| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07724467B2 |
Storage device, control circuit for storage device, and servo-write-mode identifying method
A servo-mark search control unit detects in a magnetic disk a servo mark matching a servo mark selected by a servo-mark candidate selecting unit. In this case, according to an instruction from a servo-mark search control unit, a non-volatile memory managing unit writes servo-write-mode identification information corresponding to the detected servo mark in a servo-write-mode identification-information storage unit of a non-volatile memory. In this manner, a magnetic disk device can recognize by itself a servo write mode with which servo patterns were written in a magnetic disk included in the magnetic disk device. |
| US07724466B2 |
Method and system for servo stripe width detection and compensation
A method and system for servo stripe width detection and compensation including moving a magnetic tape in a first direction across a magnetic tape head, the magnetic tape having a servo band including a first servo pattern and a second servo pattern, the magnetic tape head having a servo element; detecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the first servo pattern with the servo element; detecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the second servo pattern with the servo element; determining a first time from the leading edge of the first servo pattern to the leading edge of the second servo pattern; determining a second time from the trailing edge of the first servo pattern to the trailing edge of the second servo pattern; and determining a correction value from a difference between the first time and the second time. |
| US07724463B2 |
Disk drive device and method for removing adhesion on a head
Embodiments of the present invention help to effectively remove adhesion on a head slider. In an embodiment of the present invention, a hard disk controller/multiprocessing unit (HDC/MPU) raises the temperature on the surface of a head slider with a heating element on the head slider to remove adhesion on the head slider while an actuator stays on a ramp. The HDC/MPU varies the amount of heat in accordance with the temperature sensed by a temperature sensor. This achieves removal of the adhesion on the head slider, maintaining reliability. |
| US07724462B2 |
System, method and apparatus for direct head-disk clearance measurement by slider vibration and fly height calibration
A method models and calibrates the fly height of a slider above the disk for disk drives. The calibration scheme uses the Wallace spacing loss equation and laser doppler velocimetry to predict fly height and detect the actual fly height of the slider. The slider is vibrated at selected resonances, such as by capacitive coupling to the disk, and the fly height is gradually reduced. In one version, contact between the slider and disk may be detected using an arm electronics sensor. The amplitude of mean-to-peak, vibration detection is used as an indication of the actual fly height and to calibrate the modeled fly height. |
| US07724458B2 |
Hard disk drive with selectable reading and writing to/from different platter surfaces
This invention protects the data on the hard disk from viruses and hackers by making it possible to turn off any head whether it is a read head or a write head of any arm of the hard disk by providing switches, so when we surf the Internet we turn off the read/write heads of the platter surface which contains the confidential data and we always turn off the write head of the platter surface which contains the Windows programs and other program files so the programs data are always protected and at the same time it is always readable, after we logoff the Internet we turn off the read/write heads of the platter surface used to save Internet data onto it thus we will never have any virus moving from this platter surface to the rest of the hard disk platters surfaces. |
| US07724451B2 |
Lens assembly and imaging device
A lens assembly includes: a lens group including a plurality of lenses; and a lens holder accommodating the lens group and having an opening in each of a front end face of the lens holder and a rear end face of the lens holder. The opening of the front end face has a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of a foremost lens accommodated in a foremost end face side of the lens holder, the lens holder includes a spacer ring disposed on a rear side of a rearmost lens accommodated in a rearmost end face side of the lens holder, the spacer ring abutting on a peripheral portion of the rearmost lens to keep a space between a rear face of the rearmost lens and the rear end face of the lens holder, and the lens holder holds a rear face of the spacer ring by thermal caulking. |
| US07724448B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with same
A zoom lens has, in order from the object side thereof, a positive first lens unit G1, a negative second lens unit G2, a positive third lens unit G3, a fourth lens unit G4, and an aperture stop S disposed closer to the image side than the second lens unit and closer to the object side than the lens surface closest to the image side in the third lens unit, wherein during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the distance between the first lens unit G1 and the second lens unit G2 is larger at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end, the distance between the second lens unit G2 and the third lens unit G3 is smaller at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end, the distance between the third lens unit G3 and the fourth lens unit G4 changes, and the first lens unit G1, the third lens unit G3 and the aperture stop S move in such a way that they are located closer to the object side at the telephoto end than at the wide angle end. The zoom lens satisfies prescribed conditional expressions. |
| US07724445B2 |
Bifocal imaging optical system and imaging apparatus
A configuration where a first group having a positive refractive power and a positive second group having a positive refractive power are placed sequentially from the object side is basically used. As the first group, a wide-angle first group and a telephoto first group are selectively switched over to be placed on the optical axis, thereby switching over the focal length between the wide-angle side and the telephoto side. Since the configuration in which the first group placed on the object side is switched is employed, adherence of dust or the like to the imaging surface due to the switching of the focal length can be prevented from occurring. Each group is configured by a minimum number of lenses. The whole system has a configuration which has a reduced number of lenses, and which is small and simple. |
| US07724444B2 |
Optical element, optical device, atmosphere provider, optical scanning device, light coupling device, and method of operating interfacial waves
An optical element is provided for generating interfacial waves by means of electro wetting. The optical element comprises a fluid chamber with at least one side wall and an optical axis. Furthermore the fluid chamber includes a first fluid (A) and a second fluid (B) which are separated by an interface, the fluids (A, B) being immiscible. A first electro wetting electrode and a second electro wetting electrode are provided, the first electro wetting electrode is separated from the first fluid (A) and the second fluid (B) by a fluid contact layer. The second electro wetting electrode is arranged to act on the first fluid (A). The selected standing or running waves can be formed by providing selected voltages to the first and the second electro wetting electrodes respectively. |
| US07724433B2 |
Composition for multi-color display material and manufacturing method thereof, and optical device and displaying method thereof
A composition for multi-color display material, including a periodic structure having a void structure inside that communicates with the outside, and a mobile particle that is selectively disposed inside or outside of the void structure of the periodic structure. |
| US07724429B2 |
Microscope having a surgical slit lamp having a laser light source
The invention relates to a microscope (10) having an illumination apparatus (26) having a light source (1) and an optical system. The light source (1) is embodied to output a coherent light beam bundle along a defined illumination beam path (2a), and the optical system in the illumination beam path (2a) encompasses a spatial light modulator (3) for modifying the illuminated field (4). A surgical microscope (10) is preferably equipped with an illumination apparatus (26) of this kind that is arranged adjustably in two directions on the surgical microscope (10). |
| US07724428B2 |
Operating microscope having an arm frame
An operating microscope includes a base set on a floor surface, a post held for rotation around a vertical rotation axis with respect to the base, a horizontal motion arm held for rotation around a first horizontal rotation axis with respect to the post, a vertical motion arm held for rotation around a second horizontal rotation axis with respect to the horizontal motion arm, a lens barrel portion supported by the vertical motion arm, an elastic member which is provided between the post and the horizontal motion arm and cancels an angular moment around the horizontal motion arm, a fulcrum which is provided on the horizontal motion arm and receives a force from the elastic member, and a fulcrum moving mechanism configured to shift the position of the fulcrum in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the horizontal motion arm. |
| US07724426B2 |
Laser scanning microscope and microscopic observing method
To provide a laser scanning microscope including a laser beam source for stimulation that emits a laser beam for stimulation for applying photostimulation to a sample, a scanner that performs scanning with the laser beam for stimulation, a control device that controls the scanner, and an objective lens that condenses the laser beam for stimulation used for scanning by the scanner to the sample. The scanner has at least one acoustooptic device arranged on an optical path of the laser beam for stimulation. The control device determines a plurality of frequencies on the basis of the position and the range of a photostimulation region, and simultaneously applies the high-frequency signals of the determined plurality of frequencies to a vibrator attached to the acoustooptic device. |
| US07724422B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing light having a selected polarization with an optical fiber
Optical apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) for providing light having a selected linear polarization having a polarization ratio, the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) comprising a length of optical fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1001) comprising a rare earth for providing light having a first wavelength responsive to receiving pump light having a second wavelength that is different than said first wavelength, wherein if the length of optical fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) were placed in a first position between the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is substantially linearly oriented (20) the fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) could propagate at the first wavelength a fundamental mode and a plurality of higher order modes and the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) could provide light having a first polarization ratio for the selected linear polarization and an M2 parameter, and wherein the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is positioned in a second position that increases the bend loss of the fiber relative to the first position such that, responsive to the increased bend loss, the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) can provide light having a reduced M2 parameter as well as a second polarization ratio for the selected polarization that is increased relative to the first polarization ratio, the increase being at least 6 dB greater than the first polarization ratio, and wherein when the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is in the second position the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) can provide a slope efficiency that is at least 50% of the ratio of the second wavelength to the first wavelength. |
| US07724416B2 |
Electrically programmable reticle and system
An electrically programmable reticle is made using at least one electrochromatic layer that changes its optical transmissibility in response to applied voltages. Transparent conductor layers are configured to the desired patterns. The electrically programmable reticles are either patterned in continuous forms that have separately applied voltages or in a matrix of rows and columns that are addressed by row and column selects such that desired patterns are formed with the application of a first voltage level and reset with the application of a second voltage level. |
| US07724413B2 |
Speckle removing light source and lighting apparatus
Provided are a speckle removing light source capable of removing speckle by using laser light whose wavelength is temporally changed and a lighting apparatus for producing an image from which the speckle is removed. Included are a light source for outputting laser light, and a light frequency modulator for temporally changing a wavelength of the laser light. The light frequency modulator has a predetermined period set for changing the wavelength of the laser light. Also, provided is a lighting apparatus, including a spatial light modulator illuminated with the laser light outputted from the speckle removing light source to produce an image. The spatial light modulator has a period set for producing the image, which is longer than the period for changing the wavelength of the laser light by the light frequency modulator. |
| US07724411B2 |
2-axis driving electromagnetic scanner
A 2-axis driving electromagnetic scanner, having a structure in which a mirror is separated from a driving unit and directly driven, is provided. The electromagnetic scanner includes: an outer driving unit which is capable of rotating around a first axis; an inner driving unit which is suspended from the outer driving unit so as to rotate around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a stage which is located on an upper surface of the inner driving unit so as to rotate together with the inner driving unit. In the electromagnetic scanner, the stage is connected to the inner driving unit by a link unit protruding from a center of a lower surface of the stage. |
| US07724410B2 |
Optical beam scanning apparatus, method of manufacturing optical beam scanning apparatus, image forming apparatus and method of manufacturing image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus according to the invention, an optical beam scanning apparatus of an overillumination scanning optical system includes a laser, a pre-deflection optical system, a polygon mirror, and a post-deflection optical system, wherein the post-deflection optical system includes at least one optical element configured by allowing a resin to flow into a molding die through a gate opening provided in advance to the molding die and then molding the resin into a prescribed shape; and in the optical element, a side corresponding to a side of the gate opening through which the resin flows is provided to a light incidence side where the luminous flux enters into the polygon mirror. |
| US07724408B2 |
Security system, especially for security documents
The invention relates to a security system especially for security documents, wherein a security element is provided in a carrier plane, that under incident light holographically reconstructs a pattern outside the carrier plane, in which concealed information is stored and having a flat transparent verification element which on flat contact with the security element makes the information stored therein visible. The invention further relates to a security element and a verification element for use in the security system and a security document fitted with the security system. The invention additionally relates to an apparatus and a method for reading out the concealed information which is stored holographically in the pattern reconstructed on the security element under incident light. |
| US07724407B2 |
Holographic display and controls applied to gas installations
The present invention provides methods and systems for holographic control and monitoring of processing devices. Operator control of a processing device is indicated by interaction with a holographic image. The holographic image is generated, and the operator interaction is detected, by a holographic control system. The holographic control system is sealed to prevent explosions, corrosion, and contamination resulting from contact with external substances. |
| US07724402B2 |
Image reader
An image reader includes an illumination unit that irradiates an object to be read with light, a first optical system that allows a first reflection light from the object to be read advance therein, a second optical system that allows a second reflection light from the object to be read to advance therein, a switching unit that switches between the first optical system and the second optical system to be used, an imaging unit that forms an image of the first reflection light that advances in the first optical system and an image of the second reflection light that advances in the second optical system by switching between the first optical system and the second optical system by the switching unit, and a light receiving unit that receives the first reflection light and the second reflection light which are formed into images and generates respective image signals. |
| US07724401B2 |
Image scanner having wireless carriage module
An image scanner having wireless carriage module is provided to overcome the abrasion problem occurred between the flat flexible cable and the transparent scanning platform. The image scanner includes a casing; a carriage module disposed inside the casing for picking up image data of an object to be scanned and converting the image data into digital data; a wireless transmitter incorporated into the carriage module for receiving and modulating the digital data into wireless signals and transmitting the wireless signals out; and a wireless receiver separate from the carriage module and being in communication with a processing system for receiving and demodulating the wireless signals from the wireless transmitter into the digital data and outputting the digital data to the processing system for further processing. |
| US07724399B2 |
Method of downloading and installing a software object
A method of downloading an object using a surface having disposed therein or thereon first coded data being at least partially indicative of a download request for the object, the method including, in a processing system: receiving first indicating data from a sensing device, the first indicating data being at least partially indicative of the download request, the sensing device being responsive to sensing at least some of the first coded data to generate the first indicating data; transferring second indicating data to a server, the second indicating data being at least partially based on the first indicating data and indicative of the download request, wherein the server identifies, using the download request, the object for download; and, receiving, from the server, download data indicative of the object. |
| US07724398B2 |
Method, device system and computer program system for processing document data
In a method and system for processing document data in a document processing system that comprises at least one document generation computer, a document processing computer, an electronic document output system comprising a printing device, and a monitoring computer, document data are generated on the document generation computer. The document data are transmitted from the document generation computer to a processing computer. Control data are added to the document data in the processing computer with a processing module via which print stock generated from the document data are separately processed segment-by-segment. A document data stream generated by the processing computer is forwarded to the output system. |
| US07724397B2 |
Method for compensating for induced artifacts on an image to be printed
A method for compensating for induced artifacts on an image to be printed includes processing the image to be printed. An image region of the image susceptible to at least one artifact is identified. An imaging process is modified to reduce an effect of the at least one artifact on the image region. The image is printed. |
| US07724390B2 |
Selective access to memory cards
An image processing apparatus which is equipped with card slots can cope with plural kinds of memory cards acting as media, and a recording apparatus does not occur a malfunction in its card reader due to a lack of a current to be supplied to the medium even when the plural media are respectively inserted in the card reader. To do so, when the media are initially inserted in the plural card slots, the slot in which the medium is first inserted is set to be available, and the remaining slots are set to be unavailable. Besides, power is not supplied to the slots which have been set to be unavailable. |
| US07724389B2 |
Method for printing mixed color and black and white documents and for recovering from interruptions
A method for recovering from an interruption while executing color split printing is described. The document is split into two sub-documents. N sets of the first sub-document are printed on a first printer, and N sets of the second sub-document are printed on a second printer while merging sheets of the first sub-document using a paper inserter unit. When an interruption occurs when printing and merging the nth set, the nth set is skipped and the remaining sets are finished first. Then, the second printer instructs the user to place the printed sheets of the nth set of the first sub-document starting from the first sheet after the point of interruption in the paper inserter unit. The second printer prints the nth set of the second sub-document starting from the point of interruption while merging sheets of the first sub-document using the paper inserter unit to complete the nth set. |
| US07724387B2 |
Image processing apparatus, controlling method for image processing apparatus, and program
A scanner is provided with an image memory for storing therein image data read from an original by an image sensor, an image processing portion for effecting image processing on the image data, and a sending portion for sending the image data to an external equipment. The image processing portion is disposed in a route along which the image data is forwarded from the image memory to the sending portion, and the contents of the image processing by the image processing portion is made changeable over. The external equipment is provided with an image analyzing portion for obtaining first image data image-processed in a first image mode from the scanner and analyzing it, and detecting the state of the original (such as whether the original is a white sheet) from which the first image data has been read. On the basis of the result of the detection by the image analyzing portion, second image data image-processed in a second image mode is obtained from the scanner. |
| US07724382B2 |
Method and apparatus for irradiating laser
A laser irradiation process includes: scanning a substrate with laser having a predetermined lasing frequency at different irradiation intensities to form a plurality of first irradiation areas corresponding to the irradiation intensities; illuminating the first irradiation areas to reflected light receive from the fist irradiation areas; determining microcrystallization intensity based on the received reflected light; and determining irradiation intensity based on the thus determined microcrystallization intensity. The laser irradiation process uses the irradiation intensity for irradiating a polycrystalline film in a product semiconductor device. |
| US07724380B2 |
Method and system for three-dimensional measurement
A three-dimensional measurement method is provided for measuring an object shape in a non-contact manner by using a non-contact sensor and a sensor moving mechanism that changes a position and a posture of the sensor and can operate by numerical control, moving the non-contact sensor in accordance with measurement path information indicating plural positions and postures of the sensor at the respective positions. The measurement path information is set in advance by teaching. The method includes performing preliminary three-dimensional measurement of the object in accordance with preliminary measurement path information, using shape data obtained by the preliminary three-dimensional measurement and shape data of an imaginary object as a measurement target in the teaching to detect positioning error between the object and the imaginary object, modifying the measurement path information depending on the detected positioning error, and performing three-dimensional measurement of the object in accordance with the modified measurement path information. |
| US07724376B2 |
Wavefront-aberration measuring method and device, and exposure apparatus including the device
The disclosure describes obtaining a first reference wavefront generated from a object plane mask slit, obtaining a second reference wavefront generated from a first image plane mask slit, measuring a wavefront of a target optical system including a reference wavefront error, and subtracting the first and the second reference wavefronts from the target optical system include the reference wavefront error. |
| US07724375B1 |
Method and apparatus for increasing metrology or inspection tool throughput
A method and system for performing measurements on a test sample with a metrology or inspection tool are disclosed. At least one of the test sample and the tool is moved with respect to the other from a first position to a second position. At the second position, the tool is aligned for measurement of a measurement target on the sample. A focus of the tool on the test sample is adjusted while moving from that first position to the second position. |
| US07724373B2 |
Sub-micron surface plasmon resonance sensor systems
A sensor for detecting the presence of a target analyte, ligand or molecule in a test fluid, comprising a light transmissive substrate on which an array of surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements is mounted is described. A multi-channel sensor for detecting the presence of several targets with a single micro-chip sensor is described. A multi-channel sensor including collections of SPR elements which are commonly functionalized to one of several targets is also described. The detectors sense changes in the resonant response of the SPR elements indicative of binding with the targets. |
| US07724371B2 |
Device for examining a fluid by uniform illumination using a configured light guide
An optical device for examining a fluid including a measuring space including a compulsory passage for the fluid to be examined, at least one source delivering a selected light to an optical illuminator serving to collect at least part of the light having traversed the compulsory passage and to deliver the selected light to analyze the collected light so as to deliver signals representing data borne by the collected light. The optical illuminator includes a first light guide including one end, opposite the source, and configured to deliver the light, derived from the source, in accordance with a selected geometry to illuminate the compulsory passage in a substantially uniform manner and under a substantially constant intensity. |
| US07724365B2 |
Spectral observation method and spectral observation system
A proposition of the present invention is to acquire necessary data without any chasm in an observation of a specimen containing plural kinds of substances of which exciting wavelengths are different. Accordingly, a spectral observation method of the present invention, irradiating light to the specimen containing plural kinds of substances (RFP, GFP, and so on) of which exciting wavelengths are different, and detecting spectra of light emitted from the specimen, the spectral observation method sequentially acquires spectral data of substances from the one of which exciting wavelength is long while switching a wavelength of the irradiated light among respective exciting wavelengths of the plural kinds of substances, and excludes the exciting wavelength of the substance corresponding to the spectral data to be acquired from detection wavelengths of the spectra each when acquiring the spectral data of the spectral data of the respective substances. |
| US07724363B2 |
Device for multifocal confocal microscopic determination of spatial distribution and for multifocal fluctuation analysis of fluorescent molecules and structures with flexible spectral detection
Many points on a sample are tested simultaneously in parallel in an FCS method with multifocal illumination and/or detection. |
| US07724360B2 |
Method and apparatus for inspecting foreign particle defects
The invention relates to a device production process for forming a circuit pattern on a substrate such as semiconductor device. To enable a stable inspection of a minute foreign particle and a pattern defect occurring in manufacture of a device at a high speed and with a high sensitivity, an object to be inspected on which a transparent film is formed, is irradiated with a beam which is emitted from an illuminator whose illumination direction and illumination angle are selected from a plurality of choices to be optimum, so that scattered reflected light from a minute foreign particle defect on the object or the transparent film is effectively detected by eliminating a noise from the pattern formed on the object, and a detection optical system is optimized by evaluating and adjusting, with an image forming performance checker, an image forming performance of the detection optical system included in an inspecting apparatus. |
| US07724358B2 |
Illuminator for darkfield inspection
Light from a single source is divided among several illumination arms, each of which directs light via a multimode fiber bundle from the source to the wafer location. The arms are arranged circumferentially around a common illumination region, so that the region is illuminated from several directions. For each arm, light exiting the fiber bundle enters a turning prism, reflects off the hypotenuse of the prism, and is diverged in one dimension by a negative cylindrical surface on the exiting face of the prism. The beam then reflects off an anamorphic mirror and propagates to the illumination region on the wafer. The beam has an asymmetric footprint, so that it illuminates a nearly circular region of the wafer when viewed at normal incidence. The fiber bundle is at the front focal plane in the meridional dimension. The illumination region is at the rear focal plane in both dimensions. |
| US07724357B2 |
Backside contamination inspection device
A system for simultaneously inspecting the frontsides and backsides of semiconductor wafers for defects is disclosed. The system rotates the semiconductor wafer while the frontside and backside surfaces are generally simultaneously optically scanned for defects. Rotation is induced by providing contact between the beveled edges of the semiconductor wafer and roller bearings rotationally driven by a motor. The wafer is supported in a tilted or semi-upright orientation such that support is provided by gravity. This tilted supporting orientation permits both the frontside and the backside of the wafer to be viewed simultaneously by a frontside inspection device and a backside inspection device. |
| US07724355B1 |
Method and device for enhancing accuracy in ultrasonic range measurement
A device (100) and method (300) for enhancing range detection accuracy in ultrasonic touchless sensing applications can include transmitting (302) an ultrasonic signal intended to reflect off a finger and produce an echo, receiving (304) the echo, saving (306) most recent echoes to a history (400), selectively discarding (308) echoes less recently saved in the history to produce a sparse history, identifying (310) a relative phase of the echo with respect to a previously received echo in the sparse history, tracking (312) a location and a movement of the finger from an arrival time of the echo and the relative phase, and providing (314) touchless control to a user interface control in accordance with the location and the movement of the finger. |
| US07724353B2 |
Method for measuring distance to object
A method for calculating a distance to an object is provided. In this method, whether luminances received by at least one light receiving elements of a plurality of light receiving elements are equal to or higher than a predetermined value is determined. When luminances received by at least one light receiving elements are equal to or higher than a predetermined value, whether the luminances change in a time-series manner or not is determined. When the luminances change in a time-series manner, information is acquired from the time-series change. Then, a size of a light receiving region is detected based on a ratio of a light receiving element having received luminance with a predetermined value or more to the plurality of light receiving element. Based on the size of the light receiving region and the acquired information, the distance to the object is calculated. |
| US07724352B2 |
Light beam receiver
A light beam receiver includes a plurality of light beam detector elements, a plurality of integrator circuits that receive signals from the light beam detector elements, and a signal integral limiting integration time controller that is in communication with at least two of the integrator circuits so that an analysis of the light beam reception is determined. One embodiment provides a self-calibration function, using a plurality of light beam detector elements that generate output signals when receiving a light beam upon the light beam detector elements, an evaluation/control circuit that receives the output signals and is configured to substantially determine a position where the light beam impacts on the light beam detector elements, and at least one calibration light source that emits at least one light pulse that is coupled to the light beam detector elements. The light beam receiver performs a self-calibration function using the calibration light source. |
| US07724349B2 |
Device arranged to measure a quantity relating to radiation and lithographic apparatus
A device is arranged to measure a quantity relating to radiation. The device includes a sensor configured to measure the quantity, a screen arranged to protect the sensor from incoming particles emitted from a source configured to emit extreme ultraviolet radiation, and a mirror configured to redirect extreme ultraviolet radiation emitted by the source, past the screen, to the sensor. |
| US07724348B2 |
Exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to exposure light via an original. The apparatus includes a reflector, which includes a multilayer film and a ruthenium film, and reflects the exposure light. The multilayer film reflects the exposure light, and the ruthenium film is arranged on the multilayer film. A vacuum container contains the reflector, an exhauster exhausts exhaust gas in the vacuum container, and a regulator supplies water vapor into the vacuum container and regulates an amount of the water vapor in the vacuum container, based on an amount of carbonaceous gas in the vacuum chamber, so as to retard oxidation of the ruthenium film. |
| US07724346B2 |
Method for adjusting amount of liquid crystal in an LCD device including forming a repair region by irradiating a light onto a sealing member having a thickness with an included metal pattern capable of being burnt down
A method for adjusting an amount of liquid crystal in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes injecting a liquid crystal into a liquid crystal receiving space. The liquid crystal receiving space is disposed between a first substrate, a second substrate that faces the first substrate, and a sealing member interposed between the first and second substrates. The method for adjusting an amount of liquid crystal in an LCD device further includes irradiating a light to a portion of the sealing member while varying an irradiating angle of the light so as to form a repair region at the sealing member that has a thickness smaller than that of the sealing member. The method for adjusting an amount of liquid crystal in an LCD device also comprises pressurizing the liquid crystal to form an opening in the repair region of the sealing member and discharge some of the liquid crystal from the liquid crystal receiving space through the opening formed in the repair region, and sealing the opening of the repair region. |
| US07724340B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel having power supply lines and liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display panel including power supply lines and a liquid crystal display including the liquid crystal display panel. A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate including a plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of data lines that are formed so as to intersect the plurality of gate lines, a second substrate that faces the first substrate and includes a plurality of color filters, a power supply unit that supplies power to a light source, power supply lines that are formed on the first substrate so as to be electrically connected to the power supply units, and a flexible printed circuit board that is electrically connected to the power supply lines. |
| US07724334B2 |
In-plane field type liquid crystal display device comprising liquid crystal molecules with more than two kinds of reorientation directions
A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates with a liquid crystal layer therebetween with a plurality of scanning signal lines and of video signal lines being formed on a first substrate. The scanning and video signal lines are arranged in a shape of a grid, and a pixel region is defined as a region surrounded by the scanning and video signal lines. A black matrix is formed on a second substrate, is arranged in a position overlapped on the scanning and video signal lines, and has an opening portion in each pixel region. A plurality of first electrodes are provided on the first substrate, and a plurality of second electrodes are provided on the second substrate, wherein at least one of first electrodes and at least one of the second electrodes are arranged in a position overlapped with the opening portion. |
| US07724333B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display (LCD) comprises a first substrate comprising a pixel electrode comprising one or more first domain-forming features and further comprising a first vertical alignment film disposed on the pixel electrode; a second substrate facing the first substrate and comprising a common electrode which comprises one or more second domain-forming features and further comprises a second vertical alignment film disposed on the common electrode; and a liquid crystal compound interposed between the first and second substrates, wherein the liquid crystal compound comprises liquid crystal molecules, ultraviolet (UV) hardening monomers and UV hardening initiators, and the liquid crystal molecules are pre-tilted to form an angle greater than 88 degrees but less than 90 degrees with respect to the first substrate when no driving power is applied to the pixel and common electrodes. Fast response time is provided in some embodiments. |
| US07724332B2 |
Transflective liquid crystal display devices and fabrication methods comprising first and second alignment layers on a first substrate, wherein pre-tilt angles and orientations of liquid crystal molecules on the first and second alignment layers are different
Transflective liquid crystal display devices and fabrication methods thereof. A single cell gap transflective liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate with a reflective region and a transmissive region. A second substrate opposes the first substrate. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second substrates. A reflective structure is disposed on the first substrate, thereby forming a recess at the transmissive region. A first alignment layer is conformably formed on the first substrate covering the reflective structure, thereby forming a second recess at the reflective region. The second recess is filled with a second alignment, wherein the first and second alignment layers provide different orientations and pre-tilt angles for the liquid crystal layer. |
| US07724330B2 |
Biaxial film having local birefringence that varies periodically
The invention relates to an optically biaxial film comprising an anisotropic material with deformed helically twisted structure and locally varying birefringence, to methods and materials for its preparation, to its uses as retardation or compensation film in optical devices like liquid crystal displays, and to compensators and liquid crystal displays comprising such a biaxial film. |
| US07724326B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising a shading conductive layer formed at least near an opening or cut of an electrode
The liquid crystal display device of the invention has a plurality of pixels, each including a first electrode 111, a second electrode 131 and a vertically aligned liquid crystal layer 120 interposed between the first and second electrodes. The first electrode has at least one opening 114 or cut 113 formed at a predetermined position in the pixel. At least one shading conductive layer 116 electrically connected to the first electrode is formed at least near the at least one opening or cut. In each of the plurality of pixels, a plurality of regions in which the directions of tilt of liquid crystal molecules are different from one another are formed when at least a predetermined voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. |
| US07724325B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing the same
An in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) device having a color filter on TFT (COT) structure therein and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed to improve picture quality by decreasing the reflection of external light above the data line, to obtain the economic efficiency, simplify the manufacturing process by forming a light-shielding layer of a metal material, and to solve the problem of decreasing aperture ratio after bonding lower and upper substrates to each other. The device includes first and second substrates facing each other, gate and data lines crossing each other on the first substrate to define a pixel region, a first common line parallel to the gate line, a thin film transistor at a crossing portion of the gate and data lines, an insulating interlayer on an entire surface of the first substrate including the data line, color filters in the pixel region, wherein at least one of the color filters completely covers the data line, a planarization layer on the entire surface of the first substrate including the color filter layers, a second common line along the gate line and the thin film transistor; common electrodes completely overlapping the data line, and arranged at one direction in the pixel region, and a pixel electrode in contact with a drain electrode of the thin film transistor and formed between the common electrodes at fixed intervals. |
| US07724320B2 |
Liquid crystal display having a light guide plate comprising a plurality of dots embedded with carbon nanotubes configured for absorbing light beams having long wavelengths
An exemplary liquid crystal display (200) includes a liquid crystal panel (210) and a backlight module (220). The backlight module is positioned for illuminating the liquid crystal panel, and includes a light source (222) and at least one optical member (221). The at least one optical member includes absorbing material for absorbing light beams having wavelength more than 700 nanometers, such that when light beams provided by the light source transmit through the at least one optical member, at least some of the light beams having wavelengths more than 700 nanometers are absorbed by the absorbing material. |
| US07724316B2 |
Backlight device and display apparatus
A backlight device includes a light source; supporting means having four edges arranged in a frame-like manner; at least one optical sheet supported by the supporting means and allowing light emitted from the light source to pass therethrough and be incident on a back surface of a liquid crystal panel, the optical sheet having an opening in a position substantially dividing a length of a bottom edge thereof into halves; and a vibration-proof member extending through the opening and fixed to the supporting means. |
| US07724313B2 |
Automatic dust-removing device for a liquid crystal panel and projector using the same
A projector (100) includes a light source unit (20), a light polarizing module (11), a color light separation optical module (12), a reflection mirror group (13), a liquid crystal panel group (17), a cross dichroic prism (18), a projection lens (19), and two automatic dust-removing devices (16) for removing dust from the liquid crystal panel group. The liquid crystal panel group includes three liquid crystal panels (171, 172, 173). Each of the liquid crystal panels includes a mounting frame (179) and a liquid crystal lens (178) attached to the mounting frame. The automatic dust-removing devices are attached to opposite sides of the mounting frames. Each of the automatic dust-removing devices includes a fastening element (161), two vibration elements (163) and an optical lens (164). The fastening element is attached to the mounting frame. The vibration elements and the optical lens are attached to the fastening element. |
| US07724311B2 |
Optical projecting system
