| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08160068B2 |
System and method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server in a cable network
A system and method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and a VoIP application server in a cable network. VoIP-enabled customer premises equipment (CPE) generates packets that are sent through a cable modem (CM) to a cable modem termination system (CMTS). A packet is parsed by CMTS and the destination IP address and port number compared to the destination IP address-port tuples received by the CMTS from a datastore. A packet that is directed to an IP address-port tuple on the target list (a “service request packet”) is modified to incorporate CMTS-identifying information and subscriber-identifying information in the packet header. When the VoIP application server communicates with the CMTS to reserve the network resources, the VoIP application server provides the CMTS with the CM MAC and CM IP addresses to facilitate resource allocation, subscriber identification and billing. This Abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this Abstract. |
| US08160067B2 |
Address resolution protocol-based wireless access point method and apparatus
A wireless access point (200), upon determining (101) that a need exists to support a communication need of a mobile station, acquires (102) a first Internet Protocol (IP) address and automatically transmits (103) a gratuitous Address Resolution Protocol message to a local router to thereby cause the latter to correlate the first IP address to a Medium Access Control address for the wireless access point. In a preferred embodiment the wireless access point can also automatically transmit a registration request to a remote network element (such as a Home Agent) that presents this first IP address as a care-of address to use in conjunction with another IP address that serves as a home address for the mobile station. |
| US08160065B2 |
Device and method for dynamically storing media data
A device and a method for enabling access to data from a channel are provided. The device comprises a storage medium for storing the data from the channel as it is received at a network element and a controller. The controller enables commencing storage of at least a portion of multicast data from the channel not already stored on a storage medium as the data is received at a network element, after detecting a request to receive data from the channel. In the event of receiving a subsequent request associated with a user device to receive data from the channel, the data is transmitted from the storage medium to the user device. A controller for controlling storage of the data comprises a memory and a processor. |
| US08160063B2 |
Data center interconnect and traffic engineering
A system for commoditizing data center networking is disclosed. The system includes an interconnection topology for a data center having a plurality of servers and a plurality of nodes of a network in the data center through which data packets may be routed. The system uses a routing scheme where the routing is oblivious to the traffic pattern between nodes in the network, and wherein the interconnection topology contains a plurality of paths between one or more servers. The multipath routing may be Valiant load balancing. It disaggregates the function of load balancing into a group of regular servers, with the result that load balancing server hardware can be distributed amongst racks in the data center leading to greater agility and less fragmentation. The architecture creates a huge, flexible switching domain, supporting any server/any service, full mesh agility, and unregimented server capacity at low cost. |
| US08160060B2 |
System and method for transferring data using variance based messaging
A system and method for providing data transfer from a source node to a destination node in a network using variance based messaging is provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving one or more messages by the source node; selecting a plurality of messages to be grouped from the one or more messages, wherein the plurality of messages comprise data with minimum deviation in content; creating an integrated message from the plurality of messages; sending the integrated message from the source node to the destination node; and recreating each message of the plurality of messages at the destination node. |
| US08160056B2 |
Systems, devices, and methods for network routing
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method, which can comprise providing a preferred route for a predetermined block of traffic to a router. The predetermined block of traffic can be destined for a predetermined destination. The predetermined destination can be coupled to a network via a plurality of routers. The preferred route can be adapted to override an initial route. |
| US08160054B2 |
Methods and system for instant voice messaging and instant voice message retrieval
A system for instant voice messaging comprising an IVM server operative to essentially simultaneously receive from an initiating user at least one voice message fragment and stream the at least one voice fragment to at least one target user; and a switch coupled to the IVM server and operative to effect communications between the initiating user and each target user and the IVM server, as well as between the users themselves. The streaming operation ends with an entire instant voice message being transmitted to the target user(s). Each target user may instantly retrieve a message by using a smart notification provided by the IVM server. Special numbering systems facilitate both the instant voice messaging and the instant message retrieval aspects. |
| US08160053B2 |
Method, apparatus and network element for clock tracing
A clock tracing method includes: determining a shortest path to each source network element, and selecting a best source network element among all the source network elements; determining a shortest path to the best source network element according to the shortest path, using the shortest path to the best source network element as a clock tracing path if the shortest path to the best source network element is different from an old clock tracing path and a traceable message is received, and using the clock tracing path for tracing clocks; and using the old clock tracing path for tracing clocks if the shortest path to the best source network element is the same as the old clock tracing path or no traceable message is received. A clock tracing apparatus and a network element are also provided. The provided clock tracing method, apparatus and network element may ensure high-quality clock transmission, and the fast performance of automatic clock tracing. |
| US08160052B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for synchronizing stream between bearer control layer and bearer layer devices
A method, a system and an apparatus for synchronizing the stream between the bearer control layer and bearer layer devices. Bearer layer device returns information corresponding to the stream synchronizing information distributed by the resource manager RM of the bearer control layer back to the resource manager RM (101, 102); when the resource manager RM determines that there is information needed to be synchronized included in the information returned by bearer layer device (103), it compares the information with the one held by itself (105), and performs synchronization to the information within the bearer layer devices that need to be synchronized according to the result of the comparison. |
| US08160051B2 |
Gateway relaying communication between a radio intelligent terminal and a server
In a communication system for establishing the communication between a radio intelligent terminal and a server via gateways, it is necessary to notify a non-communicating and a disconnecting radio intelligent terminal of an address of an exchange-destination gateway at the time of changing from a gateway to be used at all time to an exchange-destination gateway for some reason. To achieve the above object, a communication system comprises address notifying means for notifying the radio intelligent terminal of the address of the exchange-destination gateway according to a gateway exchange instruction inputted by an operation. The address notice is sent to the non-communicating terminal at the time of inputting the gateway exchange instruction, and is sent to the disconnecting terminal when it can start the communication. |
| US08160049B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically configuring a hybrid automatic repeat request memory
A method and apparatus for dynamically configuring a memory for hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) processes in a receiving node to permit a more flexible H-ARQ memory configuration and improve the performance of H-ARQ processes. An H-ARQ memory in the receiving node is reserved for a plurality of H-ARQ processes. A transmitting node dynamically configures the H-ARQ memory in the receiving node for each H-ARQ transmission so that the memory requirement for a plurality of H-ARQ processes exceeds the H-ARQ memory capacity. If there is insufficient H-ARQ memory available to support H-ARQ transmissions, only a subset of the plurality of H-ARQ processes may be activated at a time. When there is insufficient H-ARQ memory for processing H-ARQ transmissions, a negative acknowledgement (NACK), an acknowledgement (ACK), nothing, and/or information indicating the reason for a failed transmission may be transmitted to a transmitting node. |
| US08160046B2 |
Control channel assignment in a wireless communication network
The disclosed embodiments provide for methods and systems for allocating a plurality of users on a control channel in a wireless communication network. In one aspect, a method for allocating a plurality of users on a control channel includes assigning a first number of modulation symbols to a hop region for a control channel, and allocating a second number of users to the first number of modulation symbols. |
| US08160045B1 |
Beacon miss prevention in power save modes using timing synchronization function
A system including a receive module, a beacon sensing module, and a control module. The receive module is configured to transition from a power save mode to an active mode based on a first clock to receive a delivery traffic indication message (DTIM) beacon. The beacon sensing module is configured to sense a first number of DTIM beacons missed by the receive module during a first predetermined period. The control module is configured to selectively adjust the first clock when the first number is greater than a first threshold. The control module is further configured to generate a second number of synchronization requests (i) during a DTIM beacon interval and (ii) after the first predetermined period to adjust the first clock. |
| US08160043B2 |
Baseband chip and method to implement multi-mode switching for mobile terminal based on baseband chip
The present invention discloses a baseband chip and a method to implement multi-mode switching for a mobile terminal based on the baseband chip, the baseband chip of the mobile terminal in the present invention includes three subsystems of a source encoding/decoding subsystem 102, a wireless transmitting/receiving subsystem 101, a wireless transmitting/receiving and source encoding/decoding common control and process subsystem 100, the baseband chip may be implemented by using a single chip based on CMOS technology. The baseband chip of the present invention are suitably used to a TD-SCDMA mode mobile terminal or a multi-mode mobile terminal including TD-SCDMA, the new requirements proposed to the mobile terminal of the third generation mobile communication technology are met, and repeated design are decreased; furthermore, the method of switching among different communication modes for the mobile terminal based on the above mentioned baseband chip in the present invention implements the switching among different communication modes for the mobile terminal. |
| US08160042B2 |
Spread spectrum communication device and spread spectrum communication method
In a compressed mode, a spread spectrum communication device interleaves bit units across multiple frames using an interleaver, reduces the spreading factor using a framing/spreading unit, outputs the compressed mode frames at a predetermined compressed mode frame timing, and increases the average transmission power in the compressed mode at a radio frequency transmitter. Furthermore, a handover between different frequencies is carried out by establishing synchronization to another frequency carrier, based on a first search code and a second search code which have been detected, and moreover, a handover between different communication systems is carried out by establishing synchronization to a GSM, based on an FCCH and a SCH which have been detected. |
| US08160034B1 |
Dynamic determination of EV-DO control-channel bit rate based on forward-link-timeslot utilization, control-channel occupancy, and amount of buffered forward-link traffic data
Methods and systems provide dynamic determination of a control-channel bit rate. An access node provides service on a carrier comprising active and idle timeslots, active timeslots comprising a data channel for carrying a control channel at a bit rate that can be set to a lower value or a higher value, and traffic channels. The access node determines whether the number of active timeslots over a time period is less than a first threshold. If so, the access node sets the bit rate to the lower value. If not, the access node sets the bit rate to the higher value if at least one of the following is true: (a) control-channel occupancy exceeds a second threshold, (b) the amount of data in a traffic buffer exceeds a third threshold, and (c) control-channel occupancy exceeds a fourth threshold and the amount of data in the traffic buffer exceeds a fifth threshold. |
| US08160031B2 |
Method for power control for mixed voice and data transmission
Power control of mixed voice and data transmissions is disclosed. A voice signal is transmitted at a dynamically-adjusted voice transmit power capped at a maximum voice transmit power limit. Concurrently, data bursts are transmitted on top of the voice signal. Data noise is inserted between the data bursts transmissions. The data burst and inserted data noise are transmitted at a dynamically-adjusted data transmit power based on the voice transmit power to restrict the rate of change of the data transmit power until a maximum data transmit power limit is reached. |
| US08160024B1 |
Method and system for handoff at inter-radio-network-controller boundary
A method is disclosed that can be carried out in an access network comprising a plurality of coverage areas, each coverage area being served by an RNC. The method involves making a determination that an access terminal is located in an inter-RNC boundary zone, and then, during a communication session: (i) determining that a handoff from a source coverage area to a target coverage area should be performed; (ii) determining whether or not the target coverage area is served by the same RNC as the source coverage area; (iii) if the target coverage area is not served by the same RNC as the source coverage area, delaying handoff until a current segment of the communication session is complete; and (iv) if the target coverage area is served by the same RNC, handing off the communication session to the target coverage area. |
| US08160020B2 |
Radio network control
In connection with a mobile wireless subnetwork having multiple radio network controllers and multiple radio nodes, a session established for an access terminal is associated with a serving radio network controller. The association is maintained as the access terminal moves from the coverage area of one radio node to the coverage area of another radio node within the same subnetwork. Access channel packets are routed from an access terminal having an existing session to the serving radio network controller by determining the IP address of the serving radio network controller using a session identifier. |
| US08160017B2 |
Radio resource selecting method, mobile station and radio base station
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of; (A) notifying, from a radio base station (eNB) to a mobile station (UE), a first cycle and information on the uplink radio resource; and (B) determining, at the mobile station (UE), a first allocation starting time, receiving a downlink data via a downlink radio resource and transmitting an acknowledgement information via an uplink radio resource at and after the first allocation starting time, when receiving a fixed allocation signal from the radio base station (UE). In the step (B), the uplink radio resource is adjusted by an adjustment signal included in the fixed allocation signal and the acknowledgement information is transmitted via the adjusted uplink radio resource. |
| US08160013B2 |
Method of transmitting data in multi-cell cooperative wireless communication system
A method of transmitting data in a multi-cell cooperative wireless communication system is provided. The method includes dividing the data into common data and private data, determining a transmission rate and/or a transmission power of the common data and the private data, respectively and transmitting the common data and the private data at the determined transmission rate and/or transmission power. It is possible to mitigate inter-cell interference and improve the performance of the system. |
| US08160011B2 |
Femtocell device
There is provided a femtocell device for communicating with one or more user devices in a communication network, the network having a plurality of subchannels available for transmissions, wherein the femtocell device is adapted to use a first subset of the plurality of subchannels for communicating with user devices that are in a closed subscriber group of the femtocell device and within a first area, and a second subset of the plurality of subchannels for communicating with other user devices. |
| US08160009B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
An apparatus for transmitting a broadcast signal includes an encoder encoding mobile data for FEC (Forward Error Correction) to build RS (Reed Solomon) frames, wherein each row of a payload of each of the RS frame includes transport packets of the mobile data including IP datagrams; a signaling encoder encoding signaling data, wherein the signaling data includes TPC (transmission parameter channel) data and FIC (fast information channel) data, wherein the TPC data includes transmission parameters and the FIC data includes channel binding information between services and ensembles; a group formatter forming data groups including the encoded mobile data and encoded signaling data; a packet formatter formatting data packets including data in the data groups; a multiplexer multiplexing the mobile data in the data packets and main data in main data packets; and a transmission unit transmitting a transmission frame including the multiplexed data. |
| US08160006B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing relay service in multi-hop relay broadband wireless access communication system
Provided is an apparatus and method for providing a synchronous relay service in a multi-hop relay BWA communication system. In the method, a BS-MS link subframe and an RS-MS link subframe are configured for a first section of a subframe in an ith frame. At least one of a BS-RS link subframe, an RS-RS link subframe and an RS-MS link subframe is configured for a second section of a subframe in the ith frame. The BS-MS link subframe and the RS-MS link subframe are configured for a first section of a subframe in an (i+1)th frame. At least one of the BS-RS link subframe, the RS-RS link subframe and the RS-MS link subframe is configured for a second section of a subframe in the (i+1)th frame. |
| US08160005B2 |
Virtually centralized uplink scheduling
A method of scheduling uplink transmissions from a plurality of source user equipments to a base station is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining the amount of data in the data buffer of each of the user equipments, comparing the amount of data in the data buffers of the user equipments to obtain, for each user equipment, a relative indicator, the relative indicator indicating how full that user equipment's data buffer is in comparison to the data buffers of the other user equipments, and scheduling uplink transmissions in dependence on the relative indicators. In this way, each user equipment is given some knowledge of the state of the buffer in the other user equipments. The user equipments are therefore able to make more efficient scheduling decisions. This can improve the throughput and give lower packet delivery delays. |
| US08160003B2 |
Negotiating different mobile IP delivery styles
The present invention provides a system and method to selectively negotiate different delivery styles for different types of packets sent from the Mobile Node to the Foreign Agent, which will allow the Mobile Node to negotiate a delivery style that will permit the Foreign Agent to transmit certain selected outbound traffic directly without reverse tunneling that traffic back to the home network. Specifically, the present invention allows the Foreign Agent to distinguish between certain types of BC/MC packets that are designated to be processed and routed to their destinations by the Foreign Network directly, as opposed to reverse tunneling the outbound traffic from the Foreign Agent back to the Home Agent on the home network. By selecting processing by the Foreign Network, the efficiency of the system will improve because the transmission of outbound traffic and inbound responses will not need to be tunneled through the Home Network. |
| US08160002B2 |
Method and device ACK/NACK slot positioning
Embodiments describe reducing interference in a wireless communication network, including an ad hoc network. According to an embodiment, a method for reducing interference includes receiving a data packet and determining a channel quality level of the received data packet. The method further includes calculating a number of groups to divide the data packet into based on the channel quality level and determining a slot position within each group. The positioning of an acknowledgment channel within each group can be optimized to reduce the amount of overhead channels or to provide time to decode a traffic channel. |
| US08160000B2 |
Achieving power savings through packet grouping
Power savings may be achieved in a packet-switched system by grouping packets. For example, packets may be queued while a portion of the system is in a suspended state. In some embodiments, power savings are provided in a wireless system to increase talk time. Here, packets may be queued while one or more components such as a radio of the wireless device are in a suspended state. |
| US08159999B2 |
Peer-to-peer wireless communication system
A peer-to-peer communication system using a direct link setup (DLS) is disclosed. A mobile station (STA) establishes a direct communication link with another STA by sending a message requesting a DLS to an access point (AP), (i.e., a centralized controller). The AP may accept or reject the DLS request based on channel measurements. If the DLS request is accepted, the DLS is established such that the STAs may directly communicate with each other. An established DLS connection may be torn down by the AP sending a message including a DLS teardown request to one of the STAs, or based on channel measurements. The system may be an Ad hoc network comprising a plurality of STAs without an AP where each STA maintains a database of one-hop and two-hop STAs, and establishes a direct link to other STAs after informing neighboring STAs of an intention to establish a direct communication link. |
| US08159998B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving a transmission signal characteristic of a downlink signal in a time division multiple access wireless communication system
The invention relates to improving the quality of a received downlink signal in a time division multiple access wireless cellular communications network. The method of the invention comprises measuring a signal quality characteristic at a user equipment and comparing this to a threshold to determine it a desired signal quality level exists. It so then a certain level or type of service on the downlink can be effected. It not, the method comprises identifying an interferer signal or signals and removing at least one of such interferer signals by arranging for it to either not be transmitted on the same TDMA timeslot as the downlink signal or to be transmitted at a lower power, for example, in said timeslot. |
| US08159994B2 |
High data rate multiplexing satellite stream to low data rate subscriber terminals
A satellite modem for broadband communication. The satellite modem receives a satellite signal on a single carrier from a satellite. The satellite signal is divided by time division multiplexing into physical sub-channels encapsulating logical downstreams. The satellite modem includes a filter which removes a subset of the physical sub-channels intended for the subscriber terminal. The satellite modem includes a demodulator, a decoder, and a medium access channel. The MAC processes the logical downstreams. |
| US08159992B2 |
Routing paths onboard satellite with reference terminal functionality
Satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. A satellite communications system may include routing and switching functionality onboard the satellite. Such a system may include a satellite in communication with terminals (e.g., subscriber terminals or gateways) either directly, or via one or more other satellites through an inter-satellite link. The satellite may be configured with different beams which each provide service to a coverage area. A ground-based network control center (NCC) may dynamically allocate bandwidth and process data measured on the satellite. A novel partition of functionality between the satellite and the NCC is described. Routing paths on the satellite, and the distribution of routing tables within the system, are described as well. |
| US08159989B2 |
Relay network system and terminal adaptor apparatus
The optimum relay route is selected out of a plurality of relay routes to a server. In order to solve a multirouting problem, introduced is a multi routing system for determining a relay route on the basis of a label corresponding to a terminal of an access source and a server type of an access destination instead of using an IP address as a key to select the relay route. A VPN using L2TP is also introduced. A CE router A (101) maps MAC addresses of terminals (103, 104) that it accommodates on the L2TP-VPN session. The session ID of the L2TP is used as the session ID of VPN, which is used as the key to select a relay route. |
| US08159988B2 |
Relay apparatus, relay method, and recording medium storing relay program
A relay apparatus includes: a terminal position information updating part for updating position information of a wireless terminal and position information of a wired terminal stored in a terminal position information storing part, to position information of the wireless terminal and position information of the wired terminal obtained by a terminal position measuring device, based on IP addresses of the wireless terminal and the wired terminal; a terminal-to-terminal distance calculating part for calculating a distance between the wireless terminal and the wired terminal; a distance determining part for determining whether or not the calculated distance falls in a predetermined distance range represented by communication condition data stored in a communication condition data storing part; and a communication control part for controlling the communication between the wireless terminal and the wired terminal according to communication conditions represented by the communication condition data, when the calculated distance falls in the predetermined distance range. |
| US08159980B2 |
PS network with CS service enabling functionality
Method and system for optimization of a handoff of a user equipment between packet switched and circuit switched networks in response to a request for circuit switched network services on the user equipment while the user equipment is resident on a packet switched only network. The system includes a mobile device, a first network, and a second network. The first network includes a third network and an interworking unit. The second network communicates with the first network. The mobile device sends registration information to the first network. The third network sends the registration information to the interworking unit. The interworking unit sends the registration information to the second network to provide a communication link between the mobile device and the second network. |
| US08159976B2 |
Neural network-based mobility management for healing mobile ad hoc radio networks
A self healing ad hoc communications network and method of training for and healing the network. The network includes wireless devices or nodes that include a neural network element and the ad hoc network operates as a neural network. Some of the nodes are designated as healing nodes that are identified during network training and are strategically located in the network coverage area. Whenever one group of nodes loses connection with another a healing node may reposition itself to reconnect the two groups. Thus, the network can maintain connectivity without constraining node movement. |
| US08159973B2 |
Ultra-scalable supercomputer based on MPU architecture
The invention provides an ultra-scalable supercomputer based on MPU architecture in achieving the well-balanced performance of hundreds of TFLOPS or PFLOPS range in applications. The supercomputer system design includes the interconnect topology and its corresponding routing strategies, the communication subsystem design and implementation, the software and hardware schematic implementations. The supercomputer comprises a plurality of processing nodes powering the parallel processing and Axon nodes connecting computing nodes while implementing the external interconnections. The interconnect topology can be based on MPU architecture and the communication routing logic as required by switching logics is implemented in the FPGA chips while some modular designs for accelerating particular traffic patterns from applications and meliorating the communication overhead are able to be deployed as well. |
| US08159969B2 |
Systems and methods for high rate OFDM communications using first and second cyclic prefix lengths
Messages transmitted between a receiver and a transmitter are used to maximize a communication data rate. In particular, a multicarrier modulation system uses messages that are sent from the receiver to the transmitter to exchange one or more sets of optimized communication parameters. The transmitter then stores these communication parameters and when transmitting to that particular receiver, the transmitter utilizes the stored parameters in an effort to maximize the data rate to that receiver. Likewise, when the receiver receives packets from that particular transmitter, the receiver can utilize the stored communication parameters for reception. |
| US08159967B2 |
Wireless communication using beam forming and diversity
A method and apparatus for wirelessly transmitting real-time data streams is described. To ensure continuous data flow, fast diversity and slow diversity can be used. Fast diversity chooses a receive antenna based on received signal parameters, such as signal strength, during the transmission header and prior to information transfer. Slow diversity stores received signal parameters from previous packets, associates the parameters with a selected antenna, and uses the parameter history to denote a “default” antenna. Additionally, receive and/or transmit beam forming can be used to maintain continuous communication between stations. Beam forming, which combines antenna signals to maximize performance, is possible when at least two transmit/receive signal processing chains are available. |
| US08159962B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing home network interface selection in home networking applications
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for optimizing home networking interface selection in home networking applications. One embodiment of a method for selecting, at a set top box in a network, an active home networking interface from among a plurality of home networking interfaces includes activating the best performing home networking interface and deactivating the remainder of the home networking interfaces. |
| US08159957B2 |
Hardware time stamping and synchronized data transmission
Hardware time stamping and synchronized data transmission disclosed. In a method, a reference time stamp and a local time stamp are obtained. A synchronization offset is prepared based on the local time stamp and the reference time stamp. Instructions are received to send a plurality of data units at a specified time. The plurality of data units are sent at the specified time based on referring to a local time obtained from a local clock and the synchronization offset to simultaneously send a packet storm comprising the plurality of data units. The method may be achieved by a network communications unit on a plurality of network cards included in a network testing system. |
| US08159955B2 |
Method and arrangement for link cost determination for routing in wireless networks
The invention relates to determination of a link cost employable in route determination and data forwarding in a multihop communication network (1). This link cost is adapted to the particular characteristics of wireless contention-based networks (1), in which both network nodes (10, 20) involved in node-to-node data forwarding block neighbor nodes (30, 40, 50) that have to defer medium access during the data forwarding. The link cost is determined based on the estimated total number of nodes (30, 40, 50) that are blocked if data is forwarded on a wireless link (12) from a node (10) to another node (20). The link cost may also be based on a per bit normalized expected transmit duration for the data forwarding in combination with said estimated number of nodes. Usage of the link cost in route determination minimizes the number of truly blocked nodes in the network (1) and increased the network capacity. |
| US08159952B2 |
Data packet traffic scheduling
Techniques of scheduling data packets are disclosed. For example, such data packet scheduling techniques may be employed to schedule data packets on wired and/or wireless networks. An example embodiment includes techniques for scheduling voice-over-Internet protocol data packets transmitted between a base station and a subscriber station on a WiMAX network. |
| US08159950B2 |
Determining processor occupancy of a cluster of home location registers
Methods and computer readable mediums are provided for determining the processor occupancy of a cluster of HLR registers. A deterministic-based performance model is utilized to determine the processor occupancy based on a number of nodes in the cluster, a number of call attempts per unit time, a number of autonomous registrations, a processor utilization for processing each call attempt and a processor utilization for processing each autonomous registration. The models may be utilized to determine the processor occupancy of each node in the cluster if a selected number of HLR nodes are utilized, such that an iterative process may be employed to select a number of HLR nodes in order for each HLR node to operate under a node processor occupancy threshold. |
| US08159944B2 |
Time based queuing
Smart routing packet handling across multiple networks achieves end-to-end (ETE) quality of service (QOS) when complementing or replacing conventional priority-based scheduling algorithms. Packets are “tagged” with a time code that indicates a time is allotted for the packet to transmit from a source to a destination and/or a measure of transmission time. Buffers at routers and/or switches utilize this information to order a transmission queue. In this way, queues may be intelligently scheduled to achieve a maximum ETE QOS. |
| US08159943B2 |
Method of forming protocol data units, protocol data units and protocol data unit generation apparatus
A source host comprising a processing resource that supports a kernel space and a user space. A socket layer is supported by the kernel space and allows a measurement application residing in the user space to instruct a protocol layer to form a plurality of UDP test packets for transmission, from the source host, to a destination node in a communications network. The plurality of test packets employ source-based routing and an alternative congestion control algorithm is implemented by the protocol layer to that supported by the communications network. |
| US08159942B2 |
Method of selecting a profile of a broadband communication line
The application discloses a system and a method of selecting a profile of a digital subscriber line. In a particular embodiment, the method includes setting a threshold for voice quality and determining a number of acceptable code violations that can occur without compromising the voice quality of the digital subscriber line. When the actual number of code violations exceeds the determined number of code violations an alternate profile is selected for the DSL line. |
| US08159940B1 |
Obtaining high availability using TCP proxy devices
The present invention relates to increasing performance of Wide Area Network (WAN) communications and in particular to a redundant proxy device associated with one end of a transport layer connection that monitors packet traffic and selectively reroutes packets to a proxy application. |
| US08159939B1 |
Dynamic network congestion control
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, can include transmitting data packets on multiple flows through a network to an endpoint in accordance with a congestion window where each flow is assigned a different priority level for transmission and a corresponding different congestion window adjustment technique for use with that flow, monitoring for acknowledgements in response to the transmitted data packets; determining, based on a result of the monitoring, a delivery status for one or more of the transmitted data packets that corresponds to one of the multiple flows; and adjusting, responsive to the determined delivery status for the one flow, the congestion window based on the delivery status and the congestion window adjustment technique corresponding to the one flow. |
| US08159937B2 |
Seamless tree creation and movement
In an example embodiment, a beacon is sent on all available interfaces of a device comprising data indicating the operating parameters of all interfaces of the device. A beacon containing data about the configuration of a first interface and a second interface is sent on both the first interface and the second interface. The beacon may suitably comprise data indicating the protocol, channel, and spanning trees for the interface. If communication on the primary interface becomes unavailable, the data in the beacons can be used to facilitate switching communication to the secondary interface. |
| US08159934B2 |
Reporting dial up access problems using a real-time automated system
A server for automatically handling dial-up connectivity problems via a voice connection can include a controller to interface with a caller during a voice call, query a network operations center using a data connection to determine whether a dial-up number associated with the caller and received by the server is out of service, and present alternative dial-up numbers during the voice call without prompting the caller for further information. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08159933B2 |
Method and system for providing broadband access to a data network via gas pipes
A method and system for providing broadband access to a data network via gas pipes is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention utilize Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) or Frequency-Division Multiplexing (FDM) as a modulation technique in order to protect against the effects of dispersion in the gas pipes. An OFDM transceiver modulates a digital data stream into an OFDM signal, RF up-converts the OFDM signal, and transmits the RF up-converted OFDM modulated signal through a gas pipe. |
| US08159932B1 |
Initial timing estimation in a wireless network receiver
An apparatus for and a method of wirelessly receiving a signal, and detecting a start of packet (SOP) from the received signal using at least one SOP detection criterion. In the case an SOP is detected, determining a plurality of metrics from the received signal, and using at least two of the plurality of metrics to determine an initial timing for a received packet. Different versions combine the metrics in different ways to determine the initial timing. The apparatus includes a processing circuit coupled to a radio receiver to determine a plurality of metrics from a wirelessly received signal, and an initial time determining circuit coupled to the SOP detector and the processing circuit. In the case an SOP is detected, the initial time determining circuit uses at least two of the plurality of metrics to determine an initial timing for a received packet. |
| US08159931B2 |
Orthogonal pilot code construction
A method, system and apparatus for communication in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication system is provided. The method includes allocating a plurality of sequences to a plurality of sectors in the OFDMA communication system. The plurality of sequences are orthogonal to each other. The method further includes communicating one or more OFDM tiles between one or more MSs in one or more sectors of the plurality of sectors and one or more BSs of the one or more sectors. The one or more OFDM tiles include one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences allocated to the one or more sectors. |
| US08159928B2 |
Signal transmission in a wireless communication system
Interference management is provided through use of a user-based interference control and/or a network-based interference control. For user-based interference control, the terminals are informed of the inter-sector interference observed by the neighbor sectors and can adjust their transmit powers accordingly so that the inter-sector interference is maintained within acceptable levels. For network-based interference control, each sector is informed of the inter-sector interference observed by the neighbor sectors and regulates data transmissions for its terminals such that the inter-sector interference is maintained within acceptable levels. Each system may utilize only user-based interference control, or only network-based interference control, or both. |
| US08159913B2 |
Optical disc recording apparatus and recording power control method
It is to provide an optical disc recording apparatus and a recording power control method that are adapted to high-speed recording and can set an optimal erasing power with high accuracy. A test writing signal detector reproduces a test writing signal of a predetermined mark length or space length with varied power, and detects the number of error mark signals and an amplitude value of an envelope. A controller obtains a first threshold Pe0 of the erasing power based on the number of error mark signals in a region where laser power is low, and obtains a second threshold Pe1 of the erasing power based on the amplitude value in a region where the laser power is high. Then, the controller sets an optimal value of the erasing power from an average value of the first and second thresholds. |
| US08159908B2 |
Photo diode ic
A photodetector detecting reflected light components from an optical medium, the photodetector including a first detector divided into eight sections detecting the reflected light components and converting the light components into electrical signals, a first calculating portion calculating a first tracking error signal from the electrical signals by a differential push-pull method, a second calculating portion calculating a first focusing error signal by an astigmatism method and calculating a second tracking error signal by a differential phase detection method from the electrical signals converted by the first detector; a second detector divided into four sections detecting the reflected light components reflected by the optical recording medium to convert the light components into electrical signals; and a third calculating portion calculating a second focusing error signal by the astigmatism method and calculating a third tracking error signal by the differential phase detection method from the electrical signals converted by the second detector. |
| US08159907B2 |
Optical pickup device
An optical pickup device includes a photodetector which receives laser light reflected on a recording medium, and an optical system which guides laser light to the photodetector as convergent light. A light transmitting plate which imparts astigmatism to the laser light is disposed between the optical system and the photodetector with an inclination with respect to an optical axis of the laser light. The optical pickup device further includes an optical element which separates four light fluxes of the laser light from each other. The four light fluxes are obtained by dividing the laser light by two straight lines respectively in parallel to a first focal line direction of the laser light transmitted through the light transmitting plate, and a second focal line direction orthogonal to the first focal line direction. |
| US08159905B2 |
Portable telephone provided with a mechanical watch
Portable device, of all types, comprising a watch (1) with mechanical winding, characterized in that a mechanical device doing away with the need for the user to manually wind, uses the power of kinetic energy provided with simple actions making up normal usage of the device in order to carry out mechanical winding of the watch (1). |
| US08159903B2 |
Underwater communication system
Underwater communication system comprising a plurality of communication modules, each provided with a microprocessor, a memory, a transmitter and a receiver unit; these communication modules are incorporated in an underwater computer and in a plurality of underwater equipment devices; the underwater computer and the underwater equipment devices form an underwater master/slave communication network for short and long ranges, in which each device forms a node and communicates in a bidirectional way with the other nodes of the network administered by a main underwater computer or master unit; each node of the network is identified by a unique identification code which is assigned dynamically by the master unit of the network, and is provided with at least one of said communication modules for short-range communication; a data and message transmission protocol is provided for this network, for administering the bidirectional network between the various nodes of the network. |
| US08159898B2 |
