| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07876346B2 |
Thermal printer and cutter
A thermal printer includes a first module having a motor and a thermal head support member to fix a thermal head, the thermal head support member having a fixed blade part working as a blade and an a second module being detachably coupled with the first module, the second module having a platen roller, a movable blade member and a movable blade member movement mechanism to move the movable blade member, wherein the movable blade member is disposed to face the fixed blade part and driving force of the motor is conveyed to the movable blade member movement mechanism, and thereby a cutter part is formed. |
| US07876345B2 |
Ink set and image forming apparatus and method
The ink set includes: a first liquid which contains a coloring material, a polymer, and a dispersion medium composed of water and water-soluble solvent, the coloring material and the polymer being dispersed in the dispersion medium, the coloring material having properties such that when dispersed in an aqueous coloring material solution, a volume-average particle size of the coloring material is changed along with a pH change of the aqueous coloring material solution, the polymer having properties such that when dispersed in an aqueous polymer solution, a volume-average particle size of the polymer is changed along with a pH change of the aqueous polymer solution; and a second liquid which changes pH of the first liquid, wherein a condition of |α−β1|≧|α−β2| is satisfied, where α is pH of the first liquid before the first liquid is subjected to a pH change caused by the second liquid, β1 is pH of the aqueous coloring material solution at which the volume-average particle size of the coloring material reaches 1000 nm along with the pH change of the aqueous coloring material solution, and β2 is pH of the aqueous polymer solution at which the volume-average particle size of the polymer reaches 1000 nm along with the pH change of the aqueous polymer solution. |
| US07876343B2 |
Thermal print head and method for manufacturing same
A thermal printhead A includes a glaze layer 2 formed on an insulating substrate 1, a resistor layer 3 formed on the glaze layer, a conductor layer 4 formed so that part of the resistor layer is exposed to serve as a heating portion 3c and a protective film 5 formed to cover the conductor layer 4 and the heating portion 3c. The protective film 5 includes a lower first protective layer 5a, and an upper second protective layer 5b overlapping the first protective layer 5a and serving as the outermost layer. The first protective layer 5a has a hardness of 500 to 800 Hk and a thickness of 1 to 2 μm. The second protective layer 5b has a hardness of 1000 to 2000 Hk and a thickness of 5 to 8 μm. |
| US07876334B2 |
Photography with embedded graphical objects
A digital photography system and a method of its use. The system includes a digital camera having a mechanism for selecting a graphical object, a mechanism for superimposing the graphical object within a field of view of a digital camera, a mechanism for manipulating the graphical object within the field of view before capturing the image according to manipulation parameters that are set by a user and a mechanism for defining a relationship between the manipulated graphical object and at least part of the image. The scope of the invention also includes a memory card bearing such graphical objects and a method of offering the system for sale at a price that depends on the graphical objects stored in the memory card(s). |
| US07876332B1 |
Shader that conditionally updates a framebuffer in a computer graphics system
A computer-implemented graphics system that includes a rasterizer and a shader has a mode of operation in which primitive coverage information is generated for real sample locations and virtual sample locations for use in anti-aliasing. An individual pixel includes a single real sample location and at least one virtual sample location. In some instances, a primitive may cover only virtual sample locations and does not cover a real sample location. These instances can be identified in the coverage information sent from the rasterizer to the shader, so that the shader can determine whether or not it can write color information, depth information and/or stencil information for the real sample location to a framebuffer. |
| US07876331B2 |
Virtual staging apparatus and method
The present invention is a process of staging a live or pre-recorded performance that follows a schedule, optionally before a mass audience. The performance involves electronic and/or mechanical media that is computer controlled, preferably so as to create a virtual reality of one or more events. In the course of the performance, when an action that is not normal to the schedule occurs, the timing, speed, or sequence of one or more electronic and/or mechanical media activities are adjusted, whereby to compensate for the action so that the action does not adversely affect the continuity and totality of the performance to the audience. The present invention also encompasses an apparatus that comprises a sensory stimuli device(s), a mass audience area substantially within a space for reception of the sensory stimuli device(s), and computer hardware and software. The computer hardware and software comprises a script of a scheduled performance; a control program that steps through the script while allowing for flexibility and adaptation of the performance in response to an action that is not normal to the schedule; and a control interface(s) to the sensory stimuli device(s) whereby sensory stimuli associated with the performance can be commanded by the control program. In addition, the present invention embraces a computer readable medium comprising a script containing a thread(s) of performance activity. A thread typically contains computer implementable instructions to control one or more electronic and/or mechanical media devices involved in a performance. |
| US07876327B1 |
Power savings in a computing device during video playback
Display data and video data are stored within a graphics processing unit to reduce power consumed by the computing device during video playback. Storing display data and video data within the GPU reduces power consumption, because bus transaction activity is reduced and the need to read data from a larger, common main memory is avoided. |
| US07876326B2 |
Posing articulated models in contact with a surface
A system and method enables animators to efficiently pose character models' feet. An initial foot model position is received. The initial foot model position specifies a foot model contact point. One or more foot roll parameters are specified that change the relative angle between at least a portion of the foot model and an initial orientation of an alignment plane. Foot roll parameters specify the rotation of the foot model around foot model contact points. Foot roll parameters can include heel roll, ball roll, and toe roll, which specify the rotation of the foot model around contact points on the heel, ball, and toe, respectively, of a foot model. To maintain the position of the foot model contact point, the foot model position is adjusted based on the foot roll parameter. The repositioned foot model is realigned with alignment plane, which restores contact at the foot model contact point. |
| US07876322B2 |
Method and apparatus for fast and efficient mesh simplification
A method and apparatus for the simplification of a mesh surface is disclosed that preserves the original geometry of the shape of the surface and, at the same time, reduces undesirable triangle geometries. In one embodiment, a mesh simplification process first determines whether an edge swap operation should be performed as a function of a threshold criteria. Such a threshold may be a function of the span angles and cross angles associated with an edge or, alternatively, may be a predetermined span angle size threshold. In another embodiment, the decision as to whether to contract an edge is made by comparing the size of at least one span angle with a span angle threshold and by comparing the sizes of incident angles associated with the edge to an incident angle threshold. |
| US07876319B2 |
Stereoscopic image generator and system for stereoscopic image generation
A vector field, including its local three-dimensional attribute, is substantially visualized on a two-dimensional field of view in an intuitionally visible way. The vector field is mapped onto a three-dimensional coordinate space to produce corresponding coordinate point sequences, the degree of elevation in a local area of a plane in which the coordinate point sequences are connected is determined, the degree of depression in the local area is determined, the degree of elevation/depression in the local area is determined by weight-combining the degree of elevation and the degree of depression, the coordinate space is mapped onto a two-dimensional plane and gray-scale display corresponding to the degree of elevation/depression is conducted on the area of the two-dimensional plane corresponding to the local area. |
| US07876317B2 |
Apparatus and method of producing 3D structural sketch and computer-readable recording medium on which compute program for executing the method is recorded
An apparatus and method of producing a three-dimensional structural sketch (3DSS) and a computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program for executing the method is recorded are provided. The apparatus includes a property-detecting unit detecting a unary property of each part of a predetermined two-dimensional sketch and relational properties of the parts; a node-generating unit receiving the detected unary properties and the parts and converting the parts into nodes having three-dimensional shapes together with the detected unary properties; and a node-arranging unit receiving the detected relational properties and the nodes, arranging the nodes according to the detected relational properties, and generating a three-dimensional structural sketch, wherein the unary property includes geometric property and the relational property include topologic property. Thus, the apparatus can easily produce a 3DSS and update the produced 3DSS. |
| US07876315B2 |
Thin image display apparatus
A thin image display apparatus includes a thin image display apparatus body, a hollow support member having a first end at which the hollow support member supports the thin image display apparatus body through a rocking mechanism section and a second end at which a plug element configured to engage with an illumination apparatus wiring member attached to the ceiling or a wall is provided, and a power line extending through the hollow support member and configured to connect the plug element and the thin image display apparatus body to each other. The thin image display apparatus body receives, when the plug element engages with the illumination apparatus wiring member, power supplied through the power line together with a modulated image signal supplied through the power line such that an image based on the modulated image signal is displayed on the thin image display apparatus body. |
| US07876312B2 |
Writing device for color electronic paper
A writing device is provided for color electronic paper which is capable of performing full color display. The writing device includes a head unit, a head unit moving mechanism which moves the head unit in a first direction, a feeding mechanism which moves electronic paper, and a controller. The head unit includes a writing head, an LED which emits light of three primary colors, an image sensing element consisting of a CMOS sensor, and an optical system. The writing head includes an optically transparent head main portion provided with pixel electrodes, and a common electrode (counter electrode). In the controller, an arrangement of three types of microcapsules in a microcapsule layer is detected to perform electric field formation for each of the pixel electrodes based on a detection result. |
| US07876310B2 |
Far-field input identification
Techniques for identifying an object in close proximity to, but not in contact with, a multi-touch touch-screen device are described. By way of example, a cheek or ear hovering a short distance from the touch-surface (e.g., approximately 1 to 3 centimeters) may be identified and distinguished from physical contacts to the surface. |
| US07876308B2 |
Display device dedicated to proximity detection
The invention pertains to a display device, the surface of the device being rendered touch-sensitive, the device comprising a first dedicated part comprising two insulating plates, a layer of material exhibiting electro-optical properties suitable for rendering all or part of its surface visible under the effect of an electrical control signal, the layer being disposed between the two plates, at least one first electrode having the shape of a pictogram, the first electrode being disposed on a face of one of the insulating plates, a second electrode disposed on a face of the other insulating plate opposite at least one first electrode. According to the invention, the second electrode is used as responsive element of the touch-sensitive surface of the device, the surface area of the second electrode is at least 9 mm2, and the surface area of the second electrode is greater than the surface area or the sum of the surface areas of the first electrode or electrodes opposite. |
| US07876304B2 |
Thin film panel, driving device, and liquid crystal display having the same
A thin film panel, a driving device, and a liquid crystal display having the thin film panel and the driving device are provided. The thin film panel includes a first panel, a second panel, and an illumination sensor, wherein the illumination sensor includes a plurality of color filters formed on the first panel and a plurality of photo sensors formed on the second panel opposed to the plurality of color filters. |
| US07876303B2 |
Method and apparatus for driving data in liquid crystal display panel
A method and apparatus for driving the data in a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel are presented. The method and apparatus prevent or reduce defects at the boundary between pixel blocks when the pixel blocks are sequentially driven on a block-by-block basis. The method includes applying data signals to a first data block, precharging a second data block that is adjacent to the first data block to a predetermined precharge voltage, and applying data signals to the second data block. The precharging prevents a large voltage difference at the boundary, thereby reducing defects. |
| US07876300B2 |
Method and apparatus for driving liquid crystal display
A driving method and apparatus for a liquid crystal display uses a comparison between the previous frame and the current frame to expand the contrast ratio and reduce the manufacturing cost. A limited amount of data from the current image may be used: either using a limited area of the image or merely the amount of green in the overall image or the limited area. In the apparatus, an image signal modulator expands the contrast of the input data when the previous image is analogous to the current image to thereby generate output data. A timing controller re-arranges the output data to apply the output data to a data driver. |
| US07876296B2 |
Circuit and method for driving organic light-emitting diode
Disclosed are driving circuit and method which are used in an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), and more specifically to a driving circuit of an organic light emitting diode and a driving method thereof which use a thin film transistor (TFT) as an active device. The driving circuit and method can uniformly produce luminance of the light emitting element because the driving current is produced by compensating the unevenness of threshold voltage of the active device. Further, the variance of the threshold voltage Vth due to deterioration of the transistor produced according as the driving circuit of the OLED is utilized for a long time is also compensated, thereby increasing life of the display device which applies the driving circuit of the OLED. |
| US07876294B2 |
Image display and its control method
An image display apparatus comprises a pixel having a drive transistor and a pixel display element which are connected in series between a first power line and a second power line, a holding capacitor connected to a gate electrode of the drive transistor, and a selection transistor connected between a signal line and the gate electrode of the drive transistor. When the selection transistor is turned on, gradation pixel data is written in the holding capacitor from the signal line. The charge of gradation pixel data written in the holding capacitor is discharged for a certain period through the drive transistor, thereafter the charge of the gradation pixel data stored in the holding capacitor is held by floating the gate electrode of the drive transistor. |
| US07876292B2 |
Active matrix OLED driving circuit using current feedback
An active matrix organic light emitting diode AMOLED driving circuit using current feedback that ensures the uniformity of brightness in pixels of a flat panel display and shortens the time required to input accurate current to respective pixels in the driving circuit.The prevent invention provides an AMOLED driving circuit using current feedback, comprising: a current digital-to-analog converter outputting a current corresponding to input digital data; a first differential amplifier connected to the current digital-to-analog converter and controlling the input data current and a driving current of a driving transistor of a pixel circuit to be identical to each other; a current mirror mirroring driving current of an organic light emitting diode of the pixel circuit to an input side of the first differential amplifier; and a second differential amplifier coupled to the current mirror and controlling charge and discharge speeds of parasitic capacitance of the pixel circuit. |
| US07876290B2 |
Method of controlling a matrix screen and corresponding device
A device for controlling a matrix screen includes a scanning circuit. The scanning circuit includes a row control block which successively selects each row, and a column control block which, for each selected row, selects or deselects a set of columns of the screen with the aid of column selection or deselection signals. The temporal evolution of each column selection signal and of each column deselection signal includes a first and a second part separated by an intermediate porch. The column control block, for each column of the screen, determines if the corresponding column has to be selected or deselected, determines the value of the capacitance seen by the column termed the column-capacitance, and adjusts temporal evolution characteristics of the selection or deselection signal of at least one column to be selected or deselected as a function of the determined value of its column-capacitance. |
| US07876289B2 |
Medical overlay mirror
Medical overlay mirror methods and related systems. |
| US07876283B2 |
Antenna having a dielectric structure for a simplified fabrication process
An antenna is formed with a self-supporting structure (1), a dielectric structure (2), and a conducting structure (3), each structure being formed from at least one structural element (10; 21, 22; 31-34). The structural elements of the different structures (1, 2, 3) constitute a stack in which these elements (10; 21, 22; 31-34) are connected to each other, and the dielectric structure (2) is formed in the stack by nano-imprinting. |
| US07876278B2 |
Dual-feed antenna
The present invention relates to a dual-feed antenna. The invention provides an antenna comprising first and second electromagnetic radiation paths which join to form a common third electromagnetic radiation path, wherein the first path is rotatable with respect to the second path. In this way, two antenna feeds can be directed independently of one another, whilst combining the electromagnetic radiation paths from the antenna feeds then allows a common set of components to be used in signal analysis or generation. |
| US07876276B1 |
Antenna near-field probe station scanner
A miniaturized antenna system is characterized non-destructively through the use of a scanner that measures its near-field radiated power performance. When taking measurements, the scanner can be moved linearly along the x, y and z axis, as well as rotationally relative to the antenna. The data obtained from the characterization are processed to determine the far-field properties of the system and to optimize the system. Each antenna is excited using a probe station system while a scanning probe scans the space above the antenna to measure the near field signals. Upon completion of the scan, the near-field patterns are transformed into far-field patterns. Along with taking data, this system also allows for extensive graphing and analysis of both the near-field and far-field data. The details of the probe station as well as the procedures for setting up a test, conducting a test, and analyzing the resulting data are also described. |
| US07876274B2 |
Wireless handheld electronic device
A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. The conductive elements may form an antenna ground plane. One or more antennas for the handheld electronic device may be formed from the ground plane and one or more associated antenna resonating elements. Transceiver circuitry may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. Ferrules may be crimped to the coaxial cables. A bracket with extending members may be crimped over the ferrules to ground the coaxial cables to the housing and other conductive elements in the ground plane. The ground plane may contain an antenna slot. A dock connector and flex circuit may overlap the slot in a way that does not affect the resonant frequency of the slot. Electrical components may be isolated from the antenna using isolation elements such as inductors and resistors. |
| US07876270B2 |
Modem card with balanced antenna
A cellular modem card that conforms to a PCMCIA standard includes a balanced antenna. The balanced antenna minimizes susceptibility to limited available ground plane and limited ground connections between the modem card and a host device, such as laptop computer. The balanced antenna may be a dipole antenna, loop antenna, capacitively loaded antenna, or any other suitable balanced antenna. |
| US07876267B2 |
Robust low-frequency spread-spectrum navigation system
Methods and apparatus are described for a navigation system. A process includes providing a plurality of transmitters distributed throughout a desired coverage area; locking the plurality of transmitters to a common timing reference; transmitting a signal from each of the plurality of transmitters. An apparatus includes a plurality of transmitters distributed throughout a desired coverage area; wherein each of the plurality of transmitters comprises a packet generator; and wherein the plurality of transmitters are locked to a common timing reference. |
| US07876264B2 |
Method of source number estimation and its application in method of direction of arrival estimation
The present invention provides a method of source number estimation based on eigenspace in DOA estimation, including: (1) obtaining signals received by uniform linear array; (2) calculating a covariance matrix according to the received signals; (3) calculating a complex-valued covariance matrix or a covariance matrix after real-valued computations; (4) conducting eigendecomposition to the covariance matrix to obtain its eigenvector matrix; (5) calculating a source number decision based on the eigenvector; (6) calculating a ratio; and (7) source number estimation. The present invention can accurately estimate source number and save huge amounts of computation during signal processing in DOA estimation, and lower the cost of hardware. |
| US07876259B2 |
Automatic dependent surveillance system secure ADS-S
An air traffic control automatic dependent, WAAS/GPS based, surveillance system (ADS), for operation in the TRACON airspace. The system provides encryption protection against unauthorized reading of ADS messages and unauthorized position tracking of aircraft using multilateration techniques. Each aircraft has its own encryption and long PN codes per TRACON and transmit power is controlled to protect against unauthorized ranging on the ADS-S aircraft transmission. The encryption and PN codes can be changed dynamically. Several options which account for available bandwidth, burst data rates, frequency spectrum allocations, relative cost to implement, complexity of operation, degree of protection against unauthorized users, system capacity, bits per aircraft reply message and mutual interference avoidance techniques between ADS-S, ADS-B Enroute and Mode S/ATCRBS TRACON are disclosed. ADS messages are only transmitted as replies to ATC ground terminal interrogations (no squittering). Derivative surveillance backup systems provide an anti-spoofing capability. |
| US07876258B2 |
Aircraft collision sense and avoidance system and method
A collision sense and avoidance system and method and an aircraft, such as an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) and/or Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV), including the collision sense and avoidance system. The collision sense and avoidance system includes an image interrogator identifies potential collision threats to the aircraft and provides maneuvers to avoid any identified threat. Motion sensors (e.g., imaging and/or infrared sensors) provide image frames of the surroundings to a clutter suppression and target detection unit that detects local targets moving in the frames. A Line Of Sight (LOS), multi-target tracking unit, tracks detected local targets and maintains a track history in LOS coordinates for each detected local target. A threat assessment unit determines whether any tracked local target poses a collision threat. An avoidance maneuver unit provides flight control and guidance with a maneuver to avoid any identified said collision threat. |
| US07876257B2 |
Method and apparatus for compressing SAR signals
A method compresses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data by sampling the SAR data into blocks and transforming each block to a corresponding block of transform coefficients. Each block of transform coefficient is quantized according to a quantization parameter to obtain a corresponding block of quantized transform coefficients, which are demultiplexed into sets of blocks of quantized transform coefficients. The quantized transform coefficients in the blocks in each set are arithmetically encoding in parallel according to a probability model to produce an intermediate bitstream for each set of blocks. The encoding of the quantized transform coefficients of one block is independent of the quantized transform coefficients of a successive block. The intermediate of bitstreams are then multiplexed to a compressed bitstream, which can be transmitted, or stored, for subsequent decoding to construct an SAR image. |
| US07876254B2 |
Data conversion circuitry having successive approximation circuitry and method therefor
A data converter for converting analog signals to digital signals, or for converting digital signals to analog signals is provided. In one embodiment, a production self-test is provided. In one embodiment, a high-speed lower-resolution method or mode for a data converter is provided. In one embodiment, a differential data converter with a more stable comparator common mode voltage is provided. In one embodiment, the input range of a digitally calibrated data converter is provided and maintained so that there is no loss in input range due to the calibration. In one embodiment, digital post-processing of an uncalibrated result using a previously stored calibration value is provided. |
| US07876240B2 |
Arithmetic decoding method and device
A method for decoding elements is disclosed. The method decodes at least a part of the binary stream into a set of elements on the basis of first and second decoding parameters CodlOffset0 and CodIRange, the set of elements comprising a prefix composed of n first elements and a suffix comprising m second elements, the prefix and the suffix being separated by an element called a pivot. The method comprises: determining the value of n on the basis of the first and second decoding parameters and of the values of k consecutive bits of the binary stream, termed k first bits, so as to deduce therefrom the prefix and the value of m; and determining the suffix on the basis of the first and second decoding parameters and of the values of m consecutive bits which follow the n first bits of the k first bits. |
| US07876236B2 |
Devices, systems, and methods for reinforcing a traffic control assembly
Devices, systems, and methods for reinforcing a traffic control assembly are provided. In some embodiments, a retrofitted traffic control assembly configured to reinforce a traffic signal assembly in high wind conditions is provided, where the assembly includes a clamping assembly having clamping members that at least partially surround an existing traffic signal disconnect hanger, and bar members positioned substantially perpendicular to the clamping members. In certain embodiments, stiffening members may be placed in, on, or adjacent to a traffic signal and/or a traffic signal disconnect hanger to further reinforce the traffic signal assembly. Also provided are connection assemblies for reinforcing the portion of a traffic control assembly positioned between a traffic signal disconnect hanger and an upper span wire, for example. |
| US07876234B1 |
Trailer depth gauge
A gauge gives a driver of a tow vehicle a visual cue that the trailer is at a proper depth within the water to recover a boat onto the trailer. The gauge has a tubular member that has a top with a red light bulb and a green light bulb thereon. A housing is attached to the tubular member and longitudinally adjusted along a length of the tubular member as needed. A switch, controlled by a float, is located within the housing, such that when there is no water in the housing, the float is at rest and causes the switch to connect the red light bulb to electricity. As water enters the housing, the float rises with the rising water level in the housing and causes the switch to disconnect the red light bulb from and connect the green light bulb to the electricity. |
| US07876230B2 |
Fire supression and indicator system and fire detection device
A system for detecting and suppressing a fire condition in a storage unit may include a transmitter associated with the storage unit and configured to transmit a first signal upon detection of the fire condition, at least one receiver configured to detect the first signal and configured to provide a second signal indicating detection of the fire condition, and a fire suppression device configured to discharge a fire suppressant material into the storage unit upon detection of the fire condition. |
| US07876229B2 |
Flare monitoring
A computer assisted method identifies characteristics of a flare. A digital image of the flare is obtained, such as by a color digital video camera and a region of interest likely containing the flare is identified. Flare pixels within the region of interest are identified and color information is extracted from such flare pixels. The extracted color information is associated to characterizations of the flare, and an operator is provided an alert when such characterizations indicate an abnormal flare. |
| US07876228B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring ingestion of medications using an implantable medical device
An implantable medical device, such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), is configured to automatically detect ingestion of medications to verify that prescribed medications are taken in a timely manner and at the correct dosage. Briefly, individual pills are provided with miniature radio frequency identification (RFID) devices capable of transmitting RFID tag signals, which identify the medication contained within the pill and its dosage. The implanted device is equipped with an RFID transceiver for receiving tag signals from a pill as it is being ingested. The implanted system decodes the tag to identify the medication and its dosage, then accesses an onboard database to verify that the medication being ingested was in fact prescribed to the patient and to verify that the correct dosage was taken. Warning signals are generated if the wrong medication or the wrong dosage was taken. Therapy may also be automatically adjusted. Non-RF-based ID devices are also described, which instead transmit ID data via biphasic current pulses. |
| US07876227B2 |
Polarization insensitive antenna for handheld radio frequency identification readers
A handheld radio frequency identification (RFID) reader includes a polarization insensitive antenna that enables simultaneous operation in two orthogonal polarization modes. The RFID reader includes an RF communication module and an antenna coupled to the RF communication module. The RF communication module is configured to process RF signals associated with operation of the RFID reader, and the antenna is configured to transmit and receive RF energy associated with operation of the RFID reader. The antenna includes a conductive loop element having a major longitudinal path, and a slot formed in the conductive loop element along the major longitudinal path. The conductive loop element is configured to operate as a first antenna polarized in a first orientation, and the slot is configured to operate as a second antenna polarized in a second orientation. |
| US07876223B2 |
RFID tag information communicating apparatus
An RFID tag information communicating apparatus includes a feeding roller driving shaft that is provided within a housing constituting a shell of an apparatus main body and feeds a base tape, and an antenna for label production and an antenna for information transmission and reception, which are capable of transmitting and receiving information with an RFID circuit element for label production included in a base tape and an RFID circuit element for information transmission and reception located outside the housing. Each of the RFID circuit elements has an IC circuit part that stores information and an antenna that transmits and receives information. The apparatus is configured capable of performing both of the information reading and information writing with the RFID circuit element for label production and the RFID circuit element for information transmission and reception via the antennas. |
| US07876222B2 |
Customizable mechanically programmable RFID tags
A system and method to track a status an item, or steps in a process, via one or more mechanical modifications to an RFID tag. In one embodiment, a plurality of tearable strips are attached to the tag, each strip having an electrical conductor. Each tearable strip may receive a visual or tactile indicia, such as text, a color code, a graphic symbol, or a tactile indicator (such as Braille) to assign a meaning to the strip, where the meaning is associated with the status or condition of the item, or the stage, step, or status or the process. By tearing some strips or all strips, a desired bit pattern may be programmed into a register of the RFID tag. The bit pattern may reflect the status or condition of the item, or the stage, step, or status of a process. |
| US07876221B2 |
Seal having an IC tag and method of attaching the same
The seal having an IC tag is to be attached to cover a bordering part between the cover and main body of a container. The seal has a base member serving as a support, an antenna provided on one surface of the base member and having a slit, an IC chip connected to the antenna and provided on the antenna, and an adhesive layer provided on that surface of the base-member on which the antenna and the IC chip are provided. The method of attaching a seal having an IC tag is to attach the antenna by using the adhesive layer, so that the seal may overlap both the cover and the main body of the container. |
| US07876218B2 |
Alarm system interaction with a movable barrier operator method and apparatus
A secure communication link (24) is provided between a movable barrier operator (23) and a peripheral alarm system (20). Information conveyed via this link is used by one, the other, or both such elements to further inform or direct their respective actions. |
| US07876208B2 |
System for signalling and locating vehicles involved in accidents, stopped vehicles and vehicles with mechanical problems
The invention relates to a system for signalling and locating vehicles involved in accidents, stopped vehicles and vehicles with mechanical problems in daytime and night-time conditions as well as in adverse weather conditions. According to the invention, the occupants of the vehicle can raise the alarm without leaving the vehicle such as to avoid any physical risk. The invention comprises a case and a hinged cover housing an air container. One end of the air container is connected to a gaseous fluid outlet pipe and to a manual quick-opening non-return valve which is located in the mouth of an empty aerostatic inflatable fluorescent body. The aforementioned body is folded inside the case when not in use and is deployed in the event of a vehicle impact by means of a device comprising an inertia sensor which is activated by a deceleration force exceeding 3G and which is powered by a power source comprising batteries or accumulators belonging to the electric circuit of the vehicle or independent batteries. Said source is solidly connected to an electrically-conductive cable terminating in a connector which is associated with a light flashing apparatus comprising an electronic flash unit, a light sensor which operates at night and a satellite-based mini-localizer comprising a global positioning system (GPS). |
| US07876205B2 |
System and method for detecting use of a wireless device in a moving vehicle
A system and method for detecting use of a wireless device is disclosed. In one embodiment, wireless device activity data is received from a wireless network. User account data is searched using selected parameters from the wireless device activity data to identify one or more subscribers that are or were using a wireless device. One or more subscriber vehicles or vehicle monitoring systems associated with each of the one or more subscribers are identified. Vehicle operation data from one or more vehicle monitoring systems is received. The vehicle operation data is used to determine whether any of the one or more subscriber vehicles were moving during use of an associated wireless device. |
| US07876204B2 |
Thermal radiation detector
An object detection system is provided for detecting a thermal emitting object in a blind zone proximate to a host vehicle. The system includes a thermal radiation detector located on a host vehicle and configured to sense temperature of multiple coverage zones proximate to the host vehicle. A processor processes temperature sensed by an infrared detector. The processor determines a change in thermal temperature sensed by the infrared detector and determines the presence of an object in the coverage zone based on the change in the sensed temperature. An output provides a signal indicative of an object sensed in the coverage zone based on the determined change in temperature. The thermal radiation detector may include a first infrared detector configured to measure temperature of a first coverage zone by receiving infrared radiation from the first coverage zone, and a second infrared detector configured to measure temperature of second and third coverage zones by receiving infrared radiation from the second and third coverage zones. |
| US07876203B2 |
Collision avoidance display system for vehicles
The system includes a detector display having visual indicators arranged in a pattern representing a monitored area near the vehicle desired to be monitored. The visual indicators represent physical locations within the monitored area. An indicator controller is operatively associated with the detector display for actuating the visual indicators to display an object location in the pattern that corresponds to the location of an object in the monitored area. A proximity sensor is included in communication with the indicator controller for detecting the physical location of objects within the monitored area. A detection signal is transmitted by the proximity sensor to the indicator controller in response to detecting an object, wherein the indicator controller is operable to actuate the visual indicators in response to the detection signal to display an object location in the pattern that corresponds to an object location in the monitored area. |
| US07876201B2 |
Vehicle authorization method and system
A vehicle authorization method and system. The method includes transmitting, by a computing system in a vehicle, a first request for enabling the vehicle for a driver. The computing system receives vehicle identification data associated with the vehicle. The computing system identifies the driver. The computing system transmits a second request for information associated with the driver. The computing system receives driver's license data associated with the driver, a list comprising authorized drivers for the vehicle, and insurance data associated with the driver and the vehicle. The computing system analyzes the vehicle identification data, the driver's license data, the list, and the insurance data. The computing system performs specified functions associated with the vehicle. The computing system generates and stores a report indicating the specified functions. |
| US07876200B2 |
In-vehicle call apparatus
In an in-vehicle theft call apparatus, when a relevant vehicle is in a non-stopped state, an electric power supply from an in-vehicle battery is maintained to both a Cellular wireless section and a PCS wireless section. Thus, a wide range wireless communication area can be secured. In contrast, when the vehicle is in a stopped state, an electric power supply from the in-vehicle battery is maintained to only one of the Cellular wireless section and the PCS wireless section while being interrupted to the other. Thus, a communication signal can be transmitted appropriately in an event of call state; further, power consumption can be improved. |
| US07876196B2 |
Chip resistor and method of making the same
A chip resistor includes an insulating substrate, a pair of electrodes formed on a main surface of the substrate and a resistor element electrically connected to the electrodes. The paired electrodes are spaced from each other in a first direction. The main surface of the substrate is formed with a raised portion in the form of a plateau which is smaller in size than the substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The paired electrodes are formed on the raised portion. The resistor element is equal in size to the raised portion in the second direction. |
| US07876194B2 |
Resistor arrangement
According to a first preferred embodiment, a resistor arrangement with resistor elements is specified whose first electrodes are conductively connected to each other by means of a flexible, conductive connection element that is curved. The connection element has changes in curvature in the regions arranged between two adjacent resistor elements. According to a second preferred embodiment, a resistor arrangement with resistor elements is specified that are connected to each other by a flexible connection element. The resistor elements each have an arrangement of slot-like recesses. |
| US07876188B2 |
Green technologies: the killer application of EMI-free on-chip inductor
The EMI-free planar inductor is the core technology of the green technology. The EMI-free planar inductor adopts the structure of the closed magnetic field flux IC inductor (CMFFICI). All the magnetic field is confined in a small volume. The magnetic field is parallel to the surface of the chip. The EMI-free planar inductor makes the on-chip LC tank having very high Q and saves a lot of energy. Combining with the gain-boost-Q technology, it makes the high performance clock chip being comparable to the xtalchip. The xtalchip is the inductor being replaced with the crystal in the gain-boost Q resonator. Furthermore, the EMI-free planar inductor makes the highest power efficiency boost-buck converter and the on-chip spinning motor. It makes the PC laser TV projector being implementable. |
| US07876183B2 |
Electromagnetic switching device
This electromagnetic switching device comprises an electromagnetic device 1 in which a movable core 15 comes into contact with or separates from a fixed core 14 in response to energization of an excitation coil 11 wound around a coil bobbin 10 a contact device 2 with a fixed contact 21 and a movable contact which comes into contact with or separates from the fixed contact in conjunction with a movement of the movable core 15 of the electromagnetic device, and a boxy case 3 configured to house the electromagnetic device and the contact device. The coil bobbin 10 has a flange 10a at its end in an axis direction of the coil bobbin, and the case 3 has, on its inner surface, a recess 31 into which a periphery of the flange 10a of the coil bobbin is fitted, and a cushioning member 32 for absorbing an impact which is transmitted from the electromagnetic device to the case is disposed in the recess, and the flange of the coil bobbin is supported by the recess through the cushioning member whereby the electromagnetic device is supported in the case. |
| US07876182B2 |
Miniaturized relay and corresponding uses
A miniaturized relay having a first zone facing a second zone, a first condenser plate, a second condenser plate arranged in the second zone, and smaller than or equal to the first plate, an intermediate space between both zones, a conductive element arranged in the intermediate space and which is mechanically independent from the adjacent walls and can move freely across the intermediate space depending on voltages present between both plates, contact points of an electric circuit, in which the conductive element closes the electric circuit by making contact with the contact points. Such relays can be used, for example, as: accelerometers, accelerometers in airbags, tiltmeters, Coriolis force detectors, microphones, in acoustic applications, pressure sensors, flow sensors, temperature sensors, gas sensors and magnetic field sensors. |
| US07876181B2 |
Earth leakage circuit breaker