An optical projecting system includes a light-splitting unit for splitting composite source light into a plurality of composite light beam components, and a reflective color wheel rotatable about a rotation axis and including a plurality of multi-layer light-reflecting sections for further splitting each of the composite light beam components into a plurality of colored light beam components for subsequent modulation and projection. Each of the multi-layer light-reflecting sections includes a plurality of light-filtering layers stacked along the rotation axis, and each being capable of reflecting light within a predefined distinct wavelength range, and permitting transmission of light outside the predefined distinct wavelength range therethrough. Sequences of the light-filtering layers of an adjacent pair of the multi-layer light-reflecting sections are different from each other. |
| US07724308B2 |
Cross color suppressing apparatus and method thereof
A cross color suppressing apparatus used for suppressing the cross color of a frame is provided. The frame has several pixels, and the image data of each pixel include a luminance and a chrominance. The apparatus includes a diagonal edge detector, a cross color detector and a chrominance suppressing unit. The diagonal edge detector is used for determining whether target pixel is on a diagonal edge according to the luminance of the target pixel and that of its neighboring pixels. The cross color detector is used for determining whether the chrominance of the target pixel is substantially different from that of its neighboring pixels. If both the determination results of the diagonal edge detector and the cross color detector are true, the chrominance suppressing unit suppresses the chrominance of the target pixel and its neighboring pixels. |
| US07724301B2 |
Determination of mechanical shutter exposure time
The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for determining a mechanical shutter exposure time (e.g., an actual closing time) with a rolling readout of an image (e.g., complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) sensor using a predetermined calibration area of the image sensor in digital cameras or in electronic devices with digital cameras. |
| US07724297B2 |
Imaging device having a display to display images captured by a plurality of image sensors with different display regions
An imaging device comprises a photographing lens, a first imaging sensor for taking a subject image formed by the photographing lens, a second image sensor for taking a subject image formed by the photographing lens, an optical path switching section for selectively switching subject light that has passed through the photographing lens to either one of the first image sensor or the second image sensor, a display section for displaying an image taken by the second image sensor, and a display region storage section for storing information representing a region for display on the display section from a region where imaging by the second image sensor is possible. The display section controls the display region based on the information stored in the display region storage section. |
| US07724295B2 |
Photoelectric converter and radiation reader
A radiation reader including a conversion device, and a method of driving the radiation reader. The conversion device includes (a) a pixel including a conversion device for converting an incident radiation into an electric charge, and (b) a reading circuit including at least one field effect transistor for reading the electric charge from the pixel in an amplifying manner as a signal containing a noise. The reading circuit includes first storage means for storing the signal containing the noise, second storage means for storing the noise, and processing means for deriving an output signal not containing the noise based on a first output from the first storage means and a second output from the second storage means. |
| US07724291B2 |
Image input apparatus and control method
An image input apparatus includes (a) a connection unit capable of connecting with a detachable storage medium; (b) a storage unit that stores a program for controlling the image input apparatus; (c) a bus communicably coupled with the storage unit and the connection unit; (d) a container unit adapted to contain the detachable storage medium; (e) a detecting unit adapted to detect whether a cover on the container unit is open; (f) a control unit configured to use the bus to access the detachable storage medium or the storage unit; and (g) a display unit that displays a message notifying a user that the cover is open, if the detecting unit detects that the cover is open. If the detecting unit detects that the cover is open, the control unit disables access from the control unit to the storage unit. |
| US07724289B2 |
Imaging apparatus
A imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit, a photographing function setting unit that optionally sets operation conditions of the imaging unit, a recording unit that classifies image signals obtained by the imaging unit into groups and records the image signals on a recording medium, a group condition setting unit that optionally sets conditions for classifying the image signals into a plurality of groups, and a mode switching unit that switches between a recording manual setting mode for causing the imaging unit to execute photographing in accordance with the operation conditions set by the photographing function setting unit and the recording unit to classify and record the image signals in accordance with the conditions set by the group condition setting unit and a recording automatic setting mode for causing the imaging unit to execute photographing in accordance with predetermined operation conditions and the recording unit to classify and record the image signals in accordance with predetermined conditions. |
| US07724284B2 |
Multi-camera system and method having a common processing block
A system and method for realizing a multi-camera system having two optical paths with a single processing path for the two optical paths. Such a multi-camera system typically includes a first image-capture device associated with a first optical train wherein the first image-capture device is typically pointed in a first direction (i.e., away from the user). The multi-camera system further includes a second image-capture device having a second optical train wherein the second image-capture device is typically pointed in a second direction (i.e., toward the user). The multi-camera system further includes a single processing block coupled to the first image-capture device and the second image-capture device. The processing block is typically operable to process image data captured at each image-capture device. |
| US07724283B2 |
Electronic camera
An electronic camera includes: an image capturing unit that captures a subject image; an image compression unit that executes a specific type of compression processing on image data obtained by the image capturing unit; and a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not a camera-shake has occurred based upon first compressed image data resulting from the compression processing executed by the image compression unit on first image data obtained by capturing an image following a photographing instruction and second compressed image data resulting from the compression processing executed by the image compression unit on second image data captured prior to the photographing instruction. |
| US07724282B2 |
Method of processing digital image to correct for flash effects
An image captured by a digital camera with a flash is processed by locating distortions of said captured image due to said flash such as “red-eye” effects and removing them. The process includes the steps of determining if the flash is on (step 11), if so, determining any faces within the captured image (step 12), locating eyes within said faces (step 13), determining if “red-eye” removal is required (step 14), and if so, correcting for such effects (step 15) and storing corrected image (step 16) in a memory device of the digital camera. |
| US07724281B2 |
Device facilitating efficient transfer of digital content from media capture device
A method facilitating the transfer of information from a media or data capture device to a larger device while providing valuable feedback about the transfer is described. A transfer device including a simple user interface that can be easily implemented on a media or data capture device provides feedback about the transfer operation, enabling the user to take action when necessary. For example, the user is advised if the transfer is complete or, alternatively, that the transfer has failed and needs to redone. Feedback is provided by visual signals and may also be accompanied by audible signals. All necessary transfer functionality is included on the media capture device, thereby avoiding the requirement for dedicated software on a host (or pipeline) device, such as a cellular phone. This expands the number of pipeline devices that can be utilized with particular media capture devices. As long as there is a correct interface between the data capture device and the pipeline device, all the necessary transfer functionality can be included in the data capture device. |
| US07724279B2 |
O/S application based multiple device access windowing display
A system and method for providing access to a video display for multiple devices. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise receiving, at a video display system, a first video data signal through a first data communication interface and a second video data signal through a second data communication interface. A processor module may process the first and second video data signals to generate video information of first and second display windows in a composite display. For example, the processor module may transform and translate video information to fit display windows. The processor module may, for example, generate an output video signal comprising information of the first window and information of the second window. Such a signal may, for example, be utilized to drive an output display showing the first and second windows. Various aspects may also provide method steps and apparatus for controlling aspects of the displayed windows. |
| US07724278B2 |
Apparatus with moveable headrest for viewing images from a changing direction-of-view
A head guide with a display is attitudinally controlled for guiding the head of a passive viewer wherein the display is for viewing images that are emulative of images viewed by a cameraman with head mounted cameras whose head attitude is monitored for controlling the head guide in synchronism with the images gathered by the cameras. Additionally, the viewer's eyes may be induced to follow a sequence of visual fixations at the same time as the passive viewer's head is induced to execute attitudinal movements consistent therewith. |
| US07724277B2 |
Display apparatus, system and display method
A display apparatus has an acquisition unit and a display unit. The acquisition unit acquires information of a meeting video and/or the meeting video from a video storage apparatus and the video storage apparatus stores a plurality of meeting videos. The display unit creates a introduction screen for introducing information of the meeting video based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit, and displays the introduction screen on a display surface. |
| US07724275B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus including: optical sensor to receive a bias current and to divide the bias current into two output currents, according to positions of a light beam on the optical sensor; and a signal processor to detect horizontal synchronization signals using the output currents, to calculate a positional deviation of the horizontal synchronization signals, and to control a recording time of video data according to the positional deviation. |
| US07724274B2 |
Thermal printer
A thermal printer includes a heat sink in which a latent-heat-type heat storage sheet in which a plurality of heat storage materials are added to a base material is attached to a thermal conduction plate. The thermal conduction plate provided in contact with the thermal head. Each of the heat storage materials starts to melt if absorbed heat reaches a predetermined temperature, and the heat storage sheet stores heat while being maintained at a fixed temperature, while each of the heat storage materials melts. A radiation portion that is subjected to surface processing for improving the radiation rate of the heat storage sheet is provided on the surface of the heat storage sheet. |
| US07724270B1 |
Apparatus and methods to achieve a variable color pixel border on a negative mode screen with a passive matrix drive
A display unit is constituted by a passive matrix of independently controllable pixels characterized by an active area of n rows and m columns of discrete pixels and a pixel border. The pixel border has a predetermined width, in one embodiment two pixels. The border pixel color state is controlled herein by the frame buffer memory. The pixel border color state is controlled to correspond to information contained in a frame buffer memory locus. This locus may be, in various embodiments herein, a single pixel, a row of pixels, or a number of rows of pixels of frame buffer memory. Each row of pixels may be equal to m and/or n. In one embodiment, the frame buffer controls the border pixels directly via a liquid crystal display controller and drivers, without a timing generation mechanism, such as a timing ASIC. |
| US07724267B2 |
Information processing program and information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus has a pointing device for designating a position of an arbitrary point with respect to a reference point O, and a processor of the information processing apparatus detects a position of the point designated by the pointing device with respect to the reference point O at every unit of time, and calculates an operation vector AB respectively regarding a point A and a point B detected before and after as a starting point and an ending point. The calculated operation vector AB is orthogonally-projected onto a strait line vertical to a vector OA respectively regarding the reference point O and the point A as a starting point and an ending point. Information processing is performed on the basis of a component vector thus obtained from the operation vector AB. |
| US07724262B2 |
Memory system and method for improved utilization of read and write bandwidth of a graphics processing system
A system and method for processing graphics data which improves utilization of read and write bandwidth of a graphics processing system. The graphics processing system includes an embedded memory array having at least three separate banks of single-ported memory in which graphics data are stored in memory page format. A memory controller coupled to the banks of memory writes post-processed data to a first bank of memory concurrently with reading data from a second bank of memory. A synchronous graphics processing pipeline processes the data read from the second bank of memory and provides the post-processed graphics data to the memory controller to be written back to the bank of memory from which the pre-processed data was read. The processing pipeline is capable of concurrently processing an amount of graphics data at least equal to the amount of graphics data included in a page of memory. A third bank of memory is precharged concurrently with writing data to the first bank and reading data from the second bank in preparation for access when reading data from the second bank of memory is completed. |
| US07724259B2 |
Aircraft flat panel display system with improved information availability
An improved aircraft instrument flight display system employs primary and secondary video graphics processors for generating graphics video imaging information. Both the primary and secondary video graphics processors have associated potential failure threads and are preferably chosen to have different potential failure .threads so that the same failure problem will not have a tendency to occur in both of the video graphics processors. The primary video graphics processor generates a graphical display of the aircraft flight information for use by the flight crew in operating the aircraft. The system also includes a video switch for switching between the primary and secondary video graphics processors under control of the integrity checking processor based on the integrity of the graphical display provided by the primary video graphics processor. |
| US07724254B1 |
ISO-surface tesselation of a volumetric description
A multi-threaded graphics processor is configured to generate a tessellated iso-surface from a volumetric description using slices of values that are stored in render targets. The volumetric description can be a complex mathematic equation, a sum of metaballs, a pre-computed scalar field represented as a 3D volume texture, or a rendered volume. Slices are aligned along an axis and spaced before being intersected with the volume to determine iso-surface intersections for the x, y, and z axes. The intersections are stored in render targets and are processed by a shader program to produce a tessellated iso-surface. |
| US07724246B2 |
Image display device
A low price image display device which has a smaller number of mounted components and allows high-accuracy display, is provided by making proper use of both a high-accuracy, low-voltage DA converter IC and a DA converter circuit having high-voltage TFTs formed on an insulated substrate in accordance with a display signal value. |
| US07724245B2 |
Electronic circuit, method of driving the same, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
At a writing time, a first transistor 412 is turned on so that a data signal Xj is supplied to one end of a capacitor 420. At this time, since a second transistor 414 is turned off, driving current does not flow to an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device 430. A power supply voltage Vdd is supplied to the other end of a capacitor through a power supply line L. However, since the driving current does not flow at the writing time, the power supply voltage Vdd is not reduced by the wiring line resistance of the power supply line L. On the other hand, at an emission time, the first transistor 412 is turned off and the second transistor 414 is turned on. Therefore, the driving current is supplied to the OLED device 430. |
| US07724239B2 |
Handheld electronic device, cursor positioning sub-system and method employing cursor scaling control
A track ball cursor positioning sub-system is employed by a handheld electronic device including an operating system and a plurality of applications having a plurality of predetermined scaling values. The cursor positioning sub-system includes a track ball cursor positioning device adapted to output a plurality of device pulses, and a track ball cursor resolution controller adapted to repetitively input the device pulses and to responsively output to the operating system a plurality of cursor movement events. The cursor resolution controller is further adapted to be controlled by the operating system or by the applications to learn which one of the applications is active and to automatically scale a number of the cursor movement events for a corresponding number of the device pulses based upon a corresponding one of the predetermined scaling values of the active one of the applications. |
| US07724238B2 |
Flat and collapsible mouse
A mouse (1) suitable for use as a computer input device that is collapsible between a flat configuration in which the mouse (1) is generally planar, and an optional popped configuration in which the mouse (1) has increased volume and forms a generally curved ergonomic profile, where said mouse (1) can be used for wireless data input and control and is operable in either configuration, and can be conveniently attached when flat with a docking cradle or tray (3) that slides into a card-shaped recess (13), such as a PCMCIA or CardBus interface slot within a host device (12) for the purposes of storage, battery recharging, and where said docking cradle (3) can directly provide wireless connectivity and control information between the mouse (1) and host device (12). The mouse (1) may support a combination of buttons (4) and capacitance panels (41) for increased control. |
| US07724235B2 |
Input mechanism for front panel of portable computing device
An embodiment of invention includes a handheld computer having a display. The display provides an output to a user-input. A housing includes a front panel that provides access to the display. A plurality of user-interactive mechanisms are provided on the housing. The user-input mechanisms include a first mechanism that is removably coupled to the housing. |
| US07724234B2 |
Panel for display device, and display device
A panel for a display device includes an electroconductive substrate formed from an electroconductive metal material, a substrate insulating layer arranged on the electroconductive substrate, an X-direction electric wiring group and a Y-direction electric wiring group arranged on the electroconductive substrate, pixels arranged in a matrix, a TFT element for driving the pixel, and a control unit for controlling, to a predetermined potential, a substrate potential of the electroconductive substrate. The TFT element has a reverse stagger structure, with the substrate insulating layer being arranged between the electroconductive substrate and a gate electrode of the TFT element, a gate insulating layer of the TFT element is arranged between a drain electrode of the TFT element and the electroconductive substrate, and an electric capacitor is formed in a part of the substrate insulating layer between the drain electrode and the electroconductive substrate. The electric capacitor is set based on the gate insulating layer of a film thickness smaller than a thickness of the substrate insulating layer without causing insulating breakdown. |
| US07724232B2 |
Device of driving display device
A driving device of a display device includes a gate driver including a series of shift registers. Each shift register generates an output determined by charging and discharging of a capacitor. The charging of the capacitor is blocked by an output of a next shift register or a signal synchronized with the output of the next shift register or the discharging of the capacitor is blocked by an output of a previous shift register or a signal synchronized with the output of the previous shift register. |
| US07724228B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
A display device including a liquid crystal display (LCD) device with an improved image quality is provided. The LCD includes a liquid crystal (LC) panel having horizontal lines and vertical lines arranged in a matrix configuration; a gate driver for supplying a scan signal to the horizontal lines; and a data driver inverting a polarity of interlace pixel data by a unit of at least two fields, converting the interlace pixel data every field according to a gamma voltage, and supplying the converted pixel data to the vertical lines. |
| US07724227B2 |
Signal compensation for flat panel display
A flat panel display includes a plurality of pixel circuits, each pixel circuit including a switch and a storage capacitor, in which the storage capacitor receives pixel data from a data line when the switch is turned on. A scan driver controls the switches of the pixel circuits, in which the scan driver turns on a first switch of a first pixel circuit for a first length of time within a frame period, and turns on a second switch of a second pixel circuit for a second length of time within the frame period, the first length of time being different from the second length of time. |
| US07724225B2 |
Display panel for liquid crystal display
A display panel for a liquid crystal display comprising a timing controller and a plurality of source drivers is provided. The timing controller receives a differential signal (LVDS/TMDS/DVI) to generate a plurality of TTL signals and a sync signal. Each of the source drivers comprises at least one bus directly connected to the timing controller to receive corresponding TTL signal. The timing controller comprises a clock line, coupled to the source drivers for transmission of the sync signal. Each TTL signal comprises a corresponding image information. The TTL signals, sequentially transmitted by the bus, conform to the transistor-to-transistor logic (TTL) standard. |
| US07724224B2 |
Display device
A display device includes: a display panel including pixels; a signal controller that stores FRC patterns including data elements having first or second value, selects one of the FRC data patterns based on input image data having a first bit number, and converts the input image data into output image data having a second bit number based on the selected FRC data pattern; and a data driver applying to the pixels data voltages corresponding to the output image data supplied from the signal controller. The data voltages have first or second polarity, and the number of the pixels supplied with data voltages that correspond to the output image data converted based on the first value and have the first polarity is equal to the number of the pixels supplied with data voltages that correspond to the output image data converted based on the first value and have the second polarity. |
| US07724223B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal display apparatus is disclosed which can prevent occurrence of flicker for a long time. The apparatus comprises a liquid crystal modulation element which includes a first electrode, a second electrode made of a material different from that of the first electrode, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, a first alignment film disposed between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer, and a second alignment film disposed between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer. The apparatus also comprises a controller which changes at least one of the potential to be applied to the first electrode and the central potential of the potential to be applied to the second electrode, which periodically changes between positive and negative with respect to the central potential, such that flicker is suppressed within a certain range. |
| US07724222B2 |
Image display device and electronic apparatus
An image display device includes: pixels in first and second directions; a polarization controller providing first and second polarization axis light; and a controller. The polarization controller includes first electrodes extending in the first direction on a first substrate with a predetermined interval in the second direction, and second electrodes extending in the first direction on a second substrate with an interval in the second direction twice the predetermined interval. The controller switches display between dual-screen and three-dimensional modes. In the dual-screen mode, the controller applies voltages to the second electrodes so adjacent electrodes have opposite phases, and applies the same phase voltage as one of the second electrode voltages to the first electrodes. In the three-dimensional mode, the controller applies voltages to the first electrodes so adjacent electrodes have opposite phases, and applies the same phase voltage as one of the first electrode voltages to the second electrodes. |
| US07724221B2 |
Bistable nematic liquid crystal display method and device
The present invention provides a display device comprising a bistable nematic liquid crystal matrix screen with breaking of anchoring, the device being characterized in that it includes addressing means suitable for generating and applying control signals to each pixel of the matrix screen, the control signals having sloping rising edges presenting a gradient lying in the range 0.5 V/μs to 0.0001 V/μs. |
| US07724218B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode display device and driving method thereof
An organic light-emitting diode display device and driving method thereof are provided. The organic light-emitting diode display device including a driving voltage source; a reference voltage source that generates a reference voltage; a reference current source; and a storage capacitor connected between a first node and a second node. An organic light-emitting diode device is connected between a third node and a ground voltage source. A first scanning signal is supplied to a first scan line. A second scanning signal is supplied to a second scan line, the second scanning signal having an inverse-phase against the first scanning signal. |
| US07724209B2 |
Image display apparatus that allows viewing of three-dimensional image from directions
An image display apparatus includes an image display device having pixels to display right- and left-eye images for a three-dimensional image, a first and second optical shutter devices located on rear and front sides of the image display device. The pixels include pixel pairs that have pixels arranged across first light-shielding portions and that are arrayed across second light-shielding portions. The first shutter device includes first light-transmitting portions that cause image light beams passing through the pixels to strike the right and left eyes of a viewer located in a first direction, and first shutter portions to control transmission/shielding of light. The second shutter device includes second light-transmitting portions that cause image light beams passing through the pixels to strike right eyes and left eyes of viewers located in second and third directions, and second shutter portions to control transmission/shielding of light. |
| US07724207B2 |
Wireless security badge
An embodiment of the disclosed subject matter allows wireless electronic badges to temporarily establish a wireless network, such as a piconet network, with a network security station. The wireless electronic badges automatically exchange user code with the network security station, to determine if the wireless electronic badge is authorized. If the wireless electronic badge is an authorized badge, then the network security station transmits display information to the authorized badge, for example, data for a photograph of the authorized user, where, upon receipt by the authorized badge, the badge visually displays the photograph. |
| US07724205B2 |
Image display control method, apparatus for controlling image display, and program for controlling image display
When a whole image having a large area or high resolution is displayed, the boundary lines are made less noticeable with a small amount of calculation by displaying partial images by a plurality of image projection units. An apparatus has a division position creation unit to create division positions such that the division positions vary at given timings, an image division unit to divide images at the division positions created by the division position creation unit, and plural image projection units PJ1, PJ2, . . . , PJN to display the images divided by the image division unit. |
| US07724202B2 |
Transition from a pulse generator to one or more helical antennae
An apparatus providing a low impedance transition from a pulse generator to one or more helical antennae. Conventional transition from coaxial-to-antenna causes energy loss. The present invention decreases that loss. |
| US07724200B2 |
Antenna device, array antenna, multi-sector antenna, high-frequency wave transceiver
An antenna device having a feeder electrode that extends linearly on a top surface of a dielectric substrate. A balanced electrode having two balanced transmission electrodes vertical to the extending direction of the feeder electrode and extending in parallel. The two balanced transmission electrodes are connected to the feeder electrode and separated by an interval of ½ of a wavelength of a transmission/reception signal. A radiation electrode having a first electrode connected to the one of the two balanced transmission electrodes and a second electrode connected to the other of the two balanced transmission electrodes and is positioned parallel to the feeder electrode. A waveguide electrode is formed at a position separated from the radiation electrode by a predetermined interval and in parallel to the radiation electrode. A ground electrode is formed at an area of a back surface of the dielectric substrate corresponding to an area including a portion where the feeder electrode is positioned. By connecting the two balanced electrodes to the feeder electrode at an interval of ½ of a wavelength in this manner, this branch portion has a signal branching function and a balun function at the same time. |
| US07724198B2 |
System and method for path alignment of directional antennas
A method and device for aligning an antenna to a desired heading. A laser beam is generated and aimed in a direction perpendicular to the desired heading. The line of sight of the laser is translated along the desired heading until the laser is directed to a reflective surface on the antenna's axis of transmission. The antenna is then positioned until the laser beam returns to a detector whose horizontal line of sight is the same as that of the laser, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the desired heading. |
| US07724197B1 |
Waveguide beam forming lens with per-port power dividers
A parallel plate beam forming lens is formed form at least three parallel plates, and includes a plurality of beam port waveguides, each coupled to a beam port divider with a step increase in waveguide height. The beam port divider comprises a first divider having two outputs separated by a resistive septum, each of which is coupled to a second divider having two outputs separated by a resistive septum, with all of the second divider outputs coupled to a lens region through beam port apertures. On the opposite end from the beam port waveguides is a plurality of array port waveguides forming a transformer, thereafter to a section of waveguide, and thereafter to an array port divider including a resistive septum coupled to the lens region and a step decrease in waveguide height. Also positioned at the extents of the beam port apertures and the array port apertures are a plurality of dummy ports. The beam port waveguides and array port waveguides are equalized in length using a feedthrough structure and a jog structure. The array port dividers, lens region, and beam port dividers are formed from the second and third plate, while the waveguides are formed from the first and second plate, with the feedthrough and jog structures formed on a combination of all three plates. |
| US07724196B2 |
Folded dipole multi-band antenna
A loop antenna includes a ground plane and a conductive element with a first C-shaped element portion having an open end and a closed end, with only the open end extending directly above a first portion of the ground plane, a second C-shaped element portion having an open end and a closed end, with only the open end extending directly above a second portion of the ground plane, and a transmission line element disposed between the first C-shaped element portion and the second C-shaped element portion and positioned directly above a third portion of the ground plane. |
| US07724194B2 |
Dual autodiplexing antenna
A dual autodiplexing antenna (300) redirects power flow (303) from an unloaded antenna to a loaded antenna, thereby improving communication performance under loaded conditions. The dual autodiplexing antenna (300) includes a first antenna (101) disposed at a first end (103) of a portable two-way communication device (100). A second antenna (102) is disposed at the distal end (104) of the portable two-way communication device (100). The first antenna (101) and second antenna (102) are coupled to a transceiver (107) by a first transmission line matching circuit (201) and a second transmission line matching circuit (202), respectively. In one embodiment, the first antenna (101) is configured to primarily operate in a first bandwidth, while the second antenna (102) is configured to primarily operate in a second bandwidth. When one of the first antenna (101) or second antenna (102) is loaded, power flow (303) is redirected to the lesser loaded antenna. |
| US07724191B2 |
Apparatus and method for tracing position and direction of target object through RF signal
An apparatus for tracing position and direction of a target object through an RF signal includes two loop antennas and a position and direction determination part. The two loop antennas receive the RF signal transmitted from the target object and are perpendicularly coupled to each other. The position and direction determination part calculates two RF signal intensities received through the respective two loop antennas for comparison, and then determines that the target object transmitting an RF signal is placed in a center direction between the two loop antennas if the two RF signal intensities are the same, and otherwise determines that the target object is placed in a front direction of the loop antenna having a relatively higher RF signal intensity. |
| US07724189B2 |
Broadband binary phased antenna
A broadband binary phased antenna includes an array of symmetric antenna elements, each being connected to a respective symmetric switch. The symmetric antenna elements are each symmetrical about a mirror axis of the antenna element and include feed points on either side of the mirror axis capable of creating opposite symmetric field distributions across the symmetric antenna element. The opposite symmetric field distributions are binary phase-shifted with respect to one another. The symmetric switch is connected to the feed points to selectively switch between the opposite symmetric field distributions. |
| US07724184B2 |
System and method for detecting false navigation signals
A system and method for detecting and excluding false GPS signals are disclosed, which predict a GPS measurement value with a high degree of confidence, compare the predicted value with measured values, and reject a false measurement based on the comparison results. As one example, a tightly coupled GPS/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) is disclosed, which uses a Kalman filter for comparison of a predicted GPS measurement value with measured values (e.g., the residuals) to form the basis for the rejection of false measurements. This rejection is referred to as a chi-squared reject, and can be extended in time in order to apply the same test to a reacquired signal following the loss of an original validated GPS signal. The Kalman filter propagates the receiver's clock bias rate, and enables the system to predict the GPS measurements at the time of reacquisition. The residuals are compared to a limit defined by the uncertainties of the prediction and the measurement errors expected to be involved. |
| US07724179B2 |
Miniaturized microwave-photonic receiver
A receiver, such as a miniaturized microwave-photonic coherent receiver (MMPR) is disclosed. The receiver includes an antenna to output an electrical RF signal received on a section of the antenna, a laser to produce an optical signal, a photonic modulator to receive the optical signal and the electrical RF signal and produce an EO-RF signal and to receive the optical signal and an electrical LO signal and produce an EO-LO signal, a signal combiner to provide a combined EO-RF and EO-LO signal and a photodiode to receive the combined signal and produce an IF signal. A method of detecting an object using the MMPR includes receiving an electrical RF signal corresponding to the object, outputting the electrical RF signal to a photonic modulator, modulating the electrical RF signal onto an optical carrier, demodulating the electrical RF signal to produce an IF signal and processing the IF signal. |
| US07724177B2 |
Systems and methods for location-based discrimination of turbulence
Systems and methods differentiate weather, such as storm cells and/or turbulence regions, based on location relative to a planned flight path of an aircraft. An exemplary embodiment compares a location of the weather with a location of a region of space corresponding to the planned flight path of the aircraft. In response to the location of the weather region being outside of the region of space, an icon is presented on a display corresponding to the weather using a first icon format. In response to location of the weather being within the region of space, the icon corresponding to the weather is presented on the display using a second icon format, the second icon format different from the first icon format. |
| US07724173B2 |
Time-interleaved analog-to-digital-converter
A method for operating a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog input to a digital output using a time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter, wherein the time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter comprises an array of M sub ADCs (ADC1, ADC2, . . . , ADCM), where M is an even integer, and each row of the array comprises one of the M sub ADCs. The method comprises the step of, for every sampling instant n, where n is an integer in a sequence of integers, converting the analog input by means of the sub ADC in row k(n) of the array, wherein 1≦k(n)≦M. A value between 1 and M is assigned to k(n) for the first sample instant, and k(n+1) is selected such that a) k(n+1)>M/2 if k(n)≦M/2, otherwise k(n+1)≦M/2; b) M/2−1≦|k(n+1)−k(n)|≦M/2+1; and c) k(n+1)=k(m+1) if and only if n−m is an integer multiple of M. A time interleaved analog-to-digital converter operating in accordance with the method is also disclosed. |
| US07724172B2 |
Digital-to-analog converter circuit and method
A digital-to-analog converter, in response to a digital signal, selectively taps a resistor string to generate an analog output and selectively shunts around resistors in the string to voltage shift the analog output. If two supply voltage sets are present, two strings are provided. A mutually exclusively selection of outputs is made to select a source of the analog output. An integrated circuit temperature sensor uses the converter and includes a sensing circuit that determines exposure to one of a relatively low or high temperature. A measured voltage across the base-emitter of a bipolar transistor is selected in low temperature exposure and compared against a first reference for a too cold temperature condition. Alternatively, a measured delta voltage across the base-emitter is selected in high temperature exposure and compared against a second reference voltage for a too hot temperature condition. Through the comparisons, a temperature exposure detection is made. |
| US07724168B1 |
Pulse domain linear programming circuit
A system for making a pulse domain linear programming circuit. The inputs and the outputs to the pulse domain linear programming circuit are time encoded pulse signals. The circuit includes arrays of two types of cross-coupled time encoding elements. The first type of elements includes two integrators, adders, a hysteresis quantizer, and a 1-bit self-feedback DAC. The second type of elements includes a bias element, a leaky integrator, adders, a fixed memory-less non-linearity, a regular integrator, a hysteresis quantizer and a 1-bit self-feedback DAC. The cross-coupling signals between the two types of elements are pulse time-encoded signals. All of the cross-coupling weights are set via 1-bit DACs having variable gains. The cross-coupling weights are used to set a constraint equation of a pulse domain linear programming problem. Methods to make the foregoing circuit are also described. |
| US07724166B2 |
A/D converter
An apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a sample and hold circuit, a converter, and an adjustable current circuit. The sample and hold circuit is adapted to receive an analog input signal and to output an amplified signal. The converter is coupled to the sample and hold circuit and that converts the amplified signal to a digital signal. The controller is coupled to the converter and that receives the digital signal. The controller includes a plurality of voltage ranges, wherein each voltage range is associated with a current value, and the controller compares the digital signal to at least one of the voltage ranges to output at least one of the current values. The adjustable current circuit is coupled to the sample and hold amplifier and to the controller so that the adjustable current circuit provides a generally constant operating current that corresponds to the current value output from the controller. |
| US07724164B2 |
Apparatus and method of dynamically caching symbols to manage a dictionary in a text image coding and decoding system
An apparatus of a text image coding and decoding system includes a decomposer to decompose image data to extract a stripe image having one or more symbols, a matching unit to match the symbols with reference symbols of a symbol dictionary, and a dynamic symbol caching unit to generate one or more new symbols when the one or more new symbols of the symbols are not included in the symbol dictionary, and to remove the least used one or more of the reference symbols, so that the symbol dictionary is updated as an updated symbol dictionary with the one or more new symbols and without the least used one or more reference symbols. |
| US07724163B2 |
Apparatus of multi-stage network for iterative decoding and method thereof
An apparatus and method of multi-stage network for iterative network are disclosed. The apparatus has M stages, and each stage uses N multiplexers to transmit N codeword partitions simultaneously. Every starting terminal, either the output port of memories, soft-in soft-out decoders, or multiplexers, has two paths to couple with two different multiplexers at next stage. One path connects the source to the first data port of one multiplexer; the other connects the source to the second data port of another multiplexer. The two multiplexers will be controlled with the same 1-bit signal, so each source has only one valid path to next stage. The invention can guarantee that the transmission of N data blocks is free from contention. |
| US07724162B2 |
Circuit for sample rate conversion
