| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08379406B2 |
Package and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein are a package and a method for manufacturing the same. The package includes: a first package including a first printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface and having a first die mounted on the first surface, the first die having a through silicon via; a second package including a second printed circuit board having a first surface and a second surface and having a second die mounted on the first surface, the second die having a through silicon via; first external connecting terminals electrically interconnecting the first surface of the first printed circuit and the first surface of the second printed circuit disposed to be opposite to each other; and first connecting bumps electrically interconnecting the first and second dice. Therefore, power signals are independently applied to each of the dice, thereby making it possible to improve power stability of each of the dice. |
| US08379405B2 |
Ultra-wideband assembly system
An ultra-wideband assembly in an electrical circuit having a circuit board with a conductive micro-strip line is provided. The assembly includes a non-conductive tapered core having an outer surface, a distal end, and a proximate end. The distal end is being larger than proximate end. The assembly includes a conductive wire having a proximate end and a distal end and being wound about at least a portion of the non-conductive tapered core. The proximate end of the conductive wire extends away from the proximate end of the non-conductive tapered core and is being conductively coupled to the micro-strip line of the circuit board. The distal end of the conductive wire extends away from the distal end of the non-conductive tapered core. The conductive wire contacts at least a portion of the outer surface of the non-conductive tapered core. The assembly includes a supporting bracket coupled to the non-conductive tapered core. The bracket includes a base portion and a core attachment portion. The base portion is being conductively coupled to the circuit board. The core attachment portion is being coupled to the distal end of the non-conductive tapered core and is further being conductively coupled to the distal end of the conductive wire. While being coupled to the non-conductive tapered core, the supporting bracket is configured to dispose the non-conductive tapered core at a predetermined angle to the circuit board. |
| US08379404B2 |
Slide button and electronic device using the same
An exemplary electronic device includes a shell, a circuit board located in an inner side of the shell, a toggle switch positioned on the circuit board, and a slide button. The toggle switch includes a pin. The shell defines a through hole therein. The slide button includes an operating portion located at an outer side of the shell, a curved body extending obliquely from a side of the operating portion. The body of the slide button extends through the through hole of the shell. A distal end of the body of the slide button engages with the pin of the toggle switch. The pin of the toggle switch can be caused to move by moving the slide button. |
| US08379400B2 |
Interposer mounted wiring board and electronic component device
An interposer mounted wiring board includes a wiring board including outermost wiring layers respectively on both surfaces thereof, the outermost wiring layers being electrically connected to each other through an inside of the board, and first and second interposers electrically connected to the outermost wiring layers on the both surfaces of the board, respectively. Each of the first and second interposers has a value of a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the value being equal or close to a value of a CTE of a corresponding one of first and second electronic components to be mounted respectively on the first and second interposers. The base member of each of the interposers is preferably formed of silicon, and the base member of the wiring board is preferably formed of resin. Further, the electronic components are mounted respectively on surfaces of the interposers and thus form a semiconductor device, the surfaces being opposite to the surfaces of the interposers facing the wiring board. |
| US08379397B2 |
Circuit board and electronic device with the same
A circuit board is fixed to a housing including a boss-like fixing part by being fastened by a fixing tool. The circuit board includes a printed portion formed in a region that the circuit board contacts with the housing. The printed portion includes a lattice printed portion formed by silk screening on a periphery of a fixing hole through which the fixing tool is inserted, and a ring printed portion formed by silk screening on a periphery of the lattice printed portion. The lattice printed portion includes a non-printed region, and the ring printed portion includes no non-printed region. |
| US08379396B2 |
Electronic device and connecting mechanism thereof
A connecting mechanism is provided to connect an input module to a display module of an electronic device, wherein the display module is slidable relative to the input module along a first direction. The connecting mechanism includes a FPC and a sliding hinge comprising a fixed member fixed to the input module, a slider fixed to the display module, and a sliding plate fixed to the slider and movably received in a concave space of the fixed member. The FPC has a first portion extended from a side wall of the fixed member to the middle of the slider along a second direction, and the first portion is bent and extended along the first direction to an opening of the slider. A bent portion of the FPC passes through the opening to connect the first portion and a second portion of the FPC, wherein the first and second portions are on opposite sides of the slider. |
| US08379395B2 |
Electrical component
An electrical component system and method is provided. In an embodiment, the electrical component system includes a circuit carrier onto which at least one electrical component has been mounted. The circuit carrier is injection molded around using a molding compound. An embedding length of a circuit-board conductor in the molding compound, situated between the contacting area on the circuit carrier and the exit location, is maximized. |
| US08379394B2 |
Sliding expansion data card
A sliding expansion data card includes a data card interface, a spring plate, a main bearing plate, and a shield. The data card interface is set at one end of the main bearing plate. One end of the spring plate is set on the shield which is located on the lower surface of the main bearing plate, and the other end contacts the data card interface. |
| US08379392B2 |
Light-based sealing and device packaging
Systems and methods for manufacturing and packaging electronic devices with light absorptive thin film stacks are provided. In one embodiment, a light is applied to a light absorptive thin film stack disposed between a substrate and a backplate to seal the substrate to the backplate. In another embodiment, the light absorptive thin film stack includes a plurality of thin film layers. In yet another embodiment, the light absorptive thin film stack includes a spacer layer over a reflective layer and an absorber layer over the spacer layer. In still another embodiment, the light absorptive thin film stack is less than 200 nanometers thick. In yet a further embodiment, a light absorptive thin film stack is used to seal a substrate having glass, plastic, metal, or silicon to a backplate having glass, plastic, metal, or silicon. Thus, the light absorptive thin film stack is used to seal similar or dissimilar materials through a bonding process. |
| US08379391B2 |
Memory module with vertically accessed interposer assemblies
A memory module with attached transposer and interposers to provide additional surface area for the placement of memory devices is disclosed. The memory module includes a memory board with a first surface, a second surface and an edge with a set of electrical contacts. A transposer is attached to each surface of the memory board, and an interposer is attached to each transposer on the opposite surface of the transposer from the memory board. The interposer has space to allow placement of memory devices on both a first surface between the interposer and the memory board, and on a second surface of the interposer away from the memory board. |
| US08379389B2 |
Display panel and image display apparatus
A display panel includes an airtight casing and a thermally conductive member. A thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive member in a longitudinal direction of spacers is higher than a thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive member in a direction in which the spacers are provided side by side, and the thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive member in the direction in which the spacers are provided side by side is higher than a thermal conductivity of the thermally conductive member in a thickness direction. |
| US08379378B2 |
Hybrid hinge and an electronic device comprising the hybrid hinge
The invention relates to a hybrid hinge. The hybrid hinges 7, 8 are used for rotatably adjoining segments S1, S2, S1 of a suitable electronic apparatus. The hybrid hinge 7, 8 comprise respective rigid hinges 2, 4 arranged to rotate the segments S1, S2, respectively S2, S1′ about respective shafts 2, 4. The hybrid hinges further comprise respective elastic hinges having respective portions 3a, 3b, 3c and 5a, 5b, 5c. Preferably, a central portion 3b, 5b of the elastic hinges is arranged to coincide with the shaft 2a, 4a. More preferably, the elastic hinges are arranged to seal an interface between the segments S1, S2 and S2, S1′ in the area of the rigid hinge. The invention further relates to an electronic device comprising the hybrid hinge. |
| US08379374B2 |
Bus to bus power interconnect
A bus interconnect in accordance with present embodiments includes a via block having first and second interfaces separated by a conductive body, wherein the via block is configured to communicatively couple with a first bus through the first interface and wherein the conductive body is configured to extend through an opening in a bus support panel. A first coupling section of the jumper includes a first attachment feature, wherein the first attachment feature is configured to facilitate attachment with the second interface of the via block. A neck section of the jumper extends perpendicularly from the first coupling section, and a second coupling section of the jumper extends perpendicularly from the neck section in parallel with the first coupling section. The second coupling section includes a second attachment feature configured to facilitate attachment with a second bus. The first coupling section and the second coupling section each extend away from the neck section in different directions. |
| US08379373B2 |
Vacuum insulated switchgear including a bus recovery member
A vacuum insulated switchgear is arranged as a panel for a power substation with the other or the others in parallel rows. the vacuum insulated switchgear comprises a housing with a switch section, a bus section, a cable section, and a control section which are partitioned by earthed metal plates respectively. The vacuum insulated switchgear comprises: a connection member provided in each bus connecting part in the bus section of the each panel and enabling each bus to be connected and disconnected; and a bus recovery member which is detachably connected between the connection members of faultless panels adjacent to a faulty panel when the faulty panel occurred. |
| US08379371B2 |
Utilization of moisture in hermetically sealed solid electrolytic capacitor and capacitors made thereof
A method for forming a hermetically sealed capacitor including: forming an anode; forming a dielectric on the anode; forming a conductive layer on the dielectric thereby forming a capacitive element; inserting the capacitive element into a casing; electrically connecting the anode to an exterior anode connection; electrically connecting the cathode to an exterior cathode connection; filling the casing with an atmosphere comprising a composition, based on 1 kg of atmosphere, of at least 175 g to no more than 245 g of oxygen, at least 7 g to no more than 11 g of water, at least 734 grams to no more than 818 grams of nitrogen and no more than 10 grams of a minor component; and hermetically sealing the casing with the atmosphere with the capacitive element contained in the casing. |
| US08379369B2 |
Base material for solid electrolytic capacitor, capacitor using the base material, and method for manufacturing the capacitor
The invention relates to a substrate for solid electrolytic capacitor, wherein a first layer in the shielding layer formed by laminating a plurality of layers on top of each other, provided in an area for separating an anode part and a cathode part of the substrate for a solid electrolytic capacitor having a porous layer on its surface from a solution or dispersion of a heat resistant resin or its precursor, free from a shielding layer modification additive (except for a silane coupling agent) or containing a shielding layer modification additive content of not more than 0.1% by mass (based on the mass of the heat resistant resin or its precursor). The present invention enables to provide a method for producing a substrate for a solid electrolytic capacitor comprising a shielding layer made of a masking material which ensures the insulation between the anode part and the cathode part of the solid electrolytic capacitor; and a solid electrolytic capacitor using the substrate. |
| US08379368B2 |
Method for manufacturing lithium ion capacitor and lithium ion capacitor manufactured using the same
A method for manufacturing a lithium ion capacitor, and a lithium ion capacitor manufactured using the method are provided. The method for manufacturing a lithium ion capacitor includes: disposing a lithium metal on a capacitor cell including a cathode, a separation film, and an anode; impregnating the capacitor cell with electrolyte including a lithium salt; changing the cathode and the anode to allow lithium ions within the electrolyte to be occluded into the anode; performing a primary reaction in which the cathode and the lithium metal are short-circuited to emit anions from the cathode and lithium ions from the lithium metal and a secondary reaction that the lithium ions emitted from the lithium metal are occluded into the cathode; and recharging the cathode and the anode to allow the lithium ions, which have been occluded into the cathode and the lithium ions within the electrolyte, to be occluded into the anode. |
| US08379367B2 |
Hybrid super capacitor using composite electrode
Provided is a hybrid super capacitor using a composite electrode that may enhance equivalent series resistance (ESR) using a carbon nanotube chain. The hybrid super capacitor includes: an anode 11 including an anode oxide layer 11a and an activated carbon layer applied 11b on the anode oxide layer 11a; and a cathode 21 being disposed to face the anode 11. The cathode 21 may include a silicon oxide layer 21a, a lithium titanium oxide layer 21b disposed on the silicon oxide layer 21a, and a carbon nanotube chain CT formed to pass through the silicon oxide layer 21a and the lithium titanium oxide layer 21b to thereby be electrically connected to each other, thereby enhancing ESR and expanding an output density and a lifespan of the hybrid super capacitor. |
| US08379363B1 |
Bulk erase tool to erase a perpendicular media recording disk of a disk drive
A bulk erase tool to erase a perpendicular media recording (PMR) disk of a disk drive is disclosed. The bulk erase tool comprises a housing to receive a disk drive and at least one of a first pair of magnets mounted in the housing to be positioned above the received disk drive to provide a magnetic field to erase the top side of the disk and a second pair of magnets mounted in the housing to be positioned below the disk drive to provide a magnetic field to erase the bottom side of the disk. |
| US08379360B2 |
Overcurrent protection circuit and in-vehicle display device
An overcurrent protection circuit is provided. An overcurrent detecting element is connected between a power source and a load and detects an overcurrent flowing through the load. A main switch element is connected between the load and the overcurrent detecting element and controls flow of current to the load according to a voltage applied between a control end and an input end of the main switch element. The main switch element stops the flow of current to the load when a predetermined time is elapsed after the overcurrent detecting element detects the overcurrent flowing through the load. A first switch element has an output end connected to the control end of the main switch element. A current flows to the first switch when the overcurrent detecting element detects the overcurrent flowing through the load. |
| US08379358B2 |
Motor control circuit
A motor control circuit 1 for controlling driving of a plurality of motors is provided with a plurality of motor driver circuits 7 and 8 for controlling driving of the plurality of motors 3 and 4, a plurality of excess current detection circuits 39 and 40 each for detecting an excess current flowing through corresponding one of the plurality of motors 3 and 4 to determine which motor driver circuit among the plurality of motor driver circuits 7 and 7 caused the excess current. The motor control circuit further includes a nonvolatile memory 46 configured to receive detection results from the plurality of excess current detection circuits 39 and 40 and store information on which motor driver circuit among the plurality of motor driver circuits 7 and 8 caused the excess current. |
| US08379341B1 |
Preamp circuit including a loopback mode for data storage devices
A data storage device preamplifier circuit including (i) a write amplifier having an input and an output, and (ii) a read amplifier has an input and an output. The data storage device preamplifier circuit further includes a loopback circuit configured to selectively connect the output of the write amplifier to the input of the read amplifier. |
| US08379339B2 |
Closely coupled vector sequencers for a read channel pipeline
A system and method involving a read channel pipeline having a plurality of vector sequencers that may be used to control the processing blocks. In one embodiment, a read channel pipeline may include processing blocks that may be controlled a command word provided by vector sequencers. Incoming data may be delineated by identifying an early period, a steady-state period, and a trailing period. Instead of controlling these blocks with a static state machine controller, a plurality of vector sequencers are coupled to the plurality of processing blocks. Thus, a first vector sequencer may control the processing blocks during the early period and the steady state period, but then hand off control to a second vector sequencer for the trailing period. Using vector sequencers for implementing command words allows for greater programming flexibility once the device has been manufactured and deployed for use. |
| US08379336B2 |
Lens module
An exemplary lens module includes a lens barrel, and a first adjustable lens received in the lens barrel. The lens barrel includes a circumferential sidewall. The lens barrel also defines an accommodating cavity therein for receiving the first adjustable lens therein. The circumferential sidewall of the lens barrel defines an adjusting through hole therein. The adjusting through hole communicates with the accommodating cavity. The first adjustable lens has a circumferential side surface. The circumferential side surface defines a first adjusting notch therein. The first adjusting notch communicates with the adjusting through hole. |
| US08379331B2 |
Lens module
A lens module includes a lens barrel and two lenses. The lens barrel has two opposite end surfaces, and a receiving hole through the two end surfaces. The receiving hole has a center axis. A ring-shaped block is formed on an inside surface of the lens barrel, and is coaxial with the receiving hole. The ring-shaped block has two contact surfaces adjacent to the two end surfaces, respectively. Each of the lenses includes an optical axis and a fixing portion. Each fixing portion has a contact surface. The contact surface of the lens has a shape matching the contact surface of the ring-shaped block, and is coaxial with the optical axis of the lens. The contact surfaces of the lenses contact tightly with the contact surfaces of the ring-shaped block. |
| US08379328B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging device using the lens
The present invention provides an imaging lens composed of three lenses that can be made compact (downsized, thinned), allows a reduction in cost and can be made compatible with a high pixel imaging element having a megapixel or more incorporated in a small mobile product such as a mobile phone. The imaging lens 6 includes, in order from the object side to the image surface side: an aperture stop 4; a first lens 1 having positive refractive power whose lens surface facing the image surface side is provided with a diffractive optical element; a second lens 2 composed of a meniscus lens having positive refractive power whose lens surface facing the image surface side is convex; a third lens 3 having negative refractive power. When f denotes the focal length of the entire optical system, f1 denotes the focal length of the first lens 1, f2 denotes the focal length of the second lens 2, f3 denotes the focal length of the third lens 3 and φDOE denotes refractive power of the diffractive optical element, conditional expressions (1) to (4) are satisfied: 0.9 |
| US08379327B2 |
Wide angle optical system and image pickup apparatus using the same
An optical system comprises, in order from the object side, an aperture stop, a first lens with positive refracting power, a second lens with negative refracting power, and a third lens, both surfaces of the third lens are an aspherical surface in which refracting power varies in accordance with distance from the optical axis in such a way that the both surfaces have a convex shape facing toward the object side in the vicinity of the optical axis and have a concave shape facing toward the object side in the vicinity of the outer circumference, and the following conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied: 2.2 |
| US08379326B2 |
Imaging lens and imaging apparatus
An imaging lens includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, an aperture stop, and a fourth lens, sequentially arranged from the object-side of the imaging lens. The first lens has negative power, and an object-side surface is convex and an image-side surface is concave. Both surfaces of the second lens are aspheric, and in the vicinity of the optical axis, the second lens has negative power, and the object-side surface is convex and the image-side surface is concave. Both surfaces of the third lens are aspheric, and in the vicinity of the optical axis, the third lens has positive power, and the object-side surface is convex, and the image-side surface is concave. Both surfaces of the fourth lens are aspheric, and in the vicinity of the optical axis, the fourth lens has positive power, and the object-side surface is concave, and the image-side surface is convex. |
| US08379325B2 |
Photographing optical lens assembly
An photographing optical lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power, a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, a plastic third lens element with positive refractive power having a concave aspheric object-side surface and a convex aspheric image-side surface, a plastic fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a concave aspheric object-side surface and a convex aspheric image-side surface and a plastic fifth lens element having an aspheric object-side surface and an aspheric image-side surface. By adjusting the focal lengths of the second and the fourth lens element and the photographing optical lens assembly, and the curvature radii of the object-side and the image-side surface of the second lens element, the photographing optical lens assembly is miniaturized, and the image quality is improved. |
| US08379324B2 |
Optical imaging lens assembly
An optical imaging lens assembly comprising five non-cemented lens elements with refractive power, sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side, comprising: the first lens element with positive refractive power, the second lens element with negative refractive power, the third lens element with refractive power having a concave object-side surface and at least one aspheric surface, the fourth lens element with positive refractive power having two aspheric surfaces, and the fifth lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface with both being aspheric. Wherein an image sensor disposed on an image plane and a stop are also provided. By such arrangements, the image pickup optical system satisfies conditions related to shorten the total length and to reduce the sensitivity for use in compact cameras and mobile phones with camera functionalities. |
| US08379321B2 |
Method and apparatus for accurate imaging with an extended depth of field
A method and apparatus involve using optics to direct radiation from a scene along an optical axis, the optics having a chromatic dispersion that is a function of a characteristic spectral signature for the scene so as to produce a chromatic blur that, for an extended depth-of-field region, is substantially spatially constant along the optical axis. A different method involves: identifying for a characteristic scene a spectral response curve; determining a plurality of different wavelength nodes dividing the area under the spectral response curve into a plurality of substantially equal segments; generating a mapping relationship that maps each of the wavelength nodes to a respective one of a plurality of focal points spaced substantially equally along the optical axis; and configuring the optical system as a function of the mapping relationship. |
| US08379320B2 |
Lens module and projection device using the same
A lens module includes a lens, a cam and an actuator. The lens has two driven parts disposed at one side of the lens. The cam is disposed beside the lens and has a rotation shaft and two cam surfaces, and a portion of the cam is located between the two driven parts. The two cam surfaces have the same shape and are on opposite sides of the cam. The two cam surfaces are in contact with the two driven parts respectively. The actuator is coupled with the rotation shaft and adapted to rotate the cam. |
| US08379316B2 |
Zoom lens for projection and projection-type display apparatus
A zoom lens for projection includes a negative magnification-side lens group fixed while magnification is changed, a plurality of lens groups that move while magnification is changed, and a positive reduction-side lens group fixed while magnification is changed which are arranged in this order from the magnification side. The magnification-side lens group is composed of a negative front-group and a positive rear-group, arranged in this order from the magnification side. The rear-group is composed of a positive lens, a negative lens and a positive lens, arranged in this order from the magnification side, and focusing is performed by moving the rear-group. Further, the following formulas (1) and (2) are satisfied: 1.73 |
| US08379314B2 |
Method for designing imaging lens, and imaging lens
Provided is a method for designing an image pickup lens which is low cost and applicable to reflow process. The method includes a step of designing the image pickup lens including a lens formed of energy curable resin, on the assumption that the energy curable resin is homogeneous; a step of obtaining an image pickup lens by manufacturing each lens forming the image pickup lens, based on the design; a step of evaluating lens performance of the obtained image pickup lens; a step of designing the image pickup lens again by changing surface shape of at least one surface and/or lens-surface distance in at least one place in the image pickup lens, based on the lens performance obtained by an simulation in the designing step and the lens performance of the image pickup lens obtained in the evaluating step. |
| US08379312B2 |
Method of fabricating contiguous microlens array
A method of fabricating a contiguous microlens array is disclosed. First, an array of photoresist patterns is formed, wherein each photoresist pattern has a substantially circular or polygonal shape in a top view and neighboring photoresist patterns are connected with each other or close to each other. Then a reflow step is performed to heat the photoresist patterns thereby rounding a surface of each photoresist pattern and connecting the neighboring photoresist patterns that are close to each other. Finally, a fixing step is performed to fix a shape of each photoresist pattern. The shape of the curved surface of a microlens in the microlens array is selectively adjusted according to its position in the array and the incident angle of light incident thereto. |
| US08379310B2 |
Sunlight collecting system
Provided is a highly reliable solar collecting system. Since a concave minor has a reflection film on a base material on the side opposite to the side of a solar light incoming surface, peeling, breaking and the like are suppressed by protecting the reflection film by the base material, even when a dropping material is brought into contact with the side of the reflection film with impact or accumulated dropped materials are periodically cleaned. As an elliptical mirror has a reflection film on the base material on the side of the solar light incoming surface, even when solar light having large energy enters, the solar light is reflected by the reflection surface before reaching the base material and there is a small possibility of having the base material heated. |
| US08379309B2 |
Zoom lens system, interchangeable lens apparatus and camera system
A zoom lens system comprising a positive first lens unit, a positive second lens unit, and at least two subsequent lens units, wherein the first lens unit moves along an optical axis at the time of zooming, an interval between the second lens unit and one of the at least two subsequent lens units varies at the time of zooming or focusing, the first lens unit is composed of at least three lens elements, each of the first lens unit and the second lens unit includes at least one negative lens element, and the conditions: 0.008<(1/vdMIN)−(1/vdMAX)<0.028 and 0.1<|m|/(fT−fW)<0.4 (vdMIN and vdMAX: minimum value and maximum value among Abbe numbers to the d-line of each lens element constituting the first lens unit, m: maximum value among the amounts of movement of each subsequent lens unit at the time of zooming, fT and fW: focal lengths of the entire system at a telephoto limit and at a wide-angle limit) are satisfied; an interchangeable lens apparatus; and a camera system are provided. |
| US08379308B2 |
Rolled web of optical film and method of producing the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a rolled web of optical film that has an optical orientation axis, which is less displaced from a predetermined angle throughout the entire area of the elongated rolled web, and can be easily produced according to the desired angle of the optical orientation axis, and a method of producing the rolled web of optical film. The rolled web of optical film includes an optical film layer having an optical orientation axis, and an adhesive film web including a release material layer and an adhesive material layer, the optical film layer being laid on the adhesive film web via the adhesive material layer and rolled up into a roll. The optical film layer is made up of plural optical film pieces that are arranged into a substantially elongated shape with end portions of the optical film pieces being adjacent to each other. The optical film pieces are formed by cutting an optical film web having an optical orientation axis, at least along cutting lines that cross the longitudinal direction of the optical film web. The optical film pieces are disposed on the adhesive film web to have the cutting lines oriented parallel to the longitudinal direction of the adhesive film web. Optical orientation axes of the optical film pieces each are oriented at a common angle relative to the longitudinal direction of the adhesive film web. |
| US08379299B2 |
Optical amplifier
An optical amplifier includes a first excitation light source that outputs a first excitation light; a second excitation light source that outputs a second excitation light; a first amplifying optical fiber doped with a rare-earth element and excited by the first excitation light to amplify light input to the first amplifying optical fiber; and a second amplifying optical fiber doped with a rare-earth element and excited by the second excitation light to amplify the light from the first amplifying optical fiber. A ratio between the intensity of the first excitation light and the intensity of the second excitation light is controlled according to the number of signal lights wavelength-multiplexed in the light input. |
| US08379298B2 |
High power short optical pulse source
A high power short optical pulse source 10 can include a master oscillator 12, preamplifier 14, and pump laser 16 provided within a first enclosure 28 at a first location. The high power short optical pulse source can further include a high power fiber amplifier 20 provided within an optical head 18, which is located at a second location, remote from the first location. The optical head 18 can have a small footprint and can be positioned at the intended target of optical pulses output from the high power short optical pulse source. The large, noisy elements of the high power short optical pulse source 10 are thereby provided away from the application site of the pulses. |
| US08379279B2 |
Color image forming apparatus and color image forming method for correcting scan-line position error with interpolation
According to this invention, the image attribute is determined by determining whether the image of each color component of color image data having undergone a screen process is a continuous tone image, and whether the image of each color component is a pattern image. Whether to perform an interpolation process is determined for each color component based on the attribute determination result of each color component. If it is determined that the images of all the color components are pattern images, interpolation determination results do not coincide with each other, and there is a color component determined to represent a continuous tone image, the interpolation determination result of this color component is overwritten with the interpolation determination result of the remaining color components. The interpolation process is executed in accordance with the interpolation determination result. |
| US08379266B2 |
Systems and methods for generating luminance look-up table based on color component values
Systems and methods are provided for generating at least one look-up table, wherein the look-up table holds at least one luminance value in a second color space. In some embodiments, the luminance value can be computed for distinct combinations of color component values corresponding to a plurality of color components in a first color space. The method comprises computing at least one luminance value in the second color space based on a portion of the color component value combination; deriving an address in a look-up table based on the portion of the color component combination; and storing the computed luminance value in the look-up table at the derived address. |
| US08379264B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a reading mechanism having an original placement portion on which an original document is placed for reading an image; a recording mechanism having a medium supply tray on which a recording medium is set, the recording mechanism being disposed in such a manner that a longitudinal direction of the medium supply tray is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the original placement portion; an angular casing that houses the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism while stacking the reading mechanism and the recording mechanism vertically; and a cartridge holder that houses an ink cartridge and is disposed in a space located at a corner position of the casing below the reading mechanism and surrounded by a circumferential wall of the casing and a side wall of the medium supply tray. |
| US08379261B2 |
Creation and placement of two-dimensional barcode stamps on printed documents for storing authentication information
A document authenticating method is disclosed by which a plurality of two-dimensional barcode stamps are generated and printed on a back side of the document forming a pre-defined special pattern. The barcode stamps collectively encode the content of the document to be used for document authentication. Each barcode stamp encodes linking information indicating the position of the next barcode stamp. An index barcode may be printed on the front side of the document which encodes the position information for all of the barcode stamps on the back side. |
| US08379258B2 |
System operating under web environment and method of controlling the same
In a system which operates under a Web environment in which a service providing server controls the provision of a service with operating a Web server and a client apparatus provides service with operating a Web browser, which are connected via a network. The service providing server stores the history of a job for providing the service with the user ID of a user who requests the service, then acquires, from stored histories, a history having a user ID matched to the user ID of a user who sends a request to browse the history of a job. When the Web server receives the browsing request from the user of the client apparatus via the Web browser, the service providing server creates a file for distributing updated information based on the acquired history, and transmits the file to the Web browser. |
| US08379256B2 |
Electronic apparatus and information processing system
An electronic apparatus includes a host controller that serves as a wireless USB host, one or more information processing units that have the function of a wireless USB device that can perform wireless communication with the host controller, a communication unit that can communicate with another electronic apparatus, and a control unit that acquires from the host controller connection information that is information on whether or not the host controller and the information processing unit requested for connection are connected to each other and whether or not the connection can be cut off when a connection request for one information processing unit out of the one or more information processing units is received from the another electronic apparatus through the communication unit, permits connection of the another electronic apparatus and the information processing unit requested to be connected to through wireless communication in a case where the host controller and the information processing unit requested for connection are not connected to each other. |
| US08379255B2 |
Method and system of determining batch sizes for print jobs in a print production environment
A system for determining batch sizes for a print job may include a computing device and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may include one or more programming instructions for receiving a print job having a job size, receiving speed information for each of a plurality of document production devices in a production line, identifying a plurality of batches associated with the print job, performing a discrete event simulation to model a makespan for the print job in processing each of the plurality of batches on the plurality of document production devices using the speed information and repeating the identifying and performing until a plurality of final batches is determined, each having a unique final batch size. |
| US08379250B2 |
Image processing apparatus configured to process writing processing information
An image processing apparatus is provided to include the information retrieving unit for retrieving writing processing information out of the external memorizing device, and the image processing apparatus turns out as to whether certain information is in a processing of writing by retrieving the writing processing information out of the external memorizing device. If it is turned out that the status is in a processing of writing, the corresponding information is automatically deleted. A user is not necessary to delete the writing failed file manually, so that the user's work load will be reduced. |
| US08379248B2 |
Image-forming apparatus and information-processing method
An image-forming apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive a start instruction and an end instruction entered by a service engineer who performs a maintenance work for the image-forming apparatus. A first holding unit is configured to store first counter information obtained by the image-forming apparatus in a case that the reception unit receives the start instruction. A second holding unit is configured to store second counter information obtained by the image-forming apparatus in a case that an operating state of the image-forming apparatus satisfies a first end condition. A generation unit is configured to generate maintenance information based on the second counter information stored in the second holding unit if the operating state of the image-forming apparatus satisfies the first end condition and further satisfies a second end condition before the reception unit receives the end instruction from the service engineer. |
| US08379246B2 |
Information processing apparatus and computer usable medium therefor
An information processing apparatus having a request receiving unit to receive a request issued from a client device for event information, a destination device determining unit to determine the client device which issued the request as a destination device of the event information, a destination device information storing unit to store first destination device information which specifies the destination device, an event information providing unit to provide the event information to the destination device according to the first destination device information, a first cancellation unit to invalidate the first destination device information when delivery of the event information failed, and a second cancellation unit to invalidate second destination device information, which specifies the identical destination device according to the removal of the first destination device information when the second destination device specifying the identical destination device is detected in the destination device information storing unit, is provided. |
| US08379244B2 |
Network printing system, network communication method to print information, and host and image forming device to perform network communications
A network printing system, a network communication method to print information, and a host and an image forming device to perform network communications are provided. A mail server provides a mail transmitting/receiving service, a host transmits a mail including channel information established for data communications, and an image forming device accesses a mail account allocated to the mail server to receive the transmitted mail, and communicate the host by using the channel information included in the received mail. |
| US08379243B2 |
Systems and methods for deferment of a print job when the paper supply is insufficient
A method for deferring a print job within a queue is disclosed. The print job is received. The print job is scheduled for despooling to a printing device. Print data and print settings associated with the print job are analyzed. Paper requirements of the print job are determined. Availability of a paper supply associated with the printing device is determined. The print job is deferred if the paper supply does not satisfy the paper requirements. |
| US08379242B2 |
Service retrieval method
A method for searching a device that provides a service from a network connecting a plurality of devices includes detecting whether a document has been set on a scanner. In response to detecting that the document has been set on the scanner, the method searches a device that provides a service which can be used in cooperation with the scanner from among the plurality of devices. In response to detecting that the document has not been set on the scanner, the method searches a device that provides data to be processed from among the plurality of devices. |
| US08379241B2 |
Printing system, and information processing device and computer readable medium therefor for controlling the number of pages to be printed
A printing system includes an image forming device and an information processing device configured to transmit print data containing a plurality of pages of images to the image forming device and control the image forming device to print the images on sheets based on the print data. The information processing device includes a first transmitter configured to sequentially transmit, to the image forming device, print data of each of a main page and one or more ancillary pages to be printed in connection with the main page, and a second transmitter configured to transmit, to the image forming device, booking information regarding a number of the ancillary pages in association with transmission of the print data of the main page. |
| US08379239B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method for executing process requested by an external device
It is set for one or more processes executable by a multi-function peripheral apparatus (101) whether or not permitting the multi-function peripheral apparatus (101) to perform, of the processes, a process, execution of which is requested by a multi-function peripheral apparatus (102) or client PC (103). Information about a process set to be permitted is transmitted to the multi-function peripheral apparatus (102) or client PC (103). |
| US08379236B2 |
Image forming device
An image forming device for obtaining image data and forming an image includes a functional limitation part configured to set a functional limitation for a function provided by the image forming device; a batch operating part configured to register a series of the functions as one batch operation; a judging part configured to judge whether or not the batch operation registered by the batch operating part is executable when the functional limitation part adds a new limitation to or changes setting contents of the functional limitation; and an alternative operation generating part configured to generate an alternative batch operation that is an alternative of the batch operation when the batch operation is judged inexecutable. |
| US08379230B2 |
Storage device storing image data in association with registration information representing a communication device
