| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08023564B2 |
System and method for providing data starting from start codes aligned with byte boundaries in multiple byte words
Described here are systems and methods for providing data starting from start codes aligned with byte boundaries in multiple byte words. A start code is written starting at a byte in a middle portion of a data word in a memory. An address associated with the byte is written in a table. Data is fetched from the memory starting from the byte. |
| US08023561B1 |
Predictive interpolation of a video signal
A method of enhancing picture quality of a video signal is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of generating a interpolated base frame image; receiving a first previously decoded difference picture; receiving a second previously decoded difference picture; generating a combined motion compensated difference surface; and generating a temporally interpolated enhanced picture based upon the interpolated base frame image and the combined motion compensated difference surface. A circuit for enhancing picture quality of a video signal is also disclosed. The circuit comprising a base decoder generating a base image of a standard definition picture; a temporal predictive interpolator coupled to the base decoder and generating an interpolated block; and a summing circuit coupled to the temporal predictive interpolated. The summing circuit preferably adds the interpolated block and a difference block. |
| US08023557B2 |
Hardware synchronizer for 802.15.4 radio to minimize processing power consumption
A method is disclosed for controlling the operation of a low power radio platform that realizes the physical layer (PHY) with a software portion and an analog front end, the analog front end disposed between the DSP and an antenna, and realizes the MAC layer with a microcontroller unit (MCU). The DSP, analog front end and MCU are maintained in a low power mode of operation when not in data communication. When data communication is initiated, a hardware controller controls at least one hardware interface disposed between the DSP and the analog front end to initiate multiple time based tasks to transfer data to and from a buffer. During the execution of these tasks, the controller causes a task in the DSP to be initiated for processing of data in the buffers and, upon completion of at least one of the tasks, notifying the MCU of such. The controller controls the hardware interface to terminate operation when predetermined time based events have occurred. The MCU in at least one mode of operation thereof is operable to initiate the operation of the hardware controller and then convert to a low power mode of operation to await notification. |
| US08023548B2 |
Diode lasers type of devices with good coupling between field distribution and gain
Diode lasers type of devices with good coupling between field distribution and gain are disclosed. A single element has a flat field distribution that couples with the uniform current injection in a contact region. A multi element array having almost flat field distribution in each element and almost equal amplitude for the field intensity in all elements is provided. Injection by multiple contacts couples well with the overall field distribution. Also, the lasers are stable against filament formation and mode switching. |
| US08023539B2 |
Method for driving surface emitting semiconductor laser, optical transmission module, and handheld electronic device
Provided is a method for driving a surface emitting semiconductor laser including an active region that generates light, a resonator structure disposed such that it sandwiches the active region, and a driving electrode that provides power to the active region. The surface emitting semiconductor laser has an internal resistance defined by voltage and current applied to the driving electrode. The method includes applying a modulation signal to the driving electrode, in which the modulation signal has a current amplitude defined by a first current value and a second current value that is greater than the first current value. The modulation signal is in a negative gradient region in which the internal resistance decreases in contrast to the increase of the current. |
| US08023537B2 |
Optical pulse train generator
An optical pulse train generator 10 includes beat light generation means 11 for generating a beat light 21 having a predetermined repeated frequency, a highly nonlinear fiber 12 for generating a pulse train 22 formed by adding a side mode to the beat light 21 by a four-wave mixing (FWM), and a band pass filter (BPF) 13 for adjusting a power balance of the side mode of the pulse train 22 so as to shape the frequency spectrum. |
| US08023535B2 |
Broadcasting signal receiver and method for transmitting/receiving broadcasting signal
A broadcasting signal receiver and a method for transmitting/receiving a broadcasting signal are disclosed. An identifier of a cell is configured in second program table information or signaling information of the broadcasting signal. If the cell is changed, channel information of the changed cell can be obtained from second program table information in which transmission channel information of each cell for a broadcasting program is configured. Accordingly, the broadcasting signal receiver can continuously output the program although the cell is changed. |
| US08023533B2 |
Data communication system, data transmitting apparatus, data transmitting method, and method for determining packet size and redundancy
A data communication system includes a data transmitting apparatus and a data receiving apparatus. The data transmitting apparatus includes a packetizing section that generates data packets, an encoding section that performs redundant encoding on the data packets in predetermined time units and generates encoded blocks, a data transmitting section that transmits each encoded block to the data receiving apparatus, a data-size acquiring section that acquires a data size of transmission data in each predetermined time unit, and a packet-size determining section that, on the basis of the acquired data size, in each predetermined time unit, determines a packet size of each data packet. The data receiving apparatus includes a data receiving section that acquires data packets of the transmission data by receiving each encoded block transmitted, and a depacketizing section that analyzes the data packets of the acquired transmission data and reconfigures the transmission data. |
| US08023527B2 |
Method and apparatus for adjusting timeslot fragments of multiple links
A method and apparatus for adjusting timeslot fragments of multiple links in an Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON). The method includes the steps of: obtaining link information of multiple links necessary for timeslot fragment adjustment, calculating adjusted link information of each link according to the link information, and adjusting a timeslot allocation of each link according to the adjusted link information. |
| US08023525B2 |
Broadcasting receiver and broadcast signal processing method
A digital broadcasting system which is robust against an error when mobile service data is transmitted and a method of processing data are disclosed. The mobile service data is subjected to an additional coding process and the coded mobile service data is transmitted. Accordingly, it is possible to cope with a serious channel variation while applying robustness to the mobile service data. |
| US08023524B2 |
Cooperative relay system enabling simultaneous broadcast-unicast operation with efficient automatic repeat request functionality
A wireless node, such as a relay node, has different operating modes for unicast and broadcast/multicast subchannels. For unicast services the phase offsets of those relay nodes engaged in a cooperative transmission are optimized for the subchannels used for unicast services. Alternatively, when no feedback is available and an open loop MIMO or MIMO-type scheme is in use, retransmissions are performed in such a way that a destination (e.g., user terminal) receives effectively a distributed space-time block code. For the broadcast/multicast services time varying random phase offsets may be employed for the subchannels used for broadcast services. For reliable high data rate broadcast transmissions a cooperative retransmission scheme that effectively forms distributed space-time block codes may be used. |
| US08023518B2 |
Efficient path setup in a provider backbone bridge network
In a provider backbone—traffic engineering network, a method and a bridge node are provided for setting up path between edge bridges connected to customer premises. A first edge bridge advertises towards peer edge bridges a tuple comprising a port identity and a layer two address. When it needs to set up a path towards the first edge bridge, one of the peer edge bridges uses information in the tuple to compute a path label. |
| US08023512B2 |
Communication device
A communication device includes a receiving unit, a setting storage unit that stores information to represent a source address of a packet to be discarded, a discard determination unit that determines whether a packet received by the receiving unit should be discarded based on the information stored in the setting storage unit, a transmission control unit that discards a packet determined to be discarded and transmits downstream a packet determined not to be discarded, a report unit that reports information on discarding of a packet to a predetermined report destination when the packet is to be discarded, a report history storage unit that stores the source address of the packet as a cause of report when the report unit reports the information, and a report necessity determination unit that determines whether information on discarding of a packet needs to be reported. |
| US08023510B2 |
Method of managing group of dynamic multicast efficiently
The present invention relates to a method of efficiently managing dynamic multicast groups. In the method of efficiently managing dynamic multicast groups a hierarchical structure is used as a network structure for a multicast service. Accordingly, there are advantages in that groups can be merged or divided efficiently and overload depending on group management can be reduced. |
| US08023503B2 |
Multi-homing based mobile internet
In one embodiment, a method of providing mobile internet comprises receiving a down-link packet having a endpoint identity protocol element (EIP), the EIP comprising a global locator associated with a provider network, a first local locator set to a predetermined value, and an endpoint identifier associated with a mobile host; querying the provider network to obtain a second local locator value associated with the mobile host, the second local locator indicates the location of a first radio router with which the mobile host had previously exchange authentication; overwriting the first local locator portion of the EIP with the second local locator; and routing the down-link packet towards the mobile host using the second local locator. |
| US08023502B2 |
Load testing for IP PBX systems
A method of load testing an IP PBX. The IP PBX is connected to a LAN, to which a registration simulator is also connected. The registration simulator is used to load the IP PBX with registrations. Actual phone calls are then made on the LAN, to determine whether the loading has adversely affected performance of the IP PBX. In this manner, the maximum CPU capacity of the IP PBX can be determined. |
| US08023499B2 |
Communication network control system, communication terminal, and communication network control method
To guarantee continuation of communications of the level of the applications, and implement smooth and seamless switching between communication terminals that execute the service.Provided are mobility management means (120) for performing call control and the like, service management means (130) for managing a session while controlling a start, suspension, resuming and releasing of session connection, and exerted are a function of receiving a switching request signal from the communication terminal of a switching source, and instructing the mobility management means (120) to perform call connection to the communication terminal of a switching destination that does not perform communications, another function of notifying the communication terminal of the switching destination of state information of the session executed between a communicating-apparatus communication terminal and the communication terminal of the switching source, and still another function of establishing new session connection between the communication terminal of the switching destination and the communicating-apparatus communication terminal. |
| US08023493B2 |
Mobile terminal, control apparatus, home agent and packet communications method
In a packet communications system, a control apparatus implements routing control of a received packet directed for the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal includes a plurality of network interface cards; a communication manager configured to select at least one network interface card among from the plurality of network interface cards, in accordance with information regarding the network interface card; and an upper layer manager configured to receive the packet transmitted from the control apparatus, with using a selected network interface card. |
| US08023492B2 |
System and method for allocating an anchoring point for a mobile terminal
A mobile terminal includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address module that requests and receives a first IP address from a home anchoring point within a home network. The first IP address is an address of the home anchoring point. The system also includes a packet module that exchanges packets with the home anchoring point via a first attachment point. The packets include the first IP address. |
| US08023489B2 |
Burden sharing in satellite communications
Systems and methods for burden sharing in satellite based communication systems are disclosed. One or more users in a satellite based communication system may experience signal degradation or signal fading that can occur for an extended period of time, such as when the fade is due to rain fade. The system can improve a communication link with a particular user by varying the data rate. The data rate can be varied by reducing a coding rate to compensate for low signal quality. In a time multiplexed communication system where multiple users time multiplex the available communication bandwidth, the system can concurrently adjust a time allocated to a user based in part on the coding rate. The time allocated to a user can be increased for decreased coding rates in order to maintain a substantially stable symbol rate to the user for each time multiplex cycle of users. |
| US08023488B2 |
Communication method, and transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus using that communication method
A method for use in a communication apparatus that receives an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmitted from a base station. The OFDM signal includes a plurality of carrier groups each comprising a plurality of carriers, the plurality of carrier groups being assigned transmission data for a plurality of communication apparatuses. Each of the plurality of carrier groups adopt one of a first frame configuration, where the transmission data is transmitted using one modulation signal, and a second frame configuration, where the transmission data is transmitted using a plurality of modulated signals. The method includes specifying a carrier group to which transmission data for the communication apparatus is assigned, based on control information included in the received OFDM signal and generating reception data associated with the specified carrier group based on one of the one modulated signal used in the first frame configuration and the plurality of modulated signals used in the second frame configuration. |
| US08023484B1 |
Method for obtaining a mobile internet protocol address
In various embodiments, methods and systems are provided for acquiring a mobile internet protocol address in a communication network. In an embodiment, a gateway node generates an extension where the extension comprises an authentication node identifier associated with a user identifier. The gateway node then sends a mobile internet protocol request message to a mobile network internet node where the mobile internet protocol request message comprises the extension. The mobile network internet node can then send a mobile internet protocol access request message to an authentication node utilizing the authentication node identifier obtained from the extension. In response to receiving a mobile internet protocol access accept message at the mobile network internet node transferred from the authentication node where the mobile internet protocol access accept message comprises the mobile network internet node key, the mobile network internet node assigns the mobile internet protocol address to the mobile station associated with the user identifier. A mobile internet protocol session accept message is sent to a mobile station wherein the mobile internet protocol session accept message comprises the mobile internet protocol address. |
| US08023483B2 |
Communication management apparatus, communication control apparatus, and wireless communication system
A 3G authentication apparatus includes: a WLAN communication section which receives a notification of reception of a connection request sent from a WLAN access network in response to the connection request from a mobile unit to connect to a WLAN capable of interworking with a mobile network; a communication section for obtaining, from a user information storing device, information indicating a service available in the mobile communication network to the mobile unit that has sent the connection request, on the basis of the notification of reception of the connection request; and a filter setting section which generates filter information by associating a user authentication ID identifying a mobile unit with an IP address obtained at the communication section. The filter information generated by the filter setting section is sent to the WLAN access network through the WLAN communication section. Thus, traffic in a network such as a WLAN in an interworking system between networks such as a mobile communication network and a WLAN can be reduced. |
| US08023481B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting data frame using channel bonding in wireless LAN
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting a data frame using channel bonding in a wireless local area network in which high throughput (HT) stations and legacy systems coexist. The method includes adding a legacy format physical layer header including information, which indicates that a medium is being used while a frame exchange sequence is performed with respect to the HT format data frame, to the HT format data frame, transmitting the HT format data frame with the physical layer header by using channel bonding, and broadcasting the legacy format CF-End frame through a plurality of channels used in the channel bonding. Accordingly, after a frame exchange sequence is completed, the legacy stations which use channels used in the channel bonding can participate in a fair contention for medium access. |
| US08023477B2 |
Managing connections in a wireless communications network
A method of managing connections in a mobile communications network, the method comprising: transmitting over a connection from a network entity to a mobile device natural traffic and keepalive messages at a frequency determined by at least one keepalive parameter; at the mobile device, monitoring receipt of natural traffic and keepalive messages, and in the event of inadequate natural traffic and missing keepalive messages, closing the connection; and dynamically adjusting the at least one keepalive parameter for subsequent transmission of keepalive messages from the network entity so as to maintain the connection at a minimum frequency of keepalive messages. |
| US08023476B2 |
Radio communication method, radio communication terminal accommodating apparatus, and radio communication terminal
A technique for enabling a configuration of an entire radio communication system to be grasped in a manner of bird's-eye is disclosed. In the radio communication system provided with one radio communication terminal accommodating apparatus 101 and a plurality of radio communication terminals 102a to 102e accommodated in this radio communication terminal accommodating apparatus by using the technique, each radio communication terminal transmits identification information of a self-terminal, and monitors a radio transmission medium, and then acquires identification information of a different radio communication terminal transmitted from a different radio communication terminal. Then, each radio communication terminal reports the acquired identification information of the different radio communication terminal to the radio communication terminal accommodating apparatus, and the radio communication terminal accommodating apparatus generates information indicating a relation of a detection of an existence between the plurality of radio communication terminals, in accordance with the report of those identification information, and grasp the configuration of the entire radio communication system in the manner of the bird's-eye. |
| US08023475B2 |
Synchronization for extending battery life
The present invention discloses a method and system for efficiently supporting data calls to WTRUs in systems that also support telephony. Various types of data is transmitted on a known schedule which is tightly synchronized to a predetermined time frame. The WTRUs synchronize their wake-up periods to search for data at times when data may or will actually be transmitted to them. |
| US08023471B2 |
Method of performing communication according to control information in a wireless communication system
A method of communicating with a network in a wireless communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes performing handover by a mobile station (MS) from a first cell to a second cell, and measuring signal strengths of neighboring cells by the MS after moving to the second cell using the at least one default value if at least one parameter is not provided from the second cell. |
| US08023470B2 |
Wireless communication base station apparatus, wireless communication mobile station apparatus, wireless communication method, and wireless communication system
A wireless communication method and a wireless communication system wherein any communication interruption caused by changing RRB arrangement information can be avoided. In ST301, Node B (100) transmits informative information including the RRB arrangement information and RRB arrangement version. In ST302, UE (200) holds the RRB arrangement information and RRB arrangement version included in the informative information received from Node B (100). In ST303, UE (200) creates CQI information including both a CQI report value, which is calculated by use of the held RRB arrangement information, and the held RRB arrangement version. In ST304, UE (200) transmits the CQI information to Node B (100). In ST305, Node B (100) performs a scheduling based on the RRB arrangement information determined from the RRB arrangement version included in the received CQI information. In ST306, Node B (100) transmits the scheduling information to UE (200). |
| US08023469B2 |
Internetworking of cellular radio networks and wireless data networks
The invention provides a method, to be used by a RNC (230), for assisting a handover of a data session from a first routing path, associated with a first access network, to an alternative routing path, associated with an alternative access network, wherein data is routed over said first access network to a UT (240) by binding a session identifier to a first routing identifier, wherein said session identifier and said first routing identifier are defined in accordance with a standard protocol routing scheme of said first access network, the method comprising the following steps: —receiving a capability message uniquely identifying said UT (240) according to a standard protocol routing scheme of said first access network and according to an alternative standard protocol routing scheme of said alternative access network, —creating an alternative routing identifier for said session complying with the standard protocol routing scheme of said alternative access network and associating said alternative routing identifier with said UT (240), and, —associating said session identifier with said alternative routing identifier. The invention also provides an RNC (230), a UT (240), software and software media for realising the invention. |
| US08023467B2 |
Method and system for efficient DRX operation during handover in LTE
A method and system for efficient DRX operation during handover in LTE in which a user equipment expects handover to occur, the method having the steps of: checking whether a no handover initiation decision is received within a predetermined time period; if no, performing the steps of: ensuring the user equipment is not in a DRX sleep period during reception of a handover grant; checking whether a handover grant is received, and if yes, performing a handover procedure; and if no, resuming a DRX sleep interval; and if yes, ending the process. |
| US08023465B2 |
Apparatus and method for improved handover in mesh networks
A method for performing a handover in a mesh network for a plurality of nodes (A, A′, B) of said mesh network from a first access point (AP1) to a second access point (AP2), whereas said plurality of nodes (A, A′, B) forms a tree of nodes, said tree comprising a root node (B) and one or more further nodes (A,A′) connected to said root node either directly or via intermediate nodes, and said handover being performed for said tree of nodes in a coordinated fashion, said method comprising: forwarding to said members of said tree (A, A′, B) information about said second access point (AP2) and timing information to enable a coordinated handover of said nodes of said tree; switching said root node (B) and said further (A,A′) nodes from said first access point to said second access point according to said timing information. |
| US08023463B2 |
Enhanced uplink operation in soft handover
A method and system for an enhanced uplink (EU) operation in a wireless communication system during soft handover. The system comprises a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), at least two Node-Bs, and a radio network controller (RNC). One Node-B may be designated as a primary Node-B, and the primary Node-B may control EU operation during soft handover including uplink scheduling and hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ). Soft buffer corruption is avoided during soft handover by controlling H-ARQ by the primary Node-B. Alternatively, an RNC may control EU operation during soft handover including H-ARQ. In this case, an RNC generates final acknowledge/non-acknowledge (ACK/NACK) decision based on the error check results of the Node-Bs. |
| US08023452B2 |
Method and apparatus for cell identification in wireless data networks
A method including wirelessly receiving a packet at a wireless station belonging to a cell of a wireless network, the network for communicating according to a wireless network standard, each transmitting station of the cell able to transmit a packet that includes cell identification information; and ascertaining at the physical layer level whether or not the received packet is from another station of the cell by ascertaining whether or not the received packet includes the cell identification information of the cell. |
| US08023441B2 |
Method for reporting and accumulating data in a wireless communication network
A method and apparatus for coordinating communication in a wireless sensor network may include a plurality of nodes, such as routers, edge nodes, data accumulators and/or gateways. Time management functions, such as determining an elapsed time, may be controlled based on a detected temperature, e.g., a temperature detected at a node, and/or based on a detected clock skew between two or more clocks in two or more different devices. Accurate time management may allow for devices to more accurately coordinate communication instances, e.g., communication that occurs at periodic wake up times. A cluster head, such as a data accumulator, may be associated with a network after its initial formation and cause nodes in the network to alter their hierarchy in the network, thereby making the cluster head accumulator a parent to nodes in the network. Nodes having a relatively lower hop count may have a higher battery capacity than nodes having a higher hop count. |
| US08023440B2 |
Binding wireless devices in a building automation system
Wireless transceivers connect with or in building automation components. The components are bound. Since the transceivers control the access media, the transceivers are likewise bound. The transceiver associated with a component queries the component for the component address. When a request from a controller addressed to the component is received, the transceiver for the component may recognize the component address. In response, the transceiver records the controller transceiver address in the request and transmits a response with the component transceiver address. Other features may assist in binding. For example, the controller transceiver distinguishes between components connected by wire from wireless. Only communications for wireless connections are transmitted. For example, if a binding is not used for an amount of time, the binding is removed. For example, a random or set order is used to avoid or minimize overlapping traffic for the responses for a binding list. |
| US08023439B2 |
Multicast flow distribution
In addition to other aspects disclosed, in response to being informed by a controller of a flow for transmission to at least one access terminal in a wireless network, a master base station router assigns the flow to one of a plurality of slave base station routers to process the flow for transmission to the access terminal. |
| US08023435B2 |
Distribution scheme for distributing information in a network
The present invention relates to a method and network node for distributing a network parameter information among network nodes of a transmission network. A spanning tree of routing paths corresponding to the shortest paths from said network node to other nodes is determined based on a topology information of the transmission network, and is used to distribute the network parameter information from the network node to the other network nodes. Thereby, the updating message or packet traffic can be reduced dramatically as compared to the conventional flooding scheme. |
| US08023434B2 |
Arrangements for auto-merging and auto-partitioning processing components
In some embodiments, a method for auto-partitioning a scalable processing system is disclosed. The method can include establishing connection data, identifying a primary node and automatically transmitting partitioning commands to other nodes to configure them as secondary nodes. The partitioning commands can adjust the basic input output settings of the secondary nodes such that the system can boot as a single partitioned system. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08023433B2 |
Relay device, wireless communication system and multicast relay method
A relay device for multicast communications. The relay device transmitting a multicast user data packet containing a content to base stations. The relay device stores information indicative of a multicast group, information indicative of the base station and information indicative of a zone to which the base station belongs (these items of information forming a set by being associated with each other), and determines, when receiving a LEAVE packet via the base station, whether transmit a query packet about a leave target multicast group by comparing the information indicative of the base station associated with the leave target multicast group and with information indicative of a base station relaying the received LEAVE packet, transmits the user data packet containing the query packet to each of the base stations belonging to the zone on the basis of a result of the determination. |
| US08023430B2 |
Regenerative relay system and regenerative relay apparatus
A regenerative relay method includes the steps of: i) calculating an error rate of a transmission path between the first half apparatus and a main apparatus; ii) calculating an error rate of a transmission path between the main apparatus and the latter apparatus; iii) adding the error rates; iv) selecting the error correction code and data before the error is corrected in the main apparatus so as to be supplied to the latter apparatus if the added error rates are lower than a designated error correction threshold; and v) selecting data after the error is corrected in the main apparatus and the other error correction code generated from the data so as to be supplied to the latter apparatus if the added error rates are higher than the designated error correction threshold. |
| US08023429B2 |
Capacity management for data networks
A method of processing capacity information is disclosed. The capacity information relates to data capacity in a data network in which a consumer circuit is carried on, and consumes bandwidth made available by, a bearer circuit. The method comprises storing, in a network information database, an entity representing the bearer circuit, and associating capacity information with the bearer circuit entity specifying a first bandwidth quantity defining a quantity of bandwidth made available by the bearer circuit. Also stored is an entity representing the consumer circuit, and capacity information is associated with the consumer circuit entity specifying a second bandwidth quantity defining a quantity of bandwidth allocated to the consumer circuit. The consumer capacity information is then associated with the bearer capacity information in the database to indicate that the second bandwidth quantity allocated to the consumer circuit is to be consumed from the first bandwidth quantity made available by the bearer circuit. The resulting capacity model can be used to support service provisioning, service assurance and SLA management, network engineering and network planning processes. |
| US08023427B2 |
Method and device of measuring communication quality for constructing wireless sensor network
Provided is a communication quality measurement method and a portable communication quality measurement device for wireless sensor network configuration. The communication quality measurement method for wireless sensor network configuration includes: a portable communication quality measurement device transmitting a communication quality detection request message to one or more of communication nodes in a wireless sensor network system at a location prepared for new installation; the one or more of the communication nodes in the wireless sensor network system receiving the communication quality detection request message to detect transmission quality information on the communication quality detection request message and adding the detected transmission quality information to a respond message to transmit the respond message to a next communication node; and the portable communication quality measurement device receiving the respond message transceived between the communication nodes to detect reception quality information and displaying the detected reception quality information and transmission quality information included in the respond message. |
| US08023426B2 |
Method to select access point and relay node in multi-hop wireless networking
A method and apparatus are described for selecting an access point in a wireless network, including initializing a channel index, recording a received signal power and information contained in one of a beacon message and a probe request response message, calculating an access link metric for each candidate access point, the access link 13 metric being between an end device and each candidate access point on the channel indexed by the channel index responsive to the received signal power and information receiving a path metric between each candidate access point and a gateway, estimating a function using the access link metric and the path metric, selecting one of the candidate access points based on the function and establishing a connection with the selected access point. Also described is a method and apparatus for maintaining a connection with an access point. |
| US08023424B2 |
Communication node and a method for routing traffic in a communication network by calculating at least one metric for at least one link and a sensitivity parameter for said metric
The invention relates to a method of routing traffic from a sender to a receiver in a communication network said method comprising for at least two possible routes between the sender and the receiver the step of calculating at least one metric for at least one link in each route, characterized by the steps of calculating a sensitivity parameter for said at least one metric and taking said sensitivity parameter into account when selecting a route. The sensitivity parameter may be based on a derivative of said metric with respect to a variable on which said metric depends. The method may also comprise the step of calculating a reliability parameter for said at least one metric and taking said reliability parameter into account when selecting a route. |
| US08023418B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing a broadband internet connection
An embodiment of the invention provides a method of testing a broadband internet connection including the steps of transmitting test signals via a broadband internet connection to a cellular network core, the test signals representative of those sent by an access point base station, measuring and recording a property relating to the transmission of the test signals, comparing the property to a minimum acceptable level and thereby determining whether the broadband internet connection is suitable for providing an access point base station. |
| US08023414B2 |
System and method for routing packet traffic
A system and method are disclosed for routing packet traffic. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Provider Edge (PE) router having a routing element that routes packet traffic between a plurality of autonomous systems according to one or more Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) tables each having a plurality of Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) Autonomous System (AS) numbers. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08023413B2 |
Flow based congestion control
A method for selectively controlling the flow of data through a network device is discussed. The network device has a plurality of ports, with each port of the plurality of ports having a plurality of priority queues. Congestion at one priority queue of the plurality of priority queues is detected and a virtual channel message is sent to other network devices connected to the network device causing data destined for the one priority queue to be halted. After the congestion at the one priority queue has abated, a virtual channel resume message is sent to the other network devices. |
| US08023411B2 |
Bandwidth control apparatus and bandwidth control method
A policer sets in advance, with respect to tokens consumed with the passage of arriving packets, a threshold for each bandwidth usage rate (for each rate order ranked by the bandwidth usage rate) to be compared with the remaining amount of tokens at packet arrival time to determine whether to discard an arriving packet. Determining that the remaining amount of tokens at the arrival of a packet is less than a threshold set for the bandwidth usage rate (rate order) of a class (network flow) where the arriving packet belongs, the policer discards the arriving packet. |
| US08023408B2 |
Dynamically changing message priority or message sequence number
A message sequence regulator (MSR) system includes a message parser, a message extraction repository, a rules repository, a message definition repository, an interface to a resource monitor for monitoring system resources by single resource monitoring agents, and a notification component for identifying sequence regulation operations which cannot be executed. The MSR system receives copies of messages loaded into or retrieved from queues by a queue manager as well as event messages from the resource monitor. The message extracts parts of the message using message structures defined in the rules repository and stores the extracted parts in the message extraction repository. If a defined condition is found to exist, the MSR system initiates calculation of an appropriate message sequence number or message priority level. The queue manager updates the message record without removing the message from the queue. |
| US08023407B2 |
Redundancy in a communication network
A method for providing redundancy within a communication network, the method provides means for using the same IP address with a plurality of hosts located in different subnets, non-simultaneously, without requiring any additional programming for routers in the network. |
| US08023403B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus is disclosed which connects to a network and which controls transmission to the network of data being output by an external apparatus having at least a data output function. The information processing apparatus includes a connection switcher configured to disconnect from the network in case of a failure in data output processing by the data output function of the external apparatus and to reconnect to the network upon recovery from the failure. |
| US08023397B2 |
Joint packet detection in a wireless communication system with one or more receivers
A packet detector joint detects 802.11a packets, 802.11b packets and interference that is within a monitored frequency range but is not formatted as 802.11a packets or 802.11b packets. The packet detector can use signals from one or more antennas. Detection of signals is done using differentially detected correlations. In addition to packet detection, the packet detector can identify signal levels, noise levels and locations of narrowband interference. The process of packet detection and identifying other indicators can be done simultaneously and as the signal is being received. |
| US08023395B2 |
Optical storage medium comprising tracks with positive and negative marks, and stampers and production methods for manufacturing of the optical storage medium
The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, a data layer with a mark/space structure arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, and a cover layer. One track comprises positive marks and a neighboring track comprises negative marks. The tracks are arranged in particular as spirals wherein one spiral contains a track with only positive marks and a neighboring spiral contains a track with only negative marks. The positive marks of a track and correspondingly the negative marks of a track are separated each by spaces. The optical storage medium is particularly a read-only optical disc and comprises a mask layer with a super resolution near field structure, wherein the tracks of the data layer are arranged as two spirals, one spiral consisting of positive marks only and the other spiral consisting of negative marks only. For the production of the optical storage medium, a stamper and production methods for a master for a stamper production are provided, comprising a surface with positive and negative marks, which correspond to the respective positive and negative marks of the data layer of the optical storage medium. |
| US08023393B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing tip-wear of a probe
The present invention relates to a method of reducing the wear of a tip of a probe when the tip is in contact with a surface of a substrate and when the probe is mounted on a support structure. A method is provided where a load force is applied to the probe, thereby causing the tip to be maintained substantially in contact with the substrate surface and a modulation step where the e magnitude of the load force is modulated at a modulation frequency. The modulation frequency is selected to be greater than a fundamental vibration frequency of the support structure on which the probe is mounted. |
| US08023383B2 |
Recording device, recording method, and computer program
A recording apparatus with a device for recording information onto a medium, provided with: (i) a first layer irradiated with laser light to record information on a first area; and (ii) a second layer irradiated with laser light through the first layer and having a second area whose edge on an inner circumferential side corresponds to an edge on an outer circumferential side of the first area; and a controlling device for controlling the recording device to pre-record, into an area portion of the first area, other than an area portion having a size corresponding to a tolerance length, which indicates an acceptable range of a relative position shift between an address defined on the predetermined position in the first layer and an address related to the predetermined position in the second layer, with the edge on the outer circumferential side of the first area as a starting point. |
| US08023377B2 |
Optical disc device and tracking and slider control method
An optical disc device and tracking control method capable of stable tracking control even for inferior optical discs with tracks decentered by a large amount. The optical disc device and tracking control method includes: obtaining a rotation angle at which the degree of displacement of the track due to the eccentricity of the optical disc becomes maximum on the inner circumference side and the outer circumference side, and detecting the eccentricity amount of the optical disc; and performing track pull-in at the rotation angle, at which the degree of displacement of the track due to the eccentricity of the optical disc becomes maximum, detecting a displacement direction of the optical disc at the time of the pull-in, and moving the slider in the detected displacement direction for a distance equal to or almost equal to the eccentricity amount of the optical disc. |
| US08023374B2 |
Optical disc recording and reproduction device and an optical disc recording and reproduction method
Trial writing is made by recording waveform different from that used to record information in a disc. In the trial writing, particularly, the strategy having short cooling time or large cooling power is used to make recording, so that the jitter characteristic having clear difference between jitters in magnitude can be obtained to get stable calculated power. Thus, the recording quality can be ensured and user's convenience is increased. |
| US08023373B2 |
Disc drive and photo-detector circuits
