最新美国发明专利第2013-04-16期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08422476B2	Information carrying synchronization code and method for frame timing synchronization An improved method for conveying data and synchronization information in a telecommunication system is disclosed. The method uses a cyclically permutable code, to which a repetitive structure has been imposed, for carrying the data and synchronization information. The decoding procedure at the receiver then uses this repetitive structure of the code to reduce complexity by first evaluating, by use of hypotheses Hx, the repetitive codeword structure of received codewords and choosing a hypothesis corresponding to the repetitive codeword structure. Then the decoding procedure performs diversity combining of codeword elements of the codewords in accordance with the chosen hypothesis. The received codewords are further detected by comparing the diversity combined codeword elements to all possible codewords fulfilling the hypothesis.
US08422475B2	Method and apparatus for setting up network for IP communication in mobile terminal Methods are provided for setting up a network for IP communication between mobile terminals. A first mobile terminal determines a second mobile terminal that will communicate with the first mobile terminal. The first mobile terminal generates network setup information of the first mobile terminal for the IP communication, and performs network setup using the network setup information. The first mobile terminal generates a network setup message including network setup information of the second mobile terminal. The network setup message is sent from the first mobile terminal to the second mobile terminal.
US08422474B2	Method and apparatus for transceiving data in a MIMO system The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transceiving data. A method in which a transmitting terminal transmits data to a receiving terminal in a MIMO system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises the following steps: generating a data field containing the data; generating a signal field containing information on the data field; generating a data frame containing the data field and the signal field; and transmitting the data frame to the receiving terminal. According to the present invention, an end of the frame being transmitted is accurately notified to the receiving terminal in a communication system in which the frame is transmitted using MIMO, thereby decoding the frame in a more efficient manner at the receiving terminal.
US08422469B2	Method for interference-minimizing resource block-size selection at a macrocell, a microcell and a femtocell A method for minimizing interference is applicable to a primary network whether or not spectrum resources are assigned to its users using a block-wise subcarrier assignment scheme or a randomized allocation scheme. The identified unused spectrum resources that are to be assigned to the users of the opportunistic network exclude un-used subcarriers adjacent to subcarriers used by the users of the primary network to avoid interference. The opportunistic network may assign the identified unused spectrum resources using a scheme that selects a block size for an adaptive modulation and coding scheme or for avoidance of waste of spectrum resources.
US08422467B2	Methods and apparatus for supporting proxy mobile IP registration in a wireless local area network Methods and apparatus for enabling mobility of a node that does not support Mobile IP are disclosed. When an AP receives a data packet, the AP may compare the data packet (e.g., source address) with the AP information for one or more APs to determine whether to send a registration request on behalf of the node. More particularly, the AP determines from the source address whether the node is located on a subnet identical to a subnet of the AP. If the node is located on the subnet of the AP, no Mobile IP service is required on behalf of the node. However, when it is determined from the source address that the node is not located on the subnet identical to the subnet of the Access Point, the AP composes and sends a mobile IP registration request on behalf of the node. For instance, the mobile IP registration request may be composed using the gateway associated with the “home” AP (e.g., having a matching subnet) as the node's Home Agent.
US08422464B2	System and method for dynamic data management in a wireless network A node is configured for transmitting a data packet over a wireless network according to a differentiated services control parameter. The node includes a controller configured to provide individualized control of the differentiated services code parameter and also to provide individualized control over a payload in the data packet. The controller is also configured to receive data to be transmitted over the wireless network, assign a priority level to the data, and adjust the differentiated services control parameter setting for the node based on the priority level. The controller is also configured to determine a signal quality indicator for the wireless network, and to adjust the amount of the data included in the payload based on the signal quality indicator.
US08422458B2	Handoff method in FMIPv6 for seamless TCP packet transmissions A handoff apparatus and method in FMIPv6 for seamless TCP packet transmissions. The handoff method includes steps of intercepting by a previous access router certain TCP packets sent from a correspondent node to a previous temporary address of a mobile node; and creating a TCP ACK by the previous access router in response to the certain TCP packets and sending by the previous access router the created TCP ACK to the correspondent node every time the certain TCP packets are forwarded to a new access router through a bi-directional tunnel. The handoff method has an advantage in that the packet transmission rate can be secured at the same level as the mobile node stays still during the performance of the handoff of the mobile node since the previous access router instead of the mobile node creates and sends the TCP ACK to the correspondent node during the performance of the handoff of the mobile node.
US08422456B2	Mobile communication system, radio base station controller, and relocation method Radio base stations connect by radio lines with radio terminals in cells that make up each radio base station and relay data communication realized by the radio terminals on bearers on radio lines. Base station controllers record correspondence information of the data flow of data communication with the radio terminals and the bearers on the radio lines and, by referring to the correspondence information, effects termination of data communication with the radio terminals. When, in a state in which a drift base station controller relays and transfers data communication between radio base stations to which the radio terminals are connected and a serving base station controller, the serving base station controller is transferred to the drift base station controller, the plurality of base station controllers then report to the drift base station controller the correspondence information from the serving base station controller.
US08422451B2	Random access method and signaling method for the same A method for generating an iterative sequence and a signal transmission method using the same are disclosed. As the cell size or the distance between a user equipment (UE) and a Node-B increases, the CP is repeated at least one time while the iterative sequence is generated, the CP length and the ZCZ length are adjusted, so that the sequence timing point can be easily detected, orthogonality between sequences is maintained, and the sequences can be clearly distinguished from each other.
US08422443B2	Base station apparatus, terminal apparatus and communication system Reception quality measurement results of respective channels which have been outputted from a reception quality measuring section 308 are inputted to a selected channel determining section 341 and a channel quality information generating section 342. The number of selected channels M which has been previously defined or the number of selected channels M which has been outputted from a control information obtaining section 314 is inputted to the selected channel determining section 341 and a channel identification information generating section 343. The channel identification information generating section 343 selects one of a first representation format for representation with M channel numbers indicating the respective selected channels, and a second representation format for representation representing whether or not each of all the channels is included in the selected channels, based on the number of selected channels M, and uses the selected representation format to generate and output channel identification information.
US08422440B2	Radio base station and mobile communication method A radio base station according to the present invention includes: a determiner determining a transfer rate of data transferred from the radio network controller to the radio base station, based on a predetermined bandwidth of a wired transmission path, a bandwidth of the wired transmission path not being used, and a bandwidth of the wired transmission path being used by the mobile station; and a notifier notifying the radio network controller of the determined transfer rate.
US08422438B2	Designing power sequences The invention relates to the design of power sequences for use in a group of sub-areas of a wireless communication system. Each power sequence defines for one of the sub-areas transmission power values for transmissions using a respective one of a plurality of medium access units. For each of the sub-areas of the group, reception quality values are determined for transmissions between an access station serving the sub-area and mobile stations located at an edge of the sub-area. The reception quality values allow meeting system. The reception quality values are then converted for each of the sub-areas into transmission power values of a power sequence.
US08422431B2	Apparatus, and associated method, for identifying radio network service availability Apparatus, and an associated method, for identifying availability of services in a radio network of a radio communication system. A system information message is generated at the radio access network that identifies the service availability of the radio network, such as by indicating the communication services supported by the network. The system information message, once generated, is communicated upon a broadcast control channel, or other appropriate channel, and delivered to a mobile node. The mobile node detects the system information message and determines the availability of services of the radio network therefrom. Selection of whether to register with the network is made responsive to whether the network supports the communication service that the mobile node intends to initiate.
US08422430B2	Method and apparatus for updating APN subscription configuration A method and an apparatus for updating an Access Point Name (APN) subscription configuration are disclosed. The method includes: receiving an update request message sent by a network element, where the update request message carries the first APN information, Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (GW) information and an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI); obtaining the second APN information of the corresponding user according to the IMSI; and updating a wild card APN subscription configuration of the corresponding user according to the first APN information if the first APN information is different from the second APN information and the corresponding user subscribes to a wild card APN. The embodiments of the present invention reduce unnecessary signaling interactions between the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) and other network elements, enhance the data transmission performance of the network, and reduce the unnecessary overhead of the HSS.
US08422427B2	Method for transmitting and receiving signals based on segmented access scheme and method for allocating sequence for the same A segmented access based signal transmitting/receiving method and a sequence allocating method for the same are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of transmitting a signal of a user equipment in a communication system includes selecting a channel in accordance with at least one selected from the group consisting of a signal attenuation extent of a downlink signal to the user equipment and a speed of the user equipment from channels differently provided based on at least one selected from the group consisting of the signal attenuation extent of the downlink signal and the speed of the user equipment and transmitting the signal using the selected channel.
US08422424B1	Identification of backhaul links for termination A wireless communication network is served by a plurality of network paths between network control nodes and base stations, wherein the network paths each include a plurality of backhaul links. A backhaul link termination system comprises a communication interface and a processing system. The communication interface is configured to receive architecture information that individually associates the backhaul links with the network paths, and to receive communication loading data and cost data for each of the backhaul links. The processing system is configured to process the architecture information, the loading data, and the cost data to identify a set of the backhaul links for termination.
US08422421B2	Automatic cancellation of BP merger in multi-band OFDM alliance (MBOA) ultra wide band (UWB) systems The current MBOA UWB MAC protocol requires a device that detects alien devices to include a BP Switch IE in its beacon so that its neighbors may learn the presence of the alien devices and follow that device to relocate their beacons in a coordinated fashion. However, during the transition period of beacon relocation, that device may decide to halt the relocation process as required by the standard and such decisions also have to be received by its neighbors. In such a case, a BP switch IE will be generated by that device which includes a BPST offset equal to a length of a superframe.
US08422420B1	Transmit power adaptation for wireless communication systems When wireless systems are in communication with each other, transmit power levels can vary based on a distance between the communicating wireless systems. The transmit power levels may be varied by taking into consideration optimal values of performance indicators such as SNR. However, because a transmitting wireless system typically does not receive information that describes a communication channel as seen by a receiving wireless system, the transmitting wireless system may not be able to accurately determine when, whether, and by how much to reduce the transmit power without impairing signal reception ability at the receiving wireless system. Functionality can be implemented on the transmitting wireless system to vary the transmit power level based on comparing a percentage of packets transmitted at a maximum packet transmit rate with one or more thresholds. Such a variation of the transmit power levels can help reduce power consumption and ensure performance is not compromised.
US08422419B2	Apparatus and method for providing WLAN service using multiple channel Provided are an apparatus and method for providing a WLAN service using multiple channels. The wireless local area network (WLAN) service apparatus includes a service request receiver configured to receive service request information from a first wireless terminal accessed through a first channel, a data receiver configured to receive data from a first access point accessed through a second channel according to the service request information, a data transmitter configured to transmit the data to the first wireless terminal in a predetermined service area, and an access controller configured to control the first wireless terminal and the first access point to be accessed through different channels.
US08422417B2	Method of broadcasting and multicasting using satellite medium A method for communicating with multiple network nodes is provided in which each node of a network has a wireless link that allows data to travel to and from the nodes in parallel, thereby taking advantage of the inherent broadcast capabilities of wireless media. The wireless link may be used in parallel with a point-to-point, land-based network linking the nodes. The method may be used for multicasting or broadcasting data on a network. Specifically, the method may be used to maintain a network cache, a routing database and quality of service in a manner that is more efficient and reliable than previous methods that use serial protocols over point to point network links.
US08422414B2	System and method for wireless communication in a backplane fabric architecture A wireless millimeter wave backplane network and method comprises a first circuit board that has a first module thereon, wherein the first circuit board is coupled to a high speed backplane. The network includes a first communication node that is coupled to the first module and which is disposed on the first circuit board. The network includes a second circuit board that has a second module thereon, wherein the second circuit board is coupled to the high speed backplane. The network includes a second communication node that is coupled to the second module and disposed on the second circuit board, wherein the first and second modules wirelessly communicate using millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation with one another via the first and second communication nodes.
US08422407B2	Method for managing data transmissions in a subscriber pool A method for managing data transmissions in a subscriber pool involves receiving a telematics unit call at a call center on a channel other than a packet data channel, and from the call and at the call center, recognizing that the packet data channel is unavailable in a predetermined coverage region. A notification is transmitted to the telematics unit and/or to a plurality of telematics units in the predetermined coverage region indicating that the packet data channel is unavailable for a predetermined time. In response to the notification, a vehicle data upload setting is reset in the telematics unit and/or each of the plurality of telematics units to an alternate channel such that primary connection attempts made by the telematics unit and/or each of the plurality of telematics units are via the alternate channel during the predetermined time. A system for managing such data transmissions is also disclosed.
US08422402B2	Broadcasting a message in a parallel computer Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for broadcasting a message in a parallel computer that includes: transmitting, by the logical root to all of the nodes directly connected to the logical root, a message; and for each node except the logical root: receiving the message; if that node is the physical root, then transmitting the message to all of the child nodes except the child node from which the message was received; if that node received the message from a parent node and if that node is not a leaf node, then transmitting the message to all of the child nodes; and if that node received the message from a child node and if that node is not the physical root, then transmitting the message to all of the child nodes except the child node from which the message was received and transmitting the message to the parent node.
US08422401B1	Automated commissioning of wireless devices Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for commissioning a wireless network in an automated fashion. The method includes accessing zone configuration data specifying zones in a wireless network and further specifying, for each zone, wireless devices that belong to the zone; in response to a first physical stimulus in an area, receiving sensor data from a first sensor device in the area and generating the sensor data in response to sensing the first physical stimulus, the first sensor device not belonging to a zone and the area being an area in which are located other wireless devices belonging to a first zone; generating a commissioning event for the first zone; and in response to the sensor data and the commissioning event, updating the zone configuration data so that the zone configuration data specifies that the first sensor device belongs to the first zone.
US08422400B2	Method and apparatus for discovering devices in a network In one embodiment, a method includes identifying whether there is a first device in a network that is expected to be associated with a discovery protocol but does not have the discovery protocol turned on. The method also includes providing a notification to a management arrangement when the first device is identified. The management arrangement manages the network, and the notification indicates that the first device is expected to be associated with the discovery protocol but does not have the discovery protocol turned on.
US08422398B2	Media access control (MAC) for an active RFID system A system of radio frequency communication between Readers and Tags having a scalable Media Access Control (MAC) protocol for an active RFID system employing multiple access. The system comprising at least one tag Reader and a plurality of Tags each having a unique tag ID and deployed in a region in which at least some of the Tags are in radio communication with the tag Reader A multi-dimensional addressing scheme of the MAC protocol enables division of the plurality of Tags into a number of groups for different stages of MAC protocol processing, based on different portions of the tag ID. The MAC has an inherent flexibility in the sense that it allows readers to communicate with different versions of tags and also optimize communication parameters to reader's capabilities, without pre-configuration of the tags. Furthermore, the MAC supports means to achieve very high access reliability, such as relay between tags.
US08422393B2	Method for transmitting channel quality information based on differential scheme A method for transmitting channel quality information based on a differential scheme is disclosed. When channel quality information of a predetermined number of sub-bands selected by a receiver in a frequency selective channel is transmitted, total average channel information is transmitted. Channel information of the selected sub-bands is transmitted as sub-band differential information associated with average channel information. In this case, the sub-band differential information may be denoted by a specific value contained in a differential-value range including only positive (+) values. If at least two channel quality information is transmitted by a MIMO system, channel quality information of one channel is transmitted, then channel quality information of the other channel is transmitted as spatial differential information. In this case, the spatial differential information is denoted by a specific value contained in a differential-value range asymmetrical on the basis of “0”.
US08422392B2	System and method for microeconomic multiplexing of data over communication channels A system and method for optimal allocation of bandwidth in a multichannel transmission channel. In an embodiment, a system may allocate a specific amount of bandwidth in the transmission channel in order to maximize the value of the data that is transmitted on a per-channel basis. Typically, a transmission channel has enough bandwidth to accommodate the minimum bandwidth for all data across all channels. The excess bandwidth may be allocated in an optimal manner so as to provide additional bandwidth for the most valuable channels. The maximum allocation of bandwidth is a point in which allocating additional bandwidth to a channel does not yield any additional value. Such an allocation may be accomplished using an iterative analysis of the available bandwidth and a microeconomic-based analysis of the subjective value of each channel.
US08422379B2	Method of simple and efficient failure resilient load balancing A resilient load balancing method uses fixed paths and a fixed path-splitting strategy to enable ingress routers to efficiently reroute traffic after a failure. An off-line management system computes a set of fixed paths and a set of splitting ratios for routing demand from ingress routers to egress routers, with sufficient capacity to meet demands under each failure scenario. That data is then used by the ingress router to reroute demand after observing a failure.
US08422378B2	Mobile communication terminal test apparatus and test result display method [Task] To provide a mobile communication terminal test apparatus capable of displaying an EVM or a transmission power measurement result in a frequency division multiple access communication scheme by distinguishing between the allocation band and the non-allocation band.[Means for Resolution] A test signal including control information representing the communication channel and the allocation band is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal, the test signal output from the mobile communication terminal is received, the output waveform data are analyzed, a measurement value of a predetermined measurement item is obtained on a symbol-by-symbol basis, the obtained symbol-based measurement value is displayed on a graph, and the allocation band on the corresponding graph and the non-allocation band within the communicate channel are displayed to be distinguished therebetween.
US08422375B2	Communication system and communication apparatus Communication arrangements wherein each of ONUs of a first or second PON transmits data toward a connected first or second OLT after a wait time period designated by the connected first or second OLT; the first communication device of the first packet communication network sends a first frame for measuring communication time period, to the second communication device of the second packet communication network through the first PON, and sends a second frame for measuring communication time period, to the second communication device through the second PON; and the second communication device calculates a difference of communication time period between the received first and second frames, and instructs the first or second OLT of the first or second PON, for correcting a wait time period which is set to the one or plural ONUs connected to the first or second OLT, based on the difference between communication time periods.
US08422373B2	Adaptive multi-rate codec bit rate control in a wireless system In an exemplary embodiment a method includes monitoring traffic in one or more cells; determining that the traffic in one of the cells is congested; and responsive to the determining, initiating a rate change for at least one ongoing connection within the cell. Apparatus and computer programs are also determined for both a user equipment and a network node.
US08422371B2	Information collection device, communication error detection device, and computer program An information collection device includes a signaling packet analysis section which extracts communication device information from a signaling packet, the communication device information identifying a communication device that transmits the signaling packet when connecting to another device.
US08422369B2	Transmission and reception system, transmitter, transmission method, receiver, reception method, and program A transmission and reception system is provided. Based on sequence numbers stored in a normal packet information storage unit, a sequence control unit provides normal packets stored in a transmission buffer with sequence numbers so as to be consecutive to a sequence number of the most recently transmitted normal packet. The transmission unit uses a transmission rate to select a normal packet or a retransmission packet. The transmission unit assigns a sequence number to the selected packet and transmits it. The normal packet information storage unit stores numbers assigned to the normal packets transmitted by the transmission unit. The invention can be applied to a transmission system that transmits data.
US08422368B2	Call admission control method A call admission control method can ensure the admission rate of the high priority business, and simultaneously greatly improve the admission rate of the low priority business. The occupied bandwidth of currently admitted business flows of a WiMAX network is denoted by Σbi,max, a bandwidth threshold of a base station system is denoted by bth, a total bandwidth that the base station system can distribute to users is denoted by btotal, applied minimum and maximum bandwidths are denoted by bN+1,min,bN+1,max, respectively for a new arrival (N+1)th business flow. When Σbi,max+bN+1,max≦bth, the base station system will directly admit a request of an (N+1)th business flow. When Σbi,min+bN+1,min>btotal, the base station system will directly refuse the request of the (N+1)th business flow. When Σbi,max+bN+1,max≧bth and Σbi,min+bN+1,min≦btotal, comparing an admission rate P with a random number α to determine whether a new arrival (N+1)th business flow is admitted or not.
US08422366B2	Data transmission device In a data transmission device and method provided with duplexed switches outputting frames in the order of input for continuing the communication without instantaneous interruptions even though one of the switches is faulted, input interfaces generate frames in which every time data is inputted, input order information indicating the input order is added to the data together with unique information of each input interface and providing the frame generated to the switches in parallel. At least one output interface sequentially stores the frames outputted from the switches for every unique information and selects a first arrived frame among the frames stored with same input order information.
US08422365B2	Energy efficient scaling of network appliance service performance Systems and methods for automatically controlling efficient operation of a plurality of network appliances operatively linked and networked to balance network traffic load across a plurality of network appliances that are selectively enabled. The system facilitating performance of the method includes at least a plurality of network appliances operatively connected to a switch and controlled by a network access control module. During system operation, at any given moment in time, the plurality network appliances operate in one of two modes, fully operational or stand-by. The network appliances of the plurality that are fully operational and thereby consuming full operational power depends upon the network traffic load at any given moment in time. The network appliances functioning in a stand-by mode consume low power levels which are sufficient to allow a network appliance in stand-by mode to receive a command signal directing it to switch from stand-by to full operational mode.
US08422364B2	Multicast label distribution protocol node protection In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a router, a multicast label distribution protocol message comprising local node information for a protected node and one or more leaf nodes downstream of the protected node in a primary label switched path, creating one or more backup label switched paths to the one or more leaf nodes, detecting a failure at the protected node, and forwarding at the router, traffic for the one or more leaf nodes to the one or more backup label switched paths. An apparatus for multicast label distribution protocol node protection is also disclosed.
US08422363B2	Method and apparatus for service protection A method and apparatus for realizing service protection are provided. The method includes the following steps: determining paths corresponding to automatic protection switching (APS)/protection communication channel (PCC) overhead bytes that are available to all nodes in a service protection trail; selecting a path for service protection from the determined paths corresponding to the APS/PCC; and using the selected path for implementing the service protection. Therefore, it is ensured that several service protections using APS/PCC may coexist in an optical transport network (OTN) and different kinds of service protection can be easily distinguished from one another.
US08422361B2	Management of protection path bandwidth and changing of path bandwidth A highly efficient protection path bandwidth management method is provided. When a protection path is set up in a loop with a node A as the starting point and endpoint in order to protect a working path, the bandwidth of the protection path is changed by transferring a bandwidth change request message, containing the identifier of the protection path as well as the value of the bandwidth after the change, so as to cycle once around the protection path set up in a loop starting from a node B that first received a PATH message for a working path.
US08422358B2	Best-path evaluation based on reliability of network interface layers A system and associated method for dynamic error dampening in a node in a network system. The node collects statistics of data traffic transferred through the node. The node has a link error MIB storing Error ratio and Reliability of interface of the node. When the Error ratio is too high, the node starts running a Layer 2 protocol for monitoring data traffic and calculates Penalty of the node. When Penalty is higher than predefined Suppress Threshold, the node deactivates Layer 3 link while the Layer 2 protocol still monitors the interface. Once the Penalty becomes lower than Reuse Threshold, the node reactivates the Layer 3 link that had been previously deactivated. When Penalty becomes zero (0), the node clears the Error ratio and stops the Layer 2 protocol for monitoring the data traffic.
US08422357B1	System, method, and computer program product for updating an inventory of network devices based on an unscheduled event A network inventory system, method, and computer program product are provided. In use, an unscheduled event is identified. In various embodiments, the unscheduled event includes a request to update a network device, a request to update information associated with a network device that is stored in the inventory of network devices, etc. Further, an inventory of network devices is updated based on the unscheduled event.
US08422353B2	Optical recording medium for writing data using multiple pulses An optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers to record/reproduce information using light with a predetermined wavelength, the information being recorded on one of the recording layers using a mark and a space, wherein a channel clock period T is provided for recording the mark on one of the recording layers. A plurality of pulses, including a last pulse arranged at an end of the pulses, are used to record the mark with length 3T, the mark being recorded with a condition that a width of the last pulse is minimum 0T and maximum 1.10T, in which a first subsequent level lower than a peak power level of the last pulse is arranged next to the last pulse, and a second subsequent level lower than the peak power level but higher than the first subsequent level is arranged next to the first subsequent level.
US08422352B2	Optical pickup device An optical pickup device, which can effectively prevent occurrence of trouble in recording and reproducing of information due to the fact that an objective lens for each optical beam is contaminated while not adding unnecessary parts and while reducing a cost, is provided. An optical pickup device (P1) which performs the recording or reproducing of information in or from an optical disc (13) by using an optical beam (B) or (D), comprises: objective lenses (11) and (12) on which cleaning films which are activated by radiation of the optical beam (B) and clean their surfaces are formed in an optical path, and a control unit (15) for setting an optical path of the optical beam (B) in such a way that the optical beam (B) reflected by the optical disc (13) is radiated on the objective lens (12).
US08422344B2	Optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus and control method of the same In an optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus (10) for reproducing an optical information storage medium including a plurality of information recording layers each including a recording mark having a length shorter than an optical system resolution limit, reproduction laser power for reading an information recording layer closest to a reproduction-laser-incident surface of the optical information storage medium is set to be lower than reproduction laser power for reading an information recording layer farthest from the reproduction-laser-incident surface but not lower than minimum reproduction laser power that satisfies a reproduction signal characteristic that the optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus (10) requires. With the arrangement, it is possible to prevent that the information recording layer closest to the reproduction-laser-incident surface is irradiated wrongly with reproduction laser having high reproduction laser power, thereby making it possible to obtain successful reproduction quality. That is, it is possible to realize the optical information storage medium reproduction apparatus (10) that can set optimum reproduction laser power and perform stable super resolution reproduction.
US08422343B2	Optical pickup In an optical pickup for use in an optical disc device, wire rods are wound directly around a lens-coil holder to make tracking coils and focus coils. The lens-coil holder is divided into three holders, one of which holds an optical lens thereon and has on its sides wire-winding protrusions for wiring wire rods therearound to make tracking coils. The remaining holders have focus coils that are wound therearound. Alternatively, the lens-coil holder is divided into two holders, one of which has on its sides wire-winding protrusions for wiring wire rods therearound to make tracking coils. The remaining holder holds an optical lens thereon and has focus coils that are wound therearound. The lens-coil holder has a cavity for letting pass through a laser beam emitted in parallel to an optical disc surface.
US08422337B2	Ultrasonic system and communication method thereof An ultrasonic system including an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver is provided. The ultrasonic transmitter emits a transmission signal, which includes a synchronous burst and multiple data bursts. The ultrasonic receiver receives a synchronous echo, and determines whether the amplitude of the synchronous echo is larger than a first threshold. If the amplitude of the synchronous echo is larger than the first threshold, then the ultrasonic receiver interprets the multiple data echoes corresponding to the data bursts to obtain a digital signal.
US08422335B2	Apparatus and method for imaging subsurface structure of target area by using waveform inversion Provided are an apparatus and method for imaging the subsurface structure of a target area by using waveform inversion. In the apparatus and method, the subsurface structure of a target area is estimated using waveform inversion of a seismic signal in the frequency domain, the Laplace domain, or the Laplace-Fourier domain, and an objective function is defined by applying a weighting function such that the objective function makes a different contribution for each frequency, each Laplace damping constant, or each Laplace-Fourier damping constant. The objective function is not limited to a particular type of objective function and a weighting function can be automatically determined when a gradient vector for each frequency, each Laplace damping constant, or each Laplace-Fourier damping constant is normalized. In addition, a gradient direction for all frequencies can be defined by applying another weighting function to the sum of respective gradient vectors for all frequencies, all Laplace damping constants, or all Laplace-Fourier damping constants, wherein the weighting function can also be automatically determined by normalization.
US08422333B2	Semiconductor memory device and access method thereof Example embodiments provide a semiconductor memory device that may include: a cell array arranged in pluralities of rows and columns; and a sense amplifier conducting writing and reading operations to the cell array in response to writing and reading commands in correspondence with an access time, which may be variable in period. The sense amplifier adjusts pulse widths of write-in and read-out data in accordance with a period of the access time.
US08422332B2	Apparatus for generating a voltage and non-volatile memory device having the same An apparatus for generating a voltage includes a first voltage outputting circuit configured to receive an input voltage and adjust and output a first voltage in accordance with a temperature, a buffer circuit configured to receive the first voltage and output the received first voltage as a second voltage at an output node of the buffer circuit, and a second voltage outputting circuit configured to receive the second voltage at an input terminal and output a third voltage by dividing a driving voltage in accordance with a resistance ratio, wherein the second voltage outputting circuit includes a sub-voltage outputting circuit and a controlling circuit configured to adjust a voltage level of the third voltage through a feedback of the third voltage to the input terminal.
US08422330B2	Memory controller and memory controlling method A memory controller includes: a first generating unit that generates a read-address to read a data element sequence having a plurality of data elements from a bank of a memory; a second generating unit that generates a position signal indicating a position of a data element to be selected from the data element sequence, and an order signal indicating a storing order for storing the data element to be selected into a register; and a selector unit that selects, according to the position signal, the data element to be selected from the data element sequence read out from each of the plurality of the banks, and stores the selected data element in the storing order indicated by the order signal into the register, wherein the data element stored in the register is processed in the storing order by a vector processor.
US08422328B2	Semiconductor device, semiconductor system including the same, and voltage supply method of semiconductor device A semiconductor device, a semiconductor system including the same, and a voltage supply method of the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes at least two semiconductor memory devices and a voltage supply controller configured to selectively supply a voltage to each of the at least two semiconductor memory devices.
US08422327B2	Semiconductor device having nonvolatile memory element and manufacturing method thereof To provide a semiconductor device including a pair of antifuse elements at either a high level or a low level, an OR circuit that outputs different logic information for a case that at least one of the antifuse elements is at a high level and a case that both of the antifuse elements are at a low level, and an exclusive OR circuit that outputs different logic information for a case that the logic states are different from each other and a case that they are same as each other.
US08422321B2	Semiconductor memory device having regular area and spare area Memory arrays ARY0 and ARY1 each include a regular area 108 and spare area 110. Fuse circuits FS0 and FS1 each store a relief address. Relief determination circuits RJ0 and RJ1 are provided so as to correspond to the fuse circuits FS0 and FS1, respectively. The relief determination circuits RJ0 and RJ1 each determine whether a designation address is the relief address or not. An access control circuit AC specifies an access destination from the memory array ARY0 or ARY1 according to the determination results. When it is determined by the relief determination circuit RJ0 that the designation address corresponds to the relief address, the access control circuit AC selects one of the memory arrays ARY0 and ARY1 according to CX13T<1:0> and selects the spare area 110 included in the selected memory array ARY as an access target.
US08422320B2	Data strobe signal generation circuit A data strobe signal generation circuit includes: an enable signal generation unit configured to decode a test signal and generate an enable signal; an internal clock generation unit configured to generate a rising clock signal and a falling clock signal in response to the test signal; and a data strobe signal output unit configured to selectively buffer first and second powers in response to the rising clock signal and the falling clock signal, and output a data strobe signal.
US08422316B2	Semiconductor device and data processing system A semiconductor device comprises a bit line transmitting a signal to be sensed, a single-ended sense amplifier sensing and amplifying the signal transmitted from the bit line to the input node, and a reference voltage supplying circuit outputting a reference voltage. The sense amplifier includes a first transistor for charge transfer between the bit line and an input node, and the voltage value of the reference voltage is controlled in association with a threshold voltage of the first transistor. The reference voltage is set to a first logical value of the transfer control signal which controlled to be first and second logical values.
US08422311B1	EPROM erasing apparatus and method for erasing an EPROM(s) A EPROM erasing apparatus and method for erasing an EPROM(s). The EPROM(s) is erased using light emitted from an ultraviolet light emitting diode.
US08422309B2	Voltage generation circuit and nonvolatile memory device using the same A voltage generation circuit comprises a voltage generation control unit configured to output one of a first voltage level determination signal having a fixed data value and a second voltage level determination signal having a varying data value in response to a selection signal, and a voltage generation unit configured to generate a voltage having a single pulse form or a voltage having a pulse form whose rising edge portion rises in incremental voltage steps in response to the voltage level determination signal outputted from the voltage generation control unit.
US08422300B2	Non-volatile memory apparatus and methods Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having memory cells coupled in series and a module to cause an application of voltages with at least three different values to gates of the memory cells during an operation to retrieve information stored in at least one of the memory cells. Additional apparatus and methods are described.
US08422292B2	Nonvolatile memory device and program method thereof A nonvolatile memory device and a programming method thereof perform a programming verification step including a selective verification step and a sequential verification step. In the selective verification step, a data input/output (I/O) circuit selectively precharges a selected bit line according to a temporary programmed state of stored data. In the sequential verification step, the data I/O circuit selectively precharges each bit line according to the result of the previous selective verification step or a previous sequential verification step. According to the programming method, because a memory cell not requiring a programming verification step is not precharged in the programming verification step, an ON cell current does not flow therethrough. Accordingly, the current flowing through a common source line during verification can be reduced.
US08422291B2	Storage device and method for reading the same The storage device includes a storage unit configured to store data, an error controlling unit configured to correct an error of the data read out from the storage unit according to at least one read level, and a read level controlling unit configured to control the at least one read level when the error is uncorrectable. The read level controlling unit is configured to measure a distribution of memory cells of the storage unit, configured to filter the measured distribution, and configured to reset the at least one read level based on the filtered distribution.
US08422287B2	Pulse field assisted spin momentum transfer MRAM design An MRAM array structure and a method of its operation that is not subject to accidental writing on half-selected elements. Each element of the MRAM is an MTJ (magnetic tunneling junction) cell operating in accord with an STT (spin torque transfer) scheme for changing its free layer magnetization state and each cell is patterned to have a C-shape in the horizontal plane. The cell thereby operates by C-mode switching to provide stability against accidental writing by half-selection. During operation, switching of a cell's magnetization is accomplished with the assist of the pulsed magnetic fields of additional word lines that are formed either orthogonal to or parallel to the existing bit lines and that can carry currents in either direction as required to provide the assist.
US08422285B2	Method and system for providing dual magnetic tunneling junctions usable in spin transfer torque magnetic memories A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic memory are described. The magnetic junction includes first and second pinned layers, first and second nonmagnetic spacer layers, and a free layer. The pinned layers are nonmagnetic layer-free and self-pinned. In some aspects, the magnetic junction is configured to allow the free and second pinned layers to be switched between stable magnetic states when write currents are passed therethrough. The magnetic junction has greater than two stable states. In other aspects, the magnetic junction includes at least third and fourth spacer layers, a second free layer therebetween, and a third pinned layer having a pinned layer magnetic moment, being nonmagnetic layer-free, and being coupled to the second pinned layer. The magnetic junction is configured to allow the free layers to be switched between stable magnetic states when write currents are passed therethrough.
