| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08456945B2 |
10T SRAM for graphics processing
A method, apparatus, computer chip, circuit board, computer and system are provided in which data is stored in a low-voltage, maskable memory. Also provided is a computer readable storage device encoded with data for adapting a manufacturing facility to create an apparatus. The method includes storing a data value in a memory cell in a storage device if a first access parameter associated with the memory cell matches a first pre-determined value and if a second access parameter associated with the memory cell matches a second pre-determined value. The method also includes maintaining a data value in the memory cell in the storage device if the first access parameter differs from the first pre-determined value. The apparatus includes a first and second pair of access parameter ports operatively coupled together and associated with a first and second access parameter respectively. The first and second pair of access parameter ports may be adapted to allow access through the first and second pair of access parameter ports if the first access parameter matches a first pre-determined value, and if the second access parameter matches a second pre-determined value. |
| US08456942B2 |
Regulators regulating charge pump and memory circuits thereof
A regulator for regulating a charge pump is provided. The regulator includes a comparator having a first input end capable of receiving a first voltage and a second input end capable of receiving a second voltage for determining enabling or disabling the charge pump. The first voltage is associated with an output voltage of the charge pump. The second voltage is associated with an internal power voltage and a reference voltage Vref. |
| US08456931B2 |
Data transmission device
A data transmission device in a semiconductor memory apparatus receives input data via a local data input/output line and output s the input data on a plurality of global data input/output lines. The data transmission device includes a write data generation block configured to receive the input data and test data and output one of input data and test data as write data in response to an activation of a test enable signal, and a loading block configured to apply the write data to one of the plurality of global data input/output lines in response to an enable signal. |
| US08456929B2 |
Circuits, systems, and methods for dynamic voltage level shifting
Dynamic voltage level shifting circuits, systems and methods are disclosed. A level shifting circuit comprises an input for accepting a first discrete voltage level to be shifted, a level shifting portion coupled to the input and to a second discrete voltage level, an enable portion having an enable input and coupled to the level shifting portion and an output. The level shifting circuit is configured to translate the data input at the first discrete voltage level into a second discrete voltage level. The enable portion is configured to selectively provide either the second discrete voltage level to the output or decouple at least a portion of the level shifting portion from the output based on the enable input. |
| US08456927B2 |
Page buffer circuit
A page buffer circuit includes: a main latch unit configured to have a main latch value which is dependent on a sub latch output signal, and output the main latch value to a first node; a sub latch unit configured to latch a voltage of a second node as a sub latch value in response to a storage enable signal, and generate the sub latch output signal according to the sub latch value when an output enable signal is activated; and a voltage determination unit connected between the first node and the second node, and configured to electrically connect or disconnect the first node to or from the second node in response to the storage enable signal, and determine a voltage level of the second node in response to the storage enable signal. |
| US08456926B2 |
Memory write error correction circuit
Memory circuit includes; an array, row decoder, column decoder, addressing circuit to receive an address of the data bit, control logic receiving commands and transmitting control signals to memory system blocks, and sensing and write driver circuits coupled to a selected column. A hidden read compare circuit couples between the sensing circuit and write driver, which couples an error flag to the control logic circuit responsive to a comparison between a data bit in the input latch and a data-out read from the memory array. A write error address tag memory is responsive to the error flag and is coupled to the addressing circuit via a bidirectional bus. A data input output circuit having first and second bidirectional buses to transmit and receive said data bit is provided. Write error address tag memory stores the address if the error flag is set and provides the address during a re-write operation. |
| US08456925B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method for operating the same
A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of input pads, a buffer configured to buffer data inputted through the plurality of the input pads in synchronization with a write enable signal, an even latch configured to store a first buffered data outputted from the buffer in response to an even write enable signal, an odd latch configured to store a second buffered data outputted from the buffer in response to an odd write enable signal, and a transfer unit configured to transfer stored data in the even latch and the odd latch to a selected bank of a plane in response to a bank selection signal. |
| US08456915B2 |
Programming non-volatile storage with fast bit detection and verify skip
A set of non-volatile storage elements are subjected to a programming process in order to store data. During the programming process, one or more verification operations are performed to determine whether the non-volatile storage elements have reached their target. Non-volatile storage elements being programmed to a first set of one or more targets are verified to determine whether they have reached their target and are locked out of further programming if it is determined that they have reached their target. Non-volatile storage elements being programmed to the second set of one or more targets are tested to determine the number of fast programming bits. When the number of fast bits for a particular target is greater than a threshold, then programming stops for the non-volatile storage elements being programmed to the particular target. |
| US08456913B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus and method for controlling programming current pulse
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a write control code generation unit configured to generate a write control code which is updated at each pulsing timing of an external test pulse signal applied through a pad; and a data write unit configured to output a programming current pulse which has a magnitude corresponding to the code value of the write control code. |
| US08456910B2 |
Nonvolatile memory cell with well extending under transistor and data storage capacitor of memory cell
One embodiment relates to a memory device. The memory device includes a capacitor having a first capacitor plate and a second capacitor plate, wherein the first and second capacitor plates are separated by an insulating layer and are formed over a first portion of a semiconductor substrate. The memory device also includes a transistor having a source region, a drain region, and a gate region, where the gate region is coupled to the second capacitor plate. The transistor is formed over a second portion of the semiconductor substrate. A well region is disposed in the first and second portions of the semiconductor substrate and has a doping-type that is opposite a doping-type of the semiconductor substrate. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08456902B2 |
Graphene-based switching elements using a diamond-shaped nano-patch and interconnecting nano-ribbons
The use of diamond-shaped graphene nano-patches as novel non-volatile switching elements exhibiting transitions between high and low conductance states based on changes of magnetic ordering of these states. Non-magnetic reconstructed graphene nano-ribbons are used as non-invasive leads to implement the switching elements as carbon-nanoflake based memories and transistors. Switching of the elements may be implemented by electric-field-induced altering of the magnetic state. Graphene nano-patch shapes of certain geometries provide passive electric-field sources such as to establish initial bits of information saved in graphene-based memories. |
| US08456899B2 |
Spin-torque transfer magneto-resistive memory architecture
A method for operating a memory array device, includes initiating a write “0” state in the device, wherein the initiating the write “0” state includes inducing a first voltage in a word line of the device; and inducing a second voltage in a first bit line (BLTE) of the device. |
| US08456896B2 |
Magnetoresistance element and storage device using the same
A magnetic memory element having a memory cell of size 4F2 is provided that realizes a crosspoint-type memory. In the magnetic memory element, a first magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer (spin polarization enhancement layer), an intermediate layer, a fourth magnetic layer (spin polarization enhancement layer), and a second magnetic layer are stacked in order. The intermediate layer is made of an insulating material or a nonmagnetic material. The second magnetic layer is composed of a ternary alloy of gadolinium, iron and cobalt, a binary alloy of gadolinium and cobalt, or a binary alloy of terbium and cobalt. Alternatively, the first magnetic layer is composed of a ternary alloy of terbium, iron and cobalt, or a binary alloy of terbium and cobalt. |
| US08456892B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes first and second resistance change type memory element and first and second switches. The first resistance change type memory element includes a first terminal connected to a first power supply and a second terminal connected to a first node. The second resistance change type memory element includes a third terminal connected to the first node and a fourth terminal connected to a second power supply. The first switch includes one end of a first current path connected to a first program power supply and the other end of the first current path connected to the first node. The second switch includes one end of a second current path connected to the first node and the other end of the second current path connected to a second program power supply. |
| US08456888B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including variable resistance elements and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor memory device with a variable resistance element includes a plurality of active areas isolated from one another by an isolation layer formed in a substrate, a plurality of word lines crossing over the plurality of active areas, an auxiliary source line disposed between two selected word lines and commonly connected to at least two active areas among the plurality of active areas between the two selected word lines, and a plurality of contact plugs each connected to a corresponding active area. |
| US08456885B2 |
Random access memory circuit
A random access memory circuit includes a plurality of pixels, each having a light sensitive area and a light blocking layer arranged over at least each of the light sensitive areas. In an alternative embodiment, the circuit includes a plurality of memory elements for storing data. Each memory element may comprise a bit node formed between a photodiode, having a light arranged over the photodiode, and a switching element, where data may be stored. The circuit may also include a plurality of reading and writing circuits for reading and writing data to and from the memory cells. |
| US08456867B1 |
Start-up procedure for an isolated switched mode power supply
An isolated switched mode power supply (SMPS) is disclosed. The SMPS comprises a switching controller to generate start-up and operational switching control signals. The SMPS further includes a transformer, having a primary winding, and a full-bridge drive circuit to drive the primary winding. The full-bridge drive circuit comprises a first switching element, a boot-strap dnving circuit, and a second switching element. The switching controller is further used to start up isolated SMPS by determining a duty cycle for operational control signals and generating the start-up switching control signals. |
| US08456865B1 |
Single stage micro-inverter with H-bridge topology combining flyback and forward operating modes
A microinverter is provided for converting DC energy from a PV panel into a grid-compatible AC signal. A first plurality of switching elements is coupled between a DC energy source and a primary winding of a transformer. A second plurality of switching elements is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer. Current sensors sense real time converter parameters including a DC input, an AC output, and a primary current. A digital controller determines an operating mode for the converter based on a DC input signal, with the controller further including a switch signal generator circuit configured to adjust switching states. The switch state adjustments are based on the operating mode, real time converter parameters which include the DC input signal, an AC signal for output to a grid, a primary current, and a desired shape for the AC output signal waveform. |
| US08456864B2 |
In cable micro input devices
The present description is directed to small form-factor input devices operative to be coupled to an electronic device using a cable. For example, in some embodiments, an input device is described for providing one or more inputs to an electrical device, wherein the input device comprises a circuit board having first and second sides; a first electrical switch disposed on the first side of the circuit board; a second electrical switch disposed on the first side of the circuit board; a third electrical switch disposed on the second side of the circuit board; a frame defining a periphery, wherein the circuit board is maintained within the periphery of the frame; top and bottom shells that house the circuit board, the top shell placed over the first side of the circuit board, and the bottom shell placed over the second side of the circuit board; and at least one clip coupled to each one of the top shell and the bottom shell, wherein the at least one clip is operative to engage the frame. |
| US08456852B2 |
Card assembly and electronic device thereof
A card assembly is used for enabling a first electronic device to be compatible with a card used in a second electronic device. The card assembly defines a first group of specification parameters of the first electronic device to be detachable received in the first electronic device, and further defines a second group of specification parameters of the card. The second group of specification parameters allows the card to be detachable received in the card assembly. When the card assembly, with the card, is received in the first electronic device, the card is directly and electrically connected to the first electronic device. |
| US08456850B2 |
Memory cards and electronic machines
Provided is a memory card. The memory card includes interconnection terminals for electric connection with an external electronic machine. The interconnection terminals may be spaced from the front side of the memory card by a distance greater than the lengths of the interconnection terminals. Alternatively, the memory card may include other interconnection terminals between its front side and the former interconnection terminals. The former and latter interconnection terminals may be used for electric connection with different kinds of electronic machines. |
| US08456845B2 |
Power module
A power module includes a power source comprising an end defining a socket, an external power line comprising a plug inserted into the socket, a fixing piece fixed at the end of the power source, and a clamping piece. The clamping piece includes a base mounted on the fixing piece, two parallel fixing portions extending from the base and defining a slot therebetween, a hook positioned on one of the fixing portions and extending in the slot, and a clamping band. The clamping band includes a fixed end fixed on the base and a slide end. The slide end includes spaced fixing teeth, a fixing groove is defined between each two of the fixing teeth, the clamping band winds around the external power line, the hook is engaged with one fixing groove to lock the slide end, and the clamping band and the base cooperatively hold the external power line. |
| US08456843B2 |
Server rack with baffles
A server rack includes a bracket, a first baffle, a first elastic member, a second baffle, and a second elastic member. The bracket includes a first side plate and a second side plate and defines a receiving space. The receiving space has an entry. An end of the first baffle is pivotally connected to the first side plate close to the entry. The first elastic member is connected to the first side plate and the first baffle and capable of elastically driving the first baffle to move from a first position to a second position. An end of the second baffle is pivotally connected to another end of the first baffle away from the first side plate. A second elastic member is connected to the first baffle and the second baffle and capable of elastically driving the second baffle to move from a third position to a fourth position. |
| US08456839B2 |
Cooling structure for housing device
With respect to a housing device having a plurality of slots in which plug-in units are mountable, division plates corresponding to the positions of the openings of the slots are put in the inside of a baffle section for changing the direction of the flow of cooling air released from the slots, and the division plates are used to divide the inside space of the baffle section into a plurality of regions corresponding to the slots, thereby reducing mutual interference of the cooling air from the slots in the baffle section and preventing a further increase in differences in the amount of passing air among the slots. Thereby, even if any difference occurs in the amount of passing air among the slots due to a structural factor, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the cooling capacity of a slot through which relatively less amount of air passes. |
| US08456837B2 |
Computer enclosure
A computer enclosure includes a front panel, a switch module attached to the front panel, and a light guide block. The front panel includes a front plate and a top flange connected to the front plate. A holding slot is defined on the top flange for accommodating the light guide block. The switch module includes a mounting bracket and a first light emitting diode (LED) attached to the mounting bracket. The first LED faces one end of the light guide block and generates light that enters the light guide block and emits from the front panel. |
| US08456836B2 |
Spring loaded security slot attachment for portable device security
A lock includes an assembly of a slot engaging member insertable in a slot of a piece of equipment being locked, such as a portable or desktop computer, a laptop, notebook or other handheld electronic device, a monitor, a television/video screen, a video game, an electronic instrument such as an oscillator or a medical centrifuge or other analytical device, or the like. A rotatable locking member engages an anchor sub-assembly having a rotatable element, wherein the rotatable element communicates with a spring force urging against the rotatable locking member. The rotatable locking member is alternately movable in and out of the slot in which it is inserted, and the locking element is rotatable by finger force overcoming said spring force against the locking member, wherein the lock is locked without use of a tool. |
| US08456833B2 |
Fluid cooling system and associated fitting assembly for electronic component
A fluid cooling system and associated fitting assembly for an electronic component such as a multi-processor computer offer easy and reliable connect and disconnect operations while doing so in a minimum amount of available space without damaging associated components of an electronic device, computer or cooling system. One exemplary fitting assembly includes a manifold mount with a port that is in fluid communication with a manifold tube. A fitting is sized and configured to mate with the port and is in fluid communication with associated cooling tubes of a cold plate. A latch is pivotally mounted to the manifold mount for movement to and between a first position in which the latch secures the fitting to the manifold mount and a second position in which the fitting is capable of being disconnected from the manifold mount. |
| US08456831B1 |
Mounting apparatus for hard disk drive
A mounting apparatus for a hard disk drive includes a bracket and a resilient plate. The bracket includes a first and a second side plates each defining two slanted first notches, and two first slots respectively extending from rear ends of the first notches. The resilient plate is slidably mounted to the first side plate. A front end of the resilient plate defines a slanted second notch, and a semicircular second slot extending from a rear end of the second notch. When the resilient plate is at a first position, the second notch and the second slot respectively align with one of the first notches and a corresponding first slot of the first side plate. When the resilient plate is slid to a second position, the second slot aligns with a rear end of said corresponding first slot, and the second notch is staggered from the corresponding first notch. |
| US08456829B2 |
All-in-one computer
A computer includes an enclosure and a mainframe module enclosed in the enclosure. The mainframe module includes a base board, a motherboard, a partition panel perpendicularly attached on the base board, and a fan. The motherboard and the fan are attached on the base board at opposite sides of the partition panel. The fan is capable of blowing air to the motherboard to cool heat generating components of the motherboard. |
| US08456822B2 |
Support assembly and computer keyboard using the same
A support assembly includes a base, a slidable member, and a pair of positioning shafts. The base includes at least one sliding rail. The slidable member can side along the at least one sliding rail of the base. The slidable member defines a pair of blind holes facing the base. The positioning shafts can slide along the base in a direction perpendicular to the at least one sliding rail. When the slidable member is operated to slide along the at least one rail of the base, one of the positioning shafts can be pressed to slide along the direction perpendicular to the at least one sliding rail, causing one end of the one of the positioning shafts to be received in one of the blind holes. |
| US08456821B2 |
Server
A server includes two opposite brackets and a keyboard module. The keyboard module includes a supporting board fixed between the brackets and a keyboard slidably mounted on the supporting board. |
| US08456818B2 |
Wireless card module
A wireless card module comprising a bezel assembly comprising at least one bezel member couplable to a wireless card, the bezel member configured to couple the wireless card to an external antenna. |
| US08456817B2 |
Housing and method for making the same
A housing includes a bottom housing and a top housing. The bottom housing includes a connecting surface. The top housing includes a bottom surface. The connecting surface is fixed to the bottom surface by welding. A receiving groove is defined in the bottom surface, for receiving the molten slag generated and collected during a welding process. |
| US08456809B2 |
Mobile terminal
Disclosed is a mobile terminal in which while a rear case is coupled to or separated from a terminal body, a case is slopingly moved with respect to the terminal body, so a camera hole of the rear case can be freely moved without being restricted by a camera mounting part protruded from the terminal body. |
| US08456808B2 |
Display wall mount with elastomeric spring latch and post-installation height adjustment and leveling feature
A mounting system for an electronic display providing enhanced versatility of movement and ease of installation. The mounting system includes a latch and kickstand assembly for latching the display to a support structure mountable to a wall and propping the bottom edge of the display away from the wall to enable connection of wires to the back of the display while the display is mounted on the wall. The mount further includes a vertical position adjustment assembly to enable vertical positioning and leveling of the display after the display is mounted. |
| US08456803B2 |
Method for production of electrolyte capacitors
The invention relates to a process for producing electrolytic capacitors with low equivalent series resistance, to electrolytic capacitors produced by this process and to the use of such electrolytic capacitors. |
| US08456802B2 |
Conductive adhesive and electrode for electric double layer capacitor and electric double layer capacitor employing it
A conductive adhesive with increased thermoresistant adhesion for connection between a sheet-like collector and a polarizing electrode layer serving as the structural member of an electrode for an electric double layer capacitor, and including a conductive material and a poly-N-vinylacetamide-based binder. |
| US08456801B2 |
Cellular honeycomb hybrid capacitors with non-uniform cell geometry
A hybrid capacitor includes an electrically non-conductive rigid or semi-rigid porous honeycomb structure having cells extending along a common direction, the cells having a plurality of cross-sectional shapes. The honeycomb structure is desirably formed of a material that is stable at temperatures of 300° or more, such that high temperature processing can be used to help ensure high purity of the final product. The material of the structure may desirably be an oxide or non-oxide ceramic, such as cordierite, silicon nitride, alumina, aluminum titanate, zircon, glass, or glass-ceramic. The plurality of shapes of the cells includes larger shapes in which cells are disposed non-galvanic electrodes, with galvanic electrodes disposed in cells of other shapes. |
| US08456798B2 |
Hexagonal type barium titanate powder, producing method thereof, dielectric ceramic composition and electronic component
Dielectric ceramic composition includes a hexagonal type barium titanate as a main component shown by a generic formula of (Ba1-αMα)A(Ti1-βMnβ)BO3 and having hexagonal structure wherein an effective ionic radius of 12-coordinated “M” is −20% or more to +20% or less with respect to an effective ionic radius of 12-coordinated Ba2+ and the A, B, α and β satisfy relations of 1.000<(A/B)≦1.040, 0≦α<0.003, 0.03≦β≦0.2, and as subcomponents, with respect to the main component, certain contents of alkaline earth oxide such as MgO and the like, Mn3O4 and/or Cr2O3, and CuO and Al2O3 and rare earth element oxide and glass component including SiO2. According to the present invention, it can be provided the hexagonal type barium titanate powder and the dielectric ceramic composition which are preferable for producing electronic components such as a capacitor and the like showing comparatively high specific permittivity, having advantageous insulation property and having sufficient reliability. |
| US08456794B2 |
Clock-pulsed safety switch
In accordance with an embodiment, a high-side switch device includes a semiconductor switch, a charge pump operable external clocking signal and an input for an external charge pump activation signal. The charge pump is configured to enable conductivity of the semiconductor switch in response to the external clocking signal and assertion of the external charge pump activation signal. |
| US08456792B2 |
Secure non-contact switch
A redundant non-contact switch reports a status as closed or open for a first member and a second member that move relative to each other between an open state and a closed state. In some embodiments, the redundant non-contact switch includes a wireless authentication (WA) pair and a magnetic pair. The WA pair may include a WA responder attached to one of the first member and the second member, and a WA interrogator attached to the other of the first member and the second member. The WA pair may be configured to register a WA status of closed or open, depending on a WA authentication between the WA responder and the WA interrogator. The magnetic pair may include a magnet attached to one of the first member and the second member, and a magnet sensor attached to the other of the first member and the second member. The magnetic pair may be configured to register a magnetic status of closed or open, depending on whether a magnet distance between the magnet and magnet sensor is beyond a threshold magnet distance. In some instances, the redundant non-contact switch reports the status as closed only if both the WA status is registered as closed and the magnetic status is registered as closed. |
| US08456789B2 |
Tunable coaxial surge arrestor
A tunable coaxial surge arrestor includes an inner conductor within a bore of an outer body of the coaxial surge arrestor. An inner end of a stub is coupled with the inner conductor. The stub is also coupled with the outer body at a selectable location along the length of the stub. |
| US08456787B2 |
Gas insulated switchgear
Bus container 1 of cylindrical shape is filled with insulating gas and main circuit conductor 2 is housed with bus container 1 in taut condition. Bus container 1 has flange 3. Current transformer container 4 is installed adjacently to bus container 1. Current transformer container 4 includes inner cylinder 5 and outer sealing member 6. On the periphery of inner cylinder 5, three current transformers 11 are provided interposing insulative cushioning material 10. Other longitudinal end of inner cylinder 5 and bus container 1 are arranged so that insulation gap 9 is formed in between. Between inner cylinder 5 and outer sealing member 6 on insulation gap 9 side, varistor 15 of which resistance varies depending on a applied voltage is electrically connected through bonding conductor 16. Varistor 15 turns into a conducting state when a surge voltage over a predetermined intensity is applied. |
| US08456785B2 |
Semiconductor ESD device and method
An embodiment semiconductor device has a first device region disposed on a second device region within an ESD device region disposed within a semiconductor body. Also included is a third device region disposed on the second device region, a fourth device region adjacent to the second device region, a fifth device region disposed within the fourth device region, and a sixth device region adjacent to the fourth device region. The first and fourth regions have a first semiconductor type, and the second, third, fifth and sixth regions have a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type. An interface between the fourth device region and the sixth device region forms a diode junction. The first, second, fourth and fifth device regions form a silicon controlled rectifier. |
| US08456784B2 |
Overvoltage protection circuit for an integrated circuit
An overvoltage protection circuit may include a reference voltage generator, a trigger circuit, and a clamping device. The reference voltage generator is for providing a reference voltage that is relatively constant during a powered EOS/ESD event. The trigger circuit is coupled to receive the reference voltage and a power supply voltage. The trigger circuit is for comparing the reference voltage to the power supply voltage. In response to detecting that the power supply voltage is above the reference voltage, the trigger circuit provides a trigger signal having a voltage proportional to a voltage level of the overvoltage event. The clamping device is coupled between a first power supply terminal and a second power supply terminal. The clamping device is for providing a current path between the first and second power supply terminals in response to the trigger signal. |
| US08456783B2 |
Integrated circuit, electronic device and ESD protection therefor
An integrated circuit comprises electro-static discharge (ESD) protection circuitry arranged to provide ESD protection to one or more external connector(s) of the integrated circuit. The ESD protection circuitry comprises at least one ESD protection component coupled to the one or more external connectors for providing ESD protection thereto. The ESD protection circuitry further comprises an ESD connector coupled to the one or more external connector(s), arranged to couple supplementary ESD protection to the one or more external connector(s). |
| US08456781B2 |
TMR device with novel free layer structure
A composite free layer having a FL1/insertion/FL2 configuration where a top surface of FL1 is treated with a weak plasma etch is disclosed for achieving enhanced dR/R while maintaining low RA, and low λ in TMR or GMR sensors. The weak plasma etch removes less than about 0.2 Angstroms of FL1 and is believed to modify surface structure and possibly increase surface energy. FL1 may be CoFe, CoFe/CoFeB, or alloys thereof having a (+) λ value. FL2 may be CoFe, NiFe, or alloys thereof having a (−) λ value. The thin insertion layer includes at least one magnetic element such as Co, Fe, and Ni, and at least one non-magnetic element. When CoFeBTa is selected as insertion layer, the CoFeB:Ta ratio is from 1:1 to 4:1. |
| US08456779B1 |
Tape transducer positioning assembly
A tape transducer positioning assembly is provided with a frame with a first rail mounted to the frame. A carriage is mounted to the first rail to translate along the first rail. A transducer is supported by the carriage to cooperate with a tape as the tape is translated relative to the transducer. An actuator is mounted to one of the frame and the carriage and connected to the other of the frame and the carriage to position the carriage, and consequently the transducer relative to the tape. A magnet is mounted to the frame to provide a magnetic field. A second rail is mounted to the carriage generally parallel with the first rail. The second rail is oriented within the magnetic field such that a magnetic force is applied upon the second rail to maintain the second rail within the magnetic field. |
| US08456778B2 |
Writer design with enhanced writability
A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head is fabricated with a main pole and a trailing edge shield having surfaces and interior portions that may include synthetic antiferromagnetic multi-layered superlattices (SAFS) formed on and/or within them respectively. The SAFS, which are multilayers formed as periodic multiples of antiferromagnetically coupled tri-layers, provide a mechanism for enhancing the component of the writing field that is vertical to the magnetic medium by exchange coupling to the magnetization of the pole and shield and constraining the directions of their magnetizations to lie within the film plane of the SAFS. |
| US08456772B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator, lens barrel, and camera
Disclosed is a piezoelectric actuator which has an improved driving force or drive efficiency. Specifically disclosed is a piezoelectric actuator which is provided with: a plurality of piezoelectric members which have a first piezoelectric element capable of being displaced in a first direction and a second piezoelectric element capable of being displaced in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and which are divided into a plurality of groups; a relative movement member which has a contact surface that is in contact with the piezoelectric members, and which moves relatively to the piezoelectric members in the first direction; and a drive unit which, when piezoelectric members of one group among the plurality of groups are in contact with the contact surface, drives the first piezoelectric element of the piezoelectric members. |
| US08456769B2 |
Lens unit and vehicle-mounted infrared lens unit
Provided are a lens unit and a vehicle-mounted infrared lens unit capable of correcting a focal shift due to a temperature change without increasing the apparatus size, complicating a production process, and increasing the costs. In a vehicle-mounted infrared lens unit 4 configured such that a plurality of infrared lenses are held by a barrel 30 and a spacer 40 is interposed between two infrared lenses, a first infrared lens 10 is held sandwiched between the spacer 40 and a lens holding portion 31 of the barrel 30. The spacer 40 and the barrel 30 are formed of materials having different thermal expansion coefficients. An O-ring 60 is interposed between a lock portion 32 of the lens holding portion 31 and the first infrared lens 10. Thermal expansion of the spacer 40 allows the first infrared lens 10 to move in the axial direction against the elastic force of the O-ring 60. When the spacer 40 is shrunken, the elastic force of the O-ring 60 allows the first infrared lens 10 to move in the opposite direction. |
| US08456763B2 |
Imaging optical lens assembly
This invention provides an imaging optical lens assembly, in order from an object side to an image side comprising: a front lens group, an aperture stop and a rear lens group; wherein the front lens group comprises, in order from the object side to the image side: a first lens element with negative refractive power having a concave image-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power; a third lens element with positive refractive power and a fourth lens element with positive refractive power; wherein the rear lens group comprises, in order from the object side to the image side: a fifth lens element with positive refractive power; and a sixth lens element with negative refractive power; wherein the fifth lens element and the sixth lens element are connected to form a doublet. By such arrangement, sufficient field of view is provided, and the aberration of the lens assembly is corrected for obtaining high image resolution. |
| US08456762B2 |
Observation optical system
An observation optical system has a negative lens unit placed at the most object-side position; an annular prism placed on the image side of the negative lens, having a reflecting surface on the negative lens side; and an imaging lens unit arranged on the image side of the negative lens and the annular prism. |
| US08456755B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel includes a fixing frame provided with cam grooves formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame, and a drive frame provided with cam followers formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drive frame and a plurality of engaging teeth to the outer circumferential surface of the drive frame, located on substantially the same circumference as the cam followers. With the drive frame incorporated in the fixing frame, the cam followers are fitted in the cam grooves, drive force is transmitted via the engaging teeth, and the drive frame can move relative to the fixing frame in the optical axis direction of a lens as the cam followers move along the cam grooves. In this lens barrel, cam followers are less likely to come out of the cam grooves. |
| US08456750B2 |
Zoom lens, optical apparatus and zoom lens manufacturing method
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having negative refractive power; a second lens group G2 having positive refractive power; and a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power. The first lens group G1 comprises only one negative spherical lens (lens L11) and one plastic positive lens (lens L12) separated by an air gap. The second lens group G2 comprises three or fewer lenses, including a positive lens component (cemented lens comprising a lens L21 and a lens L22), and one plastic negative lens (lens L23). The following conditional expressions are satisfied: 0.50 |
| US08456748B2 |
Zoom lens system and electronic imaging apparatus using the same
A zoom lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second lens group, and a negative third lens group, in that order from the object side, wherein upon zooming from the short focal length extremity to the long focal length extremity, the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group decreases. The third lens group includes a negative lens element having a concave surface on the image side, a positive lens element having a convex surface on the image side, and a negative lens element having convex surface on the image side, in that order from the object side. An electronic imaging apparatus using this zoom lens system is also disclosed. |
| US08456747B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side, a positive first lens unit without moving for zooming, a negative second lens unit for magnification, a positive third lens unit for magnification, a negative fourth lens unit compensating for image plane variation due to magnification, and a positive fifth lens unit without moving for zooming. When assuming a focal length of the entire system at a wide angle end as fW, and a zoom ratio as Z, a focal length fM at an intermediate zoom position is expressed by the equation: fM=fW×√Z. When assuming an interval between the second and third lens units at the wide angle end as L2W, and a maximum value of the interval between the second and third lens units in a zoom range from the wide angle end to the focal length fM as L2max, the following conditional expression is satisfied: 1.1 |
| US08456743B2 |
Method for producing wafer lens assembly and method for producing wafer lens
There is provided a method for producing a wafer lens assembly capable of adhering a wafer lens and a spacer surely. The wafer lens assembly includes a first substrate including plural optical members formed of a curable resin on at least one surface, a second substrate joined to the first substrate, and a stop member arranged between the first and second substrates. The first and second substrates are adhered with an adhesive made of a photo-curable resin. The method includes an adhesive applying step of applying the adhesive made of a photo-curable resin on a joining area, a stop-member forming step, and a photo-curing step of irradiating and hardening the adhesive applied in the adhesive applying step with light after the stop-member forming step. The stop member is formed so as not to prevent the light irradiated in the photo-curing step from reaching the adhesive. |
| US08456740B2 |
Method and apparatus for pathlength adjustment in an optical system
A method and apparatus involve: routing first radiation and second radiation respectively having first and second wavelengths that are different along respective first and second optical paths; reflecting the first radiation with an optical component as the first radiation is traveling along the first optical path; and reflecting the second radiation with the optical component as the second radiation is traveling along the second optical path, the optical component causing a first optical path length traveled by the first radiation along the first optical path from arrival at to departure from the optical component to be shorter than a second optical path length traveled by the second radiation along the second optical path from arrival at to departure from the optical component. |
| US08456738B2 |
Ultrahigh-resolution fiber-optic confocal microscope and method
An ultrahigh-resolution fiber-optic confocal microscope has an illumination system; three single-mode optical fibers, each optically coupled to a fiber coupler; a sample support stage arranged to receive illumination radiation from an end of one of the single-mode optical fibers; a detector arranged to receive output radiation from one of the single-mode optical fibers; and a lock-in amplifier electrically connected to the detector and the illumination system. The illumination system is adapted to provide illumination radiation that has a time-varying strength that is correlated with the detector by the lock-in amplifier. |
| US08456728B2 |
Electrowetting display and pixel array substrate thereof and electrowetting display pixel structure thereof
An electrowetting display, a pixel array substrate thereof, and an electrowetting display pixel structure thereof are provided. The electrowetting display pixel structure is disposed on a substrate. The electrowetting display pixel structure includes a pixel electrode, an insulating layer and a hydrophobic layer. The pixel electrode is covered with the insulating layer, and the insulating layer is covered with the hydrophobic layer. The hydrophobic layer has at least one flow guiding area, and a flowing path of a fluid medium is determined by a layout of the flow guiding area. |
| US08456724B2 |
Biaxial scanning mirror for image forming apparatus
A biaxial scanning mirror for an image forming apparatus includes a first wafer, a second wafer, and a spacer. The first wafer includes a mirror unit, a rectangular rotating unit, a permanent magnet, and a magnetically permeable layer. The second wafer has at least two cores each surrounded by a planar coil applied with an AC current for switching magnetic polarization of the cores such that the cores are attracted to or repelled from the rotating unit alternatively, thereby driving the rotating unit to rotate. |
| US08456723B2 |
Optical box, optical scanner, and image forming apparatus
An optical box for an optical scanner includes an optical housing and a lid. The optical housing has an opening and a side wall surrounding the opening. The side wall includes inward recessed parts, each of which has a protrusion formed on its outer side. The protrusion can engage with the lid. The lid can so engage with the optical housing as to cover the opening of the housing. The lid has a pair of dust guard walls, between which the whole side wall of the optical housing is sandwiched when the lid is in engagement with the housing. |
| US08456722B2 |
Forgery prevention medium with a volume hologram layer and information layer in different colors
