| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08000093B2 |
Display device, manufacturing method of the display device, and portable computer having the display device
A display device includes a display panel, and a chassis supporting the display panel, and including a conductive material. The display device includes a circuit board including a signal wiring connected to the display panel to apply a driving signal to the display panel, and a grounding wiring for grounding. The display device includes a connector connected with a signal cable that applies an external signal and is connected to the signal wiring and the grounding wiring of the circuit board. The display device includes an exposed grounding unit exposing part of the grounding wiring on the circuit board, wherein the exposed grounding unit is disposed adjacent to the connector. The display device includes a conductive member which connects the exposed grounding unit with the chassis. |
| US08000088B2 |
Thin electronic device
An electronic device includes a housing, a display, and a printed circuit board. The housing receives the display unit and the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board surrounds a periphery of the display unit. The electronic device has a thin thickness. |
| US08000087B2 |
Gas insulated switchgear
Each integral unit is structured by arranging partial units (I), (II), and (Ill) side by side, while line-side devices are branched from positions between the partial units adjacent to each other. Each of the partial units is structured by connecting a current transformer and a disconnector in sequence to each of upper and lower outlets horizontally drawn out from a lateral face of a vertical-type circuit breaker in the same direction. Any two partial units positioned adjacent to each other are connected in series by connecting the disconnectors included therein with a connection bus. The line-side devices are positioned to oppose the circuit breakers while the disconnectors are interposed therebetween. The switchgear includes a plurality of integral units. Two ends of each of the integral units are respectively connected to two main buses that are provided in an upper position and a lower position while the disconnectors are interposed therebetween. |
| US08000077B2 |
DC noise absorbing device for preventing surges and regulating voltages
A DC noise absorbing device for preventing surges and regulating voltages includes a surge inhibitor, a fuse wire, a plurality of diodes, a plurality of Zener diodes, a plurality of diode alternate current switches (DIACs), a plurality of capacitors, and a circuit for indicating light emission, all of which are disposed on or between two wires respectively of positive voltage and negative voltage. The surge inhibitor and the fuse wire are connected in series on the wire of positive voltage; the plurality of diodes, the plurality of Zener diodes, the plurality of DIACs, the plurality of capacitors, which are identically specified, and the circuit for indicating light emission are orderly connected in parallel between the wires of positive voltage and negative voltage so as to form a staircase arrangement of cut-in switching voltages. The DC noise absorbing device provided by the present invention is connected in parallel with and between a DC supply and a DC load, for absorbing surges generated by switching the DC supply and the DC load, voltage fluctuations caused by load variation, serial surges rebounding from the DC load, and noises produced by external interference so that a stable operation and a promoted efficiency of the DC system can be achieved. |
| US08000070B2 |
Motor control circuit with malfunction monitoring
The invention relates to a control circuit which serves for security-critical control of a consumer with an inductive load portion, to be connected to a direct voltage source, and a method for failure control. It is in this case assumed that the control circuit has a power driving assembly, a free-wheeling assembly and a reverse-connection protected assembly. In order to increase the probability of failure recognition, this control circuit is extended by a method for failure control. For this purpose the semiconductor switches of the assemblies, each formed by a MOSFET, are individually driven. The different switching statuses are checked by a diagnostic device which processes voltage values to be read out at outputs of the control circuit. In this way failure-free functionality and also possible causes of failure in the control circuit can be diagnosed. |
| US08000067B1 |
Method and apparatus for improving supply noise rejection
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit operable to protect an internal circuit from ESD events and protect the internal circuit from high-side supply noise. |
| US08000066B2 |
Hard disk system incorporating a current perpendicular to plane magneto-resistive effect device with a spacer layer in the thickness range showing conduction performance halfway between OHMIC conduction and semi-conductive conduction
The thickness of the semiconductor layer forming a part of the spacer layer is set in the thickness range for a transitional area showing conduction performance halfway between ohmic conduction and semi-conductive conduction in relation to the junction of the semiconductor layer with the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer. This permits the specific resistance of the spacer layer to be greater than that of an ohmic conduction area, so that spin scattering and diffusion depending on a magnetized state increases, resulting in an increase in the MR ratio. The CPP-GMR device can also have a suitable area resistivity (AR) value. If the device can have a suitable area resistivity and a high MR ratio, it is then possible to obtain more stable output power in low current operation. The device is also lower in resistance than a TMR device, so that significant noise reductions are achievable. |
| US08000060B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording medium and system having a magnetic recording layer with a perpendicular recording layer, a magnetic coupling layer, and a writing assist layer
Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a substrate, a magnetic recording layer and a protective layer. The magnetic recording layer includes a perpendicular recording layer, a magnetic coupling layer and a writing assist layer. The perpendicular recording layer is a Co alloy layer containing an oxide disposed between the magnetic coupling layer and the substrate. The magnetic coupling layer is a ferromagnetic layer disposed between the perpendicular recording layer and the writing assist layer. The writing assist layer is a ferromagnetic layer disposed between the magnetic coupling layer and the protective layer. The saturation magnetization of the magnetic coupling layer is lower than the saturation magnetization of the perpendicular recording layer or the writing assist layer. The thickness of the magnetic coupling layer is 1 nm or more and 3 nm or less. |
| US08000058B2 |
Magnetic head for perpendicular recording having pole pieces provided on surface of soft magnetic film
Embodiments of the invention provide a perpendicular recording magnetic head capable of reducing leakage magnetic fields from the soft magnetic films on the air bearing surface side and reducing the protrusion of the soft magnetic films in the direction of the air bearing surface side due to thermal deformation of the soft magnetic films. In one embodiment, the write functional section includes a coil conductor, second soft magnetic film pattern and first soft magnetic film pattern that cover the coil conductor from top and bottom and are magnetically coupled to each other, and a main magnetic pole piece determining a track width. The read functional section includes a reading element sandwiched between two magnetic shield films. A pedestal magnetic pole pattern is formed at the frontal end position of the first soft magnetic film pattern. |
| US08000057B2 |
Combining information from parallel servo channels
A weighted combining scheme exploits information from two servo channels operating in parallel. A timing-based servo module comprises two synchronous servo channels coupled respectively to receive two digital servo signals read from a data tape. Both channels have outputs for an unweighted parameter estimate and for a measure of the channel reliability. A weight computation module provides first and second weight signals using the measures of channel reliability from the servo channels. An offset computation module provides first and second offset terms which are summed with the unweighted parameter estimates. Multiplying nodes receive the unweighted parameter estimates and the weight signals and outputs offset weighted parameter estimates. A summing node receives the offset weighted parameter estimates and outputs a combined offset weighted parameter estimate to a servomechanism. |
| US08000045B2 |
Inspection apparatus and inspection method of magnetic disk or magnetic head
The present invention is designed to support plural servo patterns by setting a portion of the information of the servo pattern as a detection pattern, comparing the demodulated pattern of the portion of the information with the detection pattern, and controlling an operation timing of a test according to a result of the comparison. |
| US08000033B1 |
Photographing optical lens assembly
The present invention provides a photographing optical lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, the object-side and image-side surfaces thereof being aspheric; and a third lens element with negative refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, the object-side and image-side surfaces thereof being aspheric and at least one inflection point being formed on the image-side surface, wherein the lens assembly is further provided with a stop disposed between an object and the first lens element. |
| US08000032B2 |
Internally focusing lens system
An exemplary internally focusing lens system includes, in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens group with positive refractive power, a second lens group with negative refractive power, and a third lens group with positive refractive power. The third lens group includes one lens element. The second lens group is movable toward the image side and the first and third lens groups remain stationary during focusing of the lens system from an infinitely distant object to a nearby object. |
| US08000030B2 |
Imaging lens assembly
The present invention provides an imaging lens assembly including, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power; a third lens element with negative refractive power; a fourth lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a fifth lens element having a concave image-side surface, at least one inflection point being provided on the fifth lens element; and an aperture stop disposed between an imaged object and the third lens element. Such an arrangement of optical elements can effectively improve the image quality of the system and enable the imaging lens assembly to maintain a compact form. When the aperture stop is disposed near the object side, the telecentric feature is emphasized, resulting in a shorter total track length. When the aperture stop is disposed near the third lens element, the emphasis is on the wide field of view, and such an aperture stop placement helps to effectively reduce the sensitivity of the imaging lens assembly. |
| US08000028B2 |
Lens barrel, and camera
Provided is a lens barrel, which can be further reduced by providing such a first helicoid as can be easily manufactured even in the zone of a small lead. The lens barrel (1) comprises a first barrel member (6) having a first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) formed in a first face (6a), and a second barrel member (21) having a second helicoid (24) formed in a second face (21a) confronting the first face (6a). The lens barrel is characterized in that the first barrel member (6) has, in the first face (6a), a first zone (Z1), in which the first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) has a first lead, and a second zone (Z2 and Z3), in which the first helicoid (18 and 25) has a second lead smaller than the first lead, and in that the first helicoid (18 and 25) having the second lead has a smaller thread number than that of the first helicoid (18, 25 and 26) having the first lead. |
| US08000025B2 |
Zoom lens system, imaging device and camera
A zoom lens system, in order from an object side to an image side, comprising a first lens unit of positive power, a second lens unit of negative power, a third lens unit of positive power, and a fourth lens unit of positive power, wherein the first lens unit is composed of three or fewer lens elements, wherein the second lens unit is composed of three lens elements, wherein in zooming, the first to the fourth lens units are moved individually along an optical axis such that air spaces should vary, so that variable magnification is achieved, and wherein the conditions are satisfied: 2.00≦D/fW≦4.68, ωW≧35 and fT/fW≧10 (D is a total of an optical axial thickness of each lens unit, ωW is a half view angle at a wide-angle limit, and fT and fW are focal lengths of the entire system respectively at a telephoto limit and at a wide-angle limit), an imaging device and a camera are provided. |
| US08000020B2 |
Substrate-guided imaging lens
There is provided an optical system, including a substrate having a major surface and edges, an optical element for coupling light into the substrate by total internal reflection, a reflecting surface carried by the substrate, a retardation plate and a reflecting optical element. The retardation plate is located between a portion of the major surface of the substrate and the reflecting optical element. |
| US08000015B2 |
Lens unit, LED head, exposing unit, image forming apparatus, and scanning apparatus
Lens pairs include: a first lens to form an intermediate image, which is an inverted image of an object, on an intermediate image plane; and a second lens to form an image of the object, which is an inverted image of the intermediate image, on the image plane. A ratio of SO1 (the distance between the first principal plane of the first lens and the object plane) to SI1 (the distance between the second principal plane of the first lens and the intermediate image plane) is substantially the same as the ratio of SI2 (the distance between the second principal plane of the second lens and the imaging plane) to SO2 (the distance between the first principal plane of the second lens and the intermediate image plane). The distance between the first lens and the object plane is different from a distance between the second lens and the imaging plane. |
| US08000014B2 |
Adaptive sunlight redirector
Longitudinally adjacent plane mirrors (106-114) are pivotally interconnected in a columnar array (56) by non-stretching linkages (120) which constrain movement of the mirrors such that their normal vectors (115) remain parallel. Pivotable couplings (122, 124) in two mirrors permit movement of the mirrors with respect to mutually perpendicular axes (x, y) and prevent movement of the mirrors with respect to a third axis (z). Two actuators (117A, 117B) coupled to one of the pivotable couplings controllably move a selected mirror with respect to the mutually perpendicular axes (x, y). A first frame (116) couples the mirror columns together so that movement of the selected mirror moves all the mirrors in unison. The actuators controllably move the mirrors to orient the normal vectors such that the mirrors specularly reflect incident light in a preselected direction. |
| US08000011B2 |
Sighting optics including an optical element having a first focal length and a second focal length
One embodiment of sighting optics according to the teachings provided herein may include a front sight and a rear sight positioned in spaced-apart relation. The rear sight includes an optical element having a first focal length and a second focal length. The first focal length is selected so that it is about equal to a distance separating the optical element and the front sight and the second focal length is selected so that it is about equal to a target distance. The optical element thus brings into simultaneous focus, for a user, images of the front sight and the target. |
| US08000009B2 |
Light control material for displaying color, information, and images
A light control material for displaying a color image. The light control material includes a material body including a plurality of microstructures. The microstructures are designed to produce an additive color perception of one or more colors and designed to reveal an image when the intensity of light reflected from a selected number of the microstructures is modulated. The selected microstructures can be modulated by one or more of modifying, obliterating, obscuring or covering up the selected microstructures. In one embodiment, the microstructures, prior to modulation of the selected number of microstructures, produce a uniform white additive color perception. |
| US08000004B2 |
Microscope with centered illumination
A microscope comprising a main objective having a variable focal length and comprising an illuminating unit including a light source and an illuminating optical system for generating an illuminating beam path directed onto the object plane and extending outside the main objective. A unit is provided for centering the illumination dependent on a variation of the focal length of the main objective, and the illuminating optical system is mounted at least in part in a laterally shiftable manner for centering the illumination. In particular, the illuminating optical system has a diaphragm that is mounted in a laterally shiftable manner. |
| US07999998B2 |
Short wavelength light source and laser image forming apparatus
A short wavelength light source includes a wavelength conversion element having an incident surface, on which a fundamental wave is incident, and an output surface, from which a harmonic wave is outputted. The wavelength conversion element converts the fundamental wave into the harmonic wave. In addition, the wavelength conversion element includes a holder holding the wavelength conversion element, wherein the wavelength conversion element has a specific region on a light output side, which is arranged so as to suppress variations in phase matching condition between the fundamental wave and the harmonic wave resulting from heat generated by absorbing the harmonic wave during a wavelength conversion. |
| US07999995B2 |
Full color range interferometric modulation
A full color range analog controlled interferometric modulation device is provided. The device includes a transparent substrate, and a transparent fixed-position electrically conductive electrode with a bottom surface overlying the substrate. A transparent spacer overlies the fixed-position electrode, and an induced absorber overlies the spacer. An optically reflective electrically conductive moveable membrane overlies the induced absorber. A cavity is formed between the induced absorber and the moveable membrane having a maximum air gap dimension less than the spacer thickness. In one aspect, the distance from the top surface of the fixed-position electrode to a cavity lower surface is at least twice as great as the cavity maximum air gap dimension. In another aspect, at least one anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer is interposed between the substrate and the fixed-position electrode, and at least one ARC layer is interposed between the fixed-position electrode and the spacer. |
| US07999994B2 |
Display apparatus and methods for manufacture thereof
Display devices incorporating shutter-based light modulators are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such devices. The methods are compatible with thin-film manufacturing processes known in the art and result in displays having lower power-consumption. |
| US07999991B2 |
Electrode comprising lithium nickel oxide layer, method for preparing the same, and electrochromic device comprising the same
Disclosed is a method of preparing an electrode, which can lead to uniform electrochromism of a lithium nickel oxide layer by applying a voltage in all directions of the electrode during a formatting process, an electrode prepared by the same, and an electrochromic device including the electrode. |
| US07999988B2 |
Optical modulator using a dual output laser embedded in a mach zehnder interferometer
A laser is placed inside the Mach-Zehnder interferometer and the output from opposite ends of the laser are fed directly into the opposite arms of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. If the output from opposite sides of the laser are equal in amplitude and wavelength, then when the outputs are recombined at the output of the modulator the intensity is dependent on the relative phase of the light in the two arms of the Mach-Zehnder, just as in a normal Mach-Zehnder modulator. Thus by modulating the phase of one or both arms of the modulator, an intensity modulated source is created. This reduces the overall size of the device, and may ensure that all of the output power from the laser is utilized. |
| US07999987B2 |
Electro-optical display device and electronic device
An electro-optical display device comprises: an active matrix unit including a substrate having one surface and the other surface and a plurality of switching elements provided on the one surface of the substrate; a shutter unit provided on the active matrix unit, and a first microlens array provided on the other surface of the substrate of the active matrix unit, the first microlens array having a plurality of microlenses formed on the other surface of the substrate in a corresponding relationship with the plurality of window portions. The shutter unit is comprised of: a base provided so as to oppose the one surface of the substrate, the base having a plurality of window portions provided in a corresponding relationship with the plurality of switching elements; movable plates provided above the plurality of window portions so as to be displaceable relative to the base, the movable plates opening and closing the plurality of window portions to obtain an opening state and a closing state of each of the plurality of window portions; and driving means for displacing the movable plates and switching the opening state and the closing state of each of the plurality of window portions. The electro-optical display device is capable of using light with increased utilization efficiency and displaying a high quality image, while exhibiting enhanced reliability. Further, an electronic device provided with the electro-optical display device is also provided. |
| US07999983B2 |
Lens material, optical electronic component and optical electronic device
An optical material includes lithium tantalate, and a molar composition ratio of lithium oxide and tantalum oxide (Li2O/Ta2O5) in the lithium tantalate is in the range of 0.975 to 0.982. Since an optical material having a high refractive index is provided in an optical unit, at the same focal distance, a lens thickness can be significantly reduced. As a result, an optical electronic component and an optical electronic device including the optical material has a reduced size and thickness and is highly functional. |
| US07999976B2 |
Automatic sheet-feeding scanning apparatus having movable guide rib device
The present invention relates to an automatic sheet-feeding scanning apparatus having a movable guide rib device. The automatic sheet-feeding scanning apparatus includes a flatbed scanner and an automatic document feeder. The movable guide rib device is mounted in a housing of the flatbed scanner and includes a guide rib structure, at least one hollow portion, a plurality of elastic members and a fixing plate. The guide rib structure is movable upwardly or downwardly so as to avoid document damage even if the document is relatively large-sized. |
| US07999975B2 |
Analog front-end circuit and electronic instrument
An analog front-end circuit includes an analog processing circuit, an A/D converter, a calculation circuit, and a target register in which a black level target value is set. The analog processing circuit includes a clamp circuit that performs a line clamp operation, and an offset adjustment circuit. The calculation circuit monitors an A/D-converted value of a black reference pixel after the line clamp operation in a black level monitor period after a line clamp period but before an effective pixel output period, and performs a black level error correction process by writing an offset adjustment value that causes the A/D-converted value to be set at the black level target value into the offset adjustment register. |
| US07999973B2 |
Image processing apparatus and a control method for forming forgery-inhibited pattern images
A method of controlling an apparatus which is capable of determining a dot disposition of a copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image is disclosed. The copy-forgery-inhibited pattern image has a latent image area in which a number of first dots and a number of second dots smaller than the first dots are disposed and a background area in which a number of the second dots are disposed. The first dots can be reproduced when copied. The method includes displaying information related to a disposition of the first dots and the second dots in the latent image area, setting a rate of the first dots that are disposed in the latent image area, or a rate of the second dots that are disposed in the latent image area, in accordance with a designation performed by a user, and determining the dot disposition in the latent image area in accordance with the setting of the rate. |
| US07999971B2 |
Optimization techniques during processing of print jobs
Methods for processing print jobs in rendering devices include constructing display list objects for to-be-printed objects and determining if two or more sequential objects are combinable. If so, a masked indexed image replaces the objects and has dimensions matching the overall bounding box size of the combinable objects. Indexed image values of the masked indexed image correspond to look up table entries, in turn, corresponding to color values of pixels of the combined object. In this manner, memory space is made available. Determining combinability of objects occurs by examining whether the objects are opaque, have regions as stencils, have similar color intensities, have the same halftone screens, share comparably sized or proximate bounding boxes or for other reasons. Head and tail pointers delineate sequential objects on the display list. The masked indexed image can be uni- or multi-dimensional. Computer readable media and graphics engines in printers are preferred implementation structures. |
| US07999964B2 |
Printing on pre-tagged media
A method performed in a telecommunication device is disclosed. Document information is printed onto a plurality of print areas with a printer of the telecommunication device. Each of the print areas is encoded with identity data which differentiates the print areas from each other. The identity data is sensed with a sensor incorporated in a media feed path of the printer. The identity data and the document information are then transmitted to a computer system with a transmitter of the telecommunication device where the document information printed on respective print areas is associated with the identity data of the respective print areas. |
| US07999962B2 |
Image-reading method and apparatus
An image-reading apparatus and method for controlling the image-reading apparatus including a document plate where an original document is placed, a line image sensor that reads an image on the document plate by scanning to obtain image data, a reference-setting image that is placed outside a region of the document plate at a position where the line image sensor is able to read the reference-setting image, and a control unit configured to set a reference position when the image sensor reads the image, wherein the control unit detects the reference-setting image from the image data and, depending on a power-on state of the image-reading apparatus, selects the manner in which the reference position is set based on the reference-setting image. |
| US07999958B2 |
Printing system, job processing method, and storage medium
A printing system adapted to be able to supply printing media of a job subjected to a printing process by a printing apparatus from the printing apparatus to a cutting apparatus, the cutting apparatus being capable of performing a cutting process for the printing media, includes a controller that permits printing print data of a job in a specific area on a printing medium by the printing apparatus in case that the job to be processed is a first type job that does not need the cutting process by the cutting apparatus, the controller inhibiting printing print data of a job in the specific area on the printing medium by the printing apparatus in case that the job to be processed is a second type job that needs the cutting process by the cutting apparatus. |
| US07999952B2 |
Print processing system, printer and recording medium
A recording medium having recorded therein a program for an information processing apparatus that exchanges information with a printing apparatus and causes the printing apparatus to execute printing, the program causes the information processing apparatus to execute a first print-setting generating and storing step of generating and storing at least one first print setting, a second print-setting acquiring step of acquiring at least one second print setting from the printing apparatus, a third print-setting selecting step of urging a user to select at least one third print setting out of the first print setting and the second print setting, a print-data converting step of converting a print command group issued by application software into respective print data in accordance with the respective third print settings, and a print-data transmitting step of transmitting the respective print data to the printing apparatus and causing the printing apparatus to print the print data. |
| US07999947B2 |
Optical coherence imaging systems having a mechanism for shifting focus and scanning modality and related adapters
Some embodiments of the present invention provide adapters for use in posterior imaging systems. The adapters include lens set configured to adapt the posterior imaging system to operate as an anterior imaging system. Related optical coherence tomography systems and anterior imaging systems are also provided herein. |
| US07999945B2 |
Optical coherence tomography / acoustic radiation force imaging probe
A combined system and method synchronizes optical coherence tomography and acoustic radiation force for simultaneously imaging and mechanically displacing tissue in a patient as a detection and analytic tool. An endoscope is provided which has a piezoelectric element and an OCT scanner. The piezoelectric element generates the acoustic force to displace the tissue. The OCT scanner images the tissue and the system determines the mechanical displacement of the tissue. Cancer and arterial plaques can be recognized from the mechanical displacement of the tissue. |
| US07999941B2 |
Surface plasmon resonance sensor chip and surface plasmon resonance sensor
A metal layer 13 made of Au or the like is formed on the upper surface of a transparent substrate 12. Dielectric layers 14a, 14b and 14c with different thicknesses are formed on the upper surface of the metal layer 13 (any one of the dielectric layers can have a thickness of 0) to form respective determination areas 15a, 15b and 15c. Further, different types of antibodies 22a, 22b and 22c are fixed on the upper surfaces of the respective dielectric layers 14a, 14b and 14c. Then, light is directed to the determination areas 15a, 15b and 15c, then signals of light reflected by the determination areas 15a, 15b and 15c are received, the light is dispersed, and analyses are performed on signals resulted from the light dispersion to detect the conditions of the surfaces of the respective determination areas, at the same time. |
| US07999940B2 |
Apparatus for angular-resolved spectroscopic lithography characterization
To inspect all portions of the substrate the substrate table can be moved rotationally and linearly. Furthermore the detector can be moved rotationally. This enables all portions of a surface of the substrate to be inspected from all angles in a plane parallel to the substrate. Less linear motion is needed, so the apparatus occupies a smaller volume and generates smaller vibrations. |
| US07999935B2 |
Laser microscope with a physically separating beam splitter
The invention proposes a method for imaging at least one microscopic property of a sample and an apparatus with which the proposed method can be carried out. In the method, at least one coherent illumination light with at least one illumination wavelength is produced by means of at least one light source. The illumination light is imaged onto at least one region on or within the sample. Detection light emitted by the sample is split at least partially into incoherent detection light and into coherent detection light by means of at least on physically separating beam splitter. The coherent detection light is at least partially separated from the coherent illumination light by at least one beam-splitter element. The coherent detection light is detected. The proposed method can be used in particular for investigating the sample by means of coherent anti-Stokes-Raman scattering. |
| US07999934B2 |
Spectroscopic device and raman spectroscopic system
A Raman spectroscopic device includes an optical resonator, in which a first reflecting body that exhibits semi transmissivity/semi reflectivity and has a surface which is a light scattering surface that generates Raman scattering, a transparent body, and a second reflecting body that exhibits reflectivity, are laminated in sequence one on another. The Raman spectroscopic device utilizes light absorption due to resonance to obtain a surface amplified Raman effect. |
| US07999931B2 |
Packaging or container with optical indicator
An optical indicator (130) for identification of a changed state of a fluid with respect to a reference state of the same fluid, or for monitoring or checking or authenticating a fluid. The fluid has an optical parameter that changes with the change of the state of the fluid. The optical indicator (130) may be attached to or integral with a container or packaging (132) for the fluid. The indicator (130) includes a cavity configured to be filed with the fluid such that the fluid filled cavity forms a variable optical element having an optical performance that varies depending on the changeable fluid's optical parameter. The fluid filled cavity coupled to other optical components of the indicator provides an image that may be compared to a reference image to detect a change of at least one optical property of the fluid as compared to the reference fluid. The comparison may be performed visually or by a suitable detector. The comparison may include automated processing of the detector's output signal(s). |
| US07999929B2 |
Specimen optical information recognizing device and its recognizing method
A specimen optical information recognizing device includes a specimen containing section containing a specimen to be measured, a specimen measuring section having a light source for outputting light for observing the specimen, a photodetecting section for collecting optical information from the specimen, and an optical waveguide for propagating light between the specimen containing and the specimen measuring sections. The optical information on the specimen may be recognized by measuring values under at least two measurement conditions. The specimen optical information recognizing device includes a measurement auxiliary liquid interposed between the end of the optical waveguide and the specimen. A longitudinal cross section of the specimen containing section may be of a recessed shape, and the aperture depth of the recessed portion may be greater than the aperture diameter. A through hole may be provided at least in a part near the bottom of the specimen containing section. |
| US07999926B2 |
Method and device for determining anemometric parameters of an aircraft
A method and device for determining anemometric parameters of an aircraft. The device (1) comprises four laser anemometers (A1, A2, A3, A4) that are mounted in pairs (CA, CB) symmetrically on the aircraft and means (4, 5) for determining the angle of sideslip and the angle of incidence of the aircraft, using measurements taken by these laser anemometers (A1, A2, A3, A4). |
| US07999924B2 |
Range binoculars
Range binoculars capable of measuring a distance between the observation place and an object, the binoculars being made small-sized with keeping the functions as binoculars. The range binoculars includes first and second optical systems, each with an eyepiece optical member, an objective lens optical member, and an erecting prism consisting of a first prism and a second prism, wherein the first optical system has a first optical axis parallel with a second optical axis of the second optical system; first and second beam splitters, each with a beam-splitting face, wherein the first beam splitter is disposed between the first prism and the second prism of the first optical system, and the second beam splitter is disposed between the first prism and the second prism of the second optical system; an emitter for emitting a laser beam toward an object via the first beam splitter; a photodetector for receiving the laser beam which was emitted by the emitter, reflected by the object, and comes to the photodetector via the second beam splitter; a calculator for determining a distance from an observation place to the object using a flight time of the laser beam taken from the emitter to the photodetector; a measurement result display for displaying the distance determined by the calculator; and a casing accommodating the first and second optical systems, the first and second beam splitters, the emitter, the photodetector, the calculator, and the measurement result display. |
| US07999923B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting and analyzing objects
Systems and methods are provided that employ one or more mirrors to harvest laser beams emitted by a physical rangefinder within a region of interest that would otherwise not intersect an object within the region of interest. The mirrors redirect the harvested beams back within the region of interest, creating one or more virtual rangefinders that supplement the physical rangefinder. The location of the virtual rangefinders is symmetric to the position of the physical rangefinder about the plane of the mirror and along the line normal to the mirror passing through the physical rangefinder. The virtual rangefinders, which operate synchronously with the physical rangefinder, thus provide a view of the object(s) from an angle different from that of the physical rangefinder. |
| US07999921B2 |
Geodesic measuring instrument with a piezo drive
In a geodesic measuring instrument with a fixing device for positioning the measuring instrument and with a measuring component having an optical beam path for surveying a target, whereby the measuring components are mounted in an aligning component that can be moved relative to the fixing device, and can be moved relative to the aligning component, an optical beam path is modified by at least one piezoelectric micromotor. |
| US07999915B2 |
Laser system
A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a line narrowing module within a first oscillator cavity; a laser amplification stage containing an amplifying gain medium in a second gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber receiving the output of the seed laser oscillator and amplifying the output of the seed laser oscillator to form a laser system output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses, which may comprise a ring power amplification stage. |
| US07999913B2 |
Microlithography projection system with an accessible diaphragm or aperture stop
The invention relates to a microlithography projection lens for wavelengths ≦248 nm ≦, preferably ≦193 mm, in particular EUV lithography for wavelengths ranging from 1-30 nm for imaging an object field in an object plane onto an image field in an image plane, the microlithography projection lens developed in such a manner that provision is made for an accessible diaphragm plane, into which for instance an iris diaphragm can be introduced. |
| US07999912B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and sensor calibration method
A method for calibrating an auxiliary sensor system is provided. The auxiliary sensor system measures a position of a grating relative to a reference, the grating forming part of an encoder measurement system. The encoder measurement system is adapted to measure a position of a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus and further comprises a sensor mounted to the substrate table. The method comprises exciting the grating to make a movement in at least one measurement direction of the auxiliary sensor system, obtaining an auxiliary sensor system output signal from the sensor system during the movement, and adjusting a parameter of the auxiliary sensor system based on the output signal obtained during the movement to thereby calibrate the auxiliary sensor system. |
| US07999907B2 |
Method for producing color filter, color filter, liquid crystal display device and producing apparatus
Exfoliation of an etching stopper is prevented. A color filter of the present invention includes an inorganic protection film (etching stopper) composed mainly of SnO2. Since the inorganic protection film as such not only has a high specific resistance but also has a linear expansion coefficient close to the linear expansion coefficient of a transparent electrode, the inorganic protection film is not exfoliated from the transparent electrode or the resin layer even if an object to be processed is heated. Since the inorganic protection film and the transparent electrode can be formed in the same film forming chamber, the time required to produce the color filter can be shortened as compared to in the conventional technique. |
| US07999905B2 |
Apparatus for assembling liquid crystal display
An apparatus for assembling a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The assembly apparatus includes a supply unit that supplies a board and backlight assembly including a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display panel received on the backlight unit at a predetermined assembly location, an assembly unit that in turn draws separated type chassis members from a cartridge, into which the separated type chassis members are loaded, and receives the separated type chassis members at edges of the board and backlight assembly supplied at the predetermined assembly location, and a screw coupling unit that screw-couples the separated type chassis members received at the edges of the board and backlight assembly. |
| US07999902B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
A liquid crystal display panel includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate opposite to the first transparent substrate, and a sealant disposed therebetween. The first transparent substrate includes a peripheral region, and a plurality of conductive lines disposed in the peripheral region. The conductive lines include a plurality of transparent conductive lines and non-transparent conductive lines. The sealant is disposed in the peripheral region. |
| US07999901B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate with improved test terminals
A thin film transistor array substrate comprises thin film transistors and pixel electrodes formed at respective pixels that are defined by gate lines and data lines that orthogonally intersect each other. The thin film transistor array substrate further comprises a plurality of gate pad units that group a plurality of gate pads extended from the gate lines, and a plurality of data pad units that groups a plurality of data pads extended from the data lines. The thin film transistor array substrate further includes a plurality of gate test terminals connected to the gate pad units and beside at least one side of the respective gate pad units, and a plurality of data test terminals connected to the data pad units and located beside at least one side of the respective data pad units. |
| US07999897B2 |
Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optic device includes first electrodes that apply voltage to the liquid crystal layer in the pixel area and second electrodes that apply voltage to the liquid crystal layer in the peripheral area for shielding the peripheral area from light. |
| US07999894B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell including a liquid crystal layer twist-aligned at 90° sandwiched between a pair of substrates, first and second polarizing layers arranged to sandwich the liquid crystal cell therebetween so that their absorption axes set to parallel with directions crossing aligning treatment directions of the substrates at 45°, and viewing angle compensating plates respectively arranged between the polarizing layers and the liquid crystal cell. A total value of retardations in a thickness direction, defined as a value of a product of a phase difference within a plane perpendicular to substrate surfaces of the liquid crystal cell and a layer thickness, of optical layers present between the polarizing layers is set to a value that substantially cancels out a retardation in a liquid crystal layer thickness direction when a saturation voltage is applied to the liquid crystal layer. |
| US07999878B2 |
Vehicle mounted apparatus
A vehicle-mounted apparatus includes a body having an insertion opening and a medium reader apparatus that reads data stored in a data storage medium inserted into the medium reader apparatus through the insertion opening, a front panel that is movable at least between a closed position where the panel hides the insertion opening and an opened position where the panel reveals the insertion opening so that the media can be inserted into the medium reader apparatus, and a sealing means that is provided with at least one of the panel and the body. When the panel is in the closed position, the panel and the body are connected together through the sealing member to seal the insertion opening. Thus, dust can be prevented from entering the body through the insertion opening. |