Architecture of highly integrated semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes: a first row control circuit region corresponding to a first memory bank; a first column control circuit region corresponding to the first memory bank; a second row control circuit region corresponding to a second memory bank and disposed adjacent to the first row control circuit region; and a second column control circuit region corresponding to a third memory bank and disposed adjacent to the first column control circuit region. |
| US08159892B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of testing the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a storage unit configured to store pattern data selected based on a test command set, and a control unit configured to consecutively perform a program operation on a number of pages in response to the pattern data to obtain programmed pages, consecutively perform a read operation on the programmed pages, and provide information about a bit line coupled to a fail memory cell and about a number of fail bit lines checked as a result of the read operation. |
| US08159888B2 |
Recalibration systems and techniques for electronic memory applications
A memory circuit includes a delay module receiving a strobe signal and producing a delayed strobe signal therefrom. The memory circuit also includes a calibration module that initiates recalibration of the delay module when the calibration module discerns that the delayed strobe signal is within a predetermined proximity of an edge of a reference signal. The memory circuit can be included in a memory interface. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a strobe signal can be used as the reference signal. |
| US08159886B2 |
Memory device, control method for the same, control program for the same, memory card, circuit board and electronic equipment
A memory device having a single or a plurality of memory chips includes a memory part (control register, SPD memory unit) inside each memory chip, which memory part stores control data concerning the memory chip. The memory device enables writing-in or readout of the control data stored on the memory part to be able to set any desired control data for each memory chip, and, when the memory device has the plurality of memory chips, enables separate use of each of the memory chips. |
| US08159884B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell transistor, a word line, a row decoder, a sense amplifier which determines the data in the memory cell transistor via the bit line, a first bit line clamp transistor connected in series between the bit line and the sense amplifier, a second bit line clamp transistor connected in parallel to the first bit line clamp transistor and having a current driving capability higher than that of the first bit line clamp transistor, and a bit line control circuit which turns on the first bit line clamp transistor and the second bit line clamp transistor using a common gate voltage during a predetermined period from a start of charge of the bit line, and turns off only the second bit line clamp transistor when the predetermined period has elapsed. |
| US08159882B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and memory system
A semiconductor memory device executes a writing operation based on a first bit assignment pattern at the time of writing. The first bit assignment pattern is created such that pieces of x-bit data assigned to adjacent threshold distributions have only a one-bit difference therebetween and an alignment of data on the same digit of 2x pieces of x-bit data corresponding to an alignment of 2x pieces of threshold distributions contains at least two transition points of “0” and “1”. The semiconductor memory device operates at the time of reading such that a read voltage corresponding to the transition points of “0” and “1” is applied to the word line on a page basis to determine x-bit data stored in the memory cell one-bit by one-bit based on the first assignment pattern. The page contains a set of data on the same digit bit in pieces of x-bit data stored in the memory cells connected to the word line. |
| US08159878B2 |
Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile functionality and method of operating
Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile modes and methods of operation. A semiconductor memory cell includes a fin structure extending from a substrate, the fin structure including a floating substrate region having a first conductivity type configured to store data as volatile memory; first and second regions interfacing with the floating substrate region, each of the first and second regions having a second conductivity type; first and second floating gates or trapping layers positioned adjacent opposite sides of the floating substrate region; a first insulating layer positioned between the floating substrate region and the floating gates or trapping layers, the floating gates or trapping layers being configured to receive transfer of data stored by the volatile memory and store the data as nonvolatile memory in the floating gates or trapping layers upon interruption of power to the memory cell; a control gate wrapped around the floating gates or trapping layers and the floating substrate region; and a second insulating layer positioned between the floating gates or trapping layers and the control gate; the substrate including an isolation layer that isolates the floating substrate region from a portion of the substrate below the isolation layer. |
| US08159869B2 |
Circuit and method for generating reference voltage, phase change random access memory apparatus and read method using the same
A circuit for generating a reference voltage includes at least one reference cell, a reference cell write driver, a reference cell sense amplifier, and a voltage compensation unit. The reference cell is a variable resistance memory cell. The reference cell write driver writes data to the reference cell. The reference cell sense amplifier reads out the data stored in the reference cell on the basis of a predetermined reference voltage. A voltage compensation unit outputs a compensation reference voltage by controlling the reference voltage in accordance with the output value of the sense amplifier. |
| US08159868B2 |
Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile functionality including resistance change material and method of operating
Semiconductor memory is provided wherein a memory cell includes a capacitorless transistor having a floating body configured to store data as charge therein when power is applied to the cell. The cell further includes a nonvolatile memory comprising a resistance change element configured to store data stored in the floating body under any one of a plurality of predetermined conditions. A method of operating semiconductor memory to function as volatile memory, while having the ability to retain stored data when power is discontinued to the semiconductor memory is described. |
| US08159866B2 |
Method and system for providing dual magnetic tunneling junctions usable in spin transfer torque magnetic memories
A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic memory are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers, and a free layer. The first pinned layer has a first pinned layer magnetic moment and is nonmagnetic layer-free. The first nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the first pinned and free layers. The free layer resides between the first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers. The second pinned layer has a second pinned layer magnetic moment and is nonmagnetic layer-free. The second nonmagnetic spacer layer resides between the free and second pinned layers. The first and second pinned layer magnetic moments are antiferromagnetically coupled and self-pinned. The magnetic junction is configured to allow the free layer to be switched between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. |
| US08159863B2 |
6T SRAM cell with single sided write
An SRAM cell containing an auxiliary driver transistor is configured for a single sided write operation. The auxiliary driver transistor may be added to a 5-transistor single-sided-write SRAM cell or to a 7-transistor single-sided-write SRAM cell. The SRAM cell may also include a read buffer. During read operations, the auxiliary drivers are biased. During write operations, the auxiliary drivers in half-addressed SRAM cells are biased and the auxiliary drivers in the addressed SRAM cells may be floated or biased. |
| US08159861B2 |
Compact and highly efficient DRAM cell
A compact dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell and highly efficient methods for using the DRAM cell are disclosed. The DRAM cell provides reading, writing, and storage of a data bit on an ASIC chip. The DRAM cell includes a first transistor acting as a pass gate and having a first source node, a first gate node, and a first drain node. The DRAM cell also includes a second transistor acting as a storage device and having a second drain node that is electrically connected to the first drain node to form a storage node. The second transistor also includes a second source node and a second gate node. The second source node is electrically floating, thus increasing the effective storage capacitance of the storage node. |
| US08159858B2 |
Signal margin improvement for read operations in a cross-point memory array
A configuration for biasing conductive array lines in a two-terminal cross-point memory array is disclosed. The configuration includes applying a read voltage to a selected X-conductive array line while applying an un-select voltage thru a biasing element to a remaining plurality of un-selected X-conductive array lines. A plurality of Y-conductive array lines are initially biased to some voltage (e.g., 0V) and then allowed to float unbiased after a predetermined amount of time has passed, some event has occurred, or both. As one example the event that triggers the floating of the plurality of Y-conductive array lines can be the read voltage reaching a predetermined magnitude. The array can be formed BEOL and include a plurality of two-terminal memory cells with each memory cell including a memory element and optionally a non-ohmic device (NOD) that are electrically in series with each other and with the two terminals of the memory cell. |
| US08159857B2 |
Electronic device with a programmable resistive element and a method for blocking a device
One or more embodiments relate to an electronic device comprising a circuitry and a programmable resistive element. The programmable resistive element comprises a first and a second state, wherein the programmable resistive element is configured to allow switching from the second state into the first state in response to a signal comprising at least a predefined level. The circuitry is configured to provide signals up the predefined level, wherein the circuitry is configured to provide a switch signal to the programmable resistive element, wherein the switch signal causes switching from the first into the second state. |
| US08159856B2 |
Bipolar select device for resistive sense memory
A resistive sense memory apparatus includes a bipolar select device having a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of collector contacts disposed in a first side of the of the semiconductor substrate, an emitter contact layer disposed in a second side of the semiconductor substrate, and a base layer separating the plurality of collector contacts from the emitter contact layer. Each collector contact is electrically isolated from each other. A resistive sense memory cells is electrically coupled to each collector contacts and a bit line. The base layer and the emitter contact layer provide an electrical path for the plurality of collector contacts. |
| US08159853B2 |
Memory module cutting off DM pad leakage current
A memory module includes: an ODT circuit on a memory device and including pull-up and pull-down resistors connected between pull-up and pull-down transistors. A data masking (DM) pad is provided in a tap region of the module board. A current leakage monitoring unit is also provided and receives a ground state signal from the DM pad and a bit configuration signal from the memory device and disables the pull-up transistors to cut off a current path between the pull-up resistors of the ODT circuit and the DM pad during a ODT enable mode. |
| US08159851B2 |
Matrix converter
A matrix converter includes a matrix converter main circuit, an input voltage detector group configured to detect an input voltage of an alternating current source, a gate driver configured to drive a bidirectional switch, and a controller having a pulse width modulation operation unit and a commutation operation unit. The pulse width modulation operation unit is configured to fix one output phase in a conduction state, configured to pulse-width-modulate one of remaining two output phases by using all three input phases, and configured to pulse-width-modulate the other output phase by using only two input phases of a reference input voltage and a middle input voltage. |
| US08159850B2 |
Converter control device
A converter control device includes a converter device formed by three converter circuits connected together in parallel between a secondary battery as a first power source and a fuel cell as a second power source. A control unit includes: a PID control module for controlling the converter device by PID control and executing a desired voltage conversion; a drive phase quantity changing module for changing the number of drive phases of the converter device in accordance with the passing power of the converter device; and an integration term correction function switching module which switches the PID control integration term correction function when changing the number of drive phases. |
| US08159849B2 |
Downsized power inverter and housing for a larger heat release value
A power inverter comprises at least a box-shaped housing; and a power module, a smoothing capacitor, a base plate made of a flat plate, and a rotating electric machine control circuit board arranged in order in the housing. The base plate is arranged with the fringes fixed to the inner wall surfaces of the housing, and the smoothing capacitor and rotating electric machine control circuit board are fixed. |
| US08159847B2 |
Method and arrangement in connection with a brake chopper
A method of controlling a brake chopper and a control arrangement, the brake chopper being connected between the positive and the negative rails of an intermediate voltage circuit feeding an inverter bridge, wherein current measurement means are arranged between a DC voltage source and the brake chopper and adapted to measure DC current flowing in the intermediate voltage circuit, which method comprises steps of forming with the inverter bridge an output voltage to a load connected to the output of the inverter bridge, determining a time instant when the DC current of the intermediate circuit is sampled, and preventing the use of the brake chopper at the determined time instant. |
| US08159846B2 |
Switching control circuit, semiconductor device and switching power source apparatus
At the starting time and an overload time in which the output voltage of the switching power source apparatus is low, if an overcurrent state, in which the ON period of the switching device becomes short and a current not less than the current limit value of the switching device flows through the switching device, occurs, this overcurrent state is detected. The blanking period of a blanking pulse signal is made shorter than the blanking period that is obtained during steady operation, and the ON period of the switching device is made shorter. Hence, the device current flowing through the switching device can be made small in each pulse for the switching operation, and, at the same time, the device current is suppressed from increasing each time a pulse for the switching operation is generated. |
| US08159839B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing an unregulated dormant mode in a power converter
A control circuit for use in a power converter with an unregulated dormant mode of operation is disclosed. In one aspect a power converter includes a drive signal generator that is coupled to generate a drive signal to control switching of a power switch coupled to the control circuit to regulate a flow of energy to an output of the power converter in response to an energy requirement of one or more loads coupled to the output of the power converter. A regulator circuit is coupled to charge a capacitor. The capacitor determines a time period. The regulator circuit is coupled to not charge the capacitor if the energy requirement of the one or more loads coupled to the output of the power converter falls below a threshold. The regulator is coupled to again charge the capacitor after the time period has elapsed. An unregulated dormant mode control circuit is coupled to render dormant the drive signal generator and the regulator circuit during the time period thereby causing regulation of the flow of energy to the output of power converter output to cease. The unregulated dormant mode control circuit is further coupled to power up the drive signal generator and the regulator after the time period has elapsed. |
| US08159835B2 |
Laser apparatus
A laser apparatus comprises: a lead frame comprising a first outer lead and a first inner lead connected to the first outer lead; mold resin that has a top surface, does not seal the first outer lead but does seal the first inner lead and cleaves part of the first inner lead exposed on the top surface; a sub-mount comprising a mounting surface and a back surface facing each other, the mounting surface facing the top surface of the mold resin and the back surface being not covered with the mold resin; and a laser element mounted on the mounting surface of the sub-mount and electrically connected to the exposed part of the first inner lead. |
| US08159828B2 |
Low profile flip chip power module and method of making
A power module is proposed to package an electronic system having flip chip power MOSFET devices. The power module includes a front surface cover board and a multi-layer printed circuit laminate bonded thereto. Notably, the front surface of the printed circuit laminate includes recessed pockets each having printed circuit traces atop its floor. Inside the recessed pockets are power MOSFET and other circuit components bonded to the printed circuit traces. As the circuit components are encased inside the power module, it features a low profile, an increased mechanical robustness and EMI/RFI immunity. Additionally, some circuit components can be provided with a front-side bonding layer that is also bonded to the front surface cover board to realize a double-side bonding to the interior of the power module. Methods for making the low profile power module are also described. |
| US08159824B2 |
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board includes a first board unit and a second board unit disposed with a gap in-between, and a flexible optical board configured to transmit optical signals, which has one side stacked on the first board unit and the other side stacked on the second board unit, where the flexible optical board includes a core through which the optical signals travel, a cladding surrounding the core, and a circuit pattern buried in the cladding which transmits electrical signals. By forming the rigid boards and the flexible optical board as an integrated structure, the need for separate connectors is obviated, and thus the cost of the product can be lowered. |
| US08159816B2 |
Rail assembly and computer component securing device with a rail assembly
A computer component securing device includes a rack and a pair of rail assemblies. The rail assemblies are mounted respectively on two sides of a computer component and are disposed on the rack. Each rail assembly includes a rail and a handle pivoted to a front end of the rail. The handle is disposed to facilitate manipulation by a user. By turning the handle pivotally relative to the rail about an angle, a portion of the rail is urged in a direction away from the computer component to interferingly engage the rack so as to position the computer component in the rack. |
| US08159810B1 |
System for providing selective capacitance to a single phase motor with a bundled capacitor
A system for providing selective capacitance with a bundled capacitor is described herein. The bundled capacitor can include a housing a cap, a central common terminal, a plurality of auxiliary terminals, an interrupter, an insulating spider, a plurality of individual rolled sandwich like connected capacitors, a thermal fuse, a frangible electrical connection, an insulating layer, a resin, and an expansion chamber. A single phase motor can be connected to the bundled capacitor. |
| US08159798B2 |
Latch-control protection circuit
A latch-control protection circuit applied in a power converter is provided. The protection circuit has a comparing circuit unit and a logic gate. The comparing circuit unit is utilized to selectively output a default signal or a comparing signal according to a state signal from the logic gate, wherein the default signal is utilized for latching the state signal and the comparing signal is corresponded to the power condition of the power converter. The logic gate generates the state signal according to the output signal of the comparing circuit unit and a system judging signal. The output signal may be the default signal or the comparing signal. The system judging signal indicates the condition of the power converter. |
| US08159797B2 |
Overvoltage protection circuit
An input terminal is externally input with an input voltage. An output transistor of N-channel MOSFET is arranged between the input terminal and an output terminal. A charge pump circuit steps up the input voltage. An error amplifier receives a voltage stepped up by the charge pump circuit as a power supply, and outputs an error voltage of a feedback voltage corresponding to an output voltage of the output terminal and a predetermined reference voltage to a gate of the output transistor. A controller compares the input voltage with a predetermined threshold voltage, and forcibly turns OFF the output transistor when the input voltage is higher than the threshold voltage. |
| US08159795B2 |
Protection circuit for semiconductor integrated circuit and driving method therefor
A surge protection circuit comprises a surge detection circuit 14 for detecting a surge applied to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and a protection element 15 for absorbing the surge. The protection element is connected between a signal terminal for supplying a signal to the semiconductor integrated circuit and a power source terminal for supplying a power source voltage. When the power source voltage is not larger than a voltage enough to normally operate the semiconductor integrated circuit and the surge detection circuit does not detect the surge, the protection element is set in a current limiting state. When the power source voltage is not larger than a voltage enough to normally operate the semiconductor integrated circuit and the surge detection circuit detects the surge, the protection element is set in a current non-limiting state. |
| US08159794B2 |
Self testing ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) with end of life (EOL) detection that rejects false EOL information
A self test (ST) ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) provides improved end of life (EOL) detection by rejecting false EOL information. A processing device receives fault detection signals indicating when faults are detected, and input signals indicating when contacts used to interrupt power to a load are closed. The processing device rejects the fault detection signals when they fail to meet a selected condition and the contacts are closed, and declares end of life (EOL) when the selected condition is met. The fault detection signals can correspond to pulses at an output of a gated device between the processing device and a GFCI chip, and the selected condition can be a selected integer number of pulses. |
| US08159792B2 |
Motor control device
In a motor control device that drives a plurality of motors with one DC power supply, detection of a short circuit fault occurring in the motors is realized with an inexpensive configuration. In order to drive the plurality of motors (105, 106), a current detection resistor (404, 405) is arranged between a connection point on positive terminal sides of a plurality of electric power converters (401, 402) connected in parallel to a DC power supply (403) and a positive terminal of the DC power supply, or also between a connection point on negative terminal sides of the plurality of electric power converters and a negative terminal (ground) of the DC power supply, to thereby detect the short circuit fault based on a voltage of the current detection resistor. |
| US08159791B2 |
Magnetoresistive sensor having quantum well structure and a trapping layer for preventing charge carrier migration
A Lorentz Magnetoresistive sensor having an ultrathin trapping layer disposed between a quantum well structure and a surface of the sensor. The trapping layer prevents charge carriers from the surface of the sensor from affecting the quantum well structure. This allows the quantum well structure to be formed much closer to the surface of the sensor, and therefore, much closer to the magnetic field source, greatly improving sensor performance. A Lorentz Magnetoresistive sensor having a top gate electrode to hinder surface charge carriers diffusing into the quantum well, said top gate electrode being either a highly conductive ultrathin patterned metal layer or a patterned monoatomic layer of graphene. |
| US08159790B2 |
Method and apparatus for the prevention of electrostatic discharge (ESD) by a hard drive magnetic head involving the utilization of anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) in the securement to a head-gimbal assembly (HGA)
A system and method for the prevention of electrostatic discharge (ESD) by a hard drive magnetic head is disclosed. The magnetic head is secured to a head-gimbal assembly (HGA) by anisotropic conductive paste (ACP) to provide an improved electrostatic discharge path. |
| US08159783B2 |
Substrate with intermediate layer for thin-film magnetic head and method of manufacturing the substrate with intermediate layer
A thin-film magnetic head substrate according to the present invention includes: a ceramic base with a principal surface; and an undercoat film, which covers the principal surface of the ceramic base. An electrical/magnetic transducer is provided on the undercoat film. The substrate further includes an intermediate layer between the principal surface of the ceramic base and the undercoat film. The intermediate layer is made of a material other than an aluminum oxide and has been patterned so as to make a portion of the principal surface of the ceramic base contact with the undercoat film. |
| US08159781B2 |
Magnetic head for perpendicular recording and disk drive with the same
According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a main pole configured to produce a recording magnetic field, a return pole opposed to a trailing side of the main pole across a write gap and configured to return magnetic flux from the main pole, a coil configured to excite the main pole, a spin-torque oscillator between the main pole and a surface of the return pole, configured to produce a high-frequency magnetic field, and side shields individually on opposite sides of the main pole transversely relative to a track, magnetically separated from the main pole, and located at a height position above the recording medium higher than that of the spin-torque oscillator. |
| US08159780B2 |
Recording head heater systems with two electrical connections
Recording heads for a data storage system include a first diode, a second diode, and a first electrical component. The first electrical component is electrically connected in series to the first and second diodes. In another embodiment, recording heads include first, second, third, and fourth electrical connection points. A read transducer is electrically connected to the first and second electrical connection points. A write transducer is electrically connected to the first and third electrical connection points. A first heater and a second heater are electrically connected to the first and fourth electrical connection points. |
| US08159779B2 |
Method and apparatus utilizing shock sensors on storage devices
A data storage system with a controller that receives shock data from a shock detection sensor and methods utilizing such a controller are provided. The data storage system controller receives information or signals regarding shock events from a shock sensor, enabling the data storage system controller to take remedial action. The particular remedial action taken may be dependent on the severity of the detected shock event. The data storage system controller may receive information regarding shock events from shock sensors provided separately from the data storage system controller, allowing the data storage system controller to take remedial action that is tailored to the locale of a shock event. |
| US08159777B2 |
Portable electronic device with multipurpose hard drive circuit board
A hard drive for a portable electronic device is provided that contains a multipurpose circuit board. The multipurpose circuit board may be mounted within a hard drive housing. System components and hard drive controller components may be mounted to the multipurpose circuit board. The multipurpose circuit board may be formed from a rigid flex structure or other structure that is able to accommodate translation of the multipurpose circuit board relative to the remainder of the portable electronic device in the event of an impact event. Components may be mounted to the multipurpose board in accordance with their heights. The portable electronic device may include components such as a battery, display, buttons, and other input-output devices that are connected to the multipurpose circuit board via flex circuit portions of a rigid flex or other electrical paths. |
| US08159774B2 |
Disk device and offset control method thereof
According to one embodiment, a disk device comprises a memory, detector, calculation module, and deactivation module. The memory is configured to store an offset control amount at a time of manufacture. The detector is configured to detect a disk run-out. The calculation module is configured to obtain an offset control amount when the detector detects the disk run-out. The deactivation module is configured to deactivate the offset control based on a difference between the offset control amount obtained by the calculation module and the offset control amount at a time of manufacture stored in the memory and based on the offset control amount obtained by the calculation module. |
| US08159772B2 |
Foldable portable electronic device and system and method for protecting hard disk
A foldable portable electronic device, a system and a method for protecting a built-in hard disk thereof are disclosed. The foldable portable electronic device includes a display and a main body. The system includes a trigger, a lid switch, and a logic judgment module. When the foldable portable electronic device is away form a flat surface, the trigger generates a first signal; when the display is folded onto the main body, the lid switch generates a second signal. The logic judgment module determines the method to control and protect the hard disk in accordance with the first signal and the second signal. |
| US08159771B2 |
Controlling a heat resistive element with a pulse modulated signal
The disclosure is related to pulse width modulating a power signal to a heat resistive element of a transducer. The power signal may be a power output signal of preamplifier. The power signal may be provided to a heat resistive element in a transducer that is operable to read data from or write data to a data storage medium. The pulse width modulated power signal can allow for controlling the heating of the heat resistive element based on a thermal time constant of the heat resistive element and based on adjustable components of the pulse width modulated power signal. |
| US08159770B2 |
Apparatus and method to transfer data to and from a sequential information storage medium
A sequential information storage medium, comprising a plurality of servo patterns encoded lengthwise thereon, wherein each servo pattern encodes at least one LPOS bit and comprises a width less than 187 microns. |
| US08159765B2 |
Barrel module and imaging apparatus including the same
A barrel module and an imaging apparatus including the same. The barrel module includes: a base having a surface on which an image pickup device is disposed; a lens barrel disposed on the base; a driver for providing driving power to move the lens barrel up and down over the base; a clip connected to the driver to be disposed between the driver and the lens barrel; and an elastic member for providing elasticity between the lens barrel and the clip, wherein the lens barrel moves from an original position toward the base according to an external force is applied, and when the external force is removed, the lens barrel goes back to the original location due to the elasticity of the elastic member. |
| US08159764B2 |
Lens drive device
A lens drive device may include a movable body holding a lens, a fixed body movably holding the movable body, and a drive mechanism for driving the movable body in the optical axis direction. The drive mechanism may include a drive magnet part formed in a substantially triangular prism shape and disposed at least in one of four corners of the lens drive device, a drive coil wound around in a substantially triangular tube shape and attached to the movable body, and a coil protection member attached to at least one of an object side and an opposite-to-object side of the drive coil. The coil protection member may include a first coil protection end part and a second coil protection end part which are superposed on an outer side end of the drive coil or protruded toward an outer side from the outer side end of the drive coil to prevent the drive coil from contacting with the fixed body such as a case body. |
| US08159760B2 |
Projector and control method of projector
A projector includes: a projection lens which includes a zoom mechanism capable of controlling a projection view angle; a zoom drive unit which drives the zoom mechanism; a zoom amount storing unit which stores a zoom amount provided by the zoom drive unit; an operation signal receiving unit which receives a predetermined operation signal; and a zoom control unit which controls the zoom drive unit in such a manner as to set an initial zoom condition determined based on the zoom amount stored in the zoom amount storing unit when the operation signal receiving unit receives the predetermined operation signal. |
| US08159758B2 |
Zoom lens system and image pickup apparatus having same
A zoom lens system includes, in order from the object side to the image side, first, second, third, fourth lens units respectively having positive, negative, positive, and positive refractive powers. The lens units move from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end such that intervals between adjacent lens units vary during zooming. The first lens unit consists of first-a and first-b lens elements respectively having negative and positive refractive powers, and the second lens unit consists of second-a, second-b, and second-c lens elements respectively having negative, negative, and positive refractive powers. n12 and ν12 respectively represent the refractive index and the Abbe number of the first-b lens element, and fw and ft respectively present the focal length at the wide-angle end and the telephoto end of the zoom lens system. Values for at least n12, ν12, fw and ft are appropriately set based on predetermined conditions. |
| US08159757B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes, sequentially from an object side, a positive first lens group; a negative second lens group; a positive third lens group; and a positive fourth lens group, where 2.0≦D23W/FW≦3.0 is satisfied. D23W is an interval, at a wide angle edge, between a lens that among lenses of the second lens group, is farthest on an imaging plane side and a lens that among lenses of the third lens group, is farthest on the object side. FW is a focal length of an optical system of the zoom lens at infinity focus, at the wide angle edge. |
| US08159753B2 |
Optical system with variable field depth
An optical lens which, in a controlled manner, and without altering either the resolution or luminous capture, helps to extend the depth of field of any other optical system. The optical lens of the present invention is composed of two optical lenses that form a pair. Each of the lenses of the pair produces a change of optical path with a symmetrical distribution. If there is no relative displacement, the lenses of the pair generate an optical path difference equal to zero. When there is relative displacement, the lenses of the pair generate a change of optical path with asymmetric distribution, which helps to extend the depth of field without reducing either the resolution or luminous capture. The optical lens of this invention, in the form of an optical pair, serves any other optical system to capture images without loss of modulation, but with attenuated modulation which can be retrieved with digital processing algorithms known in the art. |
| US08159751B2 |
Apparatus for head mounted image display
Image display device having an image source generating an image, a beam splitter positioned at forty five degrees to the main optical path, to project and focus the image generated by the image source into the entrance pupil of the human eye, two achromatic standard doublet lenses positioned perpendicularly to the main optical path and placed between the image source and the beam splitter, and configured to amplify, collimate, and correct optical aberrations of said image, wherein the image source, beam splitter and the doublet lenses are in an on-axis configuration and the image display device comprises two mounting brackets parallel to the main optical axis, each having an extremity part holding an edge of the beam splitter and the other extremity pivotally attached to a housing, allowing the brackets and beam splitter to rotate in an axis perpendicular to the main optical path. |
| US08159750B2 |
Illumination structure and illumination lens mounted thereon
Provided is an illumination structure which includes a light source and an illumination lens. The light source emits light in at least one wavelength band. The illumination lens includes a light receiving portion and a light outgoing portion. The light receiving portion divides the light from the light source in a plurality of different directions and the light outgoing portion emits the divided light. |
| US08159748B2 |
Optical article and manufacturing method thereof
An optical article includes: an optical base; and a layer that is provided on the optical base and contains SiO2 as a main component, the layer being a silicon-nitride-containing silicon oxide layer containing SisOtNu (s>0, T≧0, u>0). |
| US08159743B2 |
Surgical microscope having an illuminating arrangement
The invention relates to a surgical microscope having a microscope main objective for the visualization of an object plane in an object region. The objective is passed through by a first stereoscopic component beam path and by a second stereoscopic component beam path. The ophthalmologic surgical microscope includes an adjustable illuminating arrangement which makes illuminating light available. The illuminating arrangement has an illuminating optic having a beam deflecting unit which is mounted on the side of the objective facing away from the object region in order to direct the illuminating light through the objective to the object region. In a first position of the illuminating arrangement, the illuminating light passes through the cross sectional area of the objective in an area section, which at least partially surrounds the optical axis of the first stereoscopic component beam path and/or the optical axis of the second stereoscopic component beam path. |
| US08159740B2 |
Fabrication of a high fill ratio silicon spatial light modulator
A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material. |
| US08159734B2 |
Oscillator device, optical deflector and image forming apparatus using the same
An oscillator device includes a supporting member, an oscillation system having plural oscillators and plural torsion springs, a driving device for oscillating the oscillation system, a drive control device for controlling the driving device, an oscillation detecting device for detecting a state of oscillation of an oscillator of the oscillation system, a resonance frequency calculating device for calculating a resonance frequency of the oscillation system based on an output of the oscillation detecting device, and a control parameter adjusting device for adjusting a control parameter of the drive control device, wherein the control parameter adjusting device adjusts a control parameter based on an output of the resonance frequency calculating device. |
| US08159730B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same
An image reading apparatus and an image forming apparatus having an original base plate, a conveying unit which separates and conveys a bundle of original sheets sheet by sheet, a first image reading unit which reads image information from the one side of the original sheet, a second image reading unit which reads image information from the other side of the original sheet, and a detecting unit which detects image existence/non-existence information of each original sheet in a state that the bundle of original sheets is mounted on the original base plate, wherein the detecting unit includes an oscillating unit which oscillates an electromagnetic wave of 30 GHz to 100 THz and a receiving unit which receives a reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave reflected on each side of the sheet, thereby detecting the image existence/non-existence information of each original sheet based on the received electromagnetic wave information. |
| US08159729B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image reading method
An image reading apparatus includes a first image generation unit configured to scan a document set with one edge aligned with a reference position of a document positioning plate to generate a first image, a second image generation unit configured to scan the document set with a second edge, side opposite to the first edge, aligned with the reference position of the document positioning plate to generate a second image, a detection unit configured to perform matching processing to match image data of the first image with image data of the second image to detect an offset between the first image and the second image, and a determination unit configured to determine a size of the document based on the offset detected by the detection unit. The second edge may be opposite the first. Alternatively, corners may be used instead of edges. |
| US08159727B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image reading apparatus is disclosed that includes a contact glass on which a document is placed; an imaging device configured to image a document image based on light reflected from the document through the contact glass; plural line image sensors arranged along a main scanning direction at positions where the document image is imaged and configured so that end portions of the line image sensors adjacent to each other similarly read same image data imaged at an overlapping area; a transmitted light quantity reduction unit disposed in the overlapping area on the contact glass and configured to reduce transmitted light quantity of a light transmitted through the contact glass; and a signal correction device configured to correct the signal intensity of the image data similarly read by the line image sensors adjacent to each other. |
| US08159726B2 |
Image reader, image processor, and computer program product
An image processor includes a reading unit that moves a scanning optical system toward a reference white sheet to read the reference white sheet from a direction along which the scanning optical system returns to the carried document reading glass before reading one sheet of a document mounted on a carried document reading glass by an automatic document feeding unit in a sheet document reading mode of forming an image of the document carried by the automatic document feeding unit by an image sensor through the scanning optical system facing the carried document reading glass. |
| US08159722B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus capable of accurately compensating an increase or decrease of a toner area coverage resulting from shifting that is performed to correct skew is provided. A color density of image data represented by a correction target pixel is corrected such that the increase or decrease in the toner area coverage on the correction target pixel is compensated excluding a toner area coverage on the correction target pixel covered by a toner image that would be formed based on a color density of image data to be represented by a neighboring pixel of the correction target pixel. This effectively reduces banding noise on an output of the image data and prevents degradation in image quality. |
| US08159717B2 |
Image processing apparatus
Combining section 21 creates the composite image data by combining the image data of the original image and the additional image, and log management section 22 stores the condition of composite images at the time of image combining as log information 40. Printer section 18 prints the composite image based on the composite image data, and a scanner section 16 optically reads the printed composite image. Judgment section 23 judges the condition of adding the additional image in the composite image (presence or absence of overlapping, etc.,) based on stored log information 40 and on the image data obtained by reading out the composite image, and notification control section 24 notifies the user of the judgment result either by displaying or by printing out. |
| US08159713B2 |
Data binding in multiple marking engine printing systems
A printing system capable of binding a modified image data to an individual print engine in a multiple print engine system. The system includes an image processor such as a digital front end, a set of transformations, and a configuration of printers. The system can also include a scanner that scans a test image so that this image binding process can be repeated. Furthermore, the transformation binding can also take place in real time. |
| US08159712B2 |
Imposition enhancements to support documents with fold-out pages
A sheet resizing module operating in cooperation with an automatic imposition module provides for the automatic imposition of fold out sheets using an imposition template tailored for regular sized sheets. The imposition module can impose the pages of a document as if all the pages are regular sized. A sheet resizing module automatically adjusts the size of those sheets onto which fold out pages have been imposed. The sheet resizing module can employ a number of resizing rules to determine which of the sheet's four edges to move and how much to move them. |
| US08159708B2 |