A circuit breaker for overcurrent protection and earth leakage protection includes a main housing, a circuit board, a zero-phase current transformer, an earth leakage detection circuit, a trip coil, a sensitivity current-switch, an action time switch, and an earth leakage test switch. The earth leakage detection circuit, the sensitivity current-switch, the action time switch, and the earth leakage test switch are mounted on the circuit board and installed in the main housing. |
| US07876179B2 |
Saw filter comprising a broadband band-stop filter
A band-stop filter is described herein. The band-stop filter includes a piezoelectric substrate and a plurality of surface wave element (SAW) impedance elements on the substrate. The band-stop filter also includes at least one series branch comprising at least one series resonator having a finger period, and a plurality of parallel branches connected electrically in parallel with the series branch, each parallel branch including at least one parallel impedance element comprising an interdigital transducer and having a finger period. The average finger period of the at least one series resonator is greater than the average finger period of the at least one parallel impedance element. |
| US07876178B2 |
Composite filter comprising a surface acoustic wave filter and an LC filter
A composite filter downsized without degrading its characteristics is disclosed. The filter includes a surface acoustic wave filter and an LC filter coupled to the surface acoustic wave filter. The LC filter is formed by combining a π-shaped LC filter formed of two capacitors and an inductor coupled together in a π-shape with a capacitor coupled in parallel to the inductor. The two capacitors of the π-shaped LC filter are placed on a piezoelectric substrate with their comb-shaped electrodes opposed to each other. This opposing direction differs from an opposing direction of comb-shaped electrodes of a surface acoustic wave resonator. |
| US07876177B2 |
Resonator having an output electrode underneath first and second electrode arms
A resonator that can alleviate restrictions in usage and design due to the bias voltage dependency and for which usage and design conditions can be easily determined, includes a movable electrode opposite and sandwiching the fixed electrode, and an extension of the fixed electrode or the movable electrode that extends along a plane crossing the opposite surfaces of the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. With being displaced vertically relative to the fixed electrode, the movable electrode is vibrated. |
| US07876176B2 |
Acoustic wave filter device and duplexer
An acoustic wave filter device includes first to fourth longitudinally coupled resonator type surface acoustic wave filters that are configured such that the first and second filters are connected to a first balanced signal terminal, the third and fourth filters are connected to a second balanced signal terminal, and a transmission phase of a signal output from the first balanced signal terminal relative to an input signal differs by about 180 degrees with respect to a transmission phase of a signal output from the second balanced signal terminal relative to an input signal. In addition, the number of pairs of electrode fingers of at least one of IDTs of at least one of the first to fourth longitudinally coupled resonator type surface acoustic wave filters is different from the number of pairs of electrode fingers of corresponding IDTs of the remaining first to fourth filters. |
| US07876175B2 |
Compact diplexer
A diplexer for receiving and transmitting a first bandwidth signal corresponding to a first central frequency and a second bandwidth signal corresponding to a second central frequency includes a first signal end, a second signal end, a third signal end, a first impedance unit, a second impedance unit and a third impedance unit. The first impedance unit forms an impedance match with the third impedance unit when the third signal end receives or transmits the first bandwidth signal, and forms a high impedance unit when the third signal end receives or transmits the second bandwidth signal. The second impedance unit forms an impedance match with the third impedance unit when the third signal end receives or transmits the second bandwidth signal, and forms a high impedance unit when the third signal end receives or transmits the first bandwidth signal. |
| US07876172B2 |
Balanced-unbalanced conversion element
A balanced-unbalanced conversion element for realizing easy adjustment of a phase balance of two balanced signals is provided. The balanced-unbalanced conversion element includes a first ¼-wavelength resonant line coupled to a first balanced terminal, a second ¼-wavelength resonant line coupled to a second balanced terminal, and a ½-wavelength resonant line. The ½-wavelength resonant line includes a first open-end-side line coupled to an unbalanced terminal and the first ¼-wavelength resonator and a second open-end-side line coupled to the second ¼-wavelength resonator. In addition, a width of the first open-end-side line differs from a width of the second open-end-side line. |
| US07876169B2 |
Modulating circuit
There are included a first quadrature modulation part (5) that divides an input signal into an I signal and a Q signal having a phase orthogonal to the phase thereof and uses a baseband frequency to perform frequency conversions of the I and Q signals, thereby performing a quadrature modulation; and a second quadrature modulation part (8) that uses in-phase and quadrature carriers of FM frequencies, which are 90 degrees out of phase with respect to each other, to perform frequency conversions of the I and Q signals, which are generated by the first quadrature modulation part (5), thereby performing a quadrature modulation. Thus, the phases of the I and Q signals, which are shifted by 90 degrees with respect to each other by the first quadrature modulation part (5), are further shifted by 90 degrees with respect to each other by the second quadrature modulation part (8), thereby providing frequency components the phases of which have been inverted, whereby the unwanted harmonic components at the spurious sides of a target frequency can be attenuated. |
| US07876168B2 |
Piezoelectric oscillator and method for manufacturing the same
A piezoelectric oscillator includes: a piezoelectric resonator including a container, the container containing a piezoelectric resonator element: and a semiconductor device including an oscillation circuit for vibrating the piezoelectric resonator. The semiconductor device is bonded to a surface of the container. The container has an external coupling terminal and a cut-off part, the external coupling terminal being coupled to the semiconductor device, the cut-off part being disposed on a side surface of the container. The external coupling terminal is disposed in an area of the container, the area being opposed to the semiconductor device, and in the cut-off part. The semiconductor device has a coupling terminal on a surface thereof, the surface being opposed to the container. The coupling terminal of the semiconductor device and the external coupling terminal of the container are coupled with a conductive material. |
| US07876166B2 |
Coupled ring oscillator and method for laying out the same
A coupled ring oscillator includes n ring oscillators (20) each including m inverter circuits (10), and a phase-coupling loop (40) in which m×n phase-coupling circuits (30), each of which couples signal phases at two points in a certain phase mode, are connected with each other to form a loop. Connection points at which the inverter circuits (10) are connected with each other and the connection points at which the phase-coupling circuits (30) are connected with each other are connected bijectively; and each of the inverter circuits (10) is connected between two points that divide the phase-coupling circuits (30) into two parts at a certain ratio. |
| US07876164B2 |
Phase locked oscillator
There is provided an analog phase locked oscillator comprising a sampling phase detector, a loop filter, a voltage controlled oscillator, a frequency multiplier and a feedback loop where the feedback loop connects the output of said oscillator with the input of said phase detector through said frequency multiplier. The sampling phase detector is adapted to perform a discrete phase comparison between a reference frequency and the multiplied feedback signal. The voltage controlled oscillator is adapted to give out a constant frequency at a multiply of the reference frequency divided with the multiplication factor of the multiplier. |
| US07876161B2 |
Amplifier circuit having first amplifying section and second amplifying section
An amplifier circuit includes a first amplifying section for amplifying a signal, and a second amplifying section for amplifying the signal amplified by the first amplifying section. A capacitive element connects the output of the first amplifying section to the input of the second amplifying section. When power is applied to the amplifier circuit, a bypass circuit causes the electric current flowing from a first power supply toward the input of the second amplifying section through the first amplifying section and the capacitive element to be bypassed to a second power supply. |
| US07876157B1 |
Power amplifier bias circuit having controllable current profile
A power amplifier bias circuit having a controllable current profile includes a first transistor device configured as a switch, and configured to receive a non-regulated system voltage, and a plurality of resistors configured to provide a current and configured to determine an amount of a bias current that flows through a second transistor device, where the second transistor device is part of a current mirror comprising a third transistor device and the amount of bias current flowing through the second transistor device determines a power output of the third transistor device. |
| US07876155B2 |
Transimpedance amplifier with distributed control of feedback line
An apparatus includes an electronic amplifier and an electrical feedback line, a plurality of electrical sources, and an electronic controller. The electrical feedback line connects an output of the electronic amplifier to an input thereof. The electrical sources connect to nodes on the electronic feedback line. The electronic controller is configured to adjust the electrical sources in a manner responsive to a current input to the electrical feedback line. |
| US07876154B2 |
Variable gain amplifier having linear-in-dB gain characteristic
A variable gain amplifier (VGA) with a linear-in-dB gain characteristic is provided. The VGA includes: a control signal converter which converts an input gain control signal VC, which is input so that the VGA obtains a linear-in-dB gain characteristic to the maximum gain, into an output gain control signal Vx=VTln((1/m)exp(−VC/VT)−1) (m is a constant, VT=kT/q); and a variable gain amplifier which receives and converts the output gain control signal VX output from the control signal converter so that the gain has a linear-in-dB characteristic. A shape of a gain curve is externally controlled. |
| US07876148B2 |
Low pass filter and lock detector circuit
A low pass filter includes a driver unit configured to output a voltage proportional to an input pulse width, a charge/discharge unit configured to charge the output voltage of the driver unit, a comparator unit configured to compare an output voltage of the charge/discharge unit with a reference value to output a square wave signal, and a switching unit configured to switch the charge/discharge unit to an operation state, based on a bandwidth expansion signal. |
| US07876144B2 |
Start-up circuit and start-up method
A start-up circuit receives a start-up signal instructing start-up of an equipment mounted with the circuit, and executes a predetermined sequence when start-up is instructed by the start-up signal. An oscillator generates a clock signal. A sequence circuit receives the start-up signal and a clock signal output from the oscillator, measures time by counting the clock signal when the start-up signal transits to a predetermined level, and executes a predetermined event at a predetermined timing. The oscillator operates for a period where the start-up signal is at the predetermined level if the start-up signal is at the predetermined level during the period the power key of the equipment mounted with the circuit is being pushed. |
| US07876143B2 |
Phase shifter
A phase shifter includes a phase shifting unit for operating at a timing at which a clock signal becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value and outputting periodic signals having phases shifted by 90 degrees from each other; a DC voltage setting unit for setting a voltage value of a DC component of the clock signal input into the phase shifting means; and a clock signal slope varying unit for varying a slope of a rising edge of the clock signal. |
| US07876141B2 |
Synchronization pulse generator with forced output
A generator of synchronization pulses intended for at least two registers, including a first input intended to receive a clock signal and at least one output intended to deliver the pulses on the clock input of said registers, and at least one second input intended to receive a signal for forcing the output, independently from the clock signal, to make said registers transparent. |
| US07876139B2 |
Semiconductor device and operating method thereof
A delay locked loop (DLL) of a semiconductor device has a relatively small area and low current consumption while having a function of correcting a duty ratio. The semiconductor device includes a split unit configured to receive and split a reference clock to output a first clock corresponding to a first edge of the reference clock and a second clock corresponding to a second edge, a voltage generation unit configured to generate a first voltage corresponding to a duty ratio of the first clock and a second voltage corresponding to a duty ratio of the second clock, a voltage comparison unit configured to compare levels of the first and second voltages with each other, and a clock delay unit configured to receive one of the first and second clocks to delay the received clock of which delay amount is determined in response to an output signal of the voltage comparison unit. |
| US07876136B2 |
Phase-locked-loop circuit having a pre-calibration function and method of pre-calibrating the same
A phase-locked loop (PLL) integrated circuit includes an oscillation control voltage generating circuit therein. The oscillation control voltage generating circuit is configured to pre-scale an output current of a charge pump therein to a first level in response to disposing the PLL integrated circuit into a pre-calibration mode of operation. The oscillation control voltage generating circuit may be responsive to an input signal (e.g., SIN) and a feedback signal (e.g., SFEED), and the magnitude of the first level of the charge pump current during the pre-calibration mode of operation may be independent of any phase difference between the input signal and the feedback signal. |
| US07876134B2 |
Circuit for changing frequency of a signal and frequency change method thereof
A signal frequency change circuit is presented. The signal frequency change circuit includes a delay line, a detector, a controller, a multiplexer, and an output unit. The delay line delays a clock signal by a first delay time corresponding to a delay control signal to generate a delay signal and delays the clock signal by a second delay time shorter than a first delay time to generate a pre-frequency change clock signal. The detector generates a phase locked completion signal. The controller sequentially shifts the delay control signal and a multiplexing control signal. The multiplexer selects and outputs one of the pre-frequency change clock signals. The output unit generates a frequency change clock signal. |
| US07876132B1 |
Floating well circuit operable in a failsafe condition and a tolerant condition
A circuit includes a first comparator block configured to output a voltage equal to a higher of a supply voltage and a bias voltage, a second comparator block configured to output a voltage equal to a higher of the bias voltage and an external voltage supplied through an Input/Output (IO) pad, and a third comparator block configured to output a voltage equal to a higher of the output of the first comparator block and the output of the second comparator block. A voltage across one or more constituent active element(s) of each of the first comparator block, the second comparator block, and the third comparator block is within an upper tolerable limit thereof during each of a normal operation, a failsafe operation, and a tolerant operation. |
| US07876122B2 |
Display device
An array substrate is provided with thereon a display area in which plural pixels are arranged in a matrix shape. Output-side mounting terminals for a source driving circuit chip, which is COG-mounted on a frame area on the outside of the display area, have a plural-row zigzag arrangement. Inspection terminals individually provided in correspondence to the output-side mounting terminals have a zigzag arrangement opposite to the zigzag arrangement of the output-side mounting terminals in a terminal-row direction. Additionally, the output-side mounting terminals and the inspection terminals are disposed below the source driving circuit chip. |
| US07876121B2 |
Link analysis compliance and calibration verification for automated printed wiring board test systems
A transmission line on a printed wiring board is tested and printed wiring board manufacturing variability is assessed. A response of the transmission line to a signal test pattern is measured. A network including a plurality of components connected by the transmission line is then simulated. The simulated network is based on the measured scattering parameters and virtual models representative of each of the components in the network. A system-level output response of the simulated network to a simulated input signal is analyzed, and the printed wiring board is characterized based on a comparison of the system-level output response to a printed wiring board performance metric threshold. |
| US07876116B1 |
Compliant chuck for semiconducting device testing and chiller thereof
A compliant chuck has a top base assembly, a bottom bracket assembly, a contact plate, a sensor device, a thermoelectric cooling module and a heat-dissipating module. The bottom bracket assembly has a center opening. The contact plate is disposed between the top base assembly and the bottom bracket assembly and has a protrusion corresponding to the center opening and having a mounting hole and an adsorbing hole. The sensor device is mounted in the mounting hole. The thermoelectric cooling module is attached to a top surface of the contact plate. The heat-dissipating module is mounted on the thermoelectric cooling module and cooperates with a chiller to dissipate heat. The compliant chuck uses the sensor device to sense surface temperature of a semiconducting device during testing the semiconducting device so as to compensate the temperature by controlling current into the thermoelectric cooling module. |
| US07876114B2 |
Differential waveguide probe
A wafer probe comprises a contact conductively interconnected with the wall of a waveguide channel and supported by a substrate that projects from an end of a waveguide channel. |
| US07876108B2 |
Real time electronic cell sensing system and applications for cytotoxicity profiling and compound assays
The present invention includes devices, systems, and methods for assaying cells using cell-substrate impedance monitoring. In one aspect, the invention provides cell-substrate impedance monitoring devices that comprise electrode arrays on a nonconducting substrate, in which each of the arrays has an approximately uniform electrode resistance across the entire array. In another aspect, the invention provides cell-substrate monitoring systems comprising one or more cell-substrate monitoring devices comprising multiple wells each having an electrode array, an impedance analyzer, a device station that connects arrays of individual wells to the impedance analyzer, and software for controlling the device station and impedance analyzer. In another aspect, the invention provides cellular assays that use impedance monitoring to detect changes in cell behavior or state. The methods can be used to test the effects of compounds on cells, such as in cytotoxicity assays. Methods of cytotoxicity profiling of compounds are also provided. |
| US07876107B2 |
Obstacle detection system and obstacle detection method thereof
An obstacle detection system includes a static capacitance detection module including a sensor strip for detecting a static capacitance, an RF oscillator connected to the sensor strip, a phase lock loop section for maintaining the oscillation frequency of the RF oscillator to a selected value and a first MCU for controlling the operation of the phase lock loop section, a control module including a second MCU for remotely controlling the first MCU of the static capacitance detection module and a transmission line for connecting the static capacitance detection module and the control module and transmitting the information acquired by the first MCU so as to be transmitted to the control module, a control signal to be transmitted from the second MCU to the first MCU and drive power of the static capacitance detection module. |
| US07876100B2 |
Method and apparatus for actively controlling quench protection of a superconducting magnet
A method and apparatus for actively controlling quench protection of a superconducting magnet includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to detect a quench condition of the superconducting magnet. The instructions also cause the computer to actively control a quench protection system of the superconducting magnet in response to the detected quench condition. |
| US07876099B2 |
Knee coil for magnetic resonance imaging
A knee coil for magnetic resonance imaging has a first, a second and a third array of coil units, the first, second and third array of coil units forming a cylindrical shape, and being adjacent to each other in the direction perpendicular to the bottom of the cylindrical shape. Each of the first array of coil units and the third array of coil units is composed of two saddle coil units, and the second array of coil units is composed of six coil units, which are successively adjacent to each other in the direction of circumference of the cylinder side face. With a simple design and at a low cost, this knee coil ensures good capacity of parallel acquisition in all directions in the course of scanning while reducing the number of channels. |
| US07876093B2 |
Eddy current inspection device, proximity probe and method for assembling an eddy current inspection device
A method for assembling an eddy current inspection device includes at least partially positioning a first tip assembly within a cavity defined by a proximity probe case. The first tip assembly defines a bore therethrough. The first tip assembly is sealingly coupling to the proximity probe case. A second tip assembly is at least partially positioned within the cavity and sealingly coupled to the first tip assembly. |
| US07876092B2 |
Multiple-rotation absolute encoder
A multiple-rotation absolute encoder attached to an actuator provided with a motor and a reduction gear comprises a multiple-rotation value counter for counting a multiple-rotation value representing a number of rotations of a rotating shaft of the motor from a predetermined origin; a memory part for storing a reduction ratio R of the reduction gear; and a counter-controlling part for setting a range of the count value of the multiple-rotation value counter from zero rotations to (R−1) rotations on the basis of the reduction ratio R stored and maintained in the memory part, resetting the count value to zero when the rotating shaft makes a single rotation in a forward direction from a state in which the count value is (R−1), and setting the count value to (R−1) when the rotating shaft makes a single rotation in a reverse direction from a state in which the count value is zero. The rotation-angle position within a single rotation of the output shaft can be specified without the multiple-rotation value counter overflowing, even when the actuator rotates continuously in one direction. |
| US07876091B2 |
Magnetic encoder
A magnetic encoder is provided, in which a large output voltage (a large amplitude) is obtained so that the magnetic encoder can have a strong resistance to external noise and so that malfunction can be prevented.Each of first to fourth magnetoresistance elements A1, A2, A3, and A4 has at least a pinned layer, and a free layer in which an internal magnetization direction changes in accordance with external magnetic fields emitted by a magnetic body 11. A magnetization direction α of the pinned layer is set to be in a first direction (a direction Z2) that is parallel to an outer peripheral side surface 11A and that is perpendicular to rotation directions ra1-ra2, or is set to be in a second direction (a direction Z1) that is opposite to the first direction. Additionally, an initial magnetization direction β of the free layer is set to be in the first direction (the direction Z2) or the second direction (the direction Z1). When a pitch of N and S poles adjacent to one another in the rotation direction is denoted by λ, a pitch of the magnetoresistance elements A1, A2, A3, and A4 is set to a pitch of λ/2. |
| US07876089B2 |
Test handler, method for loading and manufacturing packaged chips, and method for transferring test trays
A test handler, a packaged chip loading method, a test tray transferring method, and a packaged chip manufacturing method are provided. The test handler may include a loading unit, a chamber system, an unloading unit, at least one rotating unit and a transferring unit. The loading unit may include a loading buffer disposed to be movable along a moving path formed over a loading position and a loading picker to perform a loading process on the test tray located at the loading position. The chamber system having the packaged chips connected to a hi-fix board and tested. The unloading unit may include an unloading picker to perform an unloading process on the test tray located at an unloading position. The at least one rotating unit may be disposed between the loading unit and the unloading unit to rotate the test tray transferred from the loading unit from a horizontal posture to a vertical posture, and to rotate the test tray transferred from the chamber system from a vertical posture to a horizontal posture. The transferring unit may transfer the test tray. |
| US07876086B2 |
Current measuring device for measuring the electrical current flowing in an electrical conductor electrically isolated from the current measuring device
A current measurement device is configured to measure electrical current in a primary conductor that is electrically insulated from the current measuring device. The current measuring device includes a transformer with a saturable magnetic core formed with a central aperture and a current measuring circuit. The electrical conductor in which electrical current is to be measured is disposed in the central aperture of the magnetic core. The current measuring circuit includes a current source driven by a voltage ramp generator that is connected to the secondary winding in a direction opposite the flow of electrical current in the primary conductor. When the magnetic flux in the transformer core is equal and opposite the magnetic flux generated as a result of the electrical current flowing in the primary conductor, the voltage of the voltage ramp generator is representative of the DC or AC electrical current flowing in the primary conductor. |
| US07876083B2 |
Digital compensation tuning for switching power supply control
A tuner having one or more digitally controllable tuning components may be coupled to an analog feedback compensation network in a target switching power supply controller to adjust the compensation while the power supply is operating. A communication interface couples the tuner to a host having a software interface to enable a user to adjust the values of the tuning components. The tuner may include components to adjust the values of a feedback network, an input network, a ramp adjust component, etc., on the target controller. |
| US07876077B2 |
Control circuit and control method of current mode control type DC-DC converter
The invention presents a control circuit and a control method of DC-DC converter capable of suppressing subharmonic oscillation of coil current even if the on-duty is over 50%. An error amplified signal V1 is an output voltage of an error amplifier ERA1. An offset voltage unit Ve2 outputs a lower limit set voltage V2 obtained by subtracting offset voltage e2 from error amplified signal V1. A voltage comparator COMP2 compares lower limit set voltage V2 output from offset voltage Ve2, and output voltage signal VIL. When the voltage value of output voltage signal VIL is decreased to lower limit set voltage V2 (region E2), the output of voltage comparator COMP2 changes from low level to high level. As a result, main transistor FET1 is set in conductive state. On the other hand, when the voltage value of output voltage signal VIL reaches an error amplified signal V1 (region E1), main transistor FET1 is set in non-conductive state. |
| US07876075B1 |
Control circuit and method for a power converter
A control circuit and control method for a power converter detects change of the output voltage of the converter, and performs the time-optimal control function when the change exceeds the default value. According to the voltage slew rate detected at the time of the change exceeding the default value, a time interval T1 from the change exceeding the default value being detected to the current of the inductor rising to be the same as the output current of the converter is estimated, and the time intervals T2 and T3 are figured out based on the time interval T1. The parasitic resistance of the output capacitor of the converter is taken into account during estimating process such that even if the output capacitor has larger parasitic resistance, the output voltage can be back to the steady state value accurately to avoid the time-optimal control being triggered repeatedly. |
| US07876071B2 |
Integrated battery voltage sensor with high voltage isolation, a battery voltage sensing system and methods therefor
An integrated circuit battery sensor and system thereof are provided. The battery sensor includes a voltage sensor configured to sample a voyage of a battery and a buffer in electrical communication with the voltage sensor and configured for scaling the sampled battery voltage and outputting a voltage signal proportional to the sampled battery voltage; wherein the voltage sensor is further configured for isolating the buffer from the battery. The voltage sensor includes a first capacitor coupled to a positive potential terminal of the battery and a second capacitor coupled to a negative potential terminal of the battery. The battery sensor includes a first die including a first and second input terminal configured for coupling to the positive and negative potential terminals of the battery; and a second die including the voltage sensor, wherein the first and second die are electrically isolated from each other. |
| US07876067B2 |
High frequency connector-less charging scheme
A connector-less charging circuit includes a transformer having a primary side associated with a secondary side. A primary switch is responsive to a control signal for connecting the transformer to ground during a first portion of a duty cycle, and disconnecting the transformer from ground during the second portion of the duty cycle. An active clamp circuit connects to the primary side of the transformer for recycling leakage energy from the transformer back to the source responsive to the control signal during the second portion of the duty cycle. A PWM controller generates the control signal to both the active clamp circuit and the primary switch. |
| US07876055B2 |
Lamp-lighting apparatus
An economical device for lighting lamps such as discharge tubes. The lamp-lighting apparatus has an inverter transformer, a switching circuit connected with the primary winding of the inverter transformer and acting to perform switching for converting a voltage from an input power supply, a shunt transformer connected in series with the secondary winding of the inverter transformer, lamps connected in series with the shunt transformers, and a control circuit for producing a control signal to control the switching performed by the switching circuit based on the voltages at the junctions of the shunt transformer and each of the lamps without directly detecting the voltage applied to the secondary winding of the inverter transformer. The number of protective circuits can be reduced. Consequently, the cost can be reduced. |
| US07876052B2 |
Gas discharge lamp comprising a helicoid discharge tube and an inner tube piece
The invention relates to a novel compact fluorescent lamp with a helical discharge tube 2 and a tube piece 8 which is fitted to it and can serve to accommodate an Hg source 14 and also as an exhaust tube, and to a corresponding production process. |
| US07876047B2 |
Plasma display panel having electrodes covered by a dielectric layer having varying permittivites
A plasma display panel having a uniformly distributed firing voltage despite of irregular discharge gaps, the plasma display panel including a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, barrier ribs between the first and second substrates to define discharge cells, address electrodes corresponding to the discharge cells and extending in a first direction, first and second electrodes respectively extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and formed on any one of the first and second substrates, corresponding to the discharge cells, and a dielectric layer covering the first and second electrodes, where the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from each other to form a discharge gap having distances, the dielectric layer having varied permittivities according to distances of the discharge gaps to improve discharge uniformity according to the distances of the discharge gaps. |
| US07876043B2 |
Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device includes a substrate on which a laminate is disposed, a sealing substrate bonded to the substrate with a plurality of seals therebetween, a plurality of mounting sites in regions surrounded by the seals on the sealing substrate, and a plurality of adsorbers disposed in the mounting sites to adsorb water and oxygen. The laminate includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electrooptical material therebetween. The electrooptical material at least includes a light-emitting layer. The seals have the shape of a double or multiple frame surrounding the periphery of the laminate on the substrate. |
| US07876039B2 |
Flat panel display having pad electrode
A flat panel display, and method of fabricating the same, including a substrate having a display portion and a pad that is arranged on the substrate and is electrically coupled with the display portion. The pad includes a pad electrode arranged on the substrate, a passivation layer arranged on the pad electrode and having only one contact hole that exposes the pad electrode, and a transparent electrode arranged on the passivation layer and the pad electrode. The passivation layer may alternatively have a plurality of contact holes that expose the pad electrode. In this case, the reflective layer pattern is arranged on the passivation layer and the pad electrode, and it exposes portions of the pad electrode in the contact holes. Furthermore, the transparent electrode would be arranged on the reflective layer pattern and the exposed portions of the pad electrode. |
| US07876035B2 |
Pixel tube for field-emission display device
A pixel tube for a field-emission illumination/display device includes a sealed container, an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a shielding electrode. The sealed container has a light permeable portion. The anode electrode is disposed in the sealed container and adjacent to the light permeable portion. The cathode electrode is arranged in the sealed container facing the anode electrode and includes a cathode supporter and a carbon nanotube yarn, the carbon nanotube yarn attached to the cathode supporter and extending toward the anode electrode for emitting electrons therefrom. The shielding electrode is disposed on a surface of the sealed container and surrounds/encircles the carbon nanotube yarn. |
| US07876034B2 |
Field emission lamp with tubular-shaped housing
A field emission lamp (2) includes a tubular-shaped housing (20), a first electrode (22), an electron emitting layer (24), a second electrode (26), and a fluorescent layer (28). The housing (20) has an inner surface. The first electrode (22) is centrally and longitudinally accommodated in the housing (20). The electron emitting layer (24) is disposed on the first electrode (22). The second electrode (26) is spaced apart from the first electrode (22) and includes a reflective layer (261). The reflective layer (261) is disposed on a portion of an inner surface of the housing (20). The fluorescent layer (28) is disposed on the reflective layer (261). |
| US07876022B2 |
Piezoelectric generator of mechanical vibrations, and piezoelectric motors based on the generator
A piezoelectric generator includes a piezoelectric ring having upper and lower plane surfaces and a first quality factor (Q-factor), a sound-wave conducting gasket acoustically coupled to the upper plane surface, a metal resonator ring positioned acoustically coupled to the conducting gasket, the metal resonator ring having a second Q-factor substantially greater than the first Q-factor, and at least one bent elastic pusher extending from a periphery of the metal resonator ring. In the generator, an external diameter of the conducting gasket is less than half of an external diameter of the metal resonator ring and the piezoelectric ring, the conducting gasket, and the metal resonator ring are concentrically aligned with respect to a rotational axis. |
| US07876017B2 |
Commutator and brush materials for small electric motor, clad composite material, and small electric DC motor using the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a commutator or brush material for a small electric DC motor which enables a lengthened operating life of a spindle motor for a DVD controlled using a pulse current. A commutator material for a small electric DC motor in accordance with the present invention is characterized by being composed of 6.0 to 10.0 wt % of Cu, 1.0 to 5.0 wt % of ZnO, and a balance of Ag and in that Cu metal particles and ZnO particles are dispersed in an AgCu matrix. A brush material for a small electric DC motor in accordance with the present invention is characterized by being composed of 0.1 to 5.0 wt % of MgO and a balance of Ag and in that MgO particles are dispersed in an Ag matrix, or is characterized by being composed of 5.0 to 15.0 wt % of Ni and a balance of Pt and in that Ni is dissolved in a Pt matrix. |
| US07876016B2 |
Stator winding method and apparatus
A stator assembly includes a stator core and at least one conductive bundle. The stator core has a first end, a second end, and a plurality of slots extending from the first end to the second end. The conductive bundle includes a plurality of individually insulated conductive wires. At least one portion of the at least one conductive bundle extends from the first end to the second end of one slot of the plurality of slots. The at least one portion is twisted by a predetermined amount within the one slot to minimize a circulatory current along the plurality of individual insulated conductive wires in the at least one portion. |
| US07876009B2 |
Pressed in style motor attachment
The invention provides a press in style motor attachment mount assembly. The assembly includes a motor and a vibration isolator. The motor has an end portion axially remote from the output end and a stop facing the output end. The vibration isolator includes a cup that axially receives the end portion of the motor. The cup includes an end wall, a sidewall, and flexible fingers integrally connected to the sidewall. The flexible fingers have a flexed position in which the tip of the flexible finger is disposed radially outwardly to allow axial assembly of the end portion of the motor into the cup and a locking position where the tip engages the first radial stop to prevent axial detachment of the motor from the cup. |
| US07876006B2 |
Alternator for vehicle
An alternator has a rectifier converting an alternating current to a direct current. The rectifier has a heat sink and rectifying elements. The sink has front and rear surfaces opposite to each other along a depth direction. The sink has holes each extending along the depth direction. Each element has a disk disposed in one hole and a semiconductor pellet attached to the disk. Each disk has upper and bottom surfaces opposite to each other along the depth direction. Each pellet is disposed on the upper surface. A contact surface of each disk is in contact with the sink. A position of the upper surface of each disk is placed between the first and second surfaces of the heat sink. A range of the contact surface of each disk is within a range between the upper and bottom surfaces of the disk. |
| US07876002B2 |
Actuator
An actuator in which, when a supporting shaft, where a mirror (control object) is provided, is tilted by receiving an electromagnetic force of a magnetic driving mechanism, small balls of a supporting mechanism move in an axial direction in a space provided between an outer base and an inner ring member. Therefore, the supporting shaft and the inner ring member holding the supporting shaft swing. At this time, since the inner ring member swings around a rotational fulcrum as center, the supporting shaft can swing around one rotational fulcrum as center at all times. A plurality of laid members serving as a rotation restricting member prevent rotation of the supporting shaft in a direction around the axis. |
| US07876000B2 |
Power path control circuit
The present invention provides a power path control circuit comprising: an input node for receiving an external power; a first power transistor electrically connected between the input node and a first node, for controlling power supplied from the input node to the first node; a second power transistor electrically connected between the first node and a battery, for controlling power supplied from the battery to the first node; an error amplifier including an output electrically connected with a gate of the second power transistor, a first input terminal electrically connected with the first node, and a second input terminal electrically connected with the battery, wherein a voltage difference is allocated between the two input terminals. |
| US07875996B2 |
Multi-regulator power delivery system for ASIC cores
An electronic product includes an application specific semiconductor chip (ASIC) device which includes in its circuitry both a linear regulator module configured to be coupled to an optional external capacitance and a capless regulator module configured to be coupled to internal capacitance of the electronic product. Control logic of the ASIC device is responsive to a regulator selection signal for selecting one of the linear regulator module and the capless regulator module for use in powering the ASIC device. The control logic may select the linear regulator module for certain times of operation and the capless regulator module for other times of operation. |
| US07875995B2 |
Power system for a device
A power system is designed for providing reliable electrical power to a facility and/or associated devices. The system includes one or more fuel cells and a circuit adapted to receive power from the one or more fuel cells. The circuit is electrically connected to a device receiving the electrical power from the system. Additionally, the system includes one or more capacitors included in the circuit, and being adapted for maintaining power in the circuit when the one or more fuel cells are temporarily unavailable. |
| US07875993B2 |
Power switching system and method for an aircraft electrical brake system
A system and method for switching power sources for an aircraft electric brake system is disclosed. The method removes battery power from electric brake actuator controls during flight until landing gear extension occurs. The method utilizes a logic circuit to switch between available power sources based on a plurality of control signals. The method minimizes the total power drawn during flight, and saves battery power if the aircraft calls for operating on battery power only. |
| US07875992B2 |
System and method for generating electricity
A system for generating electricity including a vertical oriented tower comprising an intake opening for receiving fluid flow, a scoop that is moveably mounted to a base for directing the fluid flow to the intake opening, a fluid-activated mechanism that is automatically oriented in response to direction of the fluid flow, the fluid-activated mechanism being operatively connected to the scoop so that orientation of the fluid-activated mechanism in response to the fluid flow angles the scoop in the direction of the fluid flow, and a turbine that receives the fluid flow directed by the scoop to generate electricity. |
| US07875991B2 |
Method of operating a wind power installation and a wind power installation
The present invention concerns a method of operating a wind power installation comprising an electric generator drivable by a rotor for outputting electrical power to an electrical consumer, in particular an electrical network.The invention further concerns a wind power installation comprising a rotor and an electric generator coupled to the rotor for outputting electric power to an electrical consumer, in particular an electrical network.The object of the present invention is to provide a method of operating a wind power installation, and a wind power installation, which avoid the disadvantages of the state of the art and in particular avoid voltage over-fluctuations at the consumer, in particular an electrical network, and unwanted shut-down of the wind power installation.In a method of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, that object is attained by the invention in that the power delivered to the network by the wind power generator is regulated in dependence on the applied network voltage of the power supply network. |
| US07875987B2 |
Method and apparatus for measurement and control of photomask to substrate alignment
