| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07952603B2 |
Diode-laser marker with one-axis scanning mirror mounted on a translatable carriage
Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a source of a modulatable laser-beam. The beam is directed to an oscillating mirror on a carriage translatable across the width direction of the tape. The oscillating mirror directs the beam to a focusing lens mounted on the carriage. The focusing lens is arranged to focus the beam to a focal-spot on the tape. As the carriage is translated, the focal-spot is swept reciprocally in a wave-like path across the tape. Modulation of the beam is arranged such that pixels of a plurality of rows of the bitmap image are printed in one traverse of the carriage. The tape is advanced incrementally and repeated traverses of the carriage are made to complete printing of the bitmap image. |
| US07952601B2 |
Lens array, exposure head, and image forming apparatus
An exposure head includes: a lens array in which lenses are disposed in a first direction; and a light-emitting element substrate on which light-emitting elements that emit light to be focused by the lenses are disposed. Length L1 of the lenses in the first direction and length L2 of the lenses in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction have a relation represented by an expression 1 |
| US07952597B2 |
Image display device
There is provided an image display device which can control image retention-preventing means in a static image displaying part, according to a change with the passage of time in a luminance difference. The drive of the image retention-preventing means is cancelled when accumulated elapsed-time during which the luminance difference is returned to approximately an original value elapses. |
| US07952594B2 |
Information processing method, information processing apparatus, and image sensing apparatus
The position and orientation of the viewpoint of an observer (100) are acquired. The position and orientation of a stylus (120) are acquired. A list image is laid out near the position of the stylus (120). An image of a virtual space after laying out the list image, which is seen in accordance with the position and orientation of the viewpoint, generated. The generated image is output to the display screen of an HMD (110). |
| US07952593B2 |
Method and apparatus of image morphing by edges mapping and computer accessible storage medium thereof
An image morphing method is suitable for generating an intermediate image sequence. First, a control point CP={(pi,qi)}i=1 . . . N is specified and marked in a source image Is({right arrow over (x)}) and a destination image Id({right arrow over (x)}′). Next, an edge gradient parameter (Ise({right arrow over (x)}), Ide({right arrow over (x)}′) is computed according to the source image Is({right arrow over (x)}) and the destination image Id({right arrow over (x)}′). Next, a total objective function E(Df,Db) is computed according to the above-mentioned control point CP and edge gradient parameter (Ise({right arrow over (x)}), Ide({right arrow over (x)}′)). The above-mentioned intermediate image sequence is generated by using the total objective function E(Df,Db). The present invention utilizes the edge gradients of the source image Is({right arrow over (x)}) and the destination image Id({right arrow over (x)}′) to enhance the constraint of image morphing. Thus, the image morphing effect is promoted. |
| US07952592B2 |
System and method for view-dependent cutout geometry for importance-driven volume rendering
A method for creating a cutout surface for volume rendering includes providing a digitized medical image volume comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a 3-dimensional grid of points, identifying a surface of interest in said image volume, representing said surface-of-interest by a polygonal mesh, extracting a set of curves on said surface-of-interest where a cutout surface will intersect, extending a vector defined on one of said curves toward a viewing point, and sweeping said extended vector along said curve to create said cutout surface. |
| US07952590B2 |
Texturing a translucent surface
A computer-implemented method for texturing a modeled surface includes receiving an albedo map corresponding to light scattering under uniform incident diffuse light. The method includes determining, using the albedo map, a local scattering parameter for a multipole bidirectional scattering surface reflectance distribution function (BSSRDF). The method includes texturing a modeled surface using the BSSRDF and the local scattering parameter. |
| US07952588B2 |
Graphics processing unit with extended vertex cache
Techniques are described for processing computerized images with a graphics processing unit (GPU) using an extended vertex cache. The techniques include creating an extended vertex cache coupled to a GPU pipeline to reduce an amount of data passing through the GPU pipeline. The GPU pipeline receives an image geometry for an image, and stores attributes for vertices within the image geometry in the extended vertex cache. The GPU pipeline only passes vertex coordinates that identify the vertices and vertex cache index values that indicate storage locations of the attributes for each of the vertices in the extended vertex cache to other processing stages along the GPU pipeline. The techniques described herein defer the setup of attribute gradients to just before attribute interpolation in the GPU pipeline. The vertex attributes may be retrieved from the extended vertex cache for attribute gradient setup just before attribute interpolation in the GPU pipeline. |
| US07952571B2 |
Hand-held electronic device with multiple input mode thumbwheel
A thumbwheel input device oriented on an incline and comprising a wheel such that a first input is generated by rotation of the wheel about its axis, and a holder also having an axis of rotation and a portion thereon to receive the wheel whereby a second input is generated by rotation of the holder about the second axis. |
| US07952569B2 |
System and method of switching between multiple viewing modes in a multi-head computer system
The present technique provides a system and method for automatically switching a computer system between multiple display profiles in response to a system event, such as a hardware event. The present technique detects the system event, identifies the hardware configuration of the computer system, and automatically reconfigures the computer system to accommodate the hardware configuration in real-time. The system event may be a physical rotation of a display between landscape and portrait orientations or between viewing and writing orientations. The system event also may be a physical docking or undocking of a first computing device with a second device in a variety of mounting positions. Any suitable sensor, switch, or hardware/software detection mechanism may be used for the foregoing event detection. |
| US07952568B2 |
Surface acoustic wave touch panel, electrooptical device, and electronic apparatus having spacers between first and second touch panel substrates
A touch panel includes a first touch panel substrate; a second touch panel substrate disposed opposite the first touch panel substrate; at least one surface acoustic wave generator that generates a surface acoustic wave propagating across a surface of the second touch panel substrate facing the first touch panel substrate in a predetermined direction; at least one surface acoustic wave sensor that senses the surface acoustic wave generated by the surface acoustic wave generator; a position detector that detects a position where the first touch panel substrate is pressed according to the waveform of the surface acoustic wave sensed by the surface acoustic wave sensor; and spacers disposed between the first and second touch panel substrates along a path where the surface acoustic wave propagates from the surface acoustic wave generator to the surface acoustic wave sensor. |
| US07952565B2 |
Display device and method of controlling touch detection unit
A display device may include a display panel, a plurality of pixels that are disposed on the display panel, a plurality of sensing units that are disposed on the display panel to generate sensing signals based on touch of the display panel, a sensing signal processor that receives the sensing signals and performs predetermined signal processes to generate sensing data, and a touch detection unit. The touch detection unit may include a first controller that determines, based on the sensing data from the sensing signal process, whether or not there is a touch occurrence of the sensing units and whether or not the sensing signal is in an appropriate state. The touch detection unit may also include a second controller that determines the touch occurrence and touch positions on the sensing units based on the sensing data and controls the sensing signals to be in the desired range. |
| US07952562B2 |
Notebook computer having keyboard decoding in palmrest
A portable information handling system, user interface components thereof, and methods of user control interface and assembly are disclosed. In one embodiment a keyboard assembly, including a large plurality of contacts for a keyboard matrix, connects directly to a palmrest assembly. The palmrest assembly includes a keyboard controller, which decodes keystrokes and then passes the decoded keystrokes to, e.g., an I/O controller on the motherboard of the portable information handling system. This results in greatly improved layout and usage of the motherboard routing spaces, improved reliability, and simplified assembly. |
| US07952559B2 |
Haptic feedback using rotary harmonic moving mass
A haptic device comprises an actuator and a mass. The actuator has a shaft. The actuator is elastically coupled to the mass and/or a base. |
| US07952551B2 |
Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus including same
An electro-optical device includes a transistor, a data line, a pixel-potential-side capacitor electrode, a relay layer, an output line, a first and a second scanning line. The transistor includes a first and a second gate electrode. The data line is connected to the transistor via a first contact hole. The relay layer is formed from the same film as the data line, and connected to the pixel-potential-side capacitor electrode via a second contact hole. The output line is formed from the same film as the data line and allows the scan signal from a driving circuit to pass therethrough. The first scanning line is formed from the same film as the first gate electrode and connected to the output line via a third contact hole. The third contact hole is opened in the same process of opening the first contact hole. The second scanning line is formed from the same film as the second gate electrode and connected to the output line via a fourth contact hole. The fourth contact hole includes a first opening opened in the same process of opening the first contact hole and a second opening opened in the same process of opening the second contact hole. The first and the second opening overlap each other. |
| US07952549B2 |
Field sequential display apparatus that reduces color breakup and method thereof
A field sequential display apparatus and an image display method thereof are provided. A field sequential display apparatus includes: a color-coordinate conversion unit which analyses image state information of a plurality of input image signals of primary colors representing one image and converts the input image signals of primary colors into image signals of primary colors and at least one image signal of specific colors by using the image state information; a display panel displaying the converted image signals; and a light source driving unit which sequentially drives light sources corresponding to colors of the converted image signals. Accordingly, color breakup can be prevented, and image quality can be improved. |
| US07952547B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate. A plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines are disposed on the first substrate to define a plurality of pixel regions. A plurality of common line groups is disposed on the first substrate, and each of the common line groups includes a plurality of common lines parallel to the scan lines. And, at least, a voltage regulator is electrically connected to one of the common line groups, wherein the voltage regulator can stabilize the pixel voltage to decrease the flicker of the liquid crystal display. |
| US07952542B2 |
Image display device and electronic appliance
An image display device includes: a pixel array part formed of first to fourth scanning lines arranged in rows, signal lines arranged in columns, pixel circuits in a matrix connected to the scanning lines and signal lines, and a plurality of power source lines which supplies first to third potentials necessary for the operations of pixel circuit; a signal part which supplies a video signal to the signal lines; and a scanner part which supplies a control signal to the first to fourth scanning lines, and in turn scans the pixel circuit for every row, wherein the pixel circuits include a sampling transistor, a drive transistor, first to third switching transistors, a pixel capacitance, and a light emitting device, and a channel length of the drive transistor is made longer than a channel length of the switching transistors to suppress fluctuations in threshold voltage. |
| US07952540B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display device includes a display area including pixels coupled to scan, light emission control, and data lines; a scan driver electrically coupled to the display area through the scan and light emission control lines; a data driver electrically coupled to the display area through the data lines; an optical sensor for generating a sensor signal corresponding to an ambient light brightness; a first luminance control unit for outputting a first luminance control signal (Vc1) for controlling a gamma-corrected gray level voltage of a data signal in accordance with the sensor signal; a second luminance control unit for outputting a second luminance control signal (Vc2) for controlling a width of a light emission control signal in accordance with data of one frame; and a comparator/selector for comparing the first and second luminance control signals to output one of them into the data driver or the scan driver. |
| US07952538B2 |
Plasma display apparatus and method of driving the same
A plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel including an address electrode, a control board, and a data driver. The control board converts a video signal input from the outside into a differential signal, and transmits the differential signal, wherein the differential signal includes a first signal and a second signal being an inverted signal of the first signal and has a frequency of 200 MHz or more. The data driver receives the differential signal, restores the video signal from the differential signal, and supplies the restored video signal to the address electrode of the plasma display panel. |
| US07952535B2 |
Electronic visual jockey file
A digital camera has output ports that are connectable by cables to an HDTV television. The camera generates a slide show viewable on the television screen. The slide show involves a sequence of images stored on the camera and audio stored on the camera. The slide show is supplied to the television in the form of an HDTV resolution video stream and an accompanying audio stream. A user selects one of a plurality of scenarios for the slide show. The particular scenario determines how identified images will be presented. Using camera buttons, the user can stop and start the slide show and can move a pointer on the television screen. A standard EVJ file that defines the slide show in accordance with a scenario is generated by the camera. The file can be played on any rendering device that supports the EVJ functionality so as to recreate the slide show. |
| US07952533B2 |
Antenna element and frequency reconfiguration array antenna using the antenna element
A frequency reconfiguration array antenna includes a metal plate and a plurality of antenna elements. The antenna element includes a plurality of radiators and at least one switch for connecting the radiators, and a gain of at least one frequency bandwidth from among the plurality of frequency bandwidths reconfigured by the antenna elements is higher than gains of other frequency bandwidths. |
| US07952531B2 |
Planar circularly polarized antennas
A planar circularly polarized antenna comprises at least one coplanar waveguide feed line and a plurality of driven loops electrically connected to the feed line, wherein the driven loops and the feed line are substantially coplanar. At least one of the plurality of driven loops may be of a size different from at least another one of the plurality of driven loops and at least one of the plurality of driven loops may have a resonant frequency different from at least another one of the plurality of driven loops. |
| US07952529B2 |
Dual band antenna
An antenna set on a circuit board is provided. The circuit board includes a signal transmitting unit and a grounding unit. The antenna includes a conductive supporting portion, a radiator and a grounding portion. The radiator operating in a first frequency band includes a feeding branch coupled to the signal transmitting unit for receiving a feeding signal. The grounding portion is connected to the radiator through the conductive supporting portion. The grounding portion includes a slot cavity and a grounding branch. The slot cavity is extended from a top surface of the grounding portion into the interior of the grounding portion. The grounding branch is coupled to the grounding unit. A resonant cavity is formed between the radiator and the slot cavity. The resonance of the resonant cavity operates in a second frequency band. |
| US07952524B2 |
Method and system for positioning mobile units based on angle measurements
A method and system for positioning mobile units using angle measurements taken by neighboring mobile units is disclosed. A selected mobile unit and mobile units in the vicinity of the selected mobile unit are selectively instructed to measure and report information related to the position of the selected mobile unit. The reported information is used to compute a position of the selected mobile unit. |
| US07952523B2 |
Method and apparatus for passively locating radar emissions from rotating transmitters
Systems and methods are presented for passive location of transmitters in which two or more receivers time stamp received signals from target transmitters and the time stamped data for each target signal of interest is isolated to identify a peak power time of arrival for the signal at each transmitter from which differential scan observation values are derived, and for each signal of interest a line of position curve is computed based on the differential scan observation value and corresponding receiver locations, and for each signal of interest an estimated target transmitter location is determined based on an intersection of two corresponding line of position curves. |
| US07952516B2 |
System and method for coherent frequency switching in DDS architectures
The present invention is directed to an integrated circuit device that includes a primary signal synthesizer configured to generate a free-running first digital frequency signal and at least one secondary signal synthesizer disposed in parallel with the primary signal synthesizer and configured to generate a free-running at least one second digital frequency signal. A switch element includes a first switch input coupled to the primary signal synthesizer and at least one second switch input coupled to the at least one secondary signal synthesizer. The switch element is configured to select a switch output that provides either the free-running first digital frequency signal or the free-running at least one second digital frequency signal based on a switch control input. |
| US07952514B2 |
Energy storage unit for a radar level gauge system
A radar level gauge system comprising power management circuitry for regulating operating power to be used by a microwave unit and a processing circuitry of the radar level gauge system. The power management circuitry comprises a DC-DC converter having an input terminal connected to the interface, an output terminal connected to the microwave unit and the processing circuitry, and a reference terminal connected to an electrical reference point, wherein a first voltage level at the input terminal and a second voltage level at the output terminal relates to a reference voltage level at the electrical reference point. The power management circuitry further comprises an energy storage capacitor connected between the input and output terminals of the DC-DC converter. According to this design, the capacitance of the power management circuitry gets reduced due to that the capacitance is originating from a series capacitance. |
| US07952511B1 |
Method and apparatus for the detection of objects using electromagnetic wave attenuation patterns
A method for detecting an object, comprising the steps of defining expected characteristics of scattered electromagnetic radiation to be received at a receiver; attenuating at least a portion of electromagnetic radiation received at the receiver by a presence of an object within a path of electromagnetic information; and detecting the attenuation to indicate a presence of the object. The object may be a low radar profile object, such as a stealth aircraft. The electromagnetic radiation is preferably microwave, but may also be radio frequency or infrared. By using triangulation and other geometric techniques, distance and position of the object may be computed. |
| US07952509B2 |
Successive approximation A/D converter
A successive approximation A/D conversion circuit for simultaneously sampling N channels of analog signals and for A/D converting the sampled analog signals, includes: N capacitive main DACs; a resistive sub DAC; N comparators; and a successive approximation control circuit, wherein the successive approximation control circuit determines high-order bit values of A/D conversion results of the N channels of analog signals by controlling the N capacitive main DACs and the N comparators, and determines low-order bit values of the A/D conversion results of the N channels of analog signals by controlling the resistive sub DAC and the N comparators. |
| US07952508B2 |
Noise-shaped scrambler for reduced out-of-band common-mode interference
Class-D amplifiers have evolved from using binary pulse-width modulation (PWM) modulators to three-level PWM modulators. Three-level PWM drivers for audio applications offer the benefits of eliminating costly elements at the output of an audio system. However, they also introduce increased common-mode interference. Three-level PWM generates three states, but one state has two interchangeable representations which can be scrambled in order to shape the common-mode output spectrum. |
| US07952505B2 |
Semiconductor device and input selection control method
A semiconductor device includes: input terminals identified by channel numbers and configured to receive analog signals; analog input pads identified by pad numbers and connected with whole or part of the input terminals; a data holding section configured to hold a data of the input terminals; a channel designating section configured to generate a channel designation signal to designate one of the channel numbers; and a channel translating section configured to translate the channel number indicated by the channel designation signal into a specific one of the pad numbers based on the held data. An A/D converting section is configured to convert the analog signal inputted from the analog input pad corresponding to the specific pad number into a digital signal. |
| US07952502B2 |
Imbalance and distortion cancellation for composite analog to digital converter (ADC)
Imbalance and distortion cancellation for composite analog to digital converter (ADC). Such an ‘ADC’ is implemented using two or more ADCs may be employed for sampling (e.g., quantizing, digitizing, etc.) of an analog (e.g., continuous time) signal in accordance with generating a digital (e.g., discrete time) signal. Using at least two ADCs allows for the accommodation and sampling of various signals having a much broader dynamic range without suffering degradation in signal to noise ratio (SNR). Generally, the signal provided via at least one of the paths corresponding to at least one of the respective ADCs is scaled (e.g., attenuated), so that the various ADCs effectively sample signals of different magnitudes. The ADCs may respectively correspond to different magnitude and/or power levels (e.g., high power, lower power, any intermediary power level, etc.). Various implementations of compensation may be performed along the various paths corresponding to the respective ADCs. |
| US07952495B1 |
Data entry device and method
A method and device for entering data is provided wherein the pressing of up to two combinations of proximate keys on a keypad concurrently sends a signal or signals from the keypad to a processor. The processor receives the signal or signals and identifies a character, symbol, or function associated with the signal or signals and reports the same. In one embodiment, the keypad used for entering the data has a configuration of three columns and four rows. A method of identifying a character, symbol, or function comprises comparing the signal or signals to a data set of associated characters, symbols, or functions wherein the data set is mapped to said signal or signals with a modified Braille cell. |
| US07952494B2 |
Map display apparatus
A map in a navigation apparatus is displayed on a screen with its orientation aligned with an orientation of a facility map that is distributed in a facility when a vehicle having the navigation apparatus is traveling in a facility area that has pre-memorized guide information. When the vehicle is traveling in a meandering section of a road, a rough direction is oriented upward in the map that is displayed on the screen. Furthermore, the map is displayed with an entrance direction, which is determined as a direction at a time of entering an area outside of the road such as a parking or the like, oriented upward under a circumstance that the vehicle is constantly turning its direction. |
| US07952492B2 |
Landing assistance device and method for aircraft
A landing assistance device and method for an aircraft according to the invention, based on the landing procedure rules attached to the runway, a lower threshold and an upper threshold of total energy acceptable for the aircraft are determined and the current total energy of the latter is compared with the thresholds. |
| US07952491B2 |
Optical traffic control system with burst mode light emitter
Various approaches for a traffic control preemption system that includes a receiver, a light emitter, and control circuitry. The receiver includes a photodetector and circuitry that produces a number of electrical pulses in response to each detected light pulse. For each detected light pulse the number of electrical pulses represents a level of radiant power of the light pulse, and a threshold number of electrical pulses and an activation frequency at which the threshold number of electrical pulses is repeated activates preemption. The control circuitry is coupled to the light emitter and controls the light emitter to emit bursts of light pulses. Each burst includes at least two light pulses and a frequency of light pulses in each burst and a frequency of the bursts cause the receiver to produce at least the threshold number of electrical pulses at the activation frequency and activate the preemption. |
| US07952489B1 |
Vehicle communication system and method of use
Described is a vehicle communication system. The system includes a display installed in, or on, a first vehicle such that the display is viewable by persons in other vehicles or pedestrians proximate the first vehicle. The display is communicatively linked to one or more vehicle systems or a vehicle controller area network whereby based on activation, engagement or utilization of a vehicle system, the display automatically displays a message associated with the activation, engagement or activation of the vehicle system. For example, if a driver of the vehicle applies the brakes, a “STOPPING” message is displayed. Messages may be pre-programmed into the system or custom created and entered by a user. The display may also be used to advertise, alert passersby to an emergency or otherwise communicate with persons in other vehicles or pedestrians. |
| US07952487B2 |
Device charging
A system may include a battery powered device and a cable used to charge the battery powered device. The cable may include a first connector to connect to the battery powered device and a second connector to connect to a power source. The cable may also includes a flexible portion located between the first connector and the second connector. The flexible portion may include an inner portion that includes an electrical conductor and an outer portion that includes a transparent or translucent material. The cable may further include at least one light source and circuitry to activate the light source based on a charge status of the battery powered device. The activated light source may illuminate at least a portion of the cable. |
| US07952486B2 |
Liquid crystal display device provided with a gas detector, gas detector and method for manufacturing a gas detector
A liquid crystal display device with a substrate and a gas detector. The substrate has a pixel array area and an electrical connection area. The pixel array area has a plurality of pixels. The electrical connection area has a plurality of bond pads positioned on the surface of the substrate to address the plurality of pixels in the pixel array area. The gas detector is positioned within the electrical connection area. The gas detector is arranged to detect the presence of a specified gas. |
| US07952481B2 |
Systems and methods for RFID security
An RFID system includes an RFID tag, an RFID reader, and a server. The RFID tag communicates to the server via encrypted information. The information may be encrypted with synchronized encryption keys. In this manner, the reader need not decrypt the information from the RFID tag. The effectiveness of malicious readers is thereby reduced, resulting in improved RFID tag security. |
| US07952480B1 |
RFID tag filtering and monitoring
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system that tracks tags in real-time based on EPC codes and on other priority codes written into transponder memory fields of the tags. As an example, a priority code may be written into a memory of an RFID transponder identifying a high-value item or a small high-value item that is likely to be stolen. Based on the use of this priority code, those items can be preferentially tracked as opposed to items of low value or size such that they are unlikely to be stolen. Such use of priority codes and local filtering alleviates the need to go back to large centralized databases associating unique numbers with other parameters and potentially the history of the item. |
| US07952479B2 |
Container
The present invention relates to a container, especially for moisture-sensitive goods, with a container body formed by a wall and a bottom of the container, and a container cover which can be opened and closed. The container has a layer, preferably containing a desiccant, which extends over at least a part of the body and a transponder which is arranged between body and layer. |
| US07952477B2 |
Door lock assembly
A door lock assembly having a housing; a lock sub-assembly which includes, among other members, a bolt and a bolt safety; a user interface member; a secondary electrochemical cell and/or capacitor; and an inertia charger and/or solar cell. |
| US07952476B1 |
Mobile security system
A mobile security system is described herein. A detector communicates with a mobile device if an event has occurred. The event may be various types of events, such as fire or motion. Once the mobile device receives the communication of the event occurrence, the mobile device may, among others, sound an alarm or communicate with a central monitoring system to notify emergency services of the occurrence. The mobile device may also communicate with another communication device, such as another cell phone or a computer, using various forms of communication. The detector may be an integral part of the mobile device, i.e. fixed part of the mobile device, or may be detachable. The detector may also be wholly separate. |
| US07952475B2 |
Communication system for monitoring the health status of a patient, communication device, sensor device and method
A communication system for monitoring the health status of a patient includes a communication device and a sensor device, the communication device comprising a first communication interface for communication with the sensor device and comprising a second communication interface for communication with a health care center, the communication device being able to generate a warning message upon failure of either the first communication interface or the second communication interface, wherein the generation of a warning message is prevented if the failure of the first communication interface begins and ends during a first time interval and/or the generation of a warning message is prevented if the failure of the second communication interface begins and ends during a third time interval and/or the communication device comprises a detection device for detecting a critical or non-critical health status, and the generation of a warning message is prevented if both the duration of failure of the second communication interface is shorter than a second time interval and a non-critical health status is detected. |
| US07952472B2 |
In-vehicle device and vehicular combined control system
A vehicular combined control system has functions of a smart entry system and a TPMS. A smart ECU turns on the output of a voltage signal terminal intermittently or in response to a given trigger. When the output of the voltage signal terminal turns on, a RF receiver section receives information from a portable device regardless of the ON/OFF state of an ignition switch to transmit the information to the smart ECU. When the ignition switch is ON and the output of the voltage signal terminal turns off, the RF receiver section receives information from tire sensors to transmit the information to a TPMS microcomputer. |
| US07952471B2 |
Generator control apparatus having alarm issuing unit
There is provided a generator control apparatus that includes a generating condition detector, an alarm issuing unit, and an alarm controller. The generating condition detector detects an operating condition of the generator for use in a vehicle. The alarm issuing unit is configured to issue alarm to a driver of the vehicle about an abnormal operating condition of the generator when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running under an abnormal condition, and to stop to issue alarm to the driver when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running in a normal condition. |
| US07952469B2 |
Collision detection device and method of manufacturing the same
A collision detection device is provided with a load detection member 2 for detecting a collision load in a collision, and a mold member 3 which is molded to be integral with the load detection member 2. The mold member 3 covers at least the surface of a collision side of the load detection member 2, to absorb at least a part of impact energy in the collision by a resilient deformation of the mold member 3. Thus, the collision detection device is substantially resistant to an impact in the collision, while being simply manufactured. |
| US07952463B2 |
Vehicle security system
A vehicle security system includes a screen for displaying a message, a fingerprint reader provided to the screen to detect a fingerprint of a driver touching the screen with a finger, a switch having a first state for allowing engine start of a vehicle and a second state for prohibiting the engine start, and a controller for keeping the switch in the second state until receiving the fingerprint from the reader and for changing the switch to the first state upon receiving the fingerprint from the reader. The reader can detect the fingerprint of the driver without being noticed by the driver, because the message leads the driver to unquestioningly touch the screen with the finger. Even if the vehicle is stolen by the driver, the driver is identified by the detected fingerprint so that a chance of catching the driver can be increased. |
| US07952460B2 |
Manufacturing of an electronic circuit having an inductance
An electronic circuit has an inductor. The inductor comprises a first number of electrically conductive tracks (108, . . . ) in, or on, a substrate (105). The tracks are separated from one another. The inductor comprises a second number of electrically conductive wires (120, . . . ). The ends of each wire contacts two different ones of the tracks. Among the first number of tracks there is at least a specific track that is electrically isolated from the wires upon the wires having been connected. Such an inductor can be made using a standardized track configuration on a substrate, and selectively skipping one or more tracks in order to determine the inductance. |
| US07952459B2 |
Micromagnetic device and method of forming the same
A micromagnetic device including a substrate, and a magnetic core layer formed over the substrate from a magnetic alloy. The magnetic alloy includes iron, cobalt and phosphorous. A content of the cobalt is in a range of 1.8 to 4.5 atomic percent. A content of the phosphorus is in a range of 20.1 to 30 atomic percent. A content of the iron is substantially a remaining proportion of the magnetic alloy. |
| US07952456B2 |
Ignition coil for an internal combustion engine
The invention relates to an ignition coil for an internal combustion engine. Said ignition coil comprises a primary coil base (2) carrying a primary winding (1) and having an especially cylindrical shape, a low voltage connection area (10) for connecting the primary winding (1) to a low voltage, a secondary winding (3) inductively coupled to the primary winding (1) and disposed on an especially cylindrical secondary coil base (4), for providing a high voltage for the spark plug of the internal combustion engine. The primary coil base (2) and the secondary coil base (4) are mounted concentric to one another. The ignition coil also comprises a high-voltage connection area (5) in which the secondary winding (3) contacts the spark plug. The aim of the invention is to improve the ignition coil of the aforementioned type with respect to its electromagnetic compatibility. For this purpose, an electrically conducting layer (16) which has a substantially cylindrical shape and mechanical damping properties is provided inside an annular space defined by the outer winding of the two windings (1, 3). Said layer is configured as a sandwich structure and consists of at least two partial layers (16a, 16b) with an interposed intermediate layer (17). |
| US07952455B2 |
Magnetic device
A magnetic device having a housing with a front wall. A first magnet assembly includes a north and south pole and a second magnet assembly also includes a north and south pole. The magnet assemblies are pivotally mounted in the housing and pivotal between a first position in which the north pole of the first magnet assembly and the south pole of the second magnet assembly face each other and are positioned adjacent the front wall of the housing, and a second position in which the north pole of the first magnet assembly and the south pole of the second magnet assembly face each other and are retracted from the front wall. An actuator pivots the magnet assemblies between their first and second positions while a spring urges the magnet assemblies toward the second position. |
| US07952453B2 |
Structure design for minimizing on-chip interconnect inductance
A semiconductor device comprising a signal line and ground line is disclosed. The signal line comprises an opening and at least a portion of the ground line is in the opening in the signal line. |
| US07952451B2 |
High-pass filter
The invention relates to a high-pass filter comprising a signal line with several capacitors connected in series as well as a ground line, wherein several inductors are connected between the signal line and the ground line. In order to configure the high-pass filter as a coaxial construction it is suggested in accordance with the invention that the signal line form an inner conductor and the ground line an outer conductor of a coaxial conductor, between which an insulation layer is arranged, and that the inductors be designed as discrete components which are arranged at a distance to one another and between which at least one impedor is connected. |
| US07952442B2 |
Integrated circuit package having inductance loop formed from same-pin-to-same-bonding-pad structure
An integrated circuit package includes an inductance loop formed from a connection of bonding wires and one or more input/output (I/O) package pins. In one embodiment, the inductance loop is formed from a first wire which connects a bonding pad on the integrated circuit chip to an I/O pin of the package and a second wire which connects the same bonding pad to the same pin. By forming the inductor loop within the limits of the integrated circuit package, a substantial reduction in space requirements is realized, which, in turn, promotes miniaturization. |
| US07952437B2 |
Quality of phase lock and loss of lock detector
A systems and methods for providing phase lock conditions detection, such as a quality of phase lock and loss of lock detection, are described herein. One exemplary method comprises detecting an output frequency, comparing the output frequency with a first reference signal, providing a first signal and a second signal as a function of the output frequency and first reference signal comparison, receiving a predetermined threshold from a second reference signal, monitoring a deviation of the first and second signals from the predetermined threshold, generating a third signal as a function of the deviation, comparing the third signal to a window threshold wherein the window threshold is set based on a predetermined loop variable, generating a fourth signal a function of the third signal and the window threshold comparison, and providing an alarm based on the fourth signal. |
| US07952424B2 |
Differential charge pump with common mode control
Charge pump for providing an output current for charging and discharging a filter in accordance with an input signal, said charge pump comprising a first current source connectable with the input signal for driving the current source and adapted to providing a first current equal to a constant current Io plus a variable current Δx, said variable current Δx being directly proportional to the input signal, a second current source connectable with the input signal for driving the current source and adapted to providing a second current equal to the constant current Io minus said variable current Δx, and an output for providing the output current, wherein said output is connected to both the first and second current source in such a way, that the output current is equal to a difference between the first and second current. |
| US07952423B2 |
Process/design methodology to enable high performance logic and analog circuits using a single process
A method for improving analog circuits performance using a circuit design using forward bias and a modified mixed-signal process is presented. A circuit consisting plurality of NMOS and PMOS transistors is defined. The body terminal of the NMOS transistors are coupled to a first voltage source and the body terminal of the PMOS transistors are coupled a second voltage source. Transistors in the circuit are selectively biased by applying the first voltage source to the body terminal of each selected NMOS transistor and applying the second voltage source to the body terminal of each selected PMOS transistor. In one embodiment, the first voltage source and the second voltage source are modifiable to provide forward and reverse bias to the body terminal of the transistors. |
| US07952419B1 |
Bootstrapped switch circuit