| US07999877B2 |
Displaying data on lower resolution displays
Data intended to be displayed on a higher resolution display such as a non-interlaced display used as a computer monitor may be converted for display on a lower resolution display such as an interlaced display. The conversion may be done in a way that preserves the intended frame format while enhancing readability. For example, in one embodiment, the frames intended for non-interlaced display may be preserved in size for display in the same frame format on a lower resolution interlaced display. Local magnification may be selectively implemented for particular regions to enhance the readability of those regions. Upon selection, such local magnification may provide pixel loss and color corrections in addition to local magnification. In this way the frame format may be preserved while enhancing readability. |
| US07999876B2 |
Pull-down detection apparatus and pull-down detection method
A pull-down detection apparatus includes a pixel comparator at least performing pixel comparison between a subsequent field and a present field and horizontal pixel comparison in the subsequent field and the present field to determine a presence of a pixel change between the subsequent field and the present field, a field comparator determining a presence of an image change between the subsequent field and the present field based on a determination result in the pixel comparator, and a pull-down determinater determining that the input video signal is generated by pull-down processing based on a history of a determination result in the field comparator. |
| US07999873B2 |
Imaging device with plural lenses and imaging regions
A plurality of lenses 102a to 102d arranged in the same plane form a plurality of subject images on a plurality of imaging regions 104a to 104d. Vertical line directions and horizontal line directions of the pixel arrangement in the respective plurality of imaging regions are equal to one another among the plurality of imaging regions. Further, at least one pair of subject images received by at least one pair of imaging regions having a parallax in the vertical line (or horizontal line) direction among the plurality of imaging regions are shifted from each other by a predetermined amount in the horizontal line (or vertical line) direction. By performing pixel shifting in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which a parallax is generated, it always is possible to obtain a high-resolution image even when the subject distance varies. |
| US07999872B2 |
Image display device, image pickup apparatus, image display control method, and program
An image display device includes a display unit configured to display at least an image and an icon relating to a predetermined setting, a touch panel which allows input of operations, and on which a predetermined inhibited area is set, and a control unit configured to perform control so that, after the control unit sets the predetermined inhibited area, when an operation has been input by the touch panel, the control unit determines whether or not the operation has been input within the predetermined inhibited area, and, in a case where the operation has been input within the predetermined inhibited area, by erasing the icon displayed by the display unit, a user is allowed to recognize that an unintended operation has been input within the predetermined inhibited area. |
| US07999870B2 |
Sampling and readout of an image sensor having a sparse color filter array pattern
A CMOS image sensor or other type of image sensor comprises an array of pixels arranged in rows and columns, with the columns being separated into groups each comprising two or more columns that share a common output. The image sensor further comprises sampling and readout circuitry that includes, for each group of columns in the pixel array, a corresponding set of two or more column circuits. The sampling and readout circuitry is configured to sample the common output for each group of columns independently into one of the column circuits associated with that group, and to read out the common output for each group of columns as previously sampled into another of the column circuits associated with that group. The image sensor may be implemented in a digital camera or other type of image capture device. |
| US07999869B2 |
Random access decoder
A random access decoder comprising a plurality of decoder circuit elements, each decoder circuit element having a unique electronic address and a binary data output, means for applying an input signal to each of the decoder circuit element and where each decoder circuit element places data on its binary data output only when the unique electronic address of a particular decoder circuit element matches the applied input signal and wherein the unique electronic address of each of the plurality of decoder circuit elements is electronically loaded into each of the decoder circuit elements. In one embodiment, each decoder circuit element comprises equivalent components electrically connected in the same arrangement. |
| US07999868B2 |
Configurable timing generator
In one embodiment, a configurable timing generator outputs at least one timing signal. The configurable timing generator comprises a first timing generator configurable to output the at least one timing signal so that the at least one timing signal is adaptable to a plurality of applications. In one embodiment, a configurable parameter storage unit comprising a parameter storage area configurable so as to store a plurality of parameters at least partially defining a desired plurality of waveform hierarchy elements, where the desired plurality of waveform hierarchy elements enable the definition of a waveform. In one embodiment, a method of constructing a waveform for a configurable timing generator, the method comprising acts of constructing a first pattern waveform, where the first pattern waveform comprises a first basic pulse, and constructing a first sequence waveform, where the first sequence waveform comprises a plurality of repetitions of the first pattern waveform. |
| US07999862B2 |
Method and apparatus for an automated background lighting compensation system
A system and method for removing background lighting variations from an image. The method includes capturing at least one first image including a first background and a subject wherein the at least one first image includes at least one background lighting variation, creating a virtual background model of the first background, creating a virtual background image that is substantially similar to the first background, and generating an output comprising at least one first image with at least one background lighting variation removed therefrom. |
| US07999861B2 |
Image processing apparatus for generating composite image with luminance range optimized for a designated area
When an area desired to be displayed with high accuracy and an area desired to be inspected and measured with high accuracy in a measuring object are smaller than a photographing range, the entire area of a composite image is displayed and designation of an area is received, to thereby generate an image of the entire area in which composition processing of optimizing luminance of pixels included in this area is performed. Therefore, an input part is provided for receiving the setting of a designated area in image data, a composite luminance distribution is calculated based on the size of a standardized luminance distribution value in the designated area, and composite image data is generated. |
| US07999858B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining high dynamic range images
The application provides techniques for obtaining a relatively high dynamic range image of a scene using a relatively low dynamic range image sensor exposed to incident light from the scene for capturing an image. The image sensor has a multiplicity of light-sensing elements in an array and each light sensing element has a particular one of a plurality of sensitivity levels to incident light in accordance with a predetermined sensitivity pattern for the array of light-sensing elements and has a response function. Each light sensing element is responsive to incident light from the scene for producing a captured image brightness value at a corresponding one of a multiplicity of pixel positions of a pixel position array. Each one of the multiplicity of pixel positions corresponds to a particular one of the plurality of sensitivity levels of the light sensing elements. |
| US07999857B2 |
Voice, lip-reading, face and emotion stress analysis, fuzzy logic intelligent camera system
Revealed is an intelligent camera security monitoring, fuzzy logic analyses and information reporting system that includes video/audio camera, integrated local controller, interfaced plurality of sensors, and input/output means, that collects and analyses data and information observations from a viewed scene and communicates these to a central controller. The central controller with fuzzy logic processor receives, stores these observations, conducts a plurality of computer analyses techniques and technologies including face, voice, lip reading, emotion, movement, pattern recognition and stress analysis to determine responses and potential threat of/by a person, crowd, animal, action, activity or thing. This invention recognizes possible terrorists, criminals, enraged or dangerous persons and also can identify a person's level of intoxication or impairment by alcohol or drugs via a new “Visual Response Measure”. The invention provides an intelligent tool to assist security systems and personnel, improving capability to record, display and share information and maintain security. |
| US07999853B2 |
Moving image reproducing apparatus and processing method therefor
Disclosed is a moving image reproducing apparatus including a reproduction control unit. The moving image reproducing apparatus sequentially transfers at least part of moving image data elements stored in an incorporated memory to an external storage device, stating from a moving image data element to be reproduced last by the reproduction control unit. |
| US07999851B2 |
Optical alignment of cameras with extended depth of field
A method for calibration of an imaging device that includes a sensor and optics for forming an image on the sensor. The method includes making a first image quality measurement, based on an output of the sensor, while imaging a first target at a first distance from the device and varying an offset between the optics and the sensor. A second image quality measurement is made while imaging a second target at a second distance from the device, which is different from the first distance, and varying the offset between the optics and the sensor. A working point of the optics is set relative to the sensor responsively to the first and second image quality measurements. |
| US07999850B2 |
Video signal generator
A video signal generator, employing a multi-output amplifier and a video signal connector, is physically connected to a device under test to eliminate the use of signal cables, to solve the impedance matching issue, and to reduce noise from the signal cables' exposure to high temperatures. Moreover, the video signal generator employs a video algorithm stored in a programmable microprocessor and instructions downloaded to provide on-line adjustable video patterns sets for test. The video signal generator includes the programmable microprocessor, a television encoder, a multi-output amplifier, and a video signal connector. |
| US07999845B2 |
Electronic endoscope system
In an electronic endoscope system, an RF signal is produced through quadrature modulation of a picture signal that is representative of an image taken through an electronic endoscope. When control signals are entered by an operator through a control section of the electronic endoscope, a data superimposing section superimposes the entered control signals on the RF signal in horizontal scanning intervals within a vertical blanking interval. The RF signal having the control signals superimposed thereon is sent as an electric wave of a single frequency band to a processor. In the processor, a data analyzer carries out sampling to extract the entered control signals if they are superimposed on the picture signal, and analyzes the contents of the entered control signals. Based on the results of analysis, a CPU controls respective components of the signal processor. |
| US07999844B2 |
Image conversion and encoding techniques
A method of encoding a video signal of a 2D image with conversion data to assign in the conversion of said video signal to left and right eye images for stereoscopic display, including adding conversion data to a video signal of the 2D image to provide an encoded signal, the conversion data defining displacement of respective selected points of the 2D image for converting the 2D image to a format suitable for stereoscopic display, wherein the conversion data enables the creation of the left and right eye images. |
| US07999843B2 |
Image processor, image processing method, recording medium, computer program, and semiconductor device
To provide an image processing technique for easy initial settings when a video image feature is used as an input interface.This is an image processor having an image combining section 106 for combining a mirrored video image feature that includes an image of an operator as a portion thereof and an object image of an object that is associated with a predetermined event, to generate a combined image, and being adapted to provide production of the combined image on a display device. This image processor has a detection section 109 for detecting the position of an image of an operator included in the mirrored video image feature. The image combining section 106 is adapted to combine the object image and the mirrored video image feature in such a manner that the object image is displayed in a range that an image of a hand of the operator can reach, depending on the position of the image of the operator detected by the detection section 109. |
| US07999842B1 |
Continuously rotating video camera, method and user interface for using the same
A continuously rotating camera and method for using the same are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises repeatedly rotating a camera, including rotating an image capture sensor. The method further comprises converting the data captured by the image capture sensor into a data stream and creating panorama images for multiple camera rotations from captured video frames for each rotation. |
| US07999840B2 |
Method for performing video communication service and mobile communication terminal therefor
A method and terminal for performing a video communication service where the operation mode of the mobile communication terminal switches to a screen sharing mode upon receipt of a screen sharing request from a user during a video communication, screen data selected according to user selection information in the screen sharing mode is output to a display unit, the screen data displayed on the display unit is acquired, and the acquired screen data is transmitted instead of the user's video data to a corresponding terminal performing the video communication. |
| US07999839B2 |
Laser irradiation apparatus and method of fabricating organic light emitting display using the same
Provided are a laser irradiation apparatus and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display using the same. The laser irradiation apparatus includes a mask positioned below the laser generator, and the mask is patterned such that lengths of an upper portion and a lower portion of a mask pattern are patterned longer than a length of a middle portion of the mask pattern with respect to the scanning direction. The method of fabricating an organic light emitting display includes scanning a laser beam on a predetermined region of the donor substrate using the laser irradiation apparatus to form an organic layer pattern on the substrate. When the organic layer pattern is formed using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) method, the transfer may be carried out using a laser beam having low energy, laser beam efficiency may be enhanced, the organic layer may be less damaged, and the quality of the organic layer pattern to be transferred may also be enhanced. |
| US07999836B2 |
System and method of print media back-feed control for a printer
A system and method is disclosed for print media back-feed control for a printer. The invention incorporates use of a downstream sensor to detect at least one of a leading edge of a print media or an indicia correlated to parameters of the print media. The print media can then be back-fed by a controller to accurately position a print line of the print media proximate to a print head of the printer without losing sufficient nip pressure. |
| US07999834B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a body including a stationary portion and an extendible portion movable relative to the stationary portion, an expandable display portion having a display area, an adjustable resistor, and a controlling unit. The first end of the expandable display is engaged in the stationary portion, and an opposite second end of the expandable display is engaged in the extendible portion. The adjustable resistor has a resistance varying with a distance between the stationary portion and the extendible portion. The controlling unit is configured for adjusting a size of the display area according to the resistance of the adjustable resistor. |
| US07999833B2 |
Deinterleaving transpose circuits in digital display systems
The present invention provides a method and apparatus of converting a stream of pixel data in space and time into a stream of bitplane data. In particular, the present invention converts the pixel data stream according to a predetermined output format. The apparatus of the present invention receives the pixel data in a “real-time” fashion, and dynamically performs predefined permutations so as to accomplish the predefined transpose operation. Alternatively, the pixel data are stored in a storage medium, and the apparatus of the present invention retrieves the pixel data and performs the predefined permutation to accomplish the predefined transpose operation. The methods and apparatus disclosed herein are especially useful for processing a high-speed stream of digital data in a flow-through manner and suitable for implementation in a hardware video pipeline. The control signal fanout and gate count of this invention are reduced compared to currently available similar techniques for converting pixel data into bitplane data. |
| US07999832B2 |
Controlled gap states for liquid crystal displays
The present invention relates to a bistable matrix-addressable display element comprising a substrate, a bistable electrically modulated imaging layer having a reflection maximum, at least one conductor, and at least one field-spreading layer between said bistable electrically modulated imaging layer and said at least one conductor, wherein said field-spreading layer has a sheet resistance (SER) of less than 109 Ohms per square and a method of imaging the display comprising identifying an area to be updated of said bistable matrix-addressable display element, wherein said area to be updated comprises rows of pixels; and applying a sequence of drive signals having a 4-phase approach to image said bistable matrix-addressable display element, which may be characterized as a planar reset, left-slope selection method. |
| US07999829B2 |
Facilitating image-editing operations across multiple perspective planes
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates performing an image-editing operation across multiple perspective planes. During operation, the system receives a selection for a source area for the image-editing operation, wherein the source area spans one or more perspective planes. The system also receives a selection for a destination area for the image-editing operation, wherein the destination area spans one or more perspective planes. Next, the system defines one or more partial source areas for the one or more perspective planes spanned by the source area. The system also defines one or more partial destination areas for the one or more perspective planes spanned by the destination area. The system then applies the image-editing operation from each partial source area to each relevant partial destination area. |
| US07999824B2 |
Analyzing alpha values for flicker filtering
A flicker filter is adjusted according to degree of alpha blending performed on a display signal. For some weakly showing graphics images, a lower flicker filter level may be implemented or the flicker filter may be turned off. A threshold for turning off the flicker filter may be programmable. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07999822B2 |
Color processing apparatus and method thereof
In order to obtain colorimetric data close to the color appearance under an actual viewing condition, a plurality of conversion data for converting colorimetric data measured under the first geometric condition of colorimetry into that measured under the second geometric condition of colorimetry are held, and the information of a viewing illuminant and colorimetric data measured under the first geometric condition of colorimetry are obtained. Conversion data which corresponds to the information of the viewing illuminant is interpolated from the plurality of conversion data which are held. The colorimetric data measured under the first geometric condition of colorimetry is converted into that measured under the second geometric condition of colorimetry using the interpolated conversion data. |
| US07999821B1 |
Reconfigurable dual texture pipeline with shared texture cache
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide texture caches and related circuits that store and retrieve texels in an efficient manner. One such texture circuit can provide a configurable number of texel quads for a configurable number of pixels. For bilinear filtering, texels for a comparatively greater number of pixels can be retrieved. For trilinear filtering, texels in a first LOD are retrieved for a number of pixels during a first clock cycle, during a second clock cycle, texels in a second LOD are retrieved. When aniso filtering is needed, a greater number of texels can be retrieved for a comparatively lower number of pixels. |
| US07999814B2 |
Information processing apparatus, graphics processor, control processor and information processing methods
An arithmetic processing unit in a graphics processor alternately executes a process of a first image processing which generates a main image of an application, i.e., a base image and a process of a second image processing which generates a display image eventually displayed by performing a desired processing of the base image. Processing time for the process of the first image processing is designated by a first process executing unit in a main processor which requests execution of the process of the first image processing. Processing time for the process of the second image processing is predetermined. The first process executing unit further determines an address of storage area in a frame buffer storing the base image and, upon determination, transmits to the second process executing unit which requests execution of the process of the second image processing. |
| US07999811B2 |
Image processing device, method, and program, and objective function
An image processing device that models, based on a plurality of frame images being results of time-sequential imaging of an object in motion, a motion of the object using a three-dimensional (3D) body configured by a plurality of parts is disclosed. The device includes: acquisition means for acquiring the frame images being the imaging results; estimation means for computing a first matrix of coordinates of a joint of the 3D body and a second matrix of coordinates of each of the parts of the 3D body, and generating a first motion vector; computing means for computing a second motion vector; and determination means for determining the 3D body. |
| US07999810B1 |
System and method for animated computer visualization of historic events
A computer-implemented method for collecting, animating in chronological sequence, and presenting the progression of events is disclosed. The method includes providing a set of event data to form a database, the data relating to events that constrained or led up to some of the events. Then presenting the database as a grid to allow user selection and editing of the Event data in the database to create a set of Events to be presented in an animated manner, and then assigning properties to the manner of presentation of the set of Events to be presented in an animated manner to create a movie. The movement of the movie is provided by an engine that moves a cursor along the timeline to represent the forward or backward change of time and displaying a marker representing an Event from Event data contained in the database. |
| US07999807B2 |
2D/3D combined rendering
A system combines 2D and 3D modeling in rendering shapes and includes: a 3D modeling factory to generate a 3D model of selected shape parameters or features; a front face factory to generate 2D text and text effects, and some 2D shape effects; a ground plane factory to generate effects that are rendered on a ground plane of a shape; and a rasterizer/compositing engine to combine 2D and 3D effects generated by the front face factory, ground plan factory, and the 3D modeling factory. |
| US07999804B2 |
Monitor
A monitor includes a display device, a signal interface, a power interface, and a power controller. The display device is configured for displaying information to users. The signal interface is configured for receiving display signals, and providing the display signals for the display device. The power interface is configured for receiving power from an external power source, and providing the source for the display device. The power controller monitors the existence of the display signal at the signal interface, and accordingly controls the power interface to selectively provide the power for the display device. |
| US07999803B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having drive circuit
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can be used in a miniaturized portable equipment, wherein the liquid crystal display device integrally incorporates a drive circuit therein so that a circuit scale can be miniaturized. A liquid crystal drive circuit includes a first drive circuit and a second drive circuit which is mounted on one side of the liquid crystal display panel. One output of the first drive circuit is connected to a plurality of signal lines and the second drive circuit supplies signals to the first drive circuit. The liquid crystal display panel includes holding capacitive elements and signals are supplied to the holding capacitive elements from the second drive circuit. The second drive circuit includes a booster circuit for supplying signals to the first drive circuit and the holding capacitive elements. |
| US07999801B1 |
System and method of detecting rotated displays
A system for adjusting display data orientation. The system includes graphics circuitry to send and receive control signals over a set of control lines. The exchange of control signals is governed by a communication protocol. The graphics circuitry is configured to request orientation information via the set of control lines upon detecting a modulation of the set of control lines that is undefined by or illegal under the communication protocol. Based on the orientation information received in response to the request, the graphics circuitry adjusts the orientation of display data transmitted by the graphics circuitry. |
| US07999800B2 |
Display device for partial display
In order to achieve lower power consumption, a technique of performing display (partial display) by utilizing only a part of a display area is used. For example, a display area is divided, a plurality of driver circuits for driving the divided display areas independently are provided, and only a region where a fixed pattern is displayed is driven in a power saving mode, thereby partial display is performed; however, display cannot be performed at an arbitrary position. Alternatively, partial display can be performed by inputting a video signal to a pixel in an arbitrary display area; however, a structure of a driver circuit is complicated. The object of the invention is to provide a display device which can perform partial display at an arbitrary position and reduce power consumption. In partial display, operation of a signal line driver circuit is set so as to be stopped and a non-display signal is set so as to be outputted from the signal line driver circuit when a pixel in a non-display area is selected. |
| US07999794B2 |
Controlling device with dual-mode, touch-sensitive display
A processing device of a universal controlling device is programmed to distinguish between a first input type provided to a touch-sensitive surface and a second input type provided to the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the first input type which is indicative of a static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface the processing device causes a transmitter to transmit first data representative of the static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the second input type which is indicative of a moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface, the processing device causes the transmitter to transmit second data being representative of the moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface. |
| US07999793B2 |
Median and mean coherent filter and method for eliminating noise in touch screen controller
A touch screen system includes a touch screen assembly (30,31) and a touch screen controller (1A) coupled to terminals (24,25,26,27) of the touch screen assembly (30,31), the touch screen controller (1A) including a controller (41) and an analog to digital converter (22) for generating multiple digital data numbers representing multiple coordinate values, respectively, of a particular touch point (Q) of the touch screen assembly (30,31) in response to control signals (42) generated by the controller (41). A sorting technique is performed to sort the digital data numbers in order of their values, respectively. An averaging technique is performed on at least some of the sorted digital data numbers, including a median sorted digital number. |
| US07999790B2 |
Multi-functional mission grip for a vehicle
A mission control grip mounted to a consol to provide a crew interface with a multitude of systems through a multitude of Multi-Functional Displays (MFDs). The mission control grip includes a fist-shaped grip movable about a first axis and a second axis, a thumb-operated control switch and a switch for each finger. Even while steering one system the crewmember may still move a cursor to interact with that system modes/menu controls such as changing focus or magnitude on the MFD selected for the sensor system—or perform other tasks on another MFD not related to the MFD upon which the current system field of view is displayed. |
| US07999789B2 |
Electrical device with a selected orientation for operation
The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for configuring an electrical device to a selected orientation. Direction information that is indicative of the orientation of the electrical device is provided by a directional detection switch. A processor selects a selected orientation from a plurality of permitted orientations by processing the direction information and instructs a display unit to operate in the selected orientation. Different adjacent contacts of a directional detection switch are activated corresponding to different orientation of the electrical device. A conductive ball may be positioned by gravity and consequently conducts an electrical current between two corresponding adjacent contacts based on the orientation of the electrical device. A display unit of an electrical device may include an output component or an input component that is configured based on the orientation of the electrical device. |
| US07999785B2 |
Light-source module for display device and display device having the same
A light-source module for a display device and a display device having the same, in which the light-source module includes a plurality of light-emitting units, a current difference controller, and a converter. The light-emitting units are connected in parallel between a driving power input terminal and a ground terminal to emit light by the diving power and to output respective feedback control signals. The current difference controller is configured to output a plurality of power control signals according to the respective feedback control signals. The converter is configured to change a current of the driving power provided to the light-emitting units according to the power control signals. The amounts of currents flowing through the light emitting units each having a plurality of light emitting diodes are measured and the levels of voltages applied to the light-emitting units are changed according to the measurement results. Accordingly, a current difference between the light emitting units can be reduced and the brightness uniformity of the light source can be improved. |
| US07999784B2 |
Backlight unit of liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same
A backlight unit includes a plurality of fluorescent lamps divided into a plurality of groups of fluorescent lamps arranged in parallel, each group including at least two fluorescent lamps, and a plurality of inverters electrically connected with the plurality of fluorescent lamps by respectively corresponding to the plurality of groups of fluorescent lamps. |
| US07999782B2 |
Panel display apparatus and method for driving display panel
A panel display apparatus and a method for driving the display panel are provided. The panel display apparatus includes a display panel and a plurality of source drivers. The display panel with X*Y display unit includes X+1 data lines, and each source driver has M+1 data output terminals DOi,j. In addition, each of the data output terminals of the source drivers is electrically coupled to a corresponding data line of the display panel, respectively. The mentioned DOi,j represents the jth data output terminal of the ith source driver. Wherein, the data output terminal DOi,M and the data output terminal DOi+1,0 are electrically coupled to a same data line of the display panel. |
| US07999781B2 |
Liquid crystal display device, driving device, display control device, and method of driving at a frequency higher than an audible frequency band for a human being having a drive period and drive suspension period
In a driving method for driving a liquid crystal display device, each of frame periods is divided into a drive period in which a counter electrode is driven, and a drive suspension period in which the counter electrode is not driven. During the drive period, a data signal is outputted to a video signal line driving circuit at a frequency corresponding to a driving frequency for driving the counter electrode. During the drive suspension period, the outputting of the data signal is stopped. Thus, there are provided a liquid crystal display device and a driving method therefor, in which user aggravating sound is prevented without increasing power consumption. |
| US07999777B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having a first substrate, a second substrate, and a positive liquid crystal sandwiched between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal display panel includes a plurality of sub pixels which include a first electrode and a second electrode formed on the first substrate. The liquid crystal display panel is configured to drive the liquid crystal by generating an electric field using a difference in potential between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first substrate includes a first alignment film, a plurality of video lines, and a first polarizer, and the second substrate includes a second alignment film, and a second polarizer. Relationships exist among extension directions of the video lines and directions of alignment axis orthogonal thereto, of the alignment films a polarization axis of at least one of the polarizer, and angles therebetween. |
| US07999776B2 |
Liquid crystal display having compensation circuit for reducing gate delay
An exemplary liquid crystal display (400) includes a liquid crystal panel (430), a gate driving circuit (410), a data driving circuit (420), and a compensation circuit (440). The liquid crystal panel includes a plurality of gate lines (401) and a plurality of data lines (402) intersecting with the gate lines. The gate driving circuit is configured for providing a plurality of scanning signals to the gate lines in sequence. The data driving circuit is configured for providing a plurality of gray scale voltages to the data lines. The compensation circuit is configured for compensating the scanning signals. The compensation circuit is charged by alternate of the scanning signals, and discharges each such charge to provide a compensation signal to a gate line corresponding to a next scanning signal. |
| US07999762B2 |
Plasma display apparatus having overlapping voltages applied to sustain electrodes and driving method of the same
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and driving method of the same. Since wall charges are remained without performing an additional erasing discharge after the sustain period is terminated and before the initiation of the reset period, the set up discharge can be generated with a small voltage during the reset period to obtain the margin of the driving voltage. In particular, since the highest voltage of the reset period during other subfields is lower than the highest voltage of the reset period of a subfield implementing a low gray scale, with inducing the half discharge before the set up discharge in other subfields, the set up discharge can be generated with a low voltage to improve the contrast due to the luminous output reduction. |
| US07999756B2 |
Wideband antenna array
A wideband antenna array including a plurality of antenna element cards. In certain embodiments the cards include a plurality of first radiators and a plurality of second radiators. The first radiators operate in a low band portion of the array's operating spectrum, and the second radiators operate in a high-band portion of the array's operating spectrum. In certain other embodiments at least one of the cards includes a pair of radiators. The radiators in the pair are oriented in substantially opposite directions. In certain other embodiments a first plurality of the antenna element cards includes at least a first radiator, a second radiator and electronics for controlling both the first and second radiators. A second plurality of the antenna element cards includes at least a first radiator, a second radiator and electronics for controlling only one of the first and second radiators. |
| US07999752B2 |
Dipole shaped radiator arrangement
An improved dipole-shaped radiator arrangement is characterized by the following features: a base is disconnected from ground or a ground surface with respect to direct current, or is capacitively coupled to a ground surface; a first dipole or radiator half is electro-galvanically or capacitively fed by a conductor; a second dipole or radiator half is fed via a further feed line in the form of an inner conductor feed; the one end of the first inner conductor section is electrically connected to a matching network; the other end of the third inner conductor section is connected to ground or to the ground surface with respect to direct current. |
| US07999750B2 |
Low profile antenna for satellite communication
A low profile receiving and/or transmitting antenna includes an array of antenna elements that collect and coherently combine millimeter wave or other radiation. The antenna elements are physically configured so that radiation at a predetermined wavelength band impinging on the antenna at a particular angle of incidence is collected by the elements and collected in-phase. Two or more mechanical rotators may be disposed to alter the angle of incidence of incoming or outgoing radiation to match the particular angle of incidence. |
| US07999747B1 |
Gas plasma microdischarge antenna
A gas plasma antenna with a rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible substrate and an improved method of generating a uniform electron density. The antenna comprises a gas discharge device containing a multiplicity of microcavities, each microcavity containing an ionizable gas for providing a microdischarge. Each microdischarge acts alone or in concert with other microdischarges to form a dipole or pattern of dipoles. |
| US07999746B2 |
Printed circuit board having built-in antenna
A printed circuit board having a built-in antenna may include a first unit substrate, in which a ground and a first radiator are formed; a second unit substrate, which is stacked over the first unit substrate, and in which a second radiator having a frequency band different from a frequency band of the first radiator is formed; a pair of striplines, formed in the first unit substrate and connected with the ground; a first via, which connects the first radiator with the second radiator; a pair of second vias, each of which has one end connected with the pair of strip lines respectively; and a connection pattern, which connects the other ends of the pair of second vias to each other. The printed circuit board having a built-in antenna can utilize multiple frequency bands, and can be implemented in a compact size, to be applicable in compact communication devices. |
| US07999745B2 |
Dual polarization antenna element with dielectric bandwidth compensation and improved cross-coupling
An antenna element architecture containing a dielectric beamwidth compensation perimeter structure around a radiating element is disclosed. A transmitting and receiving antenna element is provided so as to provide a desired azimuth and elevation radiation pattern in the intended polarization without degrading performance of cross polarization. Both single and dual polarization antenna elements can be employed. |
| US07999744B2 |
Wideband patch antenna
A patch antenna has a ground plane and a planar antenna plate that are parallel to and spaced from each other. A pair of planar feed plates have feed edges electrically contacting a surface of the antenna plate to couple electromagnetic energy into and/or out of the antenna plate. |
| US07999743B2 |
Multiband antenna array for mobile radio equipment
A multiband antenna array for mobile radio equipment that includes a planar pitch antenna having at least two resonances and is provided with a connection to ground and a high-frequency interface and at least two parasitic transmitters which are located marginal to the planar patch antenna and are embodied so as to be free of a high-frequency interface. A particularly compact multiband antenna for several frequency bands is crated as a result of the special arrangement of the planar patch antenna and the parasitic transmitters. |
| US07999742B2 |
System and method for using a satellite positioning system to filter WLAN access points in a hybrid positioning system
This disclosure describes a system and method for using a satellite positioning system to filter WLAN access points in a hybrid positioning system. In some embodiments, the method can include detecting WLAN APs in range of the WLAN and satellite enabled device, obtaining satellite measurements from at least two satellites to provide a plurality of possible satellite locations of the device, and providing a weight for each AP based on the distance from the WLAN APs to the possible satellite locations of the device. |
| US07999741B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene using precision location
Systems and methods for facilitating a first response mission at an incident scene, such as an accident site, a natural or human-made disaster site, or any other first response site. One system is for locating a plurality of portable modules at an incident scene. The system comprises a plurality of receivers transportable to the incident scene. The system also comprises a processing entity configured to: determine a location of a first one of the portable modules based on first data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the first one of the portable modules and received by at least three receivers of the plurality of receivers; and determine a location of a second one of the portable modules based on the location of the first one of the portable modules and second data derived from a wireless signal transmitted by the second one of the portable modules and received by the first one of the portable modules. For example, the system enables precision location of first responders, patients and equipment at the incident scene. |
| US07999739B2 |
1D or 2D goniometry method of diffuse sources
A goniometry method for one or several diffuse (or distributed) sources is disclosed. The sources or sources having one or more give directions and a diffusion cone. The sources are received by an array of several sensors. The method breaks down the diffusion cone into a finite number L of diffusers. A diffuser has the parameters (θmp, δθmpi, Δmp, δΔmpi), associated with it. Directing vectors a(θmp+δθmpi, Δmp+δΔmpi) associated with the L diffusers are combined to obtain a vector (D(θ, Δ, δθ, δΔ) α or U(θ, Δ) β(δθ, δΔ, α)) dependent on at least one of the incidence and deflection parameters (θ, Δ, δθ, δΔ) and on the combination vector α. A MUSIC-type criterion or other goniometry algorithm is applied to the vectors D(θ, Δ, δθ, δΔ) α or U(θ, Δ) β(δθ, δΔ, α) obtained in order to determine at least one of the incidence parameters θmp, Δmp, δθmp, δΔmp of the associated diffusion cone. |
| US07999736B2 |
Slot antenna and method for its operation
The invention relates to a slot antenna, more particularly to a transmitting antenna for RFID, comprising an antenna contour board having a plurality of antenna slots and at least one control circuit for enabling the antenna contour board to transmit and/or receive electromagnetic radiation. The slot antenna is characterized in that in at least one antenna slot of the antenna contour board there is inserted a circuit board carrying a control circuit. The invention further relates to an RFID method involving the use of the slot antenna of the invention. |
