| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08767469B2 |
Method of operating nonvolatile memory device
A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device includes performing a LSB program operation on memory cells coupled to a selected word line and a word line adjacent to the selected word line; performing a first MSB program operation so that the threshold voltages of the memory cells coupled to the selected word line reach temporary voltages lower than first target voltages; performing a second MSB program operation so that the threshold voltages of the memory cells coupled to the word line adjacent to the selected word line are higher than second target voltages; and performing a third MSB program operation so that the threshold voltages of the memory cells coupled to the selected word line are higher than the first target voltages. |
| US08767468B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device capable of reducing read disturbance and read method thereof
Provided are a nonvolatile memory device and a read method of the same. The read method applying one of a plurality of unselected read voltages to unselected wordlines adjacent to a selected word line. The voltage applied to the unselected word lines being based on which of a plurality of selected read voltages is applied to the selected wordline. |
| US08767462B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device
The nonvolatile memory device may include a substrate including a first region and a second region. A string line group may be disposed on the substrate in the first region, and a bias interconnection group may be disposed above the substrate in the second region. The bias interconnection group may include a string select bias interconnection, cell bias interconnections, and a ground select bias interconnection, which may be respectively electrically connected to a string select line, word lines, and a ground select line of the string line group. The string select bias interconnection may be disposed between the ground select bias interconnection and the cell bias interconnections of the bias interconnection group. |
| US08767458B2 |
Dual-port semiconductor memory and first in first out (FIFO) memory having electrically floating body transistor
Multi-port semiconductor memory cells including a common floating body region configured to be charged to a level indicative of a memory state of the memory cell. The multi-port semiconductor memory cells include a plurality of gates and conductive regions interfacing with said floating body region. Arrays of memory cells and method of operating said memory arrays are disclosed for making a memory device. |
| US08767456B2 |
Multi-bit memory with selectable magnetic layer
An apparatus and associated method for a multi-bit memory capable of being selected with a magnetic layer. Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a first selection layer with a low coercivity that is disposed between first and second storage layers that each have a high coercivity. In response to magnetic saturation of the first selection layer, programming of a logical state to the second storage layer is allowed. |
| US08767446B2 |
Multi-bit spin-momentum-transfer magnetoresistence random access memory with single magnetic-tunnel-junction stack
A magneto resistive random access memory system includes a first magnetic-tunnel-junction device coupled to a first bit-line, a second magnetic-tunnel-junction device coupled to a second bit-line, a selection transistor coupled to the first and second bit-lines and a word-line coupled to the selection transistor. |
| US08767444B2 |
Radiation-hardened memory element with multiple delay elements
A radiation hardened memory element includes at least two delay elements for maintaining radiation hardness. In an example, the memory element is an SRAM cell. Both delays are coupled together in series so that if either one of the delays fails, a delay will still be maintained within the SRAM cell. The critical areas of the delays may be positioned so that a common line of sight cannot be made between each delay and a circuit node. |
| US08767441B2 |
Switching device having a non-linear element
Method for a memory including a first, second, third and fourth cells include applying a read, program, or erase voltage, the first and second cells coupled to a first top interconnect, the third and fourth cells coupled to a second top interconnect, the first and third cells coupled to a first bottom interconnect, the second and fourth cells are to a second bottom interconnect, each cell includes a switching material overlying a non-linear element (NLE), the resistive switching material is associated with a first conductive threshold voltage, the NLE is associated with a lower, second conductive threshold voltage, comprising applying the read voltage between the first top and the first bottom electrode to switch the NLE of the first cell to conductive, while the NLEs of the second, third, and the fourth cells remain non-conductive, and detecting a read current across the first cell in response to the read voltage. |
| US08767440B2 |
Sector array addressing for ECC management
An addressing scheme for non-volatile memory arrays having short circuit defects that manages the demand for error correction. The scheme generally avoids simultaneous active driving of the row line and column line of the selected cell during write. Instead, only a single row or column line is actively driven at any one time and all other array lines are left floating. In addition, the number of memory cells accessed from a given row or column during a fetch may be limited. The benefits of the scheme include preventing short circuits from drawing excess currents through the array and limiting the frequency of read or write failures caused by short circuits to a manageable number. In one embodiment, the scheme maintains the demand for error correction to within the error correction capability of a flash controller. Exemplary embodiments include phase-change memory arrays. |
| US08767437B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device operating stably and method of control therein
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array, a control circuit, a current limiting circuit and a current suppression circuit. The memory cell array has a first line, a second line, and a memory cell arranged therein, the memory cell being connected between the first line and the second line and including a variable resistance element. The control circuit is configured to apply, via the first line and the second line, a voltage required in operation of the memory cell. The current limiting circuit is connected to the first line and configured to limit a current flowing in the memory cell to a certain limit value. The current suppression circuit is configured connectable to the second line and configured to suppress a current flowing in the second line according to a kind of operation on the memory cell. |
| US08767436B2 |
Memory support provided with memory elements of ferroelectric material and non-destructive reading method thereof
A method for non-destructive reading of logic data stored in a memory includes applying to a first wordline a reading voltage so as not to cause a variation of the stable state of polarization of a layer of ferroelectric material, and generating a difference of potential between first and second bitlines. An output current is generated comparing the output current with a plurality of comparison values, and determining the logic value of the logic data to be read on the basis of the comparison. |
| US08767435B1 |
Field programming method for magnetic memory devices
In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a magnetic memory device. The method comprises selecting a subset of magnetic memory cells of the magnetic memory device; applying a first programming voltage to the selected subset of cells for a predetermined amount of time, wherein the programming voltage is selected to exceed a threshold operating voltage thereby to cause irreversible breakdown of the subset of cells; and reading selected cells of the magnetic memory device by passing a read current through a diode connected in series with each magnetic memory cell. |
| US08767433B2 |
Methods for testing unprogrammed OTP memory
Methods for testing unprogrammed single transistor and two transistor anti-fuse memory cells include testing for connections of the cells to a bitline by comparing a voltage characteristic of a bitline connected to the cell under test to a reference bitline having a predetermined voltage characteristic. Some methods can use test cells having an access transistor identically configured to the access transistor of a normal memory cell, but omitting the anti-fuse device found in the normal memory cell, for testing the presence of a connection of the normal memory cell to the bitline. Such a test cell can be used in a further test for determining the level of capacitive coupling of the wordline voltage to the bitlines relative to that of a normal memory cell under test. |
| US08767431B2 |
High current capable access device for three-dimensional solid-state memory
The present invention generally relates to three-dimensional arrangement of memory cells and methods of addressing those cells. The memory cells can be arranged in a 3D orientation such that macro cells that are in the middle of the 3D arrangement can be addressed without the need for overhead wiring or by utilizing a minimal amount of overhead wiring. An individual macro cell within a memory cell can be addressed by applying three separate currents to the macro cell. A first current is applied to the memory cell directly. A second current is applied to the source electrode of the MESFET, and a third current is applied to the gate electrode of the MESFET to permit the current to travel through the channel of the MESFET to the drain electrode which is coupled to the memory element. |
| US08767430B2 |
Configurable module and memory subsystem
A configurable memory subsystem includes a memory module with a circuit board having a first and a second memory-containing device (MCD) pair mounted thereto. Each MCD pair has a first MCD in communication with a second MCD. Each MCD has an input port, an output port, and a memory each communicating with a bridge. In response to a command, the bridge transfers at least one of a portion of a data packet from the input port to the output port or to the memory, or transfers a portion of a memory packet from the memory to the output port. A loop-back device receives the command and the data packet form the first MCD pair and transmits the command and data packet to the second MCD pair. |
| US08767428B2 |
Canary based SRAM adaptive voltage scaling (AVS) architecture and canary cells for the same
A memory bank includes memory cells and an additional cell to determine an operating voltage of the memory bank. The additional cell has an operating margin that is less than a corresponding operating margin of the other memory cells in the memory bank. |
| US08767423B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying current limit to limit an output power of a power supply
A power supply controller includes an input voltage sense input and an output voltage sense input coupled to sense an input voltage and an output voltage of a power supply. A current limit circuit includes a first variable resistance coupled in parallel with a second variable resistance. The first variable resistance responsive the input voltage of the power supply and the second variable resistance is responsive to the output voltage of the power supply. The current limit circuit is coupled to generate a current limit signal in response to an equivalent resistance of the first variable resistance coupled in parallel with the second variable resistance. A drive signal generator is coupled to generate a drive signal in response to the current limit signal to drive a power switch of the power supply to limit an output power of the power supply in response to the input voltage. |
| US08767416B2 |
Resonant converter system with hybrid control apparatus and controlling method thereof having relatively better efficiency
The configurations of a resonant converter system and a controlling method thereof are provided. The proposed resonant converter system includes a resonant converter and a hybrid control apparatus coupled to the resonant converter for generating a driving signal to adjust a phase angle and a frequency of the resonant converter such that the resonant converter would reach a relatively lower voltage gain and have a relatively lower loss during an abnormal operation. |
| US08767414B2 |
Method and apparatus for a control circuit with multiple operating modes
An example controller for use in a power converter includes an oscillator that is to be coupled to a switch of the power converter to determine a switching cycle period of the switch. The controller also includes means for controlling a duty cycle of the switch to regulate an output of the power converter and for maintaining a substantially constant rate of change of the duty cycle with respect to changes in a magnitude of a feedback signal as the controller transitions between duty cycle control modes such that a control loop gain of the power converter is substantially constant during the transition. |
| US08767413B2 |
Integrated switching power supply device and electric apparatus
An integrated switching power supply device includes a series-connected body, a driving control element, and external terminals. In the series-connected body, a switching element, a constant current element, and a diode are connected in series. The driving control element controls to drive the constant current element. The external terminals include first to seventh external terminals. The first and second external terminals are connected to main terminals of elements of the series-connected body. The third external terminal is connected to a connection point of main terminals of the switching element or the constant current element and a main terminal of the diode. The fourth external terminal is connected to a control terminal of the switching element. The fifth external terminal supplies electric power to the driving control element. The sixth external terminal inputs reference potential. The seventh external terminal inputs a signal to the driving control element. |
| US08767410B2 |
Electronic device
According to one embodiment, an electronic device is provided with: an electronic substrate on which electronic components are provided; a screw including a screw head portion and a threaded portion, and configured to be engaged to the electronic substrate; a conducting member provided between the screw head portion and the electronic substrate and configured to electrically connect the screw head portion and the electronic substrate; and an electrical wiring line provided between the screw head portion and the electronic substrate and configured so as not to be electrically connected to the screw head portion. |
| US08767407B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal includes a main body; at least one circuit board placed in the main body and comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and at least one lateral surface; at least one conductive body disposed at the at least one lateral surface of the at least one circuit board and electrically connected to a ground of the at least one circuit board; and at least one shield member mounted on the at least one circuit board. The at least one shield member includes a base portion formed to cover at least part of the upper surface or the lower surface of the at least one circuit board and at least one protrusion portion protruded from the base portion and formed to be electrically in contact with the at least one conductive body. |
| US08767404B2 |
Decoupling capacitor circuitry
Integrated circuits with decoupling capacitor circuitry are provided. The decoupling capacitor circuitry may include density-compliance structures. The density-compliance structures may be strapped to metal paths driven by power supply lines. Strapping density-compliance dummy structures in this way may increase the capacitance per unit area of the decoupling capacitor circuitry. Strapping density-compliance dummy structures in this way may shield the decoupling capacitor from nearby noisy signal sources. |
| US08767399B2 |
Cooling system for electronic device
The cooling system includes: a frame; a plurality of electronic devices disposed in the frame and operating or functioning independently from each other; fans disposed in the frame and supplying cooling air to the electronic devices; a temperature acquiring portion for acquiring the temperature of the cooling air; an air-flow resistance adjusting portion for adjusting the air-flow resistance to the cooling air; and a controller for controlling the fans and the each air-flow resistance adjusting portion. The controller determines each target cooling air volume required for cooling each electronic device to a predetermined temperature based on temperature information acquired by the temperature acquiring portion and heat generation information on each electronic device, controls each air-flow resistance adjusting portion to set the volume of cooling air to each target cooling air volume, and performs the drive control of the fans to set the volume of cooling air to the minimum necessary. |
| US08767397B2 |
Computer system with transferrable style information
A computer system that has an outer shape that is round in outer cross-section. The computer housing can be formed of first and second housing parts that are each round in outer cross-section where one unscrews relative to another like taking the lid off a jar. The inside of the housing can store various kinds of nonvolatile memory and a processor. The user's entire processing environment may be stored within the memory and processor, and part of that environment may include stylesheet that represents specific styles of the user. |
| US08767396B2 |
Extension device and information processing system including the same
A main device includes fixing portions that fix a holding device to one principal surface thereof and project from the one principal surface. An extension device includes a placement portion on which the main device is placed and a wall portion on which the placement portion is provided in a standing manner. The wall portion that faces the one principal surface, to which the holding device is fixed, in a parallel relation, has such a shape as to not interfere with the fixing portions that fix the holding device of the main device, when the main device is placed on the placement portion. The main device can be mounted on the extension device with the holding device mounted thereon, and time and effort to remove the holding device can be saved when the main device is mounted on the extension device. |
| US08767394B1 |
One-handed browsing appliance
An apparatus includes a processor and a display that is operably coupled to the processor. The display includes four sides, where each of the four sides is substantially equal in length, a center of mass for the apparatus is located between a geometric center of the apparatus and an edge of one of the four sides and the edge of one of the four sides includes a grip area that is located on a same side as the center of mass for the apparatus. |
| US08767392B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device includes a body, an operation interface, a supporting element and an image capturing unit. A receiving recess is formed on the body. The operation interface is disposed on the body. The supporting element is rotated between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the body, wherein when the supporting element is in the first orientation, the supporting element is in the receiving recess, and when the supporting element is in a second orientation, an angle is formed between the supporting element and the body, wherein the angle is greater than 0 degree. The image capturing unit is disposed in the supporting element. |
| US08767391B2 |
Chassis with adjustable baffle for cooling
A chassis including a slot configured to receive a printed circuit board having a baffle position pin and electronic components mounted thereon, a guide mechanism mounted within the slot, and a carriage moveably mounted within the slot and biased toward a slot opening by the guide mechanism, the carriage including a baffle suitable to manipulate a flow of air through the slot, the carriage configured to be driven away from the slot opening and to be oriented relative to the electronic components on the printed circuit board by the baffle position pin when the printed circuit board is loaded into the slot such that the baffle directs the flow of air over the electronic components. |
| US08767390B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a circuit board in the housing, a first back plate on the circuit board, a second back plate on the circuit board, and a connecting portion connecting the first back plate with the second back plate. |
| US08767389B2 |
System and expansion apparatus
A system includes a first apparatus and a second apparatus. The first apparatus includes a first surface, a depression in the first surface, and a first connector disposed on the first surface. The depression has a bottom with a hole through which a screw for assembling the apparatus is passed and accommodates the head of the screw. The second apparatus includes a second surface facing the first surface when the first apparatus is detachably attached, a second connector disposed on the second surface and engaging with the first connector, and a protrusion fixed into the depression when the first apparatus is attached. |
| US08767383B2 |
Support assembly and computer device having the same
A support assembly which supports a computer device body having a display unit. The support assembly includes a base member which is supported on an installation plane, a shaft which extends in parallel to a plane of the base member, a first support member having one end portion joined to the base member and the other end portion which supports the shaft, at least one pinion gear which is concentrically joined to the shaft, a second support member including a first support part which supports the computer device body having the display unit, a second support part which extends from the first support part to have a predetermined curvature, and a rack gear which is formed on a plane of the second support part facing the shaft along the extension direction of the second support part and moves according to rotation of the computer device body supported by the first support part. |
| US08767376B2 |
Electric double layer capacitor
An object of the present invention is to provide an electric double layer capacitor which has a high withstand voltage, and is resistant to degradation and excellent in long term reliability. Disclosed is an electrolytic solution for an electric double layer capacitor including a solvent (I) for dissolving an electrolyte salt and an electrolyte salt (II), wherein the solvent (I) for dissolving an electrolyte salt includes a sulfolane compound and a fluorine-containing chain ether. Also disclosed is an electric double layer capacitor using the electrolytic solution. |
| US08767375B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component and method of fabricating the same
There are provided a multilayer ceramic electronic component, and a method of fabricating the same. The multilayer ceramic electronic component includes: a ceramic main body including a dielectric layer; first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other within the ceramic main body; and a first external electrode and a second external electrode, wherein the first and second external electrodes include a conductive metal and glass, and when at least one of the first and second external electrodes is divided into three equal parts in a thickness direction, an area of the glass in a central part thereof is 35% to 80% of the total area of the central part. A multilayer ceramic electronic component having improved reliability may be implemented by enhancing chip air-tightness. |
| US08767369B2 |
Method, power unit, and power system having gate voltage limiting circuit
A power unit (e.g., inverter module) includes a housing and a switch attached to the housing. The switch may be configured to be electrically coupled to a remotely-mounted drive circuit through two or more wire leads. The power unit also includes a clamping circuit electrically coupled to terminals of the switch and in parallel with the switch. The clamping circuit may be disposed inside the housing or on an outer surface of the housing, and is configured to limit a voltage across the switch. |
| US08767368B2 |
Protective element and method for producing the same
The protective element includes an elastic member firmly adhered through a solder to second conductor layers and current-carrying electrode terminals formed on a prescribed substrate in such a manner to divide a current-carrying path in plural to form an electric current interruption portion. The solder has a liquid-phase point higher than a mounting temperature at which the protective element is mounted to a protection target device. The elastic member is soldered onto the second conductor layers and the current-carrying electrode terminals in a state that the elastic member maintains a level of stress allowing at least one of the current-carrying electrode terminals among the second conductor layers and the current-carrying electrode terminals to be separated from the elastic member by deformation of the solder even in a case where the solder is not completely melted. |
| US08767365B2 |
Protection circuit
A protection circuit includes an electronic switch and a comparator. The comparator includes a positive input connected to a first power supply, a negative input connected to an output power supply, and an output connected to a first terminal of the electronic switch through a first resistor. A second terminal of the electronic switch is connected to a device. A third terminal of the electronic switch is connected to the output power supply. When a voltage on the positive input is greater than a voltage on the negative input, the comparator outputs a high level signal to turn on the electronic switch, the output power supply powers the device. When the voltage on the positive input is less than the voltage on the negative input, the comparator outputs a low level signal to turn off the electronic switch, the output power supply does not power the device. |
| US08767364B2 |
Vehicle steering system
When a short-circuited FET is identified as one of low-side FETs, maximum phase voltages of three phases are detected when a steering operation is performed by a driver, and the detected maximum phase voltages of the three phases are compared with one another to identify a short-circuit phase. On the other hand, when a short-circuited FET is identified as one of high-side FETs, minimum phase voltages of the three phases are detected when a steering operation is performed by the driver, and the detected minimum phase voltages of the three phases are compared with one another to identify a short-circuit phase. |
| US08767359B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection circuit and electrostatic discharge protection method
An ESD protection circuit and method for its use are provided. The circuit comprising: a discharge path formed by first and second NMOS transistors which are sequentially connected between a ground and a power supply; an ESD event detection unit; first and second drive units respectively connected between an output of the ESD event detection unit and a gate of the first transistor and between the output of the ESD event detection unit and a gate of the second transistor. The first and second drive units respectively cause the first and second transistors to be turned on during an ESD event and to be turned off when there is no ESD event. |
| US08767357B2 |
Overvoltage protection system for power system with multiple parallel-connected switching power supplies
An OVP system which includes a plurality of OVP circuits coupled to respective parallel-connected switching power supplies. Each OVP circuit comprises a bus voltage overvoltage detection circuit having a first output which toggles when the voltage on the common power bus exceeds a reference voltage, a modulation flag detection circuit which receives a value that varies with a parameter associated with the PWM or PFM drive signals generated for the switching power supply to which the OVP circuit is coupled and has a second output which toggles when the parameter value exceeds a reference parameter value, logic circuitry which toggles an output when both the first and second outputs toggle, and an overvoltage response circuit which initiates a course of action such as latching or shutting down the switching power supply to which the OVP circuit is coupled when the logic circuitry's output toggles. |
| US08767355B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator, head gimbal assembly including the same and method of forming the same
According to embodiments of the present invention, a piezoelectric actuator is provided. The piezoelectric actuator includes a shear mode piezoelectric material including a first arm and a second arm intersecting each other, the shear mode piezoelectric material having a polarization direction oriented at least substantially along a length of the first arm, wherein the shear mode piezoelectric material has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface and the second surface being adapted to undergo a shear displacement relative to each other along an axis at least substantially parallel to the polarization direction in response to an electric field applied between the first surface and the second surface in a direction at least substantially perpendicular to the polarization direction. |
| US08767354B1 |
Data storage device employing cascaded voltage regulators during power failure
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a non-volatile memory and control circuitry comprising an interface operable to receive a supply voltage, and a capacitor. An operating voltage regulator converts the supply voltage into an operating voltage used to operate the non-volatile memory. The supply voltage is used to charge the capacitor to a capacitor voltage higher than the supply voltage, and during a power failure, a backup voltage regulator converts the capacitor voltage into a backup voltage substantially equal to the supply voltage. The operating voltage regulator converts the backup voltage into the operating voltage used to operate the non-volatile memory. |
| US08767345B2 |
Magnetic head having a contact detection sensor
A thermally actuated head for magnetic head for magnetic data recording having a contact sensor for detecting contact between the head and a magnetic disk. The contact sensor includes a thermal sensor film and first and second leads, wherein the leads extend at least as far from the ABS as the thermal sensor film. More preferably the leads extend slightly further from the ABS than the sensor film so that contact between the magnetic disk and the contact sensor occurs at the leads rather than at the sensor film. The sensor film can be constructed of NiFe, preferably having 30-70 atomic percent Ni or more preferably 40-60 atomic percent Ni or most preferably 40-50 atomic percent Ni. The leads are preferably constructed of one or more of Ru, Rh or Ta or an alloy whose primary constituents are Ru, Rh or Ta. |
| US08767339B2 |
Spacing fluctuation compensation
A method to compensate for spacing variations between a dynamic fly height (DFH) controlled read/write head and a rotating disk surface. Using a HDI sensor or equivalent indicator of touchdowns, a power profile is calculated for an arbitrary track on a disk. The profile tracks disk topography by recording touchdown power at each of a series of sectors into which the track is subdivided. The resulting power profile, smoothed and expressed as a function of sector position, substitutes for the usual constant TD power setting that provides only an uncompensated range of spacing variations. A fixed back-off spacing power is added to the power profile enabling the head to fly over the track at a constant spacing. The power profile can be calculated to account for various temperature and pressure conditions. |
| US08767337B2 |
Disk-synchronized loading/unloading of magnetic head
Systems and methods from loading/unloading a data head for a disk drive provide for more efficient use of disk space. A method of loading/unloading a data head for a disk drive comprises determining a disk phase of a spinning disk arrangement, determining a loading/unloading position based on the disk phase, and loading or unloading the data head on or from, respectively, the spinning disk arrangement based on the determined disk phase. The determining a disk phase may be based on zero crossing of voltages for a three-phase motor associated with the spinning disk arrangement. |
| US08767335B2 |
Accurate radius and velocity measurement of tape transports
A method according to one embodiment includes selecting an initial radius value (Rfull) for an outgoing reel, where Rfull is the initial radius of a tape on the outgoing reel; unwinding the tape from the outgoing reel; computing a radius value of the tape on the outgoing reel during the unwinding; adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position; and outputting the adjusted computed radius. A method according to another embodiment includes selecting an initial radius value (R0) for an incoming reel, where R0 is the initial radius of the incoming reel; winding the tape onto the incoming reel; computing a radius value of the tape on the incoming reel during the winding; adjusting the computed radius with an offset calculated from a direct measurement of velocity from the tape position; and outputting the adjusted computed radius. |
| US08767333B2 |
Systems and methods for pattern dependent target adaptation
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. As an example, a data processing circuit is disclosed that includes a noise predictive filter circuit, a data detector circuit, and a first and a second pattern dependent adaptive target circuits. The noise predictive filter circuit includes at least a first pattern dependent filter circuit operable to perform noise predictive filtering on a data input for a first pattern using a first adaptive target to yield a first noise predictive output, and a second pattern dependent filter circuit operable to perform noise predictive filtering on the data input for a second pattern using a second adaptive target to yield a second noise predictive output. The data detector circuit is operable to apply a data detection algorithm to the first noise predictive output and the second noise predictive output to yield a detected output. The first pattern dependent adaptive target circuit is operable to adaptively calculate the first adaptive target based at least in part on the first noise predictive output and a training sequence. The second pattern dependent adaptive target circuit operable to adaptively calculate the second adaptive target based at least in part on the second noise predictive output and the training sequence. |
| US08767332B1 |
Disk drive predicting off-track error due to disturbances occurring over different frequency ranges
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, a head, and control circuitry comprising a servo control system operable to actuate the head over the disk. A vibration signal VS(k) is measured representing a disturbance in the servo control system. A first future value of the vibration signal VS(k) is predicted based on: VS1(k+1)=α1[VS(k)−VS(k−1)]+VS(k) where α1 is a first scalar corresponding to a first frequency range. A second future value of the vibration signal VS(k) is predicted based on: VS2(k+1)=α2[VS(k)−VS(k−1)]+VS(k) where α2 is a second scalar corresponding to a second frequency range different from the first frequency range. |
| US08767330B2 |
Tape cartridge auxiliary memory based library
A data storage library is described including a plurality of tape cartridges wherein each of the tape cartridges possesses an auxiliary radio frequency memory device in which auxiliary digital data is stored. The library also includes at least one drive disposed substantially within the library capable of transferring user data to and from one of the tapes. The library further includes at least one auxiliary radio frequency memory device reader that capable of reading the auxiliary digital data and transmitting the auxiliary digital data to at least one designated location, the reader is independent of the at least one drive. |
| US08767329B1 |
Sequential-access of storage media
The present disclosure describes apparatuses and techniques of improved sequential-access of storage media. In some aspects an indication that a media disk interface failed to read a sector of a sequential-read during a revolution of the media disk is received and the media disk interface is caused to attempt to read a next sector of the sequential-read subsequent the sector failed to be read during a same revolution of the media disk. |
| US08767328B2 |
Certifying a data storage medium
An apparatus and associated method related to reading from memory an indicia that is dedicated to identifying a first portion less than an entirety of an addressable storage medium, the first portion having previously been subjected to a certification scrutiny. In relation to results of the reading, a second portion less than the entirety of the addressable storage medium is selected for subsequently subjecting the second portion to the certification scrutiny. |
| US08767326B2 |
Dynamically controlling magnetoresistive bias
Magnetoresistive (MR) bias is dynamically controlled in a tape drive using a processor device. Upon determining head amplitude is below a threshold value, the MR bias is adjusted for increasing the head amplitude and extending the useful life span of the tape drive. |
| US08767324B2 |
Color filter substrate, display device, and exposure method
A color filter substrate is provided that allows the realization of a liquid crystal display device having excellent display quality and generating no noticeable display unevenness. On a color filter substrate, a lattice-shaped black matrix is formed, and a plurality of colored pixels are formed in matrix. The maximum value of the differences between the overlap widths Wa (or Wb) in the row direction between first colored layers and the black matrix in an area exposed through a photomask, and the overlap widths Wg (or Wh) in the row direction between second colored layers and the black matrix in an area exposed through another photomask, is 4 μm or less. Further, the maximum value of overlap widths Wa to Wl in the row direction between all of the colored pixels and the black matrix is 8 μm or less. |
| US08767316B2 |
Imaging lens having five lens elements and electronic apparatus having the same
An optical imaging lens includes, from an object side to an image side, an aperture stop, first, second, third, fourth, and fifth lens elements. The first lens element has a positive refracting power, its object-side surface has a convex portion in a vicinity of an optical axis, and its image-side surface has a concave portion in the vicinity of the optical axis. The second lens element has a negative refracting power, and its image-side surface is concave. The fourth lens element has a convex image-side surface. The object-side surface of the fifth lens element has a convex portion in the vicinity of the optical axis, and the image-side surface of the fifth lens element has a concave portion in the vicinity of the optical axis. |
| US08767310B2 |
Zoom lens, and imaging apparatus incorporating the same
The invention provides a zoom lens, characterized by comprising, a zoom lens, which comprises, in order from an object side thereof: a first lens group of negative refracting power, a second lens group of positive refracting power, a third lens group of negative refracting power, and a fourth lens group of positive refracting power, wherein: upon zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end of the zoom lens, a separation between the respective lens groups changes, upon focusing from a focusing-on-infinity state to a close-range focusing state, the third lens group moves in an optical axis direction, and the conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied at the wide-angle end. |
| US08767307B2 |
Objective optical system
Provided is an objective optical system comprising, in order from an object side: an aperture stop; a positive first group; a second group; a positive third group; and a fourth group, wherein the first group is formed of a single meniscus lens or plano-convex lens, whose convex surface faces an image side, the second group is formed of a single lens, the third group is formed of a cemented lens consisting of a positive lens and a negative lens, the fourth group is formed of a single lens, and Conditional Expressions (7) and (8) below are satisfied, where f is a focal length of an entire system, f4 is a focal length of the fourth group, and f2 is a focal length of the second group. −0.5 |
| US08767305B2 |
Method and apparatus for a near-to-eye display
An eyepiece for a head mounted display includes an illumination module, an end reflector, a viewing region, and a polarization rotator. The illumination module provides CGI light along a forward propagation path within the eyepiece. The end reflector is disposed at an opposite end of the eyepiece from the illumination module to reflect the CGI light back along a reverse propagation path within the eyepiece. The viewing is disposed between the illumination module and the end reflector and includes an out-coupling polarizing beam splitter (“PBS”). The out-coupling PBS passes the CGI light traveling along the forward propagation path and redirects the CGI light traveling along the reverse propagation path out of an eye-ward side of the eyepiece. The polarization rotator is disposed in the forward and reverse propagation paths between the out-coupling PBS and the end reflector. |
| US08767304B2 |
Beam shaping device for focusing light beams from semiconductor laser
A beam shaping device, consists of a polarization beam splitter interface (PBS interface), four light surfaces and at least one light processing surface, as well as various entities are described. The PBS interface passes light in P polarization and reflects light in S polarization; two of the four light surfaces are light I/O surfaces, and the other two of them are light surfaces for processing (LSFP); the light processing surface is arranged and oriented to retro-reflect, or close to retro-reflect light beam coming from said PBS interface and back it to where it comes from, and, in the meantime, physically rotate the reflected light beam around its propagating direction by 90°, or close to 90°. The invention works for light beam in any polarization status including non-polarized beam. |
| US08767298B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens with large aperture ratio, high-performance and low-cost is provided, which is applied to an imaging element of a small-size and high resolution, in which aberration is corrected satisfactorily and sufficient diffraction resolution is achieved. An imaging lens includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens arranged in sequence from an object side, wherein both surfaces of each lens are formed from aspheric surface, a diffraction optics surface exerting chromatic dispersion function is arranged on a surface on an image side of the second lens, each lens is configured from plastic material, and an aperture ratio is equal to or smaller than F/2.4. |
| US08767297B2 |
Optical film and method of adjusting wavelength dispersion characteristics of the same
An optical film includes at the least one retardation film and at least one isotropic layer made of an isotropic material, wherein the difference in average refractive index between the retardation film and the isotropic layer is at least 0.1 or more. Also, the method of adjusting wavelength dispersion characteristics of an optical film includes: stacking an isotropic layer onto a retardation film. A method for preparing optical film having a variety of wavelength dispersion characteristics by the simple method of coating the retardation film with the isotropic layer. |
| US08767295B2 |
Polarizing plate manufacturing method
A method for manufacturing a polarizing plate comprising a polarizing film and a transparent protective film provided on at least one surface of the polarizing film, the method comprising the steps of: subjecting at least a surface of the transparent protective film to be bonded to the polarizing film to an adhesion improving treatment; bringing water into contact with at least the surface subjected to the adhesion improving treatment; and laminating the transparent protective film on the polarizing film so that the surface subjected to the adhesion improving treatment and brought into contact with water is bonded to the polarizing film. |
| US08767293B2 |
Microscope measurement system
A microscope measurement system including: an optical microscope including a microscope body and an objective connected to the microscope body; a chamber including a support mechanism holding an object to be examined therein, the chamber including an opening inserting the objective into the chamber such that the objective is located essentially within the chamber and the microscope body is located essentially outside of the chamber; a sealing mechanism that provides an essentially gas-tight connection between the optical microscope and the chamber such that the chamber is sealed. |
| US08767287B2 |
Optical pulse apparatus and method
The invention can include an apparatus for producing optical pulses, comprising an oscillator for producing optical pulses at a first optical pulse repetition frequency, the optical pulses having a first wavelength and a first time duration; a pulse picker for receiving optical pulses having the first optical pulse repetition frequency, first wavelength and first time duration and operable to reduce the optical pulse repetition frequency to produce optical pulses having the first wavelength, first time duration and a reduced optical pulse repetition frequency that is less than the first optical pulse repetition frequency; an optical fiber receiving optical pulses at the reduced optical pulse repetition frequency and having the first wavelength and first time duration to produce, at the reduced optical pulse frequency, optical pulses that include one or more nonlinearly produced wavelengths different than the first wavelength. |
| US08767279B2 |
Handheld imaging probe