A bootstrapped switch circuit can include a switch transistor, having a drain configured as an input terminal to receive an input signal, and a voltage-controlled voltage source, configured to provide predetermined constant voltages between a gate and a source of the switch transistor in response to a control signal received at a control terminal. The predetermined constant voltages can include a first predetermined constant voltage to turn on the switch transistor and pass the input signal to the source and a second predetermined constant voltage to turn off the switch transistor. The first and second predetermined constant voltages can be independent of the magnitude of a signal passed to the source of the switch transistor based on the input signal at the drain. |
| US07952416B2 |
Logarithmic temperature compensation for detectors
The intercept of a logarithmic amplifier is temperature stabilized by generating a signal having the form H log H where H is a function of temperature such as T/T0. The first H factor is cancelled, thereby generating a correction signal having the form Y log H. The cancellation may be implemented with a transconductance cell having a hyperbolic tangent function. The H log H function may be generated by a pair of junctions biased by one temperature-stable current and one temperature-dependent current. The pair of junctions and the transconductance cell may be coupled together in a translinear loop. A user-accessible terminal may allow adjustment of the correction signal for different operating frequencies. |
| US07952415B2 |
Level shift circuit and display device having the same
A level shift circuit includes a level shifter, the level shifter configured to receive input signals and generate level-shifted signals by level-shifting the input signals, an output buffer that includes a first sourcing circuit and a first sinking circuit, the first sourcing circuit and the first sinking circuit being connected in series between a first power and a second power, a first buffer coupled between the level shifter and the output buffer, the first buffer configured to buffer the level-shifted signals and provide a first driving signal to the first sourcing circuit, and a second buffer coupled between the level shifter and the output buffer, the second buffer configured to buffer the level-shifted signals and provide a second driving signal to the first sinking circuit. |
| US07952414B2 |
Phase clock generator
Disclosed is a phase clock generator. The phase clock generator can include transistors and a buffer. The transistors are connected between a power line and a grounding line and are provided in a form of a 4×N matrix to receive a plurality of phase-delayed signals through their gate terminals. Four transistors can form a unit column between the power line and the grounding line. From ground line to power line, the first two transistors of the unit column provide a pair of NMOS transistors, and the second two transistors provide a pair of PMOS transistors. The buffer is connected to a line, which is provided between the pair of the NMOS transistors and the pair of the PMOS transistors forming the unit column, to transmit a clock signal. |
| US07952412B2 |
Audio device using AC power clock reference
A clock generating apparatus for use in an electronic device, such as a radio or other audio device, which generates a clock signal based on an AC input signal received, for example, from a wall outlet. The clock generating apparatus detects and monitors the frequency of the AC input signal and automatically adjusts the clock signal based on the detected frequency of the AC input signal. |
| US07952404B2 |
Apparatus and method for modeling coarse stepsize delay element and delay locked loop using same
A reference circuit and method for mitigating switching jitter and delay-locked loop (DLL) using same are provided. The reference circuit and method determine a number of steps of a fine delay line (FDL) that are equivalent to a step of a coarse delay line (CDL). Switching jitter of the DLL is reduced since the delay of the step of the CDL that is switched when on an underflow or overflow condition of the FDL is detected is equivalent to the delay of the provided number of steps of the FDL. |
| US07952402B2 |
Power-up control for very low-power systems
A power-on-reset (POR) circuit may comprise a first circuit powered by a first supply voltage and configured to generate a second supply voltage based on the first supply voltage, the second supply voltage having a nominal value lower than a nominal value of the first supply voltage. The POR circuit may also include a second circuit powered by the second supply voltage and configured to generate a POR signal. The second circuit may be configured to assert the POR signal when the second supply voltage reaches a value that is sufficiently high for the second circuit to become operational, keep the POR signal asserted until the first supply voltage reaches a second value that is higher than the nominal value of the second supply voltage by a specified difference voltage value, and deassert the POR signal once the first supply voltage reaches the second value. |
| US07952396B1 |
AWG having arbitrary factor interpolator and fixed frequency DAC sampling clock
An AWG includes a waveform memory providing a digital waveform signal at a sample rate and an arbitrary factor interpolator (AFI) coupled to receive the digital waveform signal or a processed digital waveform signal. A complex mixer for carrier modulation is coupled to the AFI which outputs a complex band pass signal. A DAC is coupled to an output of the complex mixer for receiving the complex band pass signal to provide an analog output signal. A fixed frequency sample clock clocks the DAC to provide a fixed DAC sample rate. The DAC provides a data clock signal to a sample request controller that generates a sample request signal that is coupled to the waveform memory for requesting the digital waveform signal from the waveform memory. The interpolated digital signal is sampled at the fixed DAC sample rate independent of the sample rate of digital waveform signal. |
| US07952394B2 |
Signal receiver circuit capable of improving area and power efficiency in semiconductor integrated circuits
A signal receiver circuit includes a first level detector for offset-controlling a first output node in response to a pair of first reference signals. A second level detector offset-controls a second output node in response to a pair of second reference signals. |
| US07952393B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes an enable signal generating unit for generating an enable signal in response to an active signal and an internal voltage driving unit driven by the active signal and the enable signal, wherein the internal voltage driving unit drives an internal voltage by comparing the internal voltage and a reference voltage and then generating first and second driving signals, and wherein the enable signal generating unit receives the second driving signal and then determines enablement of the enable signal. |
| US07952389B2 |
Level shift circuit
A level shift circuit insusceptible to mistaken operations at the time of disengagement of a standby state is disclosed. The level shift circuit includes a level converter circuit 5, a barrier gate circuit 2 and a holding circuit (MMP1, MMP2). The level converter circuit converts a signal level of a circuit operating in a VDD1 system to a signal level of a VDD2 system. The barrier gate circuit is responsive to a standby signal (STBY) to fix input signals (AB, AAB) of the level converter circuit 5 at a LOW level. The holding circuit holds an output of the level converter circuit 5 at a constant voltage when the input signals (AB, AAB) are at the LOW level (FIG. 1). |
| US07952387B1 |
Securing memory based IP in FPGAs
A memory initialization file and one or more design files associated with configuring an IC are identified. The memory initialization file is encrypted using one or more encryption algorithms. A configuration bit stream is generated by compiling and assembling the encrypted memory initialization file and the one or more design files. During the programming phase, the configuration bit stream is received at the IC, decoded and logic design and content of encrypted memory initialization file are loaded into the respective logic elements and memory arrays of the IC. The IC then transitions into a user phase where the contents of the encrypted memory initialization file in the memory arrays are decrypted and validated at the on-chip memory within the IC to ensure that the integrity of the content is maintained. Upon successful verification of the integrity of the content, the content within the on-chip memory is available for processing. |
| US07952385B2 |
Temperature variance nullification in an inrush current suppression circuit
The temperature dependence of an inrush current suppression circuit comprising a MOSFET having an input terminal coupled to a direct current input voltage can a transistor electrically coupled to the MOSFET can be reduced by matching the temperature coefficient of a transistor to a component electrically coupled to the transistor. |
| US07952382B2 |
Impedance calibration circuit, semiconductor memory device with the impedance calibration circuit and layout method of internal resistance in the impedance calibration circuit
An impedance calibration circuit for impedance matching between a semiconductor memory device and an external device includes a driving circuit and a comparing circuit. The driving circuit has a plurality of internal resistances, with one or more of the internal resistances being a variable resistance. The driving circuit compares the impedance of the internal resistances to the input/output impedance of the external device in order to provide a calibration voltage. The comparing circuit compares the calibration voltage to a reference voltage and provides a code signal for calibrating the impedance corresponding to output data with the input/output impedance of the external device. The impedance calibration circuit calibrates an impedance mismatch between the impedance calibration circuit and a data input/output driver by adjusting the impedance of the impedance calibration circuit through the variable resistance. |
| US07952371B2 |
Integrated circuit device having ground open detection circuit
An integrated circuit device includes a chip having a power supply terminal, a ground terminal, an input terminal, and an internal circuit formed therein. The chip comprises: a unidirectional device disposed between the input terminal and the ground terminal and directed from the ground terminal to the input terminal; and a ground open detection circuit including a first transistor having the gate connected to the input terminal and the source and the drain connected between the power supply terminal and the ground terminal, a second transistor having the gate connected to the ground terminal and the source and the drain connected between the power supply terminal and the ground terminal, and a comparator for comparing potentials of nodes respectively between drains of the first and second transistors and the power supply terminal, and for outputting a ground open detection signal. |
| US07952370B2 |
On-chip detection of power supply vulnerabilities
On-chip sensor to detect power supply vulnerabilities. The on-chip sensor employs a sensitive delay chain and an insensitive delay chain to detect power supply undershoots and overshoots without requiring external off-chip components. Undershoots and overshoots outside a user-defined threshold are detected. The undershoots and overshoots are indicated by a relative difference in phase of the two delay chains. The two delay chains are programmable to detect various frequencies. |
| US07952368B1 |
Apparatus and method for measuring diode chip
An apparatus and a method for measuring a diode chip are provided. The diode chip is placed on a thermal conductive element. The apparatus measures an instant starting current and a first temperature, which is associated with the instant starting current, of the thermal conductive element. After the diode chip operates, the apparatus adjusts the temperature of the thermal conductive element to a second temperature, such that the current of the diode chip is adjusted to be equal to the instant starting current. The apparatus calculates a property of the diode chip according to a real power of the diode chip and a difference between the first temperature and the second temperature. |
| US07952359B2 |
Test apparatus having bidirectional differential interface
First and second resistors are provided between a first input/output terminal and a power supply terminal, and between a second input/output terminal and the power supply terminal, respectively. Third and fourth resistors are connected to the second and first input/output terminals, respectively. First and second current-switching switches couple either the first input/output terminal side or the second input/output terminal side with a first current source and a second current source, respectively, according to the value of pattern data. A level shift circuit shifts the electric potentials at the second terminals of the third and forth resistors by a predetermined level. A comparator circuit compares the electric potentials at the second terminals of the third and fourth resistors level-shifted by the level shift circuit with those at the second terminals of the fourth and third resistors, respectively, and generates first and second comparison signals according to the comparison results. |
| US07952358B2 |
Methods and apparatus for determination of a formation resistivity property using eccentered measurements
Multi-component induction measurements are made using a resistivity logging tool in an anistropic earth formation. The X-signal (quadrature) is insensitive to borehole eccentricity. A subset of the multi-component measurements are inverted to first determine horizontal resistivities. Using the determined horizontal resistivities and another subset of the multi-component measurements, the vertical resistivities are obtained. Results of using the in-phase signals are comparable to those obtained using multifrequency focusing of quadrature signals. |
| US07952354B2 |
System and method for fast MR imaging of metabolites at selective excitation frequencies
A system and method are provided for imaging multiple substances, such as contrast agents and metabolites in vivo, with selective excitation frequencies. A first substance is excited with a frequency selective pulse, then a second substance is excited with another frequency selective pulse. The signals resulting from these pulses are acquired in an order reversed from the order in which the pulses were applied. In some embodiments, more than two substances may be imaged. The system and method thus provide for quick and efficient utilization of the magnetization of multiple substances for spectral-spatial imaging. |
| US07952353B2 |
Method and apparatus for field map estimation
A method for estimating values of a field map to generate a magnetic resonance display image with species separation is provided. A set of MR images is acquired based on an applied magnetic resonance excitation. A set of feasible field map values for each pixel in a field map are determined from the set of MR images. Estimated values of the field map for each pixel are chosen from the set of feasible field map values using a combinatorial optimization algorithm that includes a smoothness constraint. The combinatorial optimization algorithm includes iteratively communicating, between neighboring pixels in the field map, sum-product belief messages that include likelihoods for feasible field map values. Field map values are fixed to most likely field map values if the pixel satisfies the smoothness constraint with its neighboring pixels. A magnetic resonance display image with species separation is generated using the estimated field map. |
| US07952352B2 |
Method of locally measuring mobility of protic solvent in sample, instrument of locally measuring mobility of protic solvent in sample, measuring instrument locally measuring behavior of protic solvent in sample based on magnetic
An instrument locally measuring mobility of a protic solvent in a sample 115 based on the gradient magnetic field NMR method has a sample stage 116 on which the sample 115 is placed, a magnet 113 applying a static magnetic field to the sample 115, a G coil 151 and a G coil 153 applying a gradient magnetic field to the sample 115, a small-sized RF coil 114 smaller in size than the G coil 151 applying an oscillating magnetic field for excitation and acquiring an NMR signal corresponded to the oscillating magnetic field for excitation and the gradient magnetic field; a pulse control unit 108 allowing application of the gradient magnetic field and oscillating magnetic field for excitation to be executed according to a predetermined pulse sequence; and an operation unit 130 calculating the mobility at the specific position of the G coil 151, based on information of the NMR signals acquired corresponding to different gradient magnetic fields. |
| US07952344B2 |
Frequency characteristic measuring apparatus
A frequency characteristic measuring apparatus measures a device under test in which the frequency of an input signal and the frequency of an output signal differ from each other, simplifying the configuration of a tracking generator and peripheral circuits associated with the tracking generator, and simultaneously measuring the characteristics of the input signal and the output signal of the device under test. A spectrum analyzer has mixers, local oscillators and IF sections as first and second measuring units for measuring frequency characteristics of two input signals by performing frequency sweep in correspondence with a first or second frequency range, a mixer and an oscillator as a tracking generator section which operates by being linked to the frequency sweep operation in the first measuring unit, and a section which generates a trigger signal designating measurement start timing. |
| US07952343B2 |
Current measurement circuit and method
Apparatus (1) and corresponding method for measuring a current (10) in which a charge integrating circuit (2) integrates charge from the current to be measured (10) and applies a resulting change in voltage to a comparator circuit (4) that compares the input voltage (12) with a threshold voltage level (Vthreshoid) and provides an output (14) responsive thereto to a logic circuit (6) that generates a feedback signal (16) dependent upon the comparator output (14) and provides the feedback signal (16) to the charge integrating circuit (2) that integrates charge from the received feedback signal (16) in opposition to the integrating of the charge from the current to be measured (10). The logic circuit (6) generates an output signal (18), based upon the comparator circuit output (14) and dependent upon the level of the current to be measured (10), for example a pulse (50) of a width (TOUT) dependent upon the level of the current (10). A converter circuit (8) may convert the output signal (18) to digital output data (20). |
| US07952339B2 |
Semiconductor circuit
A synchronous rectifying drive type semiconductor circuit wherein voltages between drains and sources of power switching elements are detected, temporarily held and compared with a reference voltage. First control signals are generated for turning on the power switching elements depending on comparison result and dead times for the power switching elements are minimized by ORing first control signals and second control signals inputted at input terminals. The first control signals cause the power switching elements to be in “on” state for a constant time until the second control signals as “on” control signals arrive at the input terminals, and then the first control signals as “on” control signals are terminated before the second control signals as “off” signals arrive at the input terminals, thereby swiftly turning off the power switching elements by the second control signals arriving at the input terminals. |
| US07952334B2 |
DC-DC converter
A DC-DC converter includes a series circuit of a switch element Q1 and a switch element Q2 connected to a DC power source, a series circuit of a primary winding P1 of a transformer and a capacitor connected in parallel with one of the switch elements, a rectifying-smoothing circuit of a voltage generated by a secondary winding (S1, S2) of the transformer, a controller to alternately turn on/off the switch elements according to an output of the rectifying-smoothing circuit, first and second timing detectors to detect ON/OFF states of the switch elements, and an ON time storing part to operate in response to a detection signal from the second timing detector and store an ON time of the switch element Q1 based on an OFF time of the switch element Q2. The controller turns on the switch element Q2 only during the stored ON time. |
| US07952330B2 |
Secondary battery protection circuit, battery pack and thermosensitive protection switch device
A protection circuit is provided for protecting a secondary battery from overcharging and excessive discharge current by a simple circuit. The protection circuit is provided with a connection terminal (T3) for connecting the secondary battery (6); a connection terminal (T1) for connecting a charging device for charging the secondary battery (6) and/or a load device driven by a discharge current from the secondary battery (6); a bimetal switch (SW1) that is provided between the connection terminals (T1, T3) and turned off in the case of exceeding a specified temperature set beforehand; a heater (R2) for heating the bimetal switch (SW1); and an integrated circuit (IC1) for turning the bimetal switch (SW1) off by causing the heater (R2) to generate heat if a voltage applied to the connection terminal (T3) by the secondary battery (6) exceeds a preset reference voltage. |
| US07952326B2 |
Method and system for battery protection employing over-discharge control
A method and system for battery protection. In some aspects, a battery pack configured to be interfaced with a power tool includes a housing, a cell, a controller, and a circuit. The circuit is operable to enable the controller to operate when the voltage supplied by the cell to the controller is below an operating voltage threshold of the controller. |
| US07952319B2 |
Street light mounted network-controlled charge transfer device for electric vehicles
A network-controlled charge transfer device for transferring charge between a local power grid and an electric vehicle is mounted to a street light. The charge transfer device includes the following: an electrical receptacle to receive an electrical connector for connection to the electric vehicle; an electric power line that couples the power grid to the electrical receptacle through a wiring box; a control device to switch the receptacle on and off; a current measuring device to measure current flowing through the electric power line; and a controller to operate the control device and to monitor output from the current measuring device. |
| US07952314B2 |
Electronic control device of an electrical drive system with redundant disconnection device
In normal mode, a central unit of an electronic control device receives desired and actual values for determining desired current values which are transmitted to an electronic drive unit. The central unit of the electronic drive unit receives the desired current values for determining drive signals for circuit breakers. In monitoring mode, the central unit of the electronic control device checks whether an connected electric motor is in a safe state. If not, the control device transmits disconnection signals to a disconnection device and to the drive unit. The central unit of the electronic control device generates checking information for the drive unit. In the monitoring mode, the central unit of the drive unit checks whether a disconnection signal is transmitted to the central unit and whether the checking information is correct. |
| US07952313B2 |
Motor control apparatus
A motor control apparatus includes: an electric motor having an outer rotor and an inner rotor which can alter mutual relative phases; a phase alternation device which alters the relative phase; a phase position sensor which detects a phase position with respect to the relative phase; and a fail-decision control unit which sets the relative phase as a maximum value or a minimum value (that is, a most forcing phase and a most weakening phase) in a phase variable area of the phase alternation device in accordance with a rotation number of the electric motor when the phase position sensor does not work. |
| US07952312B2 |
Closure panel control apparatus
A controller computes a pinching amount of an object caused by a window glass. The controller estimates a prior pinching amount of the object caused by the window glass before the controller computes the pinching amount of the object. The controller confirms occurrence of the pinching of the object based on the computed pinching amount and the estimated prior pinching amount of the object. |
| US07952309B2 |
Rotating electrical machine control device
A rotating electrical machine control device includes an inverter; a resolver; a unit; a three-phase/two-phase modulation switching unit; and a motor control unit that switches to a two-phase modulation in a specific region where an electric noise given to the resolver by a rotating electrical machine is large, even in a region where the modulation ratio is smaller than the three-phase/two-phase modulation switching boundary. |
| US07952305B2 |
Reverse drive control for a motorcycle
A vehicle comprising a rotatable wheel (e.g., three rotatable wheels), a forward drive mechanism including a forward drive motor (e.g., an internal combustion engine), and a reverse drive mechanism. The reverse drive mechanism includes a reverse drive motor (e.g., an electric motor) adapted to move the chassis in the rearward direction, and a reverse drive control programmed to inhibit operation of the reverse drive mechanism when the forward drive motor is off. In one embodiment, the vehicle includes a battery for operating the reverse drive motor, and the reverse drive control is programmed to inhibit operation of the motor when a characteristic of the battery (e.g., an output voltage) falls below a threshold. The vehicle can further include a temperature sensor for the reverse drive motor. In this embodiment, the reverse drive control is programmed to inhibit operation of the reverse drive motor when the temperature of the motor exceeds a threshold. |
| US07952304B2 |
Radiation system
Radiation systems, including apparatuses and methods, for providing multiple independent RF electron accelerators with RF power from a single RF generator. The radiation systems may be employed in radiation treatment systems for treating subject objects by irradiating them from different directions and in inspection systems for producing images of the contents of a container or other volume in multiple planes using RF electron accelerators that receive RF electromagnetic power from a single RF generator. The radiation systems include RF drive subsystems each having a 3 dB directional coupler connected between an RF generator and RF electron accelerators. Each 3 dB directional coupler divides RF electromagnetic power received from the RF generator into equal or unequal portions for delivery to respective RF electron accelerators. |
| US07952303B2 |
Electronic ballast for a gas discharge lamp with controlled filament heating during dimming
An electronic ballast has control circuitry to operate a gas discharge lamp in both full and dimmed illumination modes. The electronic ballast also includes a full power circuit having a power control coupled to the dimming controller output to receive the dimming controller signal, a filament heating circuit having a heating input coupled to a reduced power circuit to receive a reduced power signal and a heating output that can couple to the filaments of one or more lamps. When the full power circuit receives the dimming controller signal, via the power control, and the dimming controller signal is not in the dimming request range (i.e. the full illumination mode has been selected), the full power circuit generates a full power signal capable of driving/operating the lamp(s) in the full illumination mode. When the reduced power signal is present, the filament heating circuit generates and provides a filament heating signal to the filaments, via the heating output. |
| US07952299B2 |
Control circuit and method for self-exciting capacitor charging circuit
A first voltage comparator makes a comparison between a first detection voltage that occurs at one terminal of a first resistor and a predetermined first threshold voltage. A second voltage comparator compares a second detection voltage that occurs at one terminal of a second resistor with a predetermined second threshold voltage. A logic unit generates a switching signal, the level of which is switched according to the output signals of the first voltage comparator and the second voltage comparator, and outputs the switching signal thus generated to the gate of a switching transistor. After a predetermined period of time elapses after the switching signal is switched to the level which turns off the switching transistor, an automatic restart circuit forcibly switches the switching signal to a level which switches the switching transistor to the ON state. |
| US07952290B2 |
Current-regulated light emitting device for vehicle use
A current-regulated light emitting device for vehicle use includes a light emitting unit and a current limiting unit. The current limiting unit includes first and second switches and first and second bias units. The first switch is for making and breaking an electrical circuit between the light emitting unit and an electric power source. The first bias unit is for causing the first switch to conduct so as to activate the light emitting unit when the first bias unit receives a drive voltage from the electric power source. The second bias unit is for causing the second switch to conduct when amount of current flowing through the first switch exceeds a predetermined threshold, thereby turning off the first switch to interrupt current flow through the light emitting unit. |
| US07952289B2 |
UV lamp system and associated method with improved magnetron control
An ultraviolet lamp system for irradiating a substrate includes a magnetron and a memory physically attached to the magnetron. An electrodeless lamp is configured to emit ultraviolet light when excited by microwave energy generated from the magnetron. Main control circuitry is operable to read and write operational data associated with the magnetron to the memory. The ultraviolet lamp system is operated by generating microwave energy from the magnetron. A plasma within an electrodeless lamp is excited with the microwave energy to emit ultraviolet light. Operational data associated with the magnetron is tracked and written to the memory associated with the magnetron. |
| US07952279B2 |
Light emitting display device, plasma display device and phosphor particles
A fluorescence particle 17 according to the present invention is used for a light emitting display device and is made of a fluorescent material. The fluorescent material has at least one element 18 selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Ca, Ba, Sr and Y. Within a range 17a from the surface 17s of the fluorescence particle through a depth of 20 nm, the at least one element 18 has a local maximum of its concentration profile in the depth direction. |
| US07952277B2 |
Plasma display panel
A PDP is proposed which has high emission efficiency and which can decrease address discharge voltage. In a column direction of at least one of transparent electrodes, which perform sustain discharge via respective discharge gaps of a pair of row electrodes and constituting a row electrode pair, is set to 150 μm or less, and partial pressure of xenon in discharge gas sealed in a discharge space is set to 6.67 kPa or more. A width of a scan electrode, which is one row electrode of each of the row electrode pair facing the column electrode and to which scan pulse is applied, is wider than a width of the other row electrode of the pair to which discharge sustain voltage is applied. |
| US07952274B2 |
Dial module and process for manufacturing the same, LED display element, display module, movement module, connector module and meter employing the same
The dial module includes: a sheet-shaped dial having a design part on a surface of the dial; a sheet-shaped light source fixed to a back surface of the dial for illuminating the design part; and a flexible printed circuit fixed to a back surface of the light source. The dial module thus constructed enables to reduce the number of components, to facilitate assembly of a meter which employs the dial module therein, to improve the productivity, and to reduce the cost. |
| US07952272B2 |
Electroluminescence element having metal particles dispersed in light scattering layer
In an EL element including a light emitting layer sandwiched between upper and lower electrodes, of light emitted therefrom, light totally reflected at a light emitting layer interface is not taken out, so there is a problem in that light emission efficiency reduces. Therefore, a light scattering layer in which metal particles are dispersed is provided between an electrode and the light emitting layer. According to such a structure, the light from the light emitting layer can be scattered by the metal particles and taken out, thereby improving the light emission efficiency. When plasmon is excited in the metal particles, light confined in the light emitting layer or each layer adjacent thereto can be used, thereby improving light use efficiency. |
| US07952266B2 |
White phosphor, light emission device including the same, and display device
A white phosphor, and a light emission device including the white phosphor, and a display device including the white phosphor, the white phosphor including 40 to 45 parts by weight of a blue phosphor selected from the group consisting of ZnS:(Ag,Cl), ZnS:(Ag,Al), ZnS:(Ag,Al,Cl), and combinations thereof; 30 to 40 parts by weight of a green phosphor selected from the group consisting of ZnS:(Cu,Al), ZnS:(Cu,Au,Al), and combinations thereof; and 20 to 25 parts by weight of a red phosphor selected from the group consisting of Y2O3:Eu, Y2O3:(Eu,Tb), Y2O2S:Eu, Y2O2S:(Eu,Tb), and combinations thereof. The white phosphor shows a color temperature of from 12,000K and 14,000K. |
| US07952265B2 |
Electron-emitting device and image display apparatus
An electron-emitting device, comprising:a pair of device electrodes formed on an insulating substrate; and a conductive film formed to connect the device electrodes and having an electron-emitting portion, wherein the conductive film has a thickness of 3 nm to 50 nm and is made of precious metal and oxide of base metal, a percentage of the base metal among metals contained in the conductive film is 30 mol % or more, and the conductive film has a concentration gradient of the oxide of the base metal in a thickness direction. |
| US07952261B2 |
Electroactive polymer transducers for sensory feedback applications
Electroactive polymer transducers for sensory feedback applications are disclosed. |
| US07952256B2 |
Ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic transducer fabrication method, and ultrasonic endoscope
An ultrasonic transducer according to the present invention includes: two or more ultrasonic transducer cells, each of which has a lower electrode, a first insulating layer placed on the lower electrode, a cavity placed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer placed on the cavity, and an upper electrode placed above the second insulating layer; channels which communicate the cavities with each other; the second insulating layer placed on the channels; holes formed in the second insulating layer placed on the channels; and sealing portions which seal the holes, where that part of the sealing portions which enters the channels is the same in cross-sectional shape as the holes. |
| US07952254B2 |
Stator of outer rotor type motor
A stator of an outer rotor type motor is provided. The stator may include a helical core having stacked layers formed by winding a single metal sheet having a predetermined shape in a helical direction, a base and teeth that protrude from the base. The stator may also include an insulator made of electrical insulation material that surrounds the helical core, recesses formed in the base of the helical core that reduce stress due to the winding of the single metal sheet and disposed under the teeth, and auxiliary recesses formed in a bottom of the recesses. |
| US07952253B2 |
Stator laminations for rotary actuator
A rotary actuator includes an outer enclosure having an inner diameter surrounding a hollow interior. A stack of stator laminations, each having a stator diameter greater than the inner diameter of the outer enclosure when in an unflexed state, are also included in the rotary actuator. Each of the stator laminations is configured to flex into a shape so as to be positionable within the outer enclosure and substantially conform to the inner diameter. The stator lamination thus forms a line-to-line fit with at least a portion of the outer enclosure to form an interface having a desirable reluctance. |
| US07952251B2 |
Systems and methods for shielding an electric machine
A method for reducing leakage currents in an electric machine is described. The method includes positioning a plurality of leakage current shields between windings and teeth of a stator, and coupling at least one of the plurality of leakage current shields to a reference point, wherein an electric potential at the reference point is not earth ground. |
| US07952250B2 |
Rotary electric machine with coil member and method of manufacturing coil member
In a rotary electric machine, a field coil member includes a first edgewise coil composed of a plurality of coaxially layered convolutions. The coaxially layered convolutions are wound around the outer periphery of the first pole core. The field coil member includes a second edgewise coil composed of a plurality of coaxially layered convolutions. The coaxially layered convolutions are wound around the outer periphery of the second pole core. The field coil member includes a link portion connecting between the first edgewise coil and the second edgewise coil in series. One of the first and second edgewise coils has one coil end extending therefrom to cross over the link portion at a crossover portion thereof. The crossover portion between the one coil end and the link portion is arranged to be non-overlapped with the convolutions of the one of the first and second edgewise coils. |
| US07952242B2 |
Rotary electric machine integrated with control device
A rotary electric machine integrated with a control device includes stator current switching circuit sections, each of which has a switching element disposed on a heat sink; a field current switching circuit section; a control circuit section which controls the stator current switching circuit sections and the field current switching circuit section; and a case which contains the stator current switching circuit sections and has suction holes each for a cooling air inflow, the heat sinks of three phases for the stator current switching circuit sections being disposed in a circumferential direction of the rotary electric machine. In the rotary electric machine, of the suction holes of the case, an area of the suction hole for the heat sink of the phase disposed in the midst is set to be larger than an area of the suction hole of other phase. |
| US07952241B2 |
Cooling fan built into rotor
A cooling fan includes a fan ring to be attached to an end surface of a rotor core near the outer circumference thereof, and a plurality of fins connected to the fan ring. The fan ring has positioning leg portions provided on an end surface thereof facing a thrust direction. The fan ring is positioned in relation to the rotor core through insertion of the positioning leg portions into core slots of the rotor core. The fan ring has wire accommodation recesses which are formed on the end surface of the fan ring facing the thrust direction and communicate with the core slots. |
| US07952240B2 |
Rotary electric machine
A rotary electric machine having a stator including a coil; and a cooling unit that cools a coil end of the coil, which projects in an axial direction of the stator, wherein the cooling unit includes: an outer periphery cooling portion that is disposed along an outer peripheral surface of the coil end and includes a plurality of injection holes that inject a cooling medium onto the outer peripheral surface; and an end surface cooling portion that is disposed along an axial end surface of the coil end and includes a plurality of injection holes that inject the cooling medium onto the axial end surface. |
| US07952234B2 |
Power supply circuit, power supply control circuit and power supply control method
A plurality of DC-DC converters are cascade-connected via a plurality of control signal lines which are used in common for start sequence control and stop sequence control. Each of the plurality of DC-DC converters is constituted including a sequence control circuit which commences a start operation along with activation of a control signal line on a previous stage side and activates a control signal line on a subsequent stage side along with completion of the start operation, and commences a stop operation along with deactivation of the control signal line on the subsequent stage side and deactivates the control signal line on the previous stage side along with completion of the stop operation. |
| US07952233B2 |
Lavatory system
A lavatory system having at least one wash station and at least one electrically operated fixture is disclosed. The lavatory system includes a control system for operating the at least one electrically operated fixture and a power supply system for powering the at least one electrically operated fixture. According to one embodiment, the power supply system includes a plurality of power sources and a switch device. The plurality of power sources are electrically coupled to each other and configured to provide an output voltage for powering the at least one fixture. The electrical coupling of the power sources is selectively adjustable between a first arrangement in which the power sources are electrically coupled to each other in parallel and a second arrangement in which the power sources are electrically coupled to each other in series. The first switch device configured to adjust the electrical coupling of the power sources between the first arrangement and the second arrangement. |
| US07952232B2 |
Wind turbine energy storage and frequency control
Commands are generated for controlling a state of charge of an energy storage device coupled between an energy source and an auxiliary load. Commands are also generated for providing from the energy storage device to the auxiliary load and for using power from the energy storage device for controlling a DC link voltage, energy source torque, grid side power flow, or combinations thereof. Commands may also be generated to provide frequency compatible power to auxiliary loads of the energy source. |
| US07952228B2 |
Power supply apparatus and electronic apparatus
A plurality of primary power supplies convert a primary power supply voltage into intermediate voltages. Secondary power supplies convert the intermediate voltages converted by the primary power supplies into supply voltages and output the same. A timing adjuster is inputted thereto plural sorts of power converted into the intermediate voltages from the plural primary power supplies to perform timing adjustment to absorb a difference in start timing between the plural primary power supplies, and causes the secondary power supplies to output the supply voltages. When the power is supplied from the plural power supplies to the load elements, stable power can be supplied to the load elements even if a difference in start time generates between the plural power supplies. |
| US07952221B2 |
Enhanced DC electric main engine start system
A starting system for aircraft engines employs power from multiple power sources. Each engine is started with a starter motor that is driven by the same multiple power sources which collectively provide starting power. As engine speed increases during each starting cycle a voltage boost is progressively provided by a boost converter. The starting system allows use of voltages higher than output voltage of the power sources while allowing the power sources to remain connected to a main aircraft power distribution bus. |
