Document Document Title
US08982146B2 Image acquisition and display system and method using information derived from an area of interest in a video image implementing system synchronized brightness control and use of metadata
Method and apparatus for preparing and displaying images uses image characteristics of an area of interest of images to optimize or otherwise determine image characteristics of the entire image to be displayed. The area of interest information may be used in computing a System Synchronized Backlight Control (“SSBC”) profile for the area of interest, and the SSBC profile may be used to adjust the image signal to provide an image in which the image characteristics, e.g., are optimized for the image at the area of interest. The image characteristics and/or SSBC profile information may be provided as metadata included in a video signal data stream. The area of interest may be selected where the image is obtained, where the image is shown or elsewhere, e.g., in an image storage device, image player, etc.
US08982145B2 Display error indications
Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating and providing display error indications. In one aspect, a method includes accessing data defining display areas and, for each display area: respective display area borders that are different from display area borders of other display areas; and display data for each of a plurality of objects that are rendered in the display area, the display data defining, for each object: a display position of the object; display dimensions of the object; and content data defining content of the object; wherein each object in each display area corresponds to a respective object in each other display area; receiving user input specifying a change in the display data of a first object in a first display area and, in response, determining whether the change causes a display error; and for each display area for which the change causes a display error, generating an error indication.
US08982144B2 Multi-primary color display device
A multi-primary color display device includes a unit pixel part, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of pads and a plurality of connection lines. The unit pixel part is disposed on a display area and includes at least four subpixels. The data lines extend in a first direction on display area, and are electrically connected to the subpixels. The pads are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on a peripheral area surrounding the display area, and are electrically connected to a driving chip. The connection lines connect the data lines to the pads disposed on the peripheral area. Each of the connection lines has a same line resistance.
US08982139B2 Image refreshing method and associated image processing apparatus
An image refreshing method applied to an image processing apparatus is provided for preventing tearing effect during frame refresh. The method includes steps of: determining a location of an updating part of a frame; determining a refresh starting location of the frame on a panel of the image processing apparatus according to the location of the updating part; and writing the updating part to refresh the frame.
US08982136B2 Rendering mode selection in graphics processing units
This disclosure describes techniques for automatically selecting a rendering mode for use by a graphics processing unit (GPU) to render graphics data for display. More specifically, the techniques include evaluating at least two metrics associated with rendering graphics data of one or more rendering units, and automatically selecting either an immediate rendering mode or a deferred rendering mode for a current rendering unit based on the evaluated metrics. The selected rendering mode may be the one of the rendering modes predicted to use less power and/or system bandwidth to render the graphics data of the current rendering unit. A rendering unit may comprise a set of frames, a frame, a portion of a frame, multiple render targets associated with a frame, a single render target associated with a frame, or a portion of a single render target.
US08982133B2 Portable virtual characters
Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for portable virtual characters. One aspect provides a method including: providing a virtual character on a first device, the virtual character having a plurality of attributes allowing for a plurality of versions of the virtual character; providing a device table listing at least one device having at least one attribute; transferring to a second device information to permit an instantiation of the virtual character on the second device, the instantiation of the virtual character on the second device including at least one attribute matching at least one attribute of the second device as determined from the device table; and receiving virtual character information from the second device related to the at least one attribute of the second device to permit updating of the virtual character on the first device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08982132B2 Value templates in animation timelines
Methods and systems for animation timelines using value templates are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes generating a data structure corresponding to a graphical representation of a timeline and creating an animation of an element along the timeline, where the animation modifies a property of the element according to a function, and where the function uses a combination of a string with a numerical value to render the animation. The method also includes adding a command corresponding to the animation into the data structure, where the command is configured to return the numerical value, and where the data structure includes a value template that produces the combination of the string with the numerical value. The method further includes passing the produced combination of the string with the numerical value to the function and executing the function to animate the element.
US08982130B2 Cluster mapping to highlight areas of electrical congestion
Methods of generating heat maps of assets using clustering of assets are disclosed. Some methods include receiving a list of assets, assigning the assets to one or more heat range categories based on the status of the assets, assigning assets operating within a zone to a zone cluster, assigning the assets of the zone cluster to category clusters based on the heat range categories assigned to the assets. The positions of the clusters may be calculated for mapping, and may be displayed on a map. Some embodiments of these methods allow a user to quickly detect and locate non-standard assets on a map while standard assets are consolidated to clusters that are less prominent to the user. This leads to minimizing the time required to form responses to de-load hotspots in an electrical grid, minimizing the cost of assets by reducing the need for hardware redundancy, and minimized equipment outages.
US08982129B1 Mapping graph data to a tree structure on a computing device
A computing device configured for mapping graph data into a tree structure is described. The computing device includes a processor and instructions stored in memory. The computing device obtains graph data. The computing device also maps the graph data into a tree structure. The computing device further applies the tree structure to a user interface. The computing device additionally displays the user interface and performs an operation using the tree structure.
US08982126B1 Shading CG representations of materials
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for shading computer graphics (CG) representations of materials. One of the methods includes obtaining data describing a physical material; receiving a shading request to shade a particular point in a CG representation of the physical material from a rendering engine, wherein the request identifies a mapping position of the particular point, a view direction at the mapping position, and a light direction at the mapping position; calculating a direct lighting color at the mapping position using a plurality of palettized images; calculating an indirect lighting color at the mapping position using the data describing the physical material; generating a final color at the mapping position by combining the direct lighting color and the indirect lighting color; and providing the final color to the rendering engine for use in rendering the CG representation of the physical material.
US08982125B1 Shading CG representations of materials
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for shading computer graphics (CG) representations of materials. One of the methods includes obtaining data describing a physical material; receiving a shading request to shade a particular point in a CG representation of the physical material from a rendering engine, wherein the request identifies a mapping position of the particular point, a view direction at the mapping position, and a light direction at the mapping position; calculating a direct lighting color at the mapping position using a plurality of palettized images; calculating an indirect lighting color at the mapping position using the data describing the physical material; generating a final color at the mapping position by combining the direct lighting color and the indirect lighting color; and providing the final color to the rendering engine for use in rendering the CG representation of the physical material.
US08982122B2 Real time concurrent design of shape, texture, and motion for 3D character animation
Systems and methods for automatically generating animation-ready 3D character models based upon model parameter, clothing selections, and texture-region color component selections are described. One embodiment of the invention includes an application server configured to receive the user defined model parameters and the at least one texture selection via a user interface. In addition, the application server includes a generative model and the application server is configured to generate a 3D mesh based upon the user defined model parameters using the generative model and to apply texture to the generated mesh based upon the at least one texture selection.
US08982118B2 Structure discovery in a point cloud
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for radar data processing. In some examples, the system includes a communication module, a surface discovery module, a linear condensation identification module, and a structure generation module. The communication module is configured to receive 3-dimensional image data from an imaging device. The surface discovery module is configured to rotate the 3-dimensional image data around an axis in 3-dimensional space of the 3-dimensional image data. The linear condensation identification module is configured to identify linear condensations in the rotated 3-dimensional image data. The structure generation module is configured to generate a structure based on the linear condensations and the rotated 3-dimensional image data.
US08982116B2 Touch screen based interaction with traffic data
Touch screen based interaction with traffic data is disclosed. A virtual broadcast presentation may be generated based on dynamic information such as traffic information, weather information, or other information that may be featured on a virtual broadcast presentation. A signal generated by a touch screen may be received. The generated signal may be processed and the virtual broadcast presentation may be updated in response to the processed signal.
US08982113B2 LCD panel and method for controlling voltage thereof
The present invention discloses an LCD panel, which includes a gate driver, a source driver, a plurality of gate lines and data lines. The gate lines and the data lines define a plurality of pixel units, and each pixel unit includes a TFT, a common electrode, and a pixel electrode. The data line is utilized to charge the pixel electrode. The LCD panel further includes a common electrode line, the common electrode line coupled to the common electrode. The common electrode line is utilized to provide alternating common electrode voltages to the common electrode, so that a voltage of the pixel electrode still approaches a target voltage by which the data line charges the pixel electrode when a gate voltage of the TFT is turned off. The present invention also provides a method for controlling voltages of the LCD panel.
US08982111B2 Light-emitting element and display device
A light-emitting element includes an emitting unit and a driving circuit configured to drive the emitting unit. The driving circuit includes a driving transistor, an image signal writing transistor, and a capacitor unit. The driving circuit is connected to a current supply line and a scanning line both extending in a first direction and connected to a data line extending in a second direction. The current supply line and the scanning line are formed on the first interlayer insulating layer and the first interlayer insulating layer, the current supply line, and the scanning line are covered with a second interlayer insulating layer. The data line is formed on the second interlayer insulating layer. A shield wall extending in the first direction is provided to the second interlayer insulating layer between one light-emitting element and a light-emitting element adjacent to the one light-emitting element in the second direction.
US08982110B2 Method for image transformation, augmented reality, and teleperence
Computerized method for image transformation, augmented reality and telepresence. A camera generates a stream of images of the user; a processor detects the presence of the user in the stream of images and applies adaptive transformation mapping to the stream of images captured by the camera to generate modified images that appear to be captured from a different point of view of the camera's actual point of view. The modified images are displayed on a local and/or remote monitor for telepresence. The processor can also generate an avatar having body characteristics corresponding to body characteristics of a user appearing in the images. The processor may generate the avatar by analyzing registration pointers on the images of the camera. The processor may reside in the remote location, and the camera images transmitted over a network to the processor, and the modified images transmitted back from the processor to the monitor.
US08982107B2 Scanning signal line drive circuit and display device provided with same
A monolithic gate driver capable of operating with a relatively small number of circuit elements is realized. A stage constituent circuit constituting each stage of a shift register includes two output terminals connected to scanning signal lines, two thin-film transistors each having a drain terminal to which an output control clock signal is supplied and a source terminal connected to the output terminal, a first-node connected to the two thin-film transistors in common, a first-node control circuit, and an input terminal for receiving a set signal. In this configuration, the first-node changes from an OFF level to an ON level based on the set signal. Further, the first-node control circuit changes the first-node from the ON level to the OFF level.
US08982105B2 Ergonomic user interfaces and electronic devices incorporating same
An electronic device includes a housing that encloses a controller and/or other electronic components, a display viewable through a face of the housing that is configured to display an alphanumeric character list, and an input device adjacent the display that is movable by a user to highlight and select respective alphanumeric characters in a displayed character list. To highlight characters within a displayed character list, the input device is rotatable about an axis that is substantially normal to the display and is slidable within a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the axis. In some embodiments, the input device is rotatable and slidable within a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane defined by the housing face. To select a highlighted character, a user depresses the input device.
US08982102B2 Coordinate input apparatus
A coordinate input apparatus includes a light projecting unit configured to project light parallelly to an effective coordinate input region, a reflection unit configured to retroreflect the light projected by the light projecting unit, and a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the light projecting unit or the reflection unit. The coordinate input apparatus includes a moving unit configured to move a set of the light projecting unit, light receiving unit, and reflection unit in a direction perpendicular to the effective coordinate input region in order to ensure a light amount with which a pointed position in the effective coordinate input region can be calculated based on variations of a light amount distribution obtained from the light receiving unit.
US08982101B2 Optical touch system and optical touch-position detection method
The invention provides an optical touch system, including a camera having a lens and an image sensor to capture an image of a touch object on the image sensor through the lens, an active light source for lighting the touch object, and a processor for determining the distance between the touch object and the camera according to the size of the image or the brightness of the image on the image sensor, determining the direction of the touch object according to the position of the image on the image sensor, and calculating the position of the touch object.
US08982098B2 Portable device having the touch lock status and operation system thereof
A mobile device with a touch panel and a touch-lock operating method thereof are provided. The mobile device preferably includes an RF communication unit for supporting communication services; a touch panel for sensing input touches; a display unit for displaying a screen, where the screen includes at least one of a preset image, text, and map; and a controller for setting a touch-lock in the touch panel according to a preset condition. The controller also controls the display unit to display at least one of a text and image or at least one particular icon corresponding to the information reception event that occurs, based on the RF communication unit, in the touch-lock state. A portion of the display screen can be locked, or only certain predetermined touch functions permitted.
US08982096B2 Touch sensor panel design
A touch sensor panel including a plurality of drive lines crossing a plurality of sense lines, forming an array. The plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines are formed by interconnecting sections of at least one conductive material having a truncated diamond shape or formed of interconnected conductive lines. At least one conductive dummy region may be disposed in an area of the touch sensor panel around the truncated diamond shape sections or interconnected conductive lines of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines. One or more lines may be formed overlapping the interconnected sections of each of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.
US08982095B2 Capacitive touch detecting device and method and capacitive touch screen panel using level shift, and display device using the capacitive touch screen panel
Provided are a capacitive touch detecting device, a capacitive touch detecting method, and a touch screen panel, using a level shift, and a display device having a built-in touch screen panel, which minimizes an influence due to noise or a parasitic capacitance, and detects a touch input by positively using a signal induced by a common electrode of a liquid crystal display (LCD).
US08982092B2 Touch cell structure for a touch panel, touch panel using same, and touch input detection method
Provided is a touch cell structure having high detection sensitivity and accuracy, a touch panel using the same, and a touch input detection method. According to technical advantages, an electrostatic capacitance Ct formed between a touch unit and a conductive pad at the time of occurrence of a touch input is an important factor that determines a kick back, to thus make a great difference between output signals from a switching device due to a kick back difference depending upon whether or not a touch input exists. Thus, detection sensitivity and detection accuracy with respect to the touch input are very high, the touch input is not little influenced due to external noise, and the output signal in an analog form from the switching device is detected in a digital mode without being converted into a digital signal in an analog to digital (ADC) converter.
US08982086B2 Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a touch panel which displays pieces of identification information including letters, figures, and symbols and detects a contact of the panel with a finger of a user or other object. When the touch panel detects the contact of the panel, a detection unit specifies identification information of one or more of the multiple pieces of identification information displayed on the touch panel, indicated by a position at which the contact in question occurred. The detection unit also detects an area of part of the panel where the contact occurred. A storage unit stores reference identification information and a reference area range. A control unit performs particular processing upon matching of the detected identification information with the stored reference identification information and the area of the contact detected by the detection unit falling within the stored reference area range.
US08982085B2 Touch panel
A touch panel includes an insulated substrate including a planar part and a folded part extending from the planar part; a transparent conductive layer located on the planar part and the folded part; a plurality of planar electrodes located on the planar part and electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer; and at least one side electrode located on the folded part and electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer on the folded part. The planar electrodes, the transparent conductive layer and the planar part are formed into a planar touch module configured to detect a planar input signal resulted from the planar part. The at least one side electrode the folded part and the transparent conductive layer on the folded part are formed into a side touch module configured to sense a side input signal resulted from at least one virtual key corresponding the at least one side electrode.
US08982083B2 Touch sensor integrated type display device and method of manufacturing the same
A display device includes a plurality of first electrodes arranged on a substrate in parallel in a first direction; a plurality of second electrodes arranged in parallel in the first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction without contacting with the plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of first connecting wires, each first connecting wire being connected with at least one of the plurality of the first electrodes; and a plurality of second connecting wires, each second connecting wire connecting the second electrodes to each other in the second direction, wherein a touch driving voltage is supplied to the plurality of first connecting wires and a common voltage is supplied to the plurality of second connecting wires so that mutual capacitance is generated between the a plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.
US08982082B2 Touch panel
A touch panel includes a substrate, a transparent conductive layer located on the substrate, and a number of electrodes electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer. The transparent conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube film. The carbon nanotube film includes a number of carbon nanotube wires substantially parallel with each other and a number of carbon nanotube clusters located between the number of carbon nanotube wires. The carbon nanotube wires extend along an X direction and are spaced from each other along a Y direction. The carbon nanotube clusters between each adjacent two of the carbon nanotube wires are spaced from each other along the X direction. The X direction is intercrossed with the Y direction.
US08982080B2 Domestic appliance operating device
A domestic-appliance-operating device, in particular a hob-operating device, includes an operating panel having a touch operating surface, a sensor plate which is arranged beneath the touch operating surface, and a touch sensor unit. A signal-transmission unit connects the sensor plate to the touch sensor unit in an electrically conductive manner by a conducting element and has at least one screening unit.
US08982079B2 Electronic devices and command input methods thereof
An electronic device is provided, including a housing, at least one tap sensing unit and a processing unit. The housing has a touch surface, in which, when the touch surface is tapped more than one time in a predetermined interval, shock waves are generated. The tap sensing unit receives the shock waves to generate a moire signal. The processing unit obtains a shock wave source number of each of the shock waves according to the moire signal, and generates a string code according to a generation order of the shock waves and the shock wave source number of each of the shock waves, such that the processing unit controls the electronic device according to a control command corresponding to the string code.
US08982075B2 Electronic apparatus and operating method thereof
There are provided an electronic apparatus and an operating method thereof. The electronic apparatus includes: at least one mechanical button unit receiving a mechanical button input from a user; a touch screen receiving a touch input from the user; and a control unit detecting a first input signal generated from the at least one mechanical button unit to generate a first control signal and detecting a second input signal generated from the touch screen to generate a second control signal, wherein the control unit generates a third control signal different from the first control signal when the first input signal and the second input signal are simultaneously detected.
US08982070B2 Portable information terminal
A display section (2000) that has a plurality of display screens includes: a touch panel type input section (3000) that senses touches on the display screens; and a control section (1000) that causes any one of the two display screens to display a predetermined portion that lies on two display screens of the plurality of display screens based on a touch operation on the display screens.
US08982068B2 Multiple actuation handheld device with first and second haptic actuator
A device includes a housing, a processor that is coupled to the housing, the processor is configured to process a software program stored in a memory. A touch screen is coupled to the housing and configured to display graphical objects, wherein a sensor signal associated with a user's interaction with the touch screen is provided to the processor. A first actuator is coupled to the touch screen and positioned within the housing. The first actuator is configured to output a first haptic effect to the touch screen upon receiving a first activating signal from the processor. A second actuator is coupled to the housing and configured to output a second haptic effect to the housing upon receiving a second activating signal from the processor. The first activating signal is associated with a foreground event and the second activating signal is associated with a background event occurring in the software program.
US08982067B2 Operation input device and method for controlling the same
A touch operation unit has a manipulated surface accepting a touch operation. An operation detection unit detects a touch operation on the manipulated surface. A moving unit moves the touch operation unit. A movement control unit drives the moving unit to control a movement of the touch operation unit, when the operation detection unit detects a touch operation, to satisfy a predetermined stimulable condition enabling stimulation of a skin sensory receptor. The stimulable condition is a condition of a movement quantity of the touch operation unit and a moving speed of the touch operation unit or a condition of the movement quantity of the touch operation unit and an acceleration of the touch operation unit.
US08982059B2 Touch panel incorporating carbon nanotube film
A touch panel includes a first electrode plate having a first conductive layer and a second electrode plate including a second conductive layer opposite to the first conductive layer. At least one of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube film. The carbon nanotube film includes a number of thin regions and at least one normal region having a number of successively oriented carbon nanotubes joined end-to-end by Van der Waals attractive force therebetween. The carbon nanotubes are substantially aligned along a same direction. The at least one normal region has a density of carbon nanotubes greater than that of the number of thin regions, and the number of thin regions form at least one row extending along the aligned direction of the carbon nanotubes of the at least one normal region.
US08982058B2 Touch screen border regions
Touch screens with more compact border regions can include an active area that includes touch sensing circuitry including drive lines, and a border region around the active area. The border region can include an area of sealant deposited on conductive lines, and transistor circuitry, such as gate drivers, between the active area and the sealant. The conductive lines can extend from the sealant to the active area without electrically connecting to the transistor circuitry. The conductive lines can have equal impedances and can connect the drive lines to a touch controller off of the touch screen. A set of drive signal characteristics for the drive lines can be obtained by determining a transfer function associated with each drive line, obtaining an inverse of each transfer function, and applying a set of individual sense signal characteristics to the inverse transfer functions to obtain the corresponding set of drive signal characteristics.
US08982056B2 Software rotatable display
An industrial process transmitter includes a transducer positioned to interact with an industrial process, display circuitry that displays a visual output to an operator, and control circuitry. The display can be selectively modified to provide the visual output at one of a plurality of orientations. The control circuitry is connected to communicate with the transducer and the display circuitry and receive an input regarding the orientation of the industrial process transmitter. In response to received input regarding the orientation of the industrial process transmitter, the control circuitry provides instructions to the display circuitry to modify the orientation of the visual output.
US08982052B2 Optical navigation devices
An assembly is adapted for being employed in an optical navigation device, such as that used on a computer or mobile communications device. The assembly includes a housing device and an optical device, wherein the housing device includes a receiving section for receiving the optical device. The receiving section has a first and a second opening. The housing device has first and second vertical registration features for aligning the optical device with the housing device. The first and second vertical registration features are spatially associated with the first and second opening respectively.
US08982050B2 Motion compensation in an interactive display system
An interactive display system including a wireless pointing device, and positioning circuitry capable of determining absolute and relative positions of the display at which the pointing device is aimed. The pointing device captures images displayed by the computer, including one or more human-imperceptible positioning targets. The positioning targets are presented as patterned modulation of the intensity (e.g., variation in pixel intensity) in a display frame of the visual payload, followed by the opposite modulation in a successive frame. At least two captured image frames are subtracted from one another to recover the positioning target in the captured visual data and to remove the displayed image payload. Motion of the pointing device between the two frames is detected by relative motion sensors, and used to align the positions of the positioning targets in the captured images for those frames to improve the fidelity of the recovered positioning target following the subtraction.
US08982049B2 Interactive simulated-globe display system
The invention discloses an interactive simulated-globe display system including an imaging body, N image-projecting units, a data processing unit, an optical pointer, and M image-capturing units where N and M are respectively a natural number. The N image-projecting units project N images onto an external hemispheric surface of the imaging body. The N images constitute a hemi-globe image of a whole globe image. The data processing unit detects an indicated spot projected on the external hemispheric surface by the M image-capturing units, judges if a track relative to the indicated spot meets one of a plurality of position input rules, and if YES, executes an instruction corresponding to said one position input rule.
US08982048B2 Input apparatus, control apparatus, and control method for input apparatus
An input apparatus capable of transmitting a signal corresponding to an operation of a user to a control apparatus capable of switching display among a plurality of display screens, includes a first detection section, a second detection section, and a mode switch section. The first detection section detects analog information on a movement of the input apparatus made by the user. The second detection section detects digital information input by the user. The mode switch section makes a switch between a first mode for transmitting to the control apparatus a first signal that is based on the analog information detected by the first detection means and a second mode for transmitting to the control apparatus a second signal that is based on the digital information detected by the second detection means, in association with the display screen displayed on the control apparatus.