A handheld imaging probe for performing optical coherence tomography is disclosed. The handheld imaging probe includes a lens tube and a housing. The lens tube contains an objective lens and a polycarbonate sheet. The polycarbonate sheet provides a bio-safe contact with a tissue sample to be examined. The housing, which is connected to the lens tube, contains a micromirror for directing a laser beam to irradiate the tissue sample via the objective lens and the polycarbonate sheet. |
| US08767269B2 |
Portable scanner
A portable document scanner that records both image and voice information, comprises a digital camera module configured to capture document images, and a laser frame generator configured to project a visible beam of light forming a laser frame to indicate the corresponding field of view of the optical lens for framing a document to be captured. A light source generated by a laser diode is shaped by passing through a collimating optical element and a diffractive optical element which is configured to produce a visible laser frame for framing a document to be captured. The captured data is then stored in an internal memory of the scanner. A data connector is permanently attached to the scanner body, which is used to connect the scanner directly into a receptacle on an external device for accessing data. |
| US08767267B2 |
Print method and print apparatus
According to the present invention, to perform double-sided printing or marginless printing, overall image data consonant with an area that includes an area on a print medium and an overrun area are generated based on information concerning the size of the print medium and information concerning the overrun distances. To generate image data, the image data are prepared for both one side of the print medium and the other side of the print medium, so that, relative to the print medium, the position of the image data corresponding to one side matches the position, relative to the print medium, of the image data corresponding to the other side. |
| US08767266B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method for reducing the amount of consumption of recording material
There is provided an image processing apparatus which can suppress degradation of an image quality in a recording material save mode processing and obtain an effect of consumption amount reduction of recording material desired by a user at low costs. A recording material consumption amount at the time of applying first color conversion processing unit is predicted corresponding to inputted image data. The setting of a second color conversion processing is changed from a prediction value and a target value of the recording material consumption amount. |
| US08767265B2 |
Image processing apparatus and processing method of the image processing apparatus
First intermediate data is generated from print data and character edge data serving as second intermediate data is generated by extracting edge sections of a character from the print data. A rendering process is applied to the first intermediate data and a dither matrix with a first number of lines is used to apply a pseudo halftone formation process to data after the rendering process to generate a first pseudo-halftone image. A rendering process is applied to the second intermediate data and a dither matrix with a second number of lines greater than the first number of lines is used to apply a pseudo halftone formation process to data after the rendering process to generate a second pseudo-halftone image. A pseudo-halftone image obtained by an OR operation of the first pseudo-halftone image and the second pseudo-halftone image is output. |
| US08767263B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of controlling same
In an image forming apparatus, a discrimination unit discriminates the type of printing medium conveyed to an image forming unit. A comparator compares the type of a printing medium that has been designated and the type of a printing medium that has been discriminated. A setting unit sets a second image forming condition in the image forming unit if it has been determined not to add identification information to image information in accordance with the type of printing medium designated and, moreover, the type of printing medium designated and the type of printing medium discriminated by the discrimination unit do not match. The second image forming condition is different from a first image forming condition that conforms to the type of printing medium discriminated by the discrimination unit. |
| US08767262B2 |
Image processing device determining mosquito noise
In an image processing device, the processor performs: (a) setting, as target pixel data, each set of pixel data; (b) selecting, from among the plurality of sets of pixel data, a plurality of first sets of pixel data corresponding to a plurality of first pixels positioned within a prescribed range of the image; (c) determining whether the plurality of first sets of pixel data represents a white background; (d) determining whether a variation in color difference components among the plurality of first sets of pixel data satisfies a prescribed condition; and (e) determining that target pixel data includes mosquito noise when the plurality of first sets of pixel data represents the white background and when the variation in the color difference component among the plurality of first sets of pixel data satisfies the prescribed condition. The prescribed range includes a pixel corresponding to the target pixel data. |
| US08767259B2 |
Image quality status workflow
Methods and systems for maintaining image quality are disclosed. A printing system and method is provided for maintaining image quality, comprising: initially establishing a plurality of image quality threshold standards; assigning an image quality threshold standard from the plurality of image quality threshold standards to an associated image job; comparing the assigned image quality threshold standard of each associated image job to a system check value; and, marking any image jobs having an assigned image quality threshold standard greater than the quality system check value. |
| US08767257B2 |
Method and system for retrieving print media attributes from a print media database server
A method of determining print media attributes of print media, which includes the following steps: obtaining information from a package of print media using an image recognition system associated with the image forming apparatus; sending the information via a network connection to at least one print media database server for determination of print media attributes for the package of print media; determining the print media attributes of the package of print media by matching the information obtained from the image recognition system to a print attribute database hosted by the at least one print media database server, the print attribute database containing print media attributes for a plurality of print mediums, which are available to a plurality of image forming apparatuses; and sending the print media attributes for the package of print media to the image forming apparatus, which generates printer configuration settings for the print media. |
| US08767254B2 |
Processing images to be blended with reflected images
Images are prepared for blending with a reflection. Angles of incidence and angles or reflection lead to reflections of a viewer appearing to be different than actual size. Accordingly, image preparation can include scaling images of objects to be blended with a reflection to an appropriate size. For a flat specular surface the size is one half the size the object would be if the object were sized to be associated with the feature that is reflected. A viewer will focus on the reflection of the viewer at an object plane. An image associated with the specular surface will be blurred. Accordingly, the preparation can include compensating for the blurring. Preparation can also include reducing an area coverage of the image of the object to no more than about fifty percent of the region of the refection to provide space for the reflection. |
| US08767250B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for increasing image resolution and magnification
An image forming apparatus includes: an acquiring unit; a resolution converting unit; a receiving unit; a position determining unit; a correcting unit; and a scaling unit. The acquiring unit acquires image data composed of a plurality of pixels; the scaling-factor determining unit determines a scaling factor of the acquired image data; the resolution converting unit converts a resolution of the acquired image data into a higher resolution than the resolution of the image data; the receiving unit receives a designation of a sub-scanning directional shift amount of a correction pixel to be corrected; a position determining unit performs a position determining process; and the scaling unit scales the image data at the determined scaling factor by causing the position determining unit and the correcting unit. |
| US08767244B2 |
Image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program and storage medium
An image forming apparatus has a plurality of application execution environments, and includes a control part in each of the application execution environments, configured to control an application executed in a corresponding application execution environment. The control part in an application execution environment controls an application executed in an other application execution environment via the control part of the other application execution environment. |
| US08767242B2 |
Image processing apparatus, output control system, output control method
An apparatus stores accumulated jobs in a storage area, and outputs a shared job among the accumulated jobs that is set to be shared by plural users. The apparatus includes a job list display unit configured to display a job list generated based on job information of the accumulated jobs; and a job control unit configured to control output of an execution job selected from the job list. The job list display unit displays a shared job included in the job list that is determined as being allowed to be executed in the apparatus based on an allowance condition set when the shared job is set, and the job control unit outputs job data of a shared job selected as the execution job from the displayed job list, in an output format specified at the time of job execution. |
| US08767232B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable storage medium
An image processing apparatus determines one of a plurality of parameters as a parameter used for line width correction of an image based on a comparison between the images of the straight lines obtained by reading printed straight lines subjected to line width correction using the plurality of parameters and an image of a straight line as a reference image which is to be obtained by reading the straight line printed in a predetermined line width. |
| US08767224B2 |
Recording device and recording and cutting control method
A printer includes a transport section which transports a medium, an image recording section which records and lines up a plurality of images in longitudinal direction of the medium based on an image data set which includes a plurality of image data, and a cutting section which obtains image sheets with one image at a time recorded thereon due to cutting of the medium in a width direction of the medium, where the cutting section is provided with a leading edge cutting section which cuts once at a position on a downstream side in the transport direction with regard to a first image out of the plurality of images, and a between-image cutting section which cuts twice at each position between two adjacent images out of the plurality of images where a predetermined margin has been provided. |
| US08767220B2 |
Automated positioning of printed images
A method of calibrating a printing system for positioning at least one printed image, the printing system includes a first image bearing surface, the method includes: a) forming a background pattern and at least three fiducials on the first image bearing surface, wherein the background pattern is larger than a first printed image and the at least three fiducials are within an area formed by the first printed image; b) transferring a portion of the first printed image to a second image bearing surface; c) measuring a first residual image on the first image bearing surface, wherein the first residual image is a portion of the background pattern and the at least three fiducials remaining on the first image bearing surface after the step of transferring; and, d) calculating at least one calibration parameter for the printing system based on the measuring of the first residual image. |
| US08767216B2 |
Holographically illuminated imaging devices
Embodiments of the present invention relate to holographically illuminated imaging devices including a holographic element for transforming an illumination beam into a focal array of light spots, a scanning mechanism for moving an object across one or more light spots in the focal array of light spots, and a light detector for detecting light associated with the focal array of light spots and generating light data associated with the received light. |
| US08767210B1 |
Method for ground-to-space laser calibration system
The present invention comprises an approach for calibrating the sensitivity to polarization, optics degradation, spectral and stray light response functions of instruments on orbit. The concept is based on using an accurate ground-based laser system, Ground-to-Space Laser Calibration (GSLC), transmitting laser light to instrument on orbit during nighttime substantially clear-sky conditions. To minimize atmospheric contribution to the calibration uncertainty the calibration cycles should be performed in short time intervals, and all required measurements are designed to be relative. The calibration cycles involve ground operations with laser beam polarization and wavelength changes. |
| US08767206B2 |
Spectral characteristic measuring device, method for correcting spectral characteristic measuring device, and non-transitory computer readable recording medium
Wavelength information indicating a correspondence relationship between a plurality of light receiving elements of a light receiving unit and wavelengths of pieces of lights is stored. First and second intensity distributions of the light related to first and second dispersion images are acquired based on a signal outputted from each of the light receiving elements when a monochromatic light is passed through a opening of a light shielding body and first and second dispersion images related to primary and secondary diffracted light are formed on the light receiving unit. An estimated intensity distribution of the light related to the second dispersion image is calculated from the first intensity distribution according to a predetermined relational expression. A change amount related to the wavelength information is calculated based on the estimated intensity distribution and the second intensity distribution. The wavelength information is corrected according to the change amount. |
| US08767199B2 |
Inspection system utilizing solid immersion lenses
An inspection system including a lens. In one instance, the lens is a solid immersion lens. The inspection system includes a component or components for providing a self aligning solid immersion lens arrangement in order to allow at most a small distance between the solid immersion lens and a device under test and components or components for constraining a force exerted on the device under test. The inspection system may include a “purge” port, or a thermal isolation configuration or an anti-contamination component. The inspection system may include software and hardware to prevent crashing of the lens. The inspection system may also include a method for ensuring that various objective lenses can be replaced while maintaining the intended spacing between lenses. |
| US08767196B2 |
Method for measuring propagation loss in a plane light guide plate
A method for measuring propagation loss in a plane light guide plate, which includes the following steps of making an input light generated by an input light generator pass through an optical coupler, an optical reflection device individually or pass through the optical coupler first and then the optical reflection device, and finally propagate toward an optical measurement device to obtain at least one optical parameter according to the optical coupler, the optical reflection device or the combination thereof; and making the input light pass through the optical coupler and then the plane light guide plate, and further pass through the plane light guide plate from one side thereof toward the optical reflection device in order to reflect the input light toward the optical measurement device, so as to obtain a propagation loss of the plane light guide plate according to the at least one optical parameter. |
| US08767195B2 |
Personal identification system
A personal identification system, which uses a vein pattern of a finger, optimizes the amount of light of a light source based on a captured finger image and emphasizes the vein pattern during image processing for identification. |
| US08767186B2 |
Object detection system
An object detection system for a host vehicle includes an imaging device, a ranging device and a processor. The imaging device has a field of view exterior of the host vehicle and is operable to capture image data representative of an object exterior the host vehicle. The ranging device has a field of view that sweeps at least the field of view of the imaging device and that detects the object exterior the host vehicle. The processor processes image data from the imaging device and processes data from the ranging device in order to determine if the detected object is an object of interest. The determination that the detected object is an object of interest is made in accordance with a priority score. |
| US08767185B2 |
Criss-cross writing strategy
In general, one aspect of the technology described can be embodied in methods that include the action of applying a writing mechanism having non-isotropic writing properties resulting from different degrees of coherence interaction in a sweep direction and a cross-sweep direction, writing an image pattern twice on a work piece using the writing mechanism rotated relative to the image pattern written on the workpiece between first and second writings, whereby writing with the rotated writing mechanism averages the non-isotropic properties. The lesser included angle separating first and second relative directions of movement between a workpiece and writing mechanism may be 20 degrees or greater, or somewhat less, under conditions described herein. |
| US08767182B2 |
Movable body drive method and movable body drive system, pattern formation method and apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method
Drive-control of a movable body along a two-dimensional plane includes a process in which on switching from servo control of position in directions of three degrees of freedom of the movable body within a plane parallel to the two-dimensional plane using a first detection device to servo control using an encoder system, a detection device that detects positional information of the movable body in a direction perpendicular to the two-dimensional plane and tilt direction around at least one axis with respect to the two-dimensional plane switches from a second detection device when the movable body is in a suspended state, to a third detection device that has a plurality of detection positions placed in at least a part of an operating area of the movable body, and detects positional information in the perpendicular direction when the movable body is positioned at any of the detection positions. |
| US08767176B2 |
Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a mirror array having a base body and a plurality of mirror units. Each mirror unit includes a mirror and a solid-state articulation, which has at least one articulation part that connects the mirror to the base body. A control device makes it possible to modify the alignment of the respective mirror relative to the base body. Mutually opposing surfaces of the mirror and of the base body, or of a mirror support body connected to it, are designed as corresponding glide surfaces of a sliding bearing. |
| US08767167B2 |
Display panel and method of manufacturing the same
The display panel includes an opposite substrate and an array substrate. The opposite substrate includes a first substrate including a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first wire electrode formed on the first surface, a first transparent electrode formed on the first surface and partially overlapping with the first wire electrode, and a common electrode formed on the second surface. The first wire on the first surface is formed before the first transparent electrode on the first surface. The array substrate includes a second substrate including a third surface facing the second surface, and a pixel layer formed on the third surface and facing the common electrode. |
| US08767166B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
In the liquid crystal display device where a liquid crystal layer exhibiting a blue phase is interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, a pixel electrode layer (first electrode layer) and a common electrode layer (second electrode layer) provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer are positioned not to overlap with each other. The pixel electrode layer is formed to cover top and side surfaces of a rib-shaped first structure body which projects into the liquid crystal layer from a surface of the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side. The common electrode layer is formed to cover top and side surfaces of a rib-shaped second structure body which projects into the liquid crystal layer from the surface of the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side. |
| US08767163B2 |
Method of fabricating an LCD device using flexible substrates
A jig for a flexible substrate comprises a glass plate having a concave portion and a plurality of grooves at periphery of the concave portion. The jig further comprises a plurality of fixing elements inserted in the plurality of grooves to fix the flexible substrate to the glass plate. |
| US08767162B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel, which can prevent a Mura from forming at the time of physical impact or vibration for improving a display quality. The liquid crystal display panel can include an upper substrate having a plurality of column lines formed thereon, a lower substrate having a plurality of row lines formed thereon perpendicular to the plurality of column lines, a pixel region formed at each crossed region of the plurality of column lines and the plurality of row lines, and column spacers each formed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate for maintaining a cell gap between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, wherein the column spacers formed at a first region of a display region adjacent to a liquid crystal injection have dot shapes. |
| US08767159B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
To improve viewing angle characteristics by varying voltage which is applied between liquid crystal elements. A liquid crystal display device in which one pixel is provided with three or more liquid crystal elements and the level of voltage which is applied is varied between the liquid crystal elements is varied. In order to vary the level of the voltage which is applied between the liquid crystal elements, an element which divides the applied voltage is provided. In order to vary the level of the applied voltage, a capacitor, a resistor, a transistor, or the like is used. Viewing angle characteristics can be improved by varying the level of the voltage which is applied between the liquid crystal elements. |
| US08767158B2 |
Array substrate, liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal panel having an array substrate, a color filter substrate, a plurality of pixel units provided on both of the array substrate and the color filter substrate, a common electrode and a pixel electrode being provided in each of the pixel units such that when polarity of voltage difference between the pixel electrode and the common electrode in one first pixel unit is identical to that in one second pixel unit, the direction of an electric field formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode and for driving liquid crystal molecules to display at a gray level in the first pixel unit is opposite to that in the second pixel unit. |
| US08767157B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display comprises a liquid crystal panel including subpixels formed in a matrix, each of the subpixels comprising: a first area, a second area, and a third area partitioned off in a long-axis direction; a first pixel electrode arranged in the long-axis direction of the first area; second pixel electrodes extending from the first pixel electrode in a central area of the long-axis direction and arranged in the first to third areas; third pixel electrodes extending from the first pixel electrode, divided into third pixel electrodes on one side and third pixel electrodes on the other side with respect to the second pixel electrodes, and arranged in plural number in the first to third areas, the slope of the electrodes arranged in the first and third areas being steeper than the slope of the electrodes arranged in the second area with respect to a virtual horizontal line passing through the central area; a first common electrode disposed on the same layer as the first to third pixel electrodes and arranged in the long-axis direction of the third area; a second common electrode extending from the first common electrode in the central area and arranged between the second pixel electrodes; and third common electrodes extending from the first common electrode, divided into third common electrodes on one side and third common electrodes on the other side with respect to the second pixel electrodes, arranged in plural number in the first to third areas, and having the same slope as the third pixel electrodes. |
| US08767155B2 |
Method for producing liquid crystal display device
A method for producing a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates, a first electrode formed on one substrate, a second electrode formed on the other substrate, and liquid crystal molecules filled between the substrates. The method includes providing alignment layer material exhibiting a vertically orienting property for a selected one of the substrates, aligning a mask having permeable portions and impermeable portions over a selected substrate, irradiating the mask with ultraviolet rays in a first inclined azimuthal direction, and simultaneously irradiating the mask from a second inclined azimuthal direction which is substantially 180 degrees different from the first inclined azimuthal direction. Additionally, the azimuthal direction of the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in a first region of the substrate is substantially 180 degrees different from the azimuthal direction of the alignment of liquid crystal molecules in a second region of the substrate. |
| US08767154B2 |
Photoalignment method and liquid crystal display
A photoalignment method includes irradiating light in a first direction to a first alignment layer, and irradiating light in a second direction opposite the first direction, after disposing a first mask on the first alignment layer. |
| US08767153B2 |
Alignment film for liquid crystals obtainable by direct particle beam deposition
The invention relates to a process of preparing an alignment film for the alignment of liquid crystals (LCs) or reactive mesogens (RMs), by a direct particle beam deposition process, to an alignment film obtainable by said process, to the use of said alignment film for the alignment of LCs or RMs, especially in the form of thin layers, to a multilayer comprising said alignment film and one or more LC and/or RM layers, and to the use of the alignment film and multilayer in optical, electronic and electrooptical applications. |
| US08767150B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a first substrate, a gate electrode formed on the first substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate electrode, a semiconductor formed on the gate insulating layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the semiconductor, a second substrate that faces the first substrate, and a light blocking member formed on the second substrate, and the semiconductor includes a metal oxide semiconductor and the light blocking member is not formed in a region corresponding to at least a portion of the semiconductor. |
| US08767144B2 |
Display device comprising a light guide and an ambiance light guiding unit that provides ambiant light
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a light source, a light guide, a display unit and a frame. The light source provides a light beam. The light guide includes a light emitting surface and a light entering surface, wherein the light beam enters the light guide through the light entering surface, and is emitted from the light emitting surface. The display unit is corresponding to the light emitting surface, wherein the light beam is partially emitted from the light guide, passes through the display unit to display an image. The frame covers the display unit and the light guide, wherein the frame has a display portion and a transparent portion, the image is displayed in the display portion, and the light beam is partially emitted from the light guide toward the transparent portion and passes through the transparent portion. |
| US08767143B2 |
Backlight unit with coupling hole and liquid crystal display having the same
A backlight unit and a liquid crystal display having the same. The backlight unit includes a lower cover, an interconnection coupling hole, an inverter board, and an interconnection. The lower cover accommodates a printed circuit board, which mounts at least one light emitting diode thereon and is provided at one side thereof with a first connector. The interconnection coupling hole is formed in a bottom surface of the lower cover at a position corresponding to the first connector. The inverter board is disposed on a rear surface of the lower cover to apply a driving voltage to the at least one light emitting diode. The interconnection is provided at one end thereof with a second connector to electrically connect the printed circuit board to the inverter board. A coupling part of the first connector coupled to the second connector is directed to the interconnection coupling hole, so the assembling time of the backlight unit and the liquid crystal display is reduced, thereby improving the productivity of the backlight unit and the liquid crystal display. |
| US08767141B2 |
Methods for fabricating display structures
An electronic device display may have a color filter layer and a thin film transistor layer. A layer of liquid crystal material may be interposed between the color filter layer and the thin film transistor layer. A layer of polarizer may be laminated onto the surface of the color filter layer. Laser trimming may ensure that the edges of the polarizer are even with the edges of the color filter layer. The thin film transistor layer may have an array of thin film transistors that control pixels of the liquid crystal material in the display. Driver circuitry may be used to control the array. The driver circuitry may be encapsulated in a planarized encapsulant on the thin film transistor layer or may be mounted to the underside of the color filter layer. Conductive structures may connect driver circuitry on the color filter layer to the thin film transistor layer. |
| US08767140B2 |
Backlight module
An embodiment of the invention provides a backlight module, comprising: a metal rear plate, comprising a bottom plate, a side edge structure and a bended structure; a light strip structure including a circuit substrate and a light source disposed on the circuit substrate; and an outer frame, wherein, the bended structure is provided with a first protruding structure extending toward the light strip structure, the bottom plate is provided with a second protruding structure extending toward the light strip structure, the circuit substrate of the light strip structure is fixed on the side edge structure by the first and second protruding structures, the side edge structure is provided with a first opening aligned with to the light source, the outer frame is provided with a second opening corresponding to the first opening. |
| US08767135B2 |
Lighting apparatus for generating a light pattern
The invention relates to a lighting apparatus (1) for generating a light pattern. A light source (4) generates a light beam (5) for being directed onto a liquid crystal cell (2). The liquid crystal cell (2) comprises a periodic structure (3). If voltage is applied to the liquid crystal cell (2) by a voltage source (8), a period phase pattern is generated. The liquid crystal cell (2) and the light source (4) are adapted such that multiple separate light beams (6) are generated in different directions by diffraction at the generated periodic phase pattern, wherein the multiple separate light beams (6) form the light pattern (7). Since the light pattern is generated by diffraction at the periodic phase pattern, which is modifiable by applying voltage, different light patterns can be generated, in particular, for decorative purposes, in a technically relatively simple way. |
| US08767128B2 |
Image display device and method for adjusting correction data in look-up table
An image display device such as LCD television comprises: LUTs (look-up tables) which are tables of correction data for correcting color balance of a displayed image; gain adjustment units for providing gain to input signal values representing brightness levels of red, green and blue colors in image data of the displayed image; and a microcomputer for recalculating the correction data in the LUTs and updating the correction data to the recalculated ones. The microcomputer determines, as adjustment gain values, gain values which are provided to the input signal values by the gain adjustment units and which bring color balance of a white balance adjustment image to a predetermined color balance, and recalculates the correction data in the LUTs based on the correction data and the adjustment gain values. This image display device can increase accuracy of white balance adjustment and reduce time required for the white balance adjustment. |
| US08767126B2 |
Coordinating distributed graphics rendering in a multi-window display
Multi-window display operations may be optimized in an electronic device. The electronic device comprises a screen that may be operable to provide a multi-window display by enabling configuring of a plurality of display regions, where video content corresponding to one or more of the plurality of applications is displayed in each of the plurality of display regions. Optimizing multi-window display operations may comprise monitoring updates of video content for each of the plurality of display regions of the screen, and generating a frame comprising video content for all of the plurality of display regions when one or both of the following occurs: all pending video content updates are completed and a frame generation deadline is reached. |
| US08767125B2 |
Video display device, video output device, video system, and menu-screen-display control method
A video display device, a video output device, and a video system are provided, each of which has a user-interface having high usability in menu operation so that false operation may be prevented, and a menu-screen-display control method is provided. The menu-screen-display control method includes: determination process of determining which device, of a video display device and one or more video output devices connected to the video display device, is an object of operation through a menu screen displayed on the video display device; and prohibition process of setting a non-object device into a menu-operation-prohibited mode, the non-object device being a device other than an operation object device which is determined to be the object of operation through the menu screen under display. |
| US08767124B2 |
Method of picture-in-picture for multimedia applications
A method and a device for preparing a media stream containing more than one component stream for picture-in-picture applications are described along with the corresponding method and device for rendering the media stream in a picture-in-picture mode. The invention allows for live and dynamic picture-in-picture rendering of the component streams contained in the media stream. Extensions to the media formats that shall support various multimedia applications, such as the MPEG-2 Transport Stream and ISO media format, are proposed to enable such a dynamic picture-in-picture functionality. |
| US08767123B2 |
Information processing apparatus and output switching control method
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a display, a connector which outputs a video signal, a display driver which controls output of a video signal to the display and connector, a monitoring unit which monitors whether a partner switches an input from a video signal output from the connector to another video signal, the partner being connected to the connector, and an output switching unit which instructs the display driver to switch the output destination of the video signal from the connector to the display when the monitoring unit detects that the input of the partner is switched to the other video signal. |
| US08767121B2 |
Apparatus and method for converting multimedia content, and multimedia content distribution system
A multimedia content conversion apparatus and method, and a multimedia content distribution system are provided. The apparatus includes a storage unit storing original data received from a multimedia content provider, an authentication unit determining whether a viewer is authorized with respect to the original data stored in the storage unit, a decryptor decrypting the original data if it is determined by the authentication unit that the viewer is authorized, and a data combiner combining the original data and the data decrypted by the decryptor. Accordingly, even if several TVs are installed in a home, a viewer can view desired multimedia content through all of the TVs with only one content conversion apparatus. Even when the viewer watches a TV in which the content conversion apparatus is not included, the viewer can view desired multimedia content by changing a channel of a TV which includes the content conversion apparatus. Since the content conversion apparatus provides content of various image standards, the viewer can view desired content regardless of a type of TV being used. |
| US08767119B2 |
Interchangeable lens, camera body, and camera system
An interchangeable lens mountable to a camera body, includes a focus lens operable to adjust a focus state of a subject, a driver operable to drive the focus lens by repeatedly performing slight advancing and retreating of the focus lens along an optical axis, a lens-side obtaining unit operable to obtain a control signal for driving the driver from the camera body, and a lens-side transmission unit operable to transmit, to the camera body, information about a direction of slight advancing and retreating operations of the focus lens. |
| US08767117B2 |
Imaging device and method to correct the focus detection pixels using peripheral standard pixels and correcting defective peripheral standard pixels as well if found
Pixel values of focus detection pixels are suitably corrected according to reducing occurrence of a residual error of correction. A digital camera ii includes a CCD, an AF detection circuit, a specific pixel correction unit and the like. The CCD has standard pixels and phase difference pixels arranged in a predetermined pattern on an imaging surface, and outputs an image signal of one frame. The AF detection circuit evaluates an in-focus state by referring to a pixel value of the phase difference pixels from the image signal. The specific pixel correction unit determines a first correction value by multiplying the pixel value of the phase difference pixels by a predetermined gain, and compares the first correction value with the pixel value of the standard pixels around the phase difference pixels. If the first correction value is equal to or less than the maximum of those pixel values and equal to or more than their minimum, the pixel values of the phase difference pixels are replaced with the first correction value. Otherwise, the pixel values of the phase difference pixels are replaced with a second correction value obtained by averaging the pixel values of peripheral pixels. |
| US08767115B2 |
Image capturing device with auto-focus function and auto-focus method
An auto-focus method includes steps of receiving a first image from an image capturing unit, wherein the first image conforms to a first resolution of the image capturing unit; setting a focus frame in the first image; converting the first image into a second image, wherein the second image conforms to a second resolution of a display unit and the second resolution is smaller than the first resolution; and displaying the second image and the first image within the focus frame in the display unit. |
| US08767111B2 |
Device including touch switch and pushbutton functions
An object of the present invention is to provide an operation device which has a pushbutton function and a touch switch function, and which offers excellent ease of operation. A hole is provided in a transparent substrate (12) of a touch screen provided on a rear surface of an image capturing device, and a pushbutton (16) serving as a shutter release button is provided. Transparent electrodes (14) are formed around the pushbutton (16) to form a touch switch, and an electrode (20) is formed below the pushbutton (16) to form a pushbutton switch. Metering is performed when the touch switch is turned ON in response to a touch operation of the pushbutton (16), and an image is captured when the pushbutton switch is turned ON in response to a push-down operation of the pushbutton (16). |
| US08767109B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device
A solid-state image pickup device includes pixels diagonally arranged, each including a photoelectric conversion unit and a plurality of transistors and wiring extending in the vertical and horizontal directions which is diagonally arranged around the photoelectric conversion unit in each of the pixels so that at least one portion of the wiring is arranged along at least one side of the photoelectric conversion unit. |
| US08767108B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing solid-state imaging device, and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes pixels each having a photoelectric conversion element for converting incident light to an electric signal, color filters associated with the pixels and having a plurality of color filter components, microlenses converging the incident light through the color filters to the photoelectric conversion elements, a light shielding film disposed between the color filter components of the color filters, and a nonplanarized adhesive film provided between the color filters and the light shielding film. |
| US08767105B2 |
Multi path power for CMOS imagers
An analog signal chain for a CMOS active pixel sensor imaging system utilizes, for each amplification stage, a plurality of fixed gain amplifiers instead of a single multi-gain amplifier. The fixed gain amplifier corresponding to the desired gain level is selected and powered on and coupled to the input/output signal paths, while the non-selected fixed gain amplifier(s) are powered off and isolated from the input/output signal paths. Each fixed gain amplifier is operated at a gain bandwidth corresponding to the timing requirements of the imaging system and the gain of the amplifier. Thus, each fixed gain amplifier (other than the one corresponding to the maximum gain of a comparable multi-gain amplifier) operates at a lower level of power consumption than the comparable multi-gain amplifier. |
| US08767104B2 |
Image sensor, electronic apparatus, and driving method of electronic apparatus
An image sensor that has a pixel array section in which pixels are arrayed in a two-dimensional manner in vertical and horizontal directions and that controls an exposure time of each pixel in a rolling shutter method is disclosed. The sensor includes control means for determining an electronic shutter occurrence number within one horizontal scanning period, which is the number of rows where electronic shutters are simultaneously performed in one horizontal scanning period, by an operation based on an address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN) when a vertical address movement amount of the pixel array section for every one horizontal scanning period in an exposure regulation shutter, which is an electronic shutter for regulating exposure, executed corresponding to electric charge reading in each pixel is expressed as repetition of the address addition amount (P1, P2, P3, . . . , PN). |
| US08767099B2 |
Image processing system and imaging object used for same
An imaging technology having high reproducibility of a document and making image correction possible, without being influenced by a way of placing the document or a position of a camera, and irrespective of paper color and despite of damage of a corner portion. By printing positioning symbols on document paper in advance when the document is photographed by a digital camera or a portable phone with a camera, such as a smart phone, and by processing the image based on these positioning symbols, image processing having high reproducibility of the document and making image correction (keystone correction) possible can be implemented irrespective of paper color and despite damage to a corner portion. |
| US08767097B2 |
Image capturing device and lens actuating device and lens actuating method thereof
The present invention discloses an image capturing device and a lens actuating device and a lens actuating method thereof. The lens actuating device comprises a focus lens group, a zoom lens group, a motor and a microcontroller. The focus lens group is arranged for changing a focus point of the image. The zoom lens group is arranged for changing distance of the image. The motor is arranged for driving the movements of the focus lens group and the zoom lens group respectively. The microcontroller is arranged for receiving a plurality of instructions, and controlling the motor at one of a plurality of predetermined speeds according to the instruction received to control the motor to drive the focus lens group or the zoom lens group to perform a focus motion or a zoom motion. |
| US08767089B2 |
Digital image processing apparatus and method for displaying a modified image that when viewed through a filter appears as a corresponding unmodified image appears when viewed without the filter
