| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08199429B2 |
Magnetic recording head and magnetic recording method
A magnetic recording head includes: a main magnetic pole containing a ferromagnetic layer; a main magnetic pole-magnetization fixing portion containing an antiferromagnetic layer in contact with at least one side surface of the main magnetic pole; a heater for heating at least the main magnetic pole so that a magnetic interaction between the main magnetic pole and the main magnetic pole-magnetization fixing portion can be decreased; and a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field so as to direct a magnetization of the main magnetic pole in one direction. |
| US08199428B2 |
Clamp of disk rotation driver
A clamp for a disk rotation driver stably and surely supports a disk in the disk rotation driver.The clamp 7 for a disk rotation driver 1 having a central portion and a periphery being circumferentially provided with a contact portion 13, the central portion fastened to a hub 5 to be rotated, and the contact portion 13 pressed against a recordable disk 3 attached to the hub 5 to apply a pressing force Fv to the disk 3 in a rotation axis direction and fixedly support the magnetic disk 3 on the hub 5, the clamp 7 comprising: a wall portion 25 extending from the periphery and being oriented in the rotation axis direction to form the contact portion 13 so that a frictional force μFy produced between the contact portion 13 and the magnetic disk 3 and resisting a locomotion Fx that acts on the contact portion 13 and radially outwardly biases the contact portion 13 when the contact portion 13 is in contact with the magnetic disk 3 is equal to or larger than the locomotion Fx. |
| US08199427B2 |
Disk drive including a shroud configured to overlap an actuator for removing debris from a head-slider
A disk drive. The disk drive includes a head-slider, an actuator, a ramp and a shroud. The head-slider is configured to fly above the disk. The actuator is configured to support the head-slider and to swing about a pivot shaft to move the head-slider in a radial direction of the disk. The actuator may also be configured to rest on the ramp in a stand-by position. The shroud includes an inner peripheral side surface and an outer peripheral side surface. The shroud is configured to control an air-stream which flows in a direction from the pivot shaft toward the head-slider. The inner peripheral side surface and the outer peripheral side surface are configured to blast the head-slider with the air-stream upon spinning the disk when the head-slider is positioned away from the disk in the stand-by position. |
| US08199424B2 |
Library apparatus, library system and medium transportation method of library apparatus
A library apparatus includes a housing having an opening, a cell unit including a plurality of cells for storing a storage medium, a drive unit for writing data into or reading data from the storage medium, a medium transportation unit for accessing each of the cells and the drive unit and for transporting the storage medium between the cells and between each of the cells and the drive unit, a cell unit driver for moving the cell unit in vertical direction, and a controller for driving the cell unit driver to move the cell unit through the opening to a position accessible by a medium transportation unit of another library apparatus stacked in vertical direction. |
| US08199423B2 |
Information storage apparatus, method for correcting feed pitch of read/write head, and method for forming servo pattern
According to one embodiment, an information storage apparatus comprises a storage medium with a first servo pattern having absolute position information and a second servo pattern having relative position information, a pitch correction module configured to move a head with an initial feed pitch by using the second servo pattern by a target distance determined from the first servo pattern, and to correct the initial feed pitch based on a moving distance of the head and a target distance, a head position controller configured to position the head based on the initial feed pitch corrected by the pitch correction module and information of the first and the second servo patterns, and a recording signal generator configured to generate a control signal for making the head record the third servo pattern having the absolute position information. |
| US08199422B2 |
Methods and apparatus for gain estimation using servo data with improved bias correction
Methods and apparatus are provided for gain estimation using servo data with improved bias correction. The gain is estimated using a preamble in a servo sector by obtaining a first gain estimate using a first gain estimation algorithm (such as a Zero Gain Start Algorithm) and a first portion of the preamble; storing the first portion of the preamble in a memory buffer; obtaining a second gain estimate using a second gain estimation algorithm (such as a Zero Forcing algorithm) and the first portion of the preamble; and processing Servo Address Mark (SAM) and Gray data in the servo sector using the first gain estimate substantially simultaneous to the step of obtaining the second gain estimate. A gain error can be obtained by calculating a difference between the first gain estimate and the second gain estimate. The gain error can be used in burst processing of the servo data. |
| US08199417B2 |
Retractable zoom lens having a variable aperture-stop mechanism
A zoom lens includes a variable aperture-stop mechanism positioned in front or behind an aperture-control lens group; a first rotation imparting member, which rotates an opening/closing ring of the variable aperture-stop mechanism by a relative movement between the variable aperture-stop mechanism and the first rotation imparting member in the optical axis direction so as to hold an adjustable aperture of the variable aperture-stop mechanism at a small aperture size when the aperture-control lens group moves within in the zooming range; and a second rotation imparting member, which rotates the opening/closing ring by a relative movement between the variable aperture-stop mechanism and the second rotation imparting member to open and hold the adjustable aperture at a large aperture size when the aperture-control lens group moves to the accommodated position, at which the aperture-control lens group is partly positioned in the adjustable aperture held at the large aperture size. |
| US08199415B2 |
Zoom lens system, optical device with zoom lens system, and method of manufacturing zoom lens system
A zoom lens system comprises, in order from an object, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power. The first lens group has a first-a partial lens group and a first-b partial lens group arranged on an image side of the first-a partial lens group with an air space and is constructed such that the first-b partial lens group moves along an optical axis direction upon focusing from infinity to a close-range object. The third lens group is constituted by a third-a partial lens group having a positive refractive power and a third-b partial lens group having a negative refractive power arranged on the image side of the third-a partial lens group with an air space. |
| US08199414B2 |
Variable power zoom lens
The present invention is a variable power zoom lens that is suitable to APS-format single-lens reflex cameras. The zoom lens has the foremost or first lens group G1 of positive refractivity, the second lens group G2 of negative refractivity, the third lens group G3 of positive refractivity, and the fourth lens group G4 of positive refractivity disposed in sequence from a position closer to the object toward the image plane, and it meets requirements as defined in conditional formulae as follows: 6 |
| US08199408B2 |
Immersion microscope objective lens
An immersion microscope object lens including, in order from an object: a first lens group having positive refractive power as a whole, and including a first lens component in which a meniscus lens having a concave surface facing the object and a meniscus lens having a convex surface facing an image are cemented, a second lens component constituted by a single lens having positive refractive power, and a third lens component in which a negative lens and a positive lens are cemented; a second lens group having positive refractive power as a whole, and including a lens component in which a negative lens and a positive lens are cemented; and a third lens group having negative refractive power as a whole. |
| US08199406B2 |
Optical element and method for manufacturing the same
An optical element includes: a first optical layer having a concavo-convex surface; a wavelength-selective reflective layer provided on the concavo-convex surface of the first optical layer; a second optical layer provided on the concavo-convex surface on which the wavelength-selective reflective layer is provided so as to fill the concavo-convex surface, and in the optical element described above, the wavelength-selective reflective layer includes a metal layer, a protective layer provided on the metal layer and containing a metal oxide as a primary component, and a high refractive index layer provided on the protective layer and containing a metal oxide other than zinc oxide as a primary component, and the wavelength-selective reflective layer selectively directionally reflects light in a specific wavelength band while transmitting light other than that in the specific wavelength band. |
| US08199404B2 |
Anti-reflection coating, optical member, exchange lens unit and imaging device
An anti-reflection coating comprising first to seventh layers formed on a substrate in this order, the first layer being an alumina-based layer, the seventh layer being a porous, silica-based layer, and each of the first to seventh layers having predetermined refractive index and optical thickness in a wavelength range of 400-700 nm. |
| US08199402B2 |
Portable screen assembly
A portable screen assembly that is lighter in weight and easier to handle. The assembly includes a casing, a spring-biased roll rotatably mounted to the casing, a screen bonded at one end thereof to a top bar and wound around the spring-biased roll when in storage, and an expanding and contracting device having one end rotatably mounted to a mounting member mounted to the top bar and the other end rotatably mounted to the casing. The expanding and contracting device is a half-pantograph type expanding and contracting device having a first arm, a second arm and a third arm arranged in an extended plane parallel to the extended screen. The second arm includes two or more mutually parallel sub arms provided to be mutually parallel in the extended plane. The two or more sub arms are connected to the first arm and the second arm so as to form a parallel link. |
| US08199401B2 |
N-modulation displays and related methods
A display has a light source, a spatial light modulator and an intermediate spatial light modulator. The display may be a front projection display or a rear-projection display. The spatial light modulator is illuminated with light from a light source. The intermediate spatial light modulator is located in a light path between the light source and the spatial light modulator. The light source may comprise an array of controllable light-emitters. The display may provide a high dynamic range. |
| US08199400B2 |
Catadioptric projection objective
A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective has a first, refractive objective part for imaging the pattern provided in the object plane into a first intermediate image; a second objective part including at least one concave mirror for imaging the first intermediate imaging into a second intermediate image; and a third, refractive objective part for imaging the second intermediate imaging onto the image plane; wherein the projection objective has a maximum lens diameter Dmax, a maximum image field height Y′, and an image side numerical aperture NA; wherein COMP1=Dmax/(Y′·NA2) and wherein the condition COMP1<10 holds. |
| US08199397B2 |
Negative dispersion mirror and mode-locked solid-state laser apparatus including the mirror
In a mirror including a substrate and a dielectric multilayer coating structure formed on the substrate, the multilayer coating structure includes two mirror-function layer portions, each formed by a plurality of layers deposited one on another, and a cavity layer that is arranged between the two mirror-function layer portions, and which causes light having a predetermined wavelength to resonate between the two mirror-function layer portions. Further, a dispersion value with respect to the light having the predetermined wavelength is in the range of −600 fs2 to −3000 fs2 and a reflectance with respect to the light having the predetermined wavelength is in the range of 97% to 99.5%. |
| US08199395B2 |
Particles for use in electrophoretic displays
A particle for use in an electrophoretic display comprises a light-scattering inorganic core and a light-transmissive colored shell of an organic pigment. The core may be titania and the shell may be formed of particles having an average particle size less than 700 nm. The particles are produced by treating a light-scattering inorganic pigment with a polymer which adsorbs on both the inorganic pigment and an organic pigment; and adding the organic pigment and allowing the organic pigment to mix with the polymer-coated inorganic pigment. The particles may have a polymer coating. |
| US08199388B2 |
Holographic recording system having a relay system
According to one aspect and example, a holographic recording system includes a light source, an object for modulating an object beam from the light source, and a relay system adapted to magnify (positive or negative) the modulated beam (e.g., an image of the object) to an output image. The object may include an SLM operable to modulate the object beam with an information layer comprising a plurality of data pages. The output image is directed to the holographic storage medium, where a reference beam is also directed, to record the resulting interference pattern. Additionally, the relay system converges the output image to an output Fourier plane, which may be disposed within the holographic storage medium. A filter may be placed at an intermediate Fourier plane located prior to the output Fourier plane, and a phase mask may be placed at the position of the output image. |
| US08199387B1 |
Phase addressed holographic associative memory
The present invention provides a holographic storage apparatus comprising a polarizing beam splitter configured to split an incoming beam into an object beam and a reference beam; a first spatial light modulator configured to modulate the object beam with an array of data; a second spatial light modulator configured to phase modulate the reference beam with an orthogonal phase function; a holographic medium configured to record an interference pattern between the modulated object beam and the modulated reference beam; a first image sensor configured to read an image of the modulated object beam; and a second image sensor configured to read an image of the modulated reference beam. |
| US08199385B2 |
Image forming apparatus to save toner and method to control the same
An image forming apparatus to save toner, which can increase the sharpness of printed data (for example, images or characters) on a printing medium while achieving toner saving, and a method to control the same. The image forming apparatus includes a determinator, a storage unit, and a halftoning processor. The determinator receives a command signal to print and then determines whether or not the received command signal is a command signal for a toner saving mode. The storage unit stores a halftone table in which an LPI higher than a normal LPI is set. If the received command signal is a command signal for the toner saving mode, the halftoning processor generates and outputs halftoning result by comparing gray level values corresponding to pixels of received input image data with grayscale values of the stored halftone table. |
| US08199382B2 |
Image reading devices
An image reading device includes a document mounting plate having a mounting surface and a rear surface, and an image reading unit. The image reading unit includes a photoelectric converter facing the rear surface, a case to hold the photoelectric converter, and at least one first rotating member and at least one second rotating member that rotate and receive a pressing force from the rear surface of the document mounting plate as the image reading unit moves. The image reading unit also includes a holder configured to support the case and at least one urging device positioned between the holder and the case. The at least one urging device urges the case toward the rear surface, and exerts an urging force opposite to the pressing force, and balances against the pressing force. |
| US08199380B2 |
Image reading device and method for reading image
An image reading device having an image sensor formed by a plurality of sensor chips is provided. The image reading device includes an AFE circuit, a clock provider and a digital data processor. The AFE circuit is configured to process analog data provided by the image sensor so as to convert the analog data into digital data and to output the digital data. The clock provider is configured to provide the image sensor with a driving clock, the clock provider configured to stop providing the driving clock for a certain period of time before the AFE circuit reads initial data provided by each of the sensor chips. The digital data processor configured to remove the digital data provided by the AFE circuit while the clock provider has stopped providing the driving clock. |
| US08199377B2 |
Image sensor and image reading device
There is provided an image sensor in which an enlargement of a substrate width is not caused even in a case that a rod-shaped light source is provided on both sides of a resin lens plate, respectively, and in which a positional accuracy of component is superior. The image sensor comprises a rod-shaped light source for irradiating light to an original placed on an original glass plate, an imaging optics for focusing light reflected on the original, and a light-receiving element for receiving light passing through the imaging optics, the light-receiving element being positioned at a predetermined location on a substrate which is provided with through holes for terminals of lead frames of the rod-shaped light source. The terminals of lead frames of the rod-shaped light source are bent toward the center of the substrate to be connected with the through holes. |
| US08199373B2 |
Image scanning apparatus
An image scanning apparatus including an open-close detector configured to detect an open-close state of a document cover, a first document-detector, a scanning unit configured to scan a document placed on a platen or a document fed from a document tray, a control unit, and a commanding unit configured to input a start command to start scanning. When the start command is inputted, when the document placed on the document tray is detected by the first document-detector, the control unit controls the scanning unit to scan the document fed from the document tray, and when the document placed on the document tray is not detected, the control unit determines whether to execute scanning of the document placed on the platen. The determination is performed based on a result of detection performed by the open-close detector. |
| US08199370B2 |
Enhanced scanner design
Improved scanner designs are provided to improve imaging and reduce errors during the scanning process. Embodiments disclosed include, for example, the use of dual cameras to improve imagery and reduce the scanner enclosure size, synchronized lighting techniques during the scanning sequence, shielded lens for the camera scanner, a scanner enclosed on at least three sides, adjustments to scanner lighting based on the levels of ambient lighting, a combined branding and scanner apparatus, a gimbaled scanner mount, and a tilted platen with stop for document alignment. |
| US08199360B2 |
Cooperative neighbor printing system profile methods and systems
This disclosure provides printing methods, apparatus, and systems to generate a multidimensional printer profile for a color printer. Specifically, the profile is generated by a method of selecting a recruiter set of nodes associated with a plurality of target color nodes and selecting a candidate set of nodes associated with a plurality of target color nodes. The candidate nodes and recruiting node cooperate to generate a printer profile. |
| US08199356B2 |
Printing management system and printing management method
According to this invention, a printing management system which manages a log of a print job includes a creation unit which creates log information for specifying a print job on the basis of issued print job data, a save unit which saves the log information created by the creation unit in a save location corresponding to the log information in a storage unit, a determination unit which determines, in accordance with a request to access the log information saved in the save unit, whether to permit or reject the access request, and an access unit which reads log information subjected to the access request when the determination unit determines to permit the access request. |
| US08199354B2 |
Printer, control method, and used amount acquiring method for outputting an amount of use of a printer
There is provided a printer that performs print on a medium by color materials, including: an advance information reading and writing section that reads and writes advance information from and in an advance information holder for storing the advance information; a print control section that outputs a print driving controlling print when the advance information is read by the advance information reading and writing section; and a used amount acquiring section that acquires a used amount for the printer based on the print driving signal output from print control section. |
| US08199347B2 |
Determining if a broadcast print request ends before a print job is completed, and taking action in accordance with the determination
A digital broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a digital broadcast signal including print information, the apparatus being configured to communicate with a printing apparatus and to receive a print request, is provided. The apparatus comprises: a first obtaining unit configured to obtain first information regarding a period of duration of a print process that is being executed by the printing apparatus; a second obtaining unit configured to obtain second information regarding an existing period during which print information that corresponds to the print request is included in the digital broadcast signal that is being received; a determination unit operable to determine whether or not the existing period ends earlier than the period of duration based on the first information and the second information; and a controller configured to control issuance of an instruction to suspend the print process that is being executed based on a determination result by the determination unit. |
| US08199344B2 |
Image forming apparatus for performing a correction process and increasing the specific portion's length of a dashed line up to a specific length when it is smaller than the specific length
An image forming apparatus includes a data receiving unit for receiving print data from a host device; a job control unit for controlling edition, expansion, and print control of the image data; a data edition unit for editing the print data; a data expansion unit for receiving an analytical result from the data edition unit and generating print image data; and a print control unit for receiving the print image data and controlling a printing unit to perform a printing operation. The data edition unit determines whether a dashed line drawing command exists. When the dashed line drawing command exists, the data edition unit determines a length of a specific portion of a dashed line. When the length of the specific portion is smaller than a specific length, the data edition unit performs a correction process and increases the length of the specific portion up to the specific length. |
| US08199342B2 |
Tailoring image data packets to properties of print heads
Techniques, systems, and computer program products that facilitate tailoring image data packets to properties of print heads in a printing system. Control software in the printing system remote from the print head(s) may send a query to a print head over a control channel and receive a reply include information characterizing parameters of the print head, e.g., specific configuration information or a part number. The control software may use the information characterizing the properties of the print head to look up specification details of the layout of print elements in the print head and use that information to configure image data packet generating components in the control software for the particular print head layout. |
| US08199341B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium storing image processing program for creating a copy prevention pattern that allows a copying machine with a copy guard function to read a special dot pattern
An image area detecting portion detects an area (image area) in a sheet subjected to printing where characters and images take up. A pattern creating portion creates a copy prevention pattern in such a manner that a latent image is embedded only to a detected image area with respect to a mask pattern into which a dot pattern is incorporated. A print image creating portion superimposes the generated copy prevention pattern and the document image to each other. When the printed object is read in a copying machine having a copy guard function, detection of the dot pattern can be performed without being interfered by a latent image since only a mask pattern is printed in an area corresponding to a reading start position. |
| US08199338B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically changing settings for image forming apparatus
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for controlling an image forming apparatus which allows the print setting to be changed. The method for controlling the print driving of an image forming apparatus comprises the steps of monitoring whether a stop signal is input while printing one or more images corresponding to input print data; stopping print driving of the image forming apparatus when the stop signal is detected; changing print setting of the image forming apparatus as demanded by a user; and printing one or more images, which correspond to the remaining print data unprinted due to the stoppage of the print driving, by applying the print setting changed. It is possible to change the print setting of the image forming apparatus desired by a user regardless of the print driving operation of the image forming apparatus and to reflect the changed print setting to the print driving. |
| US08199337B2 |
Image reading device
An image reading device includes: a document placing table including a first area and a second area; an image reading unit which reads an image on a document placed on the document placing table to obtain image data; a first detector configured to detect the document on the first area; and a controller including: a determining unit which determines that the document is placed on the first area if the first detector detects the document and determines that the document is placed on the second area if the first detector does not detect the document; and a first correction unit which corrects the image data obtained by the image reading unit based on a result of the determination by the determining unit. |
| US08199334B2 |
Self-calibrated interrogation system for optical sensors
An optical pressure sensor interrogation system is provided. The system includes a light source for providing an optical signal to an optical pressure sensor and an optical coupler for receiving a reflected signal from the optical pressure sensor. The optical coupler splits the reflected signal and provides a first portion of the reflected signal to a first optical detector. The system further includes a filter for receiving a second portion of the reflected signal and providing a filtered signal to a second optical detector and a processing circuitry configured to obtain pressure based on a division or a subtraction of light intensities of the first and the second optical detector output signals. The processing circuitry is further configured to provide a feedback signal to the light source to control a wavelength of the optical signal. |
| US08199332B2 |
Apparatus for measuring thickness
A thickness measurement apparatus includes a beam splitter for reflecting or transmitting a ray irradiated from an optical source or a ray reflected by a measurement object; a first lens part which condenses a ray to the measurement object and generates a reference ray; a second lens part for condensing a ray to the object to be measured; an interference light detector for detecting an interference signal generated by the reflected ray and reference ray; a spectroscopic detector corresponding to the second lens part to form a light path different from the path formed by the interference light detector and splits the ray reflected by the measurement object to detect an intensity and wavelength of each split ray; and a light path converter for selectively transmitting a ray to the interference light detector or spectroscopic detector, wherein position exchanging is performed between the first second lens parts. |
| US08199331B2 |
Vibrometer and method for optically measuring an object
A vibrometer and a method for optically measuring oscillations at an object, including a radiation source for creating a source beam, a beam splitter to split the source beam into a measuring beam and a reference beam, an optic interference device for interfering the reference beam with a measuring beam, at least partially reflected by the object, and a detector, with the interference device and the detector being embodied cooperating such that a measuring beam, at least partially deflected by the object, and the reference beam interfere on the detector. The vibrometer is embodied as a heterodyne vibrometer, having an optic frequency shift unit, which is arranged in the optical path of the vibrometer, to form a carrier frequency by creating a frequency difference between the measuring beam and the reference beam. The beam splitter and the frequency shift unit are embodied as an acousto-optic modulator in an optic construction element to deflect the source beam, with the acousto-optic modulator being embodied such that the source beam entering the acousto-optic modulator can be split into at least two diffraction beams: a first diffraction beam of diffraction order of 1 and a second diffraction beam of diffraction order of −1, and the acousto-optic modulator is arranged in the optical path of the vibrometer such that one of the two diffraction beams represents the measurement beam and the other diffraction beam represents the reference beam. |
| US08199326B2 |
Gas concentration-measuring device
A gas concentration-measuring device makes it possible to measure gas components in a gas sample. An interferometer, based on a dual-band Fabry-Perot interferometer (1), is provided with a transmission spectrum that can be set by a control voltage (38). The control voltage (38) of the dual-band Fabry-Perot interferometer (1) is synchronized over the course of time with the activation and deactivation of the radiation sources (11, 12). |
| US08199324B2 |
Optical assemblies for a color measurement instrument
The optical assemblies disclosed herein advantageously utilize a beamsplitting apparatus in association with either (i) the illumination path or (ii) the collection path of a color measurement instrument. For implementations involving the illumination path, the beamsplitting apparatus may be configured to spectrally divide one or more initial beams of light so as to emit a plurality of resultant beams of light, wherein the optical assembly is configured to illuminate a target using at least a first and a second of the plurality of resultant beams of light. Similarly, for implementations involving the collection path, the beamsplitting apparatus may be configured to spectrally divide light received from a target so as to emit a plurality of resultant beams of light, wherein the optical assembly is configured to detect at least a first and a second of the plurality of resultant beams of light. Advantageously, each of the first and second resultant beams of light is a product of a distinct set of one or more spectral constraints exacted by the beamsplitting apparatus. |
| US08199312B2 |
Layout of liquid crystal display panels and size of mother substrate
A layout of LCD panels and a size of the mother substrate are disclosed, to improve the efficiency in arrangement of the LCD panels, and to maximize the substrate efficiency, the layout comprising a mother substrate; a dummy region of 15 mm or less in a periphery of the mother substrate; and six LCD panels of the 26-inch model in a matrix of 2×3 on the mother substrate excluding the dummy region with a margin corresponding to 2˜4% of a length of the LCD panel. |
| US08199309B2 |
Active matrix subtrate and liquid crystal display device with the same
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device that includes a TFT substrate. A plurality of gate lines and a plurality of common lines extend in a first direction on the TFT substrate. Drain lines extend in a second direction substantially perpendicularly to these lines. Bus lines are located outside a display area and are extending parallel to the drain lines. Common line terminals are provided on either side of each block that is constituted by a predetermined number of gate terminals. The common line terminals and the lead lines therefore are formed on the same layer as the drain lines and are connected to the bus lines on the same layer without any contacts being used. Resistance along the routes taken by common lines can be reduced. |
| US08199308B2 |
Liquid crystal display having a chip on film structure with a plurality of input pads comprising a thin extending portion that extends to a cutting edge
The chip on film structure for a liquid crystal display is disclosed. The chip on film structure includes a film substrate, a driver chip disposed on the film substrate, a plurality of the input pad, and a plurality of output pads. The input pads and the output pads are disposed on two opposite sides of the driver chip, and are electrically connect to the driver chip respectively. Each input pad comprises an extending portion extending from the input pads to a first cutting edge respectively, and a width of the extending portion is thinner than a width of the input pad, and the extending portions are cut along the first cutting edge. |
| US08199306B2 |
Printed circuit board, backlight unit having the printed circuit board, and liquid crystal display device having the printed circuit board
A printed circuit board (PCB) includes a base substrate, an electrical wiring, a dummy pad and a thermally conductive adhesion member. The base substrate includes a light-emitting diode (LED) mounted on a first surface of the base substrate. The electrical wiring is electrically connected to the LED. The dummy pad is formed on the first surface to be connected to the electrical wiring. The thermally conductive adhesion member is attached to a second surface of the base substrate. Therefore, superior heat radiation may be obtained, thereby reducing or preventing damage to the LED and the LCD device using the LED by radiating the heat from the LED used as a light source. |
| US08199303B2 |
Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display unit structure including a patterned etch stop layer above a first data line segment
A liquid crystal display unit structure and the manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method comprises the following steps: forming a patterned first metal layer with a first data line segment and a lower gate pad on a substrate; forming a patterned dielectric layer covering the first data line and the lower gate pad having a plurality of first openings and a second opening therein, forming a patterned second metal layer including a common line, a second data line segment and a upper gate pad, wherein the upper gate pad is electrically connected to the lower gate pad through the first openings, and the second data line segment is electrically connected to the first data line segment through the first openings; finally forming a patterned passivation layer and a patterned transparent conductive layer. |
| US08199298B2 |
Liquid crystal device, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A reflective display region for reflective display and a transmissive display region for transmissive display are provided in a subpixel region. A retardation film is provided in a region of one of the pair of substrates corresponding to the reflective display region. The retardation film is formed by laminating a plurality of liquid crystal material layers with an alignment film interposed therebetween. |
| US08199295B2 |
Liquid crystal device including an alignment grating with breaks therein
This invention relates to a liquid crystal device wherein the surface profile of a surface alignment grating stabilises at least one stable state. The invention involves the introduction or breaks (34, 36, 38) or discontinuities into the grating (10) to divide the grating into a plurality of groove segments. The breaks are discontinuities in the grating in the groove direction, the grating having substantially the same groove direction on each side of the break. The introduction of breaks prevent free movement of defects along the groove of the grating and therefore help to stabilise the desired liquid crystal configuration, either a Defect state or a Continuous state. Suitable breaks involve gaps (34) in the groove ridges (30), necks (36) between the groove ridges (30) and slips or relative displacement (38) of the grating. |
| US08199294B2 |
Production method of liquid crystal display including scanning exposure
To provide: a production method of a liquid crystal display device, the production method being capable of efficiently and stably providing alignment treatment for an alignment film of the liquid crystal display device, in which a plurality of domains is formed in a pixel region; and an exposure device for alignment treatment. A production method of a liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate facing to the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer provided between the substrates; a first alignment film provided on the liquid crystal layer side surface of the first substrate; and a second alignment film provided on the liquid crystal layer side surface of the second substrate, wherein the production method comprises subjecting the first alignment film and/or the second alignment film to scanning exposure continuously over a plurality of pixel regions, and the scanning exposure comprises exposing the first alignment film and/or the second alignment film while scanning an inside of each pixel region more than one time in antiparallel directions to form, in the each pixel region, regions for aligning liquid crystal molecules to the surface (s) of the first alignment film and/or the second alignment film in antiparallel directions. |
| US08199292B2 |
Liquid crystal display
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display comprising a first substrate including wiring, which intersects to define unit pixels, and a first electrode formed in each unit pixel; a second substrate provided opposing the first substrate at a predetermined distance and including a second electrode formed over an entire surface of the second substrate, the second electrode generating an electric field with the first electrode; and a liquid crystal layer injected between the first substrate and the second substrate and including liquid crystal molecules that are horizontally oriented in one direction, the liquid crystal molecules, as a result of the electric field generated between the first and second substrates, having a symmetrically bent alignment about an imaginary center plane parallel to the first and second substrates at a center position therebetween, wherein the first electrode is protruded in a direction toward the second substrate at edges where orientation for the liquid crystal molecules starts. |
| US08199289B2 |
Optical film, liquid crystal panel, and liquid crystal display apparatus
There is provided: an optical film suitable for a liquid crystal display apparatus providing a colorless neutral display in all azimuth angle directions; a liquid crystal panel employing the optical film; and a liquid crystal display apparatus employing the liquid crystal panel. An optical film includes a transparent protective film, a polarizer, and a birefringent layer having a relationship of nx>ny=nz and positive uniaxial property, in the stated order, in which the polarizer and the birefringent layer are laminated directly through one of a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an adhesive. |
| US08199283B2 |
Vertical alignment type liquid crystal display device with viewing angle characteristics improved by disposing optical plates
First and second polarizers are disposed in cross Nichol configuration. A liquid crystal cell is disposed between the two polarizers and establishes vertical alignment in a state of no voltage application. An even number of optical films having optical anisotropy and disposed between the liquid crystal cell and first polarizer. A retardation of the liquid crystal cell is in a range between 300 nm and 1500 nm; and each optical film satisfies nx>ny≧nz, an in-plane retardation is smaller than 300 nm, a thickness direction retardation is in a ranger between 50 nm and 300 nm, an angle between an in-plane slow axis of the optical film disposed nearest to the first polarizer and an absorption axis of the first polarizer is smaller than 45°, and the slow axes of mutually adjacent optical films are perpendicular to each other. |
| US08199273B2 |
Array substrate for flat-panel display device and its manufacturing method
An array substrate comprising: a first insulator film arranged to insulate scanning and control lines from signal lines; switching elements, each of which is arranged in vicinity of respective intersection of the scanning and signal lines; a second insulator film that covers a multi-layer wiring pattern including the scanning and control lines and the signal lines; pixel electrodes, each of which is electrically connected to respective one of the signal lines through the respective switching element; island metal patterns, each of which is arranged to at least partly overlap the control line and is electrically connected with the respective switching element; a wiring breakage that separates one of the signal lines into two wiring parts; and bridge wirings, which connect said two wiring parts by way of one of the island metal patterns and are arranged to overlap the pixel electrodes as interposed by the second insulator film therebetween. |
| US08199272B2 |
Flexible display device
A flexible display device includes an array substrate, a display medium layer, a transparent substrate and a first sealant. The array substrate has a display region and a sealant spread region surrounding the display region. The display medium layer is disposed on the array substrate and located in the display region. The transparent substrate is disposed above the display medium layer. The first sealant is formed between the array substrate and the transparent substrate and located in the sealant spread region of the array substrate. The first sealant has a first sidewall and a second sidewall. One of the first sidewall and the second sidewall has a plurality of fillisters arranged at intervals. Since the first sealant of the flexible display device has the fillisters arranged at intervals, the stress imposed on the first sealant may be decreased. Therefore, the life of the first sealant may be prolonged and the sealing performance of the flexible display device can be improved. |
| US08199270B2 |
TFT-LCD array substrate and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an array substrate of TFT-LCD. The method includes the following steps. In step 1, a gate metal thin film is deposited on a substrate and patterned into gate electrodes and gate lines by a first patterning process. In step 2, a gate insulation layer, a semiconductor layer and a barrier layer are subsequently deposited on the resultant structure of step 1 and are patterned into gate insulation layer pattern, semiconductor layer pattern and barrier layer pattern by a second patterning process, wherein the barrier layer is used for preventing the semiconductor layer at the TFT channel from being etched. In step 3, an ohmic contact layer, a transparent conductive layer, a source drain metal layer and a passivation layer are subsequently deposited on the resultant structure of step 2, and are patterned into ohmic contact layer pattern, pixel electrodes, data lines, source electrodes, drain electrodes and passivation layer pattern in a patterning process. |
| US08199268B2 |
Display panel and manufacturing method of the same
A method of manufacturing a display panel includes forming a first display substrate including a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of test signal lines, and a plurality of test pads, forming a second display substrate including a common electrode, forming a short point at a position corresponding to the test pads, dividing the second display substrate into a plurality of regions insulated from each other, aligning and attaching the first display substrate and the second display substrate to each other, removing an edge portion of the first display substrate to expose an edge portion of the second display substrate, and applying a voltage to the first display substrate and the second display substrate through a voltage application portion of the exposed edge portion of the second display substrate. |
