Document Document Title
US08068672B2 Image processing apparatus and method, data recording medium, program recording medium, and program therefor
An image processing apparatus includes a feature value extractor configured to extract a feature value from an image; a setting unit configured to set setting information for applying a process to the image; and a recorder configured to record the setting information in association with the feature value of the image in a data recording medium.
US08068670B2 Image analysis of biological objects
Systems and methods are described for performing image analysis. A computer-implemented method for analyzing images may include quantitatively analyzing image data to identify image objects relative to a background portion of the image according to predefined object criteria, the image data including a plurality of image objects that represent objects in a sample distributed across a substrate. The identified image objects are further clustered into groups or colonies of the identified image objects according to predetermined clustering criteria.
US08068669B2 Text and graphic separation method and text enhancement method
The present invention provides a text and graphic separation method and a text enhancement method. The text and graphic separation method is used for separating texts and graphics of an image and comprises coarse classification and advanced classification. The method of the present invention also adjusts the luminance of the text to enhance the text image according to the separation result.
US08068667B2 Systems and methods for color data compression
Systems and methods are provided for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image comprising at least one block, wherein the block comprises a plurality of image components, each image component being associated with a distinct color plane. The method may include compressing the plurality of image components of the at least one block. The method may further include ranking the plurality of image components using a dominance rank, wherein the dominance rank for an image component is based on a compression ratio for the image component. The method may also include reducing the resolution of at least one image component associated with the block, based on the dominance rank of the color plane associated with the image component.
US08068660B2 Characterizing vision systems
System and method for characterizing vision systems. A multi-dimensional condition space is provided, each dimension representing a respective condition axis, where each point in the condition space specifies a set of conditions under which a vision system may operate. An image is provided. The condition space is sampled according to a pseudo-random sequence, e.g., a low-discrepancy sequence, to determine a plurality of test conditions usable to characterize the vision system, where each test condition corresponds to a respective set of conditions. A plurality of test images corresponding to the plurality of test conditions are generated based on the image, e.g., by applying image processing functions to the image that simulate the test conditions. A vision inspection is performed on each of the plurality of test images to generate respective test results, and the test results are analyzed to determine conditions under which the vision system operates correctly.
US08068657B2 Method of microcalcification detection in mammography
A method of microcalcification detection in a digital mammographic image identifies one or more potential microcalcification sites in the mammographic image according to spot clustering. Each of the one or more potential microcalcification sites is assigned either as a member of a positive candidate set or as a member of a rejected candidate set. Optionally at least one subsequent classifier process that selectively assigns zero or more members of the positive candidate set to the rejected candidate set is executed, according to results from the at least one subsequent classifier process. One or more members of the rejected candidate set are selected as a reclamation candidate set according to results from the initial and any subsequent classifier process. One or more members of the reclamation candidate set are assigned either back to the rejected candidate set or to the positive candidate set according to results from a reclamation classifier process.
US08068651B2 Medical imaging diagnosis apparatus
The medical imaging diagnosis apparatus includes: a region-of-interest setting unit configured to acquire an image of an examination target region in the body of a subject, and thus to set up, on the image, a region of interest, in which change in concentration of a contrast medium is observed; a calculator configured to calculate an average of CT values each representing the concentration of the contrast medium in the region of interest; an approximation unit configured to find an approximation for the region of interest on the basis of multiple CT values calculated by the calculator for the region of interest; and a comparison unit configured to compare a coefficient of the approximation with a value representing a setup condition beforehand stored, and to detect the timing of a definitive scan on the basis of the approximation which agrees with the setup condition within a predetermined range.
US08068649B2 Method and apparatus for transforming coordinate systems in a telemanipulation system
In a telemanipulation system for manipulating objects located in a workspace at a remote worksite by an operator from an operator's station, such as in a remote surgical system, the remote worksite having a manipulator with an end effector for manipulating an object at the workspace, such as a body cavity, a controller including a hand control at the control operator's station for remote control of the manipulator, an image capture device, such as a camera, and image output device for reproducing a viewable real-time image, the improvement wherein a position sensor associated with the image capture device senses position relative to the end effector and a processor transforms the viewable real-time image into a perspective image with correlated manipulation of the end effector by the hand controller such that the operator can manipulate the end effector and the manipulator as if viewing the workspace in true presence. Image transformation according to the invention includes translation, rotation and perspective correction.
US08068647B2 Method and apparatus for real-time motion correction for ultrasound spatial compound imaging
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for real-time motion correction in compound ultrasound imaging. Certain embodiments include receiving an image frame, estimating motion between the image frame and a previous image frame, updating a previous motion estimate with the estimated motion to form an updated motion estimate, and correcting the image frame and the previous image frame using the updated motion estimate. The method may also include forming a compound image from the image frames. In an embodiment, motion may be estimated between the image frame and a previous frame using cross correlation, reference point registration, and/or other estimation method, for example. The image frame and the previous image frame may be corrected using the updated motion estimate in an affine transformation or other correction method, for example. In an embodiment, the method provides real-time correction as image frames are being received.
US08068646B2 System and method for implementing algorithmic correction of image distortion within a fingerprint imaging system
A software implemented system for algorithmic correction of systematic image distortions within fingerprint imaging systems. The system may implement a three dimensional geometric model of a fingerprint imaging system to discover where a configuration prescribed by a conceptual fingerprint imaging system and an actual configuration of a manufactured fingerprint imaging system differ. By describing this difference using the model, images captured by the manufactured fingerprint imaging system can be rectified to generate rectified images with relatively low amounts of distortion present. Rectification to remove distortion based on the model, without physically adjusting and/or correcting the manufactured fingerprint imaging system or its components, may enable the fingerprint imaging system to be manufactured with relatively lower tolerances without degrading a precision of the images generated by the system, potentially enabling enhanced precision of generated images without increasing various costs of the fingerprint imaging system (or its components) generating the images.
US08068645B2 Apparatus, method, and program for image processing
In order to cause a structure such as a human face in an image to become unidentifiable while causing the image to have a natural finish, a parameter acquisition unit obtains weighting parameters representing a characteristic of an individual in a face region in the image by fitting to the face region detected by a face detection unit a mathematical model generated by a method of AAM using a plurality of sample images representing human faces. A reconstruction unit changes the weighting parameters to become smaller, and reconstructs the face region by using the parameters having been changed.
US08068637B2 Embedded appliance for multimedia capture
A multimedia device includes input ports dedicated to receiving a real-time media signal and a processor system dedicated to capturing the real-time media signal. The processor system defines an embedded environment. The input ports and the processor system are integrated into the multimedia capture device. The input ports include an audio input port and at least one of a visual-capture input port or a digital-image input port.
US08068635B2 Diaphragm with integrated acoustical and optical properties
A multifunctional transducer diaphragm may be configured as audio speaker system for displays wherein the multifunctional transducer diaphragm is capable of polarizing light transmitted therethrough and can convert mechanical motion into acoustical energy. In a related embodiment, a display panel system may comprise a multifunctional display screen comprising a single multifunctional transducer diaphragm capable of polarizing light which converts mechanical motion into acoustical energy, simultaneously providing both display screen and audio speaker functionalities.
US08068634B2 Diaphragm and speaker using same
A first enforcing rib, a second enforcing rib, and a third enforcing rib are integrally formed at least at one of a front side and a back side of a diaphragm, the first enforcing rib being formed as an aggregate of a plurality of hexagons, enhancing strength and achieving light weight of a speaker using the diaphragm, preventing a difficulty of the speaker in emitting an audio sound.
US08068633B2 Headphone cable splitter
A flat, ribbon-like headphone cable having a unitary cable section, a splitter, and two split cable sections for connection to earpieces. The unitary and split cable sections each have substantially flat cross-sections wherein the width is substantially greater than the thickness. The split cable sections are oriented such that their widths are substantially perpendicular to the width of the unitary cable section.
US08068632B2 Microphone and microphone hanger-hook
A conductive hanger plate having a flat external face and a conductive hanger knob are so provided as to be electrically isolated with each other at the same side of the external face of a non-conductive rear casing of a microphone casing. A conductive hanger hook hanging the microphone casing via the hanger knob is provided with a notch for catching the hanger knob. The hanger hook has a first elastic member which pushes the caught hanger knob in a direction toward a hanger face, and second elastic members which urges the hanger plate in a direction apart from the hanger face.
US08068631B2 Construction of a completely-in-canal hearing instrument with receiver compartment
A construction of a CIC instrument is provided, along with a corresponding method of manufacturing such a CIC instrument, that prevents floating components from contacting with an isolated receiver and, therefore, assures feedback-free operation. This is achieved through the presence of a compartment for the receiver in which the receiver resides, and a cover placed on top of the receiver compartment in a mating recess of the receiver compartment.
US08068629B2 Hearing aid and method of utilizing gain limitation in a hearing aid
A hearing aid (200) with multiple microphones comprises a first microphone (1) for converting sound into a first audio signal, a second microphone (20) for converting sound into a second audio signal, directional processing means for combining the first and said second audio signal according to a mixing ratio to form a spatial signal, estimating means for estimating a first acoustic feedback signal entering the first microphone and a second acoustic feedback signal entering the second microphone, processing means (4) for processing said spatial signal by applying a gain not exceeding a resulting maximum gain limit to form a hearing loss compensation signal, wherein the resulting maximum gain limit is derived from the first and second acoustic feedback signals and the mixing ratio, and an output transducer (3) for converting the hearing loss compensation signal into an acoustic output. The invention further provides a method and a computer program product.
US08068625B2 Thermoacoustic device
A sound wave generator includes a carbon nanotube structure. At least part of the carbon nanotube structure is supported by a supporting element. The sound wave generator produces sound by means of the thermoacoustic effect.
US08068623B2 Capacitive transducer circuit and method
A capacitive transducer circuit includes a capacitive transducer having first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes are biased by respective first and second bias voltages. An amplifier is connected to receive a first analog signal on an input terminal, the first analog signal being generated by the capacitive transducer, and to generate a second analog signal on an output terminal. A digital feedback circuit is connected between the output terminal of the amplifier and the input terminal of the amplifier. The digital feedback circuit is configured to provide one of said first or second bias voltages. A switched capacitor filter circuit may be arranged between the voltage source and the transducer and may be arranged to filter the output of the voltage source.
US08068622B2 Method and apparatus for controlling a selectable voltage audio power output stage
A method and apparatus for controlling a selectable voltage audio power output stage provides a mechanism for raising the selected power amplifier output voltage in time for the arrival of signal peaks to avoid clipping. Signal peaks may either be delayed by delaying an increase in volume control level or enabling signal compression for a predetermined time period, so that sufficient time is provided for the amplifier power supply to stabilize at a higher operating voltage when an increase of power supply voltage is selected. Alternatively, a signal level may be determined at an upstream source, such as a decoder or filter that provides information in sufficient advance of the arrival of the peaks, and used to control the power supply selection, so that the higher power supply voltage level is selected in advance of arrival of the signal peaks that would otherwise cause clipping at the power amplifier output.
US08068619B2 Method and apparatus for noise suppression in a small array microphone system
A small array microphone system includes an array microphone having a plurality of microphones and operative to provide a plurality of received signals, each microphone providing one received signal. A first voice activity detector (VAD) provides a first voice detection signal generated using the plurality of received signals to indicate the presence or absence of in-beam desired speech. A second VAD provides a second voice detection signal generated using the plurality of received signals to indicate the presence or absence of out-of-beam noise when in-beam desired speech is absent. A reference signal generator provides a reference signal based on the first voice detection signal, the plurality of received signals, and a beamformed signal, wherein the reference signal has the desired speech suppressed. A beamformer provides the beamformed signal based on the second voice detection signal, the reference signal, and the plurality of received signals, wherein the beamformed signal has noise suppressed. A multi-channel noise suppressor operative to further suppress noise in the beamformed signal and provide an output signal. A speech reliability detector provides a reliability detection signal indicating the reliability of each frequency subband. The first voice detection signal, the second voice detection signal, the reliability detection signal and the output signal are provided to the speech recognition engine.
US08068616B2 Methods and systems for controlling noise cancellation
A method for detecting failure in a noise cancellation system is provided. The noise cancellation system is operable to at least partially cancel an unwanted noise produced by a noise source. The method includes receiving a cancellation noise signal from the noise cancellation system. The cancellation noise signal represents a cancellation noise that, when combined with a target noise, is operable to at least partially cancel the target noise. The method also includes receiving an error signal approximately representing a portion of the target noise that remains after the cancellation noise and the target noise are combined. The method also includes determining whether the signal level changed or remains unchanged for each of the received cancellation noise signal and the error signal. The method also includes assigning a failure state of the noise cancellation system based on the determination and initiating a remedial measure that corresponds with the assigned failure state.
US08068614B2 Methods and apparatus for batch bound authentication
A processing system may include a processing unit and nonvolatile storage responsive to the processing unit. The nonvolatile storage may include a candidate boot code module and an authentication code module. The processing unit may be configured to execute code from the authentication code module before executing code from the candidate boot code module. The authentication code module may have instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to read a processor identifier from the processing unit and determine whether the processor belongs to a predetermined set of processors associated with a specific vendor, based at least in part on the identifier, before executing any instructions from the candidate boot code module. The processing system may also test authenticity of the candidate boot code module before executing any instructions from the candidate boot code module. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08068611B2 Method of playing broadcast program contents using encryption and decryption techniques
A method is provided of playing a broadcast program content, which includes: (a) producing a combination-dependent unique key which is unique to a combination of a tuner unit and a computer unit; and (b) in response to issuance of a real-time play command or a recorded-video playback command from a user, playing a broadcast program content in real-time after transmission thereof from the tuner unit to the computer unit, or playing back recorded data after retrieval thereof from a data storage. In an illustrative embodiment, the produced combination-dependent unique key is outputted into an encryptor of the tuner unit for encryption, and the encrypted digital data is inputted into the computer unit. A decryptor of the computer unit is caused to attempt decryption of the encrypted digital data, using the produced combination-dependent unique key.
US08068610B2 Method and system for providing security within multiple set-top boxes assigned for a single customer
Two or more set-top boxes are installed in a household. A communications link, preferably a physical link, is provided between or among the set-top boxes. One of the boxes is designated as a “master” box while the other box or boxes are “slaves.” The slave box will use the communications link to communicate in a secured and encrypted manner with the master box. If that communication is severed, e.g., if an attempt is made to move the slave box to another household to provide unauthorized service in that household, the slave box will stop working when it can no longer communicate with the master box.
US08068609B2 Method and system for secured wireless data transmission to and from a remote device
The device tracking location adherence and route adherence technology, according to an exemplary embodiment of this invention, at least provides for secure message reception from a remote device. The present invention allows for secure data transmission between a remote device and while employing a small amount of bandwidth thereby providing a cost-effective data transmission system. This is especially advantageous where a fleet of remote devices is employed within a network.
US08068608B2 Video processing system for scrambling video streams with dependent portions and methods for use therewith
A video processing system includes a video encoder that encodes a video signal into a contiguous video stream having an independent portion and a dependent portion that requires the independent portion for decoding. A scrambling module scrambles the contiguous video stream to produce a scrambled video stream by scrambling the independent video portion and leaving the dependent portion unscrambled.
US08068607B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method
In an information processing apparatus, a first communication unit receives encrypted data from a portable terminal device when the portable terminal device is within a first communication range, a second communication unit receives decryption information from the portable terminal device when the portable terminal device is within a second communication range shorter than the first communication range, and a decryption unit decrypts the encrypted data with the decryption information.
US08068605B2 Programmable keypad
A device may include logic configured to process a request for a keypad layout, and to provide a keypad layout via keypad display in response to the processed request.
US08068601B2 Queuing and routing telephone calls
A method and system to process communications in an automatic communication distributor is described. The method may comprise receiving a communication and identifying an originating location from which the communication originates. Thereafter, a determination is made when the originating location corresponds to a predefined high priority geographical area and a priority to the communication is assigned based on the originating location. The call may be assigned a higher priority when the originating location corresponds to the high priority geographical area than when the originating location does not correspond with the high priority geographical area. The communication is queued based on the assigned priority. A method is also provided to assign an agent using an automated call distributor based on a distance between the originating location of the communication and the determined geographical locations of the potential respondents.
US08068598B1 Automatic agent training system
An exemplary method for training call center agents over a communications network using automatically selected training scenarios comprises the steps of obtaining confirmations of availability of a plurality of call center agents, determining a proctor based on proctor attributes stored in a database, selecting an agent from the plurality of agents, based on agent attributes stored in the database, to be trained by the proctor, automatically determining a training scenario based on the selected agent's attributes, and enabling the proctor and the agent to engage in the training scenario.
US08068590B1 Optimizing profitability in business transactions
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for processing alternatively billed telephone calls, such as, for example, collect calls and third party calls. In some representative embodiments, a method for completing an alternatively billed call between a calling party and a called party comprises establishing a calling party quality score and completing the alternatively billed call if the calling party quality score meets a threshold. In other representative embodiments, the method further comprises establishing a called party quality score and/or a third party quality score, combining the aforementioned quality scores, and completing the alternatively billed call if the combination of quality scores meets a threshold.
US08068587B2 Nationwide table routing of voice over internet protocol (VOIP) emergency calls
The present invention is used in an emergency network to identify and provide the correct public safety access point (PSAP) to service an emergency call originating from a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) subscriber. Data stores in an emergency services network associate PSAPs to an input ZIP code obtained from a street address returned from an MSAG relating to a VoIP call, and PSAPs to an input ESN. An emergency caller's civic street address is matched against a nationwide MSAG data store to result in a MSAG ESN. From the street address, the emergency caller's ZIP code is matched to a PSAP in an appropriate ZIP/PSAP data store. A matching PSAP from both the ZIP/PSAP and PSAP/ESN data stores determines with great reliability the identity of the proper PSAP for that emergency caller.
US08068583B2 X-ray analysis apparatus and X-ray analysis method
Provided is an X-ray analysis apparatus including: an X-ray tubular bulb for irradiating a sample with a radiation beam; an X-ray detector for detecting a characteristic X-ray and a scattered X-ray and outputting a signal containing energy information on the characteristic X-ray and the scattered X-ray; an analyzer for analyzing the signal; a sample stage capable of moving an irradiation point relatively with respect to the sample within a mapping area set in advance; and an X-ray mapping processing section for discriminating an X-ray intensity corresponding to a specific element, determining an intensity contrast in which a color or lightness is changed in accordance with the X-ray intensity, and for performing image display at a position corresponding to the irradiation point, in which the X-ray mapping processing section determines the intensity contrast of the X-ray intensity at the irradiation point by setting in advance the X-ray intensity discriminated as to a reference material in which a component element and a concentration thereof are known as a reference.
US08068581B2 Method for representing interventional instruments in a 3D data set of an anatomy to be examined as well as a reproduction system for performing the method
The invention relates to a method for presenting interventional instruments in a 3D data set of an anatomy to be treated. A 3D data set of the anatomy is recorded before introduction of an interventional instrument. Once the interventional instrument has been applied, the spatial position of the instrument is determined by x-ray fluoroscopy from images created at two different angulations. A 3D model of the instrument is formed from the x-ray images. The 3D model of the instrument is fused with the 3D data set of the anatomy. A 3D hologram is reproduced from the fused 3D data set. The 3D hologram is repeatedly reproduced in real time to follow the application of the instrument in the presentation.
US08068577B2 Pull-down control circuit and shift register of using same
The present invention relates to a pull-down control circuit and a shift register of using same. In one embodiment, the pull-down control circuit includes a release circuit and four transistors T4, T5, T6 and T7 electrically coupled to each other. The release circuit is adapted for causing the transistor T5 to be turned on and off alternately, thereby substantially reducing the stress thereon, improving the reliability and prolonging the lifetime of the shift register.
US08068576B2 Counters and exemplary applications
Embodiments described herein are related to a counter. In some embodiments, the counter can be used as a divider, e.g., in a fractional PLL. In some embodiments, the counter (e.g., the main counter or counter C) includes a first counter (e.g., counter C1) and a second counter (e.g., counter C2), which, together with the first counter C1, perform the counting function for counter C. For example, if counter C is to count to the value N, then counter C1 counts, e.g., to N1, and counter C2 counts to N2 where N=N1+N2. For counter C1 to count to N1, N1 is loaded to counter C1. Similarly, for counter C2 to count to N2, N2 is loaded to counter C2. While counter C1 counts (e.g., to N1), N2 can be loaded to counter C2. After counter C1 finishes counting to N1, N2, if loaded, is available for counter C2 to start counting to this N2. Counters C1 and C2 can alternately count and thus provide continuous counting for counter C. Other embodiments and exemplary applications are also disclosed.
US08068571B2 Featureless coherent chaotic amplitude modulation
Systems (400, 500, 600) and methods (300) for generating a chaotic amplitude modulated signal absent of cyclostationary features by preserving a constant variance. The methods involve: generating a PAM signal including pulse amplitude modulation having a periodically changing amplitude; generating a first part of a constant power envelope signal (FPCPES) by dividing the PAM signal by a square root of a magnitude of the PAM signal; generating a second part of the constant power envelope signal (SPCPES) having a magnitude equal to a square root of one minus the magnitude of the PAM signal; and generating first and second spreading sequences (FSS and SSS). The methods also involve combining the FPCPES with the FSS to generate a first product signal (FPS) and combining the SPCPES with the SSS to generate a second product signal (SPS). A constant power envelope signal is generated using the FPS and SPS.
US08068568B2 Method and system for a sliding window phase estimator for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) automatic frequency correction
Aspects of a method and system for a sliding window phase estimator for wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) automatic frequency correction are presented. Aspects of the system may include one or more circuits that enable adjustment of a current demodulation frequency for receiving at least one subsequent symbol based on a computed weighted sum of a plurality of computed frequency error values. Each of the plurality of computed frequency error values may be derived from a current symbol, a corresponding previous symbol, and/or a previous frequency error value. The current symbol may include a current received symbol segment and one or more previously received symbol segments.
US08068566B2 Unified multi-mode receiver detector
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a unified simplified maximum likelihood detector to be utilized with multiple input multiple output (MIMO) receivers to estimate transmitted signals. The unified detector includes a common framework capable of being utilized for multiple detection modes and multiple MIMO configurations.
US08068562B1 Signal processing for multiple chains including barker code correlation and auto-correlation
A method of processing a signal in a wireless network including multiple chains is provided. This method can include receiving the signal in a receiver and, for each chain, performing a Barker correlation on the signal to generate a Barker correlated signal. At this point, an autocorrelation can be performed on the Barker correlated signal to generate an autocorrelated signal. The autocorrelated signals from the multiple chains can be summed to generate a summed output. Additional processing, e.g. at least one of CCK weak signal detection, peak selection in a rake receiver, frequency estimation, and differential decoding, can then be performed based on the summed output.
US08068560B2 QR decomposition apparatus and method for MIMO system
Provided is a QR decomposition apparatus and method that can reduce the number of computers by sharing hardware in an MIMO system employing OFDM technology to simplify a structure of hardware. The QR decomposition apparatus includes a norm multiplier for calculating a norm; a Q column multiplier for calculating a column value of a unitary Q matrix to thereby produce a Q matrix vector; a first storage for storing the Q matrix vector calculated in the Q column multiplier; an R row multiplier for calculating a value of an upper triangular R matrix by multiplying the Q matrix vector by a reception signal vector; and a Q update multiplier for receiving the reception signal vector and an output of the R row multiplier, calculating an Q update value through an accumulation operation, and providing the Q update value to the Q column multiplier to calculate a next Q matrix vector.
US08068558B2 Selective peak power reduction
The present invention provides a technique for reducing the peak power of a combined signal that has a first signal of a first modulation type and a second signal of a second modulation type. Based on the combined signal, peak reduction distortion is determined. The peak reduction distortion is configured such that, if applied to the entirety of the combined signal, excessive peaks throughout the combined signal would be reduced. However, instead of applying the entirety of the peak reduction distortion, a selected portion of the peak reduction distortion is applied to a corresponding portion of the combined signal to reduce the peak power of the combined signal.
US08068555B2 Methods and systems for combined cyclic delay diversity and precoding of radio signals
In a transmitter or transceiver, signals can be precoded by multiplying symbol vectors with various matrices. For example, symbol vectors can be multiplied with a first column subset of unitary matrix which spreads symbols in the symbol vectors across virtual transmit antennas, a second diagonal matrix which changes a phase of the virtual transmit antennas, and a third precoding matrix which distributes the transmission across the transmit antennas.
US08068553B2 System and method for evaluating performance of a MIMO antenna system
A performance evaluation system for a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system receives simulation parameters from an input device, and simulates a MIMO antenna system accordingly. A method, also provided, further evaluates performance of the simulated MIMO antenna system when a series of radio frequency (RF) signals are transmitted through the MIMO antenna system, and displays a performance analysis result of the MIMO antenna system on a display device for evaluation of the performance of the simulated MIMO antenna system.
US08068552B2 Method and system for achieving spatial diversity of a wireless communications network
A method and system are provided for achieving spatial diversity of a wireless communications network. The method comprises arranging antennas on a transmitting wireless station into a plurality of antenna subgroups, wherein each of the antenna subgroups forms a virtual antenna, creating a plurality of beamformed MIMO channels using the plurality of virtual antennas, wherein each of the beamformed MIMO channel comprises a plurality of sub-carriers and corresponds to a virtual antenna, dividing sub-carriers in each of the plurality of beamformed MIMO channels into at least a first and second cluster, distributing a first amount of transmitting power to the first cluster and a second amount of transmitting power to the second cluster, wherein the first amount of transmitting power is substantially larger than the second amount of transmitting power.
US08068548B1 Method, apparatus and system for transmitting information bits
A method, an apparatus, and a system for transmitting information bits, where the method for transmitting information bits includes: dividing the information bits to be transmitted into at least two groups; encoding the information bits to be transmitted in each group; modulating the coded bits obtained by the encoding to obtain modulation symbols, in which each modulation symbol is obtained by using the modulation of the coded bits in the same group; and mapping and transmitting the modulation symbols. In this way, the receiving end easily reduces the algorithm complexity, thereby ensuring the performance of the receiving end.
US08068545B2 Method and apparatus for processing image data
An MPEG decoder (100-180) can use different formats (linear tiled etc) for image data memory (150) for reference pictures when decoding subsequent pictures. Each format brings advantages and disadvantages. The disclosure illustrates that it is possible for different video sequences to have characteristics which match one image buffer format well, but not another, for example where there is a lot of motion or only a little motion between images. Advantageously, the decoder employs a parameterised image buffer format and analysis of the incoming stream and/or measured decoding performance (190) so as to dynamically choose (90, 160, 170) the best image buffer format for the current part of a stream. Cache control features can also be controlled (198) to suit the particular data received.
US08068541B2 Systems and methods for transcoding bit streams
A data processing system including a buffer configured to temporarily maintain a portion of a plurality of compressed data streams and a switch. Each portion of the plurality of compressed data streams comprise one or more units of an encoded media signal. The switch is for providing selective connectivity between the buffer and one or more processors configured to change a property of the data stream. The switch directs one or more units from the buffer to the one or more processors.
US08068531B2 Method and apparatus for eliminating narrow band interference by means of windowing processing in spread spectrum system
A device and method for eliminating narrow-band interference by windowing in a spread spectrum system are disclosed. The method comprises extracting N sampling points of data to perform frequency spectrum transform each time and obtaining N points of data; updating control information, comparing the energy values of the N points with the threshold within the set time period to determine the number of narrow-band interference as well as the width and location of the interference; determining the corresponding frequency domain adjusting window based on the width and location of the narrow band interference, obtaining the points within the window and the adjusted values of those points; with regard to the transformed N points during interference elimination process, setting the energy values of the points within the window during the current time period and the last period as the corresponding adjusted values, outputting the points after frequency spectrum inverse transform.
US08068528B2 Quantum cascade laser
A quantum cascade laser includes a semiconductor substrate, and an active layer which is provided on the semiconductor substrate, and has a cascade structure in which unit laminate structures 16 having quantum well emission layers 17 and injection layers 18 are laminated in multiple stages. Further, the quantum cascade laser is configured such that the unit laminate structure 16 has an emission upper level Lup, an emission lower level Llow, and a relaxation miniband MB including an energy level lower than the emission lower level in its subband level structure, and light is generated by an intersubband transition of electrons from the upper level to the lower level, and the electrons after the intersubband transition are relaxed from the lower level Llow to the miniband MB through LO phonon scattering, to be injected from the injection layer 18 to the latter stage emission layer via the miniband MB. Thereby, the quantum cascade laser which is capable of efficiently forming an inverted population in the quantum well emission layer, to improve its laser operation performance, is realized.
US08068527B2 Semiconductor optical element
A semiconductor optical element has an active layer including quantum dots. The density of quantum dots in the resonator direction in a portion of the active layer in which the density of photons is relatively high is increased relative to the density of quantum dots in a portion of the active layer in which the density of photons is relatively low.
US08068522B2 Hyper dispersion pulse compressor for chirped pulse amplification systems
A grating pulse compressor configuration is introduced for increasing the optical dispersion for a given footprint and to make practical the application for chirped pulse amplification (CPA) to quasi-narrow bandwidth materials, such as Nd:YAG. The grating configurations often use cascaded pairs of gratings to increase angular dispersion an order of magnitude or more. Increased angular dispersion allows for decreased grating separation and a smaller compressor footprint.
US08068521B2 Laser source that generates a plurality of alternative wavelength output beams
A laser source (10) for emitting a set of sequential, different wavelength output beams (12) includes a gain medium (16), a feedback assembly (26) and a control system (30). The gain medium (16) includes a first facet (16A), and the gain medium (16) generates a beam (12A) that exits the first facet (16A). The feedback assembly (26) includes a feedback device (40) and a device mover (42). The feedback device (40) is positioned in the path of the beam (12A) that exits the first facet (16A) and the feedback device (40) redirects at least a portion of the beam (12A) back to the gain medium (16). The device mover (42) continuously adjusts an angle of incidence (θ) of the beam (12A) on the feedback device (40). The control system (30) selectively directs pulses of power to the gain medium (16) as the device mover (42) is continuously adjusting the angle of incidence (θ) of the beam (12A). Further, the laser source (10) can include a position detector (28) that generates a position signal that relates to the angle of incidence (θ) of the beam (12A) on the feedback device (40). In this embodiment, the control system (30) can selectively direct pulses of power to the gain medium (16) based on the position signal from the position detector (28). Further, the control system (30) can determine a center wavelength of the output beam (12) based on the position signal.
US08068520B2 Method for generating a laser pulse for the fine machining of workpieces using a fiber laser
Method for generating a laser pulse for the fine machining of workpieces using a fiber laser, the laser fiber of which is optically pumped by use of at least one diode laser which is operated by a current pulse whose slew rate, pulse height, and pulse length are adjusted in adaptation to the laser fiber in such a way that the laser pulse (22) is initially composed of a primary relaxation pulse (A), independently of the pulse length of the current pulse.
US08068517B2 Digital E8-VSB reception system and E8-VSB data demultiplexing method
A method of processing a digital television (DTV) signal is disclosed. Herein, the DTV signal is generated by performing Reed-Solomon (RS) encoding on additional data, multiplexing the RS-encoded additional data with main data. RS encoding the multiplexed additional and main data, interleaving the RS-encoded additional and main data, trellis encoding the interleaved additional and main data, and transmitting a Radio Frequency (RF) DTV signal including the trellis-encoded additional and main data. The method to process the DTV signal includes receiving the DTV signal including the additional data multiplexed with the main data through an antenna, in which signaling information is periodically inserted in the additional data. The received DIV signal is demodulated including performing channel equalization on the demodulated DTV signal. Trellis decoding is performed on the channel-equalized DIV signal. Further, the additional data from the trellis-decoded DTV signal is extracted including removing dummy data from the extracted additional data.
US08068513B2 Determining load measure for network element
The specification and drawings present a new method, system, apparatus and software product for determining (e.g., calculating) a load measure by a network element (e.g., Node B or any other network element) for optimizing information traffic in communication networks (e.g., wireless communication systems). This load measure may represent the amount of available/excess traffic that a given network element may carry and is a relative measure, which would take into account the total amount of resources available in the system and the amount of resources that are free for carrying only “important” or “essential” traffic, using a weighed method described herein.
US08068510B2 Demodulation apparatus for efficiently embodying adaptive modulation and coding method in OFDMA based packet communication system and method thereof
Disclosed is a demodulation apparatus for receiving signals by an adaptive modulation and coding method, and demodulating the signals, in an OFDMA based packet communication system, comprising: a QAM demapper for performing QAM demapping to the received signals by a modulation method using a maximum modulation ratio, until modulation methods for each of sub-channels are analyzed; a slot buffer for storing the data outputted from the QAM demapper; a channel decoder for decoding the data stored in the slot buffer and analyzing modulation methods for each sub-channels and transferring the analyzed modulation methods to the QAM demapper; and in at the same time, reading valid data from the data stored in the slot buffer, based on the analyzed modulation methods for each sub-channels, and demodulating the valid data.