The present invention is related to a circuit for converting the sample rate of a digital signal, comprising an input for applying the digital signal, a conversion filter having either a symmetrical or anti-symmetrical impulse response and implemented as a plurality of subfilters in parallel, each subfilter having a symmetrical or anti-symmetrical response derived from components of a polyphase decomposition of said impulse response, combining means for deriving from said applied digital signal input signals of said plurality of subfilters or for combining output signals of said plurality of subfilters into a digital signal with converted sample rate, an output for outputting said digital signal with converted sample rate. |
| US07724161B1 |
Truncation for three-level digital amplifier
A noise shaper truncates the widths of pulses it supplies to a pulse-width modulator whose pulse-width modulated signals control a tri-level amplifier. The amplifier is filterless and DC free. Pulses that are narrower than a predefined minimum width are eliminated by the noise shaper. Other pulses are subjected to an algorithm that includes a multitude of ranges, each range defined by a minimum pulse width characterizing a lower bound of that range and a maximum pulse width characterizing an upper bound of that range. Associated with each range is a number of clock cycles defining the modified width of a pulses whose detected width falls within that range. To ensure that delays associated with a feedback loop disposed in the amplifier are accounted for, the reference voltage of a comparator tracks an output voltage of an integrator. Both the comparator and integrator are disposed in the loop. |
| US07724158B2 |
Object representing and processing method and apparatus
Methods of multilevel mark and multilevel mark code are provided in this invention. The Methods can realize encoding of various objects, encoding of structures and interrelation of the objects. The methods can distinguish various object codes, make the encoding resources inexhaustible, and solve problem of various resource sharing. The present invention provides the related processing method, for examples, object inputting, outputting, searching, and etc. The present invention also provides related apparatus. The methods and apparatus provided by this invention can be broadly used in various regions in the world, in various fields, in various software and hardware. |
| US07724157B1 |
Keyboard
An improved keyboard system and apparatus using keys spaced and sized to correspond to human hands provides rapid data entry applicable to all electronic devices. Each key combination provides a binary sequence, and each sequence is associated with an alphabetic, numeric or control character using standard ASCII coding. The preferred eight key embodiment is adapted to the back of a hand-held electronic device whereby data is readily input by a user holding the device with both hands. |
| US07724152B2 |
Tap change operation monitoring apparatus for on-load tap charger
It is intended to provide a tap change operation monitoring apparatus for an on-load tap changer which can employ relatively simple and low-cost torque sensing means by mitigating an accuracy requirement with regard to detecting a starting time of tap change operation, acquire torque waveform data concerning tap change operation of a diverter switch in an accurate and reliable fashion, and discriminate an abnormal state of the tap change operation with high accuracy. There is provided waveform processing means 47 including a third low-pass filter 70 for generating processed torque waveform data by removing noise components from torque waveform data, first and second low-pass filters 71, 72 having cutoff frequencies lower than a cutoff frequency of the third low-pass filter 70 for generating shaped torque waveform data, and first and second differentiators 73, 74, a multiplier 75 and a maximal value extractor circuit 76 for together extracting time of occurrence of an extremum of a waveform obtained by differentiating the shaped torque waveform data in the time domain within a specific time period as reference operating time. |
| US07724151B2 |
Smoke alarm system
Smoke alarm systems, in particular for an aircraft, advantageously provide a high degree of safety so as to prevent false alarms. According to an embodiment described in this application a smoke alarm system for an aircraft is stated, comprising a camera module, a smoke warning transmitter and a housing. The camera module and the smoke warning transmitter are arranged in the housing. In jointly arranging the camera module and the smoke warning transmitter in one housing, it may become possible to arrange both sensors in one location, which can result in reduced installation expenditure and can make possible direct use of the acquisition signals for local triggering of an alarm. |
| US07724145B2 |
Self-charging RFID tag with long life
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a rechargeable solid state battery, control circuitry coupled to the rechargeable solid state battery, and a power source for recharging the rechargeable solid state battery. |
| US07724143B2 |
Antenna construction, for example for an RFID transponder system
The invention relates to an antenna construction for a double-ended antenna circuit 4. The antenna construction comprises a conductive ground place (6) on a first surface, a transmission line (3) on at least one second surface, connected to the ground plane (6) through a fold (1) in the edge of the antenna construction, so that the fold acts as a primary source of a magnetic field, an insulation layer (7) arranged between the first and the second surfaces, and an electronic component (4), in which there is a double-ended antenna connector, connected to the antenna construction. According to the invention, the electronic component (4) is attached to the second surface of the antenna construction and connected from the first antenna terminal to the transmission line (3) and from the second terminal to either a second transmission line (3) or the fold (1). |
| US07724142B2 |
Systems and methods for wirelessly marking media
A media marking transponder system includes a media fastener and a wireless transponder circuit coupled to the media fastener. The antenna for the wireless transponder circuit has a first effective length when no piece of media is fastened to the media fastener and a second, different effective length when at least one piece of media is fastened to the media fastener. |
| US07724140B2 |
Antenna, tag communication apparatus, tag communication system, scanning adjusting method for tag communication apparatus and computer readable medium
An RFID reader/writer performs a radio communication with an RFID tag. An antenna for tag communication used in the RFID reader/writer is a beam scanning antenna that can perform scanning with the beam of a transmitted radio wave. The beam has a high directivity in a certain scanning direction. The scanning with the beam is performed so that a plane including the certain scanning direction intersects with a floor surface as a reflecting surface on which the strongest reflected wave is generated. |
| US07724137B2 |
Proximity locator system
A Proximity Locator System for individuals includes a credit card size card which is carried in an individual's wallet. The card is provided with a wireless communication device which is used in conjunction with a locating device to locate an individual. This may be utilized to locate individuals lost at sea, in an avalanche, or under the debris of a fallen building. The communication device on the card may be solar powered or activated by a RF signal from the locator device. The card does not require a battery to power the communication device. Therefore it may be carried by and individual and activated at any time. In this manner it is fully operational when someone is attempting to locate the card. The card also contains a smart chip with vital information about the individual which can be accessed by individuals with different authority levels. |
| US07724134B2 |
Passive microwave fire and intrusion detection system
A passive microwave receiver array, operating in the one meter to sub-millimeter wavelengths range and including an internationally protected range of frequencies of varying bandwidth, may be used for fire and intrusion detection. One or more receiver array can be used to provide a plurality of frequency ranges that can be detected. In an interior installation, one or more receiver array can be placed inside a wall. In other embodiments, the receiver and array can be in the form of a hand-held or wearable device. This method and apparatus achieves high performance by exploiting conventional low noise amplification block conversion circuits and provides the detection of thermal signals through clear, smoky, misty, or environmentally untenable conditions as well as the detection of fire and intrusion events through a non-metallic wall. |
| US07724131B2 |
System and method of reporting alert events in a security system
A system and method for reporting alert events to a terminal device of a user of the security system. In one aspect, a security device of the system generates data of an image or a video clip indicative of an alert event in a detection zone of the security system and further generates a message including an indicium associated with the data. A security control panel of the system receives the message including an indicium associated with the data, identifies an address associated with the terminal device, and sends an instruction message including the indicium and the address to the security device. Upon receiving the instruction message, the security device generates an alert message including the data based on the indicium, and sends the alert message to the address of the user device. |
| US07724129B2 |
Multiple color pointer for a gauge or instrument
An indicating instrument such as a gauge may employ a light source, a face plate located in front of the light source, and a pointer that is rotatably mounted adjacent the face plate to indicate face plate positions. The pointer may be configured to emit at least two colors of light from a single color light source. The pointer may have a bottom surface, and a top surface that defines a channel to create lands on two levels. The top lands and bottom pointer surface may be equipped with hot-stamp foils of chosen colors to reflect or emit different colors of light from the pointer. A bottom foil may reflect light through the pointer while a top foil may emit light of a chosen color. The pointer shaft may be molded from a light-transmitting plastic material such as acrylic or polycarbonate. |
| US07724125B2 |
Remote keyless entry system for a vehicle and a method of controlling a vehicle function by the same
A remote unit for a keyless entry system for a vehicle. The remote unit comprising a controller configured to generate a command signal in response to a user input. The command signal comprising a first command message and a substantially similar second command message. The first command message comprises a first low data rate portion and the second command message comprises a high data rate portion. The remote unit further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the command. |
| US07724121B2 |
Singly attached MEMS thermal device and method of manufacture
An improved MEMS thermal actuator has a cantilevered beam and a conductive circuit having two driving arms, an inner arm adjacent to the cantilevered beam, and an outer arm adjacent to the inner arm. Current flows through the inner and outer arms to heat the conductive circuit, causing it to expand relative to the cantilevered beam. A tether ties the conductive circuit to the cantilevered beam, so that upon expansion, the conductive circuit causes the cantilevered beam to deflect about its anchor point. However, only the inner arm of the driving beam is coupled to the cantilevered beam. Since the outer arm of the conductive circuit is not coupled to the cantilevered beam, the overall stiffness of the actuator may be decreased. In addition, serpentines may be placed in the outer arm of the conductive circuit, in order to further decrease the stiffness of this beam. The actuator may therefore be made more efficient, in that the deflection of the cantilevered beam may be increased for a given input current. |
| US07724117B2 |
Multilayer passive circuit topology
A multilayer passive circuit topology is disclosed. In one embodiment, a multilayer circuit is provided. The multilayer circuit comprises a multilayer inductor comprising a first set of parallel conductive traces formed on a first layer, a second set of parallel conductive traces formed on a second layer spaced apart from the first layer; and a plurality of vias that connect respective parallel conductive traces from the first and second layer to form inductor windings. The multilayer circuit further comprises a multilayer capacitor connected to an end of the inductor by a coupling via, the capacitor comprising a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate being spaced apart from one another and being formed on different layers. |
| US07724113B2 |
System and method for producing a slide lock mechanism
An improved field emission system and method is provided that involves field emission structures having electric or magnetic field sources. The magnitudes, polarities, and positions of the magnetic or electric field sources are configured to have desirable correlation properties, which may be in accordance with a code. The correlation properties correspond to a desired spatial force function where spatial forces between field emission structures correspond to relative alignment, separation distance, and the spatial force function. |
| US07724111B2 |
Microsystem with electromagnetic control
A microsystem, including a magnetic microactuator, with a mobile element supported by a substrate and controlled by magnetic effect between a first position and a second position for switching at least one electric circuit. A permanent magnet or a solenoid subjects the mobile element to a first uniform magnetic field to hold the mobile element in the first position. An energizing coil external to the substrate, on energizing, subjects the mobile element to a second magnetic field to move the mobile element from the first position to the second position, the energizing coil being of solenoid type and surrounding the substrate supporting the mobile element. |
| US07724103B2 |
Ultra-high frequency self-sustaining oscillators, coupled oscillators, voltage-controlled oscillators, and oscillator arrays based on vibrating nanoelectromechanical resonators
A self-sustaining ultra-high frequency oscillator and method enable the ability to oscillate and output a signal. A balanced bridge circuit is utilized to null an embedding background response. A first vibrating nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) beam resonator is part of one of the branches of the balanced bridge circuit and determines the frequency of the oscillator's output signal. A feedback loop establishes and sets oscillation conditions of the oscillator's signal. Further, the feedback loop connects an output of the first resonator to an input of the balanced bridge circuit. |
| US07724100B2 |
Oscillator structure
An oscillator structure has a sync signal processor with an input interface for an external clock based sync signal and an output interface for a duty cycle indication signal depending on a signal property of the sync signal and an oscillator with an input interface for the duty cycle indication signal and the sync signal and an output interface for an oscillation signal synchronized with the external clock and having a duty cycle adjusted according to the duty cycle indication signal. |
| US07724097B2 |
Direct digital synthesizer for reference frequency generation
A direct digital frequency synthesizer having a multi-modulus divider, a numerically controlled oscillator and a programmable delay generator. The multi-modulus divider receives an input clock having an input pulse frequency fosc and outputs some integer fraction of those pulses at an instantaneous frequency fVp that is some integer fraction (1/P) of the input frequency. The multi-modulus divider selects between at least two ratios of P (1/P or 1/P+1) in response to a signal from the numerically controlled oscillator. The numerically controlled oscillator receives a value which is the accumulator increment (i.e. the number of divided pulse edges) required before an overflow occurs that causes the multi-modulus divider to change divider ratios in response to receiving an overflow signal. The numerically controlled oscillator also outputs both the overflow signal and a delay signal to the delay generator that further controls the frequency of the multi-modulus divider output signal (Vp) to provide an output signal (VD) with an fout that has improved phase and timing jitter performance over prior art direct digital frequency synthesizer architectures. |
| US07724095B2 |
Floating DC-offset circuit for phase detector
A floating DC-offset circuit for a phase detector. The circuit may provide a floating DC-offset to the phase detector, or to the voltage-controlled oscillator of the phase-locked loop. The circuit includes a voltage comparator, clock, digital resistor, and offset line to a DC-offset branch of the phase detector. The voltage comparator detects when the voltage at the output of the loop filter of the phase-locked loop has gone outside of a designated range, and activates the clock when the voltage is outside the designated range. The clock emits impulses that are counted by the digital resistor. The digital resistor shifts DC-offset at the DC-offset branch of the phase detector. The new DC-offset level is maintained once the loop filter output voltage has returned within the designated range. In an alternate embodiment, the DC-offset branch is connected to rough-tuning input of a wide-tuned voltage-controlled oscillator. |
| US07724093B2 |
Phase locked loop with two-step control
A phase locked loop has a digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) for generating a DCO output signal (fOSC), a clock divider coupled to the DCO and receiving the DCO output signal and outputting a feedback clock signal (fN), and a phase frequency detector (PFD) coupled to the DCO and controlling the DCO by a DCO control signal (dCNTL). The PFD has a first input for receiving the feedback clock signal (fN), a second input for receiving a reference clock signal (fREF), and comprises a frequency detection stage (FD) adapted to calculate a frequency difference between the feedback clock signal (fN) and the reference clock signal (fREF) in a frequency detection mode and to adjust the DCO control signal based on said frequency difference, a phase detection (PD) stage for calculating a phase error between the feedback clock signal and the reference clock signal in a phase detection mode, and a switch for switching between the frequency detection mode and the phase detection mode upon the frequency of the feedback clock signal reaching a predetermined value. |
| US07724087B2 |
High speed differential receiver with rail to rail common mode operation having a symmetrical differential output signal with low skew
A novel high-speed differential receiver is disclosed that provides a new method and apparatus receiving and amplifying a small differential voltage with a rail-to-rail common mode voltage. The receiver output signals are differential signals with low skew and high symmetry. This high-speed differential receiver is based on a common mode voltage normalization, which is based on a differential phase splitting methodology, before the resulting signal is recombined, normalized and amplified. The method involves using a differential signal splitting followed by a common mode voltage normalization stage, then a controlled gain transimpedance amplification, and then amplification using one or two rail to rail amplification stages that are symmetrical and balanced in nature. |
| US07724086B2 |
Apparatus and method for regulating the output power of an amplifier stage
The present invention relates to a device and a method for regulating the output power of an amplifier stage, e.g. an amplifier stage in a mobile data transmission system. |
| US07724084B2 |
System and method for controlling radio frequency transmissions from an electronic device
The invention relates to a system and method for attenuating harmonics in output signals. In the system, an electronic circuit for reducing harmonics of an output signal from a power amplifier in a transmission circuit for a wireless communication device is provided. The circuit comprises: a printed circuit board (PCB); a power amplifier for generating an output signal; and a circuit implemented on the PCB connected to an output terminal of the power amplifier for the output signal. The circuit comprises a first filtering stage; a delay element; and a harmonic filter. The delay element is located between the harmonic filter and the output terminal and the delay element provides a timing delay in the output signal through at least one 0 ohm-rated component. Also, the harmonic filter is a low pass filter having a frequency cut-off point that attenuates first order harmonics of the output signal. |
| US07724077B2 |
Stacked cascode current source
Apparatus are provided for a stacked cascode current source. An apparatus is provided for an electrical device comprising an input node and an output node. A first transistor stack is coupled to the input node. The first transistor stack includes a first transistor and a second transistor. A drain terminal and a gate terminal of the first transistor are coupled to the input node. A drain terminal of the second transistor is coupled to a source terminal of the first transistor and a gate terminal of the second transistor is coupled to the input node. A second transistor stack coupled to the first transistor stack and the output node to create a current mirror for the first transistor stack. |
| US07724073B2 |
Charge pump circuit
A charge pump circuit includes initialization units, each of which initializes a boost node to an initialization voltage. Boosting units each boost the boost node to a higher voltage than the initialization voltage in response to an input voltage. First and second pump circuits each include a transfer unit for transferring a voltage of the boost node to an output node and sharing the output node. The transfer unit of the first pump circuit includes two transfer transistors that are switched in response to a voltage of a control node of the first pump circuit and the voltage of the boost node of the second pump circuit. The transfer unit of the second pump circuit includes two transfer transistors that are switched in response to a voltage of a control node of the second pump circuit and the voltage of the boost node of the first pump circuit. |
| US07724070B2 |
Charge-pump circuit and boosting method for charge-pump circuit
A charge charge-pump circuit according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a first boosting capacitor; a second boosting capacitor series-connected with the first boosting capacitor; a first boosting clock driver connected between the first boosting capacitor and the second boosting capacitor and boosting the first boosting capacitor; and a second boosting clock driver connected with the second boosting capacitor and boosting the first boosting capacitor and the second boosting capacitor after the first boosting clock driver boosts the first boosting capacitor. |
| US07724066B2 |
Switching circuit using closed control loop to precharge gate of switching transistor and stable open loop to switch the switching transistor
A switching circuit that transitions using a switch transistor. During the initial stages of a high-low transition, a control loop provides supplemental pre-charge to the gate of the switch transistor to reduce high-low switching delays. Once the current flowing through the switch transistor rises to a level causing the output voltage to change at specified speed threshold, a loop opening mechanism opens the loop. Further opening of the switch transistor in the high-low transition is taken care of by a relatively constant current source. At that point, no or negligible feedback current is used to charge the gate of the switch transistor. Low-high transitions may be performed in a similar complementary manner. |
| US07724065B2 |
Desaturation circuit for an IGBT
A desaturation circuit for an IGBT is disclosed. In one embodiment, flooding of the component with charge carriers is reduced before the IGBT is turned off. |
| US07724061B2 |
Active clamp circuit for electronic components
An active clamp circuit for electronic components includes two sets of diode connected transistors that are inversely connected in parallel across an output of the component for providing both positive and negative differential conducting paths. The diode connected transistors cooperatively operate to limit a differential output voltage between the positive and negative conducting paths. An emitter follower buffer includes the clamp circuit and is configured to limit RF energy incident to an analog to digital converter (ADC). The emitter follower buffer includes two input transistors having their emitters each connected to at least one diode connected transistor connected to the clamp circuit. A receiver includes the differential amplifier and an analog to digital converter. A method for limiting the energy of analog signals in the receiver includes the step of operating the clamp circuit to limit the analog signals transmitted to the analog to digital converter (ADC). |
| US07724059B2 |
Clock scaling circuit
Techniques for scaling and switching clocks in a glitch-free manner are provided. For example, in one aspect of the present invention, a technique for switching a frequency associated with a master clock includes the following steps/operations. Two phase clocks are generated from a master clock, wherein the two phase clocks do not transition at substantially the same time. Then, one of the two phase clocks is used to create multiple frequencies by dividing the one phase clock, and the other phase clock is used to switch between the multiple frequencies of the one phase clock. Further, one of the two phase clocks may be in phase with the master clock and the other of the two phase clocks may be 180 degrees out of phase with the master clock such that they do not transition at the same time. Also, the two phase clocks may be non-overlapping. |
| US07724056B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device operating in synchronism with clock and method for controlling duty of clock
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a processor, a first clock generating section and a control section. The processor core operates in synchronism with a first clock and includes first and second critical paths. The first clock generating section controls a duty of an externally input second clock to generate the first clock. a control section detects a first phase difference between the first clock and a third clock obtained by delaying the first clock by a delay time in the first critical path and a second phase difference between the first clock and a fourth clock obtained by delaying the first clock by a delay time in the second critical path. The control section instructs the first clock generating section to control the duty so as to minimize a difference between the first and second phase differences. |
| US07724054B2 |
Gate driver with programmable dead-time insertion
A dead-time generator for incorporation in an integrated circuit wherein the integrated circuit includes a high side and low side gate driver and wherein the high side and low side gate driver drive output switches such that a dead-time is provided between on times of the output switches, the dead-time generator comprising a circuit internal to the integrated circuit having an external terminal at which a dead-time setting component is connected, and wherein the dead-time generator comprises a circuit for providing a discrete dead-time for a range of dead-time setting values at the dead-time setting terminal and wherein, for a plurality of ranges of dead-time setting values at the dead-time setting terminal, the dead-time generator generates an associated plurality of discrete dead-times. |
| US07724051B2 |
DLL circuit, semiconductor device using the same, and method for controlling DLL circuit
A DLL circuit includes a delay line for delaying a clock signal, the delay line including a plurality of cascade-connected variable delay elements, the variable delay elements having a differential circuit structure in which a delay value thereof can be varied by a bias current, a first controller for setting the bias current, and a second controller for selecting an output-producing variable delay element from the plural its of the variable delay elements. |
| US07724048B2 |
Locked loop circuit
A circuit for receiving an input signal having a first frequency and generating an output signal having a second frequency. The circuit comprises a forward branch for receiving the input signal and generating the output signal and a return branch for generating a feedback signal from the output signal. The forward branch comprises a frequency detector for receiving the input signal and the feedback signal and outputting a value based on a ratio of a frequency of the feedback signal to the first frequency; a word length reduction block for receiving a fractional component of a first division factor and generating a modulated output; an adder for forming a sum of an integer component of the first division factor and the modulated output of the word length reduction block; a subtracting element for subtracting the output value of the frequency detector from the sum; and an oscillator controlled by an output from the subtracting element. |
| US07724044B1 |
Digital multiplexor with multiple switching modes
A digital signal multiplexor and multiplexing method are provided with which switching between different input signals is achieved without producing glitches in the output signal, even in the event of one or more of the input signals stopping and starting at unknown times. |
| US07724043B1 |
Common mode controller for a sample-and-hold circuit
A common mode controller circuit (60) for maintaining a common mode voltage (Vcm) at a first node (52) and a second node (54) in a sample-and-hold circuit receiving a pair of AC coupled differential input signals (Vinp, Vinn) includes first and second resistors (R1/R2) and third and fourth resistors (R3/R4), each set of resistors connected in series between the first and second nodes, and a differential amplifier (A1) having an inverting input terminal coupled to a third node (62) between the first and second resistors, a non-inverting input terminal coupled to a reference voltage (Vref) and an output terminal coupled to a fourth node (64) between the third and fourth resistors. The common mode voltage is sampled at the third node and the differential amplifier provides a sourcing output current indicative of the difference between the sampled common mode voltage and the reference voltage to drive the fourth node. |
| US07724042B2 |
Reducing power consumption in an amplification stage driving a sample and hold circuit while maintaining linearity
An input signal to be sampled by a sample and hold circuit is amplified separately by two amplifiers. The output of the first amplifier is provided to a boost circuit to maintain the impedance of a sampling switch contained in a signal dependent boost switch substantially constant. The output of the second amplifier is sampled via the sampling switch, and the sample is stored in a storage element. The second amplifier drives a reduced load, and may be implemented as a low bandwidth, low power amplifier to reduce overall power consumption. |
| US07724037B2 |
Apparatus and methods for self-biasing differential signaling circuitry having multimode output configurations for low voltage applications
The present disclosure relates to a differential signaling circuit including differential signaling circuitry having at least one output and one input, that can operate in multiple mode of operations while using a single, low voltage supply source. Two or more switches are included and configured to selectively couple a supply voltage to the output dependent on a mode of operation of the differential signaling circuitry. The circuit also includes a switch control biasing circuit operatively coupled to at least one of the switches and to the output of the differential signaling circuitry. The switch control biasing circuit provides a switch control biasing voltage to control a state of the switch based on a voltage level of the output. Further, a bulk biasing circuit is included and operatively coupled to the switch. The bulk biasing circuit selectively provides a bulk biasing voltage to the switch based on the voltage level of the output. |
| US07724034B2 |
Floating driving circuit
A floating driving circuit according to the present invention comprises an input circuit to receive an input signal. A latch circuit receives a trigger signal for generating a latch signal. The latch signal is used to turn on/off a switch. A coupling capacitor is connected between the input circuit and the latch circuit to generate the trigger signal in response to the input signal. A diode is connected from a voltage source to a floating supply terminal of the latch circuit for charging a capacitor. The capacitor is coupled between the floating supply terminal and a floating ground terminal of the latch circuit to provide a supply voltage to the latch circuit. The latch circuit is controlled by the input signal via the coupling capacitor. |
| US07724033B1 |
Input/output programmable routing in a programmable logic device
A programmable logic device can include a logic core in low power mode, a source input/output (I/O) bank including at least one source I/O pin, wherein the source I/O bank operates in normal operating mode, and a destination I/O bank including at least one destination I/O pin, wherein the destination I/O bank operates in normal operating mode. The programmable logic device also can include a bypass routing bus coupled to the source I/O bank and the destination I/O bank, wherein the bypass routing bus detects an I/O signal from the source I/O pin, responsively generates a bypass signal that is provided to the destination I/O bank and, responsive to the bypass signal, generates an output bypass signal on the destination I/O pin. |
| US07724031B2 |
Staggered logic array block architecture
A staggered logic array block (LAB) architecture can be provided. An integrated circuit (IC) device can include a first group of LABs substantially aligned with each other, and a second group of LABs substantially aligned with each other and coupled to the first group of LABs by a plurality of horizontal and vertical conductors. The first group of LABs can be substantially offset from the second group of LABs in the IC layout. In an embodiment of the invention, the first and second groups of LABs can be columns of LABs, and the columns can be vertically offset from each other (e.g., by half the number of logic elements in each LAB). The offsetting can advantageously allow more LABs to be reached using a single routing channel, or without using any routing channel, thereby reducing communication latency and improving overall IC performance. |
| US07724029B1 |
Power management for integrated circuits such as programmable logic devices
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) such as a programmable logic device includes a plurality of IC input terminals and an input buffer having a buffer input terminal and a buffer output terminal. A multiplexer is adapted to selectively couple an IC input terminal to the buffer input terminal or to couple the buffer output terminal to the buffer input terminal. |
| US07724027B2 |
Method and system for elastic signal pipelining
A method for configuring a signal path within a digital integrated circuit. The method includes transmitting an output from a first logic module, receiving the output at a second logic module, and conveying the output from the first logic module to the second logic module by using a configurable signal path. The configurable signal path is variable by selectively including at least one latch. |
| US07724015B2 |
Data processing device and methods thereof
A data processing device includes a first memory for use during normal operation of the device and a second memory for use during testing. The second memory stores a set of test patterns for testing of a functional module. When the data processing device is in a normal (i.e. non-test) mode of operation, data is retrieved from a first memory based on a received memory address. The retrieved data is applied to the functional module of the data processing device to perform a designated function. When the data processing device is in a test mode of operation, received memory addresses are provided to the second memory for retrieval of a test pattern associated with the address. The test pattern is applied to the functional module to generate an output pattern. The result of a test is determined by comparing the output pattern to an expected pattern. |
| US07724013B2 |
On-chip self test circuit and self test method for signal distortion
An on-chip self test circuit implemented on the same chip as a test semiconductor device includes: a test load block for receiving a test target signal; and a self test block for receiving a test target signal passing through the test load block and a test target signal inputted to an output driver together, and determining whether a change of the test target signal is within an allowable range. |
| US07724010B2 |
Torsion spring probe contactor design
The present invention relates to a probe for making electrical connection to a contact pad on a microelectronic device. A foot having a length, a thickness, a width, a proximal end, and a distal end, is connected to a substrate. The length of the foot is greater than its width. A torsion bar having a length, a width, a thickness, a proximal end, and a distal end, is connected to the distal end of the foot at the proximal end of torsion bar. The torsion bar lies in a first plane. A spacer having a length, a width, and a thickness, is connected to the distal end of the torsion bar. An arm having a length, a width, a thickness, a proximal end, and a distal end is connected to said spacer at the arms proximal end. The arm lies in a second plane and the second plane is in a different plane than the first plane. A first post having a top side and a bottom side is connected to the arm near the distal end of the arm. A tip is electrically connected to the top side of the post. |
| US07724007B2 |
Probe apparatus and probing method
A probe apparatus includes an imaging unit imaging probes and a first and a second imaging unit imaging the wafer surface. The apparatus further includes a control unit obtaining positions of a mounting table at which focuses of the imaging unit and the first imaging unit are made to coincide with each other and then the focuses of the image unit and the second imaging unit are made to coincide with each other by moving the mounting table; obtaining positions of the mounting table at which the images of the wafer are sequentially taken by the first and the second imaging unit by moving the mounting table; obtaining a position of the mounting table at which the probes are imaged by the imaging unit, and calculating a position of the mounting table at which the wafer contacts with the probes based on the obtained positions of the mounting table. |
| US07724006B2 |
Probe card, manufacturing method of probe card, semiconductor inspection apparatus and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A silicon substrate is used as a mold, and thin films such as metal films and polyimide films are sequentially stacked on the silicon substrate by using photolithography techniques, thereby forming a probe sheet having contact terminals having a pyramidal shape or a truncated pyramidal shape disposed at distal ends of cantilever beam structures. A fixing substrate is further fixed to the probe sheet, and then, the formed probe sheet is sequentially stacked and formed on the silicon substrate, the substrate is fixed, and the silicon substrate and predetermined polyimide films are removed by etching, thereby forming the group of contact terminals with the cantilever beam structures at a time. |
| US07724005B1 |
High-frequency structures for nanoelectronics and molecular electronics
Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for characterization of small devices. On-chip subtraction of parasitic effects including coupling capacitive effects is provided by way of a rat-race employing a pair of gaps. A device or material being tested is positioned in a test position gap and an output signal is extracted from the rat-race at a position displaced along the rat-race between the test position gap and the other gap to provide subtractive cancellation of any parasitic effects associated with the rat-race and especially associated with the test position gap. |
| US07724002B2 |
Capacitive sensor
A capacitive sensor with at least one reference impedance and at least one measuring condenser (5), with at least one electrical alternating signal source (6), with a current supply network as well as with an analysis unit (7) in which the reference impedance and the measuring condenser (5) are connected via the current supply network to the alternating signal source (6) and the analysis unit (7) in such a way that the charge and discharge currents of the reference impedance and the measuring condenser (5) can be analyzed—at least partially—by the analysis unit (7). The capacitive sensor avoids—at least partially—drawbacks in the known capacitive sensors in that the reference impedance can be tuned. |
| US07723997B2 |
Method and arrangement for the detection of a coil
A method and an arrangement for the detection of a coil in an electronic circuit, which is operated with a direct voltage lying within a prescribed voltage range, and in which the coil together with a condenser forms an electrical oscillating circuit. |
| US07723991B2 |
Apparatus and method for azimuthal MWD resistivity imaging at multiple depths of investigation
A combination of a shallow-reading and a deep-reading, azimuthally sensitive, multiple propagation devices is used for providing depth images the earth formation with different depth of investigation. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US07723988B2 |
Passively damped magnetic resonance (MR) detection configuration
A magnetic resonance (MR) detection configuration comprising at least one RF resonant circuit with an inductance, a preamplifier module and an RF receiver, wherein a reactive transformation circuit is connected between a high-impedance point of the inductance and a low-impedance connecting point of the RF resonant circuit, which acts as an impedance transformer and wherein the low-impedance connecting point is connected to the preamplifier module via an RF line having a characteristic impedance, is characterized in that at least one passive damping impedance is provided in the preamplifier module downstream of the RF line, wherein the passive damping impedance can be connected to the resonant circuit by a switching means during a damping and/or transmitting process, and wherein the respective amount of the complex reflection factor of passive damping impedance relative to the characteristic impedance of the RF line exceeds a value of 0.5. This presents an MR detection configuration with an extensive damping concept, wherein all three processes (transmitting, damping and receiving processes) are optimized. |
| US07723984B2 |
Magnetic sensor and current sensor
The present invention provides a current sensor of smaller and simpler configuration, capable of measuring a current to be detected with high precision and stability. A magnetic sensor includes: an element substrate including a magnetoresistive element, the magnetoresistive element having a pinned layer with a magnetization pinned to a direction, an intermediate layer, and a free layer whose magnetization direction changes according to an external magnetic field; and a magnetic sheet attached on one side of the element substrate so as to apply a bias magnetic field to the magnetoresistive element. |
| US07723977B2 |
Optical sensor arrangement for electrical switchgear
An optical sensor configuration contains an optical current sensor and/or an optical voltage sensor. The sensor configuration further contains a first and a second hollow member, preferably ring shaped profiles, which are together disposed to form a hollow section. The sensor configuration further includes an optical fiber of the current sensor disposed in an annular groove, the groove being disposed at the boundary surface between the first hollow member and the second hollow member, and/or an optical fiber of the voltage sensor is disposed in a recess of the second hollow member. The first hollow member has an annular recess into which the second hollow member is disposed whereas the first hollow member is an L-shaped or U-shaped ring with two legs and the recess is formed between the two legs. |
| US07723974B1 |
Planishing apparatus and method
Planishing or stress relief in a welded joint (34) is accomplished with a hammer (12) and a backing bar (26). The hammer is applied on a first side (1) to a first surface (31) of the structure (30). To indicate the proper position of the backing bar, a first magnet (20; 320) is associated with the hammer, and a magnetic sensor arrangement (24; 224; 300) is located on the other side (2) of the structure. In one embodiment, the sensor arrangement is a second magnet (24) which is held in place by the magnetic field (40) of the first magnet. In a second embodiment, the sensor includes a line array (262) of individual sensors, each associated with an indicator of a line array (264) of indicators. In a third embodiment, the sensor includes a line array (300) of two magnetic sensors, which are coupled to a differential indicator (324). |
| US07723973B2 |
Three-phase alternating current voltage regulator