US08982041B2 Moving particle display device with intermediate drive electrode
A display device and a method for driving the display device is disclosed. The display device comprises drive circuitry (35) and a plurality of pixels (PIX1, PIX2, PIX3, PIX4, PIX5, PIX6) having movable charged particles (116). The drive circuitry is configured to apply control signals to the pixels to move the charged particles between first (110) and second (112) regions of each pixel in order to alter the optical appearance of each pixel. The method for each pixel comprises a pre-addressing stage (PRA) of moving the charged particles towards the boundary (114) between the first and second regions, and then an addressing stage (ADD) of moving the particles to one side or the other side of the boundary, in dependence on the desired optical appearance of the pixel.
US08982036B2 Liquid crystal display and local dimming control method thereof capable of reducing the size of an operation algorithm
A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel, a backlight unit including a plurality of light sources, a backlight driving circuit that individually drives a plurality of previously determined blocks each including the light sources based on a dimming value of each of the blocks, and a local dimming control circuit. The local dimming control circuit adjusts the dimming value of each block based on the result of an analysis of input data, calculates and interpolates sampling gain values of predetermined sampling positions positioned inside each block so as to compensate for a change amount of a luminance resulting from the dimming value of each block, obtains a gain value of each pixel, and modulate the input data to be applied to a corresponding pixel based on the gain value of each pixel.
US08982034B2 Portable electronic apparatus and backlight control method thereof
A portable electronic device and a backlight control method are both provided herein. The portable electronic device includes a display, a backlight module, an orientation sensor, and a light sensor. The backlight control method includes steps of providing the display with a backlight emitted from the backlight module; sensing a spatial position of the portable electronic device with the orientation sensor and generating a first signal in accordance with the spatial position; sensing the brightness of the ambient light outside the portable electronic device with the light sensor and generating a second signal in accordance with the brightness of the ambient light; and turning on or off the backlight module in accordance with the first signal and the second signal.
US08982033B2 Bidirectional shift register and image display device using the same
A display device including various portions, circuits and other arrangements for outputting various pulses and triggers, for controlling forward shift and backward shift operations.
US08982028B2 Display apparatus with improved display characteristics and common voltage generator
A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a common electrode. The first substrate includes a gate line, a data line insulated from the gate line while crossing the gate line, and a pixel electrode connected to the gate line and the data line. The second substrate faces the first substrate. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The common electrode is disposed on at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate to form an electric field in cooperation with the pixel electrode. A data voltage applied to the pixel electrode has a polarity inverted every at least one frame with reference to a predetermined reference voltage, and a common voltage applied to the common electrode has a polarity inverted every at least two frames with reference to the reference voltage.
US08982027B2 LCD drive circuit and driving method for scanning at least two adjacent scan lines simultaneously
A liquid crystal display (LCD) drive circuit and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The driving method comprises: a. dividing scan lines into a plurality of groups each comprising a plurality of scan lines; b. during displaying of a current image frame, using a scan driver to scan each group of scan lines sequentially, c. during displaying of a next image frame, using the scan driver to scan each group of scan lines sequentially; and d. if each scan line in the group has been scanned once simultaneously with an adjacent scan line within a predetermined time interval, then the step b is executed; otherwise, the step c is executed. The LCD drive circuit and the driving method thereof according to the present disclosure can increase an average charging time of pixel units without compromising the accuracy of image frames.
US08982026B2 Sub-pixel circuit, display panel and driving method thereof
A sub-pixel circuit, display panel and driving method of the display panel are provided. The display panel has a plurality of data lines, scan lines and sub-pixel circuits. At least one of the sub-pixel circuits is electrically coupled to one data line and three scan lines. The sub-pixel circuit determines whether to receive data from the coupled data line or not according to scan signals transmitted on the coupled three scan lines, and controls transmittance itself accordingly. Specifically, the scan signals transmitted on the coupled three scan lines are different from each other.
US08982023B2 Array substrate and display device having the same
An array substrate includes a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode. The first pixel electrode includes first branch electrode portions and second branch electrode portions. The first branch electrode portions are disposed in a first area of a unit pixel area and are substantially parallel to a first side of the unit pixel area. The second branch electrode portions are disposed in a second area of the unit pixel area and are substantially parallel to a second side of the unit pixel area. The second pixel electrode includes third branch electrode portions disposed between the first branch electrode portions and fourth branch electrode portions disposed between the second branch electrode portions.
US08982022B2 Display panel driving method, display apparatus, display panel driving apparatus and electronic apparatus
In the present invention, there is provided a display panel driving method of the type wherein the total light emitting period length within a one-field period is controlled to variably control the peak luminance level of a display panel, including the step of: variably controlling, where the one-field period has N light emitting periods, N being equal to or greater than 2, the end timing of the ith light emitting period and the start timing of the i+1th light emitting period so as to satisfy the total light emitting period length within the one-field period, i being an odd number which satisfies 1≦i≦N−1 while i+1 satisfies 2≦i+1≦N.
US08982019B2 Organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixel, display device including the same and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device includes a plurality of OLED pixels. In one aspect, each pixel respectively includes a first capacitor connected between a data line and a first node, a switching transistor connecting the first node and a second node, a second capacitor connected between the second node and a third node, a driving transistor having a gate electrode connected to the third node and controlling a driving current flowing from a first power source voltage to an OLED, and a reference voltage transistor transmitting a reference voltage to the first node. When a light emitting step occurs in which the OLED emits light, it is simultaneously performed in a plurality of pixels by use of a driving current, the switching transistor is turned off and the reference voltage transistor is turned on such that the reference voltage is transmitted to the first node, and a data voltage corresponding to a scan signal of a gate-on voltage respectively corresponding to a plurality of pixels is stored to the first capacitor. Aspects also include pixel circuits and methods of driving the pixels in the display.
US08982017B2 Pixel circuit of organic light emitting diode display device for compensating for a characteristic deviation of a driving thin film transistor
A pixel circuit of an OLED display device is disclosed. The pixel circuit includes a light emitting element, a driving TFT for driving the light emitting element, a delivery capacitor connected between a first node and a second node, a storage capacitor connected between the second node and a third node, a first reset TFT for initializing the first node to a reference voltage in response to a first reset signal from a first reset line, a second reset TFT for initializing the third node to an initialization voltage in response to the first reset signal from the first reset line, a third reset TFT for initializing the second node to the reference voltage in response to a second reset signal from a second reset line, and a switching TFT for supplying a data voltage to the first node in response to a scan signal from a scan line.
US08982016B2 Display device, driving method thereof, and electronic device
Disclosed herein is a display device including: a pixel array unit; and a driving unit; wherein the pixel array unit includes first scanning lines and second scanning lines in a form of rows, signal lines in a form of columns, and pixels in a form of a matrix, the pixels being disposed at parts where the first scanning lines and the signal lines intersect each other, each pixel includes a drive transistor of an N-channel type, a sampling transistor, a switching transistor, a retaining capacitance, and a light emitting element, the driving unit includes a write scanner for sequentially supplying a control signal to each first scanning line, a drive scanner for sequentially supplying a control signal to each second scanning line, and a signal selector for alternately supplying a signal potential as a video signal and a predetermined reference potential to each signal line.
US08982013B2 Display apparatus and display method
An adequate display operation control in accordance with the external world situation is realized. For example, where a user wears the wearing unit of a spectacle-shaped or head-worn unit, the user is made to be able to view any type of image on the display section immediately in front of the eyes, and provided with taken images, reproduced images, and received images. At the point, a control relative to various display operations such as on/off of the display operation, display operation mode, and source change is carried out based on external world information.
US08982011B1 Conformal antennas for mitigation of structural blockage
A method of and apparatus for mitigating adverse transmission and/or reception effects that an obstruction would otherwise have upon a RF signal to be transmitted or received, the RF signal being available at a feed point and wherein the obstruction is spaced from the feed point in a direction of desired transmission or reception. An artificial impedance surface is disposed adjacent the feed point and the obstruction, and the artificial impedance surface is designed (i) to have a spatially non-varying impedance function in a constant impedance region at least immediately adjacent the feed point and (ii) to have a non-constant impedance function in one or more regions spaced from the feed point and closer to the obstruction.
US08982007B2 Transfer unit for radio frequency signals and method for alternatively using an electrical antenna or a magnetic antenna with a classic antenna tuner
A transfer unit for transferring a radio frequency signal between a classical antenna tuner and an antenna where the transfer unit comprises a switch for alternatively selecting a first direct route for the radio frequency signal between the tuner and the antenna or a second route via a reactive element; said reactive element comprising a variable serial capacitance and a shunt inductance connected to system earth; and where a control unit controls the switch and is adapted to select the first route when the frequency is above a predetermined value and otherwise select the second route. The variable serial capacitance comprises a set of capacitors organized as a set of binary weighted parallel capacitance values, and the transfer unit further comprises switches to engage or disengage each capacitor from the reactive element to increase or decrease the resulting capacitance as the radio frequency is decreased or increased. The control unit can use a subset of the capacitors for one range of frequencies and a different subset of the capacitors for a different range of frequencies. The control unit can alternatively measure the radio frequency by means of a sensor or receive frequency values via a data link.
US08982004B1 Integrated ODU controller for antenna pointing
A method and system for aligning an antenna reflector with satellites in a satellite configuration. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises pointing the reflector to a position along an orbital arc used in the satellite configuration, commanding a Single Wire Multiswitch circuits which is coupled to the reflector of the antenna to output a signal from at least one satellite at the orbital slot, and adjusting the reflector to maximize reception of the signal from the orbital slot.
US08981998B2 Built-in transmitting and receiving integrated radar antenna
Provided is a built-in transmitting and receiving integrated radar antenna whose coverage of a horizontal radiation pattern is widened and whose space factor is improved by integrating high-frequency circuit component onto an antenna substrate while suppressing unnecessary waves. A first dielectric substrate (111) is formed into a three-layered structure in which a bias line (171) of an MIC is disposed between a second layer (111b) and a third layer (111c) and a second ground plane (114) is disposed between the first layer (111a) and the second layer (111b). Also, the second ground plane (114) is conductively connected with isolated through-holes (163, 164), so that a domain in which a feeding port (115) is disposed is isolated from a domain (B) in which the bias line (171) is disposed.
US08981995B2 Low accuracy positional data by detecting improbable samples
An embodiment of the invention provides a method of determining a location of a mobile target that processes locations for the target provided by a wireless location technology tracker system to determine if the locations are outliers, discards locations that are determined to be outliers, and uses locations determined not to be outliers as locations for the target.
US08981994B2 Processing signals
Mobile device, method and computer program product for processing signals at the mobile device. The signals are received at a plurality of signal sensors of the mobile device. Motion of the mobile device is sensed and the received signals are processed using beamforming means at the mobile device, in dependence upon their direction of arrival at the plurality of signal sensors and in dependence upon the sensed motion of the mobile device.
US08981990B2 Three dimensional radar system
A system and a method of generating a three-dimensional terrain model using one-dimensional interferometry of a rotating radar unit is provided herein. Height information is evaluated from phase differences between two echoes by applying a Kalman filter in relation to a phase confidence map that is generated from phase forward projections relating to formerly analyzed phase data. The radar system starts from a flat earth model and gathers height information of the actual terrain as the platform approaches it. Height ambiguities are corrected by removing redundant 2π multiples from the unwrapped phase difference between the echoes.
US08981986B2 Analogue to digital converter
Measures are provided for performing direct radio-frequency to digital conversion. A radio-frequency input signal is compared with a plurality of reference voltages to generate a plurality of comparison signals, each comparison signal corresponding to one of the plurality of reference voltages. One or more of the plurality of generated comparison signals are first filtered to generate a first filtered signal. One or more of the plurality of generated comparison signals are second filtered to generate a second filtered signal. A digital output signal is generated at least on the basis of the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal.
US08981984B2 Asynchronous to synchronous sampling using an augmented least squares solver
A method, comprising: receiving a plurality of 2-tuples of asynchronously sampled inputs at an asynchronous to synchronous reconstructor; performing a coarse asynchronous to synchronous conversion using the plurality of 2-tuples to generate a plurality of low precision synchronous outputs; generating a high precision synchronous output, z0, using a plurality of asynchronous 2-tuples, low precision synchronous outputs after it, and its own high precision outputs from previous steps; calculating c0 and c−1 by summing future low precision outputs and the past high precision outputs after they are weighted with the appropriate windowed sinc. values and then subtracted from appropriate asynchronous samples; calculating, the four quantities “s−11”, “s01”, “s00” and “s−10” based on particular values of the windowed sinc. function; and using c0, c−1, s−11, s01, s00 and s−10, the high precision synchronous output of interest, z0 is generated.
US08981983B2 A/D conversion circuit, solid-state image sensor, and camera system
An A/D conversion circuit in which a counter is made to be capable of performing counting at both edges of a clock, up/down count values can be switched while the up/down count values are held, and the duty of the counting operation is difficult to be distorted even with the both-edge counting, a solid-state image sensor, and a camera system.
US08981978B2 Resonator and oversampling A/D converter
Two resistive elements and a capacitive element are coupled between a first node and each of an inverting input terminal of an operational amplifier, an output terminal of the operational amplifier, and a common node. A resistive element and a capacitive element are coupled between the first node and a signal input terminal. Two capacitive elements and a resistive element are coupled between a second node and each of the inverting input terminal, the output terminal, and the common node. Two capacitive elements are coupled between the second node and each of the signal input terminal, and the common node.
US08981974B2 Time-to-digital converter and control method
A first switching unit configured to switch a first state for inputting a first clock signal input from a first input terminal, and a second state for inputting an output signal of a second delay element, to a first delay element. A second switching unit configured to switch a first state for inputting a second clock signal input from a second input terminal, and a second state for inputting an output signal of a first delay element, to a second delay element. After the two clock signals are respectively taken in the first delay elements and the second delay elements by putting the first and second switching units into the first state, the control unit puts the first and second switching units into the second state. An output unit outputs a phase difference obtained by decoding values stored in FFs in the second state.
US08981966B2 Fusion of far infrared and visible images in enhanced obstacle detection in automotive applications
A computerized system mountable on a vehicle operable to detect an object by processing first image frames from a first camera and second image frames from a second camera. A first range is determined to said detected object using the first image frames. An image location is projected of the detected object in the first image frames onto an image location in the second image frames. A second range is determined to the detected object based on both the first and second image frames. The detected object is tracked in both the first and second image frames When the detected object leaves a field of view of the first camera, a third range is determined responsive to the second range and the second image frames.
US08981965B2 Vehicle laser parking indicator apparatus
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus to assist in parking a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a housing coupled to the vehicle and at least one laser coupled to the housing. The laser emanates light that impinges on a surface peripheral to the vehicle. The light indicates a target on the surface and a proximity to a boundary.
US08981963B2 Accident/near-miss factor area specifying device and accident/near-miss factor area specifying method
Disclosed is an accident/near-miss factor area specifying device capable of specifying accident/near-miss factor areas, the presentation of which is highly required. The accident/near-miss factor area specifying device (100) is used for specifying accident/near-miss factor areas which a driver of a vehicle should be aware of in order to prevent an accident, and the device comprises a viewing area specifying unit (151) for specifying a viewing area of a driver of a vehicle which had a near-miss, immediately before the near-miss occurs, and an unnoticed area specifying unit (152) wherein, when a near-miss object is located in a viewing area, an area corresponding to the position of the object is treated as an unnoticed area which is one of the accident/near-miss factor areas.
US08981960B2 Wireless field device, device management system, and device management method
A wireless field device may include a first communication unit that performs wireless communication via a wireless network, a storage unit that stores setting information including at least one of device information specifying the wireless field device, communication setting information for implementing wireless communication via the wireless network, and device setting information prescribing an operation of the wireless field device, and a change control unit that performs control not to enable a change of the setting information when prohibition information representing prohibition of the change of the setting information is received by the first communication unit.
US08981959B2 Apparatus and method for priority addressing and message handling in a fixed meter reading network
A method and apparatus is disclosed for prioritizing the processing of messages sent between site transceivers (12, 15) at utility meter data origination sites (10) and gateway transceivers (20, 30, 40) in a fixed meter data collection network. To reduce message processing time, priorities are assigned for processing messages destined for mobile gateways, messages sent to assigned gateways, and messages sent to any gateway after not receiving an acknowledge signal from an assigned gateway. The gateway transceiver also has four receivers for processing four respective messages on four different frequency channels to further reduce processing time and to conserve power usage at the site transceivers.
US08981958B2 Electric field communication for short range data transmission in a borehole
The present invention concerns application of a unique conductive electrode geometry used to form an efficient wideband, one- or two-way wireless data link between autonomous systems separated by some distance along a bore hole drill string. One objective is the establishment of an efficient, high bandwidth communication link between such separated systems, using a unique electrode configuration that also aids in maintaining a physically robust drill string. Insulated or floating electrodes of various selected geometries provide a means for sustaining or maintaining a modulated electric potential adapted for injecting modulated electrical current into the surrounding sub-surface medium. Such modulated current conveys information to the systems located along the drill string by establishing a potential across a receiving insulated or floating electrode.
US08981955B2 Radio-frequency identification (RFID) safety system
A system and method for alerting operators of mobile equipment to the presence of people in monitored areas around the periphery of the mobile equipment they are operating is provided. The system includes an RFID detection system which is installed on the mobile equipment and alerts the operator to the presence of people wearing Personal Protection Equipment containing RFID safety tags. The system also includes a tag programming system which allows RFID safety tags to be created. The system also includes a tag testing system which allows a person to test the functionality of the RFID safety tags contained in the personal safety equipment they are wearing. The system also includes RFID personal safety equipment such as 3D safety vests and RFID hardhats which contains RFID safety tags. The 3D safety vests also include enhanced 3D visual markings.
US08981954B2 Methods, systems, and apparatus for protection system activation and dynamic labeling
Methods, devices, and systems for activation of a protection system and dynamic labeling are described. An example system for use with a plurality of circuit protection devices coupled to a switchgear unit includes a first sensor for detecting a body located within a first zone associated with a threshold distance from the switchgear unit, and a controller coupled to the first sensor. The controller is configured to selectively enable the plurality of circuit protection devices. The controller is configured to enable a first circuit protection device of the plurality of circuit protection devices in response to detecting, via the first sensor, a body within the first zone.
US08981950B1 Sensor device measurements adaptive to HVAC activity
Various devices, systems, and methods may be presented. A sensor unit may be presented that includes a housing and a chamber arranged within the housing. The sensor unit may include a controller arranged within the housing. The controller may receive information from an HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) system, wherein the information is indicative of operation of the HVAC system. The controller may determine an effect of the HVAC system on measurements made by the sensor using the information from the HVAC system.
US08981945B2 Bus condition monitoring system
A method and system is disclosed for monitoring switchgear. The current supplied to the main bus is measured. The current flowing through a plurality of feeder circuits is also measured. The temperature of the main bus at one or more nodes is measured, wherein a node is a connection point between the main bus and each feeder circuit. The current flowing through one of the nodes is determined by subtracting the current flow through each the feeder circuit upstream from the node, from the current supplied by the input circuit. An alarm condition is determined if the temperature at a node exceeds a predetermined temperature value for a given current flow through the node. The alarm condition is thereafter displayed to a switchgear operator.
US08981943B2 Wireless temperature measuring system
A wireless temperature measuring system, including multiple wireless temperature sensors, and multiple communication terminals; the wireless temperature sensors communicate with the communication terminals via RF, the wireless temperature sensor operates to obtain temperature signals from a temperature detection point, to perform cross-interleaved error correction encoding on the temperature signals whereby obtaining coded temperature signals, and to transmit the coded temperature signals to the communication terminals via RF; the communication terminal operates to receive and decode the coded temperature signals from the wireless temperature sensor, and to obtain decoded temperature signals.
US08981923B2 Remote control signal receiver and electronic device
A remote control signal receiver includes a plurality of signal reception units. Each signal reception unit includes a light reception window arranged in a housing of an electronic device and a light reception element arranged in the housing facing toward the light reception window. The light reception elements of the signal reception units are mounted on a circuit board. A transmission barrier prevents infrared noise entering the housing through the light reception window of one of the signal reception units from being transmitted to the light reception element of another one of the signal reception units.
US08981922B2 Rear end collision avoidance system
A rear collision prevention system includes: a linkage coupled to a gas pedal, the linkage capable of sensing the position of the gas pedal, the linkage communicatively coupled to a transmitter, a transmitter with at least a first channel and a second channel, where the first channel receives a signal from the linkage when the gas pedal is depressed, and the second channel receives a signal when the gas pedal is released. The system also includes a receiver communicatively coupled to the transmitter. The receiver receives signals from the first channel and the second channel of the transmitter. An illumination device is communicatively coupled to the receiver, and the device illuminates in a first color responsive to the receiver receiving a signal on the first channel and illuminates in a second color responsive to the receiver receiving a signal on the second channel.
US08981918B2 GAWR exceed warning system for a vehicle
A warning system for a vehicle having an air suspension system can include an indicator, an event data recorder, and a controller. The controller can be configured to determine a load on a front axle and a rear axle when the vehicle is in a static condition and compare the determined load on the front and rear axles to a predetermined load threshold for each of the front and rear axles. A warning signal can be provided to the indicator indicative of at least one of the determined loads exceeding the corresponding predetermined load threshold upon the controller determining one of the determined loads exceeds the corresponding predetermined load threshold. Data indicative of at least one of the determined loads exceeding the corresponding predetermined threshold can be communicated to the event data recorder.
US08981912B2 Pushbits for semi-synchronized pointing
A method of selecting a light source among a plurality of light sources by means of a remote controller includes the remote controller: instructing, by omnidirectional transmission, the light sources to each transmit a directional signal comprising a code, which is unique for each light source; —receiving the directional signals from the light sources; and selecting one of the light sources on basis of the received directional signals. Furthermore, the method includes: generating, remotely of the light sources, codes to be transmitted by the light sources; and—the remote controller instructing each one of the light sources which one of the remotely determined codes to transmit.
US08981902B2 Controlling location information
A method and apparatus for controlling location information at a computer device such as a mobile telephone. Location information is intercepted and obtained by, for example, intercepting it from an Application Programming Interface destined for a location application. The location application is identified, and a rule is determined for applying to the location information on the basis of the identified location application. The rule is applied to the location information to give amended location information, and the amended location information is then sent to the location application.