An image information storage device is configured such that, when an output control unit makes the output unit output an image represented by first image data stored in an image data storage, the output control unit makes the output unit also output the registration information which has been associated with the first image data, or when the output control unit makes the output unit output first registration information stored in the registration information storage unit, the output control unit makes the output unit also output an image represented by image data which has been associated with first registration information. Further, when there is an input specifying association of the first registration information stored in the registration information storage unit with second image data, the registration control unit associates the first registration information with the first image data and the second image data, and stores in the registration information storage unit. |
| US08379225B2 |
System for monitoring a relative displacement of components
A system is provided for monitoring a relative displacement of a pair of end-winding components. The system includes a structure mounted to the end-winding components. The system further includes a fiber Bragg grating mounted to a non-curved surface of the structure, where the fiber Bragg grating is configured to reflect incident radiation having a peak intensity at a respective wavelength based on a strain of the fiber Bragg grating. The structure is configured so that the strain produced by the structure limits a magnitude of the strain of the fiber Bragg grating within a predetermined range over a span of the relative displacement of the pair of end-winding components. |
| US08379222B2 |
Fizeau interferometer and measurement method using Fizeau interferometer
A Fizeau interferometer includes: a reference spherical surface; and a measuring apparatus including an intensity obtaining section and a form calculating section, wherein: a focal point of the reference spherical surface is aligned with a center of curvature of the spherical surface in order to set the center of curvature as a center position, and two positions equidistant from the center position are set as a start position and an end position, the intensity obtaining section obtains the intensity maps of the interferograms at n positions at equal intervals; and the form calculating section measures the form of the spherical surface using a phase analysis method in which a coefficient of the intensity maps of the interferograms at an i-th position and a coefficient of the intensity maps of the interferograms at an (n−i+1)th position have a same value. |
| US08379221B2 |
Interference cavity for controlling optical path
The present patent application provides an interference cavity for precisely controlling an optical path including a cavity formed by two equal distance arms, wherein a positive adjusting plate and a negative adjusting plate are disposed in the interference cavity for compensating the change of a cavity length with temperature and thereby ensuring that the interference cavity length is a constant. The present patent application utilizes the matching relationship between the change of the refractive index of the positive adjustment plate with the temperature and the change of the refractive index of the negative adjusting plates with the temperature to make the optical path difference OPL invariant with changes in the environment temperature and thereby to ensure the precision of the optical path. |
| US08379216B2 |
Solid state gyrolaser with controlled optical pumping
The general field of the invention is that of gyrolasers comprising at least one ring-shaped optical cavity comprising at least three mirrors, a solid state amplifying medium pumped by a laser diode whose optical emission power is determined by a current supply source, the cavity and the amplifying medium being such that two so-called contra-rotating optical modes propagate in opposite directions to each other within the said optical cavity, the gyrolaser being a class B gyrolaser, the gyrolaser also comprising means of measuring the difference in optical frequency existing between the two optical modes. The gyrolaser comprises means of measuring the total optical power circulating in the optical cavity and first means of control of the current delivered by the supply source in such a way as to maintain the total optical power substantially constant in a narrow spectral band centred on the relaxation frequency of the laser. |
| US08379215B2 |
Rotaryfrog systems and methods
Systems and methods determining amplitude and phase versus frequency of an incoming beam of pulsed laser light. The incoming beam is split into two beams of substantially equal intensity, one of which is delayed for a delay period t. The two split beams are recombined to shine onto a thick SHG crystal at rotation angle θ and light emitted from the thick SHG crystal is detected as data and stored with reference to the delay period t and the angle θ. The thick SHG crystal is rotated by an angle δθ, and light is detected as data and stored until the thick SHG crystal has completed 360° of rotation. This is repeated for δt increases in the delay period until a selected beam delay period range has been completed. The stored data is processed to determine amplitude and phase versus frequency of the incoming beam of pulsed laser light. |
| US08379214B2 |
Lensless imaging with reduced aperture
An image of an object can be synthesized either from the Fourier components of the electric field or from the Fourier components of the intensity distribution. Imaging with a lens is equivalent to assembling the Fourier components of the electric field in the image plane. This invention provides a method and a means for lensless imaging by assembling the Fourier components of the intensity distribution and combining them to form the image with the use of amplitude splitting interferometer. The angular spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation consists of wavefronts propagating at different angles. The amplitude of each wavefront is split and interfered with itself to create sinusoidal fringe patterns having different spatial frequencies. The sinusoidal fringe patterns are combined to form an image of the object. This method applies to coherent and incoherent light. |
| US08379210B2 |
Optical cell
Method of optically analysing a sample by directing one or more frequencies of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) through a sample and onto a partially reflective surface that allows EMR directed thereon to be both reflected and transmitted. The reflected EMR is directed back through the sample such that the pathlength through the sample is different for the transmitted EMR and reflected EMR. The transmitted EMR and reflected EMP are both detected by one or more detectors. The optical absorbance of the sample at the one or more wavelengths of EMR is calculated from the difference between the transmitted EMR and reflected EMR. |
| US08379209B2 |
Non-destructive inspection device for oxygen concentration in bag-shaped container
A non-destructive inspection device for an oxygen concentration in a bag-shaped container includes: right and left affixing plates provided so as to be moved toward and away from the bag-shaped container; a laser emitting section for measuring an oxygen concentration that is provided on one of the affixing plates; and a laser receiving section on the other affixing plate, wherein the end faces of the emitting section and the receiving section have gas-filled chambers that include gas chambers with a constant length and are made of a translucent material. In the measurement of an oxygen concentration, the affixing plates are brought close to each other, the thickness of a gas phase portion is kept constant, and air is removed between the end faces of the emitting section and the receiving section and the surfaces of the container. |
| US08379208B1 |
System and method for passive remote detection of gas plumes
The present invention includes systems and methods for quantitative and qualitative imaging of gases, vapors, fumes, and the like. In one embodiment, the system uses a moving, or a rotating filter for alternately capturing on-line and off-line images of a scene that potentially includes the target gas of interest. The moving, or rotating filter includes at least two filter segments for transmitting (a) wavelengths corresponding to a spectroscopic absorption feature for on-line elements of the target gas, and (b) nearby wavelengths not corresponding to a spectroscopic absorption feature for off-line elements of the target gas. An image processor executes an algorithm for transforming the collected on-line and off-line data, corresponding to different pixels in the imaging array, into an image map of path-integrated concentration, or concentration path lengths (CPLs). The systems and methods of the invention do not use active light sources to illuminate the target gas. Instead, imaging and processing is done entirely using passive received energy from the target gas. |
| US08379201B2 |
Method and devices for imaging a sample
The invention relates to methods and devices for imaging a sample, in particular to methods and devices for imaging electrophoretic gels which have been used to separate biological molecules such as proteins or nucleic acids. The invention overcomes the problems associated with interference due to Newton's Rings and chemical toxicity experienced with conventional imaging systems. |
| US08379198B2 |
Chiral plasmonic structures for mediating chemical transformation and detection of molecules with spatial chirality
Three-dimensional metal dielectric structures are disclosed with chiral symmetry that elicit surface plasmons. The plasmons may have propagational circular polarization wherein the frequency of such propagating plasmons may be tuned by design to couple with the electronic transitions or fundamental vibrations, including phonons, of a molecular species. The plasmon-molecule coupling, combined with the propagational polarization afforded by the chiral structure may be further exploited to mediate the chemical transformations involving molecules with spatial chirality and/or to detect molecules with spatial chirality. |
| US08379195B2 |
Visualization of the ultraviolet radiation reflecting power of a spectacle lens
According to the invention, in order to visualize the ultraviolet radiation reflection power of a glasses lens (10), a face of said lens is exposed to an ultraviolet radiation in order to reflect a portion of said radiation. The portion of the reflected radiation then activates a developer surface (3) having a visual appearance that changes under the influence of the received ultraviolet radiation. The developer surface is watched in real time by an observer (100). Such a visualization is particularly quick, simple and demonstrative, and can be used in an optician's shop to help a client chose a glasses lens. |
| US08379194B2 |
Method and device for automatic laser focusing
The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for automatic laser focusing. The core concept of the process is the automatable and especially preferably the automated photographing of the focal spot generated during a focus series by camera and a determination of the particular focal spot diameter as well as an evaluation of this data by an interpolated or approximating function that allows a conclusion about the focal spot with the smallest focal spot diameter and thus with the associated optimal focal distance. A series of disadvantages present in the state of the art can be avoided by using the process in accordance with the invention, in particular the great expenditure of time in the determining of the optimal focal distance and the uncertainty in the selection of the optimal focal spot associated with an operator are eliminated in the framework of the photographing of a focus series. |
| US08379187B2 |
Optical unit, illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
An illumination optical apparatus has an optical unit. The optical unit has a light splitter to split an incident beam into two beams; a first spatial light modulator which can be arranged in an optical path of a first beam; a second spatial light modulator which can be arranged in an optical path of a second beam; and a light combiner which combines a beam having passed via the first spatial light modulator, with a beam having passed via the second spatial light modulator; each of the first spatial light modulator and the second spatial light modulator has a plurality of optical elements arranged two-dimensionally and controlled individually. |
| US08379183B2 |
LCOS display unit and method for forming the same
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) display unit, in which a Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitor consisting of a micromirror layer, a insulation layer and a light shielding layer is formed by grounding the light shielding layer on a pixel switch circuit layer. Therefore the pixel switch circuit and the capacitor are in vertical distribution, that is, the switch circuit and the capacitor both have an allowable design area of the size of one pixel. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for forming a Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) display unit. |
| US08379182B2 |
Cooling system for outdoor electronic displays
A cooling system for an electronic display. Transparent cooling chambers are used to extract heat from the front display surface of an electronic display. A refrigerated air source is in gaseous communication with the cooling chamber. Additional fans may be used to cool other components of the electronic display. Multiple displays may be used where each display and the refrigerated air source is housed within the housing. The housing contains air inlet and air exhaust ports. An air curtain device may be used with some embodiments. An open-loop, closed-loop, or both types of designs may be used with the cooling chambers. Temperature sensors may allow the refrigerated air source(s) to be selectively engaged depending on the temperature of the air within the cooling chamber or the temperature of the front display surface. Ambient temperature sensors may also direct the switch between open and closed loops. |
| US08379181B2 |
LCD panel to backlight fixation
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a display module, the display module comprising a display panel and a backlight, The method includes the following steps: placing the display panel and the backlight into contact on a common contact area, the common contact area being defined as a fixation region of a contacting surface of the display panel coinciding with a contacting surface of the backlight, and applying a heat flow in the common contact area to create a local weld connection in the common contact area between the display panel and the backlight. |
| US08379179B2 |
Flat panel display having particular compensating parts for a thickness difference between sealants
A flat panel display including a first substrate, a second substrate, a light emitting region between the first and second substrates, and a sealant applied outside of the light emitting region, wherein the sealant has a rectangular shape and includes a first sealing part and a third sealing part opposite each other, and a second sealing part and a fourth sealing part opposite each other, the first, second, third, and fourth sealing parts being interconnected, and wherein the flat panel display includes a compensating part corresponding to at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth sealing parts on or in the first or second substrate. |
| US08379177B2 |
Array substrate for fringe field switching mode liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same
An array substrate for a fringe field switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a substrate including a display region and a non-display; a gate line on the substrate and in the display region; a common pad on the substrate and in the non-display region; a gate insulating layer on the gate line and the common pad; a data line on the gate insulating layer and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region in the display region; a thin film transistor connected to the gate and data lines; a first passivation layer on the data line and the thin film transistor; a common electrode on the first passivation layer and covering an entire surface of the display region; a second passivation layer on the common electrode; and a pixel electrode on the second passivation layer and having a plate shape in each pixel region. |
| US08379167B2 |
Light-reflecting strip and liquid crystal display device including same
One aspect of the present invention provides a light-reflecting strip for a liquid crystal display device. The light-reflecting strip includes a light-reflecting substrate having a configuration surface and a smooth surface; a light-reflecting base layer coated on the configuration surface; a reflecting layer deposited on the light-reflecting base layer by evaporation deposition; a high transmittance colorant layer printed on the reflecting layer by means of a screen printing with a screen having a mesh number greater than 300; an adhesive layer applied on the smooth surface of the light-reflecting substrate; and a release paper detachably adhered to the adhesive layer. Another aspect of the present invention provides a liquid crystal display device including the light-reflecting strip. |
| US08379163B2 |
Display device
A display device includes: a first substrate which constitutes a display panel; and a flexible printed circuit board which is connected to the first substrate. The flexible printed circuit board is electrically and mechanically connected with terminals formed on the first substrate. The flexible printed circuit board includes a board portion, a wiring layer which is mounted on the board portion, and a cover portion which covers the wiring layer. The wiring layer includes a connecting portion which is electrically and mechanically connected to a terminal portion formed on the first substrate. The cover portion is removed at the connecting portion, and the cover portion in the vicinity of the connecting portion overlaps with the first substrate. The cover portion in the vicinity of the connecting portion is fixed to the first substrate. |
| US08379162B2 |
TFT-LCD array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The TFT-LCD array substrate comprises a gate line and a data line. A pixel electrode and a thin film transistor (TFT) are formed in a pixel region defined by intersecting of the gate line and the data line. A light-blocking layer is formed over a TFT channel region of the thin film transistor. |
| US08379161B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device with multiple pixels includes a first sub-pixel including, a first liquid crystal capacitance between a common electrode and a first pixel electrode, and a first auxiliary capacitance between the first pixel electrode and a first auxiliary capacitance electrode; a second sub-pixel disposed including, a second liquid crystal capacitance between the common electrode and a second pixel electrode, a second auxiliary capacitance between the second pixel electrode and a second auxiliary capacitance electrode, and a step-up capacitance between the second pixel electrode and a step-up capacitance electrode; a first voltage application unit for applying a common first voltage to the common electrode, the first auxiliary capacitance electrode, and the second auxiliary capacitance electrode; and a second voltage application unit for applying a second voltage, which is different from the first voltage, to the step-up capacitance electrode. |
| US08379160B2 |
Apparatus concealing member, apparatus using the same, and method for concealing portion to be concealed of apparatus
An apparatus concealing member in which a film-type information input device (4) is placed under a film-type transparent base member (3), a functional liquid crystal film (5) is placed under the information input device (4) at a position where the functional liquid crystal film (5) covers a portion to be concealed (1b) of an apparatus and can be electrically changed over between being transparent and being non-transparent, and a non-metal and film-type glossy layer (6) is placed under the functional liquid crystal film and exhibits transparency and a gloss due to reflection. |
| US08379159B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved retarder of 3D glasses
A process of creating a retarder using thin-stretched polymer film to perfectly conform to a curved mold and achieving nearly-crystallized lamination thanks to minimized thickness of said retarder using PVA film; thus, achieving greatly-enhanced optical clarity, contrast, and 3-D effect during stereoscopic image viewing and greatly-reduced user discomfort. A 3-D stereoscopic viewing lens having a retarder film using a PVA film filled with a gap filling agent to create a refringent effect, a polarized film and a base material. |
| US08379158B2 |
Three-dimensional display and display method thereof
A three-dimensional (3D) display including a display panel and a phase retardation film is provided. The display panel has a plurality of first pixel regions and a plurality of second pixel regions that are arranged as an array. The phase retardation film is disposed on the surface of the display panel. The phase retardation film has a plurality of first retardation regions and a plurality of second retardation regions that are alternately arranged. The first retardation regions have the same phase retardation, the second retardation regions have the same phase retardation, and the phase retardation of the first retardation regions is different from that of the second retardation regions. All the regions of the phase retardation film have the same transmittance. A display method adaptable to the 3D display is also provided. |
| US08379157B2 |
Flat panel display device
A flat panel display device includes a cabinet, a flat panel display component, a control board, a switch unit, a switch unit holder, and a pair of screws. The switch unit has a support board and an AC switch. The switch unit holder has a holder main body with a pair of side plates that defines inside of the holder main body therebetween with the holder main body holding the support board of the switch unit inside of the holder main body, and a pair of screw mount portions that is integrally formed with the holder main body with the screw mount portions extending outside of the holder main body from the side plates of the holder main body, respectively. The screws are disposed through screw insertion holes of the screw mount portions and threaded into screw holes of the chassis of the flat panel display component. |
| US08379156B2 |
Digital broadcast reception device, digital broadcast reception method and program
Disclosed are a digital broadcast reception device, a digital broadcast reception method and a program that shorten the period during which display is not possible that occurs when channels are switched. The digital broadcast reception device (100) is provided with a data acquisition unit (111) that measures data related to the data reception waiting that occurs in channel switch processing, a channel switch-directing unit (110) that controls the timing of operation of the data acquisition unit (111), a parameter-generating unit (112) that generates control parameters based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit (111), a processing time-calculating unit (113) that calculates the channel switching time based on the control parameters generated by the parameter-generating unit (112), and a channel switch-timing control unit (114); that controls the timing for starting channel switching to shorten the data reception wait time that occurs during channel switching based on the channel switching time calculated by the processing time-calculating unit (113). |
| US08379151B2 |
Synchronization of audio and video streams
A method includes synchronizing audio and video streams including aligning the audio path and the video path by introducing a variable delay to the audio path or the video path to substantially equalize the end-to-end delay of both the audio path and the video path. An apparatus includes a digital to analog convertor for synchronizing audio and video where the audio path and the video path are aligned by introducing a variable delay to the audio path or the video path to substantially equalize the end-to-end delay of both the audio path and the video path. |
| US08379144B2 |
Battery cover structure including an antenna unit and photographing apparatus including the same
Provided are a battery cover structure and a photographing apparatus including the same. The battery cover structure includes a frame in which an antenna connection unit is disposed, and a battery cover installed on the frame, wherein the battery cover includes an installing unit installed on the frame, a first cover unit installed on the installing unit, and an antenna unit installed on the first cover unit, wherein electrical contact between the antenna unit and the antenna connection unit is maintained or released according to a location of the first cover unit. |
| US08379140B2 |
Video image pickup apparatus and exposure guide display method
A video image pickup apparatus (10) includes an image sensor (120), a knee processor (132) for performing a compression in a high-luminance characteristic interval of a picture signal based on an output signal of the image sensor, a block luminance calculator (151) for dividing a frame of image based on the output signal of the solid-state image pickup device into a set of blocks, calculating a set of luminance indices of respective blocks, an extreme extractor (152) for extracting a block having a highest luminance index, together with the luminance index, a display information generator (153) for generating a set of pieces of image information for exposure guide display including an image representing a region of the extracted block and an image representing the luminance index, an image superposer (160) for superposing the set of pieces of image information for exposure guide display on a frame of image based on the compressed picture signal to generate a frame of superposed image, and a view finder (170) for displaying the frame of superposed image. |
| US08379139B2 |
Focus control apparatus useful for image pick up apparatuses equipped with an auto focus function and method therefor
A focus control apparatus and method capable of shortening a focus adjustment time in focus control. The method includes extracting a first high frequency component depending upon a first cutoff frequency and a second high frequency component depending upon a second cutoff frequency higher than the first cutoff frequency from a video signal, generating first and second contrast signals of the video signal respectively based on the first and second high frequency components, using a quotient obtained by dividing a value of the first contrast signal by that of the second contrast signal as a parameter, exercising focus control based on the parameter, and setting the first and second cutoff frequencies so as to cause a value of the parameter to assume a peak when a focus lens in an image pickup apparatus is located in a position at a predetermined distance from an in-focus position. |
| US08379136B2 |
System and method for high numeric aperture imaging systems
A system and method for high numeric aperture imaging systems includes a splitter, a defocusing system, and a combiner. The splitter reflects a portion of collected light and transmits another portion of the collected light. The defocusing system is configured to modify optical power of either the transmitted portion or reflected portion of the collected light. The combiner is oriented with respect to a mechanical angle. The combiner recombines portions of the transmitted portion and the reflected portion such that the transmitted portion and reflected portion are subsequently transmitted being separated by an optical separation angle based upon the mechanical angle of orientation of the combiner. Various other implementations are used to maintain focus with regards to the imaging systems involved. |
| US08379135B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus including focus cam for converting rotation amounts into focus lens group movement
A zoom lens includes a focus cam for converting a first rotation amount given upon a focus operation into a movement of the focus lens group and further converting a second rotation amount given upon a zoom operation into the movement of the focus lens group, and a focus cam follower engaged with the focus cam and operable to move in the focus cam. The focus cum follower rotates in the focus cum according to the rotation amount of the zoom driving unit to move the focus lens group. A lift amount of the focus cam is defined so that a rotation amount of the focus driving unit from a far end position to an infinite position when the rotation position of the zoom driving unit is at a wide-angle end becomes larger than the rotation amount when the rotating position of the zoom driving unit is at a telephoto end. |
| US08379132B2 |
Image capture device with a viewfinder for viewing a subject
An image capture device includes a viewfinder for viewing a subject. The viewfinder either forms an integral part of the device or is an external member that is attachable to, and removable from, the device. The device includes: an optical system; a generating section for capturing an image of the subject through the optical system and generating image data; a detecting section for detecting the degree of focusing of the subject's image represented by the image data; a display section on which the subject's image is presentable based on the image data; and a controller for accepting a decision to use either the display section or the viewfinder for viewing the subject to shoot. If the controller accepts the decision to use the viewfinder, the display section displays no subject's image, and displays information about the degree of focusing of the subject's image for at least a certain period of time. The information has been obtained based on a result of detection done by the detecting section. |
| US08379124B2 |
Solid-state imaging apparatus with switched capacitors
A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a pixel outputting a pixel signal; and an amplifier for amplifying the pixel signal. The amplifier includes an input capacitor connected between an input terminal of the operational amplifier and the pixel, a feedback capacitor connected between the input and output terminals of the amplifier, an initializing switch connected between the input terminal and the output terminal of the amplifier, a first capacitor connected in parallel to the feedback capacitor, a second capacitor connected in parallel to the feedback capacitor, a first switch connected between an one terminal of the feedback capacitor and an one terminal of the first capacitor, and a second switch connected between the one terminal of the first capacitor and an one terminal of the second capacitor. One terminal of the first or second capacitor is connected to the one terminal of the second capacitor through the first and second switches. |
| US08379123B2 |
System and method of capturing low-light images on a mobile device
A system and method of capturing low-light images on a mobile device include a camera module, an image sensor, an infrared filter, and a visible light filter. The image sensor can detect a color spectrum of ambient light passed through a lens of the camera module. The visible light filter can cover a first portion of the image sensor, and the infrared filter can cover a second portion of the image sensor. A processor can be coupled to the image sensor to receive visible light data and infrared data. Visible light data can be formed from ambient light passed through the visible light filter and image sensor. Infrared data can formed from ambient light passed through the infrared filter and the image sensor. The visible light data and the infrared data are combined to form a low-light image data having enhanced brightness while maintaining color accuracy. |
| US08379122B2 |
Solid-state image-pickup device, camera system, and method for driving same
A solid-state image-pickup device includes a plurality of pixels, each of which is operable to convert an incident-light quantity into a respective electrical signal. The image-pickup device includes a plurality of analog-to-digital converters that each converts an analog signal obtained from a respective one of the pixels into a digital signal. Each analog-to-digital converter includes an output having a plurality of bits and a plurality of comparators. Each of the comparators compares a respective one of a plurality of reference voltages changing over time to the analog signal from the same one of the pixels. At least first and second reference voltages are transmitted to respective ones of the comparators. The analog signal is read from the pixel two times for each row, and a difference between a result of first reading and a result of second reading is calculated. |
| US08379119B2 |
Device and system for restoring a motion-blurred image
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, device and system for restoring a motion-blurred image. The method comprises determining parameters for a one-dimensional Optical Transfer Function (OTF) for the motion-blurred image in Fourier space; determining a signal-to-noise ratio for the motion-blurred image in the Fourier space; and correcting for motion blur based on the parameters of the OTF. Determining the parameters comprises calculating a function Φ(p,q) which is based on the square of the modulus of the Fourier transform |G(p,q)|2 of the motion-blurred image. The parameters include the absolute value of the one-dimensional OTF, and the phase and sign of the OTF. |
| US08379118B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging method
An imaging apparatus in which a matrix of pixels converts light into electric charge. The pixels are disposed in an optically black area that receives no light so as to output optically black signals and in an effective pixel area that receives incident light. An analog amplifier applies predetermined gain to the electric charge read from the pixels in the effective pixel area. A vertical line detector calculates a correction value to remove vertical line-shaped fixed pattern noise. A vertical line corrector adds each of the correction values to the corresponding effective pixel signal to remove the vertical line-shaped fixed pattern noise; and a multiplier multiplies the corrected pixel signals by the digital gain so that the output pixel signal contains no vertical line-shaped fixed pattern noise caused by the digital gain. |
| US08379116B2 |
Image pick-up apparatus and image processing method
An image pick-up apparatus includes an image pick-up device, a noise reduction processing portion, and a level difference correction portion. The image pick-up device includes at least three kinds of color filters and photoelectric conversion elements formed under the color filters respectively. The noise reduction processing portion applies noise reduction processing to image pick-up signals output from the image pick-up device. The level difference correction portion executes correction to reduce a level difference between first and second ones of the noise reduction-processed image pick-up signals obtained from the photoelectric conversion elements formed under two color filters which are of the same kind but different in arrangement pattern of color filters arranged around the two color filters. The level difference correction portion changes correction strength in accordance with strength of noise reduction processing executed by the noise reduction processing portion. |
| US08379115B2 |
Image capture device with electronic focus
An image capture system is configured to automatically focus upon an object (113) electronically, without moving mechanical parts. In one embodiment, a focal length alteration device (104), examples of which include an electronically switchable mirror (3041,3042) or an interference layer (204), is disposed between a lens assembly (102) and a reflective surface (103). The focal length alteration device (104) is configured to alter the distance light travels from the lens assembly (102) to the image sensor (101). In another embodiment, a light redirection device (1003), such as a phase shifting mirror (703), is configured to alter phases of various polarizations of light. An image processing circuit (105) then resolves images into a single, focused, composite image (113). |
| US08379114B2 |
Zoom lens system, imaging device and camera
A zoom lens system comprising a first lens unit having positive optical power, a second lens unit having negative optical power, a third lens unit having positive optical power, a fourth lens unit having negative optical power, and a fifth lens unit having positive optical power, wherein the third lens unit includes at least one lens element having positive optical power and at least one lens element having negative optical power, at least the first to third lens units are moved along an optical axis in zooming so that air spaces between the respective lens units vary, thereby performing magnification change, a lens unit positioned on the image side relative to an aperture diaphragm is moved along the optical axis in focusing, and the conditions: 4.0 |
| US08379113B2 |
Imaging apparatus, image correction method, and computer-readable recording medium
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging unit for acquiring a plurality of viewpoint images imaged from a plurality of view-points by a plurality of imaging optical systems each including a zoom lens; a storage unit for storing an error of the imaging optical system; an optical zoom magnification specifying unit for receiving specification instruction of an optical zoom magnification; a zoom lens driving unit for moving the zoom lens to a position corresponding to the instruction of the optical zoom magnification; and a correction unit for setting an electronic zoom magnification corresponding to the position of the zoom lens, magnifying a viewpoint image to be corrected from within the plurality of viewpoint images based on the electronic zoom magnification, and extracting a part of the magnified viewpoint image to eliminate an object point shift amount corresponding to the error from the magnified viewpoint image. |
| US08379112B2 |
Waterproof camera and display method
A waterproof camera includes an image pickup section, a display section that displays image data, a mode setting section that sets a semi-underwater mode in which both objects under water and above water are simultaneously photographed, and a display control section that limits a display range of the display section when the semi-underwater mode is set, wherein the mode setting section controls the position of a photographing lens or the like to adjust a focus balance of at least one of under water and above water, and the display control section displays both object images under water and above water within a limited display range of the display section. |
| US08379107B2 |
Flicker detection method and image sensing device utilizing the same
A flicker detection method of an image sensing device is disclosed. The image sensing device includes a sensor and a processor. The method comprises steps of: sequentially detecting multiple frames according to a frame rate, wherein each of the multiple frames includes a light signal; generating a light intensity information based on the light signals; determining a sampling window according to a predetermined detection frequency and the frame rate; dividing the light intensity information into multiple light intensity groups according to the sampling window; distinguishing a feature of each light intensity group, and recording an index position of each feature of the light intensity groups; calculating, individually, a difference between the index positions of the adjacent light intensity groups; and determining whether the differences are patterned, in order to determine whether the light intensity information corresponds to a flicker. |
| US08379105B2 |
Methods and apparatus for full-resolution light-field capture and rendering
Method and apparatus for full-resolution light-field capture and rendering. A radiance camera is described in which the microlenses in a microlens array are focused on the image plane of the main lens instead of on the main lens, as in conventional plenoptic cameras. The microlens array may be located at distances greater than f from the photosensor, where f is the focal length of the microlenses. Radiance cameras in which the distance of the microlens array from the photosensor is adjustable, and in which other characteristics of the camera are adjustable, are described. Digital and film embodiments of the radiance camera are described. A full-resolution light-field rendering method may be applied to flats captured by a radiance camera to render higher-resolution output images than are possible with conventional plenoptic cameras and rendering methods. |
| US08379100B2 |
Medical camera platform
The invention is a medical platform system that overcomes many of the shortcomings of current systems. The novel platform provides simultaneous image display and capture, network based wireless control, preferably by way of a web browser, and the capacity to acquire surgeon specific setting by way of removable storage devices. |
| US08379096B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method for synthesizing corrected image data
A plurality of image capturing data time-divisionally exposed by a capturing unit are input. By first and second processes, the plurality of image capturing data are divided into synthesis images or motion detection images, a motion amount of the capturing unit at the time of time-division exposure is detected from the image capturing data of the motion detection images, synthesized image capturing data is generated by synthesizing the synthesis images, and a vibration of the synthesized image capturing data is corrected based on a divide pattern indicating divisions and the motion amount. Corrected image capturing data obtained by the first and second processes are integrated to obtain image capturing data after image stabilization. |
| US08379094B2 |
Apparatus and method for obtaining motion adaptive high dynamic range image
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for obtaining a motion adaptive high dynamic range image, in which a motion degree of a first image and a second taken using different exposure times is calculated. The motion calculation intensity is adjusted based on the calculated motion degree. The motion compensation intensity involves a global motion compensation and/or a location motion compensation. Images subjected to compensation are synthesized and output, so that an image having high dynamic range is obtained. |
| US08379086B2 |
Surveillance module for a video surveillance system, method for monitoring the state of a surveillance region, and computer program
Video monitoring systems usually comprise one or more monitoring cameras directed to related monitored areas such as intersections, parking lots, manufacturing plants, etc., wherein the image data streams recorded by the monitoring camera (S) are often collected at a monitoring center. In the automated evaluation of image data streams, there are known methods that detect moving objects in the monitored area, track them and carry out evaluations based on the detection or tracking. On the other hand, a monitoring module 4 for a video monitoring system 1 is proposed, wherein the monitoring module 4 can be data-coupled and/or is data-coupled to at least one monitoring camera (2), wherein the at least one monitoring camera 2 is directed to a monitored area and the monitored area can be displayed or is displayed as a monitoring scene that includes or can include moving foreground objects and a scene background, and wherein the monitoring module 4 is designed for the analysis of the monitoring scene and for the output of a signal based on the analysis, wherein the output of the signal based on the analysis of the scene background occurs upon deviations in prescribed base states. |
| US08379085B2 |
Intra-trajectory anomaly detection using adaptive voting experts in a video surveillance system
A sequence layer in a machine-learning engine configured to learn from the observations of a computer vision engine. In one embodiment, the machine-learning engine uses the voting experts to segment adaptive resonance theory (ART) network label sequences for different objects observed in a scene. The sequence layer may be configured to observe the ART label sequences and incrementally build, update, and trim, and reorganize an ngram trie for those label sequences. The sequence layer computes the entropies for the nodes in the ngram trie and determines a sliding window length and vote count parameters. Once determined, the sequence layer may segment newly observed sequences to estimate the primitive events observed in the scene as well as issue alerts for inter-sequence and intra-sequence anomalies. |
| US08379082B2 |
System, methods and apparatus for substrate carrier content verification using a material handling system
Methods and systems are provided for mapping substrates in a substrate carrier. The invention includes a substrate carrier including one or more windows; and an imaging system coupled to a substrate carrier handling robot and adapted to determine or image substrate positions in the substrate carrier via the one or more windows. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08379076B2 |
System and method for displaying a multipoint videoconference
A method for displaying a multipoint videoconference includes receiving a plurality of video signals generated at a plurality of remote conference sites. The method includes assigning a plurality of video signals generated at a first remote conference site to a first monitor of a plurality of monitors at a local site and assigning a plurality of video signals generated at a second remote conference site to a second monitor of the plurality of monitors at the local site. In addition, the method includes selecting, for each of the first and second monitor, a video signal of the plurality of video signals assigned to the monitor, and displaying each selected video signal on its respective monitor. |
| US08379075B2 |
Method, device, and computer-readable medium for processing images during video conferencing