Provided are a digital image processing apparatus, and a method of controlling the same, the method including inputting a setup image having a first region input via a filter; extracting first color information from the first region; retrieving a stored image; generating a display image by changing colors of the stored image based on the first color information; and displaying the display image. |
| US08767086B2 |
Image capturing apparatus
An image capturing apparatus can use a reading time from an image sensor efficiently. To achieve the object, the image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing unit which is configured to (i) capture image data (ii) separate the image data having a plurality of color components into a plurality of fields, and (iii) output each of the plurality of fields, the image-capturing unit being switchable between a first mode and a second mode, and a selecting unit which is configured to select two or more, but not all, of a plurality of fields, an image-generating unit which generates a low-resolution image based on image data of a field being selected by the selecting unit, and a controlling unit that is configured to cause the image-generating unit to generate the low-resolution image while the controlling unit outputs a field other than the field selected by the selecting unit. |
| US08767082B2 |
Focused areas in an image
The invention discloses a method and a portable device for focusing an image in the device (10), which device (10) comprises; a first image recording arrangement (24a) for recording images of an user (50) of the device (10); a second image recording arrangement (24b) comprising an autofocus arrangement for recording images of the environment surrounding the device (10); and a display arrangement (22) for reproducing the recorded images of the environment surrounding the device (10), which method comprises the step of: obtaining a plurality of gazing directions of the user (50) from images recorded by the first image recording arrangement (24a); selecting focusing areas depending on the obtained gazing directions; processing said at least one image of the environment so as to create a final image that is focused within areas defined by the focusing areas. |
| US08767080B2 |
System and apparatus for increasing quality and efficiency of film capture and methods of use thereof
A system, apparatus, or method is provided for imaging and for capturing visuals to provide image manipulation options for increasing resolution of subject images. A system, apparatus or method for increasing resolution of subject images using a camera to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion or a digital image and to generate images of greater resolution by modifying digital images or modifying digital and emulsion images. |
| US08767075B2 |
Quick pass exit/entrance installation and monitoring method
A quick pass exit/entrance installation and method is particularly adaptable for controlling and monitoring the exit and return of vehicles to and from a secured area. The identification of the driver and the vehicle is automatically determined and the exiting transaction is undertaken while the driver remains seated in the vehicle. The vehicle VIN and the image of the license plate may be automatically obtained at both the exit and entrance lanes. An image of substantially all four sides of the vehicle may be automatically obtained on both exiting and entering the facility. The information is processed and receipts are issued while the driver remains seated in the vehicle. |
| US08767073B2 |
Device and method for displaying information for vehicle
Information display device and method for a vehicle are provided. The information display device for a vehicle includes: a camera unit that generates and outputs image information on the rear side of the vehicle; a main processing unit that performs predetermined functions including an image processing function on the image information; and a sub processing unit that processes the image information and displays the processed image information on a display unit until the main processing unit ends a booting operation, when the image information is output from the camera unit in a state where the main processing unit is performing the booting operation. Accordingly, it is possible to guarantee the safety at the time of backing a vehicle up even when the main processing unit is performing the booting operation and to make a driver not wait until the main processing unit ends the booting operation for the purpose of acquiring necessary information. |
| US08767071B1 |
High voltage power line multi-sensor system
A multi-sensor system can be attached to a high voltage power line, draw power from the power line inductively, and convert the power to lower voltages and direct currents for operating cameras, sensors, a processor, and communications equipment that provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The multi-sensor system can detect and track targets in detection regions and transmit such detection data and other data from the camera and sensors to a remote operator who can initiate response actions and send control instructions to the multi-sensor system from the remote location. |
| US08767065B2 |
Recording apparatus having liquid supply system
In a recording apparatus, a first casing holds a supporting portion. A second casing holds a recording head and a first tank. The second casing is connected to the first casing so as to be rotatable relative to the first casing about a prescribed axis, the second casing being configured to move between a first position and a second position by rotating relative to the first casing, the recording head being located adjacent to the first casing when the second casing is in the first position, the recording head being further apart from the first casing when the second casing is in the second position than when the second casing is in the first position. The recording head opposes the supporting portion when the second casing is in the first position. The second casing is provided with a second tank mounting portion and a liquid transferring portion. |
| US08767060B2 |
Inspection apparatus having heat sink assembly
An inspection apparatus can include a handset and an elongated inspection tube extending from the handset. For reduction of heat energy radiating from one or more components of the apparatus, the apparatus can include a particularly designed heat sink assembly. |
| US08767059B2 |
Electronic endoscope
An electronic endoscope includes an illumination unit, an imaging unit and an image generating unit. The illumination unit switches among plural light beams having different spectra so as to illuminate a subject. The light beams include white light and excitation light for exciting the subject to produce fluorescence. The imaging unit includes a solid-state imaging device, and an objective optical system. The objective optical system guides, to the solid-state imaging device, light returning from the subject which the illumination unit illuminates. The image generating unit generates image data based on image signals output from the imaging unit. The solid-state imaging device further includes a sensitivity adjusting unit that only lowers sensitivity, to the excitation light, of pixels which are sensitive to the fluorescence among a plurality of pixels of the solid-state imaging device. The light guided by the objective optical system is incident directly onto the solid-state imaging device. |
| US08767057B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and program
An image processing device includes an image acquisition section that acquires an image that has been acquired by imaging a tissue using an endoscope apparatus, an in vivo position identification information acquisition section that acquires in vivo position identification information that specifies an in vivo position of the endoscope apparatus when the image has been acquired, a in vivo model acquisition section that acquires a in vivo model that is a model of the tissue, an on-model position determination section that specifies an on-model position that corresponds to the position specified by the in vivo position identification information on the acquired in vivo model, and a linking section that links information about the acquired image to the specified on-model position. |
| US08767055B2 |
Image display method of stereo display apparatus
An image display method of a stereo display apparatus is provided. The image display method includes the following steps. A stereo display apparatus is provided, wherein the stereo display apparatus provides N view zones for a viewer and includes a periodic structure and a pixel plane. N view zones are divided in a space according to the N value. Projection areas corresponding to each of the view zones are formed on the pixel plane by the periodic structure, wherein each of the projection areas corresponds to at least one sub-pixel unit on the pixel plane. Image information of each view zone is obtained according to the corresponding sub-pixel units. A stereo image is displayed by blending image information of each view zone. |
| US08767051B2 |
Display apparatus, 3D glasses, and display system including the same
A display apparatus, three-dimensional (3D) glasses, and a display system including the display apparatus and the 3D glasses are provided. The 3D glasses which interwork with an external display apparatus include: a wireless receiver which receives a sync signal and audio signals from the external display apparatus; a shutter driver which drives shutters according to the received sync signal; and an audio output part which processes and outputs the received audio signal. Thus, users can individually enjoy contents without interfering with one another by selecting and listening to audio corresponding to an image viewed through the display apparatus. |
| US08767050B2 |
Display supporting multiple simultaneous 3D views
A display system and method are provided that enable two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional images to be displayed. One or more light manipulating layers, a pixel array, and an optional backlighting panel are provided. Each light manipulating layer may be a parallax barrier or a lenticular lens. A parallax barrier includes a plurality of barrier elements arranged in a barrier element array. The barrier element array includes a plurality of strips of barrier elements selected to be transparent to form a plurality of non-blocking strips. A lenticular lens includes an array of sub-lenses, and may be elastic. The display system is configured to deliver light from the pixel array or backlighting panel as views to corresponding viewers in a viewing space. The delivered views may include one or more two-dimensional views and/or one or more three-dimensional views. |
| US08767048B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus therefor
An image processing method, including extracting shot information from metadata, wherein the shot information is used to classify a series of two-dimensional images into predetermined units; if it is determined, by using shot type information included in the shot information, that frames classified as a predetermined shot can be reproduced as a three-dimensional image, extracting background depth information from the metadata, wherein the background depth information is about a background of the frames classified as the predetermined shot; generating a depth map about the background of the frames by using the background depth information; if the frames classified as the predetermined shot comprise object, extracting object depth information about the object from the metadata; and generating a depth map about the object by using the object depth information. |
| US08767045B2 |
Apparatus and method of transmitting stereoscopic image data and apparatus and method of receiving stereoscopic image data
An apparatus of transmitting stereoscopic image data includes an image data output unit configured to output stereoscopic image data including left-eye image data and right-eye image data about a certain program; and an image data transmitting unit configured to transmit a transport stream including the stereoscopic image data about the certain program output from the image data output unit. The image data transmitting unit incorporates identification information indicating whether disparity data is transmitted in the transport stream. The disparity data is used to add disparity to superimposed information to be superimposed on an image generated from the left-eye image data and the right-eye image data. |
| US08767036B2 |
Panoramic imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program with warning detection
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device capturing a subject image through an optical system; an image signal processor having a function of combining multiple captured images into a single image, the images being captured during the period when the imaging apparatus is moved; and a control unit, wherein the image signal processor detects any effect of parallax or a moving subject based on the similarity among motion vectors between adjacent images, and the control unit issues a warning when the image signal processor detects any effect of the moving object or parallax to prompt image recapturing. |
| US08767034B2 |
Augmenting a video conference
A computer-implemented method for augmenting a video conference between a first device and a second device. The method includes: receiving a selection of a selectable animation, via a selection of a selectable animation representation, at the first device, wherein the selectable animation is configured for augmenting the video conference; and incorporating the selection of the selectable animation into the video conference. |
| US08767032B2 |
Conference unit controlling room functions
Methods and devices for controlling room function devices from a single conference unit. A conference unit can be a video conference unit or a speakerphone. Controlled devices may include external loudspeakers, microphones, room function controllers, powered doors, powered windows, powered window shades or blinders, video screens etc. The connections between devices may be wired, wireless, or a combination of both. |
| US08767031B2 |
Video call center
A video call center process and system can create cost effective video programs for television transmission from a multiplicity of simultaneous video callers with much less supporting staff. |
| US08767027B2 |
Preventing coil overheating in line printer hammer banks
In one embodiment, a method for preventing hammer coils of a line printer hammer bank from overheating during printing includes establishing the maximum allowable temperature threshold of any given hammer coil, monitoring the temperature of all hammer coils during printing, keeping a moving average of dots printed per unit time on each hammer coil, and if one or more coils reach a temperature higher than the threshold, determining the current maximum dot-per-hammer density that the hot coils can print per stroke of the hammer bank that will enable them to cool down adequately from their current temperatures. The rate of printing is restricted to this current established maximum dot-per-hammer density on only those coils which have a temperature at or above the maximum allowable temperature, minus a suitable hysteresis. |
| US08767022B2 |
Array substrate and driving method thereof
An array substrate is provided comprising a base substrate; an array of pixel electrodes formed on the base substrate; a plurality of gate lines, each of which is formed corresponding to each row of pixel electrodes; a plurality of data lines, each of which is formed corresponding to each odd number column of pixel electrodes and the next adjacent even number column of pixel electrodes; a plurality of first switching devices, each of which is connected with each odd-number-column pixel electrode, and the data lines charging the corresponding odd-number-column pixel electrodes via the corresponding first switching devices under driving control in corresponding time sequence; a plurality of second switching devices, each of which is connected with each even-number-column pixel electrode, and the data lines charging the corresponding even-number-column pixel electrodes via the corresponding second switching devices under driving control in corresponding time sequence. |
| US08767021B2 |
Method for driving liquid crystal display device
A display device including a light-transmitting pixel portion and a reflective pixel portion is provided. In a moving image display period, the light-transmitting pixel portion performs an image display and a reflective pixel portion performs a black display. In a still image display period, the reflective pixel portion performs a display in response to black-and-white grayscale image signals. |
| US08767017B2 |
Display device
In a display device provided with a frame memory developing an auxiliary line image as a display image and a means of reading out and displaying the image data developed in the aforementioned frame memory, the aforementioned auxiliary line image is constituted by background pixels and dashed auxiliary lines constituted by pixels which have luminance or color that is different from that of the background color and pixels with have nearly identical luminance or color to that of the background color; and by carrying out the display of the dashes so as to move, at fixed time intervals or arbitrary time intervals, the dash display areas of the aforementioned auxiliary lines on the trajectory of the figure described by the aforementioned auxiliary lines, the system is devised to display the auxiliary lines while controlling that an identical pixel of the display device is not displayed continually. |
| US08767015B2 |
System and method of image augmentation
A method of image augmentation for an image of a book includes capturing an image of the book, detecting at least a portion of at least one fiduciary marker of the book within the image, estimating placement of the book's spine based upon the detected portion of the fiduciary marker, hypothesising possible positions for edges of a rigid leaf being turned in the book based upon estimated placement of the spine, processing the book image to identify edges within the image, comparing elements of the identified edges with the hypothesized positions for edges of the rigid leaf, selecting one of the hypothesized positions that best coincides with the compared elements of the processed image as representative of the position of the rigid leaf being turned in the book, and augmenting the book image with a virtual graphic element arranged in accordance with the selected representative position of the rigid leaf. |
| US08767014B2 |
Automatic text scrolling on a display device
A see-through head-mounted display (HMD) device, e.g., in the form of glasses, provides view an augmented reality image including text, such as in an electronic book or magazine, word processing document, email, karaoke, teleprompter or other public speaking assistance application. The presentation of text and/or graphics can be adjusted based on sensor inputs indicating a gaze direction, focal distance and/or biological metric of the user. A current state of the text can be bookmarked when the user looks away from the image and subsequently resumed from the bookmarked state. A forward facing camera can adjust the text if a real word object passes in front of it, or adjust the appearance of the text based on a color of pattern of a real world background object. In a public speaking or karaoke application, information can be displayed regarding a level of interest of the audience and names of audience members. |
| US08767011B1 |
Culling nodes over a horizon using conical volumes
An exemplary method includes determining a node having a drawable payload representing a surface portion of a curved three-dimensional model in a three-dimensional environment. The exemplary method also includes determining whether the virtual camera is located within a first substantially conical volume. The exemplary method further includes determining whether the virtual camera is located within a second substantially conical volume. The exemplary method also includes when the virtual camera is determined to be inside the first substantially conical volume and to be outside the second substantially conical volume, culling the node. The exemplary method further includes when the virtual camera is determined to be inside both the first substantially conical volume and the second substantially conical volume, rendering the drawable payload. |
| US08767002B2 |
Systems and methods for performing color adjustment of pixels on a color display
System and methods are provided for performing saturation adjustment of one or more pixels. In one embodiment, an input color value of a pixel is received. The input color value includes an input saturation component. An adjusted color value is extracted from a predetermined look-up table that maps the input color value to the adjusted color value, the adjusted color value having an adjusted saturation component that is different from the input saturation component. The adjusted color value is output. |
| US08767001B2 |
Method for compensating data and display apparatus for performing the method
A method of compensating data uses a look-up table divided into a first area, a second area and a boundary area between the first and second areas defined by a first previous reference value, a second previous reference value greater than the first previous reference value, a first current reference value and a second current reference value less than the first current reference value. A compensation data of a current frame is generated based on to which one of the first, second and boundary areas grayscale data of previous and current frames belongs. |
| US08767000B2 |
Data processing method and display apparatus for performing the same
A data processing method compensates a color of input data for a present frame of a display panel of a display apparatus to generate color compensating data. Dimming levels of a plurality of light emitting blocks included in a light source module for the display panel are determined using the color compensating data. Compensating data of the present frame is generated using the color compensating data and compensating coefficient data including the dimming levels. |
| US08766998B1 |
Sampling of non-planar display surfaces
Sampling in the process of trans-raster distortion correction is described. The distortion parameterization is analyzed to determine the maximum inflation and deflation (magnification and minification) over the image. The maximum inflation is then used to determine the optimal resolution (dimensions in pixels) of the linear-projected image such that it is not undersampled by the output image. The maximum deflation, coupled with the optimal resolution determined in the inflation step, is then used to configure the filter used in the resampling process such that aliasing due to undersampling is minimized, while simultaneously controlling the computational burden of the filter. |
| US08766995B2 |
Graphics system with configurable caches
A graphics system includes a graphics processor and a cache memory system. The graphics processor includes processing units that perform various graphics operations to render graphics images. The cache memory system may include fully configurable caches, partially configurable caches, or a combination of configurable and dedicated caches. The cache memory system may further include a control unit, a crossbar, and an arbiter. The control unit may determine memory utilization by the processing units and assign the configurable caches to the processing units based on memory utilization. The configurable caches may be assigned to achieve good utilization of these caches and to avoid memory access bottleneck. The crossbar couples the processing units to their assigned caches. The arbiter facilitates data exchanges between the caches and a main memory. |
| US08766987B2 |
Method to animate on a computer screen a virtual pen which writes and draws
A method to animate on a computer screen a virtual pen which writes and draws on a virtual blackboard in order to simulate a real pen writing on a real blackboard. Graphemes and drawings (50) are created by specifying a subset of knot points (106, 107, 108, 109) from the set of points forming the lines (50) to draw. All the attributes concerning the knot points, as coordinates (201), pauses, speed, thickness, etc., are stored in a file. Subsequently the user types on the keyboard the word to write or selects from a list the drawing to draw. At this point all the attributes of the knot points of the graphemes to write or of the drawing to draw are retrieved from the file and interpolated, and the data obtained are used to animate a virtual pen in such a way it writes and draws looking like a real pen, pausing at the sharp angles, detaching from and landing on the writing surface of the virtual blackboard, varying the thickness and the speed of drawing, using block letters or joined-up writing. |
| US08766983B2 |
Methods and systems for processing an interchange of real time effects during video communication
Computer implemented methods for interactively modifying a video image are provided. The video image can be transmitted between a first user and a second user using a computer program that is executed on at least one computer in a computer network. Additionally, the first user and the second user interact through respective computing systems that at least partially execute the computer program. A video capture system is provided that is interfaced with the computer program that can be used to capture real-time video of the first user. The method continues by identifying components of the video image of the first user that can be modified using real-time effects in the captured real-time video. In another operation, the method identifies controller input from either the first user or the second user. The controller input detected by the computing system is identified to determine which of the identified components of the first user will be modified. In response to the identified controller input, another operation of the method augments the real-time video captured of the first user by applying the real-time effects to the identified components of the first user. The method then displays the augmented real-time video of the first user on a screen connected to the computing system of one or both of the first and second users. |
| US08766980B2 |
Information management system, method and program
A method for constructing relation information between data elements in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) in first and second domains includes importing data from the first domain DAG and data from the second domain DAG to generate a relation graph; responsive a relation between a node va of the first domain DAG and a node vb of the second domain DAG, generating a join node between va and vb in the relation graph, the join node linking a node upstream of va in the DAG to a node upstream of vb in the DAG; if there is a pair of va of the first domain DAG and vb of the second domain DAG that do not have a join node, generating a join node v between va and vb in the relation graph, and generating an edge (va, v) and an edge (vb, v) in the relation graph. |
| US08766976B2 |
3D display apparatus and 3D display system
The present invention provides a three-dimensional (3D) display apparatus and a 3D system. The system comprises the 3D display apparatus and polarizer glasses. The 3D display apparatus comprises a display panel and a pattern retarder film. Retarder rows of the pattern retarder film are positioned to pixel row pairs of the display panel, respectively. First pixel rows of the pixel row pairs include first sub-pixels and second sub-pixels arranged in an alternating manner. The present invention can mitigate the image crosstalk and the color shifting problem exiting in the conventional 3D display. |
| US08766975B2 |
Method of correlating images with terrain elevation maps for navigation
A method for navigation comprises constructing a current map that includes two-dimensional or three dimensional representations of an area, detecting one or more edge features on the current map, and generating a first fine-edge map based on the edge features. The method further comprises retrieving a historical map that includes two-dimensional or three dimensional representations of the area, detecting one or more edge features on the historical map, and generating a second fine-edge map based on the edge features. Thereafter, a coarse version of the current map is generated from the first fine-edge map, and a coarse version of the historical map is generated from the second fine-edge map. The coarse versions of the current and historical maps are then correlated to determine a first position and orientation. The first fine-edge map is then correlated with the second fine-edge map to determine a second, more accurate, position and orientation. |
| US08766972B2 |
Method and system for efficient transmission of rich three-dimensional geometry and animation content over narrow band communication networks
A method and system for compacting and distributing graphic data by representing three-dimensional models by primitive objects that are predefined in the system and instructions, which may include solid modeling operations for constructing at least one model from the identified primitive objects. The method and system enable creating compacted representation files that can be distributed via one or more communication network, where a client application enables reconstruction of the models represented by the data in the representation files by combining the primitive objects constructing the model according to the set of instructions that enable the actual construction. |
| US08766971B2 |
Driver IC and organic light emitting display device using the same
An organic light emitting display device includes: a display unit for displaying an image corresponding to data signals, scan signals, a first power, and a second power; a gamma correction unit for generating a gray level voltage corresponding to each gray level in accordance with a reference voltage; a voltage generator for generating the reference voltage; a data driver for generating the data signals by utilizing an image signal and the gray level voltages, and for transmitting the data signals to the display unit; a scan driver for generating the scan signals and transmitting the scan signals to the display unit; and a power supply unit for generating the first power and second power and for transmitting the powers to the display unit, wherein the reference voltage is a first reference voltage corresponding to an input power from the outside or a second reference voltage corresponding to the first power. |
| US08766970B2 |
Pixel circuit, display panel, and driving method thereof
A pixel circuit includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel. The first sub-pixel is coupled to a scan line and a data line, so as to determine whether to be enabled according to a first scan signal transmitted on the scan line, and whether to be driven according to a data signal transmitted on the data line. The second sub-pixel is coupled to the scan line, so as to determine whether to be enabled according to the first scan signal. The data signal is in a first state when the first scan signal is in a pre-charged period. The data signal is in a second state during a time interval after the pre-charged period is over and before the first scan signal enters a turn-on period. Voltage polarities of the first state and the second state are opposite. The pixel design can improve color shift and frame flicker. |
| US08766968B2 |
Display device and a driving method thereof
A display device including a display panel, a gate driver, a data driver and a signal controller. The display panel includes gate lines and data lines, the gate driver is connected to the gate lines, the data driver is connected to the data lines and the signal controller controls the display panel, the gate driver, and the data driver. The signal controller includes a timing controller and a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) receiving unit. The timing controller includes a frame memory. The display device further includes an analog-to-digital (AD) board including an LVDS transmission unit, wherein the LVDS transmission unit transmits a signal identifying a stopped image or a moving image to the LVDS receiving unit, and in response to the signal identifying the stopped image, the signal controller maintains the display of the same image on the display panel by using the frame memory. |
| US08766965B2 |
Display device
A drive circuit of a display device includes decoder circuit which outputs a voltage based on a 8-bit digital value. The decoder circuit includes a first decoder circuit and a second decoder circuit which output one voltage respectively using upper-order 6 bits of the 8-bit digital value; a selection circuit which receives voltages outputted from the first decoder circuit and the second decoder circuit, and distributes the two voltages to three terminals; and an intermediate voltage output circuit which outputs an intermediate voltage which is a one of five kinds of values based on the three voltages. The first decoder circuit and the second decoder circuit respectively include a select-switch-type decoder circuit and a tournament-type decoder circuit. |
| US08766957B2 |
Display device and repairing method for the same
A display device and a repairing method for the same are disclosed. The display device includes a substrate, a pixel array, at least one gate driver unit, at least one source driver unit, a first repair line, a second repair line, a first dummy line, and a second dummy line. The first repair line is disposed between the pixel array and the source driver unit. The second repair line is disposed opposite to the first repair line on the pixel array. The first dummy line and the second dummy line are respectively disposed at two sides of the pixel array and crossing the gate lines, the first repair line, and the second repair line. A signal transmission is not required to go around the outmost periphery of the gate driver unit in a repairing process. As a result, the signal attenuation can be decreased effectively. |
| US08766955B2 |
Methods and apparatus for latency control in display devices
Various methods, systems, and apparatus for implementing aspects of latency control in display devices are disclosed. According to aspects of the disclosed invention, a source device commands a display device to minimize the delay between the time that image data enters the display device and the time that it is shown on the display device. In one embodiment, the source device transmits data to the display device that specifies whether the display device should time optimize the image data, such as by transmitting a data packet for this purpose either with the image data or on an auxiliary communication link. In another embodiment, the source device and the display device are coupled via an interconnect that comprises multi-stream capabilities, and each stream is associated with a particular degree of latency optimization. |
| US08766954B2 |
Active stylus for use with touch-sensitive interfaces and corresponding method
A stylus (100) is configured for actively interacting with a touch-sensitive interface (201) by injecting or sinking charge in response to a touch-detection signal emitted from the touch-sensitive interface (201). One stylus (100) includes a stylus body (104) and a compound tip (105) extending axially from the stylus body (104). The compound tip (105) can include a center electrode (101) that is configured to detect electric field variations from the touch-sensitive interface (201) and a shroud electrode (102) that is concentrically disposed about the center electrode (101). An active circuit (103) coupled between the center electrode (101) and the shroud electrode (102) is configured to apply a gain to the detected electric field variations and to change a potential of the shroud electrode (102) synchronously with the electric field variations detected by the center electrode (101). |
| US08766950B1 |
Modulated power supply for reduced parasitic capacitance
Embodiments described herein include an input device for capacitive sensing. The input device includes a plurality of sensor electrodes, a modulated power supply, a plurality of analog front end channels, and a sensor module. The modulated power supply is configured to generate a modulated reference signal. The plurality of analog front end channels are coupled to the plurality of sensor electrodes and to the modulated power supply and are configured to flow charge in response to an input object in a sensing area associated with the plurality of sensor electrodes. The sensor module comprises transmitter circuitry that is coupled to the plurality of sensor electrodes and to the plurality of analog front end channels. The sensor module is configured to drive the plurality of sensor electrodes with a modulated sensor electrode signal that is based on the modulated reference signal, via the plurality of analog front end channels. |
| US08766949B2 |
Systems and methods for determining user input using simultaneous transmission from multiple electrodes
The embodiments described herein provide improved sensor devices. In one embodiment, an input device comprises a processing system, transmitter sensor electrodes, and a receiver sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to simultaneously transmit a first transmitter signal with a first transmitter electrode and a second transmitter signal with a second transmitter electrode. In one embodiment the first transmitter signal corresponds to an upper sideband and the second transmitter signal corresponds to a lower sideband. In another embodiment the first transmitter signal is in quadrature with the second transmitter signal. The processing system is further configured to receive a resulting signal with a receiver electrode, the resulting signal comprising effects corresponding to both the first transmitter signal and the second transmitter signal. The determination module is configured to demodulate the resulting signal to produce a first output signal and a second output signal and to determine positional information. |
| US08766946B2 |
Sensing circuit, display device and electronic apparatus
A sensing circuit having a first substrate, a second substrate, a layer of dielectric material, a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrostatic capacitance detection unit is provided. The second substrate faces the first substrate. The dielectric material is held between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged between the dielectric material and the first substrate. The electrostatic capacitance detection unit is configured to produce a detection signal having an amplitude according to a value of capacitance formed between the first electrode and the second electrode through the dielectric material. |
| US08766945B2 |
Input device and method for touch position calculation
An input device includes an acquisition unit to acquire touch region information including position coordinates of a plurality of sensors in a touch screen and a sensed value of each sensor, a first calculation unit to calculate a shape of a touch region based on the touch region information, and a second calculation unit to calculate a detected touch position detected as a touch position based on the shape. |
| US08766943B2 |
Display having touch sensor and method for improving touch performance thereof
Provided are a display having a touch sensor and a method for improving the touch performance thereof, which can minimize the distortion of an execution result induced by the process of converting the resolution of touch coordinates, by compensating the coordinate values of a touch position by applying different offset values for upper, lower, left, and right sides in accordance with the sensor data values of surrounding sensor nodes adjacent to a center node having peak data. |
| US08766940B1 |
Textured linear trackpad
A computing device includes a trackpad, which includes a touch-sensitive surface having a touch-detectable pattern. The touch-detectable pattern includes a first feature, and a second feature having first and second side features. The first and second side features start in proximity of the first feature and are positioned on opposite sides of the first feature. |
| US08766939B2 |
Highly configurable analog preamp with analog to digital converter
A mode-configurable amplifier comprises a single-ended input for receiving a received signal from a capacitive touch panel, a differential output operable to carry a differential processed signal to a subsequent processing stage, and processing circuitry in communication with the single ended input and the differential output. The processing circuitry comprises mode selection inputs and mode selection circuitry in communication with the mode selection inputs. The mode selection circuitry is operable to configure the processing circuitry into a current operating mode selected from a high-pass filter mode, bandpass filter mode, and a trans-capacitive gain mode. The high-pass filter mode is operable to high-pass filter the received signal to obtain the differential processed signal. The bandpass filter mode is operable to bandpass filter the received signal to obtain the differential processed signal. The wideband gain mode is operable to amplify the received signal to obtain the differential processed signal. |
| US08766938B2 |
Signal processing method of a touch panel
A signal processing method is employed to operate a touch panel having a first touch sensing unit and plural second touch sensing units adjacent to the first touch sensing unit. In the operation of the method, a first signal is generated through amplifying the first sensing signal of the first touch sensing unit by N times with N equal to the number of the second touch sensing units, a second signal is generated through summing up the second sensing signals of the second touch sensing unit, a difference signal is generated through subtracting the second signal from the first signal, a comparison result is generated through comparing the difference signal with a difference threshold, and finally the comparison result is utilized for judging whether a touch event is occurring to the first touch sensing unit. |
| US08766935B2 |
Electrostatic capacitance-type input device and method of manufacturing thereof
An electrostatic capacitance-type input device includes: a first translucent conductive film that configures a first electrode that extends in a first direction in an input area on a substrate and second electrodes that extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction in the input area and are disconnected in intersection portions with the first electrode; an interlayer insulating film that is formed at least in areas overlapping the intersection portions; and a second translucent conductive film that configures relay electrodes formed on the interlayer insulating film to have sheet resistance lower than that of the first translucent conductive film and electrically connecting the second electrodes disconnected in the intersection portion by being electrically connected to the second electrodes in an area in which the interlayer insulating film is not formed and a peripheral wiring extending in a peripheral area of the substrate located to the outer side of the input area. |
| US08766934B2 |
Method for displaying a menu in mobile terminal and mobile terminal thereof
A mobile terminal includes at least a display unit, a sensing unit, and a controller. The display unit includes a touch screen and displays at least two three-dimensional (3D) menu icons and each of the at least two 3D menu icons includes at least one menu. The display unit further displays a first menu on a first display surface of each of the at least two 3D menu icons, the first menu on each of the at least two 3D menu icons being different. The sensing unit detects an input for controlling at least one of the at least two 3D menu icons. The controller controls the display unit to display a second menu on a second display surface of each of the at least two 3D menu icons in response to the detected input. Each of the at least two 3D menu icons displayed on the display unit includes at least two display surfaces, each of the at least two display surfaces displaying a different menu. |
| US08766930B2 |
Capacitive touchscreen system with drive-sense circuits
Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a capacitive touchscreen system that is capable of sensing simultaneous or near-simultaneous multiple finger touches made on a capacitive touchscreen. In one embodiment, drive-sense circuits operably connected to X and Y lines of the touchscreen may be interchangeably and selectably configured as either sense circuits or drive circuits by a drive/sense processor operably connected thereto. |
| US08766929B2 |
Panel for position sensors
This document discloses systems, methods, and articles of manufactures, related to position sensors and uses therefor. Various patterns of drive electrodes and sense electrodes that can be used to in a panel for a position sensor are shown and described. In various examples, the drive electrodes and sense electrodes can be arranged in a grid-like matrix. |
| US08766928B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for manipulating user interface objects
A method is performed at a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a first user interface for an application at a first magnification level. The first user interface includes a first plurality of user interface objects. The application has a range of magnification levels, including a predefined magnification level for requesting a second user interface with a multi-finger pinch gesture. The method also includes: detecting a first multi-finger pinch gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and, in response: when the first magnification level is the predefined magnification level, displaying the second user interface simultaneously with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface includes a second plurality of user interface objects that are distinct from the first plurality of user interface objects in the first user interface; and when the first magnification level is greater than the predefined magnification level, zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture. |
| US08766926B2 |
Touch-sensitive display and method of controlling same
A method includes displaying a set of buttons in a first layout on a touch-sensitive display when a first orientation of the portable electronic device is detected and in a second layout on the touch-sensitive display when a second orientation of the portable electronic device is detected. An alternate mode of operation of a portable electronic device is detected. While in the alternate mode, the set of buttons is displayed in a third layout, wherein the set of buttons is displayed in a set of respective locations with respect to the touch-sensitive display for the first orientation and the second orientation. At least some information is displayed based on a detected orientation of the portable electronic device. |