| US07952219B2 |
Hydroelectric pumped-storage
Hydroelectric pumped-storage includes monitoring electrical demand on a system over time. If the monitored demand exceeds a predetermined first value, fluid is allowed to flow substantially under the influence of gravity from a first aquifer to a second aquifer. Kinetic energy from the flowing fluid is converted into electrical energy. If the monitored demand drops below a predetermined second value, fluid from the second aquifer is moved to the first aquifer. |
| US07952217B2 |
Wind turbine, a method for controlling a wind turbine and use thereof
The invention relates to a wind turbine comprising a rotor including one or more pitchable blades, registration means for registering an idling power producing situation of the wind turbine in relation to a utility grid, detection means for detecting edgewise oscillations in one or more of the blades, and control means for controlling the pitch angle of one or more of the blades. The control means is adapted for changing the pitch angle of one or more of the blades when the registration means registers that the wind turbine is operating in an idling power producing situation and the detection means detects edgewise oscillations in one or more of the blades, hereby damping or eliminating the edgewise oscillations. The invention further relates to a method for controlling a wind turbine and use hereof. |
| US07952204B2 |
Semiconductor die packages with multiple integrated substrates, systems using the same, and methods using the same
An exemplary semiconductor die package is disclosed having one or more semiconductor dice disposed on a first substrate, one or more packaged electrical components disposed on a second substrate that is electrical coupled to the first substrate, and an electrically insulating material disposed over portions of the substrates. The first substrate may hold power-handling devices and may be specially constructed to dissipation heat and to facilitate fast and inexpensive manufacturing. The second substrate may hold packaged components of control circuitry for the power-handling devices, and may be specially constructed to enable fast and inexpensive wiring design and fast and inexpensive component assembly. The first substrate may be used with different designs of the second substrate. |
| US07952203B2 |
Methods of forming C4 round dimple metal stud bumps for fine pitch packaging applications and structures formed thereby
Methods of forming microelectronic device structures are described. Those methods may include forming a passivation layer on a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises an array of conductive structures, forming a first via in the passivation layer, forming a second via in the passivation layer that exposes at least one of the conductive structures in the array, and wherein the second via is formed within the first via space to form a step via, and forming a conductive material in the step via, wherein a round dimple is formed in the conductive material. |
| US07952202B2 |
Method of embedding passive component within via
A method of forming a device associated with a via includes forming an opening or via, and forming at least a pair of conducting paths within the via. Also disclosed is a via having at pair of conducting paths therein. |
| US07952200B2 |
Semiconductor device including a copolymer layer
A semiconductor device including a chip including an integrated circuit, a conductive layer, a copolymer layer and metal elements. The conductive layer is disposed over the chip and electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. The copolymer is disposed on the conductive layer. The metal elements are electrically coupled to the conductive layer via through-connects in the copolymer layer. |
| US07952196B1 |
Affordable high performance high frequency multichip module fabrication and apparatus
An interconnect assembly for use in high frequency applications includes an interconnect structure, a plurality of electronic die disposed on the interconnect structure, and an encapsulant at least partially surrounding the plurality of electronic die. The interconnect structure includes a plurality of layers. The interconnect assembly further includes a thermal management layer disposed within a portion of the encapsulant and proximate to the plurality of electronic die and a controlled impedance interconnect connected to the interconnect structure and extending to a peripheral surface of the interconnect assembly. |
| US07952194B2 |
Silicon interposer-based hybrid voltage regulator system for VLSI devices
A voltage regulation module and system for an integrated circuit die. The voltage regulation module includes an interposer situated in a stack between a substrate and the integrated circuit die. The interposer includes a hybrid array of voltage regulation elements for receiving voltage from the power supply and for down-converting the voltage from the power supply into a regulated voltage supplied to the integrated circuit die. The hybrid array of voltage regulation elements includes both high-bandwidth linear regulation elements for providing voltage regulation to areas on the integrated circuit die that intermittently demand relatively high current levels, and low-bandwidth switching regulator elements that are highly power efficient. |
| US07952193B2 |
Method and apparatus for deploying a liquid metal thermal interface for chip cooling
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for chip cooling. One embodiment of an inventive method for bonding a liquid metal to an interface surface (e.g., a surface of an integrated circuit chip or an opposing surface of a heat sink) includes applying an adhesive to the interface surface. A metal film is then bonded to the adhesive, thereby easily adapting the interface surface for bonding to the liquid metal. |
| US07952192B2 |
Melting temperature adjustable metal thermal interface materials and packaged semiconductors including thereof
A melting temperature adjustable metal thermal interface material (TIM) and a packaged semiconductor including thereof are provided. The metal TIM includes about 20-98 wt % of In, about 0.03-4 wt % of Ga, and at least one element of Bi, Sn, Ag and Zn. The metal TIM has an initial melting temperature between about 60-144° C. |
| US07952186B2 |
Semiconductor package land grid array substrate and plurality of first and second electrodes
A semiconductor package includes a bare chip which has a plurality of external electrodes, a land grid array substrate having an edge, a first surface and a second surface. The first surface includes a first portion apart from the edge and a second portion adjacent to the edge. The first portion of the first surface mounts the bare chip and is covered with a resin to seal the bare chip with the resin. The first portion of the first surface and the second surface includes a non-sealed region which is not covered with the resin. A plurality of first electrodes are arranged on the non-sealed region and connected to the external electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes are arranged on the second surface and connected to the external electrodes. |
| US07952185B2 |
Semiconductor device with hollow structure
A device comprising a chip, which is held in casting compound and on which a hollow structure is arranged is disclosed. |
| US07952183B2 |
High capacity memory with stacked layers
A element group includes a plurality of semiconductor elements stacked in a step-like shape on a wiring board. The semiconductor elements are electrically connect to connection pads of the wiring board through metal wires. Among the plural semiconductor elements stacked in a step-like shape, the uppermost semiconductor element has a thickness larger than that of the semiconductor element immediately below it. |
| US07952176B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes providing an integrated circuit having an active side and a non-active side; forming a channel through the integrated circuit; forming an indent, having a flange and an indent side, from a peripheral region of the non-active side; and forming a conformal interconnect, having an offset segment, a sloped segment, and a flange segment, under the indent. |
| US07952165B2 |
Heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) with self-aligned sub-lithographic metal-semiconductor alloy base contacts
A heterojunction bipolar transistor structure with self-aligned sub-lithographic extrinsic base region including a self-aligned metal-semiconductor alloy and self-aligned metal contacts made to the base is disclosed. The lateral dimension of the extrinsic base region is defined by the footprint of a sacrificial spacer, and its thickness is controlled by selective epitaxy. A self-aligned semiconductor-metal alloy and self-aligned metal contacts are made to the extrinsic base using a method compatible with conventional silicon processing. |
| US07952163B2 |
Nonvolatile memory devices that use resistance materials and internal electrodes, and related methods and processing systems
A nonvolatile memory device, a method of fabricating the nonvolatile memory device and a processing system including the nonvolatile memory device. The nonvolatile memory device may include a plurality of internal electrodes that extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a face of a substrate, a plurality of first external electrodes that extend substantially in parallel with the face of the substrate, and a plurality of second external electrodes that also extend substantially in parallel with the face of the substrate. Each first external electrode is on a first side of a respective one of the internal electrodes, and each second external electrode is on a second side of a respective one of the internal electrodes. These devices also include a plurality of variable resistors that contact the internal electrodes, the first external electrodes and the second external electrodes. |
| US07952160B2 |
Packaged voltage regulator and inductor array
Inductors packaged with a voltage regulator for an integrated circuit within the same package are deposited to a sufficient thickness to reduce resistance and improve the quality factor. Furthermore, the voltage regulator switches currents through the inductors at a relatively high frequency such that the overall size and inductances of the inductors may be reduced. As a consequence, integrating both the integrated circuits including a voltage regulator and associated inductor array in a single package is facilitated. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07952156B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and solid-state imaging device
A photoelectric conversion device comprising a photo-electric conversion part including a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and a photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein light is made incident from an upper part of the second electrode layer into the photoelectric conversion layer; the photoelectric conversion layer generates a charge containing an electron and a hole corresponding to the incident light from the upper part of the second electrode layer; and the first electrode layer works as an electrode for extracting the hole. |
| US07952144B2 |
Integration of a sense FET into a discrete power MOSFET
A semiconductor device includes a main field effect transistor (FET) and one or more sense FETs, and a common gate pad. The main FET and the one or more sense FETs are formed in a common substrate. The main FET and each of the sense FETs include a source terminal, a gate terminal and a drain terminal. The common gate pad connects the gate terminals of the main FET and the one or more sense FETs. An electrical isolation is disposed between the gate terminals of the main FET and the one or more sense FETs. Embodiments of this invention may be applied to both N-channel and P-channel MOSFET devices. |
| US07952143B2 |
Semiconductor device having IGBT and diode
A semiconductor device in which both an IGBT element region and a diode element region exist in the same semiconductor substrate includes a low lifetime region, which is formed in at least a part of a drift layer within the diode element region and shortens the lifetime of holes. A mean value of the lifetime of holes in the drift layer that includes the low lifetime region is shorter within the IGBT element region than within the diode element region. |
| US07952142B2 |
Variable width offset spacers for mixed signal and system on chip devices
MOSFET gate structures comprising multiple width offset spacers are provided. A first and a second gate structure are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A pair of first offset spacers are formed adjacent either side of the first gate structure. Each of the first offset spacers comprises a first silicon oxide layer with a first dielectric layer overlying. A pair of second offset spacers are formed adjacent either side of the second gate structure. Each of the second offset spacers comprises a second silicon oxide layer with a second dielectric layer overlying. Ion implanted doped regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent the first and second offset spacers respectively to form a first and second MOSFET device. A maximum width of each of the first offset spacers is different from that of the second offset spacers. The first silicon oxide layer is thinner than the second silicon oxide layer. |
| US07952141B2 |
Shield contacts in a shielded gate MOSFET
A semiconductor structure comprises an active region comprising trenches extending into a semiconductor region. Each trench includes a shield electrode and a gate electrode. The semiconductor structure also comprises a shield contact region adjacent to the active region. The shield contact region comprises at least one contact trench extending into the semiconductor region. The shield electrode from at least one of the trenches in the active region extends along a length of the contact trench. The semiconductor structure also comprises an interconnect layer extending over the active region and the shield contact region. In the active region the interconnect layer is isolated from the gate electrode in each trench by a dielectric layer and contacts mesa surfaces of the semiconductor region adjacent to the trenches. In the shield contact region the interconnect layer contacts the shield electrode and the mesa surfaces of the semiconductor region adjacent to the contact trench. |
| US07952140B2 |
Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices having multiple channel transistors and semiconductor devices fabricated thereby
In methods of fabricating a semiconductor device having multiple channel transistors and semiconductor devices fabricated thereby, the semiconductor device includes an isolation region disposed within a semiconductor substrate and defining a first region. A plurality of semiconductor pillars self-aligned with the first region and spaced apart from each other are disposed within the first region, and each of the semiconductor pillars has at least one recessed region therein. At least one gate structure may be disposed across the recessed regions, which crosses the semiconductor pillars and extends onto the isolation region. |
| US07952139B2 |
Enhancing Schottky breakdown voltage (BV) without affecting an integrated MOSFET-Schottky device layout
This invention discloses a semiconductor power device that includes an active cell area having a plurality of power transistor cells. Each of said power transistor cells has a planar Schottky diode that includes a Schottky junction barrier metal covering areas above gaps between separated body regions between two adjacent power transistor cells. The separated body regions further provide a function of adjusting a leakage current of said Schottky diode in each of said power transistor cells. Each of the planar Schottky diodes further includes a Shannon implant region disposed in a gap between the separated body regions of two adjacent power transistor cells for further adjusting a leakage current of said Schottky diode. Each of the power transistor cells further includes heavy body doped regions in the separated body regions next to source regions surrounding said Schottky diode forming a junction barrier Schottky (JBS) pocket region. |
| US07952137B2 |
Trench semiconductor device and method of making the same
A trench semiconductor device and a method of making the same are provided. The trench semiconductor device includes a trench MOS device and a trench ESD protection device. The trench ESD protection device is electrically connected between the gate electrode and source electrode of the trench MOS device so as to provide ESD protection. The fabrication of the ESD protection device is integrated into the process of the trench MOS device, and therefore no extra mask is required to define the doped regions of the trench ESD protection device. Consequently, the trench semiconductor device is advantageous for its simplified manufacturing process and low cost. |
| US07952136B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile semiconductor storage apparatus including: a substrate; a columnar semiconductor disposed perpendicular to the substrate; a charge storage laminated film disposed around the columnar semiconductor; a first conductor layer that is in contact with the charge storage laminated film and that has a first end portion having a first end face; a second conductor layer that is in contact with the charge storage laminated film, that is separated from the first conductor layer and that has a second end portion having a second end face; a first contact plug disposed on the first end face; and a second contact plug disposed on the second end face. |
| US07952133B2 |
Flash memory and method for manufacturing the same
Provided are a flash memory and a method for manufacturing the same. The flash memory includes a semiconductor substrate having a device isolation region and an active region; a stacked gate on the semiconductor substrate; an insulation layer covering the semiconductor substrate and the stacked gate; a drain contact penetrating the insulation layer on one side of the stacked gate; and a source line penetrating the insulation layer on an opposite side of the stacked gate. |
| US07952132B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including a stacked gate having a charge storage layer and a control gate, and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region, a charge storage layer, and a control gate electrode. The source region and drain region are formed separately from each other in a surface of a semiconductor substrate. The channel region is formed in the semiconductor substrate and located between the source region and the drain region. The charge storage layer is formed on the channel region with a first insulating film interposed therebetween. The control gate electrode is formed on the charge storage layer with a second insulating film interposed therebetween. The control gate has an upper corner portion rounded with a radius of curvature of 5 nm or more. |
| US07952127B2 |
Storage node of stack capacitor and fabrication method thereof
A storage node structure includes a substrate having thereon a conductive block region; an etching stop layer covering the conductive block region; a conductive layer penetrating the etching stop layer and electrically connecting the conductive block region; an annular shaped conductive spacer on sidewall of the conductive layer, wherein the annular shaped conductive spacer is disposed on the etching stop layer and wherein the annular shaped conductive spacer and the conductive layer constitute a storage node pedestal; and an upper node portion stacked on the storage node pedestal. |
| US07952124B2 |
Image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same
An image sensor and manufacturing method thereof are provided. An insulating layer having a wiring can be provided on a semiconductor substrate. A barrier wiring can be provided in the insulating layer between the wiring of a unit pixel and an adjacent wiring of an adjacent pixel. A device isolating pattern can be provided on the barrier wiring, and a lower electrode can be provided on the insulating layer and the wiring. A photodiode can be provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode can be provided on the photodiode. |
| US07952123B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and display device
A thin-film transistor substrate in which an aluminum alloy film composing a source/drain wiring is directly connected with a transparent electrode. The thin-film transistor substrate includes a gate wiring, and source wiring and drain wiring, the gate wiring and the source and drain wiring being arranged orthogonally to each other. The single-layer aluminum alloy film composing the gate wiring and the single-layer aluminum alloy film composing the source wiring and the drain wiring are the same in composition. Furthermore, display devices can be mounted with the above thin-film transistor substrates. |
| US07952121B2 |
Image sensor and sensor unit
An image sensor includes a charge storage portion for storing and transferring signal charges, a first electrode for forming an electric field storing the signal charges in the charge storage portion, a charge increasing portion for increasing the signal charges stored in the charge storage portion and a second electrode for forming another electric field increasing the signal charges in the charge increasing portion, wherein the quantity of the signal charges storable in the charge storage portion is not less than the quantity of the signal charges storable in the charge increasing portion. |
| US07952119B2 |
Semiconductor device and associated layout having three or more linear-shaped gate electrode level conductive segments of both equal length and equal pitch
A restricted layout region includes a diffusion level layout that includes a number of diffusion region layout shapes to be formed within a portion of a substrate of a semiconductor device. The diffusion region layout shapes define at least one p-type diffusion region and at least one n-type diffusion region. The restricted layout region includes a gate electrode level layout defined to pattern conductive features within a gate electrode level above the portion of the substrate. The gate electrode level layout includes rectangular-shaped layout features placed to extend in only a first parallel direction. Some of the rectangular-shaped layout features form gate electrodes of respective PMOS transistor devices, and some of the rectangular-shaped layout features form gate electrodes of respective NMOS transistor devices. A number of the PMOS transistor devices is equal to a number of the NMOS transistor devices in the restricted layout region of the semiconductor device. |
| US07952112B2 |
RGB thermal isolation substrate
A submount for red, green, and blue LEDs is described where the submount has thermally isolated trenches and/or holes in the submount so that the high heat generated by the green/blue AlInGaN LEDs is not conducted to the red AlInGaP LEDs. The submount contains conductors to interconnect the LEDs in a variety of configurations. In one embodiment, the AlInGaP LEDs are recessed in the submount so all LEDs have the same light exit plane. The submount may be used for LEDs generating other colors, such as yellow, amber, orange, and cyan. |
| US07952106B2 |
Light emitting diode device having uniform current distribution and method for forming the same
A semiconductor is disclosed. The semiconductor may include a transparent layer having a first surface. The semiconductor may further include a first doped layer formed over the first surface of the transparent layer. The first doped layer may have a plurality of first-type metal electrodes formed thereon. The semiconductor may further include a second doped layer formed over the first surface of the transparent layer. The second doped layer may have a plurality of second-type metal electrodes formed thereon. The semiconductor may also include an active layer formed over the first surface of the transparent layer and disposed between the first doped layer and the second doped layer. The first-type metal electrodes and the second-type metal electrodes may be alternately arranged and the distances between each first-type metal electrode and its adjacent second-type metal electrodes may be substantially equal. |
| US07952105B2 |
Light-emitting display device having improved efficiency
A light-emissive device includes a substrate having a first electrode formed on the substrate. A colloidal light-emitting layer comprising inorganic, light-emissive particles is formed over the first electrode. A second electrode is formed over the light-emitting layer. At least one of the first and second electrodes is transparent. The transparent electrode preferably has a refractive index substantially equal to or greater than the refractive index of the colloidal light-emitting layer. Finally, a light-scattering layer is formed on a side of the transparent electrode opposite the colloidal light-emitting layer. |
| US07952103B2 |
EL display device and method for manufacturing the same
An EL display device comprising pixels, each of the pixels comprises an EL element and a TFT, and a counter substrate. The counter substrate is provided with a light shielding film disposed in an area covering at least a space between two pixels and color filters having one of three different colors. |
| US07952102B2 |
Display device and manufacturing method thereof
In a display device which forms thin film transistors on a substrate, the thin film transistor includes an n-type thin film transistor and a p-type thin film transistor, a gate electrode of one thin film transistor out of the n-type thin film transistor and the p-type thin film transistor forms a metal layer made of a material different from the gate electrode on a gate-insulation-film side thereof, and an LDD layer is formed over a semiconductor layer of at least one of the n-type thin film transistor and the p-type thin film transistor. |
| US07952100B2 |
Semiconductor device
An object is to provide a semiconductor device in which damages of an element such as a transistor are reduced even when physical force such as bending is externally applied to generate stress in the semiconductor device. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor film including a channel formation region and an impurity region, which is provided over a substrate, a first conductive film provided over the channel formation region with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween, a first interlayer insulating film provided to cover the first conductive film, a second conductive film provided over the first interlayer insulating film so as to overlap with at least part of the impurity region, a second interlayer insulating film provided over the second conductive film, and a third conductive film provided over the second interlayer insulating film so as to be electrically connected to the impurity region through an opening. |
| US07952097B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
A method for improving the reliability and yield of a thin film transistor by controlling the crystallinity thereof. The method comprises the steps of forming a gate electrode on an island amorphous silicon film, injecting an impurity using the gate electrode as a mask, forming a coating film containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium so that it adheres to parts of the impurity regions, and annealing it at a temperature lower than the crystallization temperature of pure amorphous silicon to advance the crystallization starting therefrom and to crystallize the impurity regions and channel forming region. |
| US07952089B2 |
Composite material and light emitting element
An object of the invention is to provide a composite material with which a light emitting element can be manufactured to have superior heat resistance, and another is to have durability high enough to be driven stably for a long time. Another object is to provide a composite material with which a light emitting element can be manufactured to achieve both objects. Still another object is to provide a composite material with which a light emitting element can be manufactured to achieve the above objects and to have little increase in power consumption. One feature of a composite material of the invention which can achieve the above objects is to comprise an organic-inorganic hybrid material in which an organic group is covalently bonded to silicon in a skeleton composed of siloxane bonds, and a material which is capable of accepting or donating electrons from or to the organic group. |
| US07952087B2 |
Phase change device with offset contact
A programmable resistance memory combines multiple cells into a block that includes one or more shared electrodes. The shared electrode configuration provides additional thermal isolation for the active region of each memory cell, thereby reducing the current required to program each memory cell. |
| US07952085B2 |
Surface inspection apparatus and method thereof
The invention provides a surface inspection apparatus and a method for inspecting the surface of a sample that are capable of inspecting discriminatingly between the scratch of various configuration and the adhered foreign object that occur on the surface of a work target when the work target (for example, an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate) is subjected to polishing process such as CMP or grinding process in semiconductor manufacturing process or magnetic head manufacturing process. |
| US07952084B2 |
Radiation source and lithographic apparatus
A radiation source is configured to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation. The radiation source includes a plasma formation site located at a position in which a fuel is contacted by a beam of radiation to form a plasma, a collector constructed and arranged to collect extreme ultraviolet radiation formed at the plasma formation site and form an extreme ultraviolet radiation beam, and a contamination barrier. The contamination barrier includes a plurality of foils at least partially located between the plasma formation site and the collector, and a rotatable base operatively connected to the plurality of foils. The rotatable base is configured to allow the beam of radiation to pass through the contamination barrier to the plasma formation site. |
| US07952083B2 |
Ion beam system and machining method
An ion beam system includes a sample stage which holds a sample, an ion source which generates an ion beam so that the ion beam is extracted from the ion source along an extraction axis, an irradiation optical system having an irradiation axis along which the ion beam is irradiated toward the sample held on the sample stage, and a charged particle beam observation system for observing a surface of the sample which is machined by the irradiated ion beam. The extraction axis along which the ion beam is extracted from the ion source and the irradiation axis along which the sample is irradiated are inclined with respect to one another. |
| US07952074B2 |
Method and apparatus for inspecting integrated circuit pattern
A circuit pattern inspection method and an apparatus therefore, in which the whole of a portion to be inspected of a sample to be inspected is made to be in a predetermined changed state, the portion to be inspected is irradiated with an image-forming high-density electron beam while scanning the electron beam, secondary charged particles are detected at a portion irradiated with the electron beam after a predetermined period of time from an instance when the electron beam is irradiated, an image is formed on the basis of the thus detected secondary charged particle signal, and the portion to be inspected is inspected by using the thus formed image. |
| US07952071B2 |
Apparatus and method for inspecting sample surface
Provided is a defect inspection apparatus and an inspection (or evaluation) method with highly improved accuracy, which would not be provided by the prior art, in the defect inspection apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.Provided is a method for inspecting a sample surface with a projection type electron beam inspection apparatus, comprising the steps of: forming such an irradiation area on the sample surface by an electron beam generated from an electron gun 21 that has approximately a circular or elliptical shape of a size larger than a pattern on the sample surface; irradiating the electron beam substantially onto a center of the pattern on the sample surface; and forming an image on an electron detection plane of a detector from secondary electrons emanating from the sample surface in response to the irradiation of the electron beam for inspecting the sample surface. |
| US07952069B2 |
Mass spectrometer and mass spectrometry method
A mass spectrometer includes an ionization chamber, a temperature control unit which controls the temperature in the ionization chamber to vaporize a sample in at least one of solid and liquid state in the ionization chamber, an introduction unit which introduces the sample into the ionization chamber, an ion supply unit which supplies ions to the ionization chamber to ionize, in the ionization chamber, the sample vaporized in the ionization chamber, and a mass analyzer which measures the mass of the molecules of the ionized sample. |
| US07952062B2 |
Dynamically configurable multiple wavelength photodetector array for optical storage applications
A photodetector integrated circuit (PDIC) capable of being used with at least two different types of optical discs includes a photodetector (PD) array and a switch matrix. The PD array includes a center channel PD and a side channel PD electrically isolated from the center channel PD. The switch matrix, which includes a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, can be selectively configured in a plurality of different switch configurations. The side channel PD includes a plurality of electrically isolated PD sections. Each electrically isolated PD section of the side channel PD is adapted to detect light and provide an electrical output signal, indicative of the light detected by the PD section, to a different one of the inputs of the switch matrix. The switch matrix is adapted to combine the electrical output signals provided by the electrically isolated PD sections of the side channel PD in a plurality of different manners, in dependence on which of the plurality of different switch configurations is selected. |
| US07952061B2 |
Electromagnetic device with integral/non-linear component
An optical antenna assembly including multiple optical antenna elements, each of the optical antenna elements are arranged in a regular pattern and carried by a supporting body. The regular pattern of the plurality of optical antenna elements is nonuniform. Certain ones of the optical antenna elements are configured to respond to the one or more waves of light. |
| US07952060B2 |
Pixel circuit having flip-flop with inverter and feedback transistor, electro-optical device having said pixel circuit, and electronic apparatus having said electro-optical device
A pixel circuit includes a pixel electrode, a pixel transistor of a first conduction type, and a flip-flop. The pixel transistor has a control node connected to a scanning line, a first node connected to a data line, and a second node. The flip-flop has an inverter and a feedback transistor of a second conduction type opposite to the first conduction type. The inverter has an input node connected to the second node of the pixel transistor, and an output node connected to the pixel electrode. The feedback transistor is controlled to be turned on or off in accordance with an output of the inverter for supplying a high-level power source voltage or a low-level power source voltage to a common connection point of the second node of the pixel transistor and the input node of the inverter, in the ON state. |
| US07952057B2 |
Reflective surface for solar energy collector
Concentrating solar collector systems that utilize a concentrating reflector to direct incident solar radiation to a solar receiver are described. In one aspect, the reflective surface is arranged to direct light to the receiver in a non-imaging manner in which the solar rays reflected from the opposing edges of the reflective surface are generally directed towards a central portion of the solar receiver. Rays reflected from selected central portions of the reflective surface are directed closer to the edges of the receiver than the solar rays reflected from the edges of the reflective surface. The described reflectors are generally intended for use in solar collector systems that track movements of the sun along at least one axis. |
| US07952055B2 |
Methods and apparatus for deploying control surfaces sequentially
Methods and apparatus for deploying control surfaces generally comprise a fin deployment system for projectiles. The fin deployment system is used to control the timing of the control surface deployment. In one embodiment, the deployment system comprises a clip that is configured to react the biasing force of one control surface against another in order to maintain the control surfaces in a non-deployed state until at least one control surface is able to overcome the retention force of the clip, thus beginning a chain reaction in which all of the control surfaces deploy sequentially. |
| US07952054B2 |
Heating element
There is disclosed a heating element 10 comprising: at least a heat-resistant base member 1; a conductive layer 3 having a heater pattern 3a formed on the heat-resistant base member; a protection layer 4 with an insulating property formed on the conductive layer; and a corrosion-resistant layer 4p that is an oxide having an oxygen amount of stoichiometric ratio or less formed on the protection layer. There can be provided a heating element in which a corrosion-resistant layer whose resistivity or hardness is controlled is formed on a protection layer and through which the corrosive gas is difficult to be transmitted even under an environment of a high temperature and a corrosive gas and by which degradation due to corrosion of a conductive layer, particularly, a power-supply-terminal portion can be avoided and additionally which can fulfill a high function as an electrostatic chuck even when having a chuck pattern and which has a long operation life and is capable of being produced at a low cost. |
| US07952053B2 |
Mirrored styling iron
A device for enhancing vision for a hair curling iron for conventional curling iron of the general type having clamping members, two heating members, two bases and two styling members wherein the improvement comprises a mirror element attached to one of the bases. In another embodiment, a styling iron comprising an upper body having inner and outer surfaces, an upper cover attached to the upper body, a heating element between the upper cover and the inner surface, a lower body operationally attached to the upper body, the lower body having inner and outer surfaces, a lower cover attached to the lower body, a second heating element between the lower cover and the inner surface of the lower body, and a mirror attached to the outer surface of the upper body. Moreover, the styling iron may further comprise an insulating element between the heating element and the mirror. |
| US07952051B2 |
Electronic polarity reversing switch for a multi-process welding power source
A system and method, in certain embodiments, sets an output polarity based on a selected process. The system and method may be used to operate a variety of equipment, such as welders, cutters, tools and so forth. In some embodiments, the system and method may include receiving an input signal and configuring circuitry to output power with a given polarity based on the input signal. |
| US07952049B2 |
Method for multi-step temperature control of a substrate
A method of changing the temperature of a substrate during processing of the substrate includes providing the substrate on a substrate holder, the substrate holder including a temperature controlled substrate support for supporting the substrate, a temperature controlled base support for supporting the substrate support and a thermal insulator interposed between the temperature controlled substrate support and the temperature controlled base support. The method further includes setting the temperature of the base support to a first base temperature corresponding to a first processing temperature of said substrate, setting the substrate support to a first support temperature corresponding to said first processing temperature of said substrate, setting the temperature of the base support to a second base temperature corresponding to a second processing temperature of said substrate, and setting the substrate support to a second support temperature corresponding to said second processing temperature of said substrate. |
| US07952047B2 |
Feedback enhanced plasma spray tool
An improved automatic feedback control scheme enhances plasma spraying of powdered material through reduction of process variability and providing better ability to engineer coating structure. The present inventors discovered that controlling centroid position of the spatial distribution along with other output parameters, such as particle temperature, particle velocity, and molten mass flux rate, vastly increases control over the sprayed coating structure, including vertical and horizontal cracks, voids, and porosity. It also allows improved control over graded layers or compositionally varying layers of material, reduces variations, including variation in coating thickness, and allows increasing deposition rate. Various measurement and system control schemes are provided. |
| US07952045B2 |
Material piece scooping device
A material piece scooping device, which extracts a material piece from a surface of an object to be scooped by cutting electric discharges between an electric discharge electrode and the object to be scooped, includes a rotation drive section 40, an arm portion 30 driven by the rotation drive section to rotate around a rotational axis X, an electrode holder 20 supported by the arm portion, and an electric discharge electrode 10 detachably mounted on the electrode holder. A sliding section for sliding the arm portion in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis and an arm length adjusting section for adjusting a length of the arm portion from the rotational axis thereof are provided, so as to adjust a trajectory of the electric discharge electrode as the arm portion rotates. The material piece can be scooped from the object along a line of the trajectory gnawing into the object. |
| US07952044B2 |
Rocker switch and actuator subassembly therefor
An actuator subassembly is provided for a rocker switch including a housing, a plunger and a number of contact elements. The actuator subassembly includes an operating member movably coupled to the rocker switch housing at or about an opening, and including at least one projection which extends into a cavity of the housing. A sub-actuator is removably coupled to such projection and includes a shaped portion, a number of contacting portions and a depth. The shaped portion cooperates with a plunger to provide a plurality of operating characteristics of the operating member, including a plurality of positions thereof. Each contacting portion contacts a corresponding one of the contact elements when the operating member is disposed in a corresponding one of the positions. When the actuator subassembly is coupled to the housing, the depth of the sub-actuator occupies less than one-third of the width of the cavity. |
| US07952040B2 |
Inhibitor switch and manufacturing method thereof