US08981895B2 Method and system for intrusion detection in networked control systems
A method and system for detection of intrusion in networked control systems, is provided. The method includes generating an operating model of a system being controlled. The operating model of the system comprises a relationship between a plurality of components in the system defined by a plurality of parameters. Further, the method includes calculating an estimated value of at least one parameter for at least one component in the system. The operating model is used to calculate the estimated value of the at least one parameter. Furthermore, the method includes measuring a latest value of at least one parameter at a predefined interval. The method also includes triggering an alert for intrusion for the at least one component based on an analysis of at least one of the latest value and the estimated value of at least one parameter.
US08981894B2 Antenna device, particularly for a mobile radio system, having a plurality of associated functional units
The invention relates to an improved antenna device, characterized by the following additional features:—that each functional unit (21) can communicate bidirectionally with the remote control unit (RC) by means of the communication bus (23),—the configuration, the controller, and/or the querying of one or more functional units (21) of the at least one emitter device takes place over the entire communications bus (23),—the communication to the remote control unit (RC) is handled by each addressed functional unit (21), and—an internal communications bus (25) is provided for exchanging information and/or action states between the functional units (21) connected in the at least one emitter device.
US08981892B2 Subsea fuse assembly
A subsea fuse assembly is provided. The subsea fuse assembly is adapted to be operated in a pressurized environment. The subsea fuse assembly includes an enclosure adapted to be filled with a dielectric liquid, and a pressure compensator including a flexible element for pressure compensation. The subsea fuse assembly also includes a first penetrator and a second penetrator each passing through a wall of the enclosure for leading a first electric conductor and a second electric conductor, respectively, into the enclosure. The subsea fuse assembly includes a fuse arranged inside the enclosure and connected between the first electric conductor and the second electric conductor.
US08981891B2 Controllable electronic switch
A controllable electronic switch for, e.g., controlling power distribution comprises a deformable member such as a bimetal arm that can be deformed to break an electrical path. The deformable member may be anchored at one end and in controllable contact with an electrical conductor at the other end. A heating element, such as a coil, can be used to selectively heat the deformable member. The controllable electronic switch can alternatively comprise a deformable member that is terminated in a wedge-shaped member. When the deformable member bends in response to being heated, the wedge-shaped member forces apart a pair of contacts thus breaking an electrical path. The wedge-shaped member and/or associated structures may be configured as a cam mechanism with multiple latching positions.
US08981890B2 Non-magnetic composition for multilayer electronic component, multilayer electronic component manufactured by using the same and manufacturing method thereof
There are provided a non-magnetic composition for a ceramic electronic component, a ceramic electronic component manufactured by using the same, and a manufacturing method thereof. The non-magnetic composition for a ceramic electronic component includes a compound represented by ZnCuTiO4 such that the inductance decreasing rate at the high current and the capacitance rate of change of the magnetic body after the application of current according to the temperature change are insensitive, whereby the stable operational characteristics of the ceramic electronic component may be secured.
US08981886B2 Electromechanical polarization switch
A solenoid switching method includes energizing a first coil winding to cause a plunger to move in a first direction, and energizing a second coil winding to cause the plunger to move in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the plunger has a first standoff connected to a first end, and a second standoff connected to a second end. The first standoff extends through the first coil winding and the second standoff extends through the second coil winding. The bi-directional solenoid device is configured to physically move a slidable switch between a first position and a second position. Additionally, the plunger stays in position without either of the first coil winding or the second coil winding being energized if the plunger is latched.
US08981884B2 Hall effect grain level switch
A Hall effect grain level switch is positioned adjacent a grain fill opening at an upper portion of a grain enclosure. A Hall-voltage generator is coupled to the housing in a fixed position. An elongate member is pivotably coupled to the housing with the magnet being mounted adjacent a proximal end of the elongate member. A grain contact member is coupled adjacent a distal end of the elongate member. The Hall-voltage generator and magnet are positioned adjacent each other to provide a first output signal state when the elongate member extends vertically in a rest position. The Hall-voltage generator and magnet are distanced from each other to provide a second output signal state when the elongate member is pivoted to a non-vertical switched position in response to grain moving the contact member.
US08981883B2 Contact mechanism and electromagnetic contactor using same
A contact mechanism is capable of, without enlarging the entire configuration thereof, preventing the generation of an electromagnetic repulsion that opens a movable contact upon application of a current, and also provides an electromagnetic contactor that uses this contact mechanism. A contact mechanism has a fixed contact and a movable contact that are inserted in a current-carrying path. In the contact mechanism, the fixed contact or the movable contact is formed into an L-shape or a U-shape so as to generate a Lorentz force that acts against an electromagnetic repulsion in an opening direction, which is generated between the fixed contact and the movable contact upon application of a current.
US08981881B2 Stacked module
A stacked module includes a first multilayer substrate including an opening having a stepwise wall face, and a first transmission line including a first grounding conductor layer, a second multilayer substrate supported on a stepped portion of the stepwise wall face and including a second transmission line including a second grounding conductor layer, a first chip mounted on a bottom of the opening and coupled to a third transmission line provided on the first multilayer substrate, and a second chip mounted on the front face of the second multilayer substrate and coupled to the second transmission line. A face to which the second grounding conductor layer or a fourth grounding conductor layer coupled thereto is exposed is joined to the stepped portion to which the first grounding conductor layer or a third grounding conductor layer coupled thereto is exposed, and the first and second grounding conductor layers are coupled.
US08981878B2 Cavity filter with resilient member connected between slider and driving device
A cavity filter includes a slider, a driving device, an adapter and a resilient member. The slider is used to slide relative to and couple with a plurality of resonators located in the cavity filter to change a resonating frequency of the cavity filter. The driving device is used to drive the slider slide relative to the plurality of resonators. The adapter is installed between the slider and the driving device. The resilient member is elastically connected between the slider and the adapter and used to absorb vibrations of the driving device to make the slider move on an even keel.
US08981876B2 Piezoelectric resonator structures and electrical filters having frame elements
Film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) having frame elements and filters including the resonators are described.
US08981869B2 Radio frequency interconnect circuits and techniques
A multilayer circuit board assembly includes one or more radio frequency (RF) interconnects between different circuit layers on different circuit boards which make up the circuit board assembly. The RF interconnects can include one or more RF matching pads which provide a mechanism for matching impedance characteristics of RF stubs to provide the RF interconnects having desired insertion loss and impedance characteristics over a desired RF operating frequency band. The RF matching pads allow the manufacture of circuit boards having RF interconnects without the need to perform any back drill and back fill operation to remove stub portions of the RF interconnects in the multilayer circuit board assembly.
US08981867B2 Coupling between a waveguide and a feed line on a carrier plate through a cross-shaped coupling element
A waveguide coupling, in particular for a radar level indicator having a waveguide, a carrier plate and at least one feed line, wherein the waveguide is placed on a first side of the carrier plate on the carrier plate, the feed line is guided on and/or in the carrier plate into the inner area of the waveguide and the feed line terminates with an end in the inner area of the waveguide. The carrier plate is continuous in the inner area of the waveguide and thus extends beyond the end of the feed line, an electrically conductive coupling element is arranged near the end of the feed line on and/or in the carrier plate, so that the coupling element is capacitively coupled with the feed line and the coupling element serves to couple electromagnetic waves led into the waveguide via the feed line in the waveguide.
US08981865B2 First and second differential transmission lines where the second transmission line includes bent portions to surround the first transmission line
An exemplary transmission line system is provided. The system includes a first transmission line partially arranged on a first layer of a PCB including first structure units and partially arranged on a third layer of the PCB including second structure units, and a second transmission line arranged on a second layer of the PCB. Each first structure unit and each second structure respectively include a first connection line, a second connection line, and a first bent line; and a third connection line, a fourth connection line, and a second bent line. A second end of the first connection line and the second connection line of each of the first structure units are respectively connected to a second end of the third connection line and the fourth connection line of the adjacent second structure unit through respective vias.
US08981863B2 Modulation apparatus for class D switching amplifier
A modulation apparatus for a class D switching amplifier is capable of reducing power consumption of an Electro-Migration Interface (EMI) of an output end and a gate driver end in a zero input signal. The modulation apparatus for a class D switching amplifier includes a control unit for detecting and outputting a control signal which is a common signal component of a first modulation signal modulated by using a first input signal and a second modulation signal modulated by using a second input signal; and is characterized by feedback of a first output signal, a second output signal and a common output signal outputted by using the first modulation signal, the second modulation signal and the control signal through an input of the modulation apparatus.
US08981860B2 Use of electronic attenuator for MEMS oscillator overdrive protection
An apparatus includes a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device configured as part of an oscillator. The MEMS device includes a mass suspended from a substrate of the MEMS, a first electrode configured to provide a first signal based on a displacement of the mass, and a second electrode configured to receive a second signal based on the first signal. The apparatus includes an amplifier coupled to the first electrode and a first node. The amplifier is configured to generate an output signal, the output signal being based on the first signal and a first gain. The apparatus includes an attenuator configured to attenuate the output signal based on a second gain and provide as the second signal an attenuated version of the output signal.
US08981858B1 Spread spectrum oscillator
An apparatus includes a selection device to select a spreading profile from a plurality of spreading profiles, and an oscillation device to generate clock signals having different frequencies over time based on the selected spreading profile. A method includes selecting a spreading profile from a plurality of spreading profiles, and generating clock signals having different frequencies over time based on the selected spreading profile.
US08981856B1 High frequency precision oscillators having stable temperature characteristics
An oscillator circuit includes an adjustable frequency oscillator configured to free-run at a first frequency below a desired second target frequency. This adjustable frequency oscillator is configured to modulate a frequency of its periodic output signal upwards from the first frequency to the second frequency in response to a feedback bias current. A divider is also provided, which is configured to convert the periodic output signal to a reduced-frequency control signal. This reduced-frequency control signal is provided to a frequency-to-current (F2C) converter, which is configured to drive the adjustable frequency oscillator with the feedback bias current (e.g., pull-down current) in response to the reduced-frequency control signal.
US08981853B2 Trans-impedance amplifier for high speed optical-electrical interfaces
A differential or pseudo-differential TIA includes an auxiliary differential amplifier input transistor pair cross-coupled to the output nodes to cancel undesired output signal components. The advantages of a classical differential topology are retained while performance at a high data rate is significantly improved.
US08981852B2 Providing an integrated directional coupler in a power amplifier
A power amplifier includes a power amplifier core including a plurality of gain stages to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to output an amplified RF signal, an output network coupled to the power amplifier core to receive the amplified RF signal and output a transmit output power signal, and a directional coupler coupled to the output network to obtain a coupled signal proportional to the transmit output power signal. Each of these components can be configured on a single semiconductor die, in an embodiment.
US08981846B2 Joint optimisation of supply and bias modulation
There is disclosed a technique for controlling at least one amplification stage, comprising: selecting a linearity objective for the amplification stage; in dependence on an input signal to said amplification stage, determining a combination of supply input and bias input for the amplification stage in order to meet said linearity objective; and in dependence on there being more than one combination of supply input and bias input for meeting the linearity objective, selecting the combination that optimizes a further system performance objective for the amplification stage. The further system performance objective may be one or more of: an efficiency objective; an envelope signal bandwidth objective; or a robustness to production tolerance objective.
US08981841B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit and semiconductor system including the same
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of semiconductor chips respectively selected in response to a plurality of chip selection signals, and a chip selection signal generator configured to generate the chip selection signals in response to one first control signal for deciding whether to drive the semiconductor chips and at least one second control signal for selecting at least one semiconductor chip from among the semiconductor chips.
US08981837B1 System and method for reduction of bottom plate parasitic capacitance in charge pumps
A system for providing a load current at a specific output voltage to a circuit block of an integrated circuit (IC) includes a supply node at a supply voltage, a charge pump, and a cross-coupling circuit. The charge pump includes a first a first capacitor to charge while a first clock signal is high and a second capacitor to charge while a second clock signal is high. Each of the capacitors has a top plate node, a bottom plate node, a ground node, and an intermediate node between the bottom plate node and the ground node. The cross-coupling circuit couples the intermediate node of the first capacitor to the supply node while the second clock signal is high and couples the intermediate node of the second capacitor to the supply node while the first clock signal is high.
US08981834B2 Circuit and method for dynamic offset compensation in a MEMS sensor device
An offset-compensation circuit in a MEMS sensor device, provided with a micromechanical detection structure that transduces a quantity to be detected into an electrical detection quantity, and with an electronic reading circuit, coupled to the micromechanical detection structure for processing the electrical detection quantity and supplying an output signal, which is a function of the quantity to be detected. A compensation structure is electrically coupled to the input of the electronic reading circuit and can be controlled for generating an electrical compensation quantity, of a trimmable value, for compensating an offset on the output signal; the compensation circuit has a control unit, which reads the output signal during operation of the MEMS sensor device; obtains information on the offset present on the output signal itself; and controls the compensation structure as a function of the offset information.
US08981831B1 Level shifter with built-in logic function for reduced delay
A method and circuit for implementing a level shifter with built-in-logic function for reduced delay. The circuit including at least one set of inputs from a first power supply domain. The circuit further including at least two cross coupled field effect transistors (FETs) connected to a second power supply domain. The circuit further including a true logic gate connected to the first power supply domain and the at least two cross coupled FETs. The true logic gate being configured to generate a logic function based on the at least one set of inputs. The circuit further including a complementary logic gate connected to the first power supply domain and the at least two cross coupled FETs. The complementary logic gate being configured to generate a complement of the logic function based on the at least one set of inputs.
US08981827B2 I/O data retention device
An apparatus for controlling retention of data includes a logic circuit, a retention control cell circuit, and an I/O cell circuit. The logic circuit generates at least one retention enable signal before a chip enters a reduced power mode. The retention control cell circuit latches the retention enable signal and outputs a retention enable control signal based on a first power signal of the logic circuit and a detection result of a second power signal for input/output (I/O). And, the I/O cell circuit latches data based on the retention control signal.
US08981826B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a voltage-control-type clock generation circuit having a plurality of stages of first delay elements and whose oscillation frequency is controlled according to a control voltage applied to the first delay elements; a delay circuit having a plurality of stages of second delay elements connected serially; and a selection circuit selecting one from pulse signals output by the plurality of stages of respective second delay elements. The first delay elements and the second delay elements have a same structure formed on a same semiconductor substrate, and a delay amount of the second delay elements is adjusted according to the control voltage.
US08981825B2 PLL circuit
A PLL circuit includes: a phase comparator for detecting a phase difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal; a first charge pump for outputting a current Ipr according to a detection result of the phase comparator; a second charge pump for outputting a current Iint according to the detection result of the phase comparator; a filter for outputting a current Iprop from which a high frequency component of the Ipr is removed; an integrator for integrating the Iint; a voltage-current conversion circuit for outputting a current Ivi according to an integrated result of the integrator; and an oscillator that generates an oscillating signal of a frequency according to a current Iro, a sum of the Iprop and the Ivi, and feeds it back to the phase comparator.
US08981823B1 Apparatus and method for smart VCC trip point design for testability
An apparatus and method for testing is provided. An integrated circuit includes a comparison circuit that is arranged to trip based on a power supply signal reaching a trip point. The integrated circuit also includes an analog-to-digital converter that is arranged to convert the power supply signal into a digital signal. The integrated circuit also includes a storage component that stores a digital value associated with the digital signal, and provides the power supply value at an output pin of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a latch that is coupled between the analog-to-digital converter and the storage component. The latch is arranged to open when the comparison circuit trips, such that, when the comparison circuit trips, the storage component continues to store a digital value such that the digital value corresponds to the voltage associated with the power supply signal when the comparison circuit tripped.
US08981822B2 High speed dual modulus divider
Described is an apparatus comprising a plurality of logic units arranged in a ring, wherein an output terminal of each logic unit from the plurality of logic units is coupled to an input terminal of a next logic unit from the plurality of logic units, wherein the plurality of logic units includes a first multiple input logic unit having input nodes coupled to at least two output terminals of logic units from the plurality of logic units; and a plurality of latch units coupled to the output terminals of the plurality of logic units.
US08981821B2 Interference mitigation output frequency determined by division factors selected randomly
Several methods and circuits configured to mitigate signal interference of at least one aggressor circuit operable on a first clock signal within an interfering frequency range of at least one victim circuit in an IC are disclosed. In an embodiment, a signal interference mitigation circuit is configured to be associated with the aggressor circuit and includes a clock divider circuit and a control circuit. The clock divider circuit is configured to generate the first clock signal based on a second clock signal and a division factor pattern. The control circuit is coupled with the clock divider circuit and configured to determine the division factor pattern and provide the division factor pattern to the clock divider circuit. The division factor pattern comprises a plurality of division factors selected randomly based on a plurality of random numbers, and is configured to control a throughput frequency associated with the signal interference mitigation circuit.
US08981810B1 Method and apparatus for preventing accelerated aging of a physically unclonable function
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for preventing accelerated aging of a physically unclonable function (PUF) circuit are disclosed. For example, the method monitors an environmental condition associated with the physically unclonable function circuit, detects a change in the environmental condition associated with the physically unclonable function circuit, and, in response to the change in the environmental condition, implements a security function for preventing the accelerated aging of the physically unclonable function circuit.
US08981808B2 Semiconductor device and test method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of memory chips arranged in a layered manner, each including a substrate and a memory cell array, and a plurality of current paths provided while penetrating through the memory chips. Each of the memory chips includes a test circuit that reads test data from a corresponding one of the memory cell array and outputs a layer test result signal responding to the test data to a different current path for each of the memory chips.
US08981805B2 Inspection apparatus and inspection method
An inspection apparatus includes an insulating substrate, a probe pin having a body portion secured to the insulating substrate, a tip portion connected to one end of the body portion and disposed on the back surface side of the insulating substrate, and a connection portion connected to the other end of the body portion and disposed on the front surface side of the insulating substrate, and a heat-radiating terminal in contact with the connection portion, wherein a current is applied through the heat-radiating terminal and the probe pin to an object to measured, and wherein the heat-radiating terminal discharges heat from the probe pin.
US08981803B2 Method for cleaning a contact pad of a microstructure and corresponding cantilever contact probe and probe testing head
A method for cleaning a contact pad of a microstructure or device to be tested when it is in electric contact with a measure apparatus, being obtained by electrically contacting a flexible probe with said contact pad. The method includes mechanically engaging a free end of the flexible probe in a manner that sticks the free end in the pad; and laterally flexing, by a tip charge, the flexible probe in a manner that keeps the free end stuck in the pad, so as to locally dig into a covering layer of the pad and realize a localized crushing thereof.
US08981792B2 RFID readable device with smart surface access
A monitoring system includes an array of concatenated sensing nodes, with each sensing node being configured to have at least one of near-field and far-field RF coupling circuitry to interface with an adjacent sensing node. A respective device is coupled to each of the sensing nodes. A reader device is configured to have at least one of near-field and far-field RF coupling circuitry to interface with the array of concatenated sensing nodes to read data from the devices.
US08981791B2 Adaptive frequency-domain windowing
A method, apparatus and software related product are presented for adaptive frequency-domain windowing to determine a time-domain crosstalk in a cable and produce effective TDX plots regardless of the frequency of a worst NEXT (near-end crosstalk). An adaptive window such as a low pass or pass band window may be selected based on the frequency of a measured worst NEXT margin for each pair combination.
US08981785B2 Method and apparatus for detecting earth fault
A method and an apparatus for detecting an earth fault on a three-phase electric line are provided. The apparatus includes means for determining a neutral admittance on the basis of a residual current and a residual voltage, means for comparing the determined neutral admittance to a predetermined operation characteristic to detect an earth fault on the three-phase electric line, and means for determining one or more harmonic components of the residual current and one or more harmonic components of the residual voltage. The harmonic components have frequencies n*fn such that n≧2 and fn is a fundamental frequency. The means for determining a neutral admittance are configured to use at least one of the determined one or more harmonic components of the residual current and at least one of the determined one or more harmonic components of the residual voltage for determining the neutral admittance.
US08981784B2 Method for manufacturing a composite bushing, and partial discharge diagnostic system for composite bushing
Disclosed are a method of manufacturing a composite bushing and a diagnostic system for the partial discharge of the composite bushing that may provide a thin-film ultra high frequency (UHF) sensor to a composite bushing, thereby measuring a partial discharge of a composite bushing and preventing a safety accident of the composite bushing that may occur due to the partial discharge.
US08981783B2 Cell monitoring device for electric storage module, non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-readable instructions for detecting discontinuity of electric lines, and method of detecting discontinuity of electric lines
A cell monitoring device for monitoring cells connected in series in an electric storage module includes electric lines, switches connected in parallel to the cells, respectively, via the electric lines, and a controller. The controller configured to: close and reopen at least two of the switches; measure voltages between the lines connected to the cells after the switches connected in parallel to the cells are reopened; determine the measured voltages as cell voltages of the cells; determine whether at least one of a high abnormality voltage equal to or higher than a first threshold and a low abnormality voltage equal to or lower than a second threshold lower than the first threshold exists among the cell voltages; and determine at least one of the electric lines has lost continuity if at least one of the high abnormality voltage and the low abnormality voltage exists among the cell voltages.
US08981782B2 Method and apparatus for monitoring the maximum available capacity of a battery
A method of monitoring a maximum available capacity of a battery includes providing a number of diverse end-of-discharge-voltage values. A counter is assigned to each of the end-of-discharge-voltage values. The battery is discharged. One of the end-of-discharge-voltage values at which the battery is discharged is determined. A counter reading of the counter assigned to the determined end-of-discharge-voltage value is incremented. The previous steps are repeated. The counter readings are read-off so as to obtain a number of read-off counter readings. Based on the read-off counter readings, a first factor representing a first measure of a decline in the maximum available battery capacity is determined.
US08981780B2 Dipole locator using multiple measurement points
A receiver and tracking system for identifying a location of a magnetic field source. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of tri-axial antennas are positioned at three distinct points on a receiver frame. Each antenna detects a magnetic field from a source and a processor is used to determine a location of the source relative to the frame using the antenna signals. Each tri-axial antenna comprises three windings in each of three channels defined by a support structure. The windings each define an aperture area. The windings have substantially identical aperture areas and have a common center point. The receiver may to display to the operator the relative location of the field source or may direct the operator to a spot directly above the field source.
