| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07864867B2 |
Video coder employing pixel transposition
A video encoding method and apparatus is shown wherein image information is represented as a plurality of pixels, the pixels are organized into blocks, pixels transposition is performed on image information at the boundaries of the blocks, the blocks are transform coded and quantized. Pixel transposition involves transposition of alternate pixels at the boundaries of blocks with pixels of neighboring blocks found in a pre-determined direction. The pre-determined direction may be fixed by a system or may be applied on an image by image basis. In the event that the pre-determined direction is not established by a system, a pixel transposition circuit includes a transposition keyword in the output bit stream which is used by a decoded to determine the direction of pixel transposition. |
| US07864865B2 |
Line address computer for calculating the line addresses of decoded video data
The present invention is directed to a line address computer for calculating the starting line addresses for lines of a decoded frame. The starting addresses for a display frame are provided to the line address computer by a host processor. The line address computer determines the starting line addresses for subsequent lines by appropriately incrementing the line addresses of previous lines. |
| US07864862B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus
A video encoding method comprises selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations each including a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture, generating a prediction picture signal in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination, generating a predictive error signal representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal, and encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination. |
| US07864859B2 |
Method and circuit for coding mode determinations recognizing auto exposure control of input image
An image compression method adapted to determine block mode for an input image and a related circuit are disclosed. First and second determinations of block mode are made in relation to first and second threshold comparisons. The second comparison is conditioned upon a prior determination of auto-exposure control for the input image. |
| US07864854B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus for motion compensation prediction
A video encoding apparatus includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included. |
| US07864853B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus for motion compensation prediction
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included. |
| US07864850B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus for motion compensation prediction
A video encoding method includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included. |
| US07864844B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus for motion compensation prediction
A video encoding method and apparatus includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included. |
| US07864836B1 |
Adaptive orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) equalizers, OFDM receivers including the same, and methods thereof
An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) equalizer includes a memory that stores OFDM frame information, a partial sum calculator configured to calculate a partial sum of a data cell corresponding to an OFDM reception signal based on a current pilot cell and a fixing coefficient corresponding to the current pilot cell, an adapting coefficient calculator configured to calculate a channel response of the data cell and calculate an adapting coefficient based on the calculated channel response and an interpolated channel response, an interpolated channel response calculator configured to calculate the interpolated channel response based on the partial sum and the adapting coefficient, and a channel compensation unit configured to output a corrected OFDM reception signal based on the fast Fourier transformed OFDM reception signal and the interpolated channel response. Related receivers and channel equalization methods are also disclosed. |
| US07864834B1 |
Estimating digital frequency synthesizer jitter
A method of estimating jitter for a DFS can include determining a plurality of linear equations, wherein each linear equation corresponds to, at least in part, a combination of multiplier and divisor attributes for setting an output frequency of the DFS, identifying maximum and minimum values for the slope component and the vertical axis intercept component from the plurality of linear equations, providing an equation for determining minimum jitter given, at least in part, an input frequency, and providing an equation for determining maximum jitter given, at least in part, an input frequency. A linear equation can be derived for estimating jitter of the DFS according to a specified input frequency and a specified value of the divisor attribute of the DFS. The linear equation further can depend upon the minimum jitter and the maximum jitter. |
| US07864828B2 |
Laser device
A cascade laser device, including a multilayer film structure with a multiple quantum well including a potential barrier and a quantum well; and an electric field applying portion for applying an electric field to the multilayer film structure. The multilayer film structure includes at least two first regions and a second region. The second region is sandwiched between the two first regions; each of the first regions includes multiple sub-bands. When the electric field is applied, carriers are transported from a sub-band in the higher energy quantum well to a sub-band in the lower energy quantum well via the potential barrier in the first regions by tunneling permitted by interaction with light. The second region is thinner than twice a skin depth of the light and includes at least a film having an energy band. The carriers are subjected to energy relaxation in the energy band. |
| US07864826B2 |
Optical transmitter applicable to burst signal and method for controlling the same
An optical transmitter and a method to control the transmitter are disclosed, in which the optical output may be substantially maintained even in the inactive state of the input burst signal. The optical transmitter includes the APC feedback control and the detector that senses the active and inactive states of the input burst signal. When the transition to the inactive state is detected, the controller enters the second APC mode in which only the bias current is adjusted so as to maintain the optical output to be a preset value. The normal APC feedback control may be recovered after a preset period from the practical transition of the input burst signal from the inactive state to the active state. |
| US07864823B2 |
Laser irradiation apparatus
A laser irradiation apparatus is provided in which the occurrence of adverse effects on an object to be irradiated with a laser beam due to the difference in the polarization state between pulsed laser beams can be prevented or significantly reduced when the pulsed laser beams emitted from two laser light sources are guided to pass through the same optical path for irradiation of an object to be irradiated with the pulsed laser beams. The laser irradiation apparatus is provided with a first laser light source 3, a second laser light source 4, an optical path combining optical member 7 which guides the pulsed laser beams emitted from the first laser light source 3 and the second laser light source 4 to pass through the same optical path, and a polarization control member 9 which controls polarization state of the pulsed laser beam from the optical path combining optical member 7. The polarization control member 9 includes a first polarization control portion 13 and a second polarization control portion 15 through which beam components of the pulsed laser beam pass. The polarization states of the beam components that have passed through the first polarization control portion 13 and the beam components that have passed through the second polarization control portion 15 become different from each other. The beam components in different polarization states are superimposed on each other on a surface to be irradiated with the laser beam of the object to be irradiated with the laser beam. |
| US07864822B2 |
Process and apparatus for a wavelength tuning source
An apparatus and source arrangement for filtering an electromagnetic radiation can be provided which may include at least one spectral separating arrangement configured to physically separate one or more components of the electromagnetic radiation based on a frequency of the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus and source arrangement may also have at least one continuously rotating optical arrangement which is configured to receive at least one signal that is associated with the one or more components. Further, the apparatus and source arrangement can include at least one beam selecting arrangement configured to receive the signal. |
| US07864813B2 |
Method and equipment for measurements
The invention relates to determining a quantity to be measured from a communication system, such as a transmission delay or the phase difference of clock times. Measurement messages are transmitted (501, 502) between the two areas of the communication system in both transmission directions. Values of the time difference are calculated (503) for the measurement messages transmitted in at least one of the transmission directions, each of which values is the difference between the instant of reception measured at the reception and the instant of transmission measured at the transmission of the measurement message. The values of the time difference are used to calculate (504) an estimate of the distribution of the time difference, on the basis of which an estimate of the minimum value of the time difference is calculated (504). |
| US07864812B2 |
Digital broadcast multiplexing apparatus
In a digital broadcast multiplexing apparatus for multiplexing a plurality of programs on a single physical channel so as to broadcast the digital multiplexed broadcasting program, there are provided with an apparatus for correcting positions of PCR packets contained in transport streams within the respective programs, and a PCR correction value forming apparatus for applying values of correcting PCR values with respect to a result of the position corrections in order to simply execute a function capable of uniformly synchronizing the PCR packets contained in the transport streams and capable of viewing the received programs without any interruption on the reception side even when a tuning operation is carried out. Then, the digital broadcast multiplexing apparatus outputs such a broadcast program packet stream which has been multiplexed as a single broadcast program in such a manner that the PCR packets are synchronized with each other among the plurality of programs. |
| US07864811B2 |
Telecommunications control device autonomously determining transmission timing and a method therefor
A network node constituting a telecommunications system together with one or more neighboring nodes includes a telecommunications control device, which includes a timing control signal receiver for receiving timing control signals transmitted from the neighboring nodes, and a transmission timing calculator for determining data transmission timing of the network node, based on reception timing of the timing controls signal of the neighboring nodes. The device further includes a timing control signal transmitter for transmitting a timing control signal with a phase indicative of data transmission timing of the network node reflected, a data communicator for transmitting and receiving a data signal to and from the neighboring nodes, and a phase state manager for controlling transmission of the timing control signal and data signal in accordance with the phase state of the network node. |
| US07864809B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving data in network environment with wired and wireless networks bridged using relay portal
A method of transmitting and receiving data in a network environment with a wired network and a wireless network bridged using a relay portal is provided. The method includes choosing one of a plurality of portals sharing a wired network and a wireless network as a relay portal, and transmitting a data packet to the wired network by setting an identifier of the relay portal as a prioritized receiver of the data packet. |
| US07864807B1 |
Receiver design for implementing virtual upstream channels in broadband communications systems
A method and apparatus for scheduling virtual upstream channels within one physical upstream channel is disclosed. A different MAP message is received by a receiver for each virtual upstream channel from that sent downstream. Where multiple upstream receivers are used, separate MAP messages can be sent for each receiver and consequently, each virtual upstream channel. The use of multiple upstream receivers is not necessary if the upstream receiver can change the upstream channel descriptors it is using per burst. |
| US07864801B2 |
Media converter
A media converter capable of converting digital data of a unidirectional interface to digital data of a bidirectional interface or converting vice versa and converting digital data in commercial use to digital data for consumers or converting vice versa so that consumers are able to obtain even high quality images is provided. The media converter has a function for inputting digital data of a unidirectional interface and converting the inputting digital data to digital data of a bidirectional interface, and a function for inputting digital data of a bidirectional interface and converting the inputting digital data to digital data of a unidirectional interface, wherein the unidirectional interface is an HD-SDI (High Definition Serial Data Interface) format digital interface, and the bidirectional interface is a digital interface conforming to IEEE1394. |
| US07864798B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting voice over IP services over a cellular wireless communication network
A method and system for supporting voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services over a wireless communication network are disclosed. Data is encoded at a coding rate specified by a controller for generating a VoIP packet. Among the encoded data, bits sensitive to errors and bits not sensitive to errors are identified and error protection is performed separately by a medium access control layer and/or physical layer. A header of the VoIP packet may be selectively compressed in accordance with an indication from the controller. A user datagram protocol (UDP)-Lite may be used for partial coverage of the sensitive bits. A comfort noise may be generated by a receiving end during a silence period without receiving a comfort noise packet from a transmitting end. If the VoIP packet is not fit into a currently assigned radio resource, the VoIP packet may be fragmented. |
| US07864797B2 |
System and method for connecting bluetooth-enabled devices to a personal computer
An interface which effects communication between first and second systems and includes a first arrangement for communicating with the first system using a first protocol and a second arrangement for communicating with the second system using a second protocol. At least one of the arrangements includes a mechanism for effecting wireless communication. In accordance with the invention, a third arrangement is included for translating data received from the first system in accordance with the first protocol into data adapted for the second system in accordance with the second protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive interface further includes an arrangement for translating data received from the second system in accordance with the second protocol into data adapted for the first system in accordance with the first protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the second system is a Personal Computer, the first system is a peripheral adapted to be connected to the computer, the first protocol is a Bluetooth protocol and the second protocol is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. In the illustrative embodiment, the inventive interface leverages Universal Serial Bus technology, particularly “plug and play” capability, to simplify the installation and use of Bluetooth-enabled peripherals. |
| US07864790B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving the management of data packets
An apparatus for improving the management of data packets received from a network comprises a receiver for receiving data packets, a first storage unit for storing data packets, a counter for storing a count value, a second storage unit for storing a threshold value, and a comparator for comparing the count value against the threshold value wherein when count value reaches the threshold value, the apparatus issues a first event. A method for improving the management of data packets received from a network comprises receiving a data packet from the network, transferring the data packet into at least one data buffer, monitoring the number of unavailable descriptors, comparing the number of unavailable descriptors with a threshold value, and triggering a first event when the count value reaches the threshold value. |
| US07864788B2 |
System and method for bridging proxy traffic in an electronic network
A system and method are provided of bridging proxy traffic in an electronic network. The method can include the operation of receiving a data stream from a client into a packet scanning device using a first socket. This data stream can be directed to an external communication network. The socket information for the first socket can be cached or stored in a cache in the packet scanning device using a cache ID. The first socket can then be connected to a user space process. A second socket can be generated by the user space process using the cache ID. The second socket can be modified using information retrieved from the cache based on the cache ID to make the second socket emulate the first socket. An additional operation is sending the data stream through the second socket to the external communication network. |
| US07864782B2 |
Packet processing apparatus and method
In a packet processing apparatus and method in an ethernet switching system, an introduced packet is discarded by switching to a dummy port instead of trapping the packet until a layer 3 table of an ethernet switch chip is updated, thereby operating an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) after having minimized a central processing unit (CPU) load. The packet processing apparatus, upon receipt of a first packet headed for a destination Internet protocol (IP) address not existing in the packet processing unit from a source host, transmits an ARP request packet to the destination IP address so as to acquire routing information of a destination host. When the packet processing apparatus receives a second packet headed for the IP address of the destination host from the source host before an ARP response packet is received in accordance with the ARP request packet and before the routing information corresponding to the IP address of the destination host is acquired, it switches the packet based on imaginary routing information. |
| US07864781B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method and program utilizing a communication adapter
One aspect of the embodiments utilizes an information processing apparatus connected to another information processing apparatus via a transmitting path. An embodiment includes a communication request generation unit generating a communication request to the other information processing apparatus, a network management unit outputting a first data having an address of a first form to the other information processing apparatus based on the communication request, and a sending unit sending the second data to the transmitting path. The address converting unit converts the first data that the network management unit has output to second data including an address of a second form and outputs the second data when the address converting unit has received a sending request of the first data from the network management unit or when designated time has elapsed before receiving the sending request of the first data from the network management unit. |
| US07864780B1 |
Apparatus and methods for handling name resolution over IPV6 using NAT-PT and DNS-ALG
Methods and apparatus for processing a DNS query by a NAT device are disclosed. A NAT device (e.g., NAT-PT device) receives the DNS query from a node. The NAT device then sends two DNS queries to a DNS server. Specifically, each of the DNS queries requests an IP address in a different version of IP (e.g., IPv4 or IPv6). For example, each of the DNS queries may request an A record or an AAAA record. When the NAT device receives two DNS replies from the DNS server, it forwards only one of the DNS replies to the node. Specifically, the DNS reply that is forwarded includes at least one answer record. DNS replies that do not include at least one answer record, or are received subsequent to forwarding the DNS reply to the node, are dropped by the NAT device. |
| US07864776B2 |
Method and equipment for making a routing decision dependent on a quality-of-service class
A method and equipment for obtaining routing data for a data transfer packet is presented. The data transfer packet is associated with information indicating a quality-of-service class of the data transfer packet and is related to protocol data associated with a data transfer protocol being used. The method using the protocol data as an input quantity for reading basic data and a reduction rule that are compatible with a routing table and the protocol data, using the information indicating the quality-of-service class as an input quantity of the reduction rule for obtaining auxiliary routing data, and obtaining the routing data on the basis of the basic data and the auxiliary routing data. The reduction rule connects auxiliary data to each quality-of-service class in such a way that each auxiliary data is associated with at least two different quality-of-service classes in order to reduce the amount of required storage capacity. |
| US07864770B1 |
Routing messages in a zero-information nested virtual private network
A mechanism for generating an address of a cyphertext component of a VPN router in a nested VPN system using an address of a plaintext domain so that a PTX domain has no knowledge about IP addressing in a CTX domain and vice versa. The mechanism advantageously avoids storing correlation between CTX addresses and PTX addresses, thereby maintaining a zero information requirement in a nested VPN routing. |
| US07864767B2 |
Providing broadcast channel information
A system and method of providing broadcast channel information generates a join message to join a broadcast channel information multicast group, sends the join message to a network, and stores a broadcast channel information table received from the network. Therefore, there is no need to receive broadcast channel information every time a set-top box is turned on or off. |
| US07864762B2 |
Ethernet encryption over resilient virtual private LAN services
Encryption of Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 packet data units (PDUs) at the edge of the enterprise network, in such a way as to support resilient Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS) network designs. The Ethernet traffic is securely tunneled within encrypted Ethernet tunnels from the edge to the edge of the enterprise network. The encrypted Ethernet traffic is also tunneled within Multi-Protocol Layer Switching (MPLS) tunnels from the edge to the edge of the service provider network. The enterprise network thus manages its own Ethernet site-to-site Virtual Private Network (VPN). The service provider thus independently manages its own MPLS network. The result provides a VPLS or Layer 2 MPLS VPN to the enterprise; the enterprise Ethernet encrypted network can thus be considered as an overlay to the MPLS service provider network. |
| US07864761B2 |
Handling unsolicited content at a telecommunications terminal
A method and apparatus are disclosed that enable a telecommunications terminal to securely receive unsolicited content from applications that are external to the terminal. In particular, the present invention enables the terminal to control the interaction with external applications by using a secure, two-task process. In the two-task process of the present invention, the execution of the second task is based on verifying the trustworthiness of address information that is provided in the first task. This is in contrast to a one-task process, in which an untrustworthy server that provides content might hide its own address by substituting a legitimate address. |
| US07864759B2 |
Synchronization of secured audiovisual streams
This invention relates to a device capable of transmitting in a secured manner a set of films of high visual quality to a display screen of the TV screen type and/or for being recorded on the hard disk or on any other recording support of a box/connector connecting the teletrans-mission/telecommunication network to the display screen such as a TV screen or a personal computer monitor while preserving the audiovisual quality, but avoiding fraudulent use such as the possibility of making pirated copies of films or audiovisual programs recorded on the hard disk or on any other recording support of the set-tope boxy/decoder boxy. The invention also concerns a client-server system and the synchronization mechanism between the server supplying the stream permitting the viewing of the secured digital video film and the client who reads and displays the digital video stream. |
| US07864756B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a network conversion interface
Systems and methods are provided wherein an incoming plain old telephone systems (PSTN) signal is input into a network conversion interface. The network conversion interface first determines the data type of the incoming signal. Next, the network conversion interface creates a routing sequence of the incoming signal based on the determined data type. Finally, the network conversion interface converts the incoming signal into an 802.X format and sends the signal to an appropriate IP device based on the determined signal type. Should the network conversion interface lose electrical power, a drop contactor routes the incoming signal directly to an analog device without creating a routing sequence or performing an 802.X conversion. |
| US07864753B1 |
Electronic loop provisioning methods and systems
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method, comprising: receiving, at a subscriber interface line card, an analog signal from a POTS subscriber loop circuit; quantizing the analog signal into a plurality of digital samples; encoding, via high-quality audio codec instructions running on a digital signal processor installed on the subscriber interface line card, the plurality of digital samples; and converting, via conversion instructions running on the digital signal processor, the encoded plurality of digital samples into a plurality of VoATM packets. |
| US07864752B1 |
Bearer path resource matching in a wireless communication network
Call setup in a wireless communication network that includes a circuit fabric and a packet fabric. The originating MSCe receives an origination message including a call termination identifier, and a predictive bearer path matching mode is determined. When the originating MSCe is in a first predictive bearer path matching mode, the originating MSC generates a bearer resource preference list based upon the termination identifier. The bearer resource preference list includes a predetermined priority order of a plurality of bearer path resource identifiers including at least one of a packet bearer resource identifier and a circuit bearer resource identifier. When the originating MSCe is in a second predictive bearer path matching mode, the MSCe generates a bearer resource preference list to indicate whether the originating MSCe couples to a packet bearer resource or a trunk bearer resource. The originating MSCe sends, in response to the origination message, the bearer resource preference list to an originating base station controller (BSC). The originating BSC matches an available bearer path resource of the originating BSC based upon the bearer resource preference list. |
| US07864750B2 |
Load distributing apparatus and load distributing method
A load distributing apparatus is connected to a plurality of routers carrying out a transfer process of multicast data. The load distributing apparatus includes a network interface unit that receives a packet via a network, a packet identifying unit that identifies the packet received as a join message or a prune message, a path-sorting-rule storing unit that stores a path-sorting rule for sorting the packet to the routers, and a packet sorting unit that sorts the packet that is identified by the packet identifying unit to the routers based on the path-sorting rule stored in the path-sorting-rule storing unit. |
| US07864747B2 |
System and method for communicating timing to a remote node
A system and method for synchronizing a clock for data transmissions. A data packet is received at a remote node. A timing characteristic of the data packet corresponds to a tick of a clock form a reference clock. A tick of the clock is determined based on the timing characteristic of the data packet. A secondary clock is disciplined with the reference clock by adjusting the secondary clock based on a difference between times measured by the reference clock and the secondary clock to generate a clock signal. The clock signal is communicated to one or more interfaces. |
| US07864746B2 |
Method of transmitting feedback information in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)/ OFDM access (OFDMA) mobile communication system
A method of transmitting feedback information in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method comprises a mobile station (MS) which determines whether to transmit feedback information to a base station (BS) without solicitation from the BS. After determining to do so, the MS transmits a request message to request the BS to allocate an uplink resource for transmitting at least one unsolicited header and thereafter receives the uplink resource allocation from the BS. Lastly, the MS transmits the at least one unsolicited header via the allocated uplink resource. |
| US07864744B2 |
Method for dynamically selecting a channel in a wireless local area network
Disclosed is a method of dynamical frequency selecting for a basic service set established by a main wireless device in a wireless local area network. The method comprises steps of a determining step for determining whether a new channel to be used by said BSS is needed; a scanning step conducted by said main wireless device for scanning all channels based on a random priority to detect whether other adjacent BSSs are existing and performing DFS concurrently; a measuring step conducted by said main wireless device based on the scanning result for existing operational BSSs for measuring channel quality of a plurality of channels; selecting one channel based on the channel quality parameters. The present invention advantageously provides a dynamic frequency selection method without any modification for the IEEE 802.11 standard, or any requirement for the implementation of the wireless stations. |
| US07864742B2 |
Cell network using friendly relay communication exchanges
A wireless access point and multiple wireless terminals exchange utilization, status, mobility and reception characteristics. Each wireless terminal generates reception characteristics based on transmissions received from the wireless access point and from other devices in the network. In one operating mode, the characteristics gathered by the wireless devices are forwarded to the wireless access point, and, based on all received characteristics, the wireless access point selects its own transmission power for different types of the transmission. In another mode, all characteristics are exchanged between every wireless terminal and the access point so that each can independently or cooperatively make transmission power control decisions. In a further mode, the wireless access point adjusts protocol parameters based on an assessment of the characteristics received from the client devices, to detect an event such as a hidden terminal condition. The utilization, status, mobility, and reception characteristics include received signal strength, error rates, estimated battery life, availability of unlimited power, active versus sleep mode ratios, anticipated bandwidth utilization, coding schemes available, deterministic/non-deterministic requirements, encryption and security requirements, quality of service requirements, position, velocity, stationary status, etc. Gathering of such characteristics involves both retrieval of preset parameters from memory and generating parameters based on received transmissions (including test packets). |
| US07864740B2 |
System for minimizing signaling overhead in OFDMA-based communication systems
A system of physical layer packet format and signaling methods is disclosed, wherein signaling overhead is minimized in applications where multiple users share air interface resources; improving efficiency in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication systems. |
| US07864734B2 |
Communication system and method to be performed in a communication system
The invention relates to a communication method and system wherein a network element of a roaming user is attachable to a visited first network and may still be served by a serving means of the home network. The network element of the roaming user is able to indicate a preference, e.g. home or local control, when registering or initiating a connection. A network element of the visited network such as proxy means adds information on the indicated preference when sending a message to the home network. The message is preferably sent as a protocol message, in particular a message of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). |
| US07864732B2 |
Systems and methods for handoff in wireless network
Methods performed by a mobile node (MN) in a secured network for handoff of communication from a serving access point (AP) to a target AP are provided. In a bounded delay channel switching (BDCS) method, the MN periodically switches between a first channel and one of multiple other channels during handoff, utilizes the first channel to transmit/receive packets to/from a corresponding node (CN) via the serving AP and utilizes one of the other channels to perform the handoff procedure to the target AP. In a dual-MAC switching (DMS) method, the MN employs a first MAC (medium access control) address to transmit/receive packets to/from the serving AP and a second MAC address to perform the handoff procedure to the target AP. |
| US07864731B2 |
Secure distributed handover signaling
Provided are apparatuses and methods for providing security measures for a handover execution procedure in a communication network. In one example, the handover procedure is initiated by more than one base station. In another example, a base station may not launch a Denial or Service (DoS) attack towards other base stations or towards a core network using handover signaling messages. For example, a user device may send at least one encryption parameter, such as a Nonce associated with the user device to a source base station. Handover of the user device from the source base station to a target base station may be accomplished based on the at least one encryption parameter to avoid the DoS attack. |
| US07864729B2 |
Prioritized display of cell broadcast messages
Devices, systems, and methods for creating, procuring, and maintaining a priority scheme for cell broadcast messages. In an exemplary embodiment, the priority scheme includes a plurality of cell broadcast channels (CBCH) that are assigned logic groups, which in turn are assigned a priority level. Accordingly, cell broadcast (CB) messages with higher priority levels are displayed first on the receiving device. |
| US07864727B2 |
Congestion control method for wireless communication system and base station control apparatus
If a wireless resource congestion occurs, the wireless resources of the entire system are used efficiently to reduce a disconnection of communication with a congested sector and a state in which a new call cannot be originated nor terminated. A base station control apparatus compares the wireless resource usage amount of each sector of each base station with values stored in a wireless resource threshold table. If a sector of a base station is in the light congestion state, the neighbor search window size of a sector specifying the congested sector as a neighbor is changed to restrict a soft hand-over to the congested sector. If a sector of a base station is in the heavy congestion state, a mobile station which is communicating in the congested sector and receiving radio waves of another sector with stability is subjected to a forced soft hand-over. |
| US07864716B1 |
Talk group management architecture
Systems and methods for supporting group communications are provided. A group list management server (GLMS) stores communications group definitions in documents, such as extensible mark-up language (XML) documents. The communications group can include communication addresses for different types of communication applications, including electronic mail, voice telephone, data, instant messaging, voice dispatch, short messaging service (SMS), and multimedia service (MMS). Various methods for managing communications groups and features provided for communications groups are provided. |
| US07864715B2 |
Data communication method, communication server system, and communication terminal
A data communication method able to transfer data well in real time group communication between one and many communication terminals, which has a communication server system repeatedly judge whether or not each receiving side communication terminal can communicate, postpone the transfer of data to the communication terminals when it judges there is a communication terminal which cannot communicate, and newly transfer the data postponed in transfer to all of the receiving side communication terminals when subsequently judging that the communication terminal judged to be unable to communicate is able to communicate and a communication server system and a communication terminal used in the same. |
| US07864713B2 |
Method and apparatus for self-configuring routing devices in a network
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for configuring routing devices in a network data processing system. A routing change is identified in the network data processing system. In response to the routing change being identified, a node topology is generated for a set of routing devices present in the network data processing system. A master network configuration table is built at a routing device within the set of routing devices. The network configuration table contains configuration data from the routing devices in the node topology. The master network configuration table is broadcast to the routing devices in the network data processing system. |
| US07864712B2 |
Preventing loops in networks operating different protocols to provide loop-free topology
A method and system for preventing loops in a network including network devices operating different protocols for providing loop-free topology are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving link state information at a network device operating a first protocol and in communication with a network device operating a second protocol, creating at least one tunnel to one or more other network devices operating the first protocol and in communication with a network device operating the second protocol, receiving a proposal, blocking designated boundary ports in communication with network devices operating the second protocol, and transmitting an agreement. |
| US07864710B2 |
System and method for routing signaling messages in a communication network
A system and method for routing signaling messages in a communication network includes an improved route engine having a plurality of dynamically loadable route trees encoded as standardized data files each provisioned for use according to a corresponding network service and having one or more nodes each encoded with logic to independently carry out processing for the service and return a corresponding route response. |
| US07864703B2 |
Packet communication device
A packet communication device, which provides a modular node capable of setting up the operation of the node at a time without updating a program in the node body when a new functional module is installed, sends a process setting content, requested by a configuration file specified by a manager, to functional modules as an offering message and determines whether or not the functional modules can process the content of the offering message. Based on the answers of offering, a configuration processing program of a node determines a functional module, to which processing it to be assigned, according to a predetermined method. |
| US07864702B2 |
Control and recruitment of client peripherals from server-side software
A client-server arrangement permits recruitment and control of client peripherals to be effected from the server side is described. A client server system has a server device, a client device, and a peripheral device. The client device is in communication with the server device. The peripheral device is in communication with the client device. The client device has a port server to convert data between an IP format and a non-IP format. The peripheral device exchanges data with the port server in the non-IP format. The server device includes a computational device to exchange data with the port server in the IP format. |
| US07864697B2 |
Adapted method for spectrum management of digital communication systems
Provided is a method of determining a spectrum management of digital communication systems having a plurality of communication lines by determination of the power levels within each band, for each user, assuming a predetermined maximum interference from other users. The spectral management center has a power allocation determinator for receiving a modelled power level and a noise weight from each user communication line and is able to determine allocated power of its respective communication line based on the optimised determined power needs of the plurality of communication lines of the digital communication systems. In one form the calculations are undertaken in the SMC. In another form the master is undertaken in the SMC while the slave is undertaken at the user's modem and the power level of an individual communication line and its interference by adjacent lines is determined at the user's modem and communicated to the spectral management center. |
| US07864696B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication method, program for controlling communication apparatus, storage medium storing program
When a station, which associates itself in a wireless network, wants to make transmission/reception of traffic with a certain characteristic, it makes the transmission/reception as it expects. To this end, a communication apparatus which has an access point function and station function determines if the transmission/reception of the traffic with the certain characteristic can be made in the existing wireless network. If that transmission/reception cannot be made in the existing network based on the determination result, the apparatus serves as the access point function to create a network, and communicates with a communication partner using the created network. |
| US07864695B2 |
Traffic load density measuring system, traffic load density measuring method, transmitter, receiver, and recording medium
The traffic load density measuring system includes a transmitter connected to a communication network for transmitting a packet, and a receiver for receiving the packet, in which a packet for load density detection is transmitted and received to measure a traffic load density within a predetermined transmission interval. The transmitter changes a transmission interval of the packet for load density detection, and adds transmission information capable of specifying a transmission time, a transmission interval, and a transmission number of the packet for load density detection to the packet for load density detection to transmit said packet. The receiver receives the packet for load density detection, extracts the transmission information from the packet for load density detection being received, and measures the load density within the predetermined transmission interval based on the extracted transmission information, and a delay or a lost status of the packet for load density detection. |
| US07864693B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a communication session between two terminals
A method and apparatus for establishing a requested communication session between two terminals (A, B) over a given physical channel, wherein the session requires the determination of session parameters before the session can be executed. It is determined (402) by means of at least one session key, whether any session parameters for a previous session between the terminals have been stored in the terminals. If so, the stored session parameters are retrieved (408), such that the requested session can be executed (410) based on the retrieved session parameters. In this way, delays involved with the establishment of sessions requiring the determination of parameters, e.g. in multimedia calls, can be reduced. |
| US07864691B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing a loopback test in a communication system
The invention is test apparatus and methods for performing loopback tests. The tests involve generating a packet-based test message having a source address and a destination address. When the test message arrives at the destination, the addresses are exchanged and the message is returned to the source. The addresses can be level 2 addresses, such as MAC addresses, and/or level 3 addresses, such as IP addresses. The returned message and the propagation properties observed for the test message can be used to determine information about the network being tested. |
| US07864686B2 |
Tunneling scheme for transporting information over a cable network
A cable network includes a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) set-top gateway (DSG) server connected to an Internet Protocol (IP) network and a DSG client operating in a set-top device connected to a cable network. A DSG agent operates in a cable modem termination system (CMTS) coupled between the IP network and the cable network. The DSG agent receives data from the DSG server and sends the data to the DSG client over dynamically assigned DSG tunnels. |
| US07864684B2 |
Scheduling strategy for packet switched traffic