US08068509B2 Digital broadcast system, and data processing method
A digital broadcast system having storing resistance to errors generated during the transmission of mobile service data, and a data processing method are disclosed. The digital broadcast system additionally encodes mobile service data. As a result, the mobile service data has strong resistance to a channel variation and noise, and at the same time the system can quickly cope with the channel variation.
US08068506B2 Signaling apparatus and signaling method
A signaling apparatus is applied to a node constituting a network including internal network to network interface (INNI) domains having INNI interfaces between a plurality of networks in an area and external network to network interface (ENNI) domains having ENNI interfaces that connect the INNI domains. The apparatus includes a processing unit that processes a signaling message for setting a path when an end-to-end path that passes through the INNI domains and the ENNI domains that connect the INNI domains is set in response to the signaling message, a storing unit that holds information on types of links between an own node and adjacent nodes, and a judging unit that judges whether the own node is a connection end point of the INNI domains or the ENNI domains with reference to route information in the message and the information on the types of the links held in the storing unit.
US08068504B2 One-way router
A one-way router combines benefits of a network diode and router, and thus can route data between networks of varying confidentiality and/or integrity in a secure, one-way fashion. Secure routing is provided transparently so that the router is compatible with standard network applications by synthesizing responses for standard network protocols to provide many-to-many network connections while preventing bidirectional data flow. Separate network stacks are provided for each connected network, and the network stacks are separated from each other by data diodes that enforce one-way data flow. The one-way router can be implemented in hardware or software, and provides architectural flexibility to customize levels of assurance, performance, reliability, and cost.
US08068502B2 Method and apparatus for enabling persistent connections with wireless networks
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for establishing a persistent connection between a user device and a service gateway. Specifically, the method comprises obtaining state information in response to a connection request, establishing a connection between the user device and the service gateway using the state information, and maintaining the state information associated with the connection such that the connection is persistent through at least one network state change.
US08068495B2 Mechanisms for data rate improvement in a wireless network
A wireless network arrangement includes a host device in communication with a wireless network module (e.g., an ultrawideband (UWB) module, etc.) through a universal serial bus (USB). A protocol is provided to support communication over the USB between the host and the module. In at least one embodiment, the host is able to offload network packet header processing functions to the wireless network module via the USB.
US08068491B2 Methods for reliable multicasting in local peer group (LPG) based vehicle ad hoc networks
A method for routing a multicast message comprising the steps of receiving a multicast message including at least a message, a source identifier, a sequence number, a time-to-live value and a multicast group destination, determining if the multicast group destination is in a multicast forwarding table, determining if the message has been previously received, adding the multicast message to the multicast forwarding table if it is determined that the multicast message has not been previously received, determining if a node that received the multicast message is a forwarding node; randomly setting a wait time for forwarding the multicast message; and forwarding the multicast message at the expiration of the wait time.
US08068489B2 Personal area network with automatic attachment and detachment
A network (100) includes a hub device (110) and at least one unattached peripheral device (120). The unattached peripheral device (120) transmits an attach request to the hub device (110) with a selected address, receives a new address from the hub device to identify the unattached peripheral device (120), and communicates with the hub device (110) using the new address.
US08068488B2 Packet format for a distributed system
A method is provided for transmitting a packet including information describing a bus transaction to be executed at a remote device. A bus transaction is detected on a first bus and a network packet is generated for transmission over a network. The network packet includes an opcode describing the type of bus transaction. One or more control signals of the bus transaction map directly to one or more bits of the opcode to simplify decoding or converting of the bus transaction to the opcode. The packet is transmitted to a remote device and the bus transaction is then replayed at a second bus. In addition, the packet includes a data field having a size that is a multiple of a cache line size. The packet includes separate CRCs for the data and header. The packet also includes a transaction ID to support split transactions over the network. Also, fields in the packet header are provided in a particular order to improve switching efficiency.
US08068484B2 Method for void-filling and transmitting burst data over optical burst switching network
A method for enhancing transmission efficiency of burst data by estimating a void between burst data and filling the void with new burst data in an optical burst switching (OBS) network. To this end, a node in the OBS network receives burst data (BD) aggregated from data packets, and a burst control packet (BCP) that is received prior to the BD by an offset time. The BCP contains information relating to the offset time and the BD. To predict the void between the BDs, a void filling time is defined within the offset time using the BCP. The present invention provides the method for determining whether to fill the void and filling the void by directly monitoring the BD over a preset time.
US08068475B2 Radio base station apparatus and transmission rate notifying method
A radio base station apparatus wherein the consumption of transmission power resources in a high-rate packet transmission can be suppressed. In the apparatus, a scheduling part (31) limits the candidates of an upstream line packet transmission rate to part of a plurality of transmission rates indicated by transmission rate combination information, selects an upstream line packet transmission rate from among the limited transmission rate candidates, and creates scheduling result information including transmission rate information indicative of the selected transmission rate. The scheduling result information is wireless transmitted from an antenna (108) to a communication terminal that is permitted to transmit upstream line packets.
US08068472B2 Multiplex switching scheme for communications network
An earth station interface architecture provides full mesh connectivity for a relatively small number of network stations. A component of the architecture is a switch, which employs' a network interface standard to ‘define the multiplexing of multiple virtual ports across single physical communications port. Through address and control fields of its connectivity control software, the switch can be dynamically configured to provide multilayer addressing, and device selectivity, thereby enabling point-to-point connectivity of multiple terminal devices, such as a plurality of audio circuits, to be effected via a single port. Dial codes on the station side of an audio signal multiplexer link are translated into frame relay addresses (data link connection identifiers) that are added to each frame of data for routing through the network. With this additional layer of routing information, audio (voice) connectivity is now available between any two audio circuits (e.g. trunks) in the network.
US08068471B2 Method and apparatus for scheduling multiple users in a communication system
A method and apparatus for scheduling multiuser terminals in a communication system is provided. A receiver receives feedback information from a plurality of user terminals. A user grouping unit selects terminals having a maximum Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) among terminals having the same beam index and beam subset index, from among the plurality of user terminals, and generates terminal groups using the selected terminals, each terminal group including terminals having the same beam subset index. A group scheduling unit calculates a throughput of each of the terminal groups to determine which terminal group has the maximum throughput. A random precoding unit generates random beam vectors corresponding to terminals included in the terminal group determined to have the maximum throughput, and transmits data for user terminals, included in the terminal group determined to have the maximum throughput, over the generated random beam vectors.
US08068470B2 Preemptive packet for maintaining contiguity in cyclic prioritized multiple access (CPMA) contention-free sessions
An access point transmits a preemptive peg packet when it has no data to transmit in order to maintain the contiguity of its transmission timing position with respect to the timing position of other contention-free sessions (CFS) transmitted by other access points in an existing, periodic sequence. The cyclic prioritized multiple access (CPMA) method establishes the transmission timing position of contention-free sessions (CFS) between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells contending for the same medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations. If an access point has no traffic, it will transmit a short, preemptive pegging packet and reset its backoff timer. In this manner, no gaps longer than the distributed coordination function (DCF) Interframe Space (DIFS) are left idle. This prevents other stations from using DCF contention to seize the channel, until all access points have completed one contention-free session (CFS) per periodic cycle.
US08068459B2 Adaptive frequency reuse method of radio resources management and allocation
A method for managing and allocating radio resources (RRMA method) of multiple radio resource types to subscriber stations is disclosed. The RRMA method includes bandwidth partitioning, into parts comprising “slots” with a given reuse pattern, a selection rule, to select a “cell, reuse pattern” pair serving each user, and an allocation rule, for distributing to each user an appropriate number of bandwidth slots from the selected “cell, reuse pattern” pair. After an adaptation period, the method reaches a desired fairness, while simultaneously reaching a maximal mean throughput, possible under this fairness. For big networks, the method provides basically decentralized radio resource management. The RRMA method is useful to cellular networks having a single set of orthogonal sub-channels (frequency/time slots) being reused by all network cells, such as time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), or OFDMA/TDMA cellular systems. Particularly, the method is applicable in fractional frequency reuse cellular networks.
US08068458B2 Random access preamble selection
The present invention relates to methods for establishing a connection between a user equipment and a wireless network. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for selecting a preamble based on its power back-off metric in order to randomly access a wireless network while avoiding collisions with other user equipments attempting to access the network at the same time.
US08068449B2 Hybrid coordination function (HCF) access through tiered contention and overlapped wireless cell mitigation
A method and system reduce interference between overlapping first and second wireless LAN cells in a medium. Each cell includes a respective plurality of member stations and there is at least one overlapped station occupying both cells. An inter-cell contention-free period value is assigned to a first access point station in the first cell, associated with an accessing order in the medium for member stations in the first and second cells. The access point transmits a beacon packet containing the inter-cell contention-free period value, which is intercepted at the overlapped station. The overlapped station forwards the inter-cell contention-free period value to member stations in the second cell. A second access point in the second cell can then delay transmissions by member stations in the second cell until after the inter-cell contention-free period expires. The beacon packet sent by the first access point station also includes an intra-cell contention-free period value, which causes the member stations in the first cell to delay accessing the medium until polled by the first access point. After the expiration of the intra-cell contention-free period, member stations in the first cell may contend for the medium based on the quality of service (QoS) data they are to transmit, using the Tiered Contention Multiple Access (TCMA) protocol.
US08068445B2 Scheduling uplink sounding signals
A method and apparatus are provided for scheduling a transmission of uplink sounding signals for a mobile station (MS). The method comprises receiving a request to send the MS downlink signals associated with a service flow at a first frame, searching a scheduling database for pending uplink bandwidth requests from the MS, scheduling uplink transmission slots for the MS to transmit uplink signals in a second frame without scheduling a sounding signal when a uplink bandwidth request associated with the MS is present in the scheduling database, computing beamforming weighting vectors for the MS using the uplink signals, and transmitting the downlink signals using the beamforming weighting vectors at a third frame subsequent the first frame.
US08068444B2 Method and apparatus for communicating downlink and uplink sub-frames in a half duplex communication system
A method communicating downlink and uplink sub-frames between a base and at least one half duplex user equipment. For a scheduled synchronization time, beginning of reception of an effective part of the uplink sub-frame is separated from end of transmission of an effective part of the first downlink sub-frame by a duration of the difference between a single idle period and an incremental timing advance value. The single idle period, having a duration greater than or equal to summation of downlink/uplink and uplink/downlink required minimum idle durations, is reserved in the end of the first downlink sub-frame or the beginning of the uplink sub-frame, or both. The incremental timing advance value is greater than or equal to the uplink/downlink required minimum idle duration and lower than or equal to the difference between the duration of the single idle period and the downlink/uplink required minimum idle duration.
US08068439B2 Method of concurrent multipath transfer based on relational paths
A method of Concurrent Multipath Transfer which is based on the relational paths, characterized in that for a packet lost in a path, it allows other packets sent from the path and/or other paths to point out the lost packet through a gap report. According to the present invention, any lost packets and abnormal paths can be found as fast as possible, and can be retransmitted quickly. So this method can avoid the failure of all paths from handing in packets to upper layer only for the abnormity in one path, which limits the speed of whole association.
US08068434B2 Network infrastructure capability detection
A system to discover a network infrastructure capability includes one or more subsystems to establish a communication path between a first endpoint and a second endpoint. A test packet is sent from a first endpoint along the communication path and a value is associated with the test packet which relates to capabilities of the communication path. The test packet value is returned to the first endpoint.
US08068431B2 System and method for deep packet inspection
IP networks carry packets that consist of headers and payloads. Typical traffic analysis systems at layer 3 process packet headers in order to obtain as much information about the traffic as possible. However, performing of deep packet analysis requires the processing of packet payloads as well. Another important requirement of layer 3 processing is the need to process the payloads at wire speeds. A system and method for deep packet inspection at layer 3 involves (a) an approach for packet payload processing; (b) accounting for out of order arrival of packets; (c) an approach for partial match analysis so as to be able to analyze the traffic flows when only partial information is available; and (d) an approach for effective payload processing for attempting to achieve wire speed processing.
US08068409B2 Fast OSPF inactive router detection
A fast OSPF inactive router detection technique is provided that detects the failure of a router and switches routing to an alternate router. The alternate router provides a message to the other routers in the Wide Area Network (LAN) that informs of the router failure.
US08068402B2 Optical head, optical disc device, computer, optical disc player and optical disc recorder
An optical head is provided with a light source for outputting laser light having a wavelength of 430 nm or less; an objective lens for collecting the laser light outputted from the light source to an optical disc having a plurality of information recording surfaces; a light receiving element for receiving laser light reflected on the optical disc; and a detecting lens for guiding the laser light reflected on the optical disc to the light receiving element. The detecting lens is formed of a resin material. The detecting lens is arranged so that a light collecting position of the laser light reflected on an information recording surface different from an information recording surface having a thinnest protection substrate, among the information recording surfaces, is outside the detecting lens, at the time of recording or reproducing information on or from the information recording surface having the thinnest protection substrate.
US08068401B2 Objective optical system and optical information recording/reproducing device having the same
There is provided an objective optical system used for information recording/reproducing for three types of optical discs. The objective optical system includes an objective lens, and a diffraction structure formed on an optical surface. The diffraction structure includes a first area for contributing to converging the third light beam. The first area includes first and second steps defined by first and second optical path difference functions, respectively. The first step is configured such that diffraction orders at which diffraction efficiencies for the first, second and third light beams are maximized are 1st order, 0-th order and 0-th order, respectively. The first step satisfies a condition: −0.36×102
US08068400B2 Method of recording information on a multilayer record carrier, and device for recording on a dual layer record carrier
Recordable DVD+R and DVD+R/W optical discs with two (or more) information layers are developed to double the data storage capacity and video recording time. A method and device are proposed to make dual layer DVD disc recordings compliant with the dual layer DVD-ROM standard Recording the data in a DVD-ROM compliant way on the dual layer DVD+R or DVD+R/W disc is obtained by shifting the middle zone area towards the inner radius of a disc in such a way that the data zones of both layers are filled up with data.
US08068398B2 Recording method for optical recording medium and recording apparatus
A recording method suitable for high-density recording is provided. When information is recorded on an optical recording medium with irradiation of a write pulse of a laser beam, a length corresponding to 7 T is set to be equal to or less than the spot diameter λ/NA of the laser beam where T is one recording clock cycle, λ is a wavelength of the laser beam, and NA is a numerical aperture of the objective lens, and a specified mark with a length corresponding to 3 T or more is recorded by a single write pulse.
US08068396B2 Method for adjusting tilt of optical pick-up head
A method for adjusting a tilt of an optical pick-up head includes the steps of: moving the optical pick-up head to a first location and focusing on; obtaining a first focus control power and a first optimum tilt angle at the first location; moving the optical pick-up head to a second location and focusing on; obtaining a second focus control power and a second optimum tilt angle at the second location; calculating an optical sensitivity according to the first and second optimum tilt angles, and the first and second focus control powers; and when the head is moved to a specific location where the tilt of the head is to be adjusted, storing a focus control power corresponding to the specific location, and calculating a tilt angle corresponding to the specific location according to the focus control power and the optical sensitivity so that the tilt of the optical pick-up head can be appropriately adjusted.
US08068394B2 Recording method of optical disc drive
The invention is to provide a recording method of an optical disc drive, which first calibrates the write power with minimum recording speed, adjusts write powers for higher speeds, searches a blank area in a lead-out area of a disc to record with write powers for all speeds, read signals, deletes the speeds with bad recording quality, reserves the speeds with good recording quality as recordable speed, checks the required recording speed for the address of the recording data, searches the recordable speed equal to or smaller than the required recording speed, replaces the required recording speed with the searched recordable speed, records data with the searched recordable speed and corresponding write power to ensure quality.
US08068391B2 Optical recording/reproducing method, system, and program
An optical recording/reproducing system 1 reads a recorded signal written to a recording track of a recording medium 3 by light. The light is modulated by a drive signal on which a frequency signal is superimposed. The light is scanned along the recording track at a predetermined scan velocity. The optical recording/reproducing system 1 includes a computer 13 and an LD driver 17 that control, based on the scan velocity, a superimposed magnitude of the frequency signal on the drive signal.
US08068388B2 Optical pick up and optical disc device having optical shield for suppressing the influence of stray light through hologram element
An optical pickup according to the present invention includes: a light source 1d for irradiating an optical disk 4 with light; a lens 3 for converging the light onto the optical disk 4; a photodetector 1c having a plurality of detection regions 1cf, 1ct for detecting light which is reflected from a signal surface of the optical disk 4 and converting the light into an electrical signal; a hologram element 1a having a hologram region 1b for guiding the reflected light to the photodetector 1c; and a light-shielding plate 2 for blocking at least a portion of light transmitted through a region of the hologram element 1a other than the hologram region 1b. The light-shielding plate 2 includes a light shielding portion 2b for blocking light, and an aperture 2a for allowing the light to be transmitted therethrough. The aperture 2b is present, above an upper face of the hologram element 1a, in a region including the hologram region 1b, and a center position of the aperture 2b is shifted from a center position of the hologram region 1b.
US08068385B2 System and method for enhancing weak target signals for a sensor array
A system and a corresponding method used with a sensor array selects candidate weak target signals from within one or more received signals and enhances those candidate weak target signals relative to a noise background.
US08068382B2 Semiconductor memory with multiple wordline selection
A semiconductor memory circuit, comprising: a memory array, the memory array including a plurality of wordlines each connected to a respective row of cells and a plurality of bitlines each connected to a respective column of cells. The semiconductor memory circuit also comprises at least one row decoder for selecting a group of wordlines within the plurality of wordlines; and a plurality of driver circuits for driving the plurality of bitlines respectively and setting the cells connected to the group of wordlines to a predetermined logic state. Also, a method for presetting at least part of a memory array, the memory array comprising a plurality of wordlines each connected to a respective row of cells. The method comprises selecting a group of wordlines within the plurality of wordlines; and simultaneously setting memory cells connected to the group of wordlines to a predetermined logic state.
US08068370B2 Floating gate memory device with interpoly charge trapping structure
A charge trapping floating gate is described with asymmetric tunneling barriers. The memory cell includes a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region. A first tunneling barrier structure is disposed above the channel region. A floating gate is disposed above the first tunneling barrier structure covering the channel region. A second tunneling barrier is disposed above the floating gate. A dielectric charge trapping structure disposed above the second tunneling barrier and a blocking dielectric structure is disposed above the charge trapping structure. A top conductive layer disposed above the top dielectric structure acts as a gate. The second tunneling barrier is a more efficient conductor of tunneling current, under bias conditions applied for programming and erasing the memory cell, than the first tunneling barrier structure.
US08068369B2 Sense amplifier circuit and semiconductor memory device
A single-ended sense amplifier circuit amplifies a signal of a memory cell and transmitted through a bit line, and comprises first and second MOS transistors. The first MOS transistor supplies a predetermined voltage to the bit line and controls connection between the bit line and a sense node in response to a control voltage, and the second MOS transistor has a gate connected to the sense node and amplifies a signal transmitted from the bit line via the first MOS transistor. The predetermined voltage is supplied to the bit line before read operation and is set to a value such that a required voltage difference at the sense node between high and low level data of the memory cell can be obtained near a changing point between a charge transfer mode and a charge distributing mode within a range of a read voltage of the memory cell.
US08068368B2 Method of performing read operation in flash memory device
A method of performing a read operation in a flash memory device is disclosed. The flash memory has a memory cell array including at least one block, the block having a plurality of pages. The method comprises receiving a read command to read data from a selected page in the block; determining whether or not the block has any page that has not been programmed; performing a dummy data program operation on at least one page that is determined not to have been programmed; and executing the read command to read the data of the selected page after the dummy data program operation is completed.
US08068367B2 Reference current sources
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including an electronic device that includes a first data location, a quantizing circuit, and a reference current source, all coupled to an electrical conductor. The reference current source may include a current mirror with a side coupled to the electrical conductor and a second data location coupled to another side of the current mirror.
US08068361B2 Systems and methods for performing a program-verify process on a nonvolatile memory by selectively pre-charging bit lines associated with memory cells during the verify operations
A nonvolatile memory system is operated by performing a program loop on each of a plurality of memory cells, each program loop comprising at least one program-verify operation and selectively pre-charging bit lines associated with each of the plurality of memory cells during the at least one program-verify operation.
US08068359B2 Static source plane in stram
A memory array includes a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction cells arranged in a 2 by 2 array. Each magnetic tunnel junction cell is electrically coupled between a bit line and a source line and each magnetic tunnel junction cell electrically coupled to a transistor. Each magnetic tunnel junction cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by passing a write current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction cell. A first word line is electrically coupled to a gate of first set of two of the transistors and a second word line is electrically coupled to a gate of a second set of two of the transistors. The source line is a common source line for the plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions.
US08068356B2 Low power one-shot boost circuit
This invention discloses a voltage boost circuit which comprise at least one capacitor with a first terminal connected to an output of the voltage boost circuit, a controllable switch connected between a second terminal of the capacitor and a voltage source, the second terminal being different from the first terminal, and a voltage level detector detecting the output voltage level of the voltage boost circuit and providing a control signal to the controllable switch, wherein when the output voltage exceeds a predetermined level the controllable switch is off, and when the output voltage is lower than the predetermined level the controllable switch is on.
US08068354B2 Current-level controlling device for a power supply device and related power supply device
A current-level controlling device for a power supply includes a reception end for receiving a current sense signal, a reference voltage generator for generating a reference voltage, an adaptive reference voltage generator, coupled to the reference voltage generator and the reception end, for adjusting the reference voltage according to variation of peak values of the current sense signal, so as to generate an adaptive reference voltage, a comparator, coupled to the reception end and the adaptive reference voltage generator, for comparing the current sense signal and the adaptive reference voltage, to generate a comparison result, and a control unit, coupled to the comparator, for controlling a switch transistor of the power supply according to the comparison result.
US08068350B2 Sheet metal member, information display apparatus, and panel unit manufacturing method
A sheet metal member has a first through hole formed at such a position as to be in communication with a screw hole formed in a side surface of a panel, and is fixed to the panel by being screwed using the first through hole and the screw hole. The sheet metal member further has hole a bending piece in which a second penetration is formed and on which a bending processing is performed at such an overlapping position that the second through hole overlaps with the first through hole, and is screwed to the panel in either of, according to a type of the panel, an open state in which the bending processing has not yet been performed on the bending piece or a bent state in which the bending processing has been performed on the bending piece at the overlapping position.
US08068347B2 Printed circuit board having embedded RF module power stage circuit
Disclosed herein is a printed circuit board having an RF module power stage circuit embedded therein. Specifically, this invention relates to a printed circuit board having an RF module power stage circuit embedded therein, in which a terminal pad for a resistor, a bead, or an inductor is defined or formed on a power supply plane of a multilayered wired board to connect the resistor, the bead, or the inductor to the power supply plane, and the resistor, the bead, or the inductor is connected in parallel with a decoupling capacitor by using a via hole or by embedding the resistor, the bead or the inductor perpendicular to the power supply plane, thus decreasing the size of the RF module and improving the performance thereof.
US08068346B2 Circuit board with high density power semiconductors
A circuit board is provided with a plurality of MOSFETs (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors) each of which include a field effect transistor and an associated control circuit. The control circuits are mounted in a control section of the board remote from a power section mounting the MOSFETs. The present invention reduces the assembly steps required in the prior art wherein the MOSFET and its control circuit were mounted as preassembled units to the board. Moreover, the number of MOSFETs per unit area of board is increased by the present invention.
US08068342B2 Cover mechanism and electronic device using same
An electronic device using a cover mechanism to cover a hole is described. The cover mechanism includes a locking member slidably mounted on a base member and a cover member. The cover member can be locked to the base member by locking of the cover member to the locking member in a locked position, can rotate around the locking member in a released position, and can expose the hole and physically attach to the locking member in an opened position.
US08068340B1 Power supply with reversible airflow design
A reversible fan tray device is provided for a power supply unit. The fan tray device includes a mounting panel to be removably mounted to the power supply, a fan unit secured to the mounting panel to provide airflow through the electronic device, and an interconnection board secured to the mounting panel to provide an electrical connection between the fan unit and the power supply unit. The mounting panel can be positioned in either of two orientations, the first orientation to draw external air into the power supply unit and the second orientation to force internal air out of the power supply unit. The interconnection board mates with a connector on the power supply unit when the fan tray cassette is in either of the two orientations. The interconnection board provides an airflow direction indication to the power supply unit for an existing orientation of the two orientations.
US08068338B1 Network device with baffle for redirecting cooling air and associated methods
A network device includes an airflow baffle. The baffle redirects cooling air toward a transceiver cage to increase a rate of heat transfer from electronic devices on the transceiver. The baffle is bi-directional, so that cooling air is redirected regardless of whether it flows in a front-to-back or back-to-front direction.
US08068337B2 Portable apparatus and positioning device thereof
A portable apparatus includes an electronic device defining a locking slot and a positioning device for detachably attached to the electronic device. The positioning device includes a cover defining an opening and a through hole; a supporting member comprising a hook protruding from the through hole to insert in the locking slot to lock in the electronic device and a supporting portion protruding from the opening of the cover to support the electronic device; and a dampening member fixed to the supporting member in the cover.
US08068332B2 Accessory strap fixing structure and portable electronic device using the same
A portable electronic device includes a main body and a accessory strap fixing structure. The main body defines an assembling slot therein. The accessory strap fixing structure is rotatably assembled within the assembling slot and includes a hanging frame, a supporting frame, a hinged portion, and a latching portion. The hanging frame includes a hanging portion disposed thereon for hanging a accessory strap thereto. The two ends of the supporting frame are connected to two ends of the hanging frame respectively. The hinged portion is formed at one joint of the hanging frame and the supporting frame, for being rotatably hinged to the main body and accommodated within the assembling slot. The latching portion is formed adjacent to the other joint of the hanging frame and the supporting frame, and configured for detachably latching within the assembling slot.
US08068330B2 Multilayer capacitor
A multilayer capacitor comprises a capacitor element body; a first signal terminal electrode, a second signal terminal electrode, and a ground terminal electrode which are arranged on an outer surface of the capacitor element body; and a ground internal electrode and first to third signal internal electrodes which are arranged within the capacitor element body. The ground internal electrode is connected to the ground terminal electrode. The first signal internal electrode is connected to the first signal terminal electrode and opposes the ground internal electrode so as to construct a first capacitor. The second signal internal electrode is connected to the first signal terminal electrode and opposes the ground internal electrode so as to construct a second capacitor. The third signal internal electrode is connected to the second signal terminal electrode and opposes the ground internal electrode so as to construct a third capacitor. The first and second capacitors have respective capacitances different from each other.
US08068329B2 Multilayer electronic component and method for manufacturing the same
A multilayer electronic component includes a ceramic body including ceramic layers that are laminated to one another and internal conductors having exposed portions at side surfaces of the ceramic body. Substantially linear connection portions extend in the lamination direction of the ceramic layers so as to connect the exposed portions to one another. External terminal electrodes cover the exposed portions of the internal conductors and the connection portions and include base plating films directly disposed on the side surfaces by plating. The connection portions are formed by polishing the side surfaces in which the internal conductors are exposed using, for example, a brush so as to elongate the exposed portions of the internal conductors.
US08068326B2 Electrostatic chuck and substrate temperature control fixing apparatus
There is provided an apparatus including: an electrostatic chuck for holding an object; and a base plate which supports the electrostatic chuck and controls a temperature of the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck is fixed onto the base plate via an adhesive layer. The electrostatic chuck includes: a base; an electrostatic electrode built in the base; and a mounting portion containing a dielectric material and detachably mounted on the base. The object is mounted on the mounting portion.
US08068319B1 Circuits, systems, algorithms and methods for ESD protection
Circuits, systems, and methods for protecting an integrated circuit having independently-powered circuit sections from electrostatic discharge events. The integrated circuit generally comprises an ESD control line, a first circuit having a first electrostatic discharge (ESD) device coupled to a first positive voltage rail, a first negative voltage rail, and the ESD control line, the first ESD device configured to activate an ESD control signal on the ESD control line when an electrostatic discharge occurs, and a second circuit having a second positive voltage rail, a second negative voltage rail, and a second ESD device, coupled to the second positive voltage rail, the second negative voltage rail, and the ESD control line, the second ESD device configured to shunt current between the second positive voltage rail and the second negative voltage rail when the ESD control signal is activated. The present invention advantageously protects integrated circuits having independently-powered circuit sections from electrostatic discharge events without adding redundant power and/or ground pads by sharing ESD shunting capacity between circuit sections during an ESD event.
US08068318B2 Apparatus for ground fault current interrupter with overall end-of-life indication and shutdown protection function
An apparatus for ground fault current interrupter with overall end-of-life indication and shutdown protection function includes a first silicon-controlled rectifier, a reverse unit, a test switch unit and a ground fault current interrupter. The ground fault current interrupter includes a second silicon-controlled rectifier, a switch unit, a switch control unit and a rectifier filter unit. When a test current leakage signal is generated, a drive power is provided to the reverse unit, and the input power supply generates a current leakage phenomenon. If the ground fault current interrupter fails, then the second silicon-controlled rectifier will not be triggered, which makes the reverse unit trigger the first silicon-controlled rectifier, such that the rectifier filter unit outputs a DC power flowing through the first silicon-controlled rectifier to interrupt a power supply of the switch control unit. Therefore, the input power supply electrically connected to the switch unit can not deliver any power to the load electrically connected to the switch unit.
US08068312B2 Perpendicular magnetic write head with stitched notched trailing shield
A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a stitched notched trailing shield. The trailing shield includes a first pedestal portion having sides that are self aligned with the sides of the write pole and having a back edge that extends a first shield throat height. The shield further includes a second shield portion stitched onto the pedestal portion, the second shield portion having a back edge that extends beyond the back edge of the pedestal portion.
US08068310B2 Ribbed base deck to accentuate particle filtration
Base decks for data storage systems include a spindle motor region, a medium support region, an enclosure sidewall, and a recessed channel. The spindle motor region is configured to support a spindle motor assembly. The medium support region is beneath a storage medium when the storage medium is positioned within the base deck, and the enclosure sidewall surrounds an outer periphery of the storage medium when it is positioned within the base deck. The recessed channel is within the media support region and extends from the spindle motor region to the enclosure sidewall. The recessed channel illustratively has curved sidewalls that converge.
US08068308B2 Servo signal recording apparatus, information recording apparatus, and tracking servo method
In the apparatus and method of the invention, a servo signal reproduction unit generates a PES from a servo signal reproduced from a magnetic tape, and a frequency conversion unit performs FFT processing of the PES to generate frequency component information. Then, a filter value generation unit generates filter values based on the frequency component information and writes these to a memory. When recording various data signals to the magnetic tape, the filter values are read from the memory and a control filter serving as a notch filter is incorporated into a feedback control for a tracking servo. This enables periodic and narrow-band noise to be removed from a PES, consequently reducing PESs. Accordingly, learning-type optimum notch filter control that allows a magnetic head to follow recording tracks at high speed and with high precision is possible even when the recording track width is reduced and the tape speed is increased.
US08068305B2 Secure data disposal for disk drive
When a disk sector is written to, a bit for the sector is set indicating that the sector will require secure data disposal (SDD) to be run on it. To save time during end of life disposal, SDD is executed only on sectors whose bits indicate that they have been written to. SDD can be executed on each dirty sector in one operation at end of life or incrementally during use as disk activity permits.
US08068299B2 Disk drive device and data rewrite method thereof
Embodiments of the present invention help to reduce the occurrence of read hard errors in a hard disk drive (HDD). According to one embodiment, a HDD rewrites data on all data tracks of a block M when the number of write operations to the block consisting of continuous plural data tracks. The HDD further rewrites data on continuous plural data tracks and adjacent to the block. Since the number of write operations is counted every block, a memory area to register the number of write operations can be reduced.
US08068297B2 Dioxazine sulfamoyl compound, coloring powder composition for color filter, and color filter
The present invention relates to a pigment composition or pigment dispersion that is ideal for producing the blue pixel portion of a color filter for a liquid crystal display device, and a color filter. The invention has an object of providing a color filter having a blue pixel portion that yields a liquid crystal display device having a high degree of contrast that enables the display screen to be viewed with improved clarity, and a high level of brightness that produces a brighter display screen, as well as providing a pigment composition or dispersion that can be used to produce the color filter. The above object can be realized by using a dioxazine derivative that is substituted with a sulfamoyl group having a specific polyalkylene oxide group, and a pigment composition or dispersion for a color filter that includes this dioxazine derivative and a blue organic pigment or violet organic pigment.
US08068296B2 Driving device
There is provided a driving device with less wiring and of which driving circuit is simplified. A driving device comprising: a plurality of vibratory actuators 6, 7 respectively having a vibration generating portion which transform an electric power into a vibration and a driven portion which engages with the vibration generating portion; and a driving circuit to which the plurality of vibratory actuators are connected in parallel, wherein the vibration generating portion of at least one of the vibratory actuators has a different frequency characteristic from that of other vibratory actuators, and the driving circuit is capable of outputting a plurality of driving voltages each having a different waveform.