US08981779B2 Active resistive shimming fro MRI devices
Active resistive shim coil assemblies may be used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems to reduce in-homogeneity of the magnetic field in the imaging volume. Disclosed embodiments may be used with continuous systems, gapped cylindrical systems, or vertically gapped systems. Disclosed embodiments may also be used with an open MRI system and can be used with an instrument placed in the gap of the MRI system. An exemplary embodiment of the active resistive shim coil assembly of the present disclosure includes active resistive shim coils each operable to be energized by separate currents through a plurality of power channels. In some embodiments, the disclosed active resistive shim coil assemblies allow for various degrees of freedom to shim out field in-homogeneity.
US08981777B2 Spine coil array
The present embodiments relate to a spine coil array for an imaging system that includes a number of coil elements. The density of the coil elements changes at least once from a first region to a second region in at least one direction within the spine coil array.
US08981775B2 Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and gradient magnetic field application method
When it is difficult to apply a rephasing gradient magnetic field of a predetermined order according to an imaging parameter value set as input, a rephasing gradient magnetic field of a smaller amount of application is calculated, and at least some echo signals are measured using the calculated rephasing gradient magnetic field of the smaller amount of application.
US08981768B2 Device for measuring bending angle of constant velocity joint of drive shaft
Provided is a device for measuring a bending angle of a constant velocity joint of a drive shaft, the device including an outer race provided at a drive shaft and having an opening part formed at one end thereof, a permanent magnet mounted in the opening part of the outer race, and a sensor provided on an outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft and interlocking with the permanent magnet to measure a bending angle between the drive shaft and the outer race. Therefore, a size and a direction of the bending angle between the drive shaft and the outer race may be measured, thereby making it possible to improve marketability and stability of a vehicle.
US08981766B2 Position/displacement measuring system
The invention relates to a position/displacement measuring system comprising at least one encoded scale body having at least one encoding track extending in a measuring direction and a sensor device having at least one sensor head sensitive to the encoding, wherein the at least one sensor head comprises at least a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit which provide respective sensor signals and are spaced apart from one another in the measuring direction.
US08981760B2 Rotatable display for test and measurement apparatus
A physically rotatable display for a test and measurement apparatus is provided. The display of instrument information and data is automatically reconfigured based on the user selected orientation to provide optimal data display.
US08981756B2 Adaptive threshold voltage for frequency input modules
Systems and methods for an industrial I/O controller circuit for frequency input modules that measure the frequency of an electrical input signal using adaptive threshold voltage and/or adaptive hysteresis feedback are shown and described. The systems and methods provide advantages in that the I/O controller circuit can better distinguish between actual input pulses from the electrical input signal, as opposed to unwanted Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) induced input pulses. This maximizes the amount of EMI rejection, independent of the frequency of the moving machine, and results in less time to commission and adjust a sensor, fewer false frequency measurements and less system down time.
US08981753B2 Current-sensing auto-calibration in power converters
An electronic circuit (EC) may include an integrated current-source with an output terminal that may couple to the output of a power converter (OPC) to draw current from the power converter. The EC may further include control circuitry for activating the integrated current-source and for effecting a ramping output voltage at the OPC, and begin current-sense calibration once the output voltage reaches a specified calibration voltage value (SCVV). The control circuitry may regulate the output voltage to the SCVV while current-sense calibration is being performed, to measure and store the resistance value of a current-sense element of the power regulator. With the current-sense calibration complete, the control circuitry may disable the integrated current-source, resume ramping the output voltage until it reaches a specified regulation value (SRVV), and regulate to the SRVV during normal operation. The SCVV is specified to be at least a magnitude lower than the SRVV.
US08981750B1 Active regulator wake-up time improvement by capacitive regulation
An active voltage regulator circuit having improved wake-up response is presented. The circuit includes an op-amp whose output is connected to a pass device for supplying the output level, and has both capacitive and resistive parts in its feedback loop. When the regulator is enabled, the capacitive elements are initially connected, followed after a delay by the resistive elements of the feedback loop.
US08981748B2 Method of forming a semiconductor power switching device, structure therefor, and power converter
At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a semiconductor power switching device including a ctrl switch, a sync switch, where a resistor is electrically connected between the ctrl switch and the sync switch.
US08981741B2 Voltage regulator for contact-less electronic devices
A voltage regulator has an input terminal for receiving a supply voltage and an output terminal for providing a regulated voltage and a regulated current. Furthermore, the voltage regulator includes a regulator for generating the regulated voltage and the regulated current according to a regulation of the supply voltage. The regulator includes a plurality of regulation branches arranged between the input terminal and the output terminal, each one for providing an output voltage used for obtaining the regulated voltage and for providing an output current contributing to define the regulated current. The regulation branches are partitioned into a plurality of subsets each one including components adapted to operate within a corresponding maximum voltage different from the maximum voltage of the other subsets. In addition, the regulator includes a selector for selectively enabling the regulation branches according to an indicator of the supply voltage.
US08981738B2 Solar array regulator based on step-up and down conversion and solar power system comprising the same
A solar array system includes at least one solar array and at least one solar array regulator. The solar array regulator has an input port to be connected to the solar array, and an output port to be connected to a power bus. The solar array comprises a switching voltage converter comprising a step-down (PC1) and a step-up (PC2) power cell connected in cascade; and a control circuit for driving said voltage converter in a step-up, a step-down or a direct energy transfer mode, depending on an input control signal and on at least one feedback signal (SILF) indicative of an operating condition of said switching voltage converter; characterized in that said at least one feedback signal (SILF) is indicative of an intensity of an electrical current (IL) flowing between said step-down and said step-up power cells, whereby the control circuit implements an internal current feedback control.
US08981737B2 High efficiency PFM control for buck-boost converter
A buck/boost voltage regulator generates a regulated output voltage responsive to an input voltage and a plurality of control signals. The buck/boost voltage regulator includes a plurality of switching transistors responsive to the plurality of control signals. Control circuitry monitors the regulated output voltage and generates the plurality of control signals responsive thereto. The control circuitry controls the operation of the plurality of switching transistors to enable a charging phase in a first mode of operation, a pass through phase in a second mode of operation and a discharge phase in a third mode of operation within the buck/boost voltage regulator to eliminate occurrence of a four switch switching condition.
US08981736B2 High efficiency, thermally stable regulators and adjustable zener diodes
This document discusses, among other things, apparatus for high-efficiency, thermally-compensated regulators. In an example, a regulator can include a zener diode having a first temperature coefficient, the zener diode configured couple to an output and to provide at least a portion of a reference voltage, a transistor having a second temperature coefficient, the transistor configured to receive the reference voltage, to receive a representation of the output, and to provide feedback information indicative of an error of the output using the representation of the output voltage and the reference voltage, and wherein the first temperature coefficient and the second temperature coefficient are configured to reduce at least a portion of a temperature drift effect of the zener diode and the transistor.
US08981733B2 System and method of charging a battery using a switching regulator
In one embodiment the present invention includes a system and method of charging a battery using a switching regulator. In one embodiment, a switching regulator receives an input voltage and input current. The output of the switching regulator is coupled to a battery to be charged. The switching regulator provides a current into the battery that is larger than the current into the switching regulator. As the voltage on the battery increases, the current provided by the switching regulator is reduced. The present invention may be implemented using either analog or digital techniques for reducing the current into the battery as the battery voltage increases.
US08981724B2 Battery pack discharging device and method for discharging a battery pack
A battery pack discharging device is provided. The device includes a hand-held member having a handle portion and first and second actuation members extending from the handle portion. The device further includes a docking device having a housing, first and second switches, and a resistor. The housing has first and second apertures extending therethrough. First and second actuation members of the hand-held member are disposed in first and second apertures, respectively, of the housing such that the first and second actuation members transition the first and second switches, respectively, to first and second closed operational positions, respectively, to discharge the battery pack.
US08981720B2 Charging dock for portable electronic device
A charging dock includes a base, a charging cable and a retractable wire reel module received in the base. A wall of the base is concaved downward to form a charging space including an opening in a cavity of the base. The charging cable includes a power wire, a charging and a power connector interfaces. The charging interface is received in the base. The power interface is positioned out of the base. The retractable wire reel module includes a guiding shaft positioned, a coil spring member and a sleeve member. The sleeve member rotatably sleeves on the guiding shaft via the coil spring member. The power wire is wound on the sleeve member, the coil spring member is connected with the guiding shaft and the sleeve member. The power wire retracts in the base via the sleeve member driven to rotate by the coil spring member.
US08981719B2 Battery pack charger
A battery pack charger including a case (1) having an attachment section (2) where a battery pack (30) can be attached in a detachable manner, and a plurality of connecting terminals (3) disposed in an exposed manner in the attachment section to connect with external terminals (33) on the battery pack. The connecting terminals are disposed in approximately vertical orientation in a plurality of approximately parallel rows. The case has terminal through-holes (52) opened through the case between adjacent connecting terminals. Even if there is ingress of foreign material, such as dust and dirt, between the connecting terminals, that material can fall through the holes in the case. Foreign material collection between the connecting terminals can be avoided, and the battery pack charger has the positive feature that unintended conduction, such as leakage current and short-circuit, can be avoided.
US08981714B2 Storage tray with charging
A wireless charging system includes a charging pad including a base having a coil. The charging pad includes an electrical connector connected to the coil for supplying power to the coil. The charging pad can be connected by an AC cord to a household AC outlet via the electrical connector. The charging pad can also be connected to a vehicle connector for connecting the charging pad to a vehicle electrical supply. In this manner, the wireless charging pad can be used for both home and vehicle charging.
US08981713B2 Charging apparatus using pad type electrode contact point
Disclosed herein is a charging apparatus using a pad type electrode contact point, the charging apparatus including: a charging plate having a plate shape; and an attaching plate installed on a portable terminal to provide the power to a charging circuit of the portable terminal.
US08981712B2 Converter and submodule of a converter for charging or discharging an energy store
A submodule charges or discharges an energy store and contains a capacitor unit and a power semiconductor circuit having power semiconductors that can be switched on and off. The capacitor unit and the power semiconductor circuit are connected to each other such that, after actuating the power semiconductors, the voltage released at the capacitor unit or a zero voltage can be produced at output terminals of the submodule. In order to provide a submodule allowing individual adaptation of the charging operation to the requirements of the energy store which, is cost-effective, the energy store is connected to the submodule via a DC-DC regulator. The regulator is connected to the capacitor unit and is configured to convert a capacitor voltage into a charge voltage that is required for charging the energy store, and to convert a discharge voltage released at the energy store during discharge into the capacitor voltage.
US08981701B2 Apparatus and method for compensating offset of current sensor
Provided is an apparatus for compensating offset of a current sensor detecting a motor current supplied by an inverter for PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control of a motor, the apparatus including a current controller providing a PWM signal generated based on the motor current detected by the current sensor to the inverter, calculating an offset using the motor current detected by the current sensor in response to presence and absence of the PWM control of the motor, or offset-compensating the motor current detected by the current sensor.
US08981695B2 Dynamic reconfiguration-switching of windings in a brushless DC motor
Dynamic reconfiguration-switching of motor windings is optimized between winding-configurations. Acceleration is traded off in favor of higher velocity upon detecting a brushless DC motor is at an optimal angular-velocity for switching to an optimal lower torque constant and voltage constant. The total back electromotive force (BEMF) is prohibited from inhibiting further acceleration to a higher angular-velocity.
US08981687B2 Motor control apparatus and electric power steering apparatus using the same
A motor control apparatus includes an A/D converter, which is a hardware part for converting an analog signal of a sensor to a digital signal, a microcomputer, which is a software part, and a drive circuit, which is a hardware part for driving an inverter to supply electric power to a motor. The microcomputer includes calculation blocks, each of which is a calculation block for individually calculating an output from an input. The microcomputer further executes, in parallel to control calculations, software monitor processing for each calculation block to monitor whether the control calculation is executed normally. The motor control apparatus thus can detect a software abnormality without using a monitoring hardware circuit separately.
US08981686B2 Methods and systems for controlling an electric motor
An electric motor controller is configured to be coupled to an electric motor. The controller includes an inverter and a control unit coupled to the inverter. The inverter is configured to receive an input voltage and to provide a conditioned output voltage to the electric motor. The control unit is configured to control the electric motor to produce positive torque when direct current (DC) link voltage has a 100% voltage ripple. Methods for controlling an electric motor using the electric motor controller are also provided.
US08981683B2 High-current battery system and method for controlling a high-current battery system
The present invention relates to a high power battery system having a battery system monitoring electronics and battery modules being electrically connected in series via an operating current line. At least one battery module is a bypass battery module comprising a bypass switch and a bypass line for electrically bypassing the battery module. For each bypass battery module a module monitoring unit of the monitoring electronics monitors the assigned battery module and detects a fault state. In the fault state, the battery system monitoring electronics measures the current flow in the operating current line connecting the battery modules and switches the bypass switch of the bypass battery module concerned from a normal operating position to a bypass position at a time when the current flow in the operating current line is lower than a predetermined limit value.
US08981679B2 First-fail-safe electromotive furniture drive
A first-fail-safe electromotive furniture drive includes at least one drive unit having at least one motor; at least one actuating device having at least two actuating units, each of which includes a motor contact element and a safety contact element; at least one supply unit; and at least one safety device. The furniture drive is equipped with a reporting device for displaying the functioning and a failure of the at least two actuating units and the safety device.
US08981677B2 Lighting devices and methods for lighting
A lighting device comprises groups of solid state light emitters, a sensor and circuitry. If the emitters are illuminated, the sensor is exposed to combined light from the groups, and senses only a portion of the combined light. The circuitry adjusts current applied to at least one of the emitters based on an intensity of the light sensed. Also, a device comprising emitters, a circuit board and a sensor, at least one of the emitters being positioned on the first circuit board and the sensor being spaced from the circuit board. Also, a lighting device comprising emitters, a sensor, and circuitry which adjusts current applied an emitters based on detection by the first sensor, the circuitry comprising a differential amplifier circuit. Also, a lighting device, comprising light emitters and circuitry which adjusts current applied to only some of the emitters based on ambient temperature. Also, methods of lighting.
US08981675B2 Voltage monitoring circuit
A voltage monitoring circuit includes: a ripple filter configured to output an output voltage from which a ripple component included in an input voltage, which is input from a voltage source, has been removed; a load configured to operate with the output voltage as a supply voltage and output a first signal through the operation; a comparator configured to compare an electric potential of the output voltage with an electric potential of the first signal and output a second signal when the electric potential difference is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value; and a control circuit configured to reduce the electric potential of the first signal under the condition that the second signal is input thereto.
US08981673B2 Power supply that maintains auxiliary bias within target range
A power supply includes a switch configured to control flow of current output from an inductor to an output of the power supply. The switch receives a switching signal from a control circuit. An auxiliary bias is generated to power the control circuit. A bias circuit outputs a bias signal that is used to generate the auxiliary bias. The bias circuit senses a level of the auxiliary bias to control output of the bias signal. Output of the bias signal may be controlled to maintain the level of the auxiliary bias at a target level or within a target range.
US08981670B2 Luminaire and lighting control system
According to one embodiment, a storing section stores a first group address allocated to a luminaire, stores, as a second group address, the first group address allocated to another luminaire, and stores control information corresponding to the second group address. A control section subjects, when the receiving section receives a control signal including the second group address, a light source section to lighting control on the basis of the control information corresponding to the second group address stored in the storing section.
US08981663B2 Discharge lamp using spread spectrum
An electrodeless plasma lamp and a method of generating light are described. The lamp may comprise a lamp body including a dielectric material having a relative permittivity greater than 2. A lamp drive circuit is coupled to the lamp body and configured to provide radio frequency (RF) power to the lamp body. A bulb containing a fill is positioned proximate the lamp body. The fill forms a plasma when the RF power is coupled to the fill from the lamp body. A lamp drive circuit including modulation control circuit is provided to control modulation of a frequency of the RF power across a frequency band. The circuit may be configured to provide RF power across a frequency band around a resonant frequency for the lamp body to reduce peak amplitude and electro-magnetic interference while maintaining average power to the plasma.
US08981660B2 Electronic ballast
The present invention discloses an electronic ballast for operating a gas discharge lamp which includes (i) a rectifier bridge circuit; (ii) a power factor correction (PFC) network that includes an electrolytic capacitor that charges by means of a circuit comprised by an inductor, diode and capacitor; and (iii) a switched inverter circuit that converts rectified DC voltage to a high frequency current AC voltage. The electronic circuit has a switch that switches on the aforementioned electronic elements making the (PFC) circuit consume energy continuously from the network, while the electrolytic capacitor remains connected to the voltage of the rectifier bridge, through the inductor and the diode, even if the inductor has no energy stored. From the storage capacitor the inverter is powered by a constant voltage and noise-free, allowing the inverter to power the luminous load properly.
US08981657B2 Circuits and methods for driving light sources
A circuit for powering a LED light source includes a converter and a controller. The converter provides an output voltage, and includes a first switch which is turned on and off alternately according to a driving signal to control a current. The controller generates the driving signal which is a periodic signal having a first state and a second state per time period. The first switch is turned on when the driving signal operates in the first state, and is turned off when the driving signal operates in the second state. The controller modulates a time period of the driving signal and a time duration of the first state, such that a quotient of the time duration squared and the time period is substantially independent of a change of the time period, and the current is substantially independent of the change.
US08981656B2 Relamping circuit for fluorescent ballasts
A system and method of controlling a lighting system is provided. Lamp insertion detectors are coupled to a ballast and detect when relamping occurs. The outputs of the lamp insertion detectors are coupled together to provide a single input of a timing circuit. The timing circuit generates an output having a predetermined duration. This timing circuit output is received by a ballast driver circuit, which causes the ballast to provide a high voltage to a lamp socket for a predetermined duration of the timing circuit output to ignite the new lamp.
US08981651B2 Tiered sensing and resource allocation system for energy use optimization in commercial buildings
A building lighting control system includes a central building server, distributed zone controllers, and light sensors and control units in each zone. Using occupant lighting preferences, occupancy state, and light levels, each zone controller computes a utility curve which represents the relationship between energy use and service level in the zone. The building server zone receives utility curves from all the zones and allocates energy units to the zones based on the utility curves using a utility-based trading algorithm in order to optimize service levels with minimal energy. Each zone controller then distributes energy to lights in its zone based on energy units allocated to the zone by the building server and based also on influence matrices representing the influences of the lights in the zone upon the sensors in the zone. The building server may also compute and output long-term operational information of the building.
US08981647B2 Lighting system
To satisfy the need for refitting the lighting of a vehicle without the need to modify the controlling system of the vehicle, the present invention proposes a lighting system which comprises an electrical element (110), configured to consume the received power and incapable of emitting light; a light source (130); and a controller (120), configured to receive a first signal indicating the working status of the electrical element (110) and control the light source (130) generating a first light and a second light, respectively, based on the first signal. By utilizing the signal indicating the working status of the electrical element (110), which element is used to replace another automotive lamp, the controller can control the light source (130) to mimic said another automotive lamp while performing its original function.
US08981642B2 Light-emitting element, light-emitting device, electronic appliance, and method of manufacturing the same
A light-emitting element is provided which has a light-emitting layer between a first electrode and a second electrode, where the light-emitting layer has a first layer and a second layer; the first layer contains a first organic compound and a third organic compound; the second layer contains a second organic compound and the third organic compound; the first layer is provided to be in contact with the second layer on the first electrode side; the first organic compound is an organic compound with an electron transporting property; the second organic compound is an organic compound with a hole transporting property; the third organic compound has an electron trapping property; and light emission from the third organic compound can be obtained when voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode so that the potential of the first electrode is higher than that of the second electrode.
US08981638B2 Display device including a partition having a stacked structure
To improve image quality of a full-color organic EL display panel. A partition has a stacked structure formed using different materials. A lower partition has a curved shape, and an upper partition has a flat top surface. An angle formed between a plane surface connecting a lower end of a side surface with an upper end of the side surface of the upper partition and the top surface of the upper partition is less than or equal to 90°. The height of the partition is controlled to be greater than or equal to 0.5 μm and less than or equal to 1.3 μm. With such a structure, a large color organic EL display panel achieves high-definition display.
US08981637B2 Light source having particular spectral power distribution as function of wavelength
The invention relates to a light source for generating light having a spectral emittance in at least a part of the range of 380 nm to 680 nm. The light has a spectral power distribution E(λ) as a function of the wave-length λ over a first range of 600 nm<=λ<=680 nm, a second range of 505 nm<=λ<=600 nm, and a third range of 380 nm<=λ<=505 nm. A first ratio of the integral power distribution over said first range to that of a range of 380 nm<=λ<=680 nm is given by the relation: Formula (I) wherein 0.65<=Pl<=0.95, A second ratio of the integral power distribution over said second range to that of a range of 380 nm<=λ<=680 nm is given by the relation: Formula (II) wherein Pm>=0.08, A third ratio of the integral power distribution over said third range to that of a range of 380 nm<=λ<=680 nm is given by the relation: Formula (III) wherein Ps>=0.03 or Ps>=0.015 if Pl>=0.75l A respective radiation emission peak in each of the first, second and third wavelength range has a full width half maximum (=FWHM) of at least 12 nm.
US08981634B2 Spark plug with increased mechanical strength
A spark plug with a particular configuration, particularly in the area of a gasket that seals between a shell and insulator, increases the mechanical strength of the spark plug and helps prevent breaking, cracking and/or other failures in the insulator. The spark plug is designed such that the shell, insulator and gasket, which may be in the form of a sleeve-like cylindrical gasket or a ring-like annular gasket, work together to provide better support for the insulator against axial and/or radial stresses. This improved support can offset certain stresses, such as radial stress RS that can be exerted against the insulator core nose when the engine experiences knocking or misfiring.
US08981631B2 Illumination apparatus
An illumination apparatus includes a substrate, an illumination element and a lens structure. The illumination element is disposed on the substrate. The lens structure is disposed above the illumination element, and includes a lens body and a plurality of lens stands. The lens body is positioned above the illumination element. The lens stands are disposed on the bottom of the lens body. The substrate has a plurality of tunnels are around the illumination element. The lens stands respectively insert into the tunnels, so that the lens body is fastened on the substrate.
