| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08693325B2 |
Radio communication system, radio communication method, gateway apparatus, and radio station
A radio communication system includes a gateway apparatus and a plurality of radio stations performing radio communication. The gateway apparatus includes, a generation unit that generates allocation information on one or more individual channels each allocated individually to one of a plurality of radio stations; and a transmission unit that transmits the generated allocation information, and the plurality of radio stations each of which comprising, a receiving unit that receives the allocation information; and a data transmission unit that performs data transmission through the one or more individual channels when information indicating an own station is included in the received allocation information, and performs data transmission by random access through a channel other than the one or more individual channels in a radio frame when information indicating the own station is not included in the received allocation information. |
| US08693320B2 |
Congestion level indication with explicit congestion notification in communication systems
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for indicating and responding to various congestion levels in a communication system, such as a wireless communication network. A congestion level in the network is determined, and a percentage of data packets to be transmitted to an endpoint, such as user equipment or another network endpoint serving the user, are marked to indicate the congestion level. The endpoint determines the congestion level at the network from the percentage of received data packets that are marked and may initiate an appropriate response behavior in response to the determined congestion level. |
| US08693319B2 |
Scheme for avoiding deadlock in multi-ring interconnect, with additional application to congestion control
A method and system to avoid multi-ring deadlock. The method includes removing a message on a multi-ring interconnect either with a ring connector associated with the target of the message or by the message's source station such that the message travels no more than one time around the slotted ring interconnect before its removal. The method may also be applied to single ring networks for congestion control. |
| US08693317B2 |
System and method for backup communication using power over ethernet
A system and method for providing backup communications using Power over Ethernet (PoE) are disclosed. A backup communication system (BCS) is provided as part of a networked (TCP/IP) hospital communication system. The BCS is coupled to a power line used to provide power to a PoE switch. When TCP/IP communications are interrupted, the BCS receives patient call signals from patient room terminals over a secondary communication mode of the power line, and transmits those call signals to a nurses' station. The call signals can be generated by coupling a pulse-coded AC signal onto the PoE wires, or by sending voltage coded data in one direction and current-coded data in the other direction. Different signals or signal levels can be used to distinguish normal patient calls, patient emergency calls, and code calls. Thus, basic communications can be achieved when TCP/IP are unavailable. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08693307B2 |
Wireless communication system, transmitter, receiver and wireless communication method
A transmitter transmits a wireless signal produced by allocating data to component carriers for a plurality of communication bands, and a receiver receives the wireless signal and carries out a reception process for the received wireless signal with a predetermined reception sampling frequency are provided, and the component carriers are arranged at such positions that the data do not overlap with each other when the component carriers are superimposed on a frequency axis. |
| US08693305B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting OFDM signals in the presence of frequency orthogonal OFDM interferers
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques and apparatus for detecting Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signals in the presence of frequency orthogonal OFDM interferers. |
| US08693302B2 |
Compatible optical recording medium
The present invention relates to a format of a recordable optical recording medium, which is designed in such a way that it can be read by any standard player and recorder. The optical recording medium has a recording layer with a structure of lands and grooves, which generates a strong push-pull signal in an area of the recording layer without recorded marks and a small push-pull signal in an area of the recording layer with recorded marks. |
| US08693299B2 |
Media processing system, control method for media processing system, and media processing device
A media processing system that produces discs with assured quality suited to long-term data storage. A data write unit writes data on a recording surface of a disc. A label print unit prints on the label side of the disc. An error rate measurement unit measures the error rate of the disc D after writing data is completed. An error rate evaluation unit determines if the media error rate measured by the error rate measurement unit is less than or equal to a preset threshold value. When the error rate evaluation unit determines that the media error rate is less than or equal to the threshold value, the label print unit prints a label image on the label side. |
| US08693298B2 |
Recording apparatus and recording method
A recording apparatus includes: a light illumination and light sensing unit configured to illuminate an optical disc recording medium including a reference surface having address information recorded and a recording layer, with recording light and light for position control; a recording unit which performs recording on the recording layer; and a control unit which controls, when data instructed to be recorded is to be recorded from an instructed recording start address, the recording unit to perform recording of dummy data on an area adjacent to a front side at least from the recording start address over a range of equal to or greater than the maximum spot deviation amount between an illumination spot of the light for position control and an illumination spot of the recording light and to perform recording of the data instructed to be recorded in succession to a recorded area of the dummy data. |
| US08693295B2 |
Optical disc medium and optical disc device
When using an optical disc medium that includes pit trains having their widths narrower than a diffraction limit, it is difficult to detect a tracking error signal and take a tracking-servo control while increasing pit density in a direction orthogonal to a pit-train extension direction. Information pit trains are arranged spirally or concentrically and formed in a structure in which their depths are changed periodically at a pitch radially along the optical disc medium, so that the tracking error signal can be obtained by push-pull detection of diffraction light from the structure. |
| US08693293B2 |
Watch assembly having a plurality of time-coordinated belts
A watch for providing a digital time display comprises a movement mechanism disposed in a case that includes a number of continuous belts. The belts each have a numerical indicia consistent with hours, minutes and optionally second. The belts mounted over opposed drums, and the drums are rotated through gear engagement motors to move the belts. The arrangement of belts and drums are mounted on a frame separate from the case. The motors are operated to move the belts to cause the numerical indicia of the combined belts to register with one or more windows visible through a transparent cover to provide a time display. The belts may be oriented to overlap one another. The watch includes a microcontroller for controlling the operation of the motors, an optical sensor to determining the position of the belts, and a wirelessly rechargeable battery pack for powering the motors. |
| US08693292B2 |
Electronic timepiece and secondary battery unit
The electronic timepiece has an external case; a time indicating section that indicates the time; a solar panel; and a battery housing section that is provided in a main plate, a positive side contact terminal that is electrically connected to a positive supply terminal of the indication controlling section and configured such that the positive side contact terminal can be brought into contact with a positive terminal of a battery housed in the battery housing section; a negative side contact terminal that is electrically connected to a negative supply terminal of the indication controlling section and configured such that the negative side contact terminal can be brought into contact with a negative terminal of a battery housed in the battery housing section; and a contact section is positioned such that the contact section is not in contact with a battery housed in the battery housing section. |
| US08693289B2 |
Timepiece device with multiple-hand
A timepiece device with multiple-hand includes: one or more hands driven to rotate by one or more driving motors; one or more gear train mechanisms include gears which transmit a rotation movement of the driving motors to the hands; and a support plate which supports the gears; wherein the gears include: a first gear which includes a pair of gear members provided on front and rear sides of the support plate; a second gear which meshes with a gear member provided on the rear side to transmit a rotation movement of one of the driving motors to the first gear; and a third gear which meshes with a gear member provided on the front side to transmit a rotation movement of one of the driving motors to the hands. |
| US08693285B2 |
Sound generation system, ultrasonic wave emitting device, and ultrasonic wave emitting method
Disclosed are a sound generation system, an ultrasonic wave emitting device, and an ultrasonic wave emitting method which utilize the principle of parametric speakers (which uses the difference between frequencies of two ultrasonic waves) and which are capable of allowing target persons in a prescribed area to hear a sound only when a mobile body approaches said prescribed area. An alert system (10) has an ultrasonic wave emitting device (100) mounted on a mobile body (200), and an ultrasonic wave emitting device (300) permanently installed near an area (A101). The ultrasonic wave emitting device (300) emits a first ultrasonic wave towards an area at least including the aforementioned area (A101), and meanwhile, the ultrasonic wave emitting device (100) emits a second ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic emitting device (100) forms the second ultrasonic wave by means of modulating the ultrasonic wave of frequency f1 with an audible signal. |
| US08693284B2 |
Apparatus for creating pressure pulses in the fluid of a bore hole
An apparatus for creating pressure pulses in the fluid of a bore hole is described. The preferred embodiment takes the form of a mud pulser apparatus having a signalling valve controlled by a variable pilot valve. The forces on the signalling valve are balanced and controlled by the flow of mud through the variable orifice of the pilot valve. The arrangement is such as to act like a hydraulic amplifier, and results in the signalling valve being compensated for variable flow rates. In the preferred embodiment, the pilot valve has rotary vanes that allow it to be self-cleaning. |
| US08693280B2 |
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus provided with an ultrasonic image measuring unit configured to measure an ultrasonic image of an object to be examined, a display unit configured to display the ultrasonic image, an input unit configured to input parameters for controlling the ultrasonic image measuring unit and the display unit, and a control unit configured to control the ultrasonic image measuring unit and the display unit by means of the parameters.The control unit is characterized by generating first switch information for inputting relating to a first control parameter included in the parameters, controlling the display unit to display the first switch information, selecting the first control parameter from the first switch information and inputting thereof, generating second switch information relating to a second control parameter which is the item next to the first control parameter, and controlling the display unit to display the second switch information. |
| US08693278B2 |
Semiconductor device and data processing system
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device comprising local bit lines, a global bit line, local switch control lines, main switch control lines, hierarchical switches controlling electrical connections between the local bit lines and the global bit line in response to potentials of the local switch control lines, local switch drivers driving the local switch control lines in response to potentials of the main switch control lines, and main switch drivers selectively activating the main switch control lines. |
| US08693277B2 |
Semiconductor device including plural chips stacked to each other
Such a device is disclosed that includes a first chip outputting a bank address signal and an active signal, and a plurality of second chips stacked on the first chip. Each of the second chips includes a plurality of memory banks each selected based on the bank address signal. Selected one or ones of the memory banks is brought into an active state in response to the active signal. Each of the second chips activates a local bank active signal when at least one of the memory banks included therein is in the active state. The first chip activates a bank active signal when at least one of the local bank active signals is activated. |
| US08693276B2 |
Power supply, associated management unit and method
The present invention discloses a power supply. The power supply may comprise an input power terminal, a capacitor module, a first converter module and a second converter module. The first converter module may have a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the input power terminal and the second terminal is coupled to the capacitor module. The second converter module may comprise an input and an output, wherein the input of the second converter module is coupled to the input power terminal, and the output of the second converter module is configured to supply a load. |
| US08693275B1 |
Method and apparatus for calibrating a read/write channel in a memory arrangement
A memory arrangement including a memory block and a controller. The memory block comprises a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell operable to store one of a plurality of different levels of charge. The controller is configured to write (i) a first reference signal threshold into a first memory cell and (ii) a second reference signal threshold into a second memory cell. The first reference signal threshold corresponds to a first level of charge of the plurality of different levels of charge, and the second reference signal threshold corresponds to a second level of charge of the plurality of different levels of charge. Each of the first level of charge and the second level of charge is used to calibrate a read back of any of the one of the plurality of different levels of charge stored among the plurality of memory cells in the memory block. |
| US08693268B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a charge pump circuit that generates a first voltage during a first period and a second voltage during a second period following the first period by a boosting operation, a load current application circuit that includes a first memory cell, and that applies the first voltage to the first memory cell, a memory circuit that includes a second memory cell, and that applies the second voltage to the second memory cell; and a voltage detection circuit that monitors a value of the first voltage to determine whether or not the first voltage is increased to the predetermined voltage, wherein the charge pump circuit stops the boosting operation if the first voltage is less than the predetermined voltage at an end of the first period. |
| US08693266B2 |
Apparatus and method for trimming reference cell in semiconductor memory device
A method of trimming a reference cell in a semiconductor memory device comprises the steps of: generating a reference current based on a bias voltage applied to the reference cell; generating a first current and a second current based on the value of a control voltage and the resistance of a precision resistor disposed outside the semiconductor memory device; comparing the reference current with the first current; comparing the reference current with the second current; programming the reference cell if the value of the reference current is greater than that of the first current; and erasing the reference cell if the value of the reference current is less than that of the second current. The value of the second current is less than that of the first current. |
| US08693265B2 |
Data inversion for dual-port memory
A semiconductor memory includes first and second memory storage latches each including first and second ports. A first pair of bit lines is coupled to the first ports, and a second pair of bit lines is coupled to the second ports. The first and second pairs of bit lines are twisted between the first and second memory storage latches. A first sense amplifier is coupled to the first pair of bit lines for outputting data, and a second sense amplifier is coupled to the second pair of bit lines for outputting an intermediate data signal. Output logic circuitry is coupled to an output of the second sense amplifier and is configured to output data based on the intermediate data signal and a control signal that identifies if the data is being read from the first memory storage latch or from the second memory storage latch. |
| US08693254B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device
A limiter circuit compares a voltage of a control gate line and a set voltage, thereby switching the logic of a flag signal. A booster circuit starts or stops its operation according to the logic of the flag signal. A leak reference circuit has a function of leaking a leak reference current from the control gate line. A counter generates a first count value by counting the number of times the flag signal logic changes in a condition that a word-line transfer transistor is rendered non-conductive and a leak reference circuit is driven, while the counter generates a second count value by counting the number of times the flag signal logic changes in a condition that the word-line transfer transistor is rendered conductive and the leak reference circuit is undriven. A comparator compares the first count value and the second count value. |
| US08693253B2 |
Vertically stackable NAND flash memory
A NAND flash memory includes a plurality of NAND flash memory structures separated by an insulating layer. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the NAND flash memory structure includes a first bitline extending along a first direction, a first charge-trapping region positioned over the first bitline, a wordline positioned over the first charge-trapping region and extending along a second direction, a second charge-trapping region positioned over the wordline, and a second bitline positioned over the second charge-trapping region, wherein the first charge-trapping region and the second charge-trapping region are stacked along a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. |
| US08693252B2 |
Method and system for adjusting read voltage in flash memory device
A method is provided for adjusting a read voltage in a flash memory device. The method includes storing first program count information when first pages of flash memory cells are programmed, the first program count information indicating a number of bits having a first logic value from among bits of data programmed in the first pages of the flash memory cells, and obtaining first read count information by counting a number of bits having the first logic value from among bits of data read from the first pages of the flash memory cells, while reading data from the flash memory cells using read voltages. The read voltages are adjusted based on the difference between the first read count information and the first program count information. |
| US08693250B2 |
Three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A three dimensional stacked nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to examples of the present invention includes a memory cell array comprised of first and second blocks disposed side by side and a driver disposed between the first and second blocks. At least two conductive layers having the same structure as that of the at least two conductive layers in the first and second blocks are disposed on the driver, and select gate lines in the first and second blocks are connected to the driver through the at least two conductive layers on the driver. |
| US08693249B2 |
Semiconductor memory devices
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory array, a row selection circuit and a bit line selection circuit. The memory array is composed of a plurality of cell units, wherein each cell unit has memory cells connected in series. The row selection circuit selects the memory cells in a row direction of the cell units, and the bit line selection circuit selects a bit line from an even bit line and an odd bit line coupled to the cell units. The bit line selection circuit includes a first selection part including selection transistors for selectively coupling the even or odd bit line to a sensor circuit and a second selection part including bias transistors for selectively coupling the even or odd bit line to a voltage source providing biases, wherein the bias transistors and the memory cells are formed in a common well. |
| US08693245B2 |
Multi-bit flash memory device and memory cell array
A flash memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks. A selected memory block among the plurality of memory blocks includes 2n pages of data. The selected memory block includes different types of memory cells capable of storing different numbers of bits. |
| US08693242B2 |
Nanotube based nanoelectromechanical device
A nanoelectromechanical device is provided. The nanoelectromechanical device includes a nanotube, a first contact, and a first actuator. The nanotube includes a first end, the first end supported by a first structure, a second end opposite the first end, and a first portion. The first actuator is configured to apply a first force to the nanotube, the first force causing the nanotube to buckle such that the first portion couples to the first contact. |
| US08693237B2 |
Single-ended SRAM with cross-point data-aware write operation
A single-ended SRAM including at least one memory cell and a third switch is provided. The memory cell includes a data-latching unit, a first switch, a second switch and a data-transferring unit. The data-latching unit is configured for latching the received input data and provides a storage data and the inverse data of the storage data. The first switch transfers a reference data to the data-latching unit according to a first word-line signal. The second switch transfers the reference data to the data-latching unit according to a second word-line signal. The data-transferring unit decides whether or not to transfer the reference data to the bit-line according to the storage data and a control signal. The third switch receives the reference data and the control signal and transfers the reference data to the first switch, the second switch and the data-transferring unit according to the control signal. |
| US08693235B2 |
Methods and apparatus for finFET SRAM arrays in integrated circuits
Methods and apparatus for providing single finFET and multiple finFET SRAM arrays on a single integrated circuit. A first single port SRAM array of a plurality of first bit cells is described, each first bit cell having a y pitch Y1 and an X pitch X1, the ratio of X1 to Y1 being greater than or equal to 2, each bit cell further having single fin finFET transistors to form a 6T SRAM cell and a first voltage control circuit; and a second single port SRAM array of a plurality of second bit cells, each second bit cell having a y pitch Y2 and an X pitch X2, the ratio of X2 to Y2 being greater than or equal to 3, each of the plurality of second bit cells comprising a 6T SRAM cell wherein the ratio of X2 to X1 is greater than about 1.1. |
| US08693233B2 |
Re-writable resistance-switching memory with balanced series stack
A re-writable resistance-switching memory cell includes first and second capacitors in series. The first and second capacitors may have balanced electrical characteristics to allow nearly concurrent, same-direction switching. The first capacitor has a first bipolar resistance switching layer between first and second conductive layers, and the second capacitor has a second bipolar resistance switching layer between third and fourth conductive layers. The first and third conductive layers are made of a common material, and the second and fourth conductive layers are made of a common material. In one approach, the first and second bipolar resistance switching layers are made of a common material and have common thickness. In another approach, the first and second bipolar resistance switching layers are made of materials having different dielectric constants, but their thickness differs in proportion to the difference in the dielectric constants, to provide a common capacitance per unit area. |
| US08693227B2 |
Inverter control when feeding high impedance loads
An inverter controller comprising a current regulator unit, a voltage regulator unit coupled to the current regulator unit, an inverter unit coupled to the voltage regulator unit, and a drive unit controlled by the inverter unit. |
| US08693224B1 |
Pump capacitor configuration for switched capacitor circuits
A cascade multiplier includes a switch network having switching elements, a phase pump, and a network of pump capacitors coupled with the phase pump and to the switch network. The network of pump capacitors includes first and second capacitors, both of which have one terminal DC coupled with the phase pump, and a third capacitor coupled with the phase pump through the first capacitor. |
| US08693221B2 |
Electric power converter apparatus
An electric power converter apparatus includes an inverter circuit having a plurality of upper arm elements and a plurality of lower arm elements, a feedback controlling module calculating a voltage command value in order to control an output from the inverter circuit in a feedback control manner and a compensating module compensating the voltage command value with a compensation amount and outputting a compensated voltage command value. Each of the plurality of upper arm elements and the plurality of lower arm elements is operated to switch over based on a control signal that is set according to the compensated voltage command value and a dead time. The compensation amount is set by the compensating module in order to compensate a fluctuation in the output current due to the dead time. |
| US08693220B2 |
System for improved wind turbine generator performance
A system for improving wind turbine generator performance is disclosed. In one aspect a rotary power generation system is provided, including: a rotary power generator for generating variable-frequency alternating currents; a negative sequence current regulator that determines and uses frequency-dependent D-axis and Q-axis negative sequence gains based on an electrical frequency of the rotary power generator; and a system for controlling voltage components for balancing the variable-frequency alternating currents generated by the rotary power generator based on the selected D-axis and Q-axis negative sequence gains. |
| US08693214B2 |
Voltage converter
A voltage converter (1a . . . 1g), in particular a resonant converter for converting an input AC or DC voltage (UE) into an output DC voltage (UA). On the secondary side, a first secondary capacitor (CS1) is arranged between the secondary partial windings (WS1, WS2) of a transformer (TR1); furthermore, a first secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS1) provides the output direct voltage (UA), the inputs of which are connected to a secondary partial winding (WS1, WS2) each of the transformer (TR1), resulting, at the input of the first secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS1), in a series connection including the secondary partial windings (WS1, WS2) and the first secondary capacitor (CS1). Finally, the voltage converter (1a . . . 1f) includes a second secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS2) connected in parallel with the first secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS1) for providing the output direct voltage (UA), wherein the first secondary capacitor (CS1) is connected to the input of the second secondary full-bridge rectifier (GS2). |
| US08693209B2 |
Wiring board and method for manufacturing the same
A wiring board includes a substrate having an opening portion, multiple electronic devices positioned in the opening portion, and an insulation layer formed on the substrate such that the insulation layer covers the electronic devices in the opening portion of the substrate. The substrate has a wall surface defining the opening portion and formed such that the opening portion is partially partitioned and the electronic devices are kept from making contact with each other. |
| US08693207B2 |
Rotatable transfer apparatus with elastic module
A rotatable transfer apparatus includes a housing and a circuit board having at least two interfaces. The housing includes a top cover, a sidewall, a bottom board and an elastic module. The top cover is rotatably mounted at one side of the sidewall. The bottom board is mounted at the other side of the sidewall opposite to the top cover. The sidewall, the bottom board and the top cover define a receiving space for receiving the circuit board. The sidewall includes an opening, and at least two fasteners defined in an internal surface of the sidewall. The elastic module is received in the receiving space and fixed to the top cover. The elastic module rotates with the top cover and detachably engaged with one of the at least two fasteners to select a desired interface to be exposed to the opening. |
| US08693206B2 |
External storage device
Described are external storage devices including a substrate, a controller electrically coupled to the substrate, at least one memory die stack electrically coupled to the substrate, a plurality of connection fingers electrically coupled to the substrate, and a mounting bar electrically coupled to the substrate. The mounting bar may include a plurality of springs. In other examples, the external storage device may include a substrate, a controller electrically coupled to the substrate, at least one memory die stack electrically coupled to the substrate, a plurality of connection fingers electrically coupled to the substrate, and a contact bar electrically coupled to the substrate. The contact bar may include a plurality of extensions. One or more memory die stacks may be coupled to one or more surfaces of the substrate and may include a plurality of dies in each memory die stack. |
| US08693202B2 |
Flexible printed circuit and touchscreen
A flexible printed circuit includes a first flexible film; a first interconnection layer on the first flexible film, wherein the first interconnection layer includes a first end portion to be connected to a first electrode of a touchscreen, and a second end portion; a second flexible film; a second interconnection layer on the second flexible film, wherein the second interconnection layer includes a first end portion to be connected to a second electrode of the touchscreen, and a second portion; an adhesive layer that bonds the first flexible film and the second flexible film; a first cover film on the first interconnection layer with the first and second end portions of the first interconnection layer being exposed; and a second cover film on the second interconnection layer with the first and second end portions of the second interconnection layer being exposed. |
| US08693197B2 |
Heat sink device
The present invention provides a heat sink device, suitable to the heat dissipation of a high-power medium-voltage drive power cell. The device comprises a heat dissipation substrate having a first surface, a second surface and an inner layer between the first surface and the second surface; a heat pipe having an evaporation section and a condensation section. The evaporation section is buried in the inner layer of the heat dissipation substrate, and the condensation section is used to dissipate the heat from the evaporation section to the air. The power elements of the high-power medium-voltage drive power cell are disposed on the first surface and the second surface, respectively. |
| US08693196B2 |
Host apparatus with waterproof function and heat dissipation module thereof
A heat dissipation module suitable for a host apparatus is provided. The heat dissipation module has a shell body. The shell body has a heat conductive side and an air outlet-inlet side. The air outlet-inlet side has an air outlet and an air inlet. A contact sink having a fixing portion and a contact portion is installed on the heat conductive side such that the contact portion contacts a position requiring heat dissipation in the host apparatus. A heat conductive tube is disposed in the shell body between the fixing portion of the contact sink and the air outlet. A heat dissipation fin is disposed on the air outlet. A waterproof fan is installed on the air outlet. The shell body and the contact sink define an enclosure having waterproof edges except for openings on the air outlet-inlet side. |
| US08693195B2 |
Chassis apparatus protruding electronic devices
An apparatus includes a chassis that further includes at least one receiving buttress. The chassis defines an enclosure, and the at least one buttress protrudes a portion of a first electronic device outside the enclosure by preventing further insertion of the first electronic device into the enclosure. |
| US08693194B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes a body frame, a rear frame which is pivotably attached to the body frame, a hole which is formed in a front wall of the body frame, a first heat dissipating member which is placed on the front wall to cover the hole, a thermal conductive member which contacts a portion of the first heat dissipating member at a storage space side and is placed in the hole, a semiconductor chip which is placed on the rear frame, and a second heat dissipating member which is placed on the rear frame to be in contact with the semiconductor chip and receive heat from the semiconductor chip. The second heat dissipating member being in contact with the thermal conductive member in the storage space when the rear frame closes an opening at the rear side of the body frame. |
| US08693193B2 |
Power converter
In a power converter in which semiconductor modules are arranged on both surfaces of a cooler for downsizing, an excellent connection between control boards and a low inductance connection between smoothing capacitors and the semiconductor modules are performed at the same time. The semiconductor modules are disposed on both surfaces of the cooler, and control boards that control the semiconductor modules are arranged opposite to the respective semiconductor modules. The semiconductor modules and the cooler are held between the control boards. A current detector or a terminal block is disposed at a position perpendicular to a surface on which the cooler and the semiconductor modules contact each other, opposite to the cooler. The respective control boards disposed on both surfaces of the cooler are electrically connected by using wirings provided in the current detector or the terminal block. |
| US08693191B2 |
Lock device for latching different casings of a portable electronic device and portable electronic device therewith
A lock device includes a first magnetic component, an electromagnetic member, an electromagnetic lock module and a second magnetic component. The first magnetic component is disposed inside a first casing movably in a first direction. The electromagnetic member is disposed inside a second casing movably in a second direction. The electromagnetic lock module is disposed inside the second casing for magnetizing the electromagnetic member, such that the electromagnetic member is moved in the second direction to attract the first magnetic component when the second casing is closed to the first casing. The second magnetic component is disposed inside the first casing and for activating the electromagnetic member when moving to a first activating position in the first direction, such that the electromagnetic lock module stops magnetizing the electromagnetic member, so as to release attraction between the electromagnetic member and the first magnetic component. |
| US08693185B2 |
System and method for maintaining a consistent temperature gradient across an electronic display
An electronic display which can be mounted above a paved surface in an outdoor environment. A surface or plate is placed behind the electronic display to define a gap where cooling air can be drawn through said gap in order to cool the electronic display. A plurality of ribs may be placed within the gap and in thermal communication with the electronic display. The density of the ribs may be varied according to the inlet and exhaust openings for the cooling air. The ribs may be placed at a higher density near the exhaust to account for the increase in temperature of the cooling air as it travels through the gap. |
| US08693184B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes a housing, a fan module, a heat-dissipating module, and a channel. The housing includes a first heat-dissipating vent and a second heat-dissipating vent. The fan module is disposed in the housing and includes a first outlet and a second outlet. The first outlet is substantially aligned with the first heat-dissipating vent and has a first airflow. The second outlet has a second airflow. The heat-dissipating module is disposed in the housing between the first outlet and the first heat-dissipating vent. The channel is located between the second outlet and the second heat-dissipating vent for guiding the second airflow out of the housing from the second heat-dissipating vent. The temperature of the first heat-dissipating vent is higher than that of the second heat-dissipating vent. |
| US08693182B2 |
Fixing mechanism for storage device
A fixing mechanism for storage device includes a frame, and a detent component. One sidewall of the frame has a latch member. The detent component is movably disposed on the sidewall of the frame, and has a pressing component and an operating component. The operating component is disposed with at least one stop block. When the operating component is moved relative to the frame to a press position, the pressing component pushes the latch member to engage with the storage device, the stop block is embedded in the frame, and the detent component is held in the press position. Accordingly, the storage device may be fixed to the frame rapidly without using any screw, the operating procedure is dramatically simplified, and the space occupied by the fixing mechanism and the manufacturing cost are reduced. |
| US08693177B2 |
Hinge mechanism and foldable ergonomic keyboard using the same
A hinge mechanism and a foldable ergonomic keyboard having the same are disclosed. The hinge mechanism includes a pair of operating modules and a linking unit. Each operating module has an accommodating housing, a locking assembly received in the accommodating housing, a latch member connected to one end of the accommodating housing for controlling a displacement of the locking assembly, and a spherical member received in the accommodating housing. The other end of the accommodating housing is formed with a positioning slot. The linking unit has two ends respectively passed through the positioning slots and connected to the spherical members. The hinge mechanism connects two input sections via the accommodating housings, and the latch member can selectively arranged to press tightly the spherical member in the accommodating housing or release the spherical member. Thus, the two input sections can be adjusted in different postures or folded condition. |
| US08693168B1 |
Electrochemical capacitor
There is provided an electrochemical capacitor including a lid; a case having a via, and forming a liquid chamber together with the lid; an electric storage element housed in the liquid chamber; an electrolyte housed in the liquid chamber; a wiring having a via part arranged within the via, and connecting an inside to an outside of the liquid chamber; an extraction electrode connected to the via part; an overcoating layer for coating the extraction electrode, and having an opening to expose a partial region of the extraction electrode; and a conductive adhesive layer for fixing the electric storage element to the overcoating layer, and electrically connecting the electric storage element to the extraction electrode through the opening. |
| US08693161B2 |
In-line corona-based gas flow ionizer
Self-balancing, corona discharge for the stable production of electrically balanced and ultra-clean ionized gas streams is disclosed. This result is achieved by promoting the electronic conversion of free electrons into negative ions without adding oxygen or another electronegative gas to the gas stream. The invention may be used with electronegative and/or electropositive or noble gas streams and may include the use of a closed loop corona discharge control system. |
| US08693159B2 |
Method and apparatus for diagnostic coverage of safety components
A method and system for diagnostic coverage of safety components monitors the state of a safety chain and each of the safety devices in the chain. A fault condition is detected if one of the safety devices indicates that the safety chain should be open but the safety chain indicates that it is closed. In order to prevent an inadvertent reset of the fault condition by opening the safety chain via a second safety device, the fault condition is latched until the monitoring system verifies that the faulty safety device has been corrected. |
| US08693157B2 |
Substrate including an ESD protection function
A substrate including an ESD protection function includes an insulating substrate, at least one of circuit elements or a wiring pattern and an ESD protection portion. In the ESD protection portion, facing portions of at least one pair of discharge electrodes are disposed in a cavity provided in the insulating substrate so that the ends face each other. The discharge electrodes are electrically connected to the circuit elements and or the wiring pattern. |
| US08693155B2 |
Constant voltage power supply circuit
A constant voltage power supply circuit includes an output voltage dependent over-current protection circuit unit and a drooping over-current protection circuit unit. The output voltage dependent over-current protection circuit unit reduces, when an output current which is output from an output terminal of an output control transistor exceeds a first set value which is determined in advance, the output current from the first set value in a manner dependent on a reduction of an output voltage which is output from the output terminal. The drooping over-current protection circuit unit detects, with an external resistor, the output current which is output from the output terminal of the output control transistor, and reduces, when the detected output current exceeds a second set value which is determined in advance and which has a lower value than the first set value, the output voltage while maintaining the output current at the second set value. |
| US08693152B2 |
Power over ethernet powered device circuit and electrostatic discharge protection circuit thereof
A Power over Ethernet (PoE) Power Device (PD) circuit and a protection circuit of electrostatic discharge (ESD) thereof are provided. The protection circuit of ESD includes a transient voltage suppressor (TVS) and a high-voltage capacitor, wherein the TVS and the high-voltage capacitor are coupled in series between a negative power terminal and a grounding terminal to reduce system malfunctions or damages when ESD or transient voltage surge occurs. |
| US08693145B2 |
Suspension substrate, suspension, head suspension, hard disk drive and method for manufacturing suspension substrate
A suspension substrate according to the present invention includes: an insulating layer; a spring material layer provided on one face of the insulating layer and having conductivity; and a plurality of wirings provided on the other face of the insulating layer. One wiring includes a head-side wiring part extending from the head portion, and a plurality of division wiring parts respectively bifurcated from the head-side wiring part. The spring material layer includes a spring material main body, and a wiring spring material part separated from the spring material main body, via a groove. A conductive connecting part extending through the insulating layer is provided in the insulating layer. Each of the division wiring parts of the one wiring is connected with the wiring spring material part, via the conductive connecting part. |
| US08693140B1 |
Bayonet-style disk clamp
A disk drive assembly having a disk hub having a cylindrical portion; and a disk clamp retaining portion formed on a vertical portion of the cylindrical portion of the disk hub; a disk clamp having: a body portion; and a retained portion which engages the disk clamp retaining portion of the disk hub to secure the disk clamp to the disk hub; and a disk media disposed between the disk clamp and the disk hub, the disk media being secured in place by the disk clamp. |
| US08693137B2 |
Fluid dynamic bearing unit and rotating device