| US08766922B2 |
Input unit, movement control system and movement control method using the same
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a movement control method and system of a terminal input unit having a plurality of protrusions. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a process and an apparatus for controlling each protrusion so that the input unit forms interface modes used for a function control according to a user function of the terminal. |
| US08766917B2 |
3D pointing devices and methods
Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a handheld device, e.g., a 3D device, which uses at least one sensor to detect motion of the handheld device. The detected motion can then be mapped into a desired output, e.g., cursor movement. |
| US08766915B2 |
Methods and apparatus for incremental prediction of input device motion
Methods and apparatus for incremental prediction of input device motion. In one embodiment, the input device comprises one or more sensors adapted to output motional data of the input device as measured at a certain period. A prediction of input device motion is generated based upon the last prediction and a weighted error in estimate determined by the sensory output. According to one embodiment, the weight is calculated as a Kalman gain. In one embodiment, once the prediction has been generated, it is provided to a display update algorithm adapted to orient a navigational object upon an associated display screen. |
| US08766914B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring audience size for a digital sign
Measuring audience size for a digital sign comprises generating a plurality of paths, one for each face detected in a first sequence of video frames captured by a camera proximate the digital sign, and generating a zone in the sequence of video frames through which passes a threshold number of the paths. Motion and direction of motion within the zone is then measured in a second sequence of video frames to calculate the audience size that passes through the zone in the second sequence of video frames. |
| US08766913B2 |
Telephone book data processor
A telephone book data processor includes: a connection element for connecting to an external device via a short range communication manner to transfer a telephone book data; a telephone book data obtaining element for obtaining the telephone book data; a memory having multiple memory regions for storing the telephone book data; and a controller for executing a telephone book data transfer process and a telephone book data utilizing process. The controller defines one memory region as an object of the telephone book data transfer process and another memory region as an object of the telephone book data utilizing process. The controller executes the telephone book data utilizing process with using the telephone book data in the another memory region while the controller executes the telephone book data transfer process for storing a new telephone book data in the one memory region. |
| US08766907B2 |
Drive control method of supplying image data for displaying divided drive regions of a display panel, drive control device and display device for supplying image data for displaying divided drive regions of a display panel
A drive control method for a display panel configured to constantly provide a good display quality with ensuring that EMI countermeasures are properly carried out is accomplished. Image data used to display a plurality of drive regions of a display panel obtained by dividing the display panel is supplied to data drivers of the plurality of drive regions based on transmission clock signals respectively having different transmission clock frequencies suitable for the plurality of divided drive regions, a common drive-start control signal used for all of the plurality of drive regions is generated based on a reference clock signal having a clock frequency different from any of the transmission clock frequencies, and drive signals start to be output from the data drivers of the plurality of drive regions to display elements corresponding to the respective data drivers at a same timing based on the supplied drive-start control signal. |
| US08766906B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
To provide a hold-type display device without a problem of motion blur and a driving method thereof. The length of a period for displaying a blanking image in one frame period is controlled in accordance with a control parameter showing the degree of motion blur, and the level of a signal supplied to a display element is changed in accordance with the length of the period for displaying the blanking image. Accordingly, the hold-type display device without a problem of motion blur and the driving method thereof can be provided. |
| US08766900B2 |
Display apparatus
There is a need for decreasing a variation in times for writing to TFT elements for pixels in a direction along the extension of a gate line in a liquid crystal display apparatus. A display apparatus includes a display panel having multiple gate lines and drain lines arranged in a matrix and a data driver for outputting a display data signal to each drain line. The data driver includes: an internal control signal generation circuit generating an internal control signal for setting a timing to output a data signal to a drain line of each block on a block basis by dividing the plurality of drain lines into multiple blocks; and a register circuit for recording a setting for division of the block, a setting for delay direction and width of a timing to output the data signal, and a setting for rising and falling of an internal control signal. |
| US08766898B2 |
High-accuracy multi-channel circuit
A multi-channel circuit includes a first-channel circuit configured to receive a digital input and a second-channel output voltage, and to generate a first-channel output voltage as a function of the received digital input and second-channel output voltage. |
| US08766891B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a first substrate opposite a second substrate, a plurality of electrode patterns in the second substrate, the plurality of electrode patterns extending along a first direction, a plurality of barrier patterns in the second substrate, the plurality of barrier patterns being insulated from the electrode patterns and extending along a second direction crossing the first direction, and a plurality of pixels, the first and second substrates with the pixels defining a display panel, and each pixel including a gate line extending along a third direction, a data line extending along a fourth direction, and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the gate line and the data line, the pixel electrode being configured to generate an electric field with a corresponding electrode pattern of the plurality of electrode patterns to display an image. |
| US08766888B2 |
In plane switching mode liquid crystal display device
Disclosed is an IPS mode LCD device, which comprises first and second substrates, N gate lines arranged on the first substrate substantially in parallel, M data lines arranged to cross the gate lines so as to define m×n pixel regions, a plurality of first switching devices formed at each crossing of the gate lines and the data lines, first electrodes electrically connected with the first switching devices, second electrodes generating a horizontal electric field along with the first electrodes in the pixel regions, a common voltage supplier generating a common voltage from an n−1th gate line and an nth gate line and supplying the generated common voltage to the second electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates. |
| US08766885B2 |
True color flat panel display module
A full color flat panel display module is formed of a matrix of pixels in rows and columns. Each pixel is formed of respective red, green and blue solid state light emitting diodes that can form any color on that portion of a CIE curve that falls within a triangle whose sides are formed by a line on the CIE curve between 430 nm and 660 nm, a line between 660 nm and a point between 500 and 530 nm, and a line between the 500-530 nm point and 430 nm. |
| US08766884B2 |
Display module
A display module to prevent the leakage current generated between a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer that constitute a pixel via an organic light emitting layer and obtains uniform luminance. An interlayer insulation layer is provided between an edge of a first electrode layer and an organic light emitting layer that constitute the pixel and the distance between the edge and a second electrode layer is secured sufficiently. Further, the interlayer insulation layer ILI is coated with a resin material having fluidity, and flatness is improved as a whole. An aperture that accommodates the organic light emitting layer is formed in this interlayer insulation layer and the coated organic light emitting layer is formed in uniform thickness and through a necessary and sufficient spread. |
| US08766878B2 |
Integral photography type three-dimensional display device
A display device includes a display panel including first to fourth pixels in a first direction, wherein each of the first to fourth pixels has a first width in the first direction and a length more than the width and in a second direction; and a backlight unit including first and second line light regions supplying light to the display panel to display three-dimensional images, wherein the first and second line light regions have a slanted angle with respect to the second direction, wherein light from the first line light region comes to right and left eyes of a viewer through the first and second pixels, respectively, and light from the second light region comes to the right and left eyes through the third and fourth pixels, respectively, wherein the display device has K view points. |
| US08766877B2 |
Communication system in trains
A communication system in trains comprises a control data communication device 400 and an image data communication device 300 installed in each of the cars. The control data communication device 400 transmits train operation information, train location information, control instructions of train-mounted apparatuses, and the like. The image data communication device 300 transmits image information such as moving images and still images, audio information such as in-train announcement, textual information for caption display, and operation log information of apparatuses, which form the contents, to a display unit 200 installed in each of the cars and to apparatuses 500 such as a telephone. The display unit 200 switches the display on the screen in accordance with train control information transmitted from the control data communication device 400 through the image data communication device 300. |
| US08766870B2 |
Multiple frequency band antenna and antenna system using the same
A multiple frequency band antenna is provided that includes a radiating unit having a slot formed on a first surface of the substrate that is closed at one end and open at the other end, and a feed unit formed on a second surface of the substrate to pass through an area on the second surface that corresponds with the same area on first surface between the center and the closed side of the slot. The feeding unit comprises at least one switch which adjusts the size of an area for feeding power to the antenna. The radiating unit is resonated in a plurality of frequency bands when the switch is turned off, and the radiating unit is resonated in a single frequency band which is different from the plurality of frequency bands when the switch is turned on. Consequently, an antenna is implemented for use in multiple frequency bands. |
| US08766868B2 |
Resonant structure to mitigate near field radiation generated by wireless communication devices
A method (600) and an RF circuit (100, 400, 500) for a wireless communication device that mitigates near electric fields generated by the wireless communication device. At least one resonant structure (108, 408, 408′) can be configured to resonate at or near at least one operating frequency of an antenna (102) of the wireless communication device. The antenna can be a component of the RF circuit. The resonant structure can be electromagnetically coupled to the antenna to mitigate the near electric fields at the operating frequency in order to comply with an applicable hearing aid compatibility (HAC) specification. |
| US08766856B2 |
Wideband antenna
A wideband antenna includes a grounding element electrically connected to a ground, a radiating element, a matching adjustment element electrically connected to the radiating element, a feed-in element electrically connected between the matching adjustment element and the grounding element for receiving feed-in signals, and a shorting element electrically connected between the matching adjustment element and the grounding element. A width of the matching adjustment element is related to a bandwidth of the wideband antenna. |
| US08766854B2 |
Bottom feed cavity aperture antenna
A bottom feed cavity aperture antenna is provided. The bottom feed cavity aperture antenna includes a patch and a ground structure. The patch feeds a signal to the bottom feed cavity aperture antenna. The ground structure includes a continuous wall, and a top end and a bottom end, wherein the continuous wall surrounds the patch, a thickness of the ground structure is formed between the top end and the bottom end, a patch height is formed between the patch and the bottom end, and a ratio of the patch height to the thickness is substantially lower than 1/2, and a magnetic field is formed at the top end, and magnetic resonance directions of the magnetic field are parallel to a first axis. |
| US08766849B2 |
GPS-assisted source and receiver location estimation
A mobile communication device includes, in part, a first wireless receiver adapted to determine, as it travels along a path, a multitude of positions of the mobile communication device using signals received from a primary positioning source, a second wireless receiver adapted to receive signals from one or more ambient wireless sources as the mobile communication device travels along the path, and a positioning module. An internal or external memory stores estimated positions and corresponding time references of the signals of the one or more ambient sources. The positioning module uses the data stored in the database to estimate the position of the mobile communication device when no primary positioning source signal is available. The positioning module optionally uses the data stored in the database to improve estimates of the position of the mobile communication device when primary positioning signal is available. |
| US08766846B2 |
Accident prevention system and a vehicle including the accident prevention system
A vehicle with an accident prevention system is disclosed. The vehicle also has a foot brake for stopping the vehicle. The system includes a sensor arrangement for sensing an object behind a rear end of the vehicle that generates an object recognition signal when it senses an object within range behind the vehicle. The sensor arrangement includes passive IR sensors or reflected pulse sensors such as sonar or radar sensors on the rear end. A controller generates an accident prevention response signal on receiving an object recognition signal from the sensor arrangement. A brake applicator is operatively coupled to the brake to stop the vehicle when the controller generates a response signal. Conveniently the system includes an alarm for sounding an alarm signal. A method for preventing an accident where a vehicle which is reversing at low speed collides with a person is also disclosed. |
| US08766837B2 |
Modulator and ΔΣ-type D/A converter
The disclosed device easily and precisely satisfies a requested output range, and is provided with: a ΔΣ-modulator (12) which converts a digital input signal to a pulse signal; an input comparison device (11) which compares an input value that corresponds to the digital input signal, and a pre-set threshold value; and a thinned output control unit (14) which, when the result of the comparison by the input comparison device (11) shows that the input value is less than the threshold value, reduces the output value corresponding to the input value in accordance with the size of the difference between the input value and the threshold value, and sets the output value to 0 when the input value is 0. |
| US08766836B2 |
Sigma delta modulator with dither
A sigma delta modulator may include a loop filter and an adder configured to accept an output of the loop filter and a dither input signal. The adder may be further configured to combine the output of the loop filter and the dither input signal into a combined output signal. The sigma delta modulator may further include a quantizer configured to accept the combined output signal from the adder, and quantize the combined signal into a quantizer output signal. The sigma delta modulator may further include a first subtractor configured to accept the quantizer output signal and subtract the dither input signal from the quantizer output signal. |
| US08766830B2 |
Digital waveform synthesizer for NMR phase control
In an RF source, a digital waveform synthesizer comprises a computational module to synchronously determine a desired periodic function, f(θ), within a first bandwidth portion, to which computational result there is combined an injected digital noise increment in an adjustable range of bounded amplitude, specifically selected to average over discontinuities of the DAC transfer characteristic. The combination is effected after passing the injected noise increment through a programmable digital filter forming a composite tuning word having a total bandwidth at a selected Nyquist zone and thence passing the composite tuning word through a truncation component to a DAC. The programmable digital filter is constructed to displace the spectral distribution of the injected noise increment to a portion of the total bandwidth remote from the first bandwidth portion. |
| US08766825B2 |
Multifunction display-based user interface for devices
The present invention provides a multifunctional input device. The input device includes a functional mode which defines the mode of operation of the input device. Each functional mode includes one or more domain levels with each domain level containing one or more domain-level values. Each domain level-value within each functional mode is assigned to one of a plurality of programmable input keys. The domain-level value assigned to each programmable input key controls the function of that programmable input key within a given functionality and domain level. The present invention also includes a display to indicate the domain-level value associated with each of the programmable input keys within a given functionality. |
| US08766820B2 |
Device for locating crashed aircraft
The present invention consists of a device especially configured for enabling locating an aircraft quickly which due to an accident has fallen in an area where the search for the remains is especially difficult, such as the sea or mountainous areas. It is made up of a container (1) with an automated lock (7) divided internally into two chambers (2 and 3) in which metal sheets (4) and hollow spheres (5) are introduced; an attached beacon (6), a memory circuit (14); and it is operated by means of an automated control. All these elements form an assembly as a result of a protective and waterproof shell (8) joining them together. It also has an anchor (10) joining it to the outer part of the aircraft where it is arranged, which allows automating the release of the device as the result of a signal indicating the imminence of an accident. |
| US08766815B2 |
Light signaling device
A light signaling device including a tubular body having an outer surface to which LEDs are mechanically connected. An inner surface of the body defines a channel inside the tubular body and has a heat dissipation unit through which the heat generated by the LEDs is dissipated. The light signaling device also comprises a lower air conveyor mechanically connected to the lower edge of the tubular body, partially closing the lower opening of the inner channel of the tubular body and is provided with separate conveyance channels, each of which extended between an inlet section thereof and an outlet section thereof according to a trajectory which has at least one component radial with respect to the main extension axis. Each of the conveyance channels is in communication with the light signaling device exterior via the inlet section and with the lower opening of the inner channel via the outlet section. |
| US08766812B2 |
Tension sensor assembly
A tension detector may detect and help correct tension in a lift cable. The cable may include a lift cable within a telescopic structure, such as a telescopic tower. The tension sensor may detect when the cable tension is outside a high tension threshold and a low tension threshold and trigger an alert when outside the thresholds. The alert may be an audible alert or a visual alert. A controller may prevent a user from making the tension worse and encourage an operator to correct the tension problem by preventing a winch from expanding or retracting the telescopic structure. The tension sensor may use springs to calibrate the thresholds for the high tension and low tension and a series of pulleys to manipulate an arm to engage a tension sensor. |
| US08766809B2 |
Apparatus and method for correcting error of acquired data
Disclosed are an apparatus for correcting an error of acquired data and a method thereof. The method includes determining whether states of at least one circuit breaker and at least one disconnecting switch included in at least one station are consistent with each other based on data received from at least one remote control apparatus including the at least one station; assigning a weight to a corresponding circuit breaker and a corresponding disconnecting switch and the station including the corresponding circuit breaker and the corresponding disconnecting switch when the determination result represents that the states of the circuit breaker and the disconnecting switch are inconsistent with each other; creating alarm information notifying a malfunction of the corresponding circuit breaker and the corresponding disconnecting switch when an accumulated weight value is equal to or greater than a preset reference weight value; and outputting an alarm corresponding to the alarm information. |
| US08766808B2 |
Imager with multiple sensor arrays
An imager array may be provided as part of an imaging system. The imager array may include a plurality of sensor arrays (e.g., also referred to as lenslets or optical elements). Each sensor array may include a plurality of sensors (e.g., pixels) associated with a lens. The sensor arrays may be oriented, for example, substantially in a plane facing the same direction and configured to detect images from the same scene (e.g., target area). Such images may be processed in accordance with various techniques to provide images of electromagnetic radiation. The sensor arrays may include filters or lens coatings to selectively detect desired ranges of electromagnetic radiation. Such arrangements of sensor arrays in an imager array may be used to advantageous effect in a variety of different applications. |
| US08766806B2 |
Method and apparatus for real time enhancing of the operation of a fluid transport pipeline
A real time method and dynamic logic-based system for enhancing the operation of a pipeline network is disclosed. The system and method perform monitoring of the operation of a pipeline network, generate alarms in response to differing levels of destabilized pipeline operations, manage the generation of alarms based upon known operating events and operating conditions, diagnose potential source of the detected destabilized events and manage the operation of the pipeline. |
| US08766802B2 |
Base data management system
A base data management system is provided which can grasp specific data recorded in a plate-like or sheet-like object having high property values, such as a variety of cards, paper money, and securities, in real time, and can manage and track circulating paper money or the like. The base data management system includes a base data reader including a reading mechanism that reads specific data or resonance frequency recorded in a base with a magnetic field coupling and a transmitting mechanism that transmits the specific frequency date read by the reading mechanism and reader information. The system also includes a host computer including a data receiving mechanism that receives the specific frequency date and reader information transmitted from the base data reader through a network, a storage device that stores the specific data and reader information received by the data receiving mechanism, and an output mechanism that processes the data stored in the storage device or compares the data with other data and thus outputs the data. |
| US08766800B2 |
Authenticity verification methods, products, and apparatuses
A method and apparatus for determining a digital signature from an article. A coherent light source directs a beam to illuminate the article and a detector arrangement collects data points from light scattered from many different parts of the article to collect a large number of independent data points, typically 500 or more. By collecting a large number of independent signal contributions specific to many different parts of the article, a digital signature can be computed that is unique to the area of the article that has been scanned. This measurement can be repeated whenever required to test authenticity of the article. Using this method, it has been discovered that it is essentially pointless to go to the effort and expense of making specially prepared tokens, since unique characteristics are measurable a in a straightforward manner from a wide variety of every day articles. |
| US08766796B2 |
Method for reading position data from remote portable electronic device through signal switching network system
A method for reading current position data from a remote portable electronic device through a signal switching network system is provided. The remote portable electronic device, after obtaining its own position data, can transmit the current position data through a signal transmission interface and a signal transmission network of the signal switching network system to a position database on a server. A portable electronic device at the request end can login to the server through the signal transmission network of the signal switching network system, and read the current position data of the specific remote portable electronic device from the position database of the server. |
| US08766790B2 |
Wireless identification of a component of a pressure support system
An airway pressure support system (2) that includes a pressure generating device (4) structured to produce a flow of gas and a component (8) such as a patient interface device (8) structured to be selectively coupled to the pressure generating device (4), wherein the pressure generating device (4) and the component (8) are structured to enable the component (8) to be to wirelessly identified by the pressure generating device (4) only when the component (8) is coupled to the pressure generating device (4). Also, a method of identifying a component (8) in an airway pressure support system (2) that includes steps of coupling the component (8) to a pressure generating device (4) of the airway pressure support system (2) and enabling the component (8) to be to wirelessly identified by the pressure generating device (4) only when the component (8) is coupled to the pressure generating device. |
| US08766788B2 |
Transcutaneous energy transfer system with vibration inducing warning circuitry
An improved alarm device for use in a transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) system is provided. The device includes a processor configured to monitor at least one function of an implanted cardiac assist device and to generate an internal vibratory alarm. |
| US08766786B2 |
Device and method for providing tactile information
A user interface comprising a display arranged to display visual content and a tactile surface arranged to convey a tactile representation, wherein said tactile representation is based on said visual content. This has the advantage of enabling a user to perceive content being displayed to him with less cognitive effort. |
| US08766783B1 |
Methods and systems for remotely controlling electronics
A computer-implemented method of controlling electronics is performed at an apparatus that includes one or more processors, a camera, and a transmitter. In the method, the camera acquires a first image of an electronic device situated within view of the camera and configured for remote control. User input is received specifying a command for the electronic device. Based on the first image, a determination is made that the electronic device is not in a state corresponding to the command. In response to the determination, an instruction corresponding to the command is transmitted to the electronic device using the transmitter. |
| US08766779B2 |
Method and system for determining asset disposition using RFID
A system and method of determining a disposition of an electronic device as installed, in-need-of-repair, or in-storage are provided, using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices on the electronic devices and a sensor which detects disposition. Diagnostic test results and locations of installed devices may also be communicated to the RFID associated with the device and provided in a response to an interrogation. Shared memory on the device is integrated with the RFID device to store utilization and health history on the device for later retrieval. The disposition data is provided in a response to an interrogation of each device. Optionally, a communications device on a chassis housing electronic devices provides the disposition and location of all installed devices in response to an interrogation. The device disposition and location information is communicated to the communications device upon installation via a processing unit integral to the chassis. |
| US08766768B2 |
Secure keyless entry system
A secure keyless entry system integrates into an existing motorized garage door opening system to replace the one button transmitters typically placed in a vehicle. The one button transmitters are replaced with remote modules having alpha numeric key pads. The remote modules accept a string of input and compare the last four to eight entries to a previously set designated PIN. In order to obfuscate the designated PIN from on lookers, a user of the system may first enter a random string of decoy characters before finally entering the designated PIN. The disclosed system may also be used to replace the metal keys typically used to secure entry doors to a dwelling. |
| US08766764B2 |
Automated personnel screening system and method
The present specification discloses a system for controlling a movement of at least one person into a controlled location. The system includes an X-ray screening system having an entrance area defined by walls and a gate, and an exit area defined by walls and a gate. The gates are automatically controlled based upon the output of the X-ray screening system. Additional gates, defining an additional holding area, are used for subsequent analysis and inspection. |
| US08766762B2 |
Overvoltage protection element
An overvoltage protection element is disclosed that includes a housing, connections for electrically connecting the overvoltage protection element to a current path or a signal path to be protected The overvoltage protection element further includes two varistors arranged inside the housing and electrically connected in parallel, and a center electrode arranged at least partially between the varistors. The housing has two housing halves made of metal and electrically connected to each other, wherein the center electrode is isolated from the housing halves and is electrically connected at the opposite sides of the electrode to a first connection area of a varistor and wherein the two varistors and the center electrode are sandwiched between the two housing halves. One housing half is designed as a cover, which has a covering section and a recessed engagement section. In the installed states of the two housing halves, the engagement section engages in the corresponding receiving space formed by the other housing half and the covering section covers the receiving space, and in that the two housing halves are connected to each other such that in the installed state a visible gap is present between the two housing halves. |
| US08766761B2 |
Rocker switch unit with fuse
A rocker switch unit (1) with fuse comprising a housing (2); a rocker switch (3) lodged pivotally in the housing (2); at least a fuse lodged in the housing (2) and at least two connection elements (9) for connecting the rocker switch unit (1) with an external apparatus, wherein the two connection elements (9) are connected to each other by the fuse, when rocker switch (3) is in an ON-position. According to the invention the housing (2) provides at least one blind hole (4) for accommodating the fuse, wherein one terminal of the fuse serves as a first connection element for connecting the rocker switch unit (1) with the external apparatus. The rocker switch unit 1 can be used in any apparatus, in a network filter or as IEC entry plug. |
| US08766757B2 |
Translatory fastening element for detachably fastening a current conductor to a current transformer housing
The invention relates to a device for detachably fastening a current conductor (10) to a current transformer housing (12) comprising a fastening element (16, 32), wherein the fastening element (16, 32) can be guided such that the fastening element (16, 32) at least partially contacts the surface of the current conductor (10) in a fastening state of the current conductor (10) on the current transformer housing (12). The invention is characterized in that the fastening element (16, 32) is implemented such that it performs a translatory displacement in the direction of the current conductor (10) when transitioning from an unfastened state to the fastened state of the current conductor (10) to the current transformer housing (12). |
| US08766752B2 |
Magnetic biasing apparatus
A drive train is used at least including an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch member is rotatable by a clutch shaft about an axis of rotation. The clutch shaft is supported for lateral movement along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member to cooperate with the drive train at a first lateral position to cause the output shaft to turn and to move the clutch member to a second lateral position to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft. A permanent magnet is supported by one end of the clutch shaft and arranged for receiving an external magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to selectively move the clutch member between the first and second lateral positions. A traveling shaft can be used to support a selected gear for movement by the permanent magnet to implement transmission and reversing configurations. |
| US08766749B2 |
Miniature circuit breaker
A miniature circuit breaker having a pair of operable contacts in a main current path between a line terminal and load terminal, a trip mechanism for opening the contacts if an overcurrent condition occurs, and an electric motor to close the contacts via a contact closing mechanism. The trip mechanism includes a trigger mechanism and a contact opening mechanism, a current sensor arranged to detect current through the main current path, and a control unit. The trigger mechanism triggers the contact opening mechanism if a trip signal is produced. The control unit produces a trip signal to operate the trigger mechanism if it determines a short circuit condition occurs based on output of the current sensor; and the control unit is arranged to operate the electric motor to trigger the contact opening mechanism into opening the contacts independently of the trigger mechanism if it determines that an overload condition occurs. |
| US08766748B2 |
Microstrip line structures with alternating wide and narrow portions having different thicknesses relative to ground, method of manufacture and design structures
On-chip high performance slow-wave microstrip line structures, methods of manufacture and design structures for integrated circuits are provided herein. The structure includes at least one ground and a signal layer provided in a different plane than the at least one ground. The signal layer has at least one alternating wide portion and narrow portion with an alternating thickness such that a height of the wide portion is different than a height of the narrow portion with respect to the at least one ground. |
| US08766747B2 |
Coplanar waveguide structures with alternating wide and narrow portions, method of manufacture and design structure
On-chip high performance slow-wave coplanar waveguide structures, method of manufacture and design structures for integrated circuits are provided herein. The structure includes at least one ground and a signal layer provided in a same plane as the at least one ground. The signal layer has at least one alternating wide portion and narrow portion. The wide portion extends toward the at least one ground. |
| US08766744B2 |
Duplexer and electronic device having the same
In one aspect of the invention, a duplexer including a multilayer substrate with multiple stacked layers and a back surface with a rectangular shape is disclosed. An antenna terminal, a transmission terminal, a reception terminal, a ground terminal, and a conductor are provided in various positions on the multilayer substrate for improved performance. |
| US08766742B2 |
Integrated hybrid-direct couplers
An integrated coupler may vertically integrate a hybrid coupler and a directional coupler. The hybrid coupler may include a first quarter-wave metallic strip dielectrically coupled to a second quarter-wave strip. The directional coupler may include the second quarter-wave metallic strip dielectrically coupled to a third metallic strip. The first quarter-wave metallic strip may receive a first input signal. The second quarter-wave metallic strip may receive a second input signal, and it may superimpose the first quarter-wave metallic strip along a vertical space, so as to combine power received from the first input signal and the second input signal to form an output signal. The third quarter-wave metallic strip may superimpose the second quarter-wave metallic strip along the vertical space, so as to sample the output signal of the second quarter-wave metallic strip. |
| US08766740B2 |
Equalizer for loss-compensation of high-frequency signals generated in transmission channels
An equalizer for compensating transmission losses of electronic communication signals includes a circuit board and a compensation module. The compensation module includes a pair of input pins, a pair of output pins, and at least two resistors. When a signal transmitted by the circuit board is received by the input pins, a first portion of the signal is directly output from the output pins, a second portion of the signal is reflected by the first resistor and transmitted back to the output pins to output, and a third portion of the signal is reflected by the second resistor and transmitted back to the output pins to output, such that output of the equalizer applies two stages of compensation. |
| US08766729B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for forming a synthesized oscillating signal
An apparatus, and an associated method, for synthesizing a discrete-valued oscillating signal. Input parameters are provided that are determinative of the frequency, gain, and phase characteristics of the resultant, oscillating signal. The discrete-valued, oscillating signal is combinable with another signal to form a mixed signal of a desired frequency, gain, and phase characteristic using a single complex multiplication operation. |
| US08766728B2 |
Trans-impedance amplifier with enhanced dynamic range but invariable input impedance
A trans-impedance amplifier (TIA) for an optical receiver is disclosed, in which the TIA enhances the dynamic range thereof but suppresses the variation of the input impedance thereof. The TIA enhances the dynamic range by subtracting from the photocurrent input therein, which varies the input impedance. The TIA also provides the variable gain amplifier with a feedback resistor. The variable gain of the amplifier compensates the variation of the input impedance due to the current subtraction. |
| US08766726B2 |
Operational amplifier with improved frequency compensation
An operational amplifier includes an operational amplifier circuit having at least one output node and an output stage coupled to the output node, the output stage containing an output and first MOS transistor employed in a common source amplifier mode, a frequency compensation capacitor coupled between the output of the output stage and the gate of the first transistor circuit by means of a second MOS transistor employed in a common gate amplifier mode. The other node of the capacitor and the output of the output stage are coupled to the amplifier output node with a resistor. |
| US08766721B1 |
Time gain compensation
In certain embodiments, circuits and methods for time gain compensation are provided. A circuit includes a first op-amp that is configured to compare a first and a second input voltage signal received from first and second input circuits, respectively, and output a first op-amp output signal. A control circuit coupled with a first semiconductor element of the second input circuit is configured to vary a first resistance value of the first semiconductor element to control the first op-amp output signal. The first op-amp output signal includes a relatively high voltage signal and a relative low voltage signal when an input control voltage signal corresponds to a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage signal, respectively associated with the first op-amp. The first op-amp output signal is input to a gate terminal of a load semiconductor element so-as to vary an impedance of the load semiconductor element. |
| US08766719B2 |
Digitally-controlled power amplifier with bandpass filtering/transient waveform control and related digitally-controlled power amplifier cell
A digitally-controlled power amplifier (DPA) with bandpass filtering includes a radio-frequency (RF) clock input, an amplitude control word (ACW) input, and a plurality of DPA cells. The RF clock input is arranged for receiving an RF clock. The ACW input is arranged for receiving a digital ACW signal. The DPA cells are coupled to the RF clock and the digital ACW signal, wherein at least one of the DPA cells is gradually turned on and off in response to at least one bit of the digital ACW signal. |
| US08766718B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive power amplifier linearization
An exemplary system comprises a linearizer, a power amplifier, and a feedback block. The linearizer may be configured to use a predistortion control signal to add predistortion to a receive signal to generate a predistorted signal. The power amplifier may be configured to amplify power of the predistorted signal to generate a first amplified signal. The power amplifier may also add high side and low side amplifier distortion to the predistorted signal. The high side and low side amplifier distortion may cancel at least a portion of the predistortion. The feedback block may be configured to capture a feedback signal based on a previous amplified signal from the power amplifier, to determine high side and low side distortion of the captured feedback signal, and to generate the predistortion control signal based on the determined high side and low side distortion. |
| US08766713B2 |
Switching amplifier with embedded harmonic rejection filter
A switching amplifier with an embedded harmonic rejection filter is disclosed. In an exemplary design, the switching amplifier includes a generator circuit and a plurality of output circuits. The generator circuit receives an input signal and a carrier signal at a carrier frequency and generates a plurality of versions of a drive signal associated with different delays. The drive signal may be a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. The plurality of versions of the drive signal may be generated by delaying the carrier signal, or the input signal, or the drive signal. The output circuits receive the plurality of versions of the drive signal and provide an output signal. The output circuits have outputs that are coupled together and implement a finite impulse response (FIR) filter based on the plurality of versions of the drive signal. The FIR filter has a frequency response with zeros at harmonics of the carrier frequency. |
| US08766710B1 |
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit comprising: a first core circuit configured to operate at a first clock rate for carrying out a first range of tasks; and a second core circuit configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode, the second core circuit being configured to operate at a second clock rate for carrying out a second range of tasks in the second mode and being configured to operate in the second mode when the first core circuit carries out the first range of tasks, the second clock rate being greater than the first clock rate. |
| US08766706B2 |
Methods for trapping charge in a microelectromechanical system and microelectromechanical system employing same
Many inventions are disclosed. Some aspects are directed to MEMS, and/or methods for use with and/or for fabricating MEMS, that supply, store, and/or trap charge on a mechanical structure disposed in a chamber. Various structures may be disposed in the chamber and employed in supplying, storing and/or trapping charge on the mechanical structure. In some aspects, a breakable link, a thermionic electron source and/or a movable mechanical structure are employed. The breakable link may comprise a fuse. In one embodiment, the movable mechanical structure is driven to resonate. In some aspects, the electrical charge enables a transducer to convert vibrational energy to electrical energy, which may be used to power circuit(s), device(s) and/or other purpose(s). In some aspects, the electrical charge is employed in changing the resonant frequency of a mechanical structure and/or generating an electrostatic force, which may be repulsive. |
| US08766701B1 |
Analog multiplexing with independent power supplies