US08068293B2 Projection lens unit
A projection lens unit includes: a projection lens having a first optical system for focusing incident image light and also having a second optical system for magnifying and projecting the image light focused by the first optical system; a lens barrel member for accommodating the projection lens and having a small diameter portion in which a joining portion of the first and the second optical system is formed to be the thinnest; a holding member having a first holding face on which the small diameter portion is mounted; and a presser member having a second holding face which holds the small diameter portion together with the first holding face. The holding member is fixed to a housing on which the projection lens unit is mounted. The presser member does not protrude upward from the lens barrel member arranged in a dead space of the small diameter portion.
US08068292B2 Electronic device including a stepped lens
Disclosed is an electronic device including a lens having a stepped edge and a viewing area and more particularly, an electronic device having a display in which the viewing area of the lens is stacked with the active area wiring of a display panel and the stepped edge of the lens is stacked with the connectors on the periphery of the display panel. A housing portion is stacked with the stepped edge of the lens and the connectors on the periphery of the display panel. In this way, a maker of electronic devices can make use of the space occupied by the connectors of the display panel so that the active area of the display panel may occupy more of the total area of the surface of the device.
US08068291B2 Imaging lens, imaging device, portable terminal, and method for manufacturing imaging lens
An imaging lens (LN) includes one or two lens blocks (BK), and an aperture stop (ape). The lens block (BK) includes a plane-parallel lens substrate (LS) and a lens (L) formed of different materials. In the imaging lens (LN), a first lens block (BK1) disposed at the most object-side exerts a positive optical power, and a conditional formula defined by the absolute difference between the index of refraction of a first lens substrate (LS1) and the index of refraction of a lens (L[LS1o]) contiguous with an object-side substrate surface of the first lens substrate (LS) is fulfilled.
US08068290B1 Image pick-up optical lens assembly
This invention provides an image pick-up optical lens assembly comprising, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a third lens element with positive refractive power having an object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, at least one of the surfaces thereof being aspheric; and a fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, at least one of the surfaces thereof being aspheric. The image pick-up optical lens assembly further comprises an aperture stop disposed between an object and the first lens element. Such arrangement facilitates a significant reduction in size and sensitivity of the lens assembly while providing superb image quality with higher resolution.
US08068289B2 Optical system and optical apparatus having the same
An optical system includes, in order from an enlargement conjugate side to a reduction conjugate side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power and a second lens unit having a positive refractive power. In the optical system, an aperture stop is located closer to the reduction conjugate side than the first lens unit, one or more positive lenses are located closer to the reduction conjugate side than the aperture stop, and the one or more positive lenses include a P-th positive lens located closest to the reduction conjugate side. Various optical qualities may be appropriately set to effectively control chromatic aberration for the entire image plane, provide high optical performance, and achieve a wide angle of view.
US08068285B1 Infinity display with autostereoscopic capability
An infinity display device with autostereoscopic capability having one or more high lumen light sources 6, a transmissive spatial light modulator (SLM) 7, light collimating optics and a rectilinear light guide. Once the light has passed through the SLM 7 an objective 2 converges the image encoded rays toward a point 43 representing the entrance pupil 5 of said light guide. A second lens 1 then collimates the rays in one plane (Tangential) while a lenticular array 13 is used for collimating rays in the second plane (Sagittal). Next, a first surface mirror 9 reflects all said rays toward a triangular prism 10, where they undergo colour separation before entering the light guide. The light guide may itself consist of two, parallel, first surface mirrors 3 & 4 one of which is partially transmissive. Finally a Fresnel screen 11 tilts the light toward the observer.
US08068284B2 Microlens alignment procedures in CMOS image sensor design
A method for aligning a microlens array in a sensor die to resolve non-symmetric brightness distribution and color balance of the image captured by the sensor die. The method includes performing a pre-simulation to simulate a microlens array alignment in a silicon die and to determine a shrink-factor and de-centering values, calculating the error in a real product's alignment in process and image offset, performing a post simulation based on offset calculation on the real product and re-design of the microlens alignment, and repeating the steps of calculating the error and performing the post-simulation until a satisfactory brightness distribution is obtained. The sensor die has sensor pixels, each pixel comprising a photodiode and a microlens for directing incoming light rays to the photodiode, wherein optical axis of the microlens is shifted with respect to optical axis of the photodiode by a preset amount determined by at least one iteration of alignment process.
US08068279B2 Optical system of an illumination device of a projection exposure apparatus
The disclosure relates to an optical system of an illumination device of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, including at least one first light-conductance-increasing element having a plurality of diffractively or refractively beam-deflecting structures extending in a common first preferred direction the light-conductance-increasing element having an optically uniaxial crystal material in such a way that the optical crystal axis of the crystal material is substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to the first preferred direction.
US08068277B2 Reflective type screen using a spacer layer
A reflective type screen using a spacer layer and that includes a light blocking layer blocking an incident light, a reflective layer formed on the light blocking layer to reflect the incident light, a diffusion layer formed on the reflective layer to diffuse the incident light, and at least one spacer layer formed between the reflective layer and the diffusion layer to have a refractive index differing from that of an adjacent layer to refract the incident light.
US08068273B2 Demodulator
A demodulator and method are provided. The demodulator for demodulating an optical signal, includes a splitter that splits a differential phase modulation signal into a first split light component and a second split light component, couples the first split light component to a first optical path and the second split light component to a second optical path, a first medium disposed on the first optical path, a second medium disposed on the second optical path and having a refractive index different from that of the first medium, and a combiner that combines the first split light component that has passed through the first medium and the second split light component that has passed through the second medium, wherein one of the first split light component and the second split light component is delayed in relation to the other.
US08068271B2 Rotating element transmissive displays
A transmissive electro-optic display includes a substantially transparent front plane and back plane element. The back plane element includes a plurality of electrodes distributed in two dimensions on the backplane, each allowing independent control of a discrete region of the display. The front plane element includes at least one electrode disposed opposite the back plane, and is spaced apart from the back plane element by an interior wall defining a plurality of cells therebetween. A plurality of partially conductive and optically anisotropic elements is rotatably disposed in the plurality of cells, together with a dielectric fluid. When an appropriate electric field and/or a magnetic field is applied to the cells, the corresponding anisotropic elements are caused rotate between a “transmissive” state and an “opaque” state.
US08068268B2 MEMS devices having improved uniformity and methods for making them
Disclosed is a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device and method of manufacturing the same. In one aspect, MEMS such as an interferometric modulator include one or more elongated interior posts and support rails supporting a deformable reflective layer, where the elongated interior posts are entirely within an interferometric cavity and aligned parallel with the support rails. In another aspect, the interferometric modulator includes one or more elongated etch release holes formed in the deformable reflective layer and aligned parallel with channels formed in the deformable reflective layer defining parallel strips of the deformable reflective layer.
US08068265B2 Scanning optical apparatus
A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.
US08068263B2 Holographic storage system with reduced noise
An apparatus for reading from and/or writing to transmission type holographic storage media is proposed, and more specifically a coaxial type apparatus for reading from and/or writing to transmission type holographic storage media with two or more reference beams, which has an improved Signal to Noise Ratio. The apparatus has a coaxial arrangement of two or more reference beams and an object beam or a reconstructed object beam. The reference beams are arranged on a circle around the object beam or the reconstructed object beam in a Fourier plane of the apparatus behind the holographic storage medium. A mirror is located in or close to this Fourier plane, which is designed such that it reflects the object beam or the reconstructed object beam without reflecting the reference beams.
US08068258B2 Calibration of electro-optical instrumentation within printing devices
Systems and methods are disclosed for positioning or storing an electro-optical instrument (e.g., spectrophotometer) within a printing device to facilitate calibration or maintenance of the instrument. In various embodiments, the electro-optical instrument may be pivoted or moved to an inclined position to facilitate calibration of the instrument relative to one or more calibration references. The electro-optical instrument may also be moved or inclined along a travel path in the printing device to a position or positions adjacent to various calibration references.
US08068257B2 Color printing reducing artifacts and banding by rendering black dots, replacing dots with process black, and adding non-black dots for different subsets of black dots
A method of printing comprising setting a pixel black value of K for an ink limit and identifying each of black dots of a first subset of black dots having pixel black value K greater than the ink limit, and pixel color value of cyan, magenta, and yellow equal to zero. The method further comprises rendering only K for a pixel value for the first subset of black dots and replacing each of black dots of a second subset of black dots of a halftoned bit map for a predetermined area with a process black dot. The method still further comprises adding a non-black dot to each of black dots of a third subset of black dots of the bit-mapped data, wherein the halftoned bit map is generated by halftoning continuous tone data; wherein the black dots of the third subset comprises a percentage of all the black dots that tends to generally increase as a ratio of black coverage to total coverage in the predetermined area increases; wherein the first, second, and third subset comprises black dots that are mutually exclusive; and, printing the bit map.
US08068251B2 Image forming apparatus including a finished image display unit
A finished-image generating unit generates a finished image showing a result of a process performed on a target image according to various function setting items. A finished-image display unit, when the target image extends to a plurality of pages, forms the finished image in a stack, and displays the stacked finished image on a display unit with a page structure image that shows an overall page structure of the stacked finished image. A page moving unit, when one of the pages constituting the page structure image is specified via an operating unit, executes a page moving from a page currently displayed on the display unit to the specified page.
US08068248B2 Information notification device on image forming apparatus in a sleeping mode
An information notification device 1 includes a memory unit 3, a request reception unit 42, and a communication unit 2. The memory unit 3 stores first equipment information indicating the internal state of a printer engine 113. When the image forming apparatus 101 is in sleep mode, the request reception unit 42 receives requests for second equipment information indicating the current state of the image forming apparatus 101. When the second equipment information is low rate of change with time first attribute information, the communication unit 2 transmits the first equipment information to the requesting source. When the second equipment information is second attribute information, whose rate of change with time is higher than first attribute information, the power supply 114 supplies power to the engine 113, the communication unit 2 obtains the second equipment information from the engine 113 and transmits it to the requesting source.
US08068242B2 Facsimile apparatus and method of controlling facsimile apparatus
A facsimile apparatus includes: receiving unit which receives plural types of sheets including facsimile sheets; a printing unit which performs printing on the sheet received in the receiving unit; an operation unit which is operated; a facsimile data receiving unit which receives facsimile data; a reception print controller which allows the printing unit to perform facsimile printing on the basis of the received facsimile data; and a sheet-setting acquiring unit which acquires sheet setting of a type of sheets to be printed, wherein the reception print controller selectively performs reception setting for automatic reception in which the facsimile printing is performed by the printing unit when the facsimile data is received and reception setting for manual reception in which the facsimile printing is performed on the basis of the operation of the operation unit after the facsimile data is received, and the reception print controller performs the reception setting in accordance with the acquired sheet setting.
US08068241B2 Data processing apparatus, method and computer program product for passing data among plural users with different processing associated with different users in the same group
In order to process data by a plurality of processing methods defined for each of a plurality of users with a simple operation, MFP includes a HDD having a group BOX for storing data, related with at least two users, and creates a group table which associates at least two data processing methods respectively corresponding to at least two users with the group BOX. When data is stored into the group BOX, the stored data is processed according to each of at least two data processing methods associated with the group BOX.
US08068235B1 Systems and methods for multi-function coherent imaging
Systems and methods are provided for multi-function coherent imaging comprising directing a first coherent radiation beam and a second coherent radiation beam towards a detector, where the second coherent radiation beam is spatially offset, angularly offset, or spatially and angularly offset from the first coherent radiation beam. A portion of the first coherent radiation beam and a portion of the second coherent radiation beam may be combined to form a composite beam. An object may be radiated with the composite beam. A first intensity pattern may be formed by interfering with return radiation from the radiated object with the first coherent radiation beam and a second intensity pattern is formed with the return radiation from the radiated object and the second coherent radiation beam. A detector may simultaneously record a superposition of the first intensity pattern and the second intensity pattern.
US08068234B2 Method and apparatus for measuring shape or thickness information of a substrate
An interferometer system and method may be used to measure substrate thickness or shape. The system may include two spaced apart reference flats having that form an optical cavity between two parallel reference surfaces. A substrate holder may be configured to place the substrate in the cavity with first and second substrate surfaces substantially parallel with corresponding first and second reference surfaces such that a space between the first or second substrate surface is three millimeters or less from a corresponding one of the reference surfaces or a damping surface. Interferometer devices may be located on diametrically opposite sides of the cavity and optically coupled thereto. The interferometers can map variations in spacing between the substrate surfaces and the reference surfaces, respectively, through interference of light optically coupled to and from to the cavity via the interferometer devices.
US08068230B2 Real-time measurement of ultrashort laser pulses
A real-time FROG system provides ultra fast pulse measurement and characterization. The system includes direct, integrated feedback that measures how well the system is retrieving pulses and tracking changes in the pulse train. This feedback is provided in real time and may be in the form of the FROG trace error, the display of the measured and retrieved FROG trace, accuracy of background subtraction or other quality measurement. The system includes preprocessing options that can be used to adjust the dynamic range of the measured signal or to perform different types of filtering. The preprocessing of the FROG trace precedes phase retrieval processing and improves the quality of pulse retrieval.
US08068227B2 Methods and apparatus for measuring the concentration of a substance in a solution
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for detecting and measuring the concentration of a substance in a solution, the substance having an absorption at 300 nm or less. The methods and apparatus have particular utility in detecting and measuring the concentration of proteins and nucleic acids.
US08068226B2 Methods and apparatus for estimating a downhole fluid property
Apparatus and method for estimating a downhole fluid property using a carrier conveyable into a well borehole, one or more light sources carried by the carrier, the one or more light sources comprising at least one quantum cascade laser light source, a fluid sample cell that receives light emitted from the one or more light sources, and at least one photodetector that detects light emitted from the one or more light sources after the light interacts with a fluid in the fluid sample cell.
US08068223B2 Spectroscopic module
The spectroscopy module 1 is provided with a body portion 2 for transmitting light L1, L2, a spectroscopic portion 3 for dispersing light L1 made incident from the front plane 2a of the body portion 2 into the body portion 2 to reflect the light on the front plane 2a, a light detecting element 4 having a light detecting portion 41 for detecting the light L2 dispersed and reflected by the spectroscopic portion 3 and electrically connected to a wiring 9 formed on the front plane 2a of the body portion 2 by face-down bonding, and an underfill material 12 filled in the body portion 2 side of the light detecting element 4 to transmit the light L1, L2. The light detecting element 4 is provided with a light-passing hole 42 through which the light L1 advancing into the spectroscopic portion 3 passes, and a light incident opening 42a of the light-passing hole 42 is partially covered by a light transmitting plate 16.
US08068221B2 Frictional pivots for gravitational alignment
A frictional pivot 100 for use in a device measuring gravitational alignment is provided. The frictional pivot 100 comprises a gravity-responsive directional means 200 for indicating a datum direction of alignment with gravity; frictional pivoting means 300, 400 for allowing the gravity-responsive means coarsely to align with gravity; vibration means 303, 403 for vibrating one or more elements of the pivoting means; and portable power means 303a for powering the vibration means 303, 403.
US08068218B2 Water in oil measurement using stabilizer
A method for determining an amount of polar substance in a non-polar media includes adding a surfactant to increase a dispersion of the polar substance in the non-polar media and to increase the optical absorbance of the polar substance in the non-polar media to create a sample, passing an initial optical spectrum through the sample, measuring a resultant optical spectrum exiting the sample, relating the resultant optical spectrum to a predetermined quantitative calibration, and determining a concentration of the polar substance in the non-polar media based on the relation of the resultant optical spectrum to the quantitative calibration.
US08068215B2 Laser distance meter
An electro-optic laser distance meter (1, 1′) has a hand-held housing (2), an electric radiation source (3) for generating a bundled light beam (4), and receiving optics (5) with a photoreceiver (7) for receiving parts of the light beam (4) that is backscattered in a reception beam bundle (9) from a measurement object (8), with the photoreceiver (7) being arranged along the reception axis (E) in the focal point (6), extending in a plane transverse to the reception axis (E), and being partially shadowed inside the reception beam bundle (9) by a polarization filter (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″).
US08068211B2 Exposure apparatus and method for manufacturing device
An exposure apparatus for exposing a shot region on a substrate includes a movable stage, a projection optical system, a measuring device configured to measure a position of a partial region of a surface of the substrate, and a controller configured to cause the measuring device to measure the position with respect to each of a plurality of measurement points of each of a plurality of shot regions, to determine a global shape of the surface based on the measured positions, to calculate a correction value with respect to each of the plurality of measurement points based on the determined global shape, and to move the stage based on measurement values corrected using the respective correction values corresponding to the respective measurement points.
US08068203B2 Liquid crystal display device having a first axis extending orthogonal to an optical axis of a polarizing plate and a second axis extending orthogonal to the first axis, and with slit electrodes symmetric respectively to first and second axises
A liquid crystal display device includes two substrates, liquid crystal therebetween, and sub-pixel regions. Each sub-pixel region is divided into first to fourth display regions by a first axis extending orthogonal to an optical axis of a polarizing plate and a second axis extending orthogonal to the first axis. Each first to fourth display region includes slit electrodes on the second electrodes along the first axis. First slit electrodes in the first display region and second slit electrodes in the second display region are symmetric relative to the first axis. Third slit electrodes in the third display region and fourth slit electrodes in the fourth display region are symmetric relative to the first axis. The first and fourth slit electrodes are symmetric relative to the second axis. The second and third slit electrodes are symmetric relative to the second axis.
US08068199B2 Liquid crystal display device
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a thin phase difference film of a liquid crystal display easily so as not to prevent a liquid crystal from being driven so that cost for manufacturing a liquid crystal display is more reduced than conventionally. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention has a structure in which phase difference films that have the same function as a conventional phase difference film are formed by using a liquid crystal stabilized with a polymer over a first substrate and a second substrate that have electrodes formed thereover, and a liquid crystal material is interposed between these substrates. In addition to the structure as described above, it is also a feature that the phase difference film formed over the substrate is formed by using a liquid crystal that is stabilized with a polymer including a conductive material.
US08068198B2 Liquid crystal display apparatus comprising a light-detecting and controling unit that sense and control the brightness of the display
A liquid crystal display includes: a display with an array substrate having scanning and data lines and an IC chip driving liquid crystal, and a color filter substrate; a light-detector having an optical sensor integrated in the display detecting external light; a detection circuit connected via sensor laid-around lines connecting to light-detector lines; an illuminator illuminating the display panel; and a controller controlling the illuminator based on the detection circuit's output. The data lines are distributed to the chip-mounting area and have terminals at an end for connecting to IC chip bump terminals. Leader lines distribute from the terminals toward the chip-mounting area and have inspection terminals at their ends. Sensor inspection lines connect at one end to the sensor laid-around lines and extend at the other end to the chip-mounting area. Sensor detection terminals are formed at the other end of the sensor inspection lines.
US08068196B2 Surface illumination device and a liquid crystal display device using such a surface illumination device
A surface illumination device is provided with a laser light source capable of emitting a laser light, an incident surface on which the laser light is incident, a light guiding plate having a principal surface from which the laser light emerges as a surface emergent light, and an irradiating member capable of irradiating the laser light from the laser light source over a specified range extending in the longitudinal direction of the light guiding plate.
US08068190B2 Display device
In a photosensor in the pixel region of an active matrix substrate, the potential of a storage node is read out to output wiring as sensor circuit output, the potential of the storage node having changed in accordance with the amount of light received by a photodetection element in a sensing period, the sensing period being from when a reset signal (RS) is supplied until when a readout signal (RW) is supplied. A sensor startup period whose length is greater than or equal to the length of the sensing period is provided after a sensor data unnecessary period in which the sensor circuit output is not necessary, and furthermore before a valid sensor data period in which the sensor circuit output is necessary, and the sensor circuit output is read out in the valid sensor data period from the photosensor to which the reset signal was applied in the sensor startup period.
US08068187B2 Stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal display apparatus having a double sided prism film comprising cylindrical lenses and non-contiguous prisms
A stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal display module includes a liquid crystal display panel and a directional backlight positioned to provide light to the liquid crystal display panel. A double sided prism film is disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the directional backlight. The prism film includes a first surface having a series of cylindrical lenses adjacent the liquid crystal display panel and a second surface, opposite the first surface, having a series of non-contiguous prisms adjacent the directional backlight. Each of the non-contiguous prisms is separated from adjacent prisms by a transmissive flat portion or an opaque portion.
US08068185B2 Volume adjusting method for channel switching of digital television
While a user of a digital television gives a command to switch from a first channel to a second channel, a comparison between a first remembered volume of the first channel and a second remembered volume of the second channel is provided. According to the result of the comparison, a currently-used volume of the second channel may be adjusted from the first remembered volume to the second remembered volume iteratively and by step volumes so that the adjustment of the currently-used volume of the later channel is not annoying for the user. Moreover, the user is also allowed in determining a preferred volume to be the currently-used volume of the second channel. While the user of the digital television flips between channels, unnecessary updates in a volume setting of the second channel are abandoned.
US08068182B2 Multiple frame grabber
A system is presented that applies M×N×K computational units to calculating image parameters on N picture images captured simultaneously by N digital camera devices, where there are N groups of frame grabber units, each containing M frame grabbers in which there are K computational units. The data operated on by a computational unit is separate and independent from the image data operated on by the other computational units. This results in a performance speedup of M×N×K compared to one computational unit making the same computations. A master frame grabber unit controls the illumination of the N digital camera devices, and synchronizes the illumination with the clocks of the N digital camera devices.
US08068180B2 AV processor and program
The present invention is directed to provide an AV processing device and the like that allow mixing three or more AV signals through easy operation. According to the invention, an AV processing device 30 includes an input unit 310 inputting three or more AV signals that are audio signals or video signals, a coordinate point assigning unit 322 assigning a given coordinate point in a predetermined two-dimensional region in which a coordinate axis for each input AV signal indicating its mixing rate from minimum to maximum is virtually assigned, a mixing rate calculator 331 calculating the mixing rate of each AV signal based on the coordinate axis for the AV signal and the assigned coordinate point, a mixed AV signal generator 332 generating mixed AV signals based on the calculated mixing rate of each AV signal, and an output unit 350 outputting the generated mixed AV signals.
US08068169B2 Clip-on video camera system for medical, surgical and dental applications
A video camera system includes a mount with a clip-on structure adapted for attachment to a pair of eyeglass frames, loupes, or a headband. The preferred embodiment includes a camera mounted on a first pivot arm, and a light source mounted on a second pivot arm. One or both of the pivot arms are rotatable, enabling the beam from the light source and field of view of the camera to be aligned for a given working distance. Polarizing filters may be mounted to the camera, light source, or both to control glare, reflection or other undesired visual artifacts.
US08068168B2 Device for connecting a camera lens to a movie camera
A device for connecting a camera lens to a movie camera has a camera housing with a lens mount and a device for acquiring data relating to the camera lens connected to the lens mount. Said device further comprising a miniaturized electronic system with data memory for storing data relating to the camera lens such as lens type, serial number, conversion tables and the like, and with a contact region that is arranged on a data interface between the lens mount of the movie camera and the lens fastening means of the camera lens and which is aligned with the contact region arranged in the lens mount of the movie camera is integrated in the lens fastening means of the camera lens or in a modified lens fastening means connected to the lens fastening means of the camera lens or replacing the latter.
US08068166B2 Zoom camera with manual focus function
A zoom camera having enhanced focusing stability during high magnification zooming under environments of high temperatures or low temperatures. When the zoom camera performs zoom-in operations in an environment of high or low temperatures, aperture control is added as the zoom magnification becomes higher and the temperature becomes higher or lower whereby the depth of field is made deeper to assure the presence of a range with good focusability.
US08068163B2 Optical imaging systems and methods utilizing nonlinear and/or spatially varying image processing
Systems and methods include optics having one or more phase modifying elements that modify wavefront phase to introduce image attributes into an optical image. A detector converts the optical image to electronic data while maintaining the image attributes. A signal processor subdivides the electronic data into one or more data sets, classifies the data sets, and independently processes the data sets to form processed electronic data. The processing may optionally be nonlinear. Other imaging systems and methods include optics having one or more phase modifying elements that modify wavefront phase to form an optical image. A detector generates electronic data having one or more image attributes that are dependent on characteristics of the phase modifying elements and/or the detector. A signal processor subdivides the electronic data into one or more data sets, classifies the data sets and independently processes the data sets to form processed electronic data.
US08068161B2 Portable terminal with rotatable axial flip unit and dual lens arrangement
This portable terminal comprises a main unit having a microphone, a key operation unit, and a radio sending/receiving function of image and sound, a rotation axial unit having a video camera and an operation dial, an image display unit with a touch panel capable of displaying an image taken by the video camera, a received image and a screen for input operation, and a flip unit having the image display unit, a CCD camera, a speaker and an operation button. The rotation axial unit further includes an opening/shutting axis for connecting the main unit and the flip unit in a mutually rotatable way and a rotation axis for connecting the flip unit in a way of rotating the flip unit across the above rotation in the horizontal direction, and when the flip unit is opened and rotated across, it is used as a video camera with a monitor.
US08068158B2 Solid state imaging device capable of parallel reading of data from a plurality of pixel cells
A solid state imaging device has a pixel region composed of a matrix of pixel cells each including a photodiode and a charge storage portion. First and second output signal lines are in parallel and adjacent to both the charge storage portions of a first pixel cell and a second pixel cells that are adjacent on a same column. A signal voltage of a signal charge in the charge storage portion of the first pixel cell is output to the first output signal line, whereas a signal voltage of a signal charge in the charge storage portion of the second pixel cell is output to the second output signal line. The respective outputs to the first and second output signal lines are processed in parallel. A conductive layer is disposed between the charge storage portion of the first pixel cell and the second output signal line to suppress capacitive coupling.
US08068143B2 Camera apparatus with saliency signal generation
An electronic still, video or hybrid camera has a physically or mechanically operable user control receiving an input from a user and generates a binary, continuous or multi-level saliency signal while an image signal is being produced. The user control may be the same as or different from the picture taking control. In real time the saliency signal controls processing of the camera signal, or the camera itself, for example by controlling the frequency of still picture taking, or by optimising image storage in memory. The signal can also be stored with the image signal for later use, as in editing. The user control can be mounted on the camera or remote therefrom and include a movement or pressure sensor.
US08068132B2 Method for identifying Guignardia citricarpa
The present invention refers to a computer vision system for identifying the fungus Guignardia citricarpa, the causing agent of the citrus black spot. The invention refers to a method for identifying Guignardia citricarpa using a computer vision system comprising the steps of a) image acquisition from a collection disk using a digital camera connected to a microscope b) pre-processing to improve (or correct) the scanned images c) image segmentation to segregate each particle in the image d) analysis and extraction of relevant features of the segmented particles and e) identification using artificial intelligence techniques and artificial neural networks.
US08068131B2 Apparatus and method for photographing three-dimensional image, apparatus and method for displaying three-dimensional image, and apparatus and method for converting three-dimensional image display position
Described is a device and method that makes it possible to acquire image information required for displaying a three-dimensional image of an object in a space with a simple configuration and to achieve display of a stereoscopic dynamic image in a true sense with a simple configuration. Light from an object (10) impinges upon a deflecting plate (11). Among the incident beams of light, the deflecting plate (11) allows beams of light at a predetermined angle to the plane of the deflecting plate (11) to pass, the beams exiting as parallel beams of light perpendicular to the plane of the deflecting plate (11). The light passes through a converging lens (12), a pinhole member (13), and a converging lens (14) to impinge upon a CCD (15). An angle of incident light selected by the deflecting plate (11) is sequentially changed as time passes. Therefore, image information output by the CCD (15) becomes plural pieces of two-dimensional image information for which the photographing direction changes as time passes and which serve as image information required for displaying a three-dimensional image of the object in a space.
US08068130B2 Display panel and display apparatus
An active matrix type display panel, used as a display-use panel, has pixel patterns each having aperture sections. The aperture sections are set to have a width satisfying the following inequality, 0<(minimum width of the aperture sections in the pixel)/(maximum width of the aperture sections in the pixel)≦0.037, or 0.130≦(minimum width of the aperture sections in the pixel)/(maximum width of the aperture sections in the pixel)<1.
US08068121B2 Manipulation of graphical objects on a display or a proxy device
Methods of manipulating graphical objects are described. One or more graphical objects are displayed in a fixed orientation with reference to a sensed reference direction. Manipulation is achieved by fixing the orientation or position of a displayed graphical object with reference to an apparatus, such as the display itself or a proxy device, detecting a change in orientation of that apparatus and editing the orientation of the graphical object based on the detected change.
US08068116B2 Methods, systems, and data structures for generating a rasterizer
Methods, systems and data structures produce a rasterizer. A graphical state is detected on a machine architecture. The graphical state is used for assembling a shell rasterizer. The machine architecture is used for selecting replacement logic that replaces portions of shell logic in the shell rasterizer. The machine architecture is used for selectively inserting memory management logic into portions of the shell logic to produce.
US08068115B2 Image generation with interpolation and distortion correction
An image generation apparatus provides interpolation and distortion correction. The interpolation and distortion correction may be provided in one or two dimensions. Nonlinear image scan trajectories, such as sinusoidal and bi-sinusoidal trajectories are accommodated. Horizontal and vertical scan positions are determined using a linear pixel clock, and displayed pixel intensities are determined using interpolation techniques.
US08068114B2 Mechanism for granting controlled access to a shared resource
Disclosed are methods and systems for granting an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in a multi-ASIC environment controlled access to a shared resource. A system includes a first ASIC, a second ASIC, and a shared memory that stores a shared resource and a data set partitioned into fields. The first ASIC writes data to a first subset of the fields and reads data from the fields. The first ASIC includes first logic that computes a first value based on the data read from the fields. The second ASIC writes data to a second subset of the fields and reads data from the fields. The second ASIC includes second logic that computes a second value based on the data read from the fields. Based on the first and second values respectively computed by the first and second logic, only one of the first and second ASICs gains access to the shared resource.
US08068111B2 Method for increasing speed in virtual three dimensional application
A method for increasing speed in virtual 3D application is applied to a game console, which includes a processor and is used for outputting scan lines of a frame. The method includes the steps of: providing registers corresponding to the scan lines; and interrupting the processor in a vertical blank period. The step of interrupting includes: calculating 3D operating parameters corresponding to the scan lines according to an operation provided to the game console by a user; storing the 3D operating parameters into the registers; and calculating outputted scan lines according to the scan lines and the corresponding 3D operating parameters. Since the registers respectively corresponding to the scan lines are provided, the number of times of interrupting the processor can be decreased and the efficiency can be greatly increased.
US08068110B2 Remote display method and system for a monitor apparatus
A remote displaying method for monitor apparatus, comprises: converting step, for converting a plurality of graphic elements which constitute a displayed graphic on the monitor apparatus into a plurality of corresponding display instructions; transmitting step, for transmitting the display instructions to a remote display apparatus; receiving step, for receiving the display instructions on the remote display apparatus; and displaying step, for displaying on the remote display apparatus in accordance with the display instructions.
US08068108B2 Management of presentation time in a digital media presentation system with variable rate presentation capability
Techniques are provided for managing Presentation Time in a digital rendering system for presentation of temporally-ordered data when the digital rendering system includes a Variable Rate Presentation capability. In one embodiment, Presentation Time is converted to Data Time, and Data Time is reported instead of Presentation Time when only one time can be reported. In another embodiment, a predetermined one of Presentation Time and Data Time is returned in response to a request for a Current Time.
US08068106B1 Rendering cubic Bézier curves as quadratic curves using a GPU
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for rendering Bézier curves using a graphics processing unit (GPU). In one embodiment, a plurality of quadratic Bézier curves approximating a cubic Bézier curve are automatically generated. In one embodiment, the plurality of quadratic Bézier curves are rendered using the GPU.
US08068102B2 Drive voltage supply circuit
A drive voltage supply circuit has a first wire line, a second wire line, a first drive circuit, a plurality of second drive circuits, a control circuit for driving the first drive circuit and the plurality of second drive circuits, and an impedance element connected between the first wire line and each of output terminals.
US08068100B2 Method for providing human input to a computer
The invention provides a method for providing human input to a computer which allows a user to interact with a display connected to the computer. The method includes the steps of placing a first target on a first portion of the user's body, using an electro-optical sensing means, sensing data related to the location of the first target and data related to the location of a second portion of the user's body, the first and second portions of the user's body being movable relative to each other, providing an output of the electro-optical sensing means to the input of the computer, determining the location of the first target and the location of the second portion of the user's body, and varying the output of the computer to the display based upon the determined locations for contemporaneous viewing by the user.
US08068099B2 Mobile phone and method for controlling the same
A mobile phone is provided. The mobile phone comprises a touch panel, a camera, and a processor. The touch panel comprises a touch-sensitive display screen, implementing a plurality of virtual buttons. The camera comprises a camera lens having a view-finding area in relation to the touch panel. The processor, respectively coupled with the touch panel and the camera, switches on the camera in response to receipt of a trigger signal, determines whether a focus of the camera for a subject is shorter than a preset distance, and if so, locks the touch panel.