A rotating device includes a fluid dynamic bearing unit. The fluid dynamic bearing unit includes a shaft encircling member that encircles a shaft, an intermediate encircling member that encircles the shaft encircling member, a shaft holder formed with a shaft hole into which an end of the shaft is fitted to fix the shaft, a base-side encircling member fixed to the shaft holder and encircling the intermediate encircling member, and a ring member fixed to the intermediate encircling member and encircling a rod encircling member. A lubricant is present between a rotating body and a fixed body. A first air-liquid interface is present between the base-side encircling member and the intermediate encircling member, and a second air-liquid interface is present between the ring member and the rod encircling member. |
| US08693134B1 |
Alternating wedge repeatable runout (WRRO) pattern
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, a head actuated over the disk, and a controller. The disk comprises a plurality of data tracks and a plurality of servo wedges, wherein each servo wedge comprises a plurality of wedge repeatable runout (WRRO) fields in a circumferential direction, each of the plurality of WRRO fields including an WRRO compensation value for a different one of the data tracks and having a width that is wider than a width of the respective data track in a radial direction. The controller is configured to read the WRRO compensation value in at least one of the WRRO fields from the disk using the head, and to adjust a position of the head based on the read WRRO compensation value. |
| US08693133B1 |
Systems and methods for improving sequential data rate performance using sorted data zones for butterfly format
A multi-head disk drive is disclosed comprising a plurality of disk surfaces, and a head assembly comprising a plurality of heads, wherein each disk surface comprises a plurality of data zones, and each data zone having a data transfer rate different from the other zones of the respective disk surface. A controller is operable to sequentially write a sequence of data blocks to the plurality of disk surfaces in accordance with a list of head-zone combinations, each head-zone combination corresponding to one of the heads and one of the data zones of the respective disk surface. The head-zone combinations in the list are ordered from highest data transfer rate to lowest data transfer rate, and each disk surface comprises a pivot point defining a direction of writing data in the data zones from one of an outer diameter toward a middle diameter and an inner diameter toward the middle diameter. |
| US08693126B2 |
Ultra fast disk access using arrays of fixed read/write transducers
An apparatus comprising a magnetic media and a read/write unit. The magnetic media may be configured to store data. The magnetic media may also be rotated during access of the magnetic media. The read/write unit may comprise a plurality of transducers arranged in a linear array. Each of the transducers may be fabricated on a semiconductor substrate with fixed head positions with respect to the magnetic media. The read/write unit may also be positioned in close proximity to and across the surface of the magnetic media. Each transducer may be configured to read data from the magnetic media and write data to the magnetic media. |
| US08693123B1 |
Disk drive correcting high order gray code using track estimator and decoding low order track code separately
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of tracks defined by a plurality of servo sectors. An estimated track ID is generated representing an estimated radial location of the head. A high order Gray code in a first servo sector is detected, and errors in the high order Gray code are corrected using the estimated track ID to generate a corrected Gray code. The corrected Gray code is decoded into a first part of a detected track ID. A low order track code is detected in the first servo sector, and the low order track code is decoded into a second part of the detected track ID. The first part of the detected track ID is combined with the second part of the detected track ID. |
| US08693118B1 |
Timing acquisition robust to inter-track-interference
A system includes a preamble determination module configured to determine an expected preamble of a target track. The expected preamble includes an associated timing recovery pattern. A filter module is configured to receive a readback signal read from the target track based on the expected preamble, and selectively filter the readback signal to remove inter track interference from the readback signal based on the expected preamble. |
| US08693117B1 |
Method and system for precompensation of data output
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method includes: receiving a plurality of groups of one or more phase signals, each group of phase signals having a different phase relative to other groups of one or more phase signals; generating a plurality of interpolated phase shifted signals based on the plurality of groups of one or more phase signals, wherein the plurality of interpolated phase shifted signals do not have an associated common mode component; receiving data bits and precompensating each data bit in accordance with a given interpolated phase shifted signal; and selecting a precompensated data bit for output. |
| US08693114B2 |
Sliding mechanism and electronic device using the same
The instant disclosure relates to a lens structure, which includes a mounting seat, a sliding carriage, a lens cover, and at least one elastic member, wherein the mounting seat has a first through-hole formed thereon and defines two operating positions, the sliding carriage slidably coupled to the mounting seat and having a second through-hole formed thereon, wherein the second through-hole corresponds to the first through-hole in one operating position, the lens cover arranged on the sliding carriage and having a plurality of heat-dissipating holes formed thereon in correspondence with the second through-hole, one end of the elastic member fixed to the mounting seat, and the other end of the elastic member fixed to the sliding carriage, wherein the sliding carriage is urged to move a predetermined distance form one operating position, the elastic member provides resilient force to drive the sliding carriage to another operating position. |
| US08693112B2 |
Projection lens unit for pico-projector
A projection lens unit for a pica-projector includes a plurality of plastic lenses and a single glass lens to minimize a change in focal length due to the heat generated inside the pico-projector. The lens array includes: a 1st lens with negative (−) refractive power, a 2nd lens with positive (+) refractive power, a 3rd fens with negative (−) refractive power, a 4th lens with negative (−) refractive power, and a 5th lens with positive (+) refractive power, wherein the 1st to 5th lenses are arranged in order from a screen upon which an image is projected, the 1st to 4th lenses are plastic lenses and the 5th lens is a glass lens. |
| US08693111B2 |
Imaging lens system
This invention provides an imaging lens system including, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens with negative refractive power; a third lens having a concave image-side surface; a fourth lens with positive refractive power; a fifth lens with negative refractive power having a concave image-side surface, at least one surface thereof having at least one inflection point; and an aperture stop disposed between an imaged object and the third lens. The on-axis spacing between the first lens and second lens is T12, the focal length of the imaging lens system is f, and they satisfy the relation: 0.5<(T12/f)×100<15. |
| US08693110B2 |
Inner focus lens, interchangeable lens device and camera system
There are provided an inner focus lens consisting of a first lens group, an aperture diaphragm, and a second lens group in order from an object side. The first lens group has a positive first lens element, a positive second lens element, and a negative third lens element; or a positive first lens element, a positive second lens element, a positive third lens element, and a negative fourth lens element, in order from the object side. One lens element in the second lens group is moved with respect to an image surface in focusing, some of the lens elements thereof are moved in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis. The inner focus lens satisfies 0.2<|fF/fO|<3.0 (fF: a focal distance of a focus lens, fO: a synthetic focal distance of the lens elements moving in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis). |
| US08693106B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens includes sequentially from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens group having a negative refractive power. The zoom lens satisfies given conditions to implement a compact, large aperture ratio zoom lens having excellent optical performance and compatible with solid state image sensors capable of recording full high vision images. |
| US08693104B2 |
Lens with compound linear-convex meniscus wall
The present invention relates generally to an arcuate liquid meniscus lens with a meniscus wall. Some specific embodiments include a liquid meniscus lens with a meniscus wall essentially in the shape of a conical frustum combined with a segment of a torus convex to the optical axis. Embodiments may also include a lens of suitable size and shape for inclusion in a contact lens. |
| US08693099B2 |
Antireflection film
An antireflection film capable of reliably preventing light (or laser light), which is incident on a glass substrate and which reaches a metal film, from being reflected by the metal film. The antireflection film provided between a metal film having a complex refractive index represented by NM=nM−i·km and a glass substrate having a refractive index NG includes, from the metal film side: (A) a first dielectric layer having a refractive index N1; (B) a second dielectric layer provided on the first dielectric layer and having a refractive index N2; and (C) a third dielectric layer provided on the second dielectric layer and having a refractive index N3, in which N1 |
| US08693095B2 |
Method and apparatus for decorrelation of spatially and temporally coherent light
A method and apparatus for decorrelating coherent light from a light source, such as a pulsed laser, in both time and space in an effort to provide intense and uniform illumination are provided. The techniques and apparatus described herein may be incorporated into any application where intense, uniform illumination is desired, such as pulsed laser annealing, welding, ablating, and wafer stepper illuminating. |
| US08693092B2 |
Focusing module for long focal length telescope
A focusing module for long focal length telescope which includes a sliding plate, a fixing sleeve, and a fixing bolt is disclosed. The drawtube is disposed on the sliding plate for sliding forward or backward to focus. The fixing sleeve and the fixing bolt form a connecting mechanism. When screwing the fixing sleeve to clamp the sliding plate from the bottom, the fixing bolt will be driven to clamp the sliding plate from the top simultaneously. This prevents the main tube and the drawtube from being displaced, and the target can be kept in the field of view of the telescope. |
| US08693087B2 |
Passive matrix quantum dot display
A system and method for operating a light emitting device utilizing charged quantum dots is described. In one embodiment, charged quantum dots are suspended in a liquid between an excitation plate and a cover plate. The excitation plate carries short-wave excitation light. Charged quantum dots near the surface of the excitation plate may emit light in response to an evanescent field generated by the short-wave excitation light undergoing total internal reflection within the excitation plate. The excitation plate and the cover plate may be coated with one or more transparent electrodes. The movement of charged quantum dots within the liquid may be controlled by applying one or more bias voltages to the one or more transparent electrodes. Light emission from a particular region near the surface of the excitation plate may be controlled by moving charged quantum dots into or out of the particular region. |
| US08693086B2 |
Appearance-modifying device, method for manufacturing such a device, and appliance covered by such a device
It is disclosed an appearance-modifying device (10), for modifying the visual appearance of a surface covered thereby. The appearance-modifying device (10) comprises two oppositely arranged substrates (11, 12), which are spaced apart by a spacer structure (13). The spacer structure (13) spaces apart the two substrates (11, 12) in such a way that a space between the two substrates (11, 12) is divided into a plurality of cells (15, 16), the shapes of the individual cells (15, 16) being such that an aperiodic cell pattern (14) is formed by the cells (15, 16). Each cell (15, 16) may comprise an optically transparent fluid having a plurality of particles dispersed therein. The particles are moveable in the fluid through application of an electric field. An appliance at least partly covered by the appearance-modifying device (10) is also disclosed. Furthermore, it is disclosed a method for manufacturing the appearance-modifying device. |
| US08693085B2 |
Electrowetting display device and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing an electrowetting display device includes forming a protection layer on a pixel electrode, forming a water-repellent layer on the protection layer, and removing the water-repellent layer from regions surrounding a display area of the pixel electrode. The water-repellent layer is formed by coating the protection layer with a hydrophilic material using a method such as slit coating. The water-repellent layer is removed using a method such as an edge bead removal method. The resulting water-repellent layer has a uniform thickness. |
| US08693084B2 |
Interferometric modulator in transmission mode
A transmissive micromechanical device includes a substrate, an optical stack over the substrate and a moveable membrane over the optical stack. The moveable membrane may include a partially reflective mirror and be configured to move from a first position to a second position. When the movable membrane is in the first position the transmissive micromechanical device is configured to pass light of a predetermined color and when the movable membrane is in the second position, the micromechanical device is configured to block substantially all of light incident on the substrate. |
| US08693082B2 |
Micromirror array assembly with in-array pillars
The present invention provides a microstructure device comprising multiple substrates with the components of the device formed on the substrates. In order to maintain uniformity of the gap between the substrates, a plurality of pillars is provided and distributed in the gap so as to prevent decrease of the gap size. The increase of the gap size can be prevented by bonding the pillars to the components of the microstructure. Alternatively, the increase of the gap size can be prevented by maintaining the pressure inside the gap below the pressure under which the microstructure will be in operation. Electrical contact of the substrates on which the micromirrors and electrodes are formed can be made through many ways, such as electrical contact areas, electrical contact pads and electrical contact springs. |
| US08693081B2 |
Electrofluidic imaging film, devices, and displays, and methods of making and using the same
A device and method of making and using the same. The device includes first and second substrates that are spaced to define a fluid space. Polar and non-polar fluids occupy the fluid space. A first electrode, with a dielectric layer, is positioned on the first substrate and electrically coupled to at least one voltage source, which is configured to supply an electrical bias to the first electrode. The fluid space includes at least one fluid splitting structure that is configured to facilitate the movement of the non-polar fluid into a portion of the polar fluid. Fluid splitting structure assisted movement of the non-polar fluid splits the polar fluid. |
| US08693074B2 |
MOEMS apparatus and a method for manufacturing same
An apparatus is formed from a double active layer silicon on insulator (DSOI) substrate that includes first and second active layers separated by an insulating layer. An electrostatic comb drive is formed from the substrate to include a first comb formed from the first active layer and a second comb formed from the second active layer. The comb drive may be used to impart a tilting motion to a micro-mirror. The method of manufacturing provides comb teeth exhibiting an aspect ratio greater than 1:20, with an offset distance between comb teeth of the first and second combs that is less than about 6 μm. |
| US08693073B2 |
Document image reading apparatus
A document image reading apparatus includes a sheet input tray, a sheet output tray, a sheet transfer channel, an image pickup device, a sheet pick-up module, and a transfer roller assembly. The sheet output tray is disposed under the sheet input tray, or the sheet output tray is disposed over the sheet input tray. After each of the plural documents on the sheet input tray is shot by the image pickup device, the document is fed into the sheet transfer channel by the sheet pick-up module. Then, the document is transmitted to the sheet output tray by the transfer roller assembly. |
| US08693072B2 |
Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus, including a driving unit, a separator unit, a conveyer unit, a reader unit, a reducer unit, a size detecting unit; and a controller is provided. The separator unit includes a drive shaft, a contact member, and a clutch. The controller manipulates the conveyer unit via the driving unit to convey the sheet at a first conveying speed when the size of the sheet detected by the size detecting unit is greater than a predetermined size. The controller manipulates the conveyer unit via the driving unit to convey the sheet at a second conveying speed, which is lower than the first conveying speed, when the size of the sheet detected by the size detecting unit is one of smaller than and equivalent to the predetermined size. |
| US08693070B2 |
Receipts scanner and financial organizer
A portable device is configured to obtain an image of a document, the document being of no predefined format and containing numerical data. The numerical data is extracted and automatically organized into a report in a predefined or customized format and stored into a database. The database is accessible and searchable by a user to obtain either the numerical data of the image or the report. |
| US08693069B2 |
Document reading apparatus
A document reading apparatus includes a document positioning plate on which a document is placed, an image-forming unit configured to cause a light from the document to form an image, a reading unit configured to receive the light from the document which has passed through the image-forming unit, a supporting member for supporting the image-forming unit, a fixing member for fixing a reading element, and a frame member for holding the image-forming unit, the supporting member, the reading element and the fixing member. |
| US08693065B2 |
Case for portable image reading apparatus
A carry case includes a body, a cover, and a lock unit. The body houses an image scanner. The cover is supported with respect to the body such that the cover can rotate around a longitudinal direction of the body. The lock unit locks the cover to the body in a closing state in which the cover covers the body after being rotated with respect to the body in an approaching direction along which the cover approaches the body. The cover is rotated with respect to the body in a withdrawing direction opposite to the approaching direction while the lock held by the lock unit is being released, so that the cover is developed to form a discharge path of a read medium. |
| US08693064B2 |
Process and apparatus for re-usable media by image removal
Various embodiments provide methods and apparatuses for removing a printed image and/or image portion(s) of a printed image from at least one side of a media by one or more optical ablations such that the media can be ready for reuse. |
| US08693063B2 |
Image-reading device
An image-reading device includes a plurality of image sensors, a starting signal generator and a signal timing regulator. Each image sensor reads images on a pixel basis and generating an image signal indicative of the image. The image signal is an analog signal. The starting signal generator generates starting signals at every predetermined time period. A sampling period for sampling the image signal is set within the predetermined time period. In response to the starting signal sequentially inputted to the image sensors, the image sensors read the image until the predetermined time period is expired. The signal timing regulator delays an input timing at which the starting signal is inputted to the image sensor so that the sampling periods for the plurality of image sensors are different from one another. |
| US08693062B2 |
Facsimile service support device, system, and method
An exemplary method herein operates to help diagnose and correct facsimile transmission errors. The method detects a first facsimile transmission error using an arbitrarily named “first” facsimile machine (which can be a sending facsimile machine or a receiving facsimile machine). The facsimile transmission error occurs during a first facsimile transmission sent from the sending facsimile machine to the receiving facsimile machine. Upon detecting the first facsimile transmission error, the sending facsimile machine automatically contacts a service center computer. The service center computer automatically connects the sending facsimile machine to the receiving facsimile machine through the service center computer. Then, the sending facsimile machine sends a test facsimile transmission to the receiving facsimile machine through the service center computer. The method automatically records sounds sent by the sending facsimile machine and the receiving facsimile machine using the service center computer to produce an audio diagnostic file and automatically forwards the audio diagnostic file to a service engineer for diagnosis. |
| US08693061B2 |
Method of embedding data in printed halftone features on a receiver
A method of encoding data in printed halftone image features on a receiver includes providing a relief printing member; encoding first embedded data in the relief printing member by modifying surfaces of a first plurality of halftone dots; and printing the halftone image on the receiver. |
| US08693059B2 |
Printer controlled dynamically altered N-UP imaging
Systems and methods are provided for printer controller, dynamic N-UP print job imaging. An enhanced printer includes features hereof to dynamically adjust parameters of a print job at any point in a print job. In one aspect hereof, the printer configures a print job for an initial set of printing parameters without host system intervention and may reconfigure those parameters during printing of the print job. In another aspect hereof, the adjustments may include adjusting the relative position of any of the N-UP images independent of any other of the N-UP images. Another aspect hereof provides that the formatting of the print job according to printing parameters by the printer occurs after rasterizing the print job into logical page images. Since the formatting is performed after rasterizing, the printing parameters may be changed at any time during printing of the print job. |
| US08693057B2 |
Quantization using dither matrix noise based on noise use rate and accumulated error based on error use rate
A computer-readble medium stored with a program causing a computer to quantize a gray level causes the computer to perform a pixel selecting process; determining a noise use rate indicating the degree to which a dither matrix noise has an influence on the quantization and an error use rate indicating the degree to which an accumulated error has an influence on the quantization and determining the noise use rate and the error use rate corresponding to the corresponding pixel depending on the gray levels of the pixels sequentially selected in the pixel selecting process; and performing the quantization on the gray levels of the pixels sequentially selected in the pixel selecting process and performing the quantization using the dither matrix noise based on the noise use rate corresponding to the corresponding pixel and using the accumulated error based on the error use rate corresponding to the corresponding pixel. |
| US08693055B2 |
Printed dynamic anaglyph image method
Methods are described that provide dynamic anaglyph images with a first appearance state and a second appearance state. At least one mutable colorant and at least one non-mutable colorant are selected for a colorant type map so that the printed dynamic anaglyph image has a first appearance state in which the at least one mutable colorant is in the first colorant state and is color matched to at least one of a left eye information and a right eye information and so that in the second appearance state printed the mutable colorant is in a second colorant state in which the at least one mutable colorant provides a color that spectrally overlaps a spectral filter in one eye of a pair of stereo color glasses so that three dimensional effects can be perceived. |
| US08693054B2 |
Mask generation mechanism
A method is disclosed. The method includes generating a seed pattern which ensures one dot per column, computing an auto correlation function and performing pixel error processing. Pixel error processing includes performing multiple operations during each iteration to create visually pleasing halftone mask patterns which follow a one dot per column constraint. |
| US08693049B2 |
Image processing apparatus for selecting a feature area, image processing method and storage medium therefor
An image processing apparatus that switches a detecting function to be used in accordance with a state of a printing apparatus when different devices respectively have similar detection functions. |
| US08693046B2 |
Printing apparatus that prints with changed print settings, control method for printing apparatus, and storage medium
The present invention provides technology according to which, in the case of changing a print setting and performing reprinting, a printing apparatus causes an information processing apparatus to regenerate print data via a network as necessary depending on whether processing in accordance with a changed print setting can be executed by the printing apparatus. |
| US08693040B2 |
Image processing system, image processing server, and image forming apparatus
An image processing system comprises an image forming apparatus and a plurality of image processing servers. An image processing server transmits a test image to a plurality of image processing servers in charge of a former image processing operation, collects test results from all of them, and selects one of the image processing servers having returned the test results which are judged as being equal to or higher than a standard value, as the most preferred server, while an image forming apparatus transmits a test image to a plurality of image processing servers in charge of a final image processing operation, collects test results from all of them, and selects one of the image processing servers having returned the test results of the final image processing operation which are judged as being equal to or higher than a standard value, as the most preferred server. |
| US08693038B2 |
Wireless communication device capable of operating selectively in any state among a plurality of states including a parent state and a child state in a wireless network
In a case where a first wireless network is to be constructed, and it is determined that a wireless communication device is to operate in a parent state, the wireless communication device may create first authentication information, and construct the first wireless network by executing a communication for establishing a wireless connection with a first external device by using a first wireless profile including the first authentication information. In a case where a second wireless network is to be constructed after the first wireless network has disappeared, and it is determined that the wireless communication device is to operate in the parent state, the wireless communication device may create second authentication information, and construct the second wireless network by executing a communication for establishing a wireless connection with a second external device by using a second wireless profile including the second authentication information. |
| US08693036B2 |
Distribution processing method, distribution processing device, print data processing method, print data processing device, and recording medium
Data output from an existing application to specific devices can be easily distributed to plural devices. A method of distributing device-specific data output from an application on a computer that executes a specific process according to an application and has two or more communication ports causes the computer to execute a step of acquiring device-specific data output by an executed program to one specific communication port at the operating system kernel layer before the device-specific data is received at the communication port; and a step of analyzing the device-specific data acquired at the application layer, determines the device to which the device-specific data, and outputs the device-specific data to the communication port to which the device is connected. |
| US08693033B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method and computer-readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a print medium. The control unit controls the image forming unit so as to divide an image larger than the print medium into pieces and to form the image pieces on a plurality of print media. The control unit forms an image formed on a different print medium in a margin where the image is not formed when the print medium contains the margin in case that the image forming unit divides the image into pieces and forms the image pieces on the plurality of print media. |
| US08693031B2 |
Network scanner override options in a DSM environment
The systems and method herein provide a design logic that extends Distributed Scan Management (DSM) by integrating the scan setting features of a network scanner with DSM and enhances DSM by providing a means for quickly locating Post Scan Processes (PSP) based on specified search criteria. In this regard, a network scanner is controllable via the PSPs of a DSM protocol. A user interface of the network scanner is operable to receive login information associated with a user that is used to grant access to one or more of the PSPs. The network scanner also includes a storage module operable to store scanner software instructions that direct a processor to determine whether the one or more accessed PSPs have settings that are overrideable and present the one or more accessed PSPs to the user for selection. The user may then override settings of a selected PSP via the user interface. |
| US08693026B2 |
Printing system, apparatus and control method therefor, storage medium and program
A printing apparatus capable of, when a predetermined finishing process is set in performing job combination, executing the finishing process at consistent settings by properly performing an inhibition process corresponding to the finishing process. When a predetermined finishing process is set as an entire setting of job combination, the system inhibits excluding, from targets of the predetermined finishing process, a predetermined job corresponding to the predetermined finishing process among a plurality of jobs associated with job combination. |
| US08693022B2 |
Distributed print processing
In one embodiment, receipt of a print job at a printer is recognized. If the printer has a set of capabilities needed to meet requirements of the job, local processing is performed, and printing of the job at the printer is caused. If the printer does not have the set, and the printer and a print service available to the printer via a network together have the set, the job is sent to the service for remote processing. After the remote processing, the job is received at the printer from the service. Printing of the job, at the printer and in accordance with the requirements, is caused. |
| US08693021B2 |
Preemptive redirection in printing systems
Described herein is a printing system including a plurality of print processing modules which can selectively transfer print media there between during printing. The system further including a controller that can predict the impending unhealthy state of at least one module and redirect one of an unprocessed job and a partially processed job preemptively from an impending unhealthy module to selectively one of a healthy module and another unhealthy module, with suitable characteristics, to process unprocessed portions of the job. |
| US08693017B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method of controlling the same, program, storage medium, printing system, and method suitable for the printing system
There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of realizing a trial printing function that minimizes unnecessary consumption of time and supplies. Images that are inputted are accumulated in a memory. An output mode is set and a setting is made as to whether trial printing is to be carried out in the output mode or not. A CPU provides control to read out a corresponding image from the memory according to the set output mode and form the readout image on a sheet. When it is determined that the trial printing is to be carried out during image formation according to the set output mode, the CPU provides control to set the number of trial print pages according to predetermined conditions and carry out the trial printing for the set number of trial print pages. |
| US08693010B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a first image forming unit, a second image forming unit. In combined processing to perform two types of processing including one-sided image formation and two-sided image formation, if the one-sided image formation is performed, an image is formed on one side of the sheet by the second image forming unit. If there is an execution request for a job of one-sided image formation processing different from a combined job of the combined processing during execution of the combined job, the image formation control unit, while performing the one-sided image formation in the combined job of the combined processing by the second image forming unit, performs the one-sided image formation related to the execution request for the job of the one-sided image formation processing different from the combined job by the first image forming unit and then discharges from the intermediate discharge unit a sheet which has undergone the one-sided image formation processing in the job different from the combined job. |
| US08693005B2 |
Method for evaluating characteristics of optical modulator having Mach-Zehnder interferometers
ProblemsTo provide a method for evaluating characteristics of MZ interferometers in an optical modulator having a plurality of MZ interferometers.Means for Solving ProblemsWhen an optical modulator includes a plurality of MZ interferometers, the 0-degree component contains a signal derived from an MZ interferometer other than the MZ interferometers for evaluating the characteristic. For this, it is impossible to accurately evaluate the characteristic of the MZ interferometers. The present invention does not use the 0-degree component normally having the highest intensity. That is, the characteristic of the MZ interferometers are evaluated by using a side band intensity of the component other than the 0-degree component. |
| US08692999B1 |
Crosstalk cancellation for a simultaneous phase shifting interferometer
A method of minimizing fringe print-through in a phase-shifting interferometer, includes the steps of: (a) determining multiple transfer functions of pixels in the phase-shifting interferometer; (b) computing a crosstalk term for each transfer function; and (c) displaying, to a user, a phase-difference map using the crosstalk terms computed in step (b). Determining a transfer function in step (a) includes measuring intensities of a reference beam and a test beam at the pixels, and measuring an optical path difference between the reference beam and the test beam at the pixels. Computing crosstalk terms in step (b) includes computing an N-dimensional vector, where N corresponds to the number of transfer functions, and the N-dimensional vector is obtained by minimizing a variance of a modulation function in phase shifted images. |
| US08692998B2 |
Apparatus and method for light emission detection for in-depth imaging of turbid media
An apparatus and method for in-depth fluorescence imaging using two-photon fluorescence imaging in turbid media. The apparatus includes a detector which can significantly enhance the use of a detection method that allows to efficiently collect scattered fluorescence photons from a wide area of the turbid sample. By using this detector it is possible to perform imaging of turbid samples, simulating brain tissue at depths up to 3 mm, where the two-photon induced fluorescence signal is too weak to be detected by previous means used in conventional two-photon microscopy. The detector separates the excitation and detection optics which allows a more efficient collection of fluorescence and enhancing the possible imaging depth. |
| US08692992B2 |
Faraday shield integrated into sensor bandage
Present embodiments include a bandage sensor having an electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape layer as a Faraday shield. The electrically conductive transfer tape layer may be used in lieu of a fully metallic Faraday shield. The present embodiments also include a sensor cable having one or more conductive polymer EMI/RFI shields in place of a fully metallic EMI/RFI shield. Methods for manufacturing and remanufacturing such sensors and cables are also disclosed. |
| US08692986B2 |
EUV high throughput inspection system for defect detection on patterned EUV masks, mask blanks, and wafers
Inspection of EUV patterned masks, blank masks, and patterned wafers generated by EUV patterned masks requires high magnification and a large field of view at the image plane. An EUV inspection system can include a light source directed to an inspected surface, a detector for detecting light deflected from the inspected surface, and an optic configuration for directing the light from the inspected surface to the detector. In particular, the detector can include a plurality of sensor modules. Additionally, the optic configuration can include a plurality of mirrors that provide magnification of at least 100× within an optical path less than 5 meters long. In one embodiment, the optical path is approximately 2-3 meters long. |
| US08692979B2 |
Laser sensor system based on self-mixing interference
A sensor module (1) for measuring the distance to a target and/or the velocity of the target (50), the sensor module (1) comprising at least one laser source (100), at least one detector (200) being adapted to detect modulated laser light and at least one control element the control element (400) being adapted to vary the focus point of the laser light and/or the intensity of the laser light and/or the direction of the laser light. The control of the laser light emitted by the laser source (100) either by active optical devices as variable focus lenses or controllable attenuators or passive optical elements in combination with arrays of laser sources (100) and detectors (200) enable flexible and robust sensor modules. |
| US08692978B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A method of determining a defect in a grid plate of an encoder-type position measurement system, the method including providing an encoder-type position measurement system to measure a position of a movable object with respect to another object, the encoder-type position measurement system including a grid plate and an encoder head, measuring a quantity of light reflected on each of the two or more detectors, using a combined light intensity of the reflected light on the two or more detectors to determine a reflectivity signal representative for the reflectivity of the grid plate at the measurement location, and determining a presence of a defect at the measurement location on the basis of the reflectivity signal of the grid plate. |
| US08692977B2 |
Optical system, inspection system and manufacturing method
Systems and methods for inspection are provided utilizing a wide angle optical system. The optical system includes a wide angle input lens group and an output lens group. The wide angle input lens group is configured to receive wide-angle radiation, e.g., having an angular spread of 60 degrees or more, from an object surface, and produce imagable radiation. The wide angle input lens group is arranged such that no intermediate focused image is formed within or after the wide angle input lens group. The output lens group is configured to receive the imagable radiation from the wide angle input lens group and focus the imagable radiation onto an image plane to image at least part of the object surface. A detector receives the image of the at least part of the object surface and, based on the received image, detects, for example, contamination on the object surface. |
| US08692976B2 |
Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and liquid. A liquid immersion member having a lower surface and a recovery port at its lower surface side supplies liquid to form a liquid immersion region below the projection optical system and recovers the liquid via the recovery port. First and second tables, on which a substrate is mountable, are positionable opposite to the lower surface of the liquid immersion member. A drive system moves the first and second tables below the projection optical system relative to the liquid immersion member to replace one of the tables positioned opposite to the lower surface of the liquid immersion member with the other of the tables, whereby the liquid immersion region is transferred from the one to the other of the tables while the liquid immersion region is maintained below and in contact with the projection optical system. |
| US08692969B2 |
Color filter and display device employing the same
The color filter may include a pixel unit having a plurality of sub-pixels of different colors, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels respectively include flat plate metal layers and a plurality of color PDLC layers on the flat plate metal layers, and the plurality of color PDLC layers each include a polymer, a plurality of liquid crystal drops dispersed in the polymer, and a plurality of color display materials mixed in the liquid crystal drops. |
| US08692966B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and the second substrates; a first polarization plate placed on a side of the first substrate; a second polarization plate placed on a side of the second substrate; and a pixel electrode and a common electrode which are provided on the side of the second substrate on which the liquid crystal layer is placed, in which: at least one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode is interdigital; and the liquid crystal layer has flexoelectric coefficients e11 and e33, both absolute values of which are +7 pC/m or less. Accordingly, a flicker intensity in an IPS liquid crystal display device is suppressed to such a degree as not to influence display quality. |
| US08692961B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first substrate including a slit electrode that has slit-like apertures to form line-like patterns substantially in a same direction as either source wires or gate wires; a second substrate including a light shielding film that extends in a same direction as the line-like patterns of the slit electrode, and that has an overlap area with either the source wires or the gate wires, and that is arranged that color filter films are partitioned to prevent color mixture when displayed in a single color. A non-opposed area to the light shielding film is formed at an end of the slit electrode in a width direction that a transmittance may not be reduced due to the light shielding film in the areas where the light shielding film and the slit electrode are arranged in an overlapped manner. |
| US08692960B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device (100) according to the present invention has a pixel (P), which includes red, green, blue and yellow subpixels (R, G, B and Y). The chromaticity of the yellow subpixel (Y) is outside of a triangle that is defined by connecting together the respective chromaticities of the red, green and blue subpixels (R, G and B). And the respective aperture areas SR, SG, SB and SY of the red, green, blue, and yellow subpixels (R, G, B and Y) and the respective transmittances TR, TG, TB and TY of their associated red, green, blue, and yellow color filters (CR, CG, CB and CY) satisfy the inequality TY>[(SR+SG+SB+SY)(TR+TG+TB)−3(SR×TR+SG×TG+SB×TB)]/3SY. |
| US08692953B2 |
Fixed structure for LED strip and LCD
This invention relates to an LED strip fixed structure and an LCD, wherein the LED strip fixed structure includes a back panel, an LED strip and a strip fixed element, a groove used for accommodating the LED strip is formed on the strip fixed element, and light holes used for accommodating LEDs on the LED strip are formed in the groove; the fixed element is used for containing the LED strip, and is fixedly connected with the back panel. In this invention, the fixed element for accommodating the LED strip is fixed on the side wall of the back panel, so as to increase the heat dissipation channel of the LED strip; instead of arranging heat dissipation aluminum extrusion between the LED strip and the back panel, and so as to reduce the quantity of connecting pieces such as connecting screws. This invention improves the effect of heat dissipation at the backlight part of the LCD, and meanwhile simplifies the installation structure of the LED strip and lowers the cost. |