An apparatus relating generally to an analog multiplexer is disclosed. In such an apparatus, the analog multiplexer has first select circuits and at least one second select circuit. The first select circuits have respective input nodes and output nodes. The output nodes are all coupled to one another to provide an output node of the analog multiplexer. The first select circuits are coupled to a first supply voltage of a first supply domain. The at least one second select circuit is coupled to a second supply voltage of a second supply domain different from the first supply domain. The at least one second select circuit has an input port and an output port. The output port is coupled to an input node of the input nodes. |
| US08766697B2 |
Level shifting circuit with adaptive feedback
An amplifier has a first pull-up path coupled between a voltage supply node and an output node, and a pull-down path coupled between the output node and a ground supply node. A second pull-up path is coupled between the voltage supply node and the output node. The second pull-up path is actuated by a feedback signal and biased by a biasing signal. An inverter circuit is operable to invert the signal at the amplifier output node to generate the feedback signal. A biasing circuit is configured to generate the biasing signal. The biasing circuit is configured to control a relative strength of the pull-down path to the second pull-up path, wherein the pull-down path is stronger than the second pull-up path in a manner that is consistently present over all PVT corners. |
| US08766695B1 |
Clock generation and delay architecture
This disclosure provides examples of circuits, devices, systems, and methods for generating a reference clock signal and delaying a received clock signal based on the reference clock signal. In one implementation, a circuit includes a control block configured to generate a control signal. The circuit includes an oscillator configured to generate a reference clock signal. The oscillator includes a plurality of delay elements each configured to receive the control signal and to introduce a delay in the reference clock signal based on the control signal. The delay elements of the oscillator are arranged to generate the reference clock signal. The circuit further includes a delay block configured to receive a clock signal and to generate a delayed clock signal. The delay block includes one or more delay elements each configured to receive the control signal and to introduce a delay in the clock signal based on the control signal. |
| US08766694B2 |
Pulse shifting circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a rupture instructing pulse generation unit configured to generate a rupture instructing pulse signal in response to a fuse rupture command signal and an address; a first anti-fuse rupture unit configured to perform an operation for rupturing a first anti-fuse during an enable period of the rupture instructing pulse signal, and generate rupture information of the first anti-fuse; a pulse shifting unit configured to delay the rupture instructing pulse signal and generate a delayed rupture instructing pulse signal; and a second anti-fuse rupture unit configured to perform an operation for rupturing a second anti-fuse during an enable period of the delayed rupture instructing pulse signal, and generate rupture information of the second anti-fuse. |
| US08766691B2 |
Duty cycle error accumulation circuit and duty cycle correction circuit having the same
A duty cycle error accumulation circuit includes first to nth delay units and a feedback unit. The first to nth delay units receive a clock signal, a first input signal and a second input signal, respectively, to generate a first output signal and a second output signal by delaying one signal selected from first and second input signals based on a logic level of the clock signal. The feedback unit supplies second input signal to a kth delay unit based on second output signal of a (k+1)th delay unit. The first output signal of the kth delay unit is supplied to the (k+1)th delay unit as first input signal, and the clock signal is supplied to the first delay unit as first input signal and to the nth delay unit as second input signal. The duty cycle error accumulation circuit effectively corrects a duty cycle of a clock signal. |
| US08766686B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for driving the same
A semiconductor device includes a delay locked loop (DLL) configured to generate a DLL clock signal by delaying a reference clock signal in response to a second delay amount tracked using a first delay amount as an initial delay amount, and track the second delay amount again by adjusting the first delay amount in response to a reset signal, and a DLL controller configured to activate the reset signal when the second delay amount deviates from a given range. |
| US08766685B1 |
Phase locked loop circuit and a method in the phase locked loop circuit
A PLL circuit comprises a phase frequency detector (PFD), a charge pump (CP), a low pass filter (LPF), a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a frequency divider (FD) and a reset module. The PFD receives a first and a second input signals, and outputs a first and a second adjustment parameters according to phase and frequency difference between the first and the second input signal. The CP is coupled to the PFD, generates a current according to the first and the second adjustment parameters. The LPF is coupled to the CP, and generates a voltage according to the current. The VCO is coupled to the LPF, and generates an oscillation frequency according to the voltage. The FD receives and divides the oscillation frequency, and generates the second input signal. The reset module generates a reset signal to feed to the FD, wherein the reset module receives the first signal. |
| US08766681B2 |
Device and method for a multiplexor/demultiplexor reset scheme
Circuit and method for resetting clock circuitry. The circuit includes a chain of cascading units, each of which receives an input of a number of parallel bit streams and outputs a different number of parallel bit streams. A chain of dividers provides one or more divided clock signals to the cascading units, wherein the divided clock signals are based on a gated common clock signal. An asynchronous reset signal is delivered to the dividers, and when asserted sets the dividers to a reset state. A clock source provides an ungated common clock signal. A clock gating circuit generates the gated common clock signal based on the ungated common clock signal, and is configured to hold the gated common clock signal while the asynchronous reset signal is asserted. The clock gating circuit provides the gated common clock signal to the dividers when the asynchronous reset signal is de-asserted. |
| US08766680B2 |
Voltage translation circuit
A voltage translation circuit (116) provides an output analog voltage signal that has a translated voltage of the voltage of an input analog voltage signal over a range of values of the input analog voltage signal. The voltage translation circuit includes an input stage (202) having a circuit node and an input transistor (210) coupled between the circuit node and a power supply terminal, wherein a gate of the input transistor is coupled to receive the input analog voltage signal; a current path circuit (204) in parallel with the input transistor, wherein the current path includes a first transistor coupled between the circuit node and the power supply terminal; and a circuit coupled to provide a variable body bias voltage to a body of the first transistor. |
| US08766676B2 |
Down converter and control method of the same
A down converter has two down converter circuits. The one down converter circuit has a first mixer, a first ½ frequency-divider, and a first PLL. The other down converter circuit has a second mixer, a second ½ frequency-divider, and a second PLL. A difference frequency between a frequency of a local oscillation frequency signal of the second PLL and a frequency of a frequency-divided signal of the first ½ frequency-divider is higher than an upper limit of a receive frequency band of a tuner. |
| US08766674B1 |
Current-mode buffer with output swing detector for high frequency clock interconnect
A high-speed current-mode clock driver includes feedback circuitry to maintain the voltage swing of a biasing node within a defined range. The current-mode clock driver includes a PMOS and an NMOS transistor receiving an oscillating signal at their gate terminals. The drain terminals of the PMOS and NMOS transistors are respectively coupled to input terminals of first and second variable conductivity circuits whose output terminals are coupled to a common node. A control circuit increases the conductivities of the first and second variable conductivity circuits in response to decreases in voltage swing of the common node, and decreases the conductivities of the first and second variable conductivity circuits in response to increases in voltage swing of the common node. The first and second variable conductivity circuits are optionally PMOS and NMOS transistors respectively. |
| US08766673B2 |
Systems with components operable in low power modes
A system comprises a first component operable in a plurality of modes coupled to a second component via an isolation circuit. The isolation circuit comprises a first diode coupled between a power supply of the first component and an output of the isolation circuit. The output of the isolation circuit is coupled to the second component.The isolation circuit also comprises a first transistor the base of which is coupled to an output of the first component and one of the collector and emitter of which is coupled to the output of the isolation circuit.In a low power mode of the first component, parasitic supply from the output of the isolation circuit is blocked from the power supply of the first component and from the output of the first component by the first transistor and the first diode. |
| US08766671B2 |
Load driving apparatus
A load driving apparatus for driving a load with a constant current includes a shunt resistor and a driver circuit. A shunt current corresponding to the constant current flows though the shunt resistor. The driver circuit is connected to a first end of the shunt resistor to supply the constant current corresponding to the shunt current to the load. The driver circuit includes a reference voltage source for generating a predetermined reference voltage. The driver circuit adjusts the magnitude of the constant current by performing a feedback-control of the magnitude of the shunt current in such a manner that a first voltage corresponding to the reference voltage and a second voltage corresponding to a voltage at the first end of the shunt resistor become equal to each other. |
| US08766669B1 |
Sampling network
A circuit with a sampling network may include a pair of capacitors, where each of the capacitors has a first node and a second node; a first pair of switches communicatively coupling corresponding differential input voltage signals to the first node of each of the capacitors; and a second pair of switches communicatively coupling the second node of each of the capacitors to a common mode voltage source. Corresponding differential output voltage signals at the second node of each of the capacitors may be communicatively coupled using a differential switch. The second pair of switches may be coupled in parallel with the differential switch. A clock signal of the differential switch may be de-asserted prior to de-asserting corresponding clock signals for each of the second pair of switches. |
| US08766665B2 |
Reconfigurable logic automata
A family of reconfigurable asynchronous logic elements that interact with their nearest neighbors permits reconfigurable implementation of circuits that are asynchronous at the bit level. A reconfigurable asynchronous logic cell comprises a set of one-bit buffers for communication with at least one neighboring cell, each buffer capable of having several states and configured for receiving input state tokens from neighboring cells and for transferring output state tokens to neighboring cells, and a one-bit processor configured to perform a logic operation utilizing received tokens as inputs and to produce an output token reflecting the result of the logic operation, wherein the logic operation and the functional configuration of the buffers are reconfigurably programmable. A reconfigurable logic circuit comprises a plurality of reconfigurable logic cells that compute by locally passing state tokens and are reconfigured by the directed shifting of programming instructions through neighboring logic cells. |
| US08766661B2 |
Malfunction detecting device for solar cell panel
A malfunction detecting device for a solar cell panel includes an AC source that is provided on one of positive and negative sides of a solar cell panel body and can apply AC voltage superimposed on DC voltage to the solar cell panel, a measuring means provided on another of the positive and negative sides of the solar cell panel body to measure voltage or current output from the solar cell panel, and a control unit including a malfunction determination portion that controls the AC source to control input voltage or input current to be input to the solar cell panel and determines malfunction in the solar cell panel by comparing the input voltage or the input current to output voltage or output current measured by the measuring means. The malfunction determination portion includes a panel body malfunction determination portion and a bypass diode malfunction determination portion. |
| US08766659B2 |
Contactor including a covalent bond layer
A contactor includes a contactor base material including a first material and a conductor film including a second material. The conductor film is formed only on a contact surface with an electrode of a semiconductor apparatus at a tip of the contactor film. |
| US08766656B2 |
Systems and methods for thermal control
The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for thermal control. More particularly, the invention encompasses an apparatus for thermal control and management of at least one device under test (DUT). The inventive thermal control and management apparatus also allows for the management of a plurality of devices under test, and with each device under test having its own testing regimen. The thermal control and management of the device under test (DUT) is managed using at least one thermoelectric element or cooler (TEC), which can be used to either heat or cool the corresponding device under test (DUT). |
| US08766655B2 |
Conductive conductivity sensor
A conductive conductivity sensor, comprising: a probe immersible in a measured medium. The probe has an inner space, which is connected to an environment of the probe via at least one opening leading out from the inner space and in which are arranged two electrodes, which are supplied with an alternating voltage during measurement operation and which have inner surfaces facing into the inner space and outwardly facing outer surfaces covered by insulation, wherein the inner surfaces have edge surfaces adjoining the openings. Measuring characteristics of the conductivity sensor have a smallest possible dependence on objects arranged in the vicinity of the conductivity sensor. At least the edge surfaces adjoining one of the openings have a surface geometry directing thereon beginning or ending, electric field lines in a direction facing away from such opening and into the inner space. |
| US08766647B2 |
Method and apparatus for power sequence timing to mitigate supply resonance in power distribution network
The transient load current of a circuit powered by a power distribution network is increased in a plurality of steps, with the step transition times being adjusted based on the transient noise of the power distribution network. This reduces the resonance noise that would otherwise occur in the supply current of the power distribution network. |
| US08766645B2 |
Method and device for tracking the degradation of insulators in a rotary machine
A method for tracking the deterioration of the insulators in a rotating machine, a method for preventive maintenance of these machines using this tracking and devices using the tracking method is presented. |
| US08766636B2 |
MRI short coils
According to one aspect, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner includes a short birdcage (e.g. millipede) distributed-capacitance radio-frequency (RF) coil formed from one or more patterned planar conductive foils. The transverse extent (e.g. diameter) of the coil is at least a factor of 3, for example about a factor of 10, larger than the longitudinal (z-axis) extent of the coil. Flux-return gaps may be provided between the sample measurement volume defined by the coil and RF shields adjacent to the sample measurement volume, to confine the RF magnetic field to the sample measurement volume. Exemplary coils described herein are particularly suited for very high-frequency MRI measurements. |
| US08766635B2 |
System and apparatus for balancing radial forces in a gradient coil
A gradient coil apparatus for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes an inner gradient coil assembly and an outer gradient coil assembly disposed around the inner gradient coil assembly. The outer gradient coil assembly has an outer surface, a first end and a second end. The gradient coil apparatus also includes a force balancing apparatus disposed around the outer surface of the outer gradient coil assembly. In one embodiment, the force balancing apparatus includes an active force balancing coil disposed around the outer surface of the outer gradient coil assembly. In another embodiment, the force balancing apparatus includes a first passive conducting strip disposed around the first end of the outer gradient coil assembly and a second passive conducting strip disposed around the second end of the outer gradient coil assembly. |
| US08766633B2 |
Methods and apparatus for pasadena hyperpolarization
The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatus for using hyperpolarization to improve imaging. Am exemplary embodiment, a PASADENA polarizer, is capable of delivering 2.5-5 ml of highly hyperpolarized biological 13C and 15N imaging reagents in less than one minute, and capable of repeated delivery every 5-8 minutes. Exemplary quality control sequences are also provided to create versatile methods, systems, and apparatuses for a variety of biomolecules, capable of undergoing reaction with parahydrogen necessary for effective PASADENA. The subject matter simplifies the technology for routine liquid state generation of hyperpolarized molecules for 13C and 15N subsecond imaging and spectroscopy in vivo and further advance the clinical application of this technology. Methods and systems for providing magnetic shielding are also provided. |
| US08766628B2 |
Methods of characterizing a component of a polycrystalline diamond compact by at least one magnetic measurement
In an embodiment, a method of characterizing a polycrystalline diamond compact is disclosed. The method includes providing the polycrystalline diamond compact, and measuring at least one magnetic characteristic of a component of the polycrystalline diamond compact. |
| US08766620B2 |
Phase identification system and method
A phase identification system includes a power distribution station and a phase detection device. The power distribution station includes a phase distortion device for generating voltage distortions of a known harmonic frequency in at least one of three phase voltage signals of the power distribution station. The phase detection is configured to receive at least one of distorted three phase voltage signals and to identify a phase of the received voltage signal. The phase detection device includes a delay circuit to generate a phase shifted voltage signal of the received voltage signal and a transformation module to transform the received voltage signal and the phase shifted voltage signal into d-q domain voltage signals of a known harmonic frequency reference frame. A phase determination module in the phase detection device determine the phase of the received voltage signal by comparing an amplitude of a harmonic of the known harmonic frequency in the received voltage signal with a threshold value. |
| US08766618B2 |
Supplying voltage in a circuit using a first voltage source and an adjustable second voltage source
A circuit, use, and method for operating a circuit is provided that includes a regulated first voltage source for providing a supply voltage at an output of the first voltage source for a subcircuit, an adjustable second voltage source for providing an output voltage to supply the subcircuit, and an evaluation circuit, which is connected to an output of the second voltage source and to a control input of the second voltage source and to the output of the first voltage source. Wherein the evaluation circuit is formed to adjust the output voltage of the second voltage source by means of a control signal at the control input of the second voltage source with evaluation of the supply voltage at the output of the first voltage source, and wherein the evaluation circuit and/or the second voltage source have a memory for storing values of the adjustment. |
| US08766617B2 |
Method for improving voltage identification transient response and voltage regulator
An exemplary method for improving voltage identification (VID) transient response is adapted to a voltage regulator and includes steps of: continuously sensing an inductor current of the voltage regulator to thereby output a current sense signal; during a steady state operation period, sampling the current sense signal to thereby obtain a sampling result for providing a droop control signal; after entering a VID transient period from the steady state operation period, holding the sampling result for providing the droop control signal; and taking the droop control signal as a consideration factor of producing a pulse width modulation signal to regulate an output voltage of the voltage regulator. |
| US08766615B2 |
DC-DC converter control circuit and DC-DC converter including same
A DC-DC converter control circuit, to control a DC-DC converter having an inductor and two switching elements, including a first feedback circuit to generate a first feedback voltage indicating a DC component of an inductor current of the inductor based on an output current of the DC-DC converter; a second feedback circuit to generate a second feedback voltage indicating an AC component of the inductor current; a synthesis circuit to add the first and second feedback voltages to generate a third feedback voltage; a comparator to compare the third feedback voltage with a reference voltage to output a control signal; and a driving circuit to control the switching elements. The second feedback voltage is generated based on a difference between input and output voltages of the DC-DC converter when the control signal from the comparator is low and based on the output voltage when the control signal is high. |
| US08766614B2 |
Apparatus for impedance matching
An apparatus for impedance matching of an electrical load to a generator has input connections for connection to the generator and output connections for connection to the load. The apparatus has a converter which connects the input connections to the output connections. An input voltage which is applied between the input connections can be converted into an output voltage. The converter has energy storage means connected to one of the output connections by an active diode, a controllable switching device, and an actuation device. The switching device can be moved to a first and a second switching state so that energy from the generator is stored in the energy storage means in the first switching state. Energy which is stored can be output to the load in the second switching state. A detector is connected to the input connections for detecting a measurement signal for the impedance matching. The actuation device has an activation signal and can be moved to a first and a second operating state. The energy which is output by the generator is temporarily stored in an input capacitor. |
| US08766611B2 |
Reference voltage generation circuit and method
A reference voltage generation circuit includes: a bandgap reference circuit, generating a plurality of initial currents with different temperature coefficients; a base voltage generation circuit, combining the initial current into a combined current, and converting the combined current into one or more base voltages; a bias current source circuit, generating one or more bias currents based on at least one of the initial currents; and one or more regulating output circuit, each converting a respective one of the one or more bias currents into an increment voltage and adding the increment voltage to the base voltage to generate a respective output voltage. Each output voltage may have its respective temperature coefficient. |
| US08766609B2 |
Power supply controller including an anomaly monitor
A power supply controller includes: a controlling section that, upon determination that no anomaly has occurred, causes a semiconductor switch to execute turning on and, upon determination that the anomaly has occurred, causes the semiconductor switch to maintain an off state; a monitoring section that monitors which condition the controlling section is in, the condition being normal or anormal; and a switching section that, upon monitoring result by the monitoring section indicating the normal condition, causes turning on and off of the semiconductor switch by the controlling section and, upon the monitoring result indicating the anormal condition, causes turning on and off of the semiconductor switch with an external on-off command signals. |
| US08766604B2 |
Switching power supply apparatus
A switching power supply is provided to supply an AC input voltage. The supply includes a control circuit configured to detect a voltage of the AC power source in a voltage waveform, and switch elements in a synchronous rectification switching mode in synchronization with polarities of the voltage waveform when the AC input voltage is equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage value. The control unit also operates the switching without synchronization with the polarities when the AC input voltage is smaller than the predetermined voltage value. |
| US08766602B1 |
Self protecting pre-charge circuit
A battery charging system includes a pre-charge control circuit for electrically coupling a plurality of power supply terminals to a plurality of load terminals. The pre-charge control circuit includes a plurality of switching elements for selectively coupling at least one of the plurality of power supply terminals and one of the plurality of power supply using one of a pre-charge current path and a standard charge current path. The pre-charge current path includes at least one pre-charge resistor in series with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) resistor. |
| US08766599B2 |
Battery pack including charged/discharge switch
In a battery pack, undesired current consumption is reduced during a shipping period to extend the charge keeping time of the battery pack. The battery pack includes at least one of battery cells, a charge switch, a discharge switch, and a microcomputer for controlling the charge switch and the discharge switch in accordance with a voltage of the battery cells. The battery pack has a shipping mode where the battery pack is shut down during the shipping period. |
| US08766596B2 |
Battery management system and battery management method
A battery management system (BMS) for managing discharging of a plurality of battery cells is disclosed. The battery management system comprises a battery monitoring unit, for monitoring statuses of the plurality of battery cells; and a discharge control unit, for controlling the plurality of battery cells to output a plurality of output powers to a load according to the statuses of the plurality of battery cells. |
| US08766594B2 |
Method and device for the efficient charging of a vehicle battery
A method and a device are provided for the efficient charging of a vehicle battery of an electric vehicle by a charging station of a group charging station. The connected vehicle battery, starting from an initial charge state, is charged in accordance with a calculated charge priority value until the charge state of the vehicle battery reaches a selectable charge state. The calculated charge priority values of the vehicle batteries connected at the same time to the charging stations of the group charging station determine which batteries will be charged within a charging interval. |
| US08766591B2 |
Resonance type non-contact charging apparatus
A resonance type non-contact charging apparatus is disclosed. A charger of the apparatus receives the high frequency power from a secondary side resonance coil of the apparatus. A power ratio detecting section of the apparatus detects the ratio of the reflected power from a primary side resonance coil to the high frequency power source with respect to the output power from the high frequency power source to the primary side resonance coil. A stop control section of the apparatus stops the high frequency power source when the ratio detected by the power ratio detecting section becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. |
| US08766589B2 |
Motor control unit and vehicle steering system
In a motor control unit, a current-carrying failure detection unit determines a first determination condition and a second determination condition. The current-carrying failure detection unit measures a duration of a state where the first determination condition is satisfied, and a duration of a state where the second determination condition is satisfied. When the first or second duration exceeds a predetermined reference period, the current-carrying failure detection unit determines that a current-carrying failure has occurred. |
| US08766585B2 |
Device for controlling an on-board apparatus
A control device (1) for controlling on-board equipment has a mount (5) having hinged thereto at least one drive lever (2) movable between two extreme positions, and also including a magnetic friction member (3) connected to the lever (2) and opposing resistance to movement thereof. |
| US08766584B2 |
System and method for managing DC link switching harmonics
A distributed motor drive system includes a power management module and multiple inverter modules integrated with the motors and located on a machine or process remote from the power management module. The power management module distributes DC voltage and command signals to each of the inverters, where the DC voltage is distributed between modules via a DC link cable. The integrated inverters execute switching routines to convert the DC voltage to an AC voltage suitable for controlling the motor. Each of the power management module and the inverters includes a portion of the DC bus. The current on the DC link cable is monitored and general bus utilization as well as overload conditions are reported. |
| US08766581B2 |
Power factor correction circuit, and power supply device and motor driving device having the same
There are provided a power factor correction circuit capable of transferring extra power to a ground before performing switching for a power factor correction to thereby reduce a switching loss generated in switching for a power factor correction, and a power supply device and a motor driving device having the same. The power factor correction circuit includes: a main switch switching input power to adjust a phase difference between a current and a voltage of the input power; and an auxiliary switch switched on before the main switch is switched on, to thereby form a transmission path for extra power of the main switch. |
| US08766580B2 |
Method for controlling the discharge pump of a household appliance and processing unit for implementing said method
A method for controlling a discharge pump of a household appliance, including starting a synchronous electric motor that actuates said discharge pump until the synchronism condition is reached, and driving said synchronous electric motor at a steady state through phase control by varying the firing angle (α). In driving said synchronous motor at steady state through phase control, said firing angle (α) is feedback controlled to cancel the phase difference between the mid-point of a zero current plateau of a function of the phase current fed to the electric motor and the zero-crossing point of a counter electromotive force signal (fcem) relative to the same phase. In feedback controlling the firing angle (α), the synchronous electric motor is switched off if the required firing angle (α) exceeds a maximum threshold (αlim), which may result from the operation of the discharge pump in air-water conditions. |
| US08766579B2 |
Method and device for monitoring and correcting a sensorless rotor position detection in permanently excited motors
The invention relates to methods and devices for monitoring and correcting a sensorless rotor position detection in permanently excited motors, comprising a control device and a current converter. The invention is especially characterised in that the ambiguity of the rotor position determined from the inductance ratios of the motor, in permanently excited motors, can be resolved in a simple manner without a sensor, and a defectively determined angle can be corrected as required. To this end, during the operation of the motor, the rotor position is detected by means of an inductance-based detection device. Furthermore, the rotor position is monitored in relation to the ambiguity of the inductance-based signals by means of a monitoring/correcting device, and where necessary, an occurring angle error corrected, the currents in the motor being modified. |
| US08766576B2 |
Fault detection method for electric motors with one or several star points
A detection and control device is provided for detecting a motor fault of an electric motor with star point topology, with an evaluation unit, a control unit, and a return unit. The return unit is configured for returning a star point potential of the electric motor to the evaluation unit, the evaluation unit is configured for evaluating the star point potential and the control unit is designed for passivating a motor fault on the basis of the evaluation. The function of the return unit and of the evaluation unit may also be assumed by control lines and by the control unit. |
| US08766570B2 |
Method for controlling a converter
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a converter for an electrical system that is controlled in such that switching sequences for the converter, determined with respect to an optimization goal are modified such that by correcting a flux error resulting from assumptions on which the first optimization of the switching sequence is based. |
| US08766568B2 |
System and method for maintaining performance of battery-operated toothbrushes
The system periodically measures the battery voltage of the toothbrush and the current in a stator portion of the motor for the appliance. The amplitude of movement of the toothbrush workpiece is determined from the measured stator current. A circuit/control program changes the duty cycle or pulse width of the drive signal from the motor if the battery voltage drops below a first threshold value and a circuit or control program changes the drive frequency of the appliance if the amplitude of the workpiece movement falls below a first threshold value. A circuit/control program terminates the operation of the toothbrush if the voltage drops below a second threshold value or if the amplitude drops below a second threshold value, both of which are less than the respective first thresholds. |
| US08766566B2 |
System for causing temperature rise in battery
A battery temperature rise causing system has a converting unit for converting voltage of electric power held in one of a rechargeable battery and an accumulator and applies the converted voltage to the other one, and a control unit controlling the converting unit to alternately perform first transfer of electric power from the battery to the accumulator and second transfer of electric power from the accumulator to the battery while changing the first transfer for the second transfer each time the battery voltage reaches a lower limit and changing the second transfer for the first transfer each time the battery voltage reaches an upper limit, and to increase temperature of the battery due to heat generated by electric current flowing through the battery during the electric power transfer. |
| US08766564B2 |
Method of reducing the effect of preheat time variation during shape memory alloy actuation
A system for and method of reducing the effects of preheat period variation in shape memory alloy actuation, include sensing the removal of motion delay due to slack, backlash, and/or compliance in the actuator and drive-train of the system, and determining actuator activation, as a result thereof. |
| US08766563B2 |
Drive arrangement for the motor-driven adjustment of an adjustable element in a motor vehicle
Described herein is a drive arrangement for the motor-driven adjustment of an adjustable element in a motor vehicle, the drive arrangement having two electrical drives and a control device, the drives, in the fitted state, acting in the same way on the adjustable element and having a substantially identical configuration, apart from tolerance-related discrepancies. The control device has a power controller which, in the fitted state, during the motor-driven adjustment of the adjustable element, subjects the electrical power that is output respectively to the two drives to closed-loop control, for the purpose of compensating for the tolerance-related discrepancies, in such a way that an identical electrical power consumption is established for both drives. |
| US08766557B2 |
Electronic transformer compatibility for light emitting diode systems
Various embodiments of the invention provide power factor correction in solid state lighting applications. In certain embodiments, an LED driver for an LED array is controlled for power factor correction by a control circuit block. The control circuit block comprises electronic circuitry that enables the input current to the LED driver to be measured and controlled. This control circuit block comprises at least one switching device that enables an alternating form of current at a particular frequency to be applied to the LED array regardless of whether the main power source is a DC or AC power source. |
| US08766555B2 |
Tunable white color methods and uses thereof
A lighting apparatus includes: first, second and third groups of solid state light emitters; a first group of lumiphors; at least first, second and third power lines, the first, second and third group of solid state light emitters each being electrically coupled to at least one of the first, second and third power lines. A current controller controls the relative flux ratios of the first, second and third groups, the controller being programmed to, in response to receipt of a command, retrieve a set of data from a look-up table that contains information of the required flux output of each group of LEDs and generate pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to control current supplied to each group to alter the flux output of each group in order to achieve a desired CCT and total flux output. |
| US08766548B2 |
AC to DC LED illumination devices, systems and method
Illumination devices (10), systems and methods that convert an alternating current (AC) supply (14) to a direct current (DC) for powering a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are disclosed. An illumination device (10) comprises a full wave rectifier (12) for converting the AC supply into a direct current (DC). A current limiting diode (CLD) module (16), comprising at least one CLD is coupled in series to an output of the full wave rectifier and a light emitting diode (LED) module (18) comprising a plurality of LEDs is coupled in series between an output of the CLD module (16) and the full wave rectifier (12). |
| US08766547B2 |
Lighting device and method of controlling light emitted thereby
A lighting device and a method of controlling a light emitted thereby are disclosed. A lighting device including light emitting units configured of a plurality of light emitting diodes connected with each other in series according to the present invention may include a rectifier unit configured to rectify an alternation current voltage to supply the rectified voltage to each of the light emitting units, a control unit configured to control on and off of each light emitting unit according to the input voltage and light emitting units configured to be on and off based on the control of the control unit, wherein a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit are connected with each other in series, and the first light emitting unit and a third light emitting unit are connected with each other in parallel. |
| US08766544B2 |
Wireless controller for lighting system
The present invention provides a system and method for controlling at least one lighting system by means of a portable wireless remote control device. The system comprises a portable wireless remote control device, a lighting system controller, and at least one lighting system coupled to the lighting system controller. Each lighting system comprises one or more lighting modules (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs), incandescent bulbs, etc.). The portable wireless remote control device comprises a wireless transceiver, processor, memory, light control logic, user interface (UI), and an antenna. The lighting system controller comprises a wireless transceiver, processor, memory, light control logic, and an antenna. Each lighting system coupled (e.g., wired) to the lighting system controller may be wirelessly controlled via the remote control device. |
| US08766542B2 |
Field-emission electron gun and method for controlling same
The disclosed charged particle beam apparatus includes a field-emission electron source including <310> single crystal of tungsten; a vacuum chamber having the electron source therein; an exhausting system for exhausting the vacuum chamber; a filament connected to the electron source to let flow a current through the electron source and thereby heat the electron source; a power supply for letting a current flow through the filament; an ammeter for measuring a total current emitted from the electron source; and a controlling unit for exercising control to cause the power supply to let a current flow through the filament when the total current measured periodically has become a predetermined ratio or less as compared with a total current from the electron source found immediately after first electron beam emission, or a total current from the electron beam found immediately after a current is let flow through the filament. |
| US08766538B2 |
Electrically heated planar cathode
An electrically heated planar cathode for use in miniature x-ray tubes may be spiral design laser cut from a thin tantalum alloy ribbon foil (with grain stabilizing features). Bare ribbon is mounted to an aluminum nitride substrate in a manner that is puts the ribbon in minimal tension before it is machined into the spiral pattern. The spiral pattern can be optimized for electrical, thermal, and emission characteristics. |
| US08766531B1 |
Wearable display
OLED displays capable of operation at a sunlight readable luminance value are disclosed. Devices as disclosed may be wearable such that the display is flexible and the operating temperature rise due to the display operation is below a threshold. Displays with an operating power consumption density of not more than 65 mW/cm2 when operating at 78 mW/cm2 at 100% full white are also provided. |
| US08766530B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate. A control electrode is on the substrate. A gate insulating film covers the control electrode. An input electrode and an output electrode are on the gate insulating film and face each other. An oxide semiconductor is between the input electrode and the output electrode and on the control electrode. A pixel electrode is on portions of the edges of the output electrode and is electrically connected. An organic light emitting member is on the pixel electrode. A common electrode is on the organic light emitting member. The oxide semiconductor and the pixel electrode may be of the same layer. |
| US08766525B2 |
Nitride phosphor and manufacturing method thereof, and light emitting device using the same
A phosphor and a manufacturing method thereof, and the light emitting device using the same are provided, wherein the composition formula of the phosphor is Ii-Mm-Aa-Bb—Ot—Nn:Zr, wherein I is selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, and K, M is selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, Mg, Ba, Be, and Zn, A is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In, Sc, Y, La, Gd, and Lu, B is selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hr, and Z is selected from the group consisting of Eu and Ce; m+r=1, 0 |
| US08766524B2 |
Lead-free glass material for organic-EL sealing, organic EL display formed using the same
A lead-free glass material for sealing organic EL elements is provided with which satisfactory sealing quality is obtained through laser sealing without requiring the addition of a metallic powder. The lead-free glass material for sealing organic EL elements has a glass composition which comprises, in terms of mol %, 30-60% V2O5, 5-20% ZnO, 5-20% BaO, 15-40% TeO2, 0-7% Nb2O5, 0-7% Al2O3, 0-5% SiO2, 0-5% MgO, 0-5% Sb2O3, 0-4% CuO, and 0-4% SnO and in which Nb2O5+Al2O3 is 0.5-10%, SiO2+MgO+Sb2O3 is 0-5%, and CuO+SnO is 0-4%. The glass material has low-temperature softening properties, melt stability, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion and is inhibited from thermally adversely affecting organic EL elements The glass material can attain high sealing properties and high sealing strength in high yield. |
| US08766520B2 |
Spark plug with ground electrode plateau and method of making the same
A ground electrode is provided having a ground electrode body, the ground electrode body having an anchored end and a non-anchored end opposite the anchored end. The ground electrode includes a plateau extending from a surface of the ground electrode body adjacent the non-anchored end. In illustrative embodiments, the plateau is formed by removing a portion of the ground electrode body near the non-anchored end. The plateau is configured to be exposed around its periphery. A noble metal tip is fixably attached to the plateau. |
| US08766518B2 |
High intensity discharge lamp with ignition aid