US08068098B2 Electronic paper recording apparatus
An electronic paper is mounted on a paper mounting unit on which the electronic paper is mounted detachably. When a user operation is performed on the display screen of the electronic paper, the user operation position with respect to the display screen of the electronic paper is detected by the operation position detecting unit of the paper mounting unit. The data corresponding to the detected user operation position with respect to the display screen of the electronic paper is transmitted to the electronic paper via mutual communication units. The nonvolatile display unit of the electronic paper displays the data. This enables the data corresponding to the user operation on the electronic paper to be displayed on the nonvolatile display unit.
US08068093B2 Duplicate objects
There is disclosed an interactive display system comprising an interactive surface for displaying an image and for receiving inputs from remote devices, the system being adapted to detect the presence of at least two remote devices proximate the interactive surface.
US08068092B2 Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are provided by logic structures resident on the device. The device enables editing during text entry and provides a learning function that allows the disambiguation function to adapt to provide a customized experience for the user. The disambiguation function can be selectively disabled and an alternate keystroke interpretation system provided. Additionally, the device can facilitate the selection of variants by displaying a graphic of a special key of the keypad that enables a user to progressively select variants without changing the position of the user's hands on the device.
US08068089B2 Electrophoretic display apparatus and driving method thereof
A display apparatus includes a first substrate provided with a closed container, two types of charged particles held in the closed container and having mutually different charge polarities and a substantially identical color, and first, second and third electrodes for generating an electric field in the closed container, with the third electrode being disposed on the first substrate. The display apparatus alternately executes a first display operation and a second display operation, wherein in the first display operation, the charged particles create a first distribution on a first electrode side by changing a voltage applied to the second electrode or the third electrode after a first reset operation in which the charged particles create a second distribution on a second electrode side and on a third electrode side by applying a first voltage to the second electrode and to the third electrode. In the second display operation, the charged particles create a third distribution on the first electrode side by changing a voltage applied to the second electrode or the third electrode after a second reset operation in which the charged particles create a fourth distribution, substantially identical to the second distribution, on the second electrode side and on the third electrode side by applying a second voltage, opposite in polarity to the first voltage, to the second electrode and to the third electrode.
US08068082B2 Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a display panel that displays an image in response to a data voltage, a data driving unit that outputs the data voltage in response to a driving signal, and a printed circuit board that outputs the driving signal and that has a static electricity discharge circuit. The discharge circuit discharges high-voltage static electricity, which is introduced into the data driving unit, to ground. Accordingly, the display apparatus prevents the data driving unit from being damaged by the high-voltage static electricity.
US08068081B2 Driver for driving display panel and method for reading/writing in memory thereof and thin film transistor liquid crystal display using the same
A driver for driving a display panel and a method for reading/writing in a memory thereof and thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) using the same are provided. The method of the present invention is a reading timing of memory which different than the prior reading timing of memory, so that, if using the method of the present invention in the driver even having only one memory, the tearing effect of the prior TFT-LCD can be solved and the whole power consumption thereof can also be reduced.
US08068076B2 Liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal modulation element having a liquid crystal layer and first and second electrodes, and a controller performs control for an electric potential difference applied between the electrodes such that an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer is inverted between positive and negative. The controller switches the control between first control and second control. The first control controls the electric potential difference such that one of an absolute value of a time-integrated value of the positive electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer and an absolute value of a time-integrated value of the negative electric field applied thereto is larger than the other, and the second control controls the electric potential difference such that the other absolute value of the time-integrated value is larger than the one absolute value of the time-integrated value.
US08068075B2 Liquid crystal display device
The liquid crystal display device of the invention includes a liquid crystal display element section that is initialized such that the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules is transitioned from a splay alignment to a bend alignment capable of displaying an image, and a driving circuit that applies to the liquid crystal display element section a transition voltage that causes the alignment state of liquid crystal molecules to be transitioned from the splay alignment to the bend alignment in the initialization. Further, a clock signal generator generates upon supply of power to the driving circuit, a clock signal, which is delivered to the driving circuit, as a reference for starting application of the transition voltage and for measuring a transition voltage application period.
US08068066B2 X-band turnstile antenna
An X-band, crossed dipole turnstile antenna configured to be omni-directional with horizontal polarization is disclosed. It comprises a set of two dipole antennas aligned at right angles to each other attached to a common 50 ohm coaxial feedpoint and fed 90 degrees out-of-phase. The antenna pattern is nearly omnidirectional in the horizontal plane. The antenna can be used generally in microwave communications including Digital Radio Frequency Tags (DRaFTs) communicating with airborne and satellite platforms.
US08068058B2 Antenna assembly with connectors having an internal conductive channel
The present invention provides an antenna with an integral electrical connection to a printed circuit board. The electrical connection is accomplished by providing a connection beam from a conductive layer to the circuit board. The connection beam is provided with a channel extending through the connection beam, such as a channel through the geometric center of the beam, and the channel is plated. The connection beam terminates with a contact point. The beam is deflectable to provide contact force.
US08068055B2 Positioning device, method of controlling positioning device, and recording medium having program for controlling positioning device recorded thereon
A positioning device 20 receives a satellite signal from a satellite positioning system (SPS) satellite and locates a present position, the positioning device 20 including an azimuth calculation section which calculates an azimuth of the SPS satellite corresponding to the received satellite signal, and a reception environment determination section which determines a reception environment including a multipath environment based on the azimuths of the SPS satellites calculated by the azimuth calculation section.
US08068048B1 Wireless microwave interferer for destructing, disabling, or jamming a trigger of an improvised explosive device
A wireless microwave interferer for destructing, disabling, or jamming a trigger of an improvised explosive device. The interferer includes a power source interface, a control and monitoring panel, a waveform generator, a modulated HV power supply, at least one microwave generator, a waveguide to co-ax transformer and combiner, one of an ellipsoidal antenna and a spiral antenna, and an antenna adjustment mechanism. The power source interface interfaces with a power source. The waveform generator is connected to the modulated HV power supply and to the control and monitoring panel. The control and monitoring panel is connected to the power source interface, the modulated HV power supply, and the antenna adjustment mechanism. The modulated HV power supply is connected to the at least one microwave generator. The at least one microwave generator is connected to the waveguide to co-ax transformer and combiner. The waveguide to co-ax transformer and combiner is connected to the one of the ellipsoidal antenna and the spiral antenna. The one of the ellipsoidal antenna and the spiral antenna is connected to the antenna adjustment mechanism.
US08068047B2 A-D convert apparatus and control method
Provided is an AD conversion apparatus including: a differential amplifier that generates a differential input voltage according to an analog input signal; a differential DA converter of a charge redistribution type, which outputs a differential output voltage resulting from subtracting the differential input voltage from a differential comparison voltage that is in accordance with comparison data; a comparator that compares a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage in the differential output voltage; a control section that identifies the comparison data at which the differential output voltage becomes substantially 0 based on a comparison result of the comparator, and outputs the identified comparison data as output data; and a setting section that sets at least one of a common potential of the differential amplifier and a common potential of the differential DA converter, according to a targeted value of a common potential of the comparator
US08068046B2 Methods of quantizing signals using variable reference signals
Methods for reading a data location coupled to an electrical conductor. A counter receives a signal from an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the electrical conductor. The counter produces two or more counts, and in some embodiments, the counts are based in part on a variable reference voltage. An interfuser may be coupled to an output of the counter. The interfuser receives the two or more counts from the counter and reads data conveyed by the data location based on the two or more counts.
US08068042B2 Coding method, decoding method, and apparatuses, programs and recording media therefor
An object of the present invention is to achieve high coding efficiency for a companded signal sequence and reduce the amount of codes. A coding method according to the present invention includes an analysis step and a signal sequence transformation step. The analysis step is to check whether or not there is a number that is included in a particular range but does not occur in a second signal sequence (a number sequence that indicates the magnitude (magnitude relationship) of original signals) and output information that indicates the number that does not occur. The signal sequence transformation step is to output a transformed second signal sequence (which is formed by assigning new numbers to indicate the magnitudes of original signals (the magnitude relationship among original signals) excluding the magnitude of the original signal indicated by the number that does not occur and replacing the numbers in the second signal sequence with the newly assigned numbers) in the case where it is determined in the analysis step that there is a number that does not occur. The particular range is defined as a number that indicates a positive value having a minimum absolute value and a number that indicates a negative value having a minimum absolute value, for example.
US08068040B2 Optical encoder with integrated monitor
A sensor head for sensing light modulated by a moveable member, such as a code wheel or code strip, in an optical encoder. The sensor head has at least one monitor optical sensor and a primary optical sensor positioned to receive light modulated by a modulation track on the moveable member. The monitor optical sensor provides a monitor signal that is compared in a signal comparator to the output from the primary optical sensor to detect light at the primary sensor.
US08068035B1 Weather-proof and tamper-proof audio/video display system and associated housing for outdoor use
A weather and bullet proof display system includes a casing that is nested within a headstone and has an opening formed therein. Solar panels are mounted on the headstone. A bullet proof shield is conjoined to the casing within the opening. A display screen is disposed behind the shield. A mechanism for converting solar energy to electrical energy is coupled to the solar panels and housed within the casing. A 12-volt rechargeable battery is coupled to the energy converting mechanism. A mechanism is included for converting a first DC voltage input level to a second DC voltage level, which is coupled to the solar energy converting mechanism. A system board is coupled to the DC voltage level converting mechanism and includes a mechanism for contemporaneously emitting a prerecorded audio and video output. Speakers are nested within the headstone and are coupled to the DC voltage level converting mechanism.
US08068032B2 Apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag
An apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag that can improve versatility of the apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag, and further simplify equipment configuration and reduce costs of users by enabling information transmission/reception with a RFID circuit element in and outside the apparatus is provided. The apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag is provided with a housing constituting an outer profile of an apparatus main body and communicable regions both inside and outside the housing and has a loop antenna LC that can transmit/receive information with a RFID circuit element for a label production and a RFID circuit element for an information reading provided with an IC circuit part storing information and a loop antenna that transmits/receives information and a driving roller provided in the housing and configured to feed a tag label tape with print.
US08068027B2 Monitorable locking assemblies
A key-operated remotely monitorable locking assembly including a key-operated lock including a lock body including a key operated locking assembly and a tamper monitorable lockable assembly which is selectably locked to the lock body by operation of the mechanical key operated locking assembly and a wireless communication circuit located in a least one of the lock body and the lockable assembly for providing a remotely monitorable indication of tampering with the lockable assembly.
US08068018B2 Confirming the presence of a run flat safety band incorporating a wireless device
A run flat safety band 1 has a wireless sensor 11 incorporated therein, which can be remotely interrogated in order remotely to confirm that the safety band is fitted on a wheel 4. The sensor 11 includes a pressure and temperature sensor, enabling the pressure and temperature within the tire 2 mounted on the wheel 4 to be remotely checked, by means of which remote indication can be provided that the tire 2 has deflated and is running on the runflat band 1 and also that the tire 2 is overheating and likely to break up prematurely while running on the runflat band 1.
US08068017B2 Crime-prevention system
A vehicle is provided with an identification information memory in which identification information of the vehicle is memorized, and a transmitter for transmitting the identification information. A portable terminal is provided with a receiver for receiving the identification information transmitted from the transmitter, a registration information memory in which identification information of a ridable vehicle is memorized as registration information in advance, and a controller for executing authentication between the identification information and the registration information and executing a warning processing when a result of authentication shows inconsistency.
US08068016B2 Method and system for disseminating witness information in multi-hop broadcast network
Information related to a vehicular environment is disseminated in a multi-hop broadcast network of nodes. Vehicles and roadside units are equipped with the nodes. An event is sensed at a location by a source node. In response, zones are associated with respect to the location of the source node. Each zone is logically asymmetric and disjoint from the other zones. An alert message is broadcast, received, and then rebroadcast by other vehicles according to the locations of the vehicles in the zones. The nodes can also disseminate witness information.
US08068015B2 Medication dispenser respecting the physiological clock of patients
A medication dispensing system for use with a medication dispenser, includes a physiological module and an ingestion module. The physiological module receives information regarding time-based medication intake, information regarding event-based medication prescription, and sensory input indicating occurrences of events indicative of a patient's physiological condition and/or the patient's physiological clock. The physiological module then determines physiological event-based medication intake based on the information regarding the event-based medication prescription and physiological rules regarding the patient's physiological condition and/or the patient's physiological clock. The ingestion module merges event-based medication intake and time-based medication intake by delaying or accelerating dispensing of a time-based medication. The delay or acceleration can be applied to ensure that the time-based medication is dispensed at the same time as an event-based medication, and/or in order to increase a time difference between ingestion of the time-based medication and the event-based medication.
US08068014B2 System for control of lights and motors
A system for independent control of electric motors and electric lights includes a plurality of two-wire wallstations coupled in series via power wires between an alternating-current (AC) source and a light/motor control unit. The light/motor control unit is preferably located in the same enclosure as an electric motor and an electric light and has two outputs for independent control of the motor and the light. The light/motor control unit and the wallstations each include a controller and a communication circuit that is coupled to the power wiring via a communication transformer and communicate with each other using a loop current carrier technique. The light/motor control unit and the wallstations utilize pseudo random orthogonal codes and a median filter in the communication process.
US08068012B2 RFID device and system for setting a level on an electronic device
A system in one embodiment includes an electronic device; and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device in direct electrical communication with the electronic device for selectively setting a voltage or current on the electronic device to one of at least three different levels. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device in another embodiment includes an antenna; a processor in communication with the antenna; and an interface in communication with the processor, the interface being adapted for direct electrical communication with an electronic device for selectively setting a voltage or current on the electronic device to one of at least three different levels. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
US08068007B2 Emergency responder credentialing system and method
A system for collecting, verifying, and managing identity data, skill data, qualification data, certification data, and licensure data of emergency responders. The system trusted verification of identity, skills, qualifications, certifications, and licensure, and disseminates information specific or related to identity, skills, qualifications, certifications, and licensure at the scene of an emergency. The system includes information collection devices, data storage media, information retrieval devices, and information management devices. The information collected, managed, and disseminated may include identity information, medical information, skills information, qualification information, certification information, licensure information. Data in the system is stored in multiple formats, allowing for the retrieval of trusted information in an environment that is part of a network or devoid of network connectivity.
US08067999B2 Electrical waveform adjuster
An electrical waveform adjuster capable of adjusting various voltage waveforms supplied to an electric apparatus to improve an operation capability of the electric apparatus, and to provide an electrical waveform adjuster capable of mitigating physical harmful effects on a user of the apparatus. The waveform adjuster can be provided either in a connection line between a power feeding line for feeding an alternating-current voltage to an electric apparatus and a power factor adjusting capacitor connected in parallel with the power feeding line, or in a connection line connected in parallel or in series with a power feeding line for feeding an alternating-current voltage to an electric apparatus. The waveform adjuster includes at least one mass comprised of a conductive material attached to the connection line, a ceramic outer frame formed to enclose the mass; and a non-conductive filling material provided between the outer frame and the mass.
US08067996B2 Vanadium-dioxide front-end advanced shutter technology
A vanadium dioxide front-end advanced shutter device. The electronic shutter device is designed to protect receiver front-ends and other sensitive circuits from HPM pulse events such as HPM weapons, directed energy weapons, or EMPs. The shutter incorporates a transition material such as thin-film vanadium oxide (VOX) materials that exhibit a dramatic change in resistivity as their temperature is varied over a narrow range near a known critical temperature. A high-energy pulse causes ohmic heating in the shutter device, resulting in a state change in the VOX material when the critical temperature is exceeded. During the state change the VOX material transitions from an insulating state (high resistance) to a reflective state (low resistance). In the insulating state, the shutter device transmits the majority of the signal. In the reflective state, most of the signal is reflected and prevented from passing into electronics on the output side of the shutter device.
US08067995B2 Voltage controlled oscillator, and PLL circuit and wireless communication device each using the same
A voltage controlled oscillator includes first and second variable capacitance circuits 120 and 130, and first and second capacitance switch circuits 140 and 150. A control voltage Vt is fixedly applied to the first variable capacitance circuit 120, and control signals Fsel2 and Fsel3 are fixedly applied to the first and second capacitance switch circuits 140 and 150, respectively. When both of the control signals Fsel2 and Fsel3 are at a low level, the control signal Fsel1 is applied to the second variable capacitance circuit 130. When the control signals Fsel2 and Fsel3 are both not at the low level, the control voltage Vt is applied to the second variable capacitance circuit 130. As a result of this control, a high-frequency variable range is divided into two variable ranges, one based on upper frequencies and the other based on lower frequencies. This enables suppression of a frequency sensitivity without narrowing the high-frequency variable range.
US08067993B2 Constant current driven oscillating circuit
There is provided a constant current driven oscillating circuit including: an oscillator with first and second ends; a first field effect transistor that turns ON when a signal of a lower level than a first threshold voltage is input to a first gate terminal, and outputs, from a second terminal, current that has been input from a first terminal; a second field effect transistor turning ON when a signal output from the oscillator and is at a higher level than a second threshold voltage is input to a second gate terminal connected to the second end of the oscillator, and outputs, from a fourth terminal, current that has been input from a third terminal connected to the second terminal and to the first end of the oscillator; and an adjusting section that adjusts the first threshold voltage according to the level of the signal output from the oscillator.
US08067988B2 Low jitter and wide-range frequency synthesizer for low voltage operation
A low jitter and wide-range frequency synthesizer for low voltage operation includes a detector to generate a detection signal based on a logic level difference between an input signal and a feedback signal, a charge pump to generate a control signal based on the detection signal, a filter to generate a tuning signal based on the control signal, a bias circuit to generate a first bias signal and a second bias signal based on the tuning signal, a controllable oscillator to generate a differential output signal based on the first and the second bias signals, a differential to single ended converter to convert the differential output signal into an output signal, and a programmable frequency divider to generate the feedback signal based on the output signal.
US08067980B2 Pulse width modulation circuit and class-D amplifier comprising the PWM circuit
A pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit comprises a first integrator (g m1) with a first feedback capacitor (C1), a second integrator (gm1) with a second feedback capacitor (C2) and a comparator (A0) having a first input (V1) connected to the output of the first integrator (gm1) and a second input (V2) connected to the output of the second integrator (gm2). A connection path comprising a resistor (R2) is established from the output of the first integrator (gm1) to an input of the second integrator (gm2). The first and second feedback capacitors (C1, C2) have capacities with a non-linear factor X(V) and a circuit with an inversely non-linear factor X−1(V) is arranged in the connection path between the output of the first integrator (gm1) and said input of the second integrator (gm2). The PWM circuit may form path of a Class-D amplifier.
US08067978B2 Dynamic current supplying pump
A pump system that can dynamically increase its current capability includes: a pump circuit, for producing an output voltage; an oscillator, for driving the pump circuit to pump at a particular frequency according to a pump enable signal; a limiter, coupled to both the oscillator and the output voltage fed back from the pump circuit, for generating the pump enable signal to the oscillator according to the output voltage feedback signal; and an edge timer, coupled to both the oscillator and the pump enable signal, for driving the oscillator to operate at an increased frequency according to a threshold parameter of the pump enable signal.
US08067976B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit (1) comprises a substrate voltage control circuit (10A), a drain current adjuster (E1), a MOS device characteristic detection circuit (20), and a drain current compensator (E2). The substrate voltage control circuit (10A) has at least one substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1) for controlling the supply of the substrate voltage of the semiconductor integrated circuit (1). The drain current adjuster (E1) adjusts the drain current of the substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1) by controlling the substrate voltage of the substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1). The MOS device characteristic detection circuit (20) has a characteristic detection device (m2) for detecting the characteristics of the substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1). The drain current compensator (E2) corrects the drain current of the substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1) by controlling the substrate voltage of the substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1) according to the characteristics of the substrate voltage supply MOS device (m1) detected by the MOS device characteristic detection circuit (20).
US08067974B2 Signal transformation arrangement and method for signal transformation
A signal transformation arrangement comprises a first input tap (1) to receive a first input signal (IN_P), a first output terminal (3) to provide a first output signal (OUT_P) and a first coupling circuit (10) which couples the first input tap (1) to a first energy storing device (11) depending on a first clock signal (CLK—1) and which couples the first energy storing device (11) to the first output terminal (3) depending on a first inverted clock signal (XCLK—1). The signal transformation arrangement further comprises a second coupling circuit (20) which couples the first input tap (1) to a second energy storing device (21) depending on a second clock signal (CLK—2) and which couples the second energy storing device (21) to the first output terminal (3) depending on a second inverted clock signal (XCLK—2).
US08067972B2 Filter circuit and communication device
A filter circuit includes a voltage-current conversion portion that converts a voltage signal input to an input terminal to a current signal, a first capacitor unit formed by a plurality of capacitors, and in which a current signal output from the voltage-current conversion portion is sequentially input to the capacitors, the unit adding and outputting electric charges of a group of capacitors to which the current signal is input, a second capacitor unit formed by a plurality of capacitors, and in which a current signal output from the first capacitor unit is sequentially input to the capacitors, the unit adding and outputting electric charges of a group of capacitors to which the current signal is input, and a plurality of connection nodes that respectively connect a given capacitor in the first capacitor unit and a capacitor in the second capacitor unit.
US08067968B2 Locking state detector and DLL circuit having the same
A locking state detector includes a phase comparing unit configured to compare a reference clock signal and a feedback clock signal to generate a first phase difference distinction signal to distinguish a first phase difference range, and a second phase difference distinction signal to distinguish a second phase difference range wider than the first phase difference range, and a locking state setting unit configured to generate a locking state signal in response to the first phase difference distinction signal and the second phase difference distinction signal.
US08067967B2 Phase delay line
A phase delay line comprises a phase-locked loop, a duty-cycle adjusting ring and a voltage-sharing to time-sharing converter, wherein the phase-locked loop and the duty-cycle adjusting ring form a loop, and one output of the phase-locked loop is connected with the input of the voltage-sharing to time-sharing converter. The voltage can be precisely divided, and the number of the phases can be easily controlled and expanded. The band gap reference technology enables the working points not affected by the temperature. The negative feedback mechanism of the phase-locked loop determines the period, phase, duty-cycle of the sawtooth wave are same with the reference clock. The ascending and descending time of the sawtooth wave are precisely equal.
US08067964B2 Output circuit
The present invention is aimed at providing an output circuit that is of relatively small scale and may perform adjustment to make the output-signal rise slew rate and the fall slew rate equal to each other. An output circuit includes a signal output unit configured to produce at a signal output node a signal that makes transition between a first potential and a second potential, a load circuit having a variable load, and a first switch circuit configured to select one of electrical conduction and non-conduction between the signal output node and the load circuit.
US08067956B2 Apparatus and method for calibrating on-die termination in semiconductor memory device
An on-die termination circuit in a semiconductor memory apparatus can comprise a comparing block for comparing a reference voltage with a code voltage corresponding to a code and outputting a comparison signal, a counting block for changing the code based on the comparison signal, and controlling block for controlling the counting block based on a match result of previous and current values of the comparison signal.
US08067952B2 System-level ESD detection circuit
An ESD detection circuit for detecting a level of an ESD voltage on a power rail is provided. The ESD detection circuit includes a resistive component, a diode unit, and a controller. The resistive component is coupled between a detection node and a ground node corresponding to the power rail. The diode unit is coupled between the power rail and the detection node in a forward direction toward the power rail. The controller, coupled to the detection node, is used for determining the level of the ESD voltage based on the voltage of the detection node and the breakdown voltage of the diode unit.
US08067949B2 Methods for testing lasers using optical burn-in
Semiconductor lasers are aged to identify weak or flawed devices, resulting in improved reliability of the remaining devices. The lasers can be aged using a high-power optical burn-in that includes providing a high drive current to the lasers for a period of time, and maintaining the ambient temperature of the lasers at a low temperature. After the high-power optical burn-in, the output of the lasers can be measured to determine if the lasers are operating within specifications. Those that are not can be discarded, while those that are can be further aged using a high-temperature thermal burn-in that includes providing a drive current to the lasers while maintaining the ambient temperature of the lasers at a high-temperature.
US08067947B2 Low noise differential charge amplifier for measuring discrete charges in noisy and corrosive environments
A low noise differential charge amplifier circuit for measuring discrete (e.g., pico coulomb) charges in noisy, elevated temperature and corrosive environments. An input stage of a differential charge amplifier circuit includes a twisted and or untwisted two pair cable with a grounded shield. One twisted and or untwisted pair can be connected to a sensor and a first charge amplifier and a second twisted and or/untwisted pair can be connected to a sensor electrical equivalent impedance circuit and or kept open and a second charge amplifier. The output from the charge amplifiers can be directed to a differential amplifier in order to provide an amplified sensor signal without external noise signal mainly from power supply mains. The differential amplifier and the charge amplifiers can include an auto offset correction circuit to reduce errors due to offsets.
US08067944B2 USB component tester
A universal serial bus (USB) component tester for testing a USB component that has a plug and a USB port includes a connector, a USB port, and a first indicator. The connector includes a first power pin, a first data pin connected to the first power pin, a second data pin, and a first ground pin connected to the second data pin and also connected to the first data pin via a first resistor. The USB port includes a power terminal connected to a power supply, a first data terminal, a second data terminal, and a grounded ground terminal, and the first data terminal is connected to the second data terminal via a second resistor. The first indicator includes a first terminal connected to the first data terminal via the second resistor, and a second terminal connected to the second data terminal.
US08067943B2 Test apparatus, calibration method, program, and recording medium
Provided is a test apparatus, a calibration method, a program causing a computer to perform as a test apparatus, and a recording medium storing the program. The test apparatus includes a response characteristic detecting section that detects a difference between a response time of the comparator for a rising waveform and a response time of the comparator for a falling waveform, based on measurement results, obtained by the comparator, of the waveforms and corresponding reflected waveforms, The response characteristic detecting section calculates a difference between output characteristics of the rising waveform and the falling waveform output from the driver, based on the measurement results from the comparator of the waveforms and the corresponding reflected waveforms, and corrects a difference between the response times of the comparator based on the difference between the output characteristics.
US08067942B2 Method for locating phase to ground faults in DC distribution systems
A method for locating phase to ground faults in DC distribution systems. The method includes utilizing wavelet analysis using Multi-Resolution Analysis (MRA) as a signal processing tool for recognition of characteristic features in the voltage signal. The voltage signal contains characteristic information in the high frequency range above the switching frequencies of the PE converters which allows for localization of the fault.
US08067936B2 Frequency swept excitation for magnetic resonance
A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises, applying a sweeping frequency excitation and acquiring a time domain signal. The sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.
US08067934B2 Measurement device for measuring a magnetic field
A measuring device to measure a magnetic field having at least one measuring coil and at least one sensor to measure low-frequency magnetic fields, which measuring coil and which sensor have their planes of extension each positioned or positionable transverse to the flux direction of the magnetic field. The measuring coil and the sensor are connected to a signal processing device with which, depending on a first measurement signal provided by the measuring coil and a second measurement signal provided by the sensor, an output signal that essentially corresponds to the magnetic field can be generated. The measuring coil, the sensor, and the signal processing device are monolithically integrated into a semiconductor chip. The measuring coil may also be formed by means of traces of a printed circuit board on which the semiconductor chip that has the sensor and the signal processing device is located.
US08067932B2 Advanced real-time grid monitoring system and method
This invention deals with an advanced Real-time Grid Monitoring System (RTGMS) suitable for both single-phase and three-phase electric power systems. This invention provides an essential signal processing block to be used as a part of complex systems either focused on supervising and diagnosing power systems or devoted to control power processors interacting with the grid. This invention is based on a new algorithm very suitable for real-time characterization of the grid variables under distorted and unbalanced grid conditions. The main characteristic of this invention is the usage of a frequency-locked loop, based on detecting the grid frequency, for synchronizing to the grid variables. It results in a very robust system response in relation to existing technique based on the phase-angle detection since grid frequency is much more stable variable than the grid voltage/current phase-angle, mainly during grid faults. Moreover, the algorithm supporting this invention is very efficient and can be implemented in regular industrial microprocessors. These features make the RTGMS object of this invention ideal to be applied in the control of distributed generation systems (DGS), flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS), power quality conditioners (PQC) and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). In all these systems, the fast and precise real time detection of the voltage and/or current sequence components under grid fault conditions is a crucial matter.
US08067924B2 Phase shedding converter with ripple minimization
In an information handling system, a multi-phase electrical converter includes an electrical input, an electrical output, a plurality of converter phases coupled with the electrical input and the electrical output, and a controller to ramp operation of one or more of the converter phases as a load demand adjusts. In an embodiment the converter may be a multi-phase buck converter having a high side switch, a low side switch, and an inductor. In an embodiment, the controller may ramp operation of the converter phases by adjusting a duty cycle of the high side switch. In an embodiment, the controller may adjust a phase angle of one or more of the converter phases, wherein the adjustment may be relative to the ramping operation of the one or more of the converter phases.
US08067922B2 Universal battery charger with adjustable pocket
A universal battery charger having an adjustable pocket for receiving batteries having differing dimensions. Each battery, regardless of their differing dimensions, may be firmly supported within the adjustable pocket and receive an electrical charge from a single set of electrical contacts exposed in the adjustable pocket. The adjustable pocket is adjustable, because a battery guide of the charger includes first and second ends that alternately protrude through the plane of the housing, thus providing different dynamic supporting walls for different batteries. The adjustable pocket may accommodate different batteries by utilizing different receiving areas of the pocket. One receiving area may supports one side of a first battery with a first dynamic wall and supports other sides of the first battery with stationary walls. Likewise, another receiving area may support one side of a second battery with a second dynamic wall and supports other sides of the second battery with stationary walls.
US08067919B2 Drive control system of stepping motor and drive control method
A drive control device and a drive control method for a stepping motor are provided to reduce the number of parts and generation of vibration and noise by a stepping motor. The drive control device controls a drive frequency of the stepping motor according to a measurement value inputted. The drive control device includes storage means for storing the resonance frequency of the stepping motor based on its resonance characteristic as an output-inhibited drive frequency and control means for calculating an instruction angle for operating a needle according to the measurement value, acquiring a first drive frequency of the stepping motor, judging whether the first drive frequency is the output-inhibited drive frequency, and deciding the drive frequency by replacing the first drive frequency with the second drive frequency which is lower than the output-inhibited drive frequency if the first drive frequency is the output-inhibited drive frequency.
US08067916B2 Power cutting tool with synchronized dust control device
A cutting tool such as a miter saw, arranged to have an arrangement for selectively making and breaking power of a first circuit and an independent second second circuit each connected respectively to a first motor operating the cutting tool and to a second motor operating a dust suppressor such as a vacuum device. The arrangement enables the two circuits to serve the first and second motors in synchrony and to be operated by the switch of the cutting tool. The arrangement may comprise a relay adapted to energize and de-energize the second circuit. The second circuit may comprise one or more electrical receptacles enabling the second motor to operate under control of the switch after being plugged in to one of the receptacles. The cutting tool may comprise a receptacle which is hard wired to the first circuit. The cutting tool may incorporate a dynamic brake.
US08067915B2 Electronic control circuit for a powered appliance drawer
An appliance, such as a refrigerator, includes a drawer mounted within a cabinet for movement between an opened position and a closed position. A driving mechanism, including an electric motor connects to the drawer for driving the drawer between the opened position and the closed position. A control circuit connected to the electric motor and the transmission assembly of the driving mechanism commands the transmission assembly to connect or disconnect the electric motor and the drawer, and further commands the electric motor to drive the drawer to one of the opened position and the closed position when the electric motor is connected to the drawer. The control circuit also senses obstructions and adjusts the movement of the drawer accordingly.
US08067911B2 Interface cord and system including an interface cord
An interface module is operable to download data from an electrical machine. The interface module includes a cable for transferring data, the cable having a first connector at a first end thereof, a circuit board having a programmable device electrically coupled in circuit to the cable, and a memory connected to the circuit board and configured to store data related to the operating characteristics of the electrical machine.
US08067909B2 Method and apparatus for electromagnetically braking a motor
An electromagnetic braking system and method is provided for selectively braking a motor using an electromagnetic brake having an electromagnet, a permanent magnet, a rotor assembly, and a brake pad. The brake assembly applies when the electromagnet is de-energized and releases when the electromagnet is energized. When applied the permanent magnet moves the brake pad into frictional engagement with a housing, and when released the electromagnet cancels the flux of the permanent magnet to allow a leaf spring to move the brake pad away from the housing. A controller has a DC/DC converter for converting a main bus voltage to a lower braking voltage based on certain parameters. The converter utilizes pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate the braking voltage. A calibrated gap is defined between the brake pad and permanent magnet when the brake assembly is released, and may be dynamically modified via the controller.