US08981630B2 Ceramics substrate for mounting light-emitting element and light-emitting device
A ceramics substrate for mounting a light-emitting element includes a ceramic sintered body, the ceramic sintered body having a mounting section on which a light-emitting element is mounted, in a surface portion on a mounting section side of the ceramic sintered body, a ratio of crystal grains having a crystal grain size of 0.2 μm to 1.0 μm in equivalent circle diameter being in a range of 45% to 80%, a ratio of crystal gains having a crystal grain size of 2.0 μm to 6.0 μm in equivalent circle diameter being in a range of 5% to 15%, and a ratio of crystal grains having a crystal grain size of more than 6.0 μm in equivalent circle diameter being 2.7% or less.
US08981629B2 Methods of integrating LED chips with heat sinks, and LED-based lighting assemblies made thereby
An LED-based lighting assembly includes a heat sink having at least one pedestal with an upwardly facing, upper planar surface that is raised in a vertical direction relative to an upwardly facing, lower planar surface of the heat sink. A PCB forms an aperture corresponding to the pedestal, includes electrical conductors on an upper surface thereof, and is attached to the lower planar surface. The upper planar surface extends into the aperture, and one or more LED chips attach directly to the upper planar surface and connect to the conductors such that light emits upwardly. A method of integrating LEDs with a heat sink includes mounting a PCB to a planar surface of the heat sink, mounting one or more LED chips to a raised surface of the heat sink that is not covered by the PCB, and electrically connecting the LED chips to conductors on the PCB.
US08981627B2 Piezoelectric device with electrode films and electroconductive oxide film
A piezoelectric device has a first electrode film, a piezoelectric film provided on the first electrode film, and a second electrode film provided on the piezoelectric film. At least one of the pair of electrode films is composed of an alloy, and a major component of the alloy is a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, Mg, and Zn.
US08981625B2 Organic piezoelectric material, ultrasound probe, and ultrasound image detector
In the present invention, provided is an organic piezoelectric material specifically exhibiting high orientation and thermal stability as an organic piezoelectric material exhibiting an excellent piezoelectric characteristic and having piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity, which is capable of converting thermal or mechanical simulation into electrical energy, and also provided are an ultrasound probe for which the organic piezoelectric material is used, and an ultrasound image detector thereof. It is a feature that an organic piezoelectric material of the present invention possesses a compound represented by Formula (1) and a base material made of an organic polymeric material, satisfying Expression (1): |C Log P (1)−C Log P (base material)|≦3.0 when C Log P values of the compound and the base material are expressed as C Log P (1) and C Log P (base material), respectively.
US08981623B2 Piezoelectric vibrating piece, piezoelectric device, and method for manufacturing piezoelectric device
A piezoelectric vibrating piece is to be bonded to and sandwiched between a lid plate and a base plate with an external electrode. The piezoelectric vibrating piece has a first main surface at the lid plate side and a second main surface at the base plate side. The piezoelectric vibrating piece includes an excitation unit, a first excitation electrode, a second excitation electrode, a framing portion, one connecting portion, a first extraction electrode, and a second extraction electrode. The connecting portion includes a planar surface parallel to both the main surfaces and a side face intersecting with the planar surface. The first extraction electrode is extracted via the connecting portion. The second extraction electrode is extracted via the connecting portion. The first extraction electrode is disposed on at least a part of the side face of the connecting portion to be extracted to the framing portion.
US08981622B2 Ultrasonic sensor device
An ultrasonic sensor device includes a housing, a transducer, a securing unit and a circuit board. The housing has an enclosing portion formed with first and second openings. The transducer is mounted to the enclosing portion at the second opening, and includes an electrically conductive surrounding wall and a piezoelectric member. The securing unit includes a securing component that secures the transducer on the enclosing portion, and a connecting pin set including two pins each having an end connected electrically to a respective one of the surrounding wall and the piezoelectric member. The circuit board is disposed at the first opening of the enclosing portion for electrical connection with the connecting pin set.
US08981618B2 Devices having a tunable acoustic path length and methods for making same
A tunable acoustic resonator device has a piezoelectric medium as a first thin film layer and a tunable crystal medium as a second thin film layer. The tunable crystal medium has a first acoustic behavior over an operating temperature range under a condition of relatively low applied stress and a second acoustic behavior under a condition of relatively high applied stress. The acoustic behaviors are substantially different and, consequently, the different levels of applied stress are used to tune the acoustic resonator device. Compared with the tunable resonator device consisting of only tunable crystal medium, a device having both the piezoelectric and tunable crystal medium has advantages such as larger inherent bandwidth and less nonlinearity with AC signals. The device also requires a smaller applied stress (i.e. bias voltage) to achieve the required frequency tuning.
US08981612B2 Rotor and motor
A rotor is provided with a first rotation member having a plurality of first claw poles in a circumferential direction and a second rotation member having a plurality of second claw poles in a circumferential direction. By of fitting each second claw pole in a cutout portion between first claw poles and by fitting each first claw pole in a cutout portion between second claw poles, the first rotation member and the second rotation member are assembled to each other. At least either one of the first rotation member and the second rotation member is formed of a magnet. Based on a magnetic field generated by the magnet, the first claw poles and the second claw poles have alternating north poles and south poles in the circumferential direction.
US08981607B2 Driving apparatus
It is an object to provide a driving apparatus, according to which a control unit can be detachably connected to a motor unit in a condition that electronic circuits are not exposed to an outside of a housing. The electronic circuits are accommodated in the housing. A first connecting member is supported by a holder unit, which holds a motor terminal connected to a winding of a stator of the motor unit. A second connecting member is attached to the housing from the outside thereof, in such a way that a circuit-board terminal connected to the electronic circuits and the motor terminal are interposed between the first and second connecting members. As a result, the circuit-board terminal and the motor terminal are mechanically and electrically connected to each other.
US08981603B2 Voice coil motor with connective stability
A voice coil motor (VCM) includes a moving unit, a fixing unit, an elastic plate, and a conducting pole. The moving unit includes a moving barrel and a coil assembly around the moving barrel. The coil assembly includes a connecting portion. The moving barrel defines a blind hole on an upper surface thereof, one end of a conducting pole being received in the blind hole. The fixing unit defines a through hole receiving the moving unit. The elastic plate is connected between the moving barrel and the fixing unit. The conducting pole provides a stable electrical connection between the elastic plate and the connecting portion notwithstanding movements of the moving barrel.
US08981602B2 Proximity switch assembly having non-switch contact and method
A proximity switch assembly includes first and second proximity switches comprising first and second proximity sensors and a tactile feature disposed between the first and second proximity switches. The assembly also includes controlling circuitry detecting an object on the tactile feature based on sensed signals from the first and second proximity sensors and preventing activation of the first and second switches when an object is detected on the tactile feature. The assembly further includes a resting pad having a third sensor, wherein the control circuitry detects an object with the first sensor and an object on the resting pad and determines activation of the first and second proximity switches based on the detected objects.
US08981600B2 Low-loss data transmission method for high-power induction-type power supply system
A low-loss data transmission method used in a high-power induction-type power supply system consisting of a supplying-end module and a receiving-end module is disclosed. The supplying-end microprocessor of the supplying-end module has built-in anti-noise signal analysis software that can remove noises from the data signal fed back by the receiving-end module, assuring high stability of the transmission of data signal and reducing energy dissipation of data transmission. Subject to a special circuit arrangement of the receiving-end coil of the receiving-end module, signal modulation is performed on a low voltage DC square wave, assuring a high level of stability of the supplying of power supply to the receiving-end module.
US08981598B2 Energy efficient inductive power transmission system and method
An inductive power transfer system and method for transferring power to an electrical device wirelessly. The system includes an inductive power outlet and an inductive power receiver. During operation, instruction signals are sent from the inductive power outlet to the inductive power receiver. When no instruction signals are transferred, the system is configured to deactivate such that power is drawn by the system only during operation.
US08981597B2 Wireless power feeder, wireless power receiver, and wireless power transmission system
Power is fed from a feeding coil L2 to a receiving coil L3 using magnetic resonance. The receiving coil L3 is connected in series to a capacitor C3 to constitute a receiving coil circuit 130. The receiving coil L3 is further connected to an adjustment coil L5. By adjusting the inductance of the adjustment coil L5, the resonance frequency of the receiving coil circuit 130 can be adjusted. Since the axial direction of the adjustment coil L5 is at right angles to the power feeding direction, an electromotive force does not occur in the adjustment coil L5.
US08981592B2 Transformer control device and method based on three-dimensional zone diagram policy
Disclosed is a transformer control device and method based on a three-dimensional zone diagram policy. The method includes: setting transformers, including a transformer A and a transformer B; collecting three-phase voltage data and three-phase current data in a power system; rectifying the collected three-phase voltage data and the three-phase current data; transferring the data to the latches in a time-transfer method; transferring the data to an A/D converter of a processor to convert analog signals to digital signals; constructing a three-dimensional zone diagram in the processor; determining transformer operating conditions according to positions of points formed by voltage, reactive power factor and substation load; and adjusting the transformers. This invention adopts a simple, easy and clear three-parameter control policy including voltage, power factors and substation loads, so as to simplify analysis of transformer operating conditions, realize optimal substation operation, reduce transformer loss, and increase economic benefits.
US08981591B2 Safety device for high voltage components
A safety device for a high-voltage component including a cover that covers at least a part of the high-voltage component, a low-voltage circuit that controls a conduction/shut-off state of an electric circuit for supplying power to the high-voltage component, and a selecting unit that selects the conduction/shut-off state of the low-voltage circuit by an operation accompanying an attachment/removal work of the cover.
US08981582B2 Submerged power generator
A submerged power generator comprises a hull that defines an air space. A weighted container is allowed to fall within the air space during a power generating stroke. The container interacts with an apparatus so as to drive a generator during the power stroke. After the power stroke the container is ejected from the hull into the surrounding body of water. The container is made buoyant and thus floats upwardly during a buoyant stroke. The buoyant container is retrieved as it approaches the top of the hull and reintroduced into the hull for another power generating cycle.
US08981581B2 Semiconductor devices, package substrates, semiconductor packages, package stack structures, and electronic systems having functionally asymmetric conductive elements
A package stack structure may an upper package include an upper package substrate having a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge. The upper package substrate has a first region arranged near the first edge and a second region arranged near the second edge. A first upper semiconductor device is mounted on the upper package substrate. The package stack structure may also include a lower package having a lower package substrate and a lower semiconductor device. The lower package is connected to the upper package through a plurality of inter-package connectors. The plurality of the inter-package connectors may include first inter-package connectors configured to transmit data signals; second inter-package connectors configured to transmit address/control signals; third inter-package connectors configured to provide a supply voltage for an address/control circuit; and fourth inter-package connectors configured to provide a supply voltage for a data circuit.
US08981577B2 Integrated circuit packaging system with interconnect and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing an interposer having an interposer first side and an interposer second side opposing the interposer first side; mounting an integrated circuit to the interposer first side, the integrated circuit having a non-active side and an active side with the non-active side facing the interposer; connecting first interconnects between the active side and the interposer first side, the first interconnects having a first density on the interposer first side; mounting the interposer over a package carrier with the interposer first side facing the package carrier; connecting second interconnects between the package carrier and the interposer second side, the second interconnects having a second density on the interposer second side, the second density that is approximately the same as the first density; and forming an encapsulation over the package carrier covering the interposer and the second interconnects.
US08981576B2 Structure and method for bump to landing trace ratio
The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes an interconnect structure formed on a substrate; a landing metal trace formed on the interconnect structure and coupled to the interconnect structure, wherein the landing metal trace includes a first width T defined in a first direction; and a metal bump post formed on and aligned with the landing metal trace, wherein the metal bump post includes a second width U defined in the first direction, and the second width U is greater than the first width T.
US08981571B2 Package assembly and method of manufacturing the same
A package assembly includes a substrate, an electronic component, and an encapsulation body. The electronic component is located on the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate. The encapsulation body encapsulates the electronic component with the substrate. A portion of the substrate corresponding to the electronic component defines a plurality of through holes. A diameter of each of the plurality of through holes gradually reduces from a top surface of the substrate toward a bottom surface of the substrate. The plurality of through holes prevent melting remnants of the encapsulation body from flowing outside of the substrate.
US08981567B2 3-D IC device with enhanced contact area
A device includes a substrate with a recess, having a bottom and sides, extending into the substrate from the substrate's upper surface. The sides include first and second sides oriented transversely to one another. A stack of alternating active and insulating layers overlie the substrate's surface and the recess. At least some of the active layers have an upper and lower portions extending along upper and lower planes over and generally parallel to the upper surface and to the bottom, respectively. The active layers have first and second upward extensions positioned along the first and second sides to extend from the lower portions of their respective active layers. Conductive strips adjoin the second upward extensions of the said active layers. The conductive strips can comprise sidewall spacers on the sides of the second upward extensions, the conductive strips connected to overlying conductors by interlayer conductors.
US08981564B2 Metal PVD-free conducting structures
Structures and methods of forming the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a structure can comprise a region having first and second oppositely facing surfaces. A barrier region can overlie the region. An alloy region can overlie the barrier region. The alloy region can include a first metal and one or more elements selected from the group consisting of silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), indium (Id), boron (B), arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), or cadmium (Cd).
US08981553B2 Power semiconductor module with integrated thick-film printed circuit board
A power semiconductor module includes a first printed circuit board having a first insulation carrier, and a first upper metallization and a first lower metallization applied to the first insulation carrier on mutually opposite sides, and a second printed circuit board having a second insulation carrier and a second upper metallization applied to the second insulation carrier. The second printed circuit board is spaced apart from the first printed circuit board in a vertical direction oriented perpendicular to the opposite sides of the first insulation carrier. A semiconductor chip is disposed between the printed circuit boards and electrically conductively connected at least to the second upper metallization. The first lower metallization and the second upper metallization face one another. The first printed circuit board has a first thick conductor layer at least partly embedded in the first insulation carrier and which has a thickness of at least 100 μm.
US08981552B2 Power converter, semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing power converter
This power converter includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a power conversion element, and a case portion, and the case portion includes a first connection terminal connected to a first conductor pattern arranged on a side of the first substrate closer to the power conversion element and a second connection terminal connected to a second conductor pattern arranged on a side of the second substrate opposite to the power conversion element.
US08981549B2 Multi chip package
The preferred embodiment of the present invention can prevent signal distortions such as stress, or the like, occurring at the time of power delivery due to the difference in the lengths of the metal wires for electrically connecting each of the plurality of semiconductor chips formed on the dual die package substrate.
US08981545B2 Explosion-protected semiconductor module
A semiconductor module includes an electrically conductive lower contact piece and an electrically conductive upper contact piece spaced apart from one another in a vertical direction. The module further includes a semiconductor chip having a first load connection and a second load connection. The semiconductor chip is electrically conductively connected by the second load connection to the lower contact piece, and electrically conductively connected to the upper contact piece by at least one bonding wire bonded to the first load connection. An explosion protection means is arranged between the first load connection and the upper contact piece and into which each of the bonding wires is embedded over at least 80% or over at least 90% of its length.
US08981541B2 Quad flat semiconductor device with additional contacts
A Quad Flat Package (QFP) semiconductor device has a multi-stepped lead frame for forming rows of external contacts. A semiconductor die is attached to a die pad of the lead frame and electrically connected to lead with bond wires. The die and bond wires are encapsulated with a mold compound and then multiple cuts are made to the lead frame to form the rows of external contacts.
US08981539B2 Packaged power semiconductor with interconnection of dies and metal clips on lead frame
A power semiconductor device comprises a lead frame unit, a control die, a first MOSFET die and a second MOSFET die, wherein the lead frame unit comprises at least a die paddle for mounting the first and second MOSFET dies, a first pin and a second pin for connecting to top electrodes of the first and second MOSFET dies, a first row of carrier pins and a second row of carrier pins disposed in-line with the first and second pins respectively for the control die to mount thereon.
US08981535B2 Charge pump capacitor assembly with silicon etching
Charge pump capacitor assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same. One charge pump capacitor assembly includes a charge pump capacitor and a silicon substrate. The charge pump capacitor includes: a silicon-based charge pump capacitor oxide layer, a first terminal on a first side of the silicon-based charge pump layer, a second terminal on a second side of the silicon-based charge pump capacitor oxide layer opposite the first side, and a field oxide layer mounted adjacent the second terminal. The charge pump capacitor is coupled to the silicon substrate. The silicon substrate is etched to reduce contact between the silicon substrate and the field oxide layer.
US08981534B2 Pre-cutting a back side of a silicon substrate for growing better III-V group compound layer on a front side of the substrate
The present disclosure involves an apparatus. The apparatus includes a substrate having a front side a back side opposite the front side. The substrate includes a plurality of openings formed from the back side of the substrate. The openings collectively define a pattern on the back side of the substrate from a planar view. In some embodiments, the substrate is a silicon substrate or a silicon carbide substrate. Portions of the silicon substrate vertically aligned with the openings have vertical dimensions that vary from about 100 microns to about 300 microns. A III-V group compound layer is formed over the front side of the silicon substrate. The III-V group compound layer is a component of one of: a light-emitting diode (LED), a laser diode (LD), and a high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT).
US08981533B2 Electronic device including a via and a conductive structure, a process of forming the same, and an interposer
An electronic device can include a substrate including a first region having a first thickness, and a second region having a second thickness different from the first thickness. The electronic device can include a via within the first region. The electronic device can include a conductive structure adjacent to the first region and connected to the via, wherein a combined thickness of the first thickness and a thickness of the conductive structure is thicker than the second thickness. In another embodiment, an interposer may have a similar structure, with laterally offset conductive structures that allow for lateral routing of electronic signals. A process of forming an electronic device can include forming a via and removing a portion of the substrate. The process can include forming a conductive structure connected to the via, wherein the conductive structure is adjacent to a region where the portion of the substrate has been removed.
US08981530B2 Semiconductor device and method of forming the same
A semiconductor device includes a first NMOS device with a first threshold voltage and a second NMOS device with a second threshold voltage. The first NMOS device includes a first gate structure over a semiconductor substrate, first source/drain (S/D) regions in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to opposite edges of the first gate structure. The first S/D regions are free of dislocation. The second NMOS device includes a second gate structure over the semiconductor substrate, second S/D regions in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to opposite edges of the second gate structure, and a dislocation in the second S/D regions.
US08981529B2 Variable capacitance device
A variable capacitance device including: first and second transistors coupled in parallel between first and second nodes of the capacitive device, a control node of the first transistor being adapted to receive a control signal, and a control node of the second transistor being adapted to receive the inverse of the control signal, wherein the first and second transistors are formed in a same semiconductor well.
US08981526B2 Structure for a transformer with magnetic features
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a first inductor formed on a first substrate; a second inductor formed on a second substrate and conductively coupled with the first inductor as a transformer; and a plurality of micro-bump features configured between the first and second substrates. The plurality of micro-bump features include a magnetic material having a relative permeability substantially greater than one and are configured to enhance coupling between the first and second inductors.
US08981520B2 Semiconductor device with an edge termination structure
A semiconductor device having a semiconductor die and an edge termination structure is provided. The semiconductor die includes an outer edge and an active area defining a main horizontal surface and being spaced apart from the outer edge. The edge termination structure includes at least one vertical trench having an insulated side wall forming, in a horizontal cross-section, an acute angle with the outer edge. The acute angle is lower than about 20°.
US08981517B2 Solid-state image pickup device and image pickup apparatus including the same
A solid-state image pickup element 1 is structured so as to include: a semiconductor layer 2 having a photodiode formed therein, photoelectric conversion being carried out in the photodiode; a first film 21 having negative fixed charges and formed on the semiconductor layer 2 in a region in which at least the photodiode is formed; and a second film 22 having the negative fixed charges, made of a material different from that of the first film 21 having the negative fixed charges, and formed on the first film 21 having the negative fixed charges.
US08981515B2 Solid-state imaging device and electronic apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion regions stacked at different depths within a semiconductor substrate of each pixel to photoelectrically convert light of different wavelength bands, and a discharge region formed between the photoelectric conversion regions adjacent to each other in a depth direction of the semiconductor substrate to discharge charges generated by photoelectric conversion in regions between the photoelectric conversion regions.
US08981506B1 Magnetic random access memory with switchable switching assist layer
A perpendicular spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) element is configured to store a state when electrical current is applied thereto. The perpendicular STTMRAM element includes a magnetization layer having a first free layer and a second free layer, separated by a non-magnetic separation layer (NMSL). The direction of magnetization of the first and second free layers each is in-plane prior to the application of electrical current and after the application of electrical current, the direction of magnetization of the second free layer becomes substantially titled out-of-plane and the direction of magnetization of the first free layer switches. Upon electrical current being discontinued, the direction of magnetization of the second free layer remains in a direction that is substantially opposite to that of the first free layer.
US08981493B2 FinFET and method of fabrication
An improved finFET and method of fabrication is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention take advantage of the different epitaxial growth rates of {110} and {100} silicon. Fins are formed that have {110} silicon on the fin tops and {100} silicon on the long fin sides (sidewalls). The lateral epitaxial growth rate is faster than the vertical epitaxial growth rate. The resulting merged fins have a reduced merged region in the vertical dimension, which reduces parasitic capacitance. Other fins are formed with {110} silicon on the fin tops and also {110} silicon on the long fin sides. These fins have a slower epitaxial growth rate than the {100} side fins, and remain unmerged in a semiconductor integrated circuit, such as an SRAM circuit.
US08981484B2 Ballast resistor for super-high-voltage devices
An integrated circuit (IC) including a well region of the IC having a first doping level and a plurality of semiconductor regions implanted in the well region. Each of the plurality of semiconductor regions has a second doping level. The second doping level is greater than the first doping level. A plurality of polysilicon regions are arranged on the plurality of semiconductor regions. The polysilicon regions are respectively connected to the semiconductor regions. The plurality of semiconductor regions is a drain of a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET).
US08981482B2 ESD protection structure
A device used as an ESD protection structure, which is a modified N-type LDMOS device is disclosed. A conventional LDMOS includes only one N-type heavily doped region as a drain in an N-type lightly doped region (11), while the device of the invention includes a P-type heavily doped region (22) in an N-type lightly doped region (11), dividing the N-type heavily doped region into two N-type heavily doped regions (21, 23) unconnected and independent to each other. The N-type heavily doped region (21) close to the gate (14) has no picking-up terminal. The N-type heavily doped region (23) away from the gate (14) together with the P-type heavily doped region (22) is picked up and connected to an input/output bonding pad.