| US07999735B2 |
Radioterminals and associated operating methods that transmit position information responsive to rate of change of position
A radioterminal includes a wireless communications transceiver, a GPS receiver and a controller. The controller is configured to authorize at least one other radioterminal to receive geographic position information of the radioterminal, to activate the GPS receiver to obtain a measure of a geographic position of the radioterminal and to activate the wireless communications transceiver to transmit the measure of the geographic position of the radioterminal to the at least one other radioterminal that was authorized, responsive to a rate of change of position of the radioterminal. Related methods also are described. |
| US07999734B2 |
Apparatus having integrated radio and GPS receivers
An apparatus includes a radio receiver, a GPS receiver and a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package contains both the radio receiver and the GPS receiver. |
| US07999727B2 |
Radar high frequency module
A radar high frequency module having at least one distance piece mounted at the flat top wall of the shielding cover for supporting the shielding cover on the printed circuit board without mechanical contact of the downwardly extending side walls of the shielding cover with the printed circuit board to allow alignment of a rod antenna to a patch antenna arranged on the printed circuit board with greater precision. The side walls may be fixed to the printed circuit board by a conductive adhesive. |
| US07999722B2 |
Through-wall imaging device
A through-wall imaging device having antenna elements for transmitting and receiving signals adapted to pass through a wall for imaging objects therebehind, having a base with a carrier portion and a plurality of spaced-apart extensions connected thereto. At least a portion of the antenna elements are mounted on the extensions. The area between adjacent extensions is free of any material of the base at least when the extensions are in an operative state. |
| US07999721B2 |
Radar detector with navigational function
A GPS enabled radar detector dynamically handles radar sources based upon previously-stored geographically-referenced information on such sources and data from the GPS receiver. The detector includes technology for determining the location of the detector, and comparing this location to the locations of known stationary sources, to improve the handling of such detections. The detector may ignore detections received in an area known to contain a stationary source, or may only ignore specific frequencies or may handle frequencies differently based upon historic trends of spurious police radar signals at each frequency. Notification of the driver will take on a variety of forms depending on the stored information, current operating modes, and vehicle speed. The detector may be also incorporated within a general purpose navigation device. |
| US07999719B2 |
Multi-stage successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter and analog-to-digital converting method using the same
A multi-stage Successive Approximation Register Analog-to-Digital Converter (SAR ADC) and an analog-to-digital converting method using the same are provided. The multi-stage SAR ADC connects small-size and low-power SAR ADCs in multiple stages, thereby reducing a whole chip size and power consumption. The analog-to-digital converting method simultaneously performs analog-to-digital conversions in the SAR ADCs connected in the multiple stages, thereby reducing an analog-to-digital conversion time and maintaining an operating rate of several tens of MHz to several hundreds of MHz similar to that of a pipeline ADC. |
| US07999716B2 |
Analog-digital conversion circuit, timing signal generating circuit, and control device
There are provided an analog-digital converter circuit capable of performing the same degree of operation as being performed at a high-frequency oscillation pulse using a low-frequency oscillation pulse without using the high-frequency oscillation pulse, a timing signal generating circuit generating a timing signal at the high frequency, and a control device using the circuits. In an analog-digital converter circuit, a periodic signal generating circuit allows the first to j-th pulse counting devices of the N pulse counting devices to count a count value X and allows the other pulse counting devices to count a count value X−1 in each sampling period by sequentially generating N serial periodic signals at a delay time interval of [approximate value of one period (T) of periodic signals]÷N. A digital signal generating circuit converts the analog signal to the digital signal. |
| US07999715B2 |
Interference reduction device
An interference reduction device includes an analog to digital converter, a serial to parallel converter, a first FIR filter, a second FIR filters, a flip-flop, a decision unit, and a selector. The analog to digital converter performs A/D conversion. The serial to parallel converter performs a session of distribution processing in which a digital signal obtained by the A/D conversion. The first FIR outputs the signal after a filter operation at the desired output frequency. The second FIR filters each perform a filter operation, also each output the generated signals at the desired output frequency. The flip-flop samples the inputted digital signal. The decision unit decides which one of the FIR filters has the smallest influence of interference of the input digital signal. The selector outputs one of the signals outputted by the FIR filters. |
| US07999712B2 |
Digital-to-analog converters and methods thereof
A digital-to-analog converter for converting a digital signal into an analog signal is provided. The digital-to-analog converter includes a preprocessing unit, a gain controller, a modulator and an output unit. The preprocessing unit receives and oversamples the digital signal to generate an oversampled signal. The gain controller generates an adjusted signal with a gain function according to a reference signal associated with the oversampled signal when a specific condition is present. The modulator modulates the adjusted signal and generates a modulated signal. The output unit provides the analog signal to a load according to the modulated signal, wherein the analog signal gradually approaches to a specific level according to the gain function when the specific condition is present. |
| US07999708B2 |
Analog correction of a phase-mismatch in high-sample rate time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters
A method of phase mismatch correction in high-sample rate time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters (ADC) is provided. An ADC parallel array has an output signal that is processed by a phase-mismatch detector. The detector drives a clock generator control circuit for the ADC array. The clock generator includes a common mode logic (CML) buffer, a CMOS, a non-overlapping generator, a DAC and a decimating low-pass filter. The CML receives a reference clock signal providing source line control (SLC) to the CMOS, the CMOS provides SLC to the DAC that is controlled by the filter which receives a digital control signal from the phase mismatch detector. The DAC provides a corrected timing input to the CMOS that provides the corrected timing signal to the non-overlap generator, where a delay in the clock path is modified and the signal path is unaltered. |
| US07999704B2 |
Low complexity compression of short messages
A method for data communication, where the data compression and decompression is performed by use of a specific hash table, by which data compression a symbol for each data segment is generated, which symbols are transmitted to the receiver where the symbols are decompressed by use of the specific hash table is modified by the specific hash table being performed as a hash table array, which hash table array generates symbols having at least a hash count and a parity check, in which hash table array the parity check comprises generating of a data string, which data string is compared with a parity stored in the hash table, where if both parities are the same, the data model returns the count in the hash table element for transmission, where a zero count is returned indicating that the data string is not valid in the hash table an no transmission is performed. |
| US07999702B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining weather information from road-going vehicles
In one embodiment taught herein, a plurality of road-going vehicles report weather-related data to a weather-determining system. For example, trucks and/or cars having in-vehicle information systems wirelessly transmit one or more items of weather-related data, such that the weather-determining system directly or indirectly receives the transmitted data. In turn, the weather-determining system jointly processes the weather-related data to determine weather information for one or more geographic areas corresponding to reported positions of the road-going vehicles. In one embodiment, the in-vehicle information systems comprise GPS-based position reporting systems installed in on-highway trucks and other fleet vehicles, and the weather-determining system comprises a modified position-tracking system, e.g., a modified network fleet management system. Weather-related data may be collected and processed for large numbers of vehicles across many geographic areas of interest, and the resulting weather information can be fed back to the road-going vehicles and/or provided to other consumers of weather information. |
| US07999696B2 |
On-line web accessed energy meter
An electrical metering system capable of performing multiple metering functions, collecting data, and wirelessly provides the collected metering data to a utility operator. In the electrical metering system, at least one computing device for initiating a request for data. A first modem connects the computing device to an infrastructure. A wireless embedded modem for wirelessly connects an electric meter to an infrastructure, and the wireless electric modem receives a request from the computing device and wirelessly transmits the metering data to the computing device, thereby initiating the request. |
| US07999695B2 |
Surface real-time processing of downhole data
A method and apparatus for controlling oil well drilling equipment is disclosed. One or more sensors are distributed in the oil well drilling equipment. Each sensor produces a signal. A surface processor coupled to the one or more sensors via a high speed communications medium receives the signals from the one or more sensors via the high speed communications medium. The surface processor is situated on or near the earth's surface. The surface processor includes a program to process the received signals and to produce one or more control signals. The system includes one or more controllable elements distributed in the oil well drilling equipment. The one or more controllable elements respond to the one or more control signals. |
| US07999689B1 |
Household appliance operation sensing and control having a remotely controlled AC power receptacle and AC current sensor
Device operation sensing and control apparatus for use in combination with a wireless security panel which communicates with a remote operations center, to facilitate independent at-home living of, for example, semi-autonomous elderly persons. One apparatus embodiment includes a remotely controlled AC power receptacle module controllable by signals from the wireless security panel and into which a device such as a microwave oven is plugged. An AC current sensor is connected to an alarm system transmitter for transmitting a signal when the device is in use. Another apparatus embodiment senses operation of and allows remote control of power to an electric range. First and second timers and associated alarm system transmitters transmit a “RANGE ON” signal to the wireless security panel when the electric range is in use, and a “RANGE ON FOR X TIME” signal when the electric range has been use for a predetermined length of time. |
| US07999688B2 |
Embedded assessment of refuse for activity monitoring
Embodiments of the present invention provide devices and methods for monitoring the waste output of one or more individuals. Embodiments provide a waste receptacle equipped with one or more cameras capable of imaging the contents of the waste receptacle and optionally a scale that is capable of measuring the weight of the waste receptacle or the weight of the contents of the waste receptacle. The waste receptacle optionally communicates wirelessly with a base station that is able to store images of the contents of the waste receptacle and communicate automatically with remote caregivers. Algorithms are provided that are capable of providing a signal to a caregiver to alert the caregiver if the waste receptacle is not in use. |
| US07999685B2 |
Deterministic key pre-distribution and operational key management for moblie body sensor networks
A wireless network (2, 150) for monitoring a patient includes a body sensor network (22, 24, 26, 172, 174, 176) that includes one or more wireless sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) operatively connected to the patient that collect and transfer information related to the patient's health to the wireless network (2, 150). A set-up server (4, 154) configures the one or more wireless sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) with keying material before the one or more sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) are deployed to the wireless network (2, 150). A base station (178, 180) distributes a key certificate to the one or more sensors (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 166, 168, 170) associated with the body sensor network (22, 24, 26, 172, 174, 176), such that two sensors generate a unique pairwise key based at least in part upon the pre-distributed keying material and the key certificate distributed by the base station (178, 180). |
| US07999684B2 |
RFID tire tag test fixture and method
A test fixture and electronic tag assembly includes an electronic tag comprising an electronic device and a half wave dipole antenna of antenna length L. The antenna is configured as first and second coiled dipole antenna segments connecting with and extending in opposite directions from the electronic device. The assembly further includes a support frame; first and second electrically conductive pads positioned in spaced apart relationship within the support frame; and apparatus for fixedly holding end segments of the first and second coiled dipole antenna segments respectively against the first and second conductive pads in an overlapping relationship. A combined length of the first and second coiled dipole antenna segments and the conductive pads less the length of the overlapping end segments define a calculated effective antenna length for operative utility in performance measurement of the electronic tag in air analogous with the performance of the performance of the tag in a non-air medium such as in a tire. The spacing between the conductive pads may be selectively altered to accommodate the testing of tags of varying lengths within the fixture. |
| US07999681B2 |
Method of shipping and tracking inventory
A universal tracking assembly that is capable of supporting more than one protocol used in electronic article surveillance (EAS) labels. The universal tracking assembly includes an acousto-magnetic (AM) EAS portion with a Radio Frequency (RF) EAS portion. The intrinsic characteristics and properties of the components of these individual labels are utilized to enhance the overall performance and utility of the combined EAS universal tracking assembly. |
| US07999679B2 |
System, article and method for tracking an inventory
The present invention pertains to a storage facility containing consumable items that updates an inventory when items are stored, removed and consumed. A product scanner and a computer installed in the facility use RFID technology to determine if an item has been consumed or removed from a locale. Items in the facility have RFID tags attached. The system interrogates the tags and if a tag becomes disabled, displaced or non-existent due to consumption or removal from a locale the system provides instantaneous status. The computer transmits consumption information to a central location for billing, inventory management, market research information and can transmit the same to other processing units such as hand held computers possessed by staff that replenishes the facility. This system prevents used items from being placed back into the housing facility and being incorrectly accounted for as usable/billable and provides for greater room servicing efficiencies. |
| US07999677B2 |
RFID inlay structure and method of manufacturing RFID inlay structure
RFID tags each having an antenna partially raised from a surface of an underlying object by use of embossments in the RFID inlay base structure. Also disclosed are methods of forming the RFID tags and an RFID system utilizing the RFID tags. |
| US07999676B2 |
Method and system for determining the placement of RFID antennas to obtain a readable region for RFID tags
This invention presents an apparatus and system and its accompanying method for automatically placing of RFID antennas and a method for obtaining a readable region for passive RFID Tags are disclosed. The apparatus and system include a Portable and Adjustable Mounting Framework (PAMF) with built in chain belt for holding the RFID antennas, an Antenna Position Controller (APC) and Antenna Position Holders (APH) for control the movement of the antennas, a Moveable Object Platform (MOP) for carrying a number of RFID tags and a Computer Integrated System (CIS) with Readable Region Analysis (RRA) software to capture the transmitted and received RF signal from/to the RFID readers. |
| US07999674B2 |
Device and method for food management
A medical device is disclosed. The medical device includes an RFID reader for receiving information from at least one RFID transponder. The medical device also includes a memory for storing a database and at least one processor for processing information. Also, a remote controller for a medical device is disclosed. The remote controller includes an information receiver for receiving information related to food. The infusion device also includes a memory for storing a database and at least one processor for processing information. A method for use in a medical device is also disclosed. The method includes receiving information from an RFID transponder related to food. Also, the processing the information by comparing the information to a database is included in the method. The method also includes determining the acceptability of the food and providing information related to acceptability to the user. |
| US07999672B1 |
Anti-theft box and method of making same
An anti-theft box that is molded to support an electronic article surveillance tag within a cavity is provided. Disposed within either the base or the top of the box is a cavity for supporting an EAS sensor. The cavity is sized to receive the EAS sensor and may include a cover for further securing the sensor within the cavity to help prevent tampering with the sensor. The cavity may be visible from the exterior to a consumer so that the consumer can see the EAS marker. In one embodiment the cavity is separately formed and is inserted within an opening in the base of the box. The box may be used to support a variety of articles, including articles of jewelry. |
| US07999669B2 |
System and method for providing a task reminder based on historical travel information
An apparatus for providing a task reminder includes a monitoring module configured to monitor a location of a user via a mobile communication device associated with the user at predetermined time intervals for tracking historical travel information of the user and a data store for storing the historical travel information and for storing user specified task information that includes a task and a task location. The apparatus also includes a message module configured to generate a reminder of the task based on the user's historical travel information and a distance between the task location and a current position of the user. |
| US07999668B2 |
Series interlock system with integrated ability to identify breached locations
A system is provided for implementing a series interlock loop. An example of the interlock system includes a series interlock loop, a data table, and a control module. The series interlock loop has an overall electrical characteristic. The series interlock loop includes first and second safety interlocks electrically coupled in series. Each interlock includes a switch coupled in parallel with an impedance value. The data table is configured to store values corresponding to the impedance values. The control module is communicatively coupled to the data table and configured to receive an indication of the overall electrical characteristic and to compare the overall electrical characteristic to the values in the data table to thereby identify an open one of the first and second safety interlocks. |
| US07999664B2 |
Behavior-based low fuel warning system
A method is provided for determining when to provide a refueling notification to a driver of a vehicle. A refueling behavior is determined for refueling the vehicle. The refueling behavior is associated at least in part to an amount of fuel customarily remaining in the vehicle when the vehicle is customarily refueled. A remaining amount of fuel in the vehicle and a fuel economy of the vehicle are determined. A distance the vehicle will travel to a next driving destination is estimated. An amount of fuel that will be used to travel to the next driving destination is estimated based on the estimated distance the vehicle will travel to the next driving destination and the fuel economy. A determination is made whether the amount of fuel that will be remaining in the vehicle after the vehicle travels to the next driving destination is less than the amount of a fuel customarily remaining in the vehicle when the vehicle is refueled. A refueling notification is actuated to a driver of a vehicle in response to the determination that the amount of fuel that will be remaining in the vehicle after the vehicle travels to the next driving destination will be less than the amount of fuel customarily remaining in the vehicle when the vehicle is refueled. |
| US07999662B2 |
Universal electronic immobilizing for a vehicle
A vehicle security system for securing a vehicle against theft, the system comprising, a driving function disablement component configured to bias against a moveable vehicle component, thereby to disable a driving function when biased, a remotely operable transducer configured to maintain or release biasing in the driving function disablement component, and a wireless handheld transceiver configured to transmit a wireless drive-activating signal to operate the transducer. |
| US07999654B2 |
Remote control method and system, vehicle with remote controllable function, and control server
A remote control method for remotely controlling the operation of equipment furnished in a vehicle in response to a remote control request generated by a remote controller is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) acquiring vehicle status information from the vehicle; (b) determining whether to operate particular vehicle equipment designated by the remote control request based on the vehicle status information; and (c) regulating the remote control request based on the determination result representing acceptability of remote-control operation of the requested vehicle equipment. |
| US07999653B2 |
Plant monitor-control apparatus
A plant monitor-control apparatus includes a control device which controls a to-be-controlled device of a plant, an operation/monitor device which delivers an operation instruction to the plant, operates the plant via the control device and monitors the plant, and a user skill level management device which manages respective user skill levels and determines an operation authority corresponding to each user skill level. |
| US07999651B2 |
Planar coil component
In a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of a winding drum, side legs face each other along an X-direction. A Y-direction is perpendicular to the X-direction. A planar coil component is configured so that a point along the Y-direction, where width of a central leg is maximum along the X-direction is at a plus side of the Y-direction, in relation to a center of the Y-direction, of the central leg; width of the central leg along the X-direction monotonically decreases from the point; width of the central leg along the X-direction is longer than along the X-direction; distance between facing surfaces of the side legs is constant; the terminal board is on the minus side, along the Y-direction, of a flange; and an end of the winding extends through the flange at the minus side of the Y-direction. |
| US07999647B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for an integrated winding structure for a magnetic core
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for combining multiple windings on a magnetic core. An integrated winding structure has a winding base and multiple winding extensions. The multiple winding extensions and the winding base are formed from a single sheet of electrically conductive material. Each of the multiple winding extensions has a base portion that extends from the winding base, a wrapping portion that extends from the base portion, and a connection portion that extends from the wrapping portion. The connection portions and the winding base each have electrical connection surfaces. Each of the multiple winding extensions forms one or more windings on the magnetic core. |
| US07999644B2 |
Switch
A central magnet of a plurality of magnets arranged to be different in polarities is detected by two hall ICs; therefore, reduction in size can be achieved by reducing the number of the magnets; and at the same time, the number of the hall ICs can be maintained and the reliability can be secured, as compared with a configuration in which the magnets and the hall ICs individually respond in one to one correspondence. |
| US07999632B2 |
Branching filter and method for manufacturing the same
A branching filter that is capable of being reduced in size, particularly in height, has a configuration in which a transmitting filter chip and a receiving filter chip include a first piezoelectric substrate and a second piezoelectric substrate, respectively, and are spaced from each other. The transmitting filter chip includes a first insulating layer which extends over an IDT or which is disposed above the IDT. The receiving filter chip includes a first insulating layer which extends over an IDT or which is disposed above the IDT. The upper surfaces of the transmitting and receiving filter chips and are covered with a second insulating layer. External terminals arranged on the upper surface of a third insulating layer are electrically connected to the IDTs and through conductors and extending through the first insulating layers and the second insulating layer and the conductors, and include plating films. |
| US07999630B2 |
Electronic circuit with an absorptive distributed limiting circuit
An electronic circuit comprising a power limiter circuit. The power limiter circuit comprises a plurality of cascaded transmission line sections, each transmission line section comprising a series arrangement of at least one diode and a dissipative element for absorbing excess input signal power connected in series. The series arrangement is connected between an output of the section and effective ground, a number of diodes connected in series in the series arrangements of the sections decreases with position of the section from an input of the power limiter to an output of the power limiter by steps of one or more diodes at least at part of the sections. |
| US07999629B2 |
IQ-modulation
The present disclosure relates to I/Q modulation circuits, devices, and methods. |
| US07999624B2 |
Radiation source
A source of radiation comprises a first low frequency oscillator 200 for providing a reference signal and a plurality of phase shifters 210a, 210b, 210c coupled to the first oscillator. In addition there are a plurality of phase locked loops 230a, 230b, 230c, each phase locked loop having a respective Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) 240a, 240b, 240c for outputting a signal. Each phased locked loop is coupled to a respective one of the phase shifters, so that in use each VCO is phase locked to a reference signal which has been phase shifted by a respective one of the phase shifters. In this way the phase of the radiation output by each VCO may be controlled indirectly by controlling the phase shift of the reference signal. In a preferred embodiment the phase shifters are adjustable to shift the phase by an adjustable amount. |
| US07999623B2 |
Digital fractional-N phase lock loop and method thereof
A method for reducing a phase noise in a digital fractional-N phase lock loop (PLL) is disclosed. The method comprises: quantifying a time difference between a reference clock and a feedback clock into a time difference signal; generating a residual error signal according to the time difference signal and an instantaneous error signal; filtering the residual error signal to generate a control code; controlling an oscillator using the control code to generate an output clock; receiving a fractional number between 0 and 1 to generate the instantaneous error signal; and dividing down the output clock by a divisor value according to the fractional number. |
| US07999622B2 |
Adaptive phase noise cancellation for fractional-N phase locked loop
An embodiment of the invention is a circuit for adaptive phase noise cancellation for a fractional-N PLL. A preferred embodiment employs a split loop filter architecture. Two loop filter halves separately drive half-sized parallel varactors in a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and also drive a differential-input lowpass frequency selective circuit, e.g., a differential-input integrator in a least mean squared (LMS) feedback loop. The output of the differential-input lowpass frequency selective circuit controls the gain matching of a phase noise cancellation path to minimize phase noise arising from quantization error associated with the sequence of divider modulus values in the fractional-N PLL. The two varactor capacitances add together in the VCO tank, so the VCO frequency depends on the common-mode loop filter voltage and is relatively insensitive to differential-mode voltage. In contrast, the differential integrator operates on the differential-mode voltage from the two loop filter halves but attenuates their common-mode voltage. |
| US07999621B2 |
Cross-differential amplifier
A cross-differential amplifier is provided. The cross-differential amplifier includes an inductor connected to a direct current power source at a first terminal. A first and second switch, such as transistors, are connected to the inductor at a second terminal. A first and second amplifier are connected at their supply terminals to the first and second switch. The first and second switches are operated to commutate the inductor between the amplifiers so as to provide an amplified signal while limiting the ripple voltage on the inductor and thus limiting the maximum voltage imposed across the amplifiers and switches. |
| US07999617B2 |
Amplifier circuit
An amplifier circuit, comprising a differential input stage (M1, M2), two cross-coupled current mirrors (M3, M4; M5, M6) coupled to respective outputs of the differential input stage (M1, M2), and a minimum selector circuit (M11, M12, M13, M14) coupled to outputs of the current mirrors. |
| US07999616B2 |
Method for reducing offset voltage of operational amplifier and the circuit using the same
The invention provides an operational amplifier. In one embodiment, the operational amplifier includes an input stage circuit, a feedback circuit, a fixed stage circuit, and an output stage circuit. The input stage circuit receives a positive input voltage and a negative input voltage, and amplifies the positive input voltage and the negative input voltage to output a first positive output voltage and a first negative output voltage. The feedback circuit generates a reference positive output voltage equal to the first positive output voltage according to the positive input voltage and the negative input voltage. The fixed stage circuit equally amplifies the first negative output voltage and the reference positive output voltage to generate a second positive output voltage and a second negative output voltage. The output stage circuit generates an output voltage according to a difference voltage between the second positive output voltage and a second negative voltage. |
| US07999613B2 |
Method and apparatus for an improved power amplifier
An amplifier system is provided that has a first balun with an input and an output, and a second balun with an input and an output. A first set of amplifiers is coupled in series and to the output of the first balun. A second set of amplifiers is coupled in series and to the output of the second balun. The first and second sets of amplifiers are in series or parallel. A load impedance of the first and second sets of amplifiers does not substantially change at an output of any amplifier that is switched on when another amplifier is switched off. |
| US07999612B2 |
Operational amplifier having DC offset cancellation capability
An operational amplifier includes an input stage for generating a first differential output signal pair according to a first differential input signal pair, an output stage for generating a second differential output signal pair according to at least a second differential input signal pair, and a high-pass filtering circuit coupled between the input stage and the output stage for performing high-pass filtering on the first differential output signal pair, for generating the at least a second differential input signal pair. |
| US07999611B2 |
Differential amplifying device
A differential amplifying device includes a first differential amplifying unit that receives an input signal and a reference voltage. The first differential amplifying unit amplifies the input signal to generate an output signal when a sensing signal is at a first level. A second differential amplifying unit is configured to also receive the input signal and the reference voltage. The second differential amplifying unit amplifies the input signal to generate the output signal when the sensing signal is at a second level. The first and second differential amplifying units are configured to take advantage of transistor characteristics. |
| US07999603B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus which is capable of controlling a substrate voltage under the low source voltage driving of a miniaturized MOSFET
Provided is a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus capable of controlling the substrate voltage of a MOSFET so that the drain current for an arbitrary gate voltage value in a subthreshold region or a saturated region will be free from temperature dependence and process variation dependence, thereby enhancing the stable operation thereof. The semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus includes: an integrated circuit main body having a plurality of MOSFETs on a semiconductor substrate; a monitor unit for monitoring at least one of the drain currents of the plurality of MOSFETs; and a substrate voltage regulating unit for controlling the substrate voltage of the semiconductor substrate so as to keep constant the drain current. The monitor unit includes a constant current source and a monitoring MOSFET formed on the same substrate as the plurality of MOSFETs, the substrate voltage regulating unit includes a comparison unit for comparing the source potential of the monitoring MOSFET with a predetermined reference potential with the drain terminal of the monitoring MOSFET and the drain terminals of the plurality of MOSFETs connected to ground, and the substrate voltage regulating unit feeds back the output voltage output based on the comparison result by the comparison unit to the substrate voltage of the monitoring MOSFET. |
| US07999602B2 |
Switching control circuit
It is possible to reliably prevent two switching elements comprising a half-bridge circuit from turning ON simultaneously even when two pulse signals allowing both the two switching elements to turn ON are input thereto.A first drive signal is allowed to be output from a first output terminal 4 to a P-type MOSFET 10 based on a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, and a second drive signal is allowed to be output from a second output terminal 5 to an N-type MOSFET 11 that operates as a second switching element based on the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal, and a protecting circuit 20 is configured to allow at least one of the P-type MOSFET 10 and the N-type MOSFET 11 to turn OFF. |
| US07999590B2 |
Level-converting flip-flop and pulse generator for clustered voltage scaling
Provided is a level converting flip-flop for clustered voltage scaling and a level-converting pulse generator for use in the flip-flop. The flip-flop may include a pulse generator that receives an input clock signal with a high level equal to a first level and generates a pulse signal with a high level that may be converted into a second level higher than the first level. The flip-flop may further include a latch that latches input data with a high level equal to a third level lower than the second level and outputs output data with a high level that may be converted into the second level in response to the pulse signal. The third level may be equal to the first level. A supply voltage of the second level may be used as a supply voltage to the latch. Both the pulse generator and the flip-flop may have a level converting function without additional circuits, and therefore, the operating speeds of the pulse generator and the flip-flop may be increased without increasing the area and power consumption of the system. |
| US07999588B1 |
Duty cycle correction circuitry
Circuits and a method for tuning an integrated circuit (IC) are disclosed. The IC includes a storage circuit coupled to receive a data signal, a clock input signal and a reset signal. The storage circuit may be used to generate a clock signal. The reset signal is supplied by a reset circuit. The reset circuit may include one or more logic gates to generate the reset signal. The reset circuit receives a phase shifted version of the clock input signal and the reset signal is generated based on the phase shifted version of the clock input signal. In one embodiment, the reset signal is a series of pulses generated at specific intervals to shift the output of the storage circuit from logic high level to logic low level. |
| US07999587B2 |
Enhanced predistortion for slewing correction
The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement and method of applying predistortion to a baseband signal used for modulating a pulse-shaped signal, wherein an envelope information of the baseband signal is detected and slewing distortions of the pulse-shaped signal are reduced by applying at least one of a phase modulation and a duty cycle 5 modulation to the baseband signal as additional predistortion in response to the detected envelope information. Thereby, slewing distortions in the pulse-shaped signal are removed or at least reduced. |
| US07999586B2 |
Digital phase locked loop with closed loop linearization technique
Apparatuses, systems, and a method for providing a digital phase-locked loop (PLL) are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an integration-mode phase frequency detector (PFD) that compares a phase and frequency of a reference clock signal to a phase and frequency of a generated feedback clock signal and generates a digitized output signal. A digital loop filter (DLF) receives the digitized output signal and applies a linearization technique to the digitized output signal. The DLF includes a derivative gain unit of a derivative path, a proportional gain unit of a proportional path, and an integral gain unit of an integral path. The derivative path provides a direct proportional feedback loop path to the integration-mode PFD by compensating the integration of an integrator that receives output signals from the paths. The integration-mode PFD can be implemented with a hybrid circuit or a substantially digital circuit. |
| US07999584B2 |
Method and apparatus for on-chip phase error measurement to determine jitter in phase-locked loops
An apparatus includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit including a phase-frequency detector configured to output phase error signals. A phase error monitor circuit is configured to determine instantaneous peak phase error by logically combining the phase error signals and comparing pulse widths of the logically combined phase error signals to a programmable delay time at each reference clock cycle to determine instantaneous phase error change. A storage element is configured to store the instantaneous phase error change. |
| US07999580B2 |
Band converted signal generator and band extender
A band converted signal generator includes a low range characteristic application section (16) as a component emphasis means emphasizing only one or more specific frequency components selected from among frequency components of an input signal; and a low pass filter (17) as a component extraction means extracting a signal component of a desired frequency band from an output signal supplied from the low range characteristic application section (16). A band extender (1000) includes the above-mentioned band converted signal generator, and an adder (15) adding the input signal, a certain frequency band of which is suppressed, and a signal including at least one component generated within the certain frequency band which is suppressed. |
| US07999579B2 |
Output driver
An output driver is applicable to two or more interface standards. The output driver includes a pre-driver configured to generate pull-up control signals and pull-down control signals according to a logic value of data to be output and a target resistance, and adjust slew rates of the pull-up control signals and the pull-down control signals according to operation modes, and a driver configured to output the data in response to the pull-up and pull-down control signals. |
| US07999578B2 |
Waveform generation device, waveform generation method, and computer readable medium
Provided is a waveform generating apparatus that generates a signal having an arbitrary waveform, comprising a waveform memory that stores a plurality of pieces of waveform data that each include a sequence of signal values; a filtering section that (i) reads from the waveform memory a piece of waveform data serving as a basis for a waveform to be generated, from among the plurality of pieces of waveform data, (ii) performs a conversion by filtering the read piece of waveform data to obtain a piece of converted waveform data, and (iii) writes to the waveform memory the piece of converted waveform data; and a waveform output section that reads the piece of converted waveform data from the waveform memory and outputs a signal having a waveform corresponding to the sequence of signal values of the read piece of converted waveform data. |
| US07999577B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting a changing point of measured signal
Provided is an apparatus comprising a delaying section that generates a plurality of delayed signals by delaying a single first input signal by different delay amounts; a first acquiring section that acquires each of a plurality of input second input signals at a first phase of a reference clock; a second acquiring section that acquires each of the plurality of second input signals at a second phase of the reference clock, which is different from the first phase; and a change point detecting section that detects a change point of one of the first input signal and a second input signal, based on values of the plurality of signals acquired by the first acquiring section and values of the plurality of signals acquired by the second acquiring section. |
| US07999573B2 |
Low-voltage-to-high-voltage level converter for digital signals and related integrated circuit, system, and method
An embodiment of a low-to-high-level voltage translator is proposed. This translator translates the low voltage swing signals for the core into high voltage swing signals of the I/O blocks. This translator may be particularly useful for high-speed application where the difference between the core and the I/O supply voltage is very large, e.g., the core is working at 0.8V and the I/O is working at 3.6V or higher without little or no static power dissipation. The proposed translator may give improved transition times and propagation delays as compared to conventional translators. The proposed translator may also use less hardware in comparison to other such translators. |
| US07999571B2 |
State machines using non-volatile re-writeable two-terminal resistivity-sensitive memories
State machines using resistivity-sensitive memory elements are disclosed. The state machine includes a next state logic comprising a non-volatile memory including a resistivity-sensitive memory element and receiving an input, a state storage device connected to the next state logic including a connection to provide a state of the state machine to the next state logic, and an output connect to the state register to output the state of the state machine. The resistivity-sensitive memory elements may be two-terminal resistivity-sensitive memory elements. The two-terminal resistivity-sensitive memory elements may store data as a plurality of conductivity profiles that can be non-destructively read by applying a read voltage across the terminals of the memory elements, and new data can be written by applying a write voltage across the terminals. The two-terminal resistivity-sensitive memory elements retain stored data in the absence of power and may be configured into a two-terminal cross-point memory array. |