A high intensity discharge lamp includes an electrically insulating arc tube. A sealed shroud encloses the arc tube. An electrically conductive frame member is disposed inside the shroud and is electrically connected to an electrical conductor that extends in the arc tube. Electrically conductive foil is fastened to the frame member and forms a closed loop that encircles a leg of the arc tube by an angle in a range of at least 270 degrees to 360 degrees. The foil can be connected to the frame member and to itself. A distance from an outer surface of a flange of the arc tube leg to a proximal edge of the foil can range from 1.5 to 8 mm. A width of the foil can range from 1 mm to 4 mm. |
| US08766513B2 |
Piezoelectric device
The piezoelectric device (100) stores a piezoelectric vibrating piece (10) which vibrates whenever an electrical voltage is applied. The piezoelectric device comprises: a package lid (11) having a first peripheral surface (M1) which surrounds a plane surface in a predetermined width; and a package base (12) comprising a second peripheral surface (M2) bonded to the first peripheral surface of the package lid and a recess portion recessed from the second peripheral surface. The first peripheral surface of the package lid and the second peripheral surface of the package base are rough surfaces, respective metal films (AC1, AC2) are formed on each rough surface, and the package lid and the package base are bonded using a sealing material (LG) formed between the metal films. |
| US08766512B2 |
Integration of piezoelectric materials with substrates
Devices having piezoelectric material structures integrated with substrates are described. Fabrication techniques for forming such devices are also described. The fabrication may include bonding a piezoelectric material wafer to a substrate of a differing material. A structure, such as a resonator, may then be formed from the piezoelectric material wafer. |
| US08766511B2 |
Method and system for distributed network of nanoparticle ink based piezoelectric sensors for structural health monitoring
The disclosure provides in one embodiment a system for monitoring structural health of a structure. The system has a structure to be monitored for structural health. The system further has a distributed network of nanoparticle ink based piezoelectric sensor assemblies deposited onto the structure. Each assembly has a plurality of nanoparticle ink based piezoelectric sensors and a plurality of conductive ink power and communication wire assemblies interconnecting the plurality of sensors. The system further has an ink deposition apparatus depositing the distributed network of nanoparticle ink based piezoelectric sensor assemblies onto the structure. The system further has an electrical power source providing electrical power to the distributed network. The system further has a data communications network retrieving and processing structural health data of the structure via one or more signals from the sensors. |
| US08766509B2 |
Method and device for controlling a solid body actuator
In a discharge process of the solid body actuator (2), a current that discharges the solid body actuator (2) loaded with electrical energy is detected. A switching element (6) is switched from an open position to a closed position to short circuit the solid body actuator (2) for removal of electrical energy from the solid body actuator (2) through the switching element (6) depending on the current falling below a threshold of the current, wherein the magnitude of the threshold is specified. |
| US08766506B2 |
Stator core
A stator core includes a cylindrical yoke and teeth that are disposed in an inner circumference surface of the yoke along its circumferential direction and that are subjected to magnetic flux from the rotor of the rotating electrical device. The teeth include a trapezoidal tooth that has a trapezoidal cross section that is taken vertically along a central axis of the yoke and an oddly shaped tooth of which a tip section has the same shape as the trapezoidal tooth and a base section from the tip section to the yoke has a different shape from the trapezoidal tooth. |
| US08766504B2 |
Electric motor
An electric motor has a rotor, a stator and brushes. The rotor has a shaft, a rotor core fixed to the shaft and having a plurality of teeth, a commutator fixed to the shaft adjacent the rotor core and having a plurality of segments, and rotor winding units wound about the teeth and connected to the commutator segments. Each of the rotor winding units is connected to a pair of adjacent commutator segments. At least one of the rotor winding units has at least two coils connected in series. Each coil has at least two subcoils directly connected in series and separated from each other by at least one tooth. An initial subcoil and a final subcoil of each coil are respectively connected to a pair of segments. |
| US08766503B2 |
Permanent magnet embedded rotor for rotating electric machine and rotating electric machine
An accommodating recess (21A, 21B) has a magnet accommodating portion (19A, 19B) for accommodating a permanent magnet (17A, 17B) and a cavity (20A, 20B), which is located at the q-axis side of the magnet accommodating portion. The cavity opens through a rotor outer circumferential surface (162). A starting point (Pa1, Pb1) of an outer cavity forming surface (201A, 201B) is located on the rotor outer circumferential surface. The outer cavity forming surface intersects either a magnetic pole surface or an imaginary extended plane (23A, 23B) of a magnetic pole facing surface (191A, 191B). The rotor outer circumferential surface (162) includes portions of an imaginary annular line (E). A starting point (Pa1, Pb1) of the outer cavity forming surface (201A, 201B) is located between the d-axis and an intersection point (Qa, Qb) between the imaginary annular line and the imaginary extended plan of the magnetic pole facing surface. |
| US08766502B2 |
Rotor having shaft slip inhibition structure and motor having the same
A motor is disclosed, the motor including a stator core formed with a cylindrical space at an inner surface and formed at an inner circumferential surface with a plurality of teeth protruding toward a center, a cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted at the space and formed with a plurality of pockets for inserting a permanent magnet, a rotation shaft coupled to the center of the rotor and receiving a rotation force generated by interaction between the stator core and the rotor, a nut member connecting the rotor to the rotation shaft by press-fitting the rotor at a periphery to an axial direction of the rotation shaft and press-fitting the rotation shaft at an inner circumferential surface to the axial direction of the rotation shaft, and a key unit inhibiting a slip between the rotor and the nut member. |
| US08766501B2 |
Rotating electrical machine, in particular for a motor vehicle starter
A direct-current rotating electrical machine, in particular for a motor vehicle starter. The machine includes a stator comprising a magnetized structure with permanent magnetization, extending along a circumference of the stator, a rotor, and a group of brushes arranged to allow the electrical supply of the rotor by switching the electrical current in sections of the rotor. The magnetized structure of the machine includes a plurality of main magnets and a plurality of auxiliary magnets, each arranged between two main magnets. The auxiliary magnets have a smaller angular extent and/or radial thickness than the main magnets. The magnetization vector in at least one of the main and auxiliary magnets varies continuously or in steps, at least locally taking a direction other than radial and orthoradial directions. |
| US08766496B2 |
Linear electric motor
A linear electric motors including a housing, a first armature movable on a first essentially linear path with respect to the housing, and a second armature movable on a second essentially linear path with respect to the housing, wherein the first armature is mounted to the housing by a first mounting spring, wherein the first armature and the second armature are coupled to each other by a coupling spring, and wherein the second armature is mounted to the housing by a second mounting spring. |
| US08766492B2 |
Hot plug connector and server using the same
A hot plug connector, for hot plugging of a hard disk drive in a system, includes a main body and electric cables. The main body includes a power interface. The electric cables connect the power interface of the main body with a power supply. The power interface is configured for connecting to the hard disk drive. |
| US08766490B2 |
System and method for monitoring operation of switch elements
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring operation of a circuit having a DC power supply, a load, and a switch element connecting the DC power supply to the load. The system includes a capacitive element coupling a first input node of a sensor element to a first interconnection node of the circuit between a first voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load. The system also includes a grounding structure coupling a second input node of the sensor element to a ground plane isolated from the DC power supply. In the system, the grounding structure is positioned with respect to a second interconnection node of the circuit, between a second voltage supply terminal of the DC power supply and the load, so as to define a stray capacitance for carrying a transient signal resulting from the opening or closing of the switch element, which can be detected through the sensor element for monitoring the current switch state of the switch element. |
| US08766488B2 |
Adjustable inductive power transmission platform
An adjustable inductive power transmission platform includes inductive power outlets embedded into adjustable modules having multiple configurations. The inductive power outlets are configured to couple with inductive power receivers to provide power to electrical loads wired thereto. The multiple configurations of the adjustable modules allow the position of the inductive power outlets to be adjusted to match the locations of inductive receivers to suit changing requirements. |
| US08766487B2 |
Inductive power transfer
A detection method for use in a primary unit of an inductive power transfer system, the primary unit being operable to transmit power wirelessly by electromagnetic induction to at least one secondary unit of the system located in proximity to the primary unit and/or to a foreign object located in said proximity, the method comprising: driving the primary unit so that in a driven state the magnitude of an electrical drive signal supplied to one or more primary coils of the primary unit changes from a first value to a second value; assessing the effect of such driving on an electrical characteristic of the primary unit; and detecting in dependence upon the assessed effect the presence of a said secondary unit and/or a foreign object located in proximity to said primary unit. |
| US08766480B2 |
Wind farm having a plurality of wind energy installations
The invention relates to a wind power plant (4) which consists of a nacelle (12) arranged on a tower (14), a rotor (28), a generator (16), a power converter (20) on the generator side, a power converter (22) on the network side and a transformer (26), the two power converters (20, 22) being electrically connected to each other on the DC voltage side, and the power converter (22) on the network side being connected on the AC voltage side to a feeding point (8) of a destination network (6) by means of the transformer (26). Every phase module (74) of the power converter (22) on the network side has an upper and lower valve branch (T1, T3, T5; T2, T4, T6) having at least two bipolar subsystems (76) that are connected in series and the power converter (20) on the generator side and the power converter (22) on the network side are interconnected on the DC side by means of a DC cable (72). A corresponding wind farm (2) consists of a plurality of wind power stations (4) and has a flexible design as compared to known DC concepts, the nacelles (12) of every wind power station (4) having a low dead weight. |
| US08766478B2 |
Power system and control method thereof
A power system and a control method thereof are disclosed. The power system comprises: providing a plurality of power sources; electrically connecting a plurality of converters between the power sources and at least one load, wherein the converters are electrically connected to the power sources respectively in a one-to-one manner; and positive feed-forward controlling each of the converters by using a positive feed-forward control circuit electrically connected to one of the power sources in a one-to-one manner, for the use to protect the input voltage source from over-current drawing by reducing the input current of the converter when the source voltage drops, regardless constant output-voltage. |
| US08766474B2 |
Smart microgrid reconfigurable AC interface
Presented is a system and method for providing reconfigurable AC interfaces for AC power systems. The method comprises embedding a reconfigurable AC interface for transferring power between power sources and loads, monitoring the voltage and current of the interfaces of the reconfigurable AC interface, and switching between power sources based on the monitoring. The system comprises a reconfigurable AC interface further comprising an inverter for converting DC power to AC, transfer switches with interfaces for connecting to the inverter, other transfer switches, and AC busses, and a controller that dynamically configures the transfer switches to transfer power between the inverter, and AC busses. |
| US08766473B2 |
Drive authorization system for an electric drive
A drive authorization system for an electric drive includes a predefined number of field coils and a rotationally movable element. An evaluation and control unit for operation of the electric drive determines the current position of the movable element from several items of positional information, which can be made available by a predefined number of angle of rotation sensors. To implement an electronic immobilization function, positions, the number of the active rotation angle sensors, or both those positions and that number are made encodable. The evaluation and control unit decodes the encoded positional information of the active rotation angle sensors in order to determine the current position of the movable element. Operation of the electric drive is possible only after successful decoding of the positional information. |
| US08766471B2 |
Energy generation apparatus for ships
A system for recapturing energy from a ship moving through the water utilizes a hydraulic turbine positioned within the ship's hull. Water pushed up from the bow of the ship is fed into a water conducting tube and used to drive the turbine. The turbine may produce electricity for powering on-board systems or may be used to augment the main propulsion system, thereby reducing energy costs for ship operations. |
| US08766470B2 |
System for producing energy through the action of waves
A system and method for generating energy from tuning the natural frequency of masses relative to a ground plane and an external three. In some embodiments the external three is the action of the waves. The system has a first mass movable relative to the ground plane, wherein the external force induces an oscillation in the first mass relative to the ground plane. A second movable mass is carried by and movable relative to the first movable mass. The second movable mass creates kinetic energy as the result of varying the position of the second movable mass relative to the first mass. The system adjusts or tunes the frequency of various components in relation to the natural frequency of the waves. The energy created by the relative motion can be converted to various forms of energy including electrical energy. |
| US08766464B2 |
Integrated circuit device and electronic apparatus
An integrated circuit device includes a first pad group connected to a first memory pad group arranged along a first chip side of a chip of an image memory stacked on the integrated circuit device, a second pad group connected to a second memory pad group arranged along a third chip side, a control section which controls display of an electro-optical device, and a third pad group from which a data signal and a control signal for display control. The first pad group is arranged along a first side of the integrated circuit device, wherein the second pad group is arranged along a third side facing the first side, and wherein the third pad group is arranged along a second side which intersects with the first side and the third side. |
| US08766461B1 |
Substrate with bond fingers
A flip chip mounting board includes a substrate having a top surface and a plurality of generally parallel, longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart bond fingers are formed on the top surface. Each of the plurality of bond fingers has a first longitudinal end portion and a second longitudinal end portion. A first strip of laterally extending solder resist material overlies the first longitudinal end portions of the bond fingers. The first strip has an edge wall with a plurality of longitudinally projecting tooth portions separated by gaps with a longitudinally extending tooth portion being aligned with every other one of the bond fingers. Adjacent bond fingers have first end portions covered by different longitudinal lengths of solder resist material. |
| US08766455B2 |
Stacked semiconductor devices and fabrication methods thereof
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip, a first connection structure disposed on a first side of the first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip disposed on a second side of the first semiconductor chip, and a second connection structure disposed between the first and second semiconductor chips, wherein a number of the second connection structures is less than a number of the first connection structures. |
| US08766449B2 |
Variable interconnect geometry for electronic packages and fabrication methods
Disclosed is a variable interconnect geometry formed on a substrate that allows for increased electrical performance of the interconnects without compromising mechanical reliability. The compliance of the interconnects varies from the center of the substrate to edges of the substrate. The variation in compliance can either be step-wise or continuous. Exemplary low-compliance interconnects include columnar interconnects and exemplary high-compliance interconnects include helix interconnects. A cost-effective implementation using batch fabrication of the interconnects at a wafer level through sequential lithography and electroplating processes may be employed. |
| US08766448B2 |
Chromium/Titanium/Aluminum-based semiconductor device contact
A contact to a semiconductor including sequential layers of Cr, Ti, and Al is provided, which can result in a contact with one or more advantages over Ti/Al-based and Cr/Al-based contacts. For example, the contact can: reduce a contact resistance; provide an improved surface morphology; provide a better contact linearity; and/or require a lower annealing temperature, as compared to the prior art Ti/Al-based contacts. |
| US08766447B2 |
Dense seed layer and method of formation
A semiconductor device includes a workpiece and a first material layer disposed over the workpiece. The first material layer has a first number of atoms at a surface. A seed layer is disposed over the first material layer. The seed layer includes a chemisorbed monolayer of a second number of atoms at the surface having a surface coverage of at least 0.5 such that the ratio of the number of first atoms at the surface to the number of second atoms at the surface is no more than 2:1. The second atoms of the seed layer include oxygen or nitrogen. |
| US08766441B2 |
Methods and apparatus for solder on slot connections in package on package structures
Solder on slot connections in package on package structures. An apparatus includes a substrate having a front side surface and a back side surface; a first passivation layer disposed over at least one of the front side and back side surfaces; at least one via opening formed in the first passivation layer; a conductor layer disposed over the first passivation layer, coupled to the at least one via and forming a conductive trace on the surface of the first passivation layer; a second passivation layer formed over the conductor layer; and at least one slot opening formed in the second passivation layer and exposing a portion of the conductive trace for receiving a solder connector. In additional embodiments the substrate may be a semiconductor wafer. Methods for forming the structures are disclosed. |
| US08766438B2 |
Package structure
The invention discloses a package structure including a semiconductor device, a first protection layer, a second protection layer and at least one conductive connector. The semiconductor device has at least one pad. The first protection layer is disposed on the semiconductor device and exposes the pad. The second protection layer, disposed on the first protection layer, has at least one first opening and at least one second opening. The first opening exposes a partial surface of the pad. The second opening exposes a partial surface of the first protection layer. The conductive connector, opposite to the pad, is disposed on the second protection layer and coupled to the pad through the first openings. |
| US08766436B2 |
Moisture barrier for a wire bond
An electronic device comprising a bond pad on a substrate and a wire bonded to the bond pad. The device further comprises an intermetallic compound interface located between the bond pad and the wire and a silicon nitride or silicon carbonyl layer covering the intermetallic compound interface. |
| US08766432B2 |
Device with semiconductor die attached to a leadframe
Methods and resulting devices are disclosed related to attaching a die to a leadframe. One such method includes initially bonding a carrier pad which is pre-coated with a thermosetting first adhesive to the leadframe. The carrier pad can be electrically non-conductive. The first adhesive can be raised to its thermosetting cure temperature by heating the leadframe to a temperature just above the thermosetting cure temperature of the first adhesive. A thermosetting second adhesive which is liquid at room temperature can be applied to a second major surface of the carrier pad, and the die can be placed on the second adhesive and aligned with the leadframe. The second adhesive can be raised to its thermosetting cure temperature to bond the die to the carrier pad, and in turn form a bonded assembly. |
| US08766431B2 |
Power MOSFET package
A power MOSFET package includes a semiconductor substrate having opposite first and second surfaces, having a first conductivity type, and forming a drain region, a doped region extending downward from the first surface and having a second conductivity type, a source region in the doped region and having the first conductivity type, a gate overlying or buried under the first surface, wherein a gate dielectric layer is between the gate and the semiconductor substrate, a first conducting structure overlying the semiconductor substrate, having a first terminal, and electrically connecting the drain region, a second conducting structure overlying the semiconductor substrate, having a second terminal, and electrically connecting the source region, a third conducting structure overlying the semiconductor substrate, having a third terminal, and electrically connecting the gate, wherein the first, the second, and the third terminals are substantially coplanar, and a protection layer between the semiconductor substrate and the terminals. |
| US08766427B2 |
RF-power device
An RF-power device includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of active regions arranged in an array. Each active region includes one or more RF-power transistors. The active regions are interspersed with inactive regions for reducing mutual heating of the RF-power transistors in separate active regions. The devices also includes at least one impedance matching component located in one of the inactive regions of the substrate. |
| US08766426B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with warpage control and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a carrier; mounting an integrated circuit device having component connectors directly on the carrier; placing a restraint structure over the integrated circuit device for controlling warpage of the integrated circuit device during bonding of the component connectors to the carrier causing some of the component connectors to separate from the carrier; and bonding all of the component connectors to the carrier. |
| US08766425B2 |
Semiconductor device
Miniaturization and high-performance of a semiconductor device are promoted, which has a package on package (POP) structure in which a plurality of semiconductor packages is stacked in a multistage manner. A testing conductive pad for determining the quality of a conduction state of a microcomputer chip and a memory chip is arranged outside a conductive pad for external input/output and thereby the route of a wire that couples the microcomputer chip and the memory chip to the testing conductive pad is reduced in length. Further, the wire that couples the microcomputer chip and the memory chip to the testing conductive pad is coupled to a pad in the outer row among conductive pads in two rows to be coupled to the microcomputer chip. |
| US08766423B2 |
Semiconductor device and stacked semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having first and second surfaces. A first through electrode extends through the semiconductor chip. A first surface electrode is positioned on the first surface of the semiconductor chip and coupled to a first end of the first through electrode. A second surface electrode is positioned on the second surface of the semiconductor chip. The second surface electrode is coupled to a second end of the first through electrode. A second through electrode extends through the semiconductor chip and has third and fourth ends. A third surface electrode is positioned on the second surface of the semiconductor chip and is coupled to the fourth end of the second through electrode. The semiconductor device is free of a surface electrode on the first surface of the semiconductor chip and is coupled to the third end of the second through electrode. |
| US08766417B2 |
Integrated circuit chip with reduced IR drop
An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate; a first interconnection wire having a first portion and a second portion on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second portion is separated from the first portion; a second interconnection wire situated under the first interconnection wire; a first conductive via electrically coupling the first portion with the second interconnection wire; a conductive layer situated between the first interconnection wire and the second interconnection wire; and a second conductive via electrically coupling the conductive layer with the second portion. |
| US08766416B2 |
Semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof
A semiconductor package includes a substrate having opposite first and second surfaces and a ground layer therein. Further, the second surface has at least a recessed portion for exposing portions of the ground layer. The semiconductor package further includes a semiconductor chip disposed on the first surface of the substrate; an encapsulant formed on the first surface of the substrate for encapsulating the semiconductor chip; and a metal layer covering the encapsulant and the substrate and extending to the recessed portion for electrically connecting the ground layer. As such, the space for circuit layout is increased and the circuit layout flexibility is improved. |
| US08766408B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A packaged semiconductor device is manufactured by a simplified manufacturing process, and is reduced in cost, in thickness and in size. A device component and a pad electrode connected with the device component are formed on a semiconductor substrate. A supporter is bonded to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate through an adhesive layer. Then, there is formed a protection layer that has an opening at a location corresponding to the pad electrode and covers a side surface and a back surface of the semiconductor substrate. A conductive terminal is formed on the pad electrode at the location corresponding to the opening formed in the protection layer. No wiring layer or conductive terminal is formed on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate. A conductive terminal is formed on a periphery of the supporter outside of and next to the side surface of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08766405B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first insulation layer on a semiconductor substrate, the first insulation layer including a lower metal line, a second insulation layer on the first insulation layer, the second insulation layer including a metal head pattern, a thin film resistor pattern on the metal head pattern, a third insulation layer on the thin film resistor pattern, an upper metal line on the third insulation layer, a first via passing through the first, second, and third insulation layers to connect the lower metal line to the upper metal line, and a second via passing through the third insulation layer and the thin film resistor pattern to connect the metal head pattern to the upper metal line. |
| US08766404B1 |
Device design for partially oriented rutile dielectrics
Methods include forming a dielectric layer from a first material above a substrate. The dielectric layer is formed such that a preferred crystal direction for at least one electrical property of the first material is parallel to a surface of the dielectric layer. Next, forming a first and second trench within the dielectric layer wherein the first and second trenches have at least one curved portion. Forming a second material within the first trench and a third material within the second trench wherein the first material is different from the second and third materials. The first and second trenches are separated by a distance between 3-20 nm. |
| US08766398B2 |
Discrete semiconductor device and method of forming sealed trench junction termination
A discrete semiconductor device has a substrate with a first conductivity type of semiconductor material. A first semiconductor layer is formed over the substrate. The first semiconductor layer having the first conductivity type of semiconductor material. A second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer has a second conductivity type of semiconductor material. A trench is formed through the second semiconductor layer and extends into the second semiconductor layer. The trench has a rounded or polygonal shape and vertical sidewalls. The trench is lined with an insulating layer and filled with an insulating material. A boundary between the first and second semiconductor layers forms a p-n junction. The trench surrounds the p-n junction to terminate the electric field of a voltage imposed on the second semiconductor layer. The discrete semiconductor device can also be a transistor, thyristor, triac, or transient voltage suppressor. |
| US08766395B2 |
Schottky device
A device includes a Schottky barrier formed by a metal-semiconductor junction between a semiconductor nanowire and a metal contact. The metal contact at least partly encloses a circumferential area of each nanowire along the length thereof. The nanowire includes a low doped region that is part of the metal-semiconductor junction. The device can be fabricated using a method where two different growth modes are used, the first step including axial growth from a substrate giving a suitable template for formation of the metal-semiconductor junction, and the second step including radial growth enabling control of the doping levels in the low doped region. |
| US08766393B2 |
Low-noise semiconductor photodetectors
A photodetector is formed from a body of semiconductor material substantially surrounded by dielectric surfaces. A passivation process is applied to at least one surface to reduce the rate of carrier generation and recombination on that surface. Photocurrent is read out from at least one electrical contact, which is formed on a doped region whose surface lies entirely on a passivated surface. Unwanted leakage current from un-passivated surfaces is reduced through one of the following methods: (a) The un-passivated surface is separated from the photo-collecting contact by at least two junctions; (b) The un-passivated surface is doped to a very high level, at least equal to the conduction band or valence band density of states of the semiconductor; (c) An accumulation or inversion layer is formed on the un-passivated surface by the application of an electric field. |
| US08766387B2 |
Vertically integrated image sensor chips and methods for forming the same
A device includes a Backside Illumination (BSI) image sensor chip, which includes an image sensor disposed on a front side of a first semiconductor substrate, and a first interconnect structure including a plurality of metal layers on the front side of the first semiconductor substrate. A device chip is bonded to the image sensor chip. The device chip includes an active device on a front side of a second semiconductor substrate, and a second interconnect structure including a plurality of metal layers on the front side of the second semiconductor substrate. A first via penetrates through the BSI image sensor chip to connect to a first metal pad in the second interconnect structure. A second via penetrates through a dielectric layer in the first interconnect structure to connect to a second metal pad in the first interconnect structure, wherein the first via and the second via are electrically connected. |
| US08766383B2 |
Method and system for providing a magnetic junction using half metallic ferromagnets
A method and system provide a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device. The magnetic junction includes a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a free layer. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the pinned layer and the free layer. The magnetic junction is configured such that the free layer is switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. At least one of the free layer and the pinned layer include at least one half-metal. |
| US08766382B2 |
MRAM cells including coupled free ferromagnetic layers for stabilization
A free ferromagnetic data storage layer of an MRAM cell is coupled to a free ferromagnetic stabilization layer, which stabilization layer is directly electrically coupled to a contact electrode, on one side, and is separated from the free ferromagnetic data storage layer, on an opposite side, by a spacer layer. The spacer layer provides for the coupling between the two free layers, which coupling is one of: a ferromagnetic coupling and an antiferromagnetic coupling. |
| US08766379B2 |
Multi-layer scavenging metal gate stack for ultra-thin interfacial dielectric layer
A multi-layer scavenging metal gate stack, and methods of manufacturing the same, are disclosed. In an example, a gate stack disposed over a semiconductor substrate includes an interfacial dielectric layer disposed over the semiconductor substrate, a high-k dielectric layer disposed over the interfacial dielectric layer, a first conductive layer disposed over the high-k dielectric layer, and a second conductive layer disposed over the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer includes a first metal layer disposed over the high-k dielectric layer, a second metal layer disposed over the first metal layer, and a third metal layer disposed over the second metal layer. The first metal layer includes a material that scavenges oxygen impurities from the interfacial dielectric layer, and the second metal layer includes a material that adsorbs oxygen impurities from the third metal layer and prevents oxygen impurities from diffusing into the first metal layer. |
| US08766376B2 |
Static random access memory (SRAM) cell and method for forming same
An embodiment is a method for forming a static random access memory (SRAM) cell. The method comprises forming transistors on a semiconductor substrate and forming a first linear intra-cell connection and a second linear intra-cell connection. Longitudinal axes of the active areas of the transistors are parallel. A first pull-down transistor and a first pull-up transistor share a first common gate structure, and a second pull-down transistor and a second pull-up transistor share a second common gate structure. The first linear intra-cell connection electrically couples active areas of the first pull-down transistor and the first pull-up transistor to the second common gate structure. The second linear intra-cell connection electrically couples active areas of the second pull-down transistor and the second pull-up transistor to the first common gate structure. |
| US08766375B2 |
Composite semiconductor device with active oscillation prevention
There are disclosed herein various implementations of composite semiconductor devices with active oscillation control. In one exemplary implementation, a normally OFF composite semiconductor device comprises a normally ON III-nitride power transistor and a low voltage (LV) device cascoded with the normally ON III-nitride power transistor to form the normally OFF composite semiconductor device. The LV device may be configured to include one or both of a reduced output resistance due to, for example, a modified body implant and a reduced transconductance due to, for example, a modified oxide thickness to cause a gain of the composite semiconductor device to be less than approximately 10,000. |
| US08766373B2 |
Semiconductor memory and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory includes a plurality of stripe-like active areas formed by stacking, in a direction perpendicular to a substrate, a plurality of layers extending parallel to the substrate, a first gate electrode formed on first side surfaces of the active areas, the first side surfaces being perpendicular to the substrate, a second gate electrode formed on second side surfaces of the active areas, the second side surfaces being perpendicular to the substrate. The layers are patterned in self-alignment with each other, intersections of the active areas and the first gate electrode form a plurality of memory cells, and the plurality of memory cells in an intersecting plane share the first gate electrode. |
| US08766371B2 |
Semiconductor structure and method for manufacturing the same
There is provided a semiconductor structure and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor structure according to the present invention comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a channel region formed on the semiconductor substrate; a gate stack formed on the channel region; and source/drain regions formed on both sides of the channel region and embedded in the semiconductor substrate. The gate stack comprises: a gate dielectric layer formed on the channel region; and a conductive layer positioned on the gate dielectric layer. For an nMOSFET, the conductive layer has a compressive stress to apply a tensile stress to the channel region; and for a pMOSFET, the conductive layer has a tensile stress to apply a compressive stress to the channel region. |
| US08766367B2 |
Textured gate for high current thin film transistors
A textured thin film transistor is comprised of an insulator sandwiched between a textured gate electrode and a semi-conductor. A source electrode and drain electrode are fabricated on a surface of the semi-conductor. The textured gate electrode is fabricated such that a surface is modified in its texture and/or geometry, such modifications affecting the transistor current. |
| US08766362B2 |
Shallow trench isolation for SOI structures combining sidewall spacer and bottom liner
A method for making a semiconductor device is provided which includes (a) providing a layer stack comprising a semiconductor layer (211) and a dielectric layer (209) disposed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer, (b) creating a trench (210) which extends through the semiconductor layer and which exposes a portion of the dielectric layer, the trench having a sidewall, (c) creating a spacer structure (221) which comprises a first material and which is adjacent to the sidewall of the trench, and (d) forming a stressor layer (223) which comprises a second material and which is disposed on the bottom of the trench. |
| US08766361B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic device
A semiconductor device is provided, which includes a single crystal semiconductor layer formed over an insulating surface and having a source region, a drain region, and a channel formation region, a gate insulating film covering the single crystal semiconductor layer and a gate electrode overlapping with the channel formation region with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween. In the semiconductor device, at least the drain region of the source and drain regions includes a first impurity region adjacent to the channel formation region and a second impurity region adjacent to the first impurity region. A maximum of an impurity concentration distribution in the first impurity region in a depth direction is closer to the insulating surface than a maximum of an impurity concentration distribution in the second impurity region in a depth direction. |
| US08766360B2 |
Insulative cap for borderless self-aligning contact in semiconductor device
An apparatus comprises: a semiconductor device on a base substrate, the semiconductor device having a core metal positioned proximate a source and a drain in the base substrate; a work function metal on a portion of the core metal; a dielectric liner on a portion of the work function metal; a metal gate in electrical communication with one of the source and the drain; and an insulator film implanted into the core metal, the insulator film forming an insulative barrier across the metal gate and between the core metal and the source or the drain. |
| US08766357B2 |
Apparatus and method for high voltage MOS transistor
A high voltage MOS transistor comprises a first drain/source region formed over a substrate, a second drain/source region formed over the substrate and a first metal layer formed over the substrate. The first metal layer comprises a first conductor coupled to the first drain/source region through a first metal plug, a second conductor coupled to the second drain/source region through a second metal plug and a plurality of floating metal rings formed between the first conductor and the second conductor. The floating metal rings help to improve the breakdown voltage of the high voltage MOS transistor. |
| US08766356B2 |
Semiconductor devices having bit line insulating capping patterns and multiple conductive patterns thereon
A semiconductor device capable of reducing a thickness, an electronic product employing the same, and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having first and second active regions. A first transistor in the first active region includes a first gate pattern and first impurity regions. A second transistor the second active region includes a second gate pattern and second impurity regions. A first conductive pattern is on the first transistor, wherein at least a part of the first conductive pattern is disposed at a same distance from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate as at least a part of the second gate pattern. The first conductive pattern may be formed on the first transistor while the second transistor is formed. |
| US08766353B2 |
Tunnel field effect transistor
An FET device characterized as being an asymmetrical tunnel FET (TFET) is disclosed. The TFET includes a gate-stack, a channel region underneath the gate-stack, a first and a second junction adjoining the gate-stack and being capable for electrical continuity with the channel. The first junction and the second junction are of different conductivity types. The TFET also includes spacer formations in a manner that the spacer formation on one side of the gate-stack is thinner than on the other side. |
| US08766350B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for fabricating semiconductor device
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment, includes a plurality of gate structures; a first dielectric film; and a second dielectric film. The first dielectric film crosslinks adjacent gate structures of the plurality of gate structures so as to form a cavity each above and below in a position between the adjacent gate structures. The second dielectric film is formed as if to cover the cavity above the first dielectric film between the adjacent gate structures. |
| US08766348B2 |
Semiconductor device with selectively located air gaps and method of fabrication
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of gate structures formed on a cell region of the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of gate structures include a first select-gate and a second select-gate disposed on the cell region, the first select-gate and the second select-gate spaced apart from each other. A plurality of cell gate structures are disposed between the first select-gate and the second select-gate. The first select-gate and an adjacent cell gate structure have no air gap defined therebetween. At least a pair of adjacent cell gate structures have an air gap defined therebetween. |
| US08766345B2 |
Area-efficient capacitor using carbon nanotubes
An on-chip decoupling capacitor is disclosed. One or more carbon nanotubes are coupled to a first electrode of the capacitor. A dielectric skin is formed on the one or more carbon nanotubes. A metal coating is formed on the dielectric skin. The dielectric skin is configured to electrically isolate the one or more carbon nanotubes from the metal coating. |
| US08766344B2 |
Vertical mosfet transistor, in particular operating as a selector in nonvolatile memory devices
A vertical MOSFET transistor is formed in a body of semiconductor material having a surface. The transistor includes a buried conductive region of a first conductivity type; a channel region of a second conductivity type, arranged on top of the buried conductive region; a surface conductive region of the first conductivity type, arranged on top of the channel region and the buried conductive region; a gate insulation region, extending at the sides of and contiguous to the channel region; and a gate region extending at the sides of and contiguous to the gate insulation region. |
| US08766342B2 |
Electroless Cu plating for enhanced self-forming barrier layers
Methods and an apparatus are described for an integrated circuit within which an electroless Cu plated layer having an oxygen content is formed on the top of a seed layer comprising Cu and Mn. The integrated circuit is then exposed to a sufficient high temperature to cause the self-formation of a MnSiOx barrier layer. |
| US08766341B2 |
Epitaxial growth of single crystalline MgO on germanium