A forgery prevention medium includes a volume hologram layer on which an interference pattern is recorded after being exposed to an emitted laser beam; a digital watermarking information layer that can be interpreted by emitting a light beam with a predetermined wavelength; and an adherend that has the digital watermarking information layer and is attached to the volume hologram layer, wherein the information layer is of a different color from the volume hologram layer. |
| US08456714B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a printing section, a flatbed scanner section configured to read an original on a reading surface, and a moving mechanism configured to change the angle of the reading surface relative to an installation plane on which the apparatus is installed. The scanner section is capable of performing reading in each of a first mode where the angle of the reading surface is a first angle (vertical) and a second mode where the angle of the reading surface is a second angle (horizontal) different from the first angle. |
| US08456712B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image processing apparatus
In one embodiment, image reading apparatuses 100a and 100b start reading an original image after a reading start time Ta has elapsed since detecting the transport timing of an original G on the upstream side in a transport direction Y1 relative to an original reading position R1, adjust the reading start time Ta based on a reading timing adjustment time T1a from when the transport timing of an adjustment sheet P is detected until when original reading portions 200a and 200b read a position considered to be a leading edge P′ in a first mark Q1 on the adjustment sheet P, and correct the reading start timing of the original G based on a leading edge reading error correction time T2a stored in advance. |
| US08456698B2 |
Adaptive illumination independent matching of out of gamut spot colors using various gamut mapping techniques
A methodology is disclosed to achieve adaptive illumination independent matching of out-of-gamut spot colors. In one embodiment, the methodology includes an iterative process to determine a variety device specific recipes for out-of-gamut spot colors across different illumination spectra and gamut mapping techniques, and then automatically choosing and/or recommending the optimal recipe and gamut mapping technique that provides the lowest color dispersion across a variety of illuminants under consideration. |
| US08456697B2 |
Adaptive illumination independent matching of spot colors
A methodology is disclosed to achieve adaptive illumination independent matching of spot colors. In one embodiment, the methodology includes an iterative process to determine a variety device specific recipes for spot colors across different illumination spectra, and then automatically choosing and/or recommending the optimal recipe that provides the lowest color dispersion across a variety of illuminants under consideration. This approach may be used with a variety of gamut mapping techniques. According to a further embodiment, the methodology may be used with a ray-based gamut mapping method. |
| US08456696B2 |
Printing control method, printing control terminal device and image forming apparatus to selectively convert a portion of an XPS file to PDL data
A printing control method including receiving a command to print an XML paper specification (XPS) file; determining whether the XPS file contains a preset tag; separating a page to which the preset tag is attached from the XPS file, and converting the separated page into page description language (PDL) data; and transmitting the XPS file from which the page has been separated and the PDL data to an image forming apparatus, and a printing control terminal device and an image forming apparatus to execute the printing control method. |
| US08456695B2 |
Image processing device for judging whether or not input pixels satisfy an achromatic condition
An image processing device for converting input image data in input color space into output image data in output color space comprises an input unit configured to input a plurality of input pixel signals comprising the input image data, a designation unit configured to designate an achromatic condition for pixels corresponding to the plurality of input pixel signals, and an achromatic judgment unit configured to judge whether or not each of the plurality of input pixel signals input by the input unit satisfies the achromatic condition, wherein the achromatic judgment unit judges that a pixel which corresponds to a particular input pixel signal is an achromatic pixel where the particular input pixel signal satisfies the achromatic condition. |
| US08456694B2 |
System and method for proofing a page for color discriminability problems based on color names
An automated method for proofing a page for color discriminability problems includes converting a first color of a first object appearing on the page and a second color of a second object appearing on the page to coordinates of a color naming system. The method includes identifying a first color name of the first color and a second color name of the second color based on the coordinates. The method includes identifying whether the first color and the second color are discriminable based on the first color name and the second color name. |
| US08456693B2 |
Image-processing apparatus and image-processing method
The present invention provides an image-processing apparatus, including: a corrected value calculating unit configured to calculate corrected values by adding error values diffused from a pixel neighboring a pixel currently being processed respectively to a plurality of input values corresponding to the pixel currently being processed; a total value calculating unit configured to calculate a total value of all corrected values; a quantizing unit configured to quantize the total value; a distributing unit configured to calculate a plurality of output values corresponding to the plurality of input values by distributing the quantized value according to a ratio between each of the corrected values and the total value; and an adding unit configured to calculate respective difference values between the plurality of output values and the plurality of corrected values, and to add the calculated difference values to corrected values. |
| US08456692B2 |
Print controlling apparatus having a direct print function generating inside region printing data when page size and medium size match
A print controlling apparatus is provided having a direct print function for receiving and printing an electronic document on a printing region of a record medium. The apparatus includes a first obtaining section for obtaining page size information indicating the page size of the received electronic document, a second obtaining section for obtaining medium size information indicating the medium size of the record medium, a comparing and judging section for judging whether the page size information matches with the medium size information upon comparing the page size information with the medium size information, and a controlling section for generating inside region printing data corresponding to the printing region from inside region image data corresponding to the printing region of the recording medium among the received image data where the page size information matches with the medium size information, for preventing the electronic document from being unnecessarily reduced. |
| US08456688B2 |
Data generating device, scanner and non-transitory computer readable medium
A data generating device may comprise a data identifying unit, a number identifying unit and a hyperlink structuring unit. The data identifying unit may identify the data of the contents table page and/or the index page included in data including a contents table page and/or an index page, and data of a plurality of normal pages, each normal page including a page number. The number identifying unit may identify a number included in the data of the contents table page and/or the index page, and identify a specific position at which the identified number is located. The hyperlink structuring unit may generate data of hyperlink structure from the data by generating a hyperlink, at a position corresponding to the specific position of the number identified by the number identifying unit, that links to data of a normal page coinciding with the page number identified by the number identifying unit. |
| US08456687B2 |
Image data processing apparatus, image data processing method, and program
The image rotation apparatus includes a first storage unit adapted to store compressed image data, and a decompression unit adapted to decompress the image data read out from the first storage unit, and segments the image data obtained from the decompression unit into a plurality of areas. The apparatus further includes a second storage unit adapted to sequentially perform a rotation process on the image data of segmented area, and store the rotated image data, a compression unit adapted to compress the image data of each area read out from the second storage unit, and a third storage unit adapted to sequentially store the image data of each area obtained from the compression unit. There is provided the image data processing apparatus having the above configuration, which rotates the image data while reducing the storage capacity of the buffer memory for storing the image data. |
| US08456670B2 |
Printing device and printing system for controlling authentication print jobs
A printing device includes a processor, an attribute managing part configured to be activated by the processor to communicate with a host device and to control an authentication printing job received from the host device, a memory configured to store authentication printing job data and user information extracted from the authentication printing job data, and a deleting part configured to delete the authentication printing job data and the user information stored in the memory based on predetermined results of communication between the attribute managing part and the host device. As a result, the user is not required to consider whether the time for which the authentication printing data is stored should be extended. |
| US08456665B2 |
Methods and systems for printing error recovery
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for detecting the status of printing devices and recovering from printing errors. |
| US08456660B2 |
Information processing device, printing condition setting method, and computer product which display a graphical representation of a sheet including parameters which have been selected
The CPU of a personal computer displays a list of one-click icons, each representing one or a plurality of printing functions, in the icon display area, and selects one one-click icon from the list of the one-click icons displayed in the icon display area, to automatically set a plurality of printing functions corresponding to the selected one-click icons. |
| US08456659B2 |
Access control system, apparatus, and program
According to one embodiment, a deriving operation control device obtains derivation control information and a derivation attribute. A deriving operation propriety determination unit extracts the number of times of previously-performed derivation from the derivation attribute. The deriving operation propriety determination unit extracts the upper limit number of times enabling derivation from the derivation control information and determines that a deriving operation is possible when the number of times of previously-performed derivation is equal to or below the upper limit number of times enabling derivation. A deriving operation execution unit executes the deriving operation. |
| US08456658B2 |
Image processing system, image processing apparatus, method for controlling display of function setting screen, and recording medium
An image processing system includes an information processing apparatus and one or a plurality of image processing apparatuses that can be connected to the information processing apparatus via a network. A function whose function set value is to be displayed on a function setting screen is identified from identifying information included in screen information made by the information processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes an identifying information storage part in which identifying information of a function is stored, and of the functions whose identifying information is stored, all function set values of the identified function are displayed on a display part in a mode that can be selected by a user. |
| US08456653B2 |
Data processing apparatus for producing print job data whose authority is managed by external server, and image processing apparatus for printing a print job whose authority is managed by external server
A data processing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store electronic data including first data for identifying policy data that is information indicating an authority for handling the electronic data and is managed by a server apparatus. The data processing apparatus includes a print job data production unit configured to produce print job data based on electronic data to be printed, an acquisition unit configured to acquire the first data included in the electronic data, an adding unit configured to add the first data acquired by the acquisition unit to the print job data, and a sending unit configured to send the print job data having the first data added thereto to an image processing apparatus. |
| US08456651B2 |
Focal position detecting method
A focal position detecting apparatus, for detecting a focusing condition and a tilting condition of an object, includes a planar beam generating module, an optical system, an optical sensor and a cylindrical lens. The planar beam generating module generates a planar light beam along a first path. The optical system is disposed on the first path, wherein the planar light beam, reflected by the object, passes through the optical system along a second path. The optical sensor is disposed on the second path. The cylindrical lens is disposed on the second path between the optical system and the optical sensor and an axis of the cylindrical lens is perpendicular to the second path. The planar light beam passes through the optical system and the cylindrical lens along the second path, before it is incident on the optical sensor to form a linear light spot for determining defocusing degree. |
| US08456645B2 |
Method and system for fast three-dimensional imaging using defocusing and feature recognition
Described is a method and system for fast three-dimensional imaging using defocusing and feature recognition is disclosed. The method comprises acts of capturing a plurality of defocused images of an object on a sensor, identifying segments of interest in each of the plurality of images using a feature recognition algorithm, and matching the segments with three-dimensional coordinates according to the positions of the images of the segments on the sensor to produce a three-dimensional position of each segment of interest. The disclosed imaging method is “aware” in that it uses a priori knowledge of a small number of object features to reduce computation time as compared with “dumb” methods known in the art which exhaustively calculate positions of a large number of marker points. |
| US08456642B2 |
Laser gauge interferometer
There is provided a laser gauge interferometer with high measurement precision, which uses laser beam interference, includes: a measurement interferometer which generates a measurement output corresponding to a displacement of a moving member; and a correction interferometer which generates a measurement output corresponding to a change in refractive index of air at a constant reference interval. An arithmetic processing device computes a measurement target displacement amount for which the influence of the change in refractive index of air is corrected. A correction laser beam from the correction interferometer passes through the measurement interferometer and thus travels on the same optical path as an optical path of a correction laser beam from the measurement interferometer to become interference light corresponding to the change in refractive index of air through which a measurement laser beam passes, and then enters the arithmetic processing device. |
| US08456641B1 |
Optical system
An optical system including a light source, optics for directing illumination, thereby producing reflected light, optics for receiving the reflected light, a splitter disposed at a pupil plane for receiving the reflected light and splitting it into a first and second portion, first imaging optics for receiving the first portion and directing it to a first sensor to produce a first image portion, the first sensor delivering the first image portion to a processor, second imaging optics for receiving the second portion and directing it to a second sensor to produce a second image portion, the second sensor delivering the second image portion to the processor, and the processor for combining the first image portion and the second image portion into a single image of the sample. |
| US08456640B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring reflectance of optical laser components
Apparatus and methods for measuring reflectance of optical laser components are disclosed. In one embodiment, when the reflectance of the test optical laser component is higher than 98%, a cavity ring-down (CRD) technique based configuration is employed to measure the reflectance of the test optical laser component. On the other hand, when the reflectance of the test optical laser component is lower than 98% or there is no measurable CRD signal, by removing the output cavity mirror in the CRD apparatus, a photometric configuration is formed to measure the reflectance. The switching between the two techniques can be achieved by removing or inserting the output cavity mirror of the ring-down cavity in the CRD apparatus. |
| US08456636B2 |
Device for detecting signs of bacterial infection of the teeth
The invention relates to a device for detecting signs of bacterial infection of teeth, comprising a light source, a receiving unit, an evaluation unit, coupled to the receiving unit, at least one emission fiber, coupled to the light source, and at least one detection fiber, coupled to the receiving unit. The invention is characterized in that both the emission and detection fiber have an acceptance angle of more than 35°. |
| US08456630B2 |
Fiber based SERS sensor
Methods and systems for enhanced SERS sensing are disclosed, including generating electromagnetic radiation from a fiber laser; coupling the radiation to a SERS sensor comprising: a fiber comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the fiber laser and the second end is deposited with one or more metal nanoparticles; an in-line fiber grating integrated into the fiber between the first and the second end; a spectrometer configured to measure a spectrum produced by the in-line fiber grating; and a micro-processor configured to control the fiber laser and the spectrometer; exciting one or more molecules adsorbed on the surface of the one or more metal nanoparticles to generate a Raman signal; coupling the signal into the fiber; separating the signal into its wavelength components with the in-line fiber grating; and measuring the wavelength components with the spectrometer. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08456627B2 |
Structure of measurement window
A measurement window structure is disclosed for an optical process measurement device. The measurement window structure can include a measurement window made of an optical material and having a measurement surface that is arranged to be placed into a process solution, a sealing surface formed to a frame structure of the optical process measurement device and facing the process solution, the measurement window made of an optical material being arranged to press against the sealing surface, and an attaching device or mechanism for pressing the measurement window made of an optical material against the sealing surface and for attaching it to the frame structure. The sealing surface formed to the frame structure can be a rotationally symmetrical surface and the surface pressing against the sealing surface formed to the frame structure of the measurement window made of an optical material can be a rotationally symmetrical surface. |
| US08456625B2 |
Methods for real-time contamination, environmental, or physical monitoring of a photomask
Methods for real-time contamination, environmental, or physical monitoring of a photomask. An attribute of a photomask is monitored using a sensor of an electronics package attached to the photomask. The methods further include generating one or more sensor signals relating to the monitored attribute with the sensor and transmitting the one or more sensor signals from the electronics package to a control system. |
| US08456615B2 |
Optical system having heat dissipation arrangement
An optical system, such as an illumination system, includes an optical arrangement having at least one optical element and at least one heat dissipation element configured to at least partially dissipate thermal energy generated in the optical element(s) to the outside environment of the optical system. The heat dissipation element(s) is(are) arranged without direct contact with the optical element(s). |
| US08456611B2 |
System and method to increase surface tension and contact angle in immersion lithography
A system and method to allow organic fluids to be used in immersion lithographic systems. This is done by providing a showerhead portion of a liquid supply system that is partially coated or made from a TEFLON like material. The TEFLON like material reduces wetness effect, and thus increases containment, when using an organic immersion fluid in a space between the last optic and the substrate. |
| US08456607B2 |
Manufacturing method of liquid crystal display device
It is an object of the present invention to suppress light leakage in a dark state which is generated by rubbing treatment. A liquid crystal material containing an ultraviolet curable liquid crystalline monomer at a concentration of more than 0 wt % and not more than 1.0 wt % is used for a liquid crystal layer, and the liquid crystal layer is irradiated with ultraviolet rays. By applying such a liquid crystal layer to a liquid crystal display device, light leakage in a dark state can be suppressed, and the black display can be improved. Therefore, a liquid crystal display device with an excellent contrast and high display quality can be obtained. |
| US08456603B2 |
Display device and flat display device
The present invention prevents, when a COF which is connected with an external circuit is bent in a flat display device, the disconnection of lines on the COF. At a position where a line of the COF is connected to terminal portions of a TFT, and the line having a large width is branched into lines having a small width T1 to T3 or T4 to T6. By displacing line branching positions from each other as indicated by an arrow A and an arrow B, when the COF is bent or deformed, stress applied to the line branching positions can be dispersed thus preventing the disconnection of lines. |
| US08456599B2 |
Display substrate having improved pixel electrode configuration and display device having the same
A display substrate includes a switching element and a pixel electrode. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the switching element. The pixel electrode includes a plurality of slit electrodes that are conductive elements respectively disposed in a plurality of domains oriented substantially parallel to each other and extending substantially in a first direction. The slit electrodes each extend in a direction different from the first direction. Each slit electrode is an elongated structure having first and second long sides, and first and second short sides positioned opposite to each other and each extending between the first and second long sides, where the first long side oriented at an angle with respect to the first direction that is different from that of the second long side. Thus, a plurality of domains is formed, so that generation of texture may be decreased and compensating efficiency may be enhanced. |
| US08456594B2 |
Cholesteric liquid crystal display devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A cholesteric liquid crystal display device includes: a plurality of pixel units arranged two-dimensionally between two transparent substrates. Each of the plurality of pixel units includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having a single-layer structure. The cholesteric liquid crystal layer includes: a liquid crystal molecule; a chiral dopant; and an optically polymerizable polymer. The chiral dopant is mixed with the liquid crystal molecule to form a cholesteric phase and has a solubility that varies with respect to the liquid crystal molecule according to temperature. The optically polymerizable polymer is cured to fix a helix pitch of the cholesteric phase. |
| US08456593B2 |
Transparent display device
Disclosed is a transparent display device for enhancing image quality, and the transparent display device may include liquid crystal display panel; a light source disposed at one side of a lower portion of the liquid crystal display panel to emit light; a first polarizing plate to first-polarize the light emitted from the light source; a light guide plate at a lower portion of the liquid crystal display panel to receive the light first-polarized by the first polarizing plate through a lateral surface thereof, a pattern being formed on the upper surface of the light guide plate to output the incident first-polarized light in a lower direction of the light guide plate; a second polarizing plate at an upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel to control the amount of light transmitting the liquid crystal display panel; and a first optical sheet at a lower portion of the light guide plate to reflect the first-polarized light received from the light guide plate, and transmit a second polarization component of natural light received from the lower portion thereof. |
| US08456588B2 |
Liquid crystal display backlight and liquid crystal display device using same
An LCD backlight has a light source that emits a laser light, a lens, a mirror, a rotary polygon mirror, a scanning lens and a return mirror constituting a transforming optical system that transforms the laser light from the light source to a linear light. A light guiding plate allows the linear light to enter and emits two-dimensional light in the horizontal direction. An emission end face of the light source is disposed in a rear face side of the light guiding plate so that a surface normal line thereof is in the horizontal direction or is inclined downward from the horizontal direction. The lens, mirror and scanning lens are disposed in the rear face side of the light guiding plate, so that surface normal lines of the light transmission surface and light reflection surface thereof are all in the horizontal direction or are inclined downward from the horizontal direction. |
| US08456582B2 |
Active device, pixel structure and display panel
An active device, a pixel structure, and a display panel are provided. The pixel structure includes a scan line, a data line, an active device, a gate insulating layer, a pixel electrode, a capacitor electrode, and a capacitor dielectric layer. The active device includes a gate, a channel, a source, and a drain. The gate is electrically connected to the scan line. The source is electrically connected to the data line. The gate insulating layer is disposed between the gate and the channel. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the drain. The capacitor electrode is located on the gate insulating layer. The capacitor dielectric layer is located between the capacitor electrode and the drain. |
| US08456580B2 |
Three-dimensional display and displaying method thereof
A three-dimensional display including a display panel and a phase retardation film is provided. The display panel has a plurality of first pixel regions and a plurality of second pixel regions arranged in arrays. The phase retardation film is configured on a surface of the display panel. Here, the phase retardation film has a plurality of first retardation regions and a plurality of second retardation regions that are arranged alternately. The first retardation regions have the same phase retardation, the second retardation regions have the same phase retardation, and the phase retardation of the first retardation regions is different from that of the second retardation regions. All the regions of the phase retardation film have the same optical transmittance. A displaying method adaptable to the three-dimensional display is also provided. |
| US08456578B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method thereof for correcting image signal gradation using a gradation correction curve
An image processing apparatus comprises: an acquisition unit that divides an inputted video image into a plurality of divisions, and acquires a histogram of each of the divisions; a generation unit that generates a gradation conversion curve for each of the divisions; a determination unit that determines whether or not the inputted video image is a multi-screen video image; and a gradation correction unit that performs a smoothing process in accordance with a pixel position, to correct the gradation of the video image in each of the divisions using the gradation conversion curve of each of the divisions, wherein when the inputted video image is the multi-screen video image, the determination unit detects a position of a boundary between the plurality of video image contents, and the gradation correction unit does not perform the smoothing process within a predefined area from the boundary. |
| US08456577B2 |
Method and apparatus for chroma key production
The method and apparatus for generating an adaptive chroma key includes taking into consideration foreground object information during the creation of a composite scene. The luminance and chrominance of an area of interest between a foreground key and a background scene are considered and accounted for during the created of the composite scene. |
| US08456566B2 |
Optical apparatus with unit for correcting blur of captured image caused by displacement of optical apparatus in optical-axis direction
A focus range is determined on the basis of an object distance, focal distance, and aperture value, after an autofocus operation. When SW2 is operated, an exposure is performed only during a period that a displacement of a blur in an optical-axis direction is within the focus range. If an exposure time for one exposure does not reach an exposure time to obtain an optimum exposure, a plurality of exposures are performed until a total exposure time reaches the exposure time to obtain the optimum exposure. When the plurality of exposures are performed, a plurality of images obtained are combined to generate an image with the optimum exposure. |
| US08456565B2 |
Imaging device
Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: an imaging lens configured to have an aperture stop; an imaging element configured to include a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged along a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction and acquire imaging data based on received light; and a microlens array configured to be disposed between the imaging lens and the imaging element and include a plurality of microlenses, a pixel area composed of m×n pixels (m and n denote a number equal to or larger than 2 in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction) in the imaging element being assigned to a respective one of the microlenses, wherein positional displacement smaller than a width of one pixel is set between the microlens and the pixel area. |
| US08456561B2 |
Imaging apparatus
Provided is an imaging apparatus capable of obtaining images of an object at high precision even if the intensities of illuminating light temporally varies. The imaging apparatus 1 comprises a lamp unit 10, lens 21, a half mirror 22, a lens 23, a liquid crystal tunable filter 24, a lens 25, a reference mirror 31, a reference mirror 32, an image capturing unit 40, an operation unit 50, and a display unit 60. The reference mirrors 31 and 32 are provided at the positions to which illuminating light led by an optical system for illuminating light is irradiated and which are located at a part of the view of the image capturing unit 40. The operation unit 50 corrects the value of the image part of the object 2 by using the value of the image part of the reference mirrors 31 and 32 out of the images captured by the image capturing unit 40. |
| US08456558B2 |
Pixel circuit, a solid-state image sensing device, and a camera system that facilitates charge transfer within a pixel
A pixel circuit includes: a photoelectric conversion device; a source-follower circuit; a transfer transistor that transfers charge generated in the photoelectric conversion device to an input node of the source-follower circuit; and a readout system that reads out a signal in response to the generated charge through the source-follower circuit, wherein the readout system floats the input node of the source-follower circuit and turns on the transfer transistor to transfer the signal charge to the input node, includes a function of turning off the transfer transistor, sensing an output node potential of the source-follower circuit, and reading out an output signal, and further includes an output modulation degree control function unit that temporarily reduces an output modulation degree of the source-follower circuit when the transfer transistor is turned on. |
| US08456557B2 |
Dynamic range extension for CMOS image sensors for mobile applications
Aspects of the invention provide dynamic range extension for CMOS image sensors for mobile applications. An embodiment of the invention may comprise setting for each pixel in a pixel array one of a plurality of integration times and one of a plurality of signal gains, wherein the settings may be used to generate corresponding digital data for each pixel in the pixel array. The corresponding digital data for adjacent pixels for the same color plane may then be grouped into a superpixel, where each pixel has associated with it a different combination of integration time and signal gain. |
| US08456548B2 |
Using a graphics processing unit to correct video and audio data
Described is a device (e.g., a cell phone incorporating a digital camera) that incorporates a graphics processing unit (GPU) to process image data in order to increase the quality of a rendered image. The processing power provided by a GPU means that, for example, an unacceptable pixel value (e.g., a pixel value associated with a malfunctioning or dead detector element) can be identified and replaced with a new value that is determined by averaging other pixel values. Also, for example, the device can be calibrated against benchmark data to generate correction factors for each detector element. The correction factors can be applied to the image data on a per-pixel basis. If the device is also adapted to record and/or play digital audio files, the audio performance of the device can be calibrated to determine correction factors for a range of audio frequencies. |
| US08456546B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, signal processing device and signal processing method for solid-state imaging device, and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array unit in which unit pixels are arranged in a matrix shape and a signal processing circuit that obtains a first video signal and performs processing for combining the first and second video signals. The signal processing circuit includes judging means that judges whether a pixel of interest in the pixel array unit is a pixel to be saturated during an exposure period, calculating means that sets the pixel of interest as a correction pixel and calculates a correction amount on the basis of a luminance value of the second video signal of a peripheral pixel of the correction pixel, and correcting means that applies the correction amount to a luminance value of the first video signal of the correction pixel to thereby correct a noise signal amount due to photo-charges leaking from the peripheral pixel into the correction pixel. |
| US08456545B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for generation of reinforcement pattern and systems, methods, and apparatus for artifact evaluation
Descriptions are provided of various implementations of an automated tuning process configured to optimize a procedure for post-processing images captured by a camera sensor. |
| US08456543B2 |
Imaging device capable of managing memory areas
An imaging device is provided with an internal memory and a controller. The internal memory includes a first area configured to hold device information about the imaging device and a second area configured to hold other information which can include demo data. At least one of the areas within the first area is capable of being defective. The controller is coupled to the internal memory to operate the internal memory to hold and move updated device information within the first area and/or within the second area according to the size of the non-defective areas within the first area. |
| US08456541B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing program
A plurality of image signals having different exposure levels is acquired; low-frequency components are extracted from each of the image signals to generate a plurality of low-frequency image signals; and the plurality of low-frequency image signals are combined to generate a combined low-frequency image signal. A first image signal is extracted from the plurality of image signals; and high-frequency components are extracted from the first image signal to generate a high-frequency image signal. Then, a combined image signal is generated by combining the combined low-frequency image signal and the high-frequency image signal. |
| US08456540B2 |
Solid-state imaging device
According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit, a flicker detecting unit, a flicker-level estimating unit, and a flicker correcting unit. The flicker detecting unit detects, based on a magnitude relation of a signal amount in each of lines formed in the pixel unit, presence or absence of a flicker. The flicker-level estimating unit estimates a flicker level in each of the lines of the next frame. The flicker correcting unit corrects, for each of the lines, a flicker that occurs in a signal of an image picked up by the pixel unit. |
| US08456538B2 |
Digital camera with automatic functions
A digital camera can employ logic to delay capturing a still image after a person has operated the control button until such time as predetermined subject criteria are met, e.g., the subject is smiling with eyes open, three or more players are in the field of view to ensure a good action shot, etc. |
| US08456536B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program with sightline detection
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus that includes a sightline detection unit that detects the line of sight of a subject directed toward an imaging device in a captured image captured by the imaging device and containing at least one subject and a sightline indicating unit that clearly indicates, in correspondence to each subject, whether or not the line of sight of the subject directed toward the imaging device has been detected based upon sightline detection results provided by the sightline detection unit. |
| US08456530B2 |
Methods and apparatus for detecting and locating leakage of digital signals
A system for detecting and locating a digital TV leakage signal in an HFC network. The system comprises a headend unit and a leakage detector. The headend unit receives the TV signal at the headend for use as a reference signal. The reference signal is sampled at a rate corresponding to a time reference signal, to produce reference signal samples. The reference signal samples and timestamp are transmitted to the leakage detector. The detector receives the digital TV signal from a leakage source, for detection as a leakage signal. The detector includes a cross-correlation processor. The leakage signal is sampled at a rate corresponding to the time reference signal, to produce leakage signal samples. The cross-correlation processor performs a cross-correlation of the reference signal samples with the leakage signal samples to produce a cross-correlation function having a peak, and the TV leakage signal is detected from this peak. |
| US08456528B2 |
System and method for managing the interaction of object detection and tracking systems in video surveillance
A system, method and program product for providing a video surveillance system that enhances object detection by utilizing feedback from a tracking system to an object detection system. A system is provided that includes: a moving object detection system for detecting moving objects in a video input; an object tracking system for tracking a detected moving object in successive time instants; and a tracker feedback system for feeding tracking information from the object tracking system to the moving object detection system to enhance object detection. |
| US08456525B2 |
Digital display device for a DVR system that receives a movement image and a method for using such
Provided are an apparatus for controlling a digital image display apparatus having a tuner and a DVR system, and a method thereof. According to the apparatus, a visitor history is selectively stored only when a user is absent or a movement of a visitor is detected using the digital image display apparatus having the DVR system. Accordingly, not only unnecessary images are not stored, but also a function of an image display device is performed and simultaneously images transmitted from a movement shooting unit mounted separately from the digital image display apparatus can be selectively recorded in order to detect a movement of an object. Therefore, the image display apparatus can be more efficiently utilized. |
| US08456521B2 |
Triangulation camera device and triangulation imaging method
A triangulation camera device includes a light source device being adapted for generating illumination light to be directed onto an object under investigation and including a light source with an optical pattern generator and a first aperture being arranged along a first optical axis, a detector device being adapted for sensing reflection light reflected by the object and including a detector camera and a second aperture being arranged along a second optical axis, and an imaging optic having imaging lenses being adapted for imaging the illumination light onto the object and for collecting the reflection light, said imaging optic having a third optical axis, wherein the first, second and third optical axes are arranged in parallel and displaced relative to each other and the first and second apertures are arranged with a telecentric configuration relative to the imaging optic such that the illumination light and the reflection light are capable of forming a parallel illumination light bundle and a parallel reflection light bundle, resp., on the object side of the imaging optic, said illumination light bundle and said reflection light bundle having a predetermined projection angle, and the imaging lenses are tilted relative to the third optical axis such that surface reflections of the imaging lenses are directed toward ranges outside the second aperture. |
| US08456520B2 |
Method for displaying a three-dimensional image and display apparatus for performing the method
A method for displaying a three-dimensional (“3D”) image, wherein the method includes; sequentially displaying a left frame image corresponding to a left eye and a right frame image corresponding to a right eye on a display panel, blocking a light provided to a display block of the display panel when the display block displays a mixed image which includes a left eye image of the left frame image corresponding to the left eye and a right eye image of the right frame image corresponding to the right eye, and providing the light to the display block of the display panel when the display block displays only one of the left eye image and the right eye image. |
| US08456513B2 |
Panoramic camera
A camera is mounted in a sphere-shaped housing. The housing can be rotated within a base that permits the camera to take multiple images covering a panoramic view. Motion of the housing within the base is detected by motion sensors that provide positional information for allowing the images to be stitched together. The motion sensors are optical mice sensors. Processing circuitry and a power supply may be located within the housing. |
| US08456508B2 |
Audio processing in a multi-participant conference
Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing multi-participant audio conferences over a computer network. This architecture has a central distributor that receives audio signals from one or more participants. The central distributor mixes the received signals and transmits them back to participants. In some embodiments, the central distributor eliminates echo by removing each participant's audio signal from the mixed signal that the central distributor sends to the particular participant. |
| US08456507B1 |
Individual participant control of conference data
A conference call system with a plurality of endpoints, a participant control server, a conference bridge and a switch is described. A first endpoint transmits conference data to the participant control server. The participant control server transmits the conference data to the other endpoints. In response to requests from the endpoint, the participant control server transmits recorded conference data for video, audio and web sessions that are individually controllable to pause, fast-forward and rewind the conference data. The participant control server establishes secondary connections for the endpoints including a ghost hold and a sidebar. |
| US08456503B2 |
Method and device for automatic camera control
