| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08630441B2 |
Multi-magnetic speaker
A multi-magnet speaker is disclosed. The multi-magnet speaker includes a frame defining a hollow space, a magnetic system defining a yoke and a plurality of magnetic gaps positioned in the hollow space, a diaphragm mounted on the frame and a plurality of coils attached to the bottom of the diaphragm. The diaphragm includes a plurality of vibrating membranes each defining a dome part and an arcuate portion radially extending from the periphery of the dome part. Each of the coils is received in the corresponding magnetic gap to drive the corresponding vibrating membrane to vibrate. |
| US08630439B2 |
Acoustic conversion device and acoustic conversion device assembly method
An acoustic conversion device includes: a driving unit including magnets, a yoke, a coil, a vibrating portion, and an armature fixed to the yoke; a diaphragm unit including a holding frame fixed to the driving unit, with one face as a first-joint face jointed to the driving unit, and the other face as a second-joint face, a resin film adhered to the holding frame, a diaphragm held on the holding frame, and a beam portion propagating vibration from the vibrating portion to the diaphragm; and a storage unit including a case body for storing the driving unit and diaphragm unit; with the driving unit and diaphragm unit being stored in the case body, the case body being pressed against and deforming a sealing agent loaded in the second-joint face, from a side facing the second-joint face, thereby sealing each gap between the case body, cover body, and holding frame. |
| US08630438B2 |
Speaker isolation system
A loudspeaker mounting assembly for mounting a loudspeaker in an isolated relation to a structure includes an enclosure and a plurality of interface elements composed of a vibration-damping material. The enclosure has an interior for receiving the loudspeaker and includes at least two spaced-apart support members. Each of the at least two support members includes a support member outer surface and an inner surface extending from the support member outer surface into the support member. The inner surface defines a support member bore. Each interface element includes an interface element outer surface. Each interface element is disposed in a corresponding one of the support member bores and at least partially extends out from the respective support member outer surface, where each interface element outer surface contacts the respective inner surface of the support member. |
| US08630437B2 |
Offending frequency suppression in hearing aids
Adaptive notch filters can be used to estimate offending frequencies caused by feedback within a hearing aid system. The offending frequencies can be suppressed by filtering. Offending frequencies can be identified based on variability of the adaptive notch filter parameters. |
| US08630436B2 |
Earpiece
An ear unit for stably fitting in an ear includes a first surface facing inwardly toward the ear, a second, opposite surface facing outwardly from the ear and an outer circumferential surface formed between the first and second surfaces. The outer circumferential surface is shaped as a decremental curve. The distance between the ends of the decremental curve is approximately equal to the distance between a first cavity formed under the tragus of the ear and second cavity covered by the lower node of the antihelix of the ear. The first surface is provided with a curvature that provides a contact surface that substantially conforms to the concha, providing an improved attachment, thereby enabling the ear unit to fit closely against the concha when the ear unit is positioned into the ear. |
| US08630431B2 |
Beamforming in hearing aids
A hearing aid system includes a first microphone and a second microphone for provision of electrical input signals, a beamformer for provision of a first audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the first audio signal having a directional spatial characteristic, wherein the beamformer is configured to provide a second audio signal based at least in part on the electrical input signals, the second audio signal having a spatial characteristic that is different from the directional spatial characteristic of the first audio signal, and a mixer configured for mixing the first audio signal and the second audio signal in order to provide an output signal to be heard by a user. |
| US08630430B2 |
Condenser microphone
A condenser microphone has an output circuit comprising an emitter-follower circuit; an impedance converter comprising an FET and at least one transistor of the emitter-follower circuit provided next to the FET; and the transistor having an emitter terminal provided with a constant-voltage circuit. The FET included in the impedance converter is operated by a voltage supplied from the constant-voltage circuit. |
| US08630429B2 |
Preventing electrostatic pull-in in capacitive devices
A microphone system including an audio sensor with a first electrode and a second electrode. A voltage source is coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. A high-impedance bias network is coupled between the voltage source and the first electrode of the audio sensor. Additional electronics operate based on a state of the first electrode of the electromechanical device. A feedback system is configured to maintain an electrical potential across the high-impedance bias network at approximately zero volts. Maintaining the electrical potential across the high-impedance bias network at approximately zero volts reduces the tendency of electrostatic pull-in occurring. |
| US08630427B2 |
Telecommunications terminal and method of operation of the terminal
A telecommunications terminal (100) includes an input audio transducer (111), a receiver (101) for receiving an electrical signal representing a transmitted audio signal, a noise energy estimator (117) for estimating an audio noise energy input received by the input audio transducer and an audio enhancement means (108) for applying to the received electrical signal in a selected audio frequency band a gain which is greater than the gain applied to audio frequencies of the received electrical signal outside the selected band, the gain applied being a function of the audio noise energy input. |
| US08630424B2 |
Active noise control system and method
An Active Noise Control (ANC) for controlling a noise produced by a noise source may include an acoustic sensor (212) to sense a noise pattern and to produce a noise signal corresponding to the sensed noise pattern, an estimator (202) to produce a predicted noise signal by applying an estimation function to the noise signal, and an acoustic transducer (216) to produce a noise destructive pattern based on the predicted noise signal. |
| US08630422B2 |
Fully homomorphic encryption method based on a bootstrappable encryption scheme, computer program and apparatus
A method includes encrypting information in accordance with an encryption scheme that uses a public key; encrypting a plurality of instances of a secret key, each being encrypted using at least one additional instance of the public key; sending the encrypted information and the plurality of encrypted instances of the secret key to a destination; receiving an encrypted result from the destination; and decrypting the encrypted result. A further method includes receiving a plurality of encrypted secret keys and information descriptive of a function to be performed on data; converting the information to a circuit configured to perform the function on the data; and applying the data to inputs of the circuit and evaluating the data using, in turn, the plurality of encrypted secret keys. |
| US08630421B2 |
Cryptographic key backup and escrow system
A system for securely storing application keys is comprised of a database system, a peripheral hardware security module and cryptographic keys, wherein cryptographic keys comprise application keys, intermediate keys and a master key. Application keys are grouped according to characteristic and are associated with a particular intermediate key, which is utilized to scramble and descramble application keys within the associated group. Intermediate keys are associated with the master key, which is utilized to scramble and descramble the intermediate keys. Scrambling and descrambling of keys is performed within the peripheral hardware security module. |
| US08630420B2 |
Method for auto-configuration of a network terminal address
A method for generating a network address in a communication network includes at least one user equipment and a network equipment. The method includes: a) providing a same shared secret key both at the at least one user equipment and at the network equipment; and b) generating at least a portion of the network address at the at least one user equipment and at the network equipment based upon at least the shared secret key. |
| US08630418B2 |
Secure management of keys in a key repository
A system or computer usable program product for managing keys in a computer memory including receiving a request to store a first key to a first key repository, storing the first key to a second key repository in response to the request, and storing the first key from the second key repository to the first key repository within said computer memory based on a predetermined periodicity. |
| US08630413B2 |
Digital contents reproducing terminal and method for supporting digital contents transmission/reception between terminals according to personal use scope
A terminal for reproducing a digital content in support of transmitting/receiving the digital content to/from another terminal based on whether a terminal is registered in a domain and whether a terminal belongs to a person use scope such that the terminal belonging to the person use scope is not registered in the domain. |
| US08630409B2 |
Two-party private estimation of dataset similarity
A two-party approximation protocol is transformed into a private approximation protocol. A first input xε{0, 1, . . . , M}n and a second input yε{0, 1, . . . , M}n of a two party approximation protocol approximating a function of a form ƒ(x, y)=Σj=1ng(xj, yj) is received. Variable B is set as a public upper bound on ƒ(x, y). Variable l is set l=O*(1). The following is performed until ∑ j = 1 l z j ≥ l t or B<1, where t is an arbitrary number: (1) a private importance sampling protocol with the first input x, the second input y, and a third input 1k, is executed independently for jε[l], where k is a security parameter, an output of the private importance sampling protocol is shares of Ijε[n]∪{⊥}; (2) l coin tosses z1, . . . , zl are independently generated where zj=1 iff Ij≠⊥; and (3) B is divided by 2 if ∑ j = 1 l z j ≥ l t or B<1 is not satisfied. When ∑ j = 1 l z j ≥ l 8 or B<1 a private (ε, δ)-approximation Ψ protocol for ƒ(x, y)=Σj=1ng(xj, yj) is outputted where Ψ = 2 B l ∑ j = 1 l z j , ε is an arbitrary number, and δ=exp(−k). |
| US08630400B2 |
Telephone relay system, telephone relay apparatus, recording medium and data processing method
When a telephone call line from an outgoing telephone terminal to the specific telephone terminal of a specific terminal user is not opened, the telephone relay apparatus acquires periphery requirement data from user scheduled data about the specific terminal user having a scheduled date matching the present date, and selects a peripheral telephone terminal. Opening of a telephone call line from the outgoing telephone terminal to the selected peripheral telephone terminal is tried, and the outgoing telephone terminal not connected to the specific telephone terminal is connected to the peripheral telephone terminal. Thus, it is possible to increase the possibility that the telephone outgoing user and the specific terminal user can talk to each other between the peripheral telephone terminal and the outgoing telephone terminal. |
| US08630399B2 |
Method and system for managing a contact center configuration
A system for adapting a contact center configuration in order to achieve a specific business goal is provided. The system comprises a display for displaying to a user a representation of an actual state of a performance metric of the contact center, an interactive tool for enabling the user to interact with and thereby modify the representation of the performance metric to a desired state, and a computation engine. The computational engine is arranged to determine a measure of the modification of the representation and to identify at least one contact center configuration parameter, which if adjusted, results in an update of the actual state of the performance metric which more closely approaches the desired state represented by the modification. |
| US08630396B2 |
Methods and systems for transferring voice messages and faxes over a network
Processes and systems for transferring communication messages, such as fax and voice messages, between a computer and a terminal are disclosed. For example, a fax message intended for a user is received at a call processing system. A voice message intended for the user is received at the call processing system. An initial portion of the fax message and the voice message are transferred to a user terminal. The user can view the initial portion of the fax message and listed in the initial portion of the voice message using the user terminal. At least a second portion of the fax message is downloaded to the user terminal in a trickle mode, and at least a second portion of the voice message is downloaded to the user terminal in a trickle mode. |
| US08630394B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for providing communications services
Methods, systems, and products provide communications services. A communication is received from an address, and a database of text messages is queried for the address. A text message associated with the address is retrieved and sent in response to the communication. |
| US08630388B2 |
Method and device for ocular alignment and coupling of ocular structures
Embodiments provide method and systems for determining or measuring objective eye alignment in an external-coordinate system so as to define a reference axis. Additional embodiments provide a method and system of aligning an objectively determined reference axis of the eye in a selected relationship to a therapeutic axis of an ophthalmic therapeutic apparatus and/or a diagnostic axis of an ophthalmic diagnostic apparatus. Embodiments provide a method and system for planning an ophthalmic treatment procedure based on objective eye alignment in an external-coordinate system so as to define a reference axis of an eye to be treated. The reference axis may be used to position a therapeutic energy component, for example, an orthovoltage X-ray treatment device, e.g., positioned to provide treatment to tissue on the retina, such as the macula. |
| US08630386B2 |
Clock recovery in a battery powered device
A battery powered device is able to maintain a clock value when the battery is removed for a short period. During a first time period, while the battery is in the device, clock pulses derived from a first oscillator are counted at a first rate in a first counter that represents the clock value. During a second time period following the first time period, while the battery is removed, the value of the first counter is maintained independent of any clock pulses derived from the first oscillator, clock pulses derived from a second low power oscillator are counted in a second counter. During a recovery time period following the second time period, clock pulses derived from the second oscillator are again counted in the second counter, while clock pulses derived from the first oscillator are counted in the first counter at a second rate higher than the first rate, the duration of the recovery time period being determined based on the number of pulses counted in the second counter during the second time period. |
| US08630385B2 |
Emergency core cooling duct for emergency core cooling water injection of a nuclear reactor
The present invention relates to a longitudinally divided emergency core cooling (ECC) duct in order to efficiently inject safety water to core of a pressurized light-water nuclear reactor. The ECC duct includes side supports for preventing the flow-induced vibration in the annular downcomer, and has structural stability while thermally expanding and contracting. A longitudinally divided ECC duct for emergency core cooling water injection of a nuclear reactor is provided on the periphery of a core barrel of a nuclear reactor, includes an emergency core cooling water inlet facing a direct vessel injection nozzle, and extends in a longitudinal direction of the core barrel. The longitudinally divided ECC duct is divided into a plurality of longitudinally-divided ducts in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinally divided ECC duct. |
| US08630382B2 |
Asynchronous data recovery methods and apparatus
Embodiments of data recovery apparatus include oscillators, edge detection circuitry, and data storage. The oscillators generate data detection signals, which convey first series of pulses during time periods for which a serial bit stream conveys a logical 1, and second series of pulses during time periods for which the serial bit stream conveys a logical 0. The edge detection circuitry detects transition edges of the first and second series of pulses, and generates data storage signals that include first indications of detected transition edges in the first series of pulses and second indications of detected transition edges in the second series of pulses. In response to receiving a first indication, a logical 1 is written into an unmasked subset of data storage bit locations. In response to receiving a second indication, a logical 0 is written into the unmasked subset of bit locations. |
| US08630380B2 |
Receiver apparatus, image signal attenuating method, and mismatch compensating method
To improve the degree of removal of unwanted component signals with a small area while eliminating the need for a high-frequency signal source. IF band simulated image signals IM-I, IM-Q output from an IF band simulated image signal generating unit (12) are input to a quadrature mixer (14) through a path switch (13). The signals IM-I and IM-Q which are fed through and output from the quadrature mixer (14) are output from a complex filter (16), and the amplitudes of the signals IM-I and IM-Q are detected by an amplitude detecting unit (17). Based on the detected amplitudes, an element value control unit (18) controls element values of constituent elements of the complex filter (16) so as to decrease the amplitudes. |
| US08630379B1 |
Methods and apparatus for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) successive interference cancellation (SIC)
Systems and methods are provided for determining a successive interference cancellation (SIC) decoding ordering in a multiple input multiple output transmission (MIMO) system. Multiple decoding orderings for received codewords are identified. A performance objective, such as total throughput or total probability of decoding, is computed for each one of the orderings based on the position of the codewords in the ordering. A globally optimal ordering is found that maximizes the performance objective over the multiple decoding orderings. |
| US08630375B2 |
Method and apparatus for received signal processing in a multi-stage receiver
The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for advantageously simplifying joint detection processing in one or more demodulation stages of a multi-stage receiver by configuring at least one stage to use a constrained multi-user search, such as a constrained tree search. For example, a multi-stage receiver includes at least two stages configured to successively process a received composite signal that includes signal contributions from two or more “users”, which, for example, means that the received signal includes two or more symbol streams. In a non-limiting example, particular embodiments of the present invention combines constrained tree searching with Serial Localized Indecision (SLIC) processing in a multi-stage receiver, where each stage includes a joint processing unit. At least one of those stages is configured to use a constrained multi-user search, rather than a full search, for jointly detecting symbols in the stage input signal. |
| US08630374B2 |
Packet detection and coarse symbol timing for rotated differential M-ary PSK modulated preamble signal
A packet detection and coarse symbol timing recovery system for preamble signal modulated with rotated differential M-ary phase shift key (PSK) modulation includes a differential detection unit, to provide a symbol signal responsive to a received signal. A preamble sequence correlator performs a preamble sequence correlation on the symbol signal to produce a correlator signal. A metric calculation unit performs a metric calculation on the correlator signal to produce a metric. A packet detection unit determines that a packet is detected and produces a sample index. A coarse symbol timing unit finds a peak of the calculated metric signal outputs a sample index for the peak as coarse symbol timing information. The sample indexes are used in processing a physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) header and physical layer service data unit (PSDU) block. |
| US08630373B2 |
Receiver for receiving signal containing clock information and data information, and clock-embedded interface method
A receiver for receiving information that contains clock information and data information and a clock-embedded interface method. In the clock-embedded method, a clock signal and data may be reconstructed by receiving a pair of differential signals that contain clock information and data information and by using a change in a common voltage of the pair of differential signals. |
| US08630372B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting a plurality of symbol blocks using a decoder
Teachings presented herein offer a technique for using a demodulator to improve a demodulation process. For example, a demodulation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a multi-stage demodulator and may include: a demodulator configured to receive a baseband signal and configured to produce modem bit likelihood values based on the received baseband signal; a decoder configured to receive and process the modem bit likelihood values to produce improved modem bit likelihood values; a candidate value generator configured to produce, based on the improved modem bit likelihood values, candidate symbol values for a group of one or more symbols; and a detector configured to receive the baseband signal and the candidate symbol values and configured to produce one of (a) final modem bit estimates and (b) candidate symbol values for a group of symbols. |
| US08630369B2 |
Emphasis circuit and transmitter
An emphasis circuit includes: an applying circuit to add an emphasis signal to an input differential signal; a feedback path to feed back a differential output of the applying unit; a comparing circuit to compare a direct current component level of a positive phase signal and of a negative phase signal of the differential signal; a direct current component level controlling circuit to control a direct current component level of at least one of the positive phase signal and the negative phase signal; a delay unit circuit to add a delay to at least one of the fed-backed differential signal to generate the emphasis signal and inputs the emphasis signal into the applying unit; and a dummy load coupled to a positive phase signal output or a negative phase signal output of the applying unit. |
| US08630367B2 |
Signaling format for wireless communications
Methods, devices and systems for wireless communication generate signals by determining whether legacy devices are within a proximal region of the wireless communication. When at least one legacy device is within the proximal region, a frame is formatted to include a preamble field, a signal field, and a data field. Further, the uncoded bits are encoded according to a coding format. The coding format is determined according to bits in the preamble and applicable sub-field lengths. |
| US08630365B2 |
Transceiver for communicating over different media types
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a transceiver. The transceiver includes a transmitter having a first transmission path configured to transmit a digital baseband signal over a wireline medium. In addition, the transmitter has a second transmission path configured to transmit a radio frequency signal over a wireless medium. Other systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US08630362B1 |
QLM co-state MAP trellis
This invention discloses a new Co-State Maximum A-Posterior (MAP) trellis algorithm for implementing Quadrature Layered Modulation (QLM) demodulation over multiple layered channels. This MAP trellis algorithm has been demonstrated to provide performance which is at least as good as the current Maximum Likelihood (ML) trellis algorithm and to support a considerable reduction in the number of trellis paths to reduce the computational complexity. Computational complexity prevents ML trellis demodulation of higher order data symbol metrics over multiple layered channels since there is no viable means to support fewer trellis paths. MAP algorithms for reduction of trellis paths are disclosed for data symbol waveforms representative of OFDM, SC-OFDM, satellite, media, wire, and optical communications. QLM waveforms have mainlobes in time/frequency approximating square pulse mainlobes and have sidelobes which are relatively low to facilitate using iterative MAP trellis algorithms which include both mainlobes and sidelobes. |
| US08630359B2 |
Radio transmission method, radio reception method, radio transmission apparatus and radio reception apparatus
A pilot signal is transmitted with a predetermined frequency band and a data signal is transmitted with a partial band of the frequency band, and the pilot signal and the data signal to be transmitted with at least the partial band, are controlled its waveform to have the same waveforms in a frequency domain. Thus, in the case of controlling waveforms of the pilot signal and the data signal which have different occupied bands, it is possible to, in a portion of the occupied band for the data signal, avoid the mapping of a low-quality pilot signal or the like, enhance the data signal demodulation capability and improve the data signal reception characteristic while suppressing PAPR. |
| US08630357B2 |
Ultra-wideband dual band magnitude summer apparatus and method
This invention relates to capturing and processing the full bandwidth of an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signal. An incoming UWB signal is processed in two different analog signal bands in parallel and their magnitudes summed to facilitate a Field programmable gate array (FPGA) processing of the entire UWB bandwidth to minimize digital implementation loss and promote a higher range. |
| US08630352B2 |
Scalable video encoding/decoding method and apparatus thereof with overriding weight value in base layer skip mode
Provided is a scalable video encoding method and apparatus, in which in adaptive reference fine grain scalability (AR-FGS) of scalable video coding, a weight value that is greater than a previous weight value provided for each slice overrides the previous weight value in order to generate a reference block for a enhancement layer when a macroblock mode of a base layer is a skip mode. |
| US08630349B2 |
Method of determining motion vectors for a bi-predictive image block
In the method of determining motion vectors for a bi-predictive image block, reference index information from a co-located image block for the bi-predictive image block is obtained. The motion vectors of the bi-predictive image block are determined based on a type of reference picture referred to by the reference index information. |
| US08630348B2 |
Method of predicting an image block
According to one embodiment of the method of determining a motion vector of a current image block at least a first motion vector of a current image block is determined based on a kind of reference buffer storing a reference picture referenced by a co-located image block. For example, in one embodiment of the method, a first motion vector of the current image block may be set equal to a motion vector of the co-located image block and a second motion vector of the current image block may be set equal to zero if the reference buffer is a kind of buffer storing a long-term reference picture. |
| US08630345B2 |
Method and apparatus for video interprediction encoding /decoding
Provided is are method and apparatus for video interprediction encoding/decoding. The method of video interprediction encoding/decoding includes extracting intraprediction-encoded/decoded blocks included in previously encoded/decoded pictures and predicting a current block from the extracted blocks. Thus, video encoding/decoding can be performed using both an intra (I) picture and correlation with adjacent pictures, thereby increasing the speed of video encoding/decoding. |
| US08630344B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal with inter-view reference picture list construction
A method of decoding a video signal is disclosed. The present invention includes obtaining identification information indicating whether a coded picture of a current NAL unit is an inter-view picture group, obtaining interview reference information of the inter-view picture group, and constructing a reference picture list for inter-view prediction using the inter-view reference information according to the identification information, wherein the inter-view reference information includes view identification information of an inter-view reference picture. |
| US08630341B2 |
Method for training and utilizing separable transforms for video coding
A video encoded as a bit stream is decoded using trained sparse orthonormal transforms generated from decoded prediction residual signals, wherein the transforms have associated indices. A current macroblock is entropy decoded and inverse quantized to produce decoded coefficients. For the current macroblock, an L0-norm regularized training process generates a set of mode-dependent sparse orthonormal inverse transforms, selected according to a prediction mode signaled in the bit stream. Decoded coefficients are inverse transformed and then are combined with previously decoded macroblocks to generate an output macroblock of a reconstructed video. |
| US08630339B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding
A method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that allows the relative timing of nearby video pictures to be encoded in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, the display time difference between a current video picture and a nearby video picture is determined. The display time difference is then encoded into a digital representation of the video picture. In a preferred embodiment, the nearby video picture is the most recently transmitted stored picture. For coding efficiency, the display time difference may be encoded using a variable length coding system or arithmetic coding. In an alternate embodiment, the display time difference is encoded as a power of two to reduce the number of bits transmitted. |
| US08630338B2 |
Method and device for image interpolation systems based on motion estimation and compensation
A motion estimation method and device are provided for processing images to be inserted, between a preceding original image and a following original image, into a sequence of images. Each image is divided into pixel blocks associated with motion vectors. For a current block of an image being processed, motion vectors associated with blocks of the image being processed and/or associated with blocks of a processed image are selected. Candidate vectors are generated from selected motion vectors. An error is calculated for each candidate vector. A penalty is determined for a subset of candidate vectors on the basis of the values of the pixels of the pixel block in the preceding original image from which the candidate motion vector points to the current block and/or on the basis of the values of the pixels of the pixel block in the following original image to which the candidate motion vector points from the current block. |
| US08630336B2 |
Partial response receiver and related method
A multi-phase partial response equalizer circuit includes sampler circuits that sample an input signal to generate sampled signals in response to sampling clock signals having different phases. A first multiplexer circuit selects one of the sampled signals as a first sampled bit to represent the input signal. A first storage circuit coupled to an output of the first multiplexer circuit stores the first sampled bit in response to a first clock signal. A second multiplexer circuit selects one of the sampled signals as a second sampled bit to represent the input signal based on the first sampled bit. A second storage circuit stores a sampled bit selected from the sampled signals in response to a second clock signal. A time period between the second storage circuit storing a sampled bit and the first storage circuit storing the first sampled bit is substantially greater than a unit interval in the input signal. |
| US08630335B2 |
SNR estimation
A method for estimating a Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) in a received signal including, for a fixed first set of a plurality of samples from the received signal, providing an initial noise estimate, starting with the initial noise estimate, iteratively improving the noise estimate, and estimating SNR based, at least partly, on the fixed first set of samples from the received signal and the noise estimate. Additional related apparatus and methods are also described. |
| US08630332B2 |
GNSS signal processor
A signal processor for GPS or other GNSS radiolocalization systems, includes a RAM pre-correlation buffer which is filled in sync with the code NCO, thus all sample alignment in the buffer is fixed The device further includes an amplitude compressor to limit the size of the buffer memory and is optimized to provide data to the following DFT unit in small bursts that can be processed in real time without the need for intermediate buffers. Thanks to these features the processor limits the amount of fast intermediate memories, is simpler and has lowerpower consumption. |
| US08630324B2 |
Semiconductor laser drive device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A semiconductor laser drive device includes a semiconductor-laser drive element to generate a drive current according to an input control signal to supply the drive current to a semiconductor laser, a control circuit to control the drive current by controlling the semiconductor-laser drive element, and a drive current detection circuit to detect a current value of the drive current supplied to the semiconductor laser and generate a digital control signal representing the detected digital value of the drive current to output. |
| US08630321B2 |
Scanning temporal ultrafast delay and methods and apparatuses therefor
Methods and apparatuses for performing temporal scanning using ultra-short pulse width lasers in which only minimal (micro-scale) mechanical movement is required, and related methods for obtaining high-accuracy timing calibration, on the order of femtoseconds, are disclosed. A dual laser system is disclosed in which the cavity of one or more of the lasers is dithered using a piezoelectric element. A Fabry-Perot etalon generates a sequence of timing pulses used in conjunction with a laser beam produced by the laser having the dithered laser cavity. A correlator correlates a laser pulse from one of the lasers with the sequence of timing pulses to produce a calibrated time scale. The invention is applicable to applications requiring rapid scanning and time calibration, including metrology, characterization of charge dynamics in semiconductors, electro-optic testing of ultrafast electronic and optoelectronic devices, optical time domain reflectometry, and electro-optic sampling oscilloscopes. |
| US08630319B2 |
Multi-receiver combining for distributed antenna systems with code division multiple access radio frequency uplink sources
A distributed antenna system and related methods are provided to reduce interference among wireless mobile devices in a distributed antenna system. A combiner is provided that is configured to be coupled to a plurality of remote transceiver stations deployed in a coverage area and which wirelessly transmit downlink signals to and receive uplink signals from wireless mobile devices. A plurality of input streams that carry uplink signals transmitted by wireless mobile devices are received on individually assigned signal paths from each of the remote transceiver stations. At least one parameter of an input stream received from the one or more of the remote transceiver stations is monitored. A mapping function is determined based on the monitoring. The plurality of input streams are combined based on the mapping function to produce the two or more output streams and the two or more output streams are sent to corresponding receivers in a base station. |
| US08630313B2 |
Signal mapping method and communication device
Ameliorate deterioration in quality of communication caused by intercell interference with respect to a multicarrier communications protocol, such as OFDM. A method of positioning an error correction-coded signal is changed with a data symbol that is transmitted simultaneously with a pilot signal and a data symbol that is not simultaneous with the pilot symbol. Else, a modulation protocol is changed with a data symbol that is transmitted simultaneously with a pilot signal and a data symbol that is not simultaneous with the pilot symbol. It would further be permissible to lower either a signal amplitude or a power level of a data symbol that is transmitted simultaneously with a pilot signal. |
| US08630312B2 |
System and method for wireless communication of uncompressed video having connection control protocol
A system and method for wireless communication of uncompressed audiovisual data are disclosed. The system includes a first device and a second device wirelessly connectable to each other. The first device transmits a connection control information request from the first device to the second device, wherein the connection control information request includes a request for connection control information of the second device. The connection control information includes at least one of association information, wireless video area network (WVAN) information, device capability information, audio video (A/V) format capability information, bandwidth information, A/V stream start, stop or pause command information, and device control information. The request further includes connection control information of the first device. The second device is configured to transmit a connection control information response from the second device to the first device. The connection control information response includes the connection control information of the second device. |
| US08630309B2 |
Frame generation apparatus and method of protecting protocol header information over wideband high frequency wireless system
Provided are a frame generation apparatus and method that may protect variable length header information in a wideband high frequency wireless system. The frame generation apparatus may report variable length header information of a frame, and thereby the variable length header information may be verified in a receiving device. Also, the frame generation apparatus may convert a variable length header into a fixed length header by adding padding information to the variable length header of a frame, thereby protecting variable length header information. |
| US08630300B2 |
System and method for deploying communication services
A system and method for deploying communication services is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a cross-connect system having an Ethernet switch coupled to a central office and coupled to a plurality of buildings by way of a plurality of digital subscriber line (DSL) ports, and a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) transceiver coupled to a high speed port of the Ethernet switch. The WiMAX transceiver can be used to augment a limited capacity of at least one of the plurality of DSL ports by distributing a portion of services carried by the at least one DSL port to the WiMAX transceiver. Accordingly, the cross-connect system can supply dual-mode communications. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08630296B2 |
Shared and separate network stack instances
A method for configuring a packet destination, that includes creating the packet destination on a host, obtaining a network configuration for the packet destination, determining whether the host comprises a virtual network stack, where the virtual network stack includes the network configuration, and assigning the packet destination to the virtual network stack. |
| US08630293B2 |
Solar power plant with scalable communications protocol
A solar collector controller that can process solar field control commands can include a network interface that can receive a variable-length data packet with a collector controller. The collector controller can control one or more solar collectors. In addition, the variable-length data packet can include a header segment identifying a command to be performed by the collector controller and a data segment having one or more parameters associated with the command. The data segment can have a length that depends on a type of the command. Moreover, the solar collector controller can include a processor that can execute the command in response to receiving the data packet. |
| US08630290B1 |
Using a DFA unit for classification list processing
Systems and methods can operate to use a deterministic finite automata module to classify data. In various implementations, a converter can be used to convert a classification list to a state machine operable to be executed by the deterministic finite automata module. In some implementations, the converter can be used to produce a state machine from template data, the state machine being operable to be executed by the deterministic finite automata module. |
| US08630286B2 |
System and method for improving multicast performance in banked shared memory architectures
A system and method for improving multicast performance in banked shared memory architectures. Temporal localities created by multicast packets in a shared memory bank are addressed through caching. In one embodiment, multicast packets are stored in a cache memory that is associated with a bank of shared memory. In another embodiment, read requests for multicast packets are stored in a read request cache, wherein additional read requests are accumulated prior to an actual read event. |
| US08630284B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating and distributing COST telephony-switching functionality within an IP network
A system for providing and managing IP telephone calls establishes separate and distinct call legs between IP-capable appliances and routers and between routers, and creates calls, changes calls, and manages telephony functions by joining and disjoining calls legs. In some instances one or more call legs disjoined from an active call are maintained as established to be joined later to other call legs to create other active calls. By managing IP calls as separate and distinct legs functions of intelligent, connection-oriented telephony networks may be simulated in IP telephony systems. The management is provided by software running on processors coupled to routers in the IP network. |
| US08630283B1 |
System and method for applications based on voice over internet protocol (VoIP) Communications
A system is provided comprising an application server and a media proxy. The application server comprises a first processor, a first memory, and a first application stored in the first memory that, when executed by the first processor, transmits a first digital media stream for mixing with a first voice over internet protocol (VoIP) stream. The media proxy is stored in a second memory and, when executed by a second processor, receives the first voice over internet protocol stream, mixes the first digital media stream with the first voice over internet protocol stream to produce a second voice over internet protocol stream, transmits the second voice over internet protocol stream, receives a third voice over internet protocol stream, produces a fourth internet protocol stream based on the third internet protocol stream, and transmits the fourth internet protocol stream. |
| US08630282B2 |
Voice transmitting and receiving system
Voice data from speech start till mute are transmitted as a section voice file to the opposite side voice data transmitting and receiving system, thus permitting voice data transmission free from voice interruption. By transmitting voice data from the speech start till the mute it is possible to eliminate packet losses in the data transmission channel and perform voice communication in the same voice quality as in the transmitting side. Besides, because of the use of HTTP communication port it is possible to obtain voice communication exceeding the rooter without any special setting. |
| US08630277B1 |
Self learning roaming optimization
A self learning roaming optimization approach allows a wireless client device to build signal strength maps that store wireless network access point signal strengths at locations along paths traveled by the wireless client device within an operational environment. The signal strengths collected at locations along a path may be analyzed to determine a recommended wireless network access point at the respective locations to achieve a reliable wireless network connection along the mapped path. The stored recommendations may take into account changes in wireless network access point signal strengths, e.g. due to obstructions and/or electromagnetic shields that may block portions of a wireless network access point signal at subsequent locations along the mapped path. A wireless client device may recognize the wireless client device's location along a previously mapped path based on the unique combination, or signature, of wireless network access point signal strengths measured at the wireless client device's location. |