The invention provides a leaky-bucket method for delivering packets from a first node (A) to a second node (B) in a packet switched network, comprising the steps of: receiving at the first node (A) of at least one transmission comprising buffered packets, and at least one transmission comprising real-time packets; transmitting the received packets to the second node (B) and increase a bucket counter for the bucket, which bucket has a leak rate that is equal to or larger than the byte transmitting ratio of the real-time packets. The method is particularly characterize in that: the bucket size for the buffered packets is set to a first size; the bucket size for real-time packets is set to a second size that is larger than the first bucket size; real-time packets are transmitted to the second node (B) upon arrival at the first node (A), provided that a bucket counter indicates that the second bucket size is not overflowed; buffered packets are transmitted to the second node (B) when the bucket counter indicates that it has leaked enough to receive a buffered packet without overflowing said first bucket size. The invention is also providing an improved node arranged to perform the improved method for a leaky-bucket. |
| US07864676B2 |
Network cross-domain precedence and service quality conflict mitigation
A method, computer program product, and system are provided for prioritizing data in a network system. For example, an embodiment of the method may include allocating network system resources to high-priority data with an identifier and dynamically changing a threshold level from a pre-assigned, minimum level in the allocation of network resources based on data traffic with the identifier received by a communication device in the network system. In allocating network system resources, the data with the identifier may be filtered into a separate data stream from data without the identifier. For instance, the data stream containing data with the high-priority identifier may be directed to a high-priority buffer that has a minimum allocation of network resources dedicated to the buffer to ensure unencumbered data transfer between the communication device and a destination within the network system. Further, in dynamically changing the threshold level, network resources may be allocated to data with a high-priority identifier as the high-priority data is received by the communication device. A prioritization of network resource queue space for the data with the high-priority identifier and then a prioritization of data without the high-priority identifier in the remaining queue space, if any, according to Quality of Service (QoS) requirements may be required when allocating network resources. Therefore, the method described above may be used to propagate prioritized data across a network while accommodating for QoS requirements. |
| US07864675B2 |
Automation device
The invention relates to an automation device (100, 100′), with which a multiplicity of physically distributed functional units communicate with each other by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110), which is assigned at least one clock generator (120) and one memory unit (150), and which is connected at least to one data source (140), which is designed to output a data bit-stream to be transmitted. |
| US07864672B1 |
Method for tracking source and destination internet protocol data
In an IP network, tabulating the number of data packets received from and/or sent to a particular IP address over time can provide a mechanism by which it is possible to determine or predict overloading of a node or nodes in an IP data network. By selectively deleting data packets received from a suspect source address or inhibiting the transmission of data packets to a suspect destination address, network management and control can be readily accomplished. |
| US07864669B2 |
Method of constructing a backup path in an autonomous system
A method of constructing a backup path in an autonomous system (AS) for failure of an inter-AS link is described. The method comprises identifying an alternate inter-AS path and constructing a tunnel to an end point on the alternate path. |
| US07864663B2 |
Orthogonal spread-spectrum waveform generation with non-contiguous spectral occupancy for use in CDMA communications
The technology in this application spreads a signal over an available discontinuous spectrum, such as a radio frequency band, so that the spread signal only occupies the non-contiguous spectrum. In this way, CDMA transmission and reception can be used in a fragmented or non-contiguous spectrum that otherwise would not be useable for direct sequence spreading. Spreading over non-contiguous portions of spectrum is preferably performed without producing unacceptable interference in portions of unavailable spectrum located between the allowed spectrum. By avoiding unacceptable interference in portions of unavailable spectrum located between the allowed spectrum, the unavailable spectrum may be used by other users or services. |
| US07864660B2 |
Method for transporting a signal in a radio network
For ensuring a low cost transport of signals in a radio network, in particular with a high density of radio access points, a method is proposed, where the signals are transported over wires between a base station and radio access points, comprising the steps of: determining the useful band of each wire (20); associating at least two wires (21); filtering the signal into sub-bands (22); transporting each sub-band over one or more wires of the associated wires (25); at the receiving end rebuilding the signal from the sub-bands (27). Further proposed are a radio head and a radio controller both adapted to the present method. |
| US07864652B2 |
Gain control circuit and optical recording and reproducing device using thereof
A gain control circuit to determine gain by a current ratio of mutual conductance. The gain control circuit includes a first gain control circuit in which positive and negative phase input signals are supplied, gain is changed based on a first control signal, and positive and negative phase output signals are outputted, a second gain control circuit in which the positive and negative phase input signals are supplied, gain is changed based on a second control signal, and the positive and negative phase output signals are outputted, and a load circuit in which the positive phase output signal of the first gain control circuit and the negative phase output signal of the second gain control circuit are synthesized and supplied to a first input terminal, and the negative phase output signal of the first gain control circuit and the positive phase output signal of the second gain control circuit are synthesized and supplied to a second input terminal, and the synthesized signals are lead out through mutual conductance. |
| US07864651B2 |
Optical pickup and optical disk apparatus
An optical pickup includes: a first light source that emits a first linearly polarized light beam; a second light source that emits a second linearly polarized light beam different from the first wavelength; a drive unit configured to selectively drive the light sources; a first light path along which the first light beam travels to an optical disk; a second light path along which the second light beam travels to the optical disk, the first and second light paths intersecting in the middle of the light paths and are combined into a third light path; a light path-combining optical element provided at the intersection of the first and second light paths; a light path-separating optical element provided along the third light path; a phase difference-imparting optical element provided along the third light path; and a light receiving element that receives the first and second light beams reflected off the optical disk. |
| US07864650B2 |
Optical element, optical head, optical information recording and reproduction apparatus, computer, image recording device, image reproduction device, server and car navigation system
The present invention provides a first light source (21) that emits light of a first wavelength, that at least either records onto or reproduces information from an information recording medium (30), a light source (22) that emits light of a second wavelength that records onto or reproduces information from an information recording medium (33), a light source (23) that emits light of a third wavelength that records onto or reproduces information from an information recording medium (23), focusing means, an optical element (28) that passes light of the first wavelength and diffracts light of the second and third wavelengths, wherein the optical element (28) is an optical element in which grooves are formed in a substrate, wherein the expression: 380 nm≦(n−1)×d≦420 nm is satisfied, where n is a refractive index of the substrate at a wavelength of 400 nm, and d (nm) is a depth per step of the grooves, and wherein the grooves are formed in two steps of depth d and depth 2d. |
| US07864644B2 |
Optical storage medium reading/writing method and device with improved reliability
A method and device are disclosed for improving reliability of reading an optical storage medium, such as an optical disc (20). A disc spin speed value (31) of the optical disc (20) is provided and an unnormal value of said disc spin speed value (31), which differs from a disc spin speed value within a range of nominal disc spin speed values, is detected, indicating normal spinning operation of said optical disc (20). By using this method, the spinning loss of an optical disc, e.g. due to insufficient disc clamping force, is detected fastly and reliably, in a manner resulting in a reduced risk of damaging the disc and disc reader during such spinning loss. Further actions may be taken in both cases, including disabling the drive in order to prevent damage of the disc or to thwart such illegal usage. |
| US07864643B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing mechanical endurance of surface of optical disc, the optical disc of same kind as the tested optical disc
An apparatus and method for testing mechanical endurance of a surface of an optical disc is disclosed, which includes a rotating plate on which the optical disc is fixed to generate scratch thereon, and rotating the fixed optical disc; and a plurality of abrasion wheels disposed in perpendicular to the rotating plate, and being in contact with the surface of the optical disc, to generate the scratch on the surface of the optical disc, wherein, the scratches generate when the optical disc rotates a predetermined turn, e.g. below ten turns for applying a predetermined load generated from the abrasion wheel on the optical disc. |
| US07864642B2 |
Method of optimizing a write strategy based on an adaptive write strategy study and optical recording apparatus using the same
A method of optimizing a write strategy (WS) based on an adaptive WS study used in an optical recording apparatus includes recording buffered user data to a rewritable optical disk, performing a WS study when the recording of the buffered user data is completed, and recording additional user data that is buffered afterward according to an WS obtained based on the WS study. Accordingly, since an optimal WS is obtained in real time by performing the WS study during an interval occurring during the UD recording operation, the UD is optimally recorded. |
| US07864633B2 |
System and method for position determination of objects
A method and a system for detection and position determination of chips, which transmit ultrasound signals in a room. The system comprises electronic identification chips, which are attached to objects that have to be monitored. Each chip is equipped with a transmitter and a receiver. The signals are received by a plurality of detector units, which are connected to a detector base unit that registers and interprets the signals transmitted form the identification chips. Detector base units located in different rooms are interconnected in a network and transmit processed information to one or more central units for further interpretation and sorting. The special feature of the invention is that line interference is substantially removed, and it is possible to determine position even though the identification chips are in motion. |
| US07864627B2 |
Memory module decoder
A circuit is configured to be mounted on a memory module connectable to a computer system so as to be electrically coupled to a plurality of memory devices on the memory module. The plurality of memory devices has a first number of memory devices. The circuit comprises a logic element configurable to receive a set of input signals from the computer system. The circuit further comprising a register and a phase-lock loop circuit, the phase-lock loop circuit configurable to be operatively coupled to the plurality of memory devices, the logic element, and the register. The set of input signals corresponds to a second number of memory devices smaller than the first number of memory devices. |
| US07864626B2 |
Interface circuit, memory interface system, and data reception method
An interface circuit includes a delay circuit that generates a delay signal obtained by delaying a data strobe signal, a first logical circuit that performs a logical operation of on the data strobe signal and the delay signal, and outputs an operation result as a first strobe signal, a second logical circuit that receives the first strobe signal and generates a second strobe signal that is complementary to the first strobe signal; a first latch circuit that latches a data signal based on the first strobe signal, and a second latch circuit that latches the data signal based on the second strobe signal. |
| US07864622B2 |
Low power multi-chip semiconductor memory device and chip enable method thereof
A multi-chip semiconductor device capable of selectively activating and deactivating the individual semiconductor chips of the device and a chip enable method thereof are included. The individual semiconductor chips of the device are activated and deactivated in accordance with internal chip enable signals. |
| US07864621B2 |
Compiled memory, ASIC chip, and layout method for compiled memory
Each of memory blocks includes word line groups each having at least one of word lines, memory cells and bit lines. A decoder unit selects couple control units corresponding to the memory blocks to be accessed, and decodes an address signal to select any of the word line groups. A logic of the decoder unit is formed by assigning a bit of the address signal to identify the memory blocks and the couple control units lower than a bit of the address signal to identify the word line groups. Accordingly, the numbers of word lines disposed at the memory blocks can be equalized with each other, and lengths of the bit lines can be shortened. As a result, a wiring delay of each of the bit lines can be minimized, and an access time of a compiled memory can be shortened. |
| US07864618B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of banks, each of which is constituted of a plurality of memory cell arrays that are aligned in series in the longitudinal direction, wherein each memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells, and wherein memory cell arrays of banks are collectively aggregated into a plurality of blocks, each of which includes memory cell arrays aligned in the perpendicular direction, in connection with a plurality of DQ pads. DQ pads are arranged in proximity to blocks. Substantially the same distance is set between memory cells and DQ pads so as to reduce dispersions in access times with respect to all DQ pads, thus achieving high-speed access in the semiconductor memory device. The wiring region of IO lines is reduced in the center area of the chip. |
| US07864610B2 |
Sense amplifier controlling circuit and controlling method
A sense amplifier controlling circuit for controlling a sense amplifier in a semiconductor memory, which amplifies differential electric potential of a pair of bit lines to which memory cells are connected by sequentially operating a CMOS flip-flop and a preamplifier performing an amplification operation different from each other, controls the sense amplifier, and activate the preamplifier at an early operation stage of the CMOS flip-flop and the preamplifier independently of activation of the CMOS flip-flop during the amplification operation of the CMOS flip-flop. |
| US07864602B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor storage device and method of writing data thereto
A non-volatile semiconductor storage device includes: a plurality of memory cells storing information based on a change in resistance value; and a plurality of first and second wirings connected to the plurality of memory cells and activated in reading data from and writing data to a certain one of the memory cells. Each of the memory cells includes: an irreversible storage element storing information based on a change in resistance value associated with breakdown of an insulation film; and a voltage booster circuit receiving an input of a voltage-boost clock performing clock operation in writing data to a certain one of the memory cells and applying a voltage-boosted signal boosted based on the voltage-boost clock to one end of the irreversible storage element. |
| US07864597B2 |
Method and circuit for controlling generation of a boosted voltage in devices receiving dual supply voltages
A row driver circuit receives a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage. The circuit provides the first supply voltage on an output responsive to the first supply voltage being greater than a threshold value. The circuit generates a boosted voltage that is greater than the first supply voltage and provides that boosted voltage on the output responsive to the first supply voltage being less than the threshold value. |
| US07864591B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device adapted to store a multi-valued data in a single memory cell
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes an electrically data rewritable non-volatile semiconductor memory cell and a write circuit for writing data in the memory cell, the write circuit writing a data in the memory cells by supplying a write voltage Vpgm and a write control voltage VBL to the memory cell, continuing the writing of the data in the memory cell by changing the value of the write control voltage VBL in response to an advent of a first write state of the memory cell and inhibiting any operation of writing a data to the memory cell by further changing the value of the write control voltage VBL to Vdd in response to an advent of a second write state of the memory cell. |
| US07864590B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method of operating the same
A non-volatile memory device includes a memory cell array and a controller. The memory cell array includes memory cells for data storage and a plurality of flag cells. The flag cells indicate program states of the memory cells for each of a plurality of word lines. The controller determines the program states of the memory cells by employing the flag cells and controls a pass voltage provided to a corresponding word line according to the determined program states. |
| US07864584B2 |
Expanded programming window for non-volatile multilevel memory cells
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for utilizing an expanded programming window for non-volatile multilevel memory cells. One method includes associating a different logical state with each of a number of different threshold voltage (Vt) distributions. In various embodiments, at least two Vt distributions include negative Vt levels. The method includes applying a read voltage to a word line of a selected cell while applying a pass voltage to word lines of unselected cells, applying a boost voltage to a source line coupled to the selected cell, applying a voltage greater than the boost voltage to a bit line of the selected cell, and sensing a current variation of the bit line in response to the selected cell changing from a non-conducting state to a conducting state. |
| US07864578B2 |
Semiconductor memory repairing a defective bit and semiconductor memory system
A semiconductor memory has a plurality of blocks, and each of the blocks comprises a plurality of pages, and further, each of the pages has a plurality of memory cells. A block having defective bits less than N (N is an integer number more than 0) in all pages of the block stores a first data showing a normal block. A block including at least one page having defective bits more than N and including no page having defective bits more than M (M is an integer number of M>N) stores a second data showing a psedo-pass block as a pseudo-normal block. A block including at least one page having defective bits more than M stores a third data showing a defective block. |
| US07864577B2 |
Sharing physical memory locations in memory devices
A memory structure includes a plurality of address banks where each address bank is operative to store a memory address. In certain embodiments, at least two of the address banks share physical memory locations for at least one redundant most significant bit. Additionally, at least two of the address banks in certain embodiments share physical memory locations for at least one redundant most significant bit and at least one redundant least significant bit. At least two of the address banks in certain embodiments also share physical memory locations for at least one redundant interior bit. |
| US07864574B2 |
Memory device and memory programming method
Provided are memory devices and memory programming methods. A memory device may include a multi-bit cell array including a plurality of multi-bit cells, a programming unit configured to program a first data page in the plurality of multi-bit cells and to program a second data page in the multi-bit cells with the programmed first data page, a first controller configured to divide the multi-bit cells with the programmed first data page into a first group and a second group, and a second controller configured to set a target threshold voltage interval of each of the multi-bit cells included in the first group based on first read voltage levels and the second data page, and to set a target threshold voltage interval of each of the multi-bit cells included in the second group based on second read threshold voltage levels and the second data page. |
| US07864570B2 |
Self-boosting system with suppression of high lateral electric fields
In an improved EASB programming scheme for a flash device (e.g. a NAND flash device), the number of word lines separating a selected word line (to which a program voltage is applied) and an isolation word line (to which an isolation voltage is applied) is adjusted as a function (e.g. inverse function) of distance of the selected word line from the drain side select gate to reduce program disturb due to high vertical and lateral electric fields at or near the isolation transistor when programming word lines closer to the drain side select gate. The selected and isolation word lines are preferably separated by two or more word lines to which intermediate voltage(s) are applied. |
| US07864569B2 |
Structure of magnetic random access memory using spin-torque transfer writing
A nano-magnetic device includes a first hard magnet having a first magnetization direction and having a central axis. The device also includes a second hard magnet separated from the first hard magnet by a dielectric liner. The second hard magnet has a second magnetization direction opposite to the first magnetization direction of the first hard magnet, and a central axis, such that when the first hard magnet and the second hard magnet are aligned a closed magnetic flux loop is formed through the first and second hard magnets. The device additionally includes a ferromagnetic free layer having a central axis. A spin-torque transfer current passes along the central axes of the first and second hard magnets and the ferromagnetic free layer, and affects the magnetization direction of the ferromagnetic free layer. |
| US07864568B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
In a semiconductor storage device such as a phase change memory, a technique which can realize high integration is provided. The semiconductor storage device includes a phase change thin film 101 having two stable phases of a crystal state with low electric resistance and an amorphous state with high electric resistance, upper plug electrodes 102 and 103 provided on one side of the phase change thin film 101, a lower electrode 104 provided on the other side of the phase change thin film 101, a selecting transistor 114 whose drain/source terminals are connected to the upper plug electrode 102 and the lower electrode 104, and a selecting transistor 115 whose drain/source terminals are connected to the upper plug electrode 103 and the lower electrode 104, and a first memory cell is configured with the selecting transistor 114 and a phase change region 111 in the phase change thin film 101 sandwiched between the upper plug electrode 102 and the lower electrode 104, and a second memory cell is configured with the selecting transistor 115 and a phase change region 112 in the phase change thin film 101 sandwiched between the upper plug electrode 103 and the lower electrode 104. |
| US07864563B2 |
Magnetic random access memory
A magnetic random access memory according to an example of the invention comprises a first reference bit line shared by first reference cells, a second reference bit line shared by second reference cells, a first driver-sinker to feed a first writing current, a second driver-sinker to feed a second writing current, and a control circuit which checks data stored in the first and second reference cells line by line, and executes writing simultaneously to all of the first and second reference cells by a uniaxial writing when the data is broken. |
| US07864560B2 |
Nano-electronic array
A nano device includes an array of cells disposed in rows and columns and constructed over a substrate, and an optical circuit disposed over the substrate, wherein the optical circuit is formed by nano elements in a self-assembled process. |
| US07864557B2 |
Flexible OTP sector protection architecture for flash memories
A method and system for protecting a memory having a plurality of blocks from modification is disclosed. The method and system include providing a plurality of one time programmable (OTP) cells and OTP cell logic coupled with the OTP cells. An OTP cell of the plurality of OTP cells corresponds to a portion of a block of the plurality of blocks. The OTP cell allows modification of the portion of the block when the OTP cell is in a first state and permanently prevents modification of the portion of the block when the OTP cell is in a second state. The OTP cell logic uses the plurality of OTP cells to select the portion of the block as corresponding to the OTP cell. This portion of the block is write protected when the OTP cell is placed in the second state. |
| US07864552B2 |
Intelligent sensorless control of a phase controlled rectifier
An uninterruptible power supply (“UPS”) has a phase-controlled rectifier coupled to a source of AC power and having an output providing a DC bus, the output of the phase-controlled rectifier coupled to an inverter. A first controller generates a firing angle for the rectifier and a fuzzy logic controller generates a firing angle for the rectifier. In an aspect, the rectifier is controlled by the firing angle generated by the first controller during normal operating conditions of the UPS and the rectifier is controlled by the firing angle generated by the fuzzy logic controller during abnormal operating conditions of the UPS. The abnormal operating conditions can include loss of a direct DC bus voltage measurement and or a period of time after the UPS experiences a large load change. In an aspect, the firing angle generated by the first controller is compared to the firing angle generated by the fuzzy logic controller and a rectifier fault condition determined to exist when the two firing angles differ by at least a threshold amount. In an aspect, the first controller is a PI controller. |
| US07864550B2 |
Power adapter with voltage-stabilized compensation
A power adapter with voltage-stabilized compensation includes a pulse frequency modulation circuit to generate a driving pulse which has a variable OFF time interval to control power transformed and output by a transformer. The power adapter also has an ancillary coil to induce a feedback signal on the secondary coil of the transformer. The pulse frequency modulation circuit includes a time interval modulation unit to receive the feedback signal and a feedback compensation unit. The time interval modulation unit sets a level voltage compared with the feedback signal to generate a sample signal to modulate the OFF time interval. The feedback compensation unit provides a compensation signal to the time interval modulation unit to change the size of the feedback signal or sample signal thereby to compensate the voltage output from the secondary side. |
| US07864549B1 |
Zero voltage switching coupled inductor boost power converters
The subject invention reveals a new coupled inductor boost converter which achieves zero voltage turn on switching for all four circuit switches. The coupled inductor of the circuit is fully clamped and thereby achieves excellent noise performance with neither snubbers nor clamps. The new coupled inductor boost converter is outstanding for isolated high voltage applications because the voltage stress of the secondary switches does not exceed the output voltage, it requires only one magnetic circuit element, and the average voltage stress of the secondary winding is equal to or less than half the output voltage. |
| US07864540B2 |
Peripheral card with sloped edges
A peripheral card includes a circuit board, various circuit elements on the circuit board, a set of user terminals, a set of test terminals, and an enclosure that covers a portion of the circuit board and the circuit elements. The enclosure does not cover the user terminals and test terminals. After the peripheral card is tested, the test terminals are covered with a conformal contact coating in order to prevent access to the test terminals. |
| US07864539B2 |
Horizontal drive drawer system and method
An apparatus may include drive chassis, at least one horizontal drive drawer extending from a first side of the drive chassis to a second side of the drive chassis and/or at Least one computer drive disposed on the horizontal drive drawer. Additionally, a computer server system and a method for providing the apparatus are disclosed. |
| US07864533B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a first output unit configured to output a first phase; a second output unit configured to output a second phase different from the first phase, the second output unit being disposed to be stacked on the first output unit; and a controller configured to control the output units. |
| US07864532B1 |
Molded or encapsulated transmit-receive module or TR module/antenna element for active array
An array of electrically conductive waveguides is made a method including defining slots in broad surfaces of planar dielectric slabs. The surfaces of the slabs, including slots, are metallized. The broad sides of the slabs are juxtaposed, with the slots registered with the planar surfaces of another slab, to form one or more closed waveguides. The waveguides may feed microchips, or act as antennas. The slabs may include electrical conductors andor heat pipes. Heat pipes are made by defining apertures with the dielectric slabs, and introducing wick material into the apertures. |
| US07864531B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes an FPC, a circuit chip arranged on the flexible flat cable, a heat sink arranged on the circuit chip to release a heat of the circuit chip, and an elastic member arranged on a lower surface of the FPC. The upper surface of the FPC is large enough to cover a contact surface of the circuit chip. The elastic member does not overlap with an apex portion of the circuit chip, but overlaps with the circuit chip at an inner side of the apex portion. Therefore the elastic member does not press the FPC against the apex portion of the circuit chip. Accordingly, the FPC at a position corresponding to an apex of the circuit chip is suppressed from being distorted, and there is no fear of breaking of wire and exfoliation of the circuit chip. |
| US07864530B1 |
Changing data center cooling modes
A method of providing utilities to a computer data center is discussed. The method includes initially connecting one or more non-evaporative cooling units to a data center as primary cooling plants, obtaining a government-issued water permit, and after obtaining the government-issued water permit, transitioning primary cooling for the data center to one or more evaporative cooling towers. |
| US07864526B2 |
Heat dissipation device
A heat dissipation device for cooling an electronic device mounted on a printed circuited board includes a heat sink thermally contacting the electronic device, a fan defining a plurality of through holes in a periphery thereof and a fixing device fixing the fan on a side of the heat sink. A plurality of fasteners are attached on a bottom of the heat sink and fasten the heat sink on the printed circuited board. The fasteners block the through holes in a bottom of the fan. The fixing device includes fixing brackets attached to the heat sink and a plurality of resilient connecting devices. Each resilient connecting device has an end extending through a corresponding through hole in the bottom of the fan and connected to the fan, and another end connected to a bottom of a corresponding fixing bracket. |
| US07864524B2 |
Multiple-fold portable electronic device
A multiple-fold portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device in one embodiment includes a first, second and third planar sections. The first and second planar section are connected by a first joint and foldable in relation to each other. The second and third planar sections are connected by a second joint and foldable in relation to each other. Each planar section can include an input device or an output device or both. |
| US07864522B1 |
Hard disk drive holder
A hard disk drive holder includes a main body, a spindle mounted to the main body and slidable between first and second positions, a handle rotatably connected to the main body via the spindle, a hook mounted to the handle, and first and second elastic members. The handle includes a locking tongue. The handle moves between closed and opened positions relative to the main body. When the handle is at the closed position, if the spindle is slid from the first position to the second position, the locking tongue gradually extends outside from the main body. When the handle is at the closed position, if the spindle is not at the first position, the hook can hook the main body. The first elastic member biases the spindle to slide to the second position. The second elastic member biases the handle to rotate to the opened position. |
| US07864521B2 |
Enclosure for electronic device
An enclosure for electronic device, includes a chassis and a cover. The chassis defines an opening. The chassis includes a drive bracket mounted therein. The drive bracket includes a side plate facing the opening. A through hole is defined in the side plate. A rotating member is pivotally mounted on the side plate. The rotating member includes a positioning pin. A data storage device is received in the drive bracket. The data storage device defines a locking hole in alignment with the through hole of the side plate. The cover is mounted on the chassis to cover the opening of the chassis. The cover abuts the rotating member so that the positioning pin is inserted in the through hole and the locking hole to secure the data storage device in the drive bracket of the chassis. |
| US07864516B2 |
Display unit and multi-display device having the same
A display unit includes; a display panel, and a receptacle including of a plurality of sidewalls configured to receive the display panel, the receptacle including at least one joining projection disposed on at least one of the sidewalls, at least one joining groove formed on at least one of the sidewalls, wherein the at least one joining projection and the at least one groove are disposed on opposing sidewalls of the receptacle in substantially symmetrical positions with respect to a center line of the receptacle. |
| US07864513B2 |
Keypad module for mobile electronic device
A keypad module for a mobile electronic device is provided. The mobile electronic device has a main body. The keypad module includes a receiving bracket adapted to be mounted on the main body. A flexible circuit board is arranged in the receiving bracket. A switching sheet is located above the flexible circuit board, and capable of actuating the flexible circuit board to produce electrical signal. A rubber sheet is disposed on the switching sheet, and shielding cover sits on the rubber sheet. Wherein the shielding cover is secured to receiving bracket. The shielding cover and the receiving bracket cooperatively define a receiving housing to accommodate the flexible circuit, the switching sheet, and the rubber sheet. |
| US07864511B2 |
Cover assembly for electronic device
A cover assembly includes a housing plate and a cover. The housing plate includes a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, and a fourth wall. The housing plate defines a rectangular opening. The first, second, third, and fourth walls are formed at the four edges of the rectangular opening. The housing plate defines a first positioning slot in the first wall, two second positioning slots at one end of the second wall and the third wall adjacent to the first wall, and a third positioning slot at a side of the rectangular opening. The cover includes a front end, an opposite rear end, a first locking sheet on the middle of the front end, two second locking sheets on both sides of the front end, and two third locking sheets on the inner surface of the disassembly portion and protruding from the rear end to the front end. |
| US07864508B2 |
Electrode material for electric double layer capacitor, method for producing the same, electrode for electric double layer capacitor and electric double layer capacitor
An electrode material for an electric double layer capacitor, where a moldability is good, a flexion resistance and a cohesiveness to a current collector after molding into an active material layer are high and an internal resistance can be reduced, an electrode for an electric double layer capacitor obtained using the electrode material, and a capacitor are provided. The electrode material for the electric double layer capacitor is composed of a mixture particle containing a binder and an electrode active material, and in said mixture particle, 50 area % or more of a surface of said mixture particle has been coated with the binder. |
| US07864504B1 |
Multi-layer capacitive transducer
A capacitive transducer of multi-layer construction includes two rotor plates supported by flexible springs, the plates being spaced apart and rigidly connected by a stem. One rotor plate my be used as either a pickup electrode or a grounded target electrode for determining position, displacement, or load force. The second rotor plate may be used for electrostatic actuation without interfering with or destroying circuitry associated with the first rotor plate. A number of improvements are disclosed including a hollow rotor plate structure for reduced moving mass, buckling resistant features for the springs, improved spring anchor joint design for reduced creep and hysteresis, and material selection and matching for reduced thermal sensitivity. |
| US07864503B2 |
Capacitive type touch panel
A capacitive type touch panel includes: a transparent substrate; an array of first conductors formed on a surface of the transparent substrate; an array of second conductors formed on the surface of the transparent substrate; a plurality of conductive first bridging lines, each of which interconnects two adjacent ones of the first conductors; a plurality of conductive second bridging lines, each of which interconnects two adjacent ones of the second conductors and each of which intersects insulatively a respective one of the first bridging lines; and a plurality of spaced apart insulators, each of which is disposed at an intersection of a respective one of the first bridging lines and a respective one of the second bridging lines to separate the respective first and second bridging lines. |
| US07864498B1 |
Power amplifier protection
A circuit includes: an input of shunt circuitry to couple with an output of detection circuitry that provides a protection signal; an output of the shunt circuitry to couple with an input of power amplification circuitry; and the shunt circuitry configured to reduce a gain of the power amplification circuitry responsive to the protection signal, the shunt circuitry including a delay stage configured to continue shunting of an input signal of the power amplification circuitry for a time period corresponding to a turn on time of the power amplification circuitry. In addition, a method includes: receiving a protection signal from detection circuitry; responsive to the protection signal, shunting an input signal of power amplification circuitry to reduce a gain of the power amplification circuitry; and continuing the shunting for a time period corresponding to a turn on time of the power amplification circuitry. |
| US07864497B2 |
Protective circuit
A protective circuit for electrical connection to solar cells of a solar cell module is provided with a protective circuit that has a controlled electronic circuit arrangement. In this way, only minimal heating of the protective circuit for electrical connection of solar cells of a solar cell module occurs in operation. The controlled electronic circuit arrangement can have a trigger circuit and a switching arrangement which can be triggered by the trigger circuit, the switching arrangement being connected parallel to at least one solar cell, and in the case of shading of the solar cells, is at least temporarily activated by the trigger circuit so that a current bypass for the shaded solar cell is achieved. |
| US07864494B2 |
Methodology to guard ESD protection circuits against precharge effects
An ESD protection circuit (710) is guarded by a parallel first precharge elimination circuit (720) relative to an I/O pad (721) and a parallel second precharge elimination circuit (730) relative to a VDD pad (731). The precharge elimination circuits are synchronized with the ESD protection circuit to eliminate any precharge voltage to ground before an ESD pulse affects the I/O pad or VDD pad. A diode (722) is connected between I/O pad and VDD. Circuit (720) is between I/O pad and ground (740) and is powered by the same VDD. Circuit (720) includes a first resistor (723), a first nMOS transistor (724), and a first RC timer including a second resistor (725) and a first capacitor (726). Circuit (730) includes a third resistor (733), a second nMOS transistor (734), and a second RC timer including a fourth resistor (735) and a second capacitor (736). |
| US07864479B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for optimizing fast access data storage on segmented tape media
An apparatus and system are disclosed for optimizing fast access data storage on segmented tape media. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to selectively write data to a tape storage medium. The selection module may select data for storage as one of fast access and slower access. Fast access data may be stored on the first segment, or fast access portion, of a tape storage medium to provide optimal speed for data retrieval. Slower access data may be stored on the remaining available storage space of the tape storage medium. Additionally, read requests for fast access data may be accessed more quickly than read requests for slower access data. Thus, user data may be selected and written to a tape storage medium relative to a preferred access time. |
| US07864477B1 |
Circuits, architectures, apparatuses, systems, algorithms and methods and software for automatic gain calibration of a burst signal stream
Apparatuses, circuitry, architectures, systems, methods, algorithms and software for performing automatic gain calibration on an input signal. The apparatuses and/or circuits generally include an amplifier, a filter, a comparator, and a controller. The amplifier is configured to receive a gain level signal and to amplify the input signal in accordance with the gain level signal to produce an amplified signal. The filter is configured to filter the amplified signal to produce a filtered signal. The comparator is configured to compare the filtered output to a threshold value and to produce a comparison signal in response thereto. The controller is configured to iteratively reset the filter and adjust the gain level signal in response to the comparison signal to select a gain level. Embodiments of present invention advantageously provide for rapid automatic gain control, and are particularly advantageous for automatic gain control in systems adapted for input signals with bursting data and/or widely varying input amplitudes and/or in systems with a relatively large number of possible gain levels. |
| US07864473B2 |
Electric field applying magnetic recording method and magnetic recording system
A method for writing information on a highly coercive recording medium stably with an electric field applied through a metal probe and with a magnetic field applied from external and an information recording system that employs the method. The recording medium includes a substrate, a first ferromagnetic layer formed on the substrate, a nonmagnetic layer formed on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer formed on the nonmagnetic layer. The coercivity Hc2 of the second ferromagnetic layer is larger than that Hc1 of the first ferromagnetic layer. A magnetic field H is applied to the magnetic recording medium from a magnetic pole to change the magnetizing direction of the first ferromagnetic layer to a direction of the applied magnetic field, then a positive or negative voltage V is applied between the metal probe and the magnetic recording medium to change the quantum well level energy between the first and second ferromagnetic layers, thereby inducing an exchange magnetic field HE. As a result, the magnetizing direction of the second ferromagnetic layer is changed with both the exchange magnetic field HE and the magnetic field H. |
| US07864472B1 |
Floppy disk interface with multiple disk images
A data storage device has a housing having a size and shape compatible with being inserted into a floppy disk drive. A data storage unit is provided within the housing for storing a plurality of floppy disk data images. A rotating hub is mounted in the housing to receive the spindle driven by the floppy disk drive. The rotating hub has a position encoder for generating a hub position signal. A transducer is mounted to the housing spanning a range of motion of the read/write head of the floppy disk drive. A head position sensor is mounted to the housing for generating a head position signal in response to a sensed location of the read/write head. A controller within the housing is responsive to the hub position signal and the head position signal to identify a position within a sector of a selected one of the floppy disk data images and to exchange data between the transducer and the identified position of the selected floppy disk data image in the data storage unit. |