A method of reducing power dissipation in a variable-gain photo-detector circuit is described. The variable-gain photo-detector circuit has an output to output a main spot signal and at least one side spot signal. The main spot (M) and the side spot (Si or S2) are formed by separating a light beam into a main beam and at least one side beam and focusing the main beam on the main spot (M) and the side beam on at least one side spot (Si or S2) on an optical record carrier The method processes the main spot signal with a first averaging circuit having a first cut-off frequency. The side spot signal is processed with a second averaging circuit having a second cut-off frequency. The second cut-off frequency is lower than the first cut-off frequency. The above technique reduces power dissipation in the variable-gain photo-detector circuit and is useful for all optical devices. |
| US08023371B2 |
Optical drive and method for determining a reading and/or writing position
The invention relates to an optical drive (10) and a method for determining a reading and/or writing position of an optical drive (10). The optical drive (10) in accordance with the invention comprises control means (12) and at least three PLL units (20, 22, 24), wherein the control means (12) are adapted to control the three PLL units (20, 22, 24) to try to lock on to three different frequencies characteristic for an optical disc (26). The method in accordance with the invention comprises the step of controlling at least three PLL units (20, 22, 24) to try to lock on to three different frequencies characteristic for an optical disc (26). If the optical disc (26) is a Blue Ray Disc, the three different frequencies can be the HFM frequency, the wobble frequency, and the expected HF frequency. |
| US08023368B2 |
Tilt sensor and optical disk drive
A tilt sensor includes a photodetector having a photosensitive plane and detecting a light beam in multiple areas and outputting detection signals representing its intensities and a tilt detector for generating a tilt error signal, including information about the tilt of a disk, based on the detection signals. The light beam forms a beam spot on the photosensitive plane. The beam spot includes a +first-order light area in which zero-order and +first-order light rays, diffracted by a track on the disk, are superposed, −first-order light area in which zero-order and −first-order light rays are superposed, and a zero-order light area which is sandwiched between the +first-order and −first-order light areas, includes neither the +first-order nor −first-order light ray, but includes a zero-order light ray. The photodetector generates the detection signals except for light entering an opaque area provided for at least part of the zero-order light area. |
| US08023366B2 |
Near-field optical head and information recording apparatus
The invention is a near-field optical head that generates near-field light to heat a predetermined area of a medium and applies a magnetic field to the predetermined area to record information, the head including an optical waveguide 103 having a path for propagating a pencil of light, and a tip 117 having an optical minute opening 118 at the position facing against the predetermined area and collecting the pencil of light emitted from the optical waveguide 103 and simultaneously propagating the collected pencil of light to the optical minute opening 118 to generate the near-field light. The optical minute opening 118 is formed by a magnetic pole that applies a magnetic field to the predetermined area. |
| US08023363B2 |
Time-to-digital converter apparatus
A time-to-digital converter apparatus including a delay phase-locked loop, a subtracter, a multi-phase detector and a Vernier detector is disclosed. The delay phase-locked loop herein includes digital delay components for producing counting signals. The multi-phase detector includes digital delay components for producing delay outputs according to the counting signals and thereby detecting a pulse input signal. The Vernier detector includes digital delay components for detecting the remainder of the pulse input signal according to the difference between the delay outputs produced by the subtracter. |
| US08023362B2 |
Hand position detecting device and apparatus including the device
A detection unit detects light passing through apertures provided in a seconds wheel, a center wheel and an hour wheel, respectively, which rotate on the same axis. The apertures in the seconds wheel include a circular aperture provided at a reference position therein, and two apertures provided separated by corresponding arcuate apertures of different lengths from the aperture on its opposite sides, respectively. By counting the number of light non-detection events the detection unit encounters due to the light blocking area covering the detection unit, the rotational position of the seconds wheel is detected accurately and securely. |
| US08023361B2 |
Clock provided with function of raising alarm at more than one time and alarming method
In order to make it possible to set up an alarm method which is rich in variation, a mobile phone is configured so that a plurality of alarm times are related to the same group, the group to which a plurality of alarm times are related is set to activation or cancellation, and when there comes any one of a plurality of alarm times which are related to the group being set to activation, an alarm is raised. Since setting to raise an alarm at a plurality of alarm times, or cancellation of the setting can be made, an alarm method rich in variation can be configured. |
| US08023359B2 |
System and method for converting scan data
An ultrasound device generates polar-coordinate image data divided up into an (N×M) array of polar-coordinate image data blocks; a first external memory configured to store the (N×M) array of data blocks; a second external memory configured to store x-y coordinate image data corresponding to the polar-coordinate image data; a video processing chip comprising an internal memory configured to store an (N×R) array of the polar-coordinate image data blocks; and a controller configured to perform a data conversion operation on the (N×R) array of data blocks to generate x-y coordinate image data, and to store the x-y coordinate image data to the second external memory. N, M, and R are integers greater than 1; R is less than M; and an internal access time for the internal memory element is shorter than an external access time for the first external memory element. |
| US08023357B2 |
Address converting circuit and semiconductor memory device using the same
A semiconductor memory includes an address converting circuit which latches an address and a bank signal and generates a latch address for activating a data access path of a second bank group, and converts the latch address according to a level of the bank signal and generates a variable address for activating a data access path of a first bank group, a first column decoder which decodes the variable address and generates a first output enable signal for activating the data access path of the first bank group, and a second column decoder which decodes the latch address and generates a second output enable signal for activating the data access path of the second bank group. |
| US08023356B2 |
Voltage level comparison circuit of semiconductor memory apparatus, voltage adjustment circuit using voltage level comparison circuit, and semiconductor memory apparatus using the same
A voltage adjustment circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a control voltage generating unit configured to distribute an external voltage for selectively outputting a plurality of distribution voltages as a control voltage in response to a control signal, the plurality of the distribution voltages each have different voltage levels, a comparing unit configured to include a voltage supply unit configured to control an external voltage supplied to a first node and a second node if a level of an output voltage is higher than a level of a reference voltage in response to a level of the control voltage, and a detection signal generating unit configured to drop potential levels of the first and second nodes according to the levels of the output voltage and the reference voltage, and to output the potential level of the second node as a detection signal, and a voltage generating unit configured to drive the external voltage according to a potential level of the detection signal and to output the external voltage as the output voltage. |
| US08023353B2 |
Semiconductor memory device, refresh control method thereof, and test method thereof
The present invention provides a semiconductor memory device which reduces current consumption in a standby state owing to a suitable refresh-thinning-out function, and a refresh control method thereof. When the refresh-thinning-out function is added while a refresh operation and an external access operation are being executed independently of each other, a refresh address counter outputs a refresh address Add(C) and inputs predetermined high-order bits thereof to a refresh-thinning-out control as a high-order refresh address Add(C) (m), where judgment as to whether the refresh operation is performed, is made. A refresh permission signal RFEN corresponding to the result of judgment is inputted to a word driver to activate and control the word driver. The process of judgment by the refresh-thinning-out control circuit can be embedded in an access time of a row system. |
| US08023351B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprises: a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit line pairs containing a first bit line and a second bit line, and a plurality of memory cells; a plurality of replica bit lines formed in the same manner as the first and second bit lines; a write buffer circuit operative to drive the first or second bit line to the ground voltage; a replica write buffer circuit operative to drive the replica bit lines to the ground voltage; and a boot strap circuit operative to drive the first or second bit line currently driven to the ground voltage further to a negative potential at a timing when the potential on the replica bit lines reaches a certain value. |
| US08023343B2 |
Systems and methods for issuing address and data signals to a memory array
Embodiments of the present invention include circuitry for issuing address and data signals to a memory array using a system clock and a write clock. A locked loop may be used to compensate for additional delay experienced by the system clock relative to write clock and ensure synchronization of the clock signals. A write latch enable block may be used to develop a write latch enable signal for issuance along with a corresponding address signal. The write latch enable signal can be timed such that it arrives at an appropriate time to issue the data corresponding to the issued address. |
| US08023340B2 |
Signal transfer apparatus and methods
Some embodiments include a number of nodes configured to receive a number of signals. The signals may represent information stored in a number of memory cells of a device such as a memory device. The device may include a number of transfer paths having storage elements coupled between the nodes and an output node. The transfer paths may be configured to transfer a selected signal of the signals from one of the nodes to the output node via one of the transfer paths. The transfer paths may be configured to hold a value of the selected signal in only one of the storage elements. Each of the transfer paths may include only one of the storage elements. Other embodiments including additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08023337B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device having shared sense amplifiers is provided. The semiconductor memory device has a bit-line selector disposed closer to a memory cell array than a column decoder. When the column decoder outputs a bit-line indication signal corresponding to the number of bit lines, the bit-line selector selects a plurality of bit lines in response to the bit-line indication signal. Thus, it is possible to reduce the number of signals output from the column decoder. |
| US08023336B2 |
Erase completion recognition
Embodiments include but are not limited to apparatuses and systems including a main memory array, at least one erase status memory cell associated with the main memory array and configured to store a value indicative of an erase completion status of the main memory array, and a control module operatively coupled to the at least one erase status memory cell, the control module configured to perform operations on the main memory array based at least in part on the value stored in the at least one erase status memory cell. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08023335B2 |
Flash memory device and systems and reading methods thereof
A read method of a flash memory device is provided which comprises reading a plurality of adjacent memory cells connected with a word line different from a plurality of selected memory cells; reading the plurality of selected memory cells one or more times using a plurality of coupling compensation parameters; and selectively latching the read result of the selected memory cells based on the read result of the adjacent memory cells. |
| US08023321B2 |
Flash memory program inhibit scheme
A method for minimizing program disturb in Flash memories. To reduce program disturb in a NAND Flash memory cell string where no programming from the erased state is desired, a local boosted channel inhibit scheme is used. In the local boosted channel inhibit scheme, the selected memory cell in a NAND string where no programming is desired, is decoupled from the other cells in the NAND string. This allows the channel of the decoupled cell to be locally boosted to a voltage level sufficient for inhibiting F-N tunneling when the corresponding wordline is raised to a programming voltage. Due to the high boosting efficiency, the pass voltage applied to the gates of the remaining memory cells in the NAND string can be reduced relative to prior art schemes, thereby minimizing program disturb while allowing for random page programming. |
| US08023318B2 |
Resistance memory element, phase change memory element, resistance random access memory device, information reading method thereof, phase change random access memory device, and information reading method thereof
A resistance memory element, a phase change memory element, a resistance random access memory device, an information reading method thereof, a phase change random access memory device, and an information reading method thereof are provided. The resistance random access memory device includes an array of resistance memory element arranged in a matrix. Each resistance memory element includes a substrate in which a source region and a drain region are formed along the column direction and a channel region is formed between the source region and the drain region, a bit line formed on the channel region out of a conductive material to have a shape extending along the arrangement direction of the columns, a resistance switching layer formed on the bit line out of a material of which electrical resistance is switched by an electrical signal, and a word line formed on the resistance switching layer out of a conductive material to have a shape extending along the row direction. |
| US08023317B2 |
Magnetic random access memory with dual spin torque reference layers
A magnetic data storage cell, applicable to spin-torque random access memory (ST-RAM), is disclosed. A magnetic cell includes first and second fixed magnetic layers and a free magnetic layer positioned between the fixed magnetic layers. The magnetic cell also includes terminals configured for providing a spin-polarized current through the magnetic layers. The first fixed magnetic layer has a magnetization direction that is substantially parallel to the easy axis of the free magnetic layer, and the second fixed magnetic layer has a magnetization direction that is substantially orthogonal to the easy axis of the free magnetic layer. The dual fixed magnetic layers provide enhanced spin torque in writing to the free magnetic layer, thereby reducing the required current and reducing the feature size of magnetic data storage cells, and increasing the data storage density of magnetic spin torque data storage. |
| US08023316B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junction with compensation element
A magnetic tunnel junction having a compensation element is disclosed. The magnetic tunnel junction includes a synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element, and a synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element having an opposite magnetization moment to a magnetization moment of the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element. A free magnetic layer is between the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element and the synthetic antiferromagnetic compensation element, and an electrically insulating and non-magnetic tunneling barrier layer separates the free magnetic layer from the synthetic antiferromagnetic reference element. The free magnetic layer includes Co100-X-YFeXBY wherein X is a value being greater than 30 and Y is a value being greater than 15. |
| US08023315B2 |
Magnetoresistive effect element and magnetic random access memory
A magnetic random access memory has a laminating structure including: a magnetization free layer; an insulating layer; and a magnetization fixed layer. The magnetization free layer includes: a sense layer; a first bonding layer being adjacent to the sense layer; and a storage layer being adjacent to the first bonding layer on an opposite side to the sense layer. At least a part of the sense layer and the storage layer is magnetically coupled to one another through the first bonding layer. A magnetic anisotropy of the storage layer is larger than that of the sense layer. A product of a saturation magnetization and a volume of the sense layer is larger than that of the storage layer. According to such a structure, a magnetic random access memory can be provided in which a current for writing is reduced while enough thermal stability is maintained. |
| US08023312B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device include: a two terminal structured variable resistive element, wherein resistive characteristics defined by current-voltage characteristics at both ends transit between low and high resistance states stably by applying a voltage satisfying predetermined conditions to the both ends. A transition from the low resistance state to the high resistance state occurs by applying a voltage of a first polarity whose absolute value is at or higher than first threshold voltage, and the reverse transition occurs by applying a voltage of a second polarity whose absolute value is at or higher than a second threshold voltage. A load circuit is connected to the variable resistive element in series having an adjustable load resistance. A voltage generation circuit applies a voltage to both ends of a serial circuit. The variable resistive element can transit between the states by adjusting a resistance of the load circuit. |
| US08023302B2 |
Memory device and semiconductor device
It is an object of the present invention to provide an involatile memory device, in which additional writing of data is possible other than in manufacturing steps and forgery and the like due to rewriting can be prevented, and a semiconductor device having the memory device. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive involatile memory device and a semiconductor device having high reliability. According to the present invention, a memory device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an insulating layer interposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, where the first conductive layer has a convex portion. |
| US08023301B1 |
Content addressable memory device having state information processing circuitry
Present embodiments allow a search engine to quickly save and restore state information to and from an external state memory when switching between multiple data flows by transferring the state information between the search engine and the external state memory in a parallel manner. More specifically, for CAM-based search engines configured according to present embodiments, the CAM array includes state information gating circuits that selectively allow state information stored in the CAM array's match latches to be transposed onto the array's bit lines and then read from the array using the array's sense amplifiers. |
| US08023300B1 |
Content addressable memory device capable of parallel state information transfers
Present embodiments allow a search engine to quickly save and restore state information to and from an external state memory when switching between multiple data flows by transferring the state information between the search engine and the external state memory in a parallel manner. More specifically, for CAM-based search engines configured according to present embodiments, the CAM array includes state information gating circuits that selectively allow state information stored in the CAM array's match latches to be transposed onto the array's bit lines and then read from the array using the array's sense amplifiers. |
| US08023298B1 |
Encoding data for storage in a content addressable memory
Approaches for an improved encoding scheme that allows a CAM device to selectively store, within each cell of a row of the CAM device, either a single bit of a binary value or two bits of an encoded data word encoded from the binary value. By storing two bits of the encoded data word in each CAM cell, data may be stored more efficiently and CAM systems may consume less power as compared to traditional binary CAMS when performing certain types of operations, such as exact matching and longest prefix matching. Encoded data words may be, but need not be, balanced data words which have equal number of logic high and logic low values. |
| US08023294B2 |
Noise reduction systems and methods for unshielded coupling of switch mode power supply
We describe a switch mode power supply having a power input, a switch, a transformer, and a power output. The transformer has a primary winding coupled to said power input via said switch, and a secondary winding coupled to said power output. The transformer further comprises an auxiliary winding and a coupling structure capacitatively coupled to said secondary winding of said transformer; wherein said coupling structure does not comprise a shield or screen between said primary and secondary windings. The switch mode power supply further comprises a coupling capacitor connected between said coupling structure and said auxiliary winding to provide a noise suppression voltage from said auxiliary winding to said secondary winding to at least partially cancel a common mode noise voltage on said secondary winding from unshielded coupling from said primary winding. |
| US08023292B2 |
Switching control device
The present invention reduces switching noise generated in a switching control device having a switching element such as a switching power supply in linear linkage with the state of a load of the output and without increasing the control circuit scale which is a factor of cost increase. The present invention adopts a configuration of a control circuit having an ON/OFF circuit that controls the switching element such that one or both of two specified values (upper limit and lower limit) that specify triangular waves of a triangular wave generation circuit that specifies a drive oscillating frequency of the switching element is/are changed in linear linkage with the output load state. |
| US08023286B2 |
Mounting plate for a notification appliance
A mounting plate assembly for a notification appliance. For example, a mounting plate is designed with at least one aperture for receiving a plurality of leads, e.g., from a backbox. In turn, these leads can be received by a plurality of contacts that are deployed on the mounting plate. In one embodiment, at least two of these contacts are in physical contact with each other at a juncture, thereby providing a connectivity between these two contacts. However, the physical contact at the juncture is non-resetable, i.e., if a force is applied to the juncture, then the connectivity is severed and the physical contact between the two contacts cannot be easily re-establish even if the force is removed. |
| US08023281B2 |
Inverter apparatus suitable for battery vehicle
An inverter apparatus is composed of an insulated metal substrate, a conductive stud, a printed circuit board, a conductive spacer, and a bus bar. An inverter output stage is mounted on the insulated metal substrate. The conductive stud is coupled to a main surface of the insulated metal substrate, and electrically connected with the inverter output stage. The printed circuit board is supported by the stud. The stud is coupled on the rear surface of the printed circuit board. Provided on the main surface of the printed circuit board is a circuit connected to the inverter output stage. The conductive spacer is coupled on the main surface of the printed circuit board, and electrically connected with the stud. The bus bar is coupled to the spacer. |
| US08023279B2 |
FLMP buck converter with a molded capacitor and a method of the same
An encapsulated buck converter module includes a low side transistor and a control integrated circuit bonded to a first section on a first side of a leadframe, a first clip between a source of the low side transistor and a second section, a source contact of a high side transistor attached to the first section on a second side of the leadframe with a gate contact of the high side transistor attached to a third section, a conductive member attached to the first and second sections on the second side of the leadframe wherein the first side of the conductive member attached to the second conductive member forms a conductive path with a portion of a second side of the conductive member while any portion of the first side of the conductive member attached to the first component attachment section is insulated from the first side of the conductive member, a first plate of a capacitor attached to a drain contact of the high side transistor and a second plate of the capacitor attached to the second side of the conductive member, and means for forming an external connection to the drain contact of the high side transistor. |
| US08023278B2 |
Circuit board
A circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers, a plurality of insulating layers, a telecommunication network connection port and a modem card processing module. A high voltage signal line is laid out at one of the conductive layers. The insulating layers are disposed between each of the conducting layers, respectively. The telecommunication network connection port is disposed on the conductive layers and is electrically connected to one end of the high voltage signal line. The modem card processing module is disposed on the conductive layers and is electrically connected to the other end of the high voltage signal line. |
| US08023276B2 |
Circuit arrangement comprising having plurality of half bridges
A circuit arrangement for buck converters has a multiplicity of half bridges (10, 11). Each half bridge (10, 11) contains a first chip (HS1, HS2, HS3, HS4) and a second chip (LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4) , the first chip (HS1, HS2, HS3, HS4) and the second chip (LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4) in each case having a vertical power transistor. The load paths of the power transistor of the first chip (HS1, HS2, HS3, HS4) and of the power transistor of the second chip (LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4) are connected in series. The control inputs (G1, . . . , G8) of the power transistors can be driven individually. The half bridges (10, 11) are jointly accommodated in a semiconductor package and the first chip (HS1, HS2, HS3, HS4) and the second chip (LS1, LS2, LS3, LS4) lie above one another in each half bridge (10, 11). |
| US08023272B2 |
Electronic component housing unit
To perform the temporary mounting of an electronic component housing unit, a clamp is inserted into a clamp hole formed in the load bearing face of a vehicle body. Then, a screw through hole in a grounding terminal is aligned with a screw hole formed in the load bearing face, and a screw is inserted therein and tightened to secure the earth portion of the grounding terminal to the load bearing face. At this time, rotational torque generated by tightening the screw is absorbed by the clamp that is directly fixed to the grounding terminal. Since the clamp is fixed directly to the grounding terminal, turning of the electronic component housing unit bearing the grounding terminal can be prevented, without stress being transmitted to a case and to other constituents. |
| US08023269B2 |
Wireless telemetry electronic circuit board for high temperature environments
A circuit assembly (34) resistant to high-temperature and high g centrifugal force is disclosed. A printed circuit board (42) is first fabricated from alumina and has conductive traces of said circuit formed thereon by the use of a thick film gold paste. Active and passive components of the circuit assembly are attached to the printed circuit board by means of gold powder diffused under high temperature. Gold wire is used for bonding between the circuit traces and the active components in order to complete the circuit assembly (34). Also, a method for manufacturing a circuit assembly resistant to elevated temperature is disclosed. |
| US08023268B2 |
Printed circuit board unit and semiconductor package
A terminal bump set including the outermost bump row inscribed in a first prism standing upright on the front surface of a package substrate. A heat conductive member contacts with the surface of the semiconductor element. The heat conductive member extends outward beyond the contour of the semiconductor element. A reinforcing member is interposed between the heat conductive member and the package substrate outside the contour of the semiconductor element. The reinforcing member is bonded to the front surface of the package substrate at a predetermined bonding area. The predetermined bonding area extends inward from the outer periphery of the package substrate over the front surface of the package substrate. The second prism stands upright on the front surface of the package substrate inside the first prism so as to allow the outermost bump row to circumscribe the second prism. |
| US08023262B2 |
Lid-closed detector
In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. An input device disposed on the base assembly senses a contact with a portion of the display assembly to detect the display assembly in the closed position. |
| US08023260B2 |
Assembly of an electronic device
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include a plate placed behind a screen formed from a window and a display module to provide the screen with additional stiffness (e.g., to resist dropping events). The window may be maintained in the electronic device by trapping the window between a bezel and the display module. In some embodiments, the window may include a chamfered edge operative to be received by a recessed edge in the bezel. In some embodiments, the input mechanism of the electronic device may be metallic and need to be grounded, but may be surrounded by plastic components or other non-grounding components. The electronic device may include screws operative to pass through a circuit board to reach a frame, which may serve as a ground, where the screws are located in proximity of the button. In some embodiments, the circuit board may include an additional component for grounding the button |
| US08023258B2 |
Computer enclosure and storage device module thereof
A computer enclosure includes a case comprising a drive bracket housing a number of compact disc drives and a storage device module mounted in the drive bracket in the absence of installed disk drives. The storage device module includes a supporting frame fixed in the drive bracket, a backboard, and a number of data storage devices arranged in the supporting frame. The backboard provides connection of the data storage devices to a motherboard of the case. |
| US08023256B2 |
Portable folding electronic device
A portable folding electronic device has a base with a longer length dimension and a shorter width dimension and a user interface on one surface. The user interface may be oriented for use when the base has a portrait orientation. The device also has a screen unit with a longer length dimension and a shorter width dimension and a screen on one surface. A linkage connects the base to the screen unit. The linkage provides at least two degrees of freedom between the base and the screen unit such that the screen unit may be moved to a first position folded onto the base, with the length dimension of said screen unit aligned with the length dimension of the base, and to a second position tilted with respect to the base, with the length dimension of the screen unit aligned with the width dimension of the base. |
| US08023255B2 |
Display device
A display device is provided. The display device is adapted for a notebook computer. The display device includes a display panel, a bezel, a back shell, and a reinforced glass plate. The bezel includes a receiving recess and an opening. The display panel is disposed in the receiving recess. The bezel exposes a part of the display panel from the opening. The back shell is assembled with the bezel. The back shell and the bezel cooperatively define an accommodating space. The display panel is accommodated in the accommodating space. The reinforced glass plate is assembled to the bezel for covering the part of the display panel exposed by the opening of the bezel. |
| US08023254B2 |
Electronic device with detachable keyboard
An electronic device includes a main body, a cover, and a keyboard. The main body includes a receptacle having an opening. The cover is coupled to the main body. The keyboard is positioned in the receptacle of the main body. The keyboard is slidable in the receptacle and is detachable from the main body via the opening. |
| US08023252B2 |
Portable electronic device comprising an integrated lock mechanism
An article of manufacture, such as a laptop computer, comprising a housing, a processor disposed within the housing, a computer readable medium disposed within the housing and in communication with the processor, a lock mechanism disposed within the housing, wherein the lock mechanism can be moved between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration, and computer readable program code encoded in the computer readable medium and useable with the processor, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect moving the lock mechanism between the locked configuration and the unlocked configuration. |
| US08023251B2 |
Hybrid energy storage device and method of making same
A hybrid energy storage device includes at least one cell comprising at least one positive electrode, at least one negative electrode, a separator placed between said at least one positive and said at least one negative electrode, and an electrolyte. The at least one positive electrode comprises an active material comprising lead and a tab extending from a side of the at least one positive electrode. The at least one negative electrode comprises an activated carbon material, a tab extending from a side of the at least one negative electrode, and a lead lug encapsulating said tab. A first cast-on lead strap is on the tab extending from said at least one positive electrode. A second cast-on lead strap is on the lead lug of the at least one negative electrode. |
| US08023249B2 |
Capacitor and method of manufacturing the same
A capacitor element includes a pair of conductive layer, a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes, and insulation caps for insulating these electrodes from the conductive layers. By anodizing a metal substrate in two stages, holes filled with the first electrodes and holes filled with the second electrodes are randomly distributed. |
| US08023241B2 |
Arrangement for energy conditioning
Circuit arrangement embodiments that use relative groupings of energy pathways that include shielding circuit arrangements that can sustain and condition electrically complementary energy confluences. |
| US08023240B2 |
Operating device
An operating device is provided having a first button, a second button, and a regulating member. The first button has a tubular hole having a bottom, and is able to be pressed in the direction from the opening edge of said tubular hole to the bottom. The second button freely fits the inside surface of said tubular hole on the outside surface of the second button. The regulating member engages the edge of the first button and regulates the movement of the first button in the pressing direction. The first button is swingable on its edge. |
| US08023239B2 |
Control module for an electric circuit breaker, method for operation thereof, and electric protection system
A control module with interrupt function for an electric circuit breaker has a voltage input for a control voltage, an output carrying the control voltage to which output an interrupter for the circuit breaker can be connected, an input for the control voltage fed back from the interrupter, a terminal for the circuit breaker, said terminal being connected to the input, and a measuring unit for measuring current and/or voltage at the input and at the output. An electric protection system has an electric circuit breaker, an interrupter and a control module. In a method for operating a control module, the circuit breaker is supplied during its operation with voltage and current via the terminal, the measuring unit determines currents and/or voltages at the input and the output, the control module transmits currents and/or voltages to an evaluating unit for determining a characteristic value which correlates to the quality of the interrupter, the evaluating unit determines, from currents and/or voltages, a characteristic value which correlates to the quality of the interrupter. |
| US08023237B2 |
ESD protection circuit and method thereof
An Electrostatic Discharge protection circuit, the circuit includes a transient detecting circuit, a level adjusting circuit, a discharging circuit, and a sustaining circuit. The transient detecting circuit is coupled to a first pad for detecting an input signal at the first pad to generate a transient signal; the level adjusting circuit is coupled to the transient detecting circuit for adjusting an output voltage at an output terminal of the level adjusting circuit; the discharging circuit is coupled to the first pad and the output terminal of the level adjusting circuit for discharging the input signal of the first pad to a second pad when enabled by the output voltage; and the sustaining circuit is coupled between the level adjusting circuit and the transient detecting circuit, for selectively controlling the level adjusting circuit to sustain an enablement of the discharging circuit according to the transient signal. |
| US08023234B2 |
Method for detecting earth-fault conditions in a motor controller
The present invention relates to a method for determining the existence of an earth-fault on-the-fly and thereby protecting a motor controller having a high- and a low-side DC-link, and having high- and low-side switching elements, the high- and low-side switching elements being operatively connected to the high- and low-side DC-link buses, respectively, the method comprising the steps of generating a fault signal, generating at least one test vector in response to the fault signal by switching at least one of the switching elements on, and measuring, while the at least one switching element is on, the magnitude of a current flowing in that DC-link operatively connected to the conducting switching element in order to detect an earth-fault. The present invention further relates to additional methods for on-the-fly determination of earth-faults. |
| US08023227B2 |
Perpendicular recording head with a grooved yoke
Disclosed is a perpendicular recording head for a hard disk drive. The perpendicular recording head includes a yoke that has a plurality of grooves essentially perpendicular to a magnetic flux that flows in a vertical direction relative to the yoke. The perpendicular grooves inhibit residual magnetism in the vertical direction and enhance yoke domain stability. |
| US08023226B2 |
Thermally assisted magnetic head, head gimbal assembly, and hard disk drive
A thermally assisted magnetic head comprises a slider having a medium-opposing surface and a light source unit secured to a surface of the slider on the side of the slider opposite from the medium-opposing surface. The slider has a slider substrate and a magnetic head part provided on a side face of the medium-opposing surface in the slider substrate. The magnetic head part includes a magnetic recording device for generating a magnetic field and a waveguide for receiving light from an end face opposite from the medium-opposing surface and guiding the light to the medium-opposing surface side. The light source unit has a light source supporting substrate, a light source secured to the light source supporting substrate and adapted to supply light to the end face of the waveguide, and a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the light source. |
| US08023225B2 |
Thermally assisted magnetic head with optical waveguide
While an emitting position of light from an optical waveguide and a magnetic pole end part are made closer to each other, high-density writing onto a magnetic recording medium is realized.A thermally assisted magnetic head comprises a main magnetic pole layer having a magnetic pole end part exposed at a medium-opposing surface opposing a magnetic disk, and an optical waveguide for deflecting laser light incident thereon into a laminating direction. The main magnetic pole layer is positioned on a side where the light is deflected by the optical waveguide. The magnetic pole end part projects to the side where the light is deflected by the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide projects more than the magnetic pole end part on the medium-opposing surface side. |
| US08023223B2 |
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. |
| US08023215B1 |
Data recovery scan based on head performance
A method is provided that decides whether a region of data storage units in a data storage system should be scanned for defective data. A current region of data storage units affected by a write operation is determined and which select transducing head of the data storage system that corresponds with the current region is also determined. A scalar value that corresponds with the select transducing head is retrieved. The scalar value related to a condition of the select transducing head based on previously conducted performance tests. An incremented write count of the affected region is scaled by the scalar value to obtain a new increment write count. A defective data scan is performed on the affected region if the new increment write count exceeds a default write count threshold. |
| US08023212B2 |
Lens barrel and image pickup apparatus
A lens barrel capable of preventing reflection of rays of light from a rectilinear motion-causing restriction member on the inner surface of the lens barrel. In a photographic lens unit, to drive an actuator provided on a third lens unit, a flexible wiring board as a current carrying member is connected thereto. This flexible wiring board is disposed in a manner covering the inner surface of a rectilinear motion-causing restriction portion to prevent the same from being exposed toward the optical axis. Further, the flexible wiring board has a surface thereof toward the optical axis subjected to antireflection processing. |
| US08023211B2 |
Lens assembly and image-taking apparatus
A lens assembly includes a barrel having an object-side opening and an image-forming-side opening. The barrel further has a positioning section that positions an image-forming-side surface of a lens by having line contact around an optical axis at a center. The positioning section is disposed at a position that is closer to an object side than the image-forming-side opening of the barrel is. The barrel also has an image-forming section that extends from the positioning section to a center of the optical axis along the image-forming-side surface of the lens and forms an edge of the image-forming-side opening of the barrel. |
| US08023210B2 |
Optical accessory holder
An optical accessory holder such as an adapter or a focuser drawtube having a passageway through the holder body defining a lengthwise central axis through the passageway. The holder body has an inner surface which includes two substantially linear inner edges parallel to the lengthwise central axis. The inner edges are fixed with respect to the holder body. The holder also includes a clamping member opposite the two inner edges which may be moved with respect to the holder body toward the two inner edges. The holder body may have a partially cylindrical exterior surface. The holder body may also include two substantially linear exterior edges parallel to the lengthwise central axis. |
| US08023206B2 |
Achromatic optical system for beam shaping
An achromatic refractive beam shaping optical system that transforms the intensity distribution of a light beam, preferably provides transformation of a beam which intensity distribution described by Gaussian function to a beam of uniform intensity. The system consists of at least two lens groups, one of lens groups is made from at least two lenses having different characteristics, of spectral dispersion, thus achromatic for a certain spectral range optical design providing zero or negligible for practical applications wave aberration is realized. By choosing parameters of lens groups the system can be realized as a telescope of Galilean or Keplerian type, or as a collimator, or as an objective lens. To provide adjustment features one lens group of the system is movable along the optical axis. |
| US08023205B2 |
Lens array, light emitting diode head, exposure device, image forming apparatus, and reading apparatus
A lens array includes a lens assembly member and a light blocking member. The lens assembly member includes lens elements arranged in an arrangement direction substantially perpendicular to optical axes thereof. The light blocking member includes apertures extending and passing thought the optical axes. The lens assembly members and the light blocking member are arranged so that the following relationship is satisfied: RAY/RLY |
| US08023204B2 |
Compact short back focus imaging lens system with two lenses