| US08630276B2 |
Method of transmitting control information for performing HARQ process in wireless communication system supporting plurality of transmission bands
A method of transmitting control information for performing a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process in a wireless communication system supporting a plurality of transmission bands is disclosed. The method includes generating the control information including HARQ Process Set (HPS) information indicating a specific HPS of a plurality of HPSs corresponding to the plurality of transmission bands, and transmitting the generated control information to a user equipment. A predetermined number of independent HARQ processes is performed according to the plurality of transmission bands. |
| US08630275B2 |
Apparatus, method, and medium for self-organizing multi-hop wireless access networks
A wireless computer network includes a backbone network including backbone network nodes authenticated to each other and in communication with each other. The wireless computer network also includes a master authenticator node and a proxy authenticator node among the backbone network nodes. When an unauthenticated new node requests authentication to the backbone network and the unauthenticated new node is in communication with at least one of the backbone network nodes, the at least one of the backbone network nodes becoming the proxy authenticator node for the unauthenticated new node and communicates with the master authenticator node to authenticate the unauthenticated new node to the backbone network. |
| US08630273B2 |
Dynamic appropriation of at least one multimedia device during call set-up
The invention relates to a method of dynamic appropriation of at least one second multimedia device by a first device situated in a geographical area in which said at least one second multimedia device is situated in the event of a request to set up a call between the first device and a third device, the method including a step of setting up a first signaling link between a server and the first device and a step of controlling the second and third devices from said server with a view to setting up between the second and third devices at least one first payload data stream forming a first part of said call. |
| US08630272B2 |
Multi-radio controller and methods for preventing interference between co-located transceivers
Embodiments of a multi-radio controller and methods for preventing interference between co-located transceivers are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the multi-radio controller operates within a multi-radio device and is configured to cause a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver to transmit a triggering frame after an active period of a wireless wide-area network (WWAN) transceiver. The triggering frame indicates the duration of a transmission opportunity, which may be restricted to the time between active periods of the WWAN. In response to receipt of the triggering frame, the WLAN access point is configured to transmit a downlink data frame within the transmission opportunity. |
| US08630269B1 |
Wireless network having joint power and data rate adaptation
A wireless network includes transmission power and data rate adaptation based upon quality experienced by the user. |
| US08630263B2 |
Synchronization method, communication handover method, radio network and node
A synchronization method, a communication handover method, a radio network, and a RAN node are disclosed. The interface information synchronization method includes: determining whether a condition for initiating interface information update is fulfilled; and sending information about the S1 interface between the RAN node and the core network node, and/or information about the X2 interface between the RAN node and the neighboring RAN node to the neighboring RAN node if the condition for initiating interface information update fulfilled. |
| US08630261B2 |
Communication method for determining the start of a handover and radio apparatus using the method
A notification unit conveys a transmit timing of a signal to a target radio apparatus. A receiver receives the signal transmitted from the target radio apparatus with a neighborhood of the transmit timing conveyed. A demodulation unit derives a difference between the receive timing and an estimated timing. A determining unit determines a new transmit timing for the target radio apparatus, based on the difference and outputs the new transmit timing determined to the notification unit. When a state in which the receive timing lags the estimated receive timing occurs more than a predetermined frequency, the determining unit instructs the target radio apparatus to start a handover. |
| US08630258B2 |
Femto cell visitation history for automatic location area code planning
System(s) and method(s) are provided for automatic radio paging parameter planning. For location area update (LAC), reuse plan is based at least in part on actual subscriber mobility in a set of deployed femto access points (APs). Mobility data is incorporate in LAC planning through a visitation matrix spanned by the set of deployed femto APs. Visitation matrix elements are counts of failed attachment attempts, or unwelcomed visits, from a subscriber station authorized to attach to a first femto AP into a second femto AP in which the subscriber station is not authorized to attach. Automatic LAC planning is achieved iteratively through a search algorithm that minimizes a cost function related to unwelcome visits, and through a planning principle that assigns disparate LACs to pairs of femto APs with high reciprocal unwelcome visits and same LACs to pairs of femto APs with low reciprocal unwelcome visits. |
| US08630253B2 |
System and method for mapping data symbols
A system and method for mapping data symbols are provided. A method for communications device operations includes transmitting resource element utilization information to a communications device, and mapping symbols intended for the communications device to the plurality of resource elements. The resource element utilization information includes utilization information for a subset of resource elements out of a plurality of resource elements, the subset of resource elements corresponds to other resource elements of at least one other cell within a cooperating set, and the other resource elements are carrying specified signals. The mapping is based on the resource element utilization, and the mapping is performed by at least one cell within the cooperating set. |
| US08630251B2 |
Method of supporting heterogeneous mode in a wireless communication system
A data communication method is disclosed, which can simultaneously support heterogeneous systems in a wireless communication system based on multiple carrier multiple access. For a dual mode between heterogeneous systems, the data communication method includes transmitting control information for a first system mode and a second system mode to a mobile station through a channel resource zone used in the first system mode, and performing data transmission and reception between the system and the mobile station through channel resource zones allocated from the first system mode or the second system mode. |
| US08630250B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for minimization of drive tests
Disclosed are a minimization of drive test (MDT) method, system, and device, relating to the technical field of radio communications for solving the problem that the MDT measurement data fails to be reported because the data volume of MDT measurement data reported by a user equipment (UE) exceeds the volume of data capable of being stored by a PDCP module. In the present invention, a UE receives a notification, sent from a base station, of reporting an MDT measurement result; and when a total data volume of the stored MDT measurement result data to be reported is greater than the volume of data capable of being stored by a PDCP module, the UE reports the MDT measurement result data to the base station in one or more times, the total data volume of MDT measurement result data reported each time being not greater than the volume of data capable of being stored by the PDCP module. With the present invention, the problem that the MDT measurement data fails to be reported because the data volume of MDT measurement data reported by the UE exceeds the volume of data capable of being stored by the PDCP module can be solved. |
| US08630249B2 |
Allocation of signal-to-noise ratio margin in multi-carrier systems
Allocation of different signal-to-noise margins to different carriers in a multi-carrier system is described. A preferred embodiment comprises assigning signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) margins to carriers in a multi-carrier system, comprises assigning a first SNR margin to a first data service based upon a first service characteristic, assigning a second SNR margin to a second data service based upon a second service characteristic, transmitting data associated with the first data service using the first signal-to-noise margin, and transmitting data associated with the second data service using the second signal-to-noise margin. |
| US08630248B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing HARQ in multiple carrier system
A method and apparatus for performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) in a multiple carrier system are provided. A user equipment performs an HARQ process in a source component carrier. When the user equipment receives a management message regarding a transfer from the source component carrier to a target component carrier, the user equipment subsequently performs the HARQ process in the target component carrier. |
| US08630247B2 |
System and method for managing tracking area identity lists in a mobile network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes communicating a plurality of queries associated with common tracking areas in a wireless network; identifying a set of serving gateways that serve the common tracking areas; generating a tracking area identity (TAI) list to be used in provisioning network resources for user equipment; and selecting a first serving gateway from the set of serving gateways for the user equipment, wherein the first serving gateway is selected based on the common tracking areas served by the set of serving gateways. In more specific embodiments, the queries are domain name system (DNS) queries that are supported by a network element and that have no cached DNS response. |
| US08630244B2 |
Channel structuring method and base station therewith
The present invention is directed to a channel structuring method that includes a step of providing time frames segmented at a predetermined interval in communication channels of n subcarriers, a step of selecting a predetermined number of subcarriers from n subcarriers and a step of inserting a common control channel signal and a common pilot signal periodically into each of the time frames of the selected subcarriers. |
| US08630238B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for the transmission of data with different QoS attributes
An apparatus, system and method are provided for transmitting data from logical channel queues over a telecommunications link, each of the logical channel queues capable of being associated with quality of service attributes, the method including determining available resources for transmission over the telecommunications link in a frame; selecting one of the logical channel queues based on a first one of the quality of service attributes; packaging data from the selected one of the logical channel queues until one of: a second one of the quality of service attributes for the selected one of the logical channel queues is satisfied, the available resources are used, or the selected one of the logical channel queues is empty; and repeating the selecting step and the packaging step for remaining ones of the logical channel queues. |
| US08630232B2 |
Method for managing a mobile network
A method for managing a mobile network having local mobile nodes and a mobile router for routing packets amongst said local mobile nodes and to and from another packet routing network comprises the steps of, in response to a recognized indication condition indicating that a local mobile node left the mobile network, notifying one or more components in the mobile accordingly, and in one or more of the components of the mobile network, adapting one or more settings in accordance with said notification. |
| US08630231B2 |
Method and system for facilitating wireless communication via alternate wireless pathway
A mobile device system and related method are disclosed by which the device is able to communicate wirelessly not only via a Wide Area Network (WAN) link but also via an alternate link such as a Wi-Fi link. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a command from a remote server, via the WAN link, to establish a Wi-Fi link when possible. The method further includes, upon establishing the Wi-Fi link, sending a message for receipt by the server indicating that the Wi-Fi link has been established, and receiving software update information from the server, the information being communicated to the mobile device via the Wi-Fi link. Further, the method includes one or both of (1) sending an acknowledgement for receipt by the server indicating that the information has been received and (2) receiving an instruction from the server that communications via the Wi-Fi link be ended. |
| US08630223B2 |
Efficient frame structure for digital satellite communication
A digital communications system and method to transmit and receive a digital communications signal wherein the digital signal has a plurality of frames, wherein at least two modulations are supported, and wherein each of the plurality of frames has the same number of symbols. |
| US08630222B2 |
Delay-constrained and energy-efficient online routing for asynchronous sensor networks
The described method and system provide an efficient routing of data packets protocol in an event-driven and delay-constrained WSN (wireless sensor network) that optimizes the sleep/wake schedule of nodes to maximize the lifetime of the WSM, subject to a constraint on the source-to-sink delay. Online forwarding techniques may be used to transfer data reports from monitoring nodes to the sink. A delay-constrained and energy-efficient routing protocol (DCEER) for asynchronous WSNs may be used to maximize the lifetime of the WSN while remaining within the maximum allowable delay requirements. With DCEER, each node may maintain the historical cost of forwarding a packet from itself to the sink as its virtual coordinate, and packets are forwarded in the direction of descending coordinates. The cost-based coordinates may change dynamically with a time-varying channel or topology. Nodes may apply a relay-selection scheme to choose a next-hop relay from a set of multiple potential relay candidates, based on a tradeoff between forwarding energy consumption (FEC) and waiting costs. The optimal stopping time for the relay-selection process may be determined based on expected forwarding and waiting costs, and the nodes may operate according to an optimal sleep/wake schedule based on waiting costs and expected traffic flow. |
| US08630221B2 |
Donor evolved NodeB, relay node and communication method thereof
A relay node, a donor evolved NodeB (DeNB) and a communication method thereof for use in a long term evolution (LTE) network are provided. The LTE network comprises the relay node and the DeNB. In the present LTE network of the present invention, at least two bearers can be set up between the relay node and the DeNB so that signaling messages can be transmitted between the relay node and the DeNB based on different priorities. |
| US08630219B2 |
Supporting a multicast session within a wireless communications network
Methods of supporting a multicast session within a wireless communications network are provided. An access terminal adjusts a monitoring rate of a downlink control channel either (i) after transmitting a multicast registration message in a sector that is not supporting a given multicast session or (ii) after receiving an announce message announcing the given multicast session. An access network anticipates the monitoring rate adjustment, and sends a message advertising the given multicast session (e.g., a broadcast overhead message (BOM)) based on the adjusted monitoring rate. Further, the announce message sent by the access network can be sent on the downlink control channel, and can be sent based on expected paging cycles, or monitoring rates, of the downlink control channel at one or more access terminals within the network prior to the monitoring rate adjustment. |
| US08630218B2 |
Using a transmission control protocol (TCP) channel to save power for virtual private networks (VPNs) that use user datagram protocol (UDP)
Provided is a method for maintaining a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection between a mobile device and a server over a wireless network in a manner that conserves the power supply of the mobile device and is suitable for connections that employ server-initiated traffic. After a successful login to a VPN server, a VPN client establishes a Transport Control Protocol (TCP) connection and a UDP connection with the server. After a power timeout, the server calculates the elapsed time between the current transmission and the last tunnel traffic. If the elapsed time exceeds a power timeout value, the VPN server transmits a simple control message to the client via the TCP channel. The client then reestablishes the UDP connection to the client and the server resumes transmission on the reestablished UDP channel. |
| US08630217B2 |
Wireless communications terminal having RF direct wakeup function and wakeup method thereof
A wireless communications terminal includes: an RF wake-up detection unit detecting a first RF signal including an RF ID for waking up; and a wireless communications unit waking up when the RF ID included in the first RF signal detected by the RF wake-up detection unit matches a pre-set reference ID in a sleep mode. |
| US08630216B2 |
Method and apparatus for selective reading of system information in a mobile wireless device
A method to read selectively system information messages in a mobile wireless communication device. The mobile wireless device receives a first transmission of a multiple segment message through a radio frequency receiver. The mobile wireless device detects decoding errors in at least one of the received segments of the first transmission. In response to detecting decoding errors, the mobile wireless device selectively receives a first subset of segments in a second transmission of the multiple segment message. The mobile wireless device powers down at least a portion of the radio frequency receiver during receive time intervals for a second subset of segments in the second transmission. The first subset of segments in the second transmission corresponds to segments in the first transmission received with decoding errors. The second subset of segments in the second transmission corresponds to segments in the first transmission received without decoding errors. |
| US08630215B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer readable medium for reducing power-consumption of wireless network device
A method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium to reduce power consumption of a wireless network device, the method including: receiving a packet; and determining whether to transmit the received packet to a host based on a state of the host and a packet transmission standard set for the host. Accordingly, it is possible to extend a period of use of a wireless portable terminal using an Internet protocol (IP)-based wireless network. |
| US08630212B2 |
Apparatus and method for data transmission in wireless communication system
A data transmitter for a wireless communication system is provided. Said apparatus comprises an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbol generating part that generates a plurality of OFDM symbols, a frame configuration part that configures a frame comprising includes said plurality of OFDM symbols, and a transmission part that transmits said plurality of OFDM symbols based on said frame that has been configured. Said frame is divided into a plurality of sub-frames, the number of OFDM symbols that are included in an optional sub-frame is any one of 5, 6, and 7, and the bandwidth of said wireless communication system is 8.75 MHz. Based on a new frame configuration, new parameter requirements may be satisfied taking backward compatibility into account. |
| US08630210B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved data communication in cellular access systems
A method for use in a cellular access system is disclosed. The system comprises at least one Radio Base Station (RBS) which controls traffic to and from a cell in the system. The cell can have a User Equipment (UE) in it, such that the UE and RBS can send and receive data blocks, which may comprise sequence numbers, to and from each other. The RBS and UE can also exchange reports comprising information on whether or not data blocks have been received successfully. The method comprises sending by a reporting party a transmission comprising a report to the report receiving party, said report comprising information on whether or not data blocks have been received successfully. The method further comprises sending by the reporting party said report together with data to the report receiving party or to another party. The method further comprises attaching by the reporting party addresses for a recipient of the data blocks and for the report in the transmission. The method further comprises deciding by the reporting party the contents of the report using at least one of the following priority rules which have been given an internal priority ranking, in which data blocks which are identified as having a lower delay tolerance than other data blocks are given priority; data blocks which have been detected as received in error, and whose status has not been reported since the error was detected are given priority; and, data blocks are given priority according to their sequence numbers. |
| US08630201B2 |
Call control system, call controller, terminal device, and call control method
There is provided a call control system, a call controller, a terminal device, and a call control method of this type, whereby a communication network to be used by a terminal device on the receiving side is determined in an efficient manner to allow communication promptly, in a communication where plural communication networks are selectively used. On receipt of a reception request from the terminal device 220 on the receiving side, call control signals are concurrently transmitted, each having a call identifier for identifying a call to the plurality of communication networks, respectively, estimated to be available to the terminal device on the receiving side, based upon the available network data held by the holding, and upon receipt of each of call responses to the call control signals concurrently transmitted, from each of the plurality of communication networks, a communication network to be used by the terminal device on the receiving side is determined based upon call control condition information representing a condition relating to the call control and communication resource information included in a single call response received in a relatively early order. |
| US08630200B2 |
Method and apparatus for embedding information in a short URL
A uniform resource locator (URL) encoding system and method are provided for embedding message information in a compressed URL includes associating a link identifier with a first URL, the first URL identifying a target web page. A message identifier representative of at least one message parameter is generated and the link identifier and the message identifier are combined using a reversible pairing function to generate a first combined identifier, the first combined identifier in a first base number system. The first combined identifier is converted to a second combined identifier in a second base number system which is greater than the first base number system. The second URL is generated using the second combined identifier. |
| US08630199B2 |
Network processor unit and a method for a network processor unit
A method of and a network processor unit (10) for processing of packets in a network, the network processor (10) comprising: communication interface (14) configured to receive and transmit packets; at least one processing means (16) for processing packets or parts thereof; an embedded switch (12) configured to switch packets between the communication interface (14) and the processing means (16); and wherein the embedded switch (12) is configured to analyze a received packet and to determine whether the packet should be dropped or not; if the packet should not be dropped, the switch is configured to store the received packet, to send a first part of the packet to the processing means (16) for processing thereof, to receive the processed first part of the packet from the processing means (16), and to transmit the processed first part of the packet. |
| US08630196B2 |
Multiprocessor system and method for conducting transactions from a vehicle
A distributed processing system in a vehicle includes many processors communicating through a network. One of the processors controls the image content of a display mounted in view of a vehicle occupant; a second processor is in a portable device connected to the packet networks. An application residing in a memory device connected to the vehicle network is launched from that memory when the portable device is brought into the vehicle. The combination of the display, the image content processor, the application and the portable device allow a user to access the internet and conduct transactions for goods and services. |
| US08630194B2 |
System and process for dimensioning a cellular telecommunications network
A process for dimensioning a cellular telecommunications network, including, for each of one or more network elements of the network: accessing network element environment data representing a configuration and environment of the network element; accessing QoS data representing quality of service criteria for users of the network; and processing the network element environment data and the QoS data to generate network element capacity data representing combinations of loads of network services corresponding to capacities of the network element that meet the quality of service criteria. |
| US08630193B2 |
System and method for indicating performance information to a user to enhance communications
A system and method for indicating performance information. Performance information is measured for a connection to a communications device. One or more trends and one or more averages associated with the performance information is determined. The one or more trends and the one or more averages is displayed to a user in response to the determination. Suggestions for the user are generated to enhance the connection to the communications device. |
| US08630192B2 |
Verifiable and accurate service usage monitoring for intermediate networking devices
A device, comprising: an access-network modem enabling the device to communicate with a network system over a wireless access network; a local-area-network modem enabling the device to communicate with one or more other devices, including a particular device, over a local-area network; and one or more processors coupled to the access-network modem and to the local-area-network modem, the one or more processors capable of executing one or more instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to cause or at least assist the device to provide a forwarding service to the particular device, the forwarding service for forwarding traffic between the particular device and the network system, and cause or at least assist the device to provide information associated with the forwarding service to the particular device, the information at least for assisting in control of usage of the forwarding service by the particular device. |
| US08630190B2 |
Method and system to identify a network device associated with poor QoS
A method and apparatus to analyze real-time data transmissions across a network is described. The method may comprise transmitting a sample data stream between source and destination endpoints across a test data path which includes network devices. The method may then compare a measured quality of the received sample data stream with pre-defined quality criteria associated with the network. If the measured quality fails to meet the pre-defined quality criteria, the network devices in the test data path may be identified, device performance data may be obtained, and a network report may be generated based on the device performance data. The device performance data may comprise processor utilization, memory utilization, bandwidth over subscription, buffer over run, and/or a number of non-error packets that are discarded at the network device. |
| US08630188B2 |
Monitoring link aggregation links
A device detects a signal condition for a link aggregation group (LAG) link, compares the detected signal condition to a signal threshold range, and enables one of a disabled state or a disabled timer state for the LAG link if the detected signal condition is outside the signal threshold range. |
| US08630186B2 |
Systems and methods for transmission of trigger-based alarm indication suppression messages
According to one embodiment, a method may include communicating an alarm suppression indication trigger message from a maintenance end point to an alarm indication suppression generator. The method may further include communicating, by the alarm indication suppression generator in response to receiving the alarm indication trigger message, an alarm indication suppression message to at least one flow point that has alarm indication suppression enabled for the maintenance end point such that the alarm indication suppression message is received by at least one other maintenance end point upstream of the maintenance end point. |
| US08630185B1 |
Optimizing traffic in a data network
Systems and methods for optimizing traffic in a data network. Network traffic may be optimized by associating costs with data links that connect network nodes. A set of lowest cost paths between a source network node and a destination network node may be determined by analyzing paths in the data network. An explored path may be extended to another network node based on whether the other network node is able to reach the destination network node without forming a loop with the explored path. |
| US08630178B2 |
Transmitting apparatus and transmission method
If a loss of a RTP packet is detected, a RTT acquisition unit acquires time information corresponding to a period of time needed from transmission of data from a transmitting apparatus to reception of this data at a receiving apparatus. A QoS switching unit determines based on the time information whether moving image data is to be retransmitted that was transmitted from the transmitting apparatus but that has been lost without being received by the receiving apparatus or moving image data located in playback time sequence after the lost moving image data is to be encoded without referring to the lost moving image data and the resultant encoded moving image data is to be transmitted. |
| US08630175B2 |
Communication device with multi-stages of traffic shaping functions
A traffic shaper which includes a cell buffer for temporarily storing an ATM cell arrived thereat, a first calculator for calculating an estimated cell sending time according to a VC contracted bandwidth, a second calculator for calculating an estimated cell sending time according to a VP contracted bandwidth, a binary tree VP sorting circuit for determining VP to be sent in top priority, a binary tree VC sorting circuit for determining VC to be sent in top priority, and a sending circuit for sending a cell in which the determined VP and VC are both brought to a transmittable state. The VP estimated sending time is revised according to the VC estimated sending time. |
| US08630174B1 |
System and method for post shaping TCP packetization
A system, non-transitory machine readable medium and method of delayed packetization of data packets is disclosed. The system and method includes requesting authorization from a QoS queue to transmit an intended data packet over a network, wherein the authorization request is sent from an application module of a transmitting network device. The system and method includes receiving from the QoS queue a transmission order to transmit the intended data packet at a future time. The system and method includes packetizing the intended data packet in accordance with the transmission order at the future time. The system and method includes transmitting the packetized data packet over a network to a receiving network device. |
| US08630164B2 |
Methods and apparatus to respond to signaling protocol failures in traffic engineering tunnels
Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to respond to signaling protocol failures in traffic engineering (TE) tunnels are disclosed. A disclosed example apparatus includes a database to store a tunnel state for a first TE tunnel, a signaling engine to detect whether a signaling protocol failure associated with the first TE tunnel occurred, and to set the tunnel state to a first logic state when the signaling protocol failure is detected, and a label switching engine to route the data through a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) based network via a second TE tunnel when the tunnel state is the first logic state, and to route the data through the MPLS-based network via the first TE tunnel when the tunnel state is a second logic state. |
| US08630163B1 |
Server driven endpoint re-homing
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving an indication of an availability from a primary registration server that is associated an endpoint associated an Internet Protocol (IP) protocol. The method also includes determining whether the primary registration server is available, and notifying the endpoint that the primary registration server is available if the primary registration server is available. |
| US08630162B2 |
Fast flooding based fast convergence architecture
Fast flooding based fast convergence to recover from a network failure. A router detects a network failure, and responsive to that failure, transmits a fast failure notification message to a set of one or more routers. The fast failure notification message includes information that identifies the network failure and also indicates that the fast failure notification message is to be flooded by the set of routers independently of convergence. The router updates a routing table to reflect the network failure. The transmission of the fast failure notification message is performed prior to completion of the routing table update to reflect the network failure. |
| US08630156B2 |
Optical recording and reading method, optical recording and reading apparatus, optical recording medium, and method for producing an optical recording medium
An optical recording medium includes a recording and reading layer that is previously staked or formed afterward and has no concavo-convex pattern for tracking control, and a servo layer in which a concavo-convex pattern or a groove for tracking control is formed. Information can be recorded in the recording and reading layer while tracking is performed using the servo layer. |
| US08630154B2 |
Apparatus comprising a pickup providing multiple beams
The apparatus includes a pickup for reading data from a super-resolution optical disc, the pickup comprising a laser for generating a main beam, a first and a second satellite beam, the two satellite beams each having a radial offset with regard to the main beam, a third satellite beam following the first satellite beam, having the same radial offset as the first satellite beam, and a fourth satellite beam following the second satellite beam, having the same radial offset as the second satellite beam, for providing a crosstalk correction of the HF data signal. The track pitch between adjacent tracks of the optical disc is particularly below the diffraction limit of the pickup, and the light intensity of each of the first and second satellite beams and of the main beam is sufficient to provide a super-resolution effect on the optical disc and the light intensity of each of the third and fourth satellite beams is not sufficient to provide the super-resolution effect. The track pitch between adjacent tracks of the optical disc is advantageously below the diffraction limit of the pickup. |
| US08630145B2 |
Integrated circuitry and switches
Some embodiments include switches that have a graphene structure connected to a pair of spaced-apart electrodes. The switches may further include first and second electrically conductive structures on opposing sides of the graphene structure from one another. The first structure may extend from one of the electrodes, and the second structure may extend from the other of the electrodes. Some embodiments include the above-described switches utilized as select devices in memory devices. Some embodiments include methods of selecting memory cells. |
| US08630142B2 |
Semiconductor memory device that can stably perform writing and reading without increasing current consumption even with a low power supply voltage
Cell power supply lines are arranged for memory cell columns, and adjust impedances or voltage levels of the cell power supply lines according to the voltage levels of bit lines in the corresponding columns, respectively. In the data write operation, the cell power supply line is forced into a floating state according to the bit line potential on a selected column and has the voltage level changed, and a latching capability of a selected memory cell is reduced to write data fast. Even with a low power supply voltage, a static semiconductor memory device that can stably perform write and read of data is implemented. |
| US08630139B2 |
Dual power supply memory array having a control circuit that dynamically selects a lower of two supply voltages for bitline pre-charge operations and an associated method
Disclosed is a memory array in which the lower of two supply voltages from two power supplies is dynamically selected for bitline pre-charge operations. In the memory array, a voltage comparator compares the first supply voltage on a first power supply rail to a second supply voltage on a second power supply rail and outputs a voltage difference signal. If the voltage difference signal has a first value indicating that the first supply voltage is equal to or less than the second supply voltage, than a control circuit ensures that the complementary bitlines connected to a memory cell are pre-charged to the first supply voltage. If the voltage difference signal has a second value indicating that the first supply voltage is greater than the second supply voltage, then the control circuit ensures that the complementary bitlines are pre-charged to the second supply voltage. Also disclosed is an associated method. |
| US08630138B2 |
Memory system including semicondutor memory for decoupling bad memory block from sense amplifier in standby period
Each memory block has a plurality of memory cells, and word lines and bit lines connected to the memory cells. Precharge switches connect the bit lines to a precharge line. A switch control circuit controls an operation of the precharge switches and sets a cutoff function that turns off connection switches in a standby period in which no access operation of the memory cells is performed. Since connections of the bit lines and the precharge switch and those of the bit lines and the sense amplifier are cut off in the standby period, if a short circuit failure is present between a word line and a bit line, a leak current can be prevented from flowing from the word line to a precharge voltage line and so on. |
| US08630137B1 |
Dynamic trim method for non-volatile memory products
A dynamic trim method includes testing a selected number of cells on a die with predetermined testing margins. Data from this testing is used to determine dynamic reference margins for improving yield. Advantageously, yield is improved by allowing functioning fast or slow units to pass wafer sort by applying the dynamic reference margins for varying processes. |
| US08630134B2 |
Memory cells having a row-based read and/or write support circuitry
A method of controlling a plurality of memory cells in a row. The method includes controlling a switching element using at least one write word line signal to raise a voltage of a node connected to the plurality of memory cells in the row when the plurality of memory cells in the row operate in a first mode. The method further includes controlling at least one transistor using the at least one write word line signal to connect the plurality of memory cells in the row to a reference voltage when the plurality of memory cells in the row operate in a second mode. |
| US08630133B2 |
Memory device
With a serial interface memory device of this invention, a read-out rate of data is increased, while an increase in a size of a circuit is suppressed. An EEPROM is provided with a memory cell array storing data, a row address decoder and a column address decoder that select an address of the memory cell array in accordance with an address signal serially inputted in synchronization with a clock, sense amplifiers SA0-SA5, SA_M0 and SA_M1 each provided corresponding to each bit of the data, and a shift register that outputs the data read out from the sense amplifiers serially from a first bit. The column address decoder commences reading out two candidate data for the first bit by inputting each of the two candidate data to each of the two sense amplifiers SA_M0 and SA_M1, respectively, before all bits of the column address signal are established. |
| US08630132B2 |
SRAM read and write assist apparatus
A SRAM READ and WRITE assist apparatus comprises a bit line voltage tracking block, a READ assist timer, a READ assist unit, a WRITE assist unit a WRITE control unit. The bit line voltage tracking block detects a voltage on a tracking bit line coupled to a plurality of tracking memory cells. In response to the voltage drop on the tracking bit line, the READ assist timer generates a READ assist pulse. When the READ assist pulse has a logic high state, an activated word line is pulled down to a lower voltage. Such a lower voltage helps to improve the robustness of SRAM memory circuits so as to avoid READ and WRITE failures. |
| US08630130B2 |
Memory circuit, memory unit, and signal processing circuit
A memory circuit includes a transistor having a channel in an oxide semiconductor layer, a capacitor, a first arithmetic circuit, a second arithmetic circuit, a third arithmetic circuit, and a switch. An output terminal of the first arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to an input terminal of the second arithmetic circuit. The input terminal of the second arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to an output terminal of the third arithmetic circuit via the switch. An output terminal of the second arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to an input terminal of the first arithmetic circuit. An input terminal of the first arithmetic circuit is electrically connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor. The other of the source and the drain of the transistor is electrically connected to one of a pair of electrodes of the capacitor and to an input terminal of the third arithmetic circuit. |
| US08630127B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for driving the same
Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a memory cell which comprises a transistor having a control gate and a storage gate. The storage gate comprises an oxide semiconductor and is able to be a conductor and an insulator depending on the potential of the storage gate and the potential of the control gate. Data is written by setting the potential of the control gate to allow the storage gate to be a conductor, supplying a potential of data to be stored to the storage gate, and setting the potential of the control gate to allow the storage gate to be an insulator. Data is read by supplying a potential for reading to a read signal line connected to one of a source and a drain of the transistor and detecting the change in potential of a bit line connected to the other of the source and the drain. |
| US08630124B2 |
Nonvolatile memory devices having memory cell arrays with unequal-sized memory cells and methods of operating same
Nonvolatile memory devices include a two-dimensional array of nonvolatile memory cells having a plurality of memory cells of unequal size therein. These memory cells may include those that have unequal channel widths associated with respective word lines and those having unequal channel lengths associated with respective bit lines that are connected to corresponding strings of nonvolatile memory cells (e.g., NAND-type strings). Control circuitry is also provided that is electrically coupled to the two-dimensional array of nonvolatile memory cells. This control circuitry may operate to concurrently program first and second nonvolatile memory cells having unequal sizes from an erased state (e.g., logic 1) to an equivalent programmed state (e.g., logic 0). This is done by establishing unequal first and second word line-to-channel region voltages in the first and second nonvolatile memory cells, respectively, during an operation to program a row of memory cells in the two-dimensional array of nonvolatile memory cells, which includes the first and second nonvolatile memory cells of unequal size. |