A three-phase AC voltage regulator is for adjusting a line voltage on transmission lines. The three-phase AC voltage regulator includes a sampling circuit, a reference-voltage circuit, a comparator, a switch, a power supply, and a compensator. The sampling circuit is for sampling the line voltage. The reference-voltage circuit is for receiving a line-to-line voltage from the transmission lines and generating a standard voltage. The comparator is for comparing the line voltage and the standard voltage to obtain a signal. The switch is for being turned on or off based on the signal. The power supply is for supplying various electric powers to the compensator. The compensator is for receiving the electric power and generating compensating voltages. The compensating voltages are used to compensate the line voltage. |
| US07723962B2 |
High voltage protection for a thin oxide CMOS device
A circuit includes a voltage regulator (208) for outputting a voltage at a regulated level, a protection circuit (260), and a load circuit (210) coupled to the voltage regulator. The protection circuit includes means for preventing the voltage regulator from outputting a voltage at a level higher than the regulated level during a start-up period of the voltage regulator. |
| US07723961B2 |
MEMS based battery monitoring technical field
A battery protection and monitoring system includes a plurality of MAFET (Mechanically Actuated Field Effect Transistor) switches, wherein each MAFET switch among the MAFET switches is capable of switching from an open switch condition to a closed switch condition or vice versa, such that the plurality of MAFET switches are connectable to a battery. Such a system further includes one or more transistors associated with and which communicate electrically with at least one MAFET switch among the MAFET switches. A PPTC (Polymeric Positive Temperature Coefficient) device is also associated with the transistors and the MAFET switches, such that the PPTC device, the MAFET switches and the transistors operate in association with one another and the open switch condition or the closed switch condition of the plurality of MAFET switches to identify, monitor and thus prevent at least one dangerous condition associated with the battery. |
| US07723960B2 |
Lithium battery pack
In a battery pack which comprises: a battery set composed of two or more lithium battery cells connected in series; a first protection circuit including a first voltage detect part for detecting the voltage(s) of a part of the two or more battery cells, and a first signal output part for issuing an output signal when a detect voltage detected by the first voltage detect part goes below a given over-discharge judgment voltage value; a second protection circuit including a second voltage detect part for detecting the voltage(s) of another part of the two or more battery cells, and a second signal output part for issuing an output signal when the detect voltage of the battery cell detected by the second voltage detect part goes below a given over-discharge judgment voltage value; and, a switch which is connected to the current path of the battery set and can be turned on or off according to the output signals of the first and second signal output parts and, there is further provided dead time means connected between the second signal output part of the second protection circuit for issuing an output not responding to a variation in an input signal occurring within a given time. |
| US07723957B2 |
System, method, and article of manufacture for determining an estimated battery parameter vector
A system, a method, and an article of manufacture for determining an estimated battery parameter vector indicative of a parameter of a battery are provided. The method determines a first estimated battery parameter vector indicative of a parameter of the battery at a first predetermined time based on a plurality of predicted battery parameter vectors, a plurality of predicted battery output vectors, and a first battery output vector. |
| US07723955B2 |
Method and system for monitoring and balancing cells in battery packs utilizing optically coupled cell voltage selection signal, cell voltage isolation amplifier, and zener diodes in balancing circuit
A system for balancing energy delivery devices within the one or more battery packs and for providing isolated monitoring of the battery packs includes at least one group of energy delivery devices electrically connected in series. For each group of energy delivery devices, the system includes a balancing circuit for each adjacent pair of energy delivery devices. The balancing circuit adjusts charge stored in each energy delivery device of the pair so that the charge stored in the energy delivery devices of the pair is substantially equal, and the charge stored in each energy delivery device remains above a threshold. The system also includes a voltage monitoring module for sequentially selecting each of the energy delivery devices and providing a voltage associated with the selected device at an output port. The voltage monitoring module uses a low on-resistance differential multiplexer to select each of the energy delivery devices. |
| US07723950B2 |
Electrical device having a boost converter and an energy limiter
An intrinsically safe battery powered device (100) includes a housing (102), a battery receiving region (104), an intrinsically safe power supply (108, 110), and device electrical circuitry (112). The power supply (108, 110) uses energy from batteries (106) received in the batter receiving region (104) of the device (100) to power the circuitry (112). In one implementation, the power supply includes an intrinsically safe charge pump circuit. |
| US07723949B2 |
Battery device
A battery device includes a battery cell including a cell terminal, a case that houses the battery cell, a battery terminal provided to the case and electrically connected to the cell terminal, and a control section that is housed in the case and allows and inhibits charge and discharge of the battery cell, wherein the control section includes a detection section that detects an output voltage value of the cell terminal at an interval, and assuming that the latest output voltage value detected by the detection section is V1, and the output voltage value detected by the detection section immediately before the latest output voltage value V1 is V0, the control section allows charge and discharge of the battery cell if |ΔV| (ΔV=V1−V0) is smaller than a reference value, and to inhibit charge and discharge of the battery cell if |ΔV| is equal to and greater than the reference value. |
| US07723947B2 |
Electronic device charger
An energy storing exterior cover for a user electronic device including an integrated energy store and an energy transfer interface for transferring energy electrically to a user electronic device when covered by the cover. |
| US07723945B2 |
Control device for motor drive system and electric vehicle including the same
A square wave voltage having an amplitude equal to an output voltage of a converter is applied to an AC motor by a square wave control block. Torque control of the AC motor is performed basically by changing the voltage phase of the square wave voltage according to the torque deviation. When the motor revolution is suddenly changed, a instruction value correction unit sets a voltage instruction value of the output voltage of the converter according to a change ratio of the motor revolutions. This improves control of the motor current by changing the voltage applied to the motor in accordance with the sudden change of the motor revolutions without waiting for torque feedback control having a low control response. |
| US07723943B2 |
Receiving method
A receiving method is provided comprising the following steps. First, a receiving device is provided, wherein the receiving device comprises a chamber, a plurality of spacers, a spacer moving module, a first cover unit, a second cover unit, a control unit and an input interface. Then, an order is inputted to the input surface, wherein the input surface sends a control signal according to the order, and the control unit controls movements of the first cover unit, the second cover unit and the spacer moving module according to the control signal. |
| US07723942B1 |
Integrated motor and resolver including absolute position capability
An integrated motor and position sensor achieves motion between a moving portion and a stationary portion by electrically energizing poles to interact with magnetics respectively on the moving and stationary portions. The position sensor includes a plurality of sensing coils placed to intercept the magnetic flux between a plurality of the poles and the magnetics. The outputs from these coils are fed to a microprocessor DSP through an internal or external A/D converter. The microprocessor or DSP decodes the measured voltages using resolver strategies to produce a position, velocity or acceleration measurement. |
| US07723940B2 |
Non-redundant safety monitoring for an electric drive mechanism (with a sensor)
The invention relates to a method for detecting undesired operating conditions of a driving device. A sensor (50) that is transformer-coupled between a stator side and a rotor side is triggered by a control circuit (40) for detecting a position value or a rotational speed value of the drive mechanism. An error signal (F) is emitted, if an undesired operating condition occurs. A test signal (ε) is supplied to a safety monitoring device (30) in order to determine and emit this error signal (F), said test signal being also supplied to the control circuit (40). There, the test signal (ε) acts as an unbalance and is checked as regards its presence in the safety monitoring device. |
| US07723939B2 |
Radio-frequency controlled motorized roller shade
A roller shade structure controlled by radio-frequency (RF) wireless communication from a control device comprises a roller tube and a conductive enclosure. The conductive enclosure is mounted inside the roller tube for enclosing a motor drive system having a motor operable to controllably rotate the roller tube in a direction at a speed when a voltage is applied to the motor. A capacitive coupling is provided between the enclosure and the roller tube, the capacitive coupling providing an increased signal strength of RF signals received by the RF receiver. |
| US07723936B2 |
Method for controlled braking of a door and device for applying said method
The invention relates to a method for controlled braking of an electrically powered lifting action in the event of a failure, such that at least one of the nominal values for “rotational direction” and/or “operating speed” and/or “door position” and/or “motor capacity” and/or “motor current” is ascertained and compared with an actual value, and such that a motorized braking process or motorized stopping process is triggered by a departure of the actual value from the nominal value that lies outside a predetermined range. In addition the invention relates to a device for applying said method. |
| US07723935B2 |
System and method for compartment control
A system and method for controlling an overhead stowage bin compartment in a mobile platform, such as a commercial aircraft. A motor is operatively coupled to the compartment for moving the compartment between open and closed positions. A remotely located control system is in communication with the motor and supplies a current signal to the motor to drive the motor. The control system monitors operation of the motor and senses when the compartment is obstructed by sensing the current being supplied to the motor. The control system also senses a position of the compartment and, along with the computed required current, uses this information to determine if the weight of the compartment exceeds a predetermined maximum threshold. |
| US07723931B2 |
Starting a gas turbine engine using a sensorless, brushless motor
A method and apparatus for starting a gas turbine engine using a brushless sensorless machine, the machine having a rotor and a stator with windings, the method including positioning the rotor at a desired position with respect to the stator and then energizing the windings of the stator. |
| US07723930B2 |
Method and system in connection with tension measurement of material web
Method and system in connection with a motor operated tension measuring roll (1) for compensating an error in tension measuring of a continuous material web, the method comprising defining the tension Tmeas of a material web (4) by a force sensor (3) provided at the tension measuring roll. The method comprises defining the frictional couple Tμ and moment of inertia J of the tension measuring roll before tension measuring during operation, defining a torque Tmot generated by the driving motor of the tension measuring roll during operation, defining a torque Twm directed to the material web by the tension measuring roll by subtracting the frictional couple Tμ and moment of inertia J from the defined torque Tmot generated by the driving motor, defining a force FT directed to the material web on the basis of the torque Twm directed to the material web by the tension measuring roll, defining, on the basis of the force FT directed to the material web, a component of force FTm of the measuring sensor in the measuring direction directed to the material web by the tension measuring roll, and subtracting from the tension Tmeas defined by the force sensor the component of force FTm of the measuring sensor in the measuring direction directed to the material web by the tension measuring roll to provide a corrected measuring signal. |
| US07723922B2 |
Light emitting diode driving device
There is provided an integrated LED driving device including: a DC/DC converting part converting and outputting a DC voltage inputted from the outside by switching of a switch into a driving voltage of a magnitude suitable for driving a plurality of LED arrays; a constant current controlling part receiving at least one of information on the current flowing through the LED array and information on a voltage applied to the LED array by feed-back, the constant current controlling part including a PWM controller PWM-controlling a switching duty of the switch of the DC/DC converting part, and controlling a switching duty of each of the switches of the switching part to allow the current to flow through the LED array with a predetermined magnitude; and a control logic receiving a control signal by a user and controlling the PWM controller in response to the control signal. |
| US07723917B2 |
Method of de novo sequencing of peptide using the MALDI mass spectrometry, method and apparatus for preparing sample for MALDI mass spectrometry
The present invention relates to a method of peptide sequencing by MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization) tandem mass spectrometry, which comprises the steps of chemically modifying a sample peptide with at least one chemical modification method selected from the group consisting of guanidination and esterification in order to change the ionization status of the peptide and performing mass spectrometry using a MALDI tandem mass spectrometer and programmed MALDI tandem mass spectrometry. The peptide sequencing method of the present invention is advantageous in that detection sensitivity of the peptide improves significantly and various daughter ions are detected uniformly, thereby enabling perfect de novo sequencing with tandem mass spectrometry only, without database search. |
| US07723910B2 |
Method of photodynamically diagnosing or treating a contoured surface
A method of photodynamically diagnosing or treating a contoured surface includes topically applying 5-aminolevulinic acid to the contoured surface and irradiating the contoured surface with substantially uniform intensity visible light from a plurality of light sources generally conforming to the contoured surface. The plurality of light sources may comprise fluorescent tubes. |
| US07723908B2 |
Flat panel display incorporating a control frame
A flat panel display including: a plurality of electrically addressable pixels; a plurality of thin-film transistor driver circuits each being electrically coupled to an associated at least one of the pixels, respectively; a passivating layer on the thin-film transistor driver circuits and at least partially around the pixels; a conductive frame on the passivating layer; and, a plurality of nanostructures on the conductive frame; wherein, exciting the conductive frame and addressing one of the pixels using the associated driver circuit causes the nanostructures to emit electrons that induce the one of the pixels to emit light. |
| US07723901B2 |
Vibrating gyrosensor and vibrating element
A vibrating gyrosensor includes a support substrate on which a wiring pattern having a plurality of lands is formed, and a vibrating element mounted on a surface of the support substrate. The vibrating element includes a base part having a mounting surface on which a plurality of terminals, and a vibrator part integrally projected in a cantilever manner from one of the sides of the base part and having a substrate-facing surface coplanar with the mounting surface of the base part. The vibrator part has a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer, which are formed on the substrate-facing surface in that order. Furthermore, a reinforcing part is formed at the base end of the vibrator part so that the sectional area of the vibrator part gradually increases toward the base part. |
| US07723898B2 |
Device for the vibrational detection of fill-level limit state and a process for the vibrational detection of a fill-level limit state
A device for the vibrational detection of a fill-level limit state and a process for the vibrational detection of a fill-level limit stateThe invention relates to a device for the vibrational detection of a fill-level limit state, and to a corresponding process, with a vibrational resonator (10), at least one piezoelement (11) that is loaded with a piezo-capacitance in order to induce a vibration in the vibrating resonator (10) by providing a drive frequency, and in order to detect a vibration in the vibrating resonator (10); two connecting conductors (12, 13) for the piezoelement (11), and circuit components (18-20) for evaluating a vibration in the vibrating resonator (10) detected by the piezoelement (11), where a branch with a compensating capacitor (2) is connected in parallel to a branch exhibiting the piezoelement (11) in order to compensate a recharging current in the piezoelement (11), which recharging current is dependent on the piezo-capacitance. |
| US07723897B2 |
Electrical component and method for the production thereof
An electrical component includes a body made from a stack of ceramic layers. The body has a cavity that is accessible external to the body. The cavity is defined by a wall. A contact surface is on the wall. A contact device is electrically connected to the contact surface. At least part of the contact device is external to the body. The contact device includes a connection part and a spring. The spring is between the body and the connection part. The spring is for exerting a spring force on the contact surface. |
| US07723894B2 |
Electrical machine with improved loss characteristics and method of making same
An electrical machine includes a stator and a rotor. The stator has a central opening that is configured to receive the rotor. The rotor includes a generally cylindrical first section comprising a first material mounted on an axially extending shaft within the central opening. The rotor further includes a second section having a second material of a predetermined thickness that is plated integrally over at least a portion of the first section. The second material has a higher electrical conductivity relative to the first material. In certain embodiments, the electrical machine may include a stator support structure having a clamping member comprising a first material and configured to rigidly position the stator around the rotor. The stator support structure further includes an electrically conductive layer comprising a second material plated integrally over the clamping structure, wherein the second material has a higher electrical conductivity relative to the first material. |
| US07723892B2 |
Synchronous motor having multiple coil segments
A synchronous motor includes multiple coil segments, each of which has an iron core in the form of a core stack that is wound with a coil. The coil segments are characterized in that the coils press fastening elements having at least two legs against two opposite surfaces of the substantially right parallelepiped iron core. In each case, at least one leg of the fastening element abutting against the iron core is pressed against the iron core, and at least one free leg of the fastening element projects away from the iron core. The free legs are fastened to connecting elements that connect multiple coil segments to one another. |
| US07723883B2 |
Motor built-in magnetic bearing device
The device includes a rolling bearing unit supporting a radial load and a magnetic bearing unit supporting an axial load and/or a bearing preload; an electromagnet fitted to a spindle housing so as to confront, on a non-contact basis, a flange shaped thrust plate mounted on a main shaft; a motor rotor of a motor for driving the shaft, and a motor stator opposed to the rotor, the shaft being driven by magnetic or Lorentz forces developed between the rotor and the stator; and a sensor detecting an axial force acting on the bearing unit, and a controller controlling the electromagnet. In this device, the stiffness of a composite spring formed by the bearing unit and a support system for the bearing unit is chosen to be higher than the negative stiffness of a composite spring of a motor part comprised of the electromagnet and the motor. |
| US07723881B2 |
Flat type motorized vibrators with high vibration output
The present invention involves a type of flat, motor-driven vibrator that does not increase the outer physical dimensions of the vibrator while increasing the amount of vibration by changing the mass and balance of the eccentric rotor. The base structure of the eccentric rotor is made of high-density alloy. Two or more coils are installed over the protuberances of the alloy oscillator and a circuit board is installed into the other end of the oscillator. A self-lubricating and wear-resistant, low-density plastic material is injected into the gap between the coils, the oscillator, and the circuit board to mold them together. A cylindrical bore in the middle of the molded plastic is used as a rotor bearing. |
| US07723879B2 |
Motor having multiple busbar plates and wire for the same
A stator of a motor includes a plurality of busbar plates, each laminated above a stator core in an axial direction and connected to a plurality of wires having a substantially U-shaped configuration. Each busbar plate includes a plurality of busbars arranged in a circumferential direction, and a busbar holder of insulating quality to which the plurality of busbars are integrally affixed. The wires include a line portion, and a connecting end portion having a substantially columnar shape protruding from an end surface of the line portion. The busbar makes contact with the end surface of the line portion and is connected by welding to the connecting end portion. |
| US07723870B2 |
Power switch system
A power switch system (200) for selectively providing power from a primary power source and a secondary power source to an electronic device, includes a detecting module (24), and a selecting module (30). The detecting module is connected to the primary power source. The selecting module is connected to an output terminal of the detecting module, the primary power source, and the secondary power source, and outputs the power from the primary power source to the electronic device if the primary power source is available. The detecting module is configured for determining whether the primary power source is available for the electronic device and generating a switch signal if the primary power source is unavailable, and the selecting module outputs power from the secondary power source to the electronic device in response to the switch signal. |
| US07723867B2 |
Power gating of circuits
A control device for controlling power supplied to circuitry is disclosed. The circuitry comprises a plurality of portions, each of said plurality of circuit portions being arranged between a first voltage level source and a second voltage level source, said first and second voltage level sources being adapted to output different voltage levels; said control device being adapted to control power supplied to each of said plurality of circuit portions. The control device comprises: a plurality of power switching devices corresponding to said plurality of circuit portions, each power switching device being arranged between said first voltage level source and a corresponding circuit portion such that when one of said plurality of power switching devices is switched on a voltage level close to a voltage level output by said first voltage level source is supplied to said corresponding circuit portion and said corresponding circuit portion is powered up and when switched off said corresponding circuit portion is isolated from said first voltage level source and said corresponding circuit portion is powered down, said control device further comprising: at least one voltage equalization switching device arranged between two power switching devices to provide a low resistance path between said two power switching devices when they are both turned on and to isolate said two power switching devices from each other when either are turned off. |
| US07723865B2 |
Bidirectional buck boost DC-DC converter, railway coach drive control system, and railway feeder system
According to the present invention, a bidirectional buck boost DC-DC converter can be obtained, in which power can flow bidirectionally from a primary side to a secondary side and from the secondary side to the primary side, regardless of a magnitude relation between a secondary-side voltage and a primary-side voltage in a state where different DC voltage sources are connected to the primary side and the secondary side in the DC-DC converter. A direction and a magnitude of the power can be automatically controlled to a desired value continuously on instantaneous value basis. |
| US07723864B2 |
AC-to-DC electrical switching circuit
An electrical circuit and method for switching an input voltage onto a load by way of an AC control voltage is provided. A voltage magnitude reduction circuit is configured to be driven by the AC control voltage. A rectifier circuit is operably coupled with the voltage magnitude reduction circuit. Also, a voltage limiter circuit is operably coupled with the rectifier circuit, and an energy storage circuit is operably coupled with the voltage limiter circuit. The voltage magnitude reduction circuit, the rectifier circuit, the energy storage circuit and the voltage limiter circuit cooperatively generate a switch control voltage. An electronic switching unit is then configured to switch the input voltage across the load when the switch control voltage is active. In one embodiment, the input voltage is a DC voltage generated by an AC-to-DC voltage converter circuit configured to convert an AC supply voltage to the DC voltage. |
| US07723860B2 |
Pipeline deployed hydroelectric generator
The hydroelectric generator of the present invention provides a pre-sealed, watertight device in which the rotor that includes the induction magnets is deployed within the main flow passage of the pipeline and thereby sealed within the pipeline, and he induction coil assembly is deployed outside of the pipeline such that the fluid is sealed within the pipeline away from the induction coils. |
| US07723859B1 |
Wind turbine with direct-connected variable speed blower
A wind turbine is provided having at least one generator, and at least one blower motor connected to the generator. The blower motor is configured to rotate the fan for circulating air to the generator. The blower motor is connected to the generator so that a variable power output of the generator results in a variable power output of the blower motor and a variable speed of the fan. |
| US07723857B2 |
Turbo generator and fuel cell system having the same
Provided are a turbo generator and a fuel cell system having the same. The turbo generator includes a housing; an air inlet formed on the same axis as the axis of the housing on a first side of the housing; a rotor, a stator winding unit, impeller, and a turbine wheel mounted in the housing; and a tie-shaft installed to pass through the impeller and the turbine wheel and rotatably and integrally support the rotor. |
| US07723856B2 |
Epoxy resin composition for the encapsulation of semiconductors and semiconductor devices
An epoxy resin composition for encapsulating semiconductors containing an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, an inorganic filler, a curing accelerator, a glycerol tri-fatty acid ester produced by dehydration condensation reaction of glycerol and a saturated fatty acid with a carbon atom content of 24-36, and a hydrotalcite compound as essential components is provided. The resin composition exhibits excellent mold releasability and produces only a slight amount of stains on the surfaces of the mold and semiconductor packages. A semiconductor device exhibiting excellent solder resistance is also provided. |
| US07723855B2 |
Pad and circuit board, electronic device using same
A pad for soldering a contact of a surface mounted component is provided herein. The pad includes a central portion and a plurality of separate extending portions extending from the central portion. All of the plurality of separate extending portions includes a free end and a connected end connected to the central portion. A width of the free end is larger than a width of the connected end. A circuit board and an electronic device are also provided. |
| US07723854B2 |
Assembly and method of assembling by soldering an object and a support
This assembly of an object and a support is achieved by using solder bumps. At least two wettability areas are made respectively on an object and on a support. Each solder bump ensures electrical contact and mechanical fixing firstly to one of the wettability areas of object and secondly to one of the wettability areas of support. The melting temperature of solder bumps is lower than the melting temperature of each of the wettability areas. Each wettability area of the object forms an angle of 70° to 110° with respect to each wettability area of the support and the object and the support are mutually distant from one another. |
| US07723853B2 |
Chip package without core and stacked chip package structure
A chip package including a base, a chip, a molding compound and a plurality of outer terminals is provided. The base is essentially consisted of a patterned circuit layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other and a solder mask disposed on the second surface, wherein the solder mask has a plurality of first openings by which part of the patterned circuit layer is exposed. The chip is disposed on the first surface and is electrically connected to the patterned circuit layer. The molding compound covers the pattern circuit layer and fixes the chip onto the patterned circuit layer. The outer terminals are disposed in the first openings and electrically connected to the patterned circuit layer. |
| US07723851B2 |
Method of fabricating ultra-deep vias and three-dimensional integrated circuits using ultra-deep vias
A method of forming a high aspect ratio via opening through multiple dielectric layers, a high aspect ratio electrically conductive via, methods of forming three-dimension integrated circuits, and three-dimensional integrated circuits. The methods include forming a stack of at least four dielectric layers and etching the first and third dielectric layers with processes selective to the second and fourth dielectric layers, etching the second and third dielectric layers with processes selective to the first and second dielectric layers. Advantageously the process used to etch the third dielectric layer is not substantially selective to the first dielectric layer. |
| US07723850B2 |
Electronic devices having air gaps
A method of forming air gaps within a solid structure is provided. In this method, a sacrificial material is covered by an overlayer. The sacrificial material is then removed through the overlayer to leave an air gap. Such air gaps are particularly useful as insulation between metal lines in an electronic device such as an electrical interconnect structure. Structures containing air gaps are also provided. |
| US07723849B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided for the improvement of the reliability of copper damascene wiring in which a film between wiring layers and a film between via layers are comprised of an SiOC film with low dielectric constant. A film between wiring layers, a film between wiring layers, and a film between via layers are respectively comprised of an SiOC film, and stopper insulating films and a cap insulating film are comprised of a laminated film of an SiCN film A and an SiC film B. By doing so, it becomes possible to reduce the leakage current of the film between wiring layers, the film between wiring layers, and the film between via layers, and also possible to improve the adhesion of the film between wiring layers, the film between wiring layers, and the film between via layers to the stopper insulating films and the cap insulating film. |
| US07723848B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for designing same
A silica residue is generated, due to a presence of a step formed by a presence of the first layer metallic interconnect, and then, the residual silica is etched to form hollow portions when vias for the metallic interconnect provided in a layer above thereof is formed, and further, insulating materials remained above the hollow portions flakes off to create contaminants, leading to a reduction in the production yield. In the present invention, interconnects provided in a layer underlying a via group, which are provided for coupling to the upper layer interconnect layer, are disposed so as to cover vias composing its via group. |
| US07723844B2 |
Heat dissipation device having a locking device
A heat dissipation device includes a heat sink, a retention module and a locking device for securing the heat sink to the retention module. The heat sink includes a base for contacting with a heat-generating component. The retention module includes a bottom wall and a first spring clip secured at one side thereof. The locking device is pivotably connected to the retention module and includes a second spring clip attached thereon. The heat sink rests on the bottom wall of the retention module with an end thereof being pressed by the first spring clip, and an opposite end thereof being pressed by the second spring clip. The locking device can be at a released position where the locking device is pivotable, so that the heat sink is removable from the retention module, and a locked position where the locking device presses the base of the heat sink. |
| US07723843B2 |
Multi-package module and electronic device using the same
A package substrate for a multi-package module. The package substrate comprises a substrate having a die region and at least one thermal channel region outwardly extending to an edge of the substrate from the die region. An array of bumps is arranged on the substrate except in the die and thermal channel regions, in which the interval between the bumps is narrower than the width of the thermal channel region. An electronic device with a package substrate is also disclosed. |
| US07723839B2 |
Semiconductor device, stacked semiconductor device, and manufacturing method for semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a base substrate; a semiconductor chip formed on the base substrate in such a manner that an adhesive layer is interposed between the semiconductor chip and the base substrate; a resin layer covering at least a portion of the semiconductor chip; and an external connection terminal electrically connected to the base substrate via a wiring layer. The external connection terminal is in the same plane as the surface of the resin layer, and is exposed from the resin layer. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device of a lower stage, and a stacked semiconductor device, each of which is high in connection reliability in a case of stacking plural semiconductor devices, no matter if a connection terminal of a semiconductor device stacked on an upper stage is low. |
| US07723838B2 |
Package structure having semiconductor device embedded within wiring board
In a semiconductor device, via holes are formed around a chip buried in a package, one end of a conductor filled in the via hole is covered with a pad portion exposed to the outside, and a wiring layer connected to the other end of the conductor is formed. The portion (pad portion) of the wiring layer which correspond to the conductor is exposed from a protective film, or an external connection terminal is bonded to the top of the pad portion. Electrode terminals of the chip are connected to the wiring layer, and the opposite surface of the chip is exposed to the outside. |
| US07723837B2 |
Semiconductor device
A technology providing an improvement in the durability in the condition of changing the temperature, while ensuring characteristics such as the applicability to applications utilizing larger electric current, lower resistance and the like can be achieved. A semiconductor device 100 includes a ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120, a silicon chip 110 that is flip-bonded to a chip-carrying region of the ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120, and an external connecting bumps 161 and an external connecting bumps 163, which are provided in the side that the silicon chip 110 of the ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120 is carried. The silicon chip 110 includes a front surface electrode and a back surface electrode. The ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120 includes an interconnect layer composed of a conductive material, and the interconnect layer composes a multiple-layered interconnect layer provided on a front surface and in an interior of the ceramic multiple-layered interconnect substrate 120. The front surface electrode of the silicon chip is electrically connected to the external connecting bump 161 and the external connecting bump 163 through the multiple-layered interconnects in the multiple-layered interconnect layer. |
| US07723831B2 |
Semiconductor package having die with recess and discrete component embedded within the recess
A semiconductor package includes a substrate having contacts, and a discrete component on the substrate in electrical communication with the contacts. The package also includes a semiconductor die on the substrate in electrical communication with the contacts, and a die attach polymer attaching the die to the substrate. The die includes a recess, and the discrete component is contained in the recess encapsulated in the die attach polymer. A method for fabricating the package includes the steps of: attaching the discrete component to the substrate, placing the die attach polymer on the discrete component and the substrate, pressing the die into the die attach polymer to encapsulate the discrete component in the recess and attach the die to the substrate, and then placing the die in electrical communication with the discrete component. An electronic system includes the semiconductor package mounted to a system substrate. |
| US07723830B2 |
Substrate and method for mounting silicon device
A substrate on which a silicon device is mounted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of protrusions extending upward from a top surface of the substrate and a solder layer formed on the top of the substrate such that the plurality of protrusions extends through the solder layer and a top portion of each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is stamped down to be level with a top surface of the solder layer such that the silicon device is supported on the plurality of protrusions when placed on the substrate. The protrusions are preferably gouged up from the surface of the substrate with a needle like tool. A stamper tool is used to stamp the protrusions down to their desired height such that they are properly positioned to support the silicon device. The solder layer may be a solder pre-form or may be a layer of solder paste. The solder layer is heated to form liquid solder to bond the substrate and the silicon device, however, the protrusions support the silicon device to prevent movement thereof when the solder is in liquid form. |
| US07723829B2 |
Embedded metal heat sink for semiconductor
An embedded metal heat sink for a semiconductor device is described. The embedded metal heat sink for a semiconductor device comprises a metal thin layer, a metal heat sink and two bonding pads. The metal thin layer including a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides, wherein at least one semiconductor device is embedded in the first surface of the metal thin layer, and the semiconductor device has two electrodes with different conductivity types. The metal heat sink is deposited on the second surface of the metal thin layer. The bonding pads are deposed on the first surface of the metal thin layer around the semiconductor device and are respectively corresponding to the electrodes, wherein the electrodes are electrically and respectively connected to the corresponding bonding pads by at least two wires, and the bonding pads are electrically connected to an outer circuit. |
| US07723826B2 |
Semiconductor wafer, semiconductor chip cut from the semiconductor wafer, and method of manufacturing semiconductor wafer
A disclosed semiconductor wafer includes plural semiconductor chip areas each having a color pattern capable of tracing the positional information of the semiconductor chip with respect to the semiconductor wafer. Each of the plural semiconductor chip areas arranged in a matrix manner on the semiconductor wafer includes an underlying insulation film; a wiring pattern and a frame-shaped wiring dummy pattern formed on the underlying insulation film; and plural insulation films formed on the upper side of the underlying insulation film, the wiring pattern, and the wiring dummy pattern. At least one SOG film is included in the plural insulation films, in which a color pattern in accordance with a distance from the center of the semiconductor wafer based on the SOG film is formed on a surface of the insulator film within the wiring dummy pattern in top view. |
| US07723822B2 |
MEMS element having a dummy pattern
A first electrode is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A second electrode is formed separately at a predetermined interval from the first electrode, and has at least one opening. An actuator layer is connected to the second electrode, and drives the second electrode. |
| US07723821B2 |
Microelectronic assembly
A microelectronic assembly and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes forming first and second lateral etch stop walls (44, 46) in a semiconductor substrate (20) having first and second opposing surfaces (22, 24). An inductor (56) is formed on the first surface (22) of the semiconductor substrate (20) and a hole (60) is formed through the second surface (24) of the substrate (20) to expose the substrate (20) between the first and second lateral etch stop walls (44, 46). The substrate (20) is isotropically etched between the first and second lateral etch stop walls (44, 46) through the etch hole (60) to create a cavity 62) within the semiconductor substrate (20). A sealing layer (70) is formed over the etch hole (60) to seal the cavity (62). |
| US07723820B2 |
Transistor based antifuse with integrated heating element
The present invention provides structures for an integrated antifuse that incorporates an integrated sensing transistor with an integrated heater. Two terminals connected to the upper plate allow the heating of the upper plate, accelerating the breakdown of the antifuse dielectric at a lower bias voltage. Part of the upper plate also serves as the gate of the integrated sensing transistor. The antifuse dielectric serves as the gate dielectric of the integrated transistor. The lower plate comprises a channel, a drain, and a source of a transistor. While intact, the integrated sensing transistor allows a passage of transistor current through the drain. When programmed, the antifuse dielectric, which is the gate of the integrated transistor, is subjected to a gate breakdown, shorting the gate to the channel and resulting in a decreased drain current. The integrated antifuse structure can also be wired in an array to provide a compact OTP memory array. |
| US07723819B2 |
Granular magnetic layer with planar insulating layer
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to fabricate a device using a magnetic layer. A magnetic layer having granular magnetic particles is formed. A planar insulating layer is deposited on the magnetic layer. The planar insulating layer has a planar surface and is made of a polymeric dielectric material with gap-filling capability to fill in gaps among the granular magnetic particles. |
| US07723817B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The shape of a tip of an insulating material of an insulating isolation region is provided as being a concave one recessed below the back surface of an n-semiconductor substrate. This reduces the electric field strength at the corner at which the bottom of the n-semiconductor substrate is in contact with the insulating isolation region to allow an excellent breakdown voltage to be obtained. Moreover, by forming a high impurity concentration region such as a field-stop layer on the back surface of the n-semiconductor substrate, a depletion layer extending from the top surface is prevented from reaching the back surface. This eliminates an influence of a surface state introduced in the interface between the insulator film formed on the back surface and the n-semiconductor substrate, by which an excellent breakdown voltage can be obtained. |
| US07723814B2 |
InSb thin film magnetic sensor and fabrication method thereof
