediated entry soon after the CXCR4-specific strains have emerged. The present invention relates to a diagnostic method to monitor coreceptor use in the treatment and clinical management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present invention further relates to a diagnostic method applied to HIV-positive individuals undergoing HAART to monitor the suppression of CCR5- or CXCR4-specific strains. The diagnostic methods may be used to assist in selecting antiretroviral therapy and to improve predictions of disease prognosis over time. The methods of the invention include cell-based methods, including cell fusion assays, and molecular-based methods, including heteroduplex tracking assay, to both quantitatively and qualitatively analyze patient-derived HIV for coreceptor usage. |
| US07709188B2 |
Multi-allelic detection of SARS-associated coronavirus
The subject invention relates to a multiple-allelic RT-real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for coronaviruses including the SARS virus. Multiple target sequences within the SARS-CoV, S, E, M and N genes are identified. The use of the four different targets enhances the likelihood that the fundamental genetic drift of the virus will not lead to a false negative result. Multiplex assays format for the assay are envisioned. Thus, the present invention allows for early diagnosis of a SARS infection. The assay would be useful in the context of monitoring treatment regimens, screening potential anti SARS agents, and similar applications requiring qualitative and quantitative determinations. |
| US07709186B2 |
Method for exposing photoresist film of semiconductor device
A method for exposing photoresist film of semiconductor device is disclosed. In accordance with the method, wafer is sequentially shifted the wafer by a predetermined distance so that the exposed regions before and after each shift have an overlapping region having an area larger than or equal to that of the die pattern to prevent defects on the exposure mask from being transcribed to the photoresist film. |
| US07709185B2 |
Method for imaging a lithographic printing form
In a method for imaging a lithographic printing form, subareas of a surface of the lithographic printing form which are covered by amphiphilic molecules, are exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Following the exposure and before printing from the lithographic printing form, the subareas are treated with at least one complex-forming substance, so that a lithographic printing area structured into hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions is obtained. |
| US07709182B2 |
Composition for forming antireflection film, layered product, and method of forming resist pattern
An antireflection film-forming composition which has excellent applicability, is significantly inhibited from generating ultrafine microbubbles, gives an antireflection film capable of sufficiently reducing the standing-wave effect, and has excellent solubility in water and an alkaline developing solution. The antireflection film-forming composition contains: (A) a copolymer (salt) of a sulfonic acid group-containing acrylamide derivative represented by, e.g., 2-(meth)acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid and a fluoroalkyl group-containing acrylic acid ester derivative represented by, e.g., 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl (meth)acrylate; and (B) a surfactant whose 0.1 wt. % aqueous solution has a surface tension as measured at 25° C. of 45 mN/m or lower. |
| US07709180B2 |
Soft pellicle and method of making same
The present invention relates generally to the fields of semiconductor lithography. More particularly, it concerns methods, compositions, and apparatuses relating to 157 nm, 167 nm, 193 nm, 248 nm, 365 nm, and 436 nm soft pellicles and the use of perfluorinated polymers in the creation of pellicles. |
| US07709178B2 |
Alkaline-resistant negative photoresist for silicon wet-etch without silicon nitride
New photoresists for use during the production of semiconductor and MEMS devices are provided. The primer layer preferably comprises a silane dissolved or dispersed in a solvent system. The photoresist layer includes a first polymer prepared from a styrene and an acrylonitrile, and a second polymer comprising epoxy-containing monomers (and preferably phenolic-containing monomers). The photoresist layer comprises a photoacid generator, and is preferably negative-acting. |
| US07709177B2 |
Multilayered resist systems using tuned polymer films as underlayers and methods of fabrication thereof
Multilayered resist structures including bilayer and top surface imaging which utilize tuned underlayers functioning as ARCs, planarizing layers, and etch resistant hard masks whose properties such as optical, chemical and physical properties are tailored to give a multilayer resist structure exhibiting high resolution, residue free lithography and methods of preparing these materials. |
| US07709176B2 |
Method for producing polymerized toner
A method for producing a polymerized toner comprising a step of polymerizing a polymerizable monomer composition in an aqueous dispersion medium in the presence of a polymerization initiator to obtain a dispersion liquid of colored polymer particles and a stripping step of injecting a gas comprised of air or an inert gas into the dispersion liquid of the colored polymer particles while stirring the dispersion liquid in an evaporator and the flow rate of the gas injected per weight of the colored polymer particles being 0.05 to 4 L/(hr·kg), the pressure of the vapor phase of the evaporator being 5 to 80 kPa. |