US08422283B2	Phase change memory device to prevent thermal cross-talk and method for manufacturing the same A phase change memory device for preventing thermal cross-talk includes lower electrodes respectively formed in a plurality of phase change cell regions of a semiconductor substrate. A first insulation layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate including to the lower electrodes having holes for exposing the respective lower electrodes. Heaters are formed on the surfaces of the respective holes to contact the lower electrodes. A second insulation layer is formed to fill the holes in which the heaters are formed. A mask pattern is then formed on the first and second insulation layers, including the heaters, to have openings that expose portions of the respective heaters having a constant pitch. A phase change layer is formed on the mask pattern including the exposed portions of the heaters and the first and second insulation layers and subsequently, upper electrodes are formed on the phase change layer.
US08422282B2	Phase change memory apparatus having row control cell A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a phase change memory apparatus includes a plurality of row control cells and a plurality of phase change memory cells formed on the row control cells while being electrically connected to the row control cells. The plurality of row control cells and the plurality of phase change memory cells are vertically stacked in a cell array area.
US08422280B2	Stable current supply circuit irrespective of PVT variations and semiconductor having same A current supply circuit comprises a reference voltage generator generating a reference voltage that varies with temperature, a current circuit generating a constant reference current irrespective of the temperature based on the reference voltage, and a current source generating a mirror current by mirroring a base current as a replica current of the reference current.
US08422276B2	Spacer structure in MRAM cell and method of its fabrication Methods are presented for fabricating an MTJ element having a uniform vertical distance between its free layer and a bit line and, in addition, having a protective spacer layer formed abutting the lateral sides of the MTJ element to eliminate leakage currents between MTJ layers and the bit line. Each method forms a dielectric spacer layer on the lateral sides of the MTJ element and, depending on the method, includes an additional layer that protects the spacer layer during etching processes used to form a Cu damascene bit line. At various stages in the process, a dielectric layer is also formed to act as a CMP stop layer so that the capping layer on the MTJ element is not thinned by the CMP process that planarizes the surrounding insulation. Subsequent to planarization, the stop layer is removed by an anisotropic etch of such precision that the MTJ element capping layer is not reduced in thickness and serves to maintain uniform vertical distance between the bit line and the MTJ free layer.
US08422275B2	Magnetic memory device and method An exemplary embodiment of a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device includes a magnetic tunnel junction having a free layer, a first electrode (first magnetic field generating means) having a first portion that covers a surface of the free layer, and an electric power source connected to the first electrode via a connection that covers less than half of the first portion of the first electrode. Another exemplary embodiment of an MRAM device includes a magnetic tunnel junction, first and second electrodes (first and second magnetic field generating means) directly connected to the magnetic tunnel junction on opposite sides of the magnetic tunnel junction, and an electric power source having one pole connected to the first electrode via a first connection and having a second pole connected to the second electrode via a second connection, wherein the first and second connections are laterally offset from the connections between the first and second electrodes and the magnetic tunnel junction. Methods of operating and manufacturing these magnetic random access memories are also disclosed.
US08422274B2	Semiconductor storage device and method of fabricating the same A semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array, a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, a first gate wiring element 3a, 3b, a second gate wiring element 3c, 3d, a first connector 5a, 5b, and a second connector 5c, 5d. Each memory cell 10 has first and second sets having a driver transistor 11, a load transistor 12, and an access transistor 13. The word lines are arranged in parallel to each other along a first direction. The bit lines are arranged in parallel to each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first gate wiring element comprises a gate electrode of the first driver transistor and the first load transistor, and has a rectangular shape having straight line on opposite sides. The second gate wiring element comprises a gate electrode of the access transistor and has a rectangular shape having straight line on opposite sides.
US08422270B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a bit voltage adjusting circuit which, for each bit line, fixes potentials of a selected bit line and a non-selected bit line to a predetermined potential to perform a memory operation and a data voltage adjusting circuit which, for each data line, fixes potentials of a selected data line and a non-selected data line to a predetermined potential to perform a memory operation. Each of the voltage adjusting circuits includes an operational amplifier and a transistor, a voltage required for a memory operation is input to the non-inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier, and the inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to the bit line or the data line, so that the potential of the bit line or the data line is fixed to a potential of the non-inverted input terminal of the operational amplifier.
US08422269B2	Semiconductor memory device A control circuit applies a first voltage to selected one of first lines and applies a second voltage having a voltage value smaller than that of the first voltage to selected one of second lines, such that a certain potential difference is applied across a memory cell disposed at an intersection of the selected one of the first lines and the selected one of the second lines. A current limiting circuit sets a compliance current defining an upper limit of a cell current flowing in the memory cell, and controls such that the cell current flowing in the memory cell does not exceed the compliance current. The current limiting circuit comprises a current generating circuit and a first current mirror circuit. The current generating circuit generates a first current having a current value equal to a current value of the cell current at a certain timing multiplied by a certain constant. The first current mirror circuit mirrors the first current to a current path supplying the first voltage to the first lines.
US08422268B2	Current control element, memory element, and fabrication method thereof A memory element (3) arranged in matrix in a memory device and including a resistance variable element (1) which switches its electrical resistance value in response to a positive or negative electrical pulse applied thereto and retains the switched electrical resistance value; and a current control element (2) for controlling a current flowing when the electrical pulse is applied to the resistance variable element (1); wherein the current control element (2) includes a first electrode; a second electrode; and a current control layer sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode; and wherein the current control layer comprises SiNx, and at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises α-tungsten.
US08422266B2	Quantum dot optical devices with enhanced gain and sensitivity and methods of making same Various embodiment include optical and optoelectronic devices and methods of making same. Under one aspect, an optical device includes an integrated circuit having an array of conductive regions, and an optically sensitive material over at least a portion of the integrated circuit and in electrical communication with at least one conductive region of the array of conductive regions. Under another aspect, a film includes a network of fused nanocrystals, the nanocrystals having a core and an outer surface, wherein the core of at least a portion of the fused nanocrystals is in direct physical contact and electrical communication with the core of at least one adjacent fused nanocrystal, and wherein the film has substantially no defect states in the regions where the cores of the nanocrystals are fused. Additional devices and methods are described.
US08422261B2	Semiconductor device and power supply device using the same A semiconductor device capable of reducing an inductance is provided. In the semiconductor device in which a rectification MOSFET, a commutation MOSFET, and a driving IC that drives these MOSFETs are mounted on one package, the rectification MOSFET, a metal plate, and the commutation MOSFET are laminated. A current of a main circuit flows from a back surface of the package to a front surface thereof. The metal plate is connected to an output terminal via a wiring in the package. Wire bondings are used for wirings for connecting the driving IC, the rectification MOSFET, and the commutation MOSFET, all terminals being placed on the same plane. For this reason, the inductance becomes small and also a power source loss and a spike voltage are reduced.
US08422257B2	Voltage source converter A Voltage Source Converter of M2LC-type has a series connection of switching cells (7), in which each switching cell has on one hand at least two semiconductor assemblies connected in series and having each a semiconductor device of turn-off type and a free-wheeling diode connected in parallel therewith and on the other at least one energy storing capacitor (20). The series connection of switching cells has one first end (61) connected to a direct voltage pole (5) on high voltage potential and an opposite end (62) connected to a phase output (10) of the converter. An arrangement (70) is configured to connect the phase output (10) to another said pole (6) on neutral voltage potential on a direct voltage side of the converter and to deliver voltage pulses to said phase output being both positive and negative with respect to said neutral potential.
US08422256B2	Control system for high-efficiency operation in parallel inverter installations A control system for parallel connected inverter legs energized by a power source and configured for servicing a load is disclosed. The invention facilitates the number of running inverter legs to adaptively react to changes in the load by dynamically switching various inverter legs “on” or “off” in response to variations in load demand, while continuing magnetization of an output transformer connected with an “off” inverter leg via a back-feed from another output transformer of an “on” inverter leg, greatly improving the dynamic response to load changes. This design enables a fast reaction to load changes with “off” inverter legs transitioning to on-line operation instantaneously.
US08422239B2	Display device A display device includes a display panel, a case that has a middle frame disposed around the display panel and a lower frame disposed on the display panel on the opposite side from a display face, a circuit board that has a circuit for performing display control of the display panel, a flexible wiring board at least a part of which is disposed between the lower frame of the case and the circuit board for electrically connecting the display panel with the circuit board, and a connector that is mounted on the circuit board on the opposite side from the flexible wiring board for electrically connecting to the outside, wherein the flexible wiring board has holes, and the circuit board is fixed to the lower frame via the holes of the flexible wiring board.
US08422237B2	Folding structure The present invention relates to a folding structure comprising a storage device with an electronic component at least and a plurality of metal contacts and is configured with electronic component(s), metal contacts, and a plug board or a folding kit to embody the present invention's space effectively used and saved, match the present product's design requirements for lightness, thinness, shortness, and smallness, and integrate with other relevant products to become a combinational product with both multiple functions and its shape advantageous to lightness, thinness, shortness, and smallness.
US08422235B2	Semiconductor device, and power conversion device using semiconductor device The present invention provides a vehicle power module and a power converter including a power semiconductor element (328), a plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, 373U) for transmitting current to the power semiconductor element (328), and a metallic base (304) upon which the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, and 373U) are mounted; and the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, and 373U) are mounted upon the metallic base (304) so as to form a looped current path. Desirably, the power semiconductor element (328) and the plurality of connecting conductors (371U, 372U, 373U) are arranged so as to form two or more looped current paths.
US08422231B2	Water-cooled communication chassis A water-cooled communication chassis includes a chassis body and a water cooling unit. The chassis body includes at least one heat receiving portion, at least one heat dissipation portion, and at least one first water pipe system. The first water pipe system has a front part extended through the heat receiving portion and a rear part arranged on the heat dissipation portion, so that heat absorbed by the heat receiving portion is transferred via the first water pipe system to the heat dissipation portion and dissipated therefrom into ambient air. The water cooling unit communicates with the first water pipe system and drives a cooling fluid stored therein to circulate in between the first water pipe system and the water cooling unit, so that the heat absorbed by the heat receiving portion can be quickly and continuously carried away from the communication chassis by the circulating cooling fluid.
US08422220B2	Latch mechanism for portable electronic device A latching assembly comprises a bracket, and a hook. The hook comprises: a top; a base having a first portion proximate to a first end and a second portion proximate to a second end. The second portion is inclined or sloped towards the top. A front surface extends from the first end to the second end. The front surface is substantially parallel to the surface of the second part at the first end, forming a first portion of the base for engaging the bracket. The front surface is further inclined or sloped toward the surface of the second part at the second end. When the bracket and the hook are engaged and the first part and the second part are separated by force, the bracket slides on the second portion of the base and the inclined or sloped front surface at the second end, thereby disengaging the bracket from the hook.
US08422219B2	Computer system A computer system includes a notebook computer host, a supporting bracket, and a tablet personal computer (PC). The notebook computer host includes a motherboard. A receiving recess is formed in the supporting bracket. A connector is mounted on the receiving recess and connected to the motherboard of the notebook computer host. The tablet PC is detachably received in the receiving recess. A connection interface is mounted on the tablet personal computer. When the tablet PC is received in the receiving recess, the connection interface is connected to the connector, the tablet PC is powered on after powering on the notebook computer host. When the tablet PC enters a first operating system, the tablet PC functions as a display and a hard disk drive connected to the notebook computer host to communicate with the motherboard of the notebook computer host.
US08422217B2	Hard disk drive A hard disk drive includes a housing module configured to accommodate one of many different types of hard disk modules. Each hard disk module includes a number of connectors. The housing module includes a connecting board, and different types of connectors protruding from the connecting board, corresponding to the connectors of the different types of hard disk modules.
US08422215B2	Handheld electronic device A handheld electronic device includes first, second and third bodies, first and second pivot members pivot to the first body and a gear set. The second body having a pillar is slidably disposed on the first pivot member. The third body having a rack is slidably disposed on the second pivot member, the second body stacked between the first and third bodies. The gear set is disposed on the first body and coupled with the pillar and the rack. When the third body moves relatively to the first body along a first operation direction for driving the second body to move relatively to the first body along a second operation direction opposite to the first operation direction to be exposed by the third body, the first and second pivot members rotate relatively to the first body to drive the second and third bodies to tilt relatively to the first body.
US08422214B2	Mobile electronic apparatus A mobile electronic apparatus has a display side housing with a bearing unit at one end, a dummy hinge with a rotary unit mounted in the bearing unit at one end and a joint unit at the other end, and a key side housing joined to the joint unit at one end. The housings are turnably connected to one another via the dummy hinge. A key side housing has a vertically extending boss unit. A joint unit has an insertion hole into which the boss unit is inserted. The insertion hole has a fitting hole, in which the boss unit is fitted when the joint unit and the key side housing are joined to one another, and a diameter-expanding hole in communication with the fitting hole and expanded in a rotational direction of the rotary unit toward the key side housing.
US08422213B2	Slider electronic device An electronic device includes a main body, a display body, two adjustment assemblies, and a support assembly. The display body is movably positioned on the main body. Each adjustment assembly includes a guide shaft fixed on the main body, a slide member slidable relative to and along the guide shaft, and a rotary member. One end of the rotary member rotatably connects with the slide member, and the other end of the rotary member is rotatably connected to the display body. The support assembly is disposed on the main body to support and maintain the display at predetermined angles relative to the main body.
US08422208B2	Stand fixing mechanism and electronic device using the same An electronic device with a stand fixing mechanism is provided. The electronic device includes a main body, a stand, and a stand fixing mechanism. The stand is fixed in the main body to support the main body. The stand fixing mechanism includes a first connection member within the main body and a second connection member at one end of the stand. The first connection member defines a first cutout and a third cutout. A first and a second protruding member protrude from the second connection member. The first cutout receives and the second cutout correspondingly receive the first and second protruding member when the stand is fixed to the main body, a securing force applied to the first protruding member by the first cutout is greater than that applied to the second protruding member by the second cutout. An electronic device applying the stand fixing mechanism is also provided.
US08422204B2	Slide electronic device A slide electronic device includes a first body, a second body, and a slide mechanism. The slide mechanism includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member. One end of the first connecting member is pivotally connected to the first body, an opposite end is pivotally connected to the second body, one end of the second connecting member is pivotally connected to the first body, and an opposite end is pivotally connected to the second body. A distance between rotary axes of the two ends of the first connecting member exceeds that of the second connecting member. When the second body slides relative to the first body, the first connecting member and the second connecting member are rotated relative to the first body and the second body until an end of the second body resists the first body and the second body is angled.
US08422199B2	Electrolyte solution and electrochemical capacitor using same The present invention provides an electrolyte highly reliable in charge and discharge in a high voltage condition, and an electrochemical capacitor using the same. The electrolyte of the present invention includes a solvent, an electrolyte salt having an anion having a perfluoro alkyl group represented by a following composition formula, and an acid inducing substance having a fluorine atom for an anion, characterized in that the weight ratio of the acid inducing substance is in a range of 0.0001 to 2.0 wt %: MX+[Q(Rf)yFz]X− (wherein Q is a group 13 or group 15 element in the periodic table, Rf is a perfluoro alkyl group (CnF2n+1), n is a natural number, 1≦y<6, 1≦z<6, MX+ is a cation of Xth valence, and X is a natural number from 1 to 3). Thereby, since excessive electric potential decline of the negative electrode by the electrolyte salt and destruction of the negative electrode protection film by HF are restrained at the same time, deterioration of the cycle characteristics is restrained even in the case of charge and discharge in a high temperature or high voltage condition.
US08422198B2	Electric double layer capacitor package and method of manufacturing the same There is provided an electric double layer capacitor package and a method of manufacturing the same. The electric double layer capacitor package includes an exterior case formed of insulating resin and having therein one or more partitions providing a plurality of housing spaces; a plurality of capacitor cells disposed in the plurality of housing spaces, respectively, each capacitor cell including first and second electrodes and a separator interposed between the first and second electrodes; and an internal series-connection terminal buried in each of the partitions and connecting the plurality of capacitor cells in series.
US08422195B2	Feedthrough flat-through capacitor A feedthrough flat-through capacitor includes a capacitor having a first and second set of electrode plates, a first feedthrough passageway through the capacitor, a first lead disposed within the first feedthrough passageway and conductively coupled to the first set of electrode plates, a second feedthrough passageway through the capacitor disposed remote from the first feedthrough passageway, and a second lead disposed within the second feedthrough passageway and conductively coupled to the first set of electrode plates. The second set of electrode plates are typically conductively coupled to a ground. An EMI shield may be provided to electromagnetically isolate the first lead from the second lead.
US08422190B2	Composite electronic device, manufacturing method thereof, and connection structure of composite electronic device The present invention is provided with a composite electronic device comprising an inductor element and an ESD protection element formed between two magnetic substrates, wherein the inductor element includes insulation layers made of a resin, and conductor patterns formed on the insulation layers, the ESD protection element includes a base insulation layer, a pair of electrodes arranged via gap formed therebetween on the base insulation layer, and an ESD absorbing layer arranged at least between the electrodes, and the ESD absorbing layer includes a composite material having an insulation inorganic material and a conductive inorganic material discontinuously dispersed in a matrix of the insulation inorganic material.
US08422189B2	Serially connected surge suppression optimization device A serially connected surge suppression optimization device has an input terminal, an output terminal, a plurality of surge suppression units. The surge suppression units are serially mounted between the input terminal and the output terminal. Each surge suppression unit has at least one pair of parallel inductors and a plurality of surge absorption units respectively connected with one end of each of the pair of inductors. The pair of parallel inductors mounted in the surge suppression unit in a pre-stage and the surge suppression unit in a post-stage have different conductance values. Accordingly, the surge suppression optimization device connected in a path from which surges pass can significantly reduce energy of a surge flowing in and a residual surge voltage. The different conductance values of the surge suppression units in a pre-stage and a post-stage smoothen an intruding surge to secure better safety protection without abruptly generating a peak rise.
US08422188B2	ESD protection device An ESD protection device that has low capacitance, excellent discharge characteristics, and improved heat resistance and weather resistance is provided. A functional layer 31, which is a composite having a conductive inorganic material 33 discretely dispersed in a matrix of an insulating inorganic material 32, is disposed between electrodes 21 and 22 disposed on an insulating substrate 11 and facing but spaced apart from each other.
US08422187B2	Apparatus and method for electronic circuit protection Apparatuses and methods for providing transient electrical event protection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a detection and timing circuit, a current amplification circuit, and a clamping circuit. The detection and timing circuit is configured to detect a presence or absence of a transient electrical event at a first node, and to generate a first current for a first duration upon detection of the transient electrical event. The current amplification circuit is configured to receive the first current from the detection and timing circuit and to amplify the first current to generate a second current. The clamping circuit is electrically connected between the first node and a second node and receives the second current for activation. The clamping circuit is configured to activate a low impedance path between the first and second nodes in response to the second current, and to otherwise deactivate the low impedance path.
US08422184B2	Overcurrent relay An overcurrent relay able to detect a failure current and rapidly generate a driving signal to drive a circuit breaker in response to the failure current is disclosed. The overcurrent relay has at least one Hall sensor detecting a failure current and outputting a Hall voltage signal; a filter filtering the Hall voltage signal to output a filtered signal having only an exponent wave; a reference voltage provider providing a reference voltage; a comparator comparing the filtered signal with the reference voltage and outputting a trigger signal when the filtered signal reaches the reference voltage; and a circuit breaker driver being triggered by the trigger signal to output a driving signal for driving a circuit breaker.
US08422183B2	Overcurrent detecting apparatus A voltage (V1−V2) between a predetermined point P2 on a copper foil pattern 4 connected to a source of a switching FET (T1) and a drain P1 of the FET (T1) is input into an input terminal of a comparator CMP1 as an overcurrent determination voltage for comparison with a reference voltage V3. As this occurs, since there exists a voltage that is to be dropped by a resistor Rp possessed by the copper foil 4, the voltage (V1−V2) becomes larger than an inter-terminal voltage VDS of the FET (T1), and as a result, the effect imposed by an offset voltage Voff possessed by the comparator CMP1 can be reduced.
US08422180B2	High-voltage-tolerant ESD clamp circuit with low leakage current fabricated by low-voltage CMOS process An electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamp circuit is provided, which includes a plurality of identical module circuits. The anode of the first module circuit is coupled to the cathode of the ESD clamp circuit. The anode of each of the other module circuits is coupled to the cathode of the previous module circuit. The cathode of the last module circuit is coupled to the ground terminal of the ESD clamp circuit. Each module circuit includes a conduction path and a detection circuit. The detection circuit is coupled to the anode, the cathode and the conduction path of the module circuit. When the rising speed of the voltage at the anode of the module circuit surpasses a threshold value, the detection circuit makes the conduction path conducting.
US08422177B2	Reader shield with tilted magnetization An apparatus that includes a first read shield and a second read shield and a reader stack between the first and second read shields. The first and second read shields each include a tilted magnetization layer closest to the reader stack to control magnetic field flux lines in a free layer of the reader stack and thereby improve a selectivity of the reader to independently sense and isolate media transitions.
US08422176B1	Method and system for providing a magnetic read transducer having a bilayer magnetic seed layer A method and system for providing a magnetic read transducer is described. The magnetic read transducer includes a bilayer magnetic seed layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer, and a read sensor. The bilayer magnetic seed layer includes a Ni1-xFex layer and a Ni1-yFey layer on the Ni1-xFex layer, where x is at least 0.3 and not more than 1 and where y is not more than 0.19. The AFM layer resides on the bilayer magnetic seed layer. The read sensor is on the AFM layer.
US08422173B2	Dual pole magnet linear actuator A dual pole linear actuator includes a dual pole magnet assembly that is moved by providing a bi-directional analog DC control signal to a dual wound coil. The dual pole magnet assembly includes a permanent magnet that is flanked by top and bottom pole pieces. The dual wound coil is assembled to an actuator housing with a top part of the coil being wound in one rotary direction, while the bottom part of the coil is wound in the opposite rotary direction.
US08422170B2	Suspension having bonding pads with solder layers, manufacturing method of a suspension, and connecting method between a suspension and a slider A suspension includes a flexure and a plurality of electrical traces formed on the flexure. Each electrical trace has a trace body and a bonding pad arranged for connecting with a slider, and the bonding pad is a free end before connecting with the slider and is capable of bending to the trace body flexibly, and the bonding pad includes a trace body layer and a solder layer formed on the trace body layer, thereby the bonding pads of the electrical traces connecting with the slider by reflowing the solder layer. The present invention uses no extra solder balls, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost and the corresponding apparatus cost. The invention also discloses a manufacturing method of a suspension, and a connecting method for a suspension and a slider.
US08422169B2	Shallow trench discrete track media (DTM) and pattern transfer process A shallow trench discrete track media structure is fabricated by etching a magnetic recording layer to provide a plurality of discrete magnetic data tracks separated by shallow trenches. Each shallow trench has a trench floor formed at a depth in the magnetic recording layer that is less than the thickness of the magnetic recording layer. Exposed regions of the magnetic recording layer beneath the trench floor are reacted with reactive plasma to diminish the magnetic moment of the exposed regions.
US08422166B1	Magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording having a main pole and a shield A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section is located forward of the main pole in a direction of travel of a recording medium to thereby define a space. The coil includes a first coil element and second coil elements extending to pass through the space. The second coil elements are located forward of the first coil element in the direction of travel of the recording medium. The return path section includes a first portion located such that the first coil element is interposed between the first portion and the medium facing surface, and a second portion located such that the second coil elements are interposed between the second portion and the medium facing surface.
US08422165B2	Pass-through mechanism for linear tape library A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string.
US08422164B2	Pass-through mechanism for linear tape library A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string.
US08422163B2	Determining a reference waveform used by a correlator in a servo channel Provided are a method, servo channel, and tape drive for determining a reference waveform used by a correlator in a servo channel. Sequences of servo signal samples are provided from read servo signals read from a servo pattern on a recording medium. A determination is made of a reference waveform based on the sequences of servo signal samples and the reference waveform is forwarded. Interpolated servo signals are generated. The interpolated servo signal samples and the forwarded reference waveform are received to generate correlation output samples. Position and velocity information are calculated from the correlation output samples.
US08422162B2	Determining a reference waveform used by a correlator in a servo channel Provided are a method, servo channel, and tape drive for determining a reference waveform used by a correlator in a servo channel. Sequences of servo signal samples are provided from read servo signals read from a servo pattern on a recording medium. A determination is made of a reference waveform based on the sequences of servo signal samples and the reference waveform is forwarded. Interpolated servo signals are generated. The interpolated servo signal samples and the forwarded reference waveform are received to generate correlation output samples. Position and velocity information are calculated from the correlation output samples.
US08422161B2	Information storage device with multiple-use fields in servo pattern An embodiment of the present invention implements some or all major servo subfunctions for a storage device in integrated servo fields comprising sequences of encoded bits having selected mathematical properties. The integrated servo field is composed of a number of encoded sequences, which are members of a selected sequence set that is constrained to preferably provide some or all of the following functions: the Servo Track Mark (STM), the Position Error Signal (PES) and positional information such as the track-ID. In one embodiment the plurality sequences encoding a location identifier such as a track-ID are distributed across a set of servo wedges. A method of encoding the location identifier using a Chinese Remainder Theorem is described.
US08422159B2	Microwave-assisted magnetic recording with collocated microwave and write fields Methods and devices are provided for microwave-assisted magnetic recording with collocated microwave and write fields. An illustrative device includes a magnetic write pole and one or more alternating-field components. The magnetic write pole is configured for providing a magnetic write field. The one or more alternating-field components are disposed to at least partially coincide with the magnetic write pole. The one or more alternating-field components are configured to provide an alternating magnetic field having a microwave frequency and an orientation that is at least partially transverse to the magnetic write field.
US08422158B1	Calibrating servos Apparatus, methods, and systems can be employed for calibrating servos, and in some implementations, spiral servos are calibrated for use in self-servo-write (SSW) processes. In an aspect, an apparatus includes a timing reference detector configured to determine timing reference information from a back electromotive force signal associated with a rotating machine readable medium, and a servo track window period generator configured to determine a relative location of a spiral on the rotating machine readable medium based on the timing reference information.
US08422157B2	Magnetic transfer device and magnetic disk medium having sectors with shift associated with determination target information According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk medium is pre-formatted on both the surfaces by magnetic transfer. Sectors with the same sector number on the front surface and the rear surface of the magnetic disk medium are arranged at positions shifted by a predetermined angle associated in advance with determination target information.
US08422156B2	Zoom lens barrel A zoom lens barrel includes a fixed frame, a rotary frame, a moving frame that moves in an optical axis direction with the rotary frame, a float key that is restricted from rotating and moves, an inner cam frame that has a cam follower, is rotationally driven by the rotary frame, and moves in the optical axis direction, a guide frame that has a cam follower, and moves in the optical axis direction, an outer cam frame moves in the optical axis direction with the guide frame, and moves relatively with respect to the guide frame, a second group zoom frame that holds a second group lens, has a cam follower, is restricted from rotating around the optical axis, and moves in the optical axis direction, and a first group zoom frame that holds a first group lens, has a cam follower, and moves in the optical axis direction.
US08422154B2	Light adjusting apparatus A light adjusting apparatus according to the present invention includes a first substrate and a second substrate having an optical aperture, a rotating shaft member which has been rotatably installed with respect to the first substrate and the second substrate, a light adjusting unit which is joined to the rotating shaft member, and a driving unit which moves the light adjusting unit by driving to rotate the rotating shaft member. Light which passes through the optical aperture is adjusted by moving the light adjusting unit by rotating the rotating shaft member by the driving unit. The light adjusting unit has a notch, and the rotating shaft member and the light adjusting unit are joined at the notch.
US08422153B2	Lens device A lens device is disclosed. The lens device includes a fixed lens barrel, a rotating lens barrel, and a sensor. The rotating lens barrel is sleeved within the fixed lens barrel. The sensor is disposed within the fixed lens barrel for detecting the position of the rotating lens barrel.
US08422150B2	Objective optical system An objective optical system including an objective optical system having a field angle of 140° or larger and including a front group, an aperture stop, and a positive rear group arranged in that order from an object side. The front group has at least one aspherical surface and includes a negative first lens disposed closest to the object side and satisfying the following conditional expression: 0≦r2/r1<0.24, 0.1<\|g2/g1\|<2.2 and −1.8
US08422149B2	Light modulation device and projector A light modulation device that modulates an incident luminous flux according to image information to form an image, includes: a light modulation section that is disposed in each of pixels constituting the image, wherein the light modulation section includes a condensing lens that concentrates the incident luminous flux, a shutter that is configured to be movable to a first position in which the shutter allows the luminous flux concentrated by the condensing lens to pass, or a second position in which the shutter blocks the luminous flux concentrated by the condensing lens, and a driver that moves the shutter to the first position or the second position.
US08422144B2	Imaging apparatus A lens barrel holding frame whose back surface wall is positioned at a position on the reflection optical element, in a state before moving to the retraction position, opposite to the lens unit in a direction of the first optical axis, wherein a through hole, through which the lens unit can retract along the first optical axis, is formed on the back surface wall of the lens barrel holding frame.
US08422141B2	Optical element and optical apparatus In a gradient-index optical element, there is a difference in an abnormal partial dispersion characteristic of a medium between a position on an optical axis of the radial gradient-index optical element and a position on an effective beam diameter.
US08422140B2	Fixed focal length lens A fixed focal length lens including a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group arranged in sequence from a magnified side towards a reduced side is provided. The first lens group has a positive refractive power, and includes a first lens and a second lens arranged in sequence from the magnified side towards the reduced side. Refractive powers of the first lens and the second lens are respectively negative and positive. The second lens group has a positive refractive power, and includes a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens arranged in sequence from the magnified side towards the reduced side. Refractive powers of the third lens, the fourth lens, and the fifth lens are respectively positive, negative, and positive. The third lens group has a positive refractive power, and includes a sixth lens. A refractive power of the sixth lens is positive.
US08422138B2	Wafer level optical elements and applications thereof The present invention provides wafer level optical elements that obviate a substrate wafer or a portion thereof disposed between optical structures or optical surfaces of the element.
US08422130B2	Portable magnifying instrument useful for colposcopy A portable magnifying instrument useful for colposcopy is provided which may include in combination an optical system capable of providing a distortion free clear continuously varying 10× to 15× magnification of a three-dimensional wide object; an integrated energy efficient, low powered and intensity controlled illumination system; a power pack and mounting. The optical system may have an eyepiece lens system and an objective lens system. The illumination system may have a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected to the power pack; mounted in such a manner that the angle between the LEDs is maintained with respect to the optical axis of the lens system and that the light beam from the said LEDs impinges on the wide object to be observed at the focus of the said lens system.
US08422128B2	Modular objective assembly A modular laser objective for use with a microscope is provided. A mounting modular body permits the modular objective to be releasably mounted to the turret of a microscope. The objective has an optical axis that permits an image beam to be emitted through the objective toward the eyepiece of a microscope. The modular body supports a mirror positioned at an angle to the optical axis of the objective. A modular laser assembly is mounted on the modular body on a first side of the mirror for directing a laser beam toward the mirror so that the energy is reflected off the mirror and through the objective in a direction that is substantially aligned with the optical axis of the objective. A modular indicator assembly is received in the modular body and includes a source of light positioned with the light incident on the other side of the mirror to reflect a beam of light in a direction opposite to the direction of the laser beam to provide an optical representation at the eyepiece of a microscope or on a camera of the position on the target of the laser beam being emitted by the objective.
US08422126B2	Crystalline infrared reflective films Provided are infrared reflective films comprising a substrate and at least one infrared reflective layer comprising an aminium radical cation compound in a crystalline state and an organic polymer, wherein the infrared reflective layer has a reflectance peak in the infrared region from 1250 nm to 1700 nm. Such infrared films are stable in their optical properties against degradation by light and moisture. Also provided are solar control window films, security markings, and other optical articles comprising such infrared reflective films. Further provided are methods for making such infrared reflective films.
US08422124B2	Seed light module for passive optical network A spectrum-sliced seed light module for a wavelength division multiplexing passive optical network (WDM PON) is provided. The seed light module includes an optical amplifier to amplify seed light, an optical wavelength filter to transmit broadband light, which is output in opposite direction to an output direction of the seed light, at periodic frequency intervals, and a reflective mirror to reflect light which is spectrum-sliced through the optical wavelength filter to the optical wavelength filter.
US08422120B2	Wavelength conversion element, wavelength conversion method, phase matching method, and light source device A wavelength conversion element is provided as one including a monocrystalline nonlinear optical crystal. The nonlinear optical crystal has: a plurality of first regions having a polarity direction along a predetermined direction; a plurality of second regions having a polarity direction opposite to the predetermined direction; an entrance face into which a fundamental incident wave having a wavelength λ and a frequency ω is incident in a direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and an exit face from which a second harmonic with a frequency 2ω generated in the crystal emerges. The plurality of first and second regions are formed as alternately arranged in a period substantially equal to d expressed by a predetermined expression, between the entrance face and the exit face.
US08422114B2	Physical modulation tuned plasmonic device A plasmonic display device is provided that uses physical modulation mechanisms. The device is made from an electrically conductive bottom electrode and a first dielectric layer overlying the bottom electrode. The first dielectric layer is a piezoelectric material having an index of expansion responsive to an electric field. An electrically conductive top electrode overlies the first dielectric layer. A first plasmonic layer, including a plurality of discrete plasmonic particles, is interposed between the top and bottom electrodes and in contact with the first dielectric layer. In one aspect, the plasmonic particles are an expandable polymer material covered with a metal coating having a size responsive to an electric field.
US08422109B2	Optical reflection element An optical reflection device includes a mirror having a reflection surface configured to reflect light, a first support beam connected to the mirror, a tuning fork vibrator connected to the first support beam, a second support beam connected to the tuning fork vibrator, and a supporter connected to the second support beam. The first support beam has a first end connected to the mirror and a second end located on an opposite side to the first end, and extends along a center axis. The tuning fork vibrator includes a joining portion connected to the second end of the first support beam, a first arm extending from the first joining portion while separated from the first center axis, and a second arm extending from the first joining portion symmetrically to the first arm about the first center axis. The second support beam has a third end connected to the joining portion of the tuning fork vibrator and a fourth end located on an opposite side to the third end, and extends along the first center axis.
US08422107B2	Optical scanning device, image display device and retinal scanning display An optical scanning device includes an optical scanning element which has a reflection mirror and is configured to perform reciprocating scanning of an optical flux radiated from a light source by resonance oscillations of the reflection mirror; a photo detector which is arranged at a position which a portion of the optical flux scanned by the optical scanning element in a reciprocating manner passes in both outgoing-path scanning and incoming-path scanning, and is configured to output a pulse signal having a predetermined width at a point of time that the scanned optical flux is detected; and the reference signal generator which is configured to detect timing between rising edge timing of one pulse signal and falling edge timing of the other pulse signal out of two pulse signals continuously outputted from the photo detector, and to generate the reference signal based on intermediate timing between the edge timings.