The present invention relates to a thin film lamination to be used in a micro InSb thin film magnetic sensor which can directly detect a magnetic flux density with high sensitivity and has small power consumption and consumption current, and the InSb thin film magnetic sensor. The InSb thin film magnetic sensor uses an InSb thin film as a magnetic sensor section or a magnetic detecting section. The sensor includes an InSb layer that is an InSb thin film formed on a substrate, and an AlxGayIn1-x-ySb mixed crystal layer (0≦x, y≦1) which shows resistance higher than the InSb layer or insulation, or p-type conduction, and has a band gap larger than that of InSb. The mixed crystal layer is provided between the substrate and the InSb layer, and has a content of Al and Ga atoms (x+y) in the range of 5.0 to 17%. |
| US07723805B2 |
Electronic device including a fin-type transistor structure and a process for forming the electronic device
An electronic device can include an insulating layer and a fin-type transistor structure. The fin-type structure can have a semiconductor fin and a gate electrode spaced apart from each other. A dielectric layer and a spacer structure can lie between the semiconductor fin and the gate electrode. The semiconductor fin can include channel region including a portion associated with a relatively higher VT lying between a portion associated with a relatively lower VT and the insulating layer. In one embodiment, the supply voltage is lower than the relatively higher VT of the channel region. A process for forming the electronic device is also disclosed. |
| US07723803B2 |
Bipolar device compatible with CMOS process technology
The present invention discloses a bipolar device. An emitter is formed in a semiconductor substrate. A collector is laterally spaced from the emitter in the substrate. A gate terminal is formed on the substrate, defining a space between the emitter and the collector. An extrinsic base is formed on the substrate with a predetermined distance from either the emitter or the collector, wherein the base, the emitter, the collector and the gate terminal are located in an active area defined by a hole in a surrounding isolation structure in the substrate. |
| US07723797B2 |
Fin field effect transistor and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a FinFET and a method of manufacturing the same. A FinFET may include at least one active fin, at least one gate insulating layer pattern, a first electrode pattern, a second electrode pattern and at least one pair of source/drain expansion regions. The at least one active fin may be formed on a substrate. The at least one gate insulating layer pattern may be formed on the at least one active fin. The first electrode pattern may be formed on the at least one gate insulating layer pattern. Further, the first electrode pattern may be intersected with the at least one active fin. The second electrode pattern may be formed on the first electrode pattern. Further, the second electrode pattern may have a width greater than that of the first electrode pattern. The at least one pair of source/drain expansion regions may be formed on a surface of the at least one active fin on both sides of the first electrode pattern. Thus, the FinFET may have improved capacity and reduced GIDL current. |
| US07723796B2 |
Semiconductor device with current mirror circuit having two transistors of identical characteristics
A semiconductor device includes a current-mirror circuit including a first ring-shape gate, a second ring-shape gate, a first diffusion layer formed around the first ring-shape gate and the second ring-shape gate, a second diffusion layer formed inside the first ring-shape gate, a third diffusion layer formed inside the second ring-shape gate, an interconnect line electrically connecting the first ring-shape gate and the second ring-shape gate to a same potential, and an STI area formed around the first diffusion layer, wherein a first transistor corresponding to the first ring-shape gate and a second transistor corresponding to the second ring-shape gate constitute the current-mirror circuit, wherein gates of dummy transistors that do not function as transistors are situated between the STI area and the first and second ring-shape gates, and are arranged both in a first direction and in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. |
| US07723792B1 |
Floating diodes
A semiconductor chip is ESD protected, in part, by utilizing floating lateral clamp diodes. Unlike conventional clamp diodes, which are based upon parasitic bipolar devices associated with large MOS transistors, the floating lateral clamp diodes utilize a well formed in the substrate as the cathode, and a plurality of regions of the opposite conductivity type which are formed in the well as the anode. |
| US07723788B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for forming the same
A thin film transistor device reduced substantially in resistance between the source and the drain by incorporating a silicide film, which is fabricated by a process comprising forming a gate insulator film and a gate contact on a silicon substrate, anodically oxidizing the gate contact, covering an exposed surface of the silicon semiconductor with a metal, and irradiating an intense light such as a laser beam to the metal film either from the upper side or from an insulator substrate side to allow the metal coating to react with silicon to obtain a silicide film. The metal silicide layer may be obtained otherwise by tightly adhering a metal coating to the exposed source and drain regions using an insulator formed into an approximately triangular shape, preferably 1 μm or less in width, and allowing the metal to react with silicon. |
| US07723783B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a first semiconductor region of the first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type alternately arranged in a lateral direction on the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type; a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type formed on the first semiconductor region; a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type formed on a portion of the surface of the third semiconductor region; a control electrode provided via an first insulating film in a groove formed in contact with the fourth semiconductor region, the third semiconductor region, and the first semiconductor region; a first main electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; a second main electrode forming a junction with the third and fourth semiconductor region; and a fifth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type. The fifth semiconductor region is formed in contact with the first insulating film, the first semiconductor region, and the second semiconductor region. The bottom face of the fifth semiconductor region is deeper than the bottom face of the control electrode. Alternatively, the fifth semiconductor region may be spaced apart from the first insulating film. |
| US07723782B2 |
Trench structure semiconductor device and method for producing it
A trench structure semiconductor device is disclosed. In one embodiment, field electrode devices are arranged in a trench structure, in direct spatial proximity in comparison with essentially planar or smooth conditions, have an enlarged common interface region with an insulation material in between, whereby a comparatively stronger electrical coupling of the directly adjacent field electrode devices is achieved. |
| US07723780B2 |
Lateral DMOS device structure and manufacturing method thereof
A lateral DMOS device includes a body diode region and a protective diode region. The body diode region has a second conduction type well region formed in a first conduction type semiconductor substrate, the second conduction type well region including a first conduction type body region and a drain region each formed in the second conduction type well region, a first conduction type impurity region and a source region formed in the first conduction type body region, and a gate insulating film and a gate electrode formed on the first conduction type semiconductor substrate. The first conduction type body region and the second conduction type well region compose a body diode. In the protective diode region, the first conduction type impurity region is formed at a prescribed interval and the first conduction type body region and the second conduction type well region compose a protective diode. |
| US07723778B2 |
2-bit assisted charge memory device and method for making the same
An Assisted Charge (AC) Memory cell comprises a transistor that includes, for example, a p-type substrate with an n+ source region and an n+ drain region implanted on the p-type substrate. A gate electrode can be formed over the substrate and portions of the source and drain regions. The gate electrode can comprise a trapping structure. The trapping structure can be treated as electrically split into two sides. One side can be referred to as the “AC-side” and can be fixed at a high voltage by trapping electrons within the structure. The electrons are referred to as assisted charges. The other side of can be used to store data and is referred to as the “data-side.” The abrupt electric field between AC-side and the data-side can enhance programming efficiency. The memory cell can comprise a dual gate structure, such that the cell is a 2-bit cell. |
| US07723777B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for making same
One or more embodiments, relate to a field effect transistor, comprising: a substrate; a gate stack disposed over the substrate, the gate stack comprising a gate electrode overlying a gate dielectric; and a sidewall spacer may be disposed over the substrate and laterally disposed from the gate stack, the spacer comprising a polysilicon material. |
| US07723776B2 |
Flash memory devices having shared sub active regions
Flash memory devices include a pair of elongated, closely spaced-apart main active regions in a substrate. A sub active region is also provided in the substrate, extending between the pair of elongated, closely spaced-apart main active regions. A bit line contact plug is provided on, and electrically contacting, the sub active region and being at least as wide as the sub active region. An elongated bit line is provided on, and electrically contacting, the bit line contact plug remote from the sub active region. |
| US07723771B2 |
Zirconium oxide based capacitor and process to manufacture the same
A capacitor structure comprises a first and a second electrode of conducting material. Between the first and second electrodes, an atomic layer deposited dielectric film is disposed, which comprises zirconium oxide and a dopant oxide. Herein, the dopant comprises an ionic radius that differs by more than 24 pm from an ionic radius of zirconium, while the dielectric film comprises a dopant content of 10 atomic percent or less of the dielectric film material excluding oxygen. A process for fabricating a capacitor comprises a step of forming a bottom electrode of the capacitor. On the bottom electrode, a dielectric film comprising zirconium oxide is deposited, and a step for introducing a dopant oxide into the dielectric film performed. On the dielectric structure, a top electrode is formed. The dopant comprises an ionic radius that differs by more than 24 pm from an ionic radius of zirconium, whereas the dielectric structure deposited comprises a dopant content of 10 atomic percent or less of the deposited material excluding oxygen. |
| US07723769B2 |
Capacitor device of a semiconductor
Embodiments relate to a capacitor having a high capacitance, a semiconductor device having the same, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. In embodiments, the capacitor may include a lower electrode having a predetermined pattern, a dielectric layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the dielectric layer. |
| US07723766B2 |
Solid-state image sensing device and camera system using the same
A solid-state image sensing device includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel has a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The photodiode is constituted by a first-conductivity-type semiconductor region and a second-conductivity-type semiconductor region. The first and second conductivity types are opposite to each other. The first transistor has a first-conductivity-type drain region formed in the second-conductivity-type semiconductor region to transfer signal charge to the drain region. The second transistor has a source region and a drain region which are formed in the second-conductivity-type semiconductor region and which have the first conductivity type. At least one second-conductivity-type potential barrier is provided under the drain region of the first transistor and the source region and/or the drain region of the second transistor. |
| US07723763B2 |
Color photodetector apparatus with multi-primary pixels
The invention discloses the color photodetector with multi-primary is introduced to detect the incident light with specific wavelength regimes. Combining the surface plasma resonance effect with photodetector can be utilized to enhance the photo-responsivity of the demanded light wavelength and also can substitute the conventionally color filter and infrared cutter. In this invention, a novel integrated photo-detector that can be realized in commercial CMOS process for achieving low-cost consideration. |
| US07723762B2 |
Schottky barrier FinFET device and fabrication method thereof
A Schottky barrier FinFET device and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The device includes a lower fin body provided on a substrate. An upper fin body having first and second sidewalls which extend upwardly from a center of the lower fin body and face each other is provided. A gate structure crossing over the upper fin body and covering an upper surface of the upper fin body and the first and second sidewalls is provided. The Schottky barrier FinFET device includes a source and a drain which are formed on the sidewalls of the upper fin body adjacent to sidewalls of the gate structure and made of a metal material layer formed on an upper surface of the lower fin body positioned at both sides of the upper fin body, and the source and drain form a Schottky barrier to the lower and upper fin bodies. |
| US07723761B1 |
Tiered gate structure devices
In one embodiment, a tiered gate structure is provided having a substrate including a source, a drain and a gate thereon. The gate includes an elongated gate foot having a first deposition gate material extending from the substrate, the elongated gate foot having a top portion distal from the substrate. The gate head has a second deposition gate material and includes an elongated portion extending downward from the gate head to connect to the top portion of the elongated gate foot. |
| US07723760B2 |
Semiconductor-based porous structure enabled by capillary force
The present invention is a MEMS-based two-phase LHP (loop heat pipe) and CPL (capillary pumped loop) using semiconductor grade silicon and microlithographic/anisotrophic etching techniques to achieve a planar configuration. The principal working material is silicon (and compatible borosilicate glass where necessary), particularly compatible with the cooling needs for electronic and computer chips and package cooling. The microloop heat pipes (μLHP™) utilize cutting edge microfabrication techniques. The device has no pump or moving parts, and is capable of moving heat at high power densities, using revolutionary coherent porous silicon (CPS) wicks. The CPS wicks minimize packaging thermal mismatch stress and improves strength-to-weight ratio. Also burst-through pressures can be controlled as the diameter of the coherent pores can be controlled on a sub-micron scale. The two phase planar operation provides extremely low specific thermal resistance (20-60 w/cm2). The operation is dependent upon a unique micropatterened CPS wick which contains up to millions per square centimeter of stacked uniform micro-through-capillaries in semiconductor-grade silicon, which serve as the capillary “engine,” as opposed to the stochastic distribution of pores in the typical heat pipe wick. As with all heat pipes, cooling occurs by virtue of the extraction of heat by the latent heat of phase change of the operating fluid into vapor. |
| US07723759B2 |
Stacked wafer or die packaging with enhanced thermal and device performance
An apparatus includes a metallization region including a plurality of metal layers on a device layer of a substrate, a via extending through the substrate and the device layer, and a heat spreading and stress engineering region in the substrate and adjacent to the device layer. The via contacts a metal layer in the metallization region. |
| US07723756B2 |
Silicon pillars for vertical transistors
In order to form a more stable silicon pillar which can be used for the formation of vertical transistors in DRAM cells, a multi-step masking process is used. In a preferred embodiment, an oxide layer and a nitride layer are used as masks to define trenches, pillars, and active areas in a substrate. Preferably, two substrate etch processes use the masks to form three levels of bulk silicon. |
| US07723754B2 |
Ge photodetectors
A phototransistor includes an emitter and a base that comprises Ge. A collector comprises Si. The base, emitter, and collector form at least one Si/Ge heterojunction allowing the unpinning of Fermi energy level (EF) of the phototransistor. |
| US07723753B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
In a GaAs substrate as a semi-insulating substrate, a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is formed in an element formation region, while an isolation region is formed in an insulating region. The isolation region formed in the insulating region is formed by introducing helium into the same semiconductor layers as the sub-collector semiconductor layer and collector semiconductor layer of the HBT. In an outer peripheral region, a conductive layer is formed to be exposed from protective films and coupled to a back surface electrode. Because a GND potential is supplied to the back surface electrode, the conductive layer is fixed to the GND potential. The conductive layer is formed of the same semiconductor layers as the sub-collector semiconductor layer and collector semiconductor layer of the HBT. |
| US07723752B2 |
Nitride semiconductor heterojunction field effect transistor
In the nitride semiconductor heterojunction field effect transistor of the present invention, the floating gate layer (32), as the third layer, is formed between the control gate electrode (34) and the AlGaN layer (11), and the potential for the electrons in the AlGaN layer (11), which is substantially neighboring the floating gate layer (32), is able to be substantially high, and then the channel is able to be depleted. Hence, no current can be flowed through the channel (no drain current) at the time of no gate voltage, as so-called stable normally-off operation can be obtained. |
| US07723747B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device is provided that includes a substrate, a light emitting unit formed on the substrate, and an encapsulation unit. The encapsulation unit may include a first region corresponding to the light emitting unit and a second region coalesced with the substrate. The encapsulation unit of the first region or a part of the encapsulation unit of the first region may have a positive curvature. |
| US07723740B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device that light of various colors by blending lights emitted by two or more kinds of fluorescent materials which are substantially directly excited by light emitted by an excitation source having principal emission peak in a range from 250 nm to 500 nm. Each of the fluorescent materials is of a direct-transition type. |
| US07723737B2 |
Light emitting device
The present invention relates to a light emitting device. According to the present invention, the light emitting device comprises a substrate, a plurality of light emitting cells disposed on the substrate, a first insulation layer disposed on each light emitting cell, an electrically conductive material disposed on the first insulation layer to couple two of the light emitting cells, and a second insulation layer disposed on the electrically conductive material. Each light emitting cell comprises a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an inclined surface. The second insulation layer corresponds to a contour of each light emitting cell. |
| US07723735B2 |
Display device and a method of manufacturing the same
In a display device having a plurality of organic electroluminescence devices arranged on a substrate, each of the devices including a lower electrode, an organic layer at least containing a light emitting layer, and an upper electrode in this order, the light emitting layer of at least some of the organic electroluminescence devices has a first light emitting layer formed by vapor deposition and a second light emitting layer formed by thermal transfer, and the first light emitting layer emits light whose wavelength is equal to or shorter than that of blue light. |
| US07723730B2 |
Carrier layer for a semiconductor layer sequence and method for producing semiconductor chips
A carrier layer (1) for a semiconductor layer sequence comprising an electrical insulation layer (2) containing AlN or a ceramic. Furthermore a method for producing semiconductor chips is described. |
| US07723724B2 |
System for using test structures to evaluate a fabrication of a wafer
A system is provided for using test structures to evaluate a fabrication of a wafer. The test structures include a combination of device and interconnect elements that are provided on an active region of a die, on the wafer prior to the fabrication of the wafer being completed. The combination of device and interconnect elements include one or more circuits that are activatable to produce an output corresponding to measurable electrical and/or optical characteristics. A power receiving element that is configured to receive activation energy sufficient to cause the output on a contactless medium, so that the activation energy is received without affecting a usability of the die or wafer. The one or more circuits are structured to generate a variation in either the output or in a parameter determined from output, as a result of a process variation in a specific fabrication step that provided elements for forming the one or more circuits. A detector is provided to detect the output over the contactless medium, so as to receive the output without affecting a usability of the wafer when fabrication is completed. |
| US07723723B2 |
Memory
A memory allowing reduction of a memory cell size is obtained. This memory comprises a first conductive type first impurity region formed on the main surface of a semiconductor substrate for functioning as a first electrode of a diode included in a memory cell and a word line, a plurality of second conductive type second impurity regions formed on the surface of the first impurity region at a prescribed interval, each functioning as a second electrode of the diode, a bit line formed on the semiconductor substrate and connected to the second impurity regions and a wire provided above the bit line and connected to the first impurity region every prescribed interval. |
| US07723714B2 |
Programmable-resistance memory cell
A memory cell (10) comprising at least a source electrode (MS) formed on a substrate (6); at least a drain electrode (MD) formed on the substrate (6); at least a coupling layer (1) formed between the source electrode (MS) and the drain electrode (MD), and at least a gate electrode (MG) formed on the substrate (6), wherein the coupling layer (1) comprises a transition-metal oxide exhibiting a filling-controlled metal-insulator transition property; the gate electrode (MG) comprises an oxygen ion conductor layer (2), and the gate electrode (MG) is arranged relative to the coupling layer (1) such that application of an electrical signal to the gate electrode (MG) causes alteration of the oxygen vacancy (3) concentration in the coupling layer (1). |
| US07723713B2 |
Layered resistance variable memory device and method of fabrication
The invention is related to methods and apparatus for providing a resistance variable memory element with improved data retention and switching characteristics. According to one embodiment of the invention, a resistance variable memory element is provided having at least one silver-selenide layer in between two glass layers, wherein at least one of the glass layers is a chalcogenide glass, preferably having a GexSe100-x composition. According to another embodiment of the invention, a resistance variable memory element is provided having at least one silver-selenide layer in between chalcogenide glass layers and further having a silver layer above at least one of said chalcogenide glass layers and a conductive adhesion layer above said silver layer. According to the another embodiment of the invention, a resistance variable memory element is provided having a first chalcogenide glass layer, a silver layer over said chalcogenide glass layer, a second chalcogenide glass layer over said silver layer, a second silver layer over said second chalcogenide glass layer, and a conductive adhesion layer over said a second silver layer. |
| US07723711B2 |
Disposable optical sensor and method of manufacturing same
The invention relates to an optical sensor comprising at least one detection module which comprises an organic light emitting diode (1) and an organic detection photodiode (2, 2a) for measuring emitted light which during the use of the sensor reaches the photodiode via the sample holder. Optionally, a sensor according to the invention further comprises a plastic waveguide. |
| US07723708B2 |
Optical semiconductor device in which an electromagnetic wave is generated in a region of an applied electric field
The present invention provides an optical semiconductor device including a semiconductor thin film (4) having photoconductivity and a pair of electrodes (5) and (10) for applying an electric field to an inside of the semiconductor thin film (4) in a direction approximately vertical to a surface of the semiconductor thin film (4), wherein the semiconductor thin film (4) generates an electromagnetic wave when light is applied to a region thereof to which the electric field is applied. The electrodes are provided to a front surface and a back surface of the semiconductor thin film (4) with the semiconductor thin film interposed therebetween. |
| US07723704B2 |
EUV pellicle with increased EUV light transmittance
According to one exemplary embodiment, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle for protecting a lithographic mask includes an aerogel film. The pellicle further includes a frame for mounting the aerogel film over the lithographic mask. The aerogel film causes the pellicle to have increased EUV light transmittance. |
| US07723702B2 |
E-beam lithography system for synchronously irradiating a plurality of photomasks and method of fabricating photomasks using the same
Disclosed is an E-beam lithography system for synchronously irradiating surfaces of a plurality of substrates. The E-beam lithography system may include a loading unit loading and unloading substrates, an alignment chamber aligning the substrates, a transfer chamber transferring the substrates from the loading unit or chambers, a lithography chamber radiating one or more electron beams onto the substrates, and a vacuum chamber creating a vacuum in the chambers. A stage may be installed in the lithography chamber such that the substrates may be mounted on the stage and radiated with one or more electron beams. |
| US07723697B2 |
Techniques for optical ion beam metrology
Techniques for providing optical ion beam metrology are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for controlling beam density profile, the apparatus may include one or more camera systems to capture at least one image of an ion beam and a control system coupled to the one or more camera systems to control a beam density profile of the ion beam. The control system may further include a dose profiler to provide information to one or more ion implantation components in at least one of a feedback loop and a feedforward loop to improve dose and angle uniformity. |
| US07723693B2 |
Radiation detecting apparatus and radiation imaging system using the same
At a radiation incident side of light generating means comprising light guiding means 300 including a light source such as an LED 301, a light guiding plate 303, a reflecting plate 304, a diffusing plate 305, and the like, radiation shielding members 401 to 403 for shielding the radiation are provided. As the radiation shielding members, those absorbing or reflecting 70% of the incident radiation are preferably used. Further, the radiation shielding member is disposed between a radiation detecting panel 500 and a light generating source such as the LED 301 and the like or disposed between the radiation detecting panel and a drive circuit which drives the light source such as the LED 301, and the like. |
| US07723691B2 |
Method of manufacturing a radiation detector
In a method of manufacturing a radiation detector according to this invention, a lattice frame 40 is stored in a receptacle 50, and scintillators 1SF and 1SR are also stored therein. The lattice frame 40 and scintillators 1SF and 1SR are once taken out of the receptacle in a state of trial assembly as a two-stage scintillator block in trial assembly 54. The lattice frame 40 and scintillators 1SF and 1SR in trial assembly are stored in the receptacle 50 into which an optical binding material has been poured. This method can reduce trouble occurring in manufacture to realize a radiation detector simply. |
| US07723690B2 |
Adjustable slit collimators method and system
Embodiments relate to a slit collimator assembly including a first set of panels spaced at least partially around a longitudinal axis of the collimator assembly and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The slit collimator assembly further includes a second set of panels spaced at least partially around longitudinal axis of the collimator assembly and extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The first set of panels and the second set of panels are arranged to define one or more slit apertures. The slit collimator assembly is configured so that movement of at least one of the first set of panels or the second set of panels adjusts an aperture size of at least one of the one or more slit apertures. The slit collimator assembly is configured so that gamma rays can pass through the one or more slit apertures, but the remainder of the collimator assembly is substantially gamma ray absorbent. Embodiments also relate to imaging systems and methods of changing collimator performance. |
| US07723682B2 |
Transmission electron microscope provided with electronic spectroscope
In order to correct measurement magnification and measurement position of a spectral image with high efficiency and with high accuracy using an electronic spectroscope and a transmission electron microscope regarding the spectral image formed in two orthogonal axes which are an amount of energy loss axis and a measurement position information axis; a method for correcting magnification and position and a system for correcting magnification and position, both of which are capable of correcting measurement magnification and measurement position of a spectral image with high efficiency and with high accuracy using an electronic spectroscope and a transmission electron microscope regarding the spectral image formed in two orthogonal axes which are an amount of energy loss axis and a measurement position information axis, are provided. |
| US07723681B2 |
Observation method with electron beam
For the purpose of repeatedly observing the bottom of a contact hole with a high aspect ratio, the potential of an electrostatic charge in each of a pattern to be observed and a vicinity of a range to be observed is stabilized by pre-charging a range on which to irradiate a beam of electrons while changing the range on a step-by-step basis. |
| US07723680B2 |
Electron multiplier having electron filtering
A system for detecting ions is disclosed. The system includes a detector having a plurality of dynodes arranged in an electron cascading configuration, and a power supply circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of dynodes. The plurality of dynodes include a first dynode and a second dynode. The power supply circuit is arranged to selectively adjust a potential difference between the first and second dynodes between a detection mode and a blanking mode. A method of detecting ions is also disclosed. |
| US07723677B2 |
Wide range, very high resolution differential mobility analyzer (DMA)
The present invention consists of a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) intended for achieving the electric field conditions necessary so that it has an component opposite to the drag flow. This electric field component opposite to the drag flow causes the main electric field to be not perpendicular to the velocity field of the drag flow but oblique. Under these conditions, it is possible to increase the resolution of the device, thus reducing the threshold of errors in the detection of the type particle injected in the analyzer. This invention is characterized by the arrangement and nature of the electrodes intended for obtaining the oblique electric field. The invention also comprises the use of this analyzer as part of a device which comprises it, giving rise to an assembly combining the efficiency of the analyzer of the state of the art with the high resolution of the analyzer of the invention. |
| US07723673B2 |
Device for detecting ambient light and light in the area in front of a motor vehicle
An ambient light sensor system is provided for sensing ambient light and light in the area in front of a motor vehicle, wherein the ambient light sensor system includes a light guide element arranged behind a transparent surface of the motor vehicle and at least two sensors arranged on the light guide element. |
| US07723671B2 |
Positional information detecting device
A light via first and second index scales is split by a beam splitter, and one of the split lights is received by a first light-receiving element via a movable scale and also the other of the split lights is received by a second light-receiving element via a reference scale, and therefore by computing positional information of the movable scale using an output of the first light-receiving element (a first output) and an output of the second light-receiving element (a second output), movement information of the movable scale can be measured with high precision without being affected by drift of the modulation center (the oscillation center) of the beam. |
| US07723670B1 |
Optical differential group delay module with folded optical path
Differential group delay (DGD) devices and techniques based on folded optical paths. An in-line polarization monitor can be provided as a feedback for worst-case alignment without using an in-line polarizer. Polarization maintaining retro reflectors can minimize the introduced higher-order polarization effects caused by reflections between folding mirrors or prisms in conventional schemes. |
| US07723663B2 |
CMOS image pick-up with integrated optical and electronic elements and micro bump connectors
An image pick-up element comprises: an optical element substrate part in which the image pick-up element generates a signal charge by photo-electrically converting an incident light applied from one surface side of the optical element substrate part to read the signal charge from the other surface side of the optical element substrate part and picks up an image; and a CMOS circuit substrate part connected to the other surface side of the optical element substrate part so as to transfer the signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion layer, wherein the optical element substrate part comprises a photoelectric conversion layer to generate the signal charge by photo-electrically converting the incident light. |
| US07723662B2 |
Microscopy arrangements and approaches
Light-field microscopy is facilitated using an approach to image computation. In connection with an example embodiment, a subject (e.g., 105) is imaged by passing light from the subject through a microlens array (e.g., 120) to a photosensor array (e.g., 130) to simultaneously detect light from the subject that is passed through different directions to different locations. In certain embodiments, information from the detected light is used to compute refocused images, perspective images and/or volumetric datasets, from a single-shot photograph. |
| US07723661B2 |
Solid-state imaging device with column amplifier
It is an object to obtain a solid-state imaging device that can reduce a variation in an electric current that flows between an amplifier power supply and ground wiring in a column amplifier, which occurs in accordance with an input signal level, without degrading manufacture and operation tolerances in terms of photoelectric conversion characteristics of the solid-state imaging device. A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array in which imaging pixels are arranged in row and column directions; a plurality of vertical signal lines, each of which commonly outputs signals from part of the imaging pixels that is aligned in each column of the pixel array; and a plurality of column amplifiers that are provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of vertical signals lines. In the solid-state imaging device, between a column amplifier power supply and a ground in each of the plurality of column amplifiers, a current generating circuit is provided that generates a correction current in such a direction as to cancel out a variation in an operation current of each of the plurality of column amplifiers. |
| US07723658B2 |
Solar sensor having microspheres on the inside face of the protective cap
A solar sensor is provided that has microspheres on an interior face of a protective cap or of another radiation-transparent area above a transducer of the sensor. The microspheres scatter the light but at the same time have a much lower damping effect. Preferably, the microspheres are glued to or sealed into the interior face. |
| US07723657B2 |
Focus detection apparatus having extended detection range
An extended range focus sensor is provided. In various embodiments, the focus sensor may include a relay lens assembly to image a plane between an objective lens and the relay lens arrangement to a plane near an entrance pupil of a focus detector arrangement of the focus sensor. In some embodiments, the objective lens pupil is imaged onto the focus detector entrance pupil. In some embodiments, an illumination beam passes through the relay lens arrangement and is magnified on its way to be output by the objective lens, and the reflected focus detection beam passes back through the objective lens and the relay lens arrangement and is reduced prior to being input to the focus detector arrangement. In some embodiments, the focus detector arrangement may comprising a broad range focus detector combined with a high resolution Shack-Hartmann focus detector, and in others a single extended range Shack-Hartmann focus detector is used. |
| US07723647B2 |
Information communication systems between components of a hot melt adhesive material dispensing system
A hot melt adhesive material dispensing system includes a communication system for transmitting information or data between the adhesive supply unit (ASU) and one or more applicator heads, wherein the number of hard wires actually interconnecting the adhesive supply unit (ASU) and the one or more hot melt adhesive material dispensing applicator heads can be reduced by the employment of signal couplers. In addition, the number of applicator heads that can be utilized in conjunction with a particular adhesive supply unit (ASU) can be increased by incorporating the temperature controller, normally disposed upon the adhesive supply unit (ASU), upon the applicator head. |
| US07723646B2 |
Foldable clothes warmer
A joint device for providing hinged movement between a first and second arm member and for providing independent delivery of electrical power to the arm members, wherein said device includes a central portion for receiving at least two sets of electrical conductors and for delivering said at least one set of electrical conductors to each of said arm members, characterised in that upon hinged movement of the arm members about the central portion, the central portion maintains the conductors in a spaced apart relationship in a manner such that the structural integrity of said conductors is maintained for a predetermined minimum number of hinged movement cycles of said arm members. |
| US07723643B2 |
Laser peening for reducing hydrogen embrittlement
A laser peening process for the densification of metal surfaces and sub-layers and for changing surface chemical activities provides retardation of the up-take and penetration of atoms and molecules, particularly Hydrogen, which improves the lifetime of such laser peened metals. Penetration of hydrogen into metals initiates an embrittlement that leaves the material susceptible to cracking. |
| US07723641B2 |
Brittle material substrate scribing device and scribing method, and automatic analysis line
Along a region where a scribe line is formed on a surface of a glass substrate 50, a laser spot is continuously applied for heating at a temperature lower than a softening point of the glass substrate 50, and a region in the vicinity of the heated region is cooled. In this manner, a blind crack is formed along a line to be scribed. A detection unit 40 applies light to the blind crack, immediately after formed in the vicinity of to a cooling spot, through an optical fiber 41. When the blind crack has been formed, part of the light is obtained in the optical fiber 41 because of diffuse reflection. Therefore, detection of the level of this reflected light allows checking as to whether the blind crack has been normally formed or not. |
| US07723639B2 |
Substrate treatment device and method and encoder scale treated by this method
The invention provides a substrate treatment method and apparatus. Embodiments show a substrate in the form of a rotary encoder ring having a pattern of marks producable by means of a laser treatment device controllable to produce the pattern in the correct manner whilst there is continuous relative displacement between the ring and the laser treatment device. |
| US07723636B2 |
Method for repairing machine part, method for forming restored machine part, method for manufacturing machine part, gas turbine engine, electric discharge machine, method for repairing turbine component, and method for forming restored turbine component
A defect generated at a portion to be treated of a machine component is removed, a porous deposition is formed by employing a molded electrode composed of a molded body or such molded from powder of a metal or such and generating a pulsing electric discharge between a removed portion from which the defect in the machine component is removed and the molded electrode so that a material of the molded electrode or such is deposited or so at the removed portion of the machine component by energy of the electric discharge and finish machining to required dimension is carried out so as to make a thickness of the deposition to be a predetermined thickness. |
| US07723635B2 |
Electrode wire for electric discharge machining and manufacturing method of the same
Enhanced electrode discharge machining properties of an electrode wire are achieved when the electrode wire comprises a coil, a covering layer formed on a periphery of the coil, and grains formed on the covering layer. The grains comprise a copper-zinc alloy including about 0.01 to 0.5 weight % of at least one additive element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, tin, magnesium, lanthanum, cerium, nickel, manganese, titanium, and zirconium. |
| US07723631B2 |
Keyboards
A switch useful for, inter alia, a touch type keyboard or keypad which may be used for a personal computer or the like in a substantially waterproof form while being relatively inexpensive to manufacture. |
| US07723630B1 |
Remote safety switch
A safety switch allows for greater safety and greater ease in operating a machine where multiple operators may be required. The safety switch allows multiple operators in different locations to exercise control over the machine, reducing the risk of accidents and improper operation of the machine. |
| US07723627B2 |
EL sheet and member for lighting push-button switch
An EL sheet and a member for lighting a push-button switch capable of emitting light stably and sufficiently for a long period of time without trouble such as non-light emission phenomena and generation of black dot, even if the EL element is subjected to, for example, a drawing process to form into a three dimensional shape, includes a counter electrode layer 15, dielectric layer 14, light-emitting layer 13, and transparent electrode layer 11. An adhesive layer 12 made of adhesive having excellent adhesiveness to the electroconductive polymer is disposed between the transparent electrode layer 11 made of an electroconductive polymer and the light-emitting layer 13. As for the adhesives having excellent adhesiveness, polyester, acrylic, cyanoacrylate, polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl acetate or ethylene ethyl acrylate type adhesive is used. The dielectric layer is made of fluoro type, polyester type or acrylic type resin binder. Furthermore, to improve durability in hot and high humidity environment, a second counter electrode layer 17 and/or a second dielectric layer 17, both having an ion diffusion-preventing function, is/are disposed. |
| US07723625B1 |
Ultra low pressure switch system
An ultra low pressure switch system for efficiently reducing switch deterioration. The ultra low pressure switch system generally includes a housing comprised of a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion define a cavity between thereof, a first port fluidly connected to the housing, a diaphragm member positioned within the cavity, a first terminal positioned within the cavity, a second terminal positioned within the cavity and a spacer member positioned within the cavity and between the first terminal and the second terminal. |