| US07709174B2 |
Toner, method of preparing the toner, and developer, image forming method, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge using the toner
A toner is provided including a colorant; a first binder resin; and a second binder resin, wherein an amount of the first binder resin and an amount of the second binder resin are phase separated from each other in the toner, and wherein a phase of the first binder resin is partially or completely covered with a phase of the second binder resin; and a method of preparing the toner, and a developer, an image forming method, an image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge using the toner. |
| US07709173B2 |
Toner
A toner comprising a binder resin and a colorant, wherein the binder resin comprises an urea modified polyester, the urea modified polyester being prepared by urea-bonding an isocyanate-modified crystalline polyester segment and an isocyanate-modified amorphous polyester using an amine crosslinking agent. |
| US07709172B2 |
Oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfides, and charge control agents and toners using the same
The present invention discloses an oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 9, and n is 1 or 2; or an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations. |
| US07709168B2 |
Phosphonium containing charge transport layer photoconductors
A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer comprised of at least one charge transport component, and wherein the at least one charge transport layer contains at least one phosphonium salt. |
| US07709164B2 |
Solvent-less process for producing transient documents
An image forming method including (a) providing a reimageable medium comprised of a substrate and a photochromic material, wherein the medium is capable of exhibiting a color contrast and an absence of the color contrast; (b) exposing the medium to an imaging light corresponding to a predetermined image to result in an exposed region and a non-exposed region, wherein the color contrast is present between the exposed region and the non-exposed region to allow a temporary image corresponding to the predetermined image to be visible for a visible time; (c) subjecting the temporary image to an indoor ambient condition for an image erasing time to change the color contrast to the absence of the color contrast to erase the temporary image without using an image erasure device; and (d) optionally repeating procedures (b) and (c) a number of times to result in the medium undergoing a number of additional cycles of temporary image formation and temporary image erasure, wherein the reimageable medium is prepared by a solvent-less process comprising i) heating and melting a photochromic material and a polymer to form a coating composition, and ii) coating the coating composition onto at least one side of a transient document substrate. |
| US07709155B2 |
Nonaqueous electrolytic solution and lithium-ion secondary battery
A nonaqueous solvent in a nonaqueous electrolytic solution in a lithium-ion secondary battery 1 contains propylene carbonate (PC), a first compound expressed by formula (I), and a second compound expressed by formula (II). The content of PC in the nonaqueous solvent is at least 10 volume %. The content X [mass %] of the first compound and the content Y [mass %] of the second compound simultaneously satisfy the conditions represented by expressions (1) and (2) [2≦(X+Y)≦8 (1), 0.01≦(Y/X)≦0.30 (2)]. R1 to R6 in formula (I) indicate any of a hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups having a carbon number of 1 to 3, whereas R7 and R8 in formula (II) indicate any of a hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups having a carbon number of 1 to 3. |
| US07709150B2 |
Method for preparing positive electrode active material for non-aqueous secondary battery
There is provided a simple and easy method of preparation of a positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous secondary battery which comprises a compound comprising lithium, nickel and manganese and having a layered structure. Said method comprises firing a mixture of (1) at least one member selected from the group consisting of dinickel trioxide and boron compounds and (2) one or more metal compounds comprising lithium, nickel and manganese as their metal elements. |
| US07709148B2 |
Lithium-containing composite oxide and its production process
To provide a process for producing a lithium-containing composite oxide for a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery, which has a large volume capacity density, high safety, excellent durability for charge and discharge cycles and excellent low temperature characteristics. |
| US07709142B2 |
Electrolytic solution containing 4-fluoro-1, 3-dioxolane-2-one solvent