US08422106B2	Image forming device An image forming device includes a display unit, an original image display unit, a touch panel, a detecting unit, a selected region determining unit, an image forming unit, and a control unit. The display unit includes a display region. The original image display unit displays an original display image in the display region based on original image data. The touch panel is superposed on the display region. The touch panel enables a user of the image forming device to specify a prescribed position on the touch panel. The detecting unit detects a prescribed position touched by the user and generates position data based on the prescribed position. The selected region determining unit determines, based on the position data, a selected region in the original display image when the original image display unit displays the original display image in the display region. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The control unit controls the image forming unit to form a partially enhancement image on the recording medium based on the original image data. The partially enhancement image includes an enhancement part and a non-enhancement part, the enhancement part corresponding to the selected region, the non-enhancement part corresponding to a non-selected region that is outside of the selected region in the original display image.
US08422096B2	Method for dissipating heat produced in scan head assembly of imaging apparatus Disclosed are a method and a computer program product for dissipating heat produced in a scan head assembly of an imaging apparatus during scanning of media sheets in the imaging apparatus. The method includes determining at least one of a temperature of the scan head assembly and a media sheet scan count. The method further includes moving the scan head assembly between a first position of the scan head assembly and a second position of the scan head assembly for dissipating heat, based on at least one of the temperature of the scan head assembly and the media sheet scan count.
US08422095B2	Image scanner An image scanner includes a light-pervious supporting plate, an enclosure, an image sensor, several light sources, and two or four light guide plates. The supporting plate supports an original to be scanned. The enclosure and the supporting plate cooperatively define a receiving space. The image sensor is received in the receiving space, and has a receiving surface. The two, four, or six light sources emit light. The light guide plates each include a light incident surface and an output surface. The light incident surface is configured for receiving light from the respective light sources. The output surface is configured for emission of surface light to scan the original on the supporting plate. In this manner, the surface light is reflected by the original to the receiving surface of the image sensor, thus an image of the original is captured.
US08422088B2	Image processing device, image forming device, image processing method, image processing program, and recording medium An image processing device includes a storage unit which stores both image data input from a reading unit and relevant information of the image data, a first image-data-processing unit which processes both the image data input from the reading unit and image data output to a writing unit, and a second image-data-processing unit which is detachably attached to the first image-data-processing unit, has an image recognition function, and processes the image data input from the reading unit. The first image-data-processing unit includes a recognition unit recognizing the input image data, an image processing unit performing image processing based on a result of the recognition by the recognition unit, and a determining unit determining whether operation of the second image-data-processing unit is normal.
US08422087B2	Image reading apparatus and image reading method An image reading apparatus is provided which enables image data of high S/N ratio with constant resolution to be acquired without fluctuations in resolution over the entire area of an original document, while actualizing the compact image reading apparatus by minimizing the spaces on the opposite end sides in the sub-scanning direction of the platen, has a line light source for applying light to the original document, a carriage installed with the line light source to travel in a sub-scanning direction of the document, a stepping motor for driving the carriage, a line sensor for receiving the reflected light of the document guided by the optical means to convert into image data, and control means for performing traveling control of the carriage, blinking control of the line light source, and control for capturing the image data from the line sensor, and captures the image data from the line sensor while varying a period of a motor clock signal to drive the stepping motor for a duration of acceleration control for starting traveling of the carriage to reach constant-velocity traveling after starting reading of the document.
US08422086B2	Image processing apparatus and method using different scaling methods for scanning An image processing apparatus includes an auto document feeder, and can simultaneously scans both sides of an original at a fixed scan position during one-time original feed. The image processing apparatus further includes a first scanning unit that scans a front side of the original in a single-sided scan and a double-sided scan; and a second scanning unit that scans a back side of the original in the double-sided scan. In the double-sided scan, the first scanning unit and the second scanning unit scan the original by using the same scaling method. The first scanning unit uses different scaling methods between the single-sided scan and the double-sided scan based on an original scan condition.
US08422084B2	Image processing apparatus, image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus with units to calculate spectral reflectance and relating coefficient and methods therefor There is provided an image processing apparatus includes a spectral reflectance calculation unit that calculates spectral reflectances respectively in plural wavelength ranges, based on intensity of reflected light from an object to be imaged and irradiation intensity of light that the object to be imaged is irradiated with; a determination unit that obtains derivatives of a function represented on the basis of the spectral reflectances calculated by the spectral reflectance calculation unit, and determines a number of eigenvectors, depending on whether the derivatives are positive or negative; a coefficient calculation unit that calculates coefficients where the spectral reflectances are expressed by linear combination of the number of eigenvectors and the coefficients respectively related to the eigenvectors, the number of eigenvectors being determined by the determination unit; and an output unit that outputs the coefficients calculated by the coefficient calculation unit.
US08422076B2	Digital image printing system, control method therefor, printing device, control method therefor, and computer product In a digital image printing system, an external device capable of storing digital image data, and a printing apparatus capable of printing the digital image data are mutually connectable, and capable of exchanging data. The printing apparatus includes a paper feeding unit having a multi-tray structure. The external device sends parameters, that is, paper size, paper type, page layout of the digital image data, and at least one digital image data to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus selects a tray from the paper feeding unit based on the parameters, and an aspect ratio of the digital image data, and prints the digital image data.
US08422075B2	Information updating apparatus, image history inspection apparatus, information updating method, and storage medium An information updating apparatus compares resolution information and color information acquired from received image data with resolution information and color information acquired from an external apparatus, and, if an amount of information of the resolution information and color information acquired from the received image data is larger than an amount of information of the resolution information and color information acquired from the external apparatus, replaces image feature amount data stored in the external apparatus with image feature amount data acquired from the received image data and replaces text data stored in the external apparatus with text data extracted from the received image data.
US08422073B2	Image forming apparatus The image forming apparatus includes first and second reading portions which read images of first and second faces of an original, an image forming portion which forms an image on a sheet based on image data read by the reading portions, a calculation portion which calculates difference between respective image data, a correction portion which calculates correction data to decrease difference of the image data based on the image data difference, and a control portion which controls the image forming portion so that an image for correction to correct the reading accuracy difference is formed on a sheet based on the correction data; and the calculation portion calculates difference between respective image data when the image for correction formed on a sheet is respectively read by the first and second reading portions, and the correction portion recalculates correction data based on the image data difference calculated by the calculation portion.
US08422068B2	Image processor for automatically fitting extracted frame images on a page An image processor is connectable with a storing medium storing still image data corresponding to a still image and moving image data corresponding to a moving image, the moving image data including a plurality of sets of frame image data corresponding to a plurality of frame images respectively. The image processor includes an outputting unit, an extracting unit, and index image producing unit, and a layout unit. The outputting unit outputs an image list having a first layout area having a first layout size and a second layout area having a second layout size. The extracting unit extracts at least two sets of frame image data from the plurality of sets of frame image data. The index image producing unit produces a first index image from the still image data and a plurality of second index images from the extracted frame image data. The layout unit lays out the first index image in the first layout area and the plurality of second index images in the second layout area.
US08422066B2	Image forming apparatus A document management section 77 updates and manages stored information in an additional information storage section 74 in such a manner that when details of operation information having been acquired in an operation information acquisition section 71 regard an operation of reading all the pages that is an operation targeting all the pages of an unread document, the current status of processing of the document is changed from unread to read, whereas when the details of operation information regard an operation of reading a part of the pages that is an operation targeting a part of the pages of an unread document, the current status of processing of the document is changed from unread to hold. By this means, a current status of a management target document that changes every moment can be updated and managed in detail in real time.
US08422063B2	Image forming apparatus, printing job carrying out method and computer readable information recording medium An image forming apparatus associating user identification information with printing jobs and carrying out the printing jobs previously stored, obtains specifying information that specifies the user identification information when a portable recording medium that stores the specifying information is set; requests an authentication part to authenticate the user by using the specifying information; permits logging in of the user when the user has been authenticated; obtains a job list of the printing jobs associated with the user identification information when the user has been authenticated; displays the job list on a display part; receives a selection of one or more printing jobs from the job list; causes printing data of the one or more printing jobs to be printed; and requests stopping of the printing when it is detected that the portable recording medium is unset.
US08422062B2	Apparatus and method for facsimile transmission configuration An apparatus and method that configures a facsimile transmission protocol for a facsimile device is disclosed. The method can include transmitting an echo request via a network connection to a facsimile device. The method can include receiving a response to the echo request via the network connection from the facsimile device. The method can include determining network throughput impairments based on the received response to the echo request. The method can include adjusting a facsimile transmission protocol based on the determined network throughput impairments. The method can include transmitting a facsimile message based on the adjusted facsimile transmission protocol.
US08422061B2	Apparatus and method to execute print jobs To allow the management of suspended printed jobs while being distinguished based on reasons for suspension and removing the reasons to execute the print jobs, for a plurality of print jobs suspended in the printing apparatus, the print jobs are distinguished based on reasons for suspension to specify the print jobs; information making the specified plurality of print jobs and reasons for suspension recognizable is displayed on a display apparatus; and the printing apparatus is made to execute the specified plurality of print jobs according to a print instruction from a user.
US08422059B2	Information processing apparatus and control method therefor An information processing apparatus capable of freely and dynamically defining a releasing procedure of a using limitation of an apparatus and an deleting procedure for information held in an apparatus by a manager. An acquisition unit acquires information about an expiration date of the apparatus. A first determination unit determines whether the expiration date expires based on the acquired information. A limitation unit limits use of the apparatus when the expiration date expires. A registration unit registers a specific processing procedure executed by the apparatus as work flow information. A second determination unit determines whether the work flow information has been registered. A third determination unit determines whether a user instructs an execution of the processing procedure when the work flow information has been registered. An execution unit executes the processing procedure under the use limited condition, when the user instructs the execution of the processing procedure.
US08422052B2	Printing system and host apparatus A host apparatus used in a printing system includes the host apparatus and an image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus receives print data and authentication information from the host apparatus so as to perform authentication operation referring to the authentication information. The host apparatus includes: an authentication information obtaining unit configured to obtain login authentication information from an operating system of the host apparatus as the authentication information, wherein the login authentication information obtained from the operating system is one entered when a user logs in to the host apparatus or to a network domain; and an authentication information sending unit configured to send the login authentication information to the image forming apparatus as the authentication information.
US08422051B2	Device, control method thereof, computer program, and storage medium for differentially processing search requests Identification information of a user who performs search is shared between an information processing apparatus and a device. When search from the user having the identification information is accepted, the device responds. At this time, when the condition for sending back a response can be set from both the information processing apparatus and device and is satisfied, the device transmits device information to the information processing apparatus.
US08422049B2	Information processing device, information record medium manufacturing device, information record medium, method therefore, and computer program An information processing device for executing content reproduction processing includes: a content reproduction processing unit for executing data transformation processing for replacing a part of configuration data of input content to be reproduced with transformation data, and executing processing for reproducing the reproduction content; and a parameter generating unit for providing the content reproduction processing unit with a parameter to be applied in the data transformation processing; wherein the content reproduction processing unit has a configuration for obtaining a parameter identifier that is different for each segment set as a sectioning region of reproduction content, and outputting a parameter calculation request accompanied by the parameter identifier to the parameter generating unit; and wherein the parameter generating unit has a configuration for providing the content reproducing unit with a parameter corresponding to a segment, in response to the parameter calculation request from the content reproducing unit.
US08422041B2	Image processing apparatus, method, and program for converting postscript data with variable print data into a PDF format considering an attribute of plural drawing objects According to an attribute of each of a plurality of drawing objects of data of a PS format included in variable print data, the drawing object of the data of the PS format is converted into partially RIP-completed data of a PDF format or the drawing object of the data of the PS format is converted into RIP-completed image data of the PDF format.
US08422040B2	Image forming system and method, management apparatus, and recording medium An image forming system includes one or more image forming apparatuses and a management apparatus. The management apparatus includes: a software component retention part configured to retain one or more software components in a storage unit, the software components each being configured to generate output format data in a data format interpretable by a printer engine of a corresponding one or more of the image forming apparatuses from application data; a determination part configured to determine, based on the specified image forming apparatus, one of the software components to be used to generate the output format data corresponding to the specified image forming apparatus; and a transmission part configured to transmit the generated output format data to the specified image forming apparatus. The specified image forming apparatus includes an image forming part to form a predetermined image on an image forming medium based on the transmitted output format data.
US08422039B2	Image forming apparatus for printing an object and information processing method therefor An object of the invention is to simplify the setting of a printing condition when printing an object displayed by a browser. The invention is an information processing method in an image forming apparatus capable of printing an object displayed by a browser that includes the steps of searching, if a printing instruction is input, storage unit in which a printing condition of an object when printed is stored in association with a storage location of the object (step S702), reading a printing condition corresponding to a storage location of an object being displayed when the printing instruction was input, based on a result of the search in step S702 (step S703), and printing the object being displayed, based on the printing condition read in step S703 (steps S704, S705).
US08422038B2	Information processing apparatus and storage medium readable by computer therefor for handling multiple page images An information processing apparatus includes: a display unit which displays images; an input unit through which an instruction is input from outside; a page image display processing unit which causes the display unit to display at least two page images each representing a print page; a page image moving unit which moves the at least two page images displayed on the display unit by the page image display processing unit, on the basis of the instruction input through the input unit from the outside; and a condition setting unit which sets a printing condition, on the basis of a positional relationship between at least two page images that are moved by the page image moving unit.
US08422037B2	Image forming apparatus In an image forming apparatus, a distance adjusting unit adjusts an inter-unit distance between a contact unit and an image carrier by moving the image carrier or the contact unit by applying an opposing force to the image carrier or the contact unit against a biasing force applied by a biasing unit based on thickness information of a recording sheet acquired by a thickness-information acquiring unit and data indicating a relationship between the thickness information and an inter-unit distance change amount stored in a data storage unit.
US08422036B2	Edge sensing apparatus and method reducing sheet fly height error An edge sensing apparatus is disclosed including first and second emitters, first and second detectors and a timer. Beams radiated from the first emitter being emitted in an opposite direction from beams radiated from the second emitter. The first and second detectors being aligned to receive beams from the first and second emitters respectively, where the first detector is offset in a cross-process direction from the first emitter and/or the second detector. The timer receiving signals from both the first and second detectors, wherein a change of the signals determines a position of an edge of a substrate media sheet causing the change of signals. Also, an edge sensing method is disclosed including measuring a mean time associated with a change of signals received from the two detectors and determining a location of a sheet edge causing the change of signals based on the mean time.
US08422033B2	Reflective optical sensor and image forming apparatus A reflective optical sensor includes at least three light-emitting elements; a lighting optical system that guides light emitted from the light-emitting elements to a toner pattern; and at least three light-receiving elements that receive the beams of light reflected by the toner pattern. The lighting optical system has a lateral magnification m that satisfies m≦P/S, where S is the size of the light-emitting elements and P is the arrangement pitch of the light-emitting elements.
US08422030B2	Fringe projection system with intensity modulating by columns of a plurality of grating elements An intensity modulating element for a probe having a plurality of light emitters for phase-shift analysis and measurement is disclosed. The intensity modulating element comprises a plurality of columns of a plurality of grating elements formed by two opposing patterns.
US08422028B2	Scanning microscope using an I/Q-interferometer The present invention relates to a scanning microscope using an I/Q-interferometer. The scanning microscope includes an I/Q-interferometer which demodulates the phase change and amplitude change induced on the probe beam to provide the I- and Q-signals, an XY scanner, a scanner driver, a precision motion stage controlling the displacement of the sample along the direction parallel to the direction of the probe beam, a motion stage driver, a focusing/collimating device, and a computer. The computer transfers control commands to the scanner driver for scanning the XY scanner, receives I- and Q-signal provided from the I/Q-interferometer, processes the I- and Q-signal to obtain the corresponding phase and amplitude values at each scanning point, calculates error signal for maintaining constant phase during the scanning, and transfers commands to the motion stage driver for the precision motion stage to compensate for phase changes caused by surface morphology during the scanning.The scanning microscope performs a multilayer scanning or a constant phase scanning to extract information for the surface or inside of the sample.
US08422022B2	Increasing the scale factor of gas laser based gyroscopes with an external gain saturation beam A ring laser gyroscope that includes a cavity containing a gain medium, a first plurality of reflective surfaces coupled to the cavity, a medium exciter operable to excite the gain medium, and a saturation beam source operable to emit a saturation beam. The first plurality of reflective surfaces includes a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and a third reflective surface. The first, second, and third reflective surfaces are positioned to reflect light along a path defined in the cavity between the plurality of reflective surfaces. The excited gain medium induces first and second laser fields within the cavity. The emitted saturation beam intersects with the first and second laser fields at a first interaction region of the cavity. The saturation beam interacts with the gain medium to reduce the gain of the first and second laser fields at a first range of frequencies.
US08422021B2	All-fiber interferometric fiber optic gyroscope for inhibiting zero drift A method for inhibiting zero drift of an all-fiber interferometric fiber optic gyroscope and a corresponding all-fiber interferometric fiber optic gyroscope are disclosed. The method comprises: reversing the polarity of an AC voltage applied to a PZT piezoelectric ceramic phase modulator according to a predetermined half-cycle time period, and making half of the difference between output rotation rates of the gyroscope in two adjacent half-cycle time periods as the output rotation rate of the gyroscope in a cycle. A phase reversal switch and a DSP chip are added to the all-fiber interferometric fiber optic gyroscope. The phase reversal switch is used for controlling the polarity of the AC voltage, and the DSP chip is used for outputting a square wave signal to control the phase reversal switch and for calculating the output rotation rate of the gyroscope according to the output signal of a demodulation/amplifier circuit.
US08422020B2	Variable spectral element The variable spectroscopic element includes a pair of optical substrates 21-22, four sensors 31-34, four piezoelectric elements 41-44, and a control section. The sensors 31, 33 are arranged to form symmetry with respect to the center axis, which links gravity centers of mutually facing surfaces of the optical substrates 21-22, and so are the sensors 32, 34. The control section calculates, from signals of the sensors 31-34, a distance x between the gravity centers of the mutually facing surfaces, and angles θ, φ each of which is formed by a plane perpendicular to the center axis and the facing surface of the movable substrate 22, to drive the piezoelectric elements 41-44 on the basis of the distance x, the angles θ, φ, and to carry out feedback control and feed forward control with respect to at least one of the distance x, the angle θ, and the angle φ.
US08422018B2	Optical measurement apparatus including hemispherical optical integrator An optical measurement apparatus includes a hemispherical portion having a diffuse reflection layer on an inner wall, and a plane portion disposed to involve a substantial center of curvature of the hemispherical portion and close an opening of the hemispherical portion, and having a reflection layer on an inner surface side of the hemispherical portion. The plane portion includes: at least one of a window for introducing light to be homogenized in an integrating space formed between the hemispherical portion and the plane portion, and a window for extracting light homogenized in the integrating space; an outer portion formed of a first material chiefly causing specular reflection, and occupying at least a region of a predetermined width from an outermost circumference; and an inner portion formed of a second material chiefly causing diffuse reflection and having a higher reflectance for at least an ultraviolet region than the first material.
US08422017B2	Color analysis system and method A color analysis system includes a light source and a sensor configured to provide an output signal in response to reflected light received from the first light source. A controller receives the output signal and is configured to determine an adjustment factor based on the output signal, and determine a color based on the output signal and the adjustment factor.
US08422012B2	Spectrometer and image forming apparatus having the same There is provided is a spectrometer having a concave reflection type diffraction element, wherein, among surfaces other than a diffraction surface of the diffraction element, non-diffraction surfaces which are located outside the diffraction surface at the same side as the diffraction surface are a glossy surface, the spectrometer includes a light detection unit which is located at an imaging position of a first-order diffracted light diffracted by the diffraction element to receive the first-order diffracted light, and the light detection unit is disposed inside optical paths of light beams regularly reflected on the non-diffraction surfaces outside the diffraction surface. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively suppress a stray light reflected on the surfaces other the diffraction surface from being incident into the light detection unit and to detect the light spectrally diffracted by the diffraction surface at high accuracy.
US08422009B2	Foreign matter inspection method and foreign matter inspection apparatus In a foreign matter inspection apparatus comprising: irradiating unit for irradiating inspection light to an inspection area of an article to be inspected; intensity detecting unit for detecting intensity of either reflected light or scattered light, which is generated from the inspection area by irradiating thereto the inspection light; position detecting unit for detecting a position of either the reflected light or the scattered light within the inspection area; and deciding unit for deciding whether or not a foreign matter is present within the inspection area; the foreign matter inspection apparatus is comprised of: display unit capable of displaying thereon both a threshold image in which the threshold value is indicated over an entire area of the inspection area, and a detection sensitivity image indicated by being converted from the threshold image.
US08422008B2	Electrical machine component monitoring system and method An electrical machine component monitoring system includes a light source that provides an optical signal through a fiber optic cable and a fiber optic sensing component positioned on the electrical machine component or at a standoff distance from the electrical machine component to obtain a responsive optical signal representative of a condition of the electrical machine component. The system further includes a photodetector to receive the responsive optical signal from the fiber optic sensing component and to convert the responsive optical signal to an electrical signal. A processing circuitry is also provided in the system for determining information regarding dirt on the electrical machine component by analyzing the electrical signal.
US08422002B2	Malaria detection by small angle light scattering Differences between a control profile of light scattered by a control sample from a sample of whole blood and a detection profile of light scattered from a detection sample from the sample of whole blood with a detection agent added indicate malaria infection of the whole blood, where the light scattering is Mie scattering by an ensemble of scatterers in samples which are detection optimized to a concentration just low enough so that each scatterer which does scatter light scatters light only once, where the profiles are for light scattered between zero and five degrees.
US08422000B2	Bistatic laser radar apparatus A bistatic laser radar (lidar) device is described that comprises a transmit channel (60) for forming a focused transmit beam, and a receive channel (62) for forming a focused receive beam. The device is arranged such that the focus of the transmit beam and the focus of the receive beam fall on a common axis when focused to a distance within the operable distance range of the device. The device may be used for vibrometry, wind speed measurements and the like. Implementation of such a device using optical fiber based components is described.
US08421978B2	Liquid crystal display panel comprising first connecting electrodes disposed on a padding device and electrically connected to active devices and to second connecting electrodes A liquid crystal display panel including an active device matrix substrate, an opposite substrate, and a liquid crystal layer is provided. The active device matrix substrate includes a first substrate, an active device array, a padding device, first connecting electrodes, and shielding electrodes. The padding device is disposed on active devices and data lines of the active device array. The first connecting electrodes are located above the active devices and electrically connected to the active devices. The shielding electrodes are located above the data lines and electrically connected to a common voltage. The opposite substrate includes a second substrate, first electrodes, an insulating layer, second electrodes having slits and opposite to the first electrodes, spacers corresponding to the active devices, and second connecting electrodes covering the spacers to directly contact with the first connecting electrodes and electrically connected to the first electrodes or the second electrodes.
US08421977B2	Liquid crystal display device with pixel electrode having trapezoidal shape A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate including a pixel electrode which is disposed in each of pixels, a counter-substrate which is disposed to be opposed to the array substrate and includes a counter-electrode which is common to a plurality of the pixels, and a liquid crystal layer which is held between the array substrate and the counter-substrate. The pixel electrode includes a first major electrode portion having a strip shape, and the counter-electrode includes second major electrode portions each having a strip shape, the second major electrode portions being disposed in parallel to the first major electrode portion in a manner that the first major electrode portion is interposed between the second major electrode portions and that the first major electrode portion and the second major electrode portions are alternately arranged.
US08421976B2	Liquid crystal display device According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a main pixel electrode having a first width in a first direction and a first edge extending in a second direction, and a sub-pixel electrode. The sub-pixel electrode has a second width, which is greater than the first width in the first direction, has a third width, which is a maximum width in the first direction at a central portion of the sub-pixel electrode, has a fourth width in the second direction at a position with a first distance from the first edge in the first direction, and has a fifth width, which is less than the fourth width at a position with a second distance, which is greater than the first distance, from the first edge in the first direction.
US08421974B2	Pixel structure, liquid crystal display structure and methods for forming the same A pixel structure includes a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode. The second pixel electrode is configured around the first pixel electrode. The first pixel electrode is coupled to a first voltage and the second pixel electrode is coupled to a second voltage. The second voltage is higher than the first voltage. The area of the first pixel electrode is larger than that of the second pixel electrode.
US08421970B2	Liquid crystal display device having a pixel electrode pattern formed by using an alignment layer pattern as the mask and method for manufacturing the same A LCD device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed which have a simplified manufacturing process and decrease the fabrication time by forming a pixel electrode without using an additional photoresist pattern. The method includes forming an electrode layer on a first substrate; forming a predetermined alignment layer pattern on the electrode layer; and forming a pixel electrode pattern by patterning the electrode layer using the alignment layer pattern as a mask.
US08421969B2	Electrooptic device and electronic apparatus An electrooptic device includes a first substrate, a second substrate which is arranged so as to be opposed to the first substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes which are provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, a dielectric multilayer film which is formed so as to cover the plurality of pixel electrodes and in which a plurality of dielectric layers are laminated, and a sealing member which is arranged around a pixel region on which the plurality of pixel electrodes are provided and bonds the first substrate and the second substrate to each other. In the electrooptic device, at least one dielectric layer of the plurality of dielectric layers is formed so as not to overlap with a sealing region on the first substrate, on which the sealing member is arranged.
US08421966B2	Liquid crystal display comprising red, green, blue, and yellow sub-pixels having chromaticity on a CIE1931 chromaticity diagram wherein the sub-pixels have different areas A liquid crystal display including a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display panel is provided. A spectrum of the backlight unit has relative maximum brightness peaks at wavelength between 460 nm to 480 nm, between 505 nm to 525 nm, and between 610 nm to 630 nm. The liquid crystal display panel is disposed above the backlight unit. The liquid crystal display panel has a red color filter layer (Rx, Ry, RY), a green color filter layer (Gx, Gy, GY), a blue color filter layer (Bx, By, BY) and a yellow color filter layer (Yx, Yy, YY), wherein under the backlight source, the red color filter layer, the green color filter layer, the blue color filter layer and the yellow color filter layer satisfy following conditions: Rx≧0.654; Ry≦0.330; Gx≦0.253; Gy≧0.605; Bx≦0.136; By≦0.146; Yx≦0.408; Yy≦0.534; 0.83≦RY/GY≦0.87; 0.86≦GY/BY≦0.92; 0.83≦BY/YY≦0.87 and 1.5≦YY/RY≦1.55.
US08421952B2	Illumination module for sectional illumination A backlight for a display includes a plurality of illumination modules, each illumination module including a light source and a reflective member. A portion of the reflective member is disposed over the light source. A liquid crystal display panel is disposed over the plurality of illumination modules. The reflective member is configured such that a majority of light from the light source is directed parallel to the liquid crystal display panel, to provide uniform illumination of the liquid crystal display panel. In some embodiments, the light source is at least one semiconductor light emitting diode.
US08421951B1	Liquid crystal display with backlight frame structure In one aspect of the present invention, an LCD includes a front frame having a flange and a rear cover having a flange defining a housing therebetween, a liquid crystal (LC) panel placed in the housing, a backlight positioned between the LC panel and the rear cover, and a backlight frame having a first engaging structure configured to receive the flanges of the front frame and the rear cover, and a second engaging structure configured to retain the backlight and the LC panel in the housing.
US08421938B2	Pixel array A pixel array is located on a substrate and includes a plurality of pixel sets. Each of the pixel sets includes a first scan line, a second scan line, a data line, a data signal transmission line, a first pixel unit, and a second pixel unit. The data line is not parallel to the first and the second scan lines. The data signal transmission line is disposed parallel to the first and the second scan lines and electrically connected to the data line. Distance between the first and the second scan lines is smaller than distance between the data signal transmission line and one of the first and the second scan lines. The first pixel unit is electrically connected to the first scan line and the data line. The second pixel unit is electrically connected to the second scan line and the data line.
US08421937B2	Active matrix substrate, liquid crystal panel, television receiver, method for producing liquid crystal panel An active matrix substrate includes: storage capacitor line extended sections 118ax, 118qx, etc. each extending from a position on a storage capacitor line between (i) an intersection with one of two adjacent data signal lines 15 and 15q and (ii) an intersection with the other one of the two data signal lines 15 and 15q; and data signal line extended sections 15e and 15qe each extending from a position on a data signal line 15 or 15q between (i) an intersection with one of two adjacent scanning signal lines 16 and 16q and (ii) an intersection with the other one of the two adjacent scanning signal lines 16 and 16q, wherein a storage capacitor line extended section 118ax or 118ay extending from one of two adjacent storage capacitor lines 18a and 18q sandwiching no scanning signal line is connected with a storage capacitor line extended section 118qx or 118qy extending from the other one of the two adjacent storage capacitor lines 18a and 18q, wherein each of the storage capacitor line extended sections 118ax, 118ay, 118qz, and 118qy includes a section that does not overlap a pixel electrode, wherein each of the data signal line extended sections 118ax, 118ay, 118qz, and 118qy has a section overlapping a scanning signal line. This configuration makes it possible to correct a disconnection of a scanning signal line in an active matrix substrate.
US08421936B2	Display panel, display apparatus having the same, and method of manufacturing the same A display panel including a first capacitor and a second capacitor is disclosed. The first and second capacitors boost a second driving voltage from a driving chip and apply the boosted second driving voltage to the driving chip. The driving chip receives the boosted second driving voltage and outputs a first driving voltage to drive the display panel. Thus, the display panel does not require any additional capacitor for boosting the second driving voltage, thereby reducing a thickness and a manufacturing cost of the display panel.
US08421934B2	Method for orienting an optical element on a screen The invention relates to a method for orienting an optical element (e. g. a parallax barrier screen or lenticular screen) on a screen comprising pixels x(i, j) in a raster composed of lines (i) and columns (j) in order to produce a screen for three-dimensional representation. In said method, especially a test pattern is presented which consists of various views A(k), wherein k=1, . . . , n, and n>1. The test pattern comprises at least two first straight lines that are located in different horizontal positions in the n>1 views A(k) as well as at least two second straight lines which each extend parallel to one of the first straight lines and are located in at least the same horizontal positions in the n>1 views A(k). The method according to the invention can be carried out quickly and with high accuracy and is therefore suitable for industrial use to produce screens for three-dimensional representation.
US08421931B2	Remote control with user profile capability A control unit (101), such as a remote control device, includes a profile selector (104). The profile selector (104), which may be a single profile selector button integrated into the side or top of a remote control, allows quick and simple selection of an operating mode or user profile. The control unit (101) includes an indicator (107) that provides indicia of the currently selected mode or profile. Examples of indicators include multicolored lights and display devices. Where multicolored lights are used as the indicator (107), actuation of the profile selector (104) causes the indicator (107) to change from a first color to a second color.
US08421929B2	Display apparatus and power supplying method thereof A display apparatus and a power supplying method are provided. The display apparatus includes a signal receiver which receives a video signal; a signal processor which processes the video signal; a display unit which displays an image based on a video signal processed by the signal processor; and a power supply which converts an alternating current (AC) voltage into a direct current (DC) voltage and supplies an operation voltage to the display unit, the power supply including: a power factor correction (PFC) unit which adjusts the DC voltage and corrects a power factor of the power supply; a detector which detects a plurality of voltages in the power supply and outputs a common detection signal indicating whether at least one of the plurality of voltages is abnormal; and a controller which receives the common detection signal, and controls the PFC unit based on the common detection signal.
US08421926B1	Device for outputting luminance signal A device for outputting a luminance signal is disclosed. The device includes a chrominance judgment unit, a field observation unit, and an output unit. The chrominance judgment unit and the field observation unit are used to determine whether a 3D luminance signal is affected. The output unit outputs a resultant luminance signal according to the determination results of the chrominance judgment unit and the field observation unit. According to the present invention, the resultant luminance signal can be accurately obtained by judging characteristics of the 3D luminance signal and a 3D chrominance signal even if a 3D comb filter is wrongly used in a motion condition.
US08421925B2	Display device and color adjustment method for adjusting hue, saturation, or intensity factors of sub-image within an image A display device and a color adjustment method thereof and a method for displaying video signals are provided. The display device includes a video signal receiver, a scaling engine, a color engine, an output stage, and a panel. The video signal receiver receives the video signals. The scaling engine is coupled to the video signal receiver to modulate the resolution of the video signal. The color engine is coupled to the scaling engine, which includes a local adjusting unit. The local adjusting unit adjusts hue, saturation, or intensity of a group of pixels, and thereby increase the quality of images. The output stage is coupled to the color engine, which outputs the adjusted video signals. The panel is coupled to the output stage, which displays the adjusted video signal.
US08421922B2	Display device, frame rate conversion device, and display method A display device includes: a frame rate conversion section performing frame rate conversion through performing a frame interpolation process on a composite picture frame with use of a motion vector, in which the composite picture frame is generated through superimposing an OSD picture, i.e., on-screen display picture, on a picture frame; and a display section performing picture display based on a frame-rate-converted composite picture frame provided from the frame rate conversion section. The frame rate conversion section selectively performs the frame interpolation process to each pixel or to every plural pixels in the composite picture frame based on OSD region information indicating an OSD picture region.
US08421921B1	Post processing displays with on-screen displays An apparatus has at least one port to receive a data stream of image and on screen display data, an image processor to process the image data separate from the on screen display data and produced processed image data, and a display port to combine the on screen display data and the processed image data and transmit the combined data to a display. A method of processing on screen display data with an image post processor includes receiving a data stream from a video processor at a post processing device having at least one port, the data stream having both image data and on screen display data, separating the on screen display data from the image data, storing the image data and the on screen display data in separate areas of a memory, performing image processing on the image data with the post processor to produce processed image data, and transmitting the processed image data and the on screen display data through a display port.
US08421917B2	Image processing apparatus and method of controlling the same This invention enables, for example, reduction of motion blur in a hold-type display device and reduce flicker in an impulse-type display device by a simple process. For this purpose, an LPF filters a frame of input image data (A[i]) to generate low-frequency image data (L). A subtractor and an adder generate high-frequency image data (SH). Another adder adds the low-frequency image data (L) from a delay circuit to subsequent low-frequency image data. A divider halves the sum to generate low-frequency averaged image data (SL). A switch alternately outputs the high-frequency image data (SH) and the low-frequency image data (SL) every time a frame of image data is input. As a result, the apparatus of this invention can generate output image data having a frame rate twice that of the input image data.
US08421916B2	Image processing The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for interpolation of images, and in a particular example to de-interlacing of video signals using spatial interpolation. The present invention discloses a method for measuring the slope of a picture portion in which picture gradients are calculated from said selected pixel values and the slope measurement being derived from said gradient values. The invention also discloses a method of spatial interpolation of an array of pixel values, in which interpolated values are dependent upon the measurement of the slope associated with said array. Non-integer slopes can easily be accommodated with the method of the invention.
