| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07924975B2 |
Linear track scanning imaging system and method
In a linear track scanning imaging system and method, the imaging system may include: a ray generating unit having a plurality of ray sources that emit beams alternately, only one ray source at a time; an actuating arrangement causing an object under examination to move with respect to the linear track scanning imaging system along a linear track, leading the object to pass through a scanning area of the linear track scanning imaging system; a data collecting unit that collects projection data of the object for each ray source; an imaging unit that reconstructs an image of the object under examination based on the projection data collected for each ray source; and a display unit for displaying the reconstructed image. |
| US07924970B2 |
Method and device for generating a CT image with a high time resolution
A method and a device are disclosed for generating a CT image with a high time resolution using a computed tomography scanner which has at least two recording systems which are operated at different X-ray energy spectra. In at least one embodiment of the process, CT images are firstly reconstructed in each case from a semi-rotation with the two recording systems, with irradiated lengths of the contrast agent-enriched structures and the soft tissue being calculated therefrom. Subsequently, a common X-ray energy is assumed and artificial measurement data records are calculated therefor, using the knowledge of the irradiated lengths for both recording systems at the same common X-ray energy. The artificial measurement data of respectively a quarter-rotation per recording system is then used to calculate the final CT image with a high time resolution. The method affords the use of dual-energy scans without losing the high time resolution available in dual-source systems. |
| US07924967B2 |
Shift register
A shift register comprises a plurality of stages, {Sn}, n=1, 2, . . . , N, N being a positive integer. In one embodiment, each stage Sn includes a pull-up circuit having an input for receiving one of a first clock signal, CK1, and a second clock signal, XCK1, an output for responsively outputting an output signal, On, and an input node Qn, a pull-up control circuit electrically coupled to the input node Qn and configured such that when receiving a first input signal, the pull-up control circuit responsively generates a signal that is provided to the input node Qn to turn on the pull-up circuit, a pull-down circuit electrically coupled to the input node Qn and configured to provide a first voltage to one of the input node Qn and the output of the pull-up circuit, and a pull-down control circuit configured to receive one of a third clock signal, CK2, and a fourth clock signal, XCK2, and responsively generate the first voltage to turn on the pull-down circuit of the stage Sn and the pull-down circuit of one of the stage Sn−1 and the stage Sn+1. |
| US07924964B2 |
Receiver with the function of adjusting clock signal and an adjusting method therefor
A receiver having a first clock signal is provided. The first frequency of the first clock signal is adjusted to be close to a second frequency of a second clock signal of a transmitter. The receiver includes a clock generator, a processor and a controller. The clock generator is for generating the first clock signal. The processor is for outputting a first control signal to control the clock generator to adjust the first frequency to be close to the second frequency when an absolute value of a current difference between the first and the second frequencies at a current time point is larger than a threshold. The controller is for outputting a second control signal to control the clock generator when the absolute value of the current difference is smaller than the threshold, so as to reduce the load of the processor. |
| US07924963B2 |
Digital Transmit phase trimming
A circuit has a phase adjustment circuit to generate an adjusted clock signal by adjusting a first clock signal in accordance with a control signal. A multiplexer receives input data signals on a plurality of first data lines and outputs onto at least one second data line output data signals in accordance with a plurality of second clock signals. A timing measurement circuit determines at least one timing parameter of at least one output data signal on at least the one second data line and generates the control signal in accordance with a deviation of at least the one timing parameter from a desired value. |
| US07924962B2 |
Clock regeneration circuit technical field
Clock synchronization resistance is improved against selectivity fading without degrading the stability of clock phase synchronization control. Clock phase detector 7, which forms part of a clock reproduction PLL, is preceded by orthogonal component equalizer 6 for removing only orthogonal component interference wave not affecting the clock regeneration, thereby assuring an opening of an eye pattern and maintaining the gain of clock phase detector 7 without erasing the clock phase information. Accordingly, even when inter-symbol interference is caused in a received signal by selectivity fading or the like, part of the interference component can be erased to keep the opening of the eye pattern wide. Thus, the clock synchronization resistance can be improved against the selectivity fading without degrading the stability of the clock phase synchronization control. |
| US07924959B2 |
Data conversion system
A data conversion system acquires samples of low frequency signal components of an applied analog signal at a first data conversion rate and samples of high frequency signal components of the applied analog signal at a second data conversion rate that is higher than the first data conversion rate. The data conversion system applies a first correction filter to the acquired samples of the low frequency signal components to provide a first filtered signal and applies a second correction filter to the acquired samples of the high frequency signal components to provide a second filtered signal. The data conversion system interpolates the first filtered signal to provide an interpolated signal, and sums the interpolated signal with the second filtered signal to provide an output signal. |
| US07924958B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving signals in a multi-antenna system
An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving a data stream in a multi-antenna system, in which a plurality of data streams are received, a plurality of code symbol sequences are generated by precoding the plurality of data streams, the code symbol sequences being mapped to the transmit antennas in a one-to-one correspondence, the code symbol sequences being delayed by delay times for the mapped transmit antennas, and the delayed code symbol sequences are transmitted through the mapped transmit antennas. |
| US07924956B2 |
System and method for compensation of non-linear transmitter distortion
A system, apparatus, method and article to provide compensation of non-linear transmitter distortion are described. The apparatus may include a receiver node (130) to receive information from a transmitter node (120). The receiver node (130) may include a clipping ratio estimation module (142) to determine parameters of non-linearity of a transmitter at the receiver node (130), a training signal predistortion block (150) to generate predistorted training symbols at the receiver node (130) using the parameters of non-linearity, and a channel equalization block (146) to performing linear equalization at the receiver node (130) using the predistorted training symbols. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07924950B2 |
Method and apparatus of decoding encoded data frame having dummy bit sequences included therein
A method of decoding an encoded data frame including dummy bit sequences each generated from encoding a predetermined bit pattern is provided. The method includes: determining a boundary of dummy bit sequences in the encoded data frame; and generating a decoded data frame according to a partial decoding result and a plurality of predetermined bit patterns each corresponding to one of the dummy bit sequences within the boundary, wherein the partial decoding result is generated by decoding encoded bits beyond the boundary according to the predetermined bit pattern. |
| US07924948B2 |
Pre-scaling of initial channel estimates in joint detection
A joint detection system and associated methods are provided. The joint detection system is configured to perform joint detection of received signals. The joint detection system includes a programmable digital signal processor (DSP) configured to generate initial channel estimates corresponding to propagation channels, wherein each of the initial channel estimates includes a plurality of values. The programmable DSP is further configured to determine one or more pre-scaling factors for one or more of the initial channel estimates. The pre-scaling factors are at least partially based on at least one of the plurality of values of one or more of the initial channel estimates. The programmable DSP is further configured to pre-scale the initial channel estimates by the pre-scaling factors. |
| US07924947B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding satellite navigation data from a satellite positioning system
Method and apparatus for decoding a bitstream of navigation data broadcast by a satellite positioning system satellite is described. In one example, a portion of a subframe in the navigation data for each of a plurality of occurrences of the subframe in the bitstream is obtained at a satellite signal receiver to produce a respective plurality of subframe portions. The subframe portions are then combined to recover the subframe. The subframe portions may be processed to maintain a constant polarity by comparing a common sequence of data bits among at least two of the subframe portions to identify a mismatch in polarity. |
| US07924938B2 |
Context-sensitive overhead processor
An overhead processor for data transmission in digital communications, where a state machine, including a logic element and a flip-flop, is able to process a “previous” data state and a “next” data state simultaneously by storing the previous state in an external elastic storage element until the next state arrives along the datapath. By employing flip-flops on the path from the logic element to the elastic store and on the path from the elastic store to the logic element, data is transmitted faster, resulting in the ability for both the previous data state and the next data state to be transmitted simultaneously, in one clock cycle, requiring half of the transmission time required by prior art. |
| US07924936B2 |
System and method for wave damping
A system and method of damping the ringing response of Band Pass Filters for use in impulse and single cycle modulation systems which are capable of carrying a high data rate and which are severely affected by the ringing response of the Band Pass Filter. |
| US07924934B2 |
Time diversity voice channel data communications
A receiver with a time diversity combining component recovers a digital data signal transmitted over a voice channel of a digital wireless telecommunications network. A feature extraction module receives an audio frequency waveform encoding the digital data signal and generates a feature vector representing the digital data signal. A bit sequence estimation module analyzes the feature vector and generates an estimated bit sequence corresponding to the digital data signal. A memory stores the feature vector if the estimated bit sequence contains errors. A time diversity combining component generates a second estimated bit sequence by analyzing the first feature vector in combination with one or more feature vectors stored in the memory. |
| US07924931B2 |
Apparatus and method for receiving signals in multi-carrier multiple access systems
A method for receiving signals in a multi-carrier multiple access system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving signals from at least one base station wherein each signal has a base station identifier, processing the signals to identify each base station by using the base station identifier, performing a channel estimation using the processed signals, combining the processed signals using an information obtained from the channel estimation and decoding the combined signals. Also, an apparatus for receiving signals in a multi-carrier multiple access system comprises a serial-to-parallel converter for converting a serial signal including a base station identifier from at least one base station to parallel signals, a Fast Fourier transformer for transforming the parallel signals, a parallel-to-serial converter for converting the parallel signals to a serial signal, a despreading processor for despreading frequency domain signals using the base station identifier from at least one base station, a channel estimator for compensating a channel variation between the at least one base station and a mobile station, a signal combiner for combining signals from base stations and a decoder for decoding the combined signal. |
| US07924930B1 |
Robust synchronization and detection mechanisms for OFDM WLAN systems
A synchronization module for an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) receiver system including a signal combination module that generates N combination signals that correspond to N received signals by performing at least one of weighted combining and selection and equal-gain-combining (EGC) on the N signals. A weighted signal generator module generates N weighted signals based on the N combination signals. N is an integer greater than one. |
| US07924929B2 |
Method of automatically testing audio-video synchronization
A method of testing audio/video synchronization comprising calculating a frequency of a device used to encode a digital stream based on program clock references calculating first time differences between audio decoding time stamps and actual audio decoding times; calculating second time differences between audio presentation time stamps and actual audio presentation times; calculating third time differences between video decoding time stamps and 4 actual video decoding times; and calculating fourth time differences between video presentation time stamps and actual video presentation times. |
| US07924925B2 |
Flexible macroblock ordering with reduced data traffic and power consumption
A video encoder including a processing block and an external memory storing a current frame and a reference frame. The processing block includes a memory interface, a local memory and a processor. The processor encodes the current frame in raster scan macroblock order for FMO using information from the reference frame, converts encoded information into compressed information, and organizes the compressed information according to a predetermined FMO. The processor organizes the compressed information according to any suitable FMO organization such as scattered, interleaved, etc. The processor stores the compressed information into multiple slice groups into the local memory or into the external memory, where the slice groups are organized according to the FMO. The processor loads a search window macroblock into the local memory if not already stored in the local memory. The processor may generate unfiltered reconstructed information and store the unfiltered reconstructed information into the local memory. |
| US07924918B2 |
Temporal prediction in video coding
A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for performing temporal prediction are described. In one embodiment, a decoding method includes, but is not limited to, generating a prediction for a sample in one of multiple blocks using transformation parameters associated with the one block and transformation parameters associated with at least one other block in the group of blocks and adding residual data to the prediction to obtain a decoded sample. |
| US07924916B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding encoded groups of pictures of a video sequence and presenting said video sequence and said groups of pictures in temporally backward direction
MPEG video uses motion compensated prediction for coding pictures. A GOP includes at least one intra-coded picture to start decoding with and a number of inter-coded pictures and normally also includes bi-directionally predicted pictures. However, the GOP structure is not constructed for playing GOPs in backward direction in a trickplay mode across GOP boarders. The invention facilitates, for different GOP structures, a smooth backward video mode thereby reducing the required number of frame buffers and achieving near real-time speed presentation. In some embodiments some I and/or P pictures are decoded more than once. The invention also allows backwards decoding of MPEG-4-AVC GOPs including B-stored pictures. |
| US07924915B2 |
Method and system for encoding video data
Described herein is a rate controller in a video system. The rate controller is comprised of a complexity estimator, a quantization level selector, a complexity generator, and a complexity estimate updater. The complexity estimator generates a complexity metric estimate. The quantization level selector sets a quantization level based on the complexity metric estimate. The complexity generator generates an actual complexity metric. The complexity estimate updater generates an updated complexity metric estimate based on a difference between the complexity metric estimate and the actual complexity metric. |
| US07924911B2 |
Techniques for simulating a decision feedback equalizer circuit
A computerized system simulates a non-linear Decision Feedback Equalizer. The computerized system includes a user interface, an output port, and a controller coupled to the user interface and to the output port. The controller is configured to (i) receive electronic design automation commands from a user through the user interface, (ii) generate, as an electronic model of the non-linear Decision Feedback Equalizer, an electronic representation of a linear filter in response to the electronic design automation commands, and (iii) integrate the electronic representation of the linear filter into an electronic circuit design having other electronic representations of other electronic circuits. The electronic circuit design is externally accessible through the output port. |
| US07924910B2 |
Adaptive equalization with group delay
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are presented for performing adaptive equalization involving receiving a signal originating from a channel associated with inter-symbol interference, filtering the signal using a filter having a plurality of adjustable tap weights to produce a filtered signal, and adaptively updating each of the plurality of adjustable tap weights to a new value to reduce effects of inter-symbol interference, wherein each of the plurality of adjustable tap weights is adaptively updated to take into account a constraint relating to a measure of error in the filtered signal and a constraint relating to group delay associated with the filter. Each of the plurality of adjustable tap weights may be adaptively updated to drive group delay associated with the filter toward a target group delay. |
| US07924909B2 |
Method and apparatus for interference cancellation in wireless receivers
A method and apparatus for a multi-branch wireless receiver for periodically sampling first and second received signals corresponding to first and second receiver branches at first and second sample times to generate offset sample streams. The offset sample streams are then combined in a combining circuit to reduce interference present in the received signals. In an exemplary embodiment, a multi-branch wireless receiver includes an offset circuit to generate first and second offset sample times. A first sampler periodically samples the first received signal at the first sample time to generate a first sample stream and a second sampler periodically samples the second received signal at the second sample time to generate a second sample stream offset from the first sample stream. The combining circuit comprises a RAKE receiver that reduces the interference by scaling and combining despread values generated from the offset sample streams. |
| US07924900B2 |
Surface emitting laser, manufacturing method of surface emitting laser, surface emitting laser array, manufacturing method of surface emitting laser array, and optical apparatus including surface emitting laser array
A surface emitting laser which is configured by laminating on a substrate a lower reflection mirror, an active layer, and an upper reflection mirror, which includes, in a light emitting section of the upper reflection mirror, a structure for controlling reflectance that is configured by a low reflectance region and a concave high reflectance region formed in the central portion of the low reflectance region, and which oscillates at a wavelength of λ, wherein the upper reflection mirror is configured by a multilayer film reflection mirror based on a laminated structure formed by laminating a plurality of layers, the multilayer film reflection mirror includes a phase adjusting layer which has an optical thickness in the range of λ/8 to 3λ/8 inclusive in a light emitting peripheral portion on the multilayer film reflection mirror, and an absorption layer causing band-to-band absorption is provided in the phase adjusting layer. |
| US07924899B2 |
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (VCSEL), method for fabricating VCSEL, and optical transmission apparatus
Provided is a VCSEL that includes a lower DBR of a first conductivity type, an active region, and an upper DBR of a second conductivity type, on a substrate. The lower DBR has a first to-be-oxidized Al-containing layer located farther from the active region than a second to-be-oxidized layer that is formed in the upper DBR. Both layers have an oxidized region and a first or a second non-oxidized region surrounded by the oxidized region. The first non-oxidized region is larger than the maximum size of the second non-oxidized region for a single mode oscillation, and smaller than the maximum size of the first non-oxidized region for a single mode oscillation. The second non-oxidized region is larger than the maximum size of the second non-oxidized region for a single mode oscillation. The first non-oxidized region has a size equal to or larger than that of the second non-oxidized region. |
| US07924898B2 |
Nitride based semiconductor laser device with oxynitride protective coatings on facets
One facet and the other facet of a nitride based semiconductor laser device are respectively composed of a cleavage plane of (0001) and a cleavage plane of (000 1). Thus, the one facet and the other facet are respectively a Ga polar plane and an N polar plane. A portion of the one facet and a portion of the other facet, which are positioned in an optical waveguide, constitute a pair of cavity facets. A first protective film including oxygen as a constituent element is formed on the one facet. A second protective film including nitrogen as a constituent element is formed on the other facet. |
| US07924897B2 |
Semiconductor laser device
A semiconductor laser device includes a chip obtained from a substrate and a semiconductor multi-layer formed on the substrate. The semiconductor multi-layer is formed from a plurality of semiconductor layers of a semiconductor material having a hexagonal structure, and includes a stripe-shaped wave guide portion. The chip includes two chip end facets that extend in a direction crossing an extending direction of the wave guide portion. Each of regions on both sides of the wave guide portion in at least one of the chip end facets has a notch portion formed by notching a part of the chip, and the notch portion exposes a first wall surface connecting to the chip end facet and a second wall surface connecting to the chip side facet. An angle between an extending direction of the first wall surface in at least one of the two notch portions and an extending direction of the cleavage facet is in a range of about 10 degrees to about 40 degrees. |
| US07924896B2 |
Optical semiconductor device
An optical semiconductor device includes an active layer, a first semiconductor layer formed above the active layer and made from a semiconductor material containing Al, a second semiconductor layer formed above the first semiconductor layer and made from a semiconductor material which does not contain any one of Al and P and whose band gap is greater than that of the active layer, and a third semiconductor layer formed above the second semiconductor layer and made from a semiconductor material which does not contain Al but contains P. The second semiconductor layer is formed such that the first semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer do not contact with each other. |
| US07924895B2 |
Monolithic diode-pumped laser cavity
A monolithic pumped laser cavity design is disclosed. Elements of the laser cavity, such as gain material, Q-switch, reflector, and outcoupler, are contact bonded together with a thermally conductive epoxy. The assembly is then operatively coupled to a heat sink (e.g., by mechanical or chemical means). The assembly is potted in thermally conductive potting material. The stacked elements or a subset thereof may be bonded to heat sink mounts and/or face cooling layers. In this fashion, various elements can be easily assembled and bonded together to provide the desired combination of laser energy, pulse width, and repetition frequency. The thermally conductive potting material provides structural integrity, as well as thermal management by extracting heat from the encased assembly to the heat sink. The optional heat sink mounts and face cooling operate to further extract heat and reduce thermal loading. Outcoupling to fiber may also be provided. |
| US07924894B2 |
Digital piston error control for high-power laser system employing diffractive optical element beam combiner
A high-power laser system includes a laser master oscillator, a plurality of fiber laser amplifiers producing intermediate output beamlets, a diffractive optical element for combining the intermediate beamlets into a combined output beam, and a piston error controller for minimizing errors related to beam combination that may degrade the quality of the combined output beam. A piston error controller uses amplitude modulation based on Hadamard code words to tag each non-reference intermediate beamlet with a unique code sequence orthogonal to those used for the other beamlets. For each intermediate beamlet, the associated piston error contribution is recovered using a Hadamard decoder. A very small phase dither is also introduced to allow the sign or direction of the piston error to be recovered. The decoded piston error contribution is processed by a cascaded product detector unit to derive a piston error control signal, which is provided to a phase modulator to thereby adjust the phase of a beamlet and minimize the piston error contributed thereby. |
| US07924892B2 |
Fiber amplifier based light source for semiconductor inspection
A laser illuminator for use in an inspection system, such as a semiconductor wafer inspection system or photomask inspection system is provided. The gain medium in the illuminator comprises optical fiber, and amplification, beam splitting, frequency and/or bandwidth conversion, peak power reduction, and q-switching or mode locking may be employed. Certain constructs including doped fiber, gratings, saturable absorbers, and laser diodes are disclosed to provide enhanced illumination. |
| US07924890B2 |
Apparatus and method for increasing reliability of data sensitive to packet loss
An apparatus and method are provided which preferably increase reliability of data sensitive to packet loss. According to principles of the invention, a quality of service value may be dynamically assigned to network packets based on the contents of the network packets. |
| US07924884B2 |
Performance logging using relative differentials and skip recording
The present invention is directed towards “skip” and “differential” recording techniques for recording values of network parameter to a log in a lossless manner while reducing storage resources used to record such values. The counter monitor of the present invention monitors and records values of counters at time intervals to generate a counter log provided via temporary or permanent storage. The counter monitor compares a reading of the value of the counter to a previously obtained value of the counter. If the value of the counter has not changed, the counter monitor records only the timestamp to the counter log, thereby “skipping” the recording of the unchanged value. If there is any change in the value of the counter, then the change in value of the counter, i.e., a “differential” value, along with the timestamp is stored in the counters log. To further reduce storage resource usage, the counter monitor also stores changes to the timestamps as differential changes in time values. |
| US07924883B2 |
Network architecture for intelligent network elements
The present system uses point-to-point data links between intelligent network elements located in the feeder/distribution network to provide reliable, secure, bi-directional broadband access. Digital signals are terminated at the intelligent network elements, switched and regenerated for transmission across additional upstream or downstream data links as needed to connect a home to a headend or router. The intelligent network elements can be co-located with or replace the standard network elements to take advantage of existing network configurations. A tree-and-branch network architecture is therefore established in which each intelligent network element is assigned a routing ID employed in the point-to-point transmissions while leaving legacy analog signals unimpeded. In this manner, the data links are made over relatively short runs of coax cable, which can provide greater bandwidth than the typical end-to-end feeder/distribution connection between a home and the headend or optical network unit. |
| US07924874B2 |
Evaluating and allocating system resources to improve resource utilization
Methods and systems for evaluating the utilization of resources in a system. Information that characterizes an allocation of resources in the system is received. Information that characterizes requests to the system is also received. Workflow in the system in response to the requests is simulated. Processes that are executed by the system in response to the requests are also simulated. Utilization of the allocation of resources is determined. The resources can be reallocated to improve the utilization as measured against a selected performance metric. |
| US07924872B2 |
Transport network multiplexing for transport and ethernet packets
A system for multiplexing a transport packet and an Ethernet packet comprises a transport interface for receiving a transport stream comprising the transport packet and a network interface for receiving a network stream comprising the Ethernet packet. The system comprises a packet identifier coupled to the transport interface for filtering the transport stream and selecting the transport packet and a date formatter coupled to the network interface for creating a transport header appended to the Ethernet packet. The system further comprises a multiplexer for receiving the transport packet from the packet identifier, for receiving the Ethernet packet from the data formatter, and for multiplexing the transport packet and the Ethernet packet comprising the transport header. |
| US07924871B2 |
Control channel priority access systems and methods
Methods and systems for priority access to control channels are provided. A mobile stations is assigned a user priority value. The mobile station selects a retry algorithm from a plurality of retry algorithms based on the assigned user priority value. Alternatively, the assigned user priority value can be used as a seed value for a single retry algorithm. Mobile stations with higher priority values will attempt to access the control channel within shorter time periods and more frequently than those with lower priority values. |
| US07924867B2 |
Communications network using reservation indicator
The present invention relates to a communications network including transmitting stations and receiving stations for transmitting and receiving signals, the transmitting stations being adapted for transmitting a data signal as a series of data packets, wherein a data packet is scheduled to be transmitted by use of an available transmission resource, and receiving stations for transmitting a reservation indicator for reception by transmitting stations. In order to avoid transmission conflicts, in particular inter-cell conflicts in a cellular TDMA communications network, it is proposed that a reservation indicator transmitted by a receiving station carries a first reservation indicator value to indicate that a data transmission resource has been reserved by the receiving station for reception of the next data packet of a data signal from a transmitting station transmitting said data signal or a second reservation indicator value to indicate that a data transmission resource has not been reserved by the receiving station for reception of the next data packet from the transmitting station or that the last data packet has not been received with acceptable interference from the transmitting station, and wherein transmitting stations receiving a reservation indicator carrying a first reservation indicator value transmitted from a receiving station to which no data signal has been transmitted by them will not transmit a data packet by use of the reserved transmission resource. |
| US07924866B2 |
Random access channel protocol
The present invention provides an improved random access channel protocol, wherein different user elements may be associated with different priority levels. Based on relative priority, the user elements may have different probabilities for deciding when to retransmit a previously transmitted packet upon receiving information from an access point indicating that the packet needs to be retransmitted. A buffer is provided for storing a packet to transmit, and the buffer is associated with a stack counter, which is incremented or decremented to or from a nominal value to determine when to transmit or retransmit the packet stored in the buffer. Based on the relative priority, feedback information from the access point may cause the stack counter for a packet needing to be retransmitted to stay at the nominal value, wherein retransmission will occur at the next available time slot, or it may increase the stack counter by one or more levels. |
| US07924865B2 |
Communicating program rejection information in broadcast-multicast mobile communication system
The present invention relates to communicating program rejection information in a broadcast-multicast mobile communication system. Preferably, present invention comprises receiving information related to at least one broadcast-multicast service from a base station, determining to receive one or more specific broadcast-multicast services based on the received information, requesting the one or more specific broadcast-multicast services determined to be received from the base station, and receiving a broadcast reject message for indicating rejection of at least one of the one or more specific broadcast-multicast services requested, wherein the broadcast reject message comprises a same reject reason indicator field for indicating whether a reason for rejecting the at least one of the one or more specific broadcast-multicast services requested is identical to a reason for rejecting a previous broadcast-multicast service in the broadcast reject message. |
| US07924863B2 |
Device and method for processing data chunks
In a scheme for processing data chunks, MAC-PHY circuits are adapted to store data chunks of large data packets and to provide same to a shared memory unit across an interface controlled by a controller. A data transfer monitor is adapted to monitor the progress of such data provision and shared layer-two processors perform data chunk processing operations and data packet processing operations based upon such progress. A double data rate (DDR) controller, coupled between the shared memory unit and a DDR memory unit, provides data chunks from the first shared memory unit to the DDR memory unit. |
| US07924862B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing reflections and frequency dependent dispersions in redundant links
A network device includes a group of high speed redundant transmission lines and a switch. The switch is configured to select one of the high speed redundant transmission lines. The switch causes reflections and frequency dependent dispersions in the selected high speed redundant transmission line. The network device further includes a transmitting device that is configured to adjust signals transmitted over the selected high speed redundant transmission line so as to reduce the reflections and frequency dependent dispersions. |
| US07924855B2 |
Method for controlling memory consumption in router-based virtual private networks
A method to determine the maximum number of VPNs assignable to plurality of routers in a VPN network. The first step in the method can be specifying a tolerance which is a probability that consumed router memory will exceed available router memory for each router in a plurality of routers. The second step can be computing the consumed router memory on each router in a plurality of routers by summing a route memory, an interface memory, a VPN memory, and a constant memory. The third step can be computing a number [V] of VPNs assigned to the router to insure that, with the specified probability tolerance, the consumed router memory will not exceed the available router memory for each router in a plurality of routers. |
| US07924854B2 |
System and method for billing end users in a peer-to-peer transaction in a network environment
A method for billing end users in a peer-to-peer transaction in a network environment is provided that includes a client services packet gateway operable to communicate with a first end user and a second end user in order to facilitate the peer-to-peer transaction and a flow manager element operable to receive one or more packets of the peer-to-peer transaction from one or more interfaces, such that the interface is a subscriber interface or a network interface. The flow manager is further operable to associate a first session object with the first user and associate a second session object with the second user. |
| US07924852B2 |
Method and network for transferring data and signals
In a method and network for transferring data and signals between terminal equipment via one or more switching stations, the data and digitized signals are combined in cells, with each cell having a header in which connection information is contained that designates a transmission or routing target. The terminal equipment and switching stations are synchronized so that the cells are transferred in a synchronized manner via one or more switching stations. Signals and high quality of service (QoS) data thus can be transferred through the same network. |
| US07924851B2 |
Method of processing traffic information and digital broadcast system
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change. |
| US07924849B2 |
Method of and system for providing quality of service in IP telephony
A method and system for providing quality of service in an IP telephony session between a calling party and a called party establishes a high quality of service ATM virtual circuit for the session between first and second devices, each of the devices having ATM capability and IP capability. The first and second devices provide bidirectional translation between IP media and ATM media. The system transports IP media for the session between the calling party and the first device, and between said called party and a second device. The virtual circuit transports ATM media for the session between the first and second devices. An intelligent control layer provides IP and ATM signaling to set up the session. |
| US07924847B1 |
Method and system for virtual circuit numbering
A system and method for providing identifying numbers for virtual circuits and virtual paths in a network is described. The system and method make use of a predetermined group of identifying numbers such that each number corresponds to a particular communication type and port. |
| US07924845B2 |
Message-based low latency circuit emulation signal transfer
Message send and receive blocks are provided to emulation ICs and reconfigurable interconnect ICs of an emulation system to reduce the multiplexed transfer latency of critical emulation signals. Each of a corresponding pair of a message send block and a message receive block is provided with a signal state value inclusion schedule to control operation of the message send and receive blocks. The signal state inclusion schedule calls for some signals within a message to be sent more often than other signals within the message. In some embodiments a parity value is implemented as part the message and included in the signal state inclusion schedule. |
| US07924839B2 |
Mechanism to reduce lookup latency in a pipelined hardware implementation of a trie-based IP lookup algorithm
A series of hardware pipeline units each processing a stride during prefix search operations on a multi-bit trie includes, within at least one pipeline unit other than the last pipeline unit, a mechanism for retiring search results from the respective pipeline unit rather than passing the search results through the remaining pipeline units. Early retirement may be triggered by either the absence of subsequent strides to be processed or completion (a miss or end node match) of the search, together with an absence of active search operations in subsequent pipeline units. The early retirement mechanism may be included in those pipeline units corresponding to a last stride for a maximum prefix length shorter than the pipeline (e.g., 20 or 32 bits rather than 64 bits), in pipeline units selected on some other basis, or in every pipeline unit. Worst-case and/or average latency for prefix search operations is reduced. |
| US07924838B1 |
Advanced service architecture for next generation network services and intelligent data network router
According to the present invention, a plurality of data packets are received and routed by a router (1) in a data network. The router (1) comprises storing means (11) for storing a pre-defined list of rules for detecting special data packets, detecting means (12) for detecting special data packets in the received plurality of data packets on the basis of the pre-defined list of rules stored in said storing means (11), and routing means (13) for requesting instructions for the special data packets detected by said detecting means (12) and for routing the special data packets in accordance with instructions received on request. According to the present invention, an advanced service architecture for next generation network services is provided. In this service architecture, the functions of the detecting means (12) and the routing means (13) can be achieved by a service trigger and a service logic, respectively. |
| US07924832B2 |
Facilitating transition of network operations from IP version 4 to IP version 6
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to facilitating transitions from IPv4 to IPv6 networks. In particular implementations, the invention facilitates or enables accessibility of network application services between IPv4 and IPv6 hosts, or traversal of network paths including both IPv6 or IPv4 domains. Particular implementations of the invention are directed to selective mapping of network layer addresses between IPv6 and IPv4 protocols and Domain Name System records under one or more policy controls. Other implementations of the invention are directed to a proxy-to-proxy based tunnel architecture allowing hosts implementing a first network layer protocol, such as IPv4, to traverse a network implementing a second network layer protocol, such as IPv6. |
| US07924831B2 |
Procedure of setting up peer link in wireless mesh network and wireless station supporting the same
Provided are a procedure of setting up a peer link in wireless mesh networks and a wireless station supporting the procedure. In the procedure, a mesh point (MP) transmits first peer link open frame regarding the peer link to a candidate peer MP. The first peer link open frame includes high throughput capabilities information element and high throughput operation information element. And, the mesh point receives first peer link confirmation frame regarding the peer link from the candidate peer MP in response to the first peer link open frame. And, the mesh point transmits second peer link confirmation frame regarding the peer link to the candidate peer MP after receiving second peer link open frame received from the candidate peer MP. In this case, the peer link confirmation frame may also include high throughput capabilities information element and high throughput operation element. |
| US07924829B2 |
Technique for enabling network statistics on software partitions
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for enabling network statistics to be collected per software partition. When an incoming data packet is received at the Internet Protocol (IP) layer of an operating system, the IP address in the incoming data packet is identified. The IP address in the incoming data packet is then compared against IP addresses stored in a hash table, wherein the hash table maps each IP address in the hash table to a software partition of the operating system. If an IP address in the hash table matches the IP address in the data packet, the software partition mapped to the located IP address in the hash table is identified. Network statistics collected for the incoming data packet are then associated with the software partition. |
| US07924825B2 |
System for providing portable VoIP services
A portable VoIP telephony service includes a portable device that includes a processor and memory having information stored therein. If the portable device is coupled to a first computer, information is coupled via the first computer to the telephony service, and in the event a first incoming telephone call is received, the telephony service causes the first incoming call to be directed as a first VoIP call to the first computer. If the portable device is coupled to the second computer, information is coupled via the second computer to the telephony service, and in the event a second incoming telephone call is received while the portable device is coupled to the second computer, the telephone service causes the second incoming telephone call to be directed to the second computer. |
| US07924821B2 |
Method and communication system for implementing calling tapping at flash
The invention discloses a method for implementing Calling Tapping at Flash, which includes the steps of: when there is a new voice message for a user, actively initiating an SIP message carrying the description information of the voice message by a Voice Mail Application Server; sending the SIP message to the user terminal or the home network device of the user by the Voice Mail Application Server, and notifying the user by the user terminal or the network device; converting the SIP message into an inter-exchange signaling message in CS domain and transmitting it to the CS domain where the user accesses by a Media Gateway Control Unit (MGCU), and notifying the user by a switching control unit in the CS domain in accordance with the prompt means of Calling Tapping at Flash of the user. The invention also discloses a communication system for implementing Calling Tapping at Flash service. |
| US07924817B2 |
Receiving apparatus and control method therefor