| US08630123B2 |
Method of operating nonvolatile memory device
A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device comprises reading erase number information which is updated and stored whenever erasure is performed, setting program start voltages and step voltages based on the erase number information, and performing a program operation based on the program start voltages and the step voltages. |
| US08630121B2 |
Reference voltage optimization for flash memory
A system including a reference voltage module to generate one or more reference voltages used to determine states of a plurality of memory cells of a nonvolatile memory. The memory cells have a threshold voltage distribution. A divider module selects, in response to a change in the threshold voltage distribution, a voltage range within which to update one of the reference voltages, and divide the voltage range into a plurality of regions. A counting module counts a number of the memory cells having threshold voltages within each of the plurality of regions. An update module selects one of the plurality of regions having the threshold voltages of a smallest number of the memory cells, and updates the one of the reference voltages to a voltage value associated with the selected one of the plurality of regions to compensate for the change in the threshold voltage distribution. |
| US08630116B2 |
NAND flash memory
A NAND flash memory, in a read operation, a p-type semiconductor substrate is set at a ground potential, a bit line is charged to a first voltage, a source line, a n-type well and a p-type well are charged to a second voltage, which lies between a ground potential and a first voltage, and in a block not selected by said row decoder, said drain-side select gate line and said source-side select gate line are charged to a third voltage, which is higher than said ground potential and is equal to or lower than said second voltage. |
| US08630113B1 |
Apparatus for memory with improved performance and associated methods
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a memory circuit. The memory circuit includes a plurality of thyristors. The plurality of thyristors are coupled in tandem. |
| US08630109B2 |
Memory cell and memory device including the same
A memory cell includes a light emitting unit, a phosphorescent layer, a polarization filter and a light detecting unit. The light emitting unit selectively generates a first light signal in response to a write data. The phosphorescent layer generates a second light signal using an energy absorbed from the first light signal. The polarization filter either passes the second light signal to output the passed second light signal as a third light signal or blocks out the second light signal in response to the write data. The light detecting unit generates a read data by detecting the third light signal. |
| US08630103B2 |
Method and apparatus for programming a power converter controller with an external programming terminal having multiple functions
A power converter controller is disclosed. An example controller includes a control circuit coupled to receive a feedback signal representative of an output of the power converter. The control circuit coupled to control a switching of a power switch of the power converter in response to the feedback signal to control a transfer of energy from an input of the power converter to the output of the power converter. An internal programming interface circuit is coupled to the control circuit. A coupling switcher is coupled to the internal programming interface circuit. An external programming terminal is selectively coupled to the internal programming interface circuit through the coupling switcher. An external programming circuit coupled to the external programming terminal is coupled to the internal programming interface circuit through the coupling switcher during a startup programming condition and during a fault condition of the power converter. The external programming circuit that is coupled to the external programming terminal is decoupled from the internal programming interface circuit by the coupling switcher during a normal operating condition of the power converter. |
| US08630094B2 |
Server cabinet
A cabinet for server includes a frame, and a plurality of guiding rails. Each guiding rail includes a connection portion and an inclined portion. An acute angle is defined between the inclined portion and the connection portion. |
| US08630092B2 |
Cooling box for components or circuits
A cooling box for electric or electronic components, consisting of a material, wherein the cooling box is non-electrically conductive or practically non-electrically conductive, is configured in one piece or multiple pieces and has a cavity that is enclosed by the material, wherein cavity being closed or provided with at least one opening. |
| US08630091B2 |
Carbon nanotubes for the selective transfer of heat from electronics
Under one aspect, a method of cooling a circuit element includes providing a thermal reservoir having a temperature lower than an operating temperature of the circuit element; and providing a nanotube article in thermal contact with the circuit element and with the reservoir, the nanotube article including a non-woven fabric of nanotubes in contact with other nanotubes to define a plurality of thermal pathways along the article, the nanotube article having a nanotube density and a shape selected such that the nanotube article is capable of transferring heat from the circuit element to the thermal reservoir. |
| US08630089B2 |
Resilient swivel coupling mechanism
A resilient coupling mechanism assembly includes a resilient coupling mechanism. The resilient coupling mechanism includes a resilient member. A first member is coupled to the resilient member. A second member is coupled to the first member. The first member comprises a first cavity. A vertical member is disposed within the first cavity. A second member is coupled to the first member. The second member comprises a second cavity configured to receive the vertical member. |
| US08630086B2 |
Hinged electronic device
An electronic device includes a first component defining at least one through hole, a hinge defining at least one round hole corresponding to the at least one through hole, and a fixing mechanism for securing the hinge to the first component. The fixing mechanism includes a latching member and at least one fixing member capable of extending through the at least one through hole and the at least one round hole. The latching member defines at least one fixing hole corresponding to the at least one round hole. When the at least one fixing member extends through the at least one round hole and the at least one through hole, the at least one fixing hole receives an end of the at least fixing member to secure the hinge to the first component. |
| US08630085B2 |
Mobile communication terminal
A mobile communication terminal includes: a first housing and a second housing connected to each other by a connecting mechanism so as to be relatively movable; a first display placed on a front face of the first housing; and a second display placed on a front face of the second housing, wherein one end of the connecting mechanism is pivotably supported around a first shaft relative to one housing, and the other end of the connecting mechanism is slidably engaged in a direction perpendicular to the first shaft relative to the other housing. |
| US08630080B2 |
Electronic component
An electronic component that is prevented from being inclined with respect to a circuit board during and after mounting includes a laminated body that is preferably configured by stacking a plurality of insulator layers, and includes a lower surface with depressions provided thereon. The lower surface includes a series of outer edges of the insulator layers. Capacitor electrodes are defined by internal conductors incorporated in the laminated body, which respectively have exposed sections that are exposed from between the insulator layers in the depressions on the lower surface. External electrodes, which are preferably formed directly by plating, are provided in the depressions to cover the exposed sections. |
| US08630079B2 |
Anti-static and lightning compatible transport element
Described are transport elements for dissipating electrostatic charge including at least two outer structural layers coupled in an overlapping arrangement. Some examples may include a transport element having an inner structural layer coupled to an inner surface of the at least two outer structural layers. Other examples may include an outer resin layer coupled to the outer surface of the at least two outer structural layers, wherein the outer resin layer comprises materials that display a distinctive appearance when viewed under an ultraviolet light. An electrical resistance per length of the outer structural layers, the inner structural layer, and/or the outer resin layer is about 105 to 109 Ω/meter. |
| US08630078B2 |
Active AC inrush current control
Active inrush current control includes activating a load, the activating causing inrush current to flow, switching a semiconductor switching device to a current limiting state in response to the inrush current flow, the current limiting state being one of at least three states of the semiconductor switching device and the current limiting state dissipating the inrush current, and switching the semiconductor device to a full current flow state in response to the dissipating, the full current flow state not inhibiting current flow. |
| US08630072B2 |
Circuits including a diode string comprised of bipolar stages having an adjustable pseudo beta for ESD protection
A circuit includes an input terminal and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The ESD protection circuit includes a diode string formed from a plurality of P-N junction devices arranged in series. The diode string includes an input coupled to the input terminal and includes at least one output coupled to a power supply terminal. The circuit further includes a plurality of shunt elements. Each of the plurality of shunt elements includes a first terminal coupled to one of the plurality of P-N junction devices and a second terminal coupled to the power supply terminal. Each of the plurality of shunt elements is controllable to selectively couple the one of the plurality of P-N junction devices to the power supply terminal to distribute current flow across the diode string in response to an ESD event. |
| US08630069B1 |
Magnetic shield having improved resistance to the hard bias magnetic field
In one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetoresistance effect sensor including a free layer, a hard bias magnetic film adapted for performing magnetic domain control of the free layer by biasing a magnetization direction of the free layer towards a predefined direction that is positioned on both sides of the free layer in a track-width direction, an upper shield positioned above the hard bias magnetic film and the magnetoresistance effect sensor; and an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer positioned above the upper shield. The upper shield includes first and second upper shield layers, and an AFM coupling layer positioned between the first upper shield layer and the second upper shield layer that is adapted for antiferromagnetically coupling the first upper shield layer and the second upper shield layer, wherein a magnetization of the first upper shield layer is antiparallel with a magnetization of the hard magnetic bias layer. |
| US08630068B1 |
Method and system for providing a side shielded read transducer
A method and system for providing a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) is described. The magnetic read transducer includes a first shield, a magnetoresistive sensor, at least one soft magnetic side shield, and a second shield. The magnetoresistive sensor includes a sensor layer having at least one edge in the track width direction along the ABS. The at least one soft magnetic side shield is adjacent to the at least one edge of the sensor layer. The at least one soft magnetic side shield has a full film permeability of at least ten. The magnetoresistive sensor is between the first shield and the second shield and free of an in-stack hard bias layer. |
| US08630066B2 |
Hard disk drive including a micromotion actuator and a damping unit
In a hard disk drive, for the purpose of solving a problem that a mass of the tip of a VCM actuator increases, a primary resonance frequency lowers and a control band lowers in a case where a balance driving mechanism which damps a vibration during the driving of a microactuator is mounted, a damping unit using a displacement enlargement mechanism by resonance is disposed to obtain a sufficient damping effect with a small mass, thereby setting a resonance frequency of the damping unit to be higher than a frequency of a resonance peak of a damping object. The hard disk drive includes a micromotion actuator for micromotion displacement which drives a head-gimbal assembly, and a micromotion actuator for damping which drives the damping unit so that the micromotion displacement direction of a magnetic head and the displacement direction of a mount portion have opposite phases. |
| US08630061B2 |
Retaining a spoiler in a hard disk drive
A hard disk drive comprising, a base plate comprising a pin, a top cover, a plurality of magnetic disks, and a spoiler. The spoiler includes a first spring fastener for temporary spring fastening the spoiler on the base plate, and a second spring fastener for resiliently fastening the spoiler when the top cover is attached to the base plate. |
| US08630059B1 |
Methods for closed-loop compensation of ultra-high frequency disturbances in hard disk drives and hard disk drives utilizing same
A disk drive comprises a disk, an actuator arm and a servo controller using a position error signal to generate a controller output signal to control the actuator arm. A plant mechanically models at least a portion of the disk drive, receives a control command to which an unknown disturbance is added and generates a plant output. A disturbance observer (DOB) uses the control command and the plant output to generate a delayed and estimated version of the disturbance. The DOB comprises a Q filter having a selected center frequency. A perfect phase cancellation filter (PPCF) is configured to receive the delayed and estimated version of the disturbance, to reject selected disturbances and to align the desired attenuation frequency with the selected center frequency. The output of the PPCF is subtracted from the controller output signal to generate the control command. |
| US08630056B1 |
Hybrid drive adjusting spin-up profile based on cache status of non-volatile semiconductor memory
A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM) operable to cache data. When beginning to spin up the hybrid drive, a first spin-up profile is used while servicing access commands using the NVSM, including write commands and read commands. When a cache event occurs, spinning up the disk is finished using a second spin-up profile in order to spin-up the disk faster. |
| US08630054B2 |
Systems and methods for data throttling during disk drive power down
Some embodiments of the invention are directed to a data storage system that includes a disk and solid-state non-volatile memory (NVM). During a power failure, the data storage system may use back EMF (BEMF) voltage from the spindle motor of the disk to park the heads of the disk and/or store data in the NVM. In one embodiment, a demand regulation circuit regulates loads that use voltage generated from the BEMF. The demand regulation circuit may be used to selectively cause a controller to adjust the rate of programming to the NVM in order to reduce the load. For example, the demand regulation circuit may assert a throttle signal to the controller upon detecting that the voltage generated from the BEMF is below a certain threshold. Programming rate may be throttled, programming cycles may be staggered, and/or programming time may be lengthened. Throttling may enable the use of smaller circuitry. |
| US08630053B2 |
Systems and methods for parameter modification during data processing retry
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, a data processing system is discussed that includes: a buffer circuit, an equalizer circuit, a data processing circuit, and a retry determination circuit. The buffer is operable to store digital samples as a buffered output, and the equalizer circuit is operable to equalize the buffered output using a first equalization target to yield a first equalized output, and to yield a second equalized output using a second equalization target. The retry determination circuit is operable to select the second equalization target based at least in part on an occurrence of an error. |
| US08630047B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens; a second lens; and a third lens. A curvature radius of an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface of the first lens is positive. The second lens is formed such that a curvature radius of an object-side surface is negative and a curvature radius of an image plane-side surface is positive. A curvature radius of an object-side surface and an image plane-side surface of the third lens is positive. When the first lens has a focal length f1, the second lens has a focal length f2, the third lens has a focal length f3, a composite focal length of the first lens and the second lens is f12, and a composite focal length of the second lens and the third lens is f23, the imaging lens satisfies the following expressions: f1<|f2| f1 |
| US08630046B2 |
Lens system, optical device with lens system, and method of manufacturing lens system
A lens system comprises, on a side closest to an object, a first lens component having a positive refractive power and a second lens component having a positive refractive power in order from the object; and on a side closest to an image, a cemented lens constructed by cementing together a positive lens and a negative lens in order from the object; wherein the lens system satisfies the following conditional expressions: (n1+n2)/2>1.49 (ν1+ν2)/2>60 where n1 and ν1 denote a refractive index and an Abbe number of the first lens component at d-line, respectively, and n2 and ν2 denote a refractive index and an Abbe number of the second lens component at d-line, respectively. |
| US08630044B2 |
Evanescent electromagnetic wave conversion methods III
Apparatus, methods, and systems provide conversion of evanescent electromagnetic waves to non-evanescent electromagnetic waves and/or conversion of non-evanescent electromagnetic waves to evanescent electromagnetic waves. In some approaches the conversion includes propagation of electromagnetic waves within an indefinite electromagnetic medium, and the indefinite medium may include an artificially-structured material such as a layered structure or other metamaterial. |
| US08630043B2 |
Color light combiner
For combining light from different light sources that are spatially apart, an optical system comprises a prism assembly that comprises a totally-internally-surface and a dichroic filter. The totally-internally-surface and the dichroic filter are configured for reflecting light of different colors or polarizations, so as to combine light of different polarization or colors into a single beam. |
| US08630041B2 |
Data storage assembly with diamond like carbon antireflective layer
A data storage assembly is presented. The data storage assembly includes a bi-layered antireflective coating. An inner layer of the antireflective coating includes diamond like carbon. An outer layer is disposed over the inner layer. |
| US08630038B2 |
Illumination device for a microscope
The present invention relates to an illumination device (400) for a microscope (600), including at least one light source (120, 130) and a reflector (410) for providing diffuse illumination, said reflector at least partially surrounding the observation beam path (OA1) between a microscope objective (10) and an object (20) to be observed. The reflector (410) is at least partially elastic and capable of being reversibly transformed from at least a first form to at least a second form. |
| US08630036B2 |
Method and system using phase modulation to reduce spectral broadening
A laser system includes a seed laser operable to output a seed laser signal along an optical path and a phase modulator disposed along the optical path and operable to receive the seed laser signal. The laser system also includes a phase modulator driver coupled to the phase modulator. A drive signal from the phase modulator driver is operable to produce, as an output from the phase modulator, an unmodulated seed laser signal when the drive signal is associated with a first state and a modulated seed laser signal when the drive signal is associated with a second state. The laser system further includes a fiber amplifier disposed along the optical path and operable to receive the output of the phase modulator. A spectral bandwidth of an output of the fiber amplifier associated with the second state is less than a spectral bandwidth of the output of the fiber amplifier associated with the first state. |
| US08630033B2 |
Via structure and method thereof
A layered micro-electronic and/or micro-mechanic structure comprises at least three alternating electrically conductive layers with insulating layers between the conductive layers. There is also provided a via in a first outer layer, said via comprising an insulated conductive connection made of wafer native material through the layer, an electrically conductive plug extending through the other layers and into said via in the first outer layer in order to provide conductivity through the layers, and an insulating enclosure surrounding said conductive plug in at least one selected layer of said other layers for insulating said plug from the material in said selected layer. It also relates to micro-electronic and/or micro-mechanic device comprising a movable member provided above a cavity such that it is movable in at least one direction. The device has a layered structure according to the invention. Methods of making such a layered MEMS structure is also provided. |
| US08630021B2 |
Color processing for generation of a profile for color separation
A color value of output color reproduced based on an output signal value corresponding to an input color value of a grid point in an input color space, which is obtained by sampling a range of the output signal value, are estimated. An evaluation value that evaluates tonality between a color value estimated in correspondence with an input color value of a grid point of interest in the input color space and color values estimated in correspondence with input color values of grid points adjacent to the grid point of interest is calculated. When the input color value of the grid point of interest, whose evaluation value is less than a predetermined threshold value, is obtained, an output signal value corresponding to that input signal value is set in the grid point of interest. |
| US08630008B2 |
Method and system for managing print device information using a cloud administration system
A print device may include an inbound queue in communication with a cloud administration system via a firewall. The cloud administration system may operate as a shared resource for the print device. The print device may include a transmission module in communication with the cloud administration system, and a plurality of outbound queues. Each outbound queue may correspond to a print job type or a type of print device information. Each queue may be in communication with the transmission module. The cloud administration system may be located remotely from the print device. |
| US08630002B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method of copying a document, and computer product
One digital copying machine is set as a parent machine and other copying machines are set as child machines. When documents are set both on an ADF of the parent machine and on an ADF of at least one child machine, a CPU of the parent machine performs two types of controls in parallel. In the first control, the ADF of the parent machine automatically feeds each of the original documents, the scanner of the parent machine reads images, and MEM-C or HDD of the parent machine stores the images. In the second control, the ADF of the child machine automatically feeds each of the original documents, the scanner of the child machine reads images, IEEE1394 1/F of the child machine transfers the images to the parent machine, and the MEM-C or the HDD of the parent machine stores the images. |
| US08630001B2 |
Image forming apparatus
At the time of changing a communication destination, when there is a registered program referencing a communication destination related to the change, a main control section 11 confirms a user's intention related on whether to reflect in an appropriate registered program the change related to the communication destination, and according to the user's intention thus obtained, decides whether to reflect the change related to the communication destination in the appropriate registered program. Thereby, even when there is the change related to the communication destination, the change related to the communication destination can be properly conducted through preventing an erroneous transmission to a destination against the user's intention. |
| US08629998B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming system
If image stabilization becomes necessary while an MFP is executing a print job received from a user, the MFP performs the image stabilization while emitting an operation sound if the user has not moved away from the MFP. Also, if the user has moved away from the MFP, the MFP stops the print job and logs the user out. |
| US08629997B2 |
Print control apparatus and image forming system for rendering image data
A print control apparatus includes a rendering unit, a sending unit, a distribution unit, and a saving unit. The rendering unit performs rendering in response to a print instruction described in a page-dependent page description language where details of a change of a print resource on a certain page are applied to other pages. The sending unit sends the entire print instruction including pages to the rendering unit. The distribution unit distributes, to the rendering unit, a process request specifying which of the pages is to be rendered. The saving unit saves a process state of the rendering unit after rendering a preset page. When executing rendering by extracting the print instruction of the page specified by the distributed process request to image data, if the process request is distributed in descending order, the rendering unit resumes the process state saved in the saving unit, and renders the specified page. |
| US08629996B2 |
Printing apparatus and printing method
A printing apparatus comprises a movement unit which moves a carriage incorporating a print head along a carriage shaft arranged in a main scanning direction, and a conveyance unit which conveys a printing medium in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction. The printing apparatus stores image data. The image data is divided into a plurality of first image data in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and is read out. Predetermined image processing is executed based on the first image data and first image data adjacent to the first image data in the sub-scanning direction. Second image data is extracted, based on information about a deflection of the carriage shaft in the sub-scanning direction, from the first image data for which the image processing has been executed. The extracted second image data is transferred to the print head. |
| US08629993B2 |
Information processing apparatus for updating a character string displayed on a print setting screen
An information processing apparatus determines whether setting value data corresponding to the identification information of the received printer data is present in a storage unit, stores setting value data containing the identification information, the character string information, and the version information in the storage unit when it is determined that the setting value data corresponding to the identification information of the printer data is not present in the storage unit, and updates the character string information and the version information of the setting value data with those of the printer data when it is determined that the setting value data corresponding to the identification information of the printer data is present in the storage unit, and when the version information of the printer data is newer than that of the setting value data. |
| US08629989B2 |
Coordinate input apparatus, light receiving apparatus of the coordinate input apparatus, and manufacturing method of the same
A light receiving unit of a coordinate input apparatus includes a light receiving element, a light receiving lens, an adjusting unit for adjusting the positional relationship between the light receiving element and light receiving lens, and a light transmissive plate which is arranged between the light receiving element and light receiving lens, and defines the focal length of the light receiving lens. The light transmissive plate is arranged between the light receiving element and light receiving lens in a state in which the optical axis between the light receiving element and light receiving lens is adjusted by the adjusting unit with the light transmissive plate being removed. |
| US08629985B2 |
Displacement measurement method and apparatus thereof, stage apparatus, and probe microscope
A displacement measurement method, an apparatus thereof, and a probe microscope. which enable stable measure an amount of displacement and a moving distance of an object under measurement with an accuracy of the sub-nanometer order or below without being affected by disturbances such as fluctuations of air and mechanical vibration. A pulsed beam is split into two; one beam is reflected by an object under measurement and then inputted to a delay optical path equivalent to one pulse period; and the other beam is sent through the same delay optical path in the opposite direction up to the object under measurement with a delay of one pulse period, and then reflected by the object under measurement. An optical phase variation caused by the movement of the object under measurement is obtained by subjecting the two pulsed beams to interference. |
| US08629983B2 |
Assembly with absorbing sensor layer
The invention relates to an assembly for detecting the presence of a target based on a detection of a resonance associated to surface polaritons, such as long-range surface exciton polaritons (LRSEP). The invention relates to an assembly to be used in connection with a bio-sensor. The assembly comprising a carrier substrate (1) and a sensor layer (2) positioned on the carrier substrate. The sensor layer is of a material having a complex permittivity with an imaginary part being greater than or similar to the real part. |
| US08629981B2 |
Analyzers with time variation based on color-coded spatial modulation
A filter arrangement can transmit and/or reflect light emanating from a moving object so that the emanating light has time variation, and the time variation can include information about the object, such as its type. For example, emanating light from segments of a path can be transmitted/reflected through positions of a filter assembly, and the transmission functions of the positions can be sufficiently different that time variation occurs in the emanating light between segments. Or emanating light from a segment can be transmitted/reflected through a filter component in which simpler transmission functions are superimposed, so that time variation occurs in the emanating light in accordance with superposition of two simpler non-uniform transmission functions. Many filter arrangements could be used, e.g. the filter component could include the filter assembly, which can have one of the simpler non-uniform transmission functions. Time-varying waveforms from sensing results can be compared to obtain spectral differences. |
| US08629980B2 |
Optical microscope and optical instrumentation
The invention provides an optical microscope that prevents an increase in the complexity of the light source system and is equipped with optics readily capable of adequate operation even when the modulation frequency is increased in order to reduce the impact of the intensity noise of the laser, etc. This optical microscope 100 irradiates a sample 6 with a first train of optical pulses having a first optical frequency, which is generated by a first light source, and a second train of optical pulses having a second optical frequency, which is temporally synchronized with the first train of optical pulses and is generated by a second light source, and detects light scattered from the sample 6. The repetition frequency of the train of optical pulses generated by the first light source is an integral sub-multiple of the repetition frequency of the train of optical pulses generated by the second light source. |
| US08629979B2 |
Inspection system, inspection method, and program
Setting a spatial filter requires repeatedly confirming a scan image through visual inspection by an operator and adjusting the spatial filter. A setting state is also dependent on the operator. Therefore, in the present invention, a scattered light image (beam image) and a diffracted light image (Fourier image) are simultaneously observed, and an intensity profile of the scattered light image (beam image) and an intensity profile of the diffracted light image (Fourier image) are simultaneously monitored. A field of view of a diffracted light image is scanned with only one spatial filter, and a state change with respect to the intensity profiles in the absence of insertion of the spatial filter is detected. A setting condition for a spatial filter is determined on the basis of the detected state change. |
| US08629975B1 |
Apparatus and method for a multiple aperture coherent ladar
A multi-function, range-Doppler, synthetic aperture and micro-Doppler, coherent laser radar system having improved spatial resolution and immunity to undesired platform motion utilizing two or more simultaneous, spatially offset transceiver apertures. |
| US08629974B2 |
Optical component for maskless exposure apparatus
The present invention relates to an optical component for a maskless exposure apparatus, and more particularly, to a micro-prism array or a micro-mirror array which is an optical component capable of screening diffused light such that the image of a pixel of a digital micro-mirror display (DMD) formed by a first image-forming lens in the maskless exposure apparatus has no influence on the image of a neighboring pixel and of totally reflecting the light after reflection or diffraction at the same time, thus improving exposure performance by using the quantity of light being transmitted without a loss and increasing numerical apertures (NAs) at the same time. The optical component is configured such that a micro-prism array with a plurality of micro-prisms or a micro-mirror array with a plurality of micro-mirrors is arranged in place of a micro-lens array of an exposure apparatus such that a light incidence portion is formed in a wide manner and a light exit portion is formed in a narrow manner, and light being transmitted is focused to increase the quantity of light. |
| US08629968B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The liquid crystal display device may include a first electrode; a second electrode facing the first electrode and forming a vertical electrical field together with the first electrode; a blue phase liquid crystal layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a first prism sheet provided to face the second electrode with the first electrode between the second electrode and the first prism sheet. The first prism sheet changes a path of incident light so that the incident light from the outside obliquely enters the blue phase liquid crystal layer with respect to the vertical electrical field. |
| US08629962B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel having particular slit-shaped openings in an upper electrode
A liquid crystal display panel includes: first and second substrates facing each other. The first substrate includes a plurality of scanning lines and signal lines intersecting each other, an upper electrode having a plurality of slit-shaped openings formed for each sub-pixel, and a lower electrode. The second substrate includes a light-shielding layer formed so as to overlap the scanning line and a signal line in a plan view, and a color filter layer formed in each of the sub-pixels defined by the scanning lines and the signal lines. A single pixel is formed by the plurality of sub-pixels including the color filter layers of different colors, respectively. The length of the slit-shaped opening in a longitudinal direction in the sub-pixel corresponding to at least one color is shorter than the length of the slit-shaped opening in the longitudinal direction in the sub-pixel corresponding to the other colors. |
| US08629961B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having organic alignment layer and fabrication method thereof
An alignment structure of a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a plurality of region defining strips disposed at intervals on the substrate, and organic alignment strips disposed between the region defining strips. |
| US08629958B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device capable of dealing with highly definition display and securing both of transmission type display luminance and reflection type display luminance, wherein the Cs on-gate structure is adopted, and a light reflectance is set to be in a range of 1% or more and 30% or less and a light transmittance is set to be in a range of 4% or more and 10% or less on the display panel formed by arranging in matrix a plurality of pixel regions 4 having a reflection region A for reflection type display by reflection of an ambient light and a transmission region B for transmission type display by transmission of light from a light source provided inside. |
| US08629957B2 |
Vertically aligned nematic mode liquid crystal display having large tilt angles and high contrast
A reflective liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) display comprises a transparent substrate, a reflective substrate, and liquid crystal fluid between the substrates. The LCOS display further comprises a matrix of pixels, arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, wherein an intersection of a row and a column defines a position of a pixel in the matrix. The LCOS display has tilt angles sufficient to overcome disclinations due to fringe fields, and, at the same time, achieves high contrast. The surface azimuthal direction of the molecules of the liquid crystal fluid is either substantially parallel or perpendicular to the direction of polarization of incoming incident linearly polarized light. Light leakage is minimal because the effective birefringence as seen by the incoming incident linearly polarized light is substantially zero and does not depend on the pretilt of the molecules of the liquid crystal fluid. Between the transparent substrate and the reflective substrate, the twist of the molecules of the liquid crystal fluid may vary from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees when in the “OFF” state. |
| US08629949B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of forming the same
A liquid crystal display and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The method of forming the liquid crystal display comprises: forming a gate electrode and a common electrode on a substrate; forming a gate dielectric, which covers the gate electrode and the common electrode, on the substrate; forming a channel layer, which covers the gate electrode, on the gate dielectric; forming a source electrode and a drain electrode which expose a portion of the channel layer; forming an organic layer, which contacts the exposed portion of the channel layer, on the source electrode and the drain electrode; patterning the organic layer contacting the channel layer so as to form an organic layer pattern comprising a first opening which exposes the channel layer; and forming an inorganic insulation layer which covers the channel layer exposed by the first opening. |
| US08629948B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and method for fabricating same, and array substrate and method for fabricating same
A liquid crystal display panel includes: a plurality of switching elements each provided on a transparent substrate (10) for each sub-pixel and having a drain electrode (14b); an interlayer insulating film (17) provided to cover the switching elements and including an inorganic insulating film (15) and an organic insulating film (16) sequentially layered; a capacitor electrode (18a) provided on the interlayer insulating film (17); a capacitor insulating film (19) provided to cover the capacitor electrode (18a); a plurality of pixel electrodes (20a) which are provided on the capacitor insulating film (19) and face the capacitor electrode (18a); and a connection region (R) at which the drain electrode (14b) and the capacitor electrode (18a) overlap each other via the inorganic insulating film (15) exposed from the organic insulating film (16). |
| US08629947B2 |
Liquid crystal panel
A liquid crystal panel including a bottom substrate, a top substrate and a liquid crystal layer is provided. The bottom substrate includes a base plate, an active array structure layer, a color filter layer with plural colors and plural transparent pixel electrodes. The active array structure layer includes plural transparent bottom electrodes and plural transistor structures, at least one insulation layer, plural scan lines and plural data lines both formed on the base plate. At least one insulation layer covers the transparent bottom electrodes. The color filter layer is formed on the active array structure layer. The transparent pixel electrodes are formed on the color filter layer. Each transparent pixel electrode partially overlaps the corresponding transparent bottom electrodes so as to form plural storage capacitor structures. The top substrate is substantially parallel to the bottom substrate. The liquid crystal layer is located between the top substrate and the bottom substrate. |
| US08629946B2 |
Display substrate, method of manufacturing the same and display panel having the same
A display substrate includes a data line disposed on a base substrate, a first pixel electrode disposed at a first side of the data line, a second pixel electrode disposed at a second side of the data line and a storage electrode overlapping with the data line. The storage electrode overlaps with the first pixel electrode by a first overlapping width, and overlaps with the second pixel electrode by a second overlapping width larger than the first overlapping width. |
| US08629945B2 |
3D liquid crystal display system
A viewing system has a parallax separation device placed in front of a liquid crystal display panel. The liquid display panel can be used to display a composite image that has many display segments, with each segment having two or more elongated image sections of different images. Each image section may occupy one or more columns of color pixels. The parallax separation device has a plurality of parallax separation elements, each aligned with a display segment for separating the different image sections as seen in a viewer's eyes. The parallax separation device has a barrier axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated image sections. The color sub-pixels in each pixel are arranged along a direction parallel to the barrier axis. A tracking device and a processor are used to determine the locations of image sections under the parallax separation elements based on positions of a viewer. |
| US08629937B1 |
Motion adaptive filter and deinterlacer and methods for use therewith
A device for use in conjunction with a video processing device includes an adaptive filter for processing input pictures into selectively filtered pictures, based on a filter motion data. A deinterlacer selectively interpolates the selectively filtered pictures into selectively deinterlaced pictures, based on deinterlace motion data. A motion detector generates the filter motion data and the deinterlace motion data, based on detecting motion in the input pictures. |
| US08629934B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method for controlling the same
Information relating to object distances in a plurality of areas in an imaging plane is acquired, and a threshold value for an object luminance at which imaging is performed by flashing an illumination device according to a difference between an object distance in a reference area and the object distances in the plurality of areas. |
| US08629932B2 |
Autofocus system and method
A camera module and method for focusing a tunable lens configured to continuously vary its optical power in response to a drive signal. A drive circuit generates the drive signal so that the tunable lens performs a continuous scan of its optical power. An image sensor is configured to acquire light images passing through the tunable lens, and to convert the light images to image signals during the continuous scan. A processor is configured to generate focus scores of the acquired light images using the image signals during the continuous scan. The processor is configured to determine from the focus scores a peak focus score achieved or achievable, and to instruct the drive circuit to adjust the drive signal so that the tunable lens settles at a value of the optical power that corresponds to the peak focus score. |
