最新美国发明专利第2013-04-09期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

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US08416670B2	Method of accessing optical recording media, optical pickup device, and optical drive using the device An optical pickup device corresponding to an optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers, and an optical drive using the device are provided. The optical pickup device includes a collimator lens disposed between an object lens and a light source. The collimator lens adjusts a focal length with respect to the optical recording medium, and the object lens focuses light passing through the collimator lens, on the optical recording medium. The object lens is optically optimized for an upper or second-upper recording layer of the optical recording medium.
US08416669B2	Generation method for complex amplitude in-line hologram and image recording device using said method A method for generating a complex amplitude in-line hologram and an image recording device using said method makes it possible to realize high-speed processing and high-speed recording from a single off-axis hologram without limiting the spatial frequency band and without creating errors from interpolation. The complex amplitude in-line hologram is generated by performing the following in order: the acquisition of data for one off-axis hologram obtained by way of off-axis holography, and for an off-axis reference light used for obtaining the hologram; the setting of a reconstruction in-line reference light; a modulation process for performing spatial heterodyne modulation on the hologram on the basis of the phases of the reference lights; and a filtering process for performing spatial frequency filtering on the hologram modulated by the modulation process. Because spatial sampling is not performed, the limits on the viewing angle are relaxed.
US08416666B1	Systems and methods for local iteration determination during delay processing The present invention is related to systems and methods for characterizing circuit operation, and more particularly to systems and methods for modifying a data decoding process.
US08416665B2	Method of and apparatus for recording data on optical recording medium A method of and apparatus for recording data on an optical recording medium form a mark or a space by using a recording waveform having an erase pattern containing a multi-pulse. The method and the apparatus prevent distortion of the mark or the space and improve a mark shape such that a recording/reproducing characteristic of the optical recording medium is improved.
US08416664B1	Driving circuit for stepping motor A stepping-motor-driving circuit for an optical pickup: includes a control-signal-generating circuit to generate a plurality of control signals for supplying driving currents to driving coils having a plurality of phases during energized periods, with a de-energized period therebetween; a plurality of output circuits to supply the currents to the respective coils, in response to the signals; an induced-voltage-detecting circuit to compare a voltage generated each in the coils with a threshold voltage during the de-energized period; a threshold-voltage-setting circuit; and a determining circuit to determine whether a collision state is present where the pickup reaches an end of a movement range, based on an induced-voltage-detecting-circuit-detection result, the threshold voltage set at a voltage between a voltage generated each in the coils during the de-energized period when the stepping motor stops or rotates in the state, and a voltage generated therein in the de-energized period when no collision state is present.
US08416661B2	Optical disk device and power supply method According to one embodiment, an optical disk device includes types of semiconductor laser diodes configured to emit laser light of different wavelengths, an output control circuit configured to control light output of each semiconductor laser diode, and a composite power source configured to generate voltages required for driving the types of semiconductor laser diodes and operating the output control circuit from a single power source voltage and to selectively output the generated voltages. The composite power source includes an input port to input an external control signal at a time of voltage selection and is configured to change the output voltage stepwise in response to the control signal.
US08416659B1	Method and apparatus to correct distortion Aspects of the disclosure provide a signal processing circuit to reduce signal distortions due to optical aberrations. The signal processing circuit includes a circuit configured to receive an electrical signal corresponding to a light beam reflected by a storage medium and filter the electrical signal to reduce distortions due to, for example, birefringence aberration in the light beam, and an equalizer configured to equalize the filtered electrical signal. In an example, the circuit is a median filter.
US08416657B2	Method and system for managing data from host to optical disc A method for managing data from a host to an optical disc includes: storing data into a write data queue (WDQ) when the data of sequential write commands from the host are write-address-discontinuous; and transferring specific data from the WDQ to a write buffer when an available memory space in the WDQ is lower than a first threshold value or an available memory space in the write buffer exceeds a second threshold value.
US08416656B2	Reproducing method and reproducing apparatus A reproducing method includes: irradiating a laser spot for servo to which astigmatism making up a generally 45-degree angle in the tangential direction of an information recording track has been applied, and one or more laser spots for reproduction, onto a recording medium where a track group is formed with multiple information recording tracks adjacent with a narrower track pitch than a track pitch equivalent to optical cut-off, and also where a track group pitch is wider than the track pitch equivalent to optical cut-off; and subjecting one or more laser spots for reproduction to on-track control as to one of the information recording tracks by taking a tangential push pull signal obtained from reflected light information of the laser spot for servo as a tracking error signal, and performing tracking servo control using this tracking error signal, and reproducing data from the reflected light information thereof.
US08416648B2	System and method for forming a servo pattern on a media master Producing a servo pattern on a media involves rotating a master, and during a first revolution of the master, forming a first transition at a first radial position on the master, and forming a first transition at a second radial position. During a second revolution of the master, a second transition at the first radial position is formed, and a second transition at the second radial position is formed. By exposing individual servo burst transitions located at the first and second radial positions, in separate disk revolutions, only one of the magnetic transitions will inherit a particular deflection from a nominal radial position. If there are any mechanical disturbances, each magnetic transition will be randomly displaced from its nominal position, reducing the written-in run-out by √n, where n is the number of magnetic transitions in a particular servo burst.
US08416644B2	System for acquiring seismic data over sand dune surfaces A system for acquiring seismic data over sand dune surfaces is provided. The system includes a seismic wave generator for emitting a plurality of seismic signals into the Earth in an area covered by sand dunes. The system also includes a sand streamer for acquiring seismic data over the sand dune surfaces, such that the sand streamer includes a plurality of geophones. The plurality of geophones receive a plurality of wave signals transmitted from a subsurface corresponding to the sand dune surface, in response to emission of the plurality of seismic signals to the area of the sand dune surface by the seismic wave generator. Each geophone of the plurality of geophones is mounted on a panel wherein, one or more sides of the panel are coupled loosely to one or more rigid plates. The one or more rigid plates provide stability and mobility to assembly of panels and the plurality of geophones, thereby enabling the sand streamer to move efficiently over the surface of the sand dune. The system further includes a processor for receiving the seismic data from the sand streamer and for processing the seismic data to perform seismic survey of the sand dune surface.
US08416641B2	Acoustic distance measurement system having cross talk immunity In one embodiment, an acoustic distance measurement system can use a modulation pattern to modulate a carrier wave. The modulated carrier wave may be transmitted to an acoustic transducer. An echo of the transmitted signal can be detected by correlating the received signal with the modulation pattern. Subsequent to detecting sufficient correlation between the received signal and modulation pattern, a distance determination can be made to determine the distance to the object that produced the received echo.
US08416638B2	Semiconductor memory device removing parasitic coupling capacitance between word lines A semiconductor memory device includes a main word line shared by a plurality of mats. Each of the mats includes a plurality of sub word lines. A decoding unit is configured to decode a row address bit and output a word line driving signal. A plurality of sub word line driving units are each configured to activate one of the sub word lines according to the word line driving signal. In the semiconductor memory device each neighboring sub word line driving units is connected to a different main word line to remove parasitic coupling capacitance.
US08416635B2	Integrated circuit with separate supply voltage for memory that is different from logic circuit supply voltage In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes at least one logic circuit supplied by a first supply voltage and at least one memory circuit coupled to the logic circuit and supplied by a second supply voltage. The memory circuit is configured to be read and written responsive to the logic circuit even if the first supply voltage is less than the second supply voltage during use. In another embodiment, a method includes a logic circuit reading a memory cell, the logic circuit supplied by a first supply voltage; and the memory cell responding to the read using signals that are referenced to the first supply voltage, wherein the memory cell is supplied with a second supply voltage that is greater than the first supply voltage during use.
US08416630B2	PFET nonvolatile memory A nonvolatile memory cell is constructed using a floating-gate pFET readout transistor having its source tied to a power source (Vdd) and its drain providing a current, which can be sensed to determine the state of the cell. The gate of the pFET readout transistor provides for charge storage, which can be used to represent information such as binary bits. A control capacitor coupled between a first voltage source and the floating gate and a tunneling capacitor between a second voltage source and the floating gate are fabricated so that the control capacitor has much more capacitance than the tunneling capacitor. Manipulation of the voltages applied to the first voltage source and second voltage source controls an electric field across the capacitor structure and pFET dielectrics and thus Fowler-Nordheim tunneling of electrons on and off the floating gate, controlling the charge on the floating gate and the information stored thereon.
US08416629B2	Semiconductor storage device adapted to prevent erroneous writing to non-selected memory cells A memory cell array has a number of memory cells which are connected to word lines and bit lines and are arranged in a matrix form, each of the memory cells storing one of n levels (n is a natural number of 2 or more). A control circuit controls the potentials on the word lines and the bit lines in accordance with input data to write data to the memory cells. The control circuit is adapted to, at the write time, first apply a first potential to a well region or substrate in which the memory cells are formed, then set the well region or substrate to a second potential lower than the first potential, and next apply a predetermined voltage to the word lines to thereby perform a write operation.
US08416624B2	Erase and programming techniques to reduce the widening of state distributions in non-volatile memories Techniques are presented for use in memory devices to improve reliability and endurance by reducing the widening in state distributions, that occurs after multiple write/erase cycles. One set of techniques uses a pre-conditioning operation where a pulse series, which may include program and gentle erase, are applied to one or more wordlines while a voltage differential is applied in the wordline direction, bitline direction, or both. Another set of techniques uses a dual or multi-pulse program process, where an increased wordline-to-wordline differential used in the first pulse of a pair.
US08416623B2	Reference voltage optimization for flash memory A system includes a voltage generator and a reference voltage setting module. The voltage generator is configured to generate K voltages to be applied to memory cells. The K voltages are used to determine a reference voltage used to read the memory cells, where K is an integer greater than 1. The reference voltage setting module is configured to selectively set the reference voltage to a value between two adjacent ones of the K voltages or one of the two adjacent ones of the K voltages.
US08416620B2	Magnetic stack having assist layer A magnetic tunnel junction having a ferromagnetic free layer and a ferromagnetic pinned reference layer, each having an out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy and an out-of-plane magnetization orientation, the ferromagnetic free layer switchable by spin torque. The magnetic tunnel junction includes a ferromagnetic assist layer proximate the free layer, the assist layer having a low magnetic anisotropy less than 700 Oe and positioned to apply a magnetic field on the free layer.
US08416616B2	Phase change memory device and method for manufacturing the same A phase change memory device includes a silicon substrate having a bar-type active region and an N-type impurity region formed in a surface of the active region. A first insulation layer is formed on the silicon substrate, and the first insulation layer includes a plurality of first contact holes and second contact holes. PN diodes are formed in the first contact holes. Heat sinks are formed in the first contact holes on the PN diodes, and contact plugs fill the second contact holes. A second insulation layer having third contact holes is formed on the first insulation layer. Heaters fill the third contact holes. A stack pattern of a phase change layer and a top electrode is formed to contact the heaters. The heat sink quickly cools heat transferred from the heater to the phase change layer.
US08416615B2	Transmission gate-based spin-transfer torque memory unit A transmission gate-based spin-transfer torque memory unit is described. The memory unit includes a magnetic tunnel junction data cell electrically coupled to a bit line and a source line. A NMOS transistor is in parallel electrical connection with a PMOS transistor and they are electrically connected with the source line and the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by passing a polarized write current through the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. The PMOS transistor and the NMOS transistor are separately addressable so that a first write current in a first direction flows through the PMOS transistor and a second write current in a second direction flows through the NMOS transistor.
US08416608B2	Multilevel phase change memory operation Methods, devices, and systems associated with multilevel phase change memory cells are described herein. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure include operating a phase change memory device by placing a phase change memory cell in a reset state and applying a selected programming pulse to the phase change memory cell in order to program the cell to one of a number of intermediate states between the reset state and a set state associated with the cell. The selected programming pulse includes an uppermost magnitude applied for a particular duration, the particular duration depending on to which one of the number of intermediate states the memory cell is to be programmed.
US08416606B2	Information recording and reproducing device According to one embodiment, an information recording and reproducing device includes a recording layer and a driving unit. The recording layer includes a first layer containing a first compound. The first compound includes a first positive ion element. The first positive ion element is made of a transition metal element and serves as a first positive ion. The second positive ion element serves as a second positive ion. The driving unit is configured to generate a phase change in the recording layer and to record information by at least one of application of a voltage and application of a current to the recording layer. The coordination number of the first positive ion element at a position of a second coordination of the second positive ion element is 80% or more and less than 100% of the coordination number when the first compound is assumed to be a perfect crystal.
US08416603B2	Nonvolatile memory device According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes a first conductive member and a second conductive member. The first conductive member extends in a first direction. The second conductive member extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction. A portion of the first conductive member connected to the second conductive member protrudes toward the second conductive member. A resistivity of the first conductive member in the first direction is lower than a resistivity of the first conductive member in a third direction of the protrusion of the first conductive member. A resistance value of the first conductive member in the third direction changes. A resistivity of the second conductive member in the second direction is lower than a resistivity of the second conductive member in the third direction. A resistance value of the second conductive member in the third direction changes.
US08416600B2	Reverse connection MTJ cell for STT MRAM Apparatus and methods are disclosed herein for a reverse-connection STT MTJ element of a MRAM to overcome the source degeneration effect when switching the magnetization of the MTJ element from the parallel to the anti-parallel direction. A memory cell of a MRAM having a reverse-connection MTJ element includes a switching device having a source, a gate, and a drain, and a reverse-connection MTJ device having a free layer, a fixed layer, and an insulator layer interposed between the free layer and the fixed layer. The free layer of the reverse-connection MTJ device is connected to the drain of the switching device and the fixed layer is connected to a bit line (BL). The reverse-connection MTJ device applies the lower IMTJ capability of the memory cell caused by the source degeneration effect to the less stringent IMTJ(AP->P) while preserving the higher IMTJ capability for the more demanding IMTJ(P->AP).
US08416599B2	Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) field effect transistor having trench isolation region and method of fabricating the same A leakage current occurring on a boundary of a trench isolation region and an active region can be prevented in a Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) Field Effect transistor, and a fabricating method thereof is provided. The transistor includes the trench isolation region disposed in a predetermined portion of a semiconductor substrate to define the active region. A source region and a drain region are spaced apart from each other within the active region with a channel region disposed between the source region and the drain region. A gate electrode crosses over the channel region between the source region and the drain region, and a gate insulating layer is disposed between the gate electrode and the channel region. An edge insulating layer thicker than the gate insulating layer is disposed on a lower surface of the gate electrode around the boundary of the trench isolation region and the active region.
US08416587B2	Synchronous rectifier control circuits and methods of controlling synchronous rectifiers Methods and circuits for synchronous rectifier control are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a synchronous rectifier control circuit can include: (i) a first sense circuit to sense a voltage between first and second power terminals of a synchronous rectifier device prior to a turn-on of the device, where a timing of the turn-on of the synchronous rectifier device is adjustable using a first control signal generated from the first sense circuit; (ii) a second sense circuit configured to sense a voltage between the first and second power terminals after a turn-off of the device, where a timing of the turn-off of the device is adjustable using a second control signal generated from the second sense circuit; and (iii) a driver control circuit configured to receive the first and second control signals, and to generate therefrom a gate control signal configured to drive a control terminal of the synchronous rectifier device.
US08416582B2	DC-DC converter A DC-DC converter includes a plurality of switch elements connected in series between both ends of a DC power source, a series circuit of a primary winding of a transformer and a capacitor, connected between a connection point of the plurality of switch elements and an end of the DC power source, a rectifying-smoothing circuit to rectify and smooth a voltage generated by a secondary winding of the transformer into a DC voltage, and a controller to change a switching frequency of the plurality of switch elements according to a feedback signal generated from the DC voltage and alternately turn on/off the plurality of switch elements. The controller includes a nonlinear response unit 11a to nonlinearly change the switching frequency according to a feedback amount represented by the feedback signal.
US08416579B2	Electronic assembly for attachment to a fabric substrate, electronic textile, and method of manufacturing such an electronic textile An electronic assembly (20; 30; 40; 50) for attachment to a fabric substrate (60; 82, 102) having a conductor pattern (62a-b; 85a-b; 107a-c) on a first side (63; 86; 108) thereof. The electronic assembly comprises an electronic device (23; 42; 64), and at least a first clamping member (21; 41; 65). The electronic assembly is, furthermore, adapted to clamp the electronic device (23; 42; 64) to the first side (63; 86; 108) of the fabric substrate (60; 82, 102) in such a way that the electronic device (23; 42; 64) is electrically connected to the conductor pattern (62a-b; 85a-b; 107a-c).
US08416574B2	Electric power conversion apparatus An electric power conversion apparatus includes: a channel case in which a cooling water channel is formed; a double side cooling semiconductor module that comprises an upper and lower arms series circuit of an inverter circuit; a capacitor module; a direct current connector; and an alternate current connector. The semiconductor module comprises a first and a second heat dissipation metals whose outer surfaces are heat dissipation surfaces, the upper and lower arms series circuit is disposed tightly between the first heat dissipation metal and the second heat dissipation metal, and the semiconductor module further comprises a direct current positive terminal, a direct current negative terminal, and an alternate current terminal which protrude to outside. The channel case is provided with the cooling water channel which extends from a cooling water inlet to a cooling water outlet, and a first opening which opens into the cooling water channel.
US08416572B2	System and method for cooling information handling resources Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to cooling information handling resources are provided. A method for cooling information handling resources, may include conveying a flowing fluid proximate to one or more information handling resources such that the flowing fluid is thermally coupled to the one or more information handling resources and heat generated by the one or more information handling resources is transferred to the flowing fluid. The method may also include conveying the flowing fluid to a cooling unit such that heat is transferred from the flowing fluid.
US08416569B2	Power supply assembly A power supply assembly includes an enclosure body, a cover panel mounted to the enclosure body, a power supply unit, and a positioning element. The enclosure body includes a bottom panel, a rear panel, and a side panel. The power supply unit is mounted in the enclosure body and is prevented from moving in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the rear panel and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the side panel. The positioning element includes a plate body, a first positioning portion, and a second positioning portion. The power supply unit is sandwiched between the bottom panel and the plate body. The first positioning portion is for preventing the power supply unit from moving along a first direction substantially parallel to the bottom panel. The second positioning portion for preventing the power supply unit from moving along a second direction parallel to the bottom panel.
US08416567B2	Tower computer system A tower computer system includes a tower chassis; a mounting assembly installed at a middle section of a widthwise surface of the tower chassis and coupled to internal sides of the front and rear racks to form a vertical connecting board for providing a longitudinally perpendicular fixing position to a predetermined board, and acting as a longitudinal corresponding line formed by connecting the front rack to the rear rack for the connecting board of the mounting assembly, such that the transverse widthwise surface of the tower chassis is separated into a first assembling chamber with an opening aligned towards the left side and a second assembling chamber with an opening aligned towards the right side; and a first electric connection port, disposed in a vertical direction on the rear rack and at a position proximate to the mounting assembly, and situated in an area inside the first assembling chamber.
US08416566B2	Rear cover and input/output panels An input/output panel for use with a server chassis may comprise a cover, an input/output interface circuit board, a plurality of interfaces, and a ground clip. The cover of non-conductive plastic may be configured to mount to a rear cover of the server chassis. The input/output interface circuit board may be disposed on a first side of the cover. The plurality of interfaces may be disposed on the input/output interface circuit board and extend at least partially through the cover to the second side of the cover. The ground clip may include a conductive component partially disposed within the plastic cover. A first end of the ground clip may extend from the first side of the cover and be configured to mate with the input/output interface circuit board. A second end of the ground clip may extend from the first side of cover and be configured to mate with a ground circuit associated with the rear cover of the server chassis.
US08416565B1	Bracket for rack mounted power distribution unit A system includes a rack and one or more computer systems mounted in the rack. One or more rack power distribution units are coupled in the rack one or more sides of the rack. The rack power distribution units supply power to the computer systems in the rack. The rack power distribution units may be rotatable with respect to the rack to allow installation or removal of the computer systems on the side of the rack on which the rack power distribution units are mounted.
US08416564B2	Expansion interface module having signal gain circuit An expansion interface module having a signal gain circuit is disposed on a case panel of a computer and electrically connected to a main board which is disposed within the computer. The expansion interface module includes a circuit board, a connecting port, a signal gain circuit and a plurality of connectors. The connecting port, the signal gain circuit and the connectors are located at the circuit board and electrically connected thereto. The main board delivers signal to the circuit board through a cable which is connected to the connecting port located on the circuit board, the signal gain circuit amplifies and enhances the signal, and then the connectors output the amplified and enhanced signal to external devices, thus, the signal will not be attenuated, damaged or lost during over transmission distance.
US08416561B2	Battery-mounting structure According to one embodiment, a battery-mounting structure includes a first housing, a second housing including a display device including a display screen, a hinge configured to attach the second housing to the first housing rotatably between a first position in which the display screen is covered with the first housing and a second position in which the display screen is exposed, and a battery configured to be attached to the first housing and including a recess configured to accommodate a part of the second housing in the second position.
US08416560B2	Auxiliary mechanism An auxiliary mechanism to be attached to a portable electronic device when capturing image data of an image medium, the portable electronic device includes an image capture element, the auxiliary mechanism comprises a body, a fixer and a connecting element. The fixer is connected to the body, wherein the image medium is placed on the fixer. The connecting element is connected to the body and detachably connected to the portable electronic device, wherein the image capture element corresponds to the image medium and captures the image data thereof.
US08416558B2	Solid electrolytic capacitor and method for manufacturing same A solid electrolytic capacitor according to the present invention comprises a capacitor element including an anode lead-out part and a cathode lead-out part, an anode lead frame connected to the anode lead-out part via a conductive member, and a cathode lead frame connected to the cathode lead-out part, and the anode lead frame is connected to the anode lead-out part via an anode side assistance frame in addition to said conductive member.
US08416556B2	Power capacitor A power electronics module includes a capacitor having a trough-shaped housing and at least one capacitor winding. An electronic unit includes a base on which the capacitor is mounted. A cooling plate in thermal contact with a cooling surface of the capacitor is formed by a bus bar. The cooling plate is on the base of the electronic unit.
US08416552B2	Self-balancing ionized gas streams Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system.
US08416550B1	Solid state breaker circuit for direct current applications A solid state circuit breaker for disrupting the flow of direct current. A power transistor is used in series with the direct current. The power transistor disrupts the direct current only when it is in an off state. A first optoisolator and a second optoisolator are provided. The second optoisolator selectively alters the power transistor to its off state. The first optoisolator selectively controls the second optoisolator. A threshold resistor is provided through which the direct current passes. The threshold resistor creates a voltage differential. The voltage differential is supplied to the first optoisolator and activates the first optoisolator if the voltage differential is greater than a selected threshold voltage.
US08416549B2	Method for providing over-voltage protection and circuit therefor A bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit and a method for blocking current flow therein. The bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit comprises a regulator coupled to a lockout circuit, wherein the regulator and the lockout circuit are coupled for receiving an input signal and are coupled to a charging control circuit. A reverse path control circuit has an input coupled for receiving a control signal and an output coupled to the charging control circuit. A multi-transistor switching circuit is coupled to the forward control circuit. Preferably, the gate of each n-channel MOSFET is coupled to the charging control circuit, the drains are coupled together, and the source of one of the n-channel MOSFETS is coupled to an input and the source of the other n-channel MOSFET is coupled to an output of the bi-directional over-voltage protection circuit.
US08416548B2	Device for controlling a MOS transistor A device for controlling a transistor, the device comprising an amplifying device (15) for controlling the transistor gate via an output control signal, the device including a first input connected to the transistor drain, the whole assembly forming a first connection, a second input connected to the transistor source, the whole assembly forming a second connection. The control device also comprises: at least one protecting device including at least one switching element (T1) which is inserted in series in the first connection of the amplifying device (15) to prevent a leakage current from passing through the first connection, and a device generating a regulating voltage to control the transistor, the generating device being configured such that there exists the same number of semiconductor junctions between the first and second connections. The invention is in particular applicable on battery charging devices.
US08416545B2	Power amplifier module with shared ESD protection circuit Disclosed is a power amplifier module with a shared ESD protection circuit. There is provided a power amplifier module including: an ESD protection circuit that is connected to an output terminal of the LDO part, an output conductive wire pad that outputs the operating power of the LDO part; a printed conductive wire pad that is electrically connected to the output conductive wire pad of the PA controller; a first power coupler that includes a first primary side conductive wire electrically connected to the printer conductive wire pad; a second power coupler that includes a second primary side conductive wire electrically connected to the printer conductive wire pad; a first PA part; and a second PA part, wherein each of the first PA part and the second PA part is protected from ESD by the ESD protection circuit.
US08416539B2	Magnetic field sensing system using spin-torque diode effect A magnetic field sensing system with a current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) sensor, like that used for giant magnetoresistive (GMR) and tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) spin-valve (SV) sensors, operates in a mode different from conventional GMR-SV and TMR-SV systems. An alternating-current (AC) source operates at a fixed selected frequency and directs AC perpendicularly through the layers of the CPP sensor, with the AC amplitude being high enough to deliberately induce a spin-torque in the CPP sensor's free layer. The AC-induced spin-torque at the selected frequency causes oscillations in the magnetization of the free layer that give rise to a DC voltage signal VDC. VDC is a direct result of only the oscillations induced in the free layer. The value of VDC will change in response to the magnitude of the external magnetic field being sensed and as the free layer is driven in and out of resonance with the AC.
US08416535B2	Endcap for reducing airflow excitation of head gimbal assembly An endcap for use on an actuator arm carrying a single head gimbal assembly, the endcap comprising a body, and a shielding feature extending from the body for reducing windage excitation of the head gimbal assembly.
US08416533B2	Actuator latch apparatus Provided are an actuator latch apparatus and a hard disk drive (HDD) having the actuator latch apparatus. The HDD includes a spindle motor, a data storage disk which is installed on the spindle motor, an actuator which moves a read/write head to a desired position above the data storage disk, and the actuator latch apparatus which locks the actuator in a parking position. The actuator latch apparatus includes a notch which is formed at a rear end of a swing arm and a latch lever which is combined with and pivots on a pivot shaft installed on a base. A retractor member is installed on one of upper and lower surfaces of a counterbalance which is adjacent to a magnet, wherein the counterbalance is formed at a rear end of the latch lever. When the read/write head operates, the latch lever contacts an upper yoke or the base due to a vertical component force of a magnetic force working from the magnet to the retractor member, thereby liming a vertical vibration of the latch lever.
US08416532B1	Continuous stainless steel ground plane flexure for a disk drive head suspension An integrated lead flexure comprising a base region, a gimbal extending from the base region and conductive traces. The gimbal includes spring arms and a slider mounting region extending from the spring arms. The conductive traces include one or more unsupported trace sections extending from head bond pads on the slider mounting region to the base region off of the spring arms. One or more metal islands on the unsupported trace sections enhance the impedance characteristics of traces. An insulating layer is located between the traces and the metal islands.
US08416530B2	Write head with bevel structure and reverse NFT for HAMR A magnetic recording head comprises a write pole tip adjacent to an air bearing surface and a return pole. In addition, a near field transducer is positioned adjacent the write pole in order to produce near field radiation to heat a portion of a recording medium to facilitate switching by the magnetic write pole. The near field transducer is a reverse optical near field transducer with internal bevel structures that enhance the magnetic write field intensity.
US08416528B1	Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a return path section A magnetic head includes a main pole and a return path section located above a top surface of a substrate. The main pole has an end face located in a medium facing surface. The return path section is located on the front side in the direction of travel of a recording medium relative to the main pole and is farther from the top surface of the substrate than is the main pole. The return path section has: a front end face located on the front side of the main pole in the medium facing surface; and an inclined surface located on the front side and connected to the front end face. The inclined surface is not exposed in the medium facing surface. An angle greater than 90° is formed between the front end face and the inclined surface.
US08416527B2	Methods for providing persistent lubrication to a magnetic tape head and systems thereof A magnetic tape head according to one embodiment includes a first section having a tape bearing surface (TBS) and portions that are recessed from the TBS; a thin film section coupled to the first section, the thin film section comprising transducers for at least one of reading from and writing to a magnetic tape, and a lubricating layer above at least the first section. Additional systems and methods are also disclosed.
US08416526B2	Magnetic head with textured surfaces A method according to one embodiment includes contacting an oxidant with an AlTiC portion of a magnetic head for recessing TiC grains of the AlTiC portion. A method according to another embodiment includes contacting a peroxide with an AlTiC portion of a magnetic head for recessing TiC grains of the AlTiC portion from a media bearing surface of the AlTiC portion. A magnetic head according to yet another embodiment includes an AlTiC portion having a media bearing surface; and a thin film portion coupled to the AlTiC portion, wherein TiC grains of the AlTiC portion are recessed from the media bearing surface.
US08416525B2	Magnetic media formatted with an intergrated thin film subgap subpole structure for arbitrary gap pattern magnetic recording head A method of formatting magnetic media includes providing an integrated thin film magnetic recording head having a recording element. The recording element includes first and second magnetically permeable thin film subpole members separated by a substantially low permeability subgap member. An integrated electrically conductive coil structure is embedded in part within the subgap member and in part in-between the first and second subpole members. The recording element also includes a magnetically permeable thin film layer spanning from at least the first subpole member to the second subpole member and including one or more arbitrary recording gap patterns. The direction of film growth of the magnetically permeable thin film layer is substantially orthogonal to the direction of thin film growth of the first and second magnetically permeable thin film subpole members. The method includes passing magnetic media over the magnetic recording head to format the magnetic media.
US08416524B2	Spindle motor having connecting mechanism connecting lead wire and circuit board, and storage disk drive having the same A spindle motor includes a base portion, a rotor hub, a stator, and a circuit board. The base portion preferably includes a through hole and is arranged to spread out radially around a central axis. The rotor hub is arranged above the base portion to rotate about the central axis. The stator is arranged above the base portion, and includes coils each including at least one lead wire. The circuit board is arranged radially outward of the through hole, and arranged on a lower surface of the base portion. The base portion includes a communicating groove arranged to join the through hole and the circuit board to each other. The at least one lead wire of the coils is arranged to pass inside the through hole and the communicating groove to be electrically connected to the circuit board. The through hole is sealed with a sealant.
US08416521B2	Magnetic recording and reproduction device and flying height control method According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording and reproduction device includes a head; a heater configured to heat the head by electric power supplied; a detector provided with a resistive element and configured to detect a contact between the head and a magnetic recording medium by detecting a change in resistance of the resistive element associated with the contact between the head and the magnetic recording medium; and a flying height controller configured to control a flying height of the head from the magnetic recording medium by supplying electric power to the heater to thermally deform the head and to bring the deformed head into contact with the magnetic recording medium so as to determine reference power supplied when the head is in contact with the magnetic recording medium and by supplying electric power to the heater based on the reference power.
US08416520B1	Equalization and detection Devices, systems, and techniques for equalization and detection include, in at least some implementations, first circuitry configured to produce first equalized data responsive to input data by reducing a first characteristic of the input data wherein the first characteristic is noise, inter symbol interference (ISI) or both, a first detector that produces first output data responsive to the first equalized data, second circuitry configured to reduce a second characteristic different from the first characteristic to produce second equalized data, the second equalized data being generated based on the first equalized data, and a second detector that produces second output data responsive to the second equalized data.
US08416519B2	Error burst detection and amelioration A method according to one embodiment includes monitoring a data transfer operation for detecting temporary errors; determining whether an error burst has occurred based on the monitoring; if an error burst has occurred, altering a condition of the data transfer operation; monitoring the data transfer operation having the altered condition for detecting temporary errors; determining whether another error burst has occurred based on the monitoring of the data transfer operation having the altered condition; and if another error burst has occurred, altering another condition of the data transfer operation. Additional systems and methods are also presented.
US08416517B1	Survival accessory A survival apparatus operable to ignite a combustible material wherein the survival apparatus additionally functions as a zipper pull-tab for an article of clothing. The survival apparatus further includes a body that is substantially rigid and generally rectangular in shape. The body includes a first aperture that is oval in shape and has a convex lens mounted therein. A coating is disposed over the body operable to substantially inhibit damage to the lens mounted within the first aperture during use as a zipper pull. A release strip is intermediate the body and the coating wherein the release strip further includes a tab providing an interface to engage the release strip.
US08416516B2	Insert for holding an optical system in a laser machining head, and a laser machining head An insert (18) for holding an optical system (90, 92), in particular a focusing optics, in a laser machining head (10) for machining a workpiece with a laser beam. The optical system (90, 92) is displaced in the longitudinal direction of the laser beam relative to the insert (18) via adjusting means. The adjusting means includes a linear adjusting device (64, 66, 68) with a synchronous linear motor (68). The laser machining head (10) has a housing (14) in which the insert (18) can be introduced laterally.
US08416514B2	Lens unit, lens assembly, camera module, method of fabricating camera module and lens assembly, method of fabricating optic member, and apparatus of fabricating optic member Provided are a lens unit, a lens assembly, a camera module, a method of fabricating the camera module and the lens assembly, a method of fabricating an optic member, and an apparatus of fabricating the optic member. The lens unit comprises a lens portion and a supporting portion. The lens portion has a curved surface. The supporting portion extends from the lens portion. The supporting portion comprises a protrusion or a recess. The method of fabricating the optic member comprises injecting a resin composition inside a mold die, pressing the resin composition; and irradiating light onto the resin composition. Due to the pressure, shrinkage of a photo-curable resin composition can be reduced, and thus, the lens unit comprising the protrusion or recess can be easily fabricated.