The tuner unit of a digital broadcast receiving apparatus receives a digital broadcast and generates a data stream from a digital broadcast signal having a desired modulation frequency. A data stream of a digital broadcast is also input from an external digital broadcast receiving apparatus via an external I/F. A stream switching unit and demultiplexer play back the content on a desired channel, contained in the two data streams, on an image display unit in real time, and at the same time, store the content on the other channel, contained in the other data stream, in a storage unit. This makes it possible to watch one of at least two programs with different modulation frequencies while recording the other program. |
| US07924812B1 |
Domain and service based update messaging
A communication network comprising a plurality of domains, a first location server of a first domain of the plurality of domains, and a first gateway coupled to the first location server and configured to interwork communications between the first domain and a second domain of the plurality of domains wherein the plurality of domains provide a plurality of services. The first gateway, responsive to a first status change associated with a first service of the plurality of services provided by the second domain, transfers a first update message to the first location server wherein the first update message indicates the first gateway, the first status change, the second domain, and the first service. The first location server, responsive to receiving the first update message, processes the first update message to determine a third domain of the plurality of other domains that provides the first service and transfers a second update message to a second location server of the third domain wherein the second update message indicates the first gateway, the first status change, the second domain, and the first service. |
| US07924811B2 |
Methods, systems and computer program products for suspending packet-switched sessions to a wireless terminal
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided through which a wireless terminal participating in a packet-switched communications session may temporarily suspend the session, for example, upon receipt of an incoming circuit-switched call. The wireless terminal may notify a server associated with the packet-switched session of receipt of the incoming circuit-switched call, and may also notify the server when the packet-switched session may be resumed. In embodiments of the present invention implemented in GSM networks, one or more of the notification messages may be transmitted to the server over the SMS data bearer. |
| US07924810B2 |
Method and computing system for controlling access
A method and computing system for controlling access by a user to a computing resource located in respective source and destination domains in a hierarchy of domains. The method comprises establishing a path of domains in the hierarchy from the source domain to the destination domain, specifying for at least one domain in the path preceding the destination domain whether traversal to a successive domain in the path is permitted, and providing to the user access to the computing resource if traversal from the source domain to the destination domain along the path is permitted. |
| US07924803B2 |
Antenna selection for mobile stations in OFDMA networks
A method and a system for selecting antennas in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) network. The network includes a base station and mobile stations. The mobile station includes multiple antennas. The base station and the mobile stations communicate with each other using frames. The base station transmits a down-link (DL) subframe of the frame to the mobile station. The DL subframe allocates one or more symbols and one or more subcarriers of an up-link (UL) subframe of the frame for antenna selection signals. The mobile station transmits the UL subframe including the antenna selection signals at the allocated subcarriers and symbols to the base station. Then, the base station selects a subset of the antennas based on the antenna selection signals. |
| US07924801B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting packet in wireless LAN based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
Provided is an apparatus and method for detecting a packet in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) which can reduce a processing time of packet detection based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) by detecting a received packet employing symmetry of a short preamble. The packet detecting apparatus includes an autocorrelation average power calculation unit for calculating an absolute value of an autocorrelation average power value obtained by delaying a preamble signal of a received signal by half of a preamble length, an average power calculation unit for calculating an average power value of the received signal, a power ratio calculation unit for calculating a ratio of the average power value to the absolute value of the average power value, and a packet detection unit for detecting the packet by using the power ratio calculated by the power ratio calculation unit. |
| US07924799B2 |
Radio communication device
A radio communications device includes a transmitter, a receiver, a propagation detecting unit, and a symbol rate setting unit. The receiver has a plurality of antennas, a plurality of transmitting circuits, and a transmission signal processing circuit. The transmission signal processing circuit has a modulator, and modulates data input transmission data in modulator to output the modulated data as transmission signal to the transmitting circuits. The receiver has a plurality of antennas, a plurality of receiving circuits, and a reception signal processing circuit. The reception signal processing circuit has a demodulator, demodulates reception signals input from the receiving circuits in demodulator to generate reception data. The propagation detecting unit detects propagation state of radio waves. The symbol rate setting unit selects a symbol to be communicated from a plurality of symbol rates based on the detected propagating state and sets the selected symbol rate to the modulator and to the demodulator. |
| US07924791B2 |
Method of transmitting data packets between two slave units and a master unit comprising two processors
A method of transmitting data packets within a local network including a master unit and at least two slave units is adapted to a configuration according to which the master unit comprises two processors. The first processor executes an application and the second processor controls a transmission of data between the master unit and any one of the slave units. According to the method, data packets sent by a first slave unit to a second slave unit pass through the second processor and are forwarded directly in accordance with a readdressing directive obtained from addressing elements which are interassociated and communicated by the first processor to the second processor. |
| US07924787B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling scanning period in a mobile communication terminal
A method and an apparatus for controlling a WLAN scanning period using a velocity sensor in a mobile communication terminal are provided. The velocity of a user is measured at a predetermined period and it is determined whether the measured velocity satisfies a predetermined condition for changing the scanning period. A scanning period corresponding to the velocity is detected in a look-up table, if the velocity satisfies the predetermined condition. Scanning is performed at the detected scanning period. |
| US07924785B2 |
Method and system for switching a radio access technology between wireless communication systems with a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit
A method and system for switching a radio access technology (RAT) between wireless communication systems connected to each other while implementing different RATs with a multi-mode WTRU are disclosed. A plurality of wireless communication systems are deployed with overlapping coverage areas wherein each system implements different RATs and are connected to each other such that a service that is provided by one system may be provided through the other system. Each wireless communication system transmits an indication of the existence of an inter-working wireless communication system in a coverage area of each system. The WTRU receives the indication and information regarding the inter-working wireless communication system. The WTRU then initiates a handoff to the inter-working wireless communication system using the received information, whereby the WTRU continues to receive the same services that the WTRU receives from the currently connected wireless communication system through the inter-working wireless communication system. |
| US07924780B2 |
System and method for linking existing Wi-Fi access points into a single unified network
The present invention comprises a system and method for providing a distributed wireless network. In a preferred embodiment, at least one information processor is coupled to and accessible over a communication network, such as the internet. Network bandwidth is provided to a first user of at least two end users for a first fee and to a second user of the at least two end users for a second fee. The bandwidth is provided by at least one network service provider. Further, at least two wireless gateway devices are each respectively operated by the end users, and the wireless gateway devices are configured to provide wireless access to the communication network within a transmission range and to communicate with the at one least information processor. Also, at least two wireless receiving devices are provided that are operable to receive the respective bandwidth from the at least two wireless gateway devices when in transmission range. Preferably, the first user is authorized to use the second bandwidth and the second user is authorized to use the first bandwidth via the wireless devices. Thus a system and method of sharing bandwidth is provided. |
| US07924779B2 |
Apparatus and method for allocating frequency resources in mobile communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for effectively allocating frequency resources in a mobile communication system. The method includes: determining a first offset of a preset frequency band from among all frequency bands, determining a second offset corresponding to a symbol unit in the preset frequency band, and allocating frequency resources to data, the frequency resources corresponding to a sum of the first offset and the second offset. |
| US07924776B2 |
Auxiliary ACK channel feedback for control channels and broadcast multicast signals
A method for providing an assignment acknowledgement is provided. The method comprises: decoding forward link control channel data blocks according to parameters provided by an overhead channel message; receiving forward link packet data at an access terminal (AT) via a data channel; identifying an offset which defines that a certain number of subpackets of the packet data have been transmitted before the assignment acknowledgement is to be transmitted; and transmitting the assignment acknowledgement according to the offset to indicate successful decoding of one of the control channel data blocks only if the packet data has not been acknowledged. |
| US07924774B2 |
Control system with predictive field device response time over a wireless network
A host computer communicates with field devices by sending control messages and receiving response messages over a wireless network. When the host computer sends a control message to the wireless network, the host computer is provided with a predictive response time within which the field device receiving the message will respond. The wireless network cycles between a sleep state and an active state based upon a wireless network power cycle. The predicted response time is based upon the current state of the wireless network, the power cycle, and the time required for the field device to turn on, take an action (such as measuring a parameter), and generating a response message. |
| US07924770B2 |
Method of controlling communication between two nodes in a communication system
This invention relates to a method of controlling communication between two nodes in a communication system. The method includes the steps of providing a set of values for controlling communication between the two nodes. The method also includes providing information relating to traffic conditions and providing a command for controlling communication. The method further includes selecting one of the set of values in dependence on the provided information. The command and mapping information provides a mapping between the traffic condition information and information relating to the values. |
| US07924769B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication control unit, communication method and computer-readable storage medium
A communication apparatus makes a wireless communication with a communication control unit that is coupled to a network. The communication apparatus includes a part to make a call with respect to another communication apparatus on a called end, a part to receive an address of the other communication apparatus on the called end from a first communication control unit that is located at a location of the other communication apparatus on the called end, a part to make a call to the address, and a part to make a busy registration with respect to a server that is coupled to the network so as to register a telephone number of the communication apparatus. |
| US07924766B2 |
Hybrid multiple access method and system in wireless networks
A method and system access a channel in a wireless network of nodes. A coordinator transmits periodically a beacon, in which time between two consecutive beacons constitute a beacon interval. The coordinator and other nodes transceive a superframe during the beacon interval, in which the superframe begins with an active interval, which is immediately followed by an inactive interval, and in which the active interval begins with a contention free period, which is immediately followed by a contention access period, which is immediately followed by the inactive interval. |
| US07924765B2 |
Method and system for improved wireless communications payload
A system and method for improved data transmission in a WDCT frame structure. A transmission slot in a WDCT frame of conventional size is configured for transmission of data bits having substantially smaller data bit width than used in conventional WDCT frames. A user data field is configured to transmit a larger data payload by including more bits within the user data field. In one implementation, the user data field is configured for transmission of multiple copies of a voice data packet at the same rate as single data packets are transmitted in a conventional WDCT frame structure. In another implementation, a non-voice data transmission rate is increased by more than a factor of two over conventional WDCT frame structure. |
| US07924764B2 |
Method and apparatus for packet processing
Frame processing for a wireless communication system. The frame processing includes detecting reception of a frame based on a portion of a preamble of a frame, wherein the frame includes a preamble and a data payload. With detecting the reception of a frame, determining a frame type of a plurality of frame types from at least the portion of the preamble. Processing a remaining portion of the preamble in accordance with the frame type to determine payload processing parameters, and processing the data payload based on the payload processing parameters. |
| US07924758B2 |
Energy-aware routing apparatus and method
An energy-aware routing method and energy-aware routing system, the energy-aware routing apparatus for use with a multi-hop system including at least one terminal and at least one base station, the apparatus includes a transceiving unit for receiving a route request message including battery information from each of the at least one terminal; and a control unit for receiving the route request message from the transceiving unit and selecting a communication path from configurable paths by using the battery information. |
| US07924755B2 |
Systems and methods for restricting the location of control information in physical layer signaling
A method for conserving the power supply of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communications device is described. The location of control information within one or two of a plurality of symbols is obtained. A sleep mode is entered into. The one or two symbols that include the control information are monitored. A return to the sleep mode is executed. |
| US07924754B2 |
Multiple carrier acknowledgment signaling
Acknowledgment signaling in a multiple carrier environment is enabled with a multiple carrier codebook having code words that jointly encode acknowledgment for at least two carriers. For an example embodiment, there is a method in a remote terminal for acknowledgment uplink signaling in a multiple-carrier mode. First, a code word is determined that jointly encodes acknowledgment signaling for at least two carriers from a multiple carrier codebook that is stored in the remote terminal. The multiple carrier codebook includes eight code words that are defined to have a single carrier codebook as a sub-codebook of the multiple carrier codebook, each code word of the eight code words having a length of ten. The multiple carrier codebook achieves a minimum Hamming distance of four among the eight code words. Second, an uplink signaling message that includes the determined code word is transmitted from the remote terminal to a wireless network node. |
| US07924753B2 |
Method and system for decoding
Methods and apparatus to decode encoded data. One method starts and stops turbo decoding depending on channel conditions of a received pilot signal. One method may be used with Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (H-ARQ). |
| US07924752B2 |
Voice and data exchange over a packet based network with AGC
A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange. |
| US07924749B2 |
Identification of long links within a wireless network
An apparatus and method of identifying long links within a wireless network is disclosed. The method includes identifying long links within a wireless network. The method includes a first node estimating a link quality of a wireless link between the first node and a second node of the wireless network. The first node uni-casts packets to the second node. The first node monitors a packet acknowledgment success rate. The first node identifies the wireless link to be a long link if the link quality is above a link threshold, and the packet acknowledgment success rate is below an acknowledgment threshold. |
| US07924748B2 |
Method and system for controlling power in a communication system
A method is provided for controlling power in a communication system. The power control method includes allocating a first data transmission region and a second data transmission region corresponding to a first communication scheme and second communication scheme; providing a communication service to a receiver through the first data transmission region, and receiving power control information from the receiver through the second data transmission region while providing the communication service; and adjusting a level of transmission power used for providing the communication service according to the received power control information, and providing the communication service to the receiver using the adjusted transmission power. |
| US07924747B2 |
Enhancement of node connectivity in a wireless communications network with changing topology via adaptive role changing
A process and system for enhancing connectivity among nodes of a wireless communications network by adapting to changes in the network topology. Nodes of the network are configured to operate according to either (i) an ad hoc protocol wherein a given node assumes a role of a mesh node capable of connecting with other like-configured nodes, or (ii) a point-to-multipoint protocol wherein the given node assumes a role of either a base station, or a subscriber station being served by another node which is assuming the role of a base station. A determination is made as to whether each node should operate according to the ad hoc protocol or the point-to-multipoint protocol, in order to maintain an optimum state of connectivity among all nodes of the network. The determined operating protocol is then implemented for each node. |
| US07924733B2 |
Root cause analysis of network performance based on exculpation or inculpation sets
Performance problems or other conditions are analyzed in a system comprising a plurality of endpoint devices and an associated centralized or distributed controller. End-to-end measurements are obtained for respective paths through the network, for example, using communications between the endpoint devices. For a given end-to-end measurement obtained for a particular one of the paths, a value of a performance indicator for the path is determined and the performance indicator value is assigned to each of a plurality of links of the path. The determining and assigning operations are repeated for additional ones of the end-to-end measurements, the links are grouped into one or more exculpation or inculpation sets based on how many times a particular performance indicator value has been assigned to each of the links, and the one or more sets are utilized to determine, for example, the location of a performance problem in the network. |
| US07924731B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling out-of-sequence packets in header decompression
Header compression repair techniques are accomplished, in various aspects, modes, embodiments, and implementations, by a remote terminal (40), by a header decompressor (46) for use at a remote terminal (40), and by methods of operating the remote terminal and/or decompressor, and (optionally) in some aspects, modes, embodiments, and implementations by taking into consideration aspects of structure and operation of a header compressor (25) as well. The remote unit (40) comprises a transceiver (42) or the like which receives, over a link (36) such as an air interface (38), packets including packets having headers which have been compressed and packets which are potentially out-of-order. The header decompressor (46), upon detection of non-receipt of packets anticipated in a flow (34) of packets over the link, stores, with respect to each non-receipt, a snapshot of header decompression context information existing at the non-receipt. Then, when the header decompressor detects header decompression failure for a subsequently received packet, the header decompressor determines (e.g., by executing a repair process) whether header decompression of the subsequently received packet can be achieved using one of plural stored snapshots. |
| US07924730B1 |
Method and apparatus for operations, administration and maintenance of a network messaging layer
A method of performing connectivity verification in a content routed network including a plurality of routers and wherein messages are transported through the network over a message transport layer, involves sending from an originating router a ping request message over the message transport layer along a user data path to a terminating router using a content routing protocol. The terminating router responds with a ping reply message upon receipt of the ping request message, and the message transport layer is monitored for the ping reply message at the originating router. Trace messages can also be sent through the network to determine whether subscribers are reachable for messages originating from a particular publisher. Also trace messages can be sent through the network to determine whether subscriptions from a particular subscriber are reachable from a particular originating router. |
| US07924728B2 |
Systems and methods for energy-conscious communication in wireless ad-hoc networks
The invention relates to a transport protocol and associated methods and stack architectures for improving the energy efficiency of transmitting packets through an ad hoc network. The protocol controls transmissions by taking into account per-packet energy limits, per-node loss tolerances, and/or minimum availability rates determined based on path quality measurements collected by packets traversing the network and application reliability requirements associated with various applications. |
| US07924715B2 |
Method and apparatus for discovering, negotiating, and provisioning end-to-end SLAs between multiple service provider domains
Domains (multiple collaborating service providers) create service offerings between pairs of edge nodes that interconnect with other domains in the network. The service offerings may specify the available bandwidth, quality of service, reliability, available security, price, subscriber and service contextual specific and other SLA information. When a new service is to be created, the service definition is used along with information about the available service offerings to determine a set of networks to implement the service. Information associated with the service offerings may be flooded to all other networks. Alternatively, the service offering information may be provided to a trusted third party (SLA broker) which may provide SLA services on the network to select sets of domains to implement inter-domain services, and may also proxy to set up the service for the SLA requesting party. A hybrid approach may also be used wherein some SLA information is flooded and other information is retained in secret and provided only to the SLA broker. |
| US07924714B2 |
Communication method and receiving terminal
It is an object of the present invention to receive/play a streaming immediately after a switching not to disconnect it when a terminal for receiving the streaming is switched from a first receiving terminal to a second receiving terminalA communication method of switching a receiving terminal of a streaming to which a rate control using TFRC is applied from a first receiving terminal to a second receiving terminal, includes a deciding step of deciding whether or not a route on a network between a transmitting terminal of the streaming and the first receiving terminal is identical to a route on the network between the transmitting terminal and the second receiving terminal, and a transferring step of transferring history information of a packet loss that the first receiving terminal is managing to the second receiving terminal when it is decided that both routes are identical. |
| US07924712B2 |
Processing platform selection method for data packet filter installation
In a data packet system (100) comprised of a plurality of processing platforms that are each at least potentially in-line with respect to a flow of data packets, upon receiving (401) an installation of a data packet filter, automatically selecting (402) where, from amongst that plurality of process platforms, to effect the data packet filter. This can comprise, if desired, parsing of the filter to ascertain its characterizing requirements and accessing information regarding the processing platforms to determine which platforms are capable of effecting those requirements. Numerous other factors can also be taken into account to aid in assuring an appropriate selection. |
| US07924711B2 |
Method and apparatus to adaptively manage end-to-end voice over internet protocol (VolP) media latency
A method and apparatus for adaptively managing communication latency, including processing one or more data frames in a communication network; sampling the one or more data frames in accordance with a first sampling time; interpolating the sampled one or more data frames; and forming a play-out waveform using the one or more data frames and having a predetermined length in time. The one or more data frames can be one or more vocoder frames and a play-out time of the one or more vocoder frames is different than the original sampling time. |
| US07924710B2 |
Method for transmitting data including an error control mechanism designed for unreliable networks and error resilience applications
A method for transmitting a payload encapsulated in a packet from a transmitter to a receiver by using an Automatic Request process, in which: the receiver checks each packet received from the transmitter to detect some potential corrupted received packets the receiver acknowledges the correct or the corrupted reception of each received packet by emitting one or many acknowledgment messages to the transmitter; the transmitter resends the packets that were indicated as corrupted in the received acknowledgment messages. For at least some packets, the transmitter implements an EC-PartARQ error control mechanism including the steps of: defining a sensitive part and a non-sensitive part in the transmitted packet; checking only the sensitive parts in the packets to detect any potential corrupted received packet, a packet being considered as corrupted if the sensitive part has not been correctly received. |
| US07924708B2 |
Method and apparatus for flow control initialization
According to one embodiment of the invention, a credit/debit flow control mechanism performs credit initialization by a combination of standard protocol level messages (e.g., one or more flits) with encoded credit return values and the use of saturating counters. |
| US07924706B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a flexible cross-connect system
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for cross-connecting high-speed telecommunications signals at a flexible cross-connect system. A method and apparatus for controlling communications between each of the cards located within the flexible cross-connect system is also disclosed. The method and apparatus also detect and report failures within the system, receive and validate software upgrades from external sources, maintain synchronization within the system, and monitor communication maps for the system. |
| US07924705B2 |
Method and system for span-based connection aggregation
The present invention provides a method and system for the restoration of an optical mesh network subsequent to the simultaneous failing of a large number of network connections due to a transmission failure. The system and method increase the restoration speed of a large number of failed network connections through connection aggregation. The system and method provide that connection aggregation is the logical bundling of a plurality of network connections across a network span. By enabling the bundling of these individual network connections transported over a particular span or spans, a network operator manages the bundle as if it were one network connection. The method and system provide that other network links support these bundled connections when the network segment that a managed bundle is traversing fails. |
| US07924704B2 |
Memory optimization packet loss concealment in a voice over packet network
A method to reduce memory requirements for a packet loss concealment algorithm in the event of packet loss in a receiver of pulse code modulated voice signals. A voice playout unit in the receiver shares its nominal delay buffer with a history buffer of a packet loss concealment algorithm up to a maximum limit described in a standard. This reduces or eliminates need to allocate memory for the history buffer. A history buffer can also be extended to retain an original portion of voice signal packets received prior to a packet loss as well as generated voice signals as they are generated. A scratch buffer is used as a working buffer and replaces the function of a pitch buffer. |
| US07924702B2 |
Method for reconfiguring a communication network
A method for reconfiguring a packet-switched communication network using a network protocol for installing a logic topology of the network formed as a spanning tree is disclosed. The method includes detecting failure of a direct link to a root bridge of the spanning tree by a first bridge; detecting the failure of a direct link to the root bridge by a second bridge; transmitting a first configuration frame generated by the first bridge to other bridges; receiving the first configuration frame by a third bridge and transmitting a second configuration frame, generated by the third bridge, to the other bridges; detecting the first or second configuration frame by the second bridge and transmitting the third configuration frame generated by the second bridge to the other bridges; receiving the third configuration frame by the other bridges of the network and triggering a reconfiguration of the network with detection of a new spanning tree by the network protocol. |
| US07924698B2 |
Proportional fair scheduler for OFDMA wireless systems
A scheduler and a method schedule available power and bandwidth to users. Equations for a continuous bandwidth allocation of a total bandwidth, and/or a continuous power distribution of a total power, are set up using Lagrangian multipliers to include constraints in a function that is maximum when a fair capacity is maximum. The continuous bandwidth allocation and/or the continuous power distribution represent sets of values corresponding to users that maximize the function. The equations are solved using waterfilling methods, wherein the continuous power distribution is determined for a previously determined bandwidth allocation, and/or the continuous bandwidth allocation is calculated for a previously determined power distribution. |
| US07924692B2 |
Actuator assembly providing two-dimensional movement of a moveable element in a data storage device
An apparatus comprises a movable member, first and second rigid members positioned on opposite sides of the movable member, a first suspension assembly connected between a base and the first and second rigid members, a second suspension assembly connected between the first and second rigid members and the movable member, first and second actuators coupled to the first and second rigid members along a first central axis, and third and fourth actuators coupled to the movable member along a second central axis. |
| US07924690B2 |
Process for intentional deterioration of the contents of an optical recording medium
The invention relates to the field of optical information recording. In order to prevent abusive or fraudulent use of storage media, the invention provides a process for intentional degradation of information by application of a laser power below the normal power for reading information recorded in super-resolution on the media. This process relies on the surprising observation that a laser power below the super-resolution read power produces an irreversible degradation of the information recorded. This observation has been made with regard to media composed of a three-layer structure comprising an InSb or GaSb layer between two ZnS/SiO2 layers. Application for protecting sensitive data. |
| US07924688B2 |
Optical pickup and manufacturing method for optical pickup
An optical pickup includes a first objective lens, a second objective lens having a numerical aperture different from that of the first objective lens, and an objective lens holder that holds the objective lenses. The first objective lens is attached to the objective lens holder via a spacer. The objective lens holder has a first fixture hole that receives the spacer with the first objective lens and a second fixture hole that receives the second objective lens. The first fixture hole is provided with a spacer supporting portion in which the spacer is inserted in a rotatable manner. |
| US07924684B2 |
Object lens, optical pickup, and optical disc device
An optical pickup includes: a first emitting unit to emit an optical beam of a first wavelength; a second emitting unit to emit an optical beam of a second wavelength; a third emitting unit to emit an optical beam of a third wavelength; an object lens to condense optical beams emitted from the first through third emitting units onto a signal recording face of an optical disc; and a diffraction unit provided on one face of an optical element or the object lens positioned on the optical path of the optical beams of the first through third wavelengths; wherein the diffraction unit includes a generally circular first diffraction region provided on the innermost perimeter, a ring zone shaped second diffraction region provided on the outer side of the first diffraction region, and a ring zone shaped third diffraction region provided on the outer side of the second diffraction region. |
| US07924681B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus, recording/reproducing apparatus provided with the optical pickup apparatus, optical element, and information recording/reproducing method
An optical pickup apparatus for reproducing information from an optical information recording medium or for recording information onto an optical information recording medium, is provided with a first light source for emitting first light flux having a first wavelength; a second light source for emitting second light flux having a second wavelength, the first wavelength being different from the second wavelength; a converging optical system having an optical axis and a diffractive portion, and a photo detector; wherein in case that the first light flux passes through the diffractive portion to generate at least one diffracted ray, an amount of n-th ordered diffracted ray of the first light flux is greater than that of any other ordered diffracted ray of the first light flux, and in case that the second light flux passes through the diffractive portion to generate at least one diffracted ray, an amount of n-th ordered diffracted ray of the second light flux is greater than that of any other ordered diffracted ray of the second light flux, where n stands for an integer other than zero. |
| US07924680B2 |
Optical information recording and reproducing apparatus and optical information recording apparatus
An optical information recording and reproducing apparatus for recording information on a recording medium by forming interference fringes generated by interference between an information beam and a reference beam on the recording medium and for reproducing the information by irradiating, with the reference beam, the recording medium, in which the interference fringes are formed. The apparatus includes a spatial light modulator for spatially modulating at least a portion of a light beam emitted from a light source into the information beam. A light sensing device reads the information beam extracted from the recording medium by the reference beam irradiated on the recording medium. A shift amount detector detects a shift of the irradiating position of the light beam entering the spatial light modulator, and a device corrects a positional shift between a position of an area for modulating the information beam and a position of the light beam in the spatial light modulator based on a positional shift amount detected by the shift amount detector. |
| US07924679B2 |
Holographic system, in particular for holographic data storage
In order, in the case of a holographic system, in particular for holographic data storage, comprising a radiation source for emission of a radiation an objective lens, a signal evaluation means, a detector and an optical data storage medium, the optical data storage medium having at least one data carrier layer and at least one beam-reflecting layer, to provide a solution which forms a small, compact and robust unit, in the case of which the signal beam crosses the reference beam only once, which avoids the use of optical beam splitters and requires a minimal alignment outlay, it is proposed that the objective lens has a plurality of sections, at least two beams that run parallel passing through the objective lens in a respective section and the at least two beams focusing at respectively separate locations on a plane in the optical data storage medium, at least one beam reflected in the optical data storage medium passing through the objective lens again in a respective further section. |
| US07924674B2 |
Recording method to generate a box type recording pattern with a first pulse having a first power level and a second pulse having a second power level, and recording apparatus, and optical recording medium for the same
A recording method, a recording apparatus, and an optical recording medium that can improve quality of a signal reproduced from a high multi-speed recording medium. The recording method includes generating a box type recording pattern including a first pulse, which has a duration determined according to a length of a recording mark and which has a first power level, and a second pulse which has a second power level different from that of the first power level, and recording data according to the box type recording pattern. |
| US07924673B2 |
Information processing device, access device, recording medium, information processing method, and information processing program
An information processing device processes specific information recorded on a recording medium, and has a characteristic identification unit and a processing unit. The characteristic identification unit identifies the reflection characteristic of the recording medium. The processing unit processes the specific information recorded on the recording medium according to the identified reflection characteristic. The reflection characteristic is either a first characteristic such that the reflectance of light reflected by a recorded region of the recording medium (referred to as first reflectance) is greater than the reflectance of light reflected by an unrecorded region of the recording medium (referred to as second reflectance), or a second characteristic such that the first reflectance is less than the second reflectance. |
| US07924659B2 |
Optically assisted magnetic recording device with semiconductor laser, optically assisted magnetic recording head and magnetic disk device
The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented. |
| US07924658B2 |
Heat-assisted magnetic recording head constituted of slider and light source unit, and manufacturing method of the head
Provided is a method for manufacturing a heat-assisted magnetic recording head, capable of joining a light source unit and a slider with a sufficiently high alignment accuracy. In the method, the unit including a light source is joined to the slider including a head part. First, at least one marker provided on the head-part end surface is set so that the distance from the waveguide incident center to the marker end is substantially equal to the distance from the light-emission center of the light source to the end surface of the light source. After that, the unit and slider are relatively moved while keeping the unit in surface contact with the slider, and the relative positions are set so that the end of the marker coincides with, or is at a distance within an acceptable range from, the edge of the surface of the light source. |
| US07924652B2 |
Method for determining seismic anisotropy
The method disclosed is useful for estimating anisotropic properties of an earth formation. The method includes extracting travel time values of components of the acoustic wave induced from a downhole tool and reflected from a boundary bed formation. The method further includes obtaining a travel time ratio of the wave components and using the travel time ratio to estimate the anisotropic properties of the formation. |
| US07924649B2 |
Internal source voltage generation circuit and generation method thereof
An internal source voltage generation circuit includes main source voltage driving means configured to drive an internal source voltage terminal to a predetermined voltage level; and additional source voltage driving means configured to additionally drive the internal source voltage terminal in response to a data strobe signal. |
| US07924643B2 |
Sense amplifier and driving method thereof, and semiconductor memory device having the sense amplifier
The semiconductor memory device includes a bank having a cell array and a sense amplifier. A back bias voltage generating unit supplies a back bias voltage to the cell array of the bank. A negative drive voltage generating unit generates negative driving voltages including a normal pull-up voltage, an overdrive voltage, a normal pull-down voltage, and a negative voltage and supplies the negative driving voltages to the sense amplifier of the bank. A switching unit opens a connection between the back bias voltage generating unit and the negative drive voltage generating unit when in active mode and shares the back bias voltage between the back bias voltage generating unit and the negative drive voltage generating unit when in a refresh mode, in response to an external command. |
| US07924642B2 |
Sense amp circuit, and semiconductor memory device using the same
A differential input circuit receives differential input signals at a pair of differential input terminals and produces a pair of first differential output signals. A sensing circuit senses at least one of the pair of first differential output signals reaching a certain voltage and provides an activation signal. A latch-type amplifier provides a pair of second differential output signals when activated in accordance with the activation signal. A cutoff circuit establishes connection between the differential input circuit and the latch-type amplifier and breaks connection between the differential input circuit and the latch-type amplifier in accordance with the activation signal. |
| US07924640B2 |
Method for memory cell characterization using universal structure
A test method includes providing an integrated circuit, where the integrated circuit includes a memory base cell, where the memory base cell includes a first storage node set, a second storage node set, a set of other nodes, and a set of circuit elements each having a plurality of terminals, where the set of other nodes includes a first data node for accessing the first storage node set, a first access control node for controlling the access of the first storage node set, a first supply node for supplying the first storage node set, and a second supply node for supplying the second storage node set, where the first and second supply nodes are of the same sinking or sourcing type. The method further includes conducting a circuit element test on a circuit element in the set of circuit elements, where in the circuit element test the first and second supply nodes are not connected together, each terminal of the circuit element is directly forced with an electrical quantity, and an electrical quantity is directly measured from a terminal of the circuit element. Further, the method includes conducting at least one of a static noise margin test or a full cell test on the memory base cell. |
| US07924637B2 |
Method for training dynamic random access memory (DRAM) controller timing delays
Timing delays in a double data rate (DDR) dynamic random access memory (DRAM) controller (114, 116) are trained. A left edge of passing receive enable delay values is determined (530). A final value of a receive data strobe delay value and a final value of a transmit data delay value are trained (540). A right edge of passing receive enable delay values is determined using a working value of the receive data strobe delay (550); and a final receive enable delay value intermediate between the left edge of passing receive enable delay values and the right edge of passing receive enable delay values is set (560). |
| US07924636B2 |
Electronic circuit device
To provide an electronic circuit device that can change a characteristic after package sealing and that achieves a reduction in miscellaneous tasks during characteristic setting.The electronic circuit device includes: a burst detecting circuit 7 for detecting, from an input and output terminal 4, a prescribed write activation burst having a length that is larger than or equal to a prescribed time; a signal-pattern detecting circuit 9 for putting a serial interface 8 into an input-enable state in which setting data can be input, when the write activation burst is detected; and a volatile memory 10 and a nonvolatile memory 11 for storing, in the input-enable state, a setting-data signal input from the input and output terminal 4. An operation state of a functional circuit 6 is set in accordance with the setting data written in the volatile memory 10 or the nonvolatile memory 11. |