| US08692947B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a gate line and an auxiliary capacitance line extending in a first direction, a source line extending in a second direction orthogonally crossing the first direction, and a pixel electrode having a main pixel electrode arranged on the auxiliary capacitance line and extending in the first direction. The second substrate includes a common electrode having a main common electrode arranged above the gate line and extending in the first direction. A liquid crystal layer is held between the first substrate and the second substrate having liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal molecules are initially aligned in the first direction in a splay alignment state between the first substrate and the second substrate in a state where electric field is not formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. |
| US08692942B2 |
Data processing apparatus, liquid crystal display device, television receiver, and data processing method
Provided is a data processing apparatus including a correction circuit. In at least one embodiment, the data correction circuit acquires pixel data of a first pixel for display of a first color component and pixel data of a second pixel for display of a second color component, the second pixel being driven by a scanning signal line which drives the first pixel and being driven by a data signal line which is adjacent to the first pixel, and corrects the pixel data of the second pixel in accordance with a relationship between a value of the pixel data of the first pixel and a value of the pixel data of the second pixel. Thus, it is possible to cause a liquid crystal driving panel to perform uniform display without causing display unevenness even in a case where a halftone of a specific color component is uniformly displayed. |
| US08692941B2 |
Receiving apparatus
A receiving apparatus 10 efficiently receives radio waves used for wireless communication. Four sides of the periphery of a back cover 4 are bent inward. The reflector 5 formed of a metallic material is disposed on the bent portion on the inner side of a housing. When radio waves are transmitted from the front of the receiving apparatus 10, the radio waves are reflected by the reflector 5 disposed on the back cover 4 and are directed toward the inside of the housing. The directed radio waves are received by a radio module 3. |
| US08692940B2 |
Method for producing a blended video sequence
A method for producing a blended video sequence that combines a still image and a video image sequence comprising: designating a first face in the still image, designating a second face in the video image sequence; detecting a series of video frames in the video image sequence containing the second face; identifying a video frame in the detected series of video frames suitable for transitioning from the first face into the second face; using a data processor to automatically produce a transition image sequence where the first face transitions into the second face, and a first background transitions into a second background; and producing the blended video sequence by concatenating the transition image sequence, and a plurality of video frames from the video image sequence starting from the identified video frame. |
| US08692937B2 |
Video frame synchronization
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to video frame synchronization. An embodiment of a method includes receiving a first video data stream from a first source at a first port of a multi-port device, a first video frame of the first video data stream arriving at the first port at a first arrival time, and receiving a second video data stream from a second source at a second port of the multi-port device, a second video frame of the second video data stream arriving at the second port at a second arrival time. The method further includes determining an offset between the first arrival time and the second arrival time, determining one or more correction factors based at least in part on the offset, the one or more correction factors including a first correction factor for the first source, and sending a first command to the first source to modify a time of transmission by the first source of a third video frame following the first frame using the correction factor. |
| US08692933B1 |
Method and apparatus for buffering anchor frames in motion compensation systems
In an embodiment, there is provided a video processing component comprising a compensation engine configured to generate pixels of a first video frame from a second video frame based at least in part on specified pixel motion; and an access buffer configured to store pixel data corresponding to pixels of the second video frame for reference by the compensation engine, wherein the pixel data is stored by the access buffer at different vertical resolutions depending on vertical distances of the pixels corresponding to the pixel data from a target pixel that is indicated by the compensation engine. |
| US08692928B2 |
Autofocus apparatus and image-pickup apparatus
An autofocus apparatus includes a first focus detector configured to provide a focus detection by detecting a phase difference between a pair of image signals of an object, a second focus detector configured to wobble one of an image-pickup lens and an image-pickup element, to observe a variation of a contrast value of an image of the object, and to maintain an in-focus position, and a controller configured to make the first focus detector provide the focus detection in the wobbling by the second focus detector, and to correct a shift amount of an amplitude of wobbling by the second focus detector in the focus detection result by the first focus detector. |
| US08692926B2 |
Focus adjustment based on indicator of randomness of pixel values
A circuit for auto-focus adjustment includes a calculating unit configured to calculate an indicator of randomness of pixel values in a captured image, a direction determining unit configured to compare a first value of the indicator calculated by the calculating unit in a preceding focus adjustment process with a second value of the indicator calculated by the calculating unit after the calculation of the first value, thereby to determine a direction of focus shift in response to a result of the comparison, and a control unit configured to start a focus adjustment process by which a focus position is first moved in the direction of focus shift determined by the direction determining unit. |
| US08692922B2 |
Image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus capable of giving a shooter the same rotary operation feeling regardless of the rotating direction, and displaying an erect image to a shooter at all times. A two-axis hinge is provided with a first bearing that supports a display unit rotatably in right and left directions and a second bearing that supports the display unit in rotated states rotatably so as to direct the screen to front and rear sides. A first axial rotation detector detects the rotation of the display unit by the first bearing. A second axial rotation detector detects the rotation of the display unit in the rotated states by the second bearing to direct the screen to the front and rear sides. A control unit switches display orientation of an image displayed on the display unit based on detection results from the first and second axial rotation detectors. |
| US08692921B2 |
Imaging apparatus and display apparatus capable of changing the angle of a display unit
An imaging apparatus includes: a main body unit that includes an imaging lens; a display unit that displays an image picked up through the imaging lens; a hinge frame that includes a first side fixed to the main body unit so as to be rotatable around a first rotation axis, a second side facing the first side, and a combination unit, which has a notch between both end portions of the second side other than a center portion and both ends of the first side, disposed between the first side and the second side; and a rotary hinge unit that connects the second side of the hinge frame and one side of the display unit and rotates the display unit around a second rotation axis extending along the second side and a third rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the second rotation axis. |
| US08692914B2 |
Image sensor
An image sensor includes a solid-state image pickup device, an optical system, and a flash. The solid-state image pickup device has an electronic shutter function of outputting accumulated signal charges at a timing corresponding to a shutter speed. The optical system collects incident light to an image pickup area of the solid-state image pickup device. The flash irradiates light to an object to be photographed by the solid-state image pickup device. The solid-state image pickup device includes a pulse generator circuit for generating one or more of an electronic shutter pulse for controlling an accumulation time of signal charges by using the electronic shutter function, an optical system movement pulse for controlling movement of the optical system, and a flash pulse for controlling an emission timing of the flash. |
| US08692913B2 |
Solid-state electronic image sensing apparatus and method of controlling operation of same
Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of odd-numbered rows is read out one row at a time in turn in the column direction and represents an odd-numbered-row image. Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of even-numbered rows is read out one column at a time in turn in the row direction and represents an even-numbered-row image. The even-numbered-row image is selected if a subject moves in the horizontal direction, and the odd-numbered-row image is selected if the subject moves in the vertical direction. An image in which rolling shutter distortion has been reduced is thus obtained. |
| US08692910B2 |
Image processing device, image signal correction method, correction matrix calculation method, and imaging device
Provided is an imaging device that is equipped with an image acquisition element having color filters in prescribed arrays; a judgment unit that judges to which group individual pixels of a color image belong, the group being a group among a plurality of groups determined in accordance with the arrangement of color filters, and the color image being an image generated based on output signals from the image acquisition element; a storage unit in which the groups are stored in association with correction matrices; and a correction unit that obtains the correction matrices corresponding to groups to which each of the pixels belongs from the storage unit and that corrects the image signal values of individual pixels by using the obtained correction matrices. |
| US08692908B2 |
Image-pickup apparatus and a zoom lens for the image-pickup apparatus, with distortion correction
An image-pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup element that photoelectrically converts an optical image formed by an image-pickup optical system having a zoom function, and a correcting part that performs correction processing for a distortion component in image data generated based on an output from the image-pickup element, the distortion component corresponding to a distortion of the image-pickup optical system. The image-pickup optical system provides a first zoom range in which a distortion amount at a certain image height is larger than a predetermined value and a second zoom range in which a distortion amount at the certain image height is smaller than the predetermined value. The correcting part performs the correction processing so that the distortion component remains in a first corrected image data in the first zoom range is larger than the distortion component remaining in a second corrected image data in the second zoom range. |
| US08692906B2 |
Luminance signal generation apparatus, luminance signal generation method, image pickup apparatus, and storage medium
A luminance signal generation apparatus capable of suppressing an occurrence of aliasing at near horizontal and vertical Nyquist regions in the case of an achromatic object. An OG signal is generated by interpolating a green signal on pixels other than green pixels, and an SWY signal is generated as luminance signals at positions of pixels for respective colors. An angle determination signal is generated according to a direction of an edge of an image signal, and hierarchical image signals having different frequencies are generated from the image signal. Based on results of determination of false color region in the hierarchical image signals, one of the hierarchical image signals is selected. According to an angle determination signal and a chroma signal obtained from the selected hierarchical image signal, the OG signal and the SWY signal are mixed to generate a final luminance signal. |
| US08692902B2 |
Method and system for generating a high resolution image
A method for generating an image is provided. The method includes estimating a high resolution image from a plurality of low resolution images and downsampling the estimated high resolution image to obtain estimates of a plurality of low resolution images. The method also includes generating a desired high resolution image based upon comparison of the downsampled low resolution images and the plurality of low resolution images. |
| US08692896B2 |
Image quality evaluation device, terminal device, image quality evaluation system, image quality evaluation method and computer-readable recording medium for storing programs
The present invention evaluates the quality of an image shot by a terminal device in a state closer to that seen with the eye. A computer evaluates the quality of an image obtained by shooting a photographic subject including a periodic pattern that fluctuates periodically in one direction. A Fourier transform unit accomplishes a two-dimensional Fourier transform on the image to obtain two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components. An analysis unit analyzes the resolution of the image on the basis of spectrum components of spatial frequencies included in the periodic pattern, among the two-dimensional spatial frequency spectrum components obtained by the Fourier transform unit, and analyzes the deterioration of the image on the basis of spectrum components other than these. |
| US08692892B2 |
Communication apparatus and control method used for transmitting video data to an external apparatus
An image capture apparatus includes: a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit communicates with an external apparatus via a first transmission line and a second transmission line. The control unit determines whether or not the communication unit is in a predetermined state, in a case where the operation mode of the image capture apparatus changed to either a playback mode or an image capture mode. The control unit does not execute a connecting process in a case where the communication unit is in the predetermined state. |
| US08692886B2 |
Multidirectional video capture assembly
A multidirectional video capture assembly is provided that can include a multidirectional helmet camera with protective housing and plurality of image sensors. The image sensors may be oriented in a plurality of directions for simultaneous capture of image data. A multi channel flexible cable can emerge from said protective housing, said cable adapted to carry image signals from the image sensors to an image recording and/or image display device. The protective housing may also be equipped with a complimentary equipment cavity for inclusion of additional advantageous equipment, as may be included to suit individual circumstances. |
| US08692883B2 |
Encoding apparatus of video security system
An encoding apparatus of a video security system in which a stream to be stored in a storage medium and a stream to be transmitted through a network may be simultaneously or separately generated using one encoding chip. The encoding apparatus includes an image encoding unit which encodes an input image, received from a surveillance camera, selectively under at least one of an advanced video coding (AVC) scheme complying with an H.264/AVC standard to generate and store an AVC-encoded image in a storage medium, and a scalable video coding (SVC) scheme complying with the H.264/AVC standard to generate and transmit an SVC-encoded image to a network. |
| US08692882B2 |
Loop recording with book marking
A surveillance apparatus continuously records imaged data from a camera into a circular buffer in a local memory. When a record signal is received, the system records the video stream that was recorded before the record signal was received, and the video stream that is recorded after the record signal was received. The recorded segment is then write-protected, so that the surveillance apparatus does not overwrite the recorded segment. The recorded segment could then be sent to a remote memory via a wireless connection to free up local memory for future recording sessions. |
| US08692881B2 |
System and method for correlating camera views
A method for correlating views of two or more video camera systems includes obtaining a plurality of data point coordinate sets to represent relative positioning between the camera systems and data point objects in the environment. The views may be correlated through Interpolation or extrapolation using the obtained data point coordinate sets. Devices such as lasers may also be used to correlate views of two or more video camera systems. |
| US08692880B2 |
Image correlation displacement sensor
An image correlation displacement sensor for measuring a displacement component along a direction perpendicular to a target surface, with a simple configuration. The sensor may include: an illumination portion (130′) which emits illumination light; an imaging portion including at least two optical paths (A and B′) which are used to capture multiple images of a speckle field produced by the target surface (300), one of which (A) is inclined with respect to a normal to the target surface in proximity to the target surface, and an element (110′) which deflects an at least one of the optical paths (A and B′); and a processing portion (200) which measures a displacement relative to the target surface along a direction which includes a component normal to the target surface (300) in accordance with the correlation of multiple images captured in the optical paths (A) and (B′). |
| US08692879B2 |
Image capturing system, image capturing device, information processing device, and image capturing method
An image capturing system is provided which includes a detection section for detecting a position of an capturing section capable of performing a pan operation and a tilt operation, a determination section for determining which coordinate system is used, either a first coordinate system representing the position of the capturing section in the pan direction and the tilt direction or a second coordinate system representing a position of a subject image of the subject captured by the capturing section in a screen, and a coordinate calculator for calculating coordinates representing the position of the capturing section in the first coordinate system based on the detected position of the capturing section when using the first coordinate system, and calculating coordinates representing the position of the subject image in the second coordinate system based on the detected position of the capturing section when using the second coordinate system. |
| US08692878B2 |
Methods and apparatus for simultaneously inspecting multiple array regions having different pitches
One embodiment relates to a method of automatically inspecting multiple array regions (102) simultaneously using an imaging apparatus (302). The method includes selecting (211 or 212) an optimal pixel size such that each array region in the multiple array regions has a grouped cell which is an integer number of pixels in size, and adjusting a pixel size of the imaging apparatus to be the selected optimal pixel size. Optimal pixel sizes within an available range of pixel sizes may be determined by finding (202) a largest common divider of cell sizes of the multiple array regions when the cell sizes are expressed in integers. Pre-set criteria may be applied to determine (208) which, if any, of the optimal pixel sizes are acceptable based on pre-set criteria. If none of the optimal pixel sizes are acceptable, then one of the array regions may be marked for digital interpolation (see 216). Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed. |
| US08692870B2 |
Adaptive adjustment of depth cues in a stereo telepresence system
Described is a stereoscopic display (telepresence) system that includes a depth cue adjustment mechanism for changing screen disparity to move a fixation distance of a viewer (subject) closer to a focus distance, thereby providing more desirable viewing conditions. In one aspect, the depth cue adjustment mechanism adjusts a depth cue by moving the fixation distance forward, and/or by moving the focus distance backward. Also described is detecting encroachment, where the object is perceived as being too close to the subject viewer for comfort, and adjusting one or more depth cues (e.g., object scale) to counteract the sensation of the encroachment. |
| US08692868B2 |
Letterbox margin processing method for identifying letterbox margins of target frame according to frame packing type corresponding to 3D video input and related letterbox margin processing apparatus thereof
A letterbox margin processing method includes: receiving a three-dimensional (3D) video input; determining a frame packing type corresponding to the 3D video input; selecting a first image region from a target frame according to the determined frame packing type, wherein the target frame is derived from the 3D video input; and detecting letterbox margins within the first image region. |
| US08692867B2 |
Object detection and rendering for wide field of view (WFOV) image acquisition systems
An image acquisition device having a wide field of view includes a lens and image sensor configured to capture an original wide field of view (WFoV) image with a field of view of more than 90°. The device has an object detection engine that includes one or more cascades of object classifiers, e.g., face classifiers. A WFoV correction engine may apply rectilinear and/or cylindrical projections to pixels of the WFoV image, and/or non-linear, rectilinear and/or cylindrical lens elements or lens portions serve to prevent and/or correct distortion within the original WFoV image. One or more objects located within the original and/or distortion-corrected WFoV image is/are detectable by the object detection engine upon application of the one or more cascades of object classifiers. |
| US08692865B2 |
Reducing video cross-talk in a visual-collaborative system
A visual-collaborative system including a display screen configured to display images and a camera configured to capture images. The system also includes a video cross-talk reducer configured to estimate video cross-talk that is to be displayed on the display screen and captured by the camera, and reducing the estimated video cross-talk from captured images by the camera. The estimation of the video cross-talk and reduction of the video cross-talk is signal based. |
| US08692864B2 |
Dynamic virtual multipoint video conference control unit
A system for a multi-point videoconference consisting of three or more simultaneously connected end-points in a one-to-many or a many-to-many conference via a dynamic-virtual-multi-point-control-unit. The system comprising of a dynamic control unit is created when the Audio and Video parameters with conference participants are input by the initiator. After the establishment of the conference the dynamic-control-unit may shift from end-point to end-point in the course of a conference without terminating the conference. The movement of the Composite table of parameters creates a virtual multipoint conference control unit first by selecting the best endpoint to host the dynamic control unit using the client device resources. The dynamic-control-unit uses a protocol to establish the connections between multipliable endpoints, including a requesting or initiating endpoint and two or more participating endpoints. All functions are controlled by the endpoints and distributed by the dynamic-control-unit, which may be resident at any eligible endpoint. |
| US08692862B2 |
System and method for selection of video data in a video conference environment
A method is provided in one embodiment and includes establishing a communication session involving a first endpoint and a second endpoint that are associated with a video conference in a network environment. The first endpoint is associated with a first identifier and the second endpoint is associated with a second identifier. The method also includes evaluating first audio data for the first endpoint, and determining a vocative parameter associated with the first audio data, where image data can be rendered on a user interface at the first endpoint based on the detecting of the vocative parameter. |
| US08692860B2 |
Light emitting device, print head, and image forming apparatus
A light emitting device includes light emitting chips, a mount board on which the light emitting chips are mounted, and a buffer amplifier. Each of the light emitting chips includes light emitting elements and transfer elements. The transfer element sequentially specify, by sequentially entering an on-state, the light emitting elements as targets for control of illumination or non-illumination. Each of the transfer elements is provided for a corresponding one of the light emitting elements. The buffer amplifier is provided on the mount board, and outputs a transfer signal on the basis of an input transfer signal. The transfer signal is used to sequentially set the transfer elements, which are included in each of the light emitting chips, to be in the on-state. |
| US08692859B2 |
Light-emitting device, light-emitting array unit, print head, image forming apparatus and light-emission control method
A light-emitting device includes: plural light-emitting array units that each include plural light-emitting elements, and for which lighting up and not lighting up are controlled by using a combination of a selection signal for selecting a control target for lighting up or not lighting up and a light-up signal for supplying power for lighting up to each light-emitting element forming the plural light-emitting elements; a selection signal generating unit that sends plural selection signals including the selection signal to the plural light-emitting array units; and a light-up signal generating unit that sends plural light-up signals including the light-up signal to the plural light-emitting array units. |
| US08692855B2 |
Compact arrangement of 3D filters and other apparatus/methods of lighting, recycling, and display
A compact arrangement of 3D filters is provided by a light source such as an LED and a spectral filter positioned to divide light from the light source into first and second lights having first and second spectral properties. A plurality of the compact sources may be arranged to illuminate (e.g., backlight) a modulator of a display (e.g., an LCD display). The modulator may be configured such that one region is illuminated by the first light and another region is illuminated by the second light (un modulated buffer between regions may be utilized to prevent crosstalk between the regions). The first and second lights are then modulated, for example, according to first and second channels of a 3D display. |
| US08692854B2 |
Method for generating lookup table for color correction for display device
A method for generating a lookup table for color correction for a display device includes obtaining measured stimulus values for grayscales of primaries displayed on the display device, obtaining target stimulus values for the grayscales of the primaries, and obtaining the lookup table by comparing the measured stimulus values for the grayscales of the primaries and the target stimulus values for the grayscales of the primaries. The measured display characteristic is employed to calculate the corresponding lookup table for color correction for the display device for achieving a desired color temperature and brightness curve. It makes the adjustment of color temperature and brightness more accurate and quicker, to reduce cost. |
| US08692853B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling 3 dimension display thereof
A mobile terminal including a display unit configured to display at least a first 3D object at a first 3D depth level and a second 3D object at a second 3D depth level that is different than the first 3D depth level; and a controller configured to receive a first selection action on the first 3D object and a second selection action on the second 3D object image, to convert the second 3D depth level of the second 3D object to match the first 3D depth level of the first 3D object based on the first and second selection actions, and to control the display unit to display the first and second 3D objects at the first 3D depth level. |
| US08692847B2 |
Brushing tools for digital image adjustments
Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products for applying an image adjustment to an image. A choice of image adjustments is presented to a user of a data processing device. A user selection is received from among the choice of image adjustments at least one image adjustment that a user desires to apply to an area of interest of the image. The user selected image adjustment is applied to an entirety of an image. A preview of the user selected image adjustment applied to the entirety of the image is displayed. Also, user input comprising user selection of a brushing application is received. The user selected image adjustment is applied to the area of interest of the image and a remainder of the image is restored to a pre-adjustment state using the user selection of the brushing application. |
| US08692846B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method for retouching images based upon user applied designated areas and annotations
Evaluation and an area to which the evaluation is added are identified in an image, and the image is processed based on a rule for processing the image and the identified evaluation and area. |
| US08692845B2 |
Head-mounted display control with image-content analysis
Operating a switchable head-mounted display apparatus includes: providing a head-mounted display that includes a switchable viewing area that switches between a transparent state and an information display state; operating the head-mounted display in the information viewing state to display image-sequence information; analyzing the image-sequence information to produce a signal estimating the propensity of the image-sequence information to induce motion sickness or symptoms of motion sickness in the user; and modifying the image-sequence information or the state of at least a portion of the switchable viewing area in response to the signal to reduce the propensity of the image-sequence information to induce motion sickness or symptoms of motion sickness in the user. |
| US08692841B2 |
Methods for modifying color data and display systems implementing the methods
A method for modifying color data in a display system is implemented using hardware circuitry. The method includes receiving first-color data associated with a first bit depth, the first-color data including a first-color data value. The method also includes receiving second-color data associated with a second bit depth that is less than the first bit depth, the second-color data including a second-color data value that corresponds to the first-color data value. The method also includes normalizing the second-color data according to the first bit depth for generating normalized second-color data. The method also includes adding an offset value to each data value of the normalized second-color data to generate offset second-color data, the offset second-color data including an offset second-color data value that corresponds to the first-color data value. The method also includes determining a modified second-color data value using the first-color data value and the offset second-color data value. |
| US08692840B2 |
Method for modeling and estimating rendering errors in virtual images
A quality of a virtual image for a synthetic viewpoint in a 3D scene is determined. The 3D scene is acquired by texture images, and each texture image is associated with a depth image acquired by a camera arranged at a real viewpoint. A texture noise power is based on the acquired texture images and reconstructed texture images corresponding to a virtual texture image. A depth noise power is based on the depth images and reconstructed depth images corresponding to a virtual depth image. The quality of the virtual image is based on a combination of the texture noise power and the depth noise power, and the virtual image is rendered from the reconstructed texture images and the reconstructed depth images. |
| US08692839B2 |
Methods and systems for updating a buffer
The present invention relates to methods and systems for updating a buffer. In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for updating a buffer, which includes strategically writing to the buffer to enable concurrent read and write to the buffer. The method eliminates the need for double buffering, thereby resulting in implementation cost and space savings compared to conventional buffering approaches. The method also prevents image tearing when, used to update a frame buffer associated with a display, but is not limited to such applications. In another aspect, the present invention provides efficient mechanisms to enable buffer update across a communication link. In one example, the present invention provides a method for relaying timing information across a communication link. |
| US08692837B1 |
Screen compression for mobile applications
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a technique for compressing and storing display data and optionally compressing and storing cursor data in a memory that is local to a graphics processing unit to reduce the power consumed by a mobile computing device when refreshing the screen. Compressing the display data and optionally the cursor data also reduces the relative cost of the invention by reducing the size of the local memory relative to the size that would be necessary if the display data were stored locally in uncompressed form. Thus, the invention may improve mobile computing device battery life, while keeping additional costs low. |
| US08692832B2 |
Para-virtualized asymmetric GPU processors
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing asymmetric Graphical Processing Unit (“GPU”) processors in a para-virtualized environment. A virtual GPU (“vGPU”) within a child partition of the para-virtualized environment includes a kernel-mode driver (“KMD”) and a user-mode driver (“UMD”). The KMD includes a plurality of virtual nodes. Each virtual node performs a different type of operation in parallel with other types of operations. The KMD is declared as a multi-engine GPU. The UMD schedules operations for parallel execution on the virtual nodes. A render component within a root partition of the para-virtualized environment executes GPU commands received from the vGPU at the physical GPU. A plurality of memory access channels established between the KMD and the render component communicate GPU commands between a corresponding virtual node at the KMD and the render component. |
| US08692831B2 |
Parallel operation processing apparatus and method
Provided is a parallel operation processing apparatus and method. The parallel operation processing apparatus and method may generate an interpolated matrix with respect to a character included in each of a current frame and a next frame using a matrix corresponding to each of the current frame and the next frame generated, based on joint information corresponding to a plurality of joints included in the character. Also, the parallel operation processing apparatus and method may display an interpolated frame using the interpolated matrix. |
| US08692822B2 |
Display controller, display device, display system, and method for controlling display device
A display controller is capable of changing a refresh rate, indicative of how often a screen displayed on a display device having a plurality of pixels is switched, between a low refresh rate of 40 Hz and a normal refresh rate of 60 Hz and generates (i) a dot clock (reference clock) serving as a timing signal indicative of a timing of operation in the display device, (ii) video data indicative of an image to be displayed on the screen, (iii) Hsync for defining a horizontal period of a display on the screen, and (vi) Vsync for defining a vertical period of the display on the screen, so as to supply the dot clock, the video data, Hsync, and Vsync to the display device, wherein the display controller includes a dot clock generation circuit for generating the reference clock whose frequency is constant without depending on a change of the refresh rate. This makes it possible to provide the display controller which can suppress occurrence of noise also in switching the refresh rate and which does not allow any screen derangement which is caused by the noise. |
| US08692821B2 |
Organic light emitting display with pixel and method of driving the same
A pixel capable of displaying an image with uniform brightness. The pixel includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a first transistor for controlling an amount of current that flows from a first power source to a second power source via the OLED, and a second transistor coupled between a gate electrode of the first transistor and a bias power source, and configured to be turned on when a reset signal is supplied to a reset line, wherein a turn on time of the second transistor is configured to apply the bias power source to the gate electrode of the first transistor for at least 560 μs. |
| US08692817B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device
An organic light-emitting display device includes a first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, and a third sub-pixel on a substrate. Each of the first, second, and third sub-pixels includes a pixel circuit unit, a first and second pixel electrodes including a reflective film formed of a conductive material that permits light reflection, and a counter electrode that faces the first and second pixel electrodes. The first sub-pixel includes a first organic film between the counter electrode and the first and second pixel electrodes of the first sub-pixel, and includes a red light-emitting layer. The second sub-pixel includes a second organic film between the counter electrode and the first and second pixel electrodes of the second sub-pixel, and includes a green light-emitting layer. The third sub-pixel includes a third organic film between the counter electrode and the first and second pixel electrodes of the third sub-pixel, and includes a blue light-emitting layer. |
| US08692814B2 |
Electromagnetic pointer
An electromagnetic pointer is disclosed. The electromagnetic pointer comprises a pen holder assembly, a circuit board, a metal rod, a ferrite core with coils and a trigger device. The diameter of the pen holder assembly is less than 6 mm. The circuit board comprises a resonance circuit. The metal rod has a low permeability. The ferrite core with coil constitutes an inductor and the coil electrically connects to the circuit board through a conductive wire to complete the resonance circuit. The ferrite core has a hollow center so that the metal rod can move through to trigger the trigger device and change electric properties of the resonance circuit. |
| US08692813B2 |
Bendable stylus
Stylus includes a first body at the front end and a second body at the back end, where the second body pivots to the first body and is capable of rotating between a straight position and a bending position. The stylus further includes a restraining member selectively moving to engage between the first body and the second body such that the stylus can be retained and formed in a straight pen style with buckling-proof capability, or a bending style for supporting a portable device. When the stylus is drawn out of the portable device, the restraining member can further be pushed forwardly to disengage the second body from the first body by a resilient bump inside the housing of the portable device, so that the stylus can be released from the straight pen style and bended accordingly. |
| US08692804B2 |
Optical touch system and method
An optical touch system includes a substrate, a glass module, two light sources, three reflective clothes, two image sensors and a processing module. The glass module is disposed at one side of the substrate. The two light sources are respectively disposed at two terminals of the glass module. The three reflective clothes are disposed on the edges of the substrate contiguously. A touch region is formed among the three reflective clothes and the glass module for reflecting the light emitted from the two light sources. The two image sensors are disposed respectively next to the two light sources and used for capturing images in the touch region. The processing module is used for determining whether a touch action is performed according to the images in the touch region. |
| US08692802B1 |
Method and apparatus for calculating coordinates with high noise immunity in touch applications
Apparatuses and methods of position calculation of a touch are described. One method obtains at a processing device touch data of a sense array, the touch data represented as multiple cells. The touch data is for a touch detected proximate the sense array. Noise may be detected on the sense array based on the touch data and a position calculation algorithm from multiple different position calculation algorithms is selected based on the detected noise. The position of the touch proximate the sense array is determined from the touch data based on the selected position calculation algorithm. |
| US08692800B2 |
Coordinate detection apparatus and display apparatus
A coordinate detection apparatus includes: electrode arrays each including first/second/third electrodes extending in a first direction; and a processing unit. The first electrode includes first/second regions larger/smaller in dimension, with respect to the first direction, in parallel with a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The second/third electrodes are smaller/larger in dimension, with respect to the first direction, in parallel with the second direction, and are opposed to the first/second regions in the second direction. The first/second/third electrodes are arranged in the second direction. Each electrode array outputs a capacitance value corresponding to a distance between it and a detection target. The processing unit calculates total sums (first/second/third values) of capacitance values of the respective first/second/third electrodes, and a sum of these total sums, and detects a position coordinate based on a different capacitance ratio depending on whether the second value is above or below the third value. |
| US08692793B2 |
Dual mode inductive touch screen for use in a configurable communication device and methods for use therewith
A touch screen can be used in a communication device having a transceiver that communicates radio frequency (RF) signals. The communication device includes an antenna and a programmable antenna interface that couples the antenna to the transceiver. The touch screen includes a display layer for displaying information. An inductor grid includes a plurality of inductive elements. A switch matrix selects an inductive element in response to a selection signal in a first mode of operation, and couples together a group of inductive elements in a second mode of operation. A dual mode driver generates the selection signal and, in the first mode of operation, drives the selected inductive element to detect a touch object in proximity to the selected inductive elements and that generates touch screen data in response thereto. In a second mode of operation, the dual mode driver couples the group of inductive elements to the programmable antenna interface. |
| US08692791B2 |
Touch panel
Disclosed herein is a touch panel. A touch panel according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a base member; a transparent electrode formed in an active area of the base member; an insulator formed in a bezel area of the base member, and convexly protruded from the base member; and an electrode wiring formed on an exposed surface of the insulator. In addition, a touch panel according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a base member having a groove portion formed such that an exposed surface thereof has a concave curved surface; a transparent electrode formed in an active area; and an electrode wire connected to one end or both ends of the transparent electrode and formed on the exposed surface of the groove portion. |
| US08692789B2 |
Establishing an authenticated wireless connection between short-range wireless terminals more conveniently
A system and computer program product for establishing a wireless connection based on a touch screen of a wireless device. The wireless device includes a slide-out processing section for determining, in response to a slide-out from an edge of the touch screen, a first slide-out parameter for determining by the other wireless device an object to be connected, and broadcasting the first slide-out parameter. The wireless device further includes a slide-in processing section for determining a slide-in parameter in response to a slide-in from the edge of the touch screen and reception of a second slide-out parameter directionally transmitted from the other wireless device. Furthermore, if the determined slide-in parameter matches the second slide-out parameter, then the slide-in processing section establishes a wireless connection between the wireless device and the other wireless device. As a result, an authenticated wireless connection between short-range wireless terminals can be established more conveniently. |
| US08692787B2 |
Touch panel and manufacturing method therefor
Disclosed herein is a touch panel including a glass cover, a light transmitting conductive film, a flexible circuit board, a light blocking print layer, and a colored print layer. |
| US08692786B2 |
User interface device and method for controlling a connected consumer load, and light system using such user interface device