A method including: obtaining a sequence of pictures from a camera associated with a video conferencing endpoint; determining a presence of a target point coinciding with an optical source within a field of view of the camera, wherein the optical source emits pulses of electromagnetic radiation at a rate that causes the camera to capture some frames with a pulse of electromagnetic radiation from the optical source and some frames without the pulse of electromagnetic radiation from the optical source; determining a location of the target point within one or more of the pictures by comparing a first frame from the camera that includes the pulse of electromagnetic radiation from the optical source and a second frame from the camera that does not include the pulse of electromagnetic radiation from the optical source; moving the camera so that a center of one or more subsequent pictures obtained by the camera coincides with the target point; and zooming the camera until receipt of an instruction to stop zooming is received, or until maximal zoom is achieved. |
| US08456501B2 |
Exposure device and image forming apparatus
An exposure device includes a long board, plural light emitting elements arranged along a longitudinal direction of the board on one face of the board, plural inspection electrodes arranged along the longitudinal direction of the board on the other face of the board, and plural electrical wirings each electrically connects between one of the plural light emitting elements and one of the plural inspection electrodes that is not positioned nearest to the one of the plural light emitting elements. |
| US08456500B2 |
Printing apparatus and method for controlling printing apparatus
A printing apparatus including a head holding unit movably configured to hold a thermal head so that the thermal head can be in a pressing state pressing against a platen and in a separated state separated from the platen, a conveyance mechanism configured to convey an ink ribbon and a recording sheet which are put on each other to a recording region between the thermal head and the platen, a reflection surface provided on the head holding unit, and a ribbon sensor configured to detect a marker applied on the ink ribbon, the ribbon sensor being provided on an opposite side to the reflection surface across a path of the ink ribbon which has passed through the recording region and been peeled from the recording sheet. The ribbon sensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The reflection surface is configured so that light incident from the light emitting element reaches the light receiving element in both the separated state and the pressing state. |
| US08456499B2 |
Thermal printer
Accumulation of foreign matter on the surface of a thermal head that can cause printing defects can be reliably prevented. The downstream edge of a surface of the thermal head is substantially flush with the downstream end of a paper nipping area and a platen roller in the thermal printer. The downstream end extending from the downstream edge perpendicular to the back side is connected to a through-hole formed in a heat sink. Foreign matter on a liner-less label paper clings to the downstream end of the thermal head after passing the paper nipping area, and is then fed along the downstream end into the through-hole on the back. Foreign matter does not accumulate on the surface of the thermal head, and problems such as streaking and other printing defects caused by foreign matter on the surface of the thermal head do not occur. |
| US08456498B2 |
Printing apparatus
A printing apparatus includes a printing unit for performing printing by pressing a thermal head onto heat sensitive paper to heat the heat sensitive paper. A battery supplies a voltage to the thermal head, and a battery voltage detecting unit detects the voltage. A printing control unit changes, according to the detected voltage, a power-off time in which power supply from the battery to the thermal head is stopped. The printing control unit calculates the power-off time based on the detected voltage and the resistance of the thermal head and shortens the power-off time as the detected voltage becomes lower thereby shortening the overall printing time without shortening the life of the heating resistance elements of the thermal head. |
| US08456497B2 |
Decoloring apparatus to continuously erase images of sheets, decoloring system and paper feeding method of decoloring apparatus
A decoloring apparatus includes a conveyance path, a paper feeding part, a reading part, a communication part, a decoloring part and a control part. The conveyance path conveys a sheet to respective parts in the apparatus. The paper feeding part feeds a sheet on which an image is formed by a decolorable colorant to the conveyance path from a sheet stack part. The reading part is provided downstream of the paper feeding part in the conveyance path and reads the image of the sheet. The communication part transmits read image data of a preceding sheet to a management apparatus communicably connected to the decoloring apparatus and receives a determination result of a conveyance destination of the preceding sheet obtained by the management apparatus based on the image data. The decoloring part is provided downstream of the reading part in the conveyance path and erases the image of the sheet. After the communication part receives the determination result of the conveyance destination of the preceding sheet obtained by the management apparatus, the control part conveys the preceding sheet subjected to reading to the determined conveyance destination, and reads an image of a subsequent sheet by the reading part so that a leading edge of the subsequent sheet does not collide with a trailing edge of the preceding sheet. |
| US08456496B2 |
Color flat panel display sub-pixel arrangements and layouts for sub-pixel rendering with split blue sub-pixels
Various embodiments of a sub-pixel octal grouping are disclosed. The octal grouping may comprise three-color (red, green and blue) sub-pixels with blue colored subpixel comprising twice the number of positions within the octal sub-pixel grouping as the red and green colored sub-pixels. Various embodiments for performing sub-pixel rendering on the sub-pixel groupings are disclosed. |
| US08456492B2 |
Display device, driving method and computer program for display device
A display device includes: an average value calculating section which inputs video signals having linear property and calculates an average value of levels of the video signals in each pixel; an average value memory section which sequentially stores the average values calculated by the average value calculating section; a still image determining section which determines whether a still image is displayed on a present screen based on a difference between the average value stored in the average value memory section and a last average value; a coefficient calculating section which, when the determination is made that a still image is displayed on the present screen as a result of the determination in the still image determining section, calculates coefficients for lowering luminance of an image displayed on the display device; and a coefficient multiplying section which multiplies the video signals by the coefficients calculated by the coefficient calculating section. |
| US08456489B2 |
Method of displaying document with image
A method of displaying a document with an image. Tabs 351 to 354 associated with the same document are set on a document screen 33 of a document display screen 32, with one of the tabs (351) open. A base image 36 attached to the document is displayed on the tab 351. At the position for a comment, etc. of this base image, objects (added information) such as a comment 37, a pattern 38 related to the comment, a symbol 39 and an arrow 41 are added. These objects can be added by operating an “add” button 16a or an object select section 42. Also, an added object list screen 34 indicating a list of the objects added is displayed. The added information such as a comment added to the base image can be immediately viewed in the state related to the base image. |
| US08456481B2 |
Block linear memory ordering of texture data techniques
A method of organizing memory for storage of texture data, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, includes accessing a size of a mipmap level of a texture map. A block dimension may be determined based on the size of the mipmap level. A memory space (e.g., computer-readable medium) may be logically divided into a plurality of whole number of blocks of variable dimension. The dimension of the blocks is measured in units of gobs and each gob is of a fixed dimension of bytes. A mipmap level of a texture map may be stored in the memory space. A texel coordinate of said mipmap level may be converted into a byte address of the memory space by determining a gob address of a gob in which the texel coordinate resides and determining a byte address within the particular gob. |
| US08456480B2 |
Method for chaining image-processing functions on a SIMD processor
In a single-instruction-multiple-data (SIMD) processor having multiple lanes, and local memory dedicated to each lane, a method of processing an image is disclosed. The method comprises mapping consecutive rasters of the image to consecutive lanes such that groups of consecutive rasters form image strips, and vertical stacks of strips comprise strip columns. Local memory allocates memory to the image strips. A sequence of functions is processed for execution on the SIMD processor in a pipeline implementation, such that the pipeline loops over portions of the image in multiple iterations, and intermediate data processed during the functions is stored in the local memory. Data associated with the image is traversed by first processing image strips from top to bottom in a left-most strip column, then progressing to each adjacent unprocessed strip column. |
| US08456478B2 |
Microcontroller with integrated graphical processing unit
A microcontroller with an integrated special instruction processing unit and a programmable cycle state machine. The special instruction processing unit allows offloading of intensive processing of output data and the programmable cycle state machine minimizes the amount of customized, off chip circuitry necessary to connect the microcontroller to an external display. |
| US08456472B2 |
Ranking nodes in a graph
A system and computer program product for ranking nodes in a graph include computing resultant path strength between each pair of nodes in a polynomial time, determining a first node based on resultant path strength such that total path strength to the first node is a maximum value, iteratively determining a next node from the first node to which the resultant path strength is a maximum value and the node is not visited, and providing each determined node a unique rank value, and ranking the nodes in an order determined by the unique rank value of each node. |
| US08456471B2 |
Point-cloud clip filter
A viewer renders a first image from a point cloud of data of a scanned scene accessed from a data store. A region of interest may then be defined. In response, the image is updated to only include data included within the region of interest. Alternatively, the region of interest may be provided to a second viewer, where a second image is rendered or updated to only include data included within the region of interest. |
| US08456470B2 |
Lighting environment simulation system and method
A lighting environment simulation system and method meshes a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object into a plurality of triangles, simulates lighting effects for the meshed 3D model, and determines an actual display color for each triangle of the meshed 3D model under the simulated lighting effects. The system and method further displays the meshed 3D model to a display device according to actual display colors and coordinates of all the triangles of the meshed 3D model. |
| US08456469B2 |
3D reconstruction from oversampled 2D projections
A method is presented for generating a 3D image of an object using x-rays. The invention describes a method of generating an image of a slice through the object using a large number of detector elements as employed in commonly used x-ray scanners. The method described is a two step process, in the first step, Algebraic methods are used to solve a set of simultaneous linear equations to solve for the densities of the pixels representing the slice. The dimension of these pixels defining the slice is large in comparison to the size of detector elements, therefore a second step of backprojection is used to generated a slice image of higher resolution. The use of a second or a third source further allows the generation of higher resolution images. |
| US08456468B2 |
Graphic rendering method and system comprising a graphic module
A method for rendering a three dimensional scene on a displaying screen comprises: generating for a tile of a current scene a hierarchical z-buffer which comprises a plurality of levels organized according to depth values; calculating a minimum depth value d of a submitted primitive; calculating an intersection area associated with said primitive with respect to said tile; providing a multiplicity of aligned regions each associated with a level of the hierarchical z-buffer so that the exact area calculated is suitable to be covered, at least entirely, by the union of such aligned regions; comparing the minimum depth value d of the submitted primitive with corresponding maximum depth values v1, v2, . . . , vN each read from the levels of the hierarchical z-buffer; discarding said primitive whether the minimum depth value d is bigger than all maximum depth values v1, v2, . . . , vN. |
| US08456467B1 |
Embeddable three-dimensional (3D) image viewer
Methods and systems for providing a three-dimensional (3D) image viewer in a webpage are provided. According to an example method, a webpage may be provided, and the webpage may include embedded language that identifies a 3D image viewer to be provided within the webpage. Based on the embedded language, a computer having a processor and a memory may request information associated with rendering a 3D object data model in the 3D image viewer. The method may also include providing the 3D image viewer within the webpage, and receiving information associated with rendering the 3D object data model. Additionally, the 3D object data model may be rendered in the 3D image viewer based on the received information. Additional example systems and methods are described herein. |
| US08456461B2 |
Apparatus and method for ambient light detection and power control via photovoltaics
A method and apparatus for ambient light detection and power control using photovoltaics is disclosed. In an embodiment, a device includes a display and a photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell acts as both an ambient light sensor and a power source. Based on the detected ambient light level, the brightness of the display is increased or decreased to save power, and energy captured by the photovoltaic cell is converted into a useable power signal which is stored or used by device components. |
| US08456457B2 |
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board electrically connected to a display includes a plurality of display control units, a plurality of first forward different signal lines, at least one second forward differential signal line, and a plurality of zero-ohm resistors. The display control units provide differential signals for the display through the differential signal lines and the zero-ohm resistors. Any two of the first forward differential signal lines are electrically connected together at one end to form a first node. One end of the second forward differential signal line is electrically connected to the first node. The other end is electrically connected to another first forward differential signal line to form a second node. The zero-ohm resistors are placed on the first forward differential signal lines and the second forward differential signal lines and are electrically connected between the display control units and the display. |
| US08456450B2 |
Systems and methods for impedance stabilization
An AC-to-DC adapter may be provided in order to increase the sensitivity of a touch-sensitive surface. Such an AC-to-DC adapter may include a rectifying circuit to rectify incoming AC signals. The rectifying circuit may take the form of a diode bridge network that includes four diode branches. Stabilization circuits may be provided in parallel with each diode branch in order to decrease the impedance of the diode bridge network during particular periods of operation. The stabilization circuits may be configured such that the impedance of the diode bridge network is substantially constant during all periods of operation. As a result, the impedance of the AC-to-DC adapter may be relatively constant during all periods of operation. In turn, the sensitivity of a touch-sensitive surface of a device being powered by such an AC-to-DC adapter may increase. |
| US08456449B2 |
Touch sensing apparatus and method of driving the same
A touch sensing apparatus includes; at least one light source which sequentially generates a plurality of lights, a light sensor which faces the at least one light source and outputs a plurality of signals corresponding to a magnitude of the plurality of lights, a light guide plate interposed between the at least one light source and the light sensor to guide the plurality of lights from the at least one light source to the light sensor and a coordinate generator which calculates coordinates of a touch input which occurs on the light guide plate using the signal output from the light sensor corresponding to the touch input. |
| US08456447B2 |
Touch screen signal processing
A coordinate detection system can comprise a display screen, a touch surface corresponding the top of the display screen or a material positioned above the screen and defining a touch area, at least one camera outside the touch area and configured to capture an image of space above the touch surface, an illumination system comprising a light source, the illumination system configured to project light from the light source through the touch surface, and a processor executing program code to identify whether an object interferes with the light from the light source projected through the touch surface based on the image captured by the at least one camera. Light can be directed upward by sources positioned behind the screen, by sources positioned behind the screen that direct light into a backlight assembly that directs the light upward, and/or by a forward optical assembly in front of the screen that directs the light upward. |
| US08456446B2 |
Visual clarity of a substantially transparent touchpad
The creation of a checkerboard pattern of a plurality of conductive but electrically floating panels of conductive material that are disposed in the space between electrodes on the layers of X and Y electrodes, wherein each panel is separated from adjacent panels by a minimal gap, wherein the panels are aligned such that when viewed from above, the panels appear to form a continuous ITO surface, wherein the panels are not visible to the user from typical user distances, wherein the dis-color effect between etched empty fields and ITO electrodes is thereby eliminated by creating an apparently homogeneous touchpad surface. |
| US08456444B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes: a first and second substrates disposed in an opposing relationship to each other; a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed adjacent the first substrate; a displaying function layer exhibits an image displaying function based on an image signal supplied to the pixel electrodes; a driving electrode disposed in an opposing relationship to the pixel electrodes adjacent one of the two faces; a plurality of detection electrodes disposed on a face of the second substrate on the opposite side to the driving electrode and separated from each other in one direction so as to cooperate with the driving electrode to form capacitance therebetween; and an electrode neighboring layer disposed in contact with the second substrate and the detection electrodes and covering the detection electrodes; the electrode neighboring layer having a refractive index within a range from that of the second substrate to that of the detection electrodes. |
| US08456442B2 |
Electronic device with switchable user interface and electronic device with accessible touch operation
An electronic device with switchable user interface and an electronic device with accessible touch operation are provided. The electronic device with switchable user interface includes a display, a touch sensing means, a position detecting module and a processing module. The touch sensing means is used for sensing a touch of an input tool. The position detecting module is used for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch sensing means. If the touch is generated on the specific area, the position detecting module determines whether the position of the touch is varied. The processing module coupled to the position detecting module is used for activating a user interface on the display if there is a position variation of the touch. Consequently, the convenience of operating the electronic device is improved. |
| US08456440B2 |
Information processing method and apparatus
An information processing apparatus comprising a touch screen which detects a touch input by a user detects the position and pressure of each of a plurality of pressed points corresponding to a plurality of touch inputs existing at the same time on a touch screen. Then, the front/rear overlap relationship of the plurality of objects displayed on the touch screen is changed based on the difference in pressure between the detected plurality of pressed points. |
| US08456437B2 |
Touch pad module assembly structure
A touch pad module assembly structure includes a housing, a touch pad module and a metal bracket. The housing includes a generally rectangular opening. The touch pad module is assembled into the opening. The touch pad module includes a support member and a circuit board. An edge of the support member has a through hole and a pair of resilient members. An opposite edge of the support member has a connection member secured to a surrounding surface of the opening. The circuit board is disposed over the support member and includes a switch aligned with the through hole. The metal bracket is secured to a surrounding edge of the opening to be in to contact with the switch and expose the connection member. |
| US08456435B2 |
Electronic device with touch-sensitive display and method of facilitating input at the electronic device
A method of controlling an electronic device that has a touch-sensitive display includes detecting a touch at an area associated with a character displayed on the touch-sensitive display, adding the character to a character string, identifying, from stored data, objects that at least partially match the character string, determining a next character of ones of the objects identified to yield a set of next characters, increasing a size of an area associated with each character of the set of next characters, and reducing the size of the area associated with each character of the set of next characters with time absent detection of a further touch. |
| US08456429B2 |
Encrypting touch-sensitive display
A hardware encryption device comprises: a touch panel controller; and a cryptographic engine in communication with the touch panel controller. The touch panel controller receives co-ordinates from the cryptographic engine corresponding to an area on a touch panel selected by a user. The cryptographic engine is operable to discriminate between a selection in a secure area on a screen and a selection in a non-secure area on a screen, and to action the selection differently depending on whether the selection is in a secure area or a non-secure area. |
| US08456426B2 |
Portable terminal device, display control method, and display control program
There is provided a portable terminal device that enables a user to operate all buttons to be operated by moving only one finger of one hand carrying the terminal when operating the terminal equipped with both a touch panel and a stationary operation section and that exhibits superior operability. The portable terminal device has enclosures 11, 12 with a movable portion, a display section 17 capable of displaying visible information showing an operation target area, and a touch sensor 13 that detects a position on a display screen of the display section touched by a user's finger, or the like. The device is further provided with a shape detection section for detecting a change in the shape of the enclosure; an input operation management section for managing a position detected by the touch sensor and an operation target area of each of pieces of visible information displayed on the display section in an associated manner; and a display control section that automatically makes a change to at least display positions of the respective pieces of visible information about the operation target displayed on the display section in accordance with a change in shape of the enclosure detected by the shape detection section. |
| US08456421B2 |
Selection device and method
A selection device for selecting an icon in an image area is provided including a motion-sensing unit and a processing unit. The motion-sensing unit senses a first motion and converts the first motion into a first signal. The processing unit converts the first signal into a first locus in the image area, determines a first area in the image area according to the first locus, and determines whether the icon is to be selected according to the first area and a second area where the icon is to be displayed in the image area. |
| US08456420B2 |
Audible list traversal
Many embodiments may comprise logic such as hardware and/or code to implement user interface for traversal of long sorted lists, via audible mapping of the lists, using sensor based gesture recognition, audio and tactile feedback and button selection while on the go. In several embodiments, such user interface modalities are physically small in size, enabling a user to be truly mobile by reducing the cognitive load required to operate the device. For some embodiments, the user interface may be divided across multiple worn devices, such as a mobile device, watch, earpiece, and ring. Rotation of the watch may be translated into navigation instructions, allowing the user to traverse the list while the user receives audio feedback via the earpiece to describe items in the list as well as audio feedback regarding the navigation state. Many embodiments offer the user a simple user interface to traverse the list without visual feedback. |
| US08456417B2 |
User interface for configuring image presentation
A user interface system determines image display presentation characteristics using a displayed image parameter selection control providing image parameter selection data, responsive to the received cursor command data. The displayed image parameter selection control includes a shape having an origin and one or more different sectors associated with one or more corresponding different sets of parameters determining image color or grayscale characteristics and a linear element lying along a line from the origin to a perimeter of the shape and being rotatable about the origin, (a) within a sector to select a value within a range of values determining a first image display characteristic and (b) between sectors to select one of the different sets of parameters determining image color or grayscale characteristics. A display processor initiates display of an image having display presentation characteristics determined by the image parameter selection data. |
| US08456414B2 |
Gamma adjustment with error diffusion for electrophoretic displays
Embodiments are directed to image processing methods to improve display quality while using a limited number of pulses and to correct the error between the reflectance and the desired gamma. The complexity of the hardware used for driving a display device may then be reduced to minimum. In addition, in various embodiments the method can also be used to compensate for the change of an optical response curve due to batch variation, temperature change, photo-exposure or aging of the display device. |
| US08456413B2 |
Display device, drive method therefor, and electronic apparatus
A display device includes: a light source section having multiple light sources to emit light in illumination colors including three primary colors of light; a display section for displaying an image in monochrome color by modulating the light emitted from the light source section; and a display control section for driving the light source section and the display section in a field sequential system. The display control section includes a determining section for determining a degree of white or a degree of complementary color of the light sources on the basis of an amount of lighting of each of the illumination colors of the light sources, a setting section for setting white components or complementary-color components of a color determined by a mixing ratio of the illumination colors, and an allocating section for allocating the set white components or the complementary-color components to the fields. |
| US08456405B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method of the same
A liquid crystal display device and driving method therefor are disclosed. The device includes a plurality of signal lines that apply different gray scale voltages to each of the pixels. A driving circuit is provided to generate the gray scale voltages to be applied to the pixels. In operation, the driving circuit applies the first gray scale voltage at intervals of the horizontal scanning time within a display period. The second gray scale voltage is output by a number of times that is not smaller than twice and not greater than (M-N) times at intervals of the horizontal scanning time from the beginning of the vertical retrace interval. The second gray scale voltage is then stopped until completion of the vertical retrace interval. |
| US08456399B2 |
Liquid crystal display and portable terminal having the same
A liquid crystal display that is unsusceptible to the effect of a pixel potential during writing of data to a memory, allowing a large margin to be provided against variation in characteristics of transistors forming a pixel circuit, and a portable terminal having the liquid crystal display. In a pixel circuit including a memory circuit (25), separate paths are provided for writing image data from a signal line (16-i) to the memory circuit (25) via a data-write switch (24) and for reading image data held in the memory circuit (25) out into a liquid crystal cell unit via a data-read switch (27). Furthermore, image data are read via a data-read buffer (26). Accordingly, when image data is written to the memory, data held in the memory circuit (25) is not affected by a pixel potential. Thus, a large margin can be provided against variation in the characteristics of the transistors forming the pixel circuit, serving to avoid variation in picture quality due to the variation in the transistor characteristics. |
| US08456398B2 |
Liquid crystal display module
A liquid crystal display module including a liquid crystal display having a plurality of liquid crystal cells, a plurality of switches and a common connection, each liquid crystal cell being connected between a respective switch and a common connection. The common connection includes strips, each extending in a first direction and the strips being arranged side-by-side in a second direction. The liquid crystal cells are arranged in rows, each row being along and connected to a strip. The liquid crystal display has gate lines, each gate line operating a respective plurality of the switches. For dot inversion, each gate operates switches connected to respective liquid crystal cells of two adjacent rows. For each row, a first set of alternate liquid crystal cells are connected to respective switches operated by a respective gate line and a second set of interspersed liquid crystal cells are connected to respective switches operated by another respective gate line. |
| US08456394B2 |
Light emitting apparatus, method for driving the light emitting apparatus, and display apparatus including the light emitting apparatus
A light emitting apparatus comprises a light emitting section for emitting light, a color of the light being changed with a value of a driving current, and a driving section for driving the light emitting section so that the light emitting section emits light having a desired color and a desired intensity, by generating the driving current based on a signal designating the desired color and a signal designating the desired intensity and by applying the driving current to the light emitting section. |
| US08456389B2 |
Display device and control method thereof
A display device includes a luminescence element. A power line provides the luminescence element with an electric current. A capacitor accumulates a driving voltage corresponding to a data voltage. A driver flows the electric current according to the driving voltage accumulated in the capacitor through the luminescence element via the power line. A controller is configured to set a reverse bias voltage and an application time period according to an amount of luminescence produced by the luminescence element, and to determine luminance levels in luminescence periods. The controller sets the reverse bias voltage and the application time period according to a peak luminance of the luminance levels when a difference between the peak luminance and an average luminance of the luminance levels exceeds a predetermined threshold, and applies the reverse bias voltage for the application time period within an OFF period of the data voltage for removing an electric charge accumulated in the luminescence element. The OFF period is within one of the luminescence periods. |
| US08456388B2 |
Systems and methods for split processor control in a solid state lighting panel
Provided are systems and methods for controlling a solid state lighting panel. A system according to some embodiments of the invention includes a first microprocessor operative to perform color management data processing and generate emitter control data values. The system also includes a second microprocessor operative to receive the emitter control data values from the first processor to control a plurality of light emitters. |
| US08456387B2 |
Display device with chiplet drivers
A display device, including a substrate; a first layer having an array of row electrodes formed in rows across the substrate in a first direction and a second layer having an array of column electrodes formed in columns across the substrate in a second direction different from the first direction wherein the row and column electrodes overlap to form pixel locations; one or more layers of light-emitting material formed between the row and column electrodes to form a two-dimensional array of pixels, the pixels being located in the pixel locations; and a plurality of chiplets located over the substrate, the number of chiplets being less than the number of pixels, each chiplet exclusively controlling a subset of row electrodes and a subset of column electrodes, whereby the pixels are controlled to display an image. |
| US08456385B2 |
Display apparatus and display driving method for enhancing grayscale display capable of low luminance portion without increasing driving time
A driving method for a plasma display apparatus having address electrodes, scan electrodes and common electrodes and displaying one field of image by using subfields is provided. The driving method includes one specific subfield is arranged to be turned ON early in the one field and always turned ON at luminance level higher than input luminance level “0”, and the specific subfield has a least luminance weight and does not have resetting. |
| US08456376B2 |
Position adjustment device and satellite antenna thereof
A position adjustment device for a satellite antenna includes a holder fixed on a supporting arm of the satellite antenna, and an axis rotation bracket disposed to the holder. The holder has a first connecting part. The axis rotation bracket rotates around a focal axis of the satellite antenna and comprises a bracket body where a low noise block down-converter with integrated feed (LNBF) of the satellite antenna is fixed, an arc slot disposed to the bracket body wherein a circular center thereof is on the focal axis, and a first positioning element passing through the first connecting part and the arc slot, for connecting the axis rotation bracket to the holder, and positioning the holder and the axis rotation bracket along the arc slot relatively. |
| US08456375B2 |
Multifilar antenna
In a dielectrically-loaded multifilar helical antenna, a conductive phasing ring is arranged between and couples together feed nodes and the helical radiating elements. The phasing ring includes an annular conductive path having an electrical length equivalent to a full wavelength at the operating frequency so as to be resonant at that frequency. The helical elements are coupled to the outer periphery of the phasing ring at respective spaced apart coupling locations. The helical elements may include open-circuit or closed-circuit elongate conductive tracks, or a combination of both. In the case of the helical elements being closed-circuit tracks, these tracks are interconnected by a second resonant ring, which is resonant at the same frequency as or a different frequency from the first resonant ring. The invention is applicable to both end-fire and back-fire helical antennas. |
| US08456374B1 |
Antennas, antenna systems and methods providing randomly-oriented dipole antenna elements
In one exemplary embodiment, an antenna arrangement includes: a substrate; and a plurality of dipole antenna elements disposed on the substrate, wherein the plurality of dipole antenna elements are randomly-oriented with respect to each other. In further exemplary embodiments, the plurality of dipole antenna elements includes at least six dipoles that are all electrically fed and do not need to be magnetically fed in order to generate and detect an arbitrary polarization. In still further exemplary embodiments, each dipole element has a fractal shape. |
| US08456370B2 |
Housing and method for making the same
A housing includes a soft layer, a radiator element, and a main body. The radiator element is combined with the soft layer. The main body is attached to the soft layer, and the radiator element extends from the soft layer and the main body. The radiator element can be protected by the soft layer and the main body. In addition, textured material can be use for the soft layer to enhance appearance of an electronic device using the housing. |
| US08456361B1 |
Beamforming with partial channel knowledge
An apparatus for use in transmit beamforming to a beamformee having NR receive antennas. The apparatus includes a controller configured to i) construct a partial channel matrix that describes a multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) channel between a beamformer and M receive antennas, wherein M is less than NR, and ii) generate L independent vectors using the partial channel matrix, wherein L is a rank of the partial channel matrix. When a number NS of one or more streams is greater than L, the controller is further configured to i) select the L independent vectors as steering vectors to steer L streams of the plurality of streams, and ii) select NS−L orthogonal vectors in a null space of the L independent vectors as steering vectors to steer a remainder of the streams in the plurality of streams. |
| US08456360B2 |
Beam-forming antenna with amplitude-controlled antenna elements
A beam-forming antenna for transmission and/or reception of an electromagnetic signal having a given wavelength in a surrounding medium includes a transmission line electromagnetically coupled to an array of individually controllable antenna elements, each of which is oscillated by the signal with a controllable amplitude. The oscillation amplitude of each of the individual antenna elements is controlled by a switch. The antenna elements are arranged in various shapes such as a parabolic arc, a circular arc, a cylindrical surface or a conic surface. The antenna elements have various spacing such as uniform, parabolic, circular, or raised cosine. |
| US08456358B2 |
Method for GNSS coexistence
A method for operating a wireless transmitter and a global navigation satellite (“GNSS”) receiver coexistent in a mobile wireless device. A mobile wireless device includes a GNSS receiver and a wireless networking system. The wireless networking system includes a wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter provides a first interference level signal to the GNSS receiver. The first interference level signal indicates a level of interference that the GNSS receiver can expect due to operation of the transmitter. A priority signal is asserted if the processing of navigation signals in the GNSS receiver takes precedence over wireless transmitter transmissions. |
| US08456354B2 |
System and method for applying augmentation corrections for GNSS positioning
A method for determining a position using a GNSS system having a plurality of GNSS satellites and one or more augmentation systems, which method includes the steps of obtaining a code or phase measurement from the GNSS satellite signals, generating measurement groups, and generating corrected measurement groups by applying code or phase corrections from the augmentation systems, and applying combinations of the corrected measurements in a filter which outputs a position and ambiguity estimate. |
| US08456351B2 |
Phased array millimeter wave imaging techniques
An apparatus, imager elements, and a method for detecting a radio frequency image using phased array techniques. An example apparatus includes an array of radio frequency antennas fabricated on one or more packaged integrated circuits. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to selectively phase shift radio frequency signals from the antennas such that the at least a portion of the radio frequency image is focused. |
| US08456348B2 |
SAR ADC capable of reducing energy consumption
An SAR ADC capable of reducing energy consumption, including a voltage selecting circuit for configuring a capacitor circuit to form a first equivalent capacitor having a capacitance of (2m−1)C, a second equivalent capacitor having a capacitance of (2n−2m−1)C, a fourth equivalent capacitor having a capacitance of (2m−1)C, and a fifth equivalent capacitor having a capacitance of (2n−2m−1)C, wherein, the first equivalent capacitor has one terminal coupled to a reference voltage or a ground voltage, and the other terminal coupled to a positive input end of a comparator; the second equivalent capacitor is coupled between a common mode voltage and the positive input end; the fourth equivalent capacitor has one terminal coupled to the ground voltage or the reference voltage, and the other terminal coupled to a negative input end of the comparator; and the fifth equivalent capacitor is coupled between the common mode voltage and the negative input end. |
| US08456345B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal reconstruction from saturated measurements
A method for recovering a signal by measuring the signal to produce a plurality of compressive sensing measurements, discarding saturated measurements from the plurality of compressive sensing measurements and reconstructing the signal from remaining measurements from the plurality of compressive sensing measurements. Alternatively, a method for recovering a signal comprising the steps of measuring a signal to produce a plurality of compressive sensing measurements, identifying saturated measurements in the plurality of compressive sensing measurements and reconstructing the signal from the plurality of compressive sensing measurements, wherein the recovered signal is constrained such that magnitudes of values corresponding to the identified saturated measurements are greater than a predetermined value. |
| US08456344B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating a target frequency having an over-sampled data rate using a system clock having a different frequency
Method and apparatus for generating a target frequency having an over-sampled data rate using a system clock having a different frequency are disclosed. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the circuit includes, a digital phase locked loop coupled to the system clock. The digital phase locked loop including an oscillator output and an oscillator input. The circuit further comprises an extra pulse eliminator coupled to the oscillator output. The extra pulse eliminator includes an extra pulse eliminator output. One or more frequency dividers may be coupled to an extra pulse eliminator output. |
| US08456343B2 |
Switched capacitor type D/A converter
A switched capacitor type D/A converter receives m-bit (m represents an integer) input data, and outputs an analog signal that corresponds to the input data value. Switch circuits are provided to respective bits of the input data, and are classified into two groups: a first group configured to turn on when the corresponding input data bit is 1, and to turn off when the corresponding input data bit is 0; and a second group configured to turn on when the corresponding input data bit is 0, and to turn off when the corresponding input data bit is 1. Each switch of the first and second switch groups is configured as a P-channel MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor). The ground voltage 0 V is applied to the lower power supply terminal of each of the first and second inverters configured to supply a gate signal to each switch. |
| US08456338B2 |
Compliance methods for source measure units operating with digital control loops