US08416512B2	Wide-angle lens, imaging optical apparatus and digital equipment A wide-angle lens LN consists of, in order from an object side: a first lens group Gr1 having positive refractive power; and a second lens group Gr2 having positive refractive power; the second lens group Gr2 is movable toward the object side with fixing the first lens group Gr1, thereby carrying out focusing on a close object, and a given conditional expression is satisfied. Therefore, a wide-angle lens having high optical performance with suppressing variation in aberrations upon focusing in spite of being a large aperture, an imaging optical apparatus equipped therewith, and a digital equipment are provided.
US08416508B2	Imaging device An imaging device is provided with an imaging sensor having a rectangular imaging surface, an image-forming optical system for forming an image onto the imaging surface, and a prism disposed between the image-forming optical system and the imaging sensor for bending an optical path. A mask, having a rectangular opening, limits light that is to be incident on the imaging sensor. The aspect ratio (long side/short side) of the mask rectangular opening of the mask is larger than that of the rectangular imaging surface, and the peripheral light quantity difference between the short and long sides on the rectangular imaging surface is smaller than in the case of these two aspect ratios being equal to each other.
US08416506B2	Zoom lens, optical apparatus equipped therewith and method for manufacturing the zoom lens A zoom lens ZL installed in an electronic still camera 1 includes a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power disposed to the most object side, a second lens group G2 disposed to an image side of the first lens group G1, and a Gn lens group having positive refractive power disposed to the most image side. Upon zooming, the first lens group G1 and the Gn lens group are fixed. Upon focusing, at least one lens group disposed between the second lens group G2 and the Gn lens group are moved as a focusing lens group Gf. With this lens configuration, it becomes possible to provide a zoom lens having an optical property capable of coping with a vibration reduction, and an optical apparatus equipped therewith, and a method for manufacturing the zoom lens.
US08416502B2	Zoom lens A zoom lens includes, in order from an enlargement side to a reduction side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, which is stationary for variation of magnification, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, which moves for variation of magnification, a third lens unit having a negative refractive power, which moves for variation of magnification, a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, which includes a stop and which moves for variation of magnification, and at least one lens unit. In the zoom lens, for variation of magnification from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, the second lens unit and the third lens unit move towards the reduction side and the fourth lens unit move towards the enlargement side. The zoom lens satisfies an appropriate condition.
US08416496B2	Device for dividing an optical beam into four beams and non-contact optical profilometer comprising same An optical probe for splitting a beam of light into multiple beams. The optical probe may comprise a first polarizing beam splitter having a first polarization axis, a second polarizing beam splitter having a second polarization axis orthogonal to the first polarization axis, a first half wave plate and a second half wave plate, and optionally a first birefringent phase plate, and a second birefringent phase plate. The first half wave plate may be located before first polarizing beam splitter, and the second half wave plate may be located after the first polarizing beam splitter, relative to the propagation of the light beam. The optical probe may further include a lens for collimating the four light beams. A profilometer includes the optical probe for splitting a beam of light into four light beams, and a scanner for traversing the optical probe over a surface of an element to be measured.
US08416495B2	Display apparatus To provide a display apparatus which can use a general purpose projector, has a simple structure, including a hemispherical rear projection screen, a projector for projecting an image to be displayed on the rear projection screen, and a computer system for creating an image projected from the projector and characterized in that the computer system includes a recording medium for storing image data of a plane image, creation device that corrects the image data stored in the recording medium and creating image data of a curved image, and a transmission device to transmit the image data of the curved image created by the creation device to the projector.
US08416490B2	Catadioptric projection objective A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective has a first, refractive objective part for imaging the pattern provided in the object plane into a first intermediate image; a second objective part including at least one concave mirror for imaging the first intermediate imaging into a second intermediate image; and a third, refractive objective part for imaging the second intermediate imaging onto the image plane; wherein the projection objective has a maximum lens diameter Dmax, a maximum image field height Y′, and an image side numerical aperture NA; wherein COMP1=Dmax/(Y′·NA2) and wherein the condition COMP1<10 holds.
US08416488B2	Display device A display device comprising picture elements, which are constituted by electrowetting elements having at least one first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with each other within a space between a first support plate and a second support plate, the second fluid being electro-conductive or polar. The first fluid in each element is at the side of the first support plate confined by element walls, and the second fluid is shared by a plurality of picture elements, characterized by a preventer for preventing first fluid portions from being expelled from its confinement when forces other than electrowetting forces are exerted on this fluid.
US08416486B2	Light weight electrochromic mirror stack A light weight electrochromic dimmable mirror stack (300, 600) is presented that is composed only of solid-state layers (315, 615) with a total thickness of less than 50 micron and a reflector (310, 610). Normally such a kind of layered device suffers from iridescence due to interference of light waves reflecting at the interfaces between the layers of the electrochromic device. The solution provided by the invention is to pattern at least one of the layers (315, 615) in the device such that the interference effects are smeared out and a more neutral color is obtained. Various possible configurations are described and also the method to produce such a device.
US08416481B2	Laser projector A laser projector is provided. A laser light source is configured to emit laser light. A scanning section is configured to scan a projection surface in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction with the laser light emitted from the laser light source, thereby forming an image on the projection surface. A generating section is configured to generate a pulse signal. A driving section is configured to reciprocate the scanning section in the horizontal direction in accordance with the pulse signal generated by the generating section. An adjusting section is configured to adjust a pulse pattern of the pulse signal generated by the generating section so as to change a scanning angle range of the scanning section in the horizontal direction.
US08416480B2	Hologram reproducing apparatus, hologram reproducing method, and phase modulating element A hologram reproducing apparatus includes a first reference light path leading laser light from a laser light source so that a hologram recording medium is irradiated with first reference light; a diffracted light path leading diffracted light, generated from the hologram recording medium by irradiation with the first reference light, to a light receiving element having a plurality of pixels; and a second reference light path leading second reference light, having the same polarization direction as that of the diffracted light, from the laser light source to the light receiving element. The second reference light path is provided with a phase modulating element so that the phase difference between the diffracted light and the second reference light in a light receiving surface of the light receiving element is adjusted within a predetermined range.
US08416477B2	Black calibration system and methods for document scanners A method and systems for calibrating a document scanner are provided. The scanner calibration method includes providing a geometrically operative black absorption device having a structural geometry that is capable of receiving light and limiting propagation of the received light, where the black calibration target has a total light reflectance of less than one percent. The method further includes powering on a light source of a document scanner to provide light toward the black absorption device, where the light source generates a noise signal when providing the light. The method further includes detecting, by a sensor of the document scanner, light reflected from the black absorption device and generating calibration signals based on the reflected light and the noise signal.
US08416476B2	Image reader and image forming apparatus A first reading guide includes a first guide member, which can turn around a first shaft and is so positioned as to face a first side of a document. The second reading guide includes a second guide member, which can turn around a second shaft and is so positioned as to face a second side of a document. The distance between a first reading position and a reference position is equal to that between a second reading position and the reference position. The first shaft is positioned on the side of the reference position where the first reading position is set. The second shaft is positioned on the side of the reference position where the second reading position is set.
US08416475B2	Medium transport device and image processing apparatus In a state where a second power transmission path of transmitting power from the second planetary gear to the cam driving gear through the intermediate gear is selected, when the intermediate gear is opposed to the non-tooth portion for the release position of the cam driving gear, the rotation direction of the driving motor is changed to select a first power transmission path of directly transmitting power from the first planetary gear to the cam driving gear, the non-tooth portion for the release position deviates from the opposed position of the intermediate gear, and the rotation direction of the driving motor is changed again to select the second power transmission path.
US08416474B2	Paper feed port and image reading apparatus In a paper feed port configured to feed a sheet-like medium to a conveyance path, an inclined surface is provided at both ends of an opening into which the medium to be fed is inserted, with respect to a width direction crossing a paper feed direction of the medium, such that an abutting angle between the inclined surface and a leading end of the medium on a downstream side in the paper feed direction is an acute angle.
US08416471B2	Document illuminating system and image reader including the same A document illuminating system includes a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in an array, a reflective element which guides light emitted from the light emitting elements to a document read area of a certain width and length. The reflective element includes first to third reflective portions. The second reflective portion includes one or more planar reflective faces and is disposed so that the reflective faces reflect light from the light emitting elements to one or both of the first and third reflective portions without other reflective elements. The first and third reflective portions each include one or more planar reflective faces and are disposed so that their reflective faces oppositely illuminate the document read area together by reflecting light from one or both of the light emitting elements and the second reflective portion to the document read area without other reflective elements.
US08416470B2	Method of and apparatus for removing show-through from scanned image Provided are a method and apparatus for removing show-through from a scanned image. The method includes scanning at least one line in a medium at a first intensity in a first scanning operation; scanning the at least one line in the scanning medium at a second intensity different from the first intensity, in a second scanning operation; and removing show-through from an image obtained during the first scanning operation based on a difference in a show-through effect between images obtained during the first and second scanning operations.
US08416468B2	Sensing device for subsampling imaged coded data A sensing device is provided with an image sensor for capturing images of coded data disposed on a surface, a framestore for storing frames of the captured image as image data, subsampling means for subsampling the stored image date to generate subsampled image data, and an image processor for processing the subsampled image data to generate interaction data based on the sensed coded data and indicative of interaction of the sensing device with the surface. The image processor is integrated on a monolithic integrated circuit, the monolithic integrated circuit including a first subsampled framestore for storing the subsampled image data based on image data from the framestore.
US08416465B2	Reader, and computer readable medium and method therefor A reader includes a reading unit configured to read image data on both sides of each of document sheets, a determining unit configured to make a determination as to whether a predetermined one of both sides of each of the document sheets is blank, based on the image data read by the reading unit, and a classifying unit configured to classify the image data read from each of the document sheets into one of different groups, based on the determination made by the determining unit.
US08416461B2	Spread spectrum clock generator, spread spectrum clock generating method, and circuit, image reading device and image forming apparatus using the spread spectrum clock generator The spread spectrum clock generator (SSCG) includes a phase comparator detecting phase difference between input clock and feedback clock; a charge pump supplying current depending on the phase difference; a loop filter converting the current to smoothed voltage; a voltage controlled oscillator generating a spread spectrum clock signal depending on the smoothed voltage; and a modulation signal generator generating modulation signal having amplitude depending on a modulation width set value. The SSCG further includes a modulation width detector detecting modulation width of the spread spectrum clock signal while comparing the modulation width with a modulation width target value to update the modulation width set value to narrow difference between the detected modulation width and the modulation width target value, followed by feeding back the updated modulation width set value to the modulation signal generator.
US08416458B2	Rotated halftone screen geometry that avoids beat-based banding Disclosed are methods and apparatus for reproducing an image using one or more halftone screens for one or more respective colorants in the methods and apparatus reducing the beating of one or more excitation frequencies with one or more harmonic frequencies associated with the halftone screens. According to an exemplary method, one or more halftone screens are selected such that the fundamental frequency of an excitation frequency coincides with a harmonic frequency of a halftone screen.
US08416457B2	Printing apparatus, printing data generating apparatus, printing method and program thereof A printing apparatus is adapted to perform printing of image data corresponding to a plurality of pixels representing a predetermined image. The printing apparatus includes a halftone processing section including a comparison section and an error diffusion section. The comparison section is configured to compare, for at least one of the pixels, a related grayscale value relating to a data grayscale value of the input image data with a corresponding one of a plurality of thresholds included in a dither mask. The error diffusion section is configured to generate dot data for indicating the presence or absence of formation of a dot in each of the pixels according to an error diffusion method, on the basis of the data grayscale values of the input image data, and to control the easiness of the dot formation according to the error diffusion method, on the basis of a comparison result of the comparison section.
US08416452B2	Image forming apparatus that adjusts color mixing An image forming apparatus includes: an image output unit that outputs an image; and an image processing unit that converts an input image signal to an output image signal and outputs the image signal to the image output unit, the image output unit having: an image carrier that carries at least a latent image; plural developer containers containing mutually different color developers used for developing the latent image carried on the image carrier; and a transport member for repeated operations of attachment of the developer contained in one of the plural developer containers, transport of the attached developer to the image carrier, and removal of remaining developer, and the image processing unit having a change unit that changes a color conversion characteristic of an image signal in correspondence with color mixture of the mutually different color developers.
US08416447B2	Method and apparatus to set print options A method of setting print options of an image forming apparatus using a driver user interface in a terminal, such as a PC, connected to the image forming apparatus. The apparatus may include a user input unit to receive the print options, a name generating unit to automatically-generate setting names using the input print options a storage unit to store the input print options to correspond to the automatically-generated setting names, and a control unit to control the storage of the input print options and the generated setting names in the storage unit.
US08416439B2	Printing method of attached file, and image forming apparatus and image forming system employing the same An attached file printing method of an image forming apparatus, and image forming apparatus and system employing the same are provided. The attached file printing method of an image forming apparatus includes: determining whether there is a printable attached file in a printing target original document or not; converting at least one of the original document and the attached file to a printing data depending on the determining result; and printing the converted printing data.
US08416437B2	Image forming apparatus, control method therefor, and program It is analyzed whether print data includes first image data common between pages and second image data different between pages. When a specific discharge device is designated as a discharge device for discharging a printing medium printed based on the print data, and it is analyzed that the print data includes the second image data different between pages, print processing is controlled not to print the second image data.
US08416436B2	Apparatus, method, and program for performing voice and facsimile communication in parallel A communication apparatus which is capable of easily knowing the status of image transmission/reception in IP fax communication while performing voice communication in parallel. The communication apparatus performs IP telephone communication and IP fax communication in parallel, with a partner communication apparatus via a network. When the IP fax communication is completed, a sound source-processing section of the communication apparatus notifies at least one of a handset of the communication apparatus and the partner communication apparatus of the completion of the image communication.
US08416433B2	Method, computer, and system for an operating system independent device driver A method for driving a device that enables using a device without using a conventional device driver that is dependent on the operating system of the computer. The method has a binary data conversion step which receives a mark-up language document written in a mark-up language and converts the mark-up language document to binary data composed of commands and data that can be processed by the device. The method also includes a binary data output step in which the converted binary data is output to the device.
US08416431B2	Image processing apparatus that can obtain management information from different sources An image processing apparatus capable of receiving a response with respect to an acquisition request of management information of a printing apparatus even if the printing apparatus is working. The image processing apparatus comprises a network connecting section; an interface section; a data transferring section; a management information acquiring section; a management information storing section; and a network controlling section, in the case that the printing apparatus is not working, the management information acquiring section acquires management information from the printing apparatus; in the case that the printing apparatus is working, the management information acquiring section acquires management information from the management information storing section.
US08416429B2	Methods and structure for substantially automated device capabilities file generation using XML schema Methods and apparatus for substantially automatically generating a device capabilities file for a device in a printing environment. Features and aspects hereof provide for providing an XML schema (XMLS) file representing the available features of the device and then substantially automatically generating a device capabilities file from the XMLS file. The XMLS file may be substantially automatically generated by appropriate computing tools based on provided JDF job tickets for the device or may be generated by any other means and provided for generation of the device capabilities file. The device capabilities file may be generated by parsing the hierarchical tree structured XMLS file to identify attributes and elements therein. Each attribute is then translated to a corresponding device capabilities entry representing the available features of the device and setting values for each feature to generate the device capabilities file.
US08416426B2	Calibrating jig, profile measuring device, and method of offset calculation A calibrating jig comprises a reference sphere, and a reflecting plate configured to support the reference sphere from a lower side thereof and mirror-reflect light in a case that the reference sphere is illuminated from an upper side thereof.
US08416425B2	Interferometric measurement of non-homogeneous multi-material surfaces Correction factors for the ALR and PTR parameters of magnetic-head sliders are determined by calculating an effective reflectivity and a corresponding PCOR at each pixel of the air-bearing surface. The absolute value of reflectivity at each pixel of the AlTiC air-bearing surface is obtained from an empirical equation relating it to modulation. The ratio of Al2O3 and TiC in the AlTiC surface is then calculated at every pixel assuming a linear relationship between the absolute value of AlTiC reflectivity and the theoretical reflectivity of each constituent. The linear relationship is then also used to calculate the effective (complex) reflectivity for the AlTiC material from the relative concentrations of Al2O3 and TiC at each pixel.
US08416423B2	Interferometric apparatus for detecting 3D position of a diffracting object A position detecting apparatus includes a light source which supplies a detecting light; a light-collecting optical system which collects the detecting light onto a diffracted light generating portion provided on the object; a light guiding optical system which guides, to a predetermined position, a diffracted measuring light generated from the diffracted light generating portion by receiving the detecting light and a reference light generated from a reference surface by receiving the detecting light; and a photodetector which is arranged at the predetermined position and which detects interference fringes generated by the diffracted measuring light and the reference light. Three-dimensional positional information of, for example, a mask pattern surface or an exposure surface of a photosensitive substrate can be highly accurately detected by a relatively simple construction.
US08416421B2	Optical coherence computed tomography A system, method, and device for imaging a sample. In embodiments, a light from a low-coherence source or a wavelength-swept source is used to illuminate the sample. Pathlength-resolved intensity profiles of the light reemitted from the sample are recorded and measurements are taken. A reconstruction algorithm is used to invert the pathlength-resolved measurements to form an image.
US08416420B1	Computer generated hologram (ICGH) null An optical testing system includes a computer generated hologram (CGH) and an imaging element (IE). Both are disposed in a path of light traveling between a wavefront measuring system (WMS) and an object under test. The CGH is located a first distance from the WMS and the IE is located a second distance from the WMS. The IE is further away from the WMS, than the CGH is from the WMS, along the path of light. The center of curvature (CoC) of the object under test is also disposed in the path of light, in which the CoC is located a third distance from the WMS. The third distance is larger than the second distance, along the path of light. The IE forms an image of the object under test at the CGH; and the CGH is configured to provide a null wavefront for the image of the object under test at the CGH. The null wavefront is received by the WMS. Moreover, the IE of the optical testing system may include an imaging lens having a planar surface facing away from the CGH and a convex surface facing toward the CGH. The IE may also include an imaging mirror.
US08416418B2	Method and apparatus for gold detection A gold detection apparatus capable of detecting gold in field mineral samples such as rock or soil with little or no preparation. Light in red and violet wavelengths is directed at a surface of a mineral sample and the reflected light intensity is measured by an array of sensors or pixels. Based on the characteristic reflectance properties of gold, the reflected light intensity in each wavelength is used to determine the presence of gold particles.
US08416414B2	Systems and methods for multispectral imaging A system (10) for multispectral imaging includes a first optical filter (24, 20) having at least two passbands disposed in different spatial positions on the first optical filter, a second optical filter (20, 24) having another at least two passbands, and processor (32) adapted to identify an intensity of light in the at least two passband of the second optical filter.
US08416411B2	Methods and apparatuses for adjusting a variable sheave pulley Pulley alignment apparatus for aligning pulleys when the operating position of a variable sheave pulley of a pulley system has changed is provided. The pulley alignment apparatus has an adjustable laser light unit that can be adjusted to compensate for the resulting displacement of the centerline of the variable sheave pulley when the operating position is changed. The pulley alignment apparatus also has a set of gauges for determining the operating position of a variable sheave pulley and determining if a belt is adequate for the variable sheave pulley at the operating position.
US08416407B2	Optical spectrometer with wide field of view fore-optics Various embodiments provide an optical system including an optical spectrometer, a first negative power mirror configured and arranged to receive radiation from a far-field object, a second positive power mirror configured and arranged to receive radiation reflected by the first negative power mirror, and a third positive power mirror configured and arranged to receive radiation reflected by the second positive mirror and to direct the radiation towards an entrance slit of the optical spectrometer.
US08416406B2	Sensing device and method producing a Raman signal A sensing device that produces a Raman signal includes micro-rods or nano-rods arranged on a substrate in a two-dimensional (2D) array, each of the rods having a length in a single row being substantially the same, with the rod length of each row being different from the rod length of each other row. Each row of rods has a respective resonant vibration frequency that varies from row to row. A source of vibration energy, operatively connected to the substrate, excites vibration in each of the rods such that a responding row resonates when an exciting frequency approaches the resonant vibration frequency of the responding row. A method includes exposing the 2D array to a light source and analyzing Raman scattering at each rod of the 2D array to render a Raman map.
US08416398B2	Method of differentiating between blood and control solutions containing a common analyte Glucose measured in blood samples is distinguished from glucose measured in the control solutions used to test the optical instruments which make such measurements. The control solutions contain a labeling substance recognized by the optical instrument to distinguish glucose measurements made of control solutions from those made of blood samples.
US08416394B2	Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method A lithographic apparatus includes a phase adjuster to adjust a phase of an optical wave traversing an optical element of the phase adjuster during exposure of a pattern on a substrate. In an embodiment, the optical element is a heat controllable optical element in a projection system of the lithographic apparatus. In use, the pattern is illuminated with an illumination mode including an off-axis radiation beam. This beam is diffracted into a number of first-order diffracted beams, one associated with a first pitch in the pattern, along a first direction, another associated with a second pitch along a different, second direction in the pattern. An area is identified where the first-order diffracted beam associated with the first pitch traverses the optical element. An image characteristic of an image of the pattern is optimized by calculating a desired optical phase of this first-order diffracted beam in relation to the optical phase of the other first-order diffracted beam. The phase adjuster is controlled to apply the desired optical phase to the first order diffracted beam.
US08416391B2	Radiation source, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method A radiation source is configured to generate radiation. The radiation source includes a first electrode and a second electrode configured to produce an electrical discharge during use to generate radiation-emitting plasma from a plasma fuel. The radiation source also includes a fuel supply configured to supply a plasma fuel to a fuel release area that is associated with the first electrode and the second electrode, and a fuel release configured to induce release of fuel, supplied by the fuel supply, from the fuel release area. The fuel release area is spaced-apart from the first electrode and from the second electrode.
US08416390B2	Illumination system for illuminating a mask in a microlithographic exposure apparatus An illumination system for illuminating a mask in a microlithographic exposure apparatus has an optical axis and a pupil surface. The system can include an array of reflective or transparent beam deflection elements such as mirrors. Each deflection element can be adapted to deflect an impinging light ray by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal. The beam deflection elements can be arranged in a first plane. The system can further include an optical raster element, which includes a plurality of microlenses and/or diffractive structures. The beam deflection elements), which can be arranged in a first plane, and the optical raster element, which can be arranged in a second plane, can commonly produce a two-dimensional far field intensity distribution. An optical imaging system can optically conjugate the first plane to the second plane.
US08416388B2	Fluid handling device, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method A fluid handling system for an immersion lithographic apparatus that has a fluid removal device to remove immersion liquid from an immersion space, and a droplet removal device to remove a droplet of immersion liquid, wherein: the droplet removal device is located further from an optical axis than the fluid removal device, and the droplet removal device comprises a porous member which faces, e.g., the substrate being exposed and/or the substrate table.
US08416387B2	Wavelength shift measuring apparatus, optical source apparatus, interference measuring apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method A wavelength shift measuring apparatus of the present invention is a wavelength shift detection sensor (WLCD1) which measures a shift of a wavelength of a light beam emitted from a light source, and includes a beam splitter (BS2) splitting the light beam emitted from the light source into a plurality of light beams and to synthesize two light beams among the plurality of light beams to generate an interference light, a spacer member (SP) provided so that an optical path length difference of the two light beams split by the beam splitter (PBS2) is constant, and a plurality of photoelectric sensors (PD) detecting the interference light generated by the beam splitter (BS2). The plurality of photoelectric sensors (PD) output a plurality of interference signals having phases shifted from one another based on the interference light to calculate a wavelength shift using the plurality of interference signals.
US08416382B2	Processing apparatus and device manufacturing method A processing apparatus including a processing unit configured to process an object includes a conveying unit configured to convey an object between a transfer portion provided between an external apparatus and the processing unit, and the processing unit, a controller configured to output a request signal requesting the external apparatus to convey the object to the transfer portion, and an output unit configured to output a signal indicating a start of maintenance of the processing apparatus. The controller is configured to output to the external apparatus a signal for stopping the conveyance of the object to the transfer portion, based on the signal indicating the start of maintenance output from the output unit, after outputting the request signal.
US08416379B2	Alignment films in a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the same A liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates in a spaced relationship with one another. A pair of alignment films are provided, one alignment film being formed on each substrate such that the alignment films face one another. A liquid crystal layer, including plural liquid crystals, is inserted between the pair of alignment films, wherein the alignment films impart a given pre-tilt angle to the liquid crystals. The alignment films are composed of a material containing at least two types of polymers having a prescribed initial alignment and different alignment variation rates in response to ultraviolet ray irradiation. The pre-tilt angle being adjusted, without rubbing the alignment films, through ultraviolet exposure of the alignment films.
US08416373B2	Display device and method for manufacturing the same A display device and a method for manufacturing the display device are provided. The display device includes a substrate and a color filter layer. A plurality of sub-pixel electrodes are formed on the substrate. The color filter layer is configured on the substrate. The color filter layer defines a plurality of color areas corresponding to the sub-pixel electrodes. Here, each of the color areas is partially overlapped with two of the sub-pixel electrodes adjacent to each other.
US08416371B2	Polarization device, method of manufacturing the same, liquid crystal device, and electronic apparatus The wire grid type polarization device includes a substrate, and a metal layer formed on one face of the substrate in a substantially stripe shape in a plan view, a first dielectric layer provided on two side faces opposite to each other among a plurality of side faces of the metal layer and in a top part of the metal layer, and a second dielectric layer provided on the first dielectric layer. A substrate side end portion of the second dielectric layer is located between the one surface of the substrate and the top part of the first metal layer.
US08416366B2	Back light module and liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display (LCD) and a back light module are provided. The back light module includes a light guide plate (LGP) and a plurality of light-emitting devices. The LGP has a plurality of partitioning grooves, a bottom surface, a light exiting surface, a first side and a second side. The bottom surface is opposite to the light exiting surface. The first side and the second side are located at the two opposite side surfaces of the LGP. The extension direction of each of the partitioning grooves extends from the first side towards the second side. Each of the partitioning grooves has an opening and the opening is located at the bottom surface. The plurality of light-emitting devices are disposed at least one of the first side and the second side. The liquid crystal panel of the LCD is disposed at the light exiting surface.
US08416362B2	Electric circuit structure including a flexible substrate with a connecting terminal To provide an electric circuit structure with which the occurrence of sound generation caused by vibration of a circuit element mounted on a flexible substrate connected to a circuit board is suppressed. The electric circuit structure includes a mechanical member (9) in the form of a frame having a closed bottom; a circuit board (1) on the surface of which an electric circuit element is formed, the circuit board being accommodated in the mechanical member (9); a flexible substrate (10) that has a connecting terminal formed on one end (10a) thereof, the connecting terminal being connected to an electrode terminal (7) formed on the circuit board (1), and that is folded back and fixed to a rear face of the mechanical member (9) at the other end opposite to the one end (10a); and a circuit element mounted on a portion of the flexible substrate (10) that is folded back to the rear face of the mechanical member (9), wherein the flexible substrate (10) is fixed to the rear face of the mechanical member (9) via a nonwoven fabric adhesive tape employing a nonwoven fabric as a base material.
US08416361B2	Display apparatus A display device includes a display panel including a front substrate and a back substrate, a plurality of first brackets attached to a non-display area of a back surface of the back substrate using an adhesive, a frame disposed in the rear of the display panel, an optical layer disposed between the frame and the display panel, a light guide plate disposed between the frame and the optical layer, a light source disposed on the side of the light guide plate, a second bracket disposed on the plurality of first brackets, and a connection frame including a first portion inserted into a hole or a groove of each of the plurality of first brackets and a second portion connected to the second bracket.
US08416358B2	Portable electronic device When image data is displayed on the display portion of a conventional mobile telephone, characters cannot be displayed thereon, and thus the image data and the characters cannot be simultaneously displayed. In a portable electronic device according to the present invention, a cover member having a first display device (101) for displaying an image (digital still image or the like) and a second display device (102) having a touch input operational portion (for displaying characters, symbols, or the like) are attached to each other so as to allow opening and closing.
US08416355B2	Directional filter device for controlling direction of maximal blocking of incident light A directional filter device for controlling direction of maximal blocking of incident light, including: (a) a front polarizer; (b) a plurality of front electrodes; (c) a liquid crystal layer having a front surface for receiving light and a back surface for emitting light; (d) a plurality of back electrodes; (e) a back polarizer; and (f) circuitry for applying a voltage between said front electrodes and said back electrodes, wherein said circuitry is configured to apply voltage between front and back electrodes that do not face each other using voltage sequences that create electric fields at angles selected from a range of angles, which are not perpendicular to the front surface of the liquid crystal layer.
US08416352B2	Alignment marker, display device using the same, and fabrication method thereof An alignment marker includes first marker element pieces for a first viewpoint and second marker element pieces for a second viewpoint different in plan shape. The first and second marker element pieces are respectively formed by dividing marker elements in such a way as to be equal in width to a predetermined marker element pitch. These pieces are arranged at the marker element pitch along an optical image separation direction of the optical image separation element. A predetermined number of the adjoining first and second pieces constitute one repetition cycle. A width of the repetition cycle is in accordance with an arrangement pitch of constituent elements of the optical image separation element. An existing optical image separation element can be used without the formation of the markers thereon and the alignment operation can be performed with a usual aligning and bonding apparatus.
US08416348B2	Digital TV and method for processing data signal in digital TV The present invention provides a digital TV. The digital TV comprises a memory, a signal processing module, and a processor. The memory is for storing a regular program code. The signal processing module is for receiving and processing a data signal, and for generating an interruption signal. The processor coupled to the memory and the signal processing module is for receiving the interruption signal and reading the regular program code from the memory, and for executing the regular program code to realize functions of the digital TV. The memory is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the processor accesses the memory by block. Each block includes a first sub-block storing a specific program code. When the processor receives the interruption signal, the processor reads the specific program code of the first sub-block of the currently-accessed block and executes the specific program code.
US08416338B2	Imaging device and imaging method There is provided an imaging device which detects a focused position focused on a desired subject in an imaging range in response to a detection instruction, acquires the image data obtained by imaging the subject image at the focused position as saving image data in response to a release instruction, and sequentially changing a focal position with the focused position as a reference and acquiring the image data obtained by imaging the subject image at a plurality of changed different focal positions as saving image data.
US08416337B2	Image process apparatus and method for processing a color image signal Provided is an image process apparatus for processing a color image signal, including: an integration unit integrating at least one of each of color signals of the color image signal or a brightness signal obtained from the color image signal over at least one horizontal period; a normalization unit normalizing an integration value obtained by the integration unit and a difference between the integration values of adjacent fields or frames obtained by the integration unit; a frequency analysis unit extracting spectrum of output values of the normalization unit; a flicker component estimating unit estimating a flicker component from the spectrum extracted by the frequency analysis unit; an index generating unit calculating an index representing a degree that a photographing light source is estimated to a fluorescent lamp, based on an estimated result of the flicker component estimating unit; and a color balance control unit calculating a color balance control value of the color image signal according to the index from the index generating unit.
US08416336B2	Image sensor and image-capturing device An image sensor includes: a plurality of imaging pixels; and a plurality of focus detection pixels constituted with a micro-lens and a photoelectric conversion element that receives a focus detection light flux transmitted through a photographic optical system and executes photoelectric conversion. The photoelectric conversion element in each of the focus detection pixels includes a light-receiving area where the focus detection light flux is received; light-receiving area images corresponding to each of the focus detection pixels are each formed as the light-receiving area is projected via the micro-lens onto a pupil plane of the photographic optical system; and a positional relationship of the micro-lens and the light-receiving area is determined in correspondence to an image height so that the light-receiving area images corresponding to all the focus detection pixels are superimposed on one another on the pupil plane.
US08416333B2	Imaging apparatus An imaging apparatus for capturing an image includes a first display unit, a second display unit capable of being in a set-in state in which the second display unit is set in a body of the imaging apparatus or a non-set-in state in which the second display unit is not set in the body of the imaging apparatus, a proximity sensor operable to sense proximity of an object, and a controller operable to allow the first display unit to display an image when the proximity sensor senses the proximity of the object, and allows the second display unit to display an image when the proximity sensor does not sense the proximity of the object. The controller controls a sensing function of the proximity sensor according to whether the second display unit is in the set-in state or the non-set-in state. For example, the proximity sensor may sense the proximity of the object when the object is continuously sensed for a predetermined sensing time or more. The controller may set the predetermined sensing time for the second display unit being in the non-set-in state to be longer than the predetermined sensing time for the second display unit being in the set-in state.
US08416332B2	Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program The information processing apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a moving picture analysis unit for analyzing moving picture data including a plurality of images and audios associated with time information and for generating moving picture metadata relating to a plurality of feature quantities characterizing the moving picture, a comic display conversion unit for extracting a plurality of images from the moving picture data based on the moving picture metadata and for dividing a predetermined display region into frames and for converting an arrangement of the plurality of extracted images into a comic-like arrangement and for generating frame information including information about the images arranged in each of the frames, and a comic display data generation unit for generating comic display data including at least the frame information, data of the extracted images, and the audio data of the moving picture.
US08416329B2	Image pickup device and image pickup system Unit cells each having a plurality of photodiodes 101a and 101b, a plurality of transfer MOSFETs 102a and 102b provided in correspondence to the plurality of photodiodes, respectively and a common amplifying MOSFET 104 for amplifying and outputting signals read out from the plurality of diodes are arranged two-dimensionally, and, plural photodiodes are disposed around the photodiode 101b and trapping regions 130, 134, 135 and 132 are for trapping excessive carriers from the photodiode 101b are provided between the photodiode 101b and the plural photodiodes, respectively.