| US07924634B2 |
Repeater of global input/output line
A repeater of a global input/output line includes a data transmitter including first and second drivers for outputting data signals of the global input/output line through different transmission routes in response to a transmission direction control signal, and a third driver for driving the global input/output line in response to an output signal of the data transmitter. |
| US07924632B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprising: a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in a shape of a matrix along a plurality of bit lines arranged in parallel and a plurality of word lines intersecting orthogonally to the bit lines, and that have their data read out to the bit lines; a sense amplifier which detects a voltage or a current of the bit line, and which decides the read data from each of the memory cells; a clamping transistor which is connected between the sense amplifier and the bit lines, and which determines a voltage in a charging mode of the bit lines by a clamp voltage applied to a gate thereof; and a clamp voltage generation circuit which generates the clamp voltage so as to become larger as a distance from the sense amplifier to a selected one of the memory cells is longer. |
| US07924623B2 |
Method for memory cell erasure with a programming monitor of reference cells
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating memory cells. One method includes: performing an erase operation on a selected group of memory cells, the selected group including a number of reference cells and a number of data cells; performing a programming monitor operation on the number of reference cells as part of the erase operation; and determining a number of particular operating parameters associated with operating the number of data cells at least partially based on the programming monitor operation performed on the number of reference cells. |
| US07924620B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory including charge accumulation layer and control gate
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a transistor, a first MOS, a second MOS, a first voltage circuit, and a second voltage circuit. The transistor includes a accumulation layer, a control gate, and a first impurity diffused layer. The first MOS includes a first electrode and a second layer. The second MOS includes a second electrode and a third layer, after the channels being formed, the first MOS and the second MOS being cut off. The first voltage circuit applies a first voltage to an active region to generate a forward bias. The second voltage circuit applies a second voltage, and a third voltage to the control gate of the transistor, after the first voltage circuit charges the first to third impurity diffused layer to the first voltage, the second voltage circuit applying the second voltage and the third voltage to the control gate of the transistor. |
| US07924619B2 |
Programming method to reduce word line to word line breakdown for NAND flash
A NAND architecture non-volatile memory device and programming process programs the various cells of strings of non-volatile memory cells by the application of differing word line pass voltages (Vpass) to the unselected word lines adjacent to the selected word line and memory cell being programmed in order to reduce voltage differences between the word lines of the memory cell string or array during a programming cycle. This allows the word line to word line voltage differential to be reduced and thus decreases the likelihood of breakdown or punch through of the insulator materials placed between the adjacent word lines. |
| US07924618B2 |
Method of programming non-volatile memory device
A programming method of a non-volatile memory device may include providing a memory device in which a first word line is preprogrammed in an erase operation of a memory block, pre-programming a second word line according to a program command, and programming the first word line. |
| US07924607B2 |
Magnetoresistance effect element and magnetoresistive random access memory using the same
A magnetoresistive effect element includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first spacer layer. The first magnetic layer has an invariable magnetization direction. The second magnetic layer has a variable magnetization direction, and contains at least one element selected from Fe, Co, and Ni, at least one element selected from Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, and Au, and at least one element selected from V, Cr, and Mn. The spacer layer is formed between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, and made of a nonmagnetic material. A bidirectional electric current flowing through the first magnetic layer, the spacer layer, and the second magnetic layer makes the magnetization direction of the second magnetic layer variable. |
| US07924606B2 |
Memory controller and decoder
A memory controller and a decoder are provided. The decoder is adapted to the memory controller. The decoder includes a first transistor to a fourth transistor. Gates of the first to the fourth transistor are coupled to a first to a fourth control signal respectively. A first terminal and a second terminal of the first transistor are coupled to a first voltage and a first terminal of the second transistor respectively. First terminals and second terminals of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are coupled to a second terminal of the second transistor and a second voltage respectively. When the first transistor and the second transistor are turned off, a voltage of the second control signal is lower than a voltage of the first control signal. Thereby, a gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) current of the transistors is reduced. |
| US07924603B2 |
Resistance variable memory with temperature tolerant materials
A PCRAM memory device having a chalcogenide glass layer, preferably comprising antimony selenide having a stoichiometric formula of about Sb2Se3, and a metal-chalcogenide layer and methods of forming such a memory device. |
| US07924594B2 |
Data writing and reading method for memory device employing magnetic domain wall movement
A method of data recording and reading for a memory device employing magnetic domain wall movement. The memory device includes a writing track, an interconnecting layer formed on the writing track, and a recording track formed on the interconnecting layer. |
| US07924589B1 |
Row redundancy for content addressable memory having programmable interconnect structure
A content addressable memory (CAM) device includes an array having a number N of CAM rows, each row including a plurality of CAM cells coupled to a match line, a spare CAM row including a plurality of CAM cells coupled to a spare match line, and row replacement circuitry configured to functionally replace a defective CAM row and each subsequent CAM row in the array with corresponding next adjacent CAM rows, wherein a last CAM row in the array is functionally replaced by the spare CAM row. |
| US07924588B2 |
Content addressable memory with concurrent two-dimensional search capability in both row and column directions
A content addressable memory (CAM) device includes an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns; compare circuitry configured to indicate match results of search data presented to each row of the array; and compare circuitry configured to indicate match results of search data presented to each column of the array, thereby resulting in a two-dimensional search capability of the array. |
| US07924587B2 |
Programming of analog memory cells using a single programming pulse per state transition
A method for data storage in analog memory cells includes defining multiple programming states for storing data in the analog memory cells. The programming states represent respective combinations of more than one bit and correspond to respective, different levels of a physical quantity stored in the memory cells. The data is stored in the memory cells by applying to the memory cells programming pulses that cause the levels of the physical quantity stored in the memory cells to transition between the programming states, such that a given transition is caused by only a single programming pulse. |
| US07924586B2 |
Substrate for AC/AC multiple-phase power converter
A substrate includes a plurality of input ends, a plurality of output ends, first and second direct-current power lines, a first region and a second region. An alternating voltage is applied between any two of the input ends. The first region permits mounting of any one of a plurality of kinds of first surface-mount devices that selectively establishes electrical continuity between one of said plurality of input ends and either said first or said second direct-current power line. The second region permits mounting of a second surface-mount device that selectively establishes electrical continuity between one of said plurality of output ends and said first or said second direct-current power line. |
| US07924584B1 |
Power supply switching circuit for a halogen lamp
A power supply and methods are provided. The power supply includes a bi-forward converter and a feed forward circuit. The bi-forward converter is operable to convert an input voltage into an output voltage. The feed forward circuit is operable to detect a peak voltage associated with the input voltage, and the bi-forward converter is further operable to adjust the output voltage responsive to the peak voltage detected by the feed forward circuit. |
| US07924581B2 |
High voltage start-up circuit with constant current control
A high voltage start-up circuit with constant current control applied to a switching mode power converter is provided. The high voltage start-up circuit includes a high voltage junction transistor, a control transistor, a current detecting resistor and a bias resistor. The drain of the junction transistor is connected to a high power supply, the gate of the junction transistor is connected to the drain of the control transistor, and the source of the junction transistor is connected to the current detecting resistor. The voltage drop crossing the current detecting resistor is kept constant to have the junction transistor output a constant current. The bias resistor which is connected between the gate of the junction transistor and the output end of the high voltage start-up circuit has the gate to source bias voltage of the junction transistor kept constant to output constant current. |
| US07924579B2 |
Fly-forward converter power supply
A fly-forward converter topology for a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) that may incorporate the advantages of both a forward converter and a flyback converter into a two-stage half-wave converter is provided. The fly-forward converter may be considered as a half-wave forward converter that has been modified with the addition of another secondary winding and a second rectifier, operating as a forward converter during the on period of the primary-side switch(es) and functioning as a flyback converter during the off period. Magnetizing energy stored in the core of the converter's transformer is not lost or recirculated in the primary, but may be transferred from the primary to the secondary. By transferring the transformer magnetizing energy to the secondary during the off period, the transformer core of the fly-forward converter may be reset without additional core resetting circuitry. |
| US07924575B2 |
Electronic apparatus
A cable connects a circuit board mounted with an electronic circuit to a BT module that controls wireless communications compliant with Bluetooth (Registered Trademark). The cable is a connection cable that elastically deforms and applies pushing force in a direction to make the BT module leave away from the circuit board. A second holding piece, which is cantilever-shaped, moves to a releasing position at which holding the BT module is released by elastic deformation as well as moves to a supporting position at which the second holding piece presses the BT module by release of elastic deformation. |
| US07924573B2 |
Card connector with ejector
A card connector adapted for receiving a card, comprises an insulating housing defining a card insertion/ejection direction; a plurality of contacts received in the insulating housing, a shell and an ejector. The shell covers the insulating housing and is formed with a receiving portion. The receiving portion comprises an upper portion, a lower portion opposite to the upper portion and a connecting portion connecting the upper portion and the lower portion. The ejector has a front end received and locked in the receiving portion of the shell. |
| US07924568B2 |
Heat sink device with a shielding member
A heat sink device mounted on a circuit board including an electronic component includes a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the electronic component and a shielding member electrically connecting the circuit board and the heat sink to prevent the electronic component from electromagnetic interference (EMI). The heat sink includes a base, a plurality of heat fins extending upwardly from the base, and a plurality of receiving grooves defined in the base. The plurality of receiving grooves are arranged in rows around the plurality of heat fins. The shielding member includes a plurality of contact plates abutting against the circuit board and a plurality of receiving plates received in the plurality of receiving grooves. |
| US07924562B2 |
Power supply unit
A cooling device includes a cooling fan placed in a power storage device, an exhaust port placed in a battery, and a cooling wind flow path for allowing cooling wind taken in from the cooling fan to flow therethrough. In the power storage device and the battery, communication between a gap inside a casing a gap inside a casing can be established via an opening. The cooling wind supplied from the wind blowing fan (F10) flows through the gap formed inside the casing for the power storage device to cool capacitor cells. Subsequently, the cooling wind that has passed through the power storage device is introduced into the inside of the casing for the battery via the opening, and flows through a gap between the upper surface of battery cells and the casing and a gap between the battery cells to cool the battery cells. Thereafter, the cooling wind is emitted to the outside of the casing via the exhaust port. |
| US07924561B2 |
Circuit board case
A circuit board case including: a cover that includes a cover front wall and a rise wall connected to the cover front wall, the cover being attachable to an attaching object at a position on the rise wall opposite the cover front wall; and a case that houses a circuit board and includes a case front wall and a first wall surface oriented toward a direction opposite the case front wall, the case being housed in the cover such that the case front wall opposes the cover front wall. A fitting that engages the first wall surface is formed in the rise wall of the cover so as to urge the case toward the cover front wall and thus hold the case within the cover. |
| US07924560B2 |
Display device
A display device of the present invention is a display device including a body unit; a display unit; and a supporting unit, arranged upright from the body unit, for supporting the display unit; the display device including a circuit substrate arranged inside the body unit and mounted with an electronic component; a radiator plate arranged facing the circuit substrate and directly or indirectly contacting a plurality of electronic components; a heat pipe arranged on the radiator plate; and a cooling fan attached to the radiator plate and connected with a terminating end of the heat pipe. |
| US07924557B2 |
Retaining apparatus for data storage device
A retaining apparatus for at least one data storage device includes a tray and a retaining device. The tray is used for receiving the at least one data storage device. The retaining device includes base member, an arm member, and a retaining member. The base member is attached to the tray. The arm member is pivotably attached to the base member about a pivot axis. The pivot axis is located at a first end of the arm member. The retaining member is movably attached to the base member along a first direction. The retaining member includes an engaging portion and a retaining portion. The arm member has a driving portion at the first end engaged with the engaging portion. The first direction is substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis. The retaining member is capable of being driven to move along the first direction by rotating the arm member. |
| US07924554B2 |
Electronic device having movable display
An electronic device includes a display, a rotating member, a main body, a hinge, and a positioning member. The main body defining a holding groove in a top thereof. The rotating member defines a holding hole. The display is slidably mounted to the rotating member. The hinge includes a first fixed member and a second fixed member rotatable relative to the first fixed member, wherein the second fixed member is held in the holding hole, and the first fixed member is held in the holding groove. The positioning member mounted to the main body, wherein the positioning member comprises a positioning block inserted into the holding groove to secure the first fixed member of the hinge in the holding groove. |
| US07924551B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes a first body; a second body; a hinge pivotally connecting the second body to the first body and defining two fixing holes along the axial direction thereof; two conductive post received in the two fixing holes correspondingly, two first cables disposed in the first body; and two second cables disposed in the second body. A first extending portion and a second extending portion of each of the two conductive post extending out of the hinge. The two first extending portions of the two conductive posts having different length. The two first cables conductively fixed at the first extending portion. The two second cables conductively fixed at an end of each of the second extending portions opposite to the hinge and capable of rotating with respect to the hinge without getting entangled. |
| US07924544B2 |
Low voltage modular room ionization system
An ionization system for a predefined area includes a plurality of emitter modules spaced around the area, a system controller for individually addressing and monitoring the emitter modules and communication lines for electrically connecting the plurality of emitter modules with the system controller. Each emitter module has an individual address and including at least one electrical ionizer. |
| US07924538B2 |
Self-protecting crowbar
The invention relates to a protective circuit for an electrical device operated in particular in an explosion-hazard area, with a limiting circuit connected downstream of a pair of input terminals for limiting an output voltage present at a pair of output terminals and/or an output current delivered at the output terminals below a threshold value and a shorting circuit, which shorts the output or input terminals when a threshold value is exceeded, the control signal that controls the limitation originating from the same place as the signal that triggers the shorting circuit, and with a measuring circuit, which uses the output voltage or the output current to provide a control signal, which is fed on the one hand to a final control element for reducing the output voltage or the output current and on the other hand to the shorting circuit, the measuring circuit comprising a ZENER diode and/or a measuring resistor and the control signal being a voltage that is in particular a transistor-amplified or impedance-converted voltage. To minimize the difference between the guaranteed output voltage and the safety voltage, the invention proposes that the final control element is a self-conducting field-effect transistor, at the gate of which the control signal is present, and the measuring circuit is connected downstream of the field-effect transistor in the direction of current flow. |
| US07924537B2 |
Miswiring circuit coupled to an electrical fault interrupter
The disclosure relates to an electrical fault interrupter comprising at least one electrical fault sensor which is configured to detect an electrical fault condition, at least one miswiring circuit configured to detect the improper connection to the electrical fault sensor, and at least one circuit interrupter which is configured to open at least one circuit in the presence of an electrical fault or a miswiring condition. In at least one embodiment, one end of the miswiring circuit is coupled to a ground line. |
| US07924531B2 |
Suspension and fabricating method thereof, head gimbal assembly and disk drive device
A suspension for supporting a head slider has a flexure, several trace patterns positioned on the flexure, front flexure-bonding pads disposed on the flexure at a position corresponding to a leading edge of the head slider and connected to the trace patterns, and rear flexure-bonding pads disposed on the flexure at a position corresponding to a trailing edge of the head slider and connected to the trace patterns. The front and the rear flexure-bonding pads and the trace patterns are integrally formed and disposed on the flexure at the same time, so the fabricating process is simplified and there is no alignment problem for bonding location. This can ensure the connection strength and position between the head slider and the suspension changeless and, in turns, ensure a good attitude of the head slider. The invention also discloses a HGA and a disk drive device with such suspension, and a fabricating method for the suspension. |
| US07924528B2 |
Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording and method of manufacturing same
A top surface of a pole layer of a magnetic head includes: a first portion having a first edge located in a medium facing surface and a second edge opposite thereto; and a second portion located farther from the medium facing surface than the first portion and connected to the first portion at the second edge. The distance from a substrate to an arbitrary point on the first portion increases with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point. The angle of inclination of the first portion taken at the arbitrary point with respect to a direction perpendicular to the medium facing surface increases stepwise or continuously with increasing distance from the medium facing surface to the arbitrary point. The angle of inclination taken at the first edge is greater than zero degree. The second portion extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the medium facing surface. |
| US07924527B2 |
Magnetic disk drive, magnetic disk drive manufacturing method and method of estimating gas amount in magnetic disk drive
Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic disk drive that can estimate the amount of gas filled in a housing precisely and simply. According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive including a housing in which a magnetic disk and a magnetic head are accommodated and gas having lower density than air is filled, a heating body provided in the housing, and means for holding a reference value of a parameter representing the temperature change speed of the heating body when the heating body is heated in the housing filled with a predetermined reference amount of the gas. |
| US07924525B1 |
Hybrid termination of transmission line for driving hard disk drive head
Drive circuitry for driving a load through a connection to a transmission line, such as for driving the write head of a hard disk drive. A hybrid termination is provided for termination at the connection to the transmission line. The termination is hybrid since there is both an in-series and an in-parallel component to the termination resistance. In addition, in embodiments where there is matched termination of the transmission line during a boost period of driving the load, the termination is hybrid since the termination is switched between a boost period of a write operation, and a steady state period of the write operation. |
| US07924520B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining position of a storage medium
A system and method for determining the value of a longitudinal position (“LPOS”) bit of a storage medium. A system comprises a selector that selects a value for a longitudinal position (“LPOS”) bit from a plurality of possible values derived from LPOS information read from a storage medium. A quality determiner that determines a quality value for each of a plurality of LPOS values derived from the LPOS information. The selection of the value for the LPOS bit is based, at least in part, on the quality values. |
| US07924519B2 |
Eccentricity determination for a disk
Monitoring of the eccentricity of a pre-formatted servo pattern on a disk. |
| US07924514B2 |
Moveable assembly, microactuator having same, and camera module including the microactuator
A moveable assembly includes a frame, resilient suspension arms made of carbon nanotube bundles, and a moveable member. The frame is disposed around the moveable member. Each of the resilient suspension arms includes a first end fixed to the frame, and a second end connected to the moveable member. The resilient suspension arms are centro-symmetrically arranged relative to the moveable member such that the moveable member is capable of stably moving along a predetermined direction driven by an external force. |
| US07924510B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus equipped with the imaging lens
An imaging lens is provided and includes: in order from the object side, a first lens group including a biconcave lens; a second lens including two lenses whose convex surfaces are arranged opposite to each other and having a positive refractive power as a whole; a third lens group including a biconcave lens; and a fourth lens group including two lenses whose convex surfaces are arranged opposite to each other and having positive refractive power, as a whole, the imaging lens satisfying the specific condition. |
| US07924508B2 |
Projection lens and projection system having same
A projection lens includes, in the order from a large conjugate side to a small conjugate side thereof, a negative lens group having a negative refractive power and a positive lens group having a positive refractive power. The positive lens group includes, in the order from the large conjugate side to the small conjugate side of the projection lens, a front sub-group and a rear sub-group each having a positive refractive power. The projection lens satisfies the formulas: −1.35 |
| US07924502B2 |
Microscope with centered illumination
A microscope comprising a main objective including a lens assembly movable in the direction of the optical axis of the main objective for focal length variation and comprising an illuminating unit with an illumination deflector element for generating an illuminating beam path directed onto an object plane and extending outside the main objective. The position of the illumination deflector element is adjustable dependent on a focal length variation of the main objective for centering the illumination. The illumination deflector element is movable in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the main objective and is coupled to the movable lens assembly of the main objective. |
| US07924500B1 |
Micro-structured fiber profiles for mitigation of bend-loss and/or mode distortion in LMA fiber amplifiers, including dual-core embodiments
An apparatus and method for compensating for mode-profile distortions caused by bending optical fibers having large mode areas. In various embodiments, the invention micro-structures the index of refraction in the core and surrounding areas of the inner cladding from the inner bend radius to the outer bend radius in a manner that compensates for the index changes that are otherwise induced in the index profile by the geometry and/or stresses to the fiber caused by the bending. |
| US07924495B1 |
Active-matrix sun tracker
This invention deals with the general topic of adaptive electronic redirection of sunlight by means of an active matrix of transistors, electrodes, and optical elements. The scale of the system may range from small portable systems to large-scale arrays for industrial processes such as solar power plants used for the production of environmentally benign energy. It may be integrated directly into buildings and other platforms without the need for heliostats to hold photovoltaic cells or other energy conversion devices above the building or other host platform. It makes solar energy harvesting systems practical by allowing the separation of tracking, collection, concentration, aggregation, distribution, and energy conversion. This novel system is unique and distinct from other sun tracking and energy conversion systems because it allows adaptive solid-state electronics to be used in place of conventional mechanical tracking heliostats. Furthermore, it is highly precise and therefore allows very high levels of concentration to be achieved in a dynamic environment. It is also cost effective because it leverages integrated opto-electronics to perform sun tracking. |
| US07924493B2 |
Faraday rotator mirror and method for manufacturing the same
A Faraday rotator mirror which is compact, allows high workability of manufacturing and has high reliability and high coupling efficiency is provided. The Faraday rotator mirror comprises a graded-index fiber, a Faraday rotator and a reflector mirror, wherein light incident via the graded-index fiber passes through the Faraday rotator to be reflected on the reflector mirror, and the reflected light passes through the Faraday rotator and emerges through the graded-index fiber. |
| US07924491B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
A disclosed optical scanning device includes: a light source unit having plural luminous sources; a light source driving unit modulating each luminous source in accordance with pixel information; an oscillating mirror supported on a twist beam as a rotation shaft, the oscillating mirror collectively deflecting light beams from the luminous sources and performing reciprocating scanning on a surface to be scanned; an imaging optical system imaging the light beams from the luminous sources on the surface to be scanned; an oscillating mirror driving unit setting a scanning frequency f in accordance with a resonance frequency of the oscillating mirror; and a pitch adjustment unit adjusting beam spot intervals p in a sub-scanning direction in accordance with the scanning frequency f of the oscillating mirror that has been set. |
| US07924488B2 |
Optical pattern generator using a single rotating component
An optical pattern uses a single rotating component. The rotating component includes a number of deflection sectors. Each sector deflects an incident optical beam by a substantially constant angular amount although this amount may vary from one sector to the next. The rotating component may be combined with an imaging lens group that produces, for example, image points, spots, or lines displaced along a line locus. |
| US07924487B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
An optical scanning device includes a coupling optical system, a light source including a plurality of light emitting units for emitting light beams, and a deflector including a deflecting surface for deflecting the light beams. The coupling optical system is arranged on an optical path between the light source and the deflector so that the light beams enter the deflector at an angle with respect to a normal direction of the deflecting surface in a sub-scanning direction. The light emitting units are arranged two-dimensionally, and a distance between two light emitting units at opposite ends in a main scanning direction is smaller than a distance between two light emitting units at opposite ends in the sub-scanning direction. |
| US07924485B2 |
Color dispersion compensated holographic light guide plate
A holographic light guide plate has a transparent substrate and a plurality of diffraction patterns formed thereon. The diffraction patterns are arranged on one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the transparent substrate. The diffraction patterns diffract light incident on the transparent substrate. Each of the diffraction patterns has a continuously varying interval. |
| US07924480B2 |
Edge detecting device, electronic equipment, and edge detecting method using the same
An edge detecting device for detecting a position of an edge of an object includes a measuring circuit for emitting an inspection light to a linear inspecting area including the object, and measuring first light quantity of a reflected light of the inspection light reflected from the inspecting area in a first state and second light quantity of a reflected light of the inspection light reflected from the inspecting area in a second state, a calculation circuit for calculating a difference of the first light quantity and the second light quantity measured by the measuring circuit for each pixel with a first predetermined length, calculating first total differences of reflected lights from pixels with a second predetermined length located adjacent to an objective dot in one direction by totalizing differences between the first and the second light quantity reflected from each of the pixels, and calculating second total differences of reflected lights from the other pixels with the second predetermined length located adjacent to the objective dot in the other direction by totalizing differences between the first and the second light quantity reflected from each of the other pixels and a judgment circuit for judging the objective dot with the largest variation between the first total differences and the second total differences to be a position of the edge. |
| US07924475B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes: a first feed path; a second feed path; a detection unit; a feed system; an image read unit; a feed path switching unit; a drive source; a drive force transmission unit; a control unit that has a first feed mode that feeds a document from the first feed path to a document discharge portion and a second feed mode that feeds a document from the first feed path to the second feed path, and shifts a current feed mode from the second feed mode to the first feed mode; and an image modification unit that modifies the image read by the image read unit based on drive loss information acquired with regard to a drive loss of the drive force transmission unit occurring at the time of switching of the feed mode by the control unit. |
| US07924474B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus is provided which can execute a rotation process of an image when there is insufficient storage capacity. In a multi-function device to read images on two sides of a document by reversing a transfer direction of the document in an automatic document feeder, an estimated available capacity can be obtained based on a previously set condition, such as the resolution or gradation of an image scanner. Based on the estimated available capacity, it can be judged whether the rotation process can be performed. When the rotation process can not be performed, a process to reduce a set value of the condition is executed. When the set value of the condition is reduced, an attempt can be made to execute the process under the reduced set value. |
| US07924468B2 |
Camera shake determination device, printing apparatus and camera shake determination method
The device employs a plurality of coefficients recorded in image data to detect whether edges are included per block, and determines as the blur level the proportion of edges, among the detected edges, in which the edge width is over a certain threshold. The device also determines, per block, coordinates composed of a first coefficient value representing frequency components in a first direction in the blocks and a second coefficient value representing frequency components in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and calculates the extent of bias in the distribution of the coordinates as the ellipticity. The device determines whether or not blurring has been produced by camera shake in an image based on the relationship between the blur level and ellipticity which have thus been determined. |
| US07924462B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing program
Input unit inputs RAW data. Print data generating unit generates print data from an image to be printed. The print data allows a print unit to print the image to be printed. Correct unit sets a color balance operation value or a luminance operation value based on the RAW data, and enforces a color balance correction corresponding to the color balance operation value or a luminance correction corresponding to the luminance operation value on the RAW data. Image generating unit generates an image as the image to be printed from the RAW data with the color balance correction or the luminance correction enforced thereon using a demosaicking processing and a tone reproduction processing. |
| US07924461B2 |
Printing method based on remaining color toner or ink information
A method and apparatus for printing a document by remaining color toner or ink information is provided. The printing method comprising the steps of providing remaining color toner or ink information supported by the printing device; dividing the document into areas, and designating colors to the designated areas; and if the remaining amounts of colors are sufficient to print the document in the designated colors, printing the document in the designated colors |
| US07924460B2 |
Color correction method with transparent toner insignia images
A method for color correction of an image having an insignia portion in a multi-module printer (10). A first color profile is calibrated for a four-color image. A second color profile is calibrated for a four-color image with a transparent toner layer on top of the insignia portion of the four-color image. The image data is then buffered in a color input band buffer (40) and processed through the first (50) and second (60) color profiles in a color management module. The processed image data is stored in an output band buffer (70, 80) corresponding to the image data processed through each color profile. Clear toner input band data stored in a clear toner input band buffer (30) is compared with the processed image data in each output band buffer (70, 80) to select an output signal (100) on a per pixel basis to send to the multi-module printer (10). |
| US07924455B2 |
Simultaneous duplex digital printer
A duplex printer includes a pair of print engines, each print engine comprising at least one printhead and one transfer roller for receiving ink ejected from the at least one printhead; a pair of print media trays provided upstream and downstream of the pair of print engines, each print media tray comprising a movable platen for supporting a stack of print media and a motorized mechanism for moving the platen; and a print media feed arrangement for feeding print media from one of the pair of print media trays to the other of the pair of print media trays along a print media feed path. The transfer rollers of the pair of print engines are provided opposite each other with respect to the print media feed path. |
| US07924454B2 |
Fax transmission over the packet network
A FoIP server mediating fax communication between gateways and enterprise backend systems. The gateways are VoIP capable, connected to the PSTN and the enterprise network, and mediate between the PSTN fax call and fax over IP calls. The FoIP Server mediates between the FoIP calls and enterprise backend systems, such as message transfer agent (MTA), Customer Relationship Management CRM, document management, web services, mainframe, or a specialized application requiring faxing capabilities. |
| US07924449B2 |
Data processing apparatus, method, and program
In response to a print request from a host computer, a port for receiving print data is assigned to the host computer, the host computer is notified of a URI representing the port that serves as a destination of print data, and the port is associated with the URI in a port-status management table. When a connection for sending print data from a host computer is established, the port-status management table is referred to. If the host computer is associated with the port of the connection, printing is executed. After receiving print data, the port is closed, and the port-status management table is updated to cancel the assignment of the port to the host computer. |
| US07924443B2 |
Parallel printing system
Disclosed is a print media interposer system and method. The print media interposer system comprises two or more interposer modules, one or more interface modules, and a controller. The interposer modules are adapted to receive one or more print media input stacks from one or more printing systems. Subsequently, the print media interposer system merges the received print media input stacks in a predetermined sequence. |
| US07924441B1 |
Fast and high-precision 3D tracking and position measurement with MEMS micromirrors
An optical locating and tracking system may have two or more optical scanners, one or more optical detectors responsive to radiation from one or more optical sources, and a controller coupled to the detector(s) and the scanner(s). Each scanner has a reflector mounted to a two-dimensional actuator that tilts the reflector about first and second axes. The controller determines whether a given reflector of a given scanner is aligned to provide an optical path between the optical source(s) and the detector(s) from one or more detection signals from the one or more optical detectors. The optical path originates, terminates or is deflected at the object. The controller also determines the object's position in three dimensions from control signals to the two-dimensional actuators of the scanners obtained the reflectors are aligned to provide the optical path. The control signals determine a tilt of each reflector about its first and second axes. |
| US07924435B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring characteristics of surface features
An apparatus is disclosed which includes an interferometry system configured to operate in a first mode to produce a first set of multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different illumination angles of a test object by test light and in a second mode produce a second set of multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different surface locations of a test object. An electronic processor coupled to the interferometry system is configured to receive the first set of interferometry signals and programmed to compare information derivable from the first set of multiple interferometry signals to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object to determine information related to one or features of the test object, and output the information. In some embodiments, the features include an under-resolved feature. |
| US07924434B2 |
Systems configured to generate output corresponding to defects on a specimen
Systems configured to generate output corresponding to defects on a specimen and systems configured to generate phase information about defects on a specimen are provided. One system includes an optical subsystem that is configured to create interference between a test beam and a reference beam. The test beam and the reference beam are reflected from the specimen. The system also includes a detector that is configured to generate output representative of the interference between the test and reference beams. The interference increases contrast between the output corresponding to the defects and output corresponding to non-defective portions of the specimen. |
| US07924431B2 |
Method of measuring properties of particles and corresponding apparatus
A method of measuring properties of particles includes generating a beam of radiation (IW); illuminating with the beam (IW) an observation region (MR) which is transited by a particle (B). A portion of the beam (IW) gives rise to radiation (SW) which is scattered by scattering interaction with the particle (B), and another portion (TW) is transmitted substantially undisturbed through the observation region (MR). In a detection plane (M), a plurality of radiation intensity values are detected which are determined by the interference between the scattered radiation (SW) and the transmitted radiation (TW). The detection of the radiation intensity values in the detection plane (M) is carried out according to a time sequence of acquisitions corresponding to successive transit positions of the particle through the observation region (MR). On the basis of the time sequence of acquisitions, the trend of a parameter of asymmetry of the distribution of the plurality of radiation intensity values with respect to the optical axis (z), due to the successive transit positions of the particle (B), is determined as a function of time. Depending on the trend of the parameter of asymmetry determined as a function of time, the trends of phase delay and amplitude of the scattered radiation (SW) with respect to the transmitted radiation (TW) are determined as a function of time, and the properties of the particle (B) are determined on the basis of the trends of the phase delay and amplitude of the scattered radiation (SW) as a function of time. |
| US07924427B2 |
Photonic crystal based rotation sensor
A gyroscope having photonic crystals for sensing rotation uses the Sagnac effect to determine angular motion. The gyroscope comprises a photonic crystal capable of guiding counter-propagating light beams in a closed path. A light source, coupling, and detection apparatus permits detection of phase changes between the counter-propagating beams, thereby permitting measurement of angular rotation. The photonic crystal comprises a periodic structure of pillars and voids which creates a photonic bandgap waveguide within which light waves in the proper wavelength range propagate with low loss. |
| US07924425B2 |
Spatially selective fixed-optics multicolor fluorescence detection system for a multichannel microfluidic device, and method for detection
A system for spatially selective, fixed-optics fluorescence detection in a multichannel polymeric microfluidic device, and a method for performing spatially selective, fixed-optics fluorescence detection. |
| US07924423B2 |
Reverse photoacoustic standoff spectroscopy
A system and method are disclosed for generating a reversed photoacoustic spectrum at a greater distance. A source may emit a beam to a target and a detector measures signals generated as a result of the beam being emitted on the target. By emitting a chopped/pulsed light beam to the target, it may be possible to determine the target's optical absorbance by monitoring the intensity of light collected at the detector at different wavelengths. As the wavelength of light is changed, the target may absorb or reject each optical frequency. Rejection may increase the intensity at the sensing element and absorption may decrease the intensity. Accordingly, an identifying spectrum of the target may be made with the intensity variation of the detector as a function of illuminating wavelength. |
| US07924418B2 |
Inspection apparatus and method
An inspection apparatus includes a captured image acquiring unit configured to acquire a captured image that is acquired by shooting an inspection target, an acquiring unit configured to acquire from the captured image a first image region and a second image region whose intensity distributions of reflected light with respect to an incident angle of illumination light emitted to the inspection target are different, and an image processing unit configured to perform image processing for performing different surface inspections on the first image region and the second image region respectively. |
| US07924415B2 |
Apparatus and method for a light direction sensor
