| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08649331B2 |
Data burst communication techniques for mobile communication devices operating in packet data sessions
A mobile device experiences a condition where a time overlap exists between a packet data burst being communicated over a packet data channel of a serving cell and broadcast data burst being communicated over a broadcast control channel of a neighbor cell. The mobile device sets its RF receiver to receive the packet data burst instead of the broadcast data burst based on identifying that the neighbor cell is not a candidate for an upcoming handoff. On the other hand, the mobile device sets its RF receiver to receive the broadcast data burst instead of the packet data burst based on identifying that the neighbor cell is a candidate for an upcoming handoff. The mobile device may set the RF receiver to receive the packet data burst instead of the broadcast data burst based on further identifying that a call drop is imminent. |
| US08649327B2 |
Semi-persistent resource allocation method for uplink transmission in wireless packet data systems
A wireless telecommunications network supplies a semi-persistent resource that a wireless station can use for special purposes (such as a retransmission of packets for ARQ purposes or a control signal. The semi-persistent resource can be allocated by the system to other terminals if, e.g., a retransmission is not required. Since a retransmission is generally performed in response to a NACK received from a base station, the NACK may itself serve as a token that permits the wireless station to use the semi-persistent allocation. Thus, the technology includes, e.g., a method for resource allocation on a semi-persistent basis and efficient signaling for the usage of such allocation. |
| US08649326B2 |
Method of handling capability information of a mobile device and related communication device
A method of handling capability information of a mobile device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises setting a first device capability recognized by a legacy base station of a network of the wireless communication system, and transmitting the first device capability with a second device capability to the network, to convey the capability information to the network, wherein the second device capability is recognized by an advanced base station of the network. |
| US08649324B2 |
Data transmission apparatus and method in wireless communication system
A data communication method in a basic service set (BSS) of a wireless communication system using a carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) protocol includes: performing, by first and second nodes within the BSS, communication within a predetermined first time period; and transmitting, by a third node within the BSS, data to a fourth node within the first time period through a channel which is not used by the other nodes. |
| US08649322B2 |
Method and system for controlling access to a wireless communication medium
A method and system for controlling access to a wireless communication medium are disclosed. The system includes at least one access point (AP) and at least one station (STA). The AP defines a superframe for transmission of data in a time domain having a high throughput (HT) period which includes at least one scheduled resource allocation (SRA) and at least one management SRA (MSRA). The AP broadcasts an extended beacon (EB) including information about the SRA and MSRA. The SRA is defined for transmitting traffic data between the AP and the STA, and the MSRA is defined for transmitting management and control data between the AP and the STA. The system reduces station battery consumption, supports higher throughput for non-real time (NRT) traffic and is more efficient for real time (RT) traffic while maintaining full compatibility. |
| US08649320B2 |
Method and related device of scheduling request behavior in a wireless communication system
A method of scheduling request (SR) behavior for a UE configured with semi-persistent scheduling in a wireless communication system includes triggering an SR when the UE does not have an uplink resource allocated for a current transmission time interval, and controlling the triggered SR to remain pending and to be repeated until uplink resources are granted for a new transmission. |
| US08649317B2 |
Wireless communication relay station apparatus, wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication relay method, and wireless communication method
A wireless communication relay station apparatus, a wireless communication apparatus, a wireless communication relay method and a wireless communication method are presented that effectively utilize resources and prevent loop interference. A wireless communication relay station relays communication between a first wireless communication apparatus and a second wireless communication apparatus in at least two or more frequency bands and includes a transmitter for using a first subframe to transmit a first uplink signal to the first wireless communication apparatus in a first frequency band, and transmitting a first downlink signal to the second wireless communication apparatus in a second frequency band. A relay station receiver receives a second downlink signal from the first wireless communication apparatus in the first frequency band, and receives a second uplink signal from the second wireless communication apparatus in the second frequency band. |
| US08649315B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing preamble change of relay station in broadband wireless access communication system using multihop relay
An apparatus and a method for processing a change of a preamble of a Relay Station (RS) are provided. An operating method of a Base Station (BS) includes providing a relay service via an RS, determining whether a preamble of the RS needs to change, when it is necessary to change the preamble of the RS, sending a preamble change command message to the RS and, when the preamble of the RS is changed, sending a preamble change notification message informing of the preamble change to at least one lower node of the RS. |
| US08649314B2 |
Peer-to-peer mobile data transfer method and device
A technique is provided for a direct data transfer session, including for multimedia content, between mobile devices without the need for using a separate multimedia server to store multimedia content. Direct data transfer sessions between mobile devices are established by transmitting necessary address information through page-based messaging services that utilize the underlying digital mobile network databases and services to resolve the identification and location of the mobile devices. |
| US08649313B2 |
Mobile station, base station, transmission method and computer storage medium thereof
A mobile station (MS), a base station (BS), a transmission method and a computer storage medium thereof are provided. When the MS requests a bandwidth from the BS, it may generate a selected transmission sequence and a quick access message. The selected transmission sequence comprises pre-defined bit information (e.g., a flow identification, a size of the bandwidth or the like), and the quick access message comprises a station identification of the MS. The MS may transmit the transmission sequence and the quick access message to the BS in a frame so that the BS may allocate the bandwidth to the MS according to the size of the bandwidth, the station identification and the flow identification. Thereby, the amount of the control signals needed when the MS requests a bandwidth from the BS may be decreased. |
| US08649312B2 |
Method and apparatus for counting multimedia broadcast and multicast services
A method and apparatus for multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) counting is provided. A user equipment (UE) may transmit selected service information to a multi-cell and multicast coordination entity (MCE) through a target evolved node base station (eNB), every time that a service requiring counting is received or cancelled and thus, the MCE may accurately manage a number of UEs that receive a service for each eNB. Also, the use may transmit selected service information to the MCE through the target eNB every time that the UE enters a new cell and thus, the MCE may accurately manage a number of UEs that receive a service for each eNB. |
| US08649310B2 |
Base station, mobile apparatus, and communication method thereof for multicast and broadcast service
A base station, a mobile apparatus, and a communication method thereof for multicast and broadcast service (MBS) are provided. The base station and the mobile apparatus belong to an MBS zone. The base station sets an indicator in a control channel allocation of a frame. The indicator is related to a cell-specific MBS configuration of the base station. The control channel allocation is an allocation that the mobile apparatus has to read when it is in power-saving mode and when it has to receive MBS data. The MBS data is related to the MBS zone. The mobile apparatus reads the indicator in power-saving mode and can derive the cell-specific MBS configuration according to the indicator. The mobile apparatus does not have to search the whole frame to derive the cell-specific MBS configuration. |
| US08649298B2 |
Method and system for creating a virtual wireless sensor network
A method for creating a virtual Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is disclosed. The method includes extracting one or more niceties of a physical WSN and embedding at least one of the extracted niceties in a soft object to represent one or more sensor nodes of the physical WSN. The method includes, sending equivalent command to the one or more sensor nodes of the physical WSN, when one or more changes are performed on corresponding niceties of the soft object. Further, the method adding or deleting one or more niceties corresponding to the one or more sensor nodes from the soft object upon ingress or egress of the one or more sensor nodes in the physical WSN. The method also includes steps of building application using the soft object of the virtual WSN. |
| US08649297B2 |
System and method for simplifying secure network setup
A method in one example implementation includes discovering a networking device within a wireless connectivity range from a first computing device. The networking device may be configured for wireless connectivity by sending new network configuration settings to the networking device to be stored in a memory element. The method also includes configuring the first computing device to initiate a wireless connection to the networking device, such that the wireless connection is created without requiring the user to provide any configuration settings associated with the wireless connection. In more specific embodiments, if it is determined that the networking device is unconfigured, then the new network configuration settings are automatically generated. In other more specific embodiments, the new network configuration settings include a new network identifier and a new network password. |
| US08649296B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for reliable, fast, and scalable multicast message delivery in service overlay networks
A method to organize nodes into an overlay network and to disseminate multicast messages within this overlay both through an efficient tree embedded in the overlay and through gossips exchanged between overlay neighbors. Regardless of the size of the system, this invention incurs a constant low overhead on each node. |
| US08649294B2 |
System and method for seeking a wireless network for a wireless device
The disclosure relates to a system and method for initiating a command relating to one network that an electronic communication device may be in communication with, depending on triggering conditions relating to another network that the device may be in communication with. The communication device comprises: a network connection to initiate a command relating to the network after satisfaction of a predetermined condition relating to another network relating to the communication device; and a communication system to process communications between the device and the network and between the device and another network. |
| US08649293B2 |
Control information transmission method and control information receiving terminal
A control information transmission method and a control information receiving terminal are provided. The transmission method comprises: notifying a terminal of setting information of control information in a downlink subframe (S202); and transmitting the control information to the terminal in a preset subframe and other subframes determined according to the setting information (S204). By transmitting the control information on part of the 16m subframes and notifying the 16m terminal of the information of setting the control information, the present invention enables the 16m terminal to shut down the RF transmission at the location of a subframe where the control information is not included and no resource related to the terminal is assigned, and to enter the micro sleep mode, which reduces power consumption of the terminal. |
| US08649285B2 |
Tracking packet sequence numbers
Methods, traffic receivers, and computer readable storage media for testing network connections are disclosed. A traffic receiver coupled to a network under test may receive a packet. A packet group identification number (PGID and a sequence number (SN) may be extracted from the received packet. Data associated with the PGID may be retrieved from a memory, the data including a next expected sequence number (NESN), a start of run (SOR), a number of in-order packets (NIO) and a number of duplicate packets (NDP). When SN is equal to NESN, NESN and NIO may be incremented. When SN is less than NESN and SN is greater than or equal to SOR, NDP may be incremented. When SN is greater than NESN, SOR may be set to SN, NESN may be set to SN plus one, and NIO maybe incremented. Updated data may be stored in the memory. |
| US08649284B2 |
Cellular congestion and admission control based on ringing tones in unanswered calls
A base station in a wireless network measures a total transmission power associated with calls in a cell of the wireless network, where the calls include answered calls and unanswered calls that originated in the cell. The base station further compares the measured total transmission power with a power threshold and performs at least one of the following: muting at least one of the unanswered calls downlink voice path based on the comparison, or disconnecting at least one of the unanswered calls based on the comparison. |
| US08649283B2 |
Packet analysis apparatus and method thereof
A method executed by a packet analysis apparatus for analyzing packets including voice packets and non-voice packets includes: capturing packets in a specific session; storing the captured packets in a storage; screening the stored packets to count up a receipt count of voice packets; determining whether packet loss has occurred in the specific session; and determining whether loss packets are voice packets in accordance with received packets adjacent to the loss packets to count up a loss count of voice packets when the packet loss has occurred. |
| US08649280B2 |
Mobile communication system, base station, user equipment, and communication method
A method for adaptively deciding number of feedback resource blocks in a downlink which comprises that a base station (500) determines a mode corresponding to the number of the feedback resource blocks which a user equipment feeds back by monitoring performance of a wireless cell and number of the user equipments (100) and transmits the mode to the user equipments (100) through signaling; the user equipments (100) listens to the mode and adaptively decides the number of feedback resource blocks by conditions of itself and feeds back downlink channel quality indicator information to the base station (500) according to Best channel quality indicator number or Threshold based feedback algorithm; and the base station (500) performs resource scheduling according to the feedback information. The present invention provides a method for adaptively deciding the number of feedback resource blocks based on base station signaling and user equipment decision, with respect to Best channel quality indicator number or Threshold based feedback algorithm in downlinks, thus insuring the performance of the wireless cell. |
| US08649279B2 |
Apparatus and method for adaptive TSP setting to minimize duplicate packet transmissions
An apparatus and method for adaptively setting a Timer_Status_Prohibit (TSP) parameter, the method comprising receiving a category information from a first terminal; determining a threshold value based on the category information and transmitting the threshold value to the first terminal; starting a TSP timer and transmitting at least one data packet to the first terminal once the TSP timer has started; determining when the TSP timer exceeds the threshold value to discontinue transmitting the at least one data packet to the first terminal; receiving a status report from the first terminal; and using the status report, determining whether there is any missing or erroneously received data packet and retransmitting any missing or erroneously received data packet from the at least one data packet to the first terminal. |
| US08649277B2 |
Communication apparatus and method
A packetizer sectionalizes data to be transmitted into predetermined units and packetizes them into packets. A permuter permutes the order of the packets created by the packetizer based on a designated interleave length and sends out the packets to a network. A continuous loss information collector collects information on continuous packet loss occurring on the network. An interleave length determiner determines an interleave length based on the information on continuous packet loss, collected by the continuous loss information collector and designates the interleave length for the permuter. |
| US08649273B2 |
Method for reporting a transmission channel quality
A method for reporting a user channel quality in a wireless telecommunication system. The user channel includes a plurality of transmission resources such as, for example, frequency intervals of an OFDM multiplex. The user terminal determines the transmission resources which would be in an outage position for a transmission with a set point bit rate. The user terminal transmits on the uplink the list of resources which would be in an outage position as well as a channel quality indicator for resources which would not be. |
| US08649267B2 |
Method, system and use thereof for controlling real time contiguous data in a packet switched data stream, real time contiguous data service provided using said method
A method and apparatus in a packet-switched communication network for controlling Quality of Service (QoS) for a packet-switched data stream that includes a plurality of contiguous data packages. The network normally provides the data stream to users at a first QoS level. When it is determined that a receiving user is not authorized to receive the data stream at the first QoS level, the apparatus intercepts the data stream prior to receipt by the receiving user and extracts selected data packages from the data stream to reduce the QoS level for the data stream to a lower, second QoS level to match an authorization status of the receiving user. The apparatus then forwards to the receiving user, a modified data stream with the lower, second QoS level. |
| US08649261B2 |
Method and system for blocking protocol messages at a sub-ring control channel without virtual channel
The present invention provides a method for blocking a protocol message at a Sub-ring control channel without a virtual channel, for avoiding the problem that the Sub-ring is in a continuous refresh state all the time caused by the existing solution of the Sub-ring control channel without the virtual channel, and the method includes: blocking forwarding of relevant messages when a forced switch is initiated or a failure is detected. |
| US08649259B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing control of multiple physically dual homed devices
A ring control protocol is used to establish a separate control plane for a plurality of physically dual homed devices to enable collections of dual homed devices to be represented by a single pair of addresses into the attached routed Ethernet network. The gateway devices analyze the passing ring control packets to create direct mappings for data packets to the routed Ethernet network. Thus, although the dual homed devices are treated as a ring from a control perspective, the data path is implemented to be direct so that data packets continue to flow directly from the dual homed devices to each of the attached gateway devices. In one embodiment, each of the gateway devices implements a virtual switch and advertises the MAC address of the virtual switch into the routed Ethernet network rather than the MAC addresses of each of the attached Ethernet Switch Units. |
| US08649256B2 |
High capacity router having redundant components
A router includes multiple routing engines. If the active routing engine fails, a backup one of the routing engines detects the failure and assumes the role of active routing engine. A redundancy controller circuit, connected to the multiple routing engines, facilitates the selection and switching of the routing engines. Portions of the packet forwarding engine, in addition to the routing engine, may be redundantly implemented. The active routing engine controls the selection of the redundant portion of the packet forwarding engine. |
| US08649253B2 |
Receiver and reception method for estimating channel in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access system
A receiver and reception method for estimating a channel in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system is provided. The receiver includes a delay estimator for estimating, from a signal received from a transmitter through multipaths, at least one of an average time delay of the multipaths and a time delay of one of the multipaths having a maximum power among the multipaths, a rotator for circular-rotating the received signal using the estimated delay, and a channel estimator for estimating a channel impulse response of the circular-rotated signal. |
| US08649242B2 |
Insonification device that includes a three-dimensional network of emitters arranged in at least two concentric spirals, which are designed to generate a beam of high-intensity focussed waves
The invention concerns a device (1) for the insonification of an environment or medium, which is designed to generate a beam of focussed waves around a point in a so-called focus zone (20), used for imaging the medium or changing the properties of the medium, with the insonification device (1) having an intrinsic or extrinsic support structure on which is installed a network of a predetermined number of ultrasound transducers (12) that are designed to be controlled independently for generation of the focussed wave beam.According to the invention, the transducers (12) used for the generation of the focussed wave beam are located in a homogeneous spatial distribution along at least two concentric spirals (11) that are wound onto a three-dimensional concave area (10) whose shape and size are chosen to allow optimal focusing of the beam at a predetermined focal length, and whose concave side is oriented toward the focus zone (20). |
| US08649241B2 |
Memory system, memory controller, and synchronizing apparatus
According to one embodiment, there is provided a memory system including a bus master, a bus slave, and a memory device. The bus slave includes a synchronizing unit, and a speed-enhancing unit. The synchronizing unit is connected to a bus. The synchronizing unit receives the data in synchronism with a third clock. The third clock is in synchronous relation with a second clock and is slower than a first clock. The speed-enhancing unit enhances a transfer speed from a speed corresponding to the third clock to a speed corresponding to the second clock, by transferring the data received in the synchronizing unit to the memory device in synchronism with the second clock. |
| US08649240B2 |
Mechanism for peak power management in a memory
A mechanism for managing peak power in a memory storage array that includes sub-array blocks may reduce the peak currents associated with read and write operations by staggering the wordline signal activation to each of the sub-array blocks. In particular, the wordline units within each sub-array block may generate the wordline signals to each sub-array block such that a read wordline signal of one sub-array block does not transition from one logic level to another logic level at the same time as the write wordline of another sub-array block. Further, the wordline units may generate the wordline signals to each sub-array block such that a read wordline of a given sub-array block does not transition from one logic level to another logic level at the same time as a read wordline signal of another sub-array block. |
| US08649239B2 |
Multi-bank random access memory structure with global and local signal buffering for improved performance
Disclosed are embodiments of a multi-bank random access memory (RAM) structure that provides signal buffering at both the global and local connector level for improved performance. Specifically, inverters are incorporated into the global connector(s), which traverse groups of memory banks and which transmit signals (e.g., address signals, control signals, and/or data signals) from a memory controller, and also into alternating groups of local connectors, which connect nodes on the global connector(s) to corresponding groups of memory banks, such that any of the signals that are received by the memory banks from the memory controller via the global and local connectors are buffered by an even number of inverters and are thereby true signals. Signal buffering at both the global and local connector level results in relatively fast slews, short propagation delays, and low peak power consumption with minimal, if any, increase in area consumption. |
| US08649236B2 |
Circuit and method for controlling leakage current in random access memory devices
A circuit for controlling leakage current in random access memory devices comprises a pre-charge equalization circuit. The pre-charge equalization circuit provides a pre-charge voltage to a pair of complementary bit lines of a memory cell of a random access memory device in accordance with a pre-charge signal. When the memory cell is in a self-refresh mode, the pre-charge signal is activated by a periodically triggered pre-charge request and also activated before and after the memory cell is self-refreshed. |
| US08649235B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and operating method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes an enable fuse unit configured to generate a repair enable signal corresponding to a cutting state of an enable fuse after a power-up operation starts, and an address fuse unit enabled in response to the repair enable signal, and configured to generate an output signal in response to an external address and whether or not an address fuse is programmed. |
| US08649234B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, an interface includes first to third input circuits, delay and selection circuits. The first input circuit outputs an active first internal signal in response to an active first control signal received by a memory device. The second input circuit outputs an active second internal signal in response to an active second control signal received by the device while the device is receiving the active first control signal. The delay circuit outputs a selection signal in first or second states after the elapse of a first period from inactivation or activation of the first control signal. The selection circuit outputs the first and second internal signals as an enable signal while receiving the selection signal of the first and second states. The third input circuit outputs an input signal received from the outside from the interface to inside the device while receiving the active enable signal. |
| US08649233B2 |
Semiconductor device
A first data amplifier connects to a first memory cell identified by an X-address signal and a selection signal obtained by predecoding a Y-address signal. A second data amplifier connects to a second memory cell identified by the X-address signal and a delayed selection signal obtained by delaying the selection signal. A generator generates a delayed operation clock signal by delaying an operation clock signal of the first data amplifier. A timing controller receives a first control signal for controlling an operation of the first data amplifier and a second control signal for controlling an operation of the second data amplifier, outputs the first control signal to the first data amplifier at a timing according to the operation clock signal, and outputs the second control signal to the second data amplifier at a timing according to the delayed operation clock signal. |
| US08649231B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with delay circuit and sense amplifier circuit
A memory cell is provided at an intersection of a word line and a bit line, and a dummy cell is provided at an intersection of a dummy word line and a dummy bit line. A delay circuit delays a signal read into the dummy bit line to generate a sense amplifier activating signal. A sense amplifier circuit starts an operation based on a change in the sense amplifier activating signal, and detects/amplifies a signal read out from the memory cell into the bit line. The delay circuit is configured having a first logical gate circuit and a second logical gate circuit alternately cascade-connected. A second delay time is longer than a first delay time, the second delay time being a time required for an output signal of the second logical gate circuit to switch from a first logical state to a second logical state, and a first delay time being a time required for an output signal of the first logical gate circuit to switch from a first logical state to a second logical state. |
| US08649229B2 |
Memory module bus termination voltage (VTT) regulation and management
Embodiments of the present disclosure describe memory module bus termination voltage (VTT) regulation and management techniques and configurations. A method includes receiving, by a register, a signal that is driven over a bus to a memory device comprising a plurality of memory cells and setting, within the register, a termination voltage (VTT) for the bus based on the signal. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed. |
| US08649228B2 |
Output driver and electronic system comprising same
An output driver comprises a pull-up circuit that pulls up an output node to a supply voltage in N successive intervals in response to N pull-up control signals having different phases and a pull-down circuit that pulls down the output node to a ground voltage in M successive intervals in response to M pull-down control signals having different phases. |
| US08649226B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and erasing method of nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a first bit line commonly coupling drain sides memory cells; a word line commonly coupling control gates of memory cell transistors; a column decoder coupled to a second bit line; a row decoder coupled to a word line; a first transistor having a source coupled to the first bit line and having a drain electrically coupled to the column decoder via the second bit line; and a first control unit for controlling potential of a gate of the first transistor, the memory cell transistor being formed over a first well, the first transistor being formed over a second well electrically isolated from the first well, a film thickness of a gate insulation film of the first transistor being smaller than that of a gate insulation film of a second transistor formed in the row decoder and coupled to the word line. |
| US08649223B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
According to one embodiment, a device includes transistors each with a path connected to a bit line, and circuits each includes a switch, the circuit being connected to the bit line. The device includes a amplifier connected to the transistor and to the circuit, and a latch connected to the amplifier to hold first data before read is carried out on a cell and to hold second data if a current equal to or a larger than a predetermined value flows via the bit line. In the device, the switch is turned on or off depending on data held in another latch located adjacently in a direction of the word lines, to control a connection between the bit line and connected to another bit line the amplifier via the circuit. |
| US08649219B2 |
Erase inhibit for 3D non-volatile memory
An erase process for a 3D stacked memory device performs a two-sided erase of NAND strings until one of more of the NAND strings passes an erase-verify test, then a one-sided erase of the remaining NAND strings is performed. The two-sided erase charges up the body of a NAND string from the source-side and drain-side ends, while the one-sided erase charges up the body of the NAND string from the drain-side end. The NAND strings associated with one bit line form a set. The switch to the one-sided erase can occur when the set meets a set erase-verify condition, such as one, all, or some specified portion of the NAND strings of the set passing the erase-verify test. The erase operation can end when no more than a specified number of NAND strings have not met the erase-verify test. As a result, erase degradation of the memory cells is reduced. |
| US08649216B2 |
Data writing method and data storage device for adjusting programming voltage values
The invention provides a data writing method. In one embodiment, a data storage device comprises a flash memory. First, the flash memory is directed to read a plurality of programming voltage values for data programming. The programming voltage values are then adjusted to obtain a plurality of adjusted programming voltage values according to difference bits between a plurality of stored data patterns corresponding to the programming voltage values. The adjusted programming voltage values are then sent to the flash memory. The flash memory is then directed to perform data programming according to the adjusted programming voltage values, wherein the data programmed according to the adjusted programming voltage values has a lower error bit rate than that of the data programmed according to the programming voltage values. |
| US08649211B2 |
Memory bit redundant vias
An integrated circuit containing a memory array with memory bits and a differential sense amplifier for reading the logic state of the memory bits. The integrated circuit also contains redundant vias which are in the via path that couples a bitline to Vss. Moreover, an integrated circuit containing a FLASH memory bit with redundant vias in the via path from the bitline to Vss. |
| US08649207B2 |
Sensing resistance variable memory
The present disclosure includes devices and methods for operating resistance variable memory. One device embodiment includes an array of memory cells wherein a number of the cells are commonly coupled to a select line, the number cells including a number of data cells programmable within a number of target threshold resistance (Rt) ranges which correspond to a number of data states, and a number of reference cells interleaved with the data cells and programmable within the number of target Rt ranges. The aforementioned device embodiment also includes control circuitry coupled to the array and configured to sense a level associated with at least one data cell and at least one reference cell, and compare the sensed level associated with the at least one data cell with the sensed level associated with the at least one reference cell to determine a data state of the at least one data cell. |
| US08649204B2 |
Resistive memory devices and memory systems having the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes an array of resistive memory cells and a write driver, which is configured to drive a selected bit line in the array with a reset current pulse, which is responsive to a first external voltage input through a first terminal/pad of the memory device during a memory cell reset operation. The write driver is further configured to drive the selected bit line in sequence with a first set current pulse, which is responsive to the first external voltage, and a second set current pulse, which is responsive to a second external voltage input through a second terminal/pad of the memory device during a memory cell set operation. |
| US08649203B2 |
Reversible resistive memory using polysilicon diodes as program selectors
Embodiments of reversible resistive memory cells using polysilicon diodes are disclosed. The programmable resistive devices can be fabricated using standard CMOS logic processes to reduce cell size and cost. In one embodiment, polysilicon diodes can be used as program selectors for reversible resistive memory cells that can be programmed based on magnitude, duration, voltage-limit, or current-limit of a supply voltage or current. These cells are PCRAM, RRAM, CBRAM, or other memory cells that have a reversible resistive element coupled to a polysilicon diode. The polysilicon diode can be constructed by P+/N+ implants on a polysilicon substrate as a program selector. The memory cells can be used to construct a two-dimensional memory array with the N-terminals of the diodes in a row connected as a wordline and the reversible resistive elements in a column connected as a bitline. By applying a voltage or a current to a selected bitline and to a selected wordline to turn on the diode, a selected cell can be programmed into different states reversibly based on magnitude, duration, voltage-limit, or current-limit. The data in the reversible resistive memory can also be read by turning on a selected wordline to couple a selected bitline to a sense amplifier. The wordlines may have high-resistivity local wordlines coupled to low-resistivity global wordlines through conductive contact(s) or via(s). |
| US08649202B2 |
Resistance change memory including a resistive element
According to one embodiment, a resistance change memory includes a memory cell array area and a resistive element area on a substrate. A first memory cell array in the memory cell array area includes a first control line, a second control line above first control line, and a first cell unit between the first and second control lines. A second memory cell array on the first memory cell array includes the second control line, a third control line above the second control line, and a second cell unit between the second and the third control lines. And a resistive element in the resistive element area includes resistance lines, and a resistor connected to the resistance lines. The resistor includes the same member as one of a member of the cell unit and a member of a contact plug. |
| US08649201B2 |
Memory device, semiconductor device, and driving method therof
To provide a memory device which operates with low power consumption, has high reliability of the stored data, and is small-size, light-weight and inexpensive, and a driving method thereof. In addition, to provide a semiconductor device which operates with low power consumption, has high reliability of the stored data and a long distance of radio frequency communication, and is small-size, light-weight and inexpensive, and a driving method thereof. The memory device includes a memory cell array in which at least memory elements are arranged in matrix, and a writing circuit. The memory element has a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an organic compound layer formed therebetween, and the writing circuit includes a voltage generating circuit for generating a voltage in order to apply at plural times, and a timing controlling circuit for controlling output time of the voltage. |
| US08649199B2 |
Low forward voltage rectifier
A Low Forward Voltage Rectifier (LFVR) includes a bipolar transistor, a parallel diode, and a base current injection circuit disposed in an easy-to-employ two-terminal package. In one example, the transistor is a Reverse Bipolar Junction Transistor (RBJT), the diode is a distributed diode, and the base current injection circuit is a current transformer. Under forward bias conditions (when the voltage from the first package terminal to the second package terminal is positive), the LFVR conducts current at a rated current level with a low forward voltage drop (for example, approximately 0.1 volts). In reverse bias conditions, the LFVR blocks current flow. Using the LFVR in place of a conventional silicon diode rectifier in the secondary of a flyback converter reduces average power dissipation and increases power supply efficiency. |
| US08649197B2 |
Multilevel inverter
A multilevel inverter includes an inverter arm. The inverter arm is provided between a highest electric potential point and a lowest electric potential point, and includes (i) a second switching element group to which switching elements that are connected in series belong, the switching elements being connected to respective diodes which are connected in an opposite polarity and in parallel and (ii) a diode for each power supply connection point. One of connection points at which the switching elements belonging to the second switching element group are connected to each other and a U phase output terminal are connected, the one connection point being located such that at least one of the switching elements provided between the one connection point and the highest electric potential point is equal in number to the other switching elements which belong to the second switching element group and are provided between the one connection point and the lowest electric potential point. |
| US08649188B2 |
Solid state pulsed power generator
A power generator includes one or more full bridge inverter modules coupled to a semiconductor opening switch (SOS) through an inductive resonant branch. Each module includes a plurality of switches that are switched in a fashion causing the one or more full bridge inverter modules to drive the semiconductor opening switch SOS through the resonant circuit to generate pulses to a load connected in parallel with the SOS. |
| US08649185B2 |
Elastic conformal transducer apparatus
In one embodiment, a transducer apparatus comprises an elastomeric substrate and another elastomeric substrate. A plurality of transducer modules are mounted on the elastomeric substrate. A plurality of additional transducer modules are mounted on the other elastomeric substrate. Each transducer module of the plurality of transducer modules and the plurality of additional transducer modules comprises a transducer array having multiple transducer elements and an electronic circuitry coupled to the transducer array. The plurality of transducer modules and the plurality of additional transducer modules are mounted relative to each other whereby the plurality of additional transducer modules substantially cover any dead zones of the plurality of transducer modules. |
| US08649180B2 |
System and method for tool-less mounting of a bezel with an electronic device
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a blade server and blade server components. Specifically, one embodiment is directed to a server comprising a server chassis, a system board coupled to the server chassis, the system board comprising a first electrical connector, and a bezel assembly coupled to the server chassis and the system board, the bezel assembly comprising a printed circuit assembly comprising a second electrical connector communicatively mated to the first electrical connector. |
| US08649178B2 |
Heat dissipation module for electronic apparatus
A heat dissipation module for an electronic apparatus including a heat-generating structure is provided. The heat dissipation module includes a heat dissipation structure and a heat-conducting structure. The heat-conducting structure includes a heat-conducting portion and an extending portion. The heat-conducting portion is adhered between the heat-generating structure and the heat dissipation structure. The heat generated by the heat-generating structure is transmitted to the heat dissipation structure through the heat-conducting portion. The extending portion is connected to the heat-conducting portion and exposed to the heat-generating structure and the heat dissipation structure. When the extending portion is forced to move along a direction away from the heat-generating structure and the heat dissipation structure, the heat-conducting portion is deformed to release the adhesion between the heat-conducting portion and the heat-generating structure and the adhesion between the heat-conducting portion and the heat dissipation structure. |
| US08649177B2 |
Method of fabricating a cooled electronic system
A method of fabricating a liquid-cooled electronic system is provided which includes an electronic assembly having an electronics card and a socket with a latch at one end. The latch facilitates securing of the card within the socket. The method includes providing a liquid-cooled cold rail at the one end of the socket, and a thermal spreader to couple the electronics card to the cold rail. The thermal spreader includes first and second thermal transfer plates coupled to first and second surfaces on opposite sides of the card, and thermally conductive extensions extending from end edges of the plates, which couple the respective transfer plates to the liquid-cooled cold rail. The extensions are disposed to the sides of the latch, and the card is securable within or removable from the socket using the latch without removing the cold rail or the thermal spreader. |
| US08649171B2 |
Mixed-flow ducted fan
In accordance with at least some embodiments, a computer system includes an enclosure (202) configured to hold at least one resource unit (204). The computer system also comprises a plurality of mixed-flow ducted fans units (400) selectively attached to the enclosure (202). Each mixed-flow ducted fan unit (400) comprises a duct (102) having an intake diameter, a bellmouth diameter, and an exhaust diameter. The bellmouth diameter is less than the intake diameter and the exhaust diameter. |
| US08649170B2 |
System and method for selectively engaging cooling fans within an electronic display