US08981481B2 High voltage three-dimensional devices having dielectric liners
High voltage three-dimensional devices having dielectric liners and methods of forming high voltage three-dimensional devices having dielectric liners are described. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a first fin active region and a second fin active region disposed above a substrate. A first gate structure is disposed above a top surface of, and along sidewalls of, the first fin active region. The first gate structure includes a first gate dielectric composed of a first dielectric layer disposed on the first fin active region, and a second, different, dielectric layer disposed on the first dielectric layer. The semiconductor structure also includes a second gate structure disposed above a top surface of, and along sidewalls of, the second fin active region. The second gate structure includes a second gate dielectric composed of the second dielectric layer disposed on the second fin active region.
US08981477B2 Laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor
A laterally-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) device and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The LDMOS device can include a drift region, a source region and a drain region spaced a predetermined interval apart from each other in the drift region, a field insulating layer formed in the drift region between the source region and the drain region, and a first P-TOP region formed under the field insulating layer. The LDMOS device can further include a gate polysilicon covering a portion of the field insulating layer, a gate electrode formed on the gate polysilicon, and a contact line penetrating the gate electrode, the gate polysilicon, and the field insulating layer.
US08981473B2 Dielectric isolation substrate and semiconductor device
According to one embodiment, in a dielectric isolation substrate, an insulating film having a first thickness is provided on a semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type having a second thickness is provided on the insulating film. An impurity diffusion layer of a second conductivity type is provided partially in a lower portion of the semiconductor layer and is in contact with the insulating film.
US08981471B2 Insulated gate semiconductor device
In a MOSFET, the lead parts of gate lead wiring that lead out a gate electrode on the periphery of a substrate constitute a non-operative region. If the gate lead wiring is disposed along the four edges of a chip, the area of the non-operative region increases. In the present invention, gate lead wiring and a conductor, which is connected to the gate lead wiring and a protection diode, are disposed in a non-curved, linear configuration along one edge of a chip. In addition, a first gate electrode layer that extends superimposed on the gate lead wiring and the conductor, and connects the gate lead wiring and the conductor to the protection diode, has no more than one curved part. Furthermore, the protection diode is disposed adjacent to the conductor or the gate lead wiring, and a portion of the protection diode is disposed near a gate pad.
US08981465B2 Trench schottky diode and manufacturing method thereof
A trench Schottky diode and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The manufacturing method includes the following steps. Firstly, a semiconductor substrate is provided. A multi-trench structure including a wide trench and a plurality of narrow trenches is formed in the semiconductor substrate, a gate oxide layer is formed on a surface of the multi-trench structure, and a polysilicon structure is formed over the gate oxide layer and the first oxide layer. The polysilicon structure is etched to partially expose the first oxide layer and the gate oxide layer on a bottom surface of the wide trench. The semiconductor substrate, the polysilicon structure and the gate oxide layer are partially exposed by a photolithography and etching process. A metal sputtering layer is formed. Afterwards, the metal sputtering layer is etched to expose a part of the second oxide layer.
US08981464B2 Wafer level chip scale package and process of manufacture
Power wafer level chip scale package (CSP) and process of manufacture are enclosed. The power wafer level chip scale package includes all source, gate and drain electrodes located on one side of the device, which is convenient for mounting to a printed circuit board (PCB) with solder paste.
US08981463B2 Memory cell array with semiconductor selection device for multiple memory cells
A memory array that includes access devices that are each electrically coupled to more than one memory cell. The memory cells are coupled to the access devices via diode devices. The access devices include vertical semiconductor material mesas upstanding from a semiconductor base that form a conductive channel between first and second doped regions, and also planar access devices.
US08981460B2 Power semiconductor field effect transistor structure with charge trapping material in the gate dielectric
The subject disclosure presents power semiconductor devices, and methods for manufacture thereof, with improved ruggedness and. In an aspect, the power semiconductor devices are power field effect transistors (FETs) having enhanced suppression of the activation of the parasitic bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and a normal threshold value. The devices comprise a doped source (14) of a first conductivity type, a doped body (15) of a second conductivity type, a source electrode (20) short-connecting the doped body and the doped source, a doped drift region (10) of the first conductivity type, a first layer (30) of a gate dielectric region (36) covering the surface of the doped drift region (10), and forming channel from the doped source (14) to the doped drift region (10), a second layer (31) of the gate dielectric region (36) over the first layer (30), a third layer (32) of the gate dielectric region (36) over the second layer (31), and a gate electrode (21) over the third layer (32).
US08981457B2 Dense arrays and charge storage devices
There is provided a monolithic three dimensional array of charge storage devices which includes a plurality of device levels, wherein at least one surface between two successive device levels is planarized by chemical mechanical polishing.
US08981456B2 Semiconductor storage device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor storage device according to the present embodiment includes a semiconductor substrate. Each of memory cell arrays includes a plurality of memory cells on the semiconductor substrate. Select gate transistors are provided on ends of the memory cell arrays and brought into conduction when the memory cells are connected to a corresponding line. An embedded impurity layer is embedded in active areas between the select gate transistors respectively corresponding to the memory cell arrays adjacent to each other. Contact plugs connect the embedded impurity layer and the lines.
US08981453B2 Nonvolatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a unit cell with a transistor and a capacitor. The transistor is disposed on a substrate having a tunneling region and a channel region and includes a floating gate crossing both the tunneling region and the channel region. The capacitor is coupled to the floating gate.
US08981450B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes conductive layers and interlayer insulating layers stacked alternately with each other, at least one first channel layer passing through the conductive layers and the interlayer insulating layers, at least one second channel layer coupled to the first channel layers and passing through the conductive layers and the interlayer insulating layers, a first insulating layer interposed between the at least one first channel layer and the conductive layers, and a second insulating layer interposed between the at least one second channel layer and the conductive layers and having a higher nitrogen concentration than the first insulating layer.
US08981447B2 Light emitting diode package
An LED package includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a reflecting cup connecting the first electrode and the second electrode, and an LED chip. The first electrode includes a first main portion and a first connecting portion extending outwardly from the first main portion. The first connecting portion has a first connecting face away from the first main portion. The second electrode includes a second main portion and a second connecting portion extending outwardly from the second main portion. The second connecting portion has a second connecting face away from the second main portion. The first main portion and the second main portion are embedded into the receiving cup, and the first connecting face of the first connecting portion and the second connecting face of the second connecting portion are exposed outside the receiving cup.
US08981440B2 Semiconductor storage device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor-storage-device manufacturing method of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor storage device provided with a ferroelectric capacitor including a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film, and an upper electrode, and the method includes a step of embedding a first metal plug and a second metal plug in an insulating layer; a step of forming a covering layer that covers at least the second metal plug while securing apart that comes into electric contact with the first metal plug; a step of forming a deposit structure by sequentially depositing a material for the lower electrode, a material for the ferroelectric film, and a material for the upper electrode after forming the covering layer; and a step of forming the ferroelectric capacitor by etching and removing other parts except a part of the deposit structure such that the part of the deposit structure remains on the first metal plug.
US08981439B2 Solid-state imaging device and image capturing system
A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric converting portion including a first semiconductor region capable of accumulating a signal charge, a second semiconductor region of the same conductivity type as the first semiconductor region, a gate electrode provided between the first and second semiconductor regions, and an insulating layer provided on the first semiconductor region, the second semiconductor region, and the gate electrode. The solid-state imaging device further includes a first light-shielding portion including a metal portion provided in an opening or a trench of the insulating layer between the first and second semiconductor regions, and a second light-shielding portion including a metal portion provided on the insulating layer on the second semiconductor region.
US08981426B2 Electrostatic discharge protection device
The invention discloses an ESD protection circuit, including a P-type substrate; an N-well formed on the P-type substrate; a P-doped region formed on the N-well, wherein the P-doped region is electrically connected to an input/output terminal of a circuit under protection; a first N-doped region formed on the P-type substrate, the first N-doped region is electrically connected to a first node, and the P-doped region, the N-well, the P-type substrate, and the first N-doped region constitute a silicon controlled rectifier; and a second N-doped region formed on the N-well and electrically connected to a second node, wherein a part of the P-doped region and the second N-doped region constitute a discharging path, and when an ESD event occurs at the input/output terminal, the silicon controlled rectifier and the discharging path bypass electrostatic charges to the first and second nodes respectively.
US08981418B2 LED device with structure for precisely locating LEDs thereon and method for manufacturing the same
An SMT LED device includes an LED and a circuit board supporting the LED. A pair of first solder pads are formed on the circuit board and spaced from each other. The LED includes two solder slugs extending downwardly from a bottom the LED. A positioning hole is formed at each first solder pad corresponding a position of a corresponding solder slug. A second solder pad is received in the positioning hole. Each solder slug is received in one corresponding positioning hole and electrically connected to corresponding first and second solder pads by a reflow soldering process. The present disclosure also provides a method for manufacturing the SMT LED device.
US08981416B2 Organic light-emitting diode, connector and luminaire
An organic light-emitting diode has a carrier substrate. The light-emitting diode also contains an active layer that generates and emits electromagnetic radiation at a carrier front face. The active layer is mounted on the carrier substrate. At least one contacting device is located on a carrier rear face and is arranged simultaneously for electrical contacting and for mechanical attachment of the light-emitting diode. The contacting device includes a contact region. The contact region and/or the contacting device, seen in a side view parallel to the carrier rear face, are elevated in a U-shape or L-shape above the carrier rear face and/or extend in a lateral direction away from the active layer.
US08981415B1 Light emitting diode package
A light-emitting diode (LED) package structure includes a lead frame, a LED chip, a package body, N opaque spacer and N+1 encapsulating glues. The LED chip is disposed on the lead frame; the package body covers the lead frame and exposes the LED chip. The package body has an accommodation space, divided by the N opaque spacers disposed on the LED chip into N+1 chambers. The N+1 encapsulating glues are filled into the N+1 chambers, where N is a natural number.
US08981414B2 Light emitting diode
A light emitting diode includes a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer and a third semiconductor stacked in that order; a first electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer; a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor layer. The light emitting diode further includes a carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube layer is enclosed in the interior of the first semiconductor layer. The carbon nanotube layer includes a number of carbon nanotubes.
US08981411B2 Light-emitting device with narrow dominant wavelength distribution and method of making the same
This application discloses a light-emitting device with narrow dominant wavelength distribution and a method of making the same. The light-emitting device with narrow dominant wavelength distribution at least includes a substrate, a plurality of light-emitting stacked layers on the substrate, and a plurality of wavelength transforming layers on the light-emitting stacked layers, wherein the light-emitting stacked layer emits a first light with a first dominant wavelength variation; the wavelength transforming layer absorbs the first light and converts the first light into the second light with a second dominant wavelength variation; and the first dominant wavelength variation is larger than the second dominant wavelength variation.
US08981408B2 Light source having liquid encapsulant
In one embodiment, a light source comprising a substrate, a die, a liquid encapsulant, an attachment member and a resilient cover configured to hold the liquid encapsulant is disclosed. At least a portion of the resilient cover is easily stretchable so as to absorb size increment of the liquid encapsulant due to thermal expansion. One other embodiment discloses a light-emitting device comprising a die, a liquid encapsulant and the resilient cover. The resilient cover may comprise a dome shaped portion, a vertical portion and a thermal joint portion. In another embodiment, a lighting apparatus having similar resilient cover is disclosed. The resilient cover may further comprise a thermal joint portion having first and second indentations for absorbing thermal expansion.
US08981406B2 Light emitting diode die and light emitting diode package incorporating the same
An LED die comprises a substrate and an epitaxial layer formed thereon. The epitaxial layer comprises a first n-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a p-type semiconductor layer grown on the substrate in sequence. The LED die defines a receiving recess formed in a center of a top face of the p-type semiconductor layer. The receiving recess extends through the p-type semiconductor layer, the active layer and into the n-type semiconductor layer along a top-to-bottom direction of the epitaxial layer. A pair of p-pads are located at two opposite sides of the p-type semiconductor layer, respectively. A first n-pad is received in the receiving recess and located on the n-type layer.
US08981404B2 Optoelectronic semiconductor chip and a method for the production thereof
An optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor layer stack and a mirror. The semiconductor layer stack has an active layer for generating electromagnetic radiation. The minor is arranged on an underside of the semiconductor layer stack. The mirror has a first region and a second region, the first region containing silver and the second region containing gold. A method of producing such a semiconductor chip is also defined.
US08981402B2 White LED lighting device, and optical lens
Disclosed are a white LED lighting device and an optical lens used in it. The white LED lighting device comprises a white LED and an optical lens. The white LED includes: a LED chip which emits blue light; and a fluorescent material which is excited by emission light of the LED chip and converts a wavelength into fluorescence of a complementary color of blue. The optical lens is formed with a scattering light guide which is given uniform scattering power in terms of a volume. The scattering light guide includes scattering particles for the scattering efficiency in a short wavelength range of light to be higher than that in a long wavelength range of light.
US08981401B2 Package for optical semiconductor device, optical semiconductor device using the package, and methods for producing same
The present invention is a package for optical semiconductor devices, and an optical semiconductor device using the package, which can prevent discoloration of a plating layer formed on a lead frame even when a silicone resin is used as a sealing resin for an optical semiconductor device, and which enables high luminous efficiency for a long time.Specifically, in the package for semiconductor devices, a plating laminate 15, wherein a pure Ag plating layer 4, a thin reflective plating layer 6 serving as the uppermost layer for improving the light reflection ratio, and a resistant plating layer 5 serving as an intermediate layer therebetween and having chemical resistance against at least either metal chlorides or metal sulfides are laminated, is formed on at least the surface of a lead electrode. The reflective plating layer 4 is composed of a pure Ag thin film, and the resistant plating layer 5 is composed of a complete solid solution Au—Ag alloy plating layer.
US08981399B2 Method of fabricating light emitting diode package with surface treated resin encapsulant and the package fabricated by the method
Disclosed are a method of fabricating a light emitting diode package with a surface treated resin encapsulant and a package fabricated by the method. According to the method of fabricating a light emitting diode package, a resin encapsulant encapsulating a light emitting diode chip is surface treated using plasma. Thus, a bonding force between the surface treated resin encapsulant and a resin molding member covering it is increased.
US08981394B2 Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device includes at least one first light-emitting semiconductor component, which radiates red light during operation, at least one second light-emitting semiconductor component having a wavelength conversion element, and at least one third light-emitting semiconductor component having a wavelength conversion element. The second and third light-emitting semiconductor components each radiate blue primary light and converted secondary light and the respective superposition of the primary light and the secondary light of the second and third light-emitting semiconductor components has different chromaticity coordinates.
US08981392B2 Light emitting device package and method of manufacturing the same
There is provided a light emitting device package including: a package substrate; a blue light emitting device and a green light emitting device mounted on the package substrate; a flow prevention part formed on the package substrate and substantially enclosing the blue light emitting device; and a wavelength conversion part including a red wavelength conversion material and formed on a region defined by the flow prevention part to cover the blue light emitting device, so that white light having a high degree of color reproducibility may be emitted thereby.
US08981388B2 Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes: preparing a bottom substrate including sequentially stacked first and second portions, each of the first and second portions including a plurality of grains, wherein the maximum grain size of the second portion is less than the minimum grains size of the first portion; exposing the first portion of the bottom substrate by removing the second portion of the bottom substrate; and forming a photovoltaic conversion layer on the first portion of the bottom substrate.
US08981381B2 GaN-based Schottky diode having dual metal, partially recessed electrode
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first active layer disposed over the substrate and a second active layer disposed on the first active layer. The second active layer has a higher bandgap than the first active layer such that a two-dimensional electron gas layer arises between the first active layer and the second active layer. A first electrode has a first portion disposed in a recess in the second active layer and a second portion disposed on the second active layer such that a Schottky junction is formed therewith. The first portion of the first electrode has a lower Schottky potential barrier than the second portion of the first electrode. A second electrode is in contact with the first active layer. The second electrode establishes an ohmic junction with the first active layer.
US08981374B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device having a high aperture ratio and including a capacitor capable of increasing the charge capacity is provided. A semiconductor device includes a transistor over a substrate, a first light-transmitting conductive film over the substrate, an oxide insulating film covering the transistor and having an opening over the first light-transmitting conductive film, a nitride insulating film over the oxide insulating film and in contact with the first light-transmitting conductive film in the opening, a second light-transmitting conductive film connected to the transistor and having a depressed portion in the opening, and an organic resin film with which the depressed portion of the second light-transmitting conductive film is filled.
US08981373B1 White LED
A white LED is provided. The white LED includes a P-type layer, a tunneling structure, an N-type layer, an N-type electrode, and a P-type electrode. The tunneling structure is disposed over the P-type layer. The tunneling structure includes a first barrier layer, an active layer and a second barrier layer. The first barrier layer includes a first metal oxide layer. The active layer includes a second metal oxide layer. The second barrier layer includes a third metal oxide layer. The N-type layer is disposed over the tunneling structure. The N-type electrode and the P-type electrode are respectively contacted with the N-type layer and the P-type layer. An energy gap of the second metal oxide layer is lower than an energy gap of the first metal oxide layer and is lower than an energy gap of the third metal oxide layer.
US08981366B2 Heterocyclic compound, light-emitting element, display module, lighting module, light-emitting device, display device, lighting device, and electronic device
Provided is a heterocyclic compound that can be used for a carrier-transport material, a host material, or a light-emitting material in a light-emitting element. The heterocyclic compound has an indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole skeleton and a dibenzo[f,h]quinoxaline skeleton which are linked to each other through an arylene group. The wide band gap of the heterocyclic compound allows excitation of a green-emissive phosphorescent material, which contributes to the formation of a highly efficient light-emitting element.
US08981363B1 Flexible substrate for OLED device
Flexible substrates and devices including flexible substrates are provided. In an embodiment, a flexible substrate includes a first glass substrate material and a first organic light emitting device, disposed over the first flexible substrate, which includes a first emissive layer The first flexible substrate may have a thickness of not more than 300 μm, a flexural rigidity of 10−1 Nm to 10−6 Nm, a water vapor transmission rate of not more than 10−6 g per square meter per day, a refractive index of not more than 1.6, a glass transition temperature of at least 300 C, a Young's modulus of 60 to 90 GPa, and/or an optical transmission of at least 85% for light in the range of 400 to 800 nm.
US08981361B2 Organic electroluminescence display panel with tungsten oxide containing hole injection layer that electrically connects electrode to auxiliary wiring, and organic electroluminescence display device
A hole injection layer and a second electrode are both formed to be continuous above a first electrode and above an auxiliary wiring. The hole injection layer contains a tungsten oxide. An UPS spectrum, obtained from a UPS measurement, has a protrusion appearing near a Fermi surface and within a region corresponding to a binding energy range lower than a top of a valence band, and the tungsten oxide satisfies a condition, determined from an XPS measurement, that a ratio in a number density of atoms other than tungsten atoms and oxygen atoms to the tungsten atoms does not exceed 0.83.
US08981360B2 Method for manufacturing an OLED device
The subject of the invention is a process for manufacturing an organic light-emitting diode device comprising at least one electrode based on an electrically conductive thin-film multilayer deposited on a substrate, in which the deposition of said multilayer comprises the following steps: a thin-film multilayer comprising at least one thin silver film between at least two thin films is deposited on said at least one face of said substrate; and the at least one coated face is heat treated using at least one source of laser radiation emitted at at least one wavelength lying between 500 and 2000 nm so that the sheet resistance of the multilayer decreases by at least 5%.
US08981357B2 Doped graphene structure comprising hydrophobic organic material, method for preparing the same, and transparent electrode, display device and solar cell comprising the electrode
A hydrophobic organic layer may be formed on a surface of a graphene doped with a dopant to improve stability of the doped graphene with respect to moisture and temperature. Thus, the transparent electrode having the doped graphene containing the hydrophobic organic layer may be usefully applied in solar cells or display devices.
US08981352B2 Display unit having a groove between organic EL devices
A display unit includes, on a substrate, a plurality of organic EL devices, and an insulating film provided in an inter-device region between the plurality of organic EL devices, the insulating film including a groove in a position between the organic EL devices adjacent to each other.
US08981348B2 Semiconducting element, organic light emitting display including the same, and method of manufacturing the semiconducting element
A semiconductor element (semiconductor device) including a substrate having a patterned structure of an organic semiconductor material and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor element are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method of manufacturing the semiconductor element provides a substrate having a patterned structure of an organic semiconductor material which is cost-effective and which realizes a structure having a high degree of uniformity of the patterned semiconductor regions. The method includes: providing the substrate, applying a continuous layer of an organic semiconductor material onto the substrate, applying a solvent onto the continuous layer in the second regions thereby dissolving and removing the organic semiconductor material, which is located in the second regions, from the continuous layer.
US08981347B2 Memory cell that includes a sidewall collar for pillar isolation and methods of forming the same
A method of forming a memory cell is provided. The method includes forming a steering element pillar having a first stiffness and a sidewall, forming a sidewall collar along at least a portion of the sidewall of the steering element pillar, the sidewall collar having a second stiffness, wherein the second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness, and forming a memory element coupled to the steering element pillar. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08981345B2 Graphene nanoribbon sensor
Provided is a graphene nanoribbon sensor. The sensor includes a substrate, a graphene layer formed on the substrate in a first direction, and an upper dielectric layer on the graphene layer. Here, the graphene layer may have a plurality of electrode regions respectively separated in the first direction and a channel between the plurality of electrode regions.
US08981344B2 Twin-drain spatial wavefunction switched field-effect transistors
A field-effect transistor is provided and includes source, gate and drain regions, where the gate region controls charge carrier location in the transport channel, the transport channel includes a asymmetric coupled quantum well layer, the asymmetric quantum well layer includes at least two quantum wells separated by a barrier layer having a greater energy gap than the wells, the transport channel is connected to the source region at one end, and the drain regions at the other, the drain regions include at least two contacts electrically isolated from each other, the contacts are connected to at least one quantum well. The drain may include two regions that are configured to form the asymmetric coupled well transport channel. In an embodiment, two sources and two drains are also envisioned.
US08981343B2 Semiconductor device and receiver
A semiconductor device includes a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, a pn junction portion at which the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer are joined to each other, and a multiple quantum barrier structure or a multiple quantum well structure that is provided in at least one of the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer and functions as a barrier against at least one of electrons and holes upon biasing in a forward direction. Upon biasing in a reverse direction, a portion that allows band-to-band tunneling of electrons is formed at the pn junction portion.