| US07864471B2 |
Converting timing errors into symbol errors to handle write mis-synchronization in bit-patterened media recording systems
A method includes: writing data to a bit-patterned media at times determined by a clock having a period that is offset from a bit island period by a fixed offset to create one insertion or one deletion approximately within a predetermined number of bit islands, reading the data, and correcting the read data using error correction. An apparatus that implements the method is also provided. |
| US07864468B2 |
Magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus including a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic head for recording data on the magnetic recording medium
The magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a perpendicular recording magnetic recording medium including a track pattern including track portions and gap portions arranged so as to be alternately adjacent to each other in a cross-track direction, at least part of portions corresponding to the track portions being recording areas having the width substantially the same as the width of the track portions, portions between the recording areas being non-recording areas; and a magnetic head of a perpendicular recording type for applying a recording magnetic field to the recording areas. The anisotropic magnetic field Hk (T) of the recording areas of the magnetic recording medium and the recording magnetic field intensity Fw (t) of the recording magnetic field at the upper surface of the recording areas satisfy the following inequality (I): 0.23×Fw+1.2≦Hk≦0.26×Fw+1.6. (I) |
| US07864467B2 |
Gain control for data-dependent detection in magnetic storage read channels
Method, apparatus and computer program product adjust gain in a read channel of a magnetic media data storage device. A digital signal sample having a data-dependent noise component is received. A gain value, stored in a location in a gain table, is selected in a data-dependent manner. The gain of the signal sample is adjusted in response to the selected gain value. A bit pattern is detected from the gain-adjusted signal sample and a data output signal is output based upon the detected bit pattern. |
| US07864466B2 |
Signal processing apparatus and a signal storage system
In general, circuit scale in a DAE is large. The proposed DAE includes First multipliers, Unit processing circuits and Combined circuits. First multipliers use temporary estimated values to respectively compute signals. Unit processing circuits use the signals, which are multiplication results of the first multipliers, to respectively compute signals. Combined circuits use the signals, outputted from the unit processing circuits, to compute respective logarithm likelihood ratios λ4 and λ5. Here, in the unit processing circuits, by sharing part of circuits related to computing continuous λs, the circuit scale of the DAE is reduced. For example, with regard to computation of λ4 and λ5, part of four unit processing circuits is shared. |
| US07864464B2 |
Disk clock system with up-sampler to generate frequency offset
A system reads data from a magnetic storage media. A read head reads data from the magnetic storage media and produce an analog signal. A variable gain amplifier amplifies the analog signal. An offset adjust module substantially centers the amplified analog signal to a midscale. A Magneto Resistive Asymmetry (MRA) correction module MRA corrects the amplified analog signal. A Continuous Time Filter (CTF) compensation module processes the amplified analog signal. An Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) samples the amplified analog signal based upon a control signal to produce a digital signal. A Disk Lock Clock (DLC) system produces the control signal to the ADC. The control signal is representative of a frequency offset caused by at least one servo wedge rate error. A Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter module filters the digital signal. A sequence detector processes the digital signal and detects a bit sequence from the digital signal. |
| US07864461B2 |
Camera module
A camera module includes a rear lens barrel, a front lens barrel assembled to the rear lens barrel, the front lens barrel and the rear lens barrel together forming a housing space, a lens holder that holds an imaging optical system and is housed in the housing space, a guiding mechanism that movably supports the lens holder along the optical axis of the imaging optical system, and a driving unit that moves the lens holder along the optical axis of the imaging optical system, the driving unit including a magnet provided in the lens holder and a coil that faces the magnet. The rear lens barrel has a bottom wall that faces the housing space. The coil includes first and second coils disposed in the rear lens barrel on opposite sides of the optical axis in the housing space. |
| US07864459B2 |
Image display apparatus
The image display apparatus includes first and second display elements respectively displaying first and second original images, and an optical system presenting an enlarged combined image of the first and second original images with first and second light fluxes from the first and second display elements. The optical system includes at least one reflective surface. When a cross-section of the optical system on which optical paths of the first and second light fluxes are turned by reflections at the reflective surface is defined as a decentering cross-section, the first and second original images correspond to different view angles in the decentering cross-section. Light flux components respectively included in the first and second light fluxes and introduced to a same image point in the enlarged combined image are overlapped with each other on an exit pupil plane. |
| US07864457B2 |
Achromatic lens structure, method of fabrication, and imaging devices and systems using the same
Lens structures, imaging devices, and methods of making the same that include a lens and a transparent material having different dispersions and used to correct chromatic and spherical aberrations. The transparent material may be a curable polymer used to join the lens to other elements of the lens structure. |
| US07864456B2 |
Optical system and optical apparatus including optical system
An optical system includes a first optical element and a second optical element on at least one of an enlargement side and a reduction side relative to a point P at which a light axis and a paraxial chief ray intersect. Each of the first optical element and second optical element is composed of a solid material having a refractive light incident surface and a refractive light emergent surface. The optical system satisfies the following conditional expressions: ΔθgF1>0.0272, ΔθgF2<−0.0278, and f1×f2<0 where ΔθgF1 and ΔθgF2 denote anomalous partial dispersion values of the first and second optical elements for the g-line and F-line, respectively, and f1 and f2 denote focal lengths of the first and second optical elements, respectively, when the light incident surfaces and the light emergent surfaces of the first and second optical elements are in contact with air. |
| US07864452B2 |
Wide angle lens
A wide angle lens especially suitable for digital single lens reflex cameras is described. The lens offers the advantages of superior performance while using fewer lens elements thus reducing size and cost to manufacture. The lens consists of two lens groups separated by an aperture stop. The first lens group consists of a meniscus lens and the novel use of a bi-concave lens element. The first group may also include a cemented doublet with novel ratios of refractive index and Abbe numbers. Embodiments of the wide angle lens satisfy conditional equations of 6≦BFL/f≦7.5 and 10<Σd/f≦21, where BFL is the distance from the most image side lens element surface to the image plane with the lens focused at infinity, f is the effective focal length of the wide angle lens and Σd is the distance from the most object side lens element surface to the most image side lens element surface. |
| US07864448B2 |
Lens device
A lens device includes a seat unit having an image sensing component, a first barrel unit, a first lens module coupled to the first barrel unit, and a second lens module mounted on the seat unit. When the first barrel unit moves toward the seat unit along an optical axis, the first lens module moves in radial directions via a first guide mechanism such that a first lens unit is misaligned with the image sensing component relative to the optical axis, while the second lens module is driven to rotate via a second guide mechanism such that a second lens unit is misaligned with the image sensing component. The lens device further includes a first biasing unit for biasing the first lens module to a first shooting position, and a second biasing unit for biasing the second lens module to a second shooting position. |
| US07864444B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including the same
Provided is a zoom lens having a high magnification and excellent optical performance over an entire zoom range between a wide-angle end and a telephoto end. The zoom lens includes, in order from object side to image side: a first lens unit having positive refractive power; a second lens unit having negative refractive power; a third lens unit having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens unit having positive refractive power, and performs zooming while the respective lens units move, in which: during zooming from wide-angle end to telephoto end, the first unit moves closer to object side at telephoto end than at wide-angle end and the fourth unit moves along a locus convex to object side; and a focal length of the second unit, a focal length of the zoom lens at wide-angle end, and an imaging magnification of the fourth unit at telephoto end are appropriately set. |
| US07864442B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side thereof: a first lens group with a positive refractive power; a second lens group with a negative refractive power; a third lens group with a positive refractive power; a fourth lens group with a negative refractive power; and a fifth lens group with a positive refractive power. A power of the zoom lens is varied by changing intervals between neighboring lens groups in the first through fifth lens groups. The second lens group includes a cemented lens consisting of one positive lens and one negative lens, and the third lens group includes a cemented lens consisting of two positive lenses and one negative lens. |
| US07864441B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus using the same
A zoom lens is such that spacings between a plurality of lens units are properly changed and thereby the magnification of the zoom lens is changed. The most object-side lens unit of this zoom lens has a positive refracting power and comprises, in order from an object side, a negative lens, a reflecting member for changing an optical path, and a positive lens, without cementing the reflecting member and the positive lens as well as the reflecting member and the negative lens, and at least one of surfaces of the negative lens and the positive lens is configured as an aspherical surface to satisfy the following condition: 0.0001<|Y49|/ihw<0.1 where Y49 is an aspherical amount of the aspherical surface at a position where a chief ray of light incident on the most object-side lens unit at an angle of 49° with the optical axis is incident on a most object-side aspherical surface in the lens unit and ihw is an image height at a wide-angle position. |
| US07864438B2 |
Image forming lens and microscope apparatus using the same
An image forming lens has a configuration that an image forming lens IL for receiving parallel beams of light emitted from an observation target object and emerging from an infinity-designed objective lens of a microscope and forming an image of the observation target object in a predetermined position, is constructed of, in order from an object side, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power and a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power, and the first lens group is constructed of a positive lens (e.g., a biconvex lens L1) and a negative lens (e.g., a negative meniscus lens L2). Glass materials of the positive lens and the negative lens configuring the first lens group G1 satisfy conditions of predetermined νdht and partial dispersion ratio Pht, then a transmittance, with respect to the light having a wavelength of 340 nm, of each of the glass materials of all the lenses is equal to or larger than 50% per glass thickness of 10 mm, and the transmittance with respect to the light having the wavelength of 360 nm is equal to or larger than 80% per glass thickness of 10 mm. |
| US07864435B2 |
Projection display device for multimedia and wall display systems
A front projection display device includes an optical engine including an illumination system, an imaging system, and projection optics. The projection optics include a first lens group of negative refractive power that has at least one aspheric surface. The projection optics output an image at a half field angle of at least 45°, where the image has substantially no distortion. For example, when the first lens group is placed at a distance of less than 1 meter from a viewing screen, the output image has a size of about 40 inches diagonal or greater, and requires substantially no keystone correction. In other aspects, the optical engine can be implemented in a wall-mounted projection system, a multimedia system, a compact integrated monitor system, and a portable projection unit. |
| US07864434B2 |
Solid immersion focusing apparatus for high-density heat assisted recording
In a particular embodiment, a solid immersion lens includes meta-material slabs formed from multiple layers of at least two different compositions. Each meta-material slab has a first effective index of refraction. The meta-material slabs are adapted to propagate an evanescent wave in a direction parallel to an axis to form a cone-shaped wave along the axis. The solid immersion lens further includes a core sandwiched between the meta-material slabs along the axis and having a second index of refraction that is less than the first effective index of refraction. The core directs surface plasmons that are excited by the cone-shaped wave to a focused area coincident with the axis. |
| US07864430B2 |
Modified Michelson delay line interferometer
In an optical etalon with a fixed FSR determined by the cavity length, the time delay is adjusted by an etalon surface coating. The proper cavity length is chosen to achieve a desired FSR, and the coating is independently selected to obtain a desired time delay. |
| US07864428B2 |
Optical recognition device and optical recognition display comprising the same
An optical recognition device is provided. The optical recognition device includes a transparent substrate, a patterned infrared reflective film formed thereon, and an infrared anti-reflective film sheltering a gap in a recognition pattern of the patterned infrared reflective film, wherein the patterned infrared reflective film reflects the recognition pattern by reflection of infrared light and transmission of visible light. The invention also provides a display incorporating the optical recognition device. |
| US07864427B2 |
Diffractive optical element and method for manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus using the diffractive optical element
A diffractive optical element that can be molded readily, an imaging apparatus incorporating the diffractive optical element, and a method for manufacturing the diffractive optical element are provided. A diffractive optical element (10) includes a substrate (11) that is made of a first material containing a resin and has a surface (11a, 11b) on which a diffraction grating pattern (12a, 12b) is formed, and a coating film (13a, 13b) that is made of a second material containing a resin and is disposed so as to be in contact with a portion of the diffraction grating pattern (12a, 12b), and at least one material selected from the first material and the second material is a composite material containing inorganic particles. |
| US07864426B2 |
High aspect-ratio X-ray diffractive structure stabilization methods and systems
A method to stabilize planar nanostructures, for example grating and zone plate lenses that are typically used for directing or focusing x-ray radiation, includes the deposition of a top, stabilizing layer. The structures are typically made on a flat substrate, and therefore are only fixed at the bottom. At high aspect ratio, the stability can be poor since small forces such as electrostatic forces and van de Waals forces that are often present can alter the structure. The top coating of a metallic material such as titanium constrains the nanostructures at the top and at the same time eliminates electrostatic forces and reduces any thermal gradient that may be present across the device. |
| US07864423B2 |
Spectrally adjustable filter
Spectrally filtering at least one input beam includes: dispersing spectral components of at least one input beam at respective angles in a spectral plane; changing at least some of the angles of the propagation axes of the dispersed spectral components so that a plurality of the spectral components reflect from a single reflective surface; and tilting the reflective surface to select at least one and fewer than all of the received spectral components to be directed to an output spatial mode. |
| US07864414B2 |
Microscope and virtual slide forming system
Providing a microscope capable of movably adjusting an observation field of a sample without moving the sample. The microscope includes a first objective lens, a second objective lens, a mirror, an angular adjustment mechanism, and a shift mechanism. The first objective lens is disposed to the sample side. The second objective lens forms an intermediate image of the sample together with the first objective lens. The mirror is disposed with a tilt on an optical path between the first objective lens and the second objective lens. The angular adjustment mechanism rotatably adjust the mirror in the tilt direction. The shift mechanism makes a shift adjustment of the second objective lens in an axial direction of a rotation axis of the mirror. With the configuration, the observation field can be moved two-dimensionally by the angular adjustment mechanism. |
| US07864413B2 |
Examination apparatus with multiple image acquisition devices
An examination apparatus that observes a specimen in a stationary state while suppressing the blurring caused by a control delay. The apparatus includes a first optical system and a second optical system for imaging light produced in a specimen, a first image-acquisition unit with a plurality of first image-acquisition devices for detecting an image formed by the first optical system, a second image-acquisition unit with a second image-acquisition device for acquiring an image formed by the second optical system, and a driving unit that causes the images to be formed at the same position in the second image-acquisition unit. The value obtained by dividing the pixel size Y of the first image-acquisition devices by the magnification X of the first optical system is smaller than the value obtained by dividing the pixel size Y′ of the second image-acquisition device by the magnification X′ of the second optical system. |
| US07864411B2 |
Optical amplifier, optical amplifier controller and control method of the same
An optical amplifier includes a detecting section configured to detect a part of an input optical signal from a first node on an input side optical fiber; and a rare earth element doped optical fiber amplifier configured to amplify a remaining part of the input optical signal supplied from the input side optical fiber by using an excitation optical signal supplied from a second node and to output the amplified optical signal as an output optical signal to an output side optical fiber. A control unit controls the excitation optical signal based on the detected part of the input optical signal by the detecting section without real time control based on the output optical signal. |
| US07864409B2 |
Fabrication method for quasi-phase-matched waveguides
The present invention relates to a fabrication method for a quasi-phase-matched waveguide. The method includes the steps of forming a metal etch mask on a ferroelectric single crystal substrate, etching the substrate by using the etch mask, removing the etch mask, forming conductive layers on the etched substrate, forming polarization regions by applying an electric field to the conductive layers, and flattening the substrate after removing the conductive layers. Accordingly, the present invention is advantageous in that it can be applied to various fields employing a ferroelectric substrate, such as LiNbO3, LiTaO3, Mg:LiNbO3 or Zn:LiNbO3, it can obtain more accurate and uniform periodic domain inversion devices with a high quality and can fabricate devices that are cheaper and have a better performance. |
| US07864406B2 |
Display device particles, process for producing the same, image-display medium, and image-forming device
The present invention provides display device particles that have positive or negative chargeability and have color and are produced using at least a calcium compound, in which a concentration of the calcium compound in the display device particle is 0.05% by weight or less in terms of a calcium element content, a process for producing the display device particles, as well as an image-display medium and an image-forming device each using the display device particles. |
| US07864398B2 |
Electro-optical element including metallic films and methods for applying the same
A method for manufacturing an electrochromic element comprises providing a first substrate having first and second surfaces opposite one another and a first edge surface, providing a second substrate having third and fourth surfaces opposite one another and a second edge surface, wherein the third surfaces faces the second surface, and providing an electrochromic medium located between the first and second substrates, wherein the electrochromic medium has a light transmittance that is variable upon the application of electric field thereto. The method further complies applying a conductive layer on at least a portion of at least a select one of a first, second, third, and fourth surfaces and the first and second edge surfaces, wherein applying the conductive layer is accomplished at substantially atmospheric pressure and including applying at least a select one of metallic particles, an organometallic, a metallo-organic, and combinations thereof, and wherein the conductive layer has a bulk resistivity of less than or equal to 150 μΩ·cm. Other aspects of this invention comprise applying the conductive layer via ink jetting, ultrasonic spraying, auger pumping and jet pumping. |
| US07864392B2 |
Microscanner and optical equipment with the same
An optical scanner including a mirror part for reflecting light, a main axis part for supporting the mirror part in a pivotable manner, and a deformable holding part for holding the main axis part. A torsion bar for converting a deformation of the holding part itself into a deformation in torsion is disposed adjacent to the main axis part and is formed in at least one of the holding part and the mirror part. The deformation in torsion generated in the torsion bar makes the mirror part tilt. |
| US07864391B2 |
Optical beam scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus
In an image forming apparatus provided with an optical beam scanning apparatus according to the invention, an optical beam scanning apparatus of an overillumination scanning optical system includes a semiconductor laser device as a light source, a pre-deflection optical system, a polygon mirror, and a post-deflection optical system, with a width of the luminous flux made incident on the polygon mirror being wider than a width of one reflecting surface forming the polygon mirror, wherein at least two sheets of flat plate for transmitting the luminous flux scanned by the polygon mirror are provided in the post-deflection optical system. In accordance with an image forming apparatus provided with an optical beam scanning apparatus according to the invention, not only a wave front aberration on a photoconductive drum can be suitably corrected, but suitable beam diameter and beam profile can be obtained on the photoconductive drum. |
| US07864390B2 |
Image display apparatus
An image display apparatus capable of displaying an image on a plane of projection by beam raster scanning associated with resonant oscillation in a horizontal scanning direction (the main scanning direction), includes a resonance-point detector for detecting a mechanical resonant frequency in the horizontal scanning direction. Out of frequencies that are multiples of a vertical synchronizing frequency in image display, for example a frequency nearest to the mechanical resonant frequency detected in the resonance-point detector is determined as a horizontal scanning frequency of the raster scanning. The image display apparatus can thus provide a stable image display with ease. |
| US07864388B2 |
Method and apparatus for recoding holographic diffraction gratings
A method and apparatus for scanning an input beam of light in a two dimensional pattern; splitting the scanned input beam of light into two output beams of light, each one of the two output beams of light passing along a different path to a common region in a recording medium, such region scanning the recording medium during the scanning of the input beam of light to produce a diffraction grating in the recording medium by interference between the two output beams of light. |
| US07864387B2 |
Color reproduction error minimization method and device
Mapping an input color space into a colorimetric subspace can generate a target colorimetry space. Initial device color values can be used to generate an initial reference colorimetry space. A penalty error between the target colorimetry space and the reference colorimetry space can be minimized by generating a next reference colorimetry space based on subsequent device colors. |
| US07864386B2 |
Image forming apparatus
When a monochromatic copy mode is to be executed, a control section sets a read mode in a scanner section so as to enable the scanner section to read an image at high speed by means of only a line sensor K, sets in an image processing section an image process that can print monochromatic image information, which is sent from the scanner section, with a single black color in the printer section, and sets in the printer section a monochromatic print mode that can print a black image at high speed, thereby controlling a monochromatic copy operation. |
| US07864383B2 |
Image reader
An image reader has a transport passage for transporting an original, a CIS for reading an image on the original transported on the transport passage, and a control member for pressing the transported original against an abutment member disposed at an opposed side of the transport passage at a read position of the CIS. The original does not slide on glass at the read position of the CIS and is moved with the original abutted against the abutment member of a chute on the opposed side, and image data is read in sequence. |
| US07864382B2 |
Image-reading apparatus and image-forming apparatus
An image-reading apparatus, including a housing, a document table placed on the housing for receiving document, a movable optical unit placed on the document table for reading the image information on the document, the movable optical unit being placed reciprocally movably in the housing in directions parallel to the document table; a locking member placed movably on the housing external face for locking the movable optical unit; and a holding mechanism for holding the locking member variable in posture between a first posture of locking the movable optical unit and a second posture of unlocking the movable optical unit. |
| US07864379B2 |
Multi-spectral whole-slide scanner
An array microscope scans a slide in rapid sequence at different wavelengths to record multiple spectral images of the sample. Full spatial resolution of the image sensor is realized at each color because pixels are not shared between spectral bands. The object and detector are placed at conjugate distances selected to produce substantially equal magnification with minimum chromatic aberration at all wavelengths to ensure registration of all images. Spectral analysis is carried out by combining the images captured at each wavelength. The greater-than-RGB spectral resolution provided by the combination of images enables the isolation and display of the effects produced by the contemporaneous use of more than two stains on a tissue for improved pathological analysis. |
| US07864369B2 |
Large-area imaging by concatenation with array microscope
An imaging apparatus consists of multiple miniaturized microscopes arranged into an array capable of simultaneously imaging respective portions of an object. A continuous linear translation approach is followed to scan the object and generate multiple image swaths of the object. In order to improve the quality of the composite image produced by concatenation of the image swaths, the performance of each microscope is normalized to the same base reference for each relevant optical-system property. Correction factors are developed through calibration to equalize the spectral response measured at each detector, to similarly balance the gains and offsets of the detector/light-source combinations associated with the various objectives, to correct for geometric misalignments between microscopes, and to correct optical and chromatic aberrations in each objective. |
| US07864368B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image reading apparatus, and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus of the invention includes a read unit to read an original document, a storage unit to store an image file of the original document read by the read unit, a control unit to control storage and readout of the image file into and from the storage unit, and an image formation unit to print the image file read from the storage unit, and the control unit creates a template including one or plural elements, automatically creates an image file name based on the template when the image file is stored in the storage unit, and stores the image file. According to the image forming apparatus of the invention, when a file is stored, an operation burden is low and an easily identified file name can be created. |
| US07864363B2 |
Image processing method and image output system
An image processing apparatus includes a first unit for converting primary color data into color data for outputting a dark color material only in a first mode, and a second unit for converting the primary color data into color data for outputting both the dark color material and a light color material in a second mode. |
| US07864361B2 |
Inkjet printer with dual page memory and page expander
An inkjet printer including a body housing a print engine configured to transport and print upon print media. The print engine includes a memory buffer of sufficient size to enable printing of one compressed page whilst receiving another compressed page. Each compressed page includes compressed contone data and compressed bi-level data. The print engine is configured to expand each compressed page during printing. A retractable cover is pivotally mounted relative to the body and is able to be pivoted to form a guide which can guide print media to the print engine for printing. |
| US07864360B2 |
Capture and link object
A method of capturing an object and linking the object to a print medium, the method including: capturing the object; and submitting a request to associate the object with a print media identifier of the print medium, submission of the request facilitating identification of the object and the print media identifier; wherein, the association of the object and the print media identifier is recorded in a database, the object retrievable from the database using the print media identifier. |
| US07864358B2 |
Image data control device, image data control program, computer readable recording medium on which the program is stored, image forming device, and image reading device
A server, which functions as an image data control device, stores image data based on input information into a hard disk of a storage unit, reads sequentially the image data stored in the hard disk sequentially, and detects the usage status of the hard disk in the course of reading the image data. Further, based on the detection result of the usage status of the hard disk, the server provides control for deleting from the hard disk at least a portion of the image data, which has already been read, among image data being read. |
| US07864353B2 |
Document processing system using imbedded metadata and method using the same
A document processing system and method using imbedded metadata is provided. The system includes a host computer that generates a data file that supports metadata of a document and imbeds metadata in the data file, a mobile storage device that stores the data file, and a Multi-function peripheral (MFP) device that reads the data file from the mobile storage device and extracts the metadata imbedded in the data file and processes the data file based on the extracted metadata. |
| US07864346B2 |
Apparatus and method for describing, planning and automatically programming complex finishing tasks
A production and finishing system, particularly a printing and finishing system, for electronic management and control of a wide range of finishing processes characterized by input from multiple production operations and equipment that, depending upon the job, may be variably applied to work pieces that themselves are highly variable between different jobs. Particular emphasis is demonstrated in relation to printing and finishing operations for printed documents. The principles of the present invention, however, apply to such production and finishing systems as, without limitation, textile production (which may include printing, cutting, sewing, and finishing), packaging operations for various consumer and industrial products, and printed wiring board production, etc. The present invention is particularly applicable to many operations where processes for production of work pieces are managed separately from processes for finishing and packaging of such work pieces. |
| US07864345B2 |
Printer with vertical media flow path
A printer is disclosed. The printer includes a print media supply station for storing print media. The printer further includes a print engine station arranged to receive print media from the print media supply and to print on the print media. A binding assembly station is also included which is configured to apply adhesive along an edge of each sheet of print media after printed upon, and to compile the print media into a bound stack. A receptacle station receives the bound stack. The print media supply station, the print engine station, the binding assembly station and the receptacle station are arranged vertically. |
| US07864339B2 |
Method for the contactless measurement of three-dimensional objects with two layers by single-view backlit shadowgraphy
To measure a hollow three-dimensional object without contact, this object being translucent or transparent vis-á-vis a visible light, an image of the object is acquired by single-view backlit shadowgraphy, along a viewing axis, by observing this object with visible light, this image comprising at least one luminous line, an equation is established that connects at least one optogeometric parameter of the object to at least one geometric parameter of the luminous line, this geometric parameter is determined, and the optogeometric parameter is determined by means of the equation and the geometric parameter thus determined. |
| US07864337B2 |
Positioning apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
A positioning apparatus comprises a first measuring device measuring a position of the stage in a first measuring range, a second measuring device measuring a position of the stage in a second measuring range having an overlapping range overlapping the first measuring range, a third measuring device measuring a position of the stage in the overlapping range, and a controller controlling the first measuring device to take over the measurement value obtained by the second measuring device in the overlapping range in moving the stage from the second measuring range to the first measuring range, thereby switching from measurement by the second measuring device to measurement by the first measuring device. The controller performs correction processing based on the measurement by the third measuring device so as to reduce an error of the measurement value obtained by the first measuring device after the switching. |
| US07864334B2 |
Interferometric defect detection
Methods and systems for using common-path interferometry are described. In some embodiments, a common-path interferometry system for the detection of defects in a sample is described. An illumination source generates and directs coherent light toward the sample. An optical imaging system collects light reflected from the sample including a scattered component of that is predominantly scattered by the sample, and a specular component that is predominantly undiffracted by the sample. A variable phase controlling system is used to adjust the relative phase of the scattered component and the specular component so as to improve the ability to detect defects in the sample. |
| US07864329B2 |
Fiber optic sensor system having circulators, Bragg gratings and couplers
A method and apparatus for detecting seismic vibrations using a series of MEMS units, with each MEMS unit including an interferometer is described. The interferometers on the MEMS units receive and modulate light from two differing wavelengths by way of a multiplexing scheme involving the use of Bragg gratings and light circulators, and an optoelectronic processor receives and processes the modulated light to discern vibrational movement of the system, which in turn allows for monitoring and calculation of a specified environmental parameter, such as seismic activity, temperature or pressure. |
| US07864327B1 |
In-phase/in-quadrature demodulator for spectral information of interference signal
Sinusoidal in-phase and in-quadrature signals at a given spatial frequency are combined with the irradiance signals generating a correlogram of interest and integrated over the length of the correlogram data-acquisition scan. The integration outputs are then used to calculate the amplitude and the phase of the correlogram signal at the selected spatial frequency, thereby producing targeted spectral information. The signal generator used to generate the in-phase and in-quadrature sinusoidal signals may be scanned advantageously through any desired range of spatial frequencies, thereby producing corresponding amplitude and phase spectral information for the correlogram. Because the procedure produces spectral information independently of the number of data frames acquired during the interferometric scan, it is materially more rapid than conventional FFT analysis. |
| US07864325B2 |
Interferometer, demodulator, and splitting element
An interferometer of the invention includes: a first splitting element which includes a first transparent medium and a first splitting film formed on the first transparent medium, and which splits incident light into a first split beam and a second split beam, the first split beam being the incident light reflected by the first splitting element and the second split beam being the incident light transmitted through the first splitting element; and a second splitting element which includes a second transparent medium and a second splitting film formed on the second transparent medium, and which causes interference between the first split beam and the second split beam passed through different optical paths, the second splitting element being positioned such that a positional relationship between the second transparent medium and the second splitting film with respect to a direction of incidence on the second splitting element of the first split beam is opposite to a positional relationship between the first transparent medium and the first splitting film with respect to a direction of incidence of the incident light on the first splitting element. |
| US07864320B2 |
Method to minimize instrument differences in color management functions
A method for estimating color measurements of color samples includes printing a color sample based on input data, measuring a color of the printed color sample with an in-line spectral sensor at a first temperature, and estimating a color of the printed color sample which would be output by a reference spectral sensor at a second temperature. The estimation is based on a thermochromatic model which represents relationships between measured colors of printed color samples on the in-line spectral sensor at the first temperature and the reference spectral sensor at the second temperature. The reference spectral sensor is a different type of sensor from the in-line spectral sensor, so the color response of the two spectral sensors is different, even when the measurement conditions are identical. Consequently, a set of printed spot color samples generate different measured colors at the second temperature on the in-line spectral sensor from the reference spectral sensor. The exemplary method allows these differences, as well as measurement temperature differences to be accounted for in the estimation. |
| US07864319B2 |
Device and method for determining an optical property of a mask
A coordinate measuring machine (1) including a plane (25a) in which there is arranged a movable measurement table (20) moving the mask (2) correspondingly in the plane (25a), at least one objective (9) and a detector (11), an incident light source (14) arranged to provide incident light and/or a transmitted light source (6) arranged to provide transmitted light, wherein the mask (2) has at least a first area (41) and a second area (42), wherein the first area (41) and the second area (42) comprise different materials differing in their transmission or reflection properties. |
| US07864316B2 |
Spectrometric characterization of pharmaceutical heterogeneity
In one general aspect, a spectroscopic method for monitoring heterogeneity of a sample is disclosed. In this method, sampled spectroscopic measurements are acquired over a range of different micro locations in a macro-sample of the sample. This step is repeated for micro-locations in further macro-samples of the sample, and a statistical measure of chemical heterogeneity is derived from the acquisitions. In another general aspect, differently sized samples are acquired, and a statistical measure of chemical heterogeneity is derived from these acquisitions. |
| US07864314B2 |
Optical microscopy with phototransformable optical labels
An apparatus includes a position-sensitive detector to detect intensities of radiation as a function of position on the detector, and an optical system, characterized by a diffraction-limited resolution volume, adapted for imaging light emitted from activated and excited phototransformable optical labels (“PTOLs”) in a sample onto the position sensitive-detector. A first light source provides activation radiation to the sample to activate a subset of the PTOLs that are distributed in the sample with a density greater than an inverse of the diffraction-limited resolution volume of the optical system. A second light source provides excitation radiation to the sample to excite a portion of the PTOLs in the subset of the PTOLs. A controller controls one both of the activation radiation and the excitation radiation provided to the sample such that a density of PTOLs in the portion of the PTOLs is less than the inverse of the diffraction-limited resolution volume. |
| US07864313B2 |
Metal nano-void photonic crystal for enhanced raman spectroscopy
A planar optical platform for generating a Raman signal from a foreign object comprises an input region and an output region, for receiving and extracting optical radiation, optically coupled to a plasmonic band structure region. The plasmonic band structure region comprises a layer of a first material, having a first refractive index, patterned with an array of sub-regions of a second material, having a second refractive index, wherein a side-wall of each sub-region is coated with a metallodielectric layer. The array of sub-regions gives rise to a plasmonic band structure and, in use, each sub-region confines a plasmon resonance excited by optical radiation coupled into the plasmonic band structure region, which gives rise to a Raman signal from a foreign object placed proximate the plasmonic band structure region. The platform may be incorporated into a spectroscopic measurement system and is particularly useful for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of analyte molecules. |
| US07864311B2 |
Method and device for producing and detecting a Raman spectrum
The invention relates to a method and a device for producing and detecting a Raman spectrum. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of devising a method and a device for producing and detecting a Raman spectrum of a medium under investigation, whereby the Raman spectrum of a medium that is under investigation can be examined with a high degree of sensitivity while requiring relatively little equipment. The method is characterized by the coupling of excitation radiation into a medium (8) under investigation and the coupling of the electromagnetic radiation scattered by the medium (8) under investigation into a spectral optic system (10), a laser diode (1) for generating excitation radiation with at least two different wavelengths (λ1, λ2) being controlled with at least two different excitation conditions and at least one Raman spectrum (16, 17) being detected in each case from the scattered radiation at the different excitation wavelengths (λ1, λ2), and the Raman spectrum (20) of the medium (8) under investigation being determined from the at least two detected Raman spectra (16, 17), the two different excitation conditions for the laser diode (1) being adjusted by means of the electric current supplied to the laser diode (1). |
| US07864310B2 |
Surface inspection method and surface inspection apparatus
When measuring an edge region, a photo detector with an angle not influenced by the diffracted light, the diffracted light causing noise, is selected to thereby allow for inspection that minimizes the sensitivity reduction. This allows for the management of foreign matters in the outer peripheral portion, which conventionally could not be measured, and this also eliminates the oversight of critical defects on the wafer, thus leading to reduction of failures of IC. |
| US07864308B2 |
Position detection method, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