A system and method for cooling an electronic image assembly having a plurality of cooling gas pathways place behind the electronic image assembly. A first fan may be used to force cooling gas through a first grouping of cooling gas pathways while a second fan may be used to force cooling gas through a second grouping of cooling gas pathways. Temperature sensing devices may be positioned so as to measure the temperature of the first and second groupings of cooling gas pathways. The speeds of the first and second fans may be adjusted based on the temperature measurements of the cooling gas pathway groupings. Additional fans with additional temperature sensing devices may be used for further accuracy and control over the temperature gradients of the electronic image assembly. Manifolds may be used to distribute/collect cooling gas to/from the cooling gas pathways. |
| US08649166B2 |
Multi-positionable portable computer
A multi positionable portable computer is able to be set in a variety of form factors. A user display portion comprising a screen is movably coupled to a processing portion having processing circuitry by a hinge having two pivot points. The two pivot points allow for the portable computer to be placed upright for presentations and the like or flat on a surface with the user display angled toward a user for interfacing with the portable computer. A movable optics module is provided that is positionable on a top surface of the display portion whether the display portion is in a landscape position or a portrait position. |
| US08649163B2 |
Information processing apparatus
Provided is an information processing apparatus includes an exterior plate and a sheet-like member. The exterior plate is formed of a plate-like member. The exterior plate has one of a transparent first area and a semi-transparent first area. The sheet-like member is arranged on a rear surface of the exterior plate. |
| US08649160B2 |
Plug-in circuit breaker assembly including insulative retainers
A circuit breaker assembly includes a housing, an electrical bus structure within the housing, a number of first plug-in members coupled to the bus structure, and a number of insulative retainers coupled to the bus structure. A corresponding one of the number of insulative retainers is operatively associated with a corresponding number of the number of first plug-in members. Each of a number of circuit breakers includes a manual operator and a number of second plug-in members disposed opposite the manual operator. The number of second plug-in members electrically engage a number of the number of first plug-in members. The corresponding one of the number of insulative retainers is disposed about the corresponding number of the number of first plug-in members, in order to insulate the corresponding number of the number of first plug-in members, and to retain the number of second plug-in members. |
| US08649157B2 |
Integrated capacitive device and integrated analog digital converter comprising such a device
An integrated capacitive device includes an electrically conducting comb, at least some of whose teeth form first electrodes of capacitors, and electrically conducting fingers extending between the teeth of the comb so as to form second electrodes of the capacitors. The device includes a first finger-teeth set having a single reference finger forming a reference capacitor having a reference capacitive value, at least one second finger-teeth set including several fingers, the reference finger and the number of fingers of the second finger-teeth set or sets forming a geometric series with ratio two. At least one additional set includes a single additional finger forming, with at least one tooth of the comb, an additional capacitor having an additional capacitive value substantially equal to half the reference capacitive value. |
| US08649156B2 |
Multilayer capacitor having low equivalent series inductance and controlled equivalent series resistance
In a capacitor body of a multilayer capacitor, one second capacitor portion is sandwiched between two first capacitor portions. An ESR is controlled by setting a width of lead portions of third and fourth internal electrodes disposed in the second capacitor portion to be less than that of lead portions of first and second internal electrodes disposed in the first capacitor portions and by changing ratios between the first and second capacitor portions in the width of the lead portions and in the number of stacked internal electrodes. In the first capacitor portions, current paths from the internal electrodes to an external terminal electrode are widely distributed so that the first capacitor portions have a relatively low ESL, and accordingly, the ESL of the entire multilayer capacitor is reduced. |
| US08649154B2 |
Method for producing a metal-insulator-metal capacitor for use in semiconductor devices
Methods of manufacturing metal-insulator-metal capacitor structures, and the metal-insulator-metal capacitor structures obtained, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a substrate, forming on the substrate a first metal layer comprising a first metal, and using atomic layer deposition with an H2O oxidant to deposit on the first metal layer a protective layer comprising TiO2. The method further includes using atomic layer deposition with an O3 oxidant to deposit on the protective layer a dielectric layer of a dielectric material, and forming on the dielectric layer a second metal layer comprising a second metal. In another embodiment, a metal-insulator-metal capacitor includes a bottom electrode comprising a first metal, a protective layer deposited on the bottom electrode and comprising TiO2, a dielectric layer deposited on the protective layer and comprising a dielectric material, and a top electrode formed on the dielectric layer and comprising a second metal. |
| US08649153B2 |
Tapered via and MIM capacitor
A chip capacitor and interconnecting wiring is described incorporating a metal insulator metal (MIM) capacitor, tapered vias and vias coupled to one or both of the top and bottom electrodes of the capacitor in an integrated circuit. A design structure tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium is described incorporating computer readable code defining a MIM capacitor, tapered vias, vias and wiring levels in an integrated circuit. |
| US08649152B2 |
Circuit configuration for regulating current in a valve coil
A circuit configuration for recording the resistance of a coil of a magnetic valve, having at least one magnetic valve, having at least one valve coil that is to be actuated, a current source for applying a current to the at least one valve coil and generating a voltage drop at the at least one valve coil, and an evaluation circuit for outputting the voltage drop generated at the at least one valve coil as the output signal of the circuit configuration. |
| US08649151B2 |
Injector drive circuit
An injector drive circuit including: a step-up circuit generating a high voltage from a power supply; a first switching device connected to a path between the step-up circuit and an injector; a second switching device connected to the power supply; a third switching device connected between the injector and the ground; and a control unit operating the first, second and third switching device according to a value of current flowing through the injector; wherein the control unit has a unit turning on and off the second switching device in a period during which it turns on and off the first switching device a plurality of times; wherein the control unit has, as set values to control the current flowing through the injector, a first threshold defining a lower current limit, a second threshold defining an upper current limit and a third threshold, larger than the second threshold. |
| US08649149B1 |
Dual level surge protector circuit for telecommunication line
In accordance with a non-limiting example, a dual level surge protector adaptively selects the protection level required in response to any expected voltages that will be applied to the tip and ring lines. In one example, the surge protector has a first set value for responding to an applied battery voltage and a second set value for responding to a combination voltage that includes a battery voltage plus a ringing voltage. |
| US08649147B2 |
Trip unit communication adapter module employing communication protocol to communicate with different trip unit styles, and electrical switching apparatus and communication method employing the same
A trip unit is for a circuit breaker and includes a plurality of capabilities defining one trip unit style selected from a plurality of different trip unit styles. The trip unit includes a processor including a communication interface having a communication protocol; and a communication adapter module including a first communication interface having the communication protocol, and a second communication interface. The communication adapter module is structured to learn the plurality of capabilities of the trip unit from the processor employing the communication protocol, and to communicate with any of the plurality of different trip unit styles including the one trip unit style. |
| US08649146B2 |
Capacitance check and current monitoring circuit for use with a circuit protection device
A circuit protection device includes a trip mechanism and at least one capacitor configured to store electrical energy and to provide the electrical energy to the trip mechanism. The circuit protection device also includes a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one capacitor and configured to measure a charge property of the at least one capacitor, compare the measured charge property to a threshold, and output a signal indicative of the comparison. |
| US08649144B2 |
Method of forming an over-voltage protection circuit and structure therefor
In one embodiment, an over-voltage protection circuit is configured to have two control circuits that respond at different values of the input voltage. |
| US08649143B2 |
Improper voltage detection for electronic circuit breaker
A method of tripping a circuit breaker including sampling an AC line voltage at regular intervals during a first time period to generate a plurality of AC line voltage samples. Each sample of the set of AC line voltage samples is summed to generate a voltage area value. A controller determines whether the voltage area value exceeds a threshold. In response to the voltage area value exceeding the threshold, an amount determined as a function of the voltage area value is added to a count value. The circuit breaker is caused to trip in response to the count value equaling or exceeding a maximum count value.An improper line-to-neutral voltage can be detected by monitoring the line-to-neutral voltage and comparing it to a function such as a trip curve. Thus, components downstream from a circuit breaker, as well as the circuit breaker itself, can be protected from prolonged exposure to improper voltages, which can lead to component failure. |
| US08649139B2 |
Methods, systems, and apparatus for detecting arc flash events using current and voltage
A power circuit protection system includes a current sensor configured to measure a first current level through a conductor of the circuit, a voltage sensor configured to measure a first voltage level across a plurality of conductors of the circuit, and a controller communicatively coupled to the current sensor and to the voltage sensor. The controller is configured to receive a first signal from the current sensor, wherein the first signal is representative of the first current level, and receive a second signal from the voltage sensor, wherein the second signal is representative of the first voltage level. Based on the first signal and the second signal, the controller is configured to determine whether to activate a first circuit protection device or a second circuit protection device. |
| US08649136B2 |
Thin-oxide current clamp
A thin-oxide current clamp includes a clamp transistor in current-conducting relation between a voltage-sensitive circuit and a common return of a power supply, the clamp transistor responsive to a sense output signal to provide a low-resistance current flow path from the voltage-sensitive circuit to the common return and thereby clamp a voltage in the voltage-sensitive circuit. The thin-oxide current clamp also includes a current source and a reference current mirror, the reference current mirror providing a reference current. Further, the thin-oxide current clamp includes a sense current mirror providing a sense current. Further, the thin-oxide current clamp also includes an output transistor that receives the sense current and provides a current flow to a gate of the clamp transistors if the sense current exceeds the reference current. |
| US08649129B2 |
Method and apparatus of providing over-temperature protection for power converters
The present invention provides a power converter. The power converter includes a transformer, a power switch and a controller. The transformer has a primary winding, a secondary winding and an auxiliary winding. The power switch is coupled to the primary winding of the transformer to regulate the power converter. The controller has an output terminal for generating a driving signal to switch the power switch in response to a switching signal. A thermal resistor is coupled to the output terminal of the controller. The driving signal is adjusted across the thermal resistor during an off-period of the switching signal. |
| US08649128B2 |
Power supply and power supply system incorporating a plurality of power supplies
Disclosed is a power supply for receiving an input voltage and generating an output voltage and an output current, which includes a power converter for receiving the input voltage and generating an intermediate output voltage, an output protection circuit connected to an output terminal of the power converter and including a plurality of switch circuits connected in parallel with each other. The output protection circuit is configured to limit the flowing direction of the output current by the switching operations of the switch circuits. The power supply further includes a control unit connected to the output protection circuit for issuing a plurality of control signals to the switch circuits, in which at least two of the control signals are set to allow at least two of the switch circuits to be turned off with different timings. |
| US08649126B2 |
Air bearing surface of a head slider in a hard disk drive
A head slider for supporting a head over a magnetic disk in a hard disk drive, and a method of making the head slider are disclosed. The air bearing surface (ABS) of the head slider includes a relatively deep recess in front of a trailing pad and an island pad. A recess is formed between the trailing pad and the island pad of the ABS. In operation, the recess may reduce the peak pressure of the ABS, resulting in a reduced mid disk (MD) hump without a reduction in other performance parameters. The reduction in peak pressure may also reduce lubrication pick-up from the magnetic disk. |
| US08649122B2 |
Rack•pinion mechanism, an accessor, and a magnetic tape apparatus
A rack•pinion mechanism in which strength of a member to form a rack can be secured and a member including a pinion can be securely moved in a predetermined direction, and an accessor and a magnetic tape apparatus each including the mechanism are provided. For this purpose, in a picker 22, a pair of projections 222a and 222b are formed to sandwich both side surfaces of a pinion 211, the projections 222a and 222b perpendicularly rising toward a base 21 and curving or bending in an intermediate position thereof; in the base 21, a pair of grooves 212a and 212b are formed on both sides of a rack 211 in a shape to engage with the projections 222a and 222b, a section sandwiched by the grooves 212a and 212b is an engage section 213 including the rack 211 in a center of a wide section 213a at a tip end thereof; and by engaging the projections 222a and 222b with the grooves 212a and 212b, the wide section 213a is held between the projections 222a and 222b. |
| US08649121B1 |
Disk drive tuning speed control loop for a spindle motor
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, a spindle motor operable to rotate the disk, and control circuitry comprising a speed control loop operable to control a rotation speed of the disk. A rotation speed of the disk is measured, and a speed error is generated in response to the measured rotation speed. The speed error is processed with a compensator to generate a control signal, a disturbance is injected into the control signal to generate a modified control signal, and the modified control signal is applied to the spindle motor. An amplitude of the disturbance is ramped, and after ramping the amplitude of the disturbance, an open-loop gain of the speed control loop is estimated at a frequency of the disturbance, and at least one parameter of the compensator is adjusted in response to the estimated open-loop gain. |
| US08649119B2 |
Measuring variations in head-disk clearance in a hard disk drive
Methods and systems for measuring variations in head-disk clearance in a hard disk drive. User generated data is randomly selected at a controller of the hard disk drive wherein the user generated data is stored on a disk associated with the hard disk drive. A reference point associated with the user generated data is stored on a storage medium associated with the hard disk drive. The user generated data is read at the controller. The user generated data is analyzed with the reference point using more than two frequencies, at the controller, to obtain a variation in measurement of the head-disk clearance. |
| US08649118B1 |
Pattern-dependent LLR manipulation
Methods are provided for pattern-dependent log likelihood ratio (LLR) manipulation of a hard disk drive detector output. Generally, by observing a pattern dependency of LLRs, various rules for LLR manipulation at the detector output are outlined. The rules may provide more reliable LLR values, such as by improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the hard disk drive detector output. |
| US08649116B2 |
Lens barrel and imaging optical system
A lens barrel of the present invention is provided with an electric section having a plurality of sliding portions that slide along the predetermined conductor pattern. The electric section is provided with a thin-sheet electric section body supporting the plurality of sliding portions, and a reinforcing portion is provided at the electric section body. Therefore, in the lens barrel 1, the reinforcing portion increases the deformation resistance of the electric section body that supports the sliding portions. |
| US08649114B2 |
Imaging optical lens system
This invention provides an imaging optical lens system comprising three lens elements with refractive power: a positive first lens element having a convex object-side surface at a paraxial region; a negative plastic second lens element having a convex or flat object-side surface and a concave image-side surface at a paraxial region, and both the object-side surface and the image-side surface being aspheric; and a negative plastic third lens element having a concave object-side surface at a paraxial region, the shape of the image-side surface thereof changing from concave when near an optical axis to convex when away from the optical axis, and both the object-side surface and the image-side surface being aspheric. The aforesaid arrangement can not only effectively correct the astigmatism of the system against defocus problems but also effectively reduce the back focal length for desirable space usage. Therefore, the lens system can be more compact. |
| US08649113B1 |
Optical image capturing lens system
This invention provides an optical image capturing lens system comprising: a negative first lens element having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface at the paraxial region; a positive second lens element; a negative third lens element; a positive fourth lens element having a convex image-side surface at the paraxial region; and a negative plastic fifth lens element having a convex object-side surface at the paraxial region as well as a concave at the paraxial region and convex at the peripheral region image-side surface, at least one of the object-side and image-side surfaces being aspheric. The optical image capturing lens system of the present invention effectively increases the angle of view to a proper range and suppresses the distortion. In addition, the present invention has a tighter arrangement of the lens elements and a smaller back focal length, and therefore is more appropriate for the compact device. |
| US08649110B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel includes a fixed frame, a rotary frame provided inside the fixed frame, a first frame provided inside the rotary frame, an electronic component provided inside the first frame, and a flexible printed circuit board connected, at one end thereof, to the electronic component and connected, at the other end thereof, to the fixed frame. A gear part is provided at an outer circumferential surface of the rotary frame. In the first frame, a first protrusion outwardly protruding beyond the gear part in a radial direction about the optical axis is provided at a position corresponding to the flexible printed circuit board in a circumferential direction about the optical axis on a side of the gear part opposite to the object in the optical axis direction. |
| US08649109B2 |
Lens holder
A lens holder includes: a first barrel with a plurality of helicoidal grooves that extend from a base portion to an end portion and at positions with rotational symmetry; and a second barrel with a plurality of protrusions that respectively enter the plurality of helicoidal grooves. The helicoidal grooves are respectively divided into helicoidal groove sections in multiple stages with a helicoidal groove section on a base portion side and a helicoidal groove section on an end portion side being disposed at angles that do not overlap. The first barrel includes circumferential grooves on the middle portion and circumferential grooves on the end portion. The middle circumferential grooves connect the end on the end side of the helicoidal groove sections on the base side to the end on the base side of the helicoidal groove sections on the end side and guide the protrusions in the circumferential direction. |
| US08649106B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with the zoom lens
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit (positive), a second lens unit (negative), a third lens unit (positive), and a rear lens group having one or more lens units. During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the distance between the first and second lens units increases, the distance between the second and third lens units decreases, and the distance between the third lens unit and the rear lens group changes. The first lens unit consists of a positive lens and a negative lens. The following conditional expressions are satisfied: 8.0 |
| US08649104B2 |
Optical element, optical element array, and method of manufacturing optical element
Disclosed are an optical element, an optical element array, and a method of manufacturing an optical element capable of forming a desired interface shape. In a microlens and a microlens array, at least one of a transparent liquid forming a liquid phase and microbubbles forming a gas phase is subjected to temperature adjustment by a curvature control part. The transparent liquid and the microbubbles subjected to temperature adjustment thermally expands or contracts, such that the shape of a curved interface formed between the transparent liquid and the microbubbles is changed. |
| US08649103B2 |
Adaptive lens system
An adaptive lens system for laser materials processing, for example, in the high-power range of at least approximately 1 kW, includes two deformable lens surfaces spaced apart from each other in the direction of the optical axis, a chamber formed between the two lens surfaces and filled with a fluid, and a device for changing the distance between the two lens surfaces along the optical axis. |
| US08649102B2 |
Optical electrowetting device
The invention concerns an optical electrowetting device a body comprising at least a first external surface and a second internal surface with a conical shape; a liquid-liquid interface between a first and a second immiscible liquids, the first liquid being a conducting liquid and the second liquid being an insulating liquid, wherein the liquid-liquid interface is able to move on the second internal surface by electrowetting effect; a first electrode in contact with the first liquid; a second electrode insulated from the first liquid by an insulating layer, the second electrode comprising at least a first electrical conductive track to be connected to a voltage source and extending from the first external surface of the body to the second internal surface; and a first layer covering the second internal surface of said body and being covered by the insulating layer, wherein the shape of the liquid-liquid interface is controllable by application of at least a first voltage between the first electrode and the first electrical conductive track, and wherein at least one of the body or the first layer is made of a resistive material. |
| US08649095B2 |
Diffraction grating lens and method of producing the same, and imaging device in which the same is used
A diffraction grating lens according to the present invention includes a lens body and a diffraction grating provided on the surface of the lens body, the diffraction grating including a plurality of annular zones having slopes inclined along a width direction and a plurality of step surfaces respectively located between the plurality of annular zones. At least one of the plurality of annular zones is light-transmissive across its entire area along the width direction, and in the at least one annular zone, a light transmittance near at least one of two ends along the width direction is smaller than a light transmittance near a central portion along the width direction. |
| US08649094B2 |
Low thermal stress birefringence imaging lens
An imaging lens having reduced susceptibility to thermally-induced stress birefringence for imaging an object plane to an image plane; comprising: an aperture stop positioned between the object plane and the image plane; a first group of lens elements located on the object plane side of the aperture stop; and a second group of lens elements located on the image plane side of the aperture stop; wherein the lens elements immediately adjacent to the aperture stop are fabricated using glasses having a negligible susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence as characterized by a thermal stress birefringence metric; and wherein the other lens elements in the first or second groups of lens elements are fabricated using glasses having at most a moderate susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence as characterized by the thermal stress birefringence metric. |
| US08649084B2 |
Color display devices
The present invention is directed to a color display comprising an electrophoretic fluid comprising two types of pigment particles of contrasting colors and carrying opposite charge polarities dispersed in a clear and colorless solvent, wherein said electrophoretic fluid is sandwiched between a common electrode and a plurality of colored sub-pixel electrodes or colored pixel electrodes. |
| US08649083B2 |
Multi-zone mirrors
A multi-zone reflector having an opaque zone and a transflective zone. The reflector includes a supporting base, a lower reflecting layer disposed adjacent the supporting base, and an upper reflecting layer extending over the opacifying layer and the transflective zone of the reflector. The lower reflecting layer substantially completely covers the transflective zone, and the opacifying layer is disposed substantially outside the transflective zone adjacent to the lower reflecting layer. Over at least a portion of the transflective zone, the upper and lower reflecting layers have a common surface. |
| US08649081B1 |
Photochromic article having two at least partially crossed photochromic-dichroic layers
Photochromic-dichroic articles are provided, which include a substrate, a first photochromic-dichroic layer over the substrate, and a second photochromic-dichroic layer over the first photochromic-dichroic layer. The first photochromic-dichroic layer includes a first photochromic-dichroic compound that is laterally aligned within the first photochromic-dichroic layer, and which defines a first polarization axis of the first photochromic-dichroic layer. The second photochromic-dichroic layer includes a second photochromic-dichroic compound that is laterally aligned within the second photochromic-dichroic layer, and which defines a second polarization axis of the second photochromic-dichroic layer. The first polarization axis and the second polarization axis are oriented relative to each other at an angle of greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90°. The photochromic-dichroic articles can provide, for example, a combination of increased optical density and increased kinetics when exposed to a given amount of actinic radiation. |
| US08649078B2 |
Driver for optical deflector using complex-sinusoidal-wave drive voltages and method for setting the same
A driver for driving an optical deflector includes a mirror, a movable frame for supporting the mirror, a support body surrounding the movable frame, and a first group of piezoelectric actuators and a second group of piezoelectric actuators alternating with the first group of piezoelectric actuators. A first drive voltage for the first group of piezoelectric actuators has first repeated waves each with a first rising period. A second drive voltage for the second group of piezoelectric actuators has second repeated waves each with a second falling period corresponding to the first rising period of the first drive voltage and a second rising period corresponding to the first falling period of the first drive voltage. Frequencies of the first and second repeated waves exclude natural frequencies of a mechanically-vibrating system of the mirror with respect to the axis thereof depending upon the piezoelectric actuators. |
| US08649073B2 |
Configurable scanner assembly
A scanner assembly includes an automatic document feeder and a first scanner. The automatic document feeder defines a media pathway that includes an input portion and an output portion having an exit roller. The first scanner is positioned along the media pathway upstream from the exit roller. In a first assembled configuration, the assembly is configured to scan both a first side and a second side of the media via the first scanner. In a second assembled configuration, the assembly additionally includes a second scanner positioned along the output portion and interposed between the first scanner and the exit roller. In the second configuration, the assembly is configured to scan the first side of media via the first scanner and to scan the second side of media via the second scanner. |
| US08649072B2 |
Imaging system, solid-state imaging device for the imaging system, and method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device for the imaging system
Certain embodiments provide an imaging system including a light guiding member supported on a circuit substrate so as to be capable of lighting an object, an optical image-forming member and a solid-state imaging device. The optical image-forming member is arranged on the circuit substrate so as to have an optical axis thereof parallel to the circuit substrate, is arranged on the circuit substrate so as to be able to receive reflected light from the object, emits the reflected light in an oblique direction with respect to a surface of the circuit substrate, and forms an image at a predetermined distance position. The solid-state imaging device includes a light receiving surface that is oblique with respect to the circuit substrate surface, and is mounted on the surface of the circuit substrate so as to have the receiving surface positioned at a position where the image is formed. |
| US08649071B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus provided with the same
The image reading apparatus includes an LED, a light guiding body, and a photoelectric conversion element. The light guiding body has a plurality of prisms for diffusing light. The plurality of prisms includes: at least one first prism that is disposed on an incident surface side in the main scanning direction; and at least one second prism that is disposed on an opposite end side to the incident surface side in the main scanning direction. In the first prism, an angle of a prism incident plane with respect to the main scanning direction is greater than an angle of a prism anti-incident plane with respect to the main scanning direction. In the second prism, an angle of a prism incident plane with respect to the main scanning direction is smaller than an angle of a prism anti-incident plane with respect to the main scanning direction. |
| US08649070B2 |
Image forming optical element, image forming optical array, and image reading device
An image forming optical element is provided, in which an incident unit having a first lens face to which a light beam output from an original document (object) is input, an output unit having a second lens face outputting the light beam, and a bent unit connecting the incident unit and the output unit at an angle are integrally formed into a transparent medium. The bent unit has a reflection face reflecting the incident light beam input to the first lens face and guiding the light beam to the second lens face. The incident light beam is collected at any of the incident unit, the bent unit, and the output unit to form an intermediate image of the object, and the intermediate image is formed on the output side of the second lens face to form an erection image of the object. |
| US08649065B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and halftone processing
An image processing apparatus includes a first halftone processor, a first filtering processor, a second filtering processor, and an evaluator. The first halftone processor generates first halftone image data from input image data using thresholds. The first filtering processor smoothes the first halftone image data using a first filter having a size corresponding to a cycle of the thresholds. The second filtering processor smoothes the input image data using a second filter having a characteristic corresponding to the first filter. The evaluator evaluates a moiré caused in the first halftone image data based on a difference between the first halftone image data smoothed by the first filtering processor and the image data smoothed by the second filtering processor. |
| US08649063B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method thereof to generate a new image mode by combining selected image modes
An image forming apparatus includes a user interface, and an image forming unit to perform an image forming job in a new image mode by combining two or more image modes when the two or more image modes are selected through the user interface. The image forming unit may include a controller to combine color lookup tables of the two or more selected image modes and to create a new color lookup table, and an engine unit to perform the image forming job in an image mode corresponding to the new color lookup table. Therefore, it is possible for the image forming apparatus to support various image modes. |
| US08649062B2 |
Image processor
An image processor includes a tone converter operable when a pixel of input image data is determined as having a value greater in color saturation than a prescribed saturation value. In this operation, the tone converter changes a threshold for each color in a dither matrix associated with the pixel to make the thresholds different in correspondence to color component values of the pixel. The tone converter generates color component values of the pixel constituting image data to be output, based on comparisons between the respective color component values and the changed thresholds. |
| US08649060B2 |
Method of halftoning for asymmetric print resolutions and a printer
A method of printing an image by a printer having an asymmetric printer resolution includes multi-level halftoning the image by assigning a level out of a number of levels to each pixel of the image. The method further includes determining the number of levels on the basis of the asymmetric printer resolution, selecting for each level a collection of at least one binary pattern, each binary pattern consisting of a plurality of sub-pixels the number of which is determined by the number of levels, selecting for each pixel of the halftoned image a binary pattern from the collection selected for the level assigned to the pixel, transforming each pixel of the halftoned image into the selected binary pattern, and printing the binary patterns of the transformed pixels using the asymmetric printer resolution. A printer is configured to perform the method. |
| US08649058B2 |
Method to enhance detailed information
A method for enhancing detail information in rasterized, continuous tone images includes a function that enlarges the contrast of a pixel in a neighborhood of pixels when in that neighborhood one of the pixels has a value that is close to a white color. This is determined by selecting the whitest pixel in the neighborhood. The function shows a gradual transition between the situations in which the whitest pixel is close to the white color and in which the whitest pixel is far from the white color. The method results in a better rendering of fine print when the image is sent to a printing system that reproduces the image on receiving material. For small characters, the legibility is improved by application of this method. |
| US08649057B2 |
Operation apparatus, image forming apparatus, display control method, and medium for recording program
The operation apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a touch panel, a determination unit, a shrinkage rate calculating unit, a window shrinking unit, and a multi window display unit. The shrinkage rate calculating unit that calculates, in a case in which the determination unit determines that an input operation on the plurality of setting item keys is detected within a predetermined time period, a shrinkage rate allowing equal allocation of space for a predetermined number of setting condition input windows in a display region based on the setting item number, and a size of the display region in a case of displaying only one setting condition input window on the touch panel. The multi window display unit that displays in the display region the predetermined number of setting condition input windows that are shrunk by the window shrinking unit. |
| US08649055B2 |
Image processing apparatus and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes an image output apparatus and an image reading apparatus. The image output apparatus includes an entry order acceptance module, an information image generation module, a combining module, an image output module. The image reading apparatus includes a reading module, an extraction module, a determination module, and an alarm module. |
| US08649051B2 |
Image composition device, image forming apparatus and computer readable medium storing program
An image composition device includes: a determination unit that determines an overlap state between respective pixel strings on corresponding lines in plural first image data pieces, having plural continuous pixels in the same color as a pixel string, including continuous coordinates with start point coordinate information and end point coordinate information of the pixel string, using the plural first image data pieces; and a composition unit that composes plural second image data pieces based on a result of determination by the determination unit. |
| US08649046B2 |
Selectively displaying and processing image processing load
An image processing system disclosed is arranged to (i) when an image processing apparatus has received document image data and image processing request information for the document image data, cause a display section of the image processing apparatus to display an execution/non-execution selection screen for allowing a user to select whether to carry out an image processing corresponding to the image processing request information and (ii) upon acceptance of an instruction from the user to carry out the image processing corresponding to the image processing request information, carry out, with respect to the document image data, the image processing corresponding to the image processing request information. |
| US08649041B2 |
Remote control system, image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and recording medium storing program therefor
An image processing apparatus capable of being remotely controlled by an information processing apparatus via a network includes a request transmission unit configured to transmit a remote control request to the information processing apparatus via the network, a detection unit configured to receive changing information for changing a setting value for the image processing apparatus from the information processing apparatus via the network and detect a content of the change of the setting value based on the changing information, and a display unit configured to display a message for prompting an operator of the image processing apparatus to determine whether to permit changing of the setting value according to the content of the change of the setting value detected by the detection unit. |
| US08649039B2 |
Image forming apparatus with plurality of control boards connected to each other via a high-speed bus
A plurality of control boards can be connected to each other via a high-speed bus. An image forming unit performs an image forming process, which is housed in a casing. A slot is arranged on any one of a plurality of side surfaces perpendicular to a bottom surface of the casing, which is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface and guides the control boards to inside of the casing. The control boards are connected in parallel to each other. |
| US08649035B2 |
Image processor, printing system, computer readable medium, and image processing method for resuming an interrupted printing process
An image processor includes: a resuming unit that allows a printing device to resume an interrupted printing process; and an output processing unit that carries out an output process of resuming information including the reduced image of an image of a page in which the printing process is resumed and the information of the page in which the printing process is resumed. |
| US08649031B2 |
Image reading control device, image forming apparatus, and image data processing method for setting processing items while previewing an image
An image reading control device includes: an original reading unit; a display unit that can display an item selection window including processing items for the image data for each page and a processing condition setting window including a preview image based on the image data for each page thus read, at least one predetermined processing item, and contents for each of the at least one predetermined processing item; an input unit accepting a selection input of the processing items and a setting input for setting contents for each of the at least one predetermined processing item; and a reading control unit displaying the processing condition setting window on the display unit with the processing item selected in the selection input accepted by the input unit as the predetermined processing item, and controlling acceptance of the setting input in the input unit for setting contents for each predetermined processing item. |
| US08649025B2 |
Methods and apparatus for real-time digitization of three-dimensional scenes
This concerns in part the invention disclosed by co-pending application, particularly to robust determination of features in projection patterns. Disclosed are novel methods and apparatus for obtaining range frame coordinates in moving scenes, where optical radiation is projected onto a scene in the form of dots and strips, where reflected radiation is picked up by a camera and range coordinates calculated thereof. |
| US08649019B2 |
Shape determining device
A shape determining device includes first and second homodyne interferometers respectively provided for front and back surfaces of an object to be measured and a thickness distribution calculator that calculates a thickness distribution of the object based on intensities of first and second interference light beams respectively detected by the first and second homodyne interferometers for the front and back surfaces of the object at a plurality of measurement sites. The thickness distribution calculator calculates, for each interference light beam for which the intensity is detected by the first and second homodyne interferometers, a phase difference between the polarization components of a corresponding reference light beam and a corresponding object light beam in a corresponding non-interference light beam based on the intensity of the interference light beam, and calculates the thickness distribution based on a distribution of the calculated phase differences. |
| US08649018B2 |
Optical cantilever based analyte detection
An apparatus for detecting a presence of one or more analytes in a sample. The apparatus comprises a cantilever (205) and a grating coupled resonating structure (210). The cantilever (205) comprises an analyte selective coating that is selective to the one or more analytes. The grating coupled resonating structure (210) is positioned adjacent to the cantilever (205). The first grating coupled resonating structure comprises a first interrogating grating coupler (220) which together with the cantilever forms an optical resonant cavity. |
| US08649017B2 |
Methods and apparatus for sensing a substrate in a chamber
The present invention provides methods, apparatus, and systems of sensing a substrate in a chamber. The invention includes emitting radiation of at least two different wavelengths; directing the emitted radiation of a first wavelength through a view port of a chamber at an interior of the chamber; directing the emitted radiation of a second wavelength through the view port of the chamber at a location of a hole in a blade of a substrate carrier; detecting any of the emitted radiation reflected by the blade, the interior of the chamber, or a substrate on the blade; and determining if a substrate is present on the blade based on the reflected radiation detected. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed. |
| US08649011B2 |
Integrated analytical system and method