| US08629931B2 |
Imaging apparatus and imaging method thereof
An imaging apparatus, when an image captured by an imaging unit thereof is not displayed on a display unit, can facilitate framing of an object to be imaged. An aspect ratio setting unit sets an aspect ratio imaged by an image sensor. A system control circuit controls, in a first mode, the display unit to display image data captured by an image sensor in the aspect ratio, and in a second mode, not to display the image data. The system control circuit also displays, in the second mode, information from which at least one of a focus detectable position and a metering area within a shooting area in the aspect ratio is identifiable. |
| US08629930B2 |
Device, image processing device and method for optical imaging
An optical device for imaging is disclosed having at least one micro lens field with at least two micro lenses and one image sensor with at least two image detector matrices. The at least two image detector matrices each include a plurality of image detectors and there is an allocation between the image detector matrices and the micro lenses, so that each micro lens together with an image detector matrix forms an optical channel. The center points of the image detector matrices are shifted laterally by different distances, with respect to centroids, projected onto the image detector matrices, of the micro lens apertures of the associated optical channels, so that the optical channels have different partially overlapping detection areas and so that an overlapping area of the detection areas of two channels is imaged onto the image detector matrices offset with respect to an image detector raster of the image detector matrices. Further, an image processing device and a method for optical imaging are described. |
| US08629928B1 |
Pixel and method for feedback based resetting of a pixel
A storage system, a non-transitory computer readable medium and a method for pre-fetching. The method may include presenting, by a storage system and to at least one host computer, a logical address space; determining, by a fetch module, to fetch a certain data portion from a data storage device to a cache memory of the storage system; determining, by a pre-fetch module, whether to pre-fetch at least one additional data portion from at least one data storage device to the cache memory based upon at least one characteristic of a mapping tree that maps one or more contiguous ranges of addresses related to the logical address space and one or more contiguous ranges of addresses related to the physical address space; and pre-fetching the at least one additional data portions if it is determined to pre-fetch the at least one additional data portions. |
| US08629926B2 |
Imaging apparatus comprising image sensor array having shared global shutter circuitry
There is set forth herein in one embodiment an image sensor array including a global shutter shared by first and second pixels. The global shutter can include a charge storage area having an associated shield for reducing charge build up on the charge storage area attributable to incident light rays. There is set forth herein in one embodiment an imaging apparatus having one or more configuration. The one or more configuration can include one or more of a configuration wherein a frame read out from an image sensor array has unbinned pixel values, a configuration wherein a frame read out from an image sensor array has binned pixel values corresponding to an M×N, M>=2, N>=2 arrangement of pixel values, and a configuration wherein a frame read out from an image sensor array has binned pixel values corresponding to a 1×N, N>=2 arrangement of pixel values. |
| US08629924B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus that processes image data output from an image sensing device including a plurality of pixels, comprises: a storage unit that stores defect data at least including first information showing grades of defective pixels that are subject to correction and, with respect to each defective pixel among the plurality of pixels, address information, second information showing a grade of the defective pixel; an acquisition unit that acquires an imaging condition and an imaging environment at a time of image sensing; a determination unit that compares the first information and the second information, and determines whether defect correction of each defective pixel is necessary or not based on a comparison result; and a correction unit that performs the defect correction on image data output from a defective pixel for which the determination unit determines that defect correction is necessary. |
| US08629922B2 |
Image capturing apparatus and method of controlling the same
An image capturing apparatus comprises an imaging unit which performs an imaging process of an object image; an image storage unit which stores the image data linked with album data; a layout storage unit which stores layout information representing a position where the image data linked with the album data is displayed on a page of the album data; an album display unit which displays an image frame at the position on the page of the album data represented by the layout information; and a designation unit which receives a designation of an arbitrary position on the displayed page, wherein when a region outside the image frame is designated, the album display unit displays the captured image data on a background of the page as a live view, and the image storage unit stores the image data linked as the background of the page of the album data. |
| US08629921B2 |
Image recording apparatus and image recording method
An aspect of the present invention provides an image recording apparatus comprising: an image recording device which records an extended image file storing a plurality of pieces of image data and a basic file storing at least one piece of image data selected from the pieces of image data stored in the extended image file, the extended image file and the basic file being associated with each other; a determination device which determines whether or not the basic file has been deleted or modified; and a basic file recovery device which recovers the basic file from the extended image file if it is determined that the basic file has been deleted or modified. |
| US08629917B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, and recording medium
A blur characteristic of a captured image changes due to demosaicing at the time of blur correction of an image pickup optical system. As a result, favorable blur correction cannot be performed. Pieces of RAW data are input, correction coefficients for correcting a blur of RAW images represented by the pieces of RAW data are obtained with respect to a plurality of colors, the blur of the RAW images represented by the pieces of RAW data is corrected on the basis of the correction coefficients obtained with respect to the plurality of colors, corrected images are obtained, and a demosaic process is performed on the plurality of obtained corrected images, thereby generating output image data. |
| US08629913B2 |
Overflow control techniques for image signal processing
Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to an image signal processing system includes overflow control logic that detects an overflow condition when a destination unit when a sensor input queue and/or front-end processing unit receives back pressure from a downstream destination unit. In one embodiment, pixels of a current frame are dropped when an overflow condition occurs. The number of dropped pixels may be tracked using a counter. Upon recovery of the overflow condition, the remaining pixels of the frame are received and each dropped pixel may be replaced using a replacement pixel value. |
| US08629910B2 |
Image capture apparatus and control method thereof
An image capture apparatus comprises an image capture unit which photo-electrically converts an object image, a shake detection unit which detects a shake of the image capture apparatus, a motion vector detection unit which detects a motion vector, a reference value calculation unit which calculates a reference value serving as an output from the shake detection unit when the image capture apparatus stands still, a correction amount calculation unit which calculates a shake correction amount, and an image blur correction unit which corrects a blur of the object image, wherein the reference value calculation unit calculates the reference value based on an integrated value of the output from the shake detection unit, an integrated value of an output from the motion vector detection unit, and a variation of the output from the correction amount calculation unit in a predetermined period. |
| US08629906B2 |
Inspection system, mobile terminal, inspection method and recording medium
An inspection method of allowing a mobile terminal to execute: a step of displaying inspection information and drawing information based on an inspection sheet containing inspection information on an inspection object and inspection content and drawing information on the inspection information; a step of selecting a desired inspection object from the inspection objects contained in the inspection sheet according to the displayed drawing information; a step of inputting an inspection result corresponding to the inspection content of the selected inspection object; a step of inputting a shooting point of the selected inspection object; a step of shooting an image by using the inspection object as an object to be shot; and a step of storing inspection result data associating the selected inspection object, the inputted inspection result, the inputted shooting point, and the inspection photo which is the shot image. |
| US08629901B2 |
System and method of revising depth of a 3D image pair
A method of revising depth of a three-dimensional (3D) image is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, at least one initial depth map associated with one image of the 3D image pair based on stereo matching technique is received, wherein the one image comprises a plurality of pixels, and the initial depth map carries an initial depth value of each pixel. Then, the inconsistence among the pixels of the one image of the 3D image pair is detected to estimate a reliable map. Finally, the initial depth value is interpolated according to the reliable map and the proximate pixels, so as to generate a revised depth map by revising the initial depth value. |
| US08629899B2 |
Transforming video data in accordance with human visual system feedback metrics
In general, techniques are described for transforming video data in accordance with human visual system feedback metrics. For example, an apparatus comprising a transformation module, a parameter discovery module and a human visual system (HVS) feedback module implements these techniques. The parameter discovery module configures the transformation module to generate three-dimensional (3D) video data in accordance with parameters defining capabilities supported by a 3D display device. The transformation module transforms video data to generate the 3D video data. The HVS feedback module determines, while the transformation module transforms the video data, one or more metrics using an HVS model that reflects a quality of 3D visualization of the generated 3D video data with respect to a human visual system and reconfigures the one or more modules based on the determined one or more metrics to refine the generation of the 3D video data. |
| US08629898B2 |
Stereoscopic video delivery
A method of operation of a de-interlacer/scaler for display of stereoscopic images consistent with certain implementations involves at a de-interlacer/scaler, receiving consecutive frames of video information that contain alternating left and right eye images from a decoder; at the de-interlacer/scaler, disabling all image processing algorithms that utilize pixel data for temporally or spatially adjacent pixels that represent images, where at least one pixel is for the left eye and one pixel is for the right eye; and sending stereoscopic images from the de-interlacer/scaler to a display. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08629897B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and program
An imaging processing device includes: a position information generation section that generates position information which represents a relative positional relationship of captured images when the captured images are aligned on a predetermined plane so as to overlap same subjects, which are included in the different captured images, with each other; a strip image generation section that cuts out an area on each captured image from a predetermined reference position on the captured image to the reference position on another captured image which is aligned on the plane so as to overlap with the captured image and generates a strip image including the area, when the captured images are aligned on the plane on the basis of the position information; and a panoramic image generation section that generates a single panoramic image by aligning and stitching the strip images which are obtained from the captured images. |
| US08629894B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically transmitting emoticon during video communication in mobile communication terminal
An apparatus and a method for automatically transmitting an emoticon during video communication in a mobile communication terminal are provided. In operation, location information is received during video communication, and data corresponding to the received location information is searched for from a memory. Image data captured by a camera and the searched data are synthesized and transmitted to a counterpart terminal. |
| US08629892B2 |
Thermal head, method of manufacturing thermal head, and printer equipped with thermal head
A thermal printer has a support substrate with a concave portion in a surface thereof, and an upper substrate bonded to the surface of the support substrate and including a convex portion at a position corresponding to the concave portion. A heating resistor is provided on a surface of the upper substrate at a position straddling the convex portion. A pair of electrodes is provided on both sides of the heating resistor, with each of the electrodes being formed in a region outside of the convex portion. The convex portion extends at a height greater than each of the electrodes. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a thin portion connected to the heating resistor in a region corresponding to the concave portion, and a thick portion connected to the heating resistor and having a thickness greater than that of the thin portion. |
| US08629886B2 |
Layer combination in a surface composition system
A system and method for processing and rendering multiple layers of a two-dimensional scene. A system provides a mechanism to determine a number of scene surfaces and a mapping between scene layers and scene surfaces. The mechanisms may include combining and aggregating areas of layers to create one opaque surface, aggregating non-overlapping semi-transparent opaque areas of layers, or creating surfaces from overlapping semi-transparent surfaces. Moving objects are accommodated, so that layers below a moving object may be rendered properly in frames where the moving object is above the layer and frames where the moving object is not above the layer, for each pixel. |
| US08629884B2 |
Wide color gamut display system
A wide gamut RGB digital display, such as an LCD display, digital television, printer, or any other suitable display, includes wide color gamut configuration message control logic that is operative to indicate, to an image source provider, wide gamut RGB indication information and wide color gamut format definition information that indicates that wide gamut RGB color data is to be received by the wide gamut RGB digital display. The wide gamut configuration message control logic is also operatively responsive to wide gamut confirmation information that is received from the image source provider. The wide gamut RGB digital display also includes logic that is operative to display received wide gamut RGB color data that was received in response to the wide gamut RGB indication information and the wide color gamut format definition information. |
| US08629879B2 |
Electrophoretic display controller providing PIP and cursor support
Data pixels defining first and second images are stored in first and second image buffers, respectively. A second image coordinate location within a display matrix of a display device having display pixels that have multiple stable states is stored in a memory. Data pixels of the first image are read from the first image buffer. If a data pixel read from the first image buffer is within the second image coordinate location, a data pixel from the second image buffer corresponding with the data pixel read from the first image buffer is read, and the data pixel read from the second image buffer is combined with the corresponding data pixel read from the first image buffer to generate a derived data pixel. Synthesized pixels corresponding with at least each of the data pixels of the second image are generated. The synthesized pixels respectively include the derived data pixels. |
| US08629877B2 |
Method of and system for time-division based parallelization of graphics processing units (GPUs) employing a hardware hub with router interfaced between the CPU and the GPUs for the transfer of geometric data and graphics commands and rendered pixel data within the system
A method of dynamic load-balancing in a PC-based computing system employing a multiple GPU-based graphics pipeline architecture supporting multiple modes of GPU parallelization. During the execution of the graphics application, the stream of geometrical data and said graphics commands is analyzed, and the mode of parallelization of the GPUs during each frame, is determined using results of the analysis of the stream of geometrical data and graphics commands, and one or more policies for determining the mode of parallelization. The stream of geometrical data and graphic commands is distributed to the GPUs according to the determined mode of parallelization. During the generation of each frame, one or more of GPUs are used to process the stream of geometrical data and graphic commands, or a portion thereof, while operating in the parallelization mode, so as to generate pixel data corresponding to at least a portion of an image of 3D object. The pixel data output is transferred from one or more of the GPUs and composing a frame of pixel data, representative of the image of the 3D object. The frame of pixel data is displayed on a display surface of the PC-based computing system. |
| US08629876B2 |
Displayport control and data registers
Circuits, methods, and apparatus for registers to store information that may be used by devices in a display system. One example provides control and data registers in a display to store information pertaining to a display system that includes the display. The registers can store attributes of the display, a host device, and a branch device. The information may include an organizationally unique identifier, chip identification, major and minor chip revision information, and firmware major and minor revision information. |
| US08629875B2 |
Constraint systems and methods for manipulating non-hierarchical objects
Methods and apparatus for animating images using bidirectional constraints are described. |
| US08629874B2 |
Mobile display device and method of controlling display of conversion candidates of input characters on the mobile display device
It is possible to provide a mobile display device which can improve usability even when the character size is increased for improving visibility. A method for controlling the mobile display device is also disclosed. A control unit (18) can set a conversion candidate of an input character displayed on a second display region (conversion candidate character display region (162)) of a display unit (16) to a first display mode (normal mode) for displaying the conversion candidate in a first character size and to a second display mode (enlarged mode) for displaying the conversion candidate in a second character size greater than the first character size while differentiating a display priority of a plurality of conversion candidates to be displayed in the second display region in the first display mode and a display priority of a plurality of conversion candidates to be displayed in the second display region in the second display mode. |
| US08629873B2 |
Data analysis system
In a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC/MS), three kinds of graphic data (or graphs) composed of an LC chromatogram, an MS chromatogram, and an MS spectrum should be mutually compared to perform a specific analysis. Conventionally, a plurality of graphs are arranged for comparison on one monitor in accordance with a user's purpose. However, when an operation is once terminated and then the graphs are displayed again or in other processes, their display formats are not reproduced. Hence, the user needs to manually set the desired layout every time, which is cumbersome. The data analysis system according to the present invention has been developed to solve this problem. The data analysis system has a layout memory for storing layout information including a plurality of kinds of graphs to be displayed on the monitor and the display position of each graph, and refers to the layout information when displaying the graphs. |
| US08629863B2 |
Electronic device using movement of particles
A method is provided of driving an electronic device comprising an array of device elements, each device element comprising particles which are moved to control a device element state, and each device element comprising a collector electrode, and an output electrode. The method comprises: in a reset phase, applying a first set of control signals to control the device to move the particles to the a reset electrode; and in an addressing phase, applying a second set of control signals to control the device to move the particles from the reset electrode such that a desired number of particles are at the output electrode. The second set of control signals comprises a pulse waveform oscillating between first and second voltages in which the first voltage is for attracting the particles to the reset electrode and the second voltage is for attracting the particles from the reset electrode to the output electrode, and wherein the duty cycle of the pulse waveform determines the proportion of particles transferred to the output electrode in the addressing phase. This control method provides well-controlled packets of particles which are collected in a vortex at the reset electrode before being passed on, in part, towards the output electrode (for example via the gate electrode). |
| US08629860B2 |
Display device, driving method of display device and electronic apparatus
A display device includes: a pixel array unit in which plural pixels are arranged, each including an electro-optic device, a write transistor writing a video signal, a storage capacitor storing the video signal written by the write transistor and a drive transistor driving the electro-optic device based on the video signal stored in the storage capacitor, which have a function of correcting mobility of the drive transistors; and a scanning circuit giving a write scanning signal to gate electrodes of the write transistors while sequentially scanning respective pixels in the pixel array row by row as well as generating the write scanning signal based on respective timings of rising and falling of one pulse-state power source potential. |
| US08629858B2 |
Liquid crystal device, method of driving liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, liquid crystal which is in between the first and the second substrate, and a detection electrode provided on a side of the first substrate, opposite to a side of the liquid crystal. The second substrate includes pixel electrodes connected through switching elements to signal lines, opposite electrodes formed between the pixel electrodes and the liquid crystal and are connected to control lines, a selection circuit that conducts the switching element during a selection period and interrupts conduction after the selection period has elapsed, a signal supplying circuit which supplies a data electric potential during the selection periods, a electric potential control circuit which sets the control lines to an predetermined electric potential when the scanning lines to the control line is selected and sets to a reference electric potential after the selection period has elapsed. |
| US08629856B2 |
Apparatus and method for acquiring object image of a pointer
An apparatus and a method for acquiring object image of a pointer are provided. The apparatus is suitable for an optical touch system and is used for acquiring an object image of a pointer when the pointer interacts with a touch surface of the optical touch system. The apparatus includes an image sensor and a processing circuit. The image sensor is used for acquiring an image of the touch surface. When the pointer approaches the touch surface, the processing circuit compares at least a part of the information of a sensed image with a threshold value, so as to determine a comparison range. Then, the processing circuit determines another threshold value according to the image information in the comparison range. Afterwards, the processing circuit compares the image information in the comparison range with the aforementioned another threshold value, so as to acquire an object image of the pointer. |
| US08629853B2 |
Touch panel and the touch display device using the same
A touch panel comprising a substrate, a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes is provided. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are disposed on the substrate in rows and columns. The first electrodes are formed as triangles of a base wherein the corresponding first electrodes aligned in any two neighboring columns are symmetrically arranged in shape based on the base, and the first electrodes aligned in the same row are serially connected by multiple first conductive lines. The second electrodes are formed as triangles of a base, wherein the corresponding second electrodes aligned in any two neighboring columns are symmetrically arranged in shape based on the base, and the second electrodes aligned in the same column are serially connected by multiple second conductive lines. The first conductive lines are arranged crossing over and insulated from the second conductive lines. |
| US08629852B2 |
Touch screen and method for compensating sensing capacitance variations and offset variations thereof
Provided are a touch screen and a method for compensating sensing capacitance variations and offset variations thereof. The touch screen includes: a touch panel where a plurality of driving lines and a plurality of sensing lines intersect and are wired; a driving unit for activating the driving lines sequentially; an input unit for measuring a sensing capacitance formed in a sensing line corresponding to an activated driving line; a multiplexer for serializing and outputting the measured sensing capacitance; an analog-to-digital converter for sampling the sensing capacitance outputted from the multiplexer by reflecting an initial sensing capacitance as an offset and performing analog-to-digital conversion for the sampling result; and a host processor for determining a touch event in response to the analog-to-digital conversion result. |
| US08629844B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of composing message using the same
A mobile terminal is provided that includes a touch screen and a controller. The controller operates in a first message composition mode for composing a message according to a first message format. The controller switches the first message composition mode to a second message composition mode for composing the message according to a second message format in response to a first predetermined touch input received via the touch screen. The first message format is different from the second message format. |
| US08629843B2 |
Piezoelectric assembly
A piezoelectric assembly is provided, including an electrode assembly, a signal electrical connector, and a reference electrical connector. The electrode assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric material. The signal electrical connector is in electrical communication with the first electrode and configured to be connected to the current or voltage source so as to provide electrical communication with a current or voltage source. The reference electrical connector is in electrical communication with the second electrode and configured to be connected to the reference source so as to provide electrical communication with a reference source. One of the signal electrical connector and the reference electrical connector includes a metal shim for supporting the electrode assembly. A flexible printed circuit board is provided including a trace. An interconnecting structure effects electrical communication between the trace and the metal shim. The interconnecting structure is disposed within a passage provided between a first side surface and an opposite second side surface of the flexible printed circuit board, and extends through the first side surface to provide a coupling structure coupled to the metal shim at a coupling structure surface interface, and also extends through the second side surface to provide a retainer disposed in opposition to the first side surface to provide a retainer disposed in opposition to the first side surface. |
| US08629841B2 |
Multi-touch sensor patterns and stack-ups
Capacitive multi-touch sensor panels in which both row and column traces may be formed on a single conducting surface are disclosed. These stack-ups may be made thinner and more flexible allowing them to be particularly well-suited for curved or other non-flat touch sensor panels, such as those that might be present on a mouse or other device designed to be grasped by a user's hand. Curved sensor panel arrays that may be formed from flat substrates are also disclosed. These sensor panel configurations may include channels around the periphery of the array. These channels allow the flat array to lie flat when applied to a curved surface, such as the inside of the curved surface. The pattern of the touch sensor elements may be adjusted across the array to avoid the channels. |
| US08629839B2 |
Display screen translator
A system and method are provided for audibly interpreting a screen display. The method comprises: locating a display interpreter (DI) with a tactile matrix of sensors overlying a display screen; in response to sensing a proximate pointer, accepting a tactile matrix region selection; loading a first reference map, cross-referencing DI tactile matrix regions with a first field of screen icons; loading a second reference map, cross-referencing screen icons with audible recordings identifying the screen icons; mapping a screen icon to the selected tactile matrix region; and, audibly identifying the mapped screen icon. That is, the DI uses the second reference map to cross-reference the located screen icon to the audible recording identifying the screen icon, and plays the recording. In one aspect, the DI can be located over a touchscreen with touchscreen icons. Then, the method may further comprise engaging a touchscreen icon. |
| US08629833B1 |
Single particle electrophoretic display and method of manufacturing same
Single particle and dual-particle electrophoretic display devices are disclosed. The display comprises a back substrate and a transparent substrate forming a cavity therebetween. The transparent substrate including one or more cathode electrodes forming a plurality of electronically and selectively addressable pixels; one or more side walls extending from the transparent substrate, the side walls defining corresponding pixels, and a suspension fluid in fluid communication with each of the cells by a gap formed between the top of the side walls and the back substrate. In addition, the displays include a thin-film transistor (TFT) active matrix substrate to selectively drive one or more of the cathode electrodes. In addition, methods for manufacturing of the displays are disclosed. |
| US08629829B2 |
Processing device and processing method for high dynamic contrast of liquid crystal display device
The present invention relates to a processing device and processing method for high dynamic contrast of a liquid crystal display. The processing device comprises a receiver, an inverter and a source driver integrated circuit connected to a center processing module. The processing method comprises: performing a histogram-statistical processing on a received low-voltage differential signal data; obtaining a backlight source luminance control parameter and a gamma reference voltage parameter of the same frame of picture according to the result of the histogram-statistical processing; controlling the luminance of the backlight source according to the backlight source luminance control parameter; and controlling the voltage of a pixel capacitor on the liquid crystal panel according to the gamma reference voltage parameter. The present invention adjusts the luminance of the backlight source and the gamma reference voltage of the liquid crystal panel respectively, whereby enhancing the dynamic contrast of pictures, improving the LCD in terms of the low contrast and flicker, and saving the power consumption of the backlight source. |
| US08629827B2 |
Display device and method of manufacturing the same
A display device includes a display panel, a data driving part and a gate driving part. The display panel includes a first pixel row. The first pixel row includes a first pixel connected to an (n+1)-th gate line and an (m+1)-th data line (where ‘n’ and ‘m’ are natural numbers), and a second pixel connected to an n-th gate line and an (m+2)-th data line. The data driving part applies a data voltage having a first polarity with respect to a reference voltage to the (m+1)-th data line, and applies a data voltage having a second polarity with respect to the reference voltage to the (m+2)-th data line. The gate driving part sequentially applies a gate signal to the n-th gate line and the (n+1)-th gate line. |
| US08629826B2 |
Method for driving liquid crystal display and non-transitory storage medium thereof
The present invention discloses a method for driving thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) and the storage medium for storing computer program representative of the method thereof. The method utilizes a timing controller to send polarity control signals to a plurality of source drivers in a TFT-LCD panel for changing the polarity distribution of the liquid crystal molecules in the panel. The method is characterized by dynamically changing the positions of polarity inversion for alleviating the problem of undercharging under high resolution and high frequency conditions; utilizing both polar and reverse polar driving signals for solving the problem of color shift in “checker board” checking signals; and providing a mechanism for mending the problem of undercharging of the first horizontal line. |
| US08629825B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display device and a method of driving the same are provided. The liquid crystal display device includes a first coupling capacitor and a second coupling capacitor, which are coupled to corresponding data lines among a plurality of data lines and are coupled to a first auxiliary data line and a second auxiliary data line, respectively. Using a plurality of the first and second coupling capacitors, the liquid crystal display device can be driven by a dot inversion driving method with reduced power consumption as a result of using a low data signal voltage. |
| US08629822B2 |
Field sequential color display device with red, green, blue and white light sources
An highly bright and energy efficient FSC color liquid crystal display device incorporating a white light source is provided. The FSC color display device includes a first light source for emitting a light having a plurality of colors, a second light source for emitting a white light, and a light source controller for displaying a color image so as to control the first light source to repeat, in a predetermined cycle, sequentially making a selection from the plurality of color light sources to cause the selected color light source to emit a light, and to control the second light source so that the second light source emits a white light concurrently with light emission from the first light source. |
| US08629817B2 |
Driving circuit of display element and image display apparatus
A new driving circuit is provided. The driving circuit according to the present invention comprises a first period for setting a current to be supplied to a display element, a second period for setting a gray-scale of the display element, and a third period for supplying a driving current to the display element. The present invention, in the driving circuit of the display element, is provided with a current source circuit for supplying a constant current to the display element and a control circuit for controlling the time to supply a constant current to the display element from the current source circuit. |
| US08629809B2 |
Tag patch antenna and RFID tag using tag patch antenna
A tag patch antenna includes: a slit formed in the vicinity of an edge of an antenna pattern along a part of the edge; and a feeding point to which a tag LSI is connected and which is formed by cutting an intermediate portion of the part of the edge separated by the slit from a body of the antenna pattern by a width of the slit. |
| US08629806B2 |
Differentially coherent strobe correlator
A GPS receiver for tracking a GPS signal. The receiver generates a mixed GPS signal by mixing the GPS signal with an oscillator signal, generates a first correlation signal by correlating the mixed GPS signal with a reference signal, and generates a filtered GPS signal from the GPS signal. The receiver also generates a filtered reference signal from the reference signal, generates a second correlation signal by correlating the filtered GPS signal with the filtered reference signal, and a generates a combined correlation signal by combining the first correlation signal with the second correlation signal. The receiver tracks the GPS signal by adjusting the phase of the oscillator signal based on the combined correlation signal. |
| US08629795B2 |
Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), systems, and operating methods thereof
A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) includes a micro-mechanical structure that is capable of generating a first electrical signal. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is coupled with the micro-mechanical structure. The MEMS is free from including any amplifier between the micro-mechanical structure and the ADC. |
| US08629794B2 |
Integrated circuit and system including current-based communication
An integrated circuit includes a current-based digital-to-analog converter (IDAC) including a clock input and including an output. The integrated circuit further includes a sample synchronization generator to provide a clock signal to a clock output terminal and a first timing signal related to the clock signal to the clock input of the IDAC. The sample synchronization generator controls the clock signal and the first timing signal to communicate a control signal to a peripheral module. |
| US08629793B2 |
Continuous-time delta-sigma ADC with compact structure
A continuous-time delta-sigma Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) includes: a loop filter, for receiving and noise-shaping an analog input signal, and outputting a first loop voltage; a first summing resistor, for transforming a first feedback current to be a first feedback voltage, and summing the first loop voltage and the first feedback voltage so as to generate a first summing voltage, wherein the first summing voltage is equal to a sum of the first loop voltage and the first feedback voltage; a quantizer, for outputting a digital output signal according to the first summing voltage; and a current Digital to Analog Converter (DAC), for generating the first feedback current according to the digital output signal. |
| US08629792B2 |
A/D conversion circuit and test method
An electric device includes first, second and third selectors. A first node connects to a first input of the first selector, a second node connects to a first input of the second selector, a third node connects to a second input of the first selector, and a fourth node connects to a second input of the second selector. A first switch connects to the first node, and a second switch connects to the second node. A first capacitor connects between the first switch and the third node, and a second capacitor connects between the second switch and the fourth node. A fifth node connects between an output of the first selector and a first input of the third selector, and a sixth node connects between an output of the second selector and a second input of the third selector. An A/D converter connects to an output of the third selector. |
| US08629791B2 |
Data compression by multi-order differencing
Embodiments of the present invention enable compression and decompression of data. Applications of the present invention are its use in embodiments of systems for compression and decompression of GPS long-term Ephemeris (LTE) data, although the present invention is not limited to such applications. In embodiments, the LTE data may be grouped into a set of data values associated with a parameter. In embodiments, a data set may be compressed by using a multi-order differencing scheme. In such a scheme, a set of the differences between values may be compressed because the differences have smaller magnitudes than the values. In embodiments, a multi-order differencing scheme determines how many levels (orders) of differencing may be applied to an original data set before it is compressed. In embodiments, the original data may be recovered from a compressed data set based on the type of multi-order differencing scheme used to generate the compressed data. |
| US08629789B2 |
Mobile communication device
A mobile communications device comprising a location sensing system, producing a location output; a memory, storing a set of locations and associated events; a telecommunications device, communicating event and location information between a remote system and said memory; and a processor, processing said location output in conjunction with said stored locations and associated events in said memory, to determine a priority thereof. |
| US08629784B2 |
Peripheral salient feature enhancement on full-windshield head-up display
A method to selectively project graphical images upon a transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle based upon visual information present in a peripheral zone of vision includes monitoring a location of visual information corresponding to critical information with respect to the windscreen, processing the location of the visual information to generate display requirements describing the visual information as present in the peripheral zone of vision, generating the graphical images to be projected based upon the display requirements, and projecting the graphical images upon the transparent windscreen head up display based upon the estimated operator gaze location. |
| US08629781B2 |
Efficiency determination for a selective-catalytic-reduction catalyst
A method of assessing overall efficiency of a selective-catalytic-reduction catalyst includes monitoring instantaneous efficiency of the catalyst. The method also includes determining the overall efficiency by summing instantaneous efficiency values weighted by a first set of coefficients if the most recent instantaneous efficiency value is above an instantaneous efficiency threshold. The method additionally includes determining the overall efficiency by summing instantaneous efficiency values weighted by a second set of coefficients if the most recent instantaneous efficiency value is equal to or below the instantaneous efficiency threshold. Furthermore, the method includes determining whether the overall efficiency has dropped below an overall efficiency threshold and reporting when the overall efficiency has dropped below the overall efficiency threshold. The second set of coefficients weighs the most recent instantaneous efficiency value more heavily than preceding instantaneous efficiency values as compared with the first set of coefficients. A system and a vehicle are also disclosed. |
| US08629780B2 |
Method of detecting and localizing a fire based on a time difference and air speeds of monitored air in pipe conduits
A method, a fire alarm, and a fire alarm system enable detection and localization of a fire in monitored rooms, having two detector units for detecting a fire parameter, wherein an evaluation unit connected to both detector units is used for evaluation. According to the invention, the air in the monitored rooms is fed to the first detector unit via a first pipe conduit and to the second detector unit via a second pipe conduit. Both pipe conduits are arranged in each monitored room and provided with suction intakes. The air is supplied to both detectors by means of at least one suction unit, and the air speed in each pipe conduit is different. If at least one threshold value is detected, a time difference between the detection of the threshold value at the first detector unit and the detection of the same threshold value at the second detector unit is determined by the evaluation unit and, using the determined time difference, the location of the fire is determined according to the air speed in the first pipe conduit and the second pipe conduits. |