US08067908B2 Method for electric power boosting in a powertrain system
A powertrain system is operative to transfer power between an input member and a plurality of power actuators and an output member to generate an output torque. The power actuators are connected to an energy storage device. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes monitoring operating conditions of the powertrain system, determining an electric power limit for output power of the energy storage device, selectively enabling electric power boost based upon the operating conditions of the powertrain system, and increasing the electric power limit when electric power boost is enabled.
US08067907B2 Charged particle accelerator
In a charged particle accelerator, voltage of several tens of kV is applied between accelerating electrodes. In such a case, electric discharge is sometimes generated between the accelerating electrodes. In the charged particle accelerator, part or entirety of the accelerating electrodes is coated with an electric discharge suppressing layer made of ceramics or alloy having a high melting point as compared with metal. When impurity fine particles are accelerated by an electric field and collide with the electrodes, the electric discharge suppressing layer made of ceramics or alloy prevents metal vapor from being easily generated from the electrodes and an ionized plasma from being easily produced, thus suppressing electric discharge between the electrodes.
US08067906B2 Multi-way sensor switch
A system for controlling a load circuit is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of multi-way sensor switches for mounting in an electrical boxes and coupling to the load circuit. Preferably, each of the multi-way sensor switches includes a tactile switch for manually opening and closing the load circuit load circuit, a built-in sensor for automatically opening and closing the load circuit in response to a level of detected motion and a micro-processor for generating status signals. The status signals are transmitted between each of the multi-way sensor switches over a traveler wire that is electrically coupled to each of the multi-way sensor switches. The micro-processor then uses the status signals to synchronize the operation of each of the multi-way sensor switches to allowing the multi-way sensor switches to operate in a true three-way fashion.
US08067902B2 Electronic ballast having a symmetric topology
An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp having first and second electrodes comprises an inverter circuit and a symmetric resonant tank circuit for minimizing the RFI noise produced at the electrodes of the lamp. The inverter circuit receives a substantially DC bus voltage generates a high-frequency AC voltage. The symmetric resonant tank circuit comprises a split resonant inductor having first and second windings magnetically coupled together. The first and second windings electrically coupled between the respective electrodes of the lamp and the inverter circuit. The symmetric resonant tank further comprises first and second capacitors coupled in series electrical connection between the electrodes of the lamp with the junction of the first and second capacitors coupled to the DC bus voltage at the input of the inverter circuit.
US08067896B2 Digitally controlled current regulator for high power solid state lighting
An exemplary apparatus embodiment provides for controlling current supplied to solid state lighting, such as light emitting diodes. An exemplary apparatus comprises a memory adapted to store a plurality of current parameters; and a control circuit adapted to modulate an energizing cycle time period for providing a substantially constant DC average current to the solid state lighting in response to a selected current parameter of the plurality of current parameters. In an exemplary embodiment, the control circuit modulates a current provided to the solid state lighting in response to a predetermined minimum current level (IMIN) parameter and a predetermined peak current level (IP) parameter, such that the DC average current level (IO) is substantially proportional to one-half of a sum of a predetermined peak current level (“IP”) and a predetermined minimum current level I M ⁡ ( I O ∝ I P + I MIN 2 ) .
US08067889B2 Stacked display medium
A display medium including a layered structure that comprises two or more stacked display elements that each are provided, on or above a flexible substrate, with a pixel portion and lead line(s) for electrically connecting the pixel portion to outside of the pixel portion, and a hole portion or a cut-away portion included in the display element(s) that are above one or more of the lead line(s) of the display element(s) at a lower portion of the layered structure, so that the one or more of the lead line(s) of the lower portion display element(s) are exposed.
US08067879B2 Piezoelectric device
A piezoelectric device includes a piezoelectric substrate, a conductive pattern which is provided on one main surface of the piezoelectric substrate and which includes an IDT electrode, a supporting layer which is arranged on the one main surface of the piezoelectric substrate so as to surround the periphery of an IDT-forming region in which the IDT electrode is provided and which has a thickness greater than that of the IDT electrode, and a cover layer which is arranged on the supporting layer and which covers the IDT-forming region. The supporting layer includes removed sections provided at a plurality of positions at least in a region close to the IDT-forming region, the removed sections being obtained by partially removing a portion of the supporting layer to be bonded to the one main surface of the piezoelectric substrate.
US08067877B2 Anti-EMI ultrasonic transducer
An anti-EMI ultrasonic transducer has a conductive casing, a piezoelectric ceramic board having an opening, a conductive shelter, a first and second wires and an encapsulation. A first electrode face of the piezoelectric ceramic board faces to the opening and a second electrode face is mounted inside the conductive casing. The conductive shelter is mounted inside the conductive casing or covered to the opening, so the piezoelectric ceramic board is encapsulated in the conductive shelter and the conductive casing. Since the second signal wire is connected to the conductive shelter mounted inside the conductive casing, the conductive shelter and the conductive casing and the second electrode face of the piezoelectric ceramic board are commonly electronically connected to a voltage signal transmitted by the second signal wire. Therefore, the conductive shelter and the conductive casing are constituted to an EMI shelter for the piezoelectric ceramic board to resist external EMI signal.
US08067874B2 Motor apparatus including Lundell motor having Lundell-type rotor
A Lundell motor apparatus controls a field current passed to a rotor field coil and an armature stator coil current to generate a required torque. When the field current is If, the armature current is Ia, a d-axis inductance is Ld, a q-axis inductance is Lq, a q-axis current as a q-axis component of the armature current is Iq, a d-axis current as a d-axis component of the armature current is Id, a field torque is Tf, a field flux is φf, a reluctance torque is Tr, and a combined torque of the field torque and the reluctance torque is ΣT, the d-axis current Id is passed to the stator coil within a phase angle range where the combined torque ΣT becomes larger than the field torque Tf to generate reluctance torque Tr which is equal to (Ld−Lq)Id·Iq in addition to the field torque Tf.
US08067871B2 Permanent magnet rotating electric machine and electric car using the same
A permanent magnet rotating electric machine comprises a stator having stator windings wound round a stator iron core and a permanent magnet rotor having a plurality of inserted permanent magnets in which the polarity is alternately arranged in the peripheral direction in the rotor iron core. The rotor iron core of the permanent magnets is composed of magnetic pole pieces, auxiliary magnetic poles, and a stator yoke, and furthermore has concavities formed on the air gap face of the magnetic pole pieces of the rotor iron core of the permanent magnets, gently tilting from the central part of the magnetic poles to the end thereof. In a permanent magnet rotating electric machine, effects of iron loss are reduced, and an electric car using highly efficient permanent magnet rotating electric machine are realized.
US08067869B2 Hollow actuator
A hollow actuator includes a motor section, a reduction gear section, a brake section, a rotation position detecting section, and a shaft having a hollow shape and transmitting rotation, wherein the motor section and the brake section are disposed in a same chamber.
US08067868B2 Stator structure of outer rotor multipolar generator
In a stator structure 1 of an outer rotor generator, a pressing portion 33 provided on a first portion 31 of a connecting terminal 30 is configured to protrude inward in the radial direction of an annular coupler 20 when the connecting terminal 30 is attached to the coupler 20. The coupler 20 is formed with a circular cylindrical guide protrusion 23, and an outlet of a stator winding 5 having wound on a salient pole 10b is configured to be guided by the guide protrusion 23, bent inward in the radial direction and reach the pressing portion 33. After fusing processing, the first portion 31 on which the pressing portion 33 is provided is bent at a right angle toward a side opposed to a side with which the stator winding 5 is connected, and then a distal end thereof is locked at a lock portion 26.
US08067867B2 Motor with neutral bus ring connecting multiple motor coils
A stator includes multiple motor coils. The motor coils include multiple U-phase coils, multiple V-phase coils and multiple W-phase coils which are arranged in a circumferential direction of a motor. A neutral bus ring connects the motor coils together. The neutral bus ring is divided into multiple bus ring members. Each bus ring member connects together any one of the U-phase coils, any one of the V-phase coils and any one of the W-phase coils.
US08067866B2 Central electricity distribution member for rotary electric machine
A central electricity distribution member for a rotary electric machine, comprising connecting bus bars of respective phases for connecting, among coils of respective phases wound around a stator of the rotary electric machine, the coils of the same phases; a connecting bus bar for a neutral point for connecting the coils of the same phases wound around the stator of the rotary electric machine; a circular holding groove capable of receiving the respective connecting bus bars as the respective connection bus bars are insulated from one another; a bus bar insulating portion formed using insulating material; a bus bar-side positioning portion provided on each of the connecting bus bars; and an insulation-side positioning portion provided on the bus bar insulating portion, for performing positioning between the respective connecting bus bars and the bus bar insulating portion in cooperation with the bus bar-side positioning portion.
US08067854B2 Output circuit
A buffer driving capability control device is provided which can suppress occurrence of radiated noise due to a load driven by large driving power in the case where loads differing in driving power are connected to one terminal. The device includes an output buffer which can switch between the driving capability for driving a load requiring large driving power and the driving capability for driving a load requiring small driving power, and also includes a control period for driving the load requiring the large driving power and a control period for driving the load requiring the small driving power, and during the respective control periods, switches the driving capability of the output buffer to the ones suitable for the corresponding loads.
US08067853B2 Power supply system
The power supply system includes a generator, a transformer circuit, and a battery. The generator generates electric power of a first voltage. The transformer circuit boosts the electric power of the first voltage to a second voltage. The battery is connected, via the transformer circuit, to the generator and stores electric power of the second voltage obtained by the boosting by the transformer circuit. At least one of actuators is connected on the generator side of the transformer circuit, so as to be supplied with the electric power of the first voltage.
US08067852B2 Fluid driven electric power generation system
A tubular housing includes at least one fixed helical vane formed onto the inner surfaces of the tubular housing in a spiral and adapted to direct fluid into a spiraled flow and focus fluid onto a fan blade assembly associated with an alternator system and located within the tubular housing before a system exhaust. A generator cone can be mounted near the center and front of the fan blade assembly facing fluid passing through the tubular housing. As fluid passes over the generator cone it experiences compression between the generator cone and housing resulting in increased pressure and velocity of the fluid, thereby increasing rotational speed of the generator blades and generator as the compressed, spiraled fluid passes through the blades and exits the tubular housing. The system can be used for fixed or mobile applications in water, wind and manually induced air flow.
US08067851B2 Differential pressure generator
An electrical generator (10) powered by fluid pressure in a flow line includes a turbine housing (23) and control valve (11). The turbine housing houses a rotor (29) and a plurality of turbine blades (33) which are rotated by fluid passing from the flow line through the turbine housing. A bearing (22) within the turbine housing guides rotation of the rotor, and supports a plurality of magnets (28). Cap member (23) is sealed to the turbine housing, and a stator (40) external of the cap member generates electricity in response to a plurality of rotating magnets.
US08067845B2 Method for the operation of a wind energy plant at sudden voltage changes in the grid
A method for the operation of a wind energy plant with a rotor, which transfers a driving moment to a generator via a drive train, wherein the generator provides a pre-settable generator moment acting opposite to the driving moment and is connectable to a grid, characterised in that after a sudden voltage change in the grid, the generator moment is controlled depending from the phase position of a torsional vibration of the drive train.
US08067841B2 Semiconductor devices having a resin with warpage compensated surfaces
A semiconductor device including: a die pad, a die on the die pad, and resin encapsulating the die and forming an isolation thickness over the die pad, the resin including a mounting aperture and a major surface configured for mounting to an external device, the major surface having a non warpage compensation portion adjacent the die and a warpage compensation portion in a relatively thermally inactive zone with an approximate discontinuity and/or abrupt change in gradient between the non warpage compensation portion and the warpage compensation portion.
US08067830B2 Dual or multiple row package
A dual or multiple row package (300) is provided which comprises a first plurality of terminals (303, 304, 305) and a second plurality of terminals (306, 307), which first and second plurality of terminals are exposed outside the encapsulation at a first side of the package. The terminals of the first plurality of terminals (303, 304, 305) are arranged in a first row (301), wherein a distance between each pair of adjacent terminals in the first row (301) is greater or equal than a first threshold value. Furthermore, the terminals of the second plurality of terminals (306, 307) are arranged in a second row (302), wherein a distance between each pair of adjacent terminals in the second row (302) is greater or equal than a second threshold and a distance between the first row (301) and the second row (302) is smaller than at least the first threshold value.
US08067828B2 System for solder ball inner stacking module connection
An integrated circuit package-in-package system including: providing a substrate; mounting a structure over the substrate; supporting an inner stacking module cantilevered over the substrate by an electrical interconnect connected to the substrate, the electrical interconnect forming a gap between the inner stacking module and the structure controlled by the size of the electrical interconnect; and encapsulating the structure and inner stacking module with an encapsulation.
US08067824B2 Integrated circuit module package and assembly method thereof
An integrated circuit module package includes a lead frame having a recessed area. A semiconductor die containing active electrical components is attached to the recessed area of the lead frame. An integrated passive device containing passive electrical components is vertically stacked with, and electrically coupled to, the semiconductor die. An optional heat sink is attached to the integrated passive device. The integrated passive device is connected to the lead frame by conductors to electrically couple the integrated passive device and the semiconductor die to circuitry external to the integrated circuit module package. A cap is then attached to the heat sink or the integrated passive device to protect the semiconductor die and the integrated passive device. The integrated circuit module package dissipates heat from the semiconductor die through the lead frame, and dissipates heat from the integrated passive device through the cap and optional heat sink.
US08067823B2 Chip scale package having flip chip interconnect on die paddle
A flip chip lead frame package includes a die and a lead frame having a die paddle and leads, and has interconnection between the active site of the die and the die paddle. Also, methods for making the package are disclosed.
US08067822B2 Integrated circuit package for semiconductor devices with improved electric resistance and inductance
A semiconductor integrated circuit package having a leadframe (108) that includes a leadframe pad (103a) disposed under a die (100) and a bonding metal area (101a) that is disposed over at least two adjacent sides of the die. The increase in the bonding metal area (101a) increases the number of interconnections between the metal area (101a) and the die (100) to reduce the electric resistance and inductance. Furthermore, the surface area of the external terminals radiating from the package's plastic body (106) is increased if not maximized so that heat can be dissipated quicker and external terminal resistances reduced. The integrated circuit is applicable for MOSFET devices and the bonding metal area (101a) is used for the source terminal (101). The bonding metal area may have a “L” shape, a “C” shape, a “J” shape, an “I” shape or any combination thereof.
US08067819B2 Semiconductor wafer including semiconductor chips divided by scribe line and process-monitor electrode pads formed on scribe line
The present invention discloses a semiconductor wafer having a scribe line dividing the semiconductor wafer into a matrix of plural semiconductor chips. The semiconductor wafer includes a polysilicon layer, a poly-metal interlayer insulation film formed on the polysilicon layer, and a first metal wiring layer formed on the poly-metal interlayer insulation film. The semiconductor wafer includes a process-monitor electrode pad formed on a dicing area of the scribe line. The process-monitor electrode pad has a width greater than the width of the dicing area. The process-monitor electrode pad includes a contact hole formed in the poly-metal insulation film for connecting the first metal wiring layer to the polysilicon layer.
US08067816B2 Techniques for placement of active and passive devices within a chip
A semiconductor die includes a semiconductive substrate layer with first and second sides, a metal layer adjacent the second side of the semiconductive substrate layer, one or more active devices in an active layer on the first side of the semiconductive substrate layer; and a passive device in the metal layer in electrical communication with the active layer. The passive device can electrically couple to the active layer with through silicon vias (TSVs).
US08067811B2 MEMS device, MEMS device module and acoustic transducer
A MEMS device includes a first insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a vibrating film formed on the first insulating film, and a fixed film above the vibrating film with an air gap being interposed therebetween. The semiconductor substrate has a region containing N-type majority carriers. A concentration of N-type majority carriers in a portion of the semiconductor substrate where the semiconductor substrate contacts the first insulating film, is higher than a concentration of N-type majority carriers in the other portion of the semiconductor substrate.
US08067809B2 Semiconductor storage device including a gate insulating film with a favorable nitrogen concentration profile and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor storage device with excellent electrical characteristics (write/erase characteristics) by favorable nitrogen concentration profile of a gate insulating film, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device fabricating method operates by transferring charges through a gate insulating film formed between a semiconductor substrate and a gate electrode, including introducing an oxynitriding species previously diluted by plasma excitation gas into a plasma processing apparatus, generating an oxynitriding species by a plasma, and forming an oxynitride film on the semiconductor substrate as the gate insulating film. The oxynitriding species contains NO gas at a ratio of 0.00001 to 0.01% to the total volume of gas introduced into the plasma processing apparatus.
US08067808B2 Apparatus of memory array using FinFETs
A memory cell includes a FinFET select device and a memory element. In some embodiments a memory cell has a contact element coupled between a surface of the fin and the memory element.
US08067807B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit device
In an LCD driver IC, a high-breakdown-voltage MISFET is mounted together with a typical low-breakdown-voltage MISFET. Because the high-breakdown-voltage MISFET has a gate oxide film thicker than that of the typical MISFET, the electrode of the high-breakdown-voltage MISFET is inevitably high in level. Accordingly, the depth of a gate contact is shallow so that process compatibility with the typical portion is necessary. In the present invention, in, e.g., the channel width direction of the high-breakdown-voltage MISFET, the boundary of a thick-film gate oxide region is located inwardly of the end of a gate electrode. At the gate electrode portion thus lowered in level, a gate contact is disposed so that the boundary of the thick film is located inwardly of the end of the gate electrode and between the gate contact and a channel end.
US08067806B2 Gate structures of CMOS device and method for manufacturing the same
Gate structures of CMOS device and the method for manufacturing the same are provided. A substrate having an NMOS region, a PMOS region, and a work function modulation layer disposed on the NMOS region and the PMOS region is provided. A nitrogen doping process is performed to dope nitrogen into a portion of the work function modulation layer disposed on the PMOS region so as to form an N-rich work function modulation layer disposed on the PMOS region. A nonmetallic conductive layer is formed blanketly covering the work function modulation layer and the N-rich work function modulation layer. A portion of the nonmetallic conductive layer, the work function modulation layer, and the N-rich work function modulation layer is removed to form a first gate in the NMOS region and a second gate in the PMOS region.
US08067805B2 Ultra shallow junction formation by epitaxial interface limited diffusion
A method of forming a field effect transistor creates shallower and sharper junctions, while maximizing dopant activation in processes that are consistent with current manufacturing techniques. More specifically, the invention increases the oxygen content of the top surface of a silicon substrate. The top surface of the silicon substrate is preferably cleaned before increasing the oxygen content of the top surface of the silicon substrate. The oxygen content of the top surface of the silicon substrate is higher than other portions of the silicon substrate, but below an amount that would prevent epitaxial growth. This allows the invention to epitaxially grow a silicon layer on the top surface of the silicon substrate. Further, the increased oxygen content substantially limits dopants within the epitaxial silicon layer from moving into the silicon substrate.
US08067803B2 Memory devices, transistor devices and related methods
A memory device and method of making the memory device. The memory device comprises a storage transistor at a surface of a substrate. The storage transistor comprises a body portion between first and second source/drain regions, wherein the source/drain regions are regions of a first conductivity type. The storage transistor also comprises a gate structure that wraps at least partially around the body portion in at least two spatial planes. A bit line is connected to the first source/drain region and a word line is connected to the gate structure.
US08067802B2 Flexible device and method of manufacturing the same
The rollable device of the invention comprises a substrate of an insulating material (12) with apertures (15) extending from a first to a second side. On the first side switching elements (13) are present, as well as interconnect lines and the like, covered by a coating of organic material (3). On the second side a functional layer is present. Examples of such functional layers include capacitors, antennas and particularly electro-optical layers. Thus, with a rollable display that may include an antenna and a driver circuit is obtained.
US08067801B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device is provided, which comprises a first transistor and a second transistor formed in a semiconductor layer. The first transistor includes a first source region and a first drain region sandwiching a first gate electrode with the first source region. The second transistor includes an LDD region and a drift region sandwiching the second gate electrode with the LDD region, and a second drain region adjacent to the drift region to sandwich the second gate electrode with the second source region. The first gate electrode has a first sidewall formed on sides thereof and the second gate electrode has a second sidewall formed on sides thereof. The width of the former along the first insulator differs from the width of the latter along the second insulator.
US08067799B2 Semiconductor device having recess channel structure and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device having a recess channel structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a recess formed in a gate forming area in an active area; an insulation layer formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to define the active area and formed so as to apply a tensile stress in a channel width direction; a stressor formed in a surface of the insulation layer and formed so as to apply a compressive stress in a channel height direction; a gate formed over the recess in the active area; and source/drain areas formed in a surface of the active area at both side of the gate.
US08067796B2 Semiconductor component with cell structure and method for producing the same
A semiconductor component comprises a semiconductor body comprising a first component electrode arranged on one of the surfaces of the semiconductor body, a second component electrode arranged on one of the surfaces of the semiconductor body, and a component control electrode arranged on one of the surfaces of the semiconductor body. In this case, active semiconductor element cells are arranged in a first active cell array of the semiconductor body, the semiconductor element cells comprising a first cell electrode, a second cell electrode and a cell control electrode and also a drift path between the cell electrodes. At least the component control electrode is arranged on a partial region of the semiconductor body and a second active cell array is additionally situated in the partial region of the semiconductor body below the component control electrode.
US08067795B2 Single poly EEPROM without separate control gate nor erase regions
A single-poly EEPROM memory device comprises source and drain regions in a semiconductor body, a floating gate overlying a portion of the source and drain regions, which defines a source-to-floating gate capacitance and a drain-to-floating gate capacitance, wherein the source-to-floating gate capacitance is substantially greater than the drain-to-floating gate capacitance. The source-to-floating gate capacitance is, for example, at least about three times greater than the drain-to-floating gate capacitance to enable the memory device to be electrically programmed or erased by applying a potential between a source electrode and a drain electrode without using a control gate. A current path between the source and drain electrodes generally defines current carrying portions of the source and drain regions, and a non-current carrying portion of the source region residing outside the current carrying portion, wherein substantially more of the floating gate overlies the non-current carrying portion than the current carrying portions.
US08067792B2 Memory device with memory cell including MuGFET and FIN capacitor
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a memory cell. The memory cell includes a multi-gate field effect transistor associated with a first region of a semiconductor fin. The memory cell also includes a fin capacitor coupled to a drain of the multi-gate field effect transistor and associated with a second region of the semiconductor fin, where the fin capacitor has an approximately degenerate doping concentration in the second region. Other devices and methods are also disclosed.
US08067790B2 Semiconductor device with less power supply noise
A semiconductor device includes a first power supply line; a second power supply line; a first cell arrangement area in which a first cell is arranged; and a switch area in which a switching transistor and a decoupling capacitance are arranged. The first cell is provided in a first well of a first conductive type, the switching transistor is provided in a second well of the first conductive type, and the decoupling capacitance is provided in a separation area of a second conductive type to separate the first well and the second well from each other. The switching transistor connects the first power supply line and the second power supply line in response to a control signal, the first cell operates with power supplied from the second power supply line, and the decoupling capacitance is connected with the first power supply line.
US08067788B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate common to a first field effect transistor and a second field effect transistor, a channel layer of a first conductivity type formed on the substrate and common to the first and second field effect transistors, a an upper compound semiconductor layer formed on the channel layer and common to the first and second field effect transistors, a compound semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed in the same layer as the upper compound semiconductor layer, a gate electrode of the first field effect transistor in ohmic contact with the compound semiconductor region, and a gate electrode of the second field effect transistor in Schottky contact with the upper compound semiconductor layer.
US08067787B2 Semiconductor electronic device
A semiconductor electronic device comprises a substrate; a buffer layer formed on the substrate, the buffer layer including not less than two layers of composite layer in which a first semiconductor layer formed of a nitride-based compound semiconductor layer having a lattice constant smaller than a lattice constant of the substrate and a thermal expansion coefficient larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate and a second semiconductor layer formed of a nitride-based compound semiconductor having a lattice constant smaller than a lattice constant of the first semiconductor layer and a thermal expansion coefficient larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate are alternately laminated; an intermediate layer provided between the substrate and the buffer layer, the intermediate layer being formed of a nitride-based compound semiconductor having a lattice constant smaller than a lattice constant of the first semiconductor layer and a thermal expansion coefficient larger than a thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate; and a semiconductor active layer formed on the buffer layer, the semiconductor active layer being formed of a nitride-based compound semiconductor, wherein: thicknesses of the first semiconductor layers in the buffer layer are non-uniform thereamong, and at least one of the first semiconductor layer has a thickness greater than a critical thickness, the critical thickness being a thickness above which a direction of warp caused by the first semiconductor layer to the substrate is inverted.
US08067784B2 Semiconductor chip assembly with post/base heat spreader and substrate
A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor device, a heat spreader, a substrate and an adhesive. The semiconductor device is electrically connected to the substrate and thermally connected to the heat spreader. The heat spreader includes a post and a base. The post extends upwardly from the base into an opening in the adhesive and an aperture in the substrate, and the base extends laterally from the post. The adhesive extends between the post and the substrate and between the base and the substrate. The assembly provides signal routing between a pad and a terminal.
US08067781B2 Light emitting structure and securing device thereof
The light emitting structure disclosed includes a light emitting device, a metal frame, and a repressing fastener. The light emitting device has a plurality of first coupling terminals, and the metal frame has a plurality of second coupling portions. The light emitting device is disposed in the metal frame, and the first coupling terminals touch the second coupling portions to electrically connect the light emitting device and the metal frame. The repressing fastener is disposed on the light emitting device and fastened to the metal frame to secure the light emitting device in the metal frame. An LED securing device is also disclosed.
US08067779B2 Light emitting device with a recess lead portion
A light emitting device includes: a light emitting element; a first lead including a recess in one end portion, the recess including a first bottom surface with the light emitting element bonded thereto, at least one of a through hole and a notch, and a light shielding portion capable of suppressing leakage of emitted light from the light emitting element from the one of the through hole and the notch; a second lead opposed to the first lead; and a molded body filling the one of the through hole and the notch, covering the light emitting element, embedding at least part of the first lead and at least part of the second lead, and made of a translucent resin.
US08067770B2 Thin film transistor and flat panel display device including the same
A thin film transistor includes a channel layer including an amorphous 12CaO.7Al2O3 (C12A7) and a flat panel display device including the same. According to the present invention, the amorphous channel layer can be formed at a low temperature using C12A7. The thin film transistor including the amorphous channel layer has excellent electron mobility.
US08067768B2 Thin-film transistor display panel including an oxide active layer and a nitrogen oxide passivation layer, and method of fabricating the same
Provided is a thin-film transistor (TFT) display panel having improved electrical and reliability properties and a method of fabricating the TFT display panel. The TFT display panel includes gate wiring formed on a substrate; an oxide active layer pattern formed on the gate wiring; data wiring formed on the oxide active layer pattern to cross the gate wiring; a passivation layer formed on the oxide active layer pattern and the data wiring and made of nitrogen oxide; and a pixel electrode disposed on the passivation layer.
US08067767B2 Display substrate having vertical thin film transistor having a channel including an oxide semiconductor pattern
A display substrate according to the present invention comprises a gate line formed on a substrate, a data line, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line respectively and pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, wherein a channel of the thin film transistor is formed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and, a layer where the channel is formed includes an oxide semiconductor pattern. ON current of thin film transistor of the display substrate can be increased without loss of aperture ratio.
US08067762B2 Resistance random access memory structure for enhanced retention
A bistable resistance random access memory is described for enhancing the data retention in a resistance random access memory member. A dielectric member, e.g. the bottom dielectric member, underlies the resistance random access memory member which improves the SET/RESET window in the retention of information. The deposition of the bottom dielectric member is carried out by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition or by high-density-plasma chemical vapor deposition. One suitable material for constructing the bottom dielectric member is a silicon oxide. The bistable resistance random access memory includes a bottom dielectric member disposed between a resistance random access member and a bottom electrode or bottom contact plug. Additional layers including a bit line, a top contact plug, and a top electrode disposed over the top surface of the resistance random access memory member. Sides of the top electrode and the resistance random access memory member are substantially aligned with each other.
US08067761B2 Self-aligned memory cells and method for forming
The invention provides a memory cell based on variable resistance material memory element that includes an access device having a pillar structure that may also include a protective sidewall layer. The pillar access device selects and isolates the memory cell from other memory array cells and is adapted to both self-align any memory element formed thereon, and to deliver suitable programming current to the memory element. The pillar structure is formed from one or more access device layers stacked above a wordline and below the memory element. Optional resistive layers may be selectively formed within the pillar structure to minimize resistance in the access device layer and the memory element. The pillar access device may be a diode, transistor, Ovonic threshold switch or other device capable of regulating current flow to an overlying programmable memory material.
US08067756B2 Extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus
In an extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus generating an extreme ultraviolet light from a plasma generated by irradiating a target, which is a droplet D of molten Sn, with a laser light, and controlling the flow direction of ion generated at the generation of the extreme ultraviolet light by a magnetic field or an electric field, an ion collection cylinder 20 is arranged for collecting the ion, and ion collision surfaces Sa and Sb of the ion collection cylinder 20 are provided with or coated with Si, which is a metal whose sputtering rate with respect to the ion is less than one atom/ion.
US08067752B2 Semiconductor testing method and semiconductor tester
A semiconductor testing method capable of quickly counting semiconductor cells in which a seemingly horizontal or vertical line is drawn with a mouse, and raster rotation is performed in alignment with the closer axis. After that, the stage is horizontally moved, pattern matching is performed on an image on a position where the image should be disposed, and an angle is adjusted. The stage is moved evenly along the X-axis and the Y-axis, achieving a movement to a destination like a straight line. In synchronization with the smooth movement of the stage, a cell is surrounded in a rectangular frame by a ruler, and the number of cells is displayed with a numeric value.
US08067751B2 System and method for high resolution field shaping
A system and method are provided for a high resolution radiation treatment system which provide for projecting a field of radiation energy at targeted patient tissue. The system uses a multi-leaf collimator, which is positioned such that a significant clearance is provided between the multi-leaf collimator and the isocenter plane where the targeted tissue is located. The leaves of the multi-leaf collimator are designed to provide for high step resolution in the projected radiation energy shape. Additionally, an embodiment of the system and method herein can provide for a high step resolution in the projected radiation energy shape, and for a dose calculation matrix which has matrix units which coincide with the high step resolution in the projected radiation shape.
US08067749B2 Cleanable helical modules
The invention relates to cleanable spiral modules and a method for production thereof.
US08067748B2 Charged particle beam acceleration and extraction method and apparatus used in conjunction with a charged particle cancer therapy system
The invention comprises a charged particle beam acceleration and optional extraction method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Novel design features of a synchrotron are described. Particularly, turning magnets, edge focusing magnets, concentrating magnetic field magnets, and extraction elements are described that minimize the overall size of the synchrotron, provide a tightly controlled proton beam, directly reduce the size of required magnetic fields, directly reduces required operating power, and allow continual acceleration of protons in a synchrotron even during a process of extracting protons from the synchrotron.
US08067744B2 Method and apparatus of detecting ionizing radiation
A method of detecting ionizing radiation is provided. The method includes detecting ionizing radiation using a detector assembly having a pixelated semiconductor substrate, each pixel including a central region and a region of variable response, each pixel further including at least one anode, the detector assembly including a grid electrode coupled to a first surface of the semiconductor substrate such that the grid electrode circumscribes the central region of at least one pixel anode, the detector assembly further including a cathode coupled to a second surface of the semiconductor substrate, the method comprising, measuring a first signal between the at least one pixel anode and the cathode wherein the anode is electrically biased with respect to the cathode, measuring a second signal between the grid electrode and the cathode wherein the grid electrode is electrically biased with respect to the cathode, combining the magnitude of the first signal and the magnitude of the second signal to obtain a total signal from the semiconductor substrate, and outputting the total signal.
US08067743B2 Imaging apparatus and radiation imaging apparatus
Pixels including a photoelectric conversion element 1, a signal transfer TFT (thin film transistor) 2 electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion element, and a reset TFT 3 electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion element and for applying a bias to the photoelectric conversion element are two-dimensionally disposed on the insulating substrate, and the photoelectric conversion element 1, signal transfer TFT 2, and reset TFT 3 are electrically connected through a common contact hole 9. A source or drain electrode of the signal transfer TFT 2 and the source or drain electrode of the reset TFT 3 are formed from a common electroconductive layer.
US08067741B2 Focused pinhole gamma detection device
The invention provides a gamma detection device, a collimator for use therein, and use of such a collimator or device in imaging an object. The invention is directed to pinhole imaging with high energy photons, such as 511 keV photons. In order to achieve sufficiently low pinhole knife edge penetration, the collimator uses a plurality of focused clusters of pinholes, each with a smaller opening angle, and arranged such that all the combined fields of view of the individual pinholes in all clusters provide a large central field of view with still compact dimensions of the detection device. This is made possible since the field of view of a single cluster is divided up into a number of individual fields of view.