The present invention provides a light direction sensor for determining the direction of a light source. The system includes an image sensor; a spacer attached to the image sensor, and a pattern mask attached to said spacer. The pattern mask has a slit pattern that as light passes through the slit pattern it casts a diffraction pattern onto the image sensor. The method operates by receiving a beam of light onto a patterned mask, wherein the patterned mask as a plurality of a slit segments. Then, diffusing the beam of light onto an image sensor and determining the direction of the light source. |
| US07924412B2 |
Apparatus and method for characterizing electrophoretic display mediums
A method and an apparatus for measuring reflectivity, charge and/or particle mobility of electrophoretic display mediums and particles are described. The apparatus for evaluating characteristics of an electrophoretic display medium, comprising a cell for containing the electrophoretic display medium, located between conductive substrates, a voltage application unit associated with the cell, an electrometer to measure transient current, and a densitometer to measure reflectance. |
| US07924405B2 |
Compensation of reticle flatness on focus deviation in optical lithography
A method for lithography patterning includes providing a mask for photolithography patterning; measuring a mask flatness of the mask; calculating focal deviation of imaging the mask to a substrate in a lithography apparatus; adjusting the lithography apparatus to have a compensated focal plane of the mask based on the focal deviation; and exposing the semiconductor substrate utilizing the mask and the lithography apparatus with adjusted focal plane. |
| US07924404B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A manifold is provided between an outlet of a fluid supply system for an immersion lithographic apparatus and a separator. The manifold is provided with a pressure sensor which passes the measured pressure in the manifold to a mass flow controller. The mass flow controller controls a leak flow into the manifold based on the measured pressure in the manifold so as to maintain a desired pressure in the manifold. |
| US07924394B2 |
Fabrication method of display panel and dielectric configuration applied thereto
A fabrication method for a display panel and dielectric configuration applied thereto is provided according to the present invention. The dielectric configuration of the display panel is applicable at atmospheric pressure and to a lower substrate having a surface formed with a dielectric. The fabrication method includes forming at least one lateral line segment and a plurality of longitudinal line segments on the surface of the lower substrate, thereby enabling a process of dispensing dielectric to be performed thereon at atmospheric pressure, and accordingly overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art. |
| US07924393B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention regarding a liquid crystal display device aims to further prevent generation of low-temperature bubbles in a uniform cell gap and to further improve strength against pressure applied to a glass surface while saving a production cost. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes multiple spacers arranged on a liquid crystal layer side of an array substrate. The multiple spacers include: a first spacer arranged in a part of an insulating layer having no contact hole formed thereon; and a second spacer arranged inside of the contact hole. The contact hole is provided on the insulating layer and connects a switching element to either a corresponding pixel electrode or a corresponding auxiliary capacitive layer. |
| US07924392B2 |
Active matrix display and forming method thereof
An active matrix liquid crystal display having improved reliability. Pixel regions and a peripheral driver circuit are integrally packed on the display. TFTs forming the peripheral driver circuit are located inside a sealing material layer on the side of a liquid crystal material, thus protecting the peripheral driver circuit from external moisture and contaminants. This enhances the long-term reliability of the peripheral driver circuit. Pixel TFTs are arranged in pixel regions. The leads going from the TFTs forming the peripheral driver circuit to the pixel TFTs are shortened. This results in a reduction in the resistance. As a result, the display characteristics are improved. |
| US07924385B2 |
Wide viewing angle liquid crystal display comprising at least one floating electrode in locations directly facing a corresponding one or more pixel electrodes thereby inducing an electric field in the liquid crystal layer
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device. In one embodiment, the LCD device includes a first substrate and a second substrate positioned apart from the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes two or more first common electrodes and one or more pixel electrodes formed on the first substrate, where each of the one or more pixel electrodes is located between two of the two or more first common electrodes. Each pixel further includes one or more floating electrodes and/or two or more second electrodes formed on the second substrate in locations opposite corresponding ones of the one or more pixel electrodes and the two or more first common electrodes on the first substrate. |
| US07924372B2 |
Substrate for liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display device including the same
To provide a liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality and a substrate to be used for such liquid crystal display device. A liquid crystal display device is provided with a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal sealed between the substrates, CF resin layers formed in a display area on the substrate; and a structure for sustaining a cell gap between the substrates in the display area. The structure is provided with a resin spacer layer occupying 90% or more of the volume of an organic member constituting the structure. |
| US07924370B2 |
Backlight assembly and a liquid crystal display device using the same
A backlight assembly for a display panel includes a light pipe that is divided into a plurality of horizontal portions, a light source including a plurality of selectively illuminated lamps arranged at lateral sides of each of the horizontal portions for emitting light into the light pipe, a plurality of diffusion surfaces, each of the diffusion surfaces being provided on a selected area of a respective one of the plurality of the horizontal portions, wherein each of the diffusion surfaces causes light to be emitted from the selected area of the respective horizontal portion when the light pipe is illuminated by the lamp associated therewith. |
| US07924365B2 |
Illumination apparatus for display device, display device using the same, and television receiver apparatus comprising the display device
In a backlight apparatus, laminated optical sheets are housed in a tray such that a wall portion thereof surrounds their circumferences so that the optical sheets receive light from fluorescent lights. Tips of one corner portion A of optical sheets preferably have a shape in which the tips are trimmed by line segments extending between two edges defining the corner portions. At the wall portion of the tray, an opposing surface is formed along the line segments of the corner portions so as to correspond to the shape of the corner portions having tips trimmed off. The opposing surface restrains the line segments. |
| US07924364B2 |
Liquid crystal display module and assembling method thereof
A liquid crystal display module, which can prevent corrugations of a reflection plate, and an assembling method thereof are disclosed. The liquid crystal display module comprises: a liquid crystal panel; a light source assembly; a light guide plate; a reflection plate; a support main; and a cover bottom, the reflection plate being disposed to be spaced a predetermined gap from the inner wall surfaces of the support main, the light guide plate being fixed to lateral stepped faces formed on a lateral inner wall surface of the supporter main while maintaining a first gap between the light guide plate and the reflection plate, and the light source assembly being fixed between an inner wall surface of a light incident portion of the support main and an incident surface of the light guide plate while maintaining a second gap between the light source assembly and the reflection plate. |
| US07924363B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a support main, a lamp housing, a printed circuit board (PCB), a top case and a cover bottom. The support main is a bottom portion of a liquid crystal display device module (LCM). The lamp housing is disposed at sides of the support main in a long side direction of the support main. The PCB is disposed on a back surface of the support main. The top case is a top portion of the LCM and has projection pieces from a side thereof. The cover bottom is disposed on an upper surface of the support main. The cover bottom has first extension pieces for electrical connection to the top case and second extension pieces projected to a lower surface of the support main for electrical connection to the printed circuit board, thereby making secure fastening and grounding. |
| US07924362B2 |
Bezelless display system having a display assembly with an overlay including a transparent section optically bonded to a display region with an optical layer that includes a pre-cured adhesive preform
A display system is provided including a display assembly with a display region of a first size, an overlay having a first substantially transparent section corresponding to the size of the display region of the display assembly and a second customized section extending beyond the first substantially transparent section, and an adhesive optically bonding the display region of the display assembly to the overlay. In some embodiments, the display assembly is one of a liquid crystal display, an organic light emitting diode display, and an electronic paper display. In some embodiments, the second customized section of the overlay may include an accessory, such as a sensor accessory, an actuator, or a coating. |
| US07924359B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device using the same
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a backlight unit having a fluorescent lamp, a reflection sheet reflecting light emitted from the fluorescent lamp, and a bottom cover supporting the reflection sheet, and a metal chassis supporting and affixing the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight unit. |
| US07924357B2 |
Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same
Array substrates for liquid crystal display (LCD) devices are formed on a substrate with first and second gate lines crossing a data line to define first and second pixel regions. A thin film transistor includes a source electrode and a drain electrode. A metal pattern overlaps a common line and makes up a portion of the drain electrode. A passivation layer is disposed on the source and drain electrodes and on the metal pattern. A first pixel electrode is connected to the metal pattern and a common electrode is connected to the common line. Various repair patterns are formed to define one or more repairing portions that enable connection of the drain electrode or metal pattern to a second pixel electrode of the second pixel region if the cut line is cut in the event the first pixel electrode fails to display an image. |
| US07924355B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Three layers are formed on a TFT substrate SUB 100. The three layers include a first transparent electrode PSL1 131, a second transparent electrode CSL 127 and a third transparent electrode PSL2 132, all of which are laminated in parallel to the substrate surface. Two auxiliary capacitances to a liquid crystal capacitance are formed between the first transparent electrode PSL1 131 and the second transparent electrode CSL 127 and between the second transparent electrode CSL 127 and the third transparent electrode PSL2 132. |
| US07924353B2 |
Pixel structure and active device array substrate
A pixel structure is disposed on a substrate and electrically connected to a scan line and a data line. The pixel structure including an active device, a bottom capacitor electrode, an insulator, and a pixel electrode is provided. The active device is disposed on the substrate and has a gate, a source and a drain. Besides, the active device is electrically connected to the scan line and the data line. The bottom capacitor electrode and the gate are separately disposed on the substrate. The insulator covering the active device and the bottom capacitor electrode is made of a mono film. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the active device, and at least a part of the pixel electrode extends to the insulator above the bottom capacitor electrode. |
| US07924347B2 |
Digital signal transmitter synchronization system
Methods, and apparatus for carrying out the methods, are disclosed for synchronizing a plurality of RF transmitters that are supplied with a common digital information signal for carrier modulation and subsequent transmission on a common channel throughout a prescribed region, whereby the digital signal receivers within the region may receive transmissions on the channel from more than one transmitter. The method involves inserting reference signals into the data sent to the transmitters in order to place them into known states at specific times relative to the digital signals sent to them for transmission. As a result of this method, the digital signals transmitted by each of the transmitters will be identical to one another so that the receivers will be able to identify one received signal as the main signal and the others as echoes. If necessary, the signal transmitted by at least one of the synchronized transmitters may be delayed, such that identical digital signals received from at least two of the transmitters by receivers in the region will arrive at each receiver within a prescribed time window. The methods and apparatus also can be applied to one or a plurality of RF transmitters for purposes of synchronizing processes at the source of the signals and at the transmitters. |
| US07924346B2 |
Apparatus and method for display screen flicker detection and correction
An improved display screen flicker detection and correction system. The system includes a flicker detection component. A test pattern is placed on a display screen to be tested and corrected. The flicker detection component is placed on or near the display screen. The flicker detection component senses the change in light level that results from the flickering screen. The display system is then adjusted to minimize flicker. |
| US07924343B2 |
Photographing apparatus and exposure control method
A photographing apparatus comprises a photographing device which photographs an image of an object; an illumination device which emits light at the photographing time and illuminates the object; a face detection device which detects a face area and a size of the face area of the person of the object from the image photographed by the photographing device; an object distance calculating device which calculates a distance up to the object from the size of the face area; a photographing sensitivity setting device that sets a photographing sensitivity according to the object distance; and a main emission control device which performs a main emission photographing by using the setting of the photographing sensitivity set by the photographing sensitivity setting device. |
| US07924340B2 |
Image-taking apparatus and image display control method
According to the present invention, by providing operation members dedicated for an operation of switching on/of the face detection processing, a face image switching operation, and proceeding to the next image taking, operations related to the face detection processing can be simplified. Furthermore, by displaying a taken image and an face image at the same time, the operation of proceeding to the next image taking after confirming the condition of focus and exposure and the face expression of a subject person can be performed easily. |
| US07924339B2 |
Image pickup apparatus having a help function, and method and program for controlling the same
An image pickup apparatus with a help function has a help mode in which a state or representation illustrating operating conditions is displayed on a display unit without actually applying a state or operating condition selected by operating an operating member to the image pickup apparatus. The image pickup apparatus includes a release button for issuing a photographing instruction, and a unit that, when the release button issues the photographing instruction, performs photographing under predetermined conditions regardless of a state or operating condition selected by operating the operating member during a help mode. |
| US07924336B2 |
Image pickup apparatus including a driving circuit to control a clamping switch so as to hold signals in holding capacitors
An image pickup apparatus comprising: a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric converting element; a plurality of capacitor which receive signals from the plurality of pixels at first terminals; a plurality of clamping switches for setting a second terminal of each of the plurality of capacitor into a predetermined electric potential; a plurality of first storing units for storing signals from the second terminals of the plurality of capacitor; a plurality of second storing units for storing the signals from the second terminals of the plurality of capacitor; a first common output line to which the signals from the plurality of first storing units are sequentially output; a second common output line to which the signals from the plurality of second storing units are sequentially output; and a difference circuit for operating a difference between the signal from the first common output line and the signal from the second common output line. |
| US07924328B2 |
Applying visual effect to image data based on audio data
Audio data is accessed. A visual effect is applied to image data based on the audio data. The image data to which the visual effect has been applied based on the audio data is displayed. |
| US07924327B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method for producing the same, portable equipment, and imaging sensor and method for producing the same
A plurality of imaging regions are provided in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of optical systems and are disposed on optical axes of the respective optical systems. Each imaging region has a plurality of pixels. The imaging apparatus further comprises an origin assigning means for assigning an origin of each imaging region, a pixel position specifying means for specifying positions of a plurality of pixels included in each imaging region using the origin as a reference, and a combination means for combining a plurality of images captured by the respective imaging regions. Thereby, it is possible to make a thin imaging apparatus capable of being easily assembled. |
| US07924322B2 |
White balance processing for image pickup corresponding to zooming
An image pickup apparatus which is arranged so that a calculation portion calculates a first adjustment value for white balance adjustment from a first image obtained by capturing an image at first timing, a discrimination portion discriminates depending on objects conditions whether or not white balance of a second image obtained by capturing the image at second timing is subjected to white balance adjustment using the first adjustment value, and an adjustment portion performs the white balance adjustment on the second image using the first adjustment value on the basis of a discrimination result of the discrimination portion. |
| US07924318B2 |
Monitoring system for a photography unit, monitoring method, computer program, and storage medium
A coverage area picture imaging a maximum area is displayed on a coverage area picture display. A camera is moved within a predetermined range and a plurality of frames obtained as a result form a picture. The pixels of the picture is decimated in vertical and horizontal directions and form a thumbnail as the coverage area picture. The coverage area picture display presents a display indicating a direction in which the camera is currently directed for picture photographing. In accordance with the display, a photographing direction is controlled. A plurality of frames are photographed with respect to a designated position, then stored, and displayed. A whole picture display presents a whole panorama picture. A selective picture display presents a frame at the position designated within the whole panorama picture as a selected picture. |
| US07924317B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing motion blur in digital images
A method and apparatus for reducing motion blur in digital images. An imager captures a reference frame and a plurality of target frames. Feature blocks preferably containing strong two-dimensional features are identified in the reference frame. Corresponding features are identified in the target frames and motion vectors representing the movement of features are calculated. Based at least in part on the motion vectors, corresponding pixels in the reference and target frames are identified and combined to form an output image. Efficient methods for identifying corresponding features in apparatuses with small buffer memories by serially processing frame strips are also disclosed. |
| US07924316B2 |
Image feature identification and motion compensation apparatus, systems, and methods
Apparatus, systems, and methods disclosed herein may estimate the magnitude of relative motion between a scene and an image capture device used to capture the scene. Some embodiments may utilize discrete cosine transform and/or Sobel gradient techniques to identify one or more blocks of pixels in an originating calibration image frame. Matching blocks of pixels may be located in a successive calibration image frame. Motion vectors originating at one calibration frame and terminating at the other calibration frame may be calculated. The magnitude of relative motion derived thereby may be used to adjust image capture parameters associated with the image capture device, including exposure settings. |
| US07924315B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, image processing program, and image file format
In a learning process, first, images having different resolutions are obtained from a target region of the subject (S101). Further, the subject characteristic of the target region is obtained (S102). Then, the resolution conversion rules are learned from the images having different resolutions, and those are recorded to a storage device along with the subject characteristics (S103). When converting the resolutions, the resolution conversion rules learned for the corresponding subject characteristics are applied to each region of the original image so as to convert the resolutions of the original image. |
| US07924311B2 |
Camera terminal and monitoring system
A camera terminal where tables where camera operations are described are not required, and that continues thoroughly imaging a monitoring subject region as a complete system even when a portion of cameras shuts down due to a failure is provided.The present invention is a camera terminal 110A in a monitoring system for imaging a monitoring subject region by cooperatively operating multiple camera terminals, and is equipped with a camera 101A having a function to change an imaging region, a communicator 103A to transmit/receive information for identifying the imaging region to/from other camera terminals, and an adjustment unit 102 to determine a monitoring responsible region for its own camera terminal so as to is make proximate the monitoring responsible region for its own camera terminal to a monitoring responsible region for the other camera terminal or a boundary of the monitoring subject region without leaving any space, and for adjusting the imaging region for the camera 101A to image the entire monitoring responsible region. |
| US07924308B2 |
Electronic endoscope apparatus and method of controlling image luminance for electronic endoscope apparatus
An image obtained by an electronic endoscope apparatus is changed to an image that is appropriate for observation with suppressed halation and fewer dark areas. Halation detection means detects halation of a predetermined level or higher in an image represented by a signal obtained by an imaging device, based on the signal. Light amount adjustment means decreases an amount of light emitted from illumination means to cause the halation to become a predetermined level or lower. Luminance conversion means processes the signal so as to generate a luminance conversion image wherein only a dark area having a predetermined luminance or lower in the image due to the decrease in the amount of the light is changed to have a higher luminance. |
| US07924306B2 |
Videoconferencing with enhanced illusion of physical presence in a common space
A technique for enhancing the illusion of physical presence in a common space during a multipoint video conference is disclosed. The technique may include controlling the appearance of a first portion of the video images separately from an appearance of a second portion of the video images to achieve a consistent image appearance across the multipoint videoconference. |
| US07924302B2 |
Image recording apparatus with gas blowing device
A laser light source has a plurality of semiconductor lasers arranged in a direction intersecting a primary scanning direction X. The semiconductor lasers are arranged in such a positional relationship that each semiconductor laser is located upstream, in the primary scanning direction X, of a different semiconductor laser located adjacent thereto and downstream thereof in a direction in which air is blown from an air blowoff pipe. |
| US07924301B2 |
Image forming apparatus for disk-shaped media
Problems, which occur when printing is performed on the surface of a rotating disk using by using a print head arranged in the outer circumferential direction from the center of rotation, are resolved. Light emitting sections performs exposure in synchronism with rotational driving for rotating a medium, and pixels which are adjacent in the circumferential direction of rotation are exposed in a partially superimposed fashion by making the amount of movement in the circumferential direction along which the outermost circumference of the medium moves between exposures smaller than the width in the circumferential direction of the pixels formed by exposure. In a plurality of light emitting sections provided in an optical unit, the quantity of light for exposing a pixel on the inner circumferential side in the radial direction is set to be smaller than the quantity of light for exposing a pixel on the outer circumferential side in the radial direction for the respective exposure positions for the medium. Therefore, difference in the tonal shading caused by superposition is reduced by lowering the density created by each exposure in respect of the pixels on the inner circumferential side in the radial direction where there is a large overlap between exposures. |
| US07924300B2 |
Processor for imaging media
A thermal processor including an oven and a cooling section. The oven is configured to heat an imaging media to a development temperature. The cooling section is configured to cool the imaging media from the development temperature to a desired exit temperature as imaging media moves along a transport path from an entrance to an exit. The cooling section provides a varying rate of heat transfer from the imaging media along the transport path so as to create a varying cooling temperature gradient in the imaging media substantially equal to and not exceeding a varying maximum cooling temperature gradient of imaging media. |
| US07924298B2 |
Display control method, driving device for display device, display device, program, and storage medium
A modulation processing section compares video data of a current frame and a previous frame representative value supplied from a frame memory, corrects the video data so that a gradation transition from a gradation indicated by the previous frame representative value to a gradation indicated by the video data is emphasized, and outputs the corrected video data. A judgment section compares both of the data and judges, out of a value calculated from the previous frame representative value by a representative value generating section and the video data, which is to be stored in the frame memory till a next frame begins. This allows for realizing a liquid crystal display device capable of preventing with a relatively small-scale circuit (alternatively, a relatively small amount of calculation) a phenomenon such that: although a response speed of a pixel is improved, the emphasis modulation and a response delay of the pixel are combined so that image quality in displaying moving images deteriorates. |
| US07924297B2 |
Display control apparatus and display control method
An image control apparatus includes a signal-receiving unit to which image signals are input, a resolution detecting unit configured to detect the resolution of the input image signals, a viewing-distance detecting unit configured to detect a viewing distance between a viewer and a display apparatus, a display-size control unit configured to control a display size of images displayed in the display apparatus, a scaling unit, and an output unit configured to output the images scaled by the scaling unit to the display apparatus. When the resolution of images is changed, the scaling unit scales the image signals in accordance with the amount of change in resolution and the viewing distance, and outputs the signals to the display apparatus. |
| US07924295B2 |
Image processing device for expanded representation of three-dimensional image data sets
An image processing device has an image presentation module that is fashioned for 3D representation of a 3D subject on an image display device, and has an interaction module with which an operator can interactively displace, rotate or zoom the 3D subject in the 3D representation. The image processing device furthermore has a mirror surface generation module that generates mirror surfaces that are freely definable by the operator via the interaction module in the 3D space of the 3D representation, and shows mirror images caused by the defined mirror surfaces on separate display areas of the image display device. The analysis of a presented 3D subject thus can ensue with lower time expenditure. |
| US07924292B2 |
Device and method for reducing visual artifacts in color images
A circuit and method for reducing artifacts in decoded color video and images are disclosed. The circuit includes a buffer for receiving an input pixel in a first color-space, and a detector for determining after transformation into a second color-space, if at least one component of the transformed pixel would fall outside a predetermined range. The determination may be made by comparing components of the input pixel, to corresponding ranges in the first color-space. Upon determining that at least one component of the transformed pixel would be outside a corresponding predetermined bound in the second color-space, the detector causes the circuit to output a pixel in the first color-space, with at least one predetermined component. The output of the circuit may subsequently be converted to the second color-space by an external color-space converter and displayed onto a color display. The method reduces visible artifacts caused by clipping during color-space conversion. |
| US07924281B2 |
System and method for determining illumination of a pixel by shadow planes
A graphics processing circuit includes a pixel shader operative to provide pixel color information in response to image data representing a scene to be rendered; a texture circuit, coupled to the pixel shader, operative to determine a luminance value to be applied to a pixel of interest based on the luminance values of the pixels that define a plane including the pixel of interest; and a render back end circuit, coupled to the texture circuit, operative to compute the luminance values from a shadow map that specifies the distance from the light source of the nearest object at a plurality of locations. A pixel illumination method includes receiving color information for a pixel to be rendered, defining a plane containing at least one pixel of interest, the plane including a plurality of planar values; comparing the plurality of planar values to a corresponding set of distance values; determining a luminance value for the at least one pixel of interest; and applying the luminance value to the at least one pixel of interest. |
| US07924280B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing of diagnostic image data
A method is disclosed for processing of diagnostic image data. In one embodiment, the method includes determination of three-dimensional image information using an imaging medico-technical method, in which an examined volume is subdivided into a plurality of voxels and each voxel is allocated one measurement value, and selection of a subset of the voxels, with the measurement values which are associated with the selected voxels satisfying a specific relationship with a limit value. The method further includes identification of at least one cohesive volume area within the selected subset of the voxels, determination of a surface of the identified cohesive volume area, and determination of the distance between voxels within the cohesive volume area and the surface. Additionally, the method includes identification of volume elements within the cohesive volume area, with each volume element having a central voxel whose distance from the surface represents a local maximum, determination of a constriction within the cohesive volume area, which constriction separates identified volume elements from one another, and subdivision of the determined image information into a plurality of data subsets, with the constriction providing a boundary between the different data subsets. |
| US07924278B2 |
Real-time GPU rendering of piecewise algebraic surfaces
Surfaces defined by Bézier tetrahedron are generated on programmable graphics hardware. Custom programmed vertex processing, performed by either the CPU or the GPU includes the computation of a symmetric tensor and the assignment of the unique elements of the computed symmetric tensor as vertex attribute data. The vertex attribute data is interpolated by the graphics hardware and output to custom programmed pixel processing. The pixel processing uses the interpolated vertex attribute data to reconstruct, at each pixel, the symmetric tensor which enables the determination of the roots of the polynomial defining the surface to be generated. If no real roots exist, the pixel processing can exit early. If the roots of the polynomial exist, the smallest root can be used as the basis for computing a normal to a point on the surface being rendered, enabling the determination of the color and depth of that pixel. |
| US07924273B2 |
Display apparatus with optical input function
In making a contact determination between an object and a display screen, a display apparatus of the present invention is capable of adjusting a region on which to make a contact determination in response to the displayed image in a liquid crystal panel, so that the influence by the displayed image can be suppressed. Moreover, for simplifying the contact determination process, the display apparatus sets solid a region in the picked-up image that is not a target of the contact determination, with a predetermined gradation value. |
| US07924272B2 |
Infrared sensor integrated in a touch panel
An infrared source is configured to illuminate the underside of one or more objects on or above a touchable surface of a touch panel. Infrared light reflected from the underside of the object(s) is detected by an infrared sensor integrated in the touch panel below the touchable surface. |
| US07924270B2 |
Apparatus and method for mobile graphical cheminformatic
The present invention is a pocket-sized, portable computing apparatus that performs frequently used laboratory calculations, provides a look-up function for commonly used data and procedures, and provides note-taking and data capture for record-keeping. The present invention displays data in a form that a chemist finds most convenient and manipulates this data with functions a chemist typically utilizes in his work. In addition, the present invention provides a user interface that is compatible with traditional methods for formula manipulations and chemistry workflows and that increases the efficiency of the user in performing laboratory tasks. |
| US07924267B2 |
Pointing device for a computer system with automatic detection of lifting, and relative control method
A pointing device for a computer system includes: a first movement sensor for detecting movements of the device along a first axis and a second axis; a second movement sensor, for detecting movements of the device along a third axis not coplanar with the first and second axes; and a processing unit associated to the movement sensors for producing a plurality of movement signals indicating the movement of the device along the first, second, and third axes. The processing unit includes a control stage, for controlling the production of the movement signals on the basis of a response of the second movement sensor. |
| US07924265B2 |
System and method for emulating wheel-style, rocker-style, or wheel-and-rocker style navigation with an analog pointing device
A pointing device includes a position determining mechanism and a control mechanism that has a field of motion associated therewith. The control mechanism can be an object a user moves with his or her finger or it can be the user's finger that he or she moves over a surface. The pointing device is used to control a selection box shown on a display screen. The pointing device can operate in one or more different modes when emulating wheel-style navigation, rocker-style navigation, or both wheel and rocker-style navigation. |
| US07924264B2 |
Information processing apparatus and storage medium storing information processing program
An information processing apparatus can communicate with an input device comprising an image capturing means for capturing an image of a target object, and calculates a pointing position on a screen of a display device based on the image captured by the image capturing means. The input device comprises a motion detecting means for detecting a motion of the input device. The information processing apparatus calculates a tilt value indicating a tilt of the input device using a result of detection by the motion detecting means. It is determined whether or not the pointing position can be calculated based on the image captured by the image capturing means. When it is determined that the pointing position cannot be calculated, the calculated tilt value is compared with a predetermined reference value. The user is notified of information about the tilt of the input device, depending on a result of the comparison. |
| US07924260B2 |
Shift register, gate driving circuit with bi-directional transmission function, and LCD with double frame rate
A shift register applied on a double-frame-rate LCD is provided. The LCD includes an upper display area with c gate lines, a lower display area with d gate lines, and a gate driving circuit. The gate driving circuit includes a first shift register coupled to the corresponding x gate lines of the upper display area, a second shift register coupled to the corresponding y lines of the lower display area, and a third shift register coupled to the corresponding (c-x) gate lines of the upper display area and the corresponding (d-y) gate lines of the lower display area. |
| US07924259B2 |
Shift register array, and display apparatus
A display apparatus comprises a shift register array. The shift register array comprises a plurality of shift registers. At least one shift register comprises a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, and a driving circuit. The gate and the first electrode of the first transistor receive an input signal. The gate of the second transistor is coupled to the second electrode of the first transistor. The second electrode of the second transistor generates an output signal. The first electrode of the second transistor receives a clock signal. The third transistor is used to pull down a voltage level at the gate of the second transistor. The driving circuit determines an on/off status of the third transistor in response to the input signal and the output signal. |
| US07924254B2 |
Backlight processing system and method thereof
A backlight processing system and a method thereof are provided. The gray level values of pixels in an input frame signal are adjusted and the brightness thereof is decreased correspondingly. During gray level value adjustment, the gray level values of the pixels in dark regions are reduced, and the gray level values of the pixels in bright regions are increased. During backlight adjustment, first, statistics information on distribution of the gray level value versus the number of pixels is obtained according to the gray level distribution of the original frame. The number of pixels at each gray level is accumulated. When the accumulation value reaches a certain value, a reference signal is obtained. The brightness of the backlight is then adjusted according to the reference signal. |
| US07924251B2 |
Image processing method, display device and driving method thereof
The present invention provides an image processing method of a hold type display device, a driving method of the display device and a display device driven by the method, for improving the moving picture quality without lowering the luminance and the contrast. In the image processing method for dividing one frame into sub frames, luminance components of a certain sub frame are distributed to other sub frames, so as to generate sub frame with luminance components higher than the average in the one frame and sub frame with luminance components lower than the average in the one frame, as a result of which the amount of luminance during one frame period is kept constant before and after the distribution of luminance components. |
| US07924248B2 |
Drive method of EL display apparatus
To provide a drive method capable of maintaining gradation display performance regardless of screen display brightness.Reference numeral 491R denotes a regulator used to control reference current for red (R). By adjusting a reference current for R linearly, it is possible to linearly vary a current flowing through a transistor 472a which constitutes a current mirror with a transistor 471R. This changes a current flowing through a transistor 472b which has received a current-based delivery from the transistor 472a in a transistor group 521a. This in turn causes changes to a transistor 473a in a transistor group 521b which constitutes a current mirror with the transistor 472b, resulting in changes to a transistor 473b which has received a current-based delivery from the transistor 473a. Thus, since drive current of the unit transistor 484 changes, programming current can be changed linearly. Reference numeral 491G denotes a regulator used to control reference current for green (G) and reference numeral 491B denotes a regulator used to control reference current for blue (B).By adjusting 491R, 491G, and 491B, it is possible to adjust white balance easily and change screen brightness easily. Besides, gradation display performance is maintained at any screen brightness. |
| US07924246B2 |
Pixel circuit, method of driving pixel, and electronic apparatus
A pixel circuit that makes an electro-optical element emit light includes a transistor inserted into a driving current path of the electro-optical element; a current value setting circuit that sets a current value of the driving current path; a level holding unit that stores the level of a supplied image signal; and a comparator circuit that compares the level of the stored image signal with the level of a supplied ramp level signal to control the operation of the transistor on the basis of the comparison result. |
| US07924245B2 |
Electro-luminescence display device with data driver capable of applying current and voltage signals and driving method thereof
An electro-luminescence display device, including gate lines, data lines crossing the gate lines, pixel cells at crossings of the gate lines and the data lines, a gate driver that sequentially applies a gate signal to the gate lines during one horizontal period, and a plurality of data driving circuits that apply voltage signals to the pixel cells along a gate line during a first time of the horizontal period and applying current signals to the pixel cells during a second time after the first time of the horizontal period. |
| US07924238B2 |
Image forming apparatus with members that bring a light emitting device in proximity to a recording medium
An image forming apparatus writes an image to a display recording medium at a write position. The image forming apparatus includes an insertion slot, a transport unit, an image light emitting device and a separating/contacting unit. The display recording medium is inserted into the insertion slot. The transport unit transports the display recording medium inserted, to/from the write position. The image light emitting device includes an emitting surface that emits two-dimensional image light for irradiating a photoconductive layer of the display recording medium at the write position. The separating/contacting unit brings the emitting surface separate from a display recording medium surface when the display recording medium is not opposed to the image light emitting device, while the transport unit transports the display recording medium. The separating/contacting unit brings the emitting surface into proximity to the display recording medium surface when the display recording medium is at the write position. |
| US07924236B2 |
Compact portable antenna for terrestrial digital television
The present invention relates to a portable compact antenna formed from a first dipole type element operating in a first frequency band and comprising a first and at least one second conductive arm, differentially supplied, the first arm or cold arm forming at least one cover for an electronic card and the second arm or hot arm being constituted by a U-shaped conductive element realized on an insulating substrate. Further, a radiating element with bends is realized between the branches of the U-shaped element and is dimensioned to operate in a second frequency band. |
| US07924231B2 |
Antennas for handheld electronic devices with conductive bezels
A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains wireless communications circuitry. The handheld electronic device may have a housing and a display. The display may be attached to the housing a conductive bezel. The handheld electronic device may have one or more antennas for supporting wireless communications. A ground plane in the handheld electronic device may serve as ground for one or more of the antennas. The ground plane and bezel may define a opening. A rectangular slot antenna or other suitable slot antenna may be formed from or within the opening. One or more antenna resonating elements may be formed above the slot. An electrical switch that bridges the slot may be used to modify the perimeter of the slot so as to tune the communications bands of the handheld electronic device. |
| US07924227B2 |
Wireless communication device
A wireless communication device includes: a high frequency circuit for generating a high frequency signal, the high frequency circuit being provided on a high-frequency-circuit surface of an integrated antenna module substrate mounted on a mounting substrate; a patch antenna for irradiating radio waves indicative of the generated high frequency signal, the patch antenna being provided on an antenna surface of the integrated antenna module substrate; and a ring-shaped grounding surface provided on the antenna surface of the integrated antenna module substrate so as to surround the patch antenna. This allows reducing surface waves irradiated from the end of the integrated antenna module substrate and improving antenna characteristics. |