US08416327B2	Solid-state image pickup apparatus A plurality of image pickup areas is disposed in a semiconductor substrate so as to be separate from one another. Disposed in each of the image pickup areas are rows and columns of unit pixels, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion part and signal scanning circuit parts. Formed on the image pickup areas of the semiconductor substrate and opposite a interconnect layer formed on the semiconductor substrate are optical image formation lenses used for forming object images. Further, between the image pickup areas on the semiconductor substrate is a driving circuit area in which driving circuits are formed for driving the signal scanning circuit parts.
US08416319B2	Systems and methods for imaging objects Systems and methods for imaging objects are provided. An imaging device includes a sensor to provide an image of an object. The sensor can have a sensor exposure time and a sensor gain and the image includes a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of frames that can depict at least a portion of the object. The imaging device includes a motion detector to determine whether there is movement of the at least a portion of the object between adjacent frames of the plurality of frames. The imaging device also includes a controller. The controller can set the sensor exposure time to a first value in response to a determination by the motion detector that there is movement of the at least a portion of the object between adjacent frames. The controller can also set the sensor exposure time to a second value in response to a determination that there is no movement of the at least a portion of the object between adjacent frames. The controller can also adjust the sensor exposure time, the sensor gain, or both to maintain a luminance value of the plurality of frames at a target luminance value.
US08416317B2	Automatic focus system calibration for image capture systems Imaging systems and methods for calibrating imaging systems are provided. The imaging system has a body, a scene image capture system that captures images using a taking lens system that can be set to a plurality of different focus distances, and a rangefinder that is capable of determining a distance between the imaging system and at least one portion of a field of view of the talking lens system. The method comprises: automatically capturing a first calibration image of a first field of view through the taking lens system with the taking lens system set to a first focus distance setting; identifying a portion of the first calibration image having a predetermined degree of focus; using the rangefinder to determine a first calibration distance from the imaging device to the identified portion. A focus correlation is determined based upon the first calibration distance and the first focus distance setting.
US08416313B2	Image processing device for inputting both still picture data and motion picture data and performing a data process When a still picture is picked up by a digital camera, the still picture is divided into a plurality of areas and is processed for each area. After the process of one divided area is completed, then the process of a motion picture obtained from an imaging device. After the process of the motion picture is completed, another divided area of the still picture is processed again. Such switching between a motion picture process and a still picture process is performed until the process of the entire still picture is completed. Thus, after a still picture is picked up by a digital camera, a motion picture can be promptly displayed and a live image picked up by the camera can be displayed on a back LCD screen.
US08416309B2	Camera-fitted information retrieval device When instructions for retrieval is given in a portable information device, together with a camera image obtained by a camera, additional information including position information provided by a CPS device, orientation information of the camera provided by a geomagnetic sensor, lens focal length information and photographing magnification information of the camera is transmitted to a retrieval service server. The retrieval service server, based on the additional information, retrieves a target within a photographing range from the current position of the camera, and recognizes the target by image recognition or character recognition of the camera image, and returns these target-related information as a retrieval result to the portable information device. The portable information device, by specifying a desired target based on the retrieval result, can acquire contents of this target from a contents service server.
US08416308B2	Image processing device, camera motion component calculation method, image processing program, and recording medium An image processing device, comprising: a motion vector detection unit configured to detect, from frame image data made up of frame images, motion vectors representing motion of the frame images; a modeling unit configured to model the motion vector, detected by the motion vector detection unit, to a component separation expression in which a camera motion component and a focal plane distortion component are separated, using unknown component parameters respectively representing camera motion which is motion of a camera, and the amount in change in focal plane distortion; and a component calculation unit configured to calculate the component parameters used in the component separation expression, thereby calculating the camera motion component in the motion vector.
US08416305B2	Portable Wi-Fi digital video camcorder and system with thereof A portable Wi-Fi digital video camcorder includes a battery, a wireless network unit, an LCD unit, a video-stream capturing unit and a processing unit. The battery supplies power to the portable Wi-Fi digital video camcorder. The video-stream capturing unit captures a present video stream. The processing unit is electrically connected with the wireless network unit, the LCD unit and the video-stream capturing unit. The processing unit includes an LCD driving module and a video-stream transmitting module. The LCD driving module drives the LCD unit. The video-stream transmitting module utilizes the wireless network unit to transmit the present video stream.
US08416303B2	Imaging apparatus and imaging method An imaging apparatus is provided which includes an imaging unit including a first photoelectrical conversion device and a second photoelectrical conversion device, wherein the first photoelectrical conversion device generates first image data by photoelectrically converting a visible light component transmitted from a subject, and wherein the second photoelectrical conversion device generates second image data by photoelectrically converting an infrared light component transmitted from the subject, a filter removing the visible light component but allowing the infrared light component to pass through, a subject image position identification unit for identifying, in the first image data, a predetermined subject image and a position of the predetermined subject image, an infrared light intensity detection unit for detecting an infrared light intensity transmitted in the second image data, and a living body detection unit for detecting a living body based on the position of the predetermined subject image and the infrared light intensity.
US08416301B2	Strain image display systems A method of displaying strain image data for an imaged object, the method comprising: capturing strain image data defining deformation of said object over an imaged region of said object; processing said strain image data to determine local image quality data, said local image quality data comprising a measure of the quality of said strain image data varying over said imaged region; and displaying a representation of said strain image data for said imaged region of said object, using said local image quality data to provide a visual indication of the quality of said displayed representation varying over said imaged region or to improve a quality of said displayed representation of said strain image data.
US08416300B2	Traffic system for enhancing driver visibility Embodiments described herein comprise a system and method for improving visibility of a roadway using an improved visibility system. The method comprising receiving data from a plurality of fog detectors located proximate a roadway and determining, based on the data from the plurality of fog detectors, that fog is present about the roadway. The method further comprising obtaining, after the determining that fog is present about the roadway, a plurality of images of the roadway by activating a plurality of cameras located proximate the roadway. The method further comprising creating a composite image by combining two or more of the plurality of images, wherein the composite image depicts the roadway unobstructed by fog and transmitting the composite image to a display device located in a vehicle traveling along the roadway.
US08416297B2	System and method for video detection of smoke and flame A method for detecting flame and smoke using spatial analysis of video input (40) provided by a video detector. The video input (40) consists of a number of individual frames, wherein analysis is performed on each individual frame to detect and outline regions that may contain smoke or flame (42). Based on the defined outline or boundary of each detected region, spatial features associated with the region are extracted (52), such as perimeter/area and surface area/volume. The extracted spatial features are related to one another (54) to determine the likelihood that the region contains smoke or flame. Extracted spatial features may be related to one another using a power law relationship that provides an indication of the turbulence associated with a bounded region, wherein turbulence is a characteristic of both flame and smoke.
US08416293B2	Plasma monitoring device and method A plasma monitoring device includes a plasma supplier including a power supply, a reaction gas supply line, and an emission nozzle for emitting plasma, which is generated therein, toward an object; a camera unit for obtaining an image of the plasma emission state; and a controller for obtaining a measurement value by converting pixel information of the image into a numerical value and comparing it with a reference value, which is a measurement value in a normal emission state, to check the plasma emission state. The camera unit obtains an image of the plasma emission state, and the controller analyzes the image to obtain a measurement value, which is used to monitor the state of plasma in real time and control the amount of reaction gas supplied to the plasma supplier and the plasma discharge condition, so that plasma is evenly emitted from the plasma supplier.
US08416291B2	System to aid in the positioning, confirmation and documentation of an endotracheal tube A hand held intubation camera device including a hand held display unit, the display unit including a trigger for actuating a camera. The device also including a disposable stylet connectable to the display unit, the stylet including a camera element formed at a distal end operable by the hand held display unit, and a light emitting element. The device also including a single use interconnect preventing a disposable stylet from being reinserted into the hand held display unit once removed following an initial use.
US08416286B2	Image signal processing device, three-dimensional image display device, three-dimensional image transmission/display system, and image signal processing method An image signal processing device improving quality of three-dimensional image is provided. The device includes a determination section; deinterlace sections and a synchronous control section. The determination section determines whether first and/or second input image signals, having horizontal parallax there between, are interlaced signals derived from video signal or from pull down-converted film signal. The deinterlace sections perform deinterlace on each of the first and second input image signals, through interpolation for a video signal or pull down reverse conversion for a film signal, and generate first and second output image signals as progressive signals, having horizontal parallax there between. The synchronous control section synchronously controls the deinterlace, based on result of the determination section, such that deinterlace process onto the first and second input image signals, synchronized with each other for each of fields, are of same type.
US08416284B2	Stereoscopic image capturing apparatus and stereoscopic image capturing system A stereoscopic image capturing apparatus includes a first image acquisition unit including a first image formation lens unit forming an image of an object, and a first image sensor having a plurality of capturing pixels to receive the image formed by the first formation lens unit, and a second image acquisition unit including a second image formation lens unit forming a image of the object, a first lens array unit having a plurality of lenses to receive the image formed by the second image formation lens, and a second image sensor having a plurality of capturing pixels to receive the formed image through the first lens array unit. The second image acquisition unit is disposed at a distance in a horizontal direction from the first image acquisition unit when viewed from the object.
US08416283B2	3D imaging device and method for manufacturing same A 3D imaging device is comprised of a photodetector matrix, a layer of material fixed on a face of the photodetector matrix, the layer of material being capable of absorbing or reflecting light, an opening being formed in said layer of material at each photodetector, a layer of insulating material fixed on said layer of material capable of reflecting or absorbing light, the layer of insulating material having a face surrounding, in the body thereof, a set of G waveguides, each waveguide of the set of waveguides being positioned vertically in relation to said face, opposite an opening, the heights of the different waveguides, considered in relation to the face of the layer of insulating material, defining N distinct levels, N being a whole number greater than or equal to 2.
US08416280B2	Video conference system, band control method, conference control device, video conference terminal device and recording medium recording program A conference control device includes: a communication processing unit which performs transmission/reception processing of conference information containing voice information and image information between the conference control device and a plurality of video conference terminal devices through a network; an information collecting unit which collects information on connection paths between the conference control device and the respective video conference terminal devices; a grouping unit which sorts the plurality of video conference terminal devices into a plurality of groups based on information on the connection paths collected by the information collecting unit; a band monitoring unit which monitors a use band of the communication processing unit in accordance with every group; and a bandwidth control unit which is, when the group having the use band of less than a predetermined value is detected by the band monitoring unit, controls the bandwidth of the video conference terminal devices belonging to the group.
US08416279B2	Method, device and computer system for processing images in a conference between a plurality of video conferencing terminals Processing images in conference between a plurality of video conferencing terminal. The method includes providing properties of terminals, defining a number of groups based on the properties of the terminals, then determining an ordered list of the a number of groups, and determining a pane layout for displaying images from the terminals. The pane layout is determined based on the provided properties of the terminal the pane layout is displayed on and the properties of the other terminals in the conference. Then, mapping the ordered list of the number of groups to the respective determined pane layout, and providing at least one composite image stream to each of the terminals according to the selected pane layout and mapping of the a number of groups. Different types of telepresence endpoints, (e.g. different manufacturers, numbers of screens/cameras, etc.) can thus interoperate well in the same video conference.
US08416278B2	System and method for real-time conversational tele-education service based on video conferencing service A system and method for a tele-education service system based on video conferencing are provided. The tele-education service system includes a host terminal to manage a tele-education service system; at least one participating terminal to receive the tele-education service; and a media relay to acquire video images from the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, to combine the acquired video images differently according to user information of the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal and the progress stages of video conferencing and to provide the differently combined video images to the host terminal and the at least one participating terminal, respectively.
US08416276B2	Mobile telephony system comprising holographic display A mobile telephony system comprising a calling party mobile telephone with an imaging system and a display. The imaging system is operable to capture an image of the calling party. The calling party mobile telephone sends an image of the calling party to a called party mobile telephone over a wireless link, and the called party mobile telephone locally generates a holographic reconstruction of the calling party using a holographic display that is encoded with a hologram. An advantage is that a mobile telephone call may be held in which one party views a holographic reconstruction of the other party.
US08416273B2	Integration of home entertainment devices with a software client for telephony A communication system including a communication network, an entertainment device connected to the communication network, and an application server connected to the communication network. The entertainment device has a software client adapted to provide real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and a telephony device connected to the communication network. The application server is adapted to communicate with the software client and facilitate the real time two-way communication between the entertainment device and the telephony device.
US08416271B2	Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus using the same An optical scanning device configured to remove or sufficiently reduce ghost light includes an input optical system for directing a light beam from a light source to a deflecting surface of a deflector, and an imaging optical system for imaging a light beam scanningly deflected by the deflecting surface upon a surface to be scanned, wherein, in a sub-scan section, the light beam is incident on the deflecting surface of the deflector from an oblique direction with respect to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, wherein a light blocking member for blocking ghost light is disposed on a light path between the deflecting surface and the scanned surface, wherein an end portion of the light blocking member in the sub-scan direction is formed with a curved shape having a height in the sub-scan direction which height changes in accordance with the position in the main-scan direction.
US08416270B2	Labeling method for blu-ray disc The present invention provides a labeling method for a blu-ray disc, which includes following steps: an initial radius is selected on a blank area of the blu-ray disc, and a pattern is determined; an initial physical sector number is calculated using the initial radius, and the pattern is transformed into a description data; according to the initial physical sector number and a size of the description data, a sequential recorded region of the blu-ray disc is divided into at least two sequential recorded regions, and information of the at least two sequential recorded regions are updated in a table of content, wherein an initial position of one of the sequential recorded regions is the initial physical sector number, and a length of the one of the sequential recorded regions is the size of the description data; the description data is written from the initial physical sector number.
US08416263B2	Alignment of objects in augmented reality Technologies are generally described for aligning objects in augmented reality. In some examples, a processor may be adapted to receive detected image data and virtual object data. In some examples, the processor may further be adapted to generate and apply weights to log-likelihood functions at intensity and feature levels based on the virtual object data and detected image data. In some examples, the processor may further be adapted to add the weighted log-likelihood function at intensity level to the weighted log-likelihood function at feature level to produce a cost function. In some examples, the processor may further be adapted to determine transformation parameters based on the cost function that may be used to align the detected image data with virtual object data.
US08416262B2	Methods and devices for displaying an overlay on a device display screen Disclosed herein is a camera unit configured to capture an image, and a microprocessor configured to control a display to display the image and an overlay substantially simultaneously. In one broad aspect, at least one of the level of transparency, the brightness level, or the color value of the overlay is determined based on at least one of a representative brightness level or a representative color value associated with the image being displayed.
US08416260B1	Sigma buffer for rendering small objects Small objects causing aliasing are enlarged so that they are likely to be sampled by image sampling points. The opacity of the enlarged object is reduced in proportion to the enlargement. To efficiently render partially transparent objects, such as enlarged objects, objects are sampled using sigma buffer samples instead of image sample points. For each sigma buffer sample, a corresponding portion of the object is set to either completely transparent or completely opaque. The proportion of transparent to opaque portions of the object matches or approximates the partial transparency of the object as a whole. The completely opaque portions of one or more objects are sampled with the corresponding sigma buffer samples. Aggregate values of the sigma buffer samples are determined and can be combined with the attribute values of other objects sampled with image sampling points associated with the same region as the set of sigma buffer samples.
US08416255B1	Methods and systems for using colors and color themes Systems and methods are disclosed for using colors and color themes. One embodiment uses color(s) already included in a design to select and suggest other color(s) or color themes. For example, a design application may provide a listing of suggested color themes based on the colors used in a design area or in selected item(s) of a design area. Such a listing can be ordered based on assessments of how well the color themes match. The listing can also be updated in real time. For example, a designer adding a color to a design may trigger an update to the color theme listing.
US08416252B2	Image processing apparatus and memory access method thereof A memory access method for processing images includes reading an image data from a main memory. The image data has display rows. Inner memories are configured to be memory blocks arranged in an order of data storage. First pixel data in an ith display row are written into the memory blocks in the order of data storage, and N dummy data are written into the memory blocks in the order of data storage to form an isolated block. M dummy data are written into the memory blocks after the isolated block in the order of data storage to form a first shifted block. Second pixel data in an (i+1)th display row are written into the memory blocks after the first shifted block in the order of data storage, and O dummy data are written into the memory blocks in the order of data storage to form a second shifted block.
US08416249B2	Image transfer using drawing command hooking A hook processing module hooks and preempts to a specific drawing command issued by an application program, and draws an image in an image data storage area within the RAM according to the acquired drawing command. VNC server acquires the image from the image data storage area, and transfers the acquired image to a projector via a network.
US08416244B2	Rendering a text image following a line A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, receives image data from an image database in the form of vector data that defines various image objects, such as roads, geographical boundaries, etc., and textures defining text strings to be displayed on the image to provide, for example, labels for the image objects. The imaging rendering system renders the images such that the individual characters of the text strings are placed on the image following a multi-segmented or curved line.
US08416242B1	Method and system for interpolating level-of-detail in graphics processors A method determining LOD values for a geometric primitive, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes accessing a plurality of geometric parameters of a vertex. An LOD value for a vertex is calculated as a function of the plurality of parameters of the vertex in a setup module. In a raster module an LOD value for a pixel is interpolated as a function of the LOD value of the pixel corresponding to the vertex and a view distance of the non-vertex pixel.
US08416239B2	Intermediate image generation method, apparatus, and program When generating an intermediate image which is an image in the middle of changing from one to the other of two pseudo three-dimensional images generated by ray casting a three-dimensional image from an arbitrary viewpoint under two different opacity level setting conditions, determining an opacity level setting condition by determining an opacity level to be allocated according to each pixel value such that a variation in the opacity level for a change in a changing phase of the intermediate image become smaller as the changing phase approaches closer to a pseudo three-dimensional image generated under either one of the two different opacity level setting conditions in which a smaller value is allocated as the opacity level to be allocated according to each pixel value, and generating an intermediate image by ray casting the three-dimensional image from an arbitrary viewpoint under the determined opacity level setting condition.
US08416238B2	Modular shader architecture and method for computerized image rendering One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique rendering an image pixel within a graphics image with multiple shaders in a single rendering phase using a modular shader architecture. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A rendering application provides computational infrastructure for rendering operations that includes finding an intersected object for each pixel of a target graphics image. The modular shader architecture includes a means for efficiently developing and incorporating custom shader modules for use by the rendering application.
US08416234B2	Compensating voltage drop for display device To compensate for voltage drop on a power supply line. In a display device, pixel data is supplied to each of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form and display is performed. Each pixel has a self-emissive element. A horizontal direction power supply line (horizontal direction PVDD) which supplies a power supply to each pixel is provided, and one end of the horizontal PVDD line is connected to a vertical power supply line (vertical PVDD line) that is connected to an external power supply terminal. Correction data corresponding to a voltage drop to the horizontal PVDD line due to a resistance in the vertical PVDD line is then obtained through a calculation based on pixel data, and the input pixel data is corrected using the correction data so as to reduce the influence of the voltage drop on the pixel current.
US08416231B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel on which a plurality of first units each including at least one liquid crystal cell and a plurality of second units each including at least one liquid crystal cell are positioned in a display area and data line and gate lines cross one another, a common voltage generation unit generating first and second common voltages, a plurality of first longitudinal common lines that supply the first common voltage input through a plurality of first input units to each of first common electrodes of the first units, and a plurality of second longitudinal common lines that supply the second common voltage input through a plurality of second input units to each of second common electrodes of the second units.
US08416229B2	Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method thereof A liquid crystal display device includes: first and second substrates positioned so as to face each other; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates, and containing a polymerizable component that is polymerized by light or heat. The polymerizable component of the liquid crystal layer is polymerized with a predetermined voltage being applied to a region corresponding to those pixels whose transmittance-drive voltage characteristics are shifted toward higher voltages in a normal drive operation, where the predetermined voltage is applied so that the transmittance-drive voltage characteristics are shifted toward lower voltages by an amount equal to or larger than an amount of the shift toward higher voltages.
US08416227B2	Display device having optical sensors A liquid crystal panel with built-in sensors 11 includes, in a pixel array 17, a plurality of pixel circuits 1 and a plurality of optical sensors 2 which are arranged two-dimensionally. Infrared light transmitting filters 3 that allow infrared light to pass therethrough and cut off visible light are provided in respective paths of light entering the optical sensors 2. A backlight 15 including white LEDs 4 and infrared LEDs 5 is provided on a back surface of the liquid crystal panel 11. With this, reflected light of backlight light including infrared light is detected by the optical sensors 2 without receiving the influence of visible light, and thus a touch position is detected with high accuracy, irrespective of display data.
US08416225B2	Display device Provided is a display device that has a photodetection element within a pixel and can calibrate automatically a photo sensor signal during an operation of the display device. A sensor row driver (5) has a first operation mode for supplying a sensor drive signal of a first pattern to a photo sensor in a pixel region (1) and outputting a photo sensor signal corresponding to a quantity of receiving light to a signal processing circuit (8), a second operation mode for supplying a sensor drive signal of a second pattern and acquiring a first photo sensor signal level for calibration corresponding to the case where a black level is detected, and a third operation mode for supplying a sensor drive signal of a third pattern and acquiring a second photo sensor signal level for calibration corresponding to the case where a white level is detected. During the first operation mode, a third photo sensor signal level for calibration is acquired from a dummy pixel. The signal processing circuit (8) calibrates the photo sensor signal from an effective pixel during the first operation mode by using the first to third photo sensor signal levels.
US08416221B2	Method and apparatus for selecting media files A method and an apparatus for selecting media files are provided. In the present invention, three keys are used for selecting a plurality of media files, wherein one of the keys is used for rotating and selecting a presently displayed media file, one of the keys is used for directly selecting the presently displayed media file, and another key is used for skipping the presently displayed media file. Complete select functions can be executed to a plurality of media files stored in any path by using foregoing three keys. The selected media files are stored in another path as being selected without spending time in actions such as moving, copying, and deleting, etc. Thus, the media file select operation is greatly simplified.
US08416217B1	Light-based finger gesture user interface A light-based finger gesture user interface for an electronic device including a housing for an electronic device, a display mounted in the housing, a cavity, separated from the display, penetrating two opposite sides of the housing, a detector mounted in the housing operative to detect an object inserted in the cavity, and a processor connected to the detector and to the display for causing the display to render a visual representation in response to output from the detector.
US08416216B2	Method and system for touch sensor interface fault detection A touch sensor interface includes one or more touch detection electrodes whose capacitance increases when touched. A processor converts the increase in capacitance into a change in a counter value. A detector compares the change in the counter value with one or more count thresholds to detect faults in the touch sensor interface.
US08416211B2	Force-sensing modules for light sensitive screens A light sensitive screen includes at least one sensing element each being configured to detect a force applied to a position of the light sensitive screen and generate an electrical signal when a force is detected, and a sensor module configured to receive and process the electrical signal from the at least one sensing element. The sensor module may amplify the electrical signal from one of the at least one sensing element and generate an amplified signal, compare the amplified signal with a threshold and generate a comparing result, and generate a digital signal based on the comparing result, the digital signal including information as to whether the position of the light sensitive screen is touched.
US08416208B2	Display apparatus having touch screen panel Disclosed herein is a display apparatus having a touch screen panel including: a housing of which first surface is open; a main circuit substrate that is built-in the housing; a display unit that is connected to the main circuit substrate and is disposed to face the opened first surface of the housing; and a touch screen panel that is connected to the main circuit substrate and is positioned on the upper portion of the display unit and includes an active region disposed on the first surface and inactive regions that are extended from the active region and are disposed at side surfaces of the housing or on a second surface opposite to the first surface.
US08416206B2	Method for manipulating a graphic widget in a three-dimensional environment displayed on a touch panel of an interactive input system A method for manipulating a graphic widget in a three-dimensional environment displayed on a touch panel of an interactive input system is provided. The method includes tracking the x-y positions of two touch points associated with the graphic widget; and modifying the z-position of the graphic widget in accordance with changes in the distance between the x-y positions of the touch points. An interactive input system and computer readable medium embodying the method is also provided.
US08416205B2	Device, method, and graphical user interface for manipulation of user interface objects with activation regions A computing device with a touch screen display simultaneously displays on the touch screen display a plurality of user interface objects displayed at a first magnification level in a display area. The device detects a first contact on a first handle activation region for a first handle of a user interface object. In response to continuing to detect the first contact at for a predefined amount of time, the device zooms the display area to a second magnification level. While the display area is at the second magnification level, the device: detects a movement of the first contact across the touch screen display; moves the first handle in accordance with the detected movement of the first contact; and detects liftoff of the first contact. In response to detecting liftoff of the first contact, the device zooms the display area to the first magnification level.
US08416204B2	Information processing apparatus and information processing method The present invention provides an information processing apparatus capable of displaying a plurality of elements at a display unit by being superimposed and selecting an arbitrary element rapidly and easily among the plurality of elements by the user and an information processing method. The information processing apparatus includes an input reception unit to which signals are input from a first operation unit and a second operation unit, and a display control unit by which a plurality of first elements and a plurality of second elements are displayed by being superimposed. The first elements are arranged to be selectable or movable in accordance with the input of the first operation unit on a virtual first layer and the second elements are arranged to be selectable or movable in accordance with the input of the second operation unit on a virtual second layer which differs from the first layer.
US08416202B2	Display device having touch panel The present invention realizes the reduction of cost of a display device having a touch panel. The display device having a touch panel includes a display panel, and a touch panel which is arranged on the display panel in an overlapping manner in plane. The touch panel includes a first substrate and a second substrate which are arranged to face each other with spacers sandwiched therebetween, and a first semiconductor chip which is mounted on the first substrate. The first substrate includes, on a surface side thereof which faces the second substrate, a plurality of first lines which is arranged parallel to each other in the first direction, a first chip mounting region on which the first semiconductor chip is mounted, and a plurality of first connection portions each of which is constituted of a portion of each line in the plurality of first lines, the first semiconductor chip includes a plurality of first bump electrodes which is arranged in one direction, the plurality of first connection portions are arranged in the arrangement direction of the plurality of first bump electrodes within the first-chip mounting region, and an arrangement pitch of the plurality of first bump electrodes is set larger than an arrangement pitch of the plurality of first connection portions.
US08416200B2	Panel switch device for load control system A panel switch device for use in a load control system, which includes the panel switch device serving to monitor a pressing operation of icons of loads having individual addresses allocated thereto and output to a signal line a transmission signal including operation information and address information obtained by the pressing operation of the icons of the loads, the control device serving to control each of the loads corresponding to the address information if the address information coincides with the address of each of the loads. The panel switch device includes a frame, a touch panel display unit for displaying setting items of the loads to be controlled and an output unit provided on a rear surface side of the display unit for outputting a setting content inputted through the display unit. The control device controls the loads based on the setting content outputted from the output unit.
US08416194B2	Apparatus and method for adjusting a key range of a keycapless keyboard An apparatus and method for adjusting a key range of a keycapless keyboard are provided. The apparatus includes a keyboard, a controller, and a manager. The keyboard is comprised of a touch screen. The controller determines whether revision of a user's input value through the keyboard has occurred. The manager adjusts a key range to avoid a user's input error if revisions with a same pattern have occurred as many times as a predefined number.
US08416193B2	Method of visualizing an input location One or more sensors to determine a location of an input. The data related to the location of the input, such as a character, may be displayed on an application on a display device. In addition, data that is related to the proximate areas of the location of the input may also be displayed, such as surrounding characters. If the user desires to enter the character into the application, the displayed character may be selected. If the user does not wish to select the character, the user may move the input to a new location and data related to the new location may be displayed on the application on the display device and the data related to the new location may be selected and entered in the application.
US08416189B2	Manual human machine interface operation system and method thereof A manual human machine interface operation system and method thereof are disclosed. In embodiment, this manual human machine interface operation system extracts user's arm image and palm image from the images capture by at least two cameras, and then calculates user's arm coordinate, so that user can select the object shown on the human machine interface by manually using his/her arm. The system then recognizes a hand posture according to the palm image and determines an instruction mapped to this hand posture. This instruction is then performed on the selected object. In embodiment, the hand posture can be a pointing posture, grab posture or a release posture.
US08416185B2	Operational object controlling device, system, method and program An operational object controlling device including a motion detection unit, a motion obtaining unit, a motion feature quantities extraction unit, a template storage unit, an operational object motion storage unit, a motion feature quantities transform unit and an operational object motion obtaining unit. The motion obtaining unit obtains the user's motion detected by the motion detecting unit. The motion feature quantities extraction unit extracts the user's motion feature quantities from the obtained motion. The transform unit transforms the motion feature quantities by using a template obtained from the template storage unit. The motion feature quantities of the operational object are obtained from each of the temporal motion sequences of the operational object in the operational object motion storage unit. The operational object motion obtaining unit obtains one of the temporal motion sequences from the storage unit having the feature quantities close to the user's motion feature quantities.
US08416182B2	Apparatus and method for driving a liquid crystal display device for reducing ripple noise An apparatus and method for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) device is disclosed. The apparatus for driving a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel for receiving a video signal and a clock signal, and displaying them, a backlight for emitting light on the LCD panel, a timing controller for controlling the LCD panel and the backlight, a signal generator which has the same frequency as that of a horizontal synchronous signal by modulating the clock signal, and generates a signal synchronized with the horizontal synchronous signal, and an inverter which receives a signal from the signal generator, allows a driving frequency of the light source to be the same as that of the horizontal synchronous signal, and allows the received signal to be synchronized with the horizontal synchronous signal.
US08416178B2	Display apparatus There is a need for decreasing a variation in times for writing to TFT elements for pixels in a direction along the extension of a gate line in a liquid crystal display apparatus. A display apparatus includes a display panel having multiple gate lines and drain lines arranged in a matrix and a data driver for outputting a display data signal to each drain line. The data driver includes: an internal control signal generation circuit generating an internal control signal for setting a timing to output a data signal to a drain line of each block on a block basis by dividing the plurality of drain lines into multiple blocks; and a register circuit for recording a setting for division of the block, a setting for delay direction and width of a timing to output the data signal, and a setting for rising and falling of an internal control signal.
US08416176B2	Data driver and liquid crystal display device using the same A liquid crystal display having data driving apparatus comprising first and second output switches, a charge sharing line, and first and second charge sharing switches. The first output switch switches an electrical connection between a first amplifier providing a positive gradation voltage and a first data line in response to a control signal. The second output switch switches an electrical connection between a second amplifier providing a negative gradation voltage and a second data line in response to the control signal. The first charge sharing switch switches an electrical connection between the first data line and the charge sharing line in response to the control signal. The second charge sharing switch switches an electrical connection between the second data line and the charge sharing line in response to the control signal.
US08416172B2	Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof An exemplary liquid crystal display (1) includes a first substrate assembly (11), a second substrate assembly (12) parallel to the first substrate assembly (11), a liquid crystal layer (13) sandwiched between the first substrate assembly and the second substrate assembly, and a discharging circuit (120). The first substrate assembly includes common electrodes (110) formed thereat. The common electrodes are parallel to each other. The second substrate assembly includes scanning lines (1211) that are parallel to each other and that each extends along a first direction, and signal lines (1212) that are parallel to each other and that each extends along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The discharging circuit is electrically connected with the common electrodes.
US08416169B2	Drive circuit, active matrix substrate, and liquid crystal display device Off-leak current of a TFT, required for a drive circuit configured with a TFT of a single conductivity type, is realized with simple manufacturing steps. The impurity concentration of a source region and a drain region of a TFT is set between 21018 cm−3 and 21019 cm−3, whereby off-leak current of the TFT can be sufficiently reduced even in a single gate structure.
US08416166B2	Liquid crystal display device An LCD device adapted to prevent a malfunction caused by an electrical current leaking through an electrostatic discharger is disclosed. The LCD device includes the floating line disposed between common line and gate lines or data lines. Electrostatic dischargers are connected between the common line and the floating line as well as between the floating line and the gate lines or the data lines. As such, the LCD device blocks the leakage current caused by the common voltage on the common line from flowing through the electrostatic dischargers. Therefore, the LCD device prevents the increase of electric current consumption and a horizontal defect.
US08416163B2	Liquid crystal panel and liquid crystal display device having the same A liquid crystal panel is disclosed that minimizes driving power consumption. The liquid crystal panel includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines defining pixel regions. Pixels are arranged in the pixel regions and respond to signals from corresponding gate lines, corresponding data lines, and previous pixels adjacent the data lines. Accordingly, since the swing width of the pixel voltage signals supplied to the data lines is reduced, the driving power consumption can be reduced and impulse type noise can be suppressed.
US08416162B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus capable of preventing electromagnetic noise. The display apparatus includes a substrate, a sealing member facing the substrate, a display unit arranged between the substrate and the sealing member, a driving chip arranged on the substrate to transmit an electrical signal to the display unit, a conductive cover layer covering the driving chip and a flexible circuit substrate including a conductive cover layer and signal line, the signal line being electrically connected to the driving chip.
US08416159B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels. Each pixel has a light emitting unit, a memory cell, and a driving circuit. The memory cell stores an image data. The driving circuit is electrically connected with the light emitting unit and the memory cell, and drives the light emitting unit according to the image data.