| US08199267B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention has a pixel which includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first liquid crystal element, and a second liquid crystal element. A pixel electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a signal line through the first switch. The pixel electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a pixel electrode of the second liquid crystal element through the second switch and the first resistor. The pixel electrode of the second liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a Cs line through the third switch and the second resistor. A common electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a common electrode of the second liquid crystal element. |
| US08199263B2 |
Method of manufacturing multi-touch liquid crystal display panel
A method of manufacturing a multi-touch LCD panel. A conductive colloidal mixture formed by mixing a plurality of conductive particles and a colloid is coated on the electrode layer of the counter substrate and is solidified to make the conductive particles electrically connect to the corresponding sensing electrodes of the array substrate. Consequently, when an external force is applied to one touching position on the counter substrate, the conductive particles electrically connect the sensing electrodes to the electrode layer and the touching signal of the position can be obtained. Due to the integration of the conductive particles into the liquid crystal cell gap, the multi-touch LCD panel has the advantages of slimness and lightness. Moreover, the manufacturing process of the conductive particles is introduced after the conventional counter substrate manufacturing method, and the objective of simple process, low cost and high yields can be achieved. |
| US08199261B2 |
Projection display apparatus which enables misregistration between primary color lights projected on a screen to be reduced
The present invention provides a projection display apparatus realizing easy recognition of the effect of registration adjustment. The projection display apparatus includes: a light source; a spatial light modulation device modulating, on the basis of a video signal, each of primary color lights for color display emitted from the light source; projecting means for projecting, onto a screen, each of the primary color lights modulated by the spatial light modulation device; and correcting means for correcting, based on a given correction value, the video signal for each of the primary color lights so as to reduce misregistration between the primary color lights projected on the screen, and supplying the corrected video signal to the spatial light modulation device. Validation/invalidation of correction on the video signal by the correcting means is switched in accordance with an operation from the user. |
| US08199259B2 |
Video display device
This video display device includes a maker name table and a device type table. Moreover, this video display device includes a communication means which, when some external input channel is selected, receives from a device upon that external input channel the logical address and the vendor ID which are allocated in advance to that device on that external input channel. This video display device also includes a conversion means which converts the vendor ID which has been received by the communication unit to a letter string representing a maker's name, on the basis of the maker name table. The conversion means also converts the logical address which has been received by the communication unit to a letter string representing the device type of the device, on the basis of the device type table. Furthermore, this video display device also includes a display means which displays those letter strings. |
| US08199253B2 |
Clock range setting device
A clock range setting device including a horizontal counter, a filter unit, a clock detecting unit, a first infinite impulse filter (IIR filter), and a clock range modulator is provided. The horizontal counter counts a horizontal counter value. The filter unit obtains a lead clock of each teletext video signal according to a lead clock range, and generates a corresponding clock intermediate value. The clock detecting unit detects level changes of the lead clock of each teletext video signal according to the clock intermediate value, so as to generate a corresponding current clock cycle number. The first IIR filter generates corresponding number mean value according to the current clock cycle numbers sequentially received by the first IIR filter. The clock range modulator sets the lead clock range corresponding to each teletext video signal according to the current clock cycle number, the number mean value, and the horizontal counter value. |
| US08199249B2 |
Image capture using display device as light source
A digital image capture system and method uses a display device to illuminate a target with light for improved image capture under poor lighting conditions. Various characteristics of the flash (e.g., brightness, color, duration, etc.) can be adjusted to improve image capture. Users are provided with feedback (e.g., live video feed, audio and/or visual countdowns, etc.) to assist them in preparing for image capture. The captured images are seamlessly integrated with existing applications (e.g., video conferencing, instant text messaging, etc.). |
| US08199241B2 |
Data reproducing apparatus, data reproducing method, and storage medium
A data reproducing apparatus enables selection between a first display mode and a second display mode. If the first display mode is selected, images indicating a first type of data and an icon indicating at least one of a second type of data are displayed. And, if the second display mode is selected, an icon indicating at least one of the first type of data and images indicating the second type of data are displayed. |
| US08199240B2 |
Camera system with side-by-side image display
A camera system has an imaging optical system, an imaging component, a liquid crystal monitor, an aperture setting component, and an image display controller. The liquid crystal monitor has a first display region and a second display region. The aperture setting component adjusts the aperture in a specific period so that the actual aperture value will be a preset value. The image display controller displays, in the first display region, a reference image acquired by the imaging component under conditions in which the aperture value is the preset value, and displays, in the second display region, a comparative image acquired by the imaging component at a different timing from that of the reference image. |
| US08199239B2 |
Video display device, imaging apparatus, and method for video display
A video display device includes a brightness range specifying unit configured to specify a range of brightness values for highlight, a signal processing unit configured to detect signals relevant to an area other than an area in the brightness range specified by the brightness range specifying unit from input video signals, suppress color components of the detected signals, and not suppress color components of signals relevant to the area in the specified brightness range, and a display unit configured to display video based on the video signals processed by the signal processing unit, the unit being capable of performing color display. |
| US08199237B2 |
Imaging device, control method therefor, and camera
An imaging device includes: a pixel section having a plurality of pixel circuits arranged in a matrix form; and a signal processing section that processes an output signal read from the pixel section. The pixel section includes a first output signal line, at least one first color pixel circuit connected to the first output signal line, a second output signal line, and at least one second color pixel circuit adjacent to the first color pixel circuit in a row direction thereof and connected to the second output signal line. The signal processing section includes a first signal processing circuit, a second signal processing circuit, a selection circuit, a first current source, a second current source, a current source selection circuit, a first connection node, and a second connection node. |
| US08199236B2 |
Device and pixel architecture for high resolution digital
The present invention discloses structure of a two-gate field effect transistor (FET), named as charge gated FET, and presents various active pixel sensor (APS) and multimode architectures using the device which has only one, or two on-pixel transistors for high resolution, high gain and fast frame rate APS arrays. It is also disclosed a new method of addressing pixels of an APS array by applying the addressing voltage pulse directly to the gate of the amplifying transistor of the pixel architecture, eliminating the row select transistor from the pixel circuit. |
| US08199231B2 |
Image pickup element unit with an image pickup element on a substrate for picking up an image and an optical low pass filter spaced from the image pickup element
An image pickup apparatus which is capable of suppressing generation of shadows even when the aperture of the photographic lens is stopped down. A digital camera as an image pickup apparatus includes a photographic lens, a image pickup element that picks up an image of an object, and an optical low-pass filter disposed between the photographic lens and the image pickup element. The filter includes a liner phase diffraction grating having unit cells which are disposed in a regular pattern at a grating pitch P and are formed by equal-width recesses and equal-width protrusions adjacent to each other. When a shortest wavelength of a reference wavelength employed is λS, and a longest wavelength of the reference wavelength is λL, an optical path difference ΔH between lengths of optical paths of light of which a phase is varied by the phase grating is larger than λS/2 and smaller than λL/2. |
| US08199226B2 |
Methods and systems for capturing an image of a moving object
Methods and systems for capturing an image of a moving subject employ a camera image sensor that captures a blurred image of a moving subject. In-capture positions of the moving object are also determined using a high frame rate camera or other motion sensing device. The PSF for controlling modulation of the light hitting the camera image is successively updated by selecting, from among a plurality of pre-computed invertible PSFs, a pre-computed invertible PSFs for each estimated motion of the moving object. Light hitting the camera image sensor is modulated in capture phase according to one or more of the updated pre-computed invertible PSFs such that the captured blurred image is invertible. The resulting invertible blurred image can be de-blurred using the selected known PSFs to provide a substantially sharp image. |
| US08199225B2 |
Generating column offset corrections for image sensors
An image sensor includes multiple photoactive pixels and multiple dark reference pixels typically arranged in rows and columns to form a pixel array. A dark signal is read out from a given number of dark reference pixels in each column at a first gain level. An initial column offset correction is determined for one or more columns in the pixel array using respective dark signals read out at the first gain level. The initial column offset corrections are repeatedly scaled in response to each detected change to a different gain level. The column offset corrections can be scaled based on an amount of change between each respective different gain level and the first gain level. |
| US08199224B2 |
Imaging device
An imaging device includes an imaging sensor, a switching section, and a controlling section. The imaging sensor includes a light receiving surface to which light receiving elements capable of addressing reading are arranged, and having, on the light receiving surface, an imaging area capturing a subject image and an optical black area outputting a signal of a dark current component, the optical black area which the light receiving elements are covered with a light shielding member. The switching section switching a first state and a second state. The controlling section reads a signal level by each partial area at the optical black area when a dark image is captured in the second state after capturing a normal image in the first state, sequentially compares with the signal level at a corresponding position of the normal image, and controls a exposure time of the dark image according to the comparison result. |
| US08199223B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and computer readable storage medium storing image processing program
An image processor extracts a pixel area including a pixel of interest for processing and peripheral pixels located around the pixel of interest from input image data, generates a plurality of pixel groups by dividing pixels in the pixel area based on a pixel value distribution in the pixel area, calculates a pixel group similarity between a pixel group and a pixel group including the pixel of interest for each pixel group for pixels belonging to the pixel group in the pixel area, calculates a pixel value similarity of each pixel in the pixel area based on a pixel value of the pixel of interest, calculates filter coefficients to be applied to pixels in the pixel area based on the pixel group and pixel value similarities, and smooths the pixel value of the pixel of interest based on pixel values in the pixel area and the filter coefficients. |
| US08199220B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatic image management
Provided is a method and apparatus for automatic image management in an imaging device. The method and apparatus includes serially capturing and temporarily storing a predetermined number of still images in a predetermined time interval; and if the new still images are stored when all of the predetermined number of still images are stored, discarding oldest still images and temporarily storing new still images, wherein the predetermined number of newest still images are stored in real time. |
| US08199219B2 |
Single-button audio data capture and deletion
A portable electronic device comprising a image sensor for capturing image data and a audio sensor for capturing audio data. The portable device further comprising a processor coupled to said image sensor and said audio sensor, said processor having a first and second mode of operation, and a capture key coupled to said processor for initiating the first mode of operation, wherein said processor captures audio data and video data in the first mode of operation and is operable to capture audio data in the second mode of operation and the second mode of operation follows the first mode of operation. |
| US08199217B2 |
Device and method for image processing, program, and imaging apparatus
An image processing device includes a white balancing unit configured to perform white balancing on an image signal within a pull-in frame defined by the color temperature of a light source to output the resultant signal, and a control unit configured to, when the white balancing unit performs white balancing on an image signal obtained by capturing an image of a subject illuminated by light emitted from a light emitting device, adjust a region of the pull-in frame on the basis of color information of a light emission signal output from the light emitting device. |
| US08199216B2 |
Apparatus and method for improving image quality of image sensor
Provided are an apparatus and method for improving an image quality of an image sensor, capable of adaptively removing noise occurring in a de-mosaicking that is performed for generating three-channel data of R, G and B from a single channel pixel structure based on a bayer pattern. The apparatus includes a first converting unit for converting RGB color data into a YCbCr color data, the RGB color data being obtained from bayer data through a de-mosaicking, a noise removal unit for removing noise from a Cb and a Cr color data outputted from the first converting unit, and a second converting unit for converting the Cb and the Cr color data from the noise removal unit and a Y data from the first converting unit into the RGB color data. |
| US08199214B2 |
Camera device and image processing method
The invention provides a camera device. In one embodiment, the camera device comprises a sensor and a controller. The sensor detects an image to generate a first image signal with an RGB format. The controller comprises an image processor and a subsequent processor. The image processor converts the first image signal to a second image signal with a YUY2 format. The subsequent processor adjusts a plurality of luma components, a plurality of first chroma components, and a plurality of second chroma components of the second image signal to obtain a plurality of adjusted luma components, a plurality of first adjusted chroma components, and a plurality of second adjusted chroma components of a third image signal. A host receives the third image signal output by the camera, and uses a Direct Show module to convert the third image signal to a fourth image signal with an RGB format. |
| US08199211B2 |
Camera direct dailies
Obtaining camera direct dailies using a parallel recording scheme on a set, including; simultaneously recording camera-original video in a master recording session and a lower-resolution proxy recording session; transferring lower-resolution video from the lower-resolution proxy recording session to a stage ingest station; integrating data including sound, logging, color correction, metadata, and high-resolution video from the master recording session at the stage ingest station; and generating camera direct dailies using the integrated data and the video from the lower-resolution proxy recording session. |
| US08199210B2 |
Image pick-up apparatus and synchronization-signal-generating apparatus
An image signal generation portion 11 generates an image signal of a variable frame-rate picked-up image. A signal generation control portion 24 drives the image signal generation portion 11 and generates image pick-up setting information IF to generate an image signal that is frame-synchronized with a generated image signal DVd. The generated image signal DVd is output in condition where the image pick-up setting information IF is inserted in it. When supplied with image pick-up setting information IFex, the signal generation control portion 24 controls the driving operations of the image signal generation portion 11 based on the image pick-up setting information IFex, to frame-synchronize the generated image signal with an image signal of a reference variable frame-rate picked-up image of a source that has supplied the image pick-up setting information IFex. If a plurality of image pick-up devices capable of varying a frame rate is used, the image signals can be frame-synchronized with each other. |
| US08199200B2 |
Photographing device provided with dust removing mechanism
A camera according to this invention comprises a photographing optical system which forms an optical image of an object, a photoelectric conversion element which converts the optical image into an electric signal, an optical element arranged between the photographing optical system and the photoelectric conversion element, and vibration means which vibrates the optical element first at one of at least two frequencies and then at the other frequency, the frequencies being close to resonance frequencies. |
| US08199199B1 |
Method and system for real time judging boundary lines on tennis court
There is provided a method and a system for registration of real time position of tennis ball relatively to boundary lines on tennis court. The method and system comprise sensitive to near-infrared radiation at least one video camera, outputting video image of court and the method and system further include at least one point source of near-infrared radiation, illuminating tennis court and displaced relatively to the video camera. It is suggested a simple and inexpensive way of determining if a tennis ball bounces in or out of court by determining point of intersection of trajectories of the tennis ball and its shade from near-infrared radiation and comparing the position of the determined point of intersection with previously calibrated boundary lines of court. |
| US08199198B2 |
Bright spot detection and classification method for a vehicular night-time video imaging system
Bright spots imaged by a forward-looking monochrome video camera during night-time operation of a host vehicle are detected and classified to determine the presence of leading and on-coming vehicles. A specified region-of-interest in each image frame is globally scanned to adaptively detect the bright spot contours, and search windows bounding the larger bright spot contours are locally scanned to adaptively detect individual bright spot contours that were fused in the global scan. A sensitive area within the region-of-interest is locally scanned to adaptively detect dim taillights of a leading vehicle, and path prediction of the host vehicle is used for frame-to-frame tracking of detected spots. Detected spots are classified depending on their location and frame-to-frame movement within the region-of-interest and their glare and pairing characteristics. |
| US08199197B2 |
Aerial camera system
An aerial camera system including a plurality of main reels, a camera interface/safety reel and a stabilized camera head. The camera head is supported from main cables from the main reels with a safety reel cable providing power, data and video communication between the camera head and a main computer system. Each of the main reels, the camera interface/safety reel and the camera head are in communication with the main computer system, which controls the feeding and reeling in of the main cables. Further, the computer system controls the feeding and reeling in of the safety reel cable, which typically only follows the camera head as it moves in three-dimensional space, but may in emergency mode support the weight of the camera head and be used to slowly pull the camera head up and out of the way so that it does not interfere with any activity below the flight area. The aerial camera system may also include a level wind assembly that keeps the cables wound on the drum of the main reels and/or the safety reel in a controlled and consistent manner. Furthermore, the camera head of the aerial camera system may use a rotating gimbal assembly with computer controlled leveling motors for keeping the camera head level as the gimbal assembly moves. |
| US08199196B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling video streams
The invention includes a method and apparatus for controlling video streams. A method includes monitoring for an event associated with one of a plurality of video camera controllers providing a plurality of video streams where each of the video streams has a first quality level, and, in response to detecting an event associated with one of the plurality of video camera controllers, propagating a control message toward the one of the video camera controllers for which the event is detected, where a control message adapted for requesting the one of the video camera controllers to switch from providing the video stream using the first quality level to providing the video stream using a second quality level. The first quality level may be a low level of quality and the second quality level may be a high level of quality. |
| US08199195B2 |
Wireless video surveillance system and method with security key
A surveillance system and method having at least one wireless input capture device ICD(s) and a corresponding digital input recorder (DIR) and/or another ICD, and a security key for ensuring or denying access, including the steps of providing base system; at least one user accessing the DIR via user interface either directly or remotely; the DIR and/or ICD searching for signal from the ICD(s) and establishing communication with them, permitting or prohibiting data transmission and/or access if the security key is connected to the system components, thereby providing a secure surveillance system having wireless communication for monitoring a target environment. |
| US08199193B2 |
Video camera inspection system for roller hearth heat treating furnaces and the like
A heat treating furnace inspection system comprises a camera configured to move through the furnace chamber of the furnace. The system typically includes a carriage which carries the camera and is especially useful for inspecting a roller hearth furnace. Conveyor rolls or another conveyor mechanism of the furnace is operated to move the camera through the furnace chamber in order to photograph the interior of the chamber for the purposes of inspection. Images of the furnace chamber interior may be displayed on a display screen and merged with text which may communicate information related to inspection findings. |
| US08199191B2 |
Electron microscope for inspecting dimension and shape of a pattern formed on a wafer
There is provided an electron microscope which is capable of making a significant contribution to accomplishment of efficiency in investigating causes for pattern abnormalities found out. The electron microscope including an I/O for capturing image data on a microscopic image acquired by another electron microscope, a computation processing unit for generating a display signal based on the image data on the microscopic image acquired by another electron microscope and captured via the I/O and image data on a microscopic image acquired by the electron microscope itself, in order that the microscopic image acquired by another electron microscope and the microscopic image acquired by the electron microscope itself are displayed at the same scale and under the same display condition, and a display unit for displaying both of the microscopic images based on the display signal from the computation processing unit. |
| US08199189B2 |
Vein navigation device
The present invention relates to an imaging device designed with the intent of visualizing subcutaneous structures within an organism. Visualization of subcutaneous structures will increase the speed and accuracy with which medical treatments requiring insertion of instruments into these structures can be performed. Especially fluid insertions into or extractions from an organism will be facilitated as the device is adapted to be placed upon the organism in a manner giving continued full mobility for the recipient and operator of the device. |
| US08199186B2 |
Three-dimensional (3D) imaging based on motionparallax
Techniques and technologies are described herein for motion parallax three-dimensional (3D) imaging. Such techniques and technologies do not require special glasses, virtual reality helmets, or other user-attachable devices. More particularly, some of the described motion parallax 3D imaging techniques and technologies generate sequential images, including motion parallax depictions of various scenes derived from clues in views obtained of or created for the displayed scene. |
| US08199185B2 |
Reflected camera image eye contact terminal
The present invention enables eye contact between conferees during a teleconference using a terminal equipped with a beamsplitter for reflecting an image of a conferee. In one embodiment the image of the conferee appears to be in a backdrop. The display is positioned behind the viewing side of the beam-splitter so that the conferee views the display through the beamsplitter. The invention can be configured to create the appearance that a life-size teleconference image of a remote conferee appears in the same room as the local conferee apparently sitting on the other side of the desk or table—creating the experience of telepresence with eye contact. Additional embodiments include adaptable features of the present invention which enable it to be configured into many specific types of eye contact display products. The invention further teaches the design of a telepresence network, linking numerous terminals sharing a commonality in configuration. The invention also includes many additional versatility embodiments for desktop and group videoconferencing, as well as other videoconferencing applications. |
| US08199184B2 |
Visually enhancing a conference
A method for visually enhancing a conference includes receiving a first request to enhance a first object. The method also includes establishing a visual conference between at least a local participant and a remote participant. The method additionally includes receiving a visual communication and detecting a reference to the first object in the visual communication. The method further includes, upon detecting the reference to the first object in the visual communication, enhancing for presentation the first object in the visual communication based on the first request. |
| US08199176B2 |
Laser thermal donor elements and method of use
Thermal transfer donor elements can be used to transfer color images to receiving elements to provide various elements such as color filters. The thermal transfer donor elements include a transparent polymeric substrate and, in order: a propellant layer comprising a gas-producing polymer that is capable of producing a gas upon heating by a thermal layer, and an infrared radiation absorbing compound, a barrier layer, and a thermal dye transfer layer one or more thermally transferable colorants. The barrier layer comprises a hydrophilic material and is transferred with the colorant to provide a transparent overcoat in the final color image. Color transfer can be achieved using laser thermal imaging. |
| US08199175B2 |
Methods and apparatus for applying patterns of non-contiguous features
A pattern of non-contiguous features that can be imaged in one pass of a multi-channel imaging head is divided into sets of the non-contiguous features. Each set of the non-contiguous features is imaged separately during a single scan of the multi-channel imaging head. The pattern can be completely imaged after all of the sets have been separately imaged. The non-contiguous features of one set may be interleaved with the non-contiguous features of another one of the sets. |
| US08199174B2 |
Method and system for generating documents having stored electrostatic pattern information
A method and apparatus for generating documents having stored electrostatic pattern information provides security with respect to the authenticity of documents. A liquid medium including a plurality of electrostatic monopoles is applied to the surface of a document, which embeds a permanent electrostatic pattern in the document. The pattern is then readable by an electrostatic scanner. The monopoles may be associated with differing colors, including black and white, may be transparent or have a neutral color. The patterns may embed data, certificates or shapes. The monopoles may provide a watermark or visible image. The apparatus may be a pen or printer, and may include multiple selectable vessels containing ink and/or electrostatic liquid medium of one or both charge states. Visible features of the document can be compared with the detected pattern, or the pattern may be compared to a database or decrypted with a key. |
| US08199171B2 |
Display device, image signal processing method, and program
There is provided a display device equipped with a display unit, the display device including a receiving part for receiving a difference signal of a plurality of channels including an image signal and content identification information inserted in a blanking period and outputting the image signal and the content identification information; a light emission amount regulation part for setting a reference duty according to image information of the image signal; an adjustment part for adjusting so that an actual duty is within a predetermined range based on the reference duty and an adjustment signal and adjusting a gain of the image signal so that a light emission amount defined by the actual duty and the gain of the image signal becomes the same as the light emission amount defined by the reference duty; and an adjustment signal generation part for generating the adjustment signal based on the content identification information. |
| US08199170B2 |
Display control device, media management device, and computer-readable medium
A display control device includes a state specifying unit, an information specifying unit and a controller. The state specifying unit specifies a placement state of a medium on a display screen. The information specifying unit specifies either (i) electronic information which is a source of an image recorded on the medium or (ii) electronic information relevant to the electronic information which is the source of the image recorded on the medium. The controller controls such that a specific image representing the electronic information specified by the information specifying unit is displayed on the display screen in accordance with the placement state specified by the state specifying unit. |
| US08199168B2 |
System and method for 3D graphical prescription of a medical imaging volume
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide for a system for three-dimensional graphical prescription of an imaging volume including a user interface component, a reference image, and a three-dimensional representation of the imaging volume. The user interface component includes a display. The reference image is presented on the display. The representation of the imaging volume is presented on the display. The representation of the imaging volume is overlaid at least in part on the reference image. |
| US08199164B2 |
Advanced anti-aliasing with multiple graphics processing units
A method and apparatus for performing multisampling-based antialiasing in a system that includes first and second graphics processing unit (GPUs) that reduces the amount of data transferred between the GPUs and improves the efficiency with which such data is transferred. The first GPU renders a first version of a frame using a first multisampling pattern and the second GPU renders a second version of a frame in the second GPU using a second multisampling pattern. The second GPU identifies non-edge pixels in the second version of the frame. The pixels in the first version of the frame are then combined with only those pixels in the second version of the frame that have not been identified as non-edge pixels to generate a combined frame. |
| US08199162B2 |
Contrast increase in X-ray projection images and/or in tomographically reconstructed volumes by deconvolution of the projection images
The invention relates to a method and a device for increasing contrast in medical images generated by an imaging system featuring an x-ray source and a detector. The detector detects x-rays of the x-ray source and converts image signals from the x-rays. The image signals are transferred to a control and processing unit for processing. Deconvolution of the image signals is carried out by application of an inverse modulation transfer function modified by a regularization. At least a volume image can be reconstructed from the deconvolved image signals. |
| US08199161B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
According to one embodiment, an image processing device of the invention includes a storage portion which stores EDID information, a communication portion which executes communication based on HDMI standard with another image processing device through a communication passage, supplies the EDID information stored in the storage portion and receives an image/sound signal from the another image processing device, a reproducing portion which reproduces the image/sound signal received by the communication portion, and a changing portion which changes the EDID information stored in the storage portion when the reproducing portion cannot reproduce the image/sound signal properly. |
| US08199157B2 |
System on chip including an image processing memory with multiple access
A system on chip (Soc) includes a system bus, a plurality of sub-systems, an image processing logic block, an image memory interface and an image processing memory block. The sub-systems are respectively connected to the system bus. The image processing logic block is connected to the system bus. The image processing logic block performs an image processing. The image processing logic block is included in a first power domain. The image memory interface is connected to the system bus and the image processing logic block. The image processing memory block is connected to the image memory interface. The image processing memory block is used for the image processing. The image memory interface and the image processing memory block are included in a second power domain different from the first power domain. |
| US08199154B2 |
Low resolution graphics mode support using window descriptors
Herein described is a method and system of displaying low resolution graphics onto a high resolution display. The low resolution graphics may be displayed using one or more displayable maps or surfaces, each of which is defined by way of one or more parameters. The display may comprise a monitor, television set, or set top box, capable of displaying at a particular resolution. In one or more representative embodiments, the various aspects of the invention permit scaling the low resolution graphics onto the high resolution display by way of using the one or more displayable maps or surfaces such that the graphics data is properly displayed on the higher resolution display. |
| US08199153B2 |
Image display system and image display apparatus
An image display system includes an information processing apparatus and an image display apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes: a processing unit that acquires image information and executes image processing for the image information; a processed image information acquisition command unit that gives an acquisition command to an image display apparatus; and a transmitting unit that transmits the processed image information and the acquisition command to the image display apparatus. The image display apparatus includes: an image receiving unit that receives the processed image information; a non-volatile image information storing unit that stores the processed image information; an acquiring unit that acquires at least either the processed image information received by the receiving unit or the processed image information stored in the storing unit; and a control unit that commands an apparatus display unit to display an image corresponding to the processed image information acquired by the acquiring unit. |
| US08199150B2 |
Multi-level control language for computer animation
A system for controlling a rendering engine by using specialized commands. The commands are used to generate a production, such as a television show, at an end-user's computer that executes the rendering engine. In one embodiment, the commands are sent over a network, such as the Internet, to achieve broadcasts of video programs at very high compression and efficiency. Commands for setting and moving camera viewpoints, animating characters, and defining or controlling scenes and sounds are described. At a fine level of control math models and coordinate systems can be used make specifications. At a coarse level of control the command language approaches the text format traditionally used in television or movie scripts. Simple names for objects within a scene are used to identify items, directions and paths. Commands are further simplified by having the rendering engine use defaults when specifications are left out. For example, when a camera direction is not specified, the system assumes that the viewpoint is to be the current action area. The system provides a hierarchy of detail levels. Movement commands can be defaulted or specified. Synchronized speech can be specified as digital audio or as text which is used to synthesize the speech. |
| US08199145B2 |
Managing use limitations in a virtual universe resource conservation region
A virtual universe can include regions that conserve natural resource usage. A virtual universe natural resource conservation system (“system”) can determine that an avatar is accessing a natural resource conservation region in a virtual universe. The natural resource conservation region is supported with one or more devices that adhere to restrictions on natural resource usage. The system can also apply one or more virtual universe restrictions while the avatar is accessing the natural resource conservation region. |
| US08199144B2 |
Information processing apparatus and related method, image forming apparatus and related control method, program, and recording medium
An information processing apparatus displays a screen for enabling an operator to select settings for controlling a print output from an image forming apparatus and post-processing applied to a printed product by an independent post-processing apparatus. The post-processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain post-processing information from the post-processing apparatus and a display control unit configured to change contents of the setting screen based on obtained function information and display a changed setting screen. The image forming apparatus includes a determining unit configured to determine based on obtained function information whether the image forming apparatus can execute a print output accompanied by post-processing using the post-processing apparatus, and control a display unit to display a setting screen for controlling the post-processing function when the image forming apparatus can execute the print output accompanied by post-processing. |
| US08199138B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving 2D/3D switchable display
Provided are an apparatus and method for driving a 2-dimensional (2D)/3-dimensional (3D) switchable display for improving the quality of image. The apparatus for driving a 2D/3D switchable display includes: an image mode determination unit determining whether input image signals of continuous frames are in a 2D mode or 3D mode; and an over-driving control unit over-driving the input image signal of a current differently according to the determined image mode. According to the apparatus and method, the response time in each of the 2D mode and the 3D mode can be increased, while motion blur and cross-talk effects can be decreased, thereby improving the quality of image. |
| US08199136B2 |
Image data transmission apparatus and method for image display system
An image display system comprises: a transmission device (PC) 10, for transmitting image data upon receiving a drawing command from an OS or an application; and a receiving monitor 40, for displaying, on a high-resolution panel 41, image data received via a monitor cable 39, wherein the transmission device 10 includes a drawing command analysis device 20, for detecting an area on a screen wherein the content is changed by the drawing command, and for employing the detected area to calculate an area to be transmitted, and a graphics card 12, for transmitting a packet that includes the calculated area to be transmitted, and control data provided as header data for the area to be transmitted, and wherein the receiving monitor 40 includes a packet reception device 50, for analyzing the header data in the received packet and for, based on the header data, rendering image data in an internally provided frame memory. |
| US08199131B2 |
Synchronization of plugins
A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is give priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps. |
| US08199120B2 |
Repairable touch control device and method of repairing touch control panel
A repairable touch control device includes a substrate, a sensor circuit, and at least a repairing wiring. The substrate includes a sensor region, and a peripheral region. The sensor circuit, which includes sensor wirings, is disposed in the sensor region. The repairing wiring is disposed in the peripheral region for repairing the sensor wirings. |
| US08199118B2 |
Touchscreen using both carbon nanoparticles and metal nanoparticles
A cover sheet assembly is provided for a touchscreen system. The cover sheet assembly includes an insulating layer having a surface configured to be disposed over an electrically conductive area of a substrate of the touchscreen system, and an electrically conductive material disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the insulating layer. The electrically conductive material includes a plurality of carbon nanoparticles and a plurality of metal nanoparticles. |
| US08199116B2 |
Display panel, display device having the same and method of detecting touch position
A display panel includes an array substrate and an opposite substrate. The array substrate includes pixels, first signal lines, and second signal lines. The opposite substrate is combined with the array substrate, interposing a liquid crystal layer there between. The opposite substrate includes an opposite base substrate and first and second protruded electrodes. The first and second protruded electrodes are formed in regions corresponding to the first and second signal lines, respectively, and are electrically connected to the first and second signal lines, respectively, based on an externally provided pressure. Therefore, a thickness of the display panel is decreased, and a touch position is easily detected. |
| US08199111B2 |
Remote input device and electronic apparatus using the same
An electronic apparatus includes a remote input device, which has input-operation areas and a means for detecting input operations performed on the input-operation areas; a displaying portion for displaying selection buttons on a display; and an allocating portion for allocating the selection buttons to the input-operation areas. When the number of selection buttons is larger than that of input-operation areas, the allocating portion allocates change selection buttons indicating an allocation change to some of the input-operation areas. The apparatus further includes an input determining portion for determining, when the detecting portion detects an input operation performed on any of the input-operation areas, if the input operation is performed on the selection button allocated to the input-operation area. An allocation changing portion changes the allocation of the selection buttons relative to selected input-operation areas when the input determining portion determines that the input operation is performed on the change selection button. |