The invention relates to a user interface device for controlling an electrical consumer, in particular, a light system. Further, it relates to light system using such user interface device. Moreover it relates to a method for controlling such light system using a user interface device. To provide a user interface device, a light system and a method for controlling a consumer load providing feed forward or feed-back information facilitating an easy and intuitive use of the user interface device when controlling a light system, a user interface device for controlling a connected light system (44) is proposed, comprising: a display unit (12) including a plurality of LEDs (13) in a matrix form, wherein each of the LEDs (13) of the matrix is addressable individually; an input unit (11) to receive a user input; a control unit (40) adapted to receive a signal (1a) based on the user input and to generate an information signal (1b) provided to the display unit (12) and to generate a control signal (1c) for controlling the connected consumer load (44). |
| US08692779B2 |
Pointer detection apparatus and pointer detection method
A pointer detection apparatus includes a conductor pattern with first conductors disposed in a first direction and second conductors disposed in a second direction that crosses the first direction, and a code string signal production circuit for producing signals based on orthogonal code strings with phases different from each other and supplying the produced signals to the first conductors. The apparatus also includes a signal detection circuit connected to the second conductors for detecting a signal corresponding to a variation of electrostatic capacitance between the conductor pattern and a pointer, an analog to digital conversion (ADC) circuit for converting the signal output from the signal detection circuit into a digital signal comprising a word string of multiple bits, and a correlation detection circuit for determining correlation values between the code strings and the word string. The apparatus also includes a memory for storing correlation values successively output from the correlation detection circuit, wherein the pointer is detected based on the correlation values. |
| US08692776B2 |
Correction of parasitic capacitance effect in touch sensor panels
Embodiments of the invention relate to correction of erroneous touch data on a touch sensor panel. Erroneous touch data may occur when a user is touching locations on the touch sensor panel but fails to be in good contact with another part of the device including the touch sensor panel. These erroneous readings may be statistically compensated for. A capacitance value that combines various external capacitances that may cause erroneous results can be calculated. Then, if necessary, received touch data can be modified to take into account the external capacitance. Accordingly, improved accuracy is provided for determining touch event(s) on a touch sensor panel. |
| US08692775B2 |
Key structure of operation section of electronic device, input device and electronic device using same
There is provided a key structure of an operation section of an electronic device that can avoid an occurrence of operational errors of erroneously pressing down an operation key and can reliably secure a large area for input operations and for indicating information. The key structure of the operation section of the electronic device having a plurality of the operation keys 14, 14, . . . arranged in parallel in a manner to be adjacent to one another. The operation portion having a step height (wall surface 23) is formed in the operation key that can perform input operations by being pressed down with a finger of an operator. The operation portion of the operation key is made up of a higher step surface located in a higher level portion in a pressed-down direction and a lower step surface formed at least on an adjacent side where the operation keys are adjacent to one another in a level portion lower than the higher step surface in the pressed-down direction. Each of the higher step surface and the lower step surface is formed so as to be approximately planar and a width of the lower step surface is set to be not less than a half of an error width W of the press-down operation as a width in an adjacent direction with respect to the higher step surface. |
| US08692774B2 |
Virtual colonoscopy navigation methods using a mobile device
Certain examples provide systems and methods for mobile virtual colonoscopy. Certain examples provide a mobile device configured to view clinical content. The mobile device includes a data storage to store data including images for a virtual colonoscopy; a user interface to display the images for user viewing and manipulation; and a motion detector to capture movement of the mobile device with respect to a reference plane and to provide movement data. The mobile device includes a processor to receive input via the user interface and provide content, including the images, to the user interface. The processor is to provide a virtual colonoscopy using the images to a user via the user interface. The processor receives the movement data from the motion detector and translates the movement data to navigation commands in the virtual colonoscopy to allow the user to conduct a virtual colonoscopy using the mobile device. |
| US08692771B2 |
Modular computer mouse
A system and method are disclosed for providing a modular user input device such as a computer mouse. A core module can house the sensor, microcontroller and RF modules (if any). It may or may not also house the microswitches and scroll wheel. The core module includes a case module connector that will allow it to accept mouse button inputs from an interchangeable case module, power from a battery pack (if required for wireless operation) and control lights or any other input/output features on the mouse itself. The core module can also accept the connection to the host computer, either through the case module connector or directly via USB or similar industry standard connector. |
| US08692770B2 |
Operation apparatus having a unit movable on a two-dimensional operation surface
A movable operation unit is movable on a two-dimensional operation surface of a main body. The two-dimensional operation surface is defined by an X-axis and a Y-axis perpendicular to each other. A Y-axis movable portion is rotatable around a rotation axis. The Y-axis movable portion is movable in the Y-axis direction when rotating around the rotation axis. The rotation axis extends in the X-axis direction relative to the main body. The Y-axis movable portion includes a sliding rail portion on which the movable operation unit is slidable in the X-axis direction. The movable operation unit is operable to slide in the X axial direction and move in the Y axial direction accompanied with rotation of the Y-axis movable portion around the rotation axis to performs a parallel shift in the two dimensional direction while regularly and constantly maintaining a posture of the movable operation unit. |
| US08692767B2 |
Input device and method for virtual trackball operation
Input devices and methods are provided in which a sensing system is adapted to detect motion of an object on a surface and a processing system is coupled to the sensing system. The processing system is adapted to effect movement of a display pointer on a display in a first direction in response to motion of the object on the surface and effect continued movement of the display pointer in the first direction in response to the object being removed from the surface. |
| US08692763B1 |
Last screen rendering for electronic book reader
A handheld dedicated electronic book (“eBook”) reader device and last screen rendering techniques for enhancing user experience are described. The eBook reader device detects certain screen conversion events, such as a timeout period, a scheduled event, or an event derived from user behavior. Upon detection of such events, the eBook reader device renders, as the last screen image to remain visible after the user ceases using the device, an image that conveys to the user some meaningful association with a content item. In the context of eBooks, the eBook reader device renders a representation of the book cover as the last screen image. A progress indicator may further be included to represent user progress through the content item. |
| US08692762B2 |
Display apparatus for performing space division and time division operations and method of driving the same
In a display apparatus and a method of driving the same, microshutters are successively arranged and each microshutter includes a plurality of sub-microshutters that are opened to transmit light or closed to block light in response to a voltage. The sub-microshutters are opened or closed during predetermined different time periods to display various gray scales. |
| US08692758B2 |
Display device and mobile terminal using serial data transmission
A display device of an embodiment of the present invention is a display device of an active matrix type, and includes a display driver supplied with image data included in serial data by serial transmission. The serial data has a first flag for specifying a polarity of voltage of a common electrode added thereto. The display driver generates, in accordance with a timing of a serial clock, a timing signal for a horizontal period for a data signal line driver, and a timing signal for a gate signal line driver. This realizes a display device capable of easily generating, within a driver IC, a timing signal for writing the image data in pixels. |
| US08692756B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing same
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device and a method for manufacturing the same that can improve aperture ratio of pixels while securing necessary storage capacitance using a simple configuration even if there is progress in high resolution of pixels. The liquid crystal display device according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of pixels. A thin film transistor array substrate includes gate lines and source lines arranged in a grid pattern on a principal surface of a supporting substrate, transparent pixel electrodes, and thin film transistors. Also, the thin film transistor array substrate includes a gate insulator, a passivation layer, a transparent conductive film, a first insulation layer, and transparent pixel electrodes stacked in order from a supporting substrate side. The transparent pixel electrodes are electrically connected with drain electrodes of the thin film transistors through contact holes formed in the first insulation layer. When a substrate surface is viewed in a direction of a normal to the substrate surface, the transparent conductive film does not overlap regions in which the transparent pixel electrodes and the drain electrodes are electrically connected with each other. |
| US08692755B2 |
Gamma-correction technique for video playback
Embodiments of a system that includes one or more integrated circuits are described. During operation, the system transforms the video image from an initial brightness domain to a linear brightness domain, which includes a range of brightness values corresponding to substantially equidistant adjacent radiant-power values in a displayed video image. In this linear brightness domain, the system may determine an intensity setting of the light source based on at least a portion of the transformed video image, such as the portion of the transformed video image that includes spatially varying visual information in the video image. Moreover, the system may modify the transformed video image so that a product of the intensity setting and a transmittance associated with the modified video image approximately equals a product of a previous intensity setting and a transmittance associated with the video image. For example, the modification may include changing brightness values in the transformed video image. |
| US08692754B2 |
LCD panel with visible zone of dual-gate thin film transistor array
A LCD panel includes an invisible zone and a visible zone. The invisible zone includes a gate driver and a wiring zone, wherein the gate driver sequentially outputs six pulse signals. By the wiring zone, a first pulse signal is converted into a first gate driving signal of the visible zone, a second pulse signal is converted into a fourth gate driving signal of the visible zone, a third pulse signal is converted into a fifth gate driving signal of the visible zone, a fourth pulse signal is converted into a second gate driving signal of the visible zone, a fifth pulse signal is converted into a third gate driving signal of the visible zone, and a sixth pulse signal is converted into a sixth gate driving signal of the visible zone. |
| US08692749B2 |
Display apparatus with continuous semiconductor layer
A capacitance setting line is disposed at the top end of a pixel, a light emission setting line is disposed at the bottom end of the pixel, and a gate line is disposed at the center between both the lines. A selection transistor, a potential control transistor and a capacitor are disposed between the gate line and a capacitance setting line. A short-circuit transistor, a drive transistor and a drive control transistor are disposed between the gate line and the light emission setting line. With such an arrangement, the efficient arrangement of wiring contacts can be performed, and an aperture ratio can be increased. |
| US08692748B2 |
Display device, driving method thereof, and electronic apparatus
A display device comprises a pixel array unit including a plurality of pixels, and power supply lines and a power supply scanner for supplying a power supply voltage switching between first and second potentials to each of the power supply lines, wherein each of the pixels includes a light emitting element, a sampling transistor, a driver transistor, and a holding capacitor. The sampling transistor samples a signal potential to be held in the holding capacitor, the driver transistor receives a supply of a current from the power supply scanner through the power supply line at a first potential and flows a drive current to the light emitting element in accordance with the held signal potential, and the power supply scanner changes the power supply line from the first potential to the second potential before the sampling transistors samples the signal potential. |
| US08692745B2 |
Light emitting device reducing an electric power consumption and method of driving the same
The present invention relates to a light emitting device for reducing consumption of an electric power in screen protecting mode. The light emitting device includes a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of pixels, a controller, a data driving circuit and a scan driving circuit. The data lines are disposed in a first direction. The scan lines are disposed in a second direction different from the first direction. The pixels are formed by the data lines and the scan lines. The controller transmits a plurality of first display data. The data driving circuit provides data current corresponding to the first display data transmitted from the controller to the data lines. The scan driving circuit drives the scan lines by a unit of two or more lines under control of the controller when the first display data are repeatedly transmitted to the data driving circuit. |
| US08692741B2 |
Scan driving circuit and organic light emitting display using the same
A scan driving circuit and an organic light emitting display using the scan driving circuit are disclosed. The circuit effectively reduces power consumption by removing a flow path of a static current from a stage of each unit. The scan driving circuit is coupled with an input signal line or an output voltage line of a previous stage, and comprises a plurality of stages coupled with a two-phase clock signal input line, a first scan driver sequentially outputs a selection signal and/or a boost signal through the plurality of stages. A second scan driver sequentially outputs an emission signal through the plurality of stages. The first scan driver includes a scan drive unit to output the selection signal, a first boost drive unit to output an odd-numbered boost signal, and a second boost drive unit to output an even-numbered boost signal. |
| US08692739B2 |
Dynamic information presentation on full windshield head-up display
A method to dynamically register a graphic representing essential vehicle information onto a driving scene of a subject vehicle utilizing a substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes monitoring subject vehicle information and identifying the essential vehicle information based on the monitored subject vehicle information. The graphic representing the essential vehicle information is determined and determining, and a preferred location for the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display is dynamically registering in accordance with minimizing an operator's head movement and eye saccades for viewing the graphic. The graphic is displayed upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display based upon the preferred location. |
| US08692738B2 |
Advanced Pepper's ghost projection system with a multiview and multiplanar display
An apparatus for displaying virtual objects within a physical set or scene. The apparatus includes a set assembly including at least one physical object, e.g., a background prop. A virtual object display assembly is provided with: a display element with a screen operable to display an image of an object; a beam splitter positioned at an angle between the screen and the set assembly; and a mask display element positioned within the set assembly at an image plane associated with the displayed image. The mask display element operates, when the display element operates to display the displayed image, to display a mask corresponding to the displayed image. The beam splitter is transmissive and reflective of light. The mask display element is positioned between the beam splitter and the physical object, and the displayed mask occludes a portion of the physical object and casts a shadow within the set assembly. |
| US08692736B1 |
Configurable keypad for an electronic device
An electronic book reading device with a configurable keypad is described. The device includes a first display configured to display visual representations of content of an electronic book. The device further includes a second display configured to display a plurality of different button configurations, one button configuration being displayed at a time. The device also includes a switch array disposed under the second display, wherein the switch array is configured to receive user input and provide tactile feedback when the user input is received. The device includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. Instructions are stored in the memory. The instructions are executable to process the user input and change a button configuration on the second display from a first button configuration to a second button configuration. |
| US08692735B2 |
Display control apparatus, electronic device, and computer program product
According to one embodiment, a display control apparatus is configured to display a single display image on a plurality of two-dimensionally-arranged display devices combined as a single display device. The display control apparatus includes a display module configured to shift, when a predetermined target image included in the display image is displayed across display screens of the display devices, a display position of the display image so that the target image fits into one of the display screens of the display devices. |
| US08692732B2 |
Antenna with multiple folds
An example antenna includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. The intermediate portion includes multiple folds. The second end portion includes a first conductor to couple with a communication interface of a communication module, and a second conductor to couple with a ground. |
| US08692731B2 |
Dielectric waveguide antenna
Disclosed herein is a dielectric waveguide antenna including: a dielectric waveguide transmitting a signal applied from a power feeder; a dielectric waveguide radiator radiating the signal transmitted from the dielectric waveguide to the air through a first aperture; and a matching unit formed in a portion of the dielectric waveguide and controlling a serial reactance and a parallel reactance to thereby perform impedance matching between the dielectric waveguide radiator and the air, in order to reduce reflection generated in the first aperture during the radiation of the signal through the first aperture. Reflection in the aperture is reduced through the matching unit having various structures, thereby making it possible to improve characteristics of the dielectric waveguide antenna. |
| US08692730B2 |
Mobile communication base station antenna
A mobile communication base station antenna has a plurality of array antenna blocks. Each of the array antenna blocks has a plurality of antenna element pairs. Each of the antenna element pairs has a plurality of antenna elements that are disposed to be orthogonal to each other. Tilt angles in the vertical plane of the respective array antenna blocks are different from each other. |
| US08692729B2 |
Antenna with shaped dielectric loading
An apparatus, method of propagating a signal and method of manufacture for an antenna structure comprising a section which is positioned or formed in relation to a portion of the antenna structure, such that a portion of the electromagnetic (EM) field that is emitted from the antenna structure is partially slowed or phase shifted thereby resulting in an improvement of the horizontal gain of the EM field. |
| US08692727B2 |
Glass antenna for vehicle
A glass antenna includes hot-side and earth-side feeding points provided near an intermediate portion of an inside vertical or vertically-oblique edge of flange of a fixed window glass; a hot-side element; and an earth-side element. The hot-side element includes at least one first horizontal line extending from the hot-side feeding point in a horizontal direction, and at least one first vertical line extending from the hot-side feeding point in a direction away from the earth-side feeding point. The earth-side element includes at least one second horizontal line extending from the earth-side feeding point in the horizontal direction, and a third horizontal line extending from a tip of at least one second vertical line in the horizontal direction. The at least one second vertical line extends from the earth-side feeding point in a direction away from the hot-side feeding point. |
| US08692725B2 |
Patch antenna device
Provided is an in-vehicle patch antenna device which has a reduced size and multiple functions while improving performance. An in-vehicle patch antenna device includes a substrate (10), a ground conductor (20) provided on the substrate (10), an antenna element section (30) and a reporting circuit section (40). The antenna element section (30) has a feeding section (31) and is provided on a surface of the substrate (10) opposite to a surface on which the ground conductor (20) is provided. The reporting circuit section (40) is provided on the substrate (10) and connected around an area in a periphery of the antenna element section (30) at which current distribution is minimal other than the peripheral area thereof where the feeding section (31) is provided. |
| US08692722B2 |
Wireless field device or wireless field device adapter with removable antenna module
A wireless field device or an adapter for converting a wired field device to a wireless field device includes a housing, a first connector on the housing, and a removable antenna module that includes an antenna, a second connector coupleable and uncoupleable with the first connector, and a radome that houses the antenna and fits on the second connector. The radome is made of a static dissipative material that dissipates static buildup without sparking when coupling or uncoupling the connectors, enabling the antenna to be removed or replaced while the field wireless field device is located in a hazardous (classified) location. |
| US08692716B2 |
Nano and micro based antennas and sensors and methods of making same
A method of fabricating an antenna. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of providing a substrate treated with a plasma treatment, providing a nanoparticle ink comprising nanoparticles, painting the nanoparticle ink on the substrate to form an antenna member in which the nanoparticles are connected, determining a feed point of the antenna member, and attaching an feeding port onto the substrate at the feed point to establish a contact between the feeding port and the antenna member. |
| US08692713B2 |
Receiving device, receiving method, computer program, and portable terminal
To provide a receiving device which is capable of reducing average power and peak power by holding pseudo synchronization of a satellite signal during a sleep period. Provided is a receiving device including a receiving unit for receiving a signal from a satellite, a frequency conversion unit for converting a frequency of the received signal into a predetermined intermediate frequency, a synchronization acquisition unit for carrying out synchronization acquisition and for detecting a carrier frequency, and a synchronization holding unit for assigning and setting, per satellite, a phase of the spread code and the carrier frequency to each of a plurality of channels independently provided in a corresponding manner to a plurality of the satellites to synchronously hold the spread code and a carrier and also for demodulating a message included in the intermediate frequency. The synchronization holding unit includes a spreading code generation unit for generating a spreading code synchronized with the spread code, and in a sleep period in which a positioning operation is not carried out, the synchronization holding unit causes only the spreading code generation unit to operate and a counter that the synchronization holding unit refers to also operates. |
| US08692711B2 |
System and method to obtain signal acquisition assistance data
Signal acquisition assistance data is obtained for receiving devices such as wireless position assisted location devices seeking signals from any source, such as satellite vehicles and base stations. The data may be obtained from previously acquired data, based upon evaluation of changes in parameters such as time and location that may jeopardize validity. In some cases the data may be adjusted for the changes in parameters. Refined data may be calculated by a receiver using partial measurements of signal sets, particularly if the acquisition assistance data provided by a remote entity includes more distinct parameters than have typically been provided. New data need not be obtained until the validity of previous data expires due to limitations upon temporal extrapolation using Doppler coefficients, unless mobile station movement that cannot be compensated is detected, and jeopardizes validity of the previous data. |
| US08692706B2 |
Sensor device for measuring the compression travel and/or the compression rate of wheels and/or axles of vehicles
A sensor device for measuring the compression travel and/or the compression rate of wheels and/or axles of vehicles, in particular of commercial vehicles, may include at least one sensor measuring in a contactless manner. The sensor device may include a radar and/or high-frequency sensor generating a beam, which is emitted and received after reflection at a reference and reflection surface. |
| US08692704B1 |
Registering coherent change detection products associated with large image sets and long capture intervals
A set of co-registered coherent change detection (CCD) products is produced from a set of temporally separated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of a target scene. A plurality of transformations are determined, which transformations are respectively for transforming a plurality of the SAR images to a predetermined image coordinate system. The transformations are used to create, from a set of CCD products produced from the set of SAR images, a corresponding set of co-registered CCD products. |
| US08692703B1 |
Mapping, storage, retrieval and display of high energy electromagnetic radiation emitters
A system for providing the capability for a vehicle to avoid regions of signal interference from high energy (HE) electromagnetic (EM) radiation emitters. The system includes a processing module. A database is operatively connected to the processing module. The database comprises a plurality of geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters and data associated with the geographical areas. The data includes location, lateral and vertical extents, and signal attenuation for selected geographical areas affected by HE EM radiation emitters. The data preferably also includes affected frequency spectrum for the selected geographical areas. A display system is operatively connected to the processing module. The processing module functions to receive information regarding the position of the vehicle and query the database to retrieve relevant HE EM radiation emitters which are a threat to the vehicle's ability to properly navigate or communicate. The relevant HE EM radiation emitters are displayed on the display system. The present invention provides enhanced situational awareness to the pilot and permits decision support systems to refine their trajectory through hazards. |
| US08692699B2 |
Data interface clock generation
In one embodiment, an apparatus may include a clock generator to generate a format clock signal. The apparatus may also include a serializer to generate serial data based on a transmit clock signal and parallel input data. The apparatus may also include a signal generator to generate at least two differential signals based on the format clock signal and the serial data. |
| US08692697B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding based on a linear block code
A method and apparatus for encoding based on a linear block code, and a method and apparatus for generating a linear block code are provided. The method for encoding based on a linear block code includes: generating a linear block code; and encoding an information sequence with an encoding matrix of the linear block code to obtain a bit stream sequence. The linear block codes have a good minimum distance characteristic, so that the error correction performance is improved. |
| US08692694B2 |
Method to detect and recover from stuck keys on an electronic device keyboard
A method of detecting and recovering from stuck keys on an electronic device keyboard comprises receiving one or more messages by a processor based upon a predetermined periodic scan rate and each message corresponding to a pressed key, determining one of the pressed keys is a stuck key based upon the received one or more messages corresponding to a pressed key, sending a mock key-up message from the processor to a keyboard controller in response to the determined stuck key, operating the keyboard controller at a changed scan rate in response to the mock key-up message, detecting the electronic device keyboard is in a released key state by the processor; and operating the keyboard controller at the predetermined periodic scan rate in response to the detected released key state. The processor can include two components, such as a keyboard processor and a keyboard controller. |
| US08692689B2 |
Vehicle context awareness by detecting engine RPM using a motion sensor
Methods and apparatus for determining context of a mobile device are provided. In an example, provided is a method for identifying an environment of a mobile device. The method includes receiving a motion sensor signal. The motion sensor signal can be received from an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope. If a frequency characteristic of an engine is detected in the motion sensor signal, a control signal is output identifying that the mobile device is located in a motor vehicle. The control signal can enable a vehicle navigation mode. The control signal can also be used to alert a user to the identified environment and/or change a feature of the mobile device. The method can also include receiving an audio signal from a microphone, detecting the engine vibration from the audio signal, and using the audio signal to confirm the detecting the engine vibration from the motion sensor signal. |
| US08692682B2 |
Position detection system for detection object and position detection method for detection object
A position detection system for a detection object and a position detection method for a detection object that enable calibration without removing a detection object after the detection object is introduced into a detection space are provided. Provided are a magnetic-field generating unit (3) that generates a position-detection magnetic field; a detection object (5) including a resonant circuit (21) that generates a resonant magnetic field and an external-signal switch that connects or disconnects the path of the resonant circuit (21); a switch-controlling unit (7) that controls connecting or disconnecting of the external-signal switch; a position-detection-magnetic-field detecting unit (9) that detects the magnetic field strength of at least one of the position-detection magnetic field and the resonant magnetic field; and a position-calculating unit (11) that calculates the position and orientation of the detection object (5) based on a detection signal from the position-detection-magnetic-field detecting unit (9). |
| US08692681B2 |
Dynamic PET imaging with isotope contamination compensation
A nuclear imaging system includes a scanner (8), such as a PET scanner. A patient is injected with a [13N]ammonia radioisotope tracer which is contaminated with a small percent of 18F contamination. The scanner receives radiation from the injected tracer and a reconstruction processor (28) reconstructs the detected radiation into image representations. A calibration processor (16) generates an estimated decay curve based on the proton bombardment and a priori information about the tracer. An activity meter (42) measures radiation emitted from a sample of the tracer and a dose calibrator (44) determines a decay curve from the measured radiation. The detected radiation is corrected with one of the decay curves during reconstruction or a correction processor (50) corrects reconstructed images with one or both of the decay curves. A display (14) displays uncorrected reconstructed images and the decay curve and/or the corrected images. |
| US08692680B2 |
Residual-current circuit breaker
A residual-current circuit breaker includes at least one summation current transformer through which a first lead and a second lead of a network to be protected are guided. At least one secondary winding is arranged on the summation current transformer and operatively connected, at least indirectly, with an energy storage element. A trip element is operatively connected with break contacts in the first and second leads. In order to reduce expected cut-offs of a network to be protected, an electric signaling device is operatively connected, at least indirectly, with the energy storage element. |
| US08692678B2 |
Automated intravenous monitoring device
An automated intravenous (IV) monitoring device is provided comprising a sensor for sensing drips passing through an IV drip chamber, a processing unit for calculating the total infused volume over a predetermined period of time, and a display for displaying the total infused volume. The IV monitoring device preferably also calculates and displays the flow rate of the drips. Additionally, an alarm can be activated if the flow rate drops below a predetermined value. A method of providing data pertaining to IV drips being infused into a body is also disclosed. |
| US08692677B2 |
Wake-up assisting apparatus and wake-up assisting method
Disclosed herein is a wake-up assisting apparatus including: an electrode which comes into contact with the parietal of the human body; a signal processing part which detects brain waves through the electrode, determines the sleep stage from the thus detected brain waves, and decides the wake-up time according to the sleep stage; and a stimulating part which gives stimuli to the human body at the wake-up time. |
| US08692675B2 |
Vibratory feedback systems and methods
Vibratory feedback systems and methods are disclosed. A vibratory feedback system includes a shoe adapted to be secured to a user's foot, a plurality of force sensors and vibration actuators mounted on the shoe, and a microprocessor affixed to the shoe. The force sensors are configured to sense forces exerted by the user's foot. The vibration actuators are configured to provide vibrations to the user's foot. The microprocessor is coupled to receive data from the plurality of force sensors, and is programmed to actuate the plurality of vibration actuators to provide a first characteristic vibration to the user's foot based on the sensed forces. A method of improving the gait of a user includes enabling the user to ambulate with the vibratory feedback system secured to the user's foot, and providing a first characteristic vibration to the user's foot based on the sensed forces using the vibratory feedback system. |
| US08692674B2 |
RFID tag supplying apparatus and tag tape roll
This disclosure discloses an RFID tag supplying apparatus that supplies a substantially sheet-like antenna base on which an RFID circuit element provided with an IC circuit part that stores information and an antenna that transmits and receives information is disposed between a first tape and a second tape that are fed to a predetermined bonding position to be mutually bonded, comprising: a tape processing device that makes a tape orderly on said antenna base to prevent the generation of parts out of order in a tag tape including said first tape and said second tape. |
| US08692671B2 |
Integrated charger and alarm unit
An integrated charger and alarm unit. A plurality of alarm receptacles are in a housing, each for selectively receiving a sensor cord for sensing security status of one of a plurality of chargeable devices. A plurality of charging receptacles are in the housing, one for each alarm receptacle, each for selectively receiving a power cord for charging one of the chargeable devices. A power receptacle in the housing connects to an electrical power source. An electrical circuit is operatively connected to the alarm receptacles, the charging receptacles and the power receptacle. The electrical circuit comprises an alarm control powered by the electrical power source and connected to the alarm receptacles and generating an alarm signal if the security status of any of the plurality of chargeable devices is in an unsecured status. A power supply control regulates power from the electrical power source to each of the charging receptacles. |
| US08692670B2 |
Security system
A security system comprising: a controller; and a plurality of dispensing devices, wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from a plurality of remote detectors and transmit signals to the plurality of dispensing devices, the controller being adapted to determine which of the plurality of detectors has transmitted a signal and transmit a signal to a selected one or more dispensing devices to dispense a fluid based on said determination, wherein each dispensing device is configured to receive signals from the controller and dispense fluid when a signal is received. |
| US08692669B2 |
Constant optical output illumination system
The present invention is an illuminator for CCTV surveillance and security applications that maintains constant optical output from an array of LEDs by employing output compensation, feedback and enhancement. This constant optical output illuminator system enables reliable long-duration low-light imaging and data capture for surveillance and security applications, via an array of LEDs, LED power supply circuitry, and output feedback and compensation circuitry in which a photodetector circuit provides a voltage signal proportional to an amount of light falling on a photosensor and the voltage signal is fed to a drive control circuit for electrical current to the LEDs to achieve a desired optical output as measured by a photosensor voltage setpoint across the photodetector circuit. |
| US08692666B2 |
Communication system and communication terminal
A camera system includes a plurality of first cameras and a second camera. Each of the plurality of first cameras has a first receiving section that receives a control signal, a first image pickup section that photographs a first image based on the control signal, and a first transmitting section that transmits the first image and terminal information based on the control signal. The second camera has a second image pickup section that photographs a second image, a second transmitting section that transmits the control signal, a second receiving section that receives the first image and the terminal information, a camera selecting section that selects the first camera that satisfies a predetermined condition as control target camera based on the terminal information, and a storing section that stores the second image. |
| US08692665B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for security services
Methods, systems, and products notify of alarms in security systems. Sensor data is received from an alarm sensor, and an alarm condition is determined by an alarm controller. Video data associated with the alarm sensor is retrieved. An alarm message is sent over a wireless network connection, while the video data is send over a wireline broadband connection. |
| US08692662B2 |
Method of determining failure of active air flap
A method of determining a failure of an active air flap, including determining whether or not an active air flap is in a non-openable state, if the active air flap is in the non-openable state, continuously checking a variation of the temperature of engine-cooling water, and if the variation is below a reference variation, interrupting the generation of failure-alert, and if the variation of the temperature of engine-cooling water is above the reference variation, processing whether to generate the failure-alert such that if the time taken to reach the variation is above a reference temperature time, interrupting the generation of failure-alert, and if the time is below the reference temperature time, generating the failure-alert. |
| US08692661B2 |
Universal tire pressure monitoring sensor
A programming system for a tire pressure monitoring device includes a programming device capable of communicating which of a plurality of communication protocols is to be utilized by the transmitter/receiver of a tire pressure monitoring device. The programming device including a user interface actuateable for communicating which of a plurality of communication protocols is to be utilized by the transmitter/receiver of the tire pressure monitoring device. |
| US08692657B2 |
Wireless control device for controlling a surgical apparatus
A wireless control device for controlling, with a human foot, an apparatus for multiple surgical functions. The device includes a base having small dimensions, at least two modules mounted on the base for generating specific control signals for each of the surgical functions, a transmitter for transmitting the control signals, a receiver receiving the control signals, a source of electricity for supplying the transmitter with electrical current, and two actuators, actuated by the human foot and pivotally mounted to act simultaneously on the corresponding module, the transmitter, and the source of electricity. The actuators are pivotally mounted around respective axes that are perpendicular to each other. |
| US08692654B2 |
RFID system with multiple reader transmit frequencies
An RFID system includes an RF-blocking enclosure having a port with a selected shortest dimension. An active RFID tag including a controller and an interior antenna coupled to the controller is located in the enclosure. The tag responds to a selected RF downlink frequency range. An RFID reader located outside the enclosure simultaneously transmits directional RF signals on a plurality of frequencies corresponding to respective wavelengths smaller than the selected shortest dimension, the plurality including a carrier frequency and an interference frequency. A beat frequency is thus defined between the carrier frequency and the interference frequency and the beat frequency is within the selected RF downlink frequency range, so that the transmitted signals pass through the port and the tag responds to the beat frequency. |
| US08692649B2 |
Asset management infrastructure
Asset management for control of electric appliances comprises a keycode unit and an equipment unit embedded in an appliance. The keycode unit is located in a protected environment and relates to an asset management area. The equipment unit may store an appliance identification code. The keycode unit and the equipment unit may be in communication contact, whereby the equipment unit sends positioning coordinates to the keycode unit, and wherein the equipment unit is adapted to lock the appliance via the lock unit, in response to a lock signal that the equipment unit receives from the keycode unit, if the appliance moves outside the asset management area. |
| US08692641B2 |
Multi-layer-multi-turn high efficiency inductors with cavity structures
A multi-layer, multi-turn structure for an inductor having a plurality of conductor layers separated by layers of insulator is described. The inductor further comprises a connector electrically connected between the conductor layers. The structure of the inductor may comprise a cavity therewithin. The structure of the inductor constructed such that electrical resistance is reduced therewithin, thus increasing the efficiency of the inductor. The inductor is particularly useful at operating within the radio frequency range and greater. |
| US08692640B2 |
Coiled magnetic ring
This magnetic ring is formed by an upper U-shaped part and a lower U-shaped part, each upper and lower part comprising two vertical arms each introduced into a respective hole of the printed circuit board, each arm of the upper part being superimposed, within the respective hole and in a horizontal direction, on the corresponding arm of the lower part to set up magnetic continuity between these two parts of the magnetic ring. |
| US08692635B2 |
Sound generating apparatus