An inhibitor switch for detecting a shift position of a select lever is provided with: a terminal block fixed in a transmission case of an automatic transmission; a contact plate provided in the terminal block; an operating portion configured to cooperatively move with the select lever and to move along the contact plate; a movable contact formed on the operating portion and configured to slide on the contact plate to form an electric circuit according to a contact position between the contact plate and the movable contact; at least one disconnecting portion formed in the contact plate and cut at a plurality of positions after the contact plate is provided in the terminal block for interrupting electrical conduction; and at least one set of a plurality of disconnecting holes for cutting the disconnecting portion and formed in the terminal block by primary molding. The disconnecting holes respectively correspond to the plurality of positions at which the disconnecting portion is cut. The plurality of disconnecting holes are sealed by secondary molding after the disconnecting portion is cut. |
| US07952038B1 |
Two-stage switch apparatus
A two-stage switch apparatus includes: a PCB including first and second electrodes; a conductive dome disposed on the PCB; an insulating film covering a surface of the conductive dome on a side opposite to the PCB, and third and fourth electrodes above the conductive dome; and a button actuator provided over a side of the insulating film, which is opposite the PCB. The button actuator includes a conductive elastic body protruding to the side of the insulating film at positions corresponding to both the third and fourth electrodes. An analog portion is formed by the conductive elastic body, the third electrode and the fourth electrode, when the conductive elastic body contacts both the third and fourth electrodes. A digital portion is formed by the conductive dome and the second electrode, when the button actuator is pressed and the conductive dome is indented. |
| US07952027B2 |
Cable management system
A device for managing a plurality of cables in a multi-cable environment includes a stationary member having a plurality of stationary channel portions. At least one movable member is movably secured to the stationary member. The at least one movable member has a plurality of movable channel portions corresponding in number and general configuration to the plurality of stationary channel portions. A plurality of indicia-bearing areas are provided, corresponding in number, and adjacent, to the plurality of stationary channel portions. The at least one moveable member is moveable between a cable placement position in which cables can be placed in the respective stationary channel portions, and a cable retaining position in which the cables are secured in channels formed by the cooperation of the stationary channel portions and the movable channel portions. |
| US07952024B2 |
U-turn bus bar
A U-turn bus bar comprises a body portion constituting a linear essential part formed of a conductive plate member, having an overall thickness (t) and an overall width (2b); at least a terminal portion expanded in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the body portion; and a connection hole formed at one end of the body portion. The body portion includes a U-turn bend formed by bending the body portion into a U-turn shape. |
| US07952017B2 |
Multifocal light concentrator for a device for the conversion of radiation, and in particular for the conversion of solar radiation into electrical, thermal or chemical energy
A light concentrator is described, for a device for the conversion of solar radiation into electrical, thermal or chemical energy, capable of conveying the radiation towards a surface of the conversion device. The concentrator comprises at least one portion of Fresnel lens of rotational symmetry, one face of which has a plurality of crests disposed concentrically about a center so as to form a segmented transverse profile of the portion of Fresnel lens. The profile is formed in such a manner that the focal distance of the Fresnel lens is variable in dependence on the radial distance from the center of the lens. The variation of the focal distance is determined such that, when the Fresnel lens is illuminated by polychromatic radiation, the superposition of the distributions of irradiance, produced by the lens at the individual wavelengths constituting the spectrum of the incident radiation, generates a substantially uniform distribution of polychromatic irradiance on the conversion device. |
| US07952016B2 |
Photovoltaic module comprising a terminal box attached to the rear surface
This invention provides a photovoltaic module for preventing insulation failure between an outer frame and connection leads. The photovoltaic module comprises: a photovoltaic submodule including a plurality of solar cells interposed between two light-transmitting substrates through the intermediary of an encapsulant and the connection leads extending from an edge between light-transmitting substrates and outputting generated electric currents; a terminal box attached near an edge of the photovoltaic submodule and housing connected parts between the connection leads and cables for outputting the electric currents to the outside; and an outer frame fitting over peripheral edges of the photovoltaic submodule. A side, of the light-receiving side light-transmitting substrate, from which the connection leads are pulled out, is made large so as to extend outward further than the other light-transmitting substrate. The connection leads are led out from the edge between the two light-transmitting substrates to be guided into the terminal box. |
| US07952015B2 |
Pb-Te-compounds doped with tin-antimony-tellurides for thermoelectric generators or peltier arrangements
The invention relates to a thermoelectrically active p- or n-conductive semiconductor material constituted by a compound of the general formula (I) (PbTe)1−x(Sn2±ySb2±zTe5)x (I) with 0.0001≦x≦0.5, 0≦y<2 and 0≦z<2, wherein 0 to 10% by weight of the compound may be replaced by other metals or metal compounds, wherein the semiconductor material has a Seebeck coefficient of at least |S|≧60 μV/K at a temperature of 25° C. and electrical conductivity of at least 150 S/cm and power factor of at least 5 μW/(cm·K2), further relates to a process for the preparation of such semiconductor materials, as well as to generators and Peltier arrangements containing them. |
| US07952014B2 |
Digital guitar system
A digital guitar system and method includes a digital guitar and a digital guitar interface device, and a method of converting a conventional guitar into a digital guitar. The guitar is adapted to generate analog audio signals, convert those signals into digital signals, format the digital signals according to a digital communication protocol, and to output the formatted signals. The guitar may include a novel multi-signal guitar pickup that generates some of the analog audio signals. The guitar is further adapted to receive digital signals, convert those signals into analog signals, and output the analog signals. The interface device is adapted to receive digital signals, convert those signals into analog signals, and output the analog signals. |
| US07952013B2 |
Contents reproducer and reproduction method for selecting content to be reproduced based on a moving tempo and tempo informaiton for the content
Content is selected on the basis of changes of a walking tempo. The walking tempo is detected (S5). In a state determination process (S7), it is determined whether the walking tempo tends to increase, be constant, or decrease. A walking tempo corrective coefficient is calculated on the basis of the determined result and a corrective walking tempo is calculated with the walking tempo corrective coefficient (S9). It is determined whether or not music is changed on the basis of the corrective walking tempo rather than the actually detected walking tempo (S11). When music is changed, relevant music content is searched. Controls are performed in such a manner that when the walking tempo is decreasing, the foregoing state is kept for a while, when the walking tempo is increasing, music is quickly selected according to the increase of the walking tempo, and when the walking tempo is stable, music is not selected. |
| US07952012B2 |
Adjusting a variable tempo of an audio file independent of a global tempo using a digital audio workstation
A computer implemented method allows a DAW to adjust a variable tempo of an audio file independent of a global tempo. The method includes causing the display of a musical arrangement having a global tempo. The musical arrangement includes an audio file having a variable tempo which is independent of the global tempo. The method includes adjusting the variable tempo of the audio file, wherein the variable tempo begins at an initial tempo and adjusts to an end tempo over a set length of time. The method can also include outputting the audio file having the variable tempo in response to a command to play the musical arrangement. |
| US07952010B2 |
Structure of a key
A keyboard device has a plurality of keys, each key having a support base where one end of each key is supported and is arranged to allow for movement, and a plate that hides the surface of the base. The keys are created with ultrasonic welding once the base and the plate merge. Thus, it is possible to weld while merging the base and the plate together, because the base and the plate are connected by ultrasonic welding. Compared to pasting the two together using traditional adhesives, it is possible to have the base securely bound to the plate. It is then possible to have performers use the device for an extended period of time. The result is the ability to curb the chances of the base and the plate becoming loose. |
| US07952007B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH544603
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH544603. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH544603, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH544603 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH544603. |
| US07952005B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH677070
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH677070. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH677070, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH677070 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH677070. |
| US07952004B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH127588
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH127588. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH127588, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH127588 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH127588. |
| US07952003B1 |
Maize variety PHEDV
A novel maize variety designated PHEDV and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHEDV with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHEDV 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 PHEDV or a trait conversion of PHEDV with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHEDV, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHEDV and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods. |
| US07952000B1 |
Soybean cultivar S07-02JR407076
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar S07-02JR407076 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar S07-02JR407076 and its progeny, and methods of making S07-02JR407076. |
| US07951995B2 |
Soybean event 3560.4.3.5 and compositions and methods for the identification and detection thereof
Compositions and methods related to transgenic glyphosate/ALS inhibitor-tolerant soybean plants are provided. Specifically, soybean plants having a 3560.4.3.5 event which imparts tolerance to glyphosate and at least one ALS-inhibiting herbicide are provided. The soybean plant harboring the 3560.4.3.5 event at the recited chromosomal location comprises genomic/transgene junctions having at least the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:10 and/or 11. The characterization of the genomic insertion site of the 3560.4.3.5 event provides for an enhanced breeding efficiency and enables the use of molecular markers to track the transgene insert in the breeding populations and progeny thereof. Various methods and compositions for the identification, detection, and use of the soybean 3560.4.3.5 events are provided. |
| US07951994B2 |
Desaturase enzymes
We describe transgenic cells transformed with nucleic acid molecules which encode enzymes with desaturase activity and the use of these cells and enzymes in biocatalysis. |
| US07951990B2 |
Method and means for determining fitness in plants
The present invention provides methods and means for determining parent inbred plant lines with good combining ability, for determining good combinations of parent inbred plant lines capable of yielding hybrid lines with high heterosis, and further for determining the agronomical performance of different plant lines, which can be performed in vitro by determining the electron flow in the mitochondria under control and stress conditions. |
| US07951985B2 |
Production of aromatics from methane
In a process for converting methane to aromatic hydrocarbons, a feed containing methane is contacted with a dehydrocyclization catalyst in a reaction zone under conditions effective to convert the methane to aromatic hydrocarbons. The reaction zone is contained within a reactor and the reactor or an internal component of the reactor has at least one surface that is chemically exposed to the feed and is formed from a refractory material that exhibits a carbon uptake (mass of carbon absorbed per unit of exposed metal surface area) of less than 25 g/m2 when exposed to mixture of 50 vol % methane and 50 vol % H2 at 900° C. for 168 hours. |
| US07951980B2 |
Process and apparatus for the recovery of ethylene glycol in the production of polyethylene terephthalate
A method and apparatus are disclosed for the recovery of ethylene glycol in a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) production process, in which water accumulating in the esterification reaction is mixed with a process fluid containing 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane (MDO). The mixing is carried out in a tank arranged upstream of a rectification column. Through the increase in the water content in the fluid, a shift in the reaction equilibrium takes place and consequently a cleavage of the 2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane present into ethylene glycol and acetaldehyde takes place. Following the cleavage reaction, the mixture is fed from the tank into a rectification column, whereby the ethylene glycol produced from the cleavage reaction is returned to the PET production process. |
| US07951977B2 |
Process for producing hexahydrofurofuranol derivative
The present invention provides; a process for producing a compound (IV) comprising a step of reacting a compound (I) with a compound (II) in the presence of an optionally substituted cyclic secondary amine to obtain a compound (III) and a step of sequentially or simultaneously eliminating R1 and R2 from the compound (III), and then cyclizing the R1- and R2-eliminated compound to obtain the compound represented by the formula (IV); a process for producing a high purity compound (IV); an intermediate thereof; and a process for producing an intermediate. |
| US07951968B2 |
Metal-containing compound and use thereof
A compound having two or more thiol groups and an atom selected from metal atoms in a molecule, a polythiol composition containing such a compound, a polymerizable composition containing such a polythiol composition, a resin obtained by polymerization of such a polymerizable composition, and an optical component obtained from such a resin are provided. The polymerizable composition can be a raw material for a resin having high transparency, good heat resistance and mechanical strength required for optical components such as plastic lenses and the like, while attaining a high refractive index (nd) exceeding 1.7. |
| US07951967B2 |
Method and apparatus for preparing fatty acid alkyl ester using fatty acid
A method and an apparatus for preparing fatty acid alkyl ester for bio-diesels are disclosed, wherein fatty acid, specifically fatty acid distillate reacts with alcohol, without a catalyst. The method does not require the purification process of the catalyst and glycerin, and has the superior conversion ratio of fatty acid. The method for preparing fatty acid alkyl ester for bio-diesel fuels comprises the step of esterifying fatty acid raw material with alcohol, under a temperature of 200 to 350° C. and a pressure of atmospheric pressure to 10 bar. The apparatus for preparing fatty acid alkyl ester for bio-diesel fuels, comprises: the first reactor for esterifying fatty acid raw material with alcohol under a temperature of 200° C. to 350° C. and a pressure of atmospheric pressure to 10 bar and for converting 80 to 90% of total fatty acid into fatty acid alkyl ester; and the second reactor for converting remaining fatty acid unconverted at the first reactor into fatty acid alkyl ester. |
| US07951964B2 |
Fluorine-containing boronic acid ester compound and method for producing the same
A fluorine-containing boronic acid ester compound (R1: a linear or branched divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atom, m: 1 to 5, and n: 3 to 7) having a low melting point is produced by reacting a 3,5-dihalogeno fluorine-containing phenol derivative with a dialkoxyborane The fluorine-containing boronic acid ester compound is highly soluble in organic solvents and has a low melting point. The fluorine-containing boronic acid ester compound can suitably be used as a starting material for the production of conjugated polymer materials or as a curing agent for elastomeric polymer materials. |
| US07951962B2 |
Organic semiconductor compound, organic semiconductor thin film, organic semiconductor coating liquid, organic thin film transistor, methods for producing bis(benzo[4,5] thieno)[2,3-B:3′2′-E][1,4]dithin and bis(benzo [4,5]thieno)[2,3-B:2′3′-E][1,4]dithiin
An organic semiconductor compound is represented by a general formula 1: wherein A and B each are an aromatic ring with a conjugated electron system and X and Y each are DR2, ER or G in which D denotes any of C, Si, Ge and Sn, E denotes any of N, P, As and Bi, G denotes any of O, S, Se and Te and R denotes any of H, an alkyl group and an aryl group. |
| US07951961B2 |
Enantioselective synthesis of pyrrolidines substituted with flavones, and intermediates thereof
The present invention relates to an enantioselective synthesis of (+)-trans enantiomer of pyrrolidines substituted with flavones, represented by Formula 1 or salts thereof, which are inhibitors of cyclin dependant kinases and can be used for treatment of proliferative disorders such as cancer wherein Ar has the meaning as indicated in the claims. |
| US07951937B2 |
Process for purification of trichlorogalactosucrose based on direct extraction in organic solvent from reaction mixture followed by evaporative removal of solvent
A process of azeotropic removal of dimethylformamide, abbreviated as DMF, from a process stream containing DMF requiring its removal, is described wherein the said Process Stream being obtained in a process for preparation of 4,1′,6′ trichlorogalactosucrose, abbreviated as TGS, or TGS-6-ester including TGS-6-acetate or TGS-6-benzoate, comprising steps of (a) evaporation of the said process stream under reduced pressure to a concentrate to effect removal of a part of DMF azeotropically, (b) diluting the concentrate obtained at the end of step (a.) of this claim with water, preferably to about 5 to 10 times the volume of the said concentrate, and (c) repeating the cycles of evaporation under reduced pressure and dilution with water for more number of times until content of DMF in the concentrated mass is reduced to 0.5% or less of the concentrate. |
| US07951933B2 |
CD38 splice variants and uses thereof
The invention provides for a substantially purified polypeptide referred to herein as CD38JL that is a CD38 splice variant comprised of the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof. The invention also provides methods for treating preventing and diagnosing disorders associated with expression of CD38JL. |
| US07951932B2 |
Probe, probe set, probe carrier, and testing method
A probe, a set of probes, and a probe carrier on which the probe or the set of probes is immobilized, are provided for classification of fungus species. The probe or the set of probes is capable of collectively detecting fungus of the same species and distinguishingly detecting those fungus from fungus of other species. The probe is an oligonucleotide probe for detecting a pathogenic fungus DNA and includes at least one of base sequences of SEQ ID NOS. 1 to 3 and mutated sequences thereof. |
| US07951928B2 |
Gene encoding a protein and preventive/remedy for neurodegenerative diseases such as polyglutamine diseases by utilizing the same
To provide a novel protein that can be a preventive/remedy in neurodegenerative diseases such as polyglutamine diseases based on the finding obtained by revealing the relationship between transcriptional dysfunction and neuronal death. Disclosed is a protein that is one of the following proteins (a) and (b). (a) A protein including an amino acid sequence represented by any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 3. (b) A protein including an amino acid sequence in which one to several amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of (a), the protein having a dominant negative effect on a transcriptional activation factor YAP. |
| US07951927B2 |
Reconstructed human mariner transposon capable of stable gene transfer into chromosomes in vertebrates
The present invention refers to a gene transfer system for stably introducing nucleic acid(s) into the DNA of a cell by using a member of the human mariner transposases. The invention further refers to this transposase and to transposons used in the inventive gene transfer system, comprising a nucleic acid sequence with flanking repeats (IRs and/or IR/DRs). Furthermore, applications of this gene transfer system are also disclosed such as gene therapy, insertional mutagenesis, gene discovery (including genome mapping), mobilization of genes, library screening, or functional analysis of genomes in vivo and in vitro. Finally, pharmaceutical compositions and kits are also encompassed. |
| US07951925B2 |
Methods and compositions for gene inactivation
Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for inactivating CCR-5 genes, using zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) comprising a zinc finger protein and a cleavage domain or cleavage half-domain. Polynucleotides encoding ZFNs, vectors comprising polynucleotides encoding ZFNs, such as adenovirus (Ad) vectors, and cells comprising polynucleotides encoding ZFNs and/or cells comprising ZFNs are also provided. |
| US07951920B2 |
Conjugate of an antibody against CCR5 and an antifusogenic peptide
The current invention is related to a conjugate comprising one or more antifusogenic peptides and an anti-CCR5 antibody (mAb CCR5) characterized in that one to eight antifusogenic peptides are each conjugated to one terminus of the heavy and/or light chains of the anti-CCR5 antibody and to the pharmaceutical use of the conjugate. |
| US07951918B2 |
Stabilized polypeptide compositions
The invention is based, at least in part, on the development of stabilized binding molecules that consist of or comprise a stabilized scFv and methods for making such stabilized molecules. |
| US07951912B2 |
Poly-β-peptides from functionalized β-lactam monomers and antibacterial compositions containing same
Disclosed is a method of making β-polypeptides. The method includes polymerizing β-lactam-containing monomers in the presence of a base initiator and a co-initiator which is not a metal-containing molecule to yield the product β-polypeptides. Specifically disclosed are methods wherein the base initiator is potassium t-butoxide, lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (LiN(TMS)2), potassium bis(trimethyl-silyl)amide, and sodium ethoxide, and the reaction is carried out in a solvent such as chloroform, dichloromethane, dimethylsulfoxide, or tetrahydrofuran. |
| US07951909B2 |
Immunogenic peptide composition comprising a promiscuous helper T cell epitope and an N-terminal fragment of Aβ1-42 peptide
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a peptide immunogen useful for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. More particularly, the peptide immunogen comprises a main functional/regulatory site, an N-terminal fragment of Amyloid β (Aβ) peptide linked to a helper T cell epitope (Th) having multiple class II MHC binding motifs. The peptide immunogen elicits a site-directed immune response against the main functional/regulatory site of the Aβ peptide and generate antibodies, which are highly cross-reactive to the soluble Aβ1-42 peptide and the amyloid plaques formed in the brain of Alzheimer's Disease patients. The antibodies elicited being cross reactive to the soluble Aβ1-42 peptide, promote fibril disaggregation and inhibit fibrillar aggregation leading to immunoneutralization of the “soluble Aβ-derived toxins”; and being cross-reactive to the amyloid plaques, accelerate the clearance of these plaques from the brain. Thus, the composition of the invention comprising the peptide immunogen is useful for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. |
| US07951907B2 |
Circovirus sequences associated with piglet weight loss disease (PWD)
The genome sequences and the nucleotide sequences coding for the PWD circovirus polypeptides, such as the circovirus structural and non-structural polypeptides, vectors including the sequences, and cells and animals transformed by the vectors are provided. Methods for detecting the nucleic acids or polypeptides, and kits for diagnosing infection by a PWD circovirus, also are provided. Method for selecting compounds capable of modulating the viral infection is further provided. Pharmaceutical, including vaccines, compositions for preventing and/or treating viral infections caused by PWD circovirus and the use of vectors for preventing and/or treating diseases also are provided. |
| US07951906B2 |
Compounds capable of interacting with a cell-surface fibroblast growth factor receptor
The present invention relates to a method for modulating the interaction between at least two proteins, wherein at least one of the two proteins is a functional cell-surface receptor and the other protein is the receptor ligand. The invention features a binding site of said functional cell-surface receptor on the receptor ligand and discloses a series of amino acid sequences, which are part of the structure of said binding site and/or involved in the interaction between the receptor and the ligand. Moreover, the present invention features methods for molecular design and screening of a candidate compound capable of modulating the interaction between the functional cell-surface receptor and receptor ligand through the described binding site, and provides a screening assay for identification of such a compound. The invention further describes an antibody capable of binding to the above binding site and/or to an epitope comprising an amino acid sequence essential for executing the receptor ligand interaction through said binding site. The invention also concerns a variety of uses of the disclosed methods, peptide sequences and antibodies. The invention in preferred embodiments concerns the binding site of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) on FGFR ligands, compounds capable of modulating the receptor ligand interaction through said binding site, and antibody capable of recognition of said binding site. |
| US07951899B2 |
Enzyme-catalyzed polycarbonate and polycarbonate ester synthesis
An enzymatic process for preparing aliphatic polycarbonates via terpolymerization or transesterification using a dialkyl carbonate, an aliphatic diester, and an aliphatic diol or triol reactant. A catalyst having an enzyme capable of catalyzing an ester hydrolysis reaction in an aqueous environment is subsequently added to the reaction mixture. Next, polymerization of the reaction proceeds for an allotted time at a temperature ≦100° C. Finally, the copolymer is isolated from an the catalyst via filtration. |
| US07951898B2 |
Biodegradable polyketal polymers and methods for their formation and use
The present invention relates to biodegradable biocompatible polyketals, methods for their preparation, and methods for treating animals by administration of biodegradable biocompatible polyketals. In one aspect, a method for forming the biodegradable biocompatible polyketals comprises combining a glycol-specific oxidizing agent with a polysaccharide to form an aldehyde intermediate, which is combined with a reducing agent to form the biodegradable biocompatible polyketal. The resultant biodegradable biocompatible polyketals can be chemically modified to incorporate additional hydrophilic moieties. A method for treating animals includes the administration of the biodegradable biocompatible polyketal in which biologically active compounds or diagnostic labels can be disposed. The present invention also relates to chiral polyketals, methods for their preparation, and methods for use in chromatographic applications, specifically in chiral separations. A method for forming the chiral polyketals comprises combining a glycol-specific oxidizing agent with a polysaccharide to form an aldehyde intermediate, which is combined with a suitable reagent to form the chiral polyketal. A method for use in chiral separations includes the incorporation of the chiral polyketals in the mobile phase during a chromatographic separation, or into chiral stationary phases such as gels. The present invention further relates to chiral polyketals as a source for chiral compounds, and methods for generating such chiral compounds. |
| US07951892B1 |
Doped polysilanes, compositions containing the same, methods for making the same, and films formed therefrom
Doped polysilanes, inks containing the same, and methods for their preparation and use are disclosed. The doped polysilane generally has the formula H-[AaHb(DRx)m]q-[(AcHdR1e)n]p—H, where each instance of A is independently Si or Ge, and D is B, P, As or Sb. In preferred embodiments, R is H, -AfHf+1R2f, alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, and R1 is independently H, halogen, aryl or substituted aryl. In one aspect, the method of making a doped poly(aryl)silane generally includes the steps of combining a doped silane of the formula AaHb+2(DRx)m (optionally further including a silane of the formula AcHd+2R1e) with a catalyst of the formula R4wR5yMXz (or an immobilized derivative thereof) to form a doped poly(aryl)silane, then removing the metal M. In another aspect, the method of making a doped polysilane includes the steps of halogenating a doped polyarylsilane, and reducing the doped halopolysilane with a metal hydride to form the doped polysilane. The synthesis of semiconductor inks via dehydrocoupling of doped silanes and/or germanes allows for tuning of the ink properties (e.g., viscosity, boiling point, surface tension and dopant level or concentration) and for deposition of doped silicon films or islands by spincoating, inkjetting, dropcasting, etc., with or without the use of UV irradiation. |
| US07951879B2 |
Hydroxy ester pre-extended epoxy-terminated viscosifiers and method for producing the same
Embodiments relate to viscosifiers that are terminated polymers that have functional terminal groups. The polymers being pre-extended by polyepoxides and being reacted to give polymers that are terminated by other functional groups. The viscosifiers have a low content in educts or educt descendants that deteriorate the properties of compositions and considerably reduce or even exclude the formation of high-molecular addition products so that the products obtained have low viscosity and good storage stability. |
| US07951877B2 |
Process for the production of vinyl compound
A process, advantageous in producibility, for the production of a vinyl compound containing very small amounts of ionic impurities and hydrolysable halogens, which is capable of curing by means of heat and/or light and giving a cured product having excellent dielectric characteristics and heat resistance, which process can efficiently remove a generated salt and comprises reacting a non-protonic polar solvent solution of a specific bifunctional phenylene ether oligomer with a vinylbenzyl halide in the presence of an alkoxide of an alkali metal, wherein the thus-obtained reaction solution is acidified with a specific amount of an acidic substance, then a salt generated is removed, an alkali substance containing a specific amount of an alkali metal is added to the thus-obtained solution, then a salt generated is removed, and the thus-obtained solution is mixed with water or a water-alcohol mixed solution, to precipitate a solid. |
| US07951876B2 |
Multi-functional polymers
A multi-functional polymer defined by the formula (Q-R¦n—Z—P2—Y where (Q-R)n is a functionality cluster, Q is a functional group, R is a multi-valent organic group, P2 is a long-chain polymer, n is an integer from about 2 to about 10, Y is a proton, a weak functional group, or a selective functional group, and Z is a branch point where the functionality clusters join the long-chain polymer. |
| US07951875B2 |
Low molecular weight hydrogenated nitrile rubber
The present invention relates to hydrogenated nitrile rubber polymers having lower molecular weights and narrower molecular weight distributions than those known in the art. |
| US07951874B2 |
Non-conjugated polymeric perarylated boranes, use thereof as organically semiconductor transmitters and/or transport materials, methods for producing same and uses thereof
A K type of copolyarylborane: wherein hydrogen atoms are bonded to the ends; Arn represents at least one of Ar1, Ar2, and Ar3; each of Ar1 and Ar2 represents an arylene radical; Ar3 represents an heteroaromatic arylene radical; Ar1 has a π electron density of no less than that of benzene; Ar2 is capable of hole transport; Ar3 has a π electron density of no greater than that of benzene and less than that of Ar1; x, y, and z respectively represent the molar parts of Ar1, Ar2, and Ar3; each of x, y, and z is in the range of 0-1, and x+y+z=1; and R represents an aryl radical. This K type of copolyarylborane may be of use for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic solar cells, organic photodetectors, and organic field-effect transistors. |
| US07951873B2 |
Linear low density polymer blends and articles made therefrom
This invention relates to blends of linear low density polyethylene copolymers with other linear low density polyethylenes or very low density, low density, medium density, high density, and differentiated polyethylenes. The invention also includes articles produced from the linear low density polyethylene and polyethylene blends described. |
| US07951872B2 |
Heterogeneous polymer blend with continuous elastomeric phase and process of making the same
A heterogeneous polymer blend comprises a dispersed phase comprising a thermoplastic first polymer having a crystallinity of at least 30% and a continuous phase comprising a second polymer different from the first polymer. The second polymer has a crystallinity of less than 20% and is at least partially cross-linked. |
| US07951869B2 |
2K waterborne isocyanate free coating system and methods thereof
The present system is a waterborne coating composition comprising a low VOC (<50 g/l) acrylic epoxy coating which is capable of high build coating formation (>12 mils) without foaming. The coating composition may be made, stored and transported as a two-part composition, where each part is a pourable liquid. The waterborne acrylic epoxy composition cures under ambient condition to give tenacious adhesion to a variety substrates. The coating system, described herein, is designed as an ambient cure system, but may also be cured at elevated temperatures. The two component emulsion composition is useful for coating applications. One component is an emulsion comprised of a blend of a hydroxy functional acrylic polymer co-reactant, suitable additives, pigments and epoxy resin The second component is a waterborne amine hardener for curing or crosslinking the first component. |
| US07951864B2 |
Nanocomposites of polymers with dispersed nanotubes
The present invention provides polymer nanocomposites with dispersed nanotubes and methods of making same. The polymer may be a polyether. For example, the present invention provides an effective method to successfully disperse single walled nanotubes (SWNTs) into both Polyethylenoxide (PEO) and its low molecular weight analog polyethylene glycol (PEG) with hydrodynamic percolation at about 0.09 wt % and an electrical percolation at about 0.03 wt % SWNTs at room temperature, and the resulting nanocomposites. The method may include providing a surfactant. Most notably the present inventors achieved a decrease in the melting point of the polymer and a retardation of polymer crystallization due to the presence of the nanotubes. |
| US07951860B2 |
Polymer composite materials and methods for producing the same
Polymer composite materials having improved gas barrier properties are generally disclosed, along with process of making the same. The polymer composite materials can include phosphonate particles, oxide particles, and combinations thereof. For example, the particles can be metal phosphonate particles, synthetic oxide particles, or combinations thereof. |
| US07951857B2 |
Water-in-oil bitumen dispersion and methods for producing paving compositions from same
The present invention relates to bituminous compositions suitable for use in paving applications containing water-in-oil bitumen dispersion of paving grade bitumen such as penetration-graded, viscosity-graded and/or penetration-graded varieties that is substantially free of volatile solvents and made by controlling temperature-dependent interfacial rheology through the use of selected surfactants. The invention paving compositions are suitable for use in the construction of load-bearing, high-traffic pavements at a temperature range lower than that required for conventional hot-mix bituminous paving compositions, yet with similar or superior compaction to densities property and at least equal cure rate. |
| US07951853B2 |
Polymer-based antimicrobial agents, methods of making said agents, and products incorporating said agents
The present invention relates to antimicrobial agents, methods for the production of these agents, and the use of these agents. The antimicrobial agent of the present invention includes a water-soluble polymer and oligodynamic metal ions which interact with counter-ions of the polymer such that the metal ions are bound to corresponding counter-ions. The water-soluble polymer controls a sustained release of the metal ions. The oligodynamic metal ions preferably include small size metal particles (e.g., nano-sized silver particles) that interact to the water-soluble polymer as well as metal ions derived from one or more water-soluble oligodynamic metal compositions (e.g., metal sulfates and/or metal nitrates). The agent may also include one or more acids, including organic acids (such as sulfates, carboxylic acids, amines, hydroxyls, nitrates, and phosphates) and/or non-organic acids (such as boric acid and dioctylborate). |
| US07951848B2 |
Aqueous dispersions of partially hydrophobic silicas
Aqueous dispersions of partly hydrophobic silica exhibit a smooth change in viscosity with pH over a wide pH range, without gelling or exhibiting local maxima. The dispersions have numerous uses, including use in O/W Pickering emulsions. |
| US07951847B2 |
Nutrient compositions and methods for enhanced effectiveness of the immune system
Provided are methods of treating HIV patients by administering to the patient a nutrient composition and at least one anti-retrovial drug. The method results in an increase in the patient's CD4+ cell count by at least 25% during a treatment period. The nutrient composition includes alpha lipoic acid; acetyl L-carnitine; N-acetyl-cysteine; zinc; selenium; vitamin C; bioflavinoid complex; vitamin E; one or more antioxidants selected from co-enzyme Q10 and glutathione; and one or more vitamins or minerals selected from beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, niacinamide, calcium pantothenate, folic acid, vitamin B12, copper, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum. |
| US07951843B2 |
Amide linked modulators of γ-secretase
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I as shown below, wherein the definitions of A, R1 R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are provided in the specification. Compounds of Formula I are useful for the treatment of diseases associated with γ-secretase activity, including Alzheimer's disease. |
| US07951841B2 |
Retinal derivatives and methods for the use thereof for the treatment of visual disorders
Compositions of and methods for using synthetic retinal derivatives as retinoid replacements and opsin agonists are provided. |
| US07951837B2 |
Crystalline forms of duloxetine free base
The present invention is concerned with duloxetine free base in crystalline form, and also novel polymorphic forms thereof. |
| US07951836B2 |
Substituted phenyl methanone derivatives
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I wherein R1, R2, R3, X, n, and m are as defined herein and to pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and to methods for treating neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. |
| US07951832B2 |
Pyrazole derivatives as kinase inhibitors
The present invention provides compounds having the general structure I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein X is a six-member ring selected from phenyl, pyridine, or pyrimidine; Y is H, an alkenyl, a substituted alkenyl, or alkynyl, and R is H or alkyl. Pharmaceutical compositions for treating various disorders such as cancers, the compositions including compound I are also provided. |
| US07951831B2 |
Use of inhibitors of soluble epoxide hydrolase to synergize activity of COX and 5-LOX inhibitors
The invention relates to methods, compositions, and uses of those compositions for making medicaments, for potentiating the beneficial effects of inhibitors of COX-1, COX-2, and 5-LOX, and reducing adverse effects, by also administering inhibitors of soluble epoxide hydrolase (“sEH”), with or without also administering one or more cis-epoxyeicosantrienoic acids. The invention further relates to the use of inhibitors of sEH as analgesics and to methods and compositions of epoxides of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, optionally with an inhibitor of sEH, to reduce pain or inflammation or both. |
| US07951826B2 |
Pyrrolidine derivatives as histamine H3 receptor antagonists
The present invention discloses novel compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which have histamine-H3 receptor antagonist or inverse agonist activity, as well as methods and intermediates for preparing such compounds. In another embodiment, the invention discloses pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula (I) as well as methods of using them to treat obesity, cognitive deficiencies, narcolepsy, and other histamine H3 receptor-related diseases. |
| US07951822B2 |
1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran derivatives
The object is to provide a novel LXRβ agonist that is useful as a preventative and/or therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis; arteriosclerosis such as those resulting from diabetes; dyslipidemia; hypercholesterolemia; lipid-related diseases; inflammatory diseases that are caused by inflammatory cytokines; skin diseases such as allergic skin diseases; diabetes; or Alzheimer's disease. The solving means is a 1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran derivative represented by the following general formula (1) or salt thereof, or their solvate. |
| US07951821B2 |
N-[phenyl(piperidin-2-yl)methyl]benzamide derivatives, preparation thereof, and use thereof in therapy
This invention discloses and claims a compound of general formula (I) in which R1 represents either a hydrogen atom, or an optionally substituted alkyl group, or a cycloalkylalkyl group, or an optionally substituted phenylalkyl group, or an alkenyl group, X represents a hydrogen atom or one or more substituents chosen from halogen atoms and trifluoromethyl, alkyl and alkoxy groups, R2 represents one or more substituents chosen from halogen atoms, optionally substituted alkoxy and optionally substituted amino. The compounds of this invention exhibit therapeutic utility. |
| US07951817B2 |
Pyridomorphinans, pyridazinomorphinans and use thereof