| US08199107B2 |
Input interface device with transformable form factor
Various implementations of an interface device, along with associated methods and systems, are described in which the interface device has a housing with a transformable form factor, and a transformation assembly that can change the form factor of the housing. At least one of the form factors of the housing has a shape that corresponds to data associated with the interface device. |
| US08199101B2 |
Transmission liquid crystal display device
The transmission liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight, wherein the liquid crystal panel has pixels each of which is divided into four sub pixels as red (R), green (G), blue (B), and white (W) sub pixels. Further, an emission luminance of the backlight can be controlled. |
| US08199098B2 |
Driving device and driving method for liquid crystal display
A driving device and a driving method for a liquid crystal display are provided. The driving device includes a memory unit, a comparator, a compensation unit, and a selector. The memory unit provides a previous image and a previous comparison result. The comparator compares a present image with the previous image and outputs a present comparison result. The compensation unit processes the present image according to the previous image to generate a plurality of processed present images. The selector selects and outputs one of the present image and the processed present images according to the previous comparison result and the present comparison result. Thereby, the space required in the memory unit is reduced and the image display quality is improved. |
| US08199095B2 |
Display device and method for driving the same
A display device includes a display panel, a timing controller, a gate driver, a pulse width controller, and a data driver. The display panel has pixels divided by gate lines arranged in first direction and data lines arranged in second direction. The timing controller generates gate control signals and first source output enable signal. The gate driver provides gate lines with scan signals in response to gate control signals. The pulse width controller varies some of the pulse widths of the first source output enable signal to generate second source output enable signal. The data driver performs charge sharing on data lines based on the second source output enable signal so that pre-charge voltage is formed at data lines, and provides data lines with data voltages based on the second source output enable signal. |
| US08199091B2 |
Gamma voltage conversion device
Gamma voltage conversion device includes a gamma voltage conversion circuit, an amplifier, and a gamma voltage adjusting circuit. The gamma voltage conversion circuit generates a first gamma voltage conformed to a first gamma curve according to a grey level. The amplifier includes a first input end receiving the first gamma voltage, a second end, and an output end. The amplifier outputs the first or a second gamma voltage conformed to a second gamma curve according to the grey level according to the first and the second ends of the amplifier. The gamma voltage adjusting circuit coupled between the second input end and the output end of the amplifier controls the amplifier to output the first or the second gamma voltage as the gamma driving voltage according to the grey level and a gamma curve selection signal. |
| US08199089B2 |
Device for tuning output enable signal of liquid crystal display
A device for tuning an output enable signal and a method thereof are provided. In the method, a first scan signal and a second scan signal are filtered out according to a duty cycle of the output enable signal, so as to provide a first output scan signal and a second output scan signal. The duty cycle of the output enable signal is increased when a voltage level of the second output scan signal is converted from a disable state to an enable state before a voltage level of the first output scan signal is converted from an enable state to a disable state. Thereby, a rewriting problem is avoided. |
| US08199088B2 |
Array substrate, method of manufacturing the array substrate, and liquid crystal display device having the array substrate
In an array substrate, a method of manufacturing the array substrate, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) device having the array substrate, a pixel electrode includes an outline portion, connection portions, and slit portions. The outline portion is arranged toward a data line and a gate line thereon, and the connection portions extend in a direction that crosses the data line and the gate line, respectively, to connect to the outline portion. The slit portions protrude from side surfaces of the connection portions to connect to the outline portion. A shielding electrode is arranged toward the outline portion between the data line and the outline portion, and the gate line and the outline portion. |
| US08199086B2 |
Stacked color photodisplay
The invention comprises a stacked color photodisplay apparatus using a photosensitive cholesteric liquid crystalline material on which an image can be optically addressed, retained without degradation for an indefinite period of time, electrically erased and a new image addressed. This is similar to a photographic film except that the photodisplay film can be used over and over again similar to digital display but without the cost of addressing electronics. Included is a device for enhancing the brightness of the image and electrooptical devices for optically writing digital images on the photodisplay. Each cell in the stack can be selectively addressed with a different optical image such as the red, green and blue components of a color digital image. |
| US08199081B2 |
Display apparatus, display-apparatus driving method and electronic instrument
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including: a pixel array section including pixel circuits laid out to form a matrix as pixel circuits each having an electro optical device, a signal writing transistor, a device driving transistor, and a storage capacitor; a power-supply scan circuit; a signal outputting circuit; and a write scan circuit. |
| US08199078B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and method of driving the same
A display apparatus includes: a display area formed by disposing pixel circuits in a matrix; a signal line drive circuit for generating drive signals for signal lines in accordance with image data, and outputting the drive signals for the signal lines to signal lines of the display area, respectively; and a scanning line drive circuit for outputting write signals to scanning lines for write of the display area, respectively; wherein when there is no change in the image data, the scanning line drive circuit stops the write signals from being outputted. |
| US08199076B2 |
Pixel circuit
A pixel circuit includes an LED having an anode that receives a driving current and a cathode that receives a scan signal, and a driving circuit including: a switch unit operable according to a voltage signal, and adapted for permitting transfer of a data signal when operating in an on state; a capacitor having a first end coupled to the switch unit, and a second end; a first transistor having a first terminal that is coupled to the second end of the capacitor, a second terminal that is coupled to the anode of the LED, and a control terminal that is coupled to the first end of the capacitor; and a second transistor having a first terminal that is adapted for coupling to the voltage source, a second terminal that is coupled to the first terminal of the first transistor, and a control terminal that is adapted for receiving a reference voltage. |
| US08199073B2 |
Electro-luminescence display device that reduces the number of output channels of a data driver
An electro-luminescence display device for reducing the number of output channels of a data driver is disclosed. An electro-luminescence (EL) display device according to the present invention includes an EL display panel having a plurality of pixels; m data electrode lines (wherein m is an integer) and a plurality of scan electrode lines in the EL display panel, the data electrode lines and the scan electrode lines defining the pixels; a data driver having a plurality of output channels for supplying data signals to the m data electrode lines; and a multiplexer for connecting each output channel of the data driver to k data electrode lines (wherein k is an integer greater than 2). |
| US08199071B2 |
Color display device and color display method
The color display device includes a colored light generation unit for repetitively generating a plurality of colored lights in a time sequence with a predetermined frequency, and an image generation unit for processing said plurality of colored lights, so as to generate an image corresponding to each of the plurality of colored lights generated in a time sequence. The said predetermined frequency is 180 Hz or more. |
| US08199070B2 |
Enhanced ZScreen modulator techniques
A method and system for use in conjunction with a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness is provided. The method and system comprise a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells and a driver electrically coupled to the cells. The driver is configured to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. Multiple additional improvements are provided, including reducing the thickness of the LC gap (the distance between cell electrode plates), creating a charge connection or wiring connection to the cell electrodes, employing anti-reflection coating technology, thinner ITO and ITO index matched to the LC material, bonding all possible air to material surfaces, using superior glass, employing more efficient polarizers, and reducing projector blanking time. |
| US08199063B2 |
Dual-band dual-polarized base station antenna for mobile communication
Disclosed is a dual-band dual-polarized antenna for a mobile communication base station, which includes: a reflection plate; a first radiation device module for transmitting and receiving two linear orthogonal polarizations for a first frequency band, the first radiation device module generally having a square shape, the first radiation device module including a plurality of dipoles arranged to form the square shape, each of the dipoles substantially having a transverse side and a vertical side; and a second radiation device module for a second frequency band which is arranged within the square shape of the first radiation device module, and includes a plurality of dipoles generally arranged to form a cross-shape. |
| US08199062B2 |
Phased-array antenna radiator parasitic element for a super economical broadcast system
A parasitic element for a phased-array antenna radiator is provided. The radiator comprises a first dipole radiator including two coplanar monopole radiating elements disposed symmetrically about a radiation axis, a second dipole radiator, arranged orthogonally with respect to the first dipole radiator, including two coplanar radiating elements disposed symmetrically about the radiation axis, and a parasitic gain element, having a substantially elliptical shape, disposed above the first and second dipole radiators and centered on the radiation axis. |
| US08199060B2 |
Method and system for a phased array antenna embedded in an integrated circuit package
Aspects of a method and system for configurable antenna in an integrated circuit package are provided. In this regard, a phased array antenna embedded in a multi-layer integrated circuit (IC) package may be utilized for transmitting and/or receiving signals. An IC enabled to transmit and/or receive signals may be bonded to the multi-layer IC package and may communicate a reference signal and/or one or more phase shifted versions of said reference signal to the antenna. One or more phase shifters (fabricated, for example, in planar transmission line) may be embedded in the multi-layer IC package and may be controlled via an IC bonded to the multi-layer IC package. The phased array antenna may comprise a plurality of antenna elements which may each comprise an interconnection for communicatively coupling to an associated transmitter and/or receiver, a feeder line, a quarter wavelength transformer, and a radiating portion (e.g., a folded dipole). |
| US08199057B2 |
Antenna device and wireless communication apparatus
An antenna device capable of not only achieving multiple resonances and wideband characteristics but also achieving improvement of antenna efficiency and accurate matching at all resonant frequencies, and a wireless communication apparatus. In one example, an antenna device 1 includes a radiation electrode 2 to which power is capacitively fed through a capacitor portion C1, and additional radiation electrodes 3-1 to 3-3 branched from the radiation electrode 2. A distal end portion 2a of the radiation electrode 2 is grounded to a ground region 402, and is a portion at which a minimum voltage is obtained when power is fed. A capacitor portion C2 that is a portion at which a maximum voltage is obtained when power is fed is disposed in a proximal end portion 2b of the radiation electrode 2, and a variable capacitance element 4 which is grounded is connected in series with the capacitor portion C2. The additional radiation electrodes 3-1 to 3-3 are connected to the radiation electrode 2 through switch elements 31 to 33, and include reactance circuits 5-1 to 5-3 in a middle thereof. Distal end portions of the additional radiation electrodes 3-1 to 3-3 are grounded to the ground region 402. |
| US08199052B1 |
Systems and methods for determining a rotational position of an object
Apparatus and methods determine the rotational position of a spinning object. A satellite positioning system can be used to determine the spatial position of an object, which in turn can be used to guide the object. However, when the object is spinning, such as an artillery shell, then the rotational orientation should be known in order to properly actuate the control surfaces, such as fins, which will also be spinning. |
| US08199046B2 |
Radar system to determine whether an object is subject of detection based on intensity of a radio wave emission of the object
An object detection system includes a first object detection unit that detects an object in an area near the system using a radar and an object determination section that determines whether the object in the area near the system is a subject of detection, using a result of detection by the first object detection unit. The object determination section treats the object as the subject of detection if (i) an intensity of a radio wave from the object that is currently received by the first object detection unit is equal to or higher than a first threshold value or if (ii) an intensity of a radio wave from the object that was received in the past by the first object detection unit was equal to or higher than the first threshold value and the intensity of the radio wave from the object that is currently received by the first object detection unit is equal to or higher than a second threshold value that is lower than the first threshold value. |
| US08199042B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for physical layouts of analog-to-digital converters
Physical layouts of integrated circuits are provided, which may include an analog-to-digital converter including a plurality of comparators. Individual transistors of each comparator of the plurality are arranged in a one-dimensional row in a first direction. Neighboring comparators of the plurality of comparators are positioned relative to each other in an abutting configuration in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The plurality of comparators may include multiple, inter-coupled outputs. Such an ADC may be called a Benorion Analog-to-Digital Converter. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit is also provided. The method comprises arranging transistors of a first comparator in a one-dimensional row in a first direction, arranging transistors of at least one additional comparator in the one-dimensional row in the first direction, and arranging transistors of the first comparator and the at least one additional comparator relative to each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. |
| US08199036B2 |
Parallel-serial converter
There is provided a parallel-serial converter including a selector to convert parallel data to serial data, a flip-flop to which the serial data are input so as to latch the serial data, a generator to generate replica data simulating the serial data, a detector to detect a first switching point of the replica data and a second switching point subsequent to the first switching point, and a controller to control relative timings of timing converted to the serial data in the selector and timing when the serial data is latched in the flip-flop, based on the first switching point and the second switching point. |
| US08199033B2 |
Haptic keyboard systems and methods
Various embodiments provide keyboards that utilize electrically-deformable material as an actuating mechanism to provide haptic feedback to a user of the keyboard. In at least some embodiments, the electrically-deformable material is utilized to impart, to a depressed key or keyboard element, a multi-vectored movement that produces a perceived acceleration of the key or keyboard element thus providing a user with haptic feedback which simulates a snapover movement. In at least some embodiments, a light source can be mounted or otherwise positioned relatively close to and beneath the top surface of one or more keys or keyboard elements to backlight a portion or portions of a keyboard. |
| US08199029B2 |
Combined smoke detector and lighting unit
A combined smoke detector and lighting unit includes a smoke detector sensor mounted to a housing, a light source mounted to the housing, and an electrical interface mounted to the housing. The electrical interface is in electrical communication with the smoke detector and the light source. |
| US08199024B2 |
Low-voltage connection with safety circuit and method for determining proper connection polarity
A safety circuit used in low-voltage connecting systems leaves the two low-voltage systems disconnected until it determines that it is safe to make a connection. When the safety circuit determines that no unsafe conditions exist and that it is safe to connect the two low-voltage systems, the safety circuit may connect the two systems by way of a “soft start” that provides a connection between the two systems over a period of time that reduces or prevents inductive voltage spikes on one or more of the low-voltage systems. When one of the low-voltage systems has a completely-discharged battery incorporated into it, a method is used for detection of proper polarity of the connections between the low-voltage systems. The polarity of the discharged battery is determined by passing one or more test currents through it and determining whether a corresponding voltage rise is observed. |
| US08199022B2 |
Test module for motor control center subunit
A system and method are provided for coordinating the installation and removal a motor control center subunit with the power connection and interruption thereof. A system of interlocks and indicators causes an operator to install a motor control center subunit into a motor control center, and connect supply and control power thereto, in a particular order. Once installed, a test module system included with the subunit provides for pass-through connection of signals from equipment test points. The test module can thus relay internal conditions of the subunit to the operator without a need for disengaging or opening the subunit. |
| US08199018B2 |
Detector for state of person
An object of the present invention is to provide a human condition detecting apparatus for highly accurately detecting a human condition, without any burden. A human condition detecting apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising a first stimulus applying device 10 for applying a stimulus for acquisition of reference information to a subject; a second stimulus applying device 10 for applying a stimulus for acquisition of condition information to the subject; a stimulus reaction detecting device 20 for detecting reactions of the subject to the stimulus applied by the first stimulus applying device 10 and to the stimulus applied by the second stimulus applying device 10, by an ecological index of the subject; and a condition determining device 41 for determining a condition of the subject, based on a comparison between the reaction of the subject to the stimulus applied by the first stimulus applying device 10 and the reaction of the subject to the stimulus applied by the second stimulus applying device 10. |
| US08199011B2 |
Lock with electric locking function
A lock includes a case receiving a driving device having a driving member. A connecting member is connected to the driving member to move therewith. The driving device can be actuated to move the connecting member between upper and lower positions to control alignment of a distal end of a locking member and a passageway of an unlocking member. A first detecting member is mounted in the case and operatively connected to the connecting member. A second detecting member is mounted in the space and connected to a burglar alarm system. When the distal end of the locking member is misaligned with the passageway, the first detecting member is in a conductive state and turns on the burglar alarm system. When the distal end of the locking member is aligned with the passageway, the first detecting member is in a non-conductive state and turns off the burglar alarm system. |
| US08199009B2 |
Method and system for administering remote area monitoring system
A remote area monitoring system is configured to detect movement in a disallowed direction through a space. The system monitors two volumetric spaces that are established by the system, both of which spaces are defined with respect to depth, width and height. In one embodiment, the system includes one or more stereoscopic sensors for capturing image information of the space, a processor processing the image information to detect movement of humans or objects in a disallowed direction through the space, and an alarm indicator. The system may also include workstation configured to display and store the image information. The workstation may have multiple levels of access, such as basic user, supervisor and technician level access. The workstation may display a log of alarm or related events and permit selection of events and viewing of image information associated with the events. |
| US08199004B1 |
RFID tag reader
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag reader. The tag reader includes a power detection circuit operable to detect power from a plurality of different power sources, and a controller for operating the radio frequency identification tag reader at a power consumption level commensurate with a detected power source. |
| US08199003B2 |
Devices and methods for detecting environmental circumstances and responding with designated communication actions
Provided are a wireless communication device and a communication device control method that include a set of templates corresponding to a plurality of potential environmental circumstances. The templates may be stored in a database in the computer readable memory of the communication device. At predetermined intervals, a suite of environmental sensors integral to the communication device may periodically sample the user's environment. The user's environmental circumstances may be derived or inferred by an analysis module based on the output of the suite of environmental sensors and then may be compared to the templates to determine a matching template. An action script is then executed based at least partially on the matching template which may include the contacting of a responding party. |
| US08198998B1 |
Identification of power line locations by power line signatures
The location of a device on an electrical power line is identified using a power line characteristic, such as a power line impedance as a function of frequency, and/or a power line transfer function identified from the first device to a second device communicating with the first device over the electrical power line. Power line information is determined by receiving a signal from a first device, determining a power line transfer function based on the received signal, and determining power line information based on the determined power line transfer function. |
| US08198995B2 |
Methods and systems for automated emergency lighting
A control circuit for activating at least one emergency light when a vehicle's brakes are applied is described. The control circuit includes a pressure switch configured to selectively couple a power source and an electronically-operated actuator to facilitate selectively energizing the electronically-operated actuator. The electronically-operated actuator includes at least one contact set configured to couple the power source to the at least one emergency light when the electronically-operated actuator is not energized. The control circuit also includes a manual reset circuit coupled to the pressure switch and to the electronically-operated actuator. The manual reset circuit configured to facilitate energizing the electronically-operated actuator upon receipt of an operator input. |
| US08198993B2 |
System for monitoring the tire pressure in vehicles
Described is a procedure for controlling the transmission operation of a tire pressure monitoring device (1) arranged in a pneumatic tire of a vehicle, whereby data telegrams are transmitted in a normal mode of operation (13) in first time intervals, and there is a changeover from the normal mode of operation (13) to a pressure drop mode, if an inspection of the pressure signals indicates a drop in the pressure of a drop speed exceeding a pre-defined threshold value, and data telegrams are transmitted in the pressure drop mode in second time intervals, which are shorter than the first time intervals, and the tire pressure monitoring devices (1) are put into a travel starting mode (10, 11, 12) at the beginning of the travel by activation a roll sensor. Data telegrams are transmitted in the travel starting mode in shorter third time intervals as compared to the normal mode of operation. |
| US08198992B2 |
Seat belt warning system
A safety belt warning system for vehicles comprises a sensor mat for the detection of a force acting on its surface, which includes, for the formation of two electrical capacitors, two dielectric layers which are located one above the other in sandwich fashion and arranged in each case between electrically conductive coats, and which have different compressibility at least in the direction of loading due to force, so that the capacitances of the two capacitors vary differently with a load on the sensor mat. |
| US08198991B2 |
Telematics terminal and method for notifying emergency conditions using the same
A telematics device and method for notifying emergency conditions associated with a motor vehicle. The method includes sensing an occurrence of at least one predetermined event and generating a corresponding notification signal; activating a camera in or on the motor vehicle based on the notification signal; and transmitting an image captured by the camera to a remote server. |
| US08198980B1 |
Numeric geodesic locator
A geodesic locator system having an input for receiving a user-inputted numeric code in a format limited solely to digits and expressed by a fixed code length. The system associates the received numeric code with a unique geographical area on the Earth's surface and communicates that area to the user. |
| US08198978B2 |
Film resistor with a constant temperature coefficient and production of a film resistor of this type
The invention relates to a film resistor (1) comprising a carbon-containing material (3) into which clusters (4) of conductive cluster material are introduced, wherein the conductive cluster material has a positive temperature coefficient. The clusters (4) are surrounded by a graphite casing and embedded in the carbon-containing material (3). Furthermore, the cluster material is present in a thermodynamically stable phase. The invention also relates to a method for producing a film resistor (1), wherein a PVD process is carried out on a carrier substrate (11) using a sputtering material under a reactive atmosphere of a carbon-containing gas, and therefore the carbon-containing gas is dissociated and a carbon-containing layer (3) is deposited on the carrier substrate (11), with clusters (4) of the sputtering material being embedded in said carbon-containing layer, wherein the carbon-containing layer (3) is heated to a predetermined temperature while the PVD process is carried out, with the sputtering material or a compound of the sputtering material forming in a stable phase at said temperature. |
| US08198971B2 |
Laminated inductor
A laminated inductor includes a laminate having a plurality of insulating layers, a helical coil and first and second external electrodes on an underside of the laminate. The helical coil has coiled electrodes, each coiled up in one turn, and the first and second external electrodes are connected to respective, or corresponding, ends of the helical coil. Each of the coiled electrodes of the helical coil follow a path along the periphery of one of the insulating layers and include first end located in the path and second end located outside the path. The helical coil and the first external electrode are connected to each other by a lead via conductor formed in a space that is enclosed by parts of the coiled electrodes including the first and second ends. |
| US08198966B2 |
Docking station for a transformer and method for installation of a transformer station
A transformer station is disclosed comprising a foundation plate and a building with a transformer positioned on top of the foundation plate. The foundation plate is provided with a docking station comprising a first electrical connector. The building with the transformer is provided with a corresponding second electrical connector configured for direct mating with the first electrical connector when the building is placed onto the foundation plate. The transformer station is installed by: providing the foundation plate with a docking station having a first electrical connector; providing the building with a corresponding second electrical connector for connection with the first electrical connector; and placing the building onto the foundation plate with the first and second electrical connectors mating to each other. |
| US08198965B2 |
Grounding of magnetic cores
An apparatus includes a magnetic core, a ground node, and one or more vias to provide a connection between the magnetic core and the ground potential. The magnetic core includes a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer. In addition, the apparatus may include a conductive pattern. The conductive pattern may be at a third layer between the first and second magnetic layers. The apparatus may be included in inductors, transformers, transmission lines, and other components using ferromagnetic cores or shields. Such components may be integrated on a chip or die. |
| US08198961B2 |
Microwave filter based on a novel combination of single-mode and dual-mode cavities
A microwave filter based on the combination of dual-mode and single-mode cavities. The single-mode cavity symmetrically extends from the dual-mode cavity with respect to the symmetric reference plane to form the so called extended doublet network. The microwave filter in extended-doublet configuration exhibit high frequency selectivity since it has a pair of finite frequency transmission zeros on the upper and lower stopband. The design concept can also be applied to build higher order filters. |
| US08198959B2 |
Acoustic wave filter device
An acoustic wave filter device including a balanced-unbalanced conversion function in which balancing between signals transmitted to first and second balanced terminals is improved includes a longitudinally-coupled resonator type acoustic wave filter unit including an unbalanced end and first and second balanced ends and an acoustic wave resonator. First and second divided electrode sections included in an IDT are respectively connected to first and second signal lines which are connected to the first and second balanced ends of the acoustic wave filter unit. A length of a line which connects the first divided electrode section to the first balanced end is equal or substantially equal to a length of a line which connects the second divided electrode section to the second balanced end, and the first divided electrode section is different from the second divided electrode section. |
| US08198958B1 |
Power amplifier matching RF system and method using bulk acoustics wave device
An RF system includes a power amplifier with output impedance and a BAW filter with an input impedance and output impedance. A matching network includes an inductance connecting the power amplifier to the BAW filter and an impedance transformation ratio of at least 1:10 is provided at the output impedance of the power amplifier to the output impedance of the BAW filter. |
| US08198957B2 |
Micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) resonator and manufacturing method thereof
A micro-electro-mechanical-system resonator, includes: a substrate; a fixed electrode formed on the substrate; and a movable electrode, arranged facing the fixed electrode and driven by an electrostatic attracting force or an electrostatic repulsion force that acts on a gap between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode. An internal surface of a support beam of the movable electrode facing the fixed electrode has an inclined surface. |
| US08198948B2 |
Vibrator element, sensor device, sensor, and electronic apparatus
A vibrator element includes: a base part; and a vibrating arm extended from the base part in a first direction, the vibrating arm including a first region, a second region, and a third region sequentially arranged from the base part side in the first direction, the first region to the third region including first electrodes and second electrodes that generate electric fields in second directions perpendicular to the first direction in a plan view and are electrically independent from each other, wherein electric field directions of the first region and the third region and an electric field direction of the second region are opposite to each other, and the vibrating arm is expanded and contracted in the first direction by the electric fields in the second directions, and the vibrating arm is vibrated in third directions as directions perpendicular to the respective first direction and second directions. |
| US08198943B2 |
Electronic circuit frequency generation
An oscillation signal with a selectable frequency is generated with a phase locked loop (10, 12, 14). The oscillator (10) of the loop receives a feedback signal, to which an offset is added in order to reduce transient effects when a frequency modification is made. A first and second offset control value are used to control the offset successively. The first offset control value is controlled by a combination of the frequency settings before and after the modification. The second offset control value is controlled by the frequency settings after the modification. The first and second offset control values are used to control an offset of applying to a frequency control signal of an oscillator (10) of the phase locked loop (10, 12, 14). The offset controlled by the first control offset value is applied during a predetermined time interval before the offset controlled by the second control offset value is applied. |
| US08198941B2 |
Amplifier circuit and method of amplifying a signal in an amplifier circuit
There is provided an amplifier circuit, comprising: an input, for receiving an input signal to be amplified; a power amplifier, for amplifying the input signal; a switched power supply, having a switching frequency, for providing at least one supply voltage to the power amplifier; and a dither block, for dithering the switching frequency of the switched power supply. The dither block is controlled based on the input signal. Another aspect of the invention involves using first and second switches, each having different capacitances and resistances, and using the first or second switch depending on the input signal or volume signal. Another aspect of the invention involves controlling a bias signal provided to one or more components in the signal path based on the input signal or volume signal. |
| US08198940B2 |
Self-calibrating gain control system
A circuit for self-calibrating a gain control system samples the output of a digital amplifier coupled in series with one or more analog amplifiers to correct errors in a discrete stepped gain control. A digital gain control circuit controls both the digital amplifier and at least one analog amplifier to produce a smooth linear and continuous gain, wherein perturbations in the digital control of gain are smoothed by a signal applied to gain control circuit by a gain step correction circuit. |
| US08198937B1 |
Switched-capacitor amplifier circuit
A switched-capacitor amplifier circuit (200 and 300) with rail-to-rail capability without requiring a rail-to-rail operational amplifier includes a switched-capacitor amplifier (202 and 302) and an input network (201) coupled to the switched-capacitor amplifier. The switched-capacitor amplifier includes a non-rail-to-rail operational amplifier (275 and 375). The input network prevents the non-rail-to-rail operational amplifier from receiving an input differential signal that has a common-mode voltage at or near rails of the non-rail-to-rail operational amplifier. Voltages at input terminals of the operational amplifier remain near analog ground, which is an arbitrary voltage level between the rails, during both phases of switching in the switched-capacitor amplifier. In one embodiment, the switched-capacitor amplifier uses a correlated double sampling technique. |
| US08198935B2 |
Transistor junction diode circuitry systems and methods
Methods and apparatus for capacitive voltage division are provided, an example apparatus having an input and an output and including a first switched capacitor circuit. In some embodiments, the capacitive voltage divider includes first and second MOSFETs. A first capacitor is coupled between the drain of the first MOSFET and the input to the capacitive voltage divider. A first circuit coupled to the drain of the first MOSFET is configured to pull down the drain of the first MOSFET and thus apply a reverse bias to a first junction diode internal to the first MOSFET between the drain and the bulk of the first MOSFET. A second capacitor is coupled between the source of the first MOSFET and the drain of the second MOSFET. A second circuit is configured to reverse bias a second junction diode between the drain and bulk of the second MOSFET. |
| US08198926B2 |
Loop type clock adjustment circuit and test device
A variable delay circuit applies a variable delay that corresponds to an analog signal to a reference clock so as to generate a delayed clock. A phase detection unit detects the phase difference between the delayed clock and the reference clock, and generates a phase difference signal having a level that corresponds to the phase difference. A counter performs a counting up operation or a counting down operation according to the level of the phase difference signal. A digital/analog converter converts the count value of the counter into an analog signal, and supplies the count value thus converted to the variable delay circuit. The counter comprises: a first counter configured to use a first thermometer code to count the lower group of digits of the count value according to the phase difference signal; a second counter configured to use a second thermometer code to count an upper group of digits of the count value according to the phase difference signal; and a control circuit configured to perform a control operation such that the Hamming distance is maintained at 1 even in a carry operation and a borrow operation of the first counter and the second counter. |
| US08198924B2 |
Method and apparatus for producing triangular waveform with low audio band content
A triangular waveform generator includes a square waveform clock circuit and an active integrator. The active integrator receives input from the square waveform clock circuit and generates a triangular waveform output. An active feedback network is operatively added to the active integrator to reduce the audio band noise content in the triangular waveform output. The feedback network acts as a DC balance without significant sacrifice in the linearity of the triangular waveform output. |
| US08198923B2 |
Harmonic suppression circuit, an injection-locked frequency divider circuit and associated methods
The invention includes a harmonic suppression circuit, an injection-locked frequency divider circuit (ILFD) and associated methods. The harmonic suppression circuit comprises a source voltage, two suppression modules, two input terminals, two smoothed output terminals and a ground. The ILFD comprises a ground, an input transistor, an input terminal, two divider legs, two output terminals and a source voltage. The associated method to improve harmonic suppression comprises acts of synthesizing differential-phase signals and simultaneously suppressing second harmonics of in-phase signals. The method to extent an ILFD's locking range comprises acts of decreasing quality factor while keeping resonance frequency constant. |
| US08198922B1 |
Programmable ultrasound transmit beamformer integrated circuit and method
A digital switched current source is coupled to a programmable current source-driver and controlled by waveforms stored in the programmable and floating complementary sourcing and sinking current source-driver. A plurality of complementary P- and N-MOSFET is coupled to the programmable floating current source driver. The transformer-less programmable ultrasound transmit beamformer integrated circuit is provided and directly coupled to the plurality of transducers. |
| US08198920B2 |
Low current comparator with programmable hysteresis
A low current comparator with programmable hysteresis is disclosed that uses a ratio of latch intrinsic (internal) latch capacitance and capacitance of a sample capacitor to adjust hysteresis. In some implementations, the comparator includes a switch capacitor sampling stage coupled to a dynamic latch output stage. Depending on an output state (0 or 1) of the comparator, hysteresis is generated by adding or subtracting a first charge stored in the latch intrinsic capacitance to or from a second charge stored in the sampling capacitor. The ratio of latch intrinsic capacitance and the capacitance of the sampling capacitor can be adjusted to trim hysteresis value. The hysteresis function does not require additional capacitors or additional logic. |
| US08198917B2 |
Current segmentation circuit for optimizing output waveform for high speed data transmission interface
The present invention provides a current segmentation circuit for optimizing output waveform from high speed data transmission interface, which comprises a four current sources controlled by four switches to segment current so as to control the rising and falling time of the high speed transmission data, and to match the delay of the current control signal and the delay of the data, wherein the four current sources are I1, I2, I3 and I4, and the current control switches are K1, K2, K3 and K4, wherein I1+I2=I3+I4, wherein the switches K1 and K3 control the current I1/I3 to flow into DP/DM line, and the switches K2 and K4 control the current I2/I4 to flow into DP/DM line. The present invention can depress overshoot and eliminate turning point in the waveform. |
| US08198915B2 |
Semiconductor device using normal and auxiliary through silicon vias
One interface chip and a plurality of core chips are electrically connected via a plurality of through silicon vias. A data signal of a driver circuit is input into the core chip via any one of the through silicon vias. An output switching circuit activates any one of tri-state inverters and selects one of the through silicon vias. The tri-state inverters amplify the data signal and transmit it to the through silicon via. Similarly, an input switching circuit activates any one of tri-state inverters. These tri-state inverters also amplify the data signal transmitted from the through silicon via and supply it to the receiver circuit. |
| US08198909B2 |
Electronics tester with a signal distribution board and a wafer chuck having different coefficients of thermal expansion
The invention relates to a tester apparatus of the kind including a portable supporting structure for removably holding and testing a substrate carrying a microelectronic circuit. An interface on the stationary structure is connected to the first interface when the portable structure is held by the stationary structure and is disconnected from the first interface when the portable supporting structure is removed from the stationary structure. An electrical tester is connected through the interfaces so that signals may be transmitted between the electrical tester and the microelectronic circuit to test the microelectronic circuit. |
| US08198908B2 |
Probe substrate with auxiliary contact pads and probe card therewith
Disclosed are a probe substrate and a probe card using the same. The probe substrate includes a ceramic stack structure stacked with a plurality of layers; vias disposed in the ceramic stack structure to perform inner-layer connection, and pads electrically connected to the vias; a contact opening disposed at the ceramic stack structure, and partially exposing the pads; and contact pads disposed at side walls of the contact opening, electrically connected to the pads, and electrically connected to pogo pins. |
| US08198900B2 |
Automotive battery charging system tester