| US07924226B2 |
Tunable antenna
The invention refers to an antenna comprising: a conducting trace (15, 20), said conducting trace (15, 20) defining a curve (1, 4, 5, 6, 6′, 6″, 8), said curve (1, 4, 5, 6, 6′, 6″, 8) including two or more feeding points (16a, 16b, 16c, 17, 18, 19), a portion of said curve (1, 4, 5, 6, 6′, 6″, 8) being shaped according a geometry selected from a group of geometries including a space-filling curve, a grid-dimension curve, a box-counting curve and a contour curve or the curve (1, 4, 5, 6, 6′, 6″, 8) or a portion of said curve having a shape of a multilevel structure. Further the invention refers to a related SMD component, an IC-package, a wireless device and a method for contacting an antenna. |
| US07924224B2 |
Variable coherence integration for the location of weak signals
In a network-based Wireless Location System (WLS), geographically distributed Location Measurement Units (LMUs) must be able to detect and use reverse channel (mobile to network) signals across multiple BTS coverage areas. By using Matched Replica correlation processing with the local and reference signals subdivided into discrete segments prior to correlation, the effects of mobile clock drift and Doppler shifts can be mitigated allowing for increased processing gain. |
| US07924222B2 |
Method for obtaining precise intermediate frequency of global positioning system (GPS)
A method for obtaining a precise intermediate frequency for a global positioning system (GPS) is applied in a GPS receiver having a radio frequency (RF) module. Using a satellite signal received by the RF module, ephemeris data of a satellite is completely obtained, and present coordinate of the GPS receiver is calculated. First coordinate of the satellite at first time point and second coordinate of the satellite at second time point are calculated using the ephemeris data. Then, traveling speed of the satellite and projection value of the traveling speed on position vector from the first coordinate to the present coordinate are calculated using the first time point, the first coordinate, the second time point, and the second coordinate. Finally, the precise intermediate frequency is calculated using the signal frequency, a carrier frequency of the satellite, the projection value, and velocity of light. |
| US07924219B2 |
Positioning method, program, positioning device, and electronic apparatus
A positioning method includes: determining a receiving environment of a satellite signal from a positioning satellite; predicting a state vector including a position of a positioning device and a velocity of the positioning device based on the satellite signal; predicting a first distance-equivalent value indicating a distance between the positioning satellite and the positioning device; measuring a second distance-equivalent value indicating a distance between the positioning satellite and the positioning device; calculating an observed value indicating a difference between the first distance-equivalent value and the second distance-equivalent value; setting a first measurement error for the positioning satellite based on a signal strength of the satellite signal; setting a suitability condition of the observed value based on the receiving environment; setting a second measurement error larger than the first measurement error when the observed value is not suitable by the suitability condition; and correcting the state vector using the observed value and the second measurement error. |
| US07924213B2 |
Method of and device for tracking an object
A method of tracking an object including the steps of: collecting N measurements of range Ri and Doppler velocity Di associated with the object from a plurality M of radar sensors Si each measurement being assigned a time stamp ti; time aligning each Range Ri measurement to a common time stamp tN to provide a corresponding time aligned range Pi for each of the N measurements; using each time aligned Range measurement Pi to define a corresponding spherical equation such that N spherical equations are defined; and deriving analytical solutions from three of the N spherical equations to determine the position vector of the object. |
| US07924209B2 |
Self-calibration circuit and method for capacitors
A self-calibration circuit and method for capacitors are provided. A capacitor array is calibrated to approximate a reference capacitor according to an average parameter generated by calibrating the capacitor array multiple times. Since the capacitance of the compensation capacitor required to be connected to the target capacitor in parallel is determined according to the average parameter generated by performing the calibration multiple times, the error caused by a single calibration can be reduced, and meanwhile the calibration error caused by a reference voltage error or noise is reduced. |
| US07924206B2 |
Switched capacitor circuit and pipeline A/D converter
There is provided a switched capacitor circuit and a pipeline A/D converter which are capable of suppressing electric power from being increased by utilizing a level-shift capacitor, even in a case where the switched capacitor circuit and the pipeline A/D converter are configured by utilizing a CLS technique. In the estimate phase, the capacitor Cc1 (level shift capacitor) is connected between the output terminal of the operational amplifier AMP2 and the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier AMP2, so as to sample the output from the operational amplifier AMP2, and also to compensate the phase of the operational amplifier AMP2. Additionally, in the level shift phase, the capacitor Cc1 is connected between the output terminal of the operational amplifier 4 and the output terminal Vb, so as to be used to level-shift the output of the operational amplifier AMP2. Thereby, the load (the capacitance of the capacitors Cc1 and Cc2) on the operational amplifier AMP2 is reduced, thereby reducing the electric power of the switched capacitor circuit 200. |
| US07924204B2 |
Stage-resolution scalable opamp-sharing technique for pipelined/cyclic ADC
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for pipelined ADCs or cyclic ADCs is disclosed. The ADC includes at least one pair of two stages connected in series, and the two stages have different bits of resolution. An amplifier is shared by the pair of two stages such that the two stages operate in an interleaved manner. Accordingly, this stage-resolution scalable opamp-sharing technique is adaptable for pipelined ADC or cyclic ADC, which substantially reduces power consumption and increases operating speed. |
| US07924202B2 |
Integrated circuit device and electronic instrument
An integrated circuit device includes an amplifier circuit that includes first to Nth amplifiers that are cascaded and receives an input signal, an A/D converter that performs an A/D conversion process on a signal amplified by the amplifier circuit, first to Nth D/A converters that are provided corresponding to the first to Nth amplifiers and used to perform an offset adjustment of the first to Nth amplifiers, and a control circuit that sets an offset adjustment of the first to Nth amplifiers using the first to Nth D/A converters and a gain adjustment of the first to Nth amplifiers. |
| US07924197B1 |
Method for reducing current consumption of digital-to-analog conversion, and associated tri-state current digital-to-analog converter
A method for reducing current consumption of digital-to-analog conversion includes: monitoring logical states of a set of differential digital inputs, wherein the set of differential digital inputs are utilized for controlling at least one tri-state current Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) cell of a tri-state current DAC, and the tri-state current DAC cell has a positive output current state, a zero output current state and a negative output current state; and when the logical states of the set of differential digital inputs instruct the tri-state current DAC cell should output no positive/negative current, controlling the tri-state current DAC cell to switch to the zero output current state, temporarily decreasing a direct current passing through a middle path of the tri-state current DAC cell. An associated tri-state current DAC is also provided, where the tri-state current DAC includes: the at least one tri-state current DAC cell; and a control device. |
| US07924194B2 |
Use of three phase clock in sigma delta modulator to mitigate the quantization noise folding
A differential sigma delta modulator operates by modulating an input signal by intermittently coupling a reference signal to the input signal using one or more switches controlled by one or more feedback signals and a respective one or more non-overlapping clock signals. The modulated input signal is integrated using an integration capacitor to form an integrated value and the integrated value is compared to a threshold to form the one or more feedback signals. Parasitic capacitance of the one or more switches is initialized to an initial value prior to each intermittent coupling of the reference signal to the input signal using another non-overlapping clock signal. |
| US07924180B2 |
Huffman decoding method and apparatus
A decoder for decoding an input bit stream into a plurality of symbols is provided. The decoder includes an extractor, a length generator, a base selector, and a processing unit. The extractor receives the input bit stream and extracts a code with a predetermined codeword length therefrom. The length generator receives the extracted code and determines a first codeword length corresponding to a symbol according to the extracted code and a base table. The base selector determines a codeword base corresponding to the first codeword length according to the base table. The processing unit generates the symbol corresponding to the extracted code according to the codeword base, an offset table and the first codeword length. |
| US07924171B2 |
Parking assist apparatus and method
A parking assisting apparatus and method that can precisely estimate the orientation of a parking space. A parking assisting apparatus for assisting parking a vehicle includes an obstacle detecting mechanism that detects an obstacle near the vehicle and an orientation information acquiring mechanism that acquires information as to an orientation of the vehicle. The apparatus estimates an orientation of the parking space that may exist near the vehicle based on the detection result of the obstacle detecting mechanism and the orientation information. |
| US07924170B1 |
Detecting targets in roadway intersections
The present invention extends to detecting targets in roadway intersections. A traffic sensor includes a transducer system and a transceiver system. The transducer system creates a plurality of transducer views for detecting targets located in a portion of the intersection. The transducer system includes a transducer configured to transmit signals towards and to receive signals and signal reflections within a portion of the two or more approaches to the intersection. The transducer is configured such that when necessary the transducer can transmit a signal and receive a signal or signal reflection simultaneously. The transceiver system is configured to generate digital data indicative of the transducer receiving a signal or signal reflection. The transducer system and transceiver system interoperate to generate an aggregate sensor view of the intersection that includes a plurality of transducer views of the two or more approaches to the intersection. |
| US07924167B2 |
Remote control code filtering used for relaying of remote control codes
Remote control code filtering techniques are disclosed that are suitable for use in a remote control code relaying system. A portion of a received remote control code is compared with corresponding portions of stored remote control codes. The received remote control code can be filtered based on the comparison. The filtering can comprise outputting the received remote control code or a portion thereof, discarding the received remote control code, or adding a new remote control code to the stored remote control codes. The remote control code can be received from a network or from a hardware interface (e.g., which converts an electromagnetic remote control signal to the remote control code). The received remote control code can be output to a network or to a hardware interface for subsequent transmission of an electromagnetic remote control signal. Filtering can occur before or after the network. |
| US07924166B2 |
Nuclear leakage detection system using wire or optical fiber
A system for detecting and containing a breach in a container. The container wall includes containment layers and a sensor layer sandwiched between the containment layers. The sensor layer contains a signal path that can be carried by a signal cable such as fiber optic or wire cable. The containment layers contain shards of material. When the wall of the container is compromised, the signal in the sensor layer is altered by the disturbed shards cutting the signal cable, thus allowing for the detection of a rupture, vandalism or an unauthorized access attempt, The containment layers may be composed of a gel or rubber material to slow leakage. |
| US07924165B2 |
Electronic shark deterrent
An Electronic Shark Deterrent provides protection from, and for, sharks and other aquatic creatures. Compact low power circuitry generates high voltage periodic pulse train bursts, disturbing the electroreceptors of the aquatic Elasmobranchi subclass. A train of thirty 33 us 250 Volt (V) electric pulses lasting one second is produced every six seconds. The device is fully portable, requiring no bulky activity impeding buoys, cords, or external power supplies. Advanced circuitry is compact enough to be worn on a watch sized band or attached to garments and recreation or safety equipment. The deterrent can be used in a fixed configuration to protect fish farms and vacation resort swimming areas. It can be affixed to offshore oil rigs and research stations to protect workers. The Electronic Shark Deterrent is compact and portable enough to be used on longlines, trawls and gillnets to reduce the numbers of endangered aquatic creatures unnecessarily destroyed as bycatch. |
| US07924162B2 |
Tag identification system, tag reading apparatus, and method for determining sequence of tags
The invention provides a tag identification system, a tag reading apparatus, and a method for determining sequence of tags. According to an aspect of the invention, a tag identification system comprises a tag reading apparatus and a plurality of tags, wherein: the tag reading apparatus has at least two antennas, wherein the apparatus transmits an interrogation signal within the coverage of each of the antennas; the plurality of tags sequentially pass by the coverage of each of the at least two antennas, each of the plurality of tags returning a reply to the at least two antennas in response to a received interrogation signal; and the tag reading apparatus includes a sequence determination unit which determines the sequence in which the plurality of tags pass by based on replies returned from the plurality of tags and received by the at least two antennas. |
| US07924161B1 |
Methods and systems for identifying objects as sets and locating and tracking identified sets
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for determining when a set of RFID tags on a set of objects belongs to a same defined subset of objects (“set identification”). This method includes the steps of: (1) detecting the set of RFID tags on the set of objects, said RFID tags comprising integrated devices capable of sending signals that can be received by a receptor device and interpreted to determine a motion state of each RFID tag and object; (2) receiving said signals from the set of RFID tags; (3) interpreting said signals to determine the motion state of each RFID tag and object within the set, wherein said signals indicate whether the motion state of each RFID tag and object is in a state of stationary, starting in motion, stopping in motion, or continuing in motion; (4) determining which RFID tags and objects are in a same motion state within a predetermined time of each other; and (5) identifying the RFID tags that are in the same motion state, within the predetermined time, as belonging to the same defined subset of objects. |
| US07924160B1 |
Real-time ranging and angle measurements using radar and surface acoustic wave transponders
A system for tracking the position of multiple objects in three dimensional space by transmitting radar interrogation signals having predetermined wave shapes to surface acoustic wave transducers attached to each object. Each transducer includes a unique electrically conductive pattern on one surface of a piezoelectric substrate for selectively responding to the predetermined wave shape of one of the interrogation signals for inducing a surface acoustic wave in the substrate and for thereafter transforming the surface acoustic wave into an electromagnetic response signal having detectable properties that uniquely identify said transducer. The location of each transducer is estimated by measuring the time-of-flight or angle-of-arrival of the radar signals at several measurement stations and producing a position estimate by triangulation. |
| US07924158B2 |
Dynamic updating of product profiles for active lifestyles
A method and wireless communication device are provided for managing information associated with purchases of active lifestyle products. The method includes receiving a notification (704) indicating a purchase transaction associated with at least one radio frequency ID enabled item. The notification is analyzed (706) and in response to the analyzing a user identifier corresponding to a user related to the purchase transaction is determined (708). A radio frequency ID associated with the at least one radio frequency ID enabled item is also determined (710). A wireless device (104) associated with the user is identified based on the user identifier (712). An information set associated with the at least one radio frequency ID enabled item is transmitted (714) to the wireless device (104). The information set includes at least the radio frequency ID associated with the at least one radio frequency ID enabled item. |
| US07924153B1 |
Mobile asset tracking unit, system and method
An asset tracking unit, system, and method. The asset tracking unit, system, and method may include at least one transceiver having communicative connections with at least one SATCOM network and at least one GPS network via at least one antenna, wherein tracking information for at least one asset associated with the at least one transceiver is received from the GPS network and is communicated to the SATCOM network, a first link that provides a multi-code one of the communicative connections between the at least one transceiver and the at least one SATCOM network, and a second link that provides a multi-channel one of the communicative connections between the at least one transceiver and he at least one GPS network. The unit system and method may additionally include at least one remote operations center remote from an asset to be tracked, wherein the asset to be tracked is geographically associated with the central processing unit. |
| US07924145B2 |
Haptic module using magnetic force, electronic apparatuses having the module
A haptic module using a magnetic force and an electronic apparatuses having a magnet arrangement frame arranged so that polarities of adjacent magnets are alternate; shielding screens positioned on uppers of each of frame elements of the magnet arrangement frame and formed in a window arrangement to shield any one polarity of the frame elements; linear movement apparatus fixed to outside portions of the shielding screens to move the shielding screens in a longitudinal direction of the frame element; a magnet frame positioned on an upper of the magnet arrangement frame through the shielding screen and taking on the same polarity on the whole of one surface thereof; and a controller that controls the linear movement apparatus to provide various and dynamic force feedback and tactile sensation to a user, as well as reduce complexity of a constitution as compared to a related art and further accomplish miniaturization. |
| US07924143B2 |
System and method for providing tactile feedback to a user of an electronic device
A system for providing tactile feedback for an input device in an electronic device is provided. The system comprises: an input device having a first input region for receiving a user action from the user; a surface associated with the input device and covering at least a part of the first input region; an input signal generator associated with the input device; and a physical feature associated with the input region. The physical feature is located on the surface, provides a second input region for receiving the user action and provides a tactile feedback sense to the user when the user contacts the second region. The input signal generator generates a first input signal when the user touches the first input region while not touching second input region and generates a second input signal when the user touches simultaneously the first and the second input regions. |
| US07924142B2 |
Patterned self-warming wipe substrates
Generally stated, the present disclosure relates to wiping substrates such as wet wipes and dry wipes that include a thermal grill utilized to deliver a warming sensation. In an exemplary aspect, disposed on at least one structural layer of the wipe substrate is a thermal grill. The thermal grill includes an alternating pattern of thermally active areas and secondary areas that provide a feeling of warmth to a user of the wipe across the entire surface of the wipe. The thermally active portions of the wipe include a temperature change substance that when in liquid communication with an activation agent is adapted to provide a temperature change of at least 5° C. from the temperature of the secondary portion. By providing a thermal grill with thermally active portions, the entire wipe gives the user of the wipe a warming sensation. |
| US07924141B2 |
RFID communication systems and methods, and RFID readers and systems
A method of coordinating a plurality of RFID readers includes controlling the RFID readers such that only one of the readers performs an inventory of RFID tags at a time. A system for coordinating a plurality of RFID readers is also provided. |
| US07924138B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A titanium oxide film, a nickel oxide film and a top electrode are formed on a bottom electrode, and a resistance element is constituted by the bottom electrode, the titanium oxide film, the nickel oxide film and the top electrode. A thickness of the titanium oxide film is 5 nm, and a thickness of the nickel oxide film is 60 nm. A rate of oxygen in nickel oxide composing the nickel oxide film is lower than a rate of oxygen in a stoichiometric composition. |
| US07924137B2 |
Battery fuse assembly
A fuse includes a fusible element and a body member encased within a heat-resistant housing. The fusible element is configured to open an electrical circuit coupled to a storage battery in response to an over-current in the electrical circuit. The housing is configured to contain an arc generated by the fusible element in response to the over-current and to shield the arc and the fusible element from ambient particles. Thus, the fuse is ignition protected. The body member includes an insulating material configured to interrupt the arc. The housing includes an opening configured to receive a terminal of the storage battery or a terminal of a mounting plate. An insulating material disposed about a first end of the mounting plate terminal is configured to electrically isolate the fuse and a power supply cable in the electrical circuit from the mounting plate terminal. |
| US07924135B2 |
Transformer
A transformer, adapted for being configured in a wiring substrate, is provided. The transformer includes a first plane coil and a second plane coil. The first plane coil includes a plurality of first loops. The second plane coil includes a plurality of second loops. A first bundle constituted by at least two adjacent first loops and a second bundle constituted by at least two adjacent second loops are stridden one over another. |
| US07924133B2 |
Bobbin for coil, coil winding, and coil component
A coil bobbin has a cylindrical portion around which a coil winding is wound. The coil winding is composed of coil members of an end-defined ring shape coupled to each other. The cylindrical portion is inserted into openings of the coil members along a direction of a center axis of the cylindrical portion and from one end of the cylindrical portion. Flanges protruding outwardly relative to the center axis of the cylindrical portion are integrally provided at the other end of the cylindrical portion and a bobbin-side engagement portion for engagement between the coil bobbin and the coil winding is formed on a face of the flange opposed to the coil member. As the cylindrical portion is inserted into the coil members, the bobbin-side engagement portion comes into engagement with a winding-side engagement portion formed on a back face of the coil member. |
| US07924132B2 |
Method and apparatus for transferring energy in a power converter circuit
A reduced cost energy transfer element for power converter circuits. In one embodiment, an energy transfer element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a magnetic element having an external surface with at least a first winding and a second winding wound around the external surface of the magnetic element without a bobbin. As such, energy to be received from a power converter circuit input is to be transferred from the first winding to the second winding through a magnetic coupling provided by the magnetic element to a power converter circuit output. |
| US07924131B2 |
Electrical component having an inductor and a method of formation
An electrical component (100) having an inductor includes: (a) a first substrate (102) comprising at least one first electrically conductive layer (108, 110, 112); (b) one or more second substrates (104, 106) comprising at least one second electrically conductive layer (120, 132, 144); and (c) one or more electrical interconnections (124, 134, 142) electrically coupling the at least one first electrically conductive layer and the at least one second electrically conductive layer, wherein the one or more first electrically conductive layers, the one or more second electrically conductive layers and the one or more electrical interconnections are electrically coupled together to form the inductor (150). |
| US07924126B2 |
High field superconducting magnets
A superconducting magnet includes an insulating layer disposed about the surface of a mandrel; a superconducting wire wound in adjacent turns about the mandrel to form the superconducting magnet, wherein the superconducting wire is in thermal communication with the mandrel, and the superconducting magnet has a field-to-current ratio equal to or greater than 1.1 Tesla per Ampere; a thermally conductive potting material configured to fill interstices between the adjacent turns, wherein the thermally conductive potting material and the superconducting wire provide a path for dissipation of heat; and a voltage limiting device disposed across each end of the superconducting wire, wherein the voltage limiting device is configured to prevent a voltage excursion across the superconducting wire during quench of the superconducting magnet. |
| US07924121B2 |
Dispersion-free radial transmission lines
A dispersion-free radial transmission line (“DFRTL”) preferably for linear accelerators, having two plane conductors each with a central hole, and an electromagnetically permeable material (“EPM”) between the two conductors and surrounding a channel connecting the two holes. At least one of the material parameters of relative magnetic permeability, relative dielectric permittivity, and axial width of the EPM is varied as a function of radius, so that the characteristic impedance of the DFRTL is held substantially constant, and pulse transmission therethrough is substantially dispersion-free. Preferably, the EPM is divided into concentric radial sections, with the varied material parameters held constant in each respective section but stepwise varied between sections as a step function of the radius. The radial widths of the concentric sections are selected so that pulse traversal time across each section is the same, and the varied material parameters of the concentric sections are selected to minimize traversal error. |
| US07924120B2 |
Piezoelectric resonator and piezoelectric filter having a heat-radiating film
A piezoelectric resonator includes a substrate and a thin-film section. The thin-film section includes a first thin-film section supported by the substrate, and an acoustically-isolated second thin-film section which is separated from the substrate. In the second thin-film section, first and second electrodes are arranged on the respective main surfaces of a piezoelectric film, and a vibration section is provided at an area where the first and the second electrodes overlap each other on the second thin-film section when viewed through in the film-thickness direction. The thin-film section further includes a heat-radiating film which is in contact with peripheral edges of at least the first electrode among the first and second electrodes defining portions of a periphery of the vibration section, and which extends from the peripheral edges to the first thin-film section when viewed through in the film-thickness direction. |
| US07924117B2 |
Multi-band high-frequency circuit, multi-band high-frequency circuit component and multi-band communication apparatus using same
A multi-band high-frequency circuit for performing wireless communications among pluralities of communication systems having different communication frequencies, comprising a high-frequency switch circuit comprising switching elements for switching the connection of pluralities of multi-band antennas to transmitting circuits and receiving circuits; a first diplexer circuit disposed between the high-frequency switch circuit and transmitting circuits for branching a high-frequency signal into frequency bands of the communication systems; a second diplexer circuit disposed between the high-frequency switch circuit and receiving circuits for branching a high-frequency signal into frequency bands of the communication systems; the first and second diplexer circuits each comprising a lower-frequency filter circuit and a higher-frequency filter circuit, a bandpass filter circuit being used as the lower-frequency filter circuit in the second diplexer circuit, or disposed between the lower-frequency filter circuit in the second diplexer circuit and the receiving circuit, the high-frequency switch circuit comprising first to fourth ports, the first port being connected to a first multi-band antenna, the second port being connected to a second multi-band antenna, the third port being connected to the first diplexer circuit, and the fourth port being connected to the second diplexer circuit; and the switching elements being controlled in an ON or OFF state to select a multi-band antenna for performing wireless communications and to switch the connection of the selected multi-band antenna to the transmitting circuit or the receiving circuit. |
| US07924116B2 |
Diplexer and multiplexer using the same
A diplexer provides a high degree of design freedom for satisfying the requirements of electric characteristics so as to realize desired characteristics and at the same time can be downsized and a multiplexer is realized by using such a diplexer. The diplexer includes a filter having a first pass band and a filter having a second pass band with a frequency band at least twice as high as the frequency band of the first pass band, the filter having the first pass band being a filter of the lumped constant type, the filter having the second pass band being a filter of the distributed constant type. |
| US07924114B2 |
Electrical filters with improved intermodulation distortion
A method of constructing a band-stop filter comprises designing a band-stop filter including a signal transmission path, resonant elements disposed along the signal transmission path, and non-resonant elements coupling the resonant elements together to form a stopband having transmission zeroes corresponding to respective frequencies of the resonant elements. The method further comprises changing the order in which the resonant elements are disposed along the signal transmission path to create different filter solutions, computing a performance parameter for each filter solution, comparing the performance parameters to each other, selecting one of the filter solutions based on this comparison, and constructing the band-stop filter using the selected filter solution. Another RF band-stop filter comprises resonant elements coupled together to form a stopband, wherein at least two of the resonant elements have third order IMD components different from each other, such that the IMD components are asymmetrical about the stopband. |
| US07924112B2 |
Balun
A balun includes a first, second, and third metallic layers, a first dielectric layer disposed between the second and third metallic layers, and a dielectric substrate. The second metallic layer includes a first spiral line having sequentially connected first line segments and a second spiral line having sequentially connected second line segments. A first distance between each two opposite sides of a first region encircled by the innermost first line segments is greater than a second distance between each two adjacent parallel first line segments. A third distance between each two opposite sides of a second region encircled by the innermost second line segments is greater than a fourth distance between each two adjacent parallel second line segments. The third metallic layer includes a third and a fourth spiral lines. The first metallic layer and other elements as a whole are disposed on an opposite surface of the dielectric substrate. |
| US07924111B2 |
Method and device for transferring single-ended signal with interference-resistance
The invention provides a method of transferring single ended signal with interference-resistance. The transmission of the single ended signal includes an input device and an output device. The output device has its signal output terminal connected with a signal input terminal of the input device. A signal floating isolation circuit is connected with the signal output terminal of the output device and/or signal input terminal of the input device. The output signal or input signal is output or input via this floating isolation circuit. The isolation reference terminal of the output signal is coupled to ground of the output device through the isolation impedance, and/or the isolation reference terminal of the input signal is coupled to the ground of the input device. The signal output reference terminal of the output device and the signal input reference terminal of the input device are connected with each other. The invention also provides an input device and an output device both of which are used to transfer single ended signal with interference-resistance. By improving interface circuit design between the signals receiving side and transmitting side, interference signal entered into the signal channels are reduced, and the cost of implementation of the invention are also low. |
| US07924110B2 |
Monolithic clock generator and timing/frequency reference
In various embodiments, the invention provides a clock generator and/or a timing and frequency reference, with multiple operating modes, such power conservation, clock, reference, and pulsed modes. The various apparatus embodiments include a resonator adapted to provide a first signal having a resonant frequency; an amplifier; a temperature compensator adapted to modify the resonant frequency in response to temperature; and a process variation compensator adapted to modify the resonant frequency in response to fabrication process variation. In addition, the various embodiments may also include a frequency divider adapted to divide the first signal having the resonant frequency into a plurality of second signals having a corresponding plurality of frequencies substantially equal to or lower than the resonant frequency; and a frequency selector adapted to provide an output signal from the plurality of second signals. The output signal may be provided in any of various forms, such as differential or single-ended, and substantially square-wave or sinusoidal. |
| US07924108B2 |
Oscillator amplifier with input clock detection and method therefor
An oscillator circuit has a crystal oscillator amplifier having only two clock input terminals, one being an input terminal and the other being an output terminal. The input terminal allows a user of the integrated circuit to choose between connecting a first clock signal generated from a crystal or a second clock signal generated by a non-crystal source to the input terminal. Control circuitry has a capacitor coupled in parallel with a transistor. Both are coupled in series with a resistive device at an output of the control circuitry to provide a control signal. Clock generation circuitry coupled to the crystal oscillator amplifier provides an oscillating output signal in response to an enable signal. In one form a comparator circuit provides the oscillating output signal. The control signal is used to ensure that inputs to the comparator circuit repeatedly cross each other over time. |
| US07924100B2 |
Crystal-less communications device and self-calibrated clock generation method
A communication device uses a local clock generator to regenerate the carrier frequency of the reference signal from a remote communication. In particular, a closed loop is used to self-calibrate the local pulse till the frequency is fixed to be within a fixed frequency margin. Once the local pulse is obtained, the demodulator will use the local pulse to demodulate the reference signal to generate the data signal. |
| US07924093B2 |
Amplifier arrangement and method for signal amplification
An amplifier arrangement comprises a signal input (Iin+, Iin−) to receive a signal to be amplified, a signal output (Out) to provide an amplified signal, an amplifier stage (AS) coupled between the signal input (Iin+, Iin−) and the signal output (Out), a switchable dynamic biasing stage (DB) with an input coupled to the signal input (Iin+, Iin−), a switchable gain boosting stage (GB) with an input coupled to the signal input (Iin+, Iin−), and a switching device (SD) coupled to the amplifier stage (AS) such that either an output of the switchable dynamic biasing stage (DB) or an output of the switchable gain boosting stage (GB) are coupled to the amplifier stage (AS). In one embodiment, by enabling the switchable dynamic biasing stage (DB) in an initial large-signal phase of amplification and the switchable gain boosting stage (GB) in a latter small-signal phase of amplification by means of the switching device (SD), high gain and low current consumption are simultaneously realised. Furthermore, a method for signal amplification is disclosed. |
| US07924092B2 |
Inter-stage matching network to enhance common mode stability
A two stage amplifier with an inter-stage matching network constituted of a first and a second transistor forming a differential first stage, a third and a fourth transistor forming a differential second stage, an on-chip connection path connecting the emitters of the first and second transistor to the emitters of the third and fourth transistors, a first transformation network and a second transformation network. A collector of the first transistor is operatively connected to a base of the third transistor by the first transformation network and a collector of the second transistor is operatively connected to a base of the fourth transistor by the second transformation network. At least one resistor is provided in the on-chip connection path to stabilize the input of the third and fourth transistors. |
| US07924086B2 |
Boosting circuit
A boosting circuit configuration with high boosting efficiency is provided which is based on a boosting circuit that performs an operation in accordance with a two-phase clock and which includes a plurality (M≧4) of boosting cell sequences (units). A boosting cell in a K-th sequence (1≦K≦M) is controlled, depending on the potential of the output terminal of a boosting cell in a KA-th sequence (KA=(K−1) when (K−1)>0, and KA=M when (K−1)=0). Thereby, before a clock input to the boosting cell in the K-th sequence goes from “L” to “H”, so that boosting is performed, a charge transfer transistor can be caused to go from the conductive state to the non-conductive state, so that a backflow of charges via charge transfer transistor can be prevented. |
| US07924085B2 |
Negative analog switch design
A transmission gate includes first and second MOS transistors of opposite conductivity type coupled in parallel with each other. Each transistor includes a body connection that is separately biased by corresponding first and second biasing circuits. The first biasing circuit generates a first bias voltage having a voltage level that is generated as a function of the signal at the first node and a first (for example, positive) reference voltage. The second biasing circuit generates a second bias voltage having a voltage level that is generated as a function of the signal at the first node and a second (for examples ground) reference voltage. |
| US07924084B2 |
Semiconductor device
A switching transistor has its drain and source respectively connected to a gate and a source of an output transistor for supplying output current to a load, and its gate connected to an internal grounding wire GW to be connected to a grounding terminal GND. A resistance element R1 connects the gate to the source of the switching transistor. When a voltage not smaller than a predetermined value is generated across the resistance element R1 at turn-on, due to a parasitic capacitance existing between a power supply terminal. Vcc and the internal grounding wire GW, the switching transistor can be turned on to turn off the output transistor. |
| US07924083B2 |
Isolation circuit
An isolation circuit is provided. The isolation circuit is coupled to an output and an input node and includes a first set, a second switch set, and a body bias voltage generator. The first switch set couples a switch control node to a second voltage when a first voltage is at a first voltage level, and couples the switch control node to the input node when the first voltage is at a second voltage level. The second switch set couples the output node to the input node when the first voltage is at the first voltage level, and isolates the output node from the input node when the first voltage is at the second voltage level. The body bias voltage generator selectively provides a higher one of the first voltage and a voltage on the input node to a body of the second switch set. |
| US07924081B2 |
Self-adaptive soft turn-on of power switching devices
An embodiment of a control circuit is proposed for turning on a power switching device, the switching device turning on in response to a control signal exceeding a threshold value. The control circuit includes pre-charging means for providing the control signal at a pre-charging value not reaching the threshold value, and soft turn-on means for gradually increasing the control signal from the pre-charging value to a turn-on value exceeding the threshold value; the pre-charging means includes means for sensing an indication of the threshold value, and means for setting the pre-charging value according to the sensed threshold value. |
| US07924080B2 |
Level shifter circuit
A level shifter circuit converts a signal generated by an internal circuit which operates with a first power supply, into a signal by a second power supply having voltage higher than that of the first power supply. The voltages at substrate terminals of two NMOS transistors, to which complementary two signals by the first power supply are input, is boosted to voltage higher than circuit ground potential in a period in which a voltage level of one of the two input signals and a voltage level of an output signal by the second power supply do not coincide with each other. |
| US07924075B2 |
Delay locked loop circuit and control method of the same
A delay locked loop capable of preventing delay locking time from being increased, even if the operational environment fluctuates. The delay locked loop circuit includes a delay line for delaying and outputting a reference clock signal, a phase detection unit for detecting a phase difference between the reference clock signal and an output signal of the delay line and then outputting a phase detection signal and a first delay mode decision signal, a control unit for outputting a delay control signal to control the delay line according to the phase detection signal and a second delay mode decision signal, and an error decision unit for detecting an error of the first delay mode decision signal according to the delay control signal and the output signal of the delay line and outputting the second delay mode decision signal according to a result of the error detection. |
| US07924074B2 |
Delay control circuit and delay control method
A delay control circuit in which steady phase error can be eliminated has a first variable delay circuit and a first phase control circuit. The delay control circuit further includes a second variable delay circuit disposed in either a first or second clock path, and a second phase control circuit arranged so as to form an additional feedback loop, which is for canceling steady phase error produced by the first phase control circuit, with respect to the first clock path or second clock path using a delay value applied to the second variable delay circuit. |
| US07924065B2 |
Control circuit for a power field-effect transistor and method for configuring a control circuit for a power field-effect transistor
An integrated circuit has a control circuit (2) for a power field-effect transistor (3), wherein the integrated circuit has a first input (202) for receiving a control signal (CE) and an output to switch the field-effect transistor (3) on or off. The control circuit further has a driver circuit for providing a voltage level at the output in response of the control signal. A second input is provided for receiving a configuration signal, the configuration signal for configuring the voltage level being provided by the driver circuit in response to the control signal. |
| US07924064B2 |
Inverter circuit
An inverter circuit includes an IGBT (3) and an IGBT (4) connected in series between a power supply potential (Vcc) and a GND potential, and an HVIC (1) and an LVIC (2) for respectively controlling actuation of the IGBTs (3) and (4). The inverter circuit also includes a capacitor (5), a diode (6), and a resistor (7). The capacitor (5) is connected between a terminal (VS) and the GND potential. The diode (6) has a series connection to the capacitor (5) between the terminal (VS) and the GND potential, with such a polarity that a forward current flows from the GND potential to the terminal (VS). The resistor (7) is connected in parallel to the capacitor (5). |
| US07924062B2 |
Sampling circuits
A sampling circuit includes an amplifier, a sampling capacitor, a feedback capacitor, and a voltage source. The sampling capacitor and the feedback capacitor are coupled to the same input terminal of the amplifier, such that the offset of the amplifier and low-frequency noise can be cancelled. The voltage source can shift the voltage level of an output signal of the sampling circuit by the difference between the input and output common mode voltages of the amplifier, so that an amplifier having different input common mode voltage and output common mode voltage can be adopted, and the capacitance of the sampling capacitor and that of the feedback capacitor can be different, resulting in a non-unit gain. |