A method, device, and computer-readable-medium are disclosed for processing images during a conference between a plurality of video conferencing terminals. The method uses a processor to input a first image from a first camera at a first video conferencing terminal, a second image from a second camera at a second video conferencing terminal, and a third image from a third camera at a third video conferencing terminal. The processor then generates a first composite image that has the third image inserted at a first position into the second image, and a second composite image that has the third image inserted at a second position into the first image. The first position and the second position are located in horizontally opposite portions of the first composite image and the second composite image, respectively. Further, the first and second composite images are sent to the first and second video conferencing terminals, respectively. |
| US08379073B2 |
Method for storing data of video telephony call in mobile terminal and system thereof
A system for storing data during a video telephony call includes a portable terminal which requests data storing; a base station connected to the portable terminal and requests storing of the data to a recording server; a recording server which requests a user registration and data storing to a data management server, and transmits a message indicative of the start of the data storing to the base station; and a data management server which provides the storage of the recorded data. |
| US08379059B2 |
Portable electronic device and method for adjusting display orientation of the portable electronic device
A portable electronic device may adjust a display orientation of a display screen of the portable electronic device according to data from a gravity sensor, a video camera, and a display orientation adjusting unit. The display orientation adjusting unit may analyze acceleration data of the portable electronic device to generate a first adjustment parameter, and analyze the facial image to generate a second adjustment parameter. Furthermore, the display orientation adjusting unit may determine whether the display orientation of the display screen needs to be adjusted, and adjust the display orientation of the display screen to a viewing orientation of the user according to the first adjustment parameter or the second adjustment parameter. |
| US08379051B2 |
Data set conversion systems and methods
A system, apparatus, and method(s) for at least the conversion of a radial, polar, or coordinate system model footprint or types other than rectilinear to a rectilinear footprint to facilitate visual and/or comparative analysis of similarly formatted footprints in accordance with one or more embodiments is described herein. |
| US08379048B2 |
User adjustable gamut mapping and conversion of images from a source color space to a destination color space including primary and redundant colors
A method and software for converting a digital representation of a reference image to a preferred representation having higher chroma in selected subject areas. |
| US08379047B1 |
System and method for creating stroke-level effects in bristle brush simulations using per-bristle opacity
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for simulating bristle brush behavior in an image editing application. User input may represent a stroke made by a paintbrush comprising multiple bristles sweeping across a canvas. The application may calculate a per-bristle opacity value using an exponential function dependent on a target opacity value for the brush stroke and an expected number of overlapping bristles during the brush stroke. The per-bristle opacity value may be used to determine per-bristle effects of the deposition of paint on the color and/or opacity values of the canvas pixels affected by the brush stroke as these per-bristle effects are composited to determine the cumulative effect of the brush stroke. The per-bristle opacity value may be calculated based on the brush orientation or position, direction of the stroke, number of bristles, type or shape of the brush tool, and/or pressure applied to the brush tool. |
| US08379045B2 |
Image processing circuit and method thereof
An image processing circuit including an input unit and a first multiplier is provided. The input unit is used for receiving an image data, and obtaining a plurality of color signal values for forming the image data. The first multiplier is used for multiplying the color signals by a transfer matrix to obtain a plurality of transfer color signal values, so as to form a display image. |
| US08379043B1 |
Methods and apparatus for displaying information on the inside of a windshield
An apparatus and method allows a driver to read a map, directions or text while driving a car without taking their eyes away from the road. An electronic display device may be mounted to, or made integrally with, a dashboard of an automobile. The electronic display device may be programmed to display inverted (mirror image) information thereupon. When the electronic display is disposed on the automobile's dashboard, the windshield may reflect the inverted image as a normal scene for the driver to visualize. Since the image is displayed on the windshield, the driver can see the image without having to take their eyes off the road. |
| US08379040B2 |
Picture processing method and mobile communication terminal
A picture processing method and apparatus in which an APL (average picture level) value is calculated from luminance signals, weighting coefficients are obtained according to chrominance signals, and a number of pixels contained in a picture frame, and a peak luminance is obtained based on the APL value. Subsequently, the picture frame is displayed on a display panel within a limitation of the peak luminance. |
| US08379038B2 |
Color display apparatus and method therefor
A color-processing method includes: selecting a target color gamut to produce an input color signal; calculating a mixture ratio enabling primary colors of the target color gamut to be created by mixing primary colors of a color gamut of the color reproduction apparatus to reproduce the input color signal therewith; producing primary colors reconfigured by mixing the primary colors of the color gamut of the color reproduction apparatus according to the calculated mixture ratio; adjusting an illuminant to match an output signal to a color gamut determined by the reconfigured primary colors; and converting the input color signal to match to the primary colors determined by the reconfigured primary colors. Further a user can arbitrarily set a color gamut in a range that a color reproduction apparatus can reproduce regardless of an input color signal without a quantization errors. |
| US08379035B2 |
Systems and methods for providing intermediate targets in a graphics system
Systems and methods for utilizing intermediate target(s) in connection with computer graphics in a computer system allow serialized programs from graphics APIs to support algorithms that exceed the instruction limits of procedural shaders for single programs. The intermediate buffers may also allow sharing of data between programs for other purposes as well, and are atomically accessible. The size of the buffers, i.e., the amount of data stored in the intermediate targets, can be variably set for a varying amount of resolution with respect to the graphics data. In this regard, a single program generates intermediate data, which can then be used, and re-used, by an extension of the same program and/or any number of other programs any number of times as may be desired, enabling considerable flexibility and complexity of shading programs, while maintaining the speed of modern graphics chips. |
| US08379034B2 |
Circuit and method for compensating display defect in video display
Circuit for compensating a display defect in a video display device of the present invention includes a memory having position information on a plurality of regular patterned defective regions of a display panel, gray scale section information, a defect level data on each of the regular patterned defective regions, and a plurality of compensation data on each of the defect level data stored therein, a first compensation unit, upon reception of data to be displayed on the regular patterned defective regions, for determining defect level data on the regular patterned defective regions of the data to be displayed, selecting a compensation data set on the defect level data determined thus, and selecting a compensation data on the data to be displayed from the compensation data selected thus, for compensating the data to be displayed, and a second compensator for distributing the data compensated thus at the first compensation unit spatially and temporally by using dither patterns for making fine compensation, thereby suppressing size increase of the compensation data. |
| US08379031B2 |
Image data management apparatus, image data management method, computer-readable storage medium
An image data management apparatus which changes attribute information of an image on a display device, the apparatus comprises a display control unit adapted to display, on the display device, an icon representing attribute information recorded in correspondence with an image; a changing unite adapted to change the attribute information of the image by changing the icon on the display device; and a recording unit adapted to record attribute information after change in correspondence with the image. |
| US08379025B1 |
Methods and apparatus for rendering vector art on graphics hardware
Methods and apparatus for ray-casting 2D animated vector art on graphics hardware. Embodiments maintain curves in their analytic form when transmitted to the GPU. On the CPU, the curves in the vector art may be subdivided into a plurality of monotonic curve segments. A plurality of intervals may be generated from the curve segments. Further subdivision may be applied on the CPU to any interval that includes more than n curves, where n is the maximum number of curves that can be processed in parallel in the pixel shader. On the GPU, the pixels are evaluated to determine whether each pixel is inside or outside of the curve network. The technique used in the GPU may be based on a point-in-polygon algorithm that casts rays from points under test and counts the number of curve crossings before the rays exit the shape using a modified implicit formula. |
| US08379022B2 |
Fragment shader for a hybrid raytracing system and method of operation
A fragment shader and method of operation are provided for a hybrid ray tracing system. The method includes determining whether a fragment is to be rasterized or raytraced. If a determination is made that the fragment is to be rasterized, a predetermined value for the fragment is stored into a rasterization target, the predetermined value indicating that the fragment is to be excluded from raytracing operations. If a determination is made that the fragment is to be raytraced, a primitive identifier of the fragment is stored into a rasterization target. |
| US08379021B1 |
System and methods for rendering height-field images with hard and soft shadows
A system, methods, and computer-readable storage media for rendering height-field images that efficiently compute hard and soft shadows are disclosed. The system and methods may utilize a graphics representation comprising bounded 2D shapes with full 3D fill styles that affect shading, and an occlusion priority that determines visibility. The methods may include scan-coherent techniques for computing shadows from height-fields containing depth discontinuities while incrementally updating a convex hull of surface points. The methods may include a sweep-based algorithm for linear light source illumination of 2.5D graphical models across diagonal height-field cross-sections and/or a shear warp algorithm. Pre-computed (weighted) integrals corresponding to the light direction may be stored in tables according to a corresponding horizon angle and may be used in computing the lit intensity. The results may be free of aliasing artifacts. The methods may be implemented as program instructions, stored on computer-readable media, executable by a CPU and/or GPU. |
| US08379018B2 |
Method and apparatus for surface inflation using surface normal constraints
Method and apparatus for the interactive enhancement of 2D art with 3D geometry. A surface inflation tool may be used to create a 3D shape by inflating the surface that interpolates the input boundaries. The surface inflation tool may, for example, obtain a closed 2D boundary as input, triangulate the area within the boundary to generate an initial surface, and inflate the surface while maintaining a fixed boundary. Using surface normal values and/or mean curvature values specified at boundary vertices as constraints, the tool may control the inflated surface efficiently using a single linear system. Embodiments handle both smooth and sharp position constraints. Position constraint vertices may also have constraints specified for controlling the inflation of a local surface. |
| US08379016B2 |
Geospatial data system for selectively retrieving and displaying geospatial texture data in successive additive layers of resolution and related methods
A geospatial data system may include at least one geospatial data storage device containing three-dimensional (3D) geospatial structure data, and also containing geospatial texture data associated with the geospatial 3D structure data and being retrievable in successive additive layers of resolution. The system may further include at least one geospatial data access device comprising a display and a processor cooperating therewith for communicating remotely with the at least one geospatial data storage device to retrieve and display a scene on the display based upon the 3D structure data and the geospatial texture data associated therewith. The geospatial texture data may advantageously be retrieved and displayed in successive additive layers of resolution. |
| US08379015B2 |
Method and a system for generating a synthesized image of a hair
The invention relates to a method of generating a synthesized image of a hair, comprising the following steps: calculating the shape of the hair by applying a behavioral relationship determining the shape of the hair as a function of a physical parameter linked to a mechanical property of the hair, in particular the linear density; producing an image of the hair of shape that has been calculated in this way. The behavioral relationship may be given by the minimization of the following function: E = K L ∫ 0 1 [ 1 2 ( k ~ ( s ~ ) - α ) 2 + 1 β z ~ ( s ~ ) ] ⅆ s ~ , where α=Lk0 and β=K/gμL3, and where L designates the length of the hair, k0 its spontaneous curvature, K its bending moment, μ its linear density and g the acceleration due to gravity, {tilde over (s)} the curvilinear abscissa relative to the length of the hair, {tilde over (k)} its local curvature relative to its length and {tilde over (z)} its height relative to its length. |
| US08379013B2 |
Method, medium and apparatus rendering 3D graphic data
Provided are a method and apparatus rendering three-dimensional (3D) graphic data. The method includes eliminating at least one of a plurality of processes for rendering the three-dimensional (3D) graphic data in consideration of a rendering environment of the 3D graphic data and a state of power of a system rendering the 3D graphic data, generating a rendering function which performs the remaining processes after the at least one process is eliminated and rendering the 3D graphic data using the generated rendering function. |
| US08379012B2 |
Selector switch for direct connection of switched regulator to voltage inputs
A driver circuit for a display device (e.g., an LCD) omits buffers and a resistive ladder and connects the output of a switched regulator directly to a display device through a selector switch. Voltage inputs for the display device can be selectively coupled to the output of the switched regulator using the selector switch. Each voltage input can be coupled to a capacitor that is charged when the corresponding voltage input is coupled to the high voltage output of the switched regulator. In some implementations, bypass switches are connected between the voltage inputs. If the voltage of a given capacitor is too high, the excess voltage can be transferred or otherwise discharged through the bypass switch to another capacitor storing a lower voltage. |
| US08379008B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and power supply unit for the same
An organic light emitting display device and a power supply for the same. In one embodiment, an organic light emitting display device includes a first module and a second module, each including an organic light emitting display panel and a driving source. A power supply is for supplying a first driving voltage to the first module and a second driving voltage to the second module. A controller is for applying a common control signal and a data signal to the first module and the second module and for applying a selection signal for selecting at least one of the first module or the second module. |
| US08379003B2 |
Display device and wiring routing method
A display device for displaying an image using matrix driving includes: an emission element corresponding to each pixel to be displayed, disposed on L lines, with the scanning direction as lines; a display portion whereby the M lines worth of the emission elements are simultaneously driven; and a connection unit for connecting an on-substrate wiring line extracted from the emission element of the display portion externally; with the connection units including connection terminals for connecting each of the on-substrate wiring lines externally, and at least a part of the connection terminals being arrayed two-dimensionally so as to make up M columns; and with each of the M columns worth of the connection terminals being connected with the on-substrate wiring lines which are thinned out (M−1) wiring lines at a time. |
| US08379002B2 |
Data transmitting device and flat plate display using the same
A data transmitting device and a flat plate display using the same are disclosed. The data transmitting device includes a clock generator to generate and output a first clock signal and to generate a plurality of second clocks signals having different phases; a serializer to convert parallel image data and a dot clock input at a slow speed to high speed serial data and high speed clock according to the first and second clocks outputted from the clock generator and to output the high speed serial image data and the high speed clock; and a signal converter to convert the serial image data and the high speed clock outputted from the serializer into differential signals and to output the differential signals. |
| US08379000B2 |
Digital-to-analog converting circuit, data driver and display device
A digital-to-analog converter, in which a plurality of reference voltages that differ from one another are grouped into first to (S+1)th reference voltage groups, includes a decoder and an amplifying circuit. The decoder includes: first to (S+1)th subdecoders for selecting respective ones of reference voltages corresponding to a value of a first bit group on an upper bit side of an input digital signal from the reference voltages of the first to (S+1)th reference voltage groups; and an (S+1)-input and 2-output type subdecoder for selecting and outputting two reference voltages out of reference voltages selected by the first to (S+1)th subdecoders, in accordance with a value of a second bit group on a lower side of the input digital signal. The amplifying circuit receives the two reference voltages as inputs and outputs a voltage level obtained by interpolation at a prescribed ratio. |
| US08378999B2 |
Driving circuit and data driver of planar display device
A clock signal, a data signal, and a latch signal are commonly supplied from a controller to a plurality of the data drivers. The data signal and the latch signal are synchronized with the clock signal. In each of the data drivers, an internal latch signal is generated in synchronization with the clock signal in response to the latch signal. Timing of a rising edge of the internal latch signal is independently controlled in each data driver in accordance with position information where each data driver is arranged. |
| US08378995B2 |
Touch display system with optical touch detector
An exemplary touch display system includes a flexible touch screen, a prism, an infrared light source, an infrared image sensor, and a processor. The prism is substantially isosceles right-angled triangular shaped, with a first side surface thereof being disposed adjacent to but spaced apart from back surface of the touch screen by air, wherein when a touch is applied to the touch display surface at a touch position, the touch screen is bent at the touch position and contact the prism at a contact position corresponding to the touch position. The infrared light source and the infrared image sensor are arranged adjacent to and facing to a hypotenuse surface of the prism. The processor is configured for processing image signals from the image sensor and obtaining the contact position based on light intensities of the image signals, thereby obtaining the touch position on the touch display surface. |
| US08378989B2 |
Interpreting ambiguous inputs on a touch-screen
Methods are provided for interpreting a touch in relation to touch targets displayed on a touch-screen display, the touch targets associated with an application. A touch is detected at a first touch-screen location. The application is queried to determined a first touch target located within a predetermined touch region of the first touch-screen location. The application is then queries to determine whether a second touch target is located within the predetermined touch region. The touch is them disambiguated to determine whether the touch was intended for the first touch target or the second touch target. |
| US08378988B1 |
System controlled by data bearing records for permitting access
An apparatus allows entry of an individual into an area responsive to data read from data bearing records. Data read from data bearing records such as user cards is evaluated for correspondence with stored data by at least one processor. The condition of at least one lock (26, 30, 48, 52) associated with an access structure (14) is changed responsive to correspondence of the record data and stored data. The structure (14) controls access to and exit from a facility. An operator terminal (12) provides visible outputs through a display (72) and is usable to control functional aspects of the structure as well as to enable the operator to receive indications of conditions associated with components that control access to and exit from the structure. |
| US08378985B2 |
Touch interface for three-dimensional display control
An electronic device includes a first touch panel disposed on a first side of the device. The first touch panel receives a first touch input. The electronic device further includes a display disposed on the first side of the device, and a touch interface disposed on a second side of the device, where the second side is different than the first side. The touch interface receives a second touch input. A control unit receives an indication of the first touch input from the first touch panel and receives an indication of the second touch input from the touch interface. The control unit further determines alterations to a three dimensional view of the display in the x, y and/or z directions based on the first touch input, and rotates the three dimensional view on the display angularly in accordance with movement of the second touch input. |
| US08378982B2 |
Overlay handling
A method includes determining that an overlay is to be displayed at a predetermined area on a touch-sensitive display, the overlay being operable to be closed in response to a user providing a touch input at predetermined location within the predetermined area of the overlay; detecting the presence of a digit proximate to a surface of the touch-sensitive display; determining a digit location, the digit location being a location on the surface of the touch-sensitive display to which the digit is proximate; comparing the digit location with the predetermined location; and if the digit location corresponds to the predetermined location, modifying the operation of the overlay so as to prevent closure of the overlay in response to a touch input provided at the predetermined location. |
| US08378977B2 |
Device for electronically capturing a handwritten user input
A device configured to electronically capture a handwritten user input includes an input field asymmetrically disposed on a housing in order to provide a sufficient surface for resting a right-hand on the housing when a right-handed person makes an input on the input field. The device is rotatable by 180° and the input field is re-configurable, so that a left-handed person can comfortably make an input on the input field with the left-hand resting in a natural posture on the same hand-resting surface of the housing. |
| US08378972B2 |
Keyboard with increased control of backlit keys
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that provide increased control of backlit keys for a keyboard. Some embodiments may include controllers within the keyboard that are capable of dynamically programming illumination of the keyboard based upon interaction, where each key of the keyboard may be individually programmed in a dynamic manner. For example, a spell checking function may be executing on a computer system, and as the user types various words, the keyboard may dynamically program the illumination of keyboard controllers such that the next letter of the word being typed is illuminated by the keyboard. Also, different keyboard illumination schemes may be generated based upon mouse movements by the user and/or based upon which application is currently executing. |
| US08378967B2 |
Wearable electrical apparatus
A wearable input device includes a pair of ring-shaped signal electrodes and a current sensor arranged in parallel in the direction of the axis of a finger. The current sensor is provided outside an area sandwiched between the signal electrodes. An alternating current signal is applied between the signal electrodes. When the top end of the finger with this device worn thereon is brought into contact with any other body site, a current flows through the current measure point of the current sensor. When the top end of the finger is not in contact with any other body site, no current flows through the measurement point of the current sensor. Based on the measured current, it is determined whether the finger is in contact with any other body site. A command is outputted to an external device according to the result of the determination. |
| US08378966B2 |
Apparatus, system, method, and program for processing information
An information processing apparatus includes a sensor for generating a sensor output signal responsive to the three-dimensional coordinate position of a detection target in a monitor space by detecting a capacitance in the monitor space, and outputting the sensor output signal, a position detector for detecting the three-dimensional coordinate position of the detection target in the monitor space from the sensor output signal of the sensor, a storage unit for storing coordinate information identifying a three-dimensional space region set in the monitor space, a determining unit for determining whether the three-dimensional coordinate position of the detection target in the monitor space is contained in the three-dimensional set space region, based on the three-dimensional coordinate position of the detection target detected by the position detector and the coordinate information stored on the storage, and an output unit for outputting determination results of the determining unit. |
| US08378965B2 |
Vibration actuator with a unidirectional drive
A haptic feedback generation system includes a linear resonant actuator and a drive circuit. The drive circuit is adapted to output a unidirectional signal that is applied to the linear resonant actuator. In response, the linear resonant actuator generates haptic vibrations. |
| US08378961B2 |
Control of light-emitting-diode backlight illumination through frame insertion
System(s) and method(s) are provided to regulate backlighting in a light emitting diode (LED)-based display through a sequence of alternate pulse-width-modulation (PWM) frame or sub-frame insertions. Alternate PWM frames or sub-frames can be black or non-black. A plurality of pixels in the display is partitioned into at least one zone including one or more rows of pixels; the at least one zone determines sub-frame period based on refresh frequency of the display. A sequence of alternate PWM sub-frames includes at least one alternate sub-frame and at least one normal sub-frame. Alternate PWM frames or alternate PWM sub-frames include a phase delay during which a backlight unit is turned off, and a PWM sequence in which the backlight unit is turned on with a finite duty cycle for the remainder of the PWM frame or sub-frame. A sequence of alternate PWM sub-frames can be configured internally or externally. Internal configuration can be synchronous with a reference signal whereas external configuration relies on external reference signal. |
| US08378960B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for controlling an electronic display
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling an electronic display. An activity module receives a brightness restore signal and sets a brightness level of an electronic display to a default brightness level in response to the brightness restore signal. A brightness decay module dims the brightness level of the electronic display from the default brightness level to an intermediate brightness level at a first dimming rate. The intermediate brightness level is selected from one or more intermediate brightness levels. A plateau module maintains the brightness level of the electronic display at the intermediate brightness level for a predefined period of time. A minimum brightness module dims the brightness level of the electronic display from an intermediate brightness level to a minimum brightness level at a second dimming rate. |
| US08378957B2 |
Methods and circuits for triode region detection
The present invention relates to circuits and methods for detecting transistor operation in the triode region including a circuit for a transistor in a constant current source. The circuit comprises a detector having a first input, a second input, and an output. The first input of the detector is coupled to the source of the transistor and the second input of the detector is coupled to the set point terminal of the constant current source. The circuit also comprises a flag coupled to the detector output. The detector has parameters selected so that, when the voltage at the source of the transistor satisfies a reference condition, the output of the detector sets the flag. The reference condition is established relative to the voltage at the set point terminal of the constant current source and relative to the triode transition voltage of the transistor at a selected drain-source current. |
| US08378956B2 |
Methods and systems for weighted-error-vector-based source light selection
Elements of the present invention relate to systems and methods for selecting a display source light illumination level based on a histogram-weighted error value. |
| US08378952B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with shared data lines and method for previously charging green pixel cells
A liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the same are discussed. The liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment comprises a liquid crystal panel including a plurality of pixel units arranged in a matrix configuration; red, green and blue pixel cells provided in the pixel units respectively; a data driver to supply data to pixel cells included in each pixel unit, so as to realize the adjacent pixel units displayed with black and white; and a gate driver to drive the pixel cells included in each pixel unit, so as to make the green pixel cell in the pixel unit of displaying the white supplied with corresponding data under condition of that a data line connected to the corresponding green pixel cell is previously charged with the data corresponding to the pixel cell included in the pixel unit of displaying the black. |
| US08378951B2 |
Timing controller with power-saving function
A time controller with power-saving function is utilized for selecting to drive a display with progressive or interlace scan method based on if two continuous frames are dynamic. The time controller comprises an interlace scan control module, a progressive scan control module, a motion detecting circuit, a scan selecting circuit, and a data selecting circuit. The interlace scan and the progressive scan control modules are utilized for generating control signals of interlace scan and progressive scan according to a video signal, respectively. The motion detecting circuit select the control signals of interlace scan or progressive scan based on if the two continuous frames are dynamic, so as to drive the display. In this way, consumed power of the display is saved and a saw-tooth effect on the video frame is avoided. |
| US08378948B2 |
Driving circuit and organic light emitting diode display device including the same
A driving circuit includes a first decoder for outputting first decoding signals, a first selection unit for generating selection signals and first inverse selection signals, a switch unit for selecting a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, the second reference voltage being lower than the first reference voltage, a second decoder for outputting second decoding signals, a second selection unit for generating second selection signals second inverse selection signals, and voltage distribution units adapted to receive and distribute the selected first reference voltage and the selected second reference voltage. |
| US08378940B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus is disclosed, and comprises a display panel and a lens. On the display panel, there are a width-fixed pixel zone, a width-variating pixel zone and a border zone arranged sequentially from the center to the edges of the display panel, wherein there are a plurality of width-fixed pixels disposed in the width-fixed zone, and there are a plurality of width-variating pixel groups disposed in the width-variating pixel zone, and the widths of the width-variating pixel groups are present in a first decreasing sequence. The lens has a focus-length-variating portion and a planar portion, wherein the planar portion is aligned with the width-fixed pixel zone, and the focus-length-variating portion is disposed to correspond to the border zone and the width-variating pixel zone. The focus lengths of the focus-length-variating portion corresponding to the width-variating pixel groups are present in a second decreasing sequence. |
| US08378939B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device which can supply an accurate current without being affected by the variation of transistors for supplying currents to EL pixels even when the signal current is small is provided. A video signal voltage is inputted to each signal line dot-sequentially. This operation corresponds to a precharge operation to a video signal current which is inputted subsequently. After the input of the video signal voltage, a video signal current is inputted to each signal line. Accordingly, an effect of variation of a transistor in each pixel can be reduced. In addition, since a video signal voltage is inputted prior to the input of a video signal current, signal writing speed can be increased even when the signal current is small. Further, as a video signal voltage is inputted dot-sequentially, simple configuration can be realized. |
| US08378938B2 |
Method and system for programming and driving active matrix light emitting device pixel having a controllable supply voltage
Method and system for programming and driving active matrix light emitting device pixel is provided. The pixel is a voltage programmed pixel circuit, and has a light emitting device, a driving transistor and a storage capacitor. The pixel has a programming cycle having a plurality of operating cycles, and a driving cycle. During the programming cycle, the voltage of the connection between the OLED and the driving transistor is controlled so that the desired gate-source voltage of a driving transistor is stored in a storage capacitor. |
| US08378937B2 |
Image display apparatus
In an image display apparatus, each sub-pixel includes a phosphor configured to emit light of a predetermined color when the phosphor is irradiated with electrons, an electron emission device configured to irradiate the phosphor with the electrons, and a resistor connected in series to the electron emission device and having a negative temperature characteristic of resistance. In three or more sub-pixels with different luminescent colors included in each pixel, the resistor is configured such that a sub-pixel having a phosphor with a smaller temperature dependency of luminescent brightness has a resistor with a greater activation energy, or the resistor is configured such that the resistor is made of the same material for the three or more sub-pixel and such that a sub-pixel having a phosphor with a smaller temperature dependency of luminescent brightness has a resistor with a greater resistance. |
| US08378931B2 |
Pixel and organic light emitting display device
A pixel and an organic light emitting display device using the same is provided. The pixel includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED). A pixel circuit controls an amount of current that flows into the OLED. In the pixel, the pixel circuit includes a first transistor controlling an amount of current that flows into a second power source via the OLED from a first power source. A storage capacitor is positioned between a gate electrode of the first transistor and the second power source. A boosting capacitor is positioned between the gate electrode of the first transistor and a boost line. |
| US08378930B2 |
Pixel circuit and display device having symmetric pixel circuits and shared voltage lines
A display device having at least a plurality of pixel circuits, connected to signal lines to which data signals in accordance with luminance information are supplied, arranged in a matrix, wherein pixel circuits of odd number columns and even number columns adjacent to each other and sandwiching an axis in a column direction parallel to an arrangement direction of the signal lines have a mirror type circuit arrangement symmetric about the axis of the column direction, and there are lines different from the signal lines between signal lines of adjacent pixel circuits. |
| US08378929B2 |
Driving method for vacuum fluorescent display, and vacuum fluorescent display
Luminance life can be enhanced in a vacuum fluorescent display that is driven according to a dynamic drive scheme and that uses a phosphor having remarkable luminance saturation. A drive method for a vacuum fluorescent display, having causing a phosphor layer formed on an anode to display under low-energy electron excitation by the dynamic driving, wherein the phosphor included in the phosphor layer is a phosphor in which the luminance increases when a pulse width is reduced under conditions in which the Du is kept the same in the dynamic driving, and in which, after a voltage is applied to the anode and the luminance of the phosphor is saturated, the time at which the luminance value decreases to 10% of the saturation luminance value following stoppage of the voltage application is 200 μsec or more; and wherein the pulse width and pulse repetition period in the dynamic driving are made variable in the direction of maintaining the initial luminance of the phosphor as driving time elapses. |
| US08378926B2 |
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. |
| US08378924B2 |
Monocular display device
A head mounted support system for a head mounted apparatus. The apparatus includes a monocular display with a wireless communications interface, a user input device, a transmitter, receiver and a controller. The controller is configured to control the transmitter for sending and receiving control signals to and from an external device via the wireless interface. The monocular display is positioned relative to the user's dominant eye to display images to the user while occluding less than half of the user's maximum viewing space, while enabling the user to send and receive audible information or music. The head mounted support system may include an ear loop, and a housing for storing one or more functional components of the apparatus. |
| US08378923B2 |
Locating and displaying method upon a specific video region of a computer screen
A locating and displaying method upon a specific video region of a computer screen comprises the steps of: capturing a plurality of computer screens during a predetermined time period; comparing one computer screen with the following computer screen to locate a plurality of screen differences, in which every single screen difference includes at least one different region; judging a respective position of every individual different region of each screen difference so as to locate an object window containing the different region; determine one object window as a video region by comparing a size or an appearance time of the object window; capturing a film of the video region; forwarding the film to a distant displayer; and then the displayer broadcasting the film on a display. |
| US08378921B2 |
Broadband multi-tap antenna
An antenna system comprises a plurality of conductors, a combiner, and a plurality of loads. The combiner has an output port. The plurality of loads connects the plurality of conductors to each other in line. The plurality of loads has an impedance equal to a desired impedance for the output port. The combiner combines power received by the plurality of loads at the output port of the combiner. |
| US08378920B2 |
Electrically small antenna with wideband switchable frequency capability
An electrically small antenna includes a first plurality of helical arms extending in one direction from a central portion of the antenna and a second plurality of helical arms extending from the central portion in a direction opposite from the direction of the first plurality of helical arms. A plurality of switches are coupled to control signal transmission and reception on the helical arms, each of the plurality of switches is coupled between a corresponding one of the first plurality of helical arms and the second plurality of helical arms. |
| US08378919B2 |
Angle adjustment apparatus of dish antenna and dish antenna using the same
An angle adjustment apparatus for a dish antenna comprises a base, a first rotating frame, a second rotating frame, and a second rotation angle adjustment mechanism. The first rotating frame is fixed to the base, and can relatively rotate around the base with a first rotating angle. The second rotating frame is fixed to the first rotating frame, and can relatively rotate around the first rotating frame with a second rotating angle. The second rotation angle adjustment mechanism comprises a first screw rod, a screw nut post, and a second screw rod. One end of the first screw rod is fixed to the first rotating frame, and the other end is equipped with first threads and engaged with the screw nut post. One end of the second screw rod pivots on the second rotating frame, and the other end is equipped with second threads and engaged with the screw nut post. The first threads and second threads have different screw directions, or have the same screw direction but with different thread pitches. |
| US08378918B2 |
Removable azimuth fine adjustment tool and method for a satellite dish antenna system
A fine azimuth adjustment tool and method for a satellite antenna system having a clamp with opposing jaws for clamping around the mast pipe, a lever connected to the clamp for opening and closing the opposing jaws; a cam with a protrusion engaging a formed slot in the mast clamp when said opposing jaws are closed, the protrusion rotating the mast clamp when the cam is turned, the protrusion in the slot holding the mast clamp to the mast pipe at a desired fine tuned azimuth position while the mast clamp is tightened and secured to the mast pipe. |
| US08378912B2 |
Antenna coil
An antenna coil may include a first coil portion wound with coil wire; a second coil portion wound with coil wire and intersecting with the first coil portion; and a case having a coil receiving portion receiving the first coil portion and the second coil portion, in which the first coil portion and the second coil portion are disposed so that extending directions of the respective coil portions are directed in diagonals direction of the coil receiving portion. |
| US08378911B2 |
Electronic entity with magnetic antenna
An electronic entity (2) includes an electronic circuit (4) having connected thereto an antenna. The antenna includes a loop (6) electrically connected to the electronic circuit (4) and a resonator (8) coupled with the loop (6). The resonator (8) can be capacitively coupled to the loop. The resonator can be formed from a turn facing the loop (6) over at least a portion of its perimeter. |
| US08378910B2 |
Slot antennas, including meander slot antennas, and use of same in current fed and phased array configuration
In one embodiment, a meander slot antenna includes a conducting sheet having a meander slot defined therein. The meander slot has a closed area defined by the conducting sheet. An electrical microstrip feed line crosses the meander slot. The electrical microstrip feed line and meander slot provide a magnetically coupled LC resonance element. A dielectric material has at least one conductive via therein. The at least one conductive via electrically connects the electrical microstrip feed line and the conducting sheet at a side of the meander slot. The dielectric material otherwise separates the conducting sheet from the electrical microstrip feed line. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08378907B2 |
Retaining socket for vehicle glazing
A retaining socket for mounting a vehicle glazing accessory is disclosed. The retaining socket comprises a base portion for mounting on the surface of a glazing; a retaining portion for retaining a vehicle glazing accessory; and a retaining portion for retaining a communication device. The base portion comprises an electrically conductive coupling portion, connected to the communication device. A glazing having such a socket mounted thereon is also disclosed. |
| US08378903B2 |
Antenna apparatus and methods of use therefor
Antenna apparatus and methods of using the same that employ a broadband, planar, single feed ultra high frequency satellite communication (UHF SATCOM) antenna device which may be mounted on composite or other non-metallic and non-electrically conductive surfaces. The antenna apparatus may be implemented using a single antenna feed and impedance matching network with a low profile antenna shape that optimizes over-the-horizon gain, with no requirement for a ground plane. The antenna apparatus may also be implemented to cover the entire UHF SATCOM frequency band using a single antenna feed. |
| US08378902B2 |