Apparatus for accelerated processing of print data by maximizing word-boundary accesses of image data
A graphic-drawing processing unit performs a rendering process of print data with respect to a band memory or a page memory. When there is a rendering engine that performs a memory access using a memory word width as a minimum unit as a rendering environment, an arbitrary-word-width drawing unit is configured to access an arbitrary-word-width having an arbitrary height, and a one-word width-limited drawing unit is configured to access a limited one-word width having an arbitrary height. The graphic-drawing processing unit performs a drawing process by switching the arbitrary-word-width drawing unit and the one-word-width-limited drawing unit as appropriate. |
| US08159702B2 |
Printer driver, apparatus and methods for controlling a printer from a devmode data structure
Disclosed are methods of controlling operation of a printer, apparatus and computer-readable medium. The embodiments control operation of a printer by receiving a print command for printing from a user, displaying a print user interface including selectable document settings, receiving an indication from the user of selected ones of the documents settings, receiving an indication from the user to save the selected document settings as a document default setting, and controlling printing of the document to print on the printer using the document default setting and the selected document settings. |
| US08159700B2 |
Printing system and control method thereof, and storage medium therefor
A print system comprises a bookbinding unit that is capable of executing a bookbinding job of sheets printed by a print unit, and which controls the processes such that the print unit and the bookbinding unit perform their respective processes separately from one another, rather than in series, based on identification information, when a specified instruction is received. |
| US08159691B2 |
Image processing apparatus, information processing apparatus, and information output method
In a composite machine provided with a copy mode and a print mode, an operation history of each operation mode is accurately timed and log information concerning an electric power of the composite machine for processing various jobs such as the copy mode and the print mode is prepared based on a timed value. |
| US08159689B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, image processing program, and storage medium storing image processing program
An image forming apparatus that can reduce a difference in fog or image density between two facing pages of a booklet formed after duplex printing is provided. A CCD line sensor inputs a series of pieces of image data whose order of printing has been determined in advance. The CCD line sensor, a first storage section, a second storage section, and a calculation section determine a difference in printing density between the first face and the second face of the printing medium after duplex printing. A judgment section judges whether or not to change the order of printing based on the difference in printing density. A control unit controls the order of printing of the image data based on the judgment. An image forming section, a paper supply section, an image reading section, and an operation section print the image data on the printing medium. |
| US08159685B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method capable of easily performing work to arrange pages of discharged recording paper in case of multi-feeding of original
In one embodiment of an image processing apparatus, when multi-feeding during transport of originals is detected, except for the multi-fed originals, which are all of the originals simultaneously multi-fed by the multi-feeding, the images written on only the other remaining originals are recorded on recording paper; and a shifted discharge position in the discharge tray of only pre-multi-feeding original recording paper is different from a standard discharge position of other recorded recording paper, the pre-multi-feeding original recording paper being recording paper on which is recorded the image written on the original transported immediately before the original initially transported among the multi-fed originals. |
| US08159679B2 |
Apparatus for measuring carriageway surface properties
An apparatus for measuring surface properties of a carriageway or road, comprising a platform arranged to move over the carriageway, the platform carrying a light source arranged to illuminate the carriageway, and a detector arranged to receive light returning from the carriageway, characterized in that the light source projects a line of light onto the surface and data representing light returning from the line of light is captured and stored. |
| US08159678B2 |
Method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape
A method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, a method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape and a measuring apparatus for interferometrically measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape. The method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, each of which wave shaping elements has a diffractive measurement structure for adapting part of a wave front of incoming light to a respective portion of the target shape, includes: providing a first one of the wave shaping elements with a diffractive alignment structure, arranging the wave shaping elements relative to each other such that each of the diffractive measurement structures is traversed by a separate subset of rays of the incoming light during operation of the measuring apparatus, and aligning the first wave shaping element and a second one of the wave shaping elements relative to each other by evaluating alignment light having consecutively interacted with the diffractive alignment structure and with the second wave shaping element. |
| US08159671B2 |
Spatially precise optical treatment for measurement of targets through intervening birefringent layers
A treatment pattern (such as a focused spot, an image, or an interferogram) projected on a treatment target may lose precision if the treatment beam must pass through a birefringent layer before reaching the target. In the general case, the birefringent layer splits the treatment beam into ordinary and extraordinary components, which propagate in different directions and form two patterns, displaced from each other, at the target layer. The degree of birefringence and the orientation of the optic axis, which influence the amount of displacement, often vary between workpieces or between loci on the same workpiece. This invention measures the orientation of the optic axis and uses the data to adjust the treatment beam incidence direction, the treatment beam polarization, or both to superpose the ordinary and extraordinary components into a single treatment pattern at the target, preventing the birefringent layer from causing the pattern to be blurred or doubled. |
| US08159668B2 |
Spectrometer for measuring moving sample material and the method
An optical or infrared spectrometer is suitable for on-line measurements for industrial, agricultural, field, commercial and other applications. Optical spectrometers are very useful for various analytical measurements. On-line operation is needed for obtaining real-time information, which is useful e.g. for process automation and quality control needs. The invention is based on optical design optimized for measuring moving samples at a distance and includes a light guide for signal homogenization, a linear variable filter for defining multiple measurement wavelengths as well as a linear detector array for detecting optical signals relating to the different wavelengths. There is an element for cooling and stabilizing the operating temperature of both the linear detector array and the linear variable filter, while the spectrometer is operating in variable environmental conditions. Thanks to the optical signal chain designed to maximize the radiance at the detector, the proposed spectrometer can provide high signal-to-noise ratio and high speed. |
| US08159667B2 |
Tera- and gigahertz solid state miniature spectrometer
A high speed miniature tera- and gigahertz electromagnetic radiation on-chip spectrometer that comprises a tunable solid state 2D charge carrier layer or a quasi 2D charge carrier layer with incorporated single or multiple defects, at least first and second contacts to the charge carrier layer. Also the device includes an apparatus for measuring the device response between the first and second contacts, and an apparatus for a controllable tuning of at least one of the charge carrier layer parameters. The operation principle is based on the fact that radiation of different wavelengths excites distinct sets of plasma modes in the charge carrier layer. |
| US08159666B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring color
Methods in a spectral measurement apparatus are disclosed. Light is received with a plurality of sensors. Each sensor generates an output signal having a frequency proportional to an intensity of light received by the sensor. First, second and third signals are generated each having a frequency proportional to an intensity of light received by a sensor of a wavelength or spectral band. A spectral characteristic of the received light is determined based on at least the first, second and third signals, which are are coupled to a processing element and input in parallel. The spectral characteristic is determined based on measuring a frequency or period of the at least first, second and third signals. Spectral data based on the determined spectral characteristic is generated by the processing element and displayed on a display device for perception by a viewer or transmitted to a data interface for transmission to an electronic device external to the spectral measurement apparatus. |
| US08159664B2 |
Apparatus for depth-selective Raman spectroscopy
Apparatus and methods for detecting Raman spectral features non destructively from sub-surface regions of a diffusely scattering sample are disclosed. Incident radiation is supplied at one or more sample surface entry regions, and light is collected from one or more collection regions spaced from the entry regions. Raman features are detected in the collected light, and depth information is derived according to the entry-collection spacings. |
| US08159662B2 |
Systems and methods for remote unmanned raman spectroscopy
A Raman spectroscopy sensor integrated with an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) includes a UGV having a robot arm and a camera mounted on the robot arm. A laser and telescope associated with a Raman sensor are mounted on the robot arm in such a way as to point in substantially the same direction in which the camera is pointed. A Raman spectral data acquisition and control module is mounted on the UGV and is configured to receive Raman spectral data from the telescope. A remote base station having a display and a data processing and analysis module is configured to receive data from the data acquisition and control module and to display for an operator images from the camera and information related to the Raman sensor. An autofocus system is preferably employed to automatically control telescope focus and thereby enable the Raman sensor to operate over a wide range, e.g., 0.5 m to 10 m. |
| US08159660B2 |
Optical level measurement device and method
A method and system for determining a level of a substance in a container, the method comprises emitting one pulse from a light source in a field of illumination toward a surface of said substance in said container. A backscatter signal of said pulse is detected by an optical detector. A lidar trace is created from said backscatter signal, said lidar trace including at least one reflection peak; A surface reflection is identified among said at least one reflection peak in said lidar trace, said surface reflection being a reflection of said pulse from said surface. The surface reflection is signal-fitted to provide a fitted surface trace. A level of said substance is determined in said container using said fitted surface trace. |
| US08159657B2 |
Method and ink sets for marking and authenticating articles
A method for marking and authenticating a security article, such as a banknote, a document, a ticket, a foil, a thread, a label, a card, or a commercial good, so as to provide for an easy authentication of said article by a machine, such as a currency acceptor, a ticket validator, or a hand-held authentication device. The security article is marked with a user-defined design, wherein said marking comprises dyes or pigments belonging to an extended, or hyperchromic color space which is not reproducible by commercially available, 4-color desktop reproduction equipment. The marking is authenticated by mathematically transforming crude spectral information to statistically independent hyper-color coordinates, and comparing selected hyper-color coordinates with corresponding reference values. |
| US08159654B2 |
Pressure body and pellicle mounting apparatus
A pressure body comprises: three or more pressure pins 40 that come into contact with a photomask 70 at downward positions in a pressure direction D; a main body 10 provided with an opening 16, the opening 16 supporting the pressure pins 40 so as to prevent the pins from dropping off downward, the opening 16 being able to change positions within a plane perpendicular to the pressure direction D, the pressure pins 40 being supported at said positions; a cover body 20 fixed to the main body 10 at an upward position in the pressure direction D; and a buffer member 30 located between the pressure pins 40 and the cover body 20 in the pressure direction D. The pressure body further comprises a cap pin 60, the cap pin 60 supported in the opening 16 so as to be prevented from dropping off downward, the cap pin 60 located in alignment with the pressure pins 40 so as to close off the opening 16, thereby preventing the buffer member 30 from being exposed downward. |
| US08159652B2 |
Positioning apparatus, exposure apparatus using thereof and device manufacturing method
A positioning apparatus including a movable member having a plurality of magnets, and a plurality of coils arranged in X- and Y-axial directions, for displacing the movable member in the X- and Y-axial directions, and in a rotational direction around the Z-axis. |
| US08159649B2 |
Exposure method, exposure apparatus, photomask and method for manufacturing photomask
There is disclosed an exposure method is a method of projecting patterns (M1, M2) of a mask (M) onto a substrate to effect exposure thereof, through a plurality of projection optical units each having an enlargement magnification, and the exposure method comprises: placing the mask (M) having first pattern regions (M1) arranged discontinuously in a positional relation corresponding to the enlargement magnification, and second pattern regions (M2) provided at least in part between the first pattern regions (M1), on the object plane side of the projection optical units; projecting enlarged images of either of the first pattern regions (M1) and the second pattern regions (M2) onto the substrate disposed on the image plane side of the projection optical units to effect exposure thereof; and then projecting enlarged images of the other pattern regions onto the substrate to effect exposure thereof. |
| US08159648B2 |
Method and device for the correction of imaging defects
The disclosure relates to a microlithography projection exposure system having optical corrective elements configured to modify the imaging characteristics, as well as related systems and components. |
| US08159647B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A maskless lithography system has a patterning array assembly formed by a plurality of patterning arrays, each patterning array having a substrate. Each patterning array has a plurality of individually controllable elements to endow an incoming radiation beam with a patterned cross-section. To reduce the global unflatness of the patterning array assembly that is oriented in a first plane, the position of at least one substrate of a patterning array is adjusted to a second orientation. Reduction of the global unflatness of the patterning array assembly reduces a telecentricity error without introducing additional error into the maskless lithography system. |
| US08159638B2 |
Selective reflection/transmission optical device
Disclosed is a selective reflection/transmission optical device including a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) film that selectively transmits a first light having a first circular polarization and reflects a second light having a second circular polarization; a first phase compensation film at the front of the CLC film that generates a phase difference of about λ/4 with respect to an incident light; and a second phase compensation film at the rear of the CLC film, for generating a phase difference of λ/4 with respect to an incident light; a controller for controlling the direction in which an image is displayed, and wherein the CLC film, the first phase compensation film, and the second phase compensation film are disposed in a light path of a dual display liquid crystal display device. |
| US08159634B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes: a backlight; a liquid crystal cell; a first polarizing plate provided between the liquid crystal cell and the backlight; a second polarizing plate provided in opposite side to the first polarizing plate with respect to the liquid crystal cell; a first retardation film provided between the first polarizing plate and the liquid crystal cell; and a second retardation film provided between the second polarizing plate and the liquid crystal cell, wherein a relationship represented by the following formula (1) is satisfied: 1×10−6/° C.≦EC2max−EC1max≦50×10−6/° C. (1) in which EC1max represents a maximal linear thermal expansion coefficient of the first retardation film, and EC2max represents a maximal linear thermal expansion coefficient of the second retardation film. |
| US08159629B2 |
Liquid crystal display unit
There is provided a slim liquid crystal display unit having a large screen by providing a slim structure capable of sufficiently radiating the heat from a light source. The liquid crystal display unit according to the present invention includes: a liquid crystal panel; an optical guiding board installed on a rear face thereof; a pair of light source-mounted substrate disposed, opposing right and left side faces thereof; a light source mounted on the light source-mounted substrate; a metal frame connected on the opposite side to the optical guiding board of the light source-mounted substrate; a chassis member for supporting the optical guiding board and a reflection sheet group; and a thermal diffusion member fixed onto the metal frame along with the chassis member. The chassis member has a stepped portion in the vicinity of the light source. Between the stepped portion and the reflection sheet group, a thermal insulation member is attached. |
| US08159621B2 |
Video and audio system capable of saving electric power
A power supply of a video and audio system is coupled to a first switch and a second switch. A power management unit is coupled between the first switch and at least one electronic device. An integrated circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is coupled to the power management unit and the at least one electronic device for controlling the operation of the at least one electronic device. The second circuit is coupled to a battery, the first switch, the second switch, and the first circuit for controlling the first switch and the second switch. |
| US08159619B2 |
Multi-standard integrated television receiver
A multi-standard integrated television receiver is disclosed. According to the invention, a RF tracking filter is provided to receive a RF signal and then filter out a fifth order and above harmonics and a band-pass filter is provided to further eliminate harmonics. Moreover, a double quadrature mixer is provided to remove third order harmonics. Accordingly, the quality factor requirement of the RF tracking filter and the linearity requirement of the band-pass filter are relaxed. Thus, the RF tracking filter and the band-pass filter can be fully integrated without any external components. |
| US08159618B2 |
Method for searching signal source and arranging signal terminals according to detected signal source
A method for searching a signal source suitable for a multimedia apparatus with multiple signal terminals is disclosed. The method provides an ordered search list of the signal terminals to save the search sequence of the signal terminals. The multimedia apparatus sequentially detects the signal terminals according to the ordered search list of the signal terminals to identify whether an input signal is available. When a specific signal terminal of the signal terminals is found to have an input signal, the sequence of the specific signal terminal in the ordered search list of the signal terminals is set as the first sequence position. |
| US08159610B2 |
AV timing measurement for MPEG type television
An invention for measuring, maintaining and correcting synchronization between signals which suffer varying relative delays during transmission and/or storage is shown. The preferred embodiment of the invention finds particular use in measuring the relative delay between multiple audio signals and an associated video signal of a television type program which is compressed via MPEG or other compression for a transmission and/or storage system. The invention marks the video signal at a time when a particular event in the associated audio occurs. The mark is carried with the video throughout the video processing. After processing the same event in the audio is again identified, the mark in the video identified, the two being compared to determine the timing difference therebetween. |
| US08159602B2 |
Imaging system with relaxed assembly tolerances and associated methods
An imaging system includes an extended depth of field (EDOF) optical system, a sensor on a sensor substrate, and a securing mechanism adapted to secure the EDOF optical system directly to the sensor substrate. |
| US08159599B2 |
Focus detection apparatus, focus detection method, and image sensing apparatus
A focus detection apparatus includes an image sensor which includes a pair of pixel groups, outputs a first image signal from one of the pair of pixel groups, and outputs a second image signal from the other of the pair of pixel groups, where the pair of pixel groups receive luminous fluxes passing different pupil regions of an imaging optical system which forms an object image; a calculation unit which generates a first corrected image signal by subtracting the second image signal multiplied by a coefficient from the first image signal and generates a second corrected image signal by subtracting the first image signal multiplied by a coefficient from the second image signal; and a focus detection unit which detects a defocus amount based on a phase difference between the first corrected image signal and the second corrected image signal generated by the calculation unit. |
| US08159592B2 |
Portable terminal
A portable terminal, comprises: a terminal body provided with a display unit to output visual information relating to a capturing mode, and having wireless communication functions; a touch input unit provided at the display unit, and configured to input information when at least one of the visual information is touched; a camera body arranged at the terminal body in a longitudinal direction, and rotatably coupled to the terminal body so that a direction of a camera mounted therein rotates in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal direction of the terminal body; and camera manipulation units disposed on the camera body, and receiving input manipulations relating to an operation of the camera. |
| US08159590B2 |
Solid-state image sensing device
When a signal output by a solid-state image sensing device is clamped to a predetermined reference potential, a high voltage generated in a transfer suspension period after the clamping as generally supplied to an A/D converter is generated. A sample/hold output Va is clamped to a clamp level Vref over a period of time between a halfway point of time of a signal of a picture element preceding ahead by one line and the end of an inhibit period of transfer clocks of a signal output by an empty transmission unit via a first clamp pulse and a sample/hold output for the second picture element, or a subsequent one of an OPB unit is clamped to the clamp level via a second clamp pulse to prevent a signal output from exceeding a reference voltage from being supplied to an A/D converter at a later stage. |
| US08159587B2 |
Pixel read circuitry
A method of reading voltages from an image sensor having an array of pixels, each pixel Having at least one photodiode connectable to a storage node, the method including: controlling each pixel in a row of pixels to store and output a first voltage value at a first instance, a second voltage value at a second instance, and a third voltage value at a third instance, the first, second and third voltage values being representative of charge accumulated by the photodiodes during an integration phase; comparing the first voltage value from each pixel with a reference threshold; sampling for each pixel, based on the comparison, one of the second and third voltage values, and generating an output pixel value based on the sampled one of the second and third voltage values. |
| US08159582B2 |
Solid-state imaging apparatus and method of driving the same
A solid-state imaging apparatus has a plurality of pixels arranged linearly along columns of N, a plurality of clamping capacitors each arranged corresponding to each column of the pixels, for accumulating the charge amplified by an amplifying unit in the pixel, and a common node arranged corresponding to each set including the clamping capacitors of L (L is equal to or larger than 2, and a divisor of N), and connectable to each set including the clamping capacitors of L. A plurality of pixel selection switches are connected between the clamping capacitor and the common node, and a clamping unit clamps the common nodes to a reference potential. In addition, a sampling and holding circuit connects to the common nodes through the clamping unit, and samples and holds a charge corresponding to a charge of the common node. |
| US08159579B2 |
High dynamic range video
Certain cameras and systems described herein produce enhanced dynamic range still or video images. The images can also have controlled or reduced motion artifacts. Moreover, the cameras and systems in some cases allow the dynamic range and/or motion artifacts to be tuned to achieve a desired cinematic effect. |
| US08159575B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes: a first major surface on which a light receiving portion is formed; a second major surface opposed to the first major surface, and a hermetic seal portion formed on the first major surface, for sealing the light receiving portion, the hermetic seal portion being formed by a flat plate portion made of a transparent inorganic insulating member and a frame portion made of an inorganic insulating film. |
| US08159572B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, apparatus and method for processing information, program, and program recording medium
An image pickup apparatus, an apparatus and a method for processing information, a program, and a program recording medium that can provide a user with an image optimum for the user are provided. A recording medium 4 records a large-size image and a playback parameter thereon. The large-size image has an angle of view wider than that of a normal image that a user intends to be captured and a resolution higher than that of the normal image, where the entirety of an area of a scene captured in the normal image is captured in the large-size image. The playback parameter includes information indicative of a region of the large-size image in which the area of the scene captured in the normal image is captured. An image extracting unit 22 extracts a partial image from the large-size image on the basis of the playback parameter and outputs the extracted image to a display unit 3 as an extraction image. The display unit 3 displays the extraction image. On the other hand, a playback parameter processing unit 24 generates a new playback parameter in accordance with a user operation through an operation unit 26. In such a case, the image extracting unit 22 extracts an extraction image on the basis of the new playback parameter. The present invention is applicable to, for example, apparatuses for recording and playing back an image. |
| US08159568B2 |
Hardware implemented pixel level digital filter and processing of electromagnetic signals
An apparatus for performing digital video processing of electromagnetic waves in IR or other electromagnetic waves spectra; derived from adjacent or separate bands (or sub-bands) representing a channel of electromagnetic wave intensities; that is processed for equipment radiometric corrections (calibration), adverse environmental elements or substance calibrations, channel filtering in real time and dynamic pixel to pixel time. |
| US08159567B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus and an image processing method, enabling achievement of both an effect of improvement of motion-picture response and a reduction of flicker even in a case of a low frame rate, are provided. The apparatus has a processing region detection portion 120 including a first detection portion 121 detecting motion of an image in a sub frame from a continuous plurality of sub frames, and a second detection portion 122 detecting a component having a predetermined value or more of level difference to peripheral pixels of pixels forming an image in the sub frame; and a gradation conversion portion 130 including a plurality of adaptive gradation conversion portions 131 and 132 converting the gradation for a region of the component having a level difference at which motion is detected in the corresponding sub frame among the plurality of sub frames in accordance with the output signal of the processing region detection portion 120 and a sub frame selecting and outputting portion 133 alternately selecting and outputting the selectively graduation converted sub frames for each sub frame rate. |
| US08159566B2 |
Method and apparatus for compensating signal distortion caused by noise
Provided are an apparatus and a method for compensating signal distortion caused by noise. The apparatus comprises a noise reduction unit which reduces noise of an input signal including non-zero mean random noise, and a signal compensator which compensates the output signal of the noise reduction unit so that a signal distortion due to the non-zero mean random noise is removed from the output signal of the noise reduction unit. |
| US08159560B2 |
Image sensing apparatus having a delete function of image data and control method thereof
When image shooting is performed in a mode that records plural images in response to a single shooting instruction and deletion is instructed on a shot-image confirmation screen that displays the shot image data immediately after the shooting, the plural image data generated by the same shooting instruction are all collectively deleted. On the contrary, in a playback mode, when deletion is instructed to one of the plural image data shot by the same shooting instruction, only the one image that has been instructed for deletion is deleted. This feature improves usability of the image sensing apparatus capable of recording plural images in response to a single shooting instruction. |
| US08159558B2 |
Image processing circuit, semiconductor device and image processing device
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing device that performs brightness conversion processing according to a brightness conversion coefficient on each pixel of an input image and produces an output image. The image processing device includes a division section dividing the region of the input image into a plurality of areas and a histogram calculation section calculating a histogram for each area. Here, the brightness conversion coefficient is determined based on the result of calculation by the histogram calculation section. With this configuration, it is possible to obtain, even when there is a portion of an image having a brightness level (or a brightness range) of low frequency in terms of an entire image, satisfactory contrast for the entire image including such a portion. |
| US08159556B2 |
White balance control image sensing apparatus and method
It is an object of this invention to reduce image sensing errors due to wrong white balance control using wrong color temperature information in an image sensing device capable of performing white balance control using a color image signal from an image sensing device. In order to attain the above object, when the color in the vicinity of the locus of a blackbody cannot be extracted in detection of a color temperature in a color image signal, color temperature information is corrected on the basis of a piece of color temperature information output from a calorimetric sensor, thereby controlling the white balance of a color image signal output from an image sensing element. The number of achromatic data extracted from the color image signal is counted. The color temperature is calculated by weighting a color temperature obtained from the color image signal and that obtained from the calorimetric sensor in accordance with the count, thereby performing white balance control. |
| US08159552B2 |
Apparatus and method for restoring image based on distance-specific point spread function
An apparatus and method for restoring an image are provided. The apparatus includes an edge-strength-detection module which detects an R-channel edge strength, a G-channel edge strength and a B-channel edge strength from an input image and generates an R-channel edge map, a G-channel edge map and a B-channel edge map based on the R-channel edge strength, the G-channel edge strength and the B-channel edge strength; an edge-strength-compensation module which compensates for the R-channel edge strength and the B-channel edge strength based on the G-channel edge strength; a valid-value-generation module which generates a valid value indicating a blur level based on the compensated R-channel edge strength and the compensated B-channel edge strength; a point spread function (PSF) estimation module which estimates a PSF corresponding to the valid value; and an image-restoration module which restores the input image using the PSF. |
| US08159550B2 |
Presenting images as mosaics
Apparatus, methods and systems for creating mosaics are described. A method is provided that includes identifying an image for presentation as a mosaic; dividing the identified image into a plurality of tiles; scoring each tile; identifying a matching image from an image dataset using the score for each tile; and rendering the mosaic using the matching images. |
| US08159549B2 |
System and method for in-vivo imaging
An in-vivo imaging device including a camera may include a frame storage device. Systems and methods which vary the frame capture rate of the camera and/or frame display rate of the display unit of in-vivo camera systems are discussed. The capture rate is varied based on physical measurements related to the motion of the camera. Alternatively, the frame capture rate is varied based on comparative image processing of a plurality of frames. The frame display rate of the system is varied based on comparative image processing of a multiplicity of frames. Both the frame capture and the frame display rates of such systems can be varied concurrently. |
| US08159543B2 |
Processing device with jitter extraction and equipment comprising such a device
A processing device (D) is dedicated to image frame stabilization of digital video sequences in an electronic equipment (E1), such as a digital camera, for instance. This processing device (D) comprises processing means (PM) arranged, for each current image frame of a video sequence, for determining a type of motion present in the video sequence from global motion parameters of the current image frame and the ones of at least one preceding image frame of this video sequence. These parameters are determined from a motion estimation between the current image frame and the preceding one of the video sequence. The motion determination is followed by a selection of a jitter extraction technique amongst at least two jitter extraction techniques depending on this determined motion type. The jitter extraction technique thus chosen is used to determine a jitter intended to be removed from the determined global motion parameter(s) in order to remove unwanted motion(s) present into the current image frame. |
| US08159536B2 |
Method for detecting desired objects in a highly dynamic environment by a monitoring system
A background image is generated based on a captured image. A data cluster is formed in pixel blocks of the background image using at least one feature of pixels in the pixel blocks. A data cluster formed in each pixel block includes a data distribution having a mean value and a standard deviation from the mean value. After generating the background image, each pixel of a subsequent captured image is compared with the data cluster of a pixel block of the background image to generate a first discrepancy value. A pixel of a subsequent image is compared with a data distribution of another adjacent pixel block of the background image to generate a second discrepancy value. Based on the discrepancy values, the pixels of the subsequent image are regarded as background or foreground pixels in a binary map, in which connected foreground pixels are marked to form a foreground object. |
| US08159534B2 |
Method for remote inspection of target in monitored space
This invention addresses remote inspection of target in monitored space. A three dimensional (3D) microwave image of the space is obtained using at least two emitters. The data undergoes coherent processing to obtain maximum intensity of the objects in the area. This image is combined with a 3D video image obtained using two or more video cameras synchronized with the microwave emitters. The images are converted into digital format and transferred into one coordinate system. The distance l is determined between the microwave and the video image. If l |
| US08159533B2 |
Surveillance camera capable of recording color or monochrome images based on time settings
A surveillance camera has a sensing module, a micro-control unit (MCU) and a real-time clock (RTC) unit. The sensing module records original images. The MCU is connected to the sensing module and stores multiple time settings and a smart timer process. The MCU executes the smart timer process to operate the surveillance camera in a color mode, a monochrome mode or an auto mode based on the time settings. In the color mode, the surveillance camera records color images. In the monochrome mode, the surveillance camera records monochrome images. In the auto mode, the surveillance camera selectively records color images and monochrome images based on a variation between light level of the original images and a predetermined light level. Therefore, the surveillance camera can be set to operate in specific mode based on requirements. The surveillance camera is more flexible and convenient than conventional surveillance cameras. |
| US08159530B2 |
Method and apparatus for displaying stereoscopic images
A stereoscopic image display apparatus displays stereoscopic images generated from a plurality of images obtained by photography of subjects from different viewpoints. The stereoscopic image display apparatus is constituted by: an interpolative image generating section, for generating at least one pair of interpolative images, which have smaller degrees of parallax than the degree of parallax among the plurality of images; a stereoscopic image generating section, for generating at least one interpolative stereoscopic image from the at least one pair of interpolative images; and a display control section, for sequentially displaying the at least one interpolative stereoscopic image at at least one of a timing prior to and following display of the stereoscopic images. |
| US08159528B2 |
Visual display apparatus
A visual display apparatus suitable for use with a viewing apparatus capable of providing stereoscopic view of an image from 360-degree directions around it, or a display apparatus capable of displaying an observation image that changes depending on what angle it is viewed at or who views it, is described. The visual display apparatus comprises a main optical system that is concentric and rotationally symmetric about a center axis and a plurality of subordinate optical systems of identical construction, which are juxtaposed on a circumference concentric about the center axis. A combined optical system comprising the main optical system and each subordinate optical system has an exit pupil positioned on a side of the main optical system that faces away from each subordinate optical system and on a side of the center axis that faces away from each subordinate optical system on an optical path. |
| US08159526B2 |
Stereoscopic image display system
A stereoscopic image display system includes: an image display unit that displays a parallax image composed of a right eye image and a left eye image; glasses having a transmission portion for a right eye transmitting only the right eye image of the parallax image and a transmission portion for a left eye transmitting only the left eye image of the parallax image; an inclination detection unit that detects an inclination of the glasses; a parallax image generation unit that generates the parallax image in accordance with a detection result from the inclination detection unit; and a display unit that displays the parallax image generated by the parallax image generation unit. |
| US08159523B2 |
Method for capturing convergent-type multi-view image
Provided is a method for convergent type three-dimensional (3D) multi-viewpoint image acquisition. The method for acquiring a multi-viewpoint image in an image acquisition apparatus comprises the steps of: converting the image acquisition apparatus to a multi-viewpoint image photographing mode; if converted to the multi-viewpoint image photographing mode in the converting step, providing a plurality of geometric shapes to set a position of an object to be photographed within a screen and selecting a desired shape of the geometric shapes in response to an inputted shape selection signal; if the desired geometric shape is selected in the shape providing step, adjusting a position and a size of the selected geometric shape in response to a shape adjustment signal; and photographing a whole image having the object that places within the adjusted geometric shape in the adjusting step. |
| US08159522B2 |
Camera unit
There is provided a camera unit used in a communications system having a display section and arranged to exchange sound and images via communication between at least two locations. The camera unit includes a camera section having an image sensor for photoelectrically converting a visual image to an electric signal; a transparent filter section having signal lines for supplying power to the camera section and transferring the image signal supplied thereto from the camera section; a frame section for holding the transparent filter section therein, the frame section having a power input terminal for supplying power to the camera section and a video output terminal for outputting the image signal transferred thereto from the camera section; and attaching members for attaching the frame section holding the transparent filter section therein, to a front surface of a display screen of the display section of the communications system. |
| US08159520B1 |
Ensuring quality of a video stream through a telecommunications network
A method and medium are provided for ensuring that a video stream communicated from a mobile device is communicated subject to a minimum quality level. A request to communicate a video stream at a minimum quality level from a mobile device is received. Signaling information from the mobile device is processed and utilized to establish a communications pathway from the mobile device to the target device. The communications pathway facilitates the communication of the video stream at the minimum quality level. The video stream is communicated to the target device contemporaneously to receiving the video clip by the mobile device. |
| US08159516B2 |
Multibeam laser control device for image forming apparatus
An image data is pre-processed in parallel by a pre-processing unit (A) and a pre-processing unit (B) arranged in parallel. The image data is transferred in synchronization with an image processing signal obtained by ORing a BD signal and an interpolation signal. Laser scanning for plural beams of a multi-laser beam is performed in synchronization with the BD signal. Color matching processing or zeronization processing for the multi-laser beam is performed in synchronization with the image processing signal. |
| US08159514B2 |
Printing apparatus
A printing apparatus includes an image transfer unit thermally transferring a plurality of color materials onto a recording medium to superimpose images in respective color materials, a medium conveyance unit conveying the recording medium through the image transfer unit using a stepper motor, a synchronism loss detection sensor detecting a loss of synchronism with the stepper motor, a reference position detection sensor detecting that the recording medium is located at a predetermined reference position, and a conveyance control unit making the medium conveyance unit repeat a forward conveyance and a reverse conveyance of the recording medium and, if the loss of synchronism is detected in the repeating process, making the image transfer unit resume the color printing on the recording medium through positioning the recording medium to the reference position and conveying the recording medium from the reference position to the transfer start position. |
| US08159511B2 |
Methods and systems for sub-pixel rendering with gamma adjustment
Sub-pixel rendering with gamma adjustment allows the luminance for the sub-pixel arrangement to match the non-linear gamma response of the human eye's luminance channel, while the chrominance can match the linear response of the human eye's chrominance channels. The gamma correction allows the sub-pixel rendering to operate independently of the actual gamma of a display device. The sub-pixel rendering techniques with gamma adjustment may be optimized for the gamma transfer curve of a display device in order to improve response time, dot inversion balance, and contrast. |
| US08159503B2 |
Method for adjusting brightness, contrast and color in a displaying apparatus
A process that enables the user to select the type of display device to be adjusted. The user adjusts the brightness levels and color levels of the monitor to create a monitor profile for storage. The user then calibrates the selected monitor relative to a peripheral device such as a color printer device by comparing a printed test image to a displayed a gray scale image and a plurality of color images to establish a printer profile. The user then chooses to print an image by incorporating the printer profile or not. |