The embodiments disclosed herein relate to growth of magnesium-oxide on a single crystalline substrate of germanium. The embodiments further describes a method of manufacturing and crystalline structure of a FM/MgO/Ge(001) heterostructure. The embodiments further related to method of manufacturing and a crystalline structure for a high-k dielectric//MgO [100](001)//Ge[110](001) heterostructure. |
| US08766333B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes a first buried bit line (120a) provided between lower and upper substrates (100b, 100a), first and second pillar patterns (105a, 105b) extending from the upper substrate (100a) and coupled to the first buried bit line (120a) through first and second gate patterns (140a), respectively. A first body contact pattern (160a) coupled to the first and/or the second pillar patterns (105a, 105b) through the upper substrate (100a) prevents the first and the second pillar patterns from floating. |
| US08766331B2 |
Power semiconductor module
In a semiconductor module according to certain aspects the invention, a U-terminal and an M-terminal overlap each other in a manner to reduce inductance and to further to reduce the size of snubber capacitor. In certain aspects of the invention, a P-terminal, M-terminal, N-terminal, and U-terminal are arranged such that the U-terminal, through which currents flow in and out, is arranged farthest away from control electrodes to reduce the noises superposed to control electrodes, and the P-terminal, M-terminal, N-terminal, and U-terminal are aligned to facilitate attaching external connection bars thereto. A power semiconductor module according to aspects of the invention can facilitate reducing the wiring inductance inside and outside the module, reducing the electromagnetic noises introduced into the control terminals, and attaching the external wirings to the terminals thereof simply and easily. |
| US08766328B2 |
Chemically-sensitive sample and hold sensors
Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis. |
| US08766326B2 |
Field-effect transistor, single-electron transistor and sensor
A field-effect transistor or a single electron transistor is used as sensors for detecting a detection target such as a biological compound. A substrate has a first side and a second side, the second side being opposed to the first side. A source electrode is disposed on the first side of the substrate and a drain electrode disposed on the first side of the substrate, and a channel forms a current path between the source electrode and the drain electrode. An interaction-sensing gate is disposed on the second side of the substrate, the interaction-sensing gate having a specific substance that is capable of selectively interacting with the detection target. A gate for applying a gate voltage adjusts a characteristic of the transistor as the detection target changes the characteristic of the transistor when interacting with the specific substance. |
| US08766320B2 |
Memory devices with a connecting region having a band gap lower than a band gap of a body region
Memory devices are shown that include a body region and a connecting region that is formed from a semiconductor with a lower band gap than the body region. Connecting region configurations can provide increased gate induced drain leakage during an erase operation. Configurations shown can provide a reliable bias to a body region for memory operations such as erasing, and containment of charge in the body region during a boost operation. |
| US08766318B2 |
Semiconductor wafer, method of manufacturing a semiconductor wafer, and electronic device
The objective is to improve capabilities such as high-speed switching of a compound semiconductor device. Provided is a semiconductor wafer comprising a silicon wafer; an insulating film that is formed on the silicon wafer and that has an open portion reaching the silicon wafer; a Ge crystal formed in the open portion; a seed compound semiconductor crystal that is grown with the Ge crystal as a nucleus and that protrudes beyond a surface of the insulating film; and a laterally grown compound semiconductor layer that is laterally grown on the insulating film with a specified surface of the seed compound semiconductor crystal as a seed surface. |
| US08766317B2 |
Semiconductor device
Provided is a semiconductor device in which on-resistance is largely reduced based on a new principle of operation. In the semiconductor device, if an embedded electrode is at negative potential, a depletion layer is formed from a trench to a neighboring trench so that a channel is turned off. If the embedded electrode is at a positive potential, the depletion layer is not formed in every region between the neighboring trenches so that the channel is turned on. |
| US08766314B2 |
Light-emitting device and electronic device
An object is to provide a light-emitting device having a structure in which an external connection portion can easily be connected and a method for manufacturing the light-emitting device. A light-emitting device includes a lower support 110, a base insulating film 112 over the lower support 110 which has a through-hole 130, a light-emitting element 127 over the base insulating film 112, and an upper support 122 over the light-emitting element 127. An electrode 131 is provided in the through-hole 130, and the external connection terminal 132 electrically connected to the electrode 131 is provided below the base insulating film 112. The external connection terminal 132 is electrically connected to the external connection portion 133 and functions as a terminal that inputs a signal or a power supply into the light-emitting device. This light-emitting device has a structure in which an external connection portion can easily be connected. |
| US08766304B2 |
Package structure of semiconductor light emitting element
A package structure of semiconductor light emitting element is provided. The package structure of semiconductor light emitting element includes a substrate, a light emitting element and a transparent conductive board. A first electrode and a second electrode are disposed on the substrate. The light emitting element is disposed on the substrate and between the first electrode and the second electrode. A first bonding pad and a second bonding pad are disposed on the light emitting element. The transparent conductive board has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The second surface of the transparent conductive board is located over the light emitting element for electrically connecting the first electrode and the first bonding pad and electrically connecting the second electrode and the second bonding pad. |
| US08766301B2 |
Light extracting member
A light extracting member for an organic electroluminescent element, to be provided on a side for extracting light emitted by the organic electroluminescent element, wherein a light extracting surface of the member has a concave-convex structure which is configured such that when comparing an intensity of light that enters the member and is output from the light extracting surface with an intensity of light that is output from a flat light extracting surface of a virtual member, a frontal intensity and an integrated intensity of the former are each greater by a factor of 1.3 or more. |
| US08766295B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting system having the same, and fabricating method of the light emitting device and the light emitting system
A semiconductor device includes a first light emitting chip, the first light emitting chip having a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a first active layer disposed therebetween, a second light emitting chip disposed on the first light emitting chip, the second light emitting chip having a third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer, and a second active layer disposed therebetween, and a conductive layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer, the first semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer having different conductivity types. |
| US08766292B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a method of manufacturing an organic light emitting display device and an organic light emitting display device manufactured by the method. The method includes calculating a peak-luminance current density for each of a red sub-pixel, a blue sub-pixel, a green sub-pixel, and a white sub-pixel, calculating an average use current density for each of the red sub-pixel, blue sub-pixel, green sub-pixel, and white sub-pixel; determining a size of each sub-pixel with the peak-luminance current density and the average use current density, and forming the sub-pixels with the determined sizes of the respective sub-pixels. The present invention sets the size of each sub-pixel in consideration of a peak-luminance current density and an average use current density, thus easily achieving the peak luminance and enhancing the color-coordinate life. |
| US08766288B2 |
Display panel and manufacturing method thereof
A display panel includes a substrate, a plurality of bottom electrodes, an isolation layer, a plurality of light emitting layers, a top electrode, and at least one first auxiliary electrode. The bottom electrodes and the isolation layer are disposed on the substrate. The isolation layer has a plurality of pixel region openings and at least one buffer region. Each of the pixel region openings respectively exposes the corresponding bottom electrode. The buffer region is disposed between two adjacent pixel region openings. The light emitting layers are respectively disposed on the corresponding bottom electrodes. The top electrode covers the light emitting layers, the isolation layer, and the buffer region. The first auxiliary electrode is disposed in the buffer region. |
| US08766287B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and lighting device with the same
The present invention relates to a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting device with the same.The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer, a second electrode layer formed on an underside of the light emitting structure connected to the second conductive type semiconductor layer electrically, a first electrode layer in contact with the first conductive type semiconductor layer passed through the second conductive type semiconductor layer and the active layer, and an insulating layer formed between the second electrode layer and the first electrode layer, between the second conductive type semiconductor layer and the first electrode layer, and between the active layer and the first electrode layer. |
| US08766285B2 |
Self-luminous display and method of manufacturing the same
A display includes: a light-emitting element formed by laminating a first electrode layer, an organic layer including a light-emitting layer and a second electrode layer in order on a base; and an auxiliary wiring layer being arranged so as to surround the organic layer and being electrically connected to the second electrode layer, in which the auxiliary wiring layer includes a two-layer configuration including a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer, the first conductive layer has lower contact resistance to the second electrode layer than that of the second conductive layer, the two-layer configuration in the auxiliary wiring layer is formed so that an end surface of the second conductive layer is recessed inward from an end surface of the first conductive layer, thereby a part of a top surface of the first conductive layer is in contact with the second electrode layer. |
| US08766282B2 |
Organic light emitting display with luminescent layers having varying thicknesses to improve color reproducibility
An organic light emitting display is disclosed. In one aspect, the display includes a substrate, thin film transistors disposed on the substrate, first, second, and third pixel definition layers disposed on the thin film transistors, respectively having openings, and respectively having first, second, and third heights different from each other, and first, second, and third organic light emitting devices disposed in the openings of the first, second, and third pixel definition layers and connected to the thin film transistors, respectively. The first, second, and third pixel definition layers are spaced apart from each other, the first, second, and third organic light emitting devices have different thicknesses from each other, and the first, second, and third organic light emitting devices have thicknesses respectively corresponding to the first, second, and third heights of the first, second, and third pixel definition layers. |
| US08766281B2 |
Light emitting diode chip, and methods for manufacturing and packaging the same
A light emitting diode chip includes a substrate, an epitaxial layer, two inclined plane units, and two electrode units. The substrate has top and bottom surfaces. The epitaxial layer is disposed on the top surface of the substrate. Each of the inclined plane units is inclined downwardly and outwardly from the epitaxial layer toward the bottom surface of the substrate, and includes an inclined sidewall formed on the epitaxial layer, and a substrate inclined wall formed on the substrate. Each of the electrode units includes an electrode disposed on the epitaxial layer, and a conductive portion extending from the electrode to the substrate inclined wall along corresponding one of the inclined plane units. |
| US08766279B1 |
SiC-based trench-type schottky device
A SiC-based trench-type Schottky device is disclosed. The device includes: a SiC substrate having first and second surfaces; a first contact metal formed on the second surface and configured for forming an ohmic contact on the substrate; a drift layer formed on the first surface and including a cell region and a termination region enclosing the cell region; a plurality of first trenches with a first depth formed in the cell region; a plurality of second trenches with a second depth less than the first depth; a plurality of mesas formed in the substrate, each defined between neighboring ones of the trenches; an insulating layer formed on sidewalls and bottoms of the trenches; and a second contact metal formed on the mesas and the insulating layer, extending from the cell region to the termination region, and configured for forming a Schottky contact on the mesas of the substrate. |
| US08766278B2 |
Silicon carbide semiconductor device
First, second, fourth, and fifth impurity regions have a first conductivity type, and a third impurity region has a second conductivity type. The first to third impurity regions reach a first layer having the first conductivity type. The fourth and fifth impurity regions are provided on a second layer. First to fifth electrodes are provided on the first to fifth impurity regions, respectively. Electrical connection is established between the first and fifth electrodes, and between the third and fourth electrodes. A sixth electrode is provided on a gate insulating film covering a portion between the fourth and fifth impurity regions. |
| US08766275B2 |
Composite semiconductor device
This composite semiconductor device has a normally-on first field effect transistor and a normally-off second field effect transistor connected in series between first and second terminals, gates of the first and second field effect transistors being connected to second and third terminals, respectively, and N diodes being connected in series in a forward direction between a drain and a source of the second field effect transistor. Therefore, a drain-source voltage (Vds) of the second field effect transistor can be restricted to a voltage not higher than a withstand voltage of the second field effect transistor. |
| US08766273B2 |
Organic EL display and method of manufacturing organic EL display
It is possible to manufacture a large-size, high-accuracy organic EL display using a plastic substrate and an organic EL display using a roll-shaped long plastic substrate.The organic EL display includes an organic EL device A having at least a lower electrode 300, an organic layer including at least a light emitting layer, and an upper electrode 305 and a thin film transistor B on a transparent plastic substrate 100, a source electrode or drain electrode of the thin film transistor B is connected to the lower electrode 300, the plastic substrate 100 has a gas barrier layer 101a, the thin film transistor B is formed on the gas barrier layer 101a, the thin film transistor B includes an active layer 203 containing a non-metallic element which a mixture of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) and has a ratio of N to O (N number density/O number density) from 0 to 2, and the organic EL device A is formed at least on the gas barrier layer 101a or one the thin film transistor B. |
| US08766271B2 |
Flexible display apparatus
A flexible display apparatus is disclosed. The flexible display apparatus includes: a substrate on which a display unit for displaying an image, a non-display area formed outside the display unit, and at least one pad for inputting an electrical signal to the display unit are located; and a circuit board including circuit terminals to be electrically connected to the at least one pad. A stiffener including a plurality of reinforcement lines that are patterned to reduce or prevent thermal deformation of the substrate is formed on the substrate. |
| US08766268B2 |
Thin film transistor array panel
A thin film transistor (TFT) array panel includes: first and second pixel electrodes neighboring each other; a data line extending between the first and the second pixel electrodes; first and second gate lines extending perpendicularly to the data line; a first TFT including a first gate electrode connected to the first gate line, a first source electrode connected to the data line, and a first drain electrode facing the first source electrode and connected to the first pixel electrode; and a second TFT including a second gate electrode connected to the second gate line, a second source electrode connected to the data line, and a second drain electrode facing the second source electrode and connected to the second pixel electrode. The first source electrode has the same relative position with respect to the first drain electrode as the second source electrode with respect to the second drain electrode. |
| US08766265B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same
An OLED device includes: a TFT including an active layer, gate, source and drain electrodes, a first insulating layer between the active layer and the gate electrode, and a second insulating layer between the source and drain electrodes, a pixel electrode on the first and second insulating layers, connected to one of the source and drain electrodes, a capacitor including a first electrode on the same layer as the active layer, a second electrode on the same layer as the gate electrode, and a third electrode formed of the same material as the pixel electrode, a third insulating layer between the second insulating layer and the pixel electrode and between the second and third electrodes, a fourth insulating layer covering the source, drain and third electrodes, exposing a portion of the pixel electrode, an organic light-emitting layer on the pixel electrode, and a counter electrode on the organic light-emitting layer. |
| US08766260B2 |
Thin-film transistor and method for manufacturing thin-film transistor
A substrate; a gate electrode formed above the substrate; a gate insulating film formed above the gate electrode; a crystalline silicon semiconductor layer formed above the gate insulating film; an amorphous silicon semiconductor layer formed above the crystalline silicon semiconductor layer; an organic protective film made of an organic material and formed above the amorphous silicon semiconductor layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed above the amorphous silicon semiconductor layer interposing the organic protective film are included, and a charge density of the negative carriers in the amorphous silicon semiconductor layer is at least 3×1011 cm−2. |
| US08766258B1 |
Authentication using graphene based devices as physical unclonable functions
The present disclosure relates to secure devices having a physical unclonable function and methods of manufacturing such secure devices. One device includes at least one graphene layer representing a physical unclonable function and a measurement circuit for measuring at least one property of the at least one graphene layer. Another device includes at least a first graphene layer and a second graphene layer representing a physical unclonable function, where one of the graphene layers has been subjected to a variability enhancement such that a measurable property is different for each of the layers. A method includes providing a substrate for a secure device and providing at least one graphene layer on the substrate, the at least one graphene layer representing a physical unclonable function. The providing of the at least one graphene layer includes applying at least one variability enhancement to the at least one graphene layer. |
| US08766253B2 |
Semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device including a transistor formed using a highly reliable oxide semiconductor. To provide a semiconductor device which can be manufactured with high productivity and high yield by reducing the number of photolithography steps. The semiconductor device includes a first wiring, a second wiring, and a third wiring whose potential is lower than those of the first wiring and the second wiring between the first wiring and the second wiring. In the semiconductor device, the first wiring is electrically connected to the third wiring through a first transistor in which a gate electrode layer is electrically connected to a source electrode layer, the second wiring is electrically connected to the third wiring through a second transistor in which the gate electrode layer is electrically connected to the source electrode layer, and a continuous oxide semiconductor film used for a semiconductor region of the first transistor and the second transistor is provided above or below the first wiring, the second wiring, and the third wiring. |
| US08766252B2 |
Semiconductor device comprising an oxide semiconductor
A semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer formed over an insulating layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which overlap with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer in contact with part of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer. In the transistor, a buffer layer having n-type conductivity is formed between the source electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer and between the drain electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer. Thus, parasitic resistance is reduced, resulting in improvement of on-state characteristics of the transistor. |
| US08766247B2 |
Organic light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting device includes a substrate divided into and defined by first to third pixels, a first electrode disposed on the substrate and a second electrode facing the first electrode, a first light emitting layer and a second light emitting layer disposed in the first pixel and in the second pixel, respectively, between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first triplet exciton confinement layer, a third light emitting layer and a second triplet exciton confinement layer disposed over the first to third pixels in this order, on the first light emitting layer and the second light emitting layer, and a first common layer disposed between the first light emitting layer and the second light emitting layer, and the first electrode, and a second common layer disposed between the second triplet exciton confinement layer and the second electrode. |
| US08766245B2 |
Organic light emitting diode with transparent electrode and method of making same
A transparent electrode is provided for an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device. The electrode may be made according to a method including: sputter-depositing a first layer of or including indium tin oxide (ITO) on a substrate; sputter-depositing a thin second metallic or substantially metallic layer on the glass substrate over the first layer to form an electrode structure, and heat treating the electrode structure at temperature(s) of at least about 400 degrees C. in order to thermally activate at least the first layer of or including ITO. The electrode structure may then be provided in an OLED device on the light-emitting side of the organic light emitting semiconductor layer. |
| US08766243B2 |
Heterocycle-containing asymmetric aromatic compound, compound for organic thin film transistor, and organic thin film transistor using the same
A compound represented by the following formula (I), provided that the compound in which all of R1 to R14 are hydrogen atoms is excluded. |
| US08766242B2 |
Aromatic chalcogen compounds and their use
This invention relates to dibenzothiopyran compounds. This invention also relates to layers and devices including at least one of these compounds. |
| US08766241B2 |
Organic light-emitting device
The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting device capable of suppressing deterioration of organic EL elements at the corners of an emission region.The organic light-emitting device includes a planarization film which planarizes thin film transistors arranged in an emission region where pixels are arranged, an element separation film which defines the pixels formed on the planarization film, a charge transport layer formed on the planarization film in each pixel. The charge transport layer contains any one of alkali metals and alkaline-earth metals and extends to outside of the emission region so as to cover the side surface of a peripheral portion of the planarization film, which is disposed in a peripheral region, the planarization film being formed in the emission region. |
| US08766230B2 |
Non-volatile multi-bit memory with programmable capacitance
Non-volatile multi-bit memory with programmable capacitance is disclosed. Illustrative data memory units include a substrate including a source region and a drain region; and a gate stack structure over the substrate and between the source region and drain region. The gate stack structure includes a first solid electrolyte cell and a second solid electrolyte cell. The solid electrolyte cells having a capacitance that is controllable between at least two states. A gate contact layer is electrically coupled to a voltage source. The first solid electrolyte cell and the second solid electrolyte cell separate the gate contact layer from the substrate. |
| US08766228B2 |
Electrically actuated device and method of controlling the formation of dopants therein
An electrically actuated device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an active region disposed between the first and second electrodes. The device further includes at least one of dopant initiators or dopants localized at an interface between i) the first electrode and the active region, or ii) the second electrode and the active region, or iii) the active region and each of the first and second electrodes. |
| US08766221B1 |
Isolation system for a bi-directional communication bus line
A system and method are provided for bidirectional communications between a master device and one or more slave devices. Each slave device is coupled to first and second opto-isolators which are effective to provide galvanic isolation of the slave device from the master device. An encoder circuit is coupled between the master device and the first opto-isolators. A decoder circuit is coupled between the master device and the second opto-isolators. The master device generates transmissions to the slave devices along a first low logic path including the encoder and the first opto-isolators, wherein the decoder and the second opto-isolators are non-responsive to signals on the first path. The slave devices generate transmissions to the master device along a second low logic path including the second opto-isolators and the decoder, wherein the encoder and the first opto-isolators are non-responsive to signals on the second path. |
| US08766220B2 |
Charged particle beam irradiation apparatus
A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus includes: an irradiation section configured to irradiate an irradiated body with a charged particle beam; a multi-leaf collimator configured to set an irradiation range of the charged particle beam which is irradiated from the irradiation section; an imaging section that is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to an irradiation axis of the charged particle beam which is irradiated from the irradiation section, between the irradiation section and the multi-leaf collimator, and directly images an opening portion of the multi-leaf collimator; and a drive section configured to move the imaging section between an imaging position corresponding to an irradiation area which includes the irradiation axis of the charged particle beam and a retreated position away from the irradiation area. |
| US08766214B2 |
Method of preparing and imaging a lamella in a particle-optical apparatus
The invention relates to a method of preparing and imaging a sample using a particle-optical apparatus, equipped with an electron column and an ion beam column, a camera system, a manipulator. The method comprises the steps of deriving a first ptychographic image of the sample from a first electron image, thinning the sample, and forming a second ptychographic image of the sample. In an embodiment of the invention the seed image used for the second image is the first ptychographic image. In another embodiment the second ptychographic image is the image of the layer removed during the thinning. In another embodiment the inner potential of the sample is determined and dopant concentrations are determined. |
| US08766208B2 |
Secondary-electron detector and charged particle beam apparatus
A scintillator 21 is disposed on an incidence side 23a of a photomultiplier 23. A scintillator cap 22 for introducing electrons into the scintillator 21 is disposed around the scintillator 21. The photomultiplier 23 is disposed in a sample chamber 17 with a vacuum seal formed around the photomultiplier 23. An insulating member 25 made of an opaque material is disposed between the scintillator cap 22 and the photomultiplier 23. The insulating member 25 provides insulation between the scintillator cap 22 and the photomultiplier 23. The lateral circumference of the photomultiplier 23 is covered to prevent light from entering the photomultiplier 23. A band filter 27 for blocking the illumination light of an optical microscope 30 is disposed between the scintillator 21 and the incidence side 23a of the photomultiplier 23 to make it possible to conduct simultaneous observations by using the electrons and the optical microscope. |
| US08766207B2 |
Beam monitoring device, method, and system
A beam monitoring device, method, and system is disclosed. An exemplary beam monitoring device includes a one dimensional (1D) profiler. The 1D profiler includes a Faraday having an insulation material and a conductive material. The beam monitoring device further includes a two dimensional (2D) profiler. The 2D profiler includes a plurality of Faraday having an insulation material and a conductive material. The beam monitoring device further includes a control arm. The control arm is operable to facilitate movement of the beam monitoring device in a longitudinal direction and to facilitate rotation of the beam monitoring device about an axis. |
| US08766205B2 |
Radiological image detection apparatus and radiation imaging apparatus
An adiological image detection apparatus 3 includes a phosphor 60 that contains a fluorescent material which emits fluorescence by radiation exposure, and a sensor panel 61 which is provided to be in close contact with the phosphor, and detects the fluorescence emitted from the phosphor. The phosphor includes a columnar section that is formed by a group of columnar crystals 82 formed by growing crystals of the fluorescent material in a columnar shape, a radiation incident plane is provided in the sensor panel at a side opposite to the phosphor, and the sensor panel has flexibility and is curved to locate a curvature center at the radiation incident plane side. |
| US08766202B2 |
X-ray detectors including diffusion barrier films
An X-ray detector includes a photoconductor, a first diffusion barrier film on a first surface of the photoconductor, at least one pixel electrode on the first diffusion barrier film, a signal transmitting unit to process an electrical signal output from the at least one pixel electrode, and a common electrode on a second surface of the photoconductor opposite to the first surface of the photoconductor. |
| US08766201B2 |
Device, method and system for detecting nuclear radiation levels
A mobile electronic device for detecting nuclear radiation levels, where the device has image capturing means comprising a sensor capable of receiving nuclear radiation and converting same to a value indicative of the nuclear radiation level. The device also comprises a shutter translatable from a first orientation covering the sensor (in which radiation level monitoring is allowed) to a second orientation revealing the sensor (in which radiation level monitoring is disallowed). The device may be a modified cellular telephone, satellite telephone, personal digital assistant or tablet personal computer provided with a digital camera, such that camera functionality is maintained and permitted when the shutter is in the second orientation. |
| US08766196B2 |
Radiation sensing thermoplastic composite panels
A transparent scintillator panel including an extruded scintillation layer comprising a thermoplastic polyolefin and a scintillator material, wherein the transparent scintillator panel has an intrinsic MTF at least 5% greater than the iH50 of a solvent-coated DRZ+ screen. Also disclosed is a scintillation detection system including a transparent scintillator panel comprising an extruded scintillation layer comprising a thermoplastic olefin and a scintillator material; and at least one photodetector coupled to the transparent scintillator panel, wherein at least one photodetector is configured to detect photons generated from the transparent scintillator panel. Further disclosed is a method of making a transparent scintillator panel including providing thermoplastic particles comprising at least one thermoplastic polyolefin and a scintillator material; and melt extruding the thermoplastic particles to form an extruded scintillation layer. |
| US08766195B2 |
Distance detection induction device
A distance-detecting sensor may include a housing, a focusing lens, and a circuit board. Infrared light may be transmitted by a transmitter and received by a receiver. The housing may include a main body having two apertures. A transmitting lens and a receiving lens may each be positioned within one of the apertures. The circuit board may be positioned above the transmitter and the receiver and below the transmitting lens and the receiving lens. The transmitter may be an infrared light emitting diode and the receiver may be a distance-detecting sensing module. A shielding case may be provided around the transmitter and the receiver to prevent electromagnetic interference. |
| US08766192B2 |
Method for inspecting a photovoltaic substrate
A method for inspecting a substrate having intrinsic heterogeneous patterns for the presence of cracks comprises the steps of providing an optical device and front-side lighting on a first side of the substrate and providing near-infrared lighting on a second side of the substrate opposite to the first side. The near-infrared lighting is operable to penetrate the substrate so as to be detectable by the optical device through the substrate. One or more images are obtained by illuminating the substrate with the front-side lighting and/or the near-infrared lighting from the second side. The one or more images are thereafter processed to distinguish between the heterogeneous patterns on the substrate and any cracks present on the substrate. |
| US08766189B2 |
Optical system, method and computer program for detecting the presence of a living biological organism
The system is comprised of at least one pair of light sources (1;2;3) that emit pulsed electromagnetic radiation in the near-infrared zone; at least one pair of light sources (1;2;3) that emit radiation in the near-ultraviolet zone; at least one photodetector (4) with the absorption band located in the near-infrared zone, for detecting the pulsed radiation transmitted and reflected on the biological element, on the basis of the pulsed radiation emitted by the pair of light sources that emit the radiation in the near-infrared; at least one photodetector (5) with the absorption band located in the near-ultraviolet zone, for detecting the pulsed radiation transmitted and reflected on the biological element, on the basis of the pulsed radiation emitted by the pair of light sources (1;2;3) that emit the radiation in the near-ultraviolet zone; a control unit (8(c)) that interprets the pulsed radiation transmitted and reflected on the biological element; and a processing unit (8(d)) that determines if it is a living biological element, on the basis of the radiation interpreted by the control unit. |
| US08766179B2 |
Temperature-controlled electrospray ionization source and methods of use thereof
Disclosed herein is an electrospray ionization source that provides improved temperature control compared to prior sources. A combination of a continuous flow sample design and the use of a long heat shield combine to improve thermal control and reduce memory effects observed with prior designs. The temperature-controlled source is particularly useful for the study of biomolecules, particularly the study of protein aggregation. |
| US08766177B2 |
Nanomanipulation coupled nanospray mass spectrometry (NMS)
A coupled nanomanipulation and nanospray mass spectrometry (NMS) system for single cell, single organelle, and ultra-trace molecular analysis is disclosed herein. The system primarily comprises a bio-workstation coupled to a NMS. The bio-workstation primarily comprises of a nanomanipulator stage with a plurality of nano-positioners attached to a cabinet with a piezo voltage source and a pressure injector. The present invention further describes a fingerprint lift method that when coupled with the system disclosed herein can be used for retrieval and analysis of trace amounts of drug and explosive residues. The system described herein has been used in the areas of trace and document analysis within the forensic field, trace fiber analysis, and electrostatic lifts for illicit drugs, as well as document and painting analysis. |
| US08766174B1 |
Correction of asymmetric electric fields in ion cyclotron resonance cells
The invention relates to a method and a device for optimization of electric fields in measurement cells of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers. The invention is based on the rationale that asymmetric electric fields with uniformly or non-uniformly perturbed field axes can appear in ion cyclotron resonance cells and therefore the axis of the magnetron orbit can become radially displaced. Shifted magnetron orbits negatively affect the cyclotron excitation, deteriorate the FT-ICR signal, increase the intensity of an even-numbered harmonics peak, lead to stronger side bands of the FT-ICR signal, and in extreme cases, cause loss of ions. The present invention helps in probing the shift of the magnetron motion, detecting parameters indicative of the offset of the electric field axis and/or correcting it by trimming it back to the geometric axis of the cell. |
| US08766170B2 |
Method of operating tandem ion traps
A method for operating tandem ion traps is provided, involving a) accumulating ions in the first ion trap at a first time; b) transmitting a first plurality of ions out of the first ion trap and into the second ion trap at a second time, the first plurality of ions having masses within a first mass range; c) retaining a second plurality of ions in the first ion trap at the second time, the second plurality of ions having masses within a second mass range different from the first mass range; d) transmitting the first plurality of ions out of the second ion trap at a third time; and, e) transmitting the second plurality of ions out of the first ion trap and into the second ion trap at the third time. |
| US08766169B2 |
Sorting colloidal particles into multiple channels with optical forces: prismatic optical fractionation
A method and system for controlled fractionation of particles. A sample having a plurality of particles of different size distributions. A uniform array for the preparing of optical traps having a selected array lattice constant. The plurality of particles for inputting the plurality of particles to the uniform array of optical traps at a driving direction angle Θ and the plurality of particles separating along different directions Θv based on variable particle attributes. |
| US08766168B2 |
Sensor for liquid and/or gas analysis directly connectable to a higher-ranking control system
A sensor of the type for liquid and/or gas analysis, which is connected to a measuring and/or evaluating system or, respectively, to a higher-ranking control system and has a sensor housing. The circuit for the collecting, processing and transmitting measured values to the measuring and/or evaluating system or to the control system (19) are provided in the sensor housing (2). This circuit has analog sensor electronics (3), an analog-digital converter (14) for converting the detected analog measured values into digital measured values, a processing unit (15) and communication device (17) for processing and transmitting the digital measured values to the measuring and/or evaluating system or to the control system (19) according to a standard communication protocol of process technology. |
| US08766167B2 |
Interrogator having an analog interrogator following at least one amplifier
An interrogator for a plurality of sensor fiber optic gratings. The interrogator includes a broadband optical source; at least one beam splitter directing output of the optical source to the sensor fiber optic gratings; at least one linear filter for converting changes in peak reflection wavelength to changes in intensity; at least one optical receiver; and at least one amplifier associated with each optical receiver. The interrogator also includes an analog integrator following the at least one amplifier. |
| US08766164B2 |
Geiger-mode photodiode with integrated and adjustable quenching resistor and surrounding biasing conductor
An embodiment of a Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode includes a body of semiconductor material having a first conductivity type, a first surface and a second surface; a trench extending through the body from the first surface and surrounding an active region; a lateral-isolation region within the trench, formed by a conductive region and an insulating region of dielectric material, the insulating region surrounding the conductive region; an anode region having a second conductivity type, extending within the active region and facing the first surface. The active region forms a cathode region extending between the anode region and the second surface, and defines a quenching resistor. The photodiode has a contact region of conductive material, overlying the first surface and in contact with the conductive region for connection thereof to a circuit biasing the conductive region, thereby a depletion region is formed in the active region around the insulating region. |
| US08766159B2 |
Multicolor detectors and applications thereof
In one aspect, the present invention provides photodetectors and components thereof having multi-spectral sensing capabilities. In some embodiments, photodetectors of the present invention provide a first photosensitive element comprising at least one accessway extending through the element and an electrical connection at least partially disposed in the accessway, the electrical connection accessible for receiving a second photosensitive element. |
| US08766150B2 |
Device for hardening the teeth of gear wheels by individual inductive heat treatment for each tooth, using several inductors
A device for hardening the teeth (2) of gear wheels by inductive heat treatment provides for at least two hardness inductors (3), which are distributed over the circumference. |
| US08766148B2 |
Baking oven having inductors and susceptor plates
A baking oven for producing baked molded products. The baking oven has an input station, a baking area and an output station. In addition, the oven has baking plates, which are arranged along a circulation path passing through the baking area, and a conveying device for the baking plates. The baking plates are in the form of susceptor plates, which can be heated inductively without contact. An induction heating device is provided in the baking area. This device includes at least one elongated inductor, which is arranged parallel to the circulation path of the baking plates and extends along the circulation path over a plurality of susceptor plates. The elongated inductor produces a large-area, broad magnetic field, which simultaneously inductively heats a plurality of baking plates in the form of susceptor plates without any contact. |
| US08766147B2 |
Induction cook-top apparatus
An induction stove assembly that utilizes pads between the cook-top of the stove and cooking vessels placed on the stove for heating. The pads are easily removable and interchangeable with other similar pads. The pads help protect the cook-top from damage, make clean-up more efficient, and insulate the cook-top from excessive heating. |
| US08766146B2 |
Apparatus for the inductive heating of oil sand and heavy oil deposits by way of current-carrying conductors
An apparatus for the inductive heating of oil sand and heavy oil deposits by way of current-carrying conductors is provided. The conductors include individual conductor groups, wherein the conductor groups are designed in periodically repeating sections of defined length defining a resonance length, and wherein two or more of the conductor groups are capacitively coupled. In this way, each conductor can be advantageously insulated and may include a single wire. |
| US08766143B2 |
Method for operating a cooking appliance and device for carrying out said method
A method for operating a cooking appliance having a cooking appliance control system and a door. The method includes automatically opening the door using the cooking appliance control system when a cooking process is complete, and automatically closing the door when a physical quantity falls below a predetermined threshold value stored in a memory of the cooking appliance control system. In addition, a cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber, a door, a cooking appliance control system having a memory, a sensor disposed in the cooking chamber, a guide device, and a door opening device including a positioning motor and a rod. The cooking appliance control system is configured to actuate the positioning motor as a function of the output signal so as to automatically open the door when a cooking process is complete and automatically close the door when a physical quantity falls below a predetermined threshold value. |