Antenna of portable electronic devices
An antenna used in portable electronic devices includes a first antenna unit shaped as a planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) and a second antenna unit shaped as a loop antenna and connected to the first antenna unit. The first antenna unit receives/sends wireless signals at relatively higher frequencies, the second antenna unit receives/sends wireless signals at relatively lower frequencies, and the first antenna unit is coupled with the second antenna unit to regulate the working frequency band of the antenna. |
| US08378901B2 |
Handheld electronic device
A handheld electronic device comprises a housing, a receiver, a balance antenna and a body. The housing comprises a top end and a bottom end. The receiver is located in the housing and near the top end, and the balance antenna is located in the housing and near the bottom end. The body is located in the housing and electrically couples to the receiver and the balance antenna. |
| US08378896B2 |
Wide band antenna
A wide band antenna includes a radiation element, a ground surface, a dielectric element, a connector; a first microstrip feeder and a second microstrip feeder. The radiation element is a rectangle shaped and includes a first side and a second side. The lengths of the first side and the second side are not equal. The dielectric element is positioned between the radiation element and the ground surface. One end of the first microstrip feeder is connected to the first side of the radiation element. One end of the second microstrip feeder is connected to the second side of the radiation element, the other ends of the first and second microstrip feeder are connected to the connector. |
| US08378891B2 |
Method and system for optimizing quality and integrity of location database elements
A location server may be operable to refine a location for a RF node based on a weight applied to one or more location samples that are received from one or more mobile devices. The received location samples may be weighted based on a manufacturer and/or a model information of each of the mobile devices, properties and/or conditions of a RF environment associated with each of the mobile devices, a GNSS dilution of precision, motion sensors used by each of the mobile devices and/or a geometrical population condition associated with each of the mobile devices within range of the RF node. A valid location for the RF node may be generated utilizing the weighted location samples. The location server may update location information for the RF node, which may be stored in a location database, utilizing the valid location for the RF node. |
| US08378890B2 |
Satellite-based positioning receiver
A satellite-based positioning receiver includes processing channels, each processing channel being associated with a respective satellite from among N satellites, and an extended Kalman filter for performing a vector tracking for the set of satellites using signals received from the satellites. The extended Kalman filter performs a resetting on the basis of the phase error and code error received directly from the phase and code discriminators, of each channel, and the receiver is configured for calculating the code-wise and carrier-wise control signals for the code phase and carrier phase numerically-controlled oscillators, on the basis of data provided by the extended Kalman filter, for each channel. |
| US08378888B2 |
System and method for determining the location of a mobile device
A system and method for determining the location of a mobile device. A first set of signals from a plurality of radio frequency (“RF”) sources may be received at a mobile device and then downconverted into a second set of signals. The mobile device may then time stamp the second set of signals and transmit the time stamped signals to a location determining system. The location of the mobile device may be determined at the location determining system as a function of the time stamped signals. |
| US08378886B2 |
Signal processing techniques for improving the sensitivity of GPS receivers
A system for measuring the pseudo range from a first GPS sensor to a designated navigational satellite, for use in a satellite positioning system (SPS) is comprised of first and second GPS sensors for receiving and recording first and second portions of the signal transmitted by the designated navigational satellite, the recordings referred to as the first and second datagrams. The first and second datagrams are transmitted to a datagram processing facility wherein the pseudo range from the first GPS sensor to the designated navigational satellite is extracted. The datagram processing facility for extracting the pseudo range is further comprised of a pseudo range engine for extracting a pseudo range from a datagram received by the first GPS sensor. The location of which is to be determined, the extraction accomplished with the aid of a perfect reference; and a perfect reference engine for generating a perfect reference from a datagram originating with a second GPS sensor designated for the express purpose of perfect reference generation. |
| US08378882B2 |
Method for operating a radar and radar
A method for operating a radar, having the following steps: determining first and second differential signals from a first and second transmitted frequency-modulated signal and received components of the first and second transmitted frequency-modulated signal reflected by a plurality of objects; determining in each case one first and one second chirp signal for each first and the second differential signal, the first chirp signal corresponding to the double differentiation of the phase of the first and the second differential signal with respect to time; assigning one of the first differential signals to one of the second differential signals, based on a correspondence of the first chirp signal, that is assigned to the one first differential signal, to the second chirp signal that is assigned to the one second differential signal; and determining the separation distance and/or the relative speed of one of the objects, based on the one first differential signal and the one second differential signal assigned to the first differential signal. |
| US08378880B1 |
Explicit probabilistic target object selection and engagement
An object of interest in a cloud of objects is identified by RF and IR sensing. The RF and IR signals are separately discriminated to determine the probability that the RF tracked object is one of a predetermined number of possible object types, and the IR tracked object is one of the possible object types. Joint probabilities are calculated for all pairs of RF and IR signals and all objects, and the joint probabilities are normalized. Marginal probabilities of the joint RF/IR discrimination results are calculated to produce a vector set of marginal optical probabilities. The vector set is normalized over all object types to thereby produce a vector set of normalized marginal optical probabilities. The object of interest is selected to be the IR object of said vector set of normalized joint optical probabilities with the highest probability of being the object type of interest. |
| US08378879B2 |
Apparatus and methods for remote detection of physiological changes
An apparatus for sensing motion having a transmitter for transmitting a carrier signal; a frequency control connected to the transmitter for controlling the frequency of the carrier signal; a first receiver for receiving the reflected transmitted carrier signal; a second receiver for receiving the reflected transmitted carrier signal, the second receiver being placed out of phase by less than a wavelength of the carrier signal from the first receiver; means for subtracting the carrier signal received by the second receiver from the carrier signal received by the first receiver to produce an error signal; wherein when motion is sensed by the apparatus, the error signal moves from zero thereby causing a corrective signal to be generated and sent to the frequency control, the frequency control forcing the error signal to zero. |
| US08378877B2 |
Porous materials embedded with nanoparticles, methods of fabrication and uses thereof
The present invention relates to porous structures embedded with nanoparticles, methods of forming the structures, and methods of using the structures. In most general form, the invention relates to porous materials embedded with nanoparticles having characteristics, such as magnetic, enabling to align or arrange the nanoparticles in the material by exposure, e.g. to a magnetic field. Therefore, a method according to the invention provides manufacturing materials having variable magnetic and electromagnetic properties which can be adapted during manufacture for various applications, such as electromagnetic wave absorbers, lens, concentrators, etc. |
| US08378876B2 |
Operation terminal, processing method performed by the operation terminal, information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method performed by the information processing system
There is provided an operation terminal including a mouse which has a spherical object, an electric power acquisition section which has a piezoelectric element and also converts energy generated by rotation of the spherical object by a force applied by a user into energy for striking the piezoelectric element, and a capacitor section which acquires and accumulates electric power generated by striking the piezoelectric element. |
| US08378875B2 |
Method of programming a universal remote control
A method for setting up a Remote Control is described. In one step (1) a configuration mode is entered. In another step an identifier entry is accepted (3). In case that the identifier is a brand-id the remote control scans though code-sets corresponding to the brand by sending a remote control signal (7), checking for a user reaction (8), testing further remote control signals of a user selected code-set (9) and checking for a user approval of the selected code-set (10) and wherein the step of scanning is repeated until a user approval is entered. Lastly the remote control installs the user approved code-set (13). In case that the identifier is a code-set-id the remote control sends a remote control signal of the corresponding code-set (7), checks for a user reaction (8), tests further remote control signals of the code-set (9) and checks for a user approval of the code-set Moreover the invention describes a Remote Control that is capable of performing the previously described steps. |
| US08378874B2 |
Multi-gigabit analog to digital converter
An analog to digital converter for operating at high speeds can be implemented with a micro-comparator/sampler, an encoder, and a selector. The micro-comparator includes an input from an antenna of a receiver/transceiver system; a transistor pair; reset transistor; cascaded inverters; an inverter circuit; a buffer; and a D flip flop circuit. Depending on the number of micro-comparator/samplers placed in parallel, a number of bits can be generated. For example, 15 bits from 15 different micro-comparator/samplers can be inserted into a 15 to 4 bit encoder to generate 4 bits. |
| US08378867B2 |
Audio clocking in video applications
A method of operating an electronic video device such as a DVD player, wherein video clock signals and audio clock signals are derived from a system clock signal using two phase-lock loops, and these video and audio clock signals are used to process encoded video data and encoded audio data, but digital-to-analog conversion of the audio data stream is controlled by the system clock signal rather than the audio clock signals. By using the system clock signal to control the audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the DAC avoids the poor performance issues that can arise from jitter introduced into the audio clock signals by the PLL. The system clock signal may be divided by an integer to generate the sampling clock for the audio DAC. In the illustrative embodiment, the system clock signal has a rate which is not an integer multiple of the sample rate of the audio data stream. |
| US08378856B2 |
Method and system for predictive human interface
A method and system provide a predictive human interface for a plurality of user electronic devices, which includes establishing a user account with a service provider, registering the plurality of user electronic devices in an electronic database associated with the user account, and storing, in the electronic database, initial user preferences regarding how certain specified communications related to the user electronic devices are to be processed. The method and system also includes monitoring and storing, by a core network server, specific characteristics associated with each communication originating from the user electronic devices, generating a predictive human interface for the user electronic devices, based upon the stored specific characteristics for the user electronic devices, and providing the predictive human interface to the user electronic devices for use during a next communication originating from one of the user electronic devices. |
| US08378854B1 |
Systems and methods for improved augmentation for GPS calculations
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for providing improved augmentation for GPS calculations. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve using a plurality of GPS devices associated with stationary objects associated with a common carrier's delivery network and the common carrier's delivery fleet to calculate error corrections and to communicate these error corrections to a number of GPS enable devices to be used by these devices to augment GPS calculations to correct errors associated with GPS signals. Further, various embodiments of the invention involve collecting GPS data for a plurality of delivery routes traveled by the common carrier's delivery fleet. In particular embodiments, this collected data may be used to provide more accurate address information for locations along these delivery routes and more accurate renderings of various landscapes along these delivery routes. |
| US08378852B2 |
Aircraft-centered ground maneuvering monitoring and alerting system
A monitoring system for alerting operators of aircraft or other vehicles when they are approaching a geographical feature of interest, such as a runway, taxiway or other aircraft. The system includes a database having at least one geo-referenced chart, a processor, a positioning system configured to identify a number of aircraft or other vehicle operational parameters and transmit that data to the processor, and a display unit configured to display the present position of the aircraft on the geo-referenced chart. After receiving the operational parameters, the processor identifies a virtual containment zone centered about the aircraft or vehicle. The processor further monitors the position of the aircraft or other vehicle relative to any geographical features of interest and determines whether at least a portion of a geographical feature is located within the containment area. If such a condition is detected, a notification is generated and presented to the operator who may respond accordingly. |
| US08378851B2 |
Fusion of images in enhanced obstacle detection
A vehicle warning system that includes: a first camera mounted on the vehicle at a first longitudinal position along the length of the vehicle, which acquires consecutively in real time a plurality of first camera image frames; a second camera mounted on the vehicle at a second longitudinal position along the length of the vehicle, which acquires second camera image frames; and a processor configured to use information in both first and second camera image frames to determine whether there is a danger of a collision between the vehicle and an object shown in both the first and second camera images. The first and second longitudinal positions may be at different positions along the length of the vehicle. |
| US08378848B2 |
Virtual smart energy meter with integrated plug
Various embodiments include a virtual meter. The virtual meter includes a controller configured to communicate, with a utility meter, meter information, using a first communications protocol. The controller may also be configured to translate between the meter information and virtual meter information. The controller may further be configured to communicate, with a smart energy network, the virtual meter information using a second communications protocol. Other devices and methods are disclosed. |
| US08378847B2 |
Pit mount interface device
A pit mount interface device includes a body having a head and an elongate stem extending from a bottom surface of the head. The elongate stem is sized and configured to be received in and extend through a hole formed in a cover of a pit. A nut defines a central aperture that is sized and configured to receive the elongate stem of the body. A passive radiator is disposed within the body and configured receive a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted by an automatic meter reading (AMR) device located below the cover through inductive coupling and to radiate the RF signal from a position located above the cover of the pit. |
| US08378842B2 |
Downhole component with an electrical device in a blind-hole
A downhole tool string component has a through-bore intermediate first and second tool joints adapted for connection to adjacent tool string components. A blind-hole is formed in an outer surface of the component. A processing unit is also disposed within an outer surface of the component. An electrical device that is disposed within the component is in communication with the processing unit through an electrically or optically conductive medium which has a self-aligning pattern. |
| US08378831B2 |
System and method for coordinated health monitoring, emergency response, and medical record delivery
A computer-based system for providing coordinated health monitoring, emergency response, and medical record delivery. The system can include computing devices configured to process emergency-related indicators and data. The system can also include monitoring devices linked to the computing devices. The monitoring devices can monitor a particular area for the emergency-related indicators and data, where the monitoring devices detect among speech, sounds, images and other detectable emergency-related indicators. The monitoring devices can also transmit the emergency-related indicators and data to the computing devices. Furthermore, the system can include a module linked to the monitoring devices and configured to execute on the computing devices. The module can analyze the transmitted emergency-related indicators and data to determine whether there is an emergency, communicate with a monitoring service to validate that an emergency exists, and provide access to patient records to authorized personnel, based upon whether an emergency exists. |
| US08378827B2 |
Two-dimensional antenna configuration
In one embodiment, an antenna configuration for locating RFID tags has two sets of (mutually orthogonal) elongated reader coils, where each elongated reader coil corresponds to two or more different possible locations of RFID tags, and each possible location is associated with one reader coil in each of the two sets. The identities and locations of RFID tags can be determined by (sequentially) energizing the different sets of reader coils and correlating the recorded responses from RFID tags. In one application, the antenna configuration is used at the box level of a cold storage system for biological samples having one or more freezers, each freezer having one or racks, each rack receiving one or more boxes, each box receiving one or more sample containers, where, in addition to the biological sample, each sample container has a unique passive RFID tag. |
| US08378826B2 |
Key device for monitoring systems
Exemplary systems, methods and other means for providing a key device that may be used with a monitoring system are discussed herein. The key device may be configured to communicate with one or more other devices, silence an alarm, commission a tag, decommission a tag, unlock a tag from an item, among other things. The key device may include rules that permit particular functionality based on, for example, time and/or location. |
| US08378825B2 |
System and method for stockkeeping in an aircraft galley
A system for stockkeeping in an aircraft galley includes a plurality of receiving devices which are provided for reception in a base body of the aircraft galley and are each provided with a transponder which is configured to emit an identification signal characteristic of the content of the corresponding receiving devices. Furthermore, the stockkeeping system includes at least one transmitting/receiving unit which is provided on the aircraft galley and is configured to read in identification signals emitted by the transponders of the receiving devices and transmit these signals to a data processing unit, the data processing unit being configured to determine, on the basis of the identification signals transmitted by the transmitting/receiving unit, the inventory of the aircraft galley. An output unit of the system is configured to output the inventory of the aircraft galley determined by the data processing unit. |
| US08378817B2 |
Premises monitoring system
This invention relates generally to computer systems, and more specifically, to a premise monitoring system. In one embodiment, the invention includes operations of receiving one or more signals containing a device identifier and a device condition from one or more remote alarm monitoring systems; retrieving enhanced information based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; determining one or more communication methods and/or communication destinations based on the device identifier and/or the device condition; and dispatching the enhanced information to the one or more communication destinations using the one or more communication methods. |
| US08378816B2 |
System and method to assess signal similarity with applications to diagnostics and prognostics
Signal processing technology for assessing dynamic system similarity for fault detection and other applications is based on time- and frequency-domain time series analysis techniques and compares the entire autocorrelation structure of a test and reference signal series. The test and reference signals are first subjected to similar pre-processing to help guarantee signal stationarity. Pre-processing may include formation of multivariate signal clusters, filtering and sampling. Multivariate periodograms or autocovariance functions are then calculated for each signal series. Test statistics are computed and assessed to determine the equality of the test and reference signals. When the difference between sample autocovariance functions or periodograms of such signals exceeds a preselected threshold value, fault detection signals and/or related diagnostic information are provided as output to a user. |
| US08378813B2 |
Personnel tracking system
Disclosed is a tracking and Geofencing system. Zones are classified into three types: safe, hazardous and travel, with the travel zone being defined in the preferred embodiment as any territory not in a safe or hazardous zone. The system monitors an asset by determining whether the asset is within a safe zone, logging data as to when the asset arrives in or leaves the safe zone and at what time it did so, while in transit from the safe zone to a hazardous zone logging the route of travel which may vary from day to day and notifying the owner if the asset goes motionless while in route for a user defined period of time, logging data as to when the asset arrives and leaves a hazardous zone such as time and duration and alerting the owner if the asset has exceeded a predetermined time within a hazardous zone. |
| US08378812B2 |
Apparatus and method for assisting medication, medication box, and medication storage container
An apparatus and method for assisting medication are capable of assisting medication of users who have to regularly take medications in daily life. The apparatus includes a medication box having a plurality of containers, each of which stores a dose of medication to be taken at one time according to a medication schedule, a radio frequency (RF) transmitter carried on a user and transmitting an RF signal, an RF receiver receiving the RF signal from the RF transmitter, and a controller controlling medication assisting. Thus, the apparatus checks a spatial-temporal situation of the user, i.e. an medication, notification or information situation, using the received RF signal, and creating and providing medication service corresponding to the checked situation. |
| US08378808B1 |
Dual intercom-interfaced smoke/fire detection system and associated method
A dual intercom-camera-interfaced smoke/fire detection system and method includes, inter alia, an interactive panoramic camera communication system operatively responsive to real-time emergency signals. The interactive camera service provider communications network independently and communicatively couples panoramic cameras in real-time to authorized peripheral electronic devices (APEDs) such that an emergency event is independently transmitted and directly viewed in real-time at the APEDs. The interactive camera service provider communications network is independently operable from a real-time emergency signal transmitting mechanism and a real-time emergency signal simultaneous transmitting mechanism, respectively. The emergency event is independently viewed at the APEDs while real-time emergency signals are transmitted to a central monitoring station such that the APEDs independently and visually learn the emergency event at least as early as the central monitoring station non-visually learns the emergency event. |
| US08378803B1 |
Safety system for all-terrain vehicles
A vehicle safety system comprising a microprocessor; a first sensor operatively connected to the microprocessor, the first sensor functions to detect a degree of deviation of yaw or pitch or roll of the vehicle relative to a control value of 0; wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive a first signal from the first sensor, the first signal being the degree of deviation; wherein when the first signal is between 31 and 45 degrees the microprocessor is configured to generate a first output command to a speaker to play a first alarm sound; wherein when the first signal is 46 degrees or more the microprocessor is configured to generate a second output command to the speaker to play a second alarm sound. |
| US08378802B2 |
Exterior rear view mirror with indicator light
The invention describes a rear view mirror including a reflective element in a cavity of a mirror housing with a mirror head and a mirror base. An indicator light for indicating situation information to a vehicle driver is installed, wherein the indicator light includes light sources and an optical element that allows the light to shine through. The indicator light has a split printed circuit board to support at least two light source elements and a light guide wherein the light emitted from the light sources is coupled into the end faces of the light guide. |
| US08378801B1 |
System for determining abandonment of child in unattended vehicle
A system for determining abandonment of a child or infant in a vehicle. The system features a remote key in communication with sensors operatively connected to seatbelts in a vehicle. If a user presses the lock button on the remote key the sensors determine if any seatbelt has been left engaged. If a seatbelt is engaged an alarm is activated on the remote key. If no seatbelt is left engaged, the vehicle doors become locked. To override the alarm, and override button must be pushed on the remote key. An unlock button on the remote key unlocks the vehicle doors and the system is reset. |
| US08378799B2 |
Method and system for coding information on a roadway surface subject to motion blur
Symbols in information are encoded as a codeword using a differential orthogonal code. The codeword is stored in a substrate. A moving sensor acquires an image of the codeword in the substrate and decodes the codeword using a balanced differential decoder. The codeword can be painted as lane markings on a road surface. |
| US08378798B2 |
Method and apparatus for a touch-sensitive display
Method and apparatus for displaying a view of an application on a touch-sensitive display include detecting a touch on the touch-sensitive display. When the touch is at a first force, first feedback is provided and a first function is performed. When the touch is at a second force, second feedback is provided and a second function is performed. The first function and the second function are different. The first force and the second force are different. |
| US08378794B2 |
System and method for transmitting haptic data in conjunction with media data
Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating sensations in response to haptic data. A sensation output device can include a processor adapted to generate one or more control signals corresponding to a haptic command, an actuator adapted to output a force to a drive mechanism in response to one or more control signals received from the processor, an opening through which a portion of a user's body can be inserted, and an interface surface coupled to the drive mechanism, the interface surface configured to at least partially contact the inserted portion of the user's body. Further, the interface surface can be a compliant belt having surface features that is coupled with a carrier belt that is in contact with the drive mechanism. Additionally, the sensation output device can include a memory storing an algorithm including one or more haptic commands, which can be executed by the processor. |
| US08378792B2 |
Electronic information device and control method therefor
An electronic information device of the present invention includes: two main body members that are coupled to each other to be capable of transitioning from a first state to a second state; a detecting section that detects whether the two main body members are in either state of the first state or the second state; a time counting section that counts a first time that is required for the two main body members to transition from the first state to the second state; and a function restricting section that restricts at least one function operation in accordance with the first time. |
| US08378791B2 |
Image reproduction system and signal processor used for the same
An image reproduction system includes a TV set, an AV amplifier connected to the TV set, and a plurality of image output devices, such as a DVD player, a set-top box and a game console, connected to the AV amplifier. The ID information of these image output devices is displayed as a list on the screen of the TV set. The user can select any one of the image output devices from the list by using a remote control, for example. The fact of the selection is transmitted to the AV amplifier from the TV set. Upon this, the AV amplifier connects the selected image output device to the TV set, so that the image signals reproduced by the selected device are sent to the TV set. |
| US08378790B2 |
Reader control system
An RFID reader control system and method is provided. A protocol for controlling an RFID reader and an RFID reader control unit of a mobile phone is defined. Messages, information, commands, responses, and notification are constructed and transmitted between the RFID reader and the RFID reader control unit. |
| US08378789B2 |
RFID material tracking method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for tracking items automatically is described. A passive RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag is used with a material tracking system capable of real-time pinpoint location and identification of thousands of items in production and storage areas. Passive RFID tags are attached to the item to be tracked, remote sensing antennas are placed at each remote location to be monitored, interrogators with several antenna inputs are connected to the sensing antennas to multiplex the antenna signals, and a host computer communicates with the interrogators to determine item locations to an exacting measure. |
| US08378784B2 |
Projection system, screen, and projector
A projection system includes: a screen having screen specific authentication information; and a projector having a function of acquiring the screen specific authentication information and, based on the acquired authentication information, carrying out an authentication process for setting the projector to a usable condition. |
| US08378782B2 |
System and method for locking and unlocking access to an electronic device
The disclosure relates to a system and method for unlocking and unlocking access to a device. The system comprises: a graphical user interface (GUI) module providing instructions to a microprocessor operating on the electronic device and an access management module providing instructions to the microprocessor. The GUI module provides instructions to generate on a display of the electronic device an interface for entry and modification of a tap pattern used to change an access state of the electronic device; and process inputs from an input device through the interface that select described levels of movement and described locations for expected tap signals for the tap pattern. The access management module provides instructions to receive signals from a monitoring circuit in the electronic device that processes a tap signal received from an accelerometer in the electronic device; and determine whether the tap signal completes a match for the tap pattern. |
| US08378778B2 |
Varistor comprising an electrode having a protruding portion forming a pole and protection device comprising such a varistor
An exemplary varistor is disclosed which includes at least two poles; a non-linear block; a conductive plate arranged on a main face of the block and having a protruding portion forming one of the poles; and an electrically insulating coating applied to the main face of the block. The part forming the connection pole emerges from the electrically insulating coating and has a braze surface extending above the electrically insulating coating; and the protruding part forming the connection pole is connected to the rest of the plate over at least half of the perimeter thereof. |
| US08378776B1 |
Semiconductor structure with galvanically-isolated signal and power paths
A galvanic die has signal structures and a transformer structure that provide galvanically-isolated signal and power paths for a high-voltage die and a low-voltage die, which are both physically supported by the galvanic die and electrically connected to the signal and transformer structures of the galvanic die. |
| US08378773B2 |
Magnetic element
A problem to be solved is to prevent leakage of magnetic flux in a magnetic element. A magnetic element has a winding having conductivity, and a core member disposed in a state that the winding is wound, in which the core member includes a first core member having a bottom wall and a plurality of peripheral walls provided to stand on peripheral side portions of the bottom wall, and a second core member having a plate shape which is cross-shaped or substantially cross-shaped, in which cutout portions for allowing fitting of end portions of the cross shape of the second core member are formed in the peripheral walls of the first core member. |
| US08378766B2 |
MEMS relay and method of forming the MEMS relay
A micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) relay includes a switch with a first contact region and a second contact region that are vertically separated from each other by a gap. The MEMS relay requires a small vertical movement to close the gap and therefore is mechanically robust. In addition, the MEMS relay has a small footprint and, therefore, can be formed on top of small integrated circuits. |
| US08378758B2 |
Parametric feedback oscillators
A parametric feedback oscillator includes a resonator which has at least one transduction element and at least one electromechanical resonating element. The resonator is configured to accept as input a parametric excitation signal at a frequency 2ω0 and to provide a resonating output signal at a frequency ω0. A cascaded feedback path in any electrically coupled cascade order includes at least one non-linear element, at least one phase shifter electrically, and at least one amplifier. The cascade feedback path is configured to receive as input the resonating output signal at a frequency ω0 and configured to provide as output a feedback path signal as the parametric excitation signal at a frequency 2ω0 to the resonator. A parametric feedback oscillator output terminal is configured to provide the resonating output signal at the frequency ω0 as an output signal. A method of causing a parametric feedback oscillation is also described. |
| US08378757B2 |
Resonator using carbon nano substance and method of manufacturing resonator
A resonator and a method of manufacturing a resonator are provided. The resonator includes a sacrificial layer formed on a substrate, and a resonant structure formed on the sacrificial layer, the resonant structure comprising a carbon nano-substance layer and a silicon carbide layer. |
| US08378752B2 |
Oscillator circuit
An oscillator circuit in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes a filter capacitor that generates an oscillating frequency control voltage according to a charge amount accumulated based on an oscillating frequency setting current, an oscillator that changes a frequency of an oscillation signal to be output according to the oscillating frequency control voltage, a control circuit that generates a timing control signal, a frequency detection circuit that generates a frequency detection voltage based on the timing control signal, a voltage level of the frequency detection voltage being changed according to a length of the period of the oscillation signal, and a differential amplifier that continuously changes the oscillating frequency setting current according to a voltage difference between the frequency detection voltage and a reference voltage, and outputs the resultant oscillating frequency setting current to the filter capacitor. |
| US08378749B1 |
Systems and methods for adaptive bias circuits for a power amplifier
Systems and methods may include an amplifier having at least a first input port, where the amplifier includes a first capacitance associated with the first input port; a first bias circuit, where the first bias circuit comprises a series connection of a first charging circuit and a first discharging circuit, wherein a first node between the first charging circuit and the first discharging circuit is connected to the first input port, wherein responsive to an RF input signal having at least a first predetermined level being received at the first input port, the first charging circuit charges the first capacitance associated with the first input port during a first portion of a cycle of the RF input signal, and discharges the first capacitance associated with the first input port during a second portion of the cycle, thereby controlling a DC bias voltage level available at the first input port. |
| US08378748B2 |
Amplifier
The invention relates to a configurable low noise amplifier circuit which is configurable between a first topology in which the low noise amplifier circuit includes a degeneration inductance whereby the low noise amplifier circuit operates as an inductively degenerated low noise amplifier, and a second topology in which the low noise amplifier circuit includes a feedback resistance whereby the low noise amplifier circuit operates as a resistive feedback low noise amplifier. |
| US08378747B2 |
Differential amplifier circuit, operational amplifier including difference amplifier circuit, and voltage regulator circuit
A differential amplifier circuit includes a differential input stage comprising first and second transistors whose sources are connected with each other, a constant current source connected between the sources of the first and second transistors and a ground, a current mirror circuit comprising third and fourth transistors whose sources are connected with a power supply source, a fifth transistor of a same conductive type as that of the first transistor, connected at a drain to a drain of the third transistor, connected at a source to a drain of the first transistor and connected at a gate to a reference voltage source; and a sixth transistor of a same conductive type as that of the second transistor, connected at a drain to a drain of the fourth transistor, connected at a source to a drain of the second transistor, and connected at a gate to the reference voltage source. |
| US08378741B2 |
Multiple circuit blocks with interblock control and power conservation
A mobile telephone is provided that includes a plurality of circuit blocks and adapted to cut off the supply of power source voltage to any one of the circuit blocks. The mobile telephone also includes an interblock interface circuit provided on a signal path between an elected circuit block and a branch point at which the signal path branches into different branch paths so as to connect to other circuit blocks. The interblock interface circuit includes a signal gate for preventing signal transmission from the elected circuit block to the other circuit blocks, and includes a storage unit for storing a signal right before the power cut-off. |
| US08378740B2 |
Technique to minimize VDS mismatch driven voltage swing variation in open drain transmitter
A switching circuit includes a source follower current mirror having an input, an output, a first source terminal, a bias terminal, and a second source terminal; a current source coupled to the input of the current mirror; an output terminal coupled to the output of the current mirror; a first bias transistor coupled to the first source terminal; a second bias transistor coupled to bias terminal of the current mirror; and a driver transistor coupled to the second source terminal. An input transistor in the current mirror is sized such that the input voltage is substantially independent of the supply voltage. |
| US08378739B2 |
Semiconductor chip
The present invention provides a semiconductor chip which is insusceptible to noise and whose consumption current is small. In a semiconductor chip, an internal power supply voltage for an internal circuit block is generated by a regulator having small current drive capability and a regulator having large current drive capability. A voltage buffer is provided between a reference voltage generating circuit and the regulator having large current drive capability. In a low-speed operation mode, the voltage buffer and the regulator having large current drive capability are made inactive. Therefore, noise in reference voltage is suppressed, and consumption current can be reduced. |
| US08378737B2 |
Charge pump circuits, systems, and operational methods thereof
A charge pump circuit includes at least one stage between an input end and an output end. The at least one stage includes a first CMOS transistor coupled with a first capacitor and a second CMOS transistor coupled with a second capacitor. The at least one stage is capable of receiving a first timing signal and a second timing signal for pumping an input voltage at the input end to an output voltage at the output end. During a transitional period of the first timing signal and the second timing signal, the at least one stage is capable of substantially turning off at least one of the first CMOS transistor and the second CMOS transistor for substantially reducing leakage currents flowing through at least one of the first CMOS transistor and the second CMOS transistor. |
| US08378733B2 |
Harmonic rejection mixer
A harmonic rejection mixer includes a differential in-phase signal path and a differential quadrature signal path, a shared differential transconductor for generating a shared transconductor output signal from a mixer input signal, a first selective mixing circuit disposed in the differential quadrature signal path and coupled to the shared differential transconductor, and a second selective mixing circuit disposed in the differential in-phase signal path and coupled to the shared differential transconductor, the first selective mixing circuit is controlled by a first selective control signal and the second selective mixing circuit is controlled by a second selective control signal to selectively supply the shared transconductor output signal to the differential quadrature signal path and the differential in-phase signal path, respectively. |
| US08378731B1 |
Asymmetric correction circuit with negative resistance
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an amplifier configured to receive an asymmetric signal. A first resistance is coupled between an input node and an output node of the amplifier. A second resistance is coupled to the input node of the amplifier. A first switch is configured to be controlled during a first interval to couple the second resistance to a positive resistance to increase a gain of the amplifier to correct the asymmetric signal. The gain is a function of the first resistance and a combination of the second resistance and the positive resistance. A second switch is configured to be controlled during a second interval to couple the second resistance to a negative resistance to decrease the gain of the amplifier to correct the asymmetric signal. The gain is a function of the first resistance and a combination of the second resistance and the negative resistance. |
| US08378728B1 |
Level shifting flip-flop
A level shifting flip-flop for generating a level-shifted output signal based on an input signal includes a master stage and a slave stage. The slave stage has an integrated level shifting circuit. The slave stage level shifts a signal as it passes through the flip-flop, which eliminates the need of level shifting the signal after it is output from the flip-flop. |
| US08378727B2 |
Bistable CML circuit
A common-source circuit including two branches in parallel between a terminal of application of a voltage and a current source, each branch comprising: a series association of a resistor and a transistor, having their junction point defining an output terminal of the branch; a first switch connecting an input terminal of the branch to a control terminal of the transistor; and a controllable stage for amplifying data representing the level present on the output terminal of the opposite branch. |
| US08378724B2 |
Controlling a frequency locked loop
An apparatus includes a frequency locked loop and a controller. The controller stores a state of the frequency locked loop at which an output signal of the frequency locked loop is locked onto a reference signal and subsequently initializes the frequency locked loop with the stored state to cause the frequency locked loop to relock the output signal to the reference signal. |
| US08378721B2 |
Phase-locked loop circuit