US08981342B2 Light emitting diode with three-dimensional nano-structures on a semiconductor layer and an active layer
A light emitting diode including a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second semiconductor layer is provided. The first semiconductor layer includes a first surface and a second surface. The active layer and the second semiconductor layer are stacked on the second surface in that order, and a surface of the second semiconductor layer away from the active layer is configured as the light emitting surface. A first electrode is electrically connected with and covers the first surface of the first semiconductor layer. A second electrode is electrically connected with the second semiconductor layer. A number of three-dimensional nano-structures are located on the surface of the first surface of the first semiconductor layer and a surface of the active layer, and a cross section of each of the three-dimensional nano-structure is M-shaped.
US08981340B2 Nitride semiconductor device and production method thereof
A nitride semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a p-type nitride semiconductor layer, an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and an active layer interposed between the p-type nitride semiconductor layer and the n-type nitride semiconductor layer. The p-type nitride semiconductor layer includes: a first p-type nitride semiconductor layer containing Al and Mg; and a second p-type nitride semiconductor layer containing Mg. The first p-type nitride semiconductor layer is located between the active layer and the second p-type nitride semiconductor layer, and the second p-type nitride semiconductor layer has a greater band gap than a band gap of the first p-type nitride semiconductor layer.
US08981337B1 Membrane projection lithography
The various technologies presented herein relate to a three dimensional manufacturing technique for application with semiconductor technologies. A membrane layer can be formed over a cavity. An opening can be formed in the membrane such that the membrane can act as a mask layer to the underlying wall surfaces and bottom surface of the cavity. A beam to facilitate an operation comprising any of implantation, etching or deposition can be directed through the opening onto the underlying surface, with the opening acting as a mask to control the area of the underlying surfaces on which any of implantation occurs, material is removed, and/or material is deposited. The membrane can be removed, a new membrane placed over the cavity and a new opening formed to facilitate another implantation, etching, or deposition operation. By changing the direction of the beam different wall/bottom surfaces can be utilized to form a plurality of structures.
US08981333B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including a variable resistance element in which a parasitic resistance between the lower electrode and the variable resistance layer included in the variable resistance element is reduced. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate; and a variable resistance elementformed on the substrate, wherein the variable resistance elementincludes a lower electrode layer formed on the substrate, a variable resistance layer formed on the lower electrode layer, and an upper electrode layer formed on the variable resistance layer, the lower electrode layer includes at least a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer which is formed on the first conductive layer and is in contact with the variable resistance layer, and the first conductive layer includes an oxidatively degraded layer which is formed on an upper surface of the first conductive layer due to oxidization of the first conductive layer.
US08981327B1 Carbon-doped silicon based selector element
Control elements that can be suitable for nonvolatile memory device applications are disclosed. The control element can have low leakage currents at low voltages to reduce sneak current paths for non-selected devices, and high leakage currents at high voltages to minimize voltage drops during device switching. The control element can be based on multilayer dielectric stacks. The control element can include a titanium oxide-carbon-doped silicon-titanium oxide multilayer stack. Electrode materials may include one of ruthenium, titanium nitride, or carbon. The titanium oxide layers may be replaced by one of zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, or a lanthanide oxide.
US08981325B2 Memory device and storage apparatus
A memory device 10 has an arrangement in which a memory thin film 4 is sandwiched between first and second electrodes 2 and 6, the memory thin film 6 contains at least rare earth elements, the memory thin film 4 or a layer 3 in contact with the memory thin film 4 contains any one of elements selected from Cu, Ag, Zn and the memory thin film 4 or the layer 3 in contact with the memory thin film 4 contains any one of elements selected from Te, S, Se. The memory device can record and read information with ease stably, and this memory device can be manufactured easily by a relatively simple manufacturing method.
US08981321B2 Charged-particle beam exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing article
A charged-particle beam exposure apparatus which includes a deflector that deflects a charged-particle beam, and a stage mechanism that drives a substrate, and draws a pattern on the substrate while scanning the charged-particle beam in a main-scanning direction by the deflector and scanning the substrate in a sub-scanning direction by the stage mechanism. The apparatus includes a blanker unit configured to control irradiation and unirradiation of the substrate with the charged-particle beam, and a controller configured to control the deflector to deflect the charged-particle beam in the sub-scanning direction by an amount of driving of the substrate in the sub-scanning direction by the stage mechanism during a period of time from stop of drawing on the substrate until restart thereof when the drawing on the substrate is stopped and then restarted while the substrate is driven in the sub-scanning direction by the stage mechanism.
US08981319B2 System for measuring light intensity distribution
A system for measuring intensity distribution of light includes a carbon nanotube array located on a surface of a substrate, a reflector and an imaging element. The carbon nanotube array absorbs photons of a light source and radiates a visible light. The reflector is used to reflect the visible light, and the reflector is spaced from the carbon nanotube array. The carbon nanotube array is located between the reflector and the substrate. The imaging element is used to image the visible light. The imaging element is spaced from the substrate.
US08981311B2 CT detector including multi-layer fluorescent tape scintillator with switchable spectral sensitivity
A scintillator element (114) comprising uncured scintillator material (112) is formed and optically cured to generate a cured scintillator element (122, 122″). The uncured scintillator material suitably combines at least a scintillator material powder and an uncured polymeric host. In a reel to reel process, a flexible array of optical detectors is transferred from a source reel (100) to a take-up reel (106) and the uncured scintillator material (112) is disposed on the flexible array and optically cured during said transfer. Such detector layers (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) are stackable to define a multi-layer computed tomography (CT) detector array (20). Detector element channels (50, 50′, 50″) include a preamplifier (52) and switching circuitry (54, 54′, 54″) having a first mode connecting the preamplifier with at least first detector array layers (31, 32) and a second mode connecting the preamplifier with at least second detector array layers (33, 34, 35).
US08981310B2 Radiation detecting device
A radiation detection device 80 according to an embodiment is a radiation detection device for a foreign substance inspection using a subtraction method, and includes a first radiation detector 32 that detects radiation in a first energy range transmitted through a specimen S and generates a first image, a second radiation detector 42 that detects radiation in a second energy range higher than the radiation in the first energy range and generates a second image, a first image processing section 34 that applies image processing to the first image, and a second image processing section 44 that applies image processing to the second image, wherein a first pixel width in an image detection direction of each pixel of the first radiation detector 32 is smaller than a second pixel width in the image detection direction of each pixel of the second radiation detector 42, and the first image processing section 34 and the second image processing section 44 carry out pixel change processing to make the number of pixels of the first image and the number of pixels of the second image equal to each other.
US08981307B2 Pulse height analyzer and nuclear medicine diagnosis apparatus provided with the same
With a pulse-height analyzer, a reference-pulse generator generates a reference pulse of a given pulse height for a given period of time when an analog radiation pulse inputted to a comparator is higher than an initial threshold. A capacitor and a resistor receive the reference pulse, and then increase an increment threshold for the given period of time from the initial threshold to the given pulse height. Then the increment threshold is set as a reference voltage of the comparator. A pulse time width of the analog radiation pulse is determined through measuring a period of time from timing where the analog radiation pulse exceeds the initial threshold to timing where the analog radiation pulse being attenuated falls below the increment threshold.
US08981301B2 Apparatus and method of measuring terahertz wave
A time-domain waveform of a terahertz wave is measured by a method based on time-domain spectroscopy by using an optical delay unit to adjust an optical path length along which excitation light propagates thereby adjusting a difference between a time at which the excitation light arrives at a generating unit configured to generate the terahertz wave and a time at which the excitation light arrives at a detection unit configured to detect the terahertz wave. The optical delay unit is driven according to a first speed pattern to acquire a first time-domain waveform. The optical delay unit is then driven according to a second speed pattern different from the first speed pattern to acquire a second time-domain waveform. The first time-domain waveform and the second time-domain waveform are averaged.
US08981297B2 Coordinate measuring device having automatic target detection
A coordinate measuring device includes a carrier that can be rotated automatically about two axes and that can be directed toward a measuring aid. The following are arranged on the carrier so as to be able to move together: an optical distance measuring device for measuring the distance to the measuring aid; a light source for emitting light, directly or by means of optical elements, wherein said light is visible as a target point when reflected on the measuring aid; a target detecting unit for determining a position as the position of the imaging of the target point on a position detection sensor. The control apparatus is designed to direct the carrier at the measuring aid by rotating the carrier about the at least two axes of the carrier according to the fine position and the rough position; and the light source is a superluminescent diode (SLED).
US08981292B2 Parallel radial mirror analyser with an angled zero-volt equipotential exit grid for scanning electron microscopes
A parallel radial mirror analyzer (PRMA) (700) for facilitating rotationally symmetric detection of charged particles caused by a charged beam incident on a specimen is disclosed. The PRMA comprises a zero-volt equipotential grid (728), and a plurality of electrodes (702, 704, 706, 708, 710, 712, 714, 716, 718, 720, 722) electrically configured to generate corresponding electrostatic fields for deflecting the charged particles in accordance with respective energy levels of the charged particles to exit through the grid (728) to form corresponding second-order focal points on a detector (206). The detector (206) is disposed external to the corresponding electrostatic fields. A related method is also disclosed.
US08981290B2 Fragmentation methods for mass spectrometry
Apparatus and methods are provided that enable the interaction of low energy electrons and positrons with sample ions to facilitate electron capture dissociation (EGO) and positron capture dissociation (PGO), respectively, within multipole ion guide structures.
US08981289B2 Ultraviolet diode and atomic mass analysis ionization source collecting device using ultraviolet diode and an MCP
The present invention relates to an ultraviolet diode and an atomic mass analysis ionization source collecting device using an MCP. In the manufacturing of a portable atomic mass analyzer, an object of the present invention is to use an MCP electron multiplier plate, whereby ultraviolet photons emitted from an ultraviolet diode are irradiated on a front surface plate of the MCP electron multiplier plate to induce primary electrons, an amplified electron beam is collected from the electrons, and an electron beam is generated at a low temperature and low power and having a discharge time that is accurately controlled. The atomic mass analysis ionization source collecting device using an ultraviolet diode and an MCP according to the present invention comprises: an ultraviolet diode emitting ultraviolet rays by means of supplied power; an MCP electron multiplier plate inducing and amplifying primary electron discharge from ultraviolet photons from the ultraviolet diode, and collecting a large amount of electron beams from an MCP reverse surface plate; an electron condenser lens condensing the electron beam amplified through the MCP electron multiplier plate; an ion trap atomic mass separator ionizing gas sample molecules by means of an electron beam injected through the electron condenser lens; and an ion detector performing detection of ions separated from the ion trap atomic mass separator, by means of an atomic mass spectrum.
US08981284B2 Method of determining information of a test sensor
A method of determining auto-calibrating information of a test sensor includes providing an optical read head that includes a light source, a light guide and a detector. The read head forms an opening that is sized to receive a test sensor. The detector includes a linear-detector array or single detector. A test sensor is provided having apertures formed therein. The test sensor is placed in the opening of the optical read head. Light is transmitted from the light source through the apertures. The light transmitted through the apertures using the detector or detecting the absence of light being transmitted through the test sensor using the detector is detected. The detected light or the absence of detected light information from the detector is used to determine the auto-calibration information of the test sensor.
US08981283B2 Evaluation aid
An evaluation aid which can be used as a phantom (imitation lesion) when a digital X-ray image thereof is taken and then evaluation is carried out through the digital X-ray image. The evaluation aid is adapted to be used for taking a digital X-ray image thereof through which evaluation is carried out, and contains a substrate (plate-like body) including a plurality of regions having different X-ray absorption ratios and step members provided on the plate-like body.
US08981281B2 Optical module and optical measurement device
An optical module comprising a tunable interference filter including a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a first reflective film formed on the first substrate, a second reflective film formed on the second substrate and facing the first reflective film, a gap changing unit changing a gap between the first reflective film and the second reflective film, and a driving electrode line electrically connected to the gap changing unit, a temperature sensor detecting temperature of the tunable interference filter and including a first sensor wiring and a second sensor wiring, the first sensor wiring being electrically connected to the driving electrode line, a switch electrically connected to the second sensor wiring, and a temperature detecting circuit electrically connected to the switch.
US08981278B2 Physical information acquisition method, physical information acquisition device, and semiconductor device
A physical information acquisition method in which a corresponding wavelength region of visible light with at least one visible light detection unit coupled to an image signal processing unit is detected, each said visible light detection unit comprising a color filter adapted to transmit the corresponding wavelength region of visible light; a wavelength region of infrared light with at least one infrared light detection unit coupled to the image signal processing unit is detected; and, with the signal processing unit, a first signal received from the at least one visible light detection unit by subtracting a product from said first signal is corrected, said product resulting from multiplication of a second signal received from the at least one infrared light detection unit and a predetermined coefficient factor.
US08981277B2 High dynamic range image sensor with in pixel memory
A high dynamic range CMOS image sensor is disclosed. The pixels of the image sensor incorporate in-pixel memory. Further, the pixels may have varying integration periods. The integration periods are determined, in part, by the signal stored in the in-pixel memory from previous integration periods.
US08981276B2 Imaging element with pixels having capacitors separated from substrate, drive method for imaging element, manufacturing method for imaging element, and electronic apparatus
An imaging element includes a plurality of pixels. Each of the plurality of pixels includes the following element. A photoelectric transducer is disposed in each of the plurality of pixels and is configured to generate electric charge corresponding to received light. A storage unit has a predetermined capacitance and is configured to store therein electric charge transferred from the photoelectric transducer. A capacitor is disposed separate from a silicon substrate with an interlayer insulating film therebetween, the photoelectric transducer and the storage unit being formed in the silicon substrate. A connecting unit is disposed separate from the silicon substrate with the interlayer insulating film therebetween and is configured to connect the storage unit and the capacitor.
US08981275B2 Solid-state image pickup device with an optical waveguide, method for manufacturing solid-state image pickup device, and camera
A solid-state image pickup device includes a plurality of pixels on a light-receiving surface, photodiodes disposed on the light-receiving surface of a semiconductor substrate while being partitioned on the pixel basis, signal transferring portions which are disposed on the semiconductor substrate and which read signal charges generated and stored in the photodiodes or voltages corresponding to the signal charges, insulating films disposed on the semiconductor substrate while covering the photodiodes, concave portions disposed in the insulating films, pad electrodes disposed on the insulating films, a passivation film which covers inner walls of the concave portions, which is disposed on the pad electrodes, and which has a refractive index higher than that of silicon oxide, and a core layer which is disposed on the passivation film while being filled in the concave portions and which has a refractive index higher than that of silicon oxide.
US08981273B2 Optical frequency tracking and stabilization based on extra-cavity frequency
Embodiments of the invention provides methods and systems for synthesizing optical signals with high frequency stability. Using a set of external optical signal manipulators and control systems, embodiments of the invention enhance the resolution of any frequency reference and thereby alleviates the needs for ultra-high-Q cavities in frequency-stable optical signal synthesis. The invention consequently improves the performance of any optical signal generator by a substantial margin, while maintaining the system complexity and power dissipation at levels comparable to the original systems.
US08981270B2 Method for recording temperature profiles in food packages during microwave heating using a metallic data logger
The time/temperature history of a food tray or pouch heated by microwave energy applied through a waveguide can be accurately assessed on positioning and stabilizing a shielded data logger in an orientation where the base of the data logger is located generally close to zero depth (near the side wall) and the tip projects to the cold spot in the tray or pouch. A frame can be used to assure stability of orientation in a pouch while bracing can be used to assure stability in a tray. The properly configured food tray or pouch can serve as an accurate witness device for food items being processed in a similar manner under microwave heating for, e.g., sterilization or pasteurization.
US08981269B2 Cooker
A cooker is provided. According to an operation of the cooker, light having color different from each other is emitted into a cooking chamber according to whether it is in a cooking mode for cooking a food or a keep-warm mode for keeping the food warm. Thus, a user may easily confirm whether the food is cooked or kept warm. In addition, the food may be kept warm through a further simple structure.
US08981264B2 Solid state switch
An intake air heating system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed and includes an electric heater that heats the intake air and a control module that switches a voltage to the electric heater based on a control signal. The control module includes a gate drive module that includes a bootstrap charge pump module and generates a gate drive signal based on the control signal and that is referenced to the voltage. The control module also includes a power module that switches the power to the electric heater based on the gate drive signal.
US08981259B2 Heating apparatus for heating electronic components on a printed circuit board in low temperature environment
A heating apparatus for heating electronic components on a printed circuit board in low temperature environment includes a printed circuit board, a heating unit, a switch unit, a temperature-sensing unit, an electric power unit, and a control unit. The heating unit, the switch unit, the temperature-sensing unit, and the control unit are fixed connected to the printed circuit board and are electrically connected with the metal lines on the printed circuit board. The heat source is sent to the heat-conducting layer on the printed circuit board through the heat-conducting terminal after the switch unit is conducted by the control unit and the power is sent from the electric power unit to the heating unit. Then, the electronic components are heated with the heat source through the heat-conducting layer, so that the electronic components are in the working temperatures for starting up.
US08981258B2 Methods for controlling laser cutting processes and laser cutting systems implementing same
Laser cutting processes are provided which are controlled using as a reference signal one or more emission lines which are characteristic of the radiation emitted by a gas or, more generally, by an emitting element present in the volume irradiated by the laser beam focussed by a laser head and adjusting, on the basis of this reference signal, at least one of the following process control parameters: the power of the laser, the frequency and the duty cycle of the laser pulse, the pressure of an assisting gas emitted by a nozzle forming part of the laser head, the relative speed of the laser head with respect to the workpiece, the distance between the laser head and the surface of the workpiece, and the distance between the focal point of the laser beam and the surface of the workpiece. Laser cutting devices are also provided.
US08981257B2 Method and device for laser-joining sheet metal parts
The invention relates to a device and to an associated method for joining sheet metal parts, each with a flange, by laser, wherein the flanges of the sheet metal parts (2) are joined into one connecting flange. The device has a clamping device (5) for clamping the sheet metal parts (2) to be joined in a main clamping direction running transversely to the connecting flange and a beam guidance system for a laser beam (1). Moreover, the device has a compensation shaft (9) which tracks the laser beam (1) according to a relative movement between the connecting flange and a guidance apparatus.
US08981256B2 Apparatus for joining two workpiece parts along a weld by means of transmission welding
Apparatus has a receptacle (1) for two workpiece parts (21, 22) which extend two-dimensionally in X and Y directions and which are to be joined along a weld. The apparatus includes a laser beam source (30) comprising a plurality of individually controllable laser beam emitters (31) which collectively form a line array which is oriented in X direction, a transporting device (6) for transporting the laser beam source (30) relative to the receptacle (1) in Y direction, and a homogenizer (50) arranged downstream of the laser beam source (30) in the radiating direction. The homogenizer (50) has a carrier (52) in which is provided at least one reflection channel (51) with a channel cross section (QS) which is adapted to the course of the weld and a channel width (b) which is adapted to the width of the weld.
US08981247B2 Input device
A rear operation body is attached on a rear portion of a front case via a pair of front supporting plate springs. A front operation body is provided in a frontward of the front case and the front operation body and the rear operation body are connected via a penetration portion. A rear case is provided in a rearward of the front case, and a rear supporting plate spring is provided in the rear case. A flexible print substrate is provided in a frontward thereof and a plurality of detection members are mounted on the flexible print substrate. When an operation surface of the front operation body is pressed, the front supporting plate springs are deformed. Thereby, the rear operation body is moved such that any of the plurality of detection members is operated.
US08981245B2 Modular molded interconnect devices
A switching subassembly includes a modular molded interconnect bracket and a switching device arranged on the modular molded interconnect bracket. The modular molded interconnect includes at least one electronic circuit trace arranged thereon configured to interconnect a portion of a flexible printed circuit board and to support a portion of the flexible printed circuit board. The switching device is configured to contact portions of the at least one electronic circuit trace.
US08981240B2 Electronic circuit board case
A case body portion accommodates an electronic circuit board. The case body portion has a rib projected from at least a part of a periphery of the opening. A lid has a flange, which is in contact with an outer periphery of the rib, when the lid is mounted on the case body portion to cover the opening. The rib has a raised portion raised outward from a part of an outer periphery of the rib.
US08981237B2 Wiring board for electronic parts inspecting device and its manufacturing method
A wiring board for an electronic parts inspecting device that can be designed and produced relatively quickly, inexpensively, and with a few number of jigs is provided. In certain embodiments the wiring board comprises a board main body having a front surface, a probe pad area having probe pads located in a central portion of the front surface, an outer connecting terminal area having outer connecting terminals located in a peripheral portion of the front surface, and wherein probe pads are connected to outer connecting terminals by front surface wirings formed between the probe pad area and the outer connecting terminal area. While certain embodiments further comprise inner wirings and first via conductors to connect the probe pads and outer connecting terminals, it is preferable to have no or a minimal amount of such inner wirings. Lastly, a method of manufacturing the same is provided.
US08981236B2 Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board includes a line intensive distribution area, a line sparse distribution area, a solder mask layer, and a signal layer. A first signal line is laid on the signal layer. The first signal line crosses the line intensive distribution area and the line sparse distribution area. The first signal line is narrower in the line intensive distribution area than in the line sparse distribution area. The solder mask layer is thicker in the line intensive distribution area than in the line sparse distribution area.
US08981231B2 Molded product and in-mold transfer foil
Provided is a molded product including a primary molded layer, a transfer layer that includes at least a decorating layer and a print layer for foil flow prevention including one of polyester, polyurethane, polyimide and cellulose, or a mixture obtained by combining two or more of polyester, polyurethane, polyimide and cellulose as a main component, and is transferred to a surface of the primary molded layer, the decorating layer and the print layer for foil flow prevention being arranged in increasing order of distance from a side of the primary molded layer, and a secondary molded layer formed on the side of the print layer for foil flow prevention of the transfer layer.
US08981226B2 Electrically conductive microparticle, anisotropic electrically conductive material, connection structure, and method for production of electrically conductive microparticle
The present invention is a conductive particle having a copper layer formed on a surface of a resin particle, wherein in the copper layer, an area ratio of an area corresponding to voids in a cross-section in a thickness direction is 5% or less, and copper composing the copper layer has an average crystallite diameter of 40 nm or more. It is an object of the present invention to provide a conductive particle which has low initial connection resistance and which is hard to increase in connection resistance even when stored for a long period.