This invention discloses a position detection method for detecting the focus position of an optical position detection apparatus including an image sensor and an optical system which forms an image of a target object on the image sensing surface of the image sensor. In this method, the relationship between the position of the target object in the optical-axis direction of the optical system and the evaluation value of the signal output from the image sensor is measured, and the position of a peak close to a reference focus position, which is selected if the evaluation value has a plurality of peaks in the measured relationship, is detected as the focus position. |
| US07864307B2 |
Biological information imaging apparatus, biological information analyzing method, and biological information imaging method
A biological information imaging apparatus includes: a light source; an acoustic wave detector that detects an acoustic wave generated from a light absorption material in a living body that has absorbed a part of energy of light irradiated from the light source to the living body, and converts it into a first electric signal; a photodetector that detect optical intensity of a portion of the light irradiated from the light source to the living body and propagating in the living body, and converts it into a second electric signal; and a calculation unit that calculates optical property distribution information on the living body by making use of an analytical result of one of the first electric signal and the second electric signal for analysis of the other electric signal. |
| US07864301B2 |
Source and mask optimization by changing intensity and shape of the illumination source
An illumination source is optimized by changing the intensity and shape of the illumination source to form an image in the image plane that maximizes the minimum ILS at user selected fragmentation points while forcing the intensity at the fragmentation points to be within a small intensity range. An optimum mask may be determined by changing the magnitude and phase of the diffraction orders to form an image in the image plane that maximizes the minimum ILS at user selected fragmentation points while forcing the intensity at the fragmentation points to be within a small intensity range. Primitive rectangles having a size set to a minimum feature size of a mask maker are assigned to the located minimum and maximum transmission areas ad centered at a desired location. The edges of the primitive rectangle are varied to match optimal diffraction orders O(m,n). The optimal CPL mask OCPL(x,y) is then formed. |
| US07864292B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which at least a part of the liquid supply system (which provides liquid between the projection system and the substrate) is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate during scanning. The part is moved to reduce the relative velocity between that part and the substrate so that the speed at which the substrate may be moved relative to the projection system may be increased. |
| US07864291B2 |
Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus, which has a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate, and exposes the substrate to light via the reticle and the projection optical system, with a space between the projection optical system and the substrate filled with liquid. A supply nozzle supplies liquid to the space, a supply path supplies the liquid to the supply nozzle, a bypass branches from the supply path, and a supply control valve changes a flow rate of the liquid supplied from the supply path to the supply nozzle to control the supply of the liquid to the space, and a liquid quality sensor arranged in the bypass measures a purity of the liquid. The supply of the liquid to the space is controlled based on a measurement performed by the liquid quality sensor, so that liquid having a purity satisfying a standard is supplied to the space. |
| US07864288B2 |
Liquid crystal display array substrate and its manufacturing method
A liquid crystal display (LCD) array substrate and its manufacturing method are provided. Scan lines and data lines of the LCD array substrate are composed of two conductive layers to decrease their RC delay. Moreover, the dielectric layer and even the planarization layer are removed from pixel areas defined by the scan lines and the data lines to increase the light penetration percentage. |
| US07864285B2 |
Color cholesteric liquid crystal display device comprising a unitary structures having a plurality of stripe wall structures, a straight seal line, and a solid bulk region made of a same material
Color cholesteric liquid crystal display devices and fabrication methods thereof are provided. The color cholesteric liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a gap interposed therebetween. A patterned enclosed structure is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate dividing a plurality of color sub-pixel channels. A plurality of color cholesteric liquid crystals are respectively filled in each of the color sub-pixel channel, wherein an adhesion layer is tightly adhered between the second substrate and the patterned enclosed structure so as to prevent mixing of the color cholesteric liquid crystals between adjacent color sub-pixel channels. |
| US07864283B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is provided with a control pattern to allow liquid crystal and a sealing agent to desirably flow during a liquid crystal injection process. The liquid crystal display includes an insulating substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the insulating substrate, a liquid crystal injection opening formed in a portion outside a region where the plurality of thin film transistors is formed, a first display panel including a plurality of control patterns formed in the liquid crystal injection opening, and a second display panel disposed to face the first display panel. |
| US07864280B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
It is to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of readily obtaining bend alignment across an entire liquid crystal display panel of the liquid crystal display device, with obtaining brightness while obtaining a high speed responsiveness, a feature of an OCB mode, as well as without increasing a load on an activating driver. The liquid crystal display device is arranged such that: a liquid crystal molecule in a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a pair of substrates facing each other has a pretilt angle of not less 18° and not more than 36°; a product Δnd of a refractive index anisotropy Δn and a thickness d of the liquid crystal layer is not less than 850 nm and not more than 1170 nm; and a lateral electric field generating structure for applying an electric field parallel to the substrates and bend-aligning the liquid crystal molecules is provided in a region corresponding to a pixel. |
| US07864279B2 |
Liquid crystal display comprising a point-like protrusion and a common electrode having a concave portion
The invention relates to a vertically aligned liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same and provides a liquid crystal display in which singular points can be sufficiently controlled to achieve high display quality and a method of manufacturing the same. A surface of the common electrode facing at least one-fourth of a non-electrode part at the outer periphery of the electrode unit is formed with a height of 0.2 μm or more or a height in the range from 0.4 to 1.5 μm if possible above a surface of the common electrode facing a part of the electrode unit substantially in the middle thereof. |
| US07864276B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display has (i) first and second substrates having electrodes and a pretilt angle of 88.5° to 89.5°, (ii) a liquid crystal layer, having a thickness d and made of liquid crystal molecule material which has a twist structure at a twist angle of 160° to 240° in a voltage application state, the liquid crystal layer containing chiral material having a pitch of p, where d/p is 0.2 to 0.74, (iii) a first polarizer disposed facing the first substrate, the first polarizer having as a transmission axis direction a first direction, (iv) a second polarizer disposed facing the second substrate, the second polarizer having as a transmission axis direction a second direction having an angle of 85° to 95° relative to the first direction, and (v) an optical anisotropic plate disposed at least one of between the first substrate and first polarizer and between the second substrate and second polarizer. |
| US07864273B2 |
Dual sided liquid crystal display device viewable from one side in a reflection mode and the other side in a transmission mode
The present invention relates to a display device having a panel assembly that includes first and second display panels arranged to face each other. The second display panel is smaller than the first display panel. The first display panel and the second display panel are divided into a front display area and a rear display area to display images on both sides of the panel assembly. |
| US07864272B2 |
Substrate for a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus, reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus using the same, and liquid crystal projector apparatus using the same
A light leakage is suppressed, and the effect of interference is reduced. A substrate for a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus disposed opposite to a transparent substrate by sandwiching the liquid crystal and including a semiconductor substrate constituting the reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus, including a plurality of reflection electrodes disposed above the semiconductor substrate so as to be opposed to the transparent substrate, and a metal layer disposed between the semiconductor substrate and the reflection electrodes in order to reflect upward the light entering through a gap of the plurality of reflection electrodes from the above, wherein the metal layer has a concave portion in a region corresponding to the gap. |
| US07864271B2 |
Display device
A display device in which an image with a wide color reproduction range and bright red can be displayed is provided. The display device is a display device such as, for example, a liquid crystal display device, a cathode ray tube, an organic electroluminescent display device, a plasma display panel, and a field emission display. The display device includes a display surface including a pixel having red, green, blue, and yellow sub-pixels, wherein the red sub-pixel preferably has the largest aperture area. |
| US07864270B2 |
Electronic device and LC shutter with diffusive reflective polarizer
An electronic device (200) includes a display (202) and an LC shutter (204), at least a portion of which is operatively positioned over the display (202). The LC shutter (204) provides switching between a transparent state and a diffusive state with high image integrity, and high transmission in the transparent state. In one embodiment, the electronic device (200) further includes control logic (206) operatively coupled to the LC shutter (204) to provide control signals (212) to the LC shutter (204) to effect the transparent state. The LC shutter (204) includes a first dichroic polarizer (300), such as a broadband dichroic polarizer, an LC cell (304), and a diffusive reflective polarizer (307). The LC cell (304) is interposed between the first dichroic polarizer (300) and the diffusive reflective polarizer (307). Related methods are also set forth. |
| US07864268B2 |
Display device with stack of polarizers having wavelength distributions of extinction coefficient of absorption axes
An object of the invention is to provide a display device having a high contrast ratio. Another object of the invention is to manufacture such a high-performance display device at low cost. In a display device having a display element between a pair of light-transmissive substrates, polarizer-including layers, which have different wavelength distributions of extinction coefficients, are stacked so that absorption axes are in a parallel nicol state, over each light-transmissive substrate. Absorption axes of one of a pair of stacks of polarizers and the other together which interpose the display element are deviated from a cross nicol state. A retardation plate may be provided between the stack of polarizing plates and the substrate. |
| US07864265B2 |
Lamp holder, and backlight device and liquid crystal display device using such lamp holder
In a lamp holder for holding an end section of a fluorescent lamp, a long groove is formed on a plane facing a light entrance plane of a light guide plate, in a same direction as the longitudinal direction of the light entrance plane, and a first hole is formed on a plane vertical to the light entrance plane, at a position below the bottom surface of the long groove, for inserting the end section of the fluorescent lamp. |
| US07864264B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a display panel having opposed first and second substrates with the second substrate being arranged closer to a viewer, an upper polarizer which is arranged closer to the viewer than the second substrate, and a resin film which is arranged closer to the viewer than the upper polarizer and is in contact with the upper polarizer. An outer periphery of the upper polarizer is arranged inside an outer periphery of the second substrate, and an outer periphery of the resin film is arranged outside the outer periphery of the upper polarizer as viewed from a front surface of the display panel. A cushion material is in contact with the second substrate, and the resin film is interposed between the second substrate and the resin film. |
| US07864261B2 |
Optical film support arrangement, and backlight module and LCD using the same
A backlight module includes a rear plate, at least one light source disposed on the rear plate, at least two support elements respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the rear plate, and at least one optical film disposed above the light source. The optical film includes at least two fixing holes respectively corresponding to the support elements. The support elements respectively engage with the fixing holes to tension the optical film with at least one pair of tensile forces oriented in opposite directions. |
| US07864257B2 |
Thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor and a method of manufacturing the thin film transistor is disclosed. The thin film transistor includes first and second ohmic contact layers, an activation layer, an insulating layer, a source electrode formed on the insulating layer and connected to the first ohmic contact layer through first contact hole, a drain electrode formed on the insulating layer and connected to the second ohmic contact layer through second contact hole, a gate electrode formed on the insulating layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode and overlapping the activation layer, and a protective layer formed on the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the gate electrode. |
| US07864250B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method thereof
Color saturation in chroma correction is reduced. Hence, a two-dimensional histogram is generated in association with the luminance and chroma levels of an image for one frame. An ease of saturation of the image is calculated from the two-dimensional histogram. A chroma gain is set according to the ease of saturation. Color-difference signals undergo chroma correction according to the chroma gain k. |
| US07864249B2 |
Method and apparatus displaying double screen
An apparatus for displaying a double screen in a wide screen display device, the apparatus including a video interface to receive a first and a second video signal from a plurality of video signals according to a selection control signal, wherein each of the first and the second video signals have a general screen aspect ratio; a scaler to scale the first video signal to a resolution of a main screen and to scale the second video signal to a resolution of a subscreen with the general screen aspect ratio; and a control unit to output the selection control signal to display the double screen, control scaling of the first video signal and second video signal, and to simultaneously display the scaled first video signal on an area of a screen and the scaled second video signal on a portion of a remaining area of the screen. |
| US07864248B1 |
Signal processing apparatus and methods
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming. |
| US07864238B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, driving method thereof, camera, and driving method thereof
A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging region having a plurality of pixels arranged. Each of the pixels includes a photoelectric converting portion and a charge converting portion for converting a charge generated by photoelectric conversion into a pixel signal. Further each pixel includes a first gate portion for charge accumulation and a second gate portion for charge readout that are formed between the photoelectric converting portion and a floating diffusion portion. |
| US07864233B2 |
Image photographing device and method
An image photographing device and method, with the image photographing device enhancing image sensitivity. The image photographing device may include a lens unit, a filter unit including a first filter region which filters a complementary color of a predetermined color from light incident through the lens unit, a second filter region limiting the incident light to a predetermined primary color, a third filter region which passes all wavelength bands of the incident light, and a fourth filter region which filters outs an infrared wavelength band of the incident light, and an image sensor unit detecting light that passed through the filter unit and sensing an image. |
| US07864232B2 |
Signal processing apparatus for solid-state imaging device, signal processing method, and imaging system
A signal processing apparatus corrects color mixture between pixel cells in a solid-state imaging device in which the pixel cells including photoelectric transducers are two-dimensionally arranged in an array and in which color filters having primary color components for generating luminance components and other color components are arranged over the pixel cells. The signal processing apparatus includes correction processing means for performing the correction to the signal from a target pixel by using the signals from multiple neighboring pixels adjacent to the target pixel in the solid-state imaging device and correction parameters independently set for the signals. |
| US07864228B2 |
Image pickup apparatus for photographing desired area in image with high image quality and control method for controlling the apparatus
An object area in an image is determined, and an area image representing the object area is superimposed on the object in the image. In this image, an area to be photographed with high quality is specified using the area image, and a control parameter for controlling an image pickup unit is adjusted so that the quality level of an image within the area to be photographed with high quality is increased to a desired level. Thus, when photographing an image, an area to be photographed with high quality can be easily set in the image. |
| US07864227B2 |
Image sensing apparatus with variable rate zoom (auto zoom) and fastest rate zoom (quick zoom)
In an image sensing apparatus having a zoom lens, a zoom ring that designates driving of the zoom ring at the time of image sensing, a power switch, and a zoom controller of the zoom lens that is capable of changing a driving speed of the zoom lens, it is determined whether or not operation of the zoom ring is performed in combination with predetermined operation of the power switch. In a case where the operation is performed in combination, the driving direction of the zoom lens designated by the zoom ring is detected, and driving of the zoom lens is continued in the detected driving direction during performance of the predetermined operation of the power switch irrespective of continuation or discontinuation of the zoom ring operation. |
| US07864224B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and image pickup method
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit adapted to pickup a moving image, a shooting condition storage unit adapted to store shooting conditions to be used in the image pickup unit, an instruction unit adapted to issue a shooting condition read instruction during moving image shooting by the image pickup unit, a display unit adapted to, when the read instruction has been issued from the instruction unit, display information associated with the shooting conditions stored in the shooting condition storage unit, a selection unit adapted to select a desired shooting condition from information associated with the shooting conditions displayed on the display unit, and a setting unit adapted to set the shooting condition selected by the selection unit. |
| US07864218B2 |
Electronic camera, electronic instrument, and image transmission system and method, having user identification function
In an electronic apparatus having a user identification function or in a user identification method, an electronic apparatus and an electronic instrument having stored therein user personal information communicate in wireless with each other so as to enable the electronic apparatus to automatically identify the electronic apparatus user. If the electronic apparatus identifies a plurality of possible users, the electronic apparatus automatically selects the user by executing specific user identification processing. |
| US07864211B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for increasing quality of digital image capture
An apparatus, system or method for increasing quality of digital image capture is provided. Imaging and, more particularly, capturing visuals to provide image manipulation options are provided to increase resolution of the subject images. |
| US07864201B2 |
Vertex data processing with multiple threads of execution
A method for processing video image data including a plurality of different image data types begins by providing tasks to be performed on each different image data type. The image data is divided into a plurality of groups based on the image data type. A set of arithmetic operations required to accomplish the tasks provided for the corresponding image data type is determined. Each arithmetic operation is assigned to one of a plurality of commonly used arithmetic units which performs the arithmetic operation, whereby each image data type is transformed in accordance with the corresponding provided tasks. The transformed image data of each group is combined, completing the processing. |
| US07864199B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
In an MFP having a displaying unit smaller than that of a PC, it is very difficult to select an editing target from a plurality of objects. To accomplish this, an image containing a plurality of objects is displayed. Objects corresponding to a position designated on the displayed image are extracted (S3). Individual images corresponding to the extracted objects are laid out and displayed (S6). One of the individual images which are laid out and displayed is selected (S7). Image processing is executed for the selected object. |
| US07864198B2 |
Image processing method, image processing device and mobile communication terminal
A noted image information extraction section 31 specifies a region of a noted image in an original image, and noted image information containing information relating to position and size of the noted image WMM region within the original image is extracted. Continuing on, mask image formation means 31 forms a mask image by displaying superimposed on the original image, based on noted image information and mask image information registered in a mask image information file. As a result, a mask image comprised of element images selected using element image selection information contained in mask image information is formed at a specified position and specified size in the noted image region of the original image. A composite image having the mask image superimposed on the original image is then formed by composite image formation means 33. As a result, an image that a user has rendered in an original image is simply and appropriately formed, regardless of whether it is a still image or a moving picture. |
| US07864197B2 |
Method of background colour removal for porter and duff compositing
A method of representing an amount of image color in a composite image includes the steps of generating at least one additional opacity channel for use in creating the composite image, and compositing at least one graphical object having object color and object capacity, with an image having image opacity and the image color, to create the composite image. The composite image has composite image color and composite image opacity, and the composite image color and composite image opacity are derived from one or more of the object color, the object opacity, the image color and the image opacity. An additional step includes compositing the object opacity with the additional opacity channel to create an updated opacity channel, with the updated opacity channel representing an amount of the image color remaining in the composite image following the compositing of the at least one graphical object with the image. |
| US07864193B2 |
RGB color conversion palettes
A method for color conversion includes calculating distances between color coordinates in a conversion palette and a color coordinate for a pixel and assigning the pixel a color coordinate of the closest color coordinates in the conversion palette. The color coordinates in the conversion palette include a first point and a second point in an RGB color cube on a neutral axis of said RGB color cube and on opposite surfaces of a first sphere, a third point and a fourth point on the neutral axis and on opposite surfaces of a second sphere and on the neutral axis, and a plurality of other points distributed over a surface of the first sphere and around the neutral axis, where a volume of the second sphere is twice the volume of the first sphere, and a center of the first and second spheres is a center of the RGB color cube. |
| US07864186B2 |
Device-specific content versioning
Embodiments relate to display of visual content on a client device using server-side rasterization of visual content. According to some embodiments, visual content is rendered on a server system, transformed into bitmaps compatible with the display attributes of a client device, and transmitted for display on the client device. The server system can perform, in effect, as a remote browser for displaying Web pages, e-mail, e-mail attachments, electronic document and forms, database queries and results, drawings, presentations, images at the client device, and so on. The approach can be “remote” because the server does the rendering and the client provides the interface; “multi-level” because rendered visual content is represented as a multi-level set of raster representations; and constitutes a “browsing system” because the client and server share data about the source visual content element being browsed, and the client performs a specific browsing function assisted by the server. |
| US07864178B2 |
Creating machine vision inspections using a state diagram representation
A machine vision development environment that may utilize a control flow representation (preferably a state diagram representation) to specify and execute machine vision routines (e.g., sometimes referred to as inspection routines). A user may first create one or more machine vision routines using any of various methods. The user may then graphically specify a sequence of machine vision steps or operations, e.g., a machine vision inspection, using a state diagram representation. The state diagram representation may comprise a plurality of icons which represent states with corresponding operations or functions, such as, for example, Load Inspection, Part Ready, Run Inspection, Read Digital Input, etc. The various icons may be connected by wires that indicate control flow transitions, e.g., state transitions, among the states. The state diagram may then be executed to control the machine vision routines. |
| US07864174B2 |
Methods and systems for reducing the number of rays passed between processing elements in a distributed ray tracing system
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques and systems for reducing network traffic in relation to ray-tracing a three dimensional scene. According to one embodiment of the invention, as a ray is traversed through a spatial index, a leaf node may be reached. Subsequent rays that traverse through the spatial index may reach the same leaf node. In contrast to sending information defining a ray issued by the workload manager to a vector throughput engine each time a ray reaches a leaf node, the workload manager may determine if a series of rays reach the same leaf node and send information defining the series of rays to the vector throughput engine. Thus, network traffic may be reduced by sending information which defines a series of rays which are traversed to a common (i.e., the same) leaf node in contrast to sending information each time a ray is traversed to a leaf node. |
| US07864171B2 |
Display apparatus, source driver and dispaly panel
An organic EL display apparatus includes: a display panel on which a plurality of pixel sections are provided; source drivers provided with pixel drivers, which includes current drivers for supplying drive currents to the pixel sections, registers for latching data signals and timing control units; signal lines for supplying the drive currents from the current drivers to the pixel sections. Each of the current drivers is controlled by the associated timing control unit to allow a current larger than or equal to a current which is set in accordance with the data signal to flow only during a given period in a current setting mode, so that the value of a current flowing in the pixel section reaches a target value in a short time. |
| US07864169B2 |
Active matrix panel
In an active matrix panel, a pixel matrix which includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of source lines, and thin film transistors is formed on a first transparent substrate. A second transparent substrate is formed opposite to the first transparent substrate. A liquid crystal material is disposed between the first and second transparent substrates. A gate line driver circuit and a source line driver circuit are formed by a P-type, an N-type, a complementary type thin film transistors (including silicon film) or the like on the first transparent substrate. Also, a data processing circuit for performing mask processing or the like is formed by the thin film transistors or the like on the first transparent substrate. |
| US07864165B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting position, and touch panel using the same
An apparatus and a method for detecting position, and a touch panel using the same are provided. The apparatus for detecting position includes a frame, a plurality of first signal sources, a plurality of first signal receivers, a plurality of second signal sources, a plurality of second signal receivers, and a processor. The frame is comprised of a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion. The plurality of first signal sources are disposed along the first and the second portions to emit the signals configured to detect a coordinate in a first direction. The plurality of first signal receivers are disposed along the third and the fourth portions, corresponding to the plurality of first signal sources, to receive the signals from the plurality of first signal sources respectively. The plurality of second signal sources are disposed along the first and the fourth portions to emit the signals configured to detect a coordinate in a second direction. The plurality of second signal receivers are disposed along the second and the third portions, corresponding to the plurality of second signal sources, to receive the signals from the plurality of second signal sources respectively. When an object is set in a particular position within the frame, the processor, coupled with the plurality of first and second signal receivers, determines the particular position of the object according to the locations of signal receivers and strength variation of their received signals. |
| US07864161B2 |
Use of a two finger input on touch screens
A system and method for detecting at least two-finger input on a touch screen of a display such as computer, etc. includes a display screen; a sensing grid arranged for sensing touch on said display screen; a plurality of electrodes connected electrically to the sensing grid. A controller receives an output from the sensing grid, and a module identifies at least two points on the grid indicating locations of the display screen that have been touched by a user and identifies a geographic portion of the display screen to be identified based on said at least two points. As the position of the fingers are relative to the position of the screen via change in a direction of a Z-coordinate, a variable zoom can be provided by the sensing grid commensurate with different distances that the multiple fingers are sensed from the display screen. |
| US07864159B2 |
Handheld vision based absolute pointing system
A method is described that involves identifying one or more images of respective one or more fixed markers. Each marker is positioned on or proximate to a display. The images appear on a pixilated sensor within a handheld device. The method also involves determining a location on, or proximate to, the display where the handheld device was pointed during the identifying. The method also involves sending from the handheld device information derived from the identifying of the one or more images of respective one or more fixed markers. The method also involves triggering action taken by electronic equipment circuitry in response to the handheld device's sending of a signal to indicate the action is desired. |
| US07864157B1 |
Method and apparatus for sensing movement of a human interface device
Electromagnetic signals are sent between a base station and a human interface device (HID). Movements of the HID are detected according to an amount of time required for the electromagnetic signals to return back from the HID. In one embodiment, the electromagnetic signals are radio frequency (RF) waves carrying one or more pulses that are sent by multiple antennas in the base station and returned back from multiple antennas in the HID. |
| US07864156B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, light source device, and light source control method
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel which periodically performs graduation display and non-graduation display, a backlight which illuminates the liquid crystal display panel, and a light source control circuit which sets an illumination period that allows illumination of the backlight for the gradation display and drives the backlight unit during the illumination period. The light source control circuit is configured to drive the backlight intermittently during the illumination period in limiting the luminance of the backlight. |
| US07864155B2 |
Display control circuit, display control method, and liquid crystal display device
A display control circuit includes a vertical timing control circuit that generates first and second start signals, a panel driving unit that sequentially drives a plurality of OCB liquid crystal pixels in units of one row under the control of the first start signal to hold pixel voltages for gradation display in the pixels PX of the driven row, and that sequentially drives the pixels in units of at least one row under the control of the second start signal to hold pixel voltages for black insertion in the pixels of the driven row, and a light source driving unit that drives a plurality of backlight sources arranged substantially in parallel to the rows of pixels. In particular, the light source driving unit is configured to start, in synchronism with the first start signal, an operation for sequentially blinking the backlight sources with a predetermined duty ratio. The predetermined duty ratio is determined in accordance with a dimmer signal from outside such that the predetermined duty ratio, at a maximum value thereof, is not greater than a ratio of a holding period of the pixel voltage for gradation display to a sum of the holding period of the pixel voltage for gradation display and a holding period of the pixel voltage for black insertion. |
| US07864154B2 |
Gate driving circuit for liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same
A gate driving circuit for a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of shift register stages each including pull-up and pull-down transistors, wherein each of the pull-up and pull-down transistors is connected to a gate driving signal output terminal and controlled by voltages on first and second nodes, respectively, and wherein the pull-down transistors of a (2n−1)th shift register stage and a (2n)th shift register stage are connected to each other; and a control signal generating unit alternately supplying one of first and second control signals to the pull-down transistors of the (2n−1)th and (2n)th shift register stages and supplying the other of the first and second control signals to the pull-down transistors of the (2n+1)th and (2n+2)th shift register stages, wherein n is an positive integer. |
| US07864151B1 |
Portable electronic device
A thin, readily portable book has a memory-type liquid crystal display in the display section of the thin portable book so as to obtain low power consumption along with compact size and reduced weight, a solar cell and a charging device in the energy section of the thin portable book, so that low power consumption is further promoted, a freely detachable cassette-type or card-type non-volatile semiconductor memory in the recording medium section of the thin portable book so as to provide further savings in power consumption. |
| US07864147B2 |
Method and apparatus for driving capacitive load, and LCD
A potential supplied from a capacitive load drive unit to one end of a respective capacitive load is switched to an intermediate potential between a first and a second power supply potentials for a predetermined period of time prior to switching the potential of the one end of the capacitive load from the first to the second power supply potential, or vice versa, which minimizes charging and discharging currents of the load, variations of the potential supplied to the capacitive load, and hence power consumption involved, without providing a charging capacitor having a large capacitance in the capacitive load drive unit. |
| US07864139B2 |
Organic EL device, driving method thereof, and electronic apparatus
An organic electroluminescent device including: a plurality of pixels, each having a red light emitting element to emit red light, a green light emitting element to emit green light, and a blue light emitting element to emit blue light; and a drive device adjusting a luminance ratio among the red light, the green light, and the blue light by adjusting light emitting time of each of the red light emitting element, the green light emitting element, and the blue light emitting element. |
| US07864138B2 |
Portable computer and method for mounting a flat panel display device thereon
A portable computer including a housing having first and second sections, the first section having an information input device and the second section having a case having a first fastening element; a display panel including a second fastening element at a rear surface of the panel, the case and the display panel being attached through the first and second fastening elements; a hinge coupling the first and the second sections to each other; and a display panel support member having a third fastening element, the display panel support member being attached to the display panel through the third fastening element. |
| US07864137B2 |
Burning system having print interface for liquid crystal display
An exemplary burning system (20) for a liquid crystal display includes a VGA (video graphics array) interface (230), a DVI (digital visual interface) (240), an interface-inverting circuit (220) configured for selectively switching between connectivity with the VGA interface and connectivity with the DVI, and a host computer (250) including a print interface (210). The host computer is configured for burning extended display identification data for the VGA interface into the liquid crystal display via the print interface, the interface-inverting circuit and the VGA interface, and is configured for burning extended display identification data for the DVI into the liquid crystal display via the print interface, the interface-inverting circuit and the DVI. |
| US07864135B2 |
Multi-display system and display method
A multi-display system is provided. The system includes a plurality of display devices that each display a partial image being at least a part of an original image of a screen. Each of the plurality of display devices include a plurality of signal input channels that are each provided with an input terminal for receiving image information about the original image or the partial image, and are each set in accordance with a signal format of the provided image information; an input channel selection section that selects any of the signal input channels in accordance with a predetermined control command, and makes an input of the image information via the selected signal input channel; and a display control section that applies, in accordance with the predetermined control command, predetermined image processing to the received image information, and makes a display section display thereon the partial image. |
| US07864134B2 |
Display device of a mobile phone having a sub memory
Provided is a display device of a mobile phone with a sub memory. The display device includes a display panel for displaying application data and state display data corresponding to a main image data signal used to display various application data and a sub image data signal including state display data and picture control signals, a sub memory for storing state display data and picture control signals for outputting state display data and picture control signals to the display panel, and a display driver which drives images or data to be displayed on the display panel. |
| US07864133B2 |
Method and system for software defined antenna control
Methods and systems for reducing AM/PM and AM/AM distortion are disclosed and may comprise selectively coupling and impedance matching one of a plurality of tunable antennas to a single programmable output stage comprising a single power amplifier on a chip in a transmitter. A programmable matching circuit comprising adjustable inductance and capacitance may be used to impedance match the antenna to the output stage. The selected tunable antenna may be coupled to the output stage utilizing a programmable switch array, which may comprise at least one integrated transistor, for example. The tunable antennas may be designed to operate in different frequency bands and to be tuned within one or more frequency bands. The programmable matching circuit may be integrated on the chip or external to the chip. The matching circuit capacitance may be integrated on-chip, and the inductance may be located off-chip. |
| US07864130B2 |
Broadband single vertical polarized base station antenna
An antenna for receiving and/or transmitting electromagnetic signals is disclosed. The antenna includes a ground plane with a length and having a vertical axis along the length, and a dipole radiating element projects outwardly from a surface of the ground plane. The radiating element includes a feed section, and a ground section. |
| US07864128B1 |
Method and apparatus for stacked waveguide horns using dual polarity feeds oriented in quadrature
A method and apparatus for stacked waveguide horns using dual polarity feeds oriented in quadrature have been disclosed. |
| US07864123B2 |
Hybrid slot antennas for handheld electronic devices
Handheld electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include an antenna. The antenna may be formed from a ground plane having a dielectric-filled slot that defines a slot antenna structure and having a planar-inverted-F (PIFA) resonating element located above the opening. The slot antenna structure and the PIFA resonating element may both contribute to the performance of the antenna, so that the antenna exhibits the performance of a hybrid PIFA-slot antenna. The PIFA resonating element may contain multiple antenna resonating element branches. The branches may be configured to operate in different communications bands than the slot antenna structure. |
| US07864120B2 |
High isolation antenna design for reducing frequency coexistence interference
Various embodiments are directed to high isolation antenna design for reducing frequency coexistence interference. In one embodiment, a computing device may comprise a printed circuit board including a first internal antenna and a second internal antenna operating in a common frequency band. At least one of the first internal antenna and the second internal antenna may comprise a balanced antenna coupled to an unbalancing element to suppress surface current on the printed circuit board and reduce frequency coexistence interference between the first internal antenna and the second internal antenna. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07864117B2 |
Wideband or multiband various polarized antenna
A microstrip patch antenna wherein the half-power beamwidths of two orthogonal polarizations can be widened or narrowed in desired frequency bands around its center frequency. The result is a wideband or multiband antenna with desired beamwidth characteristics. In particular, the antenna can be arranged to be singly-polarized, dual-polarized or circularly-polarized. Using at least two parasitic patches on each of the two opposing sides of a primary radiating patch, both E-plane (electric field) and H-plane (magnetic field) parasitic couplings can be simultaneously achieved. By introducing uneven current distribution along the patch principal axis, some sub-bands of the antenna pattern can be beam steered. |
| US07864113B2 |
Module, filter, and antenna technology for millimeter waves multi-gigabits wireless systems
A method of fabricating an ultra-high frequency module is disclosed. The method includes providing a top layer; drilling the top layer; milling the top layer; providing a bottom; milling the bottom layer to define a bottom layer cavity; aligning the top layer and the bottom layer; and adhering the top layer to the bottom layer. The present invention also includes an ultra-high frequency module operating at ultra-high speeds having a top layer, the top layer defining a top layer cavity; a bottom layer, the bottom layer defining a bottom layer cavity; and an adhesive adhering both the top layer to the bottom layer, wherein the top layer and the bottom layer are formed from a large area panel of a printed circuit board. |
| US07864112B2 |
Beam-forming antenna with amplitude-controlled antenna elements