| US08159501B2 |
System and method for smooth pointing of objects during a presentation
A system and method are provided that allows a speaker to provide real-time annotations to one or more displayed images during a presentation. The speaker inputs the annotations my manually identify a portion of the displayed image using an input mechanism such as a touch screen that is in communication with a presentation monitor and a control system that is controlling the presentation. The identified portions are annotated onto the displayed images using a adaptive color that is selected to provide optimum contrast with the existing colors in the displayed image. In addition to providing adaptive, contrasting colors for the annotations, imperfection such as waviness are removed from the identified portions to created corrected portions that are then annotated onto the presentation image. Annotation is accomplished through computer generated graphics or through the use of a motorized, controllable laser pointer. |
| US08159500B1 |
Methods and apparatus for color grading with gamut match preview
A method for color grading an image within RGB color space including color values includes receiving a source image having first pixels, wherein second pixels from the first pixels are associated with colors within a first gamut but not a second gamut, receiving a color grading signal, determining a graded image by automatically modifying the colors associated with second pixels to become modified colors in response to the color grading signal, wherein the modified colors are within the second gamut, and wherein at least one color component value of the colors of the second pixels is similar to at least one color component value of the modified colors of the second pixels, wherein ordinality of colors in the one color component of the second pixels in the source image are preserved in the modified colors in the graded image, and storing the color grading signal in a memory. |
| US08159494B2 |
System and method for designing curves
A curve designing system/method is provided. When similar curves are to be generated by evenly mixing features of given sample curves, the method of the present invention can control the extent of mixing features, smoothness, and size. The technology of the present invention can be applied to designing curve and curved surface in the fields of computer graphics and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). |
| US08159490B2 |
Shading of translucent objects
Embodiments of the invention relate for rendering translucent objects. According to some embodiments, the color of a pixel of a translucent object that is not directly illuminated by a light source can be determined by decaying the illumination contributed by the light source according to a predefined decay function. The decay function may be, for example, an exponential decay function. The decay function may be evaluated based on an initial illumination contributed by the light source, and a transmittance distance. In some embodiments, the initial color of the pixel is decayed instead of the illumination. Also disclosed is modifying the renderings of different regions of an object which have been rendered using different methods in order to remove sharp contrasts between these regions. |
| US08159489B2 |
Display apparatus and integrated circuit
A display apparatus includes an image display unit including electro-optic elements and pixel drive circuits arranged two-dimensionally in row and column directions, a first power supplying line for supplying a first potential to the image display unit, and plural data lines severally connected to columns of the image display unit for supplying data signals to the pixel circuits. In addition, plural scanning lines cross the data lines, a data line drive circuit drives the data lines, and a scanning line drive circuit drives the scanning lines. A second potential is supplied to the scanning line drive circuit through a second power supplying line, and the display apparatus is provided with elements for shifting potential of the scanning lines to the first potential of the first electric power supplying line when the second potential is lower than the first potential. |
| US08159486B2 |
Level converter circuit and a liquid crystal display device employing the same
A display device includes a pixel driver circuit. Each of level converter circuits in the pixel driver circuit has an input terminal supplied with a signal swinging between a first voltage and a second voltage lower than the first voltage; a first first-conductivity-type transistor having a gate electrode coupled to the input terminal, and a source region coupled to a reference voltage; a second second-conductivity-type transistor having a gate electrode coupled to a drain region of the first transistor, a source region-coupled to a power supply, and a drain region coupled to an output terminal; one circuit element among a diode, a resistor and a fourth second-conductivity-type transistor, coupled between the gate electrode of the second transistor and the power supply; a third first-conductivity-type transistor having a source region coupled to the input terminal, a drain region coupled to the output terminal, and a gate electrode supplied with a do voltage. |
| US08159484B2 |
Liquid crystal device, pixel circuit, active matrix substrate, and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device includes a lateral electric field mode liquid crystal element that controls alignment of liquid crystal molecules by applying an electric field in a direction of a substrate plane to a liquid crystal layer. A voltage inverter circuit is provided in each pixel circuit, and inverts a voltage applied to the liquid crystal element by switching the supply of each of the first and second voltages, supplied from a memory circuit, to between a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode of the liquid crystal element. A holding capacitor holds a voltage applied to the liquid crystal element. The voltage inverter circuit includes switching elements. One end of the holding capacitor is connected to at least one of a common connecting point of first and second switching elements and a connecting point of third and fourth switching elements. |
| US08159480B2 |
Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, pixels arranged so as to correspond to intersections of the plurality of scanning lines and the plurality of data lines, and an electro-optical material in which a response speed at a time of halftone display is lower than those at a time of low-gray-scale-level display and at a time of high-gray-scale-level display. Each of the pixels includes at least two adjacent subpixels as a group. Each of the subpixels includes a pixel electrode, a common electrode arranged so as to face the pixel electrode, and a switching device which electrically connects a corresponding one of the data lines to the pixel electrode in accordance with a selection voltage supplied from a corresponding one of the scanning lines. The switching device is connected to the corresponding one of the scanning lines. |
| US08159479B2 |
Pixel circuit and display device
A pixel circuit able to prevent a spread of the terminal voltages of drive transistors inside a panel and in turn able to reliably prevent deterioration of uniformity, wherein a source of a TFT serving as a drive transistor is connected to an anode of a light emitting element, a drain is connected to a power source potential, a capacitor is connected between a gate and source of the TFT, and a source potential of the TFT is connected to a fixed potential through a TFT serving as a switch transistor and wherein pixel circuit lines are connected by an upper line and bottom line and are arranged in parallel with pixel circuit power source voltage lines so as not to have intersecting parts. |
| US08159476B2 |
Mobile terminal comprising rotary type input device and method of setting sensitivity using the same
This document relates to a mobile terminal comprising a rotary type input device and a method of setting a sensitivity using the same. The mobile terminal comprises a display unit for displaying a selection indicator, an input unit comprising a rotary type input device, which is rotated and moved in one or more directions, and configured to set sensitivity information indicating a sensitivity when the rotary type input device is rotated and moved, and a controller for sensing the rotary movement of the rotary type input device and controlling movement of the selection indicator, based on the sensitivity information set by the input unit. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that a user can set a rotation sensitivity of the rotary type input device. |
| US08159470B2 |
Join 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. |
| US08159469B2 |
User interface for initiating activities in an electronic device
In one embodiment, a user interface is presented for initiating activities in an electronic device. The user interface includes an element referred to as a “launch wave”, which can be activated at substantially any time, even if the user is engaged with an activity, without requiring the user to first return to a home screen. In various embodiments, the user can activate the launch wave by performing a gesture, or by pressing a physical button, or by tapping at a particular location on a touchscreen, or by activating a keyboard command. In one embodiment, activation of the launch wave and selection of an item from the launch wave can be performed in one continuous operation on a touch-sensitive screen, so as to improve the expediency and convenience of launching applications and other items. |
| US08159468B2 |
Touch substrate of embedded touch display panel and manufacturing method thereof
An embedded touch display panel including a first substrate and a second substrate is provided. The first substrate having a displaying region and a sensing region includes a stack structure, a first conductive layer and a first alignment layer. The stack structure disposed on the first substrate within the sensing region includes a protruding structure and a first rough structure disposed on the protruding structure. The first conductive layer conformally disposed on the stack structure has a first rough surface. The first rough surface is exposed from the first alignment layer that covers the first conductive layer. The second substrate includes a second conductive layer and a second alignment layer. The second conductive layer whose position corresponds to the sensing region is disposed on the second structure. A portion of the second conductive layer corresponding to the first rough surface is exposed from the second alignment layer covering thereon. |
| US08159463B2 |
Apparatus for the display of embedded information
An apparatus for the electronic display of information, where the apparatus is a substrate incorporating a digital recording medium attached to or embedded within the substrate. The substrate further includes a flexible-substrate display located on an exposed surface of the substrate, where the display is a medium capable of selectively displaying one of at least two possible colors at each pixel location thereon in order to produce a substrate medium that may be modified in accordance with a user's selection. |
| US08159461B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing tactile sensations
Products and processes for providing tactile sensations to input devices or electronic devices are provided. Input devices include mechanical input devices (such as, for example, mechanical switches) and non-mechanical input devices (such as, for example, touchpads). Tactile feedback is provided by using an actuator or other means in communication with the input device or electronic device. A controller may be employed to receive signals from the input devices and control the actuator. Tactile feedback to an input device or electronic device may be provided in response to one or more events or situations. Such an event or situation may be any one designated. Examples of such events and situations include the level of pressure placed on an input device; the availability or lack of availability of a function associated with an input device; and the function, menu, or mode of operation associated with an input device's activation. A variety of feedback types and combinations may be selected. |
| US08159460B2 |
Four axles center wheel module for mouse
A four axles center wheel module for mouse comprising a coder assembly for outputting a encoded pulse electronic signal, a center wheel, and a mouse circuit board, the coder assembly is set on the center shaft of the center wheel; a swing component is installed in a slot on a mouse motherboard or the mouse circuit board, a front end supporting shaft of the swing component is installed on the front support of the mouse motherboard or circuit board, and a groove is set at both sides of the swing component to support the center wheel, touch arms for cooperating with two switches mounted on the mouse circuit board are set on both sides of the swing component, and a wheel downward press key touch arm is set at the trailing end of the swing component while a wheel downward press key switch is set on the mouse circuit board below the wheel press downwards key touch arm. To prevent the center wheel module involved in the above technical solution from making a misoperation in use, the following structures are set in the present invention: a position limiting device, or a lever component and a touch arm cooperated with it, or a swing composite switch, or a headstand switch. |
| US08159458B2 |
Motion tracking user interface
A method to transition focus of a display corresponding to an object's motion tracked by a video camera or like device is disclosed. In one implementation, the display shows one or more windows or user interfaces on the display. The object's motion can be used to select one of the windows or user interfaces on the display and manipulate content presented in the window or user interface. In another implementations, the object's motion can manipulate a three-dimensional graphical icon in a three-dimensional display environment, for example, by rotating it. In another implementation, the method further tracks motion of a second object and shifts focus of the display corresponding to the motion of the second object. In another implementation, a second display may be added to mirror the focus transition corresponding to the object's motion. |
| US08159457B2 |
Zero-click activation of an application
A method is described for activating an application without specific positioning of a mouse or clicking a mouse button (“zero-click activation”). This is done by evaluating motion of an input device with regard to predetermined criteria; detecting a rapid, multi-directional motion (a shaking motion) of the input device, and initiating a preconfigured application in response thereto. In an embodiment, the input device is a mouse, and the method is performed without actuating a button on the mouse. The preconfigured application may be a search function, and in particular may be a Web search invoked when a shaking action is detected while the user is viewing a Web site. |
| US08159456B2 |
Mobile communication device capable of providing candidate phone number list and method of controlling operation of the mobile communication device
A mobile communication device capable of providing a candidate phone number list and a method of controlling an operation of the mobile communication device is provided. The method includes displaying a phone number input window and a display window on the touch screen, displaying a string of numbers input to the phone number input window in the display window and displaying a candidate phone number list on the touch screen if a touch input to the display window is detected when the input number string is displayed in the display window, the candidate phone number list including a plurality of phone numbers that contain the input number string. |
| US08159448B2 |
Temperature-compensation networks
Temperature-compensation network embodiments are provided to generate compensation signals which may be useful in improving the performance of a variety of important systems. An embodiment includes a limit current mirror configured to provide a limit current, a current generator to provide a slope current whose magnitude varies with temperature, and an output current mirror positioned to receive the limit current and the slope current and configured to provide a compensation current. In addition, a floating voltage reference is provided for use in various networks which include the temperature-compensation networks. The temperature-compensation networks may be used to improve performance in systems such as a panel driver which provides turn-on and turn-off gate voltages to transistors in liquid crystal displays. |
| US08159447B2 |
Display driving apparatus and display apparatus comprising the same
A display driving apparatus that drives display pixels having pixel electrodes arrayed in rows and columns on the basis of display data includes a signal generating circuit generates a driving signal for sequentially sets the respective display pixels corresponding to the respective rows in a selected state, and applies a signal voltage corresponding to a gradation value of the display data to the pixel electrode of each display pixel. The display driving apparatus also includes a correcting circuit that corrects the driving signal in accordance with selecting operation by the driving signal for each display pixel, and brings the magnitude of the signal voltage with respect to the gradation value of the display data, which is to be applied to the pixel electrode of each display pixel, close to the same value, and applies the corrected driving signal to each of the display pixels set in the selected state. |
| US08159442B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
In one embodiment of the present application, a liquid crystal display device is disclosed, in which increased power consumption due to an excessive DAC capability and reduced display quality due to a deficient DAC capability do not occur as a result of dynamically adjusting the DAC capability such that variation in the characteristics of the liquid crystal panel is compensated. The liquid crystal display device comprises a digital-to-analog converter circuit that converts data signals inputted as digital signals to analog signals; a source driver that distributes and inputs analog signals output from the digital-to-analog converter circuit to a plurality of source lines Y; a differential amplifier that compares the voltage V1 detected on the input side of a source line Y and voltage V2 detected on the side opposite the input side of the source line Y; and a correcting circuit that corrects the output of the digital-to-analog converter circuit that corrects the output of the digital-to-analog converter circuit based on the comparison results of the differential amplifier. |
| US08159439B2 |
Data driving circuit including a first operator that generates a flag signal based on a load signal and a reset signal and a second operator that generates a horizontal scanning identical signal, display apparatus comprising the same and control method thereof
A data driving circuit receiving an image signal and applying a data signal based on the image signal to a display panel, the data driving circuit includes a signal generator that generates a horizontal scanning identical signal based on the image signal and a load signal instructing an output of the data signal to the display panel; a signal amplifier that alternately converts a polarity of an offset compensation value from positive to negative and amplifies the image signal based on the offset compensation value; and a controller that counts pulses of the horizontal scanning identical signal and controls the signal amplifier to retain the converted polarity of the offset compensation value until a counted reaches a predetermined reference value. |
| US08159436B2 |
Data driver using a gamma selecting signal, a flat panel display with the same and a driving method therefor
A data driver using a gamma selecting signal, a flat panel display with the same and a driving method therefor are provided. A first to a fourth data lines are electrically connected to a first left sub-pixel, a first right sub-pixel, a second right sub-pixel and a second left sub-pixel, respectively. The data driver includes a first, a second, a third and a fourth gray level generating units for outputting a first set of positive gray voltage, a second set of negative gray voltage, a second set of positive gray voltage and a first set of negative gray voltage, respectively. The data driver drivers these sub-pixels according to the first set of positive gray voltage, the second set of negative gray voltage, the second set of positive gray voltage and the first set of negative gray voltage under the control of a polarity inversion signal and a gamma selecting signal. |
| US08159434B2 |
Driving device for liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display panel driving device is provided which is capable of reliably improving a response speed of a liquid crystal and of obtaining good display quality. When overshooting driving is performed in a current frame for displaying, an excessive response level in a next frame is predicted based on a combination of a gray level in one past frame and a gray level in a current frame and, when an excessive response is predicted, a corrected gray-level value to prevent (or to cancel) the excessive response is calculated in advance. By applying a voltage corresponding to the corrected gray-level value, an excessive response in a next frame can be suppressed. Irrespective of whether or not an excessive response is predictable in a next frame, an overshooting driving can be performed at an applied voltage sufficiently corresponding to a target gray-level value and, as a result, a response speed of a liquid crystal can be reliably made high and good display quality can be obtained. |
| US08159433B2 |
Liquid crystal drive apparatus and liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal drive apparatus includes: a storage unit storing an enhancement correction coefficient having (1/2n)×m below a decimal point where n is 3 or 4, and m is an integer which is at least 0 and less than 2n; a frame memory holding digital image information of a second frame located one frame before a first frame; a first computation unit computing a difference between digital image information of the first frame and digital image information of the second frame; a second computation unit computing enhancement image information for conducting enhancement display of an image on a liquid crystal panel on the basis of the difference and the enhancement correction coefficient; a third computation unit computing addition information by adding the digital image information of the second frame to the enhancement image information; and a drive signal generation unit generating a drive signal on the basis of the addition information to drive the liquid crystal panel. |
| US08159432B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixels each connected to a signal line via a switching element. Each pixel includes first and second sub-pixels having voltage vs. luminance characteristics different from each other with respect to a signal voltage supplied from the signal line. A threshold signal voltage of the first sub-pixel is lower than that of the second sub-pixel. The pixels form color display pixels which are red, green pixel and blue pixels. Where the area ratio of the first sub-pixel in each of the red, green and blue pixels is SR1, SG1 and SB1, and the ratio of the lighting-up time period of the first sub-pixel of each of the red, green and blue pixels in one vertical scanning period is TR1, TG1 and TB1, the relationship of (SR1×TR1)>(SG1×TG1)>(SB1×TB1) holds. |
| US08159429B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method thereof
A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) capable of improving display quality includes a first insulating substrate, gate wiring lines formed on the first insulating substrate and extending in a first direction, data wiring lines insulated from and crossing the gate wiring lines and extending in a second direction, and pixel electrodes, each of which includes first and second sub-pixel electrodes that are applied with different data voltages from the data wiring lines, in which at least a part of the second sub-pixel electrode overlaps the data wiring lines. |
| US08159428B2 |
Display methods and apparatus
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming images on a display utilizing a control matrix to control the movement of MEMs-based light modulators. |
| US08159421B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display including a plurality of data lines to which a data voltage is supplied, a plurality of pairs of gate lines each comprising a first gate lines to which a first scan pulse is supplied and a second gate lines to which a second scan pulse partially overlapping the first scan pulse in an opposed phase is supplied, an OLED that emits light by current that flows between the high potential driving voltage source and the low potential driving voltage source, a driving device for controlling the current that flows through the OLED in accordance with a gate-source voltage applied between a gate electrode connected to a first node and a source electrode connected to the low potential driving voltage source, a storage capacitor connected between the first node and the second node, and a switch circuit. |
| US08159419B2 |
Display apparatus and control method thereof
A display apparatus is provided to operate a light emitting unit with a small number of power drivers. The display apparatus has a plurality of light emitting units, a power driver, whose total provided therein is less than the total of light emitting units, that outputs driving power to the light emitting units. A power switch is switched on and off to supply the driving power to one of the plurality of light emitting units, and a controller controls the power switch to sequentially supply the driving power to the plurality of light emitting units. |
| US08159418B2 |
Plasma display and driving method thereof
A plasma display and a driving method thereof. The plasma display includes a plurality of first electrodes, a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a first capacitor. The first switch is connected between a first power source to supply a first voltage and the plurality of first electrodes. The second switch includes a first terminal electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes, a second terminal connected to a second power source to supply a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage, and a gate connected to a signal input terminal. The third switch includes a first terminal electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes, and a gate electrically connected to the first signal input terminal. The first capacitor includes a terminal connected to the second power source, and another terminal connected to a node of the first power source and a second terminal of the third switch. |
| US08159417B2 |
Image display device
An image display device includes: a display part, a measuring instrument, a determination unit, a detection unit, a decision unit, and a notification processing unit. The display part allows a user to visually recognize a display image by projecting an image light corresponding to the display image on an eye of the user in a state where some ambient light reaches at least either one of eyes of the user. The measuring instrument measures brightness of the ambient light. The determination unit determines brightness of the display image. The detection unit detects the difference between the brightness of the ambient light and the brightness of the display image. The decision unit decides timing of temporarily stopping the use of the display part. The notification processing unit performs notification which prompts the user to stop the use of the display part at the timing. |
| US08159411B2 |
Rotary connector providing electromagnetic interference shielding features
In one aspect, a rotary connector having a longitudinal axis includes a first metal portion including a groove about the longitudinal axis. The rotary connector also includes a second metal portion and a spring disposed in the groove and having metal contact with the first portion and the second portion. One of the first metal portion or the second metal portion is configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis and the other of the first metal portion or the second metal portion is configured to remain substantially rotationally fixed with respect to the longitudinal axis. The rotary connector may be used for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding with antenna pedestals. |
| US08159404B2 |
Multiple frequency antenna
A helical element, which is operated in the frequency band of FM broadcast, is wound around the outer periphery of a rod-shaped support member 10. A line-shaped element 12, which is operated in the frequency band of terrestrial digital television broadcast, is disposed in a first groove 10a of a predetermined length formed on the outer periphery of the support member 10 from the lower end thereof. With this arrangement, a multi-frequency antenna 1, which is operated in the frequency band of FM broadcast and the frequency band of terrestrial digital television broadcast, can be arranged, and the entire length L of the helical element can be reduced and it can be operated in a plurality of frequency bands with the effect of the line-shaped element 12. |
| US08159403B1 |
GPS munitions/artillery anti-jamming array with multi-band capability
The present invention is a multi-element anti-jamming (A/J) antenna array. The antenna array includes a first antenna assembly configured for being fuse-mounted a first distance from an aft end of at least one of an artillery shell and a munition. The antenna array further includes a second antenna assembly configured for being fuse-mounted a second distance from an aft end of at least one of the artillery shell and the munition, the second distance being lesser than the first distance. Further, the antenna array includes multi-band functionality. |
| US08159401B2 |
Antenna for sealed transmitter assembly in subsurface utility installations
An antenna (14, 15) for installation in a subsurface ground enclosure has an F-shaped radiating element (15) having a rectangular strip (15c) disposed on edge and two spaced apart bars (15a, 15b) disposed substantially perpendicular to the rectangular strip (15c) for connection to a first edge of a circuit board (31) and an L-shaped ground plane extension element (14) extending from a second edge (31b) of the circuit board (31) and then turning substantially perpendicular downward to provide a longer ground plane within a confined rectangular space. The antenna (14, 15) is dimensioned so as to be tuned to a resonant frequency in a range from 450 Mhz to 470 Mhz. |
| US08159400B2 |
Chip antenna and mobile-communication terminal having the same
There are provided a chip antenna and a mobile telecommunication terminal having the chip antenna. The chip antenna includes: a dielectric block having opposing top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of side surfaces connecting the top and bottom surfaces; a first conductive pattern formed on at least one of the surfaces of the dielectric block and connected to an external feeding part; a second conductive pattern formed on at least one of the surfaces of the dielectric block to connect to the first conductive pattern, and having one end connected to an external ground part; and a third conductive pattern formed on at least one of the surfaces of the dielectric block, and spaced apart from the first and second conductive patterns to be capacitively coupled to the first and second conductive patterns, respectively, the third conductive pattern having a lower end connected to the external ground part. |
| US08159398B2 |
Built-in multi-antenna module
A built-in multi-antenna module includes a grounding unit, a plurality of first radiating units and a plurality of second radiating units. The first and the second radiating units are disposed on the grounding unit. Each first radiating unit has a first radiating body, a first feeding pin extended downwards from the first radiating body, and a first shorting pin extended downwards from the first radiating body and connected to the grounding unit. Each second radiating unit has a second radiating body, a second feeding pin extended downwards from the second radiating body, and a second shorting pin extended downwards from the second radiating body and connected to the grounding unit. The first radiating units and the second radiating units are alternately and symmetrically arranged on the grounding unit, and many included angles respectively formed between each first radiating unit and each second radiating unit are the same. |
| US08159395B2 |
Communication device, communication system, position detection method and program
There is provided a communication device including: a receiving unit that receives radio signals transmitted from another communication device using a plurality of transmitting antennas by a plurality of receiving antennas; an estimation unit that estimates a range of a position where said another communication device possibly exists based on a phase of each radio signal received by the receiving unit and antenna spacing between the transmitting antennas; and a position determination unit that determines an existing position of said another communication device within the range estimated by the estimation unit. |
| US08159392B2 |
Frequency aiding method and system for navigation satellite receiver with crystal oscillator frequency hysteresis
A method and apparatus for estimating oscillator signal variation due to temperature and for providing an estimated frequency to a GPS receiver in order to assist the GPS receiver to acquire the signals quickly is disclosed. A temperature sensor is closely thermally coupled with the crystal oscillator in the GPS receiver and during GPS tracking mode, when the error in the oscillator signal is known with precision, outer bounds of TCXO frequency at given temperatures are maintained, which may correspond to rising and falling temperature conditions. During acquisition mode, an estimated frequency value is provided to the GPS receiver based on a determined average of these bounds. Optionally, an uncertainty factor associated with the frequency estimated may also be provided. The two bounds take into account the hysteresis effects of the oscillator signal drift due to temperature so that a more accurate initial frequency estimate can be provided to the GPS receiver, thus reducing its average time to first fix. |
| US08159391B2 |
Method to secure GNSS based locations in a device having GNSS receiver
A method to detect at a GNSS receiver whether the received GNSS signals and navigation messages are the product of an attack. If there is evidence, as provided by the method described here, that the received signals and messages originate from adversarial devices, then receiver equipped with an instantiation of the method notifies the user or the computing platform that integrates the GNSS receiver that the calculated via the GNSS functionality position and time correction are not trustworthy. In other words, our method enables any GNSS receiver, for example, GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo, or any other GNSS system, to detect if the received navigation messages are the legitimate ones (from the satellites) or not (e.g., from attacker devices that generate fake messages that overwrite the legitimate messages). Based on this detection, neither the user and nor any application running in the computing platform is misled to utilize erroneous position information. |
| US08159386B2 |
Method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by a travel time measuring method
A method for ascertaining and monitoring fill level of a medium in a container by means of a field device by a travel time measuring method, wherein transmission signals are transmitted in the direction of the medium and reflection signals are received, wherein received reflection signals are registered as echo signals in an echo function dependent on travel time or travel distance, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal in the echo function are/is ascertained by means of an echo search algorithm and a continuous echo tracking of changes of position and/or of changes of amplitude of the wanted echo signal in the echo function is performed in a defined search window, wherein position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal is maintained, in case no wanted echo signal is ascertained in the search window, wherein from position and/or amplitude at least of a wanted echo signal, fill level is ascertained, and wherein a measured value of fill level is output. For this, an asymmetric search window is used for ascertaining the wanted echo signal. |
| US08159385B2 |
Conductive line communication apparatus and conductive line radar system and method
A conductive line radar comprising at least one signal surface wave launcher, which comprises a signal surface wave transceiver, which is physically attached to a power line. The signal surface wave transceiver transmits a wave signal along the power line with another signal radiating from the wave signal in a plurality of directions along the power line. The at least one signal surface wave transceiver receives reflected signals from a target within a distance of the power line. The at least one signal surface wave launcher includes at least one RF communications transceiver and can be inductively powered from the power line. |
| US08159384B2 |
Method for examining an ice region or dry region using radar echo sounding
To suppress cross-ambiguities in the examination of an ice region or dry region by means of aircraft- or aerospace-supported radar echo sounding, the region to be examined is overflown by a radar sensor (6) by multiple compatible radar sensors of the same operating wavelength on multiple spatially separated, substantially parallel paths, wherein the radar signal data received on each path are recorded. The radar signal data recorded for each of the different paths are summed coherently and using a weighting to form a radargram, wherein an adaptive complex-valued weighting for each of the individual paths is performed using a geometrical model which takes into account the topography of the environment of the region to be examined. The weighting for every depth of the examined region is determined by solving a system of linear equations from which is calculated a synthetic antenna pattern which has zeros in the direction of the ambiguities.Implementation in radar systems for echo sounding in ice and in dry regions on earth or other planets and extraterrestrial objects. |
| US08159382B2 |
Low power converter and shutdown SAR ADC architecture
With Successive Approximation Register (SAR) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), there are several different architectures. One of these architectures is a “convert and shut down” architecture, where an internal amplifier is powered down during the sampling phase to reduce power consumption. This powering down comes at a price in that a portion of the convert phase is lost waiting for the amplifier to be powered back up. Here, an apparatus is provided that makes use of the entire convert phase by coarsely resolving a few bits during the period in which the amplifier is powering up to have an increased resolution over conventional SAR ADCs with “convert and shut down” architecture, while maintaining low power consumption. |
| US08159381B2 |
Glitch free dynamic element matching scheme
A dynamic element matching (DEM) scheme is implemented in a crawling code generator for converting a b-bit binary input code into a (2b−1)-bit digital output code. A random generator determines for every conversion step a direction. A decimal difference between the current and previous binary input is calculated. The new crawling output code is determined based on the previous crawling output code, the direction and the decimal difference. The DEM scheme is used in a digital-to-analog converter such that the crawling output code switches digital-to-analog converting elements that output analog signals that are then summed to be the final analog signal. |
| US08159378B2 |
Analog-to-digital conversion method using RC time constant calibrator and analog-to-digital converter therefor
An analog-to-digital conversion method using an RC time constant calibrator is provided. The method includes the operations of comparing a crossing time point at which a first reference signal and a second reference signal cross each other with a target time point and calibrating an RC time constant according to a result of the comparison. A length of time until the crossing time point at which a first analog signal and a second analog signal cross each other is counted based on a calibrated RC time constant. The counted value is output. |
| US08159373B2 |
Encoding and decoding information
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for encoding and decoding information. In one aspect, methods of encoding information in an encoder include the actions of receiving a signal representing information using a collection of discrete digits, converting, by an encoder, the received signal into a time-based code, and outputting the time-based code. The time-based code is divided into time intervals. Each of the time intervals of the time-based code corresponds to a digit in the received signal. Each digit of a first state of the received signal is expressed as a event occurring at a first time within the corresponding time interval of the time-based code. Each digit of a second state of the received signal is expressed as a event occurring at a second time within the corresponding time intervals of the time-based code, the first time is distinguishable from the second time. All of the states of the digits in the received signal are represented by events in the time-based code. |
| US08159372B2 |
Keyboard with plural key switch matrices to detect ghosting
Keyboard apparatus and methods for processing keyboard depressions are disclosed. One disclosed keyboard apparatus includes a keyboard having a plurality of keys configured to be depressed in a concurrent depression state, and a plurality of key switch matrices. Each key switch of the plurality of key switch matrices may be configured to be actuated by a corresponding key of the keyboard. The keyboard apparatus may further include a keyboard controller configured to determine whether a sensed key depression in the concurrent depression state is a ghost key depression, based on sensed key switch states of respective key switches in each of the plurality of key switch matrices which correspond to the sensed key depression. |
| US08159369B1 |
Weather radar system and method
An aircraft hazard warning system configured to provide an indication of a hazard level to an electronic display includes an input configured to receive first input data and second input data. The first input data includes at least one of lightning detection data, radar reflectivity data, turbulence data, geographic location data, vertical structure analysis data, and temperature data. The second input data includes at least one of aircraft speed data and wing loading data. The system further includes processing electronics configured to determine a hazard level of the aircraft based on the first input data. The processing electronics updates at least one characteristic of the hazard level based on the second input data. The processing electronics provides an indication of the hazard level and updated characteristic to the electronic display. For example, the characteristic can be a color of indicators representing the first input data and can be modified based on the second input data. |
| US08159368B2 |
Methods, systems and computer program products for providing an emergency vehicle alert
A method for providing an emergency vehicle alert to an occupant of a second vehicle includes: receiving an alert signal at a receiver device on the second vehicle from the emergency vehicle; and, responsive to the received alert signal, automatically warning the occupant of the second vehicle that the emergency vehicle may be approaching and/or is in a vicinity of the second vehicle. |
| US08159359B2 |
Function check for a gas-alarm annunciator
A test device, for checking the functioning capability of a gas-alarm annunciator, has a reservoir in which are located a target fluid and a carrier fluid. At least a part of the carrier fluid is present in a liquid aggregate state and the target fluid is at least partially dissolved in the liquid carrier fluid. An extraction device engages into the reservoir such that the target fluid can be extracted along with the liquid carrier fluid. The target fluid is constituted such that on reaching a coverage area of a properly functioning gas-alarm annunciator it will cause the gas-alarm annunciator to annunciate an alarm. A test system and a test method for checking a gas-alarm annunciator's functioning capability use such a test device. |
| US08159348B2 |
Communication system with antenna box amplifier
A communication system for communicating with an implanted wireless sensor is provided. A transmit antenna element can propagate an energizing signal onto a communication medium and a receive antenna element can recover a responsive implanted sensor response signal. The antenna box includes a power amplifier for amplifying the energizing signal and timing regeneration circuitry for detecting an end to signals and outputting control signals for selecting mode operation. The antenna box can receive the energizing signal from the antenna cable in a transmit mode and provide the implanted sensor response signal to the antenna cable in a receive mode. The antenna box can communicate with an electronic box and/or conversion box that provide and receive signals and provide power via the antenna cable. |
| US08159342B1 |
Systems and methods for wireless object tracking
A system for object tracking may comprise at least one subsystem that couples an electronic signal emitting and receiving device to an object to be tracked, at least one subsystem that assigns an identifier to the object, at least one subsystem that registers the identifier of the object with a second object, and at least one subsystem that establishes electronic communication between the object to be tracked and the second object via the electronic signal emitting and receiving device. Also a system for object tracking may comprise at least one subsystem that detects at a first object an electronic signal from a second object, and at least one subsystem that emits an electronic alert beacon from the first object when said first object is determined to be out of range of the second object. |
| US08159339B2 |
Child monitoring system