An automotive battery charging system tester for testing the charging system of an automotive vehicle includes AC and DC voltage measurement circuits and a microprocessor controlled testing sequence. The microprocessor is used to perform a series of tests and to instruct an operator to perform steps associated with performing those tests. Through the application of various loads at various engine speeds, the tester is capable of identifying faults in the battery charging system including a bad battery, problems in the alternator or associated electronics, and problems in the starting system. |
| US08198895B2 |
System and method for magnetic resonance coil actuation
An apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic resonance (MR) coil elements and a plurality of voltage-actuated switches coupled to the plurality of MR coil elements, each voltage-actuated switch configured to selectively activate a respective MR coil element. The apparatus also includes a voltage source configured to supply a voltage to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches, a control unit coupled to the voltage source, and a plurality of transmission lines coupled to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches and to the control unit and configured to provide an actuation signal from the voltage source to the plurality of voltage-actuated switches. The plurality of transmission lines being free of discrete resistive elements and having a substantially uniform resistivity such that an interaction between the plurality of transmission lines and the plurality of MR coil elements is minimized and thermal dissipation is distributed over a length of each of the plurality of transmission lines. |
| US08198894B2 |
High frequency magnetic field coil and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus with the same
An RF coil for MR Imaging that can change a resonance frequency easily and instantaneously in response to a nuclide to be imaged without exchange and adjustment and that also causes only small lowering of sensitivity. The RF coil has a sub coil for changing a resonance frequency of the transmitting/receiving RF coil for transmitting and receiving an MR signal between itself and a nuclide that is an object to be imaged. The sub coil is equipped with a switch, and at the time of switching-on, shifts the resonance frequency of the RF coil by changing an inductance value of the RF coil in a noncontact manner using inductance coupling. |
| US08198889B2 |
Magnetic sensor for an elevating motor
A magnetic sensor for an elevating motor, and more particularly to a magnetic sensor whose magnetic induction elements are sealed within a magnetically non-permeable minor sleeve. Meanwhile, a signal transmission line is extended therefrom. In addition, the minor sleeve and the magnetic induction elements are disposed within a gear box of the elevating motor. Since the magnetic sensor in accordance with the invention is designed in a built-in type, it is not easily affected and damaged by the external environment. As a result, the service life may be prolonged. Moreover, it is modularized for a compact structure and a practical installation. In addition, it approaches more to the rotational and magnetic pole, thereby enhancing the measuring accuracy. |
| US08198888B2 |
Method and system for determining the distance between a profiled surface and a functional surface moving in relation thereto by using measurement coils and a reference coil
In one embodiment, a method for determining the distance of a conducting surface profiled in a direction of distance determination from a functional surface moving relative to the profiled surface is disclosed. The method includes connecting inputs of a sensor to an oscillator arrangement. The sensor includes a first and a second measuring coil. The method includes further connecting outputs of the sensor to an analog-to-digital converter via a demodulator unit to obtain first and second digital measured values. The first and second digital measured values correspond to the distance between the profiled surface and the first and second measuring coil of the sensor, respectively. The method further includes connecting an arithmetic unit to the analog converter unit. The second measurement coil is arranged at a known distance from the first measuring coil on the side of the first measuring coil that faces away from the profiled surface. The method finally includes calculating, using the first and second digital measured value and a reference digital value and the fixed distance, a distance measured value giving the distance of the functional surface from the profiled surface. The reference digital value corresponding to the measured value from a reference coil. The reference coil is assigned to the first and second measuring coils and the reference coil is located outside the range of influence of the profiled surface. |
| US08198885B2 |
Shielded current sensor
A planar magnetic current sensor is described, incorporating a number of features designed to improve the efficiency and reliability of the basic sensor. The improvements comprise providing inner and outer conductive shields, an increased number of sensor elements for a given circuit board area, and distributing the resistance of the sensor circuitry. The conductive shields prevent high transient voltages and eddy currents that may damage the sensor itself. The depth of the inner and outer conductive shields is chosen to produce eddy currents sufficient to attenuate the magnetic fields associated with transient pulses of a frequency above the frequencies to be measured. An aperture is provided from the exterior of the conductive shields or sealing caps, if present, to an annular space, to allow an output signal to pass from the interior of the sensor to the exterior of the sensor for monitoring. |
| US08198882B2 |
Power converting device with high power transformation efficiency
A power converting device converts a DC voltage input from an external power source into an AC voltage output across an output capacitor of an output circuit, and includes a coupling circuit having series first and second windings. A rectifying diode has a grounded anode coupled to an anode of a clamp diode, and a cathode coupled to the second winding. A cathode of the clamp diode is coupled to a clamp switch and the first winding. A full-bridge circuit includes a first series connection of first and second switches, and a second series connection of third and fourth switches. The first and second series connections are coupled in parallel between the first winding and ground. The output capacitor is coupled between a first common node between the first and second switches, and a second common node between the third and fourth switches. |
| US08198881B2 |
Chopper type DC-DC converter
A chopper type DC-DC converter includes a voltage converting circuit, a comparative wave generating circuit, a comparator group, and a switch control circuit. The voltage converting circuit converts a first voltage into a second voltage. The comparative wave generating circuit generates first and second comparative waves such that the voltage range of the first comparative wave is different from the voltage range of the second comparative wave. The comparator group generates a first comparison result signal indicating a result of comparison between the first comparative wave and an error signal indicating an error between the second voltage and target voltage and a second comparison result signal indicating a result of comparison between the second comparative wave and the error signal. The switch control circuit controls the voltage converting circuit based on the first and second comparison signals. The comparative wave generating circuit includes first and second comparative wave generating circuits. The first and second comparative wave generating circuits respectively generate the first and second comparative waves based on different source voltage groups. |
| US08198877B2 |
Low voltage drop out regulator
A low voltage drop out (LDO) regulator is disclosed. The LDO regulator has a voltage buffer for receiving an input voltage containing a DC component and an AC component, converting the input voltage into a converted voltage having a lower DC component and an AC component following that of the input voltage; a control stage applied with the converted voltage; and an output stage applied with the input voltage. The output stage is controlled by the control stage to output an output voltage of a specific level. In the LDO regulator, elements of small sizes can be used to save a layout area thereof. In the meanwhile, the LDO regulator can maintain a high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) characteristic. |
| US08198874B2 |
Switching power converter with current sensing transformer auxiliary power supply
A switching power converter having a current sensing transformer providing input to an auxiliary power supply provides efficient current sensing, while reducing the cost of the magnetic coupling element. The auxiliary power supply and current sense circuit both receive input from a secondary winding of a current sensing transformer having a primary winding coupled in series with the converter's main magnetic coupling element. To provide accurate sensing, the magnetization the current sensing transformer is accounted for. The magnetization is compensated for in the current sensing result, current sensing is performed during a part of the cycle in which charging of the auxiliary power supply is disabled, or the core of the current sensing transformer is made large, raising its mutual inductance. In another alternative technique, a circuit node can be pre-charged to a value that cancels the offset due to the magnetization current. |
| US08198873B2 |
Power converter
This invention relates to a power converter (1) comprising a converter input (3), a converter output, a power factor pre-regulation stage (5), an isolation stage (7) and a control unit (9). The power factor pre-regulation stage (5) further comprises a buck power factor correction (PFC) circuit (15) and a bulk capacitor (25) fed by the buck PFC circuit. The amount of line current provided to the bulk capacitor (25) by the buck PFC circuit (15) may be adjusted according to the converter requirements in order to keep the voltage across the bulk capacitor (25) sufficient to ensure uniform operation of the power converter. Monitoring of the voltage across the bulk capacitor (25) and monitoring of the isolation stage (7) output current is provided to determine when additional current is to be applied to the bulk capacitor (25) and to ensure the power converter (1) operates within pre-defined parameters. |
| US08198870B2 |
System and method for performing ultracapacitor cell balancing
A circuit for balancing a sub-stack voltage in a stack of ultracapacitors includes a pair of electrical leads that are connectable across a first sub-stack of one or more ultracapacitors, wherein a stack includes N sub-stacks of ultracapacitors coupled to an electrical bus, a discharge device switchably connectable with the pair of electrical leads, the discharge device configured to discharge the sub-stack of ultracapacitors, a voltage sensing circuit coupled to the electrical bus and configured to sense and output a voltage of the stack of ultracapacitors after the first sub-stack of one or more ultracapacitors has been discharged to a given threshold, and a voltage amplifier coupled to the output of the voltage sensing circuit and coupled to the pair of electrical leads, the voltage amplifier configured to provide a re-charge voltage to the first sub-stack of one or more ultracapacitors. |
| US08198869B2 |
System and method for charging capacitors using automatic cell balancing
A circuit for charging a capacitor block including series-connected capacitive elements has an input node for receiving an input, an output node coupled to the capacitor block, a third capacitive element connectable to the input node and the output node, and first and second switching circuitries coupled to the third capacitive element. A voltage sensor determines a relationship between first voltage at the first capacitive element and second voltage at the second capacitive element to separately control switching of the first and second switching circuitries in accordance with the relationship between the voltages. |
| US08198866B2 |
Indicating charging state of handheld electric appliance
In one aspect, a handheld electric appliance includes: an oscillating electric motor or linear motor controlled by control circuitry; a battery connected to the oscillating electric or linear motor; and charge detection circuitry configured to determine a charging state of the battery. The charge detection circuitry is coupled to the control circuitry such that, in response to the charge detection circuitry determining that the charging state of the battery reaches a predetermined threshold, the control circuitry activates the oscillating electric motor or linear motor to cause noise generated by the motor to perceptibly change to indicate a threshold charging state. |
| US08198864B2 |
Method and system for determining a state of charge of a battery
Methods and systems are provided for determining a state of charge of a battery. A magnetic force between the battery and a magnet is detected. The state of charge of the battery is determined based on the detected magnetic force. |
| US08198862B2 |
Battery pack with balancing management
A battery management system for a battery pack comprising multiple battery modules is disclosed. Each of the battery modules includes multiple battery cells. The battery management system includes multiple first balancing units, multiple first controllers, a second balancing unit including multiple second balancing circuits, and a second controller coupled to the battery modules and the second balancing circuits. The first controllers are operable for controlling the first balancing units to adjust voltages of battery cells in the battery module if an unbalance occurs between the battery cells. The second controller is operable for controlling said second balancing circuits to adjust voltages of said battery modules if an unbalance occurs between battery modules. |
| US08198859B2 |
Intra-vehicle charging system for use in recharging vehicles equipped with electrically powered propulsion systems
The E-Grid Sub-Network Load Manager operates to regulate the demands presented by vehicles to the associated Sub-Network thereby to spread the load presented to the service disconnect over time to enable controllable charging of a large number of vehicles. Load management can be implemented by a number of methodologies, including: queuing requests and serving each request in sequence until satisfaction; queuing requests and cycling through the requests, partially serving each one, then proceeding to the next until the cyclic partial charging service has satisfied all of the requests; ordering requests pursuant to a percentage of recharge required measurement; ordering requests on an estimated connection time metric; ordering requests on a predetermined level of service basis; and the like. It is evident that a number of these methods can be concurrently employed thereby to serve all of the vehicles in the most efficient manner that can be determined. |
| US08198858B2 |
Mobile terminal having menu providing function for wireless recharging and recharging method thereof
A mobile terminal is provided including a battery, an output unit, a memory, and a controller. The battery provides power. The output unit outputs a wireless recharge state. The memory stores recharge menus and recharge menu settings. The controller provides recharge menus for wireless recharging of the battery based on whether payment is required for the wireless recharging. The controller also performs a wireless recharging operation according to selection of the recharge menu settings. |
| US08198857B2 |
Common-mode voltage generator with a ripple insensitive sensor for a battery-supplied handset apparatus
A common-mode voltage generator for a battery-supplied apparatus is provided with a battery voltage ripple-insensitive sensor comprising a voltage dividing circuit and a number of hysteresis comparators, by means of which a battery voltage, or a fraction thereof is compared with a series of reference voltages. These reference voltages are derived from an on-chip voltage by means of said voltage dividing circuit. The hysteresis of said hysteresis comparators is larger than the ripple on said battery voltage. Further there is an adjustable regulation loop. The sensor detects a battery voltage range and adjusts the regulation loop on the basis of this range. The regulation loop provides an output commonmode voltage, which is equal to a fraction, preferably half the battery voltage. |
| US08198855B2 |
Charging cable, charging control device and vehicle charging system
Provided is a charging cable capable of detecting an abnormal state, such as a break, of a control line through which a pilot signal is transmitted, the charging cable including: a power cable through which an external power source feeds a power storage device; a signal generating circuit for generating a control signal to output to a vehicle; a control line L1 through which the control signal is transmitted to the vehicle; and a bypass circuit for changing a voltage applied from a vehicle side through the control line L1. |
| US08198854B2 |
Starting circuit for single-phase AC motor and method for starting single-phase AC motor
A starting circuit for a single-phase AC motor, the single-phase AC motor comprising a main winding and a starting winding, and the starting circuit comprising a detecting circuit, a rectifying circuit, a triggering circuit, and a switch, wherein the detecting circuit is connected in series with the main winding, the switch is connected in series with the starting winding, the detecting circuit transfers current parameters of the main winding into detecting signals, the rectifying circuit processes the detecting signals and transmits the detecting signals to the triggering circuit, the triggering circuit controls the switch according to the detecting signals whereby controlling power-on and power-off of the starting winding, and the triggering circuit is a hysteresis comparing circuit. |
| US08198841B2 |
Method and circuit for processing a resolver fault
A method of processing a resolver fault in a motor generator unit (MGU) includes receiving a position signal from a resolver describing a measured angular position of a rotor of the MGU, determining the presence of the resolver fault using the position signal, and calculating or extrapolating an estimated rotor position when the resolver fault is determined. A predetermined resolver fault state may be determined using a measured duration of the resolver fault, and the MGU may be controlled using the estimated rotor position for at least a portion of the duration of the resolver fault. A motor control circuit is operable for processing the resolver fault using the above method, and may automatically vary a torque output or a pulse-width modulation (PWM) of the MGU depending on the duration of the resolver fault. |
| US08198837B1 |
Device and method for measuring and controlling the speed and torque of a DC motor
A DC motor control device calculates motor speed using determinations of motor field flux and armature voltage in the motor. The device includes a control module having one or more control inputs and one or more control outputs. At least one control input is configured to receive data representing field current measured in the DC motor. The control module includes flux curve logic that is responsive to measurements of motor field current to calculate a field flux in the motor. The flux curve logic uses a flux curve stored in the control module, the flux curve representing a functional relationship between field current and field flux in the motor. The flux curve is defined by a plurality of flux curve data points corresponding to a plurality of motor field currents within a lower current range and within an upper current range. The flux curve is further defined by at least a first flux curve line positioned within the lower current range and a second flux curve line positioned within the upper current range. |
| US08198825B2 |
Illuminating module capable of compensating current
An illuminating module is capable of compensating current. The illuminating module can tune the light with a light modulating circuit. The illuminating module includes an illuminating unit and a compensating circuit. The illuminating unit includes a power source, a load impedance, and a level unit. The level unit has a level potential which changes with the light modulating circuit. The compensating circuit includes a first resistor, a first switch, and a judging unit. The first resistor is coupled to the power source. The first switch is coupled to the first resistor and the illuminating unit. The judging unit is coupled to the level unit and the first switch. When the level potential is less than a predetermined potential, the judging unit makes the first switch to be at the conducting state to parallel connect the first resistor and the load impedance. |
| US08198824B2 |
Electronic ballast for restarting high-pressure discharge lamps in various states of operation
A high-pressure discharge lamp ballast is provided for igniting and re-igniting a high-pressure discharge lamp in various states of operation. A power supply circuit is coupled to a power source and supplies AC power to the lamp. An ignition voltage generating circuit supplies a high-voltage ignition pulse for igniting the lamp. A pulse control circuit alternatively controls the ignition voltage generating circuit in a first control mode to provide the high-voltage ignition pulses for a first time period and in a second control mode to delay the high-voltage ignition pulses for a second time period. An abnormality detection circuit detects an abnormal lighting state of the lamp wherein a measured condition of the lamp corresponds to a predetermined condition. The pulse control circuit increases a ratio of the second time period relative to the first time period upon detection of an abnormal lighting state of the lamp by the abnormality detection circuit. |
| US08198823B2 |
Method and gas discharge lamp with filter to control chromaticity drift during dimming
Techniques are disclosed that allow for the use of metal halide lamps in dimming applications, as well as other discharge lamps susceptible to dimming-induced chromaticity drift. Examination of such lamps reveals that some of the spectral changes that cause chromaticity drift during dimming are localized in narrow band regions of the spectrum, and lamp emission in these regions is enhanced (either increased or decreased) relative to the rest of the spectrum. Selective filtering of the enhanced emission caused by dimming can be used to reduce chromaticity shift. For instance, a filter deposited on and/or integrated into a lamp component (such as the arc tube, shroud, and/or outer jacket) operates to block transmission of those regions of the spectrum. |
| US08198820B2 |
Two-wire dimmer circuit for a screw-in compact fluorescent lamp
A dimmer switch for controlling the intensity of a dimmable screw-in compact fluorescent lamp provides smooth dimming of the fluorescent lamp and prevents flickering of the lamp due to multiple re-strikes. The dimmer switch prevents multiple re-strikes by avoiding multiple firings of a controllably conductive switching device of the dimmer circuit by limiting the high-end light intensity of the fluorescent lamp. Specifically, the dimmer switch limits the length of a conduction interval of the controllably conductive switching device to less than approximately 75% of each half-cycle. The dimmer switch may include a user-accessible adjustment actuator for changing the dimmer switch between an incandescent operating mode and a screw-in compact fluorescent mode. The dimmer switch may also be operable to automatically change the dimmer switch between the incandescent operating mode and the screw-in compact fluorescent mode by detecting the occurrence of the multiple firings of the controllably conductive switching device. |
| US08198819B2 |
3-way LED bulb
Circuits to make a 3-way LED light bulb correctly interface to a standard 3-way light socket, producing three levels of light corresponding to the three settings of the socket. One of the circuits prevents color shift due to varying LED current. |
| US08198818B2 |
Vehicle lighting control device
A vehicle lighting control device includes a switching unit to perform ON/OFF control of a driving current supplied to a semiconductor light source depending on a light control signal; and a constant-current control unit to perform constant-current control on the driving current. The constant-current control unit includes a switch unit to perform ON/OFF control of the switching unit; and a signal-maintaining unit to provide a voltage signal corresponding to the driving current to the switch unit when the switching unit performs ON control, and to provide continuously the voltage signal to the switch unit when the switching unit performs OFF control. |
| US08198816B2 |
Extra high pressure lamp having a novel electrode structure
An extra-high pressure mercury lamp includes an arc tube made of quartz glass. The lamp includes an arc tube portion and sealing portions connected to the arc tube portion, and encloses 0.15 mg/mm3 or more of mercury. A pair of electrodes are disposed face to face in the arc tube. Each electrode has a rod portion and a base end portion. The base end portion of each electrode is embedded in one of the sealing portions. One of the pair of electrodes serves as a cathode and includes a head portion, which has a larger diameter than the rod portion. A cylinder portion is connected to a rear end portion of the head portion. The cylinder portion extends in the axis direction of the electrode and surrounds the rod portion. The cylinder portion has an inner surface separated from the rod portion. |
| US08198815B2 |
Amalgam support in an inductively coupled discharge lamp
An inductively coupled fluorescent discharge lamp includes a light transmissive envelope having a re-entrant cavity that has an outer surface inside the envelope, and an excitation coil inside the re-entrant cavity, and a spring clip that is attached to the outer surface of the re-entrant cavity by spring action of the spring clip on the outer surface, where the spring clip includes an amalgam. The spring clip may include a layer of the amalgam plated on a surface of the clip, or an amalgam-bearing flag attached to the clip. |
| US08198811B1 |
Plasma-Disc PDP
A gas discharge device such as a plasma display panel (PDP) device having one or more substrates and a multiplicity of pixels or subpixels. Each pixel or subpixel is defined by a hollow Plasma-shell filled with an ionizable gas. One or more addressing electrodes are in electrical contact with each Plasma-shell. The Plasma-shell may include inorganic and organic luminescent materials that are excited by the gas discharge within each Plasma-shell. The luminescent material may be located on an exterior and/or interior surface of the Plasma-shell or incorporated into the shell of the Plasma-shell. Up-conversion and down-conversion materials may be used. The substrate may be rigid or flexible with a flat, curved, or irregular surface. |
| US08198805B2 |
Display apparatus and electronic device
A display apparatus, includes: a substrate; a plural light emitting elements provided on the substrate and each formed from a lower electrode, a light emitting function layer and an upper layer stacked in this order; a partition for element isolation provided on the substrate and having a plural apertures individually corresponding to the light emitting elements; and a black matrix disposed on the light extraction side of the light emitting elements and having a shape with which the black matrix covers over portions. Each of the apertures of the partition having a side wall is formed in such a tapering shape that the aperture width increases toward the light extraction side of the light emitting elements. The black matrix is provided in such a manner as to cover over an upper edge portion of the tapering shape on at least one side which defines each aperture of the partition. |
| US08198799B2 |
Image display apparatus
A display apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of electroconductive layers outside of an image display area. Mutually adjacent ones of the electroconductive layers are electrically connected by a resistor. The resistor has a first region, and a second region which is more separated from the image display area than the first region. The area of the second region per unit length in the direction separating from the image display area is smaller than the area of the first region. |
| US08198798B2 |
Fluorescent substance having a controlled impurity doping of zinc and light-emitting device using the same
A fluorescent substance includes zinc with a concentration not larger than 400 ppm, and a composition represented by the following formula (I): Ln3(AlxGa1-x)5O12:Cey (I) wherein 0.4≦x≦0.97 and 0.038≦y≦0.048, Ln being composed of yttrium, or yttrium and at least one element selected from scandium, lanthanum, gadolinium, samarium, lutetium, and terbium. An emission spectrum of the fluorescent substance as it is excited by light has a dominant wavelength ranging from 500 nm to 550 nm. |
| US08198794B2 |
Device having aligned carbon nanotube
A method comprising patterning a substrate to form exposed regions of the substrate sized to deter entangled growth of carbon nanotubes thereon and growing vertically aligned nanotubes on the exposed regions of the substrate. |
| US08198791B2 |
Spark plug, and method for manufacturing the same
A spark plug and method of manufacturing the same. The spark plug includes a tubular insulator holding a center electrode, and a tubular metallic shell holding the insulator. The insulator is inserted into the metallic shell from the rear end side thereof until a portion of the insulator engages the metallic shell. In this state, the circumferential edge of the rear end portion of the metallic shell is crimped, whereby the insulator is unitarily fixed to the metallic shell. A talc charged layer is formed in a clearance portion between the insulator and the metallic shell, and a wire packing is placed on a rear end portion of the talc charged layer for engaging the crimp portion. A portion of the talc charged layer is interposed between the wire packing and the rear trunk portion of the insulator. |
| US08198787B2 |
Ultrasonic probe with adhesive protrusion preventive structure
An ultrasonic probe, in which a thick adhesive layer is not formed directly under the piezoelectric element and the adhesive is prevented from covering an electrode portion of a side face of the piezoelectric element. The ultrasonic probe includes: a main backing material having a curved surface; a flexible auxiliary member having a first surface bonded onto the curved surface of the main backing material by using an adhesive; and an array of piezoelectric elements arranged on a second surface of the flexible auxiliary member, wherein at least one of side edges of a bonding surface between the flexible auxiliary member and the main backing material is formed with a recessed area for allowing the adhesive, which has protruded when bonding the flexible auxiliary member onto the main backing material by using the adhesive, to escape thereinto. |
| US08198786B2 |
Inertial driving actuator
An inertial driving actuator includes a fixing member, a moving element that is fixed to the fixing member and generates a small displacement by extension and contraction, an oscillation substrate that is fixed to the moving element and is moved linearly reciprocally by the small displacement, and a moving body that is moved by reciprocal movement of the oscillation substrate. The moving body has a first electrode. The oscillation substrate has a second electrode, the area of the facing portion of the second electrode and the first electrode changing continuously as the moving body moves. The actuator further includes a frictional force controller that controls a frictional force generated between the oscillation substrate and moving body, and a position detector that detects the position of the moving body on the basis of the electrostatic capacitance of the facing portion of the first electrode and the second electrode. |
| US08198776B2 |
Current-energized synchronous motor, particularly for vehicle drives
A current-energized synchronous motor (1) suitable in particular for vehicle drives. It includes a stator (2) and a rotor (3) carrying the energizer winding (7). The rotor (3) has at least two rotor poles (4) with one energizer winding (7) each. The rotor includes at least one selective magnetic flux barrier, in particular in the form of a radial slot (8) along the main axis (4A) of the rotor pole (4). This flux barrier is provided in each rotor pole (4) for increasing the reluctance moment of the current-energized synchronous motor (1). |
| US08198772B2 |
Spindle motor
A spindle motor can include a rotor support piece, which may rotatably support a rotor that is inserted onto one end, and which may include a projecting part that protrudes from the other end and a mounting part that has a flat surface formed along the periphery of the projecting part; a base plate, in which an insertion hole may be formed for inserting the projecting part through, and on which multiple support protrusions may be formed along the periphery of the insertion hole for supporting the mounting part along a periphery of the insertion hole; and a buffer member, which may include a projecting-part hole for inserting the projecting part through and support-protrusion holes for inserting the support protrusions through, and which may be positioned between the rotor support piece and the base plate to absorb vibration. This arrangement can reduce the occurrence and transfer of vibrations. |
| US08198770B2 |
Heat pipe bearing cooler systems and methods
A method of cooling shaft bearings of a high speed rotating machine is provided. In various embodiments, the method includes utilizing a primary cooling circuit of the machine that is structured and operable to cool a drive package of the machine to cool condenser ends of each of a plurality of heat pipes absent an auxiliary cooling system structured for cooling the heat pipe condenser ends. Each heat pipe including a respective evaporator end disposed proximate the shaft bearings to absorb heat generated by the bearings during operation of the machine. |
| US08198768B2 |
Motor
A motor including electrical components laid out to avoid enlargement of the motor. The motor includes a rotor, a cylindrical housing including a closed end and an open end and accommodating the rotor, and an end bracket fixed to the housing to close the open end and including a connector support. Two power supply terminals extend to the connector support. A noise prevention element includes a connection terminal connected to the power supply terminals. A rotation detector detects rotation of the rotor and includes a detector body. The noise prevention element is arranged between the two power supply terminals. The detector body and the noise prevention element are arranged at a portion of the end bracket closer to the connector support and aligned in an axial direction of the motor. |
| US08198767B2 |
Busbar unit, motor, and power steering apparatus
A busbar unit includes a plurality of busbars including a first busbar and a second busbar, an insulating holder in which each of the busbars is arranged, and an insulating member. The holder preferably includes a first groove portion including a first opening portion arranged to receive the first busbar, and a second groove portion arranged adjacent to the first groove portion and including a second opening portion arranged to receive the second busbar. The first busbar includes a first terminal arm portion arranged to extend across the second busbar, and the insulating member is arranged between the first terminal arm portion and the second busbar. |
| US08198766B2 |
Spindle motor
A spindle motor is disclosed, wherein a coupling protruder of a stopper is penetrated into a rotor yoke by caulking. Therefore, no foreign objects that are generated from welding process are produced to inhibit the spindle motor from generating defects caused by the foreign objects and to improve the product reliability. Furthermore, the coupled protruder of the stopper is coupled to the rotor yoke by caulking, to make an assembly process simple. Still furthermore, the spindle motor according to the present invention is economical in that, in a case the coupled stopper is to be separated from the rotor yoke, the coupled stopper and the rotor yoke can be simply separated by cutting off a caulked portion of the coupled protruder, thereby allowing the rotor yoke to be re-used. |
| US08198765B2 |
Motor assembly with a thermally conductive bridging member
A motor assembly includes a housing, a revolving shaft revolvably mounted in the housing, a magnet mounting portion surrounding and rotatable with the revolving shaft, a magnet disposed on the magnet mounting portion, a magnetically inducible core having a plurality of stator poles spaced apart from rotor magnetic poles of the magnet, and a plurality of stator windings wound on the stator poles, respectively. The stator windings are spaced apart from end walls of the housing by axial intervals. A thermally conductive bridging member is disposed to span the axial intervals to conduct heat emanating from the stator windings to the end walls so as to dissipate heat out of the housing. |
| US08198764B2 |
Arrangement for cooling of an electrical machine
An air-gap is between a rotor and a stator. The stator comprises a number of stacked laminate-plates. The laminate-plates are positioned and fixed by a structural support and by end-plates in relation to a central-part of the stator to achieve the air-gap. A cavity is formed by the end-plates, the central-part of the stator, the air-gap and an internal surface of the rotor. An air-cooling arrangement is arranged and used to circulate a gaseous medium for cooling purposes inside the cavity. |
| US08198763B2 |
Controller-integrated electric rotating machine with a shifted control circuit
In a controller-integrated electric rotating machine provided with a power circuit unit and a control circuit unit, a cooling property is improved so that the control circuit unit does not impair a flow of air for cooling the power circuit unit.A power circuit unit (30) having switching elements (30a, 30b) for converting DC power to AC power for supplying the AC power to an electric rotating machine (2), a control circuit unit (32) for controlling the switching elements (30a, 30b) of the power circuit unit (30), and a rotational position detection sensor (4) arranged on a rotating shaft (22) for detecting the rotation of the rotating shaft (22) are provided, and the control circuit unit (32) is disposed at a position where the power circuit unit (30) is not disposed when viewed in the direction of the rotating shaft, and is disposed at a position shifted radially outward so as not to be overlapped with the rotational position detection sensor (4) when viewed in the direction of the rotating shaft. |
| US08198758B2 |
Standby power cut-off device and control method for the same
Provided are a standby power cut-off device for automatically cutting off standby power according to power-on/off of an electronic product and a control method for the standby power cut-off device. By providing an electronic product to which the standby power cut-off device and the control method therefor are applied, the present invention can efficiently cut off standby power by using an existing general outlet without a need to use an outlet having a separate function added thereto. Moreover, the present invention automatically cuts off the standby power according to power-off of the electronic product without unplugging the electronic product, thereby maximizing user's convenience. |
| US08198753B2 |
Power system with method for adding multiple generator sets
A method of operating a power system is provided. The power system has a plurality of generator sets and a bus. The method monitors the bus and generator sets disconnected from the bus. The method supplies to a control device information associated with the operating state of each of the generator sets and the bus. The method determines a relative frequency mismatch, multiplied by a first weight factor, and a relative phase mismatch, multiplied by a second weight factor, between the frequency and phase of the bus and a generator, and generates a frequency speed bias and a phase speed bias for the generator. The method adds the frequency and phase speed biases to form a total speed bias and connects the generator to the bus when the voltage, frequency, and phase of the generator are within a permissible range of the bus. |
| US08198752B2 |
Electrical coupling apparatus and method
An apparatus to provide electrical coupling between two components in a well system is proposed. The apparatus includes a first component disposed around a well-bore and configured to host electrical connections. A second component is disposed concentrically around the first component and configured for power coupling with the first component. A first power coupling unit is disposed on the first component and configured to host one or more transceivers and resonators. A second power coupling unit is disposed on the second component and configured to host one or more transceivers and resonators. The transceivers and resonators on the first and second power coupling units are configured to transfer power in a contactless manner. |
| US08198751B2 |
Semiconductor device and control method of switch transistor thereof
A semiconductor device of the present invention includes a plurality of switch cells having a switch transistor that controls conducting states of a global power supply line and a local power supply line according to a control signal, and a delay circuit that delays the control signal and transmits the control signal to the switch transistor connected to a subsequent stage, a chain unit that receives the control signal from outside, transmits the control signal by the delay circuit connected in series, and sequentially conducts the switch transistor, and a tree unit that is provided with the control signal via the switch cells disposed in a last stage of the chain unit, distributes the control signal to a plurality of groups by the delay circuit connected in parallel, and conducts the switch transistor in parallel by the distributed control signal. |
| US08198748B1 |
Magnetically levitated linear barrel generator
A barrel type, or squirrel cage type wind generator that pairs two fundamental and separate features. The first being its tapered squirrel cage construction that is magnetically suspended above the turbine's bottom stator and thereby eliminates friction and wear normally associated with bearings. Its bearing-less levitation avoids overheating, increases efficiency, and facilitates extended use at high speeds.The second is the electromagnetic interconnection between the rotor and the stator that utilizes both the configuration of a linear generator situated along the perimeters of the upper and lower stators and two hydroelectric-type drag-control generators attached to the upper and lower spindles.Version of this Turbine may also utilize (a) the principles of the Mini-Romag's “magnetic current” to support generating electrical power, (b) variable resistance coreless coils to overcome “start-up drag”, and (c) CAD-optimized aerogel-based blades featuring renewable energy generating coating.The above described patentable both design and its features considerably reduce the costs, size, and complexity found in conventional wind turbines.This unique Magnetically Levitated Linear Barrel Generator allows for smaller, lighter, cost-effective, and easy to install renewable resource generator on rooftops, on existing water-tank towers, and within the telecommunication lattice towers. |
| US08198741B2 |
Wind turbine generator system including controller that performs cut-out control
A wind turbine generator system includes, in a nacelle mounted atop a tower, a main shaft that is coupled to a rotor head to which wind turbine blades are attached and that integrally rotates therewith, a gear box accelerating and outputting the rotation speed of the main shaft, a generator driven by the output of the gear box, and a controller that performs cut-out control during strong wind when a measured value from an anemometer is a predetermined level or more. The controller is configured to decide that the anemometer has a fault when a difference of a predetermined level or more occurs between the measured value from the anemometer and an estimated wind speed value obtained from a relationship between a blade-pitch-angle of the wind turbine blades and an output of the generator. |
| US08198740B2 |
Semiconductor package structure and encapsulating module for molding the same
A semiconductor package structure and encapsulating module for molding the same and an encapsulating mold for molding the same are provided. The encapsulating mold is used for packaging a substrate having a chip so as to mold the substrate having the chip as a package structure. The encapsulating mold has a pressing surface, a smooth surface and a cavity. The smooth surface having a curvature radius is connected with the pressing surface and disposed at a mouth of the cavity. When the encapsulating mold and an encapsulating lower mold are jointed to hold the substrate, the pressing surface contacts and presses the substrate. |
| US08198738B1 |
Structure of bond pad for semiconductor die and method therefor
A bond pad and a method of making the same for a semiconductor die has a bonding region formed on the bond pad. A test region is formed on the bond pad and is adjacent to the bonding region. |
| US08198734B2 |
Silicon-on-insulator structures for through via in silicon carriers