A beam-forming antenna for transmission and/or reception of an electromagnetic signal having a given wavelength in a surrounding medium includes a transmission line electromagnetically coupled to an array of individually controllable antenna elements, each of which is oscillated by the signal with a controllable amplitude. The antenna elements are arranged in a linear array and are spaced from each other by a distance that does not exceed one-third the signal's wavelength in the surrounding medium. The oscillation amplitude of each of the individual antenna elements is controlled by an amplitude controlling device, such as a switch, a gain-controlled amplifier, or a gain-controlled attenuator. The amplitude controlling devices, in turn, are controlled by a computer that receives as its input the desired beamshape, and that is programmed to operate the amplitude controlling devices in accordance with a set of stored amplitude values derived empirically for a set of desired beamshapes. |
| US07864107B1 |
RF receiver sensing by harmonic generation
The system includes a transmitter, at least one detection system receiver, a modulated signal source, and a directional receive antenna. The transmitter emits a high power illuminating signal at a receive frequency of a target RF receiver to be detected. The high power illuminating signal is sufficient to cause the target RF receiver to generate harmonic emissions. At least one detection system receiver is used for detecting at least one harmonic frequency emitted by the target RF receiver. The modulated signal source is operatively associated with the transmitter to modulate the illuminating signal and for use as a reference to the detection system receiver such that the turn around time of the harmonic frequency emitted by the target RF receiver can be measured. A directional receive antenna is operatively associated with the detection system receiver for determining the angle to the target RF receiver. |
| US07864105B2 |
Distance measuring apparatus and distance measuring method
Distance measuring apparatus has a rough distance measuring circuit (18) using a time delay circuit and a precise distance measuring circuit (31) for measuring the orientation of the vector of a carrier wave to determine the distance, the sum of which is the final output. The rough distance measuring apparatus (18) has a long measurement span but low precision. The precise distance measuring apparatus (31) has a short measurement span but high precision. The combination provides distance measuring apparatus having a long measurement span and high resolution and capable of implementing precise measurement. |
| US07864104B2 |
Device for determining and monitoring the level of a medium in a container
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for ascertaining and monitoring fill level (2) of a medium (3) in a container (4) by means of a travel-time measuring method of high-frequency measurement signals (6) with a horn antenna (7) having a waveguide section (8), a flared, horn section (9) and a cavity (11) filled, at least partially, with a dielectric filling body (12). Object of the invention is to provide a simple, temperature-stable, horn antenna filled with a dielectric material. |
| US07864103B2 |
Device and method for 3D height-finding avian radar
A height-finding 3D avian radar comprises an azimuthally scanning radar system with means of varying the elevation pointing angle of the antenna. The elevation angle can be varied by employing either an antenna with multiple beams, or an elevation scanner, or two radars pointed at different elevations. Heights of birds are determined by analyzing the received echo returns from detected bird targets illuminated with the different elevation pointing angles. |
| US07864099B2 |
Low cost short range radar
A low cost radar system that employs monopulse beamforming to detect objects in the road-way both in elevation and azimuth. In one non-limiting embodiment, a beamforming receiver architecture includes a first beamforming device and a plurality of antennas coupled to the first beamforming device, and a second beamforming device and a plurality of antennas coupled to the second beamforming device. The first and second beamforming devices are oriented 90° relative to each other so that the receive beams provided by the first beamforming device detect objects in azimuth and the receive beams provided by the second beamforming device detect objects in elevation. A first switch is provided to selectively couple the sum pattern signal from the first and second beamforming devices to one output line, and a second switch is provided to selectively couple the difference pattern signals from the first and second beamforming devices to another output line. |
| US07864098B2 |
Radar device and method for adjusting among radar sites
A radar device includes a generation unit, a transmission unit, and a control unit. The generation unit selectively generates a set of a plurality of transmission signals whose center frequencies are different from one another within an assigned frequency band. The transmission unit emits the transmission signals. The control unit controls the generation unit so as to vary the center frequencies for each emission of the transmission signals. |
| US07864096B2 |
Systems and methods for multi-sensor collision avoidance
An embodiment of the present invention provides a collision avoidance system for a host aircraft comprising a plurality of sensors for providing data about other aircraft that may be employed to determine one or more parameters to calculate future positions of the other aircraft, a processor to determine whether any combinations of the calculated future positions of the other aircraft are correlated or uncorrelated, and a collision avoidance module that uses the correlated or uncorrelated calculated future positions to provide a signal instructing the performance of a collision avoidance maneuver when a collision threat exists between the host aircraft and at least one of the other aircraft. |
| US07864089B2 |
Fast fourier transformation-based analog-to-digital converter calibration system
The present invention discloses an FFT-based ADC calibration system able to solve the problems of capacitor mismatch and finite Op-Amp open loop gain, which result in that the radix of the gain of each stage is not exactly equal to 2. The present invention uses an FFT processor to calculate the real radix of each stage and uses a digital method to generate new digital outputs. As the present invention can compensate the finite gain of Op-Amp, the specification of Op-Amp is not so critical in designing ADC. Therefore, the low-gain Op-Amp can be used to reduce the power consumption of ADC. Further, the FFT-based calibration technology can considerably promote the performance of ADC. |
| US07864083B2 |
Efficient data compression and decompression of numeric sequences
Embodiments described herein relate to compression and decompression of data consisting of a one dimensional time series of floating point numbers. A compressor may comprise a lossless stage and in some embodiments a lossy stage in addition to the lossless stage. The lossy stage quantizes the data by discarding some of the least significant bits as specified by the user. The lossless stage uses a context mixing algorithm with two bit-wise predictive models whose predictions are combined and fed to an arithmetic coder. One model is a direct context model using the most significant bits of prior numeric samples as context. The other model is the output of an adaptive filter, in which the approximate predicted numeric value is used as context to model the actual value. A corresponding decompressor uses the same lossless model with the arithmetic coder replaced by an arithmetic decoder. |
| US07864077B2 |
System and method for encoding a signal using compressed sensor measurements
Described is a system and method for receiving a signal for transmission and encoding the signal into a plurality of linear projections representing the signal. The encoding includes defining a transform matrix. The transform matrix being defined by processing the signal using a macroseparation matrix, processing the signal using a microseparation matrix and processing the signal using an estimation vector. |
| US07864075B2 |
Rotary electrostatic encoder
A rotary electrostatic encoder comprising a disk-shaped fixed plate having a first transmission electrode, a second transmission electrode, and four reception electrodes; a disk-shaped rotating plate having a first induction electrode superposed on and facing the first transmission electrode, and a second induction electrode positioned on the inside of the first induction electrode and superposed on and facing the second transmission electrode, a portion of the second induction electrode being a protruding eccentric circular part; transmission means for applying a transmission signal between the first transmission electrode and the second transmission electrode; and signal processing means for generating an output signal relating to the absolute rotational displacement of the rotating plate on the basis of two signal components generated from the four reception electrodes. |
| US07864072B2 |
System and method for automatically adjusting traffic light
A system, program product and method for automatically adjusting the traffic light of a traffic light controlled intersection. Personal data relative to a pedestrian cross walking the intersection, including walking speed, and the current speed of a vehicle approaching the intersection are simultaneously acquired. Both the personal data and the vehicle current speed are processed to generate cross walk control signals, such as indicators of risk of collision between vehicle and pedestrian. Where the risk warrants action, the “stop” condition of the traffic light is enable to warn the vehicle to stop. Traffic control signals are also generated to control the duration of the “walk” condition for slow moving pedestrians. |
| US07864071B2 |
Emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption system
An emergency vehicle traffic light preemption system for preemption of traffic lights at an intersection to allow safe passage of emergency vehicles. The system includes a real-time status monitor of an intersection which is relayed to a control module for transmission to emergency vehicles as well as to a central dispatch office. The system also provides for audio warnings at an intersection to protect pedestrians who may not be in a position to see visual warnings or for various reasons cannot hear the approach of emergency vehicles. A transponder mounted on an emergency vehicle provides autonomous control so the vehicle operator can attend to getting to an emergency and not be concerned with the operation of the system. Activation of a priority-code (i.e. Code-3) situation provides communications with each intersection being approached by an emergency vehicle and indicates whether the intersection is preempted or if there is any conflict with other approaching emergency vehicles. On-board diagnostics handle various information including heading, speed, and acceleration sent to a control module which is transmitted to an intersection and which also simultaneously receives information regarding the status of an intersection. Real-time communications and operations software allow central and remote monitoring, logging, and command of intersections and vehicles. |
| US07864070B2 |
System and method for training a trainable transmitter
A method for training a trainable transmitter in a vehicle includes receiving a request to enter a training mode of the trainable transmitter from a user. In response to the request, default mode data is retrieved from a memory and transmitted for a predetermined time. Upon expiration of the predetermined time, the trainable transmitter begins a training mode. |
| US07864067B2 |
Self-powered wireless sensor system
A wireless sensor system for sensing a characteristic associated with a conveying system from which the sensor system generates operating power. The sensor system includes a transducer including an axle, a roller connected to the axle, and a link connected to the roller. The transducer may be configured to permit the roller to be positioned in contact with a conveyor belt of the conveying system so that the roller rotates about the axle or with the axle in response to translation of the conveyor belt. The sensor system also includes a power generator connected to the link, wherein the link transfers rotary motion from the roller to the generator, which generates power using the rotary motion input by the link. The sensor system further includes a sensor connected to the generator for receiving power, wherein the sensor is configured to sense the physical characteristic associated with the conveying system. |
| US07864064B2 |
Fugitive emissions detection devices
The present invention relates to detection and alarm systems for predicting and detecting the location of spills, leaks, emissions, and/or pollution sources, i.e., unwanted fluid (liquid/gas) flow/escape, at refineries, e.g., oil and gas refineries, and plants, e.g., petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, and food processing plants, and avoiding said unwanted flow/escape. According to one embodiment, said system comprises at least one detector, at least one battery powered radio frequency transmitter, preferably, according to one embodiment, a 900 megahertz spread spectrum transmitter, and a central processing location which, according to one embodiment, is preferably capable of handling up to 3000 points in a single cell site. |
| US07864056B2 |
Depository monitoring system in semiconductor storage warehouse
A depository monitoring system for use in a semiconductor factory comprises a plurality of carriers, each holding at least one semiconductor object; a depository monitoring host for monitoring a depository of each carrier; and a plurality of RFID tags and a plurality of RFID readers. It is characterized in that the RFID tags are disposed on the carriers and/or semiconductor objects, respectively, wherein each RFID tag has a tag information; the RFID readers read/write the tag information from/to the RFID tags; and the depository monitoring host comprises: a legacy database to store information related to the depository monitoring system; an RFID middleware for processing operations between the RFID readers and the RFID tags; a web interface for processing commands and query results through a B2B internet; an input/output interface for processing commands and query results through an intranet; and a depository controller for performing a sequence of processes in depository monitoring. |
| US07864052B2 |
Mail delivery tracking system and apparatus
The present invention relates to a system that will permit the automatic measurement of the efficiencies of a delivery process from end to end. This system uses Radio Frequency based transponders and reader infrastructure to capture data as objects that contain RF transponders pass process points. In particular this invention permits the capture of delivery data automatically at the final end point. This invention is applicable in delivery applications such as those performed by post offices. |
| US07864051B2 |
Quasi-passive wakeup function to reduce power consumption of electronic devices
A quasi-passive wake-up function for an electronic device that employs a continuous low power standby mode compares a received signal to a predetermined signal and wakes up the device when the received signal is the same as the predetermined signal. An electronic device having a quasi-passive wakeup function includes a receiver for receiving at least one stimulus signal, a comparator for comparing the received signal to a predetermined signal, and at least one logic gate for waking up the electronic device when the received stimulus signal is the predetermined signal. In one application, identification tags are used to distinguish a unique tagged item from among a plurality of items with a similar appearance. When an interrogation signal is not present, the tags sleep at a very low power level. |
| US07864050B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing an object movement tracking service in a communication network
A method and apparatus for real time reconciliation of object movements with ad hoc network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method enables near real time tracking of object movement to be provided as a service by utilizing an ad hoc network. |
| US07864046B2 |
System for automatic notification in a sequential process
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product that enable a component to prepare for the arrival of a moving component by providing, to the component, an automated notification of the moving component's approach. When a moving component approaches an arrival point, a signal is received from a transponder chip on the moving component, wherein the signal includes a unique identifier for the transponder chip. The moving component is then identified based on the unique identifier in the signal. A second signal is sent to the component to signal that initiation of a set of actions to be performed with respect to the moving component may occur. |
| US07864042B2 |
Daily life engagement time monitoring method and device
The method for monitoring engagement time in daily life includes receiving a first radio frequency signal from a first signal source containing a first identification information of the first signal source; matching the first identification information with pre-defined identification information; storing in-time of the said first radio frequency signal with respect to the first identification information; checking the existence of the first radio frequency signal; storing the out-time when the first radio frequency signal is out of range. The engagement time duration between the in-time and the out-time with respect to the first identification information can be computed. |
| US07864041B2 |
Active-tag based dispensing
A method of sensing dispensation of a product from a storage device having an antenna is provided. The method comprises providing a product with a wireless tag within a service area of the antenna, establishing wireless communication between the wireless tag and the antenna, monitoring the wireless communication, and determining, responsive to the monitoring, when the wireless communication has ceased to establish when the product has been dispensed from the storage device. A dispensation-sensing system is also provided. The system comprises a securable storage area, an antenna operable to receive and transmit signals within the securable storage area, and a processor. The processor is configured to establish wireless communication between the antenna and a wireless tag of a product disposed within the securable storage area, monitor the wireless communication, and determine, responsive to the monitoring, when the wireless communication has ceased to establish when the product has been dispensed from the securable storage area. |
| US07864038B2 |
Alarm engineering aiding system
The present invention relates to an alarm engineering aiding system for aiding engineering of an alarm generated in a plant. There are provided an alarm generating scenario file in which types of pseudo alarms and generation timings are defined, a plant instrumentation information DB for storing instrumentation information of the plant, and a pseudo alarm generating section for generating the pseudo alarm based on the alarm generating scenario file, and adding instrumentation information of the plant while referring to the plant instrumentation information DB when the pseudo alarm is generated. |
| US07864037B2 |
Pattern-driven communication architecture
A method, system and computer program product for communicating pattern data is presented. A graphical event pattern is sent to an interconnected array of intelligent sensors. When intelligent sensors in the interconnected array determine that an event has occurred, the graphical event pattern is sent to a user. Thereafter, any data that supports the graphical event pattern is sent to the user. Thus, this supporting data is transmitted according to the graphical event pattern, rather than a header address. |
| US07864030B2 |
Safety system for trucks
A system for encouraging the use of a load stabilizer in a cargo carrying vehicle comprising a storage device which has a detector, the detector being adapted to sense the presence or absence of a stabilizing member such as a shoring bar, the detector being designed to emit a first signal upon sensing the presence of the stabilizing member and to emit a second signal upon sensing the absence of the stabilizing member. The signal could activate or trigger a visual or audio indicator or alternatively the signal will allow or prevent an action being taken. |
| US07864026B2 |
Flexible averaging resistance temperature detector
A temperature sensor. The sensor comprises a wire comprising a resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensing material wrapped around a flexible insulated metal core wire to form an assembly. A first end of the sensing wire is electrically connected to a first end of the core wire. The second end of the core wire provides a first lead, and an insulated lead wire is electrically connected to a second end of the sensing wire to provide a second lead. Shrink tubing encapsulates the assembly. |
| US07864018B2 |
Planar transformer arrangement
A planar transformer arrangement and method provide isolation between an input signal and an output signal. The planar transformer arrangement includes a planar medium having a first layer, a second layer, and a dielectric interlayer arranged between the first and second layers; at least one meandering primary winding arranged on the first layer of the planar medium, a current flow being induced within the primary winding in accordance with the input signal; at least one meandering secondary winding arranged on the second layer of the planar medium, the primary and secondary windings forming a planar transformer, whereby a voltage is induced across the secondary winding in accordance with the current flow within the primary winding; and a mode elimination arrangement configured to produce a compensated voltage by compensating for a common mode interference on the voltage induced across the secondary winding, the mode elimination arrangement being further configured to generate the output signal in accordance with the compensated voltage; wherein the dielectric interlayer of the planar medium provides a voltage isolation between the primary and secondary windings. |
| US07864012B2 |
Inductive coupler for power line communications, having a member for maintaining an electrical connection
There is provided an inductive coupler for coupling a signal to a conductor. The inductive coupler includes (a) a magnetic core having an aperture through which the conductor is routed, (b) a winding wound around a portion of the magnetic core, where the signal is coupled between the winding and the conductor via the magnetic core, and (c) a member that maintains an electrical connection between the magnetic core and the conductor. |
| US07864005B2 |
Arc-fault circuit interrupter device
A ground fault circuit interrupter device is described. |
| US07864001B2 |
Manifold combiner for multi-station broadcast sites apparatus and method
A manifold combiner for a plurality of radio frequency electromagnetic signals includes a first RF bandpass filter element with input and output ports and a first junction element, wherein the first junction element includes a first port connected to the first filter output port, a second port connected to a shorted stub element, and a third port functioning as an output. The signal path toward the stub appears as an open to the first filter. The combiner further includes at least one additional filter element and junction element, with the second port of the additional junction element fed from the output of the previous junction element. Interconnecting sections couple the respective elements. Dimensions of interconnecting sections are selected such that each filter element output sees a single path out of the manifold, through the output of the last junction element, with all other possible paths appearing as open circuits. |
| US07864000B2 |
High frequency switching circuit
There is provided a high frequency switching circuit that can reduce generation of a harmonic signal without using a boost circuit. A high frequency switching circuit according to an aspect of the invention may include: a first switch having one end connected to a first port and the other end connected to a ground; a second switch having one end connected to a second port and the other end connected to the first port by a phase rotation element; and a control circuit controlling to turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch when a high frequency signal input to the first port is output through the second port, wherein the control circuit controls the off-state of the first switch so as to increase harmonics of the high frequency signal generated from the first switch, and the phase rotation element rotates the phase of the harmonics generated in the first switch within a frequency band of the harmonics, and cancels the phase-rotated harmonics generated from the first switch and harmonics generated from the second switch in opposite phases to each other. |
| US07863997B1 |
Compact tuner for high power microwave source
A compact, high speed, miniaturized adaptive controller for a microwave power generator. A pair of directional couplers are arranged between a microwave source and a circulator to measure forward and reverse power. An electromagnet in the circulator may be controlled in response to a VSWR calculation. In some arrangements, the directional couplers may be loop-type directional couplers that are integrated into a waveguide magnetron launching assembly. The directional couplers may use a tapered coaxial line that presents an impedance that reduces along the length thereof. This enhances the directivity of the loop coupler and improves performance of the controller. |
| US07863995B2 |
Methods of achieving linear capacitance in symmetrical and asymmetrical EMI filters with TVS
A transient voltage suppressing (TVS) circuit with uni-directional blocking and symmetric bi-directional blocking capabilities integrated with an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter supported on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The TVS circuit integrated with the EMI filter further includes a ground terminal disposed on the surface for the symmetric bi-directional blocking structure and at the bottom of the semiconductor substrate for the uni-directional blocking structure and an input and an output terminal disposed on a top surface with at least a Zener diode and a plurality of capacitors disposed in the semiconductor substrate to couple the ground terminal to the input and output terminals with a direct capacitive coupling without an intermediate floating body region. |
| US07863992B2 |
Oscillator having comparator circuits having adjustable driving capabilities and method for operating the same
An oscillator includes a first comparator circuit, a second comparator circuit, an oscillation signal generator circuit, and a frequency voltage generator circuit. The first comparator circuit generates a first pulse when a frequency voltage reaches a first reference voltage, and the second comparator circuit generates a second pulse when the frequency voltage reaches a second reference voltage. The oscillation signal generator circuit generates an oscillation signal by latching a first voltage in response to the first pulse and latching a second voltage in response to the second pulse. The frequency voltage generator circuit raises or lowers the frequency voltage in response to the oscillation signal. The driving capability of the first comparator circuit is reduced at the latching of the first voltage and is restored at the latching of the second voltage. The driving capability of the second comparator circuit is reduced at the latching of the second voltage and is restored at the latching of the first voltage. |
| US07863986B2 |
Techniques for improving balun loaded-Q
Techniques for improving the quality factor (“Q”) of a balun in the presence of loading stages are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the ground node of a balun secondary (single-ended) element is connected to a source node of an amplifier stage via a common ground node. The connection may be made physically short to minimize any parasitic elements. In another exemplary embodiment, the common ground node may be coupled to an off-chip ground voltage via a peaking inductor. The peaking inductor may be implemented on-chip, e.g., as a spiral inductor, or off-chip e.g., using bondwires. |
| US07863984B1 |
High efficiency microwave amplifier
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for operating a microwave amplifier with improved efficiency and reduced harmonic emissions. The disclosed amplifier includes a variable rail voltage supply and a variable input drive stage. A controller continually monitors the amplifier output and adjusts the rail voltage and input drive signal to achieve high efficiency and low harmonic emissions. The amplifier may include a dynamic bias controller configured to operate the gain elements outside the linear region. Efficiencies of over 70% may be achieved by the disclosed amplifier. |
| US07863971B1 |
Configurable power controller
A configurable power controller and method for controlling power of a macro circuit block, such as a memory circuit, in multiple power modes is described to help minimize power consumption of the macro circuit block when the application environment for the macro circuit block is in a lower power mode than during its normal power mode. |
| US07863969B2 |
Power supply voltage dropping circuit using an N-channel transistor output stage
A device includes an N-channel transistor for output, a voltage raising circuit, a voltage dropping circuit, and an amplifier. A power supply voltage that is a first voltage is supplied to one end of the output N-channel transistor, and the other end of the output N-channel transistor functions as an output terminal. The voltage raising circuit raises the first voltage to generate a second voltage higher than the first voltage. The voltage dropping circuit reduces the second voltage to generate a third voltage that is higher than the first voltage and is lower than the second voltage. The amplifier amplifies the difference between a reference voltage and a voltage generated at the output terminal, using the third voltage as a power supply voltage, to generate a fourth voltage, and supplies the fourth voltage to the gate of the N-channel transistor for output. |
| US07863964B2 |
Level shifting switch driver on GaAs pHEMT
A radio frequency semiconductor switching device (S) is formed on an MMIC structure (C) including a switching circuit element (12) having four semiconductor switching units (68, 70) with each adapted for receiving a gate control signal. A level shift circuit (10) generates a biasing voltage signal communicated of the switching units (68, 70) for biasing the switching units (68), and provides an output that swings between approximately one diode drop above ground and a negative voltage to bias the switching circuit elements (68 and 70) for reduced loss. The level shift circuit (10) is responsive to an externally provided control signal (58). The switching units (68, 70) are formed into a grouping of at least, a first and a second set (76, 78) of interconnected semiconductor switching units (68, 70) with each set (76, 78) having gates of at least two of the interconnected switching units (68, 70) connected with the level shift circuit output (60, 62). Both the switching units (68, 70) and the level shift circuit (10) are formed on the MMIC structure (C). |
| US07863958B2 |
High speed clock signal duty cycle adjustment
A clock signal duty cycle adjustment circuit includes a duty cycle correction circuit that receives a clock input signal that may need duty cycle correction. The duty cycle correction circuit may derive first and second differential clock signals from the clock input signal. The first and second differential clock signals may exhibit respective voltage offsets. The duty cycle correction circuit includes a voltage offset shift circuit that may shift the voltage offset that one of the first and second differential clock signals exhibits to adjust the effective duty cycle of a clock output signal. The duty cycle adjustment circuit derives the clock output signal from the voltage offset adjusted first and second differential clock signals in response to a duty cycle error signal. |
| US07863956B2 |
Pulse-elimination pulse-width modulation
Instead of reducing the pulse widths of all pulses simultaneously in order to reduce the output power of a switched-mode amplifier linearized by a pulse-width modulator, the width of every other (or every n-th) pulse is reduced. When the widths of the selected pulses have been reduced to zero, the amplifier's output power can be further reduced by selecting further pulses from the remaining non-zero-width pulses, and reducing the widths of those pulses. For example, after every other pulse of an original output signal has been removed, every other pulse of the remaining pulses can be reduced to obtain still lower amplifier output power. In this way, the number of pulses (and thus the number of switching transitions) is reduced for small signals, and therefore the amplifier's switching losses are reduced and efficiency is improved. |
| US07863955B2 |
Semiconductor device and operation method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a pulse signal generating unit for generating a plurality of pulse signals each of which has a different pulse width from each other, a signal multiplexing unit for outputting one of the plurality of the pulse signals as an enable signal in response to frequencies of external clock signals, and a duty ratio detecting unit for detecting a duty ratio of the external clock signals in response to the enable signal. |
| US07863953B2 |
Apparatus and method for use with quadrature signals
Embodiments of the present invention provide a current mode logic circuit, comprising first and second differential switching stages, each stage arranged being arranged to receive a plurality of clock signals, such that the first and second differential switching stages respond to a combination of the plurality of clock signals. |
| US07863951B2 |
Methods for adaptive trip point detection
Methods are described for providing an adaptive trip point detector circuit that receives an input signal at an input signal node and generates an output signal at an output signal node, the output signal changing from a first value to a second value when the input signal exceeds a trip point reference value. In particular, the trip point reference value is adjusted to compensate for variations in process or temperature. |
| US07863949B2 |
Circuit and design structure for synchronizing multiple digital signals
Disclosed is a circuit configured to synchronize multiple signals received by one clock domain from a different asynchronous clock domain, when simultaneous movement of the signals between the clock domains is intended. In the circuit multiple essentially identical pipelined signal paths receive digital input signals. XOR gates are associated with each of the signal paths. Each XOR gate monitors activity in a given signal path and controls, directly or indirectly (depending upon the embodiment), advancement of signal processing in the other signal path(s) to ensure that, if warranted, output signals at the circuit output nodes are synchronized. In a two-signal path embodiment, advancement of signal processing in one signal path is triggered, whenever transitioning digital signals are detected within the other signal path. In an n-signal path advancement of signal processing is triggered in all signal paths, whenever transitioning digital signals are detected on at least one signal path. |
| US07863947B2 |
Driving strength control circuit and data output circuit in semiconductor device
A driving strength control circuit and a data output circuit for controlling driving strength of a data driver based on a user's demand are provided to make it possible to control the driving strength through a fuse cutting. The driving strength control circuit includes a fuse signal generating unit for generating a fuse signal based on a fuse cutting, a select signal generating unit for generating select signals in response to the fuse signal, a driving control signal generating unit for receiving set-up signals and generate driving control signals in response to the select signals, and a driving signal generating unit for driving signals by decoding the driving control signals. |
| US07863946B2 |
Electric signal outputting apparatus with a switching part, an impedance matching part, and an auxiliary switching part
The present invention discloses an electric signal outputting apparatus in a serial electric transmission system. The electric signal outputting apparatus includes a switching part for switchably generating high and low output signals in accordance with signal data and transmitting the output signals to a transmission path, an impedance matching part for matching an output impedance to the impedance of the transmission path, and an auxiliary switching part for subsidiarily supplying current to an output node in the transmission path and subsidiarily absorbing current from the output node in the transmission path when the switching part switches the generation between high and low output signals, wherein the auxiliary switching part conducts the supplying and the absorbing for a period shorter than a pulse width of a reference clock of the serial electric transmission system. |
| US07863942B2 |
Voltage detecting circuit
A voltage detecting circuit for comparing a voltage to be detected with a reference voltage and outputting an output signal having a level depending on the comparison is disclosed. The voltage detecting circuit includes an inverting amplifier circuit configured to receive an intermediate signal having a level depending on the comparison and output the output signal. The inverting amplifier circuit includes an active element having a control terminal. A threshold voltage of the control terminal is as low as or lower than the reference voltage. The voltage to be detected is applied to the control terminal of the active element. |
| US07863941B1 |
Techniques for canceling offsets in differential circuits
A circuit includes a differential circuit that generates a differential output signal at first and second output nodes. The circuit also includes a first variable capacitor coupled to the first output node of the differential circuit, and a second variable capacitor coupled to the second output node of the differential circuit. A control circuit controls capacitances of the first and the second variable capacitors in response to a measurement of the differential output signal. |
| US07863940B2 |
Envelope detector for high speed applications
An envelope detecting circuit is provided. The envelope detecting circuit comprises a source degeneration circuit that amplifies an input differential signal, a differential gain stage that supplies a voltage proportional to the amplified signal, a potential hold circuit that holds the voltage supplied from the gain stage, a comparator circuit that compares the voltage held by the potential holding circuit with a reference potential to output a detect signal, and envelope level adjustment and selection unit that responds to the detect signal and outputs a control signal to the source degeneration circuit. |
| US07863938B2 |
Address decoder and method for setting an address
An address decoder that sets an address of a module connected to a bus includes a level comparator, an edge detector, and an output decoder. The level comparator compares an SDA signal, which is input to an SDA terminal, with an address selection signal, which is input to an ADDR terminal, and outputs a comparison result. When the two signals match, the comparison is repeated until slave addresses are all received. When the two signals do not match, subsequent comparisons are not performed. The edge detector detects an edge of the address selection signal input to the ADDR terminal. The output decoder sets an address corresponding to the connected destination of the ADDR terminal to determine an address of a slave module connected to the address decoder. |
| US07863931B1 |
Flexible delay cell architecture
A flexible delay cell architecture and related methods are provided that may be used, for example, with input/output (I/O) blocks of a programmable logic device (PLD). In one implementation, a PLD includes a delay cell comprising a plurality of delay elements. The delay elements are adapted to delay an input signal to provide an output signal according to a delay setting corresponding to a number of the delay elements. The PLD also includes a register adapted to store the delay setting. The PLD further includes an edge monitor adapted to signal whether an edge transition of the output signal has occurred during a time window. In addition, the PLD includes logic adapted to adjust the delay setting stored by the register in response to the edge monitor signaling the edge transition. |
| US07863930B2 |
Programmable device, control method of device and information processing system
A programmable device operates at high speed while reducing power consumption. The programmable device includes a plurality of processing tiles each including a configuration memory and a core logic unit, a configuration control unit for programming them, and a power control unit for cutting off a power supply depending on an operating state. The power supply of the core logic unit is cut off after saving the internal state of the core logic unit in the configuration memory, and power is supplied again to the core logic unit before the internal state is restored from the configuration memory to the core logic unit, thus saving power while maintaining the internal state. |
| US07863927B2 |
Semiconductor device
The present invention is directed to adjust a resistance value of an output buffer on the basis of a resistance value of an external resistor. A potential according to a resistance ratio between an external resistor and each of resistance adjusters is detected by a code generator. In the code generator, code signals for adjusting resistance are adjusted in accordance with the detection result. The resistance value of each of the resistance adjusters is adjusted to an external resistor. Further, by code signals with which the resistance value of each of the resistance adjusters is adjusted to the resistance value of the external resistor, the resistance of the resistance value of an output buffer is adjusted. |
| US07863926B2 |
Device forming a logic gate for minimizing the differences in electrical or electro-magnetic behavior in an integrated circuit manipulating a secret
An electrical device having a logic gate whose consumption is independent from its input data and its logic state. To this end, the device uses logic means forming switches. The interest in having a device of this type is, for example, to protect chip cards and other cryptosystems from attacks via auxiliary channels, such as collision attacks by and attacks by differential analysis of current, power or consumption. This protection is provided by the hardware. The device is for integration in all devices requiring such a protection. |
| US07863924B2 |
Pusher assemblies for use in microfeature device testing, systems with pusher assemblies, and methods for using such pusher assemblies
Pusher assemblies for use in microelectronic device testing systems and methods for using such pusher assemblies are disclosed herein. One particular embodiment of such a pusher assembly comprises a plate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. An engagement assembly is removably coupled to the second side of the plate and positioned to contact a microfeature device being tested. The pusher assembly can include an urging member proximate the first side of the plate and configured to move the engagement assembly toward the device being tested. The pusher assembly can also include a heat transfer unit carried by the first side of the plate. In several embodiments, the pusher assembly can further include a plurality of pins carried by the engagement assembly such that the pins extend through the plate and engage the urging member to restrict axial movement of the urging member toward the device being tested. |
| US07863922B2 |
Evaluation method of insulating film and measurement circuit thereof
Provided is a method of evaluating dielectric breakdown by applying a current to an insulating film, in which measurement for a forward direction current and measurement for a backward direction current are performed in a short period of time. For this purpose two MOS diodes in which an electrode of one MOS diode and a base of another MOS diode are short-circuited respectively are prepared to form a circuit to which the current is applied, providing current flow in one insulating film reverse to current flow in another insulating film, which enables the application of both the forward direction current and the backward direction current. |
| US07863921B2 |
Circuit board and method for automatic testing
A circuit board (CB) and method for automatic testing of an electronic device under test (DUT). The circuit board (CB) has a first terminal (T1) for coupling to automatic test equipment (ATE) including a first signal generator (SG1), a second terminal (T2) for coupling to the device under test (DUT), a circuit path (W1) interconnecting the first and second terminals (T1, T2), and a PIN (Positive Intrinsic Negative) diode (D1) having one of its cathode (CA) and anode (AN) connected to the circuit path (W1). A third terminal (T3) for coupling to a second signal generator (SG2) is connected to the other of the cathode (CA) and anode (AN). The PIN diode (D1) is arranged so that the length of its connection with the circuit path (W1) is electrically short with respect to the signal frequency of the test signal. |
| US07863916B2 |
Device mounted apparatus, test head, and electronic device test system
A device mounted apparatus includes a board on which a plurality of devices are mounted and a device cooling cover covering the plurality of devices, and formed inside it with a channel through which a refrigerant can flow. The device cooling cover includes a first cover covering only the measurement device among the plurality of devices, and a second cover covering only the power device among the plurality of devices. The first cover and the second cover are electrically insulated from each other. |
| US07863910B2 |
Insulation resistance detecting apparatus