A method, structure, system of aligning a substrate to a photomask. The method comprising: directing light through a clear region of the photomask in a photolithography tool, through a lens of the tool and onto a set of at least three diffraction mirror arrays on the substrate, each diffraction mirror array of the set of at least three diffraction mirror arrays comprising a single row of mirrors, all mirrors in any particular diffraction mirror array spaced apart a same distance, mirrors in different diffraction mirror arrays spaced apart different distances; measuring an intensity of light diffracted from the set of at least three diffraction mirror arrays onto an array of photo detectors; and adjusting a temperature of the photomask or photomask and lens based on the measured intensity of light. |
| US07875986B2 |
Semiconductor device
Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device in which pads on a chip which are wire-bonded to lands for solder-balls of a package, respectively, are arranged on first and second sides of the chip facing to each other and are disposed on a third side of the chip as well. Four sets of the pads for data signals are respectively disposed on four regions obtained by dividing the first and second sides into the four regions. Pads for command/address signals are arranged on the third side, thereby increasing layout space for bond fingers for the data signals and achieving uniformity in wiring for data signals. |
| US07875985B2 |
Memory device
A memory device comprising at least one memory stack of stacked memory dies which are staggered with respect to each other, each stacked memory die of said memory stack comprising along its edge die pads for bonding said stacked memory die to substrate pads of said memory device connectable to a control circuit, wherein each die pad of a stacked memory die which connects said memory die individually to said control circuit comprises an increased distance (di) in comparison to die pads of said stacked memory die which connect said stacked memory die in parallel with corresponding die pads of other stacked memory dies of said memory stack to said control circuit. |
| US07875981B2 |
Insulating film material, multilayer interconnection structure, method for manufacturing same, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
To provide an insulating film material that can be advantageously used for forming an insulating film having a low dielectric constant and excellent resistance to damage, such as etching resistance and resistance to liquid reagents, a multilayer interconnection structure in which a parasitic capacitance between the interconnections can be reduced, efficient methods for manufacturing the multilayer interconnection structure, and an efficient method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a high speed and reliability. The insulating film material contains at least a silicon compound having a steric structure represented by Structural Formula (1) below. where, R1, R2, R3, and R4 may be the same or different and at least one of them represents a functional group containing any of a hydrocarbon and an unsaturated hydrocarbon. |
| US07875976B2 |
Semiconductor device including a silicide layer and a dielectric layer
In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate, a silicide layer provided on the semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer provided on the semiconductor substrate, a contact layer provided on the silicide layer, a metal layer provided in the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the silicide layer via the contact layer, a diffusion barrier layer provided between the dielectric layer and the metal layer, wherein the contact layer includes a first metal element provided in the metal layer, a second metal element provided in the diffusion barrier layer and at least one of a third metal provided in the silicide layer and Si element. |
| US07875975B2 |
Organic integrated circuit completely encapsulated by multi-layered barrier and included in RFID tag
An electronic circuit having at least one electronic component comprised of an organic material, and arranged between at least two layers forming a barrier, wherein the layers protect the at least one component against an influence of light, air or liquid. |
| US07875970B2 |
Integrated circuit package having a castellated heatspreader
In one aspect, an embodiment of an IC package includes an IC chip electrically connected to a substrate, a heatspreader disposed over the IC chip, wherein the heatspreader does not directly contact the IC chip, and an encapsulant material encapsulating at least a portion of the IC chip and a portion of the heatspreader such that a top portion of the heatspreader is exposed to the surroundings of the IC package. In another embodiment, the heatspreader comprises at least one castellation to improve adhesion to the encapsulation compound. A method of manufacturing such IC package is also disclosed. |
| US07875965B2 |
Semiconductor chip package
A semiconductor chip package is disclosed. The semiconductor chip package comprises a lead frame having a chip carrier, wherein the chip carrier has a first surface and an opposite second surface. A semiconductor chip is mounted on the first surface, having a plurality of bonding pads thereon, wherein the semiconductor chip has an area larger than that of the chip carrier. A package substrate comprises a central region attached to the second surface, having an area larger than that of the semiconductor chip, wherein some of the bonding pads of the semiconductor chip are electrically connected to a marginal region of the package substrate. |
| US07875964B2 |
Multi-chip semiconductor connector and method
In one exemplary embodiment, a multi-chip connector is formed to have a first conductive strip that is suitable for attaching to a first semiconductor die and a second conductive strip that is attached suitable for attaching to a second semiconductor die. |
| US07875955B1 |
On-chip power inductor
An on-chip inductor structure for a DC-DC power regulator circuit merges the switching transistor metallization with the inductor. Thick top level conductor metal that is used to strap the transistor array and to lower its on-state resistance is also used to extend the power inductor into the transistor array. Thus, the structure includes three basic components: a power inductor that spirals around the transistor array, the transistor array itself, and the transistor array metallization that is used to form a distributed inductance situated over the transistor array. |
| US07875952B1 |
Method of transistor level heterogeneous integration and system
The present invention relates to a process for fabricating integrated circuit system. More particularly, the process allows for fabrication of highly integrated system-on-a-chip modules through heterogeneous integration of different semiconductor technologies wherein alignment targets on the base semiconductor are used for precise lateral positioning of device structures above. |
| US07875946B2 |
Semiconductor photodetector that causes avalanche multiplication to occur only at photodetector portion located at central portion of mesa structure
In order to improve reliability by preventing edge breakdown in a semiconductor photodetector having a mesa structure such as a mesa APD, the semiconductor photodetector includes a mesa structure formed on a first semiconductor layer of the first conduction type formed on a semiconductor substrate, the mesa structure including a light absorbing layer for absorbing light, an electric field buffer layer for dropping an electric field intensity, an avalanche multiplication layer for causing avalanche multiplication to occur, and a second semiconductor layer of the second conduction type, wherein the thickness of the avalanche multiplication layer at the portion in the vicinity of the side face of the mesa structure is made thinner than the thickness at the central portion of the mesa structure. |
| US07875944B2 |
Integral topside vacuum package
An integrated vacuum package having an added volume on a perimeter within the perimeter of a bonding seal between two wafers. The added volume of space may be an etching of material from the inside surface of the top wafer. This wafer may have vent holes that may be sealed to maintain a vacuum within the volume between the two wafers after the pump out of gas and air. The inside surface of the top wafer may have an anti-reflective pattern. Also, an anti-reflective pattern may be on the outside surface of the top wafer. The seal between the two wafers may be ring-like and have a spacer material. Also, it may have a malleable material such as solder to compensate for any flatness variation between the two facing surfaces of the wafers. |
| US07875942B2 |
Electronic device including MEMS devices and holed substrates, in particular of the LGA or BGA type
An electronic device includes a substrate provided with a passing opening and a MEMS device including an active surface wherein a portion of the MEMS device is integrated sensitive to chemical/physical variations of a fluid. The active surface of the MEMS device faces the substrate and is spaced therefrom, the sensitive portion being aligned to the opening. A protective package incorporates at least partially the MEMS device and the substrate, leaving at least the sensitive portion of the MEMS device, and the opening of the substrate exposed. A barrier element is positioned in an area which surrounds the sensitive portion to realize a protection structure for the MEMS device, so that the sensitive portion is free. |
| US07875940B2 |
Micromachine and production method thereof
A micromachine for a high-frequency filter which has a high Q value and a higher frequency band is provided. The micromachine includes an electrode provided on a substrate, an inter-layer insulation film composed of a first insulation film and a second insulation film which are provided on the substrate in the state of covering the electrode, a hole pattern provided in the second insulation film in the state of reaching the electrode, and a belt-like vibrator electrode provided on the second insulation film so as to cross the upper side of a space portion constituted of the inside of the hole pattern. |
| US07875938B2 |
LDMOS device with multiple gate insulating members
An LDMOS device and method of fabrication are provided. The LDMOS device has a substrate with a source region and a drain region formed in the substrate. An insulating layer is provided on a portion of the substrate between the source and the drain region, such that a planar interface is provided between the insulating layer and a surface of the substrate. An insulating member is then formed on a portion of the insulating layer, and a gate layer is formed over part of the insulating member and the insulating layer. By employing such a structure, it has been found that a flat current path exists which enables the on-resistance to be decreased while maintaining a high breakdown voltage. |
| US07875937B2 |
Semiconductor device with a high-k gate dielectric and a metal gate electrode
A semiconductor device is described. That semiconductor device comprises a high-k gate dielectric layer that is formed on a substrate that applies strain to the high-k gate dielectric layer, and a metal gate electrode that is formed on the high-k gate dielectric layer. |
| US07875935B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate; an N-channel field-effect transistor including a first gate insulating film on the silicon substrate, a first gate electrode on the first gate insulating film and a first source/drain region; and a P-channel field-effect transistor including a second gate insulating film on the silicon substrate, a second gate electrode on the second gate insulating film and a second source/drain region. Each of the first and second gate electrodes includes a crystallized nickel silicide region containing an impurity element, the crystallized nickel silicide region being contact with the first or second gate insulating film, and a barrier layer region in an upper portion including an upper surface of the gate electrode, the barrier layer region containing an Ni diffusion-preventing element higher in concentration than that of a lower portion below the upper portion. |
| US07875934B2 |
Semiconductor substrate with islands of diamond and resulting devices
Disclosed is a method of forming a substrate having islands of diamond (or other material, such as diamond-like carbon), as well as integrated circuit devices formed from such a substrate. A diamond island can form part of the thermal solution for an integrated circuit formed on the substrate, and the diamond island can also provide part of a stress engineering solution to improve performance of the integrated circuit. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07875929B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device including a well region formed in a silicon substrate; a trench exposing a predetermined portion of the uppermost surface of the semiconductor substrate; a body layer formed in the semiconductor substrate at the trench; a device isolation layer formed in the well region; a gate insulating layer formed in the trench over the body layer; a gate electrode formed in the trench over the gate insulating layer and against the device isolation layer; a lightly doped drain region formed in the body layer; an insulating layer formed in the trench over the lightly doped drain region; a source region formed in the body layer; a drain region formed in the well region against the device isolation layer; and a body region formed in the body layer against the source region. The on-resistance can be reduced by forming the gate and source beneath the device isolating layer. |
| US07875926B2 |
Non-volatile memory cell
A super-silicon-rich oxide (SSRO) non-volatile memory cell includes a gate conductive layer on a substrate, a source/drain in the substrate at respective sides of the gate conductive layer, a tunneling dielectric layer between the gate conductive layer and the substrate, a SSRO layer serving as a charge trapping layer between the gate conductive layer and the tunneling dielectric layer, and an upper-dielectric layer between the gate conductive layer and the SSRO layer. |
| US07875925B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a source region and a drain region spaced from each other in a surface of a semiconductor layer, a tunnel insulating film provided on the semiconductor layer between the source region and the drain region, a charge storage film provided on the tunnel insulating film, a block insulating film provided on the charge storage film, and a control gate electrode provided on the block insulating film. The block insulating film is made of (Rm1−xLnx)2−yAlyO3+δ, where Ln is one or more selected from Pr, Tb, Ce, Yb, Eu, and Sm, Rm is one or more selected from La, Nd, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, Y, and Sc, 0 |
| US07875916B2 |
Photodetector and n-layer structure for improved collection efficiency
An image sensor with an image area having a plurality of photodetectors of a first conductivity type includes a substrate of the second conductivity type; a first layer of the first conductivity type spanning the image area; a second layer of the second conductivity type; wherein the first layer is between the substrate and the second layer, and the plurality of photodetectors is disposed in the second layer and abut the first layer. |
| US07875913B2 |
Transistor with contact over gate active area
A transistor contact over a gate active area includes a transistor gate formed on a substrate of an integrated circuit. A gate insulator is formed beneath the transistor gate and helps define an active area for the transistor gate. An insulating layer is formed over the transistor gate. A metal contact plug is formed within a portion of the insulating layer that lies over the active area such that the metal contact plug forms an electrical contact with the transistor gate. |
| US07875911B2 |
Semiconductor device and oscillator
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including an active element or an integrated circuit and a plurality of connection electrodes to be electrically connected to the integrated circuit; a first resin layer formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the connection electrodes are formed in such a manner avoiding the connection electrodes; a connection wiring layer formed between the semiconductor substrate and the first resin layer and connected to one of the plurality of connection electrodes; a Cu wiring layer connected at one end thereof to the connection wiring layer and formed on the surface of the first resin layer; a passive element composed of the connection wiring layer and the Cu wiring layer; a second resin layer for covering a surface of the Cu wiring layer; and an external terminal electrically connected to some of the plurality of connection electrodes and formed such that a portion of the second resin layer protrudes from the second resin layer. |
| US07875908B2 |
Selective links in silicon hetero-junction bipolar transistors using carbon doping and method of forming same
Bipolar transistors and methods of forming the bipolar transistors. The method including forming a P-type collector in a silicon substrate; forming an intrinsic base on the collector, the intrinsic base including a first N-type dopant species, germanium and carbon; forming an N-type extrinsic base over a first region and a second region of the intrinsic base, the first region over the collector and the second region over a dielectric adjacent to the collector, the N-type extrinsic base containing or not containing carbon; and forming a P-type emitter on the first region of the intrinsic base. |
| US07875904B2 |
Protection circuit
In a protection circuit of an input/output terminal I/O, three types of PNP bipolar transistors are included. In a first PNP type bipolar transistor 10A, the emitter thereof is connected to the input/output terminal I/O, the base thereof is connected to a high-potential power supply terminal VDD, and the collector thereof is connected to a low-potential power supply terminal VSS. In a second PNP type bipolar transistor 10B, the emitter thereof is connected to the input/output terminal I/O, and the base and the collector thereof are connected to the high-potential power supply terminal VDD. In a third PNP type bipolar transistor 10C, the emitter thereof is connected to the low-potential power supply terminal VSS, and the base and the collector thereof are connected to the high-potential power supply terminal VDD. |
| US07875903B2 |
Magnetic memory device
A magnetic memory device includes a magnetoresistive element and a first wiring layer. The magnetoresistive element includes a fixed layer, a recording layer, and a non-magnetic layer interposed therebetween. The first wiring layer extends in a first direction and generates a magnetic field for recording data in the magnetoresistive element. The recording layer includes a base portion extending in a second direction rotated from the first direction by an angle falling within a range of more than 0° to not more than 20°, and first and second projections projecting from the first and second sides of the base portion in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction. The third and fourth sides of the base portion are inclined with respect to the third direction in the same rotational direction as a rotational direction in which the second direction is rotated. |
| US07875902B2 |
Electro-static discharge protection device
An electro-static discharge protection device includes a first conductive type well and a second conductive type well which are formed in a surface of the first conductive type layer or a first conductive type substrate. A first high concentration second conductive type region, a first high concentration first conductive type region, and a second high concentration second conductive type region are formed in a surface of the second conductive type well. A third high concentration second conductive type region is formed in a surface of the first conductive type well. The first high concentration second conductive type region and the first high concentration first conductive type region are connected with a first power supply of a potential. The third high concentration second conductive type region is connected with a second power supply having a potential different from the potential of the first power supply. The second high concentration second conductive type region is set to a potential different from the first power supply. |
| US07875899B2 |
Light-emitting diode package and lead group structure for light-emitting diode package
A light-emitting diode package 1 of the present invention is a light-emitting diode package including: a diode group 2D made of a plurality of light-emitting diode chips 2 connected in series and a lead group 3 connected to the diode group 2D, in which the lead group 3 includes: a pair of external leads 31 and 32 as terminals of the diode group 2D and auxiliary leads 33 the number of which is one less than that of the light-emitting diode chips 2, in which the plurality of the light-emitting diode chips 2 are arranged in one line on a first external lead 31 of the pair of external leads 31 and 32, in which the auxiliary leads 33 are arranged on one or both sides of a row made of the plurality of light-emitting diode chips 2, and in which the adjacent light-emitting diode chips 2 of the plurality of light-emitting diode chips 2 are connected in series via the auxiliary leads 33. |
| US07875894B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having electrode pads, and a rewiring pattern having interconnects which are connected to the electrode pads and extend over an insulation film. The semiconductor device also includes columnar electrodes each of which has a main body section and a protrusion section, and a sealing section which has a top face having a height the same as the top faces of the protrusion sections. The semiconductor device also includes solder balls formed on the protrusion sections. The semiconductor device also has trenches in the sealing section. Each trench has a depth which reaches the boundary between the main body and protrusion of the electrode. The side faces of the protrusion section are exposed face defined by the trenches. Each solder ball is electrically connected to the top face and side faces of the protrusion section of each electrode. |
| US07875892B2 |
Light-emitting device, linear light source, planar light unit and display apparatus
A light-emitting device used in a linear array of a plurality of them includes a semiconductor light-emitting element, a substrate on which the semiconductor light-emitting element is mounted, and a light-transmitting sealing resin formed on the front surface of the substrate to seal the semiconductor light-emitting element. Of each of the peripheral edge surfaces of the substrate and the sealing resin, at least one side surface that faces in the direction of the array is inclined in the array direction. |
| US07875890B1 |
Structures and methods to improve the crosstalk between adjacent pixels of back-illuminated photodiode arrays
Structures and methods to improve the crosstalk between adjacent pixels of back-illuminated photodiode arrays on a substrate having first and second surfaces, including providing a first matrix of regions of a first conductivity type of a higher conductivity than the substrate extending into the substrate from the first surface and surrounding each photodiode of the array, and providing a second matrix of regions of a first conductivity type of a higher conductivity than the substrate extending into the substrate from the second surface, the second matrix being a mirror image of and aligned with the first matrix, the matrices extending into the substrate less than one half the thickness of the substrate so as to not touch each other. The methods and corresponding structures may be applied to p/n diodes, pin diodes, avalanche photodiodes, photoconductive cells (no p-n junction at all), or similar photosensitive device arrays. |
| US07875889B2 |
Active matrix type organic electroluminescent display device and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed are an active matrix type organic electroluminescent display device and a manufacturing method thereof. At least two capacitors having different functions from each other are disposed in a vertically stacked structure within a unit pixel region. When a compensation circuit needing two or more capacitors having different functions from each other per pixel is applied, the two or more capacitors are vertically stacked, thereby preventing the aperture ratio from being lowered due to the increase in the number of capacitors within the pixel. |
| US07875882B2 |
Organic luminescent display device having a semiconductor with an amorphous silicon layer
A display device includes a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a matrix. A scan signal is made to flow into a gate signal line and a data signal is made to flow into a source signal line so that the data signal is applied to a source electrode and the scan signal is supplied to a gate electrode of a control TFT arranged at a portion where the both signal lines intersect when viewed from above. Thus, when the control TFT is turned ON, a drive TFT having a gate electrode connected to the drain electrode is turned ON, so that current is supplied from a power supply line via the source electrode and the drain electrode of the drive TFT to an organic EL element and the organic EL element emits light. A holding capacity is present between the control TFT and the drive TFT. Even when the scan signal becomes LOW level and the control TFT turns OFF, the gate potential of the drive TFT is held for a predetermined period of time by the holding capacity and the organic EL element continues to emit light. |
| US07875881B2 |
Memory device and semiconductor device
Objects are to solve inhibition of miniaturization of a memory element and complexity of a manufacturing process thereof and to provide a nonvolatile memory device and a semiconductor device each having the memory device, in which data can be additionally written except at the time of manufacture and in which forgery or the like caused by rewriting of data can be prevented, and a memory device and a semiconductor device that are inexpensive and nonvolatile. The present invention provides a semiconductor device that includes a plurality of memory elements, in each of which a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed beside the first conductive layer, and a mixed film that are disposed over the same insulating film. The mixed film contains an inorganic compound, an organic compound, and a halogen atom and is disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. |
| US07875880B2 |
Light emitting display device having a dummy pixel and method for fabricating the same
Disclosed are a light emitting display and a method for fabricating the same. The light emitting display includes a substrate. A thin film transistor is formed on a first region of the substrate, and includes a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, and source/drain electrodes. An organic light emitting diode is electrically coupled to the thin film transistor and includes a first electrode, an emission layer, and a second electrode. A dummy pixel, formed in a second region of the substrate, includes at least one dummy pattern. The dummy pattern is formed of the same material as that of one of the semiconductor layer, the gate electrode, the source/drain electrodes, and the first electrode. |
| US07875878B2 |
Thin film transistors
A thin film transistor has a semiconducting layer comprising a semiconductor and a mixture enriched in metallic carbon nanotubes. The semiconducting layer has improved charge carrier mobility. |
| US07875877B2 |
Organic thin film transistor and flat panel display device having the same
An organic thin film transistor that can control the threshold voltage and reduce leakage current includes: a gate electrode; an organic semiconductor layer insulated from the gate electrode; a source electrode and a drain electrode insulated from the gate electrode and electrically connected to the organic semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer interposed between the gate electrode and the organic semiconductor layer; and a hole control layer that is interposed between the gate insulating layer and the organic semiconductor layer. The hole control layer includes a compound having a hole-donor group or a compound having a hole-acceptor group. |
| US07875876B1 |
Scalable quantum computer
Described is a scalable quantum computer that includes at least two classical to quantum interface devices, with each being connected to a distinct quantum processing unit (QPU). An Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen pair generator (EPRPG) is included for generating an entangled Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen pair that is sent to the QPUs. Each QPU is quantumly connected with the EPRPG and is configured to receive a mobile qubit from the EPRPG and perform a sequence of operations such that the mobile qubit interacts with a source qubit when a teleportation algorithm is initiated, leaving a second mobile qubit in the original quantum state of the source qubit. |
| US07875872B2 |
Bistable resistance value acquisition device, manufacturing method thereof, metal oxide thin film, and manufacturing method thereof
A ferroelectric layer (104) is sandwiched between a lower electrode layer (103) and an upper electrode (105). When a predetermined voltage (DC or pulse) is applied between the lower electrode layer (103) and the upper electrode (105) to change the resistance value of the ferroelectric layer (104) to switch a stable high resistance mode and low resistance mode, a memory operation is obtained. A read can easily be done by reading a current value when a predetermined voltage is applied to the upper electrode (105). |
| US07875867B2 |
Non-ambipolar radio-frequency plasma electron source and systems and methods for generating electron beams
An electron generating device extracts electrons, through an electron sheath, from plasma produced using RF fields. The electron sheath is located near a grounded ring at one end of a negatively biased conducting surface, which is normally a cylinder. Extracted electrons pass through the grounded ring in the presence of a steady state axial magnetic field. Sufficiently large magnetic fields and/or RF power into the plasma allow for helicon plasma generation. The ion loss area is sufficiently large compared to the electron loss area to allow for total non-ambipolar extraction of all electrons leaving the plasma. Voids in the negatively-biased conducting surface allow the time-varying magnetic fields provided by the antenna to inductively couple to the plasma within the conducting surface. The conducting surface acts as a Faraday shield, which reduces any time-varying electric fields from entering the conductive surface, i.e. blocks capacitive coupling between the antenna and the plasma. |
| US07875860B2 |
Charged particle beam profile measurement
According to an embodiment, an apparatus for measuring the uniformity of a beam of charged particles at an exposure location includes a plurality of Faraday cups, each cup including an electrometer for determining the current collected by said cup, at least one multi-channel low current scanner card electrically coupled to the electrometers, a processor electrically coupled to said at least one scanner card, computational analysis software for receiving signals from said processor and calculating beam parameters, and display software for generating a graphical representation of the beam parameters calculated by said computational analysis software. |
| US07875859B2 |
Ion energy analyzer and methods of manufacturing and operating
An ion energy analyzer is described for use in diagnosing the ion energy distribution (IED) of ions incident on a radio frequency (RF) biased substrate immersed in plasma. The ion energy analyzer comprises an entrance grid exposed to the plasma, an ion selection grid disposed proximate to the entrance grid, an electron rejection grid disposed proximate to the ion selection grid, and an ion current collector disposed proximate to the electron rejection grid. The ion selection grid is coupled to an ion selection voltage source configured to positively bias the ion selection grid by an ion selection voltage, and the electron rejection grid is coupled to an electron rejection voltage source configured to negatively bias the electron rejection grid by an electron rejection voltage. Furthermore, an ion current meter is coupled to the ion current collector to measure the ion current. |
| US07875856B2 |
Radiation detector
In a radiation detector according to this invention, a portion of a semiconductor, located in a connection of a common electrode to a lead wire, is dented in a recess form from other portions of a semiconductor, in a range short of a radiation detection effective area. An insulating seat is disposed to fill the portion located in the connection. The common electrode is formed to cover at least part of the seat. The lead wire is connected to a portion of the incidence surface of the common electrode located on the seat. Thus, the detector can avoid performance degradation resulting from connection of the lead wire to the common electrode, and avoid problems of heat deformation stress and radiation attenuation. |
| US07875855B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting an image
In order to detect an image generated by an image source, a mirror arrangement is arranged between the image source and a detector. The mirror arrangement includes two spaced-apart deflection mirrors, which are parallel to each other or form an acute angle of less than 90° between them. In particular when the image source is a scintillator layer, shielding of X-rays from the detector with simultaneous compact dimensioning of the apparatus is achieved in this manner. |
| US07875854B2 |
Design structure for alpha particle sensor in SOI technology and structure thereof
The invention relates to a design structure, and more particularly, to a design structure for an alpha particle sensor in SOI technology and a circuit thereof. The structure is a silicon-on-insulator radiation detector which includes: a charge collection node; a precharge transistor that has a source from the charge collection node, a drain at Vdd, and a gate controlled by a precharge signal; an access transistor that has a source from the charge collection node, a drain connecting to a readout node, and a gate controlled by a read-out signal; and a detector pulldown transistor having a drain from the charge collection node, a source to ground, and a grounded gate. |
| US07875853B2 |
Low-cost PIR scanning mechanism
A passive infrared sensor (PIR) for detecting infrared radiation which includes a lens positioned in a sensor housing, and a pyroelectric element electrically connected to a circuit board within a filter housing positioned in the sensor housing. A microprocessor is electrically connected to a main circuit board and controls a liquid crystal display (LCD) attached to the sensor housing. The lens overlaps the LCD. The LCD has LCD regions corresponding to lens regions of the lens. Using the microprocessor, the LCD regions selectively prevent radiation energy from passing to the pyroelectric element, and the LCD regions selectively allow radiation energy to pass to the pyroelectric element. A signaling device communicates an alarm signal indicating when radiation energy within a specified wavelength band reaches the pyroelectric element. |
| US07875847B2 |
Docking stand for analytical instrument
An analytical instrument may be docked in a stand. The stand provides electrical power, cooling, gas to purge air from an analytical gap within the instrument and/or other supplies or services to the instrument. The stand contains a contactless memory, such as an RF-ID tag, which stores information about the supplies and/or services the stand is capable of providing to the instrument. The instrument reads the stand's contactless memory and automatically sets operational parameters of the instrument in accordance with the supplies and/or services the stand is capable of providing. Thus, the instrument may automatically operate in an enhanced mode, such as at a higher x-ray beam power, as a result of being mounted in the stand. |
| US07875842B2 |
Solid state image pickup element and camera system
A solid state image pickup element includes a pixel unit having a plurality of pixels for photoelectric conversion disposed in a matrix shape and a pixel signal read circuit for reading pixel signals in the unit of a plurality of pixels from the pixel unit. The pixel signal read circuit includes a plurality of comparators disposed in correspondence with a pixel column layout for performing comparison judgment between a read signal potential and a reference voltage and outputting a judgment signal and a plurality of counters each for counting a comparison time of a corresponding one of the comparators, an operation being controlled by an output from a corresponding one of the comparators. The comparators include a first amplifier for performing a comparison operation between the reference voltage and the read signal potential and inverting an output at a predetermined comparison point, a second amplifier for forming a current path when an output of the first amplifier is inverted, to output an output of the first amplifier by gain up, and a current control circuit for shutting the current path of the second amplifier when an output level of the second amplifier exceeds a predetermined threshold level. |
| US07875838B1 |
Post boost control power assembly
A tubular distributor in a missile having a right-angled hollow tubular first section, the right-angled hollow tubular first section having a first leg and a second leg, a straight hollow tubular second section, an end of the first leg of the right-angled hollow tubular first section perpendicularly connected to a first end of the hollow tubular second section, a straight hollow tubular third section, a first end of the hollow tubular third section perpendicularly connected to the first end of the straight hollow tubular second section, and a close/open valve positioned within the straight hollow tubular third section, the close/open valve positioned between a gas generator and the straight hollow tubular second section. |
| US07875837B1 |
Missile tracking with interceptor launch and control
A method for engaging a hostile missile with an interceptor missile includes mathematically dividing an estimated target trajectory into portions, the junction of each portion with the next defining a possible intercept point. The engagement for each possible intercept point is modeled, to generate a probability of lethal object discrimination which is processed to generate a probability of intercept for each of the possible intercept points. The intercept point having the largest probability of intercept defines a selected intercept point from which intercept missile launch time is calculated, interceptor missile guidance is initialized, and the interceptor is launched at the calculated launch time and under the control of the interceptor missile guidance. Also, a method for estimating discrimination performance of a system of sensors includes generating sensor data signal-to-noise ratio and an aspect angle between the sensor and a lethal object. A table of probability of lethal object discrimination is generated as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio and aspect angle. The signal-to-noise ratio and the aspect angle are quantized into bins and the table with at least the signal-to-noise ratio and the aspect angle is entered to determine the probability of lethal object discrimination. |
| US07875836B2 |
Tag assembly for radio frequency identification controlled heatable objects
Components for use in a temperature controlled heatable object are provided in which a temperature sensor is connected to a transmitter such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag is encased in a protective overmolding and connected to the temperature sensor via a mineral insulated cable. An end cap containing a potting material (such as silicone or ceramic) is placed over the temperature sensor and laser welded to a sheathing of the mineral insulated cable. A potting material for use in a heatable object is also provided comprising a silicone-based material that is modified by adding bauxite to increase thermal conductivity. |
| US07875835B2 |
Heating component for pipe joint
The present invention makes a proposal of a heating component for a pipe joint which can be easily mounted on a pipe joint and also can stabilize the assembly quality to the pipe joint. The heating component for a pipe joint is characterized in that the heating component for a pipe joint has partially thereon fitting portions each having an inner face shape fitted with a part of an outer shape of the pipe joint, and also, a holding recess portion for holding therein a heating wire is formed on an inner face portion other than the fitting portions; when the heating wire is held in the holding recess portion, and then, the heating component for piping joint is mounted to the joint by fitting the fitting portions with the parts of the outer shape of the joint, the heating wire held in the holding recess portion comes in contact with the pipe joint. |
| US07875832B2 |
Ceramic heater, heat exchange unit, and warm water washing toilet seat
A ceramic heater, heat exchange unit, and warm water washing toilet seat are provided having excellent temperature rise characteristics and a shortened heating time to reach a predetermined water temperature. A ceramic heater having a pattern watt density of 50 W/cm2 and above, and a surface watt density of 25 W/cm2 and above has a short start-up time and excellent temperature rise characteristics. Further, the thickness of a core is reduced to between 0.5 mm and 1.9 mm (circular tube thickness is between 1 mm and 2.4 mm), which enables efficient transfer of heat from the ceramic heater to water flowing in the circular tube. Accordingly, a gap between a heat exchanger and the ceramic heater is not necessarily narrowed, such that air bubbles are not likely trapped and breakage of the ceramic heater by thermal shock can be suppressed. |
| US07875831B2 |
Thin plate formation method, thin plate and suspension correction apparatus, and correction method
Laser beam irradiation areas are provided in a load curve portion and an angle adjustment portion of a suspension. The laser beam irradiation areas are oriented in a direction in which the suspension is to be bent. A laser beam having a predetermined length and a predetermined shape is irradiated onto each laser beam irradiation area. |
| US07875827B2 |
Laser brazing improvement with twinspot
The present invention provides a method for laser brazing a first member to a second member using a laser brazing head. The laser brazing head has means for generating a first laser beam and a second laser beam. The method comprises the steps of: arranging the first member in contact with the second member such that a junction is formed there-between; providing a filler material in the vicinity of said junction, and passing the laser brazing head along the junction such that the first laser beam melts the filler material to at least partially fill said junction to form a brazed joint. The second laser beam then effects a post heat treatment of the brazed joint. |
| US07875826B2 |
Variable width conductive lines having substantially constant impedance
A method of fabricating a conductive line provides a substrate having a blanket layer of conductive material disposed thereon, a removing of a first portion of the blanket layer of conductive material to form one or more gaps that define a first line, the gaps adjacent to the first line, the first line having at least a first segment of a first width and a second segment of a second width, the first and second widths being different, a first increasing of the width of a first gap of the one or more gaps, the first gap adjacent to the first segment, by a first amount, and a second increasing of the width of a second gap of the one or more gaps, the second gap adjacent to the second segment, by a second amount wherein the first and second increasing depend upon a desired electrical characteristic. The first amount and the second amount may be different from each other. |
| US07875824B2 |
Quartz guard ring centering features
An electrode assembly and method of centering an outer ring around an electrode assembly in a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing. The method includes positioning the outer ring around an outer surface of a backing member of the electrode assembly, and inserting at least one centering element between the outer ring and the backing member. The centering element can be a plurality of spring-loaded centering elements received in a cavity on the outer surface of the backing member, the centering elements having a first end adapted to contact the outer ring and a second end adapted to receive a spring. The outer ring surrounds an outer surface of the backing member, such that the plurality of spring-loaded centering elements are positioned between the outer surface of the backing member and an inner surface of the outer ring. |
| US07875823B1 |
Process for assembling a high speed hollow rotor shaft
A hollow rotor shaft for use in a small twin spool gas turbine engine in which the hollow rotor shaft is assembled by welding two hollow shaft sections together to form the single shaft assembly. One of the hollow shaft sections includes a lip that functions to form a snug fit prior to welding and also functions as a weld filler material. The hollow shaft ends each include a hole to allow for pressure equalization during the welding process to prevent bulging of the hollow shaft. To ensure a full penetration weld, an orbital welding process is used while passing an insert gas such as argon through the hollow shaft to minimize the buildup of material on the inner surface of the weld from the welding process. The shaft ends are pre-heated prior to welding. An insert gas is passed through the inner surface of the shaft sections during welding to prevent buildup of material on the inner surface of the hollow rotor shaft. After welding, material is removed from the outer surfaces of the shaft sections to form the outer surface of the hollow rotor shaft. And, then heat treatment at a high temperature while cooling the shaft with the insert gas occurs. Then, a second heat treatment at about half the first temperature occurs while also passing the insert gas through the shaft for cooling. The welded and heat treated hollow shaft is then balanced by removing material from around the holes. |