A battery capable of obtaining a high energy density and obtaining superior cycle characteristics is provided. The thickness of a cathode active material layer is from 100 μm to 130 μm. The thickness of an anode active material layer is from 85 μm to 120 μm, and the volume density of the anode active material layer is from 1.7 g/cm3 to 1.85 g/cm3. An electrolytic solution contains 4-fluoro-1,3-dioxolane-2-one. Thereby, even when the thicknesses of the cathode active material layer and the anode active material layer are increased, the diffusion and acceptance of lithium in an anode are improved, and superior cycle characteristics can be obtained. |
| US07709141B2 |
Lithium ion secondary battery
Electrode assemblies easily impregnated with an electrolyte are provided. A sealing tape attached to the outer circumference of the electrode assembly comprises a material having an affinity for the electrolyte. Alternatively, the entire sealing tape or a portion of the tape is coated with the material. In another alternative, the surface of the sealing tape is rough, thereby improving wetting of the tape by the electrolyte and diffusion of the electrolyte into the tape. In another embodiment, first and second insulating plates comprise a material having an affinity for the electrolyte. In another alternative, the insulating plates comprise a mixture of a material having an affinity for the electrolyte and polypropylene or polyethylene. Alternatively, the surfaces of the insulating plates are coated with the material or with a surfactant that reduces the surface tension of the electrolyte. |
| US07709140B2 |
Separator provided with asymmetrical pore structures for an electrochemical cell
A separator for an electrochemical cell, comprising (A) a flexible perforate support, and (B) a porous ceramic material which fills the perforations in the support and is suitable for receiving an ion-conducting electrolyte, wherein the porous ceramic material comprises a first porous layer which is characterized by an average pore size and also at least one second porous layer for contacting with an electrode, the second porous layer having an average pore size which is smaller than the average pore size of the first porous layer. |
| US07709139B2 |
Three dimensional battery
A battery device includes a cathode current collector and an anode current collector. A fibrous electrode forms a structure defining a plurality of pores. A first portion of the fibrous electrode is in contact with a current collector. An electrolytic polymer is electrodeposited on the fibrous electrode to provide substantial uniform coverage of fibers forming the fibrous electrode. A plurality of electrode particles are disposed within the plurality of pores and separated from the fibrous electrode by the electrolytic polymer. |
| US07709138B2 |
Low profile insulated battery enclosure incorporating a step/work surface
A battery enclosure that includes a bottom portion configured to house a battery array and a top portion that is configured to rest on the bottom portion and enclose the battery array. The top portion of the battery enclosure is configured to be at least partially supported by the battery array when a load is placed on the top portion. |
| US07709137B2 |
Electric power source
The power source contains a plurality of batteries stacked in more than three tiers within a battery case divided into a first sub holder case and second sub holder case, and the first sub holder case contains the batteries in a larger number of tiers than the second sub holder case. An intermediary duct is provided between the two sub holder cases, and a first outer duct and a second outer duct are respectively provided outside each of the two sub holder cases. The batteries in the holder case are cooled by the cooling air which flows from the intermediary duct through the holder case into the outer duct for exhaustion. Further, the second outer duct is designed to experience a larger pressure loss than the first outer duct. |
| US07709135B2 |
Efficient process for previous metal recovery from cell membrane electrode assemblies
A method is provided for recovering a catalytic element from a fuel cell membrane electrode assembly. The method includes grinding the membrane electrode assembly into a powder, extracting the catalytic element by forming a slurry comprising the powder and an acid leachate adapted to dissolve the catalytic element into a soluble salt, and separating the slurry into a depleted powder and a supernatant containing the catalytic element salt. The depleted powder is washed to remove any catalytic element salt retained within pores in the depleted powder and the catalytic element is purified from the salt. |
| US07709129B2 |
Gas-liquid separating device and electric power generating apparatus
Disclosed is a gas-liquid separating device comprising: a main body in which an internal space is formed, and an injecting hole and a discharging hole which reach the internal space are formed; an electric osmosis material housed inside the internal space, and delimits the internal space into a first and a second region, the first region being reached by the injecting hole and the discharging hole; a first electrode joined to the electric osmosis material on a first region side; and a second electrode joined to the electric osmosis material on a second region side, wherein gas including moisture vapor is injected to the first region from the injecting hole, water obtained by condensing the moisture vapor in the first region electrically osmosis through the electric osmosis material from the first region to the second region by applying voltage in between the first and the second electrode. |