| US08766142B2 |
Heater for an automotive vehicle and method of forming same
There is disclosed a heater for an automotive vehicle or other article of manufacture. The heater typically includes a first conductive medium and a second conductive medium disposed upon a carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the first conductive medium includes a first section and a second section that are electrically connected by a second conductive medium. The second conductive medium preferably exhibits a positive thermal coefficient. |
| US08766141B2 |
Welding system having a wire-specific interface
A system having a welding wire hub with a wire-specific interface. The wire-specific interface may be configured to enable mounting with a first wire spool and configured to prevent mounting with a second wire spool. In some embodiments, the first and second wire spools have different welding wire types. |
| US08766138B2 |
Method for producing large-sized shell segments as well as shell segment
The subject matter herein discloses a method for producing a fuselage section of an aircraft via large-sized, in particular long, shell segments. The method includes joining at least two skin segments to form a large-sized skin field, welding a plurality of integral stringers onto the skin field, and welding a plurality of integral and closed ring frames to the skin field. |
| US08766136B2 |
Laser welding tool
A welding tool is configured with a housing enclosing a fiber laser system which is operative to produce a weld seam for connecting two workpieces. The fiber laser system includes a focusing optic configured to focus the output beam of the system so that it propagates through an elongated slit formed in the bottom of the housing. The fiber laser system is capable to move along a predetermined path extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slit and limited by the perimeter thereof. The output beam is generated only when the slit sits upon at least one of the workpieces. |
| US08766130B2 |
Arc extinction apparatus and DC switch apparatus
An improved arc extinction apparatus that can be used in an improved DC switch apparatus includes a pair of magnetic field elements in the exemplary form of permanent magnets to apply Lorentz forces to the arcs. The magnetic fields are arranged in the vicinity of the air gaps that form between the ends of a pivoting conductor and a pair of contacts such that the system is optimized to extinguish an arc at one air gap when current is flowing through the conductor in a first direction and is further optimized to extinguish an arc at the other air gap when current is flowing in an opposite direction through the conductor. This is accomplished by providing a magnet at each air gap of the circuit, with the magnetic fields being oriented parallel with the pivot axis and having their north poles pointed in the same direction. |
| US08766119B2 |
Water sealing buttons from the exterior
An electronic device 28 with an effective water sealing button system 26 comprising a special compression gasket seal with compressive faces 30 and 32 and deformable annular seal portions 34 and 36 to dynamically seal a moveable side key 20 providing a button 22 against a housing 40 of the electronic device and accommodate non-binding sliding movement of the side key while controlling the spacing and tactile feel of the side key. |
| US08766118B2 |
Seismic actuator
An actuator that includes a shelf having a pivot cone, a first member, a second member, a trigger pin and a trigger lever latch. The first member includes a weight, a first shaft extending upwardly from the weight and through an opening in the pivot cone, and a first plate affixed to the first shaft. The first plate is supported by the pivot cone. The second member includes a second plate resting on the first plate and a second shaft extending upwardly from the second plate. The trigger lever latch includes a first portion connected to the second shaft and a second portion extending upwardly at an angle away from the first portion. The trigger pin has an engagement surface. The trigger pin is movable between an operational state and a tripped state. The second end of the trigger lever latch is engaged with the engagement surface. |
| US08766117B2 |
Device for locking push-pull circuit breakers
An improved circuit breaker locking device is provided that is capable of locking any one of a set of push-pull circuit breaker actuators having shaft and top annular flanges of different diameters. The device includes a pair of opposing body sections, each having a proximal and a distal recess arranged in tandem, and an elastic joining member that joins the opposing body sections together. The proximal and distal recesses of the opposing body sections are sized to capture without frictionally gripping the largest diameter cylindrical shaft section and the largest annular flange of the set of actuators when the body sections are joined together around the actuator. The interface between the proximal and distal recesses is sized to interfere with and prevent passage of the smallest annular flange of all of the actuators. |
| US08766109B2 |
Cable connector with bushing element
A cable connector for receiving a cable includes a substantially tubular connector body having a central bore extending therethrough, a forward end, and a cable receiving end. A gland nut is coupled to the cable receiving end of the connector body, wherein the gland nut is axially movable from a first position relative to the connector body to a second position relative to the connector body. A substantially tubular bushing element is secured between the gland nut and the connector body, wherein the bushing element comprises a tubular body for receiving the cable therethrough. The tubular body of the bushing element includes a flexible portion and a semi-rigid portion, wherein the flexible portion comprises a first hardness to seal the flexible portion to the cable and the semi-rigid portion comprises a second hardness to securely fix the cable relative to the bushing element. |
| US08766108B2 |
Encapsulated expanded crimped metal mesh for sealing and EMI shielding applications
A composite gasket for sealing and EMI shielding is provided. The gasket has a resilient conductive mesh sheet embedded with an elastomer gel layer. The conductive mesh is corrugated to provide a series of repeating waveforms, providing the gasket with a lower deflection force, better corrosion resistance, and a higher EMI shielding capability. A second elastomer can be used around the edge portions of the gasket for improved abrasion resistance and increased tensile strength. A fiberglass sheet can be incorporated in the mesh for added reinforcement and support. The gaskets of the invention can be used on external aircraft components, such as external aircraft antenna mounts. |
| US08766102B2 |
Chip support board structure
A chip support board structure which includes at least a metal substrate, a block layer, a paddle, an insulation layer, a circuit layer and a solder resist is disclosed. The circuit layer connects with the paddle. The material of the block layer is different from that of the metal substrate and the block layer is provided between the metal substrate and the paddle such that the shape and the depth of the paddle is maintained constant and the problem of different depth and easily peeling off is avoided, thereby improving the yield rate of the chip support board. |
| US08766101B2 |
Wiring substrate, method for manufacturing wiring substrate, and semiconductor package including wiring substrate
A wiring substrate includes an inorganic substrate including a substrate body formed of an inorganic material, a wiring pattern formed on the substrate body, and an external connection terminal being electrically connected to the wiring pattern, an organic substrate that is formed below the inorganic substrate, the organic substrate including an insulating layer and a wiring layer formed on the insulating layer, and a bonding layer interposed between the inorganic substrate and the organic substrate, the bonding layer including a stress buffer layer and a penetration wiring that penetrates the stress buffer layer. A thermal expansion coefficient of the stress buffer layer is greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the inorganic substrate and less than a thermal expansion coefficient of the organic substrate. The wiring pattern and the wiring layer are electrically connected by way of the penetration wiring. |
| US08766100B2 |
Printed circuit board and semiconductor package using the same
A printed circuit board and a semiconductor package using the same. The semiconductor package includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and a semiconductor chip mounted on the PCB. The printed circuit board includes a base substrate that has a first surface and a second surface which are positioned opposite to each other, and has through-holes, the first surface having a concave-convex portion, an adhesive layer that is disposed on the second surface of the base substrate, a wiring layer that is attached to the second surface of the base substrate by the adhesive layer and that comprises exposed portions exposed through the through-holes, an adhesive member that is disposed on the first surface of the base substrate and adheres the semiconductor chip to the first surface, and electrical connection members that electrically connect the wiring layer with the semiconductor chip. |
| US08766095B2 |
Ignition lead
An ignition lead in an engine for conducting a large current and high voltage ignition pulse from an exciter to an igniter, which may then transform the pulse received from the ignition lead into an electrical spark, which ignites a fuel and air mixture in the combustor of the engine. The ignition lead may include a construction for improved electromagnetic shielding. |
| US08766091B2 |
Solar power harvester
A solar energy harvester comprises: an elongated stationary solar irradiance converter assembly; a concentrator comprised of a substantially flat array of flat reflective heliostatic slats disposed at tilt angles to concentrate the sun onto the converter assembly, said slats each rotating in elevation about a north-south axis; sun sensor detecting the efficacy of concentration as the sun traverses; and control circuitry and drive motor positioning the collector in elevation according to the sun sensor so that the slat array tracks and faces the sun whenever the solar incident energy is greater than a selectable threshold level. |
| US08766088B2 |
Dopant-containing contact material
A photovoltaic device can include a doped contact layer adjacent to a semiconductor absorber layer, where the doped contact layer includes a metal base material and a dopant. |
| US08766087B2 |
Window structure for solar cell
A multilayer window structure for a solar cell comprises one or more layers where the bottom layer has an intrinsic material lattice spacing that is substantially the same as the emitter in the plane perpendicular to the direction of epitaxial growth. One or more upper layers of the window structure has progressively higher band gaps than the bottom layer and has intrinsic material lattice spacing is substantially different than the emitter intrinsic material lattice spacing. |
| US08766086B2 |
System and method for laminating photovoltaic structures
A method for forming a laminated photovoltaic structure includes providing a sheet of transparent material having light concentrating features, disposing adhesive material adjacent to the sheet of transparent material, disposing photovoltaic strips adjacent to the adhesive material, wherein the photovoltaic strips are positioned relative to the sheet of transparent material in response to exitant light characteristics of the light concentrating features, wherein photovoltaic strips are coupled via associated bus bars, wherein gap regions are located between bus bars of neighboring photovoltaic strips, disposing a rigid layer of material adjacent to the photovoltaic strips to form a composite photovoltaic structure; and thereafter laminating the composite photovoltaic structure to fill the gap regions with adhesive material and to form the laminated photovoltaic structure, wherein adhesive material adheres to the bus bars. |
| US08766085B2 |
Photoelectric conversion device and method of manufacturing the same
A photoelectric conversion device is provided in which a first photoelectric conversion module having a plurality of first photoelectric conversion elements formed on one surface of a first translucent insulated substrate and a second photoelectric conversion module having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements formed on one surface of a second translucent insulated substrate are bonded together with the first photoelectric conversion elements and the second photoelectric conversion elements placed on an inner side. The photoelectric conversion device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion element pairs formed by electrically connecting, in series, the first photoelectric conversion elements and the second photoelectric conversion elements arranged in positions opposed to each other. All the photoelectric conversion element pairs are electrically connected in series. |
| US08766082B2 |
Amplifier with selectable master control
An amplifier for electric guitar including a Cut control for attenuating high frequencies whose operation is expanded via a switch to alternately function as a Master Volume control. |
| US08766081B2 |
Touch sensing device, touch sensing unit, storage medium and touch sensing method
A first contact and a second contact are provided at each of a plurality of keys, and are successively closed in accordance with a key press operation. On the basis of respective closed sense signals from the first contact and the second contact, a duration from when the first contact is closed until the second contact is closed is counted as a first count value and then a duration after this counting has ended is counted as a second count value. An attainment duration value and the second count value are compared, and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, a control signal is outputted. When this control signal is received, sound emission information instructing an emission of a sound by a sound emission controller is sent. The sound emission information includes touch information based on the first count value. |
| US08766080B2 |
Methods, systems, and media for performing visualized quantitative vibrato analysis
Methods, systems, and media for performing visualized quantitative vibrato analysis are provided. In some embodiments, a method for analyzing musical vibrato in an audio file is provided, the method comprising: receiving, using a hardware processor, a target note from a user; receiving, using the hardware processor, a time-domain signal representing a piece of music comprising a plurality of notes, wherein the plurality of notes include the target note and the target note is played with a vibrato effect; converting, using the hardware processor, the time-domain signal to a frequency-domain signal; determining, using the hardware processor, a plurality of changes in frequency and intensity of the vibrato effect over time based on the frequency-domain signal; determining, using the hardware processor, a target frequency corresponding to the target note; and displaying, on a display, data about the changes in frequency and intensity of the vibrato effect over time and data about the target frequency. |
| US08766071B2 |
Instrument pick and method of manufacture
There is an instrument pick, and its method of manufacture, having a body member including a pliable member disposed therein. The body member includes crushed magnetic elements disposed throughout the body member. The instrument pick includes a tip member disposed about an end of the body member. The tip member includes a hardened region. The instrument pick includes a plurality of selectably removable tip members having diverse acoustical properties. |
| US08766066B2 |
Zantedeschia variety 110067-52451
A Zantedeschia variety designated 110067-52451 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of Zantedeschia 110067-52451, the plants of Zantedeschia 110067-52451, plant parts of Zantedeschia variety 110067-52451, and methods for producing a Zantedeschia plant produced by crossing Zantedeschia 110067-52451 with itself or with another Zantedeschia variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a Zantedeschia plant containing in its genetic material one or more genes or transgenes and the transgenic Zantedeschia plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to Zantedeschia varieties, or breeding varieties, and plant parts derived from Zantedeschia 110067-52451, methods for producing other Zantedeschia varieties, hybrids, or plant parts derived from Zantedeschia 110067-52451, and to the Zantedeschia plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid Zantedeschia seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the Zantedeschia 110067-52451 with another Zantedeschia variety. |
| US08766062B2 |
Sweet corn hybrid SHY6RH1339 and parents thereof
The invention provides seed and plants of sweet corn hybrid SHY6RH1339 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of sweet corn hybrid SHY6RH1339 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a sweet corn plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another sweet corn plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the parts of such plants. |
| US08766059B1 |
Maize inbred PH18F6
A novel maize variety designated PH18F6 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18F6 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18F6 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH18F6 or a locus conversion of PH18F6 with another maize variety. |
| US08766052B1 |
Soybean cultivar S120112
A soybean cultivar designated S120112 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S120112, to the plants of soybean cultivar S120112, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar S120112, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar S120112. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S120112. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S120112, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar S120112 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US08766051B2 |
Soybean cultivar UA Kirksey
A soybean cultivar designated UA Kirksey is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar UA Kirksey, to the plants of soybean cultivar UA Kirksey, to the plant parts of soybean cultivar UA Kirksey, and to methods for producing progeny of soybean cultivar UA Kirksey. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean cultivar UA Kirksey. The invention also relates to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines, or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar UA Kirksey, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar UA Kirksey with another soybean cultivar. |
| US08766045B2 |
Soybean variety S100306
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated S100306. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety S100306. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety S100306 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety S100306 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US08766044B2 |
Soybean variety XB25F12
A novel soybean variety, designated XB25F12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB25F12, cells from soybean variety XB25F12, plants of soybean XB25F12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB25F12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB25F12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB25F12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB25F12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB25F12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB25F12 are further provided. |
| US08766043B2 |
Soybean variety XB19C12
A novel soybean variety, designated XB19C12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB19C12, cells from soybean variety XB19C12, plants of soybean XB19C12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB19C12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB19C12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB19C12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB19C12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB19C12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB19C12 are further provided. |
| US08766041B2 |
Marker genetically linked to tobamovirus resistance in cucumber and the use thereof
The present invention relates to a molecular marker genetically linked to, and capable of identifying, a genetic locus in the cucumber plant (Cucumis sativus L.) genome conferring a general resistance against tobamoviruses, and especially against two commercially important pathogenic tobamoviruses, i.e., cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) and cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus (CFMMV). The present invention further relates to methods for providing a cucumber plant (Cucumis sativus L.), plants, plant parts and fruits with resistance against tobamoviruses, and especially against two commercially important pathogenic tobamoviruses, i.e., cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) and cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus (CFMMV). |
| US08766040B2 |
Brassica ogura restorer lines with shortened Raphanus fragment (SRF)
New Brassica Ogura fertility restorer lines with a shortened Raphanus fragment are provided. The new lines lack the OPC2 marker and are capable of fully restoring fertility in Ogura cytoplasmic male sterile (cms) plants. The improved lines were developed using a new breeding method. The new breeding method can be used to shorten an exotic insertion comprising a gene of interest in any plant. |
| US08766038B2 |
Methods for modifying plant morphology, biochemistry and physiology
The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. The invention also relates to novel plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising said sequences. The invention also relates to the use of said sequences for improving root-related characteristics including increasing yield and/or enhancing early vigor and/or modifying root/shoot ratio and/or improving resistance to lodging and/or increasing drought tolerance and/or promoting in vitro propagation of explants and/or modifying cell fate and/or plant development and/or plant morphology and/or plant biochemistry and/or plant physiology. The invention also relates to the use of said sequences in the above-mentioned methods. The invention also relates to methods for identifying and obtaining proteins and compounds interacting with cytokinin oxidase proteins. The invention also relates to the use of said compounds as a plant growth regulator or herbicide. |
| US08766034B2 |
TL1A model of inflammation fibrosis and autoimmunity
This invention relates transgenic animals that overexpress TL1A in a tissue specific manner to model inflammatory bowel disease (IBM such as colitis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, fibrosis, and related inflammatory diseases and conditions. TL1A transgenic animals constitutively express both TL1A and GFP in lymphoid and myeloid cell lineages, allowing convenient identification and sorting of immune cells involved in IBD disease progression, such as T-cells, antigen presenting cells (APC), and dendritic cells (DC). TL1A transgenic animals may be induced to exhibit gross fibrosis, or isolated cells may be implanted into immunodeficient mice to establish colitis. |
| US08766033B2 |
Method of using an absorbent article having a functional enhancement indicator
A method for choosing a feminine hygiene article from an array of feminine hygiene articles. The method comprises providing an array of feminine hygiene articles for placement in an undergarment having a crotch portion bounded on opposite sides by portions of curved leg openings, each the feminine hygiene article of the array having a body-facing surface, the array of feminine hygiene articles comprising at least first and second feminine hygiene articles differing in at least one functional characteristic, the first and second feminine hygiene articles each comprising functional enhancement indicators visibly different from one another on the body-facing surface; observing the functional enhancement indicators; distinguishing among the array of feminine hygiene articles one of the first or second feminine hygiene articles based upon the functional enhancement indicators; and selecting among the array of feminine hygiene articles one of the first or second feminine hygiene articles. |
| US08766026B2 |
Process for the conversion of lower alkanes to aromatic hydrocarbons
A process is provided for producing aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises: (a) contacting a lower alkane feed with a solid particulate aromatic hydrocarbon conversion catalyst in a fixed bed reaction zone to produce aromatic hydrocarbons and other products, whereby the catalyst is at least partially deactivated by the formation of undesirable coke deposits, (b) periodically regenerating the catalyst under regeneration conditions, (c) separating aromatic hydrocarbons from the other products and unreacted lower alkanes, and (d) optionally recycling unreacted lower alkanes to the reaction zone wherein the fixed bed reaction zone additionally comprises a volume of a catalytically inactive solid. |
| US08766024B2 |
Process to mitigate the corrosion of oils/fats
It has been discovered that the residence time of oils/fats in metal apparatus, particularly in the upstream of a hydrotreating unit, for example, a heat exchanger and/or a storage/feed tank, can impact significantly on corrosiveness of oils/fats in combination with and without conventional hydrocarbons. In addition, it is also found that the presence of hydrogen in the metal apparatus can also inhibit the corrosion rate of oils/fats. |
| US08766022B2 |
Method for synergistically increasing the cetane number of a fuel composition and a fuel composition comprising a synergistically increased cetane number
A method for increasing the cetane number of a fuel composition containing a Fischer-Tropsch derived fuel component, in order to reach a target cetane number X, is provided by adding to the composition a concentration c of an ignition improver, wherein c is lower than the concentration which theory would predict needed to be added in order to achieve the target. The ignition improver is preferably 2-ethylhexyl nitrate and the fuel composition suitably a diesel or kerosene fuel. A fuel composition for use in a compression ignition engine, which has a cetane number of 85 or greater, and contains a Fischer-Tropsch derived fuel component and an ignition improver is also disclosed. |
| US08766018B2 |
Divinylarene dioxide resins
A hydrolyzed divinylarene dioxide resin composition including the reaction product of (a) a divinylarene dioxide, and (b) water; a process for making the hydrolyzed divinylarene dioxide resin composition; and a curable hydrolyzed divinylarene dioxide resin composition made therefrom. The cured product made from the above hydrolyzed divinylarene dioxide resin composition offers improved properties such as a lower viscosity and a high heat resistance compared to known cured products prepared from known epoxy resins. |
| US08766014B2 |
Heterogeneous catalysts
Convert a mixture of synthesis gas and ethylene to a product stream that contains at least one C3 oxygenate using a supported, heterogeneous catalyst represented by formula RhaAgbSncXdYeOx. In the formula, X is at least one transition element other than rhodium or silver, and Y is at least one element selected from alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. |
| US08766013B2 |
Method for hydrogenation of iso-alpha-acids and tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acids to hexahydro-iso-alpha-acids
The invention relates to a process for the production of hexahydro-iso-alpha-acids starting from iso-alpha-acids (or tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acids) in which iso-alpha-acids (or tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acids) are mixed with a heterogeneous ruthenium containing catalyst, that catalyzes the hydrogenation from iso-alpha-acids or tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acids to hexahydro-iso-alpha-acids, either in solvent-free conditions, or in the presence of a solvent phase (e.g. carbon dioxide, water, ethanol or another organic solvent, or mixtures thereof), and in the absence or presence of other hop compounds (such as beta-acids). The resulting mixture is then subjected to a temperature at which the iso-alpha-acid (or tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acid) containing reaction medium is sufficiently low in viscosity to allow easy mixing with the heterogeneous ruthenium containing catalyst and held under a hydrogen containing atmosphere (either pure hydrogen gas or mixed with an inert gas) for a reaction time sufficient to effect high conversion of the iso-alpha-acid (or tetrahydro-iso-alpha-acid) reactant into the hexahydro-iso-alpha-acid product. |
| US08766010B2 |
Method for distilling mixtures comprising ethylenediamine, N-methylethylenediamine, and water, and mixtures of ethylenediamine and N-methylethylenediamine having a low content of N-methylethylenediamine obtainable thereby
The present invention relates to a mixture of ethylenediamine (EDA) and N-methylethylenediamine (Me-EDA) with a low content of Me-EDA, which comprises at least 99.5% by weight of ethylenediamine, and wherein the concentration of N-methylethylenediamine is in the range from 0.005 to 0.15% by weight.The present invention further relates to a process for distillative workup of a mixture comprising EDA, Me-EDA and water, by introducing the mixture into a distillation column which is operated at a column top pressure of 10 mbar to 4 bar, wherein the weight ratio of water to ethylenediamine in the mixture used is a*X:Y where X is the proportion by weight of water and Y is the proportion by weight of ethylenediamine at the azeotropic point of a binary mixture of water and ethylenediamine at the column top pressure in question, and a is a real number with a value of 0.9 or more.The present invention further provides a process for preparing a distillable mixture comprising EDA, Me-EDA and water, which is suitable for preparing EDA with a low Me-EDA content. |
| US08766008B2 |
Process for preparing 2,2-difluoroethylamine from 2,2-difluoro-1-chloroethane and ammonia
Process for preparing 2,2-difluoroethylamine, comprising the following steps: (i) mixing 2,2-difluoro-1-chloroethane and gaseous, liquid or supercritical ammonia in a pressure-stable, closed reaction vessel under a pressure in the range from 10 to 180 bar; (ii) reacting the reaction mixture at a reaction temperature in the range from 80° C. to 200° C.; (iii) letting down the reaction mixture and isolating 2,2-difluoroethylamine. |
| US08766003B2 |
Process for the iodination of phenolic derivatives
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of iodinated phenols; in particular; it relates to a process including the direct iodination, with suitably activated iodine, of 3,5-disubstituted phenol compounds to the corresponding 3,5-disubstituted-2,4,6-triiodophenols, which are useful intermediates for the synthesis of x-ray contrast media, and to the preparation of the contrast media themselves. |
| US08766002B2 |
Preparation and purification of iodixanol
An improved synthesis method for preparation of iodixanol, and a purification process through macroporous adsorption resin chromatographic column and recrystallization are provided. The synthesis method relates to dimerization of 5-acetamido-N,N′-bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-2,4,6-triiodo-isophthalamide (compound A) to prepare iodixanol, wherein excessive side reactions such as alkylation are effectively inhibited by controlling the pH of the reaction mixture with a boron-containing acidic substance or salts thereof such as boric acid. In this way, the conversion rate of compound A to iodixanol is 85-90%. The iodixanol crude product is purified by a macroporous adsorption resin chromatographic column, obtaining iodixanol product with recovery of 90-95% and purity of 96-98%. The iodixanol crude product is recrystallized in mixed solvent containing 2-methoxyethanol, obtaining iodixanol product with recovery of 90-95% and purity of greater than 99%. |
| US08766001B2 |
Compounds for electronic devices
The present invention relates to the improvement in organic electroluminescent devices by using compounds of the formula (1), in particular as hole-injection or hole-transport materials in a hole-injection or hole-transport layer. |
| US08765992B2 |
Preparation of chalcone derivatives
The invention relates to methods for producing chalcone (1,3-diphenylprop-2-en-1-one) derivatives that have multiple substitutions on a phenyl ring. Intermediate chalcone derivatives are modified by Phase Transfer Catalysis (PTC) for introducing a substituted alkyl group that is provided by a sulfonic acid derivative on a phenyl ring already containing substituent groups on one or two carbon atoms adjacent to the carbon atom where a substituent group is being introduced. The methods of the invention allow producing efficiently, by either S-alkylation or O-alkylation, chalcones derivatives that are characterized for their biological activities that are intermediate compounds for producing molecules having such activities, or that can be used for generating libraries of compounds to be screened by means of in vitro and/or in vivo assays and establishing structure-activity relationships. |
| US08765990B2 |
Compound, resin composition, and resin molded article
Disclosed is a compound represented by formula (1): wherein R1 and R3 each independently represent an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an arylene group; R2 and R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an aryl group; and l, n and m each independently represent a natural number of 1 to 3. |
| US08765985B2 |
Blown corn stillage oil
Blown corn stillage oils and methods for making blown corn stillage oils are disclosed. In one aspect the corn stillage oils are stripped to reduce the acid value of the resulting blown, stripped corn stillage oil. The method includes heating a corn stillage oil to a temperature of at least 90° C., and passing air through the heated oil to produce a blown corn stillage oil having a viscosity of at least 50 cSt at 40° C. In one aspect, the blown corn stillage oil is stripped to reduce the acid value of the blown, stripped corn stillage oil to 5 mg KOH/gram or less. |
| US08765982B2 |
Synergistic anticoagulant composition
A composition is provided that, when utilized in combination with warfarin, greatly improves the anticoagulant effects of warfarin in mammalian subjects. The composition is a compound having a naphthohydroquinone ring system substantially similar to the ring system of the reduced form of vitamin K1 and has the general formula: where R1 and R4 are hydrogen or acyl, R2 is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group with up to 6 carbons, and R3 is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl group with up to 20 carbons, or R2 and R3 are part of a cyclic or polycyclic ring system. |
| US08765980B2 |
Organic compounds
A process for the preparation of β,γ-unsaturated-γ, γ-disubstituted esters 1 with high E/Z- and β,γ/α,β-ratios, Formula (1) by reacting at a temperature of between about 130 and 170 degrees centigrade the conjugated malonate Formula (3) with, a group I, II or III metal halide or an organic cation/halide anion pair, an inorganic proton source and a polar solvent. |
| US08765977B2 |
Hydroxylated contrast enhancement agents and imaging method
A method of diagnostic imaging is disclosed comprising administering a medical formulation to a subject, the formulation comprising a contrast enhancement agent having structure I and salts thereof wherein R1 is independently at each occurrence a hydroxy group, a C1-C3 hydroxyalkyl group, or a C1-C3 alkyl group, and b is 0-4; R2-R7 are independently at each occurrence hydrogen, a C1-C3 hydroxyalkyl group, or a C1-C3 alkyl group, with the proviso that at least one of R1-R7 is a hydroxy group or a C1-C3 hydroxyalkyl group; and wherein Q is one or more charge balancing counterions; and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and excipients. The subject is subjected to a diagnostic imaging technique such as magnetic resonance imaging. The technique may be used in a variety of diagnostic imaging regimes, such as imaging of circulatory systems, genitourinary systems, hepatobiliary systems, central nervous systems, tumors, and abscesses among others. |
| US08765976B2 |
Polymorphic forms of Warfarin potassium and preparations thereof
There is provided crystalline solvate forms of Warfarin potassium, termed APO-I and APO-II, and processes for making APO-I and APO-II. APO-I and APO-II are polymorphic solvate forms of Warfarin potassium. |
| US08765970B2 |
Process for preparing chiral 3-triazolyl sulphoxide derivatives
The present invention relates to a catalytic process for preparing 3-triazolyl sulphoxide derivatives in enantiomerically pure or enantiomerically enriched form. |
| US08765969B2 |
Luminescence-based methods and probes for measuring cytochrome P450 activity
The invention provides compounds, compositions, methods, substrates, and kits useful for analyzing the metabolic activity in cells, tissue, and animals and for screening test compounds for their effect on cytochrome P450 activity. In particular, a one-step and two-step methods using luminogenic molecules, e.g. luciferins or coelenterazines, that are cytochrome P450 substrates and that are also bioluminescent enzyme, e.g., luciferase, pro-substrates are provided. The present method further provides a method for stabilizing and prolonging the luminescent signal in a luciferase-based assay using luciferase stabilizing agents such as reversible luciferase inhibitors. |
| US08765966B2 |
Phosphinate ruthenium complexes
Provided herein are ruthenium complexes of Formula I, and processes of preparation thereof. Also provided are methods of their use as a metathesis catalyst. |
| US08765965B2 |
1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-4-oxo-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-1,4-dihydro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid of the formula P-6 and/or methyl 1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-4-oxo-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-1,4-dihydro-2-pyridinecarboxylate of the formula P-7
The compounds are intermediates in the preparation of therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of viral infections, particularly HIV infection. The compounds are 1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-4-oxo-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-1,4-dihydro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid of the formula P-6 and/or methyl 1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-4-oxo-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-1,4-dihydro-2-pyridinecarboxylate of the formula P-7. |
| US08765963B2 |
Fatty acid niacin conjugates and their uses
The invention relates to fatty acid niacin conjugates; compositions comprising an effective amount of a fatty acid niacin conjugate; and methods for treating or preventing an metabolic disease comprising the administration of an effective amount of a fatty acid niacin conjugate. |
| US08765961B2 |
Near infrared fluorescent imaging agent
A compound represented by general formula (I) below, or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof: wherein X represents sulfonic acid group; R1 and R2 represent substituents; R3 to R6 represent optionally substituted alkyl groups; R7 and R8 represent an optionally substituted alkyl groups; L1 to L3 represent optionally substituted methine groups, with at least one of L1 to L3 being a methine group having a substituent with the bulkiness of an ethyl group or greater; r represents an integer of from 0 to 3, and when r is 2 or more, the plural L2 and the plural L3 may be the same or different, respectively; each of m and n independently represents an integer of 0 to 3; and at least one of the substituents is sulfonic acid group or a group comprising sulfonic acid group, which is useful as an imaging component in a near infrared fluorescence imaging agent. |
| US08765955B2 |
Asymmetric aldol additions using bifunctional cinchona-alkaloid-based catalysts
One aspect of the present invention relates to asymmetric catalytic nitroaldol (Henry) reactions with ketones as the electrophilic component. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to asymmetric nitroaldol reactions with α-keto esters catalyzed by a new C6′-OH cinchona alkaloid catalyst. In certain embodiments, this reaction is operationally simple and affords high enantioselectivity as well as good to excellent yield for an exceptionally broad range of α-keto esters. |
| US08765954B2 |
1,8-naphthyridine compounds for the treatment of cancer
Compounds and compositions for treating, preventing or managing cancer are disclosed. The compositions provided herein comprise SNS-595 and N-desmethyl-SNS-595. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and methods of treatment using the compounds and compositions. |
| US08765952B2 |
Metal complex, light emitting element, and display device
The present invention provides a metal complex containing a cation represented by [(MII)2(MI)2(LC)2(LB)4]2+ [in the aforementioned formula, MII is PtII or PdII, MI is H+, AuI, AgI, CuI, HgI, TlI or PbI, and LC and LB are ligands]. The metal complex of the present invention is useful as a light emitting material of an organic EL device. |
| US08765947B2 |
Preparation method of Rosuvastatin calcium and its intermediates
A preparation method of rosuvastatin calcium (Formula 1), which can be used for the production of medicament lowering the levels of LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides in vivo, is provided. Such preparation method is suitable for industrial production. Furthermore, the intermediate crystallines used in the preparation method are provided. |
| US08765942B2 |
Process for preparing diaminophenothiazinium compounds
Process for preparing diaminophenothiazinium type compounds having a step for purification of derivatives (II). The diaminophenothiazinium type compounds having the following formula (I): in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 may be chosen, independently of the others, from the group constituted of: a hydrogen atom, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched C1-C6 alkyl groups, or C3-C6 cycloalkyl groups, optionally substituted with one or more functions chosen from a halogen atom, and a C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 alkoxycarbonyl or —CONH2 function, aryl groups optionally substituted with one or more functions chosen from: a C1-C4 alkyl, a halogen atom, and a C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 alkyloxycarbonyl or —CONH2 function, in addition, each of R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 may be chosen, independently of the others, from the halogen atoms: F, Cl, Br and I, and X− represents an organic or inorganic anion. |
| US08765937B2 |
Process for the ultrapurification of alginates
A process for the ultrapurification of alginates is provided. In particular, the process may be used for microencapsulation in human cell transplants. |
| US08765936B2 |
Sialic acid derivatives
An amine or hydrazide derivative of a sialic acid unit, e.g. in a polysaccharide, is reacted with a bifunctional reagent at least one of the functionalities of which is an ester of N-hydroxy succinimide, to form an amide or hydrazide product. The product has a useful functionality, which allows it to be conjugated, for instance to proteins, drugs, drug delivery systems or the like. The process is of particular utility for derivatising amine groups introduced in sialic acid terminal groups of polysialic acids. |
| US08765935B2 |
Nucleosides with antiviral and anticancer activity
The invention provides a compound of formula (I), wherein R1-R6 and X have any of the values described, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and therapeutic methods comprising the administration of such compounds. |
| US08765934B2 |
Methods for conjugating nucleic acids with small molecules
A method for conjugating a nucleic acid with a molecule is provided. The method includes steps of (a) reacting the nucleic acid having a 5′-monophosphate with an activating agent in a first buffer to form a solution; (b) mixing an alcohol with the solution formed in the step (a) to obtain an intermediate; and (c) dissolving the intermediate in a second buffer containing an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and adding a nucleophile thereinto to react the intermediate with the nucleophile. |
| US08765932B2 |
Compositions and methods for inhibiting expression of XBP-1 gene
The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) targeting X-Box Protein 1 (XBP-1), and methods of using the dsRNA to inhibit expression of XBP-1. |
| US08765930B2 |
RNA interference mediating small RNA molecules
Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing in many organisms by a process known as RNA interference (RNAi). Using a Drosophila in vitro system, we demonstrate that 19-23 nt short RNA fragments are the sequence-specific mediators of RNAI. The short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are generated by an RNase III-like processing reaction from long dsRNA. Chemically synthesized siRNA duplexes with overhanging 3′ ends mediate efficient target RNA cleavage in the lysate, and the cleavage site is located near the center of the region spanned by the guiding siRNA. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the direction of dsRNA processing determines whether sense or antisense target RNA can be cleaved by the produced siRNP complex. |
| US08765925B2 |
Process for preparation of timosaponin B II
A method for preparation of Timosaponin BII, which uses Chinese traditional medicine Rhizoma Anemarrhenae or fresh rhizoma or fibrous root of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bge. as raw material, and comprises isolation of Timosaponin BII by one or more processes selected from solvent extraction, resin adsorption, polyamide chromatography, reversed phase column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, etc, combining with conventional drying method such as reduced pressure drying, freeze drying, spray drying, and so on. Timosaponin BII obtained by the present method is of over 90% purity, and the method is simple, practicable and suitable for industrial production. |