A source-measure unit (SMU) may be implemented with respective digital control loops for output voltage and output current. The digital control loop associated with the output that is being regulated may be the setpoint control loop while the digital control loop associated with the other output may be the compliance control loop. The digital loop controller may switch between the setpoint control loop and the compliance control loop without generating a mode-change glitch, by maintaining a single integrator. The compliance methods may differ in how and when the decision is made to select which of the measured signals provides the error signal to the integrator. Thus, there may be no issue with integrator wind-up, which might be the case if there were two complete control loops operating continuously. |
| US08456337B1 |
System to interface analog-to-digital converters to inputs with arbitrary common-modes
A system to interface analog-to-digital converters to inputs with arbitrary common-modes includes a common-mode voltage amplifier circuit and a PGA circuit connected to the common-mode voltage amplifier circuit. The common-mode voltage amplifier and PGA circuits receive first and second analog input signals. The PGA circuit eliminates the arbitrary common-modes from the first and second analog input signals based on an output of the common-mode voltage amplifier circuit. |
| US08456333B1 |
Advanced solid block splitting for lossless data compression
A method of separating data blocks with stationary informational characteristics, including the steps of sequentially collecting statistics for small data blocks in an input data set, calculating the relative change in the estimated compression efficiency for a solid block currently being formed caused by merging its statistics with the statistics of a next small block, deciding whether the small block should be added to the solid block; for any block for which the decision is no, the block is used as the starting block of the next solid block to be formed. Auxiliary block data type detection is used to improve the method. |
| US08456326B2 |
Position registering apparatus, position registering method, position registering program, and recording medium
An acquiring unit (101) acquires traveling state information indicating a traveling state of a mobile object. A position identifying unit (102) identifies the current position of the mobile object, based on the traveling state information and map information. If the current position of the mobile object identified to be on a road is subsequently identified not to be on any road, a registering unit (103) registers into a storage unit, a deviation point from the road as an entrance point to a parking lot. When a new deviation point is registered as an entrance point to the parking lot, if an entrance point in the vicinity of the new deviation point is already registered, the registering unit (103) determines whether the new deviation point is to be newly registered as an entrance point to the parking lot based on information about the entrance points. |
| US08456325B1 |
Networked streetlight systems and related methods
A networked streetlight system associated with a central control system having control over illumination settings for a plurality of luminaires within the networked system. Particular embodiments may be used specifically with emergency vehicles to guide the vehicles to emergency destinations through the combination of knowing the location of the vehicle and its destination, and having control over the networked luminaires, each having specific illumination settings controls. Examples of illumination settings include strobe, color and intensity. |
| US08456324B2 |
Driving support system
The invention may allow an in-vehicle unit of a vehicle located in a shadow portion of a large-sized vehicle and an in-vehicle unit of a vehicle at a location separated from an intersection 193 to receive traffic information. A UHF beacon unit 112 is disposed at the intersection 193, thereby distributing the traffic information using a UHF beacon signal having a diffraction characteristic. This arrangement can allow the in-vehicle unit of the vehicle located in the shadow portion of the large-sized vehicle as well to receive the traffic information. Further, since the UHF signal propagates far, this arrangement can allow the in-vehicle unit of the vehicle at the location separated from the intersection 193 as well to receive the traffic information. The UHF beacon unit 112 transmits the UHF beacon signals with the different traffic information set therein by time division and frequency division. In this case, the UHF beacon unit 112 transmits the UHF beacon signals with the different traffic information set therein with different transmission output powers. With this arrangement, the different traffic information can be respectively distributed to a near-distance zone 291, an intermediate-distance zone 292, and a far-distance zone 293. |
| US08456322B2 |
Warning light device having at least two warning lamps
A warning light device having a first warning lamp exhibiting at least one first light unit with at least one first lighting element for visually indicating at least one operating state of a first technical unit having a first electronic control device and having at least one indicating unit for visually indicating at least one operating state, especially several different operating states of the first warning lamp, wherein at least one electronic warning lamp connection is provided for transmitting data and/or control signals at least between the first warning lamp and the indicating unit to provide for the monitoring of several different technical units with considerably less expenditure than in the prior art. This is achieved by the fact the indicating unit is constructed as signaling column having at least one second alternating module with at least one second lighting element. |
| US08456319B2 |
Switch arrangement for a lighting device
A lighting device includes a touch switch with touch contacts 304, 306, located on the grip of the lighting device is that the light 312 can be turned on when the contacts are bridged by the hand of a user. An electronic circuit 300 includes a latching arrangement 302, 316 to latch the light on. The light can be dimmed by use of a further touch contact 308. |
| US08456318B2 |
Occupancy sensor assembly
An occupancy sensor is provided with a housing having an interior cavity. A switch is mounted in the interior cavity of the housing and configured for placement in the open and closed positions. A fascia cover plate may be positioned on the housing to enclose the interior cavity. The fascia cover plate has a fascia rib on an interior surface thereof. The fascia rib is arranged to interfere with the switch in the disabled state to prevent positioning of the fascia cover plate on the housing. |
| US08456316B2 |
System and method for measuring fluid pressure
A method of reducing power consumption in a pressure (vacuum) regulator system by waking the regulator upon detection of a change in pressure beyond a set band, including: defining a sampling time-window to sample a pressure in the pressure regulator system; generating a random number of pressure samples within the defined sampling time-window; acquiring data of the randomly generated number of pressure samples within the defined sampling time-window; adjusting the defined sampling time-window in response to a change in pressure beyond a set band; and transmitting the data to an output device. |
| US08456315B2 |
Monitoring device for functionally monitoring reporting system, reporting system, and method for monitoring
A monitoring device (6,10) monitors the functioning of a reporting system (1). The reporting system (1) includes a plurality of reporting devices (4) and/or signaling devices, supply lines (3), and a voltage source. The reporting devices (4) and/or signaling devices are connected to the voltage source via the supply lines (3), and the reporting devices (4) and/or signaling devices are connected in parallel to one another and to the voltage source. A test signal device (6) connects a reference resistor (R) into the supply lines (3) in parallel with the reporting devices (4) and/or signaling devices, and/or connects the reference resistor (R) as a termination of the supply lines (3). An evaluation device (10) detects and evaluates the system response of the reporting system (1) to the connecting of the reference resistor (R). |
| US08456314B2 |
System and method for reconfiguration of an entertainment system controlling device
An entertainment device is used to notify a user of a change in an audio visual entertainment system configuration in which at least one of a plurality devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual source and at least one of the plurality of devices is connected to the entertainment device as an audio and/or visual output destination for the entertainment device and/or to notify a user of a perceived problem in a configuration of a controlling device used to control functional operations of the audio visual entertainment system. |
| US08456313B2 |
Nuclear radiation-warning detector that measures impedance
This invention is a nuclear radiation-warning detector that measures impedance of silver-silver halide on an interdigitated electrode to detect light or radiation comprised of alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays, X rays, and/or neutrons. The detector is comprised of an interdigitated electrode covered by a layer of silver halide. After exposure to alpha particles, beta particles, X rays, gamma rays, neutron radiation, or light, the silver halide is reduced to silver in the presence of a reducing solution. The change from the high electrical resistance (impedance) of silver halide to the low resistance of silver provides the radiation warning that detected radiation levels exceed a predetermined radiation dose threshold. |
| US08456306B2 |
Association based locationing for RFID
An apparatus, system and techniques for determining a location of an RFID tag among a population of tags are disclosed. The system includes an RFID reader with at least one antenna port and a population of RFID tags. The population of tags can be homogenous or heterogeneous. The RFID reader varies its transmit power through one or more antenna ports resulting in a grouping of the RFID tags into clusters. In one embodiment, the reader utilizes multiple antennas to further define RFID tag clusters among the population. Each read tag is then uniquely associated with a defined cluster. Tag agents also can be provided among the population of tags facilitating definition of the clusters. |
| US08456305B2 |
Redundant security system
A redundant security system relies on a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag to convey security sensor data. If the RFID tag is unable to convey security sensor data, a backup photoelectric cell powered transmitter is activated to transmit security sensor data to a monitoring station. Alternately, a security safe is outfitted with a RFID tag based security sensor. The RFID tag allows remote monitoring of at least one of an opened/closed condition and a locked/unlocked condition of a door of the security safe. |
| US08456303B1 |
System and method for associating items of a set
A system provides for facilitating the location of a first item of a set of items, as well as a wireless communication device and a related method of operation. In at least some embodiments, the system includes a first wireless device associated with the first item of the set, the first wireless device including an output device and a receiver, and a second wireless device associated with a second item of the set, the second wireless device including an input device and a transmitter. The second wireless device in response to an input signal transmits a wireless signal to the first wireless device, which in response provides a first output signal that is either sufficiently visible or sufficiently audible so as to facilitate the location of the first item of the set. In some embodiments, the wireless devices are aftermarket devices capable of being attached to the items. |
| US08456302B2 |
Wireless tracking and monitoring electronic seal
An electronic security seal (e-Seal) is disclosed. The e-Seal monitors security of shipments including intermodal containers, reports tampers in real-time, monitors environmental status of goods and reports exceptions in real-time, and reports the location of the shipment with high frequency. The security monitoring complies with the ISO 17712 standard, adding electronic real-time reporting of tamper time and location and LED tamper indication. The e-Seal can be manufactured and operated at low cost due to diagnostic and logistic features. The e-Seal supports low cost upgrades due to a modular architecture allowing a plug-in update of separate functions. The e-Seal allows flexible usage across supply chain tradelanes, due to highly programmable operation including over-the-air remote programming via wireless communications. The e-Seal provides low power operation to save battery usage and lower costs. |
| US08456299B2 |
Automated audio messaging in two-way voice alarm systems
An alarm monitoring station is capable of establishing a two way communications channel over a network to connect the monitoring station and alarm panels at monitored premises, for real time voice communication between the panels and the monitoring station. The monitoring station is further operable to provide pre-programmed voice messages to the alarm panels based on the sensed alarm condition over the two way communications channel. In this way, occupants at the premises may be notified of the sensed condition before speaking with an operator at the monitoring station. |
| US08456298B2 |
Apparatus and method for portable tracking
A method for tracking movements in a portable tracking apparatus includes a movement sensor. Virtual object position information is generated and local movement instructions for a user of the portable tracking apparatus is determined based on the generated virtual object position information. The local movement instructions are presented only non-visually to the user and movement of the portable tracking apparatus is determined using the movement sensor. A non-visual feedback is presented to the user of the portable tracking apparatus based on the determined movement of the portable tracking apparatus. |
| US08456295B2 |
Alarm generation method for patient monitoring, physiological monitoring apparatus and computer program product for a physiological monitoring apparatus
A method for managing alarms in a physiological monitoring apparatus, a physiological monitoring apparatus, and a computer program product for a physiological monitoring apparatus are disclosed. A plurality of averages of a physiological parameter are derived, wherein the parameter is derived from at least one physiological signal acquired from a subject and wherein the averages represent a corresponding plurality of averaging periods. Respective alarm limits are assigned to the plurality of averages and at least one alarm indicator is defined, each alarm indicator being defined based on respective average and alarm limit. An alarm is detected based on the at least one alarm indicator. |
| US08456291B2 |
Air pressure management device for vehicle tire and vehicle tire capable of outputting air pressure information
Vibration electric power generation is carried out by a relative parallel movement of a ferroelectric member including floating electrodes arranged in parallel and a movable member including electrets maintaining a surface electric potential of approximately 100 volts at a temperature of 100° C. and opposed electrode portions alternately arranged, the ferroelectric member and the movable member being provided in a tire. |
| US08456290B2 |
In-vehicle image display apparatus
An in-vehicle image display apparatus for use in a vehicle is provided which includes a state detecting device that detects a state of surroundings of the vehicle; a display device that is provided at least in an entire front window section of the vehicle and capable of displaying information over the entire window section; an image generating device that generates image data for displaying a image of surroundings of the vehicle on the display device based on detection results from the state detecting device; and a display control device that makes the display device display an image represented by the image data generated by the image generating device. |
| US08456288B2 |
Communication device and unlocking alarm method thereof
A communication device locks input of the communication device and executes an alarm if a current time reaches a set alarm time. When the alarm is executed, an unlock input set is generated for unlocking the input and an alarm disable button set is generated for disabling the alarm. If an unlock input set is the same as the generated unlock keypad set, the locked input is unlocking. If the alarm disable button set input by the user is the same as the generated alarm disable button set, the communication device disables the alarm. |
| US08456285B2 |
Detection of fast poll responses in a TWACS inbound receiver
A method for use in a power line communication systems for an electrical distribution system (1) to quickly and accurately poll electrical meters (6) installed at user facilities to determine if an outage has occurred at a facility. An outbound communications message is transmitted to the meter at the facility requesting a short response consisting of a bit pattern that is either partially or completely known to the receiver. Any perceived response from the meter is then processed to ascertain whether or not the meter actually transmitted a message. Receipt of a message indicates that an outage has not occurred at that site, while an indication the message was not received indicates an outage has likely occurred. In processing the received message, two types of errors can potentially occur; i.e., a false positive or a false negative. |
| US08456280B2 |
Product carrier and system made up of product carrier and receiver unit
The invention relates to a product carrier comprising a first packaging unit wherein when opened a first switch of an integrated circuit of the product carrier is opened and at least one second packaging unit wherein when opened a second switch of the integrated circuit is opened. The circuit is configured and/or arranged to cooperate with electronic means so that a value correlating with the degree of filling of the product carrier can be determined on the basis of the number of closed and/or opened switches. Further, an antenna cooperates with the electronic means to transmit said value, the electric power for the electronic means may be introduced without contact, and the first and the second switch are connected in parallel. |
| US08456279B2 |
Accelerometer-based CE device wireless access point mapping
A CE device for, e.g., displaying the time can incorporate an accelerometer to provide various features and enhancements. For example, using position derived from the accelerometer, the signal strength of a wireless access point (AP) can be mapped in a house. |
| US08456272B2 |
Electric line
An electric line comprising: at least one conducting substrate including at least two heating fields of different width, at least one shared contacting device, wherein the conducting substrate includes a coating material disclosed on the conducting substrate that forms the at least two heating fields, and the same coating material is disposed on the at least two heating fields, and wherein an electrical conductivity of the coating material on one of the at least two heating fields is different than a second one of the at least two heating fields of different width so that upon application of the coating material on the at least two heating fields, each of the at least two heating fields have an identical electrical resistance, and wherein the at least one shared contacting device connects the at least two heating fields to an electrical potential by one or more connection lines. |
| US08456268B2 |
Magnetic coil assembly
The present disclosure provides a magnetic coil assembly for suppressing the generation of broken wire in a coil as well as reducing a winding time, the magnetic coil assembly according to the present disclosure comprise a bobbin; a magnetic coil wound around the bobbin; a pair of terminals fixedly installed at the bobbin; a first coil fixing protrusion portion extended from the terminal to fix a starting end portion of a first coil half which is a half of the entire length of the magnetic coil; a second coil fixing protrusion portion extended from the bobbin to fix a starting end portion of a second coil half which is the remaining half of the magnetic coil, and fix an terminal end portion of the first coil half; and a third coil fixing protrusion portion extended from the terminal to fix a terminal end portion of the second coil half. |
| US08456265B2 |
Transformer
A transformer assembly. In some embodiments, the transformer assembly comprises a transformer, comprising a magnetic core; a primary winding wound around the magnetic core, wherein the primary winding comprises one or two turns of a first conductive material; and a secondary winding wound around the magnetic core, wherein the secondary winding comprises a plurality of turns of a second conductive material, and wherein a diameter of the magnetic core is sized such that the transformer achieves a first inductance with a core loss comparable to a winding loss. |
| US08456256B2 |
Electronic component and passive component
An electronic component and a passive component define correlation between a distance between a pair of identical patterns and a distance between pairs of identical patterns adjacent to each other in a laminating direction, and a value of an inductor is further improved, attenuation in adjacent frequency bands is ensured and low power consumption is achieved with low loss. A first inductor is composed of a pair of inductor forming electrodes, a pair of inductor forming electrodes and a pair of inductor forming electrodes. A relationship between a distance (Da) between the two electrodes configuring each pair of inductor forming electrodes and a distance (Db) between the pairs of inductor forming electrodes adjacent to each other in the laminating direction satisfy the following inequalities; 0 |
| US08456255B2 |
Variable phase shifter comprising two finite coupling strips coupled to a branch line coupler
A variable phase shifter comprising a coupler including an input port, an output port, a through port and a coupled port and two conducting finite strips exhibiting equal lengths, the first conducting strip being movably coupled with the section of the coupler connecting the input port with the through port and the second conducting strip being movably coupled with the section of the coupler connecting the output port and with the coupled port, wherein displacing the conducting strip relative to the coupler, changes the phase of an output signal from the coupler, relative to the phase of a corresponding input signal into the coupler. |
| US08456246B2 |
Quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator and method of providing four-phase output signals
A quadrature VCO includes a first oscillator unit and a second oscillator unit. Each of the first and second oscillator unit is composed of a DC bias source, a complementary cross-coupled pair, an LC resonator unit, a frequency-doubling sub-harmonic coupler unit, and a ground terminal. When the LC resonator units of the first and second oscillator units are operated, four signals of different phases can be outputted via the output terminals. In this way, the output phase difference of the two oscillator units can keep 180 degrees and allow the two oscillator units to mutually inject signals to generate quadrature output signals. |
| US08456243B2 |
Failsafe oscillator monitor and alarm
A failsafe oscillator monitor and alarm circuit receives clock pulses from an external oscillator that if a failure thereto occurs, the failsafe oscillator monitor and alarm circuit will notify a digital processor of the external oscillator failure. The failsafe oscillator monitor and alarm circuit is a very low current usage circuit that charges a storage capacitor with clock pulses from the external oscillator when functioning normally and discharges the storage capacitor with a constant current sink if the external oscillator stops functioning. When the voltage charge on the storage capacitor becomes less than a reference voltage an alarm signal is sent to the digital processor for exception or error handling of the failed external oscillator. |
| US08456239B2 |
Amplifying unit, power amplifier and transmitter
A power amplifier, which includes n+1 amplifying units coupled in parallel, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 0, third input ends VR(i) of the n+1 amplifying units are coupled to a power input VL, output ends D(i) of the n+1 amplifying units are coupled to a power input VH, and an output power of the power amplifier is in an increasing function relationship with a capacitance value obtained through accumulation of energy returning capacitors xC of the n+1 amplifying units. The power amplifier changes circuit impedance in a manner of controlling the parallel capacitance value by a switching digital signal, thereby controlling a magnitude of a returned power value and forming different output powers. |
| US08456238B1 |
Tapered attenuator network for mitigating effects of direct current (DC) bias inductor self-resonance in traveling wave amplifiers
A traveling wave amplifier includes a tapered attenuator network for mitigating the effects of DC bias inductor self-resonance. The amplifier includes a gain stages connected in a ladder network for successively amplifying a forward traveling wave caused by an input signal to produce an output signal. A back termination is coupled to the gain stages to absorb backwards traveling waves created by reflections from the gain stages and an output of the amplifier. An inductive DC bias circuit is coupled to the gain stages near the back termination for providing DC bias to the gain stages. A tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network is connected between the DC bias circuit and a first one of the gain stages for reducing the effect of self-resonance of the inductive DC bias circuit on the output signal. |
| US08456237B2 |
Low noise variable gain amplifier utilizing variable feedback techniques with constant input/output impedance
Variable feedback architecture and control techniques for variable gain amplifiers (VGAs) concurrently maintain, across a wide range of VGA gain settings, minimal input and output impedance variations, a low noise figure, low rates of change in noise figure, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), high quality of service (QoS), low distortion, high and relatively constant output third order intercept point (i.e., IP3 or TOI). Variable feedback counteracts impedance variations caused by gain variations. Compared to conventional high performance VGAs, noise figure is lower (e.g. 3 dB lower at maximum gain and 12 dB lower at minimum gain) and relatively constant, IP3 is higher and relatively constant, small signal third order intermodulation signal (IM3) tone slope is relatively constant and input and output impedances are relatively constant. As gain decreases, the noise figure advantage is nearly dB per dB compared to conventional high performance VGAs. |
| US08456236B2 |
Multiple input variable gain amplifier
A variable gain amplifier (VGA) disclosed herein includes: an input voltage connector; a number of voltage to current converter circuits generating signal currents; a gain adjustment connector adapted to a current steering mechanism; current mirrors connected to each of the voltage to current converters copying the signal currents; and a steering mechanism adapted to steer the copied currents to a load resistor or to another appropriate location based on the signal present at the gain adjustment connector. |
| US08456234B2 |
Bias current control method and driving circuit for operational amplifier
A bias current control method for an operational amplifier is disclosed, which includes detecting a slew rate operating signal, determining signal period length of the slew rate operating signal to generate a determination signal, and generating a high bias modulation signal or a low bias modulation signal to the operational amplifier according to the determination signal and the slew rate operating signal. |
| US08456232B2 |
Electronic circuit
An electronic circuit comprises an input stage and a driver stage. The input stage comprises first, second, third and fourth inputs, and is configured to generate a first intermediate signal which is the sum or the weighted sum of the first and third input signals, and a second intermediate signal which is the sum or the weighted sum of the second and fourth input signals. The driver stage comprises an output, is configured to generate an output signal present at the output, and is configured to directly compare the first and second intermediate signals such that the output signal indicates which of the two intermediate signals is larger. |
| US08456229B2 |
Filter device
A filter device includes a filter that separates a steady component and a non-steady component included in an input signal, a synthesis unit that synthesizes the separated steady component and the separated non-steady component according to a given ratio, and an evaluation unit that evaluates the magnitude of the amount of the non-steady component in the input signal, wherein the synthesis unit sets the given ratio to a first ratio in an instance in which the evaluation unit determines the amount of the non-steady component to be equal to or less than a predetermined reference, and sets the given ratio to a second ratio, in which the proportion of the non-steady component is less than that of the first ratio, in an instance in which the evaluation unit determines the amount of the non-steady component to be greater than the predetermined reference. |
| US08456227B2 |
Current mirror circuit
In one embodiment, a current mirror circuit includes first to fourth insulated gate field effect transistors (FETs), and a bias circuit. The gate electrodes of the first and second FETs are connected to each other. The source electrode of the third FET is connected to the drain electrode of the first FET, and the drain electrode of the third FET is connected to the gate electrodes of the first and second FETs and a current input terminal. The gate electrode of the fourth FET is connected to the gate electrode of the third FET, the source electrode of the fourth FET is connected to the drain electrode of the second FET, and the drain electrode of the fourth FET becomes a current output terminal. The bias circuit is configured to provide a bias voltage to the gate electrodes of the third and fourth FETs. |
| US08456226B2 |
Method and system for a process sensor to compensate SoC parameters in the presence of IC process manufacturing variations
Certain aspects of a method and system for a process sensor to compensate SoC parameters in the presence of IC process manufacturing variations are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include determining an amount of process variation associated with at least one transistor within a single integrated circuit. The determined amount of process variation may be compensated by utilizing a process dependent current, a bandgap current, and a current associated with a present temperature of the transistor. The process dependent current, the bandgap current and the current associated with the present temperature of the transistor may be combined to generate an output current. A voltage generated across a variable resistor may be determined based on the generated output current. |
| US08456224B2 |
Compensation of operating time-related degradation of operating speed by a constant total die power mode
By maintaining a substantially constant total die power during the entire lifetime of sophisticated integrated circuits, the performance degradation may be reduced. Consequently, greatly reduced guard bands for parts classification may be used compared to conventional strategies in which significant performance degradation may occur when the integrated circuits are operated on the basis of a constant supply voltage. |
| US08456220B2 |
Managing a temperature of a semiconductor switching element
In a method for operating a plasma installation, an induction heating installation or a laser excitation installation in a pulsed power output operation, includes controlling at least one semiconductor switching element to produce a power loss in the at least one semiconductor switching element during a pulse pause time period in a pulse pause operation during which no power suitable for the ignition or the operation of the plasma process, the induction heating process, or the laser excitation process is produced at a power output of a power generator by the at least one semiconductor switching element of the power generator, and such that a reduction of a temperature of the at least one semiconductor switching element by more than a predetermined value is prevented. |
| US08456215B2 |
Limiting amplifier and method thereof
A limiting amplifier and method are provided. In one implementation an apparatus includes a plurality of amplifier stages including a first amplifier stage and a last amplifier stage configured in a cascade arrangement, and a transconductance amplifier, wherein the first amplifier stage is configured to receive an input signal; the last amplifier stage outputs an output signal; the transconductance amplifier is configured receive a voltage signal from the last amplifier stage via a first resistor; and the transconductance amplifier is configured to output a current signal to an output node of the first amplifier stage via a second resistor in a negative feedback manner. |
| US08456210B2 |
Delay locked loop with offset correction
A delay locked loop (DLL) is calibrated to obtain a measure of offset error in the DLL. The offset error is compensated for in normal operation. In an embodiment, a current corresponding to the measure of offset is forced into one of a pair of paths carrying error signals representing a phase-mismatch between a reference signal and a feedback signal. In another embodiment, additional delay corresponding to the measure of offset is introduced on one of the pair of paths. Offset error is thus largely removed in normal operation of the DLL. The DLL employs an amplifier in place of a charge pump to remove systematic offset errors due to a charge pump. A phase detector in the DLL is designed such that an overlap interval of error outputs of the phase detector is at least half the period of the reference signal, thereby lending to high-frequency operation. |
| US08456209B2 |
Delay locked loop and associated method
A delay locked loop includes a pulse generator, a delay unit, a phase detector and a control unit. The pulse generator generates a pulse signal and a determination signal according to an input clock signal. The delay unit delays the pulse signal according to a digital control signal to generate a delayed pulse signal. The phase detector detects a time delay of the delayed pulse signal according to the determination signal to generate a detection result. The control unit generates a digital control signal according to the detection result to control the delayed pulse signal by a delay amount. |
| US08456207B1 |
Lock detector and method of detecting lock status for phase lock loop
A lock detector for a PLL circuit includes a first signal counting circuit, a second signal counting circuit, a comparator, and a lock status unit. The first signal counting circuit is configured to define a plurality of observation periods according to a first oscillating signal and a predetermined cycle value. The second signal counting circuit is configured to determine a maximum counter value according to a second oscillating signal within each of the observation periods, and the second oscillating signal is generated in relation to the first oscillating signal. The comparator is configured to determine, for each of the observation periods, whether the maximum counter value equals the predetermined cycle value. The lock status unit is configured to generate a lock signal based on the maximum counter value being equal to the predetermined cycle value for a predetermined number of consecutive ones of the observation periods. |
| US08456205B2 |
Phase-frequency comparator and serial transmission device
Disclosed is a phase-frequency comparator stabilizing a loop band width by a simple circuit, there is provided a phase-frequency comparator which is a phase-frequency comparator of inputting a reference clock and a feedback clock and outputting an up signal to a frequency synthesizer and a down signal to the frequency synthesizer, which is provided with a first phase-frequency comparing circuit, a second phase comparing circuit, and a delay circuit portion inputting the reference clock and the feedback clock and providing a predetermined relative delay to an input of the first phase-frequency comparing circuit and an input of the second phase comparing circuit, in which frequency comparison is carried out by the first phase-frequency comparing circuit, and phase comparison is carried out by the first phase-frequency comparing circuit and the second phase comparing circuit controlling a latch. |
| US08456201B2 |
Energy-recycling resonant drive circuits for semiconductor devices
A transistor driver includes an inductor coupled to a gate terminal of a transistor and a switching circuit coupled to the inductor and configured to charge a capacitance at a gate terminal of the transistor from a source via the inductor responsive to a first state of a control input, to block discharge of the charged capacitance responsive to a voltage at the gate terminal and to return charge from the charged capacitance to the source responsive to transition of the control input to a second state. The switching circuit may include a switch coupled in series with the inductor and the source and configured to conduct responsive to transition of the control input to the first state and a rectifier coupled in series with the inductor and the source and configured to block discharge of the charged capacitance responsive to the voltage at the gate terminal. |
| US08456200B2 |
Gate signal line drive circuit and display device
Provided is a gate signal line driving circuit including: 2n clock signal lines where 2n-phase clock signals are input in the normal order of the sequence in normal-directional scanning and in the inverse order of the sequence in inverse-directional scanning, respectively; and a plurality of basic circuits, each being connected with the 2n clock signal lines and outputting a gate signal from an output terminal, in which each of the basic circuits includes a high-voltage applying switching circuit where one clock signal line is connected to an input side and applies a voltage applied to the clock signal line to the output terminal and an off-signal applying switching circuit that applies an off-voltage to a switch of the high-voltage applying switching circuit, and a clock signal line where a clock signal having an inverse phase is connected to a switch of the off-signal applying switching circuit. |
| US08456199B2 |
Reducing current leakage in a semiconductor device
An integrated circuit, method of controlling power supplied to semiconductor devices, a method of designing an integrated circuit and a computer program product are disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises: a semiconductor device for handling data; a power source for powering said semiconductor device, said power source comprising a high voltage source for supplying a high voltage level and a low voltage source for supplying a low voltage level; a plurality of switching devices arranged between at least one of the high or low voltage sources and the semiconductor device. There is also a control device for controlling a first set of the plurality of switching devices to connect one of the high or low voltage sources to the semiconductor device and for controlling a second set of the plurality of switching devices to connect the one of the high or low voltage sources to the semiconductor device. At least some of the first set of the plurality of switching devices have a higher resistance when closed and providing a connection than at least some of the second set of the plurality of switching devices such that when the first set of the plurality of switching devices connect the semiconductor device to the one of the voltage sources the semiconductor device operates with a lower performance than when the second set of the plurality of switching devices connect the semiconductor device to the one of said voltage sources. |
| US08456195B2 |
System and method for on-chip jitter and duty cycle measurement
An apparatus for measuring time interval between two edges of a clock signal and includes an edge generator, a first multi-tap delay module, a second multi-tap delay module, and a multi-element phase detector. The edge generator produces a first edge at a first output node and a second selected edge at a second output node. First multi-tap delay module provides a first incremental delay at each tap to the first edge. Second multi-tap delay module provides a second incremental delay at each tap to the second selected edge. Each element of the multi-element phase detector has first and second input terminals. The first input terminal is coupled to a selected tap of the first multi-tap delay module and the second input terminal is coupled to a corresponding tap of the second multi-tap delay module. The output terminals of the multi-element phase detector provide the value of the time interval. |
| US08456193B2 |
Integrated circuit leakage power reduction using enhanced gated-Q scan techniques
Specific logic gates for q-gating are selected by determining the minimum leakage state for a circuit design and then selecting logic gates that hold the circuit design in its lowest leakage state. Depending on the input desired to implement the minimum leakage state, the gate may be selected as a NOR or OR gate. Q-gating that is implemented with gates chosen to implement the minimum leakage state may be enabled during selected operating modes. The minimum leakage state of a circuit can be determined with an automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tool. |
| US08456190B2 |
Controllable storage elements for an IC
An integrated circuit (“IC”) that includes a configurable routing fabric with controllable storage elements is described. The routing fabric provides a communication pathway that routes signals to and from source and destination components. The routing fabric may provide the ability to selectively store the signals passing through the routing fabric within the storage elements of the routing fabric. In this manner, a source or destination component may continually perform operations (e.g., computational or routing) irrespective of whether a previous signal from or to such a component is stored within the routing fabric. The source and destination components include configurable logic circuits, configurable interconnect circuits, and various other circuits that receive or distribute signals throughout the IC. |
| US08456188B2 |
Electronic apparatus and cable device
To discriminate whether a cable in conformity with a conventional standard or a cable in conformity with a new standard is connected.An HPD signal line (902) has, on an expanded HDMI sink apparatus (402) side circuit, a pull-up resistor (911) between the HPD signal line (902) and a voltage supply and a pull-down resistor (913) between the HPD signal line (902) and the ground, and a reserved line (903) has, on the expanded HDMI sink apparatus (402) side circuit, a pull-down resistor (914) between the reserved line (903) and a ground, and within a new HDMI cable (901), a pull-up resistor (912) between the reserved line (903) and a voltage supply of an expanded HDMI source apparatus (401). The expanded HDMI sink apparatus compares a voltage at a test point (19) on the reserved line (903) on the expanded HDMI sink apparatus (402) side with a reference voltage by using a voltage comparator (916). A CPU of the expanded HDMI sink apparatus (402) determines, when an output from the voltage comparator (916) is High, a normal state where the new HDMI cable (901) is inserted, and when an output from the voltage comparator (916) is Low, determines a state where a conventional HDMI cable (931) is erroneously inserted. |
| US08456184B2 |
Probe card for a semiconductor wafer
A probe card is provided that is capable of accurately ensuring the flatness and the parallelism with respect to a predetermined reference surface. A point (Q) of application of force applied from a leaf spring (17) that presses a portion near an edge portion of a surface of a probe head (15) from which a plurality of probes projects over an entire circumference in a direction of a substrate to the probe head (15) is positioned inside of an outer edge of the probe head (15), and a point (P) of application of force applied from the retainer (16) that presses a portion near an edge portion of a space transformer (14) over an entire circumference in the direction of the substrate to the space transformer (14) is positioned inside of an outer edge of the space transformer (14). |
| US08456179B2 |
Angular velocity detection device
The present invention aims to provide an angular velocity detection device which is capable of reducing the effect of coupling between a drive electrode and a first displacement detection electrode by a floating capacity, and is low in cost. In the angular velocity detection device, an oscillating body 21 is displaceable in a first direction and a second direction which orthogonally intersect each other. The oscillating body 21 is oscillated in the first direction by an electrostatic force corresponding to a drive signal generated by a non-interference signal generator 1. A carrier signal generated by the non-interference signal generator 1 is applied to the oscillating body 21. A first displacement detection circuit 3 and a second displacement detection circuit 4 each detect a displacement of the oscillating body 21 as a displacement modulation signal indicative of a change in electrostatic capacity synchronized with the carrier signal to thereby detect an angular velocity. Here, the frequency of the drive signal and the frequency of the carrier signal are set so as to be generated at such a frequency ratio that a higher harmonic of the drive signal multiplied by an odd number does not the displacement modulation signal. |