| US08629778B2 |
Fuel usage monitoring
Various methods and systems are provided for monitoring fuel usage and/or remaining run time of backup power sources. In one embodiment, a method includes tracking run time of a backup power source; determining a current fuel level associated with the backup power source; and providing a fuel level warning. In another embodiment, a system includes a fuel monitoring system including logic that obtains a current run time corresponding to a backup power source; logic that determines a current fuel level based at least in part upon the current run time, the current fuel level corresponding to a fuel source supplying the backup power source; and logic that provides a fuel level warning based upon the current fuel level and a predefined fuel level threshold. |
| US08629777B2 |
System and method for magnetometer installation
A method and system for determining the suitability of a particular location on a mobile craft for mounting a magnetometer includes positioning a magnetometer in a particular location. The magnetometer including at least one output indicating magnetic measurements made by the magnetometer. A computer is connected to the magnetometer and programmed to monitor the output(s) of the magnetometer. An attempt is made to detect magnetic interference at the mobile craft and a human-perceptible indication is provided if the output(s) of said magnetometer changes by more than a specified amount while attempting to detect magnetic interference. |
| US08629776B2 |
Systems and methods for disrupting criminal activity
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and method for behavior determination. As an example, a system for behavior determination is disclosed that includes: a first monitoring device, a second monitoring device, and a monitoring system. The monitoring system is operable to: receive information from the first monitoring device; receive information from the second monitoring device; identify at least a first zone around the first monitoring device; identify at least a second zone around the second monitoring device; and characterize an intersection of the first zone and the second zone. |
| US08629775B2 |
Transmission of a binary switch position
The present disclosure relates to simplified monitoring and transmission of a binary switch position by means of coded switching, in which corrections caused by different pulse edge delays are eliminated. According to the disclosure, an auxiliary voltage which is to be transmitted when the switch position is closed is coded using two identical pulse edges of two different pulses, that is to say using either the two connection edges or the two disconnection edges of the two pulses. As a result, the previously known pulse duration modulation is replaced with modulation of the delay time between the two pulses. The two pulses mentioned can be repeatedly generated inside a basic period, which is independent of the auxiliary voltage, and have, for distinguishing purposes, a connection duration or pulse length which is different but is independent of the auxiliary voltage. |
| US08629770B2 |
Sensor for container monitoring system
A detection system for an enclosed container for an enclosed cargo container includes a sensor device for sensing a material harmful to human beings within an enclosed cargo container and a detection device coupled to the sensor device for transmitting a corresponding signal to a monitoring device outside the cargo container. Containers which have harmful materials within them can be inspected or stopped before entering the country. |
| US08629767B2 |
System for providing a mobile electronic device reminder
A vehicle system for providing a reminder that at least one mobile electronic device is being left in an interior cabin of a vehicle after a vehicle access event is provided. The vehicle system includes at least one indicator, a vehicle access system, and a control module. The indicator provides notification that the at least one mobile electronic device is being left in the interior cabin of the vehicle after the vehicle access event. The vehicle access system determines a vehicle access event. The control module is in communication with the at least one indicator and the vehicle access system. The control module includes a control logic for establishing a connection between the at least one mobile electronic device and the control module. |
| US08629766B2 |
Portable information display apparatus
The present invention relates to an indicating display device which can be simply carried or worn. The indicating display device of the present invention comprises: a first display unit; a first transceiving unit for transceiving signals; a first sensor for sensing a motion; a first control unit for controlling the first transceiving unit, and controlling the first display unit in accordance with the signal received at the first transceiving unit or information sensed by the first sensor, such that the first display unit displays various states; a second display unit; a second transceiving unit for transceiving signals; a mode selection unit for selecting a mode; and a second control unit for controlling the second display unit and the second transceiving unit in the mode selected by the mode selection unit. |
| US08629761B2 |
Selection of an IMD by means of directional antenna
In a method and a system for initiating communication with an implantable medical device to conduct a wireless communication session between the implantable medical device and an external programmer device. A directional antenna is employed for initiating communication between a programmer device and an implantable medical device (IMD). The IMD is targeted by the programmer device by having an operator of the programmer device orient the directional antenna toward the IMD and transmitting a communication-initiating signal from the programmer to the IMD via the directional antenna. The directional antenna has a directional characteristic and communication range. the IMD responds to the communication-initiating signal by sending identification information to the programmer. the programmer may then use this identification to establish a communication session with the IMD targeted by the directional antenna. |
| US08629759B2 |
RFID transponder with PLL
An RFID transponder comprises an antenna for receiving data in a downlink mode and transmitting data in an uplink mode, with a modulation stage for modulating uplink data and a demodulation stage for demodulating downlink data. A class C amplifier is provided, which has a resonant circuit, a plucking device coupled to the resonant circuit, and a controllable pulse width generator coupled to the plucking device. The controllable pulse width generator is adapted to periodically switch the plucking device on and off so as to maintain an oscillation of the resonant circuit. The transponder further comprises a phase locked loop configured to be locked to an oscillating signal received through the antenna and to be switched into a free running mode without being locked to the oscillating signal received through the antenna, thereby being adapted to output an independent internal clock signal for the RFID transponder. |
| US08629758B2 |
System and method for transmitting messages received from a paging network on a paging device to electronic devices
Systems, methods, and media are provided for transmitting a message received from a paging network on a paging device to wireless or other electronic devices. The paging device establishes a radio connection with the wireless device and transmits the received messages to the wireless device through the established radio connection. In response to receiving a message from the paging device, the wireless device sends an acknowledgment to the paging network that the message was received and displays the message. |
| US08629757B2 |
Processing system for portable electronic apparatus, portable electronic apparatus, and processing apparatus for portable electronic apparatus
A portable electronic apparatus has a first storage section configured to store information to be communicated to the processing apparatus and formats for a frame to be transmitted to the processing apparatus, in association with one another. The processing apparatus has a second storage section configured to store information communicated by the portable electronic apparatus and the format of the frame transmitted by the portable electronic apparatus, in association with each other. The portable electronic apparatus select one of the formats stored in the first storage section based on the data to be transmitted to the processing apparatus. The processing apparatus recognize information communicated by the portable electronic apparatus based on the format of the frame received from the portable electronic apparatus. |
| US08629756B2 |
Electronic seal system
An electronic seal system uses fingerprint recognition to prevent use by an unauthorized person and includes a mechanism for remotely destroying a stolen or missing seal. The system includes a fingerprint module for collecting an image of a fingerprint of an authorized individual. In addition, a processor for carrying out a comparison of a scanned fingerprint and a stored image of an authorized fingerprint is provided. The system also includes a printable seal for sealing a document and includes a mechanism for activating the system when a scanned fingerprint matches a stored image of a fingerprint and for deactivating the seal when the fingerprints do not match. Further, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides a time, date and location receiver for receiving signals from a GPS and automatically numbering and printing mechanism for printing the time, date, location and document numbers and seal on each page to which a seal is provided. |
| US08629752B2 |
Suppressor
This invention relates to a suppressor, including an element having sheets printed with a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode, and a discharge material disposed in a gap between the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode, wherein the discharge material is composed of a SiC—ZnO-based component, in which ZnO is reacted with the surface of SiC, thereby imparting much higher insulating properties and improving ESD resistance. |
| US08629749B2 |
Fuse assembly
The fuse assembly contains a first casing member with a first chamber, and a second casing member with a second chamber. An enclosed space is thereby formed by joining the first and second casing members together. A disconnection member is sandwiched between the first and second casing members. The disconnection member contains two electrodes and a fuse element between the two electrodes. Each electrode contains a first lateral section, a vertical section, and a second lateral section, jointly and integrally forming a C-like shape. The electrodes are positioned at two opposing ends of the second casing member and the fuse element is housed in the enclosed space. The enclosed space allows the fuse element to break off completely, thereby avoiding electrical arc and achieving enhanced usage safety. |
| US08629748B2 |
Wire-wound inductor
Provided are a small wire-wound inductor having desired inductor characteristics, while allowing for high-density mounting and low-height mounting on circuit boards at the same time, as well as a method for manufacturing such wire-wound inductor which has a drum-shaped core member constituted by an assembly of soft magnetic alloy grains containing iron (Fe), silicon (Si) and 2 to 15 percent by weight of chromium (Cr), a coil conductive wire wound around the core member, a pair of terminal electrodes connected to the terminals of the coil conductive wire, and an outer sheath member covering the wound coil conductive wire and constituted by a magnetic powder-containing resin having a specified magnetic permeation ratio. |
| US08629743B2 |
Latching apparatus and an operating mechanism with such a latching apparatus
A latching apparatus for an operating mechanism for an electrical switching apparatus includes a first member movable between a first position and a second position, in the first position the first member adapted to lock a drive member of the operating mechanism and a force of the drive member applied to the first member, and in the second position the first member is adapted to release the drive member from the locked position. Guiding means guides the movement of the first member. A trip member is movable between a third position and a fourth position, in the third position the trip member adapted to lock the first member, and in the fourth position the trip member is adapted to release the first member. The guiding means are adapted to guide at least a first portion of the first member in a first direction toward a counter roller. |
| US08629742B1 |
VHF harmonic impedance tuner
An impedance synthesis method for fundamental and harmonic frequencies using multi section tuners, because of the huge amount of possible tuning permutations, employs a search strategy based on the minimization of an ERROR FUNCTION (EF), in two steps: in a first step a coarse calibration grid is generated and the raw area is found which allows an approximate solution to the tuning task at the fundamental frequency; then a fine impedance grid is generated around the first solution using calibrated and interpolated points at all harmonic frequencies; a second search step, using the same EF, then allows fine tuning. Among the several, numerically found solutions, the most reliable one is selected based on a sensitivity criterion, which calculates the impedance change for a possible small error in repeatability of each tuning element and selects the one with the lowest sensitivity to element setting errors. |
| US08629740B2 |
Bandpass filter, wireless communication module and wireless communication device
A bandpass filter for a wide frequency band such as UWB is disclosed. The bandpass filter comprises a laminate of a plurality of dielectric layers, a first ground electrode connected to a ground potential, a plurality of resonant electrodes in a first inter-layer and a plurality of coupling electrodes in a second inter-layer. A transmission characteristic of the bandpass filter having flat and low loss over the entire region of the broad pass band can be achieved. |
| US08629737B2 |
Signal processing apparatus
The signal processing apparatus contains a first signal transforming circuit and a second signal transforming circuit. The first signal transforming circuit includes four first coupled lines and two second coupled lines, wherein two ends of each first coupled line are configured to carry a first pair of differential signals respectively, each second coupled line is magnetically coupled to two of the first coupled lines in parallel and comprises two signal ports, to which the two ends of each of the magnetically-coupled first coupled lines are placed symmetrically for transferring a second pair of differential signals. The second signal transforming circuit is configured to convert between the second pairs of differential signals at the signal ports and a third pair of differential signals at connecting ports of the second signal transforming circuit. |
| US08629736B2 |
Directional coupler
In a directional coupler, a first low pass filter includes a first coil that is connected between a first outer electrode and a main line and has a characteristic in which attenuation increases with increasing frequency in a certain frequency band. A second low pass filter includes a second coil that is connected between a second outer electrode and the main line and has a characteristic in which attenuation increases with increasing frequency in the certain frequency band. A high pass filter is connected, in parallel to the main line, between a point between the first coil and the first outer electrode and a point between the second coil and the second outer electrode and has a characteristic in which attenuation decreases with increasing frequency in the certain frequency band. |
| US08629735B2 |
Electronic component
In an electronic component, a main line includes a spiral-shaped portion having a central axis that is parallel or substantially parallel to a z-axis direction. A sub line is electromagnetically coupled with the main line to define a directional coupler, and includes a spiral-shaped portion having a central axis that is parallel or substantially parallel to the z-axis direction. Outer electrodes are provided on an end surface of a multilayer body and are respectively electrically connected to the two ends of the main line. Outer electrodes are provided on an end surface of the multilayer body and are respectively electrically connected to the two ends of the sub line. A region in which the main line is provided and a region in which the sub line is provided are superposed with each other in the z-axis stacking direction. |
| US08629734B2 |
Systems and methods for power smoothing in power distribution
A system for power smoothing in power distribution and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a power multiplying network is provided that comprises a multiply-connected, velocity inhibiting circuit constructed from a number of lumped-elements. The power multiplying network is coupled to a power distribution network. The power multiplying network is configured to store power from and supply power to the power distribution network. |
| US08629733B2 |
Adaptive on die decoupling devices and methods
Semiconductor dies and methods are described, such as those including a first capacitive pathway having a first effective series resistance (ESR) and a second capacitive pathway having an adjustable ESR. One such device provides for optimizing the semiconductor die for different operating conditions such as operating frequency. As a result, semiconductor dies can be manufactured in a single configuration for several different operating frequencies, and each die can be tuned to reduce (e.g. minimize) supply noise, such as by varying the ESR or the capacitance of at least one of the pathways. |
| US08629730B2 |
Oscillator
Provided is a temperature compensated oscillator includes an oscillation circuit for oscillating an oscillator. In the oscillator, when an oscillation frequency is changed by a second control signal after being controlled by a first control signal, variation in the oscillation frequency due to a second control signal is set to a fixed amount. The oscillation frequency of the oscillator is controlled on the basis of both the first control signal and the second control signal, but an oscillation amplitude adjusting section is also added, the oscillation amplitude adjusting section allowing the oscillation amplitude of the oscillator to be changed by the second control signal. The oscillator thus allows a fixed amount of oscillation frequency control over a wide range (full range) of oscillation frequency control due to the first control signal. |
| US08629729B2 |
Aggregated spin-torque nano-oscillators
A nano-oscillator magnetic wave propagation system has a group of aggregated spin-torque nano-oscillators (ASTNOs), which share a magnetic propagation material. Each of the group of ASTNOs is disposed about an emanating point in the magnetic propagation material. During a non-wave propagation state of the nano-oscillator magnetic wave propagation system, the magnetic propagation material receives a polarizing magnetic field. During a wave propagation state of the nano-oscillator magnetic wave propagation system, each of the group of ASTNOs initiates spin waves through the magnetic propagation material, such that a portion of the spin waves initiated from each of the group of ASTNOs combine to produce an aggregation of spin waves emanating from the emanating point. The aggregation of spin waves may provide a sharper wave front than wave fronts of the individual spin waves initiated from each of the group of ASTNOs. |
| US08629728B2 |
VCO control circuit and method thereof, fast locking PLL and method for fast locking PLL
A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) control circuit, used for controlling a VCO to process phase locking procedure after receiving a frequency locking signal, comprises an operating frequency controller and a judgment unit. The operating frequency controller, coupled to the VCO and the judgment unit, generates one of a first control code and a second control code to the VCO. The judgment unit, coupled to an input end of the VCO, generates a phase locking signal according to a voltage control signal inputted to the VCO. When the operating frequency controller receives the frequency locking signal, the operating frequency controller generates a first control code to control the VCO to switch from a first candidate VCO curve to a second candidate VCO curve. When the operating frequency controller receives the phase locking signal, the operating frequency controller generates a second control code to control the VCO to switch from the second candidate VCO curve to the first candidate VCO curve. |
| US08629722B2 |
Doherty amplifier and method for operation thereof
An amplifier having a Doherty-type architecture and a method for operation thereof are provided. The amplifier comprises a main amplifier path comprising a main amplifier, an auxiliary amplifier path comprising an auxiliary amplifier, and an signal preparation unit configured to develop a main amplifier input signal for the main amplifier path and an auxiliary amplifier input signal for the auxiliary amplifier path based on an amplifier input that is to be amplified and a transition threshold associated with the amplifier input. By driving the main and auxiliary amplifiers as a function of the transition threshold, the gain of the Doherty-type amplifier may be increased. |
| US08629721B2 |
Output stage formed inside and on top of an SOI-type substrate
A method for controlling an output amplification stage comprising first and second complementary SOI-type power MOS transistors, in series between first and second power supply rails, the method including the steps of: connecting the bulk of the first transistor to the first rail when the first transistor is maintained in an off state; connecting the bulk of the second transistor to the second rail when the second transistor is maintained in an off state; and connecting the bulk of each of the transistors to the common node of said transistors, during periods when this transistor switches from an off state to an on state. |
| US08629718B2 |
Signal splitting apparatus suitable for use in a power amplifier
Disclosed is a signal splitting apparatus useable in a power amplifier having two or more power amplifiers. The apparatus includes a direct gain component; and a derived gain component connected to the direct gain component. The derived gain component derives the derived gain from the direct gain by imposing a constraint which is valid over the entire dynamic range of the input signal, e.g. the sum of the power of the direct split signal and the derived split signal are constrained to be substantially equal to the power of the input signal. The use of combining additional direct gain and derived gain components, as well as a delay element, are disclosed so as to enable n-component splitting that for adaptation to different applications by the use of suitable coefficients. |
| US08629711B2 |
Precise control component for a substarate potential regulation circuit
A control circuit for substrate potential regulation for an integrated circuit device. The control circuit includes a current source configured to generate a reference current. A variable resistor is coupled to the current source. The variable resistor is configured to receive the reference current and generate a reference voltage at a node between the current source and the variable resistor. The reference voltage controls the operation of a substrate potential regulation circuit coupled to the node. |
| US08629709B2 |
High frequency switch circuit device
A switch circuit device includes a switch circuitry and a driver circuitry. The switch circuitry switches an electrical connection between first and second terminals between the on-state and the off-state in response to a set of control signals. The driver circuitry is configured to generate the control signals and includes an N-latch circuit and a leakage current suppression circuitry. The N-latch circuit selectively outputs lower one of two input voltages fed thereto as one of the control signals. The leakage current suppression circuitry suppresses the leakage current through the N-latch circuit. |
| US08629706B2 |
Power switch and operation method thereof
A power switch includes a control circuit, a cross-coupled amplifier, a first switching circuit coupled between a first output terminal and the first controlled ground terminal, and a second switching circuit coupled between a second output terminal and the second controlled ground terminal. The control circuit is configured to connect the second controlled ground terminal to a ground during a first period that a voltage level at the first output terminal is switched from the ground to a first voltage level and to set the second controlled ground terminal at an elevated ground level during a second period that the voltage level at the first output terminal remains at the first voltage level. |
| US08629700B2 |
Capacitive multiplication in a phase locked loop
A frequency synthesizer circuit is disclosed. The frequency synthesizer circuit includes a phase and frequency detector. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes a first charge pump and a second charge pump, each coupled to the phase and frequency detector. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes a loop filter that includes a resistor and at least two capacitors. The second charge pump is coupled between the resistor and a capacitor that creates a zero in a transfer function of the loop filter. The frequency synthesizer circuit also includes a voltage controlled oscillator that produces an output frequency based on an output of the loop filter. |
| US08629698B2 |
Mixing circuit
There is provided a mixing circuit in which a rise of the consumption current can be suppressed while decreasing a non-linear component. The mixing circuit includes: an input unit 803 including a grounded-gate MOS transistor M1 with a source into which an input signal is input, and a grounded-source MOS transistor M2 with a gate into which the input signal is input; a frequency converter 802 for converting frequencies of a first current signal output from the grounded-gate MOS transistor M1 and a second current signal output from the grounded-source MOS transistor M2, and for generating a third current signal and a fourth current signal; a load MOS transistor M7, with a gate and a drain connected, for receiving a third current signal; and a load MOS transistor M8, with a gate and a drain connected, for receiving a fourth current signal. |
| US08629694B1 |
Method and apparatus of voltage scaling techniques
A voltage scaling circuit includes a first critical path and an edge detection unit. The first critical path includes an input and an output. The edge detection unit includes a first input, a second input, a counter and a time-to-digital converter (TDC). The input of the first critical path is electrically connected to the first input of the edge detection unit, and the output of the critical path is electrically connected to the second input of the edge detection unit. The counter is configured to measure a duration between an active edge of a start signal on the first input of the edge detection unit and an active edge of a stop signal on the second input of the edge detection unit in a clock period basis. The TDC is configured to measure a beginning portion and an end portion of the duration. |
| US08629692B1 |
State definition and retention circuit
State definition and retention circuits are described. In one embodiment, a circuit includes two cross-connected PMOS transistors, first, second, and third NMOS transistors coupled to the PMOS transistors, an inverter circuit, and an output transistor connected to the PMOS transistors and to an output terminal of the circuit. The second NMOS transistor is connected to an input terminal of the circuit. A drain terminal and a gate terminal of the third NMOS transistor are connected to gate terminals of the PMOS transistors. The inverter circuit is coupled to the first and second NMOS transistors and to the input terminal. The inverter circuit is connected between a first power supply and a first base voltage. The PMOS transistors, the NMOS transistors, and the output transistor are connected between a second power supply and a second base voltage. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08629686B2 |
Noise measurement in capacitive touch sensors
In particular embodiments, an apparatus includes a charge-measurement capacitor having a first plate coupled to a second plate of a coupling capacitor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodying logic that is operable when executed to ground a first plate of the coupling capacitor; inject a pre-determined amount of charge onto the charge-measurement capacitor; and transfer an amount of charge accumulated on the second plate of the coupling capacitor to the first plate of the charge-measurement capacitor. The charge accumulated on the second plate of the coupling capacitor is due at least in part to noise. The logic is also operable when executed to determine, through a measured voltage across the charge-measurement capacitor, the amount of charge. |
| US08629684B2 |
Electronic circuit with a capacitive sensor for measuring a physical parameter and method of activating the electronic circuit
The electronic circuit has a capacitive sensor that includes two capacitors mounted in differential, whose common electrode can move relative to each fixed electrode of the two capacitors to alter the capacitive value of each capacitor. The electronic circuit has an interface connected to the capacitive sensor, which includes a charge transfer amplifier unit connected to the common electrode, an integrator unit, and an excitation unit arranged between the output of the first integrator unit and the sensor to polarise each fixed electrode of the sensor capacitors at a determined voltage value. A compensation capacitor is connected to the input of the integrator unit. The electronic circuit interface includes comparison means for comparing the output voltage with a comparison voltage to control disconnection of the compensation capacitor at the integrator unit input, if the deviation between the output voltage and the comparison voltage exceeds a determined voltage threshold. |
| US08629683B2 |
Touch-sensitive sensor arrangement including a planar-shaped element having a conductive layer and a number of connecting points that are each arranged in an edge area of the element and contacting the conductive layer
A touch-sensitive sensor arrangement includes a planar-shaped element having a surface provided with a conductive layer, and a plurality of connecting points that are each arranged in an edge area of the element and contacting the conductive layer, wherein a respective decoupling device is arranged for decoupling a current, which is applied to at least two connecting points, from an evaluating signal, between each of the respective connecting points and associated connecting lines for the evaluation of a position of a contact of the element with a contacting object, where the element is heatable by the current. |
| US08629679B2 |
Circuits and methods for measuring cell voltages in battery packs
A circuit used to measure cell voltages in a battery pack can include a cell voltage level shifter, a sense block, and a compensation current generator. The cell voltage level shifter selects a cell and shifts the terminal voltages of the selected cell from a first voltage level to a second voltage level. The sense block monitors the current consumed by the level shifter, and generates a signal indicative of the consumed current. The compensation current generator generates compensation currents to compensate the current consumed by the level shifter. Therefore, unbalance of the cell capacities caused by the current consumed by the level shifter can be reduced or eliminated, and thus the overall capacity of the battery pack can be improved. |
| US08629677B2 |
Hybrid induction balance/pulse induction metal detector
A new hybrid metal detector combines induction balance and pulse induction technologies. Target signals are generated from a transmitted wave that has both induction balance and pulse current inducing characteristics and uses pertinent sampling of the receive data. Combining the two data sources provides eddy current target identification while excluding ground permeability and remanence obscuration. |
| US08629674B2 |
Current detection printed board, voltage detection printed board, current/voltage detection printed board, current/voltage detector, current detector and voltage detector
A current and voltage detection printed board includes a board formed with a penetration hole; a first pattern wire formed at a periphery of the penetration hole; a second pattern wire formed at the periphery of the penetration hole; a plurality of first through holes that penetrate the board between the first and second pattern wires; a third pattern wire formed at the periphery of the penetration hole; a fourth pattern wire formed at the periphery of the penetration hole; and a plurality of second through holes that penetrate the board between the third and fourth pattern wires. |
| US08629672B2 |
Generator circuit breaker with fiber-optic current sensor
The current in a generator circuit breaker is measured using the Faraday effect of an optical sensing fiber looped around the breaker's conductor. The sensing fiber is arranged in a sensing strip, which can be mounted to the enclosure of the generator circuit breaker or to the conductor. Exemplary embodiments can have a wide measuring range and can easily be fitted to new or existing generator circuit breakers. |
| US08629655B2 |
Battery control system and vehicle
A battery control system controls an external charging unit in a vehicle including a vehicle body, engine, motors, secondary battery, and the external charging unit, and includes a degradation detecting unit that detects degradation of the secondary battery, during charging of the second battery by the external charging unit. |
| US08629652B2 |
Power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices
A power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices. A pad or similar base unit comprises a primary, which creates a magnetic field by applying an alternating current to a winding, coil, or any type of current carrying wire. A receiver comprises a means for receiving the energy from the alternating magnetic field and transferring it to a mobile or other device. The receiver can also comprise electronic components or logic to set the voltage and current to the appropriate levels required by the mobile device, or to communicate information or data to and from the pad. The system may also incorporate efficiency measures that improve the efficiency of power transfer between the charger and receiver. |
| US08629651B2 |
Portable wireless charging device
A wireless charging device includes a charging battery, a transmitter coupled to the charging battery, and a controller coupled to the charging battery and the transmitter. The controller is configured to direct power from the charging battery to the transmitter and wirelessly transmit the power to a receiver. The wireless charging device also includes a housing, wherein the charging battery, the transmitter, and the controller are disposed at least partly within the housing. |
| US08629638B2 |
Lock protection and standby mode control circuit of motor driving apparatus
A motor driving apparatus including a lock protection unit, a standby mode control unit, and a motor control circuit is provided. The lock protection unit receives a motor speed signal representing the rotation of the motor and generates a lock signal accordingly. The standby mode control unit receives a PWM signal and the lock signal and generates a standby mode control signal accordingly. The lock protection unit decides whether to stop generating the lock signal or not accordingly to the standby mode control signal. The motor control circuit controls the rotation of the motor according to the PWM signal and changes the operation mode according to the standby mode control signal and the lock signal. |
| US08629636B2 |
Alternating-current electric motor of a combined electric device for powering and charging
The present invention relates to an alternating-current electric motor of a combined electric device for powering and charging, the said electric motor being formed by a stator connected to an electricity network of which the number of phases is lower than the number of phases of the said motor, the said charging current of the said network being injected via a connection point dividing each phase of the said stator connected to a phase of the said network into two half-windings, the said motor being characterized in that each half-winding of a phase comprises a plurality of coils wired together so as to reduce the magnetic linkage of each half-winding at the said connection point so that there exists an apparent non-zero inductance at the said connection point in charging mode of the said device. |
| US08629635B2 |
Methods for operating an electrostatic drive, and electrostataic drives
A method for operating an electrostatic drive having a stator electrode and an actuator electrode which are designed as multilayer electrodes having subunits includes: predeflecting the actuator electrode with respect to the stator electrode from its non-energized starting position into a first end position by applying a first potential to the first stator electrode subunit, and applying a second potential which is different from the first potential to the first actuator electrode subunit, and applying a third potential which is different from the first potential and the second potential, to the second stator electrode subunit and to the second actuator electrode subunit. |
| US08629634B2 |
Apparatus and method for optimizing current use during control of multiple motors
A method for is disclosed for using pulse-width modulated (PWM) signals in the control of a plurality of electric motors or of at least one electric motor with multiple windings. The method comprises steps of: measuring the current being drawn by each of said electric motors; transmitting signals corresponding to the current being drawn said plurality of motors to a central controller; transmitting from said central controller signals corresponding to the amount of current to be drawn by each motor, whereby the relative phases and durations of said signals are distributed according to a predetermined protocol; and repeating steps (a) through (c) while said electric motors are in operation. The distribution of PWM signals defines the total current drawn from said source of electricity as a function of time. |
| US08629630B2 |
LED driving circuit and control circuit
A control circuit adapted to control a power converting circuit for stabilizing an output of the power converting circuit is provided. The control circuit includes a capacitor, a charging unit, a discharging unit, a feedback control unit, and a duty-cycle adjusting unit. The charging unit has a first current source coupled to the capacitor for charging the capacitor. The discharging unit is coupled to the capacitor for discharging the capacitor. The feedback control unit controls the charging unit to charge the capacitor according to a feedback signal which represents the output of the power converting circuit. The duty-cycle adjusting unit generates a control signal and adjusts a duty cycle of the control signal according to a voltage of the capacitor. |
| US08629629B2 |
Power factor correction in and dimming of solid state lighting devices
An apparatus and method provides a driver circuit that provides for power factor correction (PFC) to a load, such as a solid-state lighting (SSL) device, such as, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) or an array or cluster of LEDs. A programmable reference is provided in the circuit to operate in a fixed frequency peak current mode control (FFPCMC) or in a fixed frequency average current mode control (FFACMC). A driver circuit is employed to operate the SSL device using power derived from a main power source which may be DC or AC. In a FFPCMC embodiment, a programmable power reference is programmed to be a fixed DC voltage. In a FFACMC embodiment, source input current to the circuit can be programmed to be proportional to the rectified AC voltage after a bridge rectifier. |
| US08629625B2 |
Method and apparatus providing universal voltage input for solid state light fixtures
A method for providing universal voltage input to a solid state lighting fixture (140) supplied by an AC line voltage includes converting an analog voltage signal corresponding to the line voltage to digital values indicating a waveform of the line voltage (S312) and calculating slopes corresponding to rising edges of the waveform using select values of the digital values (S453). A value of the line voltage is determined based on the calculated slopes (S458). |
| US08629624B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring operating characteristics in a load control device
A load control device, such as an electronic ballast, for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, such as one or more fluorescent lamps, comprises a power converter having an inductor and a power switching device coupled to the inductor, a load control circuit adapted to be coupled to the electrical load, and a control circuit operable to calculate an average input power of the load control device. The control circuit may be operable to calculate a cumulative output power of the power converter while the ballast is preheating filaments of the lamps, and to subsequently determine a fault condition in the lamps in response to the calculated cumulative output power of the power converter. Further, the control circuit may be operable to transmit a digital message including the calculated average input power of the load control device. |
| US08629623B2 |
Smart illumination for electronic devices
A handheld device includes control elements, an illumination element operable to illuminate the control elements, a light sensor that detects an illumination level, and a sensor that detects whether or not the device is being held. When the illumination level is below an ambient light threshold and the device is being held, the illumination element and activates. However, when either the illumination level is not below the ambient light threshold or the handheld electronic device is not being held, the illumination element deactivates and/or does not activate. In some implementations, the sensor includes a capacitance touch switch and/or a resistance touch switch that detects contact with skin, a gyroscope and/or an accelerometer that detects movement of the handheld device, a pressure sensors that detects exertion of pressure on the handheld device, and/or an additional light sensor that detects when a portion of the handheld electronic device is covered. |
| US08629619B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling dimming levels of LEDs
Circuits useful in achieving efficient current control of LEDs based on a dimming control input are described. The circuits use a combination of PWM dimming and analog dimming to achieve a highly efficient LED driver over a wide range of dimming from near 0% to 100% light output. |
| US08629618B1 |
Backup lighting apparatus
A backup lighting apparatus includes a light housing having a conductive base selectively connected to a light socket and a bulb portion extending upwardly therefrom that defines an interior area. A processor, battery, light, and audio sensor are situated in the interior area. The audio sensor is configured to detect a predetermined sound. Another sensor in the interior area is configured to detect a power outage and if a light switch is in an “on configuration.” The processor causes the battery to energize the light if a power outage is detected, the light switch is “on,” and a predetermined sound—such a hand clap—is detected. Accordingly, only a room in which a light was already on when an outage occurred and in which a person is present and signals for a backup is illuminated, such that electricity and battery power is conserved. |
| US08629616B2 |
Arc tube device and stem structure for electrodeless plasma lamp
A plasma lamp apparatus. The apparatus has an arc tube structure having an inner region and an outer region in one or more embodiments. The arc tube structure has a first end comprising an associated first end diameter and a second end comprising a second end diameter according to a specific embodiment. The apparatus also has a center region provided between the first end and the second end in one or more embodiments. The center region has a center diameter, which is less than a first end diameter and/or a second end diameter. |
| US08629609B2 |
High frequency triode-type field emission device and process for manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein is a triode-type field emission device, in particular for high frequency applications, having a cathode electrode, an anode electrode spaced from the cathode electrode, a control gate electrode arranged between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and at least a field-emitting tip; the cathode, control gate and anode electrodes overlapping in a triode area at the field-emitting tip and being operable to cooperate with the field-emitting tip for generation of an electron beam in the triode area. The cathode, control gate and anode electrodes do not overlap outside the triode area, and have a main direction of extension along a respective line; each of these respective lines being inclined at a non-zero angle with respect to each one of the others. |