| US07723623B2 |
Electrical duplex connector having an integrally formed connector body with a frustro-conical retaining ring and unidirectional cable retainers
This disclosure is directed to electrical connectors, and more specifically to a duplex or multiplex electrical connector having an integrally formed connector body having an inlet end portion defining a plurality of passageways for receiving a cable, and an outlet end portion wherein the outlet end portion is provided with an outer surface that slopes downwardly toward the outlet opening and having a complementary sloping or frustro-conical, snap fit, outer, retaining ring with locking tangs and grounding tangs for snap locking the outlet end portion of the connector to an electric box or panel, and including a unidirectional cable retaining sleeve disposed within each of the inlet bores or passageways which are firmly secured therein in a predetermined oriented position relative to the respective passageway, and having a non-conducting bushing sandwiched between the outlet end opening and the outer frustro-conical retaining ring. |
| US07723619B2 |
Composite moldings and a method of manufacturing the same
Continuous annular resin bands surrounding electrical contact portions of respective terminals are disposed without gaps between the electrical contact portions of respective terminals and resin members that fixedly hold the terminals; there are formed gaps among the adjoining resin bands. Gaps are formed among a bundle of terminals having annular resin bands and resin members surrounding the bundle. A partial adhesion is formed at the interface between the terminals and the resin by a low cost manufacturing method, whereby a molding with high air-tightness between the interior and exterior thereof and high reliability is realized. |
| US07723617B2 |
Wired circuit board and production method thereof
A wired circuit board has a metal supporting board, a metal foil formed on the metal supporting board to have a thickness of less than 2.0 μm, a first insulating layer formed on the metal supporting board to cover the metal foil, and a conductive pattern formed on the first insulating layer. |
| US07723615B2 |
Fluororesin composition and electric wire
A fluororesin composition including a tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene-based copolymer and 0.01 to 3 parts by mass per 100 parts the copolymer of a polytetrafluoroethylene having a standard specific gravity of 2.15 to 2.30, and being obtained by mixing an aqueous dispersion of the tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene-based copolymer with an aqueous dispersion of the polytetrafluoroethylene, causing coagulation, drying the polymer mixture and melt-extruding the same. |
| US07723613B2 |
Angled double-wall junction
An enclosure (302), an electronic device (300) that includes the enclosure, and a method (600) for forming the enclosure. The enclosure can include a first enclosure portion (304) and a second enclosure portion (306). The first enclosure portion can include a first wall (410), which can include a first side (412) and at least a second side (414). In one arrangement, an angle (θ) between the first side and the second side is not greater than 70°. The second enclosure portion can include a second wall (420), which can include a third side (422) and at least a fourth side (424). In one arrangement, an angle between the third side and the fourth side is not greater than 70°. |
| US07723612B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing wire theft from street light and utility poles
An apparatus and method is provided for inhibiting theft of electrical wiring through the access opening of an electrical fixture supporting pole, such as a street light pole. Prior to securing the pole to the base, a wire clamping element is placed on the base around the passage for the power supply cable. The electrical power supply cable is clamped to a vertical surface of the clamping element, and the free end of the cable is extended to a location proximate the second opposed vertical surface of the clamping element. The electrical connection cable from the electrical fixture is then attached to the power supply cable, and the pole and the clamping element are secured to the base such that the access opening is positioned to provide access to the connections of the power supply cable and electrical connection cable from the electrical fixture, but access to the clamping device which secures the power supply cable to the first surface is not possible without removing the pole. |
| US07723609B2 |
Terminal box for solar battery module
Three bypass diodes (50) each comprised of a principal body (51) with a rectifying function and a connecting piece extending from the principal body is bridged between corresponding two terminal plates (30A, 30B). The principal body (51) is supported by one terminal plate (30A, 30B), whereas the leading end of a connecting pin (52) is connected with the other terminal plate (30A, 30B). One of the bypass diode (50) has a polarity opposite to that of the remaining ones, and one of the terminal plates (30A, 30B) serves as an auxiliary intermediate terminal neither supporting the principal body (51) of the bypass diode (50) nor connected with a cable (90). Since both cable connecting terminals support the principal bodies (51) of the bypass diodes (50), heat generated by the principal bodies (51) can be efficiently radiated from the cable connecting terminals (30A) to the cables (90). |
| US07723607B2 |
High performance thermoelectric materials and their method of preparation
The present invention provides an indium-doped Co4Sb12 skutterudite composition in which some Co on the cubic lattice structure may be replaced with one or more members of the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt; some Sb on the planar rings may be replaced by one or more members of the group consisting of Si, Ga, Ge and Sn; and a second dopant atom is selected from a member of the group consisting of Ca, Sc, Zn, Sr, Y, Pd, Ag, Cd, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. The composition is useful as a thermoelectric material. In preferred embodiments, the composition has a figure of merit greater than 1.0. The present invention also provides a process for the production of the composition, and thermoelectric devices using the composition. |
| US07723605B2 |
Flute controller driven dynamic synthesis system
The present invention is an electronic musical instrument that in appearance and playing characteristics closely resembles flute-like instruments such as a conventional flute or a shakuhachi. The instrument comprises an electronic controller that has operating characteristics that resemble a flute and computer software executable on a computer for converting signals from the controller into data suitable for generating complex sound from conventional speakers. Thus, the instrument provides the complexity and nuance of control of an acoustic instrument while being capable of generating sounds that an acoustic instrument cannot make. |
| US07723602B2 |
System, computer program and method for quantifying and analyzing musical intellectual property
A method is provided for converting one or more electronic music files into an electronic musical representation. A song framework is provided that includes a plurality of rules and associated processing steps for converting an electronic music file into a song framework output. The song framework output defines one or more framework elements; one or more performance elements; and a performance element collective. The rules and processing steps are applied to each instrument track included in one or more electronic music files, thereby: detecting the one or more performance elements; classifying the performance elements; and mapping the performance elements to the corresponding framework elements. A related method is also provide for preparing the electronic music files before applying the rules and associated processing steps of the song framework. The output of the method of the present invention is a song framework output file. A computer system and computer program is also provided for processing electronic music files in accordance with the method of the invention. One aspect of the computer system is an electronic music registry which includes a database where a plurality of song frame output files are stored. The computer program provides a comparison facility that is operable to compare the electronic musical representations of at least two different electronic music files and establish whether one electronic music file includes original elements of another electronic music file. The computer program also provides a reporting facility that is operable to generate originality reports in regard to one or more electronic music files selected by a user. |
| US07723601B2 |
Shared buffer management for processing audio files
This disclosure describes techniques that make use of a summing buffer that receives waveform samples from audio processing elements, and sums and stores the waveform sums for a given frame. In one example, a method comprises summing a waveform sample received from an audio processing element to produce a waveform sum associated with a first audio frame, storing the waveform sum in a memory, wherein the memory is logically partitioned into a plurality of memory blocks, and locking memory blocks containing the waveform sum associated with the first audio frame, transferring contents of locked memory blocks to an external processor, unlocking a memory block after contents of the memory block have been transferred to the external processor, and storing a waveform sum associated with a second audio frame within the unlocked memory block concurrently with transferring contents of remaining locked memory blocks associated with the first audio frame. |
| US07723600B2 |
Display device
The present disclosure provides for a display device for displaying indicia and/or printed material. More particularly, the present disclosure provides for a display device for displaying indicia and/or printed material, as well as for storing, packaging and/or housing CDs or DVDs or the like. In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides for a display device that is convertible between a poster for displaying indicia in a group or solitary setting free of interruptions or discontinuities in the display of indicia; a self-standing structure or configuration for displaying the indicia without the need of a separate support device; a storage pocket configuration for conveniently storing items; and a pocket folder and/or CD/DVD packaging configuration for housing and/or storing CDs/DVDs and/or other items or the like, and for transporting the display device and/or CDs/DVDs or the like. Indicia may be positioned anywhere on the display device. |
| US07723598B2 |
Electronic proof system and musical instrument equipped with the same
An electronic proof system is provided in association with an automatic player piano; while a human player is practicing a music tune on the acoustic piano, the electronic proof system monitors the pedals of piano to see whether or not the player brings the pedals to target pedal positions; if the current pedal position is spaced from the target pedal position, the electronic proof system gives rise to fine vibrations of the pedal, and makes the player notice the pedal staying at incorrect pedal position through the tactile impression. |
| US07723596B2 |
Stabilizing holder for sensory device
A holder for mounting a sensory device to a musical instrument includes a bracket having a plurality of first connector elements, a locking mechanism for fixing the sensory device to the bracket; and a plurality of hanger members. The bracket supports the sensory device and each of the hanger members connects at least one of the first connector elements to at least one of a plurality of second connector elements attached to the musical instrument. The second connector elements being spaced apart from each other and the hanger members hold the bracket at a predetermined position. |
| US07723595B2 |
Universal, portable sheet reading stand
A sheet music holder having a golpe board with a non-porous surface for gluing into a guitar body with a porous surface, a twist lock power-assisted suction device, a clamp with a single tightening nut, and a sheet tray to hold the sheet music. The twist lock power-assisted suction device allows a user to easily create a strong vacuum attachment that will last fro hours so a complete performance will not be interrupted. The golpe board is included where the guitar body has a porous surface that would otherwise frustrate the suction attachment. The double-ball-and-socket clamp and arm allows a variety of positioning possibilities for the user to best read the sheet music in the tray. |
| US07723594B2 |
Drum with sectional shell, sections joined by magnets
A drum of the present invention comprises: a shell having a plurality of shell members, wherein the upper rim of the shell is provided with a first magnetic component, and wherein the lower rim of the shell is provided with a second magnetic component; a first drumhead provided with a third magnetic component corresponding to the first magnetic component; and a second drumhead provided with a fourth magnetic component corresponding to the second magnetic component. The shell members use a first joining component and a second joining component to be joined with one another so as to form the shell. Furthermore, by magnetism between the first magnetic component and the third magnetic component and magnetism between the second magnetic component and the fourth magnetic component, the first drumhead, the second drumhead and the shell can be joined with one another. A drum of the present invention is advantageous in that it is easy to assemble and disassemble the drum, and accordingly, it is highly convenient whether to carry or to transport the drum. |
| US07723593B1 |
Reversable drum practice pads
This invention is a reversible practice pad for drum practice. The reversible practice pad includes a planar base having at least one sloping base-riser projecting upwardly therefrom. Each base-riser includes a first part of a two-part fastening material affixed to a top surface of each base-riser. A planar platform includes at least one sloping platform-riser projecting downwardly therefrom. Each platform-riser includes a second part of the two-part fastening material affixed to a bottom surface of each platform-riser. The platform includes a cushioning pad fixed to a top surface thereof. The bottom surface of each platform-riser is brought into contact and fastened with the top surface of an associated base-riser. The base and platform can be selectively fixed together in two different orientations by rotating the platform. In one orientation, the platform and the base are substantially parallel. In an alternate orientation, the platform is sloped with respect to the base. |
| US07723588B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH464638
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH464638. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH464638, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH464638 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH464638. |
| US07723587B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH790896
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH790896. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH790896, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH790896 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH790896. |
| US07723584B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes
According to the invention, there is provided seed and corn plants comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes conferring increased digestibility of plants and regrowth following cutting. The invention thus relates to corn plants, seeds and tissue cultures comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes, and to methods for producing a corn plant by crossing a corn plant comprising the brown midrib and gt1 genes 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 comprising brown midrib and gt1 genes with plants of another variety, such as an inbred line. |
| US07723583B2 |
Soybean variety D5864369
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5864369. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5864369. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5864369 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5864369 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07723581B2 |
Canola cultivar DN040845
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola cultivar, designated DN040845. Also included are seeds of canola cultivar DN040845, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola DN040845 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola DN040845 with itself or another canola cultivar, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola DN040845. |
| US07723578B2 |
Canola cultivar DN040839
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola cultivar, designated DN040839. Also included are seeds of canola cultivar DN040839, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola DN040839 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola DN040839 with itself or another canola cultivar, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola DN040839. |
| US07723577B2 |
Canola cultivar DN040847
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola cultivar, designated DN040847. Also included are seeds of canola cultivar DN040847, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola DN040847 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola DN040847 with itself or another canola cultivar, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola DN040847. |
| US07723570B2 |
Edible vaccines expressed in soybeans
The present invention relates to vaccines that are made in transgenic soybeans for use in humans, animals of agricultural importance, pets, and wildlife. These vaccines are used as vaccines against viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic or prion related diseases, cancer antigens, toxins, and autologous or self proteins. The transgenic soybeans of the instant invention also can be used for inducing tolerance to allergens or tolerance to autoimmune antigens, wherein an individual shows hypersensitivity to said allergen or has developed autoimmunity to autologous or self proteins, respectively. The invention also relates to prophylatically treating individuals and/or populations prior to showing hypersensitivity to allergens. Other aspects of the invention include using the transgenic soybeans as an oral contraceptive, and the expression of protein adjuvants in transgenic soybeans. |
| US07723568B2 |
Engineered miRNA precursors for suppressing target gene expression in plants
The present invention provides molecular constructs and methods for use thereof, including constructs including heterologous miRNA recognition sites, constructs for gene suppression including a gene suppression element embedded within an intron flanked on one or on both sides by non-protein-coding sequence, constructs containing engineered miRNA or miRNA precursors, and constructs for suppression of production of mature microRNA in a cell. Also provided are transgenic plant cells, plants, and seeds containing such constructs, and methods for their use. The invention further provides transgenic plant cells, plants, and seeds containing recombinant DNA for the ligand-controlled expression of a target sequence, which may be endogenous or exogenous. Also disclosed are novel miRNAs and miRNA precursors from crop plants including maize and soy. |
| US07723567B1 |
Raffinose synthase genes and their use
Raffinose synthase genes coding for proteins capable of producing raffinose by combining a D-galactosyl group through an α(1→6) bond with a hydroxyl group attached to the carbon atom at position 6 of a D-glucose residue in a sucrose molecule were isolated from various plants. These raffinose synthase genes are useful to change the content of raffinose family oligosaccharides in plants. |
| US07723566B2 |
Regeneration
The invention relates to the filed of regeneration of cells, self-renewal of (micro-organisms), and the vegetative propagation of plant parts such as plant tissues or organs. |
| US07723560B2 |
Wound vacuum therapy dressing kit
A wound vacuum therapy dressing kit is provided for use with a wound drainage system having a vacuum source. The kit may include a wound dressing member, a sealing film, and a wound measurement device. The wound dressing member may include a wound contacting surface configured to be in contact with and generally conform to a wound surface of a patient. The member may be adapted to be coupled to the vacuum source for communicating suction from the vacuum source to the wound surface. The sealing film of the kit may be provided for placement over the member and may be configured to adhere to a patient's healthy skin surrounding the wound. The wound measurement device may include a transparent top portion and a transparent bottom portion configured for placement adjacent the wound surface. The top portion may include a drawing surface and a grid associated with the drawing surface. |
| US07723551B2 |
Process for the simultaneous co-production of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol
The present disclosure pertains to processes for the simultaneous co-production of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol by hydrogenation 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione and dimethylcyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylate, respectively, under hydrogenation conditions of temperature and pressure. |
| US07723546B1 |
Arylamine compounds and their use in electronic devices
Provided are arylamine compounds having Formula I, II, III, or IV: wherein Ar is the same or different at each occurrence and is aryl having from 6 to 30 carbon atoms or heteroaryl having from 2 to 30 carbon atoms. Also provided are compositions comprising arylamine compounds. The invention also relates to use of such compounds in electronic devices, for example, organic electronic devices. |
| US07723541B2 |
Process for manufacturing high purity methacrylic acid
A process is provided herein for the high yield production of high purity glacial methacrylic acid (“HPMAA”) that is substantially pure, specifically 99% pure or greater, with water content of 0.05% or less and low levels of other impurities, including HIBA, acrylic acid, MOMPA, methacrolein and others. This improved process comprises providing a crude MAA stream and purifying the crude methacrylic acid stream in a series of successive distillation steps involving two distillation columns. The inventive process is capable producing high purity methacrylic acid product that is especially suitable for the production of specialty MAA polymers. |
| US07723537B2 |
Skin lightening agents, compositions and methods
Disclosed is a coumarin derived compound of formula (I) as skin lightening agent alone or in combination with other skin benefit agents and together with a cosmetic vehicle: |
| US07723532B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions 3
The invention provides compositions comprising formula 1 steroids, e.g., 16α-bromo-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one hemihydrate and one or more excipients, typically wherein the composition comprises less than about 3% water. The compositions are useful to make improved pharmaceutical formulations. The invention also provides methods of intermittent dosing of steroid compounds such as analogs of 16α-bromo-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one and compositions useful in such dosing regimens. The invention further provides compositions and methods to inhibit pathogen (viral) replication, ameliorate symptoms associated with immune dysregulation and to modulate immune responses in a subject using certain steroids and steroid analogs. The invention also provides methods to make and use these immunomodulatory compositions and formulations. |
| US07723529B2 |
Process for preparing nitrooxy esters, nitrooxy thioesters nitrooxy carbonates and nitrooxy thiocarbinates, intermediates useful in said process and preparation thereof
The present invention relates to a process for preparing nitrooxy esters, nitrooxy thioesters, nitrooxy carbonates and nitrooxy thiocarbonates of compounds having at least an hydroxyl or thiol functional group, according to the following reaction scheme The invention also relates to intermediates useful in said process and to their preparation. |
| US07723516B2 |
Method for the treatment of triazine-containing water of a melamine plant
The invention relates to a method for treating triazine-containing water of a melamine plant. The method is characterized in that the water containing ionic and non-ionic triazines in a dissolved form is fed to at least one membrane filtration unit, the water is separated into an ionic triazine-rich fraction and a non-ionic triazine-rich fraction in the membrane filtration unit, whereupon the ionic triazine-rich fraction is discharged and the non-ionic triazine-rich fraction is redirected into the melamine plant. The inventive method allows a great portion of the melamine contained in the triazine-containing water to be redirected into the process while the yield is increased along the entire melamine process. Furthermore, the need for fresh water in the wet part of the melamine plant is decreased. The disclosed method can be carried out continuously and in liquid phase. |
| US07723515B1 |
Methylene blue—curcumin analog for the treatment of alzheimer's disease
A methylene blue—curcumin hybrid useful in treating Alzheimer's Disease. |
| US07723511B2 |
Synthesis of sulfurized oligonucleotides
Methods for the formation of sulfurized oligonucleotides are provided. The methods allow for the formation of phosphorothioate linkages in the oligonucleotides or derivatives, without the need for complex solvent mixtures and repeated washing or solvent changes. Oligonucleotides having from about 8, and up to about 50, nucleotides can be sulfurized according to the methods of the invention with higher yields than have been previously reported. |
| US07723510B1 |
MicroRNA molecules
In Caenorhabditis elegans, lin-4 and let-7 enclode 22- and 21-nucleotide RNAs, respectively, that function as key regulators of developmental timing. Because the appearance of these short RNAs is regulated during development, they are also referred to as “small temporal RNAs” (stRNAs). We show that many more 21- and 22-nt expressed RNAs, termed microRNAs, (miRNAs), exist in invertebrates and vertebrates, and that some of these novel RNAs, similar to let-7 stRAN, are also highly conserved. This suggests that sequence-specific post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms mediated by small RNAs are more general than previously appreciated. |
| US07723509B2 |
IRNA agents with biocleavable tethers
The invention relates to iRNA agents, which preferably include a monomer in which the ribose moiety has been replaced by a moiety other than ribose that further includes a tether having one or more linking groups, in which at least one of the linking groups is a cleavable linking group. The tether in turn can be connected to a selected moiety, e.g., a ligand, e.g., a targeting or delivery moiety, or a moiety which alters a physical property. The cleavable linking group is one which is sufficiently stable outside the cell such that it allows targeting of a therapeutically beneficial amount of an iRNA agent (e.g., a single stranded or double stranded iRNA agent), coupled by way of the cleavable linking group to a targeting agent—to targets cells, but which upon entry into a target cell is cleaved to release the iRNA agent from the targeting agent. |
| US07723506B2 |
Tetrahymena heat inducible promoters and their use
A method characterizes samples having units by monitoring fluctuating intensities of radiation emitted, scattered, and/or reflected by the units in at least one measurement volume, the monitoring being performed by at least one detection device, the method comprising the steps of: a) measuring in a repetitive mode a number of photon counts per time interval of defined length, b) determining a function of the number of photon counts per the time interval, and c) determining a function of specific brightness of the units on basis of the function of the number of photon counts. |
| US07723503B2 |
Desaturase genes, enzymes encoded thereby, and uses thereof
Disclosed are isolated polynucleotides encoding an omega-3 desaturase and a delta-12 desaturase, the enzymes encoded by the isolated polynucleotides, vectors containing the isolated polynucleotides, transgenic hosts that contain the isolated polynucleotides that express the enzymes encoded thereby, methods for producing the desaturase enzymes, and method of using the enzymes to make polyunsaturated fatty acids. The isolated polynucleotides are derived from a fungus, Saprolegnia diclina (ATCC 56851). In particular, omega-3-desaturase may be utilized, for example, in the conversion of arachidonic acid (AA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Delta-12 desaturase may be used, for example, in the conversion of oleic acid (OA) to linoleic (LA). EPA or polyunsaturated fatty acids produced therefrom may be added to pharmaceutical compositions, nutritional compositions, animal feeds, as well as other products such as cosmetics. |
| US07723499B2 |
Specific binding agents of human angiopoietin-2
Disclosed are peptides that bind to Ang-2. Also disclosed are peptibodies comprising the peptides, methods of making such peptides and peptibodies, and methods of treatment using such peptides and peptibodies. |
| US07723498B2 |
Directed evolution of recombinant monooxygenase nucleic acids and related polypeptides and methods of use
The present invention relates to novel monooxygenase nucleic acids and polypeptides created using mutagenesis, DNA shuffling, or both, in a single iteration or multiple iterations, and methods for their creation and use. The monooxygenase enzymes of the present disclosure have particular utility as biocatalysts in industrial chemical redox reactions, such as the oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons, for example, toluene, benzene, or nitrobenzene, into industrially desirable products. The systems and processes of the present invention are especially useful for the coupled synthesis and recovery of catechols, methylcatechols, resorcinols, methylresorcinols, hydroquinones, methylhydroquinones, hydroxybenzenes, cresols, nitrobenzenes, and nitrohydroxyquinones. |
| US07723493B2 |
Metal complexes of tridentate BETA -ketoiminates
Metal-containing complexes of a tridentate beta-ketoiminate, one embodiment of which is represented by the structure: wherein M is a metal such as calcium, strontium, barium, scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, tungsten, manganese, cobalt, iron, nickel, ruthenium, zinc, copper, palladium, platinum, iridium, rhenium, osmium; R1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, fluoroalkyl, cycloaliphatic, and aryl, having 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, cycloaliphatic, and aryl; R3 is linear or branched selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxyalkyl, fluoroalkyl, cycloaliphatic, and aryl; R4 is a branched alkylene bridge with at least one chiral center; R5-6 are individually linear or branched selected from the group consisting of alkyl, fluoroalkyl, cycloaliphatic, aryl, and can be connected to form a ring containing carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen atoms; n is an integer equal to the valence of the metal M. |
| US07723491B1 |
Methods of isolating specific compounds from supramammary lymph node tissue
Methods of forming proteinaceous products such as cell culture supplement capable of supporting the growth and culturing of cells, tissue, and organs, are generally disclosed. One method generally provides for the collection of the internal tissue of an animal, such as a bovine, and the processing of the internal tissue to degrade and/or lyse the tissue components. A cell culture supplement or other proteinaceous product can be prepared from the processed tissue. A proteinaceous product can include, for example, a complete protein profile of the tissue or only certain biological factors extracted from the tissue. Collected internal tissue can be lymphatic tissue such as the supramammary glands of a dairy or beef cow or the thymus gland of a veal calf. |
| US07723485B2 |
Cysteine engineered anti-MUC16 antibodies and antibody drug conjugates
Cysteine engineered anti-MUC16 antibodies are engineered by replacing one or more amino acids of a parent anti-MUC16 antibody with non cross-linked, reactive cysteine amino acids. Methods of design, preparation, screening, and selection of the cysteine engineered anti-MUC16 antibodies are provided. Cysteine engineered anti-MUC16 antibodies (Ab) are conjugated with one or more drug moieties (D) through a linker (L) to form cysteine engineered anti-MUC16 antibody-drug conjugates having Formula I: Ab-(L-D)p I where p is 1 to 4. Diagnostic and therapeutic uses for cysteine engineered antibody drug compounds and compositions are disclosed. |
| US07723483B2 |
Method for enhancing or inhibiting insulin-like growth factor-I
The present invention provides αVβ3 integrin cysteine loop domain agonists and antagonists (including peptide agonists and antagonists and analogs thereof), along with methods of using the same. |
| US07723480B2 |
Leucine-based motif and clostridial neurotoxins
Modified neurotoxin comprising neurotoxin including structural modification, wherein the structural modification alters the biological persistence, preferably the biological half-life, of the modified neurotoxin relative to an identical neurotoxin without the structural modification. The structural modification includes addition or deletion of a leucine-based motif or parts thereof. In one embodiment, methods of making the modified neurotoxin include using recombinant techniques. In another embodiment, methods of using the modified neurotoxin to treat biological disorders include treating autonomic disorders, neuromuscular disorders or pains. |
| US07723479B2 |
BSL3 polypeptides
The present invention provides nucleic acids encoding B7-related factors that modulate the activation of immune or inflammatory response cells, such as T-cells. Also provided are expression vectors and fusion constructs comprising nucleic acids encoding B7-related polypeptides, including BSL1, BSL2, and BSL3. The present invention further provides isolated B7-related polypeptides, isolated fusion proteins comprising B7-related polypeptides, and antibodies that are specifically reactive with B7-related polypeptides, or portions thereof. In addition, the present invention provides assays utilizing B7-related nucleic acids, polypeptides, or peptides. The present invention further provides compositions of B7-related nucleic acids, polypeptides, fusion proteins, or antibodies that are useful for the immunomodulation of a human or animal subject. |
| US07723476B2 |
Anticalins
The invention relates to the production of novel proteins exhibiting bonding activity for certain ligands, the so-called anticalins. To this end, the structure of peptides of the lipocalin family is modified by amino acid replacement in their natural ligand binding pocket using generic engineering methods. Alike immunoglobulin, the anticalin thus obtained can be used to identify or bond molecular structures. |
| US07723475B2 |
RTVP-GliPR-like compositions and methods for the detection, treatment and prevention of prostate cancer
The invention is directed to purified and isolated novel RGL2 polypeptides, the nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides, processes for production of recombinant forms of such polypeptides, antibodies generated against these polypeptides, fragmented peptides derived from these polypeptides, and the uses of the above. |
| US07723474B2 |
Molecules that selectively home to vasculature of pre-malignant dysplastic lesions or malignancies
The present invention provides a conjugate that contains a therapeutic moiety linked to a homing peptide or peptidomimetic which selectively homes to vasculature of pre-malignant dysplastic skin and which includes the amino acid sequence SRPRR (SEQ ID NO: 1) or a conservative variant or peptidomimetic thereof. The present invention further provides a conjugate containing a therapeutic moiety linked to a homing peptide or peptidomimetic which selectively homes to vasculature of malignant skin and which includes the amino acid sequence CGKRK (SEQ ID NO: 6) or the amino acid sequence CDTRL (SEQ ID NO: 7), or a conservative variant or peptidomimetic of one of these sequences. |
| US07723468B2 |
Antimicrobial peptide, compositions, and uses therefor
The invention refers to small peptides with low hemolytic activity, presenting similar antiparasitic, antifungal and antibacterial activities.More specifically, it refers to a peptide called gomesin, with 18 amino acid residues, configured as a hairpin structure consisting of two anti-parallel beta-folded sheets joined by a beta turn, containing four invariable residues of cysteine forming two disulphide bridges, configurable as a cyclic chain with open or closed ends. |
| US07723466B2 |
Aromatic-acrylate tackifier resins
A tackifier resin is provided comprising monomer units from at least one aromatic monomer and at least one acrylate monomer; wherein the tackifier resin has a low residual monomer concentration. In other embodiments of the invention, the tackifier resin does not significantly decrease the moisture vapor transport rate of an adhesive composition comprising the tackifier resin, does not significantly increase fogging of an adhesive composition comprising the tackifier resin, and does not significantly exhibit skin sensitivity properties. A process to produce the tackifier resin is also provided. The process comprises contacting a tackifier resin product stream with at least one carrier at a temperature sufficient to remove a portion of at least one residual monomer from the tackifier resin product stream to produce the tackifier resin. |
| US07723465B2 |
Method for producing polyether alcohols
The invention provides a process for continuously preparing polyether alcohols using DMC catalysts, which comprises, in a first step, in a continuous reactor, adding alkylene oxides onto H-functional starter substances and transferring the output of this reactor to a second step in a reactor which is divided by closed trays into mutually separate sections, known as compartments, which are connected to one another by external pipelines, in which the output of the reactor from the first step of the reaction passes through the compartments in succession. |
| US07723463B2 |
Polyphosphazine-based polymer materials
Methods of removing contaminant matter from porous materials include applying a polymer material to a contaminated surface, irradiating the contaminated surface to cause redistribution of contaminant matter, and removing at least a portion of the polymer material from the surface. Systems for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material include a radiation device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a structure, and at least one spray device configured to apply a capture material onto the surface of the structure. Polymer materials that can be used in such methods and systems include polyphosphazine-based polymer materials having polyphosphazine backbone segments and side chain groups that include selected functional groups. The selected functional groups may include iminos, oximes, carboxylates, sulfonates, β-diketones, phosphine sulfides, phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, monothio phosphinic acids, and dithio phosphinic acids. |
| US07723461B1 |
Polymeric materials from renewable resources
Disclosed are polymers that include components produced from renewable resources and methods for forming the disclosed polymers. The polymers include the reactive intermediates that in turn include components derived from, for example, lactide or sorbitol. The reactive intermediates can be polymerized with each other as well as with more traditional resins to form polymeric networks. In one embodiment, the disclosed intermediates can be utilized in forming vinyl ester resins. In particular, the vinyl ester-styrene resins and thermoset networks formed therefrom including the disclosed intermediates can include lower styrene content than previously known vinyl ester-styrene resins, and can exhibit physical characteristics such as glass transition temperature and flexural strength properties equal to previously known vinyl ester-styrene resins that include a higher styrene content. |
| US07723459B1 |
Polymeric polysorbate softeners
The present invention is directed to a class of polyesters that are lightly crosslinked polyesters made by reacting polysorbate units (linked by the reaction of their hydroxyl groups) to the carboxyl group of dimer acid. As will become clear, lightly crosslinked as used herein relates to reactions in which there is an excess of hydroxyl groups on a molar basis to carboxylic groups on the dimer acid. The polymers and a contribute softness, lubricity and antistatic properties when applied to hair, skin, textile fiber and paper. |
| US07723458B2 |
Method for high density data storage and read-back
An approach is presented for designing a polymeric layer for nanometer scale thermo-mechanical storage devices. Cross-linked polyaryletherketone polymers are used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices, giving significantly improved performance when compared to previously reported cross-linked and linear polymers. The cross-linking of the polyaryletherketone polymers may be tuned to match thermal and force parameters required in read-write-erase cycles. |
| US07723457B1 |
Polysilane compositions, methods for their synthesis and films formed therefrom
Polysilanes, inks containing the same, and methods for their preparation are disclosed. The polysilane generally has the formula H-[(AHR)n(c-AmHpm-2)q]—H, where each instance of A is independently Si or Ge; R is H, -AaHa+1Ra, halogen, aryl or substituted aryl; (n+a)≧10 if q=0, q≧3 if n=0, and (n+q)≧6 if both n and q≠0; p is 1 or 2; and m is from 3 to 12. In one aspect, the method generally includes the steps of combining a silane compound of the formula AHaR14-a, the formula AkHgR1′h and/or the formula c-AmHpmR1fm with a catalyst of the formula R4xR5yMXz (or an immobilized derivative thereof) to form a poly(aryl)silane; then washing the poly(aryl)silane with an aqueous washing composition and contacting the poly(aryl)silane with an adsorbent to remove the metal M. In another aspect, the method includes the steps of halogenating a polyarylsilane to form a halopolysilane; and reducing the halopolysilane with a metal hydride to form the polysilane. The synthesis of semiconductor inks via dehydrocoupling of silanes and/or germanes allows for tuning of the ink properties (e.g., viscosity, boiling point, and surface tension) and for deposition of silicon films or islands by spincoating, inkjetting, dropcasting, etc., with or without the use of UV irradiation. |
| US07723456B2 |
Crosslinked silicone polymers based upon spider esters
The present invention relates to a series of crosslinked silicone polymers that by virtue of the nature of a polar loving spider ester crosslinker, have unique solubility and film forming properties. These include improved tolerance for oily materials and water-soluble materials. These polymers find use in personal care applications like pigmented products. In the personal care arena, solid products that do not experience syneresis are important. |
| US07723455B2 |
Conjugated polymers containing dihydrophenanthrene units and use thereof
The invention relates to conjugated polymers containing novel structural units according to formula (1). The inventive materials are characterized by increased efficiency and a longer service life when used in polymer organic light emitting diodes. |
| US07723454B2 |
Coating of organic fibers with siloxane-carborane polymers
A fiber of linear polymer coated with a siloxane-carborane polymer or a thermoset or ceramic made therefrom. An organic fiber coated with a siloxane-carborane polymer or a thermoset or ceramic made therefrom and a surfactant. An organic fiber coated with a siloxane-carborane polymer made from a hydrosilation reaction of a siloxane-carborane compound containing at least two unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds and a silane compound or a thermoset or ceramic made therefrom. A method of coating a fiber by contacting a fiber to an aqueous solution of a siloxane-carborane polymer and a surfactant or to a solution of a siloxane-carborane polymer in a non-halogenated organic solvent. A method of contacting a fiber to a solution of a siloxane-carborane polymer, drying the coating to a temperature that does not change the polymer to a thermoset or ceramic, and using the dried, coated fiber in a process that requires that the fiber be flexible. |
| US07723452B2 |
Composition of an oligomeric fluorosilane and surface treatment of retroreflective sheet
The invention relates to a method of treatment of a retroreflective sheet with a treatment composition that comprises a fluorinated compound having one or more silyl groups and an auxiliary compound selected from the group consisting of (i) one or more non-fluorinated compounds of an element M selected from Si, Ti, Zr, B, Al, Ge, V, Pb and Sn and (ii) an organic compound having a Si—H group. The invention also relates to compositions comprising (i) a fluorinated compound comprising one or more silyl groups and (ii) an auxiliary compound selected from the group consisting of organic compounds having a Si—H group. |
| US07723451B2 |
Olefin polymerization process
A slurry process for polymerizing ethylene is disclosed. The process comprises polymerizing ethylene in the presence of an α-olefin, hydrogen, and a catalyst comprising an activator and a supported, dimethylsilyl-bridged bis(indenoindolyl)zirconium complex. The process has high catalyst activity and produces polyethylene having a broad molecular weight distribution. |