Compounds represented by the formula:wherein R is C1-6 alkyl; C4-6 cycloalkylalkyl; or C3-6 alkenyl; R′ is H or C1-6 alkyl; X is H or OH; Y is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl or aroyl; and Z is CH or N; provided that X is H, when Z is CH and R is C4 cycloalkylalkyl or C4 alkenyl; prodrugs thereof; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are provided. Compounds of the above formula are useful as analgesics for treating pain; as immunomodulators, to modulate the behavioral effects of drugs of abuse and to modulate the development of tolerance and dependence to μ agonists. |
| US07951815B2 |
Substituted 1,4,8-triazaspiro [4,5]decan-2-one compounds
Novel 1,4,8-triazaspiro[4,5]decan-2-one compounds corresponding to formula I processes for the preparation thereof, related methods of treatment and pharmaceutical formulations containing such compounds. |
| US07951812B2 |
Substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines as antifolates
The present invention is directed to antifolate compounds having the structure wherein: X is CHR9 or NR9; Y1, Y2, and Y3 independently are O or S; V1 and V2 independently are O, S, or NZ; Z is H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, or alkaryl; R1 and R2 independently are H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, or alkaryl; R3 is H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, optionally substituted alkoxy, hydroxyl, or halo; and R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 independently are H, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted alkenyl, optionally substituted alkynyl, acyl, —C(O)-alkyl, —C(O)-alkenyl, or —C(O)—alkynyl; as well as pharmaceutically acceptable esters, amides, salts, solvates, and prodrugs thereof. The compounds are useful in pharmaceutical compositions and in methods of treating multiple conditions, including abnormal cell proliferation, inflammatory diseases, asthma, and arthritis. |
| US07951811B2 |
Pyrrolo[2,3-D]pyrimidine derivatives substituted with a cyclic amino group
[PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED]An object of the present invention is to provide an antagonist against CRF receptors and/or an agonist for δ receptors which is effective as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for diseases in which CRF is considered to be involved, such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, eating disorder, hypertension, gastrointestinal diseases, drug dependence, cerebral infarction, cerebral ischemia, cerebral edema, cephalic external wound, inflammation, immunity-related diseases, alopecia, irritable bowel syndrome, sleep disorders, epilepsy, dermatitides, schizophrenia, pain, etc.[SOLUTION]A pyrrolopyrimidine or pyrrolopyridine derivative substituted with a cyclic amino group represented by the following a [I] has a high affinity for CRF receptors and/or δ receptors, and is effective against diseases in which CRF is considered to be involved. |
| US07951808B2 |
Imidazole compounds
Imidazole compounds, compositions, and methods of using them in leukocyte recruitment inhibition, in modulating H4 receptor expression, and in treating conditions such as inflammation, H4 receptor-mediated conditions, and related conditions. |
| US07951806B2 |
Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 inhibitor
The present invention relates to an inhibitor of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. The present invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition that has an inhibitory action on PAI-1 activity and is useful in the prevention and treatment of various diseases whose onset is associated with PAI-1 activity. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a novel compound having PAI-1 inhibitory activity represented by the following general formula (I), and a salt thereof. Each symbol is defined as those in the specification. |
| US07951797B2 |
Substituted diazepan orexin receptor antagonists
The present invention is directed to substituted diazepan compounds which are antagonists of orexin receptors, and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of neurological and psychiatric disorders and diseases in which orexin receptors are involved. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which orexin receptors are involved. |
| US07951796B2 |
9-amino-acridine derivatives and their use for eliminating misfolded proteins
The invention relates to compounds according to general formula (1) and/or their enantiomers, diastereomers as well as their pharmaceutically compatible salts, and to the use thereof for producing a medicament suited for treating diseases associated with misfolded proteins. |
| US07951795B2 |
Constrained spirocyclic compounds as CGRP receptor antagonists
Compounds of formula I: (wherein variables A1, A2, A3, G1, G2, G3, J, m, n, p, R1, R2, R3, R4 and Y are as described herein) which are antagonists of CGRP receptors and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as migraine. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved. |
| US07951791B2 |
Amino-substituted tricyclic derivatives and methods of use
Compounds of formula (I) wherein A and B are amine-substituted sidechains, Y1 and Y2 form various tricyclic cores, Xa and Xb are C, CH, or N, as defined herein, and Rx is an optional substituent. Compounds and compositions of formula (I) are contemplated as well as methods for treating conditions or disorders prevented by or ameliorated by α7 nAChR ligands that encompass compounds of formula (I) and other tricyclic derivatives. Methods of using amino-substituted tricyclic derivatives also are described herein. |
| US07951785B2 |
NFIA in glial fate determination, glioma therapy and astrocytoma treatment
Disclosed herein are compositions comprising NFIA inhibitors, as well as methods of using the same to treat glioma and astrocytomas. |
| US07951784B2 |
RNA interference agents for therapeutic use
The invention features chemically modified small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that are stable in vivo and retain the ability to form an A-form helix when in association with a target RNA. The features siRNA are effective therapeutics, particularly for targeting SOD1. |
| US07951777B2 |
Compositions and methods for treatment of cardiovascular disease
The present invention is concerned with composition and methods for treatment of certain cardiovascular conditions. In particular it is concerned with prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of myocardial fibrosis or associated conditions by administering compositions comprising vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and/or active fragments) thereof. |
| US07951770B2 |
Peptides, peptidomimetics and small molecule inhibitors of the Epstein-Barr virus mediated fusion and entry process
Disclosed are compositions and methods for modulating Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in a patient. The compositions may include peptides or peptidomimetics that are related to gp42 and function to inhibit EBV-mediated membrane fusion. |
| US07951767B2 |
Stable antimicrobial compositions including spore, bacteria, fungi and/or enzyme
The present invention relates to a stable antimicrobial and cleaning compositions including an amine antimicrobial agent; a borate salt; and spores (bacterial or fungal), vegetative bacteria, fungi, or enzyme, and to methods of using the composition. The composition can also include a polyol. |
| US07951763B2 |
Use of high solids solution of a cationic copolymer in personal care formulations and personal care formulations obtained therefrom
Use of an aqueous solution of a cationic copolymer in a personal care composition, characterized in that the cationic copolymer is formed from a cationic monomer and a nonionic monomer, wherein said cationic copolymer has an average molecular weight in the range 30,000 to 300,000 and the aqueous solution has a concentration of 20 to 50% by weight and a viscosity of less than 10,000 cP at 25° C. The invention also comprises cosmetic compositions obtained from the aqueous solution of the cationic copolymer. |
| US07951761B2 |
Cleaning compositions for removing organic deposits in hard to reach surfaces
A cleaning composition for removing organic deposits from hard to reach surfaces. In its basic embodiment, the cleaning composition comprises: a) a water miscible solvent; b) an inorganic salt; and c) water. The amount of the inorganic salt is at least 20% of the total composition by weight, with at least some of the salt existing in crystalline form at 20° C. |
| US07951759B2 |
Fischer-Tropsch wax composition and method of transport
The present invention relates to transportable product for the transportation of paraffinic wax and methods of transporting using this transportable product. The transportable product comprises 90 to 20 weight % of a liquid comprising >50 weight % alcohol and having a true vapor pressure of ≦14.7 psia when measured at 20° C., and 10 to 80 weight % of wax particles, wherein the wax particles comprise ≧75 weight % of wax particles larger than 0.1 mm. The transportable product and methods of transporting according to the present invention are able to accommodate a relatively high weight % of paraffinic wax particles in the transportable product while avoiding interparticle adhesion and clumping by ensuring that the wax particles are not too small and the amount of small wax particles is not excessive. |
| US07951756B2 |
System having DLC contact surfaces, method of lubricating the system, and lubricant for the system
The present invention relates to a system wherein a pair of relatively movable, facing DLC contact surfaces at least one of which is coated with a DLC film, are further lowered in friction, and the low friction property is stably maintained. The present invention also relates to a lubricant for the system, and a lubricating method. The lubricant for the system having the DLC contact surfaces contains lubricant base oil (A) mainly composed of base oil (X), and sulfur-containing molybdenum complex (B). The base oil (X) is at least one of hydrocracked mineral oils, wax-isomerized mineral oils, and poly-α-olefin base oils, and has a kinematic viscosity of 2 to 20 mm2/s at 100° C., a total aromatic content of not higher than 5 mass %, and a total sulfur content of not higher than 0.005 mass %. |
| US07951752B2 |
O-cyclopropyl-carboxanilides and their use as fungicides
A compound of formula (I): F1 Het is a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three heteroatoms, each independently selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur, the ring being substituted by groups R4, R5 and R6; R1 is hydrogen or halo; R2 is hydrogen or halo; R3 is optionally substituted C2-12 alkyl, optionally substituted C2-12 alkenyl, optionally substituted C2-12 alkynyl, optionally substituted C3-12 cycloalkyl, optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted heterocyclyl; and R4, R5 and R6 are, independently, selected from hydrogen, halo, cyano, nitro, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxyl (C(1-4) alkoxyl (C1-4) alkyl and C1-4 haloalkoxy (C1-4) alkyl, provided that at least one of R4, R5 and R6 is not hydrogen. The compounds of formula (I) have plant-protective properties and are suitable for protecting plants against infestations by phytopathogenic microorganisms. |
| US07951750B2 |
Image-forming method using thermal transfer system
An image-forming method, having: superposing a heat-sensitive transfer sheet on a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet so that at least one receptor layer of the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet can be contacted with a thermal transfer layer of the heat-sensitive transfer sheet; and providing thermal energy in accordance with image signals given from a thermal head, thereby to form an image; wherein the heat-sensitive transfer sheet has the thermal transfer layer that contains a thermally transferable colorant on one surface of a substrate film, and a heat-resistant sliding layer that is formed so as to contain a hardener on the other surface; and wherein the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet has, on a support, the at least one receptor layer that contains a latex polymer, and at least one heat insulation layer that contains hollow polymer particles but does not contain a resin having poor resistance to an organic solvent. |
| US07951749B2 |
Enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage
Methods for enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage are disclosed. One embodiment of the method includes doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, and exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonification as doping occurs. Another embodiment of the method includes doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, and exposing the doped hydrogen receptor to a plasma treatment. |
| US07951747B1 |
Single-layer transition metal sulfide catalysts
Transition Metal Sulfides (TMS), such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), are the petroleum industry's “workhorse” catalysts for upgrading heavy petroleum feedstocks and removing sulfur, nitrogen and other pollutants from fuels. We have developed an improved synthesis technique to produce SLTMS catalysts, such as molybdenum disulfide, with potentially greater activity and specificity than those currently available. Applications for this technology include heavy feed upgrading, in-situ catalysis, bio-fuel conversion and coal liquefaction. |
| US07951746B2 |
Bulk group VIII/group VIB metal catalysts and method of preparing same
Bulk metallic catalysts comprised of a Group VIII metal and a Group VIB metal and methods for synthesizing bulk metallic catalysts are provided. The catalysts are prepared by a method wherein precursors of both metals are mixed and interacted with at least one organic acid, such as glyoxylic acid, dried, calcined, and sulfided. The catalysts are used for hydroprocessing, particularly hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation, of hydrocarbon feedstocks. |
| US07951745B2 |
Catalyst for hydrocracking hydrocarbons containing polynuclear aromatic compounds
Oil soluble catalysts are used to convert polynuclear aromatic compounds in a hydrocarbon feedstock to higher value mono-aromatic compounds. The catalyst complex includes a catalytic metal center that is bonded to a plurality of organic ligands that make the catalyst complex oil-soluble. The ligands include an aromatic ring and a ligand spacer group. The ligand spacer group provides spacing of 2-6 atoms between the metal center and the aromatic ring. The spacing between the aromatic group and the catalytic metal center advantageously allows the catalyst to selectively crack polynuclear aromatic rings while preserving one of the aromatic rings, thereby increasing the content of mono-aromatic compounds in the hydrocarbon feedstock. |
| US07951739B2 |
Bathtub-type spent catalyst distributor for effective counter-current regeneration in fluid catalytic cracking units
An improved spent catalyst regenerator which contains sub-troughs branching off from the main trough, distribution troughs which extend outward from the sides of the main trough and the sub-troughs, and downflow tubes extending downward from the bottom of the main trough and sub-troughs. |
| US07951736B2 |
SiC fiber-bonded ceramic and process for production of the same
An SiC fiber bonded ceramic constituted of both a base material which comprises both inorganic fibers made mainly of a sintered SiC structure containing 0.01 to 1 wt % of oxygen (O) and at least one of Groups 2A, 3A and 3B metals and a 1 to 100-nm and carbon (C)-base boundary layer formed among the fibers and a surface part which is made mainly of an SiC-base ceramic structure and formed on at least part of the surface of the base material, characterized in that the boundary portion between the surface part and the base material takes such a gradient structure that the structure of the base material changes into the structure of the surface part gradually and continuously. |
| US07951735B2 |
Glass materials for optical gain media and infrared optics comprising rare earth oxide glass compositions
This invention relates to the use of novel glass materials comprising rare earth aluminate glasses (REA1™ glasses) in the gain medium of solid state laser devices that produce light at infrared wavelengths, typically in the range 1000 to 3000 nm and for infrared optics with transmission to approximately 5000 nm in thin sections. The novel glass materials provide stable hosts for trivalent ytterbium (Yb3+) ions and other optically active species or combinations of optically active species that exhibit fluorescence and that can be optically excited by the application of light. The glass gain medium can be configured as a waveguide or placed in an external laser cavity, or otherwise arranged to achieve gain in the laser waveband and so produce laser action. |
| US07951731B2 |
Inorganic fiber mat, holding sealer, sound absorber, and method for manufacturing inorganic fiber mat
An inorganic fiber mat includes an inorganic fiber aggregated body which includes inorganic fibers. At least a part of the inorganic fibers located on a surface of the inorganic fiber aggregated body is fused to each other by heat. |
| US07951725B2 |
Manufacturing method of translucent solar cell
A translucent solar cell and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The translucent solar cell at least includes a substrate, a front electrode layer, a photoconductive layer, and a back electrode layer stacked in order. Therein, a plurality of apertures are formed on the front electrode layer. In addition, a plurality of light-transmissive regions are formed on the back electrode layer and further extended in a depth direction so as to reach the plurality of apertures on the front electrode layer. Thus, the projected area of each light-transmissive region is within and smaller than that of the corresponding aperture. |
| US07951719B2 |
Self-masking defect removing method
A method for removing defects from a semiconductor surface is disclosed. The surface of the semiconductor is first coated with a protective layer, which is later thinned to selectively reveal portions of the protruding defects. The defects are then removed by etching. Finally, also the protective layer is removed. According to the method, inadvertent thinning of the surface is prevented and removal of the defects is obtained. |
| US07951718B2 |
Edge removal of silicon-on-insulator transfer wafer
A silicon-on-insulator transfer wafer having a front surface with a circumferential lip around a circular recess is polished. In one version, the circular recess on the front surface of the wafer is masked by filling the recess with spin-on-glass. The front surface of the wafer is exposed to an etchant to preferentially etch away the circumferential lip, while the circular recess is masked by the spin-on-glass. The spin-on glass is removed, and the front surface of the transfer wafer is polished. Other methods of removing the circumferential lip include applying a higher pressure to the circumferential lip in a polishing process, and directing a pressurized fluid jet at the base of the circumferential lip. |
| US07951716B2 |
Wafer and method of producing the same
A wafer is produced at a step of polishing a predetermined face of a wafer to flatten the predetermined face while supplying a polishing liquid onto a bonded abrasive cloth, wherein the bonded abrasive cloth comprises a urethane bonding material consisting of a soft segment having a polyfunctional isocyanate and a hard segment having a polyfunctional polyol and having an expansion ratio of 1.1-4 times and silica having an average particle size of 0.2-10 μm and a hydroxy group, and has a given ratio of the hard segment occupied in the urethane bonding material, a given volume ratio of silica and a given Shore D hardness. |
| US07951714B2 |
High aspect ratio electroplated metal feature and method
Disclosed are embodiments of an improved high aspect ratio electroplated metal structure (e.g., a copper or copper alloy interconnect, such as a back end of the line (BEOL) or middle of the line (MOL) contact) in which the electroplated metal fill material is free from seams and/or voids. Also, disclosed are embodiments of a method of forming such an electroplated metal structure by lining a high aspect ratio opening (e.g., a high aspect ratio via or trench) with a metal-plating seed layer and, then, forming a protective layer over the portion of the metal-plating seed layer adjacent to the opening sidewalls so that subsequent electroplating occurs only from the bottom surface of the opening up. |
| US07951711B2 |
Metal precursors for semiconductor applications
Methods and compositions for depositing metal films are disclosed herein. In general, the disclosed methods utilize precursor compounds comprising gold, silver, or copper. More specifically, the disclosed precursor compounds utilize pentadienyl ligands coupled to a metal to increase thermal stability. Furthermore, methods of depositing copper, gold, or silver are disclosed in conjunction with use of other precursors to deposit metal films. The methods and compositions may be used in a variety of deposition processes. |
| US07951709B2 |
Method and apparatus providing integrated circuit having redistribution layer with recessed connectors
A method of making a semiconductor die includes forming a trench around a conductive stud extending from the first side to a second side of a substrate to expose a portion of the stud and then forming a conductive layer inside the trench and in electrical contact with the stud. |
| US07951708B2 |
Copper interconnect structure with amorphous tantalum iridium diffusion barrier
A method of forming a diffusion barrier for use in semiconductor device manufacturing includes depositing, by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, an iridium doped, tantalum based barrier layer over a patterned interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer, wherein the barrier layer is deposited with an iridium concentration of at least 60 atomic % such that the barrier layer has a resulting amorphous structure. |
| US07951703B2 |
Interconnections for integrated circuits
An interconnect connection structure having first and second interconnects and multiple connection elements that electrically connect the first interconnect to the second interconnect is described. The multiple connection elements are formed laterally in a lateral region of the first and second interconnects relative to an overlay orientation of the interconnects. A central region may be free of connection elements so that electro-migration properties of the connection structure are improved and the current-carrying capacity is increased. |
| US07951700B2 |
Flip chip mounting method and bump forming method
The invention involves mounting a solder resin composition (6) including a solder powder (5a) and a resin (4) on the first electronic component (2); arranging such that the connecting terminals (3) of the first electronic component (2) and the electrode terminals (7) of the second electronic component (8) are facing each other; ejecting a gas (9a) from a gas generation source (1) included in the first electronic component (2) by heating the first electronic component (2) and the solder resin composition; and inducing the flow of the solder powder (5a) in the solder resin composition (6) by inducing convection of the gas (9a) in the solder resin composition (6), and electrically connecting the connecting terminals (3) and the electrode terminals (7) by self-assembly on the connecting terminals (3) and the electrode terminals (7). Through this are provided a flip chip packaging method that enables connecting, with high connection reliability, electrode terminals of a semiconductor chip wired with narrow pitch and connecting terminals of a circuit board, and a bump formation method for packaging on a circuit board. |
| US07951699B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a first step of forming solder film on metal posts of a mother chip, a second step of forming solder balls after the first step by printing a solder paste on the mother chip and heating the mother chip so that the solder paste is ref lowed, a third step of bonding the metal posts of the mother chip and metal posts of a daughter chip to each other in a thermocompression bonding manner by means of the solder film after the second step, and a fourth step of flip-chip-connecting the mother chip on a circuit substrate by using the solder balls. In the second step, the mother chip is heated in a nitrogen atmosphere in which the oxygen concentration is 500 ppm or less. |
| US07951697B1 |
Embedded die metal etch stop fabrication method and structure
A method of forming an electronic component package includes forming a patterned dielectric layer comprising circuit pattern artifacts and at least one electronic component opening. An etch stop metal protected circuit pattern is plated with the circuit pattern artifacts. An electronic component is mounted in the electronic component opening. The etch stop metal protected circuit pattern provide an etch stop for substrate formation etch processes. In this manner, etching of a patterned conductor layer is avoided insuring that impedance is controlled to within tight tolerance. |
| US07951696B2 |
Methods for simultaneously forming N-type and P-type doped regions using non-contact printing processes
Methods for simultaneously forming doped regions of opposite conductivity using non-contact printing processes are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method comprises the steps of depositing a first liquid dopant comprising first conductivity-determining type dopant elements overlying a first region of a semiconductor material and depositing a second liquid dopant comprising second conductivity-determining type dopant elements overlying a second region of the semiconductor material. The first conductivity-determining type dopant elements and the second conductivity-determining type dopant elements are of opposite conductivity. At least a portion of the first conductivity-determining type dopant elements and at least a portion of the second conductivity-determining type dopant elements are simultaneously diffused into the first region and into the second region, respectively. |
| US07951694B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method of manufacture of same
A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor structure includes disposing a semiconductor substrate in a molecular beam epitaxy reactor; growing a wetting layer comprising AlxInyGa(1−(x+y))As(0≦x+y≦1) or AlxInyGa(1−(x+y))P(0≦x+y≦1) on the substrate; in-situ annealing the wetting layer; growing a first AlGaInN layer on the wetting layer using plasma activated nitrogen as the source of nitrogen with an additional flux of phosphorous or arsenic; and growing a second AlGaInN layer on the first AlGaInN layer using ammonia as a source of nitrogen. |
| US07951692B2 |
Method of producing semiconductor substrate having an SOI structure
There is provided a method for suppressing the occurrence of defects such as voids or blisters even in the laminated wafer having an oxide film of a thickness thinner than the conventional one, wherein hydrogen ions are implanted into a wafer for active layer having an oxide film of not more than 50 nm in thickness to form a hydrogen ion implanted layer, and ions other than hydrogen are implanted up to a position that a depth from the surface side the hydrogen ion implantation is shallower than the hydrogen ion implanted layer, and the wafer for active layer is laminated onto a wafer for support substrate through the oxide film, and then the wafer for active layer is exfoliated at the hydrogen ion implanted layer. |
| US07951689B2 |
Method for manufacturing SOI substrate and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A highly reliable semiconductor device capable of high speed operation is manufactured over a flexible substrate at a high yield. A separation layer is formed over an insulating substrate by a sputtering method; the separation layer is flattened by a reverse sputtering method; an insulating film is formed over the flattened separation layer; a damaged area is formed by introducing hydrogen or the like into a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film is formed over the semiconductor substrate in which the damaged area is formed; the insulating film formed over the insulating substrate is bonded to the insulating film formed over the semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate is separated at the damaged area so that a semiconductor layer is formed over the insulating substrate; the semiconductor layer is flattened so as to form an SOI substrate; and the semiconductor device is formed over the SOI substrate. |
| US07951688B2 |
Method and structure for dividing a substrate into individual devices
A method for obtaining individual dies from a semiconductor structure is disclosed. The semiconductor structure includes a device layer, and the device layer in turn includes active regions separated by predefined spacings. Thick metal is selectively formed on backside of the device layer such that thick metal is formed on backside of active regions but not on backside of the predefined spacings. The semiconductor structure is then cut along the predefined spacings to separate the active regions with thick metal on their backside into individual dies. |
| US07951686B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device having device characteristics improved by straining surface of active region
A trench is formed in a surface layer of a semiconductor substrate, the trench surrounding an active region. A lower insulating film made of insulating material is deposited over the semiconductor device, the lower insulating film filling a lower region of the trench and leaving an empty space in an upper region. An upper insulating film made of insulating material having therein a tensile stress is deposited on the lower insulating film, the upper insulating film filling the empty space left in the upper space. The upper insulating film and the lower insulating film deposited over the semiconductor substrate other than in the trench are removed. |
| US07951684B2 |
Semiconductor device method of manfacturing a quantum well structure and a semiconductor device comprising such a quantum well structure
A semiconductor device (1) and a method are disclosed for obtaining on a substrate (2) a multilayer structure (3) with a quantum well structure (4). The quantum well structure (4) comprises a semiconductor layer (5) sandwiched by insulating layers (6,6′), wherein the material of the insulating layers (6,6′) has preferably a high dielectric constant. In a FET the quantum wells (4,9) function as channels, allowing a higher drive current and a lower off current. Short channel effects are reduced. The multi-channel FET is suitable to operate even for sub-35 nm gate lengths.In the method the quantum wells are formed by epitaxial growth of the high dielectric constant material and the semiconductor material alternately on top of each other, preferably with MBE. |
| US07951683B1 |
In-situ process layer using silicon-rich-oxide for etch selectivity in high AR gapfill
In-situ semiconductor process that can fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 6:1, for example 7:1 or higher), narrow width (typically sub 0.13 micron, for example 0.1 micron or less) gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots is provided. This deposition part of the process may involve the use of any suitable high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP CVD) chemistry. Prior to etch back, the feature gap is plugged with an etch selectivity layer. The etch back part of the process involves multiple steps including a sputter etch to reduce the top hat formations followed by a reactive plasma etch to open the gap. This method improves gapfill, reduces the use of high cost fluorine-based etching and produces interim gaps with better sidewall profiles and aspect ratios. |
| US07951675B2 |
SI trench between bitline HDP for BVDSS improvement
Memory devices having improved BVdss characteristics and methods of making the memory devices are provided. The memory devices contain bitline dielectrics on bitlines of a semiconductor substrate; first spacers adjacent the side surfaces of the bitline dielectrics and on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate; a trench in the semiconductor substrate between the first spacers; and second spacers adjacent the side surfaces of the trench. By containing the trench and the first and second spacers between the bitlines, the memory device can improve the electrical isolation between the bitlines, thereby preventing and/or mitigating bitline-to-bitline current leakage and increasing BVdss. |
| US07951674B2 |
Method for fabricating a SONOS memory
The present invention provides a method for making SONOS memory, comprising the following steps: depositing silicon oxide layer and silicon oxynitride layer in sequence on underlayer; coating a layer of photoresist on the silicon oxynitride layer; removing part of the photoresist and form the logic area; removing silicon oxynitride layer in the logic area; removing the bottom oxide layer in the logic area; growing top oxide layer on the silicon oxynitride layer and logic area; removing the top oxide layer in the logic area; growing gate oxide layer; forming device structure of SONOS and logic area. The present invention can avoid the damage of top oxide layer and lateral etching in wet etching so as to improve the defect-free rate of devices. |
| US07951673B2 |
Forming abrupt source drain metal gate transistors
A gate structure may be utilized as a mask to form source and drain regions. Then the gate structure may be removed to form a gap and spacers may be formed in the gap to define a trench. In the process of forming a trench into the substrate, a portion of the source drain region is removed. Then the substrate is filled back up with an epitaxial material and a new gate structure is formed thereover. As a result, more abrupt source drain junctions may be achieved. |
| US07951669B2 |
Methods of making flash memory cell arrays having dual control gates per memory cell charge storage element
Methods of fabricating a dual control gate non-volatile memory array are described. Parallel strips of floating gate material are formed over the substrate in a first direction but separated from it by a tunnel dielectric. In the gaps between these strips control gate material is formed forming a second set of parallel strips but insulated from both the adjacent floating gate stripes and the substrate. Both sets of strips are isolated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction forming an array of individual floating gates and control gates. The control gates formed from an individual control gate strip are then interconnected by a conductive wordline such the potential on individual floating gates are controlled by the voltages on two adjacent wordlines. In other variations either the floating gates or the control gates may be recessed into the original substrate. |
| US07951664B2 |
Methods of manufacturing resistors and structures thereof
Methods of manufacturing resistors, methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and structures thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a resistor includes forming a transistor material stack over a workpiece and patterning the transistor material stack, forming a gate of a transistor in a first region of the workpiece and leaving a portion of the transistor material stack in a second region of the workpiece. A top portion of the transistor material stack is removed in the second region, and a top portion of the workpiece is removed in the first region proximate the gate of the transistor, forming recessed regions in the workpiece in the first region. A semiconductive material is formed in the recessed regions of the workpiece in the first region and over a portion of the transistor material stack in the second region, forming a resistor in the second region. |
| US07951660B2 |
Methods for fabricating a metal-oxide-semiconductor device structure
A method for fabricating a metal-oxide-semiconductor device structure. The method includes introducing a dopant species concurrently into a semiconductor active layer that overlies an insulating layer and a gate electrode overlying the semiconductor active layer by ion implantation. The thickness of the semiconductor active layer, the thickness of the gate electrode, and the kinetic energy of the dopant species are chosen such that the projected range of the dopant species in the semiconductor active layer and insulating layer lies within the insulating layer and a projected range of the dopant species in the gate electrode lies within the gate electrode. As a result, the semiconductor active layer and the gate electrode may be doped simultaneously during a single ion implantation and without the necessity of an additional implant mask. |
| US07951657B2 |
Method of forming a planar field effect transistor with embedded and faceted source/drain stressors on a silicon-on-insulator (S0I) wafer, a planar field effect transistor structure and a design structure for the planar field effect transistor
Disclosed are embodiments of a method of forming, on an SOI wafer, a planar FET with embedded and faceted source/drain stressors. The method incorporates a directional ion implant process to create amorphous regions at the bottom surfaces of source/drain recesses in a single crystalline semiconductor layer of an SOI wafer. Then, an etch process selective to different crystalline planes over others and further selective to single crystalline semiconductor material over amorphous semiconductor material can be performed in order to selectively adjust the shape (i.e., the profile) of the recess sidewalls without increasing the depth of the recesses. Subsequently, an anneal process can be performed to re-crystallize the amorphous regions and an epitaxial deposition process can be used to fill the recesses with source/drain stressor material. Also disclosed are embodiments of a planar FET structure and a design structure for the planar FET. |
| US07951651B2 |
Dual flat non-leaded semiconductor package
A DFN semiconductor package includes a leadframe having a die bonding pad formed integrally with a drain lead, a gate lead and a source lead, a die coupled to the die bonding pad, a die source bonding area coupled to the source lead and a die gate bonding area coupled to the gate lead, and an encapsulant at least partially covering the die, drain lead, gate lead and source lead. |
| US07951650B2 |
Thermal management of electronic devices
Thermal management is provided for a device. The device may include a substrate having a mounting area on a first surface of the substrate. The device may also include first thermal vias extending from the mounting area to at least an interior of the substrate. The device may also include at least one thermal plane substantially parallel to the first surface of the substrate, the at least one thermal plane being in thermal contact with at least one of the first thermal vias. The device may also include a heat sink attachment area, and second thermal vias extending from the heat sink attachment area to the interior of the substrate, the at least one thermal plane being in thermal contact with the second thermal vias. |
| US07951648B2 |
Chip-level underfill method of manufacture
A process comprises forming a first electrical interconnect structure on a surface of a singulated semiconductor chip having an alignment pattern, which is scanned and stored in a scanning device prior to application of a curable underfill coating to the surface of the singulated semiconductor chip. A curable underfill coating is applied to the surface of the singulated semiconductor chip to produce a coated semiconductor chip. The scanned and stored alignment pattern is delivered to an alignment and joining device positioned adjacent to and operatively associated with a substrate having a second electrical interconnect structure alignable to make electrical contact with the first electrical interconnect structure. The coated semiconductor chip is placed in the alignment and joining device so that when the scanned and stored alignment pattern is activated the alignment and joining device positions the coated semiconductor chip so that the first electrical interconnect structure is aligned to make electrical contact with the second electrical interconnect structure. The alignment and joining device is activated to join the coated semiconductor chip to the substrate. |
| US07951645B2 |
Power module for low thermal resistance and method of fabricating the same
A power module with low thermal resistance buffers the stress put on a substrate during a package molding operation to virtually always prevent a fault in the substrate of the module. The power module includes a substrate, a conductive adhesive layer formed on the substrate, a device layer comprising a support tab, a power device, and a passive device which are formed on the conductive adhesive layer, and a sealing material hermetically sealing the device layer. The support tab is buffers the stress applied by a support pin to the substrate, thereby virtually always preventing a ceramic layer included in the substrate from cracking or breaking. As a result, a reduction in the isolation breakdown voltage of the substrate is virtually always prevented and the failure of the entire power module is do to a reduction in the breakdown voltage of the substrate is virtually always prevented. |
| US07951643B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with lead frame and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a base substrate; attaching a base device over the base substrate; attaching a leadframe having a leadframe pillar adjacent the base device over the base substrate; applying a base encapsulant over the base device, the base substrate, and the leadframe; and removing a portion of the base encapsulant and a portion of the leadframe providing the leadframe pillar partially exposed. |
| US07951641B2 |
Photovoltaic lead manufacture
An improved lead foil operation procedure for photovoltaic module manufacture is disclosed. The procedure includes lift, cut, and fold lead foil. |
| US07951637B2 |
Back contact solar cells using printed dielectric barrier
Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using novel methods to form the active doped region(s) and the metal contact structure of the solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include the steps of depositing a dielectric material that is used to define the boundaries of the active regions and/or contact structure of a solar cell device. Various techniques may be used to form the active regions of the solar cell and the metal contact structure. |
| US07951634B2 |
Method and device for protecting interferometric modulators from electrostatic discharge
A MEMS device such as an interferometric modulator includes an integrated ESD protection element capable of shunting to ground an excess current carried by an electrical conductor in the MEMS device. The protection element may be a diode and may be formed by depositing a plurality of doped semiconductor layers over the substrate on which the MEMS device is formed. |
| US07951632B1 |
Optical device and method of making
An optical device and method is disclosed for forming the optical device within the wide-bandgap semiconductor substrate. The optical device is formed by directing a thermal energy beam onto a selected portion of the wide-bandgap semiconductor substrate for changing an optical property of the selected portion to form the optical device in the wide-bandgap semiconductor substrate. The thermal energy beam defines the optical and physical properties of the optical device. The optical device may take the form of an electro-optical device with the addition of electrodes located on the wide-bandgap semiconductor substrate in proximity to the optical device for changing the optical property of the optical device upon a change of a voltage applied to the optional electrodes. The invention is also incorporated into a method of using the optical device for remotely sensing temperature, pressure and/or chemical composition. |
| US07951630B2 |
Method of fabricating light emitting diode chip