An analytical assembly within a unified device structure for integration into an analytical system. The analytical assembly is scalable and includes a plurality of analytical devices, each of which includes a reaction cell, an optical sensor, and at least one optical element positioned in optical communication with both the reaction cell and the sensor and which delivers optical signals from the cell to the sensor. Additional elements are optionally integrated into the analytical assembly. Methods for forming and operating the analytical system are also disclosed. |
| US08649005B2 |
Optical flow cell detector
Optical flow cell detector comprising a sample inlet and outlet in fluidic communication through a flow cell channel of cross sectional area A, an input light guide with an light exit surface arranged adjacent and in optical alignment with a light entrance surface of an output light guide, wherein the input light guide and the output light guide protrudes into the flow cell channel and wherein the distance between the light exit surface and the light entrance surface is less than 1.0 mm, and wherein the cross sectional area of the protruding portions of the input light guide and the output light guide in the flow direction is less than A/2. |
| US08649004B2 |
Light sensor and lighting device with adaptable color
Light sensors (1) are used in lighting applications, especially in combination with LEDs, to control and/or adapt the color point of light sources. Costs and/or performance of the light sensor (1) are essential in order to guarantee cost-effective light sources with reproducible color points. This aim is achieved by a light sensor (1) comprising a light diffuser (10), an optical non-transparent housing (11) having at least one window (12), at least one interference filter (13) and at least two photo sensors (14). The light diffuser (10) is arranged in such a way that light from outside the optical non-transparent housing (11) has to pass the light diffuser (10) so as to enter the interior of the optical non-transparent housing (11) via the window (12). The interference filter (13) and the at least two photo sensors (14) are arranged in the interior of the optical non-transparent housing (11), which interference filter (13) is arranged between the window (12) and the at least two photo sensors (14). |
| US08648998B2 |
TOF range finding with background radiation suppression
A method for measuring time of flight of radiation includes emitting modulated radiation (51) in response to a first modulation signal, projecting the modulated radiation (51) onto a scene (55), and receiving radiation, the received radiation including at least modulated radiation reflected by the scene (55). The received radiation (26, 27) is converted into a radiation induced electrical signal. The radiation induced electrical signal is mixed with a second modulation signal, thus generating a mixed signal, which is integrated, thus generating an integrated signal. When the integrated signal exceeds a threshold value (Vref), charge is injected into the integrated signal. The method includes applying changes to the first and/or second modulation signal at one or more moments in time, and measuring the integrated signal at one or more moments in time, thus obtaining at least one TOF pair difference signal (62). The measuring includes using a single detector node (38) and associated memory element (25), to obtain a TOF pair difference signal (62). The method furthermore includes using one or more TOF pair difference signals to determine time of flight of radiation. |
| US08648991B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a first substrate including a first electrode and a second electrode each including a plurality of linear electrodes and formed so as to be comb-like; a second substrate; a blue-phase liquid crystal layer; first drain lines and second drain lines extending in Y direction and provided side by side in X direction; gate lines extending in the X direction; a first thin film transistor for supplying a drain signal from one of the first drain lines to the first electrode; a second thin film transistor for supplying a drain signal from one of the second drain lines to the second electrode, which is plate-like and formed on the blue-phase liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate so as to cover at least a region in which pixels are formed. |
| US08648988B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising an alignment film that includes a first alignment film formed of a precursor of polyamide acid or polyamide acid ester and a second alignment film underlying the first alignment film wherein the first alignment film accounts for between 30% and 60% of the alignment film
This invention enables forming a photo-alignment film having a large LC anchoring strength in an IPS type liquid crystal display device. An alignment film is adapted to have a two-layer structure including a photo-alignment film and an alignment film with enhanced film strength. The photo-alignment film is formed of a precursor of polyamide acid ester, 80 percent or more of which is polyamide acid ester including cyclobutane. The alignment film with enhanced film strength is formed of a precursor of polyamide acid. After irradiating the substrate with ultraviolet light for photo-alignment, the substrate is heated. Thus, it is possible to achieve a high LC anchoring strength of the alignment film as the whole for photo-alignment, without degrading the mechanical strength of the alignment film with enhanced film strength. |
| US08648985B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display has a lower panel including a first pixel area having a first pixel electrode and a first light leakage preventing member, a final pixel area having a second pixel electrode and a second light leakage preventing member, and middle pixel areas disposed between the first pixel area and the final pixel area, each of the middle pixel areas including a first middle pixel electrode and a second middle pixel electrode. Accordingly, light leakage may be effectively prevented at the first pixel area and the final pixel area that are disposed on the edge. |
| US08648983B2 |
Blue phase liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a blue phase liquid crystal display is provided. A first substrate is arranged opposite to a second substrate, in which the first and second substrates include a first and a second electrode, respectively. A blue phase liquid crystal layer is sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate, in which the blue phase liquid crystal layer includes a positive blue phase liquid crystal and a monomer. A voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode such that a vertical electric field is formed. The blue phase liquid crystal layer is illuminated with a light source such that the monomer performs polymerization to produce a polymer-stabilized positive blue phase liquid crystal. A blue phase liquid crystal display is also disclosed herein. |
| US08648982B2 |
Optical film, polarizing plate and liquid crystal display device
There is provided an optical film having a small size change with a temperature change of a support of a pattern retardation film. An optical film includes: a support comprising a polymer having a moisture absorptivity of 0.5% or more; a first retardation region and a second retardation region, in which birefringence thereof is mutually different; and an optically anisotropic layer in which the first retardation region and the second retardation region are alternately patterned for every one line. |
| US08648978B2 |
Television and electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a display in the housing, a diffuser, and a light guide. The housing is configured to shield light and comprises an opening. The display includes a screen exposed through the opening, a first flexible substrate, a second flexible substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate. The diffuser overlaps the display. The light guide overlaps the diffuser. |
| US08648965B2 |
Image signal processor and method thereof
An image signal processor and a method for processing an image signal thereof are disclosed. When the image signal processor executes an automatic chroma gain control (ACC), the image signal processor adjusts a variable rate of ACC gain according to a size of an input color signal to reduce a time for processing the ACC. Even if a difference between the size of the input color signal and the size of a reference color signal is large, the ACC is rapidly processed. As a result, transient phenomenon disappears from a screen. |
| US08648956B2 |
Image capture device and dustproof method thereof
An image capture device and a dustproofing method thereof. The image capture device comprises a switch module, optical-component adaptor module, optical-component adaptor detecting module, mask module, power detecting module and controlling module. The switch module switches the image capture device on or off and produces an on signal or off signal correspondingly. The optical-component adaptor detecting module detects whether a removable optical-component is connected with the optical-component adaptor module and produces a detecting signal. The power detecting module measures the residual power in the image capture device and produces a residual power signal. The controlling module, according to the on signal, off signal, detecting signal and the residual power signal controls the mask module to shield or un-shield the photosensor. Therefore, when the image capture device is powered off or during replacement of removable optical-components, the mask module shields the photosensor to render it dustproof. |
| US08648953B2 |
Image display apparatus and method, as well as program
A stereoscopic image for allowing stereoscopic viewing, which is generated from two or more images obtained from different viewpoints, is obtained. Depth information, which indicates a distance in the depth direction of the stereoscopic image of at least one subject contained in the stereoscopic image, is obtained. A depth image is generated by positioning a subject image with relating the distance in the depth direction of the subject to a distance in the depth direction from a reference position to a position of the subject image. Display of the subject image positioned in the depth image is controlled in a manner that the subject image is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the depth direction, and the depth image with display of the subject image contained therein being controlled to be rotatable is displayed. |
| US08648952B2 |
Timing generator and method of generating timing signals
Timing generators and methods of generating timing signals are disclosed. In one implementation, a timing generator for an imaging device includes a timing generator memory configured to store timing information, a timing core coupled to the timing generator memory and configured to read the timing information from the timing generator memory, and a processor core coupled to the timing core and configured to control a plurality of counters. The timing core can be further configured to generate a plurality of timing patterns based on the timing information and the plurality of counters. The timing generator can also be configured to generate a plurality of toggle positions for a plurality of timing signals based on the plurality of timing patterns. |
| US08648948B2 |
Imaging systems with multiple imaging pixel types and related methods
Imaging arrays comprising at least two different imaging pixel types are described. The different imaging pixel types may differ in their light sensitivities and/or light saturation levels. Methods of processing the output signals of the imaging arrays are also described, and may produce images having a greater dynamic range than would result from an imaging array comprising only one of the at least two different imaging pixel types. |
| US08648946B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and solid-state image pickup device
According to one embodiment, an image processing device includes a black level regulating unit. The black level regulating unit has a frame integration average holding unit. A frame integration average is an integration average of an optical black signal using a video frame as a unit. The frame integration average holding unit holds the frame integration average as a signal to be applied to a black level regulation of an effective pixel signal. The frame integration average holding unit updates the frame integration average when an image pickup condition is changed. |
| US08648945B2 |
Image sensors for sensing object distance information based on clock signals
An image sensor includes a clock signal generator configured to generate and output at least first and second clock signals, a plurality of pixels configured to generate associated distance signals based on corresponding clock signals from among the at least first and second clock signals and light reflected by an object, and a distance information deciding unit configured to determine distance information with respect to the object by using the associated distance signals. At least one first pixel from among the plurality of pixels is configured to generate the associated distance signal based on at least the first clock signal, and at least one second pixel from among the plurality of pixels, which is adjacent to the at least one first pixel, is configured to generate the associated distance signal based on at least the second clock signal. |
| US08648943B2 |
Solid-state imaging device and camera module
A solid-state imaging device is provided. The solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of arrayed pixels, an optical inner filter layer, and a light-blocking side wall. The plurality of arrayed pixels each includes a photoelectric conversion portion and a pixel transistor. The optical inner filter layer is provided for blocking infrared light and formed facing to a light-receiving surface of the photoelectric conversion portion of a desired pixel among the arrayed pixels. The light-blocking side wall is formed on a lateral wall of the optical inner filter layer. |
| US08648942B2 |
Method of and apparatus for processing images using saturation functions
A method suitable for processing a digital image is disclosed. The method comprises, for each picture element of the digital image, processing an achromatic intensity level of the picture element using a first adaptation procedure featuring a first effective saturation function of the achromatic intensity, to provide a first intermediate intensity level. The method further comprises processing the achromatic intensity level using a second adaptation procedure featuring a second effective saturation function of the achromatic intensity, to provide a second intermediate intensity level. The method further comprises combining the first and the second intermediate intensity levels to provide a new achromatic intensity level associated with the picture-element. |
| US08648940B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method of interpolating defective pixel of image pickup element to perform image processing
An image processing apparatus includes a first defect interpolation unit that interpolates a defective pixel using a pixel value of a first pixel near a specific first pixel or a pixel value of a second pixel near a specific second pixel, a second defect interpolation unit that interpolates the defective pixel using a rate of pixel values of a first pixel and a second pixel in the same micro lens near the specific first pixel and the specific second pixel, an in-focus level evaluation unit that evaluates an in-focus level using outputs of the first and second pixels, a synthesis rate switching unit that switches a synthesis rate of outputs of the first and second defect interpolation units, and a signal processing unit that generates a shot image using an output of the synthesis rate switching unit. |
| US08648929B2 |
Anti-flicker camera and image capture method thereof
Anti-flicker camera and image capture method are disclosed. According to the disclosed method, exposure integrals of different lines of an image sensed by a camera device are calculated. The exposure integrals are compared with reference exposure integrals of the plurality of lines, respectively, to calculate exposure integral offsets for the lines. The reference exposure integrals are estimated from at least one reference image. The positive and negative changes of the exposure integral offsets are statistically analyzed and, accordingly, it is determined whether there is light flicker from background illumination and an auto-exposure control module of the camera device is controlled based on the determination. |
| US08648928B2 |
Imaging apparatus that preferentially suppresses occurrence of flicker in a through-the-lens image and method and computer program for controlling the imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging section that captures an image of a subject; a detection section that detects flicker of a through-the-lens image as a moving image of the subject which is obtained by image capturing of the imaging section; and a control section that, when the detection section detects the flicker, controls an aperture, a shutter speed, and a gain on the basis of through-the-lens image control values as control values for controlling the aperture, the shutter speed, and the gain so as to preferentially suppress occurrence of flicker in the through-the-lens image. |
| US08648926B2 |
Imaging device and imaging device control method
An imaging device of the present invention comprises an imaging section for photoelectrically converting a subject image, and outputting image data, an aperture control section for narrowing subject light flux at a first aperture value and a second aperture value, a shooting control section for, in response to a release instruction, imaging a first image at the first aperture value and, reading out first image data from the imaging section while simultaneously carrying out a stopping down operation to the second aperture value, imaging a second image at the second aperture value and, reading out second image data from the imaging section, and an image processing section for detecting an amount of variation in contrast value for each location in the first image data and the second image data, and carrying out processing to blur at an intensity of blurring according to the amount of variation between each location. |
| US08648923B2 |
Image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus controls a first mode for controlling a function to change an image pickup range of an image pickup unit in response to a received change request of the image pickup range to obtain image data of the changed image pickup range from the image pickup unit and a second mode for controlling an image process of a trimming and a magnification to the image data without performing the change of the image pickup range of the image pickup unit in response to the received change request of the image pickup range to generate image data of the image pickup range corresponding to the change request. The apparatus controls the change of the image pickup range of the image data in response to the change request of the image pickup range to select the first mode when an object detection process is not executed and select the second mode when the object detection process is executed. |
| US08648916B2 |
Control of an image capturing device
There is provided a method, a system and a device for displaying an image corresponding to a first field of view to an operator of an image capturing device. The method comprises receiving input data relating to a change in at least one of a position, an orientation, or a scaling of the first field of view and determining, based on the input data, at least one of a position, an orientation or a scaling of the first field of view with respect to a second field of view which is larger than the first field of view. Further, the method comprises receiving an image captured by the image capturing device and determining an overlapping portion of the first field of view and the received image. An image to be displayed is then determined by using image data of the received image in the overlapping portion, and using image data of the second field of view in the non-overlapping portion. The invention is advantageous in that it provides an improved operation of the image capturing device. |
| US08648912B2 |
Vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus
Bicycles present before a vehicle are identified. A picked-up image having intensity values that are in accordance with the temperatures of objects is acquired to extract image regions having intensity values representative of higher temperatures than a background. An object, which includes a pair of first object portions (legs) and a second object portion (a tire), would be identified as a bicycle if the pair of first object portions, which have greater dimensions in length in the vertical direction than in width in the horizontal direction and the distance between which is less than a predetermined value in the horizontal direction, are detected from the extracted image regions and further if the second object portion, which has a different intensity value from any one of the first object portions and also has a length greater than a predetermined value in the vertical direction, is existent between the pair of first object portions. |
| US08648910B2 |
Method and apparatus for remote multiple process graphical monitoring
A network of controllers for controlling and monitoring associated assay testing systems coupled to a remote monitoring unit for monitoring and controlling the controllers and/or the assay testing systems is disclosed. Each controller transmits a display image representing the status of the respective assay-testing system. The remote monitoring unit automatically detects if the number of display images from the controllers is greater than a threshold number of displayable, static thumbnail images and, when the threshold is exceeded, displays thumbnail images dynamically in a scrolling or streaming motion. The thumbnail images, whether static or dynamic, are updated in real-time or pseudo-real-time to reflect updated status of the assay testing systems. |
| US08648909B2 |
Camera monitoring apparatus and registration method thereof
A monitoring apparatus includes a display control unit configured to cause a display device to display an image captured by a camera and a registration screen which corresponds to the image, which allows a user to register an object status within the image and a registration unit configured to register the object status within the image input through the registration screen. |
| US08648902B2 |
Image processing apparatus
In one embodiment, an element 106 transforms non-polarized light into plane polarized light with an arbitrary plane of polarization. A synchronizer 112 gives the element 106 an instruction to rotate the plane of polarization, thereby getting the plane of polarization of the illumination rotated and casting that polarized illumination toward the object. At the same time, the synchronizer 112 sends a shooting start signal to an image sensor 110, thereby getting video. The synchronizer 112 performs these processing steps multiple times. A captured video signal is sent to an image processing processor 108. Candidates for the azimuth angle of a surface normal are obtained based on an intensity maximizing angle image, the zenith angle of the surface normal is obtained based on a degree of intensity modulation image, and the ambiguity of the azimuth angle is solved, thereby generating a surface groove normal image. |
| US08648901B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging method and endoscope apparatus
A head separated type imaging apparatus includes a head unit and a main unit which are separated, the head unit imaging a subject and the main unit processing an imaging signal transmitted from the head unit. The head unit includes an imaging unit having a plurality of pixels and imaging the subject, and a storage unit storing correction information for pixels for which a data amount of correction information is larger than a predetermined threshold out of correction information correcting noise of the plurality of pixels and remaining correction data. The main unit includes a correction information obtaining unit obtaining the correction information for pixels for which the data amount of correction information is larger than the predetermined threshold in priority and then obtaining the remaining correction data, and a correcting unit correcting, when the correction information obtaining unit completes obtaining of the correction information for pixels for which the data amount of correction information is larger than the predetermined threshold, an image signal transmitted from the imaging unit of the head unit based on the obtained correction information. |
| US08648897B2 |
System and method for dynamically enhancing depth perception in head borne video systems
Systems and methods for viewing image data. The system includes a head borne image source, a controller, an eyepiece lens assembly and a display device. The head borne image source images an object and provides the image data. The controller determines a focus adjustment from a focus position of the head borne image source. The display device receives and displays the image data to a user's eye via the eyepiece lens assembly. A distance between the eyepiece lens assembly and the display device is adjusted based on the focus adjustment responsive to the focus position. |
| US08648886B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
An LCD device and a driving method thereof are discussed. The LCD device can prevent a blended color within each block which is defined in an LCD panel. To this end, the LCD device divides an external image data into a plurality of block image data, generates first dimming signals opposite to red, green, and blue data with each block image data, and provides a second dimming signal opposite to a brightness data with each block image data. Also, the LCD device calculates a difference value between maximum and minimum grayscale values by analyzing histograms for the red, green, and compares the calculated difference value with a reference difference value. Furthermore, the LCD device allows one of the first and second dimming signals to be selected according to the dimming mode control signal. |
| US08648884B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a display panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a printed circuit board connected to the display panel, and a first drive circuit and a second drive circuit mounted on the display panel or the printed circuit board, in which each of the first drive circuit and the second drive circuit includes a gray scale voltage generating circuit generating a gray scale voltage to be applied to a first electrode of the pixel based on a gray scale reference voltage and a reference gray scale voltage circuit generating the gray scale reference voltage, and each of the gray scale voltage generating circuit of the first drive circuit and the gray scale voltage generating circuit of the second drive circuit generates the gray scale voltage based on the gray scale reference voltage generated in the reference gray scale voltage circuit of the first drive circuit. |
| US08648878B2 |
Inferring diagram structure through implicit shape relationships
Information in a diagram is logically structured using lists, containers, and callouts without requiring the diagram author to explicitly define a structure or map any diagram contents to a structure. Logical relationships are inferred based on actions associated with shapes, groupings, and attributes of shapes/groupings taken by the author. Feedback mechanisms are provided to communicate an underlying structure to the author. Intelligent behaviors are enabled to expose manipulation of diagrams based on their logical structure. |
| US08648873B1 |
Spatially variant dynamic range adjustment for still frames and videos
A system including a processor for adjusting the dynamic range of an image including a plurality of pixels. The processor segments the pixels into blocks, and computes statistical values for each block based on intensity values of the pixels. The processor also adjusts the dynamic range of the image by controlling the intensity values of the pixels based on the statistical values. |
| US08648865B2 |
Variable rendering of virtual universe avatars
Avatar appearance attributes for use in rendering a first avatar within a virtual universe are associated with keys, wherein the first avatar is rendered to a second user in a virtual universe graphic user interface display with the defined appearance attribute as a function of a second avatar of the second user possessing the key. The first avatar may be rendered simultaneously to other users with an appearance attribute distinct from the defined appearance attribute rendered to the second user as a function of the other user's avatars not possessing the key. A key may be recognized as a function of an identity characteristic, and appearance attributes selected manually or as a function of a preference. Pluralities of avatar appearance attributes may be broadcast by an avatar for selection by key possession, and keys may be assigned as a function of a unique identity, a trait and an inventory asset. |
| US08648863B1 |
Methods and apparatus for performance style extraction for quality control of animation
A method for a computer system for inspecting an animation sequence having a series of specified poses of an animated character includes receiving a mathematical performance style model associated with the animated character, receiving the series of specified poses of the animated character, each specified pose comprising respective values for the plurality of animation variables, determining an associated quality factor for each specified pose in response to the respective values for the plurality of animation variables and in response to the mathematical performance style model associated with the animated character, and providing feedback to a user in response to an associated quality factor for at least one specified pose. |
| US08648857B2 |
Video processing system and method for introducing graphical features into video images in a scene
An image processing method introduces a graphical feature or effect into a part of one or more video images of a scene. The scene includes a view of a plurality of objects disposed on an object plane, the part of the video images including one of the plurality of objects on the object plane. The method includes forming a three dimensional model view of the object plane, calculating a transform matrix for transforming points in the model of the object plane into the view of the object plane in the video image, forming the graphical feature or effect in the model of the object plane, transforming the graphical feature or effect from the model to the image view of the object plane using the transform matrix, identifying the one of the plurality of object which is to be viewed within the part of the video image, in which the object is present, and extracting the part of the image view from the video images, into which the graphical feature has been transformed, the extracted part including that part of the feature of effect, which has been transformed from the model. The image processing method provides an improved way of adding a graphical feature or effect to a plane on which a plurality of objects are disposed, so that when a part of the video image, in which one of the plurality of objects, is viewed, the graphical feature or effect appears to the viewer to be a natural scene as if the graphical feature or effect is actually present. |
| US08648855B2 |
Methods for creating developable surfaces
Developable surfaces are generated by interactively evolving curves on a 2D surface embedded in 3D space using an iterative process to produce a model for the construction of a stylized three dimensional sculpture. Each iteration includes tessellating loops formed by the curves on the surface and unfolding the resulting tessellated strips onto a 2D plane. Collisions between the unfolded tessellated strips in 2D and between the loops in 3D are resolved, and the rendered evolved curve in 3D and tessellated strips in 2D are displayed simultaneously during the evolution. A graphical user interface allows the curve network, tessellated strips, and curve evolution parameters to be modified by a user. 2D textures may be mapped to the unfolded tessellated strips, and a set of tool paths may be output for cutting a 2D material. |
| US08648854B2 |
Interactive method for designing parcels
A CAD/GIS system that automatically generates faces within land site maps, by sliding or rotating line segments between boundaries given start points and other attributes. As the attributes are entered into the system, faces are automatically generated based on those attributes, which eases creation of lots within subdivisions. |
| US08648849B2 |
Buffer circuit
A buffer circuit having high slew rate is provided. The buffer circuit is provided, which includes a plurality of transistors having the same conductivity type and a capacitor and whose gain is determined depending on the gain of all the plurality of transistors. A buffer circuit having high driving capability and high gain of a high-frequency component can be provided. Such a buffer circuit has also high slew rate. The plurality of transistors having the same conductivity type in the buffer circuit may be either p-channel transistors or n-channel transistors. |
| US08648839B2 |
Stylus and touch input system
A touch input system including a stylus and a display device is provided. The stylus includes a battery module, a touch portion, a transducer module and a RF transmitting module. When a contact pressure is acted on the touch portion, the touch portion is electrically connected to the battery module by the contact pressure and emits a light signal. The display region receives and reacts to the light signal, and the contact pressure is transformed into an electrical signal by the transducer module. The RF transmitting module is electrically connected to the transducer module and transmitting the electrical signal. The display device includes a display region and a RF receiving module. |
| US08648832B2 |
Touch sensor system and method
A touch sensor assembly may include a cover, an electrode film assembly, an adhesive layer, a printed circuit board (PCB) electrically connected to the electrode film and a back plate configured to be coupled to the cover with the PCB and the electrode film assembly disposed between the housing and the back plate. The electrode film assembly may include an electrode film formed from a conductive ink and may comprise a plurality of contacts corresponding to a plurality of touch areas. The electrode film assembly may optionally comprise capacitive circuitry configured to exhibit a capacitance response to contact with the touch areas. The adhesive layer may be configured to secure the electrode film assembly to the cover. The PCB may be substantially planar and the cover may include an inner surface having a curvature. The electrode film may be configured to substantially conform to the curvature when secured thereto. |
| US08648831B2 |
Touch position detection apparatus and method using multistage scan
A touch position detection apparatus and method using multistage scan, the apparatus including: a scan lines connection circuit, used to control the connection configuration between a first group of scan lines and a second group of scan lines, to form an equivalent resolution distribution of a sensor device, wherein the second group of scan lines are coupled with the sensor device; a touch scan unit, used to select a portion of the first group of scan lines to detect an interim touch coordinate; and a touch coordinate decision unit, having a plurality of operation stages, used to control the scan lines connection circuit and the touch scan unit according to the operation stages, and sum up a plurality of the interim coordinates detected in the operation stages. |
| US08648829B2 |
System and method for providing rotational haptic feedback
Systems and methods for providing haptic cues to a touch-sensitive input device having a rotary degree of freedom are described. One described method includes the steps of receiving data from at least one packet, determining navigation within at least one list based at least in part on the data, and determining whether to output a haptic effect, the haptic effect based at least in part on the data. |
| US08648823B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for manipulating soft keyboards
A method includes, at an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface: concurrently displaying a first text entry area and an unsplit keyboard on the display; detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and, in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, replacing the unsplit keyboard with an integrated input area. The integrated input area includes a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard, a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard, and a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion. |
| US08648822B2 |
Recognizing selection regions from multiple simultaneous inputs
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for recognizing selection regions from multiple simultaneous inputs. Input selection regions are calculated from simultaneous contacts on a multi-touch input display surface. Computer system users can use natural and/or more intuitive hand gestures to select items on an input/display surface. Selection regions can be dynamically adjusted to in response to detected changes in contact at different locations on a surface. For example, selection region changes can be updated in essentially real-time as fingers are added and moved on the multi-touch input display surface. The calculation of selection regions can vary based on an application and/or operating system context. |
| US08648821B2 |
Spheroidal pivot for an electronic device
A multi-positionable computer comprises a user interface portion and a processing portion. The user interface portion includes a path along its back surface. The user interface portion can include a slot for receiving computer peripherals. The processing portion includes a connecting member for slidably coupling the processing portion to the user interface portion, and a rolling surface for contacting an external surface. The processing portion allows the user interface portion to be oriented in one of a plurality of positions along the path. In one orientation of the user interface portion, content is automatically displayed to align with the orientation of the user interface portion. In some embodiments, a virtual keyboard is displayed when the user interface portion is oriented in a predetermined position. The processing portion includes sides adjacent to the rolling surface. In some embodiments, ports and/or connections are accessible from at least one of the sides. |
| US08648816B2 |
Information processing apparatus, threshold value setting method, and threshold value setting program
An information processing apparatus includes: a recognition section which recognizes the shape of an object being in contact with an operation screen of an operating section; a pressure detecting section which detects the pressure of the object on the operation screen; a threshold value setting section which sets a threshold value of the pressure, which is a value for determining a pressure operation on the operation screen, on the basis of the shape of the object recognized by the recognition section; and a determination section which determines whether or not a pressure operation has been performed on the operation screen on the basis of the pressure detected by the pressure detecting section and the threshold value set by the threshold value setting section. |
| US08648813B2 |
Apparatus for processing input data
An apparatus for processing input data by means of instructions and outputting the processed data, comprising a central data processing unit, memory means in which the instructions are stored, data input means for inputting the data, and data output means for outputting the processed data, wherein said data input means are arranged for detecting a user's input motion in at least two dimensions, and wherein said data processing unit is arranged for determining representatives of the directions of the detected input motion, wherein the data processing unit is furthermore arranged for carrying out a predetermined instruction from the memory in dependence on the determined values of the representatives of the directions of the input motion and, providing a minimum length or direction has been exceeded, independently of the length or direction of the input motion. |
| US08648812B2 |
Method for processing data quantifying force applied to one or more keys of a computer keyboard
A computer receives data from a keyboard having one or more keys which cause generation of keyboard data that quantitatively describe the relative force applied to those keys. The keyboard data are transmitted in an HID report containing identifiers for one or more keys that have been pressed and force data for each key. The force data may be a multi-bit value quantifying the key force, or a null indicator signaling that the key is not force-sensing. Keyboard data messages are then prepared which identify keys pressed, contain force data, and may indicate whether the force data updates previous force data. Force updates are only provided to application programs registering for key force data. In other aspects of the invention, key repeat messages are automatically generated for a key held pressed by a user. The key repeat messages are generated at a rate controlled by the amount of force applied to the key. |
| US08648811B2 |
Remote control system for electronic device and remote control method thereof
A remote control system for electronic device and remote control method thereof, the remote control system comprises a controlled apparatus and a remote controller. The controlled apparatus comprises a processing control system (121) and an instruction execution unit (125) in which at least a video capturing device (122,126) connected to the controlled apparatus is also included. At least a characteristic composition is included on the remote controller, at least a video capturing device (122,126) is used for collecting the characteristic composition on the remote controller the processing control system (121) is used for processing the collected characteristic composition images, parsing into the respective instructions, and giving the instruction execution unit (125) the instructions to execute. |
| US08648810B2 |
Integrated input apparatus
An integrated input apparatus includes a panel, a sensing layer, a backlight layer, and a bottom layer. The panel includes a plurality of hot key patterns, a typing key group pattern, a cursor control pattern, and a response key pattern (a left key and a right key). When anyone of the hot key patterns, the typing key group pattern, the cursor control pattern, or the response key pattern is touched, a sensing control signal is sensed by the sensing layer and sent to a computer host for further processing. |
| US08648809B2 |
Reconfiguration of virtual keyboard
Various embodiments for configuring a virtual keyboard on a display surface are provided. In one such embodiment, at least one coordinate value mapped to a delimited area of the virtual keyboard, is determined. The at least one coordinate value corresponds to a touch input by the user on the display surface. The at least one coordinate value is compared to at least one historical coordinate value previously obtained for the delimited area. At least one of a location of and the delimited area of the virtual keyboard as projected on the display surface is adjusted to minimize a change between the at least one coordinate value and the at least one historical coordinate value. |
| US08648808B2 |
Three-dimensional human-computer interaction system that supports mouse operations through the motion of a finger and an operation method thereof
A three-dimensional (3D) human-computer interaction system that supports mouse operations through the motion of a finger and an operation method thereof are provided. In the provided system and method, a multi-view video recording device captures an image of a finger of an operator, and has an information connection with an electronic information device through an interaction handling program. After the interaction handling program is executed, a CPU of the electronic information device performs operations such as computation, synthesis, image presentation, gesture tracking, and command recognition on the captured image to interpret a motion of the finger of the user. Accordingly, the user may perform operations on an operation interface of the electronic information device by using the finger in a 3D space in a noncontact mode. The present invention is particularly applicable to application software with 3D space operations as it can perform 3D interaction with the application software. |
| US08648807B2 |
Illuminance sensor and display device including same
Disclosed are an illuminance sensor which has a spectral-response characteristic approximate to the spectral luminous efficacy and which has a low circuit complexity, and a display device including the illuminance sensor. The illuminance sensor includes (i) a current output circuit which, with use of a bitstream signal of a first analog-digital conversion circuit for carrying out an analog-digital conversion with respect to a first current flowing through a first light receiving element, outputs a current corresponding to the first current and (ii) a second analog-digital conversion circuit which receives a third current obtained by subtracting a current from a second current flowing through a second light receiving element and which thus carries out an analog-digital conversion with respect to the third current. |
| US08648801B2 |
Aligned display navigation
Navigating on a display includes tracking motion of an input tool on a display, comparing a motion of the input tool to a threshold, and changing a position of the visible portion of a page of information on the display if the input tool motion exceeds the threshold. The position of the visible portion of the page of information on the display is constrained if the motion does not exceed the threshold. |
| US08648800B2 |
Control method and system of brain computer interface with stepping delay flickering sequence