A compact short back focus imaging lens system with two lenses is revealed and includes along the optical axis from an object side to an image side: an aperture stop, a first lens with positive refractive power that is a meniscus aspherical lens with convex surface facing the object side, a second lens with negative refractive power that is a meniscus aspherical lens with convex surface facing the image side, an IR cut-off filter and an image sensor. Moreover, the following conditions are satisfied by the imaging lens system: - 0.3 ≤ f 1 f 2 ≤ - 0.01 0.25 ≤ bf TL ≤ 0.4 wherein f1 is focal length of the first lens, f2 is focal length of the second lens, bf is back focal length of the imaging lens system, and TL (overall length) is the distance from the aperture stop to the image plane. Thus, the imaging lens system of the present invention has short back focal length effects and reduced overall length so as to achieve the requirement of minimized volume for mobile phones or mini-cameras. |
| US08023203B2 |
Miniature three-piece optical imaging lens with short back focal length
An miniature three-piece optical imaging lens with short back focal length, along an optical axis from the object side to the image side including: a first lens of positive refractive power that is a meniscus aspherical lens having a convex surface on the object side, an aperture stop, a second lens of negative refractive power that is a meniscus aspherical lens having a convex surface on the image side, a third lens of negative refractive power that is an aspherical lens whose center is on the optical axis, while on the lens center the convex surface is on the object side and the concave surface is on the image side. Moreover, from the center of the third lens element toward the edge, the refractive power changes from negative power, through an inflection point, to positive power. Furthermore, the optical imaging lens further satisfies conditions: 0.25 ≤ bf TL ≤ 0.4 wherein bf is back focal length, TL is total distance on the optical axis from the object side of the first lens to the image plane. Thereby, the imaging lens achieves effective aberration correction, high resolution and minimum total length. |
| US08023200B2 |
Movable body driving mechanism
The present invention is directed to a movable body driving mechanism including a first frame and a second frame that is capable of moving relative to the first frame. The movable body driving mechanism includes a cam groove that is formed in the first frame, and a cam follower that is formed in the second frame and inserted movably in the cam groove. The cam groove includes a plurality of regions having different widths. The cam follower is formed to have a shape with a plurality of outer diameters, and different parts of the cam follower contact an inner lateral surface of the cam groove in each of the plurality of regions. With this configuration, the lateral surface of the cam follower can be made to contact the lateral surface of the cam groove constantly, thus achieving the cam driving without looseness. Also, since the biasing means or the like is not needed, it is possible both to simplify the configuration and to reduce the number of manufacturing steps. |
| US08023198B2 |
Lens system and optical apparatus having this lens system
A lens system includes, in order from an object: a first lens group having negative refractive power; and a second lens group having positive refractive power, the first lens group including, in order from the object, a lens having a negative refractive power, a plastic aspherical lens, and a lens having a positive refractive power, and the following conditional expression |fp/f1|>4.0 being satisfied, where fp denotes a focal length of the plastic aspherical lens, and f1 denotes a focal length of the first lens group. |
| US08023197B2 |
Zoom lens and camera with the same
The zoom lens is a retractable bent-type zoom lens capable of providing a high zoom ratio and a reduced thickness, and capable of retracting into a camera body with an easily-configured mechanism. The zoom lens includes in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a prism including a reflective surface, and a posterior lens group which includes plural lens units and has as a whole a positive refractive power. The first and second lens units are retractable into a space formed by movement of the prism in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the first lens unit, and, during zooming, the second lens unit and the plural lens units in the posterior lens group are moved while the first lens unit and the prism are fixed. |
| US08023196B2 |
Projection lens and projection device using the same
A projection lens and a projection device using the same are provided. The projection device includes a projection lens and an optical element. The projection lens includes a first lens group and a second lens group from an image side sequentially. The first lens group has a negative refracting power, and the first lens group includes an aspherical lens surface. The second lens group has a positive refracting power. The first lens group has a first focal length f1, and the second lens group has a second focal length f2. The first focal length f1 and the second focal length f2 satisfy the following two conditions: 0.5<|f1/f2|<1.5, and −35 mm |
| US08023195B2 |
Split laser eye protection system
A laser eye protection (LEP) system for a helmet having a helmet-mounted display (HMD) system. The LEP system includes a large outer visor, which provides ballistic protection, LEP and a display surface for the HMD, and a smaller inner visor, which also provides LEP. LEP is split between the two visors, so that the outer visor can block light in a wavelength that overlaps with the peak wavelength range of the HMD without impairing the wearer's ability to view HMD imagery. The outer visor also preferably does not block near IR light, which allows image-enhancement devices to be positioned within the protective envelope of the outer visor while the smaller inner visor protects the wearer from near IR threats. |
| US08023193B2 |
Illumination system
An illumination system including at least one coherent light source, a light uniforming device and a lenticular sheet module is provided. The coherent light source is capable of emitting a coherent beam. The light uniforming device is disposed on a transmission path of the coherent beam. The lenticular sheet module disposed on a transmission path of the coherent beam and between the coherent light source and the light uniforming device, includes a first lenticular sheet and a second lenticular sheet. The first lenticular sheet includes a plurality of first rod-like lenticulars disposed side by side extending along a first extending direction. The second lenticular sheet disposed between the first lenticular sheet and the light uniforming device, includes a plurality of second rod-like lenticulars disposed side by side extending along a second extending direction. The first extending direction and the second extending direction make an angle greater than 0 degree. |
| US08023190B2 |
Antireflection structure and optical device including the same
A diffusing plate has a surface including a plurality of fine concave/convex portions regularly arranged within a cycle equal to or smaller than a predetermined wavelength. The surface has a larger surface roughness than the predetermined wavelength. An average value for an angle between a normal vector of the tangent plane of a roughness shape of the surface and a normal vector of a reference plane of the surface is 5 degrees or more. |
| US08023185B2 |
Transmission screen for stereoscopic images
A transmission type screen for stereoscopic images having a transmission layer includes an incident surface having a gloss surface, a transmission layer having a refractive index less than 1.55, a transmissivity more than 60%, and an imaging surface having surface particle sizes of 40 to 400 mesh that avoids a hot spot. The imaging surface is formed on the final surface through which images are transmitted, so that the components operate in an organic fashion with respect to each other. The polarization degree of stereoscopic images is maximized thereby increasing the three-dimensional effect and the transmissivity, and enables viewers to view images clearly several times better than with a conventional screen. |
| US08023181B2 |
Optical fiber for amplification and optical fiber amplifier
Provided is an optical fiber for amplification and an optical fiber amplifier for use in L-band, in which optical fiber the increase of transmission loss and the degradation of hydrogen-resistant characteristic can be restrained. The optical fiber is basically made of silica glass and comprises: a core region doped with erbium and P element of 2 wt % to 5 wt % concentration, Ge not being added thereto; and a cladding region enclosing the core region and doped with F element, wherein the optical fiber has a gain at least in a wavelength range of 1570 to 1620 nm. The optical fiber amplifier comprises: the optical fiber; a pump light source for outputting the pump light capable of exciting a rare-earth element added to the core region of the optical fiber; and an optical coupler for introducing into the optical fiber the pump light having been output from the pump light source. |
| US08023175B2 |
Dynamic imaging and/or identification apparatus and method thereof
A preferred embodiment comprises a dynamic display based on a program image element which will only generate a preprogrammed image. As an example, the image element may comprise electrically-driven MEMS mirrors. This example may be embedded in an ID card. At the time of issue of the ID card, pixels in the mirror array will be permanently programmed as either ‘alive’ or ‘dead’ in a pattern matching the photo of the person in question. When stimulated, only ‘alive’ pixels will actuate, creating an image for comparison to the adjacent printed photo. Due to its dynamic behavior, delicate mechanical structures, and single-time hard-wiring, duplication of, or tampering with, this secondary dynamic image will be nearly impossible. The ID car is but one exemplary application and other embodiments, applications, and methods are described in the specification and claims. |
| US08023172B2 |
Mirror device
A mirror device, comprising: a mirror; an electrode which is placed on a substrate and on which surface a cavity is formed; and a hinge placed between the mirror and electrode, wherein the hinge is connected to the cavity of the electrode. |
| US08023166B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
An optical scanning device includes, in an effective scanning area in the target surface, a mechanism that causes a scanning speed at each scanning position with respect to a scanning speed at an approximately center in the effective scanning area to be within a range under a predetermined condition. |
| US08023165B2 |
Lens device comprising a displaceable lens and laser scanning system
Shown is a lens device 16 comprising a displaceable lens 18 and a guide 42, by means of which the lens is guided so as to be capable of being displaced. The lens device 16 comprises a first and a second galvanometric motor 46a, 46b and a first and a second force transmission device 54a, 56a; 54b, 56b, which is coupled to the rotor of the first and second galvanometric motor 46a, 46b, respectively, and which is coupled to the lens 18 at a first and second junction 58a, 58b, respectively. The force transmission device is suitable to convert a rotary motion of the rotor of the first and second galvanometric motor 46a, 46b, respectively, into a displacement motion of the lens 18. The first and the second junction 58a, 58b are thereby spaced apart from one another in a direction at right angles to the displacement direction of the lens 18. |
| US08023163B2 |
Image reading and recording apparatus
An image reading and recording apparatus includes a trigger arm configured to start transmission of a drive to a paper feed unit in accordance with the position of a carriage. The trigger arm includes a first lever portion for feeding a recording sheet in a state in which a cap is separated from a recording head and a second lever portion for feeding a document in a state in which the cap is in contact with the recording head. |
| US08023157B2 |
Image data correcting device for correcting image data to remove back projection without eliminating halftone image
An image data correcting device eliminates a back projection image without eliminating an image corresponding to a low-intensity halftone image. An intensity difference detection part detects an intensity difference between first image data corresponding to a part of a predetermined small area and second image data corresponding to the remaining parts of the predetermined small area. A halftone detection part determining whether the first image data corresponds to a halftone image. An intensity change part changes an intensity of the first image data to a predetermined low intensity, when the intensity difference is equal to or smaller than a first predetermined value and the first image data does not correspond to the halftone image and the intensity of the first image data is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value. |
| US08023150B2 |
Method and system for improved copy quality by generating contone value based on pixel pattern and image context type around pixel of interest
A method and system reconstructs a contone image from a binary image by first tagging pixels to identify one of a multiplicity of image content types. The tag information and the pattern of bits surrounding the pixel to be converted to a contone value are used to reconstruct a contone image from a binary image. The pattern of bits in the neighborhood is used to generate a unique identifier. The unique identifier is used as the address for a lookup table with the contone value to be used wherein each lookup table corresponds to an image context type. |
| US08023149B2 |
Color processing method and apparatus
When generating a color conversion table for converting a device independent color into a device color, a conversion target color of the device independent color corresponding to a lattice point of the color conversion table is set based on color reproduction information indicating the relationship between the device color and device independent color. The conversion target color is changed to generate a plurality of neighbor colors of the conversion target color. The conversion target color and the plurality of neighbor colors are converted into device colors based on the color reproduction information, and the device color corresponding to the conversion target color is calculated from the conversion results. |
| US08023148B2 |
Print structure, printing method and reading method for medium surface with print-formed dot pattern
With the aim of realizing an easy and inexpensive method of realizing a “stealth” dot pattern, whose presence on a medium surface is not visually recognizable, merely through minor improvements in the existing printing technology, the present invention provides dots which form a dot pattern by printing these dots using an ink of any color reactive in the infrared or ultraviolet wavelength range on a medium surface on which a dot pattern is to be formed, for use with a dot pattern reading system that irradiates infrared or ultraviolet light on a medium surface having a dot pattern provided thereon, recognizes the dot pattern by reading the reflections of the light with an optical reading means, converts the dot pattern into the corresponding data, and outputs the text, voice, images and so forth contained in the data. |
| US08023144B2 |
Method for generating transposed image data
A method for generating transposed image data for use in an imaging apparatus having access to a memory includes (a) generating a set of data blocks corresponding to at least a portion of image data representing an image to be printed; (b) performing a combined format and transpose operation on the set of data blocks; and (c) storing a result of the combined format and transpose operation in the memory. |
| US08023142B2 |
System, method and program product for electronically filing documents
System, method and computer program product for managing a document. A printer driver of a computer outputs printing data corresponding to the document to an IP port of the computer. A program detects the printing data en route to or at the IP port and determines whether there exists, apart from the printing data, a file containing classification information for storing the printing data. If so, the program appends the classification information to the printing data and sends the printing data and appended classification information to a storage server for storage. The classification information specifies a format for storing the printing data. The program determines whether there exists a file containing classification information by searching for a file with a name which corresponds by convention to a name of the document represented by the printing data. The program appends the classification information to the printing data as comments. |
| US08023141B2 |
Facsimile delivery through interaction with printed document
A method of delivering a facsimile is provided. The method starts by printing, by a printer, a document on a substrate. The document has printed thereon visible user information and invisible coded tags. Each tag encodes an identity of the document and a location of the tag on the substrate. A sensing device senses the printed coded tags when the sensing device is moved relative to the document by a user so as to compose a message. The message is electronically captured by the sensing device using the identity of the document and a sequence of the respective locations of tags sensed by the sensing device. The message is then transmitted to a recipient address for facsimile delivery. |
| US08023131B2 |
Method and system for combining separate digitized representations of documents for retransmission via computer network transfer protocols
A method for a computer system includes receiving a first facsimile transmission from a user, wherein the first facsimile transmission includes a digitized representation of a first document transmitted using a facsimile transmission format, processing the digitized representation of the first document with an optical character recognition process to determine a first destination e-mail address, wherein the first destination e-mail address need not be known to the computer system a priori, reformatting at least a portion of the digitized representation of the first document into an e-mail attachment format, determining advertisement data in response to the first facsimile transmission, forming an e-mail message addressed to the destination e-mail address, wherein the e-mail message includes a body portion and an attachment portion, wherein the body portion comprises the advertisement data, and wherein the attachment portion comprises the portion of the digitized representation of the first document in the e-mail attachment format. |
| US08023130B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging device accounting data maintenance
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for maintaining imaging device (IDev) accounting data in the event that an imaging device's primary accounting server becomes unavailable. Some aspects relate to the use of a lightweight accounting backup server (LABS) that may reside on an imaging device, a networked computer or another computing device for the purpose of storing and communication accounting data when a primary accounting server fails. |
| US08023129B2 |
Information processing device for balancing printing loads connected to a plurality of printing devices, network printing system for a plurality of printing devices, and computer program for information processing device connected to a pluarlity of printing devices
A server acquires the total number of pages printed per hour and the number of pages printed per hour by each user on each printer in a network printing system in order to find printers whose hourly number of printed pages exceeds a load limit. The server also looks for printers having few printed pages per hour that do not exceed the load limit and issues a notification advising the user who is printing the largest volume on a printer exceeding the load limit to switch to a printer that prints few pages. Accordingly, a high concentration of printing found on a few printers can be moderated, reducing user wait time and excessive printer load. |
| US08023123B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method for information processing apparatus, display apparatus, and control method for display apparatus
An apparatus receives printing structured document data relating to data broadcasting, that has been described in a markup language. The received printing structured document data is parsed, and layout information for printing is extracted. The descriptions relating to printing that are included in the printing structured document data are changed into descriptions which can be parsed by a browser application capable of displaying contents described in a markup language, using the layout information. Thus, when printing data broadcast data in digital broadcasting, a suitable preview display can be made of printing data which has been generated from printing structured document data described in a markup language, using browser functions of a digital TV, before performing printing output of printing data. |
| US08023113B2 |
Biological analysis arrangement and approach therefor
Characteristics of a chemical or biological sample are detected using an approach involving light detection. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an assaying arrangement including a light detector is adapted to detect light from a sample, such as a biological material. A signal corresponding to the detected light is used to characterize the sample, for example, by detecting a light-related property thereof. In one implementation, the assaying arrangement includes integrated circuitry having a light detector and a programmable processor, with the light detector generating a signal corresponding to the light and sending the signal to the processor. The processor provides an output corresponding to the signal and indicative of a characteristic of the sample. |
| US08023110B1 |
Priori crack detection in solar photovoltaic wafers by detecting bending at edges of wafers
Methods and systems for determining the quality of a substrate are disclosed. One or more substrates may be examined to determine whether bending is present at the edge of a substrate. The substrate may be accepted if it is determined that bending is not present at the edge of the substrate. The substrate may be rejected if it is determined that bending is present at the edge of the substrate. |
| US08023109B2 |
Recognition chip for target substance, and detection method and device for the same
A detection device comprising a substrate comprising a plurality of objects of which properties are changed due to the contact with a target substance, means for bringing the target substance into contact with the objects, and means for detecting a change in properties of the objects caused when the target substance is brought into contact with the objects, based on light output when the objects are irradiated with light, wherein the plurality of the objects are located in the direction in which the light for irradiation travels, and the detecting means is means for detecting the change in the properties based on the summation of light output from the plurality of the objects upon irradiation with light. |
| US08023108B2 |
Crystallographic orientation measurement
A method is disclosed for measuring the crystallographic orientation of a component cast by a directional solidification process. The method comprises the steps of: illuminating at least a region of the component surface with substantially coherent light, measuring the mean angle and intensity of the light reflected from the component surface, and correlating said mean angle and intensity to the crystallographic orientation of the component. The method has been found to lend itself particularly well to automation. |
| US08023104B2 |
Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
Microlithographic projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related components, subsystems and methods are disclosed. |
| US08023101B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which a gas knife is shaped and a liquid removal device is positioned to improve removal of liquid from the surface of the substrate. |
| US08023099B2 |
Substrate processing system and substrate processing method for double patterning with carrier block, process section, and interface block
A substrate processing system is used for a light exposure apparatus which performs light exposure at least twice on each of substrates. The system includes a carrier block, and a process section configured to process each of substrates transferred from the carrier block one by one. The process section includes a first coating process section configured to perform a first coating process, a first developing process section configured to perform a first developing process, a second coating process section configured to perform a second coating process, and a second developing process section configured to perform a second developing process. The system further includes an interface block configured to transfer substrates between the process section and the light exposure apparatus, and a substrate transfer mechanism configured to transfer substrates among them. |
| US08023097B2 |
Display panel manufacturing method, display panel manufacturing apparatus, and display panel
A liquid crystal panel 11 includes a pair of substrates 18, 19, liquid crystal 20 disposed between the substrates 18, 19, and alignment films 30, 36 provided on the opposed surfaces of the substrates 18, 19. After formation of the alignment film 30 or 36 is completed in a manufacturing process, it is checked by an inspection process whether a pinhole H is formed on the alignment film 30, 36, and further the position of the pinhole H is detected. Thereafter, an alignment film repair filler 50 is applied to the pinhole H by a repair process, so that the pinhole H is repaired. |
| US08023092B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing liquid crystal display device
Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display device including, a liquid crystal layer, a first substrate and a second substrate which face each other through the liquid crystal layer therebetween, and a plurality of columnar spacers holding a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the plurality of columnar spacers include a first columnar spacer and a second columnar spacer which are formed to be substantially equal in height, and a substrate surface of one of the first substrate and the second substrate is provided with a recess in at least one of a part where to dispose the first columnar spacer and a part where to dispose the second columnar spacer. |
| US08023087B2 |
Display device having particular pixels and signal wiring internal circuits
In a display device of built-in driver circuit type including a non-rectangular image display area, the frame area surrounding the display area is reduced and the wiring delay is reduced. The image display device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in an orthogonal matrix form, a plurality of scanning wiring lines connected to the plural pixels, a plurality of signal wiring lines connected to the plural pixels, the signal wiring lines being disposed to construct an orthogonal matrix form with the plural scanning wiring lines; signal wiring internal circuits for driving the plural signal wiring lines, and an image display area including a plurality of pixels, the image display area having a non-rectangular outer contour. The signal wiring internal circuits are separated from each other in an extending direction of the signal wiring lines in a unit of length of the pixel. |
| US08023084B2 |
In-plane switching mode LCD and manufacturing method thereof
An in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device is provided that prevents light leakages and improves contrast ratio. The in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrate, gate and data lines that perpendicularly cross each other on the first substrate to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor at a crossing of the gate and data lines, a pixel electrode and a common electrode alternately formed in the pixel region and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, an alignment layer on an entire surface of the substrate, wherein, at least one of the gate line, the data line, the pixel electrode, and the common electrode has a stepped portion with a step difference of about 0.1 μm or greater, the alignment layer is primarily aligned, and at least a portion of the primarily-aligned alignment layer around the stepped portion is secondarily aligned, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates. |
| US08023083B2 |
Liquid crystal device, method for manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus including the same
A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first alignment layer disposed on the liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate, and a second alignment layer disposed on the liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate. At least one of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer is made of an inorganic porous film having pores exposed at its surface and grooves to control the orientation of the liquid crystal layer. |
| US08023081B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device of a simplified structure and a widened viewing angle are provided. The liquid crystal display device having a stacked structure with its component plates and layers laid one over another in the following top-down order, comprises a first polarizing plate of α in optic-axial angle, a first λ/2 retardation plate of β in the optic-axial angle, a first λ/4 retardation plate of γ in the optic-axial angle, a liquid crystal layer located as an interlayer between two of substrates and having its opposite major surfaces oriented in vertical directions, a second λ/4 retardation plate disposed in phase or in parallel with the first λ/4 retardation plate (i.e., the optic-axial angle of γ), a second λ/2 retardation plate of (2γ−β) in the optic-axial angle, and a second polarizing plate of (π/2−α+2γ) in the optic-axial angle. |
| US08023079B2 |
Liquid crystal display
The present invention provides a touch panel and a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display includes a panel, a plurality of reflective coding patterns printed on the panel, and a polarizing plate positioned on the panel, wherein the reflective coding patterns include a plurality of cholesteric liquid crystal molecules having a pitch length and a index of refraction, and the pitch length multiplied by the index of refraction is within a range of an infrared ray wavelength. |
| US08023077B2 |
Liquid crystal apparatus, color filter substrate, and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal apparatus includes a pair of substrates. The pair of substrates includes a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween, and a two-dimensional array of pixel regions each including a transmissive display region and a reflective display region, the transmissive display regions of different pixel regions having areas different from one another. One of the substrates has a plurality of color filter layers provided in correspondence with the pixel regions, a reflective film provided over the color filter layers, and an overcoat film covering the reflective film. Among the pixel regions including the transmissive display regions having different areas, a pixel region including a transmissive display region with a large area has a color filter layer with a thickness larger than that of a color filter layer provided in a pixel region including a transmissive display region with a small area. |
| US08023074B2 |
Liquid crystal display unit
Provided is a liquid crystal display unit that offers high visibility irrespective of the brightness of the surrounding environment and that achieves a reduction in electric power consumption as well as in cost. The liquid crystal display unit is provided with a liquid crystal layer 6, two substrates 1 and 2 that sandwich the liquid crystal layer 6, and a backlight 50 that sequentially emits light of a plurality of colors. Here, one picture element is composed of three R, G, and B pixels that serve as a reflective region, and a pixel having a transparent layer W that serves as a transmissive region. Configured in this way, in the transmissive region, the light from the backlight 50 passes through the transparent electrode 4, so that a transmissive display is performed; in the reflective region, the light is reflected from the reflective electrode 5, so that a reflective display is performed. |
| US08023072B2 |
Color filter substrate comprising a light shielding column and display device having the same
A color filter substrate is used in a display device including pixels arranged in columns and rows to define a matrix pattern. The color filter substrate includes a transparent substrate and coloring layers, including a first color filter layer, a second color filter layer and an light shielding layer, provided on the transparent substrate. The first and second color filter layers include a first color filter column and a second color filter column, respectively, each of which is arranged for an associated column of pixels. The light shielding layer includes an light shielding column, which is provided for a gap between two adjacent columns of pixels. In a gap between two pixels that are adjacent in a row direction, an intercolumnar overlap area, in which the light shielding column and at least one of the first and second color filter columns overlap each other, and an intercolumnar non-overlap area, in which the light shielding column is overlapped by neither the first nor the second color filter column, are defined, and the intercolumnar non-overlap area is defined so as to extend continuously in the row direction through the gap between the two adjacent pixels. |
| US08023070B2 |
LED backlight device and LCD device
A backlight device includes a first substrate having optical transparency and having first and second surfaces opposite to each other. An LED thin-film is fixed to the first surface of the first substrate. An anode electrode and a cathode electrode are formed on the LED thin-film. An anode driver IC and a cathode driver IC are provided for driving the LED thin-film to emit light. An anode wiring and a cathode wiring are provided on the first surface of the first substrate. A second substrate has optical transparency, and has first and second surfaces opposite to each other. The second surface of the second substrate faces the first surface of the first substrate. A reflection film is provided on the first surface of the second substrate. A light diffusion plate is provided so as to face the second surface of the first substrate and has a function to diffuse incident light. |
| US08023068B2 |
Optical sheet, backlight unit, and liquid crystal display
An optical sheet, a backlight unit including the optical sheet, and a liquid crystal display including the backlight unit are provided. The optical sheet includes a base film including a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface and a plurality of projections on the base film. A first thickness between the first surface and the second surface is different from a second thickness between the first surface and the second surface. |
| US08023067B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and fabricating method thereof
A liquid crystal display device that reduces manufacturing cost, contributes to a thin profile, and generates uniform brightness, and a fabricating method thereof are disclosed.In the liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display panel is prepared. A backlight includes a plurality of lamps, a diffusion plate which is located on the lamps, and an intermediate diffusion medium located between the lamps and the diffusion plate to diffuse light from the lamps, and irradiates light to the liquid crystal display panel.Furthermore, in the method of fabricating the liquid crystal display device, a diffusion material is molded using a mold to form an intermediate diffusion medium that includes a plurality of ribs connected to an external band of square type and both sides of the external band of square type, respectively. The intermediate diffusion medium is located between lamps and a diffusion plate. |
| US08023055B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device, a first interlayer insulating layer made of an inorganic material and formed on inverse stagger type TFTs, a second interlayer insulating layer made of an organic material and formed on the first interlayer insulating layer, and a pixel electrode formed in contact with the second interlayer insulating layer are disposed on a substrate, and an input terminal portion that is electrically connected to a wiring of another substrate is provided on an end portion of the substrate. The input terminal portion includes a first layer made of the same material as that of the gate electrode and a second layer made of the same material as that of the pixel electrode. With this structure, the number of photomasks used in the photolithography method can be reduced to 5. |
| US08023053B2 |
Active-matrix liquid crystal matrix display
In an active matrix for a liquid crystal display, including a plurality of pixel electrodes in an active zone, each of which can be addressed using one selection line among N selection lines and one data line among M data lines, a storage capacitor is connected to each pixel electrode in the matrix, and a line stabilization capacitor is provided for each selection line in the matrix. A first electrode of the stabilization capacitor is connected to the selection line and a second electrode is connected to a reference voltage. Such a structure may find application to active matrix type liquid crystal displays, particularly with integrated drivers. |
| US08023052B1 |
High-speed liquid crystal polarization modulator
A polarization modulator for time-multiplexed stereoscopic 3D applications rapidly switches between two polarization states in alternate subframes. The polarization modulator uses two liquid crystal devices arranged in optical series and driven such that the second device compensates a change the first device makes to an input polarization state of incident light during alternate subframes. The compensating liquid crystal devices are characterized in that, if the same voltage is applied to both of them, the second device compensates the change that the first device makes to the input polarization state, regardless of the applied voltage level. If the applied voltage is changed from one level to another and the liquid crystal material in the liquid crystal devices relaxes to the new voltage level, polarization state compensation will take place throughout the duration of the relaxation so that the slow, unpowered transition does not manifest itself as a change in polarization state. |
| US08023051B2 |
Touch panel with elongated flexible printed circuit
The material utilization efficiency of FPC's is improved, to provide a low cost touch panel. A touch panel 100 is constituted by: a rectangular transparent panel 104; and a plurality of light emitting elements 8a and a plurality of light receiving elements 8b provided at the peripheral portions of the transparent panel 104, for specifying the coordinates of targets of detection. An elongate FPC 106 is folded at a plurality of predetermined locations to be provided as a frame along the four sides 122a, 122b, 122c, and 122d of the transparent panel 104. The plurality of light emitting elements 8a are provided on the FPC 106 along two adjacent sides of the transparent panel 104, and the plurality of light receiving elements 8b are provided on the other two sides of the transparent panel 104 so as to face the light emitting elements 8a. |
| US08023049B2 |
Thin-shaped television
Interference between a television main body and an obstacle can be suppressed when the main body is turned in horizontal directions, and damage of the television main body and the obstacle can be prevented.Operating bars are provided for corner portions on both sides of the television main body in a longitudinal direction, bosses having a collar portion on the inside thereof are formed from the operating bar toward hole portion formed in the corner portions on both sides of the television main body in a protruded manner, a plate-shaped portion bridging the corner portions is provided on the back side of the hole portion of the television main body, a spring that energizes the boss toward the outside is arranged between the plate-shaped portion and the collar portion of the boss, a sensor is provided for at least one area in the vertical directions of the operating bar, in which the sensor is constituted by contact terminals provided on both sides of the boss of the operating bar, contact terminals provided on the pore wall of the hole portions of the television main body so as to face the contact terminals, a contact terminal provided at the tip of the boss, and a contact terminal provided for the plate-shaped portion so as to face the contact terminal. |
| US08023048B2 |
Mobile TV system and method with fast channel change
To reduce latency during channel change, when a user changes the TV channel on a mobile TV device such as a wireless phone, the device leaves the power save mode and enters, for a limited timeout period, a fully energized mode in which the receiver and front end logic of the device remain energized during periods in which content from the old channel, content from the new channel, and content from a “next” channel are interleaved into the broadcast. |
| US08023046B2 |
Multi-input multi-output time encoding and decoding machines
Methods and systems for encoding and decoding signals using a Multi-input Multi-output Time Encoding Machine (TEM) and Time Decoding Machine are disclosed herein. |
| US08023045B2 |
Storage device, data processing apparatus, data processing method, program, storage medium and data processing system
A video processor card stores tap generation information for determining a predetermined tap coefficient when the tap generation information is used together with tap generation information stored in another video processor card, and supplies a video processing interface with the tap generation information. The video processing interface generates the tap coefficient from the tap generation information of the one video processor card and the other video processor card loaded therein. The video processing interface extracts video data having a predictive tap used to predict a target pixel and video data having a class tap used to classify the target data, and class classifies the target data based on the class tap. The video processing interface determine the target pixel based on the tap coefficient and the predictive tap of the class of the target pixel. |
| US08023042B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing therefor
In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, in which functional circuits such as a shift register circuit and a buffer circuit are incorporated on the same substrate, an optimal TFT structure is provided along with the aperture ratio of a pixel matrix circuit is increased. There is a structure in which an n-channel TFT, with a third impurity region which overlaps a gate electrode, is formed in a buffer circuit, etc., and an n-channel TFT, in which a fourth impurity region which does not overlap the gate electrode, is formed in a pixel matrix circuit. A storage capacitor formed in the pixel matrix circuit is formed by a light shielding film, a dielectric film formed on the light shielding film, and a pixel electrode. Al is especially used in the light shielding film, and the dielectric film is formed anodic oxidation process, using an Al oxide film. |
| US08023039B2 |
Image capture apparatus with an operation member for a cover of a connector
An image capture apparatus includes a housing body, an image capture optical system, an image capture device, a connector, a cover, and an operation member. The display panel is provided to the housing body to be pivotable between a usage position where a display surface of the display panel is visible and a storage position where the display surface of the display panel is in contact with a surface of the housing body. The cover opens or closes the insertion/removal opening by extending or retracting on the insertion/removal opening from an interior of the housing body. The operation member is provided to the housing body, and is operated to move the cover along a direction of opening or closing the insertion/removal opening, the operation member being provided to the housing body. |
| US08023038B2 |
Camera module
A camera module includes a lens, an image sensor, a carrier carrying the image sensor, two spring supporting members, a frame, a base and a printed circuit board. The carrier has a comb-shaped first electrode having a number of first teeth. The carrier is suspended in the frame by the two spring supporting members, and is movable in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the image sensor. The base has a comb-shaped second electrode having a number of second teeth. The first teeth and second teeth are arranged in a staggered fashion. The printed circuit board provides a potential difference between the first and second electrodes, whereby an electrostatic force is generated between the first and second teeth to drive the first teeth to move towards the second teeth. |
| US08023037B2 |
Focus-adjustment signal generating apparatus and method, and imaging apparatus and method with manual focus adjustments
A focus-adjustment signal generating apparatus includes a filter to extract a high-frequency component at a specific frequency or higher from a luminance signal of an input video signal, a comparator to compare an absolute value of the high-frequency component with a specific reference value, to output a first detection signal when the absolute value is equal to or larger than the reference value whereas a second detection signal when the absolute value is smaller than the reference value, an extender to extend an output period of the first detection signal according to a period indicated by a period-length setting signal, to output an extended first detection signal, and a selector to select a first chrominance difference signal indicating a specific color in response to the extended first detection signal whereas a second chrominance difference signal indicating an achromatic color in response to the second detection signal, the first or the second chrominance difference signal being output as a focus-adjustment signal. |
| US08023029B2 |
Digital camera-projector hybrid