A gm-C VCO oscillates at a frequency that corresponds to an input control voltage. A divider divides the frequency of an oscillation signal output from the gm-C VCO. A phase comparison signal generating unit generates a phase difference signal that corresponds to the phase difference between the oscillation signal thus frequency-divided by the divider and a reference clock signal. A loop filter performs filtering of the phase difference signal so as to generate the control voltage. A startup circuit injects a seed pulse into the gm-C VCO at a timing determined based upon the level of a detection signal that corresponds to the control voltage. |
| US08378714B2 |
5V tolerant circuit for CML transceiver in AC-couple
A high voltage tolerant transceiver operating at a low voltage is provided, including two input/output pads to receive a receive signal and transmit a transmit signal; a transmitter block to transmit the transmit signal; a receiver block to receive the receive signal and provide an amplified signal; at least one of the transmitter block and the receiver block further comprising at least two NMOS transistors having their gate coupled to a low power supply to receive the low voltage, their substrate coupled to ground, and their source coupled to the input/output pad. Also provided is a circuit to isolate the output of a transmitter from high voltages, including a first transistor and a second transistor. Also provided is a substrate isolating circuit, including a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor so that the substrate voltage is isolated from a high voltage in the pads. Further provided is a bias isolating circuit so that an input bias voltage is isolated from a high voltage in the pads. |
| US08378708B2 |
Inspecting method using an electro optical detector
An inspecting method using an electro-optical detecting device is disclosed. The electro-optical detecting device includes: an upper substrate and a lower substrate; a nematic liquid crystal layer interposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate; a transparent electrode interposed between the nematic liquid crystal layer and the upper substrate, the transparent electrode connected to a device under test (DUT) via a power supply; a polarizing plate located over the nematic liquid crystal layer; and a reflecting plate located under the nematic liquid crystal layer. A method using the electro-optical detecting device includes applying a voltage between the transparent electrode and the DUT to generate an electric field across the liquid crystal layer; illuminating the detector and capturing an image of the detector using the light reflected from the detector; and determining the DUT has some defects from the image of the detector by an abnormal electric field generated between the transparent electrode and the DUT. |
| US08378706B2 |
Method to dice back-contact solar cells
A method of processing of solar cells includes determining that a back-contact solar cell is defective. The back-contact solar cell includes a first plurality of interconnect pads at a first edge thereof, and a second plurality of interconnect pads at a second, opposed thereof, the first and second pluralities of interconnect pads having opposite operational charges. The back-contact solar cell is then diced to define at least first and second back-contact solar cell sections. The first back-contact solar cell section has at least two interconnect pads, of the plurality of interconnect pads, at respective opposed edges thereof. |
| US08378701B2 |
Non-contact determination of joint integrity between a TSV die and a package substrate
A non-contact voltage contrast (VC) method of determining TSV joint integrity after partial assembly. A TSV die is provided including TSVs that extend from a frontside of the TSV die to TSV tips on a bottomside of the TSV die. At least some TSVs (contacting TSVs) are attached to pads on a top surface of a multilayer (ML) package substrate. The ML package substrate is on a substrate carrier that blocks electrical access to the frontside of the TSV die. Two or more nets including groups of contacting TSVs are tied common within the ML substrate. A charged particle reference beam is directed to a selected TSV within a first net and a charged particle primary beam is then rastered across the TSVs in the first net. VC signals emitted are detected, and joint integrity for the contacting TSVs to pads of the ML package substrate is determined from the VC signals. |
| US08378699B2 |
Self-test method for interface circuit
An integrated circuit is described. The integrated circuit includes an interface circuit that includes a transmitter and a receiver. A generator in the integrated circuit is selectively coupled to the transmitter. The generator is to provide a test sequence that is output by the transmitter during a test mode of operation. A memory in the integrated circuit is selectively coupled to the generator and the receiver. The memory is to receive and synchronize the test sequence and a signal corresponding to the test sequence that is received by the receiver. A logic circuit in the integrated circuit is to compare the test sequence and the signal. |
| US08378698B2 |
Integrated circuit testing apparatus and method
A testing apparatus includes a test controller configured to output a plurality of chip selection signals for selecting chips to be tested from among a plurality of chips, a plurality of first control signals for controlling supply of a power supply voltage to the chips selected by the chip selection signals, and a plurality of second control signals for controlling receiving of test voltages output from the chips supplied with the power supply voltage, and a probe card including one or more test blocks each having a plurality of signal transmitters configured to respectively transfer the power supply voltage to the corresponding chips in response to the different first control signals and respectively apply the test voltages output from the corresponding chips to the test controller in response to the different second control signals. |
| US08378696B2 |
Method for characterizing the sensitivity of an electronic component to energetic interactions
The behavior of a component subjected to pulsed laser radiation is measured. The polarization value, frequency, and temperature (or other operating conditions) to which the component is sensitive are determined by detecting a temporary or permanent fault in the operation of the component. If necessary, the parasitic currents generated are prevented from destroying the tested component at the time of testing. A susceptibility of the component to energetic interactions and the preferred operating conditions for the component are deduced. |
| US08378692B2 |
Operating device and method for generating output signals therefrom
The invention relates to an operating device (1) with an adjustable lever (2) and a sensor mechanism (8), comprising a transmitter coil (5), which may be energized with an alternating current by means of an alternating current supply (7) and a receiver coil arrangement (9). According to the invention, such an operating device may be designed such as to be reliably useful even with intense interference with a construction as technically simple as possible without complex screening measures, wherein the frequency of the alternating current energizing the transmitter coil (5) and the pass frequency of a receiver filter (13) in the receiver coil arrangement (9) are synchronously changed according to a preset program by means of a control unit (14), such that, by means of the operating device (1) and the method carried out therewith, a change to a frequency which is interference or interference signal free can be continuously carried out. |
| US08378689B2 |
Electrostatic sensor device and matrix
An electrostatic sensor device including a first sensor element and a second sensor element; a dielectric substrate material formed in two layers, and a sensing hole which penetrates the dielectric substrate material from its upper surface to its lower surface. The first sensor element is receivable in the sensing hole; and second sensor element includes a first conducting ring disposed on an upper surface of said dielectric substrate and surrounding said sensing hole. The second conducting ring is disposed on a lower surface of the dielectric substrate and surrounds the sensing hole. The first sensor element and the second sensor are capable of producing a variable response when the first sensor element is disposed in the sensing hole. |
| US08378688B2 |
Capacity maintenance ratio determination device, battery system and electric vehicle
A capacity maintenance ratio determination device includes an impedance measurement unit and a capacity estimation unit. An alternating signal is applied from a signal generator to a battery. Frequency characteristics of AC impedance are calculated by the impedance measurement unit based on a response signal output from the battery in response to the alternating signal. A feature frequency is determined from the calculated frequency characteristics. The capacity estimation unit includes a memory and a determination unit. A correspondence relationship among a temperature of the battery, the feature frequency and a capacity maintenance ratio is stored in the memory. The determination unit determines the capacity maintenance ratio of the battery based on the temperature of the battery detected by a temperature detector, the determined feature frequency and the correspondence relationship stored in the memory. |
| US08378686B2 |
Apparatus and method for sensing battery cell voltage using isolation capacitor
An apparatus for measuring a battery cell voltage includes a battery having a cell group; a first switching unit for selectively connecting both terminals of each battery cell of the cell group to conductive lines; a first voltage charging unit connected between the conductive lines to primarily charge a cell voltage; a second voltage charging unit for relaying the charged voltage in the first voltage charging unit for secondary charging; a cell voltage sensing unit for sensing the voltage charged in the second voltage charging unit; and a second switching unit for interconnecting the voltage charging units in the charged voltage relaying mode and isolating the voltage charging units in the charged voltage sensing mode. This apparatus realizes isolation between a high voltage battery and a voltage sensing unit, thereby allowing voltage sensing of each battery cell included in a high voltage battery using a part with low withstanding voltage. |
| US08378685B2 |
Surveying a subterranean structure using a vertically oriented electromagnetic source
To perform a marine survey of a subterranean structure, a vertically oriented electromagnetic (EM) source is positioned in a body of water, where the EM source is coincident with an EM receiver. The EM source is activated to cause transmission of EM energy into the subterranean structure. After deactivation of the EM source, an EM field affected by the subterranean structure is measured by the EM receiver. In an alternative implementation, a survey system is provided that has a continuous wave EM source, a main EM receiver, and an auxiliary EM receiver. |
| US08378684B2 |
Method for determining fluid type in reservoir
A method for determining a formation type within a wellbore includes forming the wellbore such that the wellbore intersects fractures within a formation. Hydrocarbons are produced from the formation. An induction tool is disposed into the wellbore after producing the hydrocarbons. A resistivity of a portion of the formation is measured with the induction tool. The resistivity of the portion of the formation is compared with a known formation type. The formation type of the portion of the formation is determined based on the resistivity. A characteristic of the formation type is output. |
| US08378679B2 |
Coherent signal acquisition system for MR imaging and spectroscopy
A system includes a computation processor for determining phase angles of RF pulses for use in acquiring MR signal data of a desired coherence pathway in response to, predetermined data indicating a number of coherence pathways in multiple MR datasets to be acquired, predetermined information indicating different types of MR signals present in the multiple MR datasets to be acquired and at least one phase equation selected in response to a corresponding at least one type of the types of MR signals present in the MR datasets to be acquired. The number of coherence pathways represents a corresponding number of groups of protons having substantially the same proton spin precession angle. An RF signal generator generates RF pulses for acquiring multiple MR datasets including MR signal data of the desired coherence pathway using the determined phase angles. Multiple MR datasets are acquired using the generated RF pulses. |
| US08378678B2 |
System for ordering acquisition of frequency domain components representing MR image data
A system orders acquisition of frequency domain components representing MR image data for storage in a storage array (e.g., k-space). A storage array of individual data elements stores corresponding individual frequency components comprising an MR dataset. The array of individual data elements has a designated center and individual data elements individually have a radius to the designated center. A magnetic field generator generates a magnetic field for use in acquiring multiple individual frequency components corresponding to individual data elements in the storage array. The individual frequency components are successively acquired in an order in which radius of respective corresponding individual data elements increases and decreases as the multiple individual frequency components are sequentially acquired during acquisition of an MR dataset representing an MR image. A storage processor stores individual frequency components acquired using the magnetic field in corresponding individual data elements in the array. |
| US08378676B2 |
System and method for detecting corrosion pitting in gas turbines
Methods and apparatuses for detecting corrosion in one or more blades of a gas turbine system includes a detection head having a shape that conforms to a surface geometry of a filet section of a gas turbine blade, whereby the detection head is operable to move along the axial length of the filet section for detecting corrosion pitting. At least one coil device located within the detection head induces a first magnetic field within an area of the filet in contact with the detection head. A receiver device is adapted to detect a signal corresponding to a second magnetic field received from the area of the filet exposed to the first magnetic field, where the second magnetic field is generated by induced currents in the area by the first magnetic field. A signal processing device then processes the detected signal for correlating a corresponding amplitude of the detected signal with the presence of corrosion pitting in the area such that the presence of corrosion pitting is determined without any casing disassembly of the gas turbine system. |
| US08378673B2 |
Derailleur cable detecting assembly for an electric-auxiliary bicycle
A derailleur cable detecting assembly for an electric-auxiliary bicycle has a body and a detecting device. The body is mounted on a frame of the electric-auxiliary bicycle, is connected to a derailleur cable and has a casing and a cover. The casing has a chamber and a through hole. The cover is detachably mounted on the casing to mount a cable wire of the derailleur cable in the body. The detecting device is mounted in the body, is connected to the derailleur cable and has a circuit board and a magnetic element. The circuit board is mounted in the chamber of the casing, faces the cable wire and has an electric wire and multiple magnetic sensors. The magnetic sensors are mounted on the circuit board at intervals. The magnetic element is mounted on the cable wire between the casing and the cover, facing the magnetic sensors of the circuit board. |
| US08378672B2 |
Self-testing sensor apparatus and method
A semiconductor component on a semiconductor chip comprises at least one sensor element for measuring a physical quantity and an evaluator. The semiconductor component can be switched between a first and a second operating mode. In the first operating mode, the sensor element is sensitive to the physical quantity to be measured and a measurement signal output of the sensor element is connected to an input connection of the evaluator. In the second operating mode, the sensor element is not sensitive to the physical quantity to be measured and/or the signal path between the measurement signal output and the input connection is interrupted. A test signal source for generating a test signal simulating the measurement signal of the sensor element is arranged on the semiconductor chip. In the second operating mode, the test signal source is connected or capable of being connected to the input connection of the evaluator. |
| US08378670B1 |
Magneto-impedance element and magneto-impedance sensor including detection coil
A magneto-impedance element includes a magnetic sensitive member having a form of a line, whose electromagnetic characteristics vary depending on an external magnetic field, a pulse current flowing from one to another end portion thereof in an axial direction. A conductive layer is arranged on an insulating layer provided on an outer surface of the magnetic sensitive member. A connection portion, electrically connecting the magnetic sensitive member and the conductive layer, is arranged on the other end portion in the axial direction of the magnetic sensitive member. A detection coil, outputting an induced voltage corresponding to an intensity of an external magnetic field acting on the magnetic sensitive member when the pulse current flows in the magnetic sensitive member, is wounded around the conductive layer. A direction of the pulse currents flowing in the magnetic sensitive member and in the conductive layer are opposite each other. |
| US08378667B2 |
System and method for detecting the passage of an object in pipeline including shielded magnetometer and a microcontroller with adaptive thresholding detection means
A pipeline pig signal made according to this invention houses one or more shielded magnetometer sensors and a microcontroller with adaptive thresholding detection means for reducing the likelihood of false alarms. The adaptive thresholding detection means removes outlier data from the magnetic flux data stream and then passes the outlier-free data stream through four low pass filters. A smoothed magnitude of the data stream is compared to detection limits and, if a passage event has occurred, a recent detection is indicated, a counter of a display unit is incremented, a time of passage is recorded, and both statistics are displayed on the display unit. Because a single object may produce multiple magnetic fields, the detector may be locked-out for a predetermined period of time after the passage event to prevent a second detection of the same object as it passes the detection device. |
| US08378662B2 |
Current sensor
The present invention is a current sensor architecture using a planar coils in close proximity to a current conductor to detect the rate of change of current in the conductor (and hence, by using an integrator, to recover the AC current). The current sensor is optimised to reject uniform external magnetic fields, gradient external magnetic fields, and fields from one or more conductor assemblies in fixed locations in close proximity to the current sensor, such as might be found in a polyphase electric meter with multiple current sensors. |
| US08378658B2 |
Load swtch for removing high frequency ripple, noise and/or spikes while providing power to subsystems
A semiconductor device, circuit, and AC and DC load switch for maintaining a small input-output differential voltage and providing a defined response. The load switch can include a pass element coupled to an input terminal and an output terminal. The pass element can include a control terminal, with the control terminal controlling a response of the pass element. The load switch can include a first loop coupled to the control terminal configured to control a voltage drop between the input terminal and the output terminal while maintaining high impedance with the pass element. The load switch can include a second loop coupled to the control terminal configured to provide a defined filter response from the input terminal. The defined response can be a low pass response, high pass response, or a band pass response. The passband and/or stopband of the response can be programmed. |
| US08378657B2 |
Paralleling voltage regulators
Circuits and methods for paralleling voltage regulators are provided. Improved current sharing and regulation characteristics are obtained by coupling control terminals of the voltage regulators together which results in precise output voltages and proportional current production. Distributing current generation among multiple paralleled voltage regulators improves heat dissipation and thereby reduces the likelihood that the current produced by the voltage regulators will be temperature limited. |
| US08378656B2 |
Quasi-AC, photovoltaic module for unfolder photovoltaic inverter
A photovoltaic (PV) energy system includes a pulsed bus defined by a non-zero average value voltage that is proportional to a rectified utility grid AC supply voltage. The PV energy system also includes a plurality of PV modules, each PV module including a bucking circuit configured to convert a corresponding PV voltage into a pulsing current, wherein the pulsating bus is configured to sum the pulsing currents produced via the plurality of PV modules such that a resultant pulsing current is injected into the pulsating bus in phase with the non-zero average value voltage. A current unfolding circuit is configured to control the amount of AC current injected into the utility grid in response to the resultant pulsing current. |
| US08378655B2 |
Determining initial pre-bias in a switch-mode controller for a buck converter device
A switch-mode controller, buck converter or DC to DC step-down regulated voltage converter that senses an initial pre-bias voltage at initialization and adjust a duty cycle of the switching frequency to help minimize an output voltage transient at initialization or power-on reset. |
| US08378654B2 |
Voltage regulator with high accuracy and high power supply rejection ratio
A voltage regulator circuit with high accuracy and Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR) is provided. In one embodiment, an op-amp with a voltage reference input to an inverting input has the first output connected to a PMOS transistor's gate. The PMOS transistor's source and drain are each connected to the power supply and the voltage regulator output. The voltage regulator output is connected to an NMOS transistor biased in saturation mode and a series of two resistors. The non-inverting input of the op-amp is connected in between the two resistors for the first feedback loop. The op-amp's second output is connected to the gate of the NMOS transistor through an AC-coupling capacitor for the second feedback loop. The op-amp's first output can be connected to the power supply voltage through a capacitor to further improve high frequency PSRR. In another embodiment, the role of PMOS and NMOS transistors is reversed. |
| US08378649B2 |
Voltage regulator including quasi transition diode emulation mode of operation
A voltage regulator includes an upper switching transistor connected between an input voltage node and a phase node. A lower switching transistor is connected between the phase node and ground. An output filter is connected between the phase node and an output voltage node. A PWM control circuit generates an PWM control signal responsive to a feedback voltage. An upper gate control circuit controls operation of the upper switching transistor responsive to the PWM control signal. A lower gate control circuit controls operation of the lower switching transistor responsive to the PWM control signal and a ramp voltage signal. The lower gate control circuit linearly increases a lower gate control signal from 0 to (1-D), where D=the duty cycle, to transition the voltage regulator for diode emulation mode of operation to synchronous mode of operation responsive to a first pulse in the PWM control signal. |
| US08378647B2 |
Power supply unit and information processor
A power supply unit includes multiple input terminals to which alternating-current power is input; a positive terminal and a negative terminal for outputting direct-current power; a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the input alternating-current power; a first inductor connected to the rectifier circuit; a first capacitor connected between the positive terminal and the negative terminal; a first rectifying device connected between the output terminal of the first inductor and the positive terminal and having a rectification direction in a direction from the output terminal of the first inductor toward the positive terminal; a switching device connected between an input terminal of the first rectifying device and the negative terminal; a second rectifying device and a second capacitor connected in parallel to the switching device; and a second inductor connected between a connection of the second rectifying device and the second capacitor and the positive terminal. |
| US08378644B2 |
Active rectification for a variable-frequency synchronous generator
An active rectifier controller decouples measurements of the phase and speed of a variable frequency synchronous generator from measurements of the AC output voltage. The active rectifier controller receives position information representative of the rotor position of the VFSG independent of a load connected to the VFSG that is used to determine the phase position and speed of the VFSG. Based on measurements of the generator speed and phase, the active rectifier controller controls the active rectifier to draw AC currents in-phase with the back-electromotive force (BEMF) voltage of the VFSG. |
| US08378643B2 |
Wind turbine generator, control method for wind turbine generator, wind turbine generator system, and control method for wind turbine generator system
It is an object to stabilize a utility grid even when an unexpected fluctuation in the frequency of the utility grid occurs. A wind turbine generator includes a rotor that rotates by wind power, a generator that is driven by rotation of the rotor, and a control device that controls a power output of the generator to increase while a rotational speed of the generator decreases when a frequency of a utility grid becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermined rated frequency and when the rotational speed of the generator is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value. In this way, even when the frequency of the utility grid fluctuates, the frequency fluctuation can be suppressed, and the utility grid can be stabilized. |
| US08378642B2 |
Power feed apparatus and operating method
A solar module has a solar generator for generating electrical power, and an inverter for feeding the electrical power produced by the solar generator into a power supply system or to one or more loads. An input load is connected in parallel with the solar generator. A control apparatus controls the operation of the inverter such that it measures a difference voltage between the loaded and the unloaded solar generator, weights this difference voltage with a factor, and operates the inverter only when the weighted difference voltage corresponds at most to a threshold voltage. |
| US08378640B2 |
Charging circuit with application system thereof
A charging circuit with an application system thereof provides an error amplifier to control a transistor switch for controlling the charging power source to charges the battery. When the voltage difference between the power source and load terminals of the transistor switch drops along with the transistor switch being turned on, the output voltage of the error amplifier changes as well to increase the turning-on resistance of the transistor switch such that the voltage difference between the power source and load terminals is capable of maintaining at a value above a certain reference level for avoiding the unstable state resulting from the charging circuit being turned on and off frequently. |
| US08378636B2 |
Multi-cell protection circuit and method
A multi-cell protection circuit and method. The multi-cell protection circuit comprises one or more multi-cell protection chips, a charge control switch (M2) and a discharge control switch (M1). Each multi-cell protection chip comprises a multi-cell protection integrated circuit module and an expansion connection module. The input terminals (VC1, VC2, VC3, GND1, VC4, VC5, VC6, VC7, GND) of the multi-cell protection integrated circuit module are connected to the positive and negative poles of corresponding cells. The output terminals (co, do) of the multi-cell protection integrated circuit module are connected to the interior signal input terminals (Dco, Ddo) of the expansion connection module. The expansion signal input terminals (exterior.co, exterior.do) of the expansion connection module are connected to expansion signal output terminals (Co′, Do′) of an expansion connection module in a multi-cell protection chip adjacent to this multi-cell protection chip. The output terminals (Co′, Do′) of the expansion connection module in the last multi-cell protection chip among the multi-cell protection chips connected in the multi-cell protection circuit are connected to the charge control switch and the discharge control switch, respectively. |
| US08378635B2 |
Semiconductor device and rechargeable power supply unit
Provided are a semiconductor device and a rechargeable power supply unit which are capable of accurately detecting an overcharge state of a battery even in a case where the battery is charged with a sine wave charger. In a case where a ½ cycle of a charging voltage of the sine wave charger is shorter than a delay time for cancellation of an overdischarge state, when it is detected that a voltage of the battery in the overdischarge state exceeds an overdischarge detection voltage and becomes equal to or higher than an overcharge detection voltage, a delay circuit sets the delay time for cancellation of the overdischarge state to 0 seconds. |
| US08378633B2 |
MultiChannel DC controller operating independently of output power in critical conduction mode
A multichannel bidirectional DC converter includes first and second parallel current channels and a controller. The first channel has a first inductor, first and second switches, and a device operable for detecting a current null passage (zero crossing) of current of the first inductor. The second channel has a second inductor and third and fourth switches. The controller controls the switches to turn on and off such that the channels can be driven in either a boost converter mode or a buck converter mode at a given time. The controller is operable with the device of the first channel for detecting a period of the current null passage of the first inductor. The controller drives the channels with a time delay with respect to one another based on the detected period such that the channels operate in a critical conduction mode. |
| US08378629B2 |
Flexible size and orientation battery system
A battery receptacle system is provided to accept various types or sizes of batteries in different orientations. The battery receptacle system includes a first radial notch for positioning a first positive terminal of a first battery to electrically connect with the first positive contact at a first position, and a second radial notch for positioning a second positive terminal of a second battery of a different size and/or type than the first battery to electrically connect with the first positive contact at a second position, different from the first position. The second radial notch is configured to prevent the first positive terminal of the first battery from electrically connecting with the first positive contact at the second position. |
| US08378618B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling operations of a motor
A method for controlling a motor is described. The method includes configuring a current sensor to sense a current supplied to the motor from at least one of a plurality of power lines and to generate at least one current signal indicative of the sensed current. The method also includes coupling a processing device to the current sensor such that the processing device receives the current signal. The method also includes configuring the processing device to determine which of the plurality of power lines is active based at least partially on the current signal and generate a motor speed control signal that directs the motor to operate at the motor speed that corresponds to the active power line. |
| US08378616B2 |
Motor controller and motor assembly
Apparatus, having multiple motor modules, has an MCU module. Each motor module has an electronically controlled motor. The MCU module has an MCU and an interface for connecting to a bus from a CPU. In use the MCU module receives control signals from the CPU and in turn instructs a selected one of the motors to operate. |
| US08378607B2 |
Method and arrangement for operating a ship ramp
A method and arrangement are provided for operating a ship ramp driven by an electric motor between an upper end position and a lower end position. The arrangement includes means for reducing the maximum torque of the at least one electric motor when the ramp is in proximity to an end position of the ramp, and means for determining the position of the ramp on the basis of at least one of the number of rotations performed by the at least one electric motor, a quantity indicative of the number of rotations, and an elapsed time in accordance with the velocity of the ramp. The arrangement also includes means for allowing the reduction of the maximum torque of the at least one electric motor only when the determined position of the ramp is within a zone defined by predetermined limits. |
| US08378605B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring a system including a sensorless electric motor
A multiphase alternating current permanent magnet synchronous electric motor is coupled to an actuator. A sensorless electric motor drive control system controls operation of the electric motor. An initial phase angle and a rotational speed of a rotor of the electric motor are estimated. Operation of the sensorless electric motor drive control system and the electric motor are monitored using the estimated initial phase angle and the estimated rotational speed of the rotor of the electric motor. A fault in one of the sensorless electric motor drive control system and the electric motor is detected based upon the monitored operation. |
| US08378594B2 |
Light output control technique by estimating lamp efficacy as a function of temperature and power
Techniques are disclosed for controlling the light output of a lamp, where lamp efficacy is estimated as a function of estimated lamp temperature and instantaneous input power, or as a function of estimated lamp temperature only. Whether efficacy is estimated as a function of temperature and power, or as a function of temperature only can depend on changes in the lamp operating scenario. The techniques estimate lamp temperature by tracking energy input to and losses from (losses such as radiation, conduction, emission) the lamp arc tube, and determine the corresponding instantaneous light producing ability. The techniques may further be implemented to deliver the appropriate power command to obtain a desired light output. The techniques can be applied towards a general control in which arbitrary or custom light output vs. time paths are produced, and may be implemented by a processor programmed or otherwise configured to execute the desired control scheme. |
| US08378592B2 |
End of lamp life protection circuit with bi-level detections for the electronic ballast and method thereof
The configurations of an end of lamp life protection circuit for a ballast and a method thereof are provided in the present invention. The proposed circuit includes a voltage-dividing circuit receiving an input voltage and outputting a first and a second divided voltages and a switch apparatus raising the first divided voltage when the second divided voltage is less than a first pre-determined threshold value and turning off the ballast when the first divided voltage is higher than a second pre-determined threshold value. |
| US08378584B2 |
Power factor converter and method
A method and circuit for controlling feedback in, for example, a power factor converter circuit. A current sense signal is compared with a reference signal to generate a comparison signal. A clipped signal is generated from the comparison signal where the signal is a periodic waveform that transitions between two levels that are symmetrically positioned about a reference signal. The clipped signal is used to generate a summed signal at the input of an integrator. The integrator generates a feedback signal suitable for use in, for example, a power factor converter circuit. |
| US08378581B2 |
Discharge lamp lighting device, projector, and driving method of discharge lamp
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a discharge lamp lighting device comprises a discharge lamp driving section and a control unit. The control unit alternately performs a first DC driving processing and a first AC driving processing in a first section of the driving current. The control unit alternately performs a second DC driving processing and a second AC driving processing in a second section of the driving current different from the first section. The control unit temporally changes a length of at least one of: (i) a period for which the first DC driving processing is performed, and (ii) a period for which the second DC driving processing is performed. |
| US08378579B1 |
Ballast circuit for a gas discharge lamp with a control loop to reduce filament heating voltage below a maximum heating level
A ballast circuit includes a control loop to reduce a filament heating voltage below after the lamp filaments have been pre-heated. A filament cutback circuit includes a filament cut-back inductive component magnetically coupled to the resonant inductive component in the inverter to receive a filament cutback control voltage associated with an AC voltage for powering the lamps. During the pre-heating period, the filament cutback control voltage is not high enough to charge a chargeable component to a switch threshold level. However, during lamp ignition, the filament cutback control voltage is increased and charges the chargeable component to the switch threshold level. This causes a switch device to operate in a conductive switch state and the filament cutback circuit suppresses the pre-heat voltage. |
| US08378578B2 |
Semiconductor device
A light emitting device capable of performing signal electric current write-in operations at high speed and without dispersion in the characteristics of TFTs structuring pixels influencing the brightness of light emitting elements is provided. The gate length L of a transistor in which an electric current flows during write-in of a signal electric current is made shorter than the gate length L of a transistor in which electric current supplied to EL elements flows during light emission, and high speed write-in is thus performed by having a larger electric current flow than the electric current flowing in conventional EL elements. A converter and driver transistor (108) is used for signal write-in. By using the converter and driver transistor (108) and a driver transistor (107) when supplying electric current to a light emitting element during light emission, dispersion in the transistor characteristics can be made to have less influence on brightness than when using a structure in which write-in operations and light emission operations are performed using different transistors. |
| US08378575B2 |
Motor vehicle having a hatchback
A motor vehicle is provided that has a passenger compartment, a hatchback, which is mounted so it is pivotable on the passenger compartment, external lighting having taillights, which are fastened on the hatchback, and additional taillights, which are concealed when the hatchback is closed and are visible from outside the motor vehicle when the hatchback is open. |
| US08378574B2 |
Lighting system for creating a biological effect
A lighting system for creating a biological effect induced by light. The biological effect is a different effect than vision. The lighting system comprises a light source (1) to generate light with a varying spectrum, and a driver (2) to drive the light source (1) to successively in time: (i) generate a first spectrum (S1) during a first period in time (T1), (ii) change the first spectrum (S1) into a second spectrum (S2) during a second period in time (T2), wherein the second spectrum (S2) has the biological effect, and (iii) maintain the second spectrum (S2) during a third period in time (T3). The duration of the second period in time (T2) is selected in a range from 5 seconds to 30 minutes. The first spectrum (S1) may not have the biological effect or may have the biological effect to a smaller extent than the second spectrum (S2). |
| US08378573B2 |
High pressure discharge lamp
A high pressure discharge lamp has an electric discharge container with sealing portions formed at both ends of a light emission section, and electrodes made of tungsten. The electrode has a base end which is buried in the sealing portion. Tips of the electrodes face each other in the light emission section. Purity of the tungsten is 99.99% or more. The electrode has a large diameter portion formed at the tip of the electrode and an axis portion whose diameter is smaller than that of the large diameter portion. A part of a surface of the large diameter portion has a concavo-convex structure where a portion having grooves in a circumference direction and a portion having no groove are asymmetrically formed with respect to an axis of the electrode. |
| US08378571B2 |
Precision mercury dispenser using wire
A fluorescent lamp includes a tubular member or envelope having an arc generating and sustaining medium therein. An electrode is provided in each end of the tubular member and a phosphor coating is applied to the interior surface of the tubular member. A mercury dispenser is situated within the tubular member. The mercury dispenser includes a body composed of a material. The body is provided with a bore. A wire plated with a material capable of wetting mercury is provided in the bore. A quantity of mercury is deposited in the bore in contact with the wire. |
| US08378568B2 |
White light emitting diode with yellow, green and red light emitting phosphors
Provided is a white light emitting diode (LED) including a blue LED chip; and yellow, green, and red light emitting phosphors that are coated on the blue LED chip at a predetermined mixing ratio and converts light, emitted from the blue LED chip, into white light. |
| US08378566B2 |
Ceramic-glass composite electrode and fluorescent lamp having the same
The present invention provides a ceramic-glass composite electrode and a fluorescent lamp having the same. The ceramic-glass composite electrode according to the present invention is a ceramic-glass composite, which is disposed at the ends of a glass tube of the fluorescent lamp. A stopper is disposed at the end of the glass tube for pushing against the ceramic-glass composite electrode and limiting the position of the ceramic-glass composite electrode slipped on the glass tube. Thereby, flowing of adhesives into the glass tube is avoided when the adhesives are used for gluing the glass tube and the ceramic-glass composite electrode, and hence extending the lifetime of the fluorescent lamp. |
| US08378565B2 |
Electron emitting element having an electron acceleration layer using fine particle layer
An electron emitting element includes an electrode substrate, a thin-film electrode, and an electron acceleration layer provided between them. The electron acceleration layer includes a fine particle layer containing insulating fine particles, which is provided on a side of the electrode substrate, and a deposition of conductive fine particles, which is provided on a surface of the fine particle layer. In the electron acceleration layer, a conductive path is formed in advance, and the deposition has a physical recess which is an exit of the conductive path and which serves as an electron emitting section. Electrons are emitted via the electron emitting section. With the arrangement, it is possible to realize an electron emitting element which prevents that an electrode on an electron emission side gradually wears off along with electron emission and which can maintain an electron emission characteristic for a long period. |
| US08378556B2 |
Actuator element and input apparatus including the same
An actuator element includes a first element unit configured to have one end being a fixed end and the other end being a free end and bends when voltage is applied, and a second element unit configured to have a shorter element length than the first element unit, have one end connected to the first element unit and bend in the opposite direction to the first element unit when voltage is applied and may support the first element unit. |
| US08378555B2 |
Electromechanical conversion element and actuator
An electromechanical conversion element having high connection reliability and an actuator equipped with the electromechanical conversion element. The electromechanical conversion element includes: a displacement part capable of expanding and contracting by application of voltage and having electrode forming faces and an adhesion face which are disposed adjacent to each other; and external electrodes on the electrode forming faces, in which lead electrodes for applying voltage to the displacement part are bonded to bonding regions provided in the external electrodes, and a driven member capable of being driven by the expansion and contraction of the displacement part is bonded to the adhesion face by an adhesive. The electromechanical conversion element further includes bleed flow blocking parts on the electrode forming faces at points closer to the adhesion face than ends of the bonding regions located on the same side as the adhesion face. |
| US08378551B2 |
Actuator and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is an actuator which has high degree of integration and can reduce a difference of the developed force depending on a direction of displacement, and obtain a substantially uniform developed force over all directions. The actuator including a laminate which includes: a pair of electrode layers; an ion-conducting layer that is held between the pair of electrode layers; and an insulating layer that is disposed on one of the pair of electrode layers, in which the laminate forms a multilayer structure that is spirally wound around a conductive shaft, and multiple notches are formed in at least a partial region of the multilayer structure. |
| US08378548B2 |
Current control assembly with drainage and slinger