| US07875818B1 |
Switch module of power socket
A switch module includes a casing containing a power supply module and a press button, and recessions of the casing for accommodating and fixing first and second power conductive plates. The second power conductive plate is connected to the power supply module, and two positioning portions are protruded from the recession. A first conductive clamping plate is contained in one positioning portion and riveted with the corresponding power conductive plate, and the other one of the positioning portions contains an isolated portion and a second conductive clamping plate. A conductive extension plate of the second conductive clamping plate is passed through both sides of the casing and connected to another conductive portion of the power supply module, such that the second conductive clamping plate has a power polarity of the second power conductive plate when the power supply module is at a connection status. |
| US07875814B2 |
Electromagnetic digitizer sensor array structure
An electromagnetic digitizer having a sensor segment that includes a generally longitudinal network of conductive lines. Two or more conductive lines are coupled in parallel. To enhance sensitivity, the adjacent lines are interconnected along the longitudinal structure, using interconnections in the form of short lines, oriented at an angle. The sensor segments may be miniaturized, to facilitate integration into a display module using semiconductor fabrication processes. Various sensor array structures may be implemented using the sensor segment structures. The sensor array may include longitudinal sensor segments arranged in a parallel array. To further enhancing sensitivity of the sensor array, additional lines may be provided between adjacent longitudinal sensor segments. The sensor array may also include half loop (or U-shaped) sensor segments arranged in an overlapping parallel array, or full loop sensor segments arranged in an overlapping parallel array. |
| US07875813B2 |
Programmable weighing scale that tracks completion time for a process step for multiple concurrent processes
Food service workers prepare a number of items throughout the day at a food counter, so the workers may need to track process steps for entirely different processes that are running concurrently. For example, the worker may need to remove a pizza from an oven one moment, and remove breadstick dough from a refrigerator one minute later. A programmable weighing scale guides users through process steps of a process, and tracks completion time of process steps for multiple processes, and alerts a food service worker when a next step in one of multiple, concurrently running processes needs to be completed. Because data stored for each process can be selected throughout, for example, an entire working day, the controller of the weighing scale can track timing requirements for each step of each process. The weighing apparatus is independent of other apparatuses used in completing the process steps (e.g., refrigerators, ovens, mixers, etc.), so it can track process steps that involve various apparatuses that may be needed to complete the processes. An alert for one process step associated with one process can be presented within the duration of an entirely different process step for an entirely different process. |
| US07875812B2 |
Method and apparatus for electrical component physical protection
A method and apparatus for protecting a heat sensitive component from high temperature, mechanical shock and moisture are provided. An enclosure includes an outer housing surrounding an inner cavity configured to receive a heat sensitive component therein, a cover configured to matingly engage the outer housing such that the inner cavity is sealed from an environment external to the enclosure, wherein at least one of the outer housing and the cover are formed from a ceramic material. |
| US07875811B2 |
High speed interposer
A high speed interposer which includes a substrate having alternatingly oriented dielectric and conductive layers which form a substrate, openings which extend from one opposing surface of the substrate to a second opposing surface, conductive members positioned within the openings and also extending from surface to surface (and beyond, in some embodiments), and a plurality of shielding members positioned substantially around the conductive members to provide shielding therefore during the passage of high frequency signals through the conductive members. |
| US07875806B2 |
Structure and method to gain substantial reliability improvements in lead-free BGAs assembled with lead-bearing solders
Methods of forming and assemblies having hybrid interconnection grid arrays composed of a homogenous mixture of Pb-free solder joints and Pb-containing solder paste on corresponding sites of a printed board. The aligned Pb-free solder joints and Pb-containing solders are heated to a temperature above a melting point of the Pb-free solder joint for a sufficient time to allow complete melting of both the Pb-free solder joints and Pb-containing solder paste and the homogenous mixing thereof during assembly. These molten materials mix together such that the Pb from the Pb-containing solder disperses throughout substantially the entire Pb-free solder joint for complete homogenization of the molten materials to form the homogenous hybrid interconnect structures of the invention. |
| US07875799B2 |
Angled patch panel cover plate
A cover plate for an angled patch panel is described. The angled patch panel has a frame which has mounting members on opposite longitudinal ends of the frame, where the mounting members are for mounting the angled patch panel to a plurality of locations on a network rack. The frame has a longitudinal profile at least a portion of which is angled with respect to a line extending between the longitudinal ends of the frame to define an area bounded by the longitudinal profile and the line extending between the longitudinal ends of the frame. The cover plate for the angled patch panel includes a plate having a shape substantially the same as this area. Further, the cover plate includes a plurality of plate mounting members to mount the plate at the plurality of locations on the network rack. |
| US07875797B2 |
Housing with display—and/or operating-element
An economically producible pressure-resistant housing with a display element and/or operating element for use in potentially explosive areas, comprising an inner space which serves to accommodate electronics, and a recess on the outside, inside of which a display and/or operating element is placed whose connecting lines extend into the inner space via a pressure-resistant leadthrough, wherein the display and/or operating element is surrounded on all sides by a pressure-resistant, crystal-clear encapsulation, which fills remaining cavities in the recess and outwardly closes the recess. |
| US07875796B2 |
Reflector assemblies, systems, and methods for collecting solar radiation for photovoltaic electricity generation
Disclosed is a lightweight reflecting system for the concentration of solar radiation in which the reflecting optic is approximately sinusoidal in cross section and is maintained in this shape by minimal contact with a support frame. The reflector can be a flexible rectangular sheet deformed into a generally sinusoidal trough by compression between fixed or adjustable end supports. The sinusoid can be adjusted to be less than half a cycle by torsion applied to each end of the flexible sheet. A reflective film, polished metal, or similar material on the reflector surface can concentrate sunlight along a diffuse band rather than a sharp line, providing improved concentration levels for photovoltaic cells. The reflectors and their support frames can be mounted singly or severally on a tracking device that maximizes instantaneous power output by orienting the collectors toward the sun. |
| US07875795B2 |
Thermocouple array for generating electrical power for lighter than air vehicles
An energy generating device for lighter-than-air vehicles having a gas impervious outer flexible fabric including a flexible photovoltaic array located on the outer layer of the gas impervious fabric; a thermocouple array located between the photovoltaic cells and the gas impervious fabric; a thermally conductive layer or heat spreader between the thermocouple array and the photovoltaic array and between the thermocouple array and the gas impervious flexible fabric; an electrically conductive means connected to said thermocouple array for drawing electrical power away from said thermocouple array; and an electrical load, such as an electrical storage device or a device that consumes electricity, for drawing electricity from the thermocouple array. |
| US07875793B2 |
Solar cell assembly
A solar cell assembly includes a first solar cell panel, a second solar cell panel, and at least one light guide assembly. The first solar cell panel has at least one first through hole defined therein. The second solar cell panel faces and is spaced from the first solar cell panel. The at least one light guide assembly comprises a light diverging lens engaged in the first through hole of the first solar cell panel, and a light guide body aligned with the light diverging lens and located between the first and second solar cell panels. The light diverging lens is configured for diverging sunlight incident thereupon and forming diverged light. The light guide body has an incident surface for receiving the diverged light, and emitting surfaces for emitting light to the second solar cell panel. |
| US07875785B2 |
Instructional device and method for piano or other musical keyboard
An instructional device and associated method for illustrating the positions of keys and their associated notes on a keyboard are provided. The instructional device includes key markers that are adjustably mounted on a support structure in a configuration corresponding to the keys of a keyboard. The key markers correspond in size to the keys of the keyboard and are adjustable between the ends of the group of markers. Indicators are provided on the markers to indicate a chordal relationship between a respective one of the markers and the other markers. Thus, the device can be used, e.g., to indicate the position of the keys on a piano keyboard and, further, to indicate the relationship of the keys and associated notes to one another, such as by identifying various chordal relationships. In addition, the device can be adjusted to thereby illustrate such key positions and note relationships in connection with an inversion of one or more of the key markers relative to the others. |
| US07875783B2 |
Spring holding mechanism for foot pedal of bass drum
A spring holding mechanism is adapted to a foot pedal including a spring which applies a tensile force to a rotation shaft interconnected with a drum beater of a bass drum. It includes an external thread (i.e. a bolt) interconnected to one end of the spring, a support member having a hole allowing for the external thread running therethrough, and an internal thread (i.e. a fixing nut) that is engaged with the external thread so as to fix the support member in position, thus limiting the vertical movement of the external thread in an axial direction. A projection and a recess are formed in the support member and the internal thread respectively. The projection having an external slope is engaged with the recess having an internal slope so that the projection is received inside the recess when the internal thread is attached to the support member. |
| US07875776B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV842141
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV842141. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV842141, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV842141 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV842141 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV842141. |
| US07875774B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV146461
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV146461. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV146461, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV146461 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV146461 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV146461. |
| US07875772B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH911371
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH911371. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH911371, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH911371 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 CH911371. |
| US07875771B1 |
Maize variety PHH05
A novel maize variety designated PHH05 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHH05 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHH05 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PHH05 or a trait conversion of PHH05 with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHH05, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHH05 and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods. |
| US07875770B1 |
Maize variety X7V604
A novel maize variety designated X7V604 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety X7V604 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X7V604 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X7V604, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X7V604. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X7V604 and to the maize varieties derived by the use of those methods. |
| US07875768B2 |
Soybean variety D5232543
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5232543. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5232543. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5232543 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5232543 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07875766B2 |
Soybean variety D5684792
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5684792. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5684792. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5684792 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5684792 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07875759B2 |
Process for extracting natural gas liquids from natural gas
A process for extracting natural gas liquids (NGLs) from natural gas that involves contacting natural gas from one source with crude, or heavy, oil from a different source under conditions that promote enrichment of the crude or heavy oil with NGLs from the natural gas. Apart from functioning as an absorbent fluid, the crude or heavy oil also functions as the carrier medium for the absorbed. NGLs. When practicing the process, unlike conventional methods, there is no need to regenerate the absorbent fluid, in this case the crude and heavy oil, for recycling. |
| US07875758B2 |
Systems and methods for the separation of propylene and propane
Embodiments of the present invention generally disclose membrane-based systems and methods for the separation of propylene and propane that overcome certain issues associated with prior art devices and take advantage of a temperature drop across the associated separation membrane. |
| US07875752B2 |
Recovery method for catalysts, reagents and co-products
The present invention provides a method for conducting a chemical reaction in a non-fluorous medium using a fluorous compound in the presence of a solid adsorbant containing a fluorous domain and at least one chemical reactant, comprising contacting the fluorous compound and at least one chemical reactant under conditions that form at least one product. |
| US07875751B2 |
Method for the purification of carotenoids from plant extracts and the products so obtained
A novel process for the preparation of highly purified carotenoids from plant extracts, especially the marigold flower extracts, is disclosed. The process includes the formation, isolation and purification of carotenoids, primarily lutein and zeaxanthin, at lower temperatures with the use of at least a polar solvent and at least a non-polar solvent. The highly purified carotenoids so obtained are useful for human consumption, such as nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals. |
| US07875750B2 |
Method of obtaining 2-amino-6-alkyl-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzothiazoles
The present invention relates to a process for preparing 2-amino-6-alkyl-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzothiazoles (I) wherein the asterisk (*) represents an asymmetric carbon and R1 is C1-C6 alkyl; their enantiomers or mixtures thereof, their solvates, hydrates or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, comprising: (a) reacting a compound (II) with a secondary amine, optionally in the presence of an acid and a solvent 1, to form an enamine; (b) optionally removing said acid and said solvent 1, and then reacting said enamine with sulfur in the presence of a solvent 2; and (c) reacting the previously obtained compound with cyanamide to obtain the compound (I). Pramipexole, a compound with dopamine D-2 agonist activity, is among the compounds (I) and is useful for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. |
| US07875747B2 |
Branched succinimide dispersant compounds and methods of making the compounds
In accordance with the disclosure, one aspect of the present application is directed to a dispersant compound comprising the reaction product of (i) a hydrocarbyl carbonyl compound, (ii) a polycarbonyl compound having at least three carbonyl acylating functions, and (iii) a primary amine moiety of a polyamine. Methods of making and methods of using the dispersant compound are also disclosed. |
| US07875746B2 |
Photosensitive composition, compound for use in the photosensitive composition and pattern forming method using the photosensitive composition
A photosensitive composition comprising: (A) a compound capable of generating a compound having a specific structure upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation, a pattern forming method using the photosensitive composition, and a compound capable of generating a compound having a specific structure upon irradiation with actinic rays or radiation. |
| US07875745B2 |
Compounds having lysophosphatidic acid receptor antagonism and uses thereof
The present invention relates to a compound represented by formula (I): (wherein the symbols in formula were described in the description), a salt thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof. Since the compound of the present invention binds to and is antagonistic to an LPA receptor (particularly, EDG-2), it is useful for prevention and/or treatment of urinary system disease (prostatic hypertrophy or neurogenic bladder dysfunction disease, spinal cord neoplasm, nucleous hernia, spinal canal stenosis, diseases caused by diabetes, occlusion disease of lower urinary tract, inflammatory disease of lower urinary tract, and polyuria), carcinoma-associated disease, proliferative disease, inflammation system disease, immune system disease, disease by secretory dysfunction, brain-related disease and/or chronic disease. |
| US07875743B2 |
Bis(formylphenyl)alkane and novel polynuclear phenol derived from the same
Manufacture a novel bis(formylphenyl)alkane according to General Formula (1), as well as a novel polynuclear phenol derived therefrom, by causing a bis(hydroxymethyl-hydroxyphenyl)alkane to react with hexamethylene tetramine in the presence of an acid and hydrolyzing the reaction product, and then using the obtained bis(hydroxy-formylphenyl)alkane as a direct material and causing this material to react with halogenated alkoxycarbonyl hydrocarbon in the presence of a base. |
| US07875738B2 |
Polysilazane thermosetting polymers for use in chromatographic systems and applications
This invention relates to an amorphous non-glassy ceramic composition that may be prepared by curing, calcining and/or pyrolyzing a precursor material comprising silicon, a Group III metal, a Group IVA metal, and/or a Group IVB metal. |
| US07875737B2 |
Pyran derivatives, process of preparation and use thereof in perfumery and flavouring
Pyran derivatives of general formula (I) wherein Y is a 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring, preferably a 5-membered ring, methyl or ethyl mono- or polysubstituted, and optionally unsaturated, and R1, R2, R3, R4 are, each independently, a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched C1-5 alkyl or C2-5 alkenyl group, and X is present or absent; when X is present, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 are all present, and X is a hydrogen atom or an OZ group, wherein Z is a hydrogen atom or a R10 group or a C(O)R10 group; when X is absent, a double bond involving the carbon atom at the 4 position is present and R7, R8 and R9 are present, and one of R5 or R6 is present and the other one is absent, or R5, R6, and R7 are present, and one of R8 or R9 is present and the other one is absent, or R7 is a ═C(R11)(R12) group and R5, R6, R8, R9 are present; and when they are present, each of R5-R12 group is, independently, a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched C1-5 alkyl or C2-5 alkenyl group; and use of at least one pyran derivative of formula (I) as flavoring or fragrant agent. |
| US07875732B2 |
Quaternary ammonium salt, electrolyte, electrolyte, solution and electrochemical device
A quaternary ammonium salt of the formula (1) wherein R1 is straight-chain or branched alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R2 is straight-chain or branched alkyl having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and X− is CF3CO2−, CF3SO3BF3−, ClBF3−, AlF4—, CF3BF3−, C2F5BF3—, N(SO2F)2−, PF6−, AsF6— or SbF6−. |
| US07875731B2 |
Salt forms of [R-(R*,R*)]-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-β, δ-dihydroxy-5-(1-methylethyl)-3-phenyl-4-[(phenylamino)Carbonyl]-1H-pyrrole-1-heptanoic acid
Novel salt forms of [R—(R*,R*)]-2-(4-fluorophenyl)-β,δ-dihydroxy-5-(1-methylethyl)-3-phenyl-4-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-1H-pyrrole-1-heptanoic acid characterized by their X-ray powder diffraction pattern and solid-state NMR spectra are described, as well as methods for the preparation and pharmaceutical composition of the same, which are useful as agents for treating hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, osteoporosis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and Alzheimer's Disease. |
| US07875727B2 |
Benzimidazole vascular damaging agents
Vascular damaging agents composed of substituted 5(6)-substituted benzimidazole-2-carbamates are provided. These agents are useful in the preparation of medicaments for the treatment of diseases involving neovascularisation, particularly for the treatment of solid tumors, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and atherosclerosis. Embodiments include a 5(6)-substituted benzimidazole-2-carbamate of formula I wherein A represents a multi-substituted alkyl group or aromatic ring. |
| US07875725B2 |
Primary explosives
The present invention provides a compound of the formula (Cat)+z[M++(5-nitro-1H-tetrazolato-N2)−x(H2O)y] where x is 3 or 4, y is 2 or 3, x+y is 6, z is 1 or 2, and M++ is selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, chromium, and manganese, and (Cat)+ is selected from the group consisting of ammonium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium. A method of preparing the compound of that formula is also disclosed. |
| US07875724B2 |
Regiospecific synthesis of nicotine derivatives
Methods of synthesizing nicotine analogs and derivatives are described. The methods are particularly useful for the regioselective production of enantiomerically pure nicotine analogs having substituents at the C4 position. Intermediates useful for the synthesis of such compounds are also described. |
| US07875720B2 |
Fluorescent monomers and tagged treatment polymers containing same for use in industrial water systems
Fluorescent monomers are described and claimed which are synthesized by reacting a substituted or non-substituted naphthalic anhydride with an amine and with a moiety containing a polymerizable group. Such monomers are useful for the preparation of tagged treatment polymers. Such tagged treatment polymers are useful as scale inhibitors in industrial water systems. |
| US07875718B2 |
Process for the synthesis of morphinane compounds and intermediates thereof
This invention relates to intermediates useful in the preparation of opiate alkaloids, particularly morphinane compounds. The invention also relates to processes for preparing such intermediates and to processes which utilise such intermediates in the synthesis of morphinane compounds. |
| US07875715B2 |
Compounds for the treatment of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections
The present invention relates to compounds that demonstrate antibacterial activity, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them as the active ingredient, to their use as medicaments and to their use in the manufacture of medicaments for use in the treatment of bacterial infections in warm-blooded animals such as humans. In particular this invention relates to compounds useful for the treatment of bacterial infections in warm-blooded animals such as humans, more particularly to the use of these compounds in the manufacture of medicaments for use in the treatment of bacterial infections in warm-blooded animals such as humans. |
| US07875714B1 |
Processes for preparing certain hexaazaisowurtzitanes and their use in preparing hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane
The present invention describes a novel heavy-metal-free sequence leading to a superior, more economical, and scalable process for the high efficiency conversion of hexaallylhexaazaisowurtzitane (HAllylIW) to hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20). The process of the present invention avoids both the preparation of benzyl chloride, which uses elemental chlorine, and catalytic hydrogenolysis steps that require palladium metal/compounds.It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope of the claims. |
| US07875713B2 |
Synthetic binding pairs comprising cucurbituril derivatives and polyammonium compounds and uses thereof
Derivatized cucurbiturils and cucurbituril assemblies formed thereby are disclosed. Also disclosed are binding pairs of the disclosed cucurbituril assemblies and polyamine structures, which are highly advantageous over the presently known affinity pairs and therefore can be efficiently utilized in a myriad of applications. |
| US07875707B2 |
Disaccharides for drug discovery
Methods are described for the preparation of combinatorial libraries of potentially biologically active disaccharide compounds. These compounds are variously functionalized, with a view to varying lipid solubility size, function an other properties, with the particular aim of discovering novel drug or drug-like compounds, or compounds with useful properties. The invention provides intermediates, processes and synthetic strategies for the solution or solid phase synthesis of disaccharides, variously functionalized about the sugar ring, including the addition of aromaticity and charge, and the placement of pharmaceutically useful groups and isosteres. |
| US07875706B2 |
Disperse dyes
Disperse dyes of the general formula (I) where D is a diazo component derived from a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic amine, K is an aromatic radical of the formula and the substituents are each as defined in the first claim. Further described are the preparation and the use of the dyes according to the invention. |
| US07875703B2 |
LIR-9, a novel leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor
A new family of immunoreceptor molecules of the immunoglobulin superfamily, (LIR) polypeptides is described. Disclosed are sequences encoding LIR family members and their deduced amino acid sequences, polypeptides encoded by DNA that hybridizes to defined nucleotide sequences, processes for producing polypeptides of the LIR family, and specific antibodies directed against LIR polypeptides. LIR family members can be used to treat autoimmune diseases and disease states associated with suppressed immune function. |
| US07875702B2 |
B7-H3 and B7-H4, novel immunoregulatory molecules
The invention provides novel B7-H3 and B7-H4 polypeptides useful for co-stimulating T cells, isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding them, vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules, and cells containing the vectors. Also included are methods of making and using these co-stimulatory polypeptides. |
| US07875699B2 |
Method of controlling oil-absorbing properties of a silicone rubber powder
A method of controlling oil-absorbing properties of a silicone rubber powder characterized by keeping a silicone rubber powder in hot storage at a temperature in the range of 40° C. to 150° C. or in cold storage at a temperature in the range of 0° C. to 10° C. |
| US07875697B2 |
Poly(orthoester) polymers, and methods of making and using same
Poly(orthoester) polymers, and methods of making and using such poly(orthoester) polymers are provided. The poly(orthoester) polymers can be useful for applications including, for example, medical devices and pharmaceutical compositions. In a preferred embodiment, the poly(orthoester) polymers are biodegradable. |
| US07875696B2 |
Use of a kinked rigid-rod polyarylene, and articles made from said kinked rigid-rod polyarylene
Use of at least one kinked rigid-rod polyarylene of a specific type for its fire resistance properties. Films and coatings consisting of a material comprising the same kinked rigid-rod polyarylene. |
| US07875695B2 |
Hydrophilic organopolysiloxane composition for use as dental impression material
A hydrophilic organopolysiloxane composition of the hydrosilylation reaction cure type for use as dental impression material is characterized by comprising as essential components (A) a diorganopolysiloxane having at least 0.1 silicon-bonded alkenyl group in a molecule, (B) a liquid or solid organopolysiloxane having average compositional formula (1), comprising SiO2 units and R3SiO1/2 units (R is a monovalent hydrocarbon, alkoxy or hydroxyl group) and having a viscosity of at least 10 mPa-s at 23° C., (C) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane having at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms in a molecule, (D) a hydrosilylation catalyst, and (E) a polyether having average compositional formula (2). |
| US07875694B2 |
Sulfonate functional organopolysiloxanes
Sulfonate functional siloxane compositions, methods of their preparation, emulsion compositions containing them are disclosed. The compositions are useful in a variety of personal, household, healthcare formulations, as well as fabric and textile treatments. |
| US07875693B2 |
Synthesis of biurets and isocyanates with alkoxysilane functions, formulations containing same and use thereof
The invention relates to a composition and a method of preparing one such composition and an isocyanatoalkoxysilane; the polyisocyanate composition contains at least two different oligomeric compounds comprising at least three units and at most five units selected from aminoalkylsilane units and diamine units and at least one function selected from isocyanate functions and from those derived therefrom, the aforementioned compounds having at least two aminoalkylsilane units and another compound having at least two diamine units; the invention is suitable for coatings. |
| US07875688B2 |
Free-radical curable polyesters and methods for use thereof
The invention is based on the discovery that certain polyester compounds bearing are useful as b-stageable and/or liquid adhesives for the microelectronic packaging industry. |
| US07875685B2 |
Gas phase polymerization and distributor plate passivation treatment
Apparatus and methods for gas phase polymerization are provided. The method can include polymerizing one or more olefins at gas phase conditions in a reactor comprising one or more process exposed surfaces in the presence of a catalyst system; and treating at least a portion of the one or more process exposed surfaces prior to injecting the catalyst system to reduce the number of surface hydroxyls or access of the catalyst system to the surface hydroxyls on the process exposed surfaces. |
| US07875678B2 |
Process for making high impact strength polystyrene and related compositions
Compositions, processes, and methods are provided relating to styrenic polymers, including high impact polystyrene (HIPS), also referred to as rubber-modified polystyrene. In one aspect, a process is provided for making high impact polystyrenes, comprising the steps of combining a monovinylarene component, a monovinylarene-conjugated diene block copolymer, and a conjugated diene polymer. In another aspect, the feed components form an emulsion having a continuous phase and a dispersed phase. The continuous phase comprises at least a portion of the monovinylarene component and at least a portion of the conjugated diene polymer. The dispersed phase is suspended within the continuous phase, and comprises globules having at least a portion of the monovinylarene-conjugated diene block copolymer, a remaining portion of the monovinylarene component, and a remaining portion of the conjugated diene polymer. The monovinylarene component is polymerized in the presence of the emulsion alone or in the presence of other feedstocks. |
| US07875672B2 |
Two component waterborne polyurethane coatings for anti-graffiti application
Two component (2K) waterborne polyurethane coating compositions which when cured achieve excellent anti-graffiti properties at low VOC level (below 100 g/L) are disclosed. The composition comprises (A) a fluorinated polyol and optionally a non-fluorinated polyol; and (B), a blend of polyisocyanates comprising a hydrophilically modified trimer of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDT) and a hydrophilic ally modified trimer of isophorone diisocyanate (IPDT). The glass transition temperature of the ambient cured coatings, crosslinked network structure, and fluorine content at the surface enable excellent anti-graffiti properties. The waterborn coatings of the invention have excellent recoatability and exceptional chemical resistance. |
| US07875671B2 |
Process for preparing filler-dispersed polymeric compositions
A method for preparing a polymeric composition, the method comprising introducing a functionalized polymer and a filler. Mixing the functionalized polymer and filler to form a first masterbatch, adding additional polymer to the first masterbatch, and mixing the additional polymer and the first masterbatch. |
| US07875670B2 |
Articles from plasticized polyolefin compositions
The present invention relates to articles made from plasticized polyolefin compositions comprising a polyolefin and a non-functionalized hydrocarbon plasticizer. |
| US07875669B2 |
Production process of rubber composition and rubber composition using the process, and tire using the rubber composition
A production process of a rubber composition superior in low rolling resistance, air permeation resistance and durability performance is provided, the production process comprising the following (X), (Y) and (F): (1) step (X) of kneading a rubber component (A) including a butyl rubber and filler for reinforcement, (2) step (Y) of then adding a rubber component (B) and mica to the kneaded article obtained by step (X) and kneading it, and (3) step (F) of then further adding sulfur, a vulcanization accelerator and a vulcanization accelerating aid to the kneaded article obtained by step (Y) and kneading it, wherein 10 to 50 parts by mass of mica and/or talc is included based on 100 parts by mass of the whole rubber components (C). |
| US07875667B2 |
Long-fiber reinforced polyolefin composition
Disclosed are a long-fiber reinforced and colored molded article having desirable physical properties such as superior impact strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength as well as superior heat-resistance, a long-fiber reinforced polyolefin composition for producing the article, and method for producing the article. The long-fiber reinforced polyolefin composition comprises long-fiber reinforced polyolefin pellets including 35 to 90 weight % of a long-fiber reinforcing agent and 5 to 60 weight % of polyolefin wherein the impregnation degree of the long-fiber reinforced polyolefin pellet is preferably more than 80%; and colored polyolefin pellets having the length of 5 to 500 mm, and including 0.01 to 15 weight % of a coloring agent for the total amount of the coloring agent and polyolefin, wherein the amount of the colored polyolefin pellets is 5 to 80 weight % for the total amount of the colored polyolefin pellets and the long-fiber reinforced polyolefin pellets. |
| US07875665B2 |
Self-dispersing waxes as polymer suspension aids
Polymer particles of ultrahigh molecular weight poly(alpha-olefins) may be made stable toward agglomeration by suspension within a co-suspension of self-dispersing waxes. This combination prevents polymer agglomeration over time while maintaining good flowability properties. Such materials, ultimately used as pipeline additives to reduce the fluid drag and increase the volumetric throughput, may be shipped and stored for extended periods of time without irreversible loss of the suspension stability. |
| US07875663B2 |
Colour stabilised polyolefins
A polyolefin composition which comprises: (a) a polyolefin containing transition metal catalyst residue (excluding metallic co-catalyst residues) at a level below 5 ppm based on the weight of the polyolefin; (b) optionally a first stabilizing component consisting of a phenolic antioxidant or mixture of phenolic antioxidants; (c) optionally a second stabilizing component consisting of a phosphite antioxidant or a mixture of phosphite antioxidants; and (d) a third stabilizing component which acts also as a color suppressant and which is a polyfunctional alcohol, amine or amide or mixtures thereof, with at least one of (b) and (c) present and with the proviso that if the phosphite antioxidant is trilauryl phosphite it must be used in combination with another phosphite. The preferred stabilizing components (b) is 1,3,5-tris(4-tert-butyl-3-hydroxy-2,6 dimethyl,benzyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-(1H,3H,5H)-trione or mixed tocopherols. The preferred stabilizing component (c) is Tris(mono-nonylphenyl)phosphite, Tris(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl)phosphite or bis(2,4-di-t-butyl phenyl)pentaerythritol diphosphite. The preferred stabilizing component (d) which also acts as a color suppressant component (d) is dipentaerythritol or tri-isopropanol amine. The preferred polyolefins are polypropylene and polyethylene. The polyolefin composition also may contain a hindered amine stabilizer (HAS) and an acid scavenger (e.g. calcium stearate). |
| US07875657B2 |
Trans-1,2 dichloroethylene composition
The present invention relates to a composition based on trans-1,2-dichloroethylene. A subject-matter of the invention is more particularly a nonflammable composition comprising trans-1,2-dichloroethylene and at least two hydrofluorocarbons and its uses. |
| US07875656B2 |
Foamable sealant composition
A foamable sealant composition having a density, when foamed, of from 0.4 to 1.8 g/cc, and containing a latex binder, foam-generating composition, foam stabilizer, rheology modifier and water, is provided. Also provided is a method of sealing a vehicle using the foamable sealant composition. |
| US07875652B2 |
Method and composition for treating pain or tinnitus aureum
The present invention concerns the novel use of compounds of the Formula I: for treating allodynia as major and unique pain symptom independent of the nature of an underlying disease, but that is often related to neuropathic pain or other different types of chronic or phantom pain. |
| US07875651B2 |
Epicatechin for hypertension treatment
Disclosed and claimed are flavanols, e.g. epicatechin, compositions such as pharmaceutical compositions containing an effective amount of flavanols, e.g. epicatechin, and methods of treatment or prevention of hypertension using the same. |
| US07875648B2 |
N-(dibenz(b,f)oxepin-10-ylmethyl)-N-methyl-N-prop-2-ynylamine (omigapil) for the treatment of congenital muscular dystrophy or myopathy resulting from collagen VI deficiency
The invention relates to a method of treating muscular dystrophy, such as a muscular dystrophy or myopathy resulting from mutations in genes encoding collagen VI, in a mammal. The method involves administering of a compound of the formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable addition salt thereof to the mammal. |
| US07875647B2 |
Heteroaryl-pyrazole derivatives as cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonists
A heteroaryl-pyrazole compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is effective as a cannabinoid CB1 receptor inverse agonist or antagonist, which is useful for preventing or treating obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders. The present invention also provides a method for preparing the inventive heteroaryl-pyrasole compounds or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a pharmaceutical composition containing same, and a method for preventing or treating obesity and obesity-related metabolic disorders. |
| US07875623B2 |
Process for reducing contaminating Michael acceptor levels in oxycodone and other compositions
The present invention relates to processes for removal of Michael acceptors from certain compositions wherein the composition is treated with a thiol-containing compound under conditions sufficient to remove Michael acceptors and the resulting thiol-Michael adducts. Certain embodiments of the present invention enable quantification and/or removal of Michael acceptors and/or Michael acceptor precursors. |
| US07875615B2 |
Substituted triazole derivatives as oxytocin antagonists
The present invention relates to a class of substituted 1,2,4-triazoles of formula (I) with activity as oxytocin antagonists, uses thereof, processes for the preparation thereof and compositions containing said inhibitors. These inhibitors have utility in a variety of therapeutic areas including sexual dysfunction, particularly premature ejaculation (P.E.). |
| US07875611B2 |
Ion channel modulating compounds and uses thereof
Ion channel modulating compounds are disclosed. The compounds of the present invention may be incorporated in compositions and kits. The present invention also discloses a variety of in vitro and in vivo uses for the compounds and compositions, including the treatment of arrhythmia and the production of analgesia and local anesthesia. |
| US07875604B2 |
Compounds that inhibit HIV particle formation
The present invention describes novel methods of identifying compounds which inhibit HIV particle formation and Rev-dependent HIV production. The present invention also provides methods and compounds for inhibiting HIV particle formation and or treating patients infected with HIV. |
| US07875603B2 |
Specific inhibitors for vascular endothelial growth factor receptors
The present application describes isoindoles and derivatives thereof, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms thereof, which are useful inhibitors of VEGFR. |
| US07875601B2 |
Cancer treatment with epothilones
The invention relates to the treatment of a proliferative disease, especially according to certain treatment regimens, with an epothilone, especially with epothilone A and more preferably epothilone B; as well as to the treatment of certain cancers with such an epothilone. |
| US07875600B2 |
Pyrimidine compounds as purine receptor antagonist
Compounds of formula (I); wherein R1 is H or NHZ; R2 is optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl attached via a carbon atom; R3 is H; optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl, C2-C6alkenyl, C2-C6alkynyl, or C3 C7 cycloalkyl, halogen; OH or OR, or R4 is H, optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl, C3 C6alkenyl, C3-C6alkynyl, C3-C7 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, R5 is H or optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl, C3-C6alkenyl, C3-C6alkynyl, or C3-C7 cycloalkyl; or R4 and R5 together form a 5 or 6-membered heterocyclic ring; and R10 is optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl; are purine receptor, particularly adenosine receptor antagonists, useful for treatment of, inter alia, movement disorders such as Parkinsons disease. |
| US07875599B2 |
C-17-heteroaryl steroidal CYP17 inhibitors/antiandrogens, in vitro biological activities, pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity
Described are steroidal C-17 benzoazoles, pyrimidinoazoles (azabenzoazoles) and diazines. Methods for their synthesis are also described, which include methods having a step of nucleophilic vinylic “addition-elimination” substitution reaction of 3β-acetoxy-17-chloro-16-formylandrosta-5,16-diene or analogs thereof and benzoazole or pyrimidinoazole nucleophiles and methods having a palladium catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of 17-iodoandrosta-5,16-dien-3β-ol or analogs thereof with tributylstannyl diazines. The compounds are potent inhibitors of human CYP 17 enzyme as well as potent antagonists of both wild type and mutant androgen receptors (AR). The compounds are useful for the treatment of human prostate cancer. |
| US07875598B2 |
Compositions useful for the treatment of microbial infections
The present invention is based on the discovery that certain chemical compounds isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs are useful as anti-microbial agents, e.g., anti-bacterial agents, anti-fungal agents, and the like. In particular, the present invention provides compositions useful for treating microbial infections such as, for example, oral microbial infections, including periodontal disease and dental caries. |
| US07875597B2 |
Treatment of spinal mechanical pain
The invention is directed to a method of treating chronic spinal mechanical pain by intravenous administration to a subject in need of chronic spinal mechanical pain relief of an effective amount of bisphosphonate. |
| US07875593B2 |
Fungicidal agent combinations
The invention relates to novel fungicidally active compound combinations of 2′-cyano-3,4-dichloroisothiazole-5-carboxanilide of the formula and active compounds listed in the disclosure. |
| US07875591B2 |
Delivery system for heparin-binding growth factors