US08067733B2 Scanning electron microscope having a monochromator
A scanning electron microscope having a monochromator that can automatically adjust an electron beam entering the monochromator and operating conditions of the monochromator. The scanning electron microscope having a monochromator is equipped with, between an electron source and the monochromator, a first focusing lens for adjusting focusing of the electron beam entering the monochromator and a first astigmatism correcting lens for correcting astigmatism of the electron beam entering the monochromator. The microscope further includes a means of obtaining an image of an electron-beam adjustment sample disposed where the electron beam in the monochromator is focused, and based on the obtained image, driving the first focusing lens and the first astigmatism correcting lens so that the focusing and astigmatism of the electron beam entering the monochromator are adjusted.
US08067729B2 Mass analysis data analyzing apparatus and program thereof
In a mass analysis data analyzing apparatus, centroid data is used as mass spectrum data to be analyzed. First, peaks on the centroid data are specified in order of intensity as a standard peak for identifying an isotopic cluster. The isotopic cluster is detected by comparing an emerging pattern of peaks near the standard peak and an emerging pattern of peaks of an expected isotopic cluster in the case where each valence is assumed. The valence of the determined isotopic cluster is set as the valence of the peaks belonging to the isotopic cluster, and the peak at the forefront of cluster is selected as a monoisotopic peak. With such a mass analysis data analyzing apparatus, it is possible to determine the valence of each peak and identify the monoisotopic peak in a mass spectrum.
US08067725B2 Device and method for displaying image
A deviation of an optic axis of a laser projector is detected, and the deviation is corrected. Laser projector's CPU executes: commanding a laser beam source of one color, out of laser beam sources of three colors, to emit a laser beam; shutting off the laser when sensing that the laser beam is received in a light-receiving region; applying a laser of a color to be detected as to the presence or absence of a deviation of the axis until its reception in the light-receiving region is sensed; keeping time starting when light reception in the light-receiving region is sensed and ending when light reception in a light-receiving region adjacent thereto is sensed; calculating a relative time difference of each of the colors with respect to a reference color; and correcting a light emission timing of the laser beam source of each of the color, based on the calculated time.
US08067723B2 Optical filter
An optical filter includes a light-shielding conductive layer provided with a plurality of apertures on a substrate surface that selectively transmits light of a first wavelength, and a dielectric layer in contact with the conductive layer. A size of the apertures is a size equal to or less than the first wavelength, and a ratio of a surface area of the conductive layer to a surface area of the substrate surface is within a range of equal to or greater than 36% and equal to or less than 74%. A transmissivity of the first wavelength is increased by surface plasmons induced in the apertures by light falling on the conductive layer.
US08067722B2 Method and system for inspecting bottles
The present invention relates to a method for inspecting packagings for a liquid product, such as drinks, including: setting a packaging into rotation, irradiating the packaging during the rotation with a radiation of a predetermined wavelength, making at least one series of at least two recordings of at least a part of the content of the packaging during the rotation, with an image recording device suitable for making recordings at the predetermined wavelength.
US08067719B2 Apparatus and method for capturing and displaying images of the undercarriage of vehicles including one or more scene cameras
A portable undercarriage vehicle inspection system (UVIS) (100) uses an under vehicle imaging (UVI) module (110) to capture an image of the undercarriage of a vehicle. The UVIS also includes multiple scene cameras (120) that capture the associated vehicle scene images. The scene cameras are easy to view and manipulate. The undercarriage image and the associated vehicle scene images are provided to a power and communications unit (PCU) (140) through a network (130) such as Ethernet. These images may be stored in a database repository connected to the network. A notebook computer will serve as an operator workstation (150, 152, 154) for display of real-time, as well as historical, vehicular records. An operator viewing the images can enter additional information related to the images, such as comments and remarks, and archive all of the information for future reference and comparisons.
US08067717B2 Cooking facilitator
A cooking facilitator which is preferably portable and well suited for use as both a timer and cooking process facilitator having particular usefulness with cooking objects which have a characteristic associated with establishing a cooking time such as the weight of a turkey in the case of deep frying a turkey or the thickness of a steak in deep frying the same. A gas flow timer for shutting off an overheated or unattended cooking system is also featured.
US08067716B1 Cooking apparatus
A cooking apparatus includes an outer pot that has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall that is attached to and extends upwardly from the bottom wall. A heating assembly is attached to the outer pot and is adapted for selectively heating the outer pot. An actuator is operationally coupled to the heating assembly for selectively turning the heating assembly on or off. The actuator includes a timer for turning off the heating assembly after a selectable amount of time has expired. An inner pot has a lower wall and a perimeter wall that is attached to and extends upwardly from the lower wall. The inner pot has a size adapted for being removably positionable in the outer pot. The perimeter wall has a plurality of apertures extending therethrough.
US08067714B2 Squeezing detection control method for consumable electrode arc welding
A squeezing detection control method is provided for consumable electrode arc welding. The method includes a step of detecting a droplet squeezing phenomenon by checking that a change in a voltage or resistance between the consumable electrode and base material reaches a squeezing detection reference value, and a step of executing output control for rapidly decreasing a welding current passing through a short-circuited load when the squeezing phenomenon is detected, so that arc re-striking occurs in a state of low current. The squeezing detection reference value is set to a first value during the electrode positive polarity, and set to a second value during the electrode negative polarity. The second value is different from the absolute value of the first value, and each of the first and second values is set such that the resultant welding state is satisfactory.
US08067710B2 Tensioned touch panel and method of making same
A tensioned touch panel includes a support structure having a substrate with a generally planer conductive surface disposed thereon and an insulating spacer generally about the periphery of the substrate. A pretensioned conductive member overlies the support structure. The spacer separates the conductive membrane and the conductive surface thereby to define an air gap therebetween. A conductive membrane is secured to the support structure under sufficient tension to inhibit slack from developing in the conductive membrane as a result of changes in environmental conditions. A method of assembling a tensioned touch panel is also provided.
US08067707B2 Self-calibrating sensor device
A self-calibrating sensor includes a housing, an input lever coupled to the housing and configured to contact a device to be sensed, and an actuating element configured to automatically reposition an output device to a calibrated position. The sensor also includes a cam ring that is configured to move the output device to the calibrated position based on an input received from the actuating element and a lock ring coupled to the input lever. In one exemplary embodiment, the output device is an electrical contact assembly that is slidably engaged with the cam ring. During operation, the cam ring is configured to reposition the electrical contact assembly based on the input received from actuating element.
US08067701B2 I/O connectors with extendable faraday cage
An apparatus providing one or more I/O connections to a computer. The apparatus includes a Faraday cage generally about a flex cable, or other computing element, that may translate when the I/O ports to the computer are utilized. The embodiment maintains the Faraday cage for the flex cable or element as the I/O port housing opens or closes.
US08067699B2 Semiconductor element, method of manufacturing semiconductor element, multi-layer printed circuit board, and method of manufacturing multi-layer printed circuit board
An intermediate layer 38 is provided on a die pad 22 of an IC chip 20 and integrated into a multilayer printed circuit board 10. Due to this, it is possible to electrically connect the IC chip 20 to the multilayer printed circuit board 10 without using lead members and a sealing resin. Also, by providing the intermediate layer 38 made of copper on an aluminum pad 24, it is possible to prevent a resin residue on the pad 24 and to improve connection characteristics between the die pad 24 and a via hole 60 and reliability.
US08067693B2 Bus for high definition multimedia interface
A bus for the high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) is disclosed. The bus comprises a plurality of transmission lines and two clad layers. The conductive lines comprise a plurality of mutually twisted conductor lines arranged in a flat shape. The clad layers are disposed on two opposite surfaces of the twisted conductor lines sandwiching the transmission lines in-between. Since the transmission line sets are arranged in a juxtaposed structure, the bus can be easily bent for routing and coupling to reduce the installation space, streamline the manufacturing process, and reduce the overall manufacturing cost. Furthermore, a continuous extended shield can be used to penetrate or surround a cord set comprised of a group of transmission. Furthermore, the transmission lines may be covered to shield the cord set to protect the signal from external electromagnetic wave interference between the cord sets during the high frequency transmission.
US08067692B2 Cusion grip twist-on wire connector
A twist-on wire connector having a finger friendly cushion cover that covers not only the normal hand gripping region but at least part or all of the normal non-hand gripping region of the twist-on wire connector so that regardless of the way the twist-on wire connector is grasped the user fingers engage the cushion cover to inhibit finger and hand injury and fatigue from repeated securement of twist-on wire connectors as well as twist-on wire connector with enhanced gripping.
US08067689B2 EDM wire
An EDM wire having an outer coating of gamma phase brass with an overlayer of continuous unalloyed zinc or ductile epsilon phase brass entrapping the gamma phase and a process for manufacturing the EDM wire is provided. A second process for synthesizing a ductile epsilon phase brass coating on the aforementioned and other substrates is also provided. The first process includes coating a copper bearing metallic core with zinc. The zinc coating is then converted to gamma phase brass via a diffusion anneal and subsequently re-coated with zinc prior to being cold drawn to its finish diameter.
US08067688B2 Interconnects for solar cell devices
A solar cell assembly comprising a plurality of elongated solar cells, each respective solar cell comprising (i) a core configured as a first electrode, (ii) a semiconductor junction circumferentially disposed on the core, (iii) a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed on the semiconductor junction, and (iv) an elongated counter-electrode disposed lengthwise on a first side of the respective solar cell and extending outward from the TCO layer. On a second side of each cell, approximately opposite the counter-electrode, is a notch or other disruption extending through the semiconductor junction and the transparent oxide layer, thereby exposing the core of the solar cell. The solar cell assembly may further comprise conductive internal reflectors configured between a first and second elongated solar cell in the plurality of solar cells such that a portion of the solar light reflected from the respective internal reflector is reflected onto the solar cells.
US08067687B2 High-efficiency, monolithic, multi-bandgap, tandem photovoltaic energy converters
A monolithic, multi-bandgap, tandem solar photovoltaic converter has at least one, and preferably at least two, subcells grown lattice-matched on a substrate with a bandgap in medium to high energy portions of the solar spectrum and at least one subcell grown lattice-mismatched to the substrate with a bandgap in the low energy portion of the solar spectrum, for example, about 1 eV.
US08067686B2 Thermoelectric material and thermoelectric element
Disclosed is a thermoelectric material which is represented by the following composition formula (1) or (2) and comprises as a major phase an MgAgAs type crystal structure: (Tia1Zrb1Hfc1)xNiySn100-x-y  composition formula (1); (Lnd(Tia2Zrb2Hfc2)1-d)xNiySn100-x-y  composition formula (2); (wherein a1, b1, c1, x and y satisfy the conditions of: 0
US08067685B2 Stringed instrument utilizing sympathetic vibrations
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a musical instrument having a plurality of strings, wherein a global fundamental tone produces a sympathetic resonance in one or more of the plurality of strings. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a stringed musical instrument comprises a plurality of strings, and a vibration inducing device configured to create a global fundamental tone upon demand by a user, wherein at least a first string of the plurality of strings controllably produces a sympathetic resonance in response to the global fundamental tone.
US08067683B2 Method and apparatus for electronically sustaining a note from a musical instrument
A sensed signal corresponding to a note played on a musical instrument is electronically sustained by electronically combining the sensed signal with a synthesized signal whenever a sustain control switch is activated. The set of characteristics of the synthesized signal are, initially, substantially the same as the set of characteristics of the sensed signal, but may be varied over time.
US08067677B2 Soybean cultivar 8029288
A soybean cultivar designated 8029288 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 8029288, to the plants of soybean 8029288, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 8029288, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 8029288 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety 8029288, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 8029288, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 8029288 with another soybean cultivar.
US08067675B1 Soybean variety XB32E09
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB32E09. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB32E09, to the plants of soybean XB32E09 to plant parts of soybean variety XB32E09 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB32E09 with another soybean plant, using XB32E09 as either the male or the female parent.
US08067674B2 Desaturase genes, enzymes encoded thereby, and uses thereof
Disclosed are isolated polynucleotides encoding an omega-3 desaturase and a delta-12 desaturase, the enzymes encoded by the isolated polynucleotides, vectors containing the isolated polynucleotides, transgenic hosts that contain the isolated polynucleotides that express the enzymes encoded thereby, methods for producing the desaturase enzymes, and method of using the enzymes to make polyunsaturated fatty acids. The isolated polynucleotides are derived from a fungus, Saprolegnia diclina (ATCC 56851). In particular, omega-3-desaturase may be utilized, for example, in the conversion of arachidonic acid (AA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Delta-12 desaturase may be used, for example, in the conversion of oleic acid (OA) to linoleic (LA). EPA or polyunsaturated fatty acids produced therefrom may be added to pharmaceutical compositions, nutritional compositions, animal feeds, as well as other products such as cosmetics.
US08067669B2 Method for inducing resistance to fungal infection in transgenic plants using plant defense peptides
A method for the identification of peptides having an affinity for the surface of fungi is provided as is a method for the identification of peptides capable of affecting the development of a fungus. Also provided are compositions comprising peptides identified using the method of the present invention. In addition, isolated polynucleotides, vectors, expression cassettes and transformed cells capable of expressing peptides identified by the method of the present invention are provided. Such polynucleotides, vectors, expression cassettes may be introduced into and confer upon plants the capability to resist fungal infection.
US08067667B2 Dominant gene suppression transgenes and methods of using same
Pairs of plants are provided in which complementing constructs result in suppression of a parental phenotype in the progeny. Methods to generate and maintain such plants and methods of use of such plants, are provided, including use of parental plants to produce sterile plants for hybrid seed production. Also provided are methods for maintaining a homozygous recessive condition and for repressing transmission of transgenes.
US08067663B2 Absorbent sanitary article for absorbing body fluid
Disclosed is an absorbent sanitary article for absorbing body fluids which comprises a matrix containing metallic silver, wherein the silver is present bound to a fiber 24 exclusively on the surface thereof.
US08067654B2 Transition metal catalysts
Transition metal catalysts comprise (a) a source of a Group 3 to 10 transition metal, (b) a ligand having the formula: R1R2X—Y—XR3R4 wherein X is phosphorus, arsenic or antimony, Y is a bridging group having the formula: Z-(A)-D-Rm wherein Z is the moiety linking the X groups, A is a linear or cyclic hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl linking group wherein the number of atoms directly linking Z to D is 1, 2 or 3, D is N, P, As, O, S or Se, R is hydrogen, alkyl, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, heteroalkyl, heterohydrocarbyl or substituted heterohydrocarbyl, and m is 1 or 2, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are the same or different and represent hydrocarbyl or functionalized hydrocarbyl moieties with the proviso that if D is nitrogen, R is not a cyclic ether, and optionally an activator. The transition metal catalysts are suitable for the selective trimerisation or tetramerisation of olefins in particular ethylene.
US08067652B2 Processes for controlling the viscosity of polyalphaolefins
The invention relates to a process for forming a polyalphaolefin, the process comprising the step of polymerizing at least one C8-C12 monomer, preferably a decene such as 1-decene, in the presence of an aluminoxane, an activator and a metallocene to form the polyalphaolefin, wherein the molar ratio of the aluminoxane to the metallocene is less than 250:1. The invention also relates to a process for forming a polyalphaolefin having a desired kinematic viscosity from at least one monomer in the presence of an aluminoxane, an organoboron compound and a metallocene. The process comprises the steps of, inter alia, providing a correlation between (i) the molar ratio of the aluminoxane to at least one of the organoboron compound and the metallocene, and (ii) the kinematic viscosity of the polyalphaolefin to form polyalphaolefins having predictable viscosities.
US08067650B2 Process for the production of HFO trans-1234ze from HFC-245fa
This invention relates a process for the manufacture of the HFO trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO trans-1234ze). More particularly, the invention pertains to a process for the manufacture of the HFO trans-1234ze by first dehydrofluorinating 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane to thereby produce a mixture of cis-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene, trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and hydrogen fluoride. Then optionally recovering hydrogen fluoride and then recovering trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene.
US08067649B2 Method for producing fluorinated organic compounds
Disclosed is a process for producing tetrafluoropropene comprising: (a) catalytically fluorinating at least one tetrafluoropropene in a first reactor to produce HCFO-1233xf; (b) reacting said HCFO-1233xf with hydrogen fluoride in a second reactor to produce HCFC-244bb; (c) recycling at least a portion of said HCFC-244bb back to said first reactor as recycled HCFC-244bb; and (d) catalytically dehydrochlorinating said recycled HCFC-244bb in said first reactor to produce HFO-1234yf.
US08067648B2 Method for synthesizing radioactive ligand having 18F-labeled fluorobenzene ring
A phenyl tin compound is synthesized by using a derivative having various functional groups and a bromo- or iodo-benzene ring as a labeling material of a radioactive ligand. On the other hand, a novel hydroxytosyl iodobenzene compound having an electron-donating group is obtained by oxidizing iodobenzene having one or more electron-donating groups and reacting it with tosylic acid. Then, a diphenyliodonium salt which is a labeling precursor is synthesized by reacting the resulting compound with various phenyl tin compounds. Finally, a 18F-labeled ligand having various functional groups and a [18F] fluorobenzene ring is synthesized by reacting the resulting diphenyliodonium salt with [18F]F−.
US08067644B2 Process for conducting an organic reaction in ionic liquids
The present disclosure describes processes for producing cyclohexenes using Lewis acidic ionic liquids comprising the steps of providing to a reactor an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl dienophile, providing to the reactor a 1,3-diene, providing a Lewis acidic ionic liquid to the reactor; and reacting the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl dienophile with 1,3-diene to form a substituted cyclohexene product. The α,β-unsaturated carbonyl dienophile can be mesityl oxide, the 1,3-diene can be piperylene; and the Lewis acidic ionic liquid can be AlCl3:[C2mim]Cl; AlCl3:[C8mim]Cl; or mixtures thereof.
US08067641B2 Synthesis of triethylenetetramines
Methods and intermediates for synthesizing triethylenetetramine and salts thereof, as well as novel triethylenetetramine salts and their crystal structure, and triethylenetetramine salts of high purity.
US08067637B2 Contrast agents
The present invention relates to a class of compounds and to diagnostic compositions containing such compounds where the compounds are iodine containing compounds. More specifically the iodine containing compounds are chemical compounds containing a hydrophilic aliphatic central moiety allowing for the arrangement of three iodinated phenyl groups bound thereto. The invention also relates to the use of such diagnostic compositions as contrast agents in diagnostic imaging and in particular in X-ray imaging and to contrast media containing such compounds.
US08067636B2 Dihydrazide compounds, preparation and uses thereof
Disclosed are dihydrazide compounds having formula (I) or (II), wherein R1-R4 are alkylene, substituted alkylene, aryl or polyether radical. The preparation and uses for producing medical hydrogel and medicine controlled releasing carrier of said dihydrazide compounds are provided.
US08067630B1 T-butyl cascade polymers
A method for forming cascade polymers specifically utilizing the amine monomer of the formula The monomer is made by initially reacting nitromethane and CH2═CHCO2—TBu by nucleophilic addition to form the triester nitrotrialkanoate of the formula and then reducing the nitrosubstituent to afford the said amine monomer.
US08067629B2 Dispersant antifoulant for acrylonitrile
A styrene sulfonate polymer which is highly effective at preventing fouling of equipment used in the manufacturing process of acrylonitrile. The styrene sulfonate polymer is particularly effective when introduced into the quench column, the recovery stage and the wastewater processing section of the acrylonitrile manufacturing process.
US08067628B2 Water-soluble binuclear nitrosyl iron complexes with natural aliphatic thiolyls possessing cytotoxic, apoptotic and no-donor activity
The present invention relates to water-soluble binuclear cationic nitrosyl iron complexes with natural aliphatic thiolyls of general formula [Fe2(SR)2(NO)4]SO4, wherein R is sulfur-containing aliphatic ligands of natural origin, preferably, cystamine or penicillamine, to a method for the preparation thereof, to use thereof as an anticancer agent, to an apoptosis inducer, to a pharmaceutical composition comprising said complexes in an effective amount, and to a kit useful for the treatment of cancer diseases.
US08067626B2 Processes for polymeric precursors for CAIGS silver-containing photovoltaics
This invention relates to processes for compounds, polymeric compounds, and compositions used to prepare semiconductor and optoelectronic materials and devices including thin film and band gap materials. This invention provides a range of compounds, polymeric compounds, compositions, materials and methods directed ultimately toward photovoltaic applications, transparent conductive materials, as well as devices and systems for energy conversion, including solar cells. In particular, this invention relates to polymeric precursor compounds and precursor materials for preparing photovoltaic layers. A compound may contain repeating units {MB(ER)(ER)} and {MA(ER)(ER)}, wherein MA is a combination of Cu and Ag, each MB is In or Ga, each E is S, Se, or Te, and each R is independently selected, for each occurrence, from alkyl, aryl, heteroaryl, alkenyl, amido, silyl, and inorganic and organic ligands.
US08067625B2 Fluorosurfactants
The present invention relates to fatty acid esters of polyols or sulfonated fatty acid esters or sulfonated fatty acid amides containing at least one group Y, where Y stands for CF3—(CH2)a—O—, SF5—, CF3—(CH2)a—S—, CF3CF2S—, [CF3—(CH2)a]2N— or [CF3—(CH2)a]NH—, where a stands for an integer selected from the range from 0 to 5, or formula (I), where Rf stands for CF3—(CH2)r—, CF3—(CH2)r—O—, CF3—(CH2)r—S—, CF3CF2—S—, SF5—(CH2)t— or [CF3—(CH2)r]2N—, [CF3—(CH2)r]NH— or (CF3)2N—(CH2)r—, B stands for a single bond, O, NH, NR, CH2, C(O)—O, C(O), S, CH2—O, O—C(O), N—C(O), C(O)—N, O—C(O)—N, N—C(O)—N, O—SO2 or SO2—O, R stands for alkyl having 1 to 4 C atoms, b stands for 0 or 1 and c stands for 0 or 1, q stands for 0 or 1, where at least one radical from b and q stands for 1, and r stands for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, to processes for the preparation of these compounds, and to uses of these surface-active compounds.
US08067620B2 Dispiro 1,2,4-trioxolane antimalarials
A means and method for treating malaria, schistosomiasis, and cancer using a spiro or dispiro 1,2,4-trioxolane is described. The preferred 1,2,4-trioxolanes include a spiroadamantane group on one side of the trioxolane group, and a spirocyclohexyl on the other side of the trioxolane group. In comparison to artemisinin semisynthetic derivatives, the compounds of this invention are structurally simple, easy to synthesize, non-toxic, and potent against malarial parasites. The compounds of the invention unexpectedly provide a single-dose cure for malaria, as well as prophylactic activity against the same. The compounds are also active against schistosomiasis and cancer.
US08067617B2 Indolinone derivatives and process for their manufacture
The present invention relates to specific indolinone derivatives, namely the compounds of formula, in which R1 represents an hydrogen atom or a group, and R2 and R3 each represent an hydrogen atom or R2 and R3 taken together represent a group, with the proviso that when R1 represents an hydrogen atom R2 and R3 taken together represent a group, and to a process for their manufacture.
US08067612B2 Method for producing bisbenzoxazoles
The invention relates to a method for producing bisbenzoxazoles that are interconnected by means of a system of conjugated double bonds, according to which o-aminophenols are reacted with dicarboxylic acids, the carboxyl groups of which are interconnected via a double bond or a system of conjugated double bonds, to form an ammonium salt, said ammonium salt being converted in the presence of dehydrogenating catalysts and solvents with a low dielectric loss into benzoxazol by means of microwave radiation.
US08067609B2 Methods for oligomerizing olefins with chromium pyridine thioether catalysts
The present invention provides a method of producing oligomers of olefins, comprising reacting olefins with a chromium based catalyst under oligomerization conditions. The catalyst can be the product of the combination of a chromium compound and a pyridyl thioether compound. In particular embodiments, the catalyst compound can be used to trimerize or tetramerize ethylene to 1-hexene, 1-octene, or mixtures of 1-hexene and 1-octene.
US08067605B2 Process for production of piperidine derivatives
Processes are disclosed for preparing piperidine derivative compounds of the formulae I, II or III: The processes involve reacting a compound of formula Ia, IIa or IIIa with isobutyrate or an isobutyrate equivalent.
US08067602B2 Asymmetric cyanine fluorescent dyes, compositions and their use in staining biological samples
Asymmetric cyanine fluorescent dyes are represented by general formula I. These kinds of dyes may be used as a staining agent for nucleic acids, with the spectra at 600-900 nm in the near-infrared region and without interference from background fluorescence. These kinds of dyes may be useful with small-type red semiconductor lasers as the light source (such as 633 nm). Compositions comprising these dyes and methods for staining biological samples using these dyes or compositions are also provided.
US08067600B2 Histone deacetylase inhibitors and methods of use thereof
One aspect of the invention relates to HDAC inhibitors. Methods of sensitizing a cancer cell to the cytotoxic effects of radiotherapy are also provided. The invention also provides methods for treating cancer and methods for treating neurological diseases. Additionally, the invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising an HDAC inhibitor of the invention, and kits comprising a container containing an HDAC inhibitor of the invention.
US08067599B2 Imidazo [4,5-B] pyridine and pyrrolo [2,3-B] pyridine protein kinase inhibitors
Objects of the present invention are the compounds of formula I their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, enantiomeric forms, diastereoisomers and racemates, the preparation of the above-mentioned compounds, medicaments containing them and their manufacture, as well as the use of the above-mentioned compounds in the control or prevention of illnesses such as cancer.
US08067597B2 Synthetic route to 14-hydroxyl opiates through 1-halo-thebaine or analogs
Novel methods of synthesis of known and novel 14-hydroxyl opiates through 1-halothebaine and derivatives are described.
US08067595B2 Process for producing tricyclic ketone
In order to efficiently supply CPT, which is a starting compound of irinotecan hydrochloride and a variety of camptothecin derivatives, by a practical total synthesis, the invention provides a means of efficiently preparing a tricyclic ketone that corresponds to a CDE ring moiety of a camptothecin (CPT) skeleton.
US08067590B2 Pyridone derivates with MCH antagonistic activity and medicaments comprising these compounds
The present invention relates to compounds of general formula I wherein the groups and radicals B, k, L, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, R1, R2, have the meanings given in claim 1. Moreover the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one compound according to the invention. By virtue of their MCH-receptor antagonistic activity the pharmaceutical compositions according to the invention are suitable for the treatment of metabolic disorders and/or eating disorders, particularly obesity, bulimia, anorexia, hyperphagia and diabetes.
US08067588B2 Insecticidal (1,3,5)-triazinyl phenyl hydrazones
(1,3,5)-Triazinyl phenyl hydrazones are effective at controlling insects.
US08067586B2 Fused heteroaryl derivatives
The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition which is useful as a phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor and an antitumor agent, and it provides a novel bicyclic or tricyclic fused heteroaryl derivative or a salt thereof which possesses an excellent PI3K inhibiting activity and cancer cell growth inhibiting activity.
US08067583B2 Method for synthesizing furanosteroids
The present invention is a method for synthesizing furanosteroids. The method involves intramolecular Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reaction and tautomerization of a functionalized alkyne oxazole to produce a furo[2,3-b]phenol derivative which is elaborated by intermolecular and intramolecular condensations to generate ring-A of the furanosteroid. Furanosteroids and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same are also provided.
US08067582B2 Fused heterocyclic compounds useful as modulators of nuclear hormone receptor function
Disclosed are fused heterocyclic compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts or stereoisomers thereof. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds in the treatment of at least one androgen receptor-associated condition, such as, for example, cancer, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds.
US08067580B2 Isolation of DNA, RNA and protein from a single sample
The invention provides a method for the separation and purification of two or three cellular components selected from genomic DNA, RNA and proteins from a single biological sample. The method comprises generating an aqueous solution containing the cellular components by lysing cells with a lysis solution; contacting the aqueous solution with an ion exchanger for genomic DNA and RNA to bind to the ion exchanger; collecting the flow-through which contains unbound proteins; eluting RNA from the ion exchanger; and eluting DNA from the ion exchanger. For the purification of any two of the cellular components, one of the components is not collected. The invention also provides reagent kits for carrying out the methods.
US08067579B2 Nucleic acid extraction method
The present invention relates to a method for isolating nucleic acids from a nucleic acid containing sample, and a kit for carrying out said method. More specifically, it relates to a novel method for extracting nucleic acids from a nucleic acid containing sample, using an anion exchange solid support, and allowing this solid phase with the nucleic acid bound thereto to react with a compound which is also capable of binding to said anion exchange solid support and which optionally provides additional charges at the surface of the anion exchange solid material, thereby preferably changing the surface charge density of the solid support and then releasing the nucleic acid from the solid support, eliminating the need for high salt and/or high pH elution buffers.
US08067577B2 Methods and compositions for the treatment of intestinal conditions
Methods and compositions for the treatment of intestinal disorders, such as IBD and Crohn's disease, are disclosed. Preferred compositions include siNA. Also disclosed is a method of specifically targeting siNA to treat intestinal disorders by intrarectal administration of siNA compounds.
US08067575B2 RNA interference mediated inhibition of cyclin D1 gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA)
This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating cyclin (e.g., cyclin D1) and/or cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of cyclin (e.g., cyclin D1) and/or cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of cyclin (e.g., cyclin D1) and/or cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) genes.
US08067574B2 Nucleic acid agents for downregulating H19, and methods of using same
Isolated oligonucleotides capable of down-regulating H19 mRNA in cancer cells are disclosed, as well as pharmaceutical compositions that include the oligonucleotides and methods of treatment of cancer using them. Methods of treating cancer comprising administering agents capable of downregulating H19 mRNA in combination with an additional anti-cancer treatment are further disclosed.
US08067570B2 Therapeutic uses of inhibitors of RTP801
The present invention provides novel molecules, compositions, methods and uses for treating microvascular disorders, eye diseases respiratory conditions and hearing disorders based upon inhibition of the RTP801 gene and/or protein.
US08067568B2 Method for diagnosing spinal muscular atrophy
A method for diagnosing spinal muscular atrophy is provided. The method includes providing a biological sample of a subject containing a nucleotide of SMN gene, amplifying SMN exons 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 by a universal multiplex PCR using the nucleotide as a template and the primers to obtain fragments of the SMN exons 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, labeling the fragments of the SMN exons 1, 2a, 2b, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 by a fluorescent primer to obtain fluorescence-labeled exon fragments, and analyzing the fluorescence-labeled exon fragments by a capillary electrophoresis. If the SMN1/SMN2 ratios in exon 7 and 8 are different, it indicates that the subject is susceptible to spinal muscular atrophy. Additionally, if the peak of certain exon fragment appears crossed, it indicates an intragenic mutation in the exon.
US08067566B2 Dengue serotype 2 attenuated strain
The invention relates to live attenuated VDV2 (VERO-Derived Vaccine Dengue serotype 2) strains which have been derived from the wild-type dengue-2 strain 16681 by passaging on PDK and Vero cells and nucleic acids thereof. The invention further relates to a vaccine composition which comprises a VDV2 strain.
US08067564B2 Methods of obtaining a specific binding member that binds eotaxin
Specific binding members directed to eotaxin-1, in particular human antibodies and antibody fragments against human eotaxin-1 and especially those which neutralize eotaxin-1 activity. The antibodies VH and/or VL domain of the scFv fragment herein termed CAT-212 and of the IgG4 antibody herein termed CAT 213. One or more complementary determining regions (CDRs) of the CAT-212/-213 VH and/or VL domains, especially VH CRD3 in other antibody framework regions. Compositions containing specific binding members, and their use in methods of inhibiting or neutralizing eotaxin, including methods of treatment of the human or animal body by therapy.
US08067563B2 Tumor suppressor gene, p471NG3
The invention provides isolated nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of novel human tumor suppressors, antibodies to such tumor suppressors, methods of detecting such nucleic acids and proteins, methods of screening for modulators of tumor suppressors, and methods of diagnosing and treating tumors with such nucleic acids and proteins.
US08067560B2 SRSV detection kit
This invention relates to an SRSV detection kit comprising all antibodies against SRSV-related virus constituting peptides selected from the following peptide groups (a) to (k), respectively: (a) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and the like, (b) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2, and the like, (c) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3, and the like, (d) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4, and the like, (e) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 5, and the like, (f) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 6, and the like, (g) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 7, and the like, (h) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 8, and the like, (i) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 9, and the like, (j) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 10, and the like, and (k) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 11, and the like.Use of the kit makes it possible to detect most SRSV-related viruses and further to distinguish their serotypes and genogroups, easily and surely.
US08067559B2 Yeast-based vaccines as immunotherapy
Compositions and methods for treating and/or preventing a variety of diseases and conditions that are amenable to immunotherapy and, in one particular embodiment, compositions and methods for treating and/or preventing cancer in an animal are described. Specifically improvements related to the use of a yeast-based vaccine comprising a yeast vehicle and an antigen that is selected to elicit an antigen-specific cellular and humoral immune response in an animal, for use in prophylactic and/or therapeutic vaccination and the prevention and/or treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions are disclosed.