| US07999568B1 |
Techniques for serially transmitting on-chip termination control signals
Techniques are provided for controlling on-chip termination (OCT) impedance using OCT calibration blocks that serially transmit OCT control signals to input/output (IO) blocks. The OCT control signals are serially transmitted through a shared conductor. An OCT calibration block can transmit OCT control signals to one or multiple IO blocks. The IO blocks can be programmed to select OCT control signals from one of the calibration blocks. Enable signals enable one or more of the IO blocks to receive the selected OCT control signals. The OCT control signals are used to control the on-chip termination impedance at one or more IO buffers. |
| US07999565B2 |
Inspection apparatus and inspection method using electron beam
A visual inspection apparatus and method using the scanning electron microscope are disclosed. An electron beam is scanned repeatedly on a sample, and an inspection and a reference image are generated by the secondary electrons generated from the sample or reflected electrons. From the differential image between the inspection image and the reference image, a defect is determined. The number of pixels in the generated image along the direction of repetitive scanning by the electron beam can be changed. |
| US07999564B2 |
Replaceable probe apparatus for probing semiconductor wafer
A probe apparatus is provided with a plurality of probe tiles, an interchangeable plate for receiving the probe tiles, a floating plate being disposed between the respective probe tile and a receiving hole on the interchangeable plate, and a control mechanism providing multi-dimensional freedom of motions to control a position of the probe tile relative to the respective receiving hole of the interchangeable plate. A method of controlling the floating plate is also provided by inserting a pair of joysticks into two respective adjustment holes disposed on the floating plate and moving the pair of joysticks to provide translational motions (X-Y) and rotational (theta) motion of the floating plate, and turning the pair of jack screws clockwise and counter-clockwise to provide a translational motion (Z) and two rotational (pitch and roll) motions of the floating plate. |
| US07999562B2 |
Apparatus and method of capacitively sensing operator presence for a stump cutter
An operator detection and presence device includes a conductive sensor and a guard electrode. The sensor and electrode are physically located and electrically connected in a manner which helps the detection circuit measure if an operator's hand is on the handle or if the change in capacitance is due to water. The sensor and electrode are preferably physically located in the handle spaced apart from one another, where the sensor is located in an area that the operator will touch. The electrode is located in an area that the operator will not generally touch. A detection circuit is connected to the sensor and electrode for measuring whether the capacitance of the sensor has changed. The electrode is used to avoid false detections and/or the ability to detect of operator presence. |
| US07999557B2 |
Method for determining location of phase-to-earth fault
A method and apparatus for determining a location of a phase-to-earth fault on a three-phase electric line of an electric network, comprising determining, when the ratio of a fault current and load current has a first value, a first fault distance line which indicates an estimate of a distance of the fault from the measuring point in relation to an equivalent load distance, determining, when the ratio of the fault current and load current has a second value which differs from the first value, at least one second fault distance line, determining a distance at which the determined fault distance lines intersect when superimposed and determining the distance between the measuring point and the point of fault on the basis of the determined distance or distances of intersection. |
| US07999556B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying and selecting proper cable connections
A system includes a first electrical component, a second electrical component, and at least two cables connecting the first and second electrical components. Time varying signals are transmitted through the cables with at least one of the cables carrying an injected DC signal. The system associates the cable carrying the DC signal with a predetermined time varying signal and is capable of electronically switching the routes of the time varying signals if the cables are incorrectly physically attached to the first and second electrical components. |
| US07999550B2 |
Multi-sensor system for the detection and characterization of unexploded ordnance
To fully characterize the inductive response of an isolated conductive object, such as buried unexploded ordinance, one needs to measure its response to stimulation by primary magnetic fields in three linearly independent (e.g., approximately orthogonal) directions. In one embodiment this is achieved by measuring the response to magnetic fields of three independent transmitters arranged to have magnetic fields that are linearly independent. According to the apparatus and methods employing the system of this invention, multiple transmitters and receivers of known relative position and orientation on a single platform are used. In a preferred embodiment, matched sets of receiver pairs connected in gradient mode are positioned adjacent to closely spaced pairs of transmitting coils, such that a minor displacement of one or both of the receiver coil pairs relative to the paired transmitting coils will not affect the detected secondary signals emitted by a buried metallic object. |
| US07999548B1 |
Dual lower extremity MRI coil array with simultaneously independent MRI signal detection from both legs
Magnetic resonance imaging of the lower extremities using a coil array having sections of decoupled coil elements that enclose, bilaterally and separately, both legs at the same longitudinal region along the cranial-caudal direction. |
| US07999545B2 |
Method for obtaining amplitude and phase profiles of RF pulses for spatially selective excitation
A method for determining amplitude and phase dependencies of radio frequency pulses that are irradiated during traversal of a defined k-space trajectory to produce a spatial pattern of the transverse magnetization in an MR experiment using at least one RF transmission antenna, is characterized in that, in a calibration step, a set of basic pulses is defined, each basic pulse is irradiated individually, the specified k-space trajectory is traversed and at least one set of basic patterns is produced by detection of the MR signals thus excited, which in a range to be examined of the object, are proportional to the complex transverse magnetization produced, wherein the k-space trajectory is traversed fully identically every time at least from the beginning of the irradiation of each basic pulse, and, in a calculation step, a defined target pattern is approximated with a linear combination of the basic patterns of a set or with a mathematical association of linear combinations, with which, within each set, the basic patterns are identically combined, and the amplitude and phase dependencies to be determined are obtained as the corresponding linear combination of the basic pulses. Experimental imperfections can be intrinsically compensated for in this way. |
| US07999540B2 |
Eddy current apparatus and method for in-situ profile measurement
An eddy current monitoring system may include an elongated core. One or more coils may be coupled with the elongated core for producing an oscillating magnetic field that may couple with one or more conductive regions on a wafer. The core may be translated relative to the wafer to provide improved resolution while maintaining sufficient signal strength. An eddy current monitoring system may include a DC-coupled marginal oscillator for producing an oscillating magnetic field at a resonant frequency, where the resonant frequency may change as a result of changes to one or more conductive regions. Eddy current monitoring systems may be used to enable real-time profile control. |
| US07999535B2 |
Measuring device for determining a position between a primary part and a secondary part by magnetic flux measurements
The invention relates to a measuring apparatus comprising a sensing head (15) for determining the position of a primary part (27) on a secondary part. The sensing head (15) is fixedly connected to a primary part (27) or is integrated therein while the primary part (27) and the secondary part form a linear motor (30). Furthermore, the secondary part is embodied as a rack (16) which is provided at least with ferromagnetic material and preferably equidistant teeth (18) in a preferred direction (13), said teeth (18) containing at least ferromagnetic material. The sensing head (15) can be moved in the preferred direction (13) and opposite thereto. An air gap is located between the sensing head (15) and the rack (16) while the sensing head (15) is equipped with at least one sensor (1-12, 19, 31), by means of which magnetic fields can be measured in order to determine a position. |
| US07999534B2 |
Rotation sensor with detection signal timing cycle features
A rotation sensor including: a main rotor that integrally rotates with a rotor to be measured; a sub-rotor that rotates in accordance with rotation of the main rotor with a different number of revolutions from that of the main rotor; a first detector detecting rotation of the main rotor; and a second detector detecting rotation of the sub-rotor. The rotation sensor detects an absolute rotation angle of the rotor to be measured from detection signals from the first detector and the second detector. Respective detection signals obtained from the first detector and the second detector are cyclically output in accordance with rotation of each rotor, and the following relationship is satisfied: (Tm−Tc×i)×n=Tm (i and n are positive integers), wherein Tc is a cycle of the detection signal from the first detector, and Tm is a cycle of the detection signal from the second detector. |
| US07999529B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating voltage references using transistor threshold differences
Methods and apparatus are described that develop a reference voltage that is based on a difference between a threshold voltage of a first transistor and a threshold voltage of a second transistor, and further based on a difference between a gate overdrive voltage of the first transistor and a gate overdrive voltage of the second transistor. |
| US07999527B2 |
Switching controller having programmable feedback circuit for power converters
A switching controller for a boost power converter includes a switching-control circuit and a programmable feedback circuit. The programmable feedback circuit is coupled to an output of the boost power converter via a voltage divider. The programmable feedback circuit includes a current source coupled to a switch. On a light-load condition, a power-saving signal turns on the switch. The switch will conduct a programming current supplied by the current source toward the voltage divider. Furthermore, the voltage divider is externally adjustable for programming a determined level of an output voltage of the boost power converter on the light-load condition. Additionally the present invention increases system design flexibility to meet practical power-saving requirements without adding circuitries and increasing cost. |
| US07999523B1 |
Driver with improved power supply rejection
A technique reduces effects of power supply noise on a signal output by an integrated circuit output driver circuit powered at least partially by an external power supply. An integrated circuit includes a first circuit that provides a first version of a signal to be output referenced between a first regulated voltage and a first power supply voltage of an external power supply. A second circuit provides a second version of the signal to be output referenced between a second regulated voltage and a second power supply voltage of the external power supply. A third circuit provides a third version of the signal to be output referenced between the first power supply voltage and the second power supply voltage and based on the first and second versions of the signal to be output and power received from the external power supply. |
| US07999521B2 |
DC-DC converter usable for dual voltage supply
A converter has a single inductor with a first terminal connectable to a first terminal of the supply input through a first power transistor and a second terminal connectable to a second terminal of the supply input through a second power transistor. A first rectifier element connects the first terminal of the inductor with a first output terminal, and a second rectifier element connects the second terminal of the inductor with a second output terminal. A resistive voltage divider is connected between the first and second output terminals. A control circuit uses an input from the voltage divider as a reference input voltage and provides an output current to the second terminal of the supply input in response to any voltage difference between the reference input voltage and the second terminal of the supply input. This provides a virtual common reference potential at the second terminal of the supply input, which is thus a common ground (GND) terminal. In the ON phase of both power transistors, the inductor is charged with current from the supply input. In the OFF phase (both power transistors are OFF), the energy stored in the inductor is supplied to both of the positive and the negative supply output through the rectifier elements, the output current in fact flowing almost exclusively between the positive and negative supply outputs. Thus, in the OFF phase, the inductor is entirely isolated from the supply input and the supply outputs are in no way affected by any transients or fluctuations in the supply input voltage. |
| US07999520B2 |
Static phase shedding for voltage regulators based upon circuit identifiers
Systems and methods are disclosed that provide static phase shedding techniques to improve the efficiency of multi-phase voltage regulators within information handling systems by selecting the number of active phases for the multi-phase voltage regulators using circuit identifiers (IDs) for circuitry configured to be powered by the multi-phase voltage regulators, such as central processing units (CPUs). In one embodiment, processor identifier information related to installed CPUs is used to control the voltage regulator (VR) phase number to provide static phase shedding. This VR control can be implemented in a variety of ways, including the use of conventional analog multi-phase VR controllers and/or digital VR controllers. Dynamic phase shedding can also be used in conjunction with this static phase shedding to further reduce the number of active phases when a processor operates in a low power mode. |
| US07999517B2 |
Charging control apparatus and charging apparatus
A charging control apparatus comprising: a voltage control unit in a charging apparatus configured to control generation of an output voltage and a power supply voltage, the charging apparatus being an apparatus configured to generate, from a voltage of an input power supply applied through a relay, the output voltage for charging a battery and the power supply voltage for control; and a relay control unit operated by the power supply voltage, the relay control unit configured to drive the relay so as to stop applying the voltage of the input power supply to the charging apparatus, when detecting a standby state in which the battery is not being charged, and drive the relay so as to increase the power supply voltage by applying the voltage of the input power supply to the charging apparatus, when the power supply voltage decreases below a predetermined level. |
| US07999515B2 |
Battery characterization technique accounting for offset error
The present invention provides a system and method for operating a rechargeable battery, the system comprising: current maintaining device for maintaining a predetermined current to the rechargeable battery until the rechargeable battery reaches a predetermined maximum voltage; voltage maintaining device for maintaining a predetermined voltage to the rechargeable battery until a predetermined minimum current is delivered to the rechargeable battery; determining device for determining a cyclical charge value delivered to the rechargeable battery by the current maintaining device and the voltage maintaining device during a cycle; and a correction device for correcting the determining device when charge is not being delivered to the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the charge value. |
| US07999510B2 |
Lithium-based battery pack for a high current draw, hand held power tool
A method for conducting an operation including a power tool battery pack. The battery pack can include a housing, a first cell supported by the housing and having a voltage, and a second cell supported by the housing and having a voltage. The battery pack also can be connectable to a power tool and be operable to supply power to operate the power tool. The method can include discharging one of the first cell and the second cell until the voltage of the one of the first cell and the second cell is substantially equal to the voltage of the other of the first cell and the second cell. |
| US07999507B2 |
Power tool having mating battery terminals
A battery for use with, and electronically connected to a power tool having at least one electronic tool contact. The battery includes a battery housing, at least one battery cell disposed in the battery housing, and at least one terminal socket disposed within the battery housing, wherein each terminal socket includes at least one terminal for grippingly engaging an associated one of the at least one tool contact. |
| US07999497B2 |
Device for controlling polyphase rotating machine
A device for controlling a polyphase rotating machine comprising a stator, a rotor, and sensors, the device being capable of receiving at least one first sensing signal (V, W, U) representing a position of the rotor relative to the stator and outputted from a first sensor (16; 18; 14), and a second sensing signal representing the position and phase-shifted relative to the first signal (V, W, U). The second signal is outputted from a second sensor. The control device comprises: means (K, R) for combining the first and the second sensing signals (U, V, W) into a combined signal (Ku; Kv; Kw) including at least one controlled switching signal with a variable cyclic ratio. The combined signal (Ku; Kv; Kw) is based on the cyclic ratio and enables the machine to be controlled. |
| US07999495B2 |
Electronic ballast with dimming control from power line sensing
The present invention discloses an electronic ballast with dimming control from power line sensing for a fluorescent lamp, comprising: a line switching sensing circuit, used to generate a switching sensing signal by performing a voltage comparison operation on a DC voltage; an oscillating signal gating unit, used to gate an oscillating signal with a pulse signal to generate a gated oscillating signal, wherein the pulse width of the pulse signal is generated according to the switching sensing signal; and a non-overlapping driver, used to generate a high side driving signal and a low side driving signal according to the gated oscillating signal. |
| US07999494B2 |
Electronic ballast with dimming control from power line sensing
The present invention discloses an electronic ballast with dimming control from power line sensing for a fluorescent lamp, comprising: a line switching sensing circuit, used to generate a switching sensing signal by performing a voltage comparison operation on a DC voltage, and generate a reset signal according to the off time of the power line; a control voltage generator, used to generate a control voltage according to the count of said switching sensing signal; a voltage controlled oscillator, used to generate an oscillating signal according to the control voltage; and a non-overlapping driver, used to generate a high side driving signal and a low side driving signal according to the oscillating signal. |
| US07999491B2 |
LED lighting control integrated circuit having embedded programmable nonvolatile memory
For providing a compact high-precision lighting control means to drive an LED lighting module, a lighting control integrated circuit is set forth to perform an accurate lighting control. At least one nonvolatile memory is embedded in the lighting control integrated circuit for storing a plurality of lookup tables. One lookup table provides related data for setting the driving currents of the LED lighting module based on spacing or pitch of LED disposition of the LED lighting module. Another lookup table provides related data to recover uniformity for different LED damage situations of the LED lighting module. The other lookup tables are applied to perform compensation processes on the driving currents concerning temperature variation, ambient light intensity, aging degradation, and power-on time. In addition, a signal processing unit, a pulse-width-modulation signal generating module, and a driving module are incorporated in the lighting control integrated circuit for signal processing and current driving. |
| US07999488B2 |
Ignition controller, light source, projector and ignition control method
An ignition controller that controls ignition of a discharge lamp discharging and emitting light between a pair of electrodes provided therein, the controller includes: an ignition device that ignites the discharge lamp, and a controller that controls a drive of the ignition device, in which the controller includes: a pulse applying unit that applies a high pressure pulse to the pair of electrodes by the ignition device, a direct current applying unit for applying a direct current to the pair of electrodes for a first period after applying the high pressure pulse, and an alternating current applying unit for applying a first alternating current to the pair of electrodes for a second period after the first period. |
| US07999485B1 |
Electrical device
The present invention is directed to a power control wiring device that includes an electronic switch circuit that energizes the electrical load in accordance with a timing regulation signal. A timing regulation circuit includes a primary timing regulation circuit and an auxiliary timing regulation circuit. The circuit is adjustable between a minimum power setting and a maximum power setting to thereby generate an adjustable primary timing regulation signal. The timing regulation circuit also generates an auxiliary timing regulation signal to thereby reduce power consumption. A primary manual power control mechanism is configured to adjust the primary timing regulation circuit between the minimum power setting and the maximum power setting. An auxiliary manual power control mechanism is configured to trim the maximum power setting in accordance with the selectable trim adjustment, the at least one auxiliary manual power control mechanism being user accessible. |
| US07999484B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling current supplied to electronic devices
The present invention provides a drive and control apparatus provides a desired switched current to a load including a string of one or more electronic devices. A voltage conversion means, based on an input control signal converts the magnitude of the voltage from the power supply to another magnitude that is desired at the high side of the load. A dimming control means provides control for activation and deactivation of the load and may further provide a means for current limiting. A feedback means is coupled to the voltage conversion means and a current sensing means and provides a control signal to the voltage conversion means that is indicative of voltage drop across the current sensing means which represents the current flowing through the load. Based on the control signal received, the voltage conversion means can subsequently adjust its output voltage such that a constant switched current is provided to the load. |
| US07999480B2 |
Control circuit and flash system using same
A control circuit is configured to control the charge and discharge of a flash unit. The flash unit includes an anode, a cathode, and a trigger electrode. The control circuit includes a charging circuit and a triggering circuit. One terminal of the charging circuit is coupled to a charging terminal and another terminal is coupled to the anode and the cathode. One terminal of the triggering circuit is coupled to a triggering terminal, another terminal is couple to the trigger electrode. The charging circuit includes a first capacitor coupled to the cathode and a second capacitor coupled to the anode. When the charging terminal receives a charging voltage and the triggering terminal receives a high-level voltage, three times charging voltage is formed between the anode and the cathode; then the flash unit generates a flash. |
| US07999479B2 |
Conjugated ICP and ECR plasma sources for wide ribbon ion beam generation and control
An ion source, capable of generating high-density wide ribbon ion beam, utilizing one or more plasma sources is disclosed. In addition to the plasma source(s), the ion source also includes a diffusion chamber. The diffusion chamber has an extraction aperture oriented along the same axis as the dielectric cylinder of the plasma source. In one embodiment, dual plasma sources, located on opposing ends of the diffusion chamber are used to create a more uniform extracted ion beam. In a further embodiment, a multicusp magnetic field is used to further improve the uniformity of the extracted ion beam. |
| US07999477B2 |
Deuterium lamp
The present invention relates to a deuterium lamp with a structure to enable high-accuracy positioning with respect to a mounting object such as an analyzer. The deuterium lamp comprises a sealed container in which a light-emitting portion to emit a discharge light in a predetermined direction is stored. The sealed container is constituted by a hollow body portion in which the light-emitting portion is stored and a hollow guide portion which guides a discharge light from the light-emitting portion to a light exit window provided at its front end. The deuterium lamp further comprises an axis adjusting member fixed to the hollow guide portion while storing at least a part of the hollow guide portion and a sealing layer for fixing the hollow guide portion and the axis adjusting member to each other. In particular, the sealing layer makes it possible to fix the axis adjusting member to the hollow guide portion with the center axis of the axis adjusting member being made coincident with the emitting direction of a discharge light. Thereby, even when misalignment has occurred between the center axis of the hollow guide portion and the emitting direction of a discharge light due to a manufacturing error in manufacturing of the container, since the axis adjusting member itself is directly fixed to the mounting object, it becomes possible to fix said deuterium lamp to an analyzer or the like with the optical axis aligned at a high accuracy. |
| US07999476B2 |
Plasma display sealing structure
There is provided a plasma display panel in which a front plate and a rear plate are disposed opposite to each other, a side of a tubular exhaust pipe is disposed in the vicinity of a fine hole provided in the rear plate using a tablet serving as sealant formed of frit glass, peripheries of the front plate and the rear plate and the exhaust pipe are sealed with the sealant in order to form a discharge space, and the discharge space is ventilated and discharge gas is filled into the discharge space through the exhaust pipe. The rear plate and the exhaust pipe are sealed by a sealed part obtained by melting a tablet made of amorphous frit glass not containing lead, and a stress working on the sealed part is a tension in the direction of the rear plate and the direction of the exhaust pipe. |
| US07999475B2 |
Short arc type discharge lamp
A short arc type discharge lamp has a pair of electrodes, at least one of which has an electrode body and an axis part. A taper part is formed at a base side of the electrode body. Plural holes extending in an axis direction of the electrode in line are formed at the taper part. |
| US07999474B2 |
Flat lamp using plasma discharge
A plasma-discharge light emitting device is provided. The plasma-discharge light emitting device may include: rear and front panels separated from each other in a predetermined interval, wherein at least one discharge cell may be provided between the rear and front panels, and wherein plasma discharge may be generated in the discharge cells; a pair of discharge electrodes provided on at least one of the rear and front panels for each of the discharge cells; a trench provided as a portion of each of the discharge cells between the pair of the discharge electrodes; and electron-emitting material layers provided on both sidewalls of the trench. |
| US07999472B2 |
Plasma display panel
A plasma display panel is disclosed. The plasma display panel includes a substrate, a plurality of electrodes positioned on the substrate, a dielectric layer covering the plurality of electrodes. A height of the electrode around a central axis of a cross section of the electrode is larger than a height of the electrode at an edge of the cross section of the electrode. |
| US07999471B2 |
Multi-cell electronic circuit array and method of manufacturing
A method for fabricating a multi-cell electronic circuit array and exemplary multi-cell electronic circuit arrays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multi-cell electronic circuit array includes an elongate substrate having a linear array of first electronic cell components micro fabricated thereon. The elongate substrate is inserted into a tubular enclosure which has at least one second electronic cell component which interacts with the first electronic cell components. |
| US07999469B2 |
Organic EL display provided with gel-state encapsulant incorporating a desiccant and a high molecular-weight medium
A sealing substrate is arranged to oppositely face an element substrate on which organic EL layers are formed in a matrix array with a sealing material sandwiched therebetween. A gel-state desiccant is filled in an inner space surrounded by the element substrate, the sealing substrate and the sealing material. Since the gel-state desiccant is in a gel state, the gel-state desiccant is flexibly filled in the inner space of the organic EL display device thus completely eliminating a gap. Since the inner space is filled with the gel-state desiccant, moisture hardly intrudes into the inner space from the outside and, at the same time, a mechanical strength of the organic EL display device is also enhanced. |
| US07999466B2 |
Display device with power generator on panel cover and manufacturing method thereof
A display device includes a display panel having a display region formed with a plurality of thin film transistors, a light emitting layer disposed in the display region, and a driver supplying a driving signal including a gate signal and a data signal to the thin film transistors. At least one voltage pad is disposed outside of the display region on the display panel to supply a reference voltage to the display region, a power generator generates the reference voltage, and a flexible film is connected between the voltage pad and the power generator to transmit the reference voltage. At least one of the driver and the power generator includes an external power input unit that receives external power. |
| US07999461B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device with SiN layer containing hydrogen and fluorine
An organic EL device includes a substrate; a layered structure including a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode disposed on the substrate in this order; and laminated protective layers surrounding at least the layered structure. The protective layers are composed of silicon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and fluorine. The fluorine content in the outermost protective layer is in the range of 0.01 to 1.0 atomic percent. |
| US07999456B2 |
White light emitting diode with yellow, green and red light emitting phosphor
Provided is a white light emitting diode (LED) including a blue LED chip; and yellow, green, and red light emitting phosphors that are coated on the blue LED chip at a predetermined mixing ratio and converts light, emitted from the blue LED chip, into white light. |
| US07999455B2 |
Luminescent device including nanofibers and light stimulable particles disposed on a surface of or at least partially within the nanofibers
A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength λ. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength λ in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat. |
| US07999453B2 |
Electron emitter and a display apparatus utilizing the same
A field effect electron emitting apparatus comprising an insulating layer having an array of pores is disclosed, each pore has at least one nano-wire electron emitter which is shorter than the pore, and/or each pore may have a plurality of nano-wire electron emitters. A method of manufacturing a electron emitting array is also disclosed. The field effect electron emitting apparatus may be used in a display. |
| US07999452B2 |
Connecting member improved in assemblability with respect to a connection object and a combination thereof
A connecting member is adapted to be coupled with a connection object including a pipe portion having a sealed end and a terminal portion protruding outward from the sealed end. The connecting member includes a tubular portion adapted to be fitted over an outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion, a bottom portion connected to one end of the tubular portion in an axial direction and adapted to be faced to the sealed end when the tubular portion is fitted over the outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion, and a connecting portion connected to the bottom portion and adapted to be connected to the terminal portion. The tubular portion includes a plurality of elastic sections separated by a plurality of slits extending from the other end towards the one end in the axial direction and adapted to be brought into elastic contact with the pipe portion. |
| US07999450B2 |
Electroluminescent module with thermal-conducting carrier substrate
An electroluminescent module includes a module substrate, a thermal-conducting carrier substrate and a light-emitting element. The module substrate has an opening, a first surface and a first patterned electrode disposed on the first surface. The thermal-conducting carrier substrate has a carrying element and a second patterned electrode disposed on the carrying element. The carrying element is disposed opposite to the first surface of the module substrate, and the second patterned electrode is disposed facing to the first patterned electrode and electrically connected to the first patterned electrode. The light-emitting element is located at the opening and disposed on the thermal-conducting carrier substrate. The light-emitting element has a first electrode and a second electrode, both of which are respectively electrically connected to the corresponding portions of the second patterned electrode of the thermal-conducting carrier substrate. |
| US07999444B2 |
Tidal power generator
Power generation technology using tidal power or wave power is provided, especially as related to power generation technology using a piezoelectric element. Power generation technology includes a power generation device for effectively generating electric power in water or on a ship with the use of tidal power or wave force and having power generation modules (5a, 5b) having a piezoelectric element (14) put between plates (1a, 1b, 1c). The plates are placed between two flanges (9b, 10) fixed to a rod (3) penetrating the plates. When the rod (3) inclines due to a water flow, the piezoelectric element (14) is compressed by the two flanges (9b, 10) which generates electric power. Moreover, when the rod (3) is restored from due to reduction of the water flow, thickness of the piezoelectric element (14) is restored which also generates electric power. |
| US07999441B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator and liquid discharge head using the same
The piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric film between two electrode layers and a diaphragm. Assuming that: each elastic coefficient of all materials is isotropic and a distortion amount of the piezoelectric film by an electric field is isotropic in all in-plane directions; a point located on a diaphragm surface and having a maximum displacement when a predetermined electric field is applied to distort the piezoelectric film, is expressed by PδMAX; and a point located on a circumference of a reference-circle having PδMAX as a center and having a minimum difference in displacement from PδMAX is expressed by PδA, the diaphragm has a shape capable of determining an axis A1 set in a straight-line joining PδMAX and PδA, the diaphragm comprises a single-crystalline-material in which a plane orthogonal to A1 and perpendicular to an axis A2 on the diaphragm surface, is a {110}-plane, and the piezoelectric film is a {100}-single-orientation film. |
| US07999436B2 |
Electroacoustic component
An electroacoustic component that includes a substrate made of monocrystalline LiNbO3 is disclosed. In the component, a first Euler angle λ of the monocrystalline LiNbO3 is: λ≈0°, a second Euler angle μ of the monocrystalline LiNbO3 is: −74°≦μ≦−52° or 23°≦μ≦36°, and a third Euler angle θ of the monocrystalline LiNbO3 is: θ≈0°. |
| US07999431B2 |
Saturation control of electric machine
The invention includes an electric alternator/motor having a rotor, stator and at least one winding in the stator adapted to conduct a current, the machine also having and first and second magnetic circuits, one of which includes a saturable portion in which saturation may be controlled to permit control of the machine. |
| US07999429B2 |
Power transmission apparatus
A power transmission apparatus includes a drive roller and a driven roller made of magnetic material, which are rotatable about different axes, and which are provided with a gap therebetween, a case enclosing the rollers, an input shaft and an output shaft connected coaxially with the rollers through the case, respectively, and a magnetic fluid housed in the case to fill the gap. The apparatus includes an electromagnetic coil for generating magnetism, and a magnetic path of the magnetism generated by the electromagnetic coil is formed so that a magnetic field is generated from the drive roller or the driven roller toward the driven roller or the drive roller via the gap. |
| US07999426B2 |
Motor overload protection device
The present disclosure provides a motor overload protection device that includes a driving gear, a loading wheel, and at least one protecting gear unit rotatably fixed to the loading wheel. The loading wheel defines a central through hole for rotatably receiving a rotor of a motor. The driving gear is fixed on the rotor. The at least one protecting gear unit is rotated by the rotor. A resistance between the at least one protecting gear unit and the loading wheel is predetermined. When the load on the loading wheel is less than or equal to the maximum load of the motor, the resistance keeps the loading wheel and the at least one protecting gear unit together rotating around the rotor of the motor. When the load is greater than the maximum load of the motor, the at least one protecting gear unit rotates relative to the loading wheel. |
| US07999425B2 |
Controller-integrated rotating electric machine
Assembly of a controller-integrated rotating electric machine is facilitated. In a controller-integrated rotating electric machine provided with a rotating electric machine unit having a rotor (2), a stator (3), and brackets (4, 5); a plurality of stator current switching circuit units (13) that are attached on an insulator cover (14) mounted on the brackets (4, 5); and a controller unit having a control circuit board (102), the stator current switching circuit unit (13) is provided with a plurality of switching elements (13a) and a plurality of switching elements (13b); a pair of heat sinks (13g, 13h) with which the drain terminals of the switching elements (13a, 13b) are connected; and a pair of electric connection members (17, 18) that pull out the terminals of the switching elements (13a, 13b) and that hold and integrate the pair of heat sinks (13g, 13h). Additionally, the plurality of stator current switching circuit units (13) is fixed to a relaying connection member (16), and electric connections between the stator current switching circuit units (13) and outside members are performed by the intermediary of the relaying connection member (16). |
| US07999421B2 |
Horizontal linear vibrator
The present invention provides a horizontal linear vibrator which can reduce the thickness but increase the strength of vibrations while at the same time guaranteeing a sufficiently long lifetime and satisfactory responsivity. The horizontal linear vibrator includes a casing, a bracket, a vibration unit and springs. The casing defines an internal space therein. A first magnet is attached to an upper plate of the casing. The bracket is coupled to the lower end of the casing. The second magnet is attached to the bracket such that different poles of the first and second magnets face each other. The vibration unit has a weight, and a cylindrical coil which is provided in or under the weight. The springs are coupled to the sidewall plates of the casing or the bracket. The springs elastically support the vibration unit to allow the vibration unit to vibrate in the horizontal direction. |
| US07999420B2 |
Key input device
In a voltage dividing circuit, a first circuit where only a first switch is connected, a second circuit where a first resistor and a second switch are connected in series, a third circuit where a second resistor and a third switch are connected in series and a fourth circuit where a third resistor and a fourth switch are connected in series are connected in parallel. One end of the parallel circuit is connected to a limit resistor and the other end of the parallel circuit is connected to a ground point. One switch is provided between a connecting point in one circuit and a connecting point in another circuit, and each resistor of at least two circuits is connected in parallel by said one switch. |
| US07999417B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device having at least a loop-shaped electric conductor generating electric power by electromagnetic induction is provided. The electronic device includes a voltage-detecting unit, a voltage-comparing unit and a separating unit. The voltage-detecting unit is configured to detect a voltage generated in the electric conductor by the electromagnetic induction. The voltage-comparing unit is configured to make a comparison between the voltage detected by the voltage-detecting unit and a predetermined reference voltage and determining whether the voltage detected by the voltage-detecting unit exceeds the predetermined reference voltage. The separating unit is configured to break an electric connection between the electronic conductor and an electronic circuit connecting to the electric conductor when the voltage-comparing unit determines that the voltage detected by the voltage-detecting unit exceeds the predetermined reference voltage. |
| US07999416B2 |
Module for controlling a switch in a high voltage electrical substation
There is provided a method for operating a control module of a high voltage switch, the method comprising: interfacing with an external environment via an input/output unit that filters each electrical signal passing therethrough; analyzing incoming signals and triggering actions as a function of the incoming signals via a logical unit; powering the control module via an internal power unit that is supplied by an external power supply; and isolating the logical unit from the power unit and the input/output unit by having all signals coming from these units and directed to the logical unit pass through an isolation unit. |
| US07999413B2 |
Power supply control circuit
A power supply control circuit includes a first switch unit comprising an input terminal to receive a control signal, and a number of second switch units. The second switch units are each connected between an input power source and a power output terminal. The first switch unit controls the number of second switch units to be turned on in response to the control signal being in a first status, so as to control the number of power output terminals to output corresponding power sources. The first switch unit controls the number of second switch units to be turned off in response to the control signal being in a second status, so as to direct the power output terminals to not output the corresponding power sources. |
| US07999412B2 |
Detachable tip for communicating with adapter and electronic device
A detachable tip is used in conjunction with a power adapter to provide DC power to an electronic device. The tip includes an input connector which detachably mates with a connector which is electrically coupled to the power adapter. An output connector of the tip detachably mates with the electronic device. Conductors within the tip transfer the DC power from the input connector to the output connector to provide the DC power to the electronic device. Circuitry within the tip transmits to the electronic device, via the output connector, a power output indication signal representative of an amount of power available to be supplied to the electronic device by the adapter. |
| US07999411B2 |
Electronic card connector, level-shifting device and digital television receiver