| US07924058B2 |
Nonvolatile programmable logic circuit
A nonvolatile programmable logic circuit using a ferroelectric memory performs a nonvolatile memory function and an operation function without additional memory devices, thereby reducing power consumption. Also, a nonvolatile ferroelectric memory is applied to a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), thereby preventing leakage of internal data and reducing the area of a chip. |
| US07924057B2 |
Logic system for DPA resistance and/or side channel attack resistance
DPA-resistant logic circuits and routing are described. An architecture and methodology are suitable for integration in a common automated EDA design tool flow. The architecture and design methodology can be used in logic circuits, gate arrays, FPGAs, cryptographic processors, etc. In one embodiment, the implementation details of how to create a secure encryption module can be hidden from the designer. The designer is thus, able to write the code for the design of DPA-resistant logic circuits using the same design techniques used for conventional logic circuits. Contrary to other complicated DPA -blocking techniques, the designer does not need specialized knowledge and understanding of the methodology. In one embodiment, the automated design flow generates a secure design from a Verilog or VHDL netlist. The resulting encryption module has a relatively constant power consumption that does not depend on the input signals and is thus relatively independent of which logic operations are performed. |
| US07924049B1 |
Accelerated programming technique for integrated circuits
Provided is a method and system to transmit data to a configurable integrated circuit that features delaying a capture edge of a clock signal at a data latch to synchronize the receipt of data at the data latch that was transmitted in response to a storage device receiving a launch edge of the clock signal. The method includes transmitting the clock signal having the launch edge and the capture edge to the storage device. The data is launched from the storage device to the integrated circuit in response to the storage device sensing the launch edge. Receipt of the capture edge at the data latch is delayed for a predetermined time to compensate for a delay between transmitting the launch edge and launching the data to ensure the data is latched by the data latch. Also disclosed is a system that carries out the function of the method. |
| US07924047B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus
The on-die termination circuit of the present invention includes a main resistance circuit and an adjustment circuit. The main resistance circuit is provided with a resistance element and a transistor that is turned OFF when the on-die termination circuit is to be placed in the OFF state and turned ON when the on-die termination circuit is to be placed in the ON state. The adjustment circuit is provided with transistors that are both connected together in parallel and connected in parallel to the main resistance circuit, and that are turned ON or OFF when the on-die termination circuit is placed in the ON state so as to adjust the termination resistance of the entire on-die termination circuit. |
| US07924044B2 |
On-chip test circuit for an embedded comparator
A semiconductor chip including an embedded comparator is provided with an on-chip test circuit for the comparator. The test circuit includes an analog input unit which, during a test mode of the chip, produces a range of analog voltage signals that are applied to a first input of the comparator and a threshold voltage signal that is applied to a second input of the comparator. A switch control unit is provided to control the application of a predetermined sequential pattern of these analog voltage signals to the first input of the comparator in synchrony with a clock signal supplied to the switch control unit during a predetermined test period. A digital measurement unit is provided to receive output signals from the comparator during the test period in response to the input patterns, to compare the output signals with the clock signal, and to measure and to store data relating thereto. |
| US07924039B2 |
Self-cleaning package testing socket
The present invention relates to a self-cleaning package testing socket, which comprises a base plate, a surround wall is configured on the periphery of the base plate and surrounding with a central testing tank inside. Two transversal channels respectively disposed at two opposite sides of the surround wall. Each transversal channel comprises a nozzle tube between inlet and outlet; the nozzle tube radially connects two bypass pipes. Herewith, the testing tank through the bypass pipes connected to the nozzle tubes of the transversal channels. Hence, when passing air into one end of the each transversal channel, it will cause the airflow rate inside the nozzle tube to speed up, so that the pressure inside the bypass pipes will reduce, and the testing tank results a vacuum-clean effect. Therefore, the present invention can be on-line self-cleaning the test socket. |
| US07924038B2 |
Probe and electrical connecting apparatus using it
A probe having an alignment mark that is hardly influenced by scraps of an electrode scraped by a probe tip is provided. A probe according to the present invention comprises a base portion having an attaching end and extending in a direction distanced from the attaching end, an arm portion extending from the base portion laterally with a space in the extending direction of the base portion from the attaching end, a probe tip portion protruded from the arm portion and having a probe tip formed on its protruding end, and an alignment mark for alignment of the probe tip. The arm portion has a flat surface area on the opposite side of a side where the attaching end of the base portion is located when seen along the extending direction of the arm portion. The probe tip portion is formed to be protruded from the flat surface area, and the alignment mark is constituted by at least a part of the flat surface area. |
| US07924037B2 |
Inspection apparatus comprising means for removing flux
An inspection apparatus includes an electrical connection member which is configured to remove flux attached to a part to be inspected of an object to be inspected, a base member which is provided with the electrical connection member, a driving member which is configured to move the base member relative to the object to be inspected, a control member which is configured to control an operation of the driving member, and an inspection start-up member which is configured to send an operation start signal to the control member, when the operation start signal is sent from the inspection start-up member to the control member, the base member is moved by the driving member, and the electrical connection member is brought into contact with the part to be inspected of the object to be inspected a predetermined number of times, by a control of the control member. |
| US07924035B2 |
Probe card assembly for electronic device testing with DC test resource sharing
A test system can include contact elements for making electrical connections with test points of a DUT. The test system can also include a DC test resource and a signal router, which can be configured to switch a DC channel from the DC test resource between individual contact elements in a group of contact elements. |
| US07924034B2 |
Electric connecting apparatus
In an electrical connecting apparatus, a thermal deformation restriction member, a reinforcing plate, and an auxiliary member are made of materials having smaller thermal expansion coefficients in this order, and a wiring board supporting a probe assembly is coupled with the reinforcing plate. The auxiliary member has a void inside the coupling region with the reinforcing plate. The void receives the deformed part when the center portion of the wiring board is deformed toward the reinforcing plate. Thus, the thermal deformation restriction member, the reinforcing plate, and the auxiliary member function as a three-layer bimetal having a sandwich structure, and the thermal deformation of the wiring board is restricted effectively. |
| US07924033B2 |
Compensation tool for calibrating an electronic component testing machine to a standardized value
A compensation tool and process is provided for calibrating each test position located at a plurality of test modules of an electronic testing machine to a standardized value. Each test module is located on an angularly spaced radial line extending from an associated central axis and has a plurality of contacts for testing electronic components. The compensation tool can include a body having an axis of rotation coaxially alignable with the central axis for rotation to different angular positions and a component-support member operably associated with the body for indexing movement to selectively align a pocket with different contacts associated with each test position located at each of the plurality of test modules. The pocket of the component-support member receives an electronic component with terminated ends extending outwardly to allow electrical contact and testing of each test position located at each the plurality of test modules. |
| US07924032B1 |
Method for fabricating pipeline coating samples containing synthetic disbonds for estimating a condition of a coating of an underground pipeline
A method for fabricating pipeline coating samples containing synthetic disbonds to be used in estimating a condition of a coating of an underground pipeline. The method includes the steps of providing a section of a pipe having a predetermined diameter and length; installing end caps on opposing ends of the pipe section, each end cap having an electrical connection extending therefrom; applying a material having a low dielectric coefficient around the pipe segment between the end caps to simulate an air-filled disbond; varying the coverage area of material to simulate various disbond sizes; and wrapping the pipe segment and end caps with tape to cover the material having a low dielectric coefficient. |
| US07924022B2 |
Evaluation board and failure location detection method
An evaluation board, on which is mounted a chip to be evaluated is provided. Particularly, the evaluation board includes a monitoring window for monitoring a power supply part, a ground part, and a surface of the chip, a first signal input part for inputting signals to the chip, and a second signal input part for inputting signals to the chip, wherein the second signal input part is placed as to sandwich said monitoring window between itself and the first signal input part. |
| US07924016B2 |
Voltage measuring device
A pair of measuring switches S21, S22 is interposed between both terminals of a capacitor C, and inputs T1, T2 of A/D converters 11c, 11d via resistors R1, R2. A pair of measuring switches S23, S24 is interposed between both inputs T1, T2 and a ground. The CPU 12a controls the measuring switches S21 to S24 so that when a terminal “a” of the capacitor C is positive charged, while the other terminal “b” of the capacitor C is grounded, both terminals “a” and “b” are respectively connected to the inputs T1 and T2. The CPU 12a controls the measuring switches S21 to S24 so that when the terminal “b” of the capacitor C is positive charged, while the terminal “a” of the capacitor C is grounded, both terminals “a” and “b” are respectively connected to the inputs T1 and T2. |
| US07924012B2 |
Metal detector having constant reactive transmit voltage applied to a transmit coil
An electronic metal detector having, a transmit coil arranged and adapted to transmit an alternating magnetic field associated with a reactive transmit coil voltage, the transmit coil being connected to transmit electronics arranged and adapted to generate a transmit signal, the transmit electronics having at least two power sources, a first power source and a second power source, wherein the first power source is adapted and arranged to connect to the transmit coil for at least a first period, and the second power source is adapted and arranged to connect to tie transmit coil for at least a second period, the said transmit electronics including at least one servo control negative feedback loop, a first servo control negative feedback loop, which is adapted and arranged to monitor a transmit coil current for at least part of the said first period, and to control at least part of the said transmit signal, the transmit electronics being adapted and arranged to control the transmit signal to produce the reactive transmit coil voltage to be approximately constant and approximately equal to zero while the transmit coil current is non-zero and approximately constant for at least part of the first period; and receive electronics which are adapted and arranged to receive and process a receive magnetic field during at least some of the first period to produce an indicator output. |
| US07924009B2 |
Antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus
In an antenna arrangement for a magnetic resonance apparatus and a method for acquiring magnetic resonance signals, which has at least four individually operable antenna conductor loops arranged like a matrix in rows and columns, wherein two antenna conductor loops adjacent in a row or in a column are inductively decoupled from one another; and wherein two antenna conductor loops diagonally adjacent to one another in adjacent rows and columns are capacitively decoupled from one another. |
| US07924008B2 |
Vibrationally decoupled patient table for use in magnetic resonance system
The present utility model discloses a patient table for a magnetic resonance system, said magnetic resonance system also comprises a body coil, and said patient table comprises a table board and supporting means for supporting said table board, which table board is located in said body coil, and said supporting means supports said table board in such a way that the table board has no contact with said body coil. By using said patient table according to the present utility model, it is possible to eliminate the vibration of the table board caused by the vibration of a gradient coil, thus improving the imaging quality. |
| US07924006B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing sample utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance under terahertz-wave irradiation
The nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of a sample, which is a target material analyzed, and changes in relaxation times of nuclear magnetic resonance signals are measured while the sample is irradiated with terahertz waves containing frequency components corresponding to peak portions of absorption or reflectance spectrum of the sample. On the basis of the changes in relaxation times, the relationship between peak portions and information about a three-dimensional structure, conformational alteration, molecular relaxation, and the like is observed, the peak portions being in the absorption or reflectance spectrum in the terahertz range of the sample. |
| US07924004B2 |
Electric potential sensor for use in the detection of nuclear magnetic resonance signals
The present invention provides nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus comprising means for applying a static magnetic field (H0) to a sample under investigation, a radio frequency circuit arranged to be inductively coupled to the sample by means of an oscillating magnetic field disposed generally perpendicular to the static magnetic field for applying an excitation signal to the sample, and an electric potential sensor (E1, E2) for detecting the excitation of the sample and for generating a detection output. The electric potential sensor comprises an electrode placed generally perpendicular to the axis of the oscillating magnetic field for capacitively coupling the electric potential sensor to the sample. |
| US07923996B2 |
Magnetic field sensor with automatic sensitivity adjustment
Magnetic field sensors have a magnetic field sensing element and also a feedback circuit to provide a gain-adjustment signal to affect a sensitivity associated with the magnetic field sensing element. In some arrangements, the feedback circuit can include piezoresistors to sense a strain of a substrate over which the magnetic field sensor is disposed. With these arrangements, the feedback circuit can generate the gain-adjustment signal in accordance with the sensed strain. In other arrangements, the feedback circuit can generate pulsed magnetic fields proximate to the magnetic field sensing element in order to directly measure the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensing element. With these arrangements, the feedback circuit can generate the gain-adjustment signal in accordance with the sensed sensitivity. |
| US07923990B2 |
Wafer holder
A wafer holder is provided which includes a holder body with a chuck table having a ring-like wafer receptacle, and a plurality of fixing portions fixing a wafer on the wafer receptacle to hold the wafer, and a carrier supporting the wafer before fixed on the wafer receptacle from downward. The holder body includes a carrier support portion which forms a support face to support the carrier and be changeable in height from an original position, and positions the support face on which the wafer is placed at a delivery position. The carrier support portion separates the wafer from the carrier by lowering the support face from the delivery position, so that the fixing portions fix the wafer. |
| US07923988B2 |
Test equipment and test system using the same
A test equipment to test power over Ethernet (PoE) function of an Ethernet device comprises a first connector, a second connector, a data signal transmission circuit, a first polarity determination circuit, a second polarity determination circuit and a notification circuit. The first connector receives and transmits data signals and power signals transmitted by the Ethernet device. The data signal transmission circuit transmits the data signals to the second connector and outputs the power signals. The first and second polarity determination circuits receive and output the power signals to the notification circuit. The notification circuit receives the power signals and consequently generates a notice to indicate the PoE function of the Ethernet device is normal. |
| US07923986B2 |
Device and method for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor
A device for measuring a current flowing in an electrical conductor. The device comprises a magnetic circuit coupled to an electrical conductor. The magnetic circuit has an air gap and a magnetic field sensitive component disposed in the air gap to measure a magnetic field generated by the electrical conductor. A control core has a control winding configured to control an effective length of the air gap when the control winding is energized. A magnetic shield at least partially encloses the magnetic circuit, the magnetic field sensitive component and the control core. |
| US07923984B2 |
Universal, wireless, nano-optical voltmeters
A universal, wireless, nano-optical voltmeter comprises an organic core having at least one voltage-sensitive dye and at least one polymeric shell substantially surrounding the organic core. The nano-optical voltmeter can detect electric fields in cells. The nano-optical voltmeter allows three-dimensional E field profiling throughout the entire volume of living cells. The nano-optical voltmeter may be calibrated externally and then applied for E field determinations inside any live cell or cellular compartment, with no further calibration steps. |
| US07923982B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit is provided with a voltage level detector which detects a voltage level of a signal wire, and a transition time detector which detects a time length of a transition period during which the signal wire changes from an inactive voltage state to an active voltage state based on the voltage level detected by the voltage level detector. The voltage level detector detects the voltage level of the signal wire during the transition period. |
| US07923980B2 |
Digital controlled power supply
In a digital controlled power supply including a digital controller for generating a PWM signal which is used to turn on and off a switching element to obtain an output voltage for a load based on an input voltage, the digital controller includes an AD converter for receiving an analog output current from the power supply and converting the current into a digital value to produce a digital output current value, an arithmetic processing unit for conducting an arithmetic operation of a pulse width for each period of a sampling frequency of the AD converter or a frequency of carrier wave as a criterion to obtain the PWM signal, and a frequency controller for variably controlling the frequency of carrier wave and the sampling frequency on the basis of the digital output current value from the AD converter. |
| US07923975B2 |
Analog variable-frequency controller and switching converter therewith
An analog variable-frequency controller includes a first current generator, a second current generator, a clock generator and a light/heavy load selector. The first and second current generator receive a load current signal and then output a first voltage signal and a second voltage signal, respectively. The clock generator generates a corresponding switching frequency according to the first voltage signal or the second voltage signal. The light/heavy load selector, connected with the first current generator, the second current generator and the clock generator, receives a control signal for controlling the clock generator to receive the first voltage signal or the second voltage signal. The abovementioned controller is implemented by an analog circuit, which has a lower circuit complexity, lower cost and is easy to be integrated into a switching converter. |
| US07923972B2 |
Systems and methods for charging a battery with a digital charge reduction loop
Exemplary systems and methods for charging a battery with a digital charge reduction loop are described herein. In some embodiments, a system comprises an exemplary digital charge reduction loop which comprises a circuit for determining a charge-current adjustment signal, a counter for generating a digital count value, and a digital-to-analog converter. The circuit for determining a charge-current adjustment signal may base the determination on a source voltage of an input source. The counter may generate a digital count value based on the charge-current adjustment signal. The digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may generate a DAC control signal based on the digital count value of the counter, the DAC control signal being representative of an amount of charge current to be used to charge a battery. |
| US07923968B2 |
Charge and discharge control circuit and rechargeable power supply device
A charge and discharge control circuit which accommodates pulsed charge and pulsed discharge and can control charge and discharge of a secondary battery with safety, and a rechargeable power supply device having the same built therein are provided. The charge and discharge control circuit includes a delay time switching circuit for shortening a delay time of overcharge detection after charge inhibition is canceled. When overcharge is detected after the charge inhibition is canceled, the charge is inhibited in a delay time which is shorter than a normal delay time of the overcharge detection. |
| US07923965B2 |
Methods for coupling an energy storage system to a variable energy supply system
A method for coupling an energy storage system to a variable energy supply system includes providing an energy storage system including at least one Vanadium redox battery and at least one battery charge controller. The method also includes electrically coupling the at least one battery charge controller to the variable energy supply system such that the at least one battery is configured to supply a substantially consistent energy output during fluctuating energy loads of the energy supply system. |
| US07923963B2 |
Charging apparatus and terminal apparatus
In order to improve the charging efficiency of a charging apparatus including a photovoltaic generator such as a solar battery, a charging apparatus includes: a battery which is rechargeable; a photovoltaic generator generating electric power in response to received light; and a generative charging portion supplying the electric power generated by the photovolaic generator to the battery. The generative charging portion includes: a control portion which controls current in the direction from the battery to the photovoltaic generator; and a voltage regulation portion which regulates voltage of the electric power supplied from the photovoltaic generator to the battery and is connected to the control portion in series. |
| US07923962B2 |
System of wireless electronic registration plates
The system of wireless electronic registration plates which is comprehended by the existance of the central wireless module placed within the motor vehicle and connected on to an electric energy source, and the wireless electronic registration plates, that are placed at the front and the rear sides of a motor vehicle, containing built-in satellite wireless module is functioning on a principle of wireless micro network where the data transfer from a computer or other mobile device for data input is made through the central wireless module to the satellite wireless modules embedded into the registration plates. The wireless electronic registration plates have its own source of electric energy which are connected to a thin, film battery implanted in to the solar housing of the registration plates. The registration data is displayed through an active display. |
| US07923959B2 |
Rotor driving control device and image forming apparatus
A device of a motor with a rotation control means that decreases the fluctuation of its rotation period. The control is carried out based on the amplitude and the phase generated by amplitude-and-phase generating devices, detecting passage time of detected portions (13) in different zones. And a color image forming apparatus of tandem type with such motors. |
| US07923956B2 |
Control device for servo die cushion
A control device, for a servo die cushion, capable of improving a response after overshoot generated by collision of a slide and a die cushion. The control device has a local maximum point judging part which judges a local maximum point based on the detected speed of the servomotor; a speed correction value calculating part which calculates a speed correction value for the servomotor based on the judgment result and the detected speed of the slide; a second force commanding part which generates a second force command value, the second force command value decreasing from an initial value to a first force command value, the initial value being equal to the force detected value when reaching generally the local maximum point. The force command value is switched from the first force command value to the second force command value, when the force detected value reaches the local maximum point. |
| US07923955B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling an active engine mount
A control circuit for an active engine mount is provided, including an electrical bridge circuit, and a pulse-width modulation (‘PWM’) circuit. The PWM circuit receives an input signal from a controller, and generates first and second PWM output signals. The first PWM signal, derived from the input signal, controls first and third switches of the electrical bridge circuit. The second PWM signal comprises a digitally inverted signal of the first PWM signal, and controls second and fourth switches of the electrical bridge circuit. First and second outputs of the bridge circuit are connectable to first and second terminals of the mount device. The controller receives an input signal from crank and cam sensors, as part of the control scheme. |
| US07923954B1 |
Voice-coil motor control with zero-current sensing
A circuit for controlling a voice-coil motor (VCM) may incorporate a pulse-width modulation driver to drive the VCM, a zero-current detector to determine whether the current across the VCM is zero, and a Back-EMF voltage detector to measure the voltage across the VCM when the current across the VCM is determined to be zero. The circuit may determine the current velocity of the VCM and use this information to control the velocity of the VCM. |
| US07923949B2 |
Method for controlling polyphase rotating electrical machine
A method for controlling a reversible polyphase rotating electrical machine, wherein at least one coil circuit is supplied through a bridge of switches, including the following steps: controlling (P1) the bridge to deliver to the coil circuit a periodic voltage with a phase shift (d) relative to an electromotive force induced in the coil circuit, such that an operating torque is generated, the phase shift having initially a first value (d0); controlling (P2) the bridge to deliver to the coil circuit a periodic voltage with the phase shift (d) producing a torque ranging between the operating torque and the opposite of the operating torque, the phase shift taking on a plurality of values upon the control; flipping (T2) the bridge in rectifying mode. |
| US07923947B2 |
Electromotive power steering
Disclosed is an electromotive power steering for a motor vehicle, in which a special type of reluctance motor or series wound motor is used while such an electric motor is electronically commutated. In order to recognize an error condition in the electronic control device and the electric motor, adequate mechanisms are provided in the circuit arrangement (15), the electric motor being cut from the power source by means of a relay (16) or by short-circuiting the power source downstream of a safety device (17) with the aid of a thyristor (18). |
| US07923942B1 |
Constant current source mirror tank dimmable ballast for high impedance lamps
A constant current source mirror tank dimmable ballast operates multiple high impedance lamps in a stable and balanced manner. The dimmable ballast has an inverter connected to two third-order resonant circuits. These third-order resonant circuits dominate the transfer function of the ballast circuits. Consequently, changes in the impedance of the lamp do not affect the current output to the lamps. |
| US07923938B2 |
System and method for providing inductive power to improve product marking and advertising
A system and method are described in which power is inductively supplied to a product or a package containing a product. This power is received via a coil and used by a light source to further enhance the presentation of the product or packaging. The illuminated light draws more attention to the product or package and thereby increases the probability that a prospective buyer will buy the product. Power is supplied to the package via a coil mounted to a shelf system. The frequency of the power supplied to the shelf coil may be changed to change the frequency at which the light source in the product or package illuminates. |
| US07923936B2 |
Flourescent lamp with integral proximity sensor for building energy management
A fluorescent lamp sensor system is provided. The fluorescent lamp sensor system includes a plurality of bulbs and a plurality of electrodes coupled to the bulbs. A balanced differential circuit measures changes in electric fields produced by the bulbs in front of the electrodes. The balanced differential circuit includes a symmetric current source associated with alternating the surface potential of the bulbs. A current mode detection circuit detects the current associated with the capacitive effects of the balanced differential circuit. A synchronous detection circuit isolates the capacitive effects of the symmetrical current source from stray signals that differ in either frequency or phase. |
| US07923930B1 |
Plasma-shell device
A plasma panel device having a multiplicity of gas filled plasma-shells, each plasma-shell being positioned on or in a substrate and electrically connected to conductors or electrodes to define a gas discharge pixel or subpixel. The plasma-shell comprises a hollow gas filled geometric body and includes plasma-disc, plasma-dome, plasma-sphere, and other geometric shapes. The substrate may be rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible with a flat, curved, or irregular surface. Each substrate may comprise a single layer or multiple layers of the same or different materials. Substrate composites may be used such as mixtures, dispersions, suspensions, and so forth. The device may comprise a single substrate or a dual substrate device. A plasma-shell device with a flexible substrate may be bendable and rollable in at least two directions, X and Y, looking at the top or plan view. |
| US07923929B2 |
Photomultiplier including a photocathode and an accelerating electrode
The present invention relates to a photomultiplier having a structure that enables to perform high gain and satisfy higher required characteristics. In the photomultiplier, an electron-multiplying unit accommodated in a sealed container comprises a focusing electrode, an accelerating electrode, a dynode unit, and an anode. Particularly, at least the accelerating electrode and dynode unit are held unitedly in a state that at least a first-stage dynode and a second-stage included in the dynode unit are opposite directly to the accelerating electrode not through a conductive material. A conventional metal disk for supporting directly dynodes which are set to the same potential as that of the first-stage dynode is not placed between the accelerating electrode and dynode unit; thus, variations of the transit time of electrons may be drastically reduced while the electrons reach from the cathode to the second-stage dynode via the first-stage dynode. |
| US07923924B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display/source with anode and cathode leads
The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescent display, including a substrate, a set of anodes, an organic functional layer, a set of cathodes and a packaging sheet, wherein a set of electrode leads are disposed on the packaging sheet for electrical connection with a control circuit of the display, and the electrode leads includes a set of anode leads and a set of cathode leads which are electrically connected with the corresponding anodes and cathodes on the substrate, respectively. The present invention further relates to a double-sided organic electroluminescent display having the above features. |
| US07923923B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device including: a substrate; a sealing member; an organic light emitting device between the substrate and the sealing member and for displaying images; a selective light absorbing layer on a surface of the sealing member facing the organic light emitting device and including pigments for selectively absorbing light; and a black matrix layer on the selective light absorbing layer corresponding to non-emission areas of the organic light emitting device. |
| US07923919B2 |
Organic electroluminescent panel and production method thereof, and color filter substrate and production method thereof
The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent panel, a production method thereof, and an organic electroluminescent display device, in which color mixing between adjacent pixels, caused by overflow or pull-in of a liquid material is suppressed and discontinuity (physical and electrical separation by the step) of an upper electrode is reduced when an organic film such as a luminescent layer is formed by an application method such as an ink jet printing method. The organic electroluminescent panel of the present invention is an organic electroluminescent panel comprising a lower electrode, a bank, an organic film, and an upper electrode on a substrate, wherein the organic electroluminescent panel has: two or more bank regions having different film thicknesses; and an organic film region surrounded by the two or more bank regions, the organic film region having a planar shape of a quadrangle or a substantial quadrangle with a rounded vertex or side. |
| US07923910B2 |
Spark plug having a metallic shell with defined relationship between its outer and inner surfaces
A spark plug including an insulator and a metallic shell having an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface has a taper portion which comes into contact with a peripheral region around a mounting hole of an internal combustion engine, a tool engagement portion, and a trunk portion formed between the tool engagement portion and the taper portion. The inner surface has an annular step portion projecting toward the insulator and an internal trunk portion extending from the base of the step portion toward the rear end of the metallic shell. When the insulator and the metallic shell are fixed to each other by one of either cold and hot crimping, the projected area of the taper portion is at least two times or at least 1.5 times that of the step portion, respectively. |
| US07923909B2 |
Ignition device having an electrode with a platinum firing tip and method of construction
An ignition device for an internal combustion engine and method of construction therefore includes a housing with an insulator secured therein. A center electrode is mounted within the insulator. A ground electrode extends from the housing with a portion of the ground electrode defining a spark gap across from the center electrode. At least a selected one of the center electrode or ground electrode has a platinum or platinum-based alloy firing tip. A resistance weld joint bonds the firing tip to the selected electrode and defines a lower surface of the firing tip that is embedded a first distance beneath an outer surface of the selected electrode. A continuous bead of overlapping laser weld pools is formed over an outer periphery of the firing tip. The overlapping weld pools extend a second distance beneath the outer surface of the selected electrode, with the second distance being greater than the first distance. |
| US07923908B2 |
Metal halide reflector lamp with beam color homogenizer
A novel metal halide reflector lamp is described wherein the reflector lamp has a passive optical element to scramble, color mix, and otherwise commingle the light emitted by the metal halide burner. The optical element is placed close to the radiating plasma volume to intercept a large solid angle. Preferably, the optical element substantially intercepts the emitted light within a solid angle that has its vertex at the center of the discharge volume of the burner and is subtended by the open end of the reflector. The optical element can be designed to scatter, reflect or refract the light emanating in this solid angle which otherwise would not impinge on the primary optical control surface of the reflector. |
| US07923906B2 |
Process for forming a ferroelectric film, ferroelectric film, ferroelectric device, and liquid discharge apparatus
A ferroelectric film containing a perovskite type oxide represented by Formula (P) is formed on a substrate, which stands facing a target, by a sputtering technique under conditions of a height of a shield, which surrounds an outer periphery of the target on the substrate side in a non-contact state and comprises shielding layers superposed one upon another at intervals, such that a difference between a plasma potential and a floating potential is at most 35V, and under conditions such that a temperature of the substrate is at least 400° C.: (Pb1−x+δMx) (ZryTi1−y)O— (P) wherein M represents at least one kind of element selected from Bi and lanthanide elements, 0.05≦x≦0.4, and 0 |
| US07923901B2 |
Solid-state actuator drive apparatus
A solid-state actuator drive apparatus has—a shaft, —a pivot bearing for supporting the shaft, —a drive body, —at least two actuators for the excitation of the drive body and the shaft relative to each other for causing the shaft to rotate relative to the drive body, and—a base element, on which these components are attached. Either the drive body is configured such that it has a drive body opening, and the shaft at least leads into the drive body opening, —or the shaft is configured as a hollow shaft, and an element of the drive body having an annular or discoid circumference is disposed therein. The drive body is disposed stationary relative to the base element. The shaft is disposed in the pivot bearing and is adjustably disposed in the radial direction of the shaft relative to the base element by the solid-state actuators. |
| US07923898B2 |
Piezo drive system
A piezo drive system includes an elastic fixing frame, a drive element, a rod, and a rotor. A vamplate portion is formed on the outer surface of the rod. One end of the rod is secured to around the center of a face of the drive element. The rotor consists of a cylindrical portion and a disk portion, and can rotate relative to the rod. Protrusions are formed on the inside of a top surface portion of the fixing frame to push against the disk portion. Using the drive element, the rod rotates while tilting and makes a surface contact with the vamplate portion, producing friction. Consequently, the rotor is rotated. |
| US07923894B2 |
Actuator, image projection apparatus and production method for actuator
The present invention is directed to a bi-axial pivoting type actuator having a first movable section, a second movable section supporting the first movable section, and backlining. A first conductive portion and a second conductive portion for independently applying a driving voltage to each of the first movable section and the second movable section are provided on the second movable section, in a state of being split by isolation trenches and being stabilized by the backlining provided under the second movable section. By providing such backlining, mutual stabilization of the first conductive portion and the second conductive portion in an electrically isolated state, and simplification of the production steps for the actuator are realized. By providing a mirror on the first conductive portion of the actuator of the present invention as such, it becomes possible to provide a bi-axial pivoting type mirror device through a simple production process. |
| US07923893B2 |
3-1 mode capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer
A capacitive membrane ultrasound transducer is provided. Membranes or other microelectromechanical devices are provided in a 3-1 geometry, allowing application of an electric field substantially perpendicular to a range dimension. The membranes are on a plurality of different respective planes more parallel than perpendicular with each other, and the planes are more perpendicular than parallel with the faces of the elements or transducer. |
| US07923891B2 |
Stator for electric rotating machine
A stator for an electric rotating machine has iron core fastening members on the outer circumferential surface of a stator iron core, spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction and fastened to the iron core in an axial direction. Holding rings on the outer circumferential surface of the iron core, spaced apart from one another in the axial direction, press the iron core toward a center portion thereof via the iron core fastening members. Ring-shaped inner frame members protrude from the inner surface of a frame that encloses the iron core, and are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction. Elastic supporting members are fixed to the inner circumferential surfaces of the inner frame members that are adjacent to one another, and are fixed to the outer circumferential surfaces of the holding rings at the middle in the axial direction, or vice versa. |
| US07923886B2 |
Transverse and/or commutated flux system rotor concepts
Disclosed are transverse and/or commutated flux machines and components thereof, and methods of making and using the same. Certain rotors for use in transverse and commutated flux machines may be formed to facilitate a “many to many” flux switch configuration between flux concentrating stator portions having opposite polarities. Other rotors may be formed from a first material, and contain flux switches formed from a second material. Yet other rotors may be machined, pressed, stamped, folded, and/or otherwise mechanically formed. Via use of such rotors, transverse and/or commutated flux machines can achieve improved performance, efficiency, and/or be sized or otherwise configured for various applications. |
| US07923884B2 |
Rotary electric machine having stator coil with U-shaped segment
In a stator coil of a rotary electric machine, a first crank portion radially shifts one side of a turn portion from the other side thereof by a first length. The one side extends to one of paired straight portions, and the other side extends to the other thereof. A second crank portion radially shifts one side of a turn portion from the other side thereof by a second length. The one side extends to one of the paired straight portions, and the other side extends to the other thereof. The first length is equivalent to a radial width of the turn portion of the first segment of each set. The second length allows the second crank portion of the second segment of each of the sets to substantially overlay the first crank portion of the first segment of each set. |
| US07923876B2 |
Motor
A motor is disclosed. The motor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention can include: a shaft; a bearing supporting the shaft to rotate; a thrust plate supporting a lower end of the shaft a boss joined to the shaft and having a ring-shaped groove on a side facing the bearing; and a rotor joined to the boss. |
| US07923875B2 |
Assembly for an electric machine
An electric machine includes a stator, a rotor positioned adjacent the stator and rotatable with respect to the stator, and a housing that at least partially surrounds the stator. An enclosure is coupled to the housing and includes a first compartment and a second compartment. A plurality of fins are positioned within the second compartment and a fan is coupled to the rotor and directs a flow of air through the second compartment. |
| US07923872B2 |
Armature and motor
In an armature of a motor, each of windings is wound around at least two of a plurality of tooth portions of a core to form at least two wound parts of the winding. A crossover of each winding, which connects between corresponding two of the at least two wound parts, is placed on one axial side of a ring portion of the core. A crossover relief space is axially recessed in an end surface of the ring portion on the one axial side. At least a portion of each crossover is received in the crossover relief space. Guides project on the other axial side of the core and guide winding terminal portions of the windings. |
| US07923869B2 |
Power adapter
A power adapter includes a primary side for receiving power from a mains power supply; a secondary side for providing operating and/or charging power, derived from the primary side, to an electronic device connected to the secondary side; presence logic for determining whether the electronic device is connected to the secondary side; and switching logic for turning off the primary side automatically when the presence logic determines the electronic device is not connected. The power adapter thus shuts itself down if no electronic device is attached, and automatically starts itself up when a device is connected to the power adapter and is thus needed. The power adapter may also include voltage detection logic that detects when the device is fully charged. The power adapter also shuts itself down when an attached electronic device becomes fully charged, and automatically starts itself up when the charged state of the electronic device falls below a predetermined level. While shut down, the power adapter consumes either no power or very little power. The power adapter may wake itself up and provide power to a device even in the event the device itself is without power, such as when the device is turned off and/or has a flat or dead battery. |
| US07923868B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting a power supply of an integrated circuit