| US07723448B2 |
Hybrid catalyst systems supported on magnesium halide
The present invention relates to a catalyst system comprising at least two different transition metal coordination compounds supported on an adduct containing magnesium halide and an organoaluminum compound and it relates to a polymerisation process in the presence of said catalyst system. |
| US07723443B1 |
Multifunctional linear silicone resin polymers
The present invention relates to a series of crosslinked silicone polymers that by virtue of the nature of the crosslinking undecylenic acid ester based crosslinker, have unique solubility and properties. These include improved tolerance for oily materials and improved skin feel. These polymers find use in personal care applications like pigmented products. In the personal care arena, solid products that do not experience syneresis are important. Syneresis is a condition that exists in a solid product that causes a liquid that is incompatible to ooze out, which is cosmetically unacceptable. |
| US07723442B2 |
Room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition
Provided is a room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition, including (A) 100 parts by mass of a diorganopolysiloxane with both terminals blocked with silanol groups, or a diorganopolysiloxane with each terminal blocked, independently, with a trialkoxysilyl group or a dialkoxyorganosilyl group, or a mixture thereof, (B) 0.1 to 30 parts by mass of a silane compound and/or a partial hydrolysis-condensation product thereof containing an average of at least two hydrolysable groups bonded to silicon atoms within each molecule, and in which the remaining groups bonded to silicon atoms are methyl groups, ethyl groups, propyl groups, vinyl groups, or phenyl groups, and (C) 0.1 to 10 parts by mass of either one, or two or more organosilicon compounds containing amino groups, and also containing four or more hydrolysable groups. Also provided are a sealing material and an adhesive including the above composition. Further provided are a process for sealing an adherend with a cured product of the above sealing material and a process for bonding two adherends with a cured product of the above adhesive. The room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition yields a cured product that exhibits excellent adhesion when exposed to hot water vapor and following such exposure, and suffers minimal evaporation residues derived from the cured product. |
| US07723437B2 |
Soft thermoplastic vulcanizates from very low density polyethylene copolymers
The invention is directed to a thermoplastic vulcanizate composition comprising a rubber and a very low density polyethylene copolymer. Furthermore, the invention is directed to a process for making said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition and articles comprising said thermoplastic vulcanizate composition. |
| US07723435B2 |
Fuel barrier single-layered structure and multi-layered shaped article
The single-layered structure of the invention comprises (A) 50 to 97% by weight of a polyolefin, (B) 2 to 45% by weight of a polyamide resin comprising a diamine component and a dicarboxylic acid component and (C) 1 to 45% by weight of a modified polyolefin and/or styrene copolymer. The polyamide resin B is dispersed in layers throughout the single-layered structure. With such a dispersion state of the polyamide resin B, the single-layered structure exhibits excellent fuel barrier properties. |
| US07723432B2 |
Method for the preparation of 1-benzotriazolyl carbonate esters of poly(ethylene glycol)
The invention provides a method for preparing a 1-benzotriazolylcarbonate ester of a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer by reacting a terminal hydroxyl group of a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer with di(1-benzotriazolyl)carbonate in the presence of an amine base and an organic solvent. The polymer backbone can be poly(ethylene glycol). The 1-benzotriazolylcarbonate ester can then be reacted directly with a biologically active agent to form a biologically active polymer conjugate or reacted with an amino acid, such as lysine, to form an amino acid derivative. |
| US07723426B2 |
Shelf-stable silane-modified aqueous dispersion polymers
Disclosed herein is a process for preparing a shelf-stable, one-pack, silane modified (meth)acrylic latex interpolymer composition, wherein the process comprises continuously adding at least a portion of a mixture comprising at least 0.5 mole percent of a vinyl silane comprising hydrolyzable groups and up to 99.5 mole percent of a (meth)acrylic monomer to water and a surfactant in a reaction vessel, wherein said addition is carried out in the presence of a polymerization initiator and buffer sufficient to maintain the pH of the reaction at a level of at least 6 throughout the reaction, while simultaneously hydrolyzing from about 10 to about 60% of the hydrolyzable groups of the vinyl silane. |
| US07723425B2 |
Pigment compositions with modified ATRP copolymer dispersants
The present invention relates to a composition containing modified block copolymer dispersants and dispersible inorganic or organic pigments. The block copolymers are prepared by atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) and modified with a salt forming group. The pigment composition is useful for preparing coating compositions, prints, images, inks or lacquers and other disperse systems. |
| US07723423B2 |
Gas-barrier resin composition
A resin composition includes a polymer (A) mainly containing a structural unit represented by following Formula (1): wherein m represents an integer of 2 to 10; X1 and X2 are each hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group or a functional group that can be converted into a hydroxyl group, wherein at least one of X1 and X2 is hydroxyl group or a functional group that can be converted into hydroxyl group; R1, R2 and R3 are each hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, a functional group that can be converted into hydroxyl group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or a heteroaryl group, wherein the plural R1s may be the same as or different from each other; and a vinyl alcohol polymer (B). |
| US07723421B2 |
Molding compositions with solid thermoplastic elastomer thickeners and products obtained therefrom
A method of preparing thickened compositions which can be molded under low pressures and temperatures to provide thermoset articles, wherein liquid reactive components are slowly absorbed in solid thermoplastic elastomer thickeners such as thermoplastic ionomers and acrylic block copolymers. The thickener delays the viscosity build, allowing fiber reinforcement and other fillers to be incorporated, if desired, before molding. The molding composition is well suited for use in dentistry and other fields where small amounts or molding composition are used occasionally. |
| US07723414B2 |
Antistatic system for polymers
An antistatic system useful for mixing with thermoplastic polymers is disclosed which comprises an inorganic oxide, typically TiO2, treated with a siloxane and an ethoxylated alkylamine. The antistatic system can be used in shaped polymer articles to improve the dust-attracting resistance of the articles. |
| US07723413B2 |
Method and composition for control of crystallization rate of polyolefin resin, resin composition and resin molding
Disclosed are a composition for controlling the crystallization rate of a polyolefin-based resin, the composition comprising (A) an amide-based compound which is a substituted or unsubstituted cyclohexylamide of 1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid or 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid and (B) a fatty acid metal salt, wherein the component (A):component (B) weight ratio is from 100:0 to 30:70; a method for controlling the crystallization rate of a polyolefin-based resin, comprising incorporating the composition into the polyolefin-based resin to obtain a polyolefin-based resin composition and molding the resin composition; molded products obtained by the method; and the like. |
| US07723407B2 |
Resin composition, method of its composition, and cured formulation
It is an object of the present invention to provide a resin composition which can form cured formulations having various excellent properties such as an insulating property, thermal shock resistance, moldability/formability and strength, and exhibit an excellent appearance in which transparency is enhanced, a resin composition whose cured thin film has excellent flame retardancy, good mechanical property and heat resistance, a dispersing element containing an inorganic microfine particle which can give a flame retardancy to a resin, to which the inorganic microfine particle is added, and can reduce a hygroscopic property to the extent possible, a method for producing the same and a cured formulation obtained by using the resin composition. The present invention relates to a resin composition comprising a compound having at least one of a glycidyl group and/or an epoxy group and an inorganic microfine particle, a resin composition comprising three components of a phenolic compound, a compound having at least one of a glycidyl group and/or an epoxy group and an inorganic microfine particle, a flame retardant resin composition comprising a polyhydric phenol and an inorganic microfine particle, and a dispersing element containing an inorganic microfine particle obtained by a hydrolysis condensation reaction of alkoxide and/or metal carboxylate in a dispersion medium. |
| US07723406B2 |
Polymer-chain-grafted carbon nanocapsule
A polymer-chain-grafted carbon nanocapsule. The polymer-chain-grafted carbon nanocapsule includes a carbon nanocapsule and at least one kind of polymer chain grafted thereon, forming a polymer-chain-grafted carbon nanocapsule in which the carbon nanocapsule is the core thereof. The polymer-chain-grafted carbon nanocapsules have the following formula: F(-P)m, in which F is the carbon nanocapsule, P is the polymer chain, and m is the number of the polymer chain. By grafting high-purity carbon nanocapsules with polymer chains, the application thereof is expanded. |
| US07723405B2 |
Self-healing coating system
A self-healing coating includes a polymer matrix, a polymerizer, and a set of capsules containing a corresponding activator for the polymerizer. The polymerizer may be present in another set of capsules, or the polymerizer may be phase separated from the polymer matrix. The coating may be prepared by depositing a coating composition on a substrate and solidifying the coating composition, where the coating composition includes the polymerizer, the activator capsules and a matrix precursor. A combination of polymerizer capsules and activator capsules may be part of a kit, which may be used to provide self-healing properties to a coating. The polymerizer and the activator may be wet-curable, and coatings containing the polymerizer and activator may be able to self-heal when in contact with water. |
| US07723403B2 |
Ink-jet recording pigment ink
In an ink-jet recording pigment ink containing a pigment, water, a water-soluble solvent and a polymer, the polymer is obtained by polymerizing an alkyl-α-(hydroxyalkyl) acrylate monomer represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and R2 represents any one selected from a straight-chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 4 to 6 carbon atoms and a phenyl group. |
| US07723400B2 |
Inkjet ink composition
Provided is an inkjet-recording ink composition comprising one or more white pigment(s), one or more polymer dispersant(s), one or more photocurable compound(s), and one or more photoinitiator(s) as its principal components, wherein the polymer dispersant(s) has a sulfonic acid group. |
| US07723395B2 |
Compressed porous materials suitable for implant
A high strength porous polymeric material manufactured by a compression process is disclosed. The material results in a network of interconnected collapsed pores, which forces thin overlapping walls and passages to be created. The network provides permeable access for fluid migration throughout the material. The strength and/or permeability are advantageous for medical devices and implants. |
| US07723394B2 |
Nanocrystal/sol-gel nanocomposites
The present invention is directed to a process for preparing a solid composite having colloidal nanocrystals dispersed within a sol-gel matrix, the process including admixing colloidal nanocrystals with an amphiphilic polymer including hydrophilic groups selected from the group consisting of —COOH, —OH, —SO3H, —NH2, and —PO3H2 within a solvent to form an alcohol-soluble colloidal nanocrystal-polymer complex, admixing the alcohol-soluble colloidal nanocrystal-polymer complex and a sol-gel precursor material, and, forming the solid composite from the admixture. The present invention is also directed to the resultant solid composites and to the alcohol-soluble colloidal nanocrystal-polymer complexes. |
| US07723391B2 |
Cyclopropyl aryl amide derivatives and uses thereof
Compounds of the formula: wherein Ar1, Ar2, R1 and R2 are as defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, methods of using, and methods of preparing the subject compounds. |
| US07723387B2 |
Self-neutralizing acid peel for dermatologic use
A dermatologic peel comprising alpha hydroxyl acid and metal hydroxide nanocomplexes as neutralizing agents to continually reduce the activity of the system when the acid and neutralizer components are mixed. For example, a 30% glycolic acid gel mixed with a fluidized magaldrate neutralizer can be applied to the skin and will self-neutralize to a skin-compatible pH within a few minutes, effectively exfoliating the skin without a separate neutralization step. The peel is advantageously applied from a two-component system that mixes the components. |
| US07723385B2 |
Aniline derivatives as selective androgen receptor modulators
This invention relates to non-steroidal compounds that are modulators of androgen, glucocorticoid, mineralocorticoid, and progesterone receptors, and also to the methods for the making and use of such compounds. |
| US07723384B2 |
Keto lactam compounds and use thereof
The invention relates to novel keto lactam compounds, hydrogenated derivatives and tautomers thereof. These compounds have valuable therapeutic properties and are particularly suited for treating diseases that respond to the modulation of the dopamine D3 receptor. The keto lactams have general formula (I), wherein: (a) represents a group of formulas (b) or (c), wherein D is bound to the nitrogen atom and W, Rp and Rq have the meanings cited in Claim 1; —B— represents a bond or (d), wherein Rm and Rn have the meanings cited in Claim 1; (e) represents a single bond or a double bond; Rv, Rw, Rx and Ry have the meanings cited in Claim 1; D represents a linear or branched 2 to 10-membered alkylene chain that can have, as chain members, a heteroatom group K, which is selected among O, S, S(O), S(O)2, N—R8, CO—O, C(O)NR8 and/or 1 or 2 non-adjacent carbonyl groups and which can have a cycloalkane diyl group and/or a double or triple bond; (f) represents a saturated or monounsaturated monocyclic nitrogen heterocyclic compound having 5 to 8 cyclic members or a bicyclic saturated nitrogen heterocyclic compound having 7 to 12 cyclic members. |
| US07723379B2 |
Methods of manufacture and combination compositions
This invention relates to an article of manufacture comprising a polymeric compound of formula An and an additional NO-modulating agent and method of use thereof. Also disclosed and claimed is a method of making an article of manufacture comprising of the polymeric compound of formula An. |
| US07723375B2 |
Metabolites of wortmannin analogs and methods of using the same
Novel metabolites of wortmannin and wortmannin analogs and their use in inhibiting PI-3 kinase activity in mammals and the treatment and prevention of cancer or tumor formation in a subject are described herein. |
| US07723372B2 |
Spiroindolinone derivatives
There are provided compounds of the general formulas wherein W, X, Y, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are as described herein. The compounds exhibit anticancer activity. |
| US07723371B2 |
Microbiocides
The invention relates to a fungicidally active compound of the general Formula (I): where Het is a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three heteroatoms, each independently selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur, the ring being substituted by the groups R3, R4 and R5; R1 and R2 are independently H, halo, C1-4 alkyl or C1-4 haloalkyl; and R3, R4 and R5 are each, independently, H, halo, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl or C1-4 haloalkoxy, provided that at least one of R3, R4 and R5 is not H; to the preparation of these compounds, to novel intermediates used in their preparation, to agrochemical compositions which comprise at least one of the novel compounds as an active ingredient, to the preparation of the compositions and to the use of the active ingredients or compositions in agriculture or horticulture for controlling or preventing infestations of plants by phytopathogenic microorganisms, especially fungi. |
| US07723366B2 |
Azole compounds as malonyl-CoA decarboxylase inhibitors for treating metabolic diseases
The present invention relates to methods of treatment of certain metabolic diseases, and to the use of compounds and their prodrugs, and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds useful in treating such diseases. In particular, the invention relates to the use of compounds and compositions for treatment of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, acidosis, and obesity through the inhibition of malonyl-CoA decarboxylase (MCD). These compounds have the following formulae: (I) and (II) Wherein Y, C, R1, R2, R6, and R7 are defined herein. |
| US07723362B2 |
Pesticidal heterocyclic dihaloallyl compounds
The invention relates to compounds of formula wherein Het, A1, A2, A3, A4, D, W, T, Q, Y, X1, X2, R1, R2, R3, R4, k and m are as defined hereinabove, and, where applicable, to possible E/Z isomers, mixtures of E/Z isomers and/or tautomers thereof, in each case in free form or in salt form, to a process for the preparation of and to the use of those compounds, E/Z isomers, mixtures of E/Z isomers and/or tautomers, to pesticidal compositions in which the active ingredient has been selected from those compounds, E/Z isomers, mixtures of E/Z isomers and/or tautomers, in each case in free form or in agrochemically usable salt form, to a process for the preparation of and to the use of those compositions, to plant propagation material treated with those compositions, to a method of controlling pests, to intermediates and, where applicable, to possible E/Z isomers, mixtures of E/Z isomers and/or tautomers thereof, in each case in free form or in salt form, for the preparation of those compounds, E/Z isomers, mixtures of E/Z isomers and/or tautomers, and to a process for the preparation of and to the use of those intermediates and, where applicable, possible E/Z isomers, mixtures of E/Z isomers and/or tautomers thereof. |
| US07723357B2 |
Thalidomide and thalidomide derivatives for treating spinal disorders mediated by nucleus pulposus
Described herein are methods and compositions for the treatment of spinal disorders mediated by nucleus pulposus. The compositions can include thalidomide or a thalidomide derivative. |
| US07723350B2 |
Spiroindolines as modulators of chemokine receptors
The present invention relates to a compound of the following formula: where R1-R6, R10, Y, n, m, p, and q are as defined herein. Compounds and compositions of the present invention are useful for the treatment of diseases associated with the overexpression of CCR2. |
| US07723348B2 |
Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors
Selective PDE4 inhibition is achieved by aryl and heteroaryl pyrazole compounds. The compounds exhibit improved PDE4 inhibition as compared to compounds such as rolipram and show selectivity with regard to inhibition of other classes of PDEs. |
| US07723342B2 |
Heterocycles as nicotinic acid receptor agonists for the treatment of dyslipidemia
A compound having the general structure of Formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, ester, or tautomer thereof, wherein: Q is selected from the group consisting of: and L is selected from the group consisting of: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, ester, or tautomer thereof, are useful in treating diseases, disorders, or conditions such as metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia. |
| US07723339B2 |
Combination comprising a signal transduction inhibitor and an epothilone derivative
The present invention relates to a combination comprising N-{5-[4-(4-methyl-piperazino-methyl) -benzoylamido]-2-methylphenyl}-4-(3-pyridyl)-2-pyrimidine-amine and an epothiione derivative; pharmaceutical composition comprising said combination; method of treatment comprising said combination; and commercial packages comprising said combination. |
| US07723338B2 |
Crystalline forms of 1-benzoyl-4-[2-[4,7-dimethoxy-1-[(phosphonooxy)methyl]-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-C]pyridin-3-yl]-1,2-dioxoethyl]-piperazine
The instant disclosure provides crystalline forms of 1-benzoyl-4-[2-[4,7-dimethoxy-1-[(phosphonooxy)methyl]-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-c]pyridin-3-yl]-1,2-dioxoethyl]-piperazine, salts and solvates thereof. The present disclosure also generally relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the crystalline form(s), as well of methods of using the crystalline form(s) in the treatment of HIV and/or AIDS, and methods for obtaining such crystalline form(s). |
| US07723337B2 |
3-cinnolinecarboxamide derivatives and their use for treating cancer
The invention relates to chemical compounds of formula (I): or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which possess CSF-1R kinase inhibitory activity and are accordingly useful for their anti-cancer activity and thus in methods of treatment of the human or animal body. The invention also relates to processes for the manufacture of said chemical compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them and to their use in the manufacture of medicaments of use in the production of an anti-cancer effect in a warm-blooded animal such as man. |
| US07723334B2 |
Highly selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and methods of using the same
Methods and compositions for treating humans suffering from, or preventing a human from suffering, a physiological or psychiatric disease, disorder, or a condition where inhibiting reuptake of norepinephrine is a benefit are disclosed. The compositions comprise a compound having a pharmacological selectivity of serotonin (Ki)/norepinephrine (Ki) of at least about 5000. Examples of such compounds include reboxetine, and more preferably optically pure (S,S) enantiomer of reboxetine. The methods generally include administration of a therapeutic amount of such compositions. Also disclosed are preparations of a medicament from the composition, and uses of the composition in a manufacture of the medicament to treat a human suffering from, or preventing a human from suffering, a physiological or psychiatric disease, disorder, or condition. |
| US07723330B2 |
Heterobicyclic pyrazole compounds and methods of use
Compounds of Formulas Ia and Ib, and stereoisomers, geometric isomers, tautomers, solvates, metabolites and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are useful for inhibiting receptor tyrosine kinases and for treating disorders mediated thereby. Methods of using compounds of Formula Ia and Ib, and stereoisomers, geometric isomers, tautomers, solvates and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such disorders in mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions are disclosed. |
| US07723328B2 |
Methods of facilitating cell survival using neurotrophin mimetics
Methods and compounds for treating neurodegenerative and other disorders. Included is the administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a compound having binding specificity for a p75NTR receptor molecule. Enhanced survival of neural and other cells has been observed. |
| US07723326B2 |
Heterocyclic amide derivatives as RXR agonists for the treatment of dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I), methods for preparing these compounds, compositions, intermediates and derivatives thereof and for treating RXR mediated disorders. More particularly, the compounds of the present invention are RXR agonists useful for treating RXR mediated disorders. |
| US07723325B2 |
5-amido-indole-2-carboxamide derivatives
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I wherein G and R1 to R5 and R12 are as defined in the description and claims, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds are useful for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases which are associated with the modulation of H3 receptors. |
| US07723319B2 |
Acyclic nucleoside phosphonate derivatives, salts thereof and process for the preparation of the same
The present invention relates to an acyclic nucleoside phosphonate derivative which is useful as an antiviral agent (particularly, against hepatitis B virus), pharmaceutically acceptable salts, stereoisomers, and a process for the preparation thereof. |
| US07723317B2 |
RNAi modulation of ApoB and uses thereof
The invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating the expression of apolipoprotein B, and more particularly to the downregulation of apolipoprotein B by chemically modified oligonucleotides. |
| US07723313B2 |
Methods and compositions for inhibiting angiogenesis
The present invention provides a method of inhibiting angiogenesis within a tissue by providing exogenous PEDF to cells associated with the tissue. The presence of exogenous PEDF inhibits angiogenesis within the tissue, in part by interfering with the ability of vascular endothelia to expand within the tissue. The invention also provides a method for determining the severity of a tumor be assaying for the presence of PEDF within the tumor. To facilitate the inventive methods, the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions including sources of PEDF. |
| US07723311B2 |
Delivery of bioactive substances to target cells
A system for introducing a bioactive substance into a target cell within a body. The bioactive substance is transported to the target cell using a superparamagnetic nanoparticle and a controllable magnetic field generator that is capable of moving the nanoparticle to the target cell through the body in three dimensions. The nanoparticle may be covered with a biocompatible shell that forms a covalent bond with the bioactive substance. In an alternative embodiment, the bioactive substance and a plurality of nanoparticles are supported by a bioerodable matrix that forms a nanosphere. The nanosphere may be moved into the target cell using an external magnetic field that is controllable to move the nanosphere in three dimensions through the body and the bioactive substance is released from the nanosphere once inside the target cell. |
| US07723310B2 |
Large dose ribavirin formulations
The present invention is related to pharmaceutical dosage forms of ribavirin which are designed to increase patient compliance to a ribavirin therapy. Examples of such dosage forms include 400 mg to 600 mg tablets. These dosage forms are bioequivalent to multiple doses of tablets containing small amounts of ribavirin. |
| US07723307B2 |
Amino acid derivatives and pharmaceutical uses thereof
Novel Amino Acid Derivatives and Pharmaceutical Uses Thereof Provided are novel compounds of Formula I: wherein ‘X’ represents an amino acid group, ‘n’ is an integer between 1 and 4, ‘R1’ represents benzyl, t-butyl or 9-fluorenylmethyl and ‘R2’ represents a tetramethylmercaptoimidazole derivative or —S+R3R4, wherein R3 and R4 each independently represent lower alkyl, or a pharmaceutically and/or veterinarily acceptable derivative thereof. Further provided are pharmaceutical formulations of the compounds and the use thereof in the preparation of a medicament for inhibiting diseases in which transglutaminase has been implicated. Advantageously, the medicament is for treating fibrosis, scarring and/or cancer. Additionally provided are methods, of inhibiting autoimmune diseases such as coeliac disease, neurodegeneration and chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g. of the joints including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in a subject) and a method for preventing or treating rejection of a transplanted organ. |
| US07723305B2 |
Abuse-resistant amphetamine prodrugs
The invention describes compounds, compositions, and methods of using the same comprising a chemical moiety covalently attached to amphetamine. These compounds and compositions are useful for reducing or preventing abuse and overdose of amphetamine. These compounds and compositions find particular use in providing an abuse-resistant alternative treatment for certain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADD, narcolepsy, and obesity. Oral bioavailability of amphetamine is maintained at therapeutically useful doses. At higher doses bioavailability is substantially reduced, thereby providing a method of reducing oral abuse liability. Further, compounds and compositions of the invention decrease the bioavailability of amphetamine by parenteral routes, such as intravenous or intranasal administration, further limiting their abuse liability. |
| US07723304B2 |
Systems for delivery and release of angiotensin-(1-7)
The prior art lacks a formulation, application or product of D-Ala7-Angiotensin-(1-7) (A-779) and analogues and derivatives, D-Pro7-Angiotensin-(1-7) and analogues or derivatives or of Ang-(1-7) analogues or derivatives using cyclodextrins, liposomes, biodegradable polymers and its derivatives for the study or treatment of arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, wounds, burns, arrhythmia, tumors, diabetes mellitus, sperm mobility, nephropathy, gastrointestinal and gynaecologicalgynecological disorders, angiogenesis, angioplatsy, alopecia and blood diseases in warm blooded animals, or as ligands for de G-protein-coupled receptor MAS. This characterizes the present invention as a more effective option for the study and treatment of pathologies associated or not to this receptor. A combination of two different technologies are provided: the molecular encapsulation of the peptide angiotensin-(1-7) and its analogues and derivates in cyclodextrin and the microencapsulation in biodegradable polymers and liposomes. It is also characterized by the increase of this peptides and its analogues and derivatives using the formulation. |
| US07723301B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising an anti-teratogenic compound and applications of the same
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising anti-teratogenic agents are disclosed. Additionally, pharmaceutical compositions comprising anti-neoplastic agents and anti-teratogenic agents are disclosed. Methods of assessing the teratogenicity of a compound are disclosed. The present invention further comprises applications of the aforementioned compositions and methods. |
| US07723300B2 |
Regulators of the non-genomic action of progesterone and methods of use
A progesterone regulator capable of modulating the non-genomic action of progesterone and methods of using the progesterone regulator are described. The progesterone regulator is useful for attenuating progesterone's inhibition of apoptosis and for the treatment of patients having a progesterone-responsive tissue disease such as endometriosis or cancer, particularly ovarian cancer. |
| US07723296B2 |
Methods for introducing mannose-6-phosphate and other oligosaccharides onto glycoproteins and its application thereof
Methods to introduce highly phosphorylated mannopyranosyl oligosaccharide derivatives containing mannose-6-phosphate (M6P), or other oligosaccharides bearing other terminal hexoses, to carbonyl groups on oxidized glycans of glycoproteins while retaining their biological activity are described. The methods are useful for modifying glycoproteins, including those produced by recombinant protein expression systems, to increase uptake by cell surface receptor-mediated mechanisms, thus improving their therapeutic efficacy in a variety of applications. |
| US07723295B2 |
Peptides and compounds that bind to a receptor
Peptide compounds that bind to and activate the thrombopoietin receptor (c-mpl or TPO-R) or otherwise act as a TPO agonist are disclosed. |
| US07723293B2 |
Methods for increasing capillary density and maintaining viability of microvascular cardiac endothelial cells using trk receptor ligands
The present invention relates to methods of inducing or inhibiting the angiogenic process and promoting vessel growth or stabilization in an organ by modulating the trk receptor pathway. The present invention also relates to a method for treating a pathological disorder in a patient which includes administering a trk receptor ligand or an inhibitor or expression or activity of a trk receptor ligand. The present invention also relates to a method of screening for a modulator of angiogenesis, vessel growth, or vessel stabilization. Another aspect of the present invention is a method of diagnosing or monitoring a pathological disorder in a patient which includes determining the presence or amount of a trk receptor ligand or activation of a trk receptor ligand in a biological sample. |
| US07723290B2 |
Compositions and methods for modulating the immune system
A novel class of embryo derived peptides are described (Preimplantation factor) that were generated synthetically and were tested on peripheral blood immune cells and shown to block activated but not basal immunity, inhibiting cell proliferation and creating a TH2 type cytokine bias, in addition PIF enhance endometrial receptivity by increasing adhesion molecules expression. PIF biological activity appears to be exerted by specific binding to inducible receptors present on the several white cell lineages. PIF peptides, which are immune modulators therefore may have diagnostic non toxic therapeutic applications in improving fertility, reducing pregnancy loss as well may be useful when administered for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and for prevention xenotransplants rejection. |
| US07723289B2 |
PIF tetrapeptides
Peptides and peptidomimetics capable of enhance endometrial receptivity, blocking activated but not basal immunity, inhibiting cell proliferation and creating a TH2 type cytokine bias are disclosed. The peptides and mimetics are based upon the C-terminal tetrapeptide of PIF peptides. Also disclosed are methods of using these peptides and peptidomimetics for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. |
| US07723283B2 |
Water-soluble amphoteric copolymer, production method thereof, and application thereof
To provide: a water-soluble amphoteric copolymer having excellent hydrophilicity and high adsorption capability, and capable of exhibiting dramatically excellent dispersibility even under high hardness conditions and being preferably used in a detergent composition application, for example; an application thereof; and a production method of such a water-soluble amphoteric copolymer. A water-soluble amphoteric copolymer produced by a copolymerization of a monomer component comprising a cationic monomer (a), an anionic monomer (b), and an unsaturated polyalkylene glycol monomer (c), wherein the monomer (b) is a carboxyl group-containing monomer and/or a sulfonic acid group-containing monomer (d), and the monomer (b) is more than 50% by mole relative to 100% by mole of a total amount of the monomers (a), (b), and (c) if the monomer (b) consists of the carboxyl-group containing monomer, and at least one species of monomer among the monomers (a), (d), and (c) is 30% by mole or less relative to 100% by mole of a total amount of the monomers (a), (d), and (c) if the monomer (b) comprises the sulfonic acid group-containing monomer (d). |
| US07723281B1 |
Stable aqueous antimicrobial enzyme compositions comprising a tertiary amine antimicrobial
The invention relates to an enzyme stabilization system, compositions with the enzyme stabilization system, and methods of using the enzyme composition. Preferred ratios of acid to amine are effective at stabilizing enzyme. Optional nonionic surfactants and solvents also positively contribute to enzyme stability. The compositions are useful in cleaning applications. |
| US07723276B2 |
Oil for cutting and grinding by ultra low volume oil feed system and for sliding surface and method for cutting and grinding by ultra low volume feed system using the oil
An oil for cutting and grinding by minimal quantity lubrication system and for sliding surface according to the present invention comprises an ester, and is used as a lubricating oil for cutting and grinding suitable for a cutting and grinding method by minimal quantity lubrication system, and also used as a lubricating oil for sliding surface. |
| US07723275B2 |
Anti-seize composition in solid form
An anti-seize composition which is non-flowable and dimensionally stable at temperatures greater than about 120° F. and dispensable at room temperature without the application of heat is provided. The composition includes a solid anti-seize lubricant, such as of metallic copper, metallic nickel, metallic aluminum, metallic lead, metallic zinc, graphite, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, calcium stearate, lithium, molybdenum disulfide, boron nitride, barium sulfate. or combinations thereof. The anti-seize lubricant is dispersed in a carrier which is a solid at about room temperature. The carrier includes a grease with an ASTM D 217 penetration at 25° C. from about 200 to about 400 mm, a matrix material, and a naphthenic petroleum oil having a viscosity of less than about 300 SUS at 100° F. and having an API gravity at 60° F. from about 23 to about 25. The matrix material is a polymeric material. Optionally, a refined petroleum wax may also be included. |
| US07723272B2 |
Methods and compositions for fracturing subterranean formations
Viscoelastic surfactant (VES) gelled aqueous fluids containing water, a VES, an internal breaker, a VES stabilizer, a fluid loss control agent and a viscosity enhancer are useful as treating fluids and particularly as fracturing fluids for subterranean formations. These VES-based fluids have faster and more complete clean-up than polymer-based fracturing fluids. The use of an internal breaker permits ready removal of the unique VES micelle based pseudo-filter cake with several advantages including reducing the typical VES loading and total fluid volume since more VES fluid stays within the fracture, generating a more optimum fracture geometry for enhanced reservoir productivity, and treating reservoirs with permeability above the present VES limit of approximately 400 md to at least 2000 md. |
| US07723271B2 |
Method for sealing pipe in a well
A method for improving bonding and sealing in a well, comprising providing a wellbore, providing a pipe, coating an outside surface of the pipe with an adhesive thermoplastic resin, running the coated pipe into the wellbore, and causing the temperature of said wellbore to increase to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of said adhesive thermoplastic resin. |
| US07723268B2 |
Use of alcohol ethoxylates as penetration enhancers
The invention relation to the use of alcohol ethoxylates of the formula (I) in which n represents 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 and Q represents a branched tridecyl radical, as penetrants for herbicidally active compounds from the group of the triazolinones. The invention also relates to corresponding plant treatment compositions and to their use in crop protection. |
| US07723263B2 |
Ceramic support capable of supporting a catalyst, a catalyst-ceramic body and processes for producing same
A ceramic support capable of supporting a catalyst comprising a ceramic body having fine pores with a diameter or width up to 1000 times the ion diameter of a catalyst component to be supported on the surface of the ceramic body, the number of the fine pores being not less than 1×1011 pores per liter, is produced by introducing oxygen vacancies or lattice defects in the cordierite crystal lattice or by applying a thermal shock to form fine cracks. |
| US07723257B2 |
Process for the catalytic control of radial reaction
Hydrocarbon transformations through radical reaction are carried out in presence of: a carbon nano/meso precursor, an aluminium containing support, and a lanthanide catalyst deposited on said aluminium containing support. |
| US07723256B2 |
Polycarbonates made using highly selective catalysts
Poly(propylene carbonates) are prepared from propylene oxide and CO2 with less than 10% cyclic propylene carbonate by product using cobalt based catalysts of structure preferably in combination with salt cocatalyst, very preferably cocatalyst where the cation is PPN+ and the anion is Cl− or OBzF5−. Novel products include poly(propylene carbonates) having a stereoregularity greater than 90% and/or a regioregularity of greater than 90%. |
| US07723252B2 |
Catalysts and methods for synthesizing aliphatic hydrocarbons from CO and H2
There is disclosed in embodiments catalysts produced by a two-stage loading of a zeolite carrier with an aqueous solution of a cobalt compound, with drying in an air current after each loading. Methods using the catalysts to produce synfuel are disclosed. |
| US07723246B2 |
Laminate material web and method for the production of a laminate material web
A laminate material web has two webs of nonwoven fabric that lie on the outside, and film strips of an elastic film disposed between them, in sections, whereby the nonwoven fabric webs are connected with one another in the regions between the film strips. The film strips are connected with the inner surfaces of the nonwoven fabric webs only at the two longitudinal edges, in each instance, both on the top and on the bottom, and the nonwoven fabric webs have weakenings running in the web direction, in the regions that cover the film strips. A method for the production of a laminate material web is also described. |
| US07723245B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and substrate processing apparatus
The ability to control a concentration ratio of a metal and silicon in a metal silicate film is improved, allowing a high-quality semiconductor device to be manufactured.A step is provided for supplying a first raw material, which contains a metal atom, and a second raw material, which contains a silicon atom and a nitrogen atom, into a processing chamber (4); and forming on a substrate (30) a metal silicate film containing the metal atom and silicon atom. A raw material supply ratio of the first and second raw materials is controlled in the step of forming a metal silicate film, thereby controlling a concentration ratio of the metal and silicon in the resulting metal silicate film. |
| US07723244B2 |
Method for internal electrical insulation of a substrate for a power semiconductor module
A method for internal electrical insulation of a substrate for a power semiconductor module having a framelike insulating housing with a cap and having an insulating substrate. The substrate has conductor tracks and power semiconductor components mounted thereon. The power semiconductor components are connected to connection elements, e.g., further conductor tracks or power semiconductor components, by means of bond connections. The method is characterized by the following steps: a) forming the substrate; b) coating the substrate with a viscous dielectric insulation compound in a casting process or immersion process; c) initiating the cross-linking of the insulation compound; d) with the substrate in a suspended position, permitting excess insulation compound to drip off, and securely enveloping the bond connections with insulation compound; and e) placing the substrate in the housing. |
| US07723241B2 |
Plasma processing method and computer storage medium
According to the present invention, when a nitridation process by plasma generated by a microwave is applied to a substrate with an oxide film having been formed thereon to form an oxynitride film, the microwave is intermittently supplied. By the intermittent supply of the microwave, ion bombardment is reduced in accordance with a decrease in electron temperature, and a diffusion velocity of nitride species in the oxide film lowers, which as a result makes it possible to prevent nitrogen from concentrating in a substrate-side interface of an oxynitride film to increase the nitrogen concentration therein. Consequently, it is possible to improve quality of the oxynitride film, resulting in a reduced leakage current, an improved operating speed, and improved NBTI resistance. |
| US07723240B2 |
Methods of low temperature oxidation
A method for forming a dielectric is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a silicon-containing semiconductor layer within a process chamber. The process chamber is capable of ionizing a process precursor to a plasma comprising an oxygen-containing element and a fluorocarbon-containing element. A surface portion of the silicon-containing material is oxidized by using the plasma to convert the surface portion into an oxidized dielectric material. |
| US07723239B2 |
Method for fabricating capacitor in semiconductor device
A method for fabricating capacitor in a semiconductor device includes forming an sacrificial layer and over a substrate, forming a mask pattern over the sacrificial layer, etching the sacrificial layer in two steps with differentiated top and bottom power levels using the mask pattern as an etch mask to form an opening, and forming a bottom electrode over the opening. |
| US07723238B2 |
Method for preventing striation at a sidewall of an opening of a resist during an etching process