US08067557B2 OCL-2A3 compositions and uses thereof
This invention relates to osteoclast-specific genes and proteins. Specifically, the invention relates to OCL-2A3 or Atp6v0d2, the gene encoding it and uses thereof in methods and treatment of bone disorders.
US08067554B2 Ion exchange chromatography of GLP-1, analogs and derivatives thereof
The present invention relates to an ion exchange chromatography process for purifying GLP-1 or an analog or a derivative thereof from a mixture containing said GLP-1 and related impurities, and to an industrial method including such ion exchange chromatography process.
US08067549B2 Humanized antibodies and compositions for binding sphingosine-1-phosphate
The present invention relates to anti-S1P agents, particularly humanized monoclonal antibodies (and antigen binding fragments thereof) specifically reactive with S1P, compositions containing such antibodies (or fragments), and the use of such antibodies (or fragments), for example, to treat diseases and conditions associated with aberrant levels of S1P.
US08067548B2 Fusion proteins having mutated immunoglobulin hinge region
A fusion protein having a non-immunoglobulin polypeptide having a cysteine residue proximal to the C terminal thereof, and an immunoglobulin component with a mutated hinge region is provided. The mutation comprises a point mutated site corresponding in position to the position in a native hinge region of the cysteine residue located nearest the cysteine residue of the non-Ig component. The distance from the cysteine residue of the non-immunoglobulin polypeptide and any remaining cysteine residues of the mutated hinge region is sufficient to prevent the formation of a disulphide bond therebetween.
US08067546B2 Humanized anti-CD70 binding agents and uses thereof
Disclosed are CD70 binding agents, such as humanized anti-CD70 antibodies and fragments and derivatives, that exert a cytotoxic, cytostatic or immunomodulatory on CD70 expressing cells, as well as pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising the antibody, fragment or derivative. Also disclosed are methods for the treatment of CD70-expressing cancers and immunological disorders, comprising administering to a subject the CD70 binding agents or pharmaceutical compositions.
US08067545B2 Isolated antibodies against biologically active leptin-related peptides
The present invention relates to methods and compositions containing novel leptin peptides, preferably for the modulation of body mass (i.e., weight), more specifically for novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications in homeostasis of body weight and adipose tissue mass.
US08067543B2 Factor VIII polymer conjugates
The invention is a proteinaceous construct comprising a Factor VIII molecule which is conjugated to a water-soluble polymer via carbohydrate moieties of Factor VIII, and methods of preparing same.
US08067541B2 Highly thermostable fluorescent proteins
Thermostable fluorescent proteins (TSFPs), methods for generating these and other stability-enhanced proteins, polynucleotides encoding such proteins, and assays and method for using the TSFPs and TSFP-encoding nucleic acid molecules are provided. The TSFPs of the invention show extremely enhanced levels of stability and thermotolerance. In one case, for example, a TSFP of the invention is so stable it can be heated to 99° C. for short periods of time without denaturing, and retains 85% of its fluorescence when heated to 80° C. for several minutes. The invention also provides a method for generating stability-enhanced variants of a protein, including but not limited to fluorescent proteins.
US08067539B2 T1R taste receptors and genes encoding same
Newly identified mammalian taste-cell-specific G protein-coupled receptors, and the genes and cDNA encoding said receptors are described. Specifically, T1R G protein-coupled receptors active in taste signaling, and the genes and cDNA encoding the same, are described, along with methods for isolating such genes and for isolating and expressing such receptors. Methods for representing taste perception of a particular taste stimulus in a mammal are also described, as are methods for generating novel molecules or combinations of molecules that elicit a predetermined taste perception in a mammal, and methods for simulating one or more tastes. Further, methods for stimulating or blocking taste perception in a mammal are also disclosed.
US08067537B2 Composition and method for treatment of stomatitis
A composition and a method effective in preventing or treating stomatitis are presented. The composition contains glutathione or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and/or orotic acid or a derivative thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is provided.
US08067529B2 Immunogenic T-helper epitopes from human tumour antigens and immunotherapeutic methods using said epitopes
The present invention relates to immunotherapeutic methods, and molecules and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer, in particular renal cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumour-associated T-helper cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumour-associated peptides, that serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions which stimulate anti-tumour immune responses. In particular, the present invention relates to 338 novel peptide sequences derived from HLA class II molecules of human tumour cell lines which can be used in vaccine compositions for eliciting anti-tumour immune responses.
US08067527B2 Polyamic acid and polyimide
A polyamic acid comprising at least 10 mol % repeating units represented by the formula [1] or [2]; and a polyimide represented by the formula [3] or [4] which is obtained from the polyamic acid. A polyimide film having high heat resistance and satisfactory in light-transmitting properties and tensile strength is obtained from the polyamic acid. (In the formulae, R1 and R2 each independently represents hydrogen or C1-10 alkyl; R3 and R4 each independently represents hydrogen, halogeno, C1-10alkyl, or phenyl or the R3 and R4 on adjoining carbon atoms are bonded to each other to form C3-8 cycloalkyl or phenyl; R5 represents a divalent organic group; and n is an integer of 2 or larger.)
US08067524B2 Use of hydrophobically modified polyaminamides with polyethylene glycol esters in paper products
The present invention uses hydrophobically modified polyaminamide with standard wet strength agent to produce a softer and more absorbent paper material. The hydrophobically modified polyaminamide is substantive to cellulosic fibers, thus is able to carry polyethylene glycol esters or ethers, a non-substantive material to cellulosic fiber as stable complexes, into the paper product.
US08067522B2 Low viscosity, alkoxysilane-functional prepolymers and a process for their preparation
The present invention relates to a process for preparing alkoxysilane-functional prepolymers by reacting A) 1.0 equivalent of a polyol component have a number average molecular weight of 3000 g/mol to 20,000 g/mol and containing one or more polyoxyalkylene polyols or polyoxyalkylene polyol prepolymers with B) 1.05 to 1.50 equivalent of an isocyanate- and alkoxysilane-functional compound of formula I) wherein X, Y, and Z independently of one another are linear or branched C1-C8 alkyl or C1-C8 alkoxy radicals, wherein at least one of the radicals is a C1-C8 alkoxy group and R is an organic radical having a functionality of at least two, and subsequently further reacting the remaining free NCO groups by allophanatization or by reaction with C) an isocyanate-reactive component. The present invention also relates to the alkoxysilane-functional prepolymers obtained by the process of the invention.
US08067515B2 Method of producing an acrylic acid-based polymer
Disclosed is a method for producing a polymer through living polymerization, comprising forming an oligomer having a polymerization active end, which is an oligomer higher than an average 1.0-mer and lower than an average 4.0-mer or an average 4.0-mer, and polymerizing using the oligomer having a polymerization active end as an initiating species, wherein the acrylic acid-based polymer comprising a repeating unit derived from a poly(α-lower alkyl)acrylate, and a repeating unit derived from an (α-lower alkyl)acrylic ester represented by formula (I) wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group, and R2 represents an organic group having a polar group in an arm portion.
US08067513B2 Styrenated phenol ethoxylates in emulsion polymerization
The present invention relates to the use of Styrenated Phenol Ethoxylates as surfactants in emulsion polymerization. The present invention further relates to the use of both anionic and nonionic Styrenated Phenol Ethoxylates in emulsion polymerization. Latexes with small average particle and narrow particle size distributions are obtained. Prepared latexes also have low coagulum levels and exhibit excellent mechanical and chemical stability.
US08067511B2 Ethylene copolymer and a method of preparing the same
Provided are ethylene copolymers and a process for preparing the same. More specifically, provided are ethylene copolymers exhibiting excellent processibility and physical properties due to its multimodal molecular weight distribution index, through a multi-stage process by using reactors connected in series or in parallel in the presence of catalyst composition containing transition metal catalyst, and a process for preparing the same.
US08067509B2 Reactor systems and processes for using the same
A process for the polymerization of olefin's, including: introducing an olefin and a polymerization catalyst into a polymerization reactor to form a polyolefin, the polymerization reactor including: a fluidized bed region having a top and a bottom; and a motive bed region; wherein a first end of the motive bed region is fluidly connected to the top of the fluidized bed region; and wherein a second end of the motive bed region is fluidly connected to the bottom of the fluidized bed region; and wherein a diameter of the fluidized bed region is greater than a diameter of the motive bed region; circulating at least a portion of the olefin, the catalyst, and the polyolefin through the fluidized bed region and the motive bed region; maintaining a dense-phase fluidized bed within the fluidized bed region; recovering polyolefin from the fluidized bed region, is provided. A reactor system directed to the process is also provided.
US08067508B2 Compositions consisting of partially silyl-terminated polymers
This disclosure relates to a curable composition comprising at least one polymer A with at least one reactive silyl group and at least one polymer B with at least one reactive silyl group, the number of reactive silyl groups in the polymer A being greater or equal to the number of silyl groups in polymer B and the reactive silyl groups being capable of cross-linking to form siloxane bonds. The disclosure also relates to preparations containing a composition of this type and to the use of said compositions.
US08067505B2 Method of preparing carboxylic acid functionalized polymers
Methods for preparing water soluble, non-peptidic polymers carrying carboxyl functional groups, particularly carboxylic acid functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymers are disclosed, as are the products of these methods. In general, an ester reagent R(C═0)OR′, wherein R′ is a tertiary group and R comprises a functional group X, is reacted with a water soluble, non-peptidic polymer POLY-Y, where Y is a functional group which reacts with X to form a covalent bond, to form a tertiary ester of the polymer, which is then treated with a strong base in aqueous solution, to form a carboxylate salt of the polymer. Typically, this carboxylate salt is then treated with an inorganic acid in aqueous solution, to convert the carboxylate salt to a carboxylic acid, thereby forming a carboxylic acid functionalized polymer.
US08067500B2 Curable composition, bonding method and assembly
A curable composition and an adhesive which exhibit a temporarily fixing effect very quickly and which are completely cured quickly at room temperature, and a bonding method using such a composition. The curable composition including a component (A)], which is a polymerizable acrylic liquid composition, a component (B), which is cumene hydroperoxide, a component (C), which is a reducing agent containing vanadium or copper, or a reducing agent comprising ethylene thiourea, and a component (D), which is a basic compound having a primary, secondary, or tertiary amine structure.
US08067497B2 Flame-retardant for engineering thermoplastic applications
This invention provides a flame retardant for polymeric compositions which is a mixture consisting of high molecular weight brominated epoxides modified with tribromophenol, having a low content of organic solvents. The invention further relates to a method for the preparation of the retardant, and to its use in flame retarded engineering thermoplastics having good chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties.
US08067496B2 Curable silicone impression materials with high tear strength and low consistency
The invention relates to curable silicone compositions which contain silane based crosslinkers and a mixture of different organopolysiloxanes. The compositions are particularly suitable as curable impression materials in dental applications.
US08067494B2 Magnesium hydroxide-based flame retardant compositions made via in-situ hydration of polymer compounds comprising magnesium oxide
Magnesium oxide (MgO) compounded into a polymer can subsequently be hydrated in-situ within the polymer to form magnesium hydroxide. In the case of silane-based or peroxide-based crosslinkable resins, the MgO hydration and polymer crosslinking can be done in a single process step, or in sequential steps. In the case of non-crosslinkable compounds, hydration can be carried out after compounding (no crosslinking step). In all cases, steam CV, sauna, or hot water bath are options for hydration. This approach enables preparation of polymer compounds that are flame retarded with metal hydrates yet free of the traditional limitations posed by shelf instability, extrusion scorch, undesired dehydration, and processing temperature limitations posed by metal hydrates.
US08067489B2 Polymer blend nanocomposites using nanocompatibilizer and method of manufacture thereof
The invention for the nanocompatibilizer composed of a nanoclay and a compatibilizer prepared through a melt blending process is disclosed. The enhanced mechanical properties stemming from the increased compatibility for metallocene polyethylene/starch blends are attained with the addition of the nanocompatibilizer, in comparison with neat compatibilizer, which signified the role of nanocompatibilizer in the derived nanocomposites.
US08067488B2 Cellulose solutions comprising tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate and products produced therefrom
This invention relates a cellulose solution comprising cellulose and at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate and processes to produce the cellulose solution. Another aspect of this invention relates to shaped articles prepared from a cellulose solution comprising cellulose and at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate. Another embodiment of this invention relates to compositions comprising derivatives of cellulose prepared from a cellulose solution comprising at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate. Another embodiment of this invention relates to compositions comprising regioselectively substituted cellulose esters prepared from a cellulose solution comprising cellulose and at least one tetraalkylammonium alkylphosphate. In another embodiment of the invention, the cellulose esters of the present invention are used as protective and compensation films for liquid crystalline displays.
US08067487B2 Method of making and use of a heavy duty pavement structure
The present invention is directed to a heavy duty pavement structure comprising an open-graded asphalt layer fortified with a non-segregating grout mixture. The heavy duty pavement structure is made through the steps including forming an open-graded asphalt layer and then fortifying the layer with a non-segregating grout mixture that includes a predetermined amount of portland cement, sand and cement binder system.
US08067478B1 Process for preparing polymer reinforced silica aerogels
Process for preparing polymer-reinforced silica aerogels which comprises a one-pot reaction of at least one alkoxy silane in the presence of effective amounts of a polymer precursor to obtain a silica reaction product, the reaction product is gelled and subsequently subjected to conditions that promotes polymerization of the precursor and then supercritically dried to obtain the polymer-reinforced monolithic silica aerogels.
US08067476B2 Foamed thermoplastic polyurethanes
Process for the preparation of foamed thermoplastic polyurethanes characterised in that the foaming of the thermoplastic polyurethane is carried out in the presence of thermally expandable microspheres.
US08067472B2 Methods of treating Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
The present invention provides methods of selectively inducing terminal differentiation, cell growth arrest and/or apoptosis of neoplastic cells, and/or inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) by administration of pharmaceutical compositions comprising potent HDAC inhibitors. The oral bioavailability of the active compounds in the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention is surprisingly high. Moreover, the pharmaceutical compositions unexpectedly give rise to high, therapeutically effective blood levels of the active compounds over an extended period of time. The present invention further provides a safe, daily dosing regimen of these pharmaceutical compositions, which is easy to follow, and which results in a therapeutically effective amount of the HDAC inhibitors in vivo.
US08067463B2 Protease inhibitor precursor synthesis
The present invention provides a compound having the structure (I) and processes for the production thereof and the intermediates used in such process.
US08067462B2 Processes of making sesquiterpenoid tashironin, its analogs and their uses
A compound having the structure of the formula (genus of compound 1 excluding Tashironin or Debenzoyltashironin) and methods of the same.
US08067461B2 3-acyl coumarins, thiochromones and quinolones and therapeutic uses thereof
Compounds of Formula I: wherein R1, R2, M, Q and n are as defined herein, are useful as antiproliferative agents including, for example, as anticancer agents.
US08067460B2 5-phenoxyalkoxypsoralens and methods for selective inhibition of the voltage gated Kv1.3 potassium channel
Compositions of matter comprising 5-phenoxyalkoxypsoralen compounds and their method of synthesis and use. The compounds are useable to treat diseases or disorders in human or animal subjects, including autoimmune diseases. The compounds inhibit potassium channels, including the Kv1.3 channel and at least some of the therapeutic effects of such compounds may be due at least in part to potassium channel inhibition. In some embodiments, the compounds are more selective for certain potassium channels (e.g., Kv1.3 channels) than other potassium channels (e.g., Kv1.5 channels).
US08067457B2 Compounds useful as antagonists of CCR2
The present invention provides compounds of general formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X, n, Y, and R1 are defined generally and in subsets herein. Compounds of the invention are inhibitors of CCR2 and accordingly are useful for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory, allergic, and autoimmune diseases, disorders, or conditions.
US08067456B2 Tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives having improved biological action and improved solubility as ligands of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCPs)
The present invention provides novel tetrahydrocarbazole derivatives which have improved properties and which can be employed as inhibitors of GPCRs. This results in the possibility of using the novel compounds to treat pathological conditions whose severity depends on the pathobiochemical effect of GPCRs. The compounds of the invention act in particular via an antagonistic inhibition of the LHRH receptor. The invention further provides medicaments which comprise one or more of the novel compounds as active ingredient. The medicaments are suitable in particular to be employed in an oral dosage form for a mammal, in particular a human.
US08067455B2 Amino acid derived prodrugs of propofol, compositions, uses and crystalline forms thereof
The present invention provides a prodrug of propofol and crystalline forms thereof, methods of making the propofol prodrug and crystalline forms thereof, pharmaceutical compositions of the propofol prodrug and crystalline forms thereof, methods of using the propofol prodrug and crystalline forms thereof and pharmaceutical compositions thereof to treat diseases or disorders such as headache pain, post-chemotherapy or post-operative surgery nausea and vomiting, neurodegenerative disorders, and mood disorders.
US08067454B2 Thio-substituted Anthra [1, 2-d] imidazole- 6, 11-dione derivatives, preparation method and application thereof
A series of novel thio-substituted anthra[1,2-d]imidazole-6,11-dione derivatives, and the preparation method and application of said derivatives, said application having a pharmaceutical composition containing said derivatives with therapeutically effective amount for treating cancer, and said application involves effects of said derivatives for inhibiting telomerase activity, inhibiting the growth of cancer cell, treating cancer and the like.
US08067445B2 N,N-disubstituted aminoalkylbiphenyl antagonists of prostaglandin D2 receptors
Described herein are compounds that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described herein are methods of using such antagonists of PGD2 receptors, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating respiratory, cardiovascular, and other PGD2-dependent or PGD2-mediated conditions or diseases.
US08067443B2 Arylvinylazacycloalkane compounds and methods of preparation and use thereof
Novel vinylazacycloalkane compounds of Formula (I) are disclosed. The compounds are ligands of various nAChRs. The compounds and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be used to prepare pharmaceutical compositions and/or medicaments intended to prevent or treat disorders associated with dysfunction of nAChRs, especially within the central nervous system or the gastrointestinal system. Examples of types of disorders that can be treated include neurodegenerative disorders, including central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, cognitive disorders, motor disorders such as Parkinson's disease, drug addiction, behavioral disorders and inflammatory disorders within the gastrointestinal system. The compounds can also serve as analgesics in the treatment of acute, chronic or recurrent pain.
US08067442B2 Heterocyclic antiviral compounds
Compounds having the formula I wherein R1, R2a, R2b, R2c, R3, Y and p are as defined herein and C2-C3 is a single or double bond are Hepatitis C virus NS5b polymerase inhibitors. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for treating an HCV infection and inhibiting HCV replication.
US08067440B2 Phosphonium salts derivatives and uses thereof
There are provided compounds of formulas (VA), (VIA), (VIIA) (IXA), (XIA), (XIIA), (XIIIA), and (XIVA): wherein A, Z, R2, X−, and L2 represent various different possibilities. Methods for using such compounds are also provided.
US08067438B2 Hepatitis C inhibitor compounds
Compounds of formula (I): wherein B, X, R3, L0, L1, L2, R2, R1 and RC are defined herein. The compounds are useful as inhibitors of HCV NS3 protease for the treatment of hepatitis C viral infection.
US08067432B2 Liposomal, ring-opened camptothecins with prolonged, site-specific delivery of active drug to solid tumors
A method for preparing a stable dispersion of a camptothecin, camptothecin prodrug, or analog thereof for administration to a patient in need thereof includes preparing a solution of the camptothecin, wherein the solution has a pH which places substantially an entirety of that camptothecin in a carboxylate form. The camptothecin may be a neutral camptothecin. The solution is next loaded into a liposome including at least one lipid, which may be a phospholipid. An intraliposomal pH is maintained which preserves substantially an entirety of the camptothecin in the carboxylate form. The liposomal dispersion is administered to an individual in need thereof, whereby the liposomes accumulate at and permeate into tumor tissue and an active, lactone form camptothecin is released in situ at the tumor site. Compositions formulated in accordance with the described method for treatment of a cancer in an animal in need thereof are provided also.
US08067431B2 Chemically modified small molecules
Methods of modifying the rate of systemic absorption of a drug administered to a subject by a pulmonary route, the method comprising covalently conjugating a hydrophilic polymer to a drug, wherein the drug has a half-life of elimination from the lung of less than about 180 minutes, to form a drug-polymer conjugate, wherein the drug-polymer conjugate has a net hydrophilic character and a weight average molecular weight of from about 50 to about 20,000 Daltons, and wherein the half-life of elimination from the lung of the drug-polymer conjugate is at least about 1.5-fold greater than the half-life of elimination from the lung of the drug, wherein the half-life of elimination from the lung is measured by bronchoalveolar lavage followed by assaying residual lung material.
US08067413B2 9-substituted-8-oxo-adenine compounds as toll-like receptor (TLR7 ) modulators
The present invention provides compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, Y1, X1, L and R2 are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as well as processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy.
US08067408B2 Dual pharmacophores—PDE4-muscarinic antagonistics
The present invention is directed to novel compounds of Formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions and their use in therapy, for example as inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type IV (PDE4) and as antagonists of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), in the treatment of/and or prophylaxis of respiratory diseases, including antiinflammatory and/or allergic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, rhinitis (e.g. allergic rhinitis), atopic dermatitis or psoriasis.
US08067407B2 Substituted dihydropyrazolones and their use
The present application relates to novel substituted dihydropyrazolone derivatives, processes for their preparation, their use for treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and their use for the preparation of medicaments for treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, in particular cardiovascular and haematological diseases and kidney diseases, and for promoting wound healing.
US08067404B2 Phthalocyanine derivatives, process for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use
Phthalocyanine derivatives are described having photosensitizing characteristics and high solubility in water, useful for photodynamic treatment of bacterial infections, in particular infections generated by Gram-negative bacteria.
US08067399B2 Method and apparatus for transdermal or transmucosal application of testosterone
Methods, formulations, and devices for providing transdermal or transmucosal delivery of active agents to subjects in need thereof. The formulations and methods treat symptoms of hormonal disorders including hypogonadism, female sexual desire disorder, female menopausal disorder, and adrenal insufficiency.
US08067396B2 Amino alcohol compounds or phosphonic acid derivatives thereof
A compound having a formula II(a): wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen lower alkyl, lower aliphatic acyl, or lower alkoxycarbonyl; R4 is C1-C4 alkyl; n is 2 or 3; X is a formula ═N-D, wherein D is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl or phenyl; Y is ethylene, ethynylene, —CO—CH2—, —CH(OH)—CH2— or phenylene; Z is C1-C6 alkylene; R5 is C3-C10 cycloalkyl or C6-C10 aryl; R6 and R7 are hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogeno lower alkyl, lower alkoxy or lower alkylthio; and R10 and R11 are hydrogen or lower alkyl.
US08067390B2 Therapeutic targeting of interleukins using siRNA in neutral liposomes
The present invention relates to the fields of molecular biology and drug delivery. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides compositions that include an siRNA targeted to an interleukin and a neutral lipid, and methods of treating a human subject with cancer involving administering to the subject a pharmaceutically effective amount of an interleukin-8 antagonist or a composition as set forth herein.
US08067389B2 Silencing of TGFβ type II receptor expression by siRNA
The present application is directed to siRNA-based silencing of the type II receptor of TGFβ. siRNAs that target this receptor abrogate the receptor protein and transcript, TGFβ-mediated processes such as fibronectin assembly and cell migration also are inhibited and the molecules of the invention are efficacious in reducing the inflammatory response and matrix deposition. These findings show that siRNAs can be successfully delivered both in vitro and in vivo to regulate the TGFβ type II receptor level and modulate wound response. Methods and compositions exploiting the findings of the present invention have a wide-ranging application, extending from treatment of disorders of the eye to other organs and tissues throughout the body.
US08067386B2 Modulation of eIF4E-BP2 expression
Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of eIF4E-BP2. The compositions comprise oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acid encoding eIF4E-BP2. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of eIF4E-BP2 expression and for diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions associated with expression of eIF4E-BP2 are provided.
US08067385B2 Antiviral oligonucleotides targeting HBV
Random sequence oligonucleotides that have antiviral activity are described, along with their use as antiviral agents. In many cases, the oligonucleotides are greater than 40 nucleotides in length. Also described are methods for the prophylaxis or treatment of a viral infection in a human or animal, and a method for the prophylaxis treatment of cancer caused by oncoviruses in a human or animal. The methods typically involve administering to a human or animal in need of such treatment, a pharmacologically acceptable, therapeutically effective amount of at least oligonucleotide that does not act by a sequence complementary mode of action.
US08067380B2 Glutathione-based delivery system
A delivery system is provided. The delivery system includes a carrier or an active compound and a glutathione or a glutathione derivative grafted thereon. The invention also provides a compound including a moiety comprising a vitamin E derivative or a phospholipid derivative, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) or a polyethylene glycol derivative bonded thereto, and a glutathione (GSH) or a glutathione derivative bonded to the polyethylene glycol or the polyethylene glycol derivative.
US08067379B2 Sulfur compounds as inhibitors of hepatitis C virus NS3 serine protease
The present invention discloses novel compounds which have HCV protease inhibitory activity as well as methods for preparing such compounds. In another embodiment, the invention discloses pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds as well as methods of using them to treat disorders associated with the HCV protease.
US08067378B2 Peptides effective in the treatment of tumors and other conditions requiring the removal or destruction of cells
The embodiments include methods of treating conditions requiring removal or destruction of cellular elements, such as benign or malignant tumors in humans, using compounds based on small peptides. The method includes, but is not limited to, administering the compounds intramuscularly, orally, intravenously, intrathecally, intratumorally, intranasally, topically, transdermally, etc., either alone or conjugated to a carrier.
US08067375B2 Treatment of demyelinating disorders with soluble lymphotoxin-β-receptor
Methods of treating a demyelinating disorder using inhibitors of the lymphotoxin pathway.
US08067373B2 Therapeutic fibrin-derived peptides and uses thereof
The invention relates to peptides having the general formula (I), or a salt or amide thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are either the same or different, wherein R1 and R2 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon residue, said residue having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein Z1 is selected from the group consisting of histidine and proline, wherein Z2 is selected from the group consisting of an arginine and a peptide comprising an initial arginine and having from 2 to 30 amino acids. The invention also relates to methods using the peptides of the present invention in the treatment of inflammation.
US08067370B2 Pain-sensitive therapeutic wound dressing
Disclosed is a wound dressing comprising a therapeutic agent and a matrix comprising polymers joined by cross-linkages, wherein the cross-linkages comprise oligopeptidic sequences which are cleavable by a kallikrein associated with wound fluid such that the rate of release of the therapeutic agent increases in the presence of elevated kallikrein levels.
US08067369B2 Protection of the retina against laser injury by NAP and related peptides
This invention relates to the use of ADNF polypeptides in the treatment of laser-induced retinal damage and related conditions.
US08067367B2 Methods of increasing platelet and hematopoietic stem cell production
A method of increasing hematopoietic stem cell production is disclosed. The method includes administering a TPO mimetic compound to a subject. Pharmaceutical compositions including a TPO mimetic compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also disclosed.
US08067364B2 Deer antler extract for promoting angiogenesis
An isolated extract of deer velvet which contains components which have molecular weights that are substantially are less than or equal to 10 kDa and which have a proliferative effect on endothelial cells and/or promote angiogenesis.
US08067362B2 Insulin derivatives
The present invention relates to insulin derivatives having a side chain attached either to the -amino group of the N-terminal amino acid residue of the B chain or to the amino group of a Lys residue present in the B chain of the parent insulin via an amide bond which side chain comprises at least one aromatic group; at least one free carboxylic acid group or a group which is negatively charged at neutral pH, a fatty acid moiety with 4 to 22 carbon atoms in the carbon chain; and possible linkers which link the individual components in the side chain together via amide bonds.
US08067357B2 Annexin derivatives suitable for pretargeting in therapy and diagnosis
The present invention provides methods and compositions for the treatment and diagnosis of diseases such as neoplastic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory diseases. The methods are based on the concept of pretargeting and include the administration of complexes comprising a recognizable compound A coupled to annexins, and the administration of complexes comprising of pharmaceutical or diagnostic compounds coupled to a compound B recognizing and binding to compound A to subjects. The compositions include annexins, annexin variants, that are not internalized by the target cells, derivatives thereof, and complexes thereof.
US08067356B2 High fibre high calorie liquid or powdered nutritional composition
The present invention relates to a nutritional composition which is liquid and shelf-stable or powdered and reconstitutable. The composition has a fiber content of more than 2.5 g/fibber per 100 ml of the composition. Furthermore, it has an energy content of 1.3-1.8 kcal/ml. The composition is useful to improve and maintain gut comfort, restoring a well-balanced gut flora, especially in an elderly patient prone to malnutrition. The invention further relates to a process for preparing the nutritional composition.
US08067352B2 Aqueous cleaning composition for semiconductor copper processing
The invention relates to an aqueous cleaning composition for use in a cleaning process during or after a chemical mechanical planarization for a copper integrated circuit processing, comprising 0.05 to 20 wt % of a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic organic base, 0.05 to 50 wt % of an alcohol amine, 0.01-10 wt % of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and water. When used during or after the planarization process, the inventive cleaning composition of the invention can effectively remove residual contaminants from the surfaces of the wafers and simultaneously maintain a good surface roughness of the wafers.
US08067350B2 Color changing cleansing composition
A cleansing composition is disclosed that changes color during use. The cleansing composition contains a plurality of thermochromic dyes that cause a color change to occur at a threshold temperature and continue to cause a color change over a temperature range. The range of temperatures corresponds to approximately the amount of time sufficient to properly wash or scrub using the product.
US08067348B2 Marine engine lubrication
A trunk piston marine engine lubricating oil composition for a medium-speed compression-ignited marine engine comprises, in a major amount, an oil of lubricating viscosity containing 50 mass % or more of a Group II basestock, and, in respective minor amounts, (A) an overbased metal hydrocarbyl-substituted hydroxybenzoate detergent having a basicity index of 5.5 or greater, and (B) an overbased metal hydrocarbyl-substituted hydroxybenzoate detergent having a basicity index in the range of 2.1 to 5.4. The ratio of the mass of metal in detergent (A) to the mass of metal in detergent (B) is 1 or less. The trunk piston marine engine lubricating oil composition has a TBN (using ASTM D2896) of 20 to 60.
US08067345B2 Refrigerator oil composition
A refrigerator oil composition includes: a synthetic base oil; and a partial hydrocarbyl ether of an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol condensate, in which the aliphatic polyhydric alcohol condensate includes a condensate of 4 to 20 molecules of a hindered glycol and/or an aliphatic polyhydric alcohol having 3 to 6 hydroxyl groups. The refrigerator oil composition is preferably used in a compression refrigerator that uses a hydrofluorocarbon, a natural refrigerant such as a hydrocarbon, carbon dioxide, or ammonia, a mixed refrigerant of fluoroiodomethane and propene, an unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon, a fluorinated ether, a fluorinated alcohol, a fluorinated ketone, or a mixture thereof as a refrigerant, has a low coefficient of friction, and is excellent in energy-saving property.
US08067340B2 Methods for discretized processing and process sequence integration of regions of a substrate
The present invention provides methods and systems for discretized, combinatorial processing of regions of a substrate such as for the discovery, implementation, optimization, and qualification of new materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes used in integrated circuit fabrication. A substrate having an array of differentially processed regions thereon is processed by delivering materials to or modifying regions of the substrate.
US08067339B2 Surface display of whole antibodies in eukaryotes
Methods for display of recombinant whole immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin libraries on the surface of eukaryote host cells, including yeast and filamentous fungi, are described. The methods are useful for screening libraries of recombinant immunoglobulins in eukaryote host cells to identify immunoglobulins that are specific for an antigen of interest.
US08067338B2 Trichloro silyl alkyl isocyanate molecule and surface modified mineral substrate
A compound having formula (I): X—E—Si−Cl3  (I) wherein:X represents an isocyanate function;E represents a straight, branched or cyclic alkyl chain comprising from 4 to 30 carbon atoms, and optionally contains a bridge function of —O—, —S—, —NH— or aryl;and X and SiCl3 are separated by a chain of at least 4 carbon atoms.
US08067336B2 Cardboard cylinder for a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, rolled heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet to form a roll shape, and image-forming method
A cardboard cylinder for winding a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having a receptive layer on one surface of a support around the cardboard cylinder, wherein an innermost surface of the cardboard cylinder is composed of a layer containing a polyolefin resin having a number average molecular weight of 12,000 or more in a proportion of at least 80% by mass based on the layer.
US08067333B2 Catalysts
A process for producing a supported cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst includes, in a first activation stage, treating a particulate catalyst precursor with a reducing gas, at a heating rate, HR1, until the precursor has reached a temperature, T1, where 80° C.≦T1≦180° C., to obtain a partially treated precursor. In a second activation stage, the partially treated precursor is treated with a reducing gas, at an average heating rate, HR2, with x step increments, where 0HR2 until the partially reduced precursor reaches a temperature, T2. The partially reduced precursor is maintained at T2 for a time, t2, where t2 is from 0 to 20 hours, to obtain an activated catalyst.