| US08629602B2 |
Motor
There is provided a motor including a sleeve rotatably supporting a shaft; a sleeve holder having the sleeve inserted thereinto and including fixing parts; and a base member including fixing counterparts corresponding to the fixing parts of the sleeve holder and fixedly coupled to the sleeve holder, wherein the sleeve holder and the base member have guide parts and guide counterparts respectively provided therein, the guide parts and guide counterparts having corresponding shapes and guiding the sleeve holder to a mounting position thereof. |
| US08629597B2 |
Airflow passage arrangement for claw-pole electric machines
An electric machine includes a stator and a rotor configured to rotate about an axis of rotation in a direction of angular rotation. The rotor includes a first claw-pole segment and an opposing second claw-pole segment. The first claw-pole segment includes a plurality of fingers extending from an end ring. Each finger includes a distal end and a proximal end with the proximal end fixed to the end ring. Each finger also includes an interior side and an exterior side with the exterior side facing the stator. A leading side and a trailing side are defined on each finger by the direction of angular rotation. A chamfer is formed on the exterior trailing side of each finger at the proximal end of the finger. |
| US08629594B2 |
Lubrication structure of generator motor and generator motor
A lubrication structure of a generator motor, includes: at least two bearings rotatably supporting an input/output shaft of the generator motor; a gap provided between the two bearings; a cylindrical-shaped bearing attaching member attached to inner peripheral parts of the two bearings; and a through hole penetrating the bearing attaching member outward in a radial direction and opening in a position overlapping with the gap. |
| US08629591B2 |
Electromechanical device
An electromechanical device having a mechanical interface structure for connecting to an external rotating element, an electrical machine, and one or more gear stages on a mechanical power transmission path between the mechanical interface structure and a rotor of the electrical machine. The rotor of the electrical machine is supported by the frame of the gear stage directly connected to the rotor. |
| US08629589B2 |
Dynamoelectric machine coil spacerblock having flow deflecting channel in coil facing surface thereof
A dynamoelectric machine includes a rotor having a plurality of adjacent coils; and a spaceblock disposed between adjacent coils so as to define at least a first cavity adjacent the spaceblock and between mutually adjacent coils, the spaceblock including a channel disposed in a coil facing surface of the spaceblock for intercepting and redirecting a circulating coolant flow to the first cavity. |
| US08629585B2 |
Internal cooling of stator assembly in an electric machine
Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including an electric machine with a stator assembly. The stator assembly includes a plurality of stator laminations coupled together and a plurality of conductors positioned through axial slots of the plurality of stator laminations. The electric machine module also includes a coolant channel at least partially defined within the axial slots and a housing. The housing at least partially circumscribes the electric machine and at least partially defines a machine cavity which is in fluid communication with the coolant channel. |
| US08629579B2 |
Active switching ripple filter
An active switching ripple filter system removes ripple currents from a power signal and has a main inverter and an active switching ripple filter inverter whose outputs are combined to form an output power signal. |
| US08629577B2 |
Pinless power coupling
A pin-less power coupling arrangement comprising at least one pin-less power jack; the power jack comprising a primary coil shielded behind an insulating layer for inductive coupling to a pin-less power plug; said power plug comprising a secondary coil wherein said insulating layer is substantially flat and said power plug and said power jack may be aligned by an alignment means. Various such alignment means are discussed as are enabled surfaces for supporting inductive power jacks and inductive plugs coupled to various appliances. |
| US08629575B2 |
Integrated circuit and method for charge reversal of a circuit part of the integrated circuit
A description is given of a method for charge reversal of a circuit part of an integrated circuit from a first electrical potential to a second electrical potential of a first voltage network. In this case, the circuit part is connected to the first voltage network for charge reversal. Furthermore, the circuit part is connected to a second voltage network for charge reversal, said second voltage network providing a third electrical potential between the first and the second electrical potential. The circuit part is automatically isolated from the second voltage network before its electrical potential reaches the second electrical potential. |
| US08629573B2 |
On-board electrical system for a motor vehicle, motor vehicle and method for operating an on-board electrical system
To operate a safety load in a vehicle electric system and compensate for power surges, a vehicle electric system has a vehicle battery, an electric load, an energy storage device in form of double-layer capacitor, and a switching assembly. In a first switching state, the system can compensate for a power surge by connecting the double-layer capacitor in series with the vehicle battery with opposite polarity. The vehicle electric system also has an additional load, for example for providing functionality that is relevant for the safety of the vehicle occupants. The additional load can be supplied with a voltage present at the vehicle battery and/or with a voltage present at the electric load. A DC-to-DC converter taps an electric voltage present at the energy store and converts the tapped voltage into a supply voltage, with which the additional load can be redundantly supplied. |
| US08629572B1 |
Linear faraday induction generator for the generation of electrical power from ocean wave kinetic energy and arrangements thereof
Various embodiments of linear electric generators and arrangements thereof are disclosed. One such generator includes a permanent magnetic array with magnets that are oriented such that like poles of the magnets are disposed adjacently to concentrate a magnetic field through a coil array. To enhance the magnetic field distribution, the magnets are affixed under a compressive strain due to repulsive forces resulting from proximity of the like poles. According to another aspect, a plurality of vibrational linear electric generators (VLEGs) can be arranged so that magnets of different VLEGs are oriented so that poles of opposite polarity are disposed adjacently to further enhance magnetic field concentration through coil arrays. In addition, a plurality of wave energy converters can be arranged in very close proximity, at most 8 times a height of a buoyant portion of the converters, to act as a seawall and thereby protect various structures from ocean waves. |
| US08629570B1 |
Wind turbine blades with reinforcing, supporting and stabilizing components and enlarged swept area
A rotor assembly for a horizontal-axis wind turbine with blades support attachments. Each end of the supporting elements is fixedly or rotatably attached to one blade. In a new and improved embodiment, the blades start from the support element, skipping the swept area inside these elements but at the same time increasing many times the total swept area with substantially reduced cost. The support elements might be additionally attached to already existing wind turbine rotors. The reinforcing elements support and protect the blades from bending, breaking or falling apart in strong and gusty winds. The rotor of a wind turbine occasionally will rotate with speeds higher then normal and if the blades are not reinforced and properly balanced the whole assembly may start wobbling and then break apart from the tower or the blades may be damaged or may bend or break. |
| US08629569B2 |
Electromechanical generator for, and method of, converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy
An electromechanical generator for converting mechanical vibrational energy into electrical energy, the electromechanical generator comprising an electrically conductive coil assembly and a magnet assembly, the magnet assembly comprising at least one magnet and a two-part magnetic core, the two parts of the core being mounted by a biasing device so as to be relatively vibratable at a resonant frequency along an axis about a central position thereby to cause a change of magnetic flux linked with the coil assembly to generate an electrical potential in the coil assembly. |
| US08629566B2 |
Semiconductor multichip module package with improved thermal performance; reduced size and improved moisture resistance
A multichip module has a substrate, which receives several flip chip and for other semiconductor die on one surface and has vias extending through the substrate from the flip chip bottom electrodes to solder ball electrodes on the bottom of the substrate. Passive components are also mounted on the top of the substrate and are connected to further vias which extend to respective ball contacts at the substrate bottom. In one embodiment, the bottom surfaces and electrodes of the die are insulated and their tops (and drain electrodes) are connected by a moldable conductive layer. In another embodiment the top surface of the substrate is covered by an insulation cap, which may be finned for improved thermal properties. The passives are upended to have their longest dimension perpendicular to the substrate surface and are between the fin valleys. The insulation cover is a cap which fits over the top of the substrate, with mold lock depressions contained in the junction between the cap peripheral interior edge and the substrate mating edge surfaces. |
| US08629561B2 |
Air gap-containing interconnect structure having photo-patternable low k material
Methods for producing air gap-containing metal-insulator interconnect structures for VLSI and ULSI devices using a photo-patternable low k material as well as the air gap-containing interconnect structure that is formed are disclosed. More particularly, the methods described herein provide interconnect structures built in a photo-patternable low k material in which air gaps are defined by photolithography in the photo-patternable low k material. In the methods of the present invention, no etch step is required to form the air gaps. Since no etch step is required in forming the air gaps within the photo-patternable low k material, the methods disclosed in this invention provide highly reliable interconnect structures. |
| US08629559B2 |
Stress reduction apparatus with an inverted cup-shaped layer
A stress reduction apparatus comprises a metal structure formed over a substrate, an inter metal dielectric layer formed over the substrate, wherein a lower portion of the metal structure is embedded in the inter metal dielectric layer and an inverted cup shaped stress reduction layer formed over the metal structure, wherein an upper portion of the metal structure is embedded in the inverted cup shaped stress reduction layer. |
| US08629557B2 |
Structures and methods for detecting solder wetting of pedestal sidewalls
Structures and methods for detecting solder wetting of pedestal sidewalls. The structure includes a semiconductor wafer having an array of integrated circuit chips, each of the integrated circuit chips having an array of chip pedestals having respective chip solder columns on top of the chip pedestals, the pedestals spaced apart a first distance in a first direction and a spaced apart second distance in second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and at least one monitor structure disposed in different regions of the wafer from the integrated circuit chips, the monitor structure comprising at least a first pedestal and a first solder column on a top surface of the first pedestal and a second pedestal and a second solder column on a top surface of the second pedestal, the first and the second pedestals spaced apart a third distance, the third distance less than the first and the second distances. |
| US08629556B2 |
Semiconductor device
The semiconductor device 1 includes a substrate 3, a semiconductor chip 4 mounted on the substrate 3, the substrate 3, a bump 5 connecting the substrate 3 and the semiconductor chip 4, and an underfill 6 filling in around the bump 5. In the case of a bump 5 composed of a high-melting-point solder having a melting point of 230° C. or more, the underfill 6 is composed of a resin material having an elastic modulus in the range of 30 MPa to 3000 MPa. In the case of a bump 5 composed of a lead-free solder, the underfill 6 is composed of a resin material having an elastic modulus in the range of 150 MPa to 800 MPa. An insulating layer 311 of buildup layers 31 of the substrate 3 has a linear expansion coefficient of 35 ppm/° C. or less in the in-plane direction of the substrate at temperatures in the range of 25° C. to the glass transition temperature. |
| US08629547B2 |
Semiconductor chip package
A structure of a semiconductor chip package is provided. The semiconductor chip package includes: a substrate; a semiconductor chip mounted on a first surface of the substrate; a plurality of electrode pads on a second surface, different from the first surface, of the substrate; and an electrostatic discharge protection pad overlapping a portion of a first electrode pad and a portion of a second electrode pad among the plurality of electrode pads. |
| US08629541B2 |
Semiconductor package for controlling warpage
A semiconductor structure having a ring. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, at least one chip, and the ring. The substrate has a first surface. The chip is located on the first surface of the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate. The ring has a first portion and a second portion. In various embodiments, the first and second portions different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), and or different cross-sectional widths. In another embodiment, the ring includes a third portion having a CTE different from both the first and second CTEs. |
| US08629538B2 |
Power module package
Disclosed herein is a power module package including: a first substrate having one surface and the other surface; a second substrate contacting one side of one surface of the first substrate; and a first lead frame contacting the other side of one surface of the first substrate. The power module package further includes: a first metal layer formed on one side of one surface of the first substrate; a first bonding layer formed on the first metal layer and contacting a lower surface of the second substrate; a second metal layer formed on the other side of one surface of the first substrate; and a second bonding layer formed on the second metal layer and contacting a lower surface of the first lead frame. |
| US08629537B2 |
Padless die support integrated circuit package system
An integrated circuit package system is provided forming a die support system from a padless lead frame having die supports with each substantially equally spaced from another, and attaching an integrated circuit die having a peripheral area on the die supports. |
| US08629528B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of word lines formed on a semiconductor substrate at predetermined intervals, selecting transistors arranged on at least one side of the plurality of word lines, an interlayer insulating film formed to cover upper surfaces of the word lines and the selecting transistors, a first air gap located between each pair of adjacent ones of the word lines and covered by the interlayer insulating film, a second air gap located at a first side wall portion of a word line adjacent to the selecting transistors covered by the interlayer insulating film, the first side wall portion facing the selecting transistors, and a third air gap located at a second side wall portion of each of the selecting transistors and covered by the interlayer insulating film. The first, second, and third air gaps are filled with air. |
| US08629527B2 |
Semiconductor structures
Methods of pitch doubling of asymmetric features and semiconductor structures including the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a single photolithography mask may be used to pitch double three features, for example, of a DRAM array. In one embodiment, two wordlines and a grounded gate over field may be pitch doubled. Semiconductor structures including such features are also disclosed. |
| US08629523B2 |
Inserted reflective shield to improve quantum efficiency of image sensors
The structures of reflective shields and methods of making such structures described enable reflection of light that has not be absorbed by photodiodes in image sensor devices and increase quantum efficiency of the photodiodes. Such structures can be applied (or used) for any image sensors to improve image quality. Such structures are particular useful for image sensors with smaller pixel sizes and for long-wavelength light (or rays), whose absorption length (or depth) could be insufficient, especially for backside illumination (BSI) devices. The reflective shields could double, or more than double, the absorption depth for light passing through the image sensors and getting reflected back to the photodiodes. Concave-shaped reflective shields have the additional advantage of directing reflected light toward the image sensors. |
| US08629517B2 |
Wafer level packaging
A method of wafer level packaging includes providing a substrate including a buried oxide layer and a top oxide layer, and etching the substrate to form openings above the buried oxide layer and a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) resonator element between the openings, the MEMS resonator element enclosed within the buried oxide layer, the top oxide layer, and sidewall oxide layers. The method further includes filling the openings with polysilicon to form polysilicon electrodes adjacent the MEMS resonator element, removing the top oxide layer and the sidewall oxide layers adjacent the MEMS resonator element, bonding the polysilicon electrodes to one of a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) wafer or a carrier wafer, removing the buried oxide layer adjacent the MEMS resonator element, and bonding the substrate to a capping wafer to seal the MEMS resonator element between the capping wafer and one of the CMOS wafer or the carrier wafer. |
| US08629516B2 |
Bulk silicon moving member with dimple
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a substrate, forming a moveable member of bulk silicon and forming a first dimple structure on a first surface of the moveable member, where the first surface faces the substrate. |
| US08629515B2 |
Metal gate semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a source and a drain region formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a gate structure disposed on the substrate between the source and drain regions. The gate structure includes an interfacial layer formed over the substrate, a high-k dielectric formed over the interfacial layer, and a metal gate formed over the high-k dielectric that includes a first metal layer and a second metal layer, where the first metal layer is formed on a portion of the sidewalls of the gate structure and where the second metal layer is formed on another portion of the sidewalls of the gate structure. |
| US08629514B2 |
Methods and structures for customized STI structures in semiconductor devices
A method and structure provide for customizing STI, shallow trench isolation, structures in various parts of a system-on-chip, SOC, or other semiconductor integrated circuit device. Within an individual chip, STI structures are formed to include different dielectric thicknesses that are particularly advantageous for the particular device portion of the SOC chip in which the STI structure is formed. |
| US08629513B2 |
HV interconnection solution using floating conductors
A device includes a first and a second heavily doped region in a semiconductor substrate. An insulation region has at least a portion in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the insulation region is adjacent to the first and the second heavily doped regions. A gate dielectric is formed over the semiconductor substrate and having a portion over a portion of the insulation region. A gate is formed over the gate dielectric. A floating conductor is over and vertically overlapping the insulation region. A metal line includes a portion over and vertically overlapping the floating conductor, wherein the metal line is coupled to, and carries a voltage of, the second heavily doped region. |
| US08629508B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacture
A system and method for forming an isolation trench is provided. An embodiment comprises forming a trench and then lining the trench with a dielectric liner. Prior to etching the dielectric liner, an outgassing process is utilized to remove any residual precursor material that may be left over from the deposition of the dielectric liner. After the outgassing process, the dielectric liner may be etched, and the trench may be filled with a dielectric material. |
| US08629506B2 |
Replacement gate CMOS
A CMOS structure and a method for fabricating the CMOS structure include within a semiconductor substrate a first gate located over a first active region of a first polarity and a second gate located over a second active region of a second polarity different than the first polarity. The first active region and the second active region are separated by an isolation region. The first gate and the second gate are co-linear, with facing endwalls that terminate over the isolation region. The facing endwalls do not have a spacer located or formed adjacent or adjoining thereto, although sidewalls of the first gate and the second gate do. The CMOS structure may be fabricated using a sequential replacement gate method. |
| US08629505B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a drain layer; a drift layer provided on the drain layer; a base region provided on the drift layer; a source region selectively provided on a surface of the base region; a first gate; a field-plate; a second gate; a drain electrode; and a source electrode. The first gate electrode is provided in each of a plurality of first trenches via a first insulating film. The first trenches penetrate from a surface of the source region through the base region and contact the drift layer. The field-plate electrode is provided in the first trench under the first gate electrode via a second insulating film. The second gate electrode is provided in a second trench via a third insulating film. The second trench penetrates from the surface of the source region through the base region and contacts the drift layer between the first trenches. |
| US08629504B2 |
Extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) integrated circuit with on-chip resistors and method of forming the same
An electrical device is provided that in one embodiment includes a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate having a semiconductor layer with a thickness of less than 10 nm. A semiconductor device having a raised source region and a raised drain region of a single crystal semiconductor material of a first conductivity is present on a first surface of the semiconductor layer. A resistor composed of the single crystal semiconductor material of the first conductivity is present on a second surface of the semiconductor layer. A method of forming the aforementioned electrical device is also provided. |
| US08629501B2 |
Stress-generating structure for semiconductor-on-insulator devices
A stack pad layers including a first pad oxide layer, a pad nitride layer, and a second pad oxide layer are formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. A deep trench extending below a top surface or a bottom surface of a buried insulator layer of the SOI substrate and enclosing at least one top semiconductor region is formed by lithographic methods and etching. A stress-generating insulator material is deposited in the deep trench and recessed below a top surface of the SOI substrate to form a stress-generating buried insulator plug in the deep trench. A silicon oxide material is deposited in the deep trench, planarized, and recessed. The stack of pad layer is removed to expose substantially coplanar top surfaces of the top semiconductor layer and of silicon oxide plugs. The stress-generating buried insulator plug encloses, and generates a stress to, the at least one top semiconductor region. |
| US08629500B2 |
Integrated circuit arrangement comprising a field effect transistor, especially a tunnel field effect transistor
An explanation is given of, inter alia, tunnel field effect transistors having a thicker gate dielectric (GD1) in comparison with other transistors (T2) on the same integrated circuit arrangement (10). As an alternative or in addition, said tunnel field effect transistors have gate regions at mutually remote sides of a channel forming region or an interface between the connection regions (D1, S1) of the tunnel field effect transistor. |
| US08629499B2 |
Vertical MOSFET device
A MOSFET power chip includes a first vertical MOSFET and a second vertical MOSFET. The first vertical MOSFET includes a semiconductor body having a first surface defining a source and a second surface defining a drain and a gate structure formed in the semiconductor body near the second surface. A via is formed within the semiconductor body and is substantially perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface. The via has a first end electrically coupled to the first surface and a second end electrically coupled to the gate structure. The second vertical MOSFET includes a semiconductor body having a first surface defining a source, a second surface defining a drain and a gate structure formed in the semiconductor body near the first surface. |
| US08629498B2 |
Power semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the power semiconductor device
In a power semiconductor device that switches at a high speed, a displacement current flows at a time of switching, so that a high voltage occurs which may cause breakdown of a thin insulating film such as a gate insulating film. A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a drift layer of the first conductivity type formed on a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first well region of a second conductivity type formed in a part of a surface layer of the drift layer; a second well region of the second conductivity type formed in a part of the surface layer of the drift layer at a distance from the first well region, the second well region having a smaller area than that of the first well region when seen above an upper surface thereof; a low-resistance region of the first conductivity type formed in a surface layer of the first well region, the low-resistance region having a higher impurity concentration than that of the first well region; a gate insulating film formed on and in contact with a surface of the first well region; and a gate electrode formed on and in contact with a surface of the gate insulating film. |
| US08629497B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating the same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having first and second regions, a device isolation layer on the substrate defining an active region in each of the first and second regions, a gate pattern on the active region of each of the first and second regions, and a first dopant region and a second dopant region in each of the first and second regions of the substrate, the gate pattern in each of the first and second regions being between respective first and second dopant regions. At least one of upper surfaces of the first and second dopant regions in the second region is lower in level than an upper surface of the substrate under the gate pattern in the second region, the first and second dopant regions in the second region having an asymmetric recessed structure with respect to the gate pattern in the second region. |
| US08629496B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object to provide a material suitably used for used for a semiconductor included in a transistor, a diode, or the like, with the use of a sputtering method. Specifically, an object is to provide a manufacturing process an oxide semiconductor film having high crystallinity. By intentionally adding nitrogen to the oxide semiconductor, an oxide semiconductor film having a wurtzite crystal structure that is a hexagonal crystal structure is formed. In the oxide semiconductor film, the crystallinity of a region containing nitrogen is higher than that of a region hardly containing nitrogen or a region to which nitrogen is not intentionally added. The oxide semiconductor film having high crystallinity and having a wurtzite crystal structure is used as a channel formation region of a transistor. |
| US08629494B2 |
Data storing devices and methods of fabricating the same
A data storing device may include a substrate, transistors on the substrate that include gate line structures, and conductive isolation patterns defining active regions of the transistors. Each conductive isolation pattern includes at least one portion buried in the substrate and the conductive isolation patterns are electrically connected with each other. |
| US08629492B2 |
Shift register memory
In one embodiment, a shift register memory includes a substrate, and a channel layer provided on the substrate, and having a helical shape rotating around an axis which is perpendicular to a surface of the substrate. The memory further includes at least three control electrodes provided on the substrate, extending in a direction parallel to the axis, and to be used to transfer charges in the channel layer. |
| US08629490B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device with floating gate electrode and control gate electrode
It is an object to provide a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device that prevents increase in a contact resistance value due to etching of a semiconductor layer when etching an interlayer insulating film and that has superiority in a writing characteristic and an electric charge-holding characteristic, and a manufacturing method thereof. A conductive layer is provided between a source or drain region and a source or drain wiring. The conductive layer is made of the same conductive layer that forms a control gate electrode. An insulating film is provided so as to cover the conductive layer, and the insulating film has a contact hole for exposing part of the conductive layer. The source or drain wiring is formed so that the contact hole is filled. |
| US08629488B2 |
Method for manufacturing an energy storage device and structure therefor
An energy storage device such as a metal-insulator-metal capacitor and a method for manufacturing the energy storage device. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor includes an insulating material positioned between a bottom electrode or bottom plate and a top electrode or top plate. The surface area of the bottom electrode is greater than the surface area of the insulating material and the surface area of the insulating material is greater than the surface area of the top electrode. The top electrode and the insulating layer have edges that are laterally within and spaced apart from edges of the bottom electrode. A protective layer covers the top electrode, the edges of the top electrode, and the portions of the insulating layer that are uncovered by the top electrode. The protective layer serves as an etch mask during the formation of the bottom electrode. |
| US08629487B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing same
A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a ferroelectric capacitor including a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film, and an upper electrode. The upper electrode includes a first layer formed of an oxide whose stoichiometric composition is expressed as AOx1 and whose actual composition is expressed as AOx2; a second layer formed on the first layer and formed of an oxide whose stoichiometric composition is expressed as BOy1 and whose actual composition is expressed as BOy2; and a metal layer formed on the second layer. The second layer is higher in ratio of oxidation than the first layer. The composition parameters x1, x2, y1, and y2 satisfy y2/y1>x2/x1, and the second layer includes an interface layer of the stoichiometric composition formed at an interface with the metal layer. The interface layer is higher in ratio of oxidation than the rest of the second layer. |
| US08629477B2 |
Lattice-mismatched semiconductor structures with reduced dislocation defect densities and related methods for device fabrication
Fabrication of monolithic lattice-mismatched semiconductor heterostructures with limited area regions having upper portions substantially exhausted of threading dislocations, as well as fabrication of semiconductor devices based on such lattice-mismatched heterostructures. |
| US08629474B2 |
Light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a vertical-type light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. The light emitting device includes a p-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an n-type semi-conductor layer that are stacked, a cover layer disposed on a p-type electrode layer to surround the p-type electrode layer, a conductive support layer disposed on the cover layer, and an n-type electrode layer disposed on the n-type semiconductor layer. |
| US08629473B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting element, semiconductor light-emitting device, method for producing semiconductor light-emitting element, method for producing semiconductor light-emitting device, illumination device using semiconductor light-emitting device, and electronic apparatus
The disclosed semiconductor light-emitting element is configured from layering an n-type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type semiconductor layer (160); and a first electrode (200), which is the cathode, is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer (160). Also, between the p-type semiconductor layer (160) and a reflecting layer (220b), the first electrode (200) is provided with a crystalline first transparent electrode layer (210) and a non-crystalline second transparent electrode layer (220a). The crystalline first transparent electrode layer (210) increases adhesion with the p-type semiconductor layer (160), and the non-crystalline second transparent electrode layer (220a) suppresses delamination of the reflecting layer (220b). Also, the first transparent electrode layer (210) and the second transparent electrode layer (220a) transmit light emitted from the light-emitting layer and suppress degradation of reflective characteristics. In this way, delamination of the reflecting layer and degradation of reflective characteristics are suppressed in a semiconductor light-emitting element mounted using flip-chip (FC) mounting. |
| US08629469B2 |
LED assembly with a protective frame
The invention relates to an LED assembly comprising a carrier (T, T′), at least one LED chip (2, 102) which is arranged on the carrier (T, T′), the LED chip (2, 102) being connected to at least one bonding wire (3, 103), a transparent layer (8, 108) applied over the LED chip (2, 102) and a frame (4, 104) which surrounds the at least one LED chip (2, 102). The frame (4, 104) comprises at least one web (5, 105) so as to divide the frame (4, 104) into at least a first frame region (6, 106), which comprises the at least one LED chip (2, 102), and at least a second frame region (7, 107). The first frame region (6, 106) laterally delimits the layer (8, 108) and the second frame region (7, 107) forms a protective region for the at least one bonding wire (3, 103). By means of the assembly according to the invention, an LED assembly can be achieved which is of simple construction, can be easily assembled and also effectively protects the bonding wires against mechanical influences. |
| US08629464B2 |
Three dimensional light emitting diode systems, and compositions and methods relating thereto
A flexible layered structure is disclosed having a flexible top conductive layer, a flexible bottom heat sink layer and a flexible dielectric middle layer. The combination has a longitudinal axis and a plurality of defined positions spaced along the longitudinal axis. The defined positions can be used for aligning a circuit and/or for the placement of LED lights. The flexible layered structure can be easily bent to form a LED substrate for shining light in more than one direction while efficiently removing heat arising from the LEDs. |
| US08629462B2 |
Organic photovoltaic cell and light emitting diode with an array of 3-dimensionally fabricated electrodes
Disclosed herein, in certain instances, is a novel photovoltaic cell that uses unique microarchitectural and multi-layer functional designs. Further disclosed herein, in certain instances, is a 3-dimensional electrode. |
| US08629459B2 |
Multi-element LED lamp package
A light emitting diode device (e.g., LED package) may include at least two light emitting devices that can be switched independently of one another and thus may be useful in vehicular lighting applications, for example low and high beam headlights. A LED device may include a first LED die and at least one additional LED die disposed at different positions within a common reflector cup or relative to a common lens. Multiple LED sub-assemblies may be mounted to a common lead frame along non-coincident principal axes. Methods for varying intensity or color from multi-LED lamps are further provided. |
| US08629451B2 |
Display device
A display device for improving an aperture ratio of the pixel is provided. In the display device, a transparent oxide layer, an insulating film, and a conductive layer are sequentially stacked on a pixel region on a substrate, the conductive layer has a gate electrode of a thin film transistor connected to a gate signal line, and a region of the transparent oxide layer other than at least a channel region portion directly below the gate electrode is converted into an electrically conductive region, and a source signal line, a source region portion of the thin film transistor connected to the source signal line, a pixel electrode, and a drain region portion of the thin film transistor connected to the pixel electrode are formed from the conductive region. |
| US08629450B2 |
Flexible substrate and display device including the flexible substrate
A flexible substrate for a display device comprises a polymer resin, an inorganic fiber material, and an antistatic agent, and has a surface resistivity of less than 1011Ω. A display device includes the flexible substrate. |
| US08629446B2 |
Devices formed from a non-polar plane of a crystalline material and method of making the same
Materials, methods, structures and device including the same can provide a semiconductor device such as an LED using an active region corresponding to a non-polar face or surface of III-V semiconductor crystalline material. In some embodiments, an active diode region contains more non-polar III-V material oriented to a non-polar plane than III-V material oriented to a polar plane. In other embodiments, a bottom region contains more non-polar m-plane or a-plane surface area GaN than polar c-plane surface area GaN facing an active region. |
| US08629445B2 |
Semiconductor device, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic appliance
Provided are a semiconductor device with less leakage current is reduced, a semiconductor device with both of high field effect mobility and low leakage current, an electronic appliance with low power consumption, and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device in which leakage current can be reduced without an increase in the number of masks. The side surface of a semiconductor layer formed of a semiconductor film having high carrier mobility is not in contact with any of a source electrode and a drain electrode. Further, such a transistor structure is formed without an increase in the number of photomasks and can be applied to an electronic appliance. |
| US08629440B2 |
Display device with defective pixels correction structure
In view of the problem that a reduced thickness of an EL film causes a short circuit between an anode and a cathode and malfunction of a transistor, the invention provides a display device that has a light emitting element including an electrode and an electroluminescent layer, a wire electrically connected to the electrode of the light emitting element, a transistor provided with an active layer including a source, a drain and a channel forming region, and a power supply line electrically connected to one of the source and the drain of the transistor, wherein the wire is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the transistor, and the width of a part of the electrode in the vicinity of a portion where the electrode is electrically connected to the wire is smaller than that of the electrode in the other portion. |
| US08629439B2 |
Light emitting device, method of preparing the same and device for fabricating the same
A light emitting device having a high definition, a high aperture ratio and a high reliability is provided. The present invention realizes a high definition and a high aperture ratio for a flat panel display of full colors using luminescent colors of red, green and blue without being dependent upon the film formation method and deposition precision of an organic compound layer by forming the laminated sections 21, 22 by means of intentionally and partially overlapping different organic compound layers of adjacent light emitting elements. Moreover, the protective film 32a containing hydrogen is formed and the drawback in the organic compound layer is terminated with hydrogen, thereby realizing the enhancement of the brightness and the reliability. |
| US08629435B2 |
Methods of extracting fin heights and overlap capacitance and structures for performing the same
A first test structure includes a first isolation region, a first gate electrode over the first isolation region, a first and a second semiconductor fin, and a first contact plug over the first and the second semiconductor fins. A second test structure includes a second isolation region, a second gate electrode over the second isolation region, a third semiconductor fin and a dielectric fin, and a second contact plug over the third semiconductor fin. The first, the second, and the third semiconductor fins and the dielectric fin have substantially a same fin height. A method includes measuring a first capacitance between the first gate electrode and the first contact plug, measuring a second capacitance between the second gate electrode and the second contact plug, and calculating the same fin height from a capacitance difference between the second capacitance and the first capacitance. |
| US08629434B2 |
Display device and manufacturing method thereof
A display device includes a first wiring functioning as a gate electrode formed over a substrate, a gate insulating film formed over the first wiring, a second wiring and an electrode layer provided over the gate insulating film, and a high-resistance oxide semiconductor layer formed between the second wiring and the electrode layer are included. In the structure, the second wiring is formed using a stack of a low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer and a conductive layer over the low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer, and the electrode layer is formed using a stack of the low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer and the conductive layer which is stacked so that a region functioning as a pixel electrode of the low-resistance oxide semiconductor layer is exposed. |
| US08629430B2 |
Anthracene derivative and organic electroluminescent element using the same
An anthracene derivative represented by the following formula (1):In the formula (1), Z is a structure represented by the following formula (2). In the formula (2), at least one pair of adjacent two substituents of R11 to R18 form a ring represented by the following formula (3) or (4): |
| US08629426B2 |
Source/drain stressor having enhanced carrier mobility manufacturing same
Various source/drain stressors that can enhance carrier mobility, and methods for manufacturing the same, are disclosed. An exemplary source/drain stressor includes a seed layer of a first material disposed over a substrate of a second material, the first material being different than the second material; a relaxed epitaxial layer disposed over the seed layer; and an epitaxial layer disposed over the relaxed epitaxial layer. |
| US08629425B2 |
Tunable wavelength light emitting diode
A light emitting diode and a method of fabricating a light emitting diode, the diode has a first set of multiple quantum wells (MQWs), each of the MQWs of the first set comprising a wetting layer providing nucleation sites for quantum dots (QDs) or QD-like structures in a well layer of said each MQW; and a second set of MQWs, each of the MQWs of the second set formed so as to exhibit a photoluminescence (PL) peak wavelength shifted compared to the MQWs of the first set. |
| US08629423B1 |
Non-planar metal-insulator-metal tunneling device for sensing and/or generation of electromagnetic radiation at terahertz, infrared, and optical frequencies and technology of its preparation