| US08456176B2 |
Passive agent system impedance monitoring station and method
This invention relates to a hybrid passive agent system impedance monitoring station and method. The method of monitoring impedance of an electrical system includes the steps of providing an impedance monitoring station adapted to test and monitor system impedance, solving for system impedance in a time domain, solving for system impedance in a frequency domain, and determining a time domain driving point impedance and a frequency domain driving point impedance to identify the impedance of the system. |
| US08456175B2 |
Open loop load pull arrangement with determination of injections signals
Measurement arrangement and method for active load pull measurements of a device under test (1). A wideband analog-to-digital conversion block (3) is provided for obtaining measurement data. First and second injection signal generators (7, 8) are connected to a source side and a load side of the device under test (1). This set up allows to create predetermined reflection coefficients at reference planes of the device under test (1). Injection signal parameters as determined are converted into the injection signals at the source and load side by digital-to-analog conversion. The wideband analog-to-digital conversion block (3) is further arranged for analog-to-digital conversion of the intermediate frequency signals to obtain the actual measured reflection coefficient versus frequency functions with a first frequency resolution. The first frequency resolution applied in the analog-to-digital conversion is equal to or better than a second frequency resolution applied in the digital-to-analog conversion. |
| US08456174B2 |
Method for determining at least one first internal parameter of a sensor
A sensor and method for determining at least one internal parameter for an active sensor in a special mode of operation. The sensor has at least one sensor element, an evaluation circuit, at least two connecting lines, and a changeover module. The sensor is changed over between a normal mode of operation and the special mode of operation by means of the changeover module and is put into the special mode of operation for the purpose of determining the at least one internal parameter. The sensor has an electric offset source which is used in the special mode of operation to at least partially actuate the evaluation circuit on the basis of the supply voltage of the sensor which is applied to the two connecting lines such that the at least one internal parameter of the sensor can be ascertained from the sensor output signal. |
| US08456170B2 |
Test apparatus for digital modulated signal
A pattern generator generates test data to be transmitted. An encoding circuit generates amplitude data which represent a modulated signal waveform that corresponds to the test data. The amplitude data are generated in a parallel manner in the form of multiple amplitude data in increments of multiple sampling points set within a predetermined period for cycles of the predetermined period. A data rate setting unit receives the multiple amplitude data in increments of sampling points, latches the amplitude data at corresponding sampling timings, and sequentially outputs the amplitude data thus latched. A multi-level driver receives sequentially input amplitude data, and generates a test signal having a level that corresponds to the value of the amplitude data thus received. |
| US08456163B2 |
Variable image resolution MR imaging system
A system acquires frequency domain components representing MR image data. An RF coil emits RF pulses for use in acquiring multiple individual frequency components corresponding to individual data elements in a 3D storage array in which the individual frequency components are successively acquired along radii from a designated center representing an origin to a boundary of the storage array. Angles of successive radii with respect to the origin are successively changed to substantially fill the storage array volume during acquisition of an MR dataset representing an MR image. A computation processor determines the angles of successive radii with respect to the origin, in response to data representing a reduction in at least one dimension of the 3D imaging volume represented by the storage array. A storage processor stores individual frequency components, acquired using the emitted RF pulses, in corresponding individual data elements in the array. |
| US08456162B2 |
Methods for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements using long-lived states
A method for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements, includes creation of enhanced polarization of nuclei of a first kind within a sample in a magnetic field at cryogenic temperatures and transfer of the polarized sample to room temperature. The enhanced polarization of nuclei of the first kind is thereby transformed into long-lived states (LLS) of nuclei of a second kind and these LLS are sustained. The LLS is at least partially converted into observable magnetization and an NMR or MRI measurement is carried out. The method allows one to extend the time needed between hyperpolarized magnetization and NMR detection. |
| US08456157B2 |
Nanomagnetic detector array for biomolecular recognition
A biomolecular sensor system includes an array of magnetoresistive nanosensors designed for sensing biomolecule-conjugated superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Materials and geometry of each sensor element are designed for optimized sensitivity. The system includes magnetic field generators to apply forces to superparamagnetic nanoparticles for 1) nanoparticle manipulation, 2) sensor magnetic biasing, 3) magnetic pull-off measurement for differentiation against non-specific association, and 4) removal of all particles from the sensor array surface. |
| US08456156B2 |
Probe
A probe includes a circuit board, an electric field detecting probe, and a magnetic field detecting probe. The electric field detecting probe and the magnetic field detecting probe are located on the circuit board. An anti-jamming distance between the two detecting probes is a multiple of 5 millimeters and is greater than or equal to 10 millimeters. |
| US08456152B2 |
Digital multimeter with context-sensitive explanatory information
A digital multimeter provides information regarding measurements shown on a display of the multimeter, and available functions of the multimeter. The information typically relates to a current context of the multimeter. The context may include a current mode or other setting of the multimeter. |
| US08456149B2 |
Electronic apparatus and method of calculating input power value of power supply unit in electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a power supply unit, a current value calculator, and an input power value calculator. The current value calculator is configured to calculate a current value on a power supply cable led out from the power supply unit based on a voltage between two ends of the power supply cable and a resistance value of the power supply cable. The input power value calculator is configured to calculate an input power value of the power supply unit based on the current value on the power supply cable calculated by the current value calculator and an input/output characteristic (efficiency) of the power supply unit. |
| US08456147B2 |
User-configurable, efficiency-optimizing, calibrated sensorless power/energy conversion switch-mode power supply with a serial communications interface
An intelligent pulse width modulation (PWM) controller adapts a switch mode power supply (SMPS) system's operating parameters to optimize efficiency, remove hot spots and isolate faults by integrating a microcontroller, PWM digital circuits and analog circuits into a single integrated circuit, thereby reducing the number of external connections, silicon die area and integrated circuit packages. A lossless inductor current sense technique integrates a matched, tunable complimentary filter with the intelligent SMPS controller for accurately measuring current through the power inductor of the SMPS without introducing losses in the power circuit. The complimentary filter is adjusted by the microcontroller to significantly reduce the effects of component tolerances, accurately measuring the power inductor current for precise closed loop control and over current protection. The frequency pole and gain of the complimentary integrated filter can be adjusted on the fly in order to adapt to dynamically changing operating conditions of the SMPS system. |
| US08456146B2 |
Systems and methods for switched mode power amplification
Systems and methods for switched mode power amplification are disclosed herein. A circuit is provided comprising an amplifier network, a DC translation stage for receiving input voltage from the amplifier network and for providing an output voltage to a voltage boost circuit, and a feedback network for providing feedback from the voltage boost circuit to the amplifier network. |
| US08456140B2 |
Power control apparatus and method for controlling a supply voltage for an associated circuit
A power control apparatus for controlling a supply voltage for an associated circuit comprises a power input for receiving an input voltage and a power output for supplying the supply voltage to the circuit. A switch device is provided with a first terminal coupled to the power input, a second terminal coupled to the power output and a control terminal for receiving a sleep select signal. A control device selectively configures the switch device to act as either a power gating switch, in which the switch device is responsive to the sleep select signal to select whether or not to supply the input voltage to the power output; or a retention switch in which a voltage difference is formed between the power input and the power input and the switch device supplies a retention voltage to the power output, the retention voltage being different to the input voltage. |
| US08456134B2 |
System and method for applying a plurality of energy pulses to a cathode for rapid depolarization of batteries
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system for conditioning a battery include a pulse generator and a use sensor. The pulse generator is configured to apply a plurality of energy pulses to a polarized cathode of a battery and a passivated anode of the battery by selectively shorting the battery across the polarized cathode and the passivated anode for durations of time. The plurality of energy pulses at least partially depolarize the polarized cathode and at least at least partially depassivate the passivated anode. The use sensor is configured to detect a use of the battery with a device and communicate the detected use to the pulse generator. The pulse generator automatically applies the plurality of energy pulses upon receipt of the detected use. |
| US08456122B2 |
Control circuit for fan
A control circuit includes a current sensing circuit, an analog digital converter (ADC), an amplifying circuit, a processor, and a switching circuit. The current sensing circuit senses current supplied to an electronic device by a power supply and outputs a first voltage signal. The amplifying circuit amplifies the first voltage signal output from the current sensing circuit to a second voltage signal. The ADC converts the second voltage signal to a digital signal. The processor outputs pulse width modulation (PWM) signals according to the digital signal. The switching circuit receives the PWM signals to control a fan of the electronic device according to the PWM signals. |
| US08456121B2 |
Motor control device and seat control device for vehicle
A motor control device, which includes a main control portion configured to actuate a motor, which displaces a driven object between a first position and a second position in an acceleration control mode in which a rotation speed of the motor gradually increases, in a deceleration control mode in which the rotation speed of the motor gradually decreases, and in a constant speed control mode in which the rotation speed of the motor is maintained at a constant level, and a displacement interference detection portion detecting that the displacement of the driven object is interfered using an actual rotation speed, which is the actual rotation speed of the motor, and an ideal rotation speed of the motor, on which a control result by the main control portion including a feedback control is reflected. |
| US08456120B2 |
Container with touch control arrangement
A touch control arrangement is arranged for a container having a foldable cover being folded between an opened position and a closed position via an actuation unit. The touch control arrangement includes a power source and a touch actuator electrically linked to the power source, wherein the touch actuator is located out of the storage cavity of the container body and is arranged in such a manner that when the touch actuator is activated by a presence of a touch, the actuation unit is actuated to move the foldable cover from the closed position to the opened position. |
| US08456117B2 |
Driving brushless DC (BLDC) motors
A driving system for a tri-polar electric motor comprises three phase windings. Winding drivers drive each winding with a driving waveform having a non-zero driving phase and intervals wherein the input is equal to zero at the start, middle and end of each driving phase. Using a driving waveform of this type enables monitoring of the back EMF in the winding during each interval when the input is equal to zero. This enables regular monitoring of the zero crossing point of each winding and hence of the position of the rotor. This enables the motor to operate efficiently without generating a torque ripple. |
| US08456114B2 |
Motor bus voltage commutation method
A drive system for a motor has a switching network for supplying three phases of power to a motor, and a control for the switching network. The control is programmed to provide a commutation with a positive offset, ahead of a current position, when driving in opposition to a load, and to use one of a zero or negative offset when the control drives the motor complementary to the load force. A method and system are also disclosed and claimed. |
| US08456110B2 |
Induction accelerating device and acceleration method of charged particle beam
The present invention provides a set of induction accelerating cell for controlling acceleration of a charged particle beam and an induction accelerating device for controlling generation timing of an induced voltage applied by the induction accelerating cell in a synchrotron. The induction accelerating device in a synchrotron includes: an induction accelerating cell that applies an induced voltage; a switching power supply that supplies a pulse voltage to the induction accelerating cell via a transmission line and drives said induction accelerating cell; a DC power supply that supplies electric power to the switching power supply; and an intelligent control device including a pattern generator that generates a gate signal pattern for controlling on/off the switching power supply, and a digital signal processing device that controls on/off a gate master signal that becomes the basis of the gate signal pattern. |
| US08456108B2 |
LED lighting apparatus
An LED lighting apparatus includes a triac dimmer 3, a series circuit connected to the triac dimmer and including a primary winding P of a switching transformer T and a switching element Q1, the switching transformer having a plurality of windings, a controller 14 of the switching element, a rectifying-smoothing circuit of a voltage of a secondary winding S of the switching transformer, LEDs 1a to 1n connected to an output of the rectifying-smoothing circuit, a current detector 7 detecting a current of the, a voltage detector 11 configured to output a voltage detection signal of a voltage generated at one of the secondary winding when the first rectifying element is ON, the voltage at the secondary winding being proportional to the phase-controlled AC voltage, and an amplifier 13 amplifying a signal that is based on the current detection signal and voltage detection signal for the controller. |
| US08456107B2 |
Spotlight and method of lighting up an object
Embodiments show a spotlight comprising light emitting diode modules wherein each LED module comprises at least two light emitting diodes with different light emission spectra and a light mixer, wherein each light mixer is arranged at one side of the light mixer in cooperation with an assigned LED module and each light mixer is configured to mix the different light emission spectra of the at least two LEDs of the assigned LED module to form a light beam, and wherein exit surfaces at the other side of the light mixers are arranged next to each other in a matrix with its light beams of the light mixers form a common light beam and a focusing optics for focusing the common light beam. |
| US08456101B2 |
Power systems with platform-based controllers
A power system includes a switching circuit, a resonant tank, a feedback circuit, and controller circuitry. The switching circuit including a first switch and a second switch provides a first AC signal. The resonant tank coupled to the switching circuit receives the first AC signal and generating a second AC signal for powering a load. The feedback circuit coupled to the load monitors an electrical condition of the load and provides a feedback signal. The controller circuitry coupled to the converter controls the switching circuit according to the feedback signal so as to control the power to the load. The controller circuitry is integrated in a first die. The first switch is integrated in a second die, and the second switch is integrated in a third die. The first die, said second die and said third die are mounted on and electrically interconnected to a platform compatible with through-hole technology. The platform and the resonant tank are further assembled on a printed circuit board. |
| US08456100B2 |
Device for generating light
An illumination system (10; 100) for generating light comprises: at least one a lamp assembly (14; 114) capable of generating light (17; 117) with a variable color; a controller (15; 115) for controlling the lamp assembly; a user input device (19) coupled to the controller. The controller (15; 115) is designed, on the basis of data received from the user input device (19), to generate color control signals for the lamp assembly. The controller (15) is designed, on the basis of data received from the user input device (19), to calculate a path (47) in a color space (31), to calculate the coordinates of a set of color points (E; CP(2), CP(3)) along the calculated path (47), and to generate its color control signals in accordance with the calculated color points. The illumination system may be for generating dynamic light sequences, or for generating a spatial color distribution. |
| US08456099B2 |
Method for operating a gas discharge lamp
The invention relates to a method for operating a gas discharge lamp, in which the shape of at least one electrode of the gas discharge lamp is changed, in which by changing the lamp current for a predeterminable duration, at least one current pulse is generated such that structures which have grown on the at least one electrode are at least partially removed, the current pulse being generated for the duration of at least one entire half cycle of the AC voltage or the alternating current if the gas discharge lamp is fed AC voltage or alternating current, and the current pulse being generated with a pulse duration of between approximately 0.1 s and approximately 5 s if the gas discharge lamp is fed DC voltage or direct current. |
| US08456095B2 |
Reduced flicker AC LED lamp with separately shortable sections of an LED string
An LED lamp with an integrated circuit, a rectifier, and a string of series-connected LEDs rectifies an incoming AC signal. The integrated circuit includes power switches that can separately and selectably short out a corresponding one of several groups of LEDs in an LED string across which the rectified AC signal is present. As the voltage across the string increases, the integrated circuit controls the power switches to increase the number of LEDs through which current flows, whereas as the voltage across the string decreases the integrated circuit controls the power switches to decrease the number of LEDs through which current flows. The flow of LED string current is broken to reduce flicker. Alternatively, a valley fill capacitor peaks LED current during the valleys of the incoming AC signal to reduce flicker. LED current is regulated to provide superior efficiency, reliability, power-factor correction, and lamp over-voltage, -current, and -temperature protection. |
| US08456093B2 |
Apparatus and method for LED array control
A control module for driving an LED array, with the array including N number of LED current drivers connected to N number of electrical terminals of the module, and Y number of transistor switches connected between Y number of electrical terminals of the module and a common voltage point. N and Y are each at least three. An N number of column conductors and a Y number of row conductors are to be connected to the respective N and Y number of electrical terminals. At least one of the N×Y number of LEDs is connected between each pair of the column and row conductors. The control module further includes a controller for controlling the states of the N number of LED current drivers and the Y number of transistor switches so that, during a given LED drive period, all of the LED current drivers are activated and only one of the transistor switches is turned ON to provided a selected row conductor in which case only those LEDs connected to a selected row conductor are activated. |
| US08456092B2 |
Broad spectrum light source calibration systems and related methods
Systems and methods are disclosed for light sources that use the photo-sensitivity of one or more colored LEDs to determine at least a portion of the emission spectrum of a white light source or other broad spectrum light emitter. As described herein, a white LED or other broad spectrum light emitter can be used as the light source, if desired, along with one or more additional colored LEDs, and the same colored LEDs can be used to emit light and to adjust a color point produced by the light source. Applications for the disclosed embodiments include but are not limited to general lighting, LCD backlighting, projectors, and direct emission displays such as OLEDs and digital billboards. |
| US08456090B2 |
Power failure reporting in a networked light
Power is stored in a networked light allowing the networked light to send a message over the network providing information that the networked light is turning off if external power is no longer available. |
| US08456089B2 |
AC driven light-emitting diodes
Disclosed is a lighting device including a circuit including at least two parallel-connected light-emitting diodes of opposite pole in a first parallel branch and comprising at least two parallel-connected light-emitting diodes of opposite pole in a second parallel branch, and also including a capacitor and a coil. At least one of the diodes emits red light, blue light, and/or white light. |
| US08456088B2 |
PAR lamp
A light source capsule (16) having a capsule envelope (18) with a wall (20) defining an enclosed volume (22), and having a sealed portion (24). A light source (26) is positioned in the enclosed volume (22) and has deformable electrical leads-ins (28, 30) extending through the sealed portion (24) of the capsule envelope (18). Stiff lead-in engagers (32) are aligned with the sealed portion (24) of the capsule envelope (18) and are electrically coupled to the electrical leads (28, 30), the lead-in engagers being electrically conductive. The lead-in engagers are fitted through apertures in the base (14) of a lamp envelope (12) to complete a lamp (10). |
| US08456086B2 |
Microcavity plasma devices with non-uniform cross-section microcavities
An embodiment of the invention IS an array of microcavity plasma devices The array includes a first metal film electrode with a plurality of non-uniform cross-section microcavities therein that are encapsulated in oxide A second electrode is a thin metal foil encapsulated in oxide that is bonded to the first electrode A packaging layer contains gas or vapor in the non-uniform cross-section microcavities To make such device, photoresist is patterned to encapsulate the anodized foil or film except on a top surface at desired positions of microcavities A second anodization or electrochemical etching is conducted to form the non-uniform cross-section sidewall microcavities cavities After removing photoresist and metal oxide, a final anodization lines the walls of the microcavities with metal oxide and fully encapsulates the metal electrodes with metal oxide. |
| US08456085B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display having scattering portion
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a first substrate; a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate, an OLED disposed between the first and second substrates, and a sealant disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The organic light emitting diode emits light. The sealant seals a space between the first substrate and the second substrate. The organic light emitting diode is enclosed by the sealant and is spaced apart from the sealant by a predetermined gap. The OLED display further includes a scattering portion positioned at a seal area that covers the predetermined gap. The scattering portion scatters light incident into the scattering portion. |
| US08456078B2 |
Flexible display apparatus
A flexible display apparatus includes a flexible base film, and a light emitting device formed on the base film. A surface located on a light emitting surface side has a hardness higher than a hardness of a surface located on a rear surface side. |
| US08456074B2 |
Flexible nanostructure electronic devices
A flexible electronic device is made up of nanostructures. Specifically, the device includes a flexible substrate, a film of nanostructures in contact with the flexible substrate, a first conducting element in contact with the film of nanostructures, and a second conducting element in contact with the film of nanostructures. The nanostructures may comprise nanotubes, such as carbon nanotubes disposed along the flexible substrate, such as an organic or polymer substrate. The first and second conductive elements may serve as electrical terminals, or as a source and drain. In addition, the electronic device may include a gate electrode that is in proximity to the nanotubes and not in electrical contact with the nanotubes. In this configuration, the device can operate as a transistor or a FET. The device may also be operated in a resistive mode as a chemical sensor (e.g., for sensing NH3). |
| US08456070B2 |
Optical layered body, polarizer and image display device
The present invention provides an optical layered body having a good antistatic performance and good optical properties as well as an excellent durability. The present invention provides an optical layered body, comprising: an antistatic layer on a light-transmitting substrate, wherein the antistatic layer is a resin thin film layer containing at least an organic conductive material and a nonconductive polymeric material which is a resin having a glass transition temperature of 60° C. or higher or a resin obtainable by a reaction between a resin having a glass transition temperature of 60° C. or higher and a cross-linking agent. |
| US08456069B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic electroluminescent display device includes forming an organic electroluminescent panel that includes a viewing surface for displaying images and an opposing surface and includes a plurality of source pads in a peripheral region of the organic electroluminescent panel; configuring at least one source IC to be on the opposing surface of the organic electroluminescent panel, wherein the at least one source IC outputs a source signal corresponding to the source pad; configuring a thermally conductive unit to contact the at least one source IC at an inner surface of the thermally conductive unit; and configuring a bottom case to contact an outer surface of the thermally conductive unit. |
| US08456063B2 |
Device for converting mechanical impact energy into electrical energy with optimised efficiency
Device for converting mechanical energy from the impact of objects into electrical energy, comprising a frame, a membrane suspended on said frame by at least a first and second longitudinal end, said membrane being intended to be impacted by said objects in a direction substantially transverse to a mid-plane of the membrane, said membrane comprising a core made from material for transducing mechanical energy into electrical energy, extending from the first longitudinal end to the second longitudinal end, and at least one electrode on a first face of the core and at least one electrode on a second face of the core, said electrodes extending from the first to the second longitudinal end. |
| US08456061B2 |
Architecture for piezoelectric MEMS devices
A piezoelectric thin film device comprises a piezoelectric thin film having upper and lower surfaces and a defined tilted crystal morphology, a top electrode disposed on the upper surface, a substrate having a surface morphology that corresponds to the defined crystallographically tilted morphology, and a bottom electrode disposed between and crystallographically linked to both the lower surface of the piezoelectric thin film and the substrate surface, the bottom and top electrodes having a parallel planar configuration relative to the plane of the substrate and the defined crystallographically tilted morphology having a crystallographic c-axis direction oriented at a >0° angle relative to the normal to the plane of the electrodes; and method of making the device. |
| US08456060B2 |
Vibrating element flow measurement apparatus
The invention describes a vibrating element apparatus, preferably in the form of a tuning fork-type contact level transducer, and a method of forming the same. The tines of the transducer are vibrated by piezoelectric elements, which piezoelectric elements are arranged in a stack along with insulators and conductors to allow cyclic electrical signals to be applied thereto. The stack is provided as a sub-assembly allowing ready replacement in the field and 10 without disturbing the installation of the transducer in the plant which it serves. |
| US08456059B2 |
Electric generator
An electric generator includes an electric-power generating mechanism of an electrostatic induction type or an electromagnetic induction type, a first rectification portion, an electricity accumulation portion, an outer positive electrode, and an outer negative electrode. The electric-power generation mechanism has a first electrode and a second electrode, and the first rectification portion has input terminals electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode respectively, and has an output portion including positive and negative terminals. The electricity accumulation portion has an inner positive electrode electrically connected to the positive terminal, and an inner negative electrode electrically connected to the negative terminal. The outer positive electrode is electrically connected to the inner positive electrode, and the outer negative electrode is electrically connected to the inner negative electrode. The electric generator has an outer shape which can be substituted for a battery to be used in the electronic apparatus. |
| US08456057B2 |
Laminated stator core
A laminated stator core 10, formed by laminating stator core sheets 17, each of the stator core sheets 17 punched out from a magnetic metal sheet 32 so as to have a common axis with a rotor core sheet 36 which punched out from the magnetic metal sheet 32 before the stator core sheet 17 is punched out; the stator core sheet 17 including a thin section 24 in a magnetic pole shaft piece 20; the thin section 24 formed by pressing a part or a whole of a magnetic pole shaft piece 20 in a thickness direction, and elongating the same in a radially inward direction; and further the thin section 24 having a thickness within 50-95% of that of the magnetic metal sheet 32 and a radial length within 30-100% of that of the magnetic pole shaft piece 20. This enables a magnetic pole piece 19 to be elongated to form the thin section 24 without adverse effect on magnetic characteristics thereof, and improves caulking accuracy and dimensional accuracy for blanking both of the core sheets 17, 36 from one magnetic metal sheet 32. |
| US08456054B2 |
Interphase insulative structure for motor and method for coupling interphase insulative sheet in motor
An interphase insulative structure for a motor. The motor includes a stator core, a plurality of teeth arranged along an inner circumference of the stator core, and first to third phase windings wave wound to the stator core. The interphase insulative structure includes first interphase insulators and second interphase insulators. The first and second interphase insulators are connected between adjacent coil end conductive portions of the second winding at least at a second end of the stator core. |
| US08456053B2 |
Insulation assembly for a stator core
An assembly for providing electrical insulation in a stator core of a vehicular electric machine is provided. The stator core has a channel and the assembly comprises a first conductive element disposed through the channel, and a second conductive element disposed through the channel and substantially adjacent to the first conductive element. The assembly also comprises a first electrically insulating film having a first end residing between the first and second conductive elements. |
| US08456051B2 |
High reliability generator with dual drive path
A generator arrangement is provided in which the functionality of two typically separate electrical power generators are combined together into a single generator that forms part of a three-in-one combined multi-generator which has a dual drive path with a shear section that immunizes one of the generators (e.g., the permanent magnet generator) within the single combined multi-generator from a failure of another generator (e.g., the main generator) within the single combined multi-generator. |
| US08456050B2 |
Disk drive device for rotating a disk
In the brushless motor, a magnetic recording disk is to be mounted on a hub. A base plate rotatably supports the hub on the upper surface. A laminated core is fixed on the upper surface of the base plate and has a ring portion and a plurality of teeth that extend radially from the ring portion. Coils are wound around the plurality of teeth. A cylindrical magnet is fixed to the hub and is magnetized for driving with a plurality of poles along the circumferential direction and is arranged to radially face the plurality of teeth of the laminated core. A wire of one end of one of the coils is drawn out to the bottom surface of the base plate through a hole arranged on the base plate. The wire is connected to a driving line for supplying a current to the coils at a position other than the position of the hole on the base plate. The hole of the base plate is plugged with a resin. |
| US08456047B2 |
Internal thermal management for motor driven machinery
A motor driven assembly includes a motor having a motor inlet and a motor outlet, a shaft, and a rotor spaced radially outwards from the shaft. A cooling flow passage is located between the shaft and the rotor. The cooling flow passage fluidly connects the motor inlet and the motor outlet. A compressor is in fluid communication with the motor outlet. The compressor includes a compressor outlet that is in fluid communication with the motor inlet. |
| US08456045B2 |
Heat-generating portion cooling structure of vehicle drive apparatus
A heat-generating portion cooling structure of vehicle drive apparatus that sufficiently supplies cooling oil to heat-generating portions to enhance efficiency of the vehicle drive apparatus when the heat-generating portions generate maximum heat includes drawing means for drawing oil in a case into a catch tank, and an oil circulation passage for circulating the oil through the catch tank while supplying the oil to first and second heat-generating portions. The oil circulation passage includes a first passage for the oil to flow to the first heat-generating portion when the oil surface in the catch tank is at a first height and a second passage for the oil to flow to the second heat-generating portion when the oil surface is at a second height lower than the first height, and more amount of oil flows to the second heat-generating portion than to the first heat-generating portion when the oil surface is low. |
| US08456043B2 |
Rotor of brushless direct current motor having sound absorbing resin portion
A permanent magnet rotor of a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, in which cogging torque ripple and electromagnetic vibration noise transferred to the permanent magnet rotor can be blocked and a motor's power-to-weight ratio can be improved. A conventional BLDC motor has to use an electric steel sheet core so as to maintain the maximum magnetic flux density of the permanent magnet rotor and to minimize a rotating electric field loss. As a result, cogging torque vibration is unavoidably transferred to a load side through the motor rotary shaft. However, the rotor can enable stable driving of the BLDC motor by innovatively blocking the cogging torque vibration and the electromagnetic vibration noise and can greatly reduce the motor's weight by using a plastic or non-magnetic material instead of an electric steel sheet core. |
| US08456041B2 |
Voice coil motor
Disclosed is a voice coil motor, including a base having an opening, a stator is disposed on the base and including a magnet, a mover including a conductive coil opposing with the magnet, and a cylindrical bobbin in which a conductive coil is installed, a case fixed on the base and covering the stator, and a spacer intervened between the stator and the case and constituted with at least two spacers, each formed with different materials to absorb pressures and shocks transmitted to the stator from external. |
| US08456039B2 |
R Q 1, a closed circuit current source
The R.Q. 1 is a design for inside and outside areas. It is also a design that can be used as a remote control device. The R Q 1 is a rolling and/or portable dry anaerobic cycle machine that is environmentally friendly and a working prototype model. The system is design for entertainment capabilities with multiple tasks, and standard plug-ins. |
| US08456033B2 |
Antenna mounted wind power generator
A cellular communication tower is adapted to support a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) that includes a generator mechanism. The signal and power cable for the communication antennas run through the central axis or bore of the generator. The blades of the VAWT are disposed so as to avoid interferences with communication signals. The tower preferably deploys an open truss construction to avoid the impact of periodic pressure pulse as the turning blades shift out of alignment from shading the tower. Thus, with an open truss tower the turbine blades can be a larger size and still not cause such pressure pulses. |
| US08456030B2 |
Power take off apparatus for a WEC
A wave energy converter (WEC) includes a float which moves generally in phase with the waves and whose up and down motion is guided by and along a spar having an upper portion and a lower portion. A power take off (PTO) device is coupled between the float and the spar for converting their relative motion into useful energy. In some embodiments, the PTO includes (a) a drum having an axis of rotation rotatably mounted within one of the float and spar; and (b) cabling means connected between the drum and the other one of the float and spar for causing the drum to rotate as a function of the up and down motion of the float. In other embodiments, the PTO system is formed using a pre-tensioned roller chain wound around sprocket wheels located within one of the spar and float with the opposite ends of the chain connected to the other one of the spar and float to cause rotation of the sprocket wheels in response to movement of the float relative to the spar. |
| US08456029B2 |
Systems, apparatuses and methods for the transmission of energy and power
Systems and apparatuses for delivering power and energy using deflecting beams or other oscillating members motivated to oscillate a beam assembly using an eccentrically balanced rotating body that induces deflections in the elastic beam or other oscillating member. One or more rotors may be used on the elastic beams and a mechanical output or outputs are connected to the elastic beams. The rotating body is advantageously maintained in rotation by pulses of electro-magnetic force. One or more outputs may be used to drive heat pumps, compressors, pumps or other equipment to assist in independent energy systems. |
| US08456026B2 |
Power generator
A gyroscopic device may be used as a power generator. In some embodiments there is provided a power generator which comprises a housing, a flywheel disposed within the housing and rotatable about an extending along a first axis, a precessional rotation assembly to implement rotation of the housing about a precessional axis of the flywheel, and a precessional generator to capture energy generated by the precessional rotation of the housing. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08456016B2 |
Method and core materials for semiconductor packaging
A semiconductor package comprises a semiconductor substrate that may comprise a core. The core may comprise one or more materials selected from a group comprising ceramics and glass dielectrics. The package further comprises a set of one or more inner conductive elements that is provided on the core, a set of one or more outer conductive elements that is provided on an outer side of the substrate, and a semiconductor die to couple to the substrate via one or more of the outer conductive elements. Example materials for the core may comprise one or more from alumina, zirconia, carbides, nitrides, fused silica, quartz, sapphire, and Pyrex. A laser may be used to drill one or more plated through holes to couple an inner conductive element to an outer conductive element. A dielectric layer may be formed in the substrate to insulate an outer conductive element from the core or an inner conductive element. |
| US08456013B2 |
Post passivation interconnection schemes on top of the IC chips
A new method is provided for the creation of interconnect lines. Fine line interconnects are provided in a first layer of dielectric overlying semiconductor circuits that have been created in or on the surface of a substrate. A layer of passivation is deposited over the layer of dielectric, a thick second layer of dielectric is created over the surface of the layer of passivation. Thick and wide interconnect lines are created in the thick second layer of dielectric. The first layer of dielectric may also be eliminated, creating the wide thick interconnect network on the surface of the layer of passivation that has been deposited over the surface of a substrate. |
| US08456012B2 |
Inter connection structure including copper pad and pad barrier layer, semiconductor device and electronic apparatus including the same
A semiconductor device including an interconnection structure including a copper pad, a pad barrier layer and a metal redistribution layer, an interconnection structure thereof and methods of fabricating the same are provided. The semiconductor device includes a copper pad disposed on a first layer, a pad barrier layer including titanium disposed on the copper pad, an inorganic insulating layer disposed on the pad barrier layer, a buffer layer disposed on the inorganic insulating layer, wherein the inorganic insulating layer and the buffer layer expose a portion of the pad barrier layer, a seed metal layer disposed on the exposed buffer layer, a metal redistribution layer disposed on the seed metal layer, and a first protective layer disposed on the metal redistribution layer. |
| US08456009B2 |
Semiconductor structure having an air-gap region and a method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor structure includes a first metal-containing layer, a dielectric capping layer, a second metal-containing layer, and a conductive pad. The first metal-containing layer includes a set of metal structures, a dielectric filler disposed to occupy a portion of the first metal-containing layer, and an air-gap region defined by at least the set of metal structures and the dielectric filler and abutting at least a portion of the set of metal structures. The second metal-containing layer includes at least a via plug electrically connected to a portion of the set of metal structures. The conductive pad and the via plug do not overlap the air-gap region. |
| US08456006B2 |
Hybrid interconnect structure for performance improvement and reliability enhancement
The present invention provides an interconnect structure (of the single or dual damascene type) and a method of forming the same, in which a dense (i.e., non-porous) dielectric spacer is present on the sidewalls of a dielectric material. More specifically, the inventive structure includes a dielectric material having a conductive material embedded within at least one opening in the dielectric material, wherein the conductive material is laterally spaced apart from the dielectric material by a diffusion barrier, a dense dielectric spacer and, optionally, an air gap. The presence of the dense dielectric spacer results in a hybrid interconnect structure that has improved reliability and performance as compared with existing prior art interconnect structures which do not include such dense dielectric spacers. Moreover, the inventive hybrid interconnect structure provides for better process control which leads to the potential for high volume manufacturing. |