There is provided an insulation resistance detecting apparatus that accurately calculates an insulation resistance value in real time. The insulation resistance detecting apparatus includes: pulse generator 10, comparator 11 to which reference voltage VREF is supplied as one input and an output from pulse generator 10 is supplied as the other input, comparator 11 that outputs a low-level signal when the level of the other input exceeds reference voltage VREF, and that outputs a high-level signal when the level of the other input is lower than reference voltage VREF; resistance R1 provided on the output line of pulse generator 10 in series; coupling capacitor C2 one end of which is connected to the other input line of comparator 11 and the other end of which is connected to the output line of high-voltage DC power supply 21; capacitor C1 one end of which is connected to the other input line of comparator 11 and the other end of which is connected to a ground; and pulse width measuring device 12 that calculates the value of insulation resistance on the output line of high-voltage DC power supply 21 from the duty ratio of an output waveform of comparator 11. |
| US07863908B2 |
Current measurement based on a charge in a capacitor
A method is provided that comprises determining an amount of a first current from an amount of a charge stored in a first capacitor. Also, an apparatus is provided that comprises a reference timer circuit configured to generate a first signal indicating an expiration of a time period, and a sense circuit comprising a first capacitor and configured to sense, responsive to the first signal, a charge stored in the first capacitor, and to generate a second signal representing the sensed charge. |
| US07863906B2 |
Systems and methods for determining the configuration of electronic connections
Systems and methods for determining the configuration of a connection between two devices by measuring an electrical characteristic are provided. Using the measured electrical characteristic, a device is able to select an appropriate communication interface, such as serial, Universal Serial Bus (USB), FireWire, parallel, PS/2, etc., and configure itself appropriately. Systems and methods which determine the physical orientation of a connector with respect to another connector may also be provided alone or in combination with such systems and methods for selecting communication interfaces. The physical orientation of a connector can be determined by measuring an electrical characteristic and a device can then configure itself appropriately. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, device designs can decrease in size and cost as well as simplify operation for the end-user. |
| US07863898B2 |
Method and magnetic resonance system to determine the phase position of a magnetization
In a method to determine a phase position of a magnetization that is caused by radiation of an adiabatic RF pulse for the acquisition of magnetic resonance signals from a slice of an examination subject, an RF pulse of a first type is radiated and a first magnetic resonance signal is acquired, an adiabatic RF pulse is radiated and a second magnetic resonance signal is acquired, the phase of a magnetization induced by the RF pulse of the first type is calculated, as a first phase, and the phase of a magnetization induced by the adiabatic RF pulse is calculated as a second phase, and the phase position of the second phase in relation to the first phase is determined. |
| US07863892B2 |
Multiple SQUID magnetometer
Multiple SQUID magnetometers that include at least two SQUID loops, each of which is composed of at least two Josephson Junctions connected in parallel with superconducting wires, are provided. The SQUID loops are fabricated such that they share a common Josephson Junction. Devices and application that employ the multiple SQUID magnetometers are also provided. |
| US07863890B2 |
Apparatus for testing integrated circuitry
A testing apparatus for testing integrated circuits mounted in a carrier includes a support assembly. A controller is mounted in the support assembly. The controller is programmed to process test signals from the integrated circuits. A retaining assembly is arranged on the support assembly and is configured to receive and retain the carrier during testing. A displacement mechanism is arranged on the support assembly for displacing the retaining assembly relative to the support assembly into and out of an operative condition. Testing circuitry is operatively connected to the controller and has at least test signal generation and measurement circuitry and adaptor circuitry for operative engagement with the integrated circuits being tested, the adaptor circuitry being configured to provide both a physical and an electrical interface with the integrated circuits. |
| US07863882B2 |
Bandgap voltage reference circuits and methods for producing bandgap voltages
A bandgap voltage reference circuit includes a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion. The first circuit portion generates a voltage complimentary to absolute temperature (VCTAT). The second circuit portion generates a voltage proportional to absolute temperature (VPTAT) that is added to the VCTAT to produce a bandgap voltage reference output. The first circuit portion includes a plurality of delta base-emitter voltage (VBE) generators, connected as a plurality of stacks of delta VBE generators. Each delta VBE generator can include a pair of transistors that operate at different current densities and thereby generate a difference in base-emitter voltages (ΔVBE). The plurality of delta VBE generators within each stack are connected to one another, and the plurality of stacks of delta VBE generators are connected to one another, such that the ΔVBEs generated by the plurality of delta VBE generators are arithmetically added to produce the VPTAT. |
| US07863877B2 |
Monolithically integrated III-nitride power converter
A power arrangement that includes a monolithically integrated III-nitride power stage having III-nitride power switches and III-nitride driver switches. |
| US07863874B2 |
Linear voltage regulator with a transistor in series with the feedback voltage divider
A linear voltage regulator is provided having a first transistor connected between a terminal for an input voltage and a terminal for an output voltage, a reference voltage source for producing a reference voltage, a first resistor, a second resistor, a second transistor, wherein the first resistor, the second resistor, and the second transistor are series-connected between the terminal for the output voltage and a reference voltage, and constitute a voltage divider, wherein a divided output voltage is present at a tap of the voltage divider, and also having a differential amplifier with an inverting input and a non-inverting input, wherein the inverting input is connected to the reference voltage source, the non-inverting input is connected to the tap of the voltage divider, and an output terminal of the differential amplifier is connected to a control terminal of the first transistor. |
| US07863872B2 |
Buck-boost switching regulator and control method thereof
The present invention discloses a buck-boost switching regulator, comprising: (1) a first loop including: a first and a second switch electrically connected with each other, the first switch having an end electrically connected with an input voltage, and the second switch having an end electrically connected with ground; and a first control circuit controlling the operation of the first and the second switch; (2) a second loop including: a third and a fourth switch electrically connected with each other, the third switch having an end electrically connected with ground, and the fourth switch having an end electrically connected with an output voltage; and a second control circuit controlling the operation of the third and the fourth switch; and (3) an inductor electrically connected between a node between the first and the second switch, and a node between the third and the fourth switch. |
| US07863870B2 |
Self-adjusting bleeder for a forward converter
A switched mode power supply (SMPS) may be operated with uncoupled output inductors. Overvoltage produced by “low-load” conditions may be controlled through use of an adaptive regulating bleeder. The bleeder may comprise a shunt regulator and a power dissipation resistor connected in parallel with a load of the SMPS. As load on the SMPS is reduced below a predetermined level, the shunt regulator may begin to conduct. Current may pass through the power dissipation resistor. Power dissipation may occur at a rate sufficient to maintain continuous conductance through an output inductor of the SMPS. During normal load operation, the shunt regulator may not conduct and inefficient dissipation of power through the resistor may be avoided. |
| US07863867B2 |
Overload control of an electric power generation system
A control system for an electrical power generation system (EPGS) provides overload protection without disconnecting a generator of the EPGS from an excessive electrical load. Available engine power and current levels of the electrical load are continuously measured. A command voltage is calculated that corresponds to a voltage required to sustain with the maximum available power. Output voltage of a generator of the EPGS is controlled at the calculated command voltage so that a power limit of the engine is not exceeded during electrical overload conditions. |
| US07863866B2 |
Activating batteries based on environmental conditions
A system measures a temperature condition of a component of a mobile communication device, determines a battery of the mobile communication device based on the measured temperature condition, activates the determined battery, activates a temperature management device connected to the battery, and manages the measured temperature condition of the component with the temperature management device. |
| US07863864B2 |
Battery-powered apparatus, method of controlling the apparatus, program for implementing the method, and storage medium storing the program
A battery-powered apparatus which makes it possible to perform battery check with accuracy irrespective of whether a battery is used as an internal battery or an external battery and make the end voltages of the internal battery and the external battery coincide with each other. It is determined whether the battery or an accessory having the battery incorporated therein has been attached to the apparatus, and a predetermined voltage threshold level is set based on the determination result. The voltage value of the battery or the accessory having the battery incorporated therein is detected, and the detected voltage value and the voltage threshold level are compared with each other to decide whether or not it is possible to drive the apparatus. |
| US07863860B2 |
Battery cover
A battery cover suitable for being used to cover a battery groove of an electric appliance such as a game controller, a remote controller, a mobile phone, a multi-medium player, a wireless mouse, a flashlight, a PDA, a digital camera etc. to generate electric power in a wireless inducing mode, for charging chargeable batteries that can thus supply electric power for operation of an electric appliance. Therefore, when a user is desired to electrically charge the chargeable batteries, it needs not to take the chargeable batteries out of the electric appliance, but needs only to directly place the electric appliance in an effective wireless induction zone to make the battery cover generate electric power in a wireless inducing mode to charge the batteries. |
| US07863856B2 |
Bi-directional battery charging for coupled electronic devices
A system for bi-directional battery charging, including a first electronic device, including a first rechargeable battery, for providing power to the first electronic device, and a first battery charger, and a second electronic device, including a second rechargeable battery, for providing power to the second electronic device, a second battery charger, a voltage boost that receives an input voltage from the first rechargeable battery and is selectively enabled to either up-convert the input voltage as input to the second battery charger, or else to passively pass the input voltage to the second battery charger; and a controller for programmatically controlling the first and the second battery chargers and the voltage boost, wherein the second electronic device attaches to the first electronic device to operate in combination therewith, and wherein the controller is programmed to decide, based on the voltages of the first and the second rechargeable batteries: (i) whether to supply power to the second electronic device from the first or second rechargeable battery, (ii) whether to charge the second rechargeable battery from the first rechargeable battery, and (iii) whether to enable or disable the voltage boost. A method is also described and claimed. |
| US07863854B2 |
Heat-exchange cooling device and power supply circuit driver used therefore
A heat exchange cooler capable of eliminating continuous radiation of high-frequency noise waves and reducing the man hour for the installation work, and a power circuit driving device used for it are provided. A commercial power transformer (311), which transforms commercial AC power (307) supplied from a heat generating element storing box to a specified range of voltage, is provided. Moreover, first relay (210) and second relay (212) are used for automatically switching a plurality of taps disposed at the coil of commercial power transformer (311) which keeps a wide range of commercial AC voltage from 200V to 250V in nominal voltage within a specified range of output voltage. |
| US07863852B2 |
Motor and control circuit thereof
A control circuit of a motor includes at least two sensor chips and at least two winding sets. The sensor chips are electrically connected to each other, and each of the winding sets has a first winding and a second winding. The first end of the first windings and the first end of the second windings are electrically connected to each other, and the second end of the first windings and the second end of the second windings are electrically connected to the sensor chips correspondingly. In addition, a motor having the control circuit is also disclosed. |
| US07863850B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for simulating outputs of a resolver to test motor-resolver systems
An apparatus, system, and method are provided for simulating outputs of a resolver. One apparatus includes an adjustable sine waveform generator for simulating first and second sine wave signals, and an adjustable cosine waveform generator for simulating first and cosine wave signals. The apparatus also includes an adjustable waveform generator and an adjustable gain circuit coupled to the sine waveform generator and cosine waveform generator. The system includes a device simulating a resolver coupled to a motor controller. The device includes an adjustable sine waveform generator and an adjustable cosine waveform generator coupled to an adjustable waveform generator and an adjustable gain circuit. One method includes transmitting a signal simulating at least one resolver fault condition to a motor controller to determine if the motor controller detects the fault condition(s). If the motor controller fails to detect the fault condition(s) and/or transmit an error message, the motor controller is malfunctioning. |
| US07863848B2 |
Industrial robot system
An industrial robot system including at least one industrial robot including at least one manipulator located in a robot cell, a control unit for controlling the manipulator, a portable operator control device for teaching and manually operating the manipulator, a detecting unit detecting when the portable operator control device leaves the robot cell, and a warning generator producing a warning to the operator upon detecting that the portable operator control device leaves the robot cell. |
| US07863846B2 |
Assembly of a motor vehicle body and control device of such an assembly
A control device is provided for an assembly of a motor vehicle body, which assembly can be moved between at least two positions, specifically at least between a position retracted to the maximum extent and a position deployed to the maximum extent, in particular a spoiler. The control device contains a first sensor which transmits a signal to an evaluation device, which determines the position of the assembly from the signal of the first sensor, in dependence on the rotational speed of a motor which serves to move the assembly, and a second sensor which monitors a deployed position of the assembly and transmits a corresponding signal to the evaluation device. The evaluation device corrects the signal provided by the first sensor when the assembly is at least temporarily located in the position monitored by the second sensor and the signal provided by the first sensor is outside a tolerance range. |
| US07863843B2 |
Cold rattle reduction control system
A control system for controlling an electric machine (EM) of a hybrid electric vehicle is provided. The system includes: an enable module that selectively enables a motoring mode of the EM based on ambient air temperature; and an EM control module that commands the EM to provide motoring torque as a function of engine speed during the motoring mode. |
| US07863842B1 |
Motor spindle control system and method
A control system and method for a multi-phase motor substantially reduces or eliminates jitter resulting from drive mismatch by replacing a conventional trapezoidal drive profile with a drive profile that causes the voltage applied across active phases of the motor to match the back-EMF across those phases. In an ideal motor, the back-EMF is substantially sinusoidal, and although the drive profile applied to each phase is not truly substantially sinusoidal, the drive voltage across the active phases is substantially sinusoidal. In a non-ideal motor, the back-EMF is not truly sinusoidal and the drive profiles applied to each phase are calculated to cause the drive voltage across the active phases to match the back-EMF across those phases. |
| US07863839B2 |
Fan speed control system
A fan speed control system for a machine is disclosed. The control system may include a fan to provide a flow of coolant to the machine. The system may further include a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of an operational parameter of the machine, a second sensor associated with the fan to generate a second signal indicative of an actual speed of the fan, and a controller communicatively coupled to the fan, the first sensor, and the second sensor. The controller may be configured to generate a third signal indicative of a desired fan speed based on the first signal, and a fourth signal indicative of a difference between the desired fan speed and the actual fan speed. The controller may drive the fan based on the third signal and the fourth signal. |
| US07863838B2 |
Power supply system provided with a plurality of power supplies, and vehicle provided with such power supply system
A power supply system is provided with a plurality of driving motors, a power converter, and a plurality of power supplies which supply the driving motors with power and have different output voltages. Each power supply is connected with at least one driving motor through the power converter and with at least one driving motor through a path which does not include the power converter. |
| US07863837B2 |
Drive system for electrically driven dump truck
A drive system for an electrically driven dump truck is capable of enabling electric motors for traveling to make full use of the output horsepower of the prime mover up to an output limit of the prime mover. A target motor horsepower corresponding to an operation amount of an accelerator pedal is calculated and an available maximum horsepower for the electric motors out of the maximum output horsepower of the prime mover is calculated in response to the actual revolution speed of the prime mover. The horsepower coefficient corresponding to the instantaneous revolution speed deviation is calculated. The available maximum horsepower for the electric motors is modified by the horsepower coefficient to determine a second target motor horsepower. The target motor horsepower is limited to not exceed the second target motor horsepower so as to control the torque of the electric motors. |
| US07863836B2 |
Control circuit and method for regulating average inductor current in a switching converter
A switching power converter has an input voltage source. An output load is coupled to the input voltage source. An inductive element is coupled to the load. A switch is coupled to the inductive element. A current reference input is provided. A control circuit is coupled to the switch and the current reference input for activating and deactivating the switch. The inductive element receives power from the input voltage source when the switch is activated and conducting continuous current. The control circuit deactivates the switch after a controlled delay time when the current in the inductive element and the switch exceeds the current reference input so that an average current in the inductive element is determined by a magnitude of the current reference input. |
| US07863835B2 |
Flat panel display having backlight module
A display includes a backlight module having elongated lamps. At least a pair of the lamps has a first lamp and a second lamp that are electrically connected in series. The first lamp and the second lamp are spaced apart with at least a third lamp positioned between the first and second lamps. |
| US07863833B2 |
DC/DC converter control circuit, and power supply apparatus, light emitting apparatus and electronic device using the same
A control circuit is provided for a separately excited DC/DC converter which directly monitors output voltage to detect a short-circuit state, and performs overcurrent protection. A switching controller of the control circuit controls a switching operation of a switching transistor of the separately excited DC/DC converter. A voltage comparator compares the output voltage and a threshold voltage, to detect the short-circuit state. After a predetermined start-up time has elapsed after beginning start-up of the separately excited DC/DC converter, when the voltage comparator detects the short-circuit state, the switching controller halts the switching operation of the switching transistor, and makes detection of the short-circuit state by the voltage comparator non-operative before elapse of the start-up time. After detecting the short-circuit state and halting the switching operation of the switching transistor for a predetermined halt time, the switching controller begins start-up of the separately excited DC/DC converter once again. |
| US07863828B2 |
Power supply DC voltage offset detector
A power supply output voltage direct current (DC) offset detector determines a DC offset in a power supply output voltage signal, and the output voltage signal has a DC component and an alternating current (AC) “ripple” component. Once during each period of the ripple, the DC offset detector determines the DC offset from an output voltage signal using a comparison between the output voltage signal and a reference voltage. In at least one embodiment, from the comparison and during a period of the ripple, the DC offset detector determines an ‘above’ duration for which the ripple is above the reference voltage, determines a ‘below’ duration for which the ripple is below the reference voltage, or both to determine the DC offset of the power supply output voltage signal. The DC offset detector uses the above and/or below duration(s) to determine the DC offset of the output voltage signal. |
| US07863827B2 |
Ceramic metal halide lamp bi-modal power regulation control
A high frequency ballast for a metal halide lamp comprises a controller, a switch, and an oscillator. The controller selectively enables and disables the oscillator via the switch to ignite the lamp. The switch selectively alters an inductance of the inductor to switch between a first frequency of the oscillator and a second frequency of the oscillator different than the first. The controller monitors a current of a power supply loop of the oscillator and a voltage of the oscillator and determines a duty cycle as a function of the monitored voltage and current. The duty cycle is indicative of the percentage of time that the oscillator is to operate at the first frequency versus the second frequency. |
| US07863825B2 |
LED driver circuit for providing desired luminance with constant current
An LED driver circuit that sinks pure DC current through LEDs. According to the invention, a constant current sink circuit is coupled to a full bridge rectifier. The full bridge rectifier includes at least a first bridge arm, a second bridge arm, a third bridge arm and a fourth bridge arm. The first bridge arm and the fourth bridge arm are connected in parallel with the third bridge arm and the second bridge arm in opposite directions, respectively. The connection of the first bridge arm and the third bridge arm and the connection of the second bridge arm and the fourth bridge arm are connected in series. Each of the bridge arms may consist of at least one LED. The constant current sink circuit is used for sinking pure DC current. The LEDs can be driven by pure constant current and can provide desired luminance. |
| US07863822B2 |
Operating element for a vehicle
An operating element for a vehicle (1, 160) for operation of a function of vehicle (1, 160), especially by pressing on the operating element or touching the operating element, is designed in such a way that the operating element includes a front electrode (10, 21, 22, 31, 71, 91, 111) and a rear electrode (11, 32, 72), as well as a layer (12, 33, 73) arranged between the front electrode (10, 21, 22, 31, 71, 91, 111) and the rear electrode (11, 32, 72) having a dielectric elastomer. |
| US07863818B2 |
Coil/foil-electrode assembly to sustain high operating temperature and reduce shaling
The invention relates to a barrier layer provided on the electrode assembly of a discharge lamp comprising at least a layer of nanoclusters of a non-oxidizing material. Further, the invention relates to an electrode assembly for a discharge lamp comprising an electrode having a foil attached thereto to create an electrode assembly, the assembly being coated with a multi-layer coating comprising at least a layer of non-oxidizing material in the form of nanoclusters, and at least another layer of non-oxidizing material, such that the total coating thickness is up to 1500 nm. A method to reduce thermal expansion mismatch between an electrode assembly and a discharge lamp envelope is also provided, the method comprising providing an electrode assembly and depositing on the surface of the assembly a coating having at least a nanocluster layer of a non-oxidizing material, and subsequently subjecting the lamp envelope in the electrode assembly area to pinching to create a pinch area, this lamp being able to operate at elevated temperature for extended periods, in excess of 1000 hours. |
| US07863817B2 |
Lamp electrode and method of fabricating the same
A lamp electrode includes a sealed tube for generating light when powered by an external power supply and a pair of electrodes formed on the ends of the sealed tube. Solder is filled into the space between each electrode and the sealed tube, and formed on the surface of the exterior surface of the electrodes. A method for forming the lamp electrode includes forming a cylindrically shaped electrode on an end of a sealed tube; maintaining a supply of solder in the liquid state; and dipping the end of the tube on which the electrode is formed into the solder. |
| US07863816B2 |
Dielectric barrier discharge lamp
A dielectric barrier discharge lamp is disclosed, which has a discharge vessel enclosing with a wall a discharge volume filled with discharge gas. There is a phosphor layer within the discharge volume. The discharge lamp comprises first and second sets of interconnected electrodes, which are isolated from the discharge volume by at least one dielectric layer. At least one of the dielectric layers is the wall of the discharge vessel. Both the first and second sets of electrodes are located external to the discharge vessel. Advantageously, the discharge vessel comprises an outer tubular portion with an internal surface and an inner tubular portion with an outward surface. The outer tubular portion surrounds the inner tubular portion, and the discharge volume is enclosed between the internal surface of the outer tubular portion and the outward surface of the inner tubular portion. |
| US07863815B1 |
Electrode configurations for plasma-disc PDP
Electrode configurations for a plasma display panel (PDP) device having one or more substrates and a multiplicity of pixels or sub-pixels that are defined by a hollow plasma-shell filled with an ionizable gas. The invention is described with reference to a plasma-disc, but other plasma-shells may be used including plasma-dome and plasma-sphere. The plasma-disc has at least two opposing flat sides such as a flat top and flat bottom or a flat rear and flat front. One or more other sides or edges may also be flat. Two or more addressing electrodes are in electrical contact with each plasma-disc, at least one electrode being in contact with a flat side of the plasma-disc. |
| US07863811B2 |
Organic light emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display apparatus including: a substrate; a thin film transistor formed on the substrate; a planarization layer formed on the substrate to cover the thin film transistor and comprising a closed-loop groove; a pixel electrode that contacts the thin film transistor and is formed on the planarization layer; a pixel defining layer formed to fill the closed-loop groove; a spacer formed on the planarization layer and disposed outside the pixel electrode; an organic light emitting layer formed on the pixel electrode; and an opposite electrode covering the organic light emitting layer. |
| US07863810B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate formed of a conductive material and a luminescent element having an organic layer formed on the substrate, and an anode and a cathode interposing the organic layer, wherein the substrate physically contacts the cathode and provides a voltage to the cathode. |
| US07863805B2 |
Diamond electron emission cathode, electron emission source, electron microscope, and electron beam exposure device
It is possible to provide an electron emission cathode, an electron emission source having a high-luminance and narrow energy width by using diamond and an electronic device using them. The diamond electron discharge cathode has a monocrystal diamond at least at a part of it. The diamond electron emission cathode has a columnar shape including a sharpened section and a heating section. The sharpened section has an electron emission section. The electron emission section and the heating section are formed by diamond semiconductor, which is formed by a p-type semiconductor containing 2×1015 cm−3 of p-type impurities or above. The electron emission section has the semiconductor. A metal layer is formed on the surface of the electron emission cathode. The metal layer exists at least at a part of the heating section. The distance from the electron emission section to the position nearest to the end of the metal layer is 500 μm. A pair of current introduction terminals supplies current to the heating section to heat the heating section. A part of the introduced electrons is emitted from the electron emission section. |
| US07863804B2 |
Piezoelectric vibration element and piezoelectric device
A piezoelectric vibration element having a favorable drive level characteristic for miniaturization, and a piezoelectric oscillator. The piezoelectric vibration element includes a base made of a piezoelectric material, a plurality of vibration arms extended from the base, a long groove formed along a longitudinal direction of a main surface of each of the plurality of vibration arms, and an exciting electrode provided inside the long groove. A center position in a width dimension of the long groove is decentered in a minus X-axis direction from a center position of an arm width dimension. |
| US07863800B2 |
Transducer operating with surface acoustic waves and having four excitation centers
A transducer operating with surface acoustic waves is specified, which is divided into cells, whose length essentially equals one wavelength, comprising cells of the second type, which are SPUDT cells and which have an excitation intensity of 100%, and at least one cell of the first cell type, which has at least four excitation centers, wherein an excitation center lies between two adjacent fingers with different polarities, and wherein the cell of the first cell type has an excitation intensity of a maximum of 30%. |
| US07863799B1 |
Micro electro mechanical system using comb and parallel plate actuation
The present invention combines electrostatic comb with parallel plate actuation in a novel design to create a robust low voltage MEMS Micromirror. Other unique advantages of the invention include the ability to close the comb fingers for additional reliability and protection during mirror snapping with over voltage. |
| US07863798B2 |
Nanocrystal powered nanomotor
A nanoscale nanocrystal which may be used as a reciprocating motor is provided, comprising a substrate having an energy differential across it, e.g. an electrical connection to a voltage source at a proximal end; an atom reservoir on the substrate distal to the electrical connection; a nanoparticle ram on the substrate distal to the atom reservoir; a nanolever contacting the nanoparticle ram and having an electrical connection to a voltage source, whereby a voltage applied between the electrical connections on the substrate and the nanolever causes movement of atoms between the reservoir and the ram. Movement of the ram causes movement of the nanolever relative to the substrate. The substrate and nanolever preferably comprise multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and the atom reservoir and nanoparticle ram are preferably metal (e.g. indium) deposited as small particles on the MWNTs. The substrate may comprise a silicon chip that has been fabricated to provide the necessary electrodes and other electromechanical structures, and further supports an atomic track, which may comprise an MWNT. |
| US07863793B2 |
Field element core
A field element core has field magnet through holes and connecting portions. The field magnet through holes are circumferentially arranged in a circumferential direction around a given direction, and are adjacent each other in the circumferential direction to form pairs. Seen from the given direction, field magnet through holes forming the same pair both extend along a certain one direction determined for each pair. A connecting portion is provided between the field magnet through holes of the same pair, and has the ends as its sides. The sides of the connecting portion are curved in a concave shape as a whole. Specifically, seen from the given direction, a tangent to the side is along the direction of extension of the connecting portion only at a certain one position between both ends of the side. The same holds true for the side. |
| US07863788B2 |
System concept for mills and classifiers with magnetic bearing spindle drives
A system for process-technological machines such as mills and classifiers having an enclosed design with no rotary unions between the ambient air and system interior. This system is particularly useful for CIP and SIP operation modes or glove-box operations. The mills or classifiers include an encapsulation that seals the components of the magnetic bearing spindle drive against the working zone of the shaft in the magnetic bearing spindle housing. The magnetic bearing spindle drive is designed such that the shaft can be removed to facilitate simpler and easier component exchange as well as thorough cleaning. |
| US07863786B2 |
Drive apparatus for a washing machine
A drive apparatus for a washing machine includes an electric motor, a drive shaft connected to the electric motor for rotary drive purposes and electronics for controlling operation of the electric motor. In order to achieve a compact construction, the electric motor and the electronics are integrated in a common unit. In order to increase operational reliability of the drive apparatus together with a simple construction, the common unit has a wall which is thermally coupled both to the electric motor and to the electronics and serves to dissipate heat. The electronics have a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of the wall. Both the temperature of the electric motor and the temperature of the electronics can be monitored with this one temperature sensor. |
| US07863784B2 |
Axial flux permanent magnet machines
An electromechanical machine having a stator and a rotor, the stator including at least one stator module of N toroid shaped electromagnets, the electromagnets arranged along an arc a predetermined distance apart defining a stator arc length. Each of the electromagnets has at least one gap. The rotor includes a disc adapted to pass through the at least one gap. The disc includes a plurality of permanent magnets spaced side by side about a periphery thereof and arranged so as to have alternating north-south polarities. The permanent magnets are sized and spaced such that within the stator arc length the ratio of permanent magnets to electromagnets is N+1 to N, where N is the number of electrical excitation phases applied to the electromagnets. |
| US07863781B2 |
Power unit and safety circuit having the same
A power unit including a plurality of series-connected battery modules and safety circuit wherein a service plug is inserted from the side of a terminal board of a battery pack, thereby establishing an electrical connection among battery modules. A connector is provided on a back of a terminal cover by way of a projecting section, and a second safety switch is activated by attachment of a terminal cover and insertion of the connector to the terminal board, thereby establishing an electrical connection among the battery modules. Even when the service plug is attached at the time of completion of maintenance without attachment of the terminal cover, the battery modules are still kept in an unconnected state by means of a second switch, and energization, which would otherwise arise with exposed terminals, is prevented. |
| US07863780B2 |
Safety switching device and method for monitoring a hazardous area defined by motor-driven components
The disclosure relates to a safety switching device for a hazardous area defined by motor-driven components, the device being switchable into at least two control stages, wherein in a first control stage at least some of the motor-driven components can be switched into a state of reduced risk potential and in at least one second control stage at least some of the motor-driven components can be shut off, and wherein the safety switching device comprises an apparatus for determining the position of the safety switching device inside the hazardous area. |
| US07863775B2 |
Power management and control in electronic equipment
To manage power of a fuel cell and a battery for an electronic device, an amount of power consumed by an operation module in the electronic device may be sensed. Generated voltage capacity of the fuel cell and remaining capacity of the battery may be acquired. The battery may be charged/discharged based on the sensed amount of consumed power and the generated voltage capacity of the fuel cell. A performance limit signal may be provided to the operation module if the sensed amount of consumed power exceeds a sum of the generated voltage capacity of the fuel cell and the remaining capacity of the battery. The operation module may adjust a frequency of an internal operation clock in response to the performance limit signal. |
| US07863771B2 |
Power-aware wireless transmissions
A technique for operating a device at multiple different power levels dependent upon the amount of power received involves sensing the amount of power received and turning on circuit components if power is adequate. A device constructed according to the technique should have the ability to detect at least two different, non-zero, power levels and turn on circuits to the extent that sufficient power is detected. |
| US07863770B2 |
Power supply equipment for simultaneously providing operating voltages to a plurality of devices
Power supply equipment includes circuitry for converting an input voltage to first and second DC voltages provided at respective connection points. One of the connection points is electrically coupled to a first cable having at its distal end a connector or connector adapter which has a shape and pin out compatible for detachably mating with a first electronic device. A second connection point is electrically coupled to a second cable having at its distal end a connector or connector adapter which has a shape and pin out compatible for detachably mating with a second electronic device. Either or both of the cables may be electrically coupled to their respective connection points via respective connectors which detachably mate with respective proximal end connectors on the cables. The power supply powers the first electronic device at the first DC voltage and the second electronic device at the second DC voltage. |
| US07863768B2 |
Pliant mechanisms for extracting power from moving fluid
Flexible and elastic mechanisms for extracting power from a moving fluid. Sheet-like material is deformed during fabrication through an applied force so as to create undulations in said material, whose stresses are maintained through restraining components, thereby maintaining the occurrence of said deformations in the material. When placed in moving fluid, the resulting pressure differentials cause the positions of the undulations within the material to travel along said material in the same direction as the moving fluid. Power is extracted in one of two principle ways. The first is via a mechanical coupling of the sheet-like material to a rotating mechanism, which turns an electro-magnetic dynamo or other output device. The second is via the utilization of a flexible material which exhibits an electrical response to mechanical strain, whereby the strains caused by the travel of undulations along the material create an electrical current which is extracted via two or more electrodes. |
| US07863766B2 |
Power converter for use with wind generator
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a turbine to generate mechanical energy from kinetic energy, a generator coupled to the turbine to receive the mechanical energy and to output multiple isolated supply powers, and multiple power stages each coupled to the generator. Each of the power stages may receive at least one of the isolated supply powers. |
| US07863765B2 |
Vertical shaft type windmill with arcuate hook shaped vane blades
A vertical shaft type windmill with arcuate hook shaped vane blade is composed of a tower, a rotary stand, a wind vane assembly, a generator and an electric controller. The present invention makes use of the wind power to drive the aforesaid structure to produce the mechanical power which being afterwards converted into the electrical power to supply various loads such as the domestic appliances, the public and roadway lighting. The structure is simply constructed, easy to fabricate and operate. |
| US07863763B2 |
Binary sinusoidal sub-wavelength gratings as alignment marks
The present invention relates to alignment marks for use on substrates, the alignment marks consisting of periodic 2-dimensional arrays of structures, the spacing of the structures being smaller than an alignment beam but larger than an exposure beam and the width of the structures varying sinusoidally from one end of an array to the other. |
| US07863762B2 |
Method of packaging and interconnection of integrated circuits
A method is disclosed for packaging semiconductor chips on a flexible substrate employing thin film transfer. The semiconductor chips are placed on a temporary adhesive substrate, then covered by a permanent flexible substrate with a casting layer for planarizingly embedding the chips on the permanent substrate before removing the temporary substrate. With the surface of the chips coplanar with the surface of the complete structure without any gaps, interconnect metal lines can be easily placed on the uninterrupted surface, connecting the chips and other components. |
| US07863761B2 |
Integrated circuit package system with molding vents
An integrated circuit package system comprising: providing a substrate; attaching an integrated circuit die over the substrate; attaching a connector to the integrated circuit die and the substrate; and forming an encapsulant over the substrate, the integrated circuit die, and the connector and minimizing ambient gas deformation of the substrate to keep the connector from touching another connector. |
| US07863757B2 |
Methods and systems for packaging integrated circuits
Panel level methods and systems for packaging integrated circuits are described. In a method aspect of the invention, a substrate formed from a sacrificial semiconductor wafer is provided having a plurality of metallized device areas patterned thereon. Each device area includes an array of metallized contacts. Dice are mounted onto each device area and electrically connected to the array of contacts. The surface of the substrate including the dice, contacts and electrical connections is then encapsulated. The semiconductor wafer is then sacrificed leaving portions of the contacts exposed allowing the contacts to be used as external contacts in an IC package. In various embodiments, other structures, including saw street structures, may be incorporated into the device areas as desired. By way of example, structures having thicknesses in the range of 10 to 20 microns are readily attainable. |
| US07863751B2 |
Multilayer wiring structure for memory circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes: a semiconductor substrate, on which diffusion layers are formed; and multilayered wirings stacked above the semiconductor substrate to be connected to the diffusion layers via contact plugs, wherein a first wring and a second wiring formed thereabove are connected to the diffusion layers via first contact plug(s) and second contact plugs, respectively, and the number of the second contact plugs arrayed in parallel is set to be greater than that of the first contact plug(s). |
| US07863748B2 |
Semiconductor circuit and method of fabricating the same
A bonded semiconductor structure includes a support substrate which carries a first electronic circuit, and an interconnect region carried by the support substrate. The interconnect region includes a capacitor and conductive line in communication with the first electronic circuit. The circuit includes a bonding layer carried by the interconnect region, and a bonded substrate coupled to the interconnect region through the bonding layer. |
| US07863738B2 |
Apparatus for connecting integrated circuit chip to power and ground circuits