Disclosed is a child monitoring system. The child monitoring system includes a plurality of caregiver units and a child monitoring unit. The child monitoring unit is communicably coupled to the plurality of caregiver units and the plurality of caregiver units are configured to communicate amongst each other. The child monitoring unit is configured to detect an audible sound of the child. A signal responsive of the audible sound of the child is generated and transmitted to at least one caregiver unit of the plurality of caregiver units. Further, the child monitoring unit is configured to receive a signal responsive of instructions of the at least one caregiver of the plurality of caregivers from the at least one caregiver unit. |
| US08159333B2 |
Energy-efficient indoor localization system and a method of reducing power consumption of a radio badge in the indoor localization system
A method of reducing power consumption of a radio badge in a localization system is disclosed, in which the radio badge is carried by a tracked target and is provided with a pedometer for detecting a footstep count of the tracked target. The method includes: estimating a velocity of the radio badge according to the footstep count detected by the pedometer; calculating a sleep time from the velocity of the radio badge; and controlling the radio badge to discontinue emitting radio signals during the sleep time. An indoor localization system that performs the method is also disclosed. |
| US08159332B2 |
Radio frequency identification transponder
A radio frequency identification transponder including a power supply and a dynamic memory array which stores data. When power from the power supply ceases, the data in the dynamic memory array is validly maintained for a predetermined period of time. The dynamic memory array is responsive to an interrogating signal for selectively updating the data. A signal processor extracts an identifier from the interrogation signal and is responsive to the identifier and the stored data to determine whether some or all of the identifier is stored in the dynamic memory array. |
| US08159330B2 |
System and method for dimensional rating using RFID technology
A device for determining the dimensions of a parcel includes a platform and two adjacent walls. Each of the platform and walls are provided with a respective antenna for transmitting and receiving RF energy. The parcel to be measured is placed on the platform and registered against the walls. A responding device, having RFID tags attached thereto, is placed on a corner of the parcel. Each of the antennae are energized, and response signals from the RFID tags are measured. Based on the response signals from the RFID tags, the dimensions of the parcel can be determined, and the parcel can be rated for delivery based on the determined dimensions. |
| US08159323B2 |
Transformer and power supply apparatus using the same
A transformer includes a first bobbin having a first primary winding and a first secondary winding wound therearound, having a first through hole; a second bobbin having a second primary winding and a second secondary winding wound therearound, having a second through hole; and two divided magnetic cores. A divided magnetic core is composed of center magnetic leg formed from a vertical wall and a side wall vertically linked to rear magnetic plate, with a T-shaped cross section; a first outer magnetic leg placed at one side separated by the vertical wall; and a second outer magnetic leg placed at the other side. The first and second outer magnetic legs are inserted from both sides of the first and second through hole. |
| US08159318B2 |
Electromagnet assembly directly driving latch of an electronic circuit breaker
A circuit breaker includes a trip unit and an electronic fault detection unit sharing a common trip latch for causing the circuit breaker to trip upon detection of a fault by either unit. The circuit breaker has an electromagnet for causing the circuit breaker to trip upon detection of a fault by an electronic fault detection unit. The electromagnet is oriented in the housing proximal the trip latch without any components interposed between them, and directly attracts the latch. Advantageously the electromagnet orientation does not impact operation or the range of motion of the latch or other trip unit components. Advantageously the circuit breaker of the present invention does not increase the trip latch mass, its bulk swept volume through its range of motion or require additional linkage components that potentially might increase trip cycle time. In some embodiments the electromagnet core is reciprocable. |
| US08159315B2 |
Substrate, communication module, and communication apparatus
A substrate for mounting a filter has a connection line layer having a transmission line for connecting a filter, a ground layer placed below the connection line layer and having a ground, and an insulation layer placed between the transmission line and the ground layer and having a thickness which satisfies a characteristic impedance of the transmission line in a range 0.1 to 50 ohms, the characteristic impedance determined by the thickness and a dielectric constant of the insulation layer and a width of the transmission line. |
| US08159312B2 |
Method and system for signal coupling and direct current blocking
A method and class of circuit configurations for coupling low-frequency signals from one stage of an electronic apparatus to another stage, from the outside world to such a stage, or from such a stage to the outside world, through the use of a plurality of symmetrical double-layer capacitors combined with other electronic components are disclosed. The capacitors are used for signal transmission while blocking direct current, rather than for energy storage. Use of double-layer capacitors in place of more conventional capacitors permits the transmission of a much wider range of signals with far less distortion. The technology is particularly well-adapted to use in medical devices, including bioelectronic stimulators, where redundant devices are required for safety in case of single component failure while unacceptable levels of distortion may occur when conventional components are used. |
| US08159310B2 |
Mictostrip transmission line structure with vertical stubs for reducing far-end crosstalk
Provided is a microstrip transmission line for reducing far-end crosstalk. In a conventional microstrip transmission line on a printed circuit board, a capacitive coupling between adjacent signal lines is smaller than an inductive coupling therebetween, so that far-end crosstalk occurs. According to the present invention, the capacitive coupling between the adjacent signal lines is increased to reduce the far-end crosstalk. A vertical-stub type microstrip transmission line is provided. |
| US08159309B1 |
Windowing to narrow a bandwidth of an amplitude modulation power supply input signal
The present disclosure relates to using windowing to reduce the bandwidth of an amplitude modulation (AM) power supply input signal (PSIS), which is fed to an AM power supply to provide envelope power to an RF power amplifier stage via an AM power supply output signal. By reducing the bandwidth, noise levels from the AM power supply may be reduced. However, although the bandwidth of the AM PSIS is reduced, the AM power supply output signal may track the AM of the RF power amplifier stage closely enough to meet linearity requirements and to provide high efficiency. The windowing may be based on dividing a stream of AM input samples into a stream of input windows, from which a stream of output windows is created to provide a stream of windowed AM input samples that are used to provide a windowed AM PSIS to the AM power supply. |
| US08159308B1 |
Low power voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)
An apparatus includes a tank circuit of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). A pair of alternating current (AC) coupling capacitors couple the gates of the pair of transistors to the drains of the pair of transistors. A bias circuit is coupled to the gates of the pair of transistors to bias the pair of transistors such that the pair of transistors alternatingly turn on during a plurality of peaks of an oscillating signal of the tank circuit and the pair of transistors turn off during a plurality of crossing points of the oscillating signal. A feedback loop may be configured to detect a peak oscillating amplitude of the oscillating signal and adjust a bias voltage of the bias circuit. Also, a supply capacitor may be coupled to the tank circuit and to the pair of transistors to provide an instantaneous current to the VCO. |
| US08159305B2 |
Amplifying device
An amplifying device includes a selecting section that selects one of a first power source potential and a second power source potential which are different from each other, a potential generating circuit that generates a third power source potential from the power source potential selected by the selecting section, an amplifier that operates with supply of the first power source potential and the third power source potential, and a controlling circuit that variably controls a target to be selected by the selecting section in accordance with at least one of an amplitude of a signal on an input side of the amplifier, an amplitude of a signal on an output side of the amplifier, and the third power source potential. |
| US08159303B2 |
Operational amplifier
An operational amplifier includes an input stage amplifier that receives an input signal, an output stage amplifier that amplifies a signal output from the input stage amplifier and outputs the signal, a capacitor that is connected between an input node and an output node of the output stage amplifier, and a charge and discharge control circuit that controls a charge and discharge current of the capacitor. |
| US08159300B2 |
Signal conversion circuit and rail-to-rail circuit
A signal conversion circuit 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a difference amplifier 10 and a source follower 20. The difference amplifier 10 has first and second resistors 11, 12 connected in series, third and fourth resistors 13, 14 connected in series, first and second PMOS transistors 15, 16, and a current source 18. The source follower 20 has first and second NMOS transistors 22, 24. A source of the first NMOS transistor 22 is connected between the first and second resistors 11, 12, while a source of the second NMOS transistor 24 is connected between the third and fourth resistors 13, 14. |
| US08159298B2 |
Linearization circuits and methods for power amplification
Linearization circuits of the invention are used in conjunction with power amplification circuits that comprise a power amplifier core. Exemplary linearization circuits comprise a replica of the power amplifier core. In operation, the linearization produces an envelope signal from an RF signal. The envelope signal is used to control the replica to produce an analog output signal which represents the inverse of the AM to AM distortion of the power amplifier core. The linearization circuit then biases the RF signal with the inverted non-linear signal of the replica to control the power amplifier core. The power amplifier core and the replica thereof can be defined on the same semiconductor die so both respond to process variables similarly. |
| US08159295B2 |
Supply-modulated RF power amplifier and RF amplification methods
An embodiment of the invention is a method of generating a reduced bandwidth envelope signal VDD(t) for the power supply modulator of an RF amplifier. An envelope signal of an RF amplifier input Venv(t) is low pass filtered. The filtered envelope signal is subtracted from the envelope signal to obtain a difference signal, which is rectified to produce a residue signal. The residue signal is low pass filtered and added back into the filtered envelope signal. An iterative process of the rectifying, low pass filtering the residue signal adding it back is continued until a condition of VDD(t)≧Venv(t) is met. Another embodiment provides a method of generating a reduced bandwidth envelope signal VDD(t) for the power supply modulator of an RF amplifier. An envelope signal of an RF amplifier input Venv(t) is low pass filtered. The filtered envelope signal is subtracted from the envelope signal to obtain a difference signal, which is rectified to produce a residue signal. The residue signal is low pass filtered and multiplied by a first constant that is greater than one, and then added back into the filtered envelope signal. A second constant is added into the filtered envelope signal so that the condition VDD(t)≧Venv(t) is met. |
| US08159293B2 |
Nested transimpendance amplifier
A nested transimpedance amplifier circuit including a first power source, a second power source, a charge pump module and a transimpedance amplifier. The first power source is at a first voltage. The second power source is at a second voltage. The second voltage is different than the first voltage. The charge pump module (i) receives the first voltage and the second voltage and (ii) generates a third voltage based on the first voltage and the second voltage. The first transimpedance amplifier includes an input, an output and a first operational amplifier. The input of the first transimpedance amplifier receives an input voltage. The output of the first transimpedance amplifier outputs an output voltage. The first operational amplifier receives the third voltage. The first transimpedance amplifier generates the output voltage based on the third voltage and the input voltage. |
| US08159282B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and high frequency module with the same
The present invention is directed to reduce increase in the level of a harmonic signal of an RF (transmission) Tx output signal at the time of supplying an RF Tx signal to a bias generation circuit of an antenna switch. A semiconductor integrated circuit includes an antenna switch having a bias generation circuit, a Tx switch, and an antenna switch having a bias generation circuit, a transmitter switch, and a receiver (Rx) switch. The on/off state of a transistor of a Tx switch coupled between a Tx port and an I/O port is controlled by a Tx control bias. The on/off state of the transistors of the Rx switch coupled between the I/O port and a receiver (Rx) port is controlled by an RX control bias. A radio frequency (RF) signal input port of the bias generation circuit is coupled to the Tx port, and a negative DC output bias generated from a DC output port can be supplied to a gate control port of transistors of the Rx switch. |
| US08159280B2 |
Noise generator
A noise generator for generating band-limited noise from a plurality of sinusoidal signals at the same level and equidistant frequency position in the noise spectrum is provided. A noise signal has a low crest factor and for this purpose the phase position of each individual sinusoidal signal is determined. |
| US08159278B2 |
Method for clamping a semiconductor region at or near ground
A clamping circuit clamps a voltage received by an n-type semiconductor region without using a Schottky transistor. The clamping circuit includes a current mirror as well as first and second bipolar transistors. The current mirror receives a first current and supplies a second current in response. The first current is received by the first bipolar transistor, and the second current is received by the second bipolar transistor. The difference between the base-emitter junction voltages of the first and second bipolar transistors, in part, defines the voltage at which the n-type region is clamped. To start-up the circuit properly, current is withdrawn from the base/gate terminals of the transistors disposed in the current mirror. The circuit optionally includes a pair of cross-coupled transistors to reduce the output impedance and improve the power supply rejection ratio. |
| US08159277B1 |
Techniques for providing multiple delay paths in a delay circuit
A feedback loop circuit includes a phase detector and delay circuits. The phase detector generates an output signal based on a delayed periodic signal. The delay circuits are coupled in a delay chain that delays the delayed periodic signal. Each of the delay circuits includes variable delay blocks and fixed delay blocks that are coupled to form at least two delay paths for an input signal through the delay circuit to generate a delayed output signal. Delays of the variable delay blocks in the delay circuits vary based on the output signal of the phase detector. Each of the delay circuits reroutes the input signal through a different one of the delay paths to generate the delayed output signal based on the output signal of the phase detector during operation of the feedback loop circuit. |
| US08159274B2 |
Signaling with superimposed clock and data signals
A data transmission circuit includes a clock driver to obtain a clock signal having a first rate and to drive the clock signal onto one or more transmission lines. The data transmission circuit also includes a timing circuit to obtain the clock signal and to generate a symbol clock having a second rate. The first rate is a multiple of the second rate, wherein the multiple is greater than one. The data transmission circuit further includes a data driver synchronized to the symbol clock. The data driver obtains a data signal and drives the data signal onto the one or more transmission lines at the second rate. The data signal and the clock signal are driven onto the one or more transmission lines simultaneously. |
| US08159272B2 |
System and method for on-chip jitter and duty cycle measurement
An apparatus for measuring time interval between two selected edges of a clock signal. includes an edge generator, a first multi-tap delay module, a second multi-tap delay module, and a multi-element phase detector. The edge generator produces a first edge at a first output node and a second selected edge at a second output node. First multi-tap delay module provides a first constant incremental delay at each tap to the first edge. Second multi-tap delay module provides a second constant incremental delay at each tap to the second selected edge. Each element of the multi-element phase detector has a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The first input terminal is coupled to a selected tap of the first multi-tap delay module and the second input terminal is coupled to a corresponding tap of the second multi-tap delay module. The output terminals of the multi-element phase detector provide the value of the time interval. |
| US08159269B2 |
Multi-function input terminal of integrated circuits
A single terminal is used to configure an integrated circuit into one of three states. A circuit within the integrated circuit is coupled to the terminal and determines whether the terminal: 1) is coupled by a low impedance to a voltage source, or 2) is coupled by a medium impedance to the voltage source, or 3) is floating or substantially floating. The circuit asserts a first digital logic signal when the circuit determines that the terminal is coupled by the low impedance to the voltage source. The circuit asserts a second digital logic signal when the circuit determines that the terminal is coupled by the medium impedance to the voltage source. The circuit asserts a third digital logic signal when the circuit determines that the terminal is floating or substantially floating. The terminal and circuit are particular suited for use in a Power Management Unit (PMU) Integrated Circuit. |
| US08159267B2 |
Semiconductor device, display device, and electronic device
To provide a semiconductor device which operates stably with few malfunctions due to noise, with low power consumption, and little variation in characteristics; a display device including the semiconductor device; and an electronic device including the display device. An output terminal is connected to a power supply line, thereby reducing variation in electric potential of the output terminal. In addition, a gate electrode potential which turns ON a transistor is maintained due to the capacitance of the transistor. Further, change in characteristics of the transistor is reduced by a signal line for reverse bias. |
| US08159265B1 |
Memory for metal configurable integrated circuits
Memory for a semiconductor device is disclosed. The memory array comprises: a memory cell replicated in rows and columns to form an array; and a plurality of first horizontal decode signals, each horizontal signal common to all the memory cells in a said row; and a plurality of first vertical decode signals, each vertical signal common to all the memory cells in a said column; wherein, said replicated memory cell further comprises: a storage device to store data; and a first decode device to receive a said first horizontal decode signal and a said first vertical decode signal and generate a first local decode signal to access a first unique memory cell in the array. |
| US08159263B1 |
Programmable integrated circuit with voltage domains
A programmable integrated circuit having a plurality of individually controlled voltage domains. Each voltage domain includes logic circuitry powered by a respective power network. The voltage magnitude of each power network is independently selectable. Each of a plurality of level shifters couples a first and second one of the voltage domains, couples a first port of the logic circuitry of the first voltage domain to a second port of the logic circuitry of the second voltage domain, and shifts from a first signaling protocol of the first port to a second signaling protocol of the second port. The first signaling protocol is referenced to the voltage magnitude of the first voltage domain, and the second signaling protocol is referenced to the voltage magnitude of the second voltage domain. Means are disclosed for controlling the voltage magnitude of the respective power network of one or more of the voltage domains. |
| US08159260B1 |
Delay chain burn-in for increased repeatability of physically unclonable functions
A circuit and method increases the repeatability of physically undetectable functions (PUFs) by enhancing the variation of signal delay through two delay chains during chip burn-in. A burn-in circuit holds the inputs of the two delay chains at opposite random values during the burn-in process. All the PFETs in the delay chains with a low value at the input will be burned in with a higher turn on voltage. Since the PFETs affected in the two delay chains are driven by opposite transitions at burn-in, alternating sets of delay components in the two delay chains are affected by the burn-in cycle. Under normal operation, both of the delay chains see the same input so only one chain has an increase in delay to achieve a statistically reliable difference in the two delay paths thereby increasing the overall repeatability of the PUF circuit. |
| US08159254B2 |
Crack sensors for semiconductor devices
Crack sensors for semiconductor devices, semiconductor devices, methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and methods of testing semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a crack sensor includes a conductive structure disposed proximate a perimeter of an integrated circuit. The conductive structure is formed in at least one conductive material layer of the integrated circuit. The conductive structure includes a first end and a second end. A first terminal is coupled to the first end of the conductive structure, and a second terminal is coupled to the second end of the conductive structure. |
| US08159252B2 |
Test handler and method for operating the same for testing semiconductor devices
A test handler and method for operating a test handler for testing semiconductor devices are provided. The test handler includes a test tray located on one side of an opening apparatus in which a plurality of inserts are arrayed, wherein each insert comprises at least one semiconductor device loaded thereon, at least one opening unit for opening inserts at one part of the one side of the test tray, and a position changing apparatus comprises a motor including a driving pulley for moving at least one opening unit along a contact surface of the test tray such that the at least one opening unit changes positions on the test tray and is located at another part of the one side of the test tray in order to open inserts at the other part of the one side of the test tray. |
| US08159250B2 |
Testing device for testing a semiconductor device
A testing device of a semiconductor device includes a first board having a plurality of openings; a frame body provided in the openings, the frame body having a frame in which a plurality of probe needles is provided; and a plurality of second boards provided perpendicular to the first board in the periphery of the openings, the second boards being connected to the first board; wherein the probe needles pierce the frame so as to be connected to the second boards from the periphery of the frame body via the openings. |
| US08159248B2 |
Interposer structures and methods of manufacturing the same
Flexible and rigid interposers for use in the semiconductor industry and methods for manufacturing the same are described. Auto-catalytic processes are used to minimize the costs associated with the production of flexible interposers, while increasing the yield and lifetime. Electrical contact regions are easily isolated and the risk of corrosion is reduced because all portions of the interposer are plated at once. Leads projecting from the flexible portion of the interposers accommodate a greater variety of components to be tested. Rigid interposers include a pin projecting from a probe pad affixed to a substrate. The rigidity of the pin penetrates oxides on a contact pad to be tested. Readily available semiconductor materials and processes are used to manufacture the flexible and rigid interposers according to the invention. The flexible and rigid interposers can accommodate pitches down to 25 μm. |
| US08159246B2 |
Testing apparatus having tips of different heights
A testing device suitable for a testing apparatus with light inspection of a display panel is provided, in which the testing device includes a main part and two contact parts. The testing device is fixed to the testing apparatus with light inspection by the main part. Two contact parts are respectively extended from two ends of the main part along a first direction, and each of the contact parts has a plurality of tips. The tips of each contact part have different heights. Besides, a testing apparatus is also provided. Therefore, the abovementioned testing device and the testing apparatus are able to drastically extend the user lifetime, improve the inspection accuracy and save cost. |
| US08159245B2 |
Holding member for inspection, inspection device and inspecting method
Installed in a probe device is a holding member for inspection which can be mounted on a chuck. The holding member for inspection includes a support plate capable of mounting thereon a chip in which the power device is formed; pins for positioning the chip mounted on the support plate; and a metal film formed on a surface of the support plate in a range from a mounting area on which the chip is mounted to an exposed area on which the chip is not mounted. When inspecting the power device, the chip is fixed onto the mounting area in the holding member for inspection, one probe pin is brought into contact with a terminal on a top surface of the chip; and another probe pin is brought into contact with the metal film in the exposed area. |
| US08159244B2 |
Method and system for testing a semiconductor package
A method and system for testing a semiconductor package. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising testing a semiconductor package unit (150, 420) by electrically coupling a top printed circuit board (208, 420) to a top-side of a semiconductor package unit (150, 420), the coupling using electrically conductive top-side pogo pins (201A, 420), and a pair of adjacent top-side pogo pins (201A, 420) bridged using an electrically conductive path (302, 420), electrically coupling a bottom printed circuit board (210, 430) to a bottom-side of the semiconductor package unit (150, 430), the coupling using electrically conductive bottom-side pogo pins (201B, 430), said top-side pogo pins (201A, 430) and said bottom-side pogo pins are of substantially equal height (201B, 430), and transmitting test signals from the bottom printed circuit board to the semiconductor device package by way of the bottom-side pogo pins (210, 440). |
| US08159242B2 |
Handling device for positioning a test head at a test station
A handling device for positioning a test head, in particular at a test station, is provided with a positioning means enabling the test head to be positioned with respect to three dimensions. The handling device also has a mounting on which the test head can be attached and which is connected to the positioning means. The handling device is also provided with a fastening plate which is movably mounted and a compliance module by means of which the fastening plate can be moved between a starting position (I) and an end position (II, III) against the effect of a return force. The compliance module includes a housing, a spindle, a first sliding bushing and a second sliding bushing which are arranged in a movable manner on the spindle between a first stop and a second stop, and a spring element arranged between the sliding bushings and which impinges on the sliding bushings. The sliding bushings are movable relative to the housing. The compliance module permits bi-directional compliance of the test head. |
| US08159238B1 |
Method and apparatus for in-situ health monitoring of solar cells in space
Some embodiments of the present invention describe an apparatus that includes an oscillator, a ramp generator, and an inverter. The apparatus includes an oscillator, an inverter, and a ramp generator. The oscillator is configured to generate a waveform comprising a low time and a high time. The inverter is configured to receive the waveform generated by the oscillator, and invert the waveform. The ramp generator configured to increase a gate control voltage of a transistor connected to a solar cell, and rapidly decrease the gate control voltage of the transistor. During the low time of the waveform, a measurement of a current and a voltage of the solar cell is performed as the current and voltage of the solar cell are transmitted through a first channel and to a second channel. During the high time of the waveform, a measurement of a current of a shorted cell and a voltage reference is performed as the current of the shorted cell and the voltage reference are transmitted through the first channel and the second channel. |
| US08159237B2 |
Grid sensor
A grid sensor significantly reduces the complexity of a production process. The cost for installing and running the grid sensor are significantly reduced and the service life, pressure and heat resistance of the grid sensor can be significantly increased over previous grid sensors. Channels, which are wider than the diameter of the wire electrodes and have a depth of less than half the thickness of the sensor board, run outwardly from the edge of the measurement cross section in the sensor board. The channels are coated by a metal layer and the wire electrodes are inserted into the periphery of the measurement cross section. The two ends of the electrode, each in one of the opposite channels, and the electrodes are fixed in the channels by means of a conductive sealing compound. In each channel, the conductive sealing compound terminates in a planar fashion with the upper side of the sensor board, and the sensor board is clamped between two clamping plates. |
| US08159236B2 |
Corona effluent sensing device
The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to the detection and monitoring of corona effluent. The present embodiments pertain to a corona sensing device that employs a film of organic charge transporting material, as the active component in a corona effluent sensing device, that is disposed onto a patterned electrode bearing support member. |
| US08159232B2 |
Fuel property sensor
In a fuel property sensor, a pair of first and second electrodes is arranged in a fuel chamber to measure an electric capacitance, thereby detecting a mixing ratio of alcohol to gasoline in a fuel of the fuel chamber. An outer wall surface of the first electrode is exposed in the fuel, and a sensing portion contacts an inner wall surface of the first electrode to detect a temperature of the fluid via the first electrode. One end portion of a lead is connected to the sensing portion and the other end portion thereof is connected to a plate portion attached to a housing. Furthermore, an elastic deformation portion is provided as a part of the lead to be elastically deformed, and to cause the sensing portion to be biased in a direction on which the sensing portion contacts the inner wall surface of the first electrode. |
| US08159229B2 |
Load compensation in distance protection of a three-phase power transmission line
A load compensation method for phase-to-ground loops in distance protection. A first reactive reach is estimated assuming zero fault resistance or with a positive sequence current. A second reactive reach is estimated with a zero sequence current. A third reactive reach is estimated with a negative sequence current. An import or export condition is estimated. A fourth reactive reach for import or export condition is estimated based on the first, second and third reactive reach. A fault impedance is estimated based on the estimated fourth reactive reach. |
| US08159227B2 |
Methods for making directional resistivity measurements
One exemplary embodiment of a method for making directional resistivity measurements includes transmitting an axial electromagnetic wave in a borehole and receiving substantially pure axial and transverse components of the wave. A ratio of the axial and transverse components is computed and may be utilized as an indicator of various formation parameters. The invention advantageously enables the moment of the transmitting antenna to be canceled and therefore can result in improved accuracy. |
| US08159224B2 |
Combined magnetic resonance imaging and targeting device for magnetic particles
The invention relates to a combined magnetic resonance imaging and targeting device for magnetic particles having a magnetic coil array. The magnetic coil array comprises a plurality of coils, each of which is connected to a power supply. The power supplies are connected to a controller which is embodied for two operating modes. In a first operating mode the power supplies are controlled in such a way that a magnetic field extreme value is generated at least one location in a target region. In a second operating mode the power supplies are controlled in such a way that magnetic fields having a strictly monotonously rising or falling magnetic field profile are generated in an imaging region. |
| US08159220B2 |
Nuclear magnetic resonance gyroscope mechanization
One embodiment of the invention includes a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) gyroscope system. The system includes a gyro cell that is sealed to enclose an alkali metal vapor, a first gyromagnetic isotope, a second gyromagnetic isotope, and a third gyromagnetic isotope. The system also includes a magnetic field generator configured to generate a substantially uniform magnetic field that is provided through the gyro cell to cause the first, second, and third gyromagnetic isotopes to precess. The system further includes an angular rotation sensor configured to measure a rotation angle about a sensitive axis of the NMR gyroscope system based on measured precession angles of the first, second, and third gyromagnetic isotopes. |
| US08159219B2 |
MEMS 2D and 3D magnetic field sensors and associated manufacturing method
The disclosure provides Hall effect device configurations capable of measuring magnetic fields in two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) along with associated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) manufacturing methods. The present invention includes various geometric layout configurations for 2D and 3D Hall effect devices with multidimensional magnetic field sensing elements. Advantageously, the present invention can provide, simultaneously and independently, absolute measurement of each of the components (i.e., x-, y-, and z-components) of a magnetic field. Additionally, the geometric layout configurations enable the Hall effect devices to be constructed with MEMS fabrication techniques. |
| US08159217B2 |
Method and device with separate emission/reception functions for making eddy current tests on an electrically conducting part
A method for making eddy current tests on an electrically conducting part (13), in which a sensor moves above this part, uses separate emission/reception functions. The method includes obtaining a first complex voltage curve at the terminals of a reception winding (12), obtaining at least one second complex voltage curve at the terminals of a reception winding, determining at least one given distance that minimizes the modulus of the difference between the first curve and the at least one second curve, calculating the arithmetic mean (d) of the at least one given distance, choosing this arithmetic mean+/−20% as the distance between the two emission and reception windings, and detecting if one or several defects are present in this part. |
| US08159216B2 |
Method and device for eddy current imaging for the detection and the characterisation of defects hidden in complex structures
This eddy current imaging method includes the steps of: positioning (72), in the vicinity of a large inspection region, elements for the measurement of a surface magnetic field, generating (74, 92) a global exciting magnetic field over the observation inspection region, measuring (76, 84) a resultant magnetic field at the surface, in the form of images, processing (90) the images. The generating step (74, 82) involves generating a set of at least two exciting magnetic field waveforms; the measuring step (76, 86) involves measuring a set of configurations of the resultant magnetic field in the form of images; the step (90) of treating the images by combining them allows defects to be detected and the position and the nature thereof to be determined. |
| US08159214B2 |
Position detecting system
A position detecting system includes a magnetic field generator, a detecting body, a magnetic field detector, a position/direction calculating unit, and a control unit. The magnetic field generator generates a magnetic field in a three-dimensional space. The detecting body is put into the three-dimensional space, and includes a resonance circuit for generating a resonance magnetic field. The position/direction calculating unit calculates a position/direction of the detecting body. If the resonance circuit is in the non-resonant state, the magnetic field detector detects an environmental magnetic field, and the control unit updates detection data of the environmental magnetic field. If the resonance circuit is in the resonant state, the magnetic field detector detects the spatial magnetic field in the three-dimensional space. The position/direction calculating unit executes processing using the detection data of the spatial magnetic field and updated detection data of the environmental magnetic field. |
| US08159213B2 |
Inductive non-contact measurement of a relative movement or relative positioning of a first object relative to a second object
A non-contact measurement method for a relative displacement or relative positioning of a first object relative to a second object, in which: at least one transmitting coil, placed on the first object, is excited by an alternating excitation signal, at least one alternating electronic output signal, generated by mutual inductance in at least one receiving coil, is detected; the at least one receiving coil being placed on the second object and in a magnetic field created by the at least one transmitting coil, and the relative displacement of the first object is determined relative to the second object using the at least one alternating electric output signal generated on the at least one receiving coil. |
| US08159212B2 |
Magnetic encoder
To disclose a magnetic encoder being subjected to only small gap variation between a magnetic sensor element and a magnetic medium and readily assembled, and having a smaller number of components, high sliding resistance, and high stability against outside force, such as shock or the like. The magnetic sensor holding mechanism has a swirling spring plate structure having elasticity with respect to rotation around a rotation axis in a reciprocative slide relative movement direction, elasticity with respect to rotation around a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocative relative movement direction and in parallel to the magnetic medium, and elasticity in the direction perpendicular to the sensor element. A load between 50 mN and 80 mN is applied to press onto the magnetic medium. |
| US08159211B2 |
Clamp jaw assembly
A clamp jaw assembly for a clamp meter is provided. The clamp jaw assembly comprises a housing containing a clamp jaw core disposed within a shield. The housing, shield, and core of the clamp jaw assembly are configured to provide an extended creepage and clearance path from an exterior of the housing to a surface of the core. |
| US08159207B2 |
Low drop voltage regulator with instant load regulation and method
An LDO regulator (10) produces an output voltage (Vout) by applying the output voltage to a feedback input (6) of a differential input stage (10A) and applying an output (3) of the differential input stage to a gate of a first follower transistor (MP4) having a source coupled to an input (8) of a class AB output stage (10C) which generates the output voltage. Demanded load current is supplied by the output voltage during a dip in its value to a gate of a second follower transistor (MP5) having a gate coupled to the output of the input stage to decrease current in a current mirror (MN5,6) having an output coupled to a current source (I1) and a gate of an amplifying transistor (MN7). This causes the current source to rapidly turn on the amplifying transistor to cause it to rapidly turn on a cascode transistor (MN3), causing it to turn on a pass transistor (MP3) of the output stage. |
| US08159206B2 |
Voltage reference circuit based on 3-transistor bandgap cell
A voltage regulator comprises first and second bipolar transistors operating at different current densities; a resistance is connected between their bases across which ΔVBE appears. A third bipolar transistor is connected such that its base voltage is equal to that of the first transistor or differs by a PTAT amount. A current mirror balances the collector current of one of the second and third transistors with an image of the collector current of the first transistor when an output node is at a unique operating point. The operating point includes both PTAT and CTAT components, the ratio of which can be established to provide a desired temperature characteristic. A feedback transistor provides current to the bases of the bipolar transistors and to the output node and is driven by the current mirror output to regulate the voltage at the output node by negative feedback. |
| US08159201B2 |
Linear regulator and voltage regulation method
The present invention discloses a linear regulator and a voltage regulation method. The method comprises: providing a power transistor for converting a supply voltage to an output voltage to a load according to the conduction condition of the power transistor; controlling the conduction condition of the power transistor according to a comparison between a feedback signal relating to the output voltage and a reference voltage; obtaining a signal relating to a load condition; and controlling the conduction capability of the power transistor according to the signal relating to the load condition. |
| US08159199B2 |
On-chip voltage supply scheme with automatic transition into low-power mode of MSP430
An integrated electronic device includes circuitry for providing a system supply voltage from a primary power supply. The circuitry has a high power (HP) stage coupled to the primary power supply and having an output node coupled to a supply system node for providing a HP system supply voltage level and a HP output current such that the HP stage is configured to be active in a full power mode, and a low power (LP) stage coupled to the primary power supply and to the supply system node through a voltage follower for providing a LP supply voltage level and an LP output current such that the LP stage is configured to be active in a low power mode. The HP system supply voltage level is greater than the LP system supply voltage level and the voltage follower of the LP stage is adapted to switch off in response to a voltage level at the supply system node becoming greater than the HP system supply voltage level and to switch on in response to the voltage level at the supply system node becoming lower than the HP system supply voltage level. |
| US08159198B2 |
Power supply that adjusts a transformer turns ratio to operate efficiently at high and low line input
An apparatus for efficient power supply operation variable input line voltages. The apparatus includes a detection module that senses the input line voltage to the power supply and determines whether it is high or low voltage. A turn module sets the turns ratio of the transformer to a first turns ratio if the input line voltage is low voltage. The turn module sets the turns ratio to a second turns ratio if the input line voltage is high. In one embodiment of the invention, a high voltage is between 180 and 250 volts, while a low voltage is between 90 and 130 volts. A primary module sets the boost voltage of the power supply's boost stage to a first voltage if the input line voltage is low, while it sets the boost voltage to a second voltage if the input line voltage is high. The first voltage may, for example, be 200 volts, and the second voltage 400 volts. |
| US08159197B2 |
Circuit and method for constant on-time control for an interleaved multiphase voltage regulator
A circuit and method are proposed for constant on-time control for an interleaved multiphase voltage regulator, which monitor the channel currents of all the channels of the interleaved multiphase voltage regulator to select one from the channels to drive and so achieve interleaved phase operation. |
| US08159195B2 |
Overvoltage protection circuit for use in charger circuit system and charge circuit with overvoltage protection function
The present invention discloses an overvoltage protection (OVP) circuit for use in a charger circuit system, comprising: a power transistor electrically connected between a voltage supply and a battery; an OVP circuit which turns off the transistor when a voltage supply exceeds a threshold value; and a multiplexing circuit electrically connected between an output of the OVP circuit and the gate of the transistor. The present invention also discloses a charger circuit with an OVP function, comprising: a single power transistor electrically connected between a voltage supply and a battery; an OVP control circuit which turns off the power transistor when a voltage supply exceeds a threshold value; and a charger control circuit which controls the gate of the power transistor to determine a charge current to the battery when the voltage supply does not reach the threshold value. |