A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is provided for forming through vias in a silicon wafer carrier structure without backside lithography. The SOI structure includes the silicon wafer carrier structure bonded to a silicon substrate structure with a layer of buried oxide and a layer of nitride separating these silicon structures. Vias are formed in the silicon carrier structure and through the oxide layer to the nitride layer and the walls of the via are passivated. The vias are filled with a filler material of either polysilicon or a conductive material. The substrate structure is then etched back to the nitride layer and the nitride layer is etched back to the filler material. Where the filler material is polysilicon, the polysilicon is etched away forming an open via to the top surface of the carrier wafer structure. The via is then backfilled with conductive material. |
| US08198730B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device has a multilayer interconnection including a copper interconnection film formed in a predetermined area within an insulating film, a liner film, and a high-melting-point metal film. The copper interconnection film is polycrystalline, and crystal grains occupying 40% or more of an area of a unit interconnection surface among crystal grains forming the polycrystal are oriented to (111) in a substrate thickness direction. The copper interconnection film has crystal conformity with the noble metal liner film. In a case where the high-melting-point metal film is formed of Ti and the noble metal liner film is a Ru film, the high-melting-point metal of Ti dissolves into Ru in a solid state to form the noble metal liner. Thus, a copper interconnection is formed with both of Cu diffusion barrier characteristics and Cu crystal conformity. |
| US08198727B1 |
Integrated circuit/substrate interconnect system and method of manufacture
An integrated circuit/substrate interconnect apparatus and method are provided. Included is an integrated circuit including a plurality of bond pads, and a substrate including a plurality of landing pads and a mask. Such mask is spaced from the landing pads for defining areas therebetween. Further provided is a plurality of interconnects connected between the bond pads of the integrated circuit and the landing pads of the substrate. The interconnects include metal projections extending from the bond pads and a solder material for connecting the metal projections and the landing pads of the substrate. |
| US08198726B2 |
Through-hole electrode substrate and method of manufacturing the same
A through-hole electrode substrate related to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged with a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of through-holes, an insulating layer formed with an insulating material on the inner walls of the plurality of through-holes and on at least one surface of the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of through-hole electrodes formed with a metal material inside the through-hole, and a plurality of gas discharge parts formed to contact with each of the plurality of through-hole electrodes which is exposed on at least one surface of the semiconductor substrate, the plurality of gas discharge parts externally discharges gas which is discharged from the inside of the plurality of through-hole electrodes. |
| US08198724B1 |
Integrated circuit device having a multi-layer substrate and a method of enabling signals to be routed in a multi-layer substrate
An integrated circuit device having a multi-layer substrate coupled to receive an integrated circuit die and enabling fixed voltage reference signals of a power distribution network and input/output signals to be routed in the integrated circuit device. The multi-layer substrate comprises a first metal layer comprising a reference signal plane of coupling a first fixed voltage reference signal; a dielectric layer positioned on the first metal layer; and a second metal layer having a plurality of conductive traces, wherein the plurality of conductive traces comprise conductive traces for coupling a second fixed reference signal and input/output signals. The plurality of conductive traces may be in a predetermined pattern having reference signal traces and input/output signal traces. A method of enabling different signals comprising reference signals and input/output signals to be routed in a multi-layer substrate adapted to receive a die in an integrated circuit is also disclosed. |
| US08198718B2 |
Semiconductor device with stacked semiconductor chips
A semiconductor device includes first to third semiconductor chips. The second semiconductor chip is stacked over the first semiconductor chip. The third semiconductor chip is stacked over the second semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip shields the first semiconductor chip from noises generated by the third semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip shields the third semiconductor chip from noises generated by the first semiconductor chip. |
| US08198716B2 |
Die backside wire bond technology for single or stacked die package
Methods and apparatus to provide die backside connections are described. In one embodiment, the backside of a die is metallized and coupled to another die or a substrate. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08198715B2 |
MEMS device and process
A MEMS transducer includes a substrate, a membrane layer and a back-plate layer. The membrane layer is supported by the substrate. The back-plate layer is supported by the membrane layer and includes a respective sidewall portion and a respective raised portion. One or more columns, separate from the sidewall portion of the back-plate layer, connect the back-plate layer, the membrane layer and the substrate. |
| US08198714B2 |
Method and system for configuring a transformer embedded in a multi-layer integrated circuit (IC) package
Aspects of a method and system for configuring a transformer embedded in a multi-layer integrated circuit package are provided. In this regard, a windings ratio of a transformer embedded in a multi-layer IC package bonded to an IC may be configured, via logic, circuitry, and/or code in the IC, based on signal levels at one or more terminals of the transformer. The transformer may comprise a plurality of inductive loops fabricated in transmission line media. The integrated circuit may be flip-chip bonded to the multi-layer package. The IC may comprise a signal strength indicator enabled to measure signal levels input to or output by the transformer. The windings ratio may be configured via one or more switches in the IC and/or in the multi-layer package. The IC and/or the multi-layer package may comprise ferromagnetic material which may improve magnetic coupling of the transformer. |
| US08198712B2 |
Hermetically sealed semiconductor device module
A sealed semiconductor power module that may include a rectifier, such as a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), is provided. The module includes an AlN substrate having a bottom surface positioned on a metallic base plate and a top surface that includes a first pad and a second pad, the substrate including a copper body on both of the two major surfaces. The module also includes a first die and a second die positioned on top of the first and second pads, respectively, the first die and the second die each including a main contact area on a top surface thereof, the first die including an isolated gate area on the top surface to which is coupled a gate terminal; and first and second power terminals in direct wirebondless electrical connection via molybdenum tabs with the main contact areas of the die. |
| US08198705B2 |
Ultra-thin die and method of fabricating same
In accordance with a specific embodiment, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed whereby the substrate is thinned, and the dice formed on the substrate are singulated by a common process. Trench regions are formed on a backside of the substrate. An isotropic etch of the backside results in a thinning of the substrate while maintaining the depth of the trenches, thereby facilitating singulation of the die. |
| US08198704B2 |
Semiconductor device including a crystal semiconductor layer
In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device having a crystalline semiconductor layer includes preparing a semiconductor substrate and forming a preliminary active pattern on the semiconductor substrate. The preliminary active pattern includes a barrier pattern and a non-single crystal semiconductor pattern. A sacrificial non-single crystal semiconductor layer covers the preliminary active pattern and the semiconductor substrate. By crystallizing the sacrificial non-single crystal semiconductor layer and the non-single crystal semiconductor pattern, using the semiconductor substrate as a seed layer, the sacrificial non-single crystal semiconductor layer and the non-single crystal semiconductor pattern are changed to a sacrificial crystalline semiconductor layer and a crystalline semiconductor pattern, respectively. The crystalline semiconductor pattern and the barrier pattern constitute an active pattern. The sacrificial crystalline semiconductor layer is removed. |
| US08198701B2 |
Semiconductor device having thermally formed air gap in wiring layer and method of fabricating same
A semiconductor device is provided. A unit wiring level of the semiconductor device includes; first and second wiring layers spaced apart from each other on a support layer, a large space formed adjacent to the first wiring layer and including a first air gap of predetermined width as measured from a sidewall of the first wiring layer, and a portion of a thermally degradable material layer formed on the support layer, small space formed between the first and second wiring layers, wherein the small space is smaller than the large space, and a second air gap at least partially fills the small space, and a porous insulating layer formed on the first and second air gaps. |
| US08198698B2 |
Semiconductor device
To improve a performance of a semiconductor device having a capacitance element. An MIM type capacitance element, an electrode of which is formed with comb-shaped metal patterns composed of the wirings, is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A conductor pattern, which is a dummy gate pattern for preventing dishing in a CMP process, and an active region, which is a dummy active region, are disposed below the capacitance element, and these are coupled to shielding metal patterns composed of the wirings and then connected to a fixed potential. Then, the conductor pattern and the active region are disposed so as not to overlap the comb-shaped metal patterns in the wirings in a planar manner. |
| US08198693B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus and production method thereof
A solid-state image pickup apparatus includes: a substrate in which a charge generation portion that generates a signal charge is formed on a surface layer; a layer covering an upper surface of the substrate; a waveguide formed on the layer covering the upper surface of the substrate at a position corresponding to the charge generation portion; a hollow portion formed on the layer covering the upper surface of the substrate at a position on an outer side of the waveguide; and an optically-transparent layer formed on the layer covering the upper surface of the substrate such that at least the hollow portion becomes airtight. |
| US08198691B2 |
Semiconductor device having memory element with stress insulating film
Provided are a semiconductor device having an MTJ element capable of intentionally shifting the variation, at the time of manufacture, of a switching current of an MRAM memory element in one direction; and a manufacturing method of the device. The semiconductor device has a lower electrode having a horizontally-long rectangular planar shape; an MTJ element having a vertically-long oval planar shape formed on the right side of the lower electrode; and an MTJ's upper insulating film having a horizontally-long rectangular planar shape similar to that of the lower electrode and covering the MTJ element therewith. As the MTJ's upper insulating film, a compressive stress insulating film or a tensile stress insulating film for applying a compressive stress or a tensile stress to the MTJ element is employed. |
| US08198680B2 |
Semiconductor element, semiconductor device and methods for manufacturing thereof
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element having a miniaturized structure and a semiconductor device in which the semiconductor element having a miniaturized structure is integrated highly, by overcoming reduction of the yield caused by alignment accuracy, accuracy of a processing technique by reduced projection exposure, a finished dimension of a resist mask, an etching technique and the like. An insulating film covering a gate electrode is formed, and a source region and a drain region are exposed, a conductive film is formed thereover, a resist having a different film thickness is formed by applying the resist over the conductive film, the entire surface of the resist is exposed to light and developed, or the entire surface of the resist is etched to form a resist mask, and the conductive film is etched by using the resist mask to form a source and drain electrode. |
| US08198677B2 |
Trench-gate LDMOS structures
MOSFET devices for RF applications that use a trench-gate in place of the lateral gate conventionally used in lateral MOSFET devices. A trench-gate provides devices with a single, short channel for high frequency gain. Embodiments of the present invention provide devices with an asymmetric oxide in the trench gate, as well as LDD regions that lower the gate-drain capacitance for improved RF performance. Refinements to these TG-LDMOS devices include placing a source-shield conductor below the gate and placing two gates in a trench-gate region. These improve device high-frequency performance by decreasing gate-to-drain capacitance. Further refinements include adding a charge balance region to the LDD region and adding source-to-substrate or drain-to-substrate vias. |
| US08198676B2 |
P-channel silicon carbide MOSFET
A second trench in each source electrode portion (Schottky diode portion) is formed to have a depth equal to or larger than the depth of a first trench in each gate electrode portion. The distance between the first and second trenches is set to be not longer than 10 μm. A source electrode is formed in the second trench and a Schottky junction is formed in the bottom portion of the second trench. In this manner, it is possible to provide a wide band gap semiconductor device which is small-sized, which has low on-resistance and low loss characteristic, in which electric field concentration into a gate insulating film is relaxed to suppress reduction of a withstand voltage, and which has high avalanche breakdown tolerance at turn-off time. |
| US08198675B2 |
Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A silicon carbide semiconductor device having excellent performance characteristics and a method of manufacturing the same are obtained. An extended terrace surface is formed at a surface of an initial growth layer on a 4H—SiC substrate by annealing with the initial growth layer covered with an Si film, and then a new growth layer is epitaxially grown on the initial growth layer. A 3C—SiC portion having a polytype stable at a low temperature is grown on the extended terrace surface, and a 4H—SiC portion is grown on the other region. A trench is formed by selectively removing the 3C—SiC portion with the 4H—SiC portion remaining, and a gate electrode of a UMOSFET is formed in the trench. A channel region of the UMOSFET can be controlled to have a low-order surface, and a silicon carbide semiconductor device having high channel mobility and excellent performance characteristics is obtained. |
| US08198673B2 |
Asymmetric epitaxy and application thereof
The present invention provides a method of forming asymmetric field-effect-transistors. The method includes forming a gate structure on top of a semiconductor substrate, the gate structure including a gate stack and spacers adjacent to sidewalls of the gate stack, and having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; performing angled ion-implantation from the first side of the gate structure in the substrate, thereby forming an ion-implanted region adjacent to the first side, wherein the gate structure prevents the angled ion-implantation from reaching the substrate adjacent to the second side of the gate structure; and performing epitaxial growth on the substrate at the first and second sides of the gate structure. As a result, epitaxial growth on the ion-implanted region is much slower than a region experiencing no ion-implantation. A source region formed to the second side of the gate structure by the epitaxial growth has a height higher than a drain region formed to the first side of the gate structure by the epitaxial growth. A semiconductor structure formed thereby is also provided. |
| US08198672B2 |
Ultrahigh density vertical NAND memory device
Monolithic, three dimensional NAND strings include a semiconductor channel, at least one end portion of the semiconductor channel extending substantially perpendicular to a major surface of a substrate, a plurality of control gate electrodes having a strip shape extending substantially parallel to the major surface of the substrate, the blocking dielectric comprising a plurality of blocking dielectric segments, a plurality of discrete charge storage segments, and a tunnel dielectric located between each one of the plurality of the discrete charge storage segments and the semiconductor channel. |
| US08198670B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a multilayer body with a plurality of insulating films and electrode films alternately stacked therein; a plurality of select gate electrodes provided on the multilayer body, extending in one direction orthogonal to a stacking direction of the multilayer body, and spaced from each other; semiconductor pillars penetrating through the multilayer body and the select gate electrodes; and a charge storage film provided between one of the electrode films and one of the semiconductor pillars, two neighboring ones of the semiconductor pillars penetrating through a common one of the select gate electrodes and penetrating through mutually different positions in a width direction of the select gate electrodes. |
| US08198663B2 |
Structure for dual contact trench capacitor and structure thereof
A dual contact trench capacitor and design structure for a dual contact trench capacitor is provided. The structure includes a first plate extending from a trench and isolated from a wafer body, and a second plate extending from the trench and isolated from the wafer body and the first plate. |
| US08198657B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel and method for manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor array panel includes an insulating substrate. A gate line is formed on the insulating substrate and has a gate electrode. A gate insulating layer is formed on the gate line. A semiconductor layer is formed on the gate insulating layer and overlaps the gate electrode. Diffusion barriers are formed on the semiconductor layer and contain nitrogen. A data line crosses the gate line and has a source electrode partially contacting the diffusion barriers and a drain electrode partially contacting the diffusion barriers and facing the source electrode. The drain electrode is on the gate electrode. A pixel electrode is electrically connected to the drain electrode. |
| US08198655B1 |
Regular pattern arrays for memory and logic on a semiconductor substrate
An integrated circuit comprising both memory and logic wherein at least one layer of the integrated circuit is fabricated using a common grating pattern for both memory and logic is described. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit comprises a substrate, an active layer, and a gate material layer such as a polysilicon layer, and the active layer, the gate material layer, or both the active layer and the gate material layer are formed using a common grating pattern for both memory and logic. By using a common grating pattern for both memory and logic, a corresponding layer of the integrated circuit can be reliably and affordably manufactured using sub-wavelength lithography. |
| US08198651B2 |
Electro static discharge protection device
A semiconductor device for protecting against an electro static discharge is disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a first low doped region disposed in a substrate, a first heavily doped region disposed within the first low doped region, the first heavily doped region comprising a first conductivity type, and the first low doped region comprising a second conductivity type, the first and the second conductivity types being opposite, the first heavily doped region being coupled to a node to be protected. The semiconductor device further includes a second heavily doped region coupled to a first power supply potential node, the second heavily doped region being separated from the first heavily doped region by a portion of the first low doped region, and a second low doped region disposed adjacent the first low doped region, the second low doped region comprising the first conductivity type. A third heavily doped region is disposed in the second low doped region, the third heavily doped region comprising the second conductivity type and being coupled to a second power supply potential node. |
| US08198646B2 |
Light emitting device and method of manufacturing a light emitting device
A light emitting device comprising a heat sink, a dielectric layer arranged on the heat sink, a heat conductive layer arranged on the dielectric layer, an undercoating arranged on at least a part of the heat conductive layer, and a light emitting chip attached to the heat conductive layer by means of the undercoating. |
| US08198643B2 |
Light emitting element with a plurality of cells bonded, method of manufacturing the same, and light emitting device using the same
The present invention relates to a light emitting element with arrayed cells, a method of manufacturing the same, and a light emitting device using the same. The present invention provides a light emitting element including a light emitting cell block with a plurality of light emitting cells connected in series or parallel on a single substrate, and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting cells includes an N-type semiconductor layer and a P-type semiconductor layer, and the N-type semiconductor layer of one light emitting cell is electrically connected to the P-type semiconductor layer of another adjacent light emitting cell. Further, the present invention provides a light emitting device including a light emitting element with a plurality of light emitting cells connected in series. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a manufacturing process of a light emitting device for illumination capable of being used with a household AC power source, to decrease a fraction defective occurring in manufacturing a light emitting device for illumination, and to mass-produce the light emitting device for illumination. Further, there is an advantage in that DC driving efficiency can be enhanced in an AC operation by installing a predetermined rectifying circuit outside the light emitting element. |
| US08198640B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and method of fabricating the same
Provided is a semiconductor light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises: a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; a second electrode part on the second conductive semiconductor layer; an insulation layer on the second electrode part; and a first electrode part on the insulation layer, a portion of the first electrode part being electrically connected to the first conductive semiconductor layer. |
| US08198639B2 |
Method of manufacturing light emitting device with a pair of ridge protection electrodes
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device employs a substrate formed by successively stacking an n-type semiconductor layered portion including an AlGaN layer, a light emitting layer containing In and a p-type semiconductor layered portion on a group III nitride semiconductor substrate having a larger lattice constant than AlGaN. This method includes the steps of selectively etching the substrate from the side of the p-type semiconductor layered portion along a cutting line to expose the AlGaN layer along the cutting line, forming a division guide groove along the cutting line on the exposed AlGaN layer, and dividing the substrate along the division guide groove. |
| US08198637B2 |
Nitride semiconductor laser and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor laser includes a nitride semiconductor substrate with a striped raised portion that extends in a resonant cavity length direction, a masking layer, which has been defined on the principal surface of the nitride semiconductor substrate and which has a striped opening in a selected area on the upper surface of the striped raised portion, and a nitride semiconductor multilayer structure, which has been grown on the selected area on the upper surface of the striped raised portion. The nitride semiconductor multilayer structure is thicker than nitride semiconductors on the masking layer, and the nitride semiconductor multilayer structure is broader in width than the striped opening of the masking layer and includes portions that have grown laterally onto the masking layer. |
| US08198636B2 |
Light-emitting device and electronic apparatus
A light-emitting device includes a power feeding line to which a predetermined voltage is supplied; a light-emitting element formed of a first electrode, a second electrode, and a light-emitting layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a driving transistor that controls the amount of current supplied to the light-emitting element from the power feeding line. The power feeding line includes a portion interposed between the first electrode and the driving transistor. |
| US08198635B2 |
Light emitting device, method for manufacturing thereof and electronic appliance
An object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a light emitting device capable of reducing deterioration of elements due to electrostatic charge caused in manufacturing the light emitting device. Another object of the invention is to provide a light emitting device in which defects due to the deterioration of elements caused by the electrostatic charge are reduced. The method for manufacturing the light emitting device includes a step of forming a top-gate type transistor for driving a light emitting element. In the step of forming the top-gate type transistor, when processing a semiconductor layer, a first grid-like semiconductor layer extending in rows and columns is formed over a substrate. The plurality of second island-like semiconductor layers are formed between the first semiconductor layer. The plurality of second island-like second semiconductor layers serve as an active layer of the transistor. |
| US08198632B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate
A thin film transistor (TFT) substrate includes: a plurality of gate wirings; a plurality of data wirings insulatedly crossing the gate wirings to define a plurality of pixels; a plurality of common voltage lines formed along edges of pixels and mutually connected in an extending direction of the gate wirings; and a plurality of common electrodes formed at the pixel such that the plurality of common electrodes partially overlap with the common voltage line and mutually connected in an extending direction of the data wirings. A uniform common voltage can be stably applied on the entire surface of the TFT substrate. |
| US08198631B2 |
Display device and method of fabricating the same
Disclosed is a method of fabricating a display device that includes forming a buffer layer; forming a gate electrode of extrinsic polycrystalline silicon, a gate insulating layer, an active layer of intrinsic polycrystalline silicon and an auxiliary active layer of intrinsic amorphous silicon on the buffer layer; forming an ohmic contact layer of extrinsic amorphous silicon and contacting the auxiliary active layer, source and drain electrodes and a data line; patterning a first passivation layer, an insulating interlayer and the gate insulating layer to form a gate contact hole exposing the gate electrode; forming a gate line on the first passivation layer, made of a metal material, and contacting the gate electrode through the gate contact hole; forming a second passivation layer on the gate line; patterning the first and second passivation layers to form a drain contact hole exposing the drain electrode; and forming a pixel electrode on the second passivation layer in the pixel region and contacting the drain electrode through the drain contact hole. |
| US08198629B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and method for manufacturing the same
To provide a photoelectric conversion device with improved photoelectric conversion characteristics and cost competitiveness. A photoelectric conversion device including a semiconductor junction has a semiconductor layer in which a needle-like crystal is made to grow over an impurity semiconductor layer. The impurity semiconductor layer is formed of a microcrystalline semiconductor and includes an impurity imparting one conductivity type. An amorphous semiconductor layer is deposited on a microcrystalline semiconductor layer by setting the flow rate of a dilution gas (typically silane) to 1 time to 6 times the flow rate of a semiconductor source gas (typically hydrogen) at the time of deposition. Thus, a crystal with a three-dimensional shape tapered in a direction of the deposition of a film, i.e., in a direction from the microcrystalline semiconductor layer to the amorphous semiconductor layer is made to grow. |
| US08198627B2 |
Semiconductor device with test pads and pad connection unit
A semiconductor device includes at least one first type of pad and at least one second type of pad having a different area from the first type of pad. A pad connection unit electrically couples the at least one second type of pad to an integrated circuit of the semiconductor device during a test mode, and disconnects the at least one second type of pad from the integrated circuit during a normal operating mode. |
| US08198620B2 |
Resistance switching memory
A resistance switching memory is introduced herein. The resistance switching memory includes a highly-insulating or resistance-switching material formed to cover the sidewall of a patterned metal line, and extended alongside a dielectric layer sidewall to further contact a portion of the top surface of the lower electrode. The other part of the top surface of the lower electrode is covered by an insulating layer between the top electrode and the lower electrode. An oxygen gettering metal layer in the lower electrode occupies a substantial central part of the top surface of the lower electrode and is partially covered by the highly-insulating or resistance-switching material. A switching area is naturally very well confined to the substantial central part of the oxygen gettering metal layer of the lower electrode. |
| US08198619B2 |
Phase change memory cell structure
A memory cell described herein includes a memory element comprising programmable resistance memory material overlying a conductive contact. An insulator element includes a pipe shaped portion extending from the conductive contact into the memory element, the pipe shaped portion having proximal and distal ends and an inside surface defining an interior, the proximal end adjacent the conductive contact. A bottom electrode contacts the conductive contact and extends upwardly within the interior from the proximal end to the distal end, the bottom electrode having a top surface contacting the memory element adjacent the distal end at a first contact surface. A top electrode is separated from the distal end of the pipe shaped portion by the memory element and contacts the memory element at a second contact surface, the second contact surface having a surface area greater than that of the first contact surface. |
| US08198615B2 |
Gas management system for a laser-produced-plasma EUV light source
Devices and corresponding methods of use are described herein which may comprise an enclosing structure defining a closed loop flow path and a system generating a plasma at a plasma site, e.g. laser produced plasma system, where the plasma site may be in fluid communication with the flow path. For the device, a gas may be disposed in the enclosing structure which may include an ion-stopping buffer gas and/or an etchant. A pump may be provided to force the gas through the closed loop flow path. One or more heat exchangers removing heat from gas flowing in the flow path may be provided. In some arrangements, a filter may be used to remove at least a portion of a target species from gas flowing in the flow path. |
| US08198614B2 |
Terahertz wave generator and method of generating high-power terahertz waves using the same
The present invention relates to a terahertz wave generator and a method of generating high-power terahertz waves using the terahertz wave generator. The terahertz wave generator includes a hollow spherical body, and a focusing lens installed in a cutout portion of the spherical body or an opening formed in the cutout portion, wherein an inner surface of the spherical body is coated with metal. In the method, frequencies having different levels are incident through the focusing lens or the opening to generate a plurality of air plasmas, and the air plasmas cause continuous focusing the metal-coated inner surface and hollow space of the spherical body, thus generating high-power terahertz waves. According to the present invention, a plurality of air plasmas is continuously generated, thus solving the problem in which the light intensity of terahertz waves generated using one air plasma is low. |
| US08198610B2 |
Ion implanter with variable aperture and ion implant method thereof
An ion implanter and an ion implant method are disclosed. The ion implanter has an aperture assembly with a variable aperture and is located between an ion source of an ion beam and a holder for holding a wafer. At least one of the size and the shape of the variable aperture is adjustable. The ion beam may be flexibly shaped by the variable aperture, so that the practical implantation on the wafer can be controllably adjusted without modifying an operation of both the ion source and mass analyzer or applying a magnetic field to modify the ion beam. An example of the aperture assembly has two plates, each having an opening formed on its edge such that a variable aperture is formed by a combination of these openings. By respectively moving the plates, the size and the shape of the variable aperture can be changed. |
| US08198609B2 |
Apparatus for forming nano pattern and method for forming the nano pattern using the same
The present invention relates to an apparatus for forming a nano pattern capable of fabricating the uniform nano pattern at a low cost including a laser for generating a beam; a beam splitter for splitting the beam from the laser into two beams with the same intensity; variable mirrors for reflecting the two beams split by the beam splitter to a substrate; beam expansion units for expanding diameters of the beams by being positioned on paths of the two beams traveling toward the substrate; and a beam blocking unit, installed on an upper part of the substrate, transmitting only a specific region expanded through the beam expansion unit and blocking regions a remaining region, and a method for forming the nano pattern using the same. |
| US08198605B2 |
Apparatus and method for batch non-contact material characterization
An apparatus for performing non-contact material characterization includes a wafer carrier adapted to hold a plurality of substrates and a material characterization device, such as a device for performing photoluminescence spectroscopy. The apparatus is adapted to perform non-contact material characterization on at least a portion of the wafer carrier, including the substrates disposed thereon. |
| US08198593B2 |
Radiation conversion device and radiation image capturing system
A radiation conversion device includes a radiation detection device, which detects radiation having passed through a subject, and converts the radiation into radiation image information, and a battery unit for supplying electrical power to at least the radiation detection device. The battery unit is equipped with at least two batteries, and set with a required capacity for capturing at least one radiation image. |
| US08198587B2 |
Compact, interleaved radiation sources
Compact, dual energy radiation scanning systems are described comprising two particle beam accelerators, each configured to accelerate charged particles to different energies, positioned parallel to a direction of movement of an object to be inspected. The accelerator may be positioned perpendicular to a plane of the conveying system, instead. Bend magnet systems bend each charged particle beam toward a respective target. Alternatively, a single dual energy accelerator capable of accelerating charged particles to at least two different energies is positioned parallel to the direction of movement of the object, or perpendicular to a plane of the conveying system. A single bend magnet system is provided to bend each accelerated charged particle beam toward the same target. The particle beams may be bent through an orbit chamber. Two separate passages may be defined through at least part of the orbit chamber, one for charged particles having each energy. |
| US08198585B2 |
Chromatograph mass spectrometer
A chromatograph mass spectrometer is provided for obtaining the information pertinent to a structural analysis, with a simple operation, on a compound series including a plurality of compounds whose structures and characters are similar. First, based on the data obtained by a normal LC/MS analysis, a two-dimensional isointensity line graph is created and displayed with a retention time and a mass-to-charge ratio on the two axes and with a signal intensity represented in contour (S1 and S2). When the operator specifies a desired range by a drag operation or the like by a mouse (S3), peaks included in the range specified are extracted and based on the peaks, precursor ions are selected (S4 through S6). Then a schedule is created so that an MS2 analysis is performed for the precursor ions selected in the course of an LC/MS analysis for the sample to be targeted (S7). Analyses are performed while properly performing the precursor ions' selection/dissociation process in accordance with the schedule to collect the MS2 spectrum data (S8). |
| US08198581B2 |
Electrostatic trap
An electrostatic trap such as an orbitrap is disclosed, with an electrode structure. An electrostatic trapping field of the form U′(r, φ, z) is generated to trap ions within the trap so that they undergo isochronous oscillations. The trapping field U′(r, φ, z) is the result of a perturbation W to an ideal field U(r, φ, z) which, for example, is hyperlogarithmic in the case of an orbitrap. The perturbation W may be introduced in various ways, such as by distorting the geometry of the trap so that it no longer follows an equipotential of the ideal field U(r, φ, z), or by adding a distortion field (either electric or magnetic). The magnitude of the perturbation is such that at least some of the trapped ions have an absolute phase spread of more than zero but less than 2 Π radians over an ion detection period Tm. |
| US08198579B2 |
Systems and methods for calibrating alignment devices
A calibration device includes a structure, and a target object that is moveably coupled to the structure, the target object being a physical target towards which an alignment device can be aimed. A calibration device includes a block having a first opening, and a target object that is viewable through the first opening. A method of calibrating an alignment device includes determining a target position associated with a machine, placing a target object at the target position, and adjusting the alignment device using the target object. A calibration device includes a target object, the target object being a physical target towards which an alignment device can be aimed, wherein the target object comprises a first feature for indicating a first orientation of the target object. |
| US08198578B2 |
Color filters for sub-diffraction limit-sized light sensors
An apparatus includes an array of sub-diffraction limit-sized light receptors formed in a substrate having a light receiving surface. Each light receptor may be configured to output a binary valued bit element and to change state between an off-state and an on-state by the absorption of at least one photon. The apparatus further includes an optical filter structure disposed over the light receiving surface, the optical filter structure having of an array of filter pixels each having an associated passband spectral characteristic. A data element obtained from the array of sub-diffraction limit-sized light receptors is composed of a plurality of the bit elements output from a plurality of light receptors that underlie filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics. |
| US08198576B2 |
Three-dimensional LADAR module with alignment reference insert circuitry comprising high density interconnect structure
A 3-D LADAR imaging system incorporating stacked microelectronic layers is provided. A reference insert circuit inserts data into the FIFO registers at a preselected location to provide a reference point at which all FIFO shift register data may be aligned to accommodate for timing differences between layers and channels. The bin data representing the photon reflections from the various target surfaces are read out of the FIFO and processed using appropriate circuitry such as a field programmable gate array to create a synchronized 3-D point cloud for creating a 3-D target image. |
| US08198572B1 |
Self clocking for distributed projectile guidance
A projectile has a pair of different parts with respective orientation sensors for detecting orientation, such as the roll position of the parts. The orientation sensors may be any of a variety of sensors, such as magnetometers, light sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, or ultraviolet (UV) sensors. Orientation events of the orientation sensors, such as maxima or minima of sensor output, are determined. The orientation events of the two sensors are compared to produce an alignment correction factor for correcting for misalignment of the parts relative to one another, that is to correct for differences in alignment between the sensors of the two parts. This allows (for example) instructions produced at one of the parts to be usable at the other of the parts. |
| US08198570B2 |
Magnetic annealing tool heat exchange system and processes
A heat exchange system and processes for a magnetic annealing tool is provided. The system includes a process chamber housing workpieces to be processed; an element chamber partly surrounding the periphery of the process chamber, at least one means for drawing a vacuum in fluid communication with the process chamber and separately with the element chamber in order to apply a vacuum to either or both of the process and element chamber so as to promote radiation heating of the workpieces; at least one supply of fluid in communication with the process chamber and separately with the element chamber to supply a cooling gas so as to promote conductive cooling of the workpieces; a cooling chamber disposed to surround the element chamber; and means for generating a magnetic field disposed on the outer periphery of the cooling chamber. |
| US08198569B2 |
Electrically conductive textile
A surface structure (1) that is at least partially electrically conductively coated by a conductor coating (11), and which can be connected to an electric power source by at least one electric connecting conductor (2). The connecting conductor (2) electrically contacts the conductor coating (11) at at least one solder point (3), and the conductive coating (11) is thickened at least at one contact zone (4) in the area of the solder point (3) as opposed to other areas (7) of the surface structure (1). |
| US08198568B2 |
Input sensitive user interface
A device may include a thermo-sensitive, tactile-responsive user interface that may be used in activating and/or deactivating a key lock function to control operation of the user interface. |
| US08198567B2 |
High temperature vacuum chuck assembly
A vacuum chuck and a process chamber equipped with the same are provided. The vacuum chuck assembly comprises a support body, a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of channels, at least one support member supporting the support body, at least one resilient member coupled with the support member, a hollow shaft supporting the support body, at least one electrical connector disposed through the hollow shaft, and an air-cooling apparatus. The support body has a support surface for holding a substrate (such as a wafer) thereon. The protrusions are formed on and project from the support surface for creating a gap between the substrate and the support surface. The channels are formed on the support surface for generating reduced pressure in the gap. The air-cooling apparatus is used for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector. |
| US08198564B2 |
Adaptive optic beamshaping in laser processing systems
A laser processing system quickly and flexibly modifies a processing beam to determine and implement an improved or optimum beam profile for a particular application (or a subset of the application). The system reduces the sensitivity of beam shaping subsystems to variations in the laser processing system, including those due to manufacturing tolerances, thermal drift, variations in component performance, and other sources of system variation. Certain embodiments also manipulate lower quality laser beams (higher M2 values) to provide acceptable shaped beam profiles. |
| US08198563B2 |
Socket structure with duplex electrical connection