In a method and system for transferring at least one of power and ground signal between a die and a package base of a semiconductor device, a connector is formed there between. The connector, which is disposed above the die attached to the package base, includes a center pad electrically coupled to the die by a plurality of conductive bumps and a finger extending outward from the center pad towards the package base. The finger is electrically coupled to the package base by a conductive pad. A plurality of bond wires are formed to electrically couple the package base and the die. A resistance of a conductive path via the connector is much less than a resistance of a conductive path via any one of the plurality of bond wires to facilitate an efficient transfer of the at least one of power and ground signal. |
| US07863736B2 |
Semiconductor device and signal terminating method thereof
A semiconductor device may include a semiconductor chip including a signal terminating resistor coupled between a signal input pad and a first ground voltage pad, a semiconductor package including a signal input terminal and a first ground voltage terminal, the signal input terminal being electrically coupled to the signal input pad of the semiconductor chip and the first ground voltage terminal being electrically coupled to the first ground voltage pad of the semiconductor chip, a capacitor and a resistor that are coupled between the signal input terminal and the first ground voltage terminal, and a first inductor realized by coupling the signal input terminal and the signal input pad. |
| US07863735B1 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with a tiered substrate package and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a base substrate; applying a tiered encapsulant above the base substrate, the tiered encapsulant having a first cavity above the base substrate and a second cavity above the first cavity adjacent an intermediate horizontal side; connecting an intermediate interconnect to the base substrate, the intermediate interconnect surrounded by the tiered encapsulant and substantially exposed on the intermediate horizontal side; and connecting a top interconnect to the base substrate, the top interconnect surrounded by the tiered encapsulant and substantially exposed on a top horizontal side. |
| US07863730B2 |
Array-molded package heat spreader and fabrication method therefor
A method for forming a heat spreader, and the heat spreader formed thereby, are disclosed. An array heat spreader having a plurality of connected heat spreader panels is formed. Slots are formed in opposing sides of the heat spreader panels. Legs are formed on and extending downwardly from each of the heat spreader panels in at least an opposing pair of the slots on the heat spreader panels. The legs are integral with the respective heat spreader panels from which they depend. |
| US07863729B2 |
Circuit board structure embedded with semiconductor chips
A circuit board structure embedded with semiconductor chips is proposed. A semiconductor chip is received in a cavity of a supporting board. A dielectric layer and a circuit layer are formed on the supporting board and the semiconductor chip. A plurality of hollow conductive vias are formed in the dielectric layer for electrically connecting the circuit layer to the semiconductor chip. By providing the hollow conductive vias of present invention, the separating results of different coefficients of expansion and thermal stress are prevented, and thus electrical function of products is ensured. |
| US07863728B2 |
Semiconductor module including components in plastic casing
A semiconductor module includes components in a plastic casing. The semiconductor module includes a plastic package molding compound and a semiconductor chip. Also provided in the module are a first principal surface including an upper side of the plastic package molding compound and at least one active upper side of the semiconductor chip, a second principal surface including a back side of the plastic package molding compound, and a multilayered conductor track structure disposed on the first principal surface and a second metal layer disposed on the second principal surface. |
| US07863723B2 |
Adhesive on wire stacked semiconductor package
A semiconductor package and a method of producing the same has a substrate. A first semiconductor chip is coupled to a surface of the substrate. The first semiconductor chip has a first and second surfaces which are substantially flat in nature. An adhesive layer is coupled to the second surface of the first semiconductor chip. A second semiconductor chip having first and second surfaces which are substantially flat in nature is further provided. An insulator is coupled to the first surface of the second semiconductor chip for preventing shorting of wirebonds. The second semiconductor chip is coupled to the adhesive layer by the insulator coupled to the first surface thereof. |
| US07863721B2 |
Method and apparatus for wafer level integration using tapered vias
A semiconductor device has first and second wafers having bond pads. The bond pad of the second wafer is connected to the bond pad of the first wafer using a conductive adhesive. A first interconnect structure is formed within the second wafer and includes a first via formed in a back surface of the second wafer to expose the bond pad of the second wafer. A first metal layer is formed conformally over the first via and is in electrical contact with the bond pad of the second wafer. A third wafer is mounted over the second wafer by connecting a bond pad formed over a front surface of the third wafer to the first metal layer. A second interconnect structure is formed over a backside of the third wafer opposite the front surface. The second interconnect structure is electrically connected to the first metal layer. |
| US07863713B2 |
Semiconductor device
For equalizing the rising and falling operating speeds in a CMOS circuit, it is necessary to make the areas of a p-type MOS transistor and an n-type MOS transistor different from each other due to a difference in carrier mobility therebetween. This area unbalance prevents an improvement in integration degree of semiconductor devices. The NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor each have a three-dimensional structure with a channel region on both the (100) plane and the (110) plane so that the areas of the channel regions and gate insulating films of both transistors are equal to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to make the areas of the gate insulating films and so on equal to each other and also to make the gate capacitances equal to each other. Further, the integration degree on a substrate can be improved twice as much as that in the conventional technique. |
| US07863710B2 |
Dislocation removal from a group III-V film grown on a semiconductor substrate
Dislocation removal from a group III-V film grown on a semiconductor substrate is generally described. In one example, an apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a buffer film including a group III-V semiconductor material epitaxially coupled to the semiconductor substrate wherein the buffer film includes material melted by laser pulse irradiation and recrystallized to substantially remove dislocations or defects from the buffer film, and a first semiconductor film epitaxially grown on the buffer film wherein a lattice mismatch exists between the semiconductor substrate and the first semiconductor film. |
| US07863708B2 |
Power device edge termination having a resistor with one end biased to source voltage
A field effect transistor (FET) includes a source electrode for receiving an externally-provided source voltage. The FET further includes an active region and a termination region surrounding the active region. A resistive element is coupled to the termination region, wherein upon occurrence of avalanche breakdown in the termination region an avalanche current starts to flow in the termination region, and the resistive element is configured to induce a portion of the avalanche current to flow through the termination region and a remaining portion of the avalanche current to flow through the active region. During operation, one end of the resistive element is biased to the source voltage. |
| US07863705B2 |
Semiconductor device having a bonding pad structure including an annular contact
A bonding pad structure in a semiconductor device includes a contact pad connected to an interconnect, a bonding pad overlying the contact pad with an intervention of an insulating film and exposed from an opening of a passivation film, and an annular contact disposed between the contact pad and the bonding pad for electric connection therebetween. The annular contact encircles the opening as viewed normal to the substrate surface. |
| US07863696B2 |
Semiconductor sensor and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of piezoelectric thin films layered on the semiconductor substrate, the plurality of piezoelectric thin films including at least a pair of the piezoelectric thin films layered above and below; a pair of electrodes that are formed at an interface of at least the pair of the piezoelectric thin films layered above and below and excite surface acoustic waves; a thin film directly under a lowest-layer piezoelectric film of the piezoelectric thin films; a metal thin film that is formed at an interface of the lowest-layer piezoelectric thin film and the thin film, and facilitate a growth of a ridge-and-valley portion on a surface of an uppermost-layer piezoelectric thin film of the piezoelectric thin films; and a sensitive film for molecular adsorption formed on at least the ridge-and-valley portion on the uppermost-layer piezoelectric thin film. |
| US07863695B2 |
Complementary MISFET semiconductor device having an atomic density ratio aluminum/lanthanum (Al/La) in the gate insulating layer of PMIS is larger than that of the NMIS
A complementary semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first semiconductor region formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor region formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate apart from the first semiconductor region, an n-MIS transistor having a first gate insulating film including La and Al, formed on the first semiconductor region, and a first gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, and a p-MIS transistor having a second gate insulating film including La and Al, formed on the second semiconductor region, and a second gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, an atomic density ratio Al/La in the second gate insulating film being larger than an atomic density ratio Al/La in the first gate insulating film. |
| US07863693B2 |
Forming conductive stud for semiconductive devices
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of forming a conductive stud contacting a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a protective layer covering the semiconductor device; selectively etching an opening down through the protective layer reaching a contact area of the semiconductor device, the opening being away from a protected area of the semiconductor device; and filling the opening with a conductive material to form the conductive stud. One embodiment may further include forming a dielectric liner directly on top of the semiconductor device, and forming the protective layer on top of the dielectric liner. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a semiconductor device made thereof. |
| US07863692B2 |
Semiconductor device
Embodiments relate to a semiconductor device in which a first oxide layer may be formed in a channel area under the gate electrode. An electric field loaded on the gate electrode may be reduced when electrons are implanted from the source to the drain, the acceleration of electrons may be reduced, and the electrons implanted in the second oxide layer may be restrained. This may improve the hot-carrier effect, resulting in the increased reliability of the semiconductor device. |
| US07863691B2 |
Merged field effect transistor cells for switching
Disclosed are embodiments of an improved integrated circuit switching device that incorporates multiple sets of series connected field effect transistors with each set further connected in parallel between two nodes. The sets are arranged in a linear fashion with each set positioned such that it is in contact with and essentially symmetrical relative to an adjacent set. Arranging the sets in this manner allows adjacent diffusion regions of the same type (i.e., sources or drains) from adjacent sets to be merged. Merging of the diffusion regions provides several benefits, including but not limited to, reducing the device size, reducing the amount of required wiring for the device (i.e., reducing resistance) and reducing side capacitance between the now merged diffusion regions and the substrate. Also disclosed are embodiments of an associated design structure for the device and an associated method of forming the device. |
| US07863690B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor. The first field effect transistor includes a first gate electrode formed; first impurity diffused areas; and first sidewall portions. The first sidewall portions include a first lower insulation film and a first charge accumulation film. The second field effect transistor includes a second gate electrode; second impurity diffused areas; and second sidewall portions. The second sidewall portions include a second lower insulation film and a second charge accumulation film. The first lower insulation film contains one of a silicon thermal oxide film and a non-doped silicate glass, and the second lower insulation film contains a non-doped silicate glass. The second sidewall portions have a width along a gate longitudinal direction larger than that of the first sidewall portions. The second lower insulation film has a thickness larger than that of the first lower insulation film. |
| US07863689B2 |
Apparatus for using a well current source to effect a dynamic threshold voltage of a MOS transistor
Deep submicron wells of MOS transistors, implemented over an ungrounded well, exhibit two modes of operation: a current sink mode and a current source mode. While operation as a current sink is well understood and successfully controlled, it is also necessary to control the current provided in the current source mode of the well. A Schottky diode is connected between the well and the gate, the Schottky diode having a smaller barrier height than that of the PN junction of the well-to-source. For an NMOS transistor, current flows through the PN junction when the gate is high. When the gate is low, current flows through the Schottky diode. This difference of current flow results in a difference in transistor threshold, thereby achieving a dynamic threshold voltage using the current from the well when operating at the current source mode. |
| US07863683B2 |
Fin field effect transistor and method for forming the same
Example embodiments are directed to a method of forming a field effect transistor (FET) and a field effect transistor (FET) including a source/drain pair that is elevated with respect to the corresponding gate structure. |
| US07863672B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a non-volatile memory device that may expand to a stacked structure and may be more easily highly integrated and an economical method of fabricating the non-volatile memory device. The non-volatile memory device may include at least one semiconductor column. At least one first control gate electrode may be arranged on a first side of the at least one semiconductor column. At least one second control gate electrode may be arranged on a second side of the at least one semiconductor column. A first charge storage layer may be between the at least one first control gate electrode and the at least one semiconductor column. A second charge storage layer may be between the at least one second control gate electrode and the at least one semiconductor column. |
| US07863671B2 |
Nand type non-volatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a NAND type flash memory device includes defining a select transistor region and a memory cell region in a semiconductor substrate, forming a tunnel insulating layer, a floating gate conductive layer, and a dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, etching the dielectric layer, thereby forming an opening exposing the floating gate conductive layer, forming a low resistance layer in the opening, forming a control gate conductive layer over the semiconductor substrate, and etching the control gate conductive layer, the dielectric layer, the floating gate conductive layer, and the tunnel insulating layer to form gate stacks of memory cells and source/drain select transistors. |
| US07863668B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device with memory cell array region and dummy cell region
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a memory cell region provided on the semiconductor substrate, a word line provided on the memory cell region, a first gate insulating film provided in the memory cell region beneath the word line, a first floating gate electrode provided on the first gate insulating film, a second gate insulating film provided in the memory cell region beneath the word line, the second gate insulating film being different from the first gate insulating film in thickness, and a second floating gate electrode provided on the second gate insulating film. |
| US07863666B2 |
Capacitor pair structure for increasing the match thereof
A capacitor pair structure for increasing the match thereof has two finger electrode structures interlacing with each other in parallel and a common electrode being between the two finger electrode structures to form a capacitor pair structure with an appropriate ratio. Also, the capacitor pair structure could further increase its entire capacitance through vias connecting the same capacitor pair structures on different metal layers. |
| US07863665B2 |
Method and structure for reducing cracks in a dielectric layer in contact with metal
A method and structure for reducing cracks in a dielectric in contact with a metal structure. The metal structure comprises a first metal layer; a second metal layer disposed on, and in contact with the first metal layer, the second metal layer being stiffer than the first metal layer; a third metal layer disposed on, and in contact with the second metal layer, the second metal layer being stiffer than the third metal layer. An additional metal is included wherein the dielectric layer is disposed between the metal structure and the additional metal. |
| US07863664B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
It is disclosed a semiconductor device including a silicon substrate, provided with a plurality of cell active regions in a call region, an element isolation groove, formed in a portion, between any two of the plurality of cell active region, of the silicon substrate, a capacitor dielectric film, formed in the element isolation groove, a capacitor upper electrode, formed on the capacitor dielectric film, and configuring a capacitor together with the silicon substrate and the capacitor dielectric film. The semiconductor device is characterized in that a dummy active region is provided next to the cell region in the silicon substrate. |
| US07863659B2 |
MOS type solid-state image pickup apparatus with wiring layers of different line-width and thickness
A MOS type solid-state image pickup apparatus comprises: a semiconductor substrate having a light receiving surface; a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged in an array manner on the light receiving surface; a plurality of layers of wirings that goes across the light receiving surface and are stacked above the semiconductor substrate, the wirings being connected to signal reading circuits each of which is provided in association with each of the photoelectric conversion elements; and an insulation layer interposed with the layers of wirings, wherein a first wiring, which connects to a gate of a MOS transistor forming a part of each of the signal reading circuits, is provided in a lower one of the layers of wirings, and a second wiring, which connects to a source or drain of the MOS transistor, is provided in an upper one of the layers of wirings. |
| US07863656B2 |
Semiconductor device
A unipolar semiconductor device having a drift layer (3) doped according to a first conductivity type forming a conducting path and regions (7, 8) doped according to a second conductivity type and arranged next to the drift layer, has the drift layer and the regions of a semiconductor material having an ionization energy Ei of dopants of the second conductivity type therein exceeding 0.5 eV and/or a solubility of the dopants of the second conductivity type therein being less than 1018 cm−3. |
| US07863654B2 |
Top layers of metal for high performance IC's
A method of closely interconnecting integrated circuits contained within a semiconductor wafer to electrical circuits surrounding the semiconductor wafer. Electrical interconnects are held to a minimum in length by making efficient use of polyimide or polymer as an inter-metal dielectric thus enabling the integration of very small integrated circuits within a larger circuit environment at a minimum cost in electrical circuit performance. |
| US07863648B2 |
Field effect transistor
A field effect transistor (100) exhibiting good performance at high voltage operation and high frequency includes a first field plate electrode (116) and a second field plate electrode (118). The second field plate electrode includes a shielding part (119) located in the region between the first field plate electrode and a drain electrode (114), and serves to shield the first field plate electrode from the drain electrode. When in the cross sectional view in the gate length direction, the length in the gate length direction of an overlap region where the second field plate electrode (118) overlap the upper part of a structure including the first field plate electrode and a gate electrode (113) is designated as Lol, and the gate length is Lg, the relation expressed as 0 ≦Lol/Lg≦1 holds. |
| US07863641B2 |
Method and apparatus for using light emitting diodes for the treatment of biological tissue
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for using light emitting diodes for curing and various solid state lighting applications. The method includes a novel method for cooling the light emitting diodes and mounting the same on heat pipe in a manner which delivers ultra high power in UV, visible and IR regions. Furthermore, the unique LED packaging technology of the present invention utilizes heat pipes that perform very efficiently in very compact space. Much more closely spaced LEDs operating at higher power levels and brightness are possible because the thermal energy is transported in an axial direction down the heat pipe and away from the light-emitting direction rather than a radial direction in nearly the same plane as the “p-n” junction. |
| US07863639B2 |
Light-emitting diode lamp with low thermal resistance
A light-emitting diode (LED) structure with an improved heat transfer path with a lower thermal resistance than conventional LED lamps is provided. For some embodiments, a surface-mountable light-emitting diode structure is provided having an active layer deposited on a metal substrate directly bonded to a metal plate that is substantially exposed for low thermal resistance by positioning it on the bottom of the light-emitting diode structure. This metal plate can then be soldered to a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a heat sink. For some embodiments of the invention, the metal plate is thermally and electrically conductively connected through several heat conduction layers to a large heat sink that may be included in the structure. |
| US07863638B2 |
Diode having vertical structure and method of manufacturing the same
A light emitting diode includes a conductive layer, an n-GaN layer on the conductive layer, an active layer on the n-GaN layer, a p-GaN layer on the active layer, and a p-electrode on the p-GaN layer. The conductive layer is an n-electrode. |
| US07863637B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting element, method for manufacturing the same, and light emitting device
The present invention provides a semiconductor light emitting element with excellent color rendering properties, a method for manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting element, and a light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting element includes: a semiconductor substrate that has a convex portion having a tilted surface as an upper face, and a concave portion formed on either side of the convex portion, the concave portion having a smaller width than the convex portion, a bottom face of the concave portion being located in a deeper position than the upper face of the convex portion; and a light emitting layer that is made of a nitride-based semiconductor and is formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to cover at least the convex portion. |
| US07863634B2 |
LED device with re-emitting semiconductor construction and reflector
Briefly, the present disclosure provides a device comprising: a) an LED capable of emitting light at a first wavelength; b) a re-emitting semiconductor construction which comprises a potential well not located within a pn junction; and c) a reflector positioned to reflect light emitted from the LED onto the re-emitting semiconductor construction. Alternately, the device comprises: a) an LED capable of emitting light at a first wavelength; b) a re-emitting semiconductor construction capable of emitting light at a second wavelength which comprises at least one potential well not located within a pn junction; and c) a reflector which transmits light at said first wavelength and reflects at least a portion of light at said second wavelength. Alternately, the device comprises a semiconductor unit comprising a first potential well located within a pn junction which comprises a LED capable of emitting light at a first wavelength, and a second potential well not located within a pn junction which comprises a re-emitting semiconductor construction. |
| US07863633B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, camera and signal processing method
The solid-state imaging device of the present invention includes: photodiodes which are two-dimensionally arranged; light condensers each of which condenses light and is provided in a position to correspond to two of the photodiodes which are adjacent to each other; and separating units each of which separates the light entering through the light condensers into first light having a wavelength within a predetermined range, and second light having a wavelength out of the predetermined range, and is provided in a position to correspond to one of the light condensers. Each of the separating units includes: a light-selecting unit which selectively allows transmission of one of the first light and the second light and reflect the other one of the first light and the second light, and allow entering of the transmitted light to one of the corresponding two of the photodiodes; and a light-reflecting unit which reflects the light, reflected by the light-selecting unit, towards the other one of the corresponding two of the photodiodes. |
| US07863629B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device having an integrated secondary battery and method of fabricating the same
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method of fabricating the same are provided. An embodiment of the OLED display device comprises: a substrate; a secondary battery comprising a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and an electrolyte layer interposed between the first and second electrode layers; a display panel comprising an array of organic light emitting diodes formed over the substrate, wherein the battery is interposed between the substrate and the display panel; and a power supply voltage line formed over the substrate and outside the display panel, wherein the power supply voltage line electrically interconnects the secondary battery and the display panel. |
| US07863628B2 |
Light-emitting device and light-receiving device using transistor structure
Disclosed is a light-emitting device using a transistor structure, including a substrate, a first gate electrode, a first insulating layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a light-emitting layer formed between the source electrode and the drain electrode in a direction parallel to these electrodes. In the light-emitting device using the transistor structure, it is possible to adjust the mobility of electrons or holes and to selectively set a light-emitting region through the control of the magnitude of voltage applied to the gate electrode, thus increasing the lifespan of the light-emitting device, facilitating the manufacturing process thereof, and realizing light-emitting or light-receiving properties having high efficiency and high purity. |
| US07863625B2 |
Nanowire-based light-emitting diodes and light-detection devices with nanocrystalline outer surface
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to nanowire (100) devices having concentric and coaxial doped regions and nanocrystals (108,110) disposed on the outer surfaces. In certain embodiments, the nanowire devices can include a light-emitting region (120) and be operated as a light-emitting diode (“LED”) (200), while in other embodiments, the nanowire devices can be operated as a light-detection device (600). The nanocrystals (108,110) disposed on the outer surfaces provide electron-conduction paths and include spaces that allow light to penetrate and be emitted from nanowire regions. |
| US07863624B2 |
Silicon carbide on diamond substrates and related devices and methods
A high power, wide-bandgap device is disclosed that exhibits reduced junction temperature and higher power density during operation and improved reliability at a rated power density. The device includes a diamond substrate for providing a heat sink with a thermal conductivity greater than silicon carbide, a single crystal silicon carbide layer on the diamond substrate for providing a supporting crystal lattice match for wide-bandgap material structures that is better than the crystal lattice match of diamond, and a Group III nitride heterostructure on the single crystal silicon carbide layer for providing device characteristics. |
| US07863620B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate, method for manufacturing the same and system for inspecting the substrate
Disclosed is a thin film transistor substrate and a system for inspecting the same. The thin film transistor substrate comprises gate wiring formed on an insulation substrate and including gate lines, and gate electrodes and gate pads connected to the gate lines; a gate insulation layer covering the gate wiring; a semiconductor layer formed over the gate insulation layer; data wiring formed over the gate insulation layer and including data pads; a protection layer covering the data wiring; auxiliary pads connected to the data pads through contact holes formed in the protection layer; and a pad auxiliary layer formed protruding a predetermined height under the data pads. The inspection system for determining whether a thin film transistor substrate is defective, in which the thin film transistor substrate comprises gate wiring including gate lines, gate electrodes and gate pads, and data wiring including source electrodes and drain electrodes, includes a probe pin for contacting the gate pads or data pads and transmitting a corresponding signal, wherein a contact tip at a distal end of the probe pin for contacting the gate pads or the data pads is rounded, and a radius of the rounded contact tip is 2 μm or less, or the rounded contact tip is coated with gold (Au). |
| US07863617B2 |
Active matrix type display device and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing an active matrix type display device, which is reliable and flexible, is provided. An active matrix type display device according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a first substrate, which is flexible; a thin glass layer provided on the first substrate via an adhesion layer, and having projections and depressions on a surface thereof opposing to the first substrate, the projections and depressions having rounded tips and bottoms; active elements provided on the thin glass layer, each active element corresponding to a pixel; a display provided above the thin glass layer, and driven by the active elements to display an image pixel by pixel; and a second substrate provided on the display, and having an opposing electrode formed thereon. |
| US07863614B2 |
LED backlight device and LCD device
An LED backlight device includes a first substrate having optical transparency and having first and second surfaces. An LED thin-film layered structure is fixed to the first surface of the first substrate, and is formed of epitaxially grown inorganic material layers as a P-N junction device. An anode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure is connected to an anode driver IC via an anode wiring. A cathode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure is connected to a cathode driver IC via a cathode wiring. A phosphor is provided on the second surface of the first substrate. The LED backlight device further includes a second substrate having optical transparency and having first and second surfaces. The first surface of the second substrate faces the first surface of the first substrate. A reflection layer is provided on the second surface of the second substrate. |
| US07863605B2 |
Photoelectric conversion element including a mixed layer of a P-type organic semiconductor and a fullerene, method for producing the same, and solid-state imaging device using the same
A photoelectric conversion element is provided and includes a photoelectric conversion portion. The photoelectric conversion portion includes: a pair of electrodes; and a photoelectric conversion layer between the pair of electrodes, and at least part of the photoelectric conversion layer includes a mixed layer of a p-type organic semiconductor and a fullerene, and a mixing ratio of the fullerene to the p-type organic semiconductor in terms of thickness ratio is less than 1:1. |
| US07863604B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and manufacturing the same
Provided are an organic light emitting display device (OLED), which can prevent the occurrence of galvanic corrosion and ensure reliable adhesion of source and drain electrodes with a first electrode during rework of the first electrode, and a method of fabricating the same. The OLED includes a substrate; a thin film transistor (TFT) disposed on the substrate and including a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, and source and drain electrodes; a first metal layer disposed on the source and drain electrodes of the TFT; an insulating layer disposed on the substrate including the first metal layer; a first electrode disposed on the insulating layer and electrically connected to the TFT, the first electrode including a second metal layer; a pixel defining layer disposed on the first electrode; an organic layer disposed on the pixel defining layer; and a second electrode disposed on the organic layer. |
| US07863602B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display and method for manufacturing the same
In one embodiment, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is provided. The OLED display includes a substrate, a first signal line formed on the substrate, a second signal line intersecting the first signal line, a first thin film transistor connected to the first and second signal lines, a second thin film transistor connected to the first thin film transistor, a first electrode connected to the second thin film transistor, a second electrode provided at least partially opposite to the first electrode, and a light emitting member formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein at least one of the first thin film transistor and the second thin film transistor includes a plurality of semiconductor layers having different crystallinity. |
| US07863600B2 |
Field-effect transistor
A field-effect transistor is provided. The field-effect transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate-insulating layer, source/drain electrodes, and an organic semiconductor layer constituting a channel region. The source/drain electrodes each include a conductive portion composed of a metal and an organic conductive material layer which at least partially covers the conductive portion and which is doped with a dopant. The channel region is composed of the organic semiconductor layer located between the source/drain electrodes. The channel region and each of the conductive portions is electrically connected through the organic conductive material layer. |
| US07863598B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device
A nonvolatile memory device comprises memory cells, each including a variable resistor element for storing data in accordance with a change in electrical resistance due to application of electrical stress, and a thermal diffusion barrier on a thermal diffusion path, wherein the thermal diffusion barrier is capable of suppressing a change in resistance of the variable resistor element due to heat diffusion from one of two adjacent memory cells separated by an electrical insulator from each other where heat is generated by applying the electrical stress for changing the electrical resistance of the variable resistor element to the other memory cell via the thermal diffusion path including an electrically conductive wiring material higher in thermal conductivity than that of the electrical insulator. |
| US07863597B2 |
Resistance variable memory devices with passivating material
A method of forming a non-volatile resistance variable device includes forming a first conductive electrode material on a substrate. A metal doped chalcogenide comprising material is formed over the first conductive electrode material. Such comprises the metal and AxBy, where “B” is selected from S, Se and Te and mixtures thereof, and where “A” comprises at least one element which is selected from Group 13, Group 14, Group 15, or Group 17 of the periodic table. In one aspect, the chalcogenide comprising material is exposed to and HNO3 solution. In one aspect the outer surface is oxidized effective to form a layer comprising at least one of an oxide of “A” or an oxide of “B”. In one aspect, a passivating material is formed over the metal doped chalcogenide comprising material. A second conductive electrode material is deposited, and a second conductive electrode material of the device is ultimately formed therefrom. |
| US07863595B2 |
Reproducible resistance variable insulating memory devices having a shaped bottom electrode
The present invention relates to the use of a shaped bottom electrode in a resistance variable memory device. The shaped bottom electrode ensures that the thickness of the insulating material at the tip of the bottom electrode is thinnest, creating the largest electric field at the tip of the bottom electrode. The arrangement of electrodes and the structure of the memory element makes it possible to create conduction paths with stable, consistent and reproducible switching and memory properties in the memory device. |
| US07863593B2 |
Integrated circuit including force-filled resistivity changing material
An integrated circuit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and force-filled resistivity changing material electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US07863589B1 |
Shoe sanitizing apparatus
A shoe sanitizing apparatus includes a housing that has a bottom wall, a top wall, a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall, a front wall and a rear wall. The top, bottom, first lateral, second lateral and front walls comprise a transparent material. A light emitter is positioned within the housing. The light emitter emits light having a frequency to kill bacteria. An actuator is operationally coupled to the light emitter and is turned on or off when the actuator is actuated. The housing is positioned within a shoe and the light emitter turned on to kill bacteria in the shoe. |
| US07863588B2 |
Lighting optical apparatus and sample inspection apparatus
A lighting optical apparatus using a deep ultraviolet light source that are easy to adjust due to a configuration with fewer components, has high illuminant and illuminant uniformity on an irradiated surface are provided. The apparatus has a deep ultraviolet light source from which deep ultraviolet rays are emitted, a first double-sided cylindrical lens which has a cylindrical lens array on both sides with a configuration of cylinder axes intersecting at right angles, a second double-sided cylindrical lens which has a cylindrical lens array on both sides with a configuration of cylinder axes intersecting at right angles, and a condenser lens. |
| US07863585B2 |
STED-fluorescent light microscopy with two-photon excitation
A method of high spatial resolution imaging a structure in a sample comprises: marking the structure with molecules of a fluorescent dye; selecting a first wavelength for excitation light which excites the molecules of the fluorescent dye via a multi photon process for spontaneous emission of fluorescent light; focusing pulses of the excitation light into the sample to excite those molecules of the fluorescent dye present in a focal area of the focused excitation light; selecting a second wavelength shorter than the first wavelength for de-excitation light which de-excites excited molecules of the fluorescent dye prior to their spontaneous emission; during a plurality of the pulses of the excitation light, continuously directing the de-excitation light onto the sample to de-excite excited molecules of the fluorescent dye, which are located outside an measurement area which is a fraction of the focal area; and recording the fluorescent light spontaneously emitted by the molecules of the fluorescent dye in the sample. |
| US07863583B2 |
Device and process for curing using energy-rich radiation in an inert gas atmosphere
The invention relates to an apparatus and a method of producing molding materials and coatings on substrates by curing radiation-curable materials under an inert gas atmosphere by exposure to high-energy radiation. |
| US07863579B2 |
Directional neutron detector
A directional neutron detector consisting of very thin plastic scintillation fibers and optically coupled to a photo-sensor array, where the directionality of Neutrons is estimated from the sequence of fibers traversed by the scattered protons and energy deposited in each one of them. Several fabrication methods of the large thin fiber arrays are described. |
| US07863578B2 |
Detector for radiation therapy
A detector device for radiation therapy comprising an array of detector cells is provided. Each detector cell comprises an electronic circuit connected to a sensor cell that generates a charge signal in response to an incident radiation hit. The electronic circuit comprises at least two discriminators and at least two analogue counters, and is adapted to substantially simultaneously perform two different measurements on the signal in order to simultaneously provide imaging and dosimetry. |
| US07863574B2 |
Multimodality imaging system
A system and method is provided for performing multimodal imaging of an object. The system and method includes performing spatio-temporal detection of transmission CT data of a fan X-ray beam, performing, and simultaneously with the spatio-temporal detection of transmission CT data, spatio-temporal detection of emission nuclear imaging data emitted from the object with a propagation direction across the propagation direction of the fan X-ray beam. The system and method further includes identifying at least two zones in the object based on the transmission CT data, reconstructing an image object from the emission nuclear imaging data under the constraint that respective portions of detected nuclear events are associated with selected zones, and outputting data representative of the image object. |
| US07863572B1 |
Fracture-resistant lanthanide scintillators
Lanthanide halide alloys have recently enabled scintillating gamma ray spectrometers comparable to room temperature semiconductors (<3% FWHM energy resolutions at 662 keV). However brittle fracture of these materials upon cooling hinders the growth of large volume crystals. Efforts to improve the strength through non-lanthanide alloy substitution, while preserving scintillation, have been demonstrated. Isovalent alloys having nominal compositions of comprising Al, Ga, Sc, Y, and In dopants as well as aliovalent alloys comprising Ca, Sr, Zr, Hf, Zn, and Pb dopants were prepared. All of these alloys exhibit bright fluorescence under UV excitation, with varying shifts in the spectral peaks and intensities relative to pure CeBr3. Further, these alloys scintillate when coupled to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and exposed to 137Cs gamma rays. |
| US07863566B2 |
Medical x-ray detection device including an active optical signal emitter
A medical x-ray detection device includes an x-ray detector operable to detect the presence of x-ray radiation in a medical environment, and a signal emitter operatively coupled to said x-ray detector. The signal emitter includes at least one active light-emitting signal device, wherein the signal emitter is operative to emit a signal corresponding to the presence of x-ray radiation. |
| US07863560B2 |
Nebulizer with nanometric flow rate of a liquid effluent and nebulizing installation comprising same
The invention concerns a nebuliser with nanometric flow rate of a liquid effluent in a nebulising gas comprising at least arranged substantially concentric, a capillary tube for intake of the liquid effluent and a nebulising needle including a central channel fed with liquid effluent through the capillary tube, a chamber for intake of the nebulising gas feeding a nozzle for expelling the nebulising gas, the nebulising needle passing through the intake chamber and the nozzle expelling the nebulising gas, the nebulising needle including a outlet for the liquid effluent whereof the aperture diameter is less than 20 ?m, the ratio of the diameter of the outlet of the nozzle expelling the nebulising gas and the outlet of the nebulising needle being more than 10 The inventive nanometric flow rate nebuliser and nebulising installation are applicable in mass spectrometry of trace elements contained in intracellular or microbiological medium for example. |
| US07863559B2 |
Method and apparatus for mass spectrometric analysis
A method and an apparatus for examining a sample by means of mass spectrometry. According to the method, the solution comprising the sample to be examined is vaporized in a vaporizer, the vaporized sample solution is sprayed, using a gas flow, into a corona discharge zone, where the examined sample is ionised according to the APCI method, using a corona discharge, to generate gas phase ions, and the ions are separated and directed to a detector. According to the present invention, a vaporizer is used, which is fabricated as a micromechanical structure which comprises the flow channels for the solution and for the carrier gas possibly used for feeding the solution, as well as the heater of the vaporizer, and which are all included in a monolithic structure. The solution is especially suitable for cases in which a very sensitive analysing technique is needed, or in which the available sample quantity is very small (less than 1 μL). |