A camera-projector assembly for viewing captured images in a near-view mode and in a distal-view projection mode. The assembly includes a camera housing and an image capture assembly within the housing collecting image data. The camera-projector assembly includes a projection assembly mounted on the camera housing that includes a projection lens and a projection light source. A transmissive display such as an LCD is provided external to the camera housing and adapted to be positionable in a first position proximate to the camera housing and in a second position between the projection lens and light source. The transmissive display is positionable against an external surface of the camera housing when it is in the first position and at least partially spaced apart from the external surface in the second position. The transmissive display maybe rotated or slid from the first to the second position on the camera housing. |
| US08023023B2 |
Image sensing apparatus including charge transfer operation and control method therefor
An image sensing apparatus capable of reducing degradation of a signal-to-noise ratio property occurring when a driving frequency of an image sensing element is high, depending on a state of an operation mode. An information table is stored in a memory section, which includes information on a timing of a horizontal transfer driving signal for performing charge transfer in the horizontal direction in an image sensing element, information on a timing of a reset gate signal for performing charge sweep per pixel, and information on a timing of a feed-through sample-hold signal for sample-holding a feed-through section of the output signal of the image sensing element which becomes a black reference per pixel, in association with an operation mode of an image sensing apparatus. The information table associated with the set operation mode is selected from the memory section, and the element is driven based on the information table. |
| US08023019B2 |
Image-sensing chip package module for reducing its whole thickness
An image-sensing chip package module for reducing its whole thickness can fix an image-sensing unit under a substrate unit via an adhesive body disposed between the substrate unit and the image-sensing unit, so that the image-sensing unit can be firmly fixed under a bottom area (the bottom area is a receiving space formed by using a plurality of first conductive protruding bodies to support the substrate unit up relative to a main PCB) of the substrate unit. In other words, the image-sensing unit is received in the receiving space formed by using the first conductive protruding bodies to support the substrate unit up relative to the main PCB, so that the whole thickness of the image-sensing chip package module can be reduced. Therefore, it is easy for designer to integrate the image-sensing chip package module into any portable electronic devices such as mobile phone or notebook. |
| US08023018B2 |
Drive method for solid-state imaging device, solid-state imaging device, and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device having: (a) a pixel array with an oblique pixel pattern in which pixels are obliquely disposed, an odd-numbered row vertical signal line in an odd-numbered row vertical signal line group being connected to each column of odd-numbered row pixels and an even-numbered row vertical signal line in an even-numbered row vertical signal line group being connected to each column of even-numbered row pixels; (b) a row selector for separately selecting an odd-numbered row and an even-numbered row of the oblique pixel pattern; (c) an odd-numbered row column processing circuit group including column processing circuits and connected to the odd-numbered row vertical signal line group, for adding signals of the odd-numbered row pixels between columns; (d) an even-numbered row column processing circuit group including column processing circuits and connected to the even-numbered row vertical signal line group, for adding signals of the even-numbered row pixels in pixel columns; and (d) a column selector for selecting the column processing circuits of the odd-numbered row column processing circuit group and the column processing circuits of the even-numbered row column processing circuit group. |
| US08023016B2 |
Imaging device and manufacturing method thereof
A small, low-profile imaging device that obtains imaging signals having similar light intensity distributions for different colored light, even when there is variability in component precision or assembly. The imaging device (101) includes a plurality of lens units (113) each including at least one lens, a plurality of imaging areas corresponding one-to-one with the plurality of lens units, and each having a light receiving surface (123) substantially perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the corresponding lens unit, an imaging signal input unit (133) that receives as input a plurality of imaging signals each output from a different one of the plurality of imaging areas, and an intensity correcting unit (142) that corrects the intensity of each of the plurality of imaging signals, so that the degree of correction changes depending on the position of the imaging area. |
| US08023013B1 |
Fixed pattern noise correction with compressed gain and offset
A method of pixel correction is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) calibrating a per-pixel correction model of a sensor at a plurality of different illumination levels, (B) generating a plurality of pixel values from the sensor in response to an optical signal and (C) generating a plurality of corrected values by applying the per-pixel correction model to the pixel values. |
| US08023011B2 |
Circuit and method of detecting saturation level of image sensor and image sensor including saturation level detecting circuit
A circuit and method of detecting a saturation level of an image sensor including a photodiode using a black pixel circuit included in the image sensor. The saturation level detecting circuit includes a pixel unit, a reset node and a detection controller. The pixel unit includes a floating diffusion node connected to, or disconnected from, the photodiode and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the voltage of the floating diffusion node. The reset node is connected to, or disconnected from, the floating diffusion node. The detection controller transfers a power voltage or a reference voltage to the reset node. |
| US08023009B2 |
Imaging apparatus for correcting optical distortion and wide-angle distortion
A digital camera includes a distortion correction section, which is composed of a focal length determining section, a distortion evaluation section and a correction amount calculating section. The focal length determining section evaluates a focal length at the time of image capture. Based on the focal length, the distortion evaluation section evaluates the magnitude of wide-angle distortion and optical distortion in a captured image. Based on this evaluation, the distortion correction section selects an appropriate coefficient from an optical distortion correction coefficient table or a wide-angle distortion correction coefficient table. Using the selected coefficient, the correction amount calculating section applies a coordinate transform processing to cause positive or negative distortion to the captured image, and corrects the wide-angle distortion or the optical distortion. |
| US08023005B2 |
Image recording apparatus and image recording method
An aspect of the present invention provides an image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording device which records an extended image file storing a plurality of pieces of image data and a basic file storing at least one piece of image data selected from the pieces of image data stored in the extended image file, the extended image file and the basic file being associated with each other; a determination device which determines whether or not the basic file has been deleted or modified; and a basic file recovery device which recovers the basic file from the extended image file if it is determined that the basic file has been deleted or modified. |
| US08023004B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program for selectively controlling gain in a normal imaging mode and a combined imaging mode
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit capable of selectively executing an imaging operation in a normal imaging mode that outputs a normal exposure image signal in a unit period and an imaging operation in a combined imaging mode that outputs a long-time-exposure image signal and a short-time-exposure image signal, a pre-processing unit that performs gain processing on the normal exposure image signal, or the signals, a signal processing unit that, by combining the image signals, generates a combined image signal, and a control unit that performs control in which, by switching a reference gain setting value in the gain processing in the pre-processing unit in accordance with the normal or combined imaging mode, when the imaging unit is in the combined imaging mode, the reference gain setting value is set to be greater than the reference gain setting value when the imaging unit is in the normal imaging mode. |
| US08022994B2 |
Image sensor with high dynamic range in down-sampling mode
An image sensor has an array of photo-sensitive pixels and supports a line-by-line read out of rows. In a normal resolution each row has the same nominal gain and exposure time. In a down-sampling mode the exposure times of the rows are varied according to an alternating sequence having at least two different exposure times. During down-sampling, raw pixel data from rows with different exposure times is combined to simultaneously achieve down-sampling and a high dynamic range. |
| US08022993B2 |
Image supply device transmitting image data to a recording apparatus, communication apparatus, recording system and control method thereof
An image supply device is capable of transmitting image data to a recording apparatus so as to record an image, receiving status information transmitted as a code from the recording apparatus, determining the degree of interpretation of plural-level information corresponding to a device level included in the received code, determining an interpretation level for the plural-level information included in the code and interpreting the code. Then, the device determines information based on the result of the interpretation and notifies a user of the information. |
| US08022990B2 |
Systems and methods for on-line marker-less camera calibration using a position tracking system
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for calibration of an imaging camera or other image acquisition device. Certain embodiments include characterizing a transformation from a coordinate system of an imager to a coordinate system of a first sensor positioned with respect to the imager using a first off-line calibration. Certain embodiments also include characterizing a transformation from a coordinate system of an imaging camera source to a coordinate system of a second sensor positioned with respect to the imaging camera source using a second off-line calibration. Additionally, certain embodiments include quantifying intrinsic parameters of the imaging camera source based on a transformation from the coordinate system of the imager to the coordinate system of the imaging camera source based on the first and second off-line calibrations and information from the first and second sensors and a transmitter positioned with respect to an object being imaged. |
| US08022988B2 |
Display apparatus and computer program
A display apparatus includes an object recognizing unit for receiving a plurality of video channels and recognizing at least one object moving in the video channels, a display unit for displaying the plurality of video channels so that at east one of the objects recognized by the object recognizing unit is selectable, and if receiving a selection of an object, to which a user pays attention, displaying the video channel including the attention object as an attention object, considering the selected object as the attention object, a frame in and/or out detecting unit for detecting frame-out of the attention object out of the tracking video, and a video searching unit for searching other video channels using the attention object as a searching key if the frame-out of the attention object is detected and allowing the display unit to display the detected video channel. |
| US08022987B2 |
Information-based self-organization of sensor nodes of a sensor network
A sensor node detects a plurality of information-based events. The sensor node determines whether at least one other sensor node is an information neighbor of the sensor node based on at least a portion of the plurality of information-based events. The information neighbor has an overlapping field of view with the sensor node. The sensor node sends at least one communication to the at least one other sensor node that is an information neighbor of the sensor node in response to at least one information-based event of the plurality of information-based events. |
| US08022986B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring weapon pointing angles
A weapon orientation measuring device in accordance with the disclosure includes a processor configured to receive first location information indicative of locations of a first point and a second point on a weapon, the first and second points being a known distance apart in a direction parallel to a pointing axis of the weapon, and to receive second location information indicative of the locations of the first and second points on the weapon. The processor is further configured to receive information indicative of a first earth orientation, and determine a second earth orientation corresponding to the weapon based on the first and second location information and the information indicative of the first earth orientation. The first location information represents location relative to a first sensor at a first location and the second location information represents location relative to a second sensor at a second location, and the first and second sensors are separated by a given distance. |
| US08022985B2 |
Vehicle-mounted imaging device
Color signals that have passed through a multilayer film filter and been photoelectrically converted are inputted into an image processing LSI. A color signal processing section of the image processing LSI corrects the color signals on a color matrix. The color matrix is divided into a plurality of regions corresponding to the color signals, and the correction is made for each of the regions. |
| US08022977B2 |
Camera placed behind a display with a transparent backlight
A method and combined video display and camera system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises a first sheet and a second sheet oriented parallel to the first sheet, the second sheet including a light diffuser. A light source is placed along an edge of the second sheet, wherein the second sheet diffuses light generated by the light source. One or more cameras are placed behind the second sheet to capture an image through the second sheet and the first sheet. |
| US08022976B2 |
Laser power switching for alignment purposes in a laser printer
An apparatus for switching and controlling the intensity of a laser beam directed toward a beam detect sensor for an image forming device. A printing power reference signal and a beam detect power reference signal is selectively connected to a laser driver through a first switch. A printing power reference holding capacitor and a beam detect power reference holding capacitor is selectively connected to the laser driver through a second switch that is controlled in tandem with the first switch. During each scan cycle, the output laser power is monitored and used to adjust one of the two holding capacitors based such that both the printing power and the beam detect power have a controlled reference. |
| US08022967B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing method includes the steps of acquiring an image of a physical space, acquiring a position and orientation of a viewpoint of the image, generating an image of a virtual object, detecting an area which consists of pixels each having a predetermined pixel value, and superimposing the image of the virtual object on the image of the physical space. The superimposition step includes calculating a distance between a position of the virtual object and a position of the viewpoint, acquiring an instruction indicating whether or not the virtual object is emphasis-displayed, and setting a flag indicating whether or not the image of the virtual object is to be set as a masked target. The masking process image of the virtual object is superimposed or not on the image of the physical space depending if the image of the virtual object is set as the masked target. |
| US08022966B2 |
Video, audio and graphics decode, composite and display system
A video, audio and graphics system uses multiple transport processors to receive in-band and out-of-band MPEG Transport streams, to perform PID and section filtering as well as DVB and DES decryption and to de-multiplex them. The system processes the PES into digital audio, MPEG video and message data. The system is capable of decoding multiple MPEG SLICEs concurrently. Graphics windows are blended in parallel, and blended with video using alpha blending. During graphics processing, a single-port SRAM is used equivalently as a dual-port SRAM. The video may include both analog video, e.g., NTSC/PAL/SECAM/S-video, and digital video, e.g., MPEG-2 video in SDTV or HDTV format. The system has a reduced memory mode in which video images are reduced in half in horizontal direction only during decoding. The system is capable of receiving and processing digital audio signals such as MPEG Layer 1 and Layer 2 audio and Dolby AC-3 audio, as well as PCM audio signals. The system includes a memory controller. The system includes a system bridge controller to interface a CPU with devices internal to the system as well as peripheral devices including PCI devices and I/O devices such as RAM, ROM and flash memory devices. The system is capable of displaying video and graphics in both the high definition (HD) mode and the standard definition (SD) mode. The system may output an HDTV video while converting the HDTV video and providing as another output having an SDTV format or another HDTV format. |
| US08022964B2 |
3D histogram and other user interface elements for color correcting images
The disclosed implementations relate generally to 3D histograms and other user interface elements for color correcting digital images. A color correction method includes: generating a user interface for display on a display device, the user interface including a display area; generating a three-dimensional cube representing a color space for display in the display area; and generating a plurality of spheres for display within the cube, where the spheres are sized to represent pixel densities in a digital image. |
| US08022951B2 |
Node structure for representing 3-dimensional objects using depth image
A family of node structures for representing 3-dimensional objects using depth image are provided. These node structures can be adopted into MPEG-4 AFX for conventional polygonal 3D representations. Main formats of the family are DepthImage, PointTexture and OctreeImage. DepthImage represents an object by a union of its reference images and corresponding depth maps. PointTexture represents the object as a set of colored points parameterized by projection onto a regular 2D grid. OctreeImage converts the same data into hierarchical octree-structured voxel model, set of compact reference images and a tree of voxel-image correspondence indices. DepthImage and OctreeImage have animated versions, where reference images are replaced by videostreams. DIBR formats are very convenient for 3D model construction from 3D range-scanning and multiple source video data. MPEG-4 framework allows construction of a wide variety of representations from the main DIBR formats, providing flexible tools for effective work with 3D models. Compression of the DIBR formats is achieved by application of image (video) compression techniques to depth maps and reference images (videostreams). |
| US08022944B2 |
Inputting device and mobile terminal
Provided is an inputting device that is disposed in an opening of a cabinet surface. The device includes an elastic sheet having an outside surface disposed on an inside surface of the cabinet including the opening and across the opening. A sliding key is fixed on the outside surface of the elastic sheet with at least a portion in the opening of said cabinet surface. The device also includes sensors to detect movement, in a horizontal direction that is substantially parallel to said cabinet surface, of the sliding key. The device also includes guides being possible to be recognized optically that are disposed on designated positions on the elastic sheet, and the sensors detect the moved direction and the amount of the horizontal movement of the sliding key by reading the movements of said guides optically. |
| US08022940B2 |
Capacitive touch system and data transmission method in a capacitive touch system
A capacitive touch system uses at least two integrated circuits to simultaneously scan a touch panel, each scanning only a portion of traces of the touch panel, and a second integrated circuit to receive sensed data from the first integrated circuits. The sensed data contains parameters representing a sum of the sensed values of all traces in a direction that one of the first integrated circuits is in charge of scanning, a sum of products obtained by multiplying the sensed value of each trace in the direction that the one of the first integrated circuits scans by the order number of that trace, a number of fingers in the direction detected by the one of the first integrated circuits, and whether or not the sensed values of the first and last traces in the direction that the one of the first integrated circuits scans are zero. |
| US08022939B2 |
Touch panel, electro optical device, and electronic apparatus
There is provided a touch panel including a first substrate, a second substrate opposing the first substrate, a first electrode film formed on the first substrate, a second electrode film formed on the second substrate, the second electrode film opposing the first electrode film. An openings is formed in each of the first electrode film and the second electrode film, and the opening formed in the first electrode film and the opening formed in the second electrode film are overlapped in plan view and each of the openings has a different opening area. |
| US08022933B2 |
One button remote control with haptic feedback
An input system for a TV remote control or other system has a single touch surface with a deformable haptic assembly below the touch surface such that a user placing a finger on the touch surface can feel deformation of the haptic assembly. A pressure sensing assembly is below the haptic assembly and sensing motion of a finger on the touch surface, with a processor receiving input from the pressure sensing assembly and providing output to the haptic assembly in response. Also, a display receives input sent by the processor in response to input from the pressure sensing assembly to cause the display to present a changing image of a keypad as a user moves a finger on the touch surface. |
| US08022932B2 |
Handheld electronic device with reduced keyboard and associated method of providing improved disambiguation with reduced degradation of device performance
In view of the foregoing, an improved handheld electronic device having a reduced keyboard provides facilitated language entry by making available to a user certain words that a user may reasonably be expected to enter. Incoming data, such as the text of a message, can be scanned for proper nouns, for instance, since such proper nouns might not already be stored in memory and might be expected to be entered by the user when, for example, forwarding or responding to the message. A proper noun can be identified, for instance, on the basis that it begins with an upper case letter. The proper nouns can be stored, for example, in memory that may, by way of further example, be a temporary dictionary. |
| US08022931B2 |
Self-calibrating optical feedback system in a laser mouse
A self-calibrating optical feedback system for an optical navigation device. The self-calibrating optical feedback system includes a light source, an illumination lens, a beam splitter, and an optical feedback device. The illumination lens is coupled relative to the light source. The light source emits light based on a programming current. The illumination lens directs the light towards a beam splitter. The beam splitter partially reflects the light directed from the illumination lens. The optical feedback device detects the partially reflected light from the beam splitter and generates a feedback signal to modify an intensity of the light emitted by the light source. Embodiments of the self-calibrating optical feedback system maintain the output intensity of a laser driven optical navigation device below an eye-safety level. |
| US08022927B1 |
Low-cost graphic input device with uniform sensitivity and no keystone distortion
The invention provides a graphic input device which has uniform sensitivity and is free of keystone distortion but which is lighter and less expensive to manufacture than the prior art, particularly for large drawing surfaces. It uses Fresnel optics to reduce the cost, thickness, and weight of the prism or collimator or both. Means are provided to mitigate the effects of lens flare from the Fresnel optics, minimize the thickness of the device, and to correct any remaining distortion in the camera's image using software executing on a standard computer. |
| US08022926B2 |
Radio communications terminal apparatus
A control unit displays broadcasting received by a TV tuner unit on a display unit, and executes telop display of displaying character information such as a received electronic mail, etc. together with an image of the broadcasting. If the image display direction is a longitudinal display, a width of a display area of the character information is smaller than that in a case of a lateral display. In other words, in the longitudinal display, the number of characters displayed is smaller than that in the lateral display. For this reason, if the image display direction is the longitudinal display, the control unit makes the moving speed of the displayed characters relatively lower than that in the lateral display. |
| US08022923B2 |
Backlight control device and method for controlling a driving current of an LED
A backlight control device for controlling a driving current of an LED is disclosed. By controlling current outputs from current sources of a plurality of current output units, a display will be able to generate desirable backlight. Then by adjusting currents output by the plurality of current output units, brightness of a plurality of pixels can be dynamically adjusted. The brightness of pixels with higher gray levels can be increased while the brightness of pixels with lower gray levels can be decreased, thereby improving the contrast of image and saving power consumption. |
| US08022919B2 |
Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having a number of gate lines, a gate driver having a number of gate channels, wherein the number of gate channels is different than the number of gate lines, and a timing controller to apply a gate shift clock signal to the gate driver, the gate shift clock signal having at least one dummy shift clock signal. |
| US08022915B2 |
Liquid crystal driving device and driving method thereof
Disclosed is a liquid crystal driving device, which is without a gate PCB, having improved uniformity of screen, and a driving method thereof. The liquid crystal driving device comprises: a sequence recognition means for recognizing sequence of a pertinent gate driver IC by a pulse width of a vertical start signal inputted in synchronization with a vertical synchronous signal, and generating a Carry signal and location data of the pertinent gate driver IC; and a gate-off voltage generation means for receiving a first gate-off voltage and the location data of the pertinent gate driver IC, and outputting a second gate-off voltage which is generated by subtracting a voltage attenuation quantity corresponding to the location data of the gate driver IC from the first gate-off voltage. |
| US08022911B1 |
Active matrix displays having nonlinear elements in pixel elements
An active matrix display includes a matrix of pixel elements, an array of column conducting lines, an array of row conducting lines crossing the array of column conducting lines, and electronic circuitry for applying a predetermined current to a column conducting line. A pixel element includes a capacitive element, a nonlinear element, and a resistive element. The capacitive element has a first terminal and a second terminal. The nonlinear element has a first terminal electrically connected to a column conducting line and has a second terminal electrically connected to the first terminal of the capacitive element. The resistive element has a first terminal electrically connected to a row conducting line and has a second terminal electrically connected to the first terminal of the capacitive element. |
| US08022910B2 |
Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display includes a signal control unit which supplies an image signal; a voltage supply unit which outputs a first reference voltage when the image signal is not at a highest grayscale level and outputs a second reference voltage having a voltage level higher than that of the first reference voltage when the image signal is at the highest grayscale voltage level; a grayscale voltage generating unit which receives the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage and generates a plurality of positive- and negative-polarity grayscale voltages whose voltage levels sequentially decrease; and a data driving unit which receives the image signal, the plurality of positive- and negative-polarity grayscale voltages and applies an image data voltage corresponding to the image signal to a pixel. |
| US08022909B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for generating grayscales in an LCD panel
Discussed herein is a circuit for generating grayscales in a display. The circuit generally comprises grayscale values, one of which is a present grayscale value. Also included is at least one grayscale pattern, comprising at least one pattern bit and corresponding to each of the grayscale values. The circuit may comprise at least one programmable register configured to store at least one grayscale pattern, and a first row multiplexor corresponding to the number of grayscale values, the first row multiplexor configured to receive a pattern bit from each grayscale pattern. The first row multiplexor may also be collectively configured to select a desired grayscale pattern, determined from the present grayscale value. The pixel select circuit is generally configured to determine a desired pattern bit. Finally, a second row multiplexor is coupled to the first row multiplexor and configured to select the desired pattern bit. |
| US08022907B2 |
Brightness controlled organic light emitting display and method of driving the same
An organic light emitting display includes a brightness controller that restricts the total brightness of a pixel unit when the number of pixels that emit bright light is greater than a predetermined level. |
| US08022904B2 |
Display device, driving method of the same and electronic apparatus using the same
A display device includes a pixel array section and a driving section. The pixel array section includes scanning lines arranged in rows, signal lines arranged in columns, and pixels arranged in a matrix. Each of the pixels includes at least a sampling transistor, a drive transistor, a holding capacitance, and a light-emitting device. The sampling transistor has its control terminal connected to the scanning line and its pair of current terminals connected between the signal line and the control terminal of the drive transistor. The drive transistor has one of its pair of current terminals connected to the light-emitting device and the other of its pair of current terminals connected to a power source. The holding capacitance is connected between the control and current terminals of the drive transistor. |
| US08022898B2 |
Flat panel display device
Provided is a flat display device having a display region in which more than one thin film transistor and more than one pixel are included. The device includes a driving line that supplies driving power to the display region, and an auxiliary driving line, which is coupled with the driving line, is formed in a different layer from the driving line. The driving line may be an identical layer to the source/drain electrodes of the display region. |
| US08022895B2 |
Active screen volumetric 3D display
The volumetric 3D display system of this invention applies a moving display panel that sweeps a display space. The full volume swept by the active screen is used as display space. A 3D image to be displayed is first processed into slices of image data based on an orthogonal 3D grid structure. The slice data are then converted into image frames to be displayed on the active screen by mapping the location indices in the orthogonal 3D grid to the location indices on the moving screen. The preferred method of displaying an image frame is to convert each image frame into a number of “image shots” and then display those image shots in sequence. An image shot comprises a number of simple orthogonal patterns aligned in vertical or horizontal directions. Combination of a number of image shots approximates the corresponding image frame. |
| US08022894B2 |
Screen synchronous control apparatus
A screen synchronous control apparatus includes a reference timing transmitting unit 3 for transmitting a reference timing signal about display of a plurality of display screens 11, 12, and 13 at predetermined intervals, a display control unit 1 for transmitting a drawing instruction for displaying display data on the plurality of display screens 11, 12, and 13, and a plurality of display processing units 101, 201, and 301 each for receiving the drawing instruction transmitted from the display control unit 1, for executing the drawing instruction according to the reference timing signal transmitted from the reference timing transmitting unit 3, and for displaying the display data on the corresponding one of the display screens 11, 12, or 13. |
| US08022885B2 |
System and method for re-aligning antennas
A system for re-aligning an antenna communicating signals point-to-point. The system may include a first antenna, a second antenna configured to communicate a communications signal with the first antenna using point-to-point communications, and a position controller coupled to the first antenna and configured to re-align the first antenna with respect to the second antenna in response to determining a misalignment of the antenna. |
| US08022883B2 |
AM/FM windowpane antenna pattern structure wherein feeding point is disposed thereinside
In an automobile rear windowpane antenna apparatus including a defogger disposed on a rear windowpane plate at a lower portion thereof an antenna pattern is disposed above the defogger on the rear windowpane plate at an upper portion thereof and is disposed so as to extend between near a right end edge of a window frame and near a left end edge thereof. A feeding point is disposed inside the antenna pattern. |
| US08022880B2 |
Circular polarized coupling device
A coupling device for transmitting a wireless signal is provided. The coupling device includes a substrate, a ground layer and a feed conductor. The substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The ground layer is disposed on the second surface having a circular opening, and the circular opening has an opening edge and an opening center. The feed conductor extends on the first surface, including a conductive portion and a feed portion connected thereto. The feed portion corresponds to the circular opening, wherein the opening center is on a base line, a radial line is formed between the opening center and the opening edge, a radial distance is formed on the radial line between the opening edge and the feed portion, and a length of the radial distance varies with an angle between the radial line and the base line. |
| US08022877B2 |
Systems and methods for using a satellite positioning system to detect moved WLAN access points
The disclosed subject matter generally relates to hybrid positioning systems and methods and, more specifically, systems and methods of detecting moved WLAN assess points using a wireless local area network based positioning system (WLAN-PS) and a satellite-based positioning system (SPS) with at least two satellites measurement. |
| US08022876B2 |
Indoor localization system and method
An indoor localization method is implemented using an indoor localization system that includes beacons in an indoor space and each periodically transmitting a localization signal, a radio badge receiving the localization signals, and a host coupled to the beacons and the radio badge. The beacons transmit the localization signals asynchronously. The indoor localization method includes a training phase and a tracking phase. During the training phase, signal vectors are formed from the localization signals received by the radio badge, and a signal ID value is generated from the signal vectors. During the tracking phase, signal vectors are formed from the localization signals received by the radio badge at a current location. An estimated position of the radio badge is obtained using the signal vectors of the tracking phase and the signal ID values. |
| US08022872B2 |
Positioning receiver
A positioning receiver in which the circuit configuration of the receiving system corresponding to a plurality of positioning systems can be simplified and the current consumption and circuit size of which can be reduced. A positioning receiver (100) comprises first low-pass filters (111, 121) which limit outputs of a first signal mixer (103) and a second signal mixer (104) to a first bandwidth, and second low-pass filters (112, 122) which are provided on the output side of the first low-pass filters (111, 121) and limit the outputs of the first low-pass filters (111, 121) to a second bandwidth narrower than the first bandwidth and sets the filter bandwidth of the first low-pass filters (111, 121) greater than that of the second low-pass filters (112, 122). |
| US08022868B2 |
Inter-channel bias calibration for navigation satellite systems
Dynamic inter-channel bias calibration of a navigational receiver is provided. A reference signal is propagated through front end circuitry of the receiver. A delay caused by the propagation of the reference signal through the front end circuitry is measured. The inter-channel bias of the navigational receiver is reduced using the measured delay associated with the front end circuitry of the receiver. |
| US08022863B1 |
Spatially variant apodization (SVA) filter
A method includes correlating a plurality of samples of a waveform into a correlation domain to provide a mainlobe defined by a first subset of a plurality of pulse-compressed samples and a plurality of sidelobes defined by a second subset of the plurality of pulse-compressed samples. A weight is calculated for at least one of the pulse-compressed samples, and one of a plurality of SVA filter values is selected to apply to the at least one pulse-compressed sample based on the calculated weight of the at least one pulse-compressed sample. The SVA filter values include one, one minus a quotient of one-half divided by the calculated weight of the at least one sample, and a scale factor having a value greater than zero and less than or equal to one. The selected SVA filter values are applied to the at least one pulse-compressed sample. |
| US08022862B2 |
Processing of pulse-echo measurement signals
Pulse echo signals containing false echoes are processed by forming tracks of multiple received echoes and monitoring these tracks by a recursive filter such as a Kalman filter. A track velocity is estimated for each track, and the position of each the next echo on the track is predicted. |
| US08022860B1 |
Enchanced interference cancellation and telemetry reception in multipath environments with a single paraboic dish antenna using a focal plane array
An Advanced Focal Plane Array (“AFPA”) for parabolic dish antennas that exploits spatial diversity to achieve better channel equalization performance in the presence of multipath (better than temporal equalization alone), and which is capable of receiving from two or more sources within a field-of-view in the presence of multipath. The AFPA uses a focal plane array of receiving elements plus a spatio-temporal filter that keeps information on the adaptive FIR filter weights, relative amplitudes and phases of the incoming signals, and which employs an Interference Cancelling Constant Modulus Algorithm (IC-CMA) that resolves multiple telemetry streams simultaneously from the respective aero-nautical platforms. This data is sent to an angle estimator to calculate the target's angular position, and then on to Kalman filters FOR smoothing and time series prediction. The resulting velocity and acceleration estimates from the time series data are sent to an antenna control unit (ACU) to be used for pointing control. |
| US08022853B2 |
Transparent multiplexing of analog-to-digital converters
A method and apparatus for sampling and converting analog input values. In response to an event, a value is transmitted from an input of a multiplexer to the output of the multiplexer. The output of the multiplexer is coupled to an input of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). In response to a second event, a value is transmitted from the input of the multiplexer to a second ADC. |
| US08022846B2 |
Lighting and usability features for key structures and keypads on computing devices
A keypad is provided for a computing device. The keypad includes one or more lighting devices or mechanisms for illuminating a plurality of keys structures. In an embodiment, the plurality of key structures are formed from a milky material. |
| US08022839B2 |
Telemetry subsystem to communicate with plural downhole modules
A system for use in a wellbore includes plural modules for positioning in the wellbore and including respective interfaces, where the plural modules are configured to perform predefined downhole tasks in the wellbore. The plural modules are associated with respective local power sources. A telemetry subsystem enables communication between at least two of the plural modules, where the communication between the at least two of the plural modules allows one of the two modules to affect an operation of another of the two modules. |
| US08022837B2 |
Infrared signal distribution and management system and method
An apparatus for and method of distributing and reproducing infrared signals within a digital network is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a control unit for digitizing a received infrared signal command from a wireless remote and transmitting the digitized signal over the digital network. The apparatus also-comprises at least one transceiver device coupled to the network and identified by the control unit to receive the digitized signal and reproduce the infrared signal as originally received. The transceiver device can provide the reproduced infrared signal to at least one electronic device located within a vicinity of the transceiver device. |
| US08022836B2 |
In-vehicle image display apparatus
An in-vehicle image display apparatus for use in a vehicle is provided which includes a state detecting device that detects a state of surroundings of the vehicle; a shape detecting device that detects a three-dimensional shape of an object to be detected in the surroundings of the vehicle; a display device that is provided at least in front window section of the vehicle and capable of displaying information over the window section; an image generating device that generates image data for displaying a three-dimensional image representing the state of the surroundings of the vehicle on the display device based on detection results from the state detecting device and the shape detecting device; and a display control device that makes the display device display a three-dimensional image represented by the image data generated by the image generating device. |
| US08022835B2 |
Optic system using spectral character shift for communication between optic input devices and reader devices for control systems and sensors for pressure, force, displacement, or chemical condition
An improved optic system for measuring and/or controlling displacement, force, pressure, position, or chemistry is disclosed. This apparatus allows for more accurate, robust, and economical communication between the transducer (or control input element) and the reader device (or control output), allows the use of a single optic fiber and/or or a gap for the communication link, and produces substantial insensitivity to attenuation due to mechanical, chemical, thermal, and radiation effects acting on the optic fiber or open space in which the signal propagates. It is also significantly immune to interference from electromagnetic radiation, since the link can be easily produced as a non-conductor which will not propagate unwanted electrical energy or lightning, and is intrinsically safe from igniting fires or explosions. It also facilitates use on rotating machinery and remote location of the transducer by the ability to transmit the signal across a large gap or air space. |
| US08022829B2 |
RFID-tag structure body, RFID label, and apparatus for producing RFID labels
This disclosure discloses a RFID-tag structure body comprising an affixed portion to be affixed onto an affixed face; a self-supporting portion self-supported with respect to the affixed face; at least one RFID circuit element having an IC circuit part provided at the self-supporting portion and configured to store information, and a tag antenna connected to the IC circuit part; and a stereo-structure preparation portion configured to realize a three-dimensional structure when being affixed onto the affixed face. |
| US08022828B2 |
Device and method for reading and/or writing data from and/or to a multiplicity of RFID chips
The invention relates to a device and a method for reading and/or writing data from and/or to a multiplicity of RFID chips arranged in smart labels within a smart label production device, wherein the smart labels each comprising a first antenna are applied next to and behind one another on a common continuous film-like strip, wherein each smart label from a selected set of smart labels arranged next to and/or behind one another is respectively assigned a second antenna for the simultaneous transmission of read and/or write data between the first and second antennas by means of ultrahigh frequency waves, wherein the second antennas are arranged in a planar manner within at least one common antenna carrier. |
| US08022827B2 |
Omnidirectional RFID antenna