| US08456004B2 |
Template wafer and process for small pitch flip-chip interconnect hybridization
A process is disclosed for high density indium bumping of microchips by using an innovative template wafer upon which the bumps are initially fabricated. Once fabricated, these bumps are transferred to the microchip, after which can be hybridized to another microchip. Such a template wafer is reusable, and thus provides an economical way to fabricate indium bumps. Reusability also eliminates nonuniformities in bump shape and size in serial processing of separate microchips, which is not the case for other indium bump fabrication processes. Such a fabrication process provides a way to form relatively tall indium bumps and accomplishes this without the standard thick photoresist liftoff process. The described process can be suitable for bump pitches under 10 microns, and is only limited by the resolution of the photolithography equipment used. |
| US08456003B2 |
Package substrate capable of controlling the degree of warpage
There is provided a package substrate capable of controlling the degree of warpage thereof by improving the composition and formation of a post terminal and a method of fabricating the same. The package substrate includes a substrate having at least one conductive pad; an insulating layer provided on the substrate and having an opening to expose the conductive pad; a separation barrier layer provided on the conductive pad inside the opening and formed to be higher than the upper surface of the insulating layer along the side walls thereof; a post terminal provided on the separation barrier layer; and a solder bump provided on the post terminal. |
| US08456002B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming insulating layer disposed over the semiconductor die for stress relief
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die and conductive layer formed over a surface of the semiconductor die. A first channel can be formed in the semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die. A second channel can be formed in the encapsulant. A first insulating layer is formed over the semiconductor die and first conductive layer and into the first channel. The first insulating layer extends into the second channel. The first insulating layer has characteristics of tensile strength greater than 150 MPa, elongation between 35-150%, and thickness of 2-30 micrometers. A second insulating layer can be formed over the semiconductor die prior to forming the first insulating layer. An interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die and encapsulant. The interconnect structure is electrically connected to the first conductive layer. The first insulating layer provides stress relief during formation of the interconnect structure. |
| US08456000B2 |
Semiconductor module and an electronic system including the same
A three-dimensional semiconductor module and an electronic system including the same are provided. The semiconductor module includes a module substrate, a logic device formed on a part of the module substrate, and a plurality of memory devices formed on another part of the module substrate, wherein the plurality of memory devices are disposed perpendicular to the logic device, and the module substrate on which the plurality of memory devices are formed is supported by a supporter. The electronic system includes the semiconductor module. |
| US08455998B2 |
Method and package for circuit chip packaging
A method and a package for circuit chip package having a bent structure. The circuit chip package includes: a substrate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE); a circuit chip, having a second CTE, mounted onto the substrate; a metal foil disposed on the circuit chip in thermal contact with the chip; a metal lid having (i) a third CTE that is different from the first CTE and (ii) a bottom edge region, where the metal lid is disposed on the metal foil in thermal contact with the metal foil; and an adhesive layer along the bottom edge of the metal lid, cured at a first temperature, bonding the lid to the substrate, producing an assembly which, at a second temperature, is transformed to a bent circuit chip package. |
| US08455995B2 |
TSVs with different sizes in interposers for bonding dies
A device includes an interposer including a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of through-substrate vias (TSVs) penetrates through the substrate. The plurality of TSVs includes a first TSV having a first length and a first horizontal dimension, and a second TSV having a second length different from the first length, and a second horizontal dimension different from the first horizontal dimension. An interconnect structure is formed overlying the top surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to the plurality of TSVs. |
| US08455994B2 |
Electronic module with feed through conductor between wiring patterns
The electronic module comprises a dielectric 1031 substrate having a first surface and a second surface and an installation cavity extending through the dielectric substrate and having a perimetrical side wall. The electronic module further comprises a first wiring layer 1032 on the first surface, a second wiring layer 1033 on the second surface, and a feed through conductor 1034 on the perimetrical side wall and electrically connecting at least one conductor in the first wiring layer to at least one conductor in the second wiring layer. There is also at least one IC inside the installation cavity. The electronic module further comprises a first insulating layer 1035 on the second wiring layer, a second insulating layer 1036 on the first wiring layer, and a third wiring layer 1037 on the first insulating layer. First microvias 1038 inside the first insulating layer make electrical connections between the second wiring layer and the third wiring layer. Second microvias 1039 electrically connect the IC to at least one of the second wiring layer and the third wiring layer. The electronic module comprises also a fourth wiring layer 1040 on the second insulating layer and third microvias 1041 inside the second insulating layer and making electrical connections between the first wiring layer and the fourth wiring layer. |
| US08455992B2 |
Semiconductor package and method of fabricating the same
Provided is a semiconductor package and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor package includes: a package body including a plurality of sheets; semiconductor chips mounted in the package body; and an external connection terminal provided on a first side of the package body, wherein the sheets are stacked in a parallel direction to the first side. |
| US08455990B2 |
Systems and methods of tamper proof packaging of a semiconductor device
A barrier layer can be attached in a semiconductor package to one or more sensitive devices. The barrier layer can be used to obstruct tampering by a malicious agent attempting to access sensitive information on the sensitive device. The barrier layer can cause the sensitive device to become inoperable if physically tampered. Additional other aspects of the protective packaging provide protection against x-ray and thermal probing as well as chemical and electrical tampering attempts. |
| US08455989B2 |
Package substrate having die pad with outer raised portion and interior recessed portion
An electronic assembly includes a substrate including a die pad, where the die pad includes and an outer raised flat portion and a recessed portion that includes an inner recessed portion. A semiconductor die is directly on the outer raised flat portion and affixed to the die pad by a die attach material that is in the inner recessed portion. The die attach material is not on a top surface of the outer raised flat portion. |
| US08455986B2 |
Mosfet package
A semiconductor device featuring a semiconductor chip having a first main surface and a second, opposing main surface and including a MOSFET having source and gate electrodes formed on the first main surface and a drain electrode thereof formed on the second main surface, first and second conductive members acting as lead terminals for the source and gate electrodes, respectively, are disposed over the first main surface, each of the first and second conductive members has a part overlapped with the chip in a plan view, a sealing body sealing the chip and parts of the first and second conductive members such that a part of the first conductive member is projected outwardly from a first side surface of the sealing body and parts of the first and second conductive members are projected outwardly from the opposing second side surface of the sealing body in a plan view. |
| US08455982B2 |
Overlay mark enhancement feature
An integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor substrate having a device region and an alignment region. A first material layer is disposed over the semiconductor substrate, and includes a device feature in the device region and a dummy feature in the alignment region. A dimension of the dummy feature is less than a dimension of an alignment detector. A second material layer is disposed over the semiconductor substrate, and includes an alignment feature in the alignment region. The alignment feature disposed over the dummy feature. |
| US08455980B2 |
Schottky-clamped bipolar transistor with reduced self heating
The self heating of a high-performance bipolar transistor that is formed on a fully-isolated single-crystal silicon region of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is substantially reduced by forming a Schottky structure in the same fully-isolated single-crystal silicon region as the bipolar transistor is formed. |
| US08455977B2 |
Programmable fuse
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for forming a one-time programmable metal fuse structure includes forming a metal fuse structure over a substrate, the metal fuse structure including a gate metal segment situated between a dielectric segment and a polysilicon segment, a gate metal fuse being formed in a portion of the gate metal segment. The method further includes doping the polysilicon segment so as to form first and second doped polysilicon portions separated by an undoped polysilicon portion where, in one embodiment, the gate metal fuse is substantially co-extensive with the undoped polysilicon portion. The method can further include forming a first silicide segment on the first doped polysilicon portion and a second silicide segment on the second doped polysilicon portion, where the first and second silicide segments form respective terminals of the one-time programmable metal fuse structure. |
| US08455975B2 |
Parasitic PNP bipolar transistor in a silicon-germanium BiCMOS process
A parasitic PNP bipolar transistor, wherein a base region includes a first and a second region; the first region is formed in an active area, has a depth larger than shallow trench field oxides, and has its bottom laterally extended into the bottom of the shallow trench field oxides on both sides of an active area; the second region is formed in an upper part of the first region and has a higher doping concentration; an N-type and a P-type pseudo buried layer is respectively formed at the bottom of the shallow trench field oxides; a deep hole contact is formed on top of the N-type pseudo buried layer to pick up the base; the P-type pseudo buried layer forms a collector region separated from the active area by a lateral distance; an emitter region is formed by a P-type SiGe epitaxial layer formed on top of the active area. |
| US08455969B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit formed on an active surface, a pad electrode formed on the active surface by being connected to the first electronic circuit and/or the second electronic circuit, a first opening formed to some point along a depth of the semiconductor substrate toward the pad electrode from a surface opposite to the active surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second opening formed so as to reach the pad electrode from a bottom surface of the first opening, an insulating layer formed by covering sidewall surfaces of the first opening and the second opening, a conductive layer formed by covering at least an inner wall surface of the insulating layer and a bottom surface of the second opening, a third opening formed to some point along the depth of the semiconductor substrate from the surface opposite to the active surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a heat insulator imbedded in the third opening. |
| US08455966B2 |
Magnetic phase change logic
Provided are transistor devices such as logic gates that are capable of associating a computational state and or performing logic operations with detectable electronic spin state and or magnetic state. Methods of operating transistor devices employing magnetic states are provided. Devices comprise input and output structures and magnetic films capable of being converted between magnetic states. |
| US08455964B2 |
Electromechanical transducer and production method therefor
An electromechanical transducer includes a plurality cells that are electrically connected to form a unit. Each of the cells includes a first electrode and a second electrode provided with a gap being disposed therebetween. Dummy cells that are not electrically connected to the cells are provided around the outer periphery of the unit of the cells. |
| US08455962B2 |
Magneto-impedance sensor element
A magneto-impedance sensor element has a base body, a magnetic amorphous wire, a coating insulator, a detecting coil, a terminal base having a terminal mounting surface, wire electrode terminals and coil electrode terminals formed on the terminal mounting surface, wire connecting wirings for electrically connecting the wire electrode terminals and a pair of wire conducting terminals provided to the magnetic amorphous wire, and coil connecting wirings for electrically connecting the coil electrode terminals and a pair of coil conducting terminals provided to the detecting coil. A normal of the terminal mounting surface has a longitudinal direction component of the magnetic amorphous wire, and the terminal mounting surface is arranged between both ends of the magnetic amorphous wire in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic amorphous wire. |
| US08455961B2 |
Illuminated finger sensor assembly for providing visual light indications including IC finger sensor grid array package
A finger sensor assembly may include a circuit board and an integrated circuit (IC) finger sensor grid array package including a grid array on a lower end thereof mounted to the circuit board, and a finger sensing area on an upper end thereof. The finger sensor assembly may further include at least one visible light source carried by the circuit board and a visible light guide optically coupled to the at least one visible light source. The at least one visible light source may at least partially laterally surround the upper end of the IC finger sensor grid array package to provide visual light indications. The IC finger sensor grid array package may also include circuitry for controlling the at least one visible light source. |
| US08455954B2 |
Wireless chip and electronic appliance having the same
The present invention provides a wireless chip having high mechanical strength. Moreover, the present invention also provides a wireless chip which can prevent an electric wave from being blocked. In a wireless chip of the present invention, a layer having a thin film transistor formed over an insulating substrate is fixed to an antenna by an anisotropic conductive adhesive, and the thin film transistor is connected to the antenna. The antenna has a dielectric layer, a first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer; the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer has the dielectric layer therebetween; the first conductive layer serves as a radiating electrode; and the second electrode serves as a ground contact body. |
| US08455952B2 |
Spacer elements for semiconductor device
The present disclosure describes a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate and a gate stack disposed on the semiconductor substrate. A first spacer element is disposed on the substrate abutting the first gate stack. In an embodiment, the first spacer element includes silicon nitride. A second spacer element is adjacent the first spacer element. In an embodiment, the second spacer element includes silicon oxide. A raised source and a first raised drain is provided laterally contacting sidewalls of the second spacer element. In an embodiment, a contact directly interfaces with the second spacer element. |
| US08455950B2 |
ESD diode with PSD partially overlying P-Epi circumferential of PSD
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor doped area (NWell) having a first conductivity type, and a layer (PSD) that overlies a portion of said doped area (NWell) and has a doping of an opposite second type of conductivity that is opposite from the first conductivity type of said doped area (NWell), and said layer (PSD) having a corner in cross-section, and the doping of said doped area (NWell) forming a junction beneath said layer (PSD) with the doping of said doped area (NWell) diluted in a vicinity below the corner of said layer (PSD). Other integrated circuits, substructures, devices, processes of manufacturing, and processes of testing are also disclosed. |
| US08455945B2 |
Semiconductor device having saddle fin transistor and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a pad nitride layer that exposes an isolation region over a cell region of a semiconductor substrate; forming a trench in the isolation region of the semiconductor substrate; forming an isolation layer within the trench; etching an active region of the semiconductor substrate by a certain depth to form a recessed isolation region; etching the isolation layer by a certain depth to form a recessed isolation region; depositing a gate metal layer in the recessed active region and the recessed isolation region to form a gate of a cell transistor; forming an insulation layer over an upper portion of the gate; removing the pad nitride layer to expose a region of the semiconductor substrate to be formed with a contact plug; and depositing a conductive layer in the region of the semiconductor substrate to form a contact plug. |
| US08455943B2 |
Power MISFET semiconductor device
Provided is a technology, in a semiconductor device having a power MISFET and a Schottky barrier diode on one semiconductor substrate, capable of suppressing a drastic increase in the on-resistance of the power MISFET while making the avalanche breakdown voltage of the Schottky barrier diode greater than that of the power MISFET. In the present invention, two epitaxial layers, one having a high doping concentration and the other having a low doping concentration, are formed over a semiconductor substrate and the boundary between these two epitaxial layers is located in a region equal in depth to or shallower than the bottom portion of a trench. |
| US08455940B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device, method of manufacturing the nonvolatile memory device, and memory module and system including the nonvolatile memory device
A nonvolatile memory device includes a substrate, a channel layer protruding from the substrate, a gate conductive layer surrounding the channel layer, a gate insulating layer disposed between the channel layer and the gate conductive layer, and a first insulating layer spaced apart from the channel layer and disposed on the top and bottom of the gate conductive layer. The gate insulating layer extends between the gate conductive layer and the first insulating layer. |
| US08455937B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in which decrease in coupling ratio of memory cells is suppressed
A first insulation film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A first gate electrode is formed on the first insulation film. A second insulation film is formed on an upper surface and a side surface of the first gate electrode. A second gate electrode is formed on the second insulation film. The entirety of that part of the second gate electrode, which is located above the second insulation film formed on the upper surface of the first gate electrode, is a silicide layer. At least a portion of that part of the second gate electrode, which is located on the side surface of the first gate electrode, is a silicon layer. |
| US08455933B2 |
Image sensor using light-sensitive transparent oxide semiconductor material
An image sensor according to example embodiments may include a plurality of light-sensitive transparent oxide semiconductor layers as light-sensing layers. The light-sensing layers may be stacked in one unit pixel region. |
| US08455923B2 |
Embedded NOR flash memory process with NAND cell and true logic compatible low voltage device
An integrated circuit formed of nonvolatile memory array circuits, logic circuits and linear analog circuits is formed on a substrate. The nonvolatile memory array circuits, the logic circuits and the linear analog circuits are separated by isolation regions formed of a shallow trench isolation. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are formed in a triple well structure. The nonvolatile memory array circuits are NAND-based NOR memory circuits formed of at least two floating gate transistors that are serially connected such that at least one of the floating gate transistors functions as a select gate transistor to prevent leakage current through the charge retaining transistors when the charge retaining transistors is not selected for reading. Each column of the NAND-based NOR memory circuits are associated with and connected to one bit line and one source line. |
| US08455913B2 |
Package-integrated thin film LED
LED epitaxial layers (n-type, p-type, and active layers) are grown on a substrate. For each die, the n and p layers are electrically bonded to a package substrate that extends beyond the boundaries of the LED die such that the LED layers are between the package substrate and the growth substrate. The package substrate provides electrical contacts and conductors leading to solderable package connections. The growth substrate is then removed. Because the delicate LED layers were bonded to the package substrate while attached to the growth substrate, no intermediate support substrate for the LED layers is needed. The relatively thick LED epitaxial layer that was adjacent the removed growth substrate is then thinned and its top surface processed to incorporate light extraction features. There is very little absorption of light by the thinned epitaxial layer, there is high thermal conductivity to the package because the LED layers are directly bonded to the package substrate without any support substrate therebetween, and there is little electrical resistance between the package and the LED layers so efficiency (light output vs. power input) is high. The light extraction features of the LED layer further improves efficiency. |
| US08455903B2 |
Non-radiatively pumped wavelength converter
A light source comprises an electroluminescent device that generates pump light and a wavelength converter that includes an absorbing element for absorbing at least some of the pump light. A first layer of light emitting elements is positioned proximate the absorbing element for non-radiative transfer of energy from the absorbing element to the light emitting elements. At least some of the light emitting elements are capable of emitting light having a wavelength longer than the wavelength of the pump light. In some embodiments the electroluminescent device is a light emitting diode (LED) that has a doped semiconductor layer positioned between the LED's active layer and the light emitting elements. The first doped semiconductor layer may have a thickness in excess of 20 nm. A second layer of light emitting elements may be positioned for non-radiative energy transfer from the first layer of light emitting elements. |
| US08455902B2 |
Optical device and method for manufacturing optical device, and camera module and endoscope module equipped with optical device
An optical device is equipped with a light receiving region 16a and a peripheral circuit region 22 located around the light receiving region 16a on a major surface of an light receiving element 11a; electrodes for external connection 15 electrically connected to the peripheral circuit region 22 formed on a back surface opposite to the major surface of the light receiving element 11a; a transparent member 12 covering the light receiving region 16a adhered on the major surface of the light receiving element 11a with a light-transmitting adhesive 13; and a molding resin 14 for coating side surfaces of the transparent member 12 and the major surface of the light receiving element 11a excluding the region covered with the transparent member 12. |
| US08455901B2 |
LED unit having self-connecting leads
An LED unit includes a plurality of LEDs connected to each other and a plate supporting the LEDs. Each LED includes a base, a chip mounted on the base, a pair of leads fixed to the base and electrically connected to the chip and an encapsulant sealing the chip. The base includes a main body and a pair of steps. The leads each have two opposite ends protruding from two opposite ends of the main body and located below/above a corresponding step. The protruding ends of the leads of each LED are connected to those of adjacent LEDs to electrically connect the LEDs in series or in parallel. |
| US08455900B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device having an optical member, and method of manufacturing the same
A light-emitting device includes a light emitting structure comprising a lower layer of the first conductivity type, an active layer, an upper layer of the second conductivity type, a first electrode connected to the lower layer of the first conductivity type, a second electrode connected to the upper layer of the second conductivity type, and an optical member seeded in the light emitting structure. The optical member can include a plurality of particles substantially transparent and having a lower refractive index than the light emitting structure. A plurality of discontinuities are formed at the boundary of the optical member in the light emitting structure. |
| US08455897B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the substrate, a counter electrode formed to cover all of the plurality of pixel electrodes, organic light emitting layers disposed between the plurality of pixel electrodes and the counter electrode, an encapsulation substrate disposed above the substrate to cover the counter electrode, a sealant formed along edges of the substrate and the encapsulation substrate to seal a space formed between the substrate and the encapsulation substrate, a filler filled in the space formed between the substrate and the encapsulation substrate, and bus electrodes disposed on an inner surface of the encapsulation substrate facing the counter electrode. Each of the bus electrodes includes projecting portions and a base portion connecting the projecting portions to each other. The projecting portions are connected to the counter electrode, and a connection portion of the each of the projecting portions to the counter electrode is disposed between the organic light-emitting layers. |
| US08455895B2 |
LED-based light source utilizing asymmetric conductors
A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a plurality of surface mount LEDs that are bonded to a mounting substrate by a layer of asymmetric conductor. Each LED has surface mount contacts on a first surface thereof and emits light from a second surface thereof that is opposite the first surface. The mounting substrate includes a top surface having a plurality of connection traces. Each connection trace includes an n-trace positioned to underlie a corresponding one of the n-contacts and a p-trace positioned to underlie a corresponding one of the p-contacts, the p-trace having an area greater than the p-contact. The layer of asymmetric conductor is sandwiched between the surface mount contacts and the connection traces, and can optionally extend into the spaces between the LEDs to provide a scattering medium for redirecting light leaving the sides of the LEDs. |
| US08455889B2 |
Lead frame for chip package, chip package, package module, and illumination apparatus including chip package module
A lead frame for a chip package, a chip package, a package module, and an illumination apparatus including the chip package module. The chip package includes a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion that are coupled to each other on edges of a lead frame for mounting a chip thereon, and thus a package module is easily embodied by coupling the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion to each other. |
| US08455888B2 |
Light emitting diode module, and light emitting diode lamp
A light emitting diode (LED) lamp including a socket, an LED module disposed on the socket, and a lamp housing assembled to the socket is provided. LED module includes a supporting member and a plurality of LED packages, wherein each LED package includes a chip carrier, a reflective member, an LED chip, a lens, and a phosphor layer. Reflective member mounted on the chip carrier has a recess for exposing parts of the chip carrier. LED chip disposed in the recess. Lens encapsulating the LED chip has a light-emitting surface, a first reflection surface bonded with the reflective member and a second reflection surface, wherein the LED chip faces the light-emitting surface of the lens. |
| US08455881B2 |
Ge quantum dots for dislocation engineering of III-N on silicon
A virtual substrate structure includes a crystalline silicon substrate with a first layer of III-N grown on the silicon substrate. Ge clusters or quantum dots are grown on the first layer of III-N and a second layer of III-N is grown on the Ge clusters or quantum dots and any portions of the first layer of III-N exposed between the Ge clusters or quantum dots. Additional alternating Ge clusters or quantum dots and layers of III-N are grown on the second layer of III-N forming an upper surface of III-N. Generally, the additional alternating layers of Ge clusters or quantum dots and layers of III-N are continued until dislocations in the III-N adjacent the upper surface are substantially eliminated. |
| US08455880B2 |
Light emitting device and light emitting device package
Provided is a light emitting device. A light emitting device includes: a conductive support member; a light emitting structure for generating a light on the conductive support member, the light emitting structure comprising a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer; an electrode on the light emitting structure; and an oxide layer between the electrode and the light emitting structure. The light emitting structure includes an oxygen-injected region where oxygen is injected on an upper portion of the light emitting structure. |
| US08455873B2 |
Electronics device, semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing the same
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high reliable EL display device and a manufacturing method thereof by shielding intruding moisture or oxygen which is a factor of deteriorating the property of an EL element without enlarging the EL display device.In the invention, application is used as a method for forming a high thermostability planarizing film 16, typically, an interlayer insulating film (a film which serves as a base film of a light emitting element later) of a TFT in which a skeletal structure is configured by the combination of silicon (Si) and oxygen (O). After the formation, an edge portion or an opening portion is formed to have a tapered shape. Afterwards, distortion is given by adding an inert element with a comparatively large atomic radius to modify or highly densify a surface (including a side surface) for preventing the intrusion of moisture or oxygen. |
| US08455866B2 |
Heterocyclic compound and organic light-emitting device including the same
A heterocyclic compound of formula 1 and an organic light-emitting device including an organic layer containing the heterocyclic compound. The heterocyclic compound of Formula 1 may be suitable as a material for an emission layer, an electron transport layer or an electron injection layer of an organic light-emitting device. Due to the inclusion of the heterocylic group in its molecular structure, the heterocyclic compound of Formula 1 may have a high glass transition temperature (Tg) or a high melting point, and may prevent crystallization. An organic light-emitting device manufactured using the heterocyclic compound of Formula 1, which has a symmetrical structure in which a chrysene group and an indole group are fused, has excellent durability when stored or operated. |
| US08455865B2 |
Electrically conducting organic polymer/nanoparticle composites and methods for use thereof
Compositions are provided comprising aqueous dispersions of electrically conducting organic polymers and a plurality of nanoparticles. Films cast from invention compositions are useful as buffer layers in electroluminescent devices, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and electrodes for thin film field effect transistors. Buffer layers containing nanoparticles have a much lower conductivity than buffer layers without nanoparticles. In addition, when incorporated into an electroluminescent (EL) device, buffer layers according to the invention contribute to higher stress life of the EL device. |
| US08455863B2 |
Organic electroluminescent element having a transition-metal-complex layer, and display and electronic apparatus including the same
An organic electroluminescent element includes an electron-transport layer composed of a heterocyclic compound, a negative electrode composed of a metal material, and a transition-metal-complex layer arranged between the electron-transport layer and the negative electrode. |
| US08455862B2 |
Self-aligned contacts in carbon devices
A semiconductor device includes a carbon layer disposed on a substrate, a gate stack disposed on a portion of the carbon layer, a first cavity defined by the carbon layer and the substrate, a second cavity defined by the carbon layer and the substrate, a source region including a first conductive contact disposed in the first cavity, a drain region including a second conductive contact disposed in the second cavity. |
| US08455859B2 |
Strained structure of semiconductor device
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device that includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate structure disposed on a surface of the substrate, and strained structures disposed in the substrate at either side of the gate structure and formed of a semiconductor material different from the semiconductor substrate. Each strained structure has a cross-sectional profile that includes a first portion that extends from the surface of substrate and a second portion that tapers from the first portion at an angle ranging from about 50° to about 70°. The angle is measured with respect to an axis parallel to the surface of the substrate. |
| US08455856B1 |
Integration of LED driver circuit with LED
Various embodiments provide materials and methods for integrating exemplary heterostructure field-effect transistor (HFET) driver circuit or thyristor driver circuit with LED structures to reduce or eliminate resistance and/or inductance associated with their conventional connections. |
| US08455855B2 |
Memory cell having dielectric memory element
Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a memory cell with a first electrode, a second electrode, and a dielectric located between the first and second electrodes. The dielectric may be configured to allow the memory cell to form a conductive path in the dielectric from a portion of a material of the first electrode to represent a first value of information stored in the memory cell. The dielectric may also be configured to allow the memory cell to break the conductive path to represent a second value of information stored in the memory cell. |
| US08455853B2 |
Memory devices and formation methods
A method includes forming an electrical insulator material over an integrated circuit having a metal-containing conductive interconnect and activating a dopant in a semiconductor material of a substrate to provide a doped region. The doped region provides a junction of opposite conductivity types. After activating the dopant, the substrate is bonded to the insulator material and at least some of the substrate is removed where bonded to the insulator material. After the removing, a memory cell is formed having a word line, an access diode, a state-changeable memory element containing chalcogenide phase change material, and a bit line all electrically connected in series, the access diode containing the junction as a p-n junction. A memory device includes an adhesion material over the insulator material and bonding the word line to the insulator material. |
| US08455851B2 |
Optical sensor and image forming apparatus
An optical sensor includes: a light-emitting unit; a light-receiving unit that receives light radiated from the light-emitting unit and reflected from a detection target and that outputs an output value in response to the light received; and a correcting unit that corrects the output value of the light-receiving unit when receiving the light reflected from the detection target based on the output value of the light-receiving unit obtained by irradiating a detection area of the optical sensor with light without any light reflective objects being present in the detection area. |
| US08455841B2 |
Ion microscope
Provided are a large-current and highly stable gas field ionization ion source, and a high-resolution ion microscope with a large focal depth. The present invention relates to an ion microscope provided with a gas field ionization ion source, in which disposed are a refrigerator for cooling the gas field ionization ion source independent of the main body of the ion microscope, and a refrigerant circulation circuit cooling mechanism for circulating a refrigerant between the gas field ionization ion source and the refrigerator. Consequently it is possible to reduce the mechanical vibration of the refrigerator, which propagates to the gas field ionization ion source, and to achieve both the improvement of the brightness of the ion source and the improvement of ion beam focusing performance. |
| US08455840B2 |
Gas field ion microscopes having multiple operation modes
The disclosure relates to ion beams systems, such as gas field ion microscopes, having multiple modes of operation, as well as related methods. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a method of operating a gas field ion microscope system that includes a gas field ion source, where the gas field ion source includes a tip including a plurality of atoms. |
| US08455837B2 |
Ion implanter, ion implantation method and program
The ion implanter includes lens elements that arrange unit lens elements along a direction of a beam width of a ribbon ion beam and regulate a magnetic field or electric field to be created by each unit lens element in order to regulate a current density distribution of the ion beam, and a controlling portion that sets the intensity of the magnetic field or electric field to be created by the unit lens element to be regulated by the lens elements in accordance with the measured current density distribution. The regulation intensity of the magnetic field or electric field to be created by the unit lens element that corresponds to a position to be regulated in the unit lens elements of the lens elements is determined from the measured current density distribution and a value obtained by multiplying the determined regulation intensity by a fixed ratio is determined as the regulation intensity of the magnetic field or electric field for the magnetic field or electric field to be created by a unit lens element adjacent to the unit lens element. |
| US08455834B2 |
Systems and methods for patient positioning for nuclear medicine imaging
Systems and methods for nuclear medicine (NM) imaging using different radiopharmaceuticals are provided. One method includes generating images of a region of interest (ROI) from radioactive emissions from a localization radiopharmaceutical to position the ROI in a field-of-view (FOV) of a gamma camera based on the generated images of the ROI. The method further includes performing an imaging scan of the ROI using an imaging radiopharmaceutical to acquire image data of the ROI, wherein the imaging radiopharmaceutical is different than the localization radiopharmaceutical. |
| US08455830B2 |
Directable light
A lighting apparatus has a directable beam and comprises a lamp for forming a beam of visible light; a steering mechanism, e.g. mirror for directing the beam in a desired direction; and a light and movement sensor, e.g. a video camera configured to detect movement in an image formed from radiation reflected from the beam. The sensor detects movement of the whole of an object within the beam or, if only part of the object is in the beam, the whole of the part within the beam. The apparatus also comprises a processor configured to control the steering mechanism to direct the beam in accordance with movement detected in the image of the beam, e.g. movement of an object or shadow within the beam. |
| US08455822B2 |
Navigation and sample processing using an ion source containing both low-mass and high-mass species
An improved method and apparatus for imaging and milling a substrate using a FIB system. Preferred embodiments of the present invention use a mixture of light and heavy ions, focused to the same focal point by the same beam optics, to simultaneously mill the sample surface (primarily with the heavy ions) while the light ions penetrate deeper into the sample to allow the generation of images of subsurface features. Among other uses, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods of navigation and sample processing that can be used for various circuit edit applications, such as backside circuit edit. |
| US08455819B2 |
Mass spectrometer device and method using scanned phase applied potentials in ion guidance
An ion guide or mass analyser is disclosed comprising a plurality of electrodes having apertures through which ions are transmitted in use. A pseudo-potential barrier is created at the exit of the ion guide or mass analyser. The amplitude or depth of the pseudo-potential barrier is inversely proportional to the mass to charge ratio of an ion. One or more transient DC voltages are applied to the electrodes of the ion guide or mass analyser in order to urge ions along the length of the ion guides or mass analyser. The amplitude of the transient DC voltage applied to the electrode may be increased with time so that ions are caused to be emitted from the ion guide or mass analyser in reverse order of their mass to charge ratio. |
| US08455817B2 |
Sample component trapping, release, and separation with membrane assemblies interfaced to electrospray mass spectrometry
A method and apparatus to trap, release and/or separate sample components in solution passing through a channel with or without packing material present by passing ion current through the channel driven by an electric field. A portion of the ion current includes cation and/or anion species generated from second solution flows separated from the sample solution flow path by semipermeable membranes. Cation and/or anion ion species generated in the second solution flow regions are transferred into the sample solution flow path through ion selective semipermeable membranes. Ion current moving along the sample solution flow path is controlled by varying the composition of the second solutions and/or changing the voltage between membrane sections for a given sample solution composition. The sample composition may also be varied separately or in parallel to enhance trapping, release and/or separation efficiency and range. |
| US08455816B2 |
Detection apparatus
A detection system comprises a housing having a sample inlet and a gas outlet, and a preconcentrator. The preconcentrator can include a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) configured to accumulate or release a dopant at selected times, and can be located inside or outside the housing. The detection system can include an ion mobility spectrometer, a mass spectrometer, or a combination thereof. A method of analyzing a substance comprises supplying a sample gas or vapor comprising the substance, accumulating a dopant in a first preconcentrator, releasing the dopant at selected times from the preconcentrator to an area containing the sample, ionizing the substance to generate detectable species, separating the detectable species, and determining the detectable species by a detection unit. The system and method allow the rapid introduction and removal of dopant to facilitate fast and accurate identification of the sample. |
| US08455815B2 |
Radio frequency voltage temperature stabilization
A temperature-regulated radio frequency management system for use in a mass spectrometer is described. The temperature-regulated radio frequency management system having one or more radio frequency components disposed in a vacuum environment. The temperature-regulated radio frequency management system including a radio frequency detection circuit configured to provide feedback indicative of a radio frequency signal in one or more of the radio frequency components. In addition, the temperature-regulated radio frequency management system includes a temperature regulation circuit disposed in the vacuum environment and configured to reduce temperature-induced variations in the detection circuit. |
| US08455810B2 |
Optical element, imaging optical system, and camera module