An apparatus including an electromagnetic coil and a magnet system. The electromagnetic coil includes electrical leads. The magnet system forms electrical conductors connected to the electrical leads of the coil. The magnet system is configured to provide an electrical interface. |
| US08692630B2 |
Guided acoustic wave resonant device and method for producing the device
A guided acoustic wave resonant device is provided. The device comprises at least two filters (F1, . . . , Fi, . . . , FN), each filter comprising at least two acoustic wave resonators (R11-R12, . . . , Ri1-Ri2, . . . , RN1-RN2), each filter having a useful frequency band (BF1, . . . , BFi, . . . , BFN) centered on a central frequency (f1, . . . , fi, . . . , fN), each resonator comprising at least one suite of inter-digitated upper electrodes exhibiting a periodic structure of period (Λij) and a layer of piezoelectric material, each resonator having a coupling coefficient (k21, k22, . . . , k2n) and a resonant frequency (fr1, . . . , fr2, . . . , fN), wherein at least one of the resonators comprises a differentiation layer (CDfi) making it possible in combination with the period of the inter-digitated electrodes to modify the coupling coefficient of the said resonator, the useful band and the central frequency being determined by the resonant frequencies and the coupling coefficients of the resonators which are adapted so as to have a determined useful bandwidth. |
| US08692624B2 |
Tuning of MEMS oscillator
A method is provided for tuning a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillator comprising an acoustic resonator and a tuning and amplification circuit arranged in a loop. The method comprises determining an initial oscillation frequency of the oscillator, modifying a capacitance of the tuning and amplification circuit according to the initial oscillation frequency, and adjusting a power level of the oscillator according to the modified capacitance. |
| US08692622B2 |
High-speed CMOS ring voltage controlled oscillator with low supply sensitivity
High-speed CMOS ring voltage controlled oscillators with low supply sensitivity have been disclosed. According to one embodiment, a CML ring oscillator comprises a CML negative impedance compensation circuit comprising two cross coupled transistors and a resistor connected to the two transistors for resistive biasing and a CML interpolating delay cell connected in parallel with the CML negative impedance compensation. An impedance change of the CML negative impedance compensation due to supply variation counteracts an impedance change of the CML interpolating delay cell. |
| US08692619B2 |
High frequency power amplifier
Provided is a compact high frequency power amplifier having a high degree of freedom of design with respect to a gain fluctuation immediately after start-up of an amplifier. The high frequency power amplifier includes a speed-up circuit that transiently increases a reference voltage during rise of a control voltage to increase an amount of bias supplied to an amplification transistor from a bias circuit. The speed-up circuit includes a capacitor and an overshoot control circuit. The overshoot control circuit determines an increasing amount of the reference voltage when the reference voltage is transiently increased according to a charge amount charged in the capacitor, and the overshoot control circuit also determines a time constant in charging and discharging the capacitor. |
| US08692617B2 |
Balanced-input current-sensing differential amplifier
A current-sensing differential amplifier has a balanced input. Thus, a balanced-input current-sensing differential amplifier has a first signal input terminal, a second signal input terminal, a first signal output terminal and a second signal output terminal. The balanced-input current-sensing differential amplifier includes a first current mirror, the input terminal of the first current mirror being coupled to the first signal input terminal, a second current mirror, the input terminal of the second current mirror being coupled to the second signal input terminal, a third current mirror, one of the output terminals of the third current mirror being coupled to the common terminal of the first current mirror and to the common terminal of the second current mirror, three current sources and an output circuit. |
| US08692616B2 |
Operational amplifier, analog arithmetic circuit, and analog to digital converter
A folded cascode operational amplifier includes a constant current source to output a constant current; a differential input stage to output a part of the constant current as a differential current based on a voltage difference between voltages input to an inverting input terminal and a non-inverting input terminal, and connected to the constant current source; and an output stage to output a remaining current obtained by subtracting the differential current from the constant current as an output stage current, and connected parallel to the differential input stage facing the constant current source. |
| US08692614B2 |
Timing alignment for power amplifier
There is described a method of controlling signal alignment in a power amplifier, comprising: receiving an input signal to be amplified; receiving a supply voltage for the power amplifier, the supply voltage being derived in dependence on the signal to be amplified; amplifying the input signal to produce an output signal; comparing the output signal with a plurality of distorted versions of the input signal, each distorted version of the input signal being associated with a different time delay value; and adjusting the timing of either the input signal or the supply voltage by an amount in dependence on a time delay value determined to be associated with a distorted version of the input signal which most closely matches the output signal. |
| US08692613B2 |
Modified dynamic load scaling (MDLS) technique for implementing high efficiency low power mode operation
A power amplification circuit having three modes of operation and a single switch is disclosed. Only one switch is used to control three different load impedance levels, one load impedance level for each mode of operation. The remaining “switching” results from selectively biasing each power amplification path by turning ON or OFF amplifiers. A series L-C and a switch are used to control the load impedance. Additional modes of operation may also be created without requiring any additional switch. Further, multiple modes of operation may be implemented using no switches. |
| US08692610B2 |
Reference voltage supply circuit
A reference voltage generator includes a first transistor and a second transistor coupled in series between a current supply and ground. Gate insulating films of the first transistor and the second transistor are made of the same type of film with the same thickness. Impurities contained in gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor have different conductivity types, or have the same conductivity type and different concentrations. The first transistor has a greater gate width than the second transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor operate in a subthreshold region when a reference voltage is output outside. |
| US08692606B2 |
External power transistor control
A method and system avoid ringing at an external power transistor subsequent to switching OFF the external power transistor. A driver circuit generates a drive signal for switching the external power transistor between OFF-state and ON-state. The driver circuit comprises a drive signal generation unit configured to generate a high drive signal triggering the external power transistor to switch to ON-state, wherein an output resistance of the driver circuit is adjustable, an oscillation detection unit to detect a degree of oscillation on the drive signal, and a resistance control unit to adjust the output resistance of the driver circuit based on the degree of oscillation on the drive signal. |
| US08692605B2 |
Receiving circuits for core circuits
A receiving circuit for a core circuit is provided and includes a first receiving-path unit. The first receiving-path unit is capable of receiving an input signal and outputting an output signal to the core circuit according to the input signal. The first receiving-path unit includes an input buffer which is capable of operating in a core power domain of the core circuit and receiving a first clamped signal. When a level of the input signal is substantially equal to or lower than a first predetermined voltage level, the input signal is passed to the input buffer to serve as the first clamped signal, and the input buffer is capable of outputting the output signal in the core power domain according to the first clamped signal. When the level of the input signal is higher than the first predetermined voltage level, the input signal is not passed to the input buffer. |
| US08692601B2 |
Signal delay circuit
A signal delay circuit includes a voltage detection unit and a signal delay unit. The voltage detection unit is configured to detect an external voltage level based on a reference voltage and generate a detection signal. The signal delay unit is configured to control a delay amount of an input signal in response to the detection signal. |
| US08692597B1 |
Phase-locked loop based clock generator and method for operating same
An integer-N phase-locked loop based clock generator for generating an output clock signal with a frequency N multiples of a reference clock signal, and a method for same, wherein N is a positive integer. The integer-N clock phase-locked loop based generator comprises a reference clock, a voltage controlled oscillator, a clock divider, a first and second phase generator for generating a plurality of phases of the reference clock signal and divided down output clock signal, a plurality of phase frequency detectors and charge pumps. The method comprises generating a reference clock and an output clock signals, generating a plurality of phases of a divided down output clock signal and reference clock signal, comparing the plurality of phases, and changing the frequency of the output clock signal based on the comparison. |
| US08692596B1 |
Aligning multiple chip input signals using digital phase lock loops
This disclosure describes methods and techniques using Digital Phase Lock Loops (DPLLs) within a source chip to automatically phase align a plurality of clock signals at a plurality of clock pins on a plurality of target chips of varying distances and corresponding delays from the source chip by using each transmitted clock signal's reflected signal as a tuning reference. |
| US08692594B2 |
Phase-locked loop frequency stepping
A method and a phase-locked loop (PLL) for generating output clock signals with desired frequencies are described. The PLL is equipped with a ramp generator that increments or decrements a feedback divider value before providing it to a modulator. The modulator modulates the feedback divider value and provides the modulated value to a feedback divider of the PLL for performing frequency division. |
| US08692593B1 |
Zero or ultra-low DC current consumption power-on and brown-out detector
Embodiments of a power-on and brown-out detector are described. In an embodiment, a power-on and brown-out detector for a power supply includes a power-on detection module, a brown-out detection module, and a logic module. The power-on detection module is connected to the power supply and is configured to generate a power-on signal in response to a voltage increase of the power supply. The brown-out detection module is connected to the power supply and is configured to generate a brown-out signal in response to a voltage charge by the power supply and a subsequent voltage decrease of the power supply. The logic module is configured to generate a control signal in response to the power-on signal and the brown-out signal. The power-on detection module is further configured to be activated or deactivated by the control signal. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08692590B2 |
Capacitive load drive circuit, liquid injector, and medical device
A drive waveform signal is pulse-modulated and a modulated signal is generated, the obtained modulated signal is power-amplified, and then, a drive signal is demodulated using a low pass filter. Thus obtained drive signal is negatively fed back, and thereby, the resonance peak of the low pass filter is suppressed. In this regard, by bringing gain in a wider frequency domain to take a fixed value or more, a drive signal having a voltage exceeding a power supply voltage may be stably generated. |
| US08692589B2 |
Semiconductor element driving circuit and semiconductor device
A driving circuit outputs an output voltage as a driving signal to the gate of a semiconductor element based on a control signal given from an input circuit. The output voltage is at “H” (ON level) if it is determined by a power supply voltage VCC, and is at “L” (OFF level) if it is determined by a ground voltage GND. A reference power supply section includes a series connection of resistors. The reference power supply section obtains a voltage determined by dividing a potential difference between the power supply voltage VCC and the ground voltage GND by a predetermined dividing ratio (resistance ratio between the resistors) as a reference voltage. A buffer circuit applies an output voltage as a reference signal determined by the reference voltage to the source of the semiconductor element. |
| US08692588B2 |
Multiplex driving circuit
A multiplex driving circuit receives m master signals and n slave signals, and includes m driving modules for generating m×n gate driving signals. Each driving module includes a voltage boost stage and n driving stages. The voltage boost stage is used for receiving a first master signal of the m master signals and converting the first master signal into a first high voltage signal, wherein a high logic level of the first master signal is increased to a highest voltage by the voltage boost stage. The n driving stages receives the n slave signals, respectively, and receives the first high voltage signal. In response to the highest voltage of the first high voltage signal, the n driving stages sequentially generates n gate driving signals according to the n slave signals. |
| US08692578B2 |
Transmitter employing pulling mitigation mechanism and related method thereof
A transmitter includes a power amplifier (PA) and a direct current (DC) voltage tuning circuit. The PA is arranged for receiving a radio-frequency (RF) clock derived from a clock source, and producing an output signal according to at least the RF clock. The DC voltage tuning circuit is arranged for tuning at least one DC voltage supplied to the PA for pulling mitigation of the clock source. A method of pulling mitigation of a source clock by a power amplifier (PA) includes adjusting a direct current (DC) voltage supplied to the PA. |
| US08692577B2 |
Driver circuit
The driver circuit includes a first controlling circuit that outputs, to a gate of the auxiliary pMOS transistor, a first controlling signal that rises in synchronization with a rising of the first pulse signal and falls after a delay from a falling of the first pulse signal. The driver circuit includes a second controlling circuit that outputs, to a gate of the auxiliary nMOS transistor, a second controlling signal that rises in synchronization with a rising of the second pulse signal and falls after a delay from a falling of the second pulse signal. |
| US08692576B2 |
Circuit and methodology for high-speed, low-power level shifting
A level shifting circuit and methodology involving a switching current generator responsive to switching of an input signal for producing a switching current to switch an output signal, and a holding current generator for producing a holding current to hold the logic level of the output signal in accordance with the logic level of the input signal. The holding current is produced independently of the switching current. |
| US08692574B2 |
Methods and systems for reducing supply and termination noise
Described is a communication system in a first integrated circuit (IC) communicates with a second IC via single-ended communication channels. A bidirectional reference channel extends between the first and second ICs and is terminated on both ends. The termination impedances at each end of the reference channel support different modes for communicating signals in different directions. The termination impedances for the reference channel can be optimized for each signaling direction. |
| US08692572B2 |
Method of detecting a fault in a permanent-magnet alternator and power supply device comprising a detector module
A method of detecting a failure of an alternator supplying three-phase electricity to a load, the method comprising the steps of determining a duty ratio for each of the phases at the output of the alternator, determining phase differences between the phases at the output of the alternator; and determining the presence of a failure as a function of the phase differences and as a function of a comparison of the duty ratios. A power supply device is also provided for implementing the method. |
| US08692571B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring degradation of CMOS VLSI elements
The reliability of an integrated circuit is inferred from the operational characteristics of sample metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices switchably coupled to drain/source bias and gate input voltages that are nominal, versus voltage and current conditions that elevate stress and cause temporary or permanent degradation, e.g., hot carrier injection (HCI), bias temperature instability (BTI, NBTI, PBTI), time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB). The MOS devices under test (preferably both PMOS and NMOS devices tested concurrently or in turn) are configured as current sources in the supply of power to a ring oscillator having cascaded inverter stages, thereby varying the oscillator frequency as a measure of the effects of stress on the devices under test, but without elevating the stress applied to the inverter stages. |
| US08692569B2 |
Circuit board testing device with self aligning plates
A circuit board tester and method that precisely aligns the probe plate and circuit board is disclosed. With a circuit board and probe plate mounting within a housing having a top and bottom, hinged together, at closure there may be slight misalignments of the two. By making one of the two plates floating, or laterally slideable with respect to each other, it is possible to make final alignment at closure. One of the two plates can be provided with a pin and the other with a pin receiving alignment block. With the lateral sideability, the pin and block can insure proper probe alignment. Additional systems for correcting misaligned pins or blocks are also disclosed. |
| US08692568B2 |
Electronic apparatus having IC temperature control
The use of a power sink function in IC testing results in a simple and rapid method for testing ICs, and assembled modules, at elevated temperature profiles without the use of environmental ovens. Testing IC devices at elevated temperatures may be useful for ‘burn-in’, for ‘hot sort’ performance testing that may be used in electronic devices such as DRAM memory, logic, communication devices, and microprocessors. The power sink function may be implemented as an additional isolated area of active devices, or as a section of the circuit that is not involved in the testing procedure. Alternately, the power dissipation circuit may consist of a resistive path between two external pins that are not used for IC operation, where the resistor may be on the IC or on the package. This allows for control of the temperature level and profile by simple adjustment of the voltage between the two external pins. |
| US08692567B2 |
Method for verifying a test substrate in a prober under defined thermal conditions
A method and an apparatus for verifying or testing test substrates, i.e. wafers and other electronic semiconductor components, in a prober under defined thermal conditions. Such a verifying apparatus, known to the person skilled in the art as a prober, has a housing having at least two housing sections, in one housing section of which, designated hereinafter as test chamber, the test substrate to be verified is held by a chuck and is set to a defined temperature, and in the other housing section of which, designated hereinafter as probe chamber, probes are held. For verification purposes, the test substrate and the probes are positioned relative to one another by means of at least one positioning device and the probes subsequently make contact with the test substrate. |
| US08692559B2 |
Connector sleeve for a lead of an internal pulse generator
An interface device provides one or more electrical connection points disposed on a connector sleeve. The connection points provide electrical communication between a lead connector end of an implantable medical lead and one or more leads of a testing device in such a manner as to minimize potential damage to the lead connector end. |
| US08692558B2 |
Display panel and testing method thereof
A display panel and a testing method of the display panel are provided. The display panel has a display region and a non-display region and includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and a display medium. The display panel further includes scan lines, data lines, pixel units, at least one testing line, and at least one testing pad. The scan lines and the data lines are located on the first substrate within the display region. The pixel units are located on the first substrate within the display region. Each pixel unit electrically connects one of the scan lines and one of the data lines. The testing line is located on the first substrate within the non-display region, crosses over the scan lines, and is insulated from the scan lines. The testing pad is located on the first substrate within the non-display region and electrically connected to the testing line. |
| US08692557B2 |
Ground monitor
A ground monitor is disclosed. The ground monitor may be configured to conduct a ground continuity test based on a determined ground resistance. The ground monitor may be operable to determine the ground resistance as a function of a voltage differential detected during application of a test current. |
| US08692551B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging water-fat separation method
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) water-fat separation method includes acquiring in-phase image raw measurement data and out-of-phase image raw measurement data with an MRI device, reconstructing an in-phase image and an out-of-phase image according to a system matrix and the raw measurement data using the penalty function regularized iterative reconstruction method, and calculating water and fat images according to the in-phase image and the out-of-phase image. The use of the penalty function regularized iterative method eliminates the need for k-space raw measurement data with a 100% sampling rate, thereby reducing the MRI scan time, shortening the entire imaging time, and improving the efficiency of the MRI device. |
| US08692549B2 |
Method for reconstructing images of an imaged subject from a parallel MRI acquisition
A parallel MR imaging method that uses a reconstruction algorithm that combines the GRAPPA image reconstruction method and the compressed sensing (CS) image reconstruction method in an iterative approach (200) or joint energy optimization approach (300). |
| US08692547B2 |
Formation evaluation capability from near-wellbore logging using relative permeability modifiers
Nano-particles that possess either selective fluid phase blocks or modify the relative permeability of an earth formation to different fluids are used to inhibit the invasion of borehole mud into the formation. This makes it possible to make formation evaluation measurements using sensors with a shallow depth of investigation. |
| US08692545B2 |
Magnetostrictive stress sensor
A magnetostrictive stress sensor (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) includes: a magnetic member {20, (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112)} having a magnetostriction; a permanent magnet (30, 35, 113) adjacent to the magnetic member; a magnetic sensor (40, 104A, 104B) for detecting a leak magnetic flux on a side opposite to the permanent magnet with respect to the magnetic member, wherein the leak magnetic flux changes according to a stress acting on the magnetic member and the magnetic sensor detects the change of the leak magnetic flux, to thereby detect the stress acting on the magnetic member, and a direction (21, 108A, 109A) of the stress acting on the magnetic member is substantially orthogonal to a magnetizing direction (31, 31, 113A) of the permanent magnet. |
| US08692543B2 |
Axis axial position measurement system
Axis axial position measurement system uses the electric signal generated by one or more sensors at the passage of teeth of a cogwheel fixed on the axis. The cogwheel is cut with at least one group of teeth, including at least three types of teeth of different height: a first type of teeth (1) of constant maximum height, a second type of teeth (2) of constant minimum height, and a third type of teeth (3) of variable height in the axial direction of the axis between the maximum and minimum heights of the teeth of the first and second type of teeth. |
| US08692536B2 |
Switching regulator with short-circuit detection circuit
Provided is a switching regulator including a circuit for detecting a short-circuit state easily and reliably, without the need of an adjustment step such as trimming. In accordance with a drive signal of a power switching element of the switching regulator, a discharge circuit is controlled. When the power switching element is short-circuited and becomes the ON state all the time, the discharge circuit stops its operation, and a capacitor is continuously charged. A voltage detection circuit detects that a charge voltage of the capacitor has reached a predetermined potential, to thereby detect the short-circuit state. |
| US08692535B1 |
Control parameter adjustment in a discontinuous power mode
A controller operates a power supply in a discontinuous mode. While in the discontinuous mode, a monitor resource in the controller monitors current supplied by an inductor resource in the power supply to produce an output voltage to power a load. An adjustment value generator produces an adjustment value based on a magnitude of the current supplied to the load by the inductor resource. According to one configuration, the adjustment value equals the average inductor current multiplied by the load-line resistance value of the power supply. The controller produces an adjusted trigger threshold value by reducing a trigger threshold value by the adjustment value generated by the adjustment value generator. The adjusted trigger threshold value specifies a reduced threshold voltage at which the power supply controller turns ON a control switch in the power supply to increase an amount of current supplied by the inductor resource to the load. |
| US08692530B2 |
Efficiency-optimizing, calibrated sensorless power/energy conversion in a switch-mode power supply
An intelligent pulse width modulation (PWM) controller adapts a switch mode power supply (SMPS) system's operating parameters to optimize efficiency, remove hot spots and isolate faults by integrating a microcontroller, PWM digital circuits and analog circuits into a single integrated circuit, e.g., a mixed signal device, thereby reducing the number of external connections, silicon die area and integrated circuit packages. A lossless inductor current sense technique integrates a matched, tunable complimentary filter with the intelligent SMPS controller for accurately measuring current through the power inductor of the SMPS without introducing losses in the power circuit. The complimentary filter is adjusted by the microcontroller to significantly reduce the effects of component tolerances, accurately measuring the power inductor current for precise closed loop control and over current protection. The frequency pole and gain of the complimentary integrated filter can be adjusted on the fly in order to adapt to dynamically changing operating conditions of the SMPS system. |
| US08692529B1 |
Low noise, low dropout voltage regulator
A low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator includes a scaling amplifier for receiving a bandgap voltage, Vbg, and outputting a scaled Vbg. A reference MOSFET device is included for reducing the scaled Vbg by a first voltage Vgs formed across gate and source nodes of the reference MOSFET device. This forms a reduced level of the scaled Vbg. An RC network filters the reduced level of the scaled Vbg and outputs a filtered voltage. An output buffer is included for receiving and increasing the filtered voltage by a second voltage Vgs in order to recover the scaled Vbg. The scaled Vbg is used as the desired regulated voltage output. The second voltage Vgs, which is produced by the output buffer, is equal to the first voltage Vgs, which is produced by the reference MOSFET device. |
| US08692527B2 |
Method and arrangement for efficiently generating current with a high rate of change
The invention relates to power supplies where the output current is controllable. In prior art, there is a problem to provide both high rate of change in the current output and high efficiency. The solution of the present invention is based on combining current elements, whereby the current is controlled by switching the outputs of the current elements. The current elements can be implemented with e.g. buck converters, whereby the power dissipation is small. |
| US08692525B2 |
Electrical power tool for operating with alternating current
The invention relates to an electrical power tool, particularly an electric hand power tool, for operating with alternating current, having an electric motor, and electronic control device, and an electrical power switch for actuating the electric motor, wherein the electronic control device comprises a bias voltage output and a detection input, connected to each other by means of a voltage divider comprising a summation point and to the side of the power switch facing the electric motor, and the control device is further designed such that the potential at the detection input is monitored after actuating the power switch and used for checking whether the power switch is conducting, and that it is actuated again if the power switch was not conducting or returned to the non-conducting state during the monitoring, and that said checking and any renewed actuation of the power switch is repeated within a half-wave of the alternating voltage. |
| US08692523B2 |
Power generation system and method with voltage fault ride-through capability
A power generation system includes a generator mechanically coupled to a turbine to generate electrical power. The system includes a fault ride through system having a variable resistor and a variable inductor. The variable resistor is connected in parallel across output terminals of the generator to absorb power from the generator during a grid fault condition, and the variable inductor is connected between an output terminal of the generator and a power grid. |
| US08692521B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling torque on the shaft of a generator
This invention relates to a method of controlling torque oscillations in a mechanical drive train of an electrical generation system which provides electrical power to an isolated electrical network, the method including the steps of: a. monitoring for changes in the electrical condition of the electrical network; b. determining whether a change in the electrical condition of the network falls within a predetermined range; c. adjusting the power in the network using an auxiliary power source when the electrical condition of the network falls within the predetermined range so as reduce or substantially prevent the build up of torque oscillations in the mechanical drive train. |
| US08692520B2 |
Method and system for optimizing current limiting behavior of charger
A method and system for optimizing the behavior of a charger connected to a portable device when the portable device current exceeds the charger current limit. The system includes a configuration module configured to set a maximum current limit and a register-based current limit values. The system further includes a port power switch configured to limit the portable device current, in the event that the portable device current exceeds the maximum current limit value. The port power switch is configures to modify the portable device current to a predetermined constant current value or reset the current to zero based on the relation between the maximum current limit and the register-based current limit value. |
| US08692518B2 |
Electronic apparatus
The invention provides a compact and highly reliable electronic apparatus that can be driven by a small-capacity battery, and that can achieve high-speed continuous driving of a load by quickly judging the recovery state of the battery after driving the load. More particularly, the invention provides an electronic apparatus includes a power supply, a load, a load driver for driving the load by the power supply, a power supply state detecter for outputting power supply recovery information by measuring physical quantity of the power supply at predetermined intervals of time after the driving of the load is stopped, and a controller for instructing the load driver to drive the load, based on the power supply recovery information supplied from the power supply state detecter. |
| US08692517B2 |
Non-diffusion liquid energy storage device
Disclosed herein is an efficient and high capacity electrical energy storage device consisting of diaphragm-less anode and cathode cells charging and discharging an electrolyte containing suitable ions that store electrical energy during the charging cycle and release the electrical energy during the discharge cycle. The charge-discharge reactions are reversible so that the efficiency does not reduce with the number of cycles and efficiency is maintained until the last of the charged electrolyte passes through the cells. |
| US08692515B2 |
Series-connected rechargeable cells, series-connected rechargeable cell device, voltage-balance correcting circuit for series-connected cells
[Object] There is provided series-connected rechargeable cells in which a large number of cells are series-connected and that makes it possible to improve performance on operations such as assembly or exchange and to perform speedy and smooth voltage-balance correcting for all cells.[Means for Solution] Series-connected rechargeable cells includes: a large number of rechargeable cells that are series-connected, and that are divided into a plurality of series-connected cell groups placed continuously in order of connecting; and a voltage-balance correcting circuit that balances the voltages of the cells, and that is provided with an inter-cell voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs voltage-balance correcting between adjacent cells in each of the cell groups and an inter-group voltage-balance correcting circuit that performs balance correcting of series-connection voltages of the cell groups by AC-coupling formed with a transformer coil and a switching circuit. |
| US08692511B2 |
Charging station for portable electronic devices
A charging station for portable electronic devices includes a base having a substantially vertical and forward facing wall and at least one suction cup secured to the wall to temporarily secure the portable electronic devices to the wall in a position that the portable electronic devices can be viewed and operated while recharging. When more than one suction cup is provided they can be secured in laterally spaced-apart positions so that multiple portable electronic devices can be secured side-by-side for recharging or more than one suction cup can secure a portable electronic device. The suction cups can also be secured in vertically spaced apart positions so that the suction cup can engage the portable electronic device at a desired height or so that more than one suction cup can secure the portable electronic device. The charging station can also organize mail, keys, wallets, and the like. |
| US08692508B2 |
Battery voltage monitoring device
A battery voltage monitoring device for efficiently equalizing cell voltages of a plurality of battery cells connected in series through a direct charge transfer between mutually distant battery cells. The device includes a charge-transfer circuit configured to perform a direct charge transfer from a first battery cell to a second battery cell that is fifth or higher adjacent to the first battery cell. This can eliminate charge-transfer losses that would occur during sequential charge transfers between adjacent battery cells, which leads to an efficient charge transfer between mutually distant battery cells. |
| US08692504B2 |
Apparatus and methods for determining an initially unknown commutation position of a member moved by a planar motor
An exemplary stage apparatus has a motor, stage, and position-measuring device. The motor has a planar stator and moving-coil mover (planar motor). The stator is a checkerboard magnet array extending in an x-y plane and producing a magnetic field having a field period of 2π in a u-v coordinate system rotated 45° from the x-y coordinate system of the plane. The stage, coupled to the mover, moves with corresponding motions of the mover relative to the stator. The position-measurement device includes a first group of four magnetic-field sensors that are movable with the stage. The sensors are situated at integer multiples of π/2 from each other in u- and v-directions of the u-v coordinate system. The sensors produce respective data regarding a respective component of the magnetic field at, and hence the position of, the respective sensor within the period of the magnetic field. |
| US08692502B2 |
Encoder having function for detecting amount of noise
An encoder having a function for detecting noise which may affect an internal signal of the encoder, without using a noise detecting circuit within the encoder, whereby the cost and size thereof may be reduced. The encoder has a detecting part adapted to detect the movement of an electric motor or a driven object; a signal processing circuit adapted to process a detection signal from the detecting part and obtain positional data of the motor or the object; and a transmitting part adapted to transmit the positional data from the signal processing circuit at regular time intervals and a fluctuation component calculated on the basis of the positional data, to external equipment. The signal processing circuit has a fluctuation component detecting circuit adapted to detect a fluctuation comment included in the calculated positional data, and the detected fluctuation component is transmitted to the external controller as an amount of noise. |
| US08692498B2 |
System and method for controlling one or more roller shades
Presented is a roller shade system that includes a flexible shade material having a lower end, a rotatably supported roller tube that windingly receives the shade material, a stepper motor that operably engages the roller tube to rotate the roller tube to move the lower end of the shade material between a first position and a second position, an optical sensor configured for capturing an image frame of the shade material at linear positions along the shade material as the lower end of the flexible shade material moves from the first position to the second position, and a stepper motor controller configured for controlling the frequency of input pulses to the stepper motor to move the lower end of the flexible shade material from the first position to the second position at a substantially constant linear velocity in response to position information obtained from the plurality of captured image frames. |
| US08692497B2 |
Automatic furniture flap type detection
Electromotive furniture-flap drive, characterized by an identification device for automatically identifying the type of furniture flap in the installed state of the furniture flap drive. |
| US08692496B2 |
Method and apparatus for initializing an electric power control scheme
A method for controlling an electric power flow between a high-voltage battery and an electrically-powered torque machine of a powertrain system includes, upon violating a constraint associated with the electric power flow during operation of the powertrain system, executing a battery power control scheme for controlling the electric power flow including commanding an initial state for a parameter of the electric power flow, the initial state for the parameter of the electric power flow including a maximum estimated state for the parameter of the electric power flow occurring during one of a plurality of selected ones of previous timesteps. |
| US08692494B2 |
Single-phase brushless motor drive circuit
A driving circuit for a single-phase-brushless motor includes a driving-signal-generating circuit to generate a driving signal for supplying, to a driving coil of the single-phase-brushless motor, first- and second-driving currents alternately with a de-energized period therebetween, an output circuit, and a zero-cross-detecting circuit. While measuring a driving cycle from a start of an energized period, during which the output circuit supplies the first- or the second-driving current to the driving coil, to a time when the zero-cross-detecting circuit detects a zero cross of an induced voltage, generated across the driving coil, during the de-energized period, the driving-signal-generating circuit determines a length of a subsequent energized period based on the measured driving cycle, when the zero-cross-detecting circuit detects the zero-cross, and the driving-signal-generating circuit determines a length of an immediately previous energized period as a length of a subsequent energized period, when the zero-cross-detecting circuit does not detect the zero-cross. |
| US08692492B2 |
Lead angle value setting method, motor driving control circuit, and brushless motor
A method for setting a lead-angle value of a motor drive control circuit is disclosed. The motor drive control circuit energizes and drives the windings of a motor with an energizing timing based on a stored lead-angle value. The method includes the steps of: rotating a rotor at a given rpm (step S102), energizing and driving the windings during the rotation at the given rpm with the lead-angle value being switched (step S110); calculating an average value of current amount that energizes and drives the windings (step S114); calculating a total value of consecutive multiple average values for each lead-angle value (step S120); finding a smallest total value among the total values, and setting a lead-angle value corresponding to the smallest total value as a stored lead-angle value (step S122). |
| US08692490B2 |
Control system for a straight slot direct current motor actuator
A control system for an actuator including a straight slot direct current motor comprises a position sensor for measuring the angular position (θ) of the motor and a current sensor for measuring the current strength (Im) in the motor, but not having a sensor for measuring the angular rotation speed of the motor. |
| US08692488B2 |
Motor control apparatus for synchronously controlling master axis and slave axis
A motor control apparatus for synchronously controlling a master axis motor for driving a master axis and a slave axis motor for driving a slave axis, includes: a master axis position detector which outputs position data of the master axis and a reference signal with a predetermined fixed period; a master axis receiving circuit which receives the position data and the reference signal output from the master axis position detector; a master axis computation circuit which computes a master axis error representing a difference between the position data received by the master axis receiving circuit and the position data acquired at the time of the reception of the reference signal; and a slave axis motor control unit which controls the operation of the slave axis motor by using the master axis error as a command for synchronizing the operation of the master axis motor. |
| US08692486B2 |
DC/DC converter, control circuit thereof and lighting apparatus using the same
A control circuit of a DC/DC converter stabilizing driving a current while supplying a driving voltage to a load comprises a current detection circuit for comparing a current detection signal indicative of a current flowing through a switching transistor of the DC/DC converter with a predetermined threshold to generate an OFF signal, a timer circuit for generating an ON signal that is asserted after a predetermined time period has elapsed since an assertion of the OFF signal, a pulse generation circuit for generating a pulse signal, and a driver for driving the switching transistor based on the pulse signal, where the timer circuit includes a first capacitor, a current source for generating a charging current, an arithmetic circuit for generating a threshold voltage, and an first comparator configured to compare a voltage of the first capacitor and the threshold voltage. |
| US08692484B2 |
Automatic light regulating power supply device
An automatic light regulating power supply device, connected between an AC power supply and a light-emitting-diode (LED) light string, to drive said LED light string to emit light, comprising: a sensing-and-setting unit, and a digital power control unit. Wherein, the sensing-and-setting unit is used to sense infrared signals, and generate a plurality of brightness selection signal. An AC/DC conversion circuit is provided in the digital power control unit, to convert the received AC power into DC power and output the DC power. The digital power control unit is connected to the sensing-and-setting unit, and regulates its power output based on infrared signals of the sensing-and-setting unit and the brightness selection signals, to vary illumination of the LED light string, in achieving energy conservation and lower power consumption. |
| US08692482B2 |
Circuitry to control a switching regulator