The present approaches provide a current control assembly with a rotor and a stator. The stator includes a drain for channeling contaminants away from the assembly and the rotor includes one or more slots that rotate with the rotor for outwardly slinging the contaminants. In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes the current control assembly having a first ring including a first shaft opening and a first discharge opening. The current control assembly also includes a second ring having a second shaft opening and a second discharge opening, wherein the first and second rings rotate relative to one another, and the first and second discharge openings align with one another to discharge a contaminant. The current control assembly further includes a plurality of conductive filaments configured to transfer current between the current control assembly and a shaft. |
| US08378546B2 |
Generator with output options and low loss windings
A more fuel efficient automotive generator, then present alternators, because of its better magnetic utilization of its series connected copper windings on its salient stator poles. It also has output options for resistive loads as well as for direct current devises with both options designed for lower cost, smaller physical size, greater electrical efficiency and lower diode losses. |
| US08378542B2 |
Magnetic centre-finding device with no magnet on the rotor and with small air gap
The present invention relates to a magnetic center-finding structure, and more particularly a magnetic center-finding bearing structure intended notably for space applications. The present invention proposes a magnetic concept with no magnet on the rotor, the rotor being reduced to a crown comprising magnetic yokes, to arrange an item of equipment that can be tested on the ground, under gravity, in all positions, without the addition of extra energy, and with a reduction in the complexity of said device. |
| US08378540B2 |
Motor and motor manufacturing method
A motor includes a stator, a bearing, a cover, a shaft, a rotor holder and a rotor magnet. The cover member includes an outer cylinder portion arranged to support the stator on the inner surface thereof, an inner cylinder portion arranged to support the bearing on the inner surface thereof and a bottom portion arranged to interconnect the lower end of the outer cylinder portion and the lower end of the inner cylinder portion. The stator includes a stator core, an insulator arranged to cover the stator core and coils. The cover member is preferably formed by press-forming a single metal plate member. The insulator includes a protrusion portion positioned radially outwards of the coils to protrude upwards higher than the upper end of the outer cylinder portion. The upper ends of the coils are positioned higher than the upper end of the outer cylinder portion. |
| US08378539B2 |
Flat vibration motor
A flat vibration motor for suppressing deformation of coils even in a reflow at a high temperature, having a stator structure 10 fixing a shaft 1 and having no-core coils C1 and C2; a cover case 20 covered by the stator structure 10 and supporting the other end of the shaft 1; and a rotor frame 30; wherein the stator structure 10 includes: a board 12 having a first face 12a being provided with electrode patterns E1-E3 and a second face 12b being provided with a wiring pattern to be connected to the electrode patterns and to the no-core coils; and a base frame 14 having a burring part 15a into which one end of the shaft 1 is fitted, and being sandwiched between the rotor frame 30 and the upper surfaces of the coils C1 and C2 by abutting against the coils C1 and C2. |
| US08378536B2 |
Mill drive system
A mill drive system with a transmission arranged beneath a milling table and with at least one planetary and/or spur gear stage as well as a vertical shaft position is provided. In addition, an electric motor is integrated in a housing of the transmission and is connected to a lubricant supply circuit of the transmission. A rotor and a stator of the electric motor have vertically extending axes. Cooling of the motor is performed by a lubricant circulating through the transmission. Furthermore, a lubricating-oil-proof sheath for rotor and/or stator windings of the electric motor for sealing with respect to the lubricant is provided. In addition, the mill drive system includes a converter with a regulation device for backlash-free speed regulation of the electric motor. |
| US08378533B2 |
Pump motor
A pump motor includes a stator, a rotor and a housing accommodating the stator and the rotor. The stator has a plurality of teeth, each of the teeth being provided with a cap portion at its tip end. The rotor is arranged inside the stator in an opposing relationship with the cap portion of each of the teeth. The housing includes a fluid path defined therein. The fluid path includes a substantially annular gap axially extending between the stator and the rotor. The cap portion includes a first opposing surface and a second opposing surface provided in an opposing relationship with the rotor to define a portion of the fluid path, the distance between the first opposing surface and an outer circumferential surface of the rotor being greater than the distance between the second opposing surface and the outer circumferential surface of the rotor. |
| US08378532B2 |
Actuator apparatus responsive to electrical activation
Actuator apparatus having a drive element (26) which can tilt and/or pivot in a predetermined manner in response to electrical activation and which is formed such that it can be contacted by an output partner in order to transmit mechanical drive energy, wherein the drive element, as a connection element, is operatively connected to two expansion units (10, 12; 40, 42), which are formed by means of magnetic shape-memory alloy material, such that the connection element executes a tilting and/or pivoting movement in response to an expansion or contraction movement of one of the expansion units, expansion or contraction movement being produced by the electrical activation and also a magnetic field which is generated by said electrical activation. |
| US08378529B2 |
Switching actuator for controlling the energy supply to electric consumers
A switching actuator for controlling the energy supply to at least one electrical consumer (102) with an energy supply input (142), an energy supply output (144), a signal line input (146), a signal line output (148) and an evaluation unit (154), the evaluation unit (154) being adapted to activate or deactivate the energy supply output (144) on the basis of signals input via the signal line input (146). |
| US08378528B2 |
Systems and methods for discharging bus voltage using semiconductor devices
Systems and methods are provided for discharging a voltage bus. An electrical system comprises a first switch coupled to a first voltage rail, a second switch coupled between the first switch and a second voltage rail, and a control system coupled to the first switch and the second switch. The control system is configured to alternately activate the first switch and the second switch such that an energy potential between the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail is dissipated through the first switch and the second switch. |
| US08378527B2 |
Universal serial bus current limit
A load device includes a power input having an interface to a power supply; a peripheral power bus including an internal capacitance, and an active switch coupled to the power input and the peripheral power bus for applying power from the power input to the peripheral power bus. The load device also includes a switch controller coupled to the active switch for regulating the in-rush current drawn by the internal capacitance through the active switch while the internal capacitance is being charged. |
| US08378525B2 |
Power transfer apparatus
A power transfer apparatus includes: a magnetic resonance coil for transferring magnetic energy by magnetically resonating with an external coil; a power receiving unit for picking up, as electrical power, the magnetic energy that the magnetic resonance coil receives from the external coil; and a magnetic body arranged on a side of the magnetic resonance coil opposite a transfer side of the magnetic energy of the magnetic resonance coil. |
| US08378522B2 |
Maximizing power yield from wireless power magnetic resonators
Magneto mechanical systems used for wireless power reception. A miniature moving magnet is placed in an oscillating magnetic field. Movement of the magnet causes power to be generated. |
| US08378520B2 |
Method for energy management
The present invention discloses a method for energy management, by means of which significant fluctuations in the power consumption in the on-board electrical system are reduced, in particular, current consumption peaks arising due to a very high start-up current of electrical actuators and solenoid valves, are more evenly distributed over time. To achieve this, the method for energy management according to the invention operates predictively, i.e. it determines both the energy available in the subsequent time interval and the energy required on the basis of activation requests, and selects consumers to be activated according to their priority and a prevailing tolerance time within which a consumer must be activated following the submission of its activation request. The tolerance time is thereby continuously adapted. |
| US08378517B2 |
Wind-hydro power generating system and method
A wind-hydro power generation system and its power generation method which use both wind power and hydraulic power. Increasing the size of a hydraulic turbine for the hydraulic power generation may result in the decreased rotation power of the hydraulic turbine caused by the resistance of the wind when blades on the hydraulic turbine come out of the water. A blade rotation system on the blades of the hydraulic turbine is provided so that the blades may rotate according to the direction of the wind. As a result, wind resistance is not effected to the rotation of the hydraulic turbine even when the blades on the hydraulic turbine are out of water, but enhances the rotation power of the hydraulic turbine, which enables the use of wind power and hydraulic power at the same time. |
| US08378516B2 |
Continuous wind power system with auxiliary blades
One embodiment of a continuous wind power system with auxiliary blades comprises of a general generator (150) and six sets of auxiliary blade sets (120) each propelled by a motor (130) of its own. Motors (130) are powered up by batteries, solar panels, or by a fraction of power generated by the generator (150). When motors (130) are powered, auxiliary blade sets (120) propel and create a force perpendicular to the extended arm (110B) to which it is mounted and resulting torque promotes rotary motion of the overall mounting device (110). A transmission device transfers the rotary motion of the mounting device (110) of auxiliary blade sets (120) and motors (130) to the shaft of generator (150A) and results in production of electricity. Clear advantages of this embodiment compared to current HAWT system includes: generation of electricity regardless of the amount of natural wind available and local weather condition, cheap and easy system to implement to improve on or replace existing wind farm, and increased accessibility to clean, green energy to meet growing demands for energy while protecting the environment. |
| US08378515B2 |
Wind turbines having control for network faults and operating method thereof
A network disturbance module for a control device of a wind energy installation having a generator driven by a wind rotor and a converter for producing electrical power fed into a network. The module includes a measurement device configured to measure at least one electrical parameter of the network, a detector configured to identify a network disturbance and output a switching signal, and a reference generator configured to produce a substitute reference vector for the converter based on the at least one electrical parameter. The module also includes a fault management unit comprising a fault classifier, the unit being configured to interact with the measurement device, detector, and reference generator such that, in the event of an undervoltage during island operation, a quick-action frequency regulator is activated. The regulator acts on the converter to vary a real-power feed P in the event of a discrepancy in a network frequency. |
| US08378506B2 |
Packaged electronic device having metal comprising self-healing die attach material
A method of assembling an electronic device and electronic packages therefrom. A die attach adhesive precursor is placed between a top surface of a workpiece and an IC die. The die attach adhesive precursor includes metal particles, a first plurality of first microcapsules having a polymerizable material inside, and a second plurality of second microcapsules having a polymerization agent inside to form a first polymer upon rupture of first and second microcapsules. A force sufficient to rupture at least a portion of the first plurality of first microcapsules and at least a portion of the second plurality of second microcapsules is applied to form a self-healing die attach adhesive wherein the first polymer binds the plurality of metal particles and the remaining microcapsules and secures the IC die to the top surface of the workpiece. The self-healing die attach adhesive generally includes at least 90 vol. % metal. |
| US08378502B2 |
Integrated circuit package system with image sensor system
An integrated circuit package system includes: an integrated circuit die including an image sensor system having interconnects connected thereto; and a transparent encapsulant on the integrated circuit die with portions of the interconnects exposed and with only the transparent encapsulant over the image sensor system to comprise an image sensor device. |
| US08378501B2 |
Semiconductor package and semiconductor package module
A semiconductor package is provided with a functionally necessary minimum number of components with which stress concentrated on specific solder bumps is reduced and ruptures of the bumps are prevented even when stress caused by physical bending or a difference in thermal expansion coefficient is applied to the package. The semiconductor package includes a tabular die and bonding pads arranged on a mounting surface of the die. A passivation layer and a protective film are provided on the mounting surface such that central areas of the bonding pads are open. Under-bump metals (UBMs) connected to the bonding pads are provided in the openings, and solder bumps are provided on the surfaces of the UBMs. The diameter of the UBMs provided at corners of the die is less than that of the UBM provided at the approximate center of the die so that the elastic modulus of the UBMs provided at the corners is small. |
| US08378499B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device with active regions formed in the shape of a band in a substrate; a plurality of word lines arranged at equal intervals that intersect the active regions; cell contacts that includes first cell contacts in the active regions in the center portions in a longitudinal direction, and second cell contacts at both ends in the longitudinal direction; bit line contacts on the first cell contacts; bit lines that pass over the bit line contacts; storage node contacts on the second cell contacts; storage node contact pads on the storage node contacts; and storage capacitors on the storage node contact pads. The center positions of the storage node contacts are offset from the center positions of the second cell contacts. The center positions of the storage node contact pads are offset from the center positions of the storage node contacts. |
| US08378495B2 |
Integrated circuit (IC) having TSVS with dielectric crack suppression structures
An IC includes a substrate having a semiconductor top surface, a plurality of metal interconnect levels having inter-level dielectric (ILD) layers therebetween on the top surface, and a bottom surface. A plurality of through substrate vias (TSVs) extend from a TSV terminating metal interconnect level downward to the bottom surface. The plurality of TSVs include an electrically conductive filler material surrounded by a dielectric liner that define a projected volume. The projected volume includes a projected area over the electrically conductive filler material and a projected height extending upwards from the TSV terminating metal interconnect level to a metal interconnect level above, and a projected sidewall surface along sidewalls of the projected volume. A crack suppression structure (CSS) protects TSVs and includes a lateral CSS portion that is positioned lateral to the projected volume and encloses at least 80% of the projected sidewall surface. |
| US08378493B2 |
Generation of metal holes by via mutation
A semiconductor interconnect architecture provides a reduction in the intersection of vias on the last layer (“VL”) and holes in the last thin metal layer (“MLHOLE”) without degradation of the product yield or robustness, or increases copper dishing. The mutation of some dense redundant VLs to MLHOLEs decreases the number of intersections between VLs and MLHOLEs. |
| US08378489B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor
A semiconductor device of this invention has a copper wiring layer, of which a layer, to which a composition including at least one substance selected from the group consisting of ammonia and organic bases is applied, and a silicon-containing insulating film are sequentially superimposed on the copper wiring layer. Accordingly, semiconductor devices having insulating layers which adheres well to the copper serving as the wiring material can be obtained. |
| US08378483B2 |
Fabrication process and device of multi-chip package having spliced substrates
Disclosed are a fabrication process and a device of a multi-chip package having spliced substrates, characterized in utilizing an incomplete substrate and a substrate block with different dimensions to combine as a spliced complete substrate during the fabrication process. Two kinds of chips with different functions, including memory and controller, are disposed on the incomplete substrate and the substrate block, respectively. Then, the incomplete substrate and the substrate block are then spliced together by joining their spliced portions formed on their substrate sidewalls. Finally, an encapsulant is formed on the incomplete substrate and further formed on the substrate block. Accordingly, it is possible to integrate different functional chips into a single multi-chip package by optimizing packaging processing parameters with optimized materials. |
| US08378481B2 |
Semiconductor module with micro-buffers
The semiconductor module includes a plurality of memory die on a first side of a substrate and a plurality of buffer die on a second side of the substrate. Each of the memory die is disposed opposite and electrically coupled to one of the buffer die. |
| US08378478B2 |
Enhanced stacked microelectronic assemblies with central contacts and vias connected to the central contacts
The microelectronic assembly includes a first microelectronic element having a front surface, a plurality of contacts exposed at the front surface, and a rear surface remote from the front surface; a second microelectronic element having a front surface facing the rear surface of the first microelectronic element and projecting beyond an edge of the first microelectronic element, the second microelectronic element having a plurality of contacts exposed at its front surface; a dielectric region overlying the front surfaces of the microelectronic elements, the dielectric region having a major surface facing away from the microelectronic elements; metallized vias within openings in the dielectric region extending from the plurality of contacts of the first and second microelectronic elements; and leads extending along a major surface of the dielectric region from the vias to terminals exposed at the major surface. |
| US08378476B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with stacking option and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: fabricating a base package substrate having a component side and a system side; coupling a first integrated circuit die on the component side; coupling stacking interconnects on the component side around the first integrated circuit die; forming a package body on the component side, the first integrated circuit die, and the stacking interconnects; forming vertical insertion cavities through the package body and on the stacking interconnects; and forming a trench, in the package body, adjacent to the vertical insertion cavities for reducing a package warping stress. |
| US08378471B2 |
Semiconductor chip bump connection apparatus and method
Various semiconductor chip packages and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes coupling a solder bump to a side of a semiconductor chip and bringing the solder bump into contact with a conductor pad coupled to a substrate and positioned in an opening of a solder mask on the substrate. The conductor pad has a first lateral dimension and the opening has a second lateral dimension that is larger than the first lateral dimension. A metallurgical bond is established between the solder bump and the conductor pad. |
| US08378469B2 |
Apparatus and methods for packaging antennas with integrated circuit chips for millimeter wave applications
Apparatus and methods are provided for integrally packaging antennas with semiconductor IC (integrated circuit) chips to provide highly-integrated and high-performance radio/wireless communications systems for millimeter wave applications including, e.g., voice communication, data communication, and radar applications. For example, wireless communication modules are constructed with IC chips having receiver/transmitter/transceiver integrated circuits and planar antennas that are integrally constructed from BEOL (back end of line) metallization structures of the IC chip. |
| US08378468B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
By increasing the area of a source electrode 3a of a semiconductor element 3 and the area of a source terminal 2b of a lead frame 2, it is possible to extend a joint 8a of the source electrode 3a bonded to a conductive ribbon 6 and a joint 8b of the source terminal 2b. Thus it is possible to reduce an on resistance and easily reduce the number of times a bonding tool comes into contact with the joints to reduce a stress on the semiconductor element 3. |
| US08378467B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Retaining regions 310a and 310b are added to a pad shaped portion 303a of leads and a die pad 302 that are electrically connected via a conductive ribbon 309, so that during the bonding of the ribbon, strong ultrasonic waves can be applied in a state in which the retaining regions 310a and 310b are pressed and fixed. It is therefore possible to reduce a resistance at a joint while firmly bonding the conductive ribbon 309. Further, the bonding strength of the conductive ribbon 309 increases and thus it is possible to eliminate the need for stacking the conductive ribbons 309 and easily reduce a stress caused by ultrasonic waves on a semiconductor chip 306. |
| US08378464B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device, semiconductor device, semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and storage medium
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes steps of: (a) forming a thin film containing a phenyl group and silicon on a substrate while obtaining a plasma by activating an organic silane gas containing a phenyl group and silicon and nitrogen as not original component but unavoidable impurity and exposing the substrate to the plasma, temperature of the substrate being set at 200° C. or lower; and (b) obtaining a low-permittivity film by supplying energy to the substrate to allow moisture to be released from the thin film. With this method for manufacturing the semiconductor device, it is possible to obtain a silicon-oxide based low-permittivity film containing an organic substance which is not significantly damaged by the release of the organic substance when subjected to a plasma treatment such as an etching treatment, an ashing treatment, and/or the like. |
| US08378456B1 |
Unified switch array for memory devices
An array of vertically constructed, electronic switches is disclosed having three, four or more contacts and having a common bottom contact and a plurality of common middle contacts. This switch array will find use in memory devices or display devices. |
| US08378454B2 |
Semiconductor device including metal-insulator-metal capacitor arrangement
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, a multi-layered wiring construction formed over the semiconductor device, and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor arrangement established in the multi-layered wiring construction. The MIM capacitor arrangement includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth electrode structures, which are arranged in order in parallel with each other at regular intervals. The first, second, fifth and sixth electrode structures are electrically connected to each other so as to define a first capacitor, and the third and fourth electrode structures are electrically connected to each other so as to define a second capacitor. |
| US08378448B2 |
Chip inductor with frequency dependent inductance
A set of metal line structures including a signal transmission metal line and a capacitively-grounded inductively-signal-coupled metal line is embedded in a dielectric material layer. A capacitor is serially connected between the capacitively-grounded inductively-signal-coupled metal line and a local electrical ground, which may be on the input side or on the output side. The set of metal line structures and the capacitor collective provide a frequency dependent inductor. The Q factor of the frequency dependent inductor has multiple peaks that enable the operation of the frequency dependent inductor at multiple frequencies. Multiple capacitively-grounded inductively-signal-coupled metal lines may be provided in the frequency-dependent inductor, each of which is connected to the local electrical ground through a capacitor. By selecting different capacitance values for the capacitors, multiple values of the Q-factor may be obtained in the frequency dependent inductor at different signal frequencies. |
| US08378445B2 |
Trench structures in direct contact
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity, an epitaxial layer of a second conductivity on the substrate and a buried layer of the second conductivity interposed between the substrate and the epitaxial layer. A first trench structure extends through the epitaxial layer and the buried layer to the substrate and includes sidewall insulation and conductive material in electrical contact with the substrate at a bottom of the first trench structure. A second trench structure extends through the epitaxial layer to the buried layer and includes sidewall insulation and conductive material in electrical contact with the buried layer at a bottom of the second trench structure. A region of insulating material laterally extends from the conductive material of the first trench structure to the conductive material of the second trench structure and longitudinally extends to a substantial depth of the second trench structure. |
| US08378442B2 |
Epoxy resin composition for optical semiconductor light-receiving element encapsulation and process for producing the same, and optical semiconductor device
The present invention relates to an epoxy resin composition for optical semiconductor light-receiving element encapsulation, the epoxy resin composition including the following components (A) to (D): (A) an epoxy resin; (B) a curing agent; (C) a curing accelerator; and (D) a yellow colorant, in which the component (D) is contained in a ratio of 0.01% by weight or more based on the whole of the epoxy resin composition. |
| US08378440B2 |
Back-lit image sensor and method of manufacture
A backside-illuminated image sensor includes photoelectric converters disposed in a front-side of a substrate and arranged to define pixels, back-side interlayer dielectric patterns disposed on the back-side of the substrate over the photoelectric converters, color filters arranged over the back-side interlayer dielectric patterns, and micro-lenses arranged over the color filters, wherein adjacent back-side interlayer dielectric patterns are separated by an intervening gap region having a refractive index less than that of the back-side interlayer dielectric patterns. |
| US08378439B2 |
Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and structures thereof
Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including providing a workpiece, disposing an etch stop layer over the workpiece, and disposing a material layer over the etch stop layer. The material layer includes a transition layer. The method includes patterning the material layer partially with a first pattern, and patterning the material layer partially with a second pattern. Patterning the material layer partially with the second pattern further comprises simultaneously completely patterning the material layer with the first pattern. |
| US08378431B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for producing the semiconductor device
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a substrate; a gate insulating film; first trenches in a cell array region; first embedded insulating films in the first trenches; second trenches in a peripheral circuit region; second embedded insulating films in the second trenches; a third trench in an isolation region; a third embedded insulating film in the third trench; gate structures; and inter-gate insulating films between the gate structures covering the first, second and third embedded insulating films. An upper surface of the third embedded insulating film covered with the inter-gate insulating film is substantially flat. Upper surfaces of the first, second, and third embedded insulating films are higher than an upper surface of the gate insulating film. The upper surfaces of the first and third embedded insulating films are lower than the upper surfaces of the second embedded insulating films. |
| US08378424B2 |
Semiconductor structure having test and transistor structures
A semiconductor substrate having transistor structures and test structures with spacing between the transistor structures smaller than the spacing between the test structures is provided. A first iteratively performed deposition and etch process includes: depositing a first doped epitaxial layer having a first concentration of a dopant over the semiconductor substrate, and etching the first doped epitaxial layer. A second iteratively performed deposition and etch process includes: depositing a second doped epitaxial layer having a second concentration of the dopant higher than the first concentration over the semiconductor substrate, and etching the second doped epitaxial layer. The first concentration results in a first net growth rate over the transistor structures and the second concentration results in a lower, second net growth rate over the test structures than the transistor structures, resulting in reduced pattern loading. |
| US08378421B2 |
Method of manufacturing thin film transistor and thin film transistor substrate
A thin film transistor substrate. The thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate, an adhesive layer on the substrate, and a semiconductor layer having a first doped region, a second doped region and a channel region on the adhesive layer. The thin film transistor substrate further includes a first dielectric layer on the semiconductor layer, a gate electrode overlapping the channel region, a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer and the gate electrode, a source electrode disposed on the second insulating layer, and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode on the source electrode. The channel region is disposed between the first doped region and the second doped region, and has a transmittance higher than those of the first doped region and the second doped region. |
| US08378419B2 |
Isolation FET for integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC) includes an active region; a pair of active field effect transistors (FETs) in the active region; and an isolation FET located between the pair of active FETs in the active region, the isolation FET configured to provide electrical isolation between the pair of active FETs, wherein the isolation FET has at least one different physical parameter or electrical parameter from the pair of active FETs. |
| US08378416B2 |
MOS-gated power devices, methods, and integrated circuits
MOS-gated devices, related methods, and systems for vertical power and RF devices including an insulated trench and a gate electrode. A body region is positioned so that a voltage bias on the gate electrode will cause an inversion layer in the body region. Permanent electrostatic charges are included in said insulation material. A conductive shield layer is positioned above the insulated trench, to reduce parasitic capacitances. |
| US08378415B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a cylindrical main pillar that is formed on a substrate and of which a central axis is perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, source and drain diffused layers that are formed in a concentric shape centered on the central axis at upper and lower portions of the main pillar and made from a first-conduction-type material, a body layer that is formed at an intermediate portion of the main pillar sandwiched between the source and drain diffused layers and made from the first-conduction-type material, and a front gate electrode that is formed on a lateral face of the main pillar while placing a gate insulating film therebetween. Moreover, a back gate electrode made from a second-conduction-type material is formed in a pillar shape penetrating from an upper portion to a lower portion on an inner side of the main pillar. |
| US08378407B2 |
Floating gate inverter type memory cell and array
A non-volatile memory (NVM) cell and array includes a control capacitor, tunneling capacitor, CMOS inverter and output circuit. The CMOS inverter includes PMOS and NMOS inverter transistors. The control capacitor, tunneling capacitor and PMOS and NMOS inverter transistors share a common floating gate, which is programmed/erased by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling. The output circuit includes PMOS and NMOS select transistors. The PMOS inverter and select transistors share a common source/drain region. Similarly, the NMOS inverter and select transistors share a common source/drain region. This configuration minimizes the required layout area of the non-volatile memory cell and allows design of arrays with smaller footprints. Alternately, the tunneling capacitor may be excluded, further reducing the required layout area of the NVM cell. In this case, the NMOS inverter transistor functions as a tunneling capacitor for programming and erasing the cell, and the PMOS inverter transistor functions as a tunneling capacitor for erasing the cell. |
| US08378405B2 |
Integrated DRAM process/structure using contact pillars
A capacitor under bitline DRAM memory cell and method for its fabrication provides a high density memory cell with the capacitor formed in the PMD layer. The memory cell utilizes several variations of storage contact pillar structures as, for example, a storage plate of the memory cell capacitor formed within a trench in the PMD layer. This capacitor plate structure is overlaid with a capacitor dielectric layer which is overlaid with another conductive layer, for example, the M1 layer to form the other capacitor plate. An access transistor formed between substrate active regions and a word line, is in electrical communication with a bit line contact, the storage contact capacitor plate, and the word line respectively. The high density memory cell benefits from the simple standard processes common to logic processes, and in one embodiment requiring only one additional masking step. |
| US08378403B2 |
Semiconductor device
An object is to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure in which stored data can be held even when power is not supplied and there is no limit on the number of write operations. The semiconductor device includes a first memory cell including a first transistor and a second transistor, a second memory cell including a third transistor and a fourth transistor, and a driver circuit. The first transistor and the second transistor overlap at least partly with each other. The third transistor and the fourth transistor overlap at least partly with each other. The second memory cell is provided over the first memory cell. The first transistor includes a first semiconductor material. The second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor include a second semiconductor material. |
| US08378402B2 |
CMOS image sensors including backside illumination structure and method of manufacturing image sensor
An image sensor having a backside illumination structure can include a photo diode unit in a first wafer, where the photo diode unit includes photo diodes and transfer gate transistors coupled to respective ones of the photo diodes. A wiring line unit can be included on a second wafer that is bonded to the photo diode unit, where the wiring line unit includes wiring lines and transistors configured to process signals provided by the photo diode unit and configured to control the photo diode unit. A supporting substrate is bonded to the wiring line unit and a filter unit is located under the first wafer. |
| US08378400B2 |
Solid state imaging device
An island-shaped semiconductor constituting a pixel includes a first semiconductor N+-region formed on a substrate, a second semiconductor P-region formed on the region, third semiconductor N-regions formed on upper lateral sides of the region, insulating layers formed on the outer periphery of the regions and lower lateral sides of the region, gate conductive layers formed on the outer periphery of the insulating layers and functioning as gate electrodes forming a channel in a lower area of the region, light-reflection conductive layers formed on the outer periphery of the N regions and a portion of the insulating layers where the gate conductive layers are not formed, a fifth semiconductor P+-region formed on the region and the regions, and a microlens formed on the region and whose focal point is located near the upper surface of the region. |
| US08378399B2 |
Backside illumination solid-state imaging device
According to one embodiment, a backside illumination solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor layer, a first light-receiving unit and a second light-receiving unit, a circuit unit, an impurity isolation layer, and a light-shielding film. A first light-receiving unit and a second light-receiving unit are formed adjacent to each other in the semiconductor layer, convert light applied from a lower surface side of the semiconductor layer into a signal, and store electric charges. A circuit unit is formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor layer. An impurity isolation layer is formed to reach to the upper surface from the lower surface in the semiconductor layer and isolates the first light-receiving unit from the second light-receiving unit. A light-shielding film is formed on part of the lower surface side in the impurity isolation layer so as to extend from the lower surface to the upper surface. |
| US08378396B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and image sensor using the same
A photoelectric conversion device has pixel comprised of a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type disposed in the first semiconductor region. A first diffusion region of the first conductivity type is held at a predetermined potential, covers entirely the first semiconductor region, and covers only a part of an upper portion of the second semiconductor region. A second diffusion region of the second conductivity type covers a part of the upper portion of the second semiconductor region except for the part of the upper portion of the second semiconductor region covered by the first diffusion region. A thick oxide film covers entirely the first diffusion region and covers the upper portion of the second semiconductor region except for the part of the upper portion of the second semiconductor region covered by the second diffusion region. |
| US08378393B2 |
Conductive oxynitride and method for manufacturing conductive oxynitride film
An electrode formed using a transparent conductive oxide is likely to be crystallized by heat treatment performed in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. In the case of a thin film element using an electrode having a significantly uneven surface due to crystallization, a short circuit is likely to occur and thus reliability of the element is degraded. An object is to provide a light-transmitting conductive oxynitride which is not crystallized even if subjected to heat treatment and a manufacturing method thereof. It is found that an oxynitride containing indium, gallium, and zinc, to which hydrogen atoms are added as impurities, is a light-transmitting conductive film which is not crystallized even if heated at 350° C. and the object is achieved. |
| US08378386B2 |
Epitaxial substrate for semiconductor device, semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing epitaxial substrate for semiconductor device
Provided is an epitaxial substrate capable of achieving a semiconductor device that has excellent ohmic contact characteristics as well as satisfactory device characteristics. On a base substrate, a channel layer formed of a first group III nitride that contains at least Al and Ga and has a composition of Inx1Aly1Gaz1N (x1+y1+z1=1) is formed. On the channel layer, a barrier layer formed of a second group III nitride that contains at least In and Al and has a composition of Inx2Aly2Gaz2N (x2+y2+z2=1) is formed such that an In composition ratio of a near-surface portion is larger than an In composition ratio of a portion other than the near-surface portion. |
| US08378382B2 |
High aspect-ratio PN-junction and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device having high-aspect-ratio PN-junctions is provided. The semiconductor device includes a conducting layer. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of first doped regions formed over the conducting layer. The sidewalls of the doped regions are doped to form PN-junctions. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of second doped regions over the first doped regions. |
| US08378376B2 |
Vertical light-emitting diode
The present application describes a vertical light-emitting diode (VLED) and its manufacture method that use the combination of a reflective layer, a transparent conducting layer and transparent dielectric layer as structural layers for promoting uniform current distribution and increasing light extraction. In the VLED, a transparent conducting layer is formed on a first outer surface of a stack of multiple group III nitride semiconductor layers. A transparent dielectric layer is then formed on a side of the transparent conducting layer opposite the side of the multi-layer structure. A first electrode structure is then formed on the transparent dielectric layer in electrical contact with the transparent conducting layer via a plurality of contact windows patterned through the transparent dielectric layer. The transparent conducting layer and the transparent dielectric layer are used as structural layers for improving light extraction. |
| US08378375B2 |
Light emitting apparatus having a partition
The present invention provides a light emitting apparatus comprising a three-color light emitting device unit including at least three light emitting diode (LED) chips for respectively emitting red, green and blue light; a white light emitting device unit including at least one blue LED chip with a fluorescent substance formed thereon; and a substrate provided with a first electrode connected in common to ends of the LED chips and second electrodes formed to correspond respectively to the LED chips. Further, the present invention provides a light emitting apparatus comprising a plurality of LED chips; a substrate provided with a first electrode connected in common to ends of the plurality of LED chips and second electrodes formed to correspond respectively to the plurality of LED chips; an upper package formed on the substrate to surround the plurality of LED chips and to have a partition crossing the first electrode at the center of the upper package; and a molding member that encapsulates the plurality of LED chips and is divided by the partition of the upper package. |
| US08378372B2 |
Semiconductor chip assembly with post/base heat spreader and horizontal signal routing
A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor device, a heat spreader, a substrate and an adhesive. The semiconductor device is electrically connected to the substrate and thermally connected to the heat spreader. The heat spreader includes a post and a base. The post extends upwardly through an opening in the adhesive into an aperture in the substrate, and the base extends laterally from the post. The adhesive extends between the post and the substrate and between the base and the substrate. The substrate includes first and second conductive layers and a dielectric layer therebetween and provides horizontal signal routing between a pad and a terminal at the first conductive layer. |
| US08378371B2 |
Optoelectronic semiconductor chip
An optoelectronic semiconductor chip (1) is specified having a semiconductor body (2) which comprises a semiconductor layer sequence and an active area which is suitable for radiation production, and having a radiation-permeable and electrically conductive contact layer (6) which is arranged on the semiconductor body and is electrically conductively connected to the active area, with the contact layer extending over a barrier layer (5) in the semiconductor layer sequence and over a connecting layer (4) in the semiconductor layer sequence, and with the contact layer being electrically conductively connected to the active area via a connecting area (7) of the connecting layer. A method is also specified for producing a contact structure for an optoelectronic semiconductor chip which is suitable for radiation production. |
| US08378369B2 |
Light emitting unit, light emitting module, and display device
A light emitting unit (60) is provided with a resin container (61) in which a recessed portion (61a) is formed, an anode lead portion (62) and a cathode lead portion (63) which are provided so as to be exposed on the bottom surface of the recessed portion (61a), a semiconductor light emitting element (64) attached to the cathode lead portion (63) on the bottom surface (70) of the recessed portion (61a), and a sealing resin (65) provided so as to cover the recessed portion (61a). The resin container (61) is produced from a white resin containing titania as a coloring agent. The anode lead portion (62) and the cathode lead portion (63) are each configured by forming a silver-plated layer with the gloss level set in the range of 0.3-1.0 inclusive on a metal plate based on a copper alloy or the like. Thus, the efficiency of extraction of light outputted from the light emitting unit is improved. |