An optical element incorporated into an imaging optical system, comprising: an effective diameter area that allows effective light flux contributing to imaging to pass, a non-effective diameter area that surrounds the effective diameter area; and an outer peripheral face that surrounds the non-effective diameter area. The effective diameter area, the non-effective diameter area and the outer peripheral face are centered on an imaging optical axis. At least a thickness-direction part of the outer peripheral face or a circumferential part thereof is a non-parallel face having an inclination to an imaging optical axis. A light incident from a face of an object side, reflected on a face of an image-plane side to the outer peripheral face and reflected on the outer peripheral face is not incident to an image plane. |
| US08455808B1 |
Apparatus for optical restricting having an absorber material for producing and transferring photoexcitations to an emitter material(as amended)
Apparatus for optical restricting are described. An example of the invention relates to an apparatus for restricting the brightness of a light source. The apparatus can include an absorber material configured to absorb at least a portion of a primary emission produced by the light source and producing photoexcitations in response thereto; and an emitter material configured to receive the photoexcitations from the absorber material and producing a secondary emission therefrom, wherein an amount of the secondary emission is restricted with respect to an amount of the primary emission. |
| US08455806B2 |
Photovoltaic assembly for use in diffuse weather conditions and related methods
A method includes collecting site specific data, collecting field data at a site of an array of photovoltaic members, determining a current tracked irradiance of the array of photovoltaic members, calculating predicted irradiance for multiple orientations based on the site specific data and the sensed field data, or sensing an actual irradiance for multiple orientations. The method further includes determining a maximum predicted irradiance from the calculated predicted irradiance or a maximum actual irradiance from the sensed irradiance. The method further includes comparing the maximum predicted irradiance or the maximum sensed irradiance with the current tracked irradiance, and re-orienting the array of photovoltaic members to an orientation having the maximum predicted or actual irradiance if the maximum predicted or actual irradiance is greater than the current tracked irradiance. |
| US08455795B2 |
Surface heating system and method using heating cables and a single feed cold lead wire
A surface heating system and method of heating a surface in which there are two or more heating cables adapted to be embedded in a cementitious material and using a single feed cold lead wire is described. One or more heating cables are provided to define one or more heating circuits. The heating cables have electrically conductive wires. A cold lead connector is secured to the electrically conductive wires at an end of the one or more heating cables. A feed cold lead wire is secured at one end to a thermostat to which is connectable an electrical supply source, and at a second end to the cold lead connector of the one or more heating cables. |
| US08455794B2 |
Welding power supply with digital control of duty cycle
A welding power supply including power conversion circuitry adapted to receive a primary source of power, to utilize one or more power semiconductor switches to chop the primary source of power, and to convert the chopped power to a welding output is provided. The provided welding power supply includes a pulse width modulated (PWM) digital controller including gate drive circuitry that generates a PWM output signal that controls the switching of the one or more power semiconductor switches. The PWM output signal includes a duty cycle term corrected for one or more sources of error in the welding system. |
| US08455792B2 |
Laser irradiation apparatus and method of manufacturing display device using the same
A laser irradiation apparatus for bonding a first substrate and a second substrate of a display device by melting a plurality of bonding members disposed between the first and second substrates to define cells when the display device is manufactured, the display device including light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the first substrate such that the bonding members respectively encompass lateral regions of the light emitting elements, the laser irradiation apparatus including a stage on which the first substrate is mounted, a laser oscillation member configured to irradiate a laser beam that melts the bonding members disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a scanner configured to irradiate the laser beam incident from the laser oscillation member onto the bonding members, the scanner being configured to sequentially irradiate the laser beam on portions of the bonding members. |
| US08455791B2 |
Laser processing method, laser processing device and cable harness production method
The present invention relates to a laser processing method and the like provided with a structure for enabling realization of both preferable processing of locations not easily reached by laser light and effective inhibition of damage caused to locations easily reached by laser light during laser processing. Radiation optics scan locations irradiated with laser light from a laser light source while radiating laser light onto a plurality of objects arranged on a stage and the periphery thereof from a direction perpendicular to the stage. On the stage reflecting members are respectively arranged adjacent to the plurality of objects. The reflecting members reflect laser light radiated from the radiation optics towards lateral surfaces of the objects. Since laser light reflected by the reflecting members is radiated onto the lateral surfaces of the objects, laser light also reaches the lateral surfaces of the objects not easily reached by laser light without having to increase the intensity of the laser light. |
| US08455790B2 |
Laser irradiation apparatus, laser irradiation method, and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
To provide a laser irradiation apparatus and a laser irradiation method in which a region formed with microcrystals in a region irradiated with laser beams is decreased by disposing a slit in an optical system using a deflector, and laser processing can be favorably conducted to a semiconductor film. Further to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the above-described laser irradiation apparatus and the laser irradiation method. In the optical system, an f-θ lens having an image space telecentric characteristic or a slit the shape of which is changed in accordance with the incidence angle of a laser beam, is used. The slit is disposed between the f-θ lens and an irradiation surface, and an image at a slit opening portion is projected onto the irradiation surface by a projection lens. By the above-described structure, laser irradiation can be uniformly conducted to a whole region scanned with laser beams. |
| US08455787B2 |
Laser processing apparatus, process control apparatus, and processing apparatus
A laser processing apparatus in which a workpiece is placed on a work support base that supports the workpiece at a plurality of support points and performs, while moving a processing head in a horizontal direction with respect to the workpiece, laser processing on the workpiece on the work support base by the processing head, includes a tilt judging unit that judges, based on a positional relationship between a product chip that is to be separated from the workpiece when the workpiece is subjected to laser processing and support points, whether the product chip tilts in a height direction and projects upward on a side of the processing head from the workpiece before laser processing; and a drive control unit that controls a height of the processing head with respect to the workpiece when moving the processing head to a processing position for a next product chip after completing laser processing on the product chip based on a judgment result of the tilt judging unit. |
| US08455784B2 |
Method and system for welding workpieces
A method of welding two or more workpieces employing a motion-controlled electrode that reduces temperature and residual stresses at a workpiece-to-electrode interface is disclosed. During a first period of time, a first electrode force is applied to the workpieces to be welded, and a weld current is applied that causes heating of an associated workpiece-to-workpiece faying surface, the first electrode force being applied at a first electrode stroke. A temperature of the faying surface indicative of a weld nugget formation thereat is determined, and in response thereto the electrode force is reduced to a second level during a second period of time while maintaining a constant electrode stroke. During a third period of time, the electrode force is further reduced to a third level while simultaneously reducing the electrode stroke to a second level. Welding is stopped after the third period of time, resulting in a weld joint having reduced residual stresses and reduced likelihood of stress crack formation. |
| US08455781B2 |
Low-voltage circuit breaker with sealed interchangeable poles
A low-voltage circuit breaker that comprises: a containment structure; a control mechanism; a plurality of circuit breaking poles, each of which comprises a housing containing a sealed ampoule that in turn contains at least one fixed contact and at least one moving contact, which can be mutually coupled and uncoupled, said housing consisting of a first side and a second side that define an interior containing said ampoule, the outer side wall on said first side being complementary to and associable with the outer side wall of said second side, said poles being located side-by-side to form a set of poles complementary to at least a part of said containment structure; operative connection means between said control mechanism and said poles. |
| US08455772B2 |
Open back junction box and method for pre-fab wiring
A bracket and open back junction box assembly allows simplified wiring at a construction site. An open back junction box including a detachable and reattachable rear cover plate is pre-assembled with a plaster ring, electrical device, and leads, at a prefab facility. A Metal Clad (MC) cable may be attached to the open back junction box and wires carried in the MC Cable may be connected to the leads. A mounting bracket is generally sandwiched between the open back junction box and the plaster ring for mounting to framing members at the construction site. Following assembly at the prefab facility, the prefab open back junction box is shipped to the construction site where the bracket and open back junction box assembly is mounted to framing members. Connections to wires carried by MC Cables are then facilitated by removing the rear cover plate to access the open back junction box interior. |
| US08455770B2 |
Method of fabricating wiring board and method of fabricating semiconductor device
A method of fabricating a wiring board includes forming a resist layer, such as a solder or plating resist layer, defining an opening portion on a support board such that a portion of the support board is exposed. An electrode is formed directly on the support board within the opening portion, and the plating resist layer, when used, is removed. An insulating layer is formed on the electrode, as well as the support board or solder resist layer, and a wiring portion connected to the electrode at the insulating layer is also formed. A solder resist layer having an opening portion is then formed on the wiring portion, and the support board is removed to expose a surface of the electrode or a surface of the electrode and insulating layer. Another solder resist layer having an opening portion may then be formed on the exposed surface of the insulating layer. |
| US08455766B2 |
Substrate with low-elasticity layer and low-thermal-expansion layer
A substrate for mounting an IC chip including a printed substrate including a first build-up layer. The first build-up layer including (i) a first conductor layer having first conductor circuits and (ii) a resin insulating layer. The first conductor circuits and the resin insulating layer alternating along a length of the first build-up layer. A low-elasticity resin layer formed on the first build-up layer. A low-thermal-expansion substrate formed of ceramics or silicon, and provided on the low-elasticity resin layer. Through-hole conductors provided through the low-thermal-expansion substrate and the low-elasticity resin layer; and second conductor circuits formed on the low-thermal-expansion substrate. The through-hole conductors electrically connect the first conductor layer and the second conductor circuits provided on the low-thermal-expansion substrate. |
| US08455765B2 |
Laminated body, method of manufacturing substrate, substrate, and semiconductor device
A laminated body of the present invention includes a resin layer in which a core portion composed of a fiber base member having a thickness of 25 μm or less is embedded, the resin layer having two surfaces, and the resin layer through which at least one via-hole is adapted to be formed, and a metal layer bonded to at least one of the two surfaces of the resin layer, and the metal layer having at least one opening portion provided so as to correspond to the via-hole to be formed. Further, a method of manufacturing a substrate of the present invention includes preparing the above laminated body, forming the via-hole so as to pass through the resin layer by irradiating a laser beam onto the resin layer, and removing the metal layer from the resin layer after the via-hole is formed. Further, a substrate of the present invention is manufactured by using the above method. Furthermore, a semiconductor device of the present invention includes the above substrate, and a semiconductor element mounted on the substrate. |
| US08455763B2 |
Plug-in bushing and high-voltage installation having a bushing such as this
An exemplary plug-in high-voltage bushing connects an electrical conductor to a metal-encapsulated component, which is filled with insulating agent, of a high-voltage installation. The bushing is rotationally symmetrical with respect to an axis and has a centrally routed electrical conductor, a field control device and an insulator surrounds the electrical conductor. The bushing also includes a tapering section that dielectrically strengthens a joint after insertion of the bushing into a plug part, which forms a seal for the insulating agent. The joint is arranged between an insulating sleeve of the plug part and the tapering section of the insulator. The bushing has capacitor plates, which are electrically isolated from one another by an insulating film, are integrated into the insulator, and pass through the mounting flange into the tapering section of the insulator. |
| US08455761B2 |
Coaxial cable and multicoaxial cable
A coaxial cable includes an insulator having void portions continuing in a longitudinal direction, a central conductor covered with the insulator, and an outer conductor arranged on an outer circumference of the insulator. Each of the void portions is formed to have a circular or elliptical cross section, and the void portions are evenly arranged in the insulator in a set of six to nine. In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the coaxial cable, a void ratio of the entire void portions is 43% or more. The void ratio is a proportion of the void portions to a sum of a total area of all the void portions and an area of the insulator. |
| US08455760B2 |
Interfacing two insulation parts in high voltage environment
Methods of interfacing parts in a high voltage environment and related structures are disclosed. A method comprises: providing a first part and a second part; and interfacing the first part and the second part to create a first substantially zero electrical field area at a first outer extent of an interface between the first and second parts and a reduced electrical field area in a different portion of the interface. |
| US08455757B2 |
Solar cell with electron inhibiting layer
An illustrative solar cell may include an electron conductor, an absorber, a hole conductor, and one or more other layers that help reduce interfacial charge recombination within the solar cell for improved solar cell efficiency. In one example, an electron inhibiting/hole transporting layer is provided that blocks or at least substantially inhibits movement of electrons that may otherwise move from within the absorber and/or electron conductor into the hole conductor of the solar cell, while permitting holes to travel from the absorber to the hole conductor. In some cases, the electron inhibiting/hole transporting layer may be transparent or substantially transparent to incident light so that the incident light may reach the absorber material. |
| US08455756B2 |
High efficiency solar cell using IIIB material transition layers
A solar cell including a base of single crystal silicon with a cubic crystal structure and a single crystal layer of a second material with a higher bandgap than the bandgap of silicon. First and second single crystal transition layers are positioned in overlying relationship with the layers graduated from a cubic crystal structure at one surface to a hexagonal crystal structure at an opposed surface. The first and second transition layers are positioned between the base and the layer of second material with the one surface lattice matched to the base and the opposed surface lattice matched to the layer of second material. |
| US08455753B2 |
Solar cell and semiconductor device, and manufacturing method thereof
It is an object of the present invention to minimize an electrode in a solar cell to minimize the solar cell. The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a solar cell comprising the steps of forming a first electrode layer over a substrate, forming a photoelectric conversion layer over the first electrode layer, forming an organic layer over the photoelectric conversion layer, forming an opening reaching the first electrode layer in the photoelectric conversion layer, and forming a second electrode layer by filling the opening with a conductive paste, wherein the organic layer modifies the surface of the photoelectric conversion layer and a contact angle between the conductive paste and the photoelectric conversion becomes greater. According to the present invention, wettability of a photoelectric conversion layer can be decreased by forming an organic layer on a surface of the photoelectric conversion layer. Thereby an electrode layer and an insulating isolation layer can be thinned. |
| US08455752B2 |
Integral ac module grounding system
A photovoltaic (PV) ac-module grounding system includes a plurality of PV dc-voltage modules. Each PV dc-voltage module is integrated with a corresponding dc-ac micro-inverter to provide a corresponding PV ac-voltage module. Each PV ac-voltage module includes an ac-voltage plug and play connector that includes a dc ground conductor. Each dc-ac micro-inverter is internally electrically connected to its own chassis ground or metal enclosure which in turn is electrically connected to a corresponding dc ground conductor. A dc ground path is carried through an ac power bus from ac-voltage module to ac-voltage module through the plug and play connectors via the dc ground conductors. |
| US08455750B1 |
Methods of providing pickups and other accessories on stringed instruments and the stringed instrument
The invention provides a method of replacing, exchanging or repositioning pickups and other accessories used by stringed instruments from the back of the musical instrument. |
| US08455745B2 |
Musical instrument and method of forming a surface thereof
A musical instrument and method of making the surface of a musical instrument for use as a pan drum includes providing a sheet of metal, securing an outer peripheral region of the sheet of metal such that it is mechanically clamped or held and bringing an the inner region of the sheet of metal and a forming member together in such a manner as to provide a force therebetween while relatively rotating the sheet and the forming member so as to form a bowl which is used as an upper or lower surface of a drum. A thickness of the hemisphere of the bowl varies radially from the outside edge to the central axis such that a region therebetween has a thickness that is at least 30% less than a thickness of the outside edge or a thickness about the central axis. |
| US08455742B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH092965
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH092965. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH092965, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH092965 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH092965. |
| US08455735B2 |
Pepper hybrid PS09979325
The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid PS09979325 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid PS09979325 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US08455733B1 |
Soybean cultivar 12420961
A soybean cultivar designated 12420961 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 12420961, to the plants of soybean cultivar 12420961, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 12420961, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 12420961. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 12420961. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 12420961, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar 12420961 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US08455731B1 |
Soybean cultivar 02333338
A soybean cultivar designated 02333338 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 02333338, to the plants of soybean cultivar 02333338, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar 02333338, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar 02333338. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 02333338. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 02333338, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar 02333338 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US08455729B2 |
Soybean variety A1015644
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1015644. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1015644. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1015644 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1015644 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08455728B2 |
Soybean variety A1025241
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1025241. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1025241. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1025241 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1025241 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08455726B2 |
Soybean variety A1023981
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1023981. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1023981. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1023981 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1023981 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08455723B2 |
Soybean variety A1023586
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1023586. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1023586. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1023586 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1023586 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08455722B2 |
Soybean variety A1023585
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1023585. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1023585. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1023585 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1023585 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08455712B1 |
Inbred corn line D026407
An inbred corn line, designated D026407, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line D026407, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line D026407 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line D026407 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line D026407, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line D026407 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods. |
| US08455711B2 |
Disposable absorbent article comprising a durable hydrophilic topsheet
A disposable absorbent article having a durable hydrophilic substantially liquid pervious topsheet. The topsheet includes a topsheet substrate and a hydrophilicity boosting composition coated on the topsheet substrate. The hydrophilicity boosting composition includes a hydrophilicity boosting amount of nanoparticles having a particle size of from about 1 nanometer to about 750 nanometers. |
| US08455708B2 |
Flexible production of alkylate gasoline and distillate
A process for producing hydrocarbon products, comprising: a) operating a process unit in an alkylate mode wherein greater than 50 wt % of a C5+ hydrocarbon stream from the process unit boils at 137.8° C. or below, b) adjusting one or more process conditions in the process unit, and c) after the adjusting step, operating the process unit in a distillate mode wherein greater than 50 wt % of the C5+ hydrocarbon stream from the process unit boils above 137.8° C. Also, a process unit, comprising: a) an alkylation reactor; and b) a control system that enables the alkylation reactor to be operated in the alkylate mode and in the distillate mode; wherein the alkylation reactor can switch back and forth from operating in the alkylate mode to the distillate mode. |
| US08455696B2 |
Optimized production of ketones/aldehydes
Production of a ketone or aldehyde prepared by condensation is optimized by dehydration and hydrogenation of a starting acetone/ketone or aldehyde in a reaction zone and wherein water is partially eliminated from such reaction product by at least one membrane pervaporation module, the pervaporation module being fed tangentially and situated laterally to the reaction zone and operating in a loop, and wherein a fraction of reaction product exiting the reaction zone is thus partially dehydrated and recycling such dehydrated concentrate to the reaction zone. |
| US08455695B2 |
Process for the production of aliphatic isocyanates
The present invention is a process for aliphatic or cycloaliphatic isocyanate. The process comprises reacting an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic primary amine, with phosgene in the presence of an inert solvent wherein the initial reaction temperature is between 100 and 130° C. and the temperature is subsequently ramped to 150 to 180° C. during the course of the reaction, the solvent to amine weight ratio is 95:5 to 80:20, the total reaction pressure is maintained between 50 and 350 psig and the amine is rapidly dispersed in the phosgene through injection in a region of high efficiency mixing. |
| US08455693B2 |
Process for preparing 2-(2-tert-butylaminoethoxy)ethanol (tert-butylaminodiglycol, TBADG)
A process for preparing 2-(2-tert-butylaminoethoxy)ethanol (tert-butylaminodiglycol, TBADG) by reacting diethylene glycol (DG) with tert-butylamine (TBA) in the presence of hydrogen and of a copper catalyst, by effecting the reaction at a temperature in the range from 160 to 220° C. in the presence of a copper- and aluminum oxide-containing catalyst, where the catalytically active material of the catalyst, before the reduction thereof with hydrogen, comprises 20 to 75% by weight of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), 20 to 75% by weight of oxygen compounds of copper, calculated as CuO, and ≦5% by weight of oxygen compounds of nickel, calculated as NiO. |
| US08455691B2 |
Process for the purification of aromatic amines
Aromatic amines which have been obtained by reduction of aromatic nitro compounds are purified by mixing the crude amine obtained after phase separation with an aqueous, alkali metal hydroxide solution and subsequent distillation of this mixture over a distillation column. The distillation column has at least an upper and a lower rectifying part and a stripping part. The bottom product of the distillation column is partly to completely sluiced out and is partly evaporated in a main evaporator and at least one downstream re-evaporator and partly recycled back into the column. |
| US08455687B2 |
Compounds and compositions for use as modulators of tau aggregation and alleviation of tauopathies
This invention relates to the use of bis- and tris-dihydroxyaryl compounds as well as sulfonamides, heteroaryls, tricycloalkyl and their analogs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, for modulating tau aggregation and alleviating tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Pick's disease (PiD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and familial frontotemporal dementia/Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Parkinsonism-dementia complex, argyrophilic grain dementia, dementia pugilistic, diffuse neurofibrillary tangles with calcification, progressive subcortical gliosis and tangle only dementia. |
| US08455686B2 |
Compounds for treating proliferative disorders
Disclosed are compounds and methods of using compounds of the invention for treating a subject with a proliferative disorder, such as cancer, and methods for treating disorders responsive to Hsp70 induction and/or natural killer induction. Also, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. |
| US08455685B2 |
Acetic anhydride production by way of carbonylation with enhanced reaction and flashing
A method of making acetic anhydride or a mixture of acetic anhydride and acetic acid comprising: (a) catalytically reacting a feedstock containing methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether with carbon monoxide in the presence of a homogeneous rhodium catalyst and methyl iodide in a reactor vessel which contains a substantially anhydrous liquid reaction mixture including acetic acid, acetic anhydride, methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether, methyl iodide and the homogeneous catalyst, the reactor vessel being operated at a reactor pressure; (b) withdrawing reaction mixture from the reaction vessel and feeding the withdrawn reaction mixture along with additional carbon monoxide to a pre-flasher/post reactor vessel operated at a reduced pressure below the reactor vessel pressure; (c) venting light ends in the pre-flasher vessel and concurrently consuming methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether in the pre-flasher/post reactor vessel to produce a pre-flash mixture which is enriched in acetic anhydride and diminished in methyl iodide and methyl acetate and/or dimethyl ether as compared with the reaction mixture; (d) withdrawing the pre-flash reaction mixture from the pre-flasher/post reactor vessel and feeding the pre-flash mixture to a flash vessel; and (e) flashing a crude product stream from the mixture in a flash vessel operated at a pressure substantially below the pressure of the pre-flasher/post reactor vessel. |
| US08455683B2 |
Methods for the synthesis of olefins and derivatives
The invention provides a method of producing acrylic acid. The method includes contacting fumaric acid with a sufficient amount of ethylene in the presence of a cross-metathesis transformation catalyst to produce about two moles of acrylic acid per mole of fumaric acid. Also provided is an acrylate ester. The method includes contacting fumarate diester with a sufficient amount of ethylene in the presence of a cross-metathesis transformation catalyst to produce about two moles of acrylate ester per mole of fumarate diester. An integrated process for process for producing acrylic acid or acrylate ester is provided which couples bioproduction of fumaric acid with metathesis transformation. An acrylic acid and an acrylate ester production also is provided. |
| US08455680B2 |
Carboxylic acid production process employing solvent from esterification of lignocellulosic material
Methods and apparatus for producing a carboxylic acid employing a solvent from esterification of lignocellulosic materials. An acid-containing composition from esterification of lignocellulosic materials can be employed in the oxidation of para-xylene to terephthalic acid. The acid-containing composition can comprise acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and one or more terpenes. |
| US08455678B2 |
Process for the preparation of fesoterodine with low impurities content
Disclosed is a process for the preparation of (R)-2-(3-diisopropylamino-1-phenylpropyl)-4-(hydroxymethyl)-phenol isobutyrate (Fesoterodine) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof having a low content of impurities such as tolterodine and tolterodine isobutyrate. |
| US08455672B2 |
Atomic layer deposition using metal amidinates
Metal films are deposited with uniform thickness and excellent step coverage. Copper metal films were deposited on heated substrates by the reaction of alternating doses of copper(I) NN′-diispropylacetamidinate vapor and hydrogen gas. Cobalt metal films were deposited on heated substrates b the reaction of alternating doses of cobalt(II) bis(N,N′-diispropylacetamidinate) vapor and hydrogen gas. Nitrides and oxides of these metals can be formed by replacing the hydrogen with ammonia or water vapor, respectively. The films have very uniform thickness and excellent step coverage in narrow holes. Suitable applications include electrical interconnects in microelectronics and magnetoresistant layers in magnetic information storage devices. |
| US08455667B2 |
Duloxetine compositions in the form of a powder for suspension in a liquid
The invention provides for the first time an oral liquid composition of duloxetine or its pharmaceutically equivalent derivatives like salts, isomers, complexes, polymorphs, hydrates or esters thereof. The duloxetine or its pharmaceutically equivalent derivative is present from about 2 mg to approximately 200 mg; and a buffering agent was used to stabilize the acid sensitive duloxetine. The composition has duloxetine from about 0.1 mEq to about 2.5 mEq per mg of duloxetine. The invention further discloses an oral liquid composition of duloxetine or its pharmaceutically equivalent derivative wherein the degradation product 1-Naphthol is less than 0.01%. Also provided is a method for treating of major depressive disorder and or diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a composition. |
| US08455659B2 |
Method for manufacturing neuraminic acid derivatives
A method for manufacturing neuraminic acid derivatives is provided, also synthetic intermediates of the neuraminic acid derivatives and methods for their manufacture, and neuraminic acid derivatives having high purity.[Means for Solution]A synthetic intermediate compound represented by the formula (7) is provided: [wherein R3 represents alkyl; R4 and R5 each represents H, alkyl, phenyl, or together represent tetramethylene, pentamethylene, oxo]. |
| US08455658B2 |
Thiazole and thiadiazole compounds for inflammation and immune-related uses
The invention relates to compounds of structural formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, clathrate, or prodrug thereof, wherein R′1, X, X′, L and Y are defined herein. These compounds are useful as immunosuppressive agents and for treating and preventing inflammatory conditions, allergic disorders, and immune disorders. |
| US08455655B2 |
Preparation of dihydropyridines
The invention relates to a method and compounds for the preparation of clevidipine butyrate, a very short acting hypertensive calcium antagonist, as well as the synthesis of these compounds useful for the preparation of clevidipine (also known as clevidipine butyrate). Moreover the invention also discloses polymorphic forms of clevidipine butyrate, useful for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions, and processes to prepare them. |
| US08455650B2 |
Benzimidazole derivative
The invention relates to a process for preparing the compound of formula 1, a valuable intermediate product in the synthesis of the pharmaceutical active substance dabigatran etexilate. |
| US08455648B2 |
1-(7-(hexahydropyrrolo [3,4-c] pyrrol-2 (1H)-yl) quinolin-4-yl) -3- (pyrazin-2-yl) urea derivatives and related compounds as glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3)
The present invention relates to novel heterocyclic compounds which are useful for inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), methods of making the compounds, compositions containing the compounds, and methods of treatment using the compounds. |
| US08455645B2 |
Pyrrolopyridine derivatives and their use as CRTH2 antagonists
There are provided according to the invention compounds of formula (I), in free or salt form, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, Q, W, X, m, n and p are as described in the specification, process for preparing them, and their use as pharmaceuticals. |
| US08455642B2 |
Photosensitizers for DSSCs
A theme of the present invention is to propose a new series of N-heterocyclic carbene-pyridine ruthenium sensitizers incorporated with at least one carbene unit and provide their synthetic methods. The structural modification on the carbene-pyridine ligand of ruthenium complexes resulted in promising photosensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells exhibiting excellent cell performance. |
| US08455641B2 |
Method for producing 4,4′-(propane-1,2-diyl)-dipiperazine-2,6-dione
A method for preparing compounds of the formula (I) by the cyclization of tetraacetic acid alkyl esters of the formula (II) in the presence of ammonia and formamide as well as to the compounds of the formula (II), which are used in this method. |
| US08455639B2 |
Crystalline form of an organic compound
The present invention is directed to a crystalline form of 2-[6-[3(R)-aminopiperidin-1-yl]-3-methyl-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidin-1-ylmethyl]-benzonitrile, a process for the preparation of said crystalline form and the use thereof in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition. |
| US08455633B2 |
Viral and viral associated mirnas and uses thereof
Described herein are novel polynucleotides associated with viral infections. The polynucleotides are miRNAs and miRNA precursors. Related methods and compositions that can be used for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of those medical conditions are disclosed. Also described herein are methods that can be used to identify modulators of viral infections. |
| US08455628B2 |
PP1 ligands
The invention relates to phosphatase ligands and polyligands. In particular, the invention relates to ligands, homopolyligands, and heteropolyligands that modulate PP1 activity. The ligands and polyligands are utilized as research tools or as therapeutics. The invention includes linkage of the ligands, homopolyligands, and heteropolyligands to a cellular localization signal, epitope tag and/or a reporter. The invention also includes polynucleotides encoding the ligands and polyligands. |
| US08455621B2 |
Influenza A virus vaccines and inhibitors
The present invention includes compositions and methods related to the structure and function of the cellular polyadenylation and specificity factor 30 (CPSF30) binding site on the surface of the influenza A non-structural protein 1 (NS1). Specifically, critical biochemical reagents, conditions for crystallization and NMR analysis, assays, and general processes are described for (i) discovering, designing, and optimizing small molecule inhibitors of influenza A (avian flu) viruses and (ii) creating attenuated influenza virus strains suitable for avian and human flu vaccine development. |
| US08455617B2 |
Melanocortin receptor-specific peptides
The invention relates to melanocortin receptor-specific cyclic peptides of Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, where R1, R2, R3, R4a, R4b, R4c, R5, x and y are as defined in the specification. These compounds are particularly useful in the treatments of energy homeostasis and metabolism related (e.g. diabetes), food intake related and/or energy balance and body weight related diseases, disorders and/or conditions, including obesity, overweight and diseases, disorders and/or conditions associated with obesity and/or overweight, such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. |
| US08455616B2 |
Nuclear translocation peptide
The present invention provides a peptide comprising amino acid sequences R I, F I and R I G C and containing 25 or fewer amino acid residues, and capable of transporting a functional molecule into a cell, and also into a nucleus, more efficiently than a previous PTD. |
| US08455615B2 |
Methods and compositions for prostate cancer immunotherapy
The present invention features methods and compositions (e.g., immune response stimulating peptides (e.g., ERG or SIM2 peptides), activated immune cells, antigen-presenting cells, and antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof) for generating an immune response for the treatment of cancer (e.g., prostate cancer). |
| US08455604B1 |
Polysilane compositions, methods for their synthesis and films formed therefrom
Polysilanes, inks containing the same, and methods for their preparation are disclosed. The polysilane may have the formula H-[(AHR)n(c-AmHpm-2)q]—H, where A is independently Si or Ge; R is H, -AaHa+1Ra, halogen, aryl or substituted aryl; (n+a)≧10 if q=0, q≧3 if n=0, and (n+q)≧6 if both n and q≠0; p is 1 or 2; and m is from 3 to 12. The method may include combining a silane compound of the formula AHaR14-a, AkHgR1′h and/or c-AmHpmR1rm with a catalyst of the formula R4xR5yMXz (or an immobilized derivative thereof) to form a poly(aryl)silane; then washing the poly(aryl)silane with an aqueous washing composition and contacting the poly(aryl)silane with an adsorbent to remove the metal M. Alternatively, the method may include halogenating a polyarylsilane and reducing the halopolysilane with a metal hydride to form the polysilane. |
| US08455601B2 |
Polyolefin film
A film of an ethylene polymer. |
| US08455600B2 |
Styrene-butadiene copolymer highly functionalized with reactive polyol and manufacturing method thereof
Provided is a functional styrene-butadiene copolymer having superior silica affinity. The copolymer is prepared by radical polymerizing a styrene monomer, a butadiene monomer and a reactive polyol monomer in emulsion state in order to maximize the mixing effect when compounding with silica. When mixed with silica, the disclosed styrene-butadiene copolymer provides excellent wet traction and superior abrasion resistance, and is suitable to be used for an industrial material of snow tires, belts, hoses, etc. |
| US08455596B2 |
Method for producing a copolymer for photoresist
The present invention provides a method for production of a copolymer for photoresists in which the bias of the monomer composition ration is small. This method for production is a method for production of a copolymer for photoresists, which copolymer containing at least two types of repeating units, the method having a supplying step of supplying a monomer solution and a solution containing a polymerization initiator into a polymerization reaction system, wherein the range of fluctuation of the monomer composition ratio of unreacted monomers is within the range between minus 15% and plus 15% or the standard deviation of the monomer composition ratio of unreacted monomers is within 2 in the polymerization reaction system during the period from the start of the polymerization reaction to the end of supplying of the monomer solution. |
| US08455595B2 |
Dynamic pressure control in double loop reactor
The present invention discloses a slurry loop reactor comprising at least two loop reactors connected in series and wherein the line connecting the two loops is subject to a dynamic pressure difference. |
| US08455594B2 |
Phosphorous flame retardant and application thereof to polymer
A phosphorous flame retardant primarily includes hexachlorotriphosphazene (HCP) having poly(oxyalkylene)amine substitutes. The poly(oxyalkylene)amine includes at least two end groups. The phosphorous flame retardant can further include layered silicate clay. The layered silicate clay can be intercalated and modified with the poly(oxyalkylene)amine substitutes of HCP to effectively promote thermal stability. The flame retardant, phosphazene-poly(oxyalkylene)amine adducts, can be applied to a polymer. By the cross-linking between them, the flame-retarding property of the polymer can be improved. Also provided is a method for producing the flame retardant of phosphazene-poly(oxyalkylene)amine adducts and application thereof to a polymer. |
| US08455593B2 |
Polyorganosiloxane composition and cured production thereof
Disclosed are: a polyorganosiloxane composition which can be cured into a product having high strength and has little influence on the environment; and a cured product of the polyorganosiloxane composition. Specifically disclosed are: a polyorganosiloxane composition comprising (A) a polyorganosiloxane in which at least one end in the molecule is modified with a silanol, (B) a titanium alkoxide in an amount of 0.01 to 2 moles relative to 1 mole of the polyorganosiloxane, and (C) an α-hydroxycarbonyl compound or a hydroxycarboxylic acid ester in an amount of 0.01 to 2 moles relative to 1 mole of the polyorganosiloxane; and a cured product of the polyorganosiloxane composition. |
| US08455592B2 |
Process for preparing fluorinated block copolyesters
Disclosed is a polycondensation process for preparing block copolyesters comprising blocks of fluoroether functionalized aromatic polyester and blocks of unmodified polyester. According to the process, a non-fluorinated poly(alkylene arylate) first homopolymer and a fluoroether functionalized poly(alkylene arylate) second homopolymer are combined to form a reaction mixture; the reaction mixture is heated to a temperature above the melting temperatures of each said homopolymer to prepare a molten reaction mixture; and the reaction is continued until the desired molecular weight is achieved. The block copolymers incorporated into blends with unmodified aromatic polyester impart oil and soil resistance to shaped articles prepared from the blends. |
| US08455589B2 |
Polymerization process and adhesives therefrom