Antennas (50) for RFID tags are made to exhibit circular polarization to give the tag an omnidirectional characteristic. The antennas are crossed dipoles (52,54) with respective feed points (56,58). The signal source (60) is coupled to a splitter (62) having output leads (64) directly coupled to the feed point (56) of dipole (52). The other output leads (66) from splitter (62) are coupled to a delay line (68) with the delayed output coupled to a feed point (58) of dipole (54). |
| US08022826B2 |
Methods and apparatus for switching a transponder to an active state, and asset management systems employing same
A transponder that may be used as an RFID tag includes a passive circuit to eliminate the need for an “always on” active RF receiving element to anticipate a wake-up signal for the balance of the transponder electronics. This solution allows the entire active transponder to have all circuit elements in a sleep (standby) state, thus drastically extending battery life or other charge storage device life. Also, a wake-up solution that reduces total energy consumption of an active transponder system by allowing all non-addressed transponders to remain in a sleep (standby) state, thereby reducing total system or collection energy. Also, the transponder and wake-up solution are employed in an asset tracking system. |
| US08022823B2 |
Serendipitous repair of shared device
A system and method for soliciting repairs to an electromechanical device are disclosed. The system includes a signaling device for signaling a need for a repair of an associated electromechanical device. A repair mediator receives information related to an addressable fault with the electromechanical device and causes the signaling device to provide a signal indicating, to a candidate repairer passing by the device, a need for a repair to the device for which a reward is available for performing the repair. The repair mediator provides the reward for a completed repair. |
| US08022822B2 |
Data collection protocol for wireless sensor networks
Systems and methods that provide for collection of sensor data in a wireless network with a dynamically changing structure. A data collection protocol exploits the self-awareness capabilities of nodes in selection of tree structures that form the wireless network during communication with a base station. The data collection protocol can further include a topology control component (which regulates how nodes are distributed among various tree structures and associated communication channels with the base station) and data retrieval component (which coordinates among the sensors to transmit data packets containing sensor data to efficiently employ available bandwidth). |
| US08022821B2 |
Smart power supply
A power supply, such as for powering and supplying communication data to devices connected with a low voltage line, is disclosed. For example, a converter device is coupled with an alternating current voltage source. The converter device down-converts an alternating current voltage to a direct current voltage. A switching device is in communication with the converter device. A processor is in communication with the switching device. The processor outputs a signal to the switching device. The switching device generates a square wave signal as a function of the signal from the processor and the direct current voltage. A remote device is controlled by data encoded in the square wave signal. |
| US08022817B2 |
Tire with monitoring device
The invention provides a monitoring device and tire combination wherein an antenna is mounted to the tire in a location spaced from the monitoring device. In one embodiment, the antenna may be mounted to the tire sidewall outside the body cords of the tire. The antenna may be mounted on the outer surface of the sidewall or embedded within the body of the sidewall. The antenna is connected to the monitoring device with a connector. The connector may be electrically coupled to the monitoring device or may be connected to the monitoring device with a plug and socket connection. When the antenna is outside the body cord, the connector may extend from the antenna through the bead filler, over the top of the turn up, or under the bead ring. |
| US08022815B2 |
Magnetic RFID coupler with balanced signal configuration
A magnetic coupler arrangement that includes two quarter wave length strip patches, an input signal source, a signal splitter that splits an input signal from the input signal source into two signals and phase-shifts one of the two signals, wherein the phase-shifted signal and the non-phase-shifted signal are fed into the patches of the coupler to achieve a balanced signal configuration. |
| US08022812B2 |
Information collection system and information collection robot
An information collection system is provided, which can automatically calculate an operation or a travel path of a tag reader for collecting information of an RF tag. The information collection system of the present invention moves, in a movable area of a two-dimensional map, the tag reader along a surface of an object by referring to a three-dimensional map to emit radio waves while moving an information collection robot, records, upon reception of tag ID from the RF tag, a position of the information collection robot at the time as a data acquisition position, and calculates a path passing through data acquisition positions of all the recorded data as a moving sequence in a movable area of the information collection robot. |
| US08022811B2 |
Wireless tag reader and wireless tag status inference apparatus, system, and program
A system including wireless tags that transmit information from fixed locations to nearby wireless tag readers possessed by moving persons also includes a wireless tag status inference apparatus to which the wireless tag readers send identifying information received from the wireless tags. The wireless tag status inference apparatus logs the information received from the wireless tag readers, and compares the logged information with a stored list of installed wireless tags to identify suspected inoperable wireless tags. Wireless tags requiring replacement or repair can thereby be identified promptly and inexpensively, without the need to dispatch personnel on periodic inspection tours of all areas in which the wireless tags are installed. |
| US08022810B2 |
Contactless privacy protection device
A privacy protection method designed to prevent or authorize a communication between a reader and an RFID label situated in an efficiency zone. In the method a) there is permanent detection of possible variation of an ambient magnetic field in one or more frequency bands allocated to the RFID labels, and b) in the event of detection of an instantaneous variation of the local magnetic field and in the absence of inhibition, a parameter value of a magnetic circuit is modified so that the instantaneous value of the local magnetic field is modified. |
| US08022805B2 |
Spiral inductor device
A spiral inductor device is provided. The spiral inductor device comprises an insulating layer disposed on a substrate. A spiral conductive trace with multiple turns is disposed on the insulating layer, wherein the outermost turn and the innermost turn of the spiral conductive trace have a first end and a second end, respectively, and one of the first and second ends is connected to ground. A non-continuous spiral conductive trace with a single turn is disposed on the insulating layer, parallel and adjacent to the turn that belongs to the spiral conductive trace and is extended from the end of the spiral conductive trace without being connected to ground, wherein the non-continuous spiral conductive trace is connected to the ground. |
| US08022804B2 |
Winding assembly
A winding assembly for a transformer includes a wire winding and a sheet winding. The wire winding includes a spirally wound insulated wire and the sheet winding includes a metallic winding sheet that forms a single turn winding. Instead of winding the wire winding on a bobbin, sleeve or the like, the wire winding is attached directly to a surface of the winding sheet by means of a self-bonding technique. |
| US08022799B2 |
Thin multi-function vibration actuator
A magnetic circuit unit includes a pole piece, a magnet, and a yoke and a suspension made of a magnetic material. A magnetic gap is formed between an inner circumferential side surface of the suspension and a circumference of the pole piece. Accordingly, it is possible to allow the magnet in the magnetic circuit unit to be thinly constructed. In addition, it is possible to implement a multi-function vibration actuator having a thin structure and capable of obtaining a sufficiently sensible vibration. |
| US08022794B2 |
Micromachine switch, filter circuit, duplexer circuit, and communication device
A micromachine switch switches an electrical connection between signal electrodes in accordance with control signals. The micromachine switch includes a substrate, a rotating body provided on the substrate, and a movable electrode provided on the rotating body. The micromachine switch also includes a first signal electrode, one end of which is electrically connected to one end of the movable electrode, and a second signal electrode provided near the rotating body to be positioned such that a rotation of the rotating body causes the second signal electrode to be electrically connected to another end of the movable electrode. Further, a drive section causes, based on a first control signal, the rotating body to rotate until the movable electrode and the second signal electrode are electrically connected, and causes, based on a second control signal, the rotating body to rotate until the movable electrode and the second signal electrode are disconnected. |
| US08022791B2 |
Radio frequency device comprising a vibratile carbon nanotube and a vibratile tuning electrode
An RF device is provided. The RF device includes a vibratile carbon nanotube having a nanotube natural frequency (f0), a negative electrode fixed to a first end of the carbon nanotube, a vibratile tuning electrode having a variable resonance frequency and facing a second end of the carbon nanotube, and a positive electrode electrically connected to a first end of the tuning electrode. A second end of the tuning electrode is adjacent to the second end of the carbon nanotube, and the carbon nanotube vibrates at a carrier frequency according to an external electromagnetic wave having the carrier frequency, and the tuning electrode having variable resonance frequency characteristics amplifies distance variation between the second end of the carbon nanotube and the second end of the tuning electrode to increase an electron emission sensitivity according to field emission. |
| US08022786B2 |
Front-end circuit of the wireless transceiver
A front-end circuit of the wireless transceiver is disclosed to reduce the number of the pin count of the chip, and achieve the impedance matching. The circuit comprises an antenna unit, a receiver, and a transmitting block, all of which are connected together, wherein there is no switch provided between the receiver and the antenna unit, such that the loss of switch can be avoided for reducing the noise figure and improve the sensitivity of the receiving path accordingly. |
| US08022783B2 |
Non-reciprocal circuit element
The invention relates to a non-reciprocal circuit element (1) having a plurality of strip conductor elements (2) insulated electrically from one another, which conductor elements are embedded in a multilayer core (3) of ferrimagnetic material and are arranged in superposed conductor planes in such a way that the conductor elements (2) cross over one another in at least one crossover area (4, 5). To provide such a circuit element, which is particularly cost-effective to produce and which is suitable in particular for use in mobile phones, the invention proposes that the core (3) comprises, at least in the crossover area of the conductor elements (2), hard magnetic material, which is permanently magnetized in a spatial direction perpendicular to the conductor planes. |
| US08022780B2 |
Auxiliary varactor for temperature compensation
Techniques for compensating for the effects of temperature change on voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) frequency are disclosed. In an embodiment, an auxiliary varactor is coupled to an LC tank of the VCO. The auxiliary varactor has a capacitance controlled by a temperature-dependant control voltage to minimize the overall change in VCO frequency with temperature. Techniques for generating the control voltage using digital and analog means are further disclosed. |
| US08022778B2 |
Low phase noise frequency synthesizer
Various apparatuses and methods for a low phase noise frequency synthesizer are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide an oscillator that may be used in a low phase noise frequency synthesizer. The oscillator includes a tank circuit, a plurality of cross-coupled transistor pairs connected to the tank circuit, a current source connected to the plurality of cross-coupled transistor pairs, and at least one switch connected to the plurality of cross-coupled transistor pairs. The switch is adapted to activate a subset of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor pairs and to deactivate another subset of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor pairs to operate the tank circuit in the oscillator using the activated subset of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor pairs. |
| US08022771B2 |
Linearized trans-impedance amplifiers
The disclosed systems and methods utilize an advanced linearized trans-impedance amplifier (ATIA) that allows for the recovery and amplification of low amplitude analog and digital signals. This disclosure further describes unique approaches of addressing issues inherent in the transmission and reception of small amplitude multi-carrier signals used for distribution of voice, video, and data communications over both fiber optic cables and free space transmitters. |
| US08022769B2 |
Semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, there is a semiconductor device including a first active element, a second active element connected in parallel with the first active element, and a first stabilization circuit connected between a gate of the first active element and a gate of the second active element and configured with a parallel circuit of a gate bypass resistor, a gate bypass capacitor, and a gate bypass inductor, the first stabilization circuit having a resonant frequency equal to an odd mode resonant frequency. |
| US08022751B2 |
Systems and methods for trimming bandgap offset with bipolar elements
An integrated circuit has an untrimmed bandgap generation circuit; and a bandgap generation circuit coupled to the untrimmed bandgap generation circuit. The bandgap generation circuit has a current source controlled by the untrimmed bandgap generation circuit and coupled in series with a resistor and a first bipolar diode device, one or more of bipolar diode devices, each bipolar diode device coupled in parallel with the first bipolar diode device, wherein a trimmed bandgap reference voltage output of the integrated circuit is a function of the number of bipolar diode devices. |
| US08022750B2 |
Boost circuit
A boost circuit includes: first transistors connected in series between a voltage input node and a voltage output node to constitute a charge transfer circuit; and first capacitors, one ends of which are coupled to the respective connection nodes between the first transistors, the other ends thereof being applied with clocks with plural phases, wherein a gate of a certain stage transistor corresponding to one of the first transistors in the charge transfer circuit is coupled to a drain of another stage transistor corresponding to another one of the first transistors, which is disposed nearer to the voltage output node than the certain stage transistor and driven by the same phase clock as that of the certain stage transistor, the certain stage transistor being disposed nearer to the voltage output node than an initial stage transistor. |
| US08022749B2 |
Circuit arrangement for voltage supply and method
The circuit arrangement for the supply of voltage comprises a control arrangement (2), a charge pump (14), a comparator (25) and a ramp signal generator (30). A power supply voltage (Vdd) can be fed to the input of the charge pump (14). The input of the charge pump (14) is coupled to a first output (5) of the control arrangement (2), and comprises an output (17) for the supply of an output voltage (VHv). A first input (26) of the comparator (25) is coupled to the output (17) of the charge pump (14), while the output is coupled to a first input (3) of the control arrangement (2) in order to supply a comparator signal (Vc). The input of the ramp signal generator (30) is connected to a second output (6) of the control arrangement (2), while its output is connected to a second input (27) of the comparator (25) in order to deliver a reference output voltage (Vref_out). |
| US08022746B1 |
Bootstrap circuit for H-bridge structure utilizing N-channel high-side fets
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for driving high-side switching devices in an H-Bridge circuit. The apparatus includes first and second N-Channel high-side switching devices. Each of the high-side switching devices is associated with, and is selectively driven by, a driver circuit. Each of the driver circuits is associated with, and is powered from, a bootstrap capacitor. The apparatus further includes a cross-couple circuit that is arranged to charge each of the bootstrap capacitors based, at least in part, on whether the low-side switching device that is associated with the other bootstrap capacitor is open or closed. |
| US08022741B2 |
Digital electronic device and method of altering clock delays in a digital electronic device
A digital electronic device is provided with a first and second sequential logic unit (SS1, SS2), each for receiving an input signal (D) and for outputting a first and second output signal (Q, QF), respectively. The electronic device furthermore comprises a comparator unit (C) for comparing the first and second output signals (Q, QF) and an adaptive clock generator unit (ACG) for generating a first and second internal clock (CK, CKF) for the first and second sequential logic unit (SS1, SS2), respectively. In a self-tuning mode, the adaptive clock generator unit (ACG) is adapted to delay the first and second internal clock signals (CK, CKF) with respect to the other internal clock signal (CKF). The delay induced by the adaptive control generator unit (ACG) is dependent on the result of the comparison unit (C). In a normal operation mode the adaptive control generator unit (ACG) is adapted to maintain the delay between the first and second internal clock signals constant. |
| US08022738B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting the loss of an input clock signal for a phase-locked loop
An apparatus is provided for detecting the loss of an input clock signal for a phase-locked loop (PLL). The apparatus includes a time delay circuit, a first frequency divider and a digital logic circuit. The time delay circuit receives the input clock signal and outputs a first time-delayed clock signal. The first frequency divider receives an input signal from an internal clock of the PLL and outputs a clock signal having the same frequency or a lower frequency than that of the time-delayed clock signal. The digital logic circuit that receives the first frequency divider output signal and the first time-delayed clock signal and outputs a signal indicating the loss of the input clock signal if there is no first time-delayed clock signal for a cycle of the first frequency divider output signal. |
| US08022736B2 |
Line driver with tuned on-chip termination
A line driver includes current sources and resistors that form a bridge circuit in which a bridge resistor is connected between an internal node and ground, and a series resistor connected between the internal node and the driver's output node. The internal node is connected to receive a unit current from a first stage transistor, and the output node is connected to receive an amplified current from a second stage transistor that is N times the unit current. The bridge resistor is formed with a resistance value set such that the voltages at the internal node and the output node are equal, i.e., such that no current flows through the series resistor. The resistance value of the series resistor is thus adjustable to optimize output impedance in a manner independent of the driver's gain. An echo cancellation circuit is utilized to eliminate noise from two associated line drivers. |
| US08022735B2 |
Buffer enable signal generating circuit and input circuit using the same
An input circuit comprises a buffer enable signal generating circuit for generating a buffer enable signal having an predetermined enable period in response to an external command, and a buffer circuit for buffering and outputting the external command and an external address signal in response to the buffer enable signal. |
| US08022732B2 |
Universal logic gate utilizing nanotechnology
A universal logic gate apparatus is disclosed, which include a plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles having a plurality of resistive connections, wherein the plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles comprise resistive connects utilized to create A plasticity mechanism is also provided, which is based on a plasticity rule for creating stable connections from the plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles for use with the universal, reconfigurable logic gate. The plasticity mechanism can be based, for example, on a 2-dimensional binary input data stream, depending upon design considerations. A circuit is also associated with the plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles, wherein the circuit provides a logic bypass that implements a flip-cycle for second-level logic. Additionally, an extractor logic gate is associated with the plurality of self-assembling chains of nanoparticles, wherein the extractor logic gate provides logic functionalities. |
| US08022723B1 |
Dynamic termination-impedance control for bidirectional I/O pins
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for dynamic control of source and termination impedances. One output stage provides a series termination when transmitting and a parallel termination when receiving data. A pull-up device has a nominal impedance of 50 ohms when the output stage pulls a pin from a low voltage to a high voltage, while a pull-down device has a nominal impedance of 50 ohms when the pin is pulled from a high voltage to a low voltage. Both the pull-up and pull-down devices are turned on when receiving data. Due to their non-linear current-voltage characteristics, the pull-up device appears as 50 ohms when the pin voltage is higher than one half the supply voltage, while the pull-down device appears as 50 ohms when the pin voltage is lower than one half the supply voltage. The pull-up and pull-down devices can be calibrated to provide a nominal 50 ohm impedance. |
| US08022720B2 |
Parking structure memory-module tester that moves test motherboards along a highway for remote loading/unloading
A parking-structure test system has motherboards that test memory modules. The motherboards are not stationary but are placed inside movable trays that move along conveyors. An unloader removes tested memory modules from test sockets on the motherboards, and a loader inserts untested memory modules into the motherboards using a robotic arm. A conveyor carries the motherboards from the loader to a parking and testing structure. An elevator raises or lowers the motherboards to different parking levels in the parking and testing structure. The motherboards move from the elevator to test stations on the parking level. A retractable connector from the test station makes contact with a motherboard connector to power up the motherboard, which then tests the memory modules. Test results are communicated from the test station to a host controller, which instructs the loader-unloader to sort the tested memory modules once the motherboard returns via the elevator and conveyors. |
| US08022717B2 |
Thermal pre-scanning of electric circuits using thermally-trimmable resistors
There is described a method to change the value of a thermally-trimmable resistor in a non-permanent way by raising the temperature of the thermally-trimmable resistor to a level that is somewhere between room temperature and trimming temperature. By doing this, the trimming range that is available via true thermal trimming may be explored without actually trimming the value of the resistor. This is possible when the thermally-trimmable resistor, or a portion thereof, has an essentially non-zero temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR). |
| US08022714B2 |
Capacitance measurement apparatus
Capacitance is measured by charging a capacitor from a constant current source during a known time period. The resultant voltage on the capacitor is proportional to the capacitance thereof and may be calculated from the resultant voltage and known time period. |
| US08022708B2 |
Fiber optic fault detection system and method for underground power lines
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method and fault detection system for detecting and identifying the location of faults in underground power lines that can effectively and quickly identify faults in underground power lines. Embodiments can provide a method and fault detection system that quickly identify faults in a power grid that result from open circuits or short circuits in underground conduits. A specific system for fault detection of power lines in a network having one or more substations and corresponding one or more manholes for access to underground lines, includes: a sensor device for each manhole, wherein the sensor device is capable of detecting a magnetic field generated by a power line and can send a signal through a fiber optic cable, the signal including a unique wavelength identifier; and a communication device for each substation for transmitting the signal from the sensor device to an operator. |
| US08022705B2 |
Microstrip coil designs for MRI devices
A microstrip-based RF coil for use in an MRI apparatus constructed to perform human head and extremity imaging according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a coil former defined by an inner core member and a shield support that surrounds the inner core member. An outer surface of the shield support supports a conductive segmented shield and a plurality of conductive strip lines are disposed on an inner surface of the inner core module and extend parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof. According to one aspect of the present invention, all of the strip lines are not homogenous so as to introduce asymmetry into the coil design. |
| US08022698B2 |
Joint compression of multiple echo trains using principal component analysis and independent component analysis
NMR spin echo signals are acquired downhole. Principal Component Analysis is used to represent the signals by a weighted combination of the principal components and these weights are telemetered to the surface. At the surface, the NMR spin echo signals are recovered and inverted to give formation properties. |
| US08022697B2 |
System for measuring an electromagnetic field, a control system using the measuring system, and an electronic circuit designed for the measuring system
This system for measuring an electromagnetic field radiated by an electrical component of an electronic circuit, the electrical component being fixed to a dielectric substrate of the electronic circuit, is wherein a transducer (90 to 95) is etched on the substrate of the electronic circuit. |
| US08022694B2 |
Non-contacting position sensor using a rotating magnetic vector
A sensor for sensing the position of an object includes a magnet and a magnetic flux sensor. The magnet has dimensions that include a length, a width and a height. The magnet is adapted to generate a flux field. The flux field has a magnitude of flux and a flux direction. The flux direction changes along at least one of the dimensions. The magnetic flux sensor is mounted adjacent the magnet. The magnet provides a rotating magnetic field vector. A method for magnetizing a magnet to create the rotating magnetic field vector is also disclosed. |
| US08022693B2 |
Magnetic field sensitive sensor
A sensor, preferably for magnetic rotary or linear sensor systems which include a scale arranged at a given distance from the sensor. The sensor has at least one magnetic field-sensitive GMR sensor element, which is arranged in a housing. The housing additionally includes at least one magnetic field source each associated to the at least one GMR sensor element. The at least one GMR sensor element is firmly cast into an associated slot in the housing. On at least one side of the slot, a projection protrudes into the interior of the housing, flush with a side wall of the slot, which also includes mounting recesses for accommodating the magnetic field source. |
| US08022689B2 |
Battery connection detecting device and image forming apparatus including the same
A battery connection detecting device includes a connecting unit, to which a battery is connected, a voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage value of the connecting unit, the voltage value detected by the voltage detecting unit being a detection voltage value, a switching unit that switches supply of charging power to the battery connected to the connecting unit based on the detection voltage value, and a connection detecting unit that compares at least one predetermined voltage value with at least one of the detection voltage value before the switching unit switches the supply of the charging power and the detection voltage value after the switching unit switches the supply of the charging power in order to detect whether or not the battery is connected to the connecting unit. |
| US08022686B2 |
Reference circuit with reduced current startup
An apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a reference circuit and a startup circuit. The reference circuit is adapted to provide a startup current, while the startup circuit receives the startup current and outputs an output voltage. The startup circuit includes a current mirror, a first NMOS transistor, a second NMOS transistor, diodes, and a third NMOS transistor, and a control circuit. The first and second NMOS transistors are coupled to the current mirror at their sources and are coupled to one another and to the reference circuit at their gates. The diodes are coupled between the gate of the second NMOS transistor and the source of the second NMOS transistor, and the third NMOS transistor is coupled to the source of the second NMOS transistor at its gate (which also provides the output voltage at its source). The control circuit is then coupled to the drains of the first and second NMOS transistors. |
| US08022682B2 |
Method to reduce inrush voltage and current in a switching power converter
A circuit for minimizing voltage inrush upon startup in a switching power converter having a switching stage including high and low switches connected at a common node, a feedback loop for maintaining a target output voltage, an output capacitor connected between an output node and the ground, an inductor connected between the common node and the output node, and a control circuit having a first error amplifier for providing a first signal based on a comparison of a reference voltage and voltage provided by the feedback loop, the control circuit including a level switch connected between the ground and the common node, the level switch being controlled in accordance with the first signal, wherein a large inrush current flowing into the output capacitor when the circuit is starting up is minimized. |
| US08022673B2 |
Lithium ion secondary battery system, and method for operating lithium ion secondary battery
A drop of discharge or charge capacity in discharging or charging with a large current is reduced without changing a design of a lithium ion secondary battery itself. When the lithium ion secondary battery for a car or a vehicles such as an electric automobile and a hybrid automobile is discharged or charged with, for instance, a large current not less than 5 C, an intermittent power feeding of repeatedly executing a power feeding (t2) and a pause (t1) is carried out. |
| US08022670B2 |
Method for charging battery module
A method for charging a battery module including a plurality of parallel-connected battery core sets is provided. In the present method, a constant charging current is provided for charging the battery module first. Then, the voltage of each parallel-connected battery core set in the battery module is determined whether reaches a nominal voltage. If it reaches the nominal voltage, the charging current or charging voltage applied to the battery module is adjusted for charging the parallel-connected battery core set having the maximum voltage with a constant voltage. Finally, it is determined whether the electric power of the battery module is fulfilled. If not yet fulfilled, a constant voltage is continuously supplied to the battery module for charging until the electric power of the battery module is full. Accordingly, the present invention can charge the battery more quickly with taking the safety of the battery into account. |
| US08022669B2 |
Battery management system
A battery management system can include a battery having a plurality of cells, a plurality of devices coupled to the battery, and a control unit coupled to a first device of the devices. The devices can assess the statuses of the cells. The control unit can communicate with a destination device of the devices via a default path and can communicate with the destination device via a backup path if an undesirable condition occurs in the default path. |
| US08022667B2 |
Electric vehicle charging system
A method and system for connecting a vehicle to a charging source comprising: at least one retractable protrusion operatively connected to a battery terminal; the at least one retractable protrusion being mounted on the vehicle; at least one receptacle operatively connected to the charging source adapted to receive the retractable protrusion for electrical connection of a vehicle to a charging source; whereby by driving the vehicle in the proximity of the at least one receptacle, the charging source is connected to the electrical system of the vehicle as the retractable protrusion engages the at least one receptacle. Another embodiment comprises at least one solar element for converting solar power to electric power; at least one battery for storing electricity generated by the solar element; the solar element being operatively connected to the at least one battery for storing electric power therein; first and second vehicle based connectors for connecting the vehicle power supply to the charging system, the first and second vehicle based connectors being located on the periphery of the vehicle such that the vehicle may be connected to the vehicle charging system by alignment of the vehicle with first and second external connectors operatively associated with the external charging system; whereby by maneuvering the vehicle, the first and second vehicle based connectors are bought into contact with the first and second external connectors to enable charging of the vehicle battery. |
| US08022663B2 |
Energy recapture for an industrial vehicle
A system for capturing regenerative energy includes a battery configured to provide power for a traction motor and other operations of a vehicle and a capacitor connected to the battery. An auxiliary motor is configured to operate as a generator during a regenerative energy operation. The system further includes a controller configured to direct the regenerative energy to the capacitor during the regenerative energy operation and discharge the capacitor to provide power to the traction motor or for the other operations of the vehicle. |
| US08022661B1 |
Battery over-discharge protection with dead-bus recovery
A battery and photovoltaic based power system comprises a power bus, a battery, a battery circuit, a photovoltaic circuit, a photovoltaic diode, and a switch control. The power bus comprises a supply side and a return side. The battery is coupled to the return side. The battery circuit couples the battery to the supply side and comprises a switch and a diode in parallel with the switch. The photovoltaic circuit is coupled to the return side and comprises a photovoltaic array and a second switch in parallel with the photovoltaic array. The second switch opens if the supply side is substantially depleted of power. The photovoltaic diode is connected in series with the photovoltaic circuit, with a cathode of the photovoltaic diode coupled to the supply side. The switch control monitors one or more battery parameters and controls the switch based on the one or more battery parameters. |
| US08022660B2 |
Control apparatus for AC rotary machine
A control controls starting of an AC rotary machine by calculating a resistance drop component, corresponding to a resistance drop of the AC rotary machine, based on a detection current, and adjusts angular frequency of an AC output voltage based on subtracting the resistance drop component from a voltage command, and, simultaneously, adjusting amplitude of the AC output voltage so that amplitude of an AC phase current may change in conformity with a predetermined function. |
| US08022657B2 |
Washing machine wiring to reduce mechanical timer contact welding
A control circuit for a washing machine that avoids contact bounce short circuit failures is provided. A washing machine that utilizes an induction motor including a starting winding used to start rotation of the motor at the beginning of a cycle. Such washing machines require that the motor be operated in both directions during different cycles. To enable such operation, a mechanical timer uses a pair of single pole, double throw switches in a switching assembly to reverse the L1 and neutral connections to the starter winding. To avoid the contact shorting problem, the control wiring runs either the L1 or neutral side of the voltage source, or both, through the centrifugal switch to open the input contact(s) once the motor has reached its operating speed. Then, if the switching assembly has L1 and N contacts touching at the same time, it will not result in a dead short. |
| US08022656B2 |
Electric brake circuit for holding an alternating current motor rotor stationary
An electric brake circuit for holding an alternating current motor rotor stationary uses a direct current brake acting on an AC motor rotor. The rotor has at least one groove formed therein positioned for alignment with at least one AC motor pole when switching from an alternating current to DC. The AC induction motor holds the rotor stationary against a heavier load by using the grooved rotor with the grooves formed in the rotor aligning with the AC motor's poles. |
| US08022653B2 |
Method and circuit arrangement for the electrical control and/or regulation of the movement of an electrically driven unit
Disclosed is a circuit arrangement for electrically controlling and/or regulating the movement of an electrically driven unit (2), especially a window lifter or sliding roof of a motor vehicle, and to a method for operating said circuit arrangement. According to the invention, a jamming protection System is characterized in that a correlation variable (K) for the adjusting force of the unit (2) is measured and the adjusting movement is stopped or reversed in order to prevent jamming if the correlation variable (K) for the adjusting force exceeds a threshold value that corresponding to a predetermined jamming force. A filter (140) is used for temporally filtering the correlation variable (K) for the adjusting force of the unit. The invention is characterized in that the filter parameters (142, 143), especially the cutoff frequency (fg) and/or the order of the filter (140), can be controlled. |
| US08022651B2 |
Electric power steering device
Provided are an electric power steering device which is capable of determining a failure without using a motor current, and an electric power steering device which removes any motor current detecting unit for detecting the motor current such as a shunt resistor, and suppresses the heat generation and the power loss in the device, thereby making it possible to realize the downsized device, a reduction in the costs, and the higher efficiency. An electric power steering device according to the present invention includes: a motor coupled with a steering system; a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the motor; a motor impression voltage detecting unit for detecting an applied voltage of the motor; and an abnormality determining unit for determining abnormality based on a comparison result of the detected motor impression voltage and an output voltage of the drive control unit. |
| US08022650B2 |
Control apparatus of electric motor
An apparatus to control an electric motor to drive an electric-powered vehicle includes an accelerator position detector, a current controller to provide current to the electric motor through an inverter, a semiconductor device of the current controller configured to operate the inverter in response to a detected accelerator position, and a torque compensator to supply the electric motor with a modified current of the semiconductor device, wherein the torque compensator is configured to provide the modified current to the electric motor at a predetermined interval of time in response to a temperature increase in the semiconductor device when the detected accelerator position exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US08022649B2 |
Control of switched reluctance machines
A flux switching electric motor (102) is disclosed. The motor comprises a rotor (104), a stator (106), field windings (124, 126) and armature windings (128, 130). #A microcontroller (134) controls supply of electrical current to the field and armature windings. A rotor position sensor includes a divider for (i) receiving an input signal dependent upon the rate of change of current in at least one field winding, (ii) receiving an input signal dependent upon the voltage across at least one armature winding, current through which causes at least part of the current in the field winding, and (iii) providing the microcontroller (134) with a control signal which is dependent upon the ratio of the input signals received by the divider. |
| US08022642B2 |
Discharge lamp lighting device
A discharge lamp lighting device is provided to comprise tube current detecting circuits 51 to 5n for outputting detection signals VI1 to VIn of tube currents I1 to In flowing through each discharge lamp 11 to 1n from an inverter 3 connected to DC power source 2 via a plurality of transformers 41 to 4n, a maximum detector 6 for detecting a maximum value VIMX of detected signals VI1 to VIn from current detector 51 to 5n, a minimum detector 7 for detecting a minimum value VIMN of detected signals VI1 to VIn from current detector 51 to 5n, a comparison circuit 8 for computing one or plural values of sum, difference, product and quotient between maximum value VIMX from maximum detector 6 and minimum value VIMN from minimum detector 7 to generate a cease signal VCP when the computed value exceeds a given value, and a control circuit 9 for halting operation of inverter 3 when comparison circuit 8 generates cease signal VCP. The device can reliably detect arc discharge resulted from electric connection failure in discharge lamp or lamps by the computed values from comparison circuit 8 to positively protect discharge lamps from overheating by arc discharge at a bad connection location. |
| US08022640B2 |
Electronic power protection circuit and applications thereof
An electric power protection circuit connected in series to a secondary side circuit of a transformer in a switch mode power supply includes a voltage/current limiting device to get an electric power signal output from the secondary side circuit of the transformer that goes through current and voltage limitation before being output and a constant current/voltage controller to get the electric power signal which has the current and voltage limited by the voltage/current limiting device. The electric power signal further is undergone constant voltage/current control to achieve voltage overshoot protection. |
| US08022634B2 |
Method and system for dimming AC-powered light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems using conventional incandescent dimmers
A dimming control circuit for dimming light emitting diodes receives an AC input voltage signal from a dimming circuit. The control circuit includes a power stage and a current control loop coupled to the power stage. An AC detector is operable to detect an instantaneous value of the AC input voltage signal and to generate a signal indicating whether the AC input voltage signal is present or absent. A current control circuit is operable responsive to the signal to adjust the operation of the current control loop and to control current through the light emitting diodes to achieve the desired dimming, and to prevent inrush current on the AC input voltage signal. |
| US08022632B2 |
Color-controlled illumination device
The invention relates to a color-controlled illumination device (1) with a number of light emitters, for example LEDs (L1, L2, L3, L4), of different primary colors. Photosensors (D1, D2, D3) consisting of a photodiode (20) covered with different dielectric filter layers (21) measure the light output of the light emitters (L1, L2, L3, L4) with distinct oscillating sensitivity curves that extend over the whole relevant spectral range. In a control unit (14), the actual color point of the illumination device (1) is calculated and the emissions of the light emitters (L1, L2, L3, L4) are individually adapted in order to match a target color point ((X,Y,Z)target) given with e.g. CIE tri-stimulus values. |
| US08022631B2 |
Color control of light sources employing phosphors
An illuminating device includes a light source including a lighting device, such as a solid state lighting device, which emits light, a phosphor material which converts at least a portion of the light emitted by the lighting device to light of a different wavelength. A controller adjusts a ratio of on time to off time of a current waveform supplied to the lighting device. This enables the color of light emitted by the light source to be controlled. |
| US08022626B2 |
Lighting module
A lighting module comprising a base panel and a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) chips attached directly to the base panel. The LED chips are in electrical communication with conductive traces on the base panel, which deliver a current to the LED chips. Various embodiments of this generally described lighting module are also presented. Additionally, methods of preparing such a lighting module, and system components of the lighting module are presented. |
| US08022623B2 |
Ultra-thin multi-substrate color tunable OLED device