| US08378367B2 |
Light-emitting devices with vertical light-extraction mechanism and method for fabricating the same
A light-emitting device comprises a lattice structure to minimize the horizontal waveguide effect by reducing light traveling distance in the light-absorption medium of the light-emitting devices, and to enhance light extraction from the light-emitting layer. The lattice structure includes sidewalls and/or rods embedded in the light-absorption medium and dividing the light-absorption medium into a plurality of area units. The area units are completely isolated or partially separated from each other by the sidewalls. Also provided is a method of fabricating a light-emitting device that comprises a lattice structure, which lattice structure includes sidewalls and/or rods embedded in the light-absorption medium and dividing the light-absorption medium into a plurality of area units. |
| US08378360B2 |
Light emitting package
The present invention discloses a light emitting package, comprising: a base; a light emitting device on the base; an electrical circuit layer electrically connected to the light emitting device; a gold layer on the electrical circuit layer; a wire electrically connected between the light emitting device and the gold layer; a screen member having an opening and disposed on the base adjacent to the light emitting device; and a lens covering the light emitting device, wherein a bottom surface of the screen member is positioned higher than the light emitting device, and wherein an entire uppermost surface of the screen member is in contact with the lens. |
| US08378359B2 |
Light emitting device and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The light emitting device comprises a first conductive type substrate, first to fourth metal electrodes, and a light emitting diode. The first conductive type substrate comprises P-N junction first to fourth diodes. The first metal electrode is connected to the first diode and the fourth diode. The second metal electrode is connected to the third diode and the second diode. The third metal electrode is connected to the first diode and the third diode. The fourth metal electrode is connected to the second diode and the fourth diode. The light emitting diode is electrically connected to the third metal electrode and the fourth metal electrode. |
| US08378356B2 |
Display device including pixel
A voltage equal to the threshold value of a TFT (106) is held in capacitor unit (109). When a video signal is inputted from a source signal line, the voltage held in the capacitor unit is added thereto and a resultant signal is applied to a gate electrode of the TFT (106). Even when a threshold value is varied for each pixel, each threshold value is held in the capacitor unit (109) for each pixel. Thus, the influence of a variation in threshold value can be eliminated. Further, holding of the threshold value is conducted by only the capacitor unit (109) and a charge does not move at writing of a video signal so that a voltage between both electrodes is not changed. Thus, it is not influenced by a variation in capacitance value. |
| US08378355B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate and method for fabricating the same
A thin film transistor array substrate including a substrate, a gate line intersecting a data line to define a pixel region on the substrate, a switching element disposed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line, a plurality of pixel electrodes and a plurality of first common electrodes alternately arranged in the pixel region, a second common electrode overlapping the data line and interposed between a gate insulation film and a protective film, a first storage electrode on the substrate, a second storage electrode overlapping the first storage electrode, and an organic insulation film on the switching element, the second storage electrode, the data line, a gate pad, and a data pad, wherein the second common electrode covers the data line, the protective film, the organic insulation film, and the gate insulation film, and has inclined surfaces connected to the surface of the substrate. |
| US08378354B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel for common voltage compensation and manufacturing method of the same
A liquid crystal display panel where pixel cells defined by gate lines and data lines which are located to cross each other are arranged in a matrix shape, wherein each of the pixel cells includes a thin film transistor located at a crossing of the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, and a protrusion that overlaps a gate electrode of the thin film transistor to form a parasitic capacitor with the gate electrode and is connected to the pixel electrode, wherein each protrusion in the pixel cells of the liquid crystal display panel have an area determined in accordance with a location of the pixel cell in the liquid crystal display panel. |
| US08378344B2 |
Light-emitting device with plural kinds of thin film transistors and circuits over one substrate
It is an object to provide a light-emitting device in which plural kinds of circuits are formed over one substrate and plural kinds of thin film transistors corresponding to characteristics of the plural kinds of circuits are provided. An inverted coplanar thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer overlaps with a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer is used for a pixel, and a channel-etched thin film transistor is used for a driver circuit. A color filter layer is provided between the pixel thin film transistor and a light-emitting element which is electrically connected to the pixel thin film transistor so as to overlap with the light-emitting element. |
| US08378340B2 |
Aromatic compound
An aromatic compound of the following formula (1), (2), (5) or (6), wherein, Ar1 and Ar3 represent a tetra-valent aromatic hydrocarbon group or a tetra-valent heterocyclic group, and Ar2, Ar4, Ar5, Ar6 and Ar7 represent a tri-valent aromatic hydrocarbon group or a tri-valent heterocyclic group, A1 represents —Z1—, —Z2—Z3— or —Z4═Z5—, wherein Z1, Z2 and Z3 represent O, S or the like and Z4 and Z5 represent N, B, P or the like, X1, X2, X3, X4, X9, X10, X11, and X12 represent a halogen atom or the like. |
| US08378337B2 |
Flexible optoelectronic device having inverted electrode structure and method for making the same
A flexible optoelectronic device having inverted electrode structure is disclosed. The flexible optoelectronic device having inverted electrode structure includes a flexible plastic substrate having a cathode structure, an n-type oxide semiconductor layer, an organic layer, and an anode. The n-type oxide semiconductor layer is disposed on the cathode structure. The organic layer is disposed on the n-type oxide semiconductor layer. The anode is electrically connected with the organic layer. |
| US08378335B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment, includes a catalytic metal film, a graphene film, a contact plug, and an adjustment film. The catalytic metal film is formed above a substrate. The graphene film is formed on the catalytic metal film. The contact plug is connected to the graphene film. The adjustment film is formed in a region other than a region connected to the contact plug of a surface of the graphene film to adjust a Dirac point position in a same direction as the region connected to the contact plug with respect to a Fermi level. |
| US08378325B2 |
Medical device having a collision protection apparatus
A medical device includes a moving gantry, on which a radiation source is arranged, and a collision-protection apparatus for preventing a patient from colliding with the moving gantry. The gantry is operable to be moved around a patient-positioning apparatus. The collision-protection apparatus can be configured as a mechanical collision-protection apparatus that is operable to be positioned between the patient and the moving gantry. The collision-protection apparatus can also be configured as a collision-monitoring apparatus that detects the crossing of a predefined volume by an object, the collision-monitoring apparatus having a control apparatus that controls the motion of the gantry as a function of whether a crossing of the volume has or has not been detected. |
| US08378321B2 |
Charged particle cancer therapy and patient positioning method and apparatus
The invention comprises a laying, semi-vertical, or seated patient positioning, alignment, and/or control method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Patient positioning constraints are used to maintain the patient in a treatment position, including one or more of: a seat support, a back support, a head support, an arm support, a knee support, and a foot support. One or more of the positioning constraints are movable and/or under computer control for rapid positioning and/or immobilization of the patient. The system optionally uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and/or in system verification and validation. |
| US08378320B2 |
Method for multi-beam exposure on a target
For irradiating a target with a beam of energetic electrically charged particles comprising a plurality of beamlets, the target is exposed in a sequence of exposure stripes composed image pixels. These stripes (s1, s2) are, at their boundaries to adjacent stripes, provided with overlap margins (m12, m21) which are mutually overlapped, so nominal positions of image pixels in the overlap margin (m21) overlap, or substantially coincide, with image pixels in the corresponding overlap margin (m12). During the exposure of an overlap margin (m21), a first subset (n1) of image pixels in said overlap margin are exposed while those of a second subset (n2), possibly a complementary subset with respect to a desired pattern, are not exposed; contrariwise, during the exposure of the corresponding overlap margin (m12), image pixels corresponding to image pixels in the first subset are not exposed, but those corresponding to image pixels in the second subset are. |
| US08378319B2 |
System and method for generating direct-write pattern
A direct-write system is provided which includes a stage for holding a substrate, a processing module for processing pattern data and generating instructions associated with the pattern data, and an exposure module that includes beams that are focused onto the substrate and a beam controller that controls the beams in accordance with the instructions. The processing module includes vertex pair processors each having bit inverters. Each vertex pair processor is operable to process a respective vertex pair of an input scan line to generate an output scan line. Each bit inverter is operable to invert a respective input bit of the input scan line to generate a respective output bit of the output scan line if a bit position is located between the respective vertex pair, otherwise the respective input bit is copied to the respective output bit. The instructions correspond to the output bits for each beam. |
| US08378309B2 |
Radiation detector, radiographic image capturing system, radiation detection method, radiation detection program storage medium, and controller
A radiation detector includes a detection unit, a detection control unit, an image analyzing unit and a determination unit. The detection unit detects radiographic image data by plural pixels that convert applied radiation into electrical signals and store the electrical signals. The detection control unit controls the detection unit so as to determine that radiation has been applied if a read value obtained by reading the electric signals stored in the plural pixels is equal to or greater than a threshold value, and acquire radiographic image data corresponding to radiation that has passed through a subject. The image analyzing unit performs an image analysis with respect to the radiographic image if the read value is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The determination unit determines based on the result of the image analysis whether or not the radiographic image has been detected at an intended timing. |
| US08378301B2 |
Multispectral imaging device based on multiple quantum wells
The invention relates to a multispectral imaging device comprising a multiple-quantum-well structure operating on inter-sub-band transitions by absorbing radiation at a wavelength λ lying within a set of wavelengths to which said structure is sensitive, said structure comprising a matrix of individual detection pixels, characterized in that the matrix is organized in subsets (Eij) of four individual detection pixels, a first individual detection pixel (Pλ1) comprising a first diffraction grating (Rλ1) sensitive to a first subset of wavelengths, a second individual detection pixel (Pλ2) comprising a second diffraction grating (Rλ2) sensitive to a second subset of wavelengths, a third individual detection pixel (Pλ3) comprising a third diffraction grating (Rλ3) sensitive to a third subset of wavelengths and a fourth individual detection pixel (PΔλ) not comprising a wavelength-selective diffraction grating, the first, second and third subsets of wavelengths belonging to the set of wavelengths to which said structure is sensitive. |
| US08378299B2 |
Twin beam charged particle column and method of operating thereof
A column for a charged particle beam device is described. The column includes a charged particle emitter for emitting a primary charged particle beam as one source of the primary charged particle beam; a biprism adapted for acting on the primary charged particle beam so that two virtual sources are generated; and a charged particle beam optics adapted to focus the charged particle beam simultaneously on two positions of a specimen corresponding to images of the two virtual sources. |
| US08378298B2 |
High resolution excitation/isolation of ions in a low pressure linear ion trap
Methods for improved separation of ions from an ion trap employing a combination of low pressure and low amplitude ion excitation, including methods for removing, from an ion trap ion population, ions having a m/z value neighboring that of an ion of interest, mass spectrometry methods providing improved resolution of ion detection, and programmable apparatus programmed with instructions therefor. |
| US08378295B2 |
Atmospheric pressure ion source performance enhancement
Species that may be required to enhance an upstream sample preparation or separation process may be less compatible with the downstream electrospray (ES) processes and cause reduction in mass spectroscopy (MS) signal. New electrolytes have been found that increase positive and negative polarity analyte ion signal measured in ESMS analysis when compared with analyte ESMS signal achieved using more conventional electrolytes. The new electrolyte species increase ES MS signal when added directly to a sample solution or when added to a second solution flow in an electrospray membrane probe, it has also been found that running the ES membrane probe with specific electrolytes in the second solution of the ES membrane probe have been found to enhance ESMS signal compared to using the same electrolytes directly in the sample solution being electrosprayed. The new electrolytes can be added to a reagent ion source configured in a combination atmospheric pressure ion source to improve ionization efficiency. |
| US08378294B2 |
Method of atmospheric pressure ionization for mass spectrometer
The present invention aims at suppressing noises when a mass analysis is performed by introducing a sample solution into an atmospheric pressure ion source by a pressurized liquid feeding method. As a dilution solvent of the sample solution contained in a sample container, a mixed liquid is used in which the mixture ratio of an organic solvent such as methanol is decreased to 20% and the ratio of water is 80%. Since nitrogen, which is a gas for the pressurization, is soluble in an organic solvent, decreasing the ratio of the organic solvent lowers the saturated dissolution amount and suppresses unstable emergence of the gas in the process of the mass analysis. Consequently, even after the elapse of a considerable length of time from the start of liquid feeding, spike-like noises do not appear in the ion intensity, which stabilizes the ion intensity. |
| US08378293B1 |
In-situ conditioning in mass spectrometer systems
In a mass spectrometer or gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer system, a conditioning gas such as, for example, hydrogen is added to condition or clean one or more components or regions of the mass spectrometer such as the ion source. The conditioning gas may be added upstream of the mass spectrometer such as, for example, into a sample inlet or a chromatographic column, or may be added directly into the mass spectrometer. The conditioning gas may be added off-line, when the mass spectrometer is not analyzing a sample, or on-line during sample analysis. When added on-line, the conditioning gas may be mixed with a carrier gas such as, for example, helium. In another embodiment, the conditioning gas also serves as the carrier gas through the column; another gas such as, for example, helium may be added to the carrier gas stream. |
| US08378289B2 |
Optical receiver module and manufacturing method with a shifted and angled light receiving element
Provided is an optical receiver module capable of suppressing an increase, which is caused by tolerance of angle occurring at a time of manufacturing, in an amount of reflected return light that enters into an optical fiber while ensuring light-receiving efficiency. The light-receiving element (10) is arranged so that directions of the lines, which extend along the edges contained in a surface of the light-receiving element (10) on a side of the light-receiving-element support member (11), and which intersect with the region surrounded by a straight line corresponding to the incident direction of the light, a straight line corresponding to a direction of the optical axis of the optical fiber (3), and a supporting surface of the light-receiving-element support member (11) for supporting the light-receiving element (10), correspond to the directions different from the directions orthogonal to the incident direction of the light. |
| US08378288B2 |
Optical position detecting device, robot hand, and robot arm
An optical position detecting device includes a plurality of light source sections which emits detection light, a light detection section which receives the detection light reflected by a target object located in an emitting space of the detection light, a light source driving section which turns on some light source sections among the plurality of light source sections in a first period and turns on, in a second period, light source sections different from the light source sections turned on in the first period, and a position detecting section which detects the position of the target object on the basis of a light-receiving result of the light detection section in the first period and the second period. Each of the light source sections includes a plurality of light-emitting elements arrayed in a direction intersecting the direction of the optical axis of the detection light. |
| US08378284B2 |
Imaging device
The present invention relates to improved imaging devices having high dynamic range and to monitoring and automatic control systems incorporating the improved imaging devices. |
| US08378275B2 |
Method and apparatus for microwave-based liquid vaporization system
The invention described herein generally pertains to coupling microwave energy into a tuned multi-section WR-975 waveguide assembly, connected to a waveguide containing a ceramic cylindrical applicator, terminated in a dummy load, for pre-heating fuels to improve vaporization, combustion efficiency, and soot reduction in combustion chamber(s). Designed primarily for processing liquid byproducts produced during biodiesel fuel manufacturing, this invention establishes a charge density in a cross-coupled applicator, according to the applicator's volume, dielectric characteristics of the materials being processed, applied frequency, and voltage. This invention may also be used for preheating or polarization of solids within a pipe-conveyed slurry, such as biosolids, bituminous coal, crude oil sludge, paper pulp or shale oil rock. Finally, this invention may serve as an integral part of a coal gasification process, employing both microwave drying and reduction methods, to produce syngas, hydrogen, and/or liquid fuels. |
| US08378271B2 |
Utilization of overvoltage and overcurrent compensation to extend the usable operating range of electronic devices
A method and system for inducing augmented levels of heat dissipation by exploiting quiescent IC leakage currents to control the temperature in high power devices. A heat control and temperature monitoring system (HCTMS) utilizes a thermal sensor to sense the junction temperature of a component, which becomes self-heated due to the quiescent leakage current inherent to the component upon the application of power to the component. By increasing the voltage level of the power source, this quiescent self-heating property is augmented, which serves to accelerate the preheating of the device, until the temperature rises above the minimum specified operating temperature of the component. The system is then reliably initialized by applying full system power and triggering a defined initialization sequence/procedure. Once the component is operational, the component's temperature is maintained above the minimum operating threshold via continued self-heating, continued augmentation of the applied DC voltage, or both, as is required. |
| US08378268B2 |
Operator control unit
An operator control unit for operator control of a cooktop comprising at least two cooking zones, with at least one of the cooking zones having two heating rings that can be separately activated. The operator control unit comprises at least one selection element to select a cooking zone, at least one adjusting element, it being possible to adjust a heating power of a selected cooking zone by operating said adjusting element, and a control unit coupled to the at least one selection element and the at least one adjusting element, and which detects operation of the at least one selection element and the at least one adjusting element. The control unit can control at least one of the at least two heating rings of the selected cooking zone in the event of an operating duration in a second time period which differs from the first time period range. |
| US08378267B2 |
Coating for one or more display areas on a glass or glass-ceramic plate, process for producing said coating, and uses thereof
The transparent coating for one or more display areas of a glass or glass-ceramic plate is made by a process using a sol-gel paint containing alkyl silicates as binding agents. The transparent coating is provided on areas of the glass or glass-ceramic plate that have been left uncoated by a color-imparting opaque coating and is formed by applying the sol-gel paint to the areas left open and then thermally treating the sol-gel paint so as to cross-link reactive groups of the alkyl silicates. The coating has organic, non-hydrolyzable groups bound directly to silicon. A process for making the coating and the uses of the coated glass or glass-ceramic plate are part of the invention. |
| US08378263B2 |
Hybrid multi-zone fusing
A fusing system and a method of operating the fusing system, including a first heating zone to heat marking material and a substrate using a non-condensing heat source to less than a target temperature; and a second heating zone to heat the marking material and the substrate to about the target temperature to fuse the marking material to the substrate. |
| US08378260B2 |
Method and device for permanently connecting components of heat-meltable, metallic materials
The invention relates to a method for permanently interconnecting components from a heat-meltable metal material, using a robot-controlled welding unit for carrying out a hybrid welding process. According to the method, a high performance metal active gas welding process (high performance MAG) is carried out. A component (8) carrying out the high performance MAG welding process is carried along by the robot-controlled welding unit (2) to carry out the hybrid welding process, the GSMAW torch (3) which contributes to the hybrid welding process being guided so as to be dragged by the welding unit. |
| US08378258B2 |
System and method for laser machining
A laser machining system and method uses a shaped laser beam, such as a long, narrow beam, and effectively scans the beam in the narrow direction across a mask having an aperture pattern. The pattern on the mask is imaged onto a moving workpiece and the patterned laser beam selectively removes material from the workpiece. The workpiece may be moved using a coordinated synchronized rotational motion. The laser may use a longer wavelength (e.g., 248 nm) and the beam may be scanned at a high rate of speed to reduce the dissipation of the residual thermal energy in the material being machined. In one embodiment, this system and method may be used to machine a complex pattern into a curved surface with relatively high resolution and high speeds. |
| US08378256B2 |
Surface crack sealing method
A method of sealing a surface crack in a member is provided includes steps of irradiating a region of the member at which the crack is produced with a heating laser beam so as to heat the region to a temperature lower than a melting point of the member, and then irradiating a region of the member at which the crack is produced with a welding laser beam subsequent to irradiation of the heating laser beam so as to heat the region to a temperature higher than or equal to the melting point of the member, thereby sealing an opening of the surface crack of the member. |
| US08378253B2 |
Method for laser welding using a nozzle capable of stabilizing the keyhole
The invention relates to a method for welding with a laser beam, using a welding nozzle comprising: a nozzle body having an axis and including at least an upper surface, a lower surface and a peripheral wall; an axial cavity extending between the upper and lower surfaces of the nozzle body so as to define an outer channel recessed from the surface of said peripheral wall; and a plurality of inner passages drilled through the nozzle body between the upper and lower surfaces. The laser welding method of the invention provides a dynamic gas jet mechanically interacting with the molten metal bath, and further enables better control of the bath hydrodynamic flows, and thus better laser-welding efficiency. |
| US08378251B2 |
Two-electrode arc welding device and two-electrode arc welding method
A two-electrode arc welding device and two-electrode arc welding method are provided for performing welding with improved penetration performance using two non-consumable electrodes. In a two-electrode arc welding device, a power-supply unit outputs a straight-polarity voltage and a reverse-polarity voltage, which has a different electrical potential than the straight-polarity voltage. The straight-polarity voltage output from the power-supply unit is applied to a non-consumable electrode of a straight-polarity arc torch, whereby an arc is formed. The reverse-polarity voltage output from the power-supply unit is applied to a non-consumable electrode of a straight-polarity arc torch, whereby an arc is formed. An arc spacing distance, which is a distance between the ends of both the straight-polarity arc torch and the reverse-polarity arc torch, is set to be at least a minimum distance at which an arc will not occur therebetween (arc spacing critical distance). |
| US08378249B2 |
Method and apparatus for proportional valve actuation in a plasma cutter
A system and method for automatically controlling gas pressure for a plasma cutter includes a plasma torch, a gas supply system to provide a pressurized gas to the plasma torch, and a proportional valve configured to regulate the pressurized gas. The proportional valve includes a body, a valve seat positioned therein and defining a valve orifice, and a plunger having a mating surface on one end that mates with the valve seat and the orifice and a pressure receiving surface on an opposite end. The proportional valve also includes an inlet to receive the pressurized gas and distribute the pressurized gas to the valve orifice and the pressure receiving surface of the plunger, an electrical solenoid having a chamber to electro-magnetically translate the plunger therein, and a bias urging the plunger toward the valve orifice in conjunction with the pressurized gas when electrical power is reduced to the electrical solenoid. |
| US08378243B2 |
Arrangement comprising at least two separate switch pole housings and having a joining facility for joining the switch pole housings and a multi-pole electric switching device comprising such an arrangement
An arrangement including at least two separate switch pole housings and a joining facility for joining the switch pole housings. Each of the switch pole housings forms an insulating enclosure of a switching space for receiving a single switch pole of an electric switching device. A side wall of a first switch pole housing, facing a second one of the switch pole housings, includes at least one recess for receiving at least one joining device of the joining facility. The at least one recess forms a first undercut with respect to a side wall and a first locating surface in parallel with a front wall of the housing. The at least one joining device engages behind the first undercut and is braced against a first locating surface. |
| US08378239B2 |
Hermetic feed-through with hybrid seal structure
A power terminal feed-through includes a housing body, a plurality of conductive pins, and a seal structure that hermetically seals the conductive pins to the housing body and electrically insulates the conductive pins from the housing body. The seal structure includes a first material fused to one of the housing body and the conductive pin, and a second material fused to the other one of the housing body and the conductive pin. The first and second materials may be properly chosen to match thermal expansion of the housing body and the conductive pins, respectively. |
| US08378237B2 |
Multi-piece board and fabrication method therefor
A method for fabricating a multi-piece board includes: preparing a board main portion having a first coupling member and multiple piece portions connected to the first coupling member, the first coupling member forming a part of a coupling member of a multi-piece board, each of the piece portions having a printed wiring board; preparing a second coupling member which forms the coupling member together with the first coupling member; and adhering the second coupling member to the first coupling member of the board main portion, thereby yielding the multi-piece board. |
| US08378236B2 |
Electric junction box
A vertical bus bar is provided to a side of a relay mount portion. A flat bus bar portion is integrally provided extending from an end edge portion of the vertical bus bar to an opening of a terminal connection hole of the relay mount portion. A plurality of connection terminals, including a connection terminal for a switch, are integrally provided to the flat bus bar portion. |
| US08378233B2 |
Aircraft interior bushing
An aircraft interior bushing assembly is disclosed comprising interoperating bushings, each bushing comprising a recessing portion, a radially inner surface operably configured to contact a surface defining a void in a panel, a perimeter portion wherein the perimeter portion is substantially larger than the recessing portion, a support arm receiver, and a support arm coupled to each bushing. Each support arm comprises a first end coupled to the bushing, and a second end comprising a conduit receiver. In one form, the bushing assembly is operably configured to support a conduit at a distance from the radially inner surface of the interoperating bushings to substantially prohibit contact between the conduit and the bushing assembly once the conduit is installed and fixed to the conduit receiver. |
| US08378231B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes wiring boards each having an insulating board, conductor circuits and through-holes, the insulating board having top and bottom surfaces, the conductor circuits formed on the top and bottom surfaces, the through holes penetrating the insulating board and electrically connecting the conductor circuits of the top and bottom surfaces; conductor posts each having flange, head and leg portions, the flange portion having first and second surfaces and having an external diameter larger than that of the through-hole, the head portion protruding from the first surface, the leg portion protruding from the second surface; and electronic components each having an electrode formed on one or more surfaces and connected to the leg portion. The head portion is inserted until the first surface of the flange portion comes into contact with the bottom surface of the wiring board and electrically connected at an inner wall of the through-hole. |
| US08378230B2 |
Printed wiring board and method for manufacturing the same
A printed wiring board includes an interlayer resin insulation layer having the first surface, the second surface on the opposite side of the first surface, and a penetrating hole for a via conductor, a conductive circuit formed on the first surface of the interlayer resin insulation layer, a via conductor formed in the penetrating hole and connected to the conductive circuit on the first surface of the interlayer resin insulation layer, and a surface-treatment coating formed on the surface of the via conductor exposed from the second surface of the interlayer resin insulation layer through the penetrating hole. The via conductor is made of a first conductive layer formed on the side wall of the penetrating hole and a plated-metal filling the penetrating hole. The surface of the via conductor is recessed from the second surface of the interlayer resin insulation layer. |
| US08378229B2 |
Circuit board and method for manufacturing semiconductor modules and circuit boards
A circuit board includes a substrate made principally of metal. An opening is provided on the substrate. A first wiring layer is provided on one surface of the substrate via a first insulating layer, and a second wiring layer is provided on the other surface of the substrate via a second insulating layer. A conductor penetrates the substrate via the opening and connects the first wiring layer with the second wiring layer. An end of the opening at one surface side of the substrate has a tapering form on a surface layer thereof, and the first insulating layer has a recess on an upper surface thereof in an upper region of the opening. |
| US08378228B2 |
Surface mount component having magnetic layer thereon and method of forming same
A microelectronic assembly, a surface mount component and a method of providing the surface mount component. The assembly comprises: a substrate having bonding pads disposed on a mounting surface thereof, the bonding pads including a ferromagnetic material therein; solidified solder disposed on the bonding pads; and a surface mount component bonded to the substrate by way of the solidified solder and including a magnetic layer disposed on a substrate side thereof, the magnetic layer being adapted to cooperate with the ferromagnetic material in the bonding pads to establish a magnetic force of a sufficient magnitude to hold the surface mount component on the substrate before and during soldering. |
| US08378227B2 |
Method of forming wiring board and wiring board obtained
A method of forming a wiring board comprises: a step of forming a receptive layer having a porous structure on a substrate; a step of forming wiring portions in a desired conductive pattern on a surface of the receptive layer by ejecting a colloidal metal solution for drawing by an ink-jet system based on image date of the conductive pattern; and a step of performing a migration-proof treatment on at least part of the receptive layer exposed between mutually adjacent wiring portions. |
| US08378226B2 |
Wired circuit board
A wired circuit board includes a conductive pattern, and an insulating layer covering the conductive pattern and having a transmittance of not more than 30% with respect to a wavelength in a range of 600 to 680 nm. |
| US08378224B2 |
Tape for semiconductor package and cutting method thereof
A tape for a semiconductor package is provided. The tape comprises a base comprising a plurality of cutting areas, leads formed in each of the cutting areas on the base, and narrow wires connected to the corresponding leads. The narrow wires in at least one of the cutting areas are offset from central lines of the corresponding leads. |
| US08378223B1 |
Delay line structure
A delay line structure disposed on a substrate having a dielectric base layer formed with a via, a layout layer and a grounding layer with a grounding circuit, includes two parallel spiral delay lines having a first outer straight section, a first outer bent section, an inner spiral region, a second outer bent section and a second outer straight section. The inner spiral region bends reciprocally between the first and second outer straight sections to form several inner bent parts and several inner straight parts. A grounding guard trace is disposed among the first and second outer straight sections and the inner straight parts and is coupled electrically to the grounding circuit, wherein each of the first and second outer bent sections and the inner bent parts has a width smaller than each of the first and second outer straight sections and the inner straight parts. |
| US08378216B2 |
Energy cable
An energy cable includes at least one electrical conductor and at least one extruded coating layer including a thermoplastic polymer material in admixture with a dielectric fluid, wherein the dielectric fluid includes a compound of formula (I): X-A-X′; where A is a monocyclic aromatic moiety or an at least partially aromatic condensed polycyclic moiety; and at least one of X and X′ is methyl or an aliphatic moiety, in both cases optionally substituted with and/or interrupted by one or more of keto, alkoxy, alkylthio, mercapto, hydroxyalkyl, hydroxyl; the other being hydrogen; the compound having a ratio of number of aromatic carbon atoms to total number of carbon atoms greater than or equal to 0.6. |
| US08378214B2 |
Harness connection member
A harness connection member has a cover member. In fitting a cover member to a holder, a split slit is opened with use of a slit, and wires are inserted into the holder. Thereafter, the cover member is moved to the holder, then moved over one projected annular part of the holder, and fitted into the projected ring parts. A concaved strip part is fitted to a convexed strip part to complete the installation, whereby the cover member cannot be moved relative to the holder in both longitudinal and circumferential directions. |
| US08378209B2 |
Solar cell and method of fabrication thereof
A solar cell and a method of fabricating solar cells. The method includes a step of separating neighbor solar cells formed on a semiconductor wafer by scribing the wafer to form scribe lines on the wafer and applying a force at, or adjacent to, the scribed lines to separate the solar cells. The scribing is effected on a cap layer covering a window layer of solar cells, thereby minimizing damage to the window layer and mitigating propagation of defects into p-n junctions formed in the solar cells. |
| US08378204B2 |
Pedal device for electronic keyboard instrument
A pedal device for an electronic keyboard apparatus adds sound effects to musical notes generated by the electronic keyboard apparatus in response to an operator depressing the pedal device. A first reaction force application device is configured to apply a first reaction force countering a depression of the pedal by the operator from an initial state to a specified state to produce a first reaction force, wherein the first reaction force increases as the pedal is depressed from the initial state to the specified state. A second reaction force application device that is configured to apply a second reaction force countering a depression of the pedal by the operator after the specified state, wherein after the specified state the first reaction force and the second reaction force are applied to the pedal. |
| US08378201B2 |
Resonance generation device of electronic musical instrument, resonance generation method of electronic musical instrument, computer program, and computer readable recording medium
A resonance generation device of an electronic musical instrument, including: a key depression state detecting means detecting whether a key which is in a specific relation with a played key is already depressed or not when a key playing operation is performed; a specific relation detecting means detecting the relation between the played key and the depressed key when the key depression state detecting means detects that the key in the specific relation with the played key is already depressed; and a musical sound generation means sound generating a musical sound of the played key when the specific relation detecting means detects that the played key and the depressed key are in the specific relation set in advance, and generating a predetermined musical sound based on the relation between the played key and the depressed key so that a position of the depressed key is to be a sound generation source. |
| US08378198B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting pitch period of input signal
Provided are a method and apparatus for detecting a pitch period of an input signal, the method including: generating division frames by dividing the input signal by a unit of a first predetermined number of samples at a time domain; detecting a reference sample which has a peak value in each division frame; generating extraction frames by extracting a second predetermined number of samples on the basis of the reference sample of each division frame; and detecting the pitch period of the input signal based on a similarity among the extraction frames. |
| US08378197B1 |
Method and system for music program selection
In providing a music program, a personal music player displays personal activity choices. A user selects a personal activity and provides a time duration for the activity. The player sends a request to a music program server for a music program. The request includes the personal activity and the time duration. The music program server selects a music program record from a plurality of music program records that has an activity attribute which matches the personal activity and a program duration which matches or is less than the time duration. The server extracts location information for the music program from the program entry in the music program record, and sends this to the player. The player uses the location information to obtain the music program. In this manner, a music program is provided to a user based on the personal activity of the user. |
| US08378192B1 |
Portable guitar with an adjustable bottom leg rest section
A portable travel guitar that can be readily disassembled to fit into a compact custom guitar case. The top and bottom sections of the guitar body are detached from the main body of the guitar which streamlines it's size. The bottom section which comprises a typical cut out that accommodates resting a standard guitar on a performers leg or knee, can be moved forward or rearward and secured into position. The assembly and disassembly as well as the leg rest adjustments requires no tools. |
| US08378191B2 |
Soundboard bracing structure system for musical stringed instruments
A bracing structure formed onto the underside soundboard surface of an acoustic musical stringed instrument comprising two bracing bars (1, 2) that are used to support the soundboard and bridge in an indirect fashion from strings directional load tension via a realignment of the strings directional load tension placed through adjoining triangular blocks (3, 4), which re-alignment of the strings directional load tension is taken at acute angles to the line of the strings and focused on a predetermined point found on the bars (1, 2) that are also placed away and at an acute angle to the line of the strings, the acute angling allowing for string vibrations to be largely diverted away from an otherwise direct load line and redirected into the soundboard via a thin half circular shaped block (5) and through several fine bar braces (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) arranged in a somewhat spoke like pattern. |
| US08378189B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X8F939
A novel maize variety designated X8F939 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X8F939 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X8F939 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X8F939, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X8F939. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X8F939. |
| US08378187B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH711877
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH711877. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH711877, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH711877 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH711877. |
| US08378184B2 |
Soybean variety XB14G11
A novel soybean variety, designated XB14G11 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB14G11, cells from soybean variety XB14G11, plants of soybean XB14G11, and plant parts of soybean variety XB14G11. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB14G11 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB14G11, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB14G11, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB14G11. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB14G11 are further provided. |
| US08378183B2 |
Soybean variety A1023750
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1023750. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1023750. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1023750 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1023750 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08378182B2 |
Soybean variety A1023748
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1023748. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1023748. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1023748 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1023748 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08378176B2 |
Lettuce line RS 16884606
The invention provides seed and plants of the lettuce line designated RS 16884606. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of lettuce line RS 16884606, and to methods for producing a lettuce plant produced by crossing a plant of lettuce line RS 16884606 with itself or with another lettuce plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of lettuce line RS 16884606, including the gametes of such plants. |