A socket structure includes a base; a slot, disposed on one end of the base and to be connected to one plug having one row of terminals; a tongue disposed on a front end of the base and within the slot so that chambers of the slot on two sides of the tongue may be normally and oppositely inserted and positioned into the slot; one row of first contacts separately arranged on one surface of the tongue, wherein each first contact is electrically connected to a first pin extending out of the base; and one row of second contacts separately arranged on the other surface of the tongue. Each second contact is electrically connected to a second pin extending out of the base. When the plug is inserted into the slot, the row of terminals of the plug are electrically connected to the row of first or second contacts. |
| US08198558B2 |
Cable termination systems and isolating apparatus for electrical power transmission conductors and methods using the same
A conductor termination system for use with an electrical power transmission conductor includes a termination assembly and a connector. The termination assembly includes an end member and an integral retainer mechanism. The end member includes a receiver portion configured to receive a segment of the conductor. The retainer mechanism includes a moveable keeper member on the end member. The retainer mechanism is operable to selectively clamp a segment of the conductor in the receiver portion to the end member and to apply a retention load to the conductor segment. The connector is adapted to be applied to the end member and the conductor to securely clamp the conductor segment to the end member. |
| US08198555B2 |
Multi-position switch assembly for controlling a vehicle display screen
A multi-position switch assembly for controlling a vehicle display screen includes a rocker configured to spherically rotate. The rocker defines an interior space. A pushbutton extends through the interior space of the rocker. The pushbutton is fixed with respect to rotation and is movable linearly relative to the rocker. An encoder detects a rotation angle of the rocker. A first input device is actuated by the spherical movement of the rocker. A second input device is actuated by the linear movement of the pushbutton. |
| US08198552B2 |
Electronic device and hot melt structure thereof
A hot melt structure for an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device comprises a first component and a second component. The hot melt structure comprises a fixing element and a hot melt element. The fixing element is disposed on the first component, and the hot melt element is disposed on the second component. The hot melt element comprises a gap portion and a hollow portion through which the fixing element is combined with the hot melt element. The height of the hot melt element is larger than that of the fixing element. The hot melt element can be heated to deform inwardly towards the hollow portion for fixing the fixing element. |
| US08198548B2 |
Z-directed capacitor components for printed circuit boards
A Z-directed capacitor component for insertion into a printed circuit board while allowing electrical connection to internal conductive planes contained within the PCB. In one embodiment the Z-directed capacitor component utilizes semi-cylindrical metallic sheets. In another embodiment, stack annular metallic disks are used. The Z-directed capacitor component mounts within the thickness of the PCB allowing other components to be mounted over it. The body may contain one or more conductors and may include one or more surface channels or wells extending along at least a portion of the length of the body. Methods for mounting Z-directed components are also provided. |
| US08198545B2 |
Printed circuit board removing bonding sheet around signal transmission line
There is provided a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a first ground layer extended in one direction; a first dielectric layer laminated on the first ground layer and extended in the same direction of the first ground layer; a signal transmission line laminated on the first dielectric layer and extended in the same direction of the first dielectric layer; a first bonding sheet disposed above the first dielectric layer; a second bonding sheet disposed above the first dielectric layer; a second dielectric layer disposed above the signal transmission line, the first bonding sheet, and the second bonding sheet; and a second ground layer laminated on the second dielectric layer. |
| US08198541B2 |
Electronic component built-in wiring board and method for radiating heat generated at the same
An electronic component built-in wiring board includes: at least a pair of wiring patterns; an insulating layer disposed between the pair of wiring board; an electronic component embedded in the insulating layer; and a metallic body provided at least on or above a main surface of the electronic component in the insulating layer and thermally contacted with the electronic component. |
| US08198540B2 |
Power element mounting substrate, method of manufacturing the same, power element mounting unit, method of manufacturing the same, and power module
A power element mounting substrate including a circuit layer brazed to a surface of a ceramic plate, and a power element soldered to a front surface of the circuit layer, wherein the circuit layer is constituted using an Al alloy with an average purity of more than or equal to 98.0 wt % and less than or equal to 99.9 wt %, Fe concentration of the circuit layer at a side of a surface to be brazed to the ceramic plate is less than 0.1 wt %, and Fe concentration of the circuit layer at a side of the surface opposite to the surface to be brazed is more than or equal to 0.1 wt %. |
| US08198537B2 |
Foldable electric cord and electrical connecting device using the same
A foldable electric cord includes a flexible insulated strap, a wire in the flexible strap. The flexible strap includes at least one first fixing member and at least one second fixing member formed thereon. The first fixing member may be fixed to the second fixing member, to fold the flexible strap at least one time. An electrical connecting device including the foldable electric cord is also disclosed. |
| US08198533B2 |
Feeding device and harness wiring structure using the same
A feeding device includes a case, which includes a body receiving a wire harness with extra length portion and a guide tube projecting from the body, a distal-end protector and an intermediary protector both of which are attached to the wire harness. The intermediary protector is inserted into the guide tube so as to be able to move forward and backward freely, and the distal-end protector is projected out of the guide tube, and a bendable portion of the wire harness is exposedly formed between the distal-end protector and the intermediary protector. A hood along a bending outer surface of the bendable portion is provided at the distal-end protector. The extra length portion of the wire harness is received in the body so as to be formed into a loop shape. |
| US08198531B2 |
Solar cell having tree-like nanostructure and method for preparing the same
The present invention discloses a solar cell having a multi-layered structure that is used to generate, transport, and collect electric charges. The multi-layered nanostructure comprises a cathode, a conducting metal layer, a photo-active layer, a hole-transport layer, and an anode. The photo-active layer comprises a tree-like nanostructure array and a conjugate polymer filler. The tree-like nanostructure array is used as an electron acceptor while the conjugate polymer filler is as an electron donor. The tree-like nanostructure array comprises a trunk part and a branch part. The trunk part is formed in-situ on the surface of the conducting metal layer and is used to provide a long straight transport pathway to transport electrons. The large contact area between the branch part and the conjugate polymer filler provides electron-hole separation. |
| US08198527B2 |
Field-deployable electronics platform having thermoelectric power source and electronics module
A wrapped thermoelectric power source having an inner and an outer insulator is provided within a housing formed, at least partially, by an upper and lower thermal transfer elements. The thermoelectric power source including a plurality of coupled pairs of thin film materials possessing thermoelectric properties, the pairs disposed on a flexible substrate and electrically coupled in any series/parallel combination, with the flexible substrate wrapped around an inner thermal insulator. The thermoelectric power source may be sized such that at least a portion of an electronics module may be disposed at least partly within the inner thermal insulator. The electronics module is electrically coupled to the thermoelectric power source, and includes components for voltage regulation and/or power conditioning. A mechanical means, connected to both the upper and the lower thermal transfer elements, holds those elements substantially adjacent opposite sides of the thermoelectric power source while preventing thermal shorting between the upper and lower thermal transfer elements. In one aspect, the electronics module further includes applications circuitry such as, but not limited to, one or more of sensors, data storage, signal processing, computational resources and wireless communication circuitry. |
| US08198524B2 |
Apparatus for controlling a digital source
An apparatus for signal processing, wherein a disc is placed on a turntable and is provided with a groove which can be followed by the pick-up element, and employing a time-code signal wherein during use of the disc the said time-code signal controls the digital audio source. |
| US08198519B1 |
Soybean variety XB29AF10
A novel soybean variety, designated XB29AF10 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB29AF10, cells from soybean variety XB29AF10, plants of soybean XB29AF10, and plant parts of soybean variety XB29AF10. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB29AF10 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XB29AF10, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB29AF10. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB29AF10 are further provided. |
| US08198515B1 |
Soybean cultivar 04RM285001
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 04RM285001 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 04RM285001 and its progeny, and methods of making 04RM285001. |
| US08198509B2 |
Methods and compositions for selecting soybean plants resistant to southern root knot nematode
The present invention is in the field of plant breeding and disease resistance. More specifically, the invention includes a method for breeding soybean plants containing one or more quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to Southern Root Knot Nematode (SRKN). The invention further provides germplasm and the use of germplasm containing QTL conferring disease resistance for introgression into elite germplasm in a breeding program, thus producing novel elite germplasm comprising one or more SRKN resistance QTL. |
| US08198506B2 |
Stabilized absorbent composite
An absorbent article includes a liquid pervious liner, a liquid impervious back sheet, and an absorbent composite located between the liner and the back sheet. The absorbent composite includes a first sheet, a second sheet, and a unitary absorbent core. The unitary absorbent core has a plurality of holes there through, wherein each hole has an area less than 200 mm2. The unitary absorbent core has a uniform density and is positioned between the first sheet and the second sheet. The first sheet is directly joined with the second sheet at a plurality of bond points. The bond points are located within the holes and are substantially devoid of absorbent material. |
| US08198504B2 |
Thermal signal tampon pledget
In a tampon pledget, a quantity of moisture activated material is positioned in contact with, or adjacent to a layer of absorbent material used in forming the pledget. Upon contact with menses, the moisture activated material reacts in one of an endothermic and exothermic manner so that in use, the pledget, when forming part of a tampon can thermally alert a wearer when the pledget has reached its absorbent capacity. |
| US08198503B2 |
Disposable absorbent articles comprising odor controlling materials
The present inventions relates to a disposable absorbent articles, including diapers and sanitary napkins, comprising a bleach activator system for controlling odors associated with bodily fluids. The bleach activator system may comprise a peroxygen bleach compound (including a source of hydrogen peroxide) and a bleach activator compound capable of generating a peroxyacid in-situ within the absorbent article. |
| US08198496B2 |
Process of making alkylaromatics using EMM-13
This disclosure relates to a process for manufacturing a mono-alkylaromatic aromatic compound, said process comprising contacting a feedstock comprising an alkylatable aromatic compound and an alkylating agent under alkylation reaction conditions with a catalyst comprising EMM-13, wherein said EMM-13 is a molecular sieve comprising a framework of tetrahedral atoms bridged by oxygen atoms, the tetrahedral atom framework being defined by a unit cell with atomic coordinates in nanometers shown in Table 3. |
| US08198493B1 |
High energy efficiency biomass conversion process
Improved, fuel-efficient systems are provided for the processing of biomass, such as wood or crop residues, food waste or animal waste in order to selectively obtain thermally processed final products, such as a combination of torrefied and carbonized final products. The processes involve thermally drying incoming biomass using a dryer employing the hot gas output of a fuel-operated burner. Next, the dried product is torrefied in an indirect torrefaction reactor so as to evolve light volatile organic compounds which are used as a gaseous fuel source for the burner. Some or all of the torrefied product can be recovered, or some or all of the torrefied product is then directed to a separate carbonization reactor coupled with a reactor burner. Carbonization serves to remove most of the remaining VOCs which are used as a gaseous fuel input to the dryer. |
| US08198491B2 |
Process for preparing 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene
The present invention provides a process for preparing 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene represented by CF3CF═CH2 and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene represented by CF3CH═CHF, in which 3,3,3-trifluoropropyne represented by the chemical formula CF3C≡CH is reacted with hydrogen fluoride under heating. The process of the present invention is a simple, effective and industrially applicable process for preparing 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. |
| US08198486B2 |
Methods and systems for generating polyols
Disclosed are methods for generating propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and other polyols, diols, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and alcohols from biomass using hydrogen produced from the biomass. The methods involve reacting a portion of an aqueous stream of a biomass feedstock solution over a catalyst under aqueous phase reforming conditions to produce hydrogen, and then reacting the hydrogen and the aqueous feedstock solution over a catalyst to produce propylene glycol, ethylene glycol and the other polyols, diols, ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids and alcohols. The disclosed methods can be run at lower temperatures and pressures, and allows for the production of oxygenated hydrocarbons without the need for hydrogen from an external source. |
| US08198485B2 |
Resolution of 4,5-dimethoxy-1-(methylaminomenthyl)-benzocyclobutane
A method of resolving an important chemical intermediate, 4,5-dimethoxy-1-(methylaminomethyl)-benzocyclobutane, comprises the following steps: reacting its two enantiomers of 4,5-dimethoxy-1-(methylaminomethyl)-benzocyclobutane with di-p-toluoyl-L-tartaric acid (LDTTA) or di-p-toluoyl-D-tartaric acid (DDTTA) in an alcoholic solution or an alcohol in water solution to give the corresponding salts, and then resolving the salts. This method gives high enantiomer excess value, high yield which is more than 80% in total with normal resolution and reverse resolution. |
| US08198484B2 |
Synthesis of [1-13C]pyruvic acid], [2-13C]pyruvic acid], [3-13C]pyruvic acid] and combinations thereof
The present invention is directed to the labeled compounds, wherein C* is each either 13C and 12C where at least one C* is 13C, each hydrogen of the methylene group is hydrogen or deuterium, the methyl group includes either zero or three deuterium atoms, Q is sulfide, sulfinyl, or sulfone, Z is an aryl group such as 1-naphthyl, substituted 1-naphthyl, 2-naphthyl, substituted 2-naphthyl, or a phenyl group wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently either hydrogen, a C1-C4 lower alkyl, a halogen, and an amino group such as NH2, NHR and NRR′ where R and R′ are each independently either a C1-C4 lower alkyl, a phenyl, and an alkoxy group, and the methyl group can include either zero or three deuterium atoms. The present invention is also directed to the labeled compounds |
| US08198483B2 |
Phenethanolamine derivatives for treatment of respiratory diseases
(1R)-2-[(6-{2-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]ethoxy}hexyl)amino]-1-(2,2-dimethyl-4H-1,3-benzodioxin-6-yl)ethanol and (5R)-3-(6-{2-[(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)oxy]ethoxy}hexyl)-5-(2,2-dimethyl-4H-1,3-benzodioxin-6-yl)-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one are claimed. |
| US08198481B2 |
Process for preparing acrylic acid purified by crystallization from hydroxypropionic acid and apparatus therefore
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of acrylic acid and a process for the preparation of polyacrylic acid comprising the process steps: (a1) preparation of 3-hydroxypropionic acid from a biological material to give a fluid, in particular aqueous, phase containing 3-hydroxypropionic acid; (a2) dehydration of the 3-hydroxypropionic acid to give a fluid, in particular aqueous, solution containing acrylic acid; (a3) purification of the solution containing acrylic acid by a suspension crystallization or a layer crystallization to give a purified phase; and corresponding devices for carrying out these processes, and acrylic acid and polyacrylates. The invention is distinguished in that acrylic acid and polyacrylates can thereby be prepared efficiently, inexpensively, and sustainably with simple means and with a high purity on the basis of regenerable raw materials. |
| US08198477B2 |
Process for production of acrolein from glycerol
The present invention relates to a process for producing acrolein by liquid phase dehydration of glycerol by preparing a mixture of a catalyst suspended in an organic solvent comprising one or more vinyl polymers and glycerol; and then mixing and heating the mixture to between 150° C. and 350° C. to dehydrate the glycerol and form acrolein. The vinyl polymers are selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polystyrene, and mixtures thereof. The polyolefins may be polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, polyisobutylene, polyisoprene, polypentene, or mixtures thereof. The acrolein may be subjected to vapor phase oxidation in the presence of a catalyst, such as a mixed metal oxide, to produce acrylic acid. |
| US08198473B2 |
Process for preparing organically modified siloxanes
The invention provides a process for preparing siloxanes modified with organic esters, by hydrosilylating siloxanes with terminally unsaturated esters, which comprises preparing the terminally unsaturated esters used using at least one enzyme as catalyst. |
| US08198463B2 |
Process for the preparation of 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo-[3.3.0]-hexane compounds and enantiomeric salts thereof
The present invention provides for a process for preparing racemic methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate, its corresponding salt: (1R,2S,5S)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate di-p-toluoyl-D-tartaric acid (“D-DTTA”) salt or a (1S,2R,5R)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate di-p-toluoyl-L-tartaric acid salt (“L-DTTA”) in a high enantiomeric excess. This invention also provides for a process for preparing a (1R,2S,5S)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate dibenzoyl-D-tartaric acid (“D-DBTA”) salt or a (1S,2R,5R)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate L-tartaric acid (“L-DBTA”) salt in a high enantiomeric excess. Further, this invention provides a process for preparing intermediates II, IIB, III, IV, IV salt, V, VI, and VII. |
| US08198459B2 |
Method for the preparation of rufinamide
The invention provides a novel process for the regioselective preparation of a compound of formula (I) |
| US08198456B2 |
Dihydropyridine derivatives as useful as protein kinase inhibitors
This invention provides novel dihydropyridine derivatives of the formula I having protein tyrosine kinase inhibitory activity, to process for the manufacture thereof and to the use thereof for the treatment of c-Met-mediated diseases or c-Met-mediated conditions. |
| US08198454B2 |
Amide derivatives and medicinal use thereof
The present invention relates to an amide derivative of the formula (1), having a C5a receptor antagonistic action wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification. The above-mentioned amide derivative, an optically active form thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are promising as an agent for the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases or syndromes caused by inflammation caused by C5a [e.g., autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus and the like, sepsis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, allergic diseases such as asthma and the like, atherosclerosis, cardiac infarction, brain infarction, psoriasis, Alzheimer's disease and serious organ injury (e.g., pneumonia, nephritis, hepatitis and pancreatitis and the like) due to activation of leukocytes caused by ischemia reperfusion, trauma, burn, surgical invasion and the like]. Moreover, they are useful as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for the infectious diseases caused by bacteria and virus that invade via a C5a receptor. |
| US08198451B2 |
Process for the synthesis of moxifloxacin hydrochloride
A new polymorph of moxifloxacin hydrochloride is described, together with a method for making the polymorph. In addition, new intermediates in the formation of moxifloxacin hydrochloride are described, having formulas (1) and (II): |
| US08198447B2 |
Fused tricyclic compound having aldose reductase inhibitory activity
A fused tricyclic compound having aldose reductase inhibitory activity and shown by the following formula, wherein R1 represents 1 to 3 atoms or substituents selected from a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkylene, or alkoxy group, and a protected or unprotected hydroxyl or carboxyl group, R2 represents a protected or unprotected carboxyl group, R3 represents 1 or 2 atoms or substituents selected from a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an oxo group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy group, and a protected or unprotected carboxyl group, A represents an alkylene group, and B represents an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, or a group shown by the following formula, wherein R4 represents an alkyl or aryl group substituted by an aryl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclic group, and X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, provided that, when B represents a group shown by the following formula: wherein R4 represents an alkyl or aryl group substituted with an aryl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclic group, X represents a sulfur atom. |
| US08198445B2 |
Phosphoramide compound, method for producing the same, ligand, complex, catalyst and method for producing optically active alcohol
Disclosed is a method for highly efficiently obtaining an optically active alcohol from a carbonyl compound highly enantioselectively. Also disclosed is a ligand used in such a method. Specifically, an optically active alcohol is obtained by reacting a carbonyl compound and an organozinc compound by using a ligand (L) shown below. |
| US08198439B2 |
Process for the purification of melamine and relative equipment
The present invention relates to an improved process for the purification of melamine obtained by synthesis from urea which comprises the following steps: a) bringing raw melamine containing impurities of polycondensates and other by-products of the synthesis reaction, into solution, obtaining a solution/suspension in which the insoluble products are dispersed; b) subjecting the solution/suspension thus obtained to treatment to remove the CO2 dissolved, reducing its concentration to values lower than 0.5% by weight; c) treating the solution/suspension obtained in step b), having a content of CO2 lower than 0.5% by weight, with ammonia in a quantity ranging from 1 to 15%, preferably from 3 to 9% by weight, at a temperature ranging from 110 to 180° C., preferably from 130 to 140° C.; d) putting the solution leaving step c) in contact with a solid catalyst, under the same conditions as step c). The present invention also relates to the equipment for effecting said process. |
| US08198438B2 |
Pyrrolotriazine kinase inhibitors
The invention provides compounds of formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The formula I compounds inhibit tyrosine kinase activity thereby making them useful as anti-cancer agents and for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. |
| US08198436B2 |
Colorimetric detection of cyanide with a chromogenic oxazine
A chromogenic oxazine compound for the colorimetric detection of cyanide was designed. Indeed, the [1,3]oxazine ring of our compound opens to form a phenolate chromophore in response to cyanide. The heterocyclic com-pound may be comprised of fused benzooxazine and indoline rings: wherein R1 is an alkyl (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl), a substituted alkyl, a cycloalkyl (e.g., cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl), a substituted cycloalkyl, an aryl (e.g., phenyl), or a substituted aryl and R2 is a chromophore (e.g., nitroso, nitro, azo dyes). This quantitative chromogenic transformation permits the detection of micromolar concentrations of cyanide in water. Furthermore, our chromogenic oxazine is insensitive to the presence of large concentrations of fluoride, chloride, bromide or iodide anions, which are generally the principal interferents in the colorimetric detection of cyanide. |
| US08198435B2 |
Crystal form of N-benzoyl-staurosporine
The invention relates to a new crystalline form II of N-benzoyl-staurosporine; compositions containing the same; processes for the preparation thereof; and the use of crystalline form II of N-benzoyl-staurosporine in diagnostic methods or therapeutic treatment of warm-blooded animals, especially humans. The invention relates to the amorphous forms of N-benzoyl-staurosporine; compositions containing the same; processes for the preparation thereof; and the use of amorphous N-benzoyl-staurosporine in diagnostic methods or therapeutic treatment of warm-blooded animals, especially humans. |
| US08198433B2 |
Acylated phthalocyanines
An acylated phthalocyanine of the formula: wherein, R1 and R2 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy and acyl radicals of the formulae —COR and —CRHOH, whereby 1-4 of the 8 R1 and R2 radicals are selected from the group consisting of —COR and —CRHOH, and if R1 or R2 on a benzene ring is selected from —COR or —CRHOH, then the other respective R1 or R2 radical on the benzene ring is hydrogen, R is CH3(CH2)n— where n is 0-15, M is at least one of Mg, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Pt, Pd or Sn, alkyl is CnH2n+1 where n is 7-14, and alkoxy is OCnH2n+1 where n is 6-15. |
| US08198426B2 |
Hepatitis c virus replicons and replicon enhanced cells
The present invention features nucleic acid containing one or more adaptive mutations, and HCV replicon enhanced cells. Adaptive mutations are mutations that enhance HCV replicon activity. HCV replicon enhanced cells are cells having an increased ability to maintain an HCV replicon. |
| US08198422B2 |
High-risk human papillomavirus detection
This invention provides compositions and methods for detecting HPV in a sample. This invention also provides related kits, systems, and computers. |
| US08198414B2 |
Anti-human IL-6 antibodies
Binding members, e.g. human antibody molecules, which bind interleukin-6 (IL-6) and neutralize its biological effects. Use of binding members for IL-6 in medical treatment e.g. for treating inflammatory diseases and tumors associated with IL-6. |
| US08198411B2 |
Anti-mullerian inhibiting substance type II receptor (MISIIR) immunoconjugates to detect and treat cancer
Compositions and methods for detecting and treating cancers expressing Mullerian inhibiting substance Type II receptor (MISIIR) are provided. |
| US08198400B2 |
Vaccine for modulating between T1 and T2 immune responses
The present invention provides liposomal vaccines containing immunogenic lipopeptides that are capable of modulating the humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo. |
| US08198386B2 |
Fluorine-containing elastomer composition and sealing material made of same
A fluorine-containing elastomer composition assuring a low compression set and comprising a perfluoroelastomer (A) comprising (a) 18 to 33% by mole of a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) unit, (b) 0.3 to 0.6% by mole of a monomer unit having at least one selected from the group consisting of a nitrile group, a carboxyl group and an alkoxycarbonyl group and (c) a tetrafluoroethylene unit. |
| US08198385B2 |
Process for the production of a superabsorbent polymer
The present invention relates to process for the preparation of a superabsorbent polymer comprising the steps of a) subjecting an aqueous monomer mixture containing at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated monomer; at least one monomer bearing at least two α,β-ethylenically unsaturated groups; iron ions in an amount of 0.1 to 3 wppm based on the total weight of the aqueous monomer mixture; and at least one chelating agent in an amount to provide a mol ratio of chelating agent to iron ion of 0.8 to 4.0 to free radical polymerization in an reactor to obtain a super-absorbent polymer; and b) recovering the superabsorbent polymer, whereby if the process is continuous and is run in an agitated reactor the upper limit of the mol ratio of chelating agent to iron ion is 4.0 for a throughput of total reaction mixture through the reactor of at most 1.3 kg/h per liter reactor volume. |
| US08198381B2 |
Phenol aralkyl epoxy resin with secondary hydroxyl groups
Disclosed is a phenol aralkyl epoxy resin having a structure wherein at least a phenol or a naphthol is bound by using an aralkyl group as a linking group and a structure represented by formula (1) below, while satisfying the condition 1 below. This epoxy resin is excellent in workability during production of a composition and is easy to control quality. Condition 1: The following relation (α) is satisfied with A being the hydroxyl equivalent (as measured in accordance with JIS K 0070) of a phenol-modified epoxy resin obtained by adding an equivalent molar amount of phenol relative to the epoxy equivalent of the epoxy resin, and B being the epoxy equivalent of the epoxy resin. 50≦1000×(A−B)/B≦250 (α). |
| US08198378B2 |
Aromatic organosulfur functionalized 1,4-cis polybutadiene
The present invention relates to a preparation method of aromatic organosulfur functionalized 1,4-cis polybutadiene comprising: polymerizing 1,3-butadiene or butadiene derivative in the presence of a specific catalyst in a nonpolar solvent to prepare 1,4-cis polybutadiene; and reacting the resultant polybutadiene with an aromatic organosulfur compound. Such prepared aromatic organosulfur functionalized 1,4-cis polybutadiene is without ultrahigh molecular weight region and, thus, has narrow molecular weight distribution. |
| US08198375B2 |
Trifluorovinyl aromatic containing poly(alkyl ether) prepolymers
The present invention provides prepolymers based on poly(alkyl ethers) having terminal trifluorovinyl aromatic containing groups and polymers produced from such prepolymers. The prepolymers and polymers are useful as biomedical devices such as contact lenses or intraocular lenses. |
| US08198373B2 |
Plastic toughened plastics
Plastic toughened plastics include a polymer composition having a polypropylene component and a second polymer component. The polypropylene component is present in an amount from about 50 to about 95 weight percent based on the total weight of the blend. The second polymer component is present in an amount from about 5 to about 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the blend, is a BOCD or BCD blend of at least two ssPE components, and has an overall density greater than about 0.90 g/cm3. Optionally, the plastic toughened plastics include one or more third polymer component selected from propylene-olefin elastomers and ethylene-propylene rubbers, which are present in an amount from about 1 to about 50 weight percent, based on the total weight of the blend. |
| US08198372B2 |
Vulcanisable fluoroelastomeric compositions
Vulcanizable fluoroelastomer compositions comprising: A) a fluoroelastomer matrix based on vinylidene fluoride (VDF) with a Mooney viscosity (1+10) at 121° C. of less than 35 MU (Mooney Units) measured according to ASTM standard D 1646; and B) a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer, in an amount of from 20% to 70% by weight relative to the total weight of A)+B), the semi-crystalline fluoropolymer being constituted of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) homopolymers and copolymers of TFE with one or more monomers containing at least one unsaturation of ethylenic type, in an amount of from 0.01 to 10 mol %, said semi-crystalline fluoropolymer having a mean particle size between 10 and 400 nm. |
| US08198371B2 |
Blends of polyesters and ABS copolymers
Polymer blends comprising polyesters made from terephthalic acid; 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol; and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, and copolymers made from acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene (ABS) monomers. These blends have a combination of toughness, heat resistance, high modulus, and good flowability—making them particularly useful in films, fibers, engineering molding plastics, and packaging. |
| US08198370B2 |
Coated substrate
The present invention relates to a substrate coated with a coating composition wherein the coating composition comprises a crosslinkable component and the crosslinkable component is a mixture of two different and optionally three different acrylic polymers. Each acrylic polymer has functional groups present that are reactive with a crosslinking component. The functional groups present on each polymer have different rates of reactivity with the crosslinking component. |
| US08198367B2 |
Thermoplastic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin composition with excellent releasability and colorability
A thermoplastic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin composition of the present invention comprises (a) a bimodal graft copolymer of a conjugated diene rubbery polymer whose average particle diameter of 800 to 1,500 Å and a conjugated diene rubbery polymer whose average particle diameter of 2,500 to 3,500 Å, the conjugated diene rubbery polymers being grafted with an aromatic vinyl compound and a vinyl cyanide compound, (b) an acrylic resin of a methacrylic or acrylic acid alkyl ester compound, an aromatic vinyl compound and a vinyl cyanide compound, (c) a copolymer of an aromatic vinyl compound and a vinyl cyanide compound, and (d) polysiloxane masterbatches. The ABS resin composition has excellent colorability and releasability while maintaining the inherent physical properties (e.g., impact strength and tensile strength) of the base resin. |
| US08198366B2 |
Thermoplastic resin composition and molded body
The present invention provides a thermoplastic resin composition containing (A) a resin mixture including (a-1) a polycarbonate resin in an amount of 45 to 97% by mass and (a-2) a fatty acid polyester in an amount of 55 to 3 % by mass, and (B) a rubber-like elastomer in an amount of 0.5 to 20 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the resin mixture, wherein component (B) is dispersed in an interface between ingredient (a-1) and ingredient (a-2) or in domains of ingredient (a-2). The composition has high impact characteristics and high fluidity and overcomes appearance defects such as pearl-like gloss and jetting marks. |
| US08198365B2 |
Lung volume reduction therapy using crosslinked non-natural polymers
One aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a non-natural polymer comprising a plurality of pendant nucleophilic groups and a crosslinker comprising at least two pendant electrophilic groups. Another aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a non-natural polymer comprising a plurality of pendant electrophilic groups and a crosslinker comprising at least two pendant nucleophilic groups. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method for reducing lung volume in a patient comprising the step of administering a hydrogel composition as described herein. Further, hydrogels of the invention may be used to achieve pleurodesis, seal brochopleural fistulas, seal an air leak in a lung, achieve hemostasis, tissue sealing (e.g., blood vessels, internal organs), or any combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the compositions and methods described herein are intended for use in the treatment of patients with emphysema. |
| US08198352B2 |
High purity monoalkyltin compounds and uses thereof
The present invention relates to high purity monoalkyltin compounds, more specifically to alkyltin compound compositions containing monoalkyltin as major compound, and minor quantities of di- and/or trialkyltin compounds. The present invention also relates to the preparation processes of such high purity monoalkyltin compounds, as well as to the uses of said monoalkyltin compounds as chlorine-containing polymer-stabilizers, glass coating chemicals and catalysts, as well as articles comprising at least one polymer matrix and a high purity monoalkyltin compound. |
| US08198351B2 |
Thermoplastic polymer composition
A thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a thermoplastic polymer and a nucleating agent. The nucleating agent comprises a compound conforming to the structure of Formula (I), Formula (II), or Formula (III) |
| US08198350B2 |
Polymer-modified asphalt with a crosslinking agent and methods of preparing
Methods of preparing a cross-linked, polymer-modified asphalt is provided. The method involves adding a crosslinking agent to asphalt prior to the addition of a crosslinkable polymer and an acid. Asphalt prepared by the disclosed methods exhibit improved properties such as properties measured by the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) test. |
| US08198349B2 |
Self-healing and scratch resistant shape memory polymer system
An exemplary embodiment discloses a polymer system including a shape memory polymer material and a graphene material. |
| US08198342B2 |
Aluminum chelate latent curing agent and production method thereof
An aluminum chelate latent curing agent includes an aluminum chelate curing agent, and a porous resin that holds the aluminum chelate curing agent and is obtained by subjecting a polyfunctional isocyanate compound to interfacial polymerization while simultaneously subjecting a polyfunctional radical polymerizable compound to radical polymerization in the presence of a radical polymerization initiator. In the aluminum chelate latent curing agent, a silanol compound of the formula (A) is further held in the porous resin. (Ar)mSi(OH)n (A) In the formula, m is 2 or 3, and the sum of m and n is 4. Ar represents an optionally-substituted aryl group. |
| US08198339B2 |
Method for the production of fuels from waste
The invention relates to a method for the disposal and utilization of waste materials of all types, in which the waste materials are compressed in batches to form compact packets and pass through temperature treatment zones, synthesis gas being produced, and the synthesis gas is converted in a subsequent reaction into hydrocarbon molecules for the production of fuel. |
| US08198337B2 |
Demulsifier compositions and methods for separating emulsions using the same
The present invention provides for a demulsifying composition comprising a blend of a) an emulsion; and b) a demulsifying-effective amount of a non-crosslinked silicon polyether. The present invention also provides for a method for separating emulsions using the demulsifying composition discussed. |
| US08198336B2 |
Nanocrystal/sol-gel nanocomposites
The present invention is directed to solid composites including colloidal nanocrystals within a sol-gel host or matrix and to processes of forming such solid composites. The present invention is further directed to alcohol soluble colloidal nanocrystals useful in formation of sol-gel based solid composites |
| US08198335B2 |
Cosmetic material
A cosmetic material includes a component selected from diethyl amino hydroxy benzoyl hexyl benzoate and/or 4-tert-buthyl-4′-methoxy dibenzoyl methane as a component that crystallizes and precipitates easily and blends, as a dissolution stabilizer of the component, one or more types of octyl hydroxy stearate oligomer selected from a dimer to heptamer of octyl hydroxy stearate, whereby precipitation of UV absorbents and other poorly soluble components can be prevented over a long period. |
| US08198329B2 |
Memory consolidation promoting agent and method of use
A medicament for promoting memory consolidation, which comprises, as an active ingredient, a non-natural retinoid, preferably a retinoid having a basic skeleton comprising an aromatic ring bound with an aromatic carboxylic acid or tropolone by means of a bridging group, more preferably 4-[(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)carbamoyl]benzoic acid or 4-[(3,5-bis-trimethylsilylphenyl)-carboxamido]benzoic acid. |
| US08198327B2 |
Fatty acid amides and uses thereof
Provided are fatty acid amides of amino acids, uses thereof and pharmaceutical compositions including them. |
| US08198326B2 |
Phenolic antiseptic compositions and methods of use
Antimicrobial compositions, especially those useful when applied topically, particularly to mucosal tissues (i.e., mucous membranes), including an antiseptic such as halogenated phenols, bisphenols, diphenyl ethers, anilides and derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. The compositions can also include an enhancer component, a surfactant, a hydrophobic component, and/or a hydrophilic component. Such compositions provide effective topical antimicrobial activity and are accordingly useful in the treatment and/or prevention of conditions that are caused, or aggravated by, microorganisms (including viruses). |
| US08198322B2 |
Apoptotic and anti-tumor activities of metallo-salens
The present invention describes the synthesis and biochemical activities of metallo-salen compounds and their derivatives. The Mn(III)-salen and Fe(III)-salen derivatives of the present invention are potential anti-tumor agents, that affect cell viability, induce strong apoptotic activity, cause nuclear condensation, fragmentation, and ultimately death in breast cancer cells MCF-7. |
| US08198320B2 |
Hypoglycemic activity of osthole
The present invention relates to a method for controlling blood glucose level and a method for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes mellitus and/or its complications. The present invention further relates to an anti-diabetic formulation for controlling blood glucose level and/or for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes mellitus and/or its complications. |
| US08198316B2 |
Process for the preparation of 5,6 -dihydro -4H-4(S)-ethylamino-6(S)-methylthieno[2,3-b] thiopyran-2-sulfonamide- 7,7 -dioxide and its salt
The present invention relates to resolution of (cis,trans)5,6-dihydro-4H-4-ethylamino-6-methylthieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide using dibenzoyl-L-tartaric acid monohydrate or di-p-toluoyl-L-tarrtaric acid monohydrate as a chiral resolving agent in presence of methanol to obtain hemitartarate salt, purifying it to obtain hemitartarate salt of 5,6-dihydro-4H-4(S)-ethylamino-6(S)methylthieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-2-sulfonamide-7,7-dioxide with de of >99%, Chemical purity >99.5% with cis isomer content of <0.1% and further converting into its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, preferably hydrochloride salt. |
| US08198310B2 |
Use of an indazolemethoxyalkanoic acid for reducing triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose levels
Use of a compound of formula (I) in which R, R′ and R″ have the meanings given in the description, optionally in the form of a salt thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable organic or mineral base, to prepare a pharmaceutical composition for reducing the blood triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose levels. |
| US08198309B2 |
N-(2-(hetaryl)aryl) arylsulfonamides and N-(2-(hetaryl)hetaryl arylsulfonamides
Compounds are provided that act as potent antagonists of the CCR9 receptor. Animal testing demonstrates that these compounds are useful for treating inflammation, a hallmark disease for CCR9. The compounds are generally aryl sulfonamide derivatives and are useful in pharmaceutical compositions, methods for the treatment of CCR9-mediated diseases, and as controls in assays for the identification of CCR9 antagonists. |
| US08198307B2 |
Imidazole derivatives having aryl piperidine substituent, method for preparation thereof and pharmaceutical compositions containing same
The present invention is directed to a novel imidazole derivative having an aryl piperidine substituent of formula (I) and a method for preparation thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition containing said imidazole derivative as an active ingredient for preventing or treating a MCH (melanine-concentrating hormone)-related disease. |