Disclosed is a circuit configured to apply a supply voltage to a switching element (e.g., a transistor). The circuit includes a latch and a processor. The latch is configured to sample a voltage of an output signal of the switching element, and the processor is configured to generate a power adjustment signal to adjust the supply voltage based on the voltage sampled by the latch. |
| US07923860B2 |
Switching power supply circuit capable of timing adjustment of signal
A switching power supply circuit includes a plurality of switching regulators and a timing adjustment circuit. The plurality of switching regulators converts an input voltage input to an input terminal into a plurality of predetermined constant voltages, and outputs the plurality of predetermined constant voltages from a plurality of output terminals, respectively. The timing adjustment circuit adjusts phases of a plurality of pulse signals generated by the plurality of switching regulators so that the phases of the plurality of pulse signals are different from each other, and outputs the plurality of adjusted pulse signals to respective switch circuits of the plurality of switching regulators. |
| US07923851B2 |
Microelectronic assembly with impedance controlled wirebond and conductive reference element
A microelectronic assembly can include a microelectronic device having device contacts exposed at a surface thereof and an interconnection element having element contacts and having a face adjacent to the microelectronic device. Conductive elements, e.g., wirebonds connect the device contacts with the element contacts and have portions extending in runs above the surface of the microelectronic device. A conductive layer has a conductive surface disposed at at least a substantially uniform distance above or below the plurality of the runs of the conductive elements. In some cases, the conductive material can have first and second dimensions in first and second horizontal directions which are smaller than first and second corresponding dimensions of the microelectronic device. The conductive material is connectable to a source of reference potential so as to achieve a desired impedance for the conductive elements. |
| US07923848B2 |
High performance sub-system design and assembly
A multiple integrated circuit chip structure provides interchip communication between integrated circuit chips of the structure with no ESD protection circuits and no input/output circuitry. The interchip communication is between internal circuits of the integrated circuit chips. The multiple integrated circuit chip structure has an interchip interface circuit to selectively connect internal circuits of the integrated circuits to test interface circuits having ESD protection circuits and input/output circuitry designed to communicate with external test systems during test and burn-in procedures. The multiple interconnected integrated circuit chip structure has a first integrated circuit chip mounted to one or more second integrated circuit chips to physically and electrically connect the integrated circuit chips to one another. The first integrated circuit chips have interchip interface circuits connected each other to selectively communicate between internal circuits of the each other integrated circuit chips or test interface circuits, connected to the internal circuits of each integrated circuit chip to provide stimulus and response to said internal circuits during testing procedures. A mode selector receives a signal external to the chip to determine whether the communication is to be with one of the other connected integrated circuit chips or in single chip mode, such as with the test interface circuits. ESD protection is added to the mode selector circuitry. |
| US07923845B2 |
Alignment features for proximity communication
Embodiments of a semiconductor die that includes proximity connectors proximate to a first surface of the semiconductor die are described. This semiconductor die is configured to communicate signals with another semiconductor die via proximity communication through one or more of the proximity connectors. Moreover, the semiconductor die includes a positive feature coupled to a second surface of the semiconductor die that facilitates mechanical alignment of the semiconductor die with the other semiconductor die. Note that a first region around the positive feature defines a first plane, and the positive feature protrudes above the first plane. |
| US07923842B2 |
GaAs integrated circuit device and method of attaching same
A gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuit device is provided. The GaAs circuit device has a GaAs substrate with a copper contact layer for making electrical ground contact with a pad of a target device. Although copper is known to detrimentally affect GaAS devices, the copper contact layer is isolated from the GaAs substrate using a barrier layer. The barrier layer may be, for example, a layer of nickel vanadium (NiV). This nickel vanadium (NiV) barrier protects the gallium arsenide substrate from the diffusion effects of the copper contact layer. An organic solder preservative may coat the exposed copper to reduce oxidation effects. In some cases, a gold or copper seed layer may be deposited on the GaAs substrate prior to depositing the copper contact layer. |
| US07923841B2 |
Method for bonding semiconductor structure with substrate and high efficiency photonic device manufactured by using the same method
A method for bonding a semiconductor structure with a substrate and a high efficiency photonic device manufactured by using the same method are disclosed. The method comprises steps of: providing a semiconductor structure and a substrate; forming a composite bonding layer on the semiconductor structure; and bonding the substrate with the composite bonding layer on the semiconductor structure to form a composite alloyed bonding layer. The semiconductor structure includes a compound semiconductor substrate and a high efficiency photonic device is produced after the compound semiconductor substrate is removed. Besides, the composite bonding layer can be formed on the substrate or formed on both the semiconductor structure and substrate simultaneously. |
| US07923838B2 |
Method and structure for reducing contact resistance between silicide contact and overlying metallization
A semiconductor structure in which the contact resistance in the contact opening is reduced as well as a method of forming the same are provided. This is achieved in the present invention by replacing conventional contact metallurgy, such as tungsten, or a metal silicide, such as Ni silicide or Cu silicide, with a metal germanide-containing contact material. The term “metal germanide-containing” is used in the present application to denote a pure metal germanide (i.e., MGe alloy) or a metal germanide that includes Si (i.e., MSiGe alloy). |
| US07923834B2 |
Interposer and semiconductor device
An interposer and a semiconductor device including the interposer, which can prevent thermal warpage of an insulative substrate. The interposer is provided with a semiconductor chip in a semiconductor device and may be disposed between the semiconductor chip and a mount board. The interposer includes: a substrate of an insulative resin; an island on one surface of the substrate to be bonded to a rear surface of the chip; a thermal pad on the other surface opposite the one surface opposed to the island with the intervention of the substrate; and a thermal via extending through the substrate from the one surface to the other surface to thermally connect the island to the thermal pad. |
| US07923833B2 |
Semiconductor module
A semiconductor module 10 includes a ceramic substrate having a front surface on which a semiconductor element 12 is mounted and a rear surface on the opposite side of the front surface, a front metal plate 15 joined to the front surface, a rear metal plate 16 joined to the rear surface, and a heat sink 13 joined to the rear metal plate 16. The rear metal plate 16 includes a joint surface 16b that faces the heat sink 13. The joint surface 16b includes a joint area and a non-joint area. The non-joint area includes recesses 18 which extend in the thickness direction of the rear metal plate 16. The joint area of the rear metal plate 16 is in a range from 65% to 85% of the total area of the joint surface 16b on the rear metal plate 16. As a result, excellent heat dissipating performance can be achieved while occurrence of distortion and cracking due to thermal stress is prevented. |
| US07923831B2 |
LED-based light source having improved thermal dissipation
A light source having a plurality of dies mounted on leads that are partially enclosed in a plastic body is disclosed. Each die is powered by first and second contacts. One contact is connected to the lead on which the die is mounted. Light from the LED exits the die through the top surface. Each lead includes a layer of metal of substantially constant thickness. The layer includes a boundary, a die mounting region within the boundary and a heat transfer region within the boundary. The boundary increases in a dimension perpendicular to a line connecting the die mounting region and the heat transfer region. The leads are arranged such that the die mounting regions are proximate to a first point and oriented such that the lines radiate from the first point. The light source can be manufactured using conventional lead frame techniques. |
| US07923828B2 |
Structure and method of making interconnect element, and multilayer wiring board including the interconnect element
An interconnect element is provided which includes a dielectric element having a first major surface, a second major surface remote from the first major surface, and a plurality of recesses extending inwardly from the first major surface. A plurality of metal traces are embedded in the plurality of recesses, the metal traces having outer surfaces substantially co-planar with the first major surface and inner surfaces remote from the outer surfaces. A plurality of posts extend from the inner surfaces of the plurality of metal traces through the dielectric element, the plurality of posts having tops exposed at the second major surface. A multilayer wiring board including a plurality of such interconnect elements is also provided, as well as various methods for making such interconnect elements and multilayer wiring boards. |
| US07923822B2 |
Integrated circuit package system including shield
An integrated circuit package system includes: a substrate; a first device attached to the substrate; a shield attached to the substrate and surrounding the first device; apertures formed within the shield; the shield configured to block electromagnetic energy that passes through the apertures; and an encapsulation material deposited through the apertures. |
| US07923820B2 |
Method of producing a porous dielectric element and corresponding dielectric element
A porous dielectric element is produced by forming a first dielectric and a second dielectric. The second dielectric is dispersed in the first dielectric. The second dielectric is then removed from the second dielectric by using a chemical dissolution. The removal of the second dielectric from the first dielectric leaves pores in the first dielectric. The pores, which are filled with air, improve the overall dielectric constant of the resulting dielectric element. |
| US07923815B2 |
DRAM having deep trench capacitors with lightly doped buried plates
By controlling buried plate doping level and bias condition, different capacitances can be obtained from capacitors on the same chip with the same layout and deep trench process. The capacitors may be storage capacitors of DRAM/eDRAM cells. The doping concentration may be less than 3E19cm−3, a voltage difference between the biases of the buried electrodes may be at least 0.5V, and a capacitance of one capacitor may be at least 1.2 times, such as 2.0 times the capacitance of another capacitor. |
| US07923809B2 |
Semiconductor device having shield structure
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate; at least two wiring layers formed opposite to each other over the semiconductor substrate; signal lines for transmitting a signal maintaining a predetermined voltage, each of the signal lines being formed in each of the two wiring layers; shield lines fixed to a constant voltage to shield the signal lines, each of the shield lines being formed adjacent to each of the signal lines in the two wiring layers; and a gate electrode formed over the semiconductor substrate via an insulation film. In the semiconductor device, at least one of the signal lines formed in a lower wiring layer of the at least two wiring layers is electrically connected to the gate electrode opposed in a stacking direction. |
| US07923807B2 |
Semiconductor device having an insulator including an inductive load driving circuit
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type. A well layer of the first conductivity type is selectively formed on the semiconductor substrate. A first diffused layer of the second conductivity type is selectively formed on the well layer. A second diffused layer of the second conductivity type is formed on the well layer apart from the first diffused layer. A control electrode is formed on an insulating film between the first diffused layer and the second diffused layer. A main electrode is formed on each of the first diffused layer and the second diffused layer. A first trench is formed in the semiconductor substrate surrounding the well layer. A third diffused layer of the second conductivity type is formed contacting to the first trench. The second diffused layer and the third diffused layer are electrically kept at the same potential. |
| US07923800B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
The present invention has a photodiode and a circuit used to amplify the output of the photodiode. Two terminals are formed over the photodiode and circuit with an insulating layer interposed therebetween, and a dummy electrode with a larger area than that of either of the two terminals is formed thereover, adjacent to the two terminals. The dummy electrode is not connected to the photodiode or to the circuit of the semiconductor device. Because the dummy electrode has a wide area, damage due to electrostatic discharge occurs in the dummy electrode more easily than in the two terminals; thus, damage due to electrostatic discharge can be prevented from occurring in the semiconductor device. |
| US07923788B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device has a plurality of fins formed on a semiconductor substrate to be separated from each other, a first contact region which connects commonly one end side of the plurality of fins, a second contact region which connects commonly the other end side of the plurality of fins, a gate electrode arranged to be opposed to at least both side surfaces of the plurality of fins by sandwiching a gate insulating film therebetween, a source electrode including the first contact region and the plurality of fins on a side closer to the first contact region than the gate electrode, and a drain electrode including the second contact region and the plurality of fins on a side closer to the second contact than the gate electrode. The ratio Rd/Rs of a resistance Rd of each fin in the drain region to a resistance Rs of each fin in the source region is larger than 1. |
| US07923786B2 |
Selective silicon-on-insulator isolation structure and method
A first aspect of the present invention is a method of forming an isolation structure including: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a buried N-doped region in the substrate; (c) forming a vertical trench in the substrate, the trench extending into the N-doped region; (d) removing the N-doped region to form a lateral trench communicating with and extending perpendicular to the vertical trench; and (e) at least partially filling the lateral trench and filling the vertical trench with one or more insulating materials. |
| US07923785B2 |
Field effect transistor having increased carrier mobility
According to one exemplary embodiment, a FET which is situated over a substrate, comprises a channel situated in the substrate. The FET further comprises a first gate dielectric situated over the channel, where the first gate dielectric has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The FET further comprises a first gate electrode situated over the first gate dielectric, where the first gate electrode has a second coefficient of thermal expansion, and where the second coefficient of thermal expansion is different than the first coefficient of thermal expansion so as to cause an increase in carrier mobility in the FET. The second coefficient of thermal expansion may be greater that the first coefficient of thermal expansion, for example. The increase in carrier mobility may be caused by, for example, a tensile strain created in the channel. |
| US07923782B2 |
Hybrid SOI/bulk semiconductor transistors
Channel depth in a field effect transistor is limited by an intra-layer structure including a discontinuous film or layer formed within a layer or substrate of semiconductor material. Channel depth can thus be controlled much in the manner of SOI or UT-SOI technology but with less expensive substrates and greater flexibility of channel depth control while avoiding floating body effects characteristic of SOI technology. The profile or cross-sectional shape of the discontinuous film may be controlled to an ogee or staircase shape to improve short channel effects and reduce source/drain and extension resistance without increase of capacitance. Materials for the discontinuous film may also be chosen to impose stress on the transistor channel from within the substrate or layer and provide increased levels of such stress to increase carrier mobility. Carrier mobility may be increased in combination with other meritorious effects. |
| US07923777B2 |
Power semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed are a power semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same. The power semiconductor device has a PIP capacitor and an LDMOS transistor, the LDMOS transistor having second and third gate electrodes separate from a first gate electrode, which may be formed in the process of forming the upper electrode of the PIP capacitor, so it is possible to realize an LDMOS having a higher breakdown voltage and lower Ron and Rsp without additional processing. A drain voltage, which may be different from a voltage applied to the first gate electrode, may be applied to the third gate electrode, so it is possible to realize an LDMOS having a high breakdown voltage and low Ron and Rsp. |
| US07923770B2 |
Memory device and method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating memory devices is provided. First, a charge storage structure including a gate dielectric structure is formed on the substrate in sequence to form a charge trapping layer. Then, a gate conductive layer is formed above the charge storage structure. Afterwards, the gate conductive layer and at least a part of the charge storage structure are patterned. The cross section of the patterned charge storage structure is then become a trapezoid or a trapezoid analogue, which has the shorter side near the gate conductive layer and the longer side near the substrate. |
| US07923766B2 |
Semiconductor device including capacitorless RAM
There is provided a semiconductor device including a capacitorless RAM. The semiconductor device includes a field effect transistor (FET) having a floating body structure. FET includes a channel body region arranged in a first region comprising a first semiconductor (e.g., p-SiGe) having a given band gap and a second region comprising a second semiconductor (e.g., n-Si) having a larger band gap than the first semiconductor. |
| US07923763B2 |
Two-dimensional time delay integration visible CMOS image sensor
A two dimensional time delay integration CMOS image sensor having a plurality of pinned photodiodes, each pinned photodiode collects a charge when light strikes the pinned photodiode, a plurality of electrodes separating the plurality of pinned photodiodes, the plurality of electrodes are configured for two dimensional charge transport between two adjacent pinned photodiodes, and a plurality of readout nodes connected to the plurality of pinned photodiodes via address lines. |
| US07923761B2 |
Semiconductor device including gate insulation film that is formed of pyroceramics, and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a gate insulation film that is formed of pyroceramics including an amorphous matrix layer, which is provided on a major surface of a silicon substrate, and crystalline phases lines with a high dielectric constant, which are dispersed in the amorphous matrix layer. The semiconductor device further includes a gate electrode that is provided on the gate insulation film. |
| US07923758B1 |
Method and apparatus for producing gallium arsenide and silicon composites and devices incorporating same
The present invention includes methods for producing GaAs/Si composites, GaAs/Si composites, apparatus for preparing GaAs/Si composites, and a variety of electronic and photoelectric circuits and devices incorporating GaAs/Si composites of the present invention. |
| US07923755B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and method of designing semiconductor integrated circuit
In the present invention, a decoupling capacitance circuit, a first output terminal and a second output terminal are provided. The decoupling capacitance circuit comprises a TDDB control circuit consisting of a first Tr and a second Tr, and a third Tr. Conductivity types of the first and second Trs are different from each other. A source of the first Tr is connected to a first power supply wiring, and a drain of the first Tr is connected to a gate of the second Tr. A source of the second Tr is connected to a second power supply wiring, and a drain of the second Tr is connected to a gate of the first Tr. The third and first Trs have the same conductivity type. A source and a drain of the third Tr are connected to the first power supply wiring, and a gate of the third Tr is connected to the drain of the second Tr. The first output terminal is connected to the drain of the first Tr, and the second output terminal is connected to the drain of the second Tr. |
| US07923749B2 |
III-nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device
The present invention relates a III-nitride compound semiconductor light emitting device in which a first layer composed of a carbon-containing compound layer, such as an n-type or p-type silicon carbide (SiC), silicon carbon nitride (SiCN) or carbon nitride layer (CN) layer, is formed on the p-type III-nitride semiconductor layer of the existing III-nitride semiconductor light emitting device, and a second layer composed of a III-nitride semiconductor layer with a given thickness is formed on the first layer. |
| US07923748B2 |
Integrated LED heat sink
A heat sink for use with a high output LED light source is disclosed. The heat sink is used with an LED and conical reflector. The heat sink has a cylindrical back end holding the light emitting diode. The heat sink includes a conically shaped wall having an inner and outer surface and an open front end. The open front end has a rim with notches. The reflector has a front flat surface with arms which are fixed in the notches with a fastener. The heat sink includes a plurality of slits formed on the inner and outer surfaces extending between the back and front ends. A plurality of vanes extend radially from the inner surface. The heat sink is fabricated from a thermally conductive material. The conical shape of the heat sink, the slits and vanes increases exposed surface area to assist in dissipating heat generated from the LED. |
| US07923743B2 |
Semiconductor structure including mixed rare earth oxide formed on silicon
A method (and resultant structure) of forming a semiconductor structure, includes forming a mixed rare earth oxide on silicon. The mixed rare earth oxide is lattice-matched to silicon. |
| US07923740B2 |
Light emission device
The present invention relates to a light emitting apparatus including a semiconductor light emitting element and a transparent ceramic phosphor for converting a wavelength of a light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element, wherein the semiconductor light emitting element emits an ultraviolet light, and the ceramic phosphor corresponding to the semiconductor light emitting element has (i) a minimum transmission of 0.1 to 40% under a wavelength of 350-420 nm and (ii) a transmission of 10 to 90% under an emission peak wavelength of the ceramic phosphor. |
| US07923739B2 |
Solid state lighting device
A light emission package includes at least one solid state emitter, a leadframe, and a body structure encasing a portion of the leadframe. At least one aperture is defined in an electrical lead to define multiple electrical lead segments, with at least a portion of the aperture disposed outside an exterior side wall of the package. A recess may be defined in the exterior side wall to receive a bent portion of an electrical lead. A body structure cavity may be bounded by a floor, and side wall portions and end wall portions that are separated by transition wall portions including a curved or segmented upper edge, with different wall portions being disposed at different angles of inclination. |
| US07923736B2 |
Flat panel display
A bottom gate thin film transistor (TFT), a flat panel display having the same, and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The TFT comprises a gate electrode disposed on a substrate, and a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode. A semiconductor layer is disposed on the gate insulating layer and crossing over the gate electrode, and is crystallized by an MILC technique. An inter-insulating layer is disposed on the semiconductor layer and comprises source and drain contact holes which expose portions of the semiconductor layer. The source and drain contact holes are separated from at least one edge of the semiconductor layer crossing over the gate electrode. The semiconductor layer comprises conductive MIC regions corresponding to the exposed portions of the semiconductor layer in the source and drain contact holes. |
| US07923735B2 |
Thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A TFT includes a substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode on the substrate, the source and drain electrodes separated from each other, an active layer on the substrate between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a cladding unit on side surfaces of the source electrode and the drain electrode, a gate insulating layer on the substrate, the gate insulating layer overlapping the active layer and the cladding unit, and a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer, the gate electrode overlapping the active layer. |
| US07923730B2 |
Thin film transistor and semiconductor device
An impurity element imparting one conductivity type is included in a layer close to a gate insulating film of layers with high crystallinity, so that a channel formation region is formed not in a layer with low crystallinity which is formed at the beginning of film formation but in a layer with high crystallinity which is formed later in a microcrystalline semiconductor film. Further, the layer including an impurity element is used as a channel formation region. Furthermore, a layer which does not include an impurity element imparting one conductivity type or a layer which has an impurity element imparting one conductivity type at an extremely lower concentration than other layers, is provided between a pair of semiconductor films including an impurity element functioning as a source region and a drain region and the layer including an impurity element functioning as a channel formation region. |
| US07923729B2 |
Active matrix substrate and its manufacturing method
An active matrix substrate with a high aperture ratio is provided, which is capable of preventing electrical short circuits between pixel electrodes and auxiliary capacitive electrodes. Gate lines and auxiliary capacitive electrodes are formed on an insulated substrate. The auxiliary capacitive electrodes have holes formed therethrough. To cover the gate lines and the auxiliary capacitive electrodes, a first interlayer insulating film is formed, on which source lines, a semiconductor layer, and drain electrodes are formed. Then, a second interlayer insulating film is formed to cover all those layers. In the second interlayer insulating film, contact holes are formed to reach the drain electrodes in areas corresponding to the areas of the holes. Pixel electrodes formed on the second interlayer insulating film are connected to the drain electrodes through the contact holes. |
| US07923728B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel and method of manufacturing the same
A TFT array panel and a manufacturing method thereof,The TFT array panel includes an insulation substrate, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of first dummy wiring lines, a gate insulating layer, and a plurality of data lines. The insulation substrate has a display area for displaying an image and a peripheral area outside the display area. The plurality of gate lines are formed in the display area and in a portion of the peripheral area. The plurality of first dummy wiring lines are insulated from the gate lines and formed in the peripheral area. The gate insulating later is formed on the gate lines and the first dummy wiring lines, and has at least one contact hole exposing at least lateral end portions of the first dummy wiring lines. The plurality of gate lines are formed on the gate insulating layer, define a plurality of pixel areas that form the display area by being insulated from the plurality of gate lines and crossing the plurality of gate lines, and are connected with the at least lateral end portions of the first dummy wiring lines through the at least one contact hole. With this configuration, data voltages can be efficiently applied to respective pixel electrodes of the display area even though the data line, particularly the data fan-out unit, in the peripheral area is disconnected. |
| US07923727B2 |
Image sensor including a photoelectric conversion film
This image sensor comprises a plurality of pixel electrodes, a photoelectric conversion film arranged on the plurality of pixel electrodes, a dummy electrode formed on an end of the photoelectric conversion film for ejecting charges generated in the vicinity of the end of the photoelectric conversion film and a first transistor for controlling ejection of charges flowing into the dummy electrode. |
| US07923725B2 |
Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
According to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention, a gate electrode is formed above a substrate, and a insulating film is formed above the gate electrode. Then, an amorphous semiconductor film is formed above the insulating film, laser annealing is performed on the amorphous semiconductor film, and the amorphous semiconductor film is changed to a crystalline semiconductor film. After that, hydrofluoric acid processing is performed on the crystalline semiconductor film, and an amorphous semiconductor film is formed above the crystalline semiconductor film where the hydrofluoric acid processing is performed so that pattern ends of the amorphous semiconductor film are arranged outside pattern ends of the crystalline semiconductor film and the amorphous semiconductor film contacts with the insulating film near the pattern ends. |
| US07923719B2 |
Semiconductor memory device wherein wiring contact is made through an opening in an organic compound layer
In the present invention, a semiconductor device that has a nonvolatile memory element to which data can be written at times other than during manufacture and in which forgery and the like performed by rewriting of data can be prevented is provided. In addition, a semiconductor device in which a high level of integration is possible is provided. Furthermore, a semiconductor device in which miniaturization is possible is provided. In a semiconductor device having a memory element that includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an organic compound layer interposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; the second conductive layer is connected to a wiring, formed in the same way as the first conductive layer is formed, through an opening formed in the organic compound layer. |
| US07923718B2 |
Organic thin film transistor with dual layer electrodes
A thin-film transistor (TFT) with dual-layer source and drain electrodes is provided. Each source and drain electrode comprises a first layer and a second layer. The first layer has a work function which differs from the energy level of the semiconductor by at least 0.5 eV and the second layer has a work function matching the energy level of the semiconductor. The semiconductor has a short channel length. |
| US07923717B2 |
Switching device using superlattice without any dielectric barriers
A switching device has an S (Superconductor)-N (Normal Metal)-S superlattice to control the stream of electrons without any dielectric materials. Each layer of said Superconductor has own terminal. The superlattice spacing is selected based on “Dimensional Crossover Effect”. This device can operate at a high frequency without such energy losses as devices breaking the superconducting state. The limit of the operation frequency in the case of the Nb/Cu superlattice is expected to be in the order of 1018 Hz concerning plasmon loss energy of the normal metals (Cu; in the order of 103 eV). |
| US07923705B2 |
Extreme ultra violet light source apparatus
An EUV light source apparatus capable of easily detecting deterioration etc. of a window of an EUV light generating chamber. The EUV light source apparatus includes a driver laser, an EUV light generating chamber, a window which passes the laser beam into the EUV light generating chamber, an EUV light collector mirror, laser beam focusing optics which focuses a laser beam onto a trajectory of a target material, a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the window, and a laser beam optics deterioration determination processing unit which determines deterioration of the window based on the temperature of the window detected by the temperature sensor when extreme ultra violet light is generated. |
| US07923704B2 |
Charged particle beam writing method
A charged particle beam writing method includes writing a pattern on a first target object by using a charged particle beam in a writing apparatus; and conveying a second target object after having written the pattern on the first target object, wherein even though the second target object is arranged on any one of conveying paths including a carry-out port and a carry-in port of the writing apparatus, a conveying operation for the second target object is not performed during writing the pattern on the first target object. |
| US07923702B2 |
System and method for processing an object
A system and a method for processing and inspecting an object are provided, wherein the system comprises a particle beam column, an object holder and a gas supply apparatus. Thereby, the object holder is formed comprising a base, a first table displaceable relative to the base, a second table displaceable relative to the first table and a third table rotatable relative to the second table, wherein the cannula of the gas supply apparatus is fixed at the first table. |
| US07923698B2 |
Neutron detector
A neutron detector comprises a gas-filled dielectric shell, preferably a glass balloon, having opposite electrodes. An electric field is established whereby ionizing particles may be detected via ionization and current flow in the gas, using a pulse height analyzer or other conventional means. The dielectric shell preferably has low gas permeability and a bulk resistivity in the range of 108 to 1017 Ω-m, and is preferably in the millimeter to centimeter size range. Multiple balloons may be arranged in parallel or may be individually addressable by the detector electronics. |
| US07923688B2 |
Multiple-band detector using frequency selective slots
An optical detector pixel element. The novel pixel element includes a metallic substrate having a plurality of resonant apertures, each aperture adapted to resonantly transmit electromagnetic energy in a distinct frequency band, and a plurality of detectors adapted to detect the energy transmitted by the apertures. Each aperture is adapted to collect energy incident on an area larger than the aperture and focus the energy into a smaller, localized region in which one or more of the detectors is placed. The plural apertures are positioned such that they collect energy incident on a substantially common area, but are of different sizes such that they are resonant to different frequencies. Energy in different frequency bands are therefore funneled through different apertures. In an illustrative embodiment, several identical pixel elements are joined together to form an array. |
| US07923686B2 |
Transmission electron microscope
An apparatus which permits high-angle annular dark-field (HAADF) imaging comprises an electron gun, a specimen chamber in which a specimen is set, a gas cylinder for supplying environmental gas around the surface of the specimen through both a gas flow rate controller and a gas nozzle, a vacuum pump for evacuating the inside of the specimen chamber, an objective lens including upper and lower polepieces, a detector for detecting electrons transmitted through the specimen, a display device for displaying a transmission image of the specimen, orifice plates having minute holes, holders supporting the orifice plates, a drive mechanism for driving the holders, and a motion controller. The orifice plates can be moved in a direction crossing the optical axis of the beam on the upper and lower surfaces of the upper and lower polepieces of the objective lens. |
| US07923683B2 |
Method for treatment of samples for transmission electron microscopes
A method for analyzing a sample for the manufacture of integrated circuits, e.g., dynamic random access memory devices, commonly called DRAMS. The method also provides an integrated chip including a thickness, a width, and a length. In a specific embodiment, the integrated chip has at least one elongated structure through a portion of the thickness, while being normal to the width and the length. In a specific embodiment, the elongated structure has a structure width and a structure length that extends through a vertical portion of the thickness. The method includes removing a slice of the integrated chip from a portion of the thickness in a directional manner normal to the structure length. In a specific embodiment, the slice is provided through an entirety of the one elongated structure along the structure length to cause a portion of a thickness of the slice providing the elongated structure to be of a substantially uniform sample thickness. The method also includes capturing one or more images through a portion of the slice using a transmission electron microscope. |
| US07923682B2 |
Fingerprint analysis using mass spectrometry
The present invention is directed to a method for determining the presence of a residue on or within a fingerprint using matrix-assisted mass spectrometric techniques. The matrix-assisted mass spectrometric technique can be selected from Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and/or Surface Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (SALDI-TOF-MS). |
| US07923681B2 |
Collision cell for mass spectrometer
A novel curved collision cell for a mass spectrometer is described. The collision cell includes a straight section having a length that is selected to cause a precursor ion entering the straight section to lose a desired amount of kinetic energy such that when the precursor ion enters the curved section of the collision cell the precursor ion will tend to neither escape nor contact the collision cell, and thereby tending to survive its passage within the curved portion. |
| US07923679B2 |
Method and device for handling objects
In relation with a laser-induced transport process of an object from a carrier to a collecting device, the invention provides a collecting medium in the collecting device in a liquid state. Prior to the laser-induced transport process, the object is separated from a mass on the carrier by laser irradiation. After the laser-induced transport process, the object, thus selected and separated, is transferred together with the collecting medium to a destination, for example, a container, for further treatment. To this end, a manipulation system for liquids is provided, the system permitting manipulation of the collecting medium with the object contained therein with a high degree of reliability and a high throughput. |
| US07923677B2 |
Coded aperture imager comprising a coded diffractive mask
The present invention relates to an imaging system which employs the same principles as coded aperture imaging. High angular resolution coded aperture imagers require a small aperture size and relatively large spacing between the coded aperture array and the detector. At such high resolutions diffraction effects can start to dominate and can degrade image quality. The present invention provides a detector array which receives radiation from a scene via a coded diffractive mask. The coded diffractive mask is designed such that its diffraction pattern at the waveband of interest is a well conditioned coded intensity pattern having a strong autocorrelation function with low sidelobes. Thus radiation reaching the detector array is diffracted by the diffractive mask but in a defined way and it is the diffraction pattern of the mask which provides the coding. The scene image can then be reconstructed using the same techniques as for conventional coded aperture imaging but using the diffraction pattern of the mask as the aperture function. The coded diffractive mask may be a binary or greyscale mask, may operate in reflection or transmission and may be an amplitude or phase modulating mask. |
| US07923674B2 |
Solid-state image sensor having a voltage applier and signal readout method thereof
After resetting the potential VPD of the photodiode (11) to the predetermined potential VRST, light is incident onto the photodiode (11) for a predetermined period to decrease the VPD corresponding to the amount of the incident light. After that, a declivous ramp voltage VRAMP is applied to the source terminal of the first MOS transistor (12) which is a common-source amplifier for reading out the VPD. When the voltage difference between the gate and source of the MOS transistor (12) exceeds a threshold voltage, the MOS transistor is turned on and the output suddenly decreases. If a signal having a pulse width from the starting point of the sweep of the ramp voltage to the sudden lowering point of the output is generated, the pulse width depends on the amount of the incident light. With the signal readout of this PWM method, it is possible to lower the power consumption while a wide dynamic range is maintained, and to downsize the picture cells to achieve a higher number of picture cells. |
| US07923671B1 |
Drive device for projectile fins
A device for driving in rotation fins of a projectile, the fins being of the deployable type integral with fin heads which are able to be oriented along an axis of spin (X, Y) substantially orthogonal to a projectile's longitudinal axis (Z), wherein the fin heads are driven in rotation by motors and substantially ring sector-shaped sliders which slide in a circular groove. |
| US07923669B2 |
Insulating microwave interactive packaging
An insulating microwave packaging material (200) is formed by bonding a microwave interactive material substrate (205) that creates sensible heat upon exposure to microwave energy to a second substrate (210) along bond lines (212) arranged in a pattern to form closed cells (214). Upon impingement of the insulating microwave packaging material (200) by microwave energy in a microwave oven, the closed cells (214) expand to form insulating pockets (216). One side of the insulating pocket (216) bulges and lofts above the opposite side. When a food product is situated on the insulating microwave packaging material (200), the insulating pockets (216) insulate the food product from the microwave oven environment. |
| US07923668B2 |
Acoustic nacelle inlet lip having composite construction and an integral electric ice protection heater disposed therein
An engine nacelle inlet lip includes both acoustic treatment and electric heating for ice protection. The inlet lip has a composite outer skin and a composite inner skin, with the composite outer skin having at least one integrated heater element embedded in the composite material. An acoustic cellular core positioned between the outer and inner skin acts to attenuate fan noise from the engine. Covering the outer skin and overlying the acoustic core is a perforated erosion shield having a first set of openings that pass entirely thorough its thickness. The composite outer skin includes a second set of openings such that sound waves can pass from an inner barrel portion of the inlet lip through the erosion shield, outer skin, and heater element to the underlying acoustic cellular core. |
| US07923666B2 |
Phase control method and phase control device
A selectable operation amount is set as a threshold value according to an input operation amount, where if a determination value obtained by adding the input operation amount and an integrated operation amount or an output error accumulated value is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the threshold value is selected as the output operation amount, and if the determination value is not greater than or equal to the threshold value, a selectable output operation amount close to the threshold value is selected, and the ON/OFF control is performed with the selected output operation amount, while the selected output operation amount is subtracted from the determination value to correct the integrated operation amount, so that the input operation can be substantially output even if it takes an operation amount other than the selectable operation amount values. |
| US07923663B2 |
Composite cooking apparatus
A cooking apparatus is provided that has an oven cooker and a cook-top cooker. Heat is radiated through a ventilation structure formed by an air inflow duct and an air discharge duct. Additionally, the air inflow duct and the air discharge duct may be stacked one on top of the other, and provided between the oven cooker and the cook-top cooker. Further, the air discharge duct is configured to communicate with an outside, e.g., via a blowing fan unit and an air guide. Further, a cooling capacity can be greatly improved by performing an optimal compulsory cooling according to an operation mode. |
| US07923656B2 |
Wire collecting mechanism for wire-cut electrical discharge machine
A wire collecting mechanism for cutting and collecting a metal wire used in a wire-cut electrical discharge machine includes a first guide roller and a second guide roller movable relative to the first guide roller for clamping the metal wire that passes between the first guide roller and the second guide roller. A wire cutter is moveable relative to the metal wire for cutting the metal wire that is clamped. A wire collecting box is provided with a mouth facing the metal wire and a suction force towards an inside of the wire collecting box. A press roller is movable relative to the metal wire for pressing and forcing a cutting piece of the metal wire into the mouth of the wire collecting box, such that the cutting piece of the metal wire can be sucked into the wire collecting box. |
| US07923652B1 |
Activation device
An activation device useful for drag racers comprising a body, a trigger, a cocking pressure spring plunger set screw, a trigger tension spring plunger set screw, a trigger tension jam nut, a body cover, cocking safety button, screws, a microswitch, a wave washer, and a trigger set screw.The body comprises a trigger pivot post, a wiring channel, a wiring aperture, and a recess surface.The trigger comprises a trigger pivot post aperture, a trigger released position notch, a trigger cocked position notch, and a cocking channel. |