The present techniques provide methods and systems for forming devices that may be formed from light emitting regions of electroluminescent organic materials. The small size of the light emitting regions allows the formation of blended colors, which may be formed into illuminated designs. Multiple devices may be joined together to form multilayer panels, where nearer layers may have different designs than farther layers, or farther layers may have solid illuminated colors useful as backgrounds for nearer layers. Further, the multilayer devices may be used as color tunable light sources. |
| US08022621B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
Provided is an organic light emitting display device. The organic light emitting display device comprises a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a transistor on the first substrate, a first contact electrode disposed on the transistor and connected to a source or a drain of the transistor, a subpixel on the second substrate, and a first spacer projected to make an upper electrode included in the subpixel to be in contact with the first contact electrode. An upper surface area of the first spacer is about 0.5% to 20% of an upper surface area of the subpixel. |
| US08022618B2 |
Structure of organic light emitting display apparatus
An organic light emitting display apparatus including: a substrate having a display area; a thin film transistor (TFT) disposed in the display area of the substrate; an electrode power supply line disposed outside the display area of the substrate; a first insulating layer covering the TFT and having a first open portion through which a portion or a whole top surface of the electrode power supply line is exposed; and a second insulating layer disposed on the first insulating layer and having a second open portion through which the first open portion of the first insulating layer is exposed, so that the second insulating layer does not contact the electrode power supply line. |
| US08022617B2 |
Organic compound, charge-transporting material, composition for charge-transporting material and organic electroluminescent device
An organic compound having excellent heat resistance, an excellent amorphous nature, an excellent ability to transport charges, highly excited singlet and triplet states, and excellent solubility in an organic solvent is an organic compound represented by Formula (I): wherein Ar1 represents an optionally-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, an optionally-substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, or an optionally-substituted alkyl group; Ar2 represents an optionally-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group or an optionally-substituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R1 and R2 each represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and R1 and R2 may be bonded to each other to form a ring; and Q is represented by Formula (I-1) or (I-2): wherein Ar3 to Ar5 each represent an optionally-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group or an optionally-substituted aromatic heterocyclic group, and Ar3 and Ar4 may be bonded to each other to form a ring. |
| US08022606B2 |
Electron multipler and electron detector
An electron multiplier that can easily obtain characteristics according to a purpose is provided. By bonding a marginal portion 23 of an MCP 2 and a marginal portion 33 of an MCP 3 to each other via a conductive spacer layer 7, a gap 12 is formed between channel portions 22, 32. Therefore, when the electron multiplier is used for a purpose that requires a particularly high gain, by adjusting the thickness of the spacer layer 7, the gain can be increased by increasing the gap 12. In addition, when the electron multiplier is used for a purpose that requires an increase in gain as well as time characteristics, by adjusting the thickness of the spacer layer 7, the size of the gap 12 can be adjusted so that desired characteristics are obtained. Consequently, by only adjusting the thickness of the spacer layer 7, characteristics according to the purpose can be easily obtained. |
| US08022603B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator
A piezoelectric actuator (2) comprising a stack of one or more piezoelectric elements (4) defining an external surface, and passivation means (20) applied to the external surface of the stack, wherein the passivation means (20) includes a self-supporting polyimide material (20b) (e.g. in the form of a layer, film or membrane). |
| US08022598B2 |
Piezoelectric multilayer component having a disturbance material and method of forming same
A piezoelectric multilayer component includes a stack of piezoceramic layers, which are arranged one on top of the other, and electrode layers. The stack has a first area and a second area. The second area contains a disturbance material, which is used to make the second area less mechanically robust than the first area. |
| US08022597B2 |
Driver
A driving apparatus (100) is provided with: a base portion (110); a stage portion (130) on which a driven object (12) is mounted and which can be displaced; an elastic portion (120) which connects the base portion and the stage portion and which has elasticity to displace the stage portion in one direction; a first applying device (141, 142, 143, 22) for applying an excitation force for displacing the stage portion such that the stage portion is resonated in the one direction (Y axis) at a resonance frequency determined by the stage portion and the elastic portion; and a second applying device (161, 162, 22) for applying a driving force for displacing, in a stepwise manner or in a continuous manner, the stage portion or the driven object mounted on the stage in other direction (X axis). |
| US08022594B2 |
Surface acoustic wave device
To provide a manufacturing method for a surface acoustic wave device, which makes it possible to easily and reliably connect a piezoelectric element to a substrate having an external connection terminal, and a surface acoustic wave device capable of being made smaller using this manufacturing method. A surface acoustic wave device, having a first substrate which has a interdigital transducer and an electrode pad on one side; and a second substrate which has an external terminal, and a castellation formed on the side connected to the external terminal, wherein the surface of the second substrate opposite the surface on which the external terminal is formed is bonded by a bonding layer to the electrode pad, the first substrate is larger in size than the second substrate, and a part of the electrode pad, which extends outwardly of the second substrate, is connected to the castellation by a plating layer. |
| US08022590B2 |
Electric machine
An electric machine comprises: a casing (2); a stator (3) and a rotor (4) supported by the casing (2), the rotor (4) having at least one rotor winding (7); a commutator (9) connected permanently to the rotor (4) and electrically connected to the rotor winding (7); a pair of brushes (12), each having a first end (12a) maintained in a sliding position with the commutator (9) and electrically connected to respective terminals which may be connected to an electricity mains supply; a pair of brush holder elements (11) supported by the casing (2), each brush holder element (11) being associated with a respective brush (12) to keep it pressed on the commutator (9). Each brush holder element (11) has at least one lateral surface (18) to face a respective butting position (17) of the casing (2), and which may be joined to the butting portion (17) to transmit a thermal power to the butting portion. The lateral surface (18) of each brush holder element (11) is electrically isolated from the respective butting portion (17). |
| US08022589B2 |
Brushless motor
Teeth of a stator core are arranged one after another in the circumferential direction at alternating first and second pitches. Each corresponding adjacent two of the teeth, which are spaced from each other by the first pitch, are wound with corresponding two, respectively, of stator coils, which form a corresponding common phase. Each corresponding adjacent two of the teeth, which are spaced from each other by the second pitch, are wound with corresponding two, respectively, of the stator coils, which form corresponding different phases, respectively. |
| US08022587B2 |
Electrical machine with nonuniform pole teeth
Electric machines which are excited with permanent magnets are to be improved in terms of their smoothness of operation and their loss properties. For this purpose, an electric machine is proposed comprising a first active part (40) on which one electric magnet (41, 42) and at least one permanent magnet (44) are mounted, and a second active part (43) which has a multiplicity of pole teeth (45, 46) and which interacts magnetically with the first active part (40). The pole teeth (45, 46) are spaced apart from one another in a non-uniform fashion in the direction (3) of the movement of the electric machine and/or have different average widths from one another, with the respective width of a tooth being measured in the direction (3) of movement and being averaged in terms of the extent of the tooth in the transverse direction with respect to the direction of travel. The geometry of the tooth causes the harmonics of the magnetic field to be influenced in a selective fashion. The second active part can be implemented cost-effectively as, for example, a simple punched sheet-metal part. |
| US08022581B2 |
Stator arrangement, generator and wind turbine
A stator arrangement of a generator for a wind turbine includes a plurality of stator segments substantially forming the stator of the generator. Each stator segment has at least one stator winding and/or a laminate stack of sheets wherein each stator segment is moulded or casted into a material with an electrical insulating property and/or with a non-corroding quality and/or with a heat conductive property. The direct drive generator is also provided having such a stator arrangement and a wind turbine is provided having such a direct drive generator. |
| US08022580B2 |
Plastics injection-molding machine with integrated, linear-rotary direct drive
A plastics injection-molding machine is to be equipped with a more compact drive that undergoes less wear. For this purpose, it is envisaged to integrate the direct rotational drive into the direct linear drive. Accordingly, the electric linear motor has a pot-shaped external rotor (13), in the inner space of which the main part of a hollow-cylindrical stator (16) of the linear motor is arranged and which is firmly connected to the output shaft (10). The rotary drive has a stator (18), which is mounted on the inner wall of the hollow-cylindrical stator (16) of the linear motor, and a rotor, which is firmly coupled to the output shaft (10) within the stator (18) of the rotary electric motor. This direct drive produces a very compact type of construction and it is possible to dispense with easily wearing threaded spindles. |
| US08022575B2 |
Damping electromagnetic oscillations in power systems
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and controller for damping multimode electromagnetic oscillations in electric power systems which interconnect a plurality of generators and consumers. The controller for damping such oscillations includes a phasor measurement unit (PMU) and a power oscillation damper (POD) controller. Each oscillating mode signal is damped and then superposed to derive a control signal. A feedback controller is used to feedback the control signal to a power flow control device in the power system. |
| US08022561B2 |
Kinetic energy harvesting in a drill string
An apparatus and method for harvesting energy in a wellbore is disclosed. In one embodiment, a harvester tool positioned in a wellbore for capturing energy in the wellbore is disclosed. The harvester tool includes a rotor comprising a magnet. The magnet is disposed eccentric to a center of the harvester tool. In addition, the rotor is rotatable around the center of the harvester tool. The harvester tool also includes a stator. Rotation of the rotor induces a voltage in the stator. |
| US08022560B2 |
Overlay mark
An overlay mark applicable in a non-volatile memory includes two first X-direction isolation structures, two first Y-direction isolation structures, two second X-direction isolation structures, two second Y-direction isolation structures, a first dielectric layer, and a conductive layer. The first X-direction isolation structures, the first Y-direction isolation structures, the second X-direction isolation structures, and the second Y-direction isolation structures are disposed in a substrate. The first X-direction isolation structures and the first Y-direction isolation structures are arranged to a first rectangle, the second X-direction isolation structures and the second Y-direction isolation structures are arranged to a second rectangle, and the second rectangle is located in the first rectangle. The first dielectric layer is disposed on a surface of the substrate. The conductive layer is disposed on the first dielectric layer. |
| US08022559B2 |
Substrate for a display panel, and a display panel having the same
A substrate for a display panel includes an alignment accuracy measurement mark which is used for measuring alignment accuracy between patterns on the substrate without decreasing an aperture ratio of a pixel. The substrate for a display panel includes the alignment accuracy measurement mark in an isolated configuration which is used for measuring alignment accuracy between a pattern of a gate signal line and an auxiliary capacitance line and a pattern of a source signal line and a drain line, where the alignment accuracy measurement mark has a shape such that at least one straight line portion is included, is formed in a layer where the pattern of the source signal line and the drain line is formed, and is positioned on the gate signal line. |
| US08022555B2 |
Semiconductor package and method of forming the same
Example embodiments relate to semiconductor packages and methods of forming the same. A semiconductor package according to example embodiments may include a printed circuit board (PCB), a first semiconductor chip mounted on the PCB, and a chip package mounted on the first semiconductor chip. The chip package may be in direct contact with the first semiconductor chip. |
| US08022554B2 |
Stacked die package for MEMS resonator system
A stacked die package for an electromechanical resonator system includes a chip that contains an electromechanical resonator bonded onto the control chip for the electromechanical resonator by a thermally and/or electrically conductive epoxy. In various embodiments, the electromechanical resonator can be a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) resonator or a nano-electromechanical system (NEMS) resonator. Packaging configurations that may include the chip that contains the electromechanical resonator and the control chip include chip-on-lead (COL), chip-on-paddle (COP), and chip-on-tape (COT) packages. The stacked die package provides small package footprint and/or low package thickness, as well as low thermal resistance and a robust conductive path between the chip that contains the electromechanical resonator and the control chip. |
| US08022547B2 |
Non-volatile memory cells including small volume electrical contact regions
A non-volatile memory cell that includes a first electrode; a second electrode; and an electrical contact region that electrically connects the first electrode and the second electrode, the electrical contact region has a end portion and a continuous side portion, and together, the end portion and the continuous side portion form an open cavity, wherein the memory cell has a high resistance state and a low resistance state that can be switched by applying a voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US08022546B2 |
Top layers of metal for high performance IC's
The present invention adds one or more thick layers of polymer dielectric and one or more layers of thick, wide metal lines on top of a finished semiconductor wafer, post-passivation. The thick, wide metal lines may be used for long signal paths and can also be used for power buses or power planes, clock distribution networks, critical signal, and re-distribution of I/O pads for flip chip applications. Photoresist defined electroplating, sputter/etch, or dual and triple damascene techniques are used for forming the metal lines and via fill. |
| US08022544B2 |
Chip structure
A chip structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an interconnecting metallization structure, a passivation layer, a circuit layer and a bump. The interconnecting metallization structure is over the semiconductor substrate. The passivation layer is over the interconnecting metallization structure. The circuit layer is over the passivation layer. The bump is on the circuit layer, and the bump is unsuited for being processed using a reflow process. |
| US08022542B2 |
Semiconductor device having improved metal wiring
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating film, a tungsten film, a first barrier metal film, a second barrier metal film and a metal wiring film. The interlayer insulating film is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and has an opening. The tungsten film is embedded in the opening. The first barrier metal film is formed on the tungsten film and excludes a Ti film. The second barrier metal film is formed on the first barrier metal film and is a Ti-containing film. The metal wiring film is formed on the second barrier metal film. |
| US08022540B2 |
Chip package
The present provides the improved structure of a chip package, comprising an electrical contact surface of at least a chip configured with a under fill layer, the first solder mask layer, the first metal layer, dielectric material layer, the second metal layer, the second solder mask layer, and metal ball layer, characterized in the electrical contact surfaces among the first metal layer, the second metal layer, and the chip accomplish the electrical connection by employing the contacts of the surfaces of the conducting layers. |
| US08022528B2 |
Stack-type semiconductor package and electronic system including the same
A method of forming a stack-type semiconductor package includes preparing a lower printed circuit board including a plurality of interconnections and a plurality of ball lands for connection on an upper surface thereof. One or more first chips, which are electrically connected to the plurality of interconnections and sequentially stacked, are mounted on the lower printed circuit board. A lower molded resin compound is formed on the lower printed circuit board to cover the first chips, and is formed to have via holes exposing the ball lands for connection. An upper chip package, under which solder balls are formed, is aligned so that the solder balls correspond to the via holes of the lower molded resin compound, respectively. The solder balls are reflown to form connection conductors filling the via holes. A stack-type semiconductor package structure and an electronic system including the same are also provided. |
| US08022516B2 |
Metal leadframe package with secure feature
A fabrication method for a BGA or LGA package includes a low-cost metal leadframe with internally extended leads. I/O attach lands can be placed at any location on the metal leadframe, including the center of the package. An I/O attach land can be fabricated at any position upon an extended lead (e.g., near the center of the package). During fabrication of the package, an isolation saw cut to the bottom of the package can be used to electrically disconnect the leadframe circuit from the peripheral extension traces to prevent tampering with the IC die by probing the edge metal traces. |
| US08022512B2 |
No lead package with heat spreader
A no-lead electronic package including a heat spreader and method of manufacturing the same. This method includes the steps of selecting a matrix or mapped no-lead lead frame with die receiving area and leads for interconnect; positioning an integrated circuit device within the central aperture and electrically interconnecting the integrated circuit device to the leads; positioning a heat spreader in non-contact proximity to the integrated circuit device such that the integrated circuit device is disposed between the leads and the heat spreader; and encapsulating the integrated device and at least a portion of the heat spreader and leads in a molding resin. |
| US08022509B2 |
Crack stopping structure and method for fabricating the same
A crack stopping structure is disclosed. The crack stopping structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a die region, a die seal ring region, and a scribe line region; a metal interconnect structure disposed on the semiconductor substrate of the scribe line region; and a plurality of dielectric layers disposed on the semiconductor substrate of the die region, the die seal ring region, and the scribe line region. The dielectric layers include a first opening exposing the surface of the metal interconnect structure of the scribe line region and a second opening exposing the dielectric layer adjacent to the metal interconnect structure such that the metal interconnect structure and the exposed portion of the dielectric layer form a step. |
| US08022505B2 |
Semiconductor device structure and integrated circuit therefor
A semiconductor device structure comprises a plurality of vertical layers and a plurality of conductive elements wherein the vertical layers and plurality of conductive elements co-operate to function as at least two active devices in parallel. The semiconductor device structure may also comprise a plurality of horizontal conductive elements wherein the structure is arranged to support at least two concurrent current flows, such that a first current flow is across the plurality of vertical conductive elements and a second current flow is across the plurality of horizontal conductive elements. |
| US08022496B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method of manufacture
A structure comprises a single wafer with a first subcollector formed in a first region having a first thickness and a second subcollector formed in a second region having a second thickness, different from the first thickness. A method is also contemplated which includes providing a substrate including a first layer and forming a first doped region in the first layer. The method further includes forming a second layer on the first layer and forming a second doped region in the second layer. The second doped region is formed at a different depth than the first doped region. The method also includes forming a first reachthrough in the first layer and forming a second reachthrough in second layer to link the first reachthrough to the surface. |
| US08022493B2 |
Image sensor and manufacturing method thereof
Provided are embodiments of an image sensor. The image sensor can comprise a first substrate including a transistor circuit, a lower interconnection layer, an upper interconnection layer, and a second substrate including a vertical stacked photodiode. The lower interconnection layer is disposed on the first substrate and comprises a lower interconnection connected to the transistor circuit. The upper interconnection layer is disposed on the lower interconnection layer and comprises an upper interconnection connected with the lower interconnection. The vertical stacked photodiode can be disposed on the upper interconnection layer and connected with the upper interconnection through, for example, a single plug connecting a blue, green, and red photodiode of the vertical stack or a corresponding plug for each of the blue, green, and red photodiode of the vertical stack. |
| US08022491B2 |
High aspect ratio all SiGe capacitively coupled MEMS devices
A method that includes forming an opening between at least one first electrode and a second electrode by forming a recess in a first electrode layer, the recess having sidewalls that correspond to a surface of the at least one first electrode, forming a first sacrificial layer on the sidewalls of the recess, the first sacrificial layer having a first width that corresponds to a second width of the opening, forming a second electrode layer in the recess that corresponds to the second electrode, and removing the first sacrificial layer to form the opening between the second electrode and the at least one first electrode. |
| US08022490B2 |
Micro electro-mechanical sensor (MEMS) fabricated with ribbon wire bonds
A micro electro-mechanical sensor is provided. The micro electro-mechanical sensor includes a substrate, and a conducting plane disposed on the substrate. A conducting via is disposed on the substrate, such as adjacent to the conducting plane. A plurality of ribbon conductors are disposed over the conducting plane and electrically connected to the conducting via, such that the plurality of ribbon conductors form a transducer array in combination with the conducting plane, such as through capacitive coupling that changes in response to changes in the physical shape of the plurality of ribbons. |
| US08022485B2 |
Transistor structure having reduced input capacitance
A semiconductor device having reduced input capacitance is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a pedestal region having a gate overlying a sidewall of the pedestal region and gate interconnect overlying a major surface of the pedestal region. The pedestal region includes a conductive shield layer (260). The conductive shield layer (260) is isolated from the gate of the transistor by more than one dielectric layer (330, 340, and 350) to reduce input capacitance. The pedestal region includes an air gap region (1525) to further lower the dielectric constant of the pedestal region between the gate/gate interconnect and the conductive shield layer (260). |
| US08022483B2 |
Semiconductor and manufacturing method for the same
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method for the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a gate pattern formed at an upper part of the semiconductor substrate to overlap one side of a drift region, and a shallow oxide region disposed adjacent to the gate pattern, having a shallower depth than a plurality of device isolation layers. |
| US08022481B2 |
Robust shallow trench isolation structures and a method for forming shallow trench isolation structures
In a semiconductor substrate, a shallow trench isolation structure having a dielectric material disposed in voids of a trench-fill material and a method for forming the shallow trench isolation structure. The voids may be formed during a wet clean process after the dielectric material is formed in the trench. A conformal silicon nitride layer is formed over the substrate and in the voids. After removal of the silicon nitride layer, the voids are at least partially filled by the silicon nitride material. |
| US08022478B2 |
Method of forming a multi-fin multi-gate field effect transistor with tailored drive current
Disclosed are embodiments of an improved multi-gated field effect transistor (MUGFET) structure and method of forming the MUGFET structure so that it exhibits a more tailored drive current. Specifically, the MUGFET incorporates multiple semiconductor fins in order to increase effective channel width of the device and, thereby, to increase the drive current of the device. Additionally, the MUGFET incorporates a gate structure having different sections with different physical dimensions relative to the semiconductor fins in order to more finely tune device drive current (i.e., to achieve a specific drive current). Optionally, the MUGFET also incorporates semiconductor fins with differing widths in order to minimize leakage current caused by increases in drive current. |
| US08022475B2 |
Semiconductor device optimized to increase withstand voltage and reduce on resistance
An ON resistance of a trench gate type transistor and a withstand voltage of a planar type transistor are optimized at the same time. Each of first and second regions of a semiconductor layer is formed by epitaxial growth on each of first and second regions of a semiconductor substrate, respectively. A first buried layer is formed between the first region of the semiconductor substrate and the first region of the semiconductor layer, while a second buried layer is formed between the second region of the semiconductor substrate and the second region of the semiconductor layer. The first buried layer is formed of an N+ type first impurity-doped layer and an N type second impurity-doped layer that extends beyond the fist impurity-doped layer. The second buried layer is formed of an N+ type impurity-doped layer only. In the first region of the semiconductor layer, an impurity is diffused from a surface of the semiconductor layer deep into the semiconductor layer to form an N type third impurity-doped layer. The trench gate type transistor is formed in the first region of the semiconductor layer and the planar type transistor is formed in the second region of the semiconductor layer. |
| US08022474B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a source metallization, a source region of a first conductivity type in contact with the source metallization, a body region of a second conductivity type which is adjacent to the source region. The semiconductor device further includes a first field-effect structure including a first insulated gate electrode and a second field-effect structure including a second insulated gate electrode which is electrically connected to the source metallization. The capacitance per unit area between the second insulated gate electrode and the body region is larger than the capacitance per unit area between the first insulated gate electrode and the body region. |
| US08022470B2 |
Semiconductor device with a trench gate structure and method for the production thereof
A semiconductor device with a trench gate structure includes a semiconductor body with switching electrodes. At least gate electrode controls the off state and the on state between the switching electrodes. The at least one gate electrode in the trench gate structure controls at least one vertical switching channel through at least one body zone. The trench gate structure includes at least one trench with side walls, wherein the at least one gate electrode, which is insulated against the side walls in the region of the at least one body zone alternately by at least one gate oxide section and at least one trench oxide section and forms a switching channel with a gate oxide section in the at least one region, is located in the at least one trench. |
| US08022469B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
The invention provides a semiconductor device and its manufacturing method in which a memory transistor and a plurality of thin film transistors that have gate insulating films with different thicknesses are fabricated over a substrate. The invention is characterized by the structural difference between the memory transistor and the plurality of thin film transistors. Specifically, the memory transistor and some of the plurality of thin film transistors are provided to have a bottom gate structure while the other thin film transistors are provided to have a top gate structure, which enables the reduction of characteristic defects of the transistor and simplification of its manufacturing process. |
| US08022464B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and manufacturing method thereof
This semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of tunnel insulator films formed on the semiconductor substrate along a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction with certain spaces in each directions, a plurality of charge accumulation layers formed on the plurality of tunnel insulator films, respectively, a plurality of element isolation regions formed on the semiconductor substrate, the plurality of element isolation regions including a plurality of trenches formed along the first direction between the plurality of tunnel insulator films, a plurality of element isolation films filled in the plurality of trenches, a plurality of inter poly insulator films formed over the plurality of element isolation regions and on the upper surface and side surfaces of the plurality of charge accumulation layer along the second direction in a stripe shape, a plurality of air gaps formed between the plurality of element isolation films filled in the plurality of trenches and the plurality of inter poly insulator films and a plurality of control gate electrodes formed on the plurality of inter poly insulator films. |
| US08022462B2 |
Methods of forming shallow trench isolation structures with buried bit lines in non-volatile memories
Methods of forming buried bit lines in a non-volatile memory device can include forming impurity regions in a substrate of a non-volatile memory device to provide immediately neighboring buried bit lines for the device and then forming a shallow trench isolation region in the substrate between the immediately neighboring buried bit lines to substantially equalize lengths of the immediately neighboring buried bit lines. |
| US08022461B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of bit lines repeatedly arranged with a same line width and pitch in a memory device region; a plurality of shunt lines arranged in a same layer as that of the plurality of bit lines, in parallel therewith, and with the same line width and pitch as those of the plurality of bit lines in the memory device region; and an upper-layer contact plug arranged from an upper-layer side so as to be connected to the plurality of shunt lines by extending over two or more shunt lines. |
| US08022460B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
An object is to provide a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which is superior in writing property and charge holding property. A semiconductor substrate in which a channel formation region is formed between a pair of impurity regions is provided, and a first insulating layer, a floating gate electrode, a second insulating layer, and a control gate electrode are provided over the semiconductor substrate. The floating gate electrode includes at least two layers. It is preferable that a band gap of a first floating gate electrode, which is in contact with the first insulating layer, be smaller than that of the semiconductor substrate. It is also preferable that a second floating gate electrode be formed of a metal material, an alloy material, or a metal compound material. This is because, by lowering the bottom energy level of a conduction band of the floating gate electrode than that of the channel formation region in the semiconductor substrate, a carrier injecting property and a charge holding property can be improved. |
| US08022455B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor device for reducing parasitic capacitance between bit lines and semiconductor device fabricated thereby
In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device capable of reducing parasitic capacitance between bit lines and a semiconductor device fabricated by the method, the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having buried contact landing pads and direct contact landing pads. A lower interlayer insulating layer is disposed on the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of parallel bit line patterns are disposed on the lower interlayer insulating layer to fill the direct contact holes. A passivation layer that conformally covers the lower interlayer insulating layer and the bit line patterns is formed. An upper interlayer insulating layer for covering the semiconductor substrate having the passivation layer is formed. Buried contact plugs are disposed in the upper interlayer insulating layer between the bit line patterns and extended to contact the respective buried contact landing pads through the passivation layer and the lower interlayer insulating layer. Voids are formed in the upper interlayer insulating layer between the bit line patterns and between the buried contact plugs. |
| US08022454B2 |
Ferroelectric thin films
Ferroelectric structures and methods of making the structures are presented. The ferroelectric structures can include an electrode in contact with a ferroelectric thin film. The contact can be arranged so that a portion of the atoms of the ferroelectric thin film are in contact with at least a portion of the atoms of the electrode. The electrode can be made of metal, a metal alloy, or a semiconducting material. A second electrode can be used and placed in contact with the ferroelectric thin film. Methods of making and using the ferroelectric structures are also presented. |
| US08022452B2 |
Elimination of glowing artifact in digital images captured by an image sensor
A source/drain region of a transistor or amplifier is formed in a substrate layer and is connected to a voltage source. A glow blocking structure is formed at least partially around the source/drain region and is disposed between the source/drain region and an imaging array of an image sensor. A trench is formed in the substrate layer adjacent to and at least partially around the source/drain region. The glow blocking structure includes an opaque material formed in the trench and one or more layers of light absorbing material overlying the source/drain region and the opaque material. |
| US08022451B2 |
Radiation detector
A radiation detector comprises a voltage applying electrode, a photo-conductor layer, and a charge collecting electrode, which are overlaid one upon another. A selective charge transporting layer is located between the voltage applying electrode and the photo-conductor layer, the selective charge transporting layer having characteristics such that the selective charge transporting layer blocks electric charges having a polarity identical with the polarity of the voltage applying electrode and transports electric charges having a polarity opposite to the polarity of the voltage applying electrode. The selective charge transporting layer takes on the form of a thick film at a position corresponding to an edge region of the voltage applying electrode. |
| US08022449B2 |
Photodiode array, method of manufacturing the same, and detecting device
A photodiode array includes a p-side electrode provided on each p-type region formed by selective diffusion and an n-side electrode connected to a non-growth part of an InP substrate and extends to the top surface side of an epitaxial multilayer. A wall surface of an edge at the non-growth part side of the epitaxial multilayer is a smooth surface. A lattice defect density in a portion of the edge of the epitaxial multilayer is higher than a lattice defect density in the inside of the epitaxial multilayer. Furthermore, the non-growth part of the InP substrate to which the n-side electrode is connected has a flat surface continuous from the inside of the InP substrate. |
| US08022446B2 |
Integrated Schottky diode and power MOSFET
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first well region of a first conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate; a metal-containing layer on the first well region, wherein the metal-containing layer and the first well region form a Schottky barrier; and a first heavily doped region of the first conductivity type in the first well region, wherein the first heavily doped region is horizontally spaced apart from the metal-containing layer. |
| US08022437B2 |
Organic electroluminescence element and method for manufacturing thereof
One embodiment of the present invention is an organic electroluminescence element having a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate, an organic luminescent medium layer which includes an organic luminescent layer and is formed on the first electrode, a second electrode formed on the organic luminescent medium layer and arranged so as to face the first electrode, a first passivation layer formed on the second electrode, an adhesive layer adhered to the substrate and formed so as to cover the first electrode, the organic luminescent medium layer, the second electrode and the first passivation layer, a sealing substrate formed on the adhesive layer and a second passivation layer formed so as to entirely cover the adhesive layer, the sealing substrate and an upper surface of an exposure part of the substrate. |
| US08022435B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
Disclosed is a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a plurality of compound semiconductor layers including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer; an electrode layer on the plurality of compound semiconductor layers; and a channel layer including protrusion and formed along a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the plurality of compound semiconductor layers. |
| US08022433B2 |
Semiconductor sensor device and method for manufacturing same
Provided is a semiconductor sensor device which is manufactured by an MEMS technology wherein machining technology and/or material technology is combined with semiconductor technology for detecting and measuring various physical quantities. In the semiconductor sensor device, cracks which generate in a cap chip and a molding resin are eliminated and air-tightness between a semiconductor sensor chip and the cap chip is ensured. The cracks due to vibration applied when being cut can be eliminated by having the circumference side surface of the cap chip as a wet-etched surface. Furthermore, insulation is ensured by coating the cap chip side surface with an insulating protection film. |
| US08022431B2 |
Illuminating apparatus, method for fabricating the using the same and display apparatus using the same
An illuminating apparatus has a reduced number of mounting spots by soldering or the like to permit an increased yield rate and a reduced cost. The illuminating apparatus has light emitting diodes, lead frames, and a transparent sealer. N light emitting diodes, N sets of lead frames mounted with the N light emitting diodes, and one set or more of lead frames each not mounted with a light emitting diode are sealed by the transparent sealer for integration into a modular illuminating apparatus. Also provided are a method for fabricating the illuminating apparatus, and a display apparatus using the illuminating apparatus. |
| US08022427B2 |
Nitride-based semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A nitride-based semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first step portion formed on a main surface side of a first side end surface of the substrate, a second step portion formed on the main surface side of a second side end surface substantially parallel to the first side end surface on an opposite side of the first side end surface and a nitride-based semiconductor layer whose first side surface is a (000-1) plane starting from a first side wall of the first step portion and a second side surface starting from a second side wall of the second step portion on the main surface. |
| US08022424B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing it
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device capable of largely increasing the yield and a semiconductor device manufactured by using the method is provided. After a semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate, as one group, a plurality of functional portions with at least one parameter value different from each other is formed in the semiconductor layer for every unit chip area. Then, a subject that is changed depending on the parameter value is measured and evaluated and after that, the substrate is divided for every chip area so that a functional portion corresponding with a given criterion as a result of the evaluation is not broken. Thereby, at least one functional portion corresponding with a given criterion can be formed by every chip area by appropriately adjusting each parameter value. |
| US08022417B2 |
Method of assembling semiconductor devices with LEDS
Methods of forming integrated circuit packages having an LED molded into the package, and the integrated circuit package formed thereby. An integrated circuit including one or more semiconductor die, passive components and an LED may be assembled on a panel. The one or more semiconductor die, passive components and LED may all then be encapsulated in a molding compound, and the integrated circuits then singularized to form individual integrated circuit packages. The integrated circuits are cut from the panel so that a portion of the lens of the LED is severed during the singularization process, and an end of the lens remaining within the package lies flush with an edge of the package to emit light outside of the package. |
| US08022416B2 |
Functional blocks for assembly
A functional block for assembly includes at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one magnetic region attached to the element. A wafer includes a host substrate comprising a number of elements. The wafer further includes a patterned magnetic film attached to the elements and comprising a number of magnetic regions. The magnetic regions are attached to respective ones of the elements. A method of manufacture includes forming a number of magnetic regions on a host substrate having an array of elements. The forming step provides at least one of the magnetic regions for a respective group comprising at least one of the elements. |
| US08022415B2 |
Light emitting device package and light unit having the same
Discussed is an LED package The LED package includes a body having a cavity at one side thereof, at least one of lead frames having a bottom frame and a sidewall frame in the cavity, and a light emitting device electrically connected with the lead frames. |
| US08022413B2 |
Group III nitride semiconductor substrate and method for cleaning the same
A Group-III nitride semiconductor substrate having a flat surface with a dangling bond density of higher than 14.0 nm−2 is produced by cleaning the surface having a dangling bond density of higher than 14.0 nm−2 with a cleaning agent containing an ammonium salt. |
| US08022407B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A thin film transistor array substrate includes a gate line disposed on a substrate, the gate line comprising a gate electrode including a lower film and an upper film thicker than the lower film, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, an ohmic contact layer formed on the semiconductor layer, a data line electrically connected to a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the ohmic contact layer, the lower film of the gate line is in contact with the gate insulating layer at a crossing portion of the gate line and the data line and the heights of the source electrode and the drain electrode are substantially the same as or less than a height of the semiconductor layer. |
| US08022406B2 |
Light emitting device