| US07863558B2 |
Radio frequency ion guide
An ion guide with two or more ion focusing elements and a gas channeling sleeve is described. An ion transport space within the gas channeling sleeve is in fluid communication with a pumping port. A suction device is used to suction gas out of the ion transport space through the pumping port establishing a gas flow. Ions in the ion transport space are transported from an ion entry end to an ion exit end of the ion guide by the gas flow. Several examples include a multipole ion guide in which rods are used as ion focusing elements. The gas channeling sleeve is fitted about the rods. In another example, toroidal or ring shaped ion focusing elements are used as ion focusing elements. In another example, a set of ion focusing rings are mounted between insulators to form a cylinder with a gas impermeable side wall. The cylinder is itself used as the gas channeling sleeve. |
| US07863556B2 |
Enhanced resolution mass spectrometer and mass spectrometry method
A mass spectrum is generated by a process in which, from a mass scan signal comprising original samples defining a peak, a subset of the original samples defining the peak is selected. One or more synthesized samples are synthesized from the subset of the original samples. The one or more synthesized samples provide a temporal resolution greater than the temporal resolution of the original samples. The one or more synthesized samples are summed with respective temporally-aligned accumulated samples to produce the mass spectrum. The accumulated samples are obtained from mass scan signals generated during respective previously-performed mass scan operations. |
| US07863550B2 |
Focus detection device and focus detection method based upon center position of gravity information of a pair of light fluxes
A focus detection device comprises: an image shift detection unit that detects a relative shift amount of a pair of images formed by a pair of light fluxes having passed through an optical system; and a conversion unit that converts the shift amount to a defocus amount based upon dimensional information of an exit pupil corresponding to an aperture restricting light flux in the optical system and distance information of the exit pupil indicating distance to the exit pupil from a predetermined imaging plane of the optical system. |
| US07863549B2 |
Microwave range having hood
A microwave range having a hood for removing contaminated air includes a chamber having an electric component containing electric components, and a fan assembly having at least one vent fan and a cooling fan. The vent fan is driven by a fan motor to generate air current for introducing and exhausting contaminated air, and includes an air outlet through which the contaminated air is exhausted. The cooling fan is driven by the fan motor to generate air current for cooling the electric components, and includes a plurality of air outlets. |
| US07863548B2 |
Method for preventing overheating of microwave oven
A method for preventing overheating of a microwave oven includes receiving information of a cooking condition and a cooking start command for current cooking, the cooking condition including a magnetron output level and a current cooking period, confirming pause duration from when preceding cooking was finished to when the current cooking is started, if it is determined that the magnetron output level is a preset magnetron output level or more, and determining a basic output period and a reference period for changing the magnetron output level corresponding to the confirmed pause duration, followed by operating the microwave oven at the preset magnetron output level after changing the magnetron output level to the preset magnetron output level, if it is determined that a driving period for changing the magnetron output level has passed the determined reference period. |
| US07863547B2 |
Microwave chamber
Microwave apparatus for exposing materials on an elongated member, such as a mandrel, to microwave energy. The apparatus includes a cylindrical microwave exposure chamber (10). Elongated slots (20) spaced about the circumference of the chamber (10) are in communication with openings (50) in the walls of waveguides (28) attached to the exterior (19) of the chamber. Microwave energy fed into the waveguide (28) is coupled into the chamber (10) through the associated openings (50) and slots (20). Bars (54) spaced apart in the direction of wave propagation span the opening (50) in the waveguide for uniform or customized delivery of microwave energy into the chamber (10). A low-profile mode stirrer (38) at the rear end of the chamber further evens out the energy distribution. A front plate (62) seals to the chamber and supports a rotatable mandrel (60) on which material to be exposed to microwave energy in the chamber (10) is wrapped. |
| US07863537B2 |
Gassing insulator assembly, and conductor assembly and electrical switching apparatus employing the same
A gassing insulator assembly for a line conductor assembly of an electrical switching apparatus is provided having a line conductor and first and second gassing insulator members. The insulator members are constructed from a gassing material. The first gassing insulator member is disposed near a first end of the line conductor and the second gassing insulator member is generally disposed between the line conductor and a cantilevered arc runner near a second end of the line conductor. |
| US07863536B2 |
Article sortation system
An article sortation system includes a plurality of transport units which are movable along a conveying path between induction stations and discharge stations along each side of the conveying path. Each transport unit has side by side loading and support capability and is operable to receive packages from induction stations and discharge the packages at an appropriate discharge station. The system includes a control which determines the destination of articles and resolves blocking conditions between articles at the induction stations or at the transport units. The system may include a reinduction station for receiving an article from a transport unit and reinducting the article onto a transport unit, in order to resolve a blocking condition between a pair of articles on the respective transport unit. |
| US07863534B2 |
Spring discharge mechanism for circuit breaker
A spring discharge mechanism for a circuit breaker is provided. The mechanism includes two linkages for crashing or discharging the circuit breaker compression springs to allow the circuit breaker to be used in either fixed breaker installation or in an installation having a drawout mechanism. The secondary mechanism includes a manual activation linkage that couples with an interface plate. The interface plate is coupled to an opening latch shaft and a closing latch shaft that cooperates to discharge the circuit breaker compression springs. An interface lever is also coupled to the interface plate. The interface lever includes a roller that interacts with a pivoting cam lever coupled to a drawout mechanism. The cam lever interacts with the roller causing the interface lever to rotate the interface plate, the opening latch shaft and the closing latch shaft. |
| US07863533B2 |
Cantilevered push button having multiple contacts and fulcrums
A cantilevered push button adapted for accepting an input on an electrical or electronic device is disclosed. The button can include an elongated button top component disposed about an exterior surface of an electrical or electronic device such that it is accessible to a user, and having two opposing distal ends associated with separate user inputs. A first fulcrum is located between the first distal end and the midpoint of the elongated button top component, while a second fulcrum is located between the second distal end and the midpoint. A first electrical contact is associated with the first distal end, such that when a user presses on the first distal end, the elongated button top component pivots about the second fulcrum and the first electrical contact is actuated. A second electrical contact is similarly associated with the second distal end and first fulcrum. |
| US07863527B2 |
Lead frame mount for circuit component
An integrated circuit includes a positive lead defining a first pocket and a negative lead spaced apart from the positive lead that defines a second pocket that is aligned with the first pocket. The first and second pockets are adapted to receive and hold an electrical device such as a capacitor therein. |
| US07863522B2 |
Semi-conducting polymer compositions for the preparation of wire and cable
Compositions comprising a polyolefin polymer and an expanded graphite exhibit uniform conductivity over a broad range of temperature. In one embodiment, the polyolefin polymer is polypropylene or polyethylene homopolymer or a polypropylene or polyethylene copolymer. The compositions provide uniform conductivity and can be used as a conductive formulation for medium and high voltage cable components. |
| US07863520B2 |
Interfacing two insulation parts in high voltage environment
Methods of interfacing parts in a high voltage environment and related structures are disclosed. A method comprises: providing an insulation medium between a first part and a second part in a high voltage environment; and interfacing the first part and the second part by compressing the first part and the second part against the insulation medium. |
| US07863517B1 |
Electric power generator based on photon-phonon interactions in a photonic crystal
A solar power plant (10) capable of generating electricity comprising a light pipe carrying highly concentrated solar light (19), a hot reservoir (24), a cold reservoir (20), and a plurality of large-scale solid-state nano-structured photonic crystals (12) that are capable of recycling out-of-band photons with transition energies associated with a photovoltaic cell (13) into photons with in-band energies associated with the same photovoltaic cell (13) when photon energy is subjected to propagation through a thermal temperature gradient that is held across a suitably nano-structured photonic crystal (12). The input thermal photons from the hot thermal reservoir (24) are shifted in energy to the optimal photovoltaic cell energy for electron-hole pair generation by work that is expanded by the heat engine to convert said input photons into phonons and then back to photons again at a new wavelength through a process of phonon rethermalization occurring inside the nano-structured photonic crystal (12). |
| US07863512B2 |
Signal processing device, signal processing method, and program
There is provided a signal processing device for processing an audio signal, the signal processing device including: an onset time detection unit for detecting an onset time based on a level of the audio signal; and a beat length calculation unit for obtaining a beat length Q by: setting an objective function P(Q|X) and an auxiliary function, the objective function P(Q|X) representing a probability that, when an interval X between the onset times is given, the interval X is the beat length Q, the auxiliary function being for inducing an update of both the beat length Q and a tempo Z that results in a monotonous increase of the objective function P(Q|X); and repeating maximization of the auxiliary function to have the auxiliary function converge. |
| US07863511B2 |
System for and method of generating audio sequences of prescribed duration
A system and method for automatically generating a composed audio output sequence of a prescribed, utilizing a unique marker syntax that provides compatibility with MIDI standards and permits musical integrity preservation during automatic audio output sequence generation. |
| US07863510B2 |
Method, medium, and system classifying music themes using music titles
A method, medium, and system classifying a music theme for music by using a corresponding music title, by generating a theme class vector in association with the music theme, generating a music title class vector in association with the music title, calculating similarity between the theme class vector and the music title class vector, and assigning a theme of the music title based on the similarity. |
| US07863507B2 |
Semi-hollow body for stringed instruments
The semi-hollow body for stringed instruments includes a plurality of resonance-enhancing baffle pairs, each resonance-enhancing baffle pair having a bifurcated prong shape, similar to a tuning fork. The resonance-enhancing baffle pairs extend from an interior peripheral area of the instrument body and create various combinations of baffled and un-baffled regions in a resonance chamber of the semi-hollow body. A solid, central core region separates an upper resonance chamber from a lower resonance chamber. Alternatively, individual resonance enhancing baffles shaped like reeds are disposed inside the instrument body. The semi-hollow body for stringed instruments can be adapted for guitars, violins, mandolins, ukuleles, or the like, and provides a rich, resonant tone to the instrument while avoiding acoustic feedback problems associated with hollow body instruments. Front and back plates cover front and back portions of the body to give it a solid body look and feel. |
| US07863505B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH363113
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH363113. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH363113, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH363113 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 CH363113. |
| US07863504B1 |
Soybean variety XB18T09
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB18T09. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB18T09, to the plants of soybean XB18T09 to plant parts of soybean variety XB18T09 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB18T09 with another soybean plant, using XB18T09 as either the male or the female parent. |
| US07863503B2 |
Glyphosate-N-acetyltransferase (GAT) genes
Novel proteins are provided herein, including proteins capable of catalyzing the acetylation of glyphosate and other structurally related proteins. Also provided are novel polynucleotides capable of encoding these proteins, compositions that include one or more of these novel proteins and/or polynucleotides, recombinant cells and transgenic plants comprising these novel compounds, diversification methods involving the novel compounds, and methods of using the compounds. Some of the novel methods and compounds provided herein can be used to render an organism, such as a plant, resistant to glyphosate. |
| US07863496B2 |
Self-closing antiseptic plaster
A self-closing antiseptic plaster (1) for puncturing blood vessels, muscle tissue, tissue, skin, organs (biopsy) or bone marrow is puncturable by cannulas, needles or the like. It has a backing layer (2), a sealing layer (5) made of a material having an elastic restoring force and a skin adhesive layer (3) applied to the underside U of the backing layer (2), the sealing layer being applied to the backing layer (2) by means of an adhesive layer (4). The backing layer (2) is usually thin. The backing layer (2), the sealing layer (5), the adhesive layer (4) and the skin adhesive layer (3) are transparent or approximately transparent in the entire area or at least in a superimposed partial area. The backing layer (2) and the sealing layer (5) are made of thin and soft materials so that any puncture site is visible and/or palpable through the self-closing antiseptic plaster (1). The advantages include the fact that the antiseptic state at the puncture site is preserved before, during and after the puncturing. |
| US07863495B2 |
Dressing substrate
A wound shield to manage repetitive access stress may include a conformable substrate to circumscribe a wound. Any suitable dressing may be secured to the conformable substrate providing separation between the wound and the dressing. The wound substrate may provide a site for attachment of adhesive dressings to shield the patient's skin from the pain of repetitive access and or removal of the dressings. A conformable substrate may be composed of one or more layers of any suitable material and may include adhesive on one or more surfaces to secure the substrate to the wound site and or to secure the dressing to the conformable substrate. A wound substrate may include strong adhesive to secure the substrate to the patients skin. The conformable wound substrate will be formed of any suitable non-absorbent material to permit long term application adjacent a wound. Thus many dressings may be applied and removed from a single wound substrate shielding the patient's skin from repetitive insult. A wound substrate according to the present disclosure may also be combined with a conformable frame to provide exudate management and or pressure distribution around a wound. |
| US07863488B2 |
Synthesis of acenes and hydroxy-acenes
A method comprising reducing an acenequinone to form an acenepolyhydrodiol by exposing the acenequinone to a reducing environment comprising an alkoxyaluminate. |
| US07863484B1 |
Method for reducing aminoisophthalic acid bisamide related impurities in preparation of non-ionic X-ray contrast agents
This invention relates generally to the preparation of non-ionic X-ray contrast agents, iohexyl, ioversol, and iodixanol. It further relates to a method for improving the purity of 5-amino-N,N′-bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-isophthalamide (or ABA), an intermediate in the industrial preparation of these non-ionic X-ray contrast agents. In particular, it relates to a method for significantly removing ABA monomethylester and ABA dimer from ABA by hydrolyzing ABA under a pH between about 12 to about 13 in an aqueous medium to convert ABA monomethylester to ABA monoacid, before the iodination reaction of ABA. |
| US07863479B2 |
Alkyl ether sulfates
The present invention relates to alkyl ether sulfate salts of the general formula I RO—(CH2CH2O)x—(CH2—CHR1O)y—(CH2CH2O)zSO3−M+ (I), where R is an unbranched or branched C8-C18-alkyl radical or mixtures of different unbranched or branched C8-C18-alkyl radicals, R1 is an aliphatic radical selected from the group consisting of methyl and ethyl, M+ is a cation, selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, NH4+ and HNR23+, where R2 is selected from the group consisting of unbranched or branched alkyl radicals, CH2CH2OH and CH2CH(OH)CH3, x has a mean value of 0-3, y has a mean value of 1-10, z has a mean value of 0-30, and the quotient A = c m c ( RO - ( CH 2 CH 2 O ) z SO 3 - M + ) c m c ( RO - ( CH 2 CH 2 O ) x - ( CH 2 - CHR 1 O ) y - ( CH 2 CH 2 O ) z SO 3 - M + ) is > 1 and to their use as anion surfactant component in laundry detergents and cleaning compositions, in chemical engineering applications or in cosmetics formulations. |
| US07863477B2 |
Polyester production system employing hot paste to esterification zone
A polyester production process employing an esterification system that uses a distillation column to recover alcohol produced from an esterification zone and then utilizes the recovered alcohol to form a paste, which is recirculated back to the esterification zone with little or no cooling. |
| US07863476B1 |
Multifunctional anionic surfactants
This invention describes a composition of matter of the following structure: where m+n=1-30 or more, x+y=0-28, EO=oxirane PO=methyl oxirane M=H, Na, K, NH3, Amine, Ca, Mg, R and R1 are each separately and independently H, branched or linear alkyl, branched or linear alkenyl, A=aromatic, and, a+b=0 to 30. |
| US07863467B2 |
Method for producing propylene oxide
The present invention relates to a method for producing propylene oxide, characterized in that peroxide is reacted with propylene in the presence of a titanosilicate catalyst which has an X-ray diffraction pattern of the values indicated below and is represented by the formula. xTiO2·(1−x)SiO2 (In the formula, x denotes a numerical value of 0.0001 to 0.1.) X-ray diffraction patterns (interplanar spacing of lattice d/Å) 13.2±0.6 12.3±0.3 11.0±0.3 9.0±0.3 6.8±0.3 3.9±0.2 3.5±0.1 3.4±0.1. |
| US07863465B2 |
Antifungal agents
The present invention relates to novel enfumafungin derivatives of formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, their synthesis, and their use as inhibitors of (1,3)-β-D-glucan synthase. The present compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the present compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are useful for treating or preventing antifungal infections and associated diseases and conditions. |
| US07863464B2 |
Triptolide lactone ring derivatives as immunomodulators and anticancer agents
Disclosed are compounds based on lactone ring modifications of triptolide and hydroxylated triptolide, for use in therapy, such as antiproliferative, anticancer, and immunosuppressive therapy. |
| US07863454B2 |
3-substituted-6-aryl pyridines
3-substituted-6-aryl pyridines of Formula I are provided: wherein R1, R2, R3, R8, R9, A and Ar are defined herein. Such compounds are ligands of C5a receptors. Preferred compounds of Formula I bind to C5a receptors with high affinity and exhibit neutral antagonist or inverse agonist activity at C5a receptors. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to the use of such compounds in treating a variety of inflammatory, cardiovascular, and immune system disorders. In addition, the present invention provides labeled 3-substituted-6-aryl pyridines, which are useful as probes for the localization of C5a receptors. |
| US07863452B2 |
Process for production of piperidine derivatives
Processes are disclosed for preparing piperidine derivative compounds of the formulae I, II or III: The processes involve reacting a compound of formula Ia, IIa or IIIa with isobutyrate or an isobutyrate equivalent. |
| US07863451B2 |
Processes for the preparation of substituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindolines
The present invention concerns new processes for the preparation of substituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindolines which are useful for preventing or treating diseases or conditions related to an abnormally high level or activity of TNFα. The invention provides processes for the commercial production of substituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-1-oxoisoindolines including, but not limited to, the therapeutically active 3-(4-amino-1-oxoisoindolin-2-yl)piperidine-2,6-dione. |
| US07863449B2 |
Modulators of muscarinic receptors
The present invention relates to modulators of muscarinic receptors. The present invention also provides compositions comprising such modulators, and methods therewith for treating muscarinic receptor mediated diseases. |
| US07863445B2 |
Carboxylic acid derivatives, their preparation and use
Carboxylic acid derivatives where R-R6, X, Y and Z have the meanings stated in the description, and the preparation thereof, are described. The novel compounds are suitable for controlling diseases. |
| US07863443B2 |
Phosphoramidite ligand and production method of allylic amine using the same
The present invention provides a production method of an allylic amine represented by the formula (III): wherein R3 is as defined in the specification, which comprises reacting by an allylic alcohol represented by the formula (II): wherein R3 is as defined in the specification, with sulfamic acid, in the presence of a phosphoramidite ligand represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, and an iridium complex. According to the present invention, a primary allylic amine can be produced directly from an allylic alcohol, without use of an activator for an allylic alcohol and conversion of an allylic alcohol into an activated compound thereof. |
| US07863442B2 |
Processes for the synthesis of olanzapine
There is provided a process for the preparation of olanzapine comprising: i) reacting 4-amino-2-methyl-10H-thieno-[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepine and N-methylpiperazine in a C1 to C4 alcoholic solvent or mixture thereof at suitable temperature and for a suitable time, ii) cooling the reaction mixture, and iii) isolating the precipitated olanzapine. |
| US07863439B2 |
Cellulose ester having improved stability to wet heat
The present invention provides a cellulose ester in which heat resistance under wet condition is compatible with both releasability and spinnability even when the amount of the residual solvent is small in a casting process. The cellulose ester fulfills the following formula: 0.5<(B)/(A)<1.5 wherein (A) and (B) represent the total amount (in terms of molar amount) of residual sulfuric acid in 1 gram of the cellulose ester and the total amount (in terms of molar amount) of calcium contained in 1 gram of the cellulose ester, respectively. |
| US07863435B2 |
L-threonine importer from Corynebacterium and a preparation method of a strain producing L-threonine
The present invention relates to a preparation method of an L-threonine producing strain by utilizing a novel L-threonine importer identified from Corynebacterium glutamicum. The method can be advantageously used for the production of L-threonine by increasing the fermentation concentration of Lthreonine and the yield per unit thereof. |
| US07863433B2 |
Nucleic acids encoding a G-protein coupled receptor involved in sensory transduction
The invention provides isolated nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of sensory cell specific G-protein coupled receptors, antibodies to such receptors, methods of detecting such nucleic acids and receptors, and methods of screening for modulators of sensory cell specific G-protein coupled receptors. |
| US07863432B2 |
Nucleic acid molecules encoding AKAP18 delta, a splice variant of a protein kinase A anchor protein
The invention relates to polynucleotides which encode a protein kinase A anchor proteins (AKAP) and the use of such polynucleotides to generate AKAP polypeptides or fusion proteins containing AKAP proteins. The present invention also relates to methods of determining the interaction of AKAP proteins with regulatory subunits of protein kinase A and methods for identifying cell-permeable substances. |
| US07863430B2 |
Construct capable of release in closed circular form from a larger nucleotide sequence permitting site specific expression and/or developmentally regulated expression of selected genetic sequences
The present invention relates generally to constructs and in particular genetic constructs comprising polynucleotide sequences capable of release in covalently closed, circular form from a larger nucleotide sequence such as a genome of a eukaryotic cell. Preferably, once released, a polynucleotide sequence is reconstituted in a form which permits expression of the polynucleotide sequence. In one embodiment, the reconstituted polynucleotide sequence comprises a coding sequence with all or part of an extraneous nucleotide such as an intronic sequence or other splice signal inserted therein. Expression and in particular transcription of the coding sequence involves splicing out the extraneous sequence. The release and circularization is generally in response to a stimulus such as a protein-mediated stimulus. More particularly, the protein is a viral or prokaryotic or eukaryotic derived protein or developmentally and/or tissue specific regulated protein. |
| US07863427B2 |
Immunoassays for buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine
Methods, compositions and kits are disclosed directed at haptens, immunogens and immnoassays for buprenorphine (BUP) and nor buprenorphine (norBUP). The method comprises providing in combination in a medium (i) a sample suspected of containing buprenorphine (BUP) or norbuprenorphine (norBUP) and (ii) an antibody raised against an immunogen of buprenorphine (BUP) or norbuprenorphine (norBUP). The medium is examined for the presence of a complex comprising a labeled hapten of buprenorphine (BUP) or norbuprenorphine (norBUP) where the presence of such as complex indicates the presence of the compound in the sample. |
| US07863426B2 |
Antibody purification
The invention provides a method for producing a host cell protein-(HCP) reduced antibody preparation from a mixture comprising an antibody and at least one HCP, comprising an ion exchange separation step wherein the mixture is subjected to a first ion exchange material, such that the HCP-reduced antibody preparation is obtained. |
| US07863421B2 |
Polymer-factor VIII moiety conjugates
Conjugates of a Factor VIII moiety and one or more water-soluble polymers are provided. Typically, the water-soluble polymer is poly(ethylene glycol) or a derivative thereof. Also provided are compositions comprising the conjugates, methods of making the conjugates, and methods of administering compositions comprising the conjugates to a patient. |
| US07863415B2 |
Amino acid and peptide conjugates of amiloride and methods of use thereof
The present invention provides compositions comprising amiloride amino acid and peptide conjugates. Efficient methods are also provided for administering the amiloride conjugates of the present invention for treating cancer or a central nervous system disease or disorder or for preventing or reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury. Further, kits are provided for the treatment of a central nervous system disease or disorder or for the prevention or reduction of ischemia-reperfusion injury using the amiloride conjugates of the present invention. |
| US07863413B2 |
Peptide protein translation inhibitor and the use thereof for protein translation control
A peptide protein translation inhibitor has a size greater than 250 amino acids and it includes an amino acid sequence which is at least for 85% identical to an amino acid sequence SEQ ID No 1. It also relates to a fusion polypeptide which specifically inhibits an interesting target polynucleotide translation, in which the polypeptide includes the above defined inhibiting peptide fused with a RNA binding protein. |
| US07863412B2 |
Method for mixing object into gelled assembly
This invention provides a mixing method by which a mixing object can be uniformly mixed into a gelled assembly within a short time period. The method for mixing a mixing object into a gelled assembly comprises freezing the gelled assembly; melting the frozen assembly to obtain a sol; mixing the resultant sol and the mixing object; and reconstituting the gelled assembly from the sol into which the mixing object has been mixed. |
| US07863410B2 |
Sintering ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene
Methods of producing ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene compositions of highly beneficial sintering characteristics are disclosed herein. Some embodiments provide for adding small amounts of a co-monomer to the polyethylene to improve various characteristics, including wear resistance. |
| US07863407B2 |
Integrated polyester production facility
A process for producing terephthalic acid in a TPA facility, polyethylene terephthalate in a PET facility, and containers in a forming facility in which the distance between the TPA facility and the forming facility is less than about 10 miles. There is also described a process for transporting a wet mixture of TPA particles via a convey system to a PET facility. In contrast to traditional processing schemes, the processing steps can be located proximate to each other and can be integrated to eliminate certain intermediate processing steps such as, for example, purification, heating, cooling, and drying. |
| US07863403B2 |
Process for the preparation of polycarbonates and diaryl carbonate
The present invention relates to a process for the continuous preparation of polycarbonates or diaryl carbonates by the method of the phase boundary process, in which both the mixing of the organic and aqueous phase and the upstream oligomerization step or aryl chloroformate and/or diaryl carbonate preparation step are effected in a special pump. |
| US07863396B2 |
Silicon compounds
The present invention provides a silicon compound represented by Formula (1) and a polymer obtained by using the same, and this makes it possible not only to obtain an organic-inorganic composite material having a distinct structure but also to control the structure of the above polymer as a molecular aggregate. wherein R1 is a group independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl having a carbon atom number of 1 to 40, substituted or non-substituted aryl and substituted or non-substituted arylalkyl; in this alkyl having a carbon atom number of 1 to 40, optional hydrogens may be substituted with fluorine, and optional —CH2— may be substituted with —O—, —CH═CH—, cycloalkylene or cycloalkenylene; in alkylene in this arylalkyl, optional hydrogens may be substituted with fluorine, and optional —CH2— may be substituted with —O— or —CH═CH—; and A1 is a group having an α-haloester group. |
| US07863395B2 |
Polyacrylamide-based strengthening agent
A method for preparing a cationic polyacrylamide composition particularly suitable for making a glyoxylated polyacrylamide composition useful as a temporary wet-strengthening agent and the composition resulting from that method, along with the use of the composition for adding temporary wet strength to paper and the resulting strengthened paper products. |
| US07863392B2 |
Curable organopolysiloxane resin composition and optical part molded therefrom
A curable organopolysiloxane resin composition having a viscosity at 25° C. in the range of 0.001 to 5,000 Pa·s, a total acid number as specified by JIS K 2501 (1992) in the range of 0.0001 to 0.2 mg/g, and light transmittance in a cured state equal to or greater than 80%; an optical part comprised of a cured body of the aforementioned composition. The curable organopolysiloxane resin composition of the invention is characterized by good transparency, low decrease in transmittance when exposed to high temperatures, and excellent adhesion when required. |
| US07863391B2 |
Organopolysiloxane and curable silicone composition that contains aforementioned organopolysiloxane
A curable silicone composition containing an organopolysiloxane that contains in one molecule at least one epoxy-containing organic group, has a polystyrene-referenced weight-average molecular weight at least 500, and is expressed by the following general unit formula: (RSiO3/2)x[R1aSiO(4-a)/2]y (where R represents a cycloalkyl group, and R1 represents hydrogen atom or a univalent organic group, except for an aromatic group and a cycloalkyl group, at least one R1 in one molecule being an epoxy-containing univalent organic group, and where the following condition is observed: 0 |
| US07863390B2 |
Esterified copolymers of polyalkenes/unsaturated acidic reagents useful as lubricant and fuel additives
Esterified polyalkene/UAR copolymer reaction products useful as (1) a friction modifier for lubricating oils such as automatic transmission fluids to improve torque capacity and anti-shudder durability and for continuous variable transmissions (CVTs), (2) a friction modifier for fuels or (3) a cold flow improver for diesel fuels are provided. The esterified copolymer reaction product may be used as is or can be further derivatized (e.g., by post treatment of the esterified copolymer reaction product with, for example, ethylene carbonate or boric acid). |
| US07863389B2 |
Rubber composition
A rubber composition having an excellent adhesion with a brass-plated wire and an excellent heat aging resistance of a vulcanite containing (A) 100 parts by weight of a diene-based rubber, (B) 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of, as a vulcanization accelerator, an amine salt compound of a carboxylic acid group-containing disulfide having the formula (I): and (C) 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of, as a vulcanization agent, a cyclic sulfide compound having the formula (V): wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 alkylene group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C20 oxyalkylene group or an aromatic ring-containing alkylene group, x is an integer of 2-6 on average and n is an integer of 1-30. |
| US07863385B2 |
Vinyl-cis-polybutadiene rubber and butadiene rubber composition using the same
A vinyl•cis-polybutadiene rubber is provided containing 1,2-polybutadiene and a polymer substance of a melting point lower than that of the 1,2-polybutadiene and with at least one unsaturated double bond per repeating unit, where the 1,2-polybutadiene and the polymer substance are dispersed at physically and/or chemically adsorbed states in the cis-polybutadiene rubber as the matrix component of the vinyl•cis-polybutadiene rubber, and a method for producing the same, to provide a vulcanized product exerting a small die swell ratio and excellent extrusion processability and operability, as well as very great characteristics demanded for the side tread of tire and the like. |
| US07863382B2 |
Resin composition and molded article comprising the same
A resin composition in which a polylactic acid resin (A) 95-5 wt %, an aromatic polycarbonate resin (B) 5-95 wt %, and, with respect to 100 wt parts of the total of the (A) and the (B), at least one compatibilizer selected from a polymer compound containing an acrylic resin or styrene resin unit as a graft (C), a polymer compound to which a glycidyl compound or an acid anhydride is grafted or copolymerized (D) and an oxazoline compound, an oxazine compound and a carbodiimide compound (E) are compounded. |
| US07863378B2 |
Thermoplastic elastomer composition and modifier composition using the same
A thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a thermoplastic vulcanized olefin elastomer (A) and an aromatic vinyl random copolymer (B), wherein the (A) component is a thermoplastic vulcanized elastomer composed of an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer (A-1) and a thermoplastic non-vulcanizable polymer (A-2) and the (B) component is a hydrogenated copolymer rubber composed mainly of random bonding which has an olefinic double bond hydrogenation ratio of 50% or more and comprises 10 to 49% by weight of a conjugated diene monomer and 51 to 90% by weight of an aromatic vinyl monomer. |
| US07863377B2 |
Thermoplastic molding materials based on polyesters and styrene copolymers
Thermoplastic molding compositions, comprising A) at least one thermoplastic polyester A, B) at least one graft polymer B of b1) a graft base of an elastomeric polymer B1 based on alkyl acrylates, ethylene/propylene, dienes, or on siloxanes, and with a glass transition temperature below 0° C., b2) a graft B2 composed of b21) styrene or of substituted styrenes B21 of formula I where R is alkyl or hydrogen and R1 is alkyl radical and n is 1, 2, or 3, or mixture, and b22) at least one unsaturated nitrile B22, C) at least one thermoplastic copolymer C of c1) styrene and/or of substituted styrenes C1 of formula I, and c2) at least one unsaturated nitrile C2, D) at least one copolymer D, obtainable via reaction of d1) at least one thermoplastic methacrylate polymer D1 comprising at least one of epoxy, carboxy, hydroxy, anhydride, or oxazoline, with d2) at least one thermoplastic polyester D2. |
| US07863375B2 |
Self-stratifying automotive topcoat compositions and processes
A process for preparing a coating composition includes contacting a polyol, a silsesquioxane, a polyurethane dendrimer, and a crosslinker, wherein the polyol, the silsesquioxane, the polyurethane dendrimer, and the crosslinker are dispersed within a solvent and forming a self-stratifying coating. Further, a coating composition includes a polyol, a silsesquioxane, a polyurethane dendrimer and a crosslinker forming a mixture dispersed within a solvent. |
| US07863371B2 |
Rubber composition for inner liner and tire comprising the same
A rubber composition for an inner liner improving rolling resistance performance of a tire and further improving processability is provided. A rubber composition for an inner liner comprising at least 30 parts by weight of silica having a BET specific surface area of less than 150 m2/g and at most 5 parts by weight or less of carbon black based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component comprising a natural rubber and a tire having an inner liner comprising the same. |
| US07863367B2 |
Surface treated calcium carbonate and a resin composition containing the same
A surface treated calcium carbonate in which calcium carbonate is surface treated with a fatty acid surface treatment agent satisfying the following equation (a), and the surface treated calcium carbonate satisfying the following equation (b) is provided: C12+C14 85(%) (a) and Pv 90(%), (b) C12 is a ratio of a fatty acid surface treatment agent having an alkyl group of 12 carbon atoms, C14 is a ratio of a fatty acid surface treatment agent having an alkyl group of 14 carbon atoms, and Pv is a ratio of a volume (vol. %) precipitated in hexane. The surface treated calcium carbonate of the present invention can provide the resin compositions having slip resistance and slump resistance with a good balance between them, especially the resin compositions having an excellent slip resistance. |
| US07863366B2 |
Conductive polyolefins with good mechanical properties
Processes for preparing reinforced polymeric material and the materials formed therefrom are discussed herein. The processes generally include providing a polymeric matrix, providing single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) or multiple-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT), purifying by the nanotubes in a single step of dissolving a support and catalyst particles with an agent appropriate to the nature of the support to form a purified support, functionalising the purified support by reaction with an alkylamine to form a functionalized support, dispersing the nanotubes in the polymeric matrix by mixing in the molten state to form a mixture and optionally orienting the mixture by stretching. |
| US07863365B2 |
Robust magnetizable elastomeric thermoplastic blends
Polymeric binder blended from thermoplastic and uncured elastomer binds magnetizable particulate in segmentally magnetizable materials used for encoder targets used in encoders and assemblies where encoders determine rate of motion. The polymeric binder has a dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer tangent delta value (ASTM E 1640-94) not greater than 0.1 at a temperature not less than the liquefaction supra point temperature of the thermoplastic when cured with radiation (preferably electron beam radiation) prior to being blended with either the magnetizable particulate or with other filler materials. The binder effects encoder targets evidencing robustness to thermal or chemical agent stress. Pre-cured blends of magnetizable particulate in the binder evidence good extrusion (pultrusion) performance. |
| US07863363B2 |
Cleaning blade for use in image-forming apparatus
A cleaning blade for use in an image-forming apparatus formed by molding a thermosetting elastomer composition containing a rubber component, a filler, a crosslinking agent, and a dispersion-improving agent. As the dispersion-improving agent, thiol or/and sulfide having a specific chemical structure are contained in the thermosetting elastomer composition at 0.05 to 15 parts by mass for 100 parts by mass of the rubber component; or fluorine-substituted benzenethiol or/and a metal salt thereof are contained in the thermosetting elastomer composition at 0.05 to 10 parts by mass for 100 parts by mass of the rubber component. |
| US07863361B2 |
Swollen silicone composition, process of producing same and products thereof
There is provided herein, in one specific embodiment, silicone composition(s) comprising unique combination(s) of silicone polymer and alkyltrisiloxane(s) which can produce silicone composition(s) with lower solids content than silicone compositions that use other than alkyltrisiloxane(s); while still maintaining a desirable viscosity. |
| US07863356B2 |
Resin composition and molded article
The invention provides a resin composition containing polyethylene furandicarboxylate having high crystallization rate and excellent heat resistance, and a molded article molded with the resin composition. The resin composition contains polyethylene furandicarboxylate and pyrimidine thiol. |
| US07863354B2 |
Spectacle lens
A resin composition which contains polycarbonate resin, does not transmit a wavelength of 385 nm substantially and has a high total light transmittance and excellent heat resistance.The resin composition comprises (1) polycarbonate resin, (2) an ultraviolet absorber (A) such as 2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-p-cresol, (3) an ultraviolet absorber (B) such as 2,2′-methylenebis[4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)phenol] and (4) at least one compound (C) represented by the following formula (I) or (II) and is used for spectacle lenses. (R1—S—CH2—CH2—C(O)O—CH2—)4C (I) (R2—O—C(O)—CH2—CH2—)2S (II) (wherein R1 is an alkyl group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms, and R2 is an alkyl group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms.) |
| US07863353B2 |
Paving resin composition, paving asphalt composition, and method for producing paving asphalt composition
Disclosed is a paving resin composition which comprises a thermoplastic resin in small lumps, containing 30 to 70% by weight of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having a vinyl acetate content of 20 to 45% by weight and a melting temperature of 40 to 100° C. The paving resin composition of the present invention is melted within a short time, excellent in wettability and adhesion property to aggregates, and capable of providing a paved face excellent in durability free from problems of deformation during summer and cracking during winter. Moreover, the paving resin composition of the present invention can be thrown directly to a mixer without being passed through a measurement apparatus and accordingly, washing work of the measurement apparatus or pipes is made unnecessary and the workability is thus significantly increased. |
| US07863351B2 |
Pigment ink for ink jet recording
A pigment ink for ink jet recording containing a pigment, water, a graft copolymer and a water-soluble organic solvent, in which a hydrophobic segment constituting the graft copolymer is obtained by copolymerizing a monomer represented by the following formula (1), having an aromatic ring or the like and a monomer having an anionic functional group, and a hydrophilic segment constituting the graft copolymer is obtained by polymerizing a monomer having an anionic functional group: wherein Ar represents an aromatic ring selected from a benzene ring, a condensed benzene ring and a heteroaromatic ring, or a derivative thereof. |
| US07863348B2 |
Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene articles and methods of forming ultra high molecular weight polyethylene articles
The present invention generally provides implantable articles and methods of forming implantable articles from a crosslinked ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (“UHMWPE”) blend stabilized with Vitamin E. The crosslinked UHMWPE blend may be prepared by combining the UHMWPE material and vitamin E prior to irradiating the UHMWPE blend with electron beam radiation at a sufficient radiation dose rate to induce crosslinking. The crosslinked UHMWPE blend may be incorporated into a variety of implants, and in particular, into endoprosthetic joint replacements |