US08416155B2	Plasma display device and plasma display panel drive method Provided is a technique of a PDP device capable of preventing error display arising from changes in discharge characteristics in a reset period particularly due to a long-period operation. In the PDP device, a slope of a slope waveform in the reset period is changed corresponding to operation time of the PDP device. And, the slope waveform is made to have a configuration having a stepwise plurality of slopes in a predetermined reset period. For example, when the operation time becomes long, rising and falling slope waveforms of a reset waveform are configured by two steps, and a first slope thereof is made steeper than a slope before the change, and a second slope is made gentle than the slope before the change. When the operation become longer, the first slope is made further steeper and the subsequent second slope is made further gentler.
US08416149B2	Enhanced viewing experience of a display through localised dynamic control of background lighting level A method of controlling brightness, color, hue, color temperature, gamma response or contrast of at least one image for display on a multi-layer display device characterized by carrying out the steps of: receiving said at least one image(s) to be displayed, detecting the brightness, color, hue, color temperature, gamma response or contrast of said image(s) to be displayed, determining the transmissivity of each layer of the multi layer display device in the localized area of said image(s) to achieve the brightness, color, hue, color temperature, gamma response and/or contrast detected or received, communicating the determined transmissivity of each layer of the multi layer display device in the localized area of said image(s) to a display device or storage device. A software device designed to do the same and a display device which can be utilized to controlling brightness, color, hue, color temperature, gamma response or contrast of at least one image.
US08416146B2	Antenna device An antenna element is formed by providing a radiation electrode on a base member made of a dielectric material. To protect the antenna element from external impact, a void is formed between a housing and the antenna element. This void is filled with a solid member. The relative permittivity of the solid member is equal to or higher than the relative permittivity of the housing, and equal to or lower than the relative permittivity of the base member. The solid member is formed as an elastic member.
US08416135B2	Plane antenna A wireless internet with a plane antenna, the plane antenna comprises a plane, an import and an export antenna and plural radiators. The import antenna has a first and a second import line which connect with each other and an included angle is formed between the second and the first import line, the export antenna has a first and a second export line which connect with each other and the included angle is formed between the second and the first export line. The radiators are disposed between the import and the export antenna, each radiator having a first and a second conducting wire, a sharp part, a first and a second protruding fringe and a fillister. The radiators are divided into two symmetrically arranged teams. The connected angles between two neighboring radiators in the one of the teams are different.
US08416133B2	System and method for compensating for faulty measurements A system and method for compensating for faulty satellite navigation measurements. A plurality of measurements in a system is received for a measurement epoch. A Kalman filter is used to calculate a state of the system for the measurement epoch based on the plurality of measurements, wherein the state of the system for the measurement epoch is calculated using a first closed-form update equation. A faulty measurement is detected in the plurality of measurements for the measurement epoch and a revised state of the system for the measurement epoch that compensates for the faulty measurement is calculated, using the calculated state of the system for the measurement epoch as an input to the revised state calculation, and using a revised closed-form update equation comprising the first closed-form update equation modified with respect to the faulty measurement.
US08416131B2	Cinematic parameter computing method of a satellite navigation system and receiving apparatus employing the method A cinematic parameter computing method of a satellite navigation system, including: receiving signals at a receiving apparatus from a plurality of satellites; processing said signals to provide received data; computing a first cinematic parameter value of said receiving apparatus according to a first computational method using said received data; computing a second cinematic parameter value of said receiving apparatus according to a second computational method using said received data and computing a distance value representing a difference between said first and second cinematic parameter values. The distance value is compared with a reference value providing a comparison result data and selecting one of first and second computational methods based on said comparison result data.
US08416116B2	Successive approximation analog-to-digital converter having auxiliary prediction circuit and method thereof The configurations and adjusting method of a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) are provided. The provided SAR ADC includes at least one capacitor with a first and a second terminals, and a plurality of bits, each of which is connected to the at least one capacitor, wherein the first terminal receives an input signal, and the second terminal selectively receives one of a first and a second reference voltages, and a first comparator receiving an adjustable third reference voltage and a first voltage value generated by the input signal, wherein a connection of the second terminal of each the capacitor of the capacitor array is switched when the first voltage value is larger than the third reference voltage.
US08416114B2	A/D conversion circuit An A/D conversion circuit includes a pulse transit circuit, first and second pulse transit position detection circuits, and a digital signal generation circuit. The first pulse transit position detection circuit detects a transit position of the pulse signal output from the pulse transit circuit and generates a logical signal according to the transit position. The second pulse transit position detection circuit detects the circling number of the pulse signal output from the pulse transit circuit and generates a logical signal according to the circling number. The digital signal generation circuit synthesizes the logical signals output from the first and second pulse transit position detection circuits and generates a digital signal according to a size of an analog signal VA. The pulse transit circuit is configured so that a sum of the number of the inverting circuits that the pulse signal transits in an N-th period (N denotes a natural number) and the number of the inverting circuits that the pulse signal transits in an (N+1)-th period is a power of 2.
US08416113B1	Integrated circuit device with programmable blocks and analog circuit control An integrated circuit device can include a plurality of analog blocks, at least a first analog block comprising a data converter circuit, each analog block including a programmable switch path coupled to a plurality of external connections to the integrated circuit device; and a plurality of programmable digital blocks, at least one programmable digital block configurable to control the programmable switch paths to couple external connections to the data converter circuit via an analog block other than the first analog block.
US08416108B2	Analog-to-digital conversion apparatus, analog-to-digital conversion method, and electronic device An AD conversion apparatus includes a shift signal generating portion configured to generate n shift signals (n is a natural number greater than one) of which amplitudes are different from each other; a shift signal controlling portion configured to control the shift signal generating portion; a compounding portion configured to compound input analog signal and the n shift signals sequentially into n first signals; an AD converting portion configured to execute AD conversion to convert the n first signals into n second signals; and a signal processing portion configured to calculate an average of the n second signals to generate output digital signal.
US08416107B1	Charge compensation calibration for high resolution data converter A calibrating Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) has an X-side array with binary-weighted capacitors that connect to an X-side line and a Y-side array connected to a Y-side line. Each array has binary-weighted capacitors from a most-significant-bit (MSB) to a least-significant-bit (LSB), but the LSB capacitor is duplicated as a termination capacitor and a middle capacitor between upper and lower groups is also duplicated as a surrogate capacitor. During calibration, lower array capacitors are switched low while the upper capacitors are driven by a thermometer-code value on both X and Y arrays. The thermometer value is inverted to the X-array but remains uninverted on the Y array. The lower array bits are tested to final a calibration value that has X and Y side voltages balanced.
US08416099B2	Dynamic environmental information transmission The different advantageous embodiments provide a system comprising a dynamic transmission process and a processor unit. The processor unit is configured to run the dynamic transmission process. The dynamic transmission process is configured to receive environmental information. The dynamic transmission process determines whether to send the environmental information to a subscriber.
US08416095B2	Television viewing safety system and method In a television viewing safety system and method, a detection zone of a sensor is set. The sensor is turned on to detect whether a person moves into the detection zone. If the person is detected moving into the detection zone, the television is controlled to display under a safe display mode. If the person is not detected moving into the detection zone, the television is controlled to display under a normal display mode.
US08416086B2	Methods for improved forewarning of condition changes in monitoring physical processes This invention teaches further improvements in methods for forewarning of critical events via phase-space dissimilarity analysis of data from biomedical equipment, mechanical devices, and other physical processes. One improvement involves objective determination of a forewarning threshold (UFW), together with a failure-onset threshold (UFAIL) corresponding to a normalized value of a composite measure (C) of dissimilarity; and providing a visual or audible indication to a human observer of failure forewarning and/or failure onset. Another improvement relates to symbolization of the data according the binary numbers representing the slope between adjacent data points. Another improvement relates to adding measures of dissimilarity based on state-to-state dynamical changes of the system. And still another improvement relates to using a Shannon entropy as the measure of condition change in lieu of a connected or unconnected phase space.
US08416083B2	Networking in a virtual space Systems and methods for using a matching system in a virtual space to facilitate the exchange of protected information and protected content. Subscriber computing devices each operated by a subscriber are associated with a subscriber identifier. Each computing device is connected to the network. In an embodiment, the sharing of protected information and content by one party with another party is regulated through permissions that determine whether a sharing party is authorized to disclose the protected content, whether a potential receiving party is authorized to receive protected content, and whether the protected content meets conditions established by the potential reviewing party for review by the potential reviewing party. Matching instructions may reveal whether a potential recipient is qualified to view the protected information or content and whether the subscriber also possesses any required supplemental information.
US08416082B2	Article surveillance tag A housing comprised of substantially arced configured first and second pieces pivotally coupled with one another to form an enclosure that defines a substantially circular-cylindrical hole for encompassing and securing an article therein. The housing includes a magnetic switch for resetting an internal alarm system of the EAS alarm tag to OFF, an interlocking sensor switch and an auxiliary sensor switch for arming the EAS alarm tag. When both the interlock sensor switch and the auxiliary sensor switch are closed, the internal alarm system of the EAS alarm tag is armed and set to ON, and if any one of the interlocking sensor switch and the auxiliary sensor switch is tampered, an alarm (external the EAS alarm tag and or) of the EAS alarm tag is triggered.
US08416081B2	Microprocessor controlled security tag A microprocessor controlled security tag and accompanying security system is described. The tag generally includes a housing having external contacts to interface with elongated contacts on a connecting band. The band forms a complex impedance circuit with a patient's limb that allows detection features such as removal and band compromise. A microprocessor and related circuitry as well as a transmitter and receivers are enclosed in the housing. The tag is adapted to communicate inductively with an activator/deactivator unit as well as a tag programmer that updates and changes tag features in the tag firmware. The overall system further includes a hub to receive the data from a plurality of tags in the system. The tag can also communicate with a phased multiple antenna that sends signals to the tag.
US08416080B2	RFID cabinet An RFID cabinet for monitoring items having an RFID tag includes a cabinet having at least one locking front door. An RFID detector is used for monitoring each item placed within the cabinet and is located within the interior of the cabinet. A computer is coupled to the RFID cabinet and controls opening and closing of the front door and is configured to receive an input that identifies the user. In this way, the computer is configured to periodically record data read from the RFID tags by the RFID detector.
US08416079B2	Switching radio frequency identification (RFID) tags The present disclosure is directed switching RFID tags. In some implementations, the RFID system includes an RFID tag and a panel. The panel includes one or more contacts configured to move between a first position and a second position. The second position forms an electrical connection between the RFID tag and the one or more contacts to update a state of the RFID tag.
US08416071B2	Relative location determination of mobile sensor nodes Automated sensor localization systems and methods are described. An exemplary application for the sensor localization system is in a “Sense Through the Wall” (STTW) radar system, involving a plurality of distributed sensors or sensor nodes.
US08416068B2	Automatic networking apparatus for vehicles The present invention relates to an automatic networking apparatus for vehicles for a vehicle with a first component and a second replaceable component, and it comprises a first identity recognition module disposed on the first component and a second identity recognition module disposed on the second component. When the second identity recognition module turns into a networking mode, it transmits a low-frequency wake-up signal through a low-frequency signal transmission circuit to wake up the first identity recognition module. A low-frequency sensor circuit of the first identity recognition module is able to sense the low-frequency wake-up signal, and responds to the low-frequency wake-up signal to transmit an identity code corresponding to the first component through the high-frequency signal transmission circuit. The high-frequency signal receiving circuit of the second identity recognition module can receive the identity code of the first component and store the received identity code. In the following data transmission, the second identity recognition module can send the data with the identity code of the first component loaded with, so that a receiving apparatus of the first component identifies it. The present invention features in networking automation, simple installation, and convenient maintenance.
US08416064B2	Universal mobile communication system for wireless and wire line sensor network A universal mobile communication system for wireless and wired sensor networking. The system is based on a sensor network comprising both hardware (wireless and/or wire-line sensor nodes) and software (universal mobile communication system logic, communication portal, etc.). The system of the instant invention may also comprise mobile communications devices (MCD), and in certain embodiments, the universal mobile communication system for wireless and wire lined sensor networking may comprise: a MCD; a set sensor node; a backend server; a short messaging service (SMS) server; and a communication portal. The MCD may connect to the sensor node by wireless communication and the backend server can couple all of the components in the system by communication such that information provided by the MCD and the fixed sensor node is sent to the backend server and transferred to the communication portal through the backend server while information from the communication portal is sent to the backend server and transferred to the MCD and the fixed sensor node.
US08416062B2	Method and apparatus for improving RFID tag reading An apparatus and method for improving RFID tag reading. The apparatus includes a substrate element having a predetermined active area, and a plurality of resonant elements each having a resonant frequency, a quality factor, and a response band. The resonant elements are distributed within the predetermined active area of the substrate element for scattering interrogation electromagnetic waves radiated thereupon from the RFID reader. At least one resonant element has a null-direction thereof orientated in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to a line extending from a center of the resonant element to a center of an antenna of the RFID reader.
US08416059B1	RFID system housing A housing for a RFID system is provided including one or more radio frequency antennas, one or more RFID readers, and a central frame. The central frame supports the antenna(s) and reader(s) therein. The central frame includes a bollard, a frame portion, and a tile exterior composed of an impact-resistant plastic. The frame and tile exterior are protected by the bollard from forceful impacts to the central frame.
US08416058B2	Secure method for biometric verification of a person In various embodiments, a method for biometric verification of a person is provided. The method may include detecting a biometric sample of a biometric characteristic of the person, and reading out a stored biometric feature from a data carrier and carrying out a comparison of the stored biometric feature with the detected biometric sample by means of a control unit; wherein at least one data area of the stored biometric feature is altered by means of disturbances, the control unit determines the altered disturbed data area of the stored biometric feature and omits the determined disturbed data areas during the comparison.
US08416053B2	Intermittent sensor detection using signal string length An engine control system comprises a signal deviation module, a variation determination module, and a sensor diagnostic module. The signal deviation module receives a signal from a sensor monitoring an operating condition of an engine and determines a plurality of signal deviations. Each of the plurality of signal deviations is based on a magnitude of a difference between the signal at a first time and the signal at a second time. The second time is different than the first time. The variation determination module generates a variation value based on the plurality of signal deviations during a period. The sensor diagnostic module determines a state of the sensor based on the variation value.
US08416033B2	Compact dual-band metamaterial-based hybrid ring coupler A compact multi-band hybrid ring (rat-race) coupler utilizing a ring of composite right-handed and left-handed (CRLH) transmission lines (TLs) and multiple ports, provides miniaturization and the ability to operate at arbitrary frequency bands unlike conventional couplers. The hybrid ring is made compact, such as by constraining phase delay contributions \|φ1\|, \|φ2\|≦270°. The coupler can be used in many applications, for example as a mode decoupling network in a dual-band front-end MIMO system. The inclusion of a CRLH delay line is also described which alters the phase relationship of the signals and is particularly well suited for extending pattern diversity in response to frequency.
US08416032B2	Semiconductor switch, transceiver, transmitter, and receiver A semiconductor switch includes a main line, branch lines branching from the main line at the same branch point, switching devices shunt-connected between one of the branch lines and ground and operated so that the one of the branch lines is connected to and disconnected from ground, a main terminal connected to an end of the main line, and branch terminals connected to an end of one of the branch lines. The impedance of one of the branch lines, as seen from the branch point, is conjugately matched to the combined impedance of the main line and the rest of the branch lines, as seen from the branch point, the one of the branch lines transmitting an RF signal, and the rest of the branch lines blocking the RF signal.
US08416031B2	Multiple pole multiple throw switch device based on composite right and left handed metamaterial structures Techniques, apparatus and systems for a multiple pole multiple throw (MPMT) RF switch device based on composite left and right handed (CRLH) metamaterial structures.
US08416028B2	Voltage controlled oscillator and electronic component To provide a voltage controlled oscillator having small size and capable of obtaining a low phase noise characteristic over a large span of adjustable range of frequency. A quartz crystal having a characteristic (dielectric loss tangent: tan δ) better than that of fluorocarbon resin, LTCC or the like conventionally used as a substrate of a resonance part, and on which a fine pattern of metal film can be formed through a photolithography method, is used as a quartz-crystal substrate, and a conductive line is formed on the quartz-crystal substrate to form an inductance element in the resonance part. Accordingly, since the resonance part having a high Q value can be formed, it is possible to obtain a voltage controlled oscillator having small size and low loss over a wide frequency range.
US08416027B2	Vibrator element, vibrator, oscillator, and electronic device A vibrator element includes: a base having a mounting surface; a vibrating arm which is extended from the base and has a first surface and a second surface that faces the first surface and is positioned on the mounting surface side, and which performs flexural vibration in a direction normal to the first and second surfaces; and a laminated structure which is provided on at least one of the first and second surfaces of the vibrating arm, and which includes at least a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, in which the vibrating arm is warped toward the mounting surface side.
US08416025B2	Reference assisted control system and method thereof A reference assisted control system and method thereof are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a first input signal and a second control signal; generating a first intermediate signal in accordance with a difference between the first input signal and the first output signal; filtering the second control signal to generate a second intermediate signal; performing a weighted sum of the first intermediate signal and the second intermediate signal to generate the control signal; and outputting the first output signal in accordance with the control signal.
US08416024B2	Impedance matching arrangement for amplifier having split shunt capacitor and amplifier including the same An amplifier having an operating frequency includes: an input port and an output port; three gain elements, each having an input terminal and an output terminal; an input matching network; and an output matching network. The input matching network includes: a first microstrip line which is connected to the input port and is an inductor at the operating frequency; a second microstrip line extending between the input terminals of the three gain elements; and a first split shunt capacitor connecting the first microstrip line to the second microstrip line. The output matching network includes: a third microstrip line which is connected to the output port and is an inductor at the operating frequency; a fourth microstrip line extending between the output terminals of the three gain elements; and a second split shunt capacitor connecting the third microstrip line to the fourth microstrip line.
US08416022B2	Power amplifier device A power amplifier device that satisfies both delivering a high output and reducing the chip area occupied by the power amplifier device. Over a substrate, are primary inductors arranged in a generally circular geometry, a ground pattern, transistor pairs, and a secondary inductor. The ground pattern extends from a portion of a region inside the circular primary inductor into regions outside the primary inductor, and grounded at a plurality of points in the regions outside the primary inductor. The primary inductors are coupled to the ground pattern through transistors.
US08416021B2	Amplifier circuit An amplifier circuit may include an input differential pair that includes a first transistor and a second transistor, a positive input voltage being supplied to a gate terminal of the first transistor, a negative input voltage being supplied to a gate terminal of the second transistor, a first resistor that generates a differential current corresponding to a differential voltage between the positive input voltage and the negative input voltage, an output differential pair that includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor, a negative output voltage being supplied from a drain terminal of the third terminal, a positive output voltage being supplied from a drain terminal of the fourth terminal, a second resistor that is connected to a reference voltage, the differential current generated by the first resistor being supplied to the second resistor, and a bias circuit that supplies a constant bias current to the first, second, third, and fourth transistors.
US08416017B2	Circuit and method for reducing noise in class D amplifiers A circuit for reducing noise in Class D amplifiers has a power stage voltage control means (17, 21, 22) responsive to defined signal conditions of the audio signal input (1). The power stage voltage control means is operative to lower the voltage at the supply voltage input (31) of the amplifier's switching power output stage (30) upon the detection of a defined condition in the audio signal input such that the Class-D amplifier operates at reduced voltage (“idles”) during the defined audio input signal condition.
US08416016B2	Apparatus and method for controlling a common-mode voltage of switching amplifiers A system includes a modulator for receiving an input signal, modulating the received input signal, and generating a digital signal, an H-bridge controller for receiving the digital signal and generating control signals, an H-bridge circuit for receiving the control signals and operating based on the received control signals so as to output an analog signal to a load, and a common-mode error determination circuit for generating an error signal indicating at least one of an error of a common-mode voltage and an error of a common-mode current of the H-bridge circuit. The H-bridge controller receives the error signal and generates the control signals based on the received digital signal and the received error signal so as to reduce variations in at least one of an average of the common-mode voltage or an average of the common-mode current of the H-bridge circuit.
US08416014B2	Switched capacitor notch filter with fast response time A switched capacitor notch filter for sampling an input signal using multiple sampling capacitors during multiple non-overlapping time periods. The charge from one set of sampling capacitors is averaged and transferred to the filter output during one non-overlapping time and the charge from another set of sampling capacitors is averaged and transferred to the filter output during a second non-overlapping time period.
US08416012B2	Reference voltage generating circuit and analog circuit using the same A reference voltage generating circuit includes a first power supply, a second power supply, a first variable resistance circuit having one end connected to the first power supply and configured to be capable of adjusting a resistance value of the first variable resistance circuit, a series resistance circuit having at least one resistance and one end connected to the first variable resistance circuit, a second variable resistance circuit having one end connected to the series resistance circuit and the other end connected to the second power supply, and configured to be capable of adjusting a resistance value of the second variable resistance circuit, a first terminal arranged between the first variable resistance circuit and the series resistance circuit, a second terminal arranged between the series resistance circuit and the second variable resistance circuit, and a voltage selecting circuit configured to select one of a voltage of the first terminal and a voltage of the second terminal, and output the selected voltage as a reference voltage.
US08416008B2	Impedance-matching network using BJT switches in variable-reactance circuits This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for impedance-matching radio frequency power transmitted from a radio frequency generator to a plasma load in a semiconductor processing chamber. Impedance-matching can be performed via a match network having a variable-reactance circuit. The variable-reactance circuit can comprise one or more reactive elements all connected to a first terminal and selectively shorted to a second terminal via a switch. The switch can comprise a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) or insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) controlled via bias circuitry. In an on-state, the BJT base-emitter junction is forward biased, and AC is conducted between a collector terminal and a base terminal. Thus, AC passes through the BJT primarily from collector to base rather than from collector to emitter. Furthermore, the classic match network topology used with vacuum variable capacitors can be modified such that voltages do not overload the BJT's in the modified topology.
US08416004B2	Circuit module for limiting occurrence of inrush current A circuit module includes: control object circuits which start operations when a power supply voltage reaches a target value; a current sink circuit which consumes a current supplied thereto; and a power supply activation control unit which increases the current flowing into the current sink circuit at a predetermined rate before starting the operations of the control object circuits and which starts the operations of the control object circuits and simultaneously blocks the supply of the current to the current sink circuit in a case where an amount of the current flowing into the current sink circuit is equivalent to an amount of current to be increased by starting the operations of the control object circuits when the power supply voltage reaches the target value.
US08416003B2	Processor frequency adjustment circuit A processor frequency adjustment circuit for adjusting a frequency of a processor includes a voltage converting module, a first reference voltage generating module, a clock chip, a voltage comparing module. The voltage converting module converts a pulse voltage into a constant voltage. The first reference voltage generating module generates a first reference voltage. The voltage comparing module is connected with the voltage converting module, the first reference voltage generating module, and the clock chip to compare the constant voltage with the first reference voltage, and generates a first voltage level signal to a first terminal of the clock chip; the clock chip adjusts the frequency of the processor in response to obtaining the first voltage level signal.
US08416001B2	Techniques for reducing duty cycle distortion in periodic signals A transmitter circuit is operable to provide an output signal in response to a first periodic signal. A multiplexer circuit is operable to provide a second periodic signal as a selected signal during a first phase of operation. The multiplexer circuit is operable to provide the output signal of the transmitter circuit as the selected signal during a second phase of operation. A sampler circuit is operable to generate first samples of the selected signal during the first phase of operation. The sampler circuit is operable to generate second samples of the selected signal during the second phase of operation. A duty cycle control circuit is operable to adjust a duty cycle of the first periodic signal based on the first and the second samples.
US08415998B2	PLL circuit A PLL circuit, has a phase comparator for comparing phases of a reference clock and a feedback clock, and outputting a phase comparison signal indicating the phase difference; a charge pump circuit, which, during a time period corresponding to the phase difference, outputs a first charge pump current and a second charge pump current; a loop filter, having a capacitor storing electric charge based on the first and second charge pump currents, which generates a control voltage due to stored electric charge; an oscillator generating an output clock at a frequency according to the control voltage; a frequency divider frequency-dividing the output clock and outputs the feedback clock; and a charge pump adjustment circuit, which, when in a locked state, adjusts current quantity of the first or the second charge pump current such that the phase difference is suppressed, according to the phase difference indicated by the phase comparison signal.
US08415997B2	Signal synchronizing systems A signal synchronizing system includes comparison circuitry and control circuitry. The comparison circuitry compares a synchronizing signal with an input signal to generate a comparison result. The control circuitry adjusts the synchronizing signal into a range that is determined by the input signal, and controls the range according to the comparison result.
US08415990B2	Gate driving circuit A gate driving circuit includes a thermal sensing unit for sensing temperature to output a sensing voltage, a compare unit for comparing the sensing voltage with a reference voltage to output a control voltage, a charging control module for controlling a pre-charging operation according to the control voltage, and a plurality of shift register stages. Each shift register stage includes an input unit for outputting a driving control voltage according to a first input signal, a clock input unit for outputting a driving voltage according to a system clock, a driving unit for outputting a gate signal according to the driving control voltage and the driving voltage, and a pull-down unit for pulling down the gate signal and the driving control voltage according to a second input signal. The driving voltage is also controlled by the pre-charging operation for enhancing driving ability.
US08415985B2	Circuits and methods for sampling and holding differential input signals Circuits and methods for sampling differential input signals having wide input swings including voltages below ground potential, and capable of operating on a single positive supply voltage are disclosed. In an embodiment, the circuit includes a first input switch circuit and a second input switch circuit, a sample and hold circuitry and an operational amplifier. Each of the first and second input switch circuits includes serially connected PMOS switch and NMOS switch for receiving a differential input signal. The sample and hold circuitry includes a first sampling capacitor, a second sampling capacitor and a plurality of switches. The switches are configured to provide the differential input signal to the sampling capacitors for the sampling in a sample phase, and are configured to provide the sampled differential input signal at an output of the operational amplifier in a hold phase.
US08415983B2	Digital phase comparator A digital phase comparator is provided in which first phase difference signals and second phase difference signals are used as digital phase difference information. The first phase difference signals are generated by sampling a second clock signal with a first group of clock signals having regular intervals. The second phase difference signals are generated, using a second group of clock signals and a first group of signals which are obtained by delaying a second clock signal and a first signal generated by performing a logic operation on the first phase difference signal respectively at different regular intervals, by sampling the second group of clock signals with the first group of signals.
US08415982B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit device A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes: a first inverter constituted by a first transistor configured to charge a charge point based on an input signal, and a second transistor configured to discharge a discharge point based on the input signal; a P-type third transistor and an N-type fourth transistor with drain-source paths provided in parallel between the charge point and the discharge point; and a second inverter configured to invert a potential of the charge point or the discharge point and supply the inverted potential to gates of the third and fourth transistors, and obtain a delay signal of the input signal from the charge point or the discharge point. The semiconductor integrated circuit device secures a sufficient delay time with a small area.
US08415980B2	Serializing transmitter In embodiments of a serializing transmitter, the serializing transmitter includes one or more multiplexing drive units that each generate a series of output pulses derived from input data signals and multi-phase clock signals. Each of the multiplexing drive units includes a pulse-controlled push-pull output driver that has first and second inputs, and an output coupled to an output of the multiplexing drive unit. Each of the multiplexing drive units also includes a first M:1 (where M is two or more) pulse-generating multiplexer having an output coupled to the first input of the pulse-controlled push-pull output driver, and generating a first series of intermediate pulses at the output; and a second M:1 pulse-generating multiplexer having an output coupled to the second input of the pulse-controlled push-pull output driver, and generating a second series of intermediate pulses at the output.
US08415979B2	Differential driver with calibration circuit and related calibration method A calibration circuit for calibrating a differential driver with a differential output port including a first output node and a second output node includes: a comparing circuit arranged to receive a first output voltage corresponding to the first output node and a second output voltage corresponding to the second output node, and generate a comparison result according to the first output voltage, the second output voltage, and a predetermined voltage; and a controlling circuit coupled to the comparing circuit, a first resistive element and a second resistive element. The controlling circuit is arranged to adjust the first resistive element and the second resistive element according to the comparison result, wherein the first resistive element is coupled between the first output node and a reference voltage, and the second resistive element is coupled between the second output node and the reference voltage.
US08415978B2	State machine for generating a pulse width modulation (PWM) waveform A state machine for generating signals configured for generating different signals according to the current state of the machine. The state machine is configured to change state both as a function of an internal timer and as a function of signals representative of events external to the state machine.
US08415973B2	Configurable integrated circuit with built-in turns Some embodiments of the invention provide an integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes numerous configurable nodes arranged in an array having several rows and columns. In some embodiments, the configurable nodes include a first group of configurable aligned along a particular direction and a second group of configurable nodes aligned along a different direction. The IC also includes a set of direct offset turn connections arranged across the node array in a repetitive nested architecture. Each direct offset turn connection connects a node from the first group of configurable nodes to a node from the second group of configurable nodes. Each direct offset turn connection includes at least two wire segments that are arranged in at least two different directions and intersect to define a turn. No direct offset turn connection overlaps with another direct offset turn connection.
US08415970B1	Method and apparatus for reducing crosstalk effects Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for reducing crosstalk effects. The method includes tracking data for output onto at least a first transmission line and a second transmission line, determining a combined pattern in a first signal and a second signal to be respectively transmitted by the first transmission line and the second transmission line, and setting a delay to transmit at least one of the first signal and the second signal as a function of the combined pattern.
US08415966B2	Liquid crystal display device and inspection method thereof The embodiment is to provide a liquid crystal display device capable of detecting malfunctions. The liquid crystal display device includes pixels configured to be connected to scan lines and data lines, data pads electrically connected to the data lines, a data integrated circuit supplying data signals to the data lines through the data pads, first data transistors coupled to the data pads, and second data transistors coupled to the data lines. The first data transistors are disposed on the data integrated circuit and the second data transistors are separated from the data integrated circuit.
US08415965B2	Method of testing a display panel and apparatus for performing the method In a test method of a display panel, a test signal and a test voltage are generated according to a test control signal. A display area of the display panel is tested based on the test signal and the test voltage. A driving voltage line and an on/off voltage line formed on the display panel are tested based on the test signal and the test voltage.
US08415957B2	Capacitance measurement circuit and method A capacitance measurement circuit and method are provided. A storage capacitor is pre-charged. Charge transfer is performed between an under-test capacitor and the storage capacitor. The storage capacitor is discharged and charged according to a relationship between a voltage of the storage capacitor and a reference voltage. The capacitance of the under-test capacitor is measured according to the voltage on the storage capacitor.
US08415956B2	Electronic device and method for wire check An electronic device is provided, which includes a current supplying stage which is adapted to supply a first compensation current and a second compensation current to a first wire or a second wire, wherein the first compensation current is determined during a first clock period, when the first wire and the second wire are connected. The second compensation current is determined during a second clock period while the first wire and the second wire are not connected and the magnitude of the second current represents a ratio of a resistance value of the first wire and a resistance value of the second wire.
US08415954B2	Apparatus for calculating polarization voltage of secondary battery and apparatus for estimating state of charge of the same There is provided an apparatus that calculates a polarization voltage of a secondary battery. A temperature sensor detects a temperature of the secondary battery; a voltage sensor detects a voltage of the secondary battery; and a current sensor detects an electric current of the secondary battery. A battery ECU calculates a polarization voltage based on the electric current and adaptively sets an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the polarization voltage according to a temperature characteristic of the secondary battery. The calculated polarization voltage is compared with an upper limit value and a lower limit value, whereby the polarization voltage is corrected. An SOC is estimated based on the corrected polarization voltage.
US08415953B2	Upconverter A hybrid upconverter has a low noise amplifier and a two port parametric amplifier. The parametric amplifier has a first port to receive an input signal to be amplified and upconverted and a second port to receive a local oscillator signal and to output the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The parametric amplifier further has an antenna coupled to the second port to receive the local oscillator signal and transmit the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The low noise amplifier drives the first port of the parametric amplifier. The two port parametric amplifier has a pair of varactor diodes connected between the first port and the second port. The diodes are connected in parallel from the first port and in series from the second port. The low noise amplifier is connected directly to the pair of varactor diodes.
US08415952B2	Superconducting magnet coil interface and method providing coil stability A superconducting magnet coil interface and method providing coil stability are provided. A superconducting coil arrangement includes a superconducting coil and a thermal interface coupled to the superconducting coil. The thermal interface is configured to intercept frictional heat before reaching the superconducting coil. The superconducting coil arrangement further includes a plurality of channels extending within at least a portion of the thermal interface and towards the superconducting coil. The plurality of channels are configured to receive therein a cooling liquid.
US08415949B2	Method and device for position determination of body matrix coils in MR systems In a device and a method to determine the position of at least one local coil for a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, the field strength of a magnetic field is measured at multiple locations with at least one magnetic field strength sensor, and the position of the local coil (6) is determined based on the field strength measured at multiple locations.
US08415947B2	Method for stress assessment that removes temperature effects and hysteresis on the material property measurements An apparatus for the nondestructive measurement of materials that includes at least two layers of electrical conductors. Within each layer, a meandering primary winding is used to create a magnetic field for interrogating a test material while sense elements or conducting loops within each meander provide a directional measurement of the test material condition. In successive layers extended portions of the meanders are rotated so that the sense elements provide material condition in different orientations without requiring movement of the test circuit or apparatus. Multidirectional permeability measurements are used to assess the stress or torque on a component. These measurements are combined in a manner that removes temperature effects and hysteresis on the property measurements. This can be accomplished through a correction factor that accounts for the temperature dependence.