A device comprising a scaffold coated with a protein having at least 83% identity to the amino acid sequence of the core protein of domain I of a mammalian perlecan, wherein at least one glycosaminoglycan is attached to the protein is described. The device may be used in vitro or in vivo to induce replication and/or differentiation of connective tissue cells and to repair tissue. |
| US07875585B2 |
Hematopoietic cell E-selectin / L-selectin ligand glycosylated CD44 polypeptide
The invention feature methods and compositions for treating hematopoietic disorders, inflammatory conditions, and cancer and providing stem cell therapy in a mammal. |
| US07875583B2 |
Bleaching compositions
The present invention relates to a composition suitable for treating soiled fabrics comprising a hypohalite bleach and a soil suspending agent selected from the group consisting of an ethoxylated diamine, an ethoxylated polyamine, an ethoxylated amine polymer and mixtures thereof. |
| US07875579B2 |
Lubricant antioxidant compositions containing a metal compound and a hindered amine
An antioxidant lubricant composition has at least 50 wt % of a lubricating base oil and an oil-soluble metal compound providing between 1 and 2,000 parts per million of metal to the lubricant composition, the metal compound being chosen from the group consisting of molybdenum, tungsten titanium and boron compounds, and an oil-soluble hindered amine providing between about 0.001 and about 2 wt % of oil-soluble hindered amine to the lubricant composition, and optionally, an oil-soluble diarylamine providing between 0.001 and about 2 wt % of oil-soluble diarylamine to the lubricant composition. |
| US07875577B2 |
Diesel engine lubricating oil composition for large-bore two-stroke cross-head diesel engines
A lubricating oil composition comprising a base oil of lubricating viscosity having a kinematic viscosity of 22 to 300 mm2/s at 40° C. and dissolved or dispersed therein the following additives in the following amounts based on a total amount of the lubricating oil composition: (1) an overbased sulfurized alkylphenol calcium salt detergent in an amount of 0.1 to 1.6 wt. % in terms of calcium content, (2) an overbased calcium alkylbenzenesulfonate detergent in an amount of 0.6 to 2.1 wt. % in terms of calcium content, (3) a nitrogen-containing ashless dispersant in an amount of 0.005 to 0.1 wt. % in terms of nitrogen content, and (4) a zinc dihydrocarbyldithiophosphate in an amount of 0.01 to 0.1 wt. % in terms of phosphorus content, wherein the weight ratio of the overbased sulfurized alkylphenol calcium salt detergent to the overbased calcium alkylbenzenesulfonate detergent is in the range of 10:90 to 40:60 in terms of calcium content and wherein the lubricating oil composition has a total base number of 30 to 60 mg·KOH/g. |
| US07875576B2 |
Lubricating oil composition for internal combustion engines
Disclosed herein is a lubricating oil composition comprising a) major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity; b) from about 0.1 to 10 wt % of an overbased alkaline earth metal alkyl aryl sulfonate detergent having a total base number (TBN) of about 25 to 500; c) from about 0.02 to 10 wt % of a oxymolybdenum-containing complex of a nitrogen-containing compound; d) from about 0.1 to 5 wt % of a friction modifier; and e) from about 0.2 to 10 wt % of an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of a diphenylamine type, a sulfurized ester-containing compound and mixtures thereof; wherein the total concentration of the oxymolybdenum-containing complex and antioxidant must be at least 1.3 wt %, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition and wherein the phosphorus content of the total lubricating oil composition is 0.08 wt % or less, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. |
| US07875574B2 |
Method of treating a formation using deformable proppants
A substance and method for treating a subterranean formation using hydraulic fracturing. A non-metallic, substantially deformable, proppant particle is “elastically flexible” or “plastically compressible” and adapted for use at concentrations which will substantially create a partial monolayer. The method for treating a formation with a non-metallic deformable proppant, includes the steps of injecting a carrier fluid into the formation, the carrier fluid carrying an amount of the deformable proppant, wherein the carrier fluid is injected at a pressure and a flow rate sufficient to create or open an existing fracture or fracture network in the formation, and placing at least a portion of the deformable proppant in the fracture, the deformable proppant forming substantially a partial monolayer in the fracture, and reducing the pressure and/or the flow rate sufficient to allow the fracture in the formation to at least partially close, wherein at least a portion of the deformable proppant remains in the fracture to prop open at least a portion of the fracture. |
| US07875573B2 |
Pt-Pd diesel oxidation catalyst with CO/HC light-off and HC storage function
The present invention is directed to a diesel oxidation catalyst for the treatment of exhaust gas emissions, such as the oxidation of unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) and the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx). More particularly, the present invention is directed to a novel washcoat composition comprising two distinct washcoat layers containing two distinctly different ratios of Pt:Pd. |
| US07875572B2 |
Combustion catalyst for treating diesel exhaust gas and method for treating diesel exhaust gas
The present invention provides a catalyst for combustion treatment of suspended particulate matter in diesel exhaust gases, and a combustion catalyst for treating diesel exhaust gases in which a precious metal or an oxide thereof as the catalytic component is loaded on a carrier composed of oxide ceramic particles comprising ceria-zirconia or ceria-praseodymium oxide. In the present invention, depending on the carried precious metal, the carrier is preferably composed of oxide ceramic particles further comprising yttria or lanthanum oxide. The present invention provides a sufficient activity to combust suspended particulate matter in exhaust gases, and can cause combustion at a low temperature of about 300° C. It operates stably for a long period, and can burn suspended particulate matter, especially carbon microparticles. |
| US07875569B2 |
Supported catalyst, method for preparing the same, cathode electrode comprising the same, and fuel cell comprising the cathode electrode
A supported catalyst includes a carbonaceous catalyst support and first metal-second metal alloy catalyst particles adsorbed on the surface of the carbonaceous catalyst support, wherein the difference between a D10 value and a D90 value is in the range of 0.1 to 10 nm, wherein the D10 value is a mean diameter of a randomly selected 10 wt % of the first metal-second metal alloy catalyst particles and the D90 value is a mean diameter of a randomly selected 90 wt % of the alloy catalyst particles. The supported catalyst has excellent membrane efficiency in electrodes for fuel cells due to uniform alloy composition of a catalyst particle and supported catalysts that do not agglomerate. |
| US07875567B2 |
Materials comprising barium zirconate and methods for manufacturing thereof
A method for manufacturing barium zirconate particles includes providing a mixture of materials that includes barium, zirconium and a sintering aid, wherein the sintering aid includes at least one of barium tungstate, potassium niobate, tungsten oxide, barium molybdate, molybdenum oxide, potassium tantalate, potassium oxide, sodium niobate, sodium tantalate, sodium oxide, lithium niobate, lithium tantalate, lithium oxide, copper oxide, manganese oxide, zinc oxide, calcium zirconate and strontium zirconate; and heating the mixture of materials to produce barium zirconate particles that include the sintering aid. |
| US07875560B2 |
Semiconductor having optimized insulation structure and process for producing the semiconductor
A semiconductor having an optimized insulation structure which is simple and inexpensive to produce and can be made smaller than LOCOS insulation structures is disclosed. An implantation mask on a surface of a semiconductor substrate is used to implant elements into the semiconductor substrate, which elements, on thermal activation, form an insulation region together with the further elements of the semiconductor substrate. The thermal activation is effected by means of laser irradiation, during which the semiconductor substrate is briefly melted and then recrystallizes during the subsequent cooling, so that the implanted elements form the insulation region together with the further elements of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US07875559B2 |
Method of manufacturing P-type ZnO semiconductor layer using atomic layer deposition and thin film transistor including the P-type ZnO semiconductor layer
Provided are a method of manufacturing a transparent N-doped p-type ZnO semiconductor layer using a surface chemical reaction between precursors containing elements constituting thin layers, and a thin film transistor (TFT) including the p-type ZnO semiconductor layer. The method includes the steps of: preparing a substrate and loading the substrate into a chamber; injecting a Zn precursor and an oxygen precursor into the chamber, and causing a surface chemical reaction between the Zn precursor and the oxygen precursor using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to form a ZnO thin layer on the substrate; and injecting a Zn precursor and an nitrogen precursor into the chamber, and causing a surface chemical reaction between the Zn precursor and the nitrogen precursor to form a doping layer on the ZnO thin layer. |
| US07875558B2 |
Microetching composition and method of using the same
The present invention is directed to a microetching composition comprising a source of cupric ions, acid, a nitrile compound, and a source of halide ions. Other additive, including organic solvents, a source of molybdenum ions, amines, polyamines, and acrylamides may also be included in the composition of the invention. The present invention is also directed to a method of microetching copper or copper alloy surfaces to increase the adhesion of the copper surface to a polymeric material, comprising the steps of contacting a copper or copper alloy surface with the composition of the invention, and thereafter bonding the polymeric material to the copper or copper alloy surface. |
| US07875556B2 |
Precursors for CVD silicon carbo-nitride and silicon nitride films
Classes of liquid aminosilanes have been found which allow for the production of silicon carbo-nitride films of the general formula SixCyNz. These aminosilanes, in contrast, to some of the precursors employed heretofore, are liquid at room temperature and pressure allowing for convenient handling. In addition, the invention relates to a process for producing such films.The classes of compounds are generally represented by the formulas: and mixtures thereof, wherein R and R1 in the formulas represent aliphatic groups typically having from 2 to about 10 carbon atoms, e.g., alkyl, cycloalkyl with R and R1 in formula A also being combinable into a cyclic group, and R2 representing a single bond, (CH2)n, a ring, or SiH2. |
| US07875554B2 |
Method for electroless depositing a material on a surface of a wafer
Broadly speaking, a method and an apparatus are provided for depositing a material on a semiconductor wafer (“wafer”). More specifically, the method and apparatus provide for selective heating of a surface of the wafer exposed to an electroless plating solution. The selective heating is provided by applying radiant energy to the wafer surface. The selective heating of the wafer surface causes a temperature increase at an interface between the wafer surface and the electroless plating solution. The temperature increase at the interface in turn causes a plating reaction to occur at the wafer surface. Thus, material is deposited on the wafer surface through an electroless plating reaction that is initiated and controlled by varying the temperature of the wafer surface using an appropriately defined radiant energy source. |
| US07875551B2 |
Methods of forming integrated circuit devices using contact hole spacers to improve contact isolation
Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include upper sidewall spacers in contact holes to provide enhanced electrical isolation to contact plugs therein while maintaining relatively low contact resistance. These methods include forming an interlayer insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulating layer includes at least a first electrically insulating layer of a first material on the semiconductor substrate and a second electrically insulating layer of a second material on the first electrically insulating layer. A contact hole is formed that extends through the interlayer insulating layer and exposes a primary surface of the semiconductor substrate. This contact hole may be formed by selectively etching the second electrically insulating layer and the first electrically insulating layer in sequence and at a faster etch rate of the first material relative to the second material. This sequential etching of the first material at a faster rate than the second material may yield a contact hole having a recessed sidewall. |
| US07875543B1 |
Strain-silicon CMOS using etch-stop layer and method of manufacture
Recesses are formed in the drain and source regions of an MOS transistor. An ohmic contact layer is formed in the recesses, and a stressed silicon-nitride layer is formed over the ohmic contact layer. The recesses allow the stressed silicon nitride layer to provide strain in the plane of the channel region. In a particular embodiment, a tensile silicon nitride layer is formed over recesses of an NMOS transistor in a CMOS cell, and a compressive silicon nitride layer is formed over recesses of a PMOS transistor in the CMOS cell. In a particular embodiment the stressed silicon nitride layer(s) is a chemical etch stop layer. |
| US07875541B2 |
Shallow source MOSFET
Fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a hard mask on a substrate having a top substrate surface, forming a trench in the substrate through the hard mask, depositing gate material in the trench, where the amount of gate material deposited in the trench extends beyond the top substrate surface, and removing the hard mask to leave a gate having a gate top surface that extends substantially above the top substrate surface at least in center region of the trench opening, the gate having a vertical edge that includes an extended portion, the extended portion extending above the trench opening and being substantially aligned with the trench wall. It further includes implanting a body, implanting a plurality of source regions embedded in the body, forming a plurality of spacers that insulate the source regions from the gate, the plurality of spacers being situated immediately adjacent to the gate and immediately adjacent to respective ones of the plurality of source regions, wherein the plurality of spacers do not substantially extend into the trench and do not substantially extend over the trench, disposing a dielectric layer over the source, the spacers, the gate, and at least a portion of the body, forming a contact opening, and disposing metal to form a contact with the body at the contact opening. |
| US07875538B2 |
Semiconductor device having schottky junction and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes: a nitride semiconductor layer including a channel layer, a Schottky electrode that contacts the nitride semiconductor layer and contains indium, and an ohmic electrode that contacts the channel layer. The nitride semiconductor layer includes a layer that contacts the Schottky electrode and contains AlGaN, InAlGaN or GaN. The Schottky electrode that contains indium includes one of an indium oxide layer and an indium tin oxide layer. |
| US07875537B2 |
High temperature ion implantation of nitride based HEMTs
A method is disclosed for forming a high electron mobility transistor. The method includes the steps of implanting a Group III nitride layer at a defined position with ions that when implanted produce an improved ohmic contact between the layer and contact metals, with the implantation being carried out at a temperature higher than room temperature and hot enough to reduce the amount of damage done to the Group III nitride layer, but below a temperature at which surface problems causing leakage at the gate or epitaxial layer dissociation would occur. An ohmic contact selected from the group consisting of titanium, aluminum, nickel and alloys thereof is added to the implanted defined position on the Group III nitride layer. |
| US07875531B2 |
Method for the production of thin substrates
A method is provided for producing a thin substrate with a thickness below 750 microns, comprising providing a mother substrate, the mother substrate having a first main surface and a toughness; inducing a stress with predetermined stress profile in at least a portion of the mother substrate, said portion comprising the thin substrate, the induced stress being locally larger than the toughness of the mother substrate at a first depth under the main surface; such that the thin substrate is released from the mother substrate, wherein the toughness of the mother substrate at the first depth is not lowered prior to inducing the stress. The method can be used in the production of, for example, solar cells. |
| US07875528B2 |
Method, system, program product for bonding two circuitry-including substrates and related stage
A method, system and program product for bonding two circuitry-including semiconductor substrates, and a related stage, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of bonding two circuitry-including substrates includes: providing a first stage for holding a first circuitry-including substrate and a second stage for holding a second circuitry-including substrate; identifying an alignment mark on each substrate; determining a location and a topography of each alignment mark using laser diffraction; creating an alignment model for each substrate based on the location and topography the alignment mark thereon; and bonding the first and second circuitry-including substrates together while aligning the first and second substrate based on the alignment model. |
| US07875526B2 |
Semiconductor device with contact stabilization between contact plugs and BIT lines and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate divided into a cell array region, a core region, and a peripheral region. Bit lines are formed in the respective regions. Storage node contact plugs are formed in the cell array region, and blocking patterns are simultaneously formed around the bit lines of the core region and the peripheral region. Capacitors are formed in the cell array region to come into contact with the storage node contact plugs, and metal contact plugs are formed to come into contact with the capacitors of the cell array region and the bit lines of the core region and the peripheral region. In the semiconductor device, even if the metal contact plugs are not aligned with the bit lines, the blocking pattern works to stabilize the contact between the metal contact plugs and the bit lines. |
| US07875521B2 |
Semiconductor device and production method thereof
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed that is able to suppress a short channel effect and improve carrier mobility. In the method, trenches are formed in a silicon substrate corresponding to a source region and a drain region. When epitaxially growing p-type semiconductor mixed crystal layers to fill up the trenches, the surfaces of the trenches are demarcated by facets, and extended portions of the semiconductor mixed crystal layers are formed between bottom surfaces of second side wall insulating films and a surface of the silicon substrate, and extended portion are in contact with a source extension region and a drain extension region. |
| US07875517B2 |
Self-aligned complementary LDMOS
The invention includes a laterally double-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) having a reduced size, a high breakdown voltage, and a low on-state resistance. This is achieved by providing a thick gate oxide on the drain side of the device, which reduces electric field crowding in the off-state to reduce the breakdown voltage and forms an accumulation layer in the drift region to reduce the device resistance in the on-state. A version of the device includes a low voltage version with a thin gate oxide on the source side of the device and a high voltage version of the device includes a thick gate oxide on the source side. The LDMOS may be configured in an LNDMOS having an N type source or an LPDMOS having a P type source. The source of the device is fully aligned under the oxide spacer adjacent the gate to provide a large SOA and to reduce the device leakage. |
| US07875516B2 |
Integrated circuit including a first gate stack and a second gate stack and a method of manufacturing
An integrated circuit including a first gate stack and a second gate stack and a method of manufacturing is disclosed. One embodiment provides non-volatile memory cells including a first gate stack and a gate dielectric on a first surface section of a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a second gate stack including a memory layer stack on a second surface section. A first pattern is transferred into the first gate stack and a second pattern into the second gate stack. |
| US07875514B2 |
Technique for compensating for a difference in deposition behavior in an interlayer dielectric material
By selectively providing a buffer layer having an appropriate thickness, height differences occurring during the deposition of an SACVD silicon dioxide may be reduced during the formation of an interlayer dielectric stack of advanced semiconductor devices. The buffer material may be selectively provided after the deposition of contact etch stop layers of both types of internal stress or may be provided after the deposition of one type of dielectric material and may be used during the subsequent patterning of the other type of dielectric stop material as an efficient etch stop layer. |
| US07875512B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including: forming a first region and a second region in a semiconductor substrate by forming an element isolation region; forming an insulating film on the semiconductor substrate in the first region and the second region; forming a first metal film on the insulating film in the first region and in the second region; removing the first metal film in the second region; forming a second metal film on the first metal film in the first region and on the insulating film in the second region; and flattening top surfaces in the first region and the second region by performing a flattening process. |
| US07875511B2 |
CMOS structure including differential channel stressing layer compositions
A CMOS structure includes an n-FET device comprising an n-FET channel region and a p-FET device comprising a p-FET channel region. The n-FET channel region includes a first silicon material layer located upon a silicon-germanium alloy material layer. The p-FET channel includes a second silicon material layer located upon a silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material layer. The silicon-germanium alloy material layer induces a desirable tensile strain within the n-FET channel. The silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material layer suppresses an undesirable tensile strain within the p-FET channel region. A silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material from which is comprised the silicon-germanium-carbon alloy material layer may be formed by selectively incorporating carbon into a silicon-germanium alloy material from which is formed the silicon-germanium alloy material layer. |
| US07875510B2 |
Thin-film device, method for manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus
A method for manufacturing a thin-film device includes forming a separation layer on a substrate, forming a support layer of mainly clay containing silicate mineral having a layered crystal structure on the separation layer, forming a thin-film functional member on the support layer, applying an energy to the separation layer to reduce the adhesion between the substrate and the support layer, and removing the substrate from the support layer and the thin-film functional member. |
| US07875506B2 |
Etching method and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
The present invention discloses technique of etching selectively a layer containing siloxane. The present invention provides a semiconductor device with reduced operation deterioration due to etching failure. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises steps of forming a conductive layer electrically connecting to a transistor, an insulating layer covering the conductive layer, and a mask formed over the insulating layer; and etching the insulating layer with a processing gas including a hydrogen bromide gas. |
| US07875503B2 |
Reducing underfill keep out zone on substrate used in electronic device processing
Electronic devices and methods for fabricating electronic devices are described. One method includes providing a substrate with a die attach area, and forming a layer on the substrate outside of the die attach area. The layer may be formed from a fluoropolymer material. The method also includes coupling a die to the substrate in the die attach area, wherein a gap remains between the die and the die attach area. The method also includes placing an underfill material in the gap and adjacent to the layer on the substrate. Examples of fluoropolymer materials which may be used include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and perfluoroalkoxy polymer resin (PFA). Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07875501B2 |
Holding jig, semiconductor wafer grinding method, semiconductor wafer protecting structure and semiconductor wafer grinding method and semiconductor chip fabrication method using the structure
A backgrinding machine 10 of a semiconductor wafer W includes: a table 13 set on the working plane of a mount 11; a multiple number of holding jigs 20 arranged via check tables 15 on table 13; a grinding machine 30 for performing a grinding process of the rear side of semiconductor wafer W held by holding jig 20; and a washing device 40 for ground semiconductor wafers W. Each holding jig 20 is constructed of a concave 22 depressed on the surface of a base plate 21, a multiple number of supporting projections 23 projectively arrayed on the bottom surface of concave 22, a deformable contact film 24, covering the concave 22, being supported by the multiple supporting projections 23, for detachably holding semiconductor wafer W in close contact with it; and an exhaust path 25 for conducting air from the concave 22 covered by contact film 24 to the outside. |
| US07875499B2 |
Method of manufacturing a stacked semiconductor apparatus
There are provided a plurality of semiconductor apparatuses judged as good items in electrical and functional inspections while having internal connection terminals disposed on electrode pads of semiconductor chips, resin layers which are disposed on surfaces of the semiconductor chips in which the electrode pads are formed and expose the internal connection terminals, and wiring patterns which are disposed on the resin layers and are connected to the internal connection terminals, a wiring substrate on which the plurality of semiconductor apparatuses are stepwise stacked, the wiring substrate electrically connected to the plurality of semiconductor apparatuses, and a sealing resin with which the plurality of semiconductor apparatuses are sealed. |
| US07875494B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
It is an object of the present invention to form an organic transistor including an organic semiconductor having high crystallinity without loosing an interface between an organic semiconductor of a channel where carriers are spread out and a gate insulating layer and deteriorating a yield. A semiconductor device according to the present invention has a stacked structure of organic semiconductor layers, and at least the upper organic semiconductor layer is in a polycrystalline or a single crystalline state and the lower organic semiconductor layer is made of a material serving as a channel. Carrier mobility can be increased owing to the upper organic semiconductor layer having high crystallinity; thus, insufficient contact due to the upper organic semiconductor layer can be compensated by the lower organic semiconductor layer. |
| US07875491B2 |
CMOS image sensors and methods of manufacturing the same
A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor may include: a semiconductor substrate; a photodiode formed on a first portion of the semiconductor substrate; a transfer gate formed on the semiconductor substrate, near the photodiode, to transfer optical charges accumulated in the photodiode; a floating diffusion area formed on a second portion of the semiconductor substrate, on an opposite side of the transfer gate from the photodiode, to accommodate the optical charges; and/or a channel area formed under the transfer gate and contacting a side of the photodiode to transfer the optical charges. The transfer gate may be formed, at least in part, of transparent material. A method of manufacturing a complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor image sensor may include: forming the photodiode; forming the floating diffusion area, separate from the photodiode; and/or forming the transfer gate, near the photodiode, to transfer optical charges accumulated in the photodiode. |
| US07875490B2 |
Image sensor and method for manufacturing the same
An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate including circuitry, an interlayer dielectric including metal lines arranged on the semiconductor substrate, crystalline photodiode patterns arranged on the interlayer dielectric such that the photodiode patterns are connected to the metal lines, hard mask patterns arranged on the respective photodiode patterns, a device-isolation trench interposed between the adjacent photodiode patterns, to isolate the photodiode patterns from each other, a barrier film implanted with impurity ions, arranged into the inner wall of the device-isolation trench, and a device-isolation insulating layer arranged over the interlayer dielectric including the photodiode pattern and the device-isolation trench. |
| US07875488B2 |
Method of fabricating image sensor having inner lens
A method of fabricating an image sensor according to example embodiments may include forming a photodiode in a photoelectric conversion region of a substrate and forming an etch stop layer on the substrate. The etch stop layer may be patterned to form an inner lens on the photoelectric conversion region and an etch stop layer pattern on a transistor region of the substrate. A metal interconnection structure may be formed on the inner lens and the etch stop layer pattern. Accordingly, the number of additional processes for fabricating an image sensor may be reduced. |
| US07875479B2 |
Integration structure of semiconductor circuit and microprobe sensing elements and method for fabricating the same
The present invention discloses an integration structure of a semiconductor circuit and microprobe sensing elements and a method for fabricating the same. In the method of the present invention, a semiconductor circuit is fabricated on one surface of a semiconductor substrate, and the other surface of the semiconductor substrate is etched to form a microprobe structure for detect physiological signals. Next, a deposition method is used to sequentially form an electrical isolated layer and an electrical conductive layer on the microprobes. Then, an electrical conductive material is used to electrically connect the electrical conductive layer with the electrical pads of the semiconductor circuit. Thus is achieved the integration of a semiconductor circuit and microprobe sensing elements in an identical semiconductor substrate with the problem of electric electrical isolated being solved simultaneously. Thereby, the voltage level detected by the microprobes will not interfere with the operation of the semiconductor circuit. |
| US07875470B2 |
Method of forming buffer layer for nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device and nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device having the buffer layer
A method of forming a buffer layer for a nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device includes placing a sapphire (Al2O3) substrate in a reaction chamber; introducing a nitrogen source gas into a reaction chamber; and annealing the substrate in a state where the nitrogen source gas is introduced into the reaction chamber, to form an AIN compound layer on the substrate. The AIN compound layer having intermediate properties between those of the substrate and a semiconductor layer is formed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. Thus, an interface space between the AIN compound layer and the buffer layer or the semiconductor layer that is to be formed on the AIN compound layer becomes smaller and a crystal stress also becomes smaller, thereby reducing a crack that may be generated due to differences in lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. |
| US07875469B2 |
Method of operating and process for fabricating an electron source
A method of operating and process for fabricating an electron source. A conductive rod is covered by an insulating layer, by dipping the rod in an insulation solution, for example. The rod is then covered by a field emitter material to form a layered conductive rod. The rod may also be covered by a second insulating material. Next, the materials are removed from the end of the rod and the insulating layers are recessed with respect to the field emitter layer so that a gap is present between the field emitter layer and the rod. The layered rod may be operated as an electron source within a vacuum tube by applying a positive bias to the rod with respect to the field emitter material and applying a higher positive bias to an anode opposite the rod in the tube. Electrons will accelerate to the charged anode and generate soft X-rays. |
| US07875468B2 |
Body to be plated, method of determining plated film thickness, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A structure to be plated includes a body to be plated 11 on which plating is formed, and plated film thickness determining member 16 opposed to and electrically isolated from the body to be plated 11 through a slit portion 12. The plated film thickness determining member 16 has an islands-shape and is conductive. It is possible to instantly determine whether or not the plating formed on the body to be plated 11 has been formed to a thickness larger than the width W of the slit portion 12 on the spot by determining whether or not plating has grown from the surface of the body to be plated 11 to the plated film thickness determining member 16 through the slit portion 21. |
| US07875466B2 |
Fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles and process of preparation
This invention provides nanometer-sized fluorescent magnetic particles and processes of making them. The nanoparticle has a core particle comprising a magnetic material and a fluorescent material, and the particle size is less than about 1 micrometer. The nanoparticles can be coated with an inorganic or organic layer and can be surface-modified. The nanoparticles can be used in many biological assays. |
| US07875464B2 |
Processing and analysis techniques involving in-vessel material generation
In at least one embodiment, the inventive technology relates to in-vessel generation of a material from a solution of interest as part of a processing and/or analysis operation. Preferred embodiments of the in-vessel material generation (e.g., in-vessel solid material generation) include precipitation; in certain embodiments, analysis and/or processing of the solution of interest may include dissolution of the material, perhaps as part of a successive dissolution protocol using solvents of increasing ability to dissolve. Applications include, but are by no means limited to estimation of a coking onset and solution (e.g., oil) fractionating. |
| US07875462B2 |
Method and device for sample preparation
The invention provides extraction columns for the purification of an analyte (e.g., a biological macromolecule, such as a peptide, protein or nucleic acid) from a sample solution, as well as methods for making and using such columns. The columns typically include a bed of extraction media positioned in the column, often between two frits. In some embodiments, the extraction columns employ modified pipette tips as column bodies. In some embodiments, the extraction columns are comprised of frits having a low pore. In some embodiments, the frits of the extraction columns have a pore volume of less than one microliter or less than 10% of the interstitial volume of the bed of extraction media. |
| US07875460B2 |
Method for determining the effectiveness of stabilized chlorine dioxide in a mouth rinse
A method for determining the available treatment dosage of stabilized chlorine dioxide in the prevention and the treatment of plaque accumulation, volatile sulfur compound production, gingivitis and periodontitis, and for differentiating the treatment dosage from other chlorine-containing compounds that may not have such beneficial effects is disclosed. When in solution as stabilized chlorine dioxide, the presence of other ions such as chlorate and chloride may not only obscure results as to the concentration of stabilized ClO2, but also reduce the predicted effectiveness. The present invention uses validated analytical methods to predict the effectiveness of stabilized ClO2 by more precisely measuring its concentration in solution. Such measurement renders precision at a level required of food-grade and pharmacy-grade chemotherapeutic agents in the oral cavity. Preferred concentrations are within the range of about 0.005 to about 2% (w/v) stabilized chlorine dioxide. The solution may be in the form of wash, rinse, soak, paste, gel, aerosol spray, or other suitable delivery system. |
| US07875453B2 |
Differentiation of multi-lineage progenitor cells to hepatocytes
Fetal blood multi-lineage progenitor cells that are capable of a wide spectrum of transdifferentiation are described, as well as methods of differentiating the progenitor cells into mature hepatocytes. |
| US07875452B2 |
Non-desensitizing mutant of the transient receptor potential TRPM5 ion channel
There exists a need in the art for high throughput screening assays that can identify compounds that specifically modulate the activity of fast-acting ion channels, such as TRPM5. Current methods, especially electrophysiological, suffer from a lack of sensitivity, rapid signal loss, low throughput, and are labor intensive. The claimed methods and compositions provide electrophysiology methods that allow prolonged sample testing and fluorescent assays with an optical readout that gives rapid readout of the results, has a high signal to noise background ratio, are easy to use, can be modified for automation and miniaturization, and provide verification that a compound specifically modulates TRPM5. |
| US07875451B2 |
Formulation to improve survival of transplanted cells
The survival of cells during transplantation is enhanced. Cells to be transplanted are administered in a formulation that provides two ore more survival enhancing factors. Optionally, prior to administration, the cells are cultured in the presence of factors that enhance survival, and may be heat shocked prior to transplantation. |
| US07875450B2 |
Virus-like particles for the induction of autoantibodies
The invention described herein relates to compositions and methods for stimulating immune responses in vivo against a tolerogen. Novel biotechnological tools, pharmaceuticals, therapeutics and prophylactics, which concern chimeric or conjugated virus-like particles, and methods of use of the foregoing are provided for the study of B cell tolerance and the treatment or prevention of human diseases, which involve the onset of B cell tolerance, such as chronic viral infection, chronic inflammatory disease, and neoplasia. |
| US07875440B2 |
Method of determining the nucleotide sequence of oligonucleotides and DNA molecules
The present invention relates to a novel method for analyzing nucleic acid sequences based on real-time detection of DNA polymerase-catalyzed incorporation of each of the four nucleotide bases, supplied individually and serially in a microfluidic system, to a reaction cell containing a template system comprising a DNA fragment of unknown sequence and an oligonucleotide primer. Incorporation of a nucleotide base into the template system can be detected by any of a variety of methods including but not limited to fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection. Alternatively, microcalorimetic detection of the heat generated by the incorporation of a nucleotide into the extending template system using thermopile, thermistor and refractive index measurements can be used to detect extension reactions. |
| US07875438B2 |
Nucleic acid and amino acid sequences relating to Streptococcus pneumoniae for diagnostics and therapeutics
The invention provides isolated polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences derived from Streptococcus pneumoniae that are useful in diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions; antibodies against the polypeptides; and methods for the production of the polypeptides. The invention also provides methods for the detection, prevention and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from bacterial infection. |
| US07875436B2 |
Peptide substrates recognizable by a botulinum toxin A, BoNT/A and the use thereof
A peptide substrate selectively recognisable by a botulinum toxin A, BoNT/A containing a Nop-(Z)-Pya fragment in the peptide structure thereof, wherein Z is an aminoacid chain, preferably RA and the fragment is cleaved by the toxin. |
| US07875435B2 |
Diagnostic testing process
A method and apparatus for use in a flow through assay process is disclosed. The method is characterized by a “pre-incubation step” in which the sample which is to be analysed (typically for the presence of a particular protein), and a detection analyte (typically one or more antibodies bound to colloidal gold or a fluorescent tag) which is known to bind to the particular protein may bind together for a desired period of time. This pre-incubation step occurs before the mixture of sample and detection analyte come into contact with a capture analyte bound to a membrane. The provision of the pre-incubation step has the effect of both improving the sensitivity of the assay and reducing the volume of sample required for an assay. An apparatus for carrying out the method is disclosed defining a pre-incubation chamber for receiving the sample and detection analyte having a base defined by a membrane and a second membrane to which a capture analyte is bound. In one version the pre-incubation chamber is supported above the second membrane in one position but can be pushed into contact with the membrane carrying the capture analyte thus permitting fluid transfer from the incubation chamber through the capture membrane. In another version the membrane at the base of the incubation chamber is hydrophobic and its underside contacts the capture membrane and when a wetting agent is applied to the contents of the pre-incubation chamber fluid transfer occurs. |
| US07875432B2 |
Method for diagnosing spinal muscular atrophy
A method for diagnosing spinal muscular atrophy is provided. The method includes providing a biological sample of a subject containing a nucleotide of SMN gene, amplifying SMN exons 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 by a universal multiplex PCR using the nucleotide as a template and the primers to obtain fragments of the SMN exons 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, labeling the fragments of the SMN exons 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 by a fluorescent primer to obtain fluorescence-labeled exon fragments, and analyzing the fluorescence-labeled exon fragments by a capillary electrophoresis. If the SMN1/SMN2 ratios in exon 7 and 8 are different, it indicates that the subject is susceptible to spinal muscular atrophy. Additionally, if the peak of certain exon fragment appears crossed, it indicates an intragenic mutation in the exon. |
| US07875431B2 |
Methods for detecting inflammatory bowel disease
The present invention provides for a method of detecting the presence of inflammatory bowel disease in gastrointestinal tissues or cells of a mammal by detecting increased expression of LY6 genes in the tissues or cells of the mammal relative to a control. |
| US07875429B2 |
Corn event DAS-59122-7 and methods for detection thereof
The invention provides DNA compositions that relate to transgenic insect resistant maize plants. Also provided are assays for detecting the presence of the maize DAS-59122-7 event based on the DNA sequence of the recombinant construct inserted into the maize genome and the DNA sequences flanking the insertion site. Kits and conditions useful in conducting the assays are provided. |
| US07875426B2 |
DNA biochip and methods of use
The subject invention concerns materials and methods for detecting nucleic acid sequences. One aspect of the invention concerns a silicon-based “biochip” comprising nucleic acid immobilized thereon. In one embodiment, the silicon comprises microcavities. The nucleic acid to be assayed for the presence of one or more target nucleic acid sequences is immobilized on the silicon. A nucleic acid, such as an oligonucleotide probe, having a sequence substantially complementary to the target nucleic acid sequence can be used to detect the immobilized nucleic acid on the silicon. If the nucleic acid used for detection hybridizes with a target nucleic acid sequence, the hybridized sequences can be detected directly or indirectly. In an exemplified embodiment, the oligonucleotide probe can be labeled with a detectable label, for example, a fluorescent molecule. The subject invention also concerns methods for detecting a target nucleic acid using a silicon-based biochip of the invention. |
| US07875415B2 |
Helical pixilated photoresist
A helical pixilated photoresist includes a photoacid generator, a photoimageable polymer comprising a self-assembly moiety and a solubility switch, the photoimageable polymer having a helical structure. In one embodiment the helical pixilated photoresist is formed of a photoimageable polymer comprising a pyridine-based quencher copolymer and a solubility switch copolymer, wherein the photoimageable polymer has a helical structure formed by pi-stacking of the pyridine-based quencher copolymer. The helical pixilated photoresist is applied to a substrate and irradiated and developed to form a patterned photoresist. |