An electronic card connector is used to connect an electronic card to an electronic device, such as a level-shifting device. The electronic card connector includes an insert slot unit and a switch unit. The insert slot unit is adapted for insertion of the electronic card and is provided with a power signal terminal for providing electric power to the electronic card that is inserted into the insert slot unit. The 10 switch unit is disposed in the insert slot unit, is operable to establish electrical connection between the power signal terminal and a first power source when the electronic card inserted into the insert slot unit does not actuate the switch unit, and is further operable to establish electrical connection between the power signal terminal and a second power source when the electronic card inserted into the insert slot unit actuates the switch unit. |
| US07999409B2 |
Power conditioner and method of managing the same
A power conditioner includes a main converter to transform a voltage outputted from a power source into a first transformed voltage and output the first transformed voltage to supply power to a power using point; and an auxiliary converter to transform the first transformed voltage outputted from the main converter into a second transformed voltage and output the second transformed voltage to supply power to balance-of-plant (BOP) elements including driving devices of the power source. The main converter includes a first winding to transform the voltage outputted from the power source into the first transformed voltage and output the first transformed voltage to supply power to the power using point; and a second winding to transform the voltage outputted from the power source into a third transformed voltage and output the third transformed voltage to supply power directly to the BOP elements, thereby bypassing the auxiliary converter. |
| US07999407B2 |
Air conditioning cover connecting exhaust to turbine
An apparatus in the form of a transfer unit for transferring exhaust air from the condenser unit of an air conditioning system to an air fan turbine for driving it. The transfer unit includes a plastic, sound absorbing cover shroud for covering the exhaust fan of the condenser unit; a flexible air hose or duct having a first end connected to the cover shroud and a second end for connecting to the intake end of an air fan turbine. The air fan turbine has an intake end, a fan, and an exhaust end, wherein the second end of the air hose is connected to the intake end of the air fan turbine. The transfer unit also includes wiring connected to the output of the air fan turbine for transferring electricity produced by the air fan turbine to an electric storage collector and meter for collecting, storing, measuring, and using the electric energy produced. Also, an inverter may be connected between the air fan turbine and the electric storage collector. |
| US07999405B2 |
Electric power generation system controlled to reduce perception of operational changes
An electric power system includes an engine, a generator driven by the engine, an electrical energy storage device, power control circuitry coupling the generator and storage device together, and a processor coupled to the circuitry. The generator provides variable AC power and the storage device provides variable DC power to the circuitry. The processor executes operating logic to provide control signals to the circuitry to operate the generator at a first speed to provide a first level of AC electricity, increase the DC power provided from the storage device to increase the AC electricity to a second level, increase operating speed of the generator from the first speed to a second speed greater than the first speed, decrease the DC power from the storage device as the operating speed of the generator increases, and limit acceleration of the operating speed to reduce perception of a speed change. |
| US07999402B2 |
Electromechanical generator for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy
An electromechanical generator comprising a resonator comprising a vibratable mass, a biasing device connected to the vibratable mass, a power transduction device for converting mechanical vibrational movement of the vibratable mass into electrical power, and a resonator support for supporting the vibratable mass, biasing device and power transduction device, the electromechanical generator further comprising a vibratable mount incorporating at least one spring, the vibratable mount being connected to the resonator support for mounting the resonator to a vibratable body from which electrical energy is to be harvested. |
| US07999401B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
Semiconductor device has a semiconductor chip embedded in an insulating layer. A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor chip formed to have external connection pads and a positioning mark that is for via formation; an insulating layer containing a non-photosensitive resin as an ingredient and having a plurality of vias; and wiring electrically connected to the external connection pads through the vias and at least a portion of which is formed on the insulating layer. The insulating layer is formed to have a recess in a portion above the positioning mark. The bottom of the recess is the insulating layer alone. Vias have high positional accuracy relative to the mark. |
| US07999399B2 |
Overlay vernier key and method for fabricating the same
An overlay vernier key includes a semiconductor substrate on which a cell region and a scribe lane region are defined, and a plurality of vernier patterns which are formed in the scribe lane region of the semiconductor substrate and arranged in a polygonal shape. Each of the vernier patterns has a hollow polygonal shape. |
| US07999394B2 |
Void reduction in indium thermal interface material
Thermal interface materials and method of using the same in packaging are provided. In one aspect, a thermal interface material is provided that includes an indium preform that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, an interior portion and a peripheral boundary. The indium preform has a channel extending from the peripheral boundary towards the interior portion. The channel enables flux to liberate during thermal cycling. |
| US07999385B2 |
Semiconductor device
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device having a regular layout region and an irregular layout region formed on one chip, including: a lower conductive layer; an interlayer insulating film formed on the lower conductive layer; an upper interconnect layer formed on the interlayer insulating film; and connection plugs disposed to electrically connect the lower conductive layer and the upper interconnect layer at a substantially shortest distance. In at least part of the regular layout region, the lower conductive layer and the upper interconnect layer are electrically connected to each other through at least two connection plugs and an intermediate connection layer for electrically connecting the at least two connection plugs, the at least two connection plugs being disposed at an immediately above position extending from immediately above the lower conductive layer and a shift position spaced apart from the immediately above position, respectively. |
| US07999382B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabrication method for the same
A semiconductor device includes a first interlayer insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate; a second interlayer insulating film formed on the first interlayer film and including a plurality of grooves; a first barrier metal formed on inner surfaces of the grooves; a first interconnect part and a first bonding electrode part including a copper film formed on the first barrier metal; a second barrier metal formed on the first interconnect part and the first bonding electrode part; a second interconnect part including a metal film formed on the first interconnect part via the second barrier metal; a second bonding electrode part including a metal film formed on the first bonding electrode part via the second barrier metal; and a third interlayer insulating film formed on the second interlayer insulating film, the second interconnect part, and the second bonding electrode part, and including an opening that allows exposure of the surface of the second bonding electrode part. |
| US07999381B2 |
High performance sub-system design and assembly
A multiple integrated circuit chip structure provides interchip communication between integrated circuit chips of the structure with no ESD protection circuits and no input/output circuitry. The interchip communication is between internal circuits of the integrated circuit chips. The multiple integrated circuit chip structure has an interchip interface circuit to selectively connect internal circuits of the integrated circuits to test interface circuits having ESD protection circuits and input/output circuitry designed to communicate with external test systems during test and burn-in procedures. The multiple interconnected integrated circuit chip structure has a first integrated circuit chip mounted to one or more second integrated circuit chips to physically and electrically connect the integrated circuit chips to one another. The first integrated circuit chips have interchip interface circuits connected each other to selectively communicate between internal circuits of the each other integrated circuit chips or test interface circuits, connected to the internal circuits of each integrated circuit chip to provide stimulus and response to said internal circuits during testing procedures. A mode selector receives a signal external to the chip to determine whether the communication is to be with one of the other connected integrated circuit chips or in single chip mode, such as with the test interface circuits. ESD protection is added to the mode selector circuitry. |
| US07999377B2 |
Method and structure for optimizing yield of 3-D chip manufacture
The process begins with separate device wafers having complimentary chips. Thin metal capture pads, having a preferred thickness of about 10 microns so that substantial pressure may be applied during processing without damaging capture pads, are deposited on both device wafers, which are then tested and mapped for good chip sites. A handle wafer is attached to one device wafer, which can then be thinned to improve via etching and filling. Capture pads are removed and replaced after thinning. The device wafer with handle wafer is diced, and good chips with attached portions of the diced handle wafer are positioned and bonded to the good chip sites of the other device wafer, and the handle wafer portions are removed. The device wafer having known good 3-D chips then undergoes final processing. |
| US07999376B2 |
Semiconductor device and its manufacturing method
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device by packaging a plurality of semiconductor chips three-dimensionally in a smaller thickness, with a smaller footprint, at the lower cost without using any other components and through a simpler manufacturing process of the semiconductor device than with the conventional methods.A flip chip packaging structure is formed by directly connecting a first semiconductor chip (101) reduced in thickness by back grinding and a substrate (105) via a bump electrode (102) to a wiring pattern (106). Also, a second semiconductor chip (103) is formed with an electrode (104) that is higher than the sum of the thickness of the first semiconductor chip (101) and the height of the electrode (102), and the electrode (104) is directly connected to the wiring pattern (106) on the substrate (105), whereby the most-compact three-dimensional semiconductor packaged device is produced. |
| US07999375B2 |
Electronic device with integrated micromechanical contacts and cooling system
An electronic device can comprise a semiconductor die on which can be formed a micromechanical system. The micromechanical system can comprise a plurality of electrically conductive elongate, contact structures, which can be disposed on input and/or output terminals of the semiconductor die. The micromechanical system can also comprise a cooling structure disposed on the semiconductor die. |
| US07999371B1 |
Heat spreader package and method
A heat spreader package includes a substrate having a first surface, first traces on the first surface of the substrate, and an electronic component having an inactive surface mounted to the first surface of the substrate. The electronic component further includes an active surface having bond pads. Bond wires electrically connect the bond pads to the first traces. An inverted pyramid heat spreader includes a first heatsink, a first heatsink adhesive directly connecting the first heatsink to the active surface of the electronic component inward of the bond pads, a second heatsink having an absence of active circuitry, and a second heatsink adhesive directly connecting a first surface of the second heatsink to the first heatsink. The second heatsink adhesive is a dielectric directly between the bond wires and the second heatsink that prevents inadvertent shorting between the bond wires and the second heatsink. |
| US07999363B2 |
Structure and method for self protection of power device
A resetable over-current self-protecting semiconductor power device comprises a vertical power semiconductor chip and an over-current protection layer composed of current limiting material such as a PTC material. The over-current protection layer may be sandwiched between the vertical power semiconductor chip and a conductive plate, which could be a leadframe, a metal plate, a PCB plate or a PCB that the device is mounted on. |
| US07999360B2 |
Underlayer for high performance magnetic tunneling junction MRAM
An MRAM structure is disclosed in which the bottom electrode has an amorphous TaN capping layer to consistently provide smooth and dense growth for AFM, pinned, tunnel barrier, and free layers in an overlying MTJ. Unlike a conventional Ta capping layer, TaN is oxidation resistant and has high resistivity to avoid shunting of a sense current caused by redeposition of the capping layer on the sidewalls of the tunnel barrier layer. Alternatively, the α-TaN layer is the seed layer in the MTJ. Furthermore, the seed layer may be a composite layer of NiCr, NiFe, or NiFeCr layer on the oc-TaN layer. An α-TaN capping layer or seed layer can also be used in a TMR read head. An MTJ formed on an α-TaN capping layer has a high MR ratio, high Vb, and a RA similar to results obtained from MTJs based on an optimized Ta capping layer. |
| US07999356B2 |
Composition for film formation, insulating film, semiconductor device, and process for producing the semiconductor device
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a composition for film formation, comprising a compound represented by general formula (I) or a hydrolyzed-dehydrocondensation product thereof: X13-mR1mSiR2SiR3nX23-n (I) wherein R1 and R3 represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent; R2 represents a divalent group having an alicyclic structure with four carbon atoms or a derivative of the divalent group; X1 and X2 represent a hydrolysable group; and m and n are an integer of from 0 to 2. |
| US07999353B1 |
Mesoscale pyramids, hole arrays and methods of preparation
Composite films comprising two-dimensional hole arrays, and related methods of preparing hole arrays. |
| US07999350B2 |
Electrode structure of memory capacitor
After a fabrication process intended to miniaturize semiconductor devices, a surface area of a stack capacitor in a random access memory (RAM) is significantly reduced and capacity thereof is thus decreased, which in turn causes the capacitor not able to function properly. The present invention provides a composite lower electrode structure consisting of an exterior annular pipe and a central pillar having concave-convex surfaces to increase a surface area of the capacitor within a limited memory cell so as to enhance the capacity. To reinforce intensity of a structure of the capacitor, the exterior annular pipe has an elliptic radial cross section and a thicker thickness along a short axis direction. |
| US07999349B2 |
Front-rear contacts of electronics devices with induced defects to increase conductivity thereof
An electronic device is proposed. The device is integrated in a chip including at least one stacked layer having a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the device including: an insulating trench insulating an active region of the chip, the insulating trench having a section across each plane parallel to the front surface extending along a longitudinal line, and a front-rear contact electrically contacting the front surface to the rear surface in the active region, wherein the section of the insulating trench has a non-uniform width along the longitudinal line, and/or the device further includes at least one further insulating trench within the active region. |
| US07999346B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device provided with a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, and an ohmic metal layer joined to one surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate in an ohmic contact and composed of a metal material whose silicide formation free energy and carbide formation free energy respectively take negative values. The ohmic metal layer is composed of, for example, a metal material such as molybdenum, titanium, chromium, manganese, zirconium, tantalum, or tungsten. |
| US07999345B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
Provided is a technology, in a semiconductor device having a power MISFET and a Schottky barrier diode on one semiconductor substrate, capable of suppressing a drastic increase in the on-resistance of the power MISFET while making the avalanche breakdown voltage of the Schottky barrier diode greater than that of the power MISFET. In the present invention, two epitaxial layers, one having a high doping concentration and the other having a low doping concentration, are formed over a semiconductor substrate and the boundary between these two epitaxial layers is located in a region equal in depth to or shallower than the bottom portion of a trench. |
| US07999344B2 |
Optoelectronic device with germanium photodetector
An optoelectronic device comprises a photodetector feature, an interfacial layer disposed above at least a portion of the photodetector feature, and a vertical contact disposed on at least a portion of the interfacial layer. The photodetector feature comprises germanium and is operative to convert a light signal into an electrical signal. The interfacial layer comprises nickel. Finally, the vertical contact is operative to transmit the electrical signal from the photodetector feature. |
| US07999339B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and solid-state imaging device
A photoelectric conversion device comprising a photoelectric conversion part including a first electrode, a second electrode opposing to the first electrode and a photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein a smoothing layer for reducing roughness of a surface of the photoelectric conversion layer is provided between the first electrode or the second electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer. |
| US07999338B2 |
Magnetic stack having reference layers with orthogonal magnetization orientation directions
A magnetic cell includes a ferromagnetic free layer having a free magnetization orientation direction and a first ferromagnetic pinned reference layer having a first reference magnetization orientation direction that is parallel or anti-parallel to the free magnetization orientation direction. A first oxide barrier layer is between the ferromagnetic free layer and the first ferromagnetic pinned reference layer. The magnetic cell further includes a second ferromagnetic pinned reference layer having a second reference magnetization orientation direction that is orthogonal to the first reference magnetization orientation direction. The ferromagnetic free layer is between the first ferromagnetic pinned reference layer and the second ferromagnetic pinned reference layer. |
| US07999336B2 |
ST-RAM magnetic element configurations to reduce switching current
In order to increase an efficiency of spin transfer and thereby reduce the required switching current, a current perpendicular to plane (CPP) magnetic element for a memory device includes either one or both of a free magnetic layer, which has an electronically reflective surface, and a permanent magnet layer, which has perpendicular anisotropy to bias the free magnetic layer. |
| US07999335B2 |
Micromachine and method for manufacturing the same
A structure which prevents thinning and disconnection of a wiring is provided, in a micromachine (MEMS structure body) formed with a surface micromachining technology. A wiring (upper auxiliary wiring) over a sacrificial layer is electrically connected to a different wiring (upper connection wiring) over the sacrificial layer, so that thinning, disconnection, and the like of the wiring formed over the sacrificial layer at a step portion generated due to the thickness of the sacrificial layer can be prevented. The wiring over the sacrificial layer is formed of the same conductive film as an upper driving electrode which is a movable electrode and is thus thin. However, the different wiring is formed over a structural layer, which is formed by a CVD method and has a rounded step, and has a thickness of 200 nm to 1 μm, whereby thinning, disconnection, and the like of the wiring can be further prevented. |
| US07999334B2 |
Hafnium tantalum titanium oxide films
Embodiments of a dielectric layer containing a hafnium tantalum titanium oxide film structured as one or more monolayers include the dielectric layer disposed in an integrated circuit. Embodiments of methods of fabricating such a dielectric layer provide a dielectric layer for use in a variety of electronic devices. An embodiment may include forming hafnium tantalum titanium oxide film using atomic layer deposition. |
| US07999333B2 |
Semiconductor device
In a conventional semiconductor device, there has been a problem that, in a region where a wiring layer to which a high electric potential is applied traverses a top surface of an isolation region, the withstand voltage is deteriorated. In a semiconductor device of the present invention, an epitaxial layer is deposited on a substrate, and an LDMOSFET is formed in one region divided by an isolation region. In a region where a wiring layer connected to a drain electrode traverses a top surface of the isolation region, a conductive plate having a ground electric potential and another conductive plate in a floating state are formed under the wiring layer. With this structure, electric field is reduced in the vicinity of the isolation region under the wiring layer, whereby a withstand voltage of the LDMOSFET is increased. |
| US07999331B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
In a semiconductor substrate in a first section, a channel region having an impurity concentration peak in an interior of the semiconductor substrate is formed, and in the semiconductor substrate in a second section and a third section, channel regions having an impurity concentration peak at a position close to a surface of the substrate are formed. Then, extension regions are formed in the first section, the second section and the third section. After that, the substrate is thermally treated to eliminate defects produced in the extension regions. Then, using gate electrodes and side-wall spacers as a mask, source/drain regions are formed in the first section, the second section and the third section. |
| US07999330B2 |
Dynamic random access memory device and electronic systems
The invention includes methods of utilizing compositions containing iridium and tantalum in semiconductor constructions, and includes semiconductor constructions comprising compositions containing iridium and tantalum. The compositions containing iridium and tantalum can be utilized as barrier materials, and in some aspects can be utilized as barriers to copper diffusion. |
| US07999327B2 |
Semiconductor device, and semiconductor manufacturing method
In a semiconductor substrate having a first well of a conductivity type opposite to that of the semiconductor substrate, formed on part of a main surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second well of the same conductivity type as the semiconductor substrate, formed on part of a surface region of the first well shallower than the first well, and a third well of a conductivity type opposite to that of the semiconductor substrate, formed in a surface region of the first well, in a region where the second well is not formed and shallower than the first well, by having a fourth well, formed in a region of the main surface of the semiconductor substrate where the first well is not formed and doped with impurities of the same conductivity type as the semiconductor substrate at a lower concentration than the third well, and controlling a reference voltage to be low, it is possible suppress the occurrence of a latch up phenomenon. |
| US07999326B2 |
Tensile strain source using silicon/germanium in globally strained silicon
By embedding a silicon/germanium mixture in a silicon layer of high tensile strain, a moderately high degree of tensile strain may be maintained in the silicon/germanium mixture, thereby enabling increased performance of N-channel transistors on the basis of silicon/germanium material. In other regions, the germanium concentration may be varied to provide different levels of tensile or compressive strain. |
| US07999324B2 |
Semiconductor device including overcurrent protection element
A semiconductor device includes first, second, third, and fourth semiconductor regions, a gate electrode, and silicide layers. The first, second, and third semiconductor regions are formed in a semiconductor substrate while being spaced part from each other. The fourth semiconductor region is formed in the semiconductor substrate between the second semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region and has an electric resistance higher than the first, second, and third semiconductor regions. In a direction perpendicular to a direction to connect the first and second semiconductor regions, the fourth semiconductor region has a width smaller than that of the semiconductor substrate sandwiched between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. The gate electrode is formed above the semiconductor substrate between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region. The silicide layer is formed on each of the first, second, third semiconductor regions and the gate electrode. |
| US07999323B2 |
Using metal/metal nitride bilayers as gate electrodes in self-aligned aggressively scaled CMOS devices
The present invention is directed to CMOS structures that include at least one nMOS device located on one region of a semiconductor substrate; and at least one pMOS device located on another region of the semiconductor substrate. In accordance with the present invention, the at least one nMOS device includes a gate stack comprising a gate dielectric, a low workfunction elemental metal having a workfunction of less than 4.2 eV, an in-situ metallic capping layer, and a polysilicon encapsulation layer and the at least one pMOS includes a gate stack comprising a gate dielectric, a high workfunction elemental metal having a workfunction of greater than 4.9 eV, a metallic capping layer, and a polysilicon encapsulation layer. The present invention also provides methods of fabricating such a CMOS structure. |
| US07999321B2 |
Field-effect transistor and integrated circuit including the same
A field-effect transistor comprising a movable gate electrode that suppresses a leakage current from the gate electrode, and has a large current drivability and a low leakage current between a source and a drain. The field-effect transistor comprises: an insulating substrate; a semiconductor layer of triangle cross-sectional shape formed on the insulating substrate, having a gate insulation film on a surface, and forming a channel in a lateral direction; fixed electrodes that are arranged adjacent to both sides of the semiconductor layer and in parallel to the semiconductor layer, each of the electrodes having an insulation film on a surface; a source/drain formed at the end part of the semiconductor layer; and the movable gate electrode formed above the semiconductor layer and the fixed electrodes with a gap. |
| US07999317B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A p-type body region and an n-type buffer region are formed on an n− drift region. An n++ emitter region and a p++ contact region are formed on the p-type body region in contact with each other. A p++ collector region is formed on the n-type buffer region. An insulating film is formed on the n− drift region, and a gate insulating film is formed on the n++ emitter region, the p-type body region, and the n drift region. A gate electrode is formed on the insulating film and the gate insulating film. A p+ low-resistivity region is formed in the p-type body region and surrounding the interface between the n++ emitter region and between the p-type body region and the p++ contact region. The p-type body region has two local maxima of an impurity concentration profile at the interface between the body region and the gate insulating film. |
| US07999314B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes an n-conductive type semiconductor substrate having a main side and a rear side, a p-conductive type layer arranged over the main side of the substrate, a main side n-conductive type region arranged in the p-conductive type layer, a rear side n-conductive type layer arranged over the rear side of the substrate, a first trench which reaches the substrate and penetrates the main side n-conductive type region and the p-conductive type layer, a second trench which reaches an inside of the p-conductive type layer, a second electrode layer, which is embedded in the second trench and connected to the p-conductive type layer. Hereby, the semiconductor device, in which the recovery property of a diode cell can be improved without damaging the property of a MOS transistor cell or an IGBT cell and the surge withstand property does not deteriorate, can be obtained. |
| US07999311B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is disclosed. One embodiment includes a trench within a semiconductor body and a gate insulating structure at opposing sidewalls within the trench. A gate electrode structure adjoins the gate insulating structure within the trench and a dielectric structure adjoins the gate electrode structure within the trench. The gate electrode structure is in contact with the semiconductor body at a bottom side of the trench and is electrically coupled to a drain zone over an element having a voltage blocking capability. |
| US07999308B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory element with silicon nitride charge trapping film having varying hydrogen concentration
To improve a charge retention characteristic of a nonvolatile memory transistor. A first insulating film, a charge trapping film, and a second insulating film are formed between a semiconductor substrate and a conductive film. The charge trapping film is formed of a silicon nitride film including an upper region having a low concentration of hydrogen and a lower region having a high concentration of hydrogen. Such a silicon nitride film is formed in such a manner that a silicon nitride film including 15 atomic % or more hydrogen is formed by a chemical vapor deposition method and an upper portion of the silicon nitride film is nitrided. The nitridation treatment is performed by nitriding the silicon nitride film by nitrogen radicals produced in plasma of a nitrogen gas. |
| US07999298B2 |
Embedded memory cell and method of manufacturing same
An embedded memory cell includes a semiconducting substrate (110), a transistor (120) having a source/drain region (121) at least partially embedded in the semiconducting substrate, and a capacitor (130) at least partially embedded in the semiconducting substrate. The capacitor includes a first electrode (131) and a second electrode (132) that are electrically isolated from each other by a first electrically insulating material (133). The first electrode is electrically connected to the semiconducting substrate and the second electrode is electrically connected to the source/drain region of the transistor. |
| US07999297B2 |
Semiconductor device having stacked decoupling capacitors
A semiconductor device having transistors formed on different layers of a stack structure includes a stacked capacitor cluster, wherein a stacked capacitor of the stacked capacitor cluster includes an insulation layer of a transistor of the semiconductor device, and at least a first conduction layer and a second conduction layer disposed above and below the insulation layer, wherein the stacked capacitor is a decoupling capacitor of the stacked capacitor cluster connected in parallel between a first line and a second line. |
| US07999296B2 |
Single gate nonvolatile memory cell with transistor and capacitor
A nonvolatile memory integrated circuit has a semiconductor substrate and a nonvolatile memory device on the semiconductor substrate. The device has a transistor and a capacitor on the semiconductor substrate, and a shared floating gate connecting the gate regions of the transistor and the capacitor. The transistor has at least a doping region defining the source and drain regions, as well as three other doping regions overlapping the source and drain regions. Also disclosed are a nonvolatile memory circuit with multiple such nonvolatile memory device, and methods for making the nonvolatile memory circuit with one or more such nonvolatile memory devices. |
| US07999295B2 |
Stacked thin film transistor, non-volatile memory devices and methods for fabricating the same
A manufacturing method for stacked, non-volatile memory devices provides a plurality of bitline layers and wordline layers with charge trapping structures. The bitline layers have a plurality of bitlines formed on an insulating layer, such as silicon on insulator technologies. The wordline layers are patterned with respective pluralities of wordlines and charge trapping structures orthogonal to the bitlines. |
| US07999294B2 |
Semiconductor device which may prevent electrical failures of contacts
A semiconductor device includes a first insulation film having a plurality of openings which exposes predetermined regions of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of first conductive patterns partially filling the openings and a plurality of second conductive patterns disposed on the first conductive patterns within the openings and separated from inner walls of the openings. |
| US07999293B2 |
Photodiode semiconductor device and manufacturing method
The invention provides a semiconductor device manufactured with a plurality of photodiodes so that it does not short circuit, and includes an opening without leakage. A second semiconductor layer (12, 16) of second conductivity type is formed on a main surface of a first semiconductor layer (10, 11) of the first conductivity type. Element-separating regions (13, 14, 15, 17) are formed at least on the second semiconductor layer to separate the device into the regions of photodiodes (PD1-PD4). A conductive layer (18) is formed on the second semiconductor layer 16 in a divided pattern that provides a segment for each photodiode and is connected to the second semiconductor layer (16) along the an outer periphery with respect to all photodiodes. An insulation layer (19, 21) is formed on the entire surface to cover conductive layer (18). An opening, which reaches the second semiconductor layer (16), is formed in the insulation layer (19, 21) in the region inside the pattern of conductive layer (18). |
| US07999290B2 |
Dual panel type organic electroluminescent device and method of fabricating the same
An organic electroluminescent device includes first and second substrates facing each other and spaced apart from each other; a gate line on an inner surface of the first substrate; a data line and a power line crossing the gate line and spaced apart from each other; a switching thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a driving thin film transistor connected to the switching thin film transistor and the power line, the driving thin film transistor including a channel region having a ring shape; an electric connection pattern connected to the driving thin film transistor, the connection pattern being disposed over the driving thin film transistor; and an organic electroluminescent diode on an inner surface of the second substrate, the organic electroluminescent diode being connected to the electric connection pattern. |
| US07999289B2 |
Monolithic integrated circuit of a field-effect semiconductor device and a diode
A field-effect semiconductor device such as a HEMT or MESFET is monolithically integrated with a Schottky diode for feedback, regeneration, or protection purposes. The field-effect semiconductor device includes a main semiconductor region having formed thereon a source, a drain, and a gate between the source and the drain. Also formed on the main semiconductor region, preferably between gate and drain, is a Schottky electrode electrically coupled to the source. The Schottky electrode provides a Schottky diode in combination with the main semiconductor region. A current flow is assured from Schottky electrode to drain without interruption by a depletion region expanding from the gate. |
| US07999288B2 |
High voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device
A high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device comprises a support substrate including a first silicon body, an insulator body over the first silicon body, and a second silicon body over the insulator body. The high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device further comprises a III-nitride semiconductor body characterized by a majority charge carrier conductivity type, formed over the second silicon body. The second silicon body has a conductivity type opposite the majority charge carrier conductivity type. In one embodiment, the high voltage durability III-nitride semiconductor device is a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) comprising a support substrate including a <100> silicon layer, an insulator layer over the <100> silicon layer, and a P type conductivity <111> silicon layer over the insulator layer. The high voltage durability HEMT also comprises a III-nitride semiconductor body formed over the P type conductivity <111> silicon layer, the III-nitride semiconductor body forming a heterojunction of the HEMT. |
| US07999287B2 |
Lateral HEMT and method for the production of a lateral HEMT
In one embodiment a lateral HEMT has a first layer, the first layer including a semiconducting material, and a second layer, the second layer including a semiconducting material and being at least partially arranged on the first layer. The lateral HEMT further has a passivation layer and a drift region, the drift region including a lateral width wd. The lateral HEMT further has at least one field plate, the at least one field plate being arranged at least partially on the passivation layer in a region of the drift region and including a lateral width wf, wherein wf |
| US07999285B2 |
Insulated gate bipolar transistor and method for manufacturing the same
An insulated gate bipolar transistor according to an embodiment includes a first conductive type collector ion implantation area in a substrate; a second conductive type buffer layer, including a first segment buffer layer and a second segment buffer layer, on the first conductive collector ion implantation area; a first conductive type base area on the second conductive type buffer layer; a gate on the substrate at a side of the first conductive type base area; a second conductive type emitter ion implantation area in the first conductive type base area; an insulating layer on the gate; an emitter electrode electrically connected to the second conductive type emitter ion implantation area; and a collector electrode electrically connected to the first conductive collector ion implantation area. The first segment buffer layer can be aligned below a portion of the base area and can have a lower density of second conductive type ions than that of the second segment buffer layer adjacent the first segment buffer layer. |
| US07999284B2 |
Semiconductor device and optical device module having the same
A solid-state imaging device 1 is arranged so that a hollow section 9 is formed between a solid-state imaging element 2 and a covering section 4 and an air path 7 is formed in an adhesive section 5 so as to extend from the hollow section 9 to the outside, wherein the adhesive section 5 is formed so as not to be positioned on a signal processing section 8 for processing a signal of the solid-state imaging element 2. This makes it possible to reduce noises occurring in the signal processing section of the semiconductor element while preventing occurrence of condensation in the covering section for covering the semiconductor element. |
| US07999283B2 |
Encapsulant with scatterer to tailor spatial emission pattern and color uniformity in light emitting diodes
A light emitting device having an encapsulant with scattering features to tailor the spatial emission pattern and color temperature uniformity of the output profile. The encapsulant is formed with materials having light scattering properties. The concentration of these light scatterers is varied spatially within the encapsulant and/or on the surface of the encapsulant. The regions having a high density of scatterers are arranged in the encapsulant to interact with light entering the encapsulant over a desired range of source emission angles. By increasing the probability that light from a particular range of emission angles will experience at least one scattering event, both the intensity and color temperature profiles of the output light beam can be tuned. |
| US07999274B2 |
White light emitting device
A white light emitting device is disclosed. The white light emitting device includes a blue light emitting diode (LED) including a plurality of active layers generating different peak wavelengths, and phosphors emitting yellow light when excited by light emitted from the blue LED. The white light emitting device ensures enhanced excitation efficiency of the phosphors, and high luminance. |
| US07999271B2 |
Luminous element having a plurality of cells
Disclosed is a light emitting element comprising a first array having a plurality of vertical light emitting cells connected in series on a single substrate; and a second array that has another plurality of vertical light emitting cells connected in series on the single substrate and is connected to the first array in reverse parallel. In the light emitting element, each of the vertical light emitting cells in the first and second arrays has a first electrode pad on a bottom surface thereof and a second electrode pad on a top surface thereof, and a connection portion is provided to electrically connect the first electrode pad of the vertical light emitting cell in the first array to the first electrode pad of the vertical light emitting cell in the second array. |
| US07999258B2 |
Display substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A display substrate includes a base substrate, a first metal pattern, a second metal pattern, a first transparent conductive layer and a second transparent conductive layer. The first metal pattern is formed on the base substrate, and includes a gate line and a gate electrode connected to the gate line. The second metal pattern includes a data line crossing the gate line, a source electrode connected to the data line and a drain electrode being spaced apart from the source electrode. The first transparent conductive layer includes a capping layer capping the second metal pattern and a common electrode formed in a pixel area. The second transparent conductive layer includes a pixel electrode having a plurality of openings, contacting the capping layer capping the drain electrode, and facing the common electrode. |
| US07999255B2 |
Hydrazine-free solution deposition of chalcogenide films
A method of depositing a film of a metal chalcogenide including the steps of: contacting an isolated hydrazinium-based precursor of a metal chalcogenide and a solvent having therein a solubilizing additive to form a solution of a complex thereof; applying the solution of the complex onto a substrate to produce a coating of the solution on the substrate; removing the solvent from the coating to produce a film of the complex on the substrate; and thereafter annealing the film of the complex to produce a metal chalcogenide film on the substrate. Also provided is a process for preparing an isolated hydrazinium-based precursor of a metal chalcogenide as well as a thin-film field-effect transistor device using the metal chalcogenides as the channel layer. |
| US07999254B2 |
Light-emitting element and light-emitting device
To provide a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic device each formed using the organometallic complex represented by General Formula (G1) as a guest material and a low molecule compound as a host material. |
| US07999253B2 |
Organic transistor and active matrix display
An organic transistor is disclosed that has an organic semiconductor layer patterned with high resolution. The organic transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulting film, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an organic semiconductor layer formed of an organic semiconductor material. The gate electrode, the gate insulting film, the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the organic semiconductor layer are formed on a substrate. At least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode has an opening. |
| US07999252B2 |
Image sensor and method for fabricating the same
An image sensor includes an epi-layer of a first conductivity type formed in a substrate, a photodiode formed in the epi-layer, and a first doping region of a second conductivity type formed under the photodiode to separate the first doping region from the photodiode. |
| US07999251B2 |
Nanowire MOSFET with doped epitaxial contacts for source and drain
A FET structure with a nanowire forming the FET channel, and doped source and drain regions formed by radial epitaxy from the nanowire body is disclosed. A top gated and a bottom gated nanowire FET structures are discussed. The source and drain fabrication can use either selective or non-selective epitaxy. |
| US07999250B2 |
Silicon-germanium-carbon semiconductor structure