US08415945B2	Sheet coil type resolver A sheet coil type resolver includes: a stator section in which a stator transformer coil composed of first and second stator transformer coil layers is disposed to axially overlap with a resolver stator coil composed of first and second resolver stator coil layers; and a rotor section in which a rotor transformer coil composed of first and second rotor transformer coil layers is disposed to axially overlap with a resolver rotor coil composed of first and second resolver rotor coil layers, whereby the axial dimension is reduced, lead wires can be easily led out from the coils, and high reliability is achieved.
US08415944B1	Method for stabilizing AC magnetic susceptibility of magnetic fluid The invention relates to a method for stabilizing ac magnetic susceptibility of a magnetic fluid, comprising the following steps: (A) preparing two reagents of known magnetic concentration, including a first one in a mixture of an xC1 μl, m1-emu/g magnetic fluid and a yC1 μl PBS solution and a second one in a mixture of an xC2 μl, m2-emu/g magnetic fluid and a yC2 μl PBS solution, in addition to a to-be-detected reagent in a mixture of an xS μl, mS-emu/g magnetic fluid and a yS μl PBS solution: (B) detecting alternatively χac,o signals; (C) calculating a new χac,o value, i.e. χac,cal, for S via χ ac , cal = χ ac , o , S - χ ac , o , C ⁢ ⁢ 1 χ ac , o , C ⁢ ⁢ 2 - χ ac , o , C ⁢ ⁢ 1 × ( x C ⁢ ⁢ 2 - x C ⁢ ⁢ 1 ) + χ C ⁢ ⁢ 1 ; and (D) repeating steps (B) and (C) to find the χac,cal for a next run, and then finding a time dependent χac,cal for S.
US08415941B2	Method and apparatus for identifying and reducing spurious frequency components A method for identifying and reducing spurious frequency components is provided. A method in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure may include generating a digital sinusoidal waveform at a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) and receiving the digital sinusoidal waveform at an audio digital-to-analog converter. The method may further include converting the digital sinusoidal waveform to an analog sinusoidal waveform containing spurious frequency components, combining the analog sinusoidal waveform with an analog distortion correction waveform to generate a composite output waveform and receiving the composite output waveform at notch filter circuitry. The method may also include filtering the composite output waveform to generate a filtered composite output waveform and amplifying a difference between the filtered composite output waveform and a signal from a circuit-under-test (CUT) to generate an amplified analog signal. The method may also include converting the amplified analog signal to an amplified digital signal. Of course, additional implementations are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
US08415939B2	Circuit and method for operating a circuit A circuit and method for operating a circuit is provided that includes a circuit section that has a number of memory elements, a first voltage regulator that can be connected or is connected to the circuit section in order to operate the circuit section, a second voltage regulator that can be connected or is connected to the circuit section in order to preserve an information item stored in the memory elements, a switching device that is connected to the circuit section and is designed to deactivate and activate inputs of the circuit section. The circuit being configured to control a deactivation and activation of the first voltage regulator and the deactivation and activation of the inputs of the circuit section.
US08415936B2	Multiphase DC-DC converter using zero voltage switching A multiphase DC-DC converter including at least one conversion path, multiple switch capacitance networks, and a multiphase switch controller. Each conversion path includes first and second intermediate nodes. Each switch capacitance network includes a capacitance coupled in parallel with an electronic switch and is coupled to one of the intermediate nodes. The switch controller controls the switch capacitance networks using zero voltage switching. Multiple phases may be implemented as multiple conversion paths each having first and second intermediate nodes coupled to first and second switch capacitance networks, respectively. A single conversion path may be provided with multiple switch capacitance networks coupled to each intermediate node for multiple phases. Alternatively, a common front end with a first intermediate node is coupled to one or more switch capacitance networks followed by multiple back-end networks coupled in parallel for multiple phases. A regulator may be provided to regulate an output voltage.
US08415934B2	Automatic voltage regulator The present invention relates to an automatic voltage regulator, and more specifically, to an automatic voltage regulator capable of precisely controlling the output voltage level by using a toroidal autotransformer. The present invention has precise voltage control to enable the output of the voltage level desired by the user, and precisely carries out a variety of applications of power saving and voltage booster. In particular, the present invention can boost/reduce the input voltage to provide a desired target voltage within an error range of 1 volt or less. The present invention also comprises a simple relay switching circuit and excludes semiconductor switching devices, thereby being capable of operating adaptively in different system environments without an additional modification.
US08415928B2	Power circuit The present invention provides a high efficiency power circuit. It includes an input transistor having a negative-threshold coupled to a voltage source for providing a supply voltage to the output terminal of the power circuit. An input detection circuit is coupled to the voltage source to generate a control signal when the voltage level of the voltage source is higher than a threshold voltage. A second transistor is coupled to the input detection circuit to turn off the input transistor in response to the control signal. An output detection circuit is connected to the supply voltage to generate a first enable signal when the voltage level of the supply voltage is higher than an output-over-voltage threshold. The first enable signal is used to switch off the input transistor. The output detection circuit generates a second enable signal when the voltage level of the supply voltage is lower than an output-under-voltage threshold. The second enable signal is used to turn off the output of the power circuit.
US08415924B2	Rechargeable battery charging case The invention is based on a rechargeable battery charging case, in particular a cordless handheld power tool case, having at least one battery attachment device and a case body. It is proposed that the rechargeable battery charging case has an electrical energy output and a supply unit, which in at least one operating state is connected to the energy output and to the battery attachment device for supplying the energy output.
US08415922B2	Power tool To provide a power tool which can supply electric power again from a battery even in a case where the supply of electric power from the battery is stopped by an over-discharge detection means. A power tool 1 includes an FET driving circuit 36 which permits the supply of electric power again to a motor 31 from a battery pack 2 in response to the turning-on of a trigger switch 33 even in the case where the battery pack 2 is placed in an over-discharge state and so the supply of electric power to the motor 31 from the battery pack 2 is stopped.
US08415920B2	Charger and a combination structure A charger has its one side provided with terminals. The charger is provided with a connector. The terminals and the connector are electrically connected with a charging circuit within the charger. The charger has a panel connecting piece for connecting to a socket panel. The present invention further provides a combination of a charger and a socket panel. The charger is combined with the socket panel, so that the user can use the charger easily. The problem that the user may not find the charger is eliminated.
US08415919B2	Parking and power charging system When an arriving electric vehicle arrives at a car park with parking spaces, a parking state detection means in a parking and power charging system detects the presence of empty parking spaces. An assignment means assigns a ranking of charging performance to each detected empty parking space so that the empty parking space having the charging device of a higher charging performance has a higher ranking of charging performance on the basis of descending order of charging performance of the charging devices. A communication means obtains vehicle parameters of the arriving electric vehicle. A parking space instruction means instructs the arriving electric vehicle to move to and be parked in the empty parking space having the ranking of charging performance selected on the basis of the vehicle parameter such as necessity to charge or degree to easily charge the on-vehicle battery mounted on the arriving electric vehicle.
US08415918B2	Charging system of electric powered vehicle A charge instructing device installed in a space such as an indoor space in which the security is ensured reads key information (ID) stored in a vehicle key held in a key holding unit and transmits the read ID to an electric powered vehicle. Electric powered vehicle performs authentication by checking the ID transmitted from charge instructing device against registration information stored in advance. The result of the authentication is then transmitted from electric powered vehicle to charge instructing device. Charge instructing device permits a charger to charge electric powered vehicle according to the result of the authentication transmitted from electric powered vehicle.
US08415916B2	Estimation of parameters of an induction machine A method and an arrangement are disclosed for identifying one or more parameters of an induction machine when the induction machine is connected to the output phases of a voltage source inverter and the induction machine is in standstill state. The method can include a first phase for magnetizing the machine by providing a first DC magnetization current until the induction machine reaches steady state, the current reference of the inverter having a first value (idc—ref1). A first maximum value (imz—max) of the stator current (isd) is measured during a zero voltage vector. In a second phase, the machine is magnetized by providing a second DC magnetization current, the current reference having a second value (idc—ref2) which is higher than the first reference (idc—ref1). A second maximum value of (isdz—max) the stator current is measured during a zero voltage vector, and a parameter of the induction machine is estimated when the measured first and second maximum values are equal.
US08415913B2	Control circuit and control method for motor A control circuit generates a driving signal indicating an actuator torque. A first operation unit generates position, speed, and acceleration signals, based upon a detection signal indicating the actuator mover state. A second operation unit generates a first difference signal indicating the difference between a target signal and the position signal. A third operation unit generates a second difference signal indicating the difference between signals based on the first difference signal and the speed signal. A fourth operation unit generates a position control signal such that the second difference signal becomes zero. A fifth operation unit generates a third difference signal indicating the difference between signals based on a driving signal and the acceleration signal. A sixth operation unit generates a driving signal by summing a signal based on the position control signal and a disturbance estimation signal based on the third difference signal.
US08415911B2	Power tool with a DC brush motor and with a second power source A power tool comprises a housing, a direct current motor arranged in the housing, a speed reduction mechanism coupled to a shaft of the motor, a tool head driven by the speed reduction mechanism, a first direct current power source, and a switching device. The motor comprises a common brush, a high speed brush and a low speed brush which are in sliding contact with a commutator. The switching device is configured to selectively connect the common brush and the high speed brush with the power source to operate the motor in a high speed mode and to connect the common brush and the low speed brush with the power source to operate the motor in a low speed mode.
US08415909B2	Power control on a multi-motion electric drive system A motor control system for controlling two or more motor groups includes a power converter that receives power from a power source and converts the power to an intermediate power and an intermediate power link coupled to the power converter. The motor control system also includes at least one motor driver coupled to the intermediate power link configured to provide power to one or more motors and a controller coupled to the power converter and the at least one motor driver. The controller is configured to cause the at least one motor driver to limit the amount of power delivered to the one or more motors based on the amount of power that the power converter can produce.
US08415908B2	Driving apparatus for electric motor and related method A driving apparatus drives a brushless motor that includes a plurality of windings. The apparatus comprises a plurality of switch half-bridges connected to a power line and to the windings, a memory adapted to contain a plurality of signal profiles to be cyclically applied to the plurality of windings of the motor, a multiplier for multiplying the profile values of the signals from the memory by a scale factor, a control circuit adapted to generate PWM signals for the switches of the plurality of switch half-bridges according to values output by the multiplier, a polarity detector configured to detect the polarity of the current passing trough at least one winding of the motor and a scale factor controller configured to modify the scale factor according to the detected current polarity and so as to make each signal profile to be applied to each winding of the motor either higher than the back-electromotive force or equal to the back-electromotive force generated by the motor.
US08415906B2	Motor driving apparatus When the output of motor reaches or exceeds a predetermined value during acceleration of the motor, the control target value of the DC link voltage which is the voltage of a power storage device is gradually lowered in corresponding relationship to the motor output. When the motor enters a constant speed control mode, the DC link control target value is maintained at a constant level. When the motor enters a deceleration control mode, the DC link control target value is gradually raised in corresponding relationship to the motor output, and regenerative power is recovered by the power storage device and reused in the next control cycle.
US08415903B2	Ultrasonic motor An ultrasonic motor in which driving signals of two phases are applied to a vibrator having a driving member in contact with a driven member to simultaneously generate a longitudinal vibration and a flexural vibration, thereby generating an elliptic vibration in the vibrator, and the driving member frictionally drives the driven member upon obtaining a driving force from the elliptic vibration, is configured as follows. Namely, the ultrasonic motor includes a driving phase difference switching unit which switches a driving phase difference serving as a phase difference between the driving signals of the two phases, and changes a switching cycle of the driving phase difference.
US08415899B2	Method and device for detecting a statistical characteristic of a lighting device A method for detecting a statistical characteristic of a lighting device is provided. The method may include a) generate a random number within a prescribable value range; b) compare the random number with a comparison number; c) c1) if the comparison of step b) yields a match: increase the count of a storage device by one step width.
US08415893B2	Load control device, and lighting device Provided is a discharge lamp lighting device, which can control a load precisely while improving the practicability. When the difference of a count number (Nn) becomes a predetermined threshold value or less, a predictor circuit (35) predicts the timing, at which a current value (iQ1) becomes a peak value, on the basis of the rate of change of the difference. A switch selecting circuit (38), which is driven with a clock frequency higher than the sampling frequency of a first converter unit (32), turns off a field effect transistor (Q1) at the turn-off timing, and turns on a field effect transistor (Q2). A plurality of A/D converters (37a) are subjected to a multi-rate control, thereby to correct the threshold value of the predictor circuit (35) on the basis of the peak value of a lamp current (iOUT). Even if the peak values of current values (iQ1 and iQ2) are positioned for the sampling period of the first converter unit (32), the turn-off timings can be precisely set according to the current values (iQ1 and iQ2) without increasing the sampling frequency more than the necessary value. As a result, it is possible to improve the practicability and to control the lighting of a fluorescent lamp precisely.
US08415892B2	Voltage-limiting and reverse polarity series type LED device The present invention provides LEDs and zener diodes that are homopolar and connected in parallel to constitute the first set of LED and zener diode and a second set of LED and zener diode; the first LED and zener diode set and the second LED and zener diode assume a reverse polarity series connection to constitute the tandem LED device with voltage limited and reverse polarity; through the selection of connecting pins, it is used on direct current power source or alternating current power source which is its characteristics.
US08415891B2	Lamp ballast circuit and driving method thereof The present invention relates to a lamp ballast circuit and a driving method. The lamp ballast circuit includes a voltage detector for detecting the level of a first voltage corresponding to an input voltage, a controller including an oscillator for changing the oscillation frequency according to the level of the first voltage, and an output unit for changing the frequency of the output voltage in correspondence to the oscillation frequency. Therefore, a lamp ballast circuit having less power consumption and that is operable by a lesser input current with less THD and a driving method thereof are realized.
US08415889B2	LED lighting equipment Certain embodiments provide an LED lighting equipment including a lighting main body. An LED power device has a DC power source and a DC-DC converter having an input terminal connected to the DC power source and the DC-DC converter having an output terminal. An LED light source has a board and a plurality of LED packages; each including a plurality of LED chips connected in series. The LED packages are mounted on the board and connected in series to the output terminal of the DC-DC converter.
US08415888B2	Illumination control terminal and illumination control system An illumination control terminal includes a frame; a handle cover pivotably rotatably attached to the frame. An operation switch unit is arranged on a front surface of the handle cover. Provided on a rear surface of the handle cover are a setting operation unit for setting a set time at which lamps are turned on or off and a locking portion which keeps the handle cover in a closed state. Provided on a front surface of the frame are a display unit for displaying setting contents and a locked portion engaging with the locking portion. The terminal further includes a storage unit storing a setting program set by the setting operation unit and a terminal control unit for outputting a control signal on an on/off operation of the lamps, either upon pushing the operation switch unit or according to the setting program.
US08415887B1	Transistor bypass shunts for LED light strings A shunt for bypassing LEDs in a series wired light string to keep the light string lit in the event of a failure of an LED. In one embodiment, the bypass shunt is a rectifier diode with a very high forward voltage drop (Vf). Another embodiment uses a transistor bypass device, where the collector and/or base is used as one terminal of the shunt device and the emitter is used as the opposite terminal. The preferred embodiment is to use the collector and emitter terminals only with the base terminal open.
US08415884B2	Stable surface wave plasma source A surface wave plasma (SWP) source is described. The SWP source comprises an electromagnetic (EM) wave launcher configured to couple EM energy in a desired EM wave mode to a plasma by generating a surface wave on a plasma surface of the EM wave launcher adjacent the plasma. The EM wave launcher comprises a slot antenna having a plurality of slots. The SWP source further comprises a first recess configuration formed in the plasma surface, wherein the first recess configuration is substantially aligned with a first arrangement of slots in the plurality of slots, and a second recess configuration formed in the plasma surface, wherein the second recess configuration is either partly aligned with a second arrangement of slots in the plurality of slots or not aligned with the second arrangement of slots in the plurality of slots. A power coupling system is coupled to the EM wave launcher and configured to provide the EM energy to the EM wave launcher for forming the plasma.
US08415879B2	Diode for a printable composition An exemplary printable composition of a liquid or gel suspension of diodes comprises a plurality of diodes, a first solvent and/or a viscosity modifier. An exemplary diode comprises: a light emitting or absorbing region having a diameter between about 20 and 30 microns and a height between 2.5 to 7 microns; a plurality of first terminals spaced apart and coupled to the light emitting region peripherally on a first side, each first terminal of the plurality of first terminals having a height between about 0.5 to 2 microns; and one second terminal coupled centrally to a mesa region of the light emitting region on the first side, the second terminal having a height between 1 to 8 microns.
US08415878B2	Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, and electronic device It is an object to provide a light-emitting element which can reduce power consumption. A light-emitting element is provided, which includes a pair of electrodes and a light-emitting layer interposed between the pair of electrodes. The light-emitting layer includes at least a first layer and a second layer, each of the first layer and the second layer includes an emission center and a host material, the emission center is dispersed in the host material, a thickness of each of the first layer and the second layer is 1 nm or more and 10 nm or less, and the first layer is not in contact with the second layer.
US08415874B2	Organic light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same An organic light-emitting device including: a substrate; a first electrode disposed on the substrate; a second electrode disposed on the substrate and comprising silver (Ag); an emission layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; an electron injection layer between the emission layer and the second electrode and comprising a mixture of an alkali metal-containing compound and a first metal; and a capping layer disposed on the second electrode.
US08415870B2	Semiconductor light emitting device and backlight source, backlight source system, display device and electronic device using the same The semiconductor light emitting device of the present invention emits a blue light component, a green light component, and a red light component. The blue light component is a light component emitted by a first solid light emitting element that emits light having an emission peak in a wavelength range of 430 nm to less than 490 nm, the green light component is light emitted by a second solid light emitting element that emits light having an emission peak in a wavelength range of 360 nm to less than 420 nm that is converted into wavelength-converted light by a green phosphor, and the red light component is light emitted by at least one solid light emitting element selected from the first solid light emitting element and the second solid light emitting element that is converted into wavelength-converted light by a red phosphor. The green phosphor emits green light on the basis of an electronic energy transition of Mn2+.
US08415867B2	Spark plug A spark plug 100 has a center electrode tip 90, 95 at an end portion of an electrode. The electrode tip 90, 95 contains Pd as a main component in an amount greater than 40% by weight and contains at least one element of Ir, Ni, Co, and Fe such that Ir, if contained, is contained in an amount of 0.5% by weight to 20% by weight inclusive and at least one element of Ni, Co, and Fe, if contained, is contained in an amount of 0.5% by weight to 40% by weight inclusive on an element basis.
US08415866B2	Lamp module, particularly for spectral analysis devices A known lamp module for spectral analysis devices includes a lamp receptacle body having a cavity for receiving a deuterium lamp having a lamp bulb made of synthetic quartz glass. The cavity has a beam outlet opening closed with an optical transmission element. In order to provide a lamp module having a deuterium lamp with an ozone filter that exhibits a long service life, that can be manufactured economically, and that ensures a high intensity in a wavelength range between 190 nm and 250 nm, such a known lamp module is provided with a VUV edge filter in the beam outlet opening on the side of the optical transmission element facing the deuterium lamp.
US08415864B2	Rotating electrical machine A rotating electrical machine includes a frame, a flange, a rotor, a stator, and a plurality of reinforcing bars. The frame has a plurality of side surfaces surrounding a space to form a substantially polygonal shape in a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the frame. The side surfaces have a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to the first side surface. The frame has an end portion in the axial direction. The flange is provided at the end portion of the frame. The rotor is provided in the space and includes a shaft that is rotatably supported by the flange. The stator is provided in the space to be fixed to an inner section of the frame and to surround the rotor. The reinforcing bars intersect each other and are provided on the first side surface and the second side surface, respectively.
US08415862B2	Piezoelectric vibrator, piezoelectric vibrator mounting body, and piezoelectric vibrator manufacturing method This piezoelectric vibrator is provided with a package that is structured to include a first substrate and a second substrate that are bonded to each other such that a cavity is formed therebetween, an internal electrode portion that is formed on the first substrate and housed in the cavity, a piezoelectric vibrating reed that is sealed in the cavity and also is electrically connected to the internal electrode portion in the cavity, an external electrode portion that is formed on an external surface of the first substrate, a through electrode portion that is disposed so as not to be overlapped by the external electrode portion in a thickness direction of the first substrate, while one end of the through electrode portion is electrically connected to the internal electrode portion and another end of the through electrode portion is formed on the external surface of the first substrate while penetrating through the first substrate, and a routing wiring portion that electrically connects the through electrode portion and the external electrode portion.
US08415861B2	Wave power generator A wave power generator comprises a transmitting module and a piezoelectric generator, the transmitting module comprises a raft, a transmission member and a coupling member, the raft has a surface, and the transmission member is disposed at the first surface. The piezoelectric generator has a case and at least one piezoelectric module. The transmitting member has a vibrating portion. The coupling member comprises a rotating wheel and a crank rod, the rotating wheel is driven by the vibrating portion, and the crank rod is driven by the rotating wheel. The case comprises a second surface and at least one accommodating slot recessed into the second surface. The piezoelectric module is disposed into the accommodating slot and comprises at least one frame body, a moving member and a plurality of piezoelectric portions. The moving member is penetrated into the frame body and moved back and forth in the frame body.
US08415856B2	Rotor for electric rotating machine A rotor for an electric rotating machine includes a rotor core and a plurality of magnetic poles. The rotor core is formed of a plurality of magnetic steel sheets laminated in the axial direction of the rotor core. The magnetic poles are formed on a radially outer periphery of the rotor core. The magnetic poles are arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotor core so that the polarities of the magnetic poles alternate between north and south in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the magnetic steel sheets forming the rotor core are welded so that a plurality of welds are formed on one of radially outer and inner surfaces of the rotor core. Each of the welds has a pair of axial end portions that are offset from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotor core and electrically connected to each other.
US08415853B2	Stator for compressor motor A stator for a compressor motor that has a structure in which the ends of insulation films inserted into slots of a stator core are supportedly locked to locking protrusions formed on upper and lower insulators for insulating the upper and lower sides of the stator core, thereby allowing the insulation films to be securely supported and providing easy assembling process for the insulation film and the upper and lower insulators.
US08415850B2	Universal motor A universal motor includes a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator. The stator includes a stator core and winding wound on the stator core. The stator core has an E-shape cross section and comprises a main part and three extension parts extending perpendicularly from the main part. Each extension part has an arc surface. The arc surfaces of the extension parts cooperatively form a space into which the rotor is received.
US08415848B2	Transverse and/or commutated flux systems configured to provide reduced flux leakage, hysteresis loss reduction, and phase matching Electrical machines, for example transverse flux machines and/or commutated flux machines, may be configured to achieve increased efficiency, increased output torque, and/or reduced operating losses via use of extended magnets, overhung rotors, and/or stator tooth overlap. Extended magnets may reduce flux leakage between adjacent flux concentrators. Overhung rotors may reduce flux leakage, and may also facilitate voltage balancing in polyphase devices. Stator tooth overlap may reduce hysteresis losses, for example losses in flux concentrating portions of an electrical machine.
US08415846B2	Stator unit with moisture-proof sealing A stator unit for an electric motor, in particular an external rotor motor, includes a stator with a stator laminate stack and stator windings and a stator bushing and a stator flange which is formed at one end. A housing flange of a housing for accommodating a motor controller or the like is fastened on the stator flange, and with motor connection contacts, which run from the stator through through-openings in the housing flange, and with fastening means, which run through fastening holes in the housing flange and are fastened in the stator. A sealing disk is arranged between the stator and the housing flange. The sealing disk has sealing regions made from elastic plastic, which are arranged and designed in such a way that direct and/or indirect sealing of the through-openings and/or the fastening holes is provided against the ingress of moisture.
US08415844B2	Base assembly for motor with pulling plate and adhesive filling part and motor including the same There is provided a base assembly for a motor, including: a base member having a shaft system of the motor mounted therein; a pulling plate bonded to the base member to prevent excessive floating of the motor; and at least one adhesive filling part formed in the pulling plate, and providing an adhesion space for an adhesive used for bonding the pulling plate to the base member to increase a contact area with the adhesive.
US08415843B2	Brushless motor A brushless motor comprises a stator and a rotor rotatably mounted to the stator. The rotor comprises a shaft, a rotor core fixed onto the shaft and magnets fixed to the rotor core. Two covers are fitted to respective ends of the rotor core, with one of the covers covering one end of the rotor core and at least a part of the radially outer peripheral surface of the rotor core, while the other cover at least covering the other end of the rotor core. Preferably, the entire peripheral surface of the rotor core is substantially covered by the two covers and the gap between the two covers is sealed by adhesive.
US08415837B2	Switch mode voltage rectifier, RF energy conversion and wireless power supplies Embodiments of the present invention provide cross-coupled rectifiers that use near zero-threshold transistors in a switching topology, but provide a topology that avoids reverse conduction problems. Importantly, preferred embodiment rectifiers of the invention only provide a slightly increased on-resistance in each branch, while providing both very high operating efficiency and very low turn-on voltage. An embodiment of the invention is a voltage rectifier for the conversion of RF energy into DC voltage with a turn-on threshold voltages approaching 0V.
US08415834B2	Power feeding system, power feeder, power-receiving equipment, and positioning control method A power feeding system includes: a power feeder including a mount, a primary coil, a moving means, a query output means outputting a query, a receiving means receiving notification information, a primary coil direct-current driving control means controlling the primary coil to be driven with a direct current, a query control means allowing the query output means to output a query, and a primary coil alternating-current driving control means controlling the primary coil to be driven with an alternating current; and a power-receiving equipment including a secondary coil, a sensing means disposed at a position where the sensing means can sense the query, a secondary coil direct-current driving control means controlling the secondary coil to be driven with a direct current, a notification information output means, and a secondary coil alternating-current driving control means controlling the secondary coil so that electromotive force induced by the primary coil is exerted.
US08415825B2	Power conversion device, method of controlling power conversion device, and vehicle with the same mounted thereon In a power conversion device of a vehicle, when a collision of a vehicle is detected, the voltage of a gate signal that drive a semiconductor switching element included in the power conversion device is decreased, and residual charge stored in a smoothing capacitor is discharged. Such a configuration increases switching loss when the semiconductor switching element is turned on or off during discharge of the residual charge in the power conversion device, so that discharge of the residual charge can be accomplished in a shorter time.
US08415824B2	Power subassembly for micro-hybrid system in an automobile According to the disclosure, a power sub-assembly (3) for a micro-hybrid system (1) in an automobile includes an AC-DC converter (8) with a transistor bridge (13), an energy storage device (10) and a power bus (9) including at least two cylindrical conductors (22, 22′). According to the disclosure, conductors (22, 22′) include respective coaxial cylindrical surfaces (23, 23′). The power bus integrated in the power subassembly allows for a parasitic inductance that is by far lower than that of the standard cables in power subassemblies of the prior art, particularly in order to avoid overvoltage at the terminals of the transistors in the AC-DC converter.
US08415823B2	Vehicle energy supply system A vehicle energy supply system includes a first branch of the vehicle's electrical system, a second branch of the vehicle's electrical system, and an energy transfer device that couples together the first branch of the vehicle's electrical system and the second branch of the vehicle's electrical system. The energy transfer device is designed in such a manner that energy is drawn from the alternating component of the voltage in the first branch of the vehicle's electrical system by the energy transfer device and is then fed to the second branch of the vehicle's electrical system.
US08415798B2	Semiconductor device having a conductor buried in an opening A semiconductor device includes a first conductor formed over a semiconductor device; an insulation film formed over the semiconductor substrate and the first conductor and having an opening arriving at the first conductor; a first film formed in the opening and formed of a compound containing Zr; a second film formed over the first film in the opening and formed of an oxide containing Mn; and a second conductor buried in the opening and containing Cu.
US08415796B2	Semiconductor device having a multilayer structure A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a bump electrode, a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and arranged to a lateral direction of the bump electrode, a first wiring layer formed on the first insulating layer and connected to the bump electrode, a second insulating layer formed on the first wiring layer, a via hole formed in the second insulating layer, and reaching the first wiring layer, a second wiring layer formed on the second insulating layer and connected to the first wiring layer via a via conductor formed in the via hole, and an external connection terminal connected to the second wiring layer, wherein an elastic modulus of the second insulating layer is set lower than an elastic modulus of the first insulating layer.
US08415793B2	Wafer and substructure for use in manufacturing electronic component packages A wafer for electronic component packages is used for manufacturing a plurality of electronic component packages, each of the plurality of electronic component packages including: a base incorporating a plurality of external connecting terminals; and at least one electronic component chip bonded to the base and electrically connected to the plurality of external connecting terminals. The wafer has a plurality of sets of external connecting terminals corresponding to the plurality of electronic component packages, a retainer for retaining the plurality of sets of external connecting terminals, and a coupling portion for coupling the plurality of sets of external connecting terminals to one another. The wafer includes a plurality of pre-base portions that will each be subjected to bonding of the at least one electronic component chip thereto and will be subjected to separation from one another later so that each of them will thereby become the base.
US08415785B1	Metal ring techniques and configurations Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising a substrate layer, a metal ring structure disposed on the substrate layer, the metal ring structure having an opening defined therein, and a solder mask layer coupled to (i) the metal ring structure and (ii) the substrate layer through the opening defined in the metal ring structure, the solder mask layer having a solder mask opening defined therein, wherein an edge of solder mask material defining the solder mask opening overlaps a portion of the opening defined in the metal ring structure. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US08415773B2	Semiconductor component with buffer layer A semiconductor component having at least one pn junction and an associated production method. The semiconductor component has a layer sequence of a first zone having a first dopant. The first zone faces a first main area. Adjacent to the first zone are a second zone having a low concentration of a second dopant, a subsequent buffer layer, the third zone, also having the second dopant and a subsequent fourth zone having a high concentration of the second dopant. The fourth zone faces a second main area. In this case, the concentration of the second doping of the buffer layer is higher at the first interface of the barrier layer with the second zone than at the second interface with the fourth zone. According to the invention, the buffer layer is produced by ion implantation.
US08415766B2	Process for smoothening III-N substrates A process for preparing smoothened III-N, in particular smoothened III-N substrate or III-N template, wherein III denotes at least one element of group III of the Periodic System, selected from Al, Ga and In, utilizes a smoothening agent comprising cubic boron nitride abrasive particles. The process provides large-sized III-N substrates or III-N templates having diameters of at least 40 mm, at a homogeneity of very low surface roughness over the whole substrate or wafer surface. In a mapping of the wafer surface with a white light interferometer, the standard deviation of the rms-values is 5% or lower, with a very good crystal quality at the surface or in surface-near regions, measurable, e.g., by means of rocking curve mappings and/or micro-Raman mappings.
US08415765B2	Semiconductor device including a guard ring or an inverted region A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate having a first conductive type layer; a first diffusion region which has the first conductive type and is formed in the first conductive type layer; a second diffusion region which has a second conductive type and an area larger than an area of the first diffusion region and overlaps the first diffusion region; and a PN junction formed at an interface between the first and the second diffusion regions. The second diffusion region includes a ring shaped structure or a guard ring includes an inverted region which has the second conductive type. According to such a configuration, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device having the required Zener characteristics with good controllability.
US08415764B2	High-voltage BJT formed using CMOS HV processes An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate having a top surface; at least one insulation region extending from the top surface into the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of base contacts of a first conductivity type electrically interconnected to each other; and a plurality of emitters and a plurality of collectors of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. Each of the plurality of emitters, the plurality of collectors, and the plurality of base contacts is laterally spaced apart from each other by the at least one insulation region. The integrated circuit device further includes a buried layer of the second conductivity type in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the buried layer has an upper surface adjoining bottom surfaces of the plurality of collectors.
US08415761B2	Polarization aligned and polarization graded thermoelectric materials and method of forming thereof Exemplary embodiments of the invention include a thermoelectric material having an aligned polarization field along a central axis of the material. Along the axis are a first atomic plane and a second atomic plane of substantially similar area. The planes define a first volume and form a single anisotropic crystal. The first volume has a first outer surface and a second outer surface opposite the first outer surface, with the outer surfaces defining the central axis passing through a bulk. The bulk polarization field is formed from a first electrical sheet charge and a second opposing electrical sheet charge, one on each atomic plane. The opposing sheet charges define a bulk polarization field aligned with the central axis, and the bulk polarization field causes asymmetric thermal and electrical conductivity through the first volume along the central axis.
US08415759B2	Down-converting and detecting photons In certain embodiments, an apparatus for down-converting and detecting photons includes a detector layer and a nanocrystal layer. The nanocrystal layer includes nanocrystals operable to absorb first photons of a higher energy and emit second photons of a lower energy in response to the absorption. The detector layer is configured to detect the second photons. In certain embodiments, a method for manufacturing an apparatus for down-converting and detecting photons includes preparing an outer surface of a substrate. Nanocrystals are disposed outwardly from the outer surface. The nanocrystals are operable to absorb first photons of a higher energy and emit second photons of a lower energy in response to the absorption.
US08415756B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same There are provided a semiconductor device in which short circuit failures in magnetic resistor elements and the like are reduced, and a method of manufacturing the same. An interlayer insulating film in which memory cells are formed is formed such that the upper surface of the portion of the interlayer insulating film located in a memory cell region where the magnetic resistor elements are formed is at a position lower than that of the upper surface of the portion of the interlayer insulating film located in a peripheral region. Another interlayer insulating film is formed so as to cover the magnetic resistor elements. In the another interlayer insulating film, formed are bit lines electrically coupled to the magnetic resistor elements. Immediately below the magnetic resistor elements, formed are digit lines.