| US08378174B2 |
Pea line 08560906
The invention provides seed and plants of the pea line designated 08560906. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pea line 08560906, and to methods for producing a pea plant produced by crossing a plant of pea line 08560906 with itself or with another pea plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of pea line 08560906, including the seed, pod, and gametes of such plants. |
| US08378172B2 |
Methods using acyl-CoA binding proteins to enhance low-temperature tolerance in genetically modified plants
ACBP6 can be used to enhance low temperature tolerance in genetically modified plants. An acbp6 T-DNA insertional mutant that lacked ACBP6 mRNA and protein, displayed increased sensitivity to freezing temperature (−8° C.), while ACBP6-overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis were conferred enhanced freezing tolerance. Methods of using ACBP6 to enhance low temperature tolerance of plants are provided. |
| US08378167B2 |
Array of wetness-sensing articles
A wetness sensing system includes a first wetness sensing article; a first signaling device producing a first signal upon sensing wetness in the first wetness sensing article, wherein the first signaling device is compatible with the first wetness sensing article; and a second signaling device producing a second signal upon sensing wetness in the first wetness sensing article, wherein the second signaling device is compatible with the first wetness sensing article. Also, a method for enhancing a wetness sensing system includes producing a wetness sensing absorbent article compatible with at least one component of the wetness sensing system, wherein the wetness sensing system includes as components a wetness sensing article and a first signaling device compatible with the wetness sensing article. |
| US08378166B2 |
Absorbent article with time variable appearing graphics
An absorbent article including features facilitating toilet training of a wearer is provided. The article includes at least a first appearing graphic that changes from an initial, less visible state to a subsequent, more visible state in the absence of wetness, thereby to provide positive encouragement to a child during toilet training. The appearing graphic becomes less visible if subjected to liquid. A wetness sensation member may also be provided to give tactile, negative sensation to the child, thereby giving feedback received by at least two different senses. Additionally or alternatively, a second appearing graphic, different from the first appearing graphic, may be provided to increase a child's interest in the toilet training process. The first and second appearing graphics may become visible at different times, thereby providing a sequential or spaced reveal of the image. |
| US08378158B2 |
Azeotrope-like compositions of (Z)-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene and hydrogen fluoride
Disclosed are azeotropic and azeotrope-like mixtures of (Z)-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene (1233zd(Z)) and hydrogen fluoride. Such compositions are useful as an intermediate in the production of 1233zd(Z). The latter compound is useful as a nontoxic, zero ozone depleting fluorocarbon useful as a solvent, blowing agent, refrigerant, cleaning agent, aerosol propellant, heat transfer medium, dielectric, fire extinguishing composition and power cycle working fluid. |
| US08378157B2 |
Method for producing bis(fluoralkyl)phosphinic acid chlorides or fluoralkylphosphonic acid chlorides
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of bis(fluoroalkyl)phosphinyl chlorides or fluoroalkylphosphonyl dichlorides by reaction of the corresponding bis(fluoroalkyl)phosphinic acid or fluoroalkylphosphonic acid with aryltetrachlorophosphorane as chlorinating agent. |
| US08378156B2 |
Process for the conversion of alcohol (s) into alcohol (s) with increased carbon-chain
Process for homologation of alcohol(s), by 1 introducing alcohol(s) into an etherification unit to produce alkyl ether(s), 2, introducing at least a part of the alkyl ether(s) from step 1, together with CO and optionally H2, into a carbonylation unit, in the presence of an acidic homogeneous or heterogeneous carbonylation catalyst, to produce alkyl ester(s), and 3, introducing at least a part of the alkyl ester(s) from step 2, together with H2, into a hydrogenation unit, to produce homologated alcohol(s). Optionally, at least a part of the homologated alcohol(s) from step 3 is recycled into the etherification unit of step 1. Alcohol(s) from the hydrogenation unit of step 3 are recovered. |
| US08378152B2 |
Method of producing propylene glycol
Propylene glycol is produced by a method of producing propylene glycol, the method including: obtaining propylene glycol by performing catalytic hydrogenation of glycerol in the presence of a catalyst, the catalyst containing zinc oxide and at least one of copper and copper oxide, and the catalyst, after being reduced at 180° C. to 230° C. in the presence of hydrogen, showing a half width of from 0.4 to 1.1 of a peak having a peak top at a position at which a diffraction angle (2θ±0.2°) is 43.1° in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained using CuKα as a radiation source. |
| US08378145B2 |
Transition-metal-catalyzed carbon-nitrogen and carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions
One aspect of the present invention relates to ligands for transition metals. A second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of catalysts comprising these ligands in various transition-metal-catalyzed carbon-heteroatom and carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions. The subject methods provide improvements in many features of the transition-metal-catalyzed reactions, including the range of suitable substrates, number of catalyst turnovers, reaction conditions, and efficiency. For example, improvements have been realized in transition metal-catalyzed: aryl amination reactions; aryl amidation reactions; Suzuki couplings; and Sonogashira couplings. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to catalysts and methods of using them that operate in aqueous solvent systems. |
| US08378144B2 |
Process for preparing polyoxymethylene homopolymers or copolymers by homopolymerization or copolymerization of trioxane, starting from methanol
A process for preparing polyoxymethylene homopolymers or copolymers (7) by homopolymerization or copolymerization of trioxane, starting from methanol (1), in which methanol (1) is oxidized in a first reactor in a first production plant (A) to give an aqueous formaldehyde-comprising stream (2) which is fed to a second production plant (B) in which pure trioxane (6) is obtained and removal of low boilers (5) by distillation is carried out and the pure trioxane (6) is fed to a third production plant (C) in which it is homopolymerized or copolymerized to form polyoxymethylene homopolymers or copolymers (7), wherein the low boiler stream (5) from the low boiler removal column (K 2) is recycled to the feed stream into the first reactor in the first production plant (A), is proposed. |
| US08378143B2 |
Methods of making Efavirens and intermediates thereof
The present invention provides a process for the preparation of Efavirenz. A compound of Formula 1: may be prepared by a process comprising cyclizing, in the presence of a first base, a compound of Formula 5 with a haloformate of Formula 6. Other processes are also provided as well as novel compounds prepared by and used in such processes. |
| US08378142B2 |
Intermediate compounds and their use in preparation of lacosamide
The present invention is concerned with novel compounds and their use for the preparation of lacosamide. The present invention also contemplates processes for the preparation of lacosamide employing the novel compound of general Formula II, Formula IIa or Formula IIb as intermediate. Wherein R1 is —OH or —OMe; R2 is —OH or —NH—CH2—C6H5. |
| US08378140B2 |
Processes for preparing low-chlorine isocyanates
Processes comprising providing an amine reactant, and reacting the amine reactant with a stream of phosgene in a reaction zone to form a product comprising a corresponding isocyanate, wherein the phosgene stream has a CO content of 0.5% by weight or more. |
| US08378137B2 |
Synthesis of acyloxyalkyl carbamate prodrugs and intermediates thereof
Methods for synthesis of 1-(acyloxy)-alkyl carbamates, particularly, the synthesis of 1-(acyloxy)-alkyl carbamate prodrugs of primary or secondary amine-containing drugs are described. Also described are methods for synthesis of 1-(acyloxy)-alkyl N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbonates which are useful intermediates in the synthesis of 1-(acyloxy)-alkyl carbamates are also described. |
| US08378126B2 |
Strontium (M) ascorbate, compositions containing same, method for making same and method of using same
A compound of formula (ascorbate)2Sr:(M+a)x(ascorbate)y, or ascorbate)2Sr:Ca(ascorbate)2, a composition containing the same, a method of making the same and a method of administering the same as a supplement. |
| US08378121B2 |
Quaternary ammonium diphenylmethyl compounds useful as muscarinic receptor antagonists
The invention provides compounds of formula I: in salt or zwitterionic form or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1-6, a-e and Q are as defined in the specification. These compounds are muscarinic receptor antagonists. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, processes for preparing such compounds and methods of using such compounds to, for example, treat pulmonary disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. |
| US08378119B2 |
Method for producing asymmetric tetrasubstituted carbon atom-containing compound
The invention provides an industrial method for producing a spiroaminopyrrolidone derivative, which is an intermediate for producing a quinolone antibacterial agent. |
| US08378116B2 |
Phenylnaphthylimidazole compound and usage of the same
A surface treating agent containing a novel phenylnaphthylimidazole compound represented by the following formula is brought into contact with the surface of copper or a copper alloy. In the formula, when A1 is a phenyl group, then A2 represents a 1-naphthyl group or a 2-naphthyl group, and when A1 is a 1-naphthyl group or a 2-naphthyl group, then A2 represents a phenyl group; and R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. |
| US08378111B2 |
Process for the resolution of (R,S)-nicotine
(R,S)-Nicotine was resolved through diastereomeric salt formation using dibenzoyl-d-tartaric acid and dibenzoyl-l-tartaric acid to obtain enantiomerically pure (S)-nicotine and (R)-nicotine. |
| US08378110B1 |
Process for the preparation of (R, S)-nicotine
A process for (R,S)-nicotine is described. Condensation of 1-(but-1-enyl)pyrrolidin-2-one with nicotinic acid ester gave 1-(but-1-enyl)-3-nicotinoylpyrrolidin-2-one which on treatment with an acid and a base gave myosmine. Myosmine was converted to (R,S)-nicotine by reduction followed by N-methylation. |
| US08378108B2 |
Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase inhibitors
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I): where in X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, X8, R1, R2, R3 are as defined above. The compounds have apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (“ASK1”) inhibitory activity, and are thus useful in the treatment of ASK1-mediated conditions, including autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising one or more of the compounds of Formula (I), and to methods of preparing the compounds of Formula (I). |
| US08378107B2 |
Heteroaryl antagonists of prostaglandin D2 receptors
Described herein are heteroaryl compounds that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the heteroaryl compounds described. Also described herein are methods of using such antagonists of PGD2 receptors, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating respiratory, cardiovascular, and other PGD2-dependent or PGD2-mediated conditions or diseases. |
| US08378105B2 |
Crystalline pharmaceutical and methods of preparation and use thereof
Novel crystalline polymorphic forms, Forms A, B, C, D, and E of a compound of Formula I, which has been found to be a potent inhibitor of LFA-1, are disclosed. Methods of preparation and uses thereof in the treatment of LFA-1 mediated diseases are also disclosed in this invention. |
| US08378102B2 |
Oxime and hydroxylamine substituted thiazolo[4,5-c] ring compounds and methods
Thiazolo[4,5-c]ring compounds, (e.g. thiazolopyridine, thiazoloquinoline, 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrothiazoloquinoline, thiazolonaphthyridine, and 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrothiazolonaphthyridine compounds) having an oxime or hydroxylamine substituent at the 2-position, pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, intermediates, and methods of making and methods of use of these compounds as immunomodulators, for modulating cytokine biosynthesis in animals and in the treatment of diseases including viral and neoplastic diseases are disclosed. |
| US08378100B2 |
Phosphonate derivatives as autotaxin inhibitors
The present invention provides β-hydroxy phosphonate compounds that are autotaxin inhibitors. |
| US08378097B2 |
3-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-6-(4-cyclopropylpiperazin-1-yl)-pyridazine, its salts and solvates and its use as histamine H3 receptor antagonist
3-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-6-(4-cyclopropylpiperazin-1-yl)pyridazine and salts and solvates thereof, having histamine H3 antagonistic activity can be used in pharmaceutical compositions. |
| US08378095B2 |
Oxazole tyrosine kinase inhibitors
The invention provides a compound which is an amide of the formula (1), or a salt, solvate, N-oxide or tautomer thereof; wherein: a is 0 or 1; b is 0 or 1: provided that the sum of a and b is 0 or 1; T is O or NH Ar1 is a monocyclic or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aryl or heteroaryl group containing up to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S, and being optionally substituted by one or more substituents R1; Ar2 Js a monocyclic or bicyclic 5- to 10-membered aryl or heteroaryl group containing up to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S and being optionally substituted by one or more substituents R2; and R1 and R2 are as defined in the claims. The compounds are inhibitors of kinases and in particular FLT3, FLT4 and Aurora kinases. |
| US08378092B2 |
Chlorothiophene-amides as inhibitors of coagulation factors Xa and thrombin
The present invention relates to compounds of the formula I, wherein R1; R2; R3; R4; R5, R13, R16, X and M have the meanings indicated in the claims. The compounds of formula I are valuable pharmacologically active compounds. They exhibit a strong anti-thrombotic effect and are suitable, for example, for the therapy and prophylaxis of cardio-vascular disorders like thromboembolic diseases or restenoses. They are reversible inhibitors of the blood clotting enzymes factor Xa (FXa) and thrombin and can in general be applied in conditions in which an undesired activity of factor Xa and/or thrombin are present or for the cure or prevention of which an inhibition of factor Xa and thrombin are intended. The invention furthermore relates to processes for the preparation of compounds of the formula I, their use, in particular as active ingredients in pharmaceuticals, and pharmaceutical preparations comprising them. |
| US08378091B2 |
Cellulose derivative
A cellulose derivative which has a suitable elastic modulus and viscosity when it is dissolved in water and is useful as an adhesion barrier.The cellulose derivative has a molecular weight of 5×103 to 5×106 and is composed of a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of the following formulas (a), (b), (c) and (d) in predetermined amount: (X in the formula (c) is an alkali metal, and R4 and R5 in the formula (d) are each independently an alkyl group or alkenyl group having 10 to 28 carbon atoms). |
| US08378088B2 |
Compositions comprising MIR34 therapeutic agents for treating cancer
In one aspect, the invention generally relates to compositions comprising miR-34 and siRNAs functionally and structurally related to miR-34 for the treatment of cancer. |
| US08378087B2 |
Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface proteins 4 and 5 and their use
Accordingly, the invention provides constructs in which the nucleic acids encoding Plasmodium falciparum MSP4 and MSP5, and the resulting polypeptides, have been modified. More particularly, this invention provides constructs encoding recombinant MSP4 and MSP5 polypeptides, which are expressed as soluble, secreted polypeptides in a baculovirus-insect cell expression system. It was surprisingly found that the recombinant polypeptides contain an EGF-like domain at the C-terminus that is properly folded in the polypeptide. |
| US08378082B2 |
Anti-CD86 antibody
The present invention discloses a method for assaying the binding of L104EA29YIg to a receptor. The receptor is preferably CD86 or CD80. The present invention also discloses antibodies to be used in the assay, as well as hybridomas expressing the antibodies. |
| US08378075B2 |
Covalent attachment of peptides and biological molecules to luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals
A method for covalent attachment of peptides to luminescent quantum dots or other inorganic nanoparticles. The first step in the method involves functionalizing at least a portion of a surface of the quantum dot or nanoparticle with one or more materials having at least one reactive functional group therein. Subsequently, a peptide having a reactive functional group is reacted with at least some of the quantum dot or nanoparticle reactive functional groups to covalently bond at least some of the peptide to the quantum dots or nanoparticles. Modifications of the basic method are disclosed which provide methods allowing customized fabrication of quantum dots having a variety of different functional properties and combinations of functional properties. Also disclosed are quantum dots and nanoparticles made by the methods of the present invention. |
| US08378072B2 |
Methods for designing and synthesizing directed sequence polymer compositions via the directed expansion of epitope permeability
The instant invention comprises a process for the solid phase synthesis of directed epitope peptide mixtures useful in the modulation of unwanted immune responses, such process defined by a set of rules regarding the identity and the frequency of occurrence of amino acids that substitute a base or native amino acid of a known epitope. The resulting composition is a mixture of related peptides for therapeutic use. |
| US08378070B2 |
Peptides for the regulation of neurotransmitter sequestration and release
A method of selecting an agent comprising a neuroprotecting activity is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) introducing a plurality of agents into a plurality of cells; and (b) analyzing Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 (VMAT2) transcription in the cells; and (c) identifying an agent of the plurality of agents capable of up-regulating DJ-1-dependent VMAT2 transcription in the cells, thereby selecting the agent comprising the neuroprotectingactivity. |
| US08378066B2 |
Insulinotropic peptide synthesis using solid and solution phase combination techniques
The present invention relates to the preparation of insulinotropic peptides that are synthesized using a solid and solution phase (“hybrid”) approach. Generally, the approach includes synthesizing three different peptide intermediate fragments using solid phase chemistry. Solution phase chemistry is then used to add additional amino acid material to one of the fragments. The fragments are then coupled together in the solution phase. The use of a pseudoproline in one of the fragments eases solid phase synthesis of that fragment and also eases subsequent solution phase coupling of this fragment to other fragments. The present invention is very useful for forming insulinotropic peptides such as Exenatide(1-39) and its natural and non-natural counterparts. |
| US08378063B2 |
Process for producing fluoropolymer particles
A process for producing fluoropolymer particles includes preparing a solution/dispersion containing fluoropolymer dissolved/dispersed in a first solvent such that the swelling of fluoropolymer by the first solvent is from 50 to 1,200%, and mixing the solution/dispersion with a second solvent such that fluoropolymer forms particles and the swelling of fluoropolymer by the mixture of the first and second solvents is from 0 to 100%. WC/WB is in the range of from 1 to 5, WB represents mass of the first solvent, WC/ represents mass of the second solvent, WC/WB represents a ratio of the mass of the second solvent to the mass of the first solvent. SBC/SB is at most 0.5. SBC represents the swelling by the mixture of the first and second solvents, SB represents the swelling by the first solvent, and SBC/SB represents a ratio of the swelling by the mixture to the swelling by the first solvent. |
| US08378061B2 |
Polyester films with improved oil repellency
Provided are films made from copolyesters having improved oil repellency as compared to conventional copolyesters. The copolyesters are derived from certain perfluorinated monomers. |
| US08378057B2 |
Polyether ester block copolymer
To provide a polyether ester block copolymer which has surface hardness suitable to be applied to a structural member and excellent in sound deadening quality and tribological property, a polyether ester block copolymer of the present invention comprises (a) aromatic dicarboxylic acid unit, (b) 1,3-propanediol and/or 1,4-butanediol unit and (c) long chain diol unit mainly including polyoxytrimethylene glycol, wherein the durometer hardness (type D), measured according to the principle of the method described in JIS K6253, is 40 or larger and 78 or smaller. |
| US08378055B2 |
Polyester carbonate copolymer for optical lens and optical lens
This invention is to provide a polyester carbonate copolymer suitable for an optical lens that has high refractivity and transparency and low birefringence and little optical strain, and optical lenses formed therefrom.This invention is a polyester carbonate copolymer for an optical lens, which comprises 67 to 95 mol % of a unit of the following formula (I) and 33 to 5 mol % of a unit of the following formula (II) and has a specific viscosity of 0.12 to 0.30, wherein Y in the formula (II) is a phenylene group or a naphthalenediyl group. |
| US08378052B2 |
Composition capable of radiation activated catalysis and radiation curable urethane containing the composition
A composition capable of radiation activated catalysis is provided. The composition comprises a metal compound, a mercapto compound and an olefinic compound. Radiation curable urethane compositions comprising the disclosed composition are also provided. The radiation curable urethane compositions comprise the disclosed composition, a hydroxyl compound and an isocyanate compound. Activation of the composition by radiation in a urethane formulation provides for an efficient method of curing the urethane composition. Coating and adhesive compositions comprising the radiation curable urethane compositions are also provided. In addition, methods for coating and bonding substrates are disclosed. |
| US08378049B2 |
Production and use of highly functional, highly branched or hyperbranched polylysines
The present invention relates to new high-functionality, highly branched or hyperbranched polylysines, to processes for preparing them, and to their use. |
| US08378048B2 |
Copolymers, compositions thereof, and methods for making them
Provided are amorphous ethylene propylene copolymer, compositions thereof, and methods for making same, whereby the copolymer can include of from about 40 wt. % to about 60 wt. % ethylene derived units; and of from about 60 wt. % to about 40 wt. % propylene derived units. The copolymer can be characterized by having no discernable melting point as measured by DSC, an MFRR (MI (21.6 kg; 230° C.)/MI (2.16 kg; 230° C.)) (MI (2.16 kg; 230° C.)) of about 38 or more, a molecular weight distribution (MWD) of from about 1.5 to about 2.5, and a shear viscosity η* at 0.01 rad/sec measured at 70° C. that satisfies the relation |η*|(70° C.; 0.01 rad/sec)>1.2*106*|MFR|−0.77, wherein MFR is the melt flow rate. |
| US08378046B2 |
High refractive index pressure-sensitive adhesives
The present invention provides pressure-sensitive adhesives having a refractive index of at least 1.50. The pressure-sensitive adhesives comprise at least one monomer containing a substituted or an unsubstituted biphenyl group. |
| US08378040B2 |
Methods for cleaning the distributor plate in a fluidized bed reactor system
A method for cleaning a distributor plate in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor system according to one embodiment includes, in a first mode, operating with about a normal, baseline value of superficial gas velocity in a fluidized bed polymerization reactor system having a reactor vessel, a recycle line, and a distributor plate in the reactor vessel near an inlet of the reactor vessel. In a second mode, the superficial gas velocity is increased above the baseline value of the first mode to a level sufficient to raise the temperature of the cycle gas at the inlet above an average temperature of the cycle gas at the inlet in the first mode, and to a level sufficient to dislodge foulant from holes in the distributor plate. |
| US08378039B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing polymer particle
[Summary]The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing polymer particles and a method for manufacturing the same. The present invention provides an apparatus and a method, by which polymer particles having excellent monodispersity and homogeneous physical properties, such as homogeneous cross-linking degree and polymerization degree, may be efficiently prepared. In the present invention, particles having excellent monodispersity with the desired particle diameter, and also having a high cross-linking degree or a core-shell or core-double shell structure may also be effectively prepared. In addition, the processes for manufacturing said polymer particles are exceptionally reproducible in the present invention. Additionally, the present invention provides an apparatus which may effectively control particle diameter, shape, cross-linking degree, polymerization degree or structure, and the concentration of solid content in a polymer solution, and the like, depending on the intended purpose, and a method thereof. |
| US08378036B2 |
Method of drying a material having a cohesive phase
A method for drying a material such as a polymer hydrogel which passes through a cohesive phase as it dries is disclosed. The method comprises agitating a composition while removing liquid until the solids content of the composition reaches a level at which the composition enters a cohesive phase, halting agitation, removing liquid from the composition in the absence of agitation, and resuming agitation. Practice of the present invention can eliminate the problems associated with adhesion of a material to itself and to process equipment during the cohesive phase. |
| US08378034B2 |
Adducts of metathesis polymers and preparation thereof
Adducts of an unsaturated metathesis polymer or interpolymer and an unsaturated diacid anhydride. A process for producing adducts of an unsaturated metathesis polymer or interpolymer and unsaturated diacid anhydride. |
| US08378032B2 |
Elastoplastic polyolefin compositions having low gloss
Elastoplastic polyolefin composition comprising, in percent by weight: A) 10-50% of a copolymer of propylene with one or more comonomer(s) selected from ethylene and CH2═CHR alpha-olefins where R is a 2-8 carbon alkyl, which copolymer contains from 1 to 8% of comonomer(s); B) 50-90% of a copolymer of ethylene and (i) propylene or (ii) CH2═CHR alpha-olefins, where R is a 2-8 carbon alkyl radical, or (iii) a combination thereof, optionally with minor amounts of a diene, containing from 57 to 80% of ethylene; wherein the weight ratio B/XS of the content B of copolymer component (B) to the fraction XS soluble in xylene at room temperature, both referred to the total weight of (A)+(B), is of 1.5 or less, and the intrinsic viscosity [η] of the said XS fraction is of 3 dl/g or more. |
| US08378022B2 |
Biocompatible, biodegradable, water-absorbent hybrid material
A biocompatible, biodegradable, macromolecular water-absorbent hybrid material (WAHM), having a three-dimensional configuration with intermolecular covalent bonds and containing free functional groups, said polymer being formed by polymer-polymer intercoupling reaction between a natural water-soluble polymer A or its derivatives having a molecular weight between 20,000 and 300,000 Da, and a synthetic polymer B in an adequate ratio wherein the natural polymer A is selected from amphoteric reactants, partially denatured or chemically modified natural polymer, that dissociates in water to form both anions and cations, and which can undergo polymer-polymer intercoupling reactions, and wherein synthetic polymer B s a linear or branched reactive synthetic copolymer having a molecular weight of 50,000-500,000 Da derived from a vinyl monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, having a backbone with polymeric subunits covalently bonded to the polymer backbone, the subunits comprising ones with non-reactive and others with reactive chemical functional groups. |
| US08378021B2 |
Methods of making a opaquely dark colored molding composition
The invention relates to subduedly colored (brown, gray, black, green), infrared reflecting PMMA compounds which can be applied to other plastic compounds as an IR barrier layer. |
| US08378018B2 |
Cationic polymeric fluorinated ether silane compositions and methods of use
A composition comprises a polymer having a first pendant group selected from at least one perfluorinated ether group or perfluoroalkanesulfonamido group, a second pendant group comprising an ammonium group, wherein the second pendant group is free of silicon, and a third pendant group comprising an ammonium group and a reactive silicon-containing group. The polymer and composition are useful for protecting a substrate, for example, to render the substrate oil repellent, water repellent, or both, or to provide stain repellency to the substrate. |
| US08378017B2 |
Thermosetting adhesive compositions
The invention is based on the discovery that adhesive compositions containing certain low-viscosity, mono-ethylenically unsaturated monomers have surprisingly good cure parameters, resulting in very little weight loss upon cure. Many of these monofunctional monomers used alone or in combination with other monofunctional monomers described herein have high glass transition temperatures when cured. Moreover, since these monomers are monofunctional the crosslink density of the adhesive composition does not increase (relative to multi-functional monomers), which in turns results in lower stress, lower modulus adhesive compositions. As such, these monomers are useful in a variety of thermoset adhesive compositions, such as for example, die attach adhesive compositions. |
| US08378016B2 |
Chemically amplified positive resist composition
The present invention provides a resin which generates an acid by irradiation and is a salt of an organic cation and an anionic polymer wherein the anionic polymer has no carbon-carbon unsaturated bond. The present invention further provides a chemically amplified resist composition comprising the same. |
| US08378013B2 |
Hybrid impact modifiers and method for preparing the same
The present invention relates to hybrid impact modifiers prepared by: either spray drying, coagulation, freeze coagulation or other known recovery methods of a mixture of a latex or slurry of standard impact modifiers and a slurry of a mineral filler, or simultaneous drying (by spray-drying, coagulation other known recovery possible methods) of (i) a latex or slurry of standard impact modifiers and of (ii) a slurry of a mineral filler, further to the coagulation or freeze coagulation, if any, there is a filtration and drying step to recover these hybrid impact modifiers as a powder. The present invention also relates to the use of said hybrid impact modifiers in thermoplastic polymers, and a thermoplastic polymer containing said hybrid impact modifiers. The hybrid impact modifiers may exhibit improved powder properties (flowability, lumping/caking resistance, segregation between the organic and the mineral parts) and better dispersion homogeneities. |
| US08378001B2 |
Polystyrene/polyethylene oxide copolymer for enhancing water vapor permeability in thermoplastic foam
Polymeric foam and polymeric foam products that contain a foamable polymer material, at least one blowing agent, a polystyrene/polyethylene oxide copolymer, and optionally, an infrared attenuating agent, are provided. In exemplary embodiments, the blowing agent includes at least one hydrofluorocarbon blowing agent. The maleic anhydride-styrene copolymer grafted with polyethylene oxide provides a water vapor permeability of 1.1 perm inch or greater in the extruded foam product without detrimentally affecting physical or thermal properties of the product. Additionally, the copolymer of maleic anhydride-styrene grafted with polyethylene oxide has a positive affect on the processability of the blowing agent(s) in the composition by both widening the process window and enhancing the solubility of the blowing agent in the polymer melt. Thus, the polystyrene/polyethylene oxide copolymer present in the inventive composition acts as a cell enlarger, a plasticizer, and a processing aid. A method of forming an extruded foam product is also provided. |
| US08377999B2 |
Porous structured organic film compositions
A porous structured organic film including a plurality of segments and a plurality of linkers arranged as a covalent organic framework, wherein at a macroscopic level the covalent organic framework is a film and contains a plurality of sites accessible to one or more entity. |
| US08377997B2 |
Fullerene based proton conductive materials
A fullerene-based proton conductor including a proton conductive functional group connected to the fullerene by an at least partially fluorinated spacer molecule. Also, a polymer including at least two of the proton conductors that are connected by a linking molecule. Further, an electrochemical device employing the polymer as a proton exchange membrane, whereby the device is able to achieve a self-humidifying characteristic. |
| US08377995B2 |
Orally disintegrating tablet
The invention provides an orally disintegrating tablet that has both adequate tablet hardness and rapid disintegrability in the oral cavity, and that undergoes minor hardness reduction and maintains good oral disintegrability even when preserved under moist conditions. In particular, the invention relates to an orally disintegrating tablet containing (a) crystalline cellulose, (b) a calcium hydrogen phosphate compound, (c) a natural starch and (d) a lubricant, wherein the blending ratio to 100 wt % of the disintegrating tablet is (a) 9 to 60 wt %, (b) 16 to 60 wt %, (c) 3 to 40 wt % and (d) 0.01 to 1.8 wt %. |
| US08377993B2 |
Insecticidal compound
An object of the present invention is to provide a new insecticidal compound by paying attention to the insecticidal activity contained in the flower part of marigold, and to provide an insecticide containing the compound as an active ingredient. There are provided an insecticidal compound represented by the following chemical formula: [Formula 1], and an insecticide containing the insecticidal compound as an active ingredient or an insecticide containing, as active ingredients, the insecticidal compound and an insecticidal compound represented by the following chemical formula: [Formula 2], wherein the insecticide can exhibit extraordinary insecticidal efficacy compared with existing pyrethroid-based insecticidal compounds. |
| US08377992B2 |
TRBD-binding effectors and methods for using the same to modulate telomerase activity
The present invention embraces compounds selected for interacting with the T-pocket of telomerase and use thereof for modulating the activity of telomerase and preventing or treating diseases or conditions associated with telomerase. |
| US08377988B2 |
Use of L-carnitine or of alkanoyl L-carnitines for the preparation of a physiological supplement or medicament for ophthalmic use in the form of eye drops
Use of L-carnitine and/or of one or more alkanoyl L-carnitines or one of their pharmaceutically acceptable salts for the preparation of an ophthalmic physiological supplement or medicament in the form of eye-drops, for the treatment of corneal diseases. |
| US08377987B2 |
Compounds and uses thereof for treating inflammation and modulating immune responses
The present invention provides compounds, and compositions comprising these compounds, which have immunomodulatory activity and/or anti-inflammatory activity. |
| US08377983B2 |
Benzazole derivatives, compositions, and methods of use as aurora kinase inhibitors
The present invention relates to compounds and methods from the treatment of cancer. The invention provides compounds that inhibit Aurora kinase, pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds that inhibit Aurora kinase, and methods for the treatment of cancer using the compounds of the presentation invention or pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of the present invention. |
| US08377977B2 |
Extended release tablet formulation containing pramipexole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof
An extended release tablet formulation comprising pramipexole or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in a matrix comprising at least one water swelling polymer other than pregelatinized starch. |
| US08377976B2 |
N-hydroxyamidinoheterocycles as modulators of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase
The present invention is directed to N-hydroxyamidino compounds which are modulators of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), as well as compositions and pharmaceutical methods thereof. |
| US08377975B2 |
Oxadiazole derivatives for the treatment of diabetes
Novel oxadiazole derivatives of the formula (I), in which R, R′, Y, X1, X2 and X3 have the meanings indicated in claim 1, are kinase inhibitors and can be used for the treatment of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome (dyslipidaemia), systemic and pulmonary hypertonia, cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases, in general in all types of fibroses, inflammatory processes, tumours and tumour diseases. |
| US08377971B2 |
Non-flushing niacin analogues, and methods of use thereof
One aspect of the present invention relates to substituted pyridines and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof that are active against a range of mammalian maladies. Another aspect of the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition, comprising a compound of the present invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The present invention also relates to methods of treating a range of mammalian maladies or conditions, including but not limited to hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, coronary heart disease, angina, pellagra, Hartnup's syndrome, carcinoid syndrome, arterial occlusive disease, obesity, hypothyroidism, vasoconstriction, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, lipodystrophy, or dyslipidemia, raising serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, and lowering serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. |
| US08377968B2 |
N-piperidinyl acetamide derivatives as calcium channel blockers
Methods and compounds effective in ameliorating conditions characterized by unwanted calcium channel activity, particularly unwanted T-type calcium channel activity are disclosed. Specifically, a series of compounds containing N-piperidinyl acetamide derivatives as shown in formula (1). |
| US08377967B2 |
Piperidine derivative
The present invention provides a compound a piperidine derivative having excellent histamine receptor antagonistic action, which is useful as active ingredients of a pharmaceutical composition, especially an antihistamine. The piperidine derivative of the present invention has a potent histamine receptor antagonistic action. Further, the compound of the present invention shows low brain transfer even in a cerebral receptor binding test where a mouse is orally administered with the compound, so that the compound has preferred properties of alleviating side effects in the central nervous system, such as drowsiness. The piperidine derivative of the present invention is very useful as a novel antihistamine having smaller side effects in the central nervous system, such as drowsiness. |
| US08377962B2 |
Macrocyclic serine protease inhibitors
Provided herein are macrocyclic serine protease inhibitor compounds, for example, of Formula Ia or Ib, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and processes of preparation thereof. Also provided are methods of their use for the treatment of an HCV infection in a host in need thereof. |
| US08377958B2 |
Lonidamine analogues for fertility management
Fertility management can include: administering to the subject one or more doses of a compound according to Formula I so as to reduce fertility in the subject. Fertility management can also include administering an effective amount of the compound to: impair Sertoli cell function in a male subject; inhibit spermatogenesis in the subject; reduce testis weight in the subject; reduce ovary weight in a female subject; reduce serum progesterone in the female subject; impair ovarian follicle function in the female subject; causing reversible fertility in the subject. In order to return fertility, the method can include ceasing administration of the compound to the subject so as to return fertility in the subject. The compound can be administered for irreversibly sterilizing the subject. |
| US08377953B2 |
Isothiazole and pyrazole derivatives as fungicides
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3 or R4 are as defined in claim 1 or a salt or N-oxide thereof and their use in methods for the control and/or prevention of fungal infection, particularly in plants. The compounds claimed are isothiazole and pyrazole derivatives. |
| US08377952B2 |
Solid pharmaceutical dosage formulation
The present invention provides a pharmaceutical dosage formulation, and more particularly, to a pharmaceutical dosage formulation comprising an HIV protease inhibitor. |
| US08377949B2 |
Quinazolinedione chymase inhibitors
Disclosed are small molecule inhibitors which are useful in treating various diseases and conditions involving Chymase. |
| US08377948B2 |
Antitumor agents and methods of their use
Antitumor compounds based on the α1-adrenoceptor antagonist, doxazosin, as well as compositions and methods of use. The disclosed compounds induce apoptosis in cancer cells. |
| US08377945B2 |
Small molecule inhibitors of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK)
This disclosure concerns compounds which are useful as inhibitors of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and are thus useful for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are mediated or sustained through the activity of Syk. This disclosure also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, methods of using these compounds in the treatment of various diseases and disorders, processes for preparing these compounds and intermediates useful in these processes. |
| US08377942B2 |
Isoxazolines derivatives and their use as pesticide
Novel isoxazoline compounds, compositions containing the compounds and methods for making the compounds are disclosed. The compounds and compositions have pesticidal properties and are suitable for controlling ectoparasites on non-human animals. |
| US08377937B2 |
Pyrimidyl cyclopentanes as AKT protein kinase inhibitors
The present invention provides compounds of Formula I, including tautomers, resolved enantiomers, diastereomers, solvates, metabolites, salts and pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs thereof. Also provided are methods of using the compounds of this invention as AKT protein kinase inhibitors and for the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases such as cancer. |
| US08377936B2 |
Nicotinic receptor agonists for the treatment of inflammatory diseases
Use of nicotine receptor agonists for treating inflammatory diseases, including a variety of pulmonary diseases. Such agonists have fewer side effects than other anti-inflammatory drugs, such as steroids. Moreover, these agonists can be used alone or in combination with other anti-inflammatory drugs to alleviate pulmonary diseases. For example, a method of treating pulmonary inflammation of an inflammatory disease selected from the group of asthma, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), sarcoidosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), and bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonitis (BOOP) in an animal in need thereof having said inflammation, including administering orally or by inhalation to said animal a nicotinic receptor agonist. |
| US08377928B2 |
3-aminosulfonyl substituted indole derivatives and methods of use thereof
The present invention relates to 3-Aminosulfonyl Substituted Indole Derivatives of Formula (I): The invention also relates to compositions comprising at least one 3-Aminosulfonyl Substituted Indole Derivative, and methods of using the 3-Aminosulfonyl Substituted Indole Derivatives for treating or preventing a viral infection or a virus-related disorder in a patient. |
| US08377927B2 |
Compositions and methods for treatment of cancer
The present invention relates to pyrroloquinolinyl-pyrrole-2,5-dione compounds and pyrroloquinolinyl-pyrrolidine-2,5-dione compounds, and methods of preparation of these compounds. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising pyrroloquinolinyl-pyrrole-2,5-dione compounds and pyrroloquinolinyl-pyrrolidine-2,5-dione compounds. The present invention provides methods of treating a cell proliferative disorder, such as a cancer, by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pyrroloquinolinyl-pyrrole-2,5-dione compound or pyrroloquinolinyl-pyrrolidine-2,5-dione compound of the present invention. |
| US08377926B2 |
Aminopyridine kinase inhibitors
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing compounds of the inventions. |
| US08377922B2 |
Benzazepinone compound
The present invention relates to a benzazepinone compound represented by the following formula (I): wherein R1 represents a C1-C6 alkyl group or halogeno C1-C6 alkyl group, R2 represents a carboxyl group which may be protected, and Y represents a group represented by the formula (II): wherein Z represents CH or a nitrogen atom, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. |