In the present invention, one or more inventive designs and techniques allow formation of high speed complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process compatible tunneling devices that are formed on low dielectric loss sheet-substrates (such as silicon or germanium for infrared or quartz and sapphire for visible or near infrared) having the first and the second smooth planar surfaces and an intermediate surface in the form of a hole, or slit, or a side edge, which extends between and connects the first and second surfaces, so that deposited from opposite sides of the sheet-substrate the first metal layer followed by its oxidation or nanometer thickness tunneling dielectric coating and the second metal layer have an overlapped coupled area within the intermediate surface, thus forming a non-planar metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunneling junction of low capacitance and high cut-off frequency, which is capable to operate at room temperature at terahertz, infrared, and even optical frequencies. Also included are methods of preparation of the non-planar MIM tunneling devices of the present invention as well as examples of practical applicability for manufacturing the devices for both reception and generation of terahertz, infrared, and optical radiation. |
| US08629421B1 |
Memory cells
Some embodiments include memory cells having programmable material between a pair of electrodes. The programmable material includes a material selected from the group consisting of a metal silicate with a ratio of metal to silicon within a range of from about 2 to about 6, and metal aluminate with a ratio of metal to aluminum within a range of from about 2 to about 6. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells. First electrode material is formed. Programmable material is formed over the first electrode material, with the programmable material including metal silicate and/or metal aluminate. Second electrode material is formed over the programmable material, and then an anneal is conducted at a temperature within a range of from about 300° C. to about 500° C. for a time of from about 1 minute to about 1 hour. |
| US08629420B1 |
Drain extended MOS device for bulk FinFET technology
Some aspects relate to a FinFET that includes a semiconductor fin disposed over a semiconductor substrate and extending laterally between a source region and a drain region. A shallow trench isolation (STI) region laterally surrounds a lower portion of the semiconductor fin, and an upper portion of the semiconductor fin remains above the STI region. A gate electrode traverses over the semiconductor fin to define a channel region in the semiconductor fin under the conductive gate electrode. A punch-through blocking region can extend between the source region and the channel region in the lower portion of the semiconductor fin. A drain extension region can extend between the drain region and the channel region in the lower portion of the semiconductor fin. Other devices and methods are also disclosed. |
| US08629409B2 |
Ion interface device having multiple confinement cells and methods of use thereof
A device and associated methods of operations are disclosed for interfacing on ion trap to a mass analyzer, such as a TOF mass analyzer. The device includes a plurality of sequentially arranged confinement cells having fixed locations. A group of ions, e.g., ions within a relatively narrow window of mass-to-charge ratio, is received by the device from the ion trap, undergoes fragmentation, and is transported through the device from a first to final confinement cell by a series of transfers between adjacent cells. The ion group is confined in each cell for a prescribed cooling period. By providing a suitable aggregate ion confinement time and by enabling concurrent transport and cooling of successively ejected ion groups, the ions are cooled sufficiently to enable the acquisition of mass spectra at high resolution, without having to substantially delay the ejection of a subsequent group of ions from the ion trap until cooling of the previous group is completed. |
| US08629405B2 |
Radiological image detection apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
A radiological image detection apparatus includes: a scintillator which is formed out of a group of columnar crystals in which crystals of a fluorescent material emitting fluorescence when irradiated with radiation have grown into columnar shapes; and a photodetector which detects the fluorescence emitted by the scintillator as an electric signal. Activator density in the scintillator varies between high density and low density repeatedly in a radiation travelling direction in at least a part of the scintillator. The activator density in each of front end portions and base end portions of the columnar crystals is lower than the high density. |
| US08629403B2 |
Inorganic scintillating material, crystal scintillator and radiation detector
A new inorganic scintillating material is provided represented by the formula Ln(1-m-n)HfnCemA(3+n), where A is Br or Cl, or I, or a mixture of at least two halogens of the group, Ln is an element from the group: La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Lu, Y. A new crystal scintillator is also provided represented by the formula Ln(1-m)CemA3:n.Hf4+, where Ln(1-m)CemA3 represents the chemical composition of the matrix material, A is Br, or Cl, or I, or a mixture of at least two halogens from the group, Ln is an element from the group: La, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Lu, Y; Hf4+ is a dopant. A radiation detector comprising a scintillating element based on the novel inorganic scintillating material is also provided. |
| US08629402B2 |
X-ray imaging panel with thermally-sensitive adhesive and methods of making thereof
Provided herein are scintillator screens comprising a substrate; a scintillation layer disposed over the substrate, the scintillation layer comprising a scintillator material; and an adhesive layer disposed by solvent coating over the scintillation layer, the adhesive layer comprising solvent-coatable thermally-sensitive elastomer, wherein the adhesive layer has a dust adhesion of ≦1 dust particles/sq.in. |
| US08629401B2 |
Method and device for determining the adsorption of a gas on materials
The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for determining the adsorption of a gas at materials. It is the object of the invention to propose possibilities for the determining of the surface properties of materials in which statements can be obtained and very small sample volumes can be examined with sufficient measurement precision, with a reduced technical plant effort and with a reduced time effort. In the invention, a sample of a material is acted on by a gas or gas mixture within a chamber which is not transparent for electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range between 150 nm and 25 μm. The gas or at least a gas included in a gas mixture is adsorbed at the surface of the sample and in this respect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sample as a consequence of the adsorption is detected by at least one optical detector which is sensitive at least in a range of the wavelength range between 150 nm and 25 μm. The measured signals of the detector(s) are in this respect detected with time resolution and are evaluated within a predefinable time interval for determining the surface temperature and/or the adsorption heat of the respective sample varying due to the adsorption. |
| US08629399B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for measuring biological processes using mid-infrared spectroscopy
This invention relates to methods and apparatuses for measuring biological processes using mid-infrared spectroscopy. The method includes the step of directing a mid-infrared signal into a sample of a biological process during a biologically active phase, and the step of detecting a sample spectrum from the mid-infrared signal to form a sample spectrum. The method includes the step of generating a reference spectrum through a reference media, and the step of combining the sample spectrum and the reference spectrum to form an adjusted sample spectrum. |
| US08629386B2 |
Method and apparatus for energy harvesting using CMOS sensor
An apparatus using reconfigurable integrated sensor elements with an efficient energy harvesting capability is described. Each sensor element has sensing and energy harvesting mode. In the sensing mode, the sensor element measures an environmental characteristic by generating electrical charge and outputs a time-encoded signal indicative of the measurement. In the energy harvesting mode, the sensor element itself is used to harvest energy from ambient energy source and makes it available to other sensor elements or circuit components. The sensing element is switched from the sensing mode to the energy harvesting mode when the electrical charge reaches a predetermined threshold. An image sensor device using asynchronous readout for harvesting energy from incident light while generating images is also described. |
| US08629378B2 |
Heating control device and method thereof
A heating control device for a heating apparatus comprises a power control unit connected between an external power source and a heating unit of the heating apparatus to transfer power therebetween; a first temperature sensor provided near the heating unit for detecting the temperature thereof; a second temperature sensor provided at a portion of the heating apparatus for containing an object to be heated and for detecting the temperature of the object; a storage unit for storing temperature reference values; a micro controller unit electrically connected to the first and second temperature sensors, the power control unit and the storage unit, which is used to receive temperature signals from the sensors, compare the detected temperatures to the temperature reference values, and command the power control unit to supply the heating unit with different powers. A heating control method therefore is also disclosed. |
| US08629374B2 |
Modified flux system in cored electrode
A cored electrode having reduced moisture pick-up properties and which forms a weld bead with low diffusible hydrogen in a gas shielded electric arc welding process. The cored electrode includes a metal sheath and a fill composition. The fill composition includes titanium dioxide, slag forming agent and a sodium-silica-titanate compound. |
| US08629373B2 |
Synchronized multiple drive wire feed welding system and method
A welding system, in certain embodiments, includes a synchronization controller configured to override a first nominal calibration of a first wire drive, or a second nominal calibration of a second wire drive, or both, in response to a tension condition or a compression condition of a welding wire feeding between the first and second wire drives. A welding system, in other embodiments, includes a welding wire drive having a motor, a controller, a nominal calibration, and a multi-drive synchronization parameter. The multi-drive synchronization parameter may be configured to control speed, or torque, or both, of multiple drives including the welding wire drive to facilitate synchronization of the multiple drives. |
| US08629371B2 |
Method and apparatus for fine particle liquid suspension feed for thermal spray system and coatings formed therefrom
A method and apparatus by which liquid feedstock suspensions containing fine particles, micron- and nano-sized, are injected, with sufficient droplet velocity, preferably axially, into a plume of a thermal spray apparatus for the production of high-quality nanostructured coatings allows complete entrainment of the droplets in the plume, while the injection orifice remains potentially blockage-free for long periods of operation. The method and apparatus permit delivery at a low flow rate and with sufficient velocity to permit effective deposition, while reducing obstructions for a suspension feedstock delivery system and permits suspension feedstock to be controlled and delivered with reduced sensitivity of the spray process on the injection conditions to enable production of nanostructured coatings. |
| US08629369B2 |
Low impact spot welding cylinder using single or double piston
A weld cylinder having a single piston arrangement is provided. The cylinder has a movable retract piston assembly with the piston arranged within the retract piston assembly. The piston supports a rod that is movable between home, intermediate, work, and advanced work positions. The rod moves rapidly from the home position to the intermediate position however, the rod moves more slowly from the intermediate position to the work position to reduce the impact force. A cushion chamber slowly exhausts through a pre-orifice and a hole in the cushion valve while an isolator is in an open position. Once the cushion valve opens in response to a retract-forward pressure on the cushion valve, the cushion chamber exhausts rapidly so that weld force increases rapidly to minimize increases in cycle time. Advance of a retract piston assembly is also cushioned. A weld-forward port is no longer provided on a cylinder barrel. |
| US08629368B2 |
High-speed, ultra precision manufacturing station that combines direct metal deposition and EDM
A direct-metal deposition (DMD) processing stage and a 5DOF (degree of freedom) dry micro-EDM (mEDM) stage are integrated to provide the submicron scale resolution necessary for the ultra-precision processing of work pieces. The DMD processing stage includes optical feedback for dimensional control utilizing a high-power, fiber-coupled diode laser with fast response time and small beam parameter product. The electrical discharge machining (EDM) stage is a dry EDM stage using an inert gas with appropriate dielectric properties to perform the surface finishing operations. The system further includes one or more surface treatment operations to obtain a desired level of surface hardness or wear resistance and/or to minimize the distortion induced in treating the surface. |
| US08629362B1 |
Keyswitch using magnetic force
A key for user input having superior tactile qualities. The key is suspended by a magnetic field force to improve the smoothness of motion. Two compact interleaved members link a keycap to a key base to provide highly precise parallel travel with reduced tilt and flexion, and improved durability. |
| US08629360B2 |
RF micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) capacitive switch
An RF MEMS capacitive switch aligns holes in one of its electrodes to dielectric posts to reduce trapped charge without affecting the capacitance ratio of the switch. When actuated, the electrode contacts the posts' one or more contact surfaces around the plurality of holes so that each hole overlaps at least a central portion of the post to which it is aligned. By selecting the hole size such that the top electrode appears to be approximately a continuous conductive sheet at the RF frequency, the alignment of the holes to the posts reduces the amount of trapped charge without lowering switch capacitance. In different embodiments, the post diameter may be smaller than the hole diameter so that the overlap is complete, in which case trapped charge is largely eliminated. |
| US08629358B2 |
Method for identifying changes in signal frequencies emitted by a stylus interacting with a digitizer sensor
A method for dynamically updating at least one pre-defined value of a parameter used to identify at least one operational mode of an object for user interaction with a digitizer sensor during interaction with the digitizer sensor comprises detecting signal outputs from a plurality of sensing elements of a digitizer sensor during user interaction with the digitizer sensor; characterizing a pattern formed by the signal outputs from the plurality of sensing elements; identifying a pre-defined event associated with an operational mode of the object based on the pattern; determining a value of the parameter from the signal outputs in response to identification of the pre-defined event; and updating the pre-defined value used to identify the operational mode based on the value of the parameter determined from the identified event. |
| US08629353B2 |
Apparatus and method using patterned array with separated islands
Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an apparatus that is used to provide a circuit layer via a supportive substrate or material layer having an upper surface and having edge surfaces configured and arranged to define patterned aperture channels. The material layer includes an array of patterned islands which provide an upper surface of the material layer for securing and supporting circuitry. The patterned islands are flexible due, for example, to patterned flexures located between and connecting the islands. |
| US08629352B2 |
Enameled insulated wire and manufacturing method thereof
There is provided an enameled insulated wire, which includes: a metal conductor; an intermediate layer around the metal conductor, the intermediate layer containing metal oxide particles, the metal oxide particles including at least one oxide selected from a group consisting of zinc oxides, tin oxides, compound oxides of zinc and the metal constituent of the metal conductor, and compound oxides of tin and the metal constituent of the metal conductor, diameter of the metal oxide particles being predominantly from 1 to 50 nm; and an insulation coating around the intermediate layer. |
| US08629350B2 |
Process turning disc with a cable guide
A process turning disc includes a first flange configured to support a cable package in a first direction and a second flange configured to support a cable package in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A connecting member connected to the first and the second flanges is configured to support a cable package in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction. A cable guide is fastened to the process turning disc in a detachable manner and includes a cable clamp configured to support a cable package in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction. The cable guide further includes two sliding surfaces configured to support a cable package in the first and the second directions outside of the cable clamp. A bending movement of the cable package is thereby allowed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the process turning disc. |
| US08629345B1 |
Solar AMTEC power system
A solar receiver including a housing defining an internal volume divided into at least a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the second chamber is in fluid communication with the first chamber, the housing further defining a first opening into the first chamber, a second opening into the first chamber and a third opening into the second chamber, a generally transparent cover connected to the housing to generally seal the first opening, and a thermal energy storage material received in the first chamber, the thermal energy storage material including a thermally conductive material defining an internal chamber and a salt received in the internal chamber. |
| US08629337B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV240952
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV240952. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV240952, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV240952 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV240952 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV240952. |
| US08629336B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X00B132
A novel maize variety designated X00B132 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X00B132 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X00B132 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X00B132, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X00B132. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X00B132. |
| US08629332B1 |
Soybean variety XBP48002
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP48002 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP48002, cells from soybean variety XBP48002, plants of soybean XBP48002, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP48002. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP48002 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XBP48002, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP48002. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP48002 are further provided. |
| US08629328B2 |
Methods for weed control using plants transformed with dicamba monooxygenase
The invention provides methods for weed control with dicamba and related herbicides. It was found that pre-emergent applications of dicamba at or near planting could be made without significant crop damage or yield loss. The techniques can be combined with the herbicide glyphosate to improve the degree of weed control and permit control of herbicide tolerant weeds. |
| US08629323B2 |
Methods and materials for making and using transgenic dicamba-degrading organisms
The invention provides isolated and at least partially-purified dicamba-degrading enzymes, isolated DNA molecules coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, DNA constructs coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, transgenic host cells comprising DNA coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, and transgenic plants and plant parts comprising one or more cells comprising DNA coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes. Expression of the dicamba-degrading enzymes results in the production of dicamba-degrading organisms, including dicamba-tolerant plants. Finally, the invention provides a method of selecting transformed plants and plant cells based on dicamba tolerance and a method of selecting or screening transformed host cells, intact organisms and parts of organisms based on the fluorescence of 3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid produced as a result of dicamba degradation. |
| US08629321B2 |
Genes encoding Z,Z-farnesyl diphosphate synthase and a sesquiterpene synthase with multiple products and uses thereof
The present invention relates to the genes involved in the biosynthetic pathway for sesquiterpenes of SB type (alpha-santalene, epi-beta-santalene, cis-alpha-bergamotene, trans-alpha-bergamotene and endo-beta-bergamotene,) and for the precursor thereof, Z,Z-farnesyl diphosphate (Z,Z-FPP), involving a Z,Z-FPP synthase and a sesquiterpene SB synthase, and to the uses thereof for producing sesquiterpeniques compounds of SB type. |
| US08629319B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X8H557
A novel maize variety designated X8H557 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X8H557 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X8H557 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X8H557, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X8H557. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X8H557. |
| US08629318B2 |
Transgenic animals for analyzing CYP3A4 cytochrome P450 gene regulation
The invention relates to the generation of non-human transgenic animals comprising a reporter construct for producing a detectable amount of a reporter molecule operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory nucleic acid molecule from the human CYP3A4 gene located between the initiation of transcription site of the gene and a position located 13,000 nucleotides upstream from the site. The invention also relates to the use of these animals for determining the effect of a compound, particularly, but not exclusively, a xenobiotic or steroid, on the regulation of expression of the CYP3A4 gene in a human. |
| US08629316B2 |
Absorbent article containing structured fibers
A reusable absorbent article includes a hydrophilic top layer, a soaking layer adjacent to and beneath the top layer, a substantially liquid impermeable layer adjacent to and beneath the soaking layer, and a backing layer adjacent to and beneath the substantially liquid impermeable layer. All of the layers are secured together to form a unitary structure. The soaking layer is a non-woven fabric having a plurality of hydrophobic fibers of a generally circular cross-sectional shape and a plurality of hydrophilic fibers of a non-circular cross-sectional shape. |
| US08629315B2 |
Absorbent article having a graphic visible through body contacting surface
An absorbent article for feminine hygiene, comprising: a body contacting layer; a garment contacting layer; and an absorbent core disposed between the body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer. The absorbent core has a core edge. The core edge defines a core region within the core edge and an outer region outside the core region. The body contacting layer and the garment contacting layer extend outward into the outer region and joined together in the outer region. The garment contacting layer may have a graphic printed on the body facing surface or the body contacting layer may have a graphic printed on the garment facing surface. The body contacting layer has a first light transmittance so that the graphic can be seen through the body contacting layer. |
| US08629312B2 |
Method for producing olefins
The present invention provides a method to produce olefins by the decarboxylation of organic carboxylic acids in the presence of an organopalladium catalyst. |
| US08629309B2 |
Method for producing water-insoluble liquefied fuel oil from biomass
Provided herein is a method for producing a water-insoluble liquefied fuel oil containing a hydrocarbon from biomass. The method includes converting an oxygen-containing compound in a liquefied fuel oil obtained after liquefaction to a hydrocarbon and converting a water-soluble organic substance contained in an aqueous phase to a hydrocarbon, thereby improving the yield of the water-insoluble liquefied fuel oil. |
| US08629306B2 |
Method for producing 1,6-hexanediol
The invention relates to a process for preparing 1,6-hexanediol, preferably with at least 99.5% purity, which are especially virtually free of 1,4-cyclohexanediols, from a carboxylic acid mixture which is obtained as a by-product of the catalytic oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanone/cyclohexanol with oxygen or oxygen-comprising gases and by water extraction of the reaction mixture, by hydrogenating the carboxylic acid mixture, esterifying and hydrogenating a substream to hexanediol. |
| US08629305B2 |
Process and apparatus for azeotropic recovery of dichlorohydrins
A process and apparatus for recovering dichlorohydrins from a mixture comprising dichlorohydrins, water, one or more compounds selected from esters of dichlorohydrins, monochlorohydrins and/or esters thereof, and multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds and/or esters thereof, and optionally one or more substances comprising chlorinating agents, catalysts and/or esters of catalysts is disclosed. A liquid aqueous phase is recycled to the distillation column while distilling or fractionating the mixture to separate dichlorohydrin(s) and water from the mixture. Advantages include more efficient recovery of dichlorohydrins for a given distillation column, less waste due to avoiding the conditions conducive to the formation of heavy byproducts, and reduced capital investment in recovery equipment. |
| US08629300B2 |
Arylamine-substituted divinyl fluorenes and their use for electrophotographic applications, and for OLEDs (organic light emitting devices)
The invention relates to arylamine-substituted divinyl fluorenes. The invention is based on the object of providing photoconductors having good durability, high sensitivity, and low residual potential. The task is to detect new perforated conductors, which can be used in electrophotography, for copying, and in the OLED field. The task is solved by the production of the title compounds, particularly of the formula (11). |
| US08629298B2 |
Acetic acid production process
A method for determining the characteristic of one or more components in a step of an acetic acid production process using Raman spectroscopy. The process includes providing a feed stream comprising multiple components to a separations unit, one of the components being acetic acid, the separations unit separating the feed stream into two or more exit streams having a different composition from one another, and measuring a characteristic of one or more of the components by Raman spectroscopic analysis. |
| US08629296B2 |
Pyrethroid compound, preparation process and use thereof
Disclosed are a pyrethroid compound, a preparation process and the use thereof, wherein the compound is a stereoisomer of 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxymethylbenzyl-3-(3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate. The structure of the compound is represented by formula (A), in which the carbon-carbon double bond in carboxylic acid section is Z configuration, and the absolute stereo configuration at the 1-position of cyclopropane is R, namely, the said compound is 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-methoxymethylbenzyl-1R-(Z)-3-(3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate. The said pyrethroid compound has a high activity, and has a significant effect on preventing and curing sanitary pests. |
| US08629291B1 |
Esterification of biodiesel feedstock with solid heterogeneous catalyst
Process and steps for the production of biodiesel and/or glycerin from feedstock are provided. |
| US08629290B2 |
Trigycerides containing certain saturated carboxylic acids
Process for the production of saturated monocarboxylic acids and triglycerides of saturated carboxylic acids having more than one acid function starting from non-modified vegetable oils containing triglycerides of unsaturated fatty acids, comprising the oxidative cleavage of the unsaturated fatty acids. |
| US08629287B2 |
Process for the sulfinylation of a pyrazole derivative
The present invention relates to a process for the sulfinylation of a pyrazole derivative, characterized in that 5-amino-1-[2,6-dichloro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1H-pyrazole-3-carbonitrile (II) is reacted with a sulfinylating agent S in the presence of at least one amine acid complex wherein the amine(s) are selected from cyclic secondary amines and the acid(s) are selected from sulfonic acid derivatives, and with the addition of a halogenating agent, wherein S is [CF3S(O)]2O; or CF3S(O)X wherein X means fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo, a hydroxy group, or an alkaline or alkaline earth metal salt of the hydroxy group; or mixtures thereof. |
| US08629284B2 |
Chemical compounds
A compound of the formula I or where W, X and Y are for example each CH; R1 is H; R2 is halogen; and R6 is, for formula I, for example, OH, CN, C3-C8-cycloalkyl, C3-C8-cycloalkyl-C1-C6-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-haloalkenyl, C2-C6-alkenyloxy, C2-C6-alkynyl, C2-C6-haloalkynyl, C2-C6-alkynyloxy, optionally substituted C1 to C3-alkyl, or optionally substituted C1-C6-alkoxy, or R6 is, for formula II, for example, CN, C3-C8-cycloalkyl, or optionally substituted C3-C6-alkyl; and/or salts thereof; and their use as as pesticidal agents. |
| US08629278B2 |
Thioacetate compounds, compositions and methods of use
Described herein are compounds useful in the modulation of blood uric acid levels, formulations containing them and methods of using them. In some embodiments, the compounds described herein are used in the treatment or prevention of disorders related to aberrant levels of uric acid. |
| US08629277B2 |
Styrenyl 1,2,4-oxadiazole compounds
The present invention relates to oxadiazole compounds in all their stereoisomeric and tautomeric forms and mixtures thereof in all ratios; and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable polymorphs. The invention also relates to processes for the manufacture of the oxadiazole compounds and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them. The said compounds and their pharmaceutical compositions are useful in the treatment of cancer, particularly chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The present invention further provides a method of treatment of cancer by administering a therapeutically effective amount of said compounds or their pharmaceutical compositions, to a mammal in need thereof. |
| US08629275B2 |
AHCY hydrolase inhibitors for treatment of hyper homocysteinemia
The present invention is directed to AHCY inhibitors of formula (I): which are useful in the treatment of diseases characterized by high homocysteine levels, such as Alzheimer's disease. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and to the use of the compounds and compositions in the treatment of diseases characterized by high homocysteine levels. |
| US08629273B2 |
Diazinylpyrazolyl compounds
The present invention relates to diazinylpyrazolyl compounds of the formula (I) where R1 to R3, X and Q are as defined in the description, and to their use in crop protection, in particular as insecticides, and also to processes for their preparation and compositions comprising such diazinylpyrazolylimines and -imidoates. |
| US08629270B2 |
Tetrahydropyrrolothiazine compounds
The present invention provides compounds of Formula I: wherein A is selected from the group consisting of; R1 is H or F; R2 is H, —CH2OH, C1-C3 alkyl, R3 is H, F, or CN; R4 is H, F; or CN; and R5 is H, —CH3, or —OCH3; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. |
| US08629269B2 |
Dye for a dye-sensitised solar cell, and a solar cell comprising the same
The present invention relates to a dye for a dye-sensitized solar cell. The dye according to the present invention has a high degree of light absorbency and can improve the photoelectric current conversion efficiency when employed in a light-absorbing layer for a solar cell. Chemical Formula 1 illustrates the present invention. wherein X1, X2, N, Z1, and A1 are described herein. |
| US08629267B2 |
High shear process for dextrose production
A method for producing starch hydrolysate that includes processing in a high shear device a hydrolytic solution having a component selected from the group consisting of acids, hydrolytic enzymes, and combinations thereof, and an aqueous starch solution to produce a dispersion, wherein the high shear device is configured with a rotor and a stator; and transferring the dispersion from the high shear device to a reactor from which a starch hydrolysate product comprising dextrose is removed, wherein the operating temperature within the reactor is maintained at a temperature of less than about 160° C. |
| US08629265B2 |
Method for producing phosphate-bridged nucleoside conjugates
The invention relates to a method for producing phosphate-bridged nucleoside conjugates. In the method a nucleophile is first dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent and dried, and a cyclosaligenyl phosphate compound is subsequently added to the solution. |
| US08629263B2 |
Nucleoside phosphoramidates
Disclosed herein are nucleoside phosphoramidates and their use as agents for treating viral diseases. These compounds are inhibitors of RNA-dependent 5 RNA viral replication and are useful as inhibitors of HCV NS5B polymerase, as inhibitors of HCV replication and for treatment of hepatitis C infection in mammals. |
| US08629261B2 |
Olig1 mini-promoters
Isolated polynucleotides comprising an OLIG1 promoter are provided, where an OLIG1 regulatory element is operably joined to an OLIG1 basal promoter utilizing a non-native spacing between the promoter and regulatory elements. The promoter may be operably linked to an expressible sequence, e.g. reporter genes, genes encoding a polypeptide of interest, regulatory RNA sequences such as miRNA, siRNA, anti-sense RNA, etc., and the like. In some embodiments a cell comprising a stable integrant of an expression vector is provided, which may be integrated in the genome of the cell. The promoter may also be provided in a vector, for example in combination with an expressible sequence. The polynucleotides find use in a method of expressing a sequence of interest, e.g. for identifying or labeling cells, monitoring or tracking the expression of cells, etc. |
| US08629259B2 |
Photosynthetic organisms and compositions and methods of generating same
An isolated polynucleotide is provided. The isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide of a Type II reaction center of a photosynthetic organism, the nucleic acid sequence being capable of imparting the type II reaction center with an activity under a temperature range different than that of the type II reaction center endogenous to the photosynthetic organism. Also provided are methods of using the sequences for generating photosynthetic organisms or tailor-made thermotolerance. |
| US08629255B2 |
Nucleic acid molecules conferring enhanced ethanol tolerance and microorganisms having enhanced tolerance to ethanol
The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode a mutant acetaldehyde-CoA/alcohol dehydrogenase or mutant alcohol dehydrogenase and confer enhanced tolerance to ethanol. The invention also provides related expression vectors, genetically engineered microorganisms having enhanced tolerance to ethanol, as well as methods of making and using such genetically modified microorganisms for production of biofuels based on fermentation of biomass materials. |
| US08629252B2 |
Polysaccharides derivatised with citric acid
Non-crosslinked derivatives of oligo/polysaccharides of formula wherein: X is OH, O−M, NH—R1, O—R1; M is an alkaline or alkaline-earth metal, transition metal, or cation containing a quaternary nitrogen atom; Y is H or R2; R1: the residue of an oligo/polysaccharide; R2: the residue of a C1-C4 linear chain aliphatic carboxylic acid or citric acid; provided that at least one X is NH—R1 or O—R1, while the other two X are present in acid (OH) or salified form (OM). |
| US08629249B2 |
Streptococcus uberis adhesion molecule
A polypeptide, designated as “Streptococcus uberis Adhesion Molecule” (SUAM), and fragments of SUAM, prevent internalization and adherence of Streptococcus uberis and other streptococcal pathogens to cells. The SUAM polypeptide and fragments may be used diagnostically and therapeutically. Nucleic acid sequences encoding the SUAM polypeptide and fragments are included in the invention. |
| US08629244B2 |
Interleukin-6 receptor binding polypeptides
The invention relates to amino acid sequences that are directed against and/or that can specifically bind to IL-6 receptor, compounds or constructs that comprise said amino acid sequence, nucleic acids that encode said amino acid sequences, compounds or constructs, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said amino acid sequences, compounds or constructs as well as methods for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases and disorders associated with IL-6 receptor. |
| US08629243B2 |
Variant sucrose transporter polypeptides that enable faster sucrose utilization in bacteria
Variant sucrose transporter polypeptides that enable faster sucrose utilization in bacteria are described. Additionally, variant or recombinant bacteria comprising these variant sucrose transporter polypeptides, and methods of utilizing the bacteria to produce products such as glycerol and glycerol-derived products are provided. |
| US08629238B2 |
Diketopyrrolopyrrole polymers for use in organic semiconductor devices
This invention relates to a polymer containing a unit of formula -[A]-, a unit of formula -[COM1]-, and a unit of formula -[COM2]-, wherein A is a repeating unit of formula (I): COM1 is a repeating unit of formula: and COM2- is a second repeating unit -COM1-, which is different from the first repeating unit -COM1-, a second repeating unit -A-, which is different from the first repeating unit -A-, or a repeating unit of formula: The invention also relates to articles and devices containing the polymer above, as well as processes for preparing the polymer and the articles and devices containing the polymer. |
| US08629233B2 |
Phenyl ester side chains to increase polymer resorptivity
The present invention relates to polymers modified to increase their resorbability. In particular, the polymers of the invention have phenyl ester side chains which are good leaving groups and which thereby increase the resorption rate of the polymer relative to the same polymer, for example, bearing a comparable amount of an alkyl ester side chain. Such polymers are generally water insoluble, but when modified are able to solublize drugs and upon degradation and resorption, release those in a physiological environment in a controlled and/or sustained manner. |
| US08629230B2 |
Method for manufacturing carboxyl group-containing water-soluble polymer
In manufacturing of a carboxyl group-containing water-soluble polymer by a precipitation polymerization method, a method which can improve production efficiency with increasing practicality continuously adds a monomer solution wherein a monomer component containing an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid is dissolved in an inert solvent in a concentration of 20 to 50% by volume to an inert solvent charged in a reaction vessel. In this case, the amount of the inert solvent charged in the reaction vessel is set so that the concentration of the monomer component in the total amount summed up with the monomer solution is 10 to 24% by volume, and the time period until completion of continuous addition of the total amount of the monomer solution is set so that the conversion of the monomer component at the time of completion of addition of the total amount of the monomer solution is 60% or more. The monomer component may contain a polymerizable compound having two or more ethylenically unsaturated groups. |
| US08629229B2 |
Polyvinylamide polymers containing polymerizable functionalities
The present invention relates to a polymerizable polymer formed from an N-vinyl amide monomer and containing a polymerizable functionality. In one approach, a dual functional monomer may be employed. In the case where the dual functional monomer incorporates glycidyl methacrylate, a third polymerizable monomer is also included. In a second approach, a monomer with polymerizable functionality can be grafted onto a pre-existing, suitable N-vinyl amide co-polymeric material, yielding a co-polymer comprising a polymerizable functionality. where x+y+z+a=100. |
| US08629227B2 |
Modified polyvinyllactams
Modified polyvinyllactams and their use. |
| US08629224B2 |
Water-soluble or water-swellable polymers on the basis of salts of acryloyldimethyltaurine acid or the derivatives thereof, the production thereof and the use thereof as thickener, stabilizer and consistency agents
Polymers are described comprising a) one or more of the recurring structural units of the formula (1) where R1 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl and A is C1-C8 alkylene, and Q+ is H+, NH4+, Li+, Na+, K+, ½ Ca++, ½ Mg++, ½ Zn++ or ⅓ Al+++, and the neutralization degree of the structural units of formula (1) is 50 to 100 mol-%, and b) one or more of the recurring structural units of the formula (2) where R1 and A are R1 and A from formula (1) and X+ is [HNR5R6R7]+, where R5, R6 and R7 can independently from each other be hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 to 22 carbon atoms, a linear or branched, simple or polyunsaturated alkenylene group with 2 to 22 carbon atoms, a C6-C22-alkylamidopropyl group, a linear monohydroxyalkyl group with 2 to 10 carbon atoms or a linear or branched dihydroxyalkyl group with 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and wherein at least one of the groups R5, R6 and R7 is not hydrogen. |
| US08629220B2 |
Hydrolysis-resistant polyamides
Thermoplastic molding compositions comprising A) from 10 to 99.9% by weight of a thermoplastic polyamide, B) from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a terpolymer obtainable via copolymerization of (B1) from 1 to 70% by weight of at least one electron-deficient olefin, (B2) from 0 to 85% by weight of at least one olefin which, at its olefinic double bond, bears only hydrogen atoms and/or carbon atoms without electron-withdrawing substituents, and (B3) from 1 to 99% by weight of at least one alkoxyvinylsilane, C) from 0 to 50% by weight of a fibrous or particulate filler or a mixture of these, D) from 0 to 50% by weight of other additives, where the total of the percentages by weight of components A) to D) is 100%. |
| US08629219B2 |
Epoxy resin compound, preparation method thereof, prepreg made therefrom, and copper cladded laminate made therefrom
The present invention relates to an epoxy resin compound, a preparation method thereof, a prepreg made therefrom, and a copper cladded laminate made therefrom. The epoxy resin compound comprises: 30-80 parts by weight of epoxy resin; 20-50 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether resin of new structure with the number average molecular weight thereof being 1000-5000, which is prepared via the redistribution reaction of polyphenylene ether and phenolic resin with the existing of initiator agent; 0-50 parts by weight of filler; 1-20 parts by weight of ingredient. The epoxy resin compound of the present invention, has good heat resistance and dielectric property, and has a simple preparation process, which is good for batch production. Besides, the laminate material and copper cladded laminate of the present invention, which are made from the above mentioned epoxy resin compound, are used in printed circuit boards to have good heat resistance, dielectric property, and machinability, so as to be good for the signal transmission of a high-frequency PCB. |
| US08629218B2 |
Curable film-forming compositions containing ortho-hydroxyl aromatic functional acrylic polymers
The present invention is directed to curable film-forming compositions comprising a film-forming resin and a crosslinking agent. The film-forming resin contains a polymer having functional aromatic groups derived from functional aromatic acids. The present invention further provides multi-component composite coating compositions comprising a first film-forming composition applied to a substrate to form a primer or base coat, and a second film-forming composition applied on top of the primer or base coat to form a top coat, the top coat comprising the composition described above. Coating compositions prepared from the curable compositions of the present invention demonstrate superior gloss and acid etch resistance properties, making them ideally suited for automotive applications. |