| US08198303B2 |
Methods of use and compositions for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases
Methods and compositions for treating disease caused by infectious agents, particularly tuberculosis. In particular, methods and compositions comprising substituted diamines for the treatment of infectious diseases are provided. In one embodiment, these methods and compositions are used for the treatment of mycobacterial infections, including, but not limited to, tuberculosis. |
| US08198300B2 |
Method for preventing tau protein aggregation and treating Alzheimer's disease with a quinoline derivative compound
Method for the prevention of the tau protein aggregation and treating Alzheimer's disease by administering a quinoline derivative compound of formula wherein R2 is 2-(4-aminophenyl) or 2-(4-methylphenyl) and R6 is methyl as an inhibitor of the tau protein aggregation. |
| US08198299B2 |
Cycloalkylidene and heterocycloalkylidene inhibitor compounds
The present invention provides a compound of general Formula (I) having histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitory activity, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound, and a method useful to treat diseases using the compound. |
| US08198298B2 |
Pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives active as kinase inhibitors
Compounds which are pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine derivatives or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, their preparation process and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are disclosed; these compounds are useful in the treatment of diseases caused by and/or associated with an altered protein kinase activity such as cancer, cell proliferative disorders, Alzheimer's disease, viral infections, auto-immune diseases and neurodegenerative disorders; also disclosed is a process under SPS conditions for preparing the compounds of the invention and chemical libraries comprising a plurality of them. |
| US08198296B2 |
Sub-type selective azabicycloalkane derivatives
Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds, and methods of preparation and use thereof are disclosed. The compounds are amide, ketone, and ester compounds prepared from certain azabicycloalkane carboxylic acids. The resulting compounds exhibit selectivity for, and bind with high affinity to, neuronal nicotinic receptors of the α4β2 subtype in the central nervous system (CNS). The compounds and compositions can be used to treat and/or prevent a wide variety of conditions or disorders, such as those disorders characterized by dysfunction of nicotinic cholinergic neurotransmission, including disorders involving neuromodulation of neurotransmitter release, such as dopamine release. CNS disorders, which are characterized by an alteration in normal neurotransmitter release, are another example of disorders that can be treated and/or prevented. The compounds can: (i) alter the number of nicotinic cholinergic receptors of the brain of the patient, (ii) exhibit neuroprotective effects, and (iii) when employed in effective amounts, not result in appreciable adverse side effects (e.g. side effects such as significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate, significant negative effects upon the gastrointestinal tract, and significant effects upon skeletal muscle). |
| US08198295B2 |
Benzonaphthyridines
The compounds of formula I in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and n have the meanings as indicated in the description, are novel effective PDE3/4 inhibitors. |
| US08198292B2 |
Vinpocetine and eburnamonine derivatives for promoting bone growth, treating renal damage and cancer, and devices thereof
The present invention provides a method of promoting bone growth in a subject in need thereof, by administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula I. The compounds include the salts, hydrates and isomers thereof. The present invention also provides methods for the treatment of renal disease and cancer. |
| US08198288B2 |
Tetrahydropyrrolopyrimidinediones and their use in therapy
The subject invention provides compounds of formula (1): including monomers and multimers thereof that are inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) activity and are useful in the treatment of diseases or conditions in which HNE plays a part. |
| US08198285B2 |
Pyrazine derivatives
The invention concerns pyrazine derivatives of the Formula I or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof; wherein each of n, m and R has any of the meanings defined hereinbefore in the description; processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the manufacture of a medicament for use in the treatment of bone-related disorders or conditions. |
| US08198284B2 |
Treatment of neurodegenerative disorders with thiourea compounds
A method for treating a neurodegenerative disorder. The method includes administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of one or more thiourea compounds of formula (I) or (II): Each variable in formula (I) or (II) is defined herein. Also disclosed is use of these thiourea compounds to reduce microglia-mediated neuro-inflammation or enhancing microglial phagocytosis of Aβ. |
| US08198281B2 |
Crystalline forms of dihydropyrazolopyrimidinone
The present invention relates to the crystalline forms of 2-allyl-1-[6-(I-hydroxy-1 methylethyl)pyridin-2-yl]-6-{[4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)phenyl]amino}-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-3-one or a salt thereof, which are useful in the field of treatment of various cancers as a kinase inhibitor, especially as a Weel kinase inhibitor. |
| US08198277B2 |
L-malate salts of 6-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-[(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)carbonyloxy]-7-oxo-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrazine
Pharmaceutical compositions of L malate salts of (6-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-[(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)carbonyloxy]-7-oxo-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrazine) are provided. |
| US08198274B2 |
Substituted indolyl and indazolyl derivatives and uses thereof
This application discloses compounds of generic Formula I: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein A, R1, R2, R3, R4, Q, X, Y, m, p, and q are defined as described herein, useful for treatment of diseases associated with monoamine reuptake inhibitors. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, methods of using, and methods of preparing the compounds. |
| US08198269B2 |
Fused aminodihydrothiazine derivative
A compound represented by the general formula: wherein Ring A is a C6-14 aryl group or the like, L is —NRLCO— or the like (wherein RL 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 C1-3 alkylene group or the like, Z is an oxygen atom 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, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a solvate thereof, has an Aβ production inhibitory effect or a BACE1 inhibitory effect and is useful as a therapeutic agent for a neurodegenerative disease caused by Aβ and typified by Alzheimer-type dementia. |
| US08198265B2 |
Regulation of T cell-mediated immunity by tryptophan
A mechanism of macrophage-induced T cell suppression is the selective elimination of tryptophan and/or increase in one or more tryptophan metabolites within the local macrophage microenvironment. Studies demonstrate that expression of IDO can serve as a marker of suppression of T cell activation, and may play a significant role in allogeneic pregnancy and therefore other types of transplantation, and that inhibitors of IDO can be used to activate T cells and therefore enhance T cell activation when the T cells are suppressed by pregnancy, malignancy or a virus such as HIV. Inhibiting tryptophan degradation (and thereby increasing tryptophan concentration while decreasing tryptophan metabolite concentration), or supplementing tryptophan concentration, can therefore be used in addition to, or in place of, inhibitors of IDO. Similarly, increasing tryptophan degradation (thereby, decreasing tryptophan concentration and increasing tryptophan metabolite concentration), for example, by increasing IDO concentration or IDO activity, can suppress T cells. Although described particularly with reference to IDO regulation, one can instead manipulate local tryptophan concentrations, and/or modulate the activity of the high affinity tryptophan transporter, and/or administer other tryptophan degrading enzymes. Regulation can be further manipulated using cytokines such as macrophage colony stimulating factor, interferon gamma, alone or in combination with antigen or other cytokines. |
| US08198263B2 |
Vitamin D derivatives active on the vitamin D nuclear receptor, preparation and uses thereof
The invention relates to vitamin D derivatives and their uses, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry. The invention discloses compounds having different interesting biological properties, including vitamin D nuclear receptor (VDR) agonist activity, as well as therapeutics methods by administering said compounds, in particular for treating cancer, psoriasis, autoimmune diseases, osteodistrophy and osteoporosis. It further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds and methods for preparing the same. |
| US08198258B2 |
Oligoribonucleotides and methods of use thereof for treatment of fibrotic conditions and other diseases
The invention relates to a double-stranded compound, preferably an oligoribonucleotide (siRNA), which down-regulates the expression of a human TGaseII gene at the post-transcriptional level. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound, or a vector capable of expressing the oligoribonucleotide compound, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention also contemplates a method of treating a patient suffering from a fibrotic disease such as pulmonary, kidney and liver fibrosis or ocular, scarring comprising administering to the patient the pharmaceutical composition in a therapeutically effective dose so as to thereby treat the patient. The invention also relates to treatment of fibrotic and other diseases by use of antibodies to TGaseII polypeptide. |
| US08198252B2 |
SIRNA inhibition of PI3K P85, P110, and AKT2 and methods of use
The present invention provides polynucleotides, compositions including polynucleotides, and the uses thereof for treating cancer in a subject. The polynucleotides silence the expression of coding regions that encode polypeptides such as p85α, p110α, and Akt2. The cancers treatable using the methods described herein include colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and metastases thereof. |
| US08198245B2 |
Compositions and methods for soft tissue augmentation
The present invention provides compositions comprising isolated human collagen, isolated human elastin and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier wherein the human elastin is substantially insoluble in water with a molecular weight greater than 100 kDa. The present invention further provides methods and kits for soft tissue augmentation. |
| US08198243B2 |
Resuscitation fluid
A method for treating conditions related to lack of blood supply with a lipid based resuscitation fluid is disclosed. The resuscitation fluid contains a lipid component and an aqueous carrier. The lipid component forms an emulsion with the aqueous carrier. The resuscitation fluid can be used to increase the blood pressure and to carry oxygen to tissues. The resuscitation fluid can also be used for preserving the biological integrity of donor organs for transplantation. |
| US08198231B2 |
Compositions and methods for treatment of staphylococcal infection while suppressing formation of antibiotic-resistant strains
Co-administration of a lysostaphin or other anti-staphylococcal agent which cleaves cross-links of peptidoglycans of staphylococci cell walls such as lysostaphin and an antibiotic effective against staphylococci due to antibiotic activity mediated by cell-wall activity is effective against staphylococcal infection, even staphylococci that may be resistant to one or other of lysostaphin or the cell-wall active antibiotic. Co-administration simultaneously suppresses the generation of antibiotic-resistant mutant strains. Effective cell-wall active antibiotics include β-lactams and glycopeptides. |
| US08198227B2 |
Liquid acidic hard surface cleaning composition
The present invention relates to a liquid acidic hard surface cleaning composition comprising an acid system, wherein the acid system comprises oxalic acid and acetic acid. |
| US08198223B2 |
Lubricant additives
Processes are described for producing liquid, biobased lubricant additives containing from 50 to 100% biobased carbon according to ASTM D6866 from heat-bodied oils by transesterification with biobased or petroleum based alcohols and by hydrotreatment of at least the resulting diesters, triesters and polyesters. |
| US08198214B2 |
Solid formulation
The present invention relates to a solid formulation comprising a) one or more sulfonamides, b) one or more surfactants, and c) at least 2% by weight of water. The solid formulation is suitable for the field of crop protection. |
| US08198211B2 |
Acid-impregnated activated carbon and methods of forming and using the same
An acid-impregnated activated carbon matrix is formed from a carbonaceous material by the addition of a mineral acid, and may be used to chemisorb ammonia from a gas stream. The ammonia reacts with the acid to form a fertilizer salt. The spent matrix may be used as a fertilizer, or the fertilizer salt may be elutriated from the matrix. |
| US08198210B2 |
Halogenated activated carbon materials for high energy density ultracapacitors
A method for producing a halogenated activated carbon material includes heating a natural, non-lignocellulosic carbon precursor in an inert or reducing atmosphere to form a first carbon material, mixing the first carbon material with an inorganic compound to form a mixture, heating the mixture in an inert or reducing atmosphere to incorporate the inorganic compound into the first carbon material, removing the inorganic compound from the first carbon material to produce an activated carbon material, and treating the activated carbon material with a halogen source to form a halogenated activated carbon material. The halogenated activated carbon material is suitable to form improved carbon-based electrodes for use in high energy density devices. |
| US08198209B2 |
Water absorbing agent, water absorbent core using the agent, and manufacturing method for water absorbing agent
A water absorbing agent of the present invention has an internal crosslinking structure obtained by polymerization of a water-soluble unsaturated monomer. The agent satisfies conditions (a) to (d): (a) the agent contains water-insoluble inorganic particles at an amount of from 10 ppm to 1,900 ppm inclusive; (b) the agent contains 5 mass % or less particles which have such a size that they can pass through a sieve having a mesh opening size of 150 μm; (c) the agent has an absorbency against a pressure of 4.83 kPa (AAP) of 18 g/g or more; and (d) the water-insoluble inorganic particles reside on a surface of the water absorbing resin or near the surface. |
| US08198207B2 |
Borane catalyst complexes with amide functional polymers and curable compositions made therefrom
Borane catalyst complexes with amide functional polymers have a borane portion of the complex that may contain at least one silicon atom. The catalyst complexes can be used as components in curable compositions containing (i) the catalyst complex, (ii) a free radical polymerizable monomer, oligomer or polymer, and optionally (iii) a decomplexer. The curable compositions may contain a component capable of generating a gas, as well as various other optional ingredients. These curable compositions can be used as rubbers, tapes, adhesives, protective coatings, thin films, thermoplastic monolithic molded parts, thermosetting monolithic molded parts, sealants, foams, gaskets, seals, o-rings, pressure sensitive adhesives, die attachment adhesives, lid sealants, encapsulants, potting compounds, conformal coatings, and electronic components. The compositions can also be used in composite articles of manufacture in which substrates are coated or bonded together with the composition and cured, such as in connectors, diving masks, or other integrally bonded parts. |
| US08198206B2 |
Ink for producing catalyst layers
The invention relates to an ink for producing catalyst layers for electrochemical devices. The ink comprises catalyst materials, ionomer material, water and at least one organic solvent. The organic solvent belongs to the class of tertiary alcohols and/or the class of aliphatic diketones and bears functional groups which are stable to oxidative degradation in the ink. This prevents formation of decomposition products in the ink. The ink of the invention displays a high storage stability and is used for producing catalyst-coated substrates for electrochemical devices, in particular fuel cells (PEMFCs, DMFCs). |
| US08198192B2 |
Adjusting threshold voltage for sophisticated transistors by diffusing a gate dielectric cap layer material prior to gate dielectric stabilization
Sophisticated gate electrode structures may be formed by providing a cap layer including a desired species that may diffuse into the gate dielectric material prior to performing a treatment for stabilizing the sensitive gate dielectric material. In this manner, complex high-k metal gate electrode structures may be formed on the basis of reduced temperatures and doses for a threshold adjusting species compared to conventional strategies. Moreover, a single metal-containing electrode material may be deposited for both types of transistors. |
| US08198185B2 |
Apparatuses and methods to enhance passivation and ILD reliability
Some embodiments of the present invention include apparatuses and methods relating to processing and packaging microelectronic devices that reduce stresses on and limit or eliminate crack propagation in the devices. |
| US08198183B2 |
Forming method of etching mask, control program and program storage medium
A feedforward control is performed so that a line width of a mask constituted by an Si3N4 layer 102 formed by using a photoresist 105b as a mask is to be the same as a line width of a mask pattern constituted by an SiO2 layer 103 based on a measured line width of the photoresist 105b and the measured line width of the mask pattern constituted by the SiO2 layer 103. For example, a control of a trimming amount of the line width of the photoresist 105b is performed so that the line width of the photoresist 105b is to be the same as the line width of the mask pattern constituted by the SiO2 layer 103. |
| US08198181B1 |
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. |
| US08198180B2 |
Ion implanted substrate having capping layer and method
In an ion implantation method, a substrate is placed in a process zone and ions are implanted into a region of the substrate to form an ion implanted region. A porous capping layer comprising dispersed gas pockets is deposited on the ion implanted region. |
| US08198179B2 |
Method for producing group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device
A method for producing a group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device including: an intermediate layer formation step in which an intermediate layer containing group III nitride is formed on a substrate by sputtering, and a laminate semiconductor formation step in which an n-type semiconductor layer having a base layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer are laminated on the intermediate layer in this order, wherein the method includes a pretreatment step in which the intermediate layer is treated using plasma between the intermediate layer formation step and the laminate semiconductor formation step, and a formation step for the base layer which is included in the laminate semiconductor formation step is a step for laminating the base layer by sputtering. |
| US08198178B2 |
Methods of fabricating normally-off semiconductor devices
Normally-off semiconductor devices are provided. A Group III-nitride buffer layer is provided. A Group III-nitride barrier layer is provided on the Group III-nitride buffer layer. A non-conducting spacer layer is provided on the Group III-nitride barrier layer. The Group III-nitride barrier layer and the spacer layer are etched to form a trench. The trench extends through the barrier layer and exposes a portion of the buffer layer. A dielectric layer is formed on the spacer layer and in the trench and a gate electrode is formed on the dielectric layer. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices are also provided herein. |
| US08198174B2 |
Air channel interconnects for 3-D integration
A three-dimensional (3D) chip stack structure and method of fabricating the structure thereof are provided. The 3D chip stack structure includes a plurality of vertically stacked chips which are interconnected and bonded together, wherein each of the vertically stacked chips include one or more IC device strata. The 3D chip stack structure further includes an air channel interconnect network embedded within the chip stack structure, and wherein the air channel interconnect network is formed in between at least two wafers bonded to each other of the vertically stacked wafers and in between at least two bonded wafers of the vertically stacked wafers at a bonding interface thereof. In addition, the 3D chip stack structure further includes one or more openings in a peripheral region of the chip stack structure that lead into and out of the air channel interconnect network, so that air can flow into and out of the air channel interconnect network through the one or more openings to remove heat from the chip stack structure. |
| US08198171B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: providing a substrate; forming a plurality of trenches by etching the substrate; forming a first isolation layer by filling the plurality of the trenches with a first insulation layer; recessing the first insulation layer filling a first group of the plurality of the trenches to a predetermined depth; forming a liner layer over the first group of the trenches with the first insulation layer recessed to the predetermined depth; and forming a second isolation layer by filling the first group of the trenches, where the liner layer is formed, with a second insulation layer. |
| US08198170B2 |
Semiconductor device fabrication method for improved isolation regions and defect-free active semiconductor material
A fabrication method for a semiconductor device structure is provided. The device structure has a layer of silicon and a layer of silicon dioxide overlying the layer of silicon, and the method begins by forming an isolation recess by removing a portion of the silicon dioxide and a portion of the silicon. The isolation recess is filled with stress-inducing silicon nitride and, thereafter, the silicon dioxide is removed such that the stress-inducing silicon nitride protrudes above the silicon. Next, the exposed silicon is thermally oxidized to form silicon dioxide hardmask material overlying the silicon. Thereafter, a first portion of the silicon dioxide hardmask material is removed to reveal an accessible surface of the silicon, while leaving a second portion of the silicon dioxide hardmask material intact. Next, silicon germanium is epitaxially grown from the accessible surface of the silicon. |
| US08198169B2 |
Deep trench capacitor in a SOI substrate having a laterally protruding buried strap
A deep trench is formed to a depth midway into a buried insulator layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. A top semiconductor layer is laterally recessed by an isotropic etch that is selective to the buried insulator layer. The deep trench is then etched below a bottom surface of the buried insulator layer. Ion implantation is performed at an angle into the deep trench to dope the sidewalls of the deep trench beneath the buried insulator layer, while the laterally recessed sidewalls of the top semiconductor layer are not implanted with dopant ions. A node dielectric and trench fill materials are deposited into the deep trench. A buried strap has an upper buried strap sidewall that is offset from a lower buried strap sidewall and a deep trench sidewall. |
| US08198167B2 |
Method of manufacuturing semiconductor memory apparatus and semiconductor memory apparatus manufactured thereby
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory apparatus includes fabricating a cell array to reduce parasite capacitance generated between a bit line and a gate pattern. The method may include determining a plug region by a storage-node plug contact mask and a bit line plug mask. The method may further include: forming a gate pattern of a cell transistor and depositing an insulation layer over a structure including the gate pattern; and forming a hard mask layer over the insulation layer. |
| US08198166B2 |
Using high-k dielectrics as highly selective etch stop materials in semiconductor devices
A spacer structure in sophisticated semiconductor devices is formed on the basis of a high-k dielectric material, which provides superior etch resistivity compared to conventionally used silicon dioxide liners. Consequently, a reduced thickness of the etch stop material may nevertheless provide superior etch resistivity, thereby reducing negative effects, such as dopant loss in the drain and source extension regions, creating a pronounced surface topography and the like, as are typically associated with conventional spacer material systems. |
| US08198165B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
In a semiconductor device having a raised source and drain structure, in forming a raised region by etching, etching of an island-like semiconductor film which is an active layer is inhibited. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, an insulating film is formed by oxidizing or nitriding the surface of an island-like semiconductor film, a semiconductor film is formed on a region which is a part of the insulating film, a gate electrode is formed over the insulating film, an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added to the island-like semiconductor film and the semiconductor film using the gate electrode as a mask, the impurity element is activated by heating the island-like semiconductor film and the semiconductor film, and the part of the insulating film between the island-like semiconductor film and the semiconductor film disappears by heating the island-like semiconductor film and the semiconductor film. |
| US08198164B2 |
Level posture sensing chip and its manufacturing method, level posture sensor
The present invention discloses a gas pendulum style level posture sensing chip and its manufacturing method and a level posture sensor. The gas pendulum style level posture sensing chip includes: a semiconductor substrate; two sets of arm thermosensitive fuses formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, each set of the thermosensitive fuses including two thermosensitive fuses in parallel to each other, the two sets of thermosensitive fuses being vertical to each other; electrodes formed at the two ends of the thermosensitive fuses. For the level posture sensing chip and sensor provided by the present invention, the parallelism and verticality of the thermosensitive fuses is high in precision such that the more accurate measurement can be implemented. |
| US08198161B2 |
Vertical transistor and method for forming the same
A vertical transistor and a method for forming the same. The vertical transistor includes a semiconductor substrate having pillar type active patterns formed on a surface thereof; first junction regions formed in the surface of the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the active patterns; screening layers formed on sidewalls of the first junction regions; second junction regions formed on upper surfaces of the active patterns; and gates formed on sidewalls of the active patterns including the second junction regions to overlap with at least portions of the first junction regions. |
| US08198159B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, an isolation insulation film filled in a plurality of trenches formed in the semiconductor substrate to define a plurality of element formation regions, a floating gate of polysilicon provided on each of the element formation regions through a first insulation film, a second insulation film, provided on the floating gate, containing a metal element, a control gate of polysilicon, provided on the second insulation film, and source/drain regions provided in the semiconductor substrate, both a polysilicon conductive layer containing a metal element and a mutual diffusion layer composed of a silicate layer of a mixed oxide material composed of a silicon element contained in the floating gate and the control gate and a metal element contained in the second insulation film are provided on a surface of each of the floating gate and the control gate, respectively. |
| US08198156B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A non-volatile memory device includes a peripheral circuit region and a cell region. A method for fabricating the non-volatile memory device includes forming gate patterns over a substrate, the gate pattern including a tunnel insulation layer, a floating gate electrode, a charge blocking layer and a control gate electrode, and removing the control gate electrode and the charge blocking layer of the gate pattern formed in the peripheral circuit region. |
| US08198150B1 |
Method of forming a semiconductor die with aluminum-spiked heat pipes
A low thermal pathway is provided from the top surface of a silicon substrate to the bottom surface of the silicon substrate by first forming aluminum plugs in the bottom surface of the silicon substrate that contact the silicon substrate and extend up towards the top surface, and then heating the aluminum plugs to a temperature for a period of time sufficient to cause spikes to grow from the sides of the aluminum plugs. |
| US08198148B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
Provided is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes: providing a first substrate where an active layer is formed on a buried insulation layer; forming a gate insulation layer on the active layer; forming a gate electrode on the gate insulation layer; forming a source/drain region on the active layer at both sides of the gate electrode; exposing the buried insulation layer around a thin film transistor (TFT) including the gate electrode and the source/drain region; forming an under cut at the bottom of the TFT by partially removing the buried insulation layer; and transferring the TFT on a second substrate. |
| US08198145B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device over SOI substrate
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device and a semiconductor memory device manufactured using the same. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises defining source/drain regions in semiconductor substrate through an etch process using a mask, and forming a gate and source/drain by depositing a conductive material over the defined regions and the semiconductor substrate and patterning the conductive material. |
| US08198142B1 |
General purpose ball grid array security cap
A general purpose BGA security cap includes a substrate, an integrated circuit die, and an array of bond balls. The substrate includes an anti-tamper security mesh of conductors. The bond balls include outer bond balls and inner bond balls that are fixed to the underside of the substrate. The integrated circuit drives and monitors the anti-tamper security mesh and communicates data using a serial physical interface through a subset of the inner bond balls. In one example, a user has circuitry to be protected. The user purchases the BGA security cap and fits it over the circuitry to be protected such that the integrated circuit of the security cap communicates tamper detect condition information via the serial interface to the underlying protected circuitry and causes sensitive information to be erased or a program to be halted in the event of a tamper condition. |
| US08198139B2 |
Power device package and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a power device package, which can be made compact by vertically stacking substrates on which semiconductor chips are mounted, and a method of fabricating the power device package. The power device package includes: a first substrate comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, and a first wiring pattern formed on the first surface; one or more power semiconductor chips mounted on the first surface of the first substrate and electrically connected to the first wiring pattern; a second substrate vertically spaced apart from the first substrate and comprising a second wiring pattern; one or more first control semiconductor chips mounted on the second substrate and electrically connected to the second wiring pattern; a lead frame electrically connected to the first wiring pattern and the second wiring pattern; and a sealing member sealing the first substrate, the power semiconductor chips, the second substrate, the first control semiconductor chips, and at least a part of the lead frame so as to expose the second surface of the first substrate. |
| US08198136B2 |
Stacked semiconductor package electrically connecting semiconductor chips using outer surfaces thereof and method for manufacturing the same
A stacked semiconductor package and a method for manufacturing the same. The stacked semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip module having two or more semiconductor chips which are stacked in the shape of steps. Each of the semiconductor chips includes pads located on an upper surface thereof and an inclined side surface connected with the upper surface. Connection patterns are formed in the shape of lines on the inclined side surfaces and the upper surfaces of the semiconductor chips to electrically connect pads of the semiconductor chips. |
| US08198131B2 |
Stackable semiconductor device packages
Described herein are stackable semiconductor device packages and related stacked package assemblies and methods. In one embodiment, a manufacturing method includes: (1) providing a substrate including contact pads disposed adjacent to an upper surface of the substrate; (2) applying an electrically conductive material to form conductive bumps disposed adjacent to respective ones of the contact pads; (3) electrically connecting a semiconductor device to the upper surface of the substrate; (4) applying a molding material to form a molded structure covering the conductive bumps and the semiconductor device; (5) forming a set of cutting slits extending partially through the molded structure and the conductive bumps to form truncated conductive bumps; and (6) reflowing the truncated conductive bumps to form reflowed conductive bumps. |
| US08198126B2 |
Method for producing solid electrolytic capacitor
The invention relates to a method for producing a solid electrolytic capacitor with excellent LC value, comprising sequentially stacking a dielectric oxide film, a semiconductor layer and an electrode layer on a sintered body of conductive powder to which an anode lead is connected and then encapsulating the whole with an outer jacket resin, wherein surface area of a cathode plate used in forming the semiconductor layer on the dielectric oxide film by applying current between the conductor having the dielectric oxide film thereon used as anode and the cathode plate provided in electrolysis solution is made larger by 10 times or more than its apparent surface area to thereby efficiently form the semiconductor layer, a capacitor produced by the method, and electronic circuits and electronic devices using the capacitor. |
| US08198124B2 |
Methods of self-aligned growth of chalcogenide memory access device
Self-aligning fabrication methods for forming memory access devices comprising a doped chalcogenide material. The methods may be used for forming three-dimensionally stacked cross point memory arrays. The method includes forming an insulating material over a first conductive electrode, patterning the insulating material to form vias that expose portions of the first conductive electrode, forming a memory access device within the vias of the insulating material and forming a memory element over the memory access device, wherein data stored in the memory element is accessible via the memory access device. The memory access device is formed of a doped chalcogenide material and formed using a self-aligned fabrication method. |
| US08198120B2 |
Optical article
An optical article and method of making the same are provided. The optical article has optical multi-aperture operation. The optical article has one or more electrically conductive and selectively passivated patterns. |
| US08198119B2 |
Method for fabricating sensitive image sensor with non-uniform focal length
A method for fabricating an image sensor is described. A substrate is provided. Multiple photoresist patterns are formed over the substrate, and then a thermal reflow step is performed to convert the photoresist patterns into multiple microlenses arranged in an array. The focal length of the microlens increases from the center of the array toward the edge of the array. |
| US08198115B2 |
Solar cell, and method and apparatus for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a solar cell, includes: forming, on a silicon substrate whose conductivity type is p-type or n-type, a silicon layer including a dopant whose conductivity type is different from that of the silicon substrate; and diffusing the dopant included in the silicon layer into the silicon substrate by heat-treating the silicon layer. |
| US08198113B2 |
Production method for semiconductor light emitting devices
Producing a semiconductor film containing a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer, each represented as AlxInyGazN, on a growth substrate, the layers arranged in this order from the growth substrate side. Producing a metal layer on the semiconductor film and/or a support and joining the semiconductor film and the support with the metal layer sandwiched between them. Irradiating the peripheral region of the growth substrate with a laser beam to separate the growth substrate from the semiconductor film in the peripheral region. Irradiating portions on the inner side of the peripheral region of the growth substrate with a laser beam, while leaving unirradiated portions, to separate and remove the growth substrate from the semiconductor film. Removing some portions of the semiconductor film where the growth substrate has already been separated and removed, to set up regions where semiconductor light emitting devices are to be produced. |
| US08198112B2 |
Laser diodes comprising QWI output window and waveguide areas and methods of manufacture
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a process of manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode comprising a gain section, a QWI output window, and QWI waveguide areas is provided. The QWI waveguide areas are fabricated using quantum well intermixing and define a QWI waveguide portion in the QWI output window of the laser diode. The QWI output window is transparent to the lasing wavelength λL. The QWI waveguide portion in the QWI output window is characterized by an energy bandgap that is larger than an energy bandgap of the gain section such that the band gap wavelength λQWI in the QWI waveguide portion and the QWI output window is shorter than the lasing wavelength λL. The QWI output window is characterized by a photoluminescent wavelength λPL. The manufacturing process comprises a λPL screening protocol that determines laser diode reliability based on a comparison of the lasing wavelength λL and the photoluminescent wavelength λPL of the QWI output window. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08198106B2 |
Dense array of field emitters using vertical ballasting structures
A field emitter array structure is provided. The field emitter array structure includes a plurality of vertical un-gated transistor structures formed on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of vertical pillar structures to define said un-gated transistor structures. A plurality of emitter structures are formed on said vertical un-gated transistor structures. Each of said emitter structures is positioned in a ballasting fashion on one of said vertical un-gated transistor structures so as to allow said vertical ungated transistor structure to effectively provide high dynamic resistance with large saturation currents. |
| US08198105B2 |
Monitor for variation of critical dimensions (CDs) of reticles
The present invention provides a reticle 100 for use in a lithographic process. The reticle, in one embodiment, includes a patterned layer 110 located over a reticle substrate. The reticle 100 may further include a test pattern 130 located over the reticle substrate, wherein a portion of the test pattern 130 is within a step-distance of a portion of the patterned layer. In this embodiment, a variance in the test pattern is indicative of a variance in the patterned layer. |
| US08198103B2 |
Addition of ballast hydrocarbon gas to doped polysilicon etch masked by resist
A chemical composition and method for providing uniform and consistent etching of gate stacks on a semiconductor wafer, whereby the composition includes an etchant and an added ballast gas added. The gate stacks are formed using this combined etchant and ballast gas composition. The ballast gas may either be similar to, or the equivalent of, a gaseous byproduct generated within the processing chamber. The ballast gas is added in either an overload amount, or in an amount sufficient to compensate for varying pattern factor changes across the water. This etchant and added ballast gas form a substantially homogeneous etchant across the entire wafer, thereby accommodating for or compensating for these pattern factor differences. When etching the wafer using this homogeneous etchant, a passivation layer is formed on exposed wafer surfaces. The passivation layer protects the lateral sidewalls of the gate stacks during etch to result in straighter gate stacks. |
| US08198099B2 |
Mechanism to signal receptor-ligand interactions with luminescent quantum dots
Semiconductor quantum dots are becoming valuable analytical tools for use in biomedical applications. Indeed, their unique properties offer the opportunity to design luminescent probes for imaging and sensing with unprecedented performance. In this context, we have identified operating principles to transduce supramolecular association of complementary receptor-ligand binding pairs into enhancement or suppression in the luminescence of sensitive quantum dots. Thus, complementary receptor-ligand binding pairs can be identified with luminescence measurements relying on our design logic. In fact, we have demonstrated with a representative example that our protocol can be adapted to signal receptor-ligand binding. |
| US08198098B2 |
Optical measurement method for determining the pH of a medium using ageladine A as a fluorescent pH indicator
An optical measurement method for determining a pH of a medium includes adding a fluorescent pH indicator to the medium. The pH indicator is based on naturally-obtained or synthesized ageladine A. The pH indicator is irradiated with light of at least one wavelength so as to provide fluorescence excitation of the pH indicator. An emitted fluorescence intensity of the pH indicator is detected as a measure for the pH of the medium. |
| US08198091B2 |
Method for assaying the antioxidant capacity of a skin care product
A method for assaying the antioxidant capacity of a skin care product, the method including preparing an emulsion base, dissolving a sample of a skin care product into the emulsion base to form a homogeneous emulsion mixture, adding a detection probe to the homogeneous emulsion mixture, adding reactive oxygen species generator and/or reactive nitrogen species generator to the homogeneous emulsion mixture, measuring the fluorescence intensity change of the detection probe in the presence of the sample over time, in the presence of the standard over time, and in the presence of a blank over time, and calculating the initial rate of oxidation of the detection probe to determine the antioxidant capacity of the sample of the skin care product. |
| US08198087B2 |
Tissue engineering support
Cell cultures or tissue engineering supports, include at least a porous matrix based on a collagen sponge which defines first pores and a porous three-dimensional knit which defines second pores, the porous matrix filling the three-dimensional knit and all the first and second pores being at least partially interconnected with one another. |
| US08198086B2 |
Method for production of three-dimensional structure of cells
The present invention provides a method for arranging various cells as cell clusters in an arbitrary three-dimensional space and producing a three dimensional structure of a desired shape constituted exclusively by cells. Furthermore, the present invention provides a support provided with a substrate and a thread or needle-shaped material that penetrates the substrate and cell clusters for positioning cell clusters in arbitrary space. The support is provided with a sheet that can be removed as necessary for covering the substrate. Further, a method for using the support structure to position cell clusters in an arbitrary space and a method for the production of three-dimensional cell structures are provided. |
| US08198085B2 |
Somatic cells for use in cell therapy
The present invention generally concerns cell therapy and products for use in such therapy. Particularly, the invention provides a preserved cell preparation essentially free of one or more members of a group of cryoprotecting agents consisting of polyalcohols, DMSO and cryoprotecting proteins, the preserved cell preparation comprising somatic cells and at least one polyphenol, wherein upon reconstitution of cells in the cell preparation, at least a portion of said stem cells are viable, said portion being sufficient for use of the cell preparation in stem cell therapy. The invention also provides cells reconstituted from preserved somatic cells, and the use of the reconstituted cells in cell therapy. A preferred cell preparation in accordance with the invention comprises stem cells, preferably human stem cells. |