US08421914B2	Method and apparatus converting moving image, method and apparatus for reproducing moving image, and computer program A down-sampling operation is performed on moving image data to reduce a sample count of the data to 1/M times the original sample count. In the down-sampling operation, a band-limitation operation is performed on the moving image data using a low-pass filter. The low-pass filter has a stop band frequency that prevents a harmonic component having a K-th order or higher, of harmonic components generated in the down-sampling operation, from overlapping an original signal component. The down-sampling operation is then performed on the band-limited moving image data, thereby compressing the moving image data. Aliasing distortion caused by a harmonic component of a high order is controlled. The resulting compressed image is free from a substantial loss of a high-frequency component of the original signal.
US08421913B2	Mobile terminal A mobile terminal is disclosed, by which a user is facilitated to carry and use a terminal in a simple and easy way. According to the present invention, since a camera module is configured in a manner that a protective cover is provided not to a case but to a module body, it is advantageous in protecting a lens unit provided to the module body before installing the camera module at the case. While light passes through a protective cover, a protective cover physically isolates an inside of a camera module from an outside to prevent external particles from being introduced into the camera module. Therefore, it is advantageous in enhancing durability of the camera module. A loading portion is provided to a case to guide an installation position of a camera module. A separate cover is not added to the case. And, a protective cover of a camera module is directly exposed to outside. Therefore, accumulation of numerical value tolerance is barely generated and an assembly process is simplified.
US08421909B2	Exposure control apparatus and exposure control program for vehicle-mounted electronic camera In an exposure control apparatus for exposure control of a vehicle-mounted camera which captures successive images of a scene ahead of the vehicle, two different regions (sets of picture elements) in each image are selected for use in measuring the brightness of an object such as a preceding vehicle and the brightness of the road surface, respectively. The camera exposure is controlled based upon both of these brightness measurement results.
US08421908B2	Actuator, drive device, and imaging device An object of the present invention is to provide an actuator allowing a control of displacement and configured to offer a high degree of freedom in designing, and a drive device and an imaging device including the actuator. To achieve the object, an actuator is adopted including a movable part deformable in accordance with heat generation and a control section controlling the amount of deformation of the movable part. In the actuator, the movable part is structured with a plurality of portions including a base portion, a force generating portion, and a heat generating portion being stacked, the force generating portion generating force in accordance with heating, the heat generating portion generating heat in accordance with a current supply. The control section controls the amount of deformation of the movable part by controlling the current supply to the heat generating portion based on an electrical resistance in the heat generating portion.
US08421905B2	Image pickup apparatus and image pickup method used for the same An aspect of the present invention provides an image pickup apparatus, comprising: an image pickup optical system which forms an image of a subject; an imaging device which obtains an image by picking up the image of the subject via the image pickup optical system; a target detection device which detects a size of a target in the image; a first control device which controls a focus position of the image pickup optical system according to the size of the target detected by the target detection device; and a second control device which performs continuous AF that detects a focusing position where a contrast in the image reaches a local maximum by moving the focus position of the image pickup optical system, moves the focus position of the image pickup optical system to the focusing position and keeps an in-focus state.
US08421904B2	Lens apparatus and image pickup apparatus The lens apparatus includes an aperture stop (SP) forming an aperture, a first lens (A or B) disposed on a first side further than the aperture stop, the first side being one of an object side and an image side, and a second lens (B or A) disposed on a second side further than the aperture stop, the second side being the other of the object side and the image side. In zooming or focusing, the aperture stop is moved independently of the first and second lenses. The first lens and the aperture stop are brought into a first state where an aperture stop side lens surface of the first lens is located away from the aperture stop on the first side and a second state where at least part of the aperture stop side lens surface (RA or RB) of the first lens protrudes through the aperture to the second side further than the aperture stop.
US08421901B2	Display apparatus and imaging apparatus A display apparatus includes an input section inputting an image of subject obtained by imaging a person who is a subject, a display section displaying the image of subject being input, a viewer imaging section imaging a viewer viewing the image of subject and generating an image of viewer, a viewer face-detection section detecting a face of the viewer by using the image of viewer, a viewer face-recognition section performing facial recognition based on individual parts of the face of the viewer being detected, an image processing section performing image correction on the image of subject based on a result of the facial recognition performed on the viewer, and a control section switching a display from the image of subject to the image of subject on which the image correction is performed.
US08421898B2	Method for detecting and showing quality of a preview or stored picture in an electronic imaging device The present invention relates to a method for detecting and showing quality of a preview or stored picture in an electronic imaging device, which comprises the steps of determining whether the electronic imaging device is operated in a preview mode or a file mode; detecting at least four features of the preview or stored picture; determining whether each of the features of the preview or stored picture is normal or not; and displaying the preview or stored picture and at least one of four graphical indicators on a LCD screen of the electronic imaging device when it is determined that the feature corresponding to the graphical indicator is not in a normal status. Thus, a user is able to easily identify the features of the preview or stored picture in a graphical way on the LCD screen in a real time while reviewing the preview or stored picture.
US08421894B2	Solid-state image pickup device and control method thereof, and camera An object of the invention is to cause a part of charge spilling from a photoelectric conversion unit to flow into a charge holding unit and thereby extend dynamic range and at the same time improve image quality. There is provided a solid-state image pickup device having a pixel including: a photoelectric conversion unit generating and accumulating charge by means of photoelectric conversion; a first charge holding unit being shielded from light, and being adaptable to accumulate a part of charge spilling from the photoelectric conversion unit in a period during which the photoelectric conversion unit generates and accumulates charge; an amplifying unit (SF-MOS) amplifying charge; a first transfer unit (Tx-MOS) transferring the charge accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit to the amplifying unit; and a second transfer unit (Ty-MOS) transferring the charge accumulated in the first charge holding unit to the amplifying unit.
US08421891B2	A/D conversion apparatus using gray code counter, solid-state image capturing apparatus and electronic information device An A/D conversion apparatus according to the present invention for comparing a reference signal with an analog signal, and when the reference signal matches with the analog signal, outputting a corresponding digital value, is provided, and the A/D conversion apparatus includes a gray code counter for generating the digital value from a reference clock or a reverse clock of the reference clock, and uses a gray code, in which a most significant bit to a second least significant bit of the digital value is a count value of the gray code counter and a least significant bit of the digital value is generated from the reference clock or the reverse clock thereof and defined as a least significant bit of the gray code counter.
US08421888B2	Solid state imaging device having signal noise combining circuitry for masking image reproduction errors A solid-state image sensor includes a pixel array unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in the form of an array, column signal lines adapted to transmit pixel signals output from pixels in respective columns, a noise adding unit adapted to add temporally constant and two-dimensional spatially random noise to the pixel signals transmitted via the column signal lines, and an analog-to-digital converter adapted to convert a signal level and a reference level of each pixel signal including the noise added thereto by the noise adding unit.
US08421885B2	Image processing system, image processing method, and computer readable medium Provided is an image processing apparatus including a parameter storage that stores, in association with a plurality of attributes, a plurality of image processing parameters for respectively rendering subject images of different attributes from each other, into high image quality; and an image generating section that generates a high quality image of a subject image included in an input image, using the plurality of image processing parameters stored in the parameter storage. The image generating section may select at least one image from high quality images of the subject image included in the input image using respectively different combinations of the plurality of image processing parameters, based on comparison with the input image, and generate the selected image as the high quality image.
US08421884B2	GPS device with a display function and method for using the same A GPS device with a display function includes a GPS recorder and a display screen. The GPS recorder has a GPS casing that encloses one part of the display screen and only a display area of the display screen is exposed. The display screen is electrically disposed on the GPS recorder, and the display screen displays pattern in order to show time information and the position information that have been captured by the GPS recorder. In addition, the GPS recorder has a memory disposed therein for storing the time information and the position information.
US08421882B2	Imaging apparatus and imaging control method In an imaging apparatus, an imaging unit generates an acquired image of a subject. A luminance information acquirer acquires the subject's luminance information. A detector detects the subject's luminance range on the basis of the acquired luminance information. An imaging controller sets a range of exposure control values having a step that corresponds to a value obtained by multiplying the detected luminance range by a predetermined coefficient k (where 0
US08421877B2	Feature data compression device, multi-directional face detection system and detection method thereof A feature data compression device, a multi-directional face detection system and a detection method thereof. The feature data compression device comprises a mirror unit and a transposition unit. The mirror unit compares and computes a plurality of feature values each other to obtain a position of each mutual symmetric feature value and abandoning one of each two symmetric feature values to form first mirrored data, or to obtain a position of the feature value with the highest weight value to form second mirrored data. The transposition unit transposes at least one image template with an angle based on a transposition table for obtaining transposed data.
US08421876B2	Electronic apparatus and image capturing device An electronic apparatus and an image capturing apparatus are provided. The image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing module and a processing module. The image capturing module captures an image having a plurality of pixels. The processing module looks up a table to process a rotation calibration or a tilt calibration toward the pixels to output a calibrated image.
US08421867B2	Projection device and electronic device A projection device includes: a light source; a modulation element that modulates light from the light source; a projection optical system that projects light modulated by the modulation element; a drive unit that drives the projection optical system; and a control unit that drives the light source and the drive unit in a complementary manner when driving the drive unit while turning on the light source.
US08421866B2	Image monitoring system and image monitoring program An image monitoring system includes: recording means for recording an image captured by a camera via a network; control means for controlling the system so as to display the present image captured by the camera or a past image recorded on the recording means on display means; and moving-object detecting means for detecting a moving object from the image captured by the camera; wherein the moving-object detecting means includes resolution conversion means for generating an image with a resolution lower than the resolution of the image captured by the camera, positional-information output means for detecting a moving object from the image generated by the resolution conversion means and outputting positional information on the detected moving object, and information merging means for merging the positional information of the moving object with the image captured by the camera on the basis of the positional information of the moving object output by the positional-information output means.
US08421864B2	Operation management device to be mounted to a moving object, portable information terminal, operation management server, and computer program Provided is an operation management device that works in conjunction with a portable information terminal having an operation management function. A cradle (10) includes a holder (10a) formed with a concave shape for mounting a portable information terminal (20) having the operation management function, a receiving casing (10c) for receiving electronic equipment parts, and an arm (10b) for coupling the holder (10a) and the receiving casing (10c), and uses a display of the portable information terminal (20). The receiving casing (10c) includes a sensor section including a measuring instrument that is not included in the portable information terminal (20) or a measuring instrument having a higher accuracy than the portable information terminal (20) and a communication unit such as a data communication interface for transmitting a detection result from the sensor section as information for supplementation used for operation management to the portable information terminal (20) by short-range radio communications.
US08421856B2	System and method for identifying and sorting material An automatic sorting system is for identifying and sorting non-homogenous material. The system includes a conveyor belt and an identification unit cooperable with the conveyor belt and placed above the conveying surface thereof for identifying material traveling therealong. The identification unit includes at least one projector for projecting a beam of light downwardly towards the conveying surface, at a given height above the conveying surface, and onto a given material to be identified, so that a portion of projected light may be reflected back from the given material and upwardly towards the identification unit. The identification unit also includes at least one lens positioned about the identification unit for receiving the portion of reflected light from the given material to be identified. The identification unit also includes a first processing unit operatively linked to the at least one lens for carrying a spectral analysis of the portion of reflected light captured by the at least one lens so as to determine the nature of the given material, and a second processing unit operatively linked to the first processing unit for comparing results of the spectral analysis with corresponding data associated to a variety of different materials stored in a given database of the second processing unit. The present system also includes a sorting unit operatively linked to the second processing unit and operatively cooperating with the second end of the conveyor so as to sort material released from the second end of the conveyor depending on signals received from the second processing unit.
US08421849B2	Lighting apparatus A lighting control device includes: an irradiation light generation unit that receives an irradiation light signal; coating correcting means for correcting the irradiation light signal so that an irradiation target object can be coated with irradiation light; and an irradiation light projection unit that projects the irradiation light by using the corrected irradiation light signal. The irradiation light includes coating light that coats the irradiation target object, and background light that becomes a background of the irradiation target object. The lighting control device includes: a first coating correction unit that corrects the irradiation light signal so as to cut an outline of the coating light in conformity with a shape of the irradiation target object; and a second coating correction unit that corrects the outline of the coating light in response to a positional relationship between an origin position of the irradiation target object and the irradiation light projection unit.
US08421848B2	Stereoscopic video viewing limiter and limitation method, stereoscopic video viewing limitation notifying device and method, video viewing apparatus and method, and video viewing system A stereoscopic video viewing limiter extracts factor information related to different factors affecting a viewer of a stereoscopic video display from a video signal, generates corresponding effect coefficients representing the degree of effect on the viewer, integrates the effect coefficients as the viewer watches the stereoscopic video image, compares the integrated values with respective thresholds determined according to the viewer's tolerances for each of the factors, and generates a viewing limitation signal when the tolerances are exceeded. The viewing limitation signal is used to limit viewing to a two-dimensional video image instead of the stereoscopic video image. When several viewers watch the same stereoscopic video display, separate viewing limitation signals are generated, tailored to the viewers' individual stereoscopic viewing tolerances, permitting each viewer to enjoy the stereoscopic video display as long as possible without adverse effects.
US08421847B2	Apparatus and method for converting two-dimensional video frames to stereoscopic video frames An apparatus is provided for converting two-dimensional video frames to stereoscopic video frames, comprising a comparing unit, a temporal transform operator and a spatial transform operator. The comparing unit receives a sequence of two-dimensional video frames and provides a comparison result indicative of temporal difference data for the sequence of two-dimensional video frames. The temporal transform operator is coupled to the comparing unit for modifying the sequence of two-dimensional video frames according to the comparison result. The spatial transform operator is coupled to the comparing unit and the temporal transform operator for generating a stereoscopic frame pair according to each frame of the modified video frames. The stereoscopic frame pair comprises a left-eye video frame and a right-eye video frame for providing visual differences perceived by human eyes.
US08421842B2	Hard/soft frame latency reduction Procedures for minimizing video latency using different frame rates are described. In an implementation, a video captured at a first frame rate is obtained. At least one frame of the video is eliminated and the resultant video, with the eliminated at least one frame is processed as if the video were captured at a slower frame rate than the first frame rate.
US08421839B2	Peripheral device for communication over a communications system A method and corresponding system for communicating over a network using a first device and a peripheral device, wherein the first device comprises a user interface and a network interface for connecting to the network, and the peripheral device has a local connection to the first device, the local connection being independent of the network. The method comprises receiving data packets from the network at the network interface of the first device and forwarding the received data packets from the first device to the peripheral device via the local connection. A client engine of a communication client is executed on a processor of the peripheral device to process the received data packets. Processed data packets are sent from the peripheral device to the first device via the local connection such that data contained in the received data packets is conveyed to a user of the first device using the user interface of the first device.
US08421835B2	Exposure device capable of stabilizing density of image formed by multiple exposure and image forming apparatus equipped with the exposure device An exposure device configured to perform exposure using a plurality of light beams and capable of stabilizing image density without increasing circuit size. The exposure device has a first light source for emitting a first light beam and a second light source for emitting a second light beam. The exposure device exposes a photosensitive drum such that areas exposed to the respective first and second light beams at least partially overlap each other. A first drive current having a predetermined value and a second drive current are supplied to the respective first and second light sources. A photodiode detects the intensities of the respective first and second light beams or the sum of the intensities. The second drive current is controlled based on a detection result from the photodiode such that the sum of the intensities becomes equal to a target intensity.
US08421834B2	Exposure device and engraving apparatus An exposure device engraves an image on the surface of a recording medium by scanning and exposing the recording medium with a light beam emitted from an exposure head. The exposure head comprises a light source for emitting a light beam, an exposure lens for causing the light beam to form an image on or close to the surface of the recording medium, a direction changer disposed upstream or downstream of the exposure lens in the direction in which the light beam travels, and/or inside of the exposure lens on the optical path of a light beam having a numerical aperture higher than a given numerical aperture to change the direction of the light beam having a numerical aperture higher than a given numerical aperture in such a manner as not to affect the process of engraving an image on a surface of the recording medium.
US08421828B2	Modulation scheme for driving digital display systems A display device and modulation scheme for applying image data to an imager. The display may use a modulation scheme wherein spacing of row write actions on the rows creates gray scale modulation, wherein one row spacing between sequential row write actions is at a first distance while another row spacing between sequential row write actions is at a distance greater than said first distance. The modulation scheme may create a series of write pointers that create a corresponding series of write planes. In some embodiments, modulation efficiency is increased allowing the use of lower frequency imaging circuits to achieve the same display image.
US08421826B2	Color calibrating method, color calibrating circuit and display apparatus A color calibrating method includes receiving a color signal wherein the color signal is associated with a set of minimum brightness voltages and a set of maximum brightness voltages, analyzing a distribution of the set of the minimum brightness voltages and a voltage distribution of the set of the maximum brightness voltages to obtain a first distribution curve and a second distribution curve, and adjusting a maximum value of the first distribution curve to a first target value and adjusting a maximum value of the second distribution curve to a second target value.
US08421823B2	Overlaying camera-derived viewer emotion indication on video display A method whereby an actual image of a TV viewer as captured by a camera housed in the TV, or an emoticon selected by the processor of the TV through the use of facial recognition method, can be displayed on the viewer's display or a friend's display along with title of video, audio captured by a microphone also housed in the viewer's TV, and text inputted by the viewer.
US08421819B2	Pillarboxing correction A display control device used to govern non-content regions in a display space, and selectively determine data for display in the non-content regions is described. The display control device can identify the non-content regions, and determine types of data that can be filled in the non-content regions. Once determined, the fill data can be presented in the non-content regions concurrently with an image frame.
US08421813B2	Display device and method of controlling display device A display device includes a light modulating unit configured to modulate light based on a video signal, a light source configured to supply light to the light modulating unit, a detecting unit configured to detect a light amount of the light source, and a control unit configured to perform control for correcting the video signal based on the detected light amount so as to attain a color temperature and brightness that had already been set.
US08421809B2	Display control device A display control device for controlling a display panel includes a contents frame rate detector detecting a contents frame rate of an input image data and outputting a repetitive frame number dependent from a display frame rate of the display panel and the detected contents frame rate; a frame memory for storing a level data of a previous frame; and an emulated level generator in communication with the contents frame rate detector and the frame memory. An output level data to the display panel is generated according to the repetitive frame number from the contents frame rate detector, the previous level data from the frame memory and an input level data of the input image data.
US08421805B2	Smooth morphing between personal video calling avatars Dynamic animated avatars selectively morph to reveal or depict the user's identity while simultaneously emulating or tracking active movements associated with the user's verbal stream or perceived movements of the user. A user elects morphing to transition the rendered avatar to another, more revealing avatar, for example from a cartoon caricature to a posed photographic image. Animation processing identifies active movements derived from an input stream to compute animations of the mouth and profile based on speech, text, or captured video from the user. The computed animations appear as active movements to the currently rendered avatar, and emulate the user speaking or moving according to text, audio or video being transmitted. A user maintains an anonymous or posed identity with respect to the receiving party, and chooses to reveal a different avatar depicting a truer identity at the user's discretion, while continuing to display active movements paralleling the user's verbal activities.
US08421804B2	System and method of streaming 3-D wireframe animations Optimal resilience to errors in packetized streaming 3-D wireframe animation is achieved by partitioning the stream into layers and applying unequal error correction coding to each layer independently to maintain the same overall bitrate. The unequal error protection scheme for each of the layers combined with error concealment at the receiver achieves graceful degradation of streamed animation at higher packet loss rates than approaches that do not account for subjective parameters such as visual smoothness.
US08421802B2	Peak visualization enhancement display system for use with a compressed waveform display on a non-destructive inspection instrument A peak visualization enhancement system for use with a non-destructive inspection (NDI) instrument using a digital display which replicates the haloing effect of analog cathode ray tube (CRT) displays. A peak detection algorithm is provided which intelligently selects the peak values from within the uncompressed digitized waveform while taking measures to prevent noise spikes and the like from being identified as valid waveform peaks. The digital display then highlights the identified peaks, or a subset of the identified peaks, on the compressed waveform display. In this way the effect of bright spots (halos) about the zero slope points on a waveform displayed on an analog CRT is replicated in a digitally compressed waveform display.
US08421801B2	Ray tracing using ray-specific clipping Systems, methods, and computer readable media embodying such methods provide for allowing specification of per-ray clipping information that defines a sub-portion of a 3-D scene in which the ray should be traced. The clipping information can be specified as a clip distance from a ray origin, as an end value of a parametric ray definition, or alternatively the clipping information can be built into a definition of the ray to be traced. The clipping information can be used to check whether portions of an acceleration structure need to be traversed, as well as whether primitives should be tested for intersection. Other aspects include specifying a default object that can be returned as intersected when no primitive was intersected within the sub-portion defined for testing. Further aspects include allowing provision of flags interpretable by an intersection testing resource that control what the intersection testing resource does, and/or what information it reports after conclusion of testing of a ray.
US08421800B2	System and method for selectable display in object models A method for displaying objects in a CAD system, and corresponding CAD system and computer program product. The method includes loading a graphic model with a plurality of model elements including edges and faces in a CAD system and receiving a selection of a display technique to be used on the graphic model. The method also includes classifying each model element as important or unimportant. The method also includes hiding a first subset of the unimportant model elements according to the selected display technique and adjusting the transparency of a second subset of the unimportant model elements according to the selected display technique, so that the important model elements are clearly visible with relation to the unimportant model elements. The method can produce a simplified graphic model that is displayed by the CAD system.
US08421796B2	Visualization for multidimensional data The present invention provides a visualization method and apparatus for multidimensional data. According to an embodiment, there is provided a visualization method for multidimensional data including a plurality of parameters to be viewed which are related to a given object, including: displaying the plurality of parameters to be viewed which are related to a given object in different layers along a Z axis of a 3-D coordinate system, wherein each of the plurality of parameters is displayed in a 2-D plane; determining one of the 2-D planes as an interested plane; and in response to focusing on an object instance of the object by a user, linking and displaying locations of the object instance on other planes.
US08421795B2	Storage medium having image processing program stored thereon and image processing apparatus The game apparatus generates an image of a virtual space viewed from a virtual camera as a reference image. The game apparatus then calculates a blurring value indicative of a blurring degree of the image. The blurring value is calculated so as to become greater than a reference value in the case where a movement amount of the virtual camera is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount, and to become smaller than the reference value in the case where the movement amount of the virtual camera is smaller than the predetermine amount. The game apparatus blurs an image outside a predetermined area of the reference image such that the blurring degree increases in accordance with an increase of the blurring value. The predetermined area is determined, from among an image area of the reference image, so as to include a position of a focus point of the virtual camera. Accordingly, a blurred image is displayed on a display apparatus.
US08421794B2	Processor with adaptive multi-shader The disclosure describes an adaptive multi-shader within a processor that uses one or more high-precision arithmetic logic units (ALUs) and low-precision ALUs to process data based on the type of the data. Upon receiving a stream of data, the adaptive multi-shader first determines the type of the data. For example, the adaptive multi-shader may determine whether the data is suitable for high-precision processing or low-precision processing. The adaptive multi-shader then processes the data using the high-precision ALUs when the data is suitable for high-precision processing, and processes the data using the high-precision ALUs and the low-precision ALUs when the data is suitable for low-precision processing. The adaptive multi-shader may substantially reduce power consumption and silicon size of the processor by implementing the low-precision ALUs while maintaining the ability to process data using high-precision processing by implementing the high-precision ALUs.
US08421789B2	Mother substrate of organic light emitting display devices and method of aging the same A mother substrate of an organic light emitting display device capable of effectively aging a plurality of organic light emitting display panels by sheet unit without scribing the panels is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a substrate of an organic light emitting display device, including a plurality of organic light emitting display panels, a plurality of first wires configured to supply a pixel power source to the panels in a first direction, and a plurality of second wires configured to supply a reference power voltage to the panels in a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein voltage levels of the reference power voltage are set to different voltage levels relative to a position of panels on the substrate.
US08421783B2	Driving method of an electric circuit A variation in threshold may be suppressed by structuring an analog switch by a MOS transistor and forming a signal synchronized to a clock by making the clock which is a common signal in continuity or discontinuity. An object of the present invention is to reduce the variation in the signal synchronized to the clock by the variation in threshold of the MOS transistor in a circuit which is synchronized to the clock.
US08421780B2	Counter circuit, control signal generating circuit including the counter circuit, and display apparatus In a counter circuit of a control signal generating circuit, a selector circuit selects under control which is in accordance with a selector circuit control signal (CTR) a predetermined one in a signal VSYNC and a signal HSYNC, which are pulse signals, so as to input a pulse signal thus selected to a counter. The counter outputs a counted result of pulses of the inputted pulse signal. By use of the counted result, a VSYNC synchronization signal generating circuit or an HSYNC synchronization signal generating circuit generates a control signal to control the driving of image display.
US08421766B2	Visualized information conveying system A handheld communication device having a logic to transfer information from a first application to a second application by using a user interface which displays a screen shot of the information gathered at the first application, and the interface also displays a list of icons indicative of other applications that is capable of receiving such information and using such information. The logic is configured to transfer the information to the second application by a drag-and-drop motion on the interface page.
US08421763B2	Electronic device with anti-shock function An electronic device with anti-shock function includes a shell, a sensor, and a controller received in the shell and electrically coupled to the sensor. The sensor includes at least one pressure sensor to generate a position signal and at least one touch sensor to generate a touch signal. The controller defines the electronic device to be in a freefall state and enters into a protection mode when the controller does not receive the position signal and the touch signal.
US08421761B2	Imaging multi-modality touch pad interface systems, methods, articles of manufacture, and apparatus Certain examples provide systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods for medical device interface overlay. In an example, an article of manufacture includes an overlay for a clinical device touchscreen interface. The overlay includes a background surface formed to contact a touchscreen interface. The overlay also includes a plurality of touch areas formed in the background surface of the overlay device. Each of the plurality of touch areas is to provide a tactile boundary for a corresponding touchscreen interface function. The plurality of touch areas includes at least one of a plurality of openings and a plurality of recessed areas including a material thickness less than the material thickness of the background surface. The plurality of openings and the plurality of recessed areas allow user contact and interaction with the user interface underneath the overlay.
US08421759B2	Touch-sensing substrate, color filter substrate and touch-sensing liquid crystal display A color filter substrate including a substrate, a plurality of patterned color filter layers, and a plurality of sensing serials is provided. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The substrate includes a plurality of display regions arranged in array and a separated region located between the display regions. The patterned color filter layers are arranged in array on the first surface and corresponding to the display regions. The sensing serials are arranged on the second surface and insulated from each other. Each sensing serial includes a plurality of sensing pads; a plurality of bridging lines, each connected with two adjacent sensing pads; a plurality of patterned conductive layers stacked and electrically connected with the sensing pads. The position of the patterned conductive layers is corresponding to the separated region. A touch-sensing liquid crystal display and a touch-sensing substrate are also provided.
US08421758B2	Display panel and touch-sensitive display module A display panel is adapted to being combined with a touch-sensitive device and being electrically connected to a circuit board. The display panel includes a first body and a first connector. The first body has a display area, a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is opposite to the second surface and the display area is located on the first surface. The first connector is electrically connected to the first body and the first body is adapted to being electrically connected to the circuit board via the first connector. The first body is adapted to being electrically connected to the touch-sensitive device such that the touch-sensitive device is adapted to being electrically connected to the circuit board via the first body and the first connector. Furthermore, a touch-sensitive display module including a display panel and a touch-sensitive device is also provided.
US08421757B2	Touch sensor with a plurality of touch sensor sections A touch sensor includes: a first touch sensor section; a second touch sensor section disposed close to the first touch sensor; and a sensor detection section detecting whether a valid touch has been given to the first touch sensor section on the basis of an output of the second touch sensor section.
US08421756B2	Two-thumb qwerty keyboard A method performed by a device having a touch panel includes detecting a location of a primary touch on the device and detecting on the touch panel a set of near-touch coordinates associated with the primary touch. The method also includes identifying the approach orientation of the primary touch as one of a left-side touch or a right-side touch based on the location of the primary touch and the near-touch coordinates. The method further includes generating a command signal based on the location of the primary touch and the approach orientation of the primary touch and performing an action based on the command signal.
US08421755B2	Capacitive touch sensor with integral EL backlight A personal electronic device includes a programmable display and a programmable keypad, wherein at least one of the programmable display and the programmable keypad includes a capacitive touch sensor and an EL panel in a unitary structure. A conductive layer shields the capacitive touch sensor from the EL panel and can be a separate layer or be incorporated into either the capacitive sensor or the EL panel. The conductive layer includes antimony tin oxide (ATO), other conductive oxide, or a conductive polymer, such as Orgacon™ 3010.
US08421749B2	Electronic device with prompt function and prompt method thereof An electronic device with a prompt function includes a display unit, a storage unit, a trigger detecting unit, and a processing unit. The storage unit stores a to-do list recording at least one item and at least one trigger condition. Each of the at least one item is associated with one of the at least one trigger condition. The trigger detecting unit is configured to receive input. The processing unit is configured to compare information of the received input with the at least one trigger condition. If there is a match, the processing unit displays the item associated with the one of the at least one trigger condition on the display unit, and outputs predetermined prompt content. A related prompt method is also provided.
US08421747B2	Object detection and user settings Object detection and user setting techniques are described. In an implementation, an object placed on a surface of the client is detected by the client. A determination is made as to which of a plurality of users correspond to the detected object. One or more user settings are located that correspond to the determined user.
US08421746B2	Device control using multi-dimensional motion sensing and a wireless home entertainment hub A method of detecting missing devices in a home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub includes obtaining a registration of at least one device that includes a source device. An instruction is received from a user to present program content from the source device. A set of one or more sink devices missing from the home entertainment system for a presentation of the program content based on an assessment by the wireless home entertainment hub of presentation capabilities of the home entertainment system using the at least one device registered with the wireless home entertainment hub is determined. The set of one or more sink devices is presented to the user.
US08421742B2	Apparatus and method to improve quality of moving image displayed on liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device includes a panel having pixel electrodes arranged at intersections of a plurality of signal lines via switching elements for transmitting display data and a plurality of scanning lines for transmitting control signals, and a control circuit for controlling the panel. The liquid crystal panel is divided into first pixel regions and second pixel regions adjacent to the first pixel regions. The control circuit carries out impulse driving in which the control signals transmitted to each of the scanning lines are activated two times in one frame period for displaying an image. The control circuit writes the display data in either one of the pixel regions and writes reset data in the other pixel regions when the control signals are activated once of the two times. By writing the reset data in the pixel regions, the display data written in an immediately preceding frame are reset. In consecutive frames, the display data written in the pixel regions are always reset in one frame period. Therefore, blurring in a moving image can be alleviated. Since writing the display data and the reset data is carried out separately in the first pixel regions and in the second pixel regions, flicker is prevented from occurring in a display screen.
US08421738B2	Liquid crystal display and method of displaying image in the same The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a method of displaying images, and a liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal panel assembly including a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines crossing with the gate lines, and a plurality of pixels which are respectively connected to one of gate lines and one of the data lines; and a driver providing an image signal to the pixels. At least a portion of a non-display area of the liquid crystal panel assembly is cut and removed, and the driver displays black at a first display area in the vicinity of the removed non-display area. An area displaying images can be surrounded by black and thus image can be well-balancedly displayed without being biased in the whole screen so as to improve display quality.
US08421737B2	Scanning line driving circuit, display device, and scanning line driving method A scanning line driving circuit includes a first transistor having a source electrode connected to a power supply and a drain electrode to a scanning line and a second transistor having a source electrode connected to the scanning line and a drain electrode connected to a clock signal line. The conductivity type of the second transistor is identical to that of the first transistor. A bias can be supplied, so that the first and second transistors are caused to be in an off-state simultaneously.
US08421733B2	Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel, a timing controller which receives previous image data and current image data, the timing controller may correct the current image data according to a reference bit of conversion image data generated using the previous image data, and outputs a display image signal to the liquid crystal panel. The liquid crystal panel further includes a data driver which receives the display image signal and applies a data voltage corresponding to the display image signal to the liquid crystal panel.
US08421731B2	Liquid crystal display device with reduced power consumption in standby mode A data driver outputs image data to a liquid crystal panel, using a trailing edge of a timing signal as a trigger. When a user operates a remote control for power-off, a main controller outputs, to a driver controller, a stop signal for stopping the timing signal, and a power switching signal for switching the image data to a low power for output after a predetermined time from the stop signal. Accordingly, the image data is switched to a low power for standby mode after the supply of the timing signal to the data driver is completely stopped. Thus, when the data driver outputs image data to the panel in response to a last pulse of the timing signal, the data driver is prevented from outputting image data having been switched to a low power, so that noise can be prevented from appearing on the screen of the panel.
US08421730B2	LCD driving apparatus capable of self-adjusting drive force and method thereof The invention provides an LCD driving apparatus which can self-adjust its drive force for different LCD panels. The LCD driving apparatus comprising: a variable resistor coupled to a data line of an LCD panel for receiving an input voltage, and then outputting an output current to the data line of said LCD panel; a comparison unit coupled to the data line of the LCD panel for receiving a voltage of a display unit of the data line, and comparing the voltage with a predetermined voltage for generating a comparing result; and an adjustment unit for adjusting the variable resistor in accordance with the comparing result for changing the value of the output current.
US08421729B2	Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof A liquid crystal display for automatically adjusting a swing of a gamma reference voltage which is used for determining a gray scale level of a frame that is driven with a doubled frame frequency in real time is disclosed.In the liquid crystal display, a frequency converter doubles a frame frequency of an inputted frame to generate a doubled odd numbered frame and a doubled even numbered frame. A timing controller generates a gamma swing control signal which controls a swing of a gamma reference voltage which is used for determining gray scale levels of the doubled odd numbered frame and the doubled even numbered frame. And a gamma reference voltage generator generates first gamma reference voltages having a different level corresponding to a high gray scale and second gamma reference voltages having a different level corresponding to a low gray scale, and the gamma reference voltage generator inversely swings the first gamma reference voltages of high gray scale and the second gamma reference voltages of low gray scale in accordance with the gamma swing control signal for a driving period of the doubled odd numbered frame and inversely swings the first gamma reference voltages of high gray scale and the second gamma reference voltages of low gray scale in accordance with the gamma swing control signal for a driving period of the doubled even numbered frame.
US08421728B2	Liquid crystal display device, and method and circuit for driving for liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device includes a display section, an image signal drive circuit, a scan signal drive circuit, a common electrode potential control circuit, and a synchronous circuit. The display section has scan electrodes, image signal electrodes, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, a plurality of switching elements for transmitting an image signal to the pixel electrodes, and a common electrode. The common electrode potential control circuit changes an electric potential of the common electrode into a pulse shape, after the scan signal drive circuit has scanned all the scan electrodes and the image signal has been transmitted to the pixel electrodes. Otherwise, the image signal is overdriven. Otherwise, torque for returning to a no-voltage-application state is increased.