US08067332B2 Methanation catalyst, and carbon monoxide removing system, fuel processor, and fuel cell including the same
A methanation catalyst, a carbon monoxide removing system, a fuel processor, and a fuel cell including the same, and more particularly a non-supported methanation catalyst including the catalytically active non-precious metal particles and the metal oxide particles, and a carbon monoxide removing system, a fuel processor, and a fuel cell including the same. The methanation catalyst has high selectivity for the methanation of carbon monoxide instead of the methanation of carbon dioxide and the reverse water gas shift reaction of carbon dioxide, which are side reactions of the methanation of carbon monoxide, maintains high concentration of generated hydrogen as small amounts of hydrogen and carbon dioxide are consumed, and effectively removes carbon monoxide at low operating temperatures of 200° C. or less.
US08067331B2 Bulk catalyst comprising nickel tungsten metal oxidic particles
The invention relates to a nickel tungsten bulk catalyst, to a process for the manufacture of said catalyst and to the use of said catalyst for the hydrotreatment, in particular the hydrodesulphurisation and hydrodenitrogenation of hydrocarbon feedstock. The catalyst comprises nickel tungsten metal oxidic particles obtainable by a process comprising forming a slurry of a first solid metal compound comprising Group VNI metal nickel and a second solid metal compound comprising Group VIB metal tungsten in a protic liquid, reacting the first and second solid metal compounds at elevated temperature whereby the first and second solid metal compounds remain at least partly in the solid state during the entire reaction to form the nickel tungsten oxidic bulk catalyst.
US08067329B2 Boron-based catalysts
Boron based catalysts and processes for preparing the catalysts are provided. The catalysts are suitable for the alkoxylation of alcohols using alkylene epoxides.
US08067328B2 Polymerisation and oligomerisation catalysts
A polymerization catalyst composition comprising (1) a transition metal compound of Formula (A), Z being 5-membered heterocyclic containing at least one carbon, at least one nitrogen and at least one of nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen, the others being nitrogen or carbon; M is a Group 3 to 11 metal or a lanthamide metal; E1 and E2 are divalent groups of aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic or alkyl substituted aromatic hydrocarbon, or heterocyclic; D1 and D2 are donor atoms or groups; X is an anionic group, L is a neutral donor group; n=m=zero or 1; y and z are zero or integer such that X and L satisfy valency/oxidation state of M, (2) a catalyst-activating support which is a solid particulate substance, insoluble in hydrocarbons, comprising at least magnesium and aluminum atoms and hydrocarbyloxy groups containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, the molar ration of Mg/Al being in the range 1.0 to 300 and the molar ratio of hydrocarbyloxy groups to aluminum atoms being in the range 0.5 to 2.0, and optionally, (3) an additional activator selected from aluminum alkyl and boron compounds.
US08067325B2 Semiconductor ceramic composition
It is intended to provide a semiconductor ceramic composition containing no Pb, which is capable of shifting the Curie temperate to a positive direction as well as of controlling room temperature resistivity and having an excellent jump characteristic. Since the semiconductor ceramic composition in which a portion of Ba of BaTiO3 is substituted by Bi—Na has a crystal in which a central part and an outer shell part of a crystal grain are different from each other in composition, the composition is capable of improving control of room temperature resistivity and a jump characteristic, and therefore it is optimum as a material for a PTC thermistor, a PTC heater, a PTC switch, a temperature detector, and the like.
US08067324B2 Low dielectric loss ceramic ferroelectric composite material
The ceramic ferroelectric composite material ensures the achievement of the technical result, consisting in a decrease in the level of the dielectric losses in the radio and microwave frequencies for the materials with the dielectric constant from 152 to 796 together with an increase in the tunability of the dielectric constant by the electric field. The ceramic ferroelectric composite material is produced from the composition including BaTiO3 and SrTiO3, which additionally includes the magnesium-containing mixture of magnesium orthotitanate Mg2TiO4 and magnesia MgO, with the following content of components, mass%: BaTiO3 - 27.0 - 48.8; SrTiO3 - 25.0 - 39.5; magnesium-containing mixture of Mg2TiO4 and MgO - the remainder, where the components in the magnesium-containing mixture have the following content, mass%: Mg2TiO4 - 6.2 - 92.4: MgO - the remainder.
US08067320B2 Spunbonded nonwoven fabric
There is provided by the present invention a spunbonded nonwoven fabric which is formed from fibers comprising a propylene-based polymer and has MFR of 65 to 150 g/10 min and a fineness of 0.01 to 1.5 deniers, wherein the basis weight is in the range of 5 to 40 g/m2 and the embossed area ratio is in the range of 6.5 to 25%.
US08067317B2 Stab resistant and anti-ballistic material and method of making the same
The invention relates to a fabric having both stab resistant and anti-ballistic properties. The fabric is made of yarn of a weight greater than about 500 dtex, and the fabric has a minimum shrinkage factor of at least about 1% achieved through a densification treatment. The invention further relates to a method of producing a such a fabric having the steps of agitating a fabric made of a yarn of a weight greater than about 500 dtex, substantially removing a spin finish from the fabric before, during or after the agitating step, and drying the fabric.
US08067315B2 Microstructure device including a compressively stressed low-k material layer
A nitrogen-containing silicon carbide material may be deposited on the basis of a single frequency or mixed frequency deposition recipe with a high internal compressive stress level up to 1.6 GPa or higher. Thus, this dielectric material may be advantageously used in the contact level of sophisticated integrated circuits, thereby providing high strain levels while not unduly contributing to signal propagation delay.
US08067311B2 Mask and method for fabricating semiconductor device using the same
A mask for forming a metal line and a via contact, and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device using the same, minimizes misalignment. The mask includes a first mask region having a dark tone for light shading, a second mask region having a half tone, being disposed within the first mask region to form the metal line, and a third mask region having a clear tone, being disposed within the second mask region to form the via contact.
US08067308B2 Semiconductor device and method of forming an interconnect structure with TSV using encapsulant for structural support
A semiconductor device has a conductive via formed through in a first side of the substrate. A first interconnect structure is formed over the first side of the substrate. A semiconductor die or component is mounted to the first interconnect structure. An encapsulant is deposited over the first interconnect structure and semiconductor die or component. A portion of a second side of the substrate is removed to reduce its thickness and expose the TSV. A second interconnect structure is formed over the second side of the substrate. The encapsulant provides structural support while removing the portion of the second side of the substrate. The second interconnect structure is electrically connected to the conductive via. The second interconnect structure can include a redistribution layer to extend the conductivity of the conductive via. The semiconductor device is mounted to a printed circuit board through the second interconnect structure.
US08067304B2 Method for forming a patterned thick metallization atop a power semiconductor chip
A method is disclosed for forming a patterned thick metallization atop a semiconductor chip wafer. The method includes fabricating a nearly complete semiconductor chip wafer ready for metallization; depositing a bottom metal layer of sub-thickness TK1 together with its built-in alignment mark using a hot metal process; depositing a top metal layer of sub-thickness TK2 using a cold metal process thus forming a stacked thick metallization of total thickness TK=TK1+TK2; then, use the built-in alignment mark as reference, patterning the stacked thick metallization. A patterned thick metallization is thus formed with the advantages of better metal step coverage owing to the superior step coverage nature of the hot metal process as compared to the cold metal process; and lower alignment error rate owing to the lower alignment signal noise nature of the cold metal process as compared to the hot metal process.
US08067302B2 Defect-free junction formation using laser melt annealing of octadecaborane self-amorphizing implants
A method and apparatus for implanting a semiconductor substrate with boron clusters. A substrate is implanted with octadecaborane by plasma immersion or ion beam implantation. The substrate surface is then melted, resolidified, and annealed to completely dissociate and activate the boron clusters.
US08067299B2 Nanoelectronic structure and method of producing such
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices comprising semiconductor nanoelements. In particular the invention relates to devices having a volume element having a larger diameter than the nanoelement arranged in epitaxial connection to the nanoelement. The volume element is being doped in order to provide a high charge carrier injection into the nanoelement and a low access resistance in an electrical connection. The nanoelement may be upstanding from a semiconductor substrate. A concentric layer of low resistivity material forms on the volume element forms a contact.
US08067297B2 Process for deposition of semiconductor films
Chemical vapor deposition processes utilize higher order silanes and germanium precursors as chemical precursors. The processes have high deposition rates yet produce more uniform films, both compositionally and in thickness, than films prepared using conventional chemical precursors. In preferred embodiments, trisilane is employed to deposit SiGe-containing films that are useful in the semiconductor industry in various applications such as transistor gate electrodes.
US08067293B2 Power semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having high-voltage and low-voltage device regions, forming a field insulating layer in the high-voltage device region, forming a first gate oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate, exposing the semiconductor substrate in the low-voltage device region by etching part of the first gate oxide layer and also etching part of the field insulating layer to form a stepped field insulating layer, forming a second gate oxide layer on the first gate oxide layer in the high-voltage device region and on the exposed semiconductor substrate in the low-voltage device region, and forming a gate over the stepped field insulating layer and part of the second gate oxide layer in the high-voltage device region adjoining the field insulating layer.
US08067292B2 Isolation structure, non-volatile memory having the same, and method of fabricating the same
A method of forming an isolation structure, comprising: (a) providing a base having a recess; (b) forming a stop layer on the base and in the recess; (c) forming a dielectric material on the stop layer so as to allow the rest of the recess to be filled with the dielectric material; (d) removing the dielectric material over the base by performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process until a part of the stop layer is exposed so as to form a dielectric layer in the recess; and (e) removing a part of the stop layer, wherein the another part of the stop layer and the dielectric layer filled in the recess constitute the isolation structure.
US08067285B2 Methods of forming a conductive layer structure and methods of manufacturing a recessed channel transistor including the same
In a method of forming a conductive layer structure and a method of manufacturing a recess channel transistor, a first insulating layer and a first conductive layer are sequentially formed on a substrate having a first region a second region and the substrate is exposed in a recess-forming area in the first region. A recess is formed in the recess-forming-area by etching the exposed region of the substrate. A second insulating layer is conformally formed on a sidewall and a bottom of the recess. A second conductive layer pattern is formed on the second insulating layer to fill up a portion of the recess. A spacer is formed on the second conductive layer pattern and on the second insulating layer on the sidewall of the recess. A third conductive layer pattern is formed on the second conductive layer pattern and the spacer to fill up the recess.
US08067282B2 Method for selective formation of trench
A method for selective formation of trenches is disclosed. First, a substrate is provided. The substrate includes a first semiconductor element and a second semiconductor element. The first semiconductor element has a dopant. Second, a wet etching procedure is carried out to selectively form a pair of trenches in the substrate around the second semiconductor element, a first source/drain ion implantation is selectively carried out on the first semiconductor element, or a second source/drain ion implantation is selectively carried out on the second semiconductor element.
US08067279B2 Application of different isolation schemes for logic and embedded memory
The present invention facilitates semiconductor device fabrication by providing mechanisms for utilizing different isolation schemes within embedded memory and other logic portions of a device. The isolation mechanism of the embedded memory portion is improved relative to other portions of the device by increasing dopant concentrations or reducing the depth of the dopant profiles within well regions of the embedded memory array. As a result, smaller isolation spacing can be employed thereby permitting a more compact array. The isolation mechanism of the logic portion is relatively less than that of the embedded memory portion, which permits greater operational speed for the logic.
US08067278B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes at least one thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer that has a crystalline region including a channel region, a source region and a drain region, a gate insulating film disposed at least on the channel region, the source region and the drain region of the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode arranged so as to oppose the channel region via the gate insulating film. At least a portion of the semiconductor layer includes a catalyst element capable of promoting crystallization, and the semiconductor layer further includes a gettering region that includes the catalyst element at a higher concentration than in the channel region or the source region and the drain region. The thickness of the gate insulating film on the gettering region is smaller than that on the source region and the drain region, or the gate insulating film is not disposed on the gettering region.
US08067277B2 Active matrix device with photo sensor
An active matrix pixel device is provided, for example an electroluminescent display device, the device comprising circuitry supported by a substrate and including a polysilicon TFT (10) and an amorphous silicon thin film PIN diode (12). Polysilicon islands are formed before an amorphous silicon layer is deposited for the PIN diode. This avoids the exposure of the amorphous silicon to high temperature processing. The TFT comprises doped source/drain regions (16a,17a), one of which (17a) may also provide the n-type or p-type doped region for the diode. Advantageously, the requirement to provide a separate doped region for the photodiode is removed, thereby saving processing costs. A second TFT (10b) having a doped source/drain region (16b,17b) of the opposite conductivity type may provide the other doped region (16b) for the diode, wherein the intrinsic region (25) is disposed laterally between the two TFTs, overlying each of the respective polysilicon islands.
US08067274B2 Method of forming wiring on a plurality of semiconductor devices from a single metal plate, and a semiconductor construction assembly formed by the method
In this manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a metal plate having a plurality of projection electrodes in each of a plurality of semiconductor device formation areas is prepared. Next, the projection electrodes of each of the semiconductor formation areas are aligned corresponding to external connection electrodes of each semiconductor construction, and each semiconductor construction is separately arranged on the projection electrodes in the semiconductor device formation areas. Next, an insulating layer formation sheet is arranged on the metal plate, and the metal plate and the insulating layer formation sheet are joined by heat pressing. Then, the metal plate is patterned and a plurality of upper layer wirings that connect to the projection electrodes is formed.
US08067268B2 Stacked integrated circuit package system and method for manufacturing thereof
A method for manufacturing of a stacked integrated circuit package system includes: providing a base integrated circuit package having a base encapsulation with a cavity therein and a base interposer exposed by the cavity; mounting an intermediate integrated circuit package over the base interposer; and mounting a top integrated circuit package over the intermediate integrated circuit package.
US08067264B2 Polythiophenes and devices thereof
An electronic device containing a polythiophene wherein R represents a side chain, m represents the number of R substituents; A is a divalent linkage; x, y and z represent, respectively, the number of Rm substituted thienylenes, unsubstituted thienylenes, and divalent linkages A, respectively, in the monomer segment subject to z being 0 or 1, and n represents the number of repeating monomer segments in the polymer or the degree of polymerization.
US08067260B1 Fabricating sub-lithographic contacts
A small critical dimension element, such as a heater for an ovonic unified memory, may be formed within a pore by using successive sidewall spacers. The use of at least two successive spacers enables the limitations imposed by lithography and the limitations imposed by bread loafing be overcome to provide reduced critical dimension elements.
US08067255B2 Nitride semiconductor light emitting device, method of manufacturing nitride semiconductor light emitting device, and nitride semiconductor transistor device
Provided are a nitride semiconductor light emitting device including a coat film formed at a light emitting portion and including an aluminum nitride crystal or an aluminum oxynitride crystal, and a method of manufacturing the nitride semiconductor light emitting device. Also provided is a nitride semiconductor transistor device including a nitride semiconductor layer and a gate insulating film which is in contact with the nitride semiconductor layer and includes an aluminium nitride crystal or an aluminum oxynitride crystal.
US08067254B2 Common optical element for an array of phosphor converted light emitting devices
A device is provided with an array of a plurality of phosphor converted light emitting devices (LEDs) that produce broad spectrum light. The phosphor converted LEDs may produce light with different correlated color temperature (CCT) and are covered with an optical element that assists in mixing the light from the LEDs to produce a desired correlated color temperature. The optical element may be bonded to the phosphor converted light emitting devices. The optical element may be a dome mounted over the phosphor converted light emitting devices and filled with an encapsulant.
US08067253B2 Electrical device and method of manufacturing electrical devices using film embossing techniques to embed integrated circuits into film
An electrical device and method of making same is provided wherein a chip or other electrical component is embedded in a substrate. The substrate may be a thermoplastic material capable of deforming around the chip and at least partially encasing the chip when heat and/or pressure is applied to the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation such a near infrared radiation can be used to heat the substrate. The substrate may include a compressible layer that can be compressed and/or crushed to form a recess into which the chip can be inserted. Once embedded, the chip or electrical component is secured by the substrate and may be coupled to another electrical component. A method of making an RFID transponder is also provided wherein an RFID chip is embedded in a substrate using heat and/or pressure, an antenna structure is applied to the substrate, and the RFID chip and antenna structure are coupled together.
US08067252B2 Method for determining low-noise power spectral density for characterizing line edge roughness in semiconductor wafer processing
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for determining a power spectral density of an edge of at least one patterned feature situated over a semiconductor wafer includes measuring the edge of the at least one patterned feature at a number of points on the edge. The method further includes determining an autoregressive estimation of the edge of the at least one patterned feature using measured data corresponding to a number of points on the edge. The method further includes determining a power spectral density of the edge using autoregressive coefficients from the autoregressive estimation. The method further includes utilizing the power spectral density to characterize line edge roughness of the at least one patterned feature in a frequency domain.
US08067237B2 Scaffolds for cell transplantation
A device that includes a scaffold composition and a bioactive composition with the bioactive composition being incorporated into or coated onto the scaffold composition such that the scaffold composition and/or a bioactive composition controls egress of a resident cell or progeny thereof. The devices mediate active recruitment, modification, and release of host cells from the material.
US08067234B2 Adipose stromal stem cells for tissue and vascular modification
Methods are provided for isolating adipose derived stromal cells from an animal by extracting adipose tissue from the patient, dissecting the tissue, dissociating the tissue into a cell suspension, removing the adipocytes, exposing the cell suspension to red cell lysis buffer, and isolating adipose derived stromal cells.
US08067230B2 Prostatic stem cells, isolation and uses
Prostatic stem cells have been isolated. Benign prostatic hyperplasia and other proliferative diseases of the prostate may arise in prostatic stem cells. The prostatic stem cells are used as a research tool for studying cancer and other proliferative diseases of the prostate, and for developing diagnostics and therapeutics for proliferative diseases of the prostate. Antibodies to the antigens expressed by prostatic stem cells can be used as therapeutics or diagnostics or can be used to deliver therapeutic or diagnostic agents directly to the prostatic stem cells.
US08067217B2 Method for preserving reduced coenzyme Q10
The present invention has its object to provide a method for stably preserving a capsule containing reduced coenzyme Q10, which is useful as foods, functional nutritive foods, specific health foods, nutritional supplements, nutrients, animal drugs, drinks, feeds, cosmetics, medicines, remedies, preventive drugs, etc. The present invention relates to a method for preserving reduced coenzyme Q10 which comprises producing or obtaining a capsule containing reduced coenzyme Q10, and controlling environment surrounding the capsule to a relative humidity of not less than 0% but not more than 60%. According to this method, reduced coenzyme Q10 can be preserved stably, without requiring huge cost and labor, or special equipment.
US08067212B2 Bacillus pumilus strain for high yield of tetramethylpyrazine
This invention provides a high-yield bacterial strain for producing tetramethylpyrazine named Bacillus pumilus RX3-17. The strain has been deposited in China Center for Type Culture Collection on Apr. 19, 2006. The deposit number is CCTCC M 206043. The bacterial strain, isolated from soil, is rod-shaped, 1.5 μm to 3.0 μm in length and 0.6 μm to 0.7 μm in diameter. The colony color of the strain is milky-white. The strain has typical physiological and biochemical characteristics of Bacillus pumilus. The 16s rDNA sequence of this strain shares a similarity of 99% with other Bacillus pumilus strains. This invention belongs to the domain of biotechnology. The strain can be applied to the production of tetramethylpyrazine with glucose as the substrate, solving the bottleneck of low yield in bacterial tetramethylpyrazine fermentation.
US08067211B2 Method for production of L-glutamine
A polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of a glutamine synthetase 2 derived from a microorganism belonging to a coryneform bacterium, wherein the coryneform bacterium producing the polypeptide has L-glutamine productivity, a DNA encoding the polypeptide, a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA, a microorganism comprising the DNA or the recombinant DNA, and a process for producing L-glutamine using the microorganism are provided.
US08067209B2 Method of screening for the presence of a genetic defect associated with deep venous thrombosis
The present invention relates to a method for screening an individual for the presence in his/her genome of a genetic marker that is indicative of an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis, wherein the genetic marker is haplotype 2 of the fibrinogen γ gene (FGG-H2) as given in FIG. 5A. The genetic marker comprises a set of one, two, three or four mutations in the nucleic acid material encoding fibrinogen γ, the mutations being selected from the group consisting of 129A/T (rs2066854), 7874G/A (rs20668β1), 9615′C/T (rs2066864) and 10034C/T (rs2066865).
US08067208B2 Probes and methods for hepatitis C virus typing using multidimensional probe analysis
This invention provides compositions and methods for HCV typing, e.g., genotyping and/or subtyping. The compositions and methods of the invention can be used to assign an HCV isolate to one of at least five HCV types (for example, selected from types 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6), or to one of at least five subtypes (for example, subtypes 1a/b/c, 2a/c, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a or 6a). These methods integrate the hybridization data from a plurality of HCV typing probes in a multidimensional analysis to make an HCV type assignment for an HCV in an experimental sample. The invention also provides related compositions, including, for example, the HCV typing probes and HCV typing diagnostic kits.
US08067207B2 Species-specific, genus-specific and universal DNA probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify common bacterial and fungal pathogens and associated antibiotic resistance genes from clinical specimens for diagnosis in microbiology laboratories
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to methods and compositions for species-specific detection of bacterial and fungal nucleic acids and nucleic acids of antibiotic resistance genes.
US08067202B2 Bacterial superantigen vaccines
The present invention relates to genetically attenuated superantigen toxin vaccines altered such that superantigen attributes are absent, however the superantigen is effectively recognized and an appropriate immune response is produced. The attenuated superantigen toxins are shown to protect animals against challenge with wild type toxin. Methods of producing and using the altered superantigen toxins are described.
US08067197B2 Soluble recombinant αvβ3 adhesion receptor
The invention relates to a novel purified recombinant αVβ3 adhesion receptor which shows an unimpaired ligand binding activity, and a process for preparing said soluble non-membrane bound receptor in excellent yields by recombinant techniques using a baculovirus-insect cell expression system. The so-synthesized soluble receptor may be used very easily as screening tool for new therapeutic compounds which may inhibit the natural αVβ3 adhesion receptor. Such therapeutic compounds which can be discovered very easily, fast and without health risk by means of the soluble receptors according to the invention may be, for example, RGD peptides or non-peptidic compounds mimicking the natural ligand epitopes. The invention relates, furthermore, to a corresponding process for preparing recombinant full-length αVβ3 adhesion receptor in excellent yields, additionally using detergents to dissolve the membrane bound receptor from the surface of the host cell.
US08067196B2 6-O sulfated polysaccharides and methods of preparation thereof
Disclosed are methods of 6-O-sulfating glucosaminyl N-acetylglucosamine residues (GlcNAc) in a polysaccharide preparation and methods of converting anticoagulant-inactive heparan sulfate to anticoagulant-active heparan sulfate and substantially pure polysaccharide preparations may by such methods. Also disclosed is a mutant CHO cell which hyper-produces anticoagulant-active heparan sulfate. Methods for elucidating the sequence of activity of enzymes in a biosynthetic pathway are provided.
US08067193B2 Production of a fermentation product
A process of separating suspended solids from a fermentation liquor by subjecting the liquor to a solids-liquid separation stage, wherein the fermentation liquor is produced in a fermentation process for the production of a fermentation product, in which the liquor has been subjected to a temperature of at least 50° C., wherein the solids-liquid separation stage is assisted by a treatment system, characterised in that the treatment system comprises an anionic polymer selected from natural polymers and modified natural polymers having a high anionic charge such that the equivalent weight is below 300, and synthetic polymers formed from at least 50% by weight anionic monomer units.
US08067189B2 Methods for determining sensitivity to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 modulators by measuring the level of collagen type IV
VEGFR-2 biomarkers useful in a method for identifying and monitoring a mammal that will respond therapeutically to a method of treating cancer comprising administering an VEGFR-2 modulator, wherein the method comprises (a) exposing the mammal to the VEGFR-2 modulator and (b) measuring in the mammal the level of the at least one biomarker, wherein a difference in the level of the at least one biomarker measured in (b) compared to the level of the biomarker in a mammal that has not been exposed to the VEGFR-2 modulator indicates that the mammal will respond therapeutically to the method of treating cancer and (c) wherein the level of the biomarker in a mammal after exposure to a VEGFR-2 modulator indicates that the mammal has responded therapeutically to the method of treating cancer.
US08067184B2 Optoelectronic detection system
The invention described herein provides methods for the detection of soluble antigens. In particular, the methods provide for the detection of soluble proteins and chemicals. In addition, the invention provides methods of detecting a nucleic acid sequence in a sample. Also described is an emittor cell comprising an Fc receptor and an emittor molecule for the detection of a target particle in a sample wherein the target particle to be detected is bound by one or more antibodies. Also provided is an optoelectronic sensor device for detecting a target particle in a plurality of samples.
US08067182B2 Method of weak partitioning chromatography
This invention relates to methods of using weak partitioning chromatography for the purification of a product from a load fluid containing one or more impurities. Further, the invention relates to methods of weak partitioning chromatography defined by operating conditions which cause a medium to bind least 1 mg of product per mL of medium, or alternatively, defined by a partition coefficient of at least 0.1.
US08067176B2 Microchemistry reaction method
A chemical reaction is conducted in a fluid of a droplet inside a reaction receptacle or on a surface of a reaction substrate. Fluctuations of a magnetic field are applied to the droplet including an aqueous solution having magnetic body particles with a hydrophilic surface, and a physical force is transmitted to the surrounding aqueous solution through the magnetic body particles. The droplet is thus moved by the physical force to conduct an operation necessary for a chemical reaction.
US08067175B2 Methods and compositions for detecting a drug resistant EGFR mutant
Polymerase chain reaction primers and methods directed to detecting the EGFR mutant C→T at the position corresponding to base 2369 of EGFR cDNA. The invention provides a PCR primer that hybridizes under suitable PCR conditions to a polynucleotide sequence 5′ in each respective strand to a mutation of an EGFR gene that encodes a substitution of threonine by methionine at position 790 of the EGFR polypeptide. The invention also provides a PCR primer hybridizes to a sequence that includes a mutant T at the position corresponding to base 2369 of EGFR cDNA but not to a second EGFR polynucleotide containing a wild type C. The invention provides several methods and kits for detecting a mutant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene in a sample comprising probing the sample with a means for selectively detecting a nucleotide sequence comprising a mutant T at the position corresponding to base 2369 of EGFR cDNA, and identifying that the base at said position is T. These methods and kits are also useful to predict resistance to the therapeutic effects of gefitinib or erlotinib in a subject suffering from or suspected of having a cancer.
US08067171B2 Methods and compositions for improved fertilization and embryonic survial
Single nucleotide polymorphic site at position 11646 of the bovine FGF2 gene is associated with improved fertilization rate and/or improved embryo survival rate, as well as improved milk production. Also disclosed are nucleic acid molecules, kits, methods of genotyping and marker assisted bovine breeding methods.
US08067168B2 Gene methylation in cancer diagnosis
The present invention provides DNA biomarker sequences that are differentially methylated in samples from normal individuals and individuals with cancer. The invention further provides methods of identifying differentially methylated DNA biomarker sequences and their use in detecting and diagnosing cancer.
US08067166B2 Chromosome 1p36 polymorphisms and low bone mineral density
The invention provides methods and compositions for diagnosing risk of low BMD and risk of osteoporosis based on the detection of SNP identity for human chromosome 1p36 polymorphisms designated in the NCBI SNP database (dbSNP) as rs2794328, rs446529, rs397559 and rs1802353.
US08067163B2 Determination of the biological function of a target gene in a cell
Disclosed herein is a method to determine the biological function(s) of a target gene in a cell, the steps of which involve separately culturing a first population and a second population of the cell under same culturing conditions, the first population of the cell differing from the second population of the cell in that the first population of the cell has accepted the introduction of a methylated polynucleotide; comparing the first population and the second population of the cell to determine which biological difference(s) is/are present therebetween; and determining which biological function(s) the target gene is associated with based on the determined biological difference(s) between the first population and the second population of the cell.
US08067162B2 Primer, primer set, and nucleic acid amplification method and mutation detection method using the same
The present invention provides a primer that effectively can detect, for example, the double helix structure of a nucleic acid. The primer is a labeled nucleic acid containing at least one structure represented by the following formula (16), where B is an atomic group having a nucleobase skeleton, E is an atomic group having a deoxyribose skeleton, a ribose skeleton, or a structure derived from either one of them, or an atomic group having a peptide structure or a peptoid structure, and Z11 and Z12 are each an atomic group that exhibits fluorescence and are identical to or different from each other.
US08067160B2 Genetic markers of schizophrenia
The invention includes method of determining if a subject has a genetic predisposition to clinically diagnosed schizophrenia (SZ), schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), and/or schizoaffective disorder (SD).
US08067151B2 Cold storage of pegylated platelets at about or below 0° C.
A method for storing and using platelets and an associated platelet structure. At least one modified platelet is formed. Each modified platelet includes a platelet and at least one polymerated chemical. Each polymerated chemical includes a polymer covalently bonded directly to the platelet or includes the polymer and a linker molecule such that the linker molecule is covalently bonded to the platelet and the polymer is covalently attached to the linker molecule. The polymer of each polymerated chemical of each modified platelet is polyethylene glycol (PEG) or a PEG derivative. Forming each modified platelet does not include modifying the platelet membrane of each platelet with a glycan-modifying agent. The at least one modified platelet is stored in a temperature range below 0° C. After being stored, the at least one modified platelet may be introduced into a subject to treat a condition related to a reduced platelet function.
US08067144B2 Polyesters for toner for electrophotography
The present invention relates to a polyester having an excellent hydrolysis resistance even when used in a process for producing a toner for electrophotography which includes a step of forming a raw material into particles in an aqueous medium, and a toner for electrophotography which contains the polyester and is excellent in storage stability and fixing property. There are provided a polyester for a toner for electrophotography which is used in a process for producing a toner including a step of forming a raw material component into particles in an aqueous medium or a solution, and produced by polycondensing an alcohol component with a carboxylic acid component containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an alkyl succinic acid and an alkenyl succinic acid, as well as a toner for electrophotography which contains the polyester.
US08067143B2 Functional particle and manufacturing method thereof
A functional particle is manufactured by a method including an aggregating step, a depressurizing step, and a cooling step. In the aggregating step, the functional particle is obtained by flowing a mixed slurry containing a core particle and a shell particle through a coiled pipeline while heating the mixed slurry to a glass transition temperature or higher of the core particle, to deposit the shell particles on the surface of the core particle. In the depressurizing step, the grain size of the functional particle is controlled and the coarse particle is pulverized to make the grain size of the functional particles uniform. In the cooling step, re-aggregation of the functional particles with unified grain size is prevented.
US08067138B2 Pyrrole containing photoconductors
A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and a charge transport layer, and wherein at least one of the charge transport layer and the photogenerating layer contains a pyrrole.
US08067132B2 Photomask and exposure method
To provide a photomask capable of preventing a foreign matter generation in using the photomask, and an exposure method using this photomask. The photomask includes a transparent substrate 2; a transfer pattern 4 formed in a main region 3 of a center portion of the transparent substrate 2; a light-shading band region 5 provided adjacent to the main region 3 in the outer peripheral region of the main region 3; and a pellicle 6 formed by adhering a pellicle film 6a to a pellicle frame 6b by an adhesive 8a, wherein this pellicle 6 is adhered onto a light-shading region 7 consisting of a light-shading film formed in the outer peripheral region of the main region 3, through an adhesive 8b.
US08067129B2 Electrolyte supported cell designed for longer life and higher power
A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) includes a cathode electrode, an anode electrode, and a solid oxide electrolyte located between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode. The cathode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with a cathode catalyst material, and the anode electrode is a porous ceramic layer infiltrated with an anode catalyst material, and the electrolyte is a ceramic layer having a lower porosity than the anode and the cathode electrodes. A ceramic reinforcing region may be located adjacent to the riser opening in the electrolyte.
US08067128B2 Sealing structure of fuel cell and method for manufacturing the same
A sealing structure for a fuel cell and a method for manufacturing the same, in this structure, a first gas separator, a first gas diffusion layer and a first catalyst on the one side, a proton exchange membrane, a second catalyst, a second gas diffusion layer and a second gas separator on the other side, are in turn stacked, wherein an area of the second gas diffusion layer is smaller than an area of the proton exchange membrane. The area of the proton exchange membrane is not larger than an area of the first gas diffusion layer, and the area of the first gas diffusion layer is smaller than an area of the first gas separator, therefore, the shape of the front edges of these elements are step-shaped. The area obverse to the step shape is filled with cured sealing material.
US08067123B2 Fuel cell system and shutdown method of the same
At shutdown of a fuel cell system, a system-shutdown controller is configured to cause a current extraction device to extract current from a fuel cell in a state where a supply of a fuel gas through a fuel supply system is continued and a supply of an oxidant gas through an oxidant supply system is stopped, and the system-shutdown controller is configured to airtightly close fresh-air control valves after increasing pressure of the fuel gas in a fuel electrode to not less than atmospheric pressure and not less than pressure of the oxidant gas in an oxidant electrode.