| US08198082B2 |
Method of determining chicken embryonic stem cells
A chicken embryonic stem cell is established, which stably has pluripotency and an ability of being differentiated into a germ cell. For evaluating on whether or not the chicken embryonic stem cell can be applied to genetic modification technique, detection is made on a protein which serves as an indicator of the ability of being differentiated into a germ cell. This provides (i) a chicken embryonic stem cell applicable to genetic modification technique and (ii) a method for evaluation of the chicken embryonic stem cell. |
| US08198081B2 |
Dopaminergic neuron progenitor cell marker 187A5
An object of the present invention is to provide a probe, a primer, a primer set and an antibody for use in the detection or selection of a dopaminergic neuron progenitor cell. The present invention provides a probe, a primer and a primer set for use in the detection or selection of a mesencephalon dopaminergic neuron progenitor cell, and preferably a dopaminergic neuron proliferative progenitor cell, which can hybridize with a nucleotide sequence of a 187A5 gene, or a complementary sequence thereto, and an antibody for use in the detection or selection of a mesencephalon dopaminergic neuron progenitor cell, and preferably a dopaminergic neuron progenitor cell, which is capable of binding to a 187A5 protein. |
| US08198080B2 |
Bone delivery device
Bone cages are disclosed including devices for biocompatible implantation. The structures of bone are useful for providing living cells and tissues as well as biologically active molecules to subjects. |
| US08198079B2 |
Synthetic expression vectors for insect cells
The present invention is directed at optimized expression vectors for the expression of native-like heterologous proteins in insect cells. Compositions of the invention are nucleotide sequences representing elements of an expression vector that when combined results in enhanced expression and secretion of heterologous proteins. The elements include sequences that define transcriptional activators, core promoters, secretion signals, and 3′ untranslated regions that are functional in insect cells. The elements contained in the optimized vectors are all synthetically derived or are modified variants of naturally occurring insect sequences. The expression vectors are useful for the expression of native-like proteins when protein encoding nucleotide sequences are operatively linked to the vectors. These vectors can be used to transform insect cells, which can then be cultured to produce the desired protein product. The expressed native-like proteins can be used in diagnostic, vaccine or other applications requiring large amounts of high quality proteins. |
| US08198075B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhanced detection of toxic agents
A water quality analyzer for real-time detection according to the invention comprises a biased AC electro-osmosis (ACEO) cell for receiving a fluid to be analyzed having a plurality photosynthetic organisms therein, and concentrating the plurality photosynthetic organisms into at least one concentrated region. A photodetector is provided for obtaining a measured photosynthetic activity of the plurality of photosynthetic organisms in the concentrated region, wherein chemical, biological or radiological agents reduce a nominal photosynthetic activity of the photosynthetic organisms. An electronics package analyzes the measured photosynthetic activity to indicate a presence of the chemical, biological or radiological agents in the fluid. |
| US08198072B2 |
Vibration type microinjection device
A vibration type microinjection device capable of ensuring smooth piercing of membranes having different properties such as a zona pellucida, a cell membrane and a nuclear membrane included in a fertilized egg with high accuracy and efficiency is provided.A vibration type microinjection device comprises a vibrator (28) which is connected in series with a micropipette (8) and which has a piezoelectric actuator (29) installed in a housing, and a signal control device (21) for controlling an electric signal applied to the piezoelectric actuator (29), wherein vibration is applied in the longitudinal direction of the micropipette (8) via the vibrator (28) by inputting an electric signal to the piezoelectric actuator (29). By such configuration, smooth piercing of membranes having different properties such as a zona pellucida, a cell membrane and nuclear membrane included in a fertilized egg is realized with high accuracy and efficiency. |
| US08198061B2 |
Acetylcholinesterase gene responsible for insecticide resistance and applications thereof
The invention relates to a novel acetylcholinesterase gene (ace-1) responsible for resistance to organophosphorus and/or carbamates in mosquitoes, which is non-homologous to the D. melanogaster acetylcholinesterase gene (ace-2), products of the ace-1 gene (cDNA, protein AchE1) and the applications thereof, particularly for the screening of novel insecticides and the genetic detection of resistance to organophosphorus and/or carbamates in mosquito populations. |
| US08198060B2 |
Nematode phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase-like sequences
Nucleic acid molecules from nematodes encoding phosphoethanolamine n-methyltransferase polypeptides are described. PEAMT-like polypeptide sequences are also provided, as are vectors, host cells, and recombinant methods for production of PEAMT-like nucleotides and polypeptides. Also described are screening methods for identifying inhibitors and/or activators, as well as methods for antibody production. |
| US08198059B2 |
Activation and transfer cascade for ubiquitin
A novel activating enzyme for ubiquitin, Uba6, is provided. Compositions and methods for inhibiting ubiquitin via the Uba6 pathway are provided. Methods of identifying novel inhibitors of ubiquitination are also provided. Novel RNAi molecules are also provided. |
| US08198053B2 |
Method for producing basic substance
A method for producing a basic substance by fermentation comprising culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce the basic substance in a liquid medium contained in a fermentation tank to produce and accumulate the basic substance in the medium, wherein amount of sulfate and/or chloride ions used as counter ions of the basic substance is reduced by adjusting total ammonia concentration in the medium to be within a specific concentration range during at least a part of the total period of culture process. |
| US08198050B2 |
Heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan lyase and uses thereof
The invention provides recombinant B. thetaiotaomicron GAG lyase polypeptides. The invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding such polypeptides, recombinant expression vectors containing B. thetaiotaomicron GAG lyase nucleic acid molecules, and host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced. Characterization, diagnostic and therapeutic methods utilizing compositions of the invention are also provided. |
| US08198047B2 |
RGD containing recombinant gelatin
The invention concerns recombinant gelatins with unevenly distributed RGD motifs that are of particular use in several applications involving cell attachment such as in cell culture work and applications involving cell cultures of anchor dependent cells and also in a variety of medical applications. |
| US08198039B2 |
Biosensors and related methods
Provided herein are biosensors that comprise a biological signal source linked to a substrate by a peptide nucleic acid spacer and methods of use of the biosensor. In one embodiment, the biosensor is used to detect prostate-specific antigen. |
| US08198037B2 |
Methods and compositions for detecting receptor-ligand interactions in single cells
The invention provides methods and compositions for simultaneously detecting the activation state of a plurality of proteins in single cells using flow cytometry. The invention further provides methods and compositions of screening for bioactive agents capable of coordinately modulating the activity of a plurality of proteins in single cells. The methods and compositions can be used to determine the protein activation profile of a cell for predicting or diagnosing a disease state, and for monitoring treatment of a disease state. |
| US08198035B2 |
Galactose-α-1,3-galactose-macromolecule conjugates and methods employing same
Methods and reagents are disclosed for conducting assays for IgE. Embodiments of the present reagents comprise a conjugate of a macromolecule and a compound comprising a galactose-α-1,3-galactose epitope. Embodiments of the present methods are directed to determining the presence and/or amount of an IgE specific for a galactose-α-1,3-galactose epitope in a sample. A combination is provided in a medium, which comprises the sample and a reagent for determining the presence and/or amount of an IgE specific for a galactose-α-1,3-galactose epitope in a sample wherein the reagent comprises a conjugate of a macromolecule and a compound comprising a galactose-α-1,3-galactose epitope. The combination is subjected to conditions for binding of the IgE to the reagent to form a complex. The presence and/or amount of the complex are detected and the amount of the complex is related to the presence and/or amount of IgE in the sample. |
| US08198034B2 |
Immuno-based botulinum toxin serotype A activity assays
The present specification discloses SNAP-25 compositions, methods of making α-SNAP-25 antibodies that bind an epitope comprising a carboxyl-terminus at the P1 residue from the BoNT/A cleavage site scissile bond from a SNAP-25 cleavage product, α-SNAP-25 antibodies that bind an epitope comprising a carboxyl-terminus at the P1 residue from the BoNT/A cleavage site scissile bond from a SNAP-25 cleavage product, methods of detecting BoNT/A activity, and methods of detecting neutralizing α-BoNT/A antibodies. |
| US08198026B2 |
Method of detecting specific fragments of DNA or RNA with the aid of a real-time polymerase chain reaction
Methods of amplifying specific fragments of DNA or RNA with the aid of a polymerase chain reaction in real time are disclosed. The methods include providing a first oligonucleotide primer that comprises a donor fluorescent dye and a second oligonucleotide primer that comprises an acceptor fluorescent dye; allowing the primers to anneal to a target nucleic acid at positions abutting to each other or overlapping; carrying out a polymerase chain reaction which allows for a fluorescent resonance transfer of energy between the donor dye and the acceptor dye; detecting an increase of fluorescent emission of the acceptor dye; and correlating the increase in the emission of the acceptor dye with the accumulation of the specific fragment of DNA or RNA. In one embodiment, the primers comprise a fluorescent dye and a universal quencher. |
| US08198024B2 |
Gene expression markers for colorectal cancer prognosis
A method of predicting clinical outcome in a subject diagnosed with colorectal cancer comprising determining evidence of the expression of one or more predictive RNA transcripts or their expression products in a biological sample of cancer cells obtained from the subject. |
| US08198020B2 |
Compositions and methods for enhancing phagocytosis or phagocyte activity
The present invention provides a system for enhancing clearance or destruction of undesirable cells or noncellular molecular entities by tagging such cells or noncellular molecular entities with a marker that targets the cells or noncellular molecular entities for phagocytosis (phagocytic marker). The target cells can be, for example, endothelial cells, tumor cells, leukocytes, or virus-infected cells. In certain embodiments of the invention the tagging is accomplished by administering a composition comprising an antibody or ligand linked to the phagcytotic marker, wherein the antibody or ligand binds to a cell type specific marker present on or in the cell surface of a target cell. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the phagocytic marker comprises phosphatidylserine or a group derived from phosphatidylserine, thrombospondin-1, annexin I, or a derivative of any of these. |
| US08198012B2 |
Method of using mask film to form relief images
A mask-forming film has a transparent layer between the imageable layer and the carrier sheet, which transparent layer has a refractive index that is lower (by at least 0.04) than that of the carrier sheet or any immediately adjacent layer between it and the carrier sheet. This lower refractive index layer modifies the path of incident radiation during mask image transfer so as to provide steeper shoulder angles in the relief image solid areas. This mask film is used to form a relief image such as in a flexographic printing plate. |
| US08198011B2 |
Method of imaging and developing positive-working imageable elements
A method of making imaged elements such as lithographic printing plates is achieved by imagewise exposing a positive-working imageable element using energy of less than 300 mJ/cm2 to provide exposed and non-exposed regions. The imaged element is developed using an alkaline, silicate-free solution containing a carbonate to remove predominantly only the exposed regions to provide an image. The imageable element comprises a substrate and a radiation absorbing compound, and has an imageable layer on the substrate that comprises a developability-enhancing compound and a poly(vinyl acetal) in which at least 25 mol % of its recurring units comprise pendant nitro-substituted phenolic groups. |
| US08198007B2 |
Negative-working resist composition and pattern forming method using the same
This disclosure provides a negative-working resist composition comprising a calix resorcinarene derivative (A) of specific structure, an acid generator (B) which directly or indirectly generates an acid when exposed to an active energy ray having a wavelength of 248 nm or less, and a cross-linking agent (C). |
| US08198006B2 |
Process for producing semiconductor device
A process for producing a semiconductor device includes a circuit formation step of forming circuit wiring on a semiconductor wafer using a chemically-amplified resist, and a cured film formation step of forming a cured film that protects the circuit wiring after forming the circuit wiring, the cured film being formed of a cured material of a photosensitive resin composition that comprises an alkali-soluble resin having a polybenzoxazole structure or a polybenzoxazole precursor structure, a compound that generates an acid upon exposure to light, and a solvent. The photosensitive resin composition substantially does not contain N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The process can suppress a T-top phenomenon or the like that may occur when forming a circuit on a semiconductor wafer using a chemically-amplified resist in the production of semiconductor devices. |
| US08198002B2 |
Positive photosensitive resin composition
Disclosed is a positive photosensitive resin composition that includes (A) a first polybenzoxazole precursor that includes: a repeating unit of Chemical Formula 1 and a thermally polymerizable functional group at at least one terminal end; (B) a second polybenzoxazole precursor that includes a repeating unit of Chemical Formula 3; (C) a photosensitive diazoquinone compound; (D) a silane compound; and (E) a solvent. |
| US08197999B2 |
Method for manufacturing toner, toner, developer, developing device, and image forming apparatus
A method for manufacturing a toner is provided. The method for manufacturing a toner uses a rotary stirring apparatus that includes a circulating section for repeatedly performing circulation in a powder passage having a rotary stirring chamber and a circulation tube to return to the rotary stirring chamber by a rotary stirring section having a rotary disc around which rotary blades are installed and a rotary shaft, and a temperature adjusting section provided at least on a part of the powder passage for adjusting temperatures in the powder passage and of the rotary stirring section to a predetermined temperature, and includes a temperature adjusting step; a fine resin particle adhering step; a spraying step; and a film-forming step. The temperature in the powder passage is adjusted to the predetermined temperature by the temperature adjusting section at the fine resin particle adhering step, the spraying step, and the film-forming step. |
| US08197998B2 |
Toner compositions
Toner particles are provided which may, in embodiments, include a core and a shell. In embodiments, charge control agents may be co-emulsified with a resin utilized to form a shell. The shell may prevent a crystalline resin in the core from migrating to the toner surface. Inclusion of the charge control agent in the shell itself may provide the resulting toner particles with desirable charge characteristics and sensitivity to relative humidity. |
| US08197996B2 |
Dual tone development processes
A method and system for patterning a substrate using a dual-tone development process is described. The method and system comprise using a resist material having a polymer backbone with a plurality of protecting groups attached thereto to improve process latitude and critical dimension uniformity for the dual-tone development process. |
| US08197995B2 |
Method of manufacturing array substrate of transreflective liquid crystal display
A method of manufacturing an array substrate of a transreflective LCD is provided in the invention. In the method, a gate line, a common line and an embossing pattern are formed with a full tone mask, a data line, a source/drain electrode, a reflective plate and a TFT channel region are formed with a first dual tone mask, and a pixel electrode connected with the drain electrode is formed with a second dual tone mask, and thus a horizontal electric field type transreflective LCD can be obtained. |
| US08197989B2 |
UV-curable fuel cell sealants and fuel cells formed therefrom
A fuel cell, having improved sealing against leakage, includes a fuel cell component having a cured sealant, wherein the cured sealant includes a telechelic-functional polyisobutylene, an organhydrogenosilane crosslinker, a platinum catalyst and a photoinitiator. The fuel cell component may be a cathode flow field plate, an anode flow field plate, a resin frame, a gas diffusion layer, an anode catalyst layer, a cathode catalyst layer, a membrane electrolyte, a membrane-electrode-assembly frame, and combinations thereof. A method for forming such a fuel cell includes the steps of providing a fuel cell component including a substrate; providing a mold having a cavity; positioning the mold so that the cavity is in fluid communication with the substrate; applying a curable liquid sealant composition into the cavity, wherein the curable sealant composition includes a telechelic-functional polyisobutylene, an organhydrogenosilane crosslinker, a platinum catalyst and a photoinitiator; and curing the composition with actinic radiation. |
| US08197988B2 |
Hydrogen supply system for fuel cell
Disclosed is a high pressure tank configured to store hydrogen and includes a metal hydride (MH) tank capable of storing hydrogen, mounted therein. First and second solenoid valves are provided at both ends of the high pressure tank. A fuel cell stack is then connected to the buffer tank so that hydrogen from the high pressure tank or the MH tank is supplied to the stack through the buffer tank. |
| US08197981B2 |
Fuel cell stack having a featured interconnect element
An interconnect element for electrically connecting an anode and a cathode in adjacent fuel cells in a fuel cell stack, wherein said interconnect element has at least one featured surface including dimples, bosses, and/or pins arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. Preferably, both surfaces are featured, as by mechanical dimpling, embossing, or chemical etching, so that protrusions of the interconnect surface extend into either or both of the adjacent gas flow spaces to make electrical contact with the surfaces of the anode and cathode. This permits conduction of heat from the anode. The protrusions create turbulence in gas flowing through the flow spaces, which increases hydrogen consumption at the anode and hence electric output of the cell. |
| US08197980B2 |
Fuel cell mounted on a mobile unit
A fuel cell is mounted in a mobile unit. The fuel cell may include a stacked assembly composed of a plurality of stacked power generation elements held between a first rigid plate and a second rigid plate. The plurality of stacked power generation elements may be stacked adjacent to one another in a stacked direction and along a central stack axis. The central stack axis may extend through a center of gravity of the fuel cell. A first mount, a second mount, and a third mount may be used to mount the fuel cell to the mobile unit. Each of the first mount, the second mount, and the third mount may be an insulating elastic element that suppresses vibration transferred from the mobile unit to the fuel cell. |
| US08197979B2 |
Thermo-mechanical robust seal structure for solid oxide fuel cells
A solid oxide fuel cell comprising a thin ceramic electrolyte sheet having an increased street width is disclosed. Also disclosed are solid oxide fuel cells comprising: a substantially flat ceramic electrolyte sheet, a substantially flat ceramic electrolyte sheet having a seal area of greater thickness than the active area of the electrolyte sheet, a ceramic electrolyte sheet that overhangs the seal area, a ceramic electrolyte sheet and at least one substantially flat border material, and a border material having a non-linear edge. Methods of making a solid oxide fuel cell in accordance with the disclosed embodiments are also disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making a solid oxide fuel cell wherein the seal has a uniform thickness, wherein the seal is heated to remove a volatile component prior to sealing, and wherein the distance between the frame and the ceramic electrolyte sheet of the device is constant. |
| US08197975B2 |
Fuel cell system
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell unit, a reformer with a catalyst and heat pipes around the catalyst, and a combustor connected to the heat pipes. A first fuel pipe sends fuel into the reformer. The fuel is reformed in the reformer. A first air port sends air into the reformer. An anode pipe sends the reformed fuel into the fuel cell unit. The chemical reaction of the reformed fuel occurs in the fuel cell unit. A cathode pipe sends the air into the fuel cell unit. A residual reformed fuel pipe sends residual reformed fuel into the combustor. A hot air pipe sends hot air into the combustor. The residual reformed fuel pipe is mixed with the hot air and burned in the combustor. A second fuel pipe sends more fuel into the combustor if necessary. A second air port sends air into the combustor if necessary. |
| US08197973B2 |
Lithium cell
A primary cell having an anode comprising lithium and a cathode comprising iron disulfide (FeS2) and carbon particles.The cell can be in the configuration of a coin cell or the anode and cathode can be spirally wound with separator therebetween and inserted into the cell casing with electrolyte then added. The electrolyte comprises a lithium salt dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent mixture which may include an organic cyclic carbonate such as ethylene carbonate and propylene carbon. The cell after assembly is subjected to a two step preconditioning (prediscahrge) protocol involving at least two distinct discharge steps having at lease one cycle of pulsed current drain in each step and at least one rest period (step rest) between said two steps, wherein said step rest period is carried out for a period of time at above ambient temperature. The preconditioning improves cell performance. |
| US08197972B2 |
All-solid-state cell
A first paste for a first electrode layer and a second paste for a second electrode layer are printed on a fired solid electrolyte by screen printing, etc. to form electrode patterns for forming the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer. The first and second pastes can be prepared by dissolving a binder in an organic solvent, adding an appropriate amount of the obtained solution to powders of an electrode active substance material and a solid electrolyte material, and kneading the resultant mixture. The first and second pastes are applied to the fired solid electrolyte to form a cell precursor, the cell precursor is placed in a hot press mold subjected to a thermal treatment while pressing from above by a punch, whereby the first and second electrode layer are formed from the first and second pastes. |
| US08197965B2 |
Anode for fuel cell and fuel cell using the same
This invention provides an anode for a fuel cell which can realize stable output for a long period of time, and a fuel cell using the anode for a fuel cell. The anode for a fuel cell comprises an electrode catalyst layer, the electrode catalyst layer comprising a supported catalyst comprising an electroconductive carrier material and catalyst fine particles supported on the electroconductive carrier material, a proton conductive inorganic oxide, and a proton conductive organic polymer binder, the weight ratio between the supported catalyst (C) and the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA), WSA/WC, being 0.06 to 0.38, the weight ratio between the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA) and the proton conductive organic polymer binder (P), WP/WSA, being 0.125 to 0.5. |
| US08197962B2 |
Assembled battery and battery module
In an assembled battery (2), batteries (3) are arranged in such a manner that sealing plates (13) for sealing openings of battery cases (10) face the same direction. Terminal (10) of first electrodes of the batteries (3) are connected to a first electrode connecting pieces (33) arranged near the sealing plates (13), and terminal (13) of second electrodes of the batteries (3) are connected to a second electrode connecting pieces (27) arranged near the sealing plates (13). The first electrode connecting pieces (33) are connected in parallel with each other, and the second electrode connecting pieces (27) are connected in parallel with each other. The first electrode connecting pieces (33) and the second electrode connecting pieces (27) are stacked on the sealing plates (13) with an insulating member (32) interposed therebetween. |
| US08197958B2 |
Electric battery comprising a mechanical and thermal conditioning system
An electric battery includes a plurality of electric energy generators and a system for mechanical and thermal conditioning of the elements, which system includes a one-piece structural body in which housings are formed in order to each receive an element, in which the housings have at least one internal area of contact with an element, and the contact area is continuous and has a shape suitable for ensuring contact between the area and the periphery of the element, in which the body also includes chambers that each extend around a contact area, and which system also includes a device enabling a thermal conditioning fluid to circulate in the chambers so as to ensure the thermal conditioning of the elements. |
| US08197951B2 |
Emitting material and organic light emitting diode using the same
The present invention provides novel structure of light emitting material and an organic light emitting diode using the same. The light emitting material can serve as a light emitting material alone, and can also serve as a light emitting host in combination with a proper light emitting dopant, or a light emitting dopant in combination with a proper light emitting host, particularly in an organic emitting diode. |
| US08197948B2 |
Furan polymer impregnated wood, method for preparing the polymer and uses thereof
A furan polymer impregnated wood which is uniform in color and density throughout the treated zone. In order to obtain the polymer impregnated wood, a parent wood has been impregnated with a mixture containing polymerizable organic compounds of at least furfuryl alcohol and one further compound. The invention also relates to a method for preparing a furan polymer impregnated wood and uses thereof. |
| US08197946B2 |
Barrier laminate, barrier film substrate, methods for producing them, and device
A barrier laminate comprising at least one organic layer and at least one inorganic layer, in which the organic layer comprises a polymer having a structural unit of the following formula: wherein R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; L represents an open-chain alkylene group having at least 8 carbon atoms and not containing an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom and a sulfur atom. |
| US08197945B2 |
Mechanical piece with improved deformability
The invention relates to a mechanical piece having a structure comprising a substrate (1) and at least one surface coating layer (3) of nanometric thickness, for improving mechanical resistance, characterized in that it comprises between the substrate and the surface coating layer an essentially non ceramic, non porous adhesion layer of nanometric size; and said surface coating layer is an essentially non porous barrier layer (2) consisting essentially of an essentially stoechiometric titanium nitride layer. |
| US08197943B2 |
Photocrosslinkable composition comprising a polyorganosiloxane
A photocrosslinkable composition has polyorganosiloxane P having a viscosity of at least 10 000 mPa·s at 25° C., wherein the polyorganosiloxane P has an acrylated silicone oil as a crosslinking agent, and a photoinitiator, the chemical structure of which comprises a diaryl ketone group. |
| US08197942B2 |
Gas barrier sheet
There is provided a gas barrier sheet that has high productivity, good gas barrier properties, and anticurling properties. In particular, a gas barrier sheet is provided that, even after a heat cycle test which is performed as a durability test for organic EL displays and the like, can suppress the occurrence of curling and can maintain gas barrier properties. The gas barrier sheet comprises a gas barrier film 3 provided on a base material 2. The gas barrier film 3 is an SiNxOy film, wherein x=0.5 to 1.5 and y=0.25 to 1, has an absorption intensity of IR absorption (830 cm−1 to 840 cm−1), corresponding to an Si—N bond, per unit thickness of 0.5×10−3/nm to 1.8×10−3/nm and has a refractive index of 1.7 to 2.1. |
| US08197941B2 |
Coated article having low-E coating with ion beam treated IR reflecting layer and corresponding method
A coated article is provided that may be used as a vehicle windshield, insulating glass (IG) window unit, or the like. An ion beam is used during at least part of forming an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of such a coated article. Advantageously, this has been found to improve sheet resistance (Rs) properties, solar control properties, and/or durability of the coated article. Other layers may also be ion beam treated in certain example embodiments. |
| US08197938B2 |
Adhesion promoter intended for application to a thermoplastic elastomer polymer substrate and corresponding processes for surface treatment and adhesive assembly
Use, as adhesion promoter intended for application to the surface of a substrate S1 made of thermoplastic elastomer polymer TPE which comprises a chain formed of an alteration of hard segments and of soft segments, for the purpose of the adhesive assembly of the said substrate S1 with another substrate S2, of at least one solvent of the hard segments and/or of the soft segments of the said thermoplastic elastomer polymer TPE. |
| US08197932B2 |
Large high density foam glass tile composite
A large, high density foam glass tile which can be used as a facade on both exterior and interior building walls. The foam glass tile can also be used with other materials to form a panel or a composite. The present invention may be used on the critical surfaces of buildings at high risk for terrorist attacks, in combination with cement, steel or other high strength building materials. The present invention may also be used in surfaces of typical buildings. The present invention has the advantage of absorbing a substantial portion of a shock wave caused by an explosion. The present invention also has the advantage of being more resistant to earthquakes. |
| US08197930B1 |
Three-dimensional ordered open-cellular structures
A three-dimensional ordered open-cellular structure. In one embodiment, the structure includes: a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material, and the three-dimensional structure is self-supporting. |
| US08197924B2 |
Compostable interior panel for use in a vehicle and method of manufacture
A compostable interior panel for use in a vehicle includes an injection molded compostable polymer. A layer is disposed about the compostable polymer and comprises a composting-resistant polymer having a thickness ranging from 10 μm to 175 μm. The compostable polymer and the composting-resistant polymer are substantially insoluble in one another when liquid. |
| US08197919B2 |
Inkjet recording material with perforated backside resin layer
A recording material comprises a machine-finished paper which is coated with a synthetic resin on at least one side and at least one porous image recording layer, wherein the machine-finished paper is coated with a synthetic resin at least on the rear-side and this rear-side synthetic resin layer is perforated in such a way that the perforation holes reach as far as into the machine-finished paper, wherein the penetration depth is at most 1.5 to 4 times the synthetic resin layer thickness. |
| US08197916B2 |
Cellulose ester film, light diffusing film, polarizing plate, and liquid crystal display
Disclosed is a cellulose ester film which, when used in a polarizing plate, can impart excellent dimensional stability, curling properties and surface properties to the polarizing plate. Also disclosed is a light-scattering-film, a polarizing plate or a liquid crystal display element which is produced by using the cellulose ester film, and therefore has more excellent optical anisotropy, higher surface properties and a smoother surface, causes less curling, and has good surface quality. The cellulose ester film comprises 1 to 50% by mass (inclusive) of microparticles having an average particle diameter of 1 to 400 nm (inclusive) and a compound showing negative birefringence in the direction of drawing, and has a retardation value (R0) defined by the equation (I) of 0 to 5 nm (inclusive) and a retardation value (Rt) defined by the equation (II) of −10 to 20 nm (inclusive), both measured at 23° C. and 55% RH: Equation (I): R0=(nx−ny)×d; and Equation (II): Rt=[(nx+ny)/2×nz]×d. |
| US08197913B2 |
Film forming method for a semiconductor
The present invention is a plasma processing method for forming a film on a substrate, the method including the steps of processing a first material gas with plasma having an electron density W and an electron temperature X, processing a second material gas with plasma having an electron density Y, which is different from the electron density W, and an electron temperature Z, which is different from the electron temperature X, and forming the film on the substrate by reacting the processed first material gas and the processed second material gas. |
| US08197912B2 |
Precision separation of PV thin film stacks
A method for manufacturing thin film panels comprises providing a laser patterning system, depositing a base layer on a glass substrate, separating the base layer by scribing a plurality of separation lines corresponding with a predefined scribe pattern, depositing a functional layer on the base layer, determining a first base layer separation edge, moving the translation stage by a first distance, activating the laser array and moving the translation stage by a second distance, deactivating the laser array, determining subsequent separation edges of the base layer and scribing lines therein, depositing a top layer on the functional layer, determining a first functional layer separation edge, operating the stepper motor to move the translation stage by a third distance, activating the laser array and moving the translation stage by a fourth distance, deactivating the laser array, and determining subsequent separation edges of the functional layer and scribing lines therein. |
| US08197900B2 |
Coating method and coating apparatus
There is provided a coating method for forming a coat having a less unevenness in its thickness on a sheet-like substrate. In the method in which a coating liquid is continuously supplied from a supply head to a surface of a continuously traveling sheet-like substrate to form a coat while controlling its thickness by a coating bar disposed above the sheet-like substrate, the coating liquid of which amount corresponds to an amount required for forming a predetermined coat thickness is continuously and constantly supplied to the surface of the sheet-like substrate, and the coating bar is moved up and down on the basis of increase and decrease in an amount of a holdup of the coating liquid which is formed just near the coating bar, so that the coat is formed. |
| US08197899B2 |
Method for manufacturing patterned thin-film layer
A method for manufacturing a patterned thin-film layer includes the steps of: providing a substrate with a plurality of banks thereon, the plurality of banks defining a plurality of spaces; providing an ink-jet device comprising a plurality of nozzles for depositing ink therefrom; generating a jetting information about ink volume that each of the nozzles deposits into the respective spaces by a random method, the jetting information meeting ink volume deposited into each of the spaces is in a range from about 92.5% to about 107.5% of an average volume of ink in the spaces; making the nozzles to deposit ink into the respective spaces according to the jetting information; and solidifying the ink so as to form a plurality of patterned thin-film layers formed in the spaces. |
| US08197895B2 |
Method and device for the cold-gas spraying of particles having different solidities and/or ductilities
In a method for the cold-gas spraying of particles having different solidities and/or ductilities and in a cold-gas spraying device (11) suitable for use in with the method, in order to obtain a comparatively high proportion of particles (23) having higher solidity and/or smaller ductility in comparison to the other particles (22), these particles are fed into an area (21) of the stagnation chamber (15) of the cold-gas spraying device which is very distant from the nozzle (14). Advantageously, the particles (23) have to cover a longer course through the stagnation chamber and are thus preheated. In this way, the deposition of these particles (23) on a substrate (25) is improved. Particularly metals having a transition temperature ranging between brittle and ductile behavior can be provided with ductile properties by the preheating process, thereby simplifying the deposition process. |
| US08197890B2 |
Method of making dendritic magnetic nanostructures
Magnetic nanostructures comprised of an assembly of magnetic nanorods held together by dipole forces in a dendritic pattern and their method of manufacture. The dendritic magnetic nanostructures are prepared at room temperature by applying a magnetic field to a reverse micelle system wherein at least one salt of a magnetic metal is being precipitated within the core of the reverse micelle. |
| US08197888B2 |
Dispersion, alignment and deposition of nanotubes
A dispersible nanocomposite comprising nanotubes associated with nanoplatelets. A method for creating an exfoliated nanotubes solution, aligning nanotubes and depositing them on a substrate or in matrix. In one embodiment, the method includes a nanocomposite of at least one nanotube electrostatically associated with at least one nanoplatelet. The nanoplatelets may be removed from the suspension by altering the ionic strength to create an exfoliated nanotube solution. The exfoliated nanotube solution for injection into microchannel templates and aligned deposition. |
| US08197887B1 |
Three-dimensional metamaterials
A fabrication method is capable of creating canonical metamaterial structures arrayed in a three-dimensional geometry. The method uses a membrane suspended over a cavity with predefined pattern as a directional evaporation mask. Metallic and/or dielectric material can be evaporated at high vacuum through the patterned membrane to deposit resonator structures on the interior walls of the cavity, thereby providing a unit cell of micron-scale dimension. The method can produce volumetric metamaterial structures comprising layers of such unit cells of resonator structures. |
| US08197883B2 |
Method for making electro-optic device and liquid ejecting device
A method for making en electro-optic device includes a filling step of ejecting liquid matter containing a solvent and a functional layer-forming material into recesses formed in a substrate to fill the recesses with the liquid matter; and a fixing step of removing a solvent component from the liquid matter to fix the functional layer-forming material in the recesses. In the filling step, the concentration of the functional layer-forming material in the liquid matter filling each recess is changed on the basis of the size of an opening width of the recess. |
| US08197878B2 |
Method for producing a low sodium salt composition
The present invention relates to a low sodium salt composition and the methods used to make it. The low sodium salt composition includes sodium chloride and a modified chloride salt composition. The modified chloride salt composition includes a homogenous amalgamation of chloride salt, food grade acidulant, and carrier, which does not contain sodium chloride. The low sodium salt composition is made using a two step process. The first step includes making a modified chloride salt composition and the second step includes combining the modified chloride salt composition with sodium chloride to form a low sodium salt composition. |
| US08197877B2 |
Modified cocoa product and process for its manufacture
The invention relates to a modified cocoa product and process for its manufacture. In particular the invention relates to a cocoa product improving wettability in powdered beverages, having a reduced content of endogenous phospholipids. |
| US08197873B2 |
Acoustically-treated food and method for flavor enhancement
A method of enhancing the flavor of food by exposing the food to acoustic waves from a low frequency sonic transducer immersed in liquid is provided. The liquid may be the food itself and/or the food may be positioned within a range between about ¼ inch and about 20 feet from the liquid-containing container, and is preferably exposed to waves at a frequency ranging between about 1 Hertz to about 1000 Hertz, optimally 600 Hz for approximately one minute to 24 hours, optimally about 30 minutes. The acoustically-treated food is also provided. |
| US08197871B2 |
Composition for headache treatment
A nutritional composition for treating severe headaches and comprising a plurality of vitamins and a plurality of minerals that together represent at least a portion of required daily allowance thereof. The plurality of vitamins include at least vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B-1, B-2, B-6, and B-12, niacin, folic acid, biotin, pantothenic acid, and mixtures thereof, while the plurality of minerals include at least selenium, zinc, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, copper, chromium, cobalt, phosphorous, iodine, potassium and molybdenum. The composition further includes at least one or both of 125-175 mg of co-enzyme Q-10 and 25-150 mg of purified Butterbur root extract. |
| US08197870B2 |
Depolymerization extraction of compounds from birch bark
The invention provides improved processes for the extraction of betulin, lupeol, betulinic acid, suberinic acids, and/or other organic compounds and compositions from birch bark. In some embodiments, the birch bark can be physically processed prior to the extraction process, which can further improve the yield of the extraction. The bark processing can include, but is not limited to, one or more of pelletizing the bark, baling the bark, pucking the bark, or compressing the bark, to a form that is more dense per volume unit than prior to the processing. |
| US08197869B2 |
Composition to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin
A composition for enhanced bioavailability of curcumin including purified curcuminoid and purified essential oil of turmeric. A method to prepare a composition for enhanced bioavailability of curcumin having purified curcuminoid and purified essential oil of turmeric. |
| US08197868B2 |
Process of making purified extract of Scutellaria barbata D. Don
An extract of Scutellaria barbata D. Don is effective in the arrest of cancer cell growth in the G1 phase, the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells and the shrinking of solid cancers. The extract may be prepared as a pharmaceutical composition for administration to mammals for the treatment of solid cancers, such as epithelial cancers. Such epithelial cancers include breast cancer and ovarian cancers. The extract is obtained from Scutellaria barbata D. Don by contacting aerial portions of a plant from the species Scutellaria barbata D. Don with an aqueous or alcoholic solvent. |
| US08197865B2 |
Methods and compositions for modulating hair growth or regrowth
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating hair growth or regrowth. The compositions of the present invention include extracts of one or more of the following: Boswellia serrata, Undaria pinnatifida, green tea (e.g., Camellia sinensis), shiso, Pureraria mirifica, luteolin (e.g. Perilla ocymoides leaf extract), astilbin, vitamin E, amentoflavone, tetrahydropiperine, lichochalcone, astaxanthin, red clover, Brassica juncea, unfermented green rooibos, enzyme CoQ10, salvia, ximenynic acid, hops oleoresin, apple, soy, saw palmetto, or ellagic extract, or any derivative thereof. |