A control method of a brain computer interface (BCI) with a stepping delay flickering sequence is provided. First, a plurality of different flickering sequence signals are generated by encoding a static flashing segment and a plurality of stepping delay flashing segments divided in different time sequences. Then, a plurality of target images corresponding to the flickering sequence signals are displayed. Thereafter, a response signal generated by an organism evoked by the target images is acquired. Then, signal processing is performed on the response signal by using a mathematic method to distinguish which one of the target images is gazed by the organism. Thereafter, a controlling command corresponding to one of the target images is generated. A control system of a BCI with a stepping delay flickering sequence is also provided herein. |
| US08648799B1 |
Position and orientation determination for a mobile computing device
For multiple times in a time period, multiple data points can be received from an accelerometer and from a magnetometer that are included in a mobile computing device. For each of the data points, an orientation and a position of the mobile computing device can be determined based on an acceleration output and a magnetometer output that corresponds to the particular time. A trajectory is determined that represents movement of the mobile computing device during the time period based on the determined orientations and positions of the mobile computing device at the multiple times. Information that characterizes the trajectory is compared to stored information that characterizes a set of one or more base trajectories. Based on the comparison, an operation of the mobile computing device is identified that is associated with a trajectory included in the set of one or more base trajectories. |
| US08648797B2 |
Information input/output device, information input/output method and computer program
An information input/output device includes: a position input unit configured to designate a position by a user in a prescribed operation area Sd in real space; a designated position measurement unit configured to measure a designated position “rd” in the operation area Sd, which is designated by the user in the position input unit; an operation area offset amount determination unit configured to determine an offset amount “Δrv0” of an origin position “rv0” of an operation area Sv in virtual space based on the measured position “rd” in the operation area Sd; and a designated position determination unit configured to determine a designated position “rv” in virtual space which corresponds to the position in real space designated by the user through the position input unit based on the measured position “rd” in the operation area Sd, the origin position “rv0” of the operation area Sv in virtual space and the determined offset amount “Δrv0”. |
| US08648790B2 |
Light source driving apparatus, light source driving method, and display apparatus
A light source driving apparatus includes: a switching driver which performs switched-mode power conversion and outputs a first current toward a light source, to control quantity of light emitted from the light source; and a current bypasser which bypasses at least a part of the first current so that a second current branched from the first current flows in the light source. |
| US08648789B2 |
Control device for controlling the output of one or more full-bridges
A control device (701) for controlling the output of one or more full-bridges (101, 102) is described. The control device (701) reduces the amount of electromagnetic emissions by staggering the switching the outputs from the full-bridge inverters (101, 102). This is achieved by synchronizing the outputs to be symmetrical about a synchronization pulse (305). |
| US08648784B2 |
Device and method for overdriving a liquid crystal display
The present invention relates to a device and a method for controlling a liquid crystal display. The device comprises a luminance weighting value processor, an overdrive value generator, and an outputting unit. The luminance weighting value processor generates a weighting value according to a luminance value of a current pixel of a current frame of a video signal and a luminance value of a previous pixel of a previous frame of the video signal. The overdrive value generator generates an overdrive value according to a current pixel value of the current pixel and a previous pixel value of the previous pixel. The outputting unit generates an output pixel value according to the weighting value, the overdrive value and the current pixel value. Using the device and the method for driving a liquid crystal display according to the present invention, noise due to overdrive process can be reduced. |
| US08648777B2 |
Display apparatus, method of driving display apparatus, and electronic apparatus
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus including a pixel array and a driver, the pixel array including rows of scanning lines, rows of feeding lines, columns of signal lines, and a matrix of pixels disposed at the crossings of the scanning lines and the signal lines, the driver including a write scanner for supplying a control signal successively to the scanning lines, a power supply scanner for switching each of the feeding lines between a high potential, a low potential, and an intermediate potential between the high potential and the low potential, and a signal selector for supplying a video signal, which alternately switches between a signal potential and a reference potential, to each of the signal lines. |
| US08648771B2 |
Display device and multi-display apparatus
A display device comprises a display panel, an optical film and a convex lens. The display panel comprises a central axis, a display area, and a non-display area, wherein the non-display area is outside the region of the display area. The optical film is disposed near one side of the display panel and the convex lens is disposed near the other side of the display panel. The optical film comprises a microstructure configured to diverge incident light entered into the display panel and to redirect a portion of incident light near the border between the display area and non-display area to the non-display area. The convex lens is configured to converge the output light from the display panel and redirect the output light approximately parallel to the central axis. |
| US08648767B2 |
Communication device
There is provided a communication device that includes an antenna section including a plurality of loop coils that are combined in a polygonal pyramid shape, and a communication section configured to perform contactless communication with another communication device using the antenna section. The plurality of loop coils may include two adjacent loop coils, and magnetic fields generated by the two loop coils may have mutually opposite phases. |
| US08648766B2 |
Dual circularly polarized antenna
An antenna includes a waveguide having an aperture at a first end and a conducting component at a second end, the conducting component shorting the waveguide and a first set of two orthogonal dipoles, fed in quadrature, the orthogonal dipoles located near the aperture of the waveguide operating close to its dominant mode cut off frequency. |
| US08648764B2 |
Components and methods for designing efficient antennae
An antenna features a ground plane having a continuous portion and one or more stubs extending therefrom. |
| US08648759B2 |
Variable height radiating aperture
Provided herein are devices, systems and techniques for establishing a variable height conformal antenna array having a planar backplane. More particularly, positioning of radiating elements can be made insensitive to variable ground height by selecting a suitable radiating element, such as a flared notch and arranging them to have a profile such that their outer extremities are positioned along a conformal, curved shape. Differences in radiator heights can be taken up by the addition of parallel vertical ground planes disposed between the radiating elements and the backplane. Adjacent vertical ground planes effectively form cutoff waveguide sections that naturally isolate the backplane from the radiating elements. The vertical ground planes edges effectively form a virtual curved ground for the radiating elements, following curvature of the array profile. Accordingly, heights of radiating elements are uniform with respect to the virtual ground, while being allowed to vary with respect to the backplane. |
| US08648757B2 |
End-loaded topology for D-plane polarization improvement
The embodiments described herein are directed to providing a notched antenna element for improving polarization control without sacrificing gain, bandwidth, scan volume, recurring cost, or manufacturability. The notched antenna element includes a base portion comprising a plurality of contiguous first cross-sectional notched antenna elements, each of the plurality of first cross-sectional notched antenna elements configured in an end-loaded structure for increasing polarization stability; and an upper portion coupled to the base portion, the upper portion comprising a plurality of contiguous second cross-sectional notch antenna elements. |
| US08648751B2 |
Mobile wireless device with multi-band loop antenna with arms defining a slotted opening and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) carried by the housing. The device may also include an antenna coupled to wireless transceiver circuitry carried by the PCB. The antenna may include first and second feed legs extending upwardly from the PCB, a loop conductor spaced above the PCB and having a gap therein defining first and second ends, and a first conductor arm spaced above the PCB and extending between the first feed leg and the first end. The antenna may further include a second conductor arm spaced above the PCB and having a proximal portion between the second feed leg and the second end, and having a distal portion extending outwardly from the second feed leg. The first conductor arm and the proximal portion may define a slotted opening into an interior of the loop conductor. |
| US08648748B2 |
Effective marine stabilized antenna system
An effective marine stabilized antenna system, in terms of antenna to radome size and antenna/RF performance complies with all relevant worldwide SatCom regulations. The combination of a dual offset Gregorian antenna (DOGA) with a stabilized polarization over elevation over tilt over azimuth pedestal, and a control/stabilization algorithm, ensures antenna orientation restrictions guarantee compliance with side-lobe intensity regulations. Operating a dual offset Gregorian antenna substantially within a pre-determined antenna cut range of a 45 degree angle relative to a configuration of the antenna and a relative position of a target provides antenna performance that complies with applicable SatCom regulations, despite having to flip the antenna 90 degrees to continue tracking the satellite. |
| US08648745B2 |
Electronic scanning radar apparatus, received wave direction estimating method, and received wave direction estimating program
An electronic scanning radar apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a frequency resolving unit resolves beat signals into beat frequencies having a predetermined frequency bandwidth and calculates complex data based on the resolved beat signals for each beat frequency. An azimuth calculating unit estimates a number of received waves based on eigenvalues of a matrix being part of a primary normal equation having complex data as elements calculated from the beat signals, creates coefficients calculated as a solution of a secondary normal equation of a signal subspace created based on eigenvalues and eigenvectors corresponding to the number of the estimated waves, and calculates a DOA of a received wave based on the created coefficients. |
| US08648744B2 |
Object detection apparatus
An object detection apparatus including: an electromagnetic wave radiating-receiver radiating an electromagnetic wave and receiving a reflection wave of the radiated electromagnetic wave; a reflection point identifying mechanism identifying, based on data regarding the reflection wave received by the electromagnetic wave radiating-receiver, a reflection point on a detection target object at which the radiated electromagnetic wave was reflected; and a representative point setting mechanism setting a representative point representing the position of the detection target object based on the reflection point identified by the reflection point identifying mechanism. The object detection apparatus outputs data regarding the set representative point. The representative point setting mechanism performs a correction prohibiting or minimizing a change of position of the representative point in the detection target object which occurs as a result of a change in a relative position between the detection target object and the moving body. |
| US08648740B2 |
Testing apparatus and method for testing analog-to-digital converter
The invention provides a testing apparatus. In one embodiment, the testing apparatus receives a plurality of bit signals output by an analog-to-digital converter, and comprises a plurality of frequency counters and a comparison module. The frequency counters respectively calculate a plurality of transition frequencies of the values of the bit signals. The comparison module respectively compares the transition frequencies with a plurality of ideal transition frequencies to obtain a plurality of error frequencies. The performance analysis module estimates a performance value of the analog-to-digital converter according to the error frequencies. |
| US08648733B2 |
Electromagnetic telemetry assembly with protected antenna
Oilfield drilling utilizes downhole data transmitted to surface for formation evaluation and steering of directional wellbores. A leading technology in providing subsurface to surface communication is Electro-Magnetic (EM) Telemetry. This technology is typically employed with a downhole antenna concentric with the bore of an electrically insulating “gap sub” portion of the system. The antenna blocks the bore from further use to conduct other sensors or equipment through. One aspect of the invention is to integrate the antenna into the structure of the gap sub, thereby clearing the bore for conducting other tools through, and also protecting the antenna from the harsh drilling environment, including abrasion, erosion, shock, and vibration. Another aspect of this invention enables the antenna to serve a secondary function as an anti-rotation feature between the two halves of the gap sub. |
| US08648730B2 |
Alarm connectable to an external AC power supply for standby power and comprising battery
An alarm for detecting radiation and/or pollutants such as smoke, carbon monoxide or the like, the alarm comprises: an alarm circuit (12) including detection means (14) for detecting the radiation and/or pollutants, and an audible alarm (16); a power supply circuit (24) connectable to an external AC power supply for supplying standby power to the alarm circuit (12); and a battery (20) for supplying power to the audible alarm (16) when the alarm is energized. The power supply circuit (20) is configured to supply current to the alarm circuit (12) at a level less than that required to energize the audible alarm (16). |
| US08648722B2 |
Multi-path mitigation in rangefinding and tracking objects using reduced attenuation RF technology
A method and system for identification, tracking and locating in wireless communications and wireless networks. The method and system use reference and/or pilot signals that are present in wireless communications and wireless networks. The method and system can also use RTT, TOA and time-stamping measurements/techniques to determine one or more reference signals traveling time between the Base Station (eN B) or its functional equivalent and mobile device (UE) and or network device. The method and system includes multi-path mitigations processor and multi-path mitigations techniques and algorithms which improve the track-locate accuracy. The method and system allow achieving increased accuracy by using multi-path mitigations processor and multi-path mitigations techniques and algorithms. The techniques of Digital Signal Processing and Software-Defined Radio are used. |
| US08648721B2 |
Security tag with integrated EAS and energy harvesting magnetic element
An EAS security tag for providing both EAS and battery recharging features within one tag. The tag includes a rechargeable battery and an antenna having a magnetic core and at least one coil winding disposed around at least a portion of the core. The antenna supplies a voltage corresponding to a first frequency or a second frequency when placed within a magnetic field. The tag also includes an EAS circuit having a resonant frequency corresponding to the first frequency, and an energy harvesting circuit having a resonant frequency corresponding to the second frequency, where the battery recharging circuit recharges the rechargeable battery. Depending upon the magnetic field that the tag is exposed to, either the EAS circuit is enabled thus allowing for EAS detection or the energy harvesting circuit is enabled allowing for the battery to be recharged. |
| US08648719B2 |
Container unit for the shipping, storage and protection of laboratory substances
A container unit for the storage and protection of laboratory substances includes a protective housing and at least one dosage-dispensing unit. The at least one dosage-dispensing unit includes a reservoir container and a dispensing head. To prepare the at least one dosage-dispensing unit for operation, the protective housing can be removed from the dosage-dispensing unit. The protective housing has a bottom part with at least one suitably shaped recess to provide a stable seat for the at least one dosage-dispensing unit, as well as a bell-shaped top. The top can be connected to the bottom part, so as to form a tightly sealed interior space. For transportation and storage purposes, the at least one dosage-dispensing unit is arranged in the interior space of the closed protective housing. |
| US08648718B2 |
Event detection system using electronic tracking devices and video devices
An event detection system includes a processor, an electronic tracking device, and one or more transmitters. Each of the one or more transmitters can be configured to be associated with a particular individual of a group of individuals. The processor can be configured to cluster data from the one or more transmitters, and the processor can be configured to analyze the clustered data to determine a group behavior pattern among the group of individuals. In an embodiment, video data can be combined with the electronic tracking device data in the event detection system. |
| US08648717B2 |
Programmable communicator
A programmable communicator device is disclosed having a wireless communications circuit, including an antenna, configured to receive a transmission, and an identity module having a unique identifier. The programmable communicator further includes a processing module including program code configured to determine if the transmission is from an authenticated caller by determining whether a received transmission contains the unique identifier, and memory configured to store telephone numbers or IP addresses received in transmissions from an authenticated caller. |
| US08648716B2 |
Apparatus, method, device and computer program product for audibly communicating medicine identity, dosage and intake instruction
A system for identifying medication in the form of pills, capsules or tablets, and communicating medicine dosage and intake instructions to a user, utilizing Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) and optical recognition technology. The RFID is performed by labeling a medicine container with a tag containing a unique identifier, associating the unique identifier with an audio file comprising instructions related to medicine usage, and delivering the audio file to an electromagnetic wave-enabled device. A wireless device, such as a mobile telephone or PDA, via a service, plays an audio and/or vibrational file associated with the unique identifier when the RFID tag is read by the device. The mobile device has a camera therein and is operable to capture an image of the pill, capsule or tablet and, via execution of optical recognition software, identify the pill, tablet or capsule, and verify the identity thereof. |
| US08648715B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing a task reminder based on travel history
A method of providing a reminder of a task to be performed at a task location is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving first location information identifying a first location of a user via a mobile communication device and storing the first location information in association with historical travel information. The method includes storing task information that identifies the task and the task location. The method includes identifying a reminder position, wherein the reminder position is based on a comparison of an estimated probability of the user traveling in a trajectory leading toward the task location and an estimated probability of the user traveling in a trajectory leading away from the task location. The method includes receiving current location information identifying a current location and providing a reminder for the task based on a comparison of the current location information and the reminder position. |
| US08648709B2 |
Event warning system and method thereof
An event warning system is provided. The innovation can provide real time, personalized and meaningful alert warnings to either or both a machine operator/driver and pedestrians who are in harm's way, or are potentially approaching harm's way. Different from generic warnings such as backup alarms and flashing lights, the innovation's personalized alarm and notification functionality minimizes alarm complacency and maximizes their effectiveness. |
| US08648706B2 |
Alarm management system having an escalation strategy
An alarm management system having an escalation strategy which may be applied to each state of an alarm and increase a level of escalation if a required action has not been taken in response to an alarm. This approach is for avoiding an overlooking of any alarms and for assuring closure of alarms as soon as possible. An alarm may be in one of several intermediate states. Each state may have a threshold which if exceeded escalates an alarm's urgency. Alarm notifications may be provided to recipients according to their preferences. |
| US08648694B2 |
Multiparty controlled remote security lock system
A remotely controlled biometric based mechanism for security systems includes a remote security lock and uses an Onsite Controller (OC) and a plurality of Remote Controllers (RCs). Further, the OC is located at the site of the lock and the RCs may be located away from the site of the lock. The remote security lock employs 2-factor authentication mechanisms using smartcard access and biometric inputs. Randomized selection of a subset of controllers (RCs) who operate the lock is performed. The randomization enhances the scalability of the system, while keeping the security strength of the system as that of choosing the full set of controllers for operating the lock. A measure for determining the security level is also included, where the measure chosen is the number of controls that need to be broken to gain access to the controlled resource. |
| US08648685B2 |
Transformer and flat panel display device including the same
There are provided a thin transformer capable of being used in a slim display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a light emitting diode (LED) display device, and a flat panel display device including the same. The transformer includes: a bobbin part including a plurality of bobbins, each including a pipe shaped body part having a though-hole formed in an inner part thereof and a flange part protruding outwardly from both ends of the body part; coils respectively wound around the bobbins; and a core electromagnetically coupled to the coils to thereby form a magnetic path, wherein at least one of the bobbins includes a coil skip part which is a route through which lead wires of the coil skipped through the flange part is disposed on an outer surface of the flange part. |
| US08648681B2 |
Magnetic structure production
Magnetic structure production may relate, by way of example but not limitation, to methods, systems, etc. for producing magnetic structures by printing magnetic pixels (aka maxels) into a magnetizable material. Disclosed herein is production of magnetic structures having, for example: maxels of varying shapes, maxels with different positioning, individual maxels with different properties, maxel patterns having different magnetic field characteristics, combinations thereof, and so forth. In certain example implementations disclosed herein, a second maxel may be printed such that it partially overwrites a first maxel to produce a magnetic structure having overlapping maxels. In certain example implementations disclosed herein, a magnetic printer may include a print head comprising multiple parts and having various properties. In certain example implementations disclosed herein, various techniques for using a magnetic printer may be employed to produce different magnetic structures. Furthermore, description of additional magnet-related technology and example implementations thereof is included herein. |
| US08648680B2 |
Electromagnet
An electromagnet having a pole tube, and having a coil that encompasses the pole tube and is mounted so as to be displaceable along a longitudinal axis of the pole tube, a first end face of the coil or of the housing thereof bearing on a first counter-bearing disposed at a first end portion of the pole tube, and an elastic element, which is supported on a second counter-bearing and biases the coil and/or the housing thereof against the first counter-bearing, is provided between a second end face of the coil or the housing thereof and the second counter-bearing disposed at a second end portion of the pole tube. |
| US08648677B2 |
Key and keyboard using same
A keyboard is provided. The keyboard includes a housing and keys. The housing includes frames defining a first through hole to receive the keys and defines a receiving space to receive the frames. The housing includes switches. The receiving space defines slots to receive first magnetic members. Each key is arranged over the switch. Each key includes a base, second magnetic members, a convex lens, and a plate. The base defines a second through hole to receive the convex lens and plate. The plate is arranged below the convex lens. A label is sealed on a top of the plate. The convex lens is rotated, the distance between the convex lens and the plate changes. The size of the image of the label thus changes. The key is depressed to press the switch, the switch is actuated, when the key is released, the key is separate from the switch. |
| US08648675B1 |
Transmission-line bend structure
A planar transmission line may include first and second spaced apart planar conductors. The transmission line may include a first section in which the first and second conductors extend along a first line in respective first and second parallel planes and are broadside coupled, and a second section extending from the first section along a second line transverse to the first line. The first and second conductors in the second section may include respective first portions extending in the respective first and second planes that are broadside coupled. The first conductor may include a second portion in the second section extending in the second plane, with the first portion of the second conductor and the second portion of the first conductor having adjacent edges that are edge-coupled. |
| US08648674B2 |
Filter circuit, and wireless communication module and wireless communication device that uses the same
A filter circuit having two pass bands includes first and second bandpass filters which are connected in parallel with each other. Each of the bandpass filters includes at least a resonator group composed of a plurality of resonators arranged in orderly sequence so as to be coupled to each other to form a pass band, an input terminal coupled to a resonator on an input stage, and an output terminal coupled to a resonator on an output stage. The resonator group is composed of at least one of one or more quarter-wavelength resonators and one or more half-wavelength resonators. The resonator group of at least one of the first bandpass filter and the second bandpass filter includes both one or more quarter-wavelength resonators and one or more half-wavelength resonators. |
| US08648673B2 |
Elastic wave apparatus with a floating wiring line on a base substrate
A small-sized elastic wave apparatus in which heat generated at a portion of a cascade connection between resonators is sufficiently dissipated includes on one main surface of a piezoelectric substrate in an elastic wave filter mounted on a base substrate on which an input/output wiring line, a ground wiring line, and a floating wiring line insulated from the input/output wiring line and the ground wiring line are provided, first electrodes coupled to the input/output wiring line or the ground wiring line, second electrodes coupled to the floating wiring line, resonators, connection wiring lines connecting the resonators, and electrode wiring lines connecting the resonators and the first electrodes. The second electrodes are disposed in contact with the connection wiring lines cascading the resonators. |
| US08648671B2 |
Bulk acoustic wave resonator structure, a manufacturing method thereof, and a duplexer using the same
A Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonator (BAWR), a method of manufacturing of the BAWR, and duplexer including the BAWR are provided. The BAWR may include a first substrate including a via hole formed in a predetermined area of a bottom surface of the first substrate. A first air cavity may be formed above the first substrate, and a first lamination resonating portion may be laminated above the first air cavity in sequence of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and an upper electrode. A second air cavity may be formed above the first substrate, and a second lamination resonating portion may be laminated above the second air cavity in sequence of the lower electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the upper electrode. The first lamination resonating portion and the second lamination resonating portion may be connected via either the lower electrode or the upper electrode. A first electrode portion may include a third air cavity formed on a bottom surface of either the lower electrode or the upper electrode connecting between the first lamination resonating portion and the second lamination resonating portion. |
| US08648663B2 |
Oscillator having a plurality of switchable MEMS vibrators
An oscillator includes: a plurality of MEMS vibrators each having a first terminal and a second terminal, and having respective resonant frequencies different from each other; an amplifier circuit having an input terminal and an output terminal; a connection circuit adapted to connect the first terminal of one of the MEMS vibrators and the input terminal to each other, and the second terminal of the one of the MEMS vibrators and the output terminal to each other; a signal reception terminal adapted to receive a switching signal used to switch a state of the connection circuit; and a switching circuit adapted to make the connection circuit switch the MEMS vibrator to be connected to the amplifier circuit based on the switching signal, wherein the MEMS vibrators are housed in an inside of a cavity, and the signal reception terminal is disposed outside the cavity. |
| US08648659B2 |
Digital pre-distortion power amplifying apparatus and method for digitally controlling synchronization thereof
A digital pre-distortion (DPD) power amplifying apparatus and a method for digitally controlling synchronization of the DPD power amplifying apparatus, which includes a power amplifier, a bias shifter and a DPD unit, are provided. The method includes acquiring a DPD path delay time at a path along which an input signal is fed back to the DPD unit; delaying an input signal incoming to the power amplifier by the DPD path delay time and acquiring synchronization by delaying a bias signal a predetermined number of times until the bias signal and the delayed input signal are synchronized with each other; and in response to synchronization between the bias signal and the delayed input signal being established, pre-distorting the input signal according to a feedback signal output from the power amplifier. |
| US08648652B2 |
Band pass filter and calibration method for band pass filter
A band pass filter has a high pass filter into which an input signal is input; an amplifier having an inverting input terminal into which an output of the high pass filter is input, wherein the amplifier amplifies an input voltage between the inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal and outputs an output signal to an output terminal; a first resistor connected between a non-inverting output terminal and the inverting input terminal of the amplifier; a first capacitor having a first terminal that is connected to the inverting input terminal; and an inverting amplifier that inverts a polarity of an output signal from the non-inverting output terminal of the amplifier and outputs the inverted signal to a second terminal of the capacitor. |
| US08648651B2 |
Adaptive filter with coefficient determination based on output of real time clock
A transceiver comprises a transmitter and a receiver. At least one of the transmitter and the receiver comprises an adaptive filer. One or more coefficients of the adaptive filter are determined based at least in part on an output of a real time clock. The adaptive filter may comprise a coefficient update engine and a memory for storing a plurality of sets of adaptive filter coefficients in association with respective time indicators derived from the output of the real time clock, with the coefficient update engine being configured to determine a particular one of the sets of filter coefficients for use by the adaptive filter based at least in part on at least a subset of the time indicators. The time indicators may comprise respective time stamps generated based on the output of the real time clock at respective times at which the corresponding sets of coefficients are determined. |
| US08648648B2 |
Bandgap voltage reference circuit, system, and method for reduced output curvature
A bandgap voltage reference circuit includes a current generation stage configured to generate a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) current and a complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) current and to generate a reference current by combining the PTAT and CTAT currents. An output stage is coupled to the current generation stage and configured to combine the PTAT current and the CTAT current to generate a bandgap voltage reference. A curvature correction circuit is configured to generate a curvature correction current that mirrors the reference current generated from the PTAT and CTAT currents. The curvature correction current has a ratio relative to the reference current given by a current ratio parameter having value that is less than one, equal to one, or greater than one. In this way the value of the current ratio parameter can be varied to cancel a non-linear dependence on temperature of the bandgap voltage reference, thereby providing a curvature-compensated bandgap voltage reference. |
| US08648645B2 |
Microprocessor performance and power optimization through self calibrated inductive voltage droop monitoring and correction
Disclosed is a digital voltage regulator system and method for mitigating voltage droop in an integrated circuit. If an unacceptable voltage droop is detected, the digital voltage regulator may take action to allow the power supply voltage to recover. A digital voltage regulator in accordance with embodiments discussed herein detects voltage droop by comparing a power supply voltage measurement with a threshold voltage. The threshold voltage may be calibrated based on power supply voltage measurements taken while the integrated circuit is operating. |
| US08648637B2 |
Slew rate boost circuit, output buffer having the same, and method thereof
A slew rate boost circuit for an output buffer and an output buffer circuit for a source driver having the same are provided. In an output buffer including a pull-up unit providing a buffer output signal in a first level by receiving a buffer input signal and performing pull-up operation and a pull-down unit providing a buffer output signal in a second level having opposite phase from the first level by receiving the buffer input signal and performing pull-down operation, the slew rate boost circuit includes a first comparator generating a first boost signal to boost pull-up operation of the pull-up unit of the output buffer by inputting a first input signal and a second input signal and a second comparator generating a second boost signal to boost pull-down operation of the pull-down unit of the output buffer by inputting the first input signal and the second input signal. |
| US08648631B2 |
Detector circuit and method
In accordance with an embodiment, a controller includes a comparator, a delay element, and a timer. The delay element is connected to an input terminal of the comparator and the timer is connected to an output terminal of the comparator. The delay element may include a switch having a control electrode coupled for receiving a control signal. In accordance with another embodiment, a detection signal is generated in response to a comparison signal transitioning to a first level. |
| US08648625B2 |
Frequency synthesizer
There is provided a frequency synthesizer capable of improving phase noise. A sinusoidal signal with a frequency set by a frequency setting part is output as a digital signal from a set signal output part, and the digital signal is D/A-converted. A difference between a sinusoidal signal with a frequency corresponding to an output frequency of a voltage controlled oscillating part and a sinusoidal signal output from a D/A converting part is amplified by a differential amplifier, and an amplified signal is input via an A/D converting part to a means for extracting a phase difference between the aforesaid sinusoidal signals. A voltage corresponding to a signal being the result of integration of the phase difference is input as a control voltage to the voltage controlled oscillating part. Then, a gain of the differential amplifier is set larger than a maximum value of phase noise degradation of the A/D converting part, whereby the phase noise degradation of the A/D converting part is cancelled. |
| US08648624B2 |
Voltage-to-current converter circuit
A voltage-to-current converter circuit has a differential input unit, and is provided with an input offset voltage, wherein the temperature characteristics of the differential input unit and input offset voltage are substantially flat. A current is supplied wherein a second fixed current having positive temperature characteristics is added to a first fixed current having flat characteristics as a bias current to the differential input unit, to balance the temperature characteristics of the differential input unit and the temperature characteristics of the bias current, thus causing the differential input unit transconductance temperature characteristics to be substantially zero (e.g., substantially flat). |
| US08648619B2 |
Termination for complementary signals
Apparatuses including termination for complementary signals are described, along with methods for terminating complementary signals. One such apparatus includes a termination transistor including a first node configured to receive a first complementary signal and a second node configured to receive a second complementary signal. A regulation circuit can generate a regulated voltage to render the termination transistor conductive with a substantially constant resistance. In one such method, a first complementary signal is received at a drain of a termination transistor and a second complementary signal is received at a source of the termination transistor. Energy of the complimentary signals can be absorbed when the termination transistor is rendered conductive. Additional embodiments are also described. |
| US08648618B1 |
Method and module for judging status of power supplies
Method and module for judging status alterations of power supplies that are caused by changes of external power sources are provided. Through comparing first, second and third comparison voltages with a stabilized voltage of a voltage stabilization and energy storage element in a power factor correction unit, the status of the power supply can be judged, and an external power supply abnormal signal, a power supply abnormal signal or a power failure alert signal can be generated according to the status to allow a motherboard to perform loading regulation. The power failure alert signal is used to timely stop operation of the power supply, hence can resolve the problems of the conventional techniques such as delay notification, inaccurate judgment or complex composition of judgment circuit. |
| US08648617B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of testing semiconductor device
According to the following disclosure, disclosed is a semiconductor device including: an internal circuit configured to receive and output a signal current; a current mirror unit outputting a copied current corresponding to the signal current; and a test pad from which the copied current is taken out. |
| US08648616B2 |
Loaded printed circuit board test fixture and method for manufacturing the same
A test fixture for testing loaded printed circuit boards having a plurality of test points having a probe plate including an array of widely spaced high force spring test probes in compliant contact with solid translator pins located in a translator fixture removably positioned over the probe plate. The test fixture includes optimization software wherein translation of the test signals are optimized by providing the shortest interconnect distance in the x-y plane between the test points on the printed circuit board and the test probes in the probe plate. The fixture further includes an unpowered opens device for testing components on the loaded printed circuit board. |
| US08648614B2 |
Electronic circuit testing apparatus
The present invention has an object to provide an electronic circuit testing apparatus that is preferable for testing an electronic circuit which carries out communications between substrates based on inductive coupling and is capable of testing the electronic circuit without using test pads, wherein a probe 15 is caused to intervene in a communications channel composed by inductive coupling based on the first and second transmitter coils 21a, 21b; and the first and second receiver coils 23a, 23b, and an LSI is tested by a tester 11, buffers 12 and 13, and a Tx/Rx switch 14. Accordingly, it is not be necessary for that the electronic circuit testing apparatus is provided with a needle that touches pads and leads of the electronic circuit, and the service life there can be lengthened. |
| US08648612B2 |
Calibration of a distance measuring device
A device for using electromagnetic pulses to determine a distance to a surface includes a pulse generator, a real time sampler and a calibration unit having a signal generator for generating a calibration signal with a predefined frequency. In a calibration mode the real time sampler receives the calibration signal, and an average sample time delay of the sampler is determined based on the sampled calibration signal and the known calibration frequency. In a measurement mode, the real time sampler receives a reflection signal and the distance is determined based on a sampled reflection signal and the average sample time delay. Knowledge of the average delay of the sampler makes it possible to exactly determine the distance (in time and thus space) between two points in the sampled signal. |
| US08648611B2 |
RF sensing circuit with a voltage-controlled oscillator
An RF sensing circuit with a voltage-controlled oscillator comprises a low noise amplifier (LNA), a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), a frequency demodulating unit, a bandpass filter (BPF) and a digital signal processing unit. The VCO has an injection signal input port and a voltage input port, wherein the injection signal input port is electrically connected with an output of the LNA. The frequency demodulating unit is electrically connected with an output of the VCO and the BPF is electrically connected with an output of the frequency demodulating unit. The digital signal processing unit is electrically connected with an output of the BPF and the voltage input port of the VCO. |
| US08648610B2 |
Signal input circuit and integrated circuit
A signal input circuit includes: a signal input device having a signal input terminal; an inspection capacitor connected between the signal input terminal and a reference potential; a connection unit connecting/disconnecting an inspection path between the inspection capacitor and the signal input terminal; a charge and discharge unit charging/discharging the inspection capacitor; and a determination processing unit carrying out a terminal failure detection processing. The determination processing unit controls the connection unit to disconnect the inspection path and controls the charge and discharge unit to set the voltage of the inspection capacitor to a terminal inspection voltage in a charge and discharge procedure, controls the connection unit to connect the inspection path in a continuity establishing procedure, and detects the terminal failure at the signal input terminal or a communication path from the signal input terminal based on a voltage of the inspection path. |
| US08648608B2 |
VLF test generator
Disclosed is a very low frequency test generator for generating a high voltage having a low frequency in order to test the insulation of capacitive loads, in particular power cables. Said VLF test generator comprises an oscillator part which generates a high voltage that has a high frequency and is modulated with a lower frequency at an output, and a demodulator which is connected to the oscillator part, demodulates the high voltage, and recovers the low frequency therefrom. A discharge resistor for the capacitive load is connected in parallel to the demodulator, said discharge resistor conducting back to the aforementioned output. |
| US08648607B2 |
Monitoring power usage