In accordance with one or more embodiments, a semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a first semiconductor material over the semiconductor substrate, and a second semiconductor material over a portion the first semiconductor material, wherein the second semiconductor material comprises silicon-germanium-carbon (SiGeC) and wherein the first semiconductor material is a silicon epitaxial layer. The semiconductor structure further includes an active device, wherein a portion of the active device is formed in the second semiconductor material and a dielectric structure extending from the first surface of the first semiconductor material into the semiconductor substrate through the first semiconductor material. |
| US07999247B2 |
Electrode having a transparent electrode layer, electronic device and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed is an electrode having a transparent electrode layer, an opaque electrode layer formed on the transparent electrode layer and catalyst formed on an open surface on the transparent electrode layer, which open surface is not covered by the opaque electrode layer. |
| US07999240B2 |
Method and apparatus for specimen fabrication
A system for analyzing a semiconductor device, including: a first ion beam apparatus including: a sample stage to mount a sample substrate; a vacuum chamber in which the sample stage is placed; an ion beam irradiating optical system to irradiate the sample substrate; a specimen holder that accommodates a plurality of specimens separated from the sample substrate by the irradiation of the ion beam; and a probe to extract the separated specimen from the sample substrate, and to transfer the separated specimen to the specimen holder; a second ion beam apparatus that carries out a finishing process to the specimen; and an analyzer to analyze the finished specimen, wherein the first ion beam apparatus separates the specimen and the probe in a vacuum condition. |
| US07999238B2 |
Arrangement for processing signals at the output of a multichannel detector
An arrangement for signal processing at the output of a multichannel detector in the spectrally resolved acquisition of time-variable fluorescence phenomena in a microscope, particularly lifetime measurements, is characterized in that an FPGA (free programmable gate array) is arranged downstream of the output of the multichannel detector. |
| US07999234B2 |
Cradle for use with radiation conversion device
A cradle for use with a radiation conversion device includes a cradle for carrying out charging of a radiation conversion device, the cradle being disposed in the vicinity of an image capturing apparatus which captures a radiation image of a subject, the radiation conversion device detecting radiation that has passed through the subject and converting the radiation into image information. The cradle includes a charging processor for carrying out charging with respect to a battery mounted in the radiation conversion device, an image information acquisition unit for acquiring the image information from the radiation conversion device, a correction information generating unit for generating correction information with respect to the radiation conversion device using the acquired image information, and a correction information memory for storing the generated correction information in association with the radiation conversion device. |
| US07999230B2 |
Tunable detection system and method of use
A tunable bandwidth selector and method of use is disclosed. The tunable bandwidth selector may include a plurality of spaced apart electron sheets which selectively separate a first bandwidth from an input spectrum. |
| US07999229B2 |
Device for detecting an electromagnetic radiation comprising a resistive imaging bolometer, system comprising a matrix of such devices and method for reading an imaging bolometer of such a system
The invention relates to a device for detecting an electromagnetic radiation comprising a resistive imaging bolometer sensitive to the electromagnetic radiation to be detected, intended to be connected electrically to a signal shaping circuit, and a resistive common mode rejection bolometer that is associated electrically with the imaging bolometer, so that the current flowing through the common mode rejection bolometer is subtracted from the current flowing through the imaging bolometer, wherein it comprises means for controlling the resistance of the common mode rejection bolometer by injecting current therein. |
| US07999225B2 |
Charged particle source with integrated energy filter
The invention describes a particle source in which energy selection occurs. The energy selection occurs by sending a beam of electrically charged particles 103 eccentrically through a lens 107. As a result of this, energy dispersion will occur in an image formed by the lens. By projecting this image onto a slit 109 in an energy selecting diaphragm 108, it is possible to allow only particles in a limited portion of the energy spectrum to pass. Consequently, the passed beam 113 will have a reduced energy spread. Deflection unit 112 deflects the beam to the optical axis 101. One can also elect to deflect a beam 105 going through the middle of the lens toward the optical axis and having, for example, greater current.The energy dispersed spot is imaged on the slit by a deflector 111. When positioning the energy dispersed spot on the slit, central beam 105 is deflected from the axis to such an extent that it is stopped by the energy selecting diaphragm. Hereby reflections and contamination resulting from this beam in the region after the diaphragm are avoided. Also electron-electron interaction resulting from the electrons from the central beam interacting with the energy filtered beam in the area of deflector 112 is avoided. |
| US07999221B2 |
Mass spectrometric detection of material transferred to a surface
The present invention provides methods for using detection methods, including mass spectrometry methods such as SELDI-TOF-MS, to detect and analyze molecules directly transferred from a sample to a surface to form a molecular print of the sample. Methods and compositions of the invention can be used to produce spatially and non-spatially oriented molecular prints for detection using methods such as mass spectrometry. Methods and compositions of the invention encompass molecular printing of tissues, cells and gels onto surfaces. |
| US07999215B2 |
Image reading apparatus having dual white reference plate and image reading method for effectively performing shading compensation
When reading the first document sheet, light intensity reference data is acquired by sampling a white reference plate while acquiring light intensity reference auxiliary data indicative of the light intensity of a light source lamp by sampling an auxiliary white reference plate. Then, just before reading the second or subsequent sheet, the auxiliary white reference plate is sampled to acquire the latest light intensity auxiliary data, followed by calculating the change amount from the light intensity reference auxiliary data. The change amount is used to correct the light intensity reference data separately for each picture element by referring to the profile data in which is stored the change amount of the sample value of each picture element corresponding to the change amount of the light intensity, followed by performing the shading compensation. By this configuration, it is possible to perform shading compensation in correspondence with the actual light intensity reduction. |
| US07999214B2 |
Photo-detector filter having a cascaded low noise amplifier
Method and systems related to obstructing a first predefined portion of at least one defined wavelength of light incident upon a first photo-detector array; and detecting the at least one defined wavelength of light with a photo-detector in a second photo-detector array. |
| US07999208B2 |
Robot control unit for controlling tandem arc welding system, and arc-sensor control method using the unit
A robot control unit for controlling a tandem arc welding system, which has a welding torch, a robot for weaving the welding torch, a leading electrode power supply, and a trailing electrode power supply, includes a leading electrode detection section and a trailing electrode detection section for detecting quantity of welding state during weaving; a leading electrode processing section for calculating amounts of electrical change; a leading electrode correction section for calculating correction amounts for correcting displacement in horizontal and vertical directions from a weld line of a weaving center trajectory based on the amounts of electrical change; a trailing electrode processing section for calculating an amount of electrical change; and a trailing electrode correction section for calculating a correction amount for correcting displacement in a rotational direction from the weld line of the weaving center trajectory based on the amount of electrical change. |
| US07999206B2 |
Method and system for sorting of extended capability mail
A method for sorting flat mail pieces includes the steps of; sorting automation letters on the first pass of a two pass operation, then sorting extended capability letters after all automation mail has been sorted on pass one of a two pass operation. A control system identifies which pieces are automation and which pieces are extended capability (EC) mail during the first pass and re-feeding the mixed letters in a second pass. |
| US07999202B2 |
Contact
A contact includes a first conductor that has a fitting hole formed therein; a second conductor that has a shaft that can be inserted into the fitting hole and an annular groove formed on an outer circumference of the shaft; and an inclined coil spring that has a ring inserted into a coil, is circularly formed by the ring to be provided inside the annular groove, and is in contact with the annular groove and the fitting hole to electrically connect the first and second conductors. The inclined coil spring is helically wound in a shape of an ellipse and is provided inside the annular groove so that a long axis of the ellipse is directed to an axial direction of the shaft and a short axis is directed to a radial direction of the shaft. Axial-direction both ends of the ring are in contact with a long-axis inner circumference of the inclined coil spring. |
| US07999197B1 |
Dual sided electronic module
A method for making a dual sided electronic module. A substrate has a first surface that is substantially parallel to a second surface. The second surface forms a cavity extending into an interior portion of the substrate. The substrate has at least one through hole connecting the cavity to the first surface. A first component is mounted with respect to the first surface, and a second component is mounted at least partially within the cavity. An encapsulant is applied to the first surface and through the at least one through hole into the cavity about the second component. |
| US07999194B2 |
Multi-layer printed circuit board and method of manufacturing multi-layer printed circuit board
Through holes 36 are formed to penetrate a core substrate 30 and lower interlayer resin insulating layers 50, and via holes 66 are formed right on the through holes 36, respectively. Due to this, the through holes 36 and the via holes 66 are arranged linearly, thereby making it possible to shorten wiring length and to accelerate signal transmission speed. Also, since the through holes 36 and the via holes 66 to be connected to solder bumps 76 (conductive connection pins 78), respectively, are directly connected to one another, excellent reliability in connection is ensured. |
| US07999193B2 |
Wiring substrate and method of manufacturing the same
There is provided a wiring substrate. The wiring substrate includes: a core substrate formed of a conductive material and having a through hole therein; an insulating layer formed on first and second surfaces of the core substrate; wiring patterns formed on the first and second surfaces via the insulating layer; and a via formed in the through hole and electrically connected to the wiring patterns. The via includes: a conductor ball and a conductor portion. The conductor ball has a conductive surface and an insulating member covering the conductive surface. A portion of the conductive surface is exposed from the insulating member. The conductor portion is electrically connected to the exposed conductive surface and the wiring patterns. At least one of the insulating member and the insulating layer is interposed between the via and the core substrate. |
| US07999191B2 |
Method for making cable with a conductive bump array, and method for connecting the cable to a task object
A cable with conductive bumps is fabricated by forming a photoresist layer with multiple openings on a cable substrate, coating a conductive layer on the photoresist layer whereby the conductive layer in the openings forms the bumps at circuits on the cable substrate, and then removing the photoresist layer. When connecting the cable to a task object such as an LCD glass substrate or PCB, only a usual non-conductive paste is applied to join the cable and the task object, without use of expensive anisotropic-conductive paste or film. |
| US07999190B2 |
Light emitting module and method for manufacturing the same
Provided are: a light emitting module which has an improved heat-dissipating property and whose reflectance reduction is prevented. The light emitting module mainly includes: a metal substrate; a conductive pattern formed on the upper surface of the metal substrate; and a light emitting element disposed on the upper surface of the metal substrate and electrically connected to the conductive pattern. Furthermore, in the light emitting module, an insulating layer is removed in a region where the conductive pattern is not formed, but is left unremoved in a region right below (or covered with) the conductive pattern. In other words, in the region where the conductive pattern is not formed, the upper surface of the metal substrate is not covered with the conductive pattern, and a metal material constituting the metal substrate is exposed. |
| US07999187B2 |
Plated flat conductor and flexible flat cable therewith
Disclosed is a plated flat conductor including a flat conductor of copper or a copper alloy and a plated layer formed on a surface of the flat conductor. The plated layer includes a first intermetallic compound layer of Cu3Sn disposed on the surface of the flat conductor, a second intermetallic compound layer of Cu6Sn5 formed on the first intermetallic compound, and a superficial layer formed on the second intermetallic compound layer. The superficial layer is plating material of pure tin or a tin alloy and has an average thickness from about 0.3 μm to 1.0 μm and a maximum thickness of about 1.0 μm or less. A volume ratio of the second intermetallic compound layer to the first intermetallic compound layer is about 1.5 or more. |
| US07999184B2 |
Separator tape for twisted pair in LAN cable
A cable includes a jacket surrounding first and second insulated conductors and a first dielectric tape, wherein the first insulated conductor is twisted with the second insulated conductor with the first dielectric tape residing therebetween to form a first twisted pair. The cable's jacket may also surround a similarly formed second twisted pair. In alternative or supplemental embodiments of the invention, the first insulated conductor includes a first conductor surrounded by a layer of first dielectric insulating material having a radial thickness of about 7 mils or less; the first dielectric tape has a first width which is equal to or less than the diameters of the first and second insulated conductors plus a thickness of the first dielectric tape; the first dielectric tape has a cross sectional shape, which presents first and second recessed portions for seating the first and second insulated conductors; twist lengths of the first and second twisted pairs are between approximately 0.22 to 0.38 inches and different from each other; the first dielectric tape is different in shape, size or material content as compared to a second dielectric tape of the second twisted pair; the insulated conductors of the first and second twisted pairs are identical in appearance, while the first and second dielectric tapes are different in appearance; and/or the first dielectric tape has a hollow core possessing a gas or material with a lower dielectric constant. |
| US07999177B2 |
Optical thin film for solar cells and method of forming the same
Disclosed is an optical thin film for a thin-film solar cell, which is formed directly on a top surface of the thin-film solar cell having a transparent conductive film layer to provide a high infrared emissivity and a lower solar absorptivity to the thin-film solar cell. The optical thin film is formed through a vacuum vapor deposition process. The thin film makes it possible to provide enhanced infrared emissivity based on its reduced thickness, while suppressing unnecessary incoming solar radiation in a simplified structure to achieve a reduced solar absorptivity so as to maintain desired cell efficiency. The optical thin film of the present invention is capable of achieving reduction in weight of a solar cell, and suitable for use, particularly, in space environments. |
| US07999173B1 |
Dust removal from solar cells
A solar panel cleaning device includes a solar panel having a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged in rows and embedded in the solar panel with space between the rows. A transparent dielectric overlay is affixed to the solar panel. A plurality of electrode pairs each of which includes an upper and a lower electrode are arranged on opposite sides of the transparent dielectric and are affixed thereto. The electrodes may be transparent electrodes which may be arranged without concern for blocking sunlight to the solar panel. The solar panel may be a dielectric and its dielectric properties may be continuously and spatially variable. Alternatively the dielectric used may have dielectric segments which produce different electrical field and which affects the wind “generated.” |
| US07999172B2 |
Flexible thermoelectric device
A flexible thermoelectric device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. Flexible substrates are formed by using LIGA process, micro-electro-mechanical process or electroforming technique. The flexible substrates are used to produce thermoelectric device. The structure and the material property of the substrates offer flexible property and tensile property to the thermoelectric device. Thermal transfer enhancement structures such as thermal via or metal diffusion layer are formed on the flexible substrates to overcome the low thermal transfer property of the flexible substrates. |
| US07999170B2 |
Acoustic drum set amplifier device specifically calibrated for each instrument within a drum set
An acoustic drum set amplifier specifically calibrated for each instrument within a drum set, specifically a snare drum, a bass drum, a bongo drum, tom-tom drum, a hi-hat, ride cymbal and crash cymbals, for optimizing the sound frequency of the instrument. In operation, an artist using the device might be able to filter, blend, and manipulate an electro-acoustic signal associated with an acoustic drum instrument, either captured by a microphone or generated by an electronic drum module to the artist's preferences while monitoring the sound directed towards an audience at a live performance. |
| US07999163B2 |
Support for a piano lid
A mechanism for supporting the weight of a piano lid is disclosed. One or more pneumatic cylinders and arms are used to assist a user in opening and closing the piano lid. In one embodiment, a guiding cup can be removably attached to the frame of the piano below each pneumatic cylinder. When the piano lid is open, the piston arm of the pneumatic cylinder engages the guiding cup. Because the pneumatic cylinder is not attached to the piano frame, the piano lid can be completely removed without the use of tools. Another embodiment provides a mounting bracket that fits over the rear frame of a piano, allowing the mechanism to be retrofit to any existing piano without any damage thereto. |
| US07999162B2 |
Movable part firmly equipped with balance weight, musical instrument and method of assembling balance weight therein
Keys of a piano are depressed against the total weight of associated action units and hammers so that balance weight pieces are embedded in the front portion of each key; since the wood bar of the key is expandable and shrinkable due to the conditions of the environment, the weight pieces are liable to come loose; the balance weight piece is formed with ridges and valleys repeated at least 7 times at fine pitches equal to or less than 2 millimeters, and the maximum diameter of the ridges is slightly longer than an inner diameter of a hole formed in the wood bar; while the balance weight piece is being pressed into the hole, the ridges make the inner surface portion elastically deformed; when the balance weight piece reaches the target position, the inner surface portion penetrates into the valleys so that the balance weight piece is lodged therein. |
| US07999154B2 |
Soybean variety D5662547
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5662547. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5662547. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5662547 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5662547 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07999148B2 |
Cotton plant with seed-specific reduction in gossypol
A method is disclosed for reducing the level of gossypol in cottonseed. The method generally includes selectively inducing RNA gene silencing in the seed of a transgenic cotton plant, to interfere with expression of the δ-cadinene synthase gene or the δ-cadinene-8-hydroxylase gene in the seed of the cotton plant without substantially affecting expression of that gene in the foliage, floral parts, and roots of the plant. The transgenic cotton plant comprises at least one of a δ-cadinene synthase gene trigger sequence and/or a δ-cadinene-8-hydroxylase gene trigger sequence operably linked to one or more a seed-specific promoter gene sequences, and the trigger sequence(s) is/are able to induce RNA gene silencing when expressed in cottonseed of the plant. Also disclosed are expression cassettes, vectors, cells, seeds, and plants containing at least one of a δ-cadinene synthase gene trigger sequence and/or a δ-cadinene-8-hydroxylase gene trigger sequence operably linked to one or more a seed-specific promoter DNA sequences. |
| US07999142B2 |
Production of diesel fuel from biorenewable feedstocks
A process has been developed for producing diesel boiling range fuel from renewable feedstocks such as plant oils and animal oils, fats, and greases. The process involves treating a renewable feedstock by hydrogenating and deoxygenating i.e. decarboxylating, decarbonylating, and/or hydrodeoxygenating to provide a hydrocarbon fraction useful as a diesel boiling range fuel or diesel boiling range fuel blending component. If desired, the hydrocarbon fraction can be isomerized to improve cold flow properties. A portion of the hydrogenated and deoxygenated feedstock is selectively separated and then recycled to the treatment zone to increase the hydrogen solubility of the reaction mixture. |
| US07999139B2 |
Solid-phase preparation of [18F]fluorohaloalkanes
The invention relates to a process for the production of an [18F]fluorohaloalkane which comprises treatment of a solid support-bound precursor of formula (I): SOLID SUPPORT-LINKER-SO2—O—(CH2)nX (I) wherein n is an integer of from 1 to 7 and X is chloro, bromo or iodo; with 18F− to produce the [18F]fluorohaloalkane of formula (II) 18F—(CH2)n—X (II) wherein n and X are as defined for the compound of formula (I), optionally followed by (i) removal of excess 18F−, for example by ion-exchange chromatography; and/or (ii) removal of organic solvent. |
| US07999138B2 |
Methyl amines to olefins
A process is disclosed for the production of olefins including ethylene, propylene, and butanes from methyl amine. The process comprises a reaction whereby methyl amine produces the olefin and ammonia by pyrolysis. The reaction is carried out in the gas phase at a temperature in the range of 400° C. to 700° C. |
| US07999126B2 |
Palladium(0)-dibenzylidene acetone complexes
Palladium(0)-dibenzylidene acetone complexes Pdx(dba)y, with y/x being from 1.5 to 3, are provided according to the invention at a purity of at least 99.5 wt. %. The use of said Pdx(dba)y complexes according to the invention is for determining their stoichiometry by means of elemental analysis. In the method for the production of Pdx(dba)y complexes from a Pd-containing educt and dibenzylidene acetone (dba) in alcohol, according to the invention a solution of the dba in alcohol pre-heated to more than 40° C. is provided first and then the Pd-containing educt is added to the pre-heated solution upon which the complexes are precipitated by a base. |
| US07999122B2 |
Method of purifying vinylene carbonate
The present invention relates to the industrial purification of vinylene carbonate (VC).It was found that it is advantageous to subject the VC to be purified, before the purifying distillation, to a simple thermal treatment with organic compounds which have amidic nitrogen-hydrogen bonds. |
| US07999116B2 |
Explosive complexes
Lead-free primary explosives of the formula [MII(A)R(BX)S](CY)T, where A is 1,5-diaminotetrazole, and syntheses thereof are described. Substantially stoichiometric equivalents of the reactants lead to high yields of pure compositions thereby avoiding dangerous purification steps. |
| US07999115B2 |
Spiro antibiotic derivatives
The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) wherein R1 represents H, alkyl, alkoxy, cyano or halogen; one of U and X represents CH or N and the other represents CH, or, in the case of U, may also represent CRa and, in the case of X, may also represent CRb; Ra represents halogen; Rb represents halogen or alkoxy; B represents N, D represents CH2 and A represents CH(OH)CH2 or CH2CH2, or B represents CH, D represents CH2 or O and A represents OCH2, CH2CH(OH), CH(OH)CH2, CH(OH)CH(OH), CH═CH, CH2CH2 or NHCO, or also B represents C(OH), D represents CH2 and A represents OCH2, CH2CH(OH), CH(OH)CH2, CH(OH)CH(OH), CH═CH, CH2CH2 Or NHCO; R2 represents H, alkyl, alkenyl, hydroxyalkyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl; and E represents naphthyl or a binuclear heterocyclic group; and to salts of such compounds. These compounds are useful as antimicrobial agents. |
| US07999105B2 |
Process for the preparation of 3-hydroxymorphinan derivatives
Processes are described for the synthesis of 3-hydroxymorphinan derivatives by hydrolysis of side products from the O-demethylation of 3-methoxymorphinan derivatives. |
| US07999093B2 |
Nitrate transport components
This invention relates to isolated nucleic acid fragments encoding high affinity nitrate transport components. The invention also relates to the construction of recombinant DNA constructs encoding all or a portion of nitrate transport components, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the recombinant DNA construct may alter levels of the nitrate transport components in a transformed host cell. |
| US07999091B2 |
5-methylcytosine detection, compositions and methods therefor
Compositions and methods for detecting 5-methylcytosine in a nucleic acid are disclosed. A 5-methylcytosine discriminator, which is a deoxyribonucleosidetriphosphate comprising a cytosine-pairing moiety such as a guanosine and a moiety which hinders hydrogen bonding between the cytosine-pairing moiety and a 5-methylcytosine is described. The discriminator is able to base pair with a cytosine but not a 5-methylcytosine. A 5-methylcytosine comprised by a target nucleotide can be detected in a reaction using a DNA polymerase and a primer hybridized immediately adjacent to the target nucleotide. In the reaction, pyrophosphate released upon incorporation of a dNTP complementary to a target nucleotide is detected. Lack of incorporation of the discriminator, but incorporation of a dGTP, can indicate that the target nucleotide is a 5-methylcytosine. |
| US07999087B2 |
2′-silyl containing thiocarbonate protecting groups for RNA synthesis
Nucleoside monomers, nucleic acids, e.g., oligonucleotides and polynucleotides, methods of making each, methods of deprotecting each, and the like are disclosed herein. Aspects of the invention include 2′ silyl containing thiocarbonate protecting groups. Corresponding compositions and methods are provided. |
| US07999078B2 |
Antibodies that bind DNAX leukocyte associated immunoglobulin-like receptor
Nucleic acids encoding various monocyte cell proteins from a primate, reagents related thereto, including specific antibodies, and purified proteins are described. Methods of using reagents and related diagnostic kits are also provided. |
| US07999075B2 |
Methods for identifying compounds that regulate beta-arrestin signaling complexes
A method of screening a candidate compound for βArrestin mediated anti-G protein coupled receptor signaling activity is comprises: (a) contacting said candidate compound to a βArrestin signaling complex or a constituent thereof, under conditions in which a signaling complex is formed; and then (b) detecting the presence or absence of disruption of said signaling complex, disruption of said complex indicating said compound has βArrestin mediated anti-G protein coupled receptor signaling activity. Compositions and kits for carrying out the method are also described. |
| US07999074B2 |
Bacteriocins and novel bacterial strains
Novel bacteriocins produced by novel bacterial strains are used for at least reducing the levels of colonization by at least one target bacteria in animals, especially poultry. |
| US07999073B2 |
Modular transfection systems
The present invention relates to a method for transfection of cells using at least one protein capable of forming nucleoprotein filaments, wherein the protein is initially modified with at least one functional component which influences one or more steps of the transfection, the nucleic acid to be transfected is then loaded with the modified protein, whereby the nucleic acid and the protein form a filament-like complex, and this complex is finally added to the cells to be transfected. The invention further relates to a transfection agent consisting of nucleoprotein filaments (NPF), with at least one nucleoprotein filament-forming protein being modified with at least one functional component for the transfection. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the transfection agent according to the invention for producing a drug for gene therapeutic treatment of humans and animals. The present inventions also includes corresponding pharmaceutical preparations, especially for use in gene therapy as well as the use of such transfection agents as component in kits. |
| US07999072B2 |
Mutated netrin-4, fragments thereof and their use as medicines
Described is use of a netrin selected among netrin-4, mutated netrin-4, netrin-1, netrin G1 or netrin-3, or one of their fragments or a nucleotide sequence encoding one of the netrins or one of the fragments, or an anti-idiotypic antibody of one of the netrins or of one of the fragments, or of a Fab fragment of the anti-idiotypic antibodies, for preparing a medicine for preventing or treating tumoral or non-tumoral pathologies. |
| US07999071B2 |
Human cytotoxic T-lymphoctye epitope and its agonist eptiope from the non-variable number of tandem repeat sequence of MUC-1
Novel MUC-1 epitopes outside the VNTR region are identified. In addition, the first agonist epitope of MUC-1 is described. The employment of agonist epitopes in peptide, protein and vector-based vaccine may well aid in the development of effective vaccines for a range of human cancers. |
| US07999066B2 |
Copper removal from ATRP products by means of addition of sulfur compounds
The present invention relates to a precipitation process for removing transition metals from polymer solutions. Specifically, it comprises the removal of transition metal complexes which usually comprise copper from polymer solutions after a completed atom transfer radical polymerization. |
| US07999063B2 |
Polyquaternium-1 synthesis methods and associated formulations
A multipurpose solution for contact lens care, comprising: an aqueous liquid medium; a quaternary ammonium polymer having an average molecular weight as determined by the proton NMR method of at least 22 k, and methods for making. |
| US07999052B2 |
Process for producing an adhesive composition
An adhesive composition according to the present invention is an adhesive composition whose main component is a polymer obtained by copolymerization of a monomer composition, which monomer composition contains styrene, (meth)acrylic ester having a cyclic structure, and alkyl (meth)acrylate having a chain structure. The polymer thus having a styrene block segment allows improvement of thermal resistance, adhesive strength in a high temperature environment, alkaline resistance, and easiness in stripping following a high temperature process of the adhesive composition. As such, an adhesive composition is provided, which has high thermal resistance, adhesive strength in the high temperature environment, and alkaline resistance, and further which can easily carry out stripping of the adhesive composition after a high temperature process has been carried out to the adhesive composition. |
| US07999046B2 |
Neutralization of deactivated polymerization catalyst using phosphoric or phosphonic acid salts
A process for deactivating an active catalyst species in an olefin polymer stream exiting a polymerization reactor and neutralizing catalyst residues, as well as reducing corrosion, plugging or fouling of olefin production and recovery equipment and imparting antioxidative properties to an olefin polymer comprising adding a catalyst deactivator and an alkaline earth metal salt of a phosphoric- or phosphonic acid to an olefin polymer stream exiting a polymerization reactor, each in a quantity at least sufficient to deactivate active catalytic species in the polymer stream and neutralize catalyst residues, respectively, and subsequently recovering the resulting polymer product. |
| US07999044B2 |
System and method for deinventory of polymerization reactor
A flash chamber sized to receive the effluent discharged from a polyolefin reactor during normal operation of the reactor and during a reactor dump, advantageously eliminating a reactor dump tank or alternate flash tank from the equipment outlay of a polyolefin manufacturing process. The flash chamber is sized to hold at least the polyolefin solids discharged from the reactor. A condenser fluidically coupled to an overhead portion of the flash chamber is sized to condense the flow rate of vaporized hydrocarbon (e.g., diluent, monomer, etc.) discharged overhead from the flash chamber during normal operation and during the reactor dump. |
| US07999040B2 |
Method of making graft copolymers from sodium poly(aspartate) and the resulting graft copolymer
A variety of graft copolymers can be formed sodium poly(aspartate) with a wide variety of monomers in an aqueous medium by the use of grafting method in the presence of radical initiator at a temperature of from about five degrees Centigrade to about 100 degrees Centigrade. Graft copolymers at high conversion with molecular weight up to millions can be prepared using this method. |
| US07999039B2 |
High melt strength polymers and method of making same
A process of making a polymer is described. The process includes contacting one or more olefinic monomers in the presence of at least a high molecular weight (HMW) catalyst and at least a low molecular weight (LMW) catalyst in a polymerization reactor system; and effectuating the polymerization of the one or more olefinic monomers in the polymerization reactor system to obtain an olefin polymer, wherein the LMW catalyst has an RvL, defined as R v L = [ vinyl ] [ vinyl ] + [ vinylidene ] + [ cis ] + [ trans ] wherein [vinyl] is the concentration of vinyl groups in the olefin polymer produced by the low molecular weight catalyst expressed in vinyls/1,000 carbon atoms; [vinylidene], [cis] and [trans] are the concentration of vinylidene, cis and trans groups in the olefin polymer expressed in the number of the respective groups per 1,000 carbon atoms, of greater than 0.12, and wherein the HMW catalyst has a reactivity ratio, r1 of about 5 or less. |
| US07999038B2 |
Weatherstrip
A weatherstrip composition includes the following polymer A group and polymer B group, Polymer A group. A polymer group is made up of a domain 1 consisting of crosslinked product of a polymer selected from a group consisting of ethylene polymer, ethylene/α-olefin copolymer (where the α-olefin has from 3 to 20 carbons), ethylene/α-olefin/diene copolymer (where the .alpha.-olefin has from 3 to 20 carbons), homopolymer rubber of a conjugated diene monomer, copolymer polymerized with a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer, and hydrogenated copolymer polymerized with a conjugated diene monomer and an aromatic vinyl monomer (where the hydrogenation of all double bonds except for the aromatic groups is at least 50%), and a domain 2 is made up of crosslinked product of ethylene polymer or ethylene/α-olefin copolymer (where the α-olefin has from 3 to 20 carbons). |
| US07999035B2 |
Amphiphilic water-soluble alkoxylated polyalkylenimines with an internal polyethylene oxide block and an external polypropylene oxide block
Amphiphilic water-soluble alkoxylated polyalkylenimines of the general formula I in which the variables are each defined as follows: R are identical or different, linear or branched C2-C6-alkylene radicals; B is a branch; E is an alkylenoxy unit of the formula R1 is 1,2-propylene, 1,2-butylene and/or 1,2-isobutylene; R2 is ethylene; R3 is 1,2-propylene; R4 are identical or different radicals: hydrogen; C1-C4-alkyl; x, y, z are each from 2 to 150, where the sum of x+y+z means a number of alkylenimine units which corresponds to an average molecular weight Mw of the polyalkylenimine before the alkoxylation of from 300 to 10 000; m is a rational number from 0 to 2; n is a rational number from 6 to 18; p is a rational number from 3 to 12, where 0.8≦n/p≦1.0(x+y+z)1/2; and quaternization products thereof. |
| US07999023B2 |
Process for making pressure sensitive adhesive hydrogels
A process is provided for preparing a pressure sensitive adhesive hydrogel, comprising: (A) providing an oligomeric precursor, the oligomeric precursor comprising a polyether moiety endcapped with ethylenic unsaturation, the oligomeric precursor being associated with methacrylic acid; (B) providing an ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of difunctional ethylenically unsaturated monomer, trifunctional ethylenically unsaturated monomer and combinations of the foregoing; (C) free radically curing the oligomeric precursor and the ethylenically unsaturated crosslinking agent in water at a pH between about 3.5 and about 9 to provide the pressure sensitive adhesive hydrogel. |
| US07999020B2 |
Ion gels and electronic devices utilizing ion gels
An ion gel including an ionic liquid and a block copolymer. The block copolymer includes at least three blocks, and the block copolymer forms a self-assembled ion gel in the ionic liquid. Also, thin film transistors including an ion gel insulator layer, capacitors including an ion gel insulator layer, integrated circuits including transistors including an ion gel insulator layer, and methods for forming each of these devices are described. |
| US07999012B2 |
Fluid based decommissioning and recycling of printer toner cartridges
Disclosed is a system to mechanically destroy printer toner cartridges and reclaim their constituent materials under a water shielded environment while providing a safer and more environmentally friendly recycling system. The present invention is an economical system that provides greater protection from possible fire or explosion and releases less irritating or possibly harmful airborne contamination than the currently available systems. |
| US07999004B2 |
Compounds having estrogenic activity
The present invention provides compounds having estrogenic activity selected from the group consisting of RRR-α-tocopherol, hydro-Q9 chromene, coenzyme Q9, cycloartane, 1-Feruloyl glycerol, γ-tocopherol-9, and analogues thereof. The compounds of the present invention activate ERα and ERβ, and express high estrogenic activity. |
| US07999003B2 |
Antioxidant compositions and methods thereto
The present invention provides a performance assay that measures the total antioxidant activity of a composition using oxygen uptake in contrast to prior art methods that measure antioxidant capacity by indirectly measuring degradation of a fluorescent compound by following the disappearance of fluorescence. Using the performance antioxidant assay of the present invention, an antioxidant composition having synergistic activity is provided by the present inventors that includes flavonoids such as the flavonol quercetin, mixed tocopherols or tocotrienols, grape skin extract, green tea extract and bush plum. The antioxidant activity of the present composition exceeds 6,000 micromoles Trolox equivalent units per gram using the present invention. |
| US07999001B2 |
Antiviral compounds and methods of using thereof
Disclosed herein are compounds which exhibit antiviral activity against a plurality of viruses belonging to different families such as Bornaviridae, Filoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, and Poxviridae. Thus, methods of preventing, inhibiting, or reducing the viral activity of various viruses are provided as well as methods of treating viral infections. |
| US07998999B2 |
Cyclohexyl substituted pyrrolidinones as inhibitors of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1
The present invention discloses novel compounds of Formula I: having 11β-HSD type 1 antagonist activity, as well as methods for preparing such compounds. In another embodiment, the invention discloses pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I, as well as methods of using the compounds and compositions to treat diabetes, hyperglycemia, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, and other conditions associated with 11β-HSD type 1 activity. |
| US07998997B2 |
Inhibitors of fibroblast activation protein alpha
Disclosed are peptide-based compounds that include boronic acid or cyano functionality, which efficiently and selectively inhibit fibroblast activation protein alpha. Among other therapeutic utilities, the peptide-based compounds may be useful for the treatment of cancer. |
| US07998992B2 |
Oxazolidinone derivative having inhibitory activity on 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1
Disclosed is a compound which is useful as an 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitor.A compound represented by the formula: its pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or a solvate thereof, wherein R1 is optionally substituted cycloalkyl, optionally substituted cycloalkylalkyl, optionally substituted heterocycle or optionally substituted heterocyclealkyl, X is —O—, —NR3—, —NR3C(═O)— or —NR3S(═O)2—, R2 is optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted arylalkyl, optionally substituted heteroaryl or optionally substituted heteroarylalkyl, R3 is hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl. |
| US07998985B2 |
1,5-diphenyl-3-pyridinylamino-1,5-dihydropyrrolidin-2-one as CB1 receptor modulator
Compound and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the Formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, as a CB1 receptor inverse agonist, useful for reducing body weight in mammals, treating cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia, and mitigating treatment emergent weight gain observed during treatment with antipsychotics. |
| US07998984B2 |
2-pyridone derivatives for the treatment of disease or condition in which inhibition of neutrophil elastase activity is beneficial
The invention provides compounds of formula wherein R1, R3, R4, R5, R6, R14, X and W are as defined in the specification and optical isomers, racemates and tautomers thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; together with processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy. The compounds are inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase. |
| US07998982B2 |
Amide derivatives as TRPV1 antagonists
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, salts of prodrugs, or combinations thereof, wherein R1, R2, and R3, are defined in the specification. Compositions comprising such compounds and methods for treating conditions and disorders using such compounds and compositions are also disclosed. |
| US07998977B2 |
Inhibitors of AKT (protein kinase B)
4-[5-(2-Amino-ethanesulfonyl)-isoquinolin-7-yl]-phenol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a hydrate of the compound or the salt thereof as Akt inhibitors that are antineoplastic and/or antiviral agents as well as compositions comprising these compounds and methods of using these compounds. |
| US07998974B2 |
Fused heterocyclic compounds and their use as sirtuin modulators
Provided herein are novel sirtuin-modulating compounds and methods of use thereof. The sirtuin-modulating compounds may be used for increasing the lifespan of a cell, and treating and/or preventing a wide variety of diseases and disorders including, for example, diseases or disorders related to aging or stress, diabetes, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, chemotherapeutic induced neuropathy, neuropathy associated with an ischemic event, polyglutamine diseases, ocular diseases and/or disorders, cardiovascular disease, blood clotting disorders, inflammation, cancer, and/or flushing. Also provided are compositions comprising a sirtuin-modulating compound in combination with another therapeutic agent. |
| US07998966B2 |
Axl kinase inhibitors
Axl kinase inhibitory compounds are disclosed, as well as compositions and methods of using the same in the treatment of cancer and other conditions mediated by and/or associated with Axl kinase. |
| US07998962B2 |
Enantiomers of 2'-Fluoralky1-6-nitroquipazine as serotonin transporter positron emission tomography imaging agents and antidepressant therapeutics