This invention relates to a propylene polymer comprising a component having a crystallinity of 10% or less and a component having a crystallinity of 20% or more, said propylene polymer having: a) a melting point of X° C. or more where X=−0.0038(Tp)2+0.36(Tp)+150, where Tp is the temperature of polymerization in ° C.; b) an Mw of 10,000 g/mol or more; c) a heat of fusion of from 1-70 J/g; d) Stereodefects per 10,000 monomer units of Y or less where Y=2.35(Tp)−100 (where Tp is the temperature of polymerization in ° C.) for the portion of the blend that is insoluble in hexane at 23° C.; e) a dot T-Peel on Kraft paper of 1 N or more; and f) a branching factor of 0.98 or less, where the branching factor is the ratio of g′ measured at Mz to g′ measured at Mw, and process to produce such polymers. |
| US08455587B2 |
Crystalline polyamide-type resin composition
The invention provides a crystalline polyamide-type resin composition comprises (a) a crystalline polyamide resin composition comprising (i) 50 to 90% by weight of crystalline polyamide resin (A) having a relative viscosity in 96% sulfuric acid of not less than 3.5 and (ii) 50 to 10% by weight of a crystalline polyamide resin (B) having a melting point lower than the melting point of polyamide resin (A) by 20° C. or more and a relative viscosity dissolved in 96% sulfuric acid of not more than 3.6, and (b) 1 to 10 part(s) by weight of a modified polyolefin resin (C) having a reactive functional group being able to react with the terminal group and/or main-chain amide group of the polyamide resin. The invention also provides a door checker for automobiles prepared from the crystalline polyamide-type resin composition. |
| US08455584B2 |
Process for preparing a diene copolymer comprising a polyether block, diene copolymer comprising a polyether block, reinforced rubber composition and tire
A process for preparing, in one step, a diene block copolymer, of which at least one of these blocks is constituted of a polyether, the number-average molecular weight of which is approximately from 100 to 5000 g/mol, and at least one other of these blocks is constituted of a diene elastomer. The process according to the invention allows a high degree of grafting of the polyether to the polymer chains. Also disclosed is a reinforced rubber composition, especially intended for the manufacture of tires, comprising such a block copolymer which is intended to interact with the reinforcing filler. Such a rubber composition has improved hysteresis properties in the vulcanized state, while retaining satisfactory processing properties in the non-vulcanized state. |
| US08455577B2 |
Photosensitive resin composition, flexible circuit board employing the same, and circuit board production method
A halogen-free and flame-resistant photosensitive resin composition is provided, which has properties necessary for a solder resist (insulative property, solder heat resistance, alkali developability and the like) and is capable of forming a film that is excellent in folding endurance even after an IR reflow process. A flexible circuit board employing the photosensitive resin composition and a circuit board production method are also provided. The photosensitive resin composition comprises: (A) a linear polymer of an ethylenically unsaturated compound comprising a carboxyl-containing ethylenically unsaturated compound; (B) an epoxy resin; (C) a polymerizable compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated group; (D) a photopolymerization initiator; and a cyclic phosphazene (E) represented by the following general formula (1): |
| US08455574B2 |
Composite compositions comprising cellulose and polymeric components
The present invention is a composite composition comprising cellulosic material in a polymeric matrix comprising a thermoplastic polymer, and at least one compatibilizing copolymer prepared from an olefin and a functional comonomer, and articles prepared from such composites. The composition of the present invention can be useful as a synthetic wood. |
| US08455572B2 |
Method of making ophthalmic devices and components thereof from hydrophobic acrylic (HA) polymers with reduced or eliminated glistenings
This invention relates to the fields of polymer chemistry, materials science and ophthalmology. More particularly it relates to optical components and method(s) of preparing same from hydrophobic acrylic (HA) monomer(s) that exhibit reduced or eliminated glistenings when implanted in a patient's eye. The method of this invention uses a mixture of one or more low temperature initiators (LTI) combined with one or more high temperature initiators (HTI), to polymerize one or more HA monomers to produce an optical HA polymer which, when used to manufacture an optical component and implanted as with an intraocular lens (IOL), exhibit reduced glistenings to the patient. |
| US08455571B2 |
Flame-retardant particle, resin composition and resin formed body
A flame-retardant particle includes: a particle containing a compound having a structure represented by formula (1); and a coating particle that covers at least a part of a surface of the particle: -A(—O—CO—O—Ar)m (1) wherein A represents a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group; Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group; and m represents an integer of 1 to 3. |
| US08455568B2 |
Lubricating oil additive composition and method of making the same
A post-treated polymeric dispersant which comprises reacting (I) a post-treating agent selected from a cyclic carbonate, a linear mono-carbonate, a linear poly-carbonate, an aromatic polycarboxylic acid or an aromatic polycarboxylic anhydride or an aromatic polycarboxylic acid ester and (II) an oil-soluble lubricating oil additive composition prepared by the process which comprises reacting a copolymer, with at least one ether compound and with at least one aliphatic compound capable of reacting with at least one monocarboxylic acid or ester thereof, or dicarboxylic acid, anhydride or ester thereof. |
| US08455567B2 |
Water-soluble product
Products which decompose when exposed to water are disclosed. The products comprise polyvinyl alcohol, talc, polyethylene glycol, and one or more of fiberglass and a titanium complex. The hardness or softness of the products may be varied by varying the relative amounts of talc, fiberglass, and titanium complex used therein. The products may be formed into items such as golf tees, stakes for ground-anchored structures, pellets for firearms, survey stakes and flags. |
| US08455565B2 |
Disulfide monomers comprising ethylenically unsaturated groups suitable for dental compositions
Dental compositions and disulfide monomers are described. The disulfide monomer comprise a disulfide backbone group wherein each of the sulfur atoms are bonded to an ethylenically unsaturated group via a divalent linking group and the linking group comprises at least one heteroatom; and at least one other monomer ethylenically unsaturated monomer. |
| US08455564B2 |
Dental composition and composite resin
A dental composition of the present invention includes: a polymerizable monomer component (A); and an amorphous filler (B) having an average particle size of 1 to 20 μm and including silica-based fine particles and coatings of an oxide that cover the surfaces of the silica-based fine particles. The oxide contains a zirconium atom, a silicon atom, and an oxygen atom. The dental composition contains 20 to 500 parts by weight of the filler (B) per 100 parts by weight of the polymerizable monomer component (A). The dental composition has a viscosity of 10 to 800 Pa·s. It is preferable that the filler (B) contain spherical particles, and that the percentage of the spherical particles in the filler (B) be at least 60%. |
| US08455562B2 |
Silicone composition suitable for cross-linking by dehydrogenative condensation in the presence of a non-metal catalyst
A silicone composition is described that includes components having SiH/SiOH groupings and that can be polymerized/cross-linked by a dehydrocondensation reaction in the presence of a non-metal catalyst such as non-silylated, pentasubstituted guanidine, requiring a low activation temperature. |
| US08455561B2 |
Method for the production of foams on silicone basis
The object of the invention is a method for the production of foams on silicon basis from polymer mixtures (A) containing silicon, wherein at least one compound (V) is used that contributes to the formation of the polymer network, and which carries at least one alkoxy silyl group of the general formula [1a], [1b], or [1c] ≡Si—O—(R1)(R2)(R3) [1a], ═Si(R5)—O—C(R1)(R2)(R3) [1b], ≡Si—O—C(O)—U [1c], from which upon curing of the polymer mixtures (A) at least one molecule (XY) is split which is gaseous during processing and causes the formation of foam in the polymer mixture (A), and a catalyst (K) selected from a Brönstedt acid, Brönstedt base, Lewis acid, and Lewis base, where R1, R2, R3, R5, and U have the meanings as stated in claim 1, and where polymer mixtures (A) which form SiO2 during the cross-linking process are excluded. The invention further relates to a method, wherein the foam layers, foamed molded bodies, adhesive or sealing masses are produced, and foams on a silicon basis, which can be obtained from the polymer mixtures (A) according to the previous mentioned method. |
| US08455560B2 |
Foam layer produced of a biodegradable polyester mixture
The invention relates to a foam ply based on a biodegradable polyester mixture, comprising i) from 70 to 5% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of at least one polyester based on aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and on aliphatic dihydroxy compounds, and ii) from 30 to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of poly-lactide, and iii) from 0.1 to 5% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of a copolymer which comprises epoxy groups and is based on styrene, acrylates, and/or methacrylates, and iv) from 0.5 to 15% by weight of additives; and v) from 0 to 50% by weight of inorganic or organic filler, and also to processes for production of the foam ply mentioned, and to the use of the foam plies for the production of moldings and foils, and also to moldings and foils comprising the foam plies mentioned. |
| US08455559B2 |
Preparing expandable styrene polymers
The invention provides a process for preparing expandable styrene polymers which comprises the steps of: (a) adding an aqueous phase comprising a suspension stabilizer and an organic phase comprising styrene and an initiator to a reactor, (b) commencing the addition of a blowing agent at a styrene conversion in the range from 40 to 70% and adding the blowing agent over a period ranging from 30 to 60 minutes, (c) adding a stabilizer to stabilize the bead size distribution of the expandable styrene polymer at a styrene conversion in the range from 65 to 99%. |
| US08455558B2 |
Carpet waste composite
A composite material produced from carpet waste and a binding agent, in intimate association, which material includes 25% and 99% carpet waste and between 1 and 25% binding agent. A method for manufacturing the composite material is also disclosed. |
| US08455556B2 |
Fischer-Tropsch catalyst
A process for the preparation of a packed bed comprising an iron enriched cobalt catalyst for use in a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a packed bed with one or more catalyst particles comprising metallic cobalt; (b) contacting a part of the catalyst particle(s) in the packed bed with an iron containing compound. The process is preferably conducted in situ which conveniently results in an iron containing cobalt catalyst with a higher C5+ selectivity. In certain preferred embodiments the concentration of iron increases towards the surface of the resulting catalyst particles whereas the cobalt concentration is constant which further increases the selectivity of the catalyst to producing C5+ hydrocarbons. |
| US08455553B2 |
Methods and compositions for prevention and treatment of inflammatory disease, autoimmune disease and transplant rejection
The invention provides compositions and methods for reducing one or more symptoms of an autoimmune disease, inflammatory disease, and/or transplant rejection, by the administration to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a purified compound of any one of Formulae A-E. The invention's methods are useful for the prevention, amelioration, and treatment of autoimmune disease, inflammatory disease, and/or transplant rejection. |
| US08455550B2 |
Derivatives of aminocyclobutane or aminocyclobutene, their method of preparation and their use as medical products
The present invention concerns compounds of general formula (1), where in:—-a- is a single or double bond, Ar is an aromatic group, substituted or unsubstituted, R1 and R2 each independently or together are: a hydrogen atom or C1-C6 alkyl group, branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted; the groups R1 and R2 may also form a heterocycle, R3 and R3′ each independently or together are a hydrogen atom or C1-C6 alkyl group, X is an oxygen atom or a sulphur atom, and the addition salts of the compounds of general formula (1) with pharmaceutically acceptable mineral acids or organic acids. |
| US08455548B2 |
Method of treating sensorimotor disorders with alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists
Disclosed herein is a method of treating sensorimotor disorders comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an alpha-2 receptor agonist lacking significant alpha-2A receptor activity. |
| US08455547B2 |
Substituted cyclopentanes having prostaglandin activity
Therapeutic compounds, compositions, methods, and medicaments related thereto are disclosed herein. |
| US08455542B2 |
Benzofuran type derivatives, a composition comprising the same for treating or preventing cognitive dysfunction and the use thereof
The present invention relates to the novel benzofuran derivatives, the preparation thereof and the composition comprising the same. The benzofuran derivatives of the present invention showed potent inhibiting activity of beta-amyloid aggregation and cell cytotoxicity resulting in stimulating the proliferation of neuronal cells as well as recovering activity of memory learning injury caused by neuronal cell injury using transformed animal model with beta-amyloid precursor gene, therefore the compounds can be useful in treating or preventing cognitive function disorder. |
| US08455532B2 |
Pyrazolyl acrylonitrile compounds and uses thereof
A kind of pyrazolyl acrylniitrile compounds represented by the structures of formula I or stereoisomers thereof are disclosed in the present invention. Where in: R1 is selected from the group of substituents consisting of H, C1-C4 alkoxy C1-C2 alkyl, C3-C5 alkenyloxy C1-C2 alkyl, C3-C5 alknyloxy C1-C2 alkyl, C1-C4 alkylthio C1-C2 alkyl, C1-C5 alkyl carbonyl, C3-C8 cycloalkyl carbonyl, C1-C5 alkoxy carbonyl or C1-C5 alkylthio carbonyl; R2 is Cl or methyl; R3 is H, methyl, CN, NO2 or halogen. Or its stereoisomers.The Formula I compounds have high insecticidal activities or acaricidal activities, so they can be used as insecticide or acaricide. |
| US08455529B2 |
Kinase inhibitors
The present invention relates to organic molecules capable of modulating tyrosine kinase signal transduction in order to regulate, modulate and/or inhibit abnormal cell proliferation. |
| US08455528B2 |
Imidazole derivatives useful as inhibitors of FAAH
The present invention is directed to certain imidazole derivatives which are useful as inhibitors of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH). The invention is also concerned with pharmaceutical formulations comprising these compounds as active ingredients and the use of the compounds and their formulations in the treatment of certain disorders, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, skeletomuscular pain, and fibromyalgia, as well as acute pain, migraine, sleep disorder, Alzeimer Disease, and Parkinson's Disease. |
| US08455521B2 |
Diaminoalkane aspartic protease inhibitors
Diaminoalkanes of below Formula I have now been found which are orally active and bind to aspartic proteases to inhibit their activity: They are useful in the treatment or amelioration of diseases associated with elevated levels of aspartic protease activity. The invention also relates to a method for the use of the compounds of Formula I in ameliorating or treating aspartic protease related disorders in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a compound of Formula I. |
| US08455520B2 |
Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors, compositions containing such compounds and methods of treatment
Compounds of the Formula: (I) as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts and hydrates thereof, that are useful for treating hypertension, diabetes, inflammation, atherosclerosis, pain, and the like are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are also included. |
| US08455514B2 |
6-and 7-amino isoquinoline compounds and methods for making and using the same
6- and 7-amino isoquinoline compounds are provided that influence, inhibit or reduce the action of a kinase. Pharmaceutical compositions including therapeutically effective amounts of the 6- and 7-aminoisoquinoline compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are also provided. Various methods using the compounds and/or compositions to affect disease states or conditions such as cancer, obesity and glaucoma are also provided. |
| US08455500B2 |
3-hydroxy-5-arylisoxazole derivative
[Problem]To provide a GPR40 activating agent having, as an active ingredient, a novel compound having a GPR40 agonist action, a salt of the compound, a solvate of the salt or the compound, or the like, particularly, an insulin secretagogue and a prophylactic and/or therapeutic agent against diabetes, obesity, or other diseases.[Means of Solving the Problem]A compound of Formula (I): (where p is 0 to 4; j is 0 to 3; k is 0 to 2; a ring A is a specific cyclic group; a ring B is a benzene ring, a pyridine ring, or a pyrimidine ring; X is —CH2—, O, —S(O)i— (i is 0 to 2), or —NR7—; R1 to R6 are specific groups), a salt of the compound, or a solvate of the salt or the compound. |
| US08455499B2 |
Alkyne antagonists of lysophosphatidic acid receptors
Described herein are compounds that are antagonists of lysophosphatidic receptor(s). Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein, as well as methods of using such antagonists, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating LPA-dependent or LPA-mediated conditions or diseases. |
| US08455496B2 |
Benzofuranyl derivatives
The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I) that act as glucokinase activators; pharmaceutical compositions thereof; and methods of treating diseases, disorders, or conditions mediated by glucokinase. |
| US08455486B2 |
Pyrazolo pyridine derivatives as NADPH oxidase inhibitors
The present invention is related to pyrazolo pyridine derivatives of Formula (I), pharmaceutical composition thereof and to their use for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of disorders or conditions related to Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH Oxidase). |
| US08455481B2 |
Use of fungicides for the treatment of fish mycoses
Process for the protection of fish and invertebrates and all their stages of development against or for the treatment of mycoses caused by fungi of the genera Saprolegnia, Aphanomyces, Achlyaflagellata and other species important in aquacultures by use of 2-[[[[1-[3-(1-fluoro-2-phenylethyl)oxy]phenyl]ethylidene]amino]oxy]methyl]alpha-(methoxyimino)-N-methyl-alphaE-benzeneacetamide, amisulbrom, cyazofamid, enestrobin, famoxadone, fenamidone, fluoxastrobin, orysastrobin, picoxystrobin and pyribencarb. This use leads to an inhibition or destruction of pathogenic fungi.The composition, comprising at least one fungicide selected from the abovementioned group for use in fish fanning and keeping is suitable for the prophylaxis and therapy of diseases of fish in aquaculture, in breeding ponds, breeding tanks, aquariums, natural stretches of game fish waters, ponds, and marine fish farms. Addition to the water and feed and direct application are the associated use forms. The addition of the composition according to the invention to the water decreases fungal infections of spawn and fish. |
| US08455479B2 |
Heterocyclic compounds
The present invention relates to novel compounds of Formula I, their pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives, tautomeric forms, stereoisomers including R and S isomers, polymorphs, prodrugs, metabolites, salts or solvates thereof. The invention also relates to the processes for the synthesis of novel compounds of Formula I, their pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives, tautomeric forms, stereoisomers, polymorphs, prodrugs, metabolites, salts or solvates thereof. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I and methods of treating or preventing one or more conditions that may be regulated or normalized via inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV). |
| US08455478B2 |
Rapid onset liquid midazolam composition for buccal administration
This application discloses liquid compositions for administration to a patient comprising midazolam and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the pH of the composition is about 6 or higher, the composition comprises less than about 200 mg/ml cyclodextrin, and at least about 50% of the midazolam is present in solution. Uses of these compositions are also disclosed. |
| US08455471B2 |
Compositions of CHK1 inhibitors and cyclodextrin
Compositions containing at least one Chk1 inhibitor and at lease one cyclodextrin are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of treating a cancer or potentiating a cancer treatment with a composition comprising at least one Chk1 inhibitor and at least one cyclodextrin. |
| US08455468B2 |
Methods for the treatment of a traumatic central nervous system injury
Methods of treating a subject with a traumatic central nervous system injury, more particularly, a traumatic brain injury, are provided. The methods comprise a therapy comprising a constant or a two-level dosing regime of progesterone. In one method, a subject in need thereof is administered at least one cycle of therapy, wherein the cycle of therapy comprises administering a therapeutically effective two-level intravenous dosing regime of progesterone. The two-level dosing regime comprises a first time period, wherein a higher hourly dose of progesterone is administered to the subject, followed by a second time period, wherein a lower hourly dose of progesterone is administered to the subject. |
| US08455465B2 |
Heat sterilised injectable composition of hyaluronic acid or one of the salts thereof, polyols and lidocaine
An injectable aqueous composition of hyaluronic acid or one of the salts thereof, one or more polyol(s) and lidocaine is used for cosmetic purposes or for therapeutic purposes. It has improved viscoelastic rheological properties and long in vivo persistence. The polyol is chosen, for example, from glycerol, sorbitol, propylene glycol, mannitol, erythritol, xylitol, maltitol and lactitol. The particular properties are obtained by heat sterilizing the mixture. |
| US08455463B2 |
Injectable cross-linked polymeric preparations and uses thereof
A therapeutic composition for treatment of a body tissue which includes an aqueous solution of a cross-linked polymer being capable of: (i) maintaining a liquid state in storage at room temperature for at least 24 hours; and (ii) assuming a gel state following deposition within the body tissue. The therapeutic composition can be effectively administered into a damaged body tissue via injection or catheterization, thereby treating the damaged body tissue. |
| US08455459B2 |
Method of applying an injectable filler
Methods for applying injectable fillers are provided. In some embodiments, the methods can extend effectiveness of the injectable filler. In some embodiments, the methods can provide for an elevated level of effectiveness of the injectable filler. In some embodiments, the methods can prolong the effectiveness of the injectable filler. |
| US08455458B2 |
Composition and method for treating connective tissue damage
The present invention provides a composition, and a method of use thereof for treating connective tissue damage in man and in animals, which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of chondroitin sulfate, N-acetyl D-glucosamine, and hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid). Particularly, the present invention provides a composition, and a method of use thereof, for treating connective tissue damage including, but not limited to, arthritic disease, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osterochondrosis dessicans, cartilage damage, joint injury, joint inflammation, joint synovitis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), post surgical DJD, traumatic injury, fracture, tendon damage, ligament damage, skeletal damage, musculoskeletal damage, fiber damage, adipose tissue damage, blood cell damage, and plasma damage. Compositions for delivery of the present invention include those for parenteral, oral, and transmucosal delivery and for direct surgical placement onto the affected tissues. |
| US08455457B2 |
Combination compositions for reducing intraocular pressure
Provided herein is a pharmaceutical composition or a kit comprising a combination of a non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor blocker and an adenosine A1 receptor agonist. Also provided herein is a method of reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) in a subject using such a combination or kit. In a particular embodiment, provided herein is a combination of timolol marketed under the brand Timoptic™ and Compound A. |
| US08455456B2 |
Compositions and their uses directed to diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1
Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating DGAT-1 activity. Preferably, the expression of DGAT-1 from a nucleic acid is inhibited. Methods are provided for treating, ameliorating or treating liver fibrosis, either directly or by treating an underlying etiological factor. Preferably, the treatment, amelioration or prevention comprises administering a DGAT-1 activity modulator. |
| US08455451B2 |
2'-fluoro substituted carba-nucleoside analogs for antiviral treatment
Provided are select imidazo[1,2-f][1,2,4]triazinyl nucleosides, nucleoside phosphates and prodrugs thereof, wherein the 2′ position of the nucleoside sugar is substituted with halogen and carbon substituents. The compounds, compositions, and methods provided are useful for the treatment of Flaviviridae virus infections, particularly hepatitis C infections caused by both wild type and mutant strains of HCV. |
| US08455449B2 |
Compositions and methods for modulating γ-c-cytokine activity
The γc-family cytokines, Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interleukin-4 (IL-4), Interleukin-7 (IL-7), Interleukin-9 (IL-9), Interleukin-15 (IL-15), and Interleukin-21 (IL-21), are associated with important human diseases, such as leukemia, autoimmune diseases, collagen diseases, diabetes mellitus, skin diseases, degenerative neuronal diseases and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Thus, inhibitors of γc-cytokine activity are valuable therapeutic and cosmetic agents as well as research tools. The present embodiments relate to the design of peptide antagonists based on the consensus γc-subunit binding site to inhibit γc-cytokine activity. In several embodiments, peptide antagonists exhibit Simul-Block activity, inhibiting the activity of multiple γc-cytokine family members. |
| US08455445B2 |
Methods for inhibiting lymphotoxin-β receptor signaling in TH1 cell-associated disorders
This invention relates to compositions and methods comprising “lymphotoxin-β-receptor blocking agents”, which block lymphotoxin-β receptor signalling. Lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents are useful for treating lymphocyte-mediated immunological diseases, and more particularly, for inhibiting Th1 cell-mediated immune responses. This invention relates to soluble forms of the lymphotoxin-β receptor extracellular domain that act as lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents. This invention also relates to the use of antibodies directed against either the lymphotoxin-β receptor or its ligand, surface lymphotoxin, that act as lymphotoxin-β receptor blocking agents. A novel screening method for selecting soluble receptors, antibodies and other agents that block LT-β receptor signalling is provided. |
| US08455434B2 |
Methods of use for cysteine variants of human G-CSF
The growth hormone supergene family comprises greater than 20 structurally related cytokines and growth factors. A general method is provided for creating site-specific, biologically active conjugates of these proteins. The method involves adding cysteine residues to non-essential regions of the proteins or substituting cysteine residues for non-essential amino acids in the proteins using site-directed mutagenesis and then covalently coupling a cysteine-reactive polymer or other type of cysteine-reactive moiety to the proteins via the added cysteine residue. Disclosed herein are preferred sites for adding cysteine residues or introducing cysteine substitutions into the proteins, and the proteins and protein derivatives produced thereby. Also disclosed are therapeutic methods for using the cysteine variants of the invention. |
| US08455430B2 |
Truncated Cry35 proteins
This invention provides truncated Cry 35 proteins that surprisingly and unexpectedly have increased pesticidal activity as compared to full-length Cry 35 proteins. The subject invention also includes polynucleotides that encode these truncated proteins, transgenic plants comprising a truncated gene of the subject invention, and transgenic plants that produce these truncated proteins. This invention further provides methods of controlling plant pests, including rootworms, with these truncated proteins. The truncated Cry35 proteins of the subject invention are preferably used in combination with Cry34 proteins, which are known in the art. Various surprising advantages of the subject invention will be apparent in light of this disclosure. |
| US08455427B2 |
Methods of modifying insulin signaling using biliverdin reductase
The present invention relates to a method of modulating insulin signaling in a cell. This method involves modifying the nuclear or cellular concentration of biliverdin reductase, or fragments or variants thereof, in a cell, whereby a change in nuclear or cellular concentration of biliverdin reductase, or fragments or variants thereof, modulates insulin signaling in the cell via biliverdin reductase interaction with one or both of insulin receptor kinase domain and insulin receptor substrate. Also disclosed are methods of treating a condition associated with insulin signaling and treating a patient for a condition associated with insulin-mediated glucose uptake. |
| US08455426B1 |
Cleaning compositions
A liquid cleaning composition containing alkyl polyglycoside surfactants, an alkylated vegetable oil, water and a sodium-containing base provides excellent cleaning soil removal capabilities. The carbon materials from which it is manufactured are all renewable, and the composition is readily biodegradable. |
| US08455421B2 |
Compositions and methods for the removal of chewing gum residues from substrates
This invention relates to methods for removing chewing gum and residues thereof from substrates using chewing gum modifying compositions comprising ionic liquids. In one embodiment, the chewing gum modifying composition may be used together with one or more oxidising reagents. In another embodiment, the chewing gum removal compositions further comprise one or more enzymes and one or more enzyme mediator compounds. The invention further relates to novel ionic liquid and enzyme compositions that are suitable for use in removing chewing gum residues. |
| US08455418B2 |
Polyglyceryl compounds comprising a methyl glucoside or sorbitan remnant and compositions containing same
Provided are compositions comprising one or more compounds having a structure comprising a node structure with from four to twelve carbon atoms, one or more (poly)glyceryl groups, and one or more hydrophobic moieties, wherein each of the one or more (poly)glyceryl groups is linked to the node structure by a first primary linking group, the one or more hydrophobic moieties are each independently linked either to the node structure by a primary linking group or to one of the (poly)glyceryl groups by a secondary linking group, and wherein the polyglyceryl thickener has an average degree of glyceryl polymerization of from greater than 3 to less than about 11 and an average number of hydrophobic groups per primary linking group of about 0.35 or greater. Also provided are polyglyceryl compounds, compositions comprising water, a surfactant, and a polyglyceryl thickener, as well as, methods of making polyglyceryl compounds and compositions of the present invention. |
| US08455413B2 |
Additive for oils and lubricant comprising the same
An additive for oils that is capable of imparting oils such as lubricant base oils with superior wear resistance properties or friction resistance properties, and a lubricant. An additive for oils that includes a compound represented by formula (I) is used. A and B each represents a single bond or hydrocarbylene or the like, X and Y each represents a sulfur atom or single bond, and W and Z each represents a hydrogen atom or —NR1R2 or the like, provided that W and Z are not both hydrogen atoms. R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbyl or a hydrocarbylcarbonyl or the like, and n and m each represents an integer of 0 to 5. |
| US08455408B2 |
Anti-seizure agent for hot steel working
A method of coating uses an anti-seizure agent for hot steel working that exhibits excellent wettability and surface film-adherability. The agent comprises: an inorganic component (first component); sodium hydroxide (second component); water-soluble resins and/or water-soluble surfactants (third component); and water. With the sum of the first component, the second component, and the third component as 100 mass %, the anti-seizure agent contains: 96.5 mass % or more and 99.98 mass % or less of the first component; 0.01 mass % or more and 2.0 mass % or less of the second component; and 0.01 mass % or more and 1.5 mass % or less of the third component, and the inorganic component is one or more selected from a group consisting of Al2O3, SiO2, CaO, B2O3, K2O, and Na2O. A coating layer formed solidly adheres to the steel and does not come off in both cold and hot working. |
| US08455406B2 |
Compressor oils having improved oxidation resistance
A compressor lubricant composition providing energy savings and exhibiting excellent oxidation stability is provided, as well as a process for preparation of the lubricant composition. The composition comprises: (i) from 68 to 99.999 wt % of an isomerized base oil or blend of isomerized base oils; (ii) 0.001 through 20 wt % of a blend of ashless additives, the ashless additives having a viscosity range at 40° C. of from 50 mm2/s to 60 mm2/s, a density at 20° C. of from 0.95 through 1.05 g/cm3, a flash point of greater than 100° C. (COC), solubility in mineral oil of greater than 5 wt %, sulfur content of from 4.8 wt % through 6.0 wt %, and phosphorus content of from 2.9 through 3.6 wt %; (iii) less than 1.0 wt % of a dithiocarbamate, wherein the Conradson carbon residue is less than or equal to 3.00. The dithiocarbamate is added to the base oil blend as a top treatment. |
| US08455405B2 |
Solvent for extracting bitumen from oil sands
The use of a solvent for bitumen extraction, either from mined oil sands or in situ. The solvent includes (a) a polar component, the polar component being a compound comprising a non-terminal carbonyl group; and (b) a non-polar component, the non-polar component being a substantially aliphatic substantially non-halogenated alkane. The solvent has a Hansen hydrogen bonding parameter of 0.3 to 1.7 and/or a volume ratio of (a):(b) in the range of 10:90 to 50:50. |
| US08455394B2 |
Fungicidal compositions including hydrazone derivatives and copper
The present invention relates to the use of hydrazone compounds and copper for controlling the growth of fungi. |
| US08455386B2 |
Polyolefins prepared from a metallocene and a new single site catalyst components in a single reactor
The present invention discloses a catalyst system based on a metallocene catalyst component and a new single site catalyst component for the production in a single reactor of improved polyolefins having a bimodal molecular weight distribution. |
| US08455379B2 |
Ceramic article
A ceramic article comprises ceramic fibers having an aspect ratio of greater than or equal to 10:1, ceramic particles, and an inorganic binder comprising silica. Greater than 90 out of 100 ceramic fibers are randomly oriented in three dimensions in the ceramic article, and greater than 85 out of 100 ceramic fibers are spaced at least one ceramic fiber diameter away from an adjacent ceramic fiber. The ceramic article has a consistent density of from 0.9 to 1.1 g/cm3 in x-, y-, and z-dimensions and has a uniform strength in three dimensions as measured in accordance with ASTM C1424. |
| US08455378B2 |
Alkali-free glass and alkali-free glass substrate
An alkali-free glass characterized by having a glass composition being substantially free of an alkali metal oxide, As2O3 and Sb2O3 and including, in terms of mol %, 55 to 75% of SiO2, 7 to 15% of Al2O3, 7 to 12% of B2O3, 0 to 3% of MgO, 7 to 12% of CaO, 0 to 5% of SrO, 0 to 2% of BaO, 0 to 5% of ZnO and 0.01 to 1% of SnO2 and has a liquidus viscosity of 105.2 dPa·s or higher and a temperature corresponding to a viscosity of 102.5 dPa·s of 1,550° C. or lower. |
| US08455374B2 |
Radiation heating efficiency by increasing optical absorption of a silicon containing material
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide a process and apparatus for increasing the absorption coefficient of a chamber component disposed in a thermal process chamber. In one embodiment, a method generally includes providing a substrate carrier having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface is configured to support a substrate and being parallel and opposite to the second surface, subjecting the second surface of the substrate carrier to a surface treatment process to roughen the second surface of the substrate carrier, wherein the substrate carrier contains a material comprising silicon carbide, and forming an oxide-containing layer on the roughened second surface of the substrate carrier. The formed oxide-containing layer has optical absorption properties at wavelengths close to the radiation delivered from one or more energy sources used to heat the chamber component. |
| US08455371B2 |
Sputtering target, method for forming amorphous oxide thin film using the same, and method for manufacturing thin film transistor
Disclosed is a sputtering target having a good appearance, which is free from white spots on the surface. The sputtering target is characterized by being composed of an oxide sintered body containing two or more kinds of homologous crystal structures. |
| US08455367B2 |
Method of manufacturing nitride substrate for semiconductors
In an independent GaN film manufactured by creating a GaN layer on a base heterosubstrate using vapor-phase deposition and then removing the base substrate, owing to layer-base discrepancy in thermal expansion coefficient and lattice constant, bow will be a large ±40 μm to ±100 μm. Since with that bow device fabrication by photolithography is challenging, reducing the bow to +30 μm to −20 μm is the goal. The surface deflected concavely is ground to impart to it a damaged layer that has a stretching effect, making the surface become convex. The damaged layer on the surface having become convex is removed by etching, which curtails the bow. Alternatively, the convex surface on the side opposite the surface having become convex is ground to generate a damaged layer. With the concave surface having become convex due to the damaged layer, suitably etching off the damaged layer curtails the bow. |
| US08455364B2 |
Sidewall image transfer using the lithographic stack as the mandrel
In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, a method includes: providing a structure having at least one lithographic layer on a substrate, where the at least one lithographic layer includes a planarization layer (PL); forming a sacrificial mandrel by patterning at least a portion of the at least one lithographic layer using a photolithographic process, where the sacrificial mandrel includes at least a portion of the PL; and producing at least one microstructure by using the sacrificial mandrel in a sidewall image transfer process. |
| US08455363B2 |
Method for adjusting trench depth of substrate
A method for adjusting the trench depth of a substrate has the steps as follows. Forming a patterned covering layer on the substrate, wherein the patterned covering layer defines a wider spacing and a narrower spacing. Forming a wider buffering layer arranged in the wider spacing and a narrower buffering layer arranged in the narrower spacing. The thickness of the narrower buffering layer is thinner than the wider buffering layer. Implementing dry etching process to make the substrate corresponding to the wider and the narrower buffering layers form a plurality of trenches. When etching the wider and the narrower buffering layers, the narrower buffering layer is removed firstly, so that the substrate corresponding to the narrower buffering layer will be etched early than the substrate corresponding to the wider buffering layer. |
| US08455361B2 |
Electroless plating of porous and non-porous nickel layers, and gold layer in semiconductor device
A method for maintaining non-porous nickel layer at a nickel/passivation interface of a semiconductor device in a nickel/gold electroless plating process. The method can include sequentially electroless plating of each of the nickel layer and gold layer on the device layer to pre-determined thicknesses to prevent corrosion of the nickel layer from reaching the device layer during the electroless gold plating process. |
| US08455354B2 |
Layouts of POLY cut openings overlapping active regions
A method of forming integrated circuits includes forming a mask layer over a gate electrode line, wherein the gate electrode line is over a well region of a semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the mask layer, wherein a portion of the gate electrode line and a well pickup region of the well region are exposed through the opening; and removing the portion of the gate electrode line through the opening. |
| US08455352B1 |
Method for removing native oxide and associated residue from a substrate
Native oxides and associated residue are removed from surfaces of a substrate by sequentially performing two plasma cleaning processes on the substrate in a single processing chamber. The first plasma cleaning process removes native oxide formed on a substrate surface by generating a cleaning plasma from a mixture of ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) gases, condensing products of the cleaning plasma on the native oxide to form a thin film that contains ammonium hexafluorosilicate ((NH4)2SiF6), and subliming the thin film off of the substrate surface. The second plasma cleaning process removes remaining residues of the thin film by generating a second cleaning plasma from nitrogen trifluoride gas. Products of the second cleaning plasma react with a few angstroms of the bare silicon present on the surface, forming silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) and lifting off residues of the thin film. |
| US08455350B2 |
Integrated circuit system employing gate shield and/or ground shield
A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit system that includes: forming a substrate with an active region; depositing a material over the substrate to act as an etch stop and define a source and a drain; depositing a first dielectric over the substrate; processing the first dielectric to form features within the first dielectric including a shield; and depositing fill within the features to electrically connect the shield to the source of the active region by a single process step. |
| US08455348B2 |
Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device is provided which can precisely control the depth of a wiring trench pattern, and which can suppress the damage on the wiring trench pattern. A second low dielectric constant film, a third low dielectric constant film, and a film for serving as a mask layer are laminated over a diffusion preventing film in that order. The film for serving as the mask layer is etched, and a wiring trench pattern is formed which has its bottom made of a surface of the third low dielectric constant film, so that a mask layer is formed. A first resist mask is removed by asking. A wiring trench is formed using the wiring trench pattern of the mask layer such that a bottom of the trench is comprised of the second low dielectric constant film. A layer from a top surface of the copper metal to the third low dielectric constant film is removed by a CMP method. Each low dielectric constant film has a dielectric constant lower than that of FSG, and the second low dielectric constant film has the dielectric constant lower than that of the third low dielectric constant film. |
| US08455346B2 |
Method for manufacturing nonvolatile memory device
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a nonvolatile memory device. The nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell connected to a first interconnect and a second interconnect. The method can include forming a first electrode film on the first interconnect. The method can include forming a layer including a plurality of carbon nanotubes dispersed inside an insulator on the first electrode film. At least one carbon nanotube of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is exposed from a surface of the insulator. The method can include forming a second electrode film on the layer. In addition, the method can include forming a second interconnect on the second electrode film. |