While suppressing the frequency of a signal line driver circuit, a blur of a moving image of a light-emitting device using a light-emitting transistor can be prevented, without reducing a frame frequency. A switching element is provided in a path of a current which flows between a source and a drain of a light-emitting transistor, and the light-emitting transistor is made not to emit light by turning off the switching element, whereby pseudo-impulse driving is performed. Switching of the switching element can be controlled by a scan line driver circuit. In a specific structural example, the light-emitting device includes, in a pixel, a light-emitting transistor, a first switching element which controls supply of a potential of a video signal to a gate of the light-emitting transistor, and a second switching element which controls a current which flows between a source and a drain of the light-emitting transistor. |
| US08022403B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus including photodiode unit and method of inspection of the same
A semiconductor apparatus has a light-receiving element. The light-receiving element has a photodiode unit having a shield film for removing noise, at least two test pads, and a shield film pseudo pattern which is formed by the same membranous type as the shield film and connected to the two test pads. The photodiode unit and the shield film pseudo pattern are integrated in one semiconductor chip. A resistance value of the shield film pseudo pattern is measured using the test pads connected to the shield film pseudo pattern. CMR of a photocoupler can be evaluated according to the correlation relationship between the measurement result and the sheet resistance of the shield film. |
| US08022401B2 |
Organic thin film transistor and organic thin film light-emitting transistor
An organic thin film transistor including a substrate having thereon at least three terminals of a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, an insulator layer and an organic semiconductor layer, with a current between a source and a drain being controlled upon application of a voltage to the gate electrode, wherein the organic semiconductor layer includes a specified organic compound having a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having a phenanthrene structure in the center thereof; and an organic thin film light emitting transistor utilizing an organic thin film transistor, wherein the organic thin film transistor is one in which light emission is obtained utilizing a current flowing between the source and the drain, and the light emission is controlled upon application of a voltage to the gate electrode, and is made high with respect to the response speed and has a large ON/OFF ratio, are provided. |
| US08022395B2 |
Photoelectric conversion layer, photoelectric conversion device and imaging device, and method for applying electric field thereto
A photoelectric conversion layer comprising a compound represented by the following formula (I): wherein V1, V2, V3 and V4 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent. |
| US08022393B2 |
Lithographic process using a nanowire mask, and nanoscale devices fabricated using the process
The disclosure pertains to a method for making a nanoscale filed effect transistor structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method comprises disposing a mask on a semiconductor upper layer of a multi-layer substrate, and removing areas of the upper layer not covered by the mask in a nanowire lithography process. The mask includes two conductive terminals separated by a distance, and a nanowire in contact with the conductive terminals across the distance. The nanowire lithography may be carried out using a deep-reactive-ion-etching, which results in an integration of the nanowire mask and the underlying semiconductor layer to form a nanoscale semiconductor channel for the field effect transistor. |
| US08022390B1 |
Lateral conduction infrared photodetector
A photodetector for detecting infrared light in a wavelength range of 3-25 μm is disclosed. The photodetector has a mesa structure formed from semiconductor layers which include a type-II superlattice formed of alternating layers of InAs and InxGa1-xSb with 0≦x≦0.5. Impurity doped regions are formed on sidewalls of the mesa structure to provide for a lateral conduction of photo-generated carriers which can provide an increased carrier mobility and a reduced surface recombination. An optional bias electrode can be used in the photodetector to control and vary a cut-off wavelength or a depletion width therein. The photodetector can be formed as a single-color or multi-color device, and can also be used to form a focal plane array which is compatible with conventional read-out integrated circuits. |
| US08022389B2 |
Light source, and device
In accordance with the invention, a light source for display and/or illumination is provided, the light source comprising a heterostructure including semiconductor layers, the heterostructure forming a waveguide between a first end and a second end, the heterostructure comprising a plurality of layers and comprising an optically active zone formed by the plurality of layers, the optically active zone capable of emitting light guided by said waveguide, at least two different radiative transitions being excitable in the optically active an electrical current between a p-side electrode and an n-side electrode, transition energies of said at least two different radiative transitions corresponding to wavelengths in the visible part of the optical spectrum, the light source further comprising means for preventing reflections of light from the waveguide by at least one of said first and second end back into the waveguide, thereby causing the light source to comprise a superluminescent light emitting diode. |
| US08022388B2 |
Broadband light emitting device lamps for providing white light output
A multi-chip light emitting device (LED) lamp for providing white light includes first and second broadband LED chips. The first LED chip includes a multi-quantum well active region having a first plurality of alternating active and barrier layers. The first plurality of active layers respectively include different relative concentrations of at least two elements of a first semiconductor compound, and are respectively configured to emit light of a plurality of different emission wavelengths over a first wavelength range. The second LED chip includes a multi-quantum well active region having a second plurality of alternating active and barrier layers. The second plurality of active layers respectively include different relative concentrations of at least two elements of a second semiconductor compound, and are respectively configured to emit light of a plurality of different emission wavelengths over a second wavelength range including wavelengths greater than those of the first wavelength range. The light emitted by the first and second LED chips combines to provide white light. Related devices are also discussed. |
| US08022387B2 |
Composite semiconductor device having a thyristor structure
A semiconductor device includes a light-emitting layer of a first conductivity type, a second conductivity type or non-doped type, a first contact layer of the second conductivity type disposed on the light-emitting layer and supplied with a voltage via a predetermined contact, a second contact layer of the second conductivity type disposed below the light-emitting layer and supplied with a voltage via a predetermined contact, a first etching stopper layer of the first or second conductivity type disposed below the light-emitting layer and above the second contact layer, and a third contact layer of the first conductivity type disposed below the second contact layer and supplied with a voltage via a predetermined contact. |
| US08022383B2 |
Two-terminal resistance switching element with silicon, and semiconductor device
A two-terminal resistance switching element, wherein two silicon films each doped with an impurity are arranged with a gap width in the order of nanometers. The gap width is in the range of from 0.1 nm to 100 nm. A semiconductor device can be obtained by providing the two-terminal resistance switching element in a memory, a storage device or other device. |
| US08022381B2 |
Phase change memory device
A memory device has a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of cell arrays stacked above the substrate, each cell array having memory cells, bit lines each commonly connecting one ends of plural cells arranged along a first direction and word lines each commonly connecting the other ends of plural cells arranged along a second direction; a read/write circuit formed on the substrate as underlying the cell arrays; first and second vertical wiring disposed on both sides of each cell array in the first direction to connect the bit lines to the read/write circuit; and third vertical wirings disposed on both sides of each cell array in the second direction to connect the word lines to the read/write circuit. |
| US08022378B2 |
Standoff radiation attenuation system
A system for attenuating a primary radiation beam applied to a target area on a patient for generating an image of the target area during a radiological procedure is disclosed. The system includes a radiation attenuation material positionable over the target area to partially attenuate the primary radiation beam before the primary radiation beam reaches the target area. The system also includes a buffer positionable between the radiation attenuation material and the target area. The buffer is formed of a polymeric material and is configured to improve the clarity of the generated image. |
| US08022375B2 |
Method and apparatus for validation of sterilization
An apparatus, system and method for verifying the achievement of a desired sterility assurance level (SAL) for components manipulated within a low-energy electron beam sterilization chamber. The components are preferably pre-sterilized and connected together in an assembly fashion which creates and maintains the sterility of the connection by subjecting the components to low-energy (less than 300 KeV) electron beam radiation. The verification is completed by measuring the sterilization dose delivered to a sensor, also known as a dosimeter, positioned within the sterilization process to simulate the components. |
| US08022374B2 |
Holder device for analyzing characteristics of dosimeter
Provided is a holder device for analyzing characteristics of a dosimeter. In the holder device, the dosimeter is located in a desired direction on a radiation path along which radiation is irradiated from a radiation emitter, and a radiation absorbance characteristic is recognized according to a radiation dose absorbed by the dosimeter. The holder device includes: a dosimeter holder fixedly supporting the dosimeter; a body having a partial spherical portion with a specific curvature, and having a plurality of mounting holes containing the dosimeter holder; and a supporter supporting the body so that the dosimeter is located on the radiation path. Accordingly, in the holder device for analyzing characteristics of a dosimeter, one or more dosimeters can be disposed at a desired angle and position with respect to a radiation emitter, characteristics of the dosimeter can be accurately analyzed, and thus radiation treatment and treatment schedule can be effectively performed. |
| US08022372B2 |
Apparatus and method for batch non-contact material characterization
An apparatus for performing non-contact material characterization includes a wafer carrier adapted to hold a plurality of substrates and a material characterization device, such as a device for performing photoluminescence spectroscopy. The apparatus is adapted to perform non-contact material characterization on at least a portion of the wafer carrier, including the substrates disposed thereon. |
| US08022370B2 |
Multi-stage waveform detector
A waveform detector may include multiple stages. |
| US08022362B2 |
Ionization device
An ionization device includes an ionization chamber (1) and a charging chamber (20) separately prepared therefrom. The ionization chamber (1) has a discharge electrode (6) and an opposing electrode (10) in an interior (4) of a case having an ionizing gas introducing inlet (14). The opposing electrode (10) has an orifice (8) communicating with outside and formed at a position opposing the tip end of the discharge electrode (6). The charging chamber (20) is arranged adjacent to the orifice (8) side of the ionization chamber (1). An introduction inlet (28) of a charge object introduction portion of the charging chamber (20) is arranged at the position near the exit of the orifice (8). The size of the orifice (8) is set so that the charge object is sucked therein by a negative pressure generated when a gas containing ions is sprayed from the exit of the orifice (8) into the charging chamber (20) and the ionization chamber (1) has a higher pressure than the charging chamber (20). |
| US08022358B2 |
Mass spectrometer
An ion trap mass analyser (1) is disclosed comprising a segmented rod set. Ions are trapped radially within the mass analyser by a radial pseudo-potential well. The ions are also confined axially within the ion trap by an axial electric field. The axial electric field is substantially linear across the central section of the iøn trap, but the electric field is distorted across both ends of the ion trap. A supplemental AC voltage or potential is applied to the electrodes comprising the ion trap mass analyser (1) in order to excite resonantly ions within the ion trap (1). The distortions in the electric field at the ends of the ion trap cause the resonant frequency of ions within the ion trap to shift to either a higher or lower frequency. If the frequency of the supplemental AC voltage or potential is scanned appropriately then ions are ejected from the ion trap in a shorter period of time leading to an improvement in mass resolution. |
| US08022356B2 |
Sample and method for evaluating resolution of scanning electron microscope, and electron scanning microscope
A method of evaluating a resolution of a scanning electron microscope includes picking up a first image of a concave and convex pattern formed on a surface of a sample utilizing a first scanning electron microscope, picking up a second image of the concave and convex pattern on the sample utilizing a second scanning electron microscope, respectively processing the first image and the second image in order to evaluate unevenness in resolution between the first scanning electron microscope and the second scanning electron microscope, and determining whether a height of the concave and convex pattern as measured from a bottom thereof is sufficient so that no affection by a secondary electron emitted from the bottom of the concave and convex pattern is exhibited. |
| US08022355B2 |
Scintillation detector gain control system using reference radiation
A method for controlling gain of a scintillation detector includes using a reference radiation source and a photomultiplier tube and controlling the gain of the scintillation detector based on the reference radiation source. The controlling includes detecting change in the gain of the scintillation detector, determining an amount of the change in the gain, outputting a control signal to compensate the amount of the change in the gain, and stabilizing the gain against the reference radiation source based on the control signal. A gain control system for controlling gain of a scintillation detector includes computer-readable instructions stored in the memory for causing the processor to detect change in the gain of the scintillation detector determine an amount of the change in the gain, output a control signal to compensate the amount of the change in the gain, and stabilize the gain against the reference radiation source based on the control signal. |
| US08022354B2 |
Absolute position length measurement type encoder
The absolute position length measurement type encoder is provided with a scale for forming bright and dark patterns by the ABS pattern based on a pseudorandom code; an edge position detection circuit for obtaining a position, at which an after-differentiated absolute value of a binarized value is locally maximized, for each of the minimum line width zones of the ABS pattern by binarizing a signal from the light-receiving element that receives the bright and dark pattern; a peak position detection circuit for obtaining the peak position from a histogram with respect to the position; a decoding circuit for decoding the pseudorandom code based on the binarized value; an absolute position detection circuit for calculating an absolute position by referencing the pseudorandom code to the design value; and a position data synthesizing circuit for correcting the absolute position by the peak position, whereby the absolute position can be calculated with a small arithmetic operation amount even if the pseudorandom code is used for the ABS pattern, and accuracy of the absolute position can be secured even where the ABS pattern is subjected to thickening, etc. |
| US08022352B2 |
Flexible substrate with etched lens array
A flexible substrate having a plurality of lenses disposed in an array on a surface of the substrate wherein the lenses are formed by etching the substrate. |
| US08022350B2 |
Imaging pixel comprising a comparator to compare integrated photocurrent to a reference value and digital output circuitry
An improved CMOS pixel with a combination of analog and digital readouts to provide a large pixel dynamic range without compromising low-light performance using a comparator to test the value of an accumulated charge at a series of exponentially increasing exposure times. The test is used to stop the integration of photocurrent once the accumulated analog voltage has reached a predetermined threshold. A one-bit output value of the test is read out of the pixel (digitally) at each of the exponentially increasing exposure periods. At the end of the integration period, the analog value stored on the integration capacitor is read out using conventional CMOS active pixel readout circuits. |
| US08022345B1 |
Adaptive optics systems using pixelated spatial phase shifters
An adaptive optics system comprises a spatial light modulator, a beamsplitter, a pixelated spatial phase shifter, a beam combiner, an imaging device, and a processor. The spatial light modulator can modulate an incoming beam with an aberrated wavefront. The beamsplitter can receive the modulated beam and divide the modulated beam into a first beam and a second beam. The pixelated spatial phase shifter can spatially phase shift the second beam by at least two phases. The beam combiner can interfere the spatially phase shifted second beam with the first beam to form at least two interferograms on the imaging device, which can capture an image of the at least two interferograms in a single frame. The processor can determine the aberrated wavefront based on the at least two interferograms and provide one or more control signals to the spatial light modulator to mitigate aberrations in the aberrated wavefront. |
| US08022342B2 |
Microwave source system
A microwave source system 1 extracts power in a predetermined microwave frequency band out of thermal noise power generated by a resistor (3) by using filter means (4), amplifies the power through a first amplifier (5) and a second amplifier (7), and outputs the power. The first amplifier (5) is variably controllable in gain and control means (6) controls the gain in such a way as to maintain the intensity of the microwave power output from the first amplifier 5 at a predetermined constant value. The second amplifier (7) has a predetermined gain. The resistor (3) is attached to one of the first amplifier (5) and the second amplifier (7), for example, to the second amplifier (7). Thereby, the resistor (3) receives heat from the amplifier (7). Output of the microwave source system (1) is supplied to, for example, a microwave discharge lamp (2). The microwave source system (1) having the above configuration can be compact and inexpensive without a need for a magnetron or a high voltage power supply. |
| US08022334B2 |
Heatable glass pane
A heatable glass pane is disclosed. The glass pane includes two bus bars which are located parallel to a base edge of the glass pane and arranged essentially in a line in their axial direction, spaced apart a short distance from one another. The glass pane includes a set of heating wires which are in electrical contact with the two contact busbars and the heating wires have essentially the same lengths. |
| US08022333B2 |
Substrate with electroconductive coating and a communication window
The invention is aimed at a substrate, in particular window pane, with an electrically conducting and heatable coating, at least one communication window made in the latter in the form of an interruption of said coating, the window being able to allow communication radiation used as signal carrying information to be transmitted therethrough and whose wavelength lies in a span of wavelengths that can be reflected or absorbed by the coating, and another electrically conducting element in contact with at least one part of edges of the window and in contact with the coating, characterized in that the communication window is provided with an electrically conducting covering and linked electrically to the other electrically conducting element. |
| US08022331B2 |
Method of making elongated medical devices
Elongate medical devices such as guidewires can be formed from a core wire and a preformed distal cap that is configured to fit over a distal end of the core wire. The distal cap can be attached using a variety of techniques. In particular, the distal cap can be attached to the core wire using laser welding. |
| US08022329B2 |
System and method for full escort mixed mail sorter using mail clamps
A sorting system accepts a group of mail pieces at a loading station, sorts them, and then moves them to an unloading station. The system includes a reader for retrieving delivery information associated with each mail piece, and also includes clamps dimensioned for receipt of a mail piece into each clamp. The system has a device for creating an association between the retrieved delivery information of each mail piece and its respective clamp. The system also has a sorter for moving the clamps holding the mail pieces, based upon the association of each clamp with the retrieved delivery information, so that the mail pieces held by the clamps are sorted according to a desired delivery sequence. Additionally, the system includes a mechanism for opening the sorted clamps to release the mail pieces at the unloading station. |
| US08022328B2 |
Device for detecting faulty position and separating fasteners and spacers as well as method
A device for detecting the faulty position of and separating fasteners, more particularly blind rivets in a continuously operating conveyor apparatus, by means of which the fasteners are supplied to an automated joining machine, wherein each fastener is followed in the normal case by a spacer. According to the disclosed embodiments the device has at least three detectors, more particularly contactless inductively acting ring initiators with which on the one hand fasteners can be differentiated from spacers and on the other hand fasteners in the correct position can be differentiated from fasteners in the faulty position in the conveyor apparatus, more particularly in a supply tube. As a result of the at least three ring detectors a minimum-wear low-maintenance operation is ensured so that outage times of the rivet setter and automated riveting machine are reduced as a result of the device connected in on the input side. Furthermore a complex breakdown recognition is possible with corresponding evaluation. Furthermore the disclosed embodiments relate to a method for detecting the position of and separating fasteners in the conveyor apparatus by means of the device. |
| US08022325B2 |
Keyswitch and keyboard
The invention discloses a keyboard comprising a substrate and a plurality of keyswitches. The keyswitches are disposed on the substrate. The substrate includes a first connection portion and a reinforcement structure. The first connection portion is formed from bending the substrate. Each keyswitch includes a keycap and a lift support device. The keycap has a second connection portion. The lift support device is disposed between the keycap and substrate. The lift support device has a third connection portion and a fourth connection portion. The first connection portion is connected to the third connection portion, and the second connection portion is connected to the fourth connection portion. The lift support device is used for carrying the keycap to move vertically relative to the substrate. The reinforcement structure can enhance the connection strength between the first connection portion and the substrate. |
| US08022324B2 |
Method of manufacturing a keypad structure having a transparent keycap and keypad structure having a transparent keycap
The present invention discloses a method of manufacturing a keypad structure having a transparent keycap and a keypad structure having a transparent keycap. A metal pattern layer is formed on a transparent resin layer of a keycap component. Two print layers are formed on a transparent resin layer of an overprint component. Two print layers and the metal pattern layer are overlapped and have a level difference in height of the total thickness of the two transparent layers. Accordingly, the figure of the keypad seems to be floated and is felt to be three-dimensional. |
| US08022316B2 |
Method for determining a condition of a weighing device by monitoring the voltage of a communications line
A force measuring device, especially a weighing device, has at least one force-measuring module that includes a force-measuring cell, a communication means, a terminal and at least one communication line, through which communication signals are transmitted between the terminal and the communication means. In a method for determining the condition of such a device, at least one voltage present at the communication line or at the communication means is measured. The measured value, or a processed result therefrom, are transmitted through the communication line to the terminal. A parameter representing the condition of the force-measuring device is determined from the measurement value, or the processed result, in an accurate and simple manner. |
| US08022314B2 |
Printed wiring board
A printed wiring board including a wiring substrate provided with at least one conductor circuit, a solder resist layer provided on the surface of the wiring substrate, at least one conductor pad formed from a part of the conductor circuit exposed from an opening provided in the solder resist layer, and at least one solder bump for mounting electronic parts on the conductor pad. In the printed wiring board, since the at least one conductor pad is aligned at a pitch of about 200 μm or less, and a ratio (W/D) of a diameter W of the solder bump to an opening diameter D of the opening formed in the solder resist layer is about 1.05 to about 1.7, connection reliability and insulation reliability can be easily improved. |
| US08022312B2 |
Substrate structure and electronic apparatus
A substrate structure capable of miniaturizing and thinning a housing of a portable terminal is provided.A substrate structure 10 comprises a substrate 11, plural electronic components 12 mounted along one mounting surface 11A in the substrate 11, and a resin part 13 for making close contact with the mounting surface 11A of the substrate 11while each of the electronic components 12 is covered with a resin 13A. In the substrate structure 10, a through hole 14 extending through the substrate 11 in a thickness direction is disposed and also the side of the mounting surface 11A in the through hole 14 is closed by a lid member 15. A rising part 21 is disposed in a peripheral part of this lid member 15. |
| US08022308B2 |
Wired circuit board and electronic device
A wired circuit board has an insulating layer extending in a longitudinal direction, a conductive layer having a plurality of signal wirings covered with the insulating layer and arranged in mutually spaced-apart and parallel relation in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction and a thickness direction of the insulating layer, and connecting terminals provided on both longitudinal ends of each of the signal wirings and exposed from the insulating layer, and a ground layer covered with the insulating layer and formed to surround each of the signal wirings in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction. A slit along the longitudinal direction is formed between each of the signal wirings in the insulating layer. |
| US08022306B2 |
Printed circuit board and method of manufacturing the same
A mounting region is provided at a substantially center of one surface of an insulating layer. A metal layer is provided on the other surface of the insulating layer. A slit is formed to cross a region (an opposite region) of the metal layer that coincides with the mounting region and to divide the metal layer. A plurality of regions (large regions) of the metal layer divided by the slit each include a partial region (small region) of the opposite region. The area of each large region is set corresponding to the area of the small region included therein. Specifically, the small region having the area of A [%] with respect to the whole area of the opposite region is included in the large region having the area of (A±δ) [%] with respect to the whole area of the metal layer. Here, δ is an acceptable error range, and the acceptable error range δ is not more than (A×0.3). |
| US08022305B2 |
Semiconductor device with a wiring board having an angled linear part
A semiconductor device fabrication method includes: forming an elongated hole 5 in a wiring board plate along a perimeter line 3 of a plurality of wiring board regions defined over the wiring board plate with a connecting portion left unremoved at a corner of each of the wiring board regions; mounting semiconductor elements on the wiring board regions; and cutting the connecting portion using a punch 8 to isolate the wiring board regions from the wiring board plate into wiring boards. Each of the wiring boards has a cut edge formed by the punch, the cut edge starting from an end of the elongated hole 5 provided on a first side of the perimeter line 3 and extending across part of the connecting portion inside the perimeter line 3, the cut edge being angled inward of the wiring board so as to slope downward from the end of the elongated hole 5. |
| US08022300B2 |
Wiring harness
For connecting a flat cable having a wire interval and a plurality of contact blades having a terminal interval different from the wire interval, a wiring harness includes a flat cable having a plurality of electric wires and joints joining the adjacent electric wires to each other, and a plurality of contact blades arranged along a widthwise direction of the flat cable and connected to a core wire of the electric wire by penetrating an interim portion in a lengthwise direction of the flat cable. A slit is provided at the interim portion at the joint. The plurality of electric wires at the interim portion is positioned corresponding to the contact blade to be electrically connected thereto by being neared to each other by narrowing a width of the slit. |
| US08022290B2 |
Strike input device for electronic percussion instrument
A piezo electric element generates a vibrating voltage in response to a striking force on a pad. The piezo electric element is connected across a series connection of a linear resistor and a nonlinear resistance network. The voltage appearing across the nonlinear resistance network is taken as an output voltage. The nonlinear resistance network is comprised of a parallel connection of a first and a second resistance circuitry. The first resistance circuitry is a series connection of a resister and two diodes connected in parallel in an opposite polarity to each other. The second resistance circuitry is a series connection of another resister and two Zener diodes connected in series in an opposite polarity to each other. |
| US08022287B2 |
Music composition data reconstruction device, music composition data reconstruction method, music content reproduction device, and music content reproduction method
An apparatus that allows a musical piece to be recomposed by reflecting, for example, the mood, preference, and ambient environment of a listening user in the musical piece in real time. The apparatus includes a rhythm master unit and a rhythm slave unit. The rhythm master unit generates synchronization signals containing a signal having a period corresponding to a measure of a musical piece and a signal having a period corresponding to a beat of the musical piece and also generates musical-piece recomposition information in synchronization with the synchronization signals. The rhythm slave unit recomposes musical-piece data of input music content in accordance with the synchronization signals and the musical-piece recomposition information, generates output musical-piece data, and outputs the musical-piece data to the rhythm slave unit. |
| US08022286B2 |
Sound-object oriented analysis and note-object oriented processing of polyphonic sound recordings
A method of sound-object oriented analysis and of note-object oriented processing a polyphonic digitized sound recording present in the form of a time signal F(A, t) includes the following analytical and processing steps: portion-wise readouts of the time signal F(A, t) using a window function and overlapping windows; Fourier-transforming the readout signal into frequency space, in particular by applying a discrete Fourier transform; calculating an energy value E at each bin from the frequency amplitude resulting from the Fourier transformation, in particular by squaring the real and imaginary parts or forming energy values derived from them; generating a function F(t, f, E); identifying event objects; identifying event objects; identifying note objects; comparing the temporal occurrence of event objects and note objects and associating event objects to note objects in the case of plausible time occurrences; calculating spectral proportion factors for each note object. |
| US08022285B2 |
Automatic guitar tuning case
An automatic guitar tuning case is a tuning system to automatically, synchronously, accurately and rapidly turn an acoustic guitar or electrical guitar with no requirement of modifying the guitar. It has six optical transducers to respectively detect and convert the vibration of associated six guitar strings to electric signals. A microcontroller unit compares the frequencies of these input signals to selected tones, and then controls six electric tuning wrenches for tuning the six guitar strings. The automatic tuning guitar system also consists of a control panel for a user to preset and select tuning pattern, operate and monitor the system. It only needs to take a few seconds to tune a guitar by this tuning device. |
| US08022284B1 |
Method and system to harmonically tune (just intonation tuning) a digital / electric piano in real time
The present invention concerns itself with methods and systems for just intonation tuning of a digital/electrical piano in real time. A simple and economical solution is presented, which makes use of a PLC (i.e., Programmable Logic Controller), having 13 inputs (an octave plus one input for the pedal) and 22 outputs (22 possible frequencies per octave), relays, and parallel connections between octaves and PLC inputs, as well as, between PLC outputs and relays. |
| US08022282B1 |
Baseplate for use with bass drum
A baseplate, for use with a bass drum, including a center plate and a pair of wings extending outwardly therefrom. Each wing cradles and is adjustably secured to a lug affixed to a drum shell of a bass drum. A connection plate unitarily constructed with and extending from the center plate includes a terminal end with a lip for adjustably interfacing with a pedal clamp of a drum beater assembly for connecting the drum beater assembly to the bass drum. The pedal clamp is removably connectable to any point along the lip for laterally adjusting the striking point of a beater head onto the bass drum, the bass drum isolated from the pedal clamp for improving the resonance performance thereof, without changing the length of a beater shaft or the feel of the drum beater assembly. |
| US08022280B2 |
Violin shoulder cradle
A violin shoulder cradle is provided which provides for compact storage and for adjustment of the position of the violin to which the cradle is clamped relative to the shoulder of the wearer. The shoulder cradle hereof includes a base including a pair of clamping legs which are pivotally mounted to the base for movement between a retracted storage position and an extended violin-clamping position. It further includes a connection between the base which may include an array of studs and a corresponding grid pattern or matrix of tubes in a receiver, and/or at least one magnet which magnetically holds the foundation to the base. |
| US08022278B2 |
Method for transferring one or more genetic traits from a plant of the purple-flowered Capsicum species to a plant of the white flowered Capsicum species
The present invention relates to a method for transferring one or more genetic traits from a plant of the purple-flowered Capsicum species comprising said genetic trait, to a plant of the white-flowered Capsicum species, said method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a first hybrid plant comprising said genetic trait by crossing a first plant of the purple-flowered Capsicum species comprising said genetic traits with a second plant of another purple-flowered Capsicum species, and selecting plants comprising said genetic trait; (b) preparing a second hybrid plant by crossing said first hybrid plant comprising said genetic trait, with a first plant of the white-flowered Capsicum species; (c) crossing said second hybrid plant with said first plant of the purple-flowered Capsicum species comprising said genetic trait, and selecting from the progeny thereof plants comprising the genetic trait; (d) preparing a third hybrid plant by crossing the plants obtained in step (c) with a second plant of the white-flowered Capsicum species, and selecting from the progeny thereof plants comprising the genetic trait. The invention further relates to the plants per se, as well as to the fruits, seeds and other plant parts derived from said plants. |
| US08022277B2 |
Cotton variety 07W505DF
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 07W505DF. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 07W505DF. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 07W505DF and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 07W505DF with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08022274B2 |
Plant tolerance to low water, low nitrogen and cold
Polynucleotides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer earlier flowering, longer floral organ retention, increased cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, altered carbon-nitrogen balance sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, and/or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to a control plant. |
| US08022271B2 |
Polyubiquitin Rubi3 promoter and 5' regulatory sequences
The present invention provides novel expression control elements and methods for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest in plants. Isolated nucleic acids, expression cassettes and vectors comprising the expression control elements are provided. Also provided are transformed plants, plant tissues, plant cells, plant seed, and the like, comprising the isolated nucleic acids, expression cassettes and vectors of the invention. Further provided are methods of expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant, plant tissue, plant cell, and the like. |
| US08022264B2 |
Adsorption composition and method of removing CO from streams
Carbon monoxide is removed from streams by adsorption on an adsorption composition which comprises copper and zirconium oxides but no zinc oxide, which comprises from 70 to 99.8% by weight of copper oxide and from 0.2 to 30% by weight of zirconium oxide, based on the total amount of the adsorption composition. |
| US08022263B2 |
Selective aromatics isomerization process
This invention is drawn to a process for isomerizing a non-equilibrium mixture of xylenes and ethylbenzene using a catalyst comprising a zeolite having specific particle-size characteristics, a platinum-group metal and a silica binder. A relatively minimal amount of hydrogen is supplied to the process on a once-through basis, resulting in low saturation of aromatics while achieving effective xylene isomerization with reduced processing costs. |
| US08022260B2 |
Process for the conversion of biomass to liquid fuels and specialty chemicals
The present invention relates to the conversion of solid biomass to liquid fuels and specialty chemicals. The process utilizes an activating step to make the biomass more susceptible to conversion, that is the biomass is broken down such that the components of the biomass are dissociated. Subsequently, the activated biomass undergoes a reaction to convert it to a bio-oil. |
| US08022257B2 |
Methods for producing polyols using crude glycerin
Methods for producing a polyols and polyurethanes are described. The polyols described herein can be produced directly from crude glycerin or through liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass using a solvent comprising crude glycerin. The polyols produced in accordance with certain aspects may be derived from a significant proportion of renewable resources. |
| US08022255B2 |
Process for preparing ketones from alpha-oxo carboxylates and aryl bromides
A process for preparing ketones of the general formula (III) where R is an optionally substituted carbocyclic aromatic radical having 6 to 24 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted alkyl radical or an optionally substituted heteroaromatic radical having 5 to 24 carbon atoms, and R1 is an optionally substituted carbocyclic aromatic radical having 6 to 24 carbon atoms or an optionally substituted heteroaromatic radical having 5 to 24 carbon atoms, by reacting alpha-oxo carboxylates of the general formula (I) wherein n and m is a number in the range from 1 to 6, M(m+) is a cation, and R has the meaning indicated for formula (III), with aryl bromides of the general formula (II) R1—Br (II) where R1 has the meaning indicated for formula (III), in the presence of two transition metals or compounds thereof as catalyst, is described. |
| US08022254B2 |
Catalysts comprising halide-containing alkali tungstates for the synthesis of alkylmercaptan, and process for their preparation
The invention relates to a halide-containing alkali tungstate catalyst for the synthesis of alkylmercaptans from alkanols and hydrogen sulfide, and to a process for the preparation of this catalyst. |
| US08022253B2 |
Aromatic amine derivative and organic electroluminescence device using the same
To attain an organic electroluminescence device having a long lifetime and high luminous efficiency, and is capable of emitting blue light having a high color purity, and an aromatic amine derivative for realizing the device, the present invention provides an aromatic amine derivative having a specific structure, and an organic electroluminescence device including an organic thin film layer composed of one or more layers including at least a light emitting layer and interposed between a cathode and an anode, in which at least one layer of the organic thin film layer contains the aromatic amine derivative alone or as a component of a mixture. |
| US08022246B2 |
Neuroprotective compositions and methods
Neurite outgrowth-promoting prostaglandins (NEPPs) and other electrophilic compounds bind to Keap1, a negative regulator of the transcription factor Nrf2, and prevent Keap1-mediated inactivation of Nrf2 and, thus, enhance Nrf2 translocation into the nucleus of neuronal cells. Therefore, neuroprotective compositions and related methods are provided that employ such neuroprotective compounds, and prodrugs of such compounds, to cause dissociation of Nrf2 from a Keap1/Nrf2 complex. |
| US08022245B2 |
Alpha-fluoromethoxycarboxylic ester, process for producing the alpha-fluoromethoxycarboxylic ester, and process for producing sevoflurane
The present invention provides a novel α-fluoromethoxycarboxylic ester represented by Formula (1): (CF3)2C(OCH2F)COOR wherein R is a hydrocarbon group that may have a substituent; a process for producing 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl fluoromethyl ether, the process including hydrolyzing and decarboxylating the α-fluoromethoxycarboxylic ester; and a process for producing an α-fluoromethoxycarboxylic ester represented by Formula (1): (CF3)2C (OCH2F)COOR, the process including reacting an α-hydroxycarboxylic ester represented by Formula (2): (CF3)2C(OH)COOR with a halofluoromethane in the presence of an alkaline compound. According to the present invention, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropyl fluoromethyl ether (sevoflurane), which is known as an anesthetic compound, can be efficiently produced at low cost. |
| US08022243B1 |
Low odour oligomeric photoinitiator and method of making the same
Disclosed herein are a class of low odor oligomeric photoinitiators produced from the poly-condensation of dimethyl dicarboxylates and diols of a photo-active moiety. The disclosed oligomeric photoinitiators exhibited comparable photo-curing speed and much lower odor and extractability to its analogue of small molecular weight photoinitiators. Also disclosed are the preparation methods of the photoinitiators, and their applications in photopolymerizable compositions. |
| US08022234B2 |
Compounds and compositions
The invention provides compositions comprising formula 1 steroids, e.g., 16α-bromo-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one hemihydrate and one or more excipients, including compositions that comprise a liquid formulation comprising less than about 3% v/v water. The compositions are useful to make improved pharmaceutical formulations. The invention also provides methods of intermittent dosing of steroid compounds such as analogs of 16α-bromo-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one and compositions useful in such dosing regimens. The invention further provides compositions and methods to inhibit pathogen replication, ameliorate symptoms associated with immune dysregulation and to modulate immune responses in a subject using the compounds. The invention also provides methods to make and use these immunomodulatory compositions and formulations. |
| US08022228B2 |
Crystal form of asenapine maleate
The invention relates to an orthorhombic crystal form of compound trans-5-chloro-2,3,3a,12b-tetrahydro-2-methyl-1H-dibenz[2,3:6,7]oxepino[4,5-c]pyrrole(Z)-2-butenedioate, to methods for the preparation of this crystal form and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising an orthorhombic crystal form. |
| US08022225B2 |
Triazole derivative