Racemic mixtures and individual enantiomers of fluorine-18 or carbon-11 radiolabelled 2′-alkyl-6-nitroquipazine ligands are serotonin transporter (SERT) tracers for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The non-radioactive ligand forms possess therapeutic antidepressant in vitro and in vivo pharmacological binding profiles in rodent brain and cells expressing human serotonin transporter (hSERT). Twelve 2′-alkyl-6-nitroquipazine ligands potently bind in sub-nanomolar concentrations to the pre-synaptic SERT binding site where established antidepressant drugs bind and inhibit the re-uptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT). In vivo tracer studies in rats as well as monkey PET scan trial have demonstrated the fluorine-18 and carbon-11 positron radionuclide labeled tracers perform as quantitative tracers of specific binding the SERT protein in live brain. |
| US07998961B2 |
Hydantoin derivatives useful as antibacterial agents
This invention relates to compounds of the Formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, ester or isomer thereof, which is useful for the treatment of diseases or conditions mediated by LpxC. |
| US07998959B2 |
Modulators of 11-β hydroxyl steroid dehydrogenase type 1, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods of using the same
The present invention relates to inhibitors of 11-β hydroxyl steroid dehydrogenase type 1 and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. The compounds of the invention can be useful in the treatment of various diseases associated with expression or activity of 11-β hydroxyl steroid dehydrogenase type 1 such as obesity and diabetes. |
| US07998958B2 |
Substituted N-arylsulfonylheterocyclic amines as gamma-secretase inhibitors
Disclosed are novel gamma secretase inhibitors of the formula: Also disclosed are methods for inhibiting gamma secretase, for treating one or more neurodegenerative diseases, for inhibiting the deposition of beta amyloid protein, and for treating Alzheimer's disease using the compounds of formula (I). |
| US07998949B2 |
Bicyclic heterocycles, drugs containing said compounds, use thereof, and method for production thereof
The present invention relates to bicyclic heterocycles of general formula wherein Ra, Rb and Rc are defined as in claim 1, their tautomers, their stereoisomers, their mixtures and their salts, in particular their physiologically acceptable salts with inorganic or organic acids and bases, which have valuable pharmacological properties, in particular an inhibitory action on the signal transduction mediated by tyrosine kinases, their use for the treatment of illnesses, in particular of tumoral diseases and of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), of diseases of the lung and of the airways, and the preparation thereof. |
| US07998946B2 |
Regulators of the hedgehog pathway, compositions and uses related thereto
The present invention makes available, inter alia, methods and reagents for modulating smoothened-dependent pathway activation. In certain embodiments, the subject methods can be used to counteract the phenotypic effects of unwanted activation of a hedgehog pathway, such as resulting from hedgehog gain-of-function, ptc loss-of-function or smoothened gain-of-function mutations. |
| US07998941B2 |
Hypoxia inducible VEGF plasmid for ischemic disease
Plasmids useful for treating ischemic disease, such as ischemic heart disease, are described. The plasmids express vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) under the control of a promoter (RTP801) that is up-regulated under hypoxic conditions. Pharmaceutical compositions for treating ischemic disease include mixtures of the hypoxia-regulated VEGF plasmids and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Methods for treating ischemic disease include administering such pharmaceutical compositions to a person in need of such treatment. |
| US07998939B2 |
Aptamers that bind thrombin with high affinity
The invention provides aptamers capable of binding to thrombin useful as therapeutics for and diagnostics of coagulation related disorders and/or other diseases or disorders in which thrombin has been implicated. The invention further provides materials and methods for the administration of aptamers capable of binding to thrombin. |
| US07998937B2 |
Flavonoid compound having an antiviral activity
The present invention relates to a flavonoid compound having an antiviral activity, more particularly to a flavonoid compound obtained by extracting Houttuynia cordata with methanol and separating/purifying with chromatography, a method for efficient extraction and purification of the same and an antiviral composition comprising the compound as an active ingredient. |
| US07998935B2 |
Quinaldine based semisquaraines and squaraine dyes, process for preparation thereof and use thereof
The present invention provides quinaldine-based semisquaraines, symmetrical and unsymmetrical squaraine dyes represented by the general formulae 1, 2 and 3 and/or pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof as sensitizers for photodynamic therapeutical and industrial applications. These symmetrical and unsymmetrical squaraine dyes posses absorption which extends well into the photodynamic window (650-800 nm) and hence are useful for the treatment of deep seated tumors. The absorption of these dyes can be tuned by changing the substituents on the quinaldine moiety thereby enabling the development of a library of dyes which have absorption ranging from 650 to 800 nm. They also exhibited fluorescence emission in the long wavelength region making them useful as near infrared fluorescence sensors for the detection of tumors. These dyes are non-toxic in the dark and exhibit good photocytotoxicity. Accordingly the quinaldine based semisquaraines, symmetrical and unsymmetrical squaraines are extremely useful as diagnostic and therapeutic agents for photodynamic therapeutical and industrial applications. |
| US07998927B2 |
Stabilizing alkylglycoside compositions and methods thereof
The present invention relates to alkylglycoside-containing compositions and methods for increasing the stability, reducing the aggregation and immunogenicity, increasing the biological activity, and reducing or preventing fibrillar formation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or an analog thereof. |
| US07998925B2 |
Spatially-defined modification of fresh tissue using covalent chemistry
Methods for modification of tissue using covalent chemistry. Tissue can be modified through direct alkylation, reduction followed by alkylation, or oxidation followed by condensation to covalently attach small organic molecules or appropriately modified proteins. The modification can be spatially limited to desired regions of the tissue surface. |
| US07998920B2 |
Sulfonated estolide compositions containing magnesium sulfate and processes employing them
Formulations of sulfo-estolides, sulfo-estolide derivatives and salts of sulfo-estolides that contain magnesium ions are described. Methods of manufacture and the various applications and/or processes of utilizing magnesium ion containing formulations of sulfo-estolides, sulfo-estolide derivatives and salts of sulfo-estolides are disclosed. Detergent formulations, such as laundry detergents, softeners, and other materials, containing any of these materials are disclosed. Laundry methods employing these formulations are also disclosed. These formulations are useful as laundry detergents and can be biodegradable, heavy duty liquids, 2×, 3×, 6×, or higher concentrates, low foaming, and/or effective in a high efficiency washing machine. Methods for laundering fabrics with the compositions are also disclosed. |
| US07998918B2 |
Cleaning compositions for hard surfaces comprising a silyl polyalkoxylate
Aqueous liquid compositions containing: (a) at least one alkyl ether sulphate (b) at least one multi-armed silyl polyalkoxylate of the formula (I) (H-A)n-Z-[A-B—Si(OR1)r(R2)3−r]m (I), where Z is an (m+n)-valent radical having at least three carbon atoms, A is a divalent polyoxyalkylene radical, wherein the m+n polyoxyalkylene radicals bound to Z can be different from one another, and wherein one radical A is in each case bound to Z via an oxygen atom belonging to Z, and one oxygen atom belonging to A is bound to B or hydrogen, B is a chemical bond or a divalent organic radical having 1 to 50 carbon atoms, OR1 is a hydrolysable group, R1 and R2 independently of one another are a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and r is an integer from 1 to 3, and m is an integer ≧1 and n is 0 or an integer ≧1, and m+n has a value from 3 to 100, and (c) 0-50% of at least one alkylsulphonate and/or arylsulphonate; (d) 0-15% of at least one alkyl sulphate and/or (e) 0-20% of at least one amphoteric surfactant cause an improvement of the drying and draining behavior in the cleaning of hard surfaces, in particular dishes. |
| US07998916B2 |
Replacement solvents having improved properties and methods of using the same
CFC replacement solvent compositions, methods of using the same and methods of making the same. These compositions meet or exceed the solvency, flammability, and compatibility requirements for CFC's while providing similar or improved environmental and toxicological properties. These solvent compositions have applications including, but not limited to, oxygen handling, refrigeration or heat pumps, electronics, implantable prosthetic devices, and optical equipment. |
| US07998913B2 |
Flow modifiers for improved magnetic recording device
Additives that inhibit the passage of oil across oil-air interfaces in disk drives and enable the use of the lower viscosity oil in disk drives are disclosed. Mass transfer of oil from the bulk liquid oil into the vapor phase takes place by oil molecules evaporating from the oil-air interface, or collections of oil molecules being ejected from the oil-air interface as aerosol. The invention reduces mass transfer across the oil-air interface through the use of oil-soluble surfactants. |
| US07998907B2 |
Porous particulate materials and compositions thereof
Methods and compositions useful for subterranean formation treatments, such as hydraulic fracturing treatments and sand control that include porous materials. Such porous materials may be selectively configured porous material particles manufactured and/or treated with selected glazing materials, coating materials and/or penetrating materials to have desired strength and/or apparent density to fit particular downhole conditions for well treating such as hydraulic fracturing treatments and sand control treatments. Porous materials may also be employed in selected combinations to optimize fracture or sand control performance, and/or may be employed as relatively lightweight materials in liquid carbon dioxide-based well treatment systems. |
| US07998904B2 |
Evolving new molecular function
Nature evolves biological molecules such as proteins through iterated rounds of diversification, selection, and amplification. The present invention provides methods, compositions, and systems for synthesizing, selecting, amplifying, and evolving non-natural molecules based on nucleic acid templates. The sequence of a nucleic acid template is used to direct the synthesis of non-natural molecules such as unnatural polymers and small molecules. Using this method combinatorial libraries of these molecules can be prepared and screened. Upon selection of a molecule, its encoding nucleic acid template may be amplified and/or evolved to yield the same molecule or related molecules for re-screening. The inventive methods and compositions of the present invention allow for the amplification and evolution of non-natural molecules in a manner analogous to the amplification of natural biopolymer such as polynucleotides and protein. |
| US07998901B2 |
Heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet and image-forming method
A heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, having: on a support, at least one receptor layer which contains at least one silicone compound and at least one polymer having repeating units derived from vinyl chloride; and, at least one heat insulating layer which contains hollow polymer particles, between the receptor layer and the support, in which the heat insulating layer does not contain a resin having no resistance to an organic solvent other than the hollow polymer particles. |
| US07998899B2 |
Catalyst with support structure
The present invention provides a catalyst carrier, catalyst and catalyst precursor comprising a refractory metal oxide and support structure comprising a wire gauze having between 1002 to 6002 openings per inch2, and having a wire thickness in the range of 20 micrometer to 110 micrometer. The volume of the support structure is less than 50% of the volume of the catalyst carrier and at least 70% of said openings are filled with the refractory metal oxide. |
| US07998897B2 |
Chromium-free water gas shift catalyst
Catalyst for use in the high temperature shift reaction comprising in its active form a mixture of zinc alumina spinel and zinc oxide in combination with an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Rb, Cs and mixtures thereof. The catalyst has a Zn/Al molar ratio in the range 0.5 to 1.0 and a content of alkali metal in the range 0.4 to 8.0 wt % based on the weight of oxidized catalyst. |
| US07998894B2 |
Ligand modified Ziegler-Natta catalyst for olefin (co-)polymerization
The present invention relates to a Ziegler-Natta catalyst comprising a solid, ligand-modified catalyst component formed at least from (a) a compound of Group 1 to 3 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC), (b) a transition metal compound of Group 4 to 10 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC), or a compound of an actinide or lanthanide, (c) one or more organic ligand compound(s) which is/are selected from organic compounds comprising a cyclopentadienyl anion backbone, and (d) a compound of Group 13 of the Periodic Table, wherein the catalyst component of said Ziegler-Natta catalyst is formed in an emulsion/solidification method, to a process for the production of such a catalyst, and to a process for the production of an olefin (co-)polymer in the presence of such a catalyst. |
| US07998891B2 |
Optical glass containing bismuth oxide
Optical glass having a refractive index (nd) of 1.85 or greater, and an Abbe number (νd) falling within the range of 10 to 30, which is suited for molding by precision mold press is provided. The optical glass is characterized by including B2O3+SiO2 in an amount of 3 to 60%, Bi2O3 in an amount of 25 to 80%, RO+Rn2O in an amount of 5 to 60% (wherein R represents one or more selected from a group consisting of Zn, Ba, Sr, Ca, and Mg; and Rn represents one or more selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, K, and Cs), with each component in the range expressed in oxide-based mole percentage, and is characterized in that transparency in the visible region is high, and that the transition point (Tg) is 480° C. or lower. The optical glass is characterized by having a spectral transmittance of 70% or greater at a wavelength of 600 nm for a thickness of 10 mm. |
| US07998888B2 |
Thermoplastic starch for use in melt-extruded substrates
A melt-extruded substrate (e.g., film, nonwoven web, etc.) that contains a thermoplastic starch formed from a starch and plasticizer is provided. The starch and plasticizer are melt blended together in the presence of a weak organic acid (e.g., lactic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, etc.). By selectively controlling certain parameters of the melt blending process (e.g., extrusion temperature, content of the components, etc.), the present inventors have discovered that the starch may be hydrolyzed in a highly efficient manner to form compositions having a comparably lower weight average molecular weight, polydispersity index, and viscosity, which are particularly suitable for use in the formation of melt-extruded substrates. |
| US07998882B2 |
Particle reduction in PECVD processes for depositing low-k material by using a plasma assisted post-deposition step
When forming dielectric materials of reduced dielectric constant in sophisticated metallization systems, the creation of defect particles on the dielectric material may be reduced during a plasma enhanced deposition process by inserting an inert plasma step after the actual deposition step. |
| US07998881B1 |
Method for making high stress boron-doped carbon films
Transistor architectures and fabrication processes generate channel strain without adversely impacting the efficiency of the transistor fabrication process while preserving the material quality and enhancing the performance of the resulting transistor. Transistor strain is generated is PMOS devices using a highly compressive post-salicide boron doped carbon capping layer applied as a blanket over on at least the source and drain regions. The stress from this capping layer is uniaxially transferred to the PMOS channel through the source-drain regions to create compressive strain in PMOS channel. |
| US07998877B1 |
Diffraction grating in conjunction with reduced thickness to increase efficiency of solar cells
This invention describes a method of making solar cells wherein the efficiency of the solar cell is enhanced by defining a diffraction grating either on top of the cell or at the bottom of the cell. The diffraction grating spacing is defined such that it bends one or more wavelengths of the incident radiation thereby making those wavelengths traverse in the direction of the plane of the device. The addition of a diffraction grating is done in conjunction with thinning down the cell such that the minority carriers generated (holes and electrons) have a higher probability of being collected. The combined effect of the diffraction grating and the reduced thickness in the solar cell increases the efficiency of the solar cell. |
| US07998874B2 |
Method for forming hard mask patterns having a fine pitch and method for forming a semiconductor device using the same
A method for forming hard mask patterns includes, sequentially forming first, second, and third hard mask layers formed of materials having different etching selectivities on a substrate, forming first sacrificial patterns having a first pitch therebetween on the third hard mask layer, forming fourth hard mask patterns with a second pitch between the first sacrificial patterns, the second pitch being substantially equal to about ½ of the first pitch, patterning the third hard mask layer to form third hard mask patterns using the fourth hard mask patterns as an etch mask, patterning the second hard mask layer to form second hard mask patterns using the third and fourth hard mask patterns as an etch mask, and patterning the first hard mask layer to form first hard mask patterns with the second pitch therebetween using the second and third hard mask patterns as an etch mask. |
| US07998873B2 |
Method for fabricating low-k dielectric and Cu interconnect
A system and method for improving the performance of an integrated circuit by lowering RC delay time is provided. A preferred embodiment comprises adding a reactive etch gas to the ash/flush plasma process following a low-k dielectric etch. The illustrative embodiments implement a removal of the damage layer that is formed during a low-k dielectric etch. |
| US07998870B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for forming using the same
A semiconductor device and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of bit lines having a uniform width on a semiconductor substrate, an active region obliquely arranged to have a predetermined angle with respect to the bit lines, a spacer arranged around the bit lines connected to a center part of the active region. A contact pad is connected to a lower part of the bit lines. The spacer is formed not only at an upper part of sidewalls of the contact pad but also at sidewalls of the bit lines. As a result, a CD of the bit line contact increases, so that a bit line contact patterning margin also increases. A bit line pattern having a uniform width is formed so that a patterning margin increases. A storage electrode contact self-alignment margin increases so that a line-type storage electrode contact margin increases. |
| US07998866B2 |
Silicon carbide polishing method utilizing water-soluble oxidizers
The inventive method comprises chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate comprising at least one layer of silicon carbide with a polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier, an abrasive, and an oxidizing agent. |
| US07998864B2 |
Noble metal cap for interconnect structures
An interconnect structure that includes a dielectric material having a dielectric constant of about 3.0 or less is provided. This low k dielectric material has at least one conductive material having an upper surface embedded therein. The dielectric material also has a surface layer that is made hydrophobic prior to the formation of the noble metal cap. The noble metal cap is located directly on the upper surface of the at least one conductive material. Because of the presence of the hydrophobic surface layer on the dielectric material, the noble metal cap does not substantially extend onto the hydrophobic surface layer of the dielectric material that is adjacent to the at least one conductive material and no metal residues from the noble metal cap deposition form on this hydrophobic dielectric surface. |
| US07998862B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a via hole in a semiconductor substrate, forming an isolation layer on an inner side of the via hole, forming a diffusion barrier layer over an upper portion of the semiconductor substrate and the inner side of the via hole where the isolation layer is formed, arranging a solvent, which contains electrically charged metal particles, on the semiconductor substrate where the diffusion barrier layer is formed, and filling the via hole with the metal particles by moving the metal particles using applied external force. The applied external force said includes a voltage causing an electric current to flow between the semiconductor substrate and the solvent, an electrical field applied between the semiconductor substrate and the solvent, or a magnetic field applied between the semiconductor substrate and the solvent. |
| US07998861B2 |
Method of manufacturing through-via
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a through-via. The through-via manufacturing method includes forming a core-via hole in a wafer, forming a suction-via hole adjacent to the core-via hole in the wafer, forming a via core in the core-via hole, forming a polymer-via hole connected to the suction-via hole in the wafer, filling the polymer-via hole with polymer solution by creating a vacuum inside the polymer-via hole by drawing air out of the suction-via hole, and polishing the wafer such that the via core formed in the core-via hole is exposed. |
| US07998855B2 |
Solving via-misalignment issues in interconnect structures having air-gaps
An integrated circuit structure is provided. The integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; and a metallization layer over the semiconductor substrate. The metallization layer includes a conductive line; a low-k dielectric region adjacent and horizontally spaced apart from the conductive line by a space; and a filler dielectric material filling at least a portion of the space, wherein the filler dielectric material and the low-k dielectric region are formed of different materials. The integrated circuit structure further includes a capping layer over and adjoining the filler dielectric material and the low-k dielectric region. The filler dielectric material has a dielectric constant (k value) less than a k value of the capping layer. |
| US07998853B1 |
Semiconductor device with through substrate vias
Methods for making and testing a semiconductor device with through substrate vias are described. In some examples, a method of making a semiconductor device includes: forming through substrate vias (TSVs) in a substrate having an integrated circuit (IC) die, the substrate including an active side and a backside, the active side having conductive interconnect formed thereon, the TSVs including exposed portions on the backside of the substrate; patterning first metal on the active side of the substrate to electrically couple the TSVs to a portion of the conductive interconnect; and coupling the exposed portions of the TSVs on the backside of the substrate to electrically couple together the plurality of TSVs. |
| US07998849B2 |
Semiconductor device used as high-speed switching device and power device
A low resistance layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a high resistance layer formed on the low resistance layer. A source region of a first conductivity type is formed on a surface region of the high resistance layer. A drain region of the first conductivity type is formed at a distance from the source region. A first resurf region of the first conductivity type is formed in a surface region of the high resistance layer between the source region and the drain region. A channel region of a second conductivity type is formed between the source region and the first resurf region. A gate insulating film is formed on the channel region, and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. An impurity concentration in the channel region under the gate electrode gradually lowers from the source region toward the first resurf region. |
| US07998845B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
To provide a semiconductor device in which a semiconductor film having a leveled main surface is used as an active layer. A semiconductor film (5) having the leveled main surface with an rms of less than 10 nm and a P-V value of less than 70 nm which each indicate a surface roughness is formed by crystallizing a silicon film (3) containing germanium in a concentration of several %, preferably 0.1 to 10 atoms % and irradiating the film with a laser light. In a case of performing a crystallization by use of a metal element for accelerating the crystallization. The semiconductor film high in an orientation rate of the crystal as well as in levelness is obtained. |
| US07998842B2 |
Atomic layer deposition metallic contacts, gates and diffusion barriers
The present invention provides metallic films containing a Group IVB or VB metal, silicon and optionally nitrogen by utilizing atomic layer deposition (ALD). In particularly, the present invention provides a low temperature thermal ALD method of forming metallic silicides and a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) method of forming metallic silicon nitride film. The methods of the present invention are capable of forming metallic films having a thickness of a monolayer or less on the surface of a substrate. The metallic films provided in the present invention can be used for contact metallization, metal gates or as a diffusion barrier. |
| US07998840B2 |
Wafer laser processing method and apparatus
A wafer laser processing method for forming deteriorated layers in the inside of a wafer having a device area and a peripheral excess area surrounding the device area, the surface of the device area being higher than the surface of the peripheral excess area, involving a first step for forming a deteriorated layer in the insides of the peripheral excess area and device area by applying a laser beam to the peripheral excess area and the device area with its focal point set in the material of the peripheral excess area and the device area from the front surface side of the wafer; and a second step for forming a deteriorated layer in the inside of the device area by applying a laser beam to the device area with its focal point set in the material of the device area without applying the laser beam to the peripheral excess area. |
| US07998838B2 |
Method and apparatus for scribing a line in a thin film using a series of laser pulses
A series of laser pulses in a pulse train, each pulse with a predetermined temporal power shape, scribes a line in a thin film of material on a substrate. The predetermined temporal pulse shape has a fast risetime and fast falltime and a pulse length between 10% power points of less than 10 ns. Scribing a line in the thin film is achieved by placing the series of laser pulse spots on the line to be scribed such that there is some overlapping area between adjacent laser pulse spots along the line. The use of a series of laser pulses with the predetermined pulse shape to scribe a line in the thin film results in a better quality and cleaner scribing process compared to that achieved with a conventional pulse shape. |
| US07998835B2 |
Strain-direct-on-insulator (SDOI) substrate and method of forming
Methods (and semiconductor substrates produced therefrom) of fabricating (n−1) SDOI substrates using n wafers is described. A donor substrate (e.g., silicon) includes a buffer layer (e.g., SiGe) and a plurality of multi-layer stacks formed thereon having alternating stress (e.g., relaxed SiGe) and strain (e.g., silicon) layers. An insulator is disposed adjacent an outermost strained silicon layer. The outermost strained silicon layer and underlying relaxed SiGe layer is transferred to a handle substrate by conventional or known bonding and separation methods. The handle substrate is processed to remove the relaxed SiGe layer thereby producing an SDOI substrate for further use. The remaining donor substrate is processed to remove one or more layers to expose another strained silicon layer. Various processing steps are repeated to produce another SDOI substrate as well as a remaining donor substrate, and the steps may be repeated to produce n−1 SDOI substrates. |
| US07998831B2 |
Planarized passivation layer for semiconductor devices
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a dielectric layer and a device layer on the substrate. The device layer has an opening. First and second sublayers are disposed on the device layer and line the opening. The second sublayer serves as a stop layer for planarization to provide a substantially planarized top surface for the semiconductor device. |
| US07998828B2 |
Method of forming metal ion transistor
A method of forming a metal ion transistor comprises forming a first electrode in a first isolation layer; forming a second isolation layer over the first isolation layer; forming a first cell region of a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric over the first electrode in the second isolation layer, the first cell region isolated from the second isolation layer; forming a cap layer over the second isolation layer and the first cell region, at least thinning the cap layer over the first cell region; depositing a layer of the low-k dielectric over the second isolation layer and the first cell region; forming metal ions in the low-k dielectric layer; patterning the low-k dielectric layer to form a second cell region; sealing the second cell region using a liner; and forming a second electrode contacting the second cell region and a third electrode contacting the second cell region. |
| US07998825B2 |
Method for fabricating semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming an etch stop pattern over a conductive layer, the etch stop pattern having a first opening exposing a top surface of the conductive layer; forming an insulation layer over the etch stop pattern; selectively etching the insulation layer to form a second opening exposing the top surface of the conductive layer; and enlarging the second opening until the etch stop pattern is exposed. |
| US07998822B2 |
Semiconductor fabrication process including silicide stringer removal processing
A semiconductor fabrication process includes forming a gate electrode (112) overlying a gate dielectric (114) overlying a semiconductor substrate (104) of a wafer (101) and a liner dielectric layer (116) including vertical portions (118) adjacent sidewalls of the gate electrode and horizontal portions (117) overlying an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate (104). A spacer (108) is formed adjacent a vertical portion (118) and overlying a horizontal portion (117) of the liner dielectric layer (116). After forming the spacer (108), exposed portions of the liner dielectric layer (116) are removed to form a liner dielectric structure (126) covered by the extension spacer (108). The extension spacer (108) is then etched back to expose or uncover extremities of the liner dielectric structure (126). Prior to etching back the spacer (108), a metal (130) may be sputtered deposited over the wafer (101) preparatory to forming a silicide (134). After the etch back the wafer (101) may be dipped in piranha solution and cleaned with an RF sputter (140) of argon. |
| US07998821B2 |
Method of manufacturing complementary metal oxide semiconductor transistor
A method of manufacturing a CMOS is disclosed. A substrate has a first gate and a second gate. A dielectric layer and a patterned photo-resist layer are formed sequentially on the substrate. After an etching process, the dielectric layer without the photo-resist layer forms a spacer around the first gate, and the dielectric layer with the photo-resist layer forms a block layer on the second gate. The recesses are formed in the substrate of two lateral sides of the first gate. The epitaxial silicon layers are formed in the recesses. |
| US07998819B2 |
Lateral drain MOSFET with improved clamping voltage control
A lateral MOSFET having a substrate, first and second epitaxial layers grown on the substrate and a gate electrode formed on a gate dielectric which in turn is formed on a top surface of the second epitaxial layer. The second epitaxial layer comprises a drain region which extends to a top surface of the epitaxial layer and is proximate to a first edge of the gate electrode, a source region which extends to a top surface of the second epitaxial layer and is proximate to a second edge of the gate electrode, a heavily doped body under at least a portion of the source region, and a lightly doped well under the gate dielectric located near the transition region of the first and second epitaxial layers. A PN junction between the heavily doped body and the first epitaxial region under the heavily doped body has an avalanche breakdown voltage that is substantially dependent on the doping concentration in the upper portion of the first epitaxial layer that is beneath the heavily doped body. |
| US07998818B2 |
Method for making semiconductor element structure
A method for forming a semiconductor element structure is provided. First, a substrate including a first MOS and a second MOS is provided. The gate electrode of the first MOS is connected to the gate electrode of the second MOS, wherein the first MOS includes a first high-K material and a first metal for use in a first gate, and a second MOS includes a second high-K material and a second metal for use in a second gate. Then the first gate and the second gate are partially removed to form a connecting recess. Afterwards, the connecting recess is filled with a conductive material to form a bridge channel for electrically connecting the first metal and the second metal. |
| US07998813B2 |
Methods of fabricating an access transistor having a polysilicon-comprising plug on individual of opposing sides of gate material
Fabrication methods for gate transistors in integrated circuit devices enable the formation of recessed access device structures or FinFET structures having P-type workfunctions. The fabrication methods also provide for the formation of access transistor gates of an access device following formation of the periphery transistor gates. Access devices and systems including same are also disclosed. |
| US07998812B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a memory cell array area, a peripheral circuit area on a periphery of the memory cell array area, and a boundary area having a specific width between the memory cell array area and the peripheral circuit area, the memory cell array area including a cell area including nonvolatile semiconductor memory cells, linear wirings extending from inside of the cell area to an area outside the cell area, and lower layer wirings in a lower layer than the linear wirings in the boundary area and electrically connected to the linear wirings, and wiring widths of the lower layer wirings being larger than widths of the linear wirings, the peripheral circuit area including a patterns electrically connected to the linear wirings via the lower layer wirings, the boundary area failing to be provided with the linear wirings and a wiring in same layer as the linear wirings. |
| US07998810B2 |
Methods of forming integrated circuit devices having stacked gate electrodes
A method of forming a gate electrode of a semiconductor device is provided, the method including: forming a plurality of stacked structures each comprising a tunnel dielectric layer, a first silicon layer for floating gates, an intergate dielectric layer, a second silicon layer for control gates, and a mask pattern, on a semiconductor substrate in the stated order; forming a first interlayer dielectric layer between the plurality of stacked structures so that a top surface of the mask pattern is exposed; selectively removing the mask pattern of which the top surface is exposed; forming a third silicon layer in an area from which the hard disk layer was removed, and forming a silicon layer comprising the third silicon layer and the second silicon layer; recessing the first interlayer dielectric layer so that an upper portion of the silicon layer protrudes over the he first interlayer dielectric layer; and forming a metal silicide layer on the upper portion of the silicon layer. |
| US07998809B2 |
Method for forming a floating gate using chemical mechanical planarization
An improved process forming a floating gate region of a semiconductor memory device. The process includes using a ceria slurry for chemical mechanical planarization to provide “stop on polysilicon” capabilities, allowing a thin nitride layer, or in the alternative no nitride layer, to be used and reducing the number of processing steps required to form the floating gate region. |
| US07998807B2 |
Method for increasing the speed of a light emitting biopolar transistor device
A method for increasing the speed of a bipolar transistor, includes the following steps: providing a bipolar transistor having emitter, base, and collector regions; providing electrodes for coupling electrical signals with the emitter, base, and collector regions; and adapting the base region to enhance stimulated emission to the detriment of spontaneous emission, so as to reduce carrier recombination lifetime in the base region. |
| US07998797B2 |
Semiconductor device
A method of assembling a semiconductor device includes providing a chip attached to an elastic carrier, and supporting the elastic carrier with a stiffener. The method additionally includes removing the stiffener from the elastic carrier after attaching the elastic carrier to a board. |
| US07998790B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with isolated pads and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit die packaging system includes: providing a lead frame having a die attach paddle, an isolated pad, and a connector; attaching an integrated circuit die to the die attach paddle and the connector; forming an encapsulation over the integrated circuit die, the connector, the die attach paddle, and the isolated pad; and singulating the connector and the die attach paddle whereby the isolated pads are electrically isolated. |
| US07998789B1 |
Method and system for forming copper indium gallium sulfur selenide absorption layer and cadmium sulfide buffer layer under non-vacuum condition
A method and a system for forming a copper indium gallium sulfur selenide (CIGSSe) absorption layer and a cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer layer under non-vacuum condition is disclosed. A coating layer is formed on the back electrode layer on the substrate by mixing the slurry on the back electrode layer, and the coating layer formed on the back electrode layer is densified by a densification device after initially dried, and then a primary selenization/sulfurization reaction process is carried out to form a primary CIGSSe layer, and then a thermal process is carried out to improve the lattice match of the primary CIGSSe layer, and then an impurity cleaning process is carried out by using potassium cyanide or bromide to remove the impurities of cuprous selenide and copper sulfide, and then a rear-stage selenization/sulfurization reaction process is carried out to produce the required rear-stage CIGSSe absorption layer. Finally, a CdS buffer layer is formed on the CIGSSe absorption layer by a chemical bath deposition method. |
| US07998782B2 |
Fabrication of image sensor with improved signal to noise ratio
For fabricating an image sensor, an isolation structure is formed to define a first active region of a semiconductor substrate. A first transistor and a second transistor of a unit pixel are formed in the first active region. In addition, a threshold voltage lowering region is formed in a portion of the semiconductor substrate near a portion of the isolation structure abutting the second transistor in the first active region. The threshold voltage lowering region causes the second transistor to have a respective threshold voltage magnitude that is lower than for the first transistor. The threshold voltage lowering region is formed simultaneously with a passivation region in a second active region having a photodiode formed therein. |
| US07998779B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and method of fabricating solid-state imaging device
A solid-state imaging device includes: a solid-state imaging element having a light-receiving area; a transparent member disposed so as to oppose the light-receiving area; a supporting member configured to support the transparent member; a first mark disposed at either an upper surface of the transparent member or an upper surface of the supporting member; and a second mark disposed at an outer side of the light-receiving area, at an upper surface of the solid-state imaging element. |
| US07998778B2 |
Method of producing a solid-state imaging device
To provide a solid-state imaging device able to improve light transmittance of a transparent insulation film in a light incident side of a substrate, suppress the dark current, and prevent a quantum efficiently loss, wherein a pixel circuit is formed in a first surface of the substrate and light is received from a second surface, and having: a light receiving unit formed in the substrate and for generating a signal charge corresponding to an amount of incidence light and storing it; a transparent first insulation film formed on the second surface; and a transparent second insulation film formed on the first insulation film and for retaining a charge having the same polarity as the signal charge in an interface of the first insulation film or in inside, thicknesses of the first and second insulation film being determined to obtain a transmittance higher than when using only the first insulation film. |
| US07998772B2 |
Method to reduce leakage in a protection diode structure
A method for forming a protection diode utilizes processing operations and materials used in the formation of the CMOS integrated circuit device and provides a protection diode used in CMOS integrated circuit devices to direct charged particles to benign locations and prevent damage to the devices. The protection diode includes a well region of a first conductivity type formed in a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a heavily doped P-type impurity region disposed within the well region, a heavily doped N-type impurity region disposed within the well region and an STI structure interposed therebetween. A top surface of the STI structure extends above the surface. A silicide resistant block-out layer is formed over the STI structure and extends laterally beyond the STI structure, covering any counterdoped sections that may undesirably be formed in the substrate adjacent the STI structure during implantation operations. |
| US07998771B2 |
Manufacturing method of light emitting diode including current spreading layer
Provided is a method of manufacturing a light emitting diode using a nitride semiconductor, which including the steps of: forming n- and p-type current spreading layers using a hetero-junction structure; forming trenches by dry-etching the n- and p-type current spreading layers; forming an n-type metal electrode layer in the trench of the n-type current spreading layer; forming a p-type metal electrode layer in the trench of the p-type current spreading layer; and forming a transparent electrode layer on the p-type metal electrode layer, thereby improving current spreading characteristics as compared with the conventional method of manufacturing the light emitting diode, and enhancing operating characteristics of the light emitting diode. |
| US07998767B2 |
Method for manufacturing a facet extraction LED
A facet extraction LED improved in light extraction efficiency and a manufacturing method thereof. A substrate is provided. A light emitting part includes an n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer sequentially stacked on the substrate. A p-electrode and an n-electrode are connected to the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer, respectively. The p- and n-electrodes are formed on the same side of the LED. The light emitting part is structured as a ring. |
| US07998766B2 |
Semiconductor element and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor element and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor element are provided. A ridge waveguide type semiconductor integrated element includes: an electrode of an EA portion and an electrode of an LD portion which are arranged so as to be away from each other; a contact layer of the EA portion and a contact layer of the LD portion which are arranged so as to be away from each other and in each of which the electrode is formed on an upper surface and an edge of at least a part of the upper surface is set to the same electric potential as that of the electrode; a passivation film as an insulative concave/convex structure extending from an edge of one of the two contact layers to an edge of the other contact layer; and a polyimide resin for embedding the passivation film. |
| US07998764B2 |
Solid-state light emitting display and fabrication method thereof