Disclosed are various embodiments for monitoring power usage. A plurality of power usage cycles are monitored using a controller. Each of the power usage cycles includes a plurality of current draw periods. Each of the current draw periods has a different average current draw. A current draw reading is determined to be abnormal when the current draw reading meets a threshold associated with one of the current draw periods, while the one of the current draw periods is predicted to be active. An action is performed when the current draw reading is determined to be abnormal. |
| US08648603B2 |
Deterioration degree calculating apparatus for secondary battery, vehicle equipped with the apparatus, and deterioration degree calculating method for secondary battery
A deterioration degree calculating apparatus for a secondary battery of the invention includes: obtaining a voltage value at a stop time of charge and discharge of a target secondary battery; obtaining a voltage value at a first start time of charge and discharge after that; obtaining an SOC of the target secondary battery at the stop time or at the start time; obtaining a length of an unused period from the stop time to the start time (an elapsed time); obtaining a self-discharge slope of the target secondary battery by dividing an absolute value of a difference between the voltage value at the start time and the voltage value at the stop time by the elapsed time; obtaining a temperature during an unused period by use of a self-discharge map in which the SOC and the self-discharge slope is recorded for each temperature; calculating a progress degree of deterioration of the target secondary battery during the unused period based on the obtained temperature and elapsed time; and accumulating the calculated deterioration progress degree to accurately calculate the deterioration degree of the secondary battery without continuously consuming electric power during the unused period. |
| US08648601B2 |
Method for control of stabilizer additives in electroless metal and metal alloy plating electrolytes
The present invention describes a method for the measurement of the stabilizer additive concentration in electroless metal and metal alloy plating electrolytes comprising a voltammetric measurement. Said method comprises the steps a. conditioning of the working electrode, b. interaction of intermediates on the working electrode, c. measurement of the Faradaic current and d. determining the Faradaic current. |
| US08648600B2 |
Method for measuring slow roll characteristics of partially machined shaft of an electrodynamic machine
An electrodynamic machine shaft slow roll measurement testing and remediation method that can be performed on a partially machined shaft. Upon completion of slow roll tests on a partially machined shaft the manufacturer may complete machining of shafts that successfully meet the test specification. If a partially machined shaft fails the test specification, the manufacturer at its option may attempt to remediate the shaft, so that it successfully meets slow roll specification upon re-testing. Exemplary remediation steps may include further concentricity machining to reduce mechanical runout or shaft treatment, such as by heating and/or quenching to reduce electrical runout. Partially machined shafts that fail slow roll test specifications (with or without remediation efforts) may be scrapped or otherwise recycled without, completing final machining operations. |
| US08648596B2 |
Method of and apparatus for analysis of the composition of a sample by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry employing carrier suppression
Described is an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer comprising a miniaturized radio-frequency (RF) microwave cavity resonator. The miniaturized RF microwave cavity resonator receives a carrier signal from a circulator, modulates the signal path signal, and reflects the carrier signal back to the circulator to amplify the carrier signal prior to demodulation. A mixer receives and demodulates the carrier signal and outputs an audio signal to generate an ESR spectrum for analyzing a chemical composition of a fluid sample. The ESR spectrum represents a magnetic susceptibility of the fluid sample to a magnetic resonance cause variation in a resonant frequency of the miniaturized RF microwave cavity resonator. In a desired aspect, the carrier signal is split into two paths prior to demodulation. The two paths are demodulated by different mixers to produce two separate outputs, an absorption spectrum and a dispersion spectrum. |
| US08648592B2 |
Semiconductor device components and methods
Semiconductor device components and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device component includes a conductive segment having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end. A first via is coupled to the second surface of the conductive segment at the first end. A second via is coupled to the first surface of the conductive segment at the second end, and a third via is coupled to the second surface of the conductive segment at the second end. |
| US08648591B2 |
Magnetic field angular sensor and sensing method
A magnetoresistive angular sensor and sensing method, in which an external magnetic field generator is used to provide a first mode in which a dc external magnetic field is provided in a predetermined direction and which dominates over the magnetic field generated by the input device being sensed. In a second mode, the external magnetic field is smaller. The angular sensor arrangement outputs from the two modes are combined, and this enables the input device angular orientation to be determined with offset voltage compensation. |
| US08648588B2 |
RF detector with crest factor measurement
An RF detector configured to provide two outputs, one being a function of the true RMS power level of an RF input signal, and the other being a function of the instantaneous/peak power of the RF input signal, normalized to the average power level. The RF detector includes a variable gain detection subsystem including a single detector or detector array that provides a representation of the power level of the RF input signal. The detector or detector array is common to both the RMS power detection channel and the instantaneous/peak power detection channel of the RF detector. A method of RF detection includes providing representations of the RF input signal at different gain levels, selecting one or more of the representations, and averaging the selected signals. The gain levels of the selected representations is adjusted to provide information about the average power level of the RF input signal. |
| US08648584B2 |
Multi-hysteresis voltage controlled current source system
A multi-hysteresis voltage controlled current source system having a variety of multi-hysteresis characteristics is provided. In the multi-hysteresis voltage controlled current source system, single-hysteresis voltage controlled current source circuits 21, 22, . . . 2N as fundamental components are connected in parallel, and a differential input voltage vid is applied to the single-hysteresis voltage controlled current source circuits 21, 22, . . . 2N, so that a plurality of discrete values of current can be output based on the single-hysteresis voltage controlled current source circuits 21, 22, . . . 2N. |
| US08648583B2 |
Delay block for controlling a dead time of a switching voltage regulator
Embodiments for at least one method and apparatus for controlling timing of switch control signals of a switching voltage regulator disclosed. One method includes generating a regulated output voltage based upon a switching voltage, generating the switching voltage through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and a shunt switch element, and controlling, by a delay block, the closing and opening of the series switch element and a shunt switch element. The delay block control includes receiving, by the delay block, a timing signal, generating a one of a series switch control signal and a shunt switch control signal by controllably delaying the timing signal with a first delay, and generating one other of the series switch control signal and the shunt switch control signal by inverting, and controllably delaying the timing signal with a second delay. |
| US08648581B2 |
Voltage mode push-pull driver output stage with tunable resistances
There is provided a voltage mode push-pull driver output stage with low power consumption and improved output return loss (ORL) suitable for various high bandwidth data transmission applications. By structuring the output stage to have tunable resistances adjustable by voltages applied to transistors, the output stage is readily adaptable to different applications requiring different resistances or impedance matching. |
| US08648577B2 |
DC-DC converter
The present invention provides a DC-DC converter including: a first series circuit which is connected to the two ends of a direct-current power source Vi, and in which a first switching element Q1 and a second switching element Q2 are connected together in series; a control circuit 10 configured to alternately turn on and off the first switching element and the second switching element; a second series circuit which is connected to the two ends of the first switching element, and in which a first capacitor Ci, a first reactor Ls and a second reactor Ll having a larger value than the first reactor are connected together in series; and rectifying/smoothing circuits (Do, Co) configured to rectify and smooth a voltage between the two ends of the second reactor, and to output a direct-current output voltage. |
| US08648575B2 |
Electrical machine safety system
An electrical machine system including a permanent magnet assembly having a magnetic field and a plurality of conductive coils, the magnet assembly and coils arranged for relative rotation between the coils and magnetic field in the manner of an electrical generator or motor, the system further comprising a current injector electrically connected to said coils and arranged selectively to supply a current signal thereto, the current signal being asynchronous with the frequency of rotation between the permanent magnet assembly and coils so as to heat and thereby demagnetise one or more magnet within said permanent magnet assembly. |
| US08648572B2 |
Protection circuit and battery pack
A protection circuit having: a connecting terminal which is connected to an external circuit and which inputs and outputs a charging/discharging current of a secondary battery to and from the external circuit; a voltage detection unit for detecting an output voltage of the secondary battery; a current detection unit for detecting a discharging current of the secondary battery; a power consumption calculation unit for calculating power consumption of the external circuit by multiplying a value of the output voltage detected by the voltage detection unit by a value of the discharging current detected by the current detection unit; and an external protection unit for executing external protection processing of protecting the external circuit when the power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit exceeds a power threshold set to a value that is not less than a maximum value of power consumption of the external circuit. |
| US08648568B2 |
Backup power system management
Systems and methods for management of a backup power system are described herein. At least one illustrative embodiment includes a backup power system configured to couple to a power source including a plurality of batteries, each comprising one or more cells, used to provide power if the power source fails, and processing logic coupled to the batteries and configured to monitor the state of each of the plurality of batteries and control the charging and discharging of each of the plurality of batteries. If the power source has not failed, the processing logic repeatedly and sequentially causes each battery to discharge while at least one of the remaining batteries remains fully charged, and monitors the power provided by the discharging battery. The processing logic determines the available energy stored in each fully charged battery based upon the power provided by the discharging battery during the time it takes to discharge. |
| US08648562B2 |
Single power supply dual converter open-winding machine drive
An apparatus for improving machine drive performance. The apparatus includes a controller configured to control an impedance of a converter. The converter is configured to be electrically coupled to a plurality of first ends of a plurality of windings of a machine. A plurality of second ends of the plurality of windings of the machine are configured to be electrically coupled to a power source. |
| US08648561B2 |
Method for driving a pulse width modulated controller
The present invention relates to a method for generating an electric control signal for controlling one or more switching elements of an inverter for driving an electric machine, such as a motor, the method comprising the steps of providing an electric control signal comprising a control frequency and a corresponding control period, dividing a first control period of said electric control signal into a plurality of switching periods, and providing a first switching PWM pulse within a first switching period of a first control period, and providing a second switching PWM pulse within a second switching period of said first control period, wherein the first switching PWM pulse is a minimum-filtered PWM pulse, and wherein the second switching PWM pulse is a corrected PWM pulse. The present invention further relates to an electronic control signal provided according to the before-mentioned method, and to an electronic control system for providing the before-mentioned method. |
| US08648560B2 |
Electric motor control apparatus
In an electric motor control apparatus, an electric motor driving unit includes: a current detection unit configured to detect a current flowing through a current detection place in the electric motor driving unit. A control unit includes a current calculation unit configured to calculate a current value of a current flowing through an electric motor from an offset correction value obtained based on a first detection value detected at a time when a current flows through the current detection place and a second detection value detected at a time when a current does not flow through the current detection place. The offset correction value includes: a first offset correction value stored in nonvolatile memory of the control unit at a time of assembling the electric motor control apparatus; and a second offset correction value computed by the control unit while the electric motor is driven. |
| US08648557B2 |
Drive control signal generating circuit
A drive control signal generating circuit that generates a drive control signal for driving a motor includes an output control circuit that includes a flip-flop in which a state changes by a rotational state signal of the motor crossing a reference value and generates a motor drive control signal according to the state of the flip-flop, a clock generating circuit that generates a clock that defines a time of reading data in the flip-flop of the output control circuit; and a PWM conversion circuit that PWM-converts the drive control signal using the clock as a PWM signal. The clock has a frequency in which the output control circuit operates and has a duty ratio of the PWM signal. |
| US08648556B2 |
Device for control of a PMSM
A permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) includes a stator and rotor powered by an inverter. A device to control the PMSM includes a sensor to sample a measurement θm of the position of the rotor, a control unit to control an operating point of the PMSM according to the position of the rotor and settings, and an estimation unit to determine an estimate {circumflex over (θ)} of the rotor position. The device also includes a malfunction detector to detect a malfunction of the sensor and a switch to connect the control unit to the sensor so that the control unit receives the measured position θm of the rotor while the malfunction detector does not indicate any sensor malfunction, and otherwise to connect the control unit to the estimation unit so that the control unit receives the estimated position {circumflex over (θ)} of the rotor when the malfunction detector indicates a sensor malfunction. |
| US08648549B2 |
Lighting method and lighting apparatus for a high pressure discharge lamp, a high pressure discharge lamp apparatus, and a projection-type image display apparatus
After discharge has begun in a high pressure discharge lamp, constant current control is performed so a lamp current becomes 4 [A]. Then, the current supplied to a pair of electrodes in the lamp is controlled so an electrode tip temperature t [degrees C.] at this time and an electrode tip temperature T [degrees C.] during stable lighting satisfy the relationship t [degrees C.]<=1.1 T [degrees C.]. When a power of the lamp reaches a rated power value, power control is changed to constant power control. This method enables suppressing an excessive rise in the temperature of the electrode tips in an initial lighting interval from lighting commencement until stable lighting, thereby preventing an increase in arc length due to melting of the electrode tips. Accordingly, illuminance does not readily decrease, particularly in a lamp unit including a high pressure discharge lamp mounted to a reflecting mirror. |
| US08648543B1 |
Illumination driving circuit
An illumination driving circuit for driving a light-emitting load includes a system voltage source, a switch component, an inductor component, an inductor-current sensing module and a control module. The switch component is coupled between the system voltage source and the light-emitting load. The inductor component is connected in series between the system voltage source and the light-emitting load. The inductor-current sensing module includes a sensing resistor component connected in series between the switch component and the inductor component. The control module is configured for controlling the conductive state of the switch component. An inductor-current sensing terminal of the controlling module is coupled to a node between the sensing resistor component and the switch component. The control module calculates an inductor-current through the inductor component according to a voltage level on the inductor-current sensing terminal. |
| US08648542B2 |
Ballast circuit for LED lamp
The ballast circuit for a light-emitting diode (LED lamp) includes a surge absorber circuit that includes a capacitor (C3) and a resistor (R3) serially connected between both ends of the bridge diode (BD), a resistor (R5) and a capacitor (C4) serially connected with each other, and a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR), the SCR being connected to the resistor (R5) and capacitor (C4) in parallel, the resistor (R5), capacitor (C4) and silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) being connected to the positive (+) terminal of the bridge diode (BD), thereby protecting the LED from a surge occurring. LED arrays connected to an output terminal of the surge absorber circuit, each array having a plurality of forward LEDs and LED arrays connected to the negative (−) terminal of the bridge diode (BD), each array having a plurality of reverse LEDs, the reverse LEDs being connected serially with one other. |
| US08648538B2 |
Biolux lighting apparatus
A biolux lighting apparatus comprising a timer for counting a dark adaptation time, a sensor for sensing the motion of an object, a lamp having an adjustable brightness, and a control unit in which a dark adaptation threshold value is set and which controls each unit. The control unit controls the lamp to emit light at a set maximum brightness level when an object sensed signal is transmitted by the sensor, controls the timer to start counting when the light from the lamp has reached the maximum brightness level such that the brightness level of the lamp is lowered by the intensity of illumination within the set dark adaptation threshold value whenever a counting signal is generated by the timer. The control unit controls the timer to stop counting to maintain a set standard brightness level when the light from the lamp has reached the set standard brightness level. |
| US08648536B2 |
Plasma light source
A pair of coaxial electrodes 10 that face each other, a discharge-environment-maintaining device 20, and a voltage-applying device 30 are provided. Each coaxial electrode 10 includes a center electrode 12, a guide electrode 14 which surrounds the front end portion of the facing center electrode, and an insulation member 16 which insulates the center electrode and the guide electrode from each other. The insulation member 16 is formed of partially porous ceramics including an insulative dense portion 16a and a porous portion 16b. The insulative dense portion 16a includes a reservoir 18 which holds a plasma medium therein, and by the porous portion 16b, the inner surface of the reservoir 18 communicates with a gap between the center electrode 12 and the guide electrode 14 through the inside of the insulative dense portion 16a. |
| US08648530B2 |
Amalgam temperature maintaining device for dimmable fluorescent lamps
A fluorescent lighting device includes a ballast and a tube. An amalgam is located within the tube. A resistive heater is operatively coupled with the ballast, to receive electrical power from the ballast while the fluorescent lighting device is in an OFF state. The resistive heater is mounted near the amalgam to transfer heat to the amalgam while the fluorescent lighting device is in the OFF state. |
| US08648529B2 |
Light-emitting composition, electroluminescent sheet, and method for producing same
A light-emitting composition comprising (A) a compound having a cyanoethyl group, (B) an adhesive resin material and (C) an electroluminescent material, wherein an amount of the component (B) is from 1 to 1,000 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the component (A); an electroluminescent sheet comprising at least a first electrode, an electroluminescent layer and a second electrode, laminated in this order, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is transparent, and the electroluminescent layer contains the light-emitting composition; and a method for producing thereof are provided. Specifically, an electroluminescent sheet that can be produced at ambient temperature without heating, has high productivity, and can be mass produced at low cost, a method for producing thereof, and a light-emitting composition used therein are provided. |
| US08648528B2 |
Electroluminescent device, method for manufacturing the same, and electronic apparatus
The invention provides a low-profile electroluminescent (EL) device, a method for manufacturing the same, and a low-profile electronic apparatus. The EL device can include first electrodes, EL layers disposed on the first electrodes, a second electrode to cover the EL layers, and a barrier layer in contact with the second electrode. At least the surface of the second electrode facing the barrier layer can be composed of an inorganic oxide. At least the surface of the barrier layer facing the second electrode can be composed of an inorganic compound. |
| US08648526B2 |
Organic light emitting display apparatus
An organic light emitting display apparatus includes a substrate, a color filter layer on the substrate, a transflective reflective layer on the color filter layer, the transflective reflective layer being configured to partly transmit and partly reflect visible light, a first electrode on the transflective reflective layer, an intermediate layer on the first electrode, the intermediate layer including an organic emission layer, a second electrode on the intermediate layer, and an optical path control layer (OPCL) between the transflective reflective layer and the first electrode, the OPCL including an insulating material and being configured to control a path of light generated in the intermediate layer. |
| US08648524B2 |
Electronic displays using optically pumped luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals
A multicolor electronic display is based on an array of luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals. Nanocrystals which emit light of different colors are grouped into pixels. The nanocrystals are optically pumped to produce a multicolor display. Different sized nanocrystals are used to produce the different colors. A variety of pixel addressing systems can be used. |
| US08648522B2 |
Light-emitting device having a patterned substrate and the method thereof
This disclosure provides a light-emitting device including a patterned substrate and the manufacturing method thereof. The patterned substrate has a plurality of depressions and/or extrusions for scattering light emitted from a light-emitting layer. Each of the plurality of depressions and/or extrusions comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and a sidewall portion enclosing the top portion and the bottom portion, and at least part of the sidewall portion comprises a curve. In a preferred embodiment, the light-emitting device further comprises a rough surface formed on at least one of the top portion, the bottom portion, and the sidewall portion. |
| US08648519B2 |
Spark plug for internal combustion engine
A spark plug is provided with a ground electrode, a noble metal tip made of a Pt alloy, and a relieving layer tip made of a Pt alloy which has a linear expansion coefficient between that of the ground electrode and that of the noble metal tip. |
| US08648513B2 |
Permanent magnet type rotating electrical machine and electric power steering device
A permanent magnet type rotating electric machine includes: a rotor including a rotor core having a polygonal shape and a plurality of permanent magnets; and a stator including a stator core and armature windings, in which, when the number of poles is M, the number of slots is N, M permanent magnets are sequentially numbered from first to M-th in a circumferential direction, and a positional shift amount in the circumferential direction from a corresponding one of equiangularly arranged reference positions, each being at the same radial distance from a center of a rotating shaft, for an i-th (i=1, 2, . . . , M) permanent magnet is hi, M unit vectors in total, each being in an angular direction of 2πN(i−1)/M (rad), are defined, and a sum of M vectors obtained by multiplying the unit vectors respectively by the positional shift amount hi is smaller than a maximum value of an absolute value of the positional shift amount hi. |
| US08648510B2 |
Actuator cover structure, actuator, and power transmitting apparatus
A cover structure of an actuator is provided in which a case of the actuator, which houses a conversion mechanism that converts input energy to mechanical motion, has a metal cover fastening portion and a cover member to which a metal fastening part that is fastened to the cover fastening portion is integrally attached. The cover member is formed by a metal cover portion and a resin cover portion. The metal cover portion has a center portion that covers part of the conversion mechanism, and an extended portion that extends from the center portion to the area near the metal fastening part so as to oppose the cover fastening portion. In this way, a vehicular power transmitting apparatus that discourages theft is provided by realizing an actuator with a strong cover fastening structure by making the fastening portion of the actuator be able to withstand intentionally inflicted damage without its weight being increased much. |
| US08648506B2 |
Rotor lamination cooling system and method
Some embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly can include a rotor hub, a first set of rotor laminations which can include a portion having a first inner radius, and a second set of rotor laminations which can include a portion having a second inner radius larger than the first inner radius. At least one circumferential flow channel defined by the first set of rotor laminations, the second set of rotor laminations, and the rotor hub can at least partially circumscribe the rotor hub. |
| US08648504B2 |
Vehicle drive motor
A vehicle drive motor, capable of efficiently cooling the motor stator without being accompanied by an increase in size, includes a stator having an annular stator core, provided in an inner periphery of a tubular motor casing, and a stator coil provided in the stator core, and a rotor on an inner side of the stator core and rotatable relative to the stator. The motor casing includes an oil supply passage and an oil discharge passage in the motor casing and opening at an inner diametric surface of the motor casing, which are opposite axially to each other. Stator core grooves communicated with the oil supply passage and the oil discharge passage extend axially in an outer diametric surface of the stator core. Accordingly, lubricant oil may flow from the oil supply passage towards the oil discharge passage through the stator core groove. |
| US08648502B2 |
Linear vibrator
Disclosed is a linear vibrator, the vibrator including a case including a lower case and an upper case engaged with the lower case; a stator that is disposed on a bottom plate of the lower case and includes a coil block formed of coil wound in the horizontal direction to the bottom plate; a vibrator including a weight having a storage that is formed in a position corresponding to the coil block to store the coil block, a yoke to cover the storage of the weight, and first and second magnets that are disposed in the storage and on the coil block; and an elastic member that has one side fixed to external surfaces of the weight, the external surfaces facing each other, and the other side engaged with a side of the case facing the external surfaces of the weight, the other side facing the one side. |
| US08648499B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatus for accelerating volt/VAR load flow optimization
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for accelerating volt/VAR load flow optimization. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for accelerating load flow for integrated volt/var control (IVVC) optimization. The method can include evaluating load flow on lines of an electrical network, identifying combinable network lines, combining the identified combinable network nodes to reduce network complexity, and determining load flow optimization for IVVC based at least in part on the reduced complexity network. |
| US08648498B1 |
Photovoltaic power system with distributed photovoltaic string to polyphase AC power converters
The invention is a novel photovoltaic power system that uses a number of relatively low-power DC to polyphase AC power converters distributed within the photovoltaic array field. In prior art megawatt-scale systems, typically one or two central power converters would be used for every 1 MW of solar photovoltaic array. With the present invention, 100 distributed power converters may be used per megawatt. The distributed power converters are sized to convert power from one or two series string of crystalline modules or from a greater but limited number of thin-film module strings and in both cases at the highest possible DC and therefore AC grid-tie voltages, with respect to module ratings and local safety code compliance. |
| US08648496B2 |
Reconfigurable microgrid direct current interface
Technologies are described herein for synchronizing multiple direct current (“DC”) voltages provided by multiple power sources. Multiple input voltages are received from multiple power sources. A voltage control signal indicating a desired output voltage is issued to multiple DC-DC converter modules electrically coupled to the multiple power sources. A master DC-DC converter module from the multiple DC-DC converter modules converts a master input voltage to a master output voltage that is substantially equal to the desired output voltage. The master output voltage is then provided to the remaining multiple DC-DC converter modules. Each of the remaining multiple DC-DC converter modules then converts a slave input voltage to a slave output voltage that is substantially equal to the master output voltage. |
| US08648494B2 |
Uninterruptible power supply and method of energy saving thereof
An uninterruptible power supply and a method of power saving thereof the uninterruptible power supply includes a switch and a backup power generator. The switch is coupled to a public power and a load, and backup power generator is coupled to the switch, the public power, and the load. Furthermore, the backup power generator is for controlling the switch and providing backup power for the load when the public power fails. Additionally, the backup power generator stops working in response to a trigger signal outputted from the load while the load is disabled. |
| US08648490B2 |
System configured to control and power a vehicle or vessel
A system configured to power a vehicle or vessel. The system may include an enhanced power control system. The enhanced power control system having a distributed architecture such that power conversion and/or management is provided for individual energy supplies and/or system loads. The distributed architecture of the power control system may enhance the power efficiency of the vehicle or vessel. The distributed architecture of the power control system may enable a plurality of different energy supplies and/or system loads to be incorporated into the power system in a selectable, configurable manner. This may facilitate the addition and/or subtraction of energy supplies and/or system loads from the system to customize the vehicle or vessel for a specific use and/or mission without having to reconfigure the power control system as a whole. |
| US08648486B2 |
Method and system for tidal energy storage and power generation
A tidal energy storage, power generation method is disclosed. During one tidal period, the method includes the following steps: during the early stage, forming a float into an enclosed hollow float; during the flood tide stage, converting the ascending potential energy of the float into the gravity potential energy of an energy storage assembly; during the slack water stage, charging the float with water; and during the tide ebbing stage, forming the float into an enclosed body filled with water, and converting the descending potential energy of the float into the gravity potential energy of the energy storage assembly. A tidal energy storage, power generation system is also disclosed. The system can improve the utilization rate of the tidal energy. |
| US08648484B2 |
Power generating device and braking device
Power generation efficiency is improved with a simple configuration. A braking device is provided with a brake rotor which rotates on a central axis, and friction portions which are in frictional contact with the brake rotor. A coil is wound around the outer peripheral portion of the brake rotor. A friction portion has the north pole of a magnet, and a friction portion has the south pole of a magnet. The braking device generates electricity by using an electromagnetic induction phenomenon and an electrostatic phenomenon that are caused by the interaction between the outer peripheral portion and the friction portion, for example, at the time of braking. As a result, the configuration can be simplified and the amount of power generation is not likely to be limited by a motor capability because there is very little need to use the motor as a generator. Furthermore, the friction energy itself converted from the kinetic energy of the brake rotor can be converted into electrical energy to suppress the friction energy from being lost as heat energy. |
| US08648483B2 |
Vertical axis wind turbine system
Wind turbine system. The system includes a lower wind speed vertical axis wind turbine operatively connected to a first electrical motor/generator and a higher wind speed vertical axis wind turbine operatively connected to at least one second electrical motor/generator. Electrical power from the first electrical motor/generator is directed to the at least one second electrical motor/generator and mag-lev system to cause the higher wind speed turbine to begin turning. A start-up assistance subsystem which acts like a local wind accelerator and produces a positive torque to assist in the start-up of a vertical axis wind turbine is also provided. |
| US08648481B2 |
Wind generator with energy enhancer element for providing energy at no wind and low wind conditions
The present invention is a wind generator system particularly suitable for small wind applications that harnesses low velocity wind. The wind generator system has a drive shaft; retreating blades and advancing blades attached to the drive shaft and extending radially outwardly therefrom; a generator assembly coupled to the drive shaft for generating electrical power; and a housing having an inner chamber for receiving the blades and a wind directional apparatus that operates to adjust wind speed of the wind and to channel wind along a desired pathway towards the retreating blades and blocks airflow from impinging on the advancing blades. |
| US08648475B2 |
Low noise flip-chip packages and flip chips thereof
A flip chip comprises first and second circuitry portions formed in a substrate. The first and second circuitry portions are spaced apart from one another in a separation direction. A substrate-contact boundary is formed in the substrate between the first and second circuitry portions. |
| US08648474B2 |
Lead frame land grid array
A package includes a first plated area, a second plated area, a die attached to the first plated area, and a bond coupling the die to the second plated area. The package further includes a molding encapsulating the die, the bond, and the top surfaces of the first and second plated areas, such that the bottom surfaces of the first and second plated areas are exposed exterior to the package. Additional embodiments include a method of making the package. |
| US08648472B2 |
Semiconductor device
In a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, first, a first metal interconnect is formed in an interconnect formation region, and a second metal interconnect is formed in a seal ring region. Subsequently, by chemical mechanical polishing or etching, the upper portions of the first metal interconnect and the second metal interconnect are recessed to form recesses. A second insulating film filling the recesses is then formed above a substrate, and the upper portion of the second insulating film is planarized. Next, a hole and a trench are formed to extend halfway through the second insulating film, and ashing and polymer removal are performed. Subsequently to this, the hole and the trench are allowed to reach the first metal interconnect and the second metal interconnect. |
| US08648471B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a via-hole with a narrowing cross-section and method of manufacturing the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a cell array block formed on the semiconductor substrate and including plural stacked cell array layers each with a plurality of first lines, a plurality of second lines crossing the plurality of first lines, and memory cells connected at intersections of the first and second lines between both lines; and a plurality of via-holes extending in the stacked direction of the cell array layers to individually connect the first or second line in the each cell array layer to the semiconductor substrate. The via-holes are formed continuously through the plural cell array layers, and multiple via-holes having equal lower end positions and upper end positions are connected to the first or second lines in different cell array layers. |
| US08648470B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming FO-WLCSP with multiple encapsulants
A semiconductor device has a first semiconductor die including TSVs mounted to a carrier with a thermally releasable layer. A first encapsulant having a first coefficient of thermal expansion CTE is deposited over the first semiconductor die. The first encapsulant includes an elevated portion in a periphery of the first encapsulant that reduces warpage. A surface of the TSVs is exposed. A second semiconductor die is mounted to the surface of the TSVs and forms a gap between the first and second semiconductor die. A second encapsulant having a second CTE is deposited over the first and second semiconductor die and within the gap. The first CTE is greater than the second CTE. In one embodiment, the first and second encapsulants are formed in a chase mold. An interconnect structure is formed over the first and second semiconductor die. |
| US08648462B2 |
Semiconductor power module
A semiconductor power module includes an active element and a passive element serving as semiconductor elements each having a first electrode on a front surface and a second electrode on a back surface thereof, a heat pipe having a first region defined as arrangement parts of the active element and the passive element on its one end side and electrically connected to one of the first and second electrodes of the active element and the passive element arranged in the first region, a cooling fin arranged in a second region defined on the other end side of the heat pipe, and a heat pipe provided to sandwich the active element, the passive element, and the cooling fin arranged on the heat pipe along with the heat pipe and electrically connected to the other of the first and second electrodes of the active element and passive element. |
| US08648460B2 |
Thermal interface material with epoxidized nutshell oil
A thermal interface material comprises an epoxy resin derived from nutshell oil or an epoxidized dimer fatty acid, or both, and fusible metal particles substantially devoid of added lead. Optionally, the TIM comprises a catalyst for the epoxy functionality. |
| US08648458B2 |
Leadframe circuit and method therefor
An integrated circuit leadframe device supports various chip arrangements. As consistent with various embodiments, a leadframe includes a plurality of banks of conductive integrated circuit chip connectors. Each bank has a plurality of conductive strips respectively having an end portion, the end portions of each of the strips in the bank being substantially parallel to one another and arranged at an oblique angle to end portions of strips in at least one of the other banks. Each of the end portions has a tip extending to an interior portion of the leadframe device and separated from the other tips by a gap. A fastening material is arranged on at least some of the conductive strips and configured to fasten an integrated circuit chip to the conductive strips |
| US08648455B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate having an insulating film formed on a surface thereof, a first semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring substrate, and a second semiconductor chip stacked and mounted on the first semiconductor chip so as to form an overhang portion. The insulating film is removed from an area of the wiring substrate that faces the overhang portion. |
| US08648450B1 |
Semiconductor device including leadframe with a combination of leads and lands
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor package or device including a uniquely configured leadframe sized and configured to maximize the available number of exposed lands in the semiconductor device. More particularly, the semiconductor device of the present invention includes a die pad (or die paddle) defining multiple peripheral edge segments. In addition, the semiconductor device includes a plurality of leads and lands which are provided in a prescribed arrangement. Connected to the top surface of the die pad is at least one semiconductor die which is electrically connected to at least some of the leads and lands. At least portions of the die pad, the leads, the lands, and the semiconductor die are encapsulated by the package body, with at least portions of the bottom surfaces of the die pad and the lands being exposed in a common exterior surface of the package body. |
| US08648448B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of shielding semiconductor die from inter-device interference
A plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers each contain a plurality of semiconductor die. The semiconductor die each have a conductive via formed through the die. A gap is created between the semiconductor die. A conductive material is deposited in a bottom portion of the gap. An insulating material is deposited in the gap and over the semiconductor die. A portion of the insulating material in the gap is removed to form a recess between each semiconductor die extending to the conductive material. A shielding layer is formed over the insulating material and in the recess to contact the conductive material. The shielding layer isolates the semiconductor die from inter-device interference. A substrate is formed as a build-up structure on the semiconductor die adjacent to the conductive material. The conductive material electrically connects to a ground point in the substrate. The gap is singulating to separate the semiconductor die. |
| US08648446B2 |
Method for protecting a gate structure during contact formation
Various semiconductor devices are disclosed. An exemplary device includes: a substrate; a gate structure disposed over the substrate, wherein the gate structure includes a source region and a drain region; a first etch stop layer disposed over the gate structure, a second etch stop layer disposed over the source region and the drain region; a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate; and a gate contact, a source contact, and a drain contact. The dielectric layer is disposed over both etch stop layers. The gate contact extends through the dielectric layer and the first etch stop layer to the gate structure. The source contact and the drain contact extend through the dielectric layer and the second etch stop layer respectively to the source region and the drain region. |
| US08648445B2 |
Metal-oxide-semiconductor device having trenched diffusion region and method of forming same
An MOS device includes a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and first and second source/drain regions of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer proximate an upper surface of the semiconductor layer. The first and second source/drain regions are spaced apart relative to one another. A gate is formed above and electrically isolated from the semiconductor layer, at least partially between the first and second source/drain regions. At least a given one of the first and second source/drain regions is configured having an effective width that is substantially greater than a width of a junction between the semiconductor layer and the given source/drain region. |