US08421726B2	Liquid crystal display device, active matrix substrate, and electronic device A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: an active matrix substrate; a counter substrate; and a liquid crystal layer (512) including light-diffusing liquid crystal that has (i) when no voltage is being applied thereto, a first display state in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned irregularly, and (ii) when a voltage is being applied, a second display state in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned regularly, the active matrix substrate having a first surface which is below a surface on which pixel electrodes (504) are provided, the first surface having a first region on which a gap between adjacent pixel electrodes (504) is projected, the first region having partial regions which orthogonally cross gate bus lines GL (501), source bus lines SL (502) being each provided in a second region at a location shifted from a corresponding one of the partial regions so that the source bus line SL (502) is covered by the adjacent pixel electrodes (504).
US08421723B2	Stereoscopic display apparatus In a stereoscopic display apparatus having optical directory elements (21) such as lenticular elements an overdrive voltage, e.g. obtained by introducing a resonant impedance (22) in one of the switching states, enhances switching speed between the 2D and the 3D state.
US08421721B2	Light emitting diode driving apparatus A light emitting diode (LED) driving apparatus is provided, which includes a power conversion circuit for receiving and converting an input power so as to generate a DC voltage to simultaneously drive a plurality of LED strings arranged in parallel; and a plurality of current regulation chips each having a single regulation channel and respectively corresponding to the LED strings, wherein an ith current regulation chip is only used for regulating a current flowing through an ith LED string, where i is a positive integer.
US08421719B2	Driving circuit for display device, and display device A driving circuit includes digital/current converting (DCC) circuits one for each data line. The DCC circuit charges a capacitor with a reference current according to a supplied signal from a shift register. The DCC circuit stores a current value of the reference current and outputs the current value to a data line via a switching element turned on by a digital image data signal of a single line supplied from a line latch. The output value of each DCC circuit is reset one after another in every select scan period in which an OFF signal is sent to all the data lines. Thus, the reset of the output value and the output of the image data signal can be successively carried out within one frame period, so the data applied to the pixel circuit with the DCC circuits one for each data line.
US08421718B2	Organic light emitting device An organic light emitting device is disclosed. The organic light emitting device includes a display unit including a plurality of subpixels, a host memory unit that stores image data received from the outside by the frame, a data adjusting unit that fetches the image data frames stored in the host memory unit by the bit and converts one frame into a plurality of subfields and one display memory unit that stores the image data frame converted into the plurality of subfields by the data adjusting unit. When the data adjusting unit converts the frame into the plurality of subfields, the data adjusting unit inserts a black time into at least one of the plurality of subfields.
US08421715B2	Display device, driving method thereof and electronic appliance A light emitting element has a property that a resistance value (internal resistance value) thereof changes according to the ambient temperature. Specifically, assuming that the room temperature is a normal temperature, when the ambient temperature becomes higher than the normal temperature, a resistance value is decreased, and when the ambient temperature becomes lower than the normal temperature, a resistance value is increased. Therefore, when the ambient temperature changes or degradation is caused with time due to the aforementioned property of the light emitting element, luminance varies. The invention provides a display device where an effect of current fluctuation of a light emitting element, which is caused by the change in ambient temperature and degradation with time, is suppressed. The display device comprises a monitoring element, to which a current is supplied from a current source. A voltage applied to the monitoring element is applied to a light emitting element.
US08421714B2	Plasma display device and method for driving plasma display panel A stable address discharge in a plasma display device is generated without increased voltage to cope with increase in the cumulative current-carrying time of a panel with high luminance. A cumulative time calculating circuit for calculating cumulative current-carrying time of the panel and a driving circuit for driving the panel. The driving circuit delivers collected power to the display electrode pairs and clamps each voltage of the display electrode pairs to power-supply voltage and base potential. A sustain period has a period, during which the voltage of the display electrode pairs is clamped to base potential, between the sustain pulse for generating the last sustain discharge in the sustain period and the immediately preceding sustain pulse. The length of the period is changed according to the cumulative current-carrying time calculated by the cumulative time calculating circuit.
US08421711B2	Polarization coupling cube-corner retro-reflectors A cube corner retro-reflector that includes three mutually perpendicular reflecting planes arranged in a pyramidal configuration, wherein at least one of the reflecting planes has a non-isotropic surface causing a polarization state of a ray exiting the cube corner retro-reflector to be orthogonal or substantively orthogonal to a polarization state of a ray entering the cube corner retro-reflector for all linear polarization orientations.
US08421710B2	Light source apparatus and head-up display apparatus incorporating the light source apparatus A light source apparatus emits light image information. A reflective layer is formed on a planarization film formed on a metal substrate. LED thin films are arranged in a matrix having columns extending in first directions and rows extending in second directions perpendicular to the first directions, the LED thin films being bonded to the reflective layer by means of intermolecular force. First wires are connected to first electrodes of the LED thin films. Second wires are connected to second electrodes of the LED thin films. A first driver circuit selectively electrically drives the LED thin films, arranged in the rows, via the plurality of first wires. A second driver circuit selectively electrically drives the LED thin films, arranged in the rows, via the plurality of second wires.
US08421708B2	Image display and organic light-emitting display including image shift unit An image display is disclosed. In one embodiment, the display includes a first display panel comprising i) a first image display portion configured to display a first image and ii) a light transmissive portion formed outside the first image display portion and configured to display a second image. The display further includes i) a second display panel spaced apart from the first display panel and configured to generate the second image and ii) an image shift unit configured to shift the generated second image toward the light transmissive portion of the first display panel so that the shifted second image is projected through the light transmissive portion.
US08421707B2	Portable electronic device A portable electronic device includes: a computing device body including a main housing, a computing device disposed in the main housing, a keyboard and a touch control display disposed on the main housing and connected electrically to the computing device; a display screen body including a display housing and a flat panel display disposed on the display housing and connected electrically to the computing device; and a two-dimensional hinge connecting pivotally the display housing to the main housing such that the display screen body is pivotable relative to the main housing. The computing device is configured to output image signals to the touch control display and the flat panel display, respectively, the image signals being generated based on user operation of at least one of the touch control display and the keyboard and being output simultaneously to the touch control display and the flat panel display.
US08421706B2	Metamaterial microwave lens A metamaterial microwave lens having an array of electronic inductive capacitive cells in which each cell has an electrically conductive pattern which corresponds to incident electromagnetic radiation as a resonator. At least one cell has a first and second electrical sections insulated from each other and each which section has at least two legs. A static capacitor is electrically connected between one leg of the first section of the cell and one leg of the second section of the cell. A MEMS device is electrically disposed between the other legs of the first and second sections of the cell. The MEMS device is movable between at least two positions in response to an electrical bias between the first and second sections of the cell to vary the index of refraction and resonant frequency of the cell.
US08421704B2	Antenna system and method A radiator coupled to an antenna patch disposed along a first end of the radiator, said patch disposed on an insulator. A ground plane is connected to the insulator and a radome is disposed opposite a second end of the radiator. The radome may have a region presenting a convex surface towards the radiator, and the radome has a second region presenting a concave surface towards the radiator. The first end of the conical radiator is the apex of the cone. A ground plane is included and a portion of the ground plane is a planar surface and another portion extends away from the planar portion towards the radome. Also disclosed is a method for forming a radiation pattern by shaping the radome to effectuate a predetermined radiation pattern using localized convex and concave surfaces positioned on the radome at different points in relation to the conical radiator.
US08421703B2	Apparatus for enabling two elements to share a common feed An apparatus including a first antenna element operable at least one frequency within a first frequency range; a second antenna element operable at at least one frequency within a second frequency range; radio frequency circuitry electrically connected to the first antenna element via a first electrical path and electrically connected to the second antenna element via a second electrical path, wherein the first and second electrical paths are common where they connect to the radio frequency circuitry; a first frequency-dependent filter arrangement, within the first electrical path, arranged to accept frequencies within the first frequency range and reject frequencies within the second frequency range; a first impedance level transformation arrangement, having a first tapped inductor, within the first electrical path; and a second frequency-dependent filter arrangement, within the second electrical path, arranged to accept frequencies within the second frequency range and reject frequencies within the first frequency range.
US08421701B2	Omnidirectional antenna radiation element An antenna element for use in an antenna assembly is provided. The antenna element includes a cylindrical tube. The antenna element also includes a plurality of fingers, each finger having a first end that is connected to the cylindrical tube and a second end that is free. Each finger protrudes inward from a wall of the cylindrical tube. The free end of each finger has an aperture configured to allow the finger to be soldered to a pipe disposed through a generally circular opening. An antenna assembly having at least one antenna element is also provided.
US08421697B2	Antenna device and radar apparatus This disclosure provides an antenna device, which includes a waveguide having a rectangular cross-section and formed with a plurality of slots in at least one side face thereof. The plurality of slots are arranged in a tube axis direction. At least one of the plurality of slots is formed with a predetermined inclination angle from a plane perpendicular to a tube axis direction of the waveguide.
US08421695B2	Multi-frequency, noise optimized active antenna A multi-frequency, noise optimized active antenna consisting of one or several actively tuned antennas optimized over incremental bandwidths and capable of tuning over a large total bandwidth. One or multiple impedance transformers are connected to the antennas at an optimal location, with the transformers acting to reduce the impedance for optimal coupling to a transceiver/receiver. Active components can be incorporated into the antenna structures to provide yet additional extension of the bandwidth along with increased optimization of antenna performance over the frequency range of the antenna. The radiating elements can be co-located with a ferrite material and/or active components coupled to the element to tune across a wide frequency range.
US08421691B2	Vehicular glass antenna A vehicular glass antenna is provided. The antenna includes an AM broadcast wave receiving antenna having a plurality of horizontal strips and at least two vertical strips with an AM feed point between the vertical strips on the uppermost horizontal strip or through a line extending from the uppermost horizontal strip, and two FM broadcast wave receiving antennas extending from two FM feed points provided above uppermost horizontal strip of the AM antenna along a part of an outermost portion of the AM broadcast wave receiving antenna. The FM antennas extend in opposite clockwise and counterclockwise directions. The FM antennas have a substantially U-shape surrounding the ends of the AM antenna horizontal strips on their respective sides, and include a second horizontal strip adjacent to the horizontal strips of the AM antenna to achieve capacitive coupling.
US08421688B2	Solid antenna with upper-lower structure A solid antenna configured above a substrate includes a short portion, a feeding portion and a radiating portion including four radiators connected one-by-one. A first radiator includes a first upper section on a first plane, a first lower section on a second plane, and a first connection section connecting the first upper section to the first lower section. The second radiator includes a second upper section on the first plane, and a second connection portion connecting the second upper section to the first lower section. The third radiator includes a third upper section and a fourth upper section on the first plane, a second lower section on the second plane, a third connection section connecting the third upper section to the second lower section, and a fourth connection section connecting the second lower section to the fourth upper section. The fourth radiator extends towards the substrate.
US08421686B2	Radio-frequency system in package including antenna A system comprising at least one antenna and a circuit, wherein the circuit is at least in part not a semiconductor chip or a die. The at least one antenna and the circuit are arranged on a package. Alternatively described is a system comprising at least one antenna and at least one circuit, wherein the at least one antenna and the at least one circuit are arranged on a package, wherein the at least one circuit performs a radio-frequency and optionally a base-band and/or a digital functionality.
US08421684B2	Methods and apparatus for beam steering using steerable beam antennas with switched parasitic elements An antenna is described. The antenna includes a planar circular structure. The antenna also includes a radiating element located at the center of the planar circular structure. The antenna further includes one or more parasitic elements located on a contour around the radiating element. The parasitic elements are aligned in parallel direction with the radiating element. The parasitic elements protrude from the planar circular structure. The antenna includes switches separating each of the one or more parasitic elements from ground. A switch in a first position creates a short between a parasitic element and ground. A switch in a second position creates an open circuit between the parasitic element and ground.
US08421682B2	Apparatus, methods and computer programs for wireless communication An apparatus including a cover defining an exterior surface of the apparatus and including a first conductive cover portion; an antenna, connected to a feed point and configured to operate in at least a first resonant frequency band; a first conductive member; a second conductive member; and wherein the first and second conductive members are configured to couple with the first conductive cover portion, the combination of the first and second conductive members and the first conductive cover portion are operable in a second resonant frequency band, different to the first resonant frequency band and are configured to be contactlessly fed by the antenna.
US08421671B2	Alternate radio transmitter and method for operating the same An alternate radio transmitter includes a processor, a modulator, a PLL unit and a radio transmission unit. The processor provides a digital signal. The modulator modulates the digital signal, thus providing at least two modulated signals. The PLL unit mixes the modulated signals, thus providing an output signal. The radio transmission unit transmits the output signal.
US08421668B2	Sub-millimeter wave RF and ultrasonic concealed object detection and identification Active and passive sub-millimeter wave RF and ultrasonic systems can be used to detect a concealed object, such as an object concealed under the clothing of a subject, and identify material properties of the object. A concealed object detection system can include an antenna configured to receive an RF signal in the sub-millimeter wave range, the RF signal having been emitted by an object, a detector configured to convert the RF signal into an electrical signal, a signal integrator configured to integrate the electrical signal and provide an integrated signal over an observation period and a processor configured to extract object information from the integrated signal. An object indication device provides an indication of a detected object and material properties of the detected object based on the extracted object information. The extracted object information can include object image data and object material identification data.
US08421665B2	A/D conversion circuit including a pulse transit circuit An A/D conversion circuit includes: a pulse transit circuit into which either a power supply or current source and also a pulse signal is input, and through which the pulse signal transits; a transit position detection section that detects a transit position of the pulse signal within the pulse transit circuit, and outputs data in accordance with the transit position; and a digital data creation section that, based on the data output by the transit position detection section, creates digital data that corresponds to the size of the power supply or current source. The pulse transit circuit is formed by a plurality of inverter circuits that are joined together in series, and the plurality of inverter circuits are formed by identical logical elements in which delay times between input signals and output signals change in accordance with the size of the power supply or current source. In the pulse transit circuit, a start-up signal that causes the transiting of the pulse signal to commence is input into one of the plurality of inverter circuits, and the transit position detection section detects the transit position of the pulse signal within the pulse transit circuit based on the output signals from each one of the plurality of inverter circuits.
US08421664B2	Analog-to-digital converter An analog-to-digital converter includes: a first latch row corresponding to a first stage; a second latch row corresponding to a second stage; and a digital processor for encoding output signals of the second latch row and generating a digital signal. The first latch row includes a plurality of first latches that receive an analog input signal and reference voltages and operate in synchronization with a first clock signal, and the second latch row includes: a plurality of second latches that receive outputs signals of the plurality of first latches and operate in synchronization with a second clock signal delayed from the first reference clock; and a plurality of third latches that receive output signals of two neighboring latches of the plurality of first latches and operate in synchronization with the second clock signal by means of an interpolation technique.
US08421661B1	Noise-shaping time to digital converter (TDC) using delta-sigma modulation method The present invention relates to a time digital converter, and more particularly, to a noise-shaping time to digital converter (TDC) that has a 1-bit output and uses a delta-sigma modulation method. The noise-shaping time to digital converter (TDC) that has the 1-bit output and uses the delta-sigma modulation method in accordance with the present invention eliminates the need for a large number of D flip-flops or counters and a plurality of delay units connected in series to one another because the time to digital converter is fabricated such that a delay element has a resolution of the effective delay time in a semiconductor process, unlike the conventional time to digital converter. Therefore, the time to digital converter of the present invention has an advantage in that an extremely high resolution and high linearity can be achieved with an efficient circuit configuration and low power consumption.
US08421656B2	Time-interleaved analog-to-digital conversion circuit having polyphase correction filter Time-interleaved analog-to-digital (AD) conversion circuit, which includes first and second AD converters that generate first and second digital signal sequences by converting an analog input signal into first and second digital signals with a first frequency at first and second timings mutually different with each other is disclosed. The AD conversion circuit further includes a FIFO that receives the first and second digital signal sequences, and a correction filter including first and second portions that are supplied with a common clock signal. The correction filter generates a first corrected digital signal sequence by adding the first synchronized digital signal sequence and the second synchronized digital signal sequence passed through the first portion of the correction filter, and a second corrected digital signal sequence by passing the second synchronized digital signal sequence through the second portion of the correction filter.
US08421655B2	Apparatus for parallel entropy encoding and decoding An entropy encoder block for use in a context adaptive encoder and an entropy decoder block for use in a context adaptive decoder are provided.
US08421650B2	Wheel guide rail, car wash system and method for centrally positioning a vehicle The invention relates to a wheel guide rail (9; 10; 13; 14) for a car wash system for laterally delimiting a travel range (4) of a vehicle to be treated in the car wash system and a car wash system comprising treatment devices (1, 1′, 3, 3′) that can travel along a direction of travel (F) for a vehicle to be treated, a pair of wheel guide rails (10, 10′) disposed at the wash system floor (B) between the treatment devices (1, 1′, 3, 3′) and running in the direction of travel (F) and at a distance from one another perpendicular to the direction of travel (F), said guide rails delimiting a lateral travel range (4) for the vehicle. The object of facilitating a safe and damage-free treatment and cleaning of vehicles is met by the invention by a wheel guide rail, wherein at least one distance sensor (9f; 11; 13f; 14f) is provided in the guide rail (9; 10; 13; 14) for measuring the distance from the guide rail (9; 10; 13; 14) to an outside of the wheel and/or side of the vehicle, a car wash system comprising such wheel guide rails and a method for centrally positioning a vehicle within a vehicle range (4) of a car wash system.
US08421649B2	Aircraft attitude systems Aircraft attitude systems are provided, in which a representative system includes: an instrument face having a bank angle scale, a bank status indicator, a pitch angle scale and a pitch status indicator; the bank angle scale being fixed in position relative to the instrument face and being operative to present increments of bank angle of an aircraft; the bank status indicator being operative to move relative to the bank angle scale such that a current aircraft bank angle is indicated; the pitch angle scale being fixed in a vertical orientation relative to the instrument face and being operative to present increments of pitch angle of an aircraft; the pitch status indicator being operative to move relative to the pitch angle scale such that a current aircraft pitch angle is indicated.
US08421647B2	Use of one LED to represent various utility rates and system status by varying frequency and/or duty cycle of LED A demand supply management system for an appliance receives information related to cost of energy use and communicates data to the associated appliance in response thereto. A single chip, light emitting diode (LED) device is preferably associated with a module or portion of the home appliance. The LED device conveys information relating to at least two of cost of energy use, signal strength, and module status. The LED device is preferably a single chip, single color solid-state LED device that is selectively actuated between “illuminated” and “non-illuminated” states, steady on, slow flash, fast flash, varying duration, intermittent “illuminated” and “non-illuminated”, etc. to convey information to the user.
US08421642B1	System and method for sensorized user interface A system and method for is provided for operation of an orthopedic system. The system includes a load sensor for converting an applied pressure associated with a force load on an anatomical joint, and an ultrasonic device for creating a low-power short-range ultrasonic sensing field within proximity of the load sensing unit for assessing alignment. The system can adjust a strength and range of the ultrasonic sensing field according to position. It can report audible and visual information associated with the force load and alignment. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08421638B2	Method for reminding of battery power level The present invention discloses a method for reminding of a battery power level, which generates a grading instruction according to the battery power level of an electronic device, and which controls the electronic device to present an obvious reminder corresponding to the grading instruction. The present invention uses a progressively intensified visual reminder to stepwise semi-compel the user to notice the insufficiency of the battery power and respond to the reminding. Thereby, the present invention can guarantee that the user indeed knows the status of the residual electric energy of the battery.
US08421636B2	Patient monitoring system A patient monitoring system according to one embodiment includes a real-time wetness sensor configured to detect the rate of change in wetness occurring within an associated diaper, and automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor to account for a wetness event unrelated to urination. A monitoring unit may be utilized in such a manner that the monitoring system controller-monitors the wetness sensor and generates data associated with detected-wetness events relative to the diaper. A wireless transmitter configured with the monitoring unit and in communication with the monitoring system controller may be further utilized to send the generated data, through a host computer, to a caregiver unit having a caregiver system controller in communication with the host computer. The caregiver can then check the status of the patient, provide a service, and annotate the patients history by transmitting the recorded observation and service provided back to the base station.
US08421632B2	Plastic cap with IC tag and method of attaching IC tag to the cap A plastic cap with IC tag storing product information provided on the upper surface of a top plate. The top plate is formed by an annular flange and a recessed portion 37, the recessed portion, including a side wall continuous to the inner circumferential edge of the annular flange and a bottom continuous to the lower end of the side wall. The tag 10 is attached to the annular flange to cover the recessed portion. A gap between the tag and the bottom is maintained to such a degree that the transmission and reception of signals to and from the tag are not interrupted when the back surface of the bottom comes in contact with water.
US08421631B2	Radio frequency signal acquisition and source location system A radio frequency signal acquisition and source location system, including a first signal acquisition and source location module comprising an RF transceiver coupled to an antenna, the antenna provided with a electronic steering circuit. The antenna operative to launch an interrogation signal, the interrogation signal steerable by an electronic steering circuit. A processor operatively coupled to the RF transceiver and the electronic steering circuit, the processor provided with a data storage for storing a signal data record for each of at least one response signal(s) received by the RF transceiver(s). The signal data record including a signal identification, a received signal strength indicator and an RF signal direction along which respective signal(s) are received by the antenna, the RF signal direction derived from the electronic steering circuit. A position logic operative upon the data record(s) deriving a three dimensional signal origin location of each response signal.
US08421630B2	Coordinated storage system in a multiple radio frequency network node RFID tag In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tag that contains multiple Radio Frequency (RF) network nodes that provide enhanced memory capabilities, redundant functionality, and multiple frequency capabilities to the RFID tag using an inter-RF network node communication connection. The inter-RF network node communication may allow the coordination of RFID tag memory and functionality.
US08421629B2	System for power control and memory access of hybrid RFID tags A system for monitoring parameters associated with a device, such as current, voltage, power, temperature, energy consumed, moisture, fluid levels and flow, wind speed, identification parameters, and repair history. The system includes the use of hybrid RFID sensor tags including a combination of active, semi-passive, and passive RFID circuits. Hybrid tags are attached to electrical system components. Standalone electrical components and generators and those connected to the electrical grid may be monitored. Data collected and stored in the hybrid tags may be accessed via a wireless communication link between hybrid tags and either active scanners or a passive interrogators. The data collected and processed from the hybrid tags may be provided to a user via the Internet or another wired or wireless communication network.
US08421625B2	System and method for article authentication using thumbnail signatures A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles.
US08421622B2	Monitoring system for moving object A monitoring system for a moving object including a leaking transmission device having a first and second leaking transmission paths extending substantially in parallel to each other, first equipment for transmitting a first transmission signal from one end side of both the ends of the leaking transmission device as a transmission medium to the other end side, second equipment for transmitting a second transmission signal from the other end side of both the ends of the leaking transmission device as the transmission medium to the one end side, and a detector for detecting a two-dimensional movement of a moving object as a monitoring target on the basis of a difference between variations of first and second reception signals based on the respective reflection waves of the first and second transmission signals from the moving object.
US08421618B2	Apparatus and method for determining location and tracking coordinates of a tracking device A device and method to monitor location coordinates of an electronic tracking device are disclosed here. The device includes transceiver circuitry to receive at least one portion of a receive communication signal comprising location coordinates information; accelerometer circuitry to measure displacements of the portable electronic tracking device; a battery power monitor configured to selectively activate and deactivate at least one portion of the transceiver circuitry and location tracking circuitry; and processor circuitry configured to process the at least one portion of the receive communication signal. The method includes receiving at transceiver circuitry of a portable electronic tracking device at least one portion of a receive communication signal comprising location coordinates information; measuring displacements of the portable electronic tracking device; activating and deactivating at least one portion of the transceiver circuitry and location tracking circuitry; and processing the at least one portion of the receive communication signal using processor circuitry.
US08421615B2	Method and system for locating sensor node in sensor network using transmit power control A method and apparatus for a sensor network having a plurality of reference nodes and a sensor node that enables the sensor node to compute a relative position through transmission range control and position mapping. In transmission range control, each reference node sends location information signals to the sensor node while varying transmission power. In position mapping, the sensor node forms a grid of vertical and horizontal lines corresponding to a square area defined by the neighboring reference nodes, extracts coordinates of intersections in the grid belonging to a shared region between areas covered by location information signals of various transmit power levels from the neighboring reference nodes, and sets the position of the sensor node to the middle points of the extracted coordinates. Each reference node sends a location information signal when a random backoff time expires after reception of a location information request signal.
US08421611B1	Trailer axle adjustment sensor and indication system and method A portable sensor and indication system and method for sensing the position of a trailer body relative to an axle frame and providing an alert signal to an operator when the locking pins on the trailer body and the holes on the axle frame rails are aligned. Once the alert signal is provided, the locking pins may be engaged to lock the trailer body to the axle frame.
US08421609B2	Haptic feedback device and electronic device having the same There is provided a haptic feedback device and an electronic device having the same. The haptic feedback device includes a display panel receiving contact pressure applied thereto; an actuator generating vibrations so as to give different types of haptic feedback according to a change in the contact pressure applied to the display panel; a support plate supporting the actuator; a bonding portion provided between an end portion of the actuator in a lengthwise direction thereof and the support plate so as to fix the actuator to the support plate; and a vibration space expanding portion formed to be recessed in a portion of the support plate corresponding to the actuator.
US08421607B2	Personal alert device A personal alert device for use with a wireless communications device is provided. In at least one embodiment, the personal includes: a housing configured for discreet, inconspicuous use by a wearer; a vibrator mechanism disposed within the housing; a processor disposed within the housing, the processor configured to pair uniquely and wirelessly communicate with a mobile communications device within a defined distance to the mobile communications device, operative to receive a mobile communications signal from the mobile communications device, and further configured to activate the vibrator mechanism to alert the wearer discreetly to the presence of the mobile communications signal; and a power source disposed within the housing. In at least one embodiment, the personal alert device is a fashion accessory article that is worn under an item of apparel and directly adjacent to the body of the wearer to remain unseen.
US08421605B2	Remote monitoring Remote monitoring and inspection of measurement devices, emergency equipment, parking spaces, and other items is accomplished by using an image sensor (e.g., a CMOS sensor) to capture an image containing information about the monitored item. A signal containing information about the image (e.g., data representing the captured image or data indicating the state of the captured image) is transmitted to a remote central station.
US08421604B2	Method and apparatus for identifying read zone of RFID reader An apparatus and method for identifying the read zone of an RFID reader. The apparatus includes a supporting sheet, a reader-position mark on the supporting sheet to indicate a recommended location to position an RFID reader, and a zone-boundary mark on the supporting sheet to indicate a read zone of the RFID reader with a predetermined field strength.
US08421603B2	Electronic apparatus and method and program of controlling electronic apparatus An electronic apparatus is designed so that a change in state of the operation key leads to a predetermined processing operation. In the electronic apparatus, a first detector detects operation keys being touched among a plurality of operation keys. A second detector detects an operation key being subjected to an operation of changing the state thereof among the operation keys. A device of notification signal generation generates a notification signal for providing the user with an explanation about processing corresponding to the operation key currently touched based on a detection result of the first detector. A first control device brings a hardware module and/or a software module, which corresponds to the operation key subjected to the change of the state thereof to an operation of changing a state is performed, into an execution state. The operation keys may be formed on a remote control transmitter.
US08421594B2	Tag-based personalization Embodiments of methods and apparatus for tag-based personalization of kiosk computing devices are disclosed. In embodiments, an authentication server/system may receive, from a mobile device, a plurality data packets having data associated with a display tag of a kiosk computing device. The authentication system/server may, in response, instruct the kiosk to activate an account-specific mode based on an account associated with the mobile device. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US08421591B2	Method and system of conditionally operating a movable barrier A method and system provides conditional allowance of access by operating a movable barrier such that access is not granted unless another condition is met. In one illustrative approach, a first signal is received and, if a second signal is received within a set time frame relative to receipt of the second signal, a movable barrier operator is then activated. By one approach, one of the signals is a long-range transmission, and the other signal is a visual-range transmission.
US08421590B2	Remote control method and system, vehicle with remote controllable function, and control server A remote control method for remotely controlling the operation of equipment furnished in a vehicle in response to a remote control request generated by a remote controller is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) acquiring vehicle status information from the vehicle; (b) determining whether to operate particular vehicle equipment designated by the remote control request based on the vehicle status information; and (c) regulating the remote control request based on the determination result representing acceptability of remote-control operation of the requested vehicle equipment.
US08421589B2	Dual purpose wireless device, wherein vehicle controls depend on device location A communications system utilizing a portable communications device for controlling functions in a vehicle includes a first display for controlling vehicle operating functions and a first transceiver connected to the first display device. A multifunctional control switch is connected to the first display device, while a second transceiver is used for communicating with either the first transceiver or a remote keyless entry (RKE) receiver depending upon whether the second transceiver is located inside or outside the vehicle. The second transceiver operates to configure operational parameters of the display device when those controls have not been readily integrated into the vehicle center stack.
US08421580B2	Thermal protector A self-holding type thermal protector, wherein a movable contact of a movable plate rises and separates from a fixed contact when a bimetal of the thermal protector inversely warps at a predetermined temperature, an electric current between the contacts, namely, an electric current between a movable contact side terminal and a fixed contact side terminal is disrupted, and the disrupted current flows into the polymer PTC, which is then made to produce heat and is thermally expanded to increase a resistance value. A second terminal member on a side opposite to a first terminal member where the polymer PTC is positioned and fixed forms a bowing part, and a gap is formed between an upper inner wall of a housing and the second terminal member.
US08421578B2	Magnetic device and method for generating inductance A magnetic device includes two symmetric magnetic cores, each of which includes a base, a first protruding portion and second protruding portions. The first protruding portion and the second protruding portions are formed on the base separately along two edges of the base. The two symmetric magnetic cores are assembled such that a gap is formed between the first protruding portion of one of the two symmetric magnetic cores and the first protruding portion of the other one of the two symmetric magnetic cores. A method for generating inductance is also disclosed herein.
US08421576B2	Electronic component and manufacturing method of the same An electronic component and manufacturing method are provided that allow an increase in a size of a circuit element included therein and suppression of a short-circuit-preventing insulator film from easily peeling off from a laminated body. The laminated body includes a plurality of insulator layers laminated on one another. The laminated body has an upper face and a lower face opposing each other in a z-axis direction and lateral faces connecting the upper face to the lower face. The insulator film is provided on the lateral faces. A circuit element such as a coil is included in the laminated body and has a part protruding from the lateral faces of the laminated body toward the insulator film.
US08421575B1	Multi-layered circuit structure A multi-layered structure is disclosed for implementing an inductor. A first spiral inductor is situated on a first substrate layer, and one or more additional spiral inductors are situated on one or more additional substrate layers. The substrate layers are positioned such that they are substantially in parallel with each other and the spiral inductors on the various layers are aligned with each other. The spiral inductors are electrically coupled to each other by coupling structures to enable them to act as a single overall inductor. Such an overall inductor exhibits improved characteristics, such as a higher Q factor. Other components may be incorporated with and coupled to the overall inductor; thus, this multi-layered structure may be used to construct almost any circuit in which an inductor is implemented.
US08421574B2	Contactless power transmission apparatus and a method of manufacturing a secondary side thereof According to a first aspect, a secondary side of contactless power transmission apparatus includes: a holding member which is physically separated from a primary side; a magnetic layer; a shield layer for shielding electromagnetic noise; and a heat insulation layer. The secondary coil is a planar coil and supported by the holding member, and at least the magnetic layer is laminated on one side of the planar coil and unified with the planar coil. According to a second aspect, the secondary side of the apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic layers. Each permeability of the magnetic layers is different from each other, and each of the magnetic layers forms a magnetic path with the primary side.
US08421572B2	Bobbin and transformer comprising the same A bobbin used in a transformer is disclosed. The bobbin includes a main body, two side walls, two wire collecting bases and at least one extension wire collecting base. The main body has a tunnel. The two side walls are disposed on the two ends of the main body, respectively. The tunnel passes through the two ends of the main body and the two side walls. The two wire collecting bases are disposed on the two side walls respectively or on one of the two side walls. Each wire collecting base has at least one wire collecting part. The extension wire collecting base has at least one extension wire collecting part. The extension wire collecting base can couple with the wire collecting base.
US08421569B1	Magnetic field generator for measuring immunity of electronic devices to electromagnetic fields A magnetic field generator includes a holding unit, an induction winding, and an operation unit. The induction winding is slidably and rotatably mounted on the holding unit. The operation unit is electrically connected to the induction winding, and positioned in a predetermined distance away from the induction winding. The operation unit provides current to the induction winding, and the induction winding generates magnetic field in response to receiving the current from the operation unit.
US08421563B2	Arrangement of stringed solenoid drives The invention relates to an arrangement of stringed solenoid drives (1, 2, 3), particularly for solenoid valves, wherein each solenoid drive comprises a magnetic circuit with a yoke (4), moveable armature (5), and an excitation coil (6) arranged on the yoke. The magnetic circuits of neighboring solenoid drives have pre-magnetization with the same polarity and at least approximately the same strength. Due to the pre-magnetization, the magnetic potential difference between neighboring magnetic circuits is reduced. The pre-magnetization is thus carried out with the same polarity as the excitation by current flow in the excitation coil.
US08421560B2	Boundary acoustic wave resonator and ladder filter In a boundary acoustic wave resonator, apodization weighting is performed on an IDT electrode so that an intersecting width decreases as a location moves outward in a boundary acoustic wave propagation direction. An inner side of a first busbar includes inclined portions that are disposed a predetermined distance from an envelope portion B1 on the side of the first busbar. An inner side of a second busbar includes inclined portions that are disposed a predetermined distance from an envelope portion on the side of second busbar. The sum of the numbers of electrode fingers and dummy electrodes that a straight line extending from the end of at least one of electrode fingers in the boundary acoustic wave propagation direction crosses before reaching the side of the first busbar or the side of the second busbar is equal to or greater than 5.
US08421558B2	Boundary acoustic wave device having an interdigital transducer electrode in a groove A boundary acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate having an upper surface in which grooves are provided, IDT electrodes which are at least partially embedded in the grooves in the upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate in a thickness direction of the IDT electrodes, and first and second dielectric layers stacked on the upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The second dielectric layer has an acoustic velocity greater than that of the first dielectric layer.