US08415754B2	Capped integrated device with protective cap, composite wafer incorporating integrated devices and process for bonding integrated devices with respective protective caps A capped integrated device includes a semiconductor chip, incorporating an integrated device and a protective cap, bonded to the semiconductor chip for protection of the integrated device by means of a bonding layer made of a bonding material. The bonding material forms anchorage elements within recesses, formed in at least one between the semiconductor chip and the protective cap.
US08415752B2	Configuration and fabrication of semiconductor structure having asymmetric field-effect transistor with tailored pocket portion along source/drain zone An asymmetric insulated-gate field effect transistor (100U or 102U) provided along an upper surface of a semiconductor body contains first and second source/drain zones (240 and 242 or 280 and 282) laterally separated by a channel zone (244 or 284) of the transistor's body material. A gate electrode (262 or 302) overlies a gate dielectric layer (260 or 300) above the channel zone. A pocket portion (250 or 290) of the body material more heavily doped than laterally adjacent material of the body material extends along largely only the first of the S/D zones and into the channel zone. The vertical dopant profile of the pocket portion is tailored to reach a plurality of local maxima (316-1-316-3) at respective locations (PH-1-PH-3) spaced apart from one another. The tailoring is typically implemented so that the vertical dopant profile of the pocket portion is relatively flat near the upper semiconductor surface. As a result, the transistor has reduced leakage current.
US08415749B2	Semiconductor structure with dielectric-sealed doped region Leakage current can be substantially reduced by the formation of a seal dielectric in place of the conventional junction between source/drain region(s) and the substrate material. Trenches are formed in the substrate and lined with a seal dielectric prior to filling the trenches with semiconductor material. Preferably, the trenches are overfilled and a CMP process planarizes the overfill material. An epitaxial layer can be grown atop the trenches after planarization, if desired.
US08415745B2	ESD protection device An ESD protection device is described, which includes a P-body region, a P-type doped region, an N-type doped region and an N-sinker region. The P-body region is configured in a substrate. The P-type doped region is configured in the middle of the P-body region. The N-type doped region is configured in the P-body region and surrounds the P-type doped region. The N-sinker region is configured in the substrate and surrounds the P-body region.
US08415743B2	ETSOI CMOS with back gates A structure has a functional region having a first type of conductivity and a top surface. The functional region is connected to a bias contact. The structure further includes an insulating layer; a semiconductor layer and first and second transistor devices having the same type of conductivity disposed upon the semiconductor layer. The structure further includes a first back gate region adjacent to the top surface and underlying one of the transistor devices, the first back gate region having a second type of conductivity; and a second back gate region adjacent to the top surface and underlying the other one of the transistor devices, the second back gate region having the first type of conductivity. The first transistor device has a first characteristic threshold voltage and the second transistor device has a second characteristic threshold voltage that differs from the first characteristic threshold voltage.
US08415728B2	Memory device and method of fabricating the same A memory device includes a mesa structure and a word line. The mesa structure, having two opposite side surfaces, includes at least one pair of source/drain regions and at least one channel base region corresponding to the pair of source/drain regions formed therein. The word line includes two linear sections and at least one interconnecting portion. Each linear section extends on the respective side surface of the mesa structure, adjacent to the channel base region. The at least one interconnecting portion penetrates through the mesa structure, connecting the two linear sections.
US08415727B2	Backside-illuminated (BSI) image sensor with backside diffusion doping Embodiments of a process comprising forming a pixel on a front side of a substrate, thinning the substrate, depositing a doped silicon layer on a backside of the thinned substrate, and diffusing a dopant from the doped silicon layer into the substrate. Embodiments of an apparatus comprising a pixel formed on a front side of a thinned substrate, a doped silicon layer formed on a backside of the thinned substrate, and a region in the thinned substrate, and near the backside, where a dopant has diffused from the doped silicon layer into the thinned substrate. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US08415723B2	Spacer structure wherein carbon-containing oxide film formed within A spacer structure contains a carbon-containing oxide film positioned on a gate sidewall and a nitride film covering the carbon-containing oxide film. The carbon-containing oxide film has low etch rate so that the spacer structure can have a good profile during etching the carbon-containing oxide film.
US08415721B2	Field side sub-bitline nor flash array and method of fabricating the same Field Side Sub-bitline NOR-type (FSNOR) flash array and the methods of fabrication are disclosed. The field side sub-bitlines of the invention formed with the same impurity type as the memory cells' source/drain electrodes along the two sides of field trench oxide link all the source electrodes together and all the drain electrodes together, respectively, for a string of semiconductor Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) cells in a NOR-type flash array of the invention. Each field side sub-bitline is connected to a main metal bitline through a contact at its twisted point in the middle. Because there are no contacts in between the linked NVM cells' electrodes in the NOR-type flash array of the invention, the wordline pitch and the bitline pitch can be applied to the minimum geometrical feature of a specific technology node. The NOR-type flash array of the invention provides at least as high as those in the conventional NAND flash array in cell area density.
US08415720B2	Vertically pinched junction field effect transistor A vertical junction field-effect transistor in a CMOS base-technology. The vertical junction field-effect transistor includes a semiconductor substrate having a source region and a drain region, a main-channel region formed between the source region and the drain region, a well region formed on the main-channel region between the source region and the drain region, vertical pinch-off regions formed at both source and drain ends or only on the source-end of the well region on the main-channel region in the source region and the drain region respectively, a source contact on the vertical pinch-off region in the source region, a drain contact on the vertical pinch-off region in the drain region, a gate contact on the well region between the source contact and the drain contact and shallow trench isolations formed on the well region.
US08415719B2	Low gate charging rectifier having MOS structure and P-N junction, and manufacturing method of the same A low gate charging rectifier having a MOS structure and a P-N junction and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The low gate charging rectifier is a combination of an N-channel MOS structure and a lateral P-N junction diode. A portion of the gate-covering region is replaced by a thicker dielectric layer or a low conductivity polysilicon layer. In a forward mode, the N-channel MOS structure and the P-N junction diode are connected with each other in parallel. Under this circumstance, like the Schottky diode, the low gate charging rectifier has low forward voltage drop and rapid switching speed. Whereas, in a reverse mode, the leakage current is pinched off and the N-channel is shut off by the depletion region of the P-N junction diode, so that the low gate charging rectifier has low leakage current.
US08415718B2	Method of forming epi film in substrate trench The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a trench in the substrate, where a bottom surface of the trench has a first crystal plane orientation and a side surface of the trench has a second crystal plane orientation, and epitaxially (epi) growing a semiconductor material in the trench. The epi process utilizes an etch component. A first growth rate on the first crystal plane orientation is different from a second growth rate on the second crystal plane orientation.
US08415713B2	Photo-field effect transistor and its production method This invention provides a photo-FET, in which a FET part and photodiode part are stacked, and the FET part and photodiode part are optimized independently in design and operational bias conditions. The semiconductor layer serving as a photo-absorption layer (41) is formed on the cathode semiconductor layer (10) of a photodiode part (50). An electron barrier layer (40) with a wider bandgap semiconductor than a photo-absorption layer (41), which also serves as an anode layer of a photodiode part (50), is formed on a photo-absorption layer (41). The channel layer (15) which constitutes the channel regions of the FET part is formed with a narrower bandgap semiconductor than an electron barrier layer (40) on an electron barrier layer (40). The hole barrier layer (16) with a bandgap wider than the semiconductor which constitutes a channel layer (15) is formed on a channel layer (15). The source electrode (30) and drain electrode (32) which are separated each others, are formed on a hole barrier layer (16). The holes injected into the channel layer (15) by light illumination through the electron barrier layer (40) from the photo-absorption layer (41) are confined with the hole barrier layer (16). And the electrons in a channel layer (15) are confined with the electron barrier layer (40) into the channel layer (15), respectively.
US08415710B2	Bipolar power semiconductor component comprising a p-type emitter and more highly doped zones in the p-type emitter, and production method A bipolar power semiconductor component configured as an IGBT includes a semiconductor body, in which a p-doped emitter, an n-doped base, a p-doped base and an n-doped main emitter are arranged successively in a vertical direction. The p-doped emitter has a number of heavily p-doped zones having a locally increased p-type doping.
US08415709B2	Organic light-emitting display device An organic light-emitting display device. The organic light-emitting display device includes a substrate, a semiconductor layer arranged on the substrate, an insulating film arranged on the semiconductor layer and a conductive layer arranged on the insulating film, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a plurality of protrusion lines extending in a first direction, the protrusion lines being parallel to a peripheral edge of the conductive layer.
US08415708B2	Nitride based semiconductor light-emitting device Disclosed herein is a nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device comprises an n-type clad layer made of n-type Alx1Iny1Ga(1-x1-y1)N (where 0≦x1≦1, 0≦y1≦1, and 0≦x1+y1≦1), a multiple quantum well-structured active layer made of undoped InAGa1-AN (where 0
US08415707B2	Group III nitride semiconductor device A Group III nitride semiconductor device has a semiconductor region, a metal electrode, and a transition layer. The semiconductor region has a surface comprised of a Group III nitride crystal. The semiconductor region is doped with a p-type dopant. The surface is one of a semipolar surface and a nonpolar surface. The metal electrode is provided on the surface. The transition layer is formed between the Group III nitride crystal of the semiconductor region and the metal electrode. The transition layer is made by interdiffusion of a metal of the metal electrode and a Group III nitride of the semiconductor region.
US08415706B2	Optical semiconductor package sealing resin material An optical semiconductor package sealing resin material used to seal an optical semiconductor chip in a semiconductor package includes a thermosetting epoxy composition and a hydrophobic smectite clay mineral. The hydrophobic smectite clay mineral is hydrophobized by subjecting a hydrophilic smectite clay mineral to an intercalation reaction with an alkylammonium halide. The smectite clay mineral is bentonite, saponite, hectorite, vermiculite, stevensite, tainiolite, montmorillonite, or nontronite.
US08415704B2	Close-packed array of light emitting devices A close-packed array of light emitting diodes includes a nonconductive substrate having a plurality of elongate channels extending therethrough from a first side to a second side, where each of the elongate channels in at least a portion of the substrate includes a conductive rod therein. The conductive rods have a density over the substrate of at least about 1,000 rods per square centimeter and include first conductive rods and second conductive rods. The close-packed array further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes on the first side of the substrate, where each light emitting diode is in physical contact with at least one first conductive rod and in electrical contact with at least one second conductive rod.
US08415701B2	LED package structure for increasing light-emitting efficiency and controlling light-projecting angle and method for manufacturing the same An LED package structure for increasing light-emitting efficiency and controlling light-projecting angle includes a substrate unit, a light-emitting unit, a light-reflecting unit and a package unit. The substrate unit has a substrate body and a chip-placing area disposed on a top surface of the substrate body. The light-emitting unit has a plurality of LED chips electrically disposed on the chip-placing area. The light-reflecting unit has an annular reflecting resin body surroundingly formed on the top surface of the substrate body by coating. The annular reflecting resin body surrounds the LED chips that are disposed on the chip-placing area to form a resin position limiting space above the chip-placing area. The package unit has a translucent package resin body disposed on the top surface of the substrate body in order to cover the LED chips. The position of the translucent package resin body is limited in the resin position limiting space.
US08415692B2	LED packages with scattering particle regions An LED package comprises at least one LED that emits LED light in an LED emission profile. The LED package includes regions of scattering particles with the different regions scattering light primarily at a target wavelength or primarily within a target wavelength range. The location of the regions and scattering properties are based at least partially on the LED emission profile. The regions scatter their target wavelength of LED light to improve the uniformity of the LED emission profile so that the LED package emits a more uniform profile compared to the LED emission profile. By targeting particular wavelengths for scattering, the emission efficiency losses are reduced.
US08415689B2	Semiconductor light emitting device The embodiment discloses a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer, a first electrode formed under the first conductive semiconductor layer and comprising a patterns of a predetermined shape, and a nitride semiconductor layer between the patterns of the first electrode.
US08415687B2	Organic light-emitting device An organic light emitting device with improved light emitting efficiency, the organic light emitting device includes a substrate, a first electrode arranged on the substrate, a second electrode arranged to face the first electrode, an organic light-emitting layer arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, an electron transport layer arranged between the organic light-emitting layer and the second electrode, wherein the electron transport layer includes a multi-layer structure that includes at least one first layer and at least two second layers, wherein ones of said at least one first layer and ones of said at least two second layers are alternately stacked, wherein ones of the at least two second layers are arranged at both opposite ends of the electron transport layer, each of the at least two second layers having a lower electron mobility than that of each of the at least one first layer.
US08415680B2	Semiconductor composite apparatus, print head, and image forming apparatus A semiconductor composite apparatus, includes a first substrate, a semiconductor thin film layer, active devices, first driving circuits, and second driving circuits. The semiconductor thin film layer is formed on the first substrate and is formed of a first semiconductor material. The active devices are formed in the semiconductor thin film layer. The first driving circuits is formed of a second semiconductor material and performing a first function in which the active devices are driven. The second driving circuits are formed of a third semiconductor material and performing a second function in which the active devices are driven, the second function being different from the first function.
US08415679B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof It is an object of the present invention to provide a peeling method that causes no damage to a layer to be peeled and to allow not only a layer to be peeled with a small surface area but also a layer to be peeled with a large surface area to be peeled entirely. Further, it is also an object of the present invention to bond a layer to be peeled to various base materials to provide a lighter semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof. Particularly, it is an object to bond various elements typified by a TFT, (a thin film diode, a photoelectric conversion element comprising a PIN junction of silicon, or a silicon resistance element) to a flexible film to provide a lighter semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof.
US08415677B2	Field-effect transistor device having a metal gate stack with an oxygen barrier layer A field effect transistor device and method which includes a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric gate layer, preferably a high dielectric constant gate layer, overlaying the semiconductor substrate and an electrically conductive oxygen barrier layer overlaying the gate dielectric layer. In one embodiment, there is a conductive layer between the gate dielectric layer and the oxygen barrier layer. In another embodiment, there is a low resistivity metal layer on the oxygen barrier layer.
US08415665B2	Semiconductor device and electronic device An object is to improve the drive capability of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. A first terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a first wiring. A second terminal of the first transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring. A gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to a third wiring. A first terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to the third wiring. A second terminal of the second transistor is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor. A channel region is formed using an oxide semiconductor layer in each of the first transistor and the second transistor. The off-state current of each of the first transistor and the second transistor per channel width of 1 μm is 1 aA or less.
US08415662B2	Radiation detector having a plurality of amorphous selenium layers An X-ray detector 1 includes: an X-ray conversion layer 17 which is made of amorphous selenium and absorbs incident radiation and generates charges; a common electrode 23 provided on a surface on the side on which radiation is made incident of the X-ray conversion layer 17; and a signal readout substrate 2 on which a plurality of pixel electrodes 7 for collecting charges generated by the X-ray conversion layer 17 are arrayed, and further includes: an electric field relaxation layer 13 provided between the X-ray conversion layer 17 and the signal readout substrate 2 and containing arsenic and lithium fluoride; a crystallization suppressing layer 11 provided between the electric field relaxation layer 13 and the signal readout substrate 2 and containing arsenic; and a first thermal property enhancement layer 15 provided between the electric field relaxation layer 13 and the X-ray conversion layer 17 and containing arsenic.
US08415661B2	Methods of self-aligned growth of chalcogenide memory access device Self-aligning fabrication methods for forming memory access devices comprising a doped chalcogenide material. The methods may be used for forming three-dimensionally stacked cross point memory arrays. The method includes forming an insulating material over a first conductive electrode, patterning the insulating material to form vias that expose portions of the first conductive electrode, forming a memory access device within the vias of the insulating material and forming a memory element over the memory access device, wherein data stored in the memory element is accessible via the memory access device. The memory access device is formed of a doped chalcogenide material and formed using a self-aligned fabrication method.
US08415660B2	Light emitting device The present invention has an object of providing a light-emitting device including an OLED formed on a plastic substrate, which prevents degradation due to penetration of moisture or oxygen. On a plastic substrate, a plurality of films for preventing oxygen or moisture from penetrating into an organic light-emitting layer in the OLED (“barrier films”) and a film having a smaller stress than the barrier films (“stress relaxing film”), the film being interposed between the barrier films, are provided. Owing to a laminate structure, if a crack occurs in one of the barrier films, the other barrier film(s) can prevent moisture or oxygen from penetrating into the organic light emitting layer. The stress relaxing film, which has a smaller stress than the barrier films, is interposed between the barrier films, making it possible to reduce stress of the entire sealing film. Therefore, a crack due to stress hardly occurs.
US08415658B2	Organic electroluminescence device, display unit including the same, and method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence device An organic electroluminescence device includes a first electrode, an organic layer formed on the first electrode and including a light-emitting layer, an intermediate layer formed on the organic layer; and a second electrode formed on the intermediate layer and having a thickness of 6 nm or less.
US08415653B2	Single mask adder phase change memory element A method of fabricating a phase change memory element within a semiconductor structure includes etching an opening to an upper surface of a bottom electrode, the opening being formed of a height equal to a height of a metal region at a same layer within the semiconductor structure, depositing phase change material within the opening, recessing the phase change material within the opening, and forming a top electrode on the recessed phase change material.
US08415650B2	Front to back resistive random access memory cells A resistive random access memory cell is formed on a semiconductor substrate. First and second diffused regions are disposed in the semiconductor substrate. A polysilicon gate is disposed above the first and second diffused regions. A first contact connects the first diffused region with a region of a first metal layer. A first interlayer dielectric layer is formed over the first metal layer and includes first and second vias, each including conductive plugs connected to the region of the first metal layer. First and second resistive random access memory devices formed over the first interlayer dielectric layer have first and second terminals, and include a dielectric layer and an ion source layer. The first terminals of the first and second resistive random access memory devices are coupled to the first metal layer by the first and second conductive plugs.
US08415649B2	Radiation imaging apparatus A radiation imaging apparatus comprises a housing having an upper panel on the incident side of radiation, a bottom panel opposite to the upper panel, a side panel connecting the upper panel with the bottom panel. The housing accommodates a radiation detection panel, a light source and a chassis providing rigidity to the housing. The chassis has a transmissible part which transmit the calibration light from the light source, the radiation detection panel is fixed on the side of the upper panel, and the light source is fixed on the side of the bottom part of the chassis. Further, a detachable lid is formed in at least a part of the bottom panel, and the opening portion is formed so as to expose the light source.
US08415644B2	Processing system A processing system includes a piping which extends annularly, such as in the form of a circular annular shape, around a beam path between a focusing lens and an interaction region. The piping includes, on a side which faces the interaction region, a plurality of exit openings for the gas towards the interaction region. The piping also includes a holder configured to pivot the piping about a pivot axis. The holder is parallel to the tilt axis of the object holder.
US08415640B2	Diamond nanowires In a general aspect, a system includes a plurality of diamond nanowires disposed on the surface of a diamond substrate, at least some of the nanowires including a color center. The system also includes a light source configured to illuminate at least one of the plurality of nanowires with excitation light at a wavelength corresponding to an excitation wavelength of the color center included in the illuminated nanowire; and an optical receiver configured to receive a fluorescence emitted from the color center included in the illuminated nanowire in response to the excitation light.
US08415639B2	Quantum efficiency measurement method, quantum efficiency measurement apparatus, and integrator A quantum efficiency measurement method includes the steps of: disposing a sample at a predetermined position in an integrator having an integrating space; applying excitation light to the sample and measuring a spectrum in the integrating space as a first spectrum through a second window; configuring an excitation light incident portion so that excitation light after having passed through the sample is not reflected in the integrating space; applying the excitation light to the sample and measuring a spectrum in the integrating space as a second spectrum through the second window; and calculating a quantum efficiency of the sample based on a component constituting a part of the first spectrum and corresponding to a wavelength range of the excitation light, and a component constituting a part of the second spectrum and corresponding to a wavelength range of light generated by the sample from the received excitation light.
US08415637B1	Cesium and lithium-containing quaternary compound scintillators The present invention relates to quaternary compound scintillators and related devices and methods. The scintillators may include, for example, a mixed halide scintillator composition including at least two different CsLiLa halide compounds and a dopant. Related detection devices and methods are further included.
US08415635B2	Particle-counting apparatus with pulse shortening A particle-counting apparatus is described, which reduces a resulting width of pulses when a charge pulse is received from a particle detector, thereby reducing pile-up problems with pulses. Pulse shortening is obtained by resetting the pulse shortly after it exceeds its peak level at the apparatus output. The apparatus includes a charge-sensitive amplifier and a shaper which generates an output for subsequent discrimination circuits. A reset generator monitors the shaper output and generates a reset signal to the shaper when a peak has been detected.
US08415633B2	Method and device for monitoring the intensity of an electron beam The method and the device are used to monitor the intensity of an electron beam. In order to detect changes in intensity of the electron beam, electromagnetic radiation directly or indirectly emitted by the electron beam is detected and evaluated. This particularly refers to the evaluation of ultraviolet radiation and/or radiation in the range of visible light.
US08415631B2	TOF-PET apparatus, detector ring and detector According to one embodiment, a TOF-PET apparatus includes a plurality of detector rings arranged along a central axis thereof. Each of the detector rings comprises a plurality of scintillators and a plurality of photomultipliers. The scintillators are arranged on a substantial circumference around the central axis and generate scintillation in response to pair annihilation gamma-rays from a subject. The photomultipliers generate an electric signal in accordance with the generated scintillation. A length of each of the scintillators along a radial direction of the substantial circumference is set to a range in which a value of a total number of counts/time resolution of coincidence events of pair annihilation gamma-rays is more improved than when a reference scintillator whose probability of interaction with pair annihilation gamma-rays is adjusted to 80% is used under conditions of a constant total volume of the scintillators.
US08415629B2	Composite scintillator including a micro-electronics photo-resist A radiation-sensitive detector includes a photosensor layer with one or more photosensor dixels and a composite scintillator layer with one or more scintillator dixels optically coupled to the photosensor layer. The composite scintillator layer is formed from a mixture including a scintillator material having a first refractive index corresponding to a first wavelength and a photo-resist used in micro-electromechanical systems production, having a second refractive index corresponding to the first wavelength. The first and second refractive indices are substantially matched, and the composite scintillator layer produces light having the first wavelength and that is indicative of x-radiation detected thereby.
US08415627B2	Fluorescence detection device using intensity-modulated laser light and fluorescence detection method Fluorescence detection device employed in a flow site meter emits laser light intensity-modulated by a modulation signal and acquires the fluorescence signal of fluorescence emitted from a measurement object passing through a measurement point of the laser light. The device generates the reference signal, separately from the modulation signal, the reference signal having a frequency different from the frequency of the modulation signal and having a phase synchronized with a phase of the modulation. The device determines fluorescence relaxation time of the measurement object from the fluorescence signal using the reference signal.
US08415626B1	Intrinsically safe NDIR gas sensor in a can An NDIR gas sensor is housed within a mechanical housing made up of a header housing, a can mounted to the header housing, and a sample chamber mounted above the can. The can has a top surface with a pair of windows formed in it to allow radiation to enter and return from the sample chamber. An electronics module is mounted on a printed circuit board hermetically sealed within the can. A signal channel path length detected by the signal detector is greater than a reference channel path length detected by the reference detector and an absorption bias between the signal and reference outputs can be used to determine a gas concentration in the sample chamber. Both the signal detector and the reference detector have an identical narrow band pass filter with the same Center Wavelength (“CWL”), Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) and transmittance efficiency at the CWL.
US08415624B2	Differential wavelength imaging method and system for detection and identification of concealed materials A method and system for detection and identification of concealed materials, is provided, wherein a dark image and two or more NIR sample images are taken at two or more key wavelengths or bands of wavelengths corresponding to peaks and/or valleys in the NIR spectra of known materials, and differential wavelength imaging processes are used to produce a differential wavelength image based on therein. The differential wavelength image is then analyzed/processed so as to detect any materials concealed on the target of interest, such as a human or piece of baggage, by calculation of pixel intensity values in the image and identification of distinctive pixel values. Then, via various methods, the distinctive pixel values of the detected materials are compared to a data set of known wavelengths related to known materials, such as explosives and other contraband. Correspondence thereof results in an accurate identification of the concealed material(s).
US08415617B2	Two-dimensional radial-ejection ion trap operable as a quadrupole mass filter A two-dimensional radial-ejection ion trap is constructed from four apertured electrodes having inwardly facing hyperbolic surfaces, with each electrode being spaced from the centerline by a distance r that is greater than the hyperbolic radius r0 defined by the hyperbolic surfaces. This geometry produces a balanced symmetrical trapping field that has a negligible octopole field component and a relatively large dodecapole or icosapolar field component. In one specific implementation, the ion trap is selectably operable as a quadrupole mass filter by applying a filtering DC voltage to the electrodes.
US08415614B2	Ion mobility spectrometer comprising two drift chambers An ion mobility spectrometer has two drift chambers and a common, doped reaction region. Each drift chamber includes an ion modifier, such as one that fragments the doped ions by a high electrical field. One of the drift chambers is doped and the other is undoped. In this way, the dopant adducts are removed by the modification process but then recombine with dopant only in the doped chamber so that different outputs are produced by the two drift chambers.
US08415613B2	Method and apparatus for characterizing a sample with two or more optical traps The present invention relates to a method for investigating a sample using scanning probe photon microscopy or optical force microscopy, and to an apparatus which is designed accordingly. The method or the apparatus provides for two optical traps which can be moved in a local region of the sample, wherein in at least one of the two traps a probe is held. The sample is scanned using the two traps and the measured data from the two traps are captured separately and evaluated by correlation. In particular interference signals resulting from an interaction between sample and light trap can be eliminated by the method.
US08415612B2	Channel cell system A cold-atom system has multiple vacuum chambers. One vacuum chamber includes an atom source. A fluidic connection is provided between that vacuum chamber and another vacuum chamber. The fluidic connection includes a microchannel formed as a groove in a substantially flat surface and covered by a layer of material.
US08415610B2	Optical encoder having a single signal track and an optical detecting part with sine and cosine signals Present invention provides an optical encoder capable of improving the precision of an interpolation angle in a single signal track, in an encoder of sine-wave angle interpolation type. The optical encoder includes a waveform, in which a phase-modulated wave is superimposed in a predetermined period over a sine-wave of a fundamental period, as a signal track (103), and an optical detector (104) for extracting the sine signal and the cosine signal of the phase-modulated wave. An operation unit (106) operates electric angles individually from the output signals of a first optical detector pair and a second optical detector pair belonging to the optical detector, and determines the sum and difference of the electric angles, thereby acquiring the electric angle and the phase-modulated wave of the fundamental period.
US08415606B2	Configurable photo detector circuit A configurable photo detector circuit comprises a photo detector array including a plurality of photo detectors coupled to a plurality of amplifiers. A method for programming a detection pattern of the configurable photo detector circuit comprises selecting a first detection pattern for the photo detector array, generating first signals to create the first selected detection pattern, and applying the first generated signals to the photo detector circuit to implement the first selected detection pattern.
US08415605B2	Digital camera with multiple pipeline signal processors A method includes sampling a first intensity of light with a first array of photo detectors of a digital camera. A second intensity of light is sampled with a second array of photo detectors of the digital camera. A first channel processor coupled to the first array of photo detectors generates a first image using first array data which is representative of the first intensity of light sampled by the first array of photo detectors. A second channel processor coupled to the second array of photo detectors generates a second image using second array data which is representative of the second intensity of light sampled by the second array of photo detectors. The first array of photo detectors, the second array of photo detectors, the first channel processor, and the second channel processor are integrated on or in a semiconductor substrate.
US08415603B2	Image sensor and method of driving transfer transistor of image sensor Provided is a 4-transistor CMOS image in which a driving condition or a pixel structure is changed so that a transfer transistor in a pixel operates in a pinch-off condition during reset and transfer operations in order to reduce dark current and fixed-pattern noise caused by a change in an operation condition of the transfer transistor and inter-pixel characteristic discrepancy. The image sensor includes a photosensitive pixel including a transfer transistor for transferring photon-induced charges created in a photodiode; and a voltage control unit for controlling a turn-on voltage applied to a gate of the transfer transistor to be lower than a floating diffusion node voltage plus the threshold voltage of the transfer transistor during a partial or entire section of a turn-on section of the transfer transistor such that the transfer transistor operates in a pseudo pinch-off mode.
US08415602B2	Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus having an element isolator in a semiconductor substrate Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including: a pixel part configured to include a plurality of light receiving regions corresponding to different wavelengths; and an element isolator configured to separate the plurality of light receiving regions from each other in such a way that each of the light receiving regions in the pixel part has a size suited to an energy profile of light irradiation with a wavelength handled by the light receiving region.
US08415598B1	Extendable fins for a tube-launched projectile A stabilizing fin deployment apparatus may include a base assembly for attachment to the rear end of a projectile. The base assembly may include a base, a spacer, a fin mount, a gas cavity and an opening that extends from the rear end of the base to the gas cavity. A retention nut may engage the base and secure the fin mount and spacer to the base. A retention plug may be disposed in the opening in the base assembly. The retention plug may include at least one gas conduit between an outer surface of the retention plug and the gas cavity. A retention bolt may extend through the retention plug and may be fixed to the base. A plurality of fins hubs may be rotatably fixed to the base. A plurality of fins may be translatably connected to the fin hubs. When deployed, the fin hubs may rotate forward and the fins may translate outward far into the airstream.
US08415594B2	Method for operating an induction heating device The invention relates to a method for operating an induction heating device. The induction heating device comprises an induction coil and a frequency converter for producing a control voltage for the induction coil. The frequency converter comprises a rectifier rectifying an alternating supply voltage (UN), an intermediate circuit capacitor, looped in between output terminals of the rectifier and equalizing the rectified voltage (UG), and at least one controllable switching element, looped in between the output terminals of the rectifier. According to the invention, in a predetermined discharge interval (INT) before a zero crossing (ND) of the alternating supply voltage (UN), the intermediate circuit capacitor is discharged to a threshold value by controlling the at least one switching element before the induction coil is controlled in order to produce an adjustable heating capacity.
US08415592B2	Oven and process to control the air-flow over the belt width in a spiral oven The present invention relates to an oven comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, which are separated by separation means, conveyor means for guiding products from the inlet through these chambers to the outlet, temperature control means for controlling the temperature in each chamber individually using a fluid, respectively, and means to adjust the flow distribution over the width of the conveyor means depending on at least one process parameter or recipe.
US08415591B2	Oven with low-temperature self-cleaning mode An oven having one or more low-temperature self-cleaning modes has an interior cavity and at least two heating elements in the interior cavity. A sump is formed in the bottom wall of the cavity. The oven has an electronic control unit, which activates and deactivates the heating elements during operation of the low-temperature self-cleaning mode. The electronic control unit may disable an oven door lock during a low-temperature self-cleaning mode.
US08415589B2	Heating resistance element component and thermal printer A heating resistance element component has a supporting substrate, an insulating film laminated on the supporting substrate, heating resistors arranged at intervals on the insulating film, a common wire connected to one end of each of the heating resistors, and individual wires each connected to another end of the each of the of heating resistors. A surface of the supporting substrate is formed with a first concave portion and a second concave portion. The first concave portion is arranged in a region opposed to heating portions of the heating resistors. The second concave portion is arranged at an interval in a vicinity of the first concave portion so that heat generated by the heating portions of the plurality of heating resistors is prevented from flowing into the supporting substrate.
US08415584B2	Modular laser machining system with functional module A description is given of a modular laser processing system (10) for processing a workpiece (20) by means of a processing laser beam (14), which system has a multiplicity of functional modules (100) with a beam passage region (102) which can be connected to one another in series along a processing laser beam path, comprising a functional module (100) embodied as a fiber connection module (104) and serving for accommodating a fiber end from which the processing laser beam (14) emerges, and a functional module (100) embodied as a collimator module (106) and having a collimator lens (16a, 16b, 16c), which collimates the processing laser beam (14), wherein the collimator lens (16a, 16b, 16c) is selected from a group of collimator lenses having different focal lengths which correspond to a raster dimension (L1) or to an integer multiple thereof, characterized in that the length (A) of the beam passage region (102) of a functional module (100) along the processing laser beam path corresponds to the raster dimension (L1) or to an integer multiple thereof.
US08415582B2	Method for monitoring and maintaining a resistance welding apparatus A method of monitoring and maintaining a weld cap which is executing successive resistance welds on a plurality of workpieces includes measuring a first weld indentation formed during a first resistance weld and measuring a second weld indentation formed during a second resistance weld. The measured first and second weld indentations are compared with a severe threshold. If either of the measured first or second weld indentations is greater than the severe threshold, an abnormal condition is signaled. The method may include tip dressing the weld cap based upon the signaled abnormal condition. The method may further include determining a degradation rate between the first resistance weld and the second resistance weld. The degradation rate is the time differential between the measured first and second weld indentations, and either a first or a second tip dressing schedule is chosen based upon the determined degradation rate.