The present invention provides a method of fabricating a light emitting diode chip having an active layer between an N type semiconductor layer and a P type semiconductor layer. The method comprises the steps of preparing a substrate; laminating the semiconductor layers on the substrate, the semiconductor layers having the active layer between the N type semiconductor layer and the P type semiconductor layer; and forming grooves on the semiconductor layers laminated on the substrate until the substrate is exposed, whereby inclined sidewalls are formed by the grooves in the semiconductor layers divided into a plurality of chips. According to embodiments of the present invention, a sidewall of a semiconductor layer formed on a substrate of a light emitting diode chip is inclined with respect to the substrate, whereby its directional angle is widened as compared with a light emitting diode chip without such inclination. As the directional angle of the light emitting diode chip is wider, when a white light emitting device is fabricated using the light emitting diode chip and a phosphor, light uniformity can be adjusted even though the phosphor is not concentrated at the center of the device. Thus, the overall light emitting efficiency can be enhanced by reducing a light blocking phenomenon caused by the increased amount of the phosphor distributed at the center portion. |
| US07951629B2 |
Pixel structure and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing a pixel structure is provided. A first patterned conductive layer including a gate and a data line is formed on a substrate. A gate insulating layer is formed to cover the first patterned conductive layer and a semiconductor channel layer is formed on the gate insulating layer above the gate. A second patterned conductive layer including a scan line, a common line, a source and a drain is formed on the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor channel layer. The scan line is connected to the gate and the common line is located above the data line. The source and drain are located on the semiconductor channel layer, and the source is connected to the data line. A passivation layer is formed on the substrate to cover the second patterned conductive layer. A pixel electrode connected to the drain is formed on the passivation layer. |
| US07951624B2 |
Method of manufacturing light emitting diode
A method of manufacturing light emitting diode has steps of providing a package base, providing a light emitting structure and bonding the light emitting structure on the package base. The package base has a first metal layer and a second metal layer respectively formed on a top and a bottom thereon. The light emitting structure has a substrate, a light emitting lamination and a reflective metal layer. The light emitting lamination is formed on the substrate and has an n-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a p-type semiconductor layer and a transparent electrode layer deposited on the substrate in sequence. The reflective metal layer is formed on a bottom of the substrate. The first metal layer is connected to the reflective metal layer by an ultrasonic thermal press technique. Therefore, the thermal resistance of the finished LED reduces. |
| US07951623B2 |
Process for producing optical semiconductor device
The present invention relates to a process for producing an optical semiconductor device, the process including: disposing a sheet for optical-semiconductor-element encapsulation including a resin sheet A and a plurality of resin layers B discontinuously embedded in the resin sheet A and a plurality of optical semiconductor elements mounted on a substrate in such a way that each of the plurality of optical semiconductor elements faces either one of the plurality of resin layers B; and followed by embedding each of the plurality of optical semiconductor elements in either one of the plurality of resin layers B. According to the process of the invention, optical semiconductor elements can be embedded at once. As a result, an optical semiconductor device which is excellent in LED element protection and durability can be easily obtained. Consequently, the optical semiconductor device obtained can have a prolonged life. |
| US07951619B2 |
Diodes, and methods of forming diodes
Some embodiments include methods of forming diodes. The methods may include oxidation of an upper surface of a conductive electrode to form an oxide layer over the conductive electrode. In some embodiments, the methods may include formation of an oxidizable material over a conductive electrode, and subsequent oxidation of the oxidizable material to form an oxide layer over the conductive electrode. In some embodiments, the methods may include formation of a metal halide layer over a conductive electrode. Some embodiments include diodes that contain a metal halide layer between a pair of diode electrodes. |
| US07951614B2 |
Methods and compositions for the production of monoclonal antibodies
The present invention comprises compositions and methods for making monoclonal antibodies. The present invention further comprises vectors that replicate the immune system components, particularly an antigen-presenting cell (APC) element of the immune synapse. Additionally, the present invention may further comprise synthetic T-cells. |
| US07951612B2 |
In situ heat induced antigen recovery and staining apparatus and method
Contemplated herein is an automated microscope slide antigen recovery and staining apparatus and method that features a plurality of individually operable miniaturized pressurizable reaction compartments for individually and independently processing a plurality of individual microscope slides. The apparatus preferably features independently movable slide support elements each having an individually heatable heating plate. Each slide support element preferably supports a single microscope slide. Each microscope slide can be enclosed within an individual pressurizable reaction compartment. Pressures exceeding 1 atm or below 1 atm can be created and maintained in the reaction compartment prior to, during or after heating of the slide begins. Because of the ability to pressurize and regulate pressure within the reaction compartment, and to individually heat each slide, each slide and a liquid solution or reagent thereon can be heated to temperatures that could not be obtained without the enclosed pressurized environment of the reaction compartment. A reagent dispensing strip having a plurality of reconfigurable reagent modules may also be used. |
| US07951611B2 |
High density cast-in-place sample preparation card
A card or insert having a plurality of recesses for a sample preparation device, the card containing cast-in-place composite and/or non-filled structures which are useful as sorptive or reactive media or for size-based separations. Any particular card size or configuration can be used, and the inclusion of a large amount of adsorptive particles in polymer is achieved while still maintaining the membrane three dimensional structure. In a first preferred embodiment, the composite structures comprise particles entrapped within a porous polymeric substrate, and are cast in-place into a plurality of recesses in an insert for a multi-well sample preparation device, thereby providing an effective platform for high throughput micromass handling. With the appropriate selection of particle chemistry, virtually any separation or purification operation can be conducted in multiplicity, including selective bind/elute chromatography operations, on sample mass loads less than 1 microgram in volumes of a few microliters, as well as larger mass loads and volumes. Manufacturing flexibility and high throughput is achieved. The card can be configured for direct analysis of bound sample without elution. |
| US07951609B1 |
Purge and trap concentrator with sparge vessel
A purge and trap concentrator system that includes a sparge vessel, and includes a variable gas flow valve for controlling the gas pressure in an analytic trap or the sparge vessel; a sensor that detects both a foaming sample state and a high liquid level in the sparge vessel, using one optical sensor; a control scheme that re-directs the purge gases to a second inlet of the sparge vessel during a foaming condition; a control scheme that uses a split flow to enhance the quantity of sample gases passed from an analytic trap; an electrically powered thermal energy source with a fan raising the sparge vessel temperature via thermal convection. |
| US07951605B2 |
Multianalyte sensor
The invention relates to devices for continuously measuring the concentrations of more than one target analyte. Specifically, the devices comprise a plurality of analyte binding domains, with each domain being capable of specifically and reversibly binding to at least one of the target analytes. The devices further comprise a membrane surrounding these binding domains that is permeable to the target analytes. The devices convey binding information to a detector. The invention also relates to methods of using the devices, including monitoring chronic disease states in an individual. |
| US07951602B2 |
Mass defect labeling and methods of use thereof
Mass defect labeled peptides and methods of identifying peptides are provided. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure include mass defect labels for polypeptides that include at least one cysteine and/or at least one tryptophan and methods of using the mass defect labels to identify polypeptides. One embodiment, among others, includes a mass defect labeled peptide including at least one cysteine residue labeled with 2,4-dibromo-acetanilide. Another embodiment, among others, includes a mass defect labeled peptide including at least one tryptophan residue labeled with 4,6-dibromo-2-trifluoromethylphenylsulfenyl chloride. |
| US07951600B2 |
Electrodeposition baths, systems and methods
Electrodeposition baths, systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, the baths, systems and methods are used to deposit metal alloy coatings. |
| US07951599B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the hematocrit of a blood sample utilizing the intrinsic pigmentation of hemoglobin contained within the red blood cells
A method for determining the hematocrit of a blood sample is provided that includes the steps of: 1) depositing the sample into an analysis chamber operable to quiescently hold the sample for analysis, the chamber defined by the interior surfaces of first and second panels and a height extending there between, wherein both panels are transparent, and the height is such that at least some of the red blood cells within the sample contact both interior surfaces of the panels and one or more lacunae within the quiescent sample extend between the interior surfaces; 2) imaging at least a portion of the quiescent sample, which sample portion contains the red blood cells and one or more lacunae to determine an optical density of the imaged portion of the sample on a per image unit basis; 3) selecting and averaging the optical density values of the image units aligned with the red blood cells contacting the interior surfaces, and assigning an upper boundary value of 100% to the average optical density value of those image units; 4) selecting the optical density values of the image units aligned with the one or more lacunae, and assigning a lower boundary value of 0% to the optical density values of those image units; and 5) determining the hematocrit of the sample by assigning relative values to the optical density value of each image of the imaged sample portion as a function of the upper and lower boundary values, and averaging the relative values. |
| US07951598B2 |
Differential hemolysis of a whole blood sample
The invention relates to a method for differentially hemolyzing whole blood. It discloses methods for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample known or suspected to contain red blood cells and suspected or known to contain eukaryotic cells, the method including the steps of processing the liquid sample with a membrane solubilizing agent under conditions appropriate to lyse cell membranes of red blood cells and at the same time not to cause precipitation of sample constituents, subjecting the processed sample to a chromatographic separation, and detecting the analyte. The differential hemolysis of red blood cells is of advantage in a method of detecting an analyte in a liquid sample that may contain both erythrocytes and nucleated cells. The differential solubilization of red blood cells can be easily combined with an online detection methodology, like LC-MS, and is advantageous in the detection of many analytes, e.g. in the detection of folate or of immunosuppressive drugs, like tacrolimus or sirolimus. |
| US07951596B2 |
Nucleic acid nanotube liquid crystals and use for NMR structure determination of membrane proteins
Compositions and methods for preparing nucleic acid nanotubes using DNA origami techniques are described, which provide for nanotubes of predictable and uniform length. The nucleic acid nanotubes thus formed are suitable as liquid crystal preparations enabling liquid-crystal NMR spectroscopy of proteins solubilized in detergent. |
| US07951594B2 |
Method of culturing conifer somatic embryos using S(+)-abscisic acid
A method for promoting maturation and development of vigorous conifer (gymnosperm) somatic embryos comprising the use of S(+)-ABA as the substantive form of ABA. |
| US07951591B2 |
Gynogenetic or androgenetic production of pluripotent cells and cell lines, and use thereof to produce differentiated cells and tissues
Methods for obtaining pluripotent (embryonic stem) cells from parthenogenetic embryos, especially primates, are provided. These cells are useful for producing differentiated cells, tissues and organs, especially human and non-human primate cells, tissues and organs. |
| US07951589B2 |
Monoclonal antibodies specific for the chemotactic epitope of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor
The present invention describes monoclonal antibodies specific for the chemotactic epitope of the uPAR. In particular, the invention comprises monoclonal antibodies against uPAR fragments specifically recognizing in whole or in part the chemotactic sequence of uPAR connecting domain 1 to domain 2. |
| US07951586B2 |
DNA sequences comprising gene transcription regulatory qualities and methods for detecting and using such DNA sequences
The invention is concerned with the systematic elucidation and identification of regulatory sequences. The invention provides among others screenings and detection methods with which regulatory sequences can be identified. The invention further provides regulatory sequences and use thereof in various fields such as, but not limited to protein production, diagnostics, transgenic plants and animals, and the therapeutic field. |
| US07951580B2 |
Automated, programmable, high throughput, multiplexed assay system for cellular and biological assays
Systems and methods are providing for performing high-throughput, programmable, multiplexed assays of biological, chemical or biochemical systems. Preferably, a micro-pallet includes a small flat surface designed for single adherent cells to plate, a cell plating region designed to protect the cells, and shaping designed to enable or improve flow-through operation. The micro-pallet is preferably patterned in a readily identifiable manner and sized to accommodate a single cell to which it is comparable in size. Each cell thus has its own mobile surface. The cell can be transported from place to place and be directed into a system similar to a flow cytometer. Since, since the surface itself may be tagged (e.g., a bar code), multiple cells of different origin and history may be placed into the same experiment allowing multiplexed experiments to be performed. |
| US07951571B2 |
Variant Humicola grisea CBH1.1
Disclosed are variants of Humicola grisea Cel7A (CBH1.1), H. jecorina CBH1 variant or S. thermophilium CBH1, nucleic acids encoding the same and methods for producing the same. The variant cellulases have the amino acid sequence of a glycosyl hydrolase of family 7A wherein one or more amino acid residues are substituted. |
| US07951567B2 |
Production of peracids using an enzyme having perhydrolysis activity
A method is provided for producing peroxycarboxylic acids from carboxylic acid esters. More specifically, carboxylic acid esters are reacted with an inorganic peroxide, such as hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of an enzyme catalyst having perhydrolysis activity derived from Bacillus sp. to produce peroxycarboxylic acids. |
| US07951555B2 |
Membrane bioreactor
The invention provides a membrane comprising a gel reinforced by a support. The membrane has opposing surfaces and a thickness between said surfaces. The gel communicates between the opposing surfaces and allows diffusion of a nutrient solution through the membrane. A bioreactor is also provided, comprising a membrane-supporting structure, and a membrane according to the invention supported on the membrane-supporting structure. |
| US07951551B2 |
Kits and reagents for luciferase detection assay system
The invention relates to methods and kits for detecting enzyme activity using bioluminescence. In particular, it relates to a novel assay system with increased light yield for a sensitive and convenient detection of luciferase activity, such as luciferase reporter enzyme activity. Provided is a method of detecting luciferase activity in a sample, comprising incubating the sample in the presence of luciferin and ATP to allow the generation of a light signal, wherein said light signal is enhanced by performing the incubation in a reaction mixture comprising phosphate and ammonium ions, and measuring the light signal. The invention also relates to kits for use in such method. |
| US07951548B2 |
IL-13 production inhibitor
The present invention provides a screening method/screening kit for an IL-13 production inhibitor, which comprises using (a) a protein comprising the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, or its partial peptide, or a salt thereof; and (b) a ligand capable of specifically binding to the protein; an IL-13 production inhibitor which is obtainable by said screening, and the like. The IL-13 production inhibitor which can be obtained by the screening of the present invention is useful as a prophylactic/therapeutic agent for, e.g., respiratory disease, etc. |
| US07951546B2 |
Compositions and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of tumor
The present invention is directed to compositions of matter useful for the diagnosis and treatment of tumor in mammals and to methods of using those compositions of matter for the same. |
| US07951544B1 |
Method for determining the prognosis of cancer patients by measuring levels of bag expression
In accordance with the present invention, there are provided methods for determining a prognosis of disease free or overall survival in a patient suffering from cancer. Also provided are methods for predicting the risk of tumor recurrence or spread in an individual having a cancer tumor. Methods for screening a cancer patient to determine the risk of tumor metastasis; methods for determining the proper course of treatment for a patient suffering from cancer; and kits for use in practising the invention methods. |
| US07951543B2 |
Methods and compositions for the treatment of psychotic disorders through the identification of the SULT4A1-1 haplotype
Methods and compositions relate to genetic markers of psychotic disorders, e.g., schizophrenia (SZ), are provided. For example, in certain aspects methods for determinations of a SULT4A1-1 haplotype are described. Furthermore, the invention provides methods and compositions involving treatment of psychotic disorders using the haplotype status. |
| US07951540B2 |
Sequences diagnostic for shrimp pathogens
Primers have been isolated that are diagnostic for the detection of Vibrio harveyi. The primers are based on a portion of the Vibrio harveyi LuxR gene and may be used in primer directed amplification or nucleic acid hybridization assay methods. |
| US07951536B2 |
Method for determining base sequence of DNA
The present invention provides a method for determining the base sequence of a DNA. According to the method for determining the base sequence of a DNA of the present invention, a probe is used, which is a probe having a protruding end and identification-labeled according to the species of the base at the protruding end, containing a recognition sequence of a class IIS restriction enzyme, to carry out simultaneously in a chain reaction, for a plurality of DNAs to be analyzed, ligation of the end base of a DNA to be analyzed and a probe and cleavage of the end base of the DNA to be analyzed, allowing the base sequence to be determined sequentially by a single molecule spectrofluorimetry method, such that an effective determination of the base sequence of a DNA becomes possible. |
| US07951529B2 |
Biomarkers for breast cancer
The present invention provides protein-based biomarkers and biomarker combinations that are useful in qualifying breast cancer status in a patient. In particular, the biomarkers of this invention are useful to classify a subject sample as breast cancer or non-breast cancer. The biomarkers can be detected by SELDI mass spectrometry. |
| US07951525B2 |
Low outgassing photoresist compositions
Polymers for use in photoresist compositions include a repeat unit having a formula of: wherein Z represents a repeat unit of a polymer backbone; X is a linking group selected from the group consisting of alkylene, arylene, araalkylene, carbonyl, carboxyl, carboxyalkylene, oxy, oxyalkylene, and combinations thereof, and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and cycloalkyl groups with the proviso that X and R are not part of the same ring system. Also disclosed are processes for patterning a relief image of the photoresist composition, wherein the photoresist composition has an outgassing rate of less than 6.5E+14 molecules/cm2/s. |
| US07951524B2 |
Self-topcoating photoresist for photolithography
Photoresist additive polymers and photoresist formulations that can be used in immersion lithography without the use of an additional topcoat. The resist compositions include a photoresist polymer, at least one photoacid generator, a solvent; and a photoresist additive polymer. Also a method of forming using photoresist formulations including photoresist additive polymers. |
| US07951523B2 |
Material for forming resist protective film and method for forming resist pattern using same
In the liquid immersion lithography process, by simultaneously preventing deterioration of a resist film and deterioration of an immersion liquid employed during liquid immersion lithography which uses various immersion liquids, including water, resistance to post exposure delay of the resist film can be improved without increasing the number of processes, thereby making it possible to form a high resolution resist pattern using liquid immersion lithography. Using an alkaline soluble polymer, a crosslinking agent, and a solvent capable of dissolving them as at least constituent component, a composition is prepared and a protective film is formed on the surface of the resist film to be used, using the composition. |
| US07951522B2 |
Chemically amplified positive photoresist composition for thick film, thick-film photoresist laminated product, manufacturing method for thick-film resist pattern, and manufacturing method for connection terminal
A chemically amplified positive photoresist composition for thick film that is used for forming a thick-film photoresist layer with a film thickness of 10 to 150 μm on top of a support, comprising (A) a compound that generates acid on irradiation with active light or radiation, (B) a resin that displays increased alkali solubility under the action of acid, and (C) an alkali-soluble resin, wherein the component (B) comprises a resin formed from a copolymer containing a structural unit (b1) with a specific structure. |
| US07951519B2 |
Toner for development of electrostatic image, method for manufacturing the same, developer for development of electrostatic image, toner cartridge, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A toner for development of an electrostatic image includes at least a crystalline polyester resin and a colorant. The toner shows a dielectric loss index ∈″ of 0.1 or less at 0.1 Hz and 500 V at 30° C. and 90% RH. |
| US07951516B2 |
Electrophotographic photoreceptor, method of producing the same, process cartridge, and image-forming apparatus
The electrophotographic photoreceptor of the present invention includes a cylindrical support; a charge-generating layer and a charge-transporting layer that are layered onto the cylindrical support in this sequence from the cylindrical support side. The charge-transporting layer includes a charge transport material, and resins including a curable resin and a thermoplastic resin. The proportion of the content of the curable resin with respect to the total amount of the resins in the charge-transporting layer increases in the layer thickness direction with distance from the charge-generating layer side. |
| US07951515B2 |
Ester thiols containing photogenerating layer photoconductors
A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer, and where the photogenerating layer contains at least one photogenerating component, and a mixture of an ester thiol and a poly(vinyl halide) copolymer. |
| US07951510B2 |
Electroconductive polymer coating on electroconductive elements in a fuel cell
A bipolar plate for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell having an electrically conductive polymer coated on at least one region of a surface of the plate in contact with a flow field. The coated region is hydrophobic or hydrophilic as compared to an uncoated region of the surface to prevent liquid accumulation. Electroconductive polymer coatings are applied by electrochemical polymerization. |
| US07951509B2 |
Compliant cathode contact materials
A solid oxide fuel cell stack includes a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells, wherein each solid oxide fuel cell comprises an electrolyte located between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, a plurality of gas separators, and at least one compliant cathode contact material. The contact material may be a metallic felt, foam or mesh, an electrically conductive glass or an electrically conductive ceramic felt located between at least one of the plurality of gas separators and a cathode electrode of an adjacent solid oxide fuel cell. |
| US07951507B2 |
Fluid flow path for stamped bipolar plate
A stamped bipolar plate of a fuel cell stack includes a first stamped plate half having a first reactant flow field formed therein, a portion of which defines a first reactant header region. A second stamped plate half has a first coolant flow field formed therein, a portion of which defines a first set of coolant feed channels that extend at least partially across the first reactant header region. |
| US07951500B2 |
Anode gas stack start-up heater and purge gas generator
In one embodiment the present invention provides for an anode side gas flow heater for a fuel cell generator that comprises a recirculating anode gas flow 28, at least one burner 24, and an energy source 22. The energy source heats the burner, the anode gas flow passes over the at least one burner and is heated, and the heated anode gas flow is then passed through the anode side of the fuel cell generator 4, where the fuel cell generator is heated. |
| US07951495B2 |
Non-aqueous electrolyte for battery and non-aqueous electrolyte battery comprising the same as well as electrolyte for electric double layer capacitor and electric double layer capacitor comprising the same
This invention relates to a safe electrolyte having no risk of igniting-firing, and more particularly to a non-aqueous electrolyte for a battery comprising an ionic liquid composed of a cation portion and an anion portion, and a supporting salt, characterized in that the cation portion of the ionic liquid contains phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as an electrolyte for an electric double layer capacitor comprising an ionic liquid composed of a cation portion and an anion portion, characterized in that the cation portion of the ionic liquid contains phosphorus and nitrogen. |
| US07951494B2 |
Solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity and method for manufacturing the same, and electrochemical system using solid electrolyte
The present invention provides a solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity which is cheap and exhibits high conductivity in an alkaline form, and stably keeps high conductivity because of a small amount of the leak of a compound bearing conductivity even in a wet state. The invention is useful in an electrochemical system using the solid electrolyte, such as a fuel cell.The solid electrolyte with high ion-conductivity comprises a hybrid compound which contains at least polyvinyl alcohol and a zirconic acid compound, and also a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine, obtained by hydrolyzing a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt in a solution including water, polyvinyl alcohol, a zirconium salt or an oxyzirconium salt and a nitrogen-containing organic compound having a structure of amine, quaternary ammonium compound and/or imine coexist, removing a solvent and contacting with alkali. |
| US07951489B2 |
Anode active material, method of preparing the same, and anode and lithium battery employing the same
An anode active material including a metal core and a coating layer formed on a surface of the metal core is provided. The coating layer includes a conductive metal material. The coating layer covering the metal core is carbon-based and includes a conductive metal material. The anode active material has good electron conductivity and elasticity, thereby enhancing charge/discharge capacity and reducing the stress caused by expansion of the carbon-based coating layer and the metal core during charge/discharge cycles. Direct contact between the metal core and the electrolyte solution is remarkably reduced. In addition, anodes and lithium batteries including the anode active material exhibit excellent charge/discharge characteristics, such as discharge capacity and initial charge/discharge efficiency. |
| US07951482B2 |
Non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and battery module
A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including an electrode assembly, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a substantially rectangular battery case for housing the electrode assembly and the non-aqueous electrolyte. The thickness α, the width β, and the height γ of the battery case satisfy the relation α<β≦γc. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a porous heat-resistant layer disposed between these electrodes. The positive electrode includes a positive electrode active material layer, and the negative electrode includes a negative electrode active material layer. The ratio of the pore volume included in a predetermined area of the porous heat-resistant layer to the battery theoretical capacity is 0.18 to 1.117 ml/Ah. The predetermined area has the same area as the positive electrode active material layer. The porosity of the porous heat-resistant layer is 35 to 85%. |
| US07951480B1 |
Separator bag for use in electrochemcial cell
An electrode system includes one or more separator materials formed into a bag having at least two seams. The seams are positioned so as to define the perimeter of a pocket configured to receive an electrode within the bag. At least one gap is formed between seams adjacent to one another along the perimeter of the pocket. Additionally, at least one of the seams includes a spacer positioned between portions of the one or more separator materials joined by the at least one seam. |
| US07951479B2 |
Method and apparatus for porous insulative film for insulating energy source layers
The present subject matter includes an apparatus, having: an anode having an elongate ribbon shape; a cathode having an elongate ribbon shape, the cathode disposed adjacent to and in alignment with the anode; a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode; and a first porous edge film disposed between a first edge of the cathode and the anode, with the one or more surfaces of the first porous edge film facing the cathode and defining a first cathode interface of the first porous edge film; wherein an first adhesive interconnects the first porous edge film to the cathode, the first adhesive covering less than the entire cathode interface, and the anode and cathode are disposed in a case with an electrolyte. |
| US07951477B2 |
Battery module
A battery module includes a plurality of cells. The battery module also includes a housing configured to substantially enclose the plurality of cells. The battery module further includes a lower tray configured to receive the plurality of cells. The lower tray is located inside the housing adjacent a bottom of the housing. The lower tray has a top side and a bottom side The top side has a plurality of sockets configured to receive the plurality of cells in a closely packed arrangement. The bottom side is configured to define a chamber between the lower tray and the bottom of the housing. The chamber is sealed off from the rest of the battery module and is configured to receive released gas from the plurality of cells. |
| US07951473B2 |
Optical coating with improved durability
The invention discloses optical coatings with improved durability, the coating comprising a durability enhancing layer, a nucleation layer and an infrared reflecting layer. The invention also discloses methods of making thin film layers having enhanced durability. |
| US07951472B2 |
Light-emitting material comprising orthometalated iridium complex, light-emitting device, high efficiency red light-emitting device, and novel iridium complex
An organic light-emitting device comprising a light-emitting layer or a plurality of thin organic compound layers containing a light emitting layer interposed between a pair of electrodes, wherein at least one layer comprises at least one light emitting material containing a compound having a partial structure represented by following formula (21) or a tautomer thereof: wherein the compound having the partial structure represented by formula (21) has two or more different ligands. |
| US07951469B2 |
Welding material and welded joint structure
A welding material, to be used for welding a base metal made of an austenitic alloy comprising C≦2.0%, Si≦4.0%, Mn: 0.01 to 3.0%, P: more than 0.03% to not more 0.3%, S≦0.03%, Cr: 12 to 35%, Ni: 6 to 80%, sol. Al: 0.001 to 1% and N≦0.3%, with the balance being Fe and impurities to a base metal made of another austenitic alloy, which comprises C: more than 0.3% to 3.0%, Si≦4.0%, Mn≦3.0%, P≦0.03%, S≦0.03%, Cr: more than 22% to 55%, Ni: more than 30% to not more than 70%, sol. Al: 0.001 to 1% and N≦0.3%, with the balance being Fe and impurities can suppress the weld solidification cracking which occurs in an austenitic alloy having a high P content and showing fully austenitic solidification. Therefore, the said welding material can be widely used in such fields where a welding fabrication is required. The said welding material may contain a specific amount or amounts of one or more elements selected from Cu, Mo, W, V, Nb, Ti, Ta, Zr, Hf, Co, B, Ca, Mg and REM. |
| US07951468B2 |
Method of unidirectional solidification of castings and associated apparatus
Molten metal is injected uniformly into a horizontal mold from a feed chamber in a horizontal or vertical direction at a controlled rate, directly on top of the metal already within the mold. A cooling medium is applied to the bottom surface of the mold, with the type and flow rate of the cooling medium being varied to produce a controlled cooling rate throughout the casting process. The rate of introduction of molten metal and the flow rate of the cooling medium are both controlled to produce a relatively uniform solidification rate within the mold, thereby producing a uniform microstructure throughout the casting, and low stresses throughout the casting. A multiple layer ingot product is also provided comprising a base alloy layer and at least a first additional alloy layer, the two layers having different alloy compositions, where the first additional alloy layer is bonded directly to the base alloy layer by applying the first additional alloy in the molten state to the surface of the base alloy while the surface temperature of the base alloy is lower than the liquidus temperature and greater than eutectic temperature of the base alloy −50 degrees Celsuis. |
| US07951466B2 |
Titanium alloys excellent in hydrogen absorption-resistance
A titanium alloy material includes a Ti—Al alloy and an oxide film on the Ti—Al alloy. The Ti—Al alloy contains 0.50-3.0 mass % Al and a balance of Ti and unavoidable impurities. The titanium alloy material has excellent hydrogen absorption resistance and can be used as a basic structural material in hydrogen absorption environments. |
| US07951463B2 |
Water collapsible aluminum film
In an Al composite material collapsible in the presence of moisture, the external surface of small pieces or powder constructed from a single or a plurality of crystalline grains of Al or an Al alloy is covered with a film of a low melting point metal or alloy selected from the group consisting of In, Sn, combinations of In and Sn, and alloys thereof. The content of the foregoing low melting point metal or alloy ranges from 0.1 to 20% by mass on the basis of the total mass of the composite material. A component member for a film-forming chamber is also provided, which is provided with a water-collapsible Al film on the surface thereof. Film-forming operations are continued over a long period of time using the component member for a film-forming chamber provided with the water-collapsible Al film and then film-forming materials can be recovered from the component member on which the film-forming materials are deposited in a substantial thickness. |
| US07951461B2 |
Gas-barrier shrink films and their use in deep-drawing applications
A multi-layer, gas-barrier, biaxially oriented and heat-shrinkable film includes a first outer heat-sealable layer, an inner gas-barrier layer, and a second outer abuse resistant layer, the film containing at least 28%, by weight of the film, of polystyrene polymer, such as a high styrene styrene-butadiene block copolymer. The polystyrene copolymer can be present in the second outer abuse-resistant layer, and/or in one or more inner layers positioned between the first outer heat-sealable layer and the inner gas-barrier layer, and/or in one or more inner layers positioned between the gas-barrier layer and the second outer abuse layer. The film of the invention is particularly suitable to be deep-drawn to form a flexible container in a packaging process where the final vacuum lidded package is heat-shrunk. |
| US07951459B2 |
Oxidation resistant coatings, processes for coating articles, and their coated articles
A process for applying an oxidation resistant coating to an article includes the steps of mixing at least about 10% by volume to up to about 99% by volume of a slurry at least one silica based material having a viscosity of about 1×102 poise to about 1×107 poise at a temperature of about 1,292° F. (700° C.) to about 3,272° F. (1,800° C.) at least about 1% by volume to up to about 90% by volume of the slurry at least one oxygen scavenger, and a liquid medium to form the slurry; coating an article with the slurry to form a slurry coated article; and heat treating under an inert atmosphere the slurry coated article to form an article having at least one oxidation resistant coating layer containing the at least one oxygen scavenger. |
| US07951458B2 |
Coating solution for forming flat-surface insulating film, flat-surface insulating film-coated substrate, and production method of a flat-surface insulating film-coated substrate
A coating solution for forming a flat-surface insulating film, which is a coating solution obtained by dissolving a poly(diorgano)siloxane A having a mass average molecular weight of 900 to 10,000 and a metal alkoxide B in an organic solvent C and further adding water, wherein the molar ratio A/B of the poly(diorgano)siloxane A to 1 mol of the metal alkoxide B is from 0.05 to 1.5, the organic solvent C has a hydroxyl group, the solubility of water in 100 g of the organic solvent C is from 3 to 20 g, and the molar ratio C/A of the organic solvent C to 1 mol of the poly(diorgano)siloxane A is from 0.05 to 100. This coating solution for forming a flat-surface insulating film ensures that an organic modified silicate composed of a poly(diorgano)siloxane and a metal alkoxide can be formed as a thick film having 1 μm or more and can be an organic modified silicate insulating film causing no irregularities due to phase separation and having a low Young's modulus and flexibility high enough to follow the deformation of a substrate board, as well as high film surface flatness allowing for mounting of microcomponents of an electronic device or the like. |
| US07951436B2 |
Environmentally-friendly multi-layer flexible film having barrier properties
A multi-layer film with barrier properties having one or more layers made from a bio-based film is disclosed. In one aspect, a multi-layer packaging film including(a) an outer layer including a bio-based film, wherein the bio-based film is polyhydroxy-alkanoate, wherein the bio-based film includes a graphic image, (b) an adhesive layer adjacent to the outer layer and (c) a product side layer including a metalized polyolefin having barrier properties, wherein the multi-layer packaging film is a flexible film. |
| US07951433B2 |
Five-ring liquid crystal compound having CF2O bonding group, liquid crystal composition, and liquid crystal display device
The invention provides a five-ring liquid crystal compound having a CF2O bonding group as a new compound having a general physical properties necessary for compounds, stability to heat, light and so forth, a wide temperature range of liquid crystal phases, a high clearing point, a good compatibility with other compounds, a large dielectric anisotropy and refractive index anisotropy, and an especially high clearing point and an especially large refractive index anisotropy, and provides a liquid crystal composition and a liquid crystal display device. |
| US07951426B2 |
Hydrophilic coating and method of making same
Methods of making hydrophilic coatings having anti-fog properties, and hydrophilic articles are provided. In certain example instances, a substrate supports a surfactant and polyethylenimine. The method includes forming a polyethylenimine-solvent mixture; applying a surfactant to a surface of the substrate; and applying the polyethylenimine-solvent mixture to the dried surfactant on the surface of the substrate. After drying or curing, the resulting coating may be hydrophilic thereby allowing water or the like to easily shed therefrom (e.g., providing anti-fog properties). |
| US07951425B2 |
Metal coated nano fibres
The present invention relates to a process for the metal coating of nano-fibers by electrospinning, to the metal coated nano-fibers obtained by this process and to the use of said metal coated nano-fibers. The process is characterized in that a polymer nano-fiber with functional groups providing the binding ability to a reducing reagent is prepared by electrospinning at ambient conditions. Then this is contacted with a reducing agent, thereby opening the epoxy ring on the surface of polymer nano-fiber and replacing with the reducing agent and the reducing agent modified film is reacted with metal solution in alkaline media. Finally the electrospun mat is treated with water to open the epoxy rings in the structure and crosslinking the chains to provide integrity. |
| US07951421B2 |
Vapor deposition of a layer
A method of depositing a layer onto a substrate, comprising heating an evaporator to a temperature capable of completely evaporating the evaporant to be deposited, dispensing into the evaporator one or more quantized units of the evaporant where the evaporant is completely vaporized, providing an area vapor dispenser having a plurality of apertures, and directing the vaporized evaporant from the evaporator to the area vapor dispenser so that the evaporant is dispensed through the apertures to deposit the layer on the substrate. |
| US07951409B2 |
Method and apparatus for marking an egg with an advertisement, a freshness date and a traceability code