In one aspect, a circuit includes a switching regulator configured to provide power to a load, a current regulator circuit coupled to the load and a response circuit configured to provide a control signal to the switching regulator in response to electrical changes of the current regulator circuit. The control signal changes non-linearly with respect to the electrical changes at the current regulator circuit.In another aspect, a circuit includes an adaptive regulation voltage circuit configured to provide a regulation voltage to a first input of an amplifier to maintain operability of a current regulator circuit. The adaptive regulation voltage circuit replicates electrical characteristics of the current regulator circuit. |
| US08692476B2 |
Boost circuit for LED backlight driver circuit
A boost circuit for an LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlight driver circuit is disclosed; said boost circuit includes a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) chip, a second capacitor, and a signal processing circuit. A VCC pin of the PWM chip is coupled to the input node, and the PWM chip is utilized to generate a PWM signal. One end of the second capacitor is coupled to an output pin of the PWM chip, and the second capacitor is utilized to filter out a direct current component of the PWM signal. One terminal of the signal processing circuit is coupled to the second capacitor, and another terminal thereof is coupled to a gate of the switch. The signal processing circuit is used to adjust the filtered PWM signal for generating corresponding high levels and low levels. A regulator is omitted in the present invention, therefore reducing costs. |
| US08692475B2 |
PFC LED driver capable of reducing current ripple
A PFC LED driver capable of reducing current ripple, comprising: a current source unit, having a control terminal coupled to a control voltage, which is a ratio of a full-wave rectified line input voltage, a first channel terminal coupled to a power line, and a second channel terminal used to generate an output current according to the control voltage; and at least one LED load unit, being in series with the current source unit, wherein each of the at least one LED load unit comprises: a first load, including a first parallel combination of an LED module and a capacitor, wherein the LED module has at least one light emitting diode; a diode, being in a first series combination with the first load; and a switch, being in a second parallel combination with the second series combination. |
| US08692473B2 |
Portable lighting device
A portable electronic lighting device and a method for controlling a portable lighting device are described. The device has a switched-mode power supply, a light source, a high frequency switch, a controller controlling the operation of the light source and a user interface for inputting commands to the controller. A DC power source has a negative pole that is connected by only one single electric contact with the lighting device tail. The method for controlling a portable lighting device includes connecting a DC power source, an inductor, a light source, a high frequency switch and a resistor in series, measuring a voltage across the resistor, and controlling the high frequency switch dependent on the voltage measured across the resistor. |
| US08692472B2 |
LED driving method and driving power source device
Each of blocks includes an arbitrary number of series connections of LEDs. A current signal for controlling operation of the LEDs in the blocks is divided into plural signal currents. An allowable forward current having a duty cycle corresponding to a division number is caused to flow through the LEDs in one block for an allowable time, using one of the signal currents. A rated forward current that does not cause destruction of LEDs is caused to flow through the LEDs in the other blocks, using the other of the signal currents. The LEDs in the blocks are driven by causing the allowable forward current and the rated forward current to flow periodically. The rated forward current is caused to flow through at least one additional LED, whereby a difference between respective voltages corresponding to the allowable forward current and the rated forward current is produced. |
| US08692468B2 |
Transformer-coupled RF source for plasma processing tool
A RF source and method are disclosed which inductively create a plasma within an enclosure without an electric field or with a significantly decreased creation of an electric field. A ferrite material with an insulated wire wrapped around its body is used to efficiently channel the magnetic field through the legs of the ferrite. This magnetic field, which flows between the legs of the ferrite can then be used to create and maintain a plasma. In one embodiment, these legs rest on a dielectric window, such that the magnetic field passes into the chamber. In another embodiment, the legs of the ferrite extend into the processing chamber, thereby further extending the magnetic field into the chamber. This ferrite can be used in conjunction with a PLAD chamber, or an ion source for a traditional beam line ion implantation system. |
| US08692463B2 |
Plasma display panel having inert film and manufacturing method
A protective film (6) having a high secondary-emission coefficient is formed on a dielectric layer (5) so as to lower the discharge voltage of a plasma display panel. When the protective film (6) is exposed to the air, it will transform or become cloudy, or the secondary-emission coefficient will lower. To prevent this problem, an inert film (60) is formed on the surface of the protective film (6). As the inert film (60), a film of a metal oxide such as SiO2 and a film of a metal such as Tb are simultaneously formed. Thus, an inert film (60) excellent in barrier property against oxygen and water in the air and enabling easy sputtering from near the discharge electrode at the aging step can be obtained. With this, a plasma display panel exhibiting a low discharge voltage can be realized. |
| US08692462B2 |
Halogen bulb for vehicle headlights
A halogen bulb for vehicle headlights, comprising at least one filament, which is designed such that it can be used as a light source for generating a low-beam or high-beam and during operation has a lower electric power consumption than the filaments of conventional halogen bulbs used to generate a low-beam or high-beam. |
| US08692459B2 |
Organic light-emitting display apparatus and method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting display apparatus
An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a substrate; a first electrode on the substrate; a particle unit including a plurality of particles that are separate from each other on a top surface of the first electrode; an intermediate layer on the first electrode and the particle unit and including an organic emission layer; and a second electrode on the intermediate layer. |
| US08692455B2 |
Display device and method for production thereof
A display device having a plurality of driving elements and wiring parts electrically connected to the driving parts, the display device includes: a plurality of first electrodes which are formed in correspondence to each driving element on the driving elements and the wiring parts; a plurality of light-emitting parts which are each formed on the first electrodes; a common second electrode which is formed from a material that transmits light from the light-emitting part and is formed on the light-emitting parts; auxiliary wiring parts with a lower resistance than the second electrodes; and contact parts which are formed in laminate structure from a plurality of conductive layers and which electrically connect the second electrodes and the auxiliary wirings with each other, with at least the lowermost conductive layer of the conductive layers of the contact parts being in direct contact with the second electrode. |
| US08692453B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of fabricating the same
An organic light emitting display device (OLED) and a method of fabricating the same. The OLED includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor on the substrate and including a source electrode and a drain electrode; a first insulating layer on the substrate; a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer and including a trench; a via hole formed in the trench over the first and second insulating layers and exposing a portion of the source electrode or the drain electrode; a first electrode in the trench and connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode through the via hole; a pixel defining layer on the first electrode and having an opening exposing the first electrode; an organic layer in the opening and having at least an organic emission layer; and a second electrode on an entire surface of the substrate having the organic layer. |
| US08692450B2 |
Surface light source apparatus with dual-side emitting light
A surface light source apparatus with dual-side emitting light includes at least a cathode wire structure, a transparent anode structure, a fluorescent layer and a low-pressure gas layer. The transparent anode structure is a surface structure, wherein the cathode wire structure and the transparent anode structure are parallel to each other. The fluorescent layer is located between the cathode wire structure and the transparent anode structure. The low-pressure gas layer fills the space between the cathode wire structure and the transparent anode structure and functions to induce the cathode evenly emitting electrons. The electron mean free path of the low-pressure gas layer allows at least a sufficient number of electrons to directly impact the fluorescent layer under an operation voltage. |
| US08692447B2 |
Spark plug for internal combustion engine and manufacturing method thereof
A spark plug comprising: a center electrode extending along an axis; an insulator provided about the outer peripheral surface of the center electrode; a metal shell provided about the outer peripheral surface of the insulator; a noble metal tip provided at the leading end portion of the center electrode; one end of the ground electrode fixed at the leading end of the metal shell, and the other end of the ground electrode forming a gap with the leading end of the noble metal tip; a stopper preventing the noble metal tip from moving relative to the central electrode; a molten portion formed by irradiating laser or electron beam; and a closed space formed between the basal portion of the noble metal tip and the center electrode. The molten portion welds the center electrode and a part of the basal portion of the noble metal tip. |
| US08692446B2 |
OLED light extraction films having nanoparticles and periodic structures
A light extraction film having nanoparticles with engineered periodic structures. The light extraction film includes a substantially transparent substrate, low index one-dimensional or two-dimensional periodic structures on the substrate, and a high index planarizing backfill layer applied over the periodic structures. Light scattering nanoparticles are either applied in a layer over the periodic structures or included in the backfill layer. |
| US08692444B2 |
Solid state low bay light with integrated and sealed thermal management
A lighting fixture utilizing LED light sources for illumination of commercial, outdoor and other large area applications incorporates efficient heat dissipation and improved convective air flow. An integrated heat transfer assembly is disclosed that is configured to enhance heat dissipation by providing an efficient thermal conductive pathway for radiation of heat to an external environment. The lighting fixture body is configured with a lens body and heat sink having a chimney tube with internally facing finned heat sink arrangement for providing enhanced convective air flow through the light fixture body. When the heat sink transfers heat from the LED light sources during operation so as to create heated air surrounding the heat sink, ambient air is drawn through the chimney and the heated air is exhausted through air gaps so as to create a conductive air current with the environment. The heat sink fins are configured to enhance the natural air draw through the chimney by tapering the surface areas of the fins. |
| US08692443B2 |
Electrical component comprising a material with a perovskite structure and optimized electrodes and fabrication process
An electrical component comprises a lead-based perovskite crystal material layer between a lower electrode on the surface of a substrate and an upper electrode, characterized in that the lower electrode comprises a stabilizing first layer made of a first material and a seeding second layer made of a second material, the first and second materials having the same chemical composition but different structural parameters and/or densities. A process for fabricating a component is also provided, in which the material with a perovskite structure may be PZT with a (100) or (111) orientation. |
| US08692441B2 |
Method for forming an ultrasonic transducer, and associated apparatus
A method is provided for forming a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer apparatus having a first electrode deposited on a dielectric layer disposed on a primary substrate. A piezoelectric material is deposited between the first electrode and a second electrode, to form a transducer device. At least the piezoelectric material is patterned such that a portion of the first electrode extends laterally outward therefrom. The primary substrate and the dielectric layer are etched to form a first via extending to the laterally outward portion of the first electrode, and a first conductive material is deposited to substantially fill the first via and form an electrically-conductive engagement with the laterally outward portion of the first electrode. The primary substrate is etched to define a second via extending therethrough, wherein the second via is laterally spaced apart from the first via. An associated method and apparatus are also provided. |
| US08692440B2 |
Piezoelectric device and manufacturing method therefor
A manufacturing method, which realizes general versatility of an external connection terminal by reducing deterioration of characteristics and a decrease in yield rate of a piezoelectric device in an external connection terminal forming process, and a piezoelectric device manufactured by this method are provided. Before a piezoelectric device is sealed together with a ceiling layer to form a package, an electrode structure serving as an external connection terminal is provided beforehand on a substrate mounted with a key area of the device, and after formation of the key area of the device, the piezoelectric device is sealed and packaged together with the ceiling layer. The piezoelectric device of the present invention can accommodate a three-dimensional structure by providing a rewiring layer on a principal surface of the substrate. |
| US08692439B2 |
Surface acoustic wave resonator, surface acoustic wave oscillator, and electronic device
A surface acoustic wave resonator has a quartz crystal substrate having Euler angles of (φ=0°, 110°≦θ≦150°, 88°≦ψ≦92°) and an IDT having a plurality of electrode fingers disposed on the quartz crystal substrate, and using a surface acoustic wave as an excitation wave, a plurality of grooves arranged in a propagation direction of the surface acoustic wave to form stripes is disposed on the quartz crystal substrate, and the electrode fingers are disposed one of between the grooves and inside the grooves. |
| US08692436B2 |
Brushless motor
In a brushless motor comprising: a stator S having a stator core 14 arranged surrounding a bearing part, and a core cover 15 arranged on a surface of the stator core; and a rotor R having a rotational shaft 22, a rotor case 21, and a drive magnet 25, the core cover 15 itself has an integrally formed rotor retaining part that enters a groove 22a in the rotational shaft 22. |
| US08692426B2 |
Direct current motor incorporating thermal control
A direct current motor comprises a magnet assembly having a pair of magnets for generating a magnetic field and a coil assembly located between the pair of magnets, the coil assembly and the magnet assembly being movable relative to each other. The coil assembly further comprises a first coil section and a second coil section which are electrically connected to each other. A current generator is electrically connected to the coil assembly and is operative to provide first, second and third currents. The first current is electrically connected directly to the first coil section and the second current is electrically connected directly to the second coil section whereas the third current is electrically connected to the first and second coil sections at a position connecting the first and second coil sections. |
| US08692425B2 |
Cooling combinations for electric machines
Some embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module comprising a housing including a sleeve member and at least one end cap. In some embodiments, the sleeve member can include a first coolant jacket and a second coolant jacket. Also, in some embodiments, the end cap can include an end cap coolant jacket. Also, some embodiments provide an electric machine including stator end turns, housing at least partially enclosing the electric machine, and an end cap coolant jacket positioned substantially axially outward relative to at least one of the stator end turns. |
| US08692420B2 |
Safety device for multichannel controlling of a safety-related unit
The invention relates to a safety device, comprising a first, microprocessor-controlled control unit and a second control unit, for multichannel controlling of a safety-related unit. The first microprocessor-controlled control unit has a signal generation unit for generating a first monitoring signal that indicates the current operating state of the first control unit. In addition, a switching unit drivable by the first and second control unit that can turn on the safety-related unit or run it into a secured state is provided. The second control unit has a monoflop that, in response to the monitoring signal, drives the switching unit in such a manner that the safety-related unit can be driven into a safe state in case of faulty operation of the first control unit. A device is associated with the first control unit for generating an enable signal for the second control unit. |
| US08692415B2 |
Low power operation of electronic devices
Systems and methods are disclosed for operating electronic components in a device by separating the devices into a high power group and a low power group; constantly powering the low power group; providing a movable device coupled to power when the device is moved; and providing power to the high power group when the device is moved. |
| US08692413B2 |
Noncontact electric power receiving device, noncontact electric power transmitting device, noncontact electric power feeding system, and vehicle
In a noncontact electric power feeding system using a resonance method, electrical equipment installed within a coil case is configured to include an electric power receiving antenna and a rectifier in an integrated manner. The electrical equipment is driven by receiving electric power from an electromagnetic field generated by electromagnetic resonance, without power supply from the outside of the coil case. |
| US08692410B2 |
Wireless energy transfer with frequency hopping
Described herein are improved capabilities for a source resonator having a Q-factor Q1>100 and a characteristic size x1 coupled to an energy source, and a second resonator having a Q-factor Q2>100 and a characteristic size x2 coupled to an energy drain located a distance D from the source resonator, where the source resonator and the second resonator are coupled to exchange energy wirelessly among the source resonator and the second resonator. |
| US08692408B2 |
Modular stacked subsea power system architectures
A sub-sea power delivery system includes a plurality of modular power converter building blocks on each of the power source side and the sub-sea load side that are stacked and interconnected to meet site expansion requirements and electrical load topologies. The power delivery system comprises a system DC transmission link/bus, wherein the system DC link is configured to carry HVDC or MVDC power from an onshore utility or topside power source to multiple sub-sea load modules. The stacked modular power converter topology on the sub-sea side of the sub-sea power delivery system is symmetrical with the stacked modular power converter topology on the on-shore/top-side of the sub-sea power delivery system. |
| US08692407B2 |
Power line transmission apparatus without public power system noise interference and method thereof
A power line transmission apparatus is not interfered by the noise of the public power for transmitting high quality video/audio signal. The power line transmission apparatus includes an isolating unit connected between an external power line and an internal power line for isolating a high frequency noise signal carried on the external power line and transmitting a first power signal of the external power line from the external power line to the internal power line, and a power line network interface. The power line network interface includes at least one digital signal input/output interface for inputting or outputting a digital signal, converting the digital signal, and modulating the converted signal into the first power signal to form a second power signal and transmit the second power signal to the internal power line. A home network system without noise signal interference is built by utilizing several power line transmission apparatuses. |
| US08692404B2 |
Chained assembly of hydroelectric power generators
A chained assembly of hydroelectric power generators is capable of generating electrical power from a moving body of water. The chained assembly comprises at least one anchoring stand and a plurality of hydroelectric power generators. Each hydroelectric power generator comprises a buoyant shell that is buoyant or partially buoyant in a body of water. One or more of the buoyant shells are suspended from the anchoring stand. Each buoyant shell contains an electrical generator mounted on a stationary shaft. An electrical cable connects the hydroelectric power generators. |
| US08692403B2 |
Submarine power station and assembly thereof
An installation method for an underwater power plant includes a nacelle comprising a nacelle housing having a first nacelle housing section, a water turbine including a drive connection to a drive shaft, the drive shaft being mounted inside the first nacelle housing section, an electrical generator, comprising a generator rotor and a generator stator, and a generator housing. The electrical generator and the generator housing from a separate generator module that can be handled and installed as a whole, and an adjustment of bearings for the drive shaft is executed before a production of a coupling between the generator module and the drive shaft, and the generator housing is coupled in a rotationally-fixed manner to the first nacelle housing section and the generator is coupled in a rotationally-fixed manner to the drive shaft, the generator rotor being carried by the drive shaft after the coupling. |
| US08692397B1 |
Mechanism for the conversion of vertical motion to translational or rotational motion
A mechanism for the conversion of vertical motion to translational or rotational motion includes a substrate, at least one permanent magnet, at least one coil of wire, at least one inelastic material, at least one elastic material, and at least one pivot point. The coil of wire is a solenoid. |
| US08692391B2 |
Embedded ball grid array substrate and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed herein are an embedded ball grid array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof. The embedded ball grid array includes: a core layer having a cavity therein; a semiconductor device embedded in the cavity of the core layer; a first circuit layer having a circuit pattern including a wire bonding pad formed thereon; a second circuit layer having a circuit pattern including a solder ball pattern formed thereon; and a wire electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the wire bonding pad. |
| US08692390B2 |
Pyramid bump structure
A pyramid bump structure for electrically coupling to a bond pad on a carrier comprises a conductive block disposed at the bond pad and an oblique pyramid insulation layer covered at one side of the conductive block. The oblique pyramid insulation layer comprises a bottom portion and a top portion, and outer diameter of the oblique pyramid insulation layer is tapered from the bottom portion to the top portion. When the carrier is connected with a substrate and an anisotropic conductive film disposed at the substrate, the pyramid bump structure may rapidly embed into the anisotropic conductive film to raise the flow rate of the anisotropic conductive film. Further, a short phenomenon between adjacent bumps can be avoided to raise the yield rate of package process. |
| US08692383B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
To achieve a reduction in cost of a semiconductor device, in a common board (a wiring board), a plurality of bonding leads each extend toward the center of the board, and a solder resist film as a die bonding region supporting a minimum chip is coated with a die bonding material. With this, even when a first semiconductor chip as a large chip is mounted, wire bonding can be performed without causing the die bonding material to cover the bonding leads. Thus, development cost can be reduced to reduce the cost of the semiconductor device (LGA). |
| US08692380B2 |
Integrated circuit system with sub-geometry removal and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit system includes: forming reticle data; detecting a sub-geometry, a singularity, or a combination thereof in the reticle data; applying a unit cell, a patch cell, or a combination thereof for removing the sub-geometry, the singularity, or the combination thereof from the reticle data; and fabricating an integrated circuit from the reticle data. |
| US08692376B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer, forming trenches by etching the interlayer dielectric layer, forming a copper (Cu) layer to fill the trenches, and implanting at least one of an inert element, a nonmetallic element, and a metallic element onto a surface of the Cu layer. |
| US08692371B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed are a semiconductor apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof. The manufacturing method of the semiconductor apparatus includes: forming a semiconductor chip on a semiconductor substrate; adhering a carrier wafer with a plurality of through holes onto the semiconductor chip; polishing the semiconductor substrate; forming a first via hole at the rear side of the polished semiconductor substrate; forming a first metal layer below the polished semiconductor substrate and at the first via hole; and removing the carrier wafer from the polished semiconductor substrate. |
| US08692369B2 |
Semiconductor chip and solar system
There is provided a semiconductor chip having four sides and being substantially formed in a rectangle, the semiconductor chip including: a first terminal which is located along one side of the four sides of the semiconductor chip and which is to be electrically connected to a solar cell outside the semiconductor chip; a second terminal which is located along the one side of the semiconductor chip and which is to be electrically connected to a secondary cell outside the semiconductor chip; and an interconnection line that electrically interconnects the first terminal and the second terminal. |
| US08692364B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes an embedding layer in which one or more semiconductor element(s) is embedded and one or more interconnect layers as well as one or more insulation layers on one or both sides of the embedding layer. The embedding layer includes a woven cloth formed by reinforcement fibers. The woven cloth has an opening on its site embedding the semiconductor element. The opening is arranged so that direction of the reinforcement fibers will have a preset angle with respect to a direction of a side of or a tangent to at least a portion of the opening, the preset angle being other than a square angle or a zero angle (parallelism). |
| US08692362B2 |
Semiconductor structure having conductive vias and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor structure includes a plurality of thermal vias and a heat dissipation layer disposed at a periphery of a back surface of a lower chip in a stacked-chip package. This arrangement improves solderability of a subsequently-bonded heat sink. Additionally, the thermal vias and the heat dissipation layer provide an improved thermal conduction path for enhancing heat dissipation efficiency of the semiconductor structure. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor structure is also provided. |
| US08692360B1 |
Electrical connectivity for circuit applications
According to example configurations herein, a leadframe includes a first conductive strip, a second conductive strip, and a third conductive strip disposed substantially adjacent and substantially parallel to each other. A semiconductor chip substrate includes a first array of switch circuits disposed adjacent and parallel to a second array of switch circuits. Source nodes in switch circuits of the first array are disposed substantially adjacent and substantially parallel to source nodes in switch circuits of the second array. When the semiconductor chip and the leadframe device are combined to form a circuit package, a connectivity interface between the semiconductor chip and conductive strips in the circuit package couples each of the source nodes in switch circuits of the first array and each of the multiple source nodes in switch circuits of the second array to a common conductive strip in the leadframe device. |
| US08692356B2 |
Method and electronic device for a simplified integration of high precision thinfilm resistors
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit. An electrically resistive layer of a material for serving as a thin film resistor (TFR) is deposited. A first electrically insulating layer is deposited on the electrically resistive layer of the TFR. An electrically conductive layer of an electrically conductive material is deposited. An area is left without the conductive layer and the area overlaps the electrically resistive layer of the TFR. A second electrically insulating layer is deposited on top of the conductive layer. A first VIA opening is etched through the second insulating layer, the area without the conductive layer adjacent to the electrically conductive layer and through the first insulating layer down to the electrically resistive layer of the TFR. A conductive material is deposited in the first VIA opening so as to electrically connect the conductive layer and the electrically resistive layer of the TFR. |
| US08692355B2 |
Minute capacitance element and semiconductor device using the same
A minute capacitance element has a high accuracy capacitance and is resistant to external noises. The minute capacitance element includes: first and second metal electrodes having respective opposite facets facing each other formed on an insulator layer to define a first gap therebetween; and a shield electrode being connectable to an externally applied potential and formed on the insulator layer within the first gap to define a slit confining a synthetic capacitance. |
| US08692350B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing the device, having a p type diffusion layer; a V-groove including a bottom surface parallel to the rear surface and exposing the p type diffusion layer and a tapered side surface rising from the bottom surface; a p type semiconductor layer on the rear surface surrounded by the tapered side surface of the V-groove; and a p type isolation layer formed on the side surface and electrically connecting the p type diffusion layer on the front surface and the p type semiconductor layer on the rear surface. The V-groove has a chamfered configuration around the intersection between a corner part of the side surface and the bottom surface of the V-groove. An object is to prevent performance degradation due to stress concentration at the corner part of a recessed part caused by thermal history in soldering. |
| US08692349B2 |
Semiconductor devices and methods of controlling temperature thereof
An example embodiment relates to a semiconductor device including a semiconductor package in which a semiconductor chip is mounted on the package substrate. The semiconductor package may include a temperature measurement device and a temperature control circuit. The temperature measurement device may measure a temperature of the semiconductor package. The temperature control circuit may change an operation speed of the semiconductor package on the basis of the temperature of the semiconductor package measured by the temperature measurement device. |
| US08692348B2 |
Photodetector
An infrared detector 1 having a bolometer element 11 and a reference element 21 is provided with a bolometer thin film 22 supported on a surface of a substrate 10while spaced apart from the surface of the substrate 10, a metal film 23 for heat dissipation formed on a surface of the bolometer thin film 22 via an insulating film 31, wherein the surface of the bolometer thin film 22 faces the substrate 10, and a plurality of metal columns 25 connected thermally with the metal film 23 for heat dissipation and the substrate 10. Since heat generated from a photodetecting portion 22aby infrared rays is efficiently dissipated to the substrate 10 via the insulating film 31, the metal film 23 for heat dissipation, the metal columns 25, and a metal film 24 for heat dissipation on the side of the substrate, only temperature variation caused by variation in use environment can be measured accurately, and downsizing can be achieved while reducing the influence of temperature variation in use environment. |
| US08692344B2 |
Back side illuminated image sensor architecture, and method of making same
An image sensor device that includes a substrate and a plurality of color filters. The substrate includes a plurality of photo detectors (wherein a first portion of the plurality of photo detectors each has a lateral size that is smaller than that of each of a second portion of the plurality of photo detectors) and a plurality of contact pads which are electrically coupled to the photo detectors. The plurality of color filters are each disposed over one of the photo detectors. The plurality of photo detectors are configured to produce electronic signals in response to light incident through the color filters. A third portion of the plurality of photo detectors are laterally disposed between the first and second portions of the photo detectors, and each having a lateral size between those of the first and second portions of the photo detectors. |
| US08692343B2 |
MR enhancing layer (MREL) for spintronic devices
The performance of an MR device has been improved by inserting one or more Magneto-Resistance Enhancing Layers (MRELs) into approximately the center of one or more of the active layers (such as AP1, SIL, FGL, and Free layers). An MREL is a layer of a low band gap, high electron mobility semiconductor such as ZnO or a semimetal such as Bi. |
| US08692342B2 |
Magnetic memory devices having a uniform perpendicular nonmagnetic metal rich anisotropy enhanced pattern
Provided are magnetic memory devices, electronic systems and memory cards including the same, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of controlling a magnetization direction of a magnetic pattern. In a magnetic memory device, atomic-magnetic moments non-parallel to one surface of a free pattern increase in the free pattern. Therefore, critical current density of the magnetic memory device may be reduced, such that power consumption of the magnetic memory device is reduced or minimized and/or the magnetic memory device is improved or optimized for a higher degree of integration. |
| US08692338B2 |
Micro electronic device having CMOS circuit and MEMS resonator formed on common silicon substrate
A method for fabricating a MEMS resonator is provided. A stacked main body including a silicon substrate, a plurality of metallic layers and an isolation layer is formed and has a first etching channel extending from the metallic layers into the silicon substrate. The isolation layer is filled in the first etching channel. The stacked main body also has a predetermined suspended portion. Subsequently, a portion of the isolation layer is removed so that a second etching channel is formed and the remained portion of the isolation layer covers an inner sidewall of the first etching channel. Afterwards, employing the isolation layer that covers the inner sidewall of the first etching channel as a mask, an isotropic etching process through the second etching channel is applied to the silicon substrate, thereby forming the MEMS resonator suspending above the silicon substrate. A micro electronic device is also provided. |
| US08692335B2 |
Source/drain region, contact hole and method for forming the same
An S/D region including a first region and a second region is provided. The first region is located, with at least a partial thickness, in the substrate. The second region is formed on the first region and made of a material different from that of the first region. A method for forming an S/D region is further provided, and the method includes: forming trenches at both sides of a gate stack structure in a substrate; forming a first semiconductor layer, wherein at least a part of the first semiconductor layer is filled into the trenches; and forming a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer is made of a material different from that of the first semiconductor layer. A contact hole and a forming method thereof are also provided which may increase the contact area between a contact hole and a contact region, and reduce the contact resistance. |
| US08692332B2 |
Strained-silicon transistor and method of making the same
A structure of a strained-silicon transistor includes a PMOS disposed on a substrate, a silicon nitride layer positioned on the PMOS, and a compressive stress film disposed on the silicon nitride layer, wherein the silicon nitride has a stress between −0.1 Gpa and −3.2 Gpa, and the stress of the silicon nitride is smaller than the stress of the compressive stress layer. |
| US08692331B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode formed over a semiconductor substrate, and a sidewall spacer formed on a sidewall of the gate electrode. The sidewall spacer formed along the sidewall parallel to a gate length direction of the gate electrode has a first thickness, and the sidewall spacer formed along the sidewall parallel to a gate width direction of the gate electrode has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. |
| US08692330B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device equally turns on the parasitic bipolar transistors in the finger portions of the finger form source and drain electrodes when a surge voltage is applied, even with the P+ type contact layer surrounding the N+ type source layers and the N+ type drain layers connected to the finger form source and drain electrodes. A P+ type contact layer surrounds N+ type source layers and N+ type drain layers. Metal silicide layers are formed on the N+ type source layers, the N+ type drain layers, and a portion of the P+ type contact layer. Finger form source electrodes, finger form drain electrodes, and a P+ type contact electrode surrounding these finger form electrodes are formed, being connected to the metal silicide layers respectively through contact holes formed in an interlayer insulation film deposited on the metal silicide layers. |
| US08692321B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for forming the same
A semiconductor device includes a trench defined by etching a semiconductor substrate including a device isolation film and an active region, an active region protruded from a side and bottom of the trench, and a gate electrode surrounding the active region simultaneously while being buried in the trench. |
| US08692316B2 |
Isolation structures for FinFET semiconductor devices
One illustrative device disclosed herein includes a plurality of fins separated by a trench formed in a semiconducting substrate, a first layer of insulating material positioned in the trench, the first layer of insulating material having an upper surface that is below an upper surface of the substrate, an isolation layer positioned within the trench above the first layer of insulating material, the isolation layer having an upper surface that is below the upper surface of the substrate, a second layer of insulating material positioned within the trench above the isolation layer, the second layer of insulating material having an upper surface that is below the upper surface of the substrate, and a gate structure positioned above the second layer of insulating material. |
| US08692313B2 |
Non-volatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A non-volatile memory device includes a substrate; a first conductive layer over the substrate, a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer, a stacked structure disposed over the second conductive layer, wherein the stacked structure includes a plurality of first inter-layer dielectric layers and a plurality of third conductive layers alternately stacked, a pair of first channels that penetrate the stacked structure and the second conductive layer, a second channel which is buried in the first conductive layer, covered by the second conductive layer, and coupled to lower ends of the pair of the first channels; and a memory layer formed along internal walls of the first and second channels. |
| US08692307B2 |
Lateral epitaxial grown SOI in deep trench structures and methods of manufacture
Deep trench capacitor structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a deep trench structure in a wafer comprising a substrate, buried oxide layer (BOX) and silicon (SOI) film. The structure includes a wafer comprising a substrate, buried insulator layer and a layer of silicon on insulator layer (SOI) having a single crystalline structure throughout the layer. The structure further includes a first plate in the substrate and an insulator layer in direct contact with the first plate. A doped polysilicon is in direct contact with the insulator layer and also in direct contact with the single crystalline structure of the SOI. |
| US08692303B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, electronic device, and manufacturing method for solid-state imaging device
In a manufacturing method for a solid-state imaging device, a photoelectric conversion portion including a first impurity layer whose carrier polarity is a first conductivity type is formed within a substrate, a second impurity layer, whose carrier polarity is a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, is formed on a surface of the first impurity layer so as to be in contact with the surface located on one surface side of the substrate, a third impurity layer, whose carrier polarity is the first conductivity type, is formed on the second impurity layer so as to be in contact therewith, a gate electrode is formed above the third impurity layer so as to cover the third impurity layer, and an impurity region portion, whose carrier polarity is the first conductivity type, is formed within the substrate so as to be connected to the third impurity layer. |
| US08692302B2 |
CMOS image sensor white pixel performance
Methods and systems for forming a photodiode in a substrate, forming a source/drain region in the substrate and extending over at least a portion of the photodiode, and growing a thermal oxide layer over the photodiode by performing a rapid thermal anneal (RTA) process utilizing an oxidizing environment. |
| US08692299B2 |
Two-step shallow trench isolation (STI) process
An integrated circuit device and a process for making the integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device including a substrate having a trench formed therein, a first layer of isolation material occupying the trench, a second layer of isolation material formed over the first layer of isolation material, an epitaxially-grown silicon layer on the substrate and horizontally adjacent the second layer of isolation material, and a gate structure formed on the epitaxially-grown silicon, the gate structure defining a channel. |
| US08692297B2 |
Power and ground shield mesh to remove both capacitive and inductive signal coupling effects of routing in integrated circuit device
A power and ground shield mesh to remove both capacitive and inductive signal coupling effects of routing in integrated circuit device. An embodiment describes the routing of a shield mesh of both power and ground lines to remove noise created by capacitive and inductive coupling. Relatively long signal lines are routed in between fully connected power and ground shield mesh which may be generated by a router during the signal routing phase or during power mesh routing phase. Leaving only the odd tracks or the even tracks for signal routing, power mesh (VDD) and ground mesh (VSS) are routed and fully interconnected leaving shorter segments and thereby reducing the RC effect of the circuit device. Another embodiment presents a technique where the signals are shielded using the power and ground mesh for a gridless routing. Another embodiment presents a multi-layer grid routing technique where signals are routed on even grid and the power and ground lines are routed on odd grid. A similar embodiment represents grid routing technique where the signals are routed between layers N and N+1. Another embodiment enables signals to be shielded by opposite power and ground grids on left, right, top and bottom. Additional embodiments also include utilization of similar mesh utilized in standard cell and/or in the gate array routing area or any other area where any other signal line is to be shielded. |
| US08692295B1 |
Transistor with InGaAsP collector region and integrated opto-electronic devices employing same
A double heterojunction bipolar transistor on a substrate comprises a collector formed of InGaAsP, a base in contact with the collector, an emitter in contact with the base, and electrodes forming separate electrical contacts with each of the collector, base, and emitter, respectively. A device incorporates this transistor and an opto-electronic device optically coupled with the collector of the transistor to interact with light transmitted therethrough. |