| US07923651B2 |
Silver-coated stainless steel strip for movable contacts and method of producing the same
An electrical contact comprising a silver-coated stainless steel strip, which has an underlying layer comprising any one of nickel, cobalt, nickel alloys, and cobalt alloys, on at least a part of the surface of a stainless steel substrate, and has a silver or silver alloy layer formed as an upper layer, in which a copper or copper alloy layer with a thickness of 0.05 to 2.0 μm is provided between the silver or silver alloy layer and the underlying layer; and a producing method of the above-described electrical contact, in which the silver-coated stainless steel strip is subjected to a heat-treating in a non-oxidative atmosphere. |
| US07923649B2 |
Printed circuit board for a mobile device
A printed circuit board is provided for use in a keyboard assembly of a mobile device having a plurality of keys in a key layout. The printed circuit board has a plurality of contacts, such as dome switches, arranged in a contact layout. The contact layout is such that it can be used with a plurality of different key layouts, each actuating different combinations of contacts. Some keys in a particular key layout are overlying at least two of the plurality of contacts, and such keys actuate only one of the underlying contacts. As such, a common printed circuit board can be used for a plurality of complementary mobile device designs having different key layouts, thereby allowing a manufacturer to realize cost efficiencies. |
| US07923648B2 |
Draft protection device for a balance and having a friction reduction device
A draft protection device for a balance and a balance equipped with the draft protection device, wherein the draft protection device includes front and rear panels, two side panels and a top panel, and four posts which are fixedly mounted on a top cover of the balance, and wherein the posts extend vertically. The front and rear panels rest against the posts and are held in place by grooves provided in front and rear top frames which are connected to the top ends of the posts. The side panels are slidable while the front and rear panels are stationary. A friction reduction device mounted in the scale top cover so that the side panels slide along the friction reduction device. |
| US07923645B1 |
Metal etch stop fabrication method and structure
A first patterned etch stop layer and a first patterned conductor layer are laminated by a dielectric material to a second patterned etch stop layer and a second patterned conductor layer. As the etch stop metal of the first and second patterned etch stop layers is selectively etchable compared to a conductor metal of the first and second patterned conductor layers, the first and second patterned etch stop layers provide an etch stop for substrate formation etch processes. In this manner, etching of the first and second patterned conductor layers is avoided insuring that impedance is controlled to within tight tolerance. |
| US07923644B2 |
Printed circuit board and method of manufacturing the same
A printed circuit board and method of manufacturing the printed circuit board, including a first and a second write wiring patterns, an end of a first line and an end of a second line of the first write wiring pattern are arranged on both sides of a third line of the second write wiring pattern. Circular connection portions are provided at the ends of the first line and the second line. In addition, through holes are formed in respective portions of a base insulating layer below the connection portions. Each connection portion comes in contact with a connecting region of a suspension body within the through hole. |
| US07923642B2 |
Flexible magnetization energy transfer ribbons and process for producing them
A flexible energy-transfer ribbon that includes a magnetized-tape (3) composed of an elastomer material forming a matrix in which are embedded particles that impart to it a permanent magnetism oriented in the direction of the thickness of the said tape. At least one energy-transfer device (2) lies along the support tape, and a coating material (1) in which the (or each) energy-transfer device is embedded adheres to the magnetized tape. The magnetized tape is subdivided into successive sections of such a length that dimensional changes induced in the magnetized tape, in particular under the effect of temperature differences, induce stresses between the magnetized tape and the coating material which are sufficiently small to prevent weakening of the adhesion between the magnetized tape and the coating material. |
| US07923637B2 |
Crimp contact for an aluminum stranded wire, and cable end structure of an aluminum stranded wire having the crimp contact connected thereto
The present invention is directed to a crimp contact for an aluminum stranded wire having a serration provided in an inner face of a crimping portion of the crimp contact. A ratio d/e is 0.33 or more, in which d represents a depth of a groove constituting the serration and e represents a diameter of an aluminum wire constituting the aluminum stranded wire. The number of grooves in the crimp contact is 3 or more. The present invention is also directed to a cable end structure of an aluminum stranded wire. A ratio between a sectional area of the aluminum stranded wire after crimping and a sectional area thereof before crimping is from 0.7 to 0.95. |
| US07923630B2 |
Sealed and cooled enclosure with voltage isolation
An enclosure (4) for electrical apparatus (6) has a sealable outlet (8) for partially evacuating the enclosure and a sealable inlet (9)for partially filling the enclosure with a liquid (7) having a vapor pressure at operating temperatures of the apparatus suitable to enhance electrical isolation of the electrical apparatus and suitable to provide convective cooling of the electrical apparatus. The vapor preferably provides a voltage hold-off sufficiently high for operating voltages of the electrical apparatus and has a relative permittivity sufficiently low to prevent stray capacitance in the electrical apparatus above a predetermined limit. |
| US07923626B2 |
Transparent substrate comprising an electrode
The invention relates to a glass substrate (1) provided with an electrode comprising at least one metal oxide-based transparent conducting layer (3), characterized in that said layer has an RMS roughness of at least 3 nm, especially of at least 5 nm and/or a mean feature size for this roughness of at least 50 nm. |
| US07923624B2 |
Solar concentrator system
A solar energy concentrator system includes a supporting structure and a plurality of solar modules coupled to the supporting structure. Each module of the plurality of solar modules includes a plurality of Fresnel reflectors. The plurality of reflectors is arranged to focus solar radiation linearly onto a photovoltaic cell providing two axis concentration. The supporting structure is rotatably connected to a plurality of support members and aligned to allow the supporting structure to rotate about a polar axis. A plurality of optical trusses is connected to the plurality of solar modules and rotatably connected to the supporting structure to allow the plurality of solar modules to be rotated about a declination axis to track a motion of the sun through seasons of the year. |
| US07923617B2 |
Marked precoated strings and method of manufacturing same
A coated string for a stringed device which includes a coating applied to the surface of the string. The coating includes a base layer bonded to the surface of the string and an at least partially transparent low-friction top coat applied to the base layer. The base layer includes heat activated pigments that change color when heated above a color shifting temperature. In one embodiment, the color of the pigment in one area contrasts with the color of the pigment in an adjacent area without otherwise affecting the low-friction surface of the coating. The areas of different color created in locations along the length of the low-friction coated string. |
| US07923610B1 |
Maize variety PHPGH
A novel maize variety designated PHPGH and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHPGH with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHPGH 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 PHPGH or a trait conversion of PHPGH with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHPGH, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHPGH and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods. |
| US07923607B2 |
Cotton variety 05Y070
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 05Y070. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 05Y070. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 05Y070 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 05Y070 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07923600B2 |
Generation of marker-free and backbone-free transgenic plants using a single binary approach
The present invention provides a convenient method for producing a transformed plant by expressing a hormone gene positioned within a plasmid backbone that also carries a P-DNA or T-DNA to obtain backbone-free transformed plants. |
| US07923598B2 |
Fatty acid hydroxylases and uses thereof
The invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode novel fatty acid hydroxylases. The invention also provides recombinant expression vectors including hydroxylase nucleic acid molecules, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and methods for the production of hydroxyl fatty acids such as 12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enoic acid (ricinoleic acid). |
| US07923597B2 |
Disposable absorbent article comprising a durable hydrophilic core wrap
A disposable absorbent article having a durable hydrophilic substantially liquid pervious core wrap surrounding a storage layer. The core wrap has a hydrophilicity boosting composition coated on a core wrap substrate. The hydrophilicity boosting composition includes a hydrophilicity boosting amount nanoparticles having a particle size of from about 1 nanometer to about 750 nanometers. |
| US07923594B2 |
Process for producing middle distillate by alkylating C5+ isoparaffin and C5+ olefin
An alkylation process, comprising providing an isoparaffin feed that comprises at least 20 wt % C5+, providing a hydrocarbon stream that comprises at least 20 wt % C5+ olefins, and contacting the isoparaffin feed and the hydrocarbon stream with an ionic liquid catalyst under alkylation conditions wherein a middle distillate is produced. The middle distillate has less than 10 ppm sulfur and less than 3 wt % olefin. An alkylation process comprising contacting a naphtha with a low RON and a hydrocarbon stream comprising C5 olefins to an ionic liquid alkylation reactor under alkylation conditions, and recovering a middle distillate comprising less than 3 wt % olefin. A refinery process, comprising a hydrocracker that produces C5+ isoparaffin, a FC cracker that produces a hydrocarbon stream comprising a C5+ olefin, and an ionic liquid alkylation reactor that produces a high yield of middle distillate. |
| US07923591B2 |
Method and device for producing lower olefins from oxygenates
Method and device for manufacturing at least one low olefin from an oxygenate-containing first reaction mixture (11) through conversion by a catalyst (20) to an olefin and paraffin-containing second reaction mixture (21) where the second reaction mixture (21) is flowed through a separation system (300), in which one at least one low olefin-containing first product stream (31) and at least one paraffin-enriched fraction (321) is extracted and where the remaining product stream (322) is at least partially recirculated to the catalyst (20). |
| US07923589B2 |
Alkylaromatics production using dilute alkene
A process for producing an alkylated aromatic product in a reactor by reacting an alkylatable aromatic compound feedstock with another feedstock comprising alkene component and alkane component in a reaction zone containing an alkylation catalyst. The reaction zone is operated in predominantly liquid phase without inter-zone alkane removal. The polyalkylated aromatic compounds can be separated as feed stream for transalkylation reaction in a transalkylation reaction zone. |
| US07923586B2 |
Method for stabilizing a cation exchange resin prior to use as an acid catalyst and use of said stabilized cation exchange resin in a chemical process
A method for preventing the degradation of a catalyst during storage of the catalyst and prior to using the catalyst in a chemical process comprising treating the catalyst with an antioxidant and storing the treated catalyst until further use. The stabilized treated catalyst may be used in a process for producing organic chemicals such as in a process for producing bisphenol A. |
| US07923580B2 |
Polymerizable boric compounds, methods of producing the same, polymerizable compositions and ionic-conductive polymeric electrolytes
A polymerizable boric compound for electrochemical devices represented by the formula (1), wherein, B represents a boron atom, Z represents a polymerizable functional group, X represents a divalent C1-12 hydrocarbon group or in the absence of X, Z and B form a direct bond, AO represents a C2-4 oxyalkylene group, m and n are each the number of moles of the oxyalkylene group added and each independently stands for 2 or greater but less than 6, and R1 and R2 each represents a C1-12 hydrocarbon group. |
| US07923572B2 |
Method for producing ketimine structure-containing alkoxysilane
A method for producing ketimine structure-containing alkoxysilane comprising reacting amino-functional alkoxysilane with a monocarbonyl compound by heating and azeotropically distilling off the produced water together with the monocarbonyl compound to yield ketimine structure-containing alkoxysilane, characterized by introducing additional monocarbonyl compound at the time of the azeotropic distillation of the produced water together with the monocarbonyl compound. |
| US07923570B2 |
Process for the preparation of crystalline perindopril
The present invention relates to a new process for the preparation of crystalline perindopril. The present invention also relates to new alkyl ammonium salts of perindopril and the processes for the preparation thereof. |
| US07923569B2 |
β Crystalline form of the arginine salt of perindopril, a process for its preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing it
β-crystalline form of the compound of formula (I): characterised by its powder X-ray diffraction diagram. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful as inhibitors of angiotensin I converting enzyme. |
| US07923566B2 |
Alternative process for the preparation of losartan
The invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of Losartan. The process comprising reacting 2-n-butyl-4-chloro-5-formyl imidazole with 2-(4-bromomethyl) benzonitrile in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst and an alkali, and reducing the resulting cyano aldehyde to produce a cyano alcohol which is further reacted with sodium azide in N-methyl pyrrolidinone and a salt to produce Losartan. |
| US07923564B2 |
Synthesis of N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy) phenylmethyl)carbamide and its tartrate salt and crystalline forms
Disclosed herein are methods for synthesizing N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)-phenylmethyl)carbamide. Also disclosed herein is the hemi-tartrate salt of N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)-phenylmethyl)carbamide and methods for obtaining the salt. Further disclosed are various crystalline forms of N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)-phenylmethyl)carbamide and its hemi-tartrate salt including various polymorphs and solvates. |
| US07923563B2 |
Amorphous object of cinnamide compound
An amorphous object of (3E)-1-[l(s)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-3-[3-methoxy-4-(4methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzylidene]piperidine-2-one, which is represented by the formula (1) and has Aβ-production inhibitory activity. The amorphous object has such satisfactory properties that it has excellent solubility, is stable, does not readily become a crystalline form, and has low hygroscopicity. It is hence suitable for use in pharmaceutical preparations. |
| US07923562B2 |
Photocleavable linker methods and compositions
Bifunctional linkers are provided that comprise a photocleavable moiety flanked by two different amine reactive moieties. In some embodiments the photocleavable moiety is a dimethoxynitrobenzyl moiety. In other embodiments the photocleavable moiety is 8-bromo-7-hydroxyquinoline. In other embodiments the photocleavable moiety is nitrodibenzofuran. In other embodiments the photocleavable moiety is 6-bromo-7-hydroxycoumarin-4-ylmethyl. The linkers find use in synthetic methods, including the generation of photocleavable oligonucleotides, e.g. caged morpholinos. |
| US07923561B2 |
Quinolines
The present invention relates to 2-Aminoquinoline derivatives of general formula I and pharmaceutically-acceptable acid-addition salts thereof, wherein R1, R2 and X are as defined in the specification. The compounds may be used as 5-HT5A receptor antagonists. The present invention relates also to processes for making such a compound and a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a compound. Compounds of the present invention are useful in the prevention and/or treatment of anxiety depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, panic disorders, agoraphobia, social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, pain, memory disorders, dementia, disorders of eating behaviors, sexual dysfunction, sleep disorders, withdrawal from abuse of drugs, motor disorders such as Parkinson's disease, psychiatric disorders and gastrointestinal disorders. |
| US07923560B2 |
Delivery of immune response modifier compounds
The present invention provides immune response modifiers (IRMs) associated with (typically, attached to, and preferably, covalently attached to) macromolecular support materials. The IRM compounds in such IRM-support complexes retain biological activity. Such attachment of an IRM to a macromolecular support material provides for the localized biological activity of the IRM. |
| US07923559B2 |
N-aryl diazaspirocyclic compounds and methods of preparation and use thereof
Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds, and methods of preparation and use thereof are disclosed. The compounds are N-aryl diazaspirocyclic compounds, bridged analogs of N-heteroaryl diazaspirocyclic compounds, or prodrugs or metabolites of these compounds. The aryl group can be a five- or six-membered heterocyclic ring (heteroaryl). The compounds and compositions can be used to treat and/or prevent a wide variety of conditions or disorders, particularly those disorders characterized by dysfunction of nicotinic cholinergic neurotransmission, including disorders involving neuromodulation of neurotransmitter release, such as dopamine release. CNS disorders, which are characterized by an alteration in normal neurotransmitter release, are another example of disorders that can be treated and/or prevented. The compounds and compositions can also be used to alleviate pain. The compounds can: (i) alter the number of nicotinic cholinergic receptors of the brain of the patient, (ii) exhibit neuroprotective effects and (iii) when employed in effective amounts, not result in appreciable adverse side effects (e.g., side effects such as significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate, significant negative effects upon the gastro-intestinal tract, and significant effects upon skeletal muscle). |
| US07923558B2 |
Method for obtaining pure tetrahydrocannabinol
The invention relates to a method for obtaining pure tetrahydrocannabinol from reaction mixtures containing tetrahydrocannabinol compounds or from raw products containing tetrahydrocannabinol compounds. According to said method, the tetrahydrocannabinol compounds in the reaction mixture or in the raw product are converted into crystallisable derivatives, preferably using a suitable solvent, said derivatives are then crystallised and isolated, and the pure tetrahydrocannabinol compounds are then obtained from the crystallised derivatives. The invention also related to the use of compounds produced in this way for the production of a medicament for human therapy, and to the medicaments thus produced. |
| US07923557B2 |
Process for preparing trisubstituted pyrimidine compounds
Disclosed herein is a regioselective synthesis of compounds represented by formula (I): or a salt, solvate, clathrate, or prodrug thereof, wherein X, Y, R2, R3, R4, R7, R8, R9, R10, m and n are defined as within. |
| US07923554B2 |
HIV inhibiting 1,2,4-triazin-6-one derivatives
The present invention relates to HIV replication inhibitors of formula a N-oxide, a pharmaceutically acceptable addition salt, a quaternary amine or a stereochemically isomeric form thereof, wherein ring A and ring B represent phenyl, pyridyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl or pyrazinyl; n and m are 1 to 4; R1 represents hydrogen; aryl; formyl; C1-6alkylcarbonyl; C1-6alkyloxycarbonyl; optionally substituted C1-6alkyl; C1-6alkyloxyC1-6alkylcarbonyl substituted with C1-6alkyloxycarbonyl; R2 or R4 represents hydrogen; hydroxy; halo; optionally substituted C1-6alkyl; optionally substituted C2-6alkenyl; optionally substituted C2-6alkynyl; C3-7cycloalkyl; C1-6alkyloxy; C1-6alkyloxycarbonyl; C1-6alkylcarbonyloxy; carboxyl; cyano; nitro; amino; mono- or di(C1-6alkyl)amino; polyhaloC1-4alkyl; polyhaloC1-4alkyloxy; polyhaloC1-4alkylthio; —S(═O)pR6; —NH—S(═O)pR6; —C(═O)R6; —NHC(═O)H; —C(═O)NHNH2; NHC(═O)R6; C(═NH)R6; or R7; R2a or R3 represents cyano; aminocarbonyl; amino; halo; NHR13; NR13R14; —C(═O)—NHR13; —C(═O)—NR13R14; —C(═O)—R15; —CH═N—NH—C(═O)—R16; optionally substituted C1-6alkyl; optionally substituted C1-6alkyloxy; optionally substituted C1-6alkyloxyC1-6alkyl; optionally substituted C2-6alkenyl; optionally substituted C2-6alkynyl; —C(═N—O—R8)—C1-4alkyl; R7 or —X3—R7; X1 or X2 represents —NR1—; —NH—NH—; —N═N—; —O—; —C(═O)—; —C1-4alkanediyl-; —CHOH—; —S—; —S(═O)p—; —X4—C1-4alkanediyl-; —C1-4alkanediyl-X4—; or —C1-4alkanediyl-X4—C1-4alkanediyl-; their use as a medicine, their use for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or the prevention of HIV infection; their processes for preparation and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them. |
| US07923551B2 |
Method of purifying RNA using kosmotropic salt
The present invention provides a method of purifying RNA, including contacting a solid support with an acidic solution having a RNA-containing sample and a kosmotropic salt having a concentration of less than 1M, thereby binding the RNA to the solid support. According to the present invention, RNA is purified efficiently due to high RNA yield and low contamination by DNA. The present invention is particularly effective in purifying RNAs of 200 nucleotides or less. |
| US07923548B2 |
Inhibition of chronic myelogenous leukemic cell growth by liposomal-antisense oligodeoxy-nucleotides targeting to Grb2 or Crk1
The present invention provides novel compositions and methods for use in the treatment of cancer, specifically, in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The compositions contain antisense oligonucleotides that hybridize to Grb2 and Crkl nucleic acids, the gene products of which are known to interact with the tumorigenic protein bcr-abl. Used alone, in conjunction with each other, and even in conjunction with antisense oligonucleotides directed to bcr-abl nucleic acids, these compositions inhibit the proliferation of CML cancer cells. |
| US07923543B1 |
Nucleic acid and corresponding protein entitled 162P1E6 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
A novel gene (designated 162P1E6) and its encoded protein, and variants thereof, are described wherein 162P1E6 exhibits tissue specific expression in normal adult tissue, and is aberrantly expressed in the cancers listed in Table I. Consequently, 162P1E6 provides a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic target for cancer. The 162P1E6 gene or fragment thereof, or its encoded protein, or variants thereof, or a fragment thereof, can be used to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response; antibodies or T cells reactive with 162P1E6 can be used in active or passive immunization. |
| US07923539B2 |
IL-21 antagonists
Monoclonal antibodies are identified that bind the IL-21 protein. These antibodies are used to identify regions of the IL-21 protein to where binding neutralizes IL-21 activity. Hybridomas and methods of producing anti-IL-21 monoclonal antibodies are described. The monoclonal antibodies are useful in treating IL-21-mediated diseases, which may include autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as pancreatitis, type I diabetes (IDDM), Graves Disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diverticulosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, graft vs. host disease (GVHD), cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), Sjogren's syndrome, glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy, graft versous host disease, transplant rejection, atopic dermatitis, anti-phospholipid syndrome, and asthma, and other autoimmune diseases. |
| US07923538B2 |
Recombinant antibody composition
The present invention relates to a recombinant antibody composition having higher complement-dependent cytotoxic activity than a human IgG1 antibody and a human IgG3 antibody, wherein a polypeptide comprising a CH2 domain in the Fc region of a human IgG1 antibody is replaced by a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which corresponds to the same position of a human IgG3 antibody indicated by the EU index as in Kabat, et al.; a DNA encoding the antibody molecule or a heavy chain constant region of the antibody molecule contained in the recombinant antibody composition; a transformant obtainable by introducing the recombinant vector into a host cell; a process for producing the recombinant antibody composition using the transformant; and a medicament comprising the recombinant antibody composition as an active ingredient. |
| US07923535B2 |
Tryptophan as a functional replacement for ADP-ribose-arginine in recombinant proteins
A method is disclosed for producing a polypeptide with a modified activity or stability, by replacing an arginine residue capable of being ADP-ribosylated with a tryptophan or a phenylalanine. In one embodiment, compositions are provided that include polypeptides, such as alpha defensin, with arginine-to-tryptophan or arginine-to-phenylalanine substitutions, where the arginine residue is capable of being ADP-ribosylated. In another embodiment, methods are disclosed for modifying an immune response in a subject. |
| US07923531B2 |
Acrylated maleic-modified rosin ester and method of preparation
A two-step method for introducing acrylic functions into high molecular weight natural resins, under mild conditions, without the risk of gellation, wherein an acrylated natural resin ester is prepared by esterifying one or more of the sterically hindered hydroxy groups of the natural resin ester in an inert solvent with a 3-halopropionic acid, to form a 3-haloproprionate ester of the natural resin ester and dehydrohalogenated the 3-halopropionate ester by reacting it with an organic base. |
| US07923529B2 |
Oligothiophene-arylene derivatives and organic thin film transistors using the same
An oligothiophene-arylene derivative wherein an arylene having n-type semiconductor characteristics is introduced into an oligothiophene having p-type semiconductor characteristics, thereby simultaneously exhibiting both p-type and n-type semiconductor characteristics. Further, an organic thin film transistor using the oligothiophene-arylene derivative. |
| US07923519B2 |
FEP pellet
An FEP pellet having a volatile content of 0.2% by weight or less. The FEP pellet satisfies the following requirements (i) and (ii) when used to form a insulating material coating a core wire by extrusion coating at a coating speed of 2,800 ft/min.: (i) an adhesive strength between the insulating material and said core wire of 0.8 kg or more; and (ii) an average number of cone-breaks in the insulating material of one or less per 50,000 feet of the coated core wire. |
| US07923517B2 |
Polymer microparticles and production method for the same
A method for producing polymer particles which includes: forming polymer particles by heterogeneous polymerization of a monomer in a supercritical fluid and/or subcritical fluid, wherein a radical polymerization initiator (I) having in a molecular at least a group having radical-generation capability and a group having affinity for the supercritical fluid and/or subcritical fluid, and a radical polymerization initiator (II) are used in combination. |
| US07923516B2 |
One liquid type cyanate-epoxy composite resin composition, its hardened material, manufacturing method thereof, and materials for sealing and adhesive agents using the same
The present invention is a cyanate-epoxy composite resin composition comprised of a cyanate ester resin (A), an epoxy resin (B), and a latent curing agent (C), characterized in that the latent curing agent (C) is composed of a modified polyamine (c1), a phenol resin (c2) and one or more kind of polycarboxylic acid (c3). The above modified polyamine (c1) is a modified polyamine, which is obtained by the reaction of polyamine compound (c1-1) with epoxy compound (c1-2), containing one or more amino group having an active hydrogen within a molecule. |
| US07923515B2 |
Dip-forming composition and dip-formed article
A dip-formed article that has wearing comfort, excelling in not only tensile strength but also flexing fatigue and that itself does not tend to suffer coloration even when the article is worn and operation is continued; and a dip-forming composition capable of providing such a dip-formed article. There is provided a dip-forming composition comprising a conjugated diene rubber latex and an organic peroxide, wherein providing that X refers to the 10-hr half-life temperature (° C.) of organic peroxide and Y refers to the octanol-water partition coefficient of organic peroxide, the organic peroxide satisfies the formulae: 11≧Y≧2 (1), and 100−2Y≧X≧70−2Y (2). There is further provided a dip-formed article obtained from the composition. |
| US07923514B2 |
Method of hydrogenating conjugated diene polymer, hydrogenation catalyst system, and composition of basic, conjugated diene polymer
A process for hydrogenating a conjugated diene polymer wherein a conjugated diene polymer is hydrogenated in the presence of a catalyst comprising a platinum group metal or its compound, and a basic compound. More specifically, (1) hydrogenation is conducted in a reaction system prepared by incorporating the catalyst and the basic compound in a solution or latex of the conjugated diene polymer; (2) hydrogenation is conducted in a reaction system prepared by incorporating a catalyst system comprising a combination of the catalyst with the basic compound, in a solution or latex of the conjugated diene polymer; or (3) hydrogenation is conducted in a reaction system prepared by incorporating the catalyst in a solution of a composition comprising the conjugated diene polymer and the basic compound. Thus, a hydrogenated conjugated diene polymer can be efficiently and industrially advantageously produced using a small amount of a catalyst. |
| US07923512B2 |
Process for producing medical implant or medical implant part comprising porous UHMWPE
The invention provides a medical implant or medical implant part comprising porous ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having a weight average molecular weight of about 400,000 atomic mass units or more and a porosity of about 15% to about 65%. The invention further provides a process for producing a medical implant or medical implant part. |
| US07923511B2 |
Polypropylene compositions
A polymer composition having (i) 0.01 to 50% wt (e.g. 0.05 to 15% wt) of a propylene polymer with a polymeric nucleating agent is disclosed. Preferably, the agent contains vinyl compound units and (ii) a heterophasic propylene polymer which includes less (or no) polymeric nucleating agent than the propylene polymer in (i). |
| US07923502B2 |
Polypropylene-based resin composition and molding made from the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a polypropylene-based resin composition which is excellent in mechanical characteristics and molding processability, and is also capable of suppressing emission of a volatile organic compound.Disclosed is a polypropylene-based resin composition comprising a propylene-based block copolymer (A) which satisfies features (a), (b) and (c) shown below, and a zeolite (B) having a molar ratio SiO2/Al2O3 of 10 to 60 in an amount of 0.01 to 0.4 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the propylene-based block copolymer (A):Feature (a): the propylene-based block copolymer (A) is a propylene-based block copolymer containing a polymer component (I) and a polymer component (II);Feature (b): the polymer component (II) has a content of the units derived from at least one kind of comonomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene and α-olefins having 4 to 12 carbon atoms of from 1 to 80% by weight; andFeature (c): the propylene-based block copolymer (A) has a content of the polymer component (II) of from 5 to 70% by weight. |
| US07923500B2 |
Nanocomposites with controlled electrical properties
A field grading material includes a field grading effective amount of a nanoparticle filler distributed in a polymeric matrix, and the nanoparticle filler is heterogeneously distributed in the polymeric matrix. |
| US07923499B2 |
Calcium carbonate treated with curing active ingredient
Disclosed is calcium carbonate treated with a curing active ingredient, which, when compounded in a rubber, enables to provide good workability (handling) to the rubber and maximize advantageous properties of the rubber attributable to calcium carbonate (e.g., slip resistance) without deteriorating the reinforcing property of the rubber. The calcium carbonated treated with a curing active ingredient is produced by mixing a modified calcium carbonate having its surface treated with a fatty acid or a resin acid and silicic acid and having an average primary particle diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 μm with a curing active ingredient which takes a liquid form at ambient temperature so that the content of the curing active ingredient in the finished product becomes 9.1 to 35 wt %. |
| US07923497B2 |
Antiferroelectric polymer composites, methods of manufacture thereof, and articles comprising the same
Disclosed herein is a composition comprising a composition comprising a polymeric material; and a ceramic antiferroelectric particle. Disclosed herein too is a method of tuning a dielectric constant of a composition comprising subjecting a composition comprising a polymeric material and a ceramic antiferroelectric particle to a biasing electric field; and changing the dielectric constant of the composition. Disclosed herein too is a method comprising blending a polymeric material with ceramic antiferroelectric particles to form a composition. Disclosed herein too is a method comprising blending a polymeric material with ceramic antiferroelectric particles to form a composition; applying an electrical field to the composition; and reorienting the ceramic antiferroelectric particles. |
| US07923496B1 |
Enhancing the properties of polymer materials by use of organic nanoparticles
Improving the properties of polymer materials by incorporating into a polymer material an effective amount of a modifying agent, preferably trans-4-tertbutyl-1-phenylcycolhexanol. Properties such as melting point, elastic modulus and softening temperature are improved. |
| US07923495B2 |
Water-based inks for ink-jet printing
The present invention relates to (1) particles of a polymer for ink-jet printing which contain a colorant, wherein the polymer is in the form of a mixture containing a rosin (A) and a vinyl polymer (B); (2) a water dispersion and a water-based ink for ink-jet printing which exhibit a less unevenness of colors and a high optical density; and (3) a process for producing the water dispersion. |
| US07923494B2 |
Polyester resin composition and molded body thereof
A polyester resin composition and a molded body formed from the polyester resin composition are provided. The polyester resin composition includes a layered silicate and a crystalline polyester. The layered silicate is ion exchanged with a dimethyldialkylammonium salt and the ion exchange amount is equal to or higher than 0.7 and less than 0.9 based on an ion exchange capacity of the layered silicate. The dimethyldialkylammonium salt may be a dimethyldioctadecylammonium salt or a dimethyldidodecylammonium salt. |
| US07923492B2 |
Polymer electrolyte composition
An inexpensive and durable polymer electrolyte composition exhibiting high ionic conductivity even in the absence of water or a solvent, characterized by comprising a molten salt and an aromatic polymer having a carbonyl bond and/or a sulfonyl bond in the main chain thereof and containing a cation exchange group. The aromatic polymer is preferably an aromatic polyether sulfone having a specific structural unit and containing a cation exchange group, an aromatic polyether ketone having a specific structural unit and containing a cation exchange group, or an aromatic polyether sulfone block copolymer and/or an aromatic polyether ketone block copolymer, the block copolymers comprising a hydrophilic segment containing a cation exchange group and a cation exchange group-free hydrophobic segment. The polymer electrolyte composition containing the block copolymer as an aromatic polymer exhibits high structural retention even in high temperatures. |
| US07923490B2 |
Structural composites with enhanced moduli of elasticity
The invention provides for structural composites made from biomaterials such as wood products, plant fibers and the like; and/or a non-biomaterial having free —OH groups; a thermoplastic resin such as a polyolefin; coupling agents such as a thermosetting resin or a second thermoplastic resin; a blocked catalyst, a crosslinker and other functional additives may be used. |
| US07923488B2 |
Epoxy compositions
An epoxy composition for applications such as one-part adhesives, coatings, prepreg and molding compounds that includes leuco dyes, particularly those comprising a N,N-dialkylamino-, N,N-diarylamino-, N-alkyl-N-arylamino-, N-alkylamino- or N-arylamino- functional group on one of the aromatic rings, as a co- catalyst or co-curing agent. The use of the leuco dye co-catalyst provides improved curing speed of the epoxy composition comprising a latent curing agent/catalyst such as imidazole microcapsules while maintaining the shelf-life stability. The epoxy may also include a secondary co-catalyst that includes a urea, particularly those comprising a N,N-dialkylamino-, N,N-diarylamino-, N-alkyl-N-arylamino- or dicycloalkylamino- functional group. Secondary cocatalysts of low mobility at the storage conditions are particularly preferred. The improved epoxy composition is implemented as adhesives for manufacturing an anisotropic conductive film (ACF) and also for connecting, encapsulating, or packaging of electronic devices. |
| US07923487B2 |
Lightweight structural finish
A lightweight finish composition, method of production and a method of application are provided. The lightweight finish composition comprises a resin dispersion, alkali metal phosphate, alkylolammonium salt of a polyfunctional polymer, and lightweight aggregate such as silica spheres. The lightweight aggregate has a density and weight that is less than those of sand. The combination of alkali metal phosphate and alkylolammonium salt of a polyfunctional polymer stabilizes the lightweight finish composition by preventing the lightweight aggregate from absorbing water, after production of the lightweight finish composition. |
| US07923480B2 |
Photocurable hygroscopic composition and organic EL device
A composition usable as a moisture absorbent for an organic electroluminescence device. A photocurable hygroscopic composition comprising (a) a moisture-reactive organic metal compound, (b) a (meth)acrylate, (c) a carboxyl group-containing polymerizable monomer, and (d) a photopolymerization initiator. The proportion of the moisture-reactive organic metal compound (a) is from 5 to 70 wt % based on the entire composition, and the proportion of the carboxyl group-containing polymerizable monomer (c) is from 0.1 to 50 mol % based on the moisture-reactive organic metal compound (a). |
| US07923479B2 |
Superabsorbent foam, method for the production thereof, and use thereof
Superabsorbent foam comprising superabsorbent fiber and/or fruit fiber, processes for producing superabsorbent foam having improved wet strength by foaming a crosslinkable aqueous mixture comprising at least 50 mol % neutralized acid-functional monoethylenically unsaturated monomer or at least one basic polymer, crosslinker, superabsorbent synthetic fiber and/or fruit fiber and at least one surfactant and subsequently polymerizing the monomer in the foamed mixture or crosslinking the basic polymer to form a hydrogel foam and use of the thus obtainable foam in hygiene articles to absorb body fluids, in dressing material to cover wounds, as a sealing material, as a packaging material, as a soil improver, as a soil substitute, to dewater sludges, to thicken waterborne paints or coatings in the course of disposing of residual quantities thereof, to dewater water-containing oils or hydrocarbons or as a material for filters in ventilation systems. |
| US07923477B2 |
Carpet waste composite
A composite material is produced from carpet waste and a binding agent, in intimate association, and may also include wood fiber or chips and/or other additives. A method of manufacturing a composite material includes shredding carpet waste, coating the carpet waste with a binding agent, and subjecting the shredded, coated carpet waste to elevated heat and pressure. As an additional step, the composite material may be actively cooled to prevent deformation of the material. |
| US07923474B2 |
Amine dispersants, organic dispersions and related coating compositions
Amine dispersants are disclosed. Also disclosed are organic dispersions that comprise ultrafine particles and an amine dispersant. The amine dispersant is the Michael addition product of reactants that include (a) a polyether (meth)acrylate and (b) a polyamine. Also disclosed are coating compositions that comprise such dispersions and substrates at least partially coated with such coating compositions. |
| US07923473B2 |
Aromatic compounds and their use in medical applications
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one compound of the formulas (Ia) or (Ib) and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier wherein the symbols have the following meaning —X— is e.g. and Y being e.g. or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be applied to modulate the in-vitro and in-vivo binding processes mediated by E-, P- or L-selectin binding. |
| US07923471B2 |
Method of treating dry eye disorders and uveitis
The topical use of 5,6,7-trihydroxyheptanoic acid and analogs are disclosed for the treatment of dry eye disorders and uveitis. |
| US07923464B2 |
Benzimidazole derivatives and their use for modulating the GABAA receptor complex
This invention relates to novel benzimidazole derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and methods of treatment therewith.The compounds of the invention are useful in the treatment of central nervous system diseases and disorders, which are responsive to modulation of the GABAA receptor complex, and in particular for combating anxiety and related diseases. |
| US07923462B2 |
Catechol derivative, pharmaceutical composition containing the same, use of the catechol derivative, and use of the pharmaceutical composition
The present invention provides compounds represented by general formula (I): or pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are each hydrogen, lower acyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl or the like; R3 is halo-lower alkyl, lower acyl, halo-lower alkylcarbonyl, cycloalkylcarbonyl, optionally substituted arylcarbonyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl or the like; R4 is lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, lower alkoxy-lower alkyl or the like, which exhibit potent COMT inhibitory activities. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing said compound, and uses thereof. |
| US07923459B2 |
Process for the synthesis of 4-(3-methanesulfonylphenyl)-1-N-propyl-piperidine
The present invention is directed to processes for the preparation of 4-(3-methanesulfonyl-phenyl)-1-N-propylpiperidine (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which comprises: oxidizing a sulfide of the formula (II): with a catalytic oxidizing agent and an oxidant; to give a compound of the formula (III): followed by catalytic reduction of the compound of formula (III). |
| US07923458B2 |
Method for treating chronic pain
A method for the treatment of chronic pain in a mammal is provided. The method comprises administering to a mammal (e.g., a human) suffering from chronic pain a pain relieving amount of a diarylureido-dihalokynurenate compound. Preferred diarylureido-dihalokynurenate compounds are esters (e.g., ethyl esters). Particularly preferred are diphenylureido-dichlorokynurenate compounds. |
| US07923457B2 |
Quinoline derivatives
The invention relates to compounds represented by Formula (I): and to pharmaceutically acceptable salts or solvates of said compounds, wherein each of A, R3-8, X3, X5, m, and n are defined herein. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of Formula (I) and to methods of treating hyperproliferative disorders in a mammal by administering compounds of Formula (I). |
| US07923455B2 |
Medicaments for the prevention or treatment of heart failure comprising administration of an anticholinergic
The present invention relates to a method for the prevention or the treatment of heart failure comprising administration of a therapeutically effective amount of an anticholinergic 1, medicaments for the prevention or treatment of heart failure comprising one or more, preferably one anticholinergic 1, and methods for the preparation of these medicaments. |
| US07923449B2 |
Benzimidazolone derivatives for the treatment of premenstrual and other female sexual disorders
The invention relates to the use of benzimidazolone derivatives of formula (I) for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of premenstrual and other female sexual disorders. |
| US07923444B2 |
Alkyl substituted homopiperazine derivatives and their use as monoamine neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitors
This invention relates to novel alkyl substituted homopiperazine derivatives useful as monoamine neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitors.In other aspects the invention relates to the use of these compounds in a method for therapy and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention. |
| US07923436B2 |
Methods and compounds for controlled release of recombinant parvovirus vectors
The invention uses recombinant parvoviruses, and particularly recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) to deliver genes and DNA sequences for gene therapy following manipulation of the therapeutic virus for packaging and transport. The invention delivers therapeutic viral vectors via rAAV affixed to support matrixes (i.e., sutures, surgically implantable materials, grafts, and the like). |
| US07923434B2 |
Phosphole derivatives complexed with metals, and pharmaceutical uses thereof
The invention concerns pharmaceutical compositions comprising as active compound at least one compound of general formula (A), wherein: M represents a metal atom, and their uses in particular for preventing or treating pathologies associated with an excess activity of glutathion reductase and/or thioredoxin reductase. |