| US07875414B2 |
Cyclic structure formation method and surface treatment method
A periodic structure is to be successively formed over an extensive area with a uniaxial laser beam. Such method includes irradiating a uniaxial laser beam near an ablation threshold to a surface of a material; and executing an overlapped scanning on the irradiated region, so as to cause an ablation by interference between an incident beam and a surface scattered wave along the material surface; increasing the scattered wave; causing an interference at an interval equal to a wavelength of the laser beam, to thereby cause spontaneous formation of a periodic structure. The periodic structure can be made to have a different ripple spacing by changing an incident angle of the laser beam to the material surface. When the laser incident beam has an angle, the ripple spacing can be changed by changing a scanning direction. |
| US07875411B2 |
Photoreceptor containing substituted biphenyl diamine and method of forming same
A photoreceptor with a substrate, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer including N,N,N′N′-tetra(4-methylphenyl)-(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine, having a purity of from about 95 percent to about 100 percent, and a protective overcoating layer, optionally including a hole transport material other than N,N,N′N′-tetra(4-methylphenyl)-(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-diamine, that will discharge from about 85% to about 100% of its surface potential in from 0 to about 40 milliseconds upon being subjected to xerographic charging and exposure to radiant energy of from about 1 erg/cm2 to about 5 ergs/cm2. |
| US07875407B2 |
Colored alkali-developable photosensitive resin composition and color filter using the same
A colored alkali-developable photosensitive resin composition comprising an alkali-developable resin composition that contains a reaction product obtained by esterification of an epoxy-adduct with a polybasic acid anhydride (C) and then with a polyfunctional epoxy compound (D), wherein the epoxy-adduct has a structure in which an unsaturated monobasic acid (B) is added to an epoxy resin (A) represented by general formula (I) below, a coloring material (E) and a photopolymerization initiator (F). wherein Cy represents a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms; X represents a hydrogen atom, a phenyl group, or a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms; the phenyl group or the cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms is optionally substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; each of Y and Z independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom, wherein the alkyl group, the alkoxy group, and the alkenyl group are optionally substituted with a halogen atom; n represents a number of 0 to 10; p represents a number of 0 to 4; and r represents a number of 0 to 4. |
| US07875403B2 |
Solid oxide fuel cell system
The present invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell system, which comprises a central support means, a fixture means, a current collection means, a manifold, and at least one fuel cell means, wherein the fuel cell means and the current collection means are moveable in the direction parallel to the axis of the fuel cell means. |
| US07875393B2 |
Organic electrolytic solution with surfactant and lithium battery employing the same
An organic electrolytic solution and a lithium battery employing the same are provided. The organic electrolytic solution includes a lithium salt, an organic solvent containing a first solvent having a high dielectric constant and a second solvent having a low boiling point, and a surfactant including a hydrophobic portion having an aromatic group. The organic electrolytic solution effectively prevents the electrolytic solution from contacting the anode, thereby suppressing side reactions on the anode surface and improving discharge capacity, charge/discharge efficiency, lifespan, and battery reliability. |
| US07875391B2 |
Lithium ion secondary battery and method for manufacturing same
A lithium ion secondary battery with improved safety against both internal short-circuiting and overcharge is provided. This lithium ion secondary battery includes a positive electrode comprising a composite lithium oxide, a negative electrode, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. At least one of the positive electrode and the negative electrode has a porous film, comprising an inorganic oxide filler and a binder, on the surface facing the other electrode, and the electrode surface having the porous film partially has a protruded part. This protruded part may be a protruded part formed on the porous film itself or a protruded part formed on an electrode mixture layer. Further, a separator can also be incorporated therein. Instead of the above-mentioned porous film, the separator can be provided with a porous film. |
| US07875386B2 |
Energy converter cell for the direct conversion of radiation and/or thermal energy into electrical energy
The invention relates to an energy converter cell, consisting of a negative metal electrode, preferably a tin electrode, a positive electrode consisting of graphite and an electrolyte that is positioned between the electrodes and is in contact with the latter, the electrolyte containing in the charged state a manganate(IV) salt that is dissolved in water and an alkali hydroxide. The energy converter cell forms a galvanic element, which can be discharged by delivering electrical energy to an ohmic consumer resistor that is connected to the electrodes and can be charged by a supply of thermal energy. In addition, supplied electrical energy can be electrochemically stored in the cell. |
| US07875383B2 |
Pouch type secondary battery
A pouch type secondary battery which can prevent a cut portion from electrically contacting a protective circuit module, thereby preventing an electrical short circuit and acceleration of corrosion of a core material and enhancing safety includes an electrode assembly having a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator; a pouch case made of a flexible material, and having a container, insulated at least on its inner surface and accommodating the electrode assembly, and sealing portions along an edge of the container, the sealing portions including a first sealing portion through which electrode taps of the electrode assembly extend from the pouch case, and a second sealing portion and a third sealing portion respectively positioned at opposite sides of the first sealing portion, the second an third sealing portions being folded at least one time; a protective circuit module connected to the electrode taps and mounted on an outer surface of the first sealing portion; and a short circuit protector formed in at least one among the first through third sealing portions to prevent an electrical short circuit between each sealing portion and the protective circuit module. |
| US07875382B2 |
Battery
The present invention provides battery cell having low resistance internal connections and compact, low volume terminal connections in order to maximize power-producing volume. The battery of the present invention may be created using a novel fold geometry to fold electrode tabs into compact, low profile tabs having a low total volume. The battery cell provides a means for equalizing path lengths from each electrode active area to the point of connection to the terminal and also reducing path length, thereby further reducing resistance of the battery. The connection means of the present invention consumes less internal battery space than connection means of prior art electrode stacks. Accordingly, the electrode stack of the present invention disposes more or larger battery cells in the battery than the prior art and thus provides more power than the prior art battery. The present invention is designed to overcome prior art difficulties in preparing a battery. |
| US07875381B2 |
Rechargeable battery and its fabrication method
A rechargeable battery, which features a simplified assembly process by reducing the number of components includes a bare cell, a body portion which is attached to one side surface of the bare cell and a protective circuit board portion which has two electrical terminals respectively electrically connected to two electrode terminals of the bare cell and formed into one single body by molding. A method of fabrication of the rechargeable battery includes forming a protective circuit board portion into one single body through resin molding, attaching the protective circuit board portion to a bare cell, and respectively electrically connecting two electrical terminals of the protective circuit board portion to two electrodes of the bare cell. |
| US07875378B2 |
Voltage sensing member and battery module employed with the same
Disclosed herein is a voltage sensing member constructed in a structure in which linear mounting parts are mounted to supporting parts coupled to the bottom of a battery module, conductive sensing parts are mounted on the mounting parts while the conductive sensing parts are in elastic contact with electrode terminals of battery cells, and the sensing parts are electrically connected to a battery management system (BMS). The voltage sensing member according to the present invention is manufactured by a simple assembly process without using a plurality of members for mechanical coupling and electrical connection. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of reducing the manufacturing costs of the voltage sensing member. Also, the voltage sensing member is maintained in elastic and stable contact when external impact or frequent vibration is applied to the voltage sensing member. Consequently, the present invention has the effect of performing stable voltage sensing operation. Furthermore, the present invention has the effect of manufacturing a middle- or large-sized battery pack having desired output and capacity using a battery module including the voltage sensing member as a unit body. |
| US07875374B2 |
Substrate for perpendicular magnetic recording media and perpendicular magnetic recording media using same
Substrates for perpendicular magnetic recording media, and perpendicular magnetic recording media using such substrates, are disclosed. By setting the substrate inclination angle, or a parameter related to substrate shape relating to this angle, within an appropriate range, magnetic recording media can be obtained with excellent read signal quality and signal quality stability, regardless of the final substrate machining method. In a substrate for donut-shape magnetic recording media, comprising a main surface, an inner circumferential surface extending along the inside of the main surface, and an outer circumferential surface extending along the outside of the main surface, when the shape of the main surface is defined by a function Z(x,y) of x-y coordinates, the root mean square inclination angle (θsΔq), defined as the inverse tangent (tan−1 (sΔq)) of the root means square inclination (sΔq) which is the root mean square over the entire main surface of the micro-region surface inclination (Δρ) of the main surface, expressed by the following equation, is 5° or less Equation 1 Δ ρ = [ ( ∂ z ( x , y ) ∂ x ) 2 + ( ∂ z ( x , y ) ∂ y ) 2 ] 1 2 . |
| US07875373B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording medium and magnetic storage apparatus using the same
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention help to obtain a perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a granular structure, excellent recording/reproducing properties, and excellent durability. According to one embodiment, a recording layer includes a layer which has crystal grains mainly composed of cobalt and crystal grain boundaries mainly composed of the oxide; the oxygen content of the recoding layer is changed in the film thickness direction; the oxygen content in the area in the vicinity of the interface between the recording layer and the intermediate layer is made lower than the oxygen content in the area in the vicinity of the center of the recording layer; and the oxygen content in the area in the vicinity of the interface between the recording layer and the protective layer is made lower than the oxygen content in the area in the vicinity of the center of the recording layer. |
| US07875372B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording medium and method of manufacturing the same
Embodiments of the present invention help to improve corrosion resistance and durability by providing a functional diamond like carbon (DLC) protective layer for a perpendicular magnetic recording medium using a granular magnetic layer. According to one embodiment, when a DLC protective layer that protects a granular magnetic layer of a perpendicular magnetic recording medium is formed using a CVD method, the thickness of a first layer on the granular magnetic layer is set to 7.5 to 25% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a hydrogen content of the first layer is set to 33 to 38%, the thickness of a second layer is set to 50 to 85% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a nitrogen content of the second layer is set to 3 to 7%, and the thickness of a third layer located at the outermost side of the protective layer is set to 7.5 to 25% of the total thickness of the protective layer and a hydrogen content of the third layer is set to 25% or less. |
| US07875371B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording medium, manufacturing process of the same, and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus using the same
Embodiments of the invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium improved for fly ability, high in read signal quality, and capable of suppressing magnetic decay of recorded magnetization to be caused by stray fields. In one embodiment, a perpendicular recording layer is formed over a substrate with a soft magnetic underlayer therebetween, then an amorphous or nano-crystalline layer is formed between the substrate and the soft magnetic underlayer. The soft magnetic underlayer includes first and second amorphous soft magnetic layers, as well as a nonmagnetic layer formed between those first and second amorphous soft magnetic layers. The first and second amorphous soft magnetic layers are given uniaxial anisotropy in the radial direction of the substrate respectively and coupled with each other antiferromagnetically. |
| US07875369B2 |
Heterocycle-containing organometallic complex and organic light emitting device including the same
An organometallic complex for a light emitting layer includes a heterocyclic ligand and a bivalent metal bonded to the heterocyclic ligand, wherein the heterocyclic ligand includes a plurality of linked ring structures that include a total of at least 17 carbon atoms and 1 heteroatom, and the linked ring structures have substantially parallel planes. |
| US07875368B2 |
Heterocyclic compound and organic light-emitting device
Provided is a novel heterocyclic compound which is useful as a material for an organic electroluminescent device. The heterocyclic compound is represented by the general formula [I]: wherein X represents a nitrogen atom or a carbon atom; Y represents O or S; R1 and R2 each represent, independently of one another, a group selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group and the like; a represents 0 or more and 3 or less; b represents 0 or more and 3 or less; and Ar1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring or the like; and n represents an integer of 2 to 10. |
| US07875366B2 |
Luminescent device
The present invention provides a luminescent device using a luminescent material which has high luminescence efficiency and high stability, and is available at a low cost. The luminescent device is characterized in that as a luminescent material is used a binuclear copper coordination compound having a partial structure represented by the general formula (1): Cu-A-Cu, wherein Cu is a copper ion and A is a bidentate ligand. |
| US07875360B2 |
Steel strip coated with zirconia
A flexible metallic strip product including a ferritic chromium strip steel material having a coating of an electrically insulating layer of zirconia stabilized with yttrium, said coating being intended to receive a second coating of an electrically conducting layers is disclosed. This coating is very efficient as an electrically insulating layer in flexible solar cells and solid state thin film batteries because it has practically the same thermal expansion coefficient as the steel substrate. |
| US07875357B2 |
Silver-free low-e solar control coating
A multi-layer, low-emissivity, solar control article comprises a dielectric substrate, a first dielectric metal oxide layer deposited on the substrate, a first highly conductive, silver-free metal oxide layer deposited on the first dielectric metal oxide, and a second dielectric metal oxide deposited on the first highly conductive, silver-free metal oxide layer. The aforementioned coating layer sequence may be repeated as necessary to achieve the desired properties. An iridescence suppressing interlayer may, optionally, be utilized in connection with the low-emissivity, solar control coating. |
| US07875356B2 |
Composite element, especially a window pane
Item comprising a first transparent thermoplastic (i) coated with a coating (ii) comprising at least one organosilicon compound, wherein, on at least one portion of the surface, on the side facing away from the first plastic (i), the coating (ii) has been adhesive-bonded, without chemical adhesion promoter, to a second thermoplastic (iii). |
| US07875350B2 |
Ethylene polymer particle having specific intrinsic viscosity and crystallinity, production method thereof and molded article using the same
Ethylene polymer particles having an intrinsic viscosity [η] of 5 dl/g to 30 dl/g, a degree of crystallinity of as high as 80% or more, and a specific shape on the surface of the particles. The ethylene polymer particles can be obtained by carrying out polymerization of olefins including ethylene using an olefin polymerization catalyst containing a solid titanium catalyst component including magnesium, halogen and titanium under specific conditions. The ethylene polymer particles obtained by a solid phase method, such as solid phase drawing molding, are capable of providing a molded article with high strength. |
| US07875348B2 |
Molecular layer and method of forming the same
A molecular layer includes a Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film of a molecule connected to a plurality of active device molecules, the molecule having a moiety with first and second connecting groups at opposed ends of the moiety. Each of the plurality of active device molecules includes a switching moiety, a self-assembling connecting group at one end of the switching moiety, and a linking group at an opposed end of the moiety. One or more defect site(s) exist between the plurality of active device molecules. A respective number of the first connecting groups of the LB film are connected to the plurality of active device molecules via at least some of the linking groups such that the LB film covers the plurality of active device molecules and the one or more defect site(s). |
| US07875347B2 |
Composite coatings for groundwall insulation, method of manufacture thereof and articles derived therefrom
Disclosed herein is an article comprising an electrical component; and an electrically insulating layer disposed upon the electrical component, wherein the electrically insulating layer comprises a thermosetting polymer and a nanosized filler; wherein the nanosized filler comprises metal oxide and diamond nanoparticles that have an average largest dimension of less than or equal to about 200 nanometers. |
| US07875342B2 |
Porous ceramic composite bone grafts
The invention relates to porous ceramic composites incorporating biodegradable polymers for use as a bone substitute in the fields of orthopedics and dentistry or as a scaffold for tissue engineering applications. The porous ceramic composite implant for connective tissue replacement comprises a porous ceramic matrix having a biodegradable polymer provided on internal and external surfaces of the ceramic matrix. The biodegradable polymer allows for the passage and/or delivery of a variety of agents throughout the porous ceramic matrix and improves mechanical properties of the implant in vivo. |
| US07875340B2 |
Heat radiation substrate having metal core and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a heat radiation substrate, including injection-molding mixed powder of carbon nanotubes and metal in a die to fabricate a metal core having through holes; molding the entire metal core including the through holes with an insulating resin to fabricate a metal core substrate; processing the insulating resin provided in the through holes to form connection holes; and forming a circuit pattern on the metal core substrate in which the connection holes are formed. |
| US07875337B2 |
Fiber and resin composite reinforcement
A resin matrix connects a plurality of longitudinally aligned fibers together adjacent an outer side of the reinforcement. The outer side of the reinforcement has elongated peaks and elongated valleys. The valleys are defined by a space absent the resin matrix and located between the longitudinally aligned fibers located between the fibers. The elongated peaks are associated with the longitudinally aligned fibers. An adhesive connects the outer side of the reinforcement to the outer side of the wood structural member. The adhesive bonds to the plurality of valleys of the reinforcement. An apparatus for manufacturing the reinforcement is also provided. |
| US07875327B2 |
Liquid crystal compound having lactone ring, liquid crystal composition, and liquid crystal display device
A nematic liquid crystal compound represented by any one of formulas (a-1) to (a-6): in formulas (a-1) to (a-6), Ra and Rb are each independently hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 10 carbons, provided that in the alkyl, —CH2- may be replaced by —O—, —(CH2)2- may be replaced by —CH═CH—, and hydrogen may be replaced by a halogen; ring A1 and ring A2 are each independently trans-1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene, provided that in these rings hydrogen may be replaced by a halogen, and in the case where the ring is trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, —CH2- may be replaced by —O—, and —CH2CH— may be replaced by —CH═C—; and Z1 and Z2 are each independently a single bond, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCH2-, —CH2O— or —CH2CH2-, provided that in formula (a-3), in the case where ring A2 is trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, Z2 is a single bond, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCH2- or —CH2O—, in the case where Ra is —C3H7, Rb is —OC2H5, and Z2 is a single bond, ring A2 is trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl, 2-fluoro- 1,4-phenylene, 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-3-chloro-1,4-phenylene, 2-chloro- 3-fluoro-3,4-phenylene or 2,3-dichloro-1,4-phenylene, and in formula (a-4), in the case where ring A1 is trans-1,4-cyclohexylene, Z1 is a single bond, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCH2- or —CH2O—. |
| US07875325B2 |
Optical film, polarizing plate, and liquid-crystal display device
An optical film comprising a transparent film, and, on the film, at least one layer formed by applying a composition comprising a titanium compound and/or a zirconium compound and a vinyl alcohol-based resin to a surface is disclosed. |
| US07875324B2 |
Biological laser printing via indirect photon-biomaterial interactions
A method of laser forward transfer is disclosed. Photon energy is directed through a photon-transparent support and absorbed by a polymer interlayer coated thereon. The energized interlayer causes the transfer of a biological material coated thereon across a gap and onto a receiving substrate. |
| US07875320B2 |
Method for producing film of vanadium pentoxide nanowires having improved alignment and vanadium pentoxide nanowire film produced thereby
A method for producing a film of vanadium pentoxide nanowires having improved alignment is provided. The method comprises the steps of a) preparing a solution of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanowires by a sol-gel method; b) diluting the solution of vanadium pentoxide nanowires with water and feeding the dilute aqueous solution into a Langmuir-Blodgett trough; c) adding a dispersant to the dilute aqueous solution of vanadium pentoxide nanowires; d) diluting a solution of a dioctadecyldimethylammonium halide with an organic solvent, applying the dioctadecyldimethylammonium halide solution to the surface of the dilute aqueous solution of vanadium pentoxide nanowires in the Langmuir-Blodgett trough, and allowing the solutions to stand to disperse the dioctadecyldimethylammonium halide solution in the Langmuir-Blodgett trough; e) controlling the surface pressure of the dioctadecyldimethylammonium halide solution using barriers mounted on the Langmuir-Blodgett trough; f) affixing a substrate to a dipping arm of the Langmuir-Blodgett trough and bringing the substrate into contact with the surface of the dioctadecyldimethylammonium halide solution; and g) separating the substrate from the dipping arm. |
| US07875312B2 |
Process for producing silicon oxide films for organoaminosilane precursors
The present invention is directed to a method for depositing a silicon oxide layer on a substrate by CVD. The reaction of an organoaminosilane precursor where the alkyl group has at least two carbon atoms in the presence of an oxidizing agent allows for the formation of a silicon oxide film. The organoaminosilanes are represented by the formulas: The use of diisopropylaminosilane is the preferred precursor for the formation of the silicon oxide film. |
| US07875311B1 |
Magnesium aluminate transparent ceramic having low scattering and absorption loss
A ceramic having at least about 90% by weight magnesium aluminate and having a bulk scattering and absorption loss of less than about 1/cm at any wavelength in a range of about 0.23 to about 5.3 microns or 0.2/cm at any wavelength in a range of about 0.27 to about 4.5 microns. A method of making a ceramic by providing a plurality of particles having a magnesium aluminate core and a fluoride salt coating; heating the particles in an oxidizing atmosphere to a temperature in the range of about 400° C. to about 750° C.; and sintering the particles to form a solid ceramic. |
| US07875300B2 |
Methods for reducing circulating glucose levels
The invention relates to methods of reducing circulating glucose levels with compositions obtained from botanical sources. More specifically, the invention relates to methods of treating individuals whom wish to reduce their circulating glucose levels, particularly individuals having elevated circulating glucose levels, with an extract product of Aframomum melegueta. |
| US07875287B2 |
Tc-labeled arylpiperazine derivatives for imaging serotonin receptor
The present invention relates to Tc-labeled arylpiperazine derivatives for imaging serotonin receptor and, more particularly, to arylpiperazine derivatives coupled with MAMA-disulfide, N2S2 or dimethyl-N2S2 chelating ligand represented by the following chemical formula (1). New arylpiperazine derivatives according to the present invention have no problem of amide hydrolysis in metabolism and have a high affinity for serotonin receptors, and can be labeled with an optimum radionuclide of technetium, thereby being usefully applied for monitoring neurodegenerative diseases or neurological diseases of a mammal. |
| US07875285B1 |
Medicated coatings for implantable medical devices having controlled rate of release
A coating for a medical device, particularly for a drug eluting stent, is described. The coating can include a polymer having in a dry state a glass transition temperature within a range of between about 20° C. and about 55° C. |
| US07875278B2 |
Monoclonal antibodies against prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) lacking in fucosyl residues
The invention pertains to anti-PSMA antibodies that lack fucosyl residues. The antibodies of the invention exhibit increased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity as compared to the fucosylated form of the antibodies. The invention also provides host cells that express the anti-PSMA antibodies that lack fucosyl residues, wherein the host cells are deficient for a fucosyl transferase. Methods of using the antibodies to inhibit the growth of PSMA+ cells, such as tumor cells, are also provided. |
| US07875276B2 |
Urinary tract tissue graft compositions and methods for producing same
A method for providing a urinary tract tissue graft composition includes providing a segment of small intestinal submucosa and isolating and culturing at least one multipotent cell type from a tissue specimen of a subject. The at least one multipotent cell type is then seeded upon a surface of the segment of small intestinal submucosa and allowed to differentiate into a unipotent cell type, thereby forming a urinary tract tissue graft. Methods for repairing a damaged urinary tract tissue of a subject are also disclosed. |
| US07875273B2 |
Treatment of Parkinson's disease and related disorders using postpartum derived cells
Cells derived from postpartum tissue such as the umbilical cord and placenta, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such cells, and methods for using such cells and pharmaceutical compositions to treat patients having a neurodegenerative condition of the substantia nigra or striatum, such as Parkinson's disease, are provided. |
| US07875267B2 |
Body cavity cleaning agent
A body cavity cleansing agent of the present invention is either poured into or applied to a navel cavity (N) or an ear hole and solidifies after a specified period of time, and the cleansing agent takes a form that can be removed from the navel cavity (N) or the ear hole together with dirt in the navel cavity (N) or the ear hole. |
| US07875261B2 |
Fluorinated resorufin compounds and their application
The invention provides novel fluorinated resorufin compounds that are of use in a variety of assay formats. Also provided are methods of using the compounds and kits that include a compound of the invention and instructions detailing the use of the compound in one or more assay formats. |
| US07875260B2 |
Imaging agents for functional imaging of lymphatic structures
Novel imaging agents targeted to a lymph vascular cell receptor and a hyaluranon cell receptor are disclosed. The disclosed imaging agents incorporate biological molecules such as hyaluronic acid which bind to the receptors. Lymph vascular cell receptor expression may be related to the beginnings of tumor formation. As such, embodiments of the imaging agents may be used to stain lymph structures for detailed imaging of lymph architecture as well as serving as potential markers for tumor angiogenesis, tumor metastases, etc. |
| US07875258B2 |
Technetium-dipyridine complexes, and methods of use thereof
One aspect of the invention relates to novel complexes of technetium (Tc) with various heteroaromatic ligands, e.g., pyridyl and imidazolyl ligands, and their use in radiopharmaceuticals for a variety of clinical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Another aspect of the invention relates to novel pyridyl ligands that form a portion of the aforementioned complexes. Methods for the preparation of the technetium complexes are also described. Another aspect of the invention relates to novel pyridyl ligands based on derivatized lysine, alanine and bis-amino acids for conjugation to small peptides by solid phase synthetic methods. Additionally, the invention relates to methods for imaging regions of a mammal using the complexes of the invention. |
| US07875254B2 |
Internal loop reactor and Oxo process using same
The invention relates to improvements in internal loop reactors. The reactor of the invention is characterized by a plurality of cooling tubes which form the annulus between the riser and the downcomer path of said internal loop reactor. The reactor also provides improvements in hydroformylation reactions using the improved reactor. |
| US07875252B2 |
Light-pipe system for lighting, ventilation and photocatalytic air purification
The invention relates to a light-pipe system for conducting/distributing light and air, which can also purify indoor air, particularly in a building, or the like. The light-pipe system includes a light-pipe for conducting light and having a clear top dome mounted at the top of the light-pipe to let in sunlight but keep out dust, rain and UV. An emitter fitted to the bottom of light-pipe improves the light distribution into the room, and a ventilation stack laid around the light-pipe coaxially/or non-coaxially, and a photocatalyst film (e.g. Nanometer TiO2) coated on the outer surface of the emitter for purifying indoor air under the illumination of light from light-pipe. The air and light are conducted separately along two different transport paths. The light-pipe system can provide illumination, ventilation and air purification simultaneously. The light source may be daylight, artificial light, light storage material or a mixture of them. Air can be moved naturally and/or is transported mechanically. Mirrors in the light-pipe may be used to control brightness and distribution. |
| US07875246B2 |
Filter column module
A filter column module is disclosed, which has an upper column having a top opening, and a protruding bottom shell. The bottom shell has a plurality of apertures, and a diameter smaller than that of the upper column. A lower column has a support at the bottom and an opening that accommodates the protruding bottom shell of the upper column. The support partially contacts the protruding bottom shell of the upper column, and liquid or air can pass through the support. A filter is placed between the protruding bottom shell of the upper column and the support of the lower column. |
| US07875243B2 |
Sensor-dispensing instruments
A sensor-dispensing instrument is adapted to determine an analyte concentration of a fluid and comprises a body, a cap, a cartridge, a test-sensor receptacle, and a sensor-advancement mechanism. The cap is adapted to move between an open position and a closed position. The cap and body are adapted to correspond with each other to form the closed position. The cartridge contains a plurality of test sensors. The cartridge is located substantially within the cap. The sensor-advancement mechanism is adapted to advance the plurality of test sensors, one at a time, to a position that allows a user to manually remove the test sensor and place the test sensor in the test-sensor receptacle. The sensor-dispensing instrument may also include a lancing device including a lancet. |
| US07875239B2 |
Sterilizer test device
A re-usable sterilizer test device is disclosed which is comprised of at least two parts which are releasably connected together. An indicator device which changes color in the presence of steam after a certain time period is deposited within the two parts. One or both of the bodies is manufactured from a material having a predetermined degree of porosity as regards steam and is generally cylindrical or spherical so that the outer surface of said one or both bodies forms a significant and substantial portion of the external surface of the assembled device. Steam penetrates the porous body and passes into a cavity inside the body from where the steam can move internally of the device through suitable passageways and into a chamber where the indicator is located. |
| US07875237B2 |
Method for manufacturing dental scaler tip using powder injection molding process, mold used therein and scaler tip manufactured by the same
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a dental scaler tip using a powder injection molding process, a mould, and a scaler tip that is excellent in shape-reliability and injects fluid to a front end thereof along a curved section of the tip. The method comprises the steps of preparing feedstock and injecting the feed stock into a mould to form a molding body, wherein, the mould comprises an operating section to which cylindrical core pins having multi steps and an eccentric end formed at a front end thereof for forming the fluid passage is mounted; and a pair of slide cores disposed for supporting the eccentric ends of the core pins such that the slide cores face each other and are slid in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the core pins to form a cavity corresponding to a shape of an article to be formed. |
| US07875233B2 |
Method of fabricating a biaxially oriented implantable medical device
Methods of manufacturing a radially expandable stent, including radial expansion and axial elongation of a polymer tube, are disclosed. |
| US07875232B2 |
Simultaneous negative cast and shell fabrication for custom hearing aids
In a method to create a hearing aid housing shell and a negative cast for a hearing aid to be fitted to a patient's ear canal, a 3D jet printer apparatus is provided able to build a 3D part by injecting both the soft material and a hard material with the soft material serving as a support for the hard material. The 3D file is input to the 3D jet printer apparatus to build the hearing aid shell with the hard material and the combined negative cast with the soft material. The negative cast is used to check a quality of the hearing aid shell and to add external features to the shell by fitting the shell into the negative cast. |
| US07875231B1 |
Method for producing fiber reinforced cement-based structural building materials
A composition for synthetic structural building materials, such as lumber, and the method used to fabricate such building materials. The synthetic building materials are molded from a composition that contains cement, sand, curing agents, water, synthetic fibers, a low density particulate and a curable polymer. These ingredients and a few others are mixed in unique ratios to produce a synthetic material that mimics the strength, flexibility, and weight of natural wood. The composition cures with time. Prior to curing, the composition is molded into the form of structural building materials, such as framing lumber and planks. Depending upon the intended purpose of the building materials, the composition can be molded around reinforcement elements that internally strengthen the composition when it is cured. The final piece of structural building material has a weight, strength and flexibility comparable to wood, yet is resistant to rot and insects. |
| US07875229B2 |
Method of making a skate boot
A method of making a lasted skate boot having an upper for enclosing and supporting a human foot having an ankle, a plantar surface, a lateral side, a medial side, and toes. The method comprises (a) forming lateral and medial quarter panels by thermoforming a sheet of foam material such that at least one of the quarter panels comprises an inner surface shaped to substantially conform to one of the lateral and medial sides of the foot; (b) assembling to the quarter panels a toe box for enclosing the toes of the foot, an inner lining having an inner surface adapted to contact the foot in use, and a tongue extending upwardly and rearwardly from the toe box to form the upper; and (c) affixing to the upper an insole for facing the plantar surface of the foot. |
| US07875228B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for maintaining part orientation during manufacturing
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for maintaining orientation of a manufactured part during a manufacturing process. The apparatus, system, and method include uncoiling a carrier from at least one supply reel and feeding the carrier into a manufacturing machine used by a manufacturing process to form a manufactured part. The apparatus, system, and method include forming the manufactured part onto at least one prong protruding from the carrier. The at least one prong and the carrier maintain orientation of the manufactured part with respect to the carrier. |
| US07875227B2 |
Molded plastic container and preform having insert-molded RFID tag
An RFID assembly includes a base having a peripheral wall, an RFID inlay including an RFID tag disposed within the peripheral wall, and a disk having a periphery engaged by the peripheral wall to capture the inlay between the base and the disk within the peripheral wall. One of the base and the disk has external fingers for releasably securing the assembly to a support structure, such as a projection on a mold core for disposition within a mold cavity to mold a container preform around the mold core within which the RFID assembly is embedded. The container preform can be blow molded into a hollow plastic container within which the RFID assembly is embedded. The projection preferably is on an end of the mold core, so that the RFID assembly is embedded in an end wall of the preform and a bottom wall of the container. |
| US07875225B2 |
Method and manufacturing a glass fiber reinforced article, and a glass fiber reinforced article
A glass fiber reinforced article can be manufactured by: applying a mixture of glass fiber and binder over a mold surface of a first mold section to form a glass fiber matrix, wherein the binder comprises an organic solvent based binder capable of holding the glass fiber in place at room temperature; closing a second mold section over the first mold section to form a plenum between the first mold section and the second mold section, wherein the glass fiber matrix is provided in the plenum between the first mold section and the second mold section; injecting a reactive polymer forming composition into the plenum; and allowing the reactive polymer forming composition to react and form a thermoset resin. A glass fiber reinforced article is provided according to the invention. |
| US07875219B2 |
Process for producing nano-scaled graphene platelet nanocomposite electrodes for supercapacitors
A process for producing meso-porous nanocomposite electrode comprising nano-scaled graphene platelets. The process comprises: (A) providing nano-scaled graphene platelets, wherein each of the platelets comprises a single graphene sheet or a stack of multiple graphene sheets, and the platelets have an average thickness no greater than 100 nm (preferably less than 5 nm and most preferably less than 2 nm in thickness); (B) combining a binder material, the graphene platelets, and a liquid to form a dispersion; (C) forming the dispersion into a desired shape and removing the liquid to produce a binder-platelet mixture; and (D) treating the binder material under a desired temperature or radiation environment to convert the binder-platelet mixture into a meso-porous nanocomposite electrode, wherein the platelets are bonded by the binder and the electrode has electrolyte-accessible pores characterized in that the nanocomposite has a surface area greater than about 100 m2/gm (preferably greater than 200 m2/gm, more preferably greater than 500 100 m2/gm, and most preferably greater than 1,000 m2/gm). A supercapacitor featuring such a nanocomposite exhibits an exceptionally high capacitance value. |
| US07875218B2 |
Methods of making transreflectors
The transreflectors may comprise two or more transparent substrates of different indices of refraction bonded together, with a pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of one of the substrates and an inverse pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of an other substrate in mating engagement with each other. The transreflectors are used in a transreflector system or display to transmit more of the light emitted by a backlight or other light source incident on one side of the transreflectors and reflect more of the light incident on the opposite side of the transreflectors. |
| US07875213B2 |
Mineral dispersants and methods for preparing mineral slurries using the same
A mineral slurry comprises mineral particles in an amount equal to or greater than about 60 percent by total weight of the slurry, wherein 85 percent of the mineral particles have an average particle size equal to or less than 2 micrometers; a polyelectrolyte dispersant derived from an acrylate polymer formed by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, wherein the polyelectrolyte dispersant comprises endgroups comprising thio-containing residues derived from a trithiocarbonate chain transfer agent, wherein the polyelectrolyte dispersant is in an amount less than about 35 pounds of the dispersant per ton of dry mineral particles, and wherein the polyelectrolyte dispersant has a molecular weight of 3000 to 10,000 Daltons and a polydispersity of at least 1.0 and less than 1.5; and the remainder water. |
| US07875211B1 |
Multifunctional cementitious nanocomposite material and methods of making the same
A high performance multifunctional cementitious nanocomposite material is made by adding a nano admixture to the water used in a conventional cementitious material manufacturing process. The nano admixture is made by dispersing nanomaterials in a solvent and sonicating the mixture, adding a hydrophilic emulsifier, thickener, additive or cellulose derived compound to hot water, where it separates and expands, cooling the water, causing the compound to dissolve, and then adding the solvent and nanomaterial mixture to the water and mechanically mixing. The contact between the nanomaterials and the surrounding matrix changes with applied stress, affecting the volume electrical response of the finished nanocomposite material. By measuring the electrical resistance of the material, its structural health, as well as the stress applied to it, can be monitored. A bridge made with the material is monitored for structural integrity and for the weight, speed, and location of traffic over the bridge. |
| US07875208B2 |
Conductive copolymer, conductive copolymer composition, film and opto-electronic device using the same
Disclosed herein is a conductive copolymer. The conductive copolymer can prevent water-absorbance, lower the concentration of polyacid contained in a molecule and exhibit superior film characteristics and excellent storage stability via a reduction in aggregation between molecules, as well as impart improved efficiency and lifetime to optoelectronic devices. The conductive copolymer includes a conductive polymer doped with a polyacid copolymer represented by Formula 1 below: Further disclosed are a conductive copolymer composition, a conductive copolymer composition film and an organic optoelectronic device, each including the conductive copolymer. |