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first high frequency power of a first frequency is applied to a processing gas to generate a plasma of the processing gas, a second high frequency power of a second frequency smaller than the first frequency is applied to a substrate to be processed. Further, a to-be-etched layer disposed under a resist film having a pattern of openings is etched by using the resist film as a mask, the to-be-etched layer being disposed on a surface of the substrate. In addition, dimensions of openings formed in the to-be-etched layer are controlled by varying an applied power of the first high frequency. |
| US07723237B2 |
Method for selective removal of damaged multi-stack bilayer films
A method for removing a damaged low dielectric constant material following an etch process, an ashing process, or a wet cleaning process is described. A dry, non-plasma removal process is implemented to remove a thin layer of damaged material on a feature following formation of the feature. The dry, non-plasma removal process comprises a chemical treatment of the damaged material, followed by a thermal treatment of the chemically treated surface layer. The two steps, chemical and thermal treatment, can be repeated. |
| US07723234B2 |
Method for selective CMP of polysilicon
A method of removing polysilicon in preference to silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride by chemical mechanical polishing. The method removes polysilicon from a surface at a high removal rate while maintaining a high selectivity of polysilicon to silicon dioxide and/or a polysilicon to silicon nitride. The method is particularly suitable for use in the fabrication of MEMS devices. |
| US07723229B2 |
Process of forming a self-aligned contact in a semiconductor device
A process is implemented to form a contact opening in a semiconductor device that includes a gate electrode on a substrate, a spacer on a sidewall of the gate electrode and a dielectric material covering the gate electrode. The process comprises forming a photoresist pattern on a surface of the dielectric material, etching the dielectric material until the bottom liner layer is exposed, forming a protective layer on a sidewall of the spacer while etching the dielectric material, and etching the bottom liner layer. |
| US07723227B1 |
Methods of forming copper-comprising conductive lines in the fabrication of integrated circuitry
A method of forming copper-comprising conductive lines in the fabrication of integrated circuitry includes depositing damascene material over a substrate. Line trenches are formed into the damascene material. Copper-comprising material is electrochemically deposited over the damascene material. The copper-comprising material is removed and the damascene material is exposed, and individual copper-comprising conductive lines are formed within individual of the line trenches. The damascene material is removed selectively relative to the conductive copper-comprising material. Dielectric material is deposited laterally between adjacent of the individual copper-comprising conductive lines. The deposited dielectric material is received against sidewalls of the individual copper-comprising conductive lines. A void is received laterally between immediately adjacent of the individual copper-comprising conductive lines within the deposited dielectric material. Other embodiments are contemplated. |
| US07723224B2 |
Microelectronic assembly with back side metallization and method for forming the same
A method is provided for forming a microelectronic assembly. A contact structure (46) is formed over a first side of a first substrate (20) having a microelectronic device formed over a second side thereof. The contact structure is electrically connected to the microelectronic device. A non-solderable layer (52) is formed over at least a portion of the contact structure and at least a portion of the first substrate. The contact structure and a second substrate (62) are interconnected with solder (68). |
| US07723218B2 |
Plasma CVD apparatus
In a plasma CVD apparatus, unnecessary discharge such as arc discharge is prevented, the amount of particles due to peeling of films attached to a reaction chamber is reduced, and the percentage of a time contributing to production in hours of operation of the apparatus is increased while enlargement of the apparatus and easy workability are maintained. The plasma CVD apparatus is configured such that in a conductive reaction chamber 104 with a power source 113, a vacuum exhausting means 118, and a reaction gas introduction pipe 114, plasma 115 is generated in a space surrounded by an electrode 111, a substrate holder 112, and an insulator 120. |
| US07723216B2 |
In-situ defect reduction techniques for nonpolar and semipolar (Al, Ga, In)N
A method for growing reduced defect density planar gallium nitride (GaN) films is disclosed. The method includes the steps of (a) growing at least one silicon nitride (SiNx) nanomask layer over a GaN template, and (b) growing a thickness of a GaN film on top of the SiNx nanomask layer. |
| US07723212B2 |
Method for forming median crack in substrate and apparatus for forming median crack in substrate
A method for forming a median crack and an apparatus for forming a median crack are provided, where the formation of a deep, straight median crack is possible, and an excellent broken surface of a brittle substrate can be gained as a result of breaking. In the method for forming a median crack in a brittle substrate, the brittle substrate is irradiated with a laser beam along a laser-scribe line to be formed with median cracks on the brittle substrate so as to be heated to a temperature that is no higher than its melting temperature, and thereby, a median crack is created along the laser-scribe line to be formed with median cracks and expanded starting from a notch that has been formed in the brittle substrate, and this method for forming a median crack in a brittle substrate is characterized in that high temperature portions that receive intense radiation from a laser beam, and low temperature portions that receive faint radiation from a laser beam are alternately formed along the laser-scribe line to be formed with median cracks. |
| US07723211B2 |
Method for joining adhesive tape to semiconductor wafer and method for separating protective tape from semiconductor wafer
An arithmetic processing part in a controller detects a position of a defect such as a chip or a crack that occurs at an outer periphery of a semiconductor wafer, and then a memory in the controller stores position information of the defect. The controller reads the position information of the defect through a network in each process. On the basis of this position information, the controller determines a direction of joining a dicing tape to the semiconductor wafer or a direction of separating a protective tape from a front face of the semiconductor wafer. |
| US07723209B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof, delamination method, and transferring method
A technique for forming a TFT element over a substrate having flexibility typified by a flexible plastic film is tested. When a structure in which a light-resistant layer or a reflective layer is employed to prevent the damage to the delamination layer, it is difficult to fabricate a transmissive liquid crystal display device or a light emitting device which emits light downward.A substrate and a delamination film are separated by a physical means, or a mechanical means in a state where a metal film formed over a substrate, and a delamination layer comprising an oxide film including the metal and a film comprising silicon, which is formed over the metal film, are provided. Specifically, a TFT obtained by forming an oxide layer including the metal over a metal film; crystallizing the oxide layer by heat treatment; and performing delamination in a layer of the oxide layer or at both of the interface of the oxide layer is formed. |
| US07723208B2 |
Integrated re-combiner for electroosmotic pumps using porous frits
Trenches may be formed in the upper surfaces of a pair of wafers. Each trench may be coated with a catalyst that is capable of removing oxygen or hydrogen from a fluid used for cooling in a system making use of the electroosmotic effect for pumping. Channels may be formed to communicate fluid to and from the trench coated with the catalyst. The substrates may be combined in face-to-face abutment, for example using copper-to-copper bonding to form a re-combiner. |
| US07723201B2 |
Structure and method for making on-chip capacitors with various capacitances
A method for manufacturing a device includes forming trenches of different morphologies into a substrate. At the upper surfaces, the trenches have different orientations with respect to each other. In an aspect, windows for the trenches are aligned along the <100> and <110> directions of a silicon substrate. The trenches of different morphologies may be formed into capacitors having different capacitance levels. Also included are devices prepared by the method. |
| US07723196B2 |
Damascene gate field effect transistor with an internal spacer structure
A MOSFET is disclosed that comprises a channel between a source extension and a drain extension, a dielectric layer over the channel, a gate spacer structure formed on a peripheral portion of the dielectric layer, and a gate formed on a non-peripheral portion of the dielectric layer, with at least a lower portion of the gate surrounded by and in contact with an internal surface of the gate spacer structure, and the gate is substantially aligned at its bottom with the channel. One method of forming the MOSFET comprises forming the dielectric layer, the gate spacer structure and the gate contact inside a cavity that has been formed by removing a sacrificial gate and spacer structure. |
| US07723194B2 |
Semiconductor device having silicide layers and method of fabricating the same
Some embodiments include an isolation layer defining an active region of a substrate, a gate pattern formed on the active region, and source/drain regions formed in the active region. Sidewall spacers are formed on sidewalls of the gate pattern, and a blocking insulation layer is formed on the isolation layer and on a portion of the active region neighboring the isolation layer. A silicide layer is formed on source/drain regions between the blocking insulation layer and the sidewall spacers. Some embodiments include defining an active region of a substrate using an isolation layer, forming a gate pattern on the active region, implanting impurities into the active region, and forming a spacer insulation layer on a surface of the substrate with the gate pattern. A region of the spacer insulation layer becomes thinner the closer it is to the gate pattern. Other embodiments are described in the claims. |
| US07723192B2 |
Integrated circuit long and short channel metal gate devices and method of manufacture
A method is provided for manufacturing an integrated circuit including a short channel (SC) device and a long channel (LC) device each overlaid by an interlayer dielectric. The SC device has an SC gate stack and the LC device initially has a dummy gate. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of removing the dummy gate to form an LC device trench, and depositing metal gate material over the SC device and the LC device. The metal gate material contacts the SC gate stack and substantially fills the LC device trench. |
| US07723189B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device having recess gate
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having recess gates includes forming an etch stop film on a semiconductor substrate; forming an etch stop film pattern selectively exposing the semiconductor substrate by patterning the etch stop film; forming a semiconductor layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask film pattern exposing regions, for forming trenches for recess gates, on the semiconductor substrate; removing the semiconductor layer using the hard mask film pattern as a mask until the etch stop film pattern is exposed; forming the trenches for recess gates by removing the etch stop film pattern from the semiconductor substrate; and forming gate stacks, each of which is formed in the corresponding one of the trenches for recess gates. |
| US07723188B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices and methods of forming the same
A non-volatile memory device includes an upwardly protruding fin disposed on a substrate and a control gate electrode crossing the fin. A floating gate is interposed between the control gate electrode and the fin and includes a first storage gate and a second storage gate. The first storage gate is disposed on a sidewall of the fin, and the second storage gate is disposed on a top surface of the fin and is connected to the first storage gate. A first insulation layer is interposed between the first storage gate and the sidewall of the fin, and a second insulation layer is interposed between the second storage gate and the top surface of the fin. The second insulation layer is thinner than the first insulation layer. A blocking insulation pattern is interposed between the control gate electrode and the floating gate. |
| US07723187B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A salicide treatment is performed on a common source line to reduce surface resistance and contact resistance, thereby improving a cell current characteristic. Therefore, a chip can be reduced in size and chips per wafer can be increased, thereby achieving high yield. In addition, it is possible to overcome the structural limitation of the flash cell when the semiconductor memory device is highly integrated and shrunken. |
| US07723185B2 |
Flash memory with recessed floating gate
A flash memory device where the floating gate of the flash memory is defined by a recessed access device. The use of a recessed access device results in a longer channel length with less loss of device density. The floating gate can also be elevated above the substrate a selected amount so as to achieve a desirable coupling between the substrate, the floating gate and the control gate incorporating the flash cell. |
| US07723184B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacture method therefor
A semiconductor device is provided which is suitable for a DRAM with word lines and configured to have a trench gate transistor and suppress an increase in the capacitance of a word line without affecting the transistor characteristics. The semiconductor device includes a trench gate transistor which is provided with: a trench which is provided with vertical sides and is formed in a semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode which is formed inside the trench via a gate dielectric film; and a source and a drain which are provided at the semiconductor substrate in the vicinity of the gate electrode via the gate dielectric film, wherein at least one of the thickness of the gate dielectric film in a region contacting the source and the thickness of the gate dielectric film in a region contacting the drain are larger than the thickness of the gate dielectric film formed inside the trench. |
| US07723182B2 |
Storage electrode of a capacitor and a method of forming the same
In an embodiment, a storage electrode of a capacitor in a semiconductor device is resistant to inadvertent etching during its manufacturing processes. A method of forming the storage electrode of the capacitor is described. The storage electrode of the capacitor may include a first metal layer electrically connected with a source region of a transistor through a contact plug penetrating an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon layer may then be formed on the first metal layer. A second metal layer is formed on the polysilicon layer. |
| US07723177B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that may include steps of forming a pad oxide layer and an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate; and then performing a first etching process on the semiconductor device to form an insulating layer pattern exposing a portion of the pad oxide layer in a trench area; and then performing a second etching process with respect to the pad oxide layer by using the insulating layer pattern as a mask; and then performing a blanket ion implantation process with respect to the insulating layer pattern and the exposed portion of the pad oxide layer to form an ion layer in the semiconductor substrate; and then performing a third etching process with respect to the semiconductor substrate to simultaneously form a pad oxide layer pattern and a trench in the semiconductor substrate; and then forming an insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate including the trench; and then performing a planarization process with respect to the semiconductor substrate including the insulating material and removing the pad oxide layer pattern and the insulating layer pattern, thereby forming an isolation layer in the trench. |
| US07723173B2 |
Low temperature polysilicon oxide process for high-K dielectric/metal gate stack
A method for preventing oxidation in a high-k dielectric/metal gate stack in the manufacture of an integrated circuit device is disclosed. In a detailed embodiment, a PMOS region stack has nitrided hafnium silicide, tungsten, tantalum nitride and polysilicon layers. An NMOS region stack has nitrided hafnium silicide, tungsten silicide, tantalum nitride and polysilicon layers. A thin polysilicon layer deposited over the stacks is converted to an oxide using a low temperature ultraviolet ozone oxidation process or a plasma nitridation using decoupled plasma nitridation or NH3 annealing. The oxide provides a coating over the top and sides of the stacks to protect metal and interfaces from oxidation. |
| US07723172B2 |
Methods for manufacturing a trench type semiconductor device having a thermally sensitive refill material
Methods for manufacturing trench type semiconductor devices containing thermally unstable refill materials are provided. A disposable material is used to fill the trenches and is subsequently replaced by a thermally sensitive refill material after the high temperature processes are performed. Trench type semiconductor devices manufactured according to method embodiments are also provided. |
| US07723171B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device fabrication method, comprising:depositing a mask material on a semiconductor substrate;patterning the mask material and forming a trench in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate by etching, thereby forming a first projection in a first region, and a second projection wider than the first projection in a second region;burying a device isolation insulating film in the trench;etching away a predetermined amount of the device isolation insulating film formed in the first region;etching away the mask material formed in the second region;forming a first gate insulating film on a pair of opposing side surfaces of the first projection, and a second gate insulating film on an upper surface of the second projection;depositing a first gate electrode material on the device isolation insulating film, mask material, and second gate insulating film;planarizing the first gate electrode material by using as stoppers the mask material formed in the first region and the device isolation insulating film formed in the second region;depositing a second gate electrode material on the mask material, first gate electrode material, and device isolation insulating film; andpatterning the first and second gate electrode materials, thereby forming a first gate electrode in the first region, and a second gate electrode in the second region. |
| US07723170B2 |
Method for forming transistor of semiconductor device using double patterning technology
A method for forming a transistor of a semiconductor device comprises: forming an isolation film over a semiconductor substrate to define an active region; forming a first recess in an active region (one side) between the isolation films; forming a second recess having the same size as that of the first recess in an active region (the other side) between the isolation film; and forming a gate for filling the first recess and the second recess. |
| US07723169B2 |
Laser beam micro-smoothing
The present invention provides laser beam micro-smoothing for laser annealing systems. Laser beam micro-smoothing comprises shifting a laser beam in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction (y) of a laser annealing system, while holding the laser beam fixed in the direction of scanning (x). The shifting may be accomplished, for example, with a pair of micro-smoothing mirrors. The shifting smoothes out small-scale inhomogeneities in the profile of the laser beam and prevents microscopic stripes associated with prior art laser annealing systems. Because the shifting occurs only in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction (y), the laser annealing process in not adversely affected. |
| US07723167B2 |
Process and system for laser annealing and laser-annealed semiconductor film
In a laser annealing process: a bandlike area of a nonmonocrystalline semiconductor film is scanned and irradiated with continuous-wave laser light so as to produced fused regions in the first to third sections of the bandlike area as follows, where the third section contains a portion required to have higher crystallinity than other portions of the bandlike area. First, a first fused region having a substantially uniform width is formed in the first section. Then, at least a portion of the first fused region which is last fused is solidified, and thereafter at least a subportion of the solidified portion having a smaller width than the first fused region is re-fused. Subsequently, a second fused region having a stepwise or continuously increasing width is produced in the second section, and then a third fused region substantially uniformly having the increased width is produced in the third section. |
| US07723163B2 |
Method of forming premolded lead frame
A method of forming a pre-molded lead frame having increased stand-offs includes the steps of attaching a first tape to a first side of the lead frame and a second tape to a second side of the lead frame. The taped lead frame is placed in a mold and a first flow of mold compound is initiated. The first flow of the mold compound fills a space between the first tape and an upper mold chase of the mold. A second flow of the mold compound then is initiated. The second flow of the mold compound fills the spaces between a die pad and leads of the lead frame. The first and second tapes then are removed from the lead frame. Improved stand-offs are provided because the first tape was depressed by the first flow of the mold compound. |
| US07723161B2 |
Lead frame, method of manufacturing the same, semiconductor device using lead frame and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
There is provided a lead frame which comprises: a lead frame body comprising a sheet-shaped body made of metal; a groove portion for forming a lead which is formed by a predetermined depth in a lead forming region on a surface of the lead frame body; and a lead portion formed so that the lead portion can protrude from the groove portion onto the surface of the lead frame body, the lead portion being made of material different from material of the lead frame body. A thin type semiconductor device is provided in which the above lead frame is used and after a chip is mounted, the lead frame body is removed by means of etching. |
| US07723150B2 |
Image sensor and fabricating method thereof
A method for fabricating an image sensor, which includes the following steps, is provided. A semiconductor substrate including a sensor array, a pad and a passivation layer is provided, and the passivation layer covers the sensor array and the pad. An opening, which comprises tapered sidewalls not perpendicular to a bared surface of the pad, is formed in the semiconductor substrate to expose the pad. An under layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and covers the pad and the passivation layer. A color filter array is formed on the under layer and over the corresponding sensor array. A planar layer is formed on the color filter array. A portion of the under layer is removed to expose the pad. A plurality of U-lenses is formed on the planar layer. |
| US07723147B2 |
Image sensor and method of manufacturing the same
An image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same capable of improving image quality by preventing the generation of a lens bridge formed due to a mutual connection of neighboring microlenses. The image sensor can include a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of photodiodes formed thereon; an insulation layer formed over the semiconductor substrate; a color filter layer formed over the insulation layer; a planarization layer formed over the whole surface including the color filter layer and having a plularity of concave regions and a convex regions repeatedly arranged in a pixel period; and a microlens formed over each of the concave regions and the convex regions. |
| US07723144B2 |
Method and system for flip chip packaging of micro-mirror devices
A package for a micro-electromechanical device includes a substrate adapted to support the micro-electromechanical device. The micro-electromechanical device is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrodes. The package also includes a thermally conductive structure coupled to the substrate, an electrical contact layer having a plurality of traces in electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes, and an interposer structure coupled to the substrate. The interposer structure includes a continuous annular region defining a recessed region bounded by a bond surface. The package further includes a transparent cover coupled to the interposer structure and sealing the micro-electromechanical device in the recessed region to isolate the micro-electromechanical device in a controlled environment. |
| US07723143B2 |
Method for manufacturing cantilever structure of probe card
A method for manufacturing a cantilever structure of a probe card is disclosed. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a first sacrificial wafer is used as a mold to form a cantilever structure having various shapes, a microscopic pitch and a high aspect ratio. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a probe tip may be formed by using a second sacrificial substrate and a bonding. |
| US07723141B2 |
Encapsulation in a hermetic cavity of a microelectronic composite, particularly of a MEMS
To produce a structure of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) in a hermetic cavity (38) of a microelectronic device (50), a prepared cover (30) and substrate (10) are bonded by means of silicon direct bonding (SDB). To optimise the preparation of surfaces by means of wet cleaning without impairing the properties of the MEMS (22), i.e. without causing adhesions, the MEMS structure (22) is not released during bonding, but attached to the base (12) by means of a sacrificial intermediate layer (16). Said layer is removed once bonding has been carried out by injecting HF vapour via a vent (40) opening into the cavity (38). |
| US07723138B2 |
Method of fabricating a semiconductor optical device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor optical device is disclosed. This semiconductor optical device includes first and second optical semiconductor elements. This method comprises the steps of: growing, in a metal-organic vapor phase deposition reactor, plural semiconductor layers for the first semiconductor optical element on a primary surface of a substrate which has first and second areas for the first semiconductor optical element and the second optical semiconductor element, respectively; forming an insulating mask on the plural semiconductor layers and the first area; etching the plural semiconductor layers by use of the insulating mask to form a semiconductor portion having an end face; growing a layer of a first semiconductor on the second area and deposit of the first semiconductor on the end face in the reactor by use of the insulating mask; supplying etchant for etching the first semiconductor to remove at least a part of the deposit of the first semiconductor on the end face by use of the insulating mask; and after removing the deposit of the first semiconductor, growing a layer of a second semiconductor for the second optical element on the second area in the reactor by use of the insulating mask. |
| US07723137B2 |
Optical device, method of manufacturing the same, optical module, optical transmission system
In a conventional optical device which mounts a semiconductor light emitting element, the processing is difficult and a manufacturing process cost is expensive because of the necessity of forming via holes in a substrate.An optical device comprises a laser diode which needs heat radiation, a glass substrate which is integrally molded into a mold glass for arranging the laser diode, a metallic heat sink arranged at an edge of the glass substrate for radiating heat generated from the laser diode, wherein an active layer proximity surface of the laser diode is arranged to oppose the heat sink, both of them are connected with a conductive paste through a lateral groove formed in the glass substrate. |
| US07723132B2 |
Semiconductor laser and the method for manufacturing the same
The present invention is to provide a semiconductor laser with a feedback grating comprised of InP and AlGaInAs without InAsP put therebetween, and to provide a method for manufacturing the DFB-LD having such grating. The LD includes an n-type InP substrate, an AlInAsP intermediate layer, an AlGaInAs lower SCH layer, an active layer, and a p-type layer for upper cladding in this order from the InP substrate. The InP substrate, the AlInAsP intermediate layer, and the AlGaInAs lower SCH layer constitute the feedback grating. The AlInAsP intermediate layer lowers a series resistance along these semiconductor stacks. |
| US07723130B2 |
Tooling method for fabricating a semiconductor device and semiconductor devices fabricated thereof
A tooling method for fabricating semiconductor devices includes identifying two adjacent device lines having a device-to-device spacing width in an active region of a substrate, performing an operation to selectively define a first region as a region between the two adjacent device lines overlapping the active region, forming a first block pattern corresponding to the first region on a photomask when the device-to-device spacing width is equal to a predetermined value, and transferring the first block pattern to the substrate. |
| US07723128B2 |
In-situ formed capping layer in MTJ devices
A method of forming an integrated circuit includes forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers; etching the MTJ layers to form a MTJ cell; and forming a dielectric capping layer on sidewalls of the MTJ cell, wherein the step of forming the dielectric capping layer is in-situ performed with the step of etching the MTJ layers. |
| US07723127B2 |
Immunoassay with extended dynamic range
The present invention provides a method of performing a competitive assay for the detection and quantification of an analyte over an extended dynamic range. This is achieved by a multi-step sample addition method whereby different concentrations of sample are added at different times during the assay that produces a dose-response curve with multiple windows of detection. This multi-step sample addition method causes the dose-response curve of the composite assay to broaden, dramatically increasing the assay dynamic range. |
| US07723126B2 |
Plasma-enhanced functionalization of inorganic oxide surfaces
Methods for producing plasma-treated, functionalized inorganic oxide surfaces are provided. The methods include the steps of subjecting an oxide surface to a plasma to create hydroxyl functionalities on the surface and reacting the hydroxyl functionalities with epoxy group-containing molecules in situ in the absence of plasma. Biomolecules may be immobilized on the resulting functionalized surfaces. The methods may be used to treat a variety of oxide surfaces, including glass, quartz, silica and metal oxides. |
| US07723125B2 |
Highly sensitive proteomic analysis methods, and kits and systems for practicing the same
Methods of determining whether a sample includes one or more analytes, particularly proteinaceous analytes, of interest are provided. In the subject methods, an array of binding agents, where each binding agent includes an epitope binding domain of an antibody, is contacted with the sample. In many embodiments, contact occurs in the presence of a metal ion chelating polysaccharide, e.g., a pectin. Following contact, the presence of binding complexes on the array surface are detected and the resultant data is employed to determine whether the sample includes the one or more analytes of interest. Also provided are kits, systems and other compositions of matter for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and compositions find use in a variety of applications, including proteomic applications such as protein expression analysis, e.g., differential protein expression profiling. |
| US07723124B2 |
Method for the rapid diagnosis of targets in human body fluids
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for the detection of a target, e.g. pathogen in a human body fluid wherein a body fluid sample is collected with a swab member. |
| US07723114B1 |
Methods and systems for detection of radionuclides
Disclosed are materials and systems useful in determining the existence of radionuclides in an aqueous sample. The materials provide the dual function of both extraction and scintillation to the systems. The systems can be both portable and simple to use, and as such can beneficially be utilized to determine presence and optionally concentration of radionuclide contamination in an aqueous sample at any desired location and according to a relatively simple process without the necessity of complicated sample handling techniques. The disclosed systems include a one-step process, providing simultaneous extraction and detection capability, and a two-step process, providing a first extraction step that can be carried out in a remote field location, followed by a second detection step that can be carried out in a different location. |
| US07723107B2 |
Pharmaceutical composition for inducing an immune response in a human or animal
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for inducing an immune response in a human or animal, comprising dendritic cells loaded with at least five cancer/testis antigen and no lineage specific differentiation antigens or substantially no lineage specific differentiation antigens provided from at least one cancer cell line, as well as to isolated cell lines expressing a multiplicity of cancer testis antigens and no differentiation antigens, and to a method of inducing an immune response in a human or animal using the composition of the invention. |
| US07723106B2 |
Stroma-free, serum-free, and chemically defined medium and method for ex vivo mononuclear cell expansion using the same
A stroma-free, serum-free, and chemically defined medium and a method for mononuclear cell expansion ex vivo using the same. An exemplary medium includes a basal medium, a serum substitute, and a cytokine formula. |
| US07723105B2 |
Conditioned cell culture medium, method to obtain the same and use of it for maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells
The invention relates to a conditioned cell culture medium and a corresponding method to obtain it. The invention also refers to methods of using this cellconditioned medium for the maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells. The culture medium produced in accordance with the present invention is conditioned by the cell secretion activity of murine cells, in particular, those differentiated and immortalized transgenic hepatocytes, named MMH (Met Murine Hepatocyte). These media are employed in in vitro cell culture systems to induce maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells. The cells named MMH are differentiated non transformed murine hepatocytes that produce important biological molecules (e.g cytokines and growth factors) and, in accordance with the present invention, they are used in in vitro cell culture systems for the maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells. |
| US07723104B2 |
Cancer specific promoters
The present invention regards cancer-specific control sequences that direct expression of a polynucleotide encoding a therapeutic gene product for treatment of the cancer. Specifically, the invention encompasses breast cancer-, prostate cancer-, and pancreatic cancer-specific control sequences. Two breast cancer-specific sequences utilize specific regions of topoisomerase IIα and transferrin receptor promoters, particularly in combination with an enhancer. The prostate cancer-specific and pancreatic cancer-specific control sequences utilize composites of tissue-specific control sequences, a two-step transcription amplification sequence, and a post-transcriptional control sequence. In more particular embodiments, these polynucleotides are administered in combination with liposomes. |
| US07723098B2 |
Method of constructing host and method of producing heterologous protein
In a method of constructing a eukaryotic host microorganism for production of a heterologous protein encoded by a trangenically introduced gene, production efficiency of the heterologous protein by the transformant obtained by introducing the gene encoding the heterologous protein into the host is improved.Part or all of the genome unnecessary or detrimental to production of the heterologous protein by the transformant in culture is deleted or inactivated.The eukaryotic host microorganism is preferably Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The part of the genome of the eukaryotic host microorganism to be deleted or inactivated is preferably a gene selected from the genes associated with energy metabolism and the genes associated with proteases, such as a pyruvate decarboxylase gene, a serine protease gene, an aminopeptidase gene and a carboxypeptidase gene. |
| US07723092B2 |
Chondroitin polymerase and DNA encoding the same
A chondroitin polymerase having such properties that it transfers GlcUA and GalNAc alternately to a non-reduced terminal of a sugar chain from a GlcUA donor and a GalNAc donor, respectively, and the like; and a process for producing the chondroitin polymerase. |
| US07723091B2 |
Composition comprising beta-mannanase
Enzymes of a particular class, characterized by the ability to cleave a linkage that effects release of a cell-surface protein or carbohydrate, which does not contain an anti-infection agent, display significant anti-infectious activity. Upon oral administration, these enzymes are effective, for example, in the treatment of digestive tract infections in humans and in animals. In the latter, there are benefits of significantly improved growth rate, feed efficiency, and overall health. |
| US07723090B2 |
Method of heat-stabilizing α-glucan phosphorylase (GP)
An α-glucan phosphorylase having improved thermostability, which obtained by modifying natural α-glucan phosphorylase, and a method for producing this α-glucan phosphorylase having improved thermostability are provided. The natural α-glucan phosphorylase is derived from a plant, this α-glucan phosphorylase having improved thermostability has an amino acid residue which is different from that of the natural α-glucan phosphorylase in at least one position selected from the group consisting of a position corresponding to position 4 in a motif sequence 1L or 1H, a position corresponding to position 4 in a motif sequence 2, and a position corresponding to position 7 in a motif sequence 3L or 3H, and wherein the enzyme activity of α-glucan phosphorylase having improved thermostability at 37° C., after heating in a 20 mM citrate buffer (pH 6.7) at 60° C. for 10 minutes, is 20% or more of the enzyme activity of the α-glucan phosphorylase having improved thermostability at 37° C., before heating. |
| US07723087B2 |
Nucleic acid molecules for enhanced production of a bacterial polysaccharide and methods of use thereof
The invention relates to nucleic acid sequences and related compositions for producing over-expression of the polysaccharide PNAG of Staphylococci. PNAG may be isolated and formulated into vaccines or used to generate antibodies. Binding agents of the nucleic acids are also described. The invention also relates to diagnostic and therapeutic methods using the compositions. |
| US07723070B2 |
Overexpression of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases for efficient production of engineered proteins containing amino acid analogues
Methods for producing modified polypeptides containing amino acid analogues are disclosed. The invention further provides purified dihydrofolate reductase polypeptides, produced by the methods of the invention, in which the methionine residues have been replaced with homoallylglycine, homoproparglycine, norvaline, norleucine, cis-crotylglycine, trans-crotylglycine, 2-aminoheptanoic acid, 2-butynylglycine and allylglycine. |
| US07723068B2 |
Gene cluster involved in safracin biosynthesis and its uses for genetic engineering
A gene cluster is disclosed having open reading frames which encode polypeptides sufficient to direct the synthesis of a safracin molecule. In addition, the present disclosure is directed to a nucleic acid sequence, suitably an isolated nucleic acid sequence, which includes or comprises at least SEQ ID NO:1, variants or portions thereof, or at least one of the sacA, sacB, sacC, sacC, sacD, sacE, sacF, sacG, sacH, sacH, saI, sacJ, orf1, orf2, orf3 or orf4 genes, including variants or portions. |
| US07723064B2 |
Methods for monitoring patients for efficacy of an antiplatelet therapy regimen
Methods are disclosed for monitoring patients utilizing Mean Platelet Component values during therapeutic intervention. |
| US07723061B2 |
Method for diagnosing renal disorder, hemolytic uremic syndrome and enterohemorrhagic infectious disease caused by Escherichia coli
Methods for diagnosing renal disorder, hemolytic uremic syndrome and enterohemorrhagic E. coli infectious disease at an early stage, and for diagnosing the severity of these diseases are provided. Detection of excretion of AQP2 and/or molecules derived therefrom into urine of a subject, or determination of the amount of excretion of the same is conducted to diagnose the morbidity or the severity of renal disorder, hemolytic uremic syndrome and enterohemorrhagic E. coli infectious disease of the subject. For the detection and determination of AQP2, an immunochemical process may be suitably employed in which an antibody that specifically recognizes AQP2. |
| US07723057B1 |
Screening assay for macromolecules that inhibit binding of sulfated glycosaminoglycan to beta amyloid
A screening assay for selecting macromolecules that interfere with the binding of a sulfated GAG to beta amyloid, the assay comprising affixing a sulfated GAG to a substrate, co-incubating the macromolecule and a known amount of beta amyloid with the sulfated GAG, determining the amount of beta amyloid bound to the sulfated GAG affixed to the substrate; wherein the macromolecule will be one which interferes with the binding of the sulfated GAG to beta amyloid. |
| US07723056B1 |
Particles
Lipid vesicle particles capable of being targeted to a cell type of interest, said particle incorporating a peptide which is responsive to a predetermined metabolic signal from the targeted cell so as to modulate the permeability of the particle, said particle further incorporating a species to be targeted to the cell which is activated on said modulation of permeability. The particles may be used in methods for detecting cells, methods of treating cells and also therapeutically. |
| US07723055B2 |
Diagnosing and treating hematopoietic cancers
Described herein are methods and compositions comprising Wnt5a for the diagnosis and treatment of hematopoietic cancers, and methods of identifying therapeutic compounds for the treatment of hematopoietic cancers. |
| US07723054B2 |
Toll-like receptor 9 modulators
TLR9 is localized to endoplasmic reticulum and upon stimulation with a TLR9 ligand, is transported to a tubular lysosomal compartment as is CpG-DNA. Furthermore, it is shown that TLR9 and CpG-DNA directly bind. It was also found that the MyD88 translocates in response to activation of TLR9-mediated signaling. Methods of identifying compounds that affect translocation and activity of TLR9 and MyD88 are described. |
| US07723051B2 |
HT2R75 taste receptor and related assays for identifying human bitter taste modulators
The present invention relates to the discovery of a specific human taste receptor in the T2R taste receptor family, hT2R75 that responds to particular bitter compounds The present invention further relates to the use of this receptor in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of this taste receptor. These compounds may be used as additives and/or removed from foods, beverages and medicinals in order to modify (block) T2R-associated bitter taste. A preferred embodiment is the use of the identified compounds as additives in foods, beverages and medicinals for blocking bitter taste. |
| US07723046B2 |
Method of screening for a compound using guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein-coupled receptor protein, BG37
The present inventors conducted a similarity search of the amino acid sequence of known G protein-coupled receptor proteins in GenBank, and obtained a novel human GPCR gene “BG37”. cDNA containing the ORF of the gene was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Moreover, novel GPCR “BG37” genes from mouse and rat were isolated. Use of the novel GPCR of the present invention enables screening of ligands, compounds inhibiting the binding to a ligand, and candidate compounds of pharmaceuticals which can regulate signal transduction from the “BG37” receptor. |
| US07723044B2 |
Methods and apparatus for detection of viral infection
This invention generally relates to apparatus and methods for high-throughput, reproducible and inexpensive detection of virus infection using multiplexing technologies such as slide-based, microtiter plate-based and membrane-based microarrays and beads technologies. The apparatus and methods allow simultaneous detection of multiple viral infections in a plurality of test samples. |