| US08648443B2 |
Bipolar transistor with improved stability
Instability and drift sometimes observed in bipolar transistors, having a portion of the base extending to the transistor surface between the emitter and base contact, can be reduced or eliminated by providing a further doped region of the same conductivity type as the emitter at the transistor surface between the emitter and the base contact. The further region is desirably more heavily doped than the base region at the surface and less heavily doped than the adjacent emitter. In another embodiment, a still or yet further region of the same conductivity type as the emitter is provided either between the further region and the emitter or laterally within the emitter. The still or yet further region is desirably more heavily doped than the further region. Such further regions shield the near surface base region from trapped charge that may be present in dielectric layers or interfaces overlying the transistor surface. |
| US08648432B2 |
Fully embedded micromechanical device, system on chip and method for manufacturing the same
A fully embedded micromechanical device and a system on chip is manufactured on an SOI-substrate. The micromechanical device comprises a moveable component having a laterally extending upper and lower surface and vertical side surfaces. The upper surface is adjacent to an upper gap which laterally extends over at least a part of the upper surface and results from the removal of a shallow trench insulation material. The lower surface is adjacent to a lower gap which laterally extends over at least a part of the lower surface and results from the removal of the buried silicon oxide layer. The side surfaces of the movable component are adjacent to side gaps which surround at least a part of the vertical side surfaces of the moveable component and result from the removal of a deep trench insulation material. |
| US08648430B2 |
Microelectromechanical system having movable element integrated into substrate-based package
A semiconductor-centered MEMS device (100) integrates the movable microelectromechanical parts, such as mechanical elements, flexible membranes, and sensors, with the low-cost device package, and leaving only the electronics and signal-processing parts in the integrated circuitry of the semiconductor chip. The package is substrate-based and has an opening through the thickness of the substrate. Substrate materials include polymer tapes with attached metal foil, and polymer-based and ceramic-based multi-metal-layer dielectric composites with attached metal foil. The movable part is formed from the metal foil attached to a substrate surface and extends at least partially across the opening. The chip is flip-assembled to span at least partially across the membrane, and is separated from the membrane by a gap. |
| US08648429B2 |
Semiconductor having chip stack, semiconductor system, and method of fabricating the semiconductor apparatus
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor chip stacks mounted on a substrate. Bonding terminals disposed on the substrate correspond to the chip stacks, such that at least one chip in each chip stack may be directly connected to a bonding terminal on the substrate and at least one chip in the chip stack is not directly connected to the bonding terminal. The semiconductor chip stacks may each act as one semiconductor device to the outside. |
| US08648425B2 |
Resistors formed based on metal-oxide-semiconductor structures
A device includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device, which includes a gate electrode and a source/drain region adjacent the gate electrode. A first and a second contact plug are formed directly over and electrically connected to two portions of a same MOS component, wherein the same MOS component is one of the gate electrode and the source/drain region. The same MOS component is configured to be used as a resistor that is connected between the first and the second contact plugs. |
| US08648422B2 |
Semiconductor device with hetero junction
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate made of first semiconductor having a first lattice constant; an isolation region formed in the semiconductor substrate and defining active regions; a gate electrode structure formed above each of the active regions; dummy gate electrode structures disposed above a substrate surface and covering borders between one of the active regions on both sides of the gate electrode structure and the isolation region; recesses formed by etching the active regions between the gate electrode structure and dummy gate electrode structures; and semiconductor layers epitaxially grown on the recesses and made of second semiconductor having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant. |
| US08648418B2 |
Controlled localized defect paths for resistive memories
Controlled localized defect paths for resistive memories are described, including a method for forming controlled localized defect paths including forming a first electrode forming a metal oxide layer on the first electrode, masking the metal oxide to create exposed regions and concealed regions of a surface of the metal oxide, and altering the exposed regions of the metal oxide to create localized defect paths beneath the exposed regions. |
| US08648417B1 |
LDMOS transistors with improved ESD capability
A laterally-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor includes a first well of a first conductivity type, a source of a second conductivity type formed in the first well, a drift region of the second conductivity type formed in the first well, and a second well of the second conductivity type formed in the first well and below the drift region. The drift region is separated from the source. The LDMOS transistor further includes a drain of the second conductivity type formed in the drift region, and includes a concentrator of the second conductivity type formed in the drift region and separated from the drain. A distance between the concentrator and the source is less than a distance between the drain and the source. |
| US08648413B2 |
Super-junction trench MOSFET with multiple trenched source-body contacts
A super-junction trench MOSFET with split gate electrodes is disclosed for high voltage device by applying multiple trenched source-body contacts with narrow CDs in unit cell. Furthermore, source regions are only formed along channel regions near the gate trenches, not between adjacent trenched source-body contacts for UIS (Unclamped Inductance Switching) current enhancement. |
| US08648412B1 |
Trench power field effect transistor device and method
In one embodiment, a structure for a trench power field effect transistor device with controlled, shallow, abrupt, body contact regions. |
| US08648410B2 |
Electronic device including a gate electrode and a gate tap
An electronic device can include a gate electrode and a gate tap that makes an unlanded contact to the gate electrode. The electronic device can further include a source region and a drain region that may include a drift region. In an embodiment, the gate electrode has a height that is greater than its width. In another embodiment, the electronic device can include gate taps that spaced apart from each other, wherein at least some of the gate taps contact the gate electrode over the channel region. In a further embodiment, at a location where the gate tap contacts the gate electrode, the gate tap is wider than the gate electrode. A variety of processes can be used to form the electronic device. |
| US08648405B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including memory cells formed to have double-layered gate electrodes
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of floating gate electrodes respectively formed above a semiconductor substrate with first insulating films disposed therebetween, and a control gate electrode formed above the plurality of floating gate electrodes with a second insulating film disposed therebetween. In each of the plurality of floating gate electrodes is formed to have a width of an upper portion thereof in a channel width direction which is smaller than a width of a lower portion thereof in the channel width direction and one of contact surfaces thereof on at least opposed sides which contact the second insulating film is formed to have one surface, and the second insulating film has a maximum film thickness in a vertical direction, the maximum film thickness being set smaller than a distance from a lowest surface to a highest surface of the second insulating film in the vertical direction. |
| US08648404B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, three-dimensional semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing the same
A three-dimensional semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of conductive layers and insulating layers, and a plurality of contacts. The plurality of conductive layers and insulating layers are stacked alternately above the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of contacts extend in a stacking direction of the plurality of conductive layers and insulating layers. The plurality of conductive layers form a stepped portion having positions of ends of the plurality of conductive layers gradually shifted from an upper layer to a lower layer. The plurality of contacts are connected respectively to each of steps of the stepped portion. The stepped portion is formed such that, at least from an uppermost conductive layer to a certain conductive layer, the more upwardly the conductive layer is located, the broader a width of the step is. |
| US08648399B2 |
Bipolar junction transistor for current driven synchronous rectifier
A Reverse Bipolar Junction Transistor (RBJT) integrated circuit comprises a bipolar transistor and a parallel-coupled distributed diode. The bipolar transistor involves many N-type collector regions. Each N-type collector region has a central hole so that P-type material from an underlying P-type region extends up into the hole. A collector metal electrode covers the central hole forming a diode contact at the top of the hole. When the distributed diode conducts, current flows from the collector electrode, down through the many central holes in the many collector regions, through corresponding PN junctions, and to an emitter electrode disposed on the bottom side of the IC. The RBJT and distributed diode integrated circuit has emitter-to-collector and emitter-to-base reverse breakdown voltages exceeding twenty volts. The collector metal electrode is structured to contact the collector regions, and to bridge over the base electrode, resulting in a low collector-to-emitter voltage when the RBJT is on. |
| US08648396B2 |
Microsystem for analyzing blood
The present disclosure utilizes the MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) process and packaging method to produce a microsystem for analyzing blood which is capable of detecting several kinds of ions. The microsystem for analyzing blood has a miniaturized reference electrode, so size of the microsystem can be greatly reduced. The microsystem further has a gate detecting area larger than a conventional planar ISE or a conventional ISFET does, so interference with signals can be avoided, and packaging difficulty and blood leakage can be reduced. Therefore, the microsystem is thin and small, reacts rapidly, and has a high accuracy, and a high compatibility with IC (integrated circuit) process. In addition, the microsystem has high stability of long-term potential, low offset-potential characteristics, low alternating current impedance, high stability of dynamic reference potential, low electrochemical noises and high reproducibility of the electrode. |
| US08648392B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A plurality of PMOS transistors are provided on a substrate along an X-axis direction such that a gate length direction of each of the PMOS transistors is parallel to the X-axis direction. A plurality of NMOS transistors are provided on the substrate along the X-axis direction such that a gate length direction of each of the NMOS transistors is parallel to the X-axis direction, and each of the plurality of NMOS transistors is opposed to a corresponding one of the PMOS transistors in the Y-axis direction. Gate lines respectively correspond to the PMOS transistors and the NMOS transistors, and are arranged parallel to each other and extend linearly along the Y-axis direction such that each of the gate lines passes through gate areas of the PMOS transistors and NMOS transistors which correspond to each of the gate lines. |
| US08648385B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor substrate has an element region including an IGBT region and a diode region located adjacent to the IGBT region. An IGBT element is formed in the IGBT region. A diode element is formed in the diode region. A heavily doped region of first conductivity type is located on the first surface side around the element region. An absorption region of first conductivity type is located on the second surface side around the element region. A third semiconductor region of second conductivity type is located on the second surface side around the element region. |
| US08648383B2 |
Light emitting device and light emitting device package having the same
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package having the same. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer, a first electrode disposed in an opening portion of the light emitting structure and contacted with a portion of the first conductive type semiconductor layer, an insulating layer covering the first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the insulating layer and connected to the second conductive type semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer under the second electrode. |
| US08648382B2 |
Planar light emitting device having structure for brightness uniformity and a compact area of non-light emitting part
Planar light emitting device includes: anode and cathode feeding parts formed on first surface side of transparent substrate and electrically connected to quadrilateral planar anode and cathode, respectively; quadrilateral frame shaped anode auxiliary electrode formed at the whole circumference of surface of the planar anode; anode feeding auxiliary electrode integrally and continuously formed to the auxiliary electrode and laminated on anode feeding part. Light emitting part is formed of a region where only organic layer intervenes between the planar anode and cathode. Distance between predetermined two parallel sides of the four sides of the light emitting part and the peripheral border of the transparent substrate is smaller than distance between the other two parallel sides and the peripheral border. The cathode and anode feeding parts are located along said other two parallel sides. The anode feeding part is located at each side, in width direction, of the cathode feeding part. |
| US08648378B2 |
Nitride-based semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device 100 includes a GaN substrate 10, of which the principal surface is an m-plane 12, a semiconductor multilayer structure 20 that has been formed on the m-plane 12 of the GaN-based substrate 10, and an electrode 30 arranged on the semiconductor multilayer structure 20. The electrode 30 includes an Mg layer 32, which contacts with the surface of a p-type semiconductor region in the semiconductor multilayer structure 20. |
| US08648377B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device including a substrate, an n-type semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, an active layer laminated on the n-type semiconductor layer and capable of emitting a light, a p-type semiconductor layer laminated on the active layer, an n-electrode which is disposed on a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate or on the n-type semiconductor layer and spaced away from the active layer and p-type semiconductor layer, and a p-electrode which is disposed on the p-type semiconductor layer and includes a reflective ohmic metal layer formed on the dot-like metallic layer, wherein the light emitted from the active layer is extracted externally from the substrate side. |
| US08648373B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
A semiconductor light emitting device includes an LED chip, which includes an n-type semiconductor layer, active layer, and p-type semiconductor layer stacked on a substrate. The LED chip further includes an anode electrode connected to the p-type semiconductor, and a cathode connected to the n-type semiconductor. The anode and cathode electrodes face a case with the LED chip mounted thereon. The case includes a base member including front and rear surfaces, and wirings including a front surface layer having anode and cathode pads formed at the front surface, a rear surface layer having anode and cathode mounting electrodes formed at the rear surface, an anode through wiring connecting the anode pad and the anode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member, and a cathode through wirings connecting the cathode pad and the cathode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member. |
| US08648370B2 |
Wafer-type light emitting device having precisely coated wavelength-converting layer
The invention relates to a wafer-type light emitting device having a substrate, one or more light emitting semiconductors formed on the substrate, one or more frames provided over the one or more light emitting semiconductors, and one or more wavelength-converting layers applied on the one or more light emitting semiconductors and confined by the one or more frames, wherein the wafer-type light emitting device is diced into a plurality of separate light emitting units. |
| US08648368B2 |
Optoelectronic component with a protected passivation layer
An optoelectronic component, includes a carrier, a metallic mirror layer arranged on the carrier, a first passivation layer arranged on a region of the metallic mirror layer, a semiconductor layer that generates an active region during electrical operation arranged on the first passivation layer, a second passivation layer including two regions, wherein the first region is arranged on a top face of the semiconductor layer, and the second region which is free of the semiconductor layer is arranged on the metallic mirror layer, and wherein the first and second regions are separated from one another by a region which surrounds the first passivation layer and which is free of the second passivation layer. |
| US08648366B2 |
LED and method of manufacturing the same
An LED can include a pair of electrode members, and an LED chip joined to a chip mount portion disposed at the extremity of one of the pair of electrode members. The LED chip can be electrically connected to the pair of electrode members. A transparent resin portion can include a wavelength conversion material mixed therein, the transparent resin portion formed in such a manner as to surround the LED chip, wherein the LED chip is positioned offset toward one side in the transparent resin portion, and wherein the wavelength conversion material mixed in the transparent resin portion has a higher density around the LED chip within the transparent resin portion. |
| US08648364B2 |
Flat panel display including an opaque film to block an eternal light reflected from a thin film transistor (TFT) and a capacitor
A flat panel display with a black matrix and a fabrication method of the same. The flat panel display has an insulating substrate at the upper part of which a pixel electrode is equipped; an opaque conductive film formed on the front surface of the insulating substrate except at the pixel electrode; an insulating film equipped with a contact hole exposing a portion of the opaque conductive film; and a thin film transistor equipped with a gate electrode, and conductive patterns for source/drain electrodes connected to the opaque conductive film through the contact hole. |
| US08648362B2 |
Solid state imaging device, method of producing solid state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
A solid state imaging device includes: a substrate; a photoelectric conversion unit that is formed on the substrate to generate and accumulate signal charges according to light quantity of incident light; a vertical transmission gate electrode that is formed to be embedded in a groove portion formed in a depth direction from one side face of the substrate according to a depth of the photoelectric conversion unit; and an overflow path that is formed on a bottom portion of the transmission gate to overflow the signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit. |
| US08648353B2 |
Method for manufacturing silicon carbide semiconductor device and the silicon carbide semiconductor device
Silicon carbide semiconductor device includes trench, in which connecting trench section is connected to straight trench section. Straight trench section includes first straight trench and second straight trench extending in parallel to each other. Connecting trench section includes first connecting trench perpendicular to straight trench section, second connecting trench that connects first straight trench and first connecting trench to each other, and third connecting trench that connects second straight trench and first connecting trench to each other. Second connecting trench extends at 30 degrees of angle with the extension of first straight trench. Third connecting trench extends at 30 degrees of angle with the extension of second straight trench. A manufacturing method according to the invention for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device facilitates preventing defects from being causes in a silicon carbide semiconductor device during the manufacture thereof. |
| US08648346B2 |
Semiconductor device, electronic device, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device and a display device which can be manufactured through a simplified process and the manufacturing technique. Another object is to provide a technique by which a pattern of wirings or the like which is partially constitutes a semiconductor device or a display device can be formed with a desired shape with controllability. |
| US08648345B2 |
Electronic device
There is provided an electronic device having high reliability and high color reproducibility. A pixel structure is made such that a switching FET (201) and an electric current controlling FET (202) are formed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate (11), and an EL element (203) is electrically connected to the electric current controlling FET (202). The fluctuation in characteristics of the electric current controlling FET (202) is very low among pixels, and an image with high color reproducibility can be obtained. By taking hot carrier measures in the electric current controlling FET (202), the electronic device having high reliability can be obtained. |
| US08648343B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
An object is to increase the aperture ratio of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a driver circuit portion and a display portion (also referred to as a pixel portion) over the same substrate. The driver circuit portion includes a channel-etched thin film transistor for a driver circuit, in which a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed using a metal and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, and a driver circuit wiring formed using a metal. The display portion includes a channel protection thin film transistor for a pixel, in which a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed using an oxide conductor and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, and a display portion wiring formed using an oxide conductor. The thin film transistors provided in the semiconductor device are formed with a resist mask formed using a multi-tone mask. |
| US08648338B2 |
Light emitting device comprising an organic compound layer
The present invention provides a TFT that has a channel length particularly longer than that of an existing one, specifically, several tens to several hundreds times longer than that of the existing one, and thereby allowing turning to an on-state at a gate voltage particularly higher than the existing one and driving, and allowing having a low channel conductance gd. According to the present invention, not only the simple dispersion of on-current but also the normalized dispersion thereof can be reduced, and other than the reduction of the dispersion between the individual TFTs, the dispersion of the OLEDs themselves and the dispersion due to the deterioration of the OLED can be reduced. |
| US08648336B2 |
Method for fabrication of layered heterojunction polymeric devices
Method for growing multilayer polymer based hetexjunction devices which uses selective breaking of C—H or Si—H bonds without breaking other bonds leading to fast curing for the production of layered polymer devices having polymer heterojunctions deposited by the common solution-based deposition methods. |
| US08648335B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An organic light emitting diode display includes: a substrate; a first electrode positioned on the substrate; an organic layer positioned on the first electrode; a transflective layer positioned on the organic layer; an organic emission layer positioned on the transflective layer; and a second electrode positioned on the organic emission layer. |
| US08648334B2 |
Organic light emissive device comprising a trilayer cathode
A method of manufacturing an organic light emissive device comprising: depositing an organic light emissive layer over an anode and depositing a cathode over the organic light emissive layer, wherein the cathode comprises a trilayer structure formed by: depositing a first layer comprising an electron injecting material; depositing a second layer over the first layer, the second layer comprising a metallic material having a workfunction greater than 3.5 eV; and depositing a third layer over the second layer, the third layer comprising a metallic material having a workfunction greater than 3.5 eV. |
| US08648330B2 |
Nanowire field effect transistors
A method for forming a nanowire field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a nanowire over a substrate, forming a liner material around a portion of the nanowire, forming a capping layer on the liner material, forming a first spacer adjacent to sidewalls of the capping layer and around portions of the nanowire, forming a hardmask layer on the capping layer and the first spacer, removing an exposed portion of the nanowire to form a first cavity partially defined by the gate material, epitaxially growing a semiconductor material on an exposed cross section of the nanowire in the first cavity, removing the hardmask layer and the capping layer, forming a second capping layer around the semiconductor material epitaxially grown in the first cavity to define a channel region, and forming a source region and a drain region contacting the channel region. |
| US08648320B2 |
Photoelectric sensor and photoelectric sensor system for comparing received light levels to detect objects
Disclosed are a photoelectric sensor and a photoelectric sensor system capable of accurately detecting an object without being affected by disturbance even though the object is very thin. A photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of the invention includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The photoelectric sensor detects whether there is an object between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit based on a variation in the intensity of a light signal received by the light receiving unit. The light receiving unit receives a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit without intersecting the object and a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit through the object, and is operated in synchronization with a light emission timing signal of the light emitting unit. The intensity of the received light signal that is not attenuated by the object is compared with the intensity of the received light signal that is attenuated by the object to detect information indicating whether there is the object. |
| US08648319B2 |
Device for generating THz radiation with free electron beams
The invention relates to a device for generating electromagnetic THz radiation with free electron beams, comprising a dynatron tube, where the dynatron tube comprises an electron source, an extraction grid, and, an anode preferably coated with a material composition for high secondary electron emission, arranged in vacuum. The dynatron tube is connected to a voltage supply supplying an extractor voltage and an anode voltage and the extractor voltage is higher than the anode voltage. An oscillator modulates the anode voltage and the anode voltage is set to a work point voltage. |
| US08648317B2 |
Reading mechanism for dosimeter
Described is a method comprising the following steps: (a) moving a selected optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) sensor of two or OSL sensors mounted on a dosimeter sled to a reading position for an OSL reader; (b) reading the selected OSL sensor at the reading position using the OSL reader to measure a radiation dosage to which a dosimeter in which the dosimeter sled has been mounted has been exposed; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for each of the two or more OSL sensors, wherein each OSL sensor comprises an optically stimulated luminescent material (OSLM) mounted in one or more cylindrical cup-shaped energy compensating filters, and wherein the dosimeter sled is part of a dosimeter. |
| US08648314B1 |
Fast neutron imaging device and method
A fast neutron imaging apparatus and method of constructing fast neutron radiography images, the apparatus including a neutron source and a detector that provides event-by-event acquisition of position and energy deposition, and optionally timing and pulse shape for each individual neutron event detected by the detector. The method for constructing fast neutron radiography images utilizes the apparatus of the invention. |
| US08648313B2 |
Silicon drift X-ray detector
A silicon drift detector has an X-ray detection device, an electrode terminal subassembly for electrical connection, a Peltier device, and first and second shields formed between the electrode terminal subassembly and the Peltier device. The first shield is made of a material consisting chiefly of an element having an atomic number smaller than the average atomic numbers of the elements included in the material of the Peltier device. The second shield is made of a material consisting chiefly of an element having an atomic number greater than the atomic numbers of the elements included in the material of the Peltier device. |
| US08648310B2 |
Indirect X-ray imager having semi-transparent layers
An indirect x-ray imager including one or more semi-transparent layers that reduce lateral spreading of light produced by the scintillator layer. The semi-transparent layers may be one or more layers above and/or below the scintillator, which the light generated by the scintillator goes through prior to being received by an array of photosensors. The semi-transparent layers may have a light transparency that is proportional to the pixel pitch of the photosensor, and/or proportional to a thickness of the layers. The semi-transparent layers have a light transparency that allows a high percent of the light to be received across the thickness of the layer, but restrains most of the light from being received across a lateral distance of more than one pixel pitch. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08648309B2 |
Spectral identification of proppant in subterranean fracture zones
Proppant placed in a subterranean fracture zone is detected with a spectral identification method in which capture gamma ray spectra are obtained during a logging run carried out with a logging tool having a neutron emitting source and at least one detector sensitive to thermal neutron capture gamma rays. Capture gamma rays from one or more high thermal neutron cross-section materials in the proppant are distinguished from capture gamma rays produced by thermal neutron capture reactions with other downhole formation and borehole constituents utilizing a spectral processing/deconvolution technique. The capture gammas rays from the high thermal neutron capture cross section material in the proppant are used to identify propped fracture zones either alone or in combination with other proppant identification methods which rely on measuring thermal neutron related count rates and/or thermal neutron capture cross-sections from neutron, compensated neutron, and/or pulsed neutron capture logging tools. |
| US08648307B2 |
Infrared ray detector
An infrared ray detector comprises a prism element, a condenser lens, and an infrared ray receiving unit. The prism element is configured to convert the infrared ray irradiated from a detection area of a viewing field to the infrared ray proceeding toward the condenser lens. The condenser lens is configured to concentrate the infrared ray into the infrared ray receiving unit. The infrared ray receiving unit includes a plurality of the infrared ray detection elements. The infrared ray detection elements are arranged in an alternate fashion so as to output electrical signals of positive polarity and negative polarity. Consequently, the infrared ray detector is configured to detect the infrared ray irradiated from a plurality of the detection area, and is configured to detect the infrared ray on the basis of movement of the human in the detection area. |
| US08648299B2 |
Isotope ion microscope methods and systems
Ion microscope methods and systems are disclosed. In general, the systems and methods involve relatively light isotopes, minority isotopes or both. In some embodiments, an isotope of Neon is used. |
| US08648291B2 |
Projection system having a virtual mask and a projection area with a shape defined by surrounding graphics
A projection system includes a projection screen defining a shape and a projector configured to project an image onto the projection screen. The projector may project a static or dynamic image that has substantially the same shape as the projection screen or otherwise block portions of the projected image that are projected outside of the projection screen with the aid of a virtual mask. The virtual mask and the projection screen may be created based on a virtual shape template that defines the desired shape for the projection screen, such as with a vector outline. In some embodiments, the virtual mask and the projection screen are created based on the same virtual shape template. The virtual shape template may define a cutting path for extracting the projection screen from a suitable material. |
| US08648289B2 |
Device and method for detecting small quantities of light, comprising an electronic image converter embodied in semiconductor technology
The invention relates to a device for detecting small quantities of light, comprising an electronic image converter embodied in semiconductor technology for detecting the photons representing the small quantities of light and an electronic circuit connected to the electronic image converter for reading the electronic image converter and for generating a signal representing the number of photons received by the electronic image converter, wherein the electronic image converter comprises at least 100,000 light-sensitive cells and the electronic circuit is adapted to add together the signals coming from light-sensitive cells placed on the electronic image converter. |
| US08648282B2 |
Cooking apparatus and method
A cooking apparatus and method of assembling the same includes an outer shell including a base, a heating element positioned inside the outer shell, and a thermally conducting liner removably located inside the outer shell over the heating element. The liner includes an annular flange, and a first integral handle including a first latch. The apparatus and method further includes a lid configured to be placed over the liner, the lid including a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid, and a top surface, wherein the first latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner. |
| US08648281B2 |
Steam generating device and cooking device
A steam generating device (1) is provided with a metal housing (2), a water supply opening (3) for supplying water into the housing (2), a steam generating heater (4) embedded in the lower part of the housing (2) and evaporating the water supplied from the water supply opening (3), a steam temperature raising heater (5) provided above the steam generating heater (4) with a predetermined distance from an inner wall of the housing (2) and raising the temperature of the steam generated by the steam generating heater (4), and a discharge opening (8) for discharging the superheated steam generated by the steam temperature raising heater (5). |
| US08648280B1 |
Electrically-heated wearable blanket with auto shut-off switch
An electrically-heated wearable blanket with auto shut-off switch that includes a blanket portion disposed between a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, the blanket portion having a front surface and a back surface, wherein a person wearing the electrically-heated wearable blanket with auto shut-off switch is in operational communication with a boustrophedonic heating element disposed within the blanket portion by means of a control pad disposed on a first cord in circuit with the heating element, and a second cord releasably interconnects the heating element alternately among at least three external power sources including a rechargeable battery pack. |
| US08648279B2 |
Process control apparatus and laser processing apparatus
A process control apparatus controls a focus position of a laser beam, while a laser processing mechanism converges the laser beam into a predetermined focus position and performs a laser processing on a workpiece. The process control apparatus includes: a calculator that, based on the magnitude of an output of the laser beam that changes during the laser processing, calculates a change amount of a positional deviation of the focus position in an optical axis direction that changes during the laser processing at a laser beam radiation position; and a control unit that, based on the change amount of the positional deviation that has been calculated by the calculator, controls the focus position of the laser beam during the laser processing so as to resolve the positional deviation of the focus position. |
| US08648266B2 |
Multiple force-measuring device, force-measuring module, and method for monitoring a condition of the multiple force-measuring device
A multiple force-measuring device, especially a multiple weighing device has at least two force-measuring modules. Each force-measuring module includes a force-measuring cell and a power delivery means. The power delivery means of at least one of the force-measuring modules in this arrangement is connected, directly or through a junction element, to a control cable that is connected to a power supply unit. The force-measuring modules are connected directly to each other through a module-connection cable that transfers electrical power therebetween. |
| US08648263B2 |
Wiring board and method of manufacturing wiring board
A wiring board and a method of forming a wiring board including a first substrate, a second substrate having a smaller mounting area than a mounting area of the first substrate, and a base substrate laminated between the first substrate and the second substrate such that the first substrate extends beyond an edge of the second substrate. An IVH (Interstitial Via Hole) penetrates the base substrate. |
| US08648260B2 |
Wiring substrate
A wiring substrate includes differential wirings; a first insulating layer adjacent to one side of the differential wirings, including first fiber bundles parallel to the differential wirings; a second insulating layer adjacent to another side of the differential wirings, including second fiber bundles parallel to the differential wirings and disposed by the same pitch as the first fiber bundles; a third insulating layer on the first insulating layer on a side opposite to the differential wirings, including third fiber bundles in parallel to the differential wirings; and a fourth insulating layer on the second insulating layer on a side opposite to the differential wirings, including fourth fiber bundles in parallel to the differential wirings. Intervals of the third and fourth fiber bundles are respectively narrower than intervals of the first and second fiber bundles. The differential wirings are disposed between adjacent first fiber bundles, and between adjacent second fiber bundles. |
| US08648258B2 |
Mechanical cable entry port
A port entry device (100) is described for inserting a telecommunication cable (60) containing optical fibers into a telecommunications enclosure (300). In particular, the port entry device (100) is an oval port sealing device. The port entry device includes a tubular housing (110), a split sleeve (130) and a pair of clamping nuts (120). The tubular housing has an interior passageway (113) between a first end (110a) of the housing and a second end (110b) of the housing. The interior passageway can include a first cable channel (111) and a second cable channel (112). The housing can have an elliptical cross section. The split sleeve (130) positions the telecommunication cable (60) within the port entry device (100) when the split sleeve (130) is inserted into the interior passageway (113) of the housing (110). The clamping nuts are attachable to the second end (110b) of the housing to secure the split sleeve (130) within the housing (110). |
| US08648255B2 |
Laser beam button weld of dissimilar materials
Terminal pins that include a refractory metal partially welded to a terminal block of a dissimilar metal incorporated into feedthrough filter capacitor assemblies are discussed. The feedthrough filter capacitor assemblies are particularly useful for incorporation into implantable medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and the like, to decouple and shield internal electronic components of the medical device from undesirable electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals. |
| US08648248B2 |
Photovoltaic assemblies incorporating an optical element having internal inclusions configured for maximum conversion efficiency
A photovoltaic assembly includes an optical element comprising a body having opposed planar major surfaces with a plurality of open-mouthed inclusions (grooves) formed on the light output surface. Each groove has a closed apex with an included apex angle. The body is formed from a material having an index of refraction of at least 1.3 and an induced absorbance rate ΔAbs/Dose less than or equal to about 0.4. The optical element is attached to a photovoltaic cell using an adhesive having an index of refraction in the range from about 1.34 to 1.50. The apex angle is selected such that light incident upon the body is conveyed the light output surface by the mechanism of total internal reflection from the boundary walls of the grooves and/or without retro-reflection toward the incident surface. The thickness of the adhesive layer and the dimension of the mouth of the grooves are selected such that light incident on the surface of the photovoltaic cell is not obscured by conductor lines on the cell's surface. |
| US08648243B2 |
Musical tone generation control device and method
A tone generation control device sets a setting value for crosstalk cancellation. When vibration generated in a target striking surface is detected, a value indicative of the degree of crosstalk that the target received from comparison striking surfaces is calculated. The calculated value is displayed regardless of whether a tone generation instruction has been output. Meanwhile, setting values used for crosstalk cancellation for the respective striking surfaces are also displayed. Therefore, the user can observe and understand as to whether the vibration generated at the target is vibration caused by crosstalk received from the comparison striking surface, such that setting values to be used for crosstalk cancellation can be suitably set. |
| US08648239B2 |
Rigid plectrum for stringed instruments
A rigid plectrum (1) for stringed instruments, of the type having a spearhead shape with a pointed front part (2) and a broadened rear part (3) in which, at the lateral walls (4) and (5) forming the pointed part, a first facet (4a) and a second facet (5a) are made, covering the entire thickness of the respective lateral wall; the facets being set at an angle α to the thickness of the respective lateral wall, each facet starting on one face of the plectrum which is opposite the face from which the other facet starts, and finishing on the other face of the plectrum; the facets also being set at an angle β to the face of the plectrum, from the rear part to the front part. |
| US08648238B1 |
String instrument
A stringed musical instrument is disclosed for preferentially adjusting sound harmonics. The stringed musical instrument includes a body having a soundboard with a soundhole formed through the soundboard, a bridge, including a string support saddle mounted thereon, for supporting a plurality of instrument strings, a vertical member disposed within the body attached to the bridge through apertures in the soundboard, wherein the vertical member is further attached to an flexible member configured to affect rotation of the bridge, and a safety stop component disposed with in the body and configured to restrict movement of the vertical member. The soundboard is attached to the body via a side binding and unattached to internal support members within the body. |
| US08648235B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X8K864
A novel maize variety designated X8K864 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 X8K864 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X8K864 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X8K864, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X8K864. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X8K864. |
| US08648233B2 |
Hybrid artichoke variety NUN 4021 AR
The invention provides a new and distinct hybrid variety of globe artichoke, NUN 4021 AR or Opera F1, which is characterized by producing high quality, purple heads for the fresh market and/or the processing industry. |
| US08648230B2 |
Regulatory regions preferentially expressing in non-pollen plant tissue