| US07875202B2 |
Aircraft de-/anti-icer
This invention relates to an aircraft de-/anti-icer for use at low temperatures. In particular, the present invention provides the use of a composition comprising 1,3-propylene glycol, one or more surfactants, one or more corrosion inhibitors, one or more pH regulators and water for removing frozen water from the surfaces of aircraft and/or for preventing the formation of frozen water thereon at a temperature below −32° C. |
| US07875200B2 |
Method for a repair process
A method for a repair process includes the steps of subjecting a substrate coated with at least one protective metallic coating to a nitric acid solution and then subjecting the substrate with the at least one protective metallic coating to a hydrochloric acid solution to remove the at least one protective metallic coating from the substrate. The substrate includes about 5 wt %-15 wt % chromium, about 2 wt %-8 wt % cobalt, about 2 wt %-6 wt % tungsten, about 0.5 wt %-2.5 wt % titanium, about 8 wt %-16 wt % tantalum, about 2 wt %-8 wt % aluminum, hafnium in an amount no greater than 1 wt %, and a remainder of nickel. |
| US07875198B2 |
Method of deriving etching correction values for patterns of photomask and method of fabricating photomask
A method of deriving etching correction values for the patterns of a photomask and a method of fabricating a photomask are described. The former method includes the following steps. The layout data of the photomask are provided, and local etching correction values of respective patterns are determined from the pattern configurations at respective areas of the photomask. A global etching correction value is determined from a wafer coverage ratio calculated mainly from the layout data. The local etching correction values of the respective patterns are added with the global etching correction value to obtain total etching correction values of the respective patterns. In the method of fabricating a photomask, the layout data are subjected to an etching correction based on the total etching correction values of the respective patterns and then to an optical proximity correction, and the photomask patterns are formed based on the resulting layout data. |
| US07875197B2 |
Methods of etching articles via microcontact printing
Improved methods of forming a patterned self-assembled monolayer on a surface and derivative articles are provided. According to one method, an elastomeric stamp is deformed during and/or prior to using the stamp to print a self-assembled molecular monolayer on a surface. According to another method, during monolayer printing the surface is contacted with a liquid that is immiscible with the molecular monolayer-forming species to effect controlled reactive spreading of the monolayer on the surface. Methods of printing self-assembled molecular monolayers on nonplanar surfaces and derivative articles are provided, as are methods of etching surfaces patterned with self-assembled monolayers, including methods of etching silicon. Optical elements including flexible diffraction gratings, mirrors, and lenses are provided, as are methods for forming optical devices and other articles using lithographic molding. A method for controlling the shape of a liquid on the surface of an article is provided, involving applying the liquid to a self-assembled monolayer on the surface, and controlling the electrical potential of the surface. |
| US07875196B2 |
Method for forming micro lenses
A method for forming micro lenses includes the step of performing an etching treatment to an object to be processed, which includes a lens material layer and a mask layer having lens shapes and formed on the lens material layer, using an etching gas including SF6 gas and CHF3 gas, an etching gas including SF6 gas and CO gas, an etching gas including a gas having therein carbon and fluorine and CO gas, or an etching gas including two or more kinds of gases from a first gas having therein carbon and fluorine and a second gas having therein carbon and fluorine, to etch the lens material layer and the mask layer and transfer the lens shapes of the mask layer to the lens material layer, thereby forming the micro lenses. |
| US07875195B2 |
Thick porous anodic alumina films and nanowire arrays grown on a solid substrate
The presently disclosed invention provides for the fabrication of porous anodic alumina (PAA) films on a wide variety of substrates. The substrate comprises a wafer layer and may further include an adhesion layer deposited on the wafer layer. An anodic alumina template is formed on the substrate. When a rigid substrate such as Si is used, the resulting anodic alumina film is more tractable, easily grown on extensive areas in a uniform manner, and manipulated without danger of cracking. The substrate can be manipulated to obtain free-standing alumina templates of high optical quality and substantially flat surfaces. PAA films can also be grown this way on patterned and non-planar surfaces. Furthermore, under certain conditions, the resulting PAA is missing the barrier layer (partially or completely) and the bottom of the pores can be readily accessed electrically. The resultant film can be used as a template for forming an array of nanowires wherein the nanowires are deposited electrochemically into the pores of the template. By patterning the electrically conducting adhesion layer, pores in different areas of the template can be addressed independently, and can be filled electrochemically by different materials. Single-stage and multi-stage nanowire-based thermoelectric devices, consisting of both n-type and p-type nanowires, can be assembled on a silicon substrate by this method. |
| US07875189B2 |
Method for separating suspended solid materials from aqueous systems with colloidal flocculants
The invention relates to a method for separating suspended solid materials from aqueous systems, in which the latter is mixed with a flocculant made of polymer colloidal particles with cationic surface charge and subsequently the flocculated material is separated from the aqueous system. |
| US07875187B2 |
Systems and methods for creation of conducting networks of magnetic particles through dynamic self-assembly process
Self-assembly of magnetic microparticles in AC magnetic fields. Excitation of the system by an AC magnetic field provides a variety of patterns that can be controlled by adjusting the frequency and the amplitude of the field. At low particle densities the low-frequency magnetic excitation favors cluster phase formation, while high frequency excitation favors chains and netlike structures. For denser configurations, an abrupt transition to the network phase was obtained. |
| US07875185B2 |
Removal of residual sulfur compounds from a caustic stream
A process for the removal of residual sulfur compounds from a liquid caustic stream is disclosed. One embodiment of my invention adsorbs disulfides from a caustic stream using an activated carbon adsorbent while another combines both oxidation and adsorption in single step to remove residual sulfur compounds from a rich caustic stream using metal phthalocyanine supported on a solid adsorbent. This process is especially useful as a polishing step in a caustic regeneration process flow scheme. |
| US07875184B2 |
Crystallized pellet/liquid separator
A process and apparatus which reduces the fines in a liquid discharge stream and/or increases the dryness of a solids discharge stream while under a pressure equal to or greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid. There is provided a process for separating particles such as polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate from a liquid in a slurry comprising feeding a slurry comprising solid particles and a liquid into a separation zone maintained at a pressure equal to or greater than the vapor pressure of the liquid; contacting the slurry in the separation zone with a porous filter; and separating liquid from the particles, wherein the liquid flows through the filter into an outer annulus defined as a space between a wall of the separation device and the filter, said porous filter having a terminal point beyond which the separated liquid does not pass from the outer annulus back through the filter; accumulating no liquid in the outer annulus or accumulating liquid in the outer annulus at a level below the terminal point, and continuously discharging the separated liquid form the outer annulus through a liquid outlet; and decoupling the particles from the separation zone through an outlet at a low pressure below the vapor pressure of the liquid at the liquid temperature within the separation zone, while maintaining a pressure on the particles prior to decoupling at or above the vapor pressure of the liquid within the separation zone. |
| US07875182B2 |
Size-selective hemoperfusion polymeric adsorbents
Size-selective hemocompatible porous polymeric adsorbents are provided with a pore structure capable of excluding molecules larger than 50,000 Daltons, but with a pore system that allows good ingress and egress of molecules smaller than 35,000 Daltons. The pore system in these porous polymeric adsorbents is controlled by the method of synthesis so that 98% of the total pore volume is located in pores smaller than 300 Angstroms (Å) in diameter with a working pore size range within 100 to 300 Å in diameter. The porous polymeric adsorbents of this invention are very selective for extracting midsize proteins, such as cytokines and β2-microglobulin, from blood and other physiologic fluids while keeping the components required for good health such as cells, platelets, albumin, hemoglobin, fibrinogen, and other serum proteins intact. |
| US07875181B2 |
Water treatment process
A water treatment process comprising: (a) providing bioactive material in waste water, the bioactive material containing microorganisms capable of removing one or more impurities from the waste water, wherein at least 40% by volume of said bioactive material in said waste water is in granular form; and (b) passing a portion of the waste water through a membrane separator, whereby the membrane separator prevents the bioactive material from passing therethrough. |
| US07875180B2 |
Water treatment apparatus and method
An apparatus for the biological treatment of saltwater-based domestic wastewater, the apparatus having an inlet for the introduction of the saltwater-based domestic wastewater, an outlet for the removal of treated wastewater, means for monitoring the salinity level of the saltwater-based domestic wastewater entering or within the apparatus and means for controlling the salinity level of the saltwater-based domestic wastewater entering or within the apparatus such that fluctuations in the salinity level of the saltwater-based domestic wastewater are reduced and the biological treatment of the saltwater-based domestic wastewater is thereby maintained. |
| US07875178B2 |
Water quality drain basin insert
A drain basin insert having a housing, with the housing having a sidewall having a top edge and a bottom edge, and with the housing having a perforated base member secured to the sidewall at the lower edge of the sidewall, and with the housing having an outwardly extending flange at the top edge of the sidewall. The insert also includes a secondary filter means having a permeable container having hydrophobic filter media therein. The insert also has a perforated, rigid structural member having a bottom wall and a raised portion, with the raised portion attached to the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom. The insert also has a primary filter means having an outer sidewall, a bottom surface, and a central portion, with the bottom surface contacting the bottom wall of the perforated structural member, and with the central portion contacting the raised portion of the perforated structural member. The housing sidewall also has an interior lip extending inwardly therefrom located intermediate the bottom and top edges. |
| US07875176B2 |
Membrane module for fluid filtration
Embodiments of the invention provide a membrane module including a first plurality of fibers capable of filtering fluids that are helically wound in layers creating a mono helix. Fluids to be treated can flow radially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the mono helix or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mono helix. The membrane module can further include a second plurality of fibers that are helically wound with the first plurality of fibers to create a dual helix. The second plurality of fibers can have different properties than the first plurality of fibers in order to achieve different filtering functionalities. |
| US07875174B2 |
Apparatus for separating a light fluid from a heavy one and/or removing sediment from a fluid stream
An input chamber receives runoff water to be cleaned. Part of the way up the chamber wall is a restricted outlet which feeds a system for cleaning the water. At a still higher elevation another opening allows runoff water to flow to another cleaning system. Near the top of the chamber is an outlet pipe. A vertical baffle in front of the outlet cleans water that flows under the baffle on its way to the outlet. When the incoming flow rate is very high, water passes over the baffle to the outlet. |
| US07875173B1 |
Ozone generator retrofit apparatus for jetted tubs, spas, and other water circulation facilities
Retrofit apparatus for retrofitting an ozone generator to a spa, hot tub, recreational fountain, or similar facility, and a method for treating biofilms therein, are disclosed. Fittings inserted into water and air circulating lines associated with such water holding facilities, and covers provided over inlets, generally inject, retain, and concentrate ozonated gas in such lines, especially while they are not filled with water. In some embodiments, an ozone-providing plug is provided to at least one water outlet of a spa or hot tub, with other outlets being blocked. In some embodiments, covers for suction inlets, and plugs for water jets, have features to provide ozone to water circulation lines when not filled with water as well as when the tub is filled and water is circulating. In some embodiments, plugs for water jets are ejected and subsequently provide ozone to water circulating in a tub. |
| US07875171B2 |
Suction filter for an automatic transmission
A filter assembly includes a filter housing including an inlet, through which hydraulic fluid enters the housing, and an outlet, through which hydraulic fluid exits the housing, valve housing containing a bypass valve located adjacent the inlet in a chamber, the valve including an orifice that opens and closes in response to differential pressure across the valve, and a screen secured to the valve housing and covering the orifice, the screen having a fine mesh for removing contaminants from the fluid that flows through the valve. |
| US07875170B2 |
Treatment system
A treatment system comprising a holding tank for a source liquid, a pump having a pump inlet for the intake of source liquid and a pump discharge, at least one conduit connected to the pump discharge and a liquid dispenser connected to the one conduit, the dispenser comprising a container for treating liquid, a feed conduit, a dosing chamber for receiving treating liquid via the feed conduit, a vent for breaking an airlock in the dosing chamber, a first valve connected to the dosing chamber for controlling flow of treating liquid through the first valve, a second valve connected to the first valve, the second valve being operative in response to pressure resulting from the pumping of source liquid through the at least one conduit to close the second valve and open the first valve, stopping of the pump resulting in opening of the second valve and introduction of the treating liquid from the dosing chamber and into the source liquid. |
| US07875169B2 |
Leakage indicator for a filter element of a filter press
A leakage indicator is provided for a filter element of a filter press, in which the filter element has at least one membrane that can be impinged by a pressure medium. In order to create a leakage indicator that is constructed in a particularly simple manner, an indicator body is freely movable in a flow chamber. Any change in position of the indicator body, which is caused by inflowing or outflowing pressure medium, can be monitored visually or through the use of sensors. |
| US07875163B2 |
Low energy 4-cell electrochemical system with carbon dioxide gas
A low-voltage, low-energy electrochemical system and method of producing hydroxide ions and/or bicarbonate ions and/or carbonate ions utilizing significantly less than the typical 3V used across the conventional anode and cathode to produce the ions; consequently, carbon dioxide emissions attributable to the present system and method are significantly reduced. |
| US07875162B2 |
Monitored separation device
A device for separating and purifying useful quantities of particles comprises: a. an anolyte reservoir connected to an anode, the anolyte reservoir containing an electrophoresis buffer; b. a catholyte reservoir connected to a cathode, the catholyte reservoir also containing the electrophoresis buffer; c. a power supply connected to the anode and to the cathode; d. a column having a first end inserted into the anolyte reservoir, a second end inserted into the catholyte reservoir, and containing a separation medium; e. a light source; f. a first optical fiber having a first fiber end inserted into the separation medium, and having a second fiber end connected to the light source; g. a photo detector; h. a second optical fiber having a third fiber end inserted into the separation medium, and having a fourth fiber end connected to the photo detector; and i. an ion-exchange membrane in the anolyte reservoir. |
| US07875160B2 |
Method for controlling a communication between two areas by electrowetting, a device including areas isolatable from each other and method for making such a device
Device for displacing drops of liquid by electrowetting, and a method for isolating two areas delimited by at least one wall including a step for: placing by electrowetting, in an aperture of said wall, a substance capable of reacting to at least one external stimulus in order to pass from a liquid state to a gel or solid state, forming a closure member. |
| US07875158B2 |
Plating apparatus
A plating apparatus for use in forming a plated film in trenches, via holes, or resist openings that are defined in a surface of a semiconductor wafer, and forming bumps to be electrically connected to electrodes of a package, on a surface of a semiconductor wafer. The plating apparatus has a plating tank for holding a plating solution, a holder for holding a workpiece and bringing a surface to be plated of the workpiece into contact with the plating solution in the plating tank, and a ring-shaped nozzle pipe disposed in the plating tank and having a plurality of plating solution injection nozzles for injecting the plating solution to the surface to be plated of the workpiece held by the holder to supply the plating solution into the plating tank. |
| US07875156B2 |
Probe storage container, prober apparatus, probe arranging method and manufacturing method of probe storage container
A probe storage container can supply a probe in a prober apparatus without being exposed to an atmospheric air. Preferably, the probe is stored in the probe storage container by removing an oxide film in a leading end portion of the probe in accordance with a dry treatment using an ion source, for example, without being exposed to the atmospheric air. It is thus possible to replace and attach the probe with respect to the prober apparatus without being exposed to the atmospheric air, avoiding formation of an oxide film on a surface of the probe. Further, a worker attaching the probe to the prober apparatus can work without being directly in contact with the probe, and it is possible to prevent the leading end portion of the probe from being broken. Accordingly, it is possible to stably measure an electric characteristic of a semiconductor device or the like on the wafer. |
| US07875154B2 |
Preparation method of palladium alloy composite membrane for hydrogen separation
Disclosed herein is a method of preparing a palladium alloy composite membrane for hydrogen separation, including (a) providing a first metal coating layer on a porous support using a dry sputtering deposition process; (b) providing a palladium coating layer on the first metal coating layer using a dry sputtering deposition process; and (c) heat treating the palladium coating layer to form an alloy layer of palladium and the first metal. |
| US07875149B2 |
Aircraft adhesive
A method, composition, and article are disclosed relating to the formation of a hump seal on an aircraft transparency. The method includes applying to the aircraft transparency an adhesive composition having a Part A and a Part B. Part A includes a plasticizer, a cross-linking agent, and an adhesion promoter. Part B includes a moisture resister and an abrasion resister, with the adhesive composition being substantially sulfide free. In one example, the moisture resister includes polybutadiene. In another example, the adhesion promoter includes an epoxy silane. |
| US07875147B2 |
Method for welding together plastic parts with the aid of laser radiation
Provided is a process for fusion-bonding plastic parts with the aid of laser radiation of a wavelength outside the visible region, wherein a bonding region of a plastic part to be bonded comprises at least one material which is transparent in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, is substantially colorless and absorbs the laser radiation, wherein the material comprises at least one nonionic compound that is resistant to the laser radiation, has a thermal stability of at least 300° C. and is selected from polycyclic organic compounds, doped tin oxides and hexaborides MB6 of lanthanides and alkaline earth metals M. Also provided is a preparation suitable for producing fusion-bonded plastic parts with the aid of laser radiation whose wavelength is outside the visible region, the preparation comprising: a thermoplastic matrix polymer suitable for forming the plastics parts; at least one of said material; optional UV stabilizers; and optional additives. |
| US07875146B2 |
Method of producing harmonics generating device
It is provided a chip having a supporting substrate, a wavelength conversion layer, a base adhesive layer made of an organic resin, an upper-side substrate provided on an upper surface side of the wavelength conversion layer, and an upper-side adhesive layer made of an organic resin for adhering the wavelength conversion layer to the upper-side substrate. The wavelength conversion layer has an optical waveguide with a periodic domain inversion structure provided therein. The chip is heat treated. Anti-reflection films are formed on an incident side end face and projection side end face of the optical waveguide, respectively. |
| US07875143B2 |
Method and apparatus for labeling containers
A label for a container is formed by wrapping a length of label material around a cylindrical mandrel and introducing heat, adhesive or other sealing means into a gap between the leading end portion of the label material and the trailing end portion as the label material is wrapped around the mandrel. The cylindrical sleeve is slid off of the mandrel and telescoped over a container passing thereunder. The container with a cylindrical sleeve therearound is then moved to a heating station which heats the label material, preferably foam polystyrene, to cause it to shrink into conformity with the contour of the container. |
| US07875142B2 |
Multi-ply wrap label
A multi-ply, expanded content wrap label includes a base ply and an upper ply thereon with adhesive applied to the underside of a trailing end of the base ply to form a splice between the base ply and the upper side of the upper ply when the label is applied to a container. |
| US07875137B2 |
Method for applying and monitoring an application structure comprising a repairing function and device therefore
A method for applying and monitoring an application structure comprising a repairing function and device thereof are provided. The method includes arranging automatically a first application structure on the substrate using the application device. The first application structure on the substrate monitored by the at least one camera such that the at least one camera is constantly aligned to the first application structure and the first application structure. The method further includes transmitting the images acquired by the at least one camera to an image processing device that analyzes the images of the first application structure and the image processing device filing partial areas of the first application structure. The method also includes applying, after application of all partial areas of the first application structure, at least a second application structure to the substrate by the application device based on the repair list. |
| US07875134B2 |
Fe-based alloy having corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance and preparation method thereof
A corrosion and wear resistant iron (Fe)-based alloy is provided. The Fe-based alloy consists essentially of 14.1 to 14.7% by weight of chromium (Cr), 1.41 to 1.47% by weight of carbon (C), 1.78 to 5.46% by weight of titanium (Ti), 0.11 to 0.39% by weight of aluminum (Al), 0.07 to 0.27% by weight of vanadium (V) and the balance of iron (Fe). The Fe-based alloy is highly resistant to corrosion and wear. In addition, since the Fe-based alloy is prepared using titanium alloy scrap at reduced cost, it is economically advantageous. Furthermore, the Fe-based alloy is environmentally friendly in terms of resource recycling. Further provided is a method for preparing the Fe-based alloy. |
| US07875128B2 |
Method for manufacturing a stainless steel product and a stainless steel product manufactured by the method
A Ni-free stainless steel product excellent in workability and corrosion resistance and a method for manufacturing such stainless steel product. A ferritic stainless steel product containing 18 to 24% by mass of Cr and 0 to 4% by mass of Mo is brought into contact with an inert gas containing a nitrogen gas at 800 degrees C. or above to subject it to nitrogen absorption treatment so that the product is austenitized partially or wholly to obtain such nickel-free product. |
| US07875127B2 |
Movable sink parts washer
The present disclosure is directed to a parts washer with a movable sink and a movable lid connected to a housing for facilitating replacement and maintenance of a cleaning solution reservoir. A pump is also pivotally connected to the sink to lift the pump during replacement and maintenance operations. |
| US07875126B2 |
Method of supplying gas to medical instruments for water leakage examination
There is provide an apparatus for washing and disinfecting an endoscope having a duct for detecting a water leakage, the duct having an opening to which a fitting is attached. The apparatus comprises a nozzle unit having a nozzle to supply a gas into the duct via the fitting in a case where the nozzle is inserted into the fitting and a base member holding the nozzle member. The apparatus further comprises a gas supplying unit capable of supplying the gas to the nozzle, a shifting unit capable of shifting the base member toward the fitting of the endoscope, and a controlling unit controlling drive of the shifting unit to shift the base toward the fitting and to drive of the gas supplying unit to allow the nozzle to blow the gas from before the nozzle reaches the fitting. |
| US07875125B2 |
Method for extending equipment uptime in ion implantation
The invention features in-situ cleaning process for an ion source and associated extraction electrodes and similar components of the ion-beam producing system, which chemically removes carbon deposits, increasing service lifetime and performance, without the need to disassemble the system. In particular, an aspect of the invention is directed to an activating, catalytic, or reaction promoting species added to the reactive species to effectively convert the non-volatile molecular residue into a volatile species which can be removed by conventional means. |
| US07875124B2 |
Method for performing wash cycles in a dishwasher
A method for performing wash cycles in a dishwasher comprising factory includes presetting the dishwasher to an adapted wash cycle as a default cycle, the adopted wash cycle being adapted to a combination product including a detergent agent and at least one of a water-softening agent and a rinse agent. A wash cycle is selected using a control element. Using a cycle controller, the adapted wash cycle is performed until a filling of at least one reservoir with a rinse aid or a water softener salt. Using the cycle controller, a predetermined number of standard wash cycles are performed after the filling of the at least one reservoir. |
| US07875122B2 |
Industrial dishwasher and method of operating the same
Industrial dishwasher and method of operating the same, wherein, during at least one operating state other than the drying phase, program control automatically provides for second ambient air to be blown by means of the additional blower directly into the drying channel and through the latter and out through the blowing-out opening, the dishwasher being switched on but the main blower being switched off. |
| US07875121B2 |
Method for maintaining a pipe comprising a particle trap system extending along the pipe, and devices for carrying out the method
A pipe maintenance method and device is particularly suited for maintaining a pipe of a gas-insulated high-voltage line with a particle trap system extending along the pipe. The novel method enables poorly accessible sections to be reached. To this end, a maintenance unit is displaced along the particle trap system, and it is guided thereby. |
| US07875118B2 |
Crystallization method and crystallization apparatus
A crystallization method includes the steps of melting a crystallized material in a crucible by heating, and growing a crystal by cooling and coagulating the melted material, wherein said melting step includes introducing a predetermined gas into the melted material. |
| US07875116B2 |
Silicon single crystal producing method, annealed wafer, and method of producing annealed wafer
A method in which SSDs are reliably reduced while reducing void defects other than the SSDs on a wafer surface, which is essential for an annealed wafer, and ensuring that BMDs serving as gettering source in a bulk are generated, in order to stabilize the quality of the annealed wafer. Considering that annealing a silicon wafer leads to an increase of density (quantity) of deposits associated with oxygen and nitrogen and forming a core of the SSDs, SSDs are decreased by reducing the density (quantity) of the deposits associated with oxygen and nitrogen by controlling three parameters of oxygen concentration, nitrogen concentration and cooling concentration during the process of pulling and growing the silicon single crystal 6 before annealing. Alternatively, SSD is reduced by polishing after annealing. |
| US07875111B2 |
Anti-skinning composition for oil based coating material
The invention provides anti-skinning compositions for use in manufacturing oil-based coating materials. The novel anti-skinning compositions are clear, homogeneous solutions of cyclohexanone oxime that can be prepared by dissolving cyclohexanone oxime in a suitable carboxylic acid or mixture of carboxylic acids. Suitable carboxylic acids include fatty acids, such as fatty acids of tall oil distillate. Surprisingly, the fatty acids are useful as delivery solvents over a useful range of temperatures and have desirable flash points. They are compatible with many oil-based coating materials. The anti-skinning compositions and manufacturing methods of the present invention are especially useful in the manufacture of oil-based paints containing metal carboxylate driers. |
| US07875108B2 |
Inactivating device for virus, bacteria, etc. and air conditioner using the same
An inactivating device for inactivating virus, bacteria, etc. including a humidifying unit for humidifying flowing air, a humidifying water supply unit for supplying the humidifying unit with humidifying water containing active oxygen species achieved by electrolyzing tap water, and a concentration adjusting unit for adjusting the concentration of the active oxygen species in the humidifying water to a predetermined concentration. |
| US07875107B2 |
Hydrogen storage tank and its manufacturing method
A manufacturing method of a hydrogen storage tank stored with a hydrogen gas by including built-in hydrogen-occlusion alloys, has a stacking step of stacking plate members building up heat transfer fins, an arranging step of disposing the hydrogen-occlusion alloys between the neighboring plate members so as to form an area in which to dispose the hydrogen-occlusion alloys and an area in which to dispose none of the hydrogen-occlusion alloys, and a pressurizing step of forming air spaces sectioned by the plate members building up the heat transfer fins and containing the previously built-in hydrogen-occlusion alloys in a way that gets a part of the plate members deformed by pressurizing the plate members in a stacking direction thereof so as to restrict migrations of the hydrogen-occlusion alloys disposed in the arranging step. |
| US07875100B2 |
Service life indicator for chemical filters
A method is provided for indicating the useful service life of a gas filtration and purification system comprising steps of embedding two or more mass-responsive electronic sensors (e.g., surface acoustic wave devices) in a sorbent bed of a filtration cartridge, wherein the mass-responsive electronic sensors are coated with a non-conductive absorptive organic polymer; passing a gas containing a volatile chemical of interest through the filtration cartridge and in contact with the two mass-responsive electronic sensors; and measuring a difference in an electronic property between the two mass-responsive electronic sensors. In such a manner, the two mass-responsive electronic sensors act as internal references with respect to each other, thereby eliminating variations in temperature, interferents, pressure, and the like. When the volatile compound is no longer retained by the sorbent bed, a difference electronic properties of the mass-responsive sensors indicates that the filtration cartridge should be replaced. |
| US07875099B2 |
Air filtration in computer systems
An electronic device includes a housing defining a chamber, a circuit board positioned in the chamber and having at least one integrated circuit, an air inlet port and an air outlet port formed in the housing, a fluid flow generator to generate an air flow across the circuit board in the chamber, and an electrostatic air filtration system to filter air entering the chamber from the air inlet port. |
| US07875098B2 |
Centrifugal separator for cleaning of gas
The invention refers to a centrifugal separator comprising a stationary casing defining an inner space, a spindle and a rotating member, which is attached to the spindle and arranged to rotate around an axis of rotation with a rotary speed. The rotating member comprises a number of separating discs which are provided in the inner space. A drive member drives the spindle and the rotating member with said rotary speed. A sensor device senses the rotation of the rotating member in relation to the casing. The sensor device comprises at least one transmitter element which is provided in the inner space on the rotating member and a receiver element which is provided at the casing and arranged to sense the transmitter element. The receiver element is provided on the casing outside the inner space. |
| US07875096B2 |
Fertilizer
This invention relates to a process for producing an organic fertilizer, and an organic fertilizer containing organic carbon carriers. According to an embodiment of the invention, the organic fertilizer is produced by mixing organic matter with water adding an organic acid or acids such as EDTA, amino acids, fuivic acid or propionic acid, preferably propionic acid (25%); or a base such as KOH or NaOH1 preferably KOH to the mixture; and decomposing organic matter with the acid/s or base in order to extract organic carbon solution having a carbon content of 10 to 20. The invention also relates to an organic fertilizer containing macro or micro nutrientfe and an organic carrier bound to or complexed with an organic carbon carrier. |
| US07875093B1 |
Air filter arrangement for an agricultural combine having with stationary and rotary filters
An air filter arrangement for an agricultural combine located on a panel at a side wall of the agricultural combine. The air filter arrangement includes a rotary filter mounted for rotation at a first aperture, a scoop enclosing the rotary filter and blocking substantially all air flow to the rotary filter except at a scoop inlet disposed along an upper edge of the scoop above the rotary filter, and at least one stationary filter disposed to filter air passing through a second aperture in the panel, the stationary filter being located between an upper portion of the rotary filter and the scoop inlet. |
| US07875091B2 |
Rapid tooling system and methods for manufacturing abrasive articles
A rapid structuring media cartridge includes a cartridge body, a first binder and first abrasive particles. The cartridge is operable to deposit successive patterned layers including the first binder and first abrasive particles to form an abrasive structure. |
| US07875082B2 |
Ulnar head prosthesis system
An ulnar prosthesis assembly comprising a head formed with a curved surface extending between opposed ends and a stem. One of the ends of the head has an attachment bore defined therein. The attachment bore generally has a first diameter and includes an attachment groove thereabout with a second diameter greater than the first diameter to define at least one attachment shoulder. The stem has a stem body extending between a proximal end configured for implantation in a target bone and a distal end configured to be received in the attachment bore. The distal end has a locking flange extending radially therefrom. The locking flange defines a locking shoulder having a diameter greater than the first diameter such that upon receipt in the attachment bore, the locking shoulder engages the attachment shoulder. |
| US07875077B2 |
Support structure device and method
An artificial vertebral joint is interposed between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra. The artificial vertebral joint comprises a rostral joint component having a first surface adapted for engagement with an endplate of the superior vertebra, a first anterior articulation surface, and a support tab adapted for extending from the first surface and for engaging a portion of the endplate. The portion of the endplate extends from the first surface to a posterior edge of the endplate. The joint further comprises a caudal joint component having a second surface adapted for engagement with an endplate of the inferior vertebra and a spacer component adapted for interposition between the rostral joint component and the caudal joint component. |
| US07875075B2 |
Hybrid intervertebral spinal fusion implant
An implant made of at least two different materials. The implant may include materials with varying radiolucency and mechanical properties. Such a hybrid implant may offer controlled radiographic visibility and optimized structural properties for implant placement, including placement for use in spinal arthrodesis. |
| US07875063B1 |
Tissue repair device and apparatus and method for fabricating same
A method for fabricating a device for repairing torn tissue or muscle such as the meniscus of the knee. The device includes a pair of anchoring members having a plurality of barb-like projections extending outwardly therefrom. The anchoring members are joined by a flexible linking member which connects the ends of the anchoring members opposite one another. Such a device can be fabricated by insert molding of the appropriate members together. |
| US07875049B2 |
Expandable guide sheath with steerable backbone and methods for making and using them
Apparatus and methods are provided for providing access to a body lumen. The apparatus includes a tubular member including a proximal end, a distal end sized for insertion into a body lumen, and a lumen extending therebetween. A pushable stiffening member extends from the distal end of the tubular member. An expandable sheath extends along at least a portion of the stiffening member, the sheath being expandable from a contracted condition to facilitate insertion into a body lumen, and an enlarged condition wherein the sheath at least partially defines a lumen communicating with the tubular member lumen. A distal portion of the sheath is steerable, e.g., using a pull wire disposed within a lumen of the sheath or within the stiffening member. In addition or alternatively, the stiffening member may be biased to a predetermined shape to facilitate introduction. |
| US07875036B2 |
Short term treatment for uterine disorder
A method and device for treating a female patient's uterine disorder by occluding one or both of the patient's uterine artery. The treatment involves occluding one or both of the patient's uterine arteries with an intravaginal device to form a thrombus within the occluded artery or arteries and administering an agent which will prolong the occlusion of the artery or arteries after removal of the occluding device or initiate or accelerate fibroid cell apoptosis (programmed cell death). The intravaginal device has a pair of pivotally connected occluding members, with at least one of the occluding member having a movable occluding element on a distal shaft section of the occluding member. |
| US07875031B2 |
System and method for implanting spinal stabilization devices
A system and a method for providing minimally invasive access to the spine of a patient and implanting spinal stabilization devices. The system utilizes one or more post-type access devices. The post-type access device includes a cage with an aperture and two or more posts extending from the cage and being removably attached to the cage. The posts are supported at the top of the access device by a support ring structure. A pedicle screw is inserted into the access device and through the cage aperture and the screw-access device assembly is inserted into an opening of the patient's body. The base aperture is dimensioned to securely support the head of the screw. Side openings between the posts allow the insertion and placement of stabilization devices, such as rods, wires, or plates from almost any direction. |
| US07875028B2 |
Ablation device with jaws
System, device and method for ablating target tissue adjacent pulmonary veins of a patient through an incision. An ablation device can include a hinge including a cam assembly, a moving arm, a floating jaw, and a lower jaw. Fingers can engage the floating jaw to hold the floating jaw in a first position with respect to the moving arm. Some embodiments of the invention can provide an ablation device including a central support, an upper four-bar linkage coupled to the central support, an upper jaw coupled to the upper linkage, a lower four-bar linkage coupled to the central support, and a lower jaw coupled to the lower linkage. Some embodiments of the invention can provide an ablation device having an upper jaw including a first cannula connection and a lower jaw including a second cannula connection. The system can include a first catheter coupled to the first cannula connection and a second catheter coupled to the second cannula connection. The first and second catheters can be inserted through the incision and can move the upper and lower jaws adjacent the pulmonary veins. |
| US07875014B2 |
Absorbent garment having a garment shell
A disposable absorbent garment for wear about a wearer's waist includes a garment shell and an absorbent assembly constructed to take in and retain body exudates released by the wearer, the absorbent assembly including an inner waist band. The absorbent assembly may be permanently detached from the garment shell. The garment shell has limited attachment to the absorbent assembly at front and rear attachment zones. The inner waist belt provides tension on each side of the absorbent assembly to provide effective coverage of the wearer. |
| US07875012B2 |
Elastic disposal means
There is provided an expandable disposal tape for use in a disposable absorbent article comprising an extensible base layer, the base layer having an attachable portion and an expandable portion. The expandable portion is formed of an extensible web material and further is provided with one or more lines of separation such that the expandable portion can be expanded to form at least one loop. This loop can then be extended by extending the extensible web material. |
| US07875011B2 |
Cooling, heating, bladder relief, gas, hydration and nutrition chem-bio suit connectivity system
This invention is a Cooling, Heating, Bladder Relief, Gas, Hydration and Nutrition Chem-Bio Suit Connectivity System used connecting various life function support systems in Chemical-Biological Protective Suits. The connectivity system provides means to quick connect and disconnect various user desired support systems including cooling and heating, bladder relief, gas, hydration and nutrition and external to a user that is inside a Chem-Bio Suit. The connectivity system is capable of allowing a user to use any of the support systems either in any combination thereof or individually. The connectivity system self perforates and self seals upon installation in the Chem-Bio Suit and seals upon connection and disconnection of life support systems to prevent contamination from entering inside the Chem-Bio Suit and threatening the health or safety of the user. The connectivity system is easily field installed with no tools required and contains internal electrical, electronic and fiber optic communications capability. |
| US07875009B2 |
Fluid control device