US08415577B2	Assembly for increasing torque tactility of a rotary control for a handheld radio A rotary control assembly (200) for a handheld two-way radio (100) provides improved tactile feedback in the form of clicks, even during gloved usage. Assembly (200) includes a housing having a large control knob (108), a rotary switch control (202) having a shaft (204), a shaft extender (206) having a toothed gear element (210), and a ball plunger (302). As the control knob (108) is rotated, the shaft extender (206), toothed gear element (210) and shaft (204), all turn in cooperation. The toothed gear element (210) is loaded by the ball plunger thereby generating a clicking tactile feedback in response to the control knob (108) being rotated. A large control knob (108), suitable for a ruggedized environment, can thus be used in conjunction with a small rotary switch control (202) for improved tactile feedback while maximizing internal space efficiency.
US08415576B2	Operating mechanism for centrifugal switch An operating mechanism for a centrifugal switch contains at least: a terminal box, a cover, a movable contact, a static contact, a swing arm, a reset elastic part, and a shifting fork. The movable contact and the static contact are disposed in the terminal box. The shifting fork operates to drive the swing arm to horizontally swing, whereby pushing the movable contact and implementing connection and disconnection between the movable contact and the static contact. The reset elastic part operates to automatically reset the shifting fork and the swing arm. The invention features reduced requirements for dimensional precision and installation precision of components, and low production cost, and is reliable and durable. In addition, the sliding force is uniformly stressed, which ensures accuracy of operation, easy installation, and high operating reliability.
US08415569B2	Flat panel display module having anti-shock screw-tightening structure A flat panel display module having anti-shock screw-tightening structure is provided. The flat panel display module includes a display panel, a flexible printed circuit, a printed circuit board, a back plate, a fastening element, and a flexible separator. The display panel has a signal connecting end. One end of the flexible printed circuit is electrically connected to the signal connecting end while the other end is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board has a through hole. The back plate accommodates the display panel. The flexible printed circuit is disposed across the back plate so that the printed circuit board is parallel to the back plate. The fastening element which has a length greater than the thickness of the printed circuit board passes through the through hole and is secured to the surface of the back plate. The flexible separator is disposed between the back plate and the printed circuit board and pushes the printed circuit board away from the back plate so that the printed circuit board touches against the fastening element. The flat panel display module maintains a space between the printed circuit board and the back plate to accomplish the purpose of anti-shock.
US08415568B1	Electromagnetic shielding A panel for an electromagnetic shield includes a light-weight, porous, electrically-conductive, fluid-permeable planar core layer defined between generally parallel first and second surfaces and a first face sheet laminated to the first surface of the core layer with rigidity properties superior to the rigidity properties of the core layer. The thickness of the first face sheet is substantially less than the thickness of the core layer. The core layer is made of metallic foam or a metal coating on an electrically-nonconductive, porous, nonmetallic substrate chosen from among nonwoven fibrous matting, paper, and open-cell nonmetallic foam. Also, the core layer may also may be made up of liberated branching metal nanostrands or a plurality of electrically-coupled, electrically-conductive particles, each taking the from of an electrically-nonconductive, nonmetallic substrate with a metal coating. The first face sheet includes a cured layer of resin and, distributed throughout the resin, electrically-conductive elements selected from among liberated branched metal nanostrands, metal wires, and metal meshes, in addition to fibers, woven fabric, nonwoven matting, or paper that are metal-coated.
US08415564B2	Wrap-around cable sleeve assemblies and methods for making and using the same A wrap-around cable sleeve assembly for environmentally sealing a cable section includes a wrap-around sleeve and a cable mastic patch. The wrap-around sleeve has a longitudinally extending portion and opposed first and second longitudinal edges. The longitudinally extending portion defines a portion of a cable chamber extending around the cable section when the wrap-around sleeve is wrapped around the cable section. The cable mastic patch is disposed on an interior surface of the longitudinally extending portion and extends transversely across the longitudinally extending portion. The cable mastic patch is configured and positioned to engage the cable section and form a continuous environmental circumferential seal about the cable section when the wrap-around sleeve is wrapped around the cable section.
US08415561B2	Electrical enclosure An electrical enclosure includes a first part and a second part together forming a body. The body has an inner surface and an outer surface that are separated on opposing surfaces of the body. An outer junction is adjacent the outer surface of the body and an inner junction adjacent the inner surface of the body. Conductive pass-throughs that are at least partially contained within the body electrically couple the inner and outer junctions. An external conductor routing high-voltage from a high-voltage source in the building structure is coupled to the outer junction and mechanically fixed thereto, enclosed by a cover engaging the outer surface sufficiently to provide fire protection and prevent degradation, and such that no portion of the external conductor passes through the body into the inner surface. The second part is removable through the first part thereby providing access to the outer junction through the first part.
US08415549B2	Time compression/expansion of selected audio segments in an audio file A computer implemented method allows a user to adjust tracks in a musical arrangement. The method involves a user selecting a musical position of an audio track, which the user desires to adjust in time, either by compressing it or expanding it, by indicating with a pointing device, such as a mouse, the position in the time line of the audio track that the user wishes to alter. A first marker is then displayed at the selected musical position in the audio track. Boundary markers defining transients in the audio signal surrounding the selected musical position are then automatically generated by analysis of the audio signal, and are displayed on the audio track. The two boundary markers define an audio segment that is to be adjusted in tempo by the user moving the first marker along the time line.
US08415548B2	Device for damping vibrations in percussion sets It is disclosed a device for dampening vibrations that ma propagate from a percussion instrument to percussion instrument stands comprising a mounting holder (3) for the percussion instrument, sad mounting holder (3) being anchored in an elastic/resilient and vibration-dampening material (2), said elastic/resilient and vibration-dampening material (2) being carried by a casing/sheath (4), said casing/sheath (4) being connected to or being attachable to a stand.
US08415546B2	Single crystalline metal nanoplate and the fabrication method thereof Disclosed is a fabrication method of a metal nanoplate using metal, metal halide or a mixture thereof as a precursor. The single crystalline metal nanoplate is fabricated on a single crystalline substrate by performing heat treatment on a precursor including metal, metal halide or a mixture thereof and placed at a front portion of a reactor and the single crystalline substrate placed at a rear portion of the reactor under an inert gas flowing condition. A noble metal nanoplate of several micrometers in size can be fabricated using a vapor-phase transport process without any catalyst. The fabricated nanoplate is a single crystalline metal nanoplate having high crystallinity, high purity and not having a two-dimensional defect. Morphology and orientation of the metal nanoplate with respect to the substrate can be controlled by controlling a surface direction of the single crystalline substrate. The metal nanoplate of several micrometer size is mass-producible.
US08415545B1	Maize variety inbred PHEMW A novel maize variety designated PHEMW and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHEMW with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHEMW through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PHEMW or a locus conversion of PHEMW with another maize variety.
US08415538B2	Pepper hybrid PS16364674 The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid PS16364674 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid PS16364674 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08415535B2	Soybean cultivar 07115150 A soybean cultivar designated 07115150 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 07115150, to the plants of soybean cultivar 07115150, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 07115150, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 07115150. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 07115150. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 07115150, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar 07115150 with another soybean cultivar.
US08415534B2	Soybean variety XB07Y11 A novel soybean variety, designated XB07Y11 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB07Y11, cells from soybean variety XB07Y11, plants of soybean XB07Y11, and plant parts of soybean variety XB07Y11. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB07Y11 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB07Y11, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB07Y11, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB07Y11. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB07Y11 are further provided.
US08415533B2	Soybean variety A1024631 The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1024631. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1024631. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1024631 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1024631 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08415529B2	Pea line DLSC7V0955 The invention provides seed and plants of the pea line designated DLSC7V0955. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pea line DLSC7V0955, and to methods for producing a pea plant produced by crossing a plant of pea line DLSC7V0955 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 DLSC7V0955, including the seed, pod, and gametes of such plants.
US08415526B2	Down-regulation of gene expression using artificial microRNAs Isolated nucleic acid fragments comprising precursor miRNA, and artificial miRNAs and their use in down-regulating gene expression are described.
US08415525B2	Circovirus sequences associated with piglet weight loss disease (PWD) The genome sequences and the nucleotide sequences coding for the PWD circovirus polypeptides, such as the circovirus structural and non-structural polypeptides, vectors including the sequences, and cells and animals transformed by the vectors are provided. Methods for detecting the nucleic acids or polypeptides, and kits for diagnosing infection by a PWD circovirus, also are provided. Method for selecting compounds capable of modulating the viral infection are further provided. Pharmaceutical, including vaccine, compositions for preventing and/or treating viral infections caused by PWD circovirus and the use of vectors for preventing and/or treating diseases also are provided.
US08415522B2	Hydrocarbon decomposition for soil and water remediation Presented herein are compositions including a linear tenso-active surfactant which, upon contact and mechanical stirring of a hydrocarbon body, induces emulsification, resulting in oxidation of fatty acid aliphatic bodies. The compositions solve the problem of hydrocarbon pollution. The hydrocarbon decomposer and its by-products dissolve hydrocarbons present in polluted bodies such as clays, soils, water and sand. Methods of the invention create a residue that is a fertilizer, at room temperature and with no need for high pressure.
US08415521B2	Apparatus for providing additional radiation shielding to a container holding radioactive materials, and method of using the same to handle and/or process radioactive materials The present invention relates to a system, method and apparatus for providing additional radiation shielding to a container holding radioactive materials. In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus that includes a tubular shell constructed of a gamma radiation absorbing material and having an inner surface that forms a cavity having an axis, the cavity having an open top end and an open bottom end; a plurality of spacers extending from the inner surface of the shell toward the axis of the cavity, the spacers extending a first height from the inner surface of the tubular shell; and one or more flange members located at or near the open top end of the cavity extending from the tubular shell toward the axis of the cavity, the flange member extending a second height from the inner surface of the shell, the second height being greater than the first height.
US08415520B2	Work-up of a 3-methyl-1-butene-containing mixture The invention is a method for processing a mixture containing water, 3-methyl-1-butane and at least one other methylbutene. The method comprises primary distillation of the mixture, giving a gaseous primary overhead product containing methylbutene and water and a water-free primary bottom product containing 3-methyl-1-butene; condensation of the gaseous primary overhead product so as to give a condensate comprising a liquid aqueous phase and a liquid organic phase; separation of the condensate into a liquid aqueous phase and a liquid organic phase; discharge of the liquid aqueous phase; recirculation of the organic phase to the primary distillation; and finally secondary distillation of the water-free primary bottom product from the primary distillation so as to give a secondary overhead product comprising 3-methyl-1-butene and a secondary bottom product. The secondary overhead product obtained has a purity which enables it to be used directly as monomer or comonomer for preparing polymers or copolymers.
US08415519B2	Methods for determining efficacy of metal oxide co-catalysts for oxygenates-to-olefins reactions The invention involves a process for converting an oxygenate-containing feed into an olefin-containing product comprising: (a) providing a co-catalyst oxide of a metal from Groups 2-4 of the Periodic Table of Elements, Lanthanides, Actinides, and combinations thereof, (b) contacting the metal oxide with nitromethane under conditions sufficient for the nitromethane to adsorb onto the metal oxide; (c) analyzing the nitromethane-adsorbed metal oxide using NMR to determine a basic site density of the metal oxide; (d) providing a catalyst system comprising a primary catalyst comprising aluminosilicates, aluminophosphates, silicoaluminophosphates, and metal-containing derivatives and combinations thereof, and the co-catalyst metal oxide whose basic site density is ≧0.085 mmol/g and whose BET surface area is ≧20 m2/g; (e) contacting the oxygenate-containing feedstock with the catalyst system under conditions sufficient to form an olefin-containing product; and (f) separating the olefin-containing product into at least ethylene and/or propylene.
US08415517B2	Continuous process for converting natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons A method comprising: providing a first halogen stream; providing a first alkane stream; reacting at least a portion of the first halogen stream with at least a portion of the first alkane stream in a first reaction vessel to form a first halogenated stream; providing a second alkane stream comprising C2 and higher hydrocarbons; providing a second halogen stream; and reacting at least a portion of the second halogen stream with at least a portion of the second alkane stream in a second reaction vessel to form a second halogenated stream.
US08415515B2	Process for the production of pentafluroethane A process for the production of dichlorotrifluoroethane is described. The process comprises reacting perchloroethylene with hydrogen fluoride (HF) at elevated temperature in the vapour phase in at least one reactor in the presence of a fluorination catalyst. The process is operated so that 30 weight % or more of the perchloroethylene reactant that is fed to the at least one reactor remains unreacted having passed through the or each reactor. The dichlorotrifluoroethane may be purified and then used as it is or used to prepare pentafluoroethane.
US08415512B2	Hydrocarbon conversion process improvements Improvements in previously disclosed methods of and apparatuses for converting alkanes, alkenes, and aromatics to olefins, alcohols, ethers, and aldehydes includes: safety improvements, use of alternative feedstocks, process simplification, improvements to the halogenation step, improvements to the reproportionation step, improvements to the solid oxide reaction, improvements to solid oxide regeneration, improvements in separations, maintenance, start-up, shut-down, and materials of construction.
US08415511B2	Polyol hydrogenolysis by in-situ generated hydrogen A catalyst composition/system can include: a platinum catalyst metal (Pt) and/or rhenium catalyst metal (Re) on a first support; and a ruthenium catalyst metal (Ru) and/or rhenium catalyst metal (Re) on a second support or a platinum catalyst metal (Pt) and a ruthenium catalyst metal (Ru) and/or a rhenium catalyst metal (Re) on the same support. The Pt:Ru, Re:Pt and/or Re:Ru weight ratio can be between about 1:4 and about 4:1. The support can be alumina, carbon, silica, a zeolite, TiO2, ZrO2 or another suitable material. The first and second support can be on the same support structure or on different support structures. In one option, the first and second supports can be positioned such that the Pt and/or Re are capable of catalyzing a dehydrogenation and/or reforming reaction that produces hydrogen and the Ru and/or Re are capable of catalyzing a hydrogenolysis reaction.
US08415504B2	Catalyst carrier, catalyst thereon and C-C coupling method use the same The disclosure provides a catalyst carrier, including a nano carbon material; and a polymer grafted on the nano carbon material, wherein the polymer has a repetitive unit comprising a phosphorous atom. The disclosure further provides a catalyst deposited on the catalyst carrier of the disclosure. The catalyst of the disclosure has high reactivity, and is easy to be recovered in C—C coupling reactions such as a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction.
US08415503B2	Method for preparation of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene Disclosed is a method for preparation of 1,1-diamino-2,2-dinitroethylene (DADNE) through the hydrolysis of 4,6-dihydroxy-5,5-dinitro-2-(dinitromethylene)-2,5-dihydropyrimidine (DHDNDP) obtained by the nitration of 4,6-dihydroxy-2-methylpyrimidine (DHMP), which can avoid eruption or sudden frothing of a reaction solution on a lab scale and even a large scale preparation as well as reduce the reaction time.
US08415501B2	Methods and compositions for making and using polymorphs of cinacalcet The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for making and using a new polymorph of cinacalcet hydrochloride.
US08415498B2	Process for producing acrolein and/or acrylic acid In industrial scale production of acrolen and/or acrylic acid by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of propylene or a propylene-containing gas with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas or in industrial scale production of acrylic acid by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of acrolein or an acrolein-containing gas with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas, this invention provides a process characterized in that the initial stage operation is carried out under advancedly elevated reaction temperature and thereafter the reaction temperature is lowered to carry out the steady state operation. According to this process, acrolein and/or acrylic acid can be produced in high yield stably over prolonged period.
US08415495B2	Process for continuous production of organic carbonates or organic carbamates and solid catalysts therefore Processes for the alcoholysis, inclusive of transesterification and/or disproportionation, of reactants are disclosed. The alcoholysis process may include feeding reactants and a trace amount of soluble organometallic compound to a reactor comprising a solid alcoholysis catalyst, wherein the soluble organometallic compound and the solid alcoholysis catalyst each independently comprise a Group II to Group VI element, which may be the same element in various embodiments. As an example, diphenyl carbonate may be continuously produced by performing transesterification over a solid catalyst followed by disproportionation, where a trace amount of soluble organometallic compound is fed to the transesterification reactor. Also disclosed is a process for reactivating a spent solid alcoholysis catalyst, such as a catalyst useful for transesterifications and/or disproportionations, the process including removing polymeric materials deposited on the catalyst and re-depositing catalytically active metals on the solid catalyst.
US08415494B2	Silyl substituted 1,4-disilacyclohexane derivatives and preparation method thereof The present invention relates to novel 1,4-disilacyclohexane derivatives and a preparation method thereof. More particularly, the present invention provides a method for preparing 1,4-disilacyclohexane derivatives with a hexagonal ring structure at high yield through double silylation of an organosilane compound and a vinyl silane compound having an unsaturated double bond using quarternary organophosphonium salts as a catalyst. According to the present invention, tris(silyl)ethanes having three silyl groups in one molecule can be prepared at the same time and the catalyst can be recovered after reaction. Thus, the method is economical and enables mass-production of 1,4-disilacydohexane derivatives and tris(silyl)ethanes which are precursors of organic/inorganic hybrid materials.
US08415492B2	Metallocene compounds, catalysts comprising them, process for producing an olefin polymer by use of the catalysts, and olefin homo- and copolymers Certain metallocene compounds are provided that, when used as a component in a supported polymerization catalyst under industrially relevant polymerization conditions, afford high molar mass homo polymers or copolymers like polypropylene or propylene/ethylene copolymers without the need for any α-branched substituent in either of the two available 2-positions of the indenyl ligands. The substituent in the 2-position of one indenyl ligand can be any radical comprising hydrogen, methyl, or any other C2-C40 hydrocarbon which is not branched in the α-position, and substituent in the 2-position of the other indenyl ligand can be any C5-C40 hydrocarbon radical with the proviso that this hydrocarbon radical is branched in the β-position and that the β-carbon atom is a quarternary carbon atom and part of a non-cyclic hydrocarbon system. This metallocene topology affords high melting point, very high molar mass homo polypropylene and very high molar mass propylene-based copolymers. Furthermore, the activity/productivity levels of catalysts comprising the metallocenes of the present invention are exceptionally high.
US08415488B2	Bidentate secondary phosphine oxide chiral ligands for use in asymmetric addition reactions Compounds of the formula I, in the form of mixtures comprising predominantly one enantiomer or in the form of pure enantiomers, secondary phosphine-Q-P(═O)HR1 (I) in which secondary phosphine is a C-bonded, secondary phosphine group —P(R)2; in which R is in each case independently hydrocarbon radicals or heterohydrocarbon radicals; Q is a bivalent, achiral, aromatic base skeleton, a bivalent, achiral ferrocene base skeleton, an optionally substituted bivalent cycloalkane or heterocycloalkane skeleton, or a C1-C4-alkylene skeleton, and in which base skeletons a secondary phosphine group is bonded directly to a carbon atom, or, in the case of cyclic base skeletons, directly to a carbon atom or via a C1-C4-alkylene group, and in which base skeletons a P-chiral group —P(O)HR1 is bonded to a carbon atom such that the phosphorus atoms are linked via 1 to 7 atoms of a carbon chain optionally interrupted by heteroatoms from the group of O, S, N, Fe or Si; P* is a chiral phosphorus atom; and R1 is a hydrocarbon radical, a C-bonded heterohydrocarbon radical or a ferrocenyl radical, with the proviso that R1 is an achiral ferrocenyl radical when Q is an achiral ferrocenyl base skeleton. Metal complexes of these ligands in a molar ratio of ligand to metal of about 1.3:1 to 0.9:1 are homogeneous catalysts for asymmetric addition reactions, particularly hydrogenations.
US08415483B2	Compounds and their use as BACE inhibitors The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and their pharmaceutical compositions. In addition, the present invention relates to therapeutic methods for the treatment and/or prevention of Aβ-related pathologies such as Down's syndrome, β-amyloid angiopathy such as but not limited to cerebral amyloid angiopathy or hereditary cerebral hemorrhage, disorders associated with cognitive impairment such as but not limited to MCI (“mild cognitive impairment”), Alzheimer's disease, memory loss, attention deficit symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease, neurodegeneration associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia including dementia of mixed vascular and degenerative origin, pre-senile dementia, senile dementia and dementia associated with Parkinson's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy or cortical basal degeneration.
US08415480B2	Thiazolidine carboxamide derivatives as modulators of the prostaglandin F receptor The present invention is related to thiazolidine carboxamide derivatives of formula (II) for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of preterm labor, premature birth, dysmenorrhea and for stopping labor prior to cesarean delivery.
US08415479B2	Inhibitor of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 The present invention relates to a novel compound having plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) inhibitory activity, and a PAI-1 inhibitor comprising the compound as an active ingredient. The present invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition that has an inhibitory action on PAI-1 activity and is useful in the prevention and treatment of various diseases whose onset is associated with PAI-1 activity. The novel compound is represented by the following general formula. Each symbol is defined as those in the specification.
US08415477B2	Violet laser excitable dyes and their method of use The present invention provides dye compounds optimally excited at about 400 nm and have a Stokes shift of at least about 80 nm. These dyes find use in detection of analyte in a sample and the preparation of dye-conjugates.
US08415471B2	Flexible cycloaliphatic diisocyanate trimers This invention relates to flexible cycloaliphatic diisocyanate trimers and a process for the preparation of these. These flexible products are allophanate-modified, partially trimerized cycloaliphatic diisocyanates and are characterized by a low Tg. More specifically, the Tg of the resultant product ranges from about −30° C. to about 40° C., after the excess monomer has been removed from the product.
US08415467B2	Method and materials for separating nucleic acid materials Nucleic acid material can be effectively separated from a fluid by first contacting the fluid with a positively charged polymer which binds the nucleic acid material. Thereafter, the polymer, having the nucleic acid material bonded thereto, is contacted with a releasing agent which comprises a solution of an alkaline material and a glycol. The solution has a pH of no more than 12 and operates to release the nucleic acid material from the polymer under relatively low temperature conditions, typically no more than 50° C., and in particular instances, no more than 40° C. The glycol material may comprise a monomeric glycol such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, or the like, or it may comprise a polymeric glycol such as polyethylene glycol. Also disclosed is a novel positively charged polymer which may be employed in the separation process. This polymer comprises an acidified polyamine, such as polyethyleneimine which has been reacted with a nonacidified polyethyleneimine in a coupling reaction. The acidified polyethyleneimine may be a coarboxylated and/or sulfonated polyethyleneimine.
US08415466B2	Duplex oligonucleotides with enhanced functionality in gene regulation Disclosed are methods of enhancing functionality of duplex oligonucleotides and compositions made by the methods. The duplex oligonucleotides include siRNAs, miRNA mimics, and piRNA mimics which contain modified nucleotides and mismatches between the two strands of the molecule at specific nucleotide positions.
US08415465B2	Compositions and their uses directed to huntingtin Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of huntingtin in a cell, tissue or animal. Further provided are methods of slowing or preventing Huntington's Disease (HD) progression using an antisense compound targeted to huntingtin. Additionally provided are methods of delaying or preventing the onset of Huntington's Disease (HD) in an individual susceptible to Huntington's Disease (HD). Also provided are uses of disclosed compounds and compositions in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of diseases and disorders.
US08415462B2	Signaling peptides The present invention provides novel peptides of specified sequence and their use as a signal peptide or a membrane-anchoring peptide. It also relates to chimeric polypeptide comprising one or more such peptides and a polypeptide of interest as well as nucleic acid molecules, vectors, infections vital particles and host cells encoding such peptides and chimeric polypeptides. The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such elements and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle. The present invention also provides a method for recumbently producing a polypeptide using such peptides, especially for directing expression of a polypeptide of interest extracellularly or anchored at the surface of the plasma membrane.
US08415460B2	Methods of making antibodies specific for cysteine-rich soluble protein C23 Nucleic acids encoding a new family of small cysteine rich soluble proteins, from a mammal, reagents related thereto, including specific antibodies, and purified proteins are described. Methods of using said reagents and related diagnostic kits are also provided.
US08415455B2	Polypeptides and polynucleotides, and uses thereof as a drug target for producing drugs and biologics This invention relates to a novel target for production of immune and non-immune based therapeutics and for disease diagnosis. More particularly, the invention provides therapeutic antibodies against VSIG1, ILDR1, LOC253012, AI216611, C1ORF32 or FXYD3 antigens, which are predicted co-stimulatory family members and which are differentially expressed in cancers including, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and colon cancer, and diagnostic and therapeutic usages. The use of these antibodies for modulating B7 costimulation and related therapies such as the treatment of autoimmunity are also provided. This invention further relates to the discovery of extracellular domains of VSIG1 and its variants, FXYD3 and its variants, ILDR1 and its variants, LOC253012 and its variants, AI216611 and its variants, and C1ORF32 and its variants which are suitable targets for immunotherapy, cancer therapy, and drug development.
US08415454B2	Process for the manufacture of peptides A process for manufacturing a cyclic peptide which comprises providing a cyclic peptide bonded to a Merrifield-type resin and cleaving the cyclic peptide from the Merrifield type resin by transesterification.
US08415452B1	Hexavalent chromium and total chromium removal from polychlorinated vinyl chloride (PVC) polymers A non-destructive process for removing chromium from polyvinyl chloride filters is disclosed. The process involves immersing the polyvinyl chloride filters in a concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution at elevated temperatures, followed by rinsing with deionized water. Removing the background concentration of chromium from the filters allows for more accurate measurements of the amount of hexavalent and total chromium present in workplace environments.
US08415450B2	Polyester compositions containing cyclobutanediol having a certain combination of inherent viscosity and high glass transition temperature and articles made therefrom Described are polyester compositions comprising at least one polyester which comprises terephthalic acid residues, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-l,3-cyclobutanediol, and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, wherein the inherent viscosity of said polyester is from 0.55 to 0.68 dL/g as determined in 60/40(wt/wt) phenol/tetrachloroethane at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml at 25° C.; wherein said polyester has a Tg from 110 to 160° C.; wherein the polyester composition comprises no polycarbonate; wherein the melt viscosity of the polyester is less than 10,000 poise as measured at 1 radian/second on a rotary melt rheometer at 290° C.; and wherein the polyester has a notched Izod impact strength, of at least 7.5 ft-lb/in.ch at 23° C. according to ASTM D256 with a 10-mil notch in a ⅛ inch thick bar. The polyesters may be manufactured into articles of manufacture as fibers, films, bottles or sheets.
US08415447B2	Polyolefin coated steel pipes Polyolefin coated steel pipes with high dynamic fracture toughness of the coating of the steel pipes during installation handling and in service, consisting of a steel pipe core, optionally an intermediate foamed plastic material, and a polyolefin coating of β-nucleated propylene copolymers whereby a test polyolefin pipe fabricated from the β-nucleated propylene copolymer has a critical pressure of >25 bars and a dynamic fracture toughness >3.5 MNm−3/2. The polyolefin coated steel pipes are suitable for off-shore transport of crude oil or gas products or district heating applications.
US08415445B2	Functionalized polysiloxanes, method of preparing same and uses thereof Novel polysiloxanes grafted with at least one polyhydroxylated amino compound, method for preparing same and uses thereof.
US08415443B2	Hydrosilylation catalysts Disclosed herein are metal-terpyridine complexes and their use in hydrosilylation reactions.
US08415442B2	High pressure low density polyethylene resins with improved optical properties produced through use of highly active chain transfer agents Disclosed is an ethylene-based polymer with a density from about 0.90 to about 0.94 in grams per cubic centimeter, with a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) from about 2 to about 30, a melt index (I2) from about 0.1 to about 50 grams per 10 minutes, and further comprising sulfur from about 5 to about 4000 parts per million. The amount of sulfur is also determined based upon the total weight of the ethylene-based polymer. Also disclosed is process for making an ethylene-based polymer which includes the steps of splitting a process fluid for delivery into a tubular reactor; feeding an upstream process feed stream into a first reaction zone and at least one downstream process feed stream into at least one other reaction zone, where the process fluid has an average velocity of at least 10 meters per second; and initiating a free-radical polymerization reaction.
US08415441B1	Methods of constructing polyolefins having reduced crystallinity using a diimine based catalyst The invention is a novel family of polyolefins characterized by chain-walking defects of the type that add extra backbone carbons per monomer. These polyolefins display a large decrease in crystallinity relative to polyolefins known in the art. Specifically, the reduction in crystallinity is much greater than for earlier polypropylenes with a matched content of stereo or 1-alkene type defects. The claimed polyolefins can be made by a diimine-based catalyst. The defects in the polyolefin backbone are generated by a chain walking mechanism in which three or more carbons per monomer are added to the polymer backbone instead of two, as in conventional polymerization or copolymerization methods of alpha olefins. The novel polyolefins can be used in applications such as plastic wrapping, thin films, co-extrusion layers or molded parts in the absence of polymer blending or copolymerization. The cost of materials production can be reduced.
US08415437B2	(Meth)acrylated melamine formaldehyde resins The present invention relates to melamine-formaldehyde resins bearing (meth)acrylic groups, to processes for preparing them, to their use, and to coating compositions comprising them.
US08415432B1	Rubber composition and pneumatic tire The present invention is directed to a vulcanizable rubber composition comprising: a diene based elastomer; and a compound of formula I where Q is an n-valent organic group of 1 or more carbon atoms and optionally one or more of nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, halogen, silicon, and phosphorus atoms; X is a divalent polymer group capable of exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature; R is independently a hydrogen atom or a monovalent group of formula (II) where Z is a monovalent organic group of 1 or more carbon atoms and optionally one or more of nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, halogen, silicon, and phosphorus atoms; and n is an integer greater than or equal to 2. The invention is further directed to a rubber composition comprising the reaction product of a diene based elastomer and a compound of formula I, and a pneumatic tire with a tread comprising the rubber composition.
US08415428B2	Thermoplastic elastomer composition and method for producing the same The present invention provides a thermoplastic elastomer composition obtained by dynamically crosslinking, under a melting condition, 100 parts by mass of a block copolymer (I), 1 to 1,000 parts by mass of a polar resin (II), 1 to 500 parts by mass of a modified polymer (III), and 0.01 to 50 parts by mass of a crosslinking agent (IV), wherein the block copolymer (I) comprises at least one polymer block (A) comprising as a main component an alkylene unit, and/or at least one copolymer block (B) comprising as main components an alkylene unit (b-1) and a vinyl aromatic monomer unit (b-2), and comprises at least one unsaturated block (C) comprising as a main component a conjugated diene monomer unit having 5 or more carbon atoms at an end.
US08415427B2	Water impervious, removable caulk and sealant composition A stable caulk or sealant composition containing as principal ingredients styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene copolymer and Diethyl ether is disclosed. The composition is generally employed in a canister pressurized with a propellant to expel a stream of water-impervious sealant to fill cracks, crevices and gaps to water damage. When desired, the sealant is removable from the application area.
US08415425B2	Curable resin composition, surface protection method, temporary fixation method, and separation method Provided is a method for protecting the surface of a member to be processed, which comprises providing a protective film made of a photocurable resin composition for surface protection on the surface of the member to be processed, processing the member to be processed, and removing the protective film from the member to be processed, wherein the photocurable resin composition comprises (A) a polyfunctional (meth)acrylate, (B) a monofunctional (meth)acrylate, (C) a resin having a cyclopentadiene skeleton and (D) a photopolymerization initiator, which comprises from 1 to 50 parts by weight of (A), from 5 to 95 by mass of (B) and from 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of (C).
US08415420B2	Carbon nanofiber, method for production thereof, method for production of carbon fiber composite material using carbon nanofiber, and carbon fiber composite material A method of producing a carbon fiber composite material includes a first step and a second step. The first step includes oxidizing first carbon nanofibers produced by a vapor growth method to obtain second carbon nanofibers having an oxidized surface. The second step includes mixing the second carbon nanofibers into an elastomer, and uniformly dispersing the carbon nanofibers in the elastomer by applying a shear force to obtain the carbon fiber composite material. The second carbon nanofibers obtained by the first step have a surface oxygen concentration measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of 2.6 to 4.6 atm %.
US08415419B2	Hydrophilic coating composition and hydrophilic member using the same To provide a hydrophilic coating composition excellent in hydrophilicity, wear resistance, transparency, storage stability, antifogging properties, antifouling properties, visible light transmittivity, adhesion properties, chemical resistance, weather resistance, and water resistance and a hydrophilic member using the composition. The hydrophilic coating composition has (A) a ternary copolymer having a1) a repeating unit having a hydrophilic group, a2) a repeating unit having a hydroxyl group, an epoxy group, an isocyanato group, a blocked isocyanato group, a carboxylic acid anhydride group, or an amino group, and a3) a repeating unit having a hydrolyzable silyl group; and (B) a metal complex catalyst, wherein a content of the repeating unit a1) having a hydrophilic group is 50 mol % or greater.
US08415415B2	Heat stable halogen-free flame retardant copolyester thermoplastic elastomer compositions Halogen-free flame retardant compositions exhibiting flame retardance and retention of mechanical properties, especially elongation at break, upon long-term high temperature exposure and comprising a) at least one copolyester thermoplastic elastomer, and b) from at or about 1 to at or about 30 weight percent, based on the total weight of the composition, of at least one flame retardant comprising a phosphinate, diphosphinate and/or polymers of these; c) from at or about 0.25 to at or about 15 weight percent, based on the total weight of the flame retardant composition, of one or more polyhydroxy polymers having a number average molecular weight of at least 2000 and selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers and poly(vinyl alcohol)s.