| US08629217B2 |
Modified polyethylene blown film compositions having excellent bubble stability
The present invention relates to polyethylene compositions comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, in particular, this invention further relates to polyethylene blends comprising one or more ethylene polymers and one or more dendritic hydrocarbon polymer modifiers, wherein the modifier has: 1) a g′vis value less than 0.75; 2) at least 0.6 ppm ester groups as determined by 1H NMR; 3) a Tm of 100° C. or more; 4) an Mw of 50,000 g/mol or more, as determined by GPC; 5) an average number of carbon atoms between branch points of 70 or more as determined by 1H NMR. |
| US08629211B2 |
Acrylic copolymer for use in highly filled composites
The invention relates to an acrylic copolymer additive useful as a process aid in highly filled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) composites. The acrylic additive is especially useful in highly filled PVC flooring tiles, rolled flooring, pipe and siding. The acrylic copolymer additive contains from 50 to 79 weight percent of methyl methacrylate monomer units, and has a Tg of less than 90° C. |
| US08629210B2 |
Zwitterionic/amphiphilic pentablock copolymers and coatings therefrom
A zwitterionic/amphiphilic pentablock copolymer was prepared using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The pentablock copolymer is prepared for the atom transfer radical polymerization of a PDMS-PEO-Br macroinitiator and SBMA. The pentablock copolymer is incorporated into a polyurethane coating composition which is useful for antifouling and/or fouling release applications. |
| US08629209B2 |
Moisture curable isobutylene adhesive copolymers
The disclose provides pressure-sensitive adhesives and adhesive sealants prepared from alkoxysilane modified, crosslinked isobutylene copolymers, and tape articles prepared therefrom. |
| US08629208B2 |
Water-soluble fluid for use in machining of rare earth magnet
A polymeric flocculant is added to an aqueous solution comprising an organic acid and a basic compound to form a water-soluble fluid suitable for use in machining of rare earth magnet. |
| US08629204B2 |
Method for preparing polypropylene (PP) films having improved ultraviolet (UV) radiation stability and service life
Method for preparing stretched polypropylene films from a polypropylene resin that includes a low molecular weight hindered amine light stabilizer, and a high molecular weight hindered amine light stabilizer, and optionally a first antioxidant, and a second antioxidant. Also provided are methods for the preparation of woven jumbo polypropylene bags from the stretched polypropylene film. |
| US08629200B2 |
Organic/inorganic compositive dispersant including inorganic clay and organic surfactant
The present invention provides an organic/inorganic compositive dispersant and a method for producing the same. The compositive dispersant comprises a complex of inorganic clay and an organic surfactant. The compositive dispersant is produced by reacting inorganic clay with the organic surfactant in a solvent to generate a complex. The inorganic clay is layered or platelet. The organic surfactant is an anionic surfactant such as alkyl sulfates, or a nonionic surfactant such as octylphenol polyethoxylate and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether. The compositive dispersant may be used to produce electrolytes of a solar cell or to increase the hardness of an epoxy resin. |
| US08629199B2 |
Polymer fiber composite building material with bulk and aesthetically functional fillers
Polymer composite roofing materials are provided which contain resin, and about 20-75 wt. % fillers and additives, in which the fillers contain at least one bulk filler for reducing the amount of resin needed to make the roofing material, and at least one aesthetically functional filler for providing the roofing material with an aesthetic appearance. The bulk filler and the aesthetically functional filler of this embodiment are non-toxic, resistant to microbial attack, and have a Mohs hardness of less than about 5. |
| US08629197B2 |
Chemically patterned hydrogels, manufacture and use thereof
A chemically patterned modified hydrogel formed from a modified hydrogel is provided. The hydrogel is conjugated with a multiphoton photocleavable molecule. The molecule has a multiphoton-labile protective group and a protected group. The protective group is cleavable upon multiphoton excitation to deprotect the protected group, without substantial polymerization of the hydrogel. The chemically patterned modified hydrogel is formed by exposing the modified hydrogel to multiphoton excitation to deprotect a portion of the protected groups. |
| US08629193B2 |
Method for producing porous silicon molded bodies
Thin porous moldings of silicone copolymers, suitable for use as membranes in separation processes, are prepared by forming a solution or suspension of silicone copolymer in two solvents L1 and L2, casting the suspension or solution, and removing solvent L1 to form a silicone copolymer rich phase A, effecting structure formation, and then removing solvent L2 and residues of solvent L2 to form a thin porous molding. |
| US08629190B2 |
Process and plant for producing methanol
For producing methanol from a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon oxides the synthesis gas is passed through a first, preferably water-cooled reactor in which a part of the carbon oxides is catalytically converted to methanol, and the resulting mixture containing synthesis gas and methanol vapor is supplied to a second, preferably gas-cooled reactor in which a further part of the carbon oxides is converted to methanol. The mixture withdrawn from the first reactor is guided through a gas/gas heat exchanger in which the mixture is cooled to a temperature below its dew point. Subsequently, methanol is separated from the gas stream in a methanol separator and withdrawn, while the remaining gas stream is supplied to the second reactor. |
| US08629189B1 |
Nanofilaments of catalytic materials for chemical process improvements
A Fischer-Tropsch process including the steps of providing a reactor having a substrate element with a surface and a plurality of elongated micro-structures of catalyst material attached to the substrate surface The catalyst material includes at least one of cobalt, iron, or ruthenium and the micro-structures have a width of less than about 1 um and a length at least five times the width. A carbon compound and hydrogen are injected into the reactor such that at least a portion of the carbon compound and hydrogen contact the catalyst material. The carbon compound and hydrogen are reacted with the catalyst at a temperature between about 150° F. and about 400° F. |
| US08629180B2 |
Antiseptic agent composition
A novel antiseptic agent composition which has a wide antimicrobial spectrum and excellent antiseptic properties is provided. An antiseptic agent composition A contains a glycerin hydroxy fatty acid monoester that is an ester of glycerin and a hydroxy fatty acid having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, and a specific antiseptic agent such as an alkanediol. An antiseptic agent composition B contains the glycerin hydroxy fatty acid monoester and an aromatic antiseptic agent. An antiseptic agent composition C contains the glycerin hydroxy fatty acid monoester and a chelating agent. |
| US08629177B2 |
Nanoencapsulated delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to articles of manufacture and methods of making such articles having utility for the delivery of cannabinoids as a therapeutic. One embodiment of the present invention directed to the article of manufacture comprises a lyophilized particle or sphere having a diameter of about 100 to 500 nanometers having a shell and comprising a biodegradable polymer containing a cannabinoid. A featured cannabinoid is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC). |
| US08629175B2 |
Functional food additives
Novel compounds, and in particular to diacylglycerol (1,3-DAG) and alpha-lipoic acid (LA) and/or dihydro-alpha-lipoic acid (DHLA) derivatives. In particular these novel compounds are used as functional food additives. These may for example be used as nutraceuticals and/or pharmaceuticals in the prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, oxidative stress and other lifestyle-related diseases. |
| US08629174B2 |
Unifying mechanism and methods to prevent cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
The present invention relates to methods for preventing the development of cancer or neurodegenerative diseases by administering N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), melatonin, or a combination thereof. The present invention also relates to methods for diagnosing cancer and/or neurdegenerative disease by detecting or determining the amount of dopamine metabolites, 4-CE, 2-CE, methylation of CE or CE-Q conjugates. |
| US08629168B2 |
Benzoxazoles and oxazolopyridines being useful as janus kinases inhibitors
The invention relates to 2,7-disubstituted benzoxazole and 2,4-disubstituted oxazolo[5,4-c]pyridine compounds of the formula I given below, as well as salts thereof, processes for the preparation thereof, the application thereof in a process for the treatment of the human or animal body, these compounds for use in the treatment (including prophylaxis) of the animal, especially human, body (especially with regard to a proliferative disease), the use thereof—alone or in combination with one or more other pharmaceutically active compounds—for the treatment especially of a protein tyrosine kinase mediated disease (such as a tumor disease) or for the manufacture of a pharmaceutical preparation for use in the treatment of such a disease, a method for the treatment of such a disease and a pharmaceutical preparation for the treatment of a disease as mentioned. The compounds are of the formula I, wherein the symbols are as defined in the description. The compounds inhibit, for example, JAK2 and JAK3. |
| US08629165B2 |
Methods for treating cognitive disorders
Disclosed herein are methods of treating a patient suffering a cognitive disorder. |
| US08629162B2 |
Modulators of ATP-binding cassette transporters
The present invention relates to modulators of ATP-Binding Cassette (“ABC”) transporters or fragments thereof, including Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator, compositions thereof, and methods therewith. The present invention also relates to methods of treating ABC transporter mediated diseases using such modulators. |
| US08629161B2 |
Preventive or remedy for glaucoma
There is provided a preventive for glaucoma or a preventive or a remedy for ocular hypertension, with a potent ocular hypotensive effect and prolonged duration thereof. A preventive or a remedy for glaucoma comprising a Rho kinase inhibitor and an α1 blocker in combination. |
| US08629157B2 |
Pyrrolidine compounds which modulate the CB2 receptor
Compounds which modulate the CB2 receptor are disclosed. Compounds according to the invention bind to and are agonists of the CB2 receptor, and are useful for treating inflammation. Those compounds which are agonists are additionally useful for treating pain (I). |
| US08629155B2 |
Aspartyl protease inhibitors
Disclosed are compounds of formula I or a stereoisomer, tautomer, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, U, W, X, R1, R2, R6, R7, R30 and R31 are as described above in the specification. Also disclosed is the method of inhibiting aspartyl protease, and in particular, the methods of treating cardiovascular diseases, cognitive and neurodegenerative diseases. Also disclosed are methods of treating cognitive or neurodegenerative diseases using the compounds of formula I in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor or a muscarinic m1 agonist or m2 antagonist. |
| US08629151B2 |
Immunomodulatory agent-polymeric compounds
This invention relates to compositions, and related compounds and methods, of conjugates of immunomodulatory agents and polymers or unit(s) thereof. The conjugates may be contained within synthetic nanocarriers, and the immunomodulatory agents may be released from the synthetic nanocarriers in a pH sensitive manner. |
| US08629150B2 |
Compounds for the treatment of hepatitis C
The disclosure provides compounds of formula I, including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, as well as compositions and methods of using the compounds. The compounds have activity against hepatitis C virus (HCV) and may be useful in treating those infected with HCV. |
| US08629145B2 |
Therapeutic agent for spinal canal stenosis
The main object of the present invention is to provide a novel agent for the treatment of spinal canal stenosis.The present invention relates to an agent for the treatment of spinal canal stenosis containing the heterocyclic derivative represented by the following general formula (1) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient; In the formula (1), R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represents an optionally substituted aryl; R3 and R4 are the same or different and each represents hydrogen atom or alkyl; R5 represents hydrogen atom, alkyl or halogen atom; Y represents N or N→O; A represents NR6, and R6 represents hydrogen atom, alkyl, etc.; D represents alkylene or alkenylene which is optionally substituted with hydroxy; E represents phenylene or a single bond; G represents O, S, etc.; and Q represents carboxy, alkoxycarbonyl, etc. |
| US08629144B2 |
Polymorphic and hydrate forms, salts and process for preparing 6-{difluoro[6-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazin-3-yl]methyl}quinoline
The invention relates to novel polymorphic and hydrate forms and salts of 6-{difluoro[6-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazin-3-yl]methyl}quinoline, to methods for their preparation, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one of said polymorphic or hydrate forms or salts, and to the therapeutic and/or prophylactic use of such compositions. The invention also provides new manners for preparing said compound. |
| US08629142B2 |
Modulators of toll-like receptors
Provided are modulators of TLRs of Formula II: pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, compositions containing such compounds, and therapeutic methods that include the administration of such compounds. |
| US08629137B2 |
CGRP antagonists
The present invention relates to new CGRP-antagonists of general formula I wherein U, V, X, Y, R1, R2 and R3 are defined as stated hereinafter, the tautomers, the isomers, the diastereomers, the enantiomers, the hydrates, the mixtures thereof and the salts thereof and the hydrates of the salts, particularly the physiologically acceptable salts thereof with inorganic or organic acids or bases, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, their use and processes for preparing them. |
| US08629136B2 |
Bisfluoroalkyl-1,4-benzodiazepinone compounds
Disclosed are compounds of Formula (I) or prodrugs thereof; wherein: R1 is —CH2CF3 or —CH2CH2CF3; R2 is —CH2CF3, —CH2CH2CF3, or —CH2CH2CH2CF3; R3 is H or —CH3; each Ra is independently F, Cl, —CN, —OCH3, and/or —NHCH2CH2OCH3; and z is zero, 1, or 2. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds to inhibit the Notch receptor, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds. These compounds are useful in treating, preventing, or slowing the progression of diseases or disorders in a variety of therapeutic areas, such as cancer. |
| US08629135B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising RET inhibitors and methods for the treatment of cancer
A class of compounds useful in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating or preventing cancer is described. The compounds' ability to inhibit RET kinase is quantified, i.e., their respective RET IC50 and EC50 values are described. One such compound, known as cyclobenzaprine and herein as SW-01, has been identified as RET-specific with an IC50 of 300 nM. SW-01 inhibits RET autophosphorylation and blocks the growth and transformation of thyroid cancer cell lines. It has been further tested in pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and SCLC cell lines. The compounds show utility for inhibition of survival and proliferation of tumor cells. |
| US08629133B2 |
Dispiropyrrolidine derivatives
A compound that inhibits interaction between murine double minute 2 (Mdm2) protein and p53 protein and exhibits anti-tumor activity is provided. The present invention provides a dispiropyrrolidine derivative represented by the following formula (1), which has various substituents, inhibits interaction between Mdm2 protein and p53 protein and exhibits anti-tumor activity, wherein R1, R2, R3, ring A, and ring B in formula (1) respectively have the same meanings as defined in the specification. |
| US08629132B2 |
Kinase inhibitors
The present invention provides a new group of protein kinase inhibitors, pyrropyrimidine and pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof that are useful for treating cell proliferative disease and disorder such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, infection, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disease and disorder. The present invention provides methods for synthesizing and administering the protein kinase inhibitor compounds. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical formulations comprising at least one of the protein kinase inhibitor compounds together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient therefor. The invention also provides useful intermediates generated during the syntheses of the pyrropyrimidine and pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives. |
| US08629129B2 |
Pharmaceutical compositions
Novel methods for treating or reducing the likelihood of acquiring symptoms or diseases due to the menopause, in postmenopausal women, particularly osteoporosis, vaginal atrophy and dryness, hypogonadism, diminished libido, skin atrophy, connective tissue disease, urinary incontinence, breast, endometrial, ovarian and uterine cancers, hot flashes, loss of muscle mass, insulin resistance, fatigue, loss of energy, aging, physical symptoms of menopause, in susceptible warm-blooded animals including humans involving administration of a sex steroid precursor are disclosed. Said method comprising novel ways of administering and dosing dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in order to take advantage of positive androgenic effects in the vaginal layers lamina propia and/or the layer muscularis, without undesirably causing systemic estrogenic effects in order to avoid the risk of breast and uterine cancer. Pharmaceutical compositions for delivery of active ingredient(s) useful to the invention are also disclosed. |
| US08629128B2 |
Vitamin formulation
A pharmaceutical aerosol foam composition, comprising: an effective amount of a pharmaceutically active ingredient, wherein said pharmaceutically active ingredient is a vitamin or analogue thereof; an occlusive agent; an aqueous solvent; an organic cosolvent; wherein the pharmaceutically active ingredient is insoluble in both water and the occlusive agent; and the occlusive agent being present in an amount sufficient to form an occlusive layer on the skin, in use. In a second embodiment, an oil-in water emulsion having a vitamin, an occlusive agent; an aqueous solvent; and an organic cosolvent, wherein the occlusive agent is present in an amount sufficient to form an occlusive layer on the skin. |
| US08629123B2 |
Use of dextran sulfate
The present invention refers to use of dextran sulfate, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivate thereof, for manufacturing of a medicament for treatment of Instant Blood-Mediated Inflammatory Reaction (IBMIR). In addition, the invention refers to the use of dextran sulfate, or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivate thereof, for manufacturing of a medicament for treatment of morphological disruption of cell transplants and graft-rejection of cell transplants caused by IBMIR. The invention may be applied to patients suffering from type I diabetes, in which porcine islets of Langerhans are transplanted in their portal vein. Administration of dextran sulfate according to the invention inhibits and prevents rejection and destruction of the transplanted islets and makes normoglycemia in the patients possible. |
| US08629122B2 |
Nucleus pulposus filler
The present invention provides a nucleus pulposus filler or the like which is to be packed into an area in deformed intervertebral disc wherein normal nucleus should be located and can be stabley maintained for a long time More preferably, the present invention provides a nucleus pulposus filler comprising a crosslinked chondroitin sulfate as an active ingredient. The photocrosslinked chondroitin sulfate is preferably the following one: a photocrosslinked chondroitin sulfate obtainable by freezing a photoreactive chondroitin sulfate-containing solution comprising: a photoreactive chondroitin sulfate to which a photoreactive group is bound; an aqueous solvent capable of dissolving the photoreactive chondroitin sulfate; and any one substance selected from the group consisting of an alcohol having aqueous solvent miscibility, a surfactant, and a cheleting agent; irradiating the resulting frozen product with light; and then melting the frozen product. The filler can be provided as a kit by packing it into a container from which the filler can be pushed out. |
| US08629120B2 |
Method of treatments related to the FMR1 gene
A method of treating a human to reduce the risk of malignancies or limit the spread of malignancies includes administering an FMR1 inhibitor to the human to block expression of an FMR1 gene. The FMR1 inhibitor blocks FMR1 genes in the human with at least one of two alleles with less than 26 triple CGG repeats. |
| US08629118B2 |
Methods of treating a meiotic kinesin associated disease
The invention provides methods of treating a meiotic kinase-associated disease, preferably the meiotic kinase HSET, by administering an inhibitor of the meiotic kinase. Preferably, the disease is associated with the presence of supernumerary centrosomes, such as cancer. Methods of inhibiting the growth of a tumor cell by contacting the cell with an inhibitor of a meiotic kinase, preferably HSET, are also provided. Screening methods for identifying inhibitors of the meiotic kinase HSET are also provided. Methods of selecting subjects for treatment with an inhibitor of a meiotic kinase, such as HSET, are also provided. |
| US08629117B2 |
Method for stimulating the immune system
Medicament comprising a combination of at least one inhibitor of the effect of a substance negatively effecting an immune response, the substance selected from the group consisting of TGF-β and its receptors, VEGF and its receptors, interleukin 10 (IL-10) and its receptors, PGE2 and its receptors, wherein the inhibitor has a molecular weight of less than 100 kDa and at least one stimulator positively effecting an immune response. |
| US08629112B2 |
Template-fixed peptidomimetics with CXCR7 modulating activity
Specific template-fixed β-hairpin peptidomimetics of the general formula (I) wherein the single elements T or P are α-amino acid residues connected from the carbonyl (C═O) point of attachment to the nitrogen (N) of the next element in clockwise direction and wherein said elements, depending on their positions in the chain, are defined in the description and the claims have the property to act on the receptor CXCR7. Thus, these β-hairpin peptidomimetics can be useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases or conditions in the area of dermatological disorders, metabolic diseases, inflammatory diseases, fibrotic diseases, infectious diseases, neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, gastro-intestinal tract disorders, urological diseases, ophthalmic diseases, stomatological diseases, haematological diseases and cancer; or the mobilization of stem cells. |
| US08629109B2 |
Method for promoting bone growth using activin-actriia antagonists
In certain aspects, the present invention provides compositions and methods for promoting bone growth and increasing bone density. |
| US08629107B2 |
Genes and proteins associated with angiogenesis and uses thereof
Disclosed is a panel of biomarkers associated with angiogenesis, and the use of such biomarkers (genes, proteins, homologues and analogs thereof) to regulate angiogenesis. Methods for identifying compounds useful for regulating angiogenesis and conditions related thereto are disclosed. |
| US08629106B2 |
Affinity peptides toward BMP-2
We have disclosed affinity peptides toward BMP-2. More specifically we have disclosed an affinity biomatrix where the affinity peptide is covalently attached to a biocompatible, biodegradable polymer. The affinity biomatrix is useful in preparing controlled release devices for BMP-2. |
| US08629104B2 |
G-CSF and water-soluble polymer conjugate
Provided are a G-CSF and water-soluble polymer conjugate, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, comprising a water-soluble polymer, a protein, and a linking group; a method for preparing thereof; and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same. |
| US08629102B2 |
3-hydroxyisothiazole 1-oxide derivatives
[Object]To provide a GPR40 activating agent containing, as an active ingredient, a novel compound having a GPR40 agonist action, a salt of the compound, a solvate of the compound or the salt, 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 2; k is 0 to 1; a ring A is an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, a cycroalkyl group, a cycroalkenyl group, a spirocyclic group; a ring B is an aryl group, a heteroaryl group; X is O or —NR7—; and R1 to R7 and L are specific groups), a salt of the compound, or a solvate of the compound or the salt. |
| US08629100B2 |
Method of inhibiting clostridium difficile by administration of oritavancin
Glycopeptide antibiotics, such as oritavancin, demonstrate significant activity against both a vegetative form of C. difficile and C. difficile spores. Methods for the treatment, prophylaxis and prevention of C. difficile infection and disease in animals, including humans, are described. |
| US08629098B2 |
Compositions and methods for adoptive and active immunotherapy
Modular aAPCs and methods of their manufacture and use are provided. The modular aAPCs are constructed from polymeric microparticles. The aAPCs include encapsulated cytokines and coupling agents which modularly couple functional elements including T cell receptor activators, co-stimulatory molecules and adhesion molecules to the particle. The ability of these aAPCs to release cytokines in a controlled manner, coupled with their modular nature and ease of ligand attachment, results in an ideal, tunable APC capable of stimulating and expanding primary T cells. |
| US08629097B2 |
Macromolecule transduction domains and methods for identification and uses thereof
The present invention discloses novel macromolecule transduction domain (MTD) peptides which facilitate the traverse of a biologically active molecule across the cell membrane. Also disclosed are polynucleotides encoding the MTD peptides, methods of identifying the MTD peptides; methods of genetically engineering a biologically active molecule to have cell permeability by using the MTD peptides, methods of importing a biologically active molecule into a cell by using the MTD peptides, and uses thereof. |
| US08629095B2 |
Liquid cleaning and/or cleansing composition comprising polyurethane foam abrasive particles
The present invention relates to a liquid, cleaning and/or cleansing composition comprising abrasive cleaning particles. |
| US08629094B2 |
Odor elimination composition for use on soft surfaces
A method and composition for deodorizing soft surfaces such as carpeting and upholstery are disclosed. The method includes the spraying of a liquid composition on a soft surface and allowing the composition to absorb into the soft surface, form liquid agglomerations within the soft surface to the agglomerations can make contact with malodorants disposed within the soft surface. The composition is capable of penetrating rapidly and deeply into the soft surfaces for contacting odor-causing substances embedded therein. The composition comprises an active ingredient such as a glycol or triethanolamine. Other ingredients that contribute to the surface penetration and/or agglomeration formation include ethanol, water, fragrance and a combination of at least one nonionic and at least one ionic surfactant. |
| US08629093B2 |
Detergent composition comprising mixture of chelants
The present application relates to a compact liquid detergent composition comprising a mixture of chelants suitable for use in laundry cleaning. |
| US08629089B2 |
Method of contacting hydrocarbon-bearing formations with fluorinated ether compositions
Method comprising contacting a hydrocarbon-bearing formation with a composition comprising solvent and a fluoropolyether compound, wherein the fluoropolyether compound comprises at least one first divalent unit represented by formula: Each Rf is independently selected from the group consisting of Rfa—(O)t—CHL′-(CF2)n—; [Rfa—(O)t—C(L)H—CF2)—O]m—W—; Rfb—O—(CF2)p-; F(CkF2k)—(O—CkF2K(p—O—CF2—; and CF3—O—(CF2)3—OCF(CF3)—CF2)z—O-L1-. Treated hydrocarbon-bearing formations are also disclosed. |
| US08629088B2 |
Mixture of at least two fusion proteins, the production thereof and the use of the same
The present invention concerns a protein mixture comprising at least a first fusion protein comprising a protein or protein fragment, and an interaction domain and a protein translocation sequence, which effects that the fusion protein upon expression in a bacterium is translocated through the cytoplasmic membrane in an essentially unfolded state and at least a second fusion protein comprising a protein or protein fragment, and an interaction domain and a protein translocation sequence which effects that the fusion protein is translocated through the cytoplasmic membrane upon expression in a bacterium in an essentially folded state, wherein the interaction domain of the first protein can bind to those of the second protein. |
| US08629086B2 |
Compositions and methods for the control of nematodes and soil borne diseases
The instant invention relates to compositions and methods for the control of nematodes and soil borne diseases using compositions comprising high terpene containing oils and one or more surfactants. The invention also relates to methods for increasing the wetted soil volume available for water utilization by plant roots using the disclosed compositions. |
| US08629085B2 |
Agrochemical compositions containing naphthalene sulfonate derivatives and nitrogen-containing surfactants
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a) an anionic compound having wetting and dispersing properties selected from the group of a1) an alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, a2) a naphthalene sulfonate-formaldehyde condensate that may optionally be alkyl substituted and mixtures thereof, and b) a nitrogen-containing surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkylamine alkoxylates, alkylamidoamine alkoxylates, alkanolamides and their alkoxylates, alkylamidopropylamines, betaines, amino acids, or any mixtures thereof, wherein the molar amount of anionic sulfonate and, if any are present, carboxylate groups in the composition is in excess of the molar amount of nitrogen-containing groups. These compositions exhibit synergistic wetting properties as compared to the surface-active components taken alone. Further, the compositions also exhibit an increased rainfastness. The compositions can be used as a wetting agent and/or as an agent for increasing rainfastness in cleaning or agrocultural formulations. The invention also relates to an agrocultural formulation per se. |
| US08629083B2 |
Compositions and methods
The present invention relates to mixtures of strobilurin fungicides and plant growth regulators and to the foliar application of these mixtures on crops including cotton. |
| US08629080B2 |
Hydrated niobium oxide nanoparticle containing catalysts for olefin hydration
An olefin hydration catalyst and method for producing same is provided. The olefin hydration catalyst can be prepared by contacting a niobium containing compound with a strong Bronsted acid, such as sulfuric or phosphoric acid, to produce niobium oxo sulfate or niobium oxo phosphate nanoparticles. The nanoparticles can be separated, dried and utilized in a reactor for the hydration of olefins to their corresponding alcohols. |
| US08629078B2 |
Composite oxide for exhaust gas purifying catalyst and exhaust gas purifying catalyst, and diesel exhaust gas purifying filter
To provide an oxidation catalyst capable of burning PM of diesel engine exhausts gas at a low temperature, and hardly subjected to poisoning due to sulfur oxide. A composite oxide contains Ce, Bi, and M (wherein M is one or more elements selected from Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba) and oxygen, and is manufactured, with a molar ratio of Ce, Bi, M expressed by Ce:Bi:M=(1−x−y):x:y, satisfying 0 |
| US08629077B2 |
Rare earth alumina particulate manufacturing method and application
A rare earth alumina particulate composition manufacturing method and application are disclosed. The rare earth alumina of the invention is a particulate of porous structure with a molecular formula (REx,Al1-x)2O3, phase γ or γ+δ characterized by a particle size distribution ranging from 1 to 80 μm with a D50 of 5 to 15 μm, a pore size distribution ranging from 0.4-200 nm with an average pore diameter of 8 to 30 nm, a pore volume (PV) raging from 0.5 to 1.2 cc/g and a fresh specific surface area (SA) ranging from 130 to 250 m2/g after calcination at 500-900° C. for 5 to 10 hours. The rare earth alumina retains a SA of greater than 60 m2/g after calcination at 1200° C. for 4 hours and greater than 40 m2/g after calcination at 1200° C. for 50 hours. There is no presence of the α phase or other impurity phases in the long-term aged samples. The rare earth alumina of the invention has a high thermal stability and is a fine three-way catalyst support material. The rare earth alumina is made using wet continuous coprecipitation with a static mixer and a tank reactor featuring simple operation, low cost and high feasibility in industrial production. |
| US08629076B2 |
High surface area silicon carbide-coated carbon aerogel
A metal oxide-carbon composite includes a carbon aerogel with an oxide overcoat. The metal oxide-carbon composite is made by providing a carbon aerogel, immersing the carbon aerogel in a metal oxide sol under a vacuum, raising the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol to atmospheric pressure, curing the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol at room temperature, and drying the carbon aerogel with the metal oxide sol to produce the metal oxide-carbon composite. The step of providing a carbon aerogel can provide an activated carbon aerogel or provide a carbon aerogel with carbon nanotubes that make the carbon aerogel mechanically robust. Carbon aerogels can be coated with sol-gel silica and the silica can be converted to silicon carbide, improving the thermal stability of the carbon aerogel. |
| US08629072B2 |
Boron-free glass
The invention discloses boron-free neutral glasses having the composition (in % by weight, based on oxide) 65-72 SiO2, 11-17 Al2O3, 0.1-8 Na2O, 3-8 MgO, 4-12 CaO and 0-10 ZnO, a ratio CaO/MgO of 1.4 to 1.6, and having a hydrolytic resistance in accordance with DIN ISO 719 in class 1 and an acid resistance in accordance with DIN 12116 and an alkali resistance in accordance with DIN ISO 695 at least in class 2. |
| US08629071B2 |
Titania and sulfur co-doped quartz glass member and making method
A titania and sulfur co-doped quartz glass member is provided. Due to co-doping of titania and sulfur, the quartz glass member undergoes zero expansion at a certain temperature and low thermal expansion over a wide temperature range, and is thus suited for use in a commercial EUV lithography tool. A manufacturing method and an optical member for EUV lithography are also provided. |
| US08629070B2 |
Flat textile structures with self-cleaning and water-repellent surface
Textile fabrics having a self cleaning and water repellent surface, constructed from A) at least one synthetic and/or natural textile base material and B) an artificial, at least partly hydrophobic surface having elevations and depressions comprising particles securely bonded to said base material A without adhesives, resins or coatings, obtained by treating said base material A with at least one solvent containing said particles in undissolved form and removing said solvent to leave at least a portion of said particles securely bonded to the surface of said base material A. |
| US08629069B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region. |
| US08629065B2 |
Growth of planar non-polar {10-10} M-plane gallium nitride with hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE)
A method of growing planar non-polar m-plane III-Nitride material, such as an m-plane gallium nitride (GaN) epitaxial layer, wherein the III-Nitride material is grown on a suitable substrate, such as an m-plane Sapphire substrate, using hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). The method includes in-situ pretreatment of the substrate at elevated temperatures in the ambient of ammonia and argon, growing an intermediate layer such as an aluminum nitride (AlN) or aluminum-gallium nitride (AlGaN) on the annealed substrate, and growing the non-polar m-plane III-Nitride epitaxial layer on the intermediate layer using HVPE. Various alternative methods are disclosed. |
| US08629062B2 |
Method for forming tungsten film having low resistivity and good surface roughness and method for forming wiring of semiconductor device using the same
A method for forming a tungsten film includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer having an amorphous-phase or a β-phase over a semiconductor substrate. A first tungsten layer having a crystalline α-phase is then formed over the tungsten nucleation layer to form a low resistivity tungsten film. A second tungsten layer is formed over the first tungsten layer by a physical vapor deposition process, and the second tungsten layer has a large grain size similar to that of the low resistivity tungsten film. The tungsten film has both good surface roughness and low resistivity, thus enhancing the production yield and reliability of a semiconductor device. |
| US08629058B2 |
Methods for via structure with improved reliability
Methods for forming a via structure are provided. The method includes depositing a first-layer conductive line over a semiconductor substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the first-layer conductive line, forming a via opening in the dielectric layer and exposing the first-layer conductive line in the via opening, forming a recess portion in the first-layer conductive line, and filling the via opening to form a via extending through the dielectric layer to the first-layer conductive line. The via has a substantially tapered profile and substantially extends into the recess in the first-layer conductive line. |
| US08629057B2 |
Semiconductor substrates with unitary vias and via terminals, and associated systems and methods
Semiconductor substrates with unitary vias and via terminals, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes forming a blind via in a semiconductor substrate, applying a protective layer to a sidewall surface of the via, and forming a terminal opening by selectively removing substrate material from an end surface of the via, while protecting from removal substrate material against which the protective coating is applied. The method can further include disposing a conductive material in both the via and the terminal opening to form an electrically conductive terminal that is unitary with conductive material in the via. Substrate material adjacent to the terminal can then be removed to expose the terminal, which can then be connected to a conductive structure external to the substrate. |
| US08629056B2 |
Method for forming self-assembled mono-layer liner for cu/porous low-k interconnections
A method for fabricating an integrated circuit comprises forming a low-k dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate, etching the low-k dielectric layer to form an opening, and treating the low-k dielectric layer with a gaseous organic chemical to cause a reaction between the low-k dielectric layer and the gaseous organic chemical. The gaseous organic chemical is free from silicon. |
| US08629054B2 |
Packaged semiconductor assemblies and methods for manufacturing such assemblies
Packaged semiconductor assemblies including interconnect structures and methods for forming such interconnect structures are disclosed herein. One embodiment of a packaged semiconductor assembly includes a support member having a first bond-site and a die carried by the support member having a second bond-site. An interconnect structure is connected between the first and second bond-sites and includes a wire that is coupled to at least one of the first and second bond-sites. The interconnect structure also includes a third bond-site coupled to the wire between the first and second bond-sites. |
| US08629050B2 |
E-fuse structure design in electrical programmable redundancy for embedded memory circuit
An electrical fuse and a method of forming the same are presented. A first-layer conductive line is formed over a base material. A via is formed over the first-layer conductive line. The via preferably comprises a barrier layer and a conductive material. A second-layer conductive line is formed over the via. A first external pad is formed coupling to the first-layer conductive line. A second external pad is formed coupling to the second-layer conductive line. The via, the first conductive line and the second conductive line are adapted to be an electrical fuse. The electrical fuse can be burned out by applying a current. The vertical structure of the preferred embodiment is suitable to be formed in any layer. |
| US08629048B1 |
Methods of forming a pattern on a substrate
A method of forming a pattern on a substrate includes forming longitudinally elongated first lines and first sidewall spacers longitudinally along opposite sides of the first lines elevationally over an underlying substrate. Longitudinally elongated second lines and second sidewall spacers are formed longitudinally along opposite sides of the second lines. The second lines and the second sidewall spacers cross elevationally over the first lines and the first sidewall spacers. The second sidewall spacers are removed from crossing over the first lines. The first and second lines are removed in forming a pattern comprising portions of the first and second sidewall spacers over the underlying substrate. Other methods are disclosed. |
| US08629044B2 |
Method of producing silicon wafer, epitaxial wafer and solid state image sensor, and device for producing silicon wafer
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a silicon wafer and a method of producing an epitaxial wafer, which enable easily forming a gettering site in a relatively short period of time and effectively suppressing occurrence of dislocation induced by internal stresses. Specifically, the present invention provides a method of producing a silicon wafer, comprising: irradiating a first laser beam having a relatively long wavelength and a second laser beam having a relatively short wavelength onto a portion of a silicon wafer located at a predetermined depth measured from a surface of the silicon wafer, wherein the first laser beam is concentrated at a portion located at a predetermined depth of the wafer to form a process-affected layer for gettering heavy metals thereat, the second laser beam is concentrated at a beam-concentration portion in the vicinity of the surface of the wafer to melt the beam-concentration portion, the beam-concentration portion is then recrystallized. |
| US08629035B2 |
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an isolation trench in a substrate, and forming an amorphous layer on a sidewall surface of the isolation trench. The method further includes forming a sacrificial layer in the isolation trench via the amorphous layer, and forming an air gap layer on the sacrificial layer. The method further includes forming an air gap in the isolation trench under the air gap layer by removing the sacrificial layer after forming the air gap layer. |
| US08629030B2 |
Method for manufacturing SOI substrate
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an SOI substrate, to improve planarity of a surface of a single crystal semiconductor layer after separation by favorably separating a single crystal semiconductor substrate even in the case where a non-mass-separation type ion irradiation method is used, and to improve planarity of a surface of a single crystal semiconductor layer after separation as well as to improve throughput. The method includes the steps of irradiating a single crystal semiconductor substrate with accelerated ions by an ion doping method while the single crystal semiconductor substrate is cooled to form an embrittled region in the single crystal semiconductor substrate; bonding the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a base substrate with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; and separating the single crystal semiconductor substrate along the embrittled region to form a single crystal semiconductor layer over the base substrate with the insulating layer interposed therebetween. |