A method of marking an egg is disclosed and comprises applying radiant energy to the shell of an egg so as to cause discoloration of the eggshell, thereby forming a marking comprising at least a traceability code and a freshness date. Apparatus is also disclosed for applying markings on eggs being processed by an egg-handling machine that is designed and configured to transport a plurality of eggs therethrough, wherein the apparatus comprises a radiant energy source located in proximity to the egg-handling machine, the radiant energy source being configured to apply radiant energy to the eggs as the eggs are transported past the radiant energy source to selectively discolor the shell of the eggs and form markings on the shell, including a freshness date and a traceability code. |
| US07951408B2 |
Methods of feeding animals
Methods and compositions for improved ruminant diets are disclosed. The invention relates to the use of metal ion/metal ion salts in ruminant feed, at levels from about 0.25 to about 1 g/kg dry matter, in any ruminant diet, for improvement of bypass protein content, as well as to influence the rate of rumen starch digestion and the flow of starch to the duodenum. |
| US07951404B2 |
Concentrate for preparing a disinfectant and methods for its preparation and use
A storage-stable aqueous concentrate for the preparation of a disinfectant and a disinfectant obtainable from such a concentrate by dilution are disclosed. The concentrate comprises hydrogen peroxide, colloidal silver, a biopolymeric stabilizer such as gum arabic, and phosphoric acid. In order to improve long-term stability and to reduce initial decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide in the first few days after preparing the concentrate, the concentrate further comprises sodium nitrate or sodium sulfate. The concentrate is free of any synthetic organic complexing agents, thus rendering the concentrate suitable for food- and drinking water applications. Also disclosed are methods of preparing and using the concentrate. |
| US07951402B2 |
Drug delivery particle
A drug delivery particle including a reservoir region having primarily large pores and a metering region. The particle can be highly spherical. |
| US07951401B2 |
Stabilised solid drug dispersions in an organic carrier and a process for preparing the same
New solid drug dispersions are described in which a drug is present in amorphous form and dispersed within the particles of an organic carrier selected from cross-linked polymers and/or complexing agents. These dispersions are obtainable by mixing the drug and the carrier and applying an oscillating electromagnetic field in the microwave region according to a specific heating cycle wherein the drug-carrier mixture is heated at a temperature higher than the melting point of the drug for at least 5 minutes. |
| US07951394B2 |
Device and methods of sequential, regional delivery of multiple cyctotoxic agents and directed assembly of wound repair tissues
An implantable delivery system includes a macrostructure formed of bioresorbable material selected from a group of alphahydroxy acids and defined to include an internal architecture of intercommunicating void spaces. A first cytotoxic agent in the preferred form of cisplatin is joined to the macrostructure during formation. A microstructure in the preferred form of a blend of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid conjugated with a second cytotoxic agent in the preferred form of paclitaxel and of pure high molecular weight hyaluronic acid is invested in the void spaces. Thus, when implanted, the paclitaxel and cisplatin are released sequentially, each initially at high level concentrations followed by lower release. Radiotherapy can be begun after the release of the paclitaxel has been completed but while the cisplatin is being released. |
| US07951391B2 |
Bone substitute comprising fucans and methods of making and use thereof
The present invention relates to the use of fucans with a weight-average molar mass of between 5000 and 100 000 g/mol, for the purposes of bone grafting, engineering and regeneration. |
| US07951388B2 |
Mycoattractants and mycopesticides
The present invention utilizes extracts of the pre-sporulation (preconidial) mycelial stage of entomopathogenic fungi as insect attractants and/or pathogens. The fungus can be cultivated on grain, wood, agricultural wastes or other cellulosic material. More than one fungus and substrate can be used in combination. |
| US07951387B2 |
Eyelid scrub composition
An eyelid scrub composition comprising polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), 1,2-hexanediol, 1,2-octanediol, and a pH stabilizing surfactant solution present in an amount effective to control the pH level of the composition between 5.5 and 7.5. The composition can further comprise moisturizers and foam stabilizers. The composition can be combined with a fabric pad for use as an eyelid scrub, where the fabric pad is pre-moistened with the composition and packaged for use. The composition may be applied to the eyelid scrub and rubbed to induce foaming. The composition is produced by preparing a modified Ringer's solution and adding 1,2-hexanediol, 1,2-octanediol, and an effective amount of one or more pH stabilizing surfactants. The mixture is then heated and allowed to cool before polyhexamethylene biguanide is added. |
| US07951385B2 |
Probiotic strain and antimicrobial peptide derived therefrom
The invention relates to a strain of Enterococcus mundtii having probiotic qualities. The strain of E. mundtii (ST4SA) produces an antimicrobial peptide which exhibits antimicrobial activity against a broad range of bacteria. The invention also provides an isolated nucleotide sequence which codes for the antimicrobial peptide (peptide ST4SA). Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for the production of a peptide of the invention which comprises cultivating Enterococcus mundtii strain ST4SA in a nutrient medium under micro-aerophilic conditions at a temperature of between 100 C. and 45° C., until a recoverable quantity of said peptide is produced, and recovering said peptide. The isolated peptide of the invention may be used as an antimicrobial agent in a liquid formulation or a gel formulation as a topical treatment and may also be used as an antimicrobial agent following encapsulation in a polymer. |
| US07951384B2 |
Virus-like particles as vaccines for paramyxovirus
The present invention discloses the method of making and using a novel, non-infective, paramyxovirus vaccine. Paramyxovirus structural proteins within a virus-like particle (VLP) comprise one example of such a vaccine. It is observed that the presence of matrix protein, alone, is sufficient and necessary to provide an effective VLP release. Co-expression of four paramyxovirus structural proteins, however, result in the release of non-infective VLPs with densities and efficiencies of release similar to that of infective particles. Representative diseases wherein a VLP vaccine might be useful include, but are not limited to, Newcastle disease, measles, respiratory syncytial virus infection, and parainfluenza 3 virus infection. |
| US07951379B2 |
Hollow nanoparticle of NBsAg large protein for drug delivery
The invention provides a therapeutic drug that uses hollow protein nanoparticles displaying an antibody against a specific cell or specific tissue. The effectiveness of the drug has been proved by animal testing. The invention also provides a therapeutic method using such a drug. In a drug according to the present invention, a substance to be transferred into a cell for treating a disease (for example, a cancer treating gene such as a thymidine kinase gene derived from simple herpes virus) is encapsulated in hollow nanoparticles of a particle-forming protein (for example, hepatitis B virus surface-antigen protein that has been modified to lack its infectivity to hepatocytes and display an antibody). The particle surface of the drug displays an antibody, such as a cancer specific antibody, that recognizes an antigen molecule displayed on the surface of a specific cancer cell. |
| US07951378B2 |
Immunoadhesin comprising a chimeric ICAM-1 molecule produced in a plant
The immunoadhesions of the present invention are useful in treating rhinovirus infections. The immunoadhesions contain a chimeric ICAM molecule and may optionally also contain J chain and secretory compounds. The chimeric ICAM molecule is a fusion protein that has a rhinovirus receptor protein linked to an immunoglobulin protein. This invention also includes the greatly increased and improved method of producing immunoadhesions in plants. Each of the components of an immunoadhesin is produced in a plant cell and thereby assembles within the plant cell. This method of producing the immunoadhesions of the present invention results in the efficient and economic production of these molecules. The present invention also contemplates the production of immunoadhesions in a variety of eukaryotic cells including plants and mammalian cells. The immunoadhesions of the present invention are useful as a therapeutic against the common cold in humans which is caused by rhinoviruses. |
| US07951371B2 |
Soluble lymphotoxin-β receptor fusion protein and methods for inhibiting lymphotoxin β-receptor signaling
This invention relates to compositions and methods comprising “lymphotoxin-β-receptor blocking agents”, which block lymphotoxin-β receptor signalling. Lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents are useful for treating lymphocyte-mediated immunological diseases, and more particularly, for inhibiting Th1 cell-mediated immune responses. This invention relates to soluble forms of the lymphotoxin-β.receptor extracellular domain that act as lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents. This invention also relates to the use of antibodies directed against either the lymphotoxin-β. receptor or its ligand, surface lymphotoxin, that act as lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents. A novel screening method for selecting soluble receptors, antibodies and other agents that block LT-β receptor signalling is provided. |
| US07951370B2 |
Anti-TYRP1 antibodies
The present invention provides for fully human antibodies and chimeric antibodies that bind human TYRP1 antigen with an affinity comparable to or higher than TA99, a murine antibody specific to TYRP1. The invention further provides polynucleic acids and host cells that encode and express these antibodies. The invention also provides for methods of modulating activity of TYRP1, treating growth of a cancer cell, and treating a malignant melanoma in mammals by administering an effective amount of an antibody either alone or in combination with an anti-cancer agent or treatment. |
| US07951369B2 |
Chimeric, human and humanized anti-granulocyte antibodies and methods of use
The present invention provides humanized, chimeric and human MN3 antibodies, fusion proteins, and fragments thereof. The antibodies, fusion proteins, and fragments thereof, as well as combinations with other suitable antibodies, are useful for the treatment and diagnosis of granulocyte related disorders and diseases, such as leukemia. |
| US07951366B2 |
Pharmaceutical preparation and method of treatment of human malignancies with arginine deprivation
The present invention provides an isolated and substantially purified recombinant human arginase having sufficiently high enzymatic activity and stability to maintain Adequate Arginine Depletion in a patient. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the modified invention enzyme and method for treatment of diseases using the pharmaceutical composition. |
| US07951360B2 |
Mutant interleukin-2 (IL-2) polypeptides
The present invention relates to IL-2 mutants with increased affinity for the IL-2 alpha-receptor subunit (IL-2Rα). The invention thus includes IL-2 mutants with improved biological potency. The invention also includes methods for directed evolution of IL-2α using yeast surface display to generate mutants with increased affinity for IL-2Rα. |
| US07951355B2 |
Process for producing a purified synthesis gas stream
A process for producing a purified synthesis gas stream from a contaminated feed synthesis gas stream is disclosed. A part of the feed synthesis gas stream is subjected to a water gas shift step. The water gas shift step is used in combination with bulk contaminant removal followed by polishing to thereby remove the contaminants from the synthesis gas stream so as to provide the purified synthesis gas stream having a desired low level of contaminants. |
| US07951353B1 |
Flow control method and apparatus for a continuous multiple zone mass transfer
An apparatus and method of contacting a liquid with different gases sequentially in separate mass transfer zones within a single vessel, the mass transfer zones operatively in fluid communication with each other, including intimately contacting the liquid with a process gas in co-current flow in a downstream mass transfer zone to effect mass transfer between the liquid and the process gas, and introducing the liquid into an upstream mass transfer zone with a second gas, different from the process gas, thereby effecting mass transfer between the liquid and the second gas. The rate of flow of the liquid from the upstream mass transfer zone to downstream mass transfer zone is controlled by the controlled addition of a third gas into one or more downcomers separating each mass transfer zone such that the specific density of the liquid in the downcomers provides a driving force that controls flow. |
| US07951346B2 |
Methods and systems for reducing particulate matter in a gaseous stream
Methods and systems for reducing emissions of particulate matter from a gaseous stream are provided. The subject systems include a catalyst that reduces the amount of particulate matter emissions in the gaseous stream. Embodiments of the subject systems may also reduce the amount of particulate matter precursor emissions in the gaseous stream. In some cases, the subject systems and methods include a sorber that facilitates the reduction in particulate matter and particulate matter precursors in the gaseous stream. The subject methods and systems find use in a variety of applications where it is desired to reduce particulate matter emissions from a gaseous stream. |
| US07951345B2 |
Useful specimen transport apparatus with integral capability to allow three dimensional x-ray images
The present invention provides new and useful features and mechanisms for the localization and transport of biopsy specimens. The invention having a specimen board, an absorbent material in operative engagement and in coplanar alignment with the specimen board, a compression sheet, radio opaque indicia located within the specimen board, and a flexible connection between the compression sheet and the specimen board, and an attachment device which provides for removable engagement of the specimen board and compression sheet. The apparatus further provides for a clear visualization window and operating instructions. The absorbent material is capable of adjustable movement between a first and second position, providing orthogonal positioning relative to the specimen board. As a result, the apparatus may be used to create three dimensional radiographic images allowing tissue analysis resulting in orthogonal views while maintaining original positional reference points. |
| US07951338B2 |
Catalytic converter
A catalytic converter having an excellent purification efficiency and small pressure loss and a method for producing the same is provided. A catalytic converter comprises a catalyst coating layer which is coated on the surface of the partition walls of the honeycomb structural body having partition walls which divide and form a plurality of cells functioning as fluid passages. 10% or more of the plurality of the cells are plugged by the plug portions which are formed at the one end or the middle of the passage, the average maximum distance of image of the honeycomb structural body is 10 μm or more and the porosity of the honeycomb structural body is 40% or more, the catalyst coating layer contains at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of alumina, ceria, titania, silica and zirconia, and also a catalyst containing at least one precious metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, rhodium and palladium, or metal exchanged zeolite or vanadium is supported in the catalyst coating layer as the catalytic active constituent, the average maximum distance of image of the catalyst coating layer is 10 μm or more, and the porosity of the catalyst coating layer is 40% or more. |
| US07951337B2 |
Miniaturized microtiter plate for HT-screening
The invention relates to a miniaturized microtiter plate which has a body made of plastic and a base made of glass, 1000 to 4000 vessels (wells) (3), and a cover (4) which prevents evaporation. The diameter of the vessels (wells) (d) is approximately 1.0 to 1.8 mm. The base of the microtiter plate (2) has a layer thickness ranging from 0.07 to 0.2 mm and the distance of the outermost vessels (wells) from the edge of the glass base ranges from 4 to 11 mm. |
| US07951334B2 |
Direct write nanolithographic deposition of nucleic acids from nanoscopic tips
The use of direct-write nanolithography to generate anchored, nanoscale patterns of nucleic acid on different substrates is described, including electrically conductive and insulating substrates. Modification of nucleic acid, including oligonucleotides, with reactive groups such as thiol groups provides for patterning with use of appropriate scanning probe microscopic tips under appropriate conditions. The reactive groups provide for chemisorption or covalent bonding to the substrate surface. The resulting nucleic acid features, which exhibit good stability, can be hybridized with complementary nucleic acids and probed accordingly with use of, for example, nanoparticles functionalized with nucleic acids. Patterning can be controlled by selection of tip treatment, relative humidity, and nucleic acid structure. |
| US07951333B2 |
Centrifugal force-based microfluidic device for protein detection and microfluidic system including the same
A centrifugal force-based microfluidic device for the detection of a target biomolecule and a microfluidic system including the same are provided. The device includes a body of revolution; a microfluidic structure disposed in the body of revolution including chambers, channels connecting the chambers, and valves disposed in the channels to control fluid flow, the microfluidic structures transmitting fluid using centrifugal force due to rotation of the body of revolution; and beads disposed in the microfluidic structures, the beads having capture probes on the surfaces thereof which are selectively bonded with target protein; and a detection probe disposed in the microfluidic structures and selectively bonded to the target protein, and which includes a material required to express an optical signal, wherein the microfluidic structure mixes the beads, biological samples, and the detection probe to react and washes and separates the beads after the reaction. |
| US07951327B2 |
Photocatalytic air purifier for a fan coil unit
A photocatalytic air purifier is disclosed. The photocatalytic purifier includes filter structures coated with a catalytic material such as titanium dioxide. One or more UV lamps are interposed between the filter structures. The catalytic layer reacts with airborne VOCs and bioaerosols when activated by the UV lamps to thereby oxidize the VOCs and destroy the bioaerosols. The photocatalytic air purifier does not need to be replaced or regenerated after a period of continuous usage. The photocatalytic purifier of the present invention substantially eliminates odors, VOCs, and bioaerosols from air directed through the fan coil. The photocatalytic air purifier includes a control system that optimizes operating costs. Because of these features, service, maintenance, and filter replacement are reduced to a minimum. At the same time, the well being of persons living in the space conditioned by the photocatalytic air purifier is improved. |
| US07951326B2 |
Hydrogen absorbing alloy, hydrogen absorbing alloy electrode, secondary battery and production method of hydrogen absorbing alloy
The present invention provides a hydrogen absorbing alloy containing a phase of a Pr5Co19 type crystal structure having a composition defined by a general formula A(4−w)B(1+w)C19 (A denotes one or more element(s) selected from rare earth elements including Y (yttrium); B denotes an Mg element; C denotes one or more element(s) selected from a group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, and Al; and w denotes a numeral in a range from −0.1 to 0.8) and having a composition as a whole defined by a general formula R1xR2yR3z (15.8≦x≦17.8, 3.4≦y≦5.0, 78.8≦z≦79.6, and x+y+z=100; R1 denotes one or more element(s) selected from rare earth elements including Y (yttrium); R2 denotes an Mg element, R3 denotes one or more element(s) selected from a group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn, and Al; the numeral of Mn+Al in the z is 0.5 or higher; and the numeral of Al in the z is 4.1 or lower). |
| US07951320B1 |
Method of molding a bulkhead fitting
A method of using an injection mold assembly to fabricate a bulkhead fitting. The method includes using a core plate, aperture plate and a pair of slide blocks to form the mold assembly which contains the mold cavity. The aperture plate, which has an opening through the plate, is positioned within the assembly such that the fitting, which is molded within the mold cavity, does not contain a parting line across the sealing surface and o-ring groove of the fitting. |
| US07951314B2 |
Method of producing fuel cell and production apparatus for fuel cell
A production apparatus for a tubular fuel cell, including a first extruder that supplies a first catalyst layer material to the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrically shaped inner electrode that exhibits conductivity, thereby forming a first catalyst layer, a second extruder that supplies an electrolyte layer material to the outer peripheral surface of the first catalyst layer, thereby forming an electrolyte layer, and a third extruder that supplies a second catalyst layer material to the outer peripheral surface of the electrolyte layer, thereby forming a second catalyst layer, wherein by conducting supply of the first catalyst layer material, the electrolyte layer material and the second catalyst layer material in an intermittent manner, at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the inner electrode is left exposed. |
| US07951310B2 |
Nanophase carbon black grafted with organic compound in situ
The present invention discloses a nanophase carbon black grafted with organic compounds, comprising (a) a first component: 100 parts by weight of original carbon black particles, and (b) a second component: 5-300 parts by weight of grafting organic compounds having or producing free radicals which is grafted onto the surface of the carbon black, wherein the molecular weight of the grafting organic compounds is 100-10000, and the nanophase carbon black has a particle size of 1-100 nm. The invention also discloses the synthesis thereof and articles therefrom. |
| US07951306B2 |
Oxynitride phosphor and production process thereof, and light-emitting device using oxynitride phosphor
An oxynitride phosphor consisting of a crystal containing at least one or more of Group II elements selected from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Zn, at least one or more of Group IV elements selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr and Hf, and a rare earth element being an activator R, thereby providing a phosphor which is excited by an excitation light source at an ultraviolet to visible light region and which has a blue green to yellow luminescence color that is wavelength converted. |
| US07951302B2 |
Method for forming bump of probe card
A method for forming a bump of a probe card is disclosed. In accordance with the method, a bump having a high aspect ratio for supporting a probe tip and a probe beam is formed using a semiconductor substrate as a mold eliminating a need for a photoresist film. |
| US07951301B2 |
Method for producing a ceramic printed-circuit board
A method produces of a ceramic circuit board that has a ceramic substrate on a top side of the circuit board, solderable contact pads for components, and solderable contacts on an underside of the circuit board. The metallization for the solderable contact pads is produced by depositing a metal from a solution directly onto the ceramic substrate. |
| US07951300B2 |
Water-scale needle array
Methods for wafer-scale fabrication of needle arrays can include mechanically modifying a wafer to produce a plurality of vertically-extending columns. The columns are etched to round and reshape the columns into substantially uniformly shaped needles. Needle arrays having needle width non-uniformity of less than about 3% and length non-uniformity of less than about 2% can be produced. |
| US07951299B2 |
Method of fabricating a microresonator
A method of fabricating a microresonator is disclosed. Initially, silica is deposited on a substrate, and the substrate is etched to form a pillar, the top portion of which supports the silica. The microresonator is then formed from the silica. Next, the pillar is etched to reduce the overall diameter of the top portion of the pillar so that the microresonator can be disengaged from the pillar. |
| US07951295B2 |
Insertion-point seal for spiral wound module
An improved method of fabricating a spiral wound module seals a juncture between each scroll face, preferably a smooth, trimmed scroll face, and a central permeate tube. The tube is generally perpendicular to the scroll face. Modules produced using the improved method have fewer insertion point leaks than those produced without using the improved method. Fast curable cyanoacrylate adhesive is used preferably. |
| US07951294B2 |
Oil and debris separator
A hood for mounting over an outlet in a wall of a catch basin is disclosed. The hood includes a hood wall that forms a prow in a horizontal plane. The prow extends along an axis of the hood thereby achieving optimal flow conditions in the catch basin. In some embodiments the hood wall is shaped to be at least partially sealably mounted to the interior wall of a catch basin have a circular cross section in a horizontal plane. This novel hood shape facilitates installation of the hood in the circular catch basin, while also reducing the flow of oil and other pollutants into the outlet pipe in the circular catch basin. In some embodiments a perforated screed is also disclosed that surrounds the hood to aid in the capture of floatable pollutants. |
| US07951286B2 |
Using an impressed current cathodic protection system to power electrical appliances
A method is disclosed for using an impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system that supplies an electrical current such that a metallic structure (10) has a negative voltage of between 0.5 and 1.5 Volt relative to earth to power one or more electrical appliances (5), the method comprising: —providing one or more electrical appliances (5) which each have a pair of electrical contacts (1,2); —connecting one electrical contact (1) of each electrical appliance to the structure; and —connecting the other electrical contact (2) of each electrical appliance to earth, thereby providing electrical power to each of the electrical appliances. It is preferred that the electrical appliances (5) are equipped with one or more DC-DC power converters (6) which are configured to enhance an electrical input voltage of between 0.5 and 1.5 Volt to an electrical output voltage of between 3 and 5 Volt. |
| US07951284B2 |
Electrolysis apparatus, electrochemical reaction membrane apparatus, porous electrical conductor, and production method thereof
A water electrolysis apparatus includes a plurality of unit cells. A membrane electrode assembly of the unit cell includes an anode side power feeding element and a cathode side power feeding element stacked on an anode catalyst layer and a cathode catalyst layer on both surfaces of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. A surface of the anode side power feeding element is subjected to a grinding process, and then, subjected to an etching process to form a smooth surface. |
| US07951279B2 |
Electrophoresis apparatus and device therefor
There is provided an electrophoresis device including an insulator that includes: a first-separating-medium storing section for storing therein a first separating medium; a first opening and a second opening that are in communication with the first-separating-medium storing section and for defining a direction of separation on the first separating medium; and a third opening that is covered with a penetrable insulating thin film, wherein the first separating medium storing section is in communication with outside via the first opening and the second opening. There is also provided an electrophoresis apparatus including the electrophoresis device. This realizes an electrophoresis apparatus, and a device therefor, that enables an operator to sample separated proteins without ever making contact with the electrophoresed gel, and that can easily be used with various types of analyses, thereby improving convenience of electrophoresis. |
| US07951278B2 |
Method of detecting directly undetectable analytes using directly detectable spacer molecules
The present invention provides a method of indirectly detecting at least one directly undetectable analyte of interest. According to the method, a leading electrolyte and a trailing electrolyte are provided. In addition, a mixture of the at least one directly undetectable analyte and at least two directly detectable spacer molecules is provided. The directly detectable spacer molecules and the directly undetectable analyte are then concentrated and separated into zones using isotachophoresis. A displacement between the zones of directly detectable spacer molecules is then used to determine the presence of the directly undetectable analyte. |
| US07951273B2 |
Electrochemical gas generator for carbon monoxide
An electrochemical gas generator is provided including an electrolysis cell (1) with a gas-impermeable housing, which is closed by a gas-permeable membrane (2) for the discharge of the test gas or calibrating gas CO. A chemically inert cathode (5) formed of a noble metal, a mixture of noble metals or a material containing carbon, is in direct contact with an electrolyte (7). An anode (4) formed of a noble metal, a mixture of noble metals or a material containing carbon, is in direct contact with a mesoxalic acid salt, the mesoxalic acid salt being in direct contact with the electrolyte (7). A control unit (6) is provided that also acts as a power source and is connected to the electrodes (4, 5). |
| US07951272B2 |
Thin film producing method
The present invention is made to provide a method of producing a ZnO thin film in which the c-axis is oriented in-plane over a large area. A ZnO target 28 as the material of the thin film is sputtered by using a magnetron sputtering system, and a flow of material (material flow) directed from the cathode 23 to the anode 24 is generated in a plasma. The material flow has a high density at its central part and has a low density as it departs from the central part. A substrate 20 is fixed at a position displaced from the central axis of a region 30 where the material flow is generated so as to be inclined relative to the central axis. Thereby, a temperature gradient is naturally formed on the substrate 20, and the c-axis of the ZnO thin film deposited on the substrate 20 is oriented in-plane to the temperature gradient direction. Since the substrate 20 is fixed so as to be inclined relative to the material flow, the area where the c-axis is consistently oriented in-plane becomes larger than before. |
| US07951268B2 |
Machine to produce a fibrous web
An apparatus for the production of a fibrous web, especially a tissue or hygienic web, the fibrous web runs through a press nip which is formed by a press unit and a backing roll and the web is subsequently run through a creping nip which is formed by the backing roll and a creping roll around which a textured belt is looped. Moreover, the creping roll is equipped with its own drive. The creping roll can be pressed against the backing roll through a pivoted lever whose pivoting axis which is parallel with the axes of the creping roll and is positioned such that the connecting line between the pivoting axis and the creping roll axis forms an angle of approximately 90° with the connecting line between the creping roll axis and the backing roll axis, when viewed in a vertical plane relative to these axes. |
| US07951266B2 |
Method of producing absorbent sheet with increased wet/dry CD tensile ratio
A method of making absorbent cellulosic sheet with increased wet/dry CD tensile ratio includes treating the fiber at high consistency with debonder in a pulper, for example. The process enables the use of large amounts of debonder in a wet-press process in order to achieve wet/dry CD tensile ratios of greater than 30%. |
| US07951262B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and method
An apparatus includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode for supporting a wafer disposed opposite each other within a process chamber. A first RF power supply configured to apply a first RF power having a relatively higher frequency, and a second RF power supply configured to apply a second RF power having a relatively lower frequency is connected to the lower electrode. A variable DC power supply is connected to the upper electrode. A process gas is supplied into the process chamber to generate plasma of the process gas so as to perform plasma etching. |
| US07951260B2 |
Hybrid components containing reactive hotmelt adhesives
Reactive hotmelt adhesives based on copolyamide can be used in hybrid components. These hybrid components find application in, for example, vehicle construction and aircraft construction. |
| US07951258B2 |
Arrangement and methods for the manufacture of composite layer structures
Method and arrangement for manufacturing core composite layer workpieces (sandwich structures) from at least one first and at least one second cover sheet (1, 2) between which a core sheet (30) including especially short cut fibers (9) is provided, are disclosed with which a continuous and substantially break free manufacture can be conducted which leads to composite layer structures with reasonable costs. Single manufacturing parameters can specifically be varied with different embodiments so that in a relatively simple manner composite layer structures with desired physical properties can be obtained, for example with respect to their strength, stiffness, flexibility, mechanical and acoustic absorption capabilities, working properties, and so on. Composite layer structures for new applications can be manufactured as well. |
| US07951253B2 |
Method of manufacturing display device, method of preparing electrode, and electrode composition for offset printing
A method of manufacturing a display device, including providing a composition including a conductive material, an organic binder; a glass frit, and a solvent, wherein the organic binder has a glass transition temperature of about −50° C. to about −5° C., loading the composition into grooves of a gravure roll, transferring the composition from the grooves of the gravure roll onto a silicone rubber blanket roll, transferring the composition from the blanket roll onto a glass substrate, and drying and firing the composition transferred on the glass substrate to form an electrode. |
| US07951249B2 |
RFID tag
The present invention provides an RFID tag excellent in the diffusion of heat. The RFID tag includes a base, an antenna pattern that is provided on the base and forms a communication antenna, a circuit chip that is electrically connected to the antenna pattern and performs radio communication via the antenna, a cover that is provided in close contact with the base in such a manner as to cover the antenna pattern except a prescribed region including the circuit chip, and an insulating thermal diffusion material that covers the prescribed region and is in thermal contact with the circuit chip. The insulating thermal diffusion material has thermal conductivity higher than the thermal conductivity of the cover. |
| US07951247B2 |
Nano-laminate-based ignitors
Sol-gel chemistry is used to prepare igniters comprising energetic multilayer structures coated with energetic booster materials. These igniters can be tailored to be stable to environmental aging, i.e., where the igniters are exposed to extremes of both hot and cold temperatures (−30 C to 150 C) and both low (0%) and high relative humidity (100%). |
| US07951246B2 |
Method for manufacturing open porous metallic foam body
The invention relates to open-pored metallic foam bodies as well as a method for manufacturing thereof. These metallic foam bodies are allowed to be advantageously used with ambient environmental conditions causing a high corrosion to many conventional materials, and accordingly reducing the lifetime thereof frequently. According to the set object, the metallic foam bodies should have a low mass simultaneously with a high specific surface, and increased corrosion resistance under chemically aggressive ambient environmental conditions. An open-pored metallic foam body according to the invention is then developed such that it is formed from a nickel-copper alloy having at least 40 percent by weight of nickel and yet a porosity of at least 90%. |
| US07951243B2 |
Methods and devices to clear obstructions from medical tubes
A device for clearing obstructions from a medical tube, such as a chest tube, is disclosed in various embodiments. The device features a shuttle member that is magnetically coupled to a guide wire within a guide tube, through the guide-tube wall, so that translation of the shuttle member induces a corresponding translation of the guide wire within the guide tube, without penetrating or compromising the guide-tube wall. In this manner, when the guide tube is coupled to a medical tube where obstructions have formed, the guide wire and clearance member may be inserted into and withdrawn from the medical tube, via actuation of the shuttle member, to engage and help clear such obstructions from the medical tube without compromising the sterile field. Methods of clearing a medical tube of obstructions are also disclosed. |
| US07951237B2 |
Polymer composition and molded articles produced therefrom
The invention relates to a polymer composition comprising a biologically degradable polymer and a material from sea plants and/or shells of sea animals or at least two components selected from the group consisting of saccharides and the derivatives thereof, proteins, amino acids, vitamins and metal ions. The invention additionally relates to a molded article comprising said polymer composition. Said molded article may be used packaging material or fibrous material, in the form of fibrous material as mixing component for the production of yarns, and in the form of fibrous material for the production of nonwoven fabrics or woven fabrics. |
| US07951236B2 |
Liquid graphite
A composition of liquid graphite is presented. The liquid graphite can be erased and applied to a surface using a writing instrument such as a ball point pen with a consistency, accuracy and darkness equivalent to that of a standard graphite, No. 2 pencil. The liquid graphite comprises a formulation of carbon powder, solvent and adhesive in a concentration that provides a dark, consistent marking. |
| US07951232B2 |
Surface coating compositions and methods
The invention provides surface coating compositions comprising a preservative comprising 9-decenoic acid, salts of 9-decenoic acid, esters of 9-decenoic acid, or combinations thereof. The surface coating compositions may be water-based coatings (e.g., a latex paint) or solvent-based coatings (e.g., a solvent-based paint). The surface coating compositions may be paints, stains, varnishes, concrete coatings, anti-graffiti coatings, and the like. Methods for protecting a surface coating composition from in-can spoilage and protecting a coating of the surface coating composition from deterioration by the action of microorganisms are also described. |
| US07951230B2 |
Vacuum cleaner filter assembly
A vacuum cleaner filter assembly having a filter frame with a frame sidewall defining an enclosed perimeter. A filter is mounted in the filter frame and has a surface through which air can pass. A deodorizer chamber has a first sidewall connected to a first portion of the frame sidewall, and a second sidewall connected a second portion of the frame sidewall. The deodorizer chamber has a filter-facing portion facing a first portion of the filter, and defines a passage from there to a portion of the chamber not facing the filter. A number of deodorizer pellets are contained in the chamber. The filter assembly has parallel first and second air paths. The first path extends through the first portion of the filter and the chamber. The second path extends through a second portion of the filter that is not covered by the pellet chamber and not through the chamber. |
| US07951229B2 |
Air filter formed from slit and expanded layers of electrostatically enhanced material
An air filter including a plurality of air-pervious sheets of electret filtration material. The sheets are disposed in a parallel relationship to form a stack of sheets, and each of the sheets has a plurality of slits formed therein for subsequent expanding to form openings. The stack is connected together at opposing ends, such as by bonding. The sheets can be pleated by mounting in a frame. The frame has opposing ends to which the opposing ends of the stack are mounted. The filter media initially has no frame and is not pleated, but is in a flat pad form that is expanded to be installed into a frame. The frame is then mounted in an appliance, such as a room air filter. When the filter is inserted into the filter housing it is expanded and can take a pleated form. |
| US07951227B2 |
Composition and method for dust suppression wetting agent
This disclosure teaches a composition and process which makes it possible to remove floating particulates or prevent the dissemination or particulates, by the misting of a solution that readily captures any particulate material in the air. More specifically, the present disclosure teaches the composition and use of aromatic compounds that are semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) or slow evaporators in water-based carriers with surfactants as the misting/fogging agent for dust suppression. The particulate material is lowered to surfaces and removed by vacuuming, damp-wiping or using a dry cloth with a cationic charge (static cloth). This method can be achieved with neutral air pressure differentials in the work areas. |
| US07951224B2 |
Process for improving the cetane rating of distillate and diesel boiling range fractions
The present invention is directed to a process for producing a diesel fuel of enhanced cetane value from low cetane distillate and diesel boiling range fractions from poor crudes such as naphthenic crudes. |
| US07951223B2 |
Method of separating rhodium from platinum and/or palladium
A method of separating rhodium from platinum and/or palladium includes; chloridizing a raw material including rhodium and at least platinum and/or palladium in chlorine atmosphere and obtaining a soluble salt of platinum and/or palladium; water-leaching chloridized material and dissolving platinum and/or palladium into a solution; filtering the solution; and leaving rhodium in a filtered residue of the solution. |
| US07951220B2 |
Method for recovering molybdenium, nickel, cobalt or their mixtures from used or regenerated catalysts
The invention describes a method for recovering molybdenum, nickel, cobalt or their mixtures from used or regenerated catalysts in an electric arc furnace containing a heel of liquid cast iron, surmounted with a fluid slag, comprising the following steps: a) adding used or regenerated catalysts into the heel contained in the electric arc furnace, b) adding dosed lime in order to obtain a slag with a CaO to Al2O3 ratio comprised between 0.7 and 1.3, c) mixing the heel by injecting gas so as to avoid formation of crusts, d) melting the used or regenerated catalysts in the electric arc furnace in order to obtain a liquid ferro-alloy. |
| US07951219B2 |
Cast formed filter and method of making the same