US08421557B2	Chip-type solid electrolytic capacitor and chip-type filter A solid electrolytic capacitor is formed by stacking flat solid electrolytic capacitor elements. Negative electrode sections of a part of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements and negative electrode sections of the remaining part of the solid electrolytic capacitor elements are led out so as to be faced to each other, and are connected to the first and second negative electrode lead frames which are independent to each other, respectively. Two of negative electrode sections are insulated from each other in the solid electrolytic capacitor.
US08421553B2	Directional coupler The disclosure provides a directional coupler having favorable characteristics even when a parasite inductance is present on a coupling line. The directional coupler includes resistive elements between at least either a signal input port and a coupling port or between a signal output port and an isolation port. The resistive elements can reduce the output from the ISO port and improve directivity.
US08421551B2	Multilayer microstripline transmission line transition A microstripline transmission line arrangement carries a signal having a fundamental frequency. The arrangement includes a first microstripline transmission line, a second microstripline transmission line, and a coaxial electrically conductive conduit interconnecting the first transmission line and the second transmission line. The conduit includes a signal conductor and an electrically grounded shield substantially surrounding the signal conductor. The conductor and the shield are positioned relative to each other to thereby comprise a means for lowpass filtering the signal. A cutoff frequency of the lowpass filtering is less than a third harmonic of the fundamental frequency.
US08421548B2	Methods for tuning an adaptive impedance matching network with a look-up table Methods for generating a look-up table relating a plurality of complex reflection coefficients to a plurality of matched states for a tunable matching network. Typical steps include measuring a plurality of complex reflection coefficients resulting from a plurality of impedance loads while the tunable matching network is in a predetermined state, determining a plurality of matched states for the plurality of impedance loads, with a matched state determined for each of the plurality of impedance loads and providing the determined matched states as a look-up table. A further step is interpolating the measured complex reflection coefficients and the determined matching states into a set of complex reflection coefficients with predetermined step sizes.
US08421547B2	System and method for retaining a desired return loss when dynamically varying a number of active paths When dynamically varying a number of active paths in a system, a desired return loss is maintained. Certain embodiments enable dynamic varying of the impedance of parallel signal paths in a system responsive to the number of active ones of the parallel paths dynamically changing, in order to maintain a relatively constant impedance match between a source and the combination of parallel paths, thereby retaining a desired return loss.
US08421542B2	Method and apparatus for drift compensation in PLL Aspects of the disclosure provide a phase-locked loop (PLL). The PLL includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a detector module, and a ramp module. The VCO has a first capacitor unit and a second capacitor unit. The VCO is configured to generate an oscillating signal having a frequency based on a first capacitance of the first capacitor unit and a second capacitance of the second capacitor unit. The detector module is configured to generate a voltage signal as a function of the oscillating signal and a reference signal. The voltage signal is used to control the first capacitor unit to stabilize the frequency of the oscillating signal. The ramp module is configured to generate a ramp signal based on the voltage signal. The ramp signal is used to control the second capacitor unit to ramp the second capacitance from a first value to a second value.
US08421538B2	Feedback amplifier Provided is a feedback amplifier including: an amplification circuit unit to generate an output voltage by amplifying an input voltage inputted through an input terminal; an output circuit unit to output the generated output voltage through an output terminal; a feedback circuit unit to control the gain of the amplification circuit unit by determining a total feedback resistance value using an external control signal and controlling an input current while the total feedback resistance value is determined; and a bias circuit unit to apply a bias voltage to the feedback circuit unit.
US08421536B2	Apparatus and methods for electronic amplification Apparatus and methods for electronic amplification are provided. In one embodiment, a method amplifying a differential input voltage signal using a first NMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor is provided. The method includes controlling a drain-source voltage of the first NMOS transistor using a first high voltage NMOS transistor and a first high voltage PMOS transistor. The first high voltage NMOS and PMOS transistors are electrically connected in parallel and to a drain of the first NMOS transistor. The method further includes controlling a drain-source voltage of the second NMOS transistor using a second high voltage NMOS transistor and a second high voltage PMOS transistor. The second high voltage NMOS and PMOS transistors are electrically connected in parallel and to a drain of the second NMOS transistor.
US08421532B2	Metamaterial power amplifier systems Power amplifying systems and modules and components therein are designed based on CRLH structures, providing high efficiency and linearity.
US08421529B2	Method and apparatus for reducing interference A method and apparatus is provided for reducing interference in circuits. A management strategy is provided to reduce reference spurs and interference in circuits. The management strategy uses a combination of one or more techniques which reduce the digital current, minimize mutual inductance, utilize field cancellation, prevent leakage current, and/or manage impedance. These techniques may be used alone, or preferably, used on combination with one another.
US08421523B2	Voltage supply circuit and integrated circuit including the same A voltage supply circuit includes a pump voltage generator for generating an input voltage by changing a power source voltage to a desired level and changing a level of the input voltage according to a rising time of an operating voltage.
US08421520B2	Electric fuse circuit and method of operating the same A fuse circuit includes an electric fuse coupled to a first voltage source; a low resistance unit coupled to the electric fuse and having a junction which is capable of breaking down; and a switching unit coupled between the low resistance unit and a second voltage source.
US08421519B2	Switched charge storage element network A switched charge storage element integrator in a continuous or discrete time circuit, the integrator including a differential input amplifier, a first 2-terminal charge storage element, a second 2-terminal charge storage element, and a plurality of controlled switches. The differential input amplifier is coupled to a capacitor and a resistor and configured as an inverting integrator. An inverting terminal of the amplifier is coupled to two controlled switches. A non-inverting terminal of the amplifier is coupled to a reference voltage. The first and second switched charge storage element blocks are alternatingly coupled to the inverting terminal INM of the amplifier XOPA during the active state of a second clock signal and a first clock signal, respectively, for making the supply noise continuous and eliminating its dependency on the clock phases, thereby zeroing its convolution with the clock signal.
US08421514B1	Hazard-free minimal-latency flip-flop (HFML-FF) A hazard-free minimal-latency flip-flop (HFML-FF) is provided. A master latch includes an input to accept a D1 signal, an input to accept a clock signal, an input to accept an inverted shadow-D2 signal, and an output to supply a D2 signal. The master latch has an input to accept a shadow-D1 signal, an input to accept the clock signal, and an output to supply a shadow-D2 signal and the inverted shadow-D2 signal. The slave latch has an input to accept the D2 signal, an input to accept the clock signal, an input to accept an inverted shadow-Q signal, and an output to supply a Q signal. The slave latch has an input to accept either the D2 signal or the shadow-D2 signal, an input to accept the clock signal, and an output to supply a shadow-Q signal and the inverted shadow-Q signal. The design may use clocked inverters or pass gates.
US08421511B2	Power converter and pulse width modulation signal controlling apparatus thereof A pulse width modulation signal controlling apparatus including a signal pin, a core circuit, a setting judging circuit, a signal adjusting and selecting circuit, and a timer circuit is disclosed. The signal pin is connected to a setting device for receiving an external input signal. The setting judging circuit receives and compares a setting signal with a reference value to generate a setting judgment result. The signal adjusting and selecting circuit couples the signal pin to the setting judging circuit and adjusts the external input signal into the setting signal according to the setting device in a first state, and couples the signal pin to the core circuit in a second state. The timer circuit controls the state of the signal adjusting and selecting circuit, wherein the timer circuit sets the signal adjusting and selecting circuit in the first state during a predetermined time period.
US08421510B2	Low voltage high-speed wave shaping circuitry Within hard disk drives (HDDs), for example, a preamplifier or preamp is generally used to perform read and write operations with a magnetic head. Typically, for write operations, the preamplifier generates a current waveform that uses a DC current to polarize magnetic elements within the disk and overshoot components to compensate for frequency dependent attenuation in the interconnect between the head and preamp. Conventional pulse-shaping circuitry used for this application uses high voltage to accomplish this task. Here, however, pulse-shaping circuitry is provided which can generate a similar waveform using lower voltage (i.e., about 5V) for this application and others.
US08421506B2	Output buffer with process and temperature compensation An output buffer with process and temperature compensation comprises an enable terminal, a clock generator, a PMOS threshold voltage detector, an NMOS threshold voltage detector, a first comparator, a second comparator, a first compensation code generator, a second compensation code generator and an output buffer stage, wherein the output buffer stage has an output stage, the output buffer stage means for controlling a drive current generated by the output stage, wherein the output stage has a first voltage output terminal, and the modulated drive current is capable of compensating slew rate of the first voltage output terminal.
US08421505B2	Drive circuit for semiconductor switching element A drive circuit of first and second switches includes a first series circuit having a capacitor and a primary winding of a transformer and connected to both ends of a pulse signal generator, a first secondary winding of the transformer to apply a voltage to a control terminal of the first semiconductor switch based on the pulse signal, the first secondary winding being wound in a direction opposite to the primary winding, a second secondary winding of the transformer to apply a voltage to a control terminal of the second semiconductor switch based on the pulse signal, the second secondary winding being wound in the same direction to the primary winding, and a third semiconductor switch that turns on when the pulse signal is stopped, to shorten an ON period of the first semiconductor switch.
US08421503B2	Latch circuit A latch circuit includes an input part receiving an external input signal; a plurality of CMOS inverter circuits divided into a first group that includes a first CMOS inverter circuit and a second CMOS inverter circuit outputting inverted data with respect to the input signal, and a second group that includes a third CMOS inverter circuit and a fourth CMOS inverter circuit outputting the same data as the input signal; and a feedback path through which the input signal is fed back to the input part via the plurality of CMOS inverter circuits, wherein a second-polarity drain belonging to one of the first CMOS inverter circuit and the second CMOS inverter circuit is arranged between a first-polarity drain belonging to the first CMOS inverter circuit and a first-polarity drain belonging to the second CMOS inverter circuit.
US08421496B2	Digital logic circuit and manufacture method thereof A digital logic circuit and a manufacture method of the digital logic circuit thereof are provided. The digital logic circuit includes a voltage rail, a ground rail, and a plurality of logic circuit rails, wherein each of the logic circuit rails is electrically connected to the voltage rail and the ground rail. The logic circuit rail includes a logic unit and an auxiliary unit electrically connected to the voltage rail and the ground rail. The logic unit includes a logic voltage end electrically connected to the voltage rail and a logic ground end electrically connected to the ground rail. The auxiliary unit includes an auxiliary voltage end electrically connected to the voltage rail and an auxiliary ground end electrically connected to the ground rail. At least one of the width ratio between the auxiliary voltage end and the logic voltage end and the width ratio between the auxiliary ground end and the logic ground end is greater than 1.
US08421495B1	Speed binning for dynamic and adaptive power control A plurality of digital circuits are manufactured from an identical circuit design. A power controller is operatively connect to the digital circuits, and a non-volatile storage medium is operatively connected to the power controller. The digital circuits are classified into different voltage bins, and each of the voltage bins has a current leakage limit. Each of the digital circuits has been previously tested to operate within a corresponding current leakage limit of a corresponding voltage bin into which each of the digital circuits has been classified. The non-volatile storage medium stores boundaries of the voltage bins as speed-binning test data. The power controller controls power-supply signals applied differently for each of the digital circuits based on which bin each of the digital circuit has been classified and the speed-binning test data.
US08421493B2	Process and device for characterising an electric signal propagating in a sample A method for characterizing an electric signal (10), includes the propagation of a first light beam (18) through an electro-optical medium (17) in a first propagation direction, wherein at least one optical property of the medium changes when it is submitted to an electrical field, and the propagation of a second light beam (19) through the electro-optical medium in a second propagation direction different from the first direction. For each light beam, a measurement of a variation in an optical property of the light beam (18; 19) due to the propagation of the beam in the medium (17) is used for determining the propagation direction (20) of an electric signal (10) submitting the medium to an electrical field. A device for implementing the method, and an electro-optical probe implemented in the device are also disclosed. Applicability: electro-optical sampling of a component, characterization of electric pulses in guided structures.
US08421491B2	Active non-contact probe card Provided is an active non-contact probe card including a carrier, a support base, a piezoelectric material layer, an active sensor array chip and a control circuit. The support base is disposed on the carrier. The piezoelectric material layer is connected with the support base. The position of the active sensor array chip with respect to the carrier is determined according to the thicknesses of the support base and the thicknesses of the piezoelectric material layer. A control circuit provides a control voltage to the piezoelectric material layer to control the thickness of the piezoelectric material layer, so as to adjust the position of the active sensor array chip with respect to the carrier.
US08421489B2	Semiconductor device having CMOS transfer circuit and clamp element A semiconductor device includes an internal power-supply circuit which produces an internal potential, an external terminal which outputs the internal potential and inputs and outputs a signal with an outside, and a test mode signal terminal which transfers a test mode signal. The semiconductor device further includes a first CMOS transfer circuit and a second CMOS transfer circuit which are provided between the internal power-supply circuit and the external terminal, and which are controlled by the test mode signal, a clamp element which is connected between the first and second CMOS transfer circuits and suppresses a potential variation, and a delay element provided between the clamp element and the first CMOS transfer circuit.
US08421479B2	Pulsed echo propagation device and method for measuring a parameter At least one embodiment is directed to a sensor for measuring a parameter. A signal path of the system comprises an amplifier (612), a sensor element, and an amplifier (620). The sensor element comprises a transducer (4) at a first location of a waveguide (5), and a reflective surface (30) at a second location of the waveguide (5). A parameter such as force or pressure applied to the sensor element can change the length of waveguide (5). A pulsed energy wave is emitted by the transducer (4) into the waveguide (5) at the first location. The transducer (4) is responsive to pulsed energy waves reflected from reflective surface (30) to the second location. The transit time of each pulsed energy wave is measured. The transit time corresponds to the pressure or force applied to the sensor element.
US08421473B2	Apparatus and method to detect a series arc fault of an electrical circuit An apparatus is for a power circuit providing an alternating current to a load. The apparatus includes a high frequency current sensor structured to cooperate with the power circuit to provide a high frequency current signal. A voltage zero crossing detector is structured to cooperate with the power circuit to provide a voltage zero crossing signal. A high pass filter is structured to provide a filtered current signal from the high frequency current signal. A threshold comparator is structured to provide an output when the filtered current signal exceeds a predetermined value. A processor is structured to receive the voltage zero crossing signal and the output of the threshold comparator and output a trip signal in response to undesired series arcing by detecting an unsymmetrical high frequency signal for a predetermined number of cycles.
US08421471B2	Device and method for inductive measurements—self test Method for nondestructive and noncontact detection of faults in a test piece, with a transmitter coil arrangement with at least one transmitter coil that transmits periodic electromagnetical AC fields to a test piece, a receiver coil arrangement with at least one receiver coil for detecting a periodic electrical signal having a carrier oscillation whose amplitude and/or phase is modulated by a fault in the test piece. A signal processing unit produces a useful signal from the receiver coil signal, and an evaluation unit evaluates the useful signal to detect a fault in the test piece. A self-test unit undertakes systematic quantitative checking of signal processing functions of the signal processing unit and/or of the transmitter coil arrangement and/or of the receiver coil arrangement and/or upon external request undertakes calibration of the signal processing unit using a calibration standard which replaces the transmitter coil arrangement and/or of the receiver coil arrangement.
US08421469B2	Method and apparatus for electrically cycling a battery cell to simulate an internal short A test apparatus and corresponding method for simulating an internal cell short and initiating thermal runaway in a battery cell is disclosed whereby the cell is internally heated through rapid charge and discharge cycles at high currents. The magnitude of the selected current may be modulated to simulate a cell short with the desired power profile without unrealistically heating neighboring cells or interfering with the thermal environment of the cell within the module.
US08421467B2	Battery insulation resistance measurement methods, insulation resistance measurement methods, insulation resistance determination apparatuses, and articles of manufacture Battery insulation resistance measurement methods, insulation resistance measurement methods, insulation resistance determination apparatuses, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one aspect, a battery insulation resistance measurement method includes determining a voltage of a battery, determining a voltage of a first terminal of the battery with respect to a ground reference, determining a voltage of a second terminal of the battery with respect to the ground reference, and using the voltages of the battery, the first terminal and the second terminal, determining an insulation resistance of the battery with respect to the ground reference.
US08421465B2	Method and apparatus for indicating battery cell status on a battery pack assembly used during mechanical ventilation This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for indicating battery cell status on a battery pack assembly used during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments described herein seek to provide methods for indicating battery cell status on the exposed exterior of a battery assembly pack both when the battery is in use and when the battery is not in use during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments utilize power from the ventilator as well as power from the battery pack itself to light the indicators during periods of battery use and non-use, respectively. Embodiments described herein further seek to provide an apparatus indicating battery cell status on the exposed exterior of the battery pack assembly during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments described herein further seek to provide an apparatus for a battery pack assembly used during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments described herein seek to provide a system for a ventilation system with an inserted battery pack assembly.
US08421460B2	Upconverter An upconverter has a two port parametric amplifier that 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 upconverter 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 and a low noise amplifier at the first port of the parametric amplifier, which is powered by the local oscillator signal.
US08421456B2	Method of time-domain magnetic resonance imaging and device thereof The present invention relates to a method of time-domain magnetic resonance imaging and device thereof. The method includes transiently exciting a sample; receiving a signal emitted form the sample; and processing the received signal without Fourier transformation to acquire an image. The device includes an excitation device, a detecting coil and an operating circuit to process a received emitting signal and generating an image, wherein the received emitting signal is a time-domain signal free from Fourier transformation. The time of generating an image can be reduced dramatically by the present invention.
US08421451B2	Assembly structure of current detection device An assembling structure is provided which is capable of greatly reducing the material cost, is easy-to-assemble, and can be made smaller. The sensor body is provided on a lower face with a protrusion, which comes into contact with an upper face of the busbar when the sensor body is mounted on the busbar. The busbar is provided with a through-hole passing through the busbar in a vertical direction. A leading end of the protrusion, which passes through the through-hole when the sensor body is mounted on the busbar, is heat-fused and adheres to the circumference of the through-hole.
US08421450B2	Current detection device A current detection device that detects a current flowing through a target bus bar based on a magnetic flux in the periphery of the target bus bar, the target bus bar being at least one of a plurality of bus bars arranged in parallel. An adjacent bus bar is configured by including a first extending section that is arranged on a first direction side on one side of an orthogonal direction with respect to a magnetic flux detection plane, and extends in a first extending direction parallel to a magnetic flux detection plane, and a second extending section that is bent at one end portion of the first extending section in the first extending direction toward the first direction side, and extends in a second extending direction that crosses the magnetic flux detection plane. A detection portion of the target bus bar overlaps with the first extending section.
US08421449B2	Eddy-current flaw detection method, eddy-current flaw detection device and eddy-current flaw detection probe An eddy-current flaw detection device comprises a magnetic element group of which a specified number of magnetic elements are evenly spaced in each of at least two rows around the surface of a column shaped casing that can be inserted into a conductive pipe, with one row being located at a different position from the other row by ½ the even spacing in the row direction, and switching circuits for switching the magnetic elements in the respective row at time-division. The elements of one row function as magnetic field excitation elements, the elements of the other row function as magnetic field detection elements, and the eddy-current flaw detection device performs eddy-current flaw detection of the conductive pipe by detecting magnetic field excited by magnetic field excitation element by two magnetic field detection elements located at different positions from the magnetic field excitation elements by 3/2 the even spacing.
US08421448B1	Hall-effect sensor system for gesture recognition, information coding, and processing A system includes a controller, a Hall-effect sensor and transceiver connected to the controller; and a flux-producing element having a plurality of magnetic flux lines emanating therefrom. The system may be secured to or contained within a wearable glove. The flux-producing element may be coupled to an object separate from the wearable glove. The Hall-effect sensor transmits a Hall-effect sensor signal to the controller when the Hall-effect sensor is perpendicular to at least some of the plurality of magnetic flux lines. The Hall-effect sensor signal may include data received from the flux-producing element. The controller transmits a controller signal to the transceiver after receiving the Hall-effect sensor signal. The controller signal may include input from a motion sensor and/or an orientation sensor connected to the controller. The transceiver may transmit the signal to a remote processor. The signal may be used for gesture recognition, information coding, and/or information processing.
US08421444B2	Compact, two stage, zero flux electronically compensated current or voltage transducer employing dual magnetic cores having substantially dissimilar magnetic characteristics A device for sensing electrical current or voltage in an electrical distribution system using an actively compensated current ratio transformer that includes a first magnetic core having a first permeability and a second magnetic core having a second permeability higher than the first permeability. A primary winding having P turns is coupled with the first and second magnetic cores, a measurement winding having M turns is coupled with the first and second magnetic cores so that current in the primary winding induces current in the measurement winding, and a sense winding having S turns is coupled with the second magnetic core. An amplifier coupled to the sense winding receives a voltage developed across the sense winding and produces a compensation current in response to the received voltage. The amplifier has an output coupled to the sense winding to feed the compensation current through the sense winding to reduce the voltage developed across the sense winding voltage to substantially zero. A burden resistor is coupled to the measurement winding and the sense winding for receiving the sum of the current induced in the measurement winding and the compensation current.
US08421442B2	High sensitivity differential current transformer for insulation health monitoring A current transformer is provided. The current transformer comprises an inner magnetic core having a central opening, an outer sense core circumscribing the inner magnetic core, at least one pair of conductors extending through the central opening and positioned symmetrically with respect to a center point of the inner magnetic core, and one or more coils disposed on the inner magnetic core, the outer sense core, or both, in a magnetically balanced configuration relative to a magnetic neutral axis of the inner magnetic core.
US08421440B2	Apparatus for spectrum sensing and associated methods In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a nano-scale spectrum sensor configured to be electromagnetically excitable at a predetermined frequency based on received ambient electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus is also configured to be able to use this excitation of the nano-scale spectrum sensor to thereby determine ambient electromagnetic radiation spectrum usage.
US08421437B2	Array column integrator Circuits are described for reading a chemically-sensitive field-effect transistor (chemFET) with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. In one embodiment, a device is described that includes a chemFET including a first terminal and a second terminal, and a floating gate coupled to a passivation layer. An integrator circuit is coupled to the second source/drain terminal of the chemFET via a data line. The integrator circuit applies a bias voltage to the data line during a read interval, thereby inducing a current through the chemFET based on a threshold voltage of the chemFET. The integrator circuit then generates an output signal proportional to an integral of the induced current through the chemFET during the read interval.
US08421430B2	Digital control switching power supply unit A digital control switching power supply unit includes an A/D converter circuit having a delay line circuit that has a delay element array whose delay time is controlled by a bias current, and that converts a current value into a digital signal using a signal transmission delay time, a phase difference detector circuit that detects a phase difference between a switching cycle and an A/D conversion cycle, a charge pump circuit that generates a control voltage in accordance with the phase difference, and a bias current indicator circuit that determines a bias current in accordance with an output voltage of the charge pump circuit and a result of a comparison of a detected value of the output voltage and a reference voltage, wherein the digital control switching power supply unit controls in such a way that the A/D conversion cycle is synchronized with the switching cycle.
US08421429B2	Control circuit and method for a power converter controlling adaptive voltage position A control circuit and method for controlling a power converter comprises an adder, a digital compensator, and a pulse width modulation circuit. The adder acquires an output voltage difference between the output voltage and the reference output voltage. The digital compensator, which has a Z-domain transfer function, references the output voltage difference to generate a pulse width control signal with the least significant bits of the denominator coefficient in the Z-domain transfer function being regulated to achieve the load line function of the power converter. Further, the pulse modulation circuit is controlled by the pulse width control signal to generate the pulse width modulation signal to control ON/OFF of the power converter.
US08421420B2	Battery charger and battery charging method A rectification processor includes rectifier elements that control charge to batteries independently for each of the batteries. A charge-state detector detects charge states of the batteries from their voltages, and determines whether to select the batteries for charging in a half-cycle determined beforehand in accordance with the detected result. A synchronous signal detector detects a signal synchronized with the phase of the 3-phase alternate current (AC) generator from the 3-phase AC generator, and outputs a synchronous signal. A charge controller controls the charge in the rectification processor in synchronization with the 3-phase AC generator according to the synchronous signal from the synchronous signal detector, and, in accordance with the charge states of the batteries output from the charge-state detector, controls charge amounts to the battery/batteries that was determined for selection.
US08421417B2	Secondary battery control circuit A secondary battery that provides a usage voltage lower than a charged voltage. The secondary battery includes a chargeable/dischargeable battery cell, an external terminal electrically connected to the cell unit to charge and discharge the cell unit, and a protective circuit module including a current providing circuit. The protective circuit module electrically connects the cell unit to the external terminal. The current providing circuit includes a charge path and a discharge path that are separated from each other, a voltage drop unit dropping an output voltage of the cell unit to a usage voltage on the discharge path, and a reverse current preventing unit preventing reverse currents from flowing into the charge path and the discharge path.
US08421409B2	Noncontact power receiving apparatus for electrically-powered vehicle and vehicle including the same A noncontact power receiving apparatus for receiving electric power from a power transmission coil transmitting the electric power received from a power supply includes: a power reception coil for receiving, by means of electromagnetic resonance, electric power transmitted from the power transmission coil; a rectifier for rectifying the electric power received by the power reception coil; a load supplied with the electric power rectified by the rectifier; and a first relay provided on a path over which the electric power is transmitted from the power reception coil to the rectifier, for cutting off the electric power.
US08421408B2	Extended range wireless charging and powering system Exemplary embodiments provide for an apparatus and a method for extended range wireless powering and charging of low-power electrical devices. The apparatus and method may comprise circuits and steps for receiving radio frequency energy; circuits and steps for resonating the radio frequency energy to increase the amplitude of the radio frequency energy; circuits and steps for retransmitting the resonated radio frequency energy; circuits and steps for receiving the retransmitted resonated radio frequency energy; and circuits and steps for converting the retransmitted resonated radio frequency energy into direct current for the extended range wireless powering and charging of low-power electrical devices.
US08421407B2	Inductively coupled work surfaces Inductively coupled work surfaces with integrated primary coils are provided. Power is inductively coupled from a work surface with an integrated primary coil to a handheld device containing a secondary coil. The inductively coupled work surface may be a home work surface, an ergonomic industrial work bench, a work surface installed in the interior of a vehicle, or a collapsible work surface accessible from the exterior of a vehicle. Primary coils integrated into a work surface may provide varying amounts of power. Devices containing secondary coils, such as laptop computers, PDAs, cell phones, and power tools, are charged when placed on the work surface where primary coils are integrated.
US08421401B2	Battery charging device with multiple power sources A battery charging device with multiple power sources comprises a battery device having a battery; a power input adjusting and charging circuit connected to an external power source; a power charging control circuit for detecting voltages of the battery; a power charging device of an Ethernet power supply device having an input connected to a Ethernet power supplying device and having an output connected to a charging circuit; the charging circuit being connected to the battery device; a power charging control device for an Ethernet power supply device for controlling a charging voltage of the charging device to increase to a uniform charging voltage; and an inter-control device having a driver and a switch device; the driver being installed to the power input adjusting and charging circuit, and the switch device being installed to the power charging control device for an Ethernet power supply device.
US08421396B2	Motor controlling device A motor controlling device includes an encoder to output pulse signals with a predetermined angle interval as a rotor of a motor is rotated. An energized phase of the motor is sequentially switched by detecting a rotation position of the rotor based on a value of counting the signals. An initial drive controlling portion executes an initial drive to switch the energized phase with a predetermined pattern after the device is activated so as to learn a relationship among the count value, the rotation position and the energized phase. An initial drive prohibiting portion prohibits the execution of the initial drive until a predetermined time is elapsed after the initial drive is finished.
US08421393B2	System and method for pulse edge synchronization A system and method for pulse edge synchronization. According to an embodiment, a first series of PWM signals that may drive a first device wherein each pulse in this series has a rising edge and a falling edge. The system and method further includes a second series of PWM signals that may drive a second device wherein each pulse in the second series of pulses also has a rising edge and a falling edge. These series of pulses are then synchronized such that each rising edge in the first series occurs simultaneous to a falling edge in the second series and vice versa. Such a system and method reduces the level of acoustic noise generated between the two motors. Further, synchronizing the rising and falling edges of the PWM pulses reduces and often eliminates stray EMI.
US08421385B2	Method for braking an electromotor and electrical drive Disclosed is a method for braking or stopping an electromotor which can be operated with direct current, such as a brushless direct current motor. If there is an error in the electromotor or in the electronic or mechanical units connected to the electromotor, the presence of definite error states is verified, and the electromotor is braked, by carrying out, taking into consideration a maximum loading capacity of an electronic control unit which is connected to the electromotor, at least temporarily, a control of the electromotor which is adapted to the detected, definite error state.
US08421384B2	Direct current motor controlling apparatus and method thereof A direct current motor controlling apparatus may include a direct current motor driving unit to apply a driving voltage to a direct current motor and detect a predetermined signal from the direct current motor, and a servo-micom to control the status of the direct current motor using the signal detected by the direct current motor driving unit. Accordingly, the rotational status of the direct current motor is checked to control the direct current motor.
US08421379B2	H-mode drift tube linac, and method of adjusting electric field distribution in H-mode drift tube linac An H-mode drift tube linac according to the present invention includes: an accelerator cavity which functions as a vacuum chamber and a resonator; drift tube electrodes for generating accelerating voltages in a charged particle transporting direction in the accelerator cavity; tuners for adjusting a distribution of electric fields generated at gaps between respective pairs of the drift tube electrodes; and antennas for measuring a variation of the distribution of the electric fields, the antennas being provided along the charged particle transporting direction in the accelerator cavity.
US08421378B2	Terminal device and computer-readable storage medium A terminal apparatus and a computer-readable storage medium capable of achieving reduction of power consumption by appropriately controlling lighting of a display unit are provided.A CPU lights or extinguishes a display unit after the end of an interrupt event in accordance with a lighting state (lighting, dim-lighting, being unlighted) of the display unit when the occurrence of the interrupt event is detected. It is therefore possible for the CPU to perform appropriate display control according to the lighting state when an interrupt event occurs.
US08421376B2	Modular networked light bulb A modular light emitting apparatus includes a light emitting device, a connector to couple to an AC power source, an AC to DC converter, circuitry, on a first electronics module, to drive the light emitting device, and a support structure arranged to position and hold a second electronics module that conforms to a predetermined form factor.
US08421373B2	Light-mixing multichip package structure A light-mixing multichip package structure includes a substrate unit, a light-emitting unit, a frame unit, and a package unit. The light-emitting unit includes at least one first light-emitting module with red light-emitting chips and at least one second light-emitting module with blue light-emitting chips. The frame unit includes at least one first continuous colloid frame and at least one second continuous colloid frame respectively surrounding the first light-emitting module and the second light-emitting module. The package unit includes a transparent colloid body and a phosphor colloid body respectively covering the first light-emitting module and the second light-emitting module. Hence, when the red light source generated by matching the red light-emitting chips and the transparent colloid body and the white light source generated by matching the blue light-emitting chips and the phosphor colloid body are mixed with each other, the CRI of the light-mixing multichip package structure can be increased.
US08421370B2	Apparatus for driving a light emitting diode An apparatus for driving a light emitting diode (LED) comprises: an LED unit configured as a plurality of LEDs are serially connected to each other; a rated current providing unit connected to one end of the LED unit, for providing a current to the LED unit under control of a controller; a voltage dividing unit connected between another end of the LED unit and another end of the rated current providing unit; and a voltage measuring unit connected to the LED unit in parallel, for measuring a voltage applied to the LED unit.
US08421363B2	Low ignition voltage instant start for hot re-strike of high intensity discharge lamp A lamp assembly includes a housing that selectively receives a removable, plug-in high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. A transformer and electrical circuit are received in the housing for providing an instant start, hot re-strike ignition of the lamp at less than 25 kilovolts. A circuit for an instant start, hot re-strike of an HID lamp supplies an ignition voltage to the HID lamp that includes pulses having an amplitude of less than 25 kilovolts and a frequency ranging from approximately 20 hertz to approximately 500 hertz. Preferably, the frequency is greater than 100 hertz, more preferably the frequency is approximately 150 hertz. The amplitude of pulses are preferably less than approximately 15 kilovolts, and more preferably approximately 8-10 kilovolts. The pulse width is approximately 200 nanoseconds and the peaks of the pulses are periodic with a period of approximately 2 milliseconds.
US08421362B2	Illumination apparatus An illumination apparatus used in non-light emission transparent display devices includes a base material, light emitting elements arranged two dimensionally on the surface of the base material, a drive section driving the light emitting elements, and a light emitting intensity control section controlling a light emitting intensity of the light emitting elements. An arrangement of the light emitting elements is such that a density at ends of the base material is high compared to that in a center part thereof, and the ends have a high density in regions where the base temperature is high and the center part has a high density in regions where the base material temperature is high.
US08421361B2	Backlight control circuit and method thereof A backlight control circuit and method thereof are provided to control the backlight of a backlight module so as to enhance the dynamic contrast ratio and save power. The backlight control circuit includes an average luminance detection circuit, a luminance distribution detection unit, a pulse width control circuit and a pulse width modulator. The average luminance detection circuit detects the average luminance of a frame which includes a plurality of pixels; the luminance distribution detection unit detects the pixel luminance distribution of the frame; the pulse width control circuit generates a pulse width control signal according to the average luminance and the pixel luminance distribution of the frame; and the pulse width modulator generates a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal according to the pulse width control signal, so as to control the backlight of the backlight module.
US08421357B2	Method of driving a flash device and a number of loads powered by a battery and handheld electronic device including the same A handheld electronic device includes a processor; a battery; a flash device; a number of loads powered by the battery; and a flash driver outputting a flash current to the flash device. The processor determines a temperature operatively associated with the battery and different voltage values corresponding to different combinations of the loads as a function of the determined temperature, and starts the flash device at a predetermined flash current value. The flash driver selects a corresponding different voltage value as a function of: (a) a determined number of the loads which are active, or (b) a current flowing from the battery; determines the battery voltage, and if the battery voltage is less than or equal to the corresponding different voltage value, reduces the flash current below the predetermined flash current value until the battery voltage is greater than the corresponding different voltage value.
US08421352B2	Light emitting device In an EL element having an anode, an insulating film (bump) formed on the anode, and an EL film and a cathode formed on the insulating film, each of a bottom end portion and a top end portion of the insulating film is formed so as to have a curved surface. The taper angle of a central portion of the insulating film is set within the range from 35° to 70°, thereby preventing the gradient of the film forming surface on which the EL film and the cathode are to be formed from being abruptly changed. On the thus-formed film forming surface, the EL film and the cathode can be formed so as to be uniform in thickness, so that occurrence of discontinuity in each of EL film and the cathode is prevented.
US08421350B2	Electro-optical device and electronic device An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device, which has a high operating performance and reliability.A third passivation film 45 is disposed under an EL element 203 which comprises a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, to make a structure in which heat generated by the EL element 203 is radiated. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents alkali metals within the EL element 203 from diffusing into the TFTs side, and prevents moisture and oxygen of the TFTs side from penetrating into the EL element 203. More preferably, heat radiating effect is given to a fourth passivation film 50 to make the EL element 203 to be enclosed by heat radiating layers.