| US08692294B2 |
Semiconductor devices with field plates
A III-N device is described with a III-N material layer, an insulator layer on a surface of the III-N material layer, an etch stop layer on an opposite side of the insulator layer from the III-N material layer, and an electrode defining layer on an opposite side of the etch stop layer from the insulator layer. A recess is formed in the electrode defining layer. An electrode is formed in the recess. The insulator can have a precisely controlled thickness, particularly between the electrode and III-N material layer. |
| US08692293B2 |
Method to increase breakdown voltage of semiconductor devices
Methods of achieving high breakdown voltages in semiconductor devices by suppressing the surface flashover using high dielectric strength insulating encapsulation material are generally described. In one embodiment of the present invention, surface flashover in AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors (HFETs) is suppressed by using high dielectric strength insulating encapsulation material. Surface flashover in as-fabricated III-Nitride based HFETs limits the operating voltages at levels well below the breakdown voltages of GaN. |
| US08692292B2 |
Semiconductor device including separated gate electrode and conductive layer
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate 101, a first nitride semiconductor layer 104S which includes a plurality of nitride semiconductor layers formed on the substrate 101, and has a channel region; a second semiconductor layer 105 which is formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer 104S, and has a conductivity type opposite a conductivity type of the channel region; a conductive layer which is in contact with the second semiconductor layer 105, and includes a metal layer 107 or a high carrier concentration semiconductor layer having a carrier concentration of 1×1018 cm−3 or higher; an insulating layer 110 formed on the conductive layer; a gate electrode 111 formed on the insulating layer 110; and a source electrode 108 and a drain electrode 109 formed to laterally sandwich the second semiconductor layer 105. |
| US08692291B2 |
Passive devices for FinFET integrated circuit technologies
Device structures, design structures, and fabrication methods for passive devices that may be used as electrostatic discharge protection devices in fin-type field-effect transistor integrated circuit technologies. A device structure is formed that includes a well of a first conductivity type in a device region and a doped region of a second conductivity in the well. The device region is comprised of a portion of a device layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The doped region and a first portion of the well define a junction. A second portion of the well is positioned between the doped region and an exterior sidewall of the device region. Another portion of the device layer may be patterned to form fins for fin-type field-effect transistors. |
| US08692288B2 |
Heterojunction bipolar transistors and methods of manufacture
Semiconductor structures and methods of manufacture semiconductors are provided which relate to heterojunction bipolar transistors. The structure includes two devices connected by metal wires on a same wiring level. The metal wire of a first of the two devices is formed by selectively forming a metal cap layer on copper wiring structures. |
| US08692287B2 |
Nitride semiconductor device, nitride semiconductor wafer, and method for manufacturing nitride semiconductor layer
According to one embodiment, a nitride semiconductor device includes: a stacked foundation layer, and a functional layer. The stacked foundation layer is formed on an AlN buffer layer formed on a silicon substrate. The stacked foundation layer includes AlN foundation layers and GaN foundation layers being alternately stacked. The functional layer includes a low-concentration part, and a high-concentration part provided on the low-concentration part. A substrate-side GaN foundation layer closest to the silicon substrate among the plurality of GaN foundation layers includes first and second portions, and a third portion provided between the first and second portions. The third portion has a Si concentration not less than 5×1018 cm−3 and has a thickness smaller than a sum of those of the first and second portions. |
| US08692282B2 |
Light emitting diode package and light emitting module comprising the same
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a light emitting diode package including a light emitting diode chip, a lead frame having a chip area on which the light emitting diode chip is arranged, and a package body supporting the lead frame. The lead frame includes a first terminal group arranged at a first side of the chip area and a second terminal group arranged at a second side of the chip area. The first terminal group and the second terminal group each include a first terminal and a second terminal, and in at least one of the first terminal group and the second terminal group, the first terminal is connected to the chip area and the second terminal is separated from the chip area. The first terminal has a first width, the second terminal has a second width, and the first width is different than the second width. |
| US08692281B2 |
Light emitting diode submount with high thermal conductivity for high power operation
This invention relates to the thermal management, extraction of light, and cost effectiveness of Light Emitting Diode, or LED, electrical circuits. An integrated circuit LED submount is described, for the packaging of high power LEDs. The LED submount provides high thermal conductivity while preserving electrical insulation. In particular, a process is described for anodizing a high thermal conductivity aluminum alloy sheet to form a porous aluminum oxide layer and a non-porous aluminum oxide layer. This anodized aluminum alloy sheet acts as a superior electrical insulator, and also provides surface morphology and mechanical properties that are useful for the fabrication of high-density and high-power multilevel electrical circuits. |
| US08692280B2 |
Optoelectronic semiconductor device
An optoelectronic semiconductor device including: a substrate; a semiconductor system having an active layer formed on the substrate; and an electrode structure formed on the semiconductor system, wherein the electrode structure includes: a first conductivity type bonding pad; a second conductivity type bonding pad; a first conductivity type extension electrode; and a second conductivity type extension electrode, wherein the first conductivity type extension electrode and the second conductivity type extension electrode form a three-dimensional crossover; wherein the first conductivity type extension electrode and the second conductivity type extension electrode are on the opposite sides of the active layer. |
| US08692279B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, a first electrode, a second electrode, a first insulating layer, a first interconnect layer, a second interconnect layer, a first metal pillar, a second metal pillar, and a second insulating layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first major surface, a second major surface opposite to the first major surface, and a light emitting layer. The first electrode is provided on a region including the light emitting layer on the second major surface. The second electrode is provided on the second major surface and interposed in the first electrode in a planar view. |
| US08692278B2 |
Light emitting device
Disclosed are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, a lighting system and a manufacturing method of light emitting device. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first and second conductive semiconductor layers; a first ohmic layer over the light emitting structure; and a second ohmic layer including a pattern over the first ohmic layer. |
| US08692277B2 |
Light emitting diodes including optically matched substrates
Light emitting diodes include a diode region comprising a gallium nitride-based n-type layer, an active region and a gallium nitride-based p-type layer. A substrate is provided on the gallium nitride-based n-type layer and optically matched to the diode region. The substrate has a first face remote from the gallium nitride-based n-type layer, a second face adjacent the gallium nitride-based n-type layer and a sidewall therebetween. At least a portion of the sidewall is beveled, so as to extend oblique to the first and second faces. A reflector may be provided on the gallium nitride-based p-type layer opposite the substrate. Moreover, the diode region may be wider than the second face of the substrate and may include a mesa remote from the first face that is narrower than the first face and the second face. |
| US08692276B2 |
Parallel optical transceiver module
A silicon-on-insulator wafer is provided. The silicon-on-insulator wafer includes a silicon substrate having optical vias formed therein. In addition, an optically transparent oxide layer is disposed on the silicon substrate and the optically transparent oxide layer is in contact with the optical vias. Then, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor layer is formed over the optically transparent oxide layer. |
| US08692274B2 |
Light emitting diode package structure
A light-emitting diode (LED) package structure including a carrier substrate, at least one LED chip, an optical element and a thermal-conductive transparent liquid is provided. The LED chip is disposed on the carrier substrate and has an active layer. The optical element is disposed on the substrate and forms a sealed space with the carrier substrate, and the LED chip is disposed in the sealed space. The thermal-conductive transparent liquid fills up the sealed space. |
| US08692270B2 |
Light emitting device
A light-emitting apparatus includes a submount, a chip carrier formed on the submount, and a light-emitting chip formed on the chip carrier. The light-emitting apparatus also includes a reflecting cup formed on the submount and enclosing the light-emitting chip and the chip carrier, and a transparent encapsulating material for encapsulating the light-emitting chip. |
| US08692268B2 |
LED lamps
A light-emitting device for generating incoherent light comprises a substrate, a semiconductor structure, and a first metallic conductor formed on the substrate. The semiconductor structure comprises a top face, a bottom face, outer side faces, a first light-emitting part, a second light-emitting part, and light-extraction surfaces arranged for harvesting light from the semiconductor structure and being distant from the outer side faces. Each of the first and second light-emitting parts comprises a lower semiconductor layer on the substrate, an upper semiconductor layer on the lower semiconductor layer, and an active region between the lower and upper semiconductors for generating light. The first metallic conductor electrically connects the upper semiconductor layer of the first light-emitting part with the lower semiconductor layer of the second light-emitting part. The substrate comprises a non-semiconductor material. |
| US08692267B2 |
High efficiency Group III nitride LED with lenticular surface
A high efficiency Group III nitride light emitting diode is disclosed. The diode includes a substrate selected from the group consisting of semiconducting and conducting materials, a Group III nitride-based light emitting region on or above the substrate, and, a lenticular surface containing silicon carbide on or above the light emitting region, and extending to said light emitting region. |
| US08692265B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device is provided. The lighting device comprises a first substrate and a plurality of second substrates. The plurality of second substrates are separately and electrically connected to the first substrate and comprise a light emitting device. |
| US08692257B2 |
Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the display apparatus
Present embodiments provide a display apparatus including a substrate; a sealing substrate facing the substrate; a display unit between the substrate and the sealing substrate; a first sealing member between the substrate and the sealing substrate to be spaced apart from the display unit, so as to bond the substrate and the sealing substrate to each other; a second sealing member between the substrate and the sealing substrate to be spaced apart from the display unit and the first sealing member, so as to bond the substrate and the sealing substrate to each other; and a light pattern layer on a surface of the sealing substrate opposite to a surface facing the display unit, so as to adjust light intensity transmitted through the sealing substrate. The light pattern layer includes a first pattern corresponding to the first sealing member and a second pattern corresponding to the second sealing member. |
| US08692255B2 |
Semiconductor element, method for manufacturing same, display device, and electronic device
A semiconductor element includes: an organic semiconductor layer; an electrode disposed on the organic semiconductor layer so as to be in contact with the organic semiconductor layer; and a wiring layer formed separately from the electrode and electrically connected to the electrode. |
| US08692254B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting display device in which a pixel electrode is formed by extending from source and drain electrodes, a capacitor including a thin upper capacitor electrode formed below the pixel electrode and constituting a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) CAP structure, thereby simplifying manufacturing processes, increasing an aperture ratio, and improving a voltage design margin. |
| US08692253B2 |
Flat panel display
According to one embodiment, a flat panel display includes a first mounting portion including a first input pad and a first output pad, a second mounting portion including a second input pad and a second output pad, a first common terminal and a second common terminal, which have a common potential, and a guard ring wiring which is formed in a manner to extend from the first common terminal, to pass between the first input pad and the first output pad of the first mounting portion, to pass between the second input pad and the second output pad of the second mounting portion, and to reach the second common terminal, the guard ring wiring including a first resistor element of a first resistance value and a second resistor element of a second resistance value which is higher than the first resistance value. |
| US08692249B2 |
Power storage device
A semiconductor device comprises a thin film transistor provided over a substrate having an insulating surface, and an electrode penetrating the substrate. The thin film transistor is provided between a first structural body and a second structural body, which has a higher rigidity than the first structural body, which serve as protectors because the structural bodies have resistance to a pressing force such as a tip of a pen or bending stress applied from outside so malfunction due to the pressing force and the bending stress can be prevented. |
| US08692246B2 |
Leakage measurement structure having through silicon vias
A leakage measurement structure for through substrate vias which includes a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of through substrate vias in the semiconductor substrate extending substantially through the semiconductor substrate; and a leakage measurement structure located in the semiconductor substrate. The leakage measurement structure includes a plurality of substrate contacts extending into the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of sensing circuits connected to the plurality of through substrate vias and to the plurality of the substrate contacts, the plurality of sensing circuits providing a plurality of outputs indicative of current leakage from the plurality of through substrate vias; a built-in self test (BIST) engine to step through testing of the plurality of through substrate vias; and a memory coupled to the BIST engine to receive the outputs from the plurality of sensing circuits. Also included is a method of testing a semiconductor substrate. |
| US08692241B1 |
Transition metal complexes containing triazole and tetrazole carbene ligands
Novel iridium complexes containing triazole and tetrazole carbene ligands are described. These metal complexes additionally contain dibenzo moieties such as dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran, and the complexes have overall improved properties such as more saturated blue emission when used as emissive compounds in OLED devices. |
| US08692239B2 |
Organic light emitting display device
An organic light emitting display device which includes a base member; an organic light emitting display unit provided on one surface of the base member and configured to generate an image; an intermediate layer provided over the one surface of the base member and formed to be in contact with the organic light emitting display unit; and a capping member including a bulkhead member and a first member, wherein one surface of the first member is in contact with the intermediate layer, and the bulkhead member is protruded from an opposite surface of the first member to define a plurality of capping areas. |
| US08692237B2 |
Organic light emitting device and method of manufacturing same
An organic light emitting device enables improvement on the loss of optical extraction efficiency due to total reflection and optical waveguide effects. The organic light emitting device has a structure wherein a first electrode, an organic substance layer, and a second electrode are sequentially laminated on a substrate, a random nano structure having a fine pattern of a peaks-and-valleys shape is formed between a substrate and a first electrode to extract any light that is wasted due to total reflection and an optical waveguide mode to the outside of the substrate so that an organic light emitting device with improved external quantum efficiency can be realized, and optical extraction patterns and color changes due to visual field angles can also be improved. |
| US08692234B2 |
Polymer compound, net-like polymer compound produced by crosslinking the polymer compound, composition for organic electroluminescence element, organic electroluminescence element, organic EL display, and organic EL lighting
An object of the invention is to provide a polymer compound having a high hole transport capacity, excellent in electrochemical stability, and suitable to film formation according to a wet film formation method. Another object of the invention is to provide an organic electroluminescence element having a high current efficiency, a low drive voltage, and a long derive lifetime. The polymer compound has a crosslinking group bonding to the arylamine moiety in the repeating unit via at least one single bond therebetween. |
| US08692231B2 |
Functional molecular element and functional molecular device
A functional molecular element exhibiting its function under the operation of an electrical field is provided. A compound is used in which a pendant molecule, formed by 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl, exhibiting positive dielectric constant anisotropy or a dipole moment along the direction of the long axis of the molecule, is covalently bonded to an electrically conductive linear or film-shaped principal-axis molecule having a conjugated system. The pendant molecule is changed in its orientation on application of an electrical field to change the conformation to switch the electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive principal-axis molecule. |
| US08692227B2 |
Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device is disclosed. The light-emitting device comprises an epitaxial structure comprising a lower cladding layer of first conductivity type, an active layer comprising InGaN or AlGaInN on the lower cladding layer, and an upper cladding layer of second conductivity type on the active layer; a tunneling structure on the epitaxial structure comprising a first tunneling layer of second conductivity type with a doping concentration greater than 6×1019/cm3 on the upper cladding layer, and a second tunneling layer of first conductivity type with a doping concentration greater than 6×1019/cm3 on the first tunneling layer; and a current spreading layer of first conductivity type comprising AlInN on the tunneling structure. |
| US08692224B2 |
High consistency resistive memory and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention relates to the technical field of memories, and in particular to a highly-consistent resistive memory and method of fabricating the same. The resistive memory comprises: a lower electrode which is formed in a first dielectric layer by patterning; a second dielectric layer formed on the lower electrode and the first dielectric layer and provided with an opening for exposing the lower electrode to perform patterning; an edge wall formed in the opening of the second dielectric layer for covering a border area of the lower electrode and the first dielectric layer so that only the middle area of the lower electrode is partially or totally exposed; a storage medium layer formed by performing oxidization with the second dielectric layer and the edge wall as mask; and an upper electrode. The resistive memory exhibits good consistency and high reliability; moreover, unit size is mall, which is advantageous for improving storage characteristic. When an array of memories is formed by the resistive memories, a good consistency is obtained among multiple resistive memories. |
| US08692221B2 |
Active identification patch
A device, system and method for identifying an object. The device comprises an identification badge comprising a surface at least partially reflective to infrared light and having an insignia thereon, and a source of infrared light co-located with the badge and comprising at least one infrared light emitting LED. The source and the badge are both secured to the object and the source is positioned relative to the badge such that the light emitted from the at least one infrared LED falls on the reflective surface. |
| US08692218B2 |
Charged particle beam exposure apparatus
An exposure apparatus which draws a pattern on a substrate with a charged particle beam is disclosed. The exposure apparatus includes a blanker which controls, in accordance with a dose pattern including a plurality of pulses, whether to allow a charged particle beam to strike the substrate, and a controller which executes calibration for correcting the dose pattern to obtain a pattern having the target line width. |
| US08692214B2 |
Charged particle beam inspection method
An imaging method and apparatus for forming images of substantially the same area on a sample for defect inspection within the area are disclosed. The disclosed method includes line-scanning the charged particle beam over the area to form a plurality of n*Y scan lines by repeatedly forming a group of n scan lines for Y times. During the formation of each group of n scan lines, an optical beam is, from one line scan to another, selectively illuminated on the area prior to or simultaneously with scanning of the charged particle beam. In addition, during the formation of each group of n scan lines, a condition of illumination of the optical beam selectively changes from one line scan to another. The conditions at which individual n scan lines are formed are repeated for the formation of all Y groups of scan lines. |
| US08692213B2 |
Accurate operational surface handling
One or more techniques and/or systems are described herein for handling an examination surface for radiology or other operations. That is, an examination surface support structure can be integrally coupled with a support component of a radiology apparatus so that an examination surface and an object optionally placed thereon are supported during an operation. An examination surface transport component can be docked with an examination surface docking component that is operably coupled with the examination surface support structure so that the examination surface can be exchanged between the transport component and the radiology apparatus. An examination surface transit component that is operably coupled with the examination surface support structure can engage the examination surface in order to move the examination surface into and out of an operation region of the apparatus, such as during a scanning or dosage operation. |
| US08692211B2 |
Surface electromagnetic waves in photonic band gap multilayers
A device and associated methods for using surface electromagnetic waves (SEWs) generated at the surface of photonic band gap multilayers (PBGMs) in place of surface plasmons (SPs) in metal films. One device is a photonic circuit comprising a multilayer apparatus to generate surface electromagnetic waves, wherein the surface electromagnetic waves comprise the signal medium within the circuit. The multilayer apparatus comprises a prism with a dielectric multilayer deposited on one side. |
| US08692200B2 |
Optical proximity sensor with improved dynamic range and sensitivity
Various embodiments of an optical proximity sensor and corresponding circuits and methods for measuring small AC signal currents arising from the detection of pulsed AC light signals emitted by a light emitter and reflected from an object to detected in the presence of larger ambient light DC current signals are disclosed. Circuits and corresponding methods are described that improve the dynamic range, sensitivity and detection range of an optical proximity sensor by cancelling the contributions of DC current signals arising from ambient light signals that otherwise would dominate the detected small AC signal currents. The DC signal cancellation occurs in a differential amplifier circuit before small AC signal currents are provided to an analog-to-digital converter. The circuits and methods may be implemented using conventional CMOS design and manufacturing techniques and processes. |
| US08692198B2 |
Photosensitive imaging devices and associated methods
A monolithic sensor for detecting infrared and visible light according to an example includes a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor layer coupled to the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer includes a device surface opposite the semiconductor substrate. A visible light photodiode is formed at the device surface. An infrared photodiode is also formed at the device surface and in proximity to the visible light photodiode. A textured region is coupled to the infrared photodiode and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation. |
| US08692197B2 |
Scanning electron microscope optical condition setting method and scanning electron microscope
A scanning electron microscope and an optical-condition setting method are provided. The optical condition allows the suppression of a lowering in the measurement and inspection accuracy caused by the influence of electrification, even if there are a large number of measurement and inspection points. A pattern on a sample is measured based on the detection of electrons by scanning the sample surface with an electron beam. A change in measurement values relative to the number of measurements is determined from the measurement values at a plurality of measurement points on the sample, and the sample-surface electric field is controlled so that the inclination of the change becomes equal to zero, or becomes close to zero. |
| US08692196B2 |
Method of use for a multipole detector for a transmission electron microscope
The invention relates to a method for correcting distortions introduced by the projection system (106) of a TEM. As known to the person skilled in the art distortions may limit the resolution of a TEM, especially when making a 3D reconstruction of a feature using tomography. Also when using strain analysis in a TEM the distortions may limit the detection of strain.To this end the invention discloses a detector equipped with multipoles (152), the multipoles warping the image of the TEM in such a way that distortions introduced by the projection system are counteracted. The detector may further include a CCD or a fluorescent screen (151) for detecting the electrons. |
| US08692185B2 |
Method and system of determining a parameter associated with a formation corrected for neutrons produced
Determining a parameter associated with a formation corrected for neutrons produced. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: disposing a logging tool within a borehole, the borehole penetrates a formation; producing neutrons by a neutron source within the logging tool; detecting neutrons produced by the neutron source, the detecting by a neutron detector; creating an indication of a number of neutrons produced by the neutron source, the indication based only on neutrons detected that have not interacted with other elements before entering the neutron detector; obtaining a count rate of a gamma detector responsive to the production of neutrons by the neutron source; and determining a parameter associated with the formation based on the count rate and on the indication of the number of neutrons produced. |
| US08692184B1 |
Material property gauges and related methods for determining a property of a material
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. A radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function may calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge that determines a moisture property of the material. An electromagnetic field generator may generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material. An electromagnetic sensor may determine a frequency response of the material to the electromagnetic field across the several frequencies. |
| US08692183B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating a downhole fluid property using a miniature integrated circuit spectrometer
An apparatus for estimating a property of a downhole fluid includes a carrier that is conveyable in a borehole, a test cell carried by the carrier for capturing the downhole fluid, an integrated circuit positioned inside of the test cell, and an electromagnetic energy source that emits an electromagnetic energy beam having a first bandwidth. A first filter is formed on the integrated circuit in electromagnetic energy communication with the first electromagnetic energy beam. A flow path is formed in the integrated circuit wherein the flow path contains the downhole fluid in the test cell and is in electromagnetic energy communication with a portion of the electromagnetic energy beam. An electromagnetic energy detector is in electromagnetic energy communication with a portion of the electromagnetic energy beam that has interacted with the downhole fluid for estimating the property of the downhole fluid. |
| US08692179B2 |
Optical communication system using grounded coplanar waveguide
The invention discloses an optical communication system using grounded coplanar waveguide, comprising a current buffer and a transimpedance amplifier (TIA). Transmission lines of the optical communication system have grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) structures. The current buffer receives a current signal from a signal source, and outputs the current signal after reducing capacitance effects of the signal source. The TIA converts the current signal to a voltage signal, wherein a first end of the TIA receives the current signal, a second end of the TIAn outputs the voltage signal, and a shunt-shunt feedback circuit is coupled between the first end and the second end. Therefore, the present invention can minimize the circuit area and lower the power consumption as well. |
| US08692174B2 |
Insolation sensor for solar light intensity having a precipitation sensor or deposit sensor associated therewith
An insolation sensor is disclosed and is used to determine a solar light intensity as a basis for evaluating electric power generated by solar modules exposed to the solar light intensity. The insolation sensor includes an outer surface including a light entrance window, and at least one photo sensor configured to measure the solar light intensity. The at least one photo sensor is arranged behind the light entrance window. The insolation sensor further includes a detector device configured to detect precipitation and/or a resulting deposit on the surface which both affects the insolation sensor and the solar modules. |
| US08692172B2 |
Cold shield apparatus and methods
A shield for use with a detector includes a first opening adjacent the detector, a second opening opposite the first opening along an optical axis intersecting the detector, and a field of view defined by the detector and the second opening. A shield body includes alternating curved profile regions and linear profile regions coaxially aligned along the optical axis. The curved profile regions have respective curved interior surfaces concave facing toward the second opening, and the linear profile regions have respective interior surfaces facing toward the first opening. In this way, specular reflections associated with stray light may be greatly reduced. |
| US08692169B2 |
Electrical apparatus having active heat-dissipating element and air circulating system having such electrical apparatus
An electrical apparatus includes a casing, a circuit board, a top cover and an active heat-dissipating element. The casing includes a first entrance, a first receptacle, a first sidewall, and a first bottom surface. An air inlet hole is formed in the first bottom surface. A concave region is defined at a junction between the first sidewall and the first bottom surface. An air outlet hole is formed in the concave region. The circuit board is disposed within the first receptacle and has at least one electronic component mounted thereon. The top cover shelters the first entrance. The active heat-dissipating element is disposed within the first receptacle and arranged over the air inlet hole. Ambient air is inhaled into the first receptacle by the active heat-dissipating element and exhausted out of the casing through the air outlet hole, thereby removing heat generated from the electronic component. |
| US08692168B2 |
Infrared heating panels, systems and methods
Infrared heating panels are provided with an electrically insulative substrate that carries one or more infrared heating elements. Each heating element includes an elongated first segment attached to a first surface of the substrate and an elongated second segment electrically connected in series with the first segment. At least the first segment is a strip of an electrically resistive material adapted to emit infrared radiation in response to a current. The second segment is attached to the second surface of the substrate opposite from and in a parallel arrangement with the first segment such that a first current flowing through the heating element flows through the first segment in a first direction relative to the substrate and flows through the second segment in a second direction opposite the first direction. Saunas, heating systems, and methods for reducing electromagnetic emissions in an infrared sauna are also provided. |
| US08692165B2 |
Power circuitry incorporating both foreign and domestic alternating current line voltages for a heated beverage apparatus
A beverage apparatus is provided for heating a liquid and is operable either by foreign or domestic voltages. The apparatus may have a heating element that couples directly to the voltage source, regardless of whether the voltage source is foreign or domestic. The apparatus also may have a power supply that couples directly to the voltage source, regardless of whether the voltage source is foreign or domestic. The power supply outputs a DC voltage that may be coupled to various other components of the apparatus either directly or after subsequent processing. |
| US08692163B2 |
Electrical heater for injection-molding nozzle
An electrical sleeve heater for heating an elongated part has a metallic and tubular casing extending coaxially along an axis with the part and surrounding the part. The casing has a front end is with a radially inwardly open cutout. A electrical heating element set in the casing is energizeable to heat the casing and the part surrounded by the casing. A thermocouple has a sensing tip in the cutout. A retaining body of at most low thermal conductivity is fitted in the cutout, holds the tip out of contact with the metallic casing, and urges the tip radially inward into direct engagement with an outer surface of the part. The retaining body is a molded part, a plate, or a spring of a material with low or negligible thermal conductivity. |
| US08692160B2 |
Temperature controlled displays
A heated counter for service of hot food has one or more hotplates, a light source illuminating each hotplate and a number of light sensors below each hotplate. When a sensor is obscured by a dish of food, power is supplied to that hotplate, and when no sensor is obscured, that hotplate is kept in stand-by mode. |
| US08692158B2 |
Portable weld cooling systems
Portable weld cooling systems include a plurality of weld cooling instruments operable to combine to provide cool air to a weld area created by a weld fusion machine, and a portable cabinet comprising a transportation section and a storage section, the transportation section operable to facilitate the movement of the portable cabinet and the storage section being configured to store the plurality of weld cooling instruments when the portable cabinet is moved, wherein one or more of the plurality of weld cooling instruments may be removed from the storage section when combined to provide cool air. |
| US08692154B2 |
Method of manufacturing electronic component lead using laser beam
An electronic component lead manufacturing method includes irradiating a first laser beam to a second layer with a solder wettability higher than a first layer, the second layer being laminated on the outside of the first layer of the lead used by the electronic component, and exposing the first layer from the second layer based on the irradiating of the first laser beam, and forming a projecting part near a region irradiated by a second laser beam by irradiating the second laser beam to the exposed first layer. |
| US08692152B2 |
Laser lap welding method for galvanized steel sheets
A laser lap welding method, for a galvanized steel sheet, includes preparing two steel sheets in lap configuration, at least one of which is the galvanized steel sheet, so that a galvanized layer thereof is located at an interface of the steel sheets; and irradiating a surface of any one of the two steel sheets in an overlapped region with a laser to perform lap welding. The welding is performed by applying the laser to travel at a predetermined power density and at a predetermined traveling velocity so as to partially and temporarily form an elongated hole in a molten pool extending backward from a laser irradiation spot at least in the steel sheet on the surface side, whereby metal vapor produced by laser irradiation is vented through the elongated hole backward in a laser traveling direction and in a laser irradiation source side. |
| US08692150B2 |
Process for forming a ceramic abrasive air seal with increased strain tolerance
A plasma spray gun comprises a nozzle, an upstream powder injector, and a downstream powder injector. The upstream powder injector is disposed outside the nozzle and axially adjacent a nozzle outlet. The downstream powder injector is disposed axially downstream of the first upstream powder injector. The downstream powder injector is operative in a first coating mode, and the upstream powder injector is operative in a second coating mode. |
| US08692149B2 |
Low-voltage, medium-voltage or high-voltage switchgear assembly having a short-circuiting system
A switchgear assembly includes a vacuum interrupt chamber and a short-circuiting system arranged in the vacuum interrupt chamber. To enable rapid switching with physically simple means, a vacuum area of the vacuum interrupt chamber in which a fixed contact piece is placed is subdivided via a membrane, which is provided with a breaking line and which can be penetrated by a moving piston system to the contact piece during switching. The switchgear assembly can be utilized in a low-voltage, medium-voltage or high-voltage assembly. |
| US08692146B2 |
Touchpad of an electronic apparatus and method for manufacturing the same
An electronic apparatus includes a cover unit, a touchpad unit and a contact member. The cover unit has a window through which an operation section is exposed and the window has an inwardly inclined peripheral surface as an inclined portion. The touchpad unit is arranged substantially in the window. The contact member is secured on the touchpad unit and is exposed through the window. The contact member has a joining part for the cover unit. The joining part of the contact member forms a contiguous inclined surface together with the inclined portion of the cover unit. |
| US08692144B2 |
Keyboard
A keyboard includes a membrane circuit board, a luminous key, a light-emitting element and a plastic film layer. The luminous key has a keycap with a light-transmissible part. The luminous key is configured for triggering a membrane switch of the membrane circuit board. The light-emitting element is disposed on the membrane circuit board and arranged under the light-transmissible part for emitting a light beam. The plastic film layer is disposed on the membrane circuit board, and includes a convex structure, which is integrally formed with the plastic film layer. The light-emitting element is enclosed by the convex structure. The convex structure has an opening aligned with the light-emitting element. The keyboard of the present invention has enhanced production yield and reduced light leakage. |
| US08692143B2 |
Cable interlock between power switches
An assembly for mutual mechanical blocking of actuation of a plurality of electrical switches includes a first locking mechanism assigned to a first switch and actuatable by an actuation device of the first switch, the actuation device being configured to transmit via Bowden cables at least one of an OFF position and an ON position of the first switch to a locking device of at least one other locking mechanism assigned to at least one other switch, the locking device including a two-armed rocker having a center portion configured to lock the at least one other switch and having lever arms, each of the lever arms having a respective bore configured to receive: (a) a driving element for a respective Bowden cable so as to provide a mutual locking of three switches, and (b) a fastening pivot pin for rotatable fastening of the two-armed rocker to a mounting plate that accommodates the first locking mechanism, so as to provide a mutual locking of two switches. |
| US08692142B2 |
Circuit for determining positions of contacts on capacitive position detecting panel, touch panel module and method for detecting contacts on capacitive position detecting panel
The invention provides a circuit for determining positions of contacts on a capacitive position detecting panel. The capacitive position detecting panel includes a plurality of sensing lines and driving lines. The circuit includes a plurality of first amplifiers and second amplifiers. The first amplifiers respectively connect to the sensing lines, and the second amplifiers respectively connect to the driving lines. Input nodes of the first amplifiers are connected to a first input signal source, and input nodes of the second amplifiers are selectively connected to the first input signal source or a second input signal source. When the circuit is operated under a first operation mode, the input nodes of the second amplifiers are connected to the first input signal source; and when the circuit is operated under a second operating mode, the input modes of a plurality of specific second amplifiers are connected to the second input signal source. |
| US08692133B2 |
Semiconductor package
Provided is a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes an insulation substrate with top and bottom surfaces. The semiconductor package further includes a circuit pattern on the top surface. The circuit pattern includes a first signal conductive pattern and first and second ground conductive patterns. The semiconductor package includes a first insulation film covering the first signal conductive pattern and exposing a first portion of the first ground conductive pattern and a portion of the second ground conductive pattern. The semiconductor package further includes a first conductive member on the first signal conductive pattern and the first and second ground conductive patterns. The first conductive member electrically connects the first and second ground conductive patterns by covering a portion of the first insulation film and coming in contact with the first portion of the first ground conductive pattern and the portion of the second ground conductive pattern. |
| US08692130B2 |
Transparent thin plate
A transparent thin plate including a transparent substrate in a sheet form, a mesh layer formed on a surface of the transparent substrate and made of an opaque material having a structure wherein an outline of meshes is made of bands that are very thin and have a substantially equal width, and having a light transmittance of 50% or more. The transparent thin plate also includes a colored layer that is arranged in a state in which the colored layer is laminated in a partial area of the mesh layer and on the surface of the mesh layer, and has a color different from that of the opaque material constituting the mesh layer. |
| US08692128B2 |
Printed circuit board with good performance on impedance
A printed circuit board, comprises an insulative substrate, a grounding layer located on a surface of the insulative substrate and defining a through slot, a plurality of conductive pins located on an outer surface of the printed circuit board; and a fence layer located between the conductive path and the grounding layer. Each conductive pin defines at least a soldering portion. The soldering portion is alignment to the through slot along a vertical direction. |
| US08692126B2 |
Wired circuit board and producing method thereof