| US08159184B2 |
Automotive power supply system
An automotive power supply system comprises a battery module that includes serially connected battery groups each constituted with serially connected battery cells, integrated circuits each disposed in correspondence to one of the battery groups, a control circuit, a transmission path through which the integrated circuits are connected to the control circuit and a relay circuit via which an electrical current is supplied from the battery module. In response to a start signal instructing an operation start and received via the transmission path, each integrated circuit measures terminal voltages at the individual battery cells in the corresponding battery group and executes an abnormality diagnosis. If abnormality diagnosis results provided by the integrated circuits indicate no abnormality, the control circuit closes the relay, enabling supply of electrical current from the battery module and subsequently, the control circuit receives measurement results from the integrated circuits via the transmission path. |
| US08159183B2 |
Contact-less power supply, contact-less charger systems and method for charging rechargeable battery cell
The present invention relates to a contact-less power supply magnetically coupled to a battery device having a receiving coil therein, for contact-less charging the battery device, the contact-less power supply having a sending coil array including a plurality of sending coils for inducing a charging power to the receiving coil; and a driving means for detecting a sending coil magnetically coupled to the receiving coil and selectively driving only the detected sending coil. |
| US08159175B2 |
Variable voltage supply system
Apparatus for controlling the voltage supplied to a load, comprising:a multi-phase transformer having a primary and a secondary winding for each phase, each secondary being connected in series between an input line and an output directed to the load; andthe primary is configurable by switches such that the phase of the voltage of the secondary is different from the line to which it is connected by a phase different from 0 and 180 degrees. |
| US08159174B2 |
Method for adapting controller parameters of a drive to different operating states
A method is provided for adapting controller parameters of a drive to different operating states. A control loop includes a PID controller whose I gain factor is adapted to a drive velocity and/or whose D gain factor is adapted to a drive current, and consequently to a drive load. The I gain factor is determined based on the drive velocity and the D gain factor is determined based on the drive current, in each case at least in one area, the I gain factor falling with the drive velocity and the D gain factor rising with the drive current. |
| US08159173B2 |
Control device for controlling travel motor of vehicle
A control device for a travel motor mounted to a vehicle has a resolver which works as a rotation-angle sensor. The control device has a RDC which calculates a rotation-angle output value φ based on rotation detection signals Sa, Sb transferred from the resolver. The control device supplies electric power to the travel motor based on the rotation angle output value φ. The RDC calculates “sin(θ−φ)” as an error deviation ε based on the signals Sa and Sb and the rotation-angle output value φ. The RDC calculates an angular acceleration by multiplying the error deviation ε with a gain (=Ka·Kb), and integrates the angular acceleration two times in order to obtain a next rotation-angle output value. A gain control part of the RDC decreases the gain when the judgment means judges that the travel motor rotates at a constant rotation speed. |
| US08159167B2 |
Electronically commutated motor
An electronically commutated motor (20) has a rotor (28) and a rotor position sensor (30), which sensor, during operation, furnishes a rotational position signal (34). A stator interacts with the rotor (28). The stator has a stator winding strand (26) in an H bridge (22), and a control apparatus (36) which, during operation, performs the steps of: (A) controlling the H bridge (22) so that current pulses (+i1, −i1) flow through the stator winding strand (26), in alternate directions, each pulse starting at a first point in time (t1); (B) at the beginning of each commutation, starting from a second point in time (t2), operating in short circuit the winding strand (26), in order to cause a decreasing loop current (I*) through the stator winding strand (26), which loop current (I*) reaches zero at a third point in time (t3); and (C) stepwise modifying, toward a minimum, the time interval (TCC) between the first and third points in time (t1, t3). |
| US08159164B2 |
Variable-delay-time control system for a motor
A variable-delay-time control system for a motor is provided. The system includes a control unit, a driving unit, and a motor. The control unit is used to output at least one control signal according to at least one predetermined signal, and the control signal has a variable delay time. The driving unit is connected to the control unit, and is used to receive the control signal and generate a driving signal. The motor is connected to the driving unit, and conduction time of the motor is controlled according to the driving signal and the variable delay time. With the variable-delay-time control system of the present invention, the delay time of the control signal is variable, so the motor can operate at a high efficiency (for example, at a reduced current). Moreover, as the variable-delay time can be adjusted according to the predetermined signal, the motor can operate at a high efficiency in different operating states, thus improving the overall efficiency of the motor. |
| US08159163B2 |
Phase current estimation device of motor and magnetic pole position estimation device of motor
A phase current estimation device of a motor includes: an inverter which uses a pulse width modulation signal to sequentially commutate an electric flow to a motor of a three-phase alternating current; a pulse width modulation signal generation unit generating the pulse width modulation signal from a carrier signal; a control unit performing a startup control and a self control of the motor using the inverter; a direct current sensor detecting a direct current of the inverter; and a phase current estimation unit estimating a phase current based on the direct current detected by the direct current sensor. |
| US08159162B2 |
Motor control apparatus, vehicle fan drive apparatus, and motor control method
A motor control apparatus has a start control section. When the motor control apparatus receives a motor start command from a host control unit when a motor is in a stop state or a low-speed rotating state where a sensorless control cannot be applied, the control section starts the motor that rotates a vehicle fan by a forced commutation which supplies a pseudo sinusoidal drive signal caused by a complementary PWM control. Thereafter, the motor control apparatus switches over to a sensorless control using a rectangular wave drive signal at an energization angle of lower than 180°. |
| US08159161B2 |
Motor control device
To estimate an initial magnetic pole position, estimated control axes corresponding to the d-axis and q-axis are set as the γ-axis and δ-axis, and a with high frequency rotation voltage or alternating voltage on the γδ coordinate system applied to the motor. A high frequency current ih flowing in the motor is then extracted from a detected motor current (armature current) and a direct current component (ihγ×ihδ)DC of a product of the γ-axis and δ-axis components of the high frequency current ih is derived. Alternatively, the γ′-axis component ichγ and the δ′-axis component 66 of the high frequency current ih that are shifted by π/4 in electric angle from the γ-axis and the δ-axis are used to obtain a direct current component of their product (ichγ×ichδ)DC. The magnetic pole position is then estimated by computing the axial error Δθ between the γ-d axes utilizing the direct current components. |
| US08159156B2 |
Lighting systems and methods of auto-commissioning
A lighting system for areal illumination is disclosed which includes a remote driver and a plurality of fixtures including luminaires, control devices, and/or standalone sensors. A method of commissioning a lighting system is also disclosed which includes causing a light source co-located with each luminaire to emit a signal, detecting the signal at light sensors co-located with each luminaire, converting the signals obtained by the light sensors into distance measurements between luminaires, creating a map recording the relative location of luminaires, and assigning luminaires to groups based on their relative locations in the map. A movable orb region containing luminaires can also be defined. |
| US08159152B1 |
High-power LED lamp
A high-power light-emitting diode (LED) lamp has a plurality of units. Each unit includes an LED die and a thermo-electric cooling device coupled to the LED die. A power source supplies a fixed current to the thermo-electric cooling device wherein the fixed current is based on heat generated by the LED die in normal operation. Accordingly, the unit operates without a controller. |
| US08159147B2 |
Luminous chain with distributed driver circuit
The luminous chain includes a plurality of luminous modules, wherein at least two of the luminous modules include at least one set including at least one light source and one driver circuit for driving the at least one light source, and the driver circuits of one set of the respective luminous modules are electrically connected in parallel with one another, and the light sources of the one set of the respective luminous modules are electrically connected in series with one another, and the driver outputs of the driver circuits are combined at a node for jointly supplying current to all of the light sources of the one set. |
| US08159145B2 |
Synchronous operating system for discharge tube lighting apparatuses, discharge tube lighting apparatus, and semiconductor integrated circuit
A synchronous operating system for operating a plurality of discharge tube lighting apparatuses at the same frequency and same phase includes (1) an oscillator of a triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging a capacitor C2 and inclination for discharging the same are the same, (2) a signal generation part to generate, in a period shorter than a half period of the triangular wave signal, a first drive signal having a pulse width corresponding to a load current, and (3) a signal generation part of a second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to the same. |
| US08159140B2 |
Load driving apparatus
The load driving apparatus according to the present invention includes a load current setting signal generating section, a load current generating section, a reference voltage generating section and a drive voltage generating section. The load current setting signal generating section generates a desired load current setting signal. The load current generating section generates a load current based on the load current setting signal to drive the load. The reference voltage generating section generates a reference voltage based on the load current setting signal. The drive voltage generating section generates a drive voltage, supplies the drive voltage to the load, generates a between-both-terminals voltage between both terminals of the load current generating section based on the drive voltage and controls the drive voltage so that the difference between the between-both-terminals voltage and the reference voltage becomes small. |
| US08159139B2 |
Color and intensity control over power wires
A control element for a luminaire constituted of a first and a second manually variable non-momentary impedance and a first and a second time dependent gating circuit, each responsive to a respective manually variable non-momentary impedance and operative to provide a time dependent gating of a respective polarity of an alternating current power signal, the amount of time of the gating reflecting the present value of the respective manually variable non-momentary impedance, wherein the first time dependent gating circuit and the second time dependent gating circuit are restrained to maintain a minimum predetermined power towards the solid state lighting unit. |
| US08159137B2 |
Magnetron
To provide a magnetron capable of reducing noises in a low frequency band of 30 MHz or less without deteriorating the stability of a load depending on phases, and also ensuring the precision of assembly dimensions without increasing the number of components, a coiled filament 3 is arranged between an input-side end hat 61 and an output-side end hat 7 which are supported by a cathode supporting rod 8. A larger-diameter boss 61a in the end hat 61 extends to the interior of an interaction space, a smaller-diameter boss 61b and one end 3a of the filament 3 are secured to each other, and the other end 3b is secured to a boss 7a of the end hat 7. Here, the dimension of an axial free length part F which forms an electron emission part which is not secured to the end hats 61 and 7 of the filament 3 is set to 50% or more and 80% or less of the axial dimension H of plate-like vanes 2, and the electron emission part is arranged so as to be displaced to the output side. |
| US08159132B2 |
Organic electro-luminescense display apparatus
An organic EL display apparatus includes a display unit having a plurality of organic EL elements two-dimensionally arranged on a substrate, where the organic EL elements provide pixels, a sealing plate configured to be adhered to the substrate with an adhesive to cover the display unit, and a plurality of lead wires disposed on the substrate such that the lead wires are drawn outward from the display unit to the outside of the sealing plate. A linear bank is formed along an adhesion zone defined on the substrate to extend across the lead wires in a region where these lead wires are disposed. The sealing plate has its periphery adhered to the adhesion zone on the substrate along the adhesion zone on the substrate. |
| US08159128B2 |
Sealed thick film dielectric electroluminescent display
The invention is a sealed thick film dielectric display where the display comprises a thick film dielectric display structure and an adhesive layer provided over the display structure. The invention also provides a seal where the seal comprises an adhesive layer bonded to the underside of a cover plate and to the surface of a thick film dielectric electroluminescent display. The seal substantially inhibits the exposure of display components to atmospheric contaminants. |
| US08159125B2 |
Color temperature adjustable lamp
A color temperature adjustable lamp is created through mixture of the color temperature of a low color temperature white LED and a high color temperature white LED. A plurality of different color temperatures in between the color temperature of the low color temperature white LED and the color temperature of the high color temperature white LED can be created to emit. The color temperature is also known as Correlated Color Temperature (CCT). |
| US08159117B2 |
Display apparatus and production method thereof
There are provided a display apparatus that can display an image having higher resolution feeling while solving the problem of patterning precision for sub pixels which is difficult to obtain in production, and a production method thereof. The display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels disposed in two directions within a display surface and each having a sub pixel for emitting red light, two sub pixels for emitting green light, and a sub pixel for emitting blue light, wherein the sub pixel for emitting red light and the sub pixel for emitting blue light are disposed so as to partially overlap each other in one of the two directions, and the two sub pixels for emitting green light are disposed distant from each other in the one direction, wherein for the pixels adjacent to each other in the one direction, the sub pixels for emitting green light are adjacent to each other, and the sub pixel for emitting red light and the sub pixel for emitting blue light are adjacent to each other, and wherein the pixels adjacent to each other in the other of the two directions have the same sub pixel disposition. |
| US08159112B2 |
Polymeric actuator controller, polymeric actuator control method, and electronic apparatus
A polymeric actuator controller includes: a polymeric actuator that has a first electrode and a second electrode for applying electric energy to a polymeric portion and that displaces in accordance with applied electric energy; a potential difference reading unit that reads a potential difference that occurs between terminals of the first electrode and second electrode of the polymeric actuator; and a polymeric actuator driver circuit that applies the electric energy to the first electrode and second electrode of the polymeric actuator to drive the polymeric actuator. The polymeric actuator driver circuit and the potential difference reading unit form a closed loop. The polymeric actuator driver circuit varies the electric energy so that the potential difference read by the potential difference reading unit is maintained at a target potential value. |
| US08159111B2 |
Driving device and protection method thereof
A driving device includes a motor, a clutch gear, a first rotating portion, a second rotating portion, a piezoelectric assembly, and a controlling unit. The motor includes a rotating shaft. The clutch gear is fixed to the rotating shaft. The first rotating portion sleeved on the rotating shaft includes a first end meshing with the clutch gear and a second end opposite to the first end. The second rotating portion is engaged with the second end. The piezoelectric assembly is sandwiched between the second end and the second rotating portion. The controlling unit is electrically connected to the motor and the piezoelectric assembly. The controlling unit is configured for storing a predetermined voltage, and determining whether a voltage output by the piezoelectric assembly equals to or exceeds the predetermined voltage. A protection method for the driving device is also provided. |
| US08159108B2 |
Integrated thermoelectric/ thermionic energy converter
A device for converting heat into electrical energy that is an integrated combination of thermionic and thermoelectric energy converters in a single device, or “TITE”. The electron output of thermionic portion of the TITE is the input of the thermoelectric portion of the device. The electron collector is covered by a thin layer of doped or undoped semiconductor material or a combination of doped and undoped semiconductor materials with appropriate doping and thickness to achieve increased operational temperature ranges and efficiency. |
| US08159104B1 |
DC induction electric motor-generator with magnetic gap self commutating laminated ferromagnetic rotating core
A motor-generator apparatus has a stator and a rotor in a cylindrical arrangement about a central longitudinal axis. The stator has a static circular magnetic surface spaced apart from, a static circular electromagnetic surface. The rotor has a cylindrical arrangement of radially oriented laminations positioned proximal to, and between the static circular magnetic, and the static circular electromagnetic surfaces. The rotor is supported for rotation relative to the stator. A circular arrangement of electromagnets are electrically interconnected for carrying an electrical current for energizing the circular electromagnetic surface which is discontinuous with a plurality of portions gapped apart. |
| US08159099B2 |
Stator having busbars for connection of the coils, and a corresponding method
The aim of the invention is to increase the degree of automation in the production of an electrical machine. Particularly, the aim is to be able automate the connection of the coils of an electrical machine. For this purpose, provision is made for the coil ends (17) to be connected using at least one busbar (20, 22). The ends (23) of the respective busbars (20, 22) are hot crimped or welded to the associated end (17) of the coil. Thus, it is possible to eliminate manual drilling and welding of the coil ends. Moreover, the hot-crimped and welded connections have a high degree of electric strength and a high current carrying capability. |
| US08159096B2 |
Apparatus for detecting position of rotation of motor
A magnetic absolute sensor for a geared motor comprises a dipole magnet and hall elements. The dipole magnet is fixed to a hollow portion of a hollow rotor shaft. A bracket attached to an end plate of a motor housing is coaxially inserted from the rear end side of the hollow portion. The dipole magnet is inserted from the front side in a cylindrical portion of the bracket. The hall elements are arranged at an interval of 90 degree on the circular inner periphery surface of the cylindrical portion. The hall elements face the circular outer periphery surface of the dipole magnet with a fixed gap therebetween. It is not necessary to increase a motor shaft length in order to incorporate the magnetic absolute sensor. The flux of a motor driven magnet is blocked by the hollow rotor shaft and the hall elements are not adversely affected. |
| US08159093B2 |
Motor apparatus, manufacturing method, exposure apparatus, and device fabrication method
A motor apparatus includes a movable portion including a coil and a tooth-like salient pole and a platen opposed to the movable portion. The movable portion and the platen move relative to each other by using a magnetic field generated by supplying a current to the coil. The platen includes a base material having a surface on which convex portions and first concave portions are periodically arranged, a first thermally sprayed layer formed on the surface of the base material by thermal spraying such that second concave portions are formed inside the first concave portions, and a resin filled in the second concave portions. |
| US08159088B2 |
Display device and portable terminal
In order to increase the continuous operating time of a display device driven by a battery or the like, and a portable information terminal using the same, the volume and weight of the battery are increased. Thus, there arises a trade-off between the increased capacity of the battery and the portability of the device/terminal. Therefore, the invention provides a display device with portability ensured, which is capable of operating continuously for long periods and a portable information terminal using the same. In the display device, TFTs and an RFID tag are formed over the same insulating substrate. The RFID tag detects signals from a reader/writer, and generates DC power based on the signals. While the RFID tag is detecting signals, the display device is driven by the DC power generated in the RFID tag. |
| US08159087B2 |
Power generation system and operation method thereof
The invention provides a power generation system having a power generator (1) configured to generate DC power; an electric power load (5); a current detector configured to detect a current flowing between a system power supply (8) and an interconnection point (9); and a switch (4) configured to switch to supply the DC power from the power generator (1) and AC power which is fed from the system power supply (8) through the interconnection point (9), to the electric power load (5). |
| US08159086B2 |
Methods and systems for no-break power transfer converter
A method is provided for using a temporary power source to transfer a power bus from a first power source to a second power source. The first power source operates at a first electrical frequency, and the second power source operates at a second electrical frequency that is different from the first electrical frequency. The method includes adjusting the output frequency of the temporary power source to match the first electrical frequency and supplying power to the power bus from the temporary power source. The method also includes disconnecting the first power source from the power bus. The method further includes adjusting the output frequency of the temporary power source to match the second electrical frequency. The method further includes coupling the second power source to the power bus. |
| US08159085B2 |
Wall-mountable electrical power supplying device having a ring-like structure for receiving the power plugs and/or power adapters associated with a plurality of electrical appliances, and a housing containing and concealing the same during power supply operations
A wall-mountable electrical power supplying device for supplying electrical power to a group of electrical appliances located in an environment. The wall-mountable device includes a power supply cord for plugging into a standard power receptacle by way of a supply power plug, and has a base housing portion having a bottom surface and a 3D interior volume. A power-ring subassembly is supported within the base housing portion, has a central aperture defining the boundaries of 3D interior volume, and is adapted for supporting a plurality of electrical receptacles and one or more electronic circuits, which are electrically connected to the power supply cord. A power-ring housing portion covers the power-ring subassembly and has a set of plug apertures allowing appliance power plugs associated with the electrical appliances to plug into the electrical receptacles mounted behind the plug apertures. A power cord portal allows a group of electrical power cords associated with the group of electrical appliances to enter/exit the 3D interior volume in a bundled manner. A cover housing portion is provided and adapted to cover the central aperture of the power-ring subassembly, and conceal appliance power plugs plugged into the electrical receptacles and appliance power cords associated with the electrical appliances. Also, a wall-mounting bracket, operably connectable to the base housing portion, is provided for mounting the electrical power supplying device on the wall surface in proximity to the standard wall receptacle. |
| US08159083B2 |
Automotive electrical system configuration
Disclosed herein are a variety of different electrical system topologies intended to mitigate the impact of large intermittent loads on a 12 volt vehicle power distribution system. In some embodiments the intermittent load is disconnected from the remainder of the system and the voltage supplied to this load is allowed to fluctuate. In other embodiments, the voltage to critical loads is regulated independently of the voltage supplied to the remainder of the system. The different topologies described can be grouped into three categories, each corresponding to a different solution technique. One approach is to regulate the voltage to the critical loads. A second approach is to isolate the intermittent load that causes the drop in system voltage. The third approach is to use a different type of alternator that has a faster response than the conventional Lundell wound field machine. |
| US08159082B2 |
Systems and methods for providing an uninterruptible power supply to a ship-service bus of a marine vessel
A marine vessel power and propulsion system that provides a vessel-wide uninterruptible power supply is described. The power and propulsion system includes a propulsion system including a prime mover coupled to a motor/generator and a propulsion device. The motor/generator is configured to be driven by the prime mover and to generate alternating current (AC) electric power. The power and propulsion system also includes a ship-service electrical system including a generator set and a ship-service bus. The generator set is configured to generate ship-service electric power for distribution over the ship-service bus. The power and propulsion system also includes a bi-directional converter configured to couple the propulsion system to the ship-service electrical system and to convert AC electric power generated by the propulsion system to ship-service electric power for distribution over the ship-service electrical system. |
| US08159079B2 |
Environmental energy-saving power generator
An environmental energy-saving power generator includes a power generation module, a control module, a power module, a power generator housing, and an I/O module. A processor unit of the control module controls the power management unit and the power management unit controls the power module to supply driving power required by a drive unit of the power generation module during operation; after the power generation unit of power generation module operates, the surplus power generated by the power generation unit, when generating power, can be re-charged to the power module. The environmental energy-saving power generator effectively manages and allocates the power of power module and that of power generation module to lengthen the time when the environmental energy-saving power generator supplies power to the load for operation. The power generation units of power generation module and the drive unit may generate high-efficiency power of voltage, current, and frequency. |
| US08159076B2 |
Method of producing a via in a reconstituted substrate
A method of producing an electronic connection device, including: a) formation, in a plane of a support substrate, of at least one first contact element and, in a direction approximately perpendicular to the plane, of at least one second contact element having a first end in electrical contact with the first contact element or elements and a second end, the second contact element or elements including one or more metal tracks standing up along the direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate; b) then positioning at least one electrical or electronic component in contact with the first contact element or elements; and c) encapsulation of the component(s) and of the first and second contact elements, at least the second end or ends of the second contact element or elements being flush with the surface of the encapsulating material. |
| US08159074B2 |
Chip structure
A semiconductor chip includes first, second and third metal interconnects and an insulating layer over a semiconductor substrate. First, second and third openings in the insulating layer are over first, second and third contact points of the first, second and third metal interconnects, respectively. A fourth metal interconnect over the insulating layer connects the first and second contact points. The fourth metal interconnect includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The first metal layer is under but not at a sidewall of the second metal layer. The semiconductor chip includes a metal bump connected to the third contact point through the third opening, and a dielectric layer over the fourth metal interconnect and the insulating layer. No opening is in the dielectric layer on the fourth metal interconnect, and the metal bump has a top higher than a top surface of the dielectric layer. |
| US08159073B2 |
Interposer chip and manufacturing method thereof
The interposer chip includes a chip mounting region on which a semiconductor chip is mounted via a fixing material made of resin. The interposer chip has an insulator film, and wiring layers formed on the insulator film. At a position corresponding to a rim of the chip mounting region, a reinforcing region in which an adhesive force between the insulator film and the wiring layers are increased is provided. |
| US08159071B2 |
Semiconductor package with a metal post
Disclosed are a semiconductor package and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor package can include a semiconductor substrate, having one surface on which a conductive pad is formed; an insulating layer, being formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate; a metal post, penetrating through the conductive pad, the semiconductor substrate, and the insulating layer; and an outer-layer circuit, being electrically connected to the metal post. With the present invention, it can become unnecessary to form an additional via for electrically connecting both surfaces of the semiconductor substrate, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process, reducing the manufacturing cost, and improving the coupling reliability. |
| US08159069B2 |
Metal line of semiconductor device without production of high resistance compound due to metal diffusion and method for forming the same
A metal line includes a lower metal line formed on a semiconductor substrate. An insulation layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate having the lower metal line, and a metal line forming region exposing at least a portion of the lower metal line is defined in the insulation layer. A diffusion barrier is formed on a surface of the metal line forming region of the insulation layer and includes a WNx layer, a W—N—B ternary layer, and a Ti—N—B ternary layer. A wetting layer is formed on the diffusion barrier and is made of one of a Ti layer or a TiN layer. An upper metal line is formed on the wetting layer to fill the metal line forming region of the insulation layer. |
| US08159066B2 |
Semiconductor package having a heat dissipation member
A semiconductor package having a heat dissipation member capable of efficiently conveying excess heat away from semiconductor chips is presented. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip, through-electrodes, and a heat dissipation member. The semiconductor chip has a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface, and bonding pads which are disposed on the first surface. The through-electrodes are electrically connected with the bonding pads and passing through the first and second surfaces of the semiconductor chip, and protrude outward from the second surface. The heat dissipation member faces the second surface of the semiconductor chip and is coupled to the through-electrodes. |
| US08159062B2 |
Semiconductor and a method of manufacturing the same
A method including forming an intermediate product, the intermediate product being configured to include a wiring substrate including a plurality of first electrodes, a plurality of second electrodes and a plurality of test electrodes, a first semiconductor chip mounted over the wiring substrate and including a plurality of first pads electrically connected respectively to the first electrodes, and a second semiconductor chip stacked over the first semiconductor chip and including a plurality of second pads electrically connected respectively to the second electrodes; encapsulating the first and second semiconductor chips; and performing electrical tests on the first and second semiconductor chips by use of the test electrodes, after the encapsulating of the first and second semiconductor chips. |
| US08159061B2 |
Stacked semiconductor module
A stacked semiconductor module is made by stacking a second semiconductor device having a second semiconductor chip mounted to the top surface of a second semiconductor substrate above the top surface of a first semiconductor device having a first semiconductor chip mounted to a first semiconductor substrate. The top surface of the first semiconductor substrate is provided with a first connection terminal and the bottom surface of the first semiconductor substrate is provided with an external connection terminal. A region of the bottom surface of the second semiconductor substrate lying opposite to the second semiconductor chip is provided with a second connection terminal. A conductive connecting member connects the first connection terminal to the second connection terminal. |
| US08159060B2 |
Hybrid bonding interface for 3-dimensional chip integration
Each of a first substrate and a second substrate includes a surface having a diffusion resistant dielectric material such as silicon nitride. Recessed regions are formed in the diffusion resistant dielectric material and filled with a bondable dielectric material. The patterns of the metal pads and bondable dielectric material portions in the first and second substrates can have a mirror symmetry. The first and second substrates are brought into physical contact and bonded employing contacts between metal pads and contacts between the bondable dielectric material portions. Through-substrate-via (TSV) structures are formed through bonded dielectric material portions. The interface between each pair of bonded dielectric material portions located around a TSV structure is encapsulated by two diffusion resistant dielectric material layers so that diffusion of metal at a bonding interface is contained within each pair of bonded dielectric material portions. |
| US08159055B2 |
Semiconductor device, lead-frame product used for the same and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element; a group of back-inner terminals coupled with the semiconductor element through bonding wires and arranged in an area array shape so as to be exposed inside of the bottom; a group of back-outer terminals arranged outside the group of back-inner terminals; a group of front-outer terminals located immediately above the back-outer terminals to be exposed from the front surface, which are electrically coupled with the back-outer terminals located immediately therebelow through coupling conductors, respectively; and a sealing resin which seals the semiconductor element and bonding wires and non-exposed portions of said back-inner terminals, back-outer terminals and front-outer terminals. On at least the respective terminal faces of said back-inner terminals, back-outer terminals and front-outer terminals, noble-metal plated layers are formed. |
| US08159051B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device may include a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and having a main surface that has a first plane orientation, a second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and having a main surface that has a second plane orientation different from the first plane orientation, the second semiconductor layer being directly provided on the first semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer having a main surface that has the first plane orientation, and being formed on the first semiconductor layer and on a side face of the second semiconductor layer, a gate electrode formed on the second semiconductor layer via a gate insulating film, first impurity diffusion regions of a second conductivity type, and being formed in the second semiconductor layer so that the gate electrode is located on a region sandwiched in a gate length direction between the first impurity diffusion regions, the first impurity diffusion regions extending to an interface between the first and second semiconductor layers, and second impurity diffusion regions of a second conductivity type, and being formed so as to extend from the third semiconductor layers to the first semiconductor layer, respectively, so that both the first impurity diffusion regions is sandwiched in the gate length direction between the second impurity diffusion regions. |
| US08159049B2 |
Semiconductor structure for imaging detectors
There is disclosed a photo-detector array including a plurality of sub-arrays of photo-detectors, the photo-detectors of each sub-array being formed on a substrate with an active area of each photo-detector being formed on a surface of the substrate, there further being formed for each photo-detector a conductive via through the substrate from an upper surface thereof to a lower surface thereof to connect the active area of each photo-detector to the lower surface of the substrate, wherein a plurality of said sub-arrays of photo-detectors are placed adjacent to each other in a matrix to form the photo-detector array. An imaging system comprising: a radiation detector including such a photo detector array, a radiation source facing the radiation detector, and means for controlling the radiation detector and the radiation source is also disclosed. A method for making such an array is also disclosed. |
| US08159048B2 |
Bipolar junction transistor geometry
Embodiments of methods, apparatus, devices and/or systems associated with bipolar junction transistor are disclosed. |
| US08159044B1 |
Density transition zones for integrated circuits
An integrated circuit is provided with a spiral inductor and a transition zone surrounding the spiral inductor. The transition zone may have a geometry that is substantially eight-sided or octagonal. Metal layers in the transition zone may have metal fill that is substantially octagonal and arranged in rows and columns. If desired, square or rectangular metal fill be tiled with the substantially octagonal metal fill. Metal layers may also contain halved or quartered octagonal metal fill. Substrate in the transition zone may have octagonal substrate regions separated by shallow trench isolation regions. A polysilicon layer above the substrate may have square regions of polysilicon fill directly above the shallow trench regions in the substrate. Such arrangements may provide more uniform densities in transition zones with certain geometries. |
| US08159041B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device includes: a lower layer interconnection formed on a chip; an upper layer interconnection formed in an upper layer above the lower layer interconnection above the chip; an interconnection via formed to electrically connect the lower layer interconnection and the upper layer interconnection; a via-type electric fuse formed to electrically connect the lower layer interconnection and the upper layer interconnection. The fuse is cut through heat generation, and a sectional area of the fuse is smaller than a sectional area of the upper layer interconnection and a via diameter of the fuse is smaller than that of the interconnection via. |
| US08159036B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A LDD layer of the second conduction type locates in the surface of a semiconductor layer beneath a sidewall insulator film. A source layer of the second conduction type is formed in the surface of the semiconductor layer at a position adjacent to the LDD layer. A resurf layer of the second conduction type is formed in the surface of the semiconductor layer at a position sandwiching the gate electrode with the LDD layer. A drain layer of the second conduction type is formed in the surface of the semiconductor layer at a position adjacent to the resurf layer. The resurf layer is formed in depth to have peaks of a first and a second impurity concentration in turn from the surface of the semiconductor layer. The peak of the first impurity concentration is smaller than the peak of the second impurity concentration. |
| US08159035B2 |
Metal gates of PMOS devices having high work functions
A semiconductor structure includes a refractory metal silicide layer; a silicon-rich refractory metal silicide layer on the refractory metal silicide layer; and a metal-rich refractory metal silicide layer on the silicon-rich refractory metal silicide layer. The refractory metal silicide layer, the silicon-rich refractory metal silicide layer and the metal-rich refractory metal silicide layer include same refractory metals. The semiconductor structure forms a portion of a gate electrode of a metal-oxide-semiconductor device. |
| US08159034B2 |
Semiconductor device having insulated gate field effect transistors and method of manufacturing the same
N-type semiconductor region and P-type semiconductor region are provided in a surface region of a semiconductor substrate. Insulating film and silicon containing film are laminated on the semiconductor substrate. P-type impurities are introduced into a first portion of the silicon containing film above the N-type semiconductor region. The first portion of the silicon containing film is thinned in the thickness direction. N-type impurities are introduced into a second portion of the silicon containing film above the P-type semiconductor region. A mask is provided on the silicon containing film. The first and second portions of the silicon containing film are etched together using the mask as an etching mask to form gate electrode films above the N-type and P-type semiconductor regions respectively. P-type and N-type impurities are introduced into the N-type and P-type semiconductor regions to form P-type and N-type source and drain layers. |
| US08159033B2 |
ESD protection device and manufacturing method thereof
A junction forming region is formed between a drain region of a MOS structure and a device isolation region which surrounds the MOS structure and is in contact with the drain region, to form a PN junction together with the drain region. As a consequence, it is possible to adjust a breakdown voltage of an ESD protection device which is fabricated in the same process as that for an internal device without varying basic performance of the internal device even at a final stage of an LSI manufacturing process. |
| US08159019B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with stacked gate including charge storage layer and control gate and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a first active region, a second active region, a first element isolating region and a second element isolating region. The first active region is formed in a semiconductor substrate. The second active region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The first element isolating region electrically separates the first active regions adjacent to each other. The second element isolating region electrically separates the second active regions adjacent to each other. An impurity concentration in a part of the second active region in contact with a side face of the second element isolating region is higher than that in the central part of the second active region, and a impurity concentration in a part of the first active region in contact with a side face of the first element isolating region is equal to that in the first active region. |
| US08159018B2 |
Non-volatile memory device
A finFET-based non-volatile memory device on a semiconductor substrate includes source and drain regions, a fin body, a charge trapping stack and a gate. The fin body extends between the source and the drain region as a connection. The charge trapping stack covers a portion of the fin body and the gate covers the charge trapping stack at the location of the fin body. The fin body has a corner-free shape for at least ¾ of the circumference of the fin body which lacks distinct crystal faces and transition zones in between the crystal faces. |
| US08159014B2 |
Localized biasing for silicon on insulator structures
A silicon-on-insulator device has a localized biasing structure formed in the insulator layer of the SOI. The localized biasing structure includes a patterned conductor that provides a biasing signal to distinct regions of the silicon layer of the SOI. The conductor is recessed into the insulator layer to provide a substantially planar interface with the silicon layer. The conductor is connected to a bias voltage source. In an embodiment, a plurality of conductor is provided that respectively connected to a plurality of voltage sources. Thus, different regions of the silicon layer are biased by different bias signals. |
| US08159010B2 |
Solid-state image pick-up device and imaging system using the same