US08421348B2	Organic light emitting diode display device and method of fabricating the same An organic light emitting diode display device and a method of fabricating the same, the method comprising: forming a first electrode on a substrate; forming a hydrophilic partition wall having a plurality of openings on the first electrode; forming hydrophobic red, green and blue organic light emitting layers on the plurality of openings of the partition wall, respectively; and forming a second electrode on each of the hydrophobic red, green and blue organic light emitting layers, whereby thin films can be selectively formed by a surface treatment so as to improve color impurity at boundaries of red, green and blue patterns.
US08421342B2	Organic light-emitting display device An organic light-emitting display device includes a substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors disposed on a first surface of the substrate, a passivation layer covering the plurality of thin film transistors, a plurality of first pixel electrodes disposed on the passivation layer, the first pixel electrodes overlapping the plurality of thin film transistors, each of the first pixel electrodes including a reflection layer formed of a conductive material that reflects light, a plurality of second pixel electrodes disposed on the passivation layer, the second pixel electrodes being connected to the first pixel electrodes respectively, the second pixel electrodes being formed of a conductive material that transmits light, an opposite electrode, the opposite electrode both allowing light to pass therethrough and reflecting light, the opposite electrode facing the first and second pixel electrodes, and an organic layer disposed among the first and second pixel electrodes and the opposite electrode.
US08421340B2	Organic light emitting device Provided is an organic light emitting device having a simple structure and enabling cost reduction. An organic light emitting device 30 of the present invention includes: an organic light emitting element 20; an electrode substrate (11, 12) including a pin connection hole (14, 15) with which the organic light emitting element 20 is fixed and electrically connected; and a lead pin (9, 10) having a clamp portion (9a, 10a) and an insertion portion (9b, 10b), the clamp portion (9a, 10a) clamping a peripheral portion of the organic light emitting element 20, the insertion portion (9b, 10b) being fitted into the pin connection hole (14, 15) to thereby connect the organic light emitting element 20 to the electrode substrate (11, 12).
US08421339B2	Organic electroluminescent device, exposure device, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, display apparatus, and method for driving organic electroluminescent device An organic electroluminescent device includes: a pair of electrodes; a first light-emitting region that is disposed between the pair of electrodes, and that emits light when a voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes such that one of the pair of electrodes serves as an anode; and a second light-emitting region that is disposed between the pair of electrodes, and that emits light when a voltage is applied between the pair of electrodes such that the other of the pair of electrodes serves as an anode.
US08421332B2	Capacitive touch screen and method for manufacturing the same Disclosed herein are a capacitive touch screen and a method for manufacturing the same. The capacitive touch screen includes: a base member on which a plurality of electrode patterns are formed; conductive adhesive members formed at ends of the electrode patterns; a window disposed over the base member and having a plurality of electrode wirings formed in an outer region thereof, the plurality of electrode wirings being opposite to the electrode patterns; and auxiliary electrodes formed at one of the ends of the electrode wirings to conduct the electrode patterns with the electrode wirings by the conductive adhesive members.
US08421329B2	Luminaire having light-emitting elements disposed on protrusions A luminaire includes a lamp holder, a lamp cover and a plurality of first light-emitting modules. The lamp holder has a top surface, a plurality of protrusions protruding upwardly from the top surface. Each of the protrusions has an inclined surface. The lap cover is connected to the lamp holder, and covers the top surface and the inclined surfaces. Each of the first light-emitting modules includes a first light-emitting element. The view angle of the luminaire can be increased due to disposition of the first light-emitting elements on the inclined surfaces of the protrusions. Furthermore, since the first light-emitting elements are disposed on the protrusions, heat can be dissipated easily from the first light-emitting elements.
US08421321B2	LED light bulb An LED light bulb includes a light transparent shell, a power receiving base, a heat sink and a coupling holder located between the light transparent shell and power receiving base, at least one light source baseboard held in the light transparent shell, and a power conversion board electrically connected to the light source baseboard and power receiving base. The heat sink has a housing chamber to hold the power conversion board and an annular coupling wall surrounded to form an area to couple with the light source baseboard. The light source baseboard has a contact surface on the circumference to form compact coupling with the coupling wall so that the light source baseboard is securely held on the heat sink without deforming at high temperature to provide improved heat conduction capability.
US08421318B2	Rotor of rotating electrical machine A rotating electrical machine is provided in which, even when torque from a water turbine is reduced and reverse torque is applied due to load cut off, a rotor core is not eccentric to spider arms. The rotor of a rotating machine includes a vertical rotating shaft, spider arms extending radially from the vertical rotating shaft, and a rotor core component provided to the outer circumference of the spider arms. A T key and cotters are inserted into and secured to a key way provided to an abutment surface of the inner circumference of the rotor core component and the top end of the spider arm. A plate spring is mounted to a surface of the spider arm, the surface facing a rotational direction for electrical generation. The plate spring has one side engaging the spider arm, the other side engaging the rotor core component, and a middle portion bolted from an opposite surface of the spider arm.
US08421312B2	Acceleration sensor having polarized piezoelectric layer interposed between sensing electrodes An acceleration sensor includes a piezoelectric layer formed on a substrate, and sensing electrodes formed in the piezoelectric layer. In the acceleration sensor, the piezoelectric layer interposing between the sensing electrodes is polarized in a film thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer.
US08421308B2	Vibratory actuator In an ultrasonic actuator, piezoelectric layers and internal electrode layers are stacked. External electrodes are formed on a principal surface exposed to an outside of the outermost piezoelectric layer. Side electrodes connected to the internal electrode layers and the external electrodes are formed on side surfaces of a body including the piezoelectric layers and the internal electrode layers. A first divided electrode and a first external electrode are connected together by a plurality of side electrodes. A second divided electrode and a second external electrode are connected together by a plurality of side electrodes. A minus electrode layer and a third external electrode are connected together by a plurality of side electrodes.
US08421307B2	Acoustic wave device An acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, an interdigital transducer (IDT) electrode, a reflector electrode, and a dummy electrode. The IDT electrode includes electrode fingers extending in a predetermined direction. The reflector electrode faces the IDT electrode across a gap. The dummy electrode is situated on a straight line extending in the predetermined direction through the gap. At least one of the distance between the dummy electrode and the IDT electrode and the distance between the dummy electrode and the reflector electrode is larger than the distance between the IDT electrode and the reflector electrode. This acoustic wave device prevents a short circuit between the IDT electrode and the reflector electrode, thereby avoiding a decrease in its yield.
US08421306B2	System and method for causing cavitation in a liquid metal Systems and methods for achieving cavitation at high static pressures which may be used in acoustic applications and research such as in liquid metal resonators. Novel preparation and electroplating methods are disclosed to improve boundary layer conditions. A chemical cleaning loop for containment and treatment for oxide removal and to develop a dynamic system for chemically treating liquid metal disposed in a liquid metal loop is also described. A liquid metal handling loop for containment and treatment is provided to maintain cleanliness of bulk liquid metal.
US08421301B2	Reinforcement structure for disc motor A reinforcement structure for a disc motor being received in the flat space formed at a side of a wheel center for driving the wheel to rotate as it can be activated to perform a rotation movement by the interactions of an electromagnetic field formed from its stators and a magnetic field resulting from its rotator, comprises: a rib structure, arranged inside a shell housing the disc-like stator for enhancing the structure integrity thereof without causing the thickness thereof to increase and thus maximizing the usefulness of the motor's limited space; and a fixing element, for fixing the stators to the inner side of the motor's outer shell for preventing the stators to be deformed by the magnetic force from the permanent magnets mounted on the rotors while preventing the stators from being attracted by the permanent magnets of the rotors, and thus enabling the motor to operate smoothly.
US08421300B2	Electric motor A brush holder is placed between a yoke housing and a gear housing and includes a holder member and a base member. The holder member is installed to an opening of the yoke housing and holds a plurality of brushes. The base member is installed to the holder member and includes a connector, which is adapted to connect with an external connector to receive an electric power. An output side end part of the yoke housing has a flange portion, through which the gear housing is fixed to the yoke housing. The holder member includes a contact portion that contacts the flange portion of the yoke housing in an axial direction of a rotatable shaft.
US08421298B2	Motor A motor includes a casing, a rotor, a stator and a separation member. The rotor is rotatably coupled with the casing. The stator is disposed in the casing and drives the rotor to rotate. The stator includes a claw-pole member, an insulation member and a coil unit. The claw-pole member is coupled with the insulation member. The insulation member has a connection portion. The coil unit has a plurality of windings connected to each other via the connection portion. The coil unit is electrically connected to a circuit board, and a portion of the coil unit that is wound around the connection portion is an exposing portion. The separation member is disposed between the exposing portion of the coil unit and the casing.
US08421297B2	Stator wedge for an electric machine Electric machines with, and related methods for, improved fluid flow through the electric machines are disclosed. According to some implementations, an electric machine may include a central opening and a plurality of teeth facing inwardly toward the central opening. Slots may be defined between adjacent teeth, and a wedge may be disposed in one or more of the slots, partitioning the slots into a coils portion and an open portion. A gap may be defined between the stator core and the rotor. A fluid flow path defined from the gap and the open portions of the slots provide for improved fluid flow through the electric machine. Wedges disposed in the slots to maintain the coils into a packed state.
US08421295B2	Stator for electric rotating machine with enhanced cooling ability A stator for an electric rotating machine is provided which is equipped with a stator coil. The stator coil has a plurality of in-slot portions arrayed within each of slots formed in a stator core in a radial direction of the stator core. Adjacent two of the in-slot portions disposed in each of the slots have radially-facing surfaces which extend in non-parallel to one another at least one of ends of the in-slot portions. The non-parallel orientation of the radially-facing surfaces avoids close contact between entire areas thereof when the in-slot portions move undesirably within the slot in the radial direction of the stator core. In other words, a gap is kept between the radially-facing surfaces and serves as a radiator to dissipate heat, as generated in the in-slot portions.
US08421291B2	Permanent magnet electric machine and permanent magnet with linearly increasing air gap for an electric machine The disclosure relates to an electric machine with a permanent magnet rotor, where permanent magnets have been fitted on an outer surface of a cylindrical rotor, and relates to a permanent magnet. The permanent magnets forming the electric machine's rotor pole are shaped so that the electric machine's air gap is substantially constant in a middle of the pole, and the air gap increases in an essentially straightforward manner when moving towards the edge of the pole. The permanent magnet is of an even thickness in the middle, and becomes thinner towards the edges. This can result in a decrease in the torque ripple and cogging torque of an electric machine.
US08421289B2	Surface mount motor having holder with stopper portion for bracket A holder of a surface mount motor includes a holder body that is in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a motor casing and that is mounted on a circuit board, an extending portion that extends rearward from a rear end of the holder body in a direction of a rotational axis of a shaft, and a stopper that extends in a width direction of the extending portion at a rear end of the extending portion and that is press-fitted into a recess provided in a bracket fixed to the motor casing.
US08421287B2	Downhole torodial generator with central passage What is claimed is a downhole tool string component comprising a generator. The generator may comprise a toroidal stator comprising an interior channel formed between inward extending stator poles. A coil of wire is disposed within the interior channel, and a plurality of magnets are rotatably disposed proximate each pole.A downhole tool string component comprises a bore to receive a flow of drilling fluid comprising a central passage and at least one peripheral passage. A compliant member is disposed within the bore and forms an internal diameter of the central passage, and at least one opening. The at least one opening comprises an internal area within the compliant member to divert the flow of drilling fluid into the at least one peripheral passage. The compliant member comprises a compliant property allowing the internal area of the at least one opening to change thus changing the amount of diverted drilling fluid.
US08421285B2	Permanent magnet type electric power generator For providing a permanent magnet type generator that has a limited inside temperature rise gradient even if the capacity thereof is increased and permits to reduce the size thereof, the present invention provides a ventilation means that increases the inner gas (air or cooling wind) quantity that is caused circulated via the heat exchanger causing to flow outer air is increased more at a region facing the outer air exhaust side in the heat exchanger than at the outer air inlet side.
US08421284B2	Cooling structure for stator A cooling structure for a stator configured with a cooling medium distributing member formed with a plurality of discharge openings, and a distributing path, wherein the distributing path has a plurality of chambers separated by a partition wall, and an inter-chamber communication passage that is formed in the partition wall and communicates between the adjacent chambers. The cooling medium distributing member includes at least one cooling medium distributing chamber that divides the distributing path to a plurality of inter-chamber communication passages, and also includes a plurality of discharge chambers. The plurality of inter-chamber communication passages formed in the partition wall are formed with a ratio of an opening width between the different inter-chamber communication passages set according to a ratio of a sum of opening cross-sectional areas of all of the cooling medium discharge openings which are located downstream of each of the inter-chamber communication passages.
US08421278B2	Power feeding control apparatus and charging system In order to actualize a power feeding control apparatus and a charging system that are capable of efficiently charging plural storage batteries using a load-capacity controlled power source, the power feeding control apparatus 1 is configured so that a changeover control of the feeding of the alternating-current voltage to each charger will be performed monitoring the magnitude of the alternating current flowing in each of the plural chargers 4 to 6, therewith, the power feeding control apparatus performs the feeding changeover control comprising the steps of: feeding only to a predetermined one particular charger at the early stage of the start of charging, in which stage a large charging current flows into a storage battery; monitoring inflow current of the predetermined one particular charger; and switching power feeding to another charger to start feeding thereto when the inflow current reduces to the charging saturation current (a current still flowing even at the fully charged state).
US08421277B2	Switched mode power supply for an electronic device with auxiliary power for powering an evaluation unit during an energy-saving state An electronic device (1), which can assume an operating state and at least one energy-saving state, with a power supply (7) that can be connected to a mains voltage, and an evaluation unit (4), which can control the electronic device (1) from the operating state into the energy-saving state and vice versa, wherein the evaluation unit (4) is connected to the power supply (7) in such a way that the power supply (7) can be turned off by the evaluation unit (4) for assuming the energy-saving state and can be turned on again for assuming the operating state, and the evaluation unit (4) can be supplied, at least in the turned-off state of the power supply (7), with energy from another electronic device, which is connected via a standard interface to the electronic device, and/or with energy from a capacitor and/or with energy from an accumulator and/or with energy from a solar cell. The invention also relates to the method for controlling the electronic device in at least one energy-saving state and also to a computer and also to an arrangement made from a computer and the electronic device.
US08421273B2	Electrical load, system and method A load includes a device for its inductive power supply, the device including an insertion part, the power supply of the load being provided after the insertion part is inserted into the load.
US08421265B2	System and method for generating electricity within a building structure A system for generating electricity including a building structure and one or more subsystems structurally integrated with the building structure. Each subsystem includes a vertically oriented tower, a scoop mounted on the tower and including an air intake opening and an air outlet opening, and turbine blades disposed within the scoop that are activated by air flow from the air intake opening to the air outlet opening of the scoop. One or more wind turbines are operatively connected to the turbine blades of the one or more subsystems to generate electricity.
US08421260B2	Hydrokinetic turbine for low velocity currents A hydrokinetic turbine is adapted to slow water energy conversion to avoid adverse environmental impact on tidal flushing. It combines a large bulbous upstream hub with a peripheral array of current deflectors downstream of the hub. The deflectors are analogous to delta plane wings at high angle of attack, but here are oriented to cause both tangential and radially inwards angular acceleration of ambient flow. Torque develops in reaction to these angular accelerations, in contrast to Bernoulli effect lift on high aspect ratio foil sections that require high surface flow speeds. The fluid accelerations further combine to form a vortex in the turbine's turbulent wake, which draws additional water through the deflector array. In one embodiment, the deflectors' support members pivot about their inner ends in the mode of a rotary kite that may economically project a resilient structure over a very large area. In another embodiment, the entire turbine may submerge to permit passage of deep draft commercial shipping traffic.
US08421257B2	Tethered glider system for power generation A complete fully-automated airborne wind energy generation system with three major components; a ground-based energy trailer anchored to the ground containing a reel, motor/generator, motor controller with regenerative braking, a low-friction capstan, and a microcontroller; an ‘aerie’ elevated launch and landing platform free to weathervane in the wind, with a tether flag deployment and collection device; a statically and dynamically stable rotor-glider with variable pitch rotor blades enabling jump-launch, on-board weather and load sensors, microcontroller, and cell or satellite phone data connections to a centralized database; and a high-strength low-weight tether connecting all the components together.
US08421255B2	System and method for determining the temperature of a permanent magnet in a machine A system for determining a temperature of a permanent magnet in a machine includes a voltage sensor that generates a voltage signal reflective of a stator voltage and a current sensor that generates a current signal reflective of a stator current. A processor receives the voltage and current signals and generates a temperature signal reflective of the temperature of the permanent magnet in the machine. A method for controlling a load of a machine includes generating a voltage signal, a current signal, and a temperature signal reflective of the temperature of a permanent magnet in the machine. The method further includes adjusting the load of the machine based on the temperature signal.
US08421253B2	Exhaust gas power recovery apparatus and flex generator An apparatus and method for generating electricity from relatively low velocity exhaust gas. The apparatus includes a plurality of axial flux generators perpendicularly mounted on a support ring that is axially aligned around the exhaust gas port opening. Each axial flux generator includes a plurality of radially aligned blades mounted on a rotating hub. The hub is mounted on a stationary axle supported above the support ring by brackets. Attached to the hub are two magnetic discs each with a plurality of magnets attached thereto. Located on the outside surface of each magnet disc is a flux disc that produces an inward force to hold the two magnet discs together. Mounted on the axle and located between the two magnetic discs is a fixed stator disc that includes three internal coil systems. When the exhaust gas moves through the exhaust port it interacts with the blades causing the two magnetic discs to rotate around the stator disc and thereby induces an electric current inside each coil system. The apparatus also includes an adjustable inverter that allows the operator to adjust the load on the generator so that the blower operates optimally.
US08421250B2	Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same To provide a technique capable of positioning of a semiconductor chip and a mounting substrate with high precision by improving visibility of an alignment mark. In a semiconductor chip constituting an LCD driver, a mark is formed in an alignment mark formation region over a semiconductor substrate. The mark is formed in the same layer as that of an uppermost layer wiring (third layer wiring) in an integrated circuit formation region. Then, in the lower layer of the mark and a background region surrounding the mark, patterns are formed. At this time, the pattern P1a is formed in the same layer as that of a second layer wiring and the pattern P1b is formed in the same layer as that of a first layer wiring. Further, the pattern P2 is formed in the same layer as that of a gate electrode, and the pattern P3 is formed in the same layer as that of an element isolation region.
US08421246B2	Joint structure and electronic component A joint structure joins an electronic element 12 included in an electronic component to an electrode 14 included in that electronic component. The joint structure includes a solder layer, which contains 0.2 to 6% by weight of copper, 0.02 to 0.2% by weight of germanium and 93.8 to 99.78% by weight of bismuth, a nickel layer provided between the solder layer and the electrode, and a barrier layer provided between the nickel layer and the solder layer. Here, the barrier layer is formed so as to have an average thickness of from 0.5 to 4.5 μm after the electronic element and the electrode are joined by the solder layer.
US08421243B2	Layered chip package and method of manufacturing same A layered chip package includes a main body, and wiring disposed on a side surface of the main body. The main body includes: a main part including a plurality of layer portions stacked; a plurality of first terminals disposed on the top surface of the main part and connected to the wiring; and a plurality of second terminals disposed on the bottom surface of the main part and connected to the wiring. The plurality of layer portions include a first-type layer portion and a second-type layer portion. The first-type layer portion includes a conforming semiconductor chip, and a plurality of first-type electrodes that are connected to the semiconductor chip and the wiring. The second-type layer portion includes a defective semiconductor chip, and a plurality of second-type electrodes that are connected to the wiring and not to the semiconductor chip.
US08421241B2	System and method for stacking a plurality of electrically coupled semiconductor chips with a conductive pin The present invention provides a semiconductor device including: a semiconductor chip; a lead frame provided with a recessed portion on at least one of an upper surface or a lower surface thereof, and electrically coupled to the semiconductor chip; and a resin section that molds the semiconductor chip and the lead frame, and is provided with an opening above the recessed portion. By inserting a conductive pin (not shown) into the recessed portion through the opening, a plurality of semiconductor devices can be mechanically and electrically coupled to each other.
US08421236B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes an electrode pad formed above a semiconductor substrate, and being a connecting portion for an external electrical connection; a multilayer body including a plurality of first interconnect layers formed in a plurality of insulating films stacked between the semiconductor substrate and the connecting portion and including an upper interconnect connected to the connecting portion, and a via configured to connect the first interconnect layers; a ring body formed in the plurality of insulating films to surround the multilayer body without interposing space, and including a plurality of second interconnect layers and at least one line via linearly connecting the second interconnect layers; and a lead line electrically connecting the connecting portion to an internal circuit. The multilayer body is connected to the ring body by at least one of the plurality of first interconnect layers. The lead line is connected to the ring body.
US08421234B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate, isolation layers and active regions formed in the substrate, and arranged alternately along a first direction parallel to a surface of the substrate, an inter layer dielectric formed on the isolation layers and the active regions, and having holes for respective contact plugs on the respective active regions, barrier layers formed in the holes, each of the barrier layers being formed on a top surface of an active region exposed in a hole and on one of two side surfaces of the hole, the two side surfaces of the hole being perpendicular to the first direction, and plug material layers formed on the barrier layers in the holes.
US08421232B2	Semiconductor device and automotive ac generator A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element, a support member bonded to a first surface of the semiconductor element with a first bonding material and a lead electrode bonded to a second surface of the semiconductor element supported on the support member with a second bonding material, and further including a method of producing the semiconductor device. Respective connecting parts of the support member and the lead electrode are Ni-plated and each of the first and the second bonding material is a Sn solder having a Cu6Sn5 content greater than a eutectic content.
US08421230B2	Microelectronic device provided with an array of elements made from a conductive polymer with a positive temperature coefficient Production of a device including: a substrate; multiple components forming an electronic circuit on the substrate; multiple superimposed metal levels of interconnections of the components, wherein the metal levels are located in at least one insulating layer resting on the substrate; and multiple elements made from a positive temperature coefficient conductive polymer material, wherein the elements traverse the insulating layer to a given depth, and are connected to at least one conductive line of a given interconnection level.
US08421222B2	Chip package having a chip combined with a substrate via a copper pillar A method of assembling chips. A first chip and a second chip are provided. At least one conductive pillar is formed on the first chip, and a conductive connecting material is formed on the conductive pillar. The second chip also comprises at least one conductive pillar. The first chip is connected to the second chip via the conductive pillars and the conductive connecting material.
US08421221B2	Integrated circuit heat spreader stacking system An integrated circuit heat spreader stacking system includes: an integrated circuit on a substrate; a heat spreader having a heat sink dome; a stacking stand-off for the heat spreader; and the heat spreader mounted with the heat sink dome over the integrated circuit.
US08421218B2	Method for direct heat sink attachment A structure for attaching a heat sink to an integrated circuit chip includes a servo control system and at least one voice coil motor for actuating the heat sink.
US08421205B2	Power layout for integrated circuits A power layout of an integrated circuit includes at least one power grid cell. Each power gird cell includes at least one first power layer configured to be coupled to a high power supply voltage and at least one second power layer configured to be coupled to a lower power supply voltage. The at least one first power layer has conductive lines in at least two different directions. The at least one second power layer has conductive lines in at least two different directions.
US08421202B2	Integrated circuit packaging system with flex tape and method of manufacture thereof A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a substrate; attaching a device to the substrate; providing interconnects on the substrate; and forming a flexible tape substantially conformal to the device and contacting the interconnects.
US08421195B2	Semiconductor devices with graded dopant regions Most semiconductor devices manufactured today, have uniform dopant concentration, either in the lateral or vertical device active (and isolation) regions. By grading the dopant concentration, the performance in various semiconductor devices can be significantly improved. Performance improvements can be obtained in application specific areas like increase in frequency of operation for digital logic, various power MOSFET and IGBT ICS, improvement in refresh time for DRAM's, decrease in programming time for nonvolatile memory, better visual quality including pixel resolution and color sensitivity for imaging ICs, better sensitivity for varactors in tunable filters, higher drive capabilities for JFET's, and a host of other applications.
US08421191B2	Monolayer dopant embedded stressor for advanced CMOS Semiconductor structures are disclosed that include at least one FET gate stack located on a semiconductor substrate. The at least one FET gate stack includes source and drain extension regions located within the semiconductor substrate. A device channel is also present between the source and drain extension regions and beneath the at least one gate stack. Embedded stressor elements are located on opposite sides of the at least one FET gate stack and within the semiconductor substrate. Each stressor element includes a lower layer of a first epitaxy doped semiconductor material having a lattice constant that is different from a lattice constant of the semiconductor substrate and imparts a strain in the device channel, and an upper layer of a second epitaxy doped semiconductor material. At least one monolayer of dopant is located within the upper layer of each of the embedded stressor elements.
US08421190B2	Group III nitride semiconductor substrate and manufacturing method thereof A method of manufacturing a group III nitride semiconductor substrate includes the growth step of epitaxially growing a first group III nitride semiconductor layer on an underlying substrate, and the process step of forming a first group III nitride semiconductor substrate by cutting and/or surface-polishing the first group III nitride semiconductor layer. In the growth step, at least one element selected from the group consisting of C, Mg, Fe, Be, Zn, V, and Sb is added as an impurity element by at least 1×1017 cm−3 to the first group III nitride semiconductor layer. A group III nitride semiconductor substrate having controlled resistivity and low dislocation density and a manufacturing method thereof can thus be provided.
US08421187B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof A first insulating film includes five extension lines formed between connection pad portions of adjacent two predetermined wiring lines. The first insulating film also includes peripheral portions of the adjacent two connection pad portions on both sides of the five extension lines. A second insulating film made of a polyimide resin or the like is formed on the upper surface of the first insulating layer by a screen printing method or ink jet method. Since a short circuit may be easily caused by electromigration in a region where the five extension lines are parallel to another, the short circuit due to the electromigration can be prevented by covering only that region with the second insulating film. Accordingly, the region where the second insulating film is formed can be as small as possible, and the semiconductor wafer does not easily warp.
US08421184B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer formed on a first surface; a diode having a first electrode and a second electrode; a control pad; a control electrode electrically coupled with the control pad; and an insulation member. The first electrode is formed on a second surface of the first semiconductor layer. The second electrode is formed on the first surface. Current flows between the first electrode and the second electrode. The control pad is arranged on the first surface so that the pad inputs a control signal for controlling an injection amount of a carrier into the first semiconductor layer. The insulation member insulates between the control electrode and the second electrode and between the control electrode and the semiconductor substrate.
US08421180B2	Semiconductor structure A semiconductor structure is provided. A second area is disposed between first and third areas. An epitaxial layer is on a substrate. A body layer is in the epitaxial layer in first and second areas. First and second gates are in the body layer and in a portion of the epitaxial layer. The first gate is in the substrate and partially in first and second areas. The second gate is in the substrate and partially in second and third areas. A first contact plug is in a portion of the body layer in the first area. A second contact plug is at least in the epitaxial layer in the third area and contacts the epitaxial layer and the second gate. The first contact plug is electrically connected to the second contact plug. A first doped region is in the body layer between the first contact plug and the first gate.
US08421172B2	Simplified silicon drift detector and wraparound neutron detector A large area SDD detector having linear anodes surrounded by steering electrodes and having an oblong, circular, hexagonal, or rectangular shape. The detectors feature stop rings having a junction on the irradiation side and an ohmic contact on the anode side and/or irradiation side. The irradiation and anode stop ring biasing configuration influences the leakage current flowing to the anode and, hence, the overall efficiency of the active area of the detector. A gettering process is also described for creation of the disclosed SDD detectors. The SDD detector may utilize a segmented configuration having multiple anode segments and kick electrodes for reduction of the detector's surface electric field. In another embodiment, a number of strip-like anodes are linked together to form an interdigitated SDD detector for use with neutron detection. Further described is a wraparound structure for use with Ge detectors to minimize capacitance.
US08421171B2	Magnetic random access memory A magnetic random access memory (MRAM) has a perpendicular magnetization direction. The MRAM includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a first polarization enhancement layer, a second polarization enhancement layer, a barrier layer, a spacer, and a free assisting layer. A pinned layer formed by the first magnetic layer and the first polarization enhancement layer has a first magnetization direction and a first perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A free layer formed by the second magnetic layer and the second polarization enhancement layer has a second magnetization direction and a second perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The barrier layer is disposed between the first polarization enhancement layer and the second polarization enhancement layer. The spacer is disposed on the second magnetic layer. The free assisting layer is disposed on the spacer and has an in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The spacer and the barrier layer are on opposite sides of the free layer.
US08421167B2	Microelectromechanical device including an encapsulation layer of which a portion is removed to expose a substantially planar surface having a portion that is disposed outside and above a chamber and including a field region on which integrated circuits are formed, and methods for fabricating same There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a MEMS device, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a MEMS device, having mechanical structures encapsulated in a chamber prior to final packaging. The material that encapsulates the mechanical structures, when deposited, includes one or more of the following attributes: low tensile stress, good step coverage, maintains its integrity when subjected to subsequent processing, does not significantly and/or adversely impact the performance characteristics of the mechanical structures in the chamber (if coated with the material during deposition), and/or facilitates integration with high-performance integrated circuits. In one embodiment, the material that encapsulates the mechanical structures is, for example, silicon (polycrystalline, amorphous or porous, whether doped or undoped), silicon carbide, silicon-germanium, germanium, or gallium-arsenide.
US08421165B2	Apparatus, system, and method for tunneling MOSFETs using self-aligned heterostructure source and isolated drain Apparatuses, systems, and methods for tunneling MOSFETs (TFETs) using a self-aligned heterostructure source and isolated drain. TFETs that have an abrupt junction between source and drain regions have an increased probability of carrier direct tunneling (e.g., electrons and holes). The increased probability allows a higher achievable on current in TFETs having the abrupt junction.
US08421162B2	Advanced transistors with punch through suppression An advanced transistor with punch through suppression includes a gate with length Lg, a well doped to have a first concentration of a dopant, and a screening region positioned under the gate and having a second concentration of dopant. The second concentration of dopant may be greater than 5×1018 dopant atoms per cm3. At least one punch through suppression region is disposed under the gate between the screening region and the well. The punch through suppression region has a third concentration of a dopant intermediate between the first concentration and the second concentration of dopant. A bias voltage may be applied to the well region to adjust a threshold voltage of the transistor.
US08421159B2	Raised source/drain field effect transistor In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor structure includes: a substrate; and a plurality of devices at least partially overlying the substrate, where the plurality of devices include a first device coupled to a second device via a first raised source/drain having a first length, where the first device is further coupled to a second raised source/drain having a second length, where the first device comprises a transistor, where the first raised source/drain and the second raised source/drain at least partially overly the substrate, where the second raised source/drain comprises a terminal electrical contact, where the second length is greater than the first length.
US08421158B2	Chip structure with a passive device and method for forming the same The present invention provides a method for forming a chip structure with a resistor. A semiconductor substrate is provided and has a surface. A plurality of electronic devices and a resistor is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of circuit layers are formed over the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layers are stacked over the semiconductor substrate and have a plurality of via holes. Each of the circuit layers is disposed on corresponding one of the dielectric layers respectively, wherein the circuit layers are electrically connected with each other through the via holes and are electrically connected to the electronic devices. A passivation layer is formed over the dielectric layers and the circuit layers. A circuit line is formed over the passivation layer, wherein the circuit line passes through the passivation layer and is electrically connected to the resistor.
US08421152B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method for the same A semiconductor device includes a first conductive type first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, and a second conductive type lateral RESURF region. The first semiconductor region is arranged on a first electrode side. The second semiconductor region includes first conductive type first pillar regions and a terminal part. The second pillar regions are alternately arranged on an element part. The terminal part is formed around the element part along a surface of the first semiconductor region on a second electrode side opposite to the first electrode side of the first semiconductor region. Furthermore, the second conductive type lateral RESURF region is formed in the second semiconductor region on the terminal part.
US08421142B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same In one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a substrate, and a well region formed in the substrate. The device further includes device regions formed in the well region and defined by isolation trenches formed in the well region, the device regions extending in a first direction parallel to a principal surface of the substrate, and being adjacent to one another in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The device further includes isolation insulators buried in the isolation trenches to isolate the device regions from one another. The device further includes floating gates disposed on the device regions via gate insulators, and a control gate disposed on the floating gates via an intergate insulator. The device further includes first diffusion suppressing layers formed inside the respective device regions to divide each of the device regions into an upper device region and a lower device region. The device further includes second diffusion suppressing layers formed on side surfaces of the respective upper device regions, the side surfaces being perpendicular to the second direction.
US08421136B2	Semiconductor device and fabrication process thereof A semiconductor device that includes a circuit portion, a first light-shielding film and plural second light-shielding films. In the circuit portion, a plurality of wiring layers that include circuit elements are laminated. The first light-shielding film covers an uppermost layer of the wiring layers and light-shields light that is illuminated at the circuit portion. The second light-shielding films are covered by the first light shielding film and formed so as to respectively encircle the wiring layers in ring forms. Outer peripheries of the plural second light-shielding films are formed to be successively smaller from an upper to a lower layer, so as to be at the inner side relative to the outer periphery of the second light-shielding film of the upper layer.
US08421134B2	Back side illumination image sensor reduced in size and method for manufacturing the same A back side illumination image sensor reduced in chip size has a capacitor disposed in a vertical upper portion of a pixel region in the back side illumination image sensor in which light is illuminated from a back side of a subscriber, thereby reducing a chip size, and a method for manufacturing the back side illumination image sensor. The capacitor of the back side illumination image sensor reduced in chip size is formed in the vertical upper portion of the pixel region, not in the outside of a pixel region, so that the outside area of the pixel region for forming the capacitor is not required, thereby reducing a chip size.
US08421127B2	Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same are described. The semiconductor device includes a well of a first conductive type, first doped regions of a second conductive type, gates of the second conductive type, second doped regions of the first conductive type, and isolation structures. The well is disposed in a substrate. The first doped regions are disposed in the well. The first doped regions are arranged in parallel and extend along a first direction. The gates are disposed on the substrate. The gates are arranged in parallel and extend along a second direction different from the first direction. One of the first doped regions is electrically connected to one of the gates. Each of the second doped regions is disposed in the first doped regions between two adjacent gates. Each of the isolation structures is disposed in the substrate between two adjacent first doped regions.