A wired circuit board includes a metal supporting layer, an insulating layer formed on the metal supporting layer, and a conductive layer formed on the insulating layer. In the metal supporting layer, a reference hole for positioning is formed, and a stepped portion is formed so as to surround the reference hole. |
| US08692124B2 |
Electrical connector and method of making
An electrical connector comprises an elongated flexible circuit having rigid strips bonded onto one or both sides and one or more ends thereof. The strips contain metallized castellations that are aligned with respective metal traces on the flex circuit and soldered thereto. The flexible portion, along with the attached rigid board(s) forms a plug assembly that mates with a socket having contact pins that engage with their respective metallized castellations, with the castellations providing a self-aligning function. The invention may be used to form a flex cable with connectors on one or both ends. Alternatively, the elongated flexible circuit may represent an extension of a larger flex circuit substrate that further contains other electronic devices mounted thereon. The socket and contact pins are preferably attachable to a motherboard by soldering or other means. |
| US08692122B2 |
Grommet
A grommet is fit on a pipe harness formed by inserting a wire harness into a metallic pipe. The grommet has a small-diameter tube configured to allow insertion of the pipe harness therethrough in a tight manner. The small-diameter tube has an inner diameter B obtained by adding an allowable tolerance dimension α to an outer diameter A of the pipe. Two annular ribs project from an outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter tube on the side of a distal end opening and a band winding portion is interposed between the annular ribs. An annular sealing lip projects from an inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter tube at an inner position displaced from a position corresponding to the band winding portion. The sealing lip has an inner diameter C obtained by subtracting the allowable tolerance dimension α from the outer diameter A of the pipe. |
| US08692120B2 |
Electrical control cable
The present invention relates to an electrical control cable of the type comprising a core having a plurality of polymer filaments, a plurality of strands of conductor material extending in the longitudinal direction of said core, an outer insulating sheath. According to the invention, said strands are distributed uniformly and concentrically over the periphery of said core, in contact with one another in pairs and in contact with said core, and the filaments of said core are secured to one another to form a non-metallic unitary structure that is obtained by organizing said filaments into a plurality of subassemblies, the filaments in any one subassembly being twisted together helically, the subassemblies in turn being twisted with one another to form an overall helix. Advantage: the cable uses a limited number of copper strands while guaranteeing that crimping operations are reliable. |
| US08692111B2 |
High throughput laser ablation processes and structures for forming contact holes in solar cells
Contact holes of solar cells are formed by laser ablation to accommodate various solar cell designs. Throughput of the solar cell ablation process is improved by incorporating linear base diffusion regions with narrow width, for example as compared to an overlying metal contact. Throughput of the solar cell ablation process may also be improved by having contact holes to base diffusion regions that are perpendicular to contact holes to emitter diffusion regions. To allow for continuous laser scanning, a laser blocking layer may be located over an interlayer dielectric to prevent contact hole formation on certain regions, such as regions where a metal contact of one polarity may electrically shunt to a diffusion region of opposite polarity. In a hybrid design, a solar cell may have both linear and dotted base diffusion regions. An electro-optical modulator may be employed to allow for continuous laser scanning in dotted base diffusion designs. |
| US08692106B2 |
Bulk-processed, enhanced figure-of-merit thermoelectric materials
The invention is a bulk-processed thermoelectric material and a method for fabrication. The material measures at least 30 microns in each dimension and has a figure of merit (ZT) greater than 1.0 at any temperature less than 200° C. The material comprises at least two constituents; a host phase and a dispersed second phase. The host phase is a semiconductor or semimetal and the dispersed phase of the bulk-processed material is comprised of a plurality of inclusions. The material has a substantially coherent interface between the host phase and the dispersed phase in at least one crystallographic direction. |
| US08692095B2 |
Plants and seeds of corn variety CV511542
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV511542. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV511542, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV511542 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV511542 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV511542. |
| US08692091B1 |
Maize hybrid X13B580
A novel maize variety designated X13B580 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 X13B580 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13B580 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13B580, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13B580. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13B580. |
| US08692087B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH034531
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH034531. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH034531, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH034531 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH034531. |
| US08692085B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH871604
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH871604. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH871604, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH871604 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH871604. |
| US08692083B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X18B731
A novel maize variety designated X18B731 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 X18B731 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X18B731 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X18B731, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X18B731. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X18B731. |
| US08692079B1 |
Soybean variety XBP34007
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP34007 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP34007, cells from soybean variety XBP34007, plants of soybean XBP34007, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP34007. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP34007 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP34007, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP34007, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP34007. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP34007 are further provided. |
| US08692071B2 |
Drought responsive promoters HVA22e and PLDdelta identified from Arabidopsis thaliana
The present invention provides non-coding regulatory element polynucleotide molecules isolated from the At.PLDδ gene or the At.HVA22e gene of Arabidopsis thaliana and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The invention further discloses compositions, polynucleotide constructs, transformed host cells, transgenic plants and seeds containing the Arabidopsis thaliana regulatory polynucleotide sequences, and methods for preparing and using the same. |
| US08692070B2 |
Plants with improved nitrogen utilization and stress tolerance
The present invention relates to transgenic plants that have increased nitrogen use efficiency, stress tolerance, and/or alleviating a limitation such that yield is increased, or a combination of these and that have been transformed using a novel vector construct including a synthetic N-acetyl glutamate kinase (NAGK) gene that modulates nitrogen use in plants. The invention also includes the overexpression and enzymatic characterization of an arginine-insensitive NAGK isolated from a bacterial strain that improves stress tolerance and nitrogen uptake, metabolism or both. In various embodiments, the vector construct includes one or more nucleic acid sequences including SEQ ID NO: 1. The invention also relates to isolated vectors for transforming plants and to antibodies used for detecting transformed plants. The invention also relates to methods of expressing in plants the nucleic acid molecules corresponding to the nucleic acid sequences that modulate nitrogen use in plants or are modulated by nitrogen conditions. |
| US08692069B2 |
Environmental stress-inducible 557 promoter isolated from rice and uses thereof
The present invention relates to environmental stress-inducible 557 promoter isolated from rice, a recombinant plant expression vector comprising the promoter, a method of producing a target protein by using the recombinant plant expression vector, a method of producing a transgenic plant using the recombinant plant expression vector, a transgenic plant produced by the method, a method of improving resistance of a plant to environmental stress by using the promoter, and a primer set for amplification of the promoter. |
| US08692067B2 |
Reverse breeding
A method for efficiently producing homozygous organisms from a heterozygous non-human starting organism, comprising providing of a heterozygous starting organism; allowing the starting organism to produce haploid cells; creating homozygous organisms from the haploid cells thus obtained; and selecting the organisms having the desired set of chromosomes, wherein during production of the haploid cells no recombination occurs in order to obtain a limited number of genetically different haploid cells. Recombination can also be prevented or suppressed. |
| US08692065B2 |
Bacillus thuringiensis gene with lepidopteran activity
The invention provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains of Bacillus thuringiensis encoding polypeptides having pesticidal activity against insect pests, including Lepidoptera. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, pesticidal compositions, DNA constructs, and transformed microorganisms and plants comprising a nucleic acid of the embodiments. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests. |
| US08692063B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH009841
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH009841. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH009841, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH009841 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH009841. |
| US08692062B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH318441
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH318441. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH318441, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH318441 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH318441. |
| US08692058B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH900774
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH900774. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH900774, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH900774 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH900774. |
| US08692056B2 |
Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH199546
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH199546. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH199546 , and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH199546 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH199546. |
| US08692051B2 |
Methods for testing for caloric restriction (CR) mimetics
Methods for treating neurological diseases and for testing Caloric Restriction (CR) mimetics or CR mimetic candidates. In one exemplary method, a CR mimetic candidate is administered to a transgenic animal and the effects of the administering are determined; the transgenic animal includes an added gene from another type of animal or a modified gene which is designed to produce a disease or ailment of another type of animal, and the method seeks to determine whether the CR mimetic candidate improves the disease or ailment. Methods relating to neurological disease and other methods relating to CR mimetic testing are also described. |
| US08692048B2 |
Method for revamping an HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit
The present invention provides a method for revamping an HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit to an ionic liquid alkylation unit, wherein the HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit comprise at least: —a reactor unit for contacting catalyst and hydrocarbon reactants; —a separator unit for separating a reactor effluent into a catalyst phase and an alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase; —a fractionator unit for fractionating the alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase into at least one stream comprising alkylate; and which method includes: —providing a second separator unit suitable for the separation of solids from liquids downstream of the reactor unit suitable to reduce the solids content in at least part of the reactor effluent. |
| US08692044B2 |
Process for producing para-xylene
A process for producing a PX-rich product, the process comprising: (a) providing a PX-depleted stream; (b) isomerizing at least a portion of the PX-depleted stream to produce an isomerized stream having a PX concentration greater than the PX-depleted stream and a benzene concentration of less than 1,000 ppm and a C9+ hydrocarbons concentration of less than 5,000 ppm; and (c) separating the isomerized stream by selective adsorption. |
| US08692043B2 |
Process for the conversion of ethane to aromatic hydrocarbons
A process for producing aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises (a) contacting ethane with a dehyroaromatization aromatic catalyst which is comprised of 0.005 to 0.1% wt platinum, an amount of iron which is equal to or greater than the amount of the platinum, from 10 to 99.9% wt of an aluminosilicate, and a binder, and (b) separating methane, hydrogen, and C2-5 hydrocarbons from the reaction products of step (a) to produce aromatic reaction products including benzene. |
| US08692041B2 |
Process to produce biofuels from biomass
A process for producing biofuels from biomass is provided by removing sulfur compounds and nitrogen compounds from the biomass by contacting the biomass with a digestive solvent to form a pretreated biomass containing soluble carbohydrates and having less than 35% of the sulfur content and less than 35% of the nitrogen content, based on untreated biomass on a dry mass basis, prior to carrying out aqueous phase reforming and further processing to form a liquid fuel. |
| US08692035B2 |
Adiabatic process for making mononitrobenzene
An adiabatic process for making mononitrobenzene by the nitration of benzene which minimizes the formation of nitrophenols and dinitrobenzene by-products. The process uses a mixed acid having less than 3 wt % nitric acid, 55 to 80 wt % sulfuric acid, and water. The initial temperature of the mixed acid is in the range of 60 to 96° C. The nitration reaction is complete in about 300 seconds and produces less than 1,200 ppm nitrophenols and less than about 80 ppm dinitrobenzene. The reaction can be carried out in a plug-flow or a stirred pot reactor, or a combination of such reactors. |
| US08692031B2 |
Method for preparing polyamine compounds
A method for preparing a compound having formula (II) wherein R1 and R2 independently are methyl or ethyl, or R1 and R2 combine to form a C5 or C6 cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl group. The method includes a step of combining R1R2CHNO2, glutaraldehyde and an amine. The compound is useful in coating compositions and other applications for pH adjustment. |
| US08692030B1 |
Biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyols
A method of making a biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol is provided. This method includes reacting a cyclic ether with a vegetable oil-based polyol in the presence of a cationic catalyst or a coordinative catalyst that includes a vegetable oil-based polyol ligand to form the biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol. The biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol that is created has a number average molecular weight of about 3,000 to about 6,000 and has a structure that is about 22% to about 36% biobased. In one aspect of the present invention, the cyclic ether is propylene oxide, and the propoxylated polyol formed from the propylene oxide and vegetable oil-based polyol is then reacted with ethylene oxide in the presence of a superacid catalyst to create a block copolymer with a terminal polyethylene oxide block having a high percentage of terminal primary hydroxyl groups. If the cyclic ether is a homogeneous mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, then propylene oxide-ethylene oxide random copolymers are formed by polyaddition to vegetable oil polyols. The biobased-petrochemical hybrid polyol may be reacted with an isocyanate so as to create a flexible polyurethane that has good hydrolytic resistance. |
| US08692027B2 |
Catalysts and processes for preparing aldehydes
Use of a unique supramolecular assembly of a pyridylphosphine ligand and a metal centered porphyrin complex is shown to give unprecedented selectivities to branched aldehydes via rhodium catalyzed hydroformylation of unsubstituted linear alpha-olefins such as propylene and 1-octene. Increasing the syngas pressure is shown to have a beneficial effect on branched aldehyde selectivity as is increasing the ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen used in the hydroformylation reaction. |
| US08692018B2 |
Application of iridium complexes in asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation of unsaturated carboxylic acids
The present invention relates to a preparation method of carboxylic acids with optical activity, particularly, publishes that very useful chiral carboxylic acids can be obtained by the asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation of tri-substituted α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids, with the complexes of the chiral phosphor nitrogen ligands and iridium used as the catalysts which show high activity and enantioselectivity (up to 99.8% ee), thus provides a more efficient method with higher enantioselectivity for asymmetric catalytic hydrogenation of chiral carboxylic acid-like compounds, and has important application value to asymmetric hydrogenation of chiral carboxylic acids. |
| US08692016B2 |
Gas-phase phosgenation process
The present invention relates to a process for the phosgenation of amines in the gas phase, in which a specific type of heat exchanger is used for vaporizing the amines. |
| US08692015B2 |
Carbonylation process
Process for the production of at least one carbonylation product selected from acetic acid and methyl acetate, by carbonylating at least one carbonylatable reactant selected from methanol and reactive derivatives thereof with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst is a mordenite which has been treated with an aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution and has a silica:alumina molar ratio of at least 10:1, and the reactive derivatives are selected from methyl acetate and dimethyl ether. |
| US08692014B2 |
Acid addition salts of 5-aminolevulinic acid or its derivatives
The present invention provides an acid addition salt of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) or of a 5-ALA derivative (e.g. a 5-ALA ester) with an acid which has a pKa of about 5 or less, preferably about 3 or less, with the proviso that the acid is other than hydrochloric acid. Particularly preferred salts are those derived from acids selected from the group comprising sulphonic acid and its derivatives, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid. The salts in accordance with the invention are particularly suitable for use as photosensitizing agents in diagnosis and photochemotherapy of disorders or abnormalities of external or internal surfaces of the body. |
| US08692013B2 |
Preparation of antiplasticizers for thermoplastic polyesters
A process for making bis(aryloxyalkyl)terephthalates useful as antiplasticizers for thermoplastic polyesters is disclosed. Dimethyl terephthalate is reacted with an excess of an aryloxyalkanol in the presence of a condensation catalyst to produce an intermediate mixture comprising a bis(aryloxyalkyl)terephthalate, a mono(aryloxyalkyl)terephthalate, and unreacted aryloxyalkanol. This mixture continues to react at reduced pressure while unreacted aryloxyalkanol is removed and the mono-ester content is reduced to less than 1 mole % based on the combined amounts of mono- and bis-esters. Both steps are performed substantially in the absence of oxygen. Additional unreacted aryloxyalkanol is then removed to provide a purified bis(aryloxyalkyl)terephthalate having an overall purity of at least 98 mole % and a yellowness index less than 10. Careful control over catalysis, exposure to air, and other process conditions enables the preparation of high yields of bis(aryloxyalkyl)terephthalates that have low color and other valuable attributes. A method of producing bis(aryloxyalkyl)terephthalate articles having improved compressive strength is also disclosed. |
| US08692008B2 |
Use of methanesulfonic acid for preparing fatty acid esters
The present invention relates to a process for preparing fatty acid esters and/or fatty acid ester mixtures of monohydric alcohols having 1 to 5 carbon atoms by transesterifying fatty acid glycerides with monohydric alcohols in the presence of a basic catalyst, in the course of which methanesulfonic acid is used. The invention further relates to the use of methanesulfonic acid for preparing these fatty acid esters. |
| US08692007B2 |
Method for the transesterification of hydroxylated oils
The present invention relates to a method for the transesterification of a hydroxylated oil including two consecutive transesterification steps performed in the presence of a light alcohol (methanol or ethanol) and a basic catalyst under temperature, pressure and alcohol/oil weight ratio conditions enabling the nearly total conversion of the hydroxylated oil into fatty acid esters. Characteristically, a resulting directly from the first transestrefication step in order to obtain a reaction mixture including, in particular, hydroxylated fatty acid esters and glycerol. Said reaction mixture is subjected to a separation step that makes it possible to obtain a less dense phase predominantly consisting of fatty esters and a denser phase predominantly consisting of glycerol and water and fatty acid soaps. The second transesterification step is performed on the less dense phase, with said light alcohol and said basic catalyst are added thereto. |
| US08692003B2 |
Increasing the in vivo biological activity of biologically active compounds
The present invention relates to compounds with an increased in vivo biological activity, and especially an increased pharmaceutical activity, such as an anti-nematodal or antifungal activity, an immunosuppresive activity, a metabolism influencing activity and/or an anti-cancer activity. Specifically, the present invention relates to compound comprising an artemisinin derivative according to the general formula (I) covalently linked at the 1 or the 2 position to a compound with a biological activity thereby increasing the biological activity of said compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. |
| US08692002B2 |
Synthetic process for aminocyclohexyl ether compounds
Methods for the preparation of stereoisomerically substantially aminocyclohexyl ether compounds such as trans-(1R,2R)-aminocyclohexyl ether compounds and/or trans-(1S,2S)-aminocyclohexyl ether compounds as well as various intermediates and substrates are disclosed. |
| US08691998B2 |
Catalysts containing N-heterocyclic carbenes for enantioselective synthesis
Novel N-heterocyclic carbene ligand precursors, N-heterocyclic carbene ligands and N-heterocyclic metal-carbene complexes are provided. Metal-carbene complexes comprising N-heterocyclic carbene ligands can be chiral, which are useful for catalyzing enantioselective synthesis. Methods for the preparation of the N-heterocyclic carbene ligands and N-heterocyclic metal-carbene complexes are given. |
| US08691995B2 |
Process
A one-pot process for the preparation of pantoprazole sodium by reacting 2-chloro methyl 3,4-dimethoxy pyridine hydrochloride with 2-mercapto-5-difluoromethoxy benzimidazole in an organic solvent system in presence of a phase transfer catalyst and further treating with aqueous sodium hypohalite solution comprising sodium hydroxide to obtain pantoprazole sodium in high yield and purity. The process for conversion of pantoprazole sodium to pantoprazole sodium sesquihydrate and also pantoprazole sodium monohydrate are also disclosed herein. |
| US08691994B2 |
Multi-component polymerization inhibitors for ethylenically unsaturated monomers
The invention provides a composition and a method of using the composition for inhibiting the unwanted polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The composition is prepared by reducing a nitroxide stable free radical to its corresponding hydroxylamine through reaction with a dialkyl/aryl hydroxylamine and subsequent addition of a polymerization prevention component selected from phenolic antioxidants, phenylenediamine and phenylenediamine derivatives, or phenothiazine and phenothiazine derivatives targeted towards ethylenically unsaturated monomers. The conversion of the nitroxide by the dialkyl/aryl hydroxylamine is to prevent it or the polymerization prevention component from being “spent”by reaction with each other, impurities or any other incompatible components. This allows previously incompatible combinations to now work effectively. In fact, the combination is more efficacious as the combination exerts a synergy due to the presence of various polymerization prevention reagents. The composition is a synergistic combination of various polymerization inhibition compounds for the inhibition of the unwanted polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. |
| US08691993B2 |
Piperidinyl naphthylacetic acids
The invention is concerned with the compounds of formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3 and X are defined in the detailed description and claims. In addition, the present invention relates to methods of manufacturing and using the compounds of formula I as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds. The compounds of formula I are antagonists or partial agonists at the CRTH2 receptor and may be useful in treating diseases and disorders associated with that receptor such as asthma. |
| US08691986B2 |
Azetidine and piperidine compounds useful as PDE10 inhibitors
Azetidine and piperidine compounds of formula (I): as defined in the specification, compositions containing them, and processes for preparing such compounds and intermediates thereof. Provided herein also are methods of treating cognitive disorders or diseases treatable by inhibition of PDE10, such as Huntington's Disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the like. |
| US08691985B2 |
Heteroleptic pyrrolecarbaldimine precursors
Disclosed are precursors having a pyrrolecarbaldiminates ligand and methods of synthesizing the same. The pyrrolecarbaldiminates ligand may be substituted. |
| US08691984B2 |
Method of storing triallyl isocyanurate
The present invention provides a method of storing TAIC in which TAIC is prevented from suffering from freezing and solidification during storage thereof in the winter season. In the method of the present invention, the triallyl isocyanurate is mixed with a silane coupling agent to prepare a composition comprising both thereof, and the resulting composition is stored. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the silane coupling agent is used in an amount of 5 to 30% by weight based on the weight of the triallyl isocyanurate, and γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane is used as the silane coupling agent. |
| US08691983B2 |
Brush polymer coating by in situ polymerization from photoreactive surface
The invention provides compositions that include crosslinking agents having multiple photoactivatable groups, such as diaryl ketones, or a diaryl ketone, such as benzophenone, and at least one polymerizable monomer, such as a zwitterionic monomer. The compositions are useful as surface coating agents that provide brush type polymeric coatings. These polymeric coatings can be used on medical devices, such as artificial joints, to reduce wear and tear between the components of the joint and thus reduce or eliminate debris generated by friction between the joint components. |
| US08691977B2 |
Certain chemical entities, compositions, and methods
Chemical entities which are triterpenoid derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment of inflammatory, neurodegenerative, neoplastic and autoimmune diseases are described. |
| US08691972B2 |
Compounds and synthesis of tellurium-derivatized oligonucleotides for structural and functional studies
Disclosed are compounds of formula (I), a derivative, or a tautomer thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said tautomer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing compound of formula (I), a derivative, or a tautomer thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said tautomer. Further disclosed are methods of counducting drug discovery and research comprises applying the compound of formula (I), a derivative, or a tautomer thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compound or said tautomer in an investigation. |
| US08691971B2 |
Self delivering bio-labile phosphate protected pro-oligos for oligonucleotide based therapeutics and mediating RNA interference
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for generating ribo-nucleic neutral (RNN) or deoxyribo-nucleic-neutral (DNN) polynucleotides with reduced anionic charge, for improved intracellular delivery. Also disclosed herein are methods of using RNN and DNN compositions. |
| US08691969B2 |
Isolation of nucleic acid
The present invention provides a method of isolating nucleic acid from a sample, said method comprising contacting said sample with a detergent and a solid support, whereby soluble nucleic acid in said sample is bound to the support, and separating said support with bound nucleic acid from the sample. Where the method of the invention is used to isolate DNA, it may conveniently be couple with a further step to isolate RNA from the same sample. |
| US08691964B2 |
Method for expanding monocytes
The invention relates to an ex vivo method for expanding monocytes, macrophages or dendritic cells, which method comprises inhibiting the expression or the activity of MafB and c-Maf in monocytes, macrophages or dendritic cells; and expanding the cells in the presence of at least one cytokine or an agonist of cytokine receptor signaling. |
| US08691963B2 |
Delivering functional nucleic acids to mammalian cells via bacterially-derived, intact minicells
Intact bacterially derived minicells containing functional nucleic acids or plasmids encoding functional nucleic acids can reduce, in targeted mammalian cells, drug resistance, apoptosis resistance, and neoplasticity, respectively. Methodology that employs minicells to deliver functional nucleic acids, targeting the transcripts of proteins that contribute to drug resistance or apoptosis resistance, inter alia, can be combined with chemotherapy to increase the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. |
| US08691962B2 |
Peroxidase gene nematode inducible promotors and methods of use
The invention provides isolated plant gene promoters and regulatory elements that are root specific and/or induced by plant parasitic nematodes. The promoters of the invention are useful for controlling expression of nucleic acids of interest in plant roots and are particularly useful for controlling transcription of nucleic acids encoding agents that disrupt formation or maintenance of parasitic nematode feeding sites in plants. |
| US08691957B2 |
Swellable crosslinked hyaluronan powder and method for producing the same
The present invention is provides a crosslinked hyaluronan powder excellent in swellability in water and a method for simply producing the same. A method for producing the swellable crosslinked hyaluronan powder is characterized by comprising mixing a crosslinking agent with a hyaluronan powder in a state dispersed in a liquid medium containing a monovalent alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and a solubility of the hyaluronan powder of less than 0.1 g/L to cause a crosslinking reaction. Also, the swellable crosslinked hyaluronan powder produced by the method has a swelling ratio in water of 500% or more. |
| US08691953B2 |
Binding compounds for IL-27
Purified genes encoding a cytokine or composite cytokine from a mammal, reagents related thereto including purified proteins, specific antibodies, and nucleic acids encoding these molecules are provided. Methods of using said reagents and diagnostic kits are also provided. |
| US08691950B2 |
Treponema pallidum triplet antigen
A Treponema pallidum triplet antigen construct is disclosed which includes three Treponema pallidum antigens (TP15, TP17, and TP47), as well as a ten amino acid leader sequence (tag 261) and human copper zinc superoxide dismutase (hSOD). This construct is optimized for in vitro diagnosis of syphilis infection. Plasmids containing DNA encoding the triplet antigen, host cells, production methods, detection methods, and kits are also disclosed. |
| US08691941B2 |
Method for producing peptide
Peptides may be produced by using (A) a first amino acid or peptide, which is converted into its ionic liquid form through the formation of an ionic bond, as a substance serving as both a reaction solvent and a reaction starting material; and reacting the first amino acid or peptide with (B) an ester of second amino acid or peptide, in the absence of any peptide hydrolase or any condensation agent, in the presence of water in an amount of not more than 20% by mass relative to the total mass of the reaction system to form a peptide bond between the first amino acid or peptide and the second amino acid or peptide. By means of this process, it is possible to synthesize a peptide at a high concentration and at a high yield, and this method is excellent for producing peptides on an industrial scale. |
| US08691939B2 |
Compositions, methods, and kits for assaying complement activation
The present invention provides a fluorogenic composition for assaying complement activation that comprises a substrate for C3 convertase that is linked to a first fluorophore and a second fluorophore, wherein the fluorescence of the first and second fluorophores are mutually substantially quenched when the two fluorophores are present at a distance less than the characteristic distance for the two fluorophores. In one embodiment, the fluorescence of the first fluorophore is substantially quenched by the second fluorophore, and the second fluorophore emits heat upon quenching. The present invention also provides a method for assaying complement activation, wherein the method includes the steps of incubating a biological sample with a polymer to provide a polymeric biological sample, followed by incubating the polymeric biological sample with the fluorogenic composition, and measuring the fluorescence. The method may optionally include the step of measuring the optical properties of the biological sample prior to the incubation steps. The present invention further provides a kit for assaying complement activation that comprises the fluorogenic composition disclosed herein. |
| US08691934B2 |
Binder compositions and associated methods
Disclosed are formaldehyde-free, thermally-curable, alkaline, aqueous binder compositions, curable to formaldehyde-free, water-insoluble thermoset polyester resins, and uses thereof as binders for non-woven fibers and fiber materials. |
| US08691931B2 |
Organic electronic devices and polymers, including photovoltaic cells and diketone-based and diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymers
Polymers which can be used in p-type materials for organic electronic devices and photovoltaic cells. Compounds, monomers, dimers, trimers, and polymers comprising: wherein A1 and A2 each independently comprise a fused ring system comprising at least two fused rings directly covalently linked to the pyrrole rings. Good photovoltaic efficiency and lifetime can be achieved. The R group can provide solubility, environmental stability, and fine tuning of spectroscopic and/or electronic properties. Different polymer microstructures can be prepared which encourage multiple band gaps and broad and strong absorptions. The carbonyl can interact with adjacent thiophene rings to provide backbone with rigidity, induce planarity, and reduce and/or eliminate intramolecular chain twisting defects. |
| US08691930B2 |
Polymer compound and organic light-emitting device including the same
A polymer represented by Formula 1 below: wherein functional groups and n are defined as in the specification. |
| US08691915B2 |
Copolymers and polymer blends having improved refractive indices
This disclosure relates generally to methods for the manufacture of transparent polymer compositions exhibiting refractive indices similar or even identical to the refractive index of polycarbonate. Also disclosed are polymer blends comprising the disclosed polymer compositions blended with one or more convention polycarbonate. |
| US08691912B2 |
Aliphatic polyester manufacturing method
A process for producing an aliphatic polyester, comprising: subjecting at least two serial stages of bulk-phase ring-opening polymerization and a solid-phase polymerization step, wherein a cyclic ester held in a dry air atmosphere is supplied to a first reactor to perform a first stage polymerization, thereby obtaining a partially polymerized molten product, and the resultant partially polymerized molten product is supplied to a second reactor held under a dry inert gas atmosphere to perform a second stage polymerization. As a result, the production efficiency can be improved, while maintaining excellent properties of the aliphatic polyester product. |
| US08691910B2 |
Curable silicone composition
A curable silicone composition comprising: an alkenyl-containing organopolysiloxane (A) that contains: a dialkylpolysiloxane (A-1) having on average at least 2 alkenyl groups in one molecule having a 25° C. viscosity in the range of 5,000 to 35,000 mPa·s, and a alkenyl-containing organopolysiloxane resin (A-2) consisting of SiO4/2 units, R12R2SiO1/2 units, and R13SiO1/2 units (where R1 designates alkyl groups with 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R2 designates alkenyl groups) with the content of alkenyl groups ranging from 3.5 to 5.0 mass %, and with the ratio of the sum of the mole numbers of the R12R2SiO1/2 units and R13SiO1/2 units to 1 mole of the SiO4/2 units in the range from 0.5 to 1.4; an organopolysiloxane (B), wherein silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms are in an amount of at least 0.7 mass %; and a hydrosilylation catalyst (C). The composition is capable of forming a flex-resistant highly transparent cured silicone product with non-tacky surface. |
| US08691909B2 |
Heat curable adhesive composition
1) Heat-curable adhesive composition comprising: from 20 to 85% of a polyether (A) comprising 2 hydrolysable alkoxysilane-type end groups, having a viscosity, measured at 23° C., ranging from 25 to 40 Pa·s and of formula (I): in which: R1 and R2 represent an alkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R3 represents a linear alkylene radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R4 represents an alkylene radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; n is an integer such that the number-average molecular weight Mn of the polymer of formula (I) is between 20 kDa and 40 kDa; p is an integer equal to 0, 1 or 2; from 15 to 80% of a compatible tackifying resin (B); and from 0.01 to 3% of a curing catalyst (C). 2) Self-adhesive support coated with the cured adhesive composition.3) Use for the manufacture of self-adhesive labels and/or tapes. |
| US08691905B2 |
Polyamide compositions comprising a substance comprising alkylene oxide moieties
A polymer composition comprising two polyamides and a substance comprising alkylene oxide moieties. At least one of the polyamides in the composition may be a semi-aromatic polyamide, of which more than 50 mole % of the recurring units are obtainable by a polycondensation reaction between at least one non-aromatic diacid or derivative thereof and at least one aromatic diamine. |
| US08691902B2 |
Flame retardant polycarbonate compositions, method of manufacture thereof, and articles therefrom
A thermoplastic polycarbonate composition includes, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic polycarbonate composition: 15 to less than 40 wt. % of a reinforcing mineral filler; and greater than 60 to 85 wt. % of a polymer component, including, based on the weight of the polymer component, 68 to 99.9 wt. % of an aromatic polycarbonate, 0.1 to 2 wt. % of a fluorinated polymer, optionally, 0.1 to 25 wt. % of an impact modifier; and optionally, 0.1 to 5 wt. % of an additive composition including an antioxidant, a mold release agent, and a stabilizer; wherein a molded sample of the thermoplastic polycarbonate composition has no drips when measured in accordance with NF P 92-505 at a thickness of 3.0 mm. |
| US08691901B2 |
Aqueous polymer dispersions
Aqueous polymer dispersions, which, in addition to water and a dispersed copolymer composed of at least two monomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, butylene, isoprene, butadiene, styrene, acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, acrylic acid alkyl ester, methacrylic acid alkyl ester, vinyl ester, and vinyl chloride, also comprises a comb polymer having side chains that are bound to the main chain by ester or ether groups. The aqueous polymer dispersions are particularly suited for use together with hydraulic and latently hydraulic binding agents. The aqueous polymer dispersions are extremely efficient and result in a strong increase in the mechanical values and a relevant decrease in the porosity and the water absorption property. |
| US08691899B2 |
Antimicrobial polymer compositions and the use thereof
An antimicrobial composition and a medical device having that antimicrobial composition that includes a complex of an anionic polyester with a monomeric amidoamine having at least one amide group and at least one amine group, wherein the amine group is either a primary amine, or a secondary amine, or a tertiary amine, or a quaternary amine, or a combination thereof and the anionic polyester has at least one carboxylic group. |
| US08691897B2 |
Thermoplastic elastomer compositions comprising intumescent flame retardants and non-phosphorous-based flame retardant synergists
Compositions comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, e.g., a polyurethane, a nitrogen and/or phosphorus-based, intumescent flame retardant, e.g., a polyphosphate, a non-phosphorus-based burn synergist, e.g., carbon black or a metal oxide, and an optional olefin polymer, EVA are provided. Color-stable, halogen-free, flame retardant compositions comprising a thermoplastic elastomer polymer, a phosphorus-based flame retardant, at least 3 weight percent TiO2 and a UV stabilizer are also provided. |
| US08691895B2 |
Flame retardant, optically clear thermoplastic molding composition
A flame-retardant, optically clear thermoplastic molding composition is disclosed. The composition contains aromatic polycarbonate resin, a bromine-substituted carbonate oligomer, a phosphorous containing compound and an inorganic salt of perfluoroalkane sulfonic acid in amounts effective to impart to the composition flame resistance that in accordance with UL-94-5V standard is rated A at 3.00 mm and V-0 at 1.5 mm. |
| US08691892B2 |
Chaff molding and production method thereof
This invention provides a chaff molding which is excellent in a compressive strength. Said chaff molding comprises a chaff and a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin having a 1,2-diol structure as a side chain. |
| US08691890B2 |
Unsaturated polyester resin composition for use in LED reflector, and LED reflector and LED luminaire using said composition
Provided are a resin composition for general-purpose LED reflectors, which discolors little through thermal deterioration and is excellent in heat discoloration resistance, which can provide an LED lamp using it and having a long life, which is relatively inexpensive and has good storage stability, and which is excellent in handleability and workability, and an LED reflector and an LED luminaire using the resin composition.The resin composition is a dry-type unsaturated polyester resin composition containing at least an unsaturated polyester resin, a polymerization initiator, an inorganic filler, a white pigment, a release agent and a reinforcing material, wherein the unsaturated polyester resin is within a range of from 14 to 40% by mass relative to the entire amount of the composition, the total amount of the inorganic filler and the white pigment is within a range of from 44 to 74% by mass relative to the entire amount of the composition, and the proportion of the white pigment to the total amount of inorganic filler and the white pigment is at least 30% by mass. |
| US08691889B2 |
Lightweight wall repair compounds
Herein are disclosed wall repair compounds comprising at least one or more polymeric binder latex emulsions, one or more inorganic fillers, and comprising an amount of organic polymeric thickener that is less than about 0.1 percent by weight based on the total weight of the wall repair compound. In certain embodiments, the wall repair compound comprises an inorganic filler system selected such that such that synthetic inorganic fillers comprise essentially 100 percent of the inorganic filler used. In certain embodiments, the wall repair compound comprises one or more glycol ether smoothing agents. |