A fluid control device is characterized in that the device is structured of a hollow first fluid path (21) and second fluid path (22), a housing portion (1) formed between the first fluid path and the second fluid path and having a hollow portion with a cross-sectional area larger than cross-sectional areas of both fluid paths, and a valve member (3) that has a main body (31) and a projection portion (32) that are installed in an opening portion where the first fluid path is connected to the hollow portion and that is formed of an elastic material. The fluid control device enables the circulation of liquid when the pressure of liquid flowing from the first fluid path toward the second fluid path is more than a predetermined level. The fluid control device enables accurate and safe measurement of pressure including blood pressure, and, when flushing operation of an infusion circuit etc. is finished, the device enables speedy lowering of pressure to a value that accurately reflects blood pressure of a patient and enables obtaining of a necessary flow rate in a region where pressure is relatively low. |
| US07875008B2 |
Barrier catheter apparatus and method
A catheter for use in delivery or withdrawal of a formulation, wherein the catheter has an outer layer comprising a bio-compatible material and a barrier layer comprising a material that provides a more effective barrier than the outer layer against inward and outward diffusion of substances that may cause destabilization of the formulation. The catheter may include a flared distal end tip to aid in the release, during a bolus delivery or catheter flush, of any obstruction situated at the distal end tip of the catheter. The catheter may also include a slit valve at the distal end tip which has one or more and, preferably a plurality of slits that may be elastically extended to an open position by the expulsion of the formulation during an IIP pump stroke. During the interval between IIP pump strokes, the slits return to a closed position and hinder the inflow of body fluid into the distal end tip. |
| US07875007B2 |
Syringe accessory
According to the invention, the accessory (1) comprises a body (15) of roughly semi-tubular shape, first means of holding the syringe comprising a distal transverse wall (20) connected to one end of said body (15), and pierced with a hole (22) for the passage of the needle (7) through it, and second means of holding the syringe comprising a bearing zone (61) against which the proximal flange (10) or the lateral lugs that the syringe body (5) comprises is or are intended to bear so as to provide support for the user's fingers; the distance between said distal transverse wall (20) and said bearing zone (61) is such that the adapter (8) connecting the needle (7) to the syringe body (5) is kept bearing against said distal transverse wall (20) when said flange (10) or said lateral lugs are bearing against said bearing zone (61). |
| US07875003B2 |
Medical device with elastomeric bulb
In a pre-filled Foley catheter for urine drainage, the conventional clip for releasing sterile water from a bulb (21) at the proximal end of the catheter, to fill the anchor bulb (20) at the distal end of the device, is replaced by a plug (25) which has an annular portion connected to a thin stem (27) by a circle of weakness. Snapping the stem (27) from the annulus provides a tactile signal through the opaque latex lumen that the catheter has been actuated. There is no separate clip to be disposed of. The interface between the latex and the plug remains undisturbed. Further improvement in the shelf-life and convenience of use of the catheter is delivered by the use of a sleeve, which can be of shrink-wrap material, around the bulb (21) and optionally also around the drain coupling (15) of the catheter. Apparatus for placing the plug and the sleeve is also described. |
| US07874998B2 |
Filtration devices and related methods thereof
The present invention relates to filtration devices and related methods of use. In particular, the present invention relates to implantable filtration devices used, for example, for filtering impurities from a body fluid of a subject. |
| US07874992B2 |
Method for continuous baroreflex sensitivity measurement
A medical device and method for determining baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) based on one or more respiration cycles. The BRS determination may be performed continuously based on measurements of heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration cycles. |
| US07874987B2 |
Targets and methods for ultrasound catheter calibration
A method for calibrating an ultrasound probe includes directing the probe to receive ultrasonic waves reflected from a target that includes one or more linear elements, which are arranged to intersect the beam plane of the probe at respective intersection points. Signals are received from the probe responsively to the reflected ultrasonic waves, and the probe is aligned by modifying at least one of a position and an orientation of the probe responsively to the signals so that the intersection points occur in a desired location in the beam plane. |
| US07874984B2 |
Methods for delivering a drug to a patient while preventing the exposure of a foetus or other contraindicated individual to the drug
Novel methods for delivering a drug to a patient while preventing the exposure of a foetus or other contraindicated individual to the drug. Embodiments are provided in which the involved prescribers, pharmacies and patients are registered in one or more computer databases. Embodiments are also provided in which registered patients receive counseling information concerning the risks attendant to foetal exposure to the drug. Male patients and female patients who are not pregnant may, in certain circumstances, receive the drug. |
| US07874983B2 |
Determination of emotional and physiological states of a recipient of a communication
A communication device capable of determining an emotional or physiological state of a user of the device includes an input device that provides a signal indicative of one of an emotional and a physiological state of a user of the device. A controller receives the signal from the input device and interprets the signal into state data identifying one of an emotional and a physiological state of a user of the device. The device makes the state data available to be downloaded such that a device sending a communication can appropriately adapt its communication method and transport mode of user interface to suit the recipient's condition. |
| US07874978B2 |
Implantable pump
An implantable pump with a plurality of protrusions and grooves is described. |
| US07874977B2 |
Anti-stuttering device
A device for treating and reducing stuttering by utilizing auditory feedback. A bone conducting hearing aid apparatus is arranged to be attached to the skull bone of a user with a stuttering problem so that his ear canal is left free. A tactile component in the form of a vibrator mechanically transmits sound information to the inner ears of the user via the skull bone so that both cochleas are stimulated. The cochlea on the opposite side of the skull receives a signal that is further delayed and also has another frequency characteristics compared to the digital received by the nearest cochlea. |
| US07874976B1 |
Echogenic strands and spacers therein
Echogenic strands and spacers are provided for use in brachytherapy. Methods of making the strands and spacers are also provided. An echogenic strand for use in brachytherapy includes an encapsulating material, a seed disposed within the encapsulating material, and a spacer disposed within the encapsulating material and arranged adjacent to the seed. The spacer has an external length and a chamber formed along the external length, the chamber being adapted to improve ultrasound visibility relative to the spacer. |
| US07874975B2 |
Methods and compositions for treating luminal inflammatory disease
Compositions, articles, and methods for treating and imaging vulnerable plaque and other inflamed regions in a patient rely on delivery of a conversion electron emitting source (CEES) to a body location. The CEES may be delivered by coupling to a substance which preferentially binds to vulnerable plaque or other inflammatory marker. Alternatively, the CEES can be delivered on a catheter, scaffold, or other device. |
| US07874973B2 |
Centrifuge with steam sterilization
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuge in which a steam sterilization of a sample flow passage is performed, the centrifuge including: a rotor configured to centrifuging a liquid sample; a drive portion that drives and rotates the rotor; a chamber that accommodates the rotor therein, the chamber having a first and a second penetration holes provided on an upper and a bottom portions thereof, respectively; and a first and a second valves disposed on the first and the second penetration holes, respectively; wherein a cooling gas is introduced through one of the first and the second penetration holes and discharged through the other to cool a periphery of the rotor before or after execution of a centrifuging operation of the liquid sample. |
| US07874971B2 |
Calf extension training device
A calf extension training device which focuses training on the calf muscles is disclosed herein. The training device may comprise a frame, base, riser, sled, and one or more springs. The sled may comprise a sled frame and shoulder extensions, and is configured to move along the length of the frame while attached to one or more springs. Generally, the user stands on the riser leaving the user's heels unsupported while the user's shoulders are engaged by the shoulder extensions of the sled. The user may then lift and lower the sled using his or her calf muscles. This occurs by the user raising or lowering his or her body by extending and flexing the ankles. Resistance may be provided by one or more springs attached to the sled and the frame. The springs may provide variable resistance against the force of the user's calf muscles. |
| US07874968B2 |
Leg rehabilitation apparatus
A leg rehabilitation apparatus comprises a base including first and second base members, wherein the first base member is linearly adjustably connected to the second base member. The first base member including an adjustable thigh support member attached thereto; the second base member including a movable boom attached thereto via a resistance module that offers adjustable dynamic resistance there between during relative movements thereof. The adjustable boom including a bracket that is linearly movable along the length of the boom; the bracket including an adjustable foot and ankle rest, such that a user can place their thigh upon the thigh support member and a foot within the foot and ankle rest and thereby move their leg in a plurality of motions against the resistance of the resistance module in order to exercise and rehabilitate chosen muscle groups within the leg. |
| US07874964B2 |
Systems for determining the position of a punching bag
A punching bag system is provided for determining the position of a punching bag. A punching bag is suspended by a coupling from a stand which permits the punching bag to travel between an up position where it is in contact with a contact area on the stand, and a down position where it is free from contact with the stand. Light-emitting devices and light-receiving devices are radially positioned on the stand between the coupling and the contact area. Light is emitted from the light-emitting devices and reflected into the light-receiving devices when the punching bag is in the up position. The light-receiving devices generate an output proportional to the amount of light received therein which is analyzed to determine if the punching bag is in the up position. A metric is determined based in part on the determined position and is presented by an output device. |
| US07874957B2 |
Apparatus for measuring exercise performance
An integrated sensor apparatus capable of detecting exercise equipment parameters such as power output and cadence is designed so as to be easily retrofittable to existing equipment. To the extent that a particular sensor uses friction measurement, it can supplant an existing friction causing device on the equipment. Additionally, the sensor can communicate, wirelessly if desired, with a processing device. The processing device is capable of receiving and processing a plurality of sensor signals. The processing device can then output processed signals to a display, so that a plurality of people joining in a group exercise or competition can easily track their relative performance in real-time. |
| US07874955B2 |
Bicycle transmission system
An enclosed bicycle drivetrain is provided that produces a range of drive ratios suitable for any riding purpose. The enclosure of substantially the entire drivetrain is made practical by the synergistic cooperation of a planetary drive system using a single chain ring and a streamlined rear derailleur system that separates the tensioning and chain guiding functions of a conventional rear derailleur, allowing the rear derailleur components to remain substantially within the shadow of the outer perimeter of the bicycle frame. The planetary drive system is provided with a unique compound pawl that may be easily disengaged from a planetary ratchet member under full riding loads by the application of a small force to destabilize the pawl. A unique shift buffer mechanism cooperates with the rear derailleur system to buffer and store up to the full range of available shift commands. |
| US07874952B2 |
Power transmission chain and power transmission device
A power transmission chain includes a plurality of links aligned in a chain travel direction and a coupling member that includes a first power transmission member and a second power transmission member. The first power transmission member includes an opposing portion that opposes the corresponding second power transmission member and contacts the corresponding second power transmission member on a contact portion that undergoes displacement in association with a change of a bending angle between corresponding links in a contact state including at least one of rolling contact and sliding contact. The opposing portion includes an arc-shaped portion having a predetermined radius of curvature and a rate-of-change increasing portion. The arc-shaped portion includes a portion that forms the contact portion when the bending angle is equal to or greater than zero and equal to or smaller than a predetermined boundary angle. |
| US07874950B2 |
Tensioner with reinstallation feature
A tensioner enables easy and reliable reinstallation of the tensioner and belt in the field service while simultaneously making it possible to utilize a one-way clutch device to ensure continuous belt tension control without cumbersome manual alignment and/or realignment procedures. The tensioner has a pivot shaft configured for mounting on an engine surface. A tensioner arm is mounted on the pivot shaft for pivotal movement between a free arm stop position and premount stop position. A belt-engaging pulley is mounted for rotation on the tensioner arm. A base cup is rotatably mounted around an end of the pivot shaft. The base cup has an arcuate slot having a free arm stop end and a premount stop end. The tensioner arm cooperates with the arcuate slot limiting the pivotal movement of the tensioner arm. A spring is coupled between the tensioner arm and the base cup biasing the tensioner arm in a belt-tensioning direction. An anti-kickback stop mechanism engages the pivot shaft and has a lost motion connection with the tensioner arm wherein the tensioner arm moves through a free range without engaging the anti-kickback mechanism. The tensioner arm 1) rotates the anti-kickback mechanism as the tensioner arm moves beyond the free range towards the premount stop position and 2) enables the anti-kickback mechanism as the tensioner arm moves beyond the free range towards the free arm stop position, limiting travel of the tensioner arm therebeyond. The spring is fixable relative to the pivot shaft upon the tensioner being mounted on the engine surface. |
| US07874945B2 |
Head retaining mechanism for a lacrosse stick
A mechanism for securing a handle to a head, particularly of a lacrosse stick, comprises a shaft having a wedge portion positioned at a distal end thereof, a binding plate positioned adjacent to said shaft, and a means for moving said wedge portion in a longitudinal direction relative to said binding plate. Longitudinal movement of said wedge portion causes latitudinal movement of said binding plate, thereby binding said handle to said head. Such a mechanism can be used in a method for securing and maintaining secure the joint between a handle and a head, either in a new lacrosse stick or as a retrofit. |
| US07874936B2 |
Composite articles and methods for making the same
The present disclosure pertains to composite articles, and in particular a composite face plate for a golf club-head, and methods for making the same. In certain embodiments, a composite face plate for a club-head is formed with a cross-sectional profile having a varying thickness. The face plate comprises a lay-up of multiple, composite prepreg plies. At least a portion of the plies comprise a plurality of elongated prepreg strips arranged in a predetermined criss-cross pattern in the lay-up. The prepreg strips create one or more areas of increased thickness where the strips overlap each other, thereby creating a desired profile for the plate. Metallic or polymer covers or cover layers can be used to define a striking surface. |
| US07874934B2 |
Interchangeable shaft system
A golf club incorporating an interchangeable shaft system includes a shaft, a shaft sleeve, a club head. The shaft sleeve is coupled to an end of the shaft and is received in a hosel included in the club head. The shaft sleeve is removably coupled to the club head. Hosel and shaft sleeve alignment features provide discreet orientations between the shaft and club head. |
| US07874930B2 |
Golf swing training tool providing a direct visual indication of proper club head swing path
The present golf swing training tool assists a golfer in learning the correct swing path the club head should follow during a normal golf swing, in order to consistently hit the ball in the desired direction, by providing a direct visual prompt of the proper club head swing path during each swing of the golf club. The tool may be used indoors or outdoors and is very portable. |
| US07874929B2 |
System and method for training a golf club stroke
A system is provided for training a golf club stroke. The system includes a sensor, and a transmitter positioned in a spaced relation to the sensor, where the transmitter transmits a signal received by the. The system further includes a golf club including a head including a transparent medium region, where the head is positioned between the sensor and the transmitter. The signal passes through the transparent medium region. |
| US07874928B2 |
Performance measuring device for golf club
A performance measuring device for a golf club that measures a motion state of a golf ball hit by the golf club and displays a measurement result, includes a camera part that takes a picture of the hit golf ball, a sensor part that detects a passage of the golf club hitting the golf ball and sends a trigger signal of deciding a photographing timing of the golf ball to the camera part, a control box having storage unit that stores an image of the golf ball photographed by the camera part and a USB interface that sends the image, and a mobile type computer having an arithmetical operation unit that analyzes the image, and a liquid crystal monitor that displays an analytic result. The mobile type computer includes a central processing unit having a clock frequency of 500 MHz or more, and a basic software achieving multitask and multiwindow. |
| US07874927B2 |
Capacitive sensing in user interface and motion control for a child motion device
A child motion device includes a motor to drive motion, a capacitive sensor array responsive to the motion to generate feedback information indicative of the motion, a control circuit coupled to the capacitive sensor array to control the motor based on the feedback information, and a user interface having a capacitive sensor element configured to recognize operator interaction with the user interface. The control circuit is coupled to the capacitive sensor element to control operation of the child motion device in accordance with the operator interaction. With the control circuit coupled to both the capacitive sensor array and the capacitive sensor element, the same control circuitry can be utilized in connection with both user interface and motor control functions. |
| US07874926B1 |
Elevated hand-held merry-go-round
An elevated hand held merry go round provides a hand hold elevated a distance above a playing surface to which a user may grab and rotate through an unobstructed zone between the hand hold and the playing surface. In the preferred embodiment the hand hold may be tilted at an angle relative to the playing surface so the user may pump themselves to maintain the round momentum in a manner somewhat similar to an individual pumping themselves on a swing to maintain themselves swinging. Alternative embodiments lack the tilt may be made in various dimensions to accommodate various numbers of users and may have more than one set of locations for hand holds. |
| US07874921B2 |
Online building toy
The present invention pertains to a method and apparatus for building online games. In one embodiment, the method may include providing a user interface that facilitates user selection of parts, and placing a set of parts selected by a user in a three-dimensional (3D) world. The method may also include joining parts within the set based on their proximity to each other in the 3D world to form one or more models for a game, and sending a model file for each of these models to a server via a network for use by various users. |
| US07874920B2 |
Wagering game with unilateral player selection for developing a group
A wagering game system includes a service for conducting a group-wagering game for a group of players under the control of a gaming control system and a plurality of gaming terminals, each gaming terminal connected to the service and being configured to conduct a group-wagering game in combination with the service. The gaming control system is configured to permit a player in the group of players to unilaterally alter a membership of the group of players. |
| US07874919B2 |
Gaming system and gaming method
A method of operating a gaming system comprising a plurality of gaming apparatuses may include receiving position data relating to a position of a player from a wireless device carried by the player. The method may include retrieving stored player data that relates to the player. The method may also include displaying a first video image relating to a video game and determining a payout based on an outcome of the video game, the first video image and the payout not being based on the player data. Additionally, the method may include providing according to the player position data a personalized operation based on the player data. The personalized operation may be selected from the group of personalized operations consisting of displaying a second video images relating to a video game, displaying a third video image unrelated to a video game, and providing a payout independent of the outcome of a video game. A system including a gaming apparatus and a computer is programmed to operate the gaming apparatus according to the method may be provided, as may a gaming apparatus having a controller that is programmed to operate the gaming apparatus according to the method. |
| US07874918B2 |
Game unit with motion and orientation sensing controller
An electronic game apparatus for providing a game activity on a monitor device. The electronic game apparatus may include a contacting member and a signal-emitting member that are each adapted to be manipulated by a user. The signal-emitting member may include a kinetic sensor adapted to produce a kinetic control signal representative of at least an orientation of the signal-emitting member. The signal-emitting member may also include at least one contact sensor adapted to be actuated by the user pressing the contacting member against the signal-emitting member to produce a contact control signal. A processor may be responsive to the kinetic control signal and the contact control signal and adapted to determine the game activity corresponding thereto. An audio-video processor adapted to produce and transmit audio-video output signals representative of the game activity to the monitor device may be coupled to the processor. |
| US07874916B2 |
Security of gaming software
A gaming machine to conduct a wagering game comprises a processing apparatus and a secondary apparatus. To inhibit unauthorized persons from replacing some or all of the software executed by the processing apparatus with unapproved software, the processing apparatus transmits a security message to the secondary apparatus. The secondary apparatus, in turn, validates the security message and transmits an enable signal when the validation is successful, or a disable signal when the validation is not successful. The processing apparatus is allowed to access to game data based on receipt of the enable signal and is denied access to game data based on receipt of the disable signal. |
| US07874915B2 |
Wagering game providing free game play as a progressive award
A wagering game is comprised of a basic game and a progressive award. The progressive award increases based on wager inputs received from players playing at one or more gaming terminals. The actual value of a progressive award is determined by follow-up game play by a player at the gaming terminal. The follow-up game play can include one or more free plays of the basic game. The follow-up game play can also include the opportunity to play a progressive game where a player selects options in the progressive game that are associated with a monetary award. The options are different for different progressive awards that are achieved, such that a higher progressive award yields a higher expected value, which is effected by more favorable player-selectable options in the progressive game. |
| US07874910B2 |
Gaming method and apparatus implementing a hierarchical display grid and dynamically generated paylines
A method and apparatus for use in gaming activities such as slot machines. Multiple display segments are presented, where one or more of the display segments are presented having multiple display subsegments. Display subsegments present subsegment symbols independently of the other display subsegments in its respective display segment. Paylines are created from a plurality of the display segments, where the subsegment symbols of the display subsegments are independently used in formulating payout results for paylines in which the display segment is affiliated. Paylines may be dynamically created at any location as a result of corresponding symbols occurring in a predetermined number of adjacent display segments and/or subsegments. |
| US07874909B2 |
Wagering game having animation for special symbols
A method of conducting a video wagering game includes displaying a portion of a symbol array on a display. The symbol array includes an advantageous symbol that is animated before a remaining portion of the symbol array is displayed. |
| US07874905B2 |
Dice game method and dice game machine
To provide a dice game machine that can be improved in amusement, including: a gaming section 3 in which one or more dice roll and stop; a player terminal 4 having a BET display unit which enables BET operations predicting rolled numbers on the one or more dice rolled and stopped in the gaming section 3, a player gaming section 100 which is installed in the player terminal 4 and in which one or more dice roll and stop, and a control unit which controls rolling and stopping operations of the one or more dice in the gaming section 3 and controls BET operations from the player terminal 4 and payout processing of a gaming value corresponding to an award ratio, wherein this control unit accepts BET operations predicting rolled numbers on the one or more dice rolled in the gaming section 3 and rolled numbers on the one or more dice rolled in the player gaming section 100. |
| US07874901B2 |
Poker game method and system
A method of playing a Texas Hold'em-type poker game where each player is individually rewarded by obtaining a five-card combination exceeding a predetermined amount. A system includes a display, game controls and a processor executing program instructions for providing a Hold'em type poker game for one or more players. |
| US07874899B2 |
Unload rate control for an unloading system in an agricultural harvester
An agricultural harvester includes a support frame and a hopper coupled to the support frame. The hopper is configured to store an agricultural product during a harvesting operation. An unloading system is coupled to the support frame. The unloading system is configured to transport agricultural product received from the hopper to an off-machine location. The unloading system includes a metering gate, a transfer conveyance, at least one sensor, and an electrical processing circuit. The metering gate is positioned near a bottom of the hopper and in communication with an interior of the hopper. The transfer conveyance has an inlet end and a discharge end. The inlet end is in communication with the metering gate. The at least one sensor provides an output signal representing an operating parameter associated with an unload rate of agricultural product through the transfer conveyance during an unloading operation. The electrical processing circuit is coupled to the metering gate and the at least one sensor. The electrical processing circuit controls a position of the metering gate, dependent upon the output signal. |
| US07874891B2 |
Motorized yo-yo
The invention is a yo-yo in which at least one of the yo-yo's sides includes a powered rotation system capable of maintaining the yo-yo's rotation when the yo-yo is sleeping at the end of its tether. The system functions by converting one of the yo-yo's sides into a motor, and in one embodiment includes a number of permanent magnets, an electromagnet, a sensor capable of detecting a magnet field, and a power source. Also disclosed is the use of a programmable controller to control the system. In another embodiment of the rotation system, a reflector, an energy emitter and a complementary sensor are employed to lead to an actuation of the electromagnet. |
| US07874887B1 |
Forearm flipper device for use with swimming
The invention is a forearm device for use with swimming that comprises housing and a plurality of flippers that are capable of rotating to a perpendicular direction when in the water and parallel with the housing when out of the water. The invention is designed to further propel the swimmer. The flippers and housing may be made of a lightweight material that is buoyant. |
| US07874878B2 |
Plug/jack system having PCB with lattice network
A jack is provided that has compensation and crosstalk zones. At least one of the zones employs a lattice network that couples conductors in the zone to reduce the net crosstalk in the plug/jack system. The lattice network has a frequency response slope that is different from the frequency response slope of a first-order coupling or of a series LC circuit coupling. A variety of lattice networks are provided. |
| US07874877B2 |
Communication jack having layered plug interface contacts
A communication jack, system using the jack, and method of fabricating the jack are disclosed. The jack includes a cavity configured to accept a communication plug to form a communication connector. The jack includes a plurality of plug interface contacts that extend into the cavity such that a plug inserted into the cavity makes electrical contact with the plug interface contacts at plug/jack interfaces of the plug interface contacts. One or more of the plug interface contacts is formed from multiple conductive layers. The conductive layers are movable relative to each other at least one end. A dielectric layer or flexible printed circuit board may be disposed between the conductive layers. |
| US07874876B1 |
Audio jack connector
An audio jack connector includes an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals disposed in the insulating housing. The insulating housing defines a plug insertion hole from a front end to a rear end thereof for receiving an audio plug connector and a recess communicating with a rear end of the plug insertion hole. The terminals includes a contact terminal received in the recess and having a base portion received in a bottom of the recess. One end of the base portion is bent upward and extended towards the other end of the base portion to form a first elastic arm. A side edge of the base portion is extended upward and then bent to form a second elastic arm of substantially L shape. A first contact portion and a second contact portion are protruded into the plug insertion hole from free ends of the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm, respectively. |
| US07874875B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector for electrically connecting an element to a circuit board includes at least two adjacent insulation bodies, a plugging slot located on the insulation bodies for being plugged with the element, and a set of conductive terminals disposed on the insulation bodies and electrically connected with the circuit board. One side of each of the insulation bodies is movably connected with the adjacent insulation body. When the circuit board undergoes soldering process, the relation position of the insulation bodies at the adjacent location is automatically adjusted according to the warp caused by the high temperature of soldering so as to reduce the warp and deformation. Thereby, the soldering portion of each conductive terminal received in the insulation bodies can be soldered onto the circuit board well, such that electrical connector is normally and electrically connected with the circuit board. |
| US07874870B1 |
Coaxial cable connector with a connection terminal having a resilient tongue section
A coaxial cable connector includes a connection terminal having at least one resilient tongue section for supporting an internal conductor of a coaxial cable, and a metal case for supporting the connection terminal via an insulating member. The resilient tongue section of the connection terminal is able to provide a resilient restoring force in response to a pressing force of the insulating member, whereby the internal conductor of the coaxial cable can be retained between the insulating member and the resilient tongue section to establish electrical connection between the internal conductor of the coaxial cable and the connection terminal. |
| US07874859B2 |
Electric connection box
An electric connection box which is electrically connected to electrical equipments of an automobile via wire harnesses is installed at a center cluster provided at a central portion of an instrument panel of the automobile. A plurality of switches for controlling the electrical equipments are provided at a front portion of a connection box body of the electric connection box. Operating portions of the switches are exposed to form part of a design surface (front surface) of the center cluster. |
| US07874855B1 |
Audio jack connector
An audio jack connector has an insulating housing having a passageway. A contacting terminal disposed on a side of the passageway has a holding portion and two contacting pieces slanted toward the same side separatively from two opposite ends of the holding portion. A first fixing terminal arranged on a side of the passageway, adjacent to the contacting terminal, has a first fixing slice. The first fixing slice has a side extended obliquely to form a first contacting piece connecting with one contacting piece. A second fixing terminal placed on an opposite side of the passageway has a second fixing slice, a second contacting piece obliquely connected with the second fixing slice for connecting with the other contacting piece. The contacting pieces are forced to slide on and depart from the first contacting piece and the second contacting piece when the contacting terminal is elastically pushed by the inserted plug. |
| US07874854B2 |
Communications patching devices that include integrated electronic static discharge circuits and related methods
Communications patching devices are provided that include a mounting frame and a first jack that is mounted to the mounting frame. The first jack has a plurality of input terminals, a plurality of output terminals and a printed circuit board that includes a plurality of conductive paths that each electrically connect a respective one of the input terminals to a respective one of the output terminals. The printed circuit board further includes a plurality of electronic static discharge circuits, each of which circuit provides a path for discharging static charges to ground. Related methods and RJ-45 jacks are also provided. |
| US07874850B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing provided with a plurality of first contacts. Each of the first contacts has a tine that extends toward an outside of the insulating housing that is bent at a right angle with respect thereto. A tine plate is mounted on a side of the insulating housing. A circuit board is arranged adjacent to the undersurface of the tine plate and spaced there from. The tines extend through first through-holes in the tine plate and first through-holes in the circuit board. The tine plate has at least one first recess provided on the undersurface of the tine plate that encompasses at least one of the first though-holes on the tine plate. Molten solder is provided in the first through-holes in the circuit board and forms a fillet on the tines that extends toward the undersurface of the tine plate. |
| US07874836B2 |
System and method for palatal expansion
Provided, among other things, is a system for progressive palatal expansion, the system comprising a series of incremental expanders, including: a) a first incremental expander having a geometry selected to incrementally expand the palate; b) one or more intermediate expanders having geometries selected to progressively expand the palate; and, c) a final expander, having a geometry selected to expand the palate to a target desired breadth. |
| US07874833B2 |
Injection molding runner apparatus having pressure seal
An upstream runner component defines an upstream channel for flow of molding material. A downstream runner component defines a downstream channel for flow of molding material. A wedge seal is disposed in a converging gap defined surface of the upstream runner component and the downstream runner component. The wedge seal defines a seal channel connecting the upstream channel to the downstream channel. Pressure of molding material acting on an inside surface of the wedge seal defining the seal channel pushes the wedge seal into sealing contact with the surfaces of the upstream runner component and the downstream runner component defining the converging gap. |
| US07874831B2 |
Template having a silicon nitride, silicon carbide or silicon oxynitride film
An imprint lithography template including, inter alia, a body having a first thickness associated therewith; a patterning layer, having a second thickness associated therewith, comprising a plurality of features, having a third thickness associated therewith. |
| US07874828B2 |
Machine for moulding plastic containers using means for moving the mould-support unit comprising two in-line connecting rods
A machine for molding containers, comprising a unit for extruding plastic tubes, a blow-molding unit, a mold for containing containers which is formed by two half-molds movable, upon operation of associated first actuator, in a longitudinal direction (X-X) and symmetrically with respect to a fixed axis (Z-Z) perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, the unit formed by the mold and by the associated first actuator being movable, upon operation of second actuator, in a transverse direction (Y-Y) from a first position where it is substantially aligned with the extrusion unit into a second position where it is substantially aligned with the blow-molding unit and vice versa, said first actuator for operating the half-molds in the longitudinal direction comprising at least one motor, the shaft of which has, keyed thereon, a cam for actuating a pair of connecting rods which are arranged in-line and are respectively connected to the first half-mold and to the second half-mold. |
| US07874826B2 |
Solid ink stick fabrication by extrusion, roll forming and swaging
A method of manufacturing an ink stick for use in a phase change ink jet imaging device comprises heating phase change ink material to an extrusion temperature at which the phase change ink material is in a malleable state. The ink material is then extruded through an extrusion orifice to form an extruded rail of ink. The extruded rail of ink is then roll formed to partially form a portion of a shape transverse to the extrusion direction as the rail of ink moves in the extrusion direction. A swaging process is then carried out to further form and divide the extruded rail of ink into ink sticks. |
| US07874823B2 |
Device and process for producing pellets from a plastic melt
The invention relates to a device for producing pellets from a plastic melt by extrusion, comprising a perforated plate from which the plastic melt is extruded at a pressure above the ambient pressure; a process chamber into which the plastic melt is extruded; a chopping device for chopping strands of the plastic melt extruded from the perforated plate into individual granules, the process chamber being filled with a process fluid; and a pumping device which supplies the process fluid to the process chamber at a pressure above the ambient pressure, the pressure of the process fluid with the therein contained granules being reduced downstream of the process chamber. According to the invention, an energy converter is provided downstream of the process chamber, wherein said energy converter extracts at least some of the pressure energy from the process fluid with the therein contained granules, reduces the pressure of the process fluid with the therein contained granules and converts at least some of the extracted energy into a reusable form of energy. The invention further relates to a corresponding process for producing pellets from a plastic melt by extrusion and also to a corresponding application. |
| US07874817B2 |
Fuel pump assembly with a vapor purge passage arrangement for a fuel pump module
A fuel pump assembly includes a fuel pump, and an electric motor for rotatably driving the fuel pump and including a motor armature and a commutator positioned between the motor armature and the fuel pump. |
| US07874816B2 |
Fuel pump end cap with isolated shunt wires
An end cap assembly for an in-tank fuel pump is configured to close an open end of a pump housing and includes an end cap body and a companion clip. On the bottom side of the end cap body facing the pump housing is a pair of motor brush wells for holding a pair of DC motor brushes. A pair of blind bores are provided to receive corresponding RFI suppression circuits. A pair of pockets are located in between the wells and the bores to allow flexible shunt wires to connect the RFI suppression circuits with the brushes. The clip is adapted for insertion into the bottom of the end cap body wherein a pair of axially-extending legs are guided into and seal the pockets. The captured shunt wires are electrically isolated in the closed pockets and contact with fuel is minimized. |
| US07874808B2 |
Variable speed pumping system and method
A variable speed pumping system and an associated method for moving water of an aquatic application. The variable speed pumping system includes a water pump for moving water in connection with performance of an operation upon the water. A variable speed motor is operatively connected to drive the pump. A sensor senses a parameter of the operation performed upon the water. A controller controls speed of the motor in response to the sensed parameter of operation. |
| US07874807B2 |
Air compressor with shut-off mechanism
A compressor system is disclosed, comprising a first pump driven by a D/C motor, a second pump driven by an A/C motor, and a switch which allows a user to manually selectively engage of one of the D/C motor or NC motor, including a gauge having a user settable shut-off mechanism which interrupts power to at least one of D/C or A/C motors. Also disclosed is a gauge configured to display system pressure independent of the user settable shut-off mechanism. A gauge having a rotatable bezel with a needle stop comprising a first needle rotatably coupled to a gauge shaft, and a second needle fixable coupled to the gauge shaft, and a spring disposed between the first and second needles, the spring configured to bias the first needle into the second needle so changes in pressure causes rotation of both is also disclosed. |
| US07874804B1 |
Turbine blade with detached platform
A turbine blade with a detached platform in which the platform has a central opening in which the blade is inserted and held in place. The blade includes a root portion with a fir tree configuration to fit within a slot of a rotor disc. The platform includes two legs that also have a fir tree configuration to fit within the slot of the rotor disc. The blade is inserted into the central opening and the fir tree configurations of the blade root and the platform legs form substantially an aligned set of fir trees that fit within the rotor disc slot to retain both the blade and the platform within the slot. The blade is therefore separated from the platform such that thermal stresses are uncoupled. Also, the blade can be made from a different material than is the platform. The centrifugal load applied to the platform is not transferred onto the blade. |
| US07874793B2 |
Blade clearance arrangement
Control of blade clearance gaps between rotating turbine blades and an associated casing in a gas turbine engine is important in order to maintain operational efficiency. It is desirable to achieve accurate gap control but previous passive and scheduled thermal gap adjustment systems have been relatively course. By provision of a winding through which a specific electrical current is passed in order to create electro-magnetic force for displacement of an armature associated with a seal forming part of the casing it is possible to adjust the gap between that seal and a tip part of a rotating blade assembly. Normally a blade gap monitoring technique is used in association with specific operational requirements with respect to the gap by the control in order to determine the electrical current presented to the winding. As a fail-safe measure a permanent magnet or bias or some other form can be provided to ensure displacement to a fail-safe position with an adequate blade gap clearance for continued operation should there be power failure or an excess electrical current presented to the winding. |