Regulatory regions are shown which regulate expression of an operably linked heterologous nucleic acid molecule in plants. Promoters are described which express at lower levels in pollen cells that in other plant cells. Methods of using such promoter to regulate expression of an operably linked nucleic acid molecule are described. A polyadenylation nucleotide sequence from soybean is further shown. |
| US08648220B2 |
Process for producing ethanol using a crude vinyl acetate feed
Converting a crude vinyl acetate feed to ethanol by hydrogenating the acetic acid and ethyl acetate in the crude vinyl acetate feed. The crude vinyl acetate feed may comprise acetic acid and/or ethyl acetate, as well as vinyl acetate and minor amounts of vinyl propionate. The crude vinyl acetate feed may be obtained from an azeotrope column as either a sidestream or a bottom stream in a vinyl acetate production process. |
| US08648216B2 |
Synthetic navel orangeworm pheromone composition and methods relating to production of same
One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to the synthetic methods for making lepidopteran pheromones including navel orangeworm pheromones. The synthetic methods involve novel, efficient, and environmentally benign steps and procedures. |
| US08648212B2 |
Process for preparing solutions of radiation-sensitive, free-radically polymerizable organic compounds
A description is given of a process for preparing solutions of radiation-sensitive, free-radically polymerizable organic compounds, where a first starting compound, which has an acid halide group, and a second starting compound, which has an alcoholic hydroxyl group, are esterified with one another in a solvent or in a solvent mixture. The solvent comprises one or more ketones having a boiling point of below 150° C. under atmospheric pressure (1 bar), or the solvent mixture is composed to an extent of at least 50% by weight of said ketones. One of the two starting compounds has at least one radiation-sensitive group and the other of the two starting compounds has at least one ethylenically unsaturated, free-radically polymerizable group. A description is also given of corresponding solutions of radiation-sensitive, free-radically polymerizable organic compounds and of their use for preparing radiation-crosslinkable, free-radically copolymerized copolymers, more particularly for hotmelt pressure-sensitive adhesives or aqueous polymer dispersions. |
| US08648209B1 |
Loop reactor for making biodiesel fuel
A biodiesel plant includes a loop-shaped reactor which circulates reactants, e.g., feed stock and a methanol catalyst mixture through mesh to mix the reactants and form crude biodiesel. The feed stock is preferably heated to about 200 to 210° F. After the reaction, methanol may be recovered. There may also be a tank for removal of glycerin from the crude biodiesel. In another embodiment, there is a method for reacting the feed stock and methanol catalyst mixture by circulating the reactants through a turbulence-creating path, such as by using mesh in the reactor. |
| US08648208B2 |
Activating agent for peroxisome proliferator activated receptor
A compound represented by the formula (I) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof is used as an activator of PPAR wherein each of R1 and R2 is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C1-8 alkyl substituted with halogen, or the like; each of R3, R4, R5, and R6 is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, or the like; X is sulfur or the like; Y is oxygen, a bond, or the like; p is 0 or 1; A is oxygen, CH2, N—NH2, or the like; when p is 1, B is phenyl, which can have a substituent; when p is 0, B is a condensed ring such as benzisoxazole, which can have a substituent; m is an integer of 1 to 4; and n is an integer of 0 to 5. |
| US08648205B2 |
Metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes
The present invention generally relates to metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes that contain one or more additional active moieties and/or groups therein. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes that contain an anti-fungal and/or anti-microbial moiety and/or group in combination with one or more additional active moieties and/or groups selected from fluoroquinolone compounds or derivatives thereof; steroids or derivatives thereof; anti-inflammatory compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-fungal compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-bacterial compounds or derivatives thereof; antagonist compounds or derivatives thereof; H2 receptor compounds or derivatives thereof; chemotherapy compounds or derivatives thereof; tumor suppressor compounds or derivatives thereof; or C1 to C16 alkyl heteroatom groups where the heterotatom is selected from S, O, or N. In still another embodiment, the present invention relates to metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes that contain an anti-fungal and/or anti-microbial moiety and/or group in combination with two or more additional active moieties and/or groups selected from fluoroquinolone compounds or derivatives thereof; steroids or derivatives thereof; anti-inflammatory compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-fungal compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-bacterial compounds or derivatives thereof; antagonist compounds or derivatives thereof; H2 receptor compounds or derivatives thereof; chemotherapy compounds or derivatives thereof; tumor suppressor compounds or derivatives thereof; or C1 to C16 alkyl heteroatom groups where the heterotatom is selected from S, O, or N. |
| US08648204B2 |
1-phenyl-2-pyridinyl alkyl alcohol compounds as phosphodiesterase inhibitors
1-Phenyl-2-pyridinyl alkyl alcohol compounds are effective as inhibitors of the phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzyme and may be used to prevent and/or treat certain diseases or conditions. |
| US08648203B2 |
Process for preparing pyridinamines and novel polymorphs thereof
The present invention relates to an improved process for the synthesis and purification of 3-chloro-N-(3-chloro-5-tri-fluoromethyl-2-pyridyl)-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-di-nitro-p-toluidine (fluazinam) and other pyridinamines, which implements methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) as the reaction solvent. The process of the invention overcomes the drawbacks of prior art methods, by reducing the side reactions such as hydrolysis, eliminating the need for difficult and labor-intensive purification methods, and providing pure products in higher yields. The present invention relates to novel crystalline polymorphic forms fluazinam, and to mixtures of the polymorphs. The present invention also provides methods for preparing the novel polymorphs, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising same, and methods of using the polymorphs as pesticidal agents for combating noxious living organisms on agricultural and horticultural crops. |
| US08648202B2 |
Bis(perfluoroalkyl)phosphinous acids and derivatives and use thereof
The invention relates to bis(perfluoroalkyl)phosphinous acids, bis(perfluoroalkyl)thiophosphinous acids and derivatives, the synthesis thereof and the use thereof, in particular for the synthesis of air-stable metal complexes for catalytic processes. |
| US08648192B2 |
2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridin-4-ylboronic acid derivatives
The present invention relates to a compound of formula (I) wherein R1, R2 and n are as defined herein. The invention also relates to processes for making the compounds of formula (I) and methods of using the compounds of formula (I) as reagents in organic synthesis. |
| US08648190B2 |
Process for producing 2-hydroxymethylmorpholine salt
The invention relates to a production method of a 2-hydroxymethylmorpholine salt, which includes crystallization from a solution containing 2-hydroxymethylmorpholine of formula (1) 1,4-oxazepane compound of formula (2) and an acid. |
| US08648189B2 |
Method for the preparation of rivoraxaban
The present invention relates to the use of a compound having the formula (II) for the preparation of a compound having the formula (V). Methods of preparing the compound having the formula (V) using the compound having the formula (II) are also described. Individual reaction steps as well as intermediates are additionally claimed. |
| US08648184B2 |
Recombinant vectors carrying zearalenone-inducible promoter and methods for producing proteins and detecting zearalenone using them
The present invention relates to a zearalenone-inducible promoter originated from Gibberella zeae, recombinant vectors comprising the promoters, methods of producing proteins and detecting plants contaminated with zearalenone. The promoter of the present invention can be used for studying essential genes in fungus, characterizing the mechanism of self/nonself recognition in G. zeae, engineering of plant systems to generate plants that can recognize a G. zeae attack and detecting ZEA contamination as a biosensor. |
| US08648183B2 |
Modified promoter
It is intended to provide base sequences participating in the regulation of the expression of a promoter. It is also intended to modify a promoter based on the base sequence data to give a modified promoter having a high expression activity. Namely, a modified promoter constructed by inserting a first DNA fragment containing CCAATNNNNNN (SEQ ID NO:1) (a first base sequence) and a second DNA fragment containing CGGNNNNNNNNNGG (SEQ ID NO:2) (a second base sequence) into a promoter functioning in a filamentous fungus, wherein N in the base sequence denotes A (adenine), G (guanine), C(cytosine), or T (thymine). |
| US08648182B2 |
Polynucleotides encoding antibodies to cytokine receptor zcytor17
Novel polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for zcytor17, a novel cytokine receptor. The polypeptides may be used within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block ligand activity in vitro and in vivo. The polynucleotides encoding zcytor17, are located on chromosome 5, and can be used to identify a region of the genome associated with human disease states. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto. |
| US08648169B2 |
Methods of use of Trk receptor modulators
The present invention relates to methods of treating or preventing retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death and/or glaucoma using modulators of neurotrophic receptors that comprise β-turn peptidomimetic cyclic compounds or derivatives thereof. The neurotrophic receptor modulators can be used alone, in combination and/or in conjunction with one or more other compounds, molecules or drugs that treat or prevent ocular hypertension, RGC death and/or glaucoma. |
| US08648165B2 |
Polycarbonate resin composition
The present invention seeks to provide a resin composition which contains an aromatic polycarbonate resin and a polyester resin and which has excellent mechanical strength, flowability and thermal stability and also has excellent moist heat resistance together.The present invention is a resin composition containing 50 to 99 parts by weight of an aromatic polycarbonate resin (component A) and 1 to 50 parts by weight of a polyester resin (component B), the component B being a polyester resin polymerized in the presence of a titanium-phosphorus catalyst obtained by reacting titanium tetrabutoxide, etc., with monolauryl phosphate, etc. |
| US08648163B2 |
High molecular weight, random, bisphenol based copoly(phosphonate carbonate)s
Disclosed are random copoly(phosphonate carbonate)s with the high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution exhibiting a superior combination of properties compared to prior art. |
| US08648161B2 |
Polyacrylic acid (salt) -based water-absorbent resin and a method for producing it
The purpose of the present invention is to improve the water absorption of a water-absorbent resin without sacrificing the productivity, production cost, safety, and so on. Provided is a sustainable and renewable water-absorbent resin with excellent whiteness, which is suitable for mass consumption as disposal diapers or the like, and which can dispense with excessive purification of raw material acrylic acid. Also provided is a process for the production of a water-absorbent resin, which comprises: a step of preparing acrylic monomers; a step of polymerizing the monomers; and a step of drying the obtained aqueous gel, wherein the monomers at the time of polymerization contain at least 400 ppm of propionic acid. |
| US08648160B2 |
Optical semiconductor sealing material
The present invention provides an optical semiconductor sealing material comprising a radically polymerized polymer of a methacrylate ester having an alicyclic hydrocarbon group containing 7 or more carbon atoms, e.g. an adamantyl group, a norbornyl group, or a dicyclopentanyl group; and an optical semiconductor sealing material comprising a radically polymerized polymer of 50 to 97 mass % of the methacrylate ester and 3 to 50 mass % of acrylate ester having a hydroxyl group. The optical semiconductor sealing material of the present invention is highly transparent and stable to UV light and thus does not undergo yellowing. In addition, the material exhibits excellent compatibility between heat resistance and refractive index, does not undergo deformation or cracking during heating processes such as reflow soldering, and shows high processability. The material can be preferably used as a sealing material for light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements of optical semiconductor devices (semiconductor light-emitting devices). |
| US08648159B2 |
Crosslinkable vinyl ester copolymers and their use as low-profile additives
The invention relates to cross-linkable vinylester-copolymers obtained by means of radically initiated polymerisation of a) one or more vinyl esters and b) one or more ethylenically unsaturated, epoxy functional monomers, and by a subsequent reaction that is analogous to polymerisation of the thus obtained base polymers with one or more ethylenically unsaturated acids g), such that at least one ethylenically unsaturated, polymerizable group is introduced into each base polymer. Said invention is characterised in that the cross-linkable vinylester-copolymers have molecular weights of Mn of ≧6.500 g/mol. |
| US08648157B2 |
Metal-containing compositions
The present invention relates to metal-containing compositions comprising a metal-containing precursor unit (MU), a prepolymer unit (PU), and a catalyst or an initiator capable of inducing a combining reaction of ethylenically unsaturated groups of the metal-containing precursor unit and the prepolymer unit. In another embodiment, the composition comprises MU and a catalyst or initiator capable of inducing a combining reaction of the metal-containing precursor units. Both MU and PU contain additional functional groups, which may be selected to impart compatibility with each other and to produce optically clear films. The metal-containing compositions can be used to produce films or articles having a transmittance of at least 90% and index of refraction in the range of 1.4 to 1.8 in the 400-700 nm range of light and 1.4 to 2.4 in the 150-400 nm range of light. |
| US08648146B2 |
Activated solid support and method
Disclosed is a method for activating a solid support material with epoxy groups and for immobilizing ligands thereon, utilizing phase transfer catalytic conditions. The method permits the introduction of epoxy groups and specific nucleophilic ligands on the support material with a high level of substitution. Furthermore, the invention provides a general method for immobilizing a ligand for use in a wide variety of chromatographic separation procedures such as ion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC), reverse phase chromatography (RPC), or affinity chromatography. |
| US08648144B2 |
Crosslinked fibers and method of making same by extrusion
The present disclosure relates to a method of forming fibers. First and second precursors, each possessing a core and at least one functional group known to have click reactivity, are mixed. The mixed precursors are then extruded under heat to cross-link during fiber production. |
| US08648142B2 |
Poly (arylene sulfide) resin composition and production process thereof
A poly(arylene sulfide) resin composition including 100 parts by weight of a substantially linear straight-chain poly(arylene sulfide) resin, 1 to 50 parts by weight of a branched poly(arylene sulfide) resin having a melt viscosity of 11.0×104 to 27.0×104 Pa·s as measured at a temperature of 330° C. and a shear rate of 2 sec−1, an average particle diameter of 50 to 2,000 μm and a melt viscoelasticity tan δ of 0.10 to 0.30 as measured at a temperature of 310° C. and an angular velocity of 1 rad/sec, and 1 to 400 parts by weight of an inorganic filler, and a production process thereof. |
| US08648140B2 |
Toluene and styrene derived telomer distributions and brominated flame retardants produced therefrom
This invention relates to novel and useful toluene and styrene derived telomer distributions, such distributions being desirable substrates for the preparation of brominated flame retardants. |
| US08648135B2 |
Surface-treatment agent, method for producing coated steel sheet using the surface-treatment agent, and coated steel sheet
A surface-treatment agent contains a resin compound having a specific bisphenol skeleton, a cationic urethane resin emulsion, a silane coupling agent, an organic titanium chelate compound, a tetravalent vanadyl compound, and water, with predetermined proportions and having a pH of 4 to 5; a method for producing a coated steel sheet using the surface-treatment agent; and a coated steel sheet. |
| US08648134B2 |
Polymer processing aids
A polymer composition comprises a polymer matrix, a first fluorine-containing processing aid, and a second processing additive system that is substantially free of fluorine and that comprises: (a) a lubricant and (b) a surfactant. |
| US08648133B2 |
Rubber composition for golf ball
The invention provides a rubber composition for golf balls which includes (A) a base rubber containing a polybutadiene having a cis-1,4 bond content of at least 60 wt %, (B) an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, and (C) a thiourea of the general formula wherein R is independently at each occurrence a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group of 1 to 20 carbons. The golf ball rubber composition of the invention enables a high-quality molded and crosslinked product having a suitable hardness and a high resilience to be obtained. |
| US08648131B2 |
Process for the preparation of an artificial latex
Accordingly, the invention provides a process for the preparation of an artificial latex, comprising the steps: (a) emulsification of a cement comprising a rubber dissolved in a suitable organic solvent, together with an aqueous surfactant solution, thus forming an oil-in-water emulsion; (b) step-wise reduction of the solvent content of the oil-in-water emulsion in two or more stages resulting in an artificial latex. In addition, the invention provides a continuous stirred vessel for removing an organic solvent from an oil-in-water emulsion comprising rubber dissolved in an organic solvent. |
| US08648130B2 |
Resin composition, transparent member obtained from the resin composition, and use of the same
The present invention provides a resin composition which enables to obtain a transparent member having excellent transparency, high refractive index and high strength and an optical component composed of such a transparent member. A resin composition of the present invention comprises a polymerizable compound or a resin component and an organically modified fine particle produced in the presence of a high-temperature high-pressure water as a reaction field, in which an organic material is bonded to the surface of a metal fine particle. |
| US08648129B2 |
Synthetic composition of marble and method of production
A method of producing a synthetic composition having properties of marble includes blending a polymer resin with a stone gravel bit to form a mixture. The method also includes processing the mixture of polymer resin with the stone gravel bit to produce a synthetic marble composition through a polymerization of the mixture that is cast in a casting cell. Further, the method may include preparing a mold to form a casting cell, removing air bubbles from the mixture of polymer resin with the stone gravel bit to enhance a physical property of the synthetic marble material, casting the mixture in the casting cell, polymerizing the cast mixture through an autoclave polymerization of the mixture at a pressure ranging from 1 to 10 atmospheres and a temperature ranging from 50° to 100° C. to prepare the synthetic marble material composition, and curing the synthetic marble sheet in an oven. |
| US08648125B2 |
Stabilization of silsesquioxane resins
Disclosed is silsesquioxane resin composition that contains a free radical curable functional group that is stabilized with a hydrophilic inhibitor. The hydrophilic inhibitor that has the capability to scavenge free radicals such as ascorbic acid or salicylic acid is used to stabilize the resin. The resins are useful in semiconductor formation such as for anti-reflective coatings, hardmasks or photoresist layers. |
| US08648123B2 |
Hydrofluoropropene blowing agents for thermoplastics
The present invention relates to blowing agent compositions comprising the unsaturated halogenated hydroolefin 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HFO 1243zf) and combinations including primarily 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (HFO 1243zf). The blowing agent compositions are useful in that they provide sufficient plasticization to permit the production of low density insulating thermoplastic foams with improved k-factor. |
| US08648121B2 |
Hydromethanation of a carbonaceous feedstock with nickel recovery
The present invention relates to processes for hydromethanating a nickel-containing (and optionally vanadium-containing) carbonaceous feedstock while recovering at least a portion of the nickel content (and optionally vanadium content) originally present in the carbonaceous feedstock. |
| US08648118B2 |
Bicyclic ring system substituted amide functionalised phenols as medicaments
This invention relates to bicyclic ring system substituted amide functionalized phenols of general formula 1, their use as inhibitors of CXCR2 activity, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and methods of using the same as agents for treatment and/or prevention of respiratory or gastrointestinal complaints or diseases, inflammatory diseases of the joints, skin, or eyes, diseases of the peripheral or central nervous system or cancers, as well as pharmaceutical compositions which contain these compounds. |
| US08648115B2 |
Anti-oomycetes
The present invention relates to the use of compounds of general formula (I) or of a salt thereof as anti-oomycetes and to a method for combating plant pathogens using said compounds. |
| US08648112B2 |
Therapeutic uses of urolithins
The subject invention is drawn to ellagitannin metabolites (e.g., urolithin) that find use in treating or preventing a neoplastic disease in a subject. |
| US08648104B2 |
Method for treating proliferative disorders associated with mutations in c-Met
The present invention relates to methods of inhibiting the activity of Hsp90 in a subject in need thereof and methods for treating c-Met associated cancers, in a subject in need thereof. |
| US08648103B2 |
Nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclyl compound
The present invention provides a compound having excellent regulating action on blood lipid level that is represented by the following general formula (I) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof, wherein, in one embodiment, A represents a 5-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocyclyl group; R1 represents COOH; each R2 represents an alkyl; each R3 represents an optionally substituted phenyl, an optionally substituted phenylalkyl; m represents 0, 1, 2, or 3; n represents 0 or 1; each of R4, R5, R6, and R7 represents H, an alkyl; and B represents an optionally substituted naphthyl, an optionally substituted aromatic heterocyclyl, or a group represented by the following formula (II) wherein each of B1 and B2 represents an optionally substituted phenyl or an optionally substituted aromatic heterocyclyl. |
| US08648098B2 |
Pirfenidone therapy and inducers of cytochrome P450
The present invention relates to methods involving avoiding adverse drug interactions with pirfenidone and CYP inducers, such as smoking. |
| US08648097B2 |
Pyridylaminoacetic acid compound
The present invention provides a novel pyridylaminoacetic acid compound represented by the following formula (1): (wherein R1, R2, R3, Y and Z are as defined in the description and claims), or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof. The pyridylaminoacetic acid compound has EP2 agonistic action and is therefore useful as a therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent for respiratory diseases such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. |
| US08648094B2 |
IAP BIR domain binding compounds
Disclosed herein is an isomer, enantiomer, diastereoisomer or tautomer of a compound represented by Formula I: or a prodrug, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or labeled with a detectable label or an affinity tag thereof; wherein R1, R1a, R100, R100a, R2, R200, W, B, and W1 are defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of using compounds of Formula I to treat proliferative disorders such as cancer. |
| US08648093B2 |
Salt and crystalline forms thereof of a drug
A crystalline form of a drug, ways to make it, compositions containing it and methods of treatment of diseases and inhibition of adverse physiological events using it are disclosed. |
| US08648087B2 |
N4-phenyl-quinazoline-4-amine derivatives and related compounds as ErbB type I receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases
This invention provides compounds of Formula I wherein B, G, A, E, R1, R2, R3, m and n are as defined herein, which are useful as type I receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and methods of use thereof in the treatment of hyperproliferative disorders in mammals. |
| US08648074B2 |
Substituted octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine sulfonamides as calcium channel blockers
The present application relates to: (a) compounds of Formula (I): and salts thereof, wherein Z′, Z″, L2, G2, R1, and R2 are as defined in the specification; (b) compositions comprising such compounds and salts; and (c) methods of use of such compounds, salts, and compositions, particularly use as calcium channel blockers. |
| US08648065B2 |
Antibacterial medicinal composition of enhanced oral absorptivity
An objective of the present invention is to provide a cefditoren pivoxil pharmaceutical preparation which can safely be administered to a patient and not only improves wettability of cefditoren pivoxil, but also further improves absorbability through the intestinal tracts by maintaining amorphous particles having a high oral absorbability in a liquid for a long period of time. The present invention is a pharmaceutical composition comprising amorphous cefditoren pivoxil and a sucrose fatty acid ester, which is obtainable by mixing or wet-granulating particles containing amorphous cefditoren pivoxil with the sucrose fatty acid ester while amorphous cefditoren pivoxil maintains its particle state. |
| US08648064B2 |
Metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes
The present invention generally relates to metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes that contain one or more additional active moieties and/or groups therein. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes that contain an anti-fungal and/or anti-microbial moiety and/or group in combination with one or more additional active moieties and/or groups selected from fluoroquinolone compounds or derivatives thereof; steroids or derivatives thereof; anti-inflammatory compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-fungal compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-bacterial compounds or derivatives thereof; antagonist compounds or derivatives thereof; H2 receptor compounds or derivatives thereof; chemotherapy compounds or derivatives thereof; tumor suppressor compounds or derivatives thereof; or C1 to C16 alkyl heteroatom groups where the heterotatom is selected from S, O, or N. In still another embodiment, the present invention relates to metal complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes that contain an anti-fungal and/or anti-microbial moiety and/or group in combination with two or more additional active moieties and/or groups selected from fluoroquinolone compounds or derivatives thereof; steroids or derivatives thereof; anti-inflammatory compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-fungal compounds or derivatives thereof; anti-bacterial compounds or derivatives thereof; antagonist compounds or derivatives thereof; H2 receptor compounds or derivatives thereof; chemotherapy compounds or derivatives thereof; tumor suppressor compounds or derivatives thereof; or C1 to C16 alkyl heteroatom groups where the heterotatom is selected from S, O, or N. |
| US08648063B2 |
Potentiation of cancer chemotherapy by 7-(2, 5-dihydro-4-imidazo [1, 2-a] pyridine-3-yl-2,5-dioxo-1H-pyrrol-3-yl)-9-fluoro-1,2,3,4 tetrahydro -2-(1-piperidinyl-carbonyl)-pyrrolo [3,2,1-jk] [1,4] benzodiazepine
An improved method for treating gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, or colorectal cancer in a patient is described, as well as pharmaceutical compositions useful for the method and a process for preparing said compositions. |
| US08648062B2 |
Composition and method for irrigation of a prepared dental root canal
Composition and method for irrigating a prepared dental root canal. The composition is an aqueous composition of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, chlorhexidine or orally acceptable addition salt, and N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide, and is effective for simultaneous smear layer removal and disinfection. |
| US08648059B2 |
Use of epicatechin and derivatives and salts thereof for cardiac protection of ischemic myocardium and to ameliorate adverse cardiac remodeling
The disclosure provides a method of reducing infarct size in the heart following permanent ischemia or ischemia/reperfusion (IR) event or method for delaying, attenuating or preventing adverse cardiac remodeling comprising administering a drug selected from the group consisting of epicatechin, derivatives thereof and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein the subject is a human or a veterinary animal. Additionally the disclosure provides a method of treating subarachnoid hemorrhage or atrial fibrillation or of enhancing or preserving migration, seeding, proliferation, differentiation and/or survival of stem cells in injured heart tissue comprising administering a drug selected from the group consisting of epicatechin, derivatives thereof and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The effects of epicatechin administration are sustained over time. |
| US08648057B2 |
Pharmaceutical composition free from dexpanthenol, calcium ions, and phosphate and use of calcium chelating agent and ophthalmologically compatible viscosity regulator
The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition free from dexpanthenol, calcium ions and phosphate, comprising at least one calcium chelating agent and at least one opthalmologically compatible viscosity regulator and optionally one or more pharmaceutical excipients. The invention further relates to the use of a calcium chelating agent and an opthalmologically compatible viscosity regulator for the production of a phosphate-free pharmaceutical composition for the treatment and/or prevention of epithelial defects. |
| US08648054B2 |
4′-substituted nucleoside derivatives as inhibitors of HCV RNA replication
The present invention relates to the use of nucleoside derivatives of formula Ia wherein the symbols are as defined in the specification, and of pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds. |
| US08648053B2 |
Antisense oligonucleotides that target a cryptic splice site in Ush1c as a therapeutic for Usher syndrome
The present invention provides a method for treating Usher's syndrome in a human subject including administering to the human subject an oligonucleotide having 8 to 30 linked nucleosides having a nucleobase sequence comprising a complementary region comprising at least 8 contiguous nucleobases complementary to a target region of equal length within exon 3 of an Usher RNA transcript. |
| US08648049B2 |
Pigment aggregates
The invention provides a method for in vitro formation of anthocyanic vacuolar inclusion (AVI)-like structures, the method comprising the step of combining at least one anthocyanin, and b) at least one lipid. The invention also provides AVI-like structures produced by the method of the invention, compositions comprising such AVI-like structures, and uses of such AVI-like structures. |
| US08648046B2 |
Compositions and methods for visualizing and eliminating cancer stem cells
The present invention relates generally to the field of cancer diagnosis and treatment, and more particularly to compositions and methods that may be useful for eliminating cancer cells with stem-like characteristics. The disclosed compositions and methods may also be useful for managing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer or endometrial (uterine) cancer with metastases; and visualizing the cancer cells in patient's body. The compositions of the instant invention include human prolactin receptor antagonist G129R. |
| US08648034B2 |
Method and applications of peptide-mediated mitochondrial delivery system
The present invention relates to a method using a cell penetrating peptide (Pep-1) for labeling and delivering mitochondria separated from healthy cells to replace damaged mitochondria. At present, microinjection of mitochondria into cells can only process one cell at a time, and therefore, this technique is limited to embryo related research and relevant applications. The advantages of the said peptide-mediated mitochondrial delivery system (PMD) include less steps with more efficiency, where a number of cells can be treated following one labeling process; the delivery process can be easily controlled, there is no cell toxicity after delivery under appropriate conditions, and delivery efficiency is over 80% depending on different cell types. Mitochondria delivered by the PMD system will move to the original mitochondrial location in the cells and will not be catalyzed in lysosomes; thus, the therapeutic effects can last at least one week. |
| US08648031B2 |
Macrocyclic lactones
The present invention relates to novel macrocyclic lactones, to processes for their preparation and to their use as fragrances and also to products comprising the novel macrocyclic lactones. |
| US08648028B2 |
Capsule with organic/inorganic hybrid wall
The present disclosure relates to a capsule having a core and a shell surrounding the core. The shell comprises a polymeric material produced by reacting a component (A) with a component (B). Component (A) comprises a polysiloxane bearing one or more amino groups and component (B) comprises one or more polyisocyanates. The disclosure also relates to processes for producing the capsules, methods of using the capsules, and to products containing the capsules. |
| US08648027B2 |
Low-VOC cleaning substrates and compositions comprising a cationic biocide
A cleaning composition for sanitizing and/or disinfecting hard surfaces, comprising: a cationic biocide, surfactant and low levels of VOC solvents. The cleaning composition is adapted to clean a variety of hard surfaces without leaving behind a visible residue and creates low levels of streaking and filming on the treated surface. The cleaning composition contains less than 5% by weight of VOCs. The cleaning composition may be used alone as a liquid or spray formulation or in combination with a substrate, for example, a pre-loaded cleaning wipe. |
| US08648024B2 |
Hydrophobic silicas as squeakiness enhancers in cleansing compositions
A cleanser composition is provided which includes: (i) from 0.01 to 5% by weight of a hydrophobic or cationic silica having a number average particle size ranging from 1 to 30,000 nm; (ii) from 0.1 to 30% by weight of a non-soap synthetic surfactant; and wherein the composition exhibits a UMT Test number of rubs to stick-slip from 1 to 12 under a 20 g load, and a foam volume ranging from 200 to 800 ml using a SITA Foam Tester. |
| US08648021B2 |
Lubricant base oil and a process for producing the same, and lubricating oil composition
A hydrocarbon-based lubricating base oil wherein a urea adduct value is not greater than 4% by mass, a viscosity index is 100 or higher, an average of carbon atoms number is 23-31 as determined by gas chromatography distillation, a value obtained by dividing an integral value of a peak in 30 ppm by an integral value of total peaks in the range of from 0 ppm to 50 ppm for the 13C-NMR spectrum is 0.1-0.2, and a product of a value obtained by dividing an integral value of peaks attributed to tertiary carbon atoms by an integral value of total peaks in the range of from 0 ppm to 50 ppm for the 13C-NMR spectrum, and the average of carbon atoms number, is 1.8-2.5. |
| US08648017B2 |
Methods of using small RNA from bodily fluids for diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases
Described are methods for detection of neuronal pathologies using quantitative analysis in bodily fluids of synapse and/or neurite small RNAs and application of these methods to early diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases and other neurological disorders. |
| US08648014B2 |
Herbicides containing substituted thien-3-yl-sulphonylaminio(thio)carbonyl-triazolin(ethi)ones
The invention relates to herbicidal compositions, their preparation, and their use for controlling unwanted vegetation. The compositions include an effective amount of an active compound combination that includes: (a) a substituted thien-3-yl-sulphonylaminocarbonyltriazolinone of formula (I-2) or salts thereof; and (b) at least one of the known herbicides listed in the disclosure and, (c) optionally a safener. |
| US08648013B2 |
Oil suspensions of sulphonylureas and agrochemical combinations
An agrochemical formulation in the form of an oil suspension characterized in that it contains as essential elements of the formulation (percentages by weight related to the total weight of the formulation) at least; a herbicide of the sulphonylurea type at a concentration of 0.5-50%, preferably 2-30%, a paraffin mineral oil at a concentration of 10-75%, preferably without the existence of any other type of mineral or vegetable oil in the formulation and the concentration of mineral oil being 40-60%, an organomodified silane compound at a concentration of 5-40%, preferably 10-25%, with the existence of other coformulants until reaching 100% by weight of the formulation. |
| US08648011B2 |
Herbicidal compositions
The present invention provides a herbicidal composition comprising: (i) a compound of Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined herein; and (ii) a safener of Formula (II); or an agronomically acceptable salt of said compounds, wherein Ra, Rb and Rc are as defined herein. |
| US08648010B2 |
Thermal transfer image-receiving sheets
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet including a dye receiving layer which contains a resin (A) including a graft polymer containing a main chain segment (A1) formed of a polyester resin having an acid value of from 5 to 40 mgKOH/g and a side chain segment (A2) formed of an addition polymer-based resin, wherein the segment (A1) is obtained by polycondensing an alcohol component containing an alkyleneoxide adduct of 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane in an amount of 60 mol % or more with a carboxylic acid component, and the segment (A2) contains a constitutional unit derived from an aromatic group-containing addition-polymerizable monomer in an amount of 85% by weight or more. |
| US08648009B2 |
Method for the synthesis of porous carbon materials
Nanoporous and mesoporous carbon materials are fabricated in a pyrolysis process in which a starting mixture including a carbonizing polymer and a pyrolyzing polymer are employed. In one instance, the carbonizing polymer and pyrolyzing polymer are joined together in the form of a block copolymer. In another instance, the carbonizing polymer is a polyfurfuryl alcohol and the pyrolyzing polymer is polyethylene glycol diacid. These two polymer materials are mixed together and not copolymerized. The pore structure of the material may be controlled by controlling the molecular weight of various of the polymer components. |
| US08648008B2 |
Arsenic adsorbing composition and methods of use
In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides filtering compositions, their method of production, and methods for their use. In specific implementations, the filtering composition includes lanthanum and has a surface area of at least about 125 g/m2. In more specific examples, the filtering composition is free-flowing or has a moisture content between about 10 wt % about 30 wt %. Particular compositions include at least one of iron or magnesium. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide filtering compositions that are resilient or leach-resistant. |
| US08648007B2 |
Vaporization and transportation of alkali metal salts
An apparatus and method for vaporizing and transporting an alkali metal salt is shown. The apparatus has a first conduit capable of transporting an alkali metal salt solution and a second conduit in fluid communication with the first conduit, the second conduit capable of transporting steam so that the alkali metal salt is dissipated into the steam forming a solution that can be transported, such as to a remote reaction zone. The solution can be transported via a third conduit that is capable of being heated by a heat source. The method can be used to add a promoter to a dehydrogenation catalyst during a dehydrogenation reaction. |
| US08648001B2 |
Aminosilane compounds, catalyst components and catalysts for olefin polymerization, and process for production of olefin polymers with the same
A catalyst for polymerization of olefins formed from (A) a solid catalyst component containing magnesium, titanium, halogen, and an electron donor compound, (B) an organoaluminum compound shown by the formula, R6pAlQ3-p, and (C) an aminosilane compound shown by the formula, R3nSi(NR4R5)4-n; and a process for producing a catalyst for polymerization of olefins in the presence of the catalyst are provided. A novel aminosilane compound, a catalyst component for polymerization of olefins having a high catalytic activity, capable of producing polymers with high stereoregularity in a high yield, and exhibiting an excellent hydrogen response, a catalyst, and a process for producing olefin polymers using the catalyst are provided. |
| US08647998B2 |
Catalyst regeneration apparatus and associated regeneration process
The present invention relates to a continuous catalyst regeneration device comprising at least one burning zone formed by at least one annular combustion zone (3), centered along a longitudinal axis (A), in which the catalyst circulates, an inlet conduit of the catalyst (4) and an outlet conduit of the catalyst (4′), an external zone (11) for circulation of a combustive gas disposed around the annular combustion zone (3) and an internal circulation zone (15) disposed inside the annular combustion zone (3), wherein the burning zone is divided into sectors (14) by hermetic longitudinal plates (10) disposed radially relative to the longitudinal axis (A) of the regenerator.The invention also relates to the process using this device. |
| US08647995B2 |
Fusion formable silica and sodium containing glasses
Sodium containing aluminosilicate and boroaluminosilicate glasses are described herein. The glasses can be used as substrates or superstrates for photovoltaic devices, for example, thin film photovoltaic devices such as CIGS photovoltaic devices. These glasses can be characterized as having strain points ≧535° C., for example, ≧570° C., thermal expansion coefficients of from 8 to 9 ppm/° C., as well as liquidus viscosities in excess of 50,000 poise. As such they are ideally suited for being formed into sheet by the fusion process. |
| US08647989B2 |
Method of forming opening on semiconductor substrate
The present invention provides a method of forming an opening on a semiconductor substrate. First, a substrate is provided. Then a dielectric layer and a cap layer are formed on the substrate. A ratio of a thickness of the dielectric layer and a thickness of the cap layer is substantially between 15 and 1.5. Next, a patterned boron nitride layer is formed on the cap layer. Lastly, an etching process is performed by using the patterned hard mask as a mask to etch the cap layer and the dielectric layer so as to form an opening in the cap layer and the dielectric layer. |
| US08647987B2 |
Method for improving uniformity of chemical-mechanical planarization process
The invention provides a method for improving uniformity of chemical-mechanical planarization process, comprising the steps of: forming features on a substrate; forming a first dielectric isolation layer between the features; planarizing the first dielectric isolation layer until the features are exposed, causing the first dielectric isolation layer between the features to have a recess depth; forming a second dielectric isolation layer on the features and the first dielectric isolation layer, whereby reducing the difference in height between the second dielectric isolation layer between the features and the second dielectric isolation layer on the top of the features; planarizing the second dielectric isolation layer until the features are exposed. According to the method for improving uniformity of chemical-mechanical planarization process of the invention, a dielectric isolation layer is formed again after grinding the dielectric isolation layer on the top of the features, such that the difference in height between the dielectric layer between the features and the dielectric layer on the top of the features is effectively reduced, and the recess of the features is compensated, the within-in-die uniformity is effectively improved. |
| US08647985B2 |
Method for polishing a substrate composed of semiconductor material