A solid-state light emitting display and a fabrication method thereof are proposed. The light emitting display includes a metallic board formed with conductive circuits, and a plurality of luminous microcrystals disposed on a surface of the metallic board and electrically connected to the conductive circuits. The metallic board provides the features of lightness and thinness, and flexibility, and the luminous microcrystals are in the form of light emitting components, so as to improve the luminous efficiency of display and attain the effect of environmental protection and energy saving, thereby providing display technology with performance satisfactory for various display requirements. |
| US07998762B1 |
Method and system for large scale manufacture of thin film photovoltaic devices using multi-chamber configuration
A method for large scale manufacture of photovoltaic devices includes loading a substrate into a load lock station and transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a first process station. The method includes using a first physical deposition process in the first process station to cause formation of a first conductor layer overlying the surface region of the substrate. The method includes transferring the substrate to a second process station, and using a second physical deposition process in the second process station to cause formation of a second layer overlying the surface region of the substrate. The method further includes repeating the transferring and processing until all thin film materials of the photovoltaic devices are formed. In an embodiment, the invention also provides a method for large scale manufacture of photovoltaic devices including feed forward control. That is, the method includes in-situ monitoring of the physical, electrical, and optical properties of the thin films. These properties are used to determine and adjust process conditions for subsequent processes. |
| US07998760B2 |
Manufacture method for photovoltaic module including inspection and repair
After overlaying a conductive adhesive film and the wiring material on an electrode of a solar cell and temporarily fixing the wiring material to the solar cell by pressure bonding under first temperature/pressurizing condition, the quality of the temporarily fixed solar cell is inspected, a solar cell determined to be defective in the inspection step is removed and the defective solar cell is replaced with a non-defective solar cell. Then, the wiring material is temporarily fixed to the non-defective solar cell by pressure bonding the wiring material with the conductive adhesive film interposed therebetween, under the first temperature/pressurizing condition and the wiring materials are fixed to the solar cell by thermally setting the conductive adhesive film under second temperature condition to apply heat higher than the first temperature condition. |
| US07998754B2 |
In vitro method for the simultaneous detection and identification of antibiotics of different classes and corresponding diagnostic kit
The invention concerns a diagnostic kit for simultaneous assay of antibiotics of different classes. The kit contains a single reaction mixture containing at least one first labelled receptor, specific of recognition of β-lactams, a second labelled receptor, specifically and competitively identifying a tetracycline and a biotinylated nucleic acid fragment, an antisulfamide antibody and a labelled sulfamide analogue; and a recovery system in the form of a solid support comprising a nitrocellulose membrane whereon are fixed in three separate testing zones, respectively an antibiotic with β-lactam nucleus, an avidin and an antibody capable of specifically identifying the antisulfamide antibody, so that the labelling intensity detected on the recovery system at the three testing zones results independently from a competitive recognition of each antibiotic by its labelled receptor. |
| US07998751B2 |
Method and apparatus for aspirating and dispensing small liquid samples in an automated clinical analyzer
Providing the desired volume of a liquid within a biochemical analyzer by aspirating an excess slug of liquid from a container into a probe, ejecting a portion of the excess liquid, and then dispensing the desired volume of liquid into a container. |
| US07998748B2 |
Method of detecting an analyte using a test element with nanofibers
The invention concerns test elements, in particular diagnostic test elements, for determining the presence or concentration of biological, medical or biologically or medically effective substances including nucleic acids, proteins, viruses, microorganisms and cells, characterized in that these test elements contain nanofibers. |
| US07998744B2 |
Methods for determining dysregulation of methylation of brain expressed genes on the X chromosome to diagnose autism spectrum disorders
The discovery that alterations in methylation, which can cause one or more genes on the single X chromosome in males to be partially silenced or overexpressed, constitute a predisposition to autism spectrum disorders is generally disclosed herein. These alterations provide the rationale and basis for methods to diagnose autism spectrum disorders. |
| US07998740B2 |
Cytokine induction of selectin ligands on cells
Methods and compositions for treating cells with cytokines are provided herein. |
| US07998735B2 |
Vascularized tissue graft
Improved methods for tissue engineering including tissue transplantation, augmentation and regeneration are described. These methods utilize a support matrix in the generation of an anatomical construct that includes donor vascularized tissue. The support matrix may be devised such that it has size and shape adapted to simulate the dimensions of tissue to be transplanted, augmented and/or repaired. |
| US07998730B2 |
Method and apparatus for transferring growth media and infection fluids to a cell growth bag
A method and apparatus are provided for transferring growth media or infection fluids to a bioculture bag having Could Process fitting thereon in fluid communication with the inside of the bag. The media or fluid is placed in a flask. A cap is threaded onto the neck of the flask. The cap has a spout with an opening in a distal end of the spout and a vent hole in the cap. The spout has a tubular end in which the opening is formed, with an O-ring seal adjacent the distal end of the tubular end. The tubular end fits within the fitting and the seal forms a fluid tight seal with the fitting to allow fluid transfer to the bag in reduced time with reduced spillage. The cap is preferably used on a flask having shaped baffles in the bottom. The baffles are highest toward the centerline, and decline in height linearly toward the corners of the flask at an angle of about 9° to the horizontal. The flask is rotated about 80-180 RPM, and the baffles have leading and trailing sides in the direction of rotation that are inclined at about 32° relative to the vertical. A growth media is also provided to culture the cells in the flask. |
| US07998724B2 |
Removal of mercury from coal via a microbial pretreatment process
A process for the removal of mercury from coal prior to combustion is disclosed. The process is based on use of microorganisms to oxidize iron, sulfur and other species binding mercury within the coal, followed by volatilization of mercury by the microorganisms. The microorganisms are from a class of iron and/or sulfur oxidizing bacteria. The process involves contacting coal with the bacteria in a batch or continuous manner. The mercury is first solubilized from the coal, followed by microbial reduction to elemental mercury, which is stripped off by sparging gas and captured by a mercury recovery unit, giving mercury-free coal. The mercury can be recovered in pure form from the sorbents via additional processing. |
| US07998717B2 |
Mitigation of photodamage in analytical reactions
Compositions, devices, systems and methods for reducing and/or preventing photodamage of one or more reactants in illuminated analytical reactions by one or more of incorporating photodamage mitigating agents within the reaction mixture and/or interrogating different observation regions of the reaction mixture for a period that is less than a photodamage threshold period. |
| US07998714B2 |
Process for accelerated capture of carbon dioxide
The present invention generally relates to the removal of carbon dioxide from a gas stream, particularly a flue gas, hydrogen gas from a reformer, natural gas, or gas from a cement kiln. Immobilized enzymes for use in carbon capture and other systems are also disclosed. |
| US07998711B2 |
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. |
| US07998705B2 |
Increased dynamic binding capacity in ion exchange chromatography by addition of polyethylene glycol
The present invention generally relates to novel processes for protein purification in high salt solutions such as cell culture broth by increasing the dynamic binding capacity of a resin with the addition of polyethylene glycol. |
| US07998704B2 |
Methods for magnetic resonance imaging
In certain aspects the present invention provides methods and compositions related to contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. In certain variations, contrast agents provided herein are generated in situ via genetic instructions and become potent upon sequestering available metal atoms. Exemplary contrast agents include metal-binding proteins. |
| US07998703B2 |
Glyphosate-N-acetyltransferase (GAT) genes
Proteins are provided herein, including proteins capable of catalyzing the acetylation of glyphosate and other structurally related proteins. Also provided are polynucleotides capable of encoding these proteins, compositions that include one or more of these proteins and/or polynucleotides, recombinant cells and transgenic plants comprising these compounds, diversification methods involving the compounds, and methods of using the compounds. Some of the methods and compounds provided herein can be used to render an organism, such as a plant, resistant to glyphosate. |
| US07998698B2 |
Method for predicting susceptibility to radiation pneumonitis
Provided is a method for determining whether an individual is likely to be susceptible to radiation pneumonitis from radiation therapy and for developing a treatment based on the determination of susceptibility. The method involves measuring SOD and GPX activity levels. A high SOD or low GPX activity, or a combination thereof, is indicative that the individual is likely to be susceptible to radiation pneumonitis. |
| US07998693B2 |
Gene specific to cancer and diagnosis kit using the same
The present invention provides a new additional identification of a gene related to cancer expression and a diagnostic kit using the same. |
| US07998692B2 |
Agonists of bitter taste receptors and uses thereof
The present invention relates to agonists of the human bitter-taste receptor hTAS2R7 and its role in bitter taste transduction. The invention also relates to assays for screening molecules that modulate, e.g. suppress or block hTAS2R7 bitter taste transduction or bitter taste response. |
| US07998689B2 |
Detection of CXADR protein for diagnosis of kidney cancer
The present invention provides a method for diagnosing and detecting diseases associated with kidney. The present invention provides one or more proteins or fragments thereof, peptides or nucleic acid molecules differentially expressed in kidney diseases (KCAT) and antibodies binds to KCATs. The present invention provides that KCATs are used as targets for screening agents that modulates the KCAT activities. Further the present invention provides methods for treating diseases associated with kidney. |
| US07998684B2 |
Screening method for an agent for treatment of neurodegenerative disease
A compound that promotes the ubiquitination of a protein comprising the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3 or a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, or a salt thereof, a compound that promotes the degradation, by proteasome, of the protein or a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof, or a salt thereof, and the like can be used as, for example, prophylactic/therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative disease. Also, a protein comprising the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:1, SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3 or a partial peptide thereof or a salt thereof and the like are useful for screening for a compound having prophylactic/therapeutic action on neurodegenerative disease and the like or a salt thereof. |
| US07998680B2 |
Determining genotype of a polymorphic site in the hereditary hemochromatosis gene
The invention relates generally to the gene, and mutations thereto, that are responsible for the disease hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). More particularly, the invention relates to the identification, isolation, and cloning of the DNA sequence corresponding to the normal and mutant HH genes, as well as the characterization of their transcripts and gene products. The invention also related to methods and the like for screening for HH homozygotes and further relates to HH diagnosis, prenatal screening and diagnosis, and therapies of HH disease, including gene therapeutics, protein and antibody based therapeutics, and small molecule therapeutics. |
| US07998678B2 |
Methods for the detection of lung cancer
Probe sets and methods of using probes and probe sets for the detection of cancer are described. Methods for detecting cancer that include hybridizing a set of chromosomal probes to a biological sample obtained from a patient, and identifying if cancer cells are present the sample. Also included are methods of selecting a combination of probes for the detection of cancer. |
| US07998675B2 |
Probe, probe set, probe carrier, and testing method for detecting DNA of Arthroderma incurvatum
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 2 and mutated sequences thereof. |
| US07998674B2 |
Gene expression profiling for identification of prognostic subclasses in nasopharyngeal carcinomas
mRNA transcript profiling can be used to formulate molecular predictors of distant metastasis for primary NPCs. The predicted results are highly correlated with short metastasis-free and overall survival. Predictions are made using 52-genes based and 12-genes based predictors. |
| US07998673B2 |
Hybridisation beacon and method of rapid sequence detection and discrimination
A method for detecting specific DNA sequences and discriminating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probes is disclosed. Oligonucleotide probes are labelled with reporter molecules preferentially attached to an internal nucleotide residue. The fluorescence emission of oligonucleotide probes varies significantly when in single-stranded and double-stranded states despite the absence of quencher moieties, allowing reliable detection of complementary DNA targets. The melting temperature of probe/target duplexes permits discrimination of targets that differ by as little as a single nucleotide residue, such that polymorphic targets may be discriminated by fluorescence quantitation and Tm. The hybridisation probes of this invention have been demonstrated to accurately identify homozygous and heterozygous samples using a single fluorescent oligonucleotide and direct investigation of saliva with hybridisation probes permits ultra-rapid genotypic analysis within 35-40 minutes. Target detection and SNP discrimination assays have been achieved in homogeneous, heterogeneous, ‘real-time’ and solid-phase formats. |
| US07998672B2 |
Simultaneous amplification and detection of ribonucleic acid be an optical method using surface plasmon resonance
Methods of performing PCR are provided. Methods may include using an optical source to provide heating for thermocyling the PCR reaction. Methods may include using surface plasmon resonance and/or fluorescence resonance enhanced transfer to allow real-time monitoring of a PCR reaction. Methods may include immobilizing a template, primer, or polymerase on a surface such as a gold or other surface plasmon resonance active surface. |
| US07998671B2 |
Methods of detecting prostate cancer using BAP28-related biallelic markers
The present invention is directed to BAP28 polypeptides. BAP28 cDNA sequences encoding BAP28 polypeptides, to the genomic DNA sequence of the BAP28 gene as well as to regulatory regions located at the 5′- and 3′-ends of the BAP28 coding region. The invention also deals with antibodies directed specifically against such polypeptides that are useful as diagnostic reagents. The invention further encompasses biallelic markers of the BAP28 gene useful in genetic analysis. The invention concerns an association of the BAP28-related biallelic markers with prostate cancer. Therefore, the invention contemplates the diagnostic and treatment methods of prostate cancer. |
| US07998669B2 |
Automated contamination-free seed sampler and methods of sampling, testing and bulking seeds
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides an automated seed sampler system that includes a milling station for removing at least a portion of seed coat material from a seed and a sampling station for extracting a sample of seed material from the seed where the seed coat has been removed. A seed transport subsystem conveys the seed between the milling station and the sampling station and a seed deposit subsystem conveys the seed from the seed transport subsystem to a selected well in a seed tray after the seed has been sampled. |
| US07998668B2 |
Neisseria gonorrhoeae detection
A method for determining whether a human individual is or has been infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is provided. The method detects a Neisseria gonorrhoeae, porA nucleic acid fragment obtained from a biological sample. The method includes subjecting the biological sample to nucleic acid sequence amplification using primers having respective nucleotide sequences according to SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2, to thereby produce a porA Neisseria gonorrhoeae, amplification product. The amplification product is detected by fluorescence resonance energy transfer using oligonucleotides having respective nucleotide sequences according to SEQ ID NO:3 which has a donor fluorophore and SEQ ID NO:4, which has an acceptor fluorophore. |
| US07998667B1 |
Mutations of the parkin gene, compositions, methods and uses
The invention concerns nucleic acids coding for mutated or truncated forms of the human parkin gene, or forms comprising multiplication of exons, and the corresponding proteins and antibodies. The invention also concerns methods and kits for identifying mutations of the parkin gene, and for studying compounds for therapeutic purposes. |
| US07998666B2 |
Analyte test system for determining the concentration of an analyte in a physiological or aqueous fluid
An analyte test element for determining the concentration of at least one analyte in a physiological sample fluid having a first and a second surface in a predetermined distance opposite from each other, said both surfaces are provided with two substantially equivalent patterns forming areas of high and low surface energy which are aligned mostly congruent, whereby the areas with high surface energy create a sample distribution system with at least two detection areas, characterized in that the detection areas of first and second surface are also provided with two corresponding patterns of working and reference electrodes of electrochemical detection means. |
| US07998659B2 |
Photosensitive laminated original printing plate for letterpress printing and process for producing letterpress printing plate using the photosensitive laminated original printing plate
A photosensitive laminated original printing plate for letterpress printing that does not contaminate developers, being capable of suppressing a cost increase due to developer replacement and is of high quality; and a process for producing a letterpress printing plate using the photosensitive laminated original printing plate for letterpress printing. There is provided a photosensitive laminated original printing plate for letterpress printing, comprising a support and, at least sequentially superimposed thereon, a photosensitive resin layer which is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and is developable with water or a mixture of water and alcohol and a mask material layer which contains at least a nonultraviolet-absorbing organic dye and ultraviolet-absorbing organic dye and a binder soluble or dispersible in water or a mixture of water and alcohol and is removable by means of water or a mixture of water and alcohol, wherein the nonultraviolet-absorbing and ultraviolet-absorbing materials are of compositions having compatibility with the binder. |
| US07998658B2 |
Pattern forming method
A first resist film is formed on a substrate, and first pattern exposure is performed such that the first resist film is irradiated with exposure light through a first mask. Then, the first resist film is developed, thereby forming a first resist pattern out of the first resist film. Subsequently, a nano-carbon material is attached to the surface of the first resist pattern, and then a second resist film is formed on the substrate including the first resist pattern. Thereafter, second pattern exposure is performed such that the second resist film is irradiated with exposure light through a second mask. Then, the second resist film is developed, thereby forming a second resist pattern out of the second resist film. |
| US07998647B2 |
Electrostatic image developing toner, electrostatic image developer, image forming method, image forming apparatus and printed matter
An electrostatic image developing toner comprising an amide ester represented by formula (1): wherein R1CO— and R2CO— each independently represents a saturated or unsaturated acyl group having a carbon number of 16 to 24, which may have a hydroxyl group; R3 represents a linear or branched alkyl group having a carbon number of 1 to 3; and R4 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having a carbon number of 1 to 6 or a linear or branched alkenylene group having a carbon number of 2 to 6. |
| US07998646B2 |
Low friction electrostatographic imaging member
Present embodiments pertain to an improved electrostatographic imaging member having low contact friction surfaces to ease sliding mechanical interaction and suppressing abrasion/wear failure and methods of preparing thereof. The improved imaging member has layers comprising one or two low surface energy polymeric materials that enhance the physical and mechanical functions and reduce the layers surface contact friction of the imaging member to extend service life. |
| US07998645B2 |
Method for finishing surface of preliminary polished glass substrate
A glass substrate obtained by a method including measuring flatness of a glass substrate surface and measuring concentration distribution of dopant in the substrate. Processing conditions of the surface are set up for each site of the substrate based on results from the measuring the flatness and the measuring the distribution, and the finishing is carried out while keeping an angle formed by normal line of the substrate and incident beam onto the surface at from 30 to 89°. The surface is subjected to second finishing for improving an RMS in a high spatial frequency region. The surface after the second finishing satisfies the requirements: an RMS slope in the region that 5 μm<λ(spatial wavelength)<1 mm is not more than 0.5 mRad and an RMS slope in the region that 250 nm<λ(spatial wavelength)<5 μm is not more than 0.6 mRad. |
| US07998637B2 |
Liquid fuel cell with a planer electrolyte layer
A liquid fuel cell comprising a plurality of unit fuel cells each having a positive electrode (8) for reducing oxygen, a negative electrode (9) for oxidizing liquid fuel, and an electrolyte layer (10) interposed between the positive electrode (8) and the negative electrode (9), and a section (3) for storing liquid fuel (4), wherein power can be generated stably while reducing the size by arranging the plurality of unit fuel cells on the substantially same plane. Each electrolyte layer of the unit fuel cell preferably constitutes a continuous integrated electrolyte layer. |
| US07998635B2 |
Fuel cell structure for gas supply
A conductive and tabular separator is inserted into the gap between the fuel electrode layer of an i-th power generating cell and the oxidizer electrode layer of an (i+1)-th power generating cell adjacent to the fuel electrode layer. A fuel supply passage is so formed on one face of each of these separators that a fuel gas flows radially from almost the center of the fuel electrode layer to its edge. An oxidizer supply passage is so formed on the other face that an oxidizer gas outgoes almost uniformly in a shower toward the oxidizer polar layer. Thus, all of the surfaces of the power generating cells contribute to power generation to increase the frequency of collision between the fuel gas and the fuel electrode layer and that between the oxidizer gas and the oxidizer electrode layer, and to improve the generation efficiency. |
| US07998624B2 |
Biological fuel cell and methods
A fuel cell has an anode and a cathode with anode enzyme disposed on the anode and cathode enzyme is disposed on the cathode. The anode is configured and arranged to electrooxidize an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme. Likewise, the cathode is configured and arranged to electroreduce a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme. In addition, anode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the anode to transduce a current between the anode and the anode enzyme and cathode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the cathode to transduce a current between the cathode and the cathode enzyme. |
| US07998621B2 |
Collector, battery electrode substrate, and methods for producing the same
A battery electrode substrate includes a metallic porous body. The metallic porous body has a structure in which a surface of a plastic fiber in a woven or unwoven fabric is coated with a nickel film. The nickel film coats the surface with an average coverage ratio of not less than 85%. |
| US07998611B2 |
Battery module and production method thereof
A first row of batteries and a second row of batteries both consisting of the same number of cylindrical batteries (2) arranged in parallel are held at both axial ends using holder frames (3). The holder frame (3) is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped by detachably coupling together an inner frame (4) and two outer frames (7, 8). On both lateral sides of the inner frame (4) and on the sides of the two outer frames (7, 8) opposite the inner frame (4) are provided the same number of holding parts (4a, 7b, 8b) as the rows of batteries, the holding parts being semi-circular cut-outs in which halves of the cylindrical batteries (2) can fit. Each two adjacent cylindrical batteries (2) are electrically interconnected via inter-battery connection plates (9). |
| US07998609B2 |
Secondary cell replacing method
In a pre-replacement process, a replacement battery module is provided with a memory effect before being dispatched, by performing at least one of the process of performing a cyclic charge/discharge operation on the replacement battery module while limiting the width of SOC change to an intermediate range, and the process of setting an initial SOC and then letting the replacement battery module stand for a predetermined time in an environment of temperature above normal temperature. This pre-replacement process substantially eliminates the difference between the voltage characteristic of the replacement battery module yet to be used and the voltage characteristic of a battery module having a history of use, thereby achieving a uniform voltage characteristic of a battery pack as a whole. |
| US07998604B2 |
Article having composite layer
A composite article includes a substrate and a layer attached to the substrate. The layer includes a metal phase, a first ceramic phase, and a second ceramic phase. |
| US07998601B2 |
Sandwich thermal insulation layer system and method for production
A method produces thermal barrier coatings that adhere to components even at high temperatures and temperatures that change frequently. A gas-tight glass-metal composite coating is applied to the component and annealed. The corroded part of the gas-tight coating is then removed, and a second, porous coating is applied. The second coating can comprise a ceramic, in particular yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide. A thermal barrier coating is provided that is a composite made of a gas-tight glass-metal composite coating and another porous coating disposed thereover. Because the boundary volume of the composite coating is partly crystallized to the other coating, superior adhesion within the composite is achieved. Thus, it is in particular possible to produce a composite made of silicate glass-metal composite coatings and yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide that are temperature-stable for extended periods of time. Such a composite is particularly advantageous for use as a thermal barrier coating because it combines good protection against oxidation with low heat conductivity and susceptibility to aging. |
| US07998600B2 |
Dry composition, its use, layer system and coating process
Coating processes are often only intended to be applied locally. At the same time, local coating processes cannot always be used, so that frequently masking has to be used. A protective layer contains a binder and titanium oxide and can be used as a diffusion barrier, so that, in a coating process, the coating material is only applied locally. The binder is converted into carbon before the coating. |
| US07998596B2 |
Aromatic amine derivative and organic electroluminescence device using the same
Provided are an organic electroluminescent device including an aromatic amine derivative formed of a specific structure having a thiophene structure and an organic thin film layer interposed between a cathode and an anode and formed of one layer or a plurality of layers including at least a light emitting layer, in which at least one layer of the organic thin film contains the aromatic amine derivative alone or as a component of a mixture, the organic electroluminescent device in which molecules hardly crystallize, and which decreases a driving voltage, can be produced with improved yields upon the production of the organic electroluminescent device, and has a long lifetime, and an aromatic amine derivative realizing the organic electroluminescent device. |
| US07998595B2 |
Organic electroluminescent device, luminescent material and organic compound
In an organic EL device, a hole injection electrode is formed on a glass substrate, and a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer and a luminescent layer are formed in turn on the hole injection electrode. An electron injection electrode is formed on the luminescent layer. The luminescent layer includes an organic iridium compound composed of a combination of a quinoline derivative and iridium. This organic iridium compound can emit red-orange light via a triplet excited state. |
| US07998592B2 |
Recording paper used for an electrophotographic system and image recording method
A recording paper used for an electrophotographic system is provided, wherein, in a gas chromatograph generated using a headspace method by holding two pieces of the paper of dimensions about 1 cm×about 1 cm at about 120° C. for about 3 minutes, the quantity of aldehyde compounds generated having a straight-chain alkyl chain of about 5 to about 20 carbon atoms is equivalent to a peak surface area ratio of no more than about 65% and a peak surface area of no more than about 40,000. |
| US07998589B2 |
Article having a wear-resistant coating and process for producing the same
An article, as well as the process of producing the article, wherein the article is produced by a process that includes the steps of providing a substrate; applying a viscous coating that contains a ferromagnetic or paramagnetic component to at least a selected portion of the substrate; causing the selected portion of the substrate to be under the influence of a magnetic field; and transforming the viscous coating so as to form a wear-resistant coating on the substrate. |
| US07998586B2 |
Undercoating layers providing improved topcoat functionality
A coated article includes a substrate and a first coating formed over at least a portion of the substrate. The first coating includes a mixture of oxides including oxides of at least two of P, Si, Ti, Al and Zr. A functional coating is formed over at least a portion of the first coating. In one embodiment, the functional coating includes fluorine doped tin oxide. In another embodiment, the functional coating includes titania. |
| US07998580B2 |
Wood particle mixture for a wood-plastic composite material and method for producing the wood particle mixture
A wood particle mixture is described especially made from raw wood for an extruded or injection-molded wood-plastic composite material, especially manufactured from wood-plastic compound, which significantly improve the strength properties in a wood plastic composite material. Each wood particle has certain dimensions and certain shaping. |
| US07998572B2 |
Self-lubricating coatings
A self-lubricating coating is disclosed. The coating includes a base material. The coating also includes a nanoparticle of a first material and a shell substantially surrounding the nanoparticle and including a second material different than the first material. |
| US07998567B2 |
Coating liquid for formation of protective film for semiconductor processing and method for preparation of the same
Disclosed is a coating liquid for forming a protective film having high film strength and a low specific dielectric constant for semiconductor processing, and a method for preparing the coating liquid. The coating liquid is a liquid composition comprising (a) silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing tetraalkyl orthosilicate (TAOS) and alkoxysilane (AS) in the presence of tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide (TAAOH) and water, or a silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing or partially hydrolyzing tetraalkyl orthosilicate (TAOS) in the presence of tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxide (TAAOH) and water, mixing the hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed product with alkoxysilane (AS) or a hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed product thereof, and hydrolyzing all or a portion of the mixture, (b) an organic solvent, and (c) water. The coating liquid is characterized in that a quantity of water contained in the liquid composition is in the range from 35 to 65% by weight. |
| US07998566B2 |
Artificial snow and artificial ski areas
The present invention is an artificial snow and an artificial ski area. The artificial snow is composed of a solid lubricant compound and resin grains, wherein the components of said solid lubricant compound include: 40-50 parts by weight paraffin and 15-25 parts by weight polyethylene ester or polypropylene ester or polyurethane grains and 15-30 parts by weight talcum powder. The artificial ski area includes an artificial snow layer formed from artificial snow and a fiber layer. The artificial snow layer is laid on top of the fiber layer. The above-described artificial snow and artificial ski area is not subject to temperature and seasonal restrictions. It does not require water or cooling agents. It is inexpensive to manufacture and is low cost. It can be designed and built according to actual needs to meet the needs of different groups of people. |
| US07998564B2 |
Concrete curing blankets that promote even concrete curing
A concrete curing blanket includes a layer of absorbent material and a layer of impervious material bonded to the absorbent material layer in face-to-face relationship at intermittent locations such that the impervious material layer between the intermittent locations can lift away from the layer of absorbent material in response to air bubbles rising through the layer of absorbent material. The intermittent bonding locations may take the form of a pattern or may have a random occurrence. The absorbent layer of material is a hydrophilic nonwoven fabric and the impervious material layer is a film. |
| US07998563B2 |
Protective film for polarizing plate
A protective film for polarizing plate comprising k layers (k is an integer of 2 or more) of thermoplastic resin layer laminated, wherein a refractive index ni(380) at a wavelength of 380 nm and a refractive index ni(780) at a wavelength of 780 nm in the i th thermoplastic resin layer as well as a refractive index ni+1(380) at a wavelength of 380 nm and a refractive index ni+1(780) at a wavelength of 780 nm in the i+1 th thermoplastic resin layer have a relationship in ∥ni(380)−ni+1(380)|−|ni(780)−ni+1(780)∥≦0.02 (where, i is an integer of 1 to k−1). A polarizing plate is obtained by bonding the protective film for the polarizing plate and a polarizer. And a liquid crystal display comprising the polarizing plate and a liquid crystal panel. |
| US07998562B2 |
Photocatalyst sheet and method of producing same
The present invention provides a new photocatalyst sheet in which the substrates coated with fluorocarbon resin are readily weldable mutually, and also of the high antifouling and water-repellant property by coating the outermost surface of film/fabric structure with fluorocarbon resin containing a photocatalyst and a photocatalyst sheet comprises a substrate (2), a first fluorocarbon resin layer (3) coated on said substrate (2), a second fluorocarbon resin layer (4) coated on said first fluorocarbon resin layer (3), and a third fluorocarbon resin layer (5) containing photocatalyst coated on said second fluorocarbon resin layer (4). The melting point of the first fluorocarbon resin layer (3) may be higher than the melting points of the second and the third fluorocarbon resin layers (4), (5). |
| US07998560B2 |
Multilayer ceramic substrate, method for producing same, and electronic component
A multilayer ceramic substrate includes an inner layer portion and surface portions that sandwich the inner layer portion in the stacking direction and have an increased transverse strength because of the surface layer portion having a thermal expansion coefficient less than that of the inner layer portion. At least one of the surface portions covers peripheries of main-surface conductive films arranged on a main surface of an inner portion so as to leave central portions of the main-surface conductive films exposed, so that the main-surface conductive films function as via conductors, thereby eliminating the need to provide a via conductor in the surface portions. |
| US07998556B2 |
Element structure and method for producing the same
An element structure has a polyimide resin applied on a surface of a first substrate to a uniform thickness, and is subsequently heated to form a semi-cured polyimide layer. The polyimide layer is then cured to form a cured first polyimide layer. A polyimide resin is applied on a surface of a second substrate to a uniform thickness, and is subsequently heated to form a semi-cured polyimide layer. The polyimide layer is then cured to form a cured second polyimide layer. The cured first and second polyimide layers are pressed on each other and heated to a bonding temperature, thereby joining the polyimide layers together. Thus, the first substrate and the second substrate are combined with the polyimide layer being the bonded structure of the polyimide layers therebetween. |
| US07998554B2 |
Hydrophobic surfaces with nanoparticles
Hydrophobic surfaces with water contact angles greater than 120 degrees are created by the deposition of nano-particles. A process for the synthesis of suitable nano-particles is described as well as a process for the deposition of the particles. |
| US07998553B2 |
Copper-clad laminate
A copper-clad laminate is composed of a copper foil and an aromatic polyimide film placed thereon, in which the copper foil is bonded to the polyimide film at a bonding strength of ≧500 N/m and the polyimide film shows a light transmittance of ≧40% for a light of wavelength of 600 nm and a haze of ≧30% [the light transmittance and haze are values measured after the copper foil is removed by etching]. |
| US07998552B2 |
Dicing/die bonding film
A dicing die-bonding film in which the adhesive properties during the dicing step and the peeling properties during the pickup step are controlled so that both become good, and a production method thereof, are provided. The dicing die-bonding film in the present invention is a dicing die-bonding film having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on a base material and a die bond layer on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, in which the arithmetic mean roughness X (μm) on the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer side in the die bond layer is 0.015 μm to 1 μm, the arithmetic mean roughness Y (μm) on the die bond layer side in the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is 0.03 μm to 1 μm, and the absolute value of the difference of the X and Y is 0.015 or more. |
| US07998551B2 |
Unitary molded, shaped and sized protective edge made of elastomeric material
An elastomeric plastic material is molded by known methods to provide a formed, sized, shaped and self-contained, generally unitary, protective member for correspondingly shaped and sized unfinished, raw and the like edge of furniture or other devices which require protection or coverage, such that the protective member, because of its elastomeric characteristics, can be fitted or snapped into assembled position about such unprotected or unfinished edge and then easily fixed into assembled position, by conventional stapling using associated spaced flanges thereon, saving costs of material and labor. In the molding, additional modifications can be added such as a hand grip to facilitate movement of the furniture. The plastic protective member can be molded with a central cavity having an opening into which colored and non-colored fillers and/or braided rope can be inserted. |
| US07998550B2 |
Stitchless on-site binding application method
On-site binding for carpets and the like wherein a covered welting material is provided with a strip with adhesive on both sides. One side is covered with peel-off wax paper which is removed to adhere the welting material flush against the edge of the carpet's pile. The adhesive underside of the paper has an extension of the welting material adhered thereto. A thermal plastic glue is applied between the carpet pile and welting material whereby the welting material binding is secured the carpet by the underlying strip (with adhesive on both sides) and the thermal plastic bead. |
| US07998547B2 |
Magnesium oxide-based construction board
A construction board is formed from a composition comprising one or more of the following ingredients: magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, a binding agent (e.g., perlite), wood shavings, recycled board scraps, and water. The construction board further includes fiberglass and polyester paper sheets on opposite sides of the construction board. A method of fabricating the construction board is also disclosed to include mixing magnesium chloride with water to form a solution, mixing the solution with magnesium oxide, perlite and a binding agent to form a paste, and pouring the paste onto a mold to form a construction board. The paste is poured onto a mold which is then passed through a series of rollers to spread out the paste evenly across the mold and to form the paste into the desired thickness. The resulting construction board is fire and water resistant and much more durable than conventional sheetrock. |
| US07998546B2 |
Wirelessly powered flexible tag
A wirelessly powered flexible tag configured to be in contact with a substrate is provided. The tag includes a coupling layer configured to couple the tag to the substrate. An electrical circuit disposed on the coupling layer and configured to interact wirelessly with an external stimulus. The tag further includes at least one electrode or at least one heating element in operative association with the electrical circuit, and configured to generate electrical energy or thermal energy, respectively. Upon wireless interaction with the external stimulus the tag is configured to induce an electrical response, a thermal response, or a combination of both in the substrate. |
| US07998545B2 |
Polylactic acid shrink films and methods of casting same
A heat-shrinkable polylactic acid (PLA) film and a method of its manufacture are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the PLA films exhibit heat-induced shrinkage in the transverse direction with little to no concomitant shrinkage in the machine direction. The films may comprise any grade of PLA polymer, optionally including additives, such as antiblock, slip, plasticizers, viscosity enhancers and combinations thereof. A method of cast and tenner manufacture is disclosed, which includes a temperature conditioning step. |
| US07998544B2 |
Decorative casing and manufacturing method thereof
A decorative casing including a base material having a surface that includes at least one uneven region and a multilayer film having a plurality of thin films laminated together alternately of different refractive indexes from each other, which is adhered to the surface of the base material. The multilayer film includes at least one first region and at least one second region, wherein each thin film of said multilayer film in the first region has only smooth surfaces and one or more of the plurality of thin films of said multilayer film in the second region have uneven surfaces that each correspond positionally to the at least one uneven region of the surface of the base material. The multilayer film generates interference color in the first region. |
| US07998542B2 |
Composition, retardation plate, liquid-crystal display device, and method for producing retardation plate
A composition comprising at least one liquid-crystal compound and a polymer having at least one group of the following formula: wherein Mp represents a trivalent linking group; L represents a single bond, or a divalent linking group; X represents a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic linking group; Y represents a single bond, or a divalent linking group; Z represents a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic group; n is 1 to 10. |