A cast formed filter and a method for making the filter are provided. The cast formed filter includes a cast formed filter media having an inlet end, an outlet end, a plurality of inlet openings, a plurality of outlet openings, and a fluid path. The plurality of inlet openings extend from the inlet end into the cast formed filter media, wherein a first portion of the cast formed filter media is disposed between each of the plurality of inlet openings and the outlet end. The plurality of outlet openings extend from the outlet end into the cast formed filter media, wherein a second portion of the cast formed filter media is disposed between each of the plurality of outlet openings and the inlet end, the second portion comprising at least a portion of the first portion of cast formed filter media. The fluid path extends through at least one of the plurality of inlet openings and through at least one of the plurality of outlet openings, wherein fluid flowing through the fluid path is filtered by the cast formed filter media. |
| US07951213B1 |
Superabrasive compact, drill bit using same, and methods of fabricating same
Superabrasive compacts, methods of fabricating such compacts, and drilling tools that may utilize such compacts are disclosed. In one aspect of the present invention, a superabrasive compact includes a substrate and a superabrasive table attached to the substrate. At least one constituent of the superabrasive table exhibits a substantially monotonic distribution of size, concentration, or both in a selected direction of the superabrasive table. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of fabricating a superabrasive article is disclosed. A plurality of particles may be provided that exhibit a substantially monotonic distribution of particle size, concentration, or both in a selected direction. The particles may be subjected to a high-temperature, high-pressure process to consolidate and form a self-supporting body. |
| US07951212B2 |
Method and apparatus for producing synthesis gas from biomass
Method and apparatus for producing synthesis gas comprising the steps of combusting (4) a combustible gas to form hot flue gasses (7), passing the flue gasses (7) through heat storing means (1) so as to heat the heat storing means (1) to an elevated temperature, using the heat thus stored to heat biomass (2) to an elevated temperature so as to form synthesis gas, and withdrawing at least part of the synthesis gas formed, wherein following heating of the heat storing means (1) gaseous medium is circulated through the heat storing means (1), the biomass (2) and back to the heat storing means (1). Furthermore computer program product for performing the method of the invention and the use of the produced biogas are disclosed. |
| US07951209B2 |
Composition for the oxidation dyeing of keratin fibres, comprising at least one 4,5-or 3,4-diaminopyrazole or a triaminopyrazole and at least one selected carbonyl compound, and dyeing process
The present invention relates to a composition for the oxidation dyeing of keratin fibres, in particular of human keratin fibres such as the hair, comprising at least one oxidation base chosen from 4,5- or 3,4-diaminopyrazoles and triaminopyrazoles, in combination with at least one selected carbonyl compound, and also to the dyeing process using this composition with an oxidizing agent. |
| US07951206B2 |
Medical stent
A medical stent is sized for placement in a ureter. The stent includes a first section which includes a first material, defines a lumen, and includes a first coil completing at least one revolution. A second section of the stent includes a second material, defines a lumen, and includes a second coil completing at least one revolution. A third section defines a lumen and is located between the first and second sections. The third section includes a co-extrusion of the first and second materials. One of the first or second sections is harder than the other section. |
| US07951204B2 |
Knee prosthesis with a rotational plate
The knee prosthesis with rotary plate comprises a metal base (2) and a tibia plate (3) which are equipped with guide means (22, 22′, 22″, 26, 29, 5, 6, 5′, 9, 50, 51, 52, 13, 15, 18; 34, 34′, 34″, 35, 37, 7, 8, 10, 12, 53, 54, 55, 10′, 17) defining a center of rotation (C,C′) which may be offset from that of the tibia bone axis (YY′), so as to allow the tibia plate (3) to slide in rotation over the said base, the said guide means being positioned a certain distance away from the center of rotation (C, C′). |
| US07951199B2 |
Lateral expandable interbody fusion cage
A lateral expandable interbody fusion cage expands laterally between two vertebrae to promote fusion between the two vertebrae. The cage includes an outer cage and at least one inner cage, with optional flanges and spikes. |
| US07951194B2 |
Bioabsorbable stent with radiopaque coating
Various embodiments of stents with a bioabsorbable body having a coating with a radiopaque layer are disclosed. |
| US07951193B2 |
Drug-eluting stent
A stent for delivering therapeutic agents to a body lumen includes a plurality of circumferential serpentine bands with each band comprising a plurality of struts. At least one strut has at least one first well region and at least one second well region. The at least one first well region has a first thickness, the at least one second well region has a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. Each well region defines a well having a depth. At least some of the wells contain a therapeutic agent. |
| US07951189B2 |
Venous valve, system, and method with sinus pocket
A venous valve with a frame and valve leaflets that provide a sinus pocket. The venous valve provides for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the valve. |
| US07951186B2 |
Embedded electroactive polymer structures for use in medical devices
Medical devices or components thereof having electroactive polymer actuators embedded within at least a portion of the device of component thereof, and novel electroactive polymer actuators formed with a conductive substrate layer and an electroactive polymer layer, the electroactive polymer actuated upon application of a voltage to surrounding liquid electrolyte, the actuators may be embedded within an inert polymer matrix material, or within solid polyelectrolyte matrix material. |
| US07951183B2 |
Medical procedure
The use of an intravascular cooling element to induce hypothermia in connection with a medical procedure. According to a first aspect of the present, invention, a coronary bypass procedure is conducted in which a patient's blood is oxygenated with the patient's lungs and in which blood is circulated using the patient's heart or using an intracorporeal pump. The procedure preferably comprises: (a) positioning a heat transfer element in a blood vessel of a patient; (b) cooling the body of the patient to less than 35° C., more preferably 32±2° C., using the heat transfer element; and (c) forming a fluid communicating graft between an arterial blood supply and the coronary artery. The body of the patient is preferably heated to about 37° C. using the heat transfer element subsequent to the step of forming the fluid communicating graft. According to a further aspect of the invention, a hypothermic medical procedure is provided while a patient is in a conscious or semiconscious state, comprising (a) administering a beta-blocking drug to the patient; (b) delivering a heat transfer element to a blood vessel of the patient; and (c) cooling a region of the patient or the body of the patient to less than 35° C. using the heat transfer element. |
| US07951182B2 |
System and method for leak detection in external cooling pad
An externally-applied heat exchange pad has three layers laminated together, an inner and outer non-conductive layer and a middle conductive layer. A leak in the inner layer causes coolant to contact the middle layer and change impedance, which can be sensed and used as an indication of an impending total leak of the pad. |
| US07951178B2 |
Bone plates with hybrid apertures
Systems, including methods, apparatus, and kits, for fixing bones with bone plates having hybrid apertures. |
| US07951175B2 |
Instruments and methods for manipulating a vertebra
A method for manipulating a vertebra includes connecting a first bone anchor to a first vertebra, connecting a second bone anchor to a second bone anchor, positioning a spinal rod in a receiving member of the first bone anchor and in a receiving member of the second bone anchor, connecting a first instrument to the receiving member of the first bone anchor, and manipulating the first instrument to rotate first bone anchor and the first vertebra relative to the second vertebra. |
| US07951160B2 |
Barrel pinch fastener and applier
Surgical fasteners are disclosed for terminating flow of fluid through a body lumen, including an outer barrel having an annular side wall having at least a pair of radial slots formed therein, and an inner barrel rotatably and concentrically coupled within the outer barrel. The inner barrel has an annular side wall including a radial slot formed therein corresponding to each radial slot formed in the outer barrel. The surgical fastener has an open position in which the radial slots of the inner of the outer barrel are radially aligned with the corresponding radial slots of the inner barrel and a closed position in which the radial slots of the outer barrel are out of radial alignment with the corresponding radial slots of the inner barrel and constrict the body lumen at two locations along the length thereof. An applier is provided for applying the surgical fasteners. |
| US07951159B2 |
Method for plicating and fastening gastric tissue
A method for creating a plication within a hollow organ. The method uses an elongated member having an end effector attached to its distal end. The end effector has a substantially hollow housing, a fixed jaw extending distally from the housing, and a retractable jaw located within the housing. The method involves the step of inserting the end effector within an organ of a patient such that it is in contact with tissue. The method also involves applying vacuum through the elongated member so as to dispose tissue on the fixed jaw and at least partially within the housing. The method also involves creating a plication by sliding the retractable jaw so that it juxtaposes the fixed jaw. |
| US07951158B2 |
Devices, systems and methods for retracting, lifting, compressing, supporting or repositioning tissues or anatomical structures
Devices, systems and methods for retracting, lifting, compressing, supporting or repositioning tissues, organs, anatomical structures, grafts or other structures within the body of human or animal subjects for the purpose of treating a diseases or disorders and/or for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes and/or for research and development purposes or other purposes. |
| US07951157B2 |
Tissue capturing and suturing device and method
A combination tissue apposition and suture capturing device (100) for performing endoscopic procedures typically in the gastro-esophageal tract. The device (100) is particularly adapted for forming multiple plications used in a gastroplasty procedure devised to cure or ameliorate gastro-esophageal reflux disease. The device include a tissue sewing capsule (102) attached to the distal end of an endoscope having a needle (120) that is deposited in a capsule (102) distal tip cavity following the suturing of a tissue fold and retrieved to enable the suturing of a subsequent tissue fold without the need for multiple intubations. A suture clip delivery device (200) is also disclosed that is adapted to fit within the capsule to enable suture capture without the need for multiple intubations. The combination device eliminates the need for an overtube and maximizes the speed efficiency of the gastroplasty procedure. A method for using the combination device is also disclosed. |
| US07951155B2 |
Combined treatment for cataract and glaucoma treatment
A method is provided for treatment of cataract in combination with a glaucoma procedure while maintaining the intraocular pressure by permitting aqueous to flow out of an anterior chamber of the eye through a surgically stented pathway. A trabecular stent is adapted for implantation within the trabecular meshwork of an eye such that intraocular liquid flows controllably from the anterior chamber of the eye to Schlemm's canal, bypassing the trabecular meshwork. Depending upon the specific treatment contemplated, pharmaceuticals may be utilized in conjunction with the trabecular stent enabling post-cataract healing processes. |
| US07951154B2 |
Insertion device and techniques for orthopaedic implants
Instruments for inserting an implant in a space between adjacent bony portions include a pair of parallel guide members extending distally from a proximal frame portion. Tamps and impaction instruments facilitate advancement of the implant between the guide members to the space between the adjacent bony portions. |
| US07951150B2 |
Vessel sealer and divider with rotating sealer and cutter
An electrosurgical instrument includes a housing having a shaft attached thereto which defines a longitudinal axis therethrough. The instrument also includes first and second opposing jaw members coupled to the shaft, the first jaw member having a conductive surface and movable relative to the second jaw member. The second jaw member is fixed relative to the shaft and includes an electrode rotatable along the longitudinal axis. The rotatable electrode has a sealing surface and a cutting edge. One or more non-conductive stop members are disposed on the first and/or second jaw members that are dimensioned to control the distance between the electrically conductive surfaces when tissue is held therebetween. The jaw members are connected to an electrosurgical energy source such that the jaw members are capable of conducting energy through tissue held therebetween. |
| US07951148B2 |
Electrosurgical device having a tissue reduction sensor
An electrosurgical device for use in surgical procedures is disclosed. The electrosurgical device comprises a main body having a proximal end and a distal end. A heat delivery modality is situated and arranged at the distal end of the main body. A sensor arrangement is also situated and arranged at the distal end of the main body. The heat delivery modality provides thermal energy to a tissue being treated while the sensor arrangement is configured to engage and detect a change in dimension of the tissue being treated. Accordingly, the electrosurgical device of the present disclosure allows a surgeon to precisely achieve the desired amount of dimensional change of the tissue being treated. |
| US07951147B2 |
Surgical clamp
A novel surgical clamp having a pair of jaws, which may be used to ablate or create leisons in tissue. In embodiment, the jaws have an articulated position wherein the jaws are separated and not parallel to one another, an opened position wherein the jaws are separated and substantially parallel to one another, and a closed position wherein the jaws are adjacent and substantially parallel to one another. One or more of the jaws can articulate independent of the other jaw. Other embodiments are described in the attached specification. |
| US07951146B2 |
RF intervertebral electrosurgical probe
An electrosurgical instrument for spinal procedures comprises an elongated tubular member configured to fit within and be extended down a standard sized cannula. The instrument comprises a proximal end including a handle for the surgeon and supplied with fittings for connection to a source of irrigation fluid and a source of suction. The distal end of the instrument has an active end comprising a slightly-flexible curved wire electrode that extends in the plane of the tubular member. Beyond the wire electrode is an exit port for irrigation fluid, and in front of the electrode is a receiving port for suction. The wire electrode is thus flanked in front by the exiting irrigation fluid and behind by the suction, with the result that fluid flow is drawn by the suction across the wire electrode creating pressure forces that direct removed tissue to the suction entrance and its removal from the surgical site. |
| US07951130B2 |
Sinus delivery of sustained release therapeutics
The invention provides biodegradable implants for treating sinusitis. The biodegradable implants have a size, shape, density, viscosity, and/or mucoadhesiveness that prevents them from being substantially cleared by the mucociliary lining of the sinuses during the intended treatment period. The biodegradable implants include a sustained release therapeutic, e.g., an antibiotic, a steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, or both. The biodegradable implants may take various forms, such as rods, pellets, beads, strips, or microparticles, and may be delivered into a sinus in various pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. |
| US07951129B2 |
Diastolic coronary perfusion detection for timed delivery of therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents
During diastolic coronary perfusion, blood perfuses through the heart via the coronary arteries. Delivery of a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to the heart during diastolic coronary perfusion allows the therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent to efficiently perfuse through the heart. A medical device according to the invention detects closure of the aortic valve of a heart, and initiates delivery of a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent upon detection of aortic valve closure. The medical device detects aortic valve closure by processing a signal. Exemplary signals used by the medical device to detect aortic valve closure include left or right ventricular accelerometer signals, left or right ventricular flow signals, left or right ventricular pressure signals, aortic pressure signals, pulse pressure signals, systemic arterial pressure signals, electrogram signals, and phonocardiogram signals |
| US07951128B1 |
Protective undergarment system
A protective undergarment system for absorbing fluids released by the body of a user. The protective undergarment system includes an upper member being designed for being selectively positioned around an abdomen, a groin and a posterior of the user. The upper member comprises a lower aperture extending through the upper member whereby the lower aperture is designed for extending from a portion of the groin to a portion of the posterior and passes between the legs of the user. A lower member is selectively coupled to the upper member whereby the lower member is selectively positioned over the lower aperture of the upper member to selectively close the lower aperture of the upper member. The lower member is designed for absorbing the fluids released by the body whereby the lower member can be removed from the lower member when the lower member is soiled. |
| US07951126B2 |
Absorbent article
An absorbent article is disclosed in which an absorbent body intervenes between a liquid permeable front sheet and a back sheet. A middle-height portion is provided by thickening a front surface of an approximately center area of the absorbent body with respect to a standard portion absorbent body. The article includes leakage preventing grooves which extend to a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article are provided on both sides which sandwich a body fluid discharge portion area in the area of the middle-height portion, respectively. |
| US07951125B2 |
Set of coupling parts
The present invention relates to a set of coupling parts, such as parts for coupling an ostomy bag to a base plate, said base plate being adhered around a stoma. The set of coupling parts provides a connection part that may be interposed between a first coupling part and a second coupling part and where the coupling parts may be connected and disconnected from each other by the same movement of the connection part. |
| US07951123B2 |
Spa wax heating device
A wax heating device for wax treatment of human skin that includes a contained a controlled exothermic chemical reaction to melt wax on a flexible element for contacting human skin. A heating pouch contains a first portion. A heater element has an inner area with a first portion holding a heat generating material and a second portion holding an actuation agent, with a seal that is broken to actuate the heat generation and melt the wax. |
| US07951121B2 |
Pressure actuated valve with improved slit configuration
A valve apparatus for medical applications, comprises a flexible member extending across a lumen through which a flow of materials is to be controlled. The flexible member includes a plurality of movable elements formed on opposite sides of a slit extending through the flexible member. The moveable members are biased so that when a pressure less than a predetermined threshold value is applied to the flexible member, the moveable elements are maintained in a closed position in which no flow is permitted past the flexible member and, when a pressure at least as great as the threshold value is applied to the flexible member, the moveable elements are moved to an open position separated from one another along the slit permitting flow through the lumen. |
| US07951119B2 |
Slittable or removable valves and apparatus and methods for making and using them
A system and/or apparatus for delivering a medical device into a body includes an elongate tubular member and a valve fitted within a proximal end thereof. The valve preferably includes a tubular body and a flap, wherein the tubular body is engaged within the proximal end of the tubular member and has an open end approximately aligned with a proximal termination of the proximal end of the tubular member. The flap of the valve preferably extends over a hole formed in an end wall of the tubular body opposite a side of the end wall that faces a passage of the tubular body, which passage extends between the open end and the end wall. The hole communicates with the passage and with the lumen of the tubular member, and the flap is movable away from the hole when the device is introduced through the passage and the hole. |
| US07951116B2 |
Selective surface modification of catheter tubing
A catheter shaft and methods for making and using the same. The catheter shaft may include a core portion, a cap portion, and one or more lumens. The cap portion may be disposed on or over a section of the core portion and define a region with a different exterior or interior surface characteristic. For example, the cap portion may define a lubricious region along the catheter shaft. Manufacturing the catheter shaft may include a modified co-extrusion process that incorporates a flow valve on at least one of the material supply lines so that the supply line can be regulated by a user. |
| US07951115B2 |
Safety dialysis needle/catheter system and method of use
The present invention provides a safety needle/catheter system and method of use for dialysis procedures. The invention includes a safety feature that prevents inadvertent needle sticks by administrators. The invention further includes a catheter portion composed of shape memory materials. The catheter portion has a deformed shape and size that facilitates insertion of the catheter portion and closure of the catheter incision and a recovered shape and size that can reduce the severity of infection and/or clotting, as well as provide improved maintenance and control over proper fluid volume flow during dialysis. |
| US07951113B2 |
Device for the dosed administration of a fluid product comprising a torsion spring drive
A device for administering a fluid product including a housing, a conveying device for the product, a coupling element provided for the drive of the conveying device and which can be rotated about a rotational axis, a first blocking element connected in a rotationally secure manner to the coupling element, a second blocking element detachably engageable with the first blocking element thereby preventing a rotational movement thereof in the drive direction and enabling said rotational movement to take place in the counter dosing direction, a torsion spring connected to the coupling element such that it is stressed by the rotational movement when the blocking elements are engaged in a blocked position and drives the coupling element in a rotary manner after the blocking position is released, and a release element coupled to at least one of the blocking elements such that a release movement of the release element displaces at least one of the blocking elements from the blocked position, the release element also forming a dosing element used to control a product dose. |
| US07951111B2 |
Valvuloplasty catheter and methods
A valvuloplasty catheter has a dog-bone shaped balloon with semi-compliant smaller diameter waist and non-compliant larger diameter bulbous end regions. The balloon centers across the valve with the waist adjacent to the annulus. One bulbous region serves to hyperextend the valve leaflets and the other assists in stabilizing the balloon position to reduce migration. The semi-compliant waist increases in diameter as fluid enters the balloon until it comes into contact with the valve annulus. The pressure within the balloon per unit of volume delivery has a greater slope after contact with the annulus than before resulting in a change in slope for the pressure versus volume curve. The diameter of the balloon and annulus are determined at this inflection point when the balloon contacts the annulus. |
| US07951110B2 |
Expandable spinal sheath and method of use
Disclosed is an expandable percutaneous sheath, for introduction into the body while in a first, low cross-sectional area configuration, and subsequent expansion to a second, enlarged cross-sectional configuration. The sheath is maintained in the first, low cross-sectional configuration by a removable tubular restraint or by structural elements built into the wall of the expandable portion of the sheath. In one application, the sheath is utilized to introduce a formed in place orthopedic fixation rod such as for use in spinal fixation procedures, preparation of a spinal segment, or placement of a vertebral body spacer. The sheath can further comprise structural elements to permit re-collapse of the sheath under fluid pressure following completion of the procedure and prior to removal from the patient. |
| US07951108B2 |
Dual chamber mixing syringe and method for use
A mixing syringe and method for using the mixing syringe are provided. The mixing syringe comprises a housing having a first compartment for containing a first component, an outer plunger having a second compartment for containing a second component, and an inner plunger. Prior to use, a seal separates the first and second components. To prepare the mixture, the seal is pierced and the two components are mixed. The mixing syringe and its method of use are particularly suited to applications in which at least one of the mixture components is a relatively highly viscous material. |
| US07951107B2 |
Medical device with high pressure quick disconnect handpiece
A method and apparatus are provided for quickly connecting a handpiece to a pressurized fluid source. A hollow tube on the handpiece is inserted through an aperture in an annular gasket which is held in a chamber in a body. On application of pressurized fluid to the body, the gasket is pressed against the walls of the chamber, and against the tube, thereby channeling the pressurized fluid through the hollow tube. The handpiece is retained in connection with the body by a releasable connector, such as a latch. The handpiece can be removed and replaced by releasing and remaking the connection. |
| US07951103B2 |
Assembled orthopedic retractor
An orthopedic retractor is provided made of polymer gel shaped to be inserted into an interdigital space, having two complementary parts made of polymer gel, each part having a flat face shaped to be assembled to the flat face of the other part, such that together the two parts form the retractor, the flat faces once assembled forming a junction resistant to shearing forces while remaining separable from each other. Advantages: simplification of manufacturing and packaging methods. |
| US07951099B2 |
Massage device
A massage device. The massage device includes a pair of therapeutic elements and a bottom therapeutic member. The therapeutic elements are rotated by a driving shaft, driven by a driving mechanism, for supporting and massaging feet. The bottom therapeutic member is disposed between two therapeutic elements, supporting the instep of a foot. The therapeutic elements are formed along the instep. |
| US07951094B2 |
Shapeable intraluminal device and method therefor
A hollow medical device includes a coil member having a distal end, a proximal end, a plurality of turns extending therebetween, and a lumen extending through the turns. The coil member further includes at least one weld extending from one turn to an adjacent turn. |
| US07951093B2 |
Composite medical device with markers
Medical devices and methods of manufacturing medical devices. The medical devices include an elongate member having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a connector assembly disposed adjacent the elongated member to connect the proximal and distal portions, the connector assembly including a radiopaque marker. |
| US07951092B2 |
Guidewire loader apparatus and method
A guidewire loader apparatus is provided for loading a guidewire into a lumen opening of a guidewire lumen of a medical device. The loader apparatus includes a first member defining a respective medical device receiving portion and a respective guidewire receiving portion in communication therewith via a respective interface portion. The loader apparatus further includes a second member configured for placement in an opposed relationship to the first member. The second member defines a respective medical device receiving portion and a respective guidewire receiving portion in communication therewith at a respective interface portion. The first member and the second member cooperatively associate with one another between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the medical device can be positioned into at least one respective medical device receiving portion. In the second position, the respective device receiving portions cooperate to align and support the medical device in a manner placing the lumen opening of the medical device substantially adjacent to the cooperating, respective interface portions. This permits aligned sliding receipt of an end of the guidewire into the cooperating, respective guidewire receiving portions, through the cooperating respective interface portions and into the lumen opening of the medical device. |
| US07951091B2 |
Guide wire with stranded tip
A guide wire comprising an elongate, flexible core having a proximal region, a proximal end, a distal region, and a distal end, and the distal region having a tapered portion; a plurality of wire strands wrapped helically parallel to one another and disposed on at least a portion of the tapered distal region of the core; a polymer tie layer disposed on at least a portion of the plurality of wire strands; and a lubricious polymer layer disposed on the polymer tie layer. |
| US07951087B2 |
Method for correction of posture dependence on heart sounds
A system to monitor heart sounds. The system comprises an implantable heart sound sensor configured to produce an electrical signal representative of at least one heart sound, an implantable posture sensor operable to produce an electrical signal representative of a patient's posture, and a controller circuit. The controller circuit is configured to determine a patient posture, measure at least one heart sound in correspondence with at least one corresponding patient posture, adjust the heart sound measurement by using the corresponding determined patient posture to reduce or remove variation in the heart sound measurement due to patient posture, detect a change in the adjusted heart sound measurement, and provide an indication of congestive heart failure to a user or an automated process in response to the detected change. |
| US07951084B2 |
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic diagnostic method
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising an ultrasonic transmitting unit, an image signal generating unit and a signal addition unit. The ultrasonic transmitting unit transmits an ultrasonic wave having a wave surface except a plane wave surface and a focused focal wave surface to a subject so that shapes of wave surface portions change mutually in time on a same scanning line. The image signal generating unit receives reflected waves produced by the wave surface portions and generating image signals according to the reflected waves received. The signal addition unit obtains an image signal of which a speckle noise is reduced by adding the image signals mutually. |
| US07951080B2 |
On-body medical device securement
Devices and methods for maintaining a medical device on-body are provided. Embodiments include medical device securement systems having first and second on-body securement elements. Also provided are systems and kits for use maintaining a medical device on-body. |
| US07951077B2 |
Method and instruments for breast augmentation mammaplasty
A method and instruments for performing breast augmentation mammaplasty in a patient are provided. The method includes making an incision to gain access to an area underneath the breast of the patient, and providing a retractor including a shaft and a tubular member connected to the shaft. The tubular member includes a hollow endoscope guide portion and a generally flattened blade portion, where the endoscope guide portion transitions into the blade portion such that an end of the blade extends beyond an end of the endoscope guide. The method further includes inserting the retractor at least partially through the incision to aid in placing a breast implant within the patient. |
| US07951076B2 |
Surgical access system
A surgical access device adapted for disposition relative to an incision in a patient comprising a valve including a plurality of overlapping sheets defining an access channel, and a ring having an inner diameter for holding the valve by fixing each of the overlapping sheets along a portion of the perimeter is described. The access channel extends into communication with the incision in the patient. Each of the overlapping sheets includes a portion of the perimeter that is not fixed to the inner diameter of the ring, which provide open edges defining the access channel. The open edges slightly overlap at the center of the ring. |
| US07951074B2 |
Endoscope device
An endoscope device is proposed for dealing with an erroneous operation of a surgeon. An endoscope device has an endoscope and a processor, wherein the endoscope has a switch unit and the processor has a CPU and an operating panel. In the event that the CPU of the processor detects that, of a first instruction signal transmitted from the switch unit and a second instruction signal transmitted from the operating panel, the instructions for performing the predetermined operation are not performed normally with one of the instruction signals, and instructions for performing an operation other than the predetermined operation is performed normally with the other instruction signal, the CPU stops the transmission of one of the instruction signals, and validates the operation content instructed by the other instruction signal. |
| US07951072B2 |
Controllable endoscopic sheath apparatus and related method of use
A controllable sheath for optimizing the control of surgical instruments at the operation site includes a flexible sheath surrounding an endoscope and including a lumen extending along the walls of the sheath and adjacent to the endoscope. The lumen permits the passage of surgical instruments from the proximal end of the endoscopic device to the operation site. The lumen extends beyond the distal end of the endoscope and deflects at the distal end as desired by the operator's manipulation of a controller device. This distal end deflection may occur through various different techniques where the ability to deflect the lumen gives the operator increased control and maneuverability over the surgical implements located in the lumen. Depending upon the particular requirements of the surgical procedure, the controllable sheath may include any number of lumens capable of distal end deflection. |
| US07951070B2 |
Object observation system and method utilizing three dimensional imagery and real time imagery during a procedure
An object observation method and system including an endoscope, at least one treating device, a first detecting portion for detecting information indicating an observation direction of the endoscope, a second detecting portion for detecting information indicating a treatment direction of the treating device, a three dimensional virtual image data storing portion for storing three dimensional image data prepared in advance, a virtual image data processing portion for creating virtual image data based on the information indicating the observation direction and the treatment direction, first and second three dimensional image display monitors, each having first and second image display devices, and switch sections for instructing change of display mode of the second image display devices. |
| US07951067B2 |
Implantable band having improved attachment mechanism
An implantable band for placement around an anatomical passageway, such as the stomach or other lumen, includes a first end portion with an opening configured to receive part of a second end portion, with a retaining part included as part of the first or second end portion. |
| US07951066B2 |
Medical device positioning assemblies and methods
A medical retrieval device of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an assembly for positioning a medical device includes a sleeve having a lumen configured to accept a medical device, and a tab. The tab includes a distal portion and a proximal portion. The distal portion is configured to receive the sleeve for positioning the sleeve proximate the proximal portion. The proximal portion is configured such that severing the tab along the proximal portion maintains the tab in one piece. |
| US07951065B2 |
Tension free pelvic floor repair
A kit and method for supporting a pelvic floor of a person with stress urinary incontinence or other symptoms. The method involves using barbed sutures as part of a sling for supporting the pelvic floor or urethra of a person experiencing stress urinary incontinence or other symptoms. A surgeon implants the sling along with the barbed sutures, using one of several known methods. The barbed sutures may be interwoven with the sling and the supports for the sling, so that once the sling and its supports are placed into the patient, barbs of the sutures will resist movement. The sutures may also be woven into the supports to resist movement. |
| US07951064B2 |
Endourethral device and method
An endourethral device is provided having an elongate member having proximal and distal segments, the elongate member positionable within a lower urinary tract so as to at least partially traverses a prostatic urethra. A proximal anchor, adapted to abuttingly engage portions of a bladder neck so as to at least proximally anchor the device, is supported at least indirectly by the proximal segment of said elongate member. The proximal anchor includes bladder engaging elements radially extending from the proximal segment of said elongate member, urine being freely dischargable about at least the proximal segment so as to substantially bathe the bladder neck therewith. |
| US07951062B2 |
Blood pump system and method of operation
A blood pump system includes a blood pump having a motor with a rotor and a stator. The stator has a plurality of stator windings situated therein. A motor controller is coupled to the motor, and a processor has inputs coupled to the motor controller for receiving a time continuous signal from the pump. The processor is programmed to transform the time continuous signal to the frequency domain, and control the pump and detect excess suction in response to the time continuous signal in the frequency domain. |
| US07951058B2 |
Apparatus and method for the manual folding of a packing blank
A tool for the manual folding of a package blank into a package, includes a bottom plate (2) with an abutment (3) erect from the front edge of the bottom plate, a tongue (4) protruding in front of the abutment from the front edge of the bottom plate, and a jaw (6) acting against the tongue from above, as well as a lip (8) protruding from the abutment, which is spring loaded and back-springing and which is retractable into the abutment against the spring force in dependence of the fact that a part of a package blank in one fold operation is made to pass by the lip, and which thereafter springs back to support the package blank in the attained folded position. A package blank, a method for preparing a package and the use of a tool for preparing a package by folding a package blank are also disclosed. |
| US07951057B2 |
Multi-layer heat insulating container
A storage container includes a receptacle having a circumferential sidewall and a sleeve fixedly attached to the receptacle having a circumferential sidewall with a left edge, a right edge, and marginal portions adjacent the left and right edges wherein the edges meet to form a butt seam. The receptacle sidewall and the sleeve sidewall define an insulating layer therebetween. The insulating layer includes a first edge and a second edge wherein the first and second edges do not extend under the marginal portions such that the insulating layer has a smaller circumference than that of the sleeve sidewall. A method for forming a storage container is also provided. |
| US07951055B2 |
Push-up blocks
The push-up block is a device that provides the user with a handgrip for use during push-up exercises, and which further expands the range of exercises and the associated benefits associated with conventional push-ups. The push-up block includes an upper member, having opposed upper and lower surfaces, and a lower member also having opposed upper and lower surfaces. A handle is secured to the upper surface of the upper member, providing the user with a handgrip. The lower surface of the lower member is convex so that at least one lowest point thereof contacts a support surface when the push-up block is in use. For example, the lower surface may be substantially V-shaped, forming a triangular wedge, substantially semicircular or arcuate, or may be substantially pyramidal. |
| US07951053B1 |
Exercising assist method and apparatus
An exercising assist method and apparatus for includes a pair of foot engaging members each having a structure to be removably coupled to a foot of a person. A pair of wheel assemblies is provided and each of the foot engaging members has one of the wheel assemblies attached thereto. The wheel assemblies engage a wall surface when the foot of the person is pointed toward the wall surface. The wheel assemblies assist the person in performing exercises. |
| US07951048B1 |
Abdominal swiveling exercise machine combined with an elliptical trainer exercise machine, or skate simulation trainer, or exercise bicycle or recumbent bicycle
A combination exercise device including a combination elliptical trainer and abdominal swivelling exercise machine, a combination skating simulation exercise machine and abdominal swivelling exercise machine, an exercise bicycle combined with an abdominal swivelling exercise machine and a recumbent exercise bicycle combined with an abdominal swivelling exercise machine. |
| US07951043B2 |
Method and device for controlling the oil supply of an automatic gearbox and a starting element
A method and a device for controlling the oil supply of an automatic transmission (gearbox) and to a starting element. The method can guarantee a sufficient supply of oil to a hydraulic control unit of the automatic transmission and/or the starting element, in particular an oil-cooled friction clutch, both during the operation of the internal combustion engine (4) and when the latter is at a standstill with the aid of an oil pump (2) that can be mechanically driven by the internal combustion engine (4) and a second oil pump (3) that can be electrically driven. In addition, the cooling oil supply of the starting element is guaranteed by the provision of a low-pressure oil by way of the electrically driven oil pump (3), at least during the starting operation, the stream cooling the starting element (11). |