US08415413B2	Eyeglass lens made of allyl diglycol carbonate resin [Problems] The invention provides a plastic lens for eyeglasses by using diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate as a lens material and which is made to have a main absorption peak in a wavelength range of 565 nm to 605 nm by mixing a coloring agent in which a visible light-absorption spectroscopic spectrum contains an azaporphyrin compound and to be durable for use as eyeglasses and polarized eyeglasses owing to the good antiglare and visibility properties of the coloring agent.[Solving means] The eyeglass lens made of an allyl diglycol carbonate resin which has a main absorption peak of visible light spectroscopic transmittance in a wavelength range of 565 nm to 605 nm as shown in FIG. 1 is obtained by using diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate as a lens material, mixing an organic coloring agent containing a tetraazaporphyrin compound, mixing a peroxyester type peroxide or a peroxyketal type peroxide with a 10 hour-half life temperature of 90 to 110° C. as a polymerization initiator, and polymerizing, defoaming, and curing the lens material.
US08415412B2	Asphalt emulsions, products made from asphalt emulsions, and processes for making fibrous mats from asphalt emulsions The invention relates to asphalt emulsions comprising an asphalt component selected from the group consisting of a solvent extracted asphalt, an oxidized asphalt, and combinations thereof. The invention also relates to products made therefrom, including fibrous mats comprising a fiber component, such as glass fibers, and a binder component comprising an asphalt emulsion. The invention further relates to wet-laid processes for manufacturing fibrous mats and that employ the use of an amphoteric surfactant, which is applied to a wet fiber web prepared from a dispersion of fiber components, such as glass fibers.
US08415407B2	Methods, materials, and apparatus for treating bone and other tissue A bone cement comprising a first component and a second component, wherein contacting the first component and the second component produces a mixture which attains a high viscosity an initial period and the viscosity of the mixture remains relatively stable for a working time of at least 5 minutes after the initial setting period, and the mixture is suitable for in-vivo use.
US08415406B2	Setting time indicator for acrylic bone cement A bone cement has a liquid acrylic monomer component, a powdered acrylic polymer component and yellowish beta-carotene (Pro-vitamin A) mixed into one of the liquid or powdered component and FDC blue No. 2 Lake powder mixed into the powdered component. The beta-carotene and FDC blue adds a greenish (yellow plus blue) color to the combined liquid and powdered component. The yellowish color disappears on setting of the bone cement leaving the cement blue.
US08415405B2	Silicone (meth)acrylamide monomer, polymer, ophthalmic lens, and contact lens The present invention relates to a silicone (meth)acrylamide monomer, and this silicone (meth)acrylamide monomer is particularly suitable for use in contact lenses, intraocular lenses, artificial cornea, and the like.
US08415404B2	Extended wear ophthalmic lens An ophthalmic lens suited for extended-wear periods of at least one day on the eye without a clinically significant amount of corneal swelling and without substantial wearer discomfort. In one embodiment, an ophthalmic lens is a copolymerization product of at least one oxyperm, at least one ionoperm, and a crosslinker. In one embodiment, a lens has a tensile modulus of less than about 3.0 MPa, yet in another embodiment, the tensile modulus is between about 0.5 to about 1.5 MPa.
US08415401B2	Oral pharmaceutical dosage forms Abuse-resistant oral dosage forms suitable for administration of pharmacologically active agents are provided.
US08415400B2	Cross-linked ionic core micelles The present invention provides polymer micelles with cross-linked ionic cores as delivery vehicles for therapeutics, diagnostics, nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules and the like. The present invention provides additionally methods of synthesis and uses for such micelles.
US08415396B1	Colchine compositions and methods Stable ultrapure colchicine compositions comprising ultrapure colchicine and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient are described. The compositions can be tablets. Methods for preparing such compositions and methods of use are also disclosed. Methods of treating gout flares with colchicine compositions are also disclosed.
US08415395B1	Colchicine compositions and methods Stable ultrapure colchicine compositions comprising ultrapure colchicine and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient are described. The compositions can be tablets. Methods for preparing such compositions and methods of use are also disclosed. Methods of treating gout flares with colchicine compositions are also disclosed.
US08415394B2	Biphenyloxyacetic acid derivatives for the treatment of respiratory disease The invention relates to substituted phenoxyacetic acids as useful pharmaceutical compounds for treating respiratory disorders, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and processes for their preparation.
US08415393B2	Anti-bacterial drug targeting of genome maintenance interfaces The present invention provides methods for the design and identification of novel antimicrobial compounds, and provides antimicrobial compounds identified using these methods. These antimicrobial compounds inhibit the binding of a prokaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein to a polypeptide that binds to the prokaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein. In some examples, the prokaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein is prokaryotic Exonuclease I. In one embodiment, the antimicrobial compound has the structure wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of CH2, O, and NH, R1 is selected from the group consisting of H, F, Cl, Br, and I, R2 is selected from the group consisting of H and CF3, R3 is selected from the group consisting of H and CO2H, R4 is selected from the group consisting of H and OH, and R5 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkoxy, and NO2.
US08415392B2	Combined use of L-carnitine, acetyle L-carnitine and propionyl L-carnitine for the treatment of oligoasthenoteratospermia L-carnitine, acetyl L-carnitine and propionyl L-carnitine inner salts, or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, are used in combination to treat oligoasthenoteratosperia including oligospermia, asthenospermia, and teratospermia.
US08415386B2	Azolopyrrolone melanin concentrating hormone receptor-1 antagonists The present application provides compounds, including all stereoisomers, solvates, prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable forms thereof according to Formula I wherein all of the variables are defined herein.
US08415381B2	Heteroaryl compounds and their uses The present invention provides a compound of formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, enantiomers, stereoisomers, rotamers, tautomers, diastereomers, or racemates thereof. Also provided is a method of treating a disease or condition mediated by CDK9.
US08415375B2	2-hydroxyethyl-1H-quinolin-2-one derivatives and their azaisosteric analogues with antibacterial activity The invention relates to antibacterial compounds of formula I wherein R1 represents alkoxy; each of U and V represents CH and W represents CH or N, or U represents N, V represents CH and W represents N, or each of U and V represents N and W represents CH; R2 represents hydrogen or fluorine when W represents CH or R2 represents hydrogen when W represents N; A represents O or CH2; Y represents CH or N; Q represents O or S; and n represents 0 or 1; and salts of such compounds.
US08415372B2	Sulfonamide compound A compound represented by the formula (1) [A represents a nitrogen-containing saturated ring; m represents an integer of 0 to 2; n represents an integer of 1 to 4; G1 represents hydrogen atom, chlorine atom, hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, or amino group; G2 represents a halogen atom, hydroxyl group, cyano group, carboxy group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, and the like; G3 represents hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, hydroxyl group, cyano group, carboxy group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, and the like; G4 represents hydroxyl group, or —N(R1)(R2) (R1 and R2 represent hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, or a saturated heterocyclic group); G5 is a substituent on a ring-constituting carbon atom of A, and represents hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, or an alkyl group] or a salt thereof, or a derivative thereof that is a prodrug, which potently inhibits Rho kinase.
US08415368B2	Acid secretion inhibitor The present invention provides a compound having a superior acid secretion inhibitory effect and showing an antiulcer activity and the like. The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula (I) wherein R1 is a nitrogen-containing monocyclic heterocyclic group optionally condensed with a benzene ring or a heterocycle, the nitrogen-containing monocyclic heterocyclic group optionally condensed with a benzene ring or a heterocycle optionally has substituent(s), R2 is an optionally substituted C6-14 aryl group, an optionally substituted thienyl group or an optionally substituted pyridyl group, R3 and R4 are each a hydrogen atom, or one of R3 and R4 is a hydrogen atom and the other is an optionally substituted lower alkyl group, an acyl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group or a nitro group, and R5 is an alkyl group or a salt thereof.
US08415367B2	Pyrimidinylpiperidinyloxypyridinone analogues as GPR119 modulators Novel compounds of structure Formula I: or an enantiomer, a diastereomer, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein n1, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are defined herein, are provided which are GPR119 G protein-coupled receptor modulators. GPR119 G protein-coupled receptor modulators are useful in treating, preventing, or slowing the progression of diseases requiring GPR119 G protein-coupled receptor modulator therapy. Thus, the disclosure also concerns compositions comprising these novel compounds and methods of treating diseases or conditions related to the activity of the GPR119 G protein-coupled receptor by using any of these novel compounds or a composition comprising any of such novel compounds.
US08415366B2	2-aminopyrimidine modulators of the histamine H4 receptor 2-Aminopyrimidine compounds are described, which are useful as H4 receptor modulators. Such compounds may be used in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment of disease states, disorders, and conditions mediated by H4 receptor activity, such as allergy, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and pruritis.
US08415365B2	Compositions and methods for inhibition of the JAK pathway The invention encompasses compounds having formula I-V and the compositions and methods using these compounds in the treatment of conditions in which modulation of the JAK pathway or inhibition of JAK kinases, particularly JAK3, may be therapeutically useful.
US08415364B2	Method of preventing or treating glaucoma The present invention relates, in general, to glaucoma and, in particular, to a method of preventing or treating glaucoma using statins.
US08415362B2	Pyrazolyl substituted pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrimidines as Janus kinase inhibitors The present invention provides heteroaryl substituted pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridines and heteroaryl substituted pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyrimidines of Formula I: that modulate the activity of Janus kinases and are useful in the treatment of diseases related to activity of Janus kinases including, for example, immune-related diseases, skin disorders, myeloid proliferative disorders, cancer, and other diseases.
US08415358B2	Pyrazine derivatives and their use as potassium channel modulators Pyrazine compounds of the formula as well as stereoisomers thereof, N-oxides thereof, prodrugs thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein the variables in the formula are as defined in the specification. The compounds are useful as potassium channel modulating agents. Also, pharmaceutical compositions useful for the treatment or alleviation of diseases or disorders associated with the activity of potassium channels, and methods of using the pharmaceutical compositions.
US08415355B2	Pyrrolopyrimidine compounds and their uses The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and to pharmaceutically acceptable salts and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. The present invention also relates to use of the compounds of formula (I) in modulating the activity of protein kinases and in the treatment of disease, particularly a disease, disorder or syndrome associated with CDK 4 inhibition.
US08415354B2	Methods of use of inhibitors of the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme The present invention relates to inhibitors of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme and their use in treatment of non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, lipid disorders, metabolic syndrome, central nervous system disorders, and diseases and conditions that are related to excessive glucocorticoids.
US08415351B2	Anti-infective agents and uses thereof This invention relates to: (a) compounds and salts thereof that, inter alia, inhibit HCV; (b) intermediates useful for the preparation of such compounds and salts; (c) compositions comprising such compounds and salts; (d) methods for preparing such intermediates, compounds, salts, and compositions; (e) methods of use of such compounds, salts, and compositions; and (f) kits comprising such compounds, salts, and compositions.
US08415350B2	Benzoyl-piperidine derivatives as dual modulators of the 5-HT2A and D3 receptors The present invention relates to compounds of the general formula as dual modulators of the 5-HT2a and D3 receptors useful against CNS disorders, wherein A, R1, R2, n, p, q and r are as defined in the specification.
US08415348B2	Nitrogenated derivatives of pancratistatin The present invention concerns nitrogenated derivatives of narciclasine and pancratistatin of the following general formula (I) as well their pharmaceutically acceptable salts. The present invention also concerns the use of these compounds in cancer therapy as well as a method for their preparation.
US08415344B2	Method of treating depression Methods for treatment of depression-related mood disorders in mammals, particularly humans are disclosed. The methods of the invention include administration of compounds capable of enhancing glutamate transporter activity in the brain of mammals suffering from depression. ATP-sensitive K+ channel openers and β-lactam antibiotics are used to enhance glutamate transport and to treat depression-related mood disorders and depressive symptoms.
US08415343B2	Compositions and methods for inhibiting the proliferation of cells The present invention relates to chemical compounds, methods for their discovery, and their therapeutic use. In particular, the present invention provides benzodiazepine derivatives and methods of using benzodiazepine derivatives as therapeutic agents to treat a number of conditions associated with the faulty regulation of the processes of programmed cell death, autoimmunity, inflammation, and hyperproliferation, and the like.
US08415341B2	Heteroaromatic and aromatic piperazinyl azetidinyl amides as monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitors Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating diseases, syndromes, conditions and disorders that are affected by the inhibition of MGL, including pain. Such compounds are represented by Formula (I) as follows: wherein Y, r, R2 and Z are defined herein.
US08415330B2	Biological specimen collection and transport system and method of use Disclosed are compositions for isolating populations of nucleic acids from biological, forensic, and environmental samples. Also disclosed are methods for using these compositions as one-step formulations for killing pathogens, inactivating nucleases, and releasing polynucleotides from other cellular components within the sample, and stabilizing the nucleic acids prior to further processing or assay. The disclosed compositions safely facilitate rapid sample collection, and provide extended storage and transport of the samples at ambient or elevated temperature without contamination of the sample or degradation of the nucleic acids contained therein. This process particularly facilitates the collection of specimens from remote locations, and under conditions previously considered hostile for preserving the integrity of nucleic acids released from lysed biological samples without the need of refrigeration or freezing prior to molecular analysis.
US08415319B2	Devices, systems and methods for improving memory and/or cognitive function through brain delivery of siRNA The present invention relates to devices, systems, and methods for improving memory and/or cognitive function by brain delivery of compositions of small interfering RNA or vectors containing the DNA encoding for small interfering RNA. Such compositions can be administered using devices, systems and methods for direct delivery of the compositions to the brain, or using devices, systems, methods of delivery, and compositions that deliver small interfering RNA or vectors containing the DNA encoding the small interfering RNA across the blood-brain barrier. The present invention also provides valuable small interfering RNA vectors, and methods for reduction of BACE1 levels in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, or other regions of the brain that have beneficial effects on improving memory and/or cognitive function in a subject.
US08415318B2	Polynucleotide constructs, pharmaceutical compositions and methods for targeted downregulation of angiogenesis and anticancer therapy A novel nucleic acid construct for down-regulating angiogenesis in a tissue of a subject is provided. The nucleic acid construct includes: (a) a first polynucleotide region encoding a chimeric polypeptide including a ligand binding domain fused to an effector domain of an apoptosis signaling molecule; and (b) a second polynucleotide region encoding a cis acting regulatory element being for directing expression of the chimeric polypeptide in a specific tissue or cell; wherein the ligand binding domain is selected such that it is capable of binding a ligand present in the specific tissue or cell, whereas binding of the ligand to the ligand binding domain activates the effector domain of the apoptosis signaling molecule. Also provided are methods of utilizing this nucleic acid construct for treating diseases characterized by excessive or aberrant neo-vascularization or cell growth.
US08415316B2	Method for increasing bone mass The present invention features methods for promoting the differentiation of osteoblast bone forming cells to a mineralization phenotype and increasing bone mass using inhibitors of Brahma. Subjects benefiting from such treatment may have non-union fractures, osteopenia or osteoporosis, osteosarcoma, or a bone graft or bone fusion or orthopedic and dental implants, osteolytic bone disease, skeletal defects or deficiencies or periodontal disease.
US08415315B2	Methods and compositions for inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells A method of decreasing the expression of LIM kinase 1 in a cancer cell comprising; providing an oligonucleotide consisting of the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; providing a cancer cell comprising an mRNA encoding LIM kinase 1; and introducing the oligonucleotide into the cancer cell, wherein the oligonucleotide decreases the expression of LIM kinase 1 in the cancer cell. The method also provides compositions of an antisense RNA LIM kinase 1 that can be administered to an individual for the purpose of inhibiting a protein kinase pathway and which further comprises methods for treating and monitoring the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells. A kit may be used in the detection and treatment of cancer.
US08415312B2	Compound which is a nystatin derivative The present invention relates to compounds which are nystatin derivatives and are anti-fungal agents.
US08415305B2	Use of cyclic depsipeptides to inhibit kallikrein 7 The present application relates to cyclic depsipeptides of Formula I: or derivatives thereof, wherein X, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6 and A7 are defined herein. The cyclic depsipeptides of Formula I are inhibitors of kallikrein 7 and thus can be employed for the treatment of kallikrein-7 dependent diseases.
US08415304B2	Sparc and methods of use thereof The invention provides methods for predicting or determining the response of a mammalian tumor to a chemotherapeutic agent and for treating a mammalian tumor comprising detecting and quantifying the SPARC protein or RNA in a sample isolated from the mammal. The invention further provides kit for predicting the response of a mammalian tumor to a chemotherapeutic agent, comprising a means for the isolation of protein or RNA from the tumor, a SPARC protein or RNA detection and quantification means, control RNAs, and rules for predicting the response of the tumor based on the level of SPARC protein or RNA in tumor.
US08415300B2	Sustained release of microcrystalline peptide suspensions A fluid, milky microcrystalline aqueous suspension of a peptide or peptidomimetic and a counter-ion of a strong proton donor in water, wherein the peptide or peptidomimetic and counter-ion are present in amounts and at a molar ratio sufficient to form the suspension upon mixing and without formation of a gel. Also, lyophilized compositions that include a dried suspension, methods of making the lyophilized composition, methods of preparing the suspension, and sustained release formulations prepared by the methods.
US08415295B2	Heterocyclic boronic acid compounds Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV)-inhibiting compounds are provided that have formula I: wherein n is 1 to 3; X is CH2; S; O; CF2 or C(CH3)2; Z is H; halogen; hydroxyl; (C1-6)alkoxy; (C1-12)alkyl; (C3-12)cycloalkyl; phenyl; or heteroaryl; where the phenyl and heteroaryl groups are optionally mono- or independently plurisubstituted with R7; optionally, X together with an adjacent ring carbon and Z form a fused cyclopropyl; and optionally, one of the bonds in the ring containing X is a double bond; and CriRii, R1, R1, R3, R4 and R5 are as described herein. Methods for preparing these compounds, and methods for treating diabetes, especially Type II diabetes, and other related diseases are described using the compounds of formula I in pharmaceutical compositions which contain these compounds. Pharmaceutical compositions which contain combinations of these compounds with other antidiabetic agents are also described herein.
US08415294B2	Cyclodepsipeptides with antineoplastic activity and methods of using to inhibit cancer and microbial growth The present invention is directed to cyclodepsipeptide compounds having antineoplastic and/or antimicrobial activity, preferably Kitastatin 1. The present invention is further directed to methods of inhibiting cancer cell growth and/or microbial growth in a host inflicted therewith by administering cyclodepsipeptide compounds to the inflicted host.
US08415287B2	Porous, dissolvable solid substrate and surface resident inorganic particulate perfume complexes The present invention relates to personal care compositions, especially those personal care compositions in the form of a personal care article that is a porous dissolvable solid substrate. The porous dissolvable solid substrate has a surface resident coating comprising an inorganic particulate perfume complex that can provide a consumer benefit.
US08415283B2	Lubricating oil composition for diesel engine The invention provides lubricant compositions for diesel engines having a regenerative DPF, which prolong life of the DPF by inhibiting accumulation of components depositable on DPF inner walls, diesel engine systems having a regenerative DPF with prolonged life, and a method for inhibiting accumulation of components depositing on the DPF in the system. The present composition is for diesel engines having a regenerative DPF and running on diesel fuel with <10 mass ppm sulfur, contains a base oil and additives including (A) metal detergent, (B) ashless dispersant, and (C) phosphorus-based anti-wear agent, and satisfies the conditions of a sulfated ash content of 0.4-2 mass %, an atomic ratio of metal from component (A) to the total phosphorus of 0.2-3, an atomic ratio of the total boron to metal from component (A) of 0.2-2, and an atomic ratio of the total sulfur to metal from component (A) of 0-4.
US08415281B2	Sliding resin composition A sliding resin composition is provided which rapidly forms a transfer adhesion film of PTFE on the surface of a counter member at the initial stage of sliding. That is, in the case of using resin composition 1 which is in such a state that particles of PTFE 3 having PTFE film forming agent 4 embedded are dispersed in synthetic resin 2, when the surface of particles of PTFE 3 on the sliding surface of resin composition 1 contacts with the surface of an associated shaft, the PTFE film forming agent 4 is also present at the contact portion, whereby transfer adhesion of PTFE 3 to the surface of the associated shaft is accelerated and thus the time required for decrease of coefficient of friction can be shortened.
US08415274B2	Synergistic fungicidal active substance combinations Novel active compound combinations comprising a carboxamide of the general formula (I) (group 1) in which A, R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the description, and the active compound groups (2) to (23) listed in the description have very good fungicidal properties.
US08415273B2	Broadleaf perennial weed control agent for grass, and method for controlling broadleaf perennial weeds in grass The present invention provides a broadleaf perennial weed control agent for grass, which has a powerful herbicide effect on weeds that have proven difficult to control with conventional herbicides for grass and/or on weeds having resistance to conventional herbicides, and yet is safe for use on grasses; and a method for controlling broadleaf perennial weeds in grass by applying the control agent to the soil or the foliage.The present invention provides a broadleaf perennial weed control agent for grass, including a 1,5-diphenyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide derivative represented by a formula (1) as an active ingredient, and a method for controlling broadleaf perennial weeds in grass that includes applying the control agent to the soil or foliage: wherein R represents an alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms that may be substituted with a fluorine atom and the like, X1 represents a halogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, X2 represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, and Y1 and Y2 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom.
US08415269B2	Palladium-gold catalyst synthesis A supported palladium-gold catalyst is produced under mild conditions using a commonly available base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). In this method, support materials and a base solution are mixed together and the temperature of the mixture is increased to a temperature above room temperature. Then, palladium salt and gold salt are added to the mixture while maintaining the pH of the mixture to be greater than 7.0 and keeping the mixture at a temperature above room temperature. This is followed by cooling the mixture while adding acetic acid to maintain the pH of the mixture to be within a desired pH range, filtering out the supported palladium-gold particles, washing with a pH buffer solution and calcining.
US08415261B1	Capping before barrier-removal IC fabrication method Methods of forming a capping layer on conductive lines in a semiconductor device may be characterized by the following operations: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a dielectric layer having (i) exposed conductive lines (e.g., copper lines) disposed therein, and (ii) an exposed barrier layer disposed thereon; and (b) depositing a capping layer material on at least the exposed conductive lines of the semiconductor substrate. In certain embodiments, the method may also involve removing at least a portion of a conductive layer (e.g., overburden) disposed over the barrier layer and conductive lines to expose the barrier layer.
US08415259B2	Method of depositing dielectric film by modified PEALD method A method of forming a film on a semiconductor substrate by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD), includes: introducing a nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing reactive gas and a rare gas into a reaction space inside which the semiconductor substrate is placed; introducing a precursor in pulses of less than 1.0-second duration into the reaction space wherein the reactive gas and the rare gas are introduced; exiting a plasma in pulses of less than 1.0-second duration immediately after the precursor is shut off; and maintaining the reactive gas and the rare gas as a purge of less than 2.0-second duration.
US08415258B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, method of processing substrate and substrate processing apparatus Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes: loading a substrate into a process vessel; performing a process to form an film on the substrate by alternately repeating: (a) forming a layer containing an element on the substrate by supplying at least two types of source gases into the process vessel, each of the at least two types of source gases containing the element, and (b) changing the layer containing the element by supplying reaction gas into the process vessel, the reaction gas being different from the at least two types of source gases; and unloading the processed substrate from the process vessel.
US08415257B2	Enhanced adhesion of PECVD carbon on dielectric materials by providing an adhesion interface Amorphous carbon material may be deposited with superior adhesion on dielectric materials, such as TEOS based silicon oxide materials, in complex semiconductor devices by applying a plasma treatment, such as an argon treatment and/or forming a thin adhesion layer based on silicon dioxide, carbon-doped silicon dioxide, prior to depositing the carbon material. Consequently, the hard mask concept based on amorphous carbon may be applied with an increased degree of flexibility, since a superior adhesion may allow a higher degree of flexibility in selecting appropriate deposition parameters for the carbon material.
US08415250B2	Method of forming silicide contacts of different shapes selectively on regions of a semiconductor device A structure and method for fabricating silicide contacts for semiconductor devices is provided. Specifically, the structure and method involves utilizing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and annealing to form silicide contacts of different shapes, selectively on regions of a semiconductor field effect transistor (FET), such as on source and drain regions. The shape of silicide contacts is a critical factor that can be manipulated to reduce contact resistance. Thus, the structure and method provide silicide contacts of different shapes with low contact resistance, wherein the silicide contacts also mitigate leakage current to enhance the utility and performance of FETs in low power applications.
US08415249B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a lower electrode layer in contact with a surface of a nitride semiconductor layer; forming an Al layer on the lower electrode layer; performing a heat treatment after the formation of the Al layer; removing the Al layer after the heat treatment is performed; and forming an upper electrode layer on the lower electrode layer after the removal of the Al layer.
US08415248B2	Self-aligned dual damascene BEOL structures with patternable low-k material and methods of forming same A self-aligned interconnect structure is provided that includes a first patterned and cured low-k material located on a surface of a substrate, wherein the first patterned and cured low-k material includes at least one first interconnect pattern (via or trench pattern) therein. A second patterned and cured low-k material having at least one second interconnect pattern that is different from the first interconnect pattern is located atop the first patterned and cured low k material. A portion of the second patterned and cured low-k material partially fills the at least one first interconnect within the first patterned and cured low-k material. A conductive material fills the at least one first interconnect pattern and the at least one second interconnect pattern. A method of forming such a self-aligned interconnect structure is also provided.
US08415247B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing of same A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming a first metal layer on a semiconductor substrate, the semiconductor substrate including a diffusion layer; forming an insulating layer having an opening on the first metal layer; forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer in the opening of the insulating layer; removing the insulating layer; covering an exposed surface of the second metal layer with a third metal layer, the third metal layer including a metal having an ionization tendency lower than that of the second metal layer; and forming an electrode interconnect including the first metal layer, the second metal layer, and the third metal layer by removing the first metal layer using the third metal layer as a mask.
US08415245B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor device Height control of a capillary is performed in a stitch bonding (2nd bond) in a wire bonding, so that a thickness of a stitch portion can be controlled, thereby ensuring a bonding strength at the stitch portion and achieving an improvement in a bonding reliability. Also, the stitch portion has a thick portion, and a wire and a part (α portion) of a bonding region of an inner lead is formed to a lower portion of the thick portion, thereby sufficiently ensuring a thickness of the stitch portion and a bonding region.
US08415243B1	Bumping process and structure thereof A bumping process includes providing a silicon substrate, forming a titanium-containing metal layer on the silicon substrate, wherein the titanium-containing metal layer comprises a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas, forming a photoresist layer on the titanium-containing metal layer, patterning the photoresist layer to form a plurality of opening slots, forming a plurality of bottom coverage layers at the opening slots, proceeding a heat procedure, forming a plurality of external coverage layers to make each of the external coverage layers connect with each of the bottom coverage layers, wherein said external coverage layer and said bottom coverage layer form a wrap layer and completely surround the copper bump, forming a plurality of connective layers on the external coverage layers, removing the photoresist layer, removing the second areas and enabling each of the first areas to form an under bump metallurgy layer.
US08415240B1	Mesoscale pyramids, hole arrays and methods of preparation Composite films comprising two-dimensional hole arrays, and related methods of preparing hole arrays.
US08415234B2	Wafer dividing method A wafer dividing method including a step of applying a laser beam to a wafer along division lines with the focal point of the laser beam set inside the wafer, thereby forming modified layers inside the wafer along the division lines; a step of attaching an adhesive tape to the wafer, the adhesive tape having a base sheet and an adhesive layer; a dividing step of applying an external force to the wafer by expanding the adhesive tape, thereby dividing the wafer along the division lines to obtain a plurality of device chips; and a debris catching step of heating the adhesive tape to thereby soften the adhesive layer such that it enters the space between any adjacent ones of the device chips obtained by the dividing step, thereby catching debris generated on the side surface of each device chip in the dividing step to the adhesive layer by adhesion.
US08415218B2	Atomic layer deposition epitaxial silicon growth for TFT flash memory cell A method of growing an epitaxial silicon layer is provided. The method comprising providing a substrate including an oxygen-terminated silicon surface and forming a first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the oxygen-terminated silicon surface. Additionally, the method includes forming a second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface on the first hydrogen-terminated silicon surface through atomic-layer deposition (ALD) epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. The second hydrogen-terminated silicon surface is capable of being added one or more layer of silicon through ALD epitaxy from SiH4 thermal cracking radical assisted by Ar flow and flash lamp annealing continuously. In one embodiment, the method is applied for making devices with thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures which is capable for three-dimensional integration.
US08415214B2	STI silicon nitride cap for flat FEOL topology Transistor devices are formed with a nitride cap over STI regions during FEOL processing. Embodiments include forming a pad oxide layer on a substrate, forming an STI region in the substrate so that the top surface is level with the top surface of the pad oxide, forming a nitride cap on the STI region and on a portion of the pad oxide layer on each side of the STI region, implanting a dopant into the substrate, deglazing the nitride cap and pad oxide layer, removing the nitride cap, and removing the pad oxide layer. Embodiments include forming a silicon germanium channel (c-SiGe) in the substrate prior to deglazing the pad oxide layer. The nitride cap protects the STI regions and immediately adjacent area during processes that tend to degrade the STI oxide, thereby providing a substantially divot free substrate and an STI region with a zero step height for the subsequently deposited high-k dielectric and metal electrode.
US08415213B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor device with offset sidewall structure A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device with NMOS and PMOS transistors is provided. The semiconductor device can lessen a short channel effect, can reduce gate-drain current leakage, and can reduce parasitic capacitance due to gate overlaps, thereby inhibiting a reduction in the operating speed of circuits. An N-type impurity such as arsenic is ion implanted to a relatively low concentration in the surface of a silicon substrate (1) in a low-voltage NMOS region (LNR) thereby to form extension layers (61). Then, a silicon oxide film (OX2) is formed to cover the whole surface of the silicon substrate (1). The silicon oxide film (OX2) on the side surfaces of gate electrodes (51-54) is used as an offset sidewall. Then, boron is ion implanted to a relatively low concentration in the surface of the silicon substrate (1) in a low-voltage PMOS region (LPR) thereby to form P-type impurity layers (621) later to be extension layers (62).
US08415212B2	Method of enhancing photoresist adhesion to rare earth oxides A method and apparatus are described for fabricating metal gate electrodes (85, 86) over a high-k gate dielectric layer (32) having a rare earth oxide capping layer (44) in at least the NMOS device area by treating the surface of a rare earth oxide capping layer (44) with an oxygen-free plasma process (42) to improve photoresist adhesion, forming a patterned photoresist layer (52) directly on the rare earth oxide capping layer (44), and then applying a wet etch process (62) to remove the exposed portion of the rare earth oxide capping layer (44) from the PMOS device area.
US08415211B2	Semiconductor device, method of fabricating the same, and patterning mask utilizied by the method A semiconductor device. The device comprises an active region isolated by an isolation structure on a substrate. The device further comprises a gate electrode extending across the active area and overlying the substrate, a pair of source region and drain region, disposed on either side of the gate electrode on the substrate in the active area, and a gate dielectric layer disposed between the substrate and the gate electrode. The gate dielectric layer comprises a relatively-thicker high voltage (HV) dielectric portion and a relatively-thinner low voltage (LV) dielectric portion, wherein the HV dielectric portion occupies a first intersection among the drain region, the isolation structure, and the gate electrode, and a second intersection among the source region, the isolation structure, and the gate electrode.
US08415207B2	Module including a sintered joint bonding a semiconductor chip to a copper surface A module includes a substrate including a first copper surface and a semiconductor chip. The module includes a first sintered joint bonding the semiconductor chip directly to the first copper surface.
US08415205B2	Integrated circuit packaging system with lead interlocking mechanisms and method of manufacture thereof A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: forming a lead having an upper portion and a bottom portion with a first overhang portion from a top surface of the upper portion and the lead also having serrations along upper vertical sides intersecting the top surface; forming an upper contact plate on the top surface; forming a bottom contact plate on a bottom surface of the bottom portion; attaching an integrated circuit die over the upper portion; and encapsulating the upper portion and the integrated circuit die with an encapsulation leaving the bottom portion exposed.
US08415204B2	Integrated circuit packaging system with heat spreader and method of manufacture thereof A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a package substrate; mounting an integrated circuit die on the package substrate; and attaching a heat spreader assembly, having a thermal adhesive layer formed therein, to the package substrate and the integrated circuit die.
US08415203B2	Method of forming a semiconductor package including two devices A method of forming a semiconductor package includes providing a carrier, attaching a first surface of a first device on the carrier, wherein the first surface comprises a first active surface of the first device, and attaching a second surface of a second device on the carrier. In one embodiment, the second surface is opposite a third surface of the second semiconductor die and the third surface comprises a second active surface. A first insulating material can be formed between the first device and the second device.
US08415198B2	Production method of thin film transistor using amorphous oxide semiconductor film A production method of a thin film transistor including an active layer including an amorphous oxide semiconductor film, wherein a step of forming the active layer includes a first step of forming the oxide film in an atmosphere having an introduced oxygen partial pressure of 1×10−3 Pa or less, and a second step of annealing the oxide film in an oxidative atmosphere after the first step.
US08415197B2	Phase change memory device having an improved word line resistance, and methods of making same A phase change memory device having an improved word line resistance and a fabrication method of making the same are presented. The phase change memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a word line, an interlayer insulation film, a strapping line, a plurality of current paths, a switching element, and a phase change variable resistor. The word line is formed in a cell area of the semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulation film formed on the word line. The strapping line is formed on the interlayer insulation film such that the strapping line overlaps on top of the word line. The current paths electrically connect together the word line with the strapping line. The switching element is electrically connected to the strapping line. The phase change variable resistor is electrically connected to the switching element.

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