Semiconductor material substrates are polished by a method including at least one polishing step A by means of which the substrate is polished on a polishing pad containing an abrasive material bonded in the polishing pad and a polishing agent solution is introduced between the substrate and the polishing pad during the polishing step; and at least one polishing step B by means of which the substrate is polished on a polishing pad containing an abrasive material-containing polishing pad and wherein a polishing agent slurry containing unbonded abrasive material is introduced between the substrate and the polishing pad during the polishing step. |
| US08647978B1 |
Use of graphene to limit copper surface oxidation, diffusion and electromigration in interconnect structures
A contiguous layer of graphene is formed on exposed sidewall surfaces and a topmost surface of a copper-containing structure that is present on a surface of a substrate. The presence of the contiguous layer of graphene on the copper-containing structure reduces copper oxidation and surface diffusion of copper ions and thus improves the electromigration resistance of the structure. These benefits can be obtained using graphene without increasing the resistance of copper-containing structure. |
| US08647972B1 |
Multi-layer work function metal replacement gate
Embodiments relate to a field-effect transistor (FET) replacement gate apparatus. The apparatus includes one or more of a substrate and insulator including a base and side walls defining a trench. A high-dielectric constant (high-k) layer is formed on the base and side walls of the trench. The high-k layer has an upper surface conforming to a shape of the trench. A first layer is formed on the high-k layer and conforms to the shape of the trench. The first layer includes an aluminum-free metal nitride. A second layer is formed on the first layer and conforms to the shape of the trench. The second layer includes aluminum and at least one other metal. A third layer is formed on the second layer and conforms to the shape of the trench. The third layer includes aluminum-free metal nitride. |
| US08647969B1 |
Method for forming a semiconductor layer with improved gap filling properties
A method of manufacturing a memory device includes forming a first dielectric layer over a substrate, forming a charge storage element over the first dielectric layer and forming an inter-gate dielectric over the charge storage element. The method also includes depositing a silicon control gate layer over the inter-gate dielectric using a reactant that contains chlorine. |
| US08647967B2 |
Hexagonal wurtzite type epitaxial layer possessing a low alkali-metal concentration and method of creating the same
A method of obtaining a hexagonal würtzite type epitaxial layer with a low impurity concentration of alkali-metal by using a hexagonal würtzite substrate possessing a higher impurity concentration of alkali-metal, wherein a surface of the substrate upon which the epitaxial layer is grown has a crystal plane which is different from the c-plane. |
| US08647963B2 |
Structure and method of wafer level chip molded packaging
A wafer is provided having a chip side and a non-chip side, the chip side comprising a plurality of semiconductor chips. A plurality of dies are provided, each of the dies is bonded to one of the plurality of semiconductor chips. One or more trenches are formed on the chip side of the wafer. The chip side of the wafer and the plurality of dies are encapsulated with a protecting material, the protecting material substantially filling the one or more trenches. The wafer is diced to separate it into individual semiconductor packages. |
| US08647961B2 |
Method for filling cavities in wafers, correspondingly filled blind hole and wafer having correspondingly filled insulation trenches
A method is described for filling cavities in wafers, the cavities being open to a predetermined surface of the wafer, including the following steps: applying a lacquer-like filling material to the predetermined surface of the wafer; heating the wafer at a first temperature; driving out gas bubbles enclosed in the filling material by heating the wafer under vacuum at a second temperature which is equal to or higher than the first temperature; and curing the filling material by heating the wafer at a third temperature which is higher than the second temperature. Furthermore, also described is a blind hole filled using such a method and general 3D cavities as well as a wafer having insulation trenches of a silicon via filled using such a method. |
| US08647957B2 |
Method for making semi-conductor nanocrystals
A method for making semi-conductor nanocrystals, including at least the steps of: forming solid carbon chemical species on a semi-conductor thin layer provided on at least one dielectric layer, the dimensions and the density of the carbon chemical species formed on the semi-conductor thin layer being a function of the desired dimensions and density of the semi-conductor nanocrystals; annealing the semi-conductor thin layer, performing a dewetting of the semi-conductor and forming, on the dielectric layer, the semi-conductor nanocrystals. |
| US08647950B2 |
Vertical gate LDMOS device
A method of fabricating a vertical gate region in LDMOS transistor includes depositing a first masking layer on an n-well region implanted on a substrate, patterning the first masking layer to define an area, depositing a second masking layer over the area, etching through the second masking layer in a first portion of the area to expose the n-well region, and etching the exposed n-well region to form a first trench. The first trench, extending from a surface of the n-well region to a first depth, is filled with an oxide. The second masking layer is etched through in a second portion of the area to expose the n-well region. A second trench is formed in the n-well, the second trench extending from the surface to a second depth, less than the first depth. An asymmetric vertical gate is formed by filling the second trench with a conductive material. |
| US08647940B2 |
Semiconductor memory device including multi-layer gate structure
A semiconductor memory device includes a first select transistor, first stepped portion, and a first contact plug. The first select transistor is formed on a side of an upper surface of a substrate and has a first multi-layer gate. The first stepped portion is formed by etching the substrate adjacent to the first multi-layer gate of the first select transistor such that the first stepped portion forms a cavity in the upper surface of the substrate. The first contact plug is formed in the first stepped portion. |
| US08647938B1 |
SRAM integrated circuits with buried saddle-shaped FINFET and methods for their fabrication
SRAM ICs and methods for their fabrication are provided. One method includes depositing photoresist on a first oxide layer overlying a silicon substrate, forming a pattern of locations, using said photoresist, for the formation of two inverters, each having a pull up transistor, a pull down transistor, and a pass gate transistor on said oxide layer. The method involves anisotropically etching U-shaped channels in the oxide layer corresponding to pattern, and thereafter isotropically etching U-shaped channels in the silicon layer to form saddle-shaped fins in the silicon. A second oxide layer is deposited over the saddle-shaped fins, and a first metal layer is deposited over the second oxide layer. A contact metal layer is formed over the first metal layer and planarized to form local interconnections coupling the gate electrodes of one inverter to a node between the pull up and pull down transistors of the other inverter and to a source/drain of one of the pass gate transistors. |
| US08647933B2 |
Method for manufacturing semiconductor device and display device
It is an object to provide a method for manufacturing a display device suitable for mass production without complicating a manufacturing process of a thin film transistor. A microcrystalline semiconductor film is formed by use of a microwave plasma CVD apparatus with a frequency of greater than or equal to 1 GHz using silicon hydride or silicon halide as a source gas, and a thin film transistor using the microcrystalline semiconductor film and a display element connected to the thin film transistor are formed. Since plasma which is generated using microwaves with a frequency of greater than or equal to 1 GHz has high electron density, silicon hydride or silicon halide which is a source gas can be easily dissociated, so that mass productivity of the display device can be improved. |
| US08647919B2 |
Light-emitting display device and method for manufacturing the same
Provided is a method to manufacture a light-emitting display device in which a contact hole for the electrical connection of the pixel electrode and one of the source and drain electrode of a transistor and a contact hole for the processing of a semiconductor layer are formed simultaneously. The method contributes to the reduction of a photography step. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer where a channel formation region is formed. |
| US08647917B2 |
Method of manufacturing solar cell
A method of manufacturing a solar cell includes the following steps. An ion implantation process is performed to a first surface of a substrate to form a first doping layer. Then, the ion implantation process is performed to a second surface of the substrate to form a second doping layer. After that, an annealing process is performed to the structure formed by the substrate, the first doping layer and the second doping layer, and forming a first passivation layer on the first doping layer and a second passivation layer on the second doping layer by the annealing process. A third passivation layer is formed on the first passivation layer formed after the annealing process and a fourth passivation layer is formed on the second passivation layer formed after the annealing process. Afterward, conductive electrodes are formed on the third passivation layer and the fourth passivation layer, respectively. |
| US08647914B2 |
Solar cell and method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating a solar cell includes forming an emitter layer of a second conductive type on a front surface and a back surface of a substrate of a first conductive type opposite to the second conductive type, forming an anti-reflection layer on the front surface of the substrate, partially removing the anti-reflection layer and the emitter layer to form an isolation groove dividing the emitter layer into a plurality of regions, removing a portion of the emitter layer formed on the back surface of the substrate, and forming a passivation layer covering the isolation groove and the back surface of the substrate. |
| US08647912B2 |
Solar cell and method for manufacturing solar cell
The present invention is a solar cell 500 comprising the substrate 510 made of a crystalline semiconductor, an i-type semiconductor layer 520a and an i-type semiconductor layer 520b each made of an amorphous semiconductor, and a first-conductivity type semiconductor layer 530 and a second-conductivity type semiconductor layer 540 each made of an amorphous semiconductor, in which by catalytic chemical vapor deposition in which catalyzers decompose raw gas when being heated by receiving an electric current, the i-type semiconductor layer 520a is formed on the principle plane 515a by the catalyzer placed at the position facing the principle plane 515a, the i-type semiconductor layer 520b is formed on the principle plane 515b by the catalyzer placed at the position facing the principle plane 515b are formed on the i-type semiconductor layer 520a and the i-type semiconductor layer 520b on the substrate 510. |
| US08647910B2 |
Masking pastes and processes for manufacturing a partially transparent thin-film photovoltaic panel
The present invention relates to masking pastes and methods for removing portions of the back electrode and photovoltaic junction from a photovoltaic laminate to create a partially transparent thin-film photovoltaic panel. Such panels may be useful in window and sun-roof applications. This method can be used to edge-delete and electrically isolate a photovoltaic panel and to reduce the reflectivity of the sun-facing substrate surface. |
| US08647905B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and a light emitting part provided therebetween. The light emitting part includes a plurality of light emitting layers. Each of the light emitting layers includes a well layer region and a non-well layer region which is juxtaposed with the well layer region in a plane perpendicular to a first direction from the n-type semiconductor layer towards the p-type semiconductor layer. Each of the well layer regions has a common An In composition ratio. Each of the well layer regions includes a portion having a width in a direction perpendicular to the first direction of 50 nanometers or more. |
| US08647900B2 |
Micro-structure phosphor coating
An optical emitter includes micro-structure phosphor coating on a light-emitting diode die mounted on a package substrate. The micro-structures are transferred onto a micro-structure phosphor coating precursor by patterning and curing the precursor or by curing the precursor through a mold. The micro-structures are half spheroids, three-sided pyramids, or six-sided pyramids. |
| US08647890B2 |
Method for the rapid diagnosis of targets in human body fluids using undiluted samples
More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for the detection of a target, e.g. pathogen in a human body fluid wherein a body fluid sample is collected with a swab member. |
| US08647889B2 |
Luminescent polymer cyclic amplification
The present invention is directed to a luminescent immunoassay method for detecting an analyte in a liquid sample with high sensitivity. The invention provides a unique combination of (i) using a probe having a small sensing surface area for binding analyte molecules, (ii) using a high molecular weight branched polymer conjugated with multiple binding molecules and multiple luminescent labels, and (iii) cycling the probe having immunocomplex formed back to the reagent vessel and amplification vessel 1-10 times and repeating the reaction with the reagent and the amplification polymer, to improve the sensitivity of detection level. For each cycling, the luminescent signal is increased significantly over the noise. |
| US08647887B2 |
Measuring G protein coupled receptor activation
The present invention relates to methods and polypeptides for detecting a compound in a sample. In particular, the present invention relates to the use of a cell-free composition comprising at least one G protein coupled receptor embedded in a lipid Mayer which when expressed in a cell the N-terminus of the G protein coupled receptor, or subunits thereof, is outside the cell and the C-terminus is inside the cell, and which is capable of binding the compound. Optionally, the composition also comprises at least one accessory molecule that directly or indirectly binds an intracellular loop and/or the C-terminus of the G protein coupled receptor. The G protein coupled receptor, and/or accessory molecule when present, in combination comprise a bioluminescent protein and an acceptor molecule, which enables bioluminescent resonance energy transfer (BRET) to be used to detect the compound binding the receptor. |
| US08647884B2 |
Organic chemical sensor with microporous organosilicate material
Multi-layered optical sensor films are disclosed. The sensor films include a first reflective layer, a detection layer over the reflective layer, and optionally a second reflective layer over the detection layer. The detection layer contains a hydrophobic, amorphous, substantially microporous, analyte-sensitive organosilicate composition. The analyte-sensitive organosilicate composition provides an optical change in the film upon analyte exposure. |
| US08647880B2 |
Mass spectrometry-based protein identification method with selective N-terminus derivatization
A method of detection of amino acid sequences and/or identification of proteins and peptides is based on derivatization of peptides or proteins using compounds comprising two or more sulfonyl groups, and subsequent analysis of the derivatized analytes using a mass spectrometer in its negative mode of operation. |
| US08647873B2 |
PDX1 expressing endoderm
Disclosed herein are cell cultures comprising PDX1-positive endoderm cells and methods of producing the same. Also disclosed herein are cell populations comprising substantially purified PDX1-positive endoderm cells as well as methods for enriching, isolating and purifying PDX1-positive endoderm cells from other cell types. Methods of identifying differentiation factors capable of promoting the differentiation of endoderm cells, such as PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells and PDX1-negative definitive endoderm cells, are also disclosed. |
| US08647870B2 |
Use of biological photoreceptors as directly light-activated ion channels
A biological photoreceptor, which is a directly light-controlled ion channel, including (i) an apoprotein and (ii) a light-sensitive polyene covalently bound to the apoprotein, the polyene interacting with the apoprotein and functioning as a direct light-sensitive gate. |
| US08647869B2 |
Compositions and methods for autologous germline mitochondrial energy transfer
Oogonial stem cell (OSC)-derived compositions, such as nuclear free cytoplasm or isolated mitochondria, and uses of OSC-derived compositions in autologous fertility-enhancing procedures are described. |
| US08647867B2 |
Cell cultivation method and cell culture
Provided is a cell cultivation method in which the cell is cultured using a peptide hydrogel as a scaffold, for carrying out high-dimensional culture of a cell such as porcine hepatocyte, human hepatocyte, porcine pancreatic islet or human pancreatic islet for a long period under conditions where cell survival, cell morphology and cell functions are maintained. Also provided are a cell culture including a cell and a peptide hydrogel obtained by the above-described cultivation method, a bioreactor including the cell culture, and a cell preparation including the cell culture. |
| US08647857B2 |
Processes for the digestion of colanic acid
The present disclosure generally relates to processes employing polypeptides having colanic acid-degrading activity. The processes generally involve contacting a biological material with a polypeptide capable of digesting colanic acid. Additional process steps, such as chromatographic separation steps, are also described. |
| US08647856B2 |
Methods for producing polypeptides in enzyme-deficient mutants of Fusarium venenatum
The present invention relates to methods of producing a polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a mutant of a parent Fusarium venenatum strain in a medium for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the mutant strain comprises a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide and one or more (several) genes selected from the group consisting of pyrG, amyA, and alpA, wherein the one or more (several) genes are modified rendering the mutant strain deficient in the production of one or more (several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of orotidine-5′-monophosphate decarboxylase, alpha-amylase, and alkaline protease, respectively, compared to the parent Fusarium venenatum strain when cultivated under identical conditions; and (b) recovering the polypeptide from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to enzyme-deficient mutants of Fusarium venenatum strains and methods for producing such mutants. |
| US08647854B2 |
Metagenome-derived alkaline phosphatase
The present invention relates to a metagenome-derived alkaline phosphatase, and more particularly to a novel, metagenome-derived alkaline phosphatase screened using a artificial genetic circuit that detects phenolic compounds, and a preparation method thereof. A novel alkaline phosphatase according to the present invention has high activity of dephosphorylating DNA and can be inactivated rapidly by simple heat treatment. Thus, it can be used for a dephosphorylation reaction so that genetic manipulations, including genetic cloning, become efficient. In addition, it can be actively expressed in recombinant microorganisms, and thus can be used in various assays, including enzyme immunoassay. |
| US08647850B2 |
Process for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation for production of ethanol
Methods are disclosed for the production of high concentrations of ethanol from biomass using Zymomonas as the ethanologen. Zymomonas is grown under conditions of low impeller agitation with high concentration of insoluble solids in a saccharification-fermentation mixture during a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation reaction for the production of high concentrations of ethanol. |
| US08647848B2 |
Enzymatic synthesis of sphingolipids
The invention relates to the enzymatic synthesis of sphingolipids and compositions that contain sphingolipids from lysosphingolipids and carbonic esters, and to cosmetic, dermatological or pharmaceutical formulations containing said sphingolipids or compositions. |
| US08647846B2 |
Container and method for production of biomembrane
A method and a container for production of a biomembrane are disclosed in the present invention. The biomembrane produced in the method and in the container of the present invention can be processed into a mask, wherein processes for changing the shape of the biomembrane are unnecessary. The mask produced from the biomembrane can be efficient to maintain the skin, and to supply the moisture thereto. |
| US08647845B2 |
Method for producing sugar
Provided is a method for efficiently producing sugar and simultaneously efficiently producing ethanol. A method for producing sugar characterized by comprising a pretreatment step in which a plant-origin sugar solution is fermented by a microorganism having no sucrose-degrading enzyme and a step for producing sugar from the fermented sugar solution. A method for producing sugar characterized by comprising a pretreatment step in which a plant-origin sugar solution is fermented by a microorganism in the presence of a sucrose-degrading enzyme inhibitor and a step for producing sugar from the fermented sugar solution. |
| US08647844B2 |
Glucosyl stevia composition
Glucosyl stevia compositions are prepared from steviol glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The glucosylation was performed by cyclodextrin glucanotransferase using the starch as source of glucose residues. The short-chain glucosyl stevia compositions were purified to >95% content of total steviol glycosides. The compositions can be used as sweetness enhancers, flavor enhancers and sweeteners in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. |
| US08647842B2 |
Methods for producing a fusion protein capable of binding VEGF
The present invention provides methods for producing a fusion protein capable of binding vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF). The methods of the invention comprise growing recombinant cells in suspension culture, wherein the recombinant cells contain an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule encoding a fusion protein that binds VEGF, and isolating the fusion protein from the suspension culture. The fusion protein may comprise a VEGF receptor component having an immunoglobulin-like (Ig) domain 2 of a first VEGF receptor, an Ig domain 3 of a second VEGF receptor, and a multimerizing component. |
| US08647835B2 |
Methods for separation, characterization and/or identification of microorganisms using spectroscopy
The present invention is directed to a method for separating, characterizing and/or identifying microorganisms in a test sample. The method of the invention comprises an optional lysis step for lysing non-microorganism cells that may be present in a test sample, followed by a subsequent separation step. The method may be useful for the separation, characterization and/or identification of microorganisms from complex samples such as blood-containing culture media. The method may also be useful for the physical separation and/or enrichment of two or more different or individual microorganism species contained in a mixed test sample. The invention further provides for spectroscopic interrogation of the separated microorganism sample(s) to produce measurements of the microorganism and characterizing and/or identifying the microorganism(s) in the sample using said spectroscopic measurements. |
| US08647834B2 |
Screening method for enzyme inhibitors
Novel glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase-like proteins (QPCTLs), which are isoenzymes of glutaminyl cyclase (QC, EC 2.3.2.5), and to isolated nucleic acids coding for these isoenzymes, all of which are useful for the discovery of new therapeutic agents, for measuring cyclase activity, and for determining the inhibitory activity of compounds against these glutaminyl cyclase isoenzymes. |
| US08647831B2 |
Cobalamin assay
The present invention provides a specific binding partner for holoTC having a specificity for holoTC over apoTC of at least 40-fold and an assay method for assaying for holoTC in a sample, the method comprising contacting the sample with a specific binding partner for holoTC and detecting the resultant conjugates. |
| US08647829B2 |
Switchable affinity binders
Methods and kits for binding and releasing biological targets, comprising, a binder comprising an environmentally reactive molecular switch that can switch between a high affinity state, to bind the target, to a low affinity state, to release the target. |
| US08647826B2 |
Nucleic acid and corresponding protein entitled 125P5C8 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
A novel gene (designated 125P5C8) and its encoded protein, and variants thereof, are described wherein 125P5C8 exhibits tissue specific expression in normal adult tissue, and is aberrantly expressed in the cancers listed in Table I. Consequently, 125P5C8 provides a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic target for cancer. The 125P5C8 gene or fragment thereof, or its encoded protein, or variants thereof, or a fragment thereof, can be used to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response; antibodies or T cells reactive with 125P5C8 can be used in active or passive immunization. |
| US08647824B2 |
Microbial reductive dehalogenation of vinyl chloride
Compositions and methods are provided that relate to the bioremediation of chlorinated ethenes, particularly the bioremediation of vinyl chloride by Dehalococcoides-like organisms. An isolated strain of bacteria, Dehalococcoides sp. strain VS, that metabolizes vinyl chloride is provided; the genetic sequence of the enzyme responsible for vinyl chloride dehalogenation; methods of assessing the capability of endogenous organisms at an environmental site to metabolize vinyl chloride; and a method of using the strains of the invention for bioremediation. |
| US08647822B2 |
Determining whether a test compound modulates PD-1 activity in activated immune cells using gene expression profiles
Modulation of PD-1 activity in the presence or absence of an agent as measured by a gene expression profile of at least two genes is provided. Reagents, kits, methods and uses thereof for the modulation of immune function comprise the identification of modulators of PD-1 activity. |
| US08647819B2 |
Association of the progesterone receptor with fertility
A single nucleotide polymorphic site at position 59752 of the bovine PGR gene is associated with improved fertilization rate or early embryo survival. Disclosed are nucleic acid molecules, kits, methods of genotyping and marker assisted bovine breeding methods. |
| US08647818B2 |
Molecular scaffolds for HIV-1 immunogens
Methods and compositions are provided which employ chimeric polypeptides having at least one heterologous epitope for a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) neutralizing antibody. These chimeric polypeptides behave as molecular scaffolds which are capable of presenting the various heterologous HIV-1 epitopes. The invention demonstrates that a heterologous epitope recognized by the HIV-1 neutralizing antibody can be more fully exposed to neutralizing antibodies when presented within the backbone of the chimeric polypeptide than when the epitope is presented within the context of an HIV-1 backbone. Polynucleotides encoding these chimeric polypeptides are also provided. Immunogenic compositions are provided which comprise a chimeric polypeptide having at least one heterologous epitope that interacts with an HIV-1 neutralizing antibody. Immuno genie compositions comprising chimeric polynucleotides encoding the chimeric polypeptides of the invention are also provided. Vaccines comprising such immunogenic compositions are also provided. Further provided are methods which employ the immunogenic compositions of the invention. Such methods include, for example, methods for eliciting an immune response in a subject, methods for generating antibodies specific for the chimeric polypeptide or the chimeric polypeptide, and methods for inhibiting or preventing infection by HIV-1 in a subject. |
| US08647817B2 |
Vapor treatment process for pattern smoothing and inline critical dimension slimming
A method for patterning a substrate is described. The method includes forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate, and preparing a pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a lithographic process, wherein the pattern is characterized by a critical dimension (CD) and a roughness. Following the preparation of the pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, the method further includes performing a CD slimming process to reduce the CD to a reduced CD, and performing a vapor smoothing process to reduce the roughness to a reduced roughness. |
| US08647816B2 |
Method of manufacturing electronic device
A method of manufacturing an electronic device, comprises forming a material layer, forming an anti-halation layer on the material layer, forming a resist layer on the anti-halation layer, forming a resist pattern including a plurality of island patterns by patterning the resist layer through an exposure step and a development step, forming a mask layer having a plurality of moderate convex shape portions by annealing the resist pattern to change shapes of the island patterns to moderate convex shapes, and plasma-processing the mask layer, the anti-halation layer, and the material layer so as to remove the mask layer and the anti-halation layer and change the material layer to a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses, wherein the anti-halation layer reduces halation in the exposure step. |
| US08647814B2 |
Method of making nanopatterns and nanostructures and nanopatterned functional oxide materials
Method for nanopatterning of inorganic materials, such as ceramic (e.g. metal oxide) materials, and organic materials, such as polymer materials, on a variety of substrates to form nanopatterns and/or nanostructures with control of dimensions and location, all without the need for etching the materials and without the need for re-alignment between multiple patterning steps in forming nanostructures, such as heterostructures comprising multiple materials. The method involves patterning a resist-coated substrate using electron beam lithography, removing a portion of the resist to provide a patterned resist-coated substrate, and spin coating the patterned resist-coated substrate with a liquid precursor, such as a sol precursor, of the inorganic or organic material. The remaining resist is removed and the spin coated substrate is heated at an elevated temperature to crystallize the deposited precursor material. |
| US08647812B2 |
Pattern forming method, chemical amplification resist composition and resist film
A pattern forming method comprising (i) a step of forming a film from a chemical amplification resist composition, (ii) a step of exposing the film, and (iii) a step of developing the exposed film by using an organic solvent-containing developer, wherein the resist composition contains (A) a resin capable of increasing the polarity to decrease the solubility for an organic solvent-containing developer by the action of an acid, (B) at least one kind of a compound capable of generating a sulfonic acid represented by the specific formula upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, and (C) a solvent. |
| US08647811B2 |
Positive-working lithographic printing plate precursors
A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor has an outermost imageable layer that is present at a dry coverage weight of at least 0.7 g/m2 and up to and including 1.6 g/m2 and comprises a primary polymeric binder comprising recurring units of a hydroxyaryl acetal or a hydroxyaryl ester, or recurring units of both a hydroxyaryl acetal and a hydroxyaryl ester. The outermost imageable layer also contains an alkali-soluble secondary vinyl polymer that is not a primary polymeric binder and a non-polymeric polyhydric phenol. These precursors comprise an infrared radiation absorber to make them sensitive and imageable using infrared radiation. After imaging, the precursors can be processed (developed) using an relatively low pH developer such as a silicate- or metasilicate-free developer. |
| US08647810B2 |
Resist lower layer film-forming composition, polymer, resist lower layer film, pattern-forming method, and method of producing semiconductor device
A resist lower layer film-forming composition includes (A) a polymer that includes a cyclic carbonate structure. The polymer (A) includes a structural unit (I) shown by the following formula (1). |
| US08647809B2 |
Metal-oxide films from small molecules for lithographic applications
Metal-oxide films for lithographic applications are provided. The films are formed from compositions comprising metal-oxide precursor compounds including metals and metalloids other than silicon. These films are easily produced and can be modified with a variety of ligands, including alkoxides, phenoxides, carboxylates, beta-diketones, and beta-ketoesters. |
| US08647808B2 |
Fluorinated monomer, polymer, resist composition, and patterning process
A fluorinated monomer has formula (1) wherein R1 is H, F, methyl or trifluoromethyl, R2 and R3 are H or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, R4 to R6 each are a monovalent fluorinated hydrocarbon group, A is a divalent hydrocarbon group, and k1 is 0, 1 or 2. A polymer derived from the fluorinated monomer may be endowed with appropriate water repellency, water slip, acid lability and hydrolysis and is useful as an additive polymer in formulating a resist composition. |
| US08647798B2 |
Photoreceptor, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A photoreceptor including an electroconductive substrate; a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive substrate; and a protection layer on the photosensitive layer, wherein the protection layer includes a radical polymerizable compound having three or more radical polymerizable groups without a charge transportable group, a monofunctional radical polymerizable compound having a specific charge transportable group and a non-radical polymerizable compound having a specific charge transportable group. |
| US08647796B2 |
Photoactive compound gradient photoresist
A system and method for forming photoresists over semiconductor substrates is provided. An embodiment comprises a photoresist with a concentration gradient. The concentration gradient may be formed by using a series of dry film photoresists, wherein each separate dry film photoresist has a different concentration. The separate dry film photoresists may be formed separately and then placed onto the semiconductor substrate before being patterned. Once patterned, openings through the photoresist may have a tapered sidewall, allowing for a better coverage of the seed layer and a more uniform process to form conductive materials through the photoresist. |
| US08647794B2 |
Method of forming holograms in polymer composites with confined crystallization
A polymer composite prepared by melt blending, comprising an amorphous polymer; and a crystallizable polymer; wherein upon cooling the polymer composite, the amorphous polymer forms a continuous phase and the crystallizable polymer forms a dispersed phase, and wherein the dispersed phase is less than 200 nanometers in size. |
| US08647788B2 |
Fuel cell module
A fuel cell module (1) with a fuel cell (2), a residual gas burner (4) and a heat exchanger (6). The service life of the module (1) can be improved by at least one compensator (27) for establishing a flow-carrying connection between the residual gas burner (4) and the heat exchanger (6). |
| US08647786B2 |
Fuel cell system
A cell stack pair (100a, 100b) includes refrigerant introduction openings (42a, 42b) arranged at lower end portions of the cell stacks (100a, 100b) and also includes refrigerant discharge openings (44a, 44b) arranged at upper end portions of the cell stacks (100a, 100b), and the cell stack pair (100a, 100b) is arranged symmetrical about a plane (v) vertical to a horizontal plane (h). The direction of stacking of unit cells (50) in each of the cell stacks (100a, 100b) is inclined relative to the horizontal plane (h). |
| US08647784B2 |
Fuel cell stack start method preventing cathode deterioration
A fuel cell stack start method is to provide in which without relying on oxidation and reduction condition of an anode, an output reduction of the fuel cell stack can be avoided.In the start method of a solid polymer type fuel cell stack that is comprised of a separator including an anode flow channel for flowing a fuel, another separator including a cathode flow channel for feeding an oxidant and electrodes and an electrolyte interposed between the separators, the method is characterized by performing successively a first step of feeding the fuel to the fuel cell stack under a condition that a cathode is covered by generated water, a second step of forming an oxide layer on the cathode, a third step of feeding the oxidant gas to the fuel cell stack and a fourth step of extracting load current from the fuel cell stack. |
| US08647780B2 |
Materials useful as electrolytic solutes
The invention concerns novel ionic compounds with low melting point whereof the onium type cation having at least a heteroatom such as N, 0, S or P bearing the positive charge and whereof the anion includes, wholly or partially, at least an ion imidide such as (FXI0)N—(OX2F) wherein X1 and X2 are identical or different and comprise SO or PF, and their use as solvent in electrochemical devices. Said composition comprises a salt wherein the anionic charge is delocalised, and can be used, inter alia, as electrolyte. |
| US08647778B2 |
Process for preparing electroactive insertion compounds and electrode materials obtained therefrom
A process for preparing an at least partially lithiated transition metal oxyanion-based lithium-ion reversible electrode material, which includes providing a precursor of said lithium-ion reversible electrode material, heating said precursor, melting same at a temperature sufficient to produce a melt including an oxyanion containing liquid phase, cooling said melt under conditions to induce solidification thereof and obtain a solid electrode that is capable of reversible lithium ion deinsertion/insertion cycles for use in a lithium battery. Also, lithiated or partially lithiated oxyanion-based-lithium-ion reversible electrode materials obtained by the aforesaid process. |
| US08647774B2 |
Non-aqueous electrolytic batteries containing an active material including a monoclinic B-type titanium composite oxide
According to one embodiment, an active material for batteries includes a titanium composite oxide, wherein the titanium composite oxide includes a monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide as a main phase, and when an integral intensity of the main peak of the monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide obtained with a wideangle X-ray diffraction method having a CuKα-ray as an X-ray source is 100, the relative value of the integral intensity of the main peak that presents the range of 2θ=25.1 to 25.5° attributed to at least one sub-phase selected from anatase-type TiO2 and H2Ti8O17 is 30 or less, and the titanium composite oxide has a crystallite diameter of 5 nm or more as calculated from the main peak of the monoclinic β-type titanium composite oxide obtained with the wideangle X-ray diffraction method. |
| US08647769B2 |
Lithium-sulphur battery with high specific energy
The invention provides for a method of discharging a chemical source of electric energy in two stages. The chemical source of electric energy comprises a positive electrode (cathode) including sulphur or sulphur-based organic compounds, sulphur-based polymeric compounds or sulphur-based inorganic compounds as a depolarizer, a negative electrode (anode) made of metallic lithium or lithium-containing alloys, and an electrolyte comprising a solution of at least one salt in at least one aprotic solvent. The method comprises the steps of configuring the chemical source of electric energy to generate soluble polysulphides in the electrolyte during a first stage of a two stage discharge process, and selecting the quantity of sulphur in the depolariser and the volume of electrolyte in a way that after the first stage discharge of the cathode, the concentration of the soluble polysulphides in the electrolyte is at least seventy percent (70%) of a saturation concentration of the polysulphides in the electrolyte. |
| US08647766B2 |
Voltage detection in a battery
A battery having a plurality of cell pairs arranged in an array is disclosed. The cells pairs are coupled longitudinally. Sense leads are provided on the ends of cell pairs to obviate providing a sense lead proximate the junction of the cell pair. |
| US08647765B2 |
Method of manufacturing a battery pack to minimize circulating current
A battery pack has a plurality of assembled batteries connected in parallel. Each of the assembled batteries has a plurality of cells connected electrically. A circulating current in each of the assembled batteries is calculated from an open circuit voltage of the assembled battery that varies according to the number of the cells connected in series, a value indicating a charge state of the assembled battery that varies according to the number of the cells connected in parallel, and an internal resistance of the assembled battery. The number of the cells connected in parallel and the number of the cells connected in series in each of the assembled batteries are numbers determined under the condition that the circulating current should not exceed an allowable current value for the assembled battery. |
| US08647757B2 |
Assembly formed of nanotube arrays containing magnetic nanoparticles
A magnetic storage medium is formed of magnetic nanoparticles that are encapsulated within nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes), which are arranged in a substrate to facilitate the reading and writing of information by a read/write head. The substrate may be flexible or rigid. Information is stored on the magnetic nanoparticles via the read/write head of a storage device. These magnetic nanoparticles are arranged into data tracks to store information through encapsulation within the carbon nanotubes. As carbon nanotubes are bendable, the carbon nanotubes may be arranged on flexible or rigid substrates, such as a polymer tape or disk for flexible media, or a glass substrate for rigid disk. A polymer may assist holding the nanoparticle filled carbon-tubes to the substrate. |
| US08647753B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device
Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent device comprising a structure having an anode, an emitting layer, and a cathode stacked therein, wherein a fluorescent compound represented by Formula 1 is used as a emitting material of the emitting layer or used as a dopant of the emitting layer: wherein A1 and A2 are independently selected from a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 aliphatic group, a C6-C20 aromatic group and a C5-C19 heterocyclic group containing N, S or O, A3 is selected from a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 aliphatic group, a C6-C20 aromatic group, a C5-C19 heterocyclic group containing N, S or O, and a hydrogen atom, and substituents of A1, A2 and A3 are respectively one or more and the substituent is selected from the group consisting of C1-C10 alkyl, C1-C1 alkoxy, C1-C10 alkylamino, C1-C10 alkylsilyl, a halogen atom, C6-C10 aryl, C6-C10 aryloxy, C6-C10 arylamino, C6-C10 arylsilyl and a hydrogen atom. |
| US08647746B2 |
Intermediate transfer member
The present teachings provide an intermediate transfer member which includes a substrate layer and a surface layer disposed on the substrate layer. The surface layer includes a plurality of core-shell particles wherein the core is a conductive particle and the shell is a fluoroplastic dispersed in a fluoroelastomer. |
| US08647739B2 |
Transparent flat article made of nanostructured acrylic materials
The present invention relates to the field of nanostructured acrylic polymer materials having both very good optical properties and good mechanical and surface properties. The invention relates to an acrylic resin composition containing a PMMA matrix (component 1) having a glass transition temperature of greater than 0° C., dispersed in which is an acrylic block copolymer (component 2). Characteristically, the composition of the invention contains from 60 to 80% by weight of said PMMA matrix, and from 20 to 40% by weight of said block copolymer. According to another aspect, the invention relates to a transparent flat article containing the aforementioned acrylic resin composition, having the following features: a thickness ranging from 300 to 900 microns, preferably from 400 to 700 micrometers; a light transmission at least equal to 91%; a haze of less than or equal to 2%; and no appearance of haze when the temperature rises to 80° C. |
| US08647737B2 |
Method for fabrication of crack-free ceramic dielectric films
The invention provides a process for forming crack-free dielectric films on a substrate. The process comprise the application of a dielectric precursor layer of a thickness from about 0.3 μm to about 1.0 μm to a substrate. The deposition is followed by low temperature heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization step for each layer. The deposition, heat pretreatment, prepyrolysis, pyrolysis and crystallization are repeated until the dielectric film forms an overall thickness of from about 1.5 μm to about 20.0 μm and providing a final crystallization treatment to form a thick dielectric film. Also provided was a thick crack-free dielectric film on a substrate, the dielectric forming a dense thick crack-free dielectric having an overall dielectric thickness of from about 1.5 μm to about 20.0 μm. |