US08421123B2	Semiconductor device having transistor and rectifier A semiconductor device having a transistor and a rectifier includes: a current path; a first main electrode having a rectifying function and arranged on one end of the current path; a second main electrode arranged on the other end of the current path; an auxiliary electrode arranged in a region of the current path between the first main electrode and the second main electrode; a third main electrode arranged on the one end of the current path apart from the first main electrode along a direction intersecting the current path; and a control electrode arranged in a region of the current path between the second main electrode and the third main electrode. The transistor includes the current path, the second main electrode, the third main electrode, and the control electrode. The rectifier includes the current path, the first main electrode, the second main electrode, and the auxiliary electrode.
US08421122B2	High power gallium nitride field effect transistor switches A monolithic high power radio frequency switch includes a substrate, and first and second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors on the substrate. Each of the first and second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors includes a respective source, drain and gate terminal. The source terminal of the first gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor is coupled to the drain terminal of the second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, and the source terminal of the second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor is coupled to ground. An RF input pad is coupled to the drain terminal of the first second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, an RF output pad is coupled to the source terminal of the first gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor and the drain terminal of the second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, and a control pad is coupled to the gate of the first gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor.
US08421115B2	Semiconductor material, method of producing semiconductor material, light emitting device and light receiving device A semiconductor material includes a matrix semiconductor includes constituent atoms bonded to each other into a tetrahedral bond structure, and a heteroatom Z doped to the matrix semiconductor, in which the heteroatom Z is inserted in a bond so as to form a bond-center structure with an stretched bond length, and the bond-center structure is contained in a proportion of 1% or more based on the heteroatom Z.
US08421114B2	Active matrix electroluminescent device within resin sealed housing In the present invention, a semiconductor film is formed through a sputtering method, and then, the semiconductor film is crystallized. After the crystallization, a patterning step is carried out to form an active layer with a desired shape. The present invention is also characterized by forming a semiconductor film through a sputtering method, subsequently forming an insulating film. Next, the semiconductor film is crystallized through the insulating film, so that a crystalline semiconductor film is formed. According this structure, it is possible to obtain a thin film transistor with a good electronic property and a high reliability in a safe processing environment.
US08421112B2	Light emitting device and light emitting device package having the same Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package having the same. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer under the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer under the active layer; a first electrode layer under the second conductive semiconductor layer; an electrode including a top surface making contact with a part of a bottom surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer; and an insulating member for covering an outer peripheral surface of the electrode, wherein a part of the insulating member extends into a region between the second conductive semiconductor layer and the first electrode layer from a bottom surface of the electrode.
US08421111B2	Light-emitting device and lamp A light-emitting device including: a base which is translucent; a semiconductor light-emitting element provided on the base; a sealing member for sealing the semiconductor light-emitting element and including a first wavelength conversion material for converting a wavelength of light emitted by the semiconductor light-emitting element to a predetermined wavelength; and a groove provided on a side of the semiconductor light-emitting element, recessed from a top surface of the base on which the semiconductor light-emitting element is provided or a back surface of the base which is a surface opposite to the top surface, and for holding a second wavelength conversion material for converting the wavelength of the light emitted by the semiconductor light-emitting element to the predetermined wavelength.
US08421105B2	Semiconductor light-emitting device and method for fabricating the same A semiconductor light-emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light-emitting device may include a light-emitting structure, an electrode, an ohmic layer, an electrode layer, an adhesion layer, and a channel layer. The light-emitting structure may include a compound semiconductor layer. The electrode may be disposed on the light-emitting structure. The ohmic layer may be disposed under the light-emitting structure. The electrode layer may include a reflective metal under the ohmic layer. The adhesion layer may be disposed under the electrode layer. The channel layer may be disposed along a bottom edge of the light-emitting structure.
US08421102B2	Semiconductor light-emitting device having a member in a periphery made of a material whose color, transparency or adhesiveness changes overtime due to light or heat emission from the emitting element A light-emitting device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a semiconductor light-emitting element, and a member in the periphery of the semiconductor light-emitting element is made of a material whose color, transparency or adhesiveness changes over time as it is subjected to light or heat emitted by the semiconductor light-emitting element.
US08421100B2	Nitride semiconductor light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same A nitride semiconductor light emitting device is provided. The nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes a first nitride layer comprising at least N-type nitride layer. An insulating member is formed on the first nitride layer having a predetermined pattern. An active layer is formed in both sides of the insulating member on the first nitride layer to emit light. A second nitride layer is formed in both sides of the insulating member on the active layer and the second nitride layer comprises at least a P-type nitride layer.
US08421099B2	Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and display device A light emitting device is provided that includes a light emitting structure including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer, with a roughness formed in a surface of the first semiconductor layer; a phosphor layer arranged on the first semiconductor layer; and an adhesive activation layer arranged between the first semiconductor layer and the phosphor layer. The adhesive activation layer fills a concave part of the roughness and a boundary surface between the adhesive activation layer and the phosphor layer is level.
US08421096B2	Pixel structure and display panel A pixel structure and a manufacturing method thereof and a display panel are provided. An electrode material layer, a shielding material layer, an inter-layer dielectric material layer, a semiconductor material layer and a photoresist-layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. The semiconductor material layer, the inter-layer dielectric material layer, the shielding material layer and the electrode material layer are patterned using the photoresist-layer as a mask to form a semiconductor pattern, an inter-layer dielectric pattern, a shielding pattern and a pixel electrode. A source/drain electrically connected to the pixel electrode and covering a portion of the semiconductor pattern is formed on the pixel electrode. A channel is another portion of the semiconductor uncovered by the source/drain. A dielectric layer covering the source/drain, the semiconductor pattern, the inter-layer dielectric pattern, the shielding pattern and the pixel electrode and a gate disposed on the dielectric layer above the channel are formed.
US08421094B2	Light emitting device A light emitting device includes: a ceramic substrate; a plurality of LED chips; a printed resistor(s) connected in parallel with the plurality of LED chips; a dam resin made of a resin having a low optical transmittance; a fluorescent-material-containing resin layer; and an anode-side electrode and a cathode-side electrode, (a) which are provided on a primary surface of the ceramic substrate so as to face each other along a first direction on the primary surface and (b) which are disposed below at least one of the dam resin and the fluorescent-material-containing resin layer. With the configuration in which a plurality of LEDs, which are connected in a series-parallel connection, are provided on a substrate, it is possible to provide a light emitting device which can achieve restraining of luminance unevenness and an improvement in luminous efficiency.
US08421090B2	Organic light emitting diode display and method of manufacturing the same A display and a method of manufacturing the same, the display including a substrate main body, a first thin film transistor on the substrate main body, the first thin film transistor including a first gate electrode, the first gate electrode including polycrystalline silicon, a first semiconductor layer on the first gate electrode, first source electrode, and a first drain electrode, and a second thin film transistor on the substrate main body, the second thin film transistor including a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer including polycrystalline silicon and being on a same plane as the first gate electrode, a second gate electrode on the second semiconductor layer, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode.
US08421088B2	Surface mounting type light emitting diode This invention provides a surface mounting type light emitting diode excellent in heat radiation performance, reliability and productivity. The surface mounting type light emitting diode includes an insulating base member, a semiconductor light emitting element having a bottom face fixedly bonded to a top face of the base member, and a metallic reflector joined to the top face of the base member with a heat conduction type adhesive sheet interposed therebetween, to surround the semiconductor light emitting element. Heat generated from the semiconductor light emitting element is transferred to the reflector via the base member and the heat conduction type adhesive sheet, and then is radiated to the outside. The metallic reflector can efficiently radiate the heat to the outside. The cutting margin provided for the reflector facilitates a dicing process, which improves productivity.
US08421087B2	Semiconductor module including a switch and non-central diode A semiconductor module having one or more silicon carbide diode elements mounted on a switching element is provided in which the temperature rise is reduced by properly disposing each of the diode elements on the switching element, to thereby provide a thermal dissipation path for the respective diode elements. The respective diode elements are arranged on a non-central portion of the switching element, to facilitate dissipation of the heat produced by each of the diode elements, whereby the temperature rise in the semiconductor module is reduced.
US08421086B2	Silicon carbide semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A silicon carbide semiconductor device having an active layer with reduced defect density which is formed on a substrate made of silicon carbide, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A semiconductor device includes a substrate made of silicon carbide and having an off angle of not less than 50° and not more than 65° with respect to a plane orientation {0001}; a buffer layer, and an epitaxial layer, a p-type layer and an n+ region each serving as an active layer. The buffer layer is made of silicon carbide and formed on the substrate. The active layer is made of silicon carbide and formed on the buffer layer. The micropipe density is lower in the active layer than in the substrate. The density of dislocations in which the direction of a Burgers vector corresponds to is higher in the active layer than in the substrate.On the film forming conditions in the step of forming the buffer layer, the composition and the flow rate of the material gas is determined such that the value of the C/Si ratio representing a ratio of carbon atoms to silicon atoms in the material gas used for forming the buffer layer is smaller than the value of the C/Si ratio in the step of forming the active layer.
US08421082B1	Integrated CMOS and MEMS with air dielectric method and system A method and structure for fabricating a monolithic integrated CMOS and MEMS device. The method includes providing a first semiconductor substrate having a first surface region and forming one or more CMOS IC devices on a CMOS IC device region overlying the first surface region. The CMOS IC device region can also have a CMOS surface region. A bonding material can be formed overlying the CMOS surface region to form an interface by which a second semiconductor substrate can be joined to the CMOS surface region. The second semiconductor substrate having a second surface region to the CMOS surface region by bonding the second surface region to the bonding material, the second semiconductor substrate comprising one or more first air dielectric regions. One or more free standing MEMS structures can be formed within one or more portions of the processed first substrate.
US08421072B2	Electronic device having thermally managed electron path and method of thermal management of very cold electrons A device and a method of thermal management. In one embodiment, the device includes an integrated circuit, including: (1) a conductive region configured to be connected to a voltage source, (2) a transistor having a semiconductor channel with a controllable conductivity and (3) first and second conducting leads connecting to respective first and second ends of said channel, wherein a charge in the conductive region is configured to substantially raise an electrical potential energy of conduction charge carriers in the semiconductor channel and portions of said leads are located where an electric field produced by said charge is substantially weaker than near the semiconductor channel.
US08421066B2	Organic electroluminescence device An organic electroluminescence device includes: a pair of electrodes; and at least one organic layer including a light emitting layer, the light emitting layer being provided between the pair of electrodes, wherein at least one layer of the at least one organic layer contains a compound represented by formula (1): wherein each of Z11 and Z12 independently represents an aromatic heterocyclic ring or an aromatic hydrocarbon ring; R11 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, provided that a plurality of R11s are the same or different; m represents an integer of 1 or more; and L1 represents a single bond or an m-valent linking group and is linked to any one of C atoms in R11, Z11 and Z12, provided that when m is 1, L1 does not exist.
US08421064B2	Organic-light-emitting-diode flat-panel light-source apparatus Provided are an organic-light-emitting-diode (OLED) flat-panel light-source apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. The device includes an anode and a cathode, to which externally applied power is supplied, disposed on a substrate, an organic emission layer (EML) interposed between the anode and the cathode and configured to emit light due to power supplied through the anode and the cathode, and a subsidiary electrode layer including a plurality of subsidiary electrodes bonded to the anode or the cathode and configured to supply power to the anode or the cathode or electrically insulated from the anode or the cathode and configured to supply power to other emission regions.
US08421061B2	Memory element and semiconductor device including the memory element It is an object of the present invention to reduce variations in behavior of each memory element. In addition, it is another object of the present invention to obtain a semiconductor device, on which the memory element is mounted, which is superior in terms of performance and reliability. A memory element of the present invention includes in its structure a first conductive layer; a semiconductor layer; an organic compound layer; and a second conductive layer, where the semiconductor layer and the organic compound layer are interposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, and the semiconductor layer is formed to be in contact with the first conductive layer and/or the second conductive layer. With such a structure, variations in behavior of each memory element are reduced.
US08421058B2	Light emitting diode structure having superlattice with reduced electron kinetic energy therein A light emitting diode structure and a method of forming a light emitting diode structure are provided. The structure includes a superlattice comprising, a first barrier layer; a first quantum well layer comprising a first metal-nitride based material formed on the first barrier layer; a second barrier layer formed on the first quantum well layer; and a second quantum well layer including the first metal-nitride based material formed on the second barrier layer; and wherein a difference between conduction band energy of the first quantum well layer and conduction band energy of the second quantum well layer is matched to a single or multiple longitudinal optical phonon energy for reducing electron kinetic energy in the superlattice.
US08421057B2	Light-emitting devices with improved active-region A light-emitting device comprises an active-region sandwiched between an n-type layer and a p-type layer, that allows lateral carrier injection into the active-region so as to reduce heat generation in the active-region and to minimize additional forward voltage increase associated with bandgap discontinuity. In some embodiments, the active-region is a vertically displaced multiple-quantum-well (MQW) active-region. A method for fabricating the same is also provided.
US08421053B2	Oubit based systems, devices, and methods for analog processing A system may include first and second qubits that cross one another and a first coupler having a perimeter that encompasses at least a part of the portions of the first and second qubits, the first coupler being operable to ferromagnetically or anti-ferromagnetically couple the first and the second qubits together. A multi-layered computer chip may include a first plurality N of qubits laid out in a first metal layer, a second plurality M of qubits laid out at least partially in a second metal layer that cross each of the qubits of the first plurality of qubits, and a first plurality N times M of coupling devices that at least partially encompasses an area where a respective pair of the qubits from the first and the second plurality of qubits cross each other.
US08421051B2	Resistance-change memory According to one embodiment, a resistance-change memory includes a variable resistance element having a laminated structure in which a first electrode, a resistance-change film and a second electrode are laminated, and set to a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state according to stored data, an insulating film provided on a side surface of the variable resistance element, and a fixed resistance element provided on a side surface of the insulating film, and includes a conductive film, the fixed resistance element being connected in parallel with the variable resistance element.
US08421049B2	Metal atom migration switching device, drive and manufacturing methods for the same, integrated circuit device and memory device using same Provided is a switching device including ion conducting part 4 having an ion conductor, first electrode 1 formed at a first gap away from ion conducting part 4, second electrode 2 formed to be in contact with ion conducting part 4 and third electrode 3 formed at a second gap away from ion conducting part 4. Second electrode 2 supplies metal ions to the ion conductor, or receives the metal ions from the ion conductor to precipitate metal corresponding to the metal ions.
US08421046B2	Optical sensor for detecting valuable documents and method for keeping a sensor window of the sensor clean In a method for keeping clean a sensor window of an optical sensor for detecting value documents and/or at least one property of value documents which is disposed with at least one portion in a beam path of the sensor, a gas film attached to a surface of the portion is generated on the portion of the sensor window from gas moving relative to the portion.
US08421042B2	Electron beam emitter An exit window for an electron beam emitter through which electrons pass in an electron beam includes a structural foil for metal to metal bonding with the electron beam emitter. The structural foil has a central opening formed therethrough. A window layer of high thermal conductivity extends over the central opening of the structural foil and provides a high thermal conductivity region through which the electrons can pass.
US08421039B2	Method and apparatus for improved uniformity control with dynamic beam shaping The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for varying the cross-sectional shape of an ion beam, as the ion beam is scanned over the surface of a workpiece, to generate a time-averaged ion beam having an improved ion beam current profile uniformity. In one embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of an ion beam is varied as the ion beam moves across the surface of the workpiece. The different cross-sectional shapes of the ion beam respectively have different beam profiles (e.g., having peaks at different locations along the beam profile), so that rapidly changing the cross-sectional shape of the ion beam results in a smoothing of the beam current profile (e.g., reduction of peaks associated with individual beam profiles) that the workpiece is exposed to. The resulting smoothed beam current profile provides for improved uniformity of the beam current and improved workpiece dose uniformity.
US08421037B2	System and method for reduction of optical noise A variety of methods and systems are described that relate to reducing optical noise. In at least one embodiment, the method includes, emitting a first light having a selected wavelength from a light source, receiving a reflected first light onto a phosphor-based layer positioned inside a receiver, the reflected first light being at least some of the emitted first light that has been reflected by an object positioned outside of a desired target location. The method further includes, shifting the wavelength of the received reflected first light due to an interaction between the received reflected first light and the phosphor-based layer, and passing the received reflected first light with respect to which the wavelength has been shifted through a light detector without detection.
US08421032B2	Disinfecting device having a power supply and a fluid outlet A disinfecting device having an outlet (2, 42) for a flowing liquid, particularly water, and a UV irradiator (6), preferably a UV-C radiator (16) or one or more UV-C emitting light emitting diodes, and an electric power supply (7), such as a battery, turbine driven generator or a solar module, for supplying the UV irradiator with up to 25 V alternating voltage or up to 60 V direct voltage. The outlet may be constructed with a reflective interior, and a controller for regulating liquid temperature, liquid pressure and/or liquid flow rate and/or an aerator (14) for introducing air into the flowing liquid may be integrated into the device, which may be a plumbing fixture such as a water spigot.
US08421024B2	Cradle for use with radiation conversion device A cradle for use with a radiation conversion device includes a cradle for carrying out charging of a radiation conversion device, which is disposed in the vicinity of an image capturing apparatus for capturing a radiation image of a subject, and which detects radiation that has passed through the subject and converts the radiation into image information. The cradle is equipped with a charging processor for carrying out charging with respect to a battery mounted in the radiation conversion device, an information acquiring section for acquiring information that includes subject information pertaining to the subject and includes image capturing conditions when the image information of the subject is captured, and a display unit for displaying the acquired information.
US08421020B2	Infrared sensing device An infrared sensing device mounted in the faucet for a wash basin. The device includes a housing, an emitting lens for focusing the emitted infrared light, and a receiving lens for focusing the reflected infrared light. The optical center of the emitting lens is biased to cause the emitted light to deviate from the basin and from a water column flowing from the faucet.
US08421018B2	Detection of chemicals with infrared light The present invention is directed to a method for non-contact or stand off chemical detection by selectively exciting one or more analytes of interest using an IR source tuned to at least one specific absorption band without significantly decomposing the analyte and determining if the analyte is present by comparing emitted photons with an IR detector signal made before and during or shortly after exciting the analyte. Another embodiment provides a method for non-contact or stand off chemical detection by selectively exciting one or more analytes of interest using an IR source tuned to at least one specific absorption band without significantly decomposing the analyte, wherein the analyte is excited sufficiently to generate a vapor plume, and wherein the plume is examined to detect the presence of the analyte. Additionally, the present invention provides for a system for non-contact or stand off chemical detection.
US08421017B2	Analyte detection with infrared light A method for non-contact analyte detection by selectively exciting one or more analytes of interest using an IR source optionally operated to produce pulses of light and tuned to at least one specific absorption band without significantly decomposing organic analytes and determining if the analyte is present by comparing emitted photons with an IR detector signal collected one or more times before, during, or after, exciting the analyte. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for non-contact analyte detection by selectively exciting analytes of interest using one or more IR sources that are optionally operated to produce pulses of light and tuned to at least one specific wavelength without significantly decomposing organic analytes, wherein the analyte is excited sufficiently to increase the amount of analyte in the gas phase, and wherein the content of the gas is examined to detect the presence of the analyte.
US08421015B1	Position sensing detector focal plane array (PSD-FPA) event detection and classification system An event detection and classification system uses a new type of optical sensing component, a Position Sensing Detector Focal Plane Array (PSD-FPA). The PSD-FPA provides for high-speed operation that allows for accurate sensing of fast artifacts that are unique to weapons fire and enables precise location of optical phenomenon. The system detects and classifies events, particularly weapons fire, and rejects false alarms. An optical lens sub-system focuses light onto a PSD-FPA, which senses the photons and generates electrical signals associated with individual elements of the PSD-FPA. These signals are processed to identify and classify weapons-related or other events. Background subtraction, variable gain, time-intensity and time-location correlation, digital filtering, Fourier analysis, and wavelet analysis are all used to successfully classify the events while rejecting false alarms.
US08421013B2	Electromagnetic wave transmission filters and electromagnetic cameras including the same An electromagnetic wave transmission filter may include a substrate and one or more coils. The one or more coils may be at least partly disposed in an opening through the substrate. An electromagnetic camera may include an electromagnetic wave detector array, including a plurality of detector cells for detecting electromagnetic waves, and an electromagnetic wave transmission filter disposed in front of the electromagnetic wave detector array to provide each of the detector cells with an electromagnetic wave of a certain wavelength. The electromagnetic wave transmission filter may includes a substrate and a plurality of coils. At least one of the plurality of coils may be at least partly disposed in each of a plurality of openings through the substrate.
US08421012B2	Low energy portable low-light camera with wavelength cutoff A sensor for night vision applications is provided, wherein the sensor comprises a semiconductor absorption layer of composition that limits long wavelength response cutoff to between 1.25 to 1.4 μm wavelength. The selection of this cutoff frequency provides improved dark current performance, thereby requiring less cooling of the sensor. Consequently, energy consumption is reduced, as the sensor does not require active cooling, so that the sensor is particularly beneficial for mobile night vision applications where battery weight is of high importance.
US08421010B2	Charged particle beam device for scanning a sample using a charged particle beam to inspect the sample There is provided a substrate inspection device which uses a charged particle beam and is capable of more quickly extracting a defect candidate than ever before. The configuration of the substrate inspection device is such that a substrate having a circuit pattern is irradiated with a primary charged particle beam, the substrate is moved at a constant speed or at an increasing or a decreasing speed, a position resulting from the movement is monitored, the position of irradiation with the primary charged particle beam is controlled according to the coordinates of the substrate, an image in a partial region on the substrate is captured at a speed lower than the velocity of the movement, a defect candidate is detected based on the captured image, and the detected defect candidate is displayed in a map format.
US08421007B2	X-ray detection system An X-ray detection system has an electron beam irradiation portion, a diffraction grating, a splitter for distributing the direction of propagation of the diffracted X-rays such that an imaging plane for the diffracted X-rays is assigned to plural positions spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the direction of energy dispersion of the diffracted X-rays, and image sensors different in energy sensitivity disposed respectively at the positions to which the imaging plane is assigned.
US08421005B2	Systems and methods for transfer of ions for analysis The present invention is a device to restrict the sampling of analyte ions and neutral molecules from surfaces with mass spectrometry and thereby sample from a defined area or volume. In various embodiments of the present invention, a tube is used to sample ions formed with a defined spatial resolution from desorption ionization at or near atmospheric pressures. In an embodiment of the present invention, electrostatic fields are used to direct ions to either individual tubes or a plurality of tubes positioned in close proximity to the surface of the sample being analyzed. In an embodiment of the present invention, wide diameter sampling tubes can be used in combination with a vacuum inlet to draw ions and neutrals into the spectrometer for analysis. In an embodiment of the present invention, wide diameter sampling tubes in combination with electrostatic fields improve the efficiency of ion collection.
US08421004B2	Nuclear detectors built directly into shielding or modulating material An apparatus for measuring radiation in a borehole penetrating the Earth, the apparatus includes: a downhole tool having a structure defining a cavity; and one or more radiation detection components integrated into the cavity and configured to measure the radiation. An apparatus conveyable through a borehole for measuring radiation downhole and a method of producing a downhole apparatus for measuring radiation are provided.
US08421002B2	Image projection apparatus having a dust-proof enclosure portion, a cabinet shielding structure and a detachably dust-proof cover A dust-proof enclosure portion which stores therein an emission portion of a projection unit and in which a projection window from which image light is emitted is formed to direct upward, and a cabinet shielding structure which holds a screen on a front side, in which an opening that introduces the image light emitted from the projection window of the projection unit is included, and in which a second reflection mirror that reflects the introduced image light toward the rear surface of the screen is arranged are included, in which a second dust-proof cover is detachably attached to the opening (light introducing and managing opening) of the cabinet shielding structure, the projection window is exposed in a state where the second dust-proof cover is removed, and the cabinet shielding structure is a sealed structure in a state where the second dust-proof cover is attached.
US08420996B2	Intensity estimation using binary sensor array with spatially varying thresholds An apparatus includes an array containing N sub-diffraction limit light sensors each having an associated light absorption activation threshold for switching from a reset state to an activated state, where the light absorption activation values lie within a range of values. The apparatus further includes a processor connected with a memory including computer program code, where the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform estimating an intensity of light that illuminates the array based on electrical outputs of the array.
US08420995B2	Solid-state imaging device A solid-state imaging device of one embodiment includes a light receiving section including of a plurality of pixels 11 having respective photodiodes, the pixels being two-dimensionally arrayed in M rows and N columns; N readout lines disposed for the respective columns and connected with the photodiodes PD included in the pixels of a respective columns via readout switches; a signal output section for outputting a voltage value according to an amount of charge input through each of the readout lines; and a vertical shift register for controlling an opening and closing operation of the readout switch for each of the rows. A contour between one side along a row direction of the light receiving section and a pair of sides along a column direction has a stepped shape. A dummy photodiode region is formed along the stepped contour of the light receiving section.
US08420994B2	Detecting device and solid-state imaging device A solid-state imaging device includes a light receiving section having a plurality of threshold voltage modulation pixel circuits each configured including a MOS transistor having a gate electrode connected to a supply terminal of a gate voltage of a vertical scanning circuit, and a source electrode connected to one end of each capacitor of a line memory group via a switching element, and a photodiode having an anode connected to a back-gate electrode of the MOS transistor and a cathode connected to a drain electrode thereof, and a buffer circuit having an input terminal connected to a supply line of a control voltage of the control voltage supply means adapted to supply the vertical scanning circuit with the control voltage, and an output terminal connected to the other end of each capacitor, and having a signal transfer characteristic the same as that of the pixel circuit.
US08420993B2	Optical signal generator and method for adjusting the same having a reflecting mirror to define another cavity different from the cavity of a single mode laser An optical signal generator includes a single-mode laser; a reflecting mirror to define another cavity different from a cavity of the single-mode laser, and reflect a part of output light from the single-mode laser to return the part of the output light to the single-mode laser; an intensity modulator provided between the single-mode laser and the reflecting mirror; and a phase adjuster, provided between the single-mode laser and the reflecting mirror, to adjust a frequency difference between a signal on state and a signal off state generated in accordance with intensity modulation by the intensity modulator.
US08420987B2	Thermistor with 3 terminals, thermistor-transistor, circuit for controlling heat of power transistor using the thermistor-transistor, and power system including the circuit Provided are a thermistor with 3 terminals, a thermistor-transistor including the thermistor, a circuit for controlling heat of a power transistor using the thermistor-transistor, and a power system including the circuit. The circuit includes: a thermistor-transistor which comprises a thermistor having a resistance decreasing with an increase in temperature and a control transistor connected to the thermistor; and at least one power transistor which is connected to a driving device to control a supply of power to the driving device, wherein the thermistor-transistor is adhered to one of a surface and a heat-emitting part of the at least one power transistor and is connected to one of a base, a gate, a collector, and a drain of the at least one power transistor to decrease or block a current flowing in the at least one power transistor when the temperature of the at least one power transistor rises, so as to prevent the power transistor from heating up.
US08420982B2	Oven having loess layers Provided is an oven including loess layers. The oven includes: a main body portion having a cooking space therein; loess layers that are coated on inner walls of the main body portion and that comprise red clay and yellow mica, respectively; and heat generation rods that are disposed on at least one side of the cooking space so as to heat the cooking space.
US08420973B2	Power-supply control device for electrical discharge machining apparatus A power-supply control device includes a high-frequency component detecting unit, a machining voltage level detecting device, a no-load time detecting device, and a pulse control device. The high-frequency component detecting unit detects a high-frequency component of discharge voltage at a machining gap. The machining voltage level detecting device detects a discharge voltage level at the machining gap. The no-load time detecting device detects delay time of discharge of the discharge voltage at the machining gap. The high-frequency component is compared with a reference value to obtain a first comparison result. The discharge voltage level is compared with a reference level to obtain a second comparison result. The pulse control device controls pulse off time based on the first comparison result and the detected delay time, and cuts off a discharge pulse based on the second comparison result.
US08420972B2	Method of machining master link The present invention relates to a method of machining a master link disposed at a distal end of a chain and constituting a part of a track chain link of a lower driving device used in an endless track vehicle (a bulldozer, an excavator). According to the present invention, it is possible to rapidly perform the machining work by secondarily adjusting the horizontal degree and the vertical degree of the integrally manufactured front and rear master link in a short time after primarily wire cutting it by using an exclusive clamping jig for the primary wire cut and an exclusive clamping jig for the secondary machining center, and machine the interference portion generated at the time of the assembly of the master link with the corresponding product, by using the machining center provided with the ball end mill, the flat end mill, and the chamfer end mill, in a short time, thereby achieving reduction of the machining time, maintaining the uniform quality and reduction of the production expense.
US08420969B2	Switchgear and switchgear operating mechanism An embodiment of a switchgear has: a closing shaft; a main lever fixed to the closing shaft and associated with a movable contact; a cutoff spring; a sub-shaft; a sub-lever and a latch lever which are connected to the sub-shaft; a roller pin mounted to the leading end of the latch lever; a latch; a latch returning spring for urging the latch; a latch pin fixed to the latch; and a ring mounted to the latch pin so as to be movable in the radial direction of the latch pin. In the closed state, the roller pin presses the leading end of the latch. In power cutoff operation, latch is pulled so as to permit rotation of the latch, engagement between the roller pin and the leading end of the latch is disengaged, and the sub-shaft is rotated by urging by the cutoff spring.
US08420968B2	Switching mechanism capable of indicating contacts status and mold cased circuit breaker having the same mechanism Disclosed is a switching mechanism for a mold cased circuit breaker, capable of indicating a contacts status by a position of a handle. The switching mechanism comprises a handle; a lever providing a rotation supporting point of the handle; a shaft configured to rotatably support a movable contactor; a trip spring having an upper end supported by the handle, and configured to indicate a melt-adhered state of contacts by manipulating the handle to a TRIP position from an OFF position since a horizontal position of a lower end supporting point thereof in the TRIP position is discordant with a horizontal position of a rotation supporting point of the lever; a latch configured to restrict the trip spring; an upper link and a lower link; a toggle pin configured to support a lower end of the trip spring so as to provide the lower end supporting point; a latch holder; a nail rotatable to a position to restrict or release the latch holder; and an isolation lever having one end connected to the shaft and another end contactable to the nail, pressed by the lever by being upwardly moved so as to contact the lever, and configured to push the nail to a position to release the latch holder when manipulating the handle to an OFF position in a state that the contact of the movable contactor and the contact of the fixed contactor are melt-adhered to each other.
US08420966B2	Electronic control apparatus An electronic control apparatus includes a housing, a lid, a fastener, and a controller. The lid covers the opening of the housing to form a closed space defined by the lid and the housing. The fastener fixes the lid to the housing. The controller is located in the space. An isolation member is provided with an outer surface of one of the lid and the bottom of the housing. The outer surface has a liquid drip area where liquid is expected to drip. The isolation member causes the liquid dripped on the liquid drip area to flow down the outer surface in such a manner that the liquid avoids the fastener.
US08420963B2	Electrical enclosure apparatus An openable cover for an enclosure configured to house a switching device, the switching device being configured with an operating member operable between a first position and a second position. The openable cover comprises a moveable member operable in response to movement of the operating member. The movable member is configured to prevent opening of the cover member when the operating member is in the first position, and configured to prevent closing of the cover member when the operating member is in the second position.
US08420962B2	Vented electrcal enclosure with operation handle An enclosure described herein satisfies the requirements of a NEMA 4X enclosure, and is capable of being used in food and beverage plants, and other washdown environments. The enclosure includes a housing and a removable cover coupled to the enclosure. The cover is flush with the housing, and both the housing and the cover have a smooth exterior finish. A sealing gasket having a thickness greater than the cover is positioned between the cover and the housing. The enclosure generally houses at least one switch therein. The cover includes a handle and switch mechanism that controls the switch(es) when the cover is coupled to the housing.
US08420960B1	Disconnect pullout handle Apparatus, systems, and methods associated with a disconnect pullout handle for selectively conducting power between jaw connectors are provided. In one embodiment, the disconnect pullout handle includes a molded handle base and a conductive blade configured for frictional engagement with the jaw connectors to provide a current path therebetween. The conductive blade is molded integrally into the blade retaining finger.
US08420952B2	Circuit board, electronic device including a circuit board, and method of manufacturing a circuit board A circuit board includes a board, a first conductive land over the board, a second conductive land over the board, a resist extending over the board, and a conductive material within the opening. The second conductive land is distanced from the first conductive land. The resist has an opening that extends over at least a portion of the first conductive land, at least a portion of the second conductive land, and at least a portion of an intervening region of the board. The intervening region extends between the first and second conductive lands. The conductive material extends over the at least a portion of the intervening region, the at least a portion of the first conductive land, and the at least a portion of the second conductive land.
US08420949B2	Electromagnetic bandgap structure and printed circuit board According to the present invention, the board can include a dielectric layer; a plurality of conductive plates; and a stitching via, to electrically connect two of the conductive plates to each other. Here, the stitching via can include a first via and a second via, respectively, passing through the dielectric layer and having one end part being placed on a same planar surface as each of the two conductive plates; a connection pattern, having each end part being connected to the other end part of the first via and the second via, respectively; and a first extension pattern, placed on the same planar surface as one of the conductive plates and having one end part being connected to the one end part of the first via and the end part being connected to one of the conductive plates.
US08420948B2	Printed circuit board A printed circuit board includes a layer. A layer of copper is covered on a surface of the layer. A through hole extends through the printed circuit board. A thermal engraving is defined in the surface of the layer, surrounding the through hole and without being covered by the layer of copper. The thermal engraving includes a first opening and a second opening. The first opening of the thermal engraving faces an output terminal of the power supply, and is non-contiguous with the second opening.
US08420946B2	Printed circuit board An exemplary printed circuit board includes a substrate, a differential transmission line, and at least two weld pad pairs. The differential transmission line and the at least two weld pad pairs are disposed on the substrate. The differential transmission line includes two parallel signal conductors disposed on the substrate. Each of the two signal conductors is electrically connected to an edge of one of the weld pads of a respective pair of the at least two weld pad pairs. Thereby, the two signal conductors of the differential transmission line can extend in the same distance anywhere, particularly in the position where the two signal conductors pass the two weld pad pairs. As a result, the coupling performance and the capability of the differential transmission line to resist electromagnetic interference are both enhanced.
US08420945B2	Package substrate, semiconductor package having the package substrate A package substrate may include an insulating substrate, first circuit patterns, second circuit patterns and a test pattern. The first circuit patterns may be arranged on the insulating substrate. The second circuit patterns may be arranged on the insulating substrate. The second circuit patterns may be arranged between the first circuit patterns. The test pattern may be electrically connected between same polar terminals of the first circuit patterns and the second circuit patterns. Thus, electrical connections between the semiconductor chip and the circuit patterns may be tested before performing a process for cutting the package substrate.

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