The present invention provides a solid-state image pick-up device without shading in the dark state, and capable of making a dynamic range and a S/N high. Reference numeral 505 denotes an N-type cathode of a photodiode, 506 denoting a surface P-type region for forming the photodiode into an embedded structure, 508a denoting an N-type high concentration region which forms a floating diffusion and which is also a drain region of a transfer MOS transistor. Reference character 508b denotes a polysilicon lead-out electrode brought into direct contact with the N-type high concentration region. Light incident from the surface passes through an aperture without a metal third layer 525 to enter into the photodiode. Among incident lights, light reflected by the top surface of a gate electrode 504 of the transfer MOS transistor is reflected by a first layer metal 521 right above the polysilicon, so as to repeats reflection a plurality of times to attenuate sufficiently before entering into the floating diffusion section, thereby making the aliasing extremely small. |
| US08159008B2 |
Method of fabricating a trench-generated transistor structure
Trench-generated transistor structures, methods for fabricating transistors using a trench defined in a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, design structures for a trench-generated transistor, and other trench-generated device structures. The source and drain of the transistor are defined by doped regions in the semiconductor material of the handle substrate of the SOI wafer. The gate electrode may be defined from the semiconductor layer of the SOI wafer, which is separated from the handle wafer by an insulating layer. Alternatively, the gate electrode may be defined as a conventional gate stack on a shallow trench isolation region in the semiconductor layer or as a conventional gate stack in one of the BEOL interconnect levels. |
| US08159007B2 |
Providing current to compensate for spurious current while receiving signals through a line
Circuits, methods, and systems are disclosed in which a current is provided to compensate for spurious current while receiving signals through a line. For example, the spurious current can be sensed and the compensating current can be approximately equal to the sensed spurious current. The spurious current could include photocurrent from a bright light, and the compensating current can prevent bright light effects. |
| US08159005B2 |
Image sensor
An image sensor and manufacturing method thereof are provided. The image sensor can include a readout circuitry, an interconnection, a second interlayer dielectric, an image sensing device, a contact plug, and a sidewall dielectric. The contact plug can electrically connect the first conductive type layer to the interconnection through a via hole passing through the image sensing device. The sidewall dielectric can be disposed on a sidewall of the second conductive type layer within the via hole. |
| US08159004B2 |
Compound semiconductor device having dopant concentration gradient
A semiconductor device includes a first compound semiconductor layer having a two-dimensional carrier gas channel, a second compound semiconductor layer which functions as a barrier layer and is arranged above the first compound semiconductor layer, a first main electrode connected to one end of the two-dimensional carrier gas channel, and a second main electrode connected to another end of the two-dimensional carrier gas channel, these ends being separated, wherein a compound ratio of an elemental compound of the second compound semiconductor layer is different in a direction of the two-dimensional carrier gas channel between the first main electrode and the second main electrode. |
| US08158998B2 |
High-reflectivity and low-defect density LED structure
The present invention discloses a high-reflectivity and low-defect density LED structure. A patterned dielectric layer is embedded in a sapphire substrate via semiconductor processes, such as etching and deposition. The dielectric layer is formed of two materials which are alternately stacked and have different refractive indexes. An N-type semiconductor layer, an activation layer and a light emitting layer which is a P-type semiconductor layer are sequentially formed on the sapphire substrate. An N-type electrode and a P-type electrode are respectively coated on the N-type semiconductor layer and the P-type semiconductor layer. The dielectric layer can lower the defect density of the light emitting layer during the epitaxial growth process. Further, the dielectric layer can function as a high-reflectivity area to reflect light generated by the light emitting layer and the light is projected downward to be emitted from the top or the lateral. Thereby is greatly increased the light-extraction efficiency. |
| US08158995B2 |
Optoelectronic semiconductor chip
An optoelectronic semiconductor chip is disclosed which emits electromagnetic radiation from its front side (7) during operation, comprising a semiconductor layer sequence (1) having an active region (4) suitable for generating the electromagnetic radiation, and a separately produced TCO supporting substrate (10), which is arranged at the semiconductor layer sequence and has a material from the group of transparent conductive oxides (TCO) and mechanically supports the semiconductor layer sequence (1). |
| US08158991B2 |
Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic device, and lighting device
Light-emitting elements in which an increase of driving voltage can be suppressed are provided. Light-emitting devices whose power consumption is reduced by including such light-emitting elements are also provided. In a light-emitting element having an EL layer between an anode and a cathode, a first layer in which carriers can be produced is formed between the cathode and the EL layer and in contact with the cathode, a second layer which transfers electrons produced in the first layer is formed in contact with the first layer, and a third layer which injects the electrons received from the second layer into the EL layer is formed in contact with the second layer. |
| US08158990B2 |
Light emitting device using GaN LED chip
A light emitting device is constituted by flip-chip mounting a GaN-based LED chip. The GaN-based LED chip includes a light-transmissive substrate and a GaN-based semiconductor layer formed on the light-transmissive substrate, wherein the GaN-based semiconductor layer has a laminate structure containing an n-type layer, a light emitting layer and a p-type layer in this order from the light-transmissive substrate side, wherein a positive electrode is formed on the p-type layer, the electrode containing a light-transmissive electrode of an oxide semiconductor and a positive contact electrode electrically connected to the light-transmissive electrode, and the area of the positive contact electrode is half or less of the area of the upper surface of the p-type layer. |
| US08158989B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode display includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a light emitting element and a driving transistor coupled to the light emitting element. The pixels may be arranged in a matrix. The pixels include first pixels, second pixels, and third pixels, the driving transistors of the first to the third pixels occupy different areas, and the light emitting elements of the first to the third pixels occupy substantially equal area. |
| US08158984B2 |
Thin film transistor, method of fabricating the same, and organic light emitting diode display device including the same
A thin film transistor (TFT), including a crystalline semiconductor pattern on a substrate, a gate insulating layer on the crystalline semiconductor pattern, the gate insulating layer having two first source/drain contact holes and a semiconductor pattern access hole therein, a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer, the gate electrode being between the two first source/drain contact holes, an interlayer insulating layer covering the gate electrode, the interlayer insulating layer having two second source/drain contact holes therein, and source and drain electrodes on the interlayer insulating layer, each of the source and drain electrodes being insulated from the gate electrode, and having a portion connected to the crystalline semiconductor pattern through the first and second source/drain contact holes. |
| US08158983B2 |
Semiconducting sheet
A substrate-free semiconducting sheet has an array of semiconducting elements dispersed in a matrix material. The matrix material is bonded to the edge surfaces of the semiconducting elements and the substrate-free semiconducting sheet is substantially the same thickness as the semiconducting elements. |
| US08158982B2 |
Polysilicon thin film transistor device with gate electrode thinner than gate line
A polysilicon thin film transistor device includes a gate metal pattern including a gate electrode and a gate line formed on a substrate, the gate metal pattern having a stepped portion, a gate insulating film formed on the gate metal pattern, a polysilicon semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating film, the polysilicon semiconductor layer including an active region, lightly doped drain regions, a source region, and a drain region, a source electrode connected to the source region and a drain electrode connected to the drain region on the polysilicon semiconductor layer, and a pixel electrode connected with the drain electrode. |
| US08158978B2 |
Inverter, logic circuit including an inverter and methods of fabricating the same
An inverter, a logic circuit including the inverter and method of fabricating the same are provided. The inverter includes a load transistor of a depletion mode, and a driving transistor of an enhancement mode, which is connected to the load transistor. The load transistor may have a first oxide layer as a first channel layer. The driving transistor may have a second oxide layer as a second channel layer. |
| US08158976B2 |
Thin-film transistor and method of manufacturing the same
Example embodiments relate to thin-film transistors (TFT) and methods for fabricating the same. A thin-film transistor according to example embodiments may include a gate, a gate insulation layer, a channel layer including a first oxide semiconductor layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer, and a source and drain on opposite sides of the channel layer. The first oxide semiconductor layer may have relatively large crystal grains compared to the second oxide semiconductor layer. |
| US08158971B2 |
Highly efficient organic light-emitting device using substrate or electrode having nanosized half-spherical convex and method for preparing the same
The present invention provides a transparent substance formed with a plurality of continuous half-spherical convexes having a diameter of 25˜1,000 nm on its first main surface; an organic light-emitting device comprising a substrate, a first electrode, an organic material layer(s) and a second electrode, sequentially, characterized by having a plurality of continuous half-spherical convexes having a diameter of 25˜1,000 nm on the underside of the substrate that does not contact the first electrode and/or the upside of the second electrode that does not contact the organic material layer; and a method for preparing same using a porous aluminum oxide layer forming process. |
| US08158964B2 |
Schottky diode switch and memory units containing the same
A switching element that includes a first semiconductor layer, the first semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion; a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer having a first portion and a second portion; an insulating layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a first metal contact in contact with the first portion of the first semiconductor layer forming a first junction and in contact with the first portion of the second semiconductor layer forming a second junction; a second metal contact in contact with the second portion of the first semiconductor layer forming a third junction and in contact with the second portion of the second semiconductor layer forming a fourth junction, wherein the first junction and the fourth junction are Schottky contacts, and the second junction and the third junction are ohmic contacts. |
| US08158957B2 |
System and method for structured illumination and collection for improved optical confocality of raman fiber array spectral translator imaging and interactive raman probing
The disclosure relates generally to methods and apparatus for using telescope optics and a fiber array spectral translator-based (“FAST”) spectroscopic system for improved imaging, spectral analysis, and interactive probing of a sample. In an embodiment, the confocality of a fiber array spectral translator-based spectroscopic system is improved through the use of structured illumination and/or structured collection of photons. User input may be received and acted upon to allow a user to interactively in real time and/or near real time view and analyze specific regions of the sample. |
| US08158956B2 |
Photoactivatable paint curing device and method
A device and method for curing photoactivatable paint coatings. An exemplary device may include a light chamber housing supported by a frame and undercarriage, the wall portions of the light chamber having a peripheral region terminating at a light emission region. A UV light source may be located within the light chamber. A motorized carrier may be provided and configured to controllably index and/or oscillate the UV light source along a travel path within the housing. The light chamber may be located adjacent a target paint cure location on a work piece, with the UV light emission region facing the paint cure location. Once properly located, the UV light source may be indexed and/or oscillated along the travel path to deliver UV light to the target paint cure location so as to cure UV curable paint thereon. |
| US08158949B2 |
Radiation detector and method for manufacturing the same
A radiation detector characterized by includes a photoelectric conversion element, a scintillation layer which converts radioactive rays to fluorescence, the scintillation layer being formed on the photoelectric conversion element, and a reflective film formed on the scintillation layer, the reflective film containing light-scattering particles for reflecting the fluorescence from the scintillation layer and a binder material binding the light-scattering particles, and having depletion portions without being filled with the binder material, the depletion portions being formed in a periphery of the light-scattering particles. |
| US08158948B2 |
Scintillating crystal detector
A detector using scintillating crystals is provided. The scintillating crystal is based on cerium doped lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (Ce:LYSO). With calcium (Ca) doped into Ce:LYSO, the electrovalence of Ce is further uniformly distributed. The scintillating crystal obtains high stability with 2 to 10 times greater electrical degree than that of a general scintillating crystal. Thus, radiative induction to cancer cells is improved and distribution of the cancer cells is easily figured out. |
| US08158946B2 |
Intrinsically safe improved sensitivity NDIR gas sensor in a can
An NDIR gas sensor takes advantage of a conventional packaging embodiment commonly used to house detectors of all kinds comprising a can, header and a dish sample chamber all welded together to form a single detector unit. The can forms the top, a hollowed out header body forms the middle and a custom dish sample chamber forms the bottom of a completely functioning NDIR gas sensor. Whereas the header body not only accommodates all the optoelectronic and optical parts on its top surface providing the required signal processing functions for the gas sensor, part of its body is excavated below to accommodate a custom dish sample chamber in communication with the gas outside whose concentration level is to be measured. A lens and windows are also fabricated on the top part of this header body so that infrared radiation can enter the dish sample chamber below and then be redirected back above for signal processing. To achieve this optical feat, strategic reflecting surfaces are impregnated on the top of the can housing so as to direct infrared radiation to the dish sample chamber below through a lens and then redirect the radiation above via another window for subsequent signal detection and processing. |
| US08158945B2 |
Detector arrangement for a nondispersive infrared gas analyzer and method for the detection of a measuring gas component in a gas mixture by means of such a gas analyzer
A detector arrangement for detection of a measuring gas component in a gas mixture is provided. The arrangement includes a gas analyzer, a first single-layer receiver and a further single-layer receiver, the first single-layer receiver containing the measuring gas component and the further single-layer receiver containing a transverse gas. A concentration of the measuring gas component in the gas mixture is determined from signals delivered by sensors of the single-layer receivers. An evaluating device includes an n-dimensional calibration matrix for obtaining matrix signal values. Signal values of different known concentrations of the measuring gas component in the presence of different known transverse gas concentrations are stored as n-tubules in the evaluating device. The concentration of the measuring gas component in the presence of unknown transverse gas concentrations is determined by comparing n-tuples of signal values thereby obtained with the n-tuples of signal values stored in the calibration matrix. |
| US08158944B2 |
Atmospheric gas detection apparatus and method
A method of detecting a target gas includes the step of traversing a target area with a gas-filter correlation radiometer having a field of view oriented towards the target area. The gas-filter correlation radiometer receives reflected radiation in a passband from the target area and produces gas-filter correlation radiometer signals from the received reflected radiation. A surface reflectivity spectral profile of the target area is determined. The presence of the target gas in the target area is then determined based upon the received reflected radiation and the surface reflectivity spectral profile of the target area. |
| US08158942B2 |
Device and method for detecting infrared radiation through a resistive bolometer matrix
A device for detecting infrared radiation including a matrix of resistive imaging bolometers above a substrate, a read circuit forming an analog electrical signal constituting an image of the infrared radiation impinging on the matrix, a probe for measuring the temperature of the substrate, an ADC for converting the analogue electrical signals from the read circuit and probe, and a data processing unit for correcting the signal formed by the read circuit according digital values NC(i,j) corresponding to electrical signals from the bolometers exposed to a uniform scene at the measured temperature of the substrate. The data processing unit including a unit for computing the digital values NC(i,j) based on a single set of parameters of a predetermined physical model of the read circuit electrical signals and corresponding to the exposure of the matrix of imaging bolometers to a temperature substantially equal to the measured substrate temperature. |
| US08158941B2 |
Bolometric sensor with high TCR and tunable low resistivity
The present invention provides a novel way of operating sensing elements or bolometers in the resistive hysteresis region of a phase-transitioning VO2 (or doped VO2) films. The invention is based on a novel principle that minor hysteresis loops inside the major loop become single-valued or non-hysteretic for sufficiently small temperature excursions. This single valued R(T) branches being characterized by essentially the same temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) as the semiconducting phase at room temperature. These non-hysteretic branches (NHB) can be located close to the metallic-phase end of the major loop, thus providing for tunable resistivity orders of magnitude lower than that of a pure semiconducting phase. Operating the Focal Plan Array in one of these NHBs allows for having high TCR and low resistivity simultaneously. Means for measuring of the sensor R(T) characteristic is provided together with the means of achieving and controlling the correct sensor positioning at the operating temperature inside one of these NHBs. |
| US08158940B2 |
Magnetic domain imaging system
A magnetic domain imaging system is offered which permits application of a strong magnetic field to a specimen. The imaging system includes a transmission electron microscope having an objective lens. The specimen that is magnetic in nature is placed in the upper polepiece of the objective lens. An electron beam transmitted through the specimen is imaged and displayed on a display device. A field application coil assembly for applying a magnetic field to the specimen and two deflection coil assemblies for bringing the beam deflected by the field applied to the specimen back to the optical axis are mounted in the upper polepiece. |
| US08158938B2 |
Scanning electron microscope and a method for imaging a specimen using the same
(1) part or all of the number, coordinates and size/shape and imaging sequence of imaging points each for observation, the imaging position change method and imaging conditions can be calculated automatically from CAD data, (2) a combination of input information and output information for imaging recipe creation can be set arbitrarily, and (3) decision is made of imaging or processing at an arbitrary imaging point as to whether to be successful/unsuccessful and in case a failure is determined, a relief process can be conducted in which the imaging point or imaging sequence is changed. |
| US08158934B2 |
Electron capture dissociation apparatus and related methods
An electron capture dissociation apparatus comprises ion guide electrodes, an electron emitter, and an electron control device. The ion guide electrodes are arranged along a central axis and spaced circumferentially to circumscribe an interior space extending along the central axis. The electron emitter is disposed outside the interior space. The electron control device is configured for focusing an electron beam from the electron emitter toward the central axis, along a radial electron beam direction between two of the ion guide electrodes, and for decelerating the electron beam in a DC decelerating field of adjustable voltage potential directed along the electron beam direction. |
| US08158929B2 |
Specular array for radiometric calibration and method
A specular array for radiometric calibration (SPARC) includes a plurality of spherical mirrors disposed upon a uniform background as at least one array of reflective points, at least two points reflecting a different intensity of directly incident sunlight. Each mirror has a radius of curvature and a diameter, the radius of curvature and the diameter providing a field of regard, the collective mirrors providing a collective minimum calibratability field of regard. Based upon the radius of curvature, the transmittance value of the sun to each mirror and from each mirror to a sensor being calibrated, the intensity of calibration light provided to the input aperture of a sensor to be calibrated within the collective minimum calibratability field of regard may be determined and used as a baseline for sensor calibration. An associated method of combined spatial and radiometric calibration is also provided. |
| US08158928B2 |
System and method for improving the quality of thermal images
An image improvement system and method are disclosed that compensates for effects of optical scattering and pixel cross-talk on image quality in an imager employing a focal plane array. The method characterizes these effects on a test image, presents them as a set of stored numerical coefficients, and applies the coefficients during image processing. |
| US08158923B2 |
Time-frequency fusion digital pixel sensor
Light is converted to an electric signal by performing a light-to-frequency conversion of the light received during a first phase of operation. Following the first phase of operation, a light-to-time conversion is performed on light received during a second phase of operation. Following the second phase of operation a digital representation of the light is generated in response to the light-to-frequency conversion and the light-to-time conversion. |
| US08158921B2 |
Dual conversion gain gate and capacitor combination
An imaging device comprising a plurality of photosensors, a shared diffusion region for receiving charge generated by the photosensors, and a dual conversion gain element that can be selectively coupled to the shared diffusion region to increase a conversion gain of the shared diffusion region. A method of operating such an imaging device is also described, comprising resetting a shared diffusion region, sampling a reset voltage level at the shared diffusion region, transferring charge accumulated in one of a plurality of photosensors to the shared diffusion region, sampling a pixel signal voltage level at the shared diffusion region, and activating a dual conversion gain element to increase a conversion gain of the shared diffusion region. |
| US08158919B2 |
Image capturing system, image capturing method, and computer readable medium
An image capturing system includes an image capturing section that includes a plurality of light receiving elements configured to receive light in a first wavelength range and light in a second wavelength range, a control section that controls the light in the second wavelength range to be received by each of the plurality of light receiving elements more frequently than the light in the first wavelength range, where the light in the second wavelength range has a lower spectral intensity than the light in the first wavelength range, and an image generating section that generates an image by using the light in the first wavelength range received by the plurality of light receiving elements at a given timing and the light in the second wavelength range received by the plurality of light receiving elements at a different timing. |
| US08158913B2 |
Multidirectional fuse susceptor
A susceptor structure includes a layer of conductive material supported on a non-conductive substrate. The conductive layer includes a resonant loop defined by a plurality of microwave energy transparent segments and, optionally, a microwave energy transparent element within the resonant loop. |
| US08158912B2 |
Fan apparency arrangement for an appliance
A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance is disclosed. The fan apparency arrangement includes a chamber having a port; a fan in the chamber for moving air out of the chamber, the fan having a discharge end, and an intake end having an intake tube; and a sail switch disposed in the intake tube. When activated, the fan moves air out of the chamber through the port and creates a pressure difference between opposite ends of the intake tube, the pressure difference causing the sail switch to change position and signal that the fan is activated. An appliance incorporating such a fan apparency arrangement is also disclosed. |
| US08158909B2 |
Hot zone igniter
An igniter for igniting combustible gases in a hot zone, such as in a solid oxide fuel cell, comprising a subassembly including an electrical resistance heating tip comprising SiC, metal leadframe clips formed of a nickel-based superalloy and attached to the heating tip, wire leads formed of a nickel-chromium alloy and connected to the leadframe clips for supplying electric current to the heating tip, and a nickel-based braze alloy comprising palladium and cobalt for connecting the leadframe clips to the heating tip and to the wire leads; an alumina ceramic body for receiving the brazed subassembly; and a potting compound comprising zirconia for potting the subassembly into the alumina ceramic body. |
| US08158905B2 |
Arc welding initiation system and method
A method and apparatus for controlling arc shielding gas during an arc welding operation is disclosed. The method may include the steps of actuating a first valve connected to an arc initiation source of gas to selectively allow arc initiation gas to flow through a mixing chamber; initiating an arc; actuating a second valve connected to a primary shielding source of gas to selectively allow primary shielding gas to flow through the mixing chamber; actuating the first valve to reduce, if needed, the arc initiation gas flow from the arc initiation source of gas; and continuing with the arc welding operation. The arc welding operation may also include actuating the first valve to cause the arc welding operation to operate in a different metal transfer mode when it is desirable, or when the arc welding operation is nearing completion. |
| US08158904B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming a feature in a workpiece by laser ablation with a laser beam having an adjustable intensity profile to redistribute the energy density impinging on the workpiece
A method and apparatus is provided for removing material from an outer surface of a workpiece such as a catheter or other medical device. The method begins by generating a laser beam having an intensity profile and directing the laser beam onto the outer surface of the workpiece. After the laser beam is generated, its intensity profile is adjusted by a component such as a diffractive optical element (DOE) or a holographic optical element (HOE) so that material can be removed from the workpiece by ablation in a prescribed manner. |
| US08158903B2 |
Method for repairing or manufacturing a component
In a method of repairing a structural component, especially a stator-side structural component such as a housing or a guide vane ring of a gas turbine, a damaged section is separated-out along a separating line and removed from the structural component, and a new section that replaces the removed damaged section is connected with the structural component by welding along the separating line to produce a weld seam. The damaged section is separated-out from the structural component so as to minimize the length of the separating line and thus the weld seam. Depending on the material thickness distribution of the component along the separating line, material is removed from the structural component to provide the most uniform possible material thickness along the weld seam. After connecting the new section with the structural component by welding, at least the removed material is renewed by laser powder deposit welding. |
| US08158902B2 |
Method and apparatus for sorting metal
A system for sorting metals from a batch of mixed material scrap includes an array of inductive proximity detectors, a processing computer and a sorting mechanism. The inductive proximity detectors identify the location of the metal pieces and the processing computer instructs the sorting mechanism to place the metal and non-metallic pieces into separate containers. |
| US08158899B2 |
Waterproof operating device
A waterproof operating device has a pressure resistant housing including a support surface with one or more openings therethrough; a cover plate having corresponding openings therethrough; an elastic member having opposing major surfaces facing the support and cover plates with a protrusion extending from one major surface through an opening in the support surface. A button shaft extends through each pair of aligned openings into the protrusion. Each opposing major surface of the elastic member is maintained in direct continuous contact with the cover and support plates from the openings in the support and cover plates outward to beyond an area covered by the head portion of the button. The protrusion is dimensional for the selected elastic material and button dimensions to resist elongation from water pressure at greater than sixty meter depths, sufficient to actuate a switch element proximal to the distal end of the protrusion. |
| US08158898B2 |
Elastic pressing unit and molded case circuit breaker having the same
Disclosed are an elastic pressing unit and a molded case circuit breaker having the same, the molded case circuit breaker including, a plurality of fixed contacts, a plurality of movable contacts disposed to be rotatable between a closing position contacted with the corresponding fixed contacts and a breaking position or trip position separated from the corresponding fixed contacts, a rotation pin disposed to be simultaneously connected to the movable contacts, a mechanical unit connected to the rotation pin so as to allow the movable contacts to be simultaneously rotatable, and an elastic pressing unit configured to apply an elastic force to the rotation pin such that the rotation pin is rotated toward the closing position, whereby component deformation can be prevented, resulting in ensuring operation reliability and stability of the mechanical unit. |
| US08158895B2 |
Method and a system for batching of objects
The invention relates to a method and a system for batching of supplied objects in batches in such a manner that a batch fulfills predefined criteria as regards for example the total weight range and optionally the number of objects, weight, orientation and/or type(s) of objects. A selective transferal of the objects from means for object transport to batching means is performed by means of one or more handling means of the robot type in as a batch of objects is produced in consideration of said predefined criteria. The batches are produced on said batching means that are moved around said one or more handling means of the robot type. |
| US08158892B2 |
High-speed router with backplane using muli-diameter drilled thru-holes and vias
A high-speed router backplane is disclosed. The router backplane uses differential signal pairs on multiple signal layers, each sandwiched between a pair of digital ground layers. Thru-holes are used to connect the differential signal pairs to external components. To reduce routing complexity, at least some of the differential signal pairs route through a via pair, somewhere along their path, to a different signal layer. At least some of the thru-holes and vias are drilled to reduce an electrically conductive stub length portion of the hole. The drilled portion of a hole includes a transition from a first profile to a second profile to reduce radio frequency reflections from the end of the drilled hole. |
| US08158889B2 |
Electromagnetic bandgap structure and printed circuit board
An electromagnetic bandgap structure and a printed circuit board are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the electromagnetic bandgap structure includes a mushroom type structure comprising a first metal plate and a via of which one end is connected to the first metal plate; a second metal plate connected to the other end of the via; a first metal layer being connected to the second metal layer through a metal line; a first dielectric layer, layer-built between the first metal layer and the first metal plate; a second dielectric layer, layer-built on the first metal plate and the first dielectric layer; and a second metal layer, layer-built on the second dielectric layer. With the present invention, it is possible to solve the aforementioned mixed signal problem by preventing the EM wave of a certain frequency range from being transferred. |
| US08158883B2 |
Wall mounted system with insertable computing apparatus
The present invention is directed to provide a computing system comprises plurality of apparatii mounted on the wall or floor adjacent to or embedded inside the LAN jack or a main power outlet. The apparatii are connected at the back side through Ethernet cable, optical fiber or main lines to the building LAN and connected at the front side through cables or wirelessly to display, keyboard, mouse or other peripheral devices. In a typical embodiment of the present invention power to the computing apparatus is supplied through the LAN cable. Another embodiment of the present invention utilizes a wall or floor mounted housing part comprising of an integrated LAN connector. This common housing enables easy installation of the said computing apparatus module and plurality of other compatible devices that may be plugged into that same housing. |
| US08158879B2 |
Electrochemical cell structure and method of fabrication
An electrochemical cell and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The electrochemical cell comprising: a first conductive layer; a metal oxide layer formed on the first conductive layer, the metal oxide layer comprising a plurality of adjacent metal oxide cells, spaced from one another; a functional dye layer formed on the metal oxide layer; a second conductive layer; and an electrolyte between the functional dye layer and the second conductive layer, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive layers is transparent, and wherein the metal oxide layer is formed from a metal oxide particle dispersion liquid. |
| US08158864B2 |
Soybean variety A1015460
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1015460. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1015460. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1015460 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1015460 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08158862B1 |
Soybean variety XB44J09
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB44J09. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB44J09, to the plants of soybean XB44J09 to plant parts of soybean variety XB44J09 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB44J09 with another soybean plant, using XB44J09 as either the male or the female parent. |
| US08158861B1 |
Soybean cultivar 05KL116623
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 05KL116623 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 05KL116623 and its progeny, and methods of making 05KL116623. |
| US08158856B2 |
Stress resistant plants
Stress tolerance in plants and plant cells is achieved by using nucleotide sequences encoding enzymes involved in the NAD salvage synthesis pathway and/or the NAD de novo synthesis pathway from fungal or yeast like organisms other than Saccharomyces cereviseae, e.g., for overexpression in plants. |
| US08158852B2 |
PMMOV resistant Capsicum plants
The present invention relates to a method of producing a plant of the Capsicum genus that exhibits resistance to Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) pathotype 1.2.3, comprising providing a recipient plant of the Capsicum genus that is susceptible to PMMoV pathotype 1.2.3 or a part thereof, and introducing into the genome of the recipient plant or a part thereof or a progeny plant thereof a genomic region comprising a truncated L4 resistance allele, wherein the allele comprises genetic information capable of being expressed in the plant or plant part or progeny plant thereby conferring resistance to PMMoV pathotype 1.2.3 to the plant or plant part or progeny plant, and wherein genetic information that confers the SNFD phenotype is absent from the allele at least to such an extent that the SNFD phenotype is not expressed. |
| US08158851B2 |
Transgenic high tryptophan plants
The present invention provides a method for altering the tryptophan content of a plant by introducing and expressing an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase in the cells of the plant. Transgenic plants transformed with an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase, as well as human or animal food, seeds and progeny derived from these plants, are also provided. |
| US08158848B2 |
Absorbent single use article
An absorbent single-use article includes an absorbent element for storing bodily fluids and a backsheet that is fluid impermeable, at least in sections. The fluid impermeable backsheet has a microporous breathable film. A moisture indicator is provided on the side of the film facing the absorbent element in the form of a visual perceptible textured arrangement applied directly to the film, wherein the textured arrangement detaches itself beyond recognition upon contact with aqueous fluid. |
| US08158844B2 |
Limited-access, reduced-pressure systems and methods
A reduced-pressure treatment system for applying reduced pressure to a tissue site at a limited-access location on a patient includes a reduced-pressure source, a treatment manifold for placing proximate the tissue site and operable to distribute reduced pressure to the tissue site, and a sealing member for placing over the tissue site and operable to form a pneumatic seal over the tissue site. The reduced-pressure treatment system also includes a reduced-pressure bridge and a moisture-removing device on at least portion of the reduced-pressure bridge. The reduced-pressure bridge includes a delivery manifold operable to transfer the reduced pressure to the treatment manifold, an encapsulating envelope at least partially enclosing the delivery manifold and having a patient-facing side, and a reduced-pressure-interface site formed proximate one end of the reduced-pressure bridge. |
| US08158843B2 |
Deep desulfurization of hydrocarbon fuels
The invention relates to processes for reducing the sulfur content in hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel. The invention provides a method and materials for producing ultra low sulfur content transportation fuels for motor vehicles as well as for applications such as fuel cells. The materials and method of the invention may be used at ambient or elevated temperatures and at ambient or elevated pressures without the need for hydrogen. |
| US08158841B2 |
Hydrotreating method
To provide a method for hydrotreating a synthetic hydrocarbon oil, which removes olefins and oxygen-containing compounds by hydrotreatment with the gasification rate restrained and can efficiently convert the synthetic hydrocarbon oil generated by the FT process to a liquid fuel suitable as a fuel for diesel-powered vehicles. A hydrotreating method is disclosed in which a synthetic hydrocarbon oil generated by FT synthesis is hydrotreated using a catalyst in which a definite catalytic metal is allowed to be carried on a support, under definite reaction conditions, with the gasification rate restrained to a definite value or less, thereby removing the olefins and the oxygen-containing compounds. |
| US08158839B2 |
Alkylation process using catalysts with low olefin skeletal isomerization activity
A process is presented for the production of linear alkylbenzenes. The process includes contacting an aromatic compound with an olefin in the presence of a selective zeolite catalyst. The catalyst includes two zeolites combined to improve the linearity, and to produce detergent grade LAB. The two zeolites are selected to limit skeletal isomerization while producing a desired 2-phenyl content for the LAB. |
| US08158835B2 |
Fluorene compound and organic electroluminescence device
Provided is a novel fluorene compound, which is represented by the following general formula (1): |
| US08158834B2 |
Method for producing hydrogenolysis product of polyhydric alcohol
The present invention relates to a process for producing a hydrogenolysis product of a polyhydric alcohol in an efficient manner. The present invention provides a process for producing a hydrogenolysis product of a polyhydric alcohol in a batch manner in which the hydrogenolysis reaction is carried out while removing water retained in a liquid phase of a reaction system. |
| US08158830B1 |
Integrated process for the preparation of tetraaminobenzene
An integrated process is provided for preparing 1,2,4,5-tetraminobenzene and salts thereof, starting in certain embodiments with nitration of 1,3-dihalobenzene. The process design eliminates costly intermediate drying and recrystallization steps. Handling of solid materials with possible skin sensitizing properties and toxicity is avoided, thereby eliminating human and environmental exposure. |
| US08158824B2 |
Process for the production of urea from ammonia and carbon dioxide
Process for the production of urea from ammonia and carbon dioxide in a urea plant containing a high-pressure synthesis section comprising two reactor sections, a stripper and a condenser, and a recovery section, wherein in the first reactor section a first synthesis solution is formed that is fed to the second reactor section; fresh carbon dioxide is fed to the second reactor section and in the second reactor section a second synthesis solution is formed that is fed to the stripper, wherein the second synthesis solution is stripped with the use of carbon dioxide as stripping gas and the mixed gas stream obtained in the stripper is sent to the condenser together with fresh ammonia and a carbamate stream, whereafter the condensate that is formed in the condenser is fed to the first reactor section and the urea stream that is obtained in the stripper is further purified in the recovery section, wherein the flow of the first synthesis solution from the first reactor section to the second reactor section, the flow of the second synthesis solution from the second reactor section to the stripper, the flow of the mixed gas stream from the stripper to the condenser and of the condensate from the condenser to the first reactor section is a gravity flow. |
| US08158820B2 |
Compounds
The invention relates to substituted phenoxyacetic acids (I) as useful pharmaceutical compounds for treating respiratory disorders, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and processes for their preparation. |
| US08158817B2 |
Synthesis of acylureas and composition comprising acylureas
The invention relates to a process for the synthesis of a polyisocyanate composition comprising acylureas. According to the invention, a starting composition comprising a compound having at least two isocyanate functional groups is subjected to a reaction with at least two acid functional groups, with at least one of the acid functional groups having a pKa value of less than or equal to 3, and at least one of the acid functional groups having a pKa value of more than 3 and less than or equal to 6, at a temperature at least equal to 50 ° C., wherein the acid functional group having a pKa value of less than or equal to 3 and the acid functional group having a pKa value of more than 3 and less than or equal to 6 are present on two different acids or on the same acid. |
| US08158816B2 |
Process for lightening the color of polyol esters
The present invention relates to a process for lightening the color of polyol esters by reacting polyols with linear or branched aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the reaction product is worked up without using adsorbents and comprises a treatment with peroxidic compounds and an immediately subsequent steam treatment with subsequent drying. |
| US08158815B2 |
Carbonylation process with in situ regeneration of mordenite catalyst
A process for the carbonylation of dimethyl ether, dimethyl carbonate and/or methanol with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a mordenite catalyst to produce at least one of acetic acid and methyl acetate in which process the mordenite catalyst is regenerated in-situ by contacting the catalyst with a regenerating gas comprising a molecular oxygen-containing gas and an inert diluent at a total pressure in the range 1 to 100 bar and wherein the partial pressure of the molecular oxygen-containing gas is such that the temperature of the catalyst is maintained within the range 225 to 325° C. |
| US08158808B2 |
Synthesis and preparations of duloxetine salts
The invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of duloxetine, duloxetine intermediates, and duloxetine hydrochloride. |
| US08158804B2 |
Chelating agents
The present invention relates to chelating agents, in particular to chelating agents which are capable of forming complexes with paramagnetic metal ions such as iron (III) and gadolinium (III). The invention also relates to the complexes formed and their use as MRI contrast agents. |
| US08158803B2 |
Heterocyclic antiviral compounds
Compounds having the formula I wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5a, R5b, R5c and R6 are as defined herein are Hepatitis C virus NS5b polymerase inhibitors. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for treating an HCV infection and inhibiting HCV replication. |
| US08158802B2 |
Arthropodicidal anthranilamides
This invention provides compounds of Formula 1, their N-oxides and agriculturally suitable salts wherein R1, R2, R3, R4a, R4b and R5 are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are methods for controlling invertebrate pests comprising contacting the invertebrate pests or their environment with a biologically effective amount of a compound of Formula 1 or a composition comprising a compound of Formula 1. |
| US08158789B2 |
Arginine derivatives with NP-I antagonistic activity
The present invention is a compound of formula (I) or formula (II) which are suitable as NP-1 antagonists. |
| US08158788B2 |
Method for the nitration of 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methylpyrimidine
Disclosed is a method for the nitration of 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methylpyrimidine for the synthesis of 4,6-dihydroxy-5,5-dinitro-2-(dinitromethylene)-2,5-dihydropyrimidine which is used as a precursor of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene, one type of explosives. The present invention provides an improved method for the nitration of 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methylpyrimidine, wherein organic solvent is applied in the nitration process of 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methylpyrimidine thereby solving the safety problem while improving the yield of nitration. |
| US08158786B2 |
Inhibitors of Bruton's tyrosine kinase
Disclosed herein are compounds that form covalent bonds with Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk). Also described are irreversible inhibitors of Btk. Methods for the preparation of the compounds are disclosed. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions that include the compounds. Methods of using the Btk inhibitors are disclosed, alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents, for the treatment of autoimmune diseases or conditions, heteroimmune diseases or conditions, cancer, including lymphoma, and inflammatory diseases or conditions. |
| US08158785B2 |
5,7-disubstituted[1.3]thiazolo [4,5-D] pyrimidin-2(3H)-amine derivatives and their use in therapy
There are disclosed novel 5-substituted 7-amino-[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine derivatives of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and n are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, together with processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and their use in therapy. The compounds of formula (I) are CX3CR1 receptor antagonists and are thereby particularly useful in the treatment or prophylaxis of neurodegenerative disorders, demyelinating disease, cardio- and cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disorders, peripheral artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, pulmonary diseases such as COPD, asthma or pain. |
| US08158784B2 |
Quinuclidine derivative useful in the preparation of mequitazine
The invention relates to a 1-aza-bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-en-3-ylmethyl acetate of the formula (I), wherein said compound is useful as a synthesis intermediate for the production of mequitazine. |
| US08158783B2 |
MTP inhibiting tetrahydro-naphthalene-1-carboxylic acid derivatives
The present invention is concerned with novel tetrahydro-naphthalene-1-carboxylic acid derivatives having apoB secretion/MTP inhibiting activity and concomitant lipid lowering activity. The invention further relates to methods for preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds as well as the use of said compounds as a medicine for the treatment of atherosclerosis, pancreatitis, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and type II diabetes. Formula (I). |
| US08158782B2 |
Biomolecule labeling reactants based on azacycloalkanes and conjugates derived thereof
This invention concerns novel labeling reactants based on azacycloalkanes, wherein a suitable group is linked to the molecule allowing introduction of the said molecules to bioactive molecules in solution or on solid phase. |
| US08158781B2 |
Polymorphic forms α, β and γ of rifaximin
Crystalline polymorphous forms of rifaximin (INN) antibiotic named rifaximin α and rifaximin β, and a poorly crystalline form named rifaximin γ, useful in the production of medicinal preparations containing rifaximin for oral and topical use and obtained by means of a crystallization carried out by hot-dissolving the raw rifaximin in ethyl alcohol and by causing the crystallization of the product by addition of water at a determinate temperature and for a determinate period of time, followed by a drying carried out under controlled conditions until reaching a settled water content in the end product, are the object of the invention. |
| US08158778B2 |
Method for the desalting of saccharide solution and an anion exchanger
The present invention provides the means for suppressing the production of decomposition reactant, isomerization reactant, colored material, and so on when a saccharide solution is desalted, thereby suppressing the production of impurities and preventing coloration of an ion exchange resin and decrease in the desalting capacity of the ion exchange resin.The desalting of a saccharide solution is performed by using an anion exchange resin supporting a carbonate ion and/or a hydrogencarbonate ion. |
| US08158775B2 |
Method for detaching protecting group on nucleic acid
The present invention provides a method for removing a 2-cyanoethoxymethyl (CEM) group, which substitutes the 2′-hydroxyl group of each ribose of an oligonucleic acid derivative, with good reproducibility and high efficiency. The present invention further provides a method for producing an oligonucleic acid derivative represented by the following general formula (11), characterized by using a sulfoxide-based solvent or an amide-based solvent or a mixture thereof as a reaction solvent in the step of removing a protecting group, which protects the 2′-hydroxyl group of each ribose of an oligonucleic acid derivative represented by the following general formula (10) by allowing TBAF to act on the oligonucleic acid derivative. |
| US08158769B2 |
Members of the capsaicin/vanilloid receptor family of proteins and uses thereof
The invention provides isolated nucleic acids molecules, designated hVR-1, hVR-2, and rVR-2 nucleic acid molecules, which encode novel members of the Capsaicin/Vanilloid receptor family. The invention also provides antisense nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing hVR-1, hVR-2, and rVR-2 nucleic acid molecules, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and nonhuman transgenic animals in which an hVR-1, hVR-2, and rVR-2 gene has been introduced or disrupted. The invention still further provides isolated hVR-1, hVR-2, and rVR-2 proteins, fusion proteins, antigenic peptides and anti-hVR-1, anti-hVR-2, and anti-rVR-2 antibodies. Diagnostic methods utilizing compositions of the invention are also provided. |
| US08158765B2 |
Water-treatment particle and a method of manufacturing thereof
A method of manufacturing water-treatment particles comprises respectively preparing a particle-fabricating solution that comprises chitinous composition and a forming solution first. Next, a complex solution is prepared by adding calcium sulfite into the particle-fabricating solution. Finally, the complex solution is pumped into the forming solution to form water-treatment particles. In addition, water-treatment particles manufactured by the method above are also disclosed in the specification. |
| US08158762B2 |
Anti-factor B antibodies and their uses
The invention concerns the prevention and treatment of complement-associated eye conditions, such as choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), by administration of factor B antagonists. |
| US08158754B2 |
Multiple modified derivatives of gelatin and crosslinked material thereof
Disclosed is a kind of multiple modified derivatives of gelatin having not only the structure of formula (I) but also one of structures of formula (II), (III), and (IV) as well, wherein, G refers to gelatin residue, which can be type A, type B or a gelatin obtained from gene recombination; R1 refers to alkylene, or a linkage group with amide; R2 refers to alkyl, or aryl; R3 refers to alkylene; and R4 refers to carboxyl or carboxylate. The multiple modifying ways of gelatin comprise the hydrophobic modification on the amino group of gelatin through amide bond, carboxylation on the amino group of gelatin through amide bond, thiolation on the carboxyl group of gelatin, and thiolation following carboxylation on amino group of gelatin through amide bond. Also disclosed is a crosslinked material made of multiple modified derivatives of gelatin. The multiple modified derivatives of gelatin have flexible chemical structures and many properties. Their crosslinked gelatin material can be used the matrix for cell growth, etc. |
| US08158752B2 |
Therapeutic agent and therapeutic method for periodontal diseases and pulpal diseases
The objects of the present invention are: to provide a therapeutic agent and a therapeutic method for periodontal diseases and pulpal diseases, a transplant for periodontal tissue regeneration, and a method for regenerating the periodontal tissue.According to the present invention, there are provided therapeutic agents for periodontal diseases and pulpal diseases which comprise neurotrophic factors as an active ingredient. |
| US08158751B2 |
Peptides for detection of antibody to Ehrlichia ewingii
The invention provides compositions and methods for the detection and quantification of Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia ewingii antibodies, antibody fragments, and polypeptides. |
| US08158747B2 |
Method of manufacturing a molded article
A method for manufacturing a molded article by melting and molding a granule of a polycarbonate resin at a temperature of 280 to 380° C., wherein the granule satisfies condition (a): when 100 parts by weight of the granule is cleaned with 100 parts by weight of a 1N nitric acid aqueous solution, the amount of an Fe compound eluted into the cleaning liquid of the 1N nitric acid aqueous solution is 1 to 100 ppb in terms of an Fe atom based on the granule. The molded article exhibits excellent color and transparency. |
| US08158746B2 |
Active energy ray curable liquid composition and liquid cartridge
The invention provides an active energy ray curable liquid composition containing a compound having a bonding group represented by a general formula (I), and a liquid cartridge. ([A] in the formula (I) is a cyclic group represented by a general formula (II), [Y] in the formula (II) is a cyclic linking group having a carbonyl group and a site containing an unsaturated carbon bond adjacent to the carbonyl group, and E in the formula (I) is a bonding group having at least one amide bond and at least one of divalent organic groups which may be substituted. |
| US08158743B2 |
Rosin phenolic resins for printing inks
Rosin modified phenolic resins are prepared by reacting together rosin, fatty acid, phenol and aldehyde. The fatty acid may be Monomer (derived from the fatty acid dimerization process). The reaction mixture may optionally include α,β-olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid(s) or anhydride(s), and polyol(s). The resin may be dissolved in a solvent to form a varnish. The resin may be used as a component of inks for lithographic or gravure printing. |
| US08158740B2 |
Hydrophilic silicones
A process for producing a soluble silicone product is provided. The process includes the steps of chemically reacting a polydialkoxysiloxane with an aliphatic alcohol with or without a catalyst in a reaction mixture, removing produced alcohol from the mixture; recovering the water soluble portion of produced silicone product, purifying the water soluble portion; and recovering hydrophilic material in the water insoluble portion. |
| US08158734B2 |
Aqueous process for making fluoropolymers
A novel aqueous polymerization process for making fluoropolymers is disclosed in which non-ionic non-fluorinated emulsifier is used to produce fluoropolymer emulsions. The emulsifiers used in the invention are those that contain segments of polyethylene glycol and/or polypropylene glycol with repeating units of 3 to 100. |
| US08158731B2 |
Biopolymer compositions having improved flexibility
The present disclosure is directed to polymer blends comprising a biopolymer and a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic polyester. The aliphatic polyester comprises repeating units derivable from a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic diacid, repeating units derivable from a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic diol, and one or two terminator units derivable from a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic alcohol. The polymer blends disclosed herein provide improved flexibility, and are useful, for example, in the production of packaging materials, industrial products, durable goods, and the like. |
| US08158719B2 |
Benzoxazine-formulations with reduced outgassing behaviour
Polymerizable combinations, comprising at least one first component selected from the group of benzoxazine monomers and at least one second component selected from the group of aromatic esters are described. Further on the use of aromatic esters as additives to benzoxazine monomers as well as methods of coating a device by heating the above mentioned combination, and a device, coated by that way is explained. |
| US08158717B2 |
Additive for aqueous polyurethane dispersion
The present invention relates to glycine derivatives as additive for an aqueous polyurethane dispersion. Said glycine derivatives can increase the fluidity of aqueous polyurethane dispersion and therefore is useful for preparation of aqueous polyurethane dispersion with high solid content. Besides, the glycine derivatives are able to significantly decrease the viscosity of aqueous polyurethane dispersion; therefore, the aqueous polyurethane dispersion with high solid content can be stored stably. |
| US08158712B2 |
Polymeric materials suitable for ophthalmic devices and methods of manufacture
Biocompatible polymers useful in ophthalmic devices such as accommodating intraocular lenses. The polymers have improved resistance to the diffusion of fluid, relatively high refractive indexes, and mechanical properties to allow for deformation upon the application of force. |
| US08158707B2 |
Continuous process for the production of organopolysiloxane compositions
Base compositions for silicone compositions with viscosity <500,000 mPas are continuously produced by, in a first stage, homogeneously mixing and kneading organopolysiloxanes (A) and prehydrophobized oxidic reinforcing fillers (B) in a continuous kneading cascade with kneading chambers arranged alongside one another, and in a second downstream stage, the compositions produced in the first stage of the process are subjected to aftertreatment in a mixing apparatus where the compositions have been subjected to a mixing procedure with introduction of shear force. |
| US08158705B2 |
Polymer composition and pneumatic tire
An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer composition that can decrease the thickness of an inner liner while maintaining air permeation resistance. The polymer composition of the present invention includes 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of an organic derivative of a clay mineral based on 100 parts by mass of a polymer mixture containing 99 to 60% by mass of a styrene-isobutylene-styrene triblock copolymer and 1 to 40% by mass of a polyamide-based polymer that contains polyamide in the molecular chain and has a Shore D hardness of 70 or less. |
| US08158704B2 |
Powder for cold spraying processes
A powder can be produced by immersing microparticles (2) in a first solution (4) which contains coupling molecules (5), and then in a second solution (10) which contains the nanoparticles (12), thereby producing microparticles (2) with nanoparticles (12) attached thereto. The particles form powder particles (14) which allow nanoparticles (12) that are smaller than approximately 5 [mu] to be applied to a component by cold gas spraying. |
| US08158700B2 |
Method of improving affinity between filler and polymers having a low degree of unsaturation
Provided is a composition comprising at least one polymer having a degree of unsaturation of no more than about 50 mol %; a filler selected from the group consisting of carbon black, silica, and mixtures thereof; and a polymeric additive comprising a functional end group reactive with said filler, wherein said polymeric additive has a degree of unsaturation of no more than about 50 mol % and a number average molecular weight between about 1,000 and about 25,000. The composition may optionally contain one or more polymers having a degree of unsaturation of more than 50 mol %. The composition may be particularly useful as a component for a tire. |
| US08158699B2 |
Water-soluble copolymers containing sulpho groups, process for their preparation and their use
Water-soluble sulfo group containing copolymers use as stabilizers, rheology modifiers and water retention agents in aqueous building materials based on hydraulic binders, such as cement, lime, gypsum and anhydrite, and in water-based painting and coating systems are described. Processes of preparing the copolymers and methods of using them are also described. |
| US08158698B2 |
Powder coating composition and process of manufacture
The present invention provides a powder coating composition comprising at least one glycidyl-functionalised (meth) acrylic resin, 1 to 30 wt %, the wt % based on the total weight of component A), of at least one hydroxyl-functionalised alkyl acrylate alkyl methacrylate copolymer, and at least one component selected from the group consisting of pigments, fillers, cross-linking agents and/or coating additives different from component B). The powder coating composition of this invention can provide coatings having improved impact resistance, corrosion stability, heat resistance and weather resistance. The powder coating also has good properties including good flow behavior and durability against aggressive substances, such as, inorganic acids. |
| US08158695B2 |
Forming clear, wettable silicone hydrogel articles without surface treatments
The present invention is a composition, which may be used to form contact lenses, comprising at least one silicone containing component, at least one hydrophilic component, at least one high molecular weight hydrophilic polymer and at least one diluent with an alpha value of about 0.5 to about 1 and a Hansen solubility parameter of less than about 10. |
| US08158694B2 |
Single component dental composition containing silane coupling agent and acidic group containing polymerizable monomer
The present invention provides a one-component dental adhesive composition which can exhibit excellent adhesion to both materials of a dental ceramics and an organic composite containing an inorganic compound, and is excellent in can-stability. More particularly, the present invention provides a one-component dental adhesive composition comprising 1 to 60 parts by weight of (a) a silane coupling agent, 1.0 to 20.0 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the (a) component of (b) an acidic group-containing polymerizable monomer, and 28 to 99 parts by weight of (c) a volatile organic solvent. |
| US08158692B2 |
Polyurethane foam for steering wheel having improved water resistance
The present invention provides a polyurethane foam for an automobile steering wheel. More particularly, the present invention relates to polyurethane foam formed by using a predetermined amount of a polyol having various functional groups and OH values and a predetermined amount of isocyanate having a certain function, along with water as a foaming agent, thereby preventing the environmental problems caused by use of the conventional fluorine-based or pentane-based foaming agent and also improving durability such as water resistance. |
| US08158690B2 |
Temperature-sensitive active ingredient compositions for reducing the density of plastics
The invention relates to an active ingredient composition which has a high content in thermosensitive foaming agents and one or more polyolefin resins, the portion which is larger in quantity being a metallocene and optionally the remaining resins being polar or nonpolar nonmetallocene polyolefin resins. All polyolefin resins add up to at least 10% by weight of the formulation and have a melting point between 80 and 170° C. The reduced dust active ingredient composition according to the invention is used for the masterbatch production of foamed plastics. |
| US08158687B2 |
Oil-in-water emulsion for delivery
The present invention concerns an oil-in-water emulsion wherein the oil droplets of a diameter in the range of 5 nm to hundreds of micrometers exhibit a nano-sized structurization with hydrophilic domains with a diameter size in the range of 0.5 to 200 nm and being formed by a lipophilic additive. |
| US08158686B2 |
Use of copolymers as solubilizers for slightly water-soluble compounds
The use of copolymers obtained by free-radical polymerization of a mixture of i) 30 to 80% by weight of N-vinyllactam, ii) 10 to 50% by weight of vinyl acetate, and iii) 10 to 50% by weight of a polyether, with the proviso that the total of components i), ii) and iii) equals 100% by weight, as solubilizers for slightly water-soluble substances. |
| US08158678B2 |
Photoabsorbing, highly conjugated compounds of cyanoacrylic esters, sunscreen compositions and methods of use
Novel derivatives of α-cyano-β-naphthyl acrylates, sunscreen compositions including one or more α-cyano-β-naphthyl acrylate derivatives are described herein. Also disclosed are methods for stabilizing a sunscreen composition and methods of filtering out ultra-violet light from a substrate by the addition of one or more of the foregoing α-cyano-β-naphthyl acrylate derivatives. |
| US08158677B2 |
Treatment of viral infections by modulation of host cell metabolic pathways
Alterations of certain metabolite concentrations and fluxes that occur in response to viral infection are described. Host cell enzymes in the involved metabolic pathways are selected as targets for intervention; i.e., to restore metabolic flux to disadvantage viral replication, or to further derange metabolic flux resulting in “suicide” of viral-infected cells (but not uninfected cells) in order to limit viral propagation. While any of the enzymes in the relevant metabolic pathway can be selected, pivotal enzymes at key control points in these metabolic pathways are preferred as candidate antiviral drug targets. Inhibitors of these enzymes are used to reverse, or redirect, the effects of the viral infection. Drug candidates are tested for antiviral activity using screening assays in vitro and host cells, as well as in animal models. Animal models are then used to test efficacy of candidate compounds in preventing and treating viral infections. The antiviral activity of enzyme inhibitors is demonstrated. |
| US08158676B2 |
Substituted cyclopentanes having prostaglandin activity
Disclosed herein are compounds having a formula: Therapeutic methods, medicaments, and compositions related thereto are also disclosed. |
| US08158670B2 |
Therapeutic inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle cells
Methods are provided for inhibiting stenosis following vascular trauma or disease in a mammalian host, comprising administering to the host a therapeutically effective dosage of a therapeutic conjugate containing a vascular smooth muscle binding protein that associates in a specific manner with a cell surface of the vascular smooth muscle cell, coupled to a therapeutic agent dosage form that inhibits a cellular activity of the muscle cell. Methods are also provided for the direct and/or targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to vascular smooth muscle cells that cause a dilation and fixation of the vascular lumen by inhibiting smooth muscle cell contraction, thereby constituting a biological stent. |
| US08158669B2 |
Method for treating neovascularization
The present invention describes an improved photodynamic treatment to treat subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV). |
| US08158657B2 |
Heterocycles substituted pyridine derivatives and antifungal agent containing thereof
An object of the present invention is to provide an antifungal agent which has excellent antifungal effects and is superior in terms of its physical properties, safety and metabolic stability. According to the present invention, there is disclosed a compound represented by the following formula (I), or a salt thereof: wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an amino group, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C1-6 alkoxy group or a C1-6 alkoxy C1-6 alkyl group; R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, an amino group or a di C1-6 alkylamino group; one of X and Y is a nitrogen atom while the other is a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom; ring A represents a 5- or 6-member heteroaryl ring or a benzene ring which may have a halogen atom, or 1 or 2 C1-6 alkyl groups; Z represents a single bond, a methylene group, an ethylene group, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —NH—, —CH2NH—, —NHCH2—, —CH2S—, or —SCH2—; R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, a C3-8 cycloalkyl group, a C6-10 aryl group, a 5- or 6-member heteroaryl group, or 5- or 6-member non-aromatic heterocyclic group which may have 1 or 2 substituents; and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom. |
| US08158653B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions of 1,3-dioxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)-4-amino isoindoline
Substituted 2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)phthalimides and 1-oxo-2-(2,6-dioxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindolines are disclosed. The compounds are useful, for example, in reducing the levels of TNFα in a mammal. |
| US08158650B2 |
Substituted phenylmethyl bicyclocarboxyamide compounds
This invention provides a compound of the formula (I). These compounds are useful for the treatment of disease conditions caused by overactivation of the VR1 receptor such as pain, or the like in mammal. This invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising the above compound. |
| US08158648B2 |
Heteroaryl 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitors
Novel compounds are provided which are 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitors. 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitors are useful in treating, preventing, or slowing the progression of diseases requiring 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitor therapy. These novel compounds have the structure: W-L-Z (I) or stereoisomers or prodrugs or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein W, L and Z are defined herein. |
| US08158647B2 |
Substituted pyrrolopyridines and pyrazolopyridines as kinase modulators
Provided herein are substituted pyrrolopyridine heterocycles and substituted pyrazolopyridine heterocycles, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said heterocycles and methods of using said heterocycles in the treatment of disease. The heterocycles disclosed herein function as kinase modulators and have utility in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, allergy, asthma, inflammation, obstructive airway disease, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disease, infection, CNS disease, brain tumor, obesity, asthma, hematological disorder, degenerative neural disease, cardiovascular disease, or disease associated with angiogenesis, neovascularization, or vasculogenesis. |
| US08158643B2 |
Substituted diaza-spiro-pyridinone derivatives for use in MCH-1 mediated diseases
The present invention concerns aryl and heteroaryl substituted diaza-spiro-pyridinone derivatives having antagonistic melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) activity, in particular MCH-1 activity according to the general Formula (I) a pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salt thereof, an N-oxide form thereof or a quaternary ammonium salt thereof, wherein the variables are defined in Claim 1. It further relates to their preparation, compositions comprising them and their use as a medicine. The compounds according to the invention are useful for the prevention and/or treatment of psychiatric disorders, including but not limited to anxiety, eating disorders, mood disorders, such as bipolar disorders and depression, psychoses, such as schizophrenia, and sleeping disorders; obesity; diabetes; sexual disorders and neurological disorders. |
| US08158641B2 |
2-anilino-4-aminoalkyleneaminopyrimidines
The present invention relates to 2-arylamino-4-(aminoalkylene)aminopyrimidines inhibitors having the structure shown below: wherein R and R1 are as defined herein. The 2-arylamino-4 -(aminoalkylene)aminopyrimidines inhibit Protein Kinase C-alpha (PKC-α). The PKC-α inhibitors of the present invention are important for improving myocardial intracellular calcium cycling, resulting in improved myocardial contraction and relaxation performance and thereby slowing the progression of heart failure. The present invention further relates to compositions comprising said 2-arylamino-4 -(aminoalkylene)amino-pyrimidines and to methods for controlling, abating, or otherwise slowing the progression of heart failure. |
| US08158640B2 |
Tetrahydroquinoline derivatives and a process for preparing the same
A novel compound of the formula (I): wherein R1 is alkoxycarbonyl or the like, R2 is alkyl or the like; R3 is hydrogen or the like; R4 is alkylene or the like; R5 is optionally substituted heterocyclic group; R6, R7, R8 and R9 are independently hydrogen; alkyl, alkoxy, or the like; R10 is optionally substituted aromatic ring, or the like; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which has an inhibitory activity against cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). |
| US08158637B2 |
Quinazolines useful as modulators of voltage gated ion channels
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of voltage-gated sodium channels. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disorders. |
| US08158630B2 |
Application of 2,5 -dihydroxymethyl-3,6-dimethyl pyrazine and its derivates in pharmacy
An application of 2,5-dihydroxymethyl-3,6-dimethyl pyrazine and its derivatives in the preparation of drugs for the treatment of, prevention of, and/or protection from heart failure wherein the structural formula of the compound is as follows: |
| US08158620B2 |
Fused aminodihydrothiazine derivatives
A compound represented by the general formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof, wherein Ring A is a C6-14 aryl group or the like, L is —NReCO— or the like (wherein Re is a hydrogen atom or the like), Ring B is a C6-14 aryl group or the like, X is a C1-3 alkylene group or the like, Y is a single bond or the like, Z is a C1-3 alkylene group or the like, R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or the like, and R3, R4, R5 and R6 are independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or the like, has an Aβ production inhibitory effect or a BACE1 inhibitory effect and is useful as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a neurodegenerative disease caused by Aβ and typified by Alzheimer-type dementia. |
| US08158614B2 |
Therapeutic treatment of cancer and dysplasia of the cervix or vagina using estrogen antagonists
A method for treatment of cervical or vaginal cancer and their associated dysplasia, including the steps of identifying a human cervical or vaginal cancer and/or dysplasia patient, administering an effective amount of an estrogen antagonist therapy to the patient, wherein the amount is effective to reduce cancer and dysplasia symptoms, and observing a reduction of cancer and dysplasia symptoms in the patient. |
| US08158613B2 |
Topical pharmaceutical formulations and methods of treatment
In certain embodiments, the present invention is directed to a pharmaceutical formulation for topical administration on a mammal, comprising a unit dose of a therapeutically effective amount of a therapeutic agent and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier medium therefor, said formulation being solid at ambient temperature and having a softening point of not higher than 35° C., such that when the formulation is placed in continuous contact with the skin of a mammalian patient, it is softened to a consistency to effect substantial application of the unit dose of said therapeutic agent onto a desired skin area of the mammalian patient within a time period of less than 10 minutes. |
| US08158609B1 |
Use of cyclodextrins as an active ingredient for treating dry AMD and solubilizing drusen
The present invention is directed to the treatment of disorders involving the accumulation of drusen, such as dry age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy via administration of therapeutically effective amounts of at least one monomeric or polymeric cyclodextrin. |
| US08158604B2 |
2-propynyl adenosine analogs having A2A agonist activity and compositions thereof
The invention provides compounds having the following general formula (I): wherein X, R1, R2, R7 and Z are as described here. |
| US08158601B2 |
Lipid formulation
The invention features a cationic lipid of formula I, an improved lipid formulation comprising a cationic lipid of formula I and corresponding methods of use. Also disclosed are targeting lipids, and specific lipid formulations comprising such targeting lipids. |
| US08158600B2 |
Methods and compositions for detecting and treating retinal diseases based on metargidin (ADAM-15)
The invention discloses multiple genes related to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and/or phagocytosis by RPE cells of the eye, and methods and compositions for detecting and treating AMD and other retinal degenerative conditions based on these phagocytosis-related and/or AMD-related genes. Also provided are animal models useful for testing therapeutic compounds and treatment protocols for AMD, and gene arrays including polymorphic variants of phagocytosis-related and/or AMD-related genes, useful for genetic screening of nucleic acid samples from subjects to obtain profiles of polymorphic variant sequences in a plurality of genes associated with AMD. |
| US08158595B2 |
Modular aptamer-regulated ribozymes
An extensible RNA-based framework for engineering ligand-controlled gene regulatory systems, called ribozyme switches, that exhibit tunable regulation, design modularity, and target specificity is provided. These switch platforms typically contain a sensor domain, comprised of an aptamer sequence, and an actuator domain, comprised of a hammerhead ribozyme sequence. A variety of modes of standardized information transmission between these domains can be employed, and this application demonstrates a mechanism that allows for the reliable and modular assembly of functioning synthetic hammerhead ribozyme switches and regulation of ribozyme activity in response to various effectors. In some embodiments aptamer-regulated cis-acting hammerhead ribozymes are provided. |
| US08158593B2 |
GPR17 modulators, method of screening and uses thereof
The invention provides GPR17 modulators, methods of screening and use thereof for diagnosis and therapy of diseases or dysfunctions involving GPR17 activation, particularly ischemic brain damage. |
| US08158586B2 |
Inhibitors of protein kinases and uses thereof
Compounds that are capable of inhibiting the activity of one or more protein kinases are provided. The compounds are short, predominantly basic peptidic compounds comprising between about 5 and about 20 amino acids, and can optionally comprise an ATP mimetic moiety. The protein kinase inhibiting compounds can be used to inhibit the activity of one or more protein kinases in vitro or in vivo. Also provided are methods of inhibiting a protein kinase in a subject by administration of an effective amount of a protein kinase inhibiting compound and the use of the protein kinase inhibiting compounds, alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents, in the treatment of protein kinase mediated diseases and disorders. |
| US08158584B2 |
Pharmaceutical preparations comprising an ALK1-Fc fusion protein
In certain aspects, the present disclosure relates to the insight that a polypeptide comprising a ligand-binding portion of the extracellular domain of activin-like kinase I (ALK1) polypeptide may be used to inhibit angiogenesis in vivo, particularly in mammals suffering angiogenesis-related disorders. Additionally, the disclosure demonstrates that inhibitors of ALK1 may be used to increase pericyte coverage in vascularized tissues, including tumors and the retina. The disclosure also identifies ligands for ALK1 and demonstrates that such ligands have pro-angiogenic activity, and describes antibodies that inhibit receptor-ligand interaction. |
| US08158581B2 |
IGF-1 fusion polypeptides and therapeutic uses thereof
A fusion protein comprising at least one IGF1 variant component and a fusion component (F), and, optionally, a signal sequence, exhibits improved stability relative to the native IGF1 or IGF2 polypeptide. The fusion component (F) may be a multimerizing component, such as an immunoglobulin domain, in particular, the Fc domain of IgG or a heavy chain of IgG. IGF1 variants were shown to have improved ability to increase muscle mass in a subject suffering from muscle atrophy caused by cachexia, immobilization, aging, chronic disease, cancer, hereditary condition, an atrophy-causing agent, and the like. IGF1 variants are also effective in decreasing blood glucose in a subject suffering from diabetes or hyperglycemia. |
| US08158580B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions containing a glycopeptide antibiotic and a cyclodextrin
Disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing a cyclodextrin and a therapeutically effective amount of a glycopeptide antibiotic or a salt thereof. Also disclosed are methods of treating a bacterial disease in a mammal by administering such pharmaceutical compositions. |
| US08158577B2 |
Modulation of cartilage homeostasis by active domains of cell binding extracellular matrix molecules
A linear or cyclic peptide and the use of said peptide in medicine and especially in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of a disease associated with inflammatory mediated cartilage destruction. The minimal core sequence of the linear or cyclic peptide is WLEAK (SEQ ID No. 1). Alternatives are WLEAR (SEQ ID NO. 17) and WLDAK (SEQ ID No. 18). |
| US08158576B2 |
Viral capsid proteins and any peptides or compositions thereof for the treatment of pathologic disorders
The present invention relates to viral capsid proteins, as a medicament for the treatment of a pathologic disorder. More particularly, the invention relates to the viral capsid proteins VP1, VP2 and VP3, preferably, the SV40 VP1 or any peptide, fragment, mutant, derivative and mixtures thereof or of virus-like particles (VLP's) comprising the same, as the active ingredient in compositions for the treatment of pathologic disorders, preferably disorders associated with inactivation of cellular proteins involved with quality control processes, particularly, chaperones. The invention further provides methods for the treatment of such disorders and the use of the SV40 capsid proteins for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions. |
| US08158571B2 |
Fabric treatment composition comprising a core-shell particle bound to a phthalate-containing polymer
A particle (preferably a core-shell encapsulate) comprising a benefit agent (preferably a perfume), said particle being bound to a non-cationic deposition aid which is substantive to polyester, wherein the non-cationic deposition aid is a polymer derivable from dicarboxylic acids and polyols. Preferably the polymer comprises units derived from (poly)ethylene glycol and terephthalate, most preferably selected from the group comprising PET/POET, PEG/POET, PET/PEG and phthalate/glycerol/ethylene glycol polymers. The invention also provides a method for producing improved benefit agent particles which comprises the step of covalently linking or co-polymerising a deposition aid which is substantive to polyester to a particle comprises the benefit agent. The particles find particular utility in laundry treatment compositions comprising (a) anionic and/or nonionic surfactant, or (b) cationic fabric conditioner and further comprising core-shell particles, wherein said particles have, incorporated in the shell a polyester-substantive deposition aid which is a phthalate containing polymer and incorporated in the core a perfume. |
| US08158569B2 |
Cleaning solvent and cleaning method for metallic compound
Disclosed are cleaning solvents and cleaning methods for metallic compounds deposited on the equipment that supplies organometallic compounds to the manufacturing tool in the photovoltaic industry or the semiconductor industry. The cleaning solvents and the cleaning methods disclosed not only selectively remove the metallic compound without corroding the equipment, but also improve the ordinary cleaning process. Moreover, the cleaning solvents and the cleaning methods disclosed improve maintenance costs for the supply system because the equipment may be cleaned without being detached from the supply system. |
| US08158553B2 |
Photocatalyst dispersion element, method for producing photocatalyst dispersion element, photocatalyst body, and method for producing photocatalyst body
A photocatalyst dispersion element includes: a photocatalytic material; a solvent; and an ion additive. The ion additive generates a cation having a smaller ion radius than a tetramethylammonium ion in the solvent. |
| US08158551B2 |
Catalyst compositions for the treatment of vehicular exhaust gases comprise zirconium oxide and cerium oxide, and have a high reducibility and a stable specific surface area
Catalyst compositions for the treatment of vehicular exhaust gases are based on zirconium and cerium oxides, have a cerium oxide content of at most 50% by weight, a level of reducibility of at least 95% after calcination in air at 600°, and a specific surface area after calcination for 4 hours at 1100° of at least 15 m2/g; such compositions are prepared by forming an aqueous mixture containing zirconium and cerium compounds, by heating this mixture to at least 100° and, after the heating, adjusting it to a basic pH, by adding a surfactant additive to the precipitate obtained from this mixture and by calcinating the precipitate in an inert gas or under vacuum at a temperature of at least 900° and then in an oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature of at least 600°. |
| US08158548B2 |
Electrocatalysts based on mono/plurimetallic carbon nitrides for fuel cells fueled with hydrogen
The invention describes the preparation of electrocatalysts, both anodic (aimed at the oxidation of the fuel) and cathodic (aimed at the reduction of the oxygen), based on mono- and plurimetallic carbon nitrides to be used in PEFC (Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells), DMFC (Direct methanol fuel cells) and H2 electrogenerators. The target of the invention is to obtain materials featuring a controlled metal composition based on carbon nitride clusters or on carbon nitride clusters supported on oxide-based ceramic materials. The preparation protocol consists of three steps. In the first the precursor is obtained through reactions of the type: a) sol-gel; b) gel-plastic; c) coagulation-flocculation-precipitation. The second step consists of the thermal treatments to decompose the precursors in an inert atmosphere leading to the production of the carbon nitrides. In the last step the chemical and electro-chemical activation of the electrocatalysts is performed. Precursors are obtained through reactions leading to: a) the complexation of a “soft” transition metal with a coordination complex acting as a ligand to obtain clusters; b) 3-D networking of the resulting clusters through suitable organic molecules and/or macromolecules. |
| US08158547B2 |
Absorbent
An absorbent of ZSM-5 zeolite ion-exchanged with copper ion, characterized in that at least 60% or more of the copper sites in the copper ion-exchanged ZSM-5 zeolite are copper (I) sites and preferably at least 70% or more of the copper (I) sites are three-oxygen-coordinated copper (I) sites. |
| US08158545B2 |
Methods, systems, and devices for deep desulfurization of fuel gases
A highly effective and regenerable method, system and device that enables the desulfurization of warm fuel gases by passing these warm gasses over metal-based sorbents arranged in a mesoporous substrate. This technology will protect Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalysts and other sulfur sensitive catalysts, without drastic cooling of the fuel gases. This invention can be utilized in a process either alone or alongside other separation processes, and allows the total sulfur in such a gas to be reduced to less than 500 ppb and in some instances as low as 50 ppb. |
| US08158541B2 |
Optical glass, precision press-molding preform and optical element
Provided is an optically uniform and high-quality optical glass that is free from the occurrence of striae when a precision press-molding preform is produced therefrom, and that is a fluorine-containing glass having a refractive index nd(1) wherein the refractive index nd(1) and a refractive index nd(2) are substantially equivalent to each other, said refractive index nd(2) being a refractive index of the fluorine-containing glass after the fluorine-containing glass is re-melted in a nitrogen atmosphere at 900° C. for 1 hour, cooled to its glass transition temperature and then cooled to 25° C. at a temperature decrease rate of 30° C./hour. |
| US08158537B2 |
Chalcogenide absorber layers for photovoltaic applications and methods of manufacturing the same
In one example embodiment, a method includes depositing one or more thin-film layers onto a substrate. More particularly, at least one of the thin-film layers comprises at least one electropositive material and at least one of the thin-film layers comprises at least one chalcogen material suitable for forming a chalcogenide material with the electropositive material. The method further includes annealing the one or more deposited thin-film layers at an average heating rate of or exceeding 1 degree Celsius per second. The method may also include cooling the annealed one or more thin-film layers at an average cooling rate of or exceeding 0.1 degrees Celsius per second. |