A compound represented by the formula (I) below or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof has an effect of inhibiting binding between S1P and its receptor Edg-1(S1P1), and is useful as a pharmaceutical product. [where A represents a sulfur atom, an oxygen atom, a formula —SO— or a formula —SO2—; R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or the like; R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms or the like; R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R4 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group or the like; R5 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and R6 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group]. |
| US08022223B2 |
2-aminopyridine analogs as glucokinase activators
Provided are compounds of formula I that are useful in the treatment and/or prevention of diseases mediated by deficient levels of glucokinase activity, such as diabetes meilitus. Also provided are methods of treating or preventing diseases and disorders characterized by underactivity of glucokinase or which can be treated by activating glucokinase. |
| US08022219B2 |
2-hydroxymethy1-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-(4-pentyloxybenzyl) piperidine as glucosylceramide synthase (Gcs) inhibitor
The present invention relates to the compound 3,4,5-piperidinetriol, 2-(hydroxymethyl)-1-[(4-(pentyloxy)phenyl)methyl]-, (2S,3S,4R,5S), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof, which is useful as an inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase. The compounds of the Invention are useful for treating various glycolipid storage diseases, such as Gaucher's disease, Sandhoff's disease, Tay-Sacs disease, Fabry disease, and GM1 gangliosidosis; glycolipid accumulation disorders, such as Niemann-Pick disease, mucopolysaccharidoses, mucolipidosis type IV and α-mannosidosis; various cancers that involve abnormal glycolipid synthesis; and various infectious diseases that involve cell surface glycolipids as receptors for the infectious organisms or for their toxins; as well as a variety of other disorders involving glycolipid synthesis, including neuronal disorders, inflammatory diseases, obesity, and the like. |
| US08022213B2 |
Spiro-piperidine derivatives
Present invention is concerned with novel indol-2-yl-carbonyl-spiro-piperidine derivatives as V1a receptor antagonists, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The active compounds of the present invention are useful in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders and other diseases. The compounds of present invention have the general formula (I) wherein R1 to R11 and X are as defined in the description. |
| US08022211B2 |
Technetium and rhenium complexes
Novel radioactive technetium and rhenium complexes comprising tripodal ligands are provided by the present invention. In particular, Tc(I) complexes are provided by the present invention. Novel ligands suitable for the formation of the technetium and rhenium complexes of the invention are also provided, as well as radiopharmaceutical compositions comprising said complexes, kits for their preparation. The invention also relates to the us of 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals of the invention for SPECT imaging. |
| US08022209B2 |
Substituted nitrogen-containing heteroaryl derivatives useful as modulators of the histamine H4 receptor
The present invention relates to substituted nitrogen-containing heteroaryl derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and methods of using any of these derivatives and compositions for H4 receptor activity modulation and the treatment of states mediated by histamine H4 receptor activity. |
| US08022207B2 |
Compound having affinity to amyloid
The invention relates to a compound which has affinity with amyloid, shows sufficiently rapid clearance from normal tissues and is suppressed in toxicity such as mutagenicity, and also relates to a low-toxic diagnostic agent for Alzheimer's disease containing the compound. The compound is represented by the following formula (1) or a salt thereof: wherein A1, A2, A3 and A4 independently represent a carbon or a nitrogen, and R3 is a group represented by the following formula: wherein R1 is a radioactive halogen substituent; m is an integer of 0 to 4; and n is an integer of 0 or 1, provided that at least one of A1, A2, A3 and A4 represents a carbon, and R3 binds to a carbon represented by A1, A2, A3 or A4. |
| US08022204B2 |
Process of making 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine
A method of forming a 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine or a 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator includes providing a first reactant including phenothiazine or phenoxazine, providing a first solvent, providing a second reactant and providing a second solvent. The first reactant, first solvent, second reactant and second solvent are combined to form a reactants solution. Sodium persulfate is added to the reactants solution to couple the first and second reactants resulting in a reaction solution including the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator. |
| US08022203B2 |
Amino derivatives of beta-homoandrostanes and beta-heteroandrostanes
New aminoalkoxyimino derivatives at position 3 of substituted B-homoandrostanes and B-heteroandrostanes, processes for their preparation, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, such as heart failure and hypertension. In particular compounds having the general formula (I) are described, where the radicals have the meanings described in detail in the application. |
| US08022202B2 |
Dihydrodiazepines useful as inhibitors of protein kinases
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing compounds of the inventions. |
| US08022198B2 |
siRNA targeting histamine receptor H1
Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed. |
| US08022195B2 |
Vectors encoding cell growth and adhesion factors for simultaneous growth and adhesion of cells
The present invention relates to endothelial and smooth muscle cells genetically altered to express or over-express one or more cell adhesion factors. The invention further relates to cells genetically altered to express or over-express both cell proliferation growth factor(s) and cell adhesion factor(s). In addition, the present invention relates to nucleic acid constructs and nucleic acid construct systems that encode the cell adhesion and cell proliferation growth factors that are used to transfect/transform the cells so that they can express the factors. |
| US08022193B2 |
6-modified bicyclic nucleic acid analogs
The present invention provides 6-modified bicyclic nucleoside analogs and oligomeric compounds comprising these nucleoside analogs. In preferred embodiments the nucleoside analogs have either (R) or (S)-chirality at the 6-position. These bicyclicnucleoside analogs are useful for enhancing properties of oligomeric compounds including nuclease resistance. |
| US08022191B2 |
PEG-conjugated erythropoietin
The present invention provides a polyethylene glycol-conjugated erythropoietin (PEG-conjugated EPO) prepared by PEG conjugation on the lysine residue at position 52 of native erythropoietin (native EPO). In order to achieve more sustained efficacy without losing physiological activities of native EPO, a glycoprotein rich in sugar chains, there has been a need to develop a PEG-conjugated EPO with significantly sustained efficacy by introducing a controlled number of PEG molecules at controlled positions. This PEG-conjugated EPO addresses such a need and provides more sustained efficacy. |
| US08022188B2 |
Immunosuppressant binding antibodies and methods of obtaining and using same
The present invention relates among other things to antibodies that immunospecifically bind to at least one agent of interest (e.g., an immunosuppressive agent), methods for producing such antibodies, and immunoassays that employ said antibodies. Additionally, the present invention also relates to methods for selecting an antibody for use in a diagnostic immunoassay and methods for selecting an antigen for use in a diagnostic immunoassay. The present invention further relates to the improvement of antibody recognition of an active parent drug in the presence of one or more of its major metabolites. |
| US08022183B2 |
IFBM'S to promote the specific attachment of target analytes to the surface of orthopedic implants
The present invention provides an improved coating for surfaces of medical implants. The coating comprises at least one interfacial biomaterial (IFBM) which is comprised of at least one binding module that binds to the surface of an implant or implant-related material (“implant module”) and at least one binding module that selectively binds to a target analyte or that is designed to have a desired effect (“analyte module”). The modules are connected by a linker. In some embodiments, the IFBM coating acts to promote the recognition and attachment of target analytes to surface of the device. The IFBM coating improves the performance of implanted medical devices, for example, by promoting osteointegration of the implant. |
| US08022179B2 |
Compositions and methods for topical application and transdermal delivery of an oligopeptide
The invention relates to the transdermal application of oligopeptides for reducing synaptic transmission in tissues of an animal. In one aspect, this invention relates to compositions comprising an oligopeptide and optionally a carrier comprising a positively charged “backbone” having positively charged branching or “efficiency” groups, as described herein. Most preferably the positively charged carrier is a long-chain positively charged polypeptide or a positively charged nonpeptidyl polymer, for example, a polyalkyleneimine. The invention further relates methods for producing a biologic effect of reducing synaptic transmission in a tissue by topically applying an effective amount of such a composition, preferably to the skin, of a subject or patient in need of such treatment. This invention also provides kits for preparing or formulating a composition that comprises the oligopeptide and optionally a carrier, as well as such additional items that are needed to produce a usable formulation, or a premix that may in turn be used to produce such a formulation. |
| US08022177B2 |
Peptides and calcium regulation in mammalian cells
Calcium channels in a variety of tissues may contain different subunits, including several different γ (gamma) subunits. We report studies regarding structural features of certain gamma subunits, for example the N-terminal first transmembrane domain (TM1) of the subunit γ6. We disclose that certain structural motifs, for example a GxxxG-like structural motif as described herein, can mediate subunit function for calcium channels. A particular peptide motif that has been identified as significant for the ability to mediate a decrease in calcium current is GxxxA. Compositions and methods are disclosed which are useful in modifying calcium regulation in mammalian cells. In various embodiments, calcium current is modified. |
| US08022173B2 |
Stable isotope-labeled aliphatic amino acids, method for incorporating the same in target protein and method for NMR-structural analysis of proteins
The present invention herein provides a combination of stable isotope-labeled aliphatic amino acids, which permits the structural analysis of a high molecular weight protein, in particular, a high molecular weight protein whose molecular weight exceeds 60 kDa. This is a combination of stable isotope-labeled amino acids which is characterized in that arginine (Arg), glutamine (Gln), glutamic acid (Glu), lysine (Lys), methionine (Met) and proline (Pro) satisfy the following requirements concerning the labelling pattern: (b) one of the methylene hydrogen atoms of at least one of the methylene groups is deuterated and the both of the two methylene hydrogen atoms of at least one of the methylene groups are likewise deuterated; and (d) when they each have a methyl group, the hydrogen atoms of the methyl group except for one of the same are deuterated, or the methyl group is completely deuterated. |
| US08022170B2 |
Copolyamides
The invention relates to semi crystalline, melt processible, partially aromatic copolyamides, producible by condensation of at least the following monomers or the precondensates thereof: a) terephthalic acid b) at least one dimerised fatty acid with up to 44 carbon atoms and c) at least one aliphatic diamine of the formula H2N—(CH2)x—NH2, wherein x means a whole number from 4-18. |
| US08022167B2 |
Process for the synthesis of diaminopyridines from glutaronitriles
A liquid-phase process is provided for the manufacture from glutaronitriles and related compounds of 2,6-diaminopyridine and related compounds, which are used industrially as compounds and as components in the synthesis of a variety of useful materials. The synthesis proceeds by means of a dehydrogenative aromatization process. |
| US08022165B2 |
Catalytic process for the phosphonylation of high-temperature polymers
Process for preparing polymeric aromatic phosphonates and also polymeric aromatic phosphonates which can be prepared by the process of the invention and blends comprising these polymeric aromatic phosphonates and at least one further polymer and also films, composites and membranes comprising these polymers or blends, the use of the membranes of the invention in fuel cells or in separation technology and also fuel cells comprising the membranes of the invention. |
| US08022158B2 |
Wettable hydrogels comprising acyclic polyamides
The present invention relates to biomedical devices, and particularly contact lenses comprising a polymer having entangled therein at least one acyclic polyamide. |
| US08022155B2 |
Polymerized molded body
The invention relates to polymerizable compositions which comprise 10-80% by weight of a reactive diluent based on acrylic acid or methacrylic acid derivatives, and 10-50% by weight of a monomer of the indicated chemical formula which is liquid or which can be dissolved in the formulation. The formula may contain amino acid residues or peptide sequences, especially such that are specific of the collagen. These structural elements allow the enzymatic degradation of the polymers of the inventive composition. |
| US08022154B2 |
Ethylene polymers, their production and use
This invention relates to an ethylene polymer comprising ethylene and up to 5 mole % of at least one comonomer, wherein the ethylene polymer has an Mw, of 10,000 to 50,000, an Mw/Mn of between 1.5 to 4.5, a density of at least 0.925 g/cc, an unsaturation level of less than 1 per 1000 carbons, a melting point of at least 120° C., a Tc of greater than Z° C., where Z=0.501×(density in kg/m3)−367, and a Brookfield viscosity o at 140° C. of 100,000 mPas or more. |
| US08022143B2 |
Closures for bottles
A dual reactor solution process gives high density polyethylene compositions containing a first ethylene polymer and a second ethylene polymer which have a good balance of processability, toughness, and environmental stress crack resistance combined with good organoleptic properties. The polyethylene compositions are suitable for compression molding or injection molding applications and are particularly useful in the manufacture of caps and closures for bottles. |
| US08022139B2 |
Polylactic acid composition
A polylactic acid composition comprising (A) a polylactic acid-series resin and (B) an acrylic triblock copolymer is prepared. The composition fulfills the following requirements: (1) the acrylic triblock copolymer (B) is a triblock polymer comprising (B1) a polymer block having a glass-transition temperature of not higher than 25° C., (B2a) a polymer block which has a glass-transition temperature of not lower than 60° C. and is bound to a terminal of the polymer block (B1), and (B2b) a polymer block which has a glass-transition temperature of not lower than 60° C. and is bound to another terminal thereof; (2) the polymer block (B1) comprises a main structural unit derived from an acrylate, and the polymer block (B2a) and the polymer block (B2b) independently comprise a main structural unit derived from a methacrylate; and (3) both of the weight-average molecular weights of the polymer block (B2a) and polymer block (B2b) are smaller than the weight-average molecular weight of the polymer block (B1). The polylactic acid-series resin (A) and the acrylic triblock copolymer (B) may form a phase separation structure. |
| US08022137B2 |
Silicone resin composition for optical semiconductor devices
The present invention provides a silicone resin composition for an optical semiconductor device, comprising (A) 100 parts by mass of an organopolysiloxane having a weight average molecular weight of from 500 to 20000, reduced to polystyrene, and represented by the following average compositional formula (1), (CH3)aSi(OR1)b(OH)cO(4-a-b-c)/2 (1) wherein R1 is an organic group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and a, b, and c are numbers satisfying the equations: 0.8≦a≦1.5, 0≦b≦0.3, 0.001≦c≦0.5, and 0.801≦a+b+c<2, (B) 3 to 200 parts by mass of a white pigment, (C) 400 to 1000 parts by mass of an inorganic filler other than said white pigment, (D) 0.01 to 10 parts by mass of a condensation catalyst, and (E) 2 to 50 parts by mass of an organopolysiloxane comprising a linear diorganopolysiloxane moiety represented by the following formula (2), wherein R2 and R3 are, independently of each other, a group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a cyclohexyl group, a vinyl group, a phenyl group and an allyl group, and wherein m is an integer of from 5 to 50. |
| US08022136B2 |
Vulcanized rubber composition, pneumatic tire and the process of producing the same
By using a vulcanized rubber composition containing a rubber component composed of at least any one of a natural rubber, a modified natural rubber and a synthetic rubber, and chemically modified microfibril cellulose, it is possible to provide a vulcanized rubber composition that is environmentally conscious and that exhibits excellent rupture characteristics and a low energy loss, and a pneumatic tire that is excellent in rolling resistance property, steering stability and durability. |
| US08022135B2 |
Embedment casting composition
An embedment casting composition and a process of embedding a specimen in an acrylic polymer matrix is described. The composition comprises an acrylic copolymer and a suitable solvent. The acrylic copolymer is derived from 80-99% w/w methyl methacrylate, 0.1-10% w/w of a C3-C10 olefinically unsaturated acid co-monomer selected from carboxylic, phophonic, sulphonic or phosphinic acids and 0-10% w/w other suitable monomers and/or additives. A process of embedding a specimen in an acrylic polymer matrix, a cast of an embedded metal specimen, the use of an embedment composition for coating a specimen prior to an embedment coating process and use of an embedment composition as the copolymer resin component of an embedment slurry are also described. |
| US08022134B2 |
Modified polyaminoamides
The present invention relates to novel modified polyaminoamides which are useful as dispersing agents for particulate inorganic solids, especially for inorganic pigments such as clay minerals. The new polyamides are also useful as graying inhibiting additives and detergency boosting additives in washing composition for laundry. In the modified polyaminoamide according to the invention at least a part of the amino nitrogens of the polymer carry both a hydrocarbon radical R which is selected from C1-C6-alkyl, C6-C16-aryl-C1-C4-alkyl and a group AIk-O-A, wherein A is hydrogen or an acidic group selected from B1—PO(OH)2, B1—S(O)2OH and B2—COOH which may be present in the acidic or anionic form, wherein B1 is a single bond or C1-C6-alkanediyl, and B2 is C1-C6-alkanediyl and Alk is C2-C6-alkane-1,2-diyl, and a moiety of the formula (I) —(CH2—CR1R2—O—)pA ,wherein A is as defined above R1 is independently selected from hydrogen, C1-C12-alkyl, C2-C8-alkenyl, C6-C16-aryl or C6-C16-aryl-C1-C4-alkyl, R2 is independently selected from hydrogen or methyl and p is an integer provided that p has a number average of at least 10. |
| US08022126B2 |
Encapsulating resin composition and light-emitting device
An encapsulating resin composition is provided, which gives a cured product having heat resistance, light resistance, and flexibility equivalent to those of silicone resins and having a refractive index of 1.57 or greater which is larger than that of epoxy resins. The encapsulating resin composition contains: a high refractive index acrylic-based or methacrylic-based monomer having a refractive index of 1.55 or greater; and a nonfunctional fluorene compound. In a preferred form, each of the high refractive index acrylic-based or methacrylic-based monomer and the nonfunctional fluorene compound has a 9,9-bisphenylfluorene skeleton. |
| US08022122B2 |
Derivatives of pyrimidines as flame retardants
The present invention pertains to a composition comprising an organic polymer, a derivative of a pyrimidine and a further flame retardant. The present invention also pertains to a process for flame retarding an organic polymer by applying thereto or incorporating therein a derivative of a pyrimidine, optionally in combination with a further flame retardant. |
| US08022119B2 |
Epoxy and silane group-containing oligomers and polymers and a method for the production and the use thereof
Oligomers and polymers containing epoxide groups and silane groups and preparable by reacting (A) at least one low molecular mass, oligomeric or polymeric compound containing at least two epoxide groups (a1) with (B) at least one silane containing (b1) at least one at least divalent organic radical which per se is not hydrolyzable, (b2) at least one cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride group and (b3) at least one silane group containing at least one hydrolyzable group (b31), the cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride groups (b2) being attached to the silane groups (b3) via the radicals (b1), the equivalent ratio of epoxide groups (a1) to dicarboxylic anhydride groups (b2) being 0.7 to 100; processes for preparing them, and their use for preparing anhydrous curable compositions. |
| US08022117B2 |
Non-aqueous pigment dispersions containing specific dispersion synergists
A non-aqueous pigment dispersion includes a color pigment, a polymeric dispersant, and a dispersion synergist wherein the molecular weight of the anionic part of the dispersion synergist containing at least one carboxylate anion is smaller than 98% of the molecular weight of the color pigment and that the anionic part of the dispersion synergist has a similarity coefficient SIM of at least 0.5 with the similarity coefficient defined by: SIM = t · C S + P - C wherein, S represents the number of atoms in the anionic part of the dispersion synergist; P represents the number of atoms in the color pigment; C represents the largest number of atoms in common between the anionic part of the dispersion synergist and the color pigment as one continuous structure; and t is an integer representing the number of times that the largest number of atoms in common C fits into the organic color pigment, without using atoms of the color pigment twice. Also, methods of preparing the non-aqueous pigment dispersions. |
| US08022115B2 |
Anti-fouling ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene compositions and methods of using the same
It has now been surprisingly and unexpectedly discovered that a combination of polychlorophenoxyphenol, a silver-containing biocide, and an organopolysiloxane, when added to UHMWPE, renders the UHMWPE resistant to both soft and hard fouling. The polychlorophenoxy phenol is preferably 2.4.4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxy-diphenylether and the metal-containing biocide is preferably a silver zeolite. |
| US08022114B2 |
Dental adhesive compositions and methods
Two-part and one-part self-etching dental adhesives containing polymerizable acidic monomers. Methods include one-coat application without need for tooth etching. |
| US08022111B2 |
Piperazino sensitisers
Compounds of formula (I) [in which: A and B are terminal groups; R1 represents a group of formula (II) or (III); R2 is alkyl or aryl; Z is a group —(CHR3)n, where R3 is hydrogen, hydroxy or alkyl, and n is a number from 0 to 6; Y is carbonyl or a group —CH2—; Q represents a residue of a dihydroxy compound; and x is a number from 1 to 100] are useful sensitisers for use with Type II photoinitiators in the formulation of printing inks and other energy curable coatings. |
| US08022110B2 |
Porous polyimide
A porous polyimide obtained by removing a silica phase from an organic-inorganic polymer hybrid having a molecule structure in which a polyimide phase and the silica phase are held together by covalent bond. |
| US08022105B2 |
Prevention of neutrophil recruitment
Aspirin (ASA) triggers a switch in the biosynthesis of lipid mediators, inhibiting prostanoid production and initiating 15-epi-lipoxin generation, through the acetylation of cyclooxygenase II. |
| US08022104B2 |
Formulations of ladostigil tartrate
Disclosed are formulations of ladostigil tartrate, including pharmaceutical compositions, process for the manufacture, and use thereof. |
| US08022096B2 |
Pyrrolidine derivatives
Pyrrolidine compounds described herein and methods for using them to inhibit dipeptidyl peptidase IV and treat Type II diabetes. |
| US08022090B2 |
Vitamin C composition stabilized with cationic material, anionic material and caffeic acid derivative
The present invention relates to a composition containing vitamin C. The composition according to the present invention includes cationic material and anionic material as a primary stabilizing agent of the vitamin C; and a caffeic acid derivative as a secondary stabilizing agent of the vitamin C. The caffeic acid derivative is water-soluble and, preferably, a new caffiec acid derivative as denoted by the chemical formula 1 below is used. According to the present invention, the cationic material and the anionic material generate an electrical double layer to stabilize the vitamin C primarily; water-soluble caffeic acid derivative stabilizes the vitamin C secondarily. Accordingly, the vitamin C is stabilized double so that the vitamin C is protected from being oxidized by air, heat and moisture. |
| US08022087B2 |
Derivatives of pyridone and use thereof
The present invention provides N-substituted-2(1H) pyridones or the pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof, and the pharmaceutical preparations containing the compounds. The compounds of the present invention can be used to treat various fibrotic diseases effectively, e.g., hepatic fibrosis. |
| US08022086B2 |
Therapeutic agent for glomerular disease
The present invention relates to a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for a glomerular disease containing, as active ingredients, pitavastatin or a salt thereof and candesartan cilexetil or a salt thereof. The agent of the present invention exhibits an excellent effect in the prevention and/or therapy of a glomerular disease. |
| US08022083B2 |
Antiviral phosphonate analogs
The invention is related to phosphorus substituted compounds with antiviral activity, compositions containing such compounds, and therapeutic methods that include the administration of such compounds, as well as to processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds. |
| US08022082B2 |
Method for the administration of an anticholinergic by inhalation
An inhalation kit comprising: (a) an inhaler displaying a flow resistance of about 0.01 to 0.1 √{square root over (kPa)} min/L; and (b) an inhalable powder comprising tiotropium in admixture with a physiologically acceptable excipient with an average particle size of between 10 to 500 μm, and a method of administering an inhalable powder containing tiotropium in admixture with a physiologically acceptable excipient with an average particle size of between 10 μm to 500 μm, the method comprising actuating an inhaler a flow resistance of about 0.01 to 0.1 √{square root over (kPa)} min/L containing the inhalable powder. |
| US08022078B2 |
Pyrimidine classical cannabinoid compounds and related methods of use
Disclosed are compounds of the formula I: wherein R1, R2, V, W, X, Y and Z can be as defined herein. The compounds can be used in the treatment of disorders mediated by the cannabinoid receptors. |
| US08022068B2 |
Substituted piperidines as renin inhibitors
The present invention relates to compounds of the general formula (I) and the salts thereof, preferably the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; in which R has the meaning explained in the description, a process for their preparation and the use of these compounds as medicines, especially as renin inhibitors. |
| US08022065B2 |
Purine derivatives as kinase inhibitors
The present invention provides kinase inhibitors of Formula I. |
| US08022062B2 |
6-substituted 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzo[d]azepines as 5-HT2C receptor agonists
The present invention provides 6-substituted 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-benzo[d]azepines of Formula I as selective 5-HT2C receptor agonists for the treatment of 5-HT2C associated disorders including obesity, obsessive/compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety: where: R6 is —C≡C—R10, —O—R12, —S—R14, or —NR24R25; and other substituents are as defined in the specification. |
| US08022057B2 |
MAPK/ERK kinase inhibitors
Compounds of the following formula are provided for use with MEK: wherein the variables are as defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits and articles of manufacture comprising such compounds; methods and intermediates useful for making the compounds; and methods of using said compounds. |
| US08022050B2 |
Compound for inhibiting TRPA1 function and use thereof
The present invention relates to a TRPA1 activation inhibitor, more precisely a TRPA1 activity inhibitor containing isopentenyl pyrophosphate and a method for inhibiting pain containing the step of administering isopentenyl pyrophosphate to a subject. Isopentenyl pyrophosphate of the present invention can regulate pain caused by TRPA1, so that it can be effectively used for the development of a pain inhibitor which is effective but has less side effects. |
| US08022049B2 |
Polysaccharide produced by microorganism belonging to genus Bifidobacterium
A polysaccharide comprising galactose, glucose, rhamnose, and pyruvic acid as constituents, wherein the galactose, glucose, and rhamnose are contained in a molar ratio of 4:2:1, and the pyruvic acid is contained in an amount of 4 to 7 wt %. The polysaccharide can be obtained by culturing Bifidobacterium longum JBL05 (NITE BP-82) under anaerobic conditions. |
| US08022047B2 |
Combination anticancer agents
A cancer therapeutic agent comprising a combination of compound A described below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and compound B described below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: Compound A represented by the formula of claim 1 and Compound B represented by: at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of a platinum-type anticancer compound, selected from the group consisting of cisplatin carboplatin, oxaliplatin and nedaplatin; a gemcitabine-type compound, selected from the group consisting of gemcitabine and Ara-C; a 5-FU-type compound, selected from the group consisting of 5-FU, doxifluridine, UFT, carmofur, S-1, and capecitabine; a texane-type compound, selected from the group consisting of Taxol, Taxotere, IDN 5109, BMS 188797 BMS 184476 paclitaxel and docetaxel; a vinca alkaloid-type compound, selected from the group consisting of vinorelbine, vincristine, vinblastine, and videsine; an anticancer tyrosine kinase inhibitor compound, and an anticancer monoclonal antibody. |
| US08022044B2 |
Compositions and methods for therapeutic use
A method and pharmaceutical composition for the enhancement of transfer of a therapeutic agent to a cell wherein the therapeutic agent is formulated in a buffer comprising a compound of Formula I: wherein: n is an integer from 2-8; X1 is a cholic acid group or deoxycholic acid group; and X2 and X3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of a cholic acid group, a deoxycholic acid group, and a saccharide group, wherein the saccharide group is selected from the group consisting of pentose monosaccharide groups, hexose monosaccharide groups, pentose-pentose disaccharide groups, hexose-hexose disaccharide groups, pentose-hexose disaccharide groups, and hexose-pentose disaccharide groups; and wherein at least one of X2 and X3 is a saccharide group. |
| US08022043B2 |
Ceramide derivatives as modulators of immunity and autoimmunity
α-Galactosylceramides and glycosylceramides (“ceramide-like glycolipids”) that modulate NK T cells. The ceramide-like glycolipids vary in the cytokines induced in NK T cells and vary in the antigen-presenting cells that are capable of efficiently presenting the compounds to NK T cells. Pharmaceutical compositions of the ceramide-like glycolipids are provided, as are pharmaceutical compositions of the ceramide-like glycolipids combined with dendritic cells. Methods utilizing the ceramide-like glycolipids in vaccines, to activate NK T cells, to stimulate the immune system, and to treat mammals are also provided. The invention also provides methods of evaluating a compound for its ability to activate an NK T cell in the presence of a cell expressing a CD1d protein. |
| US08022040B2 |
Hydroxyapatite-binding peptides for bone growth and inhibition
Hydroxyapatite (HA)-binding peptides are selected using combinatorial phage library display. Pseudo-repetitive consensus amino acid sequences possessing periodic hydroxyl side chains in every two or three amino acid sequences are obtained. These sequences resemble the (Gly-Pro-Hyp)x repeat of human type I collagen, a major component of extracellular matrices of natural bone. A consistent presence of basic amino acid residues is also observed. The peptides are synthesized by the solid-phase synthetic method and then used for template-driven HA-mineralization. Microscopy reveal that the peptides template the growth of polycrystalline HA crystals ˜40 nm in size. |
| US08022037B2 |
Skin wound healing compositions and methods of use thereof
A wound healing composition comprising an amount of heat shock protein effective to promote wound healing and a method thereof to apply the composition. A preferred heat shock protein is either full-length hsp90α or the middle domain plus the charged sequence of hsp90α. The composition is topically applied to skin wounds, covering the outer surface of the wound. The heat shock protein acts by promoting migration of both human epidermal keratinocyte and dermal fibroblasts to the wound in order to close, heal, and remodel the wound. |
| US08022034B2 |
Combination therapy for the treatment of diabetes and conditions related thereto and for the treatment of conditions ameliorated by increasing a blood GLP-1 level
The present invention concerns combination of an amount of a GPR119 agonist with an amount of a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor such that the combination provides an effect in lowering a blood glucose level or in increasing a blood GLP-1 level in a subject over that provided by the amount of the GPR119 agonist or the amount of the DPP-IV inhibitor alone and the use of such a combination for treating or preventing diabetes and conditions related thereto or conditions ameliorated by increasing a blood GLP-1 level. The present invention also relates to the use of a G protein-coupled receptor to screen for GLP-1 secretagogues. |
| US08022033B2 |
Echinocandin/carbohydrate complexes
A complex of an echinocandin compound with a carbohydrate is described having improved thermal stability and water solubility. A process for making the echinocandin/carbohydrate complex is also described as well as the use of the complex in pharmaceutical formulations and treatments of fungal infections. |
| US08022027B2 |
Composition comprising a lipase and a bleach catalyst
The present invention relates to a composition comprising: (i) a lipase; and (ii) a bleach catalyst that is capable of accepting an oxygen atom from a peroxyacid and transferring the oxygen atom to an oxidizeable substrate. |
| US08022024B2 |
Functional fluid compositions
A functional fluid comprising a base oil with a high viscosity index, wherein the functional fluid has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. between 2.5 and 5.0 mm2/s, a low Brookfield viscosity, a high aniline point, and excellent air release. Shock absorber fluids with improved performance, comprising a particular base oil, wherein the improved performance includes high viscosity index, low Brookfield viscosity, high aniline point, excellent air release and high flash point. |
| US08022018B2 |
Quaternized dithiazines and method of using same in treatment of wells
Corrosion of metallic tubulars in an oil, gas or geothermal well may be inhibited by introducing into the well a dithiazine or dithiazine of the formula: wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a C1 to C12 saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group or a C1 to C10 ω-hydroxy saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group; R1 is selected from the group consisting of a C1-C24 straight chain or branched alkyl group or a C1-C24 arylalkyl; R2 is selected from the group consisting of X-R4-X, R4 being a C1-C6 alkyl group; and X is chlorine, bromine or iodine. The dithiazine may he isolated from a whole spent fluid formed by reaction of hydrogen sulfide and a triazine. Alternately, the whole spent fluid containing the dithiazine may be introduced into the well. The dithiazines of formulae (II) and (III) are quaternized derivatives of the dithiazine of formula (I). In addition, the dithiazine or whole spent fluid or quaternized dithiazine may be formulated with at least one component selected from alkyl, alkylaryl arylalkyl or arylamine quaternary salts; mono or polycyclic aromatic amine salts; imidazoline derivative or a quaternary salt thereof; a mono-, di- or trialkyl or alkylaryl phosphate ester; or a monomeric or oligomeric fatty acid. |
| US08022017B2 |
Method of using dithiazine to inhibit corrosion
Corrosion of metallic tubulars in an oil, gas or geothermal well may be inhibited by introducing into the well a dithiazine of the formula: wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a C1 to C10 saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group or a C1 to C10 ω-hydroxy saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl group. The dithiazine may be isolated from a whole spent fluid formed by reaction of hydrogen sulfide and a triazine. Alternately, the whole spent fluid containing the dithiazine may be introduced into the well. In addition, the dithiazine or whole spent fluid may be formulated with at least one component selected from alkyl, alkylaryl or arylamine quaternary salts; mono or polycyclic aromatic amine salts; imidazoline derivative or a quaternary salt thereof; a mono-, di- or trialkyl or alkylaryl phosphate ester; or a monomeric or oligomeric fatty acid. |
| US08022016B2 |
Multicomponent viscoelastic surfactant fluid and method of using as a fracturing fluid
There is a viscoelastic fluid. The fluid has one or more cationic surfactants selected from the group consisting of certain quaternary salts, certain amines, and combinations thereof; one or more anionic polymers/anionic surfactants; one or more of certain zwitterionic/amphoteric surfactants; and water. There is also a method of fracturing a subterranean formation. The viscoelastic fluid is pumped through a wellbore and into a subterranean formation at a pressure sufficient to fracture the formation. There is also a method for gravel packing a subterranean formation. |
| US08022014B2 |
Deep eutectic solvents and applications
A method of solubilizing/removing cellulose or chemically-modified cellulosic polymers utilized in subterranean drilling operations such as fracturing. The method involves introducing a deep eutectic solvent (DES) into a subterranean region. Deep eutectic solvents useful as cellulose solvents include quaternary ammonium compounds, including choline chloride and chlorcholine chloride, reacted with a compound selected from amides, amines, carboxylic acids alcohols, and metal halides. The DES material can be pumped downhole after fracturing operations to remove cellulosic material used, for example, to thicken fracturing fluid which is left behind in the created fractures, on the face of the formation, along the wellbore, or elsewhere within the subterranean region. The DES can be used alone or in a sequential treatment protocol, whereby the DES is introduced into the subterranean region, followed by post-treatment introduction of water, caustic, acid or anhydride into the subterranean as a flush. |
| US08022013B2 |
Method of forming and using solid-phase support
A method of forming a solid-phase support, the method including the steps of providing a substrate having a reaction vessel, dispensing a particle in the reaction vessel, and permanently bonding the particle in the substrate within the reaction vessel. The particle may include a microbead. The particle may include controlled pore glass. A method of synthesis is also disclosed that includes including the steps of providing a solid-phase support including a particle embedded to the substrate adjacent a surface of substrate, the particle being functionalized to covalently attach an intermediate compound of a synthetic reaction, dispensing a liquid including a reagent to the solid-phase support to effect the synthetic reaction, and removing the liquid from the solid-phase support by centrifugation, whereby the intermediate compound remains attached to the substrate by the particle. |
| US08022012B2 |
Device and method for fabricating thin films by reactive evaporation
A device for fabricating thin films on a substrate includes a vacuum chamber, a rotatable platen configured to hold one or more substrates within the vacuum chamber, and a housing disposed within the vacuum chamber. The housing contains a heating element and is configured to enclose an upper surface of the platen and a lower portion configured to partially enclose an underside surface of the platen which forms a reaction zone. A heated evaporation cell is operatively coupled to the lower portion of the housing and configured to deliver a pressurized metallic reactant to the reaction zone. The device includes a deposition zone disposed in the vacuum chamber and isolated from the reaction zone and is configured to deposit a deposition species to the exposed underside of the substrates when the substrates are not contained in the reaction zone. |
| US08022006B2 |
Catalyst nanoparticle
A catalyst nanoparticle covalently bonded to a surface ligand wherein the surface ligand has a peripheral functional group having a property suitable to ensure solubility in a fluid such as a hydroxylic solvent, water, lower molecular weight alcohol, methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol, or and mixtures thereof. The peripheral functional group can have an ability to couple the catalyst nanoparticle to a second catalyst nanoparticle or to a bridging material. The peripheral functional group can be capable of interacting with a surface functional group on a conductive electrode substrate. The covalently-bound ligand bearing a peripheral functional group can have a charge opposite to or chemical reactivity amenable with that of the surface functional group. A method of making a catalyst nanoparticle comprising bonding a surface ligand to a catalyst nanoparticle wherein the bonding is via a covalent bond and the surface ligand has a peripheral functional group. |
| US08022003B2 |
Crystalline composition, preparation and use
A porous crystalline composition having a molar composition as follows: YO2:m X2O3:n ZO, wherein Y is a tetravalent element selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, tin, titanium and combinations thereof, X is a trivalent element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, gallium, boron, iron and combinations thereof, Z is a divalent element selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, cobalt, manganese, nickel and combinations thereof, m is between about 0 and about 0.5, n is between about 0 and about 0.5; and the composition has an x-ray diffraction pattern which distinguishes it from the materials. A process for making the composition, and a process using the composition to treat an organic compound are also provided. |
| US08022001B2 |
Aluminum nitride sintered product, method for producing the same, and electrostatic chuck including the same
A method for producing an aluminum nitride sintered product according to the present invention includes the steps of (a) preparing a powder mixture that contains AlN, 2 to 10 parts by weight of Eu2O3 with respect to 100 parts by weight of AlN, Al2O3 such that a molar ratio of Al2O3 to Eu2O3 is 2 to 10, and TiO2 such that a molar ratio of TiO2 to Al2O3 is 0.05 to 1.2, but not Sm; (b) producing a compact from the powder mixture; and (c) firing the compact by subjecting the compact to hot-press firing in a vacuum or in an inert atmosphere. |
| US08021999B2 |
High strength machinable glass-ceramics
In one aspect the invention is directed to a machinable glass-ceramic having a high degree of crystallinity (greater than 50 Vol. %), high mechanical strength (MOR>150 MPa) In accordance with the invention, the machinable glass-ceramics described herein consists essentially of, in weight percent, 35-55% SiO2, 6-18% Al2O3, 12-27% MgO, 3-12% F, 5-25% SrO, 0-20% BaO and 1-7% K2O. The machinable glass-ceramics of the invention have a dielectric constant of <8 (typically being in the range of 6-8) at 25° C. and 1 KHz; a loss tangent of <0.002 at 25° C. and 1 MHz; a CTE in the range of 80-120×10−7/° C. in the temperature range of 25-300° C.; a Poisson's ration of approximately 0.25; and a porosity of 0%. |
| US08021998B2 |
Absorbent structure with superabsorbent material
An absorbent structure made at least in part from a superabsorbent material having a retention capacity (CRC) as determined by a Centrifuge Retention Capacity Test of at least about 25 g/g and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) as determined by a Free Swell Gel Bed Permeability Test of at least 575×10−9 cm2. In another embodiment, the absorbent structure is made at least in part from a superabsorbent material having a retention capacity (CRC) as determined by a Centrifuge Retention Capacity Test of at least about 25 g/g, an absorbency under load (AUL) at 0.9 psi as determined by an Absorbency Under Load Test of at least 18 and a free swell gel bed permeability (GBP) as determined by a Free Swell Gel Bed Permeability Test of at least about 350×10−9 cm2. |
| US08021994B2 |
Textile fabric and protective clothing containing the fabric
A textile fabric is presented comprising at least a first and a second twisted thread, the first and the second twisted threads containing at least one cut resistant yarn as one component, and the second twisted thread containing a non-cut resistant yarn as a further component, and the non-cut resistant yarn of the second twisted thread consisting of elastomeric fibers. Further, protective clothing is presented, which contains the textile fabric. |