US08981224B2 Cable connector systems and methods including same
A cable connection assembly includes an electrically conductive cable, an electrically conductive connector, and a flowable sealant. The electrical cable includes a conductor. The connector includes a connector body having an outer surface and a lengthwise connector axis. The connector body defines a conductor cavity receiving the conductor of the electrical cable. The connector further includes a sealant flow blocking wall on the connector body and extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of the connector body. The flowable sealant surrounds a portion of the connector body. The sealant flow blocking wall is configured to inhibit flow of the sealant on the outer surface along the lengthwise connector axis.
US08981217B1 Stackable like-ganged electrical boxes
A method and structure of a system of electrical boxes having at least two screw boss channels and at least two screw protrusions wherein the screw boss channels are complimentary shaped to the screw protrusions for selectively nesting like-ganged electrical boxes while preventing nesting of dislike-ganged electrical boxes for more space-efficient storage of electrical boxes while increasing inventory control and accuracy.
US08981214B2 Organic solar cell and method of making the same
An organic solar cell including a cathode and an anode, a photoactive layer disposed between the cathode and the anode, and a buffer layer between the photoactive layer and the cathode, wherein the cathode includes a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 Zn(1-x)MxO(1-y)Wy,  [Chemical Formula 1] and the buffer layer includes ZnO, and wherein in Chemical Formula 1, M is aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, germanium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, or a combination thereof, W is fluorine, bromine, or a combination thereof, and x and y are each independently greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, provided that x and y are not simultaneously 0.
US08981205B2 Photovoltaic module and method
A photovoltaic module comprises at least one string of back contact solar cells and a porous non-conductive layer behind the cells including thereon flexible conductive pathways electrically interconnecting the solar cells. There is a back sheet and an encapsulant between the back sheet and the porous non-conductive layer flowable through the porous non-conductive layer and bonding the back sheet to the solar cells.
US08981200B2 Method for obtaining high performance thin film devices deposited on highly textured substrates
The present invention provides an improved thin film solar cell, wherein at least one additional resistive transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer is incorporated into the solar cell. The additional resistive TCO electrically separates the conductive TCO layers acting as electrodes of such a cell and thus decreases or prevents performance losses. Furthermore, methods for the production of such solar cells are disclosed.
US08981198B2 Stringed instrument
A stringed instrument includes a body, a string, a string exciting device and a bridge. The body supports the string, the string exciting device and the bridge. The string has a scale length determined by a distance between a first support point and a second support point. The string exciting device is designed to be driven by an electrical signal having a certain frequency and vibrate the string by applying an excitation signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the electrical signal. The bridge has the first support point and a surface located between the first support point and the second support point and designed to come into contact with the string during vibration of the string.
US08981195B2 Cymbal edge guard
A cymbal edge guard. The edge guard can be described as a generally U-shaped, flexible annulus, the open end of the annulus being oriented toward the center of the annulus, the annulus being dimensioned to fit over the outer perimeter of a cymbal. The edge guard may further include a gripping tongue, formed within the U-shaped portion of the annulus. Additionally, a protective bulb may be integrally formed with the outer edge of the edge guard. A double cymbal edge guards may further be provided, dimensioned to fit over the outer parameters of a matched pair of cymbals, the cymbals being arranged bottom to bottom with their peripheral edges in registration.
US08981184B2 Soybean variety S110158
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated S110158. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety S110158. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety S110158 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety S110158 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08981180B2 Brassica plant comprising mutant fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase alleles
The invention relates to crop plants comprising novel seed lipid compositions. Provided are both wild type and mutant nucleic acid molecules encoding Brassica fatty acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterase B proteins (FATB) and the proteins as such. Also provided are Brassica plants, tissue and seeds comprising at least three mutant fatB alleles in their genome, whereby the seed oil fatty acid composition or profile is significantly altered.
US08981174B2 Methods and systems for processing crude oil using cross-flow filtration
Methods and systems for processing crude oil comprise adding water to the crude oil to produce an emulsion comprising brine and oil and solids; separating oil from brine including producing brine comprising a rag layer; separating the rag layer into a hydrocarbon emulsion having finer solids and brine comprising larger solids; and passing the hydrocarbon emulsion along a cross-flow filter to produce a retentate comprising brine and solids and a permeate comprising hydrocarbon.
US08981173B2 Method for making a catalyst comprising a phosphorus modified zeolite to be used in a MTO process
The present invention is the use of a catalyst in a MTO process to convert an alcohol or an ether into light olefins wherein said catalyst comprises a phosphorus modified zeolite and is made by a method comprising the following steps in this order, a) the essential portion of the phosphorus is introduced into a zeolite comprising at least one ten members ring in the structure, b) the phosphorus modified zeolite of step a) is mixed with at least a component selected among one or more binders, salts of alkali-earth metals, salts of rare-earth metals, clays and shaping additives, b)* making a catalyst body from mixture b), c) an optional drying step or an optional drying step followed by a washing step, d) a calcination step, d*) an optional washing step followed by drying, e) optionally a small portion of phosphorus is introduced in the course of step b) or b)* or at end of step b) or b)*.
US08981170B2 Process for producing cycloalkylaromatic compounds
In a process for producing a cycloalkylaromatic compound, an aromatic compound, hydrogen and at least one diluent are supplied to a hydroalkylation reaction zone, such that the weight ratio of the diluent to the aromatic compound supplied to the hydroalkylation reaction zone is at least 1:100. The aromatic compound, hydrogen and the at least one diluent are then contacted under hydroalkylation conditions with a hydroalkylation catalyst in the hydroalkylation reaction zone to produce an effluent comprising a cycloalkylaromatic compound.
US08981169B2 Methane conversion process
A process for converting a gaseous hydrocarbon feed comprising methane to an aromatic hydrocarbon is integrated with liquefied natural gas (LNG) and/or pipeline gas production. The gaseous hydrocarbon feed is supplied to a conversion zone comprising at least one dehydroaromatization catalyst and is contacted with the catalyst under conversion conditions to produce a gaseous effluent stream comprising at least one aromatic compound, unreacted methane and H2. The gaseous effluent stream is then separated into a first product stream comprising said at least one aromatic compound and a second product stream comprising unreacted methane and H2. The second product stream is further separated into a methane-rich stream and a hydrogen-rich stream and at least part of the methane-rich stream is passed to LNG and/or pipeline gas production.
US08981162B2 Method for preparing fluorine-containing vinyl ether
Provided is a method for preparing fluorine-containing vinyl ether. The method comprises: carrying out hydrolytic neutralization on a small molecular weight byproduct which is produced in the process of preparing perfluoropolyether or a perfluorinated surfactant by photooxidation of fluorine-containing olefin; and obtaining fluorine-containing vinyl ether by drying and cracking. The byproduct produced in the process of preparing perfluoropolyether or the perfluorinated surfactant is utilized, thereby solving the emission problem of industrial wastes, reducing environment pollution, and generating available fluorine-containing vinyl ether.
US08981159B2 Continuously operable method for producing carbonyl compounds by means of a catalyst containing a nitroxyl radical
The invention relates to a method for the oxidation of a primary or secondary alcohol, preferably to form an aldehyde or ketone, comprising the following steps: a) providing a catalyst composition comprising at least one compound containing a nitroxyl radical, at least one NO source, at least one carbon or mineral acid or an anhydride of a carbon or mineral acid; b) producing a reaction mixture by adding at least one primary or secondary alcohol and a gas comprising oxygen and optionally one or more than one solvent to the catalyst composition from step a) or step e); c) incubating the reaction mixture from step b) at a temperature of between 0 and 100° C. or at the boiling point of the solvent; d) simultaneously with or subsequent to step c): crystallizing the reaction product; and e) recovering the catalyst composition by removing the crystallized reaction product from the reaction mixture obtained in step d).
US08981158B2 Oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene
In a process for oxidizing cyclohexylbenzene, a composition comprising cyclohexylbenzene is contacted with oxygen in at least one oxidation zone under oxidation conditions sufficient to produce at least some (i) cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide; (ii) a first byproduct; and (iii) a second byproduct in an effluent. A ratio β is determined according to the following formula: β = A B wherein A is the amount of the first byproduct in the effluent and B is the amount of the second byproduct in the effluent. The ratio β is then maintained above a threshold value or adjusted above a threshold value.
US08981153B2 Alkoxy compounds for disease treatment
The present invention relates generally to compositions and methods for treating neurodegenerative diseases and disorders, particularly ophthalmic diseases and disorders. Provided herein are alkoxyl derivative compounds and pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds. The subject compositions are useful for treating and preventing ophthalmic diseases and disorders, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt's Disease.
US08981151B2 Perfluoropolyether urethane additives having (meth)acryl groups and hard coats
Fluorocarbon- and urethane-(meth)acryl-containing additives and hardcoats. The hardcoats are particularly useful as a surface layer on an optical device.
US08981149B2 Compounds modulating the hedgehog protein signaling pathway, marked forms thereof, and applications
The invention relates to compounds of formula (I), and the use thereof as a drug, particularly for the treatment of tumors associated with hyperactivation of the hedgehog protein signaling pathway, treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, treatment of diseases related to cerebral development (holoprosencephaly), for stem cell monitoring treatment of cerebrovascular accidents and cardiovascular accidents, treatment of diseases involving oligodendrocytes and diseases involving neurolemmocytes, for application thereof in vitro for modulating human or animal stem cell renewal, and for the treatment of diabetes. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions having a compound of formula (I). The invention also relates to a method for radio-marking compounds having formula (I), the marked compounds, and the use of the compounds as research tools, and method for screening and/or identifying ligands in the Smoothened receptor (Smo) binding sites, methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of the Smoothened receptor, and a method for identifying cells.
US08981146B2 Recovery of volatile carboxylic acids by a stripper-extractor system
A process for recovering a volatile carboxylic acid from an aqueous stream comprising same, the process comprising the steps of: (i) steam stripping the carboxylic acid from the aqueous stream, which aqueous stream is produced by a conversion process using a lignocellulosic feedstock as a substrate, the steam stripping comprising contacting the aqueous stream with steam by flowing the aqueous stream and the steam countercurrent to one another, thereby producing a vapor stream comprising vaporized carboxylic acid and steam and a stripped aqueous stream; (ii) extracting the vaporized carboxylic acid with an organic solvent by contacting the vapor stream with the organic solvent to produce (a) a stream comprising the organic solvent and the carboxylic acid and (b) the steam at least substantially depleted of the carboxylic acid, wherein the organic solvent has an atmospheric boiling point of at least about 150° C. and is insoluble in water; (iii) returning the steam from step (ii) to the steam stripping step (step i) to further strip the carboxylic acid from the aqueous stream; and (iv) separating the carboxylic acid from the organic solvent.
US08981141B1 I-and II-type crystals of L-A-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, and method for preparing same
The present invention relates to I- and II-type crystals of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, and to a method for preparing same. More particularly, the present invention relates to noble I- and II-type anhydride crystals of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, which have a higher purity than conventional liquid L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline, and one advantage of which is that formulations and dosages of pharmaceuticals are easily modified, and another advantage of which is that the hygroscopicity of the crystals are much lower than that of conventional polymorphic crystals, providing excellent stability during storage. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing the I- and II-type crystals of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline. The I-type crystal of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline is characterized by having an onset temperature of 147° C. and an absorption peak of 150° C. based on differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) analysis, and by having diffraction patterns where 2θ-diffraction angles are 9.8±0.2°, 12.0±0.2°, 14.3±0.2°, 15.8±0.2°, and 19.6±0.2° based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The II-type crystal of L-α-glyceryl phosphoryl choline is characterized by having an onset temperature of 62° C. and an absorption peak of 66° C., and an onset temperature of 141° C. and an absorption peak of 145° C. based on DSC analysis, and having diffraction patterns where 2θ-diffraction angles are 10.3±0.2°, 12.2±0.2°, 13.4±0.2°, 14.8±0.2°, and 20.6±0.2° based on XRD analysis.
US08981138B2 Method for producing aminoorganosilanes
The invention relates to a method (a) for producing aminoorganyltriorganylsilanes of the general formula (1) R′3-nR1nSi—R2—NR3R4 (1), a method (b) for producing cyclic aminosilanes of the general formula (4), and a method (III) for producing silylorganoamines of the general formula (7) R013-tR11tSi—R12—NR13—R14—SiR023-sR15s (7), wherein amines are reacted with halogen organylsilanes, wherein R′, R1, R2, R3, R4, R, R5, R6, R01, R02, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, n, and s have the meanings specified in claims 1 to 3, wherein after the reaction, the ammonium halides of the amines produced as by-products are released by adding a base (B) to the reaction mixture, the amines are removed from the reaction mixture by distillation, two liquid phases are formed by further adding base (B) to the reaction mixture, wherein the one phase contains at least 90 wt % of the hydrohalide of the base (B) and said phase is separated.
US08981135B2 Process for producing biodiesel through lower molecular weight alcohol-targeted cavitation
A method for producing fatty acid alkyl esters from biolipids through transesterification and/or esterification reactions uses a flow-through cavitation device for generating cavitation bubbles in a fluidic reaction medium. The fluidic medium is passed through sequential compartments in the cavitation device having varying diameters and inner surface features to create localized reductions in fluid pressure thus vaporizing volatile alcohols and creating an increased surface area and optimized conditions for the reaction to occur at the gas-liquid interface around the bubbles.
US08981134B2 Amino acid salt containing compositions
A reagent composition for forming fatty acyl amido surfactants is provided which includes an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of an amino compound; a polyol of molecular weight ranging from 76 to 300; and no more than 10% water.
US08981132B2 Pretreated epoxidation catalyst and a process for producing an olefin therewith
A pretreated titanium silicalite with MFI structure (TS-1) catalyst which has been pretreated with methanol, and then optionally filtered and optionally air-dried to form a pretreated activated TS-1 catalyst. The activated TS-1 may be used in an epoxidation reaction with no additional methanol added and has equivalent activity to TS-1 used with large excesses of methanol. By removing the need for additional methanol during the reaction, the losses of epichlorohydrin from solvolysis are minimized significantly.
US08981129B2 2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-4H-pyran-4-one of the formula P-3 and/or 2-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-4H-Pyran-4-one of the formula P-4
The compounds are intermediates in the preparation of therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of viral infections, particularly HIV infection. The compounds are 2-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-4H-pyran-4-one of the formula P-3 and/or 2-[(E)-2-phenylethenyl]-3-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-4H-pyran-4-one of the formula P-4.
US08981126B2 Cyclopropenylidene-stabilized phosphenium cations
Phosphenium compounds with the general formula I: in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 are identical or different and represent a linear or branched C1-C6-alkyl radical, which can optionally be substituted, or R1 and R2 and/or R3 and R4 are bonded to one another with the formation of a ring, R5 and R6 stand for a saturated or unsaturated and linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group or aryl group, which can have suitable substituents, even heteroatoms as substituents, or a heteroatom-comprising hydrocarbon group, which can have suitable substituents, and the R5 and R6 radicals can form a ring which can be 4- to 20-membered, saturated or unsaturated and alicyclic or heteroalicyclic and can exhibit suitable substituents, X− represents an anion, a process for the preparation thereof, and also the use of these compounds in metal complexes which can be used as catalysts in organic synthesis, are claimed.
US08981124B2 Process for the manufacture of a cyclic diester of an alpha-hydroxyacid
Process for the manufacture of a cyclic diester of an alpha-hydroxyacid comprising heating the alpha-hydroxyacid at a temperature from 100 to 250° C. in the presence of at least one polyol and of at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting carboxylates and alkoxides of Ti, Zr, Al and Sn.
US08981123B2 Compound and asymmetric synthesis reaction
A compound represented by the following General Formula (1): where R1 represents a protective group for a hydroxyl group or a hydrogen atom, and R2 represents a methyl group or an ethyl group.
US08981122B2 Method for producing optically active N-monoalkyl-3-hydroxy-3-arylpropylamine compound
The present invention provides a method for producing an N-monoalkyl-3-hydroxy-3-arylpropylamine compound represented by Formula (2): wherein Ar represents an optionally substituted aryl or an optionally substituted heteroaryl, R represents an optionally substituted C1-5 alkyl, and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom; the method comprising:reacting, in the presence of an asymmetric reduction catalyst, hydrogen gas with an N-benzyl-N-monoalkyl-3-oxo-3-arylpropenylamine compound represented by Formula (1): wherein Ar and R are as defined above. The present invention allows an optically active N-monoalkyl-3-hydroxy-3-arylpropylamine compound to be produced easily and inexpensively under industrially advantageous conditions.
US08981114B2 Derivatives of 1-(substituted sulfonyl)-2-aminoimidazoline as antitumor and antiproliferative agents
The invention provides novel, water-soluble 2-aminoimidazoline derivatives having general Formula (I) as well as some precursors of Formula (I), which are very potent inducers of G2/M cell cycle arrest. In treated tumor cells, compounds of Formula (I) give gene expression profile distinct from known antimitotic agents. The invention also provides methods for preparing the compounds, and methods of using the compounds for the treatment of cancer or other mammalian diseases characterized by undesirably high levels of cell proliferation. The compounds of the invention are also expected to have utility as research tools.
US08981113B2 Benzimidazole derivatives useful as TRPM8 channel modulators
Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating various diseases, syndromes, conditions and disorders, including pain. Such compounds are represented by Formula I as follows: wherein R0, R1, R2, R3, R4 and a are defined herein.
US08981109B2 Process for the preparation of valsartan
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of pure Valsartan (I) substantially free from impurities of formulae (Ia), (Ib), and (Ic), which comprises: (i) condensing 2-(4′-bromomethylphenyl)benzonitrile of formula (II) with L-valine methyl ester hydrochloride of formula (V) in the presence of a base in a solvent to produce N-[(2′-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)methyl]-(L)-valine methyl ester of formula (VI); (ii) treating the compound VI of step (i) with acid followed by treating with base to produce pure compound VI substantially free from dimeric impurity of formula (Via); (iii) reacting the pure compound of formula (VI) with n-valeryl chloride in the presence of a base to produce pure N-valeryl-N-[(2′-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)methyl]-(L)-valine methyl ester (VII) substantially free from alkene impurity of formula (Vila); (iv) reacting the compound of formula (VII) with trialkyltin chloride and a metal azide in a solvent at a reflux temperature to produce N-(1-oxopentyl)-N-[[2′-(2-tributyltintetrazol-5-yl)-(1,1′-biphenyl)-4-yl]methyl]-(L)-valine methyl ester of formula (VHIb) free from thermal degradation impurity (Villa); (v) hydrolyzing the compound of formula (VHIb) in the presence of alkaline conditions to produce Valsartan (I).
US08981107B2 Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound and method for producing same
There are provided a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound such as a substituted amino-pyridine-N-oxide compound represented by formula (1), which is useful as a synthetic intermediate for an agrochemical and the like; and a method for producing the nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound. (In formula (1), R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group; R3 represents a hydrogen atom, an unsubstituted or substituted alkylcarbonyl group or the like; R4 represents an unsubstituted or substituted alkylcarbonyl group, an unsubstituted or substituted arylcarbonyl group or the like; A represents a hydroxyl group, a thiol group or the like; m represents any one of integers of 1 to 4; k represents any one of integers of 0 to 3; and k+m≦4.)
US08981098B2 Process for the preparation of morphine analogs via the reaction of organometallic reagents with an oxazolidine derived from morphinans
The oxazolidine derived from the reaction of oxymorphone with the Burgess reagent, temporarily protected at O-3 and C-6, reacts with Grignard or other suitable metallic or organometallic reagents to directly provide, for example, A/-allyl, A/-methylcyclopropyl and /V-methylcyclobutyl derivatives that are further converted into naltrexone, naloxone, nalbuphone and nalbuphine in excellent yields. These morphine analogs can be prepared from the oxazolidine in a one-pot synthesis.
US08981093B2 Process for preparing piperazine
Process for preparing piperazine of the formula I by reacting diethanolamine (DEOA) of the formula II with ammonia in the presence of hydrogen and a supported, metal-containing catalyst has been found, wherein the catalytically active mass of the catalyst, prior to its reduction with hydrogen, comprises oxygen-containing compounds of aluminum, copper, nickel and cobalt and in the range from 0.2 to 5.0% by weight of oxygen-containing compounds of tin, calculated as SnO, and the reaction is carried out in the liquid phase at an absolute pressure in the range from 160 to 220 bar, a temperature in the range from 180 to 220° C., using ammonia in a molar ratio to DEOA used of from 5 to 25 and in the presence of 0.2 to 9.0% by weight of hydrogen, based on the total amount of DEOA used and ammonia.
US08981089B2 Pyrazolo-quinazoline derivatives, process for their preparation and their use as kinase inhibitors
Pyrazolo-quinazoline derivatives of formula (Ia) or (Ib) as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, process for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are disclosed; the compounds of the invention may be useful, in therapy, in the treatment of diseases associated with a disregulated protein kinase activity, like cancer.
US08981087B2 Benzo [E] [1,3] oxazin-4-one derivatives as phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors
Compounds of formula (I): wherein: W is O, N—H, N-alkyl, N-alkenyl, N-alkynyl, N-aryl, N-heteroaryl or S; each X is independently CH or N; R1 is formula (b) or R3 is H, alkyl, NH2, OH, =0 or halogen; each A and B are independently CH or N; D is NHR4; R4 is H, alkyl, —C(O)-alkyl. —C(O)—NH2, —C(O)—NH-alkyl, —SO2-alkyl, —SO2—NH2 or —SO2—NH-alkyl; R2 is aryl substituted with at least one nitrogen-containing group or R2 is a nitrogen-containing heteroaryl, cycloalkyl substituted with a nitrogen-containing group, nitrogen-containing cycloalkyl, C1-C6 mono alkylamino, C1C6 bis alkylamino, C1C6 acylamino, C1-C6 aminoalkyl, mono (C1C6 alkyl)amino C1-C6 alkyl, bis (C1C6 alkyl)amino C1C6 alkyl, C1-C6-acylamino or C1 C6 alkynyl-NR11, R11 is H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, halogen, O-alkyl, NH-alkyl, N-dialkyl, —C(O)—R7, —C(O)—NH2, —C(O)—NH—R7, —SO2—R7, —SO2—NH2, —SO2—NH—R7, NH-acyl, NH-sulfonyl, NR7-acyl, NR7-sulfonyl, N—C(O)—NH—R7, N—SO2—NH—R7, N—C(O)—NR7R7 or N—SO2—NR7R7; and R7 is alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl, are useful as PI3K inhibitors and are useful in therapy.
US08981086B2 Phosphine-ligated palladium sulfonate palladacycles
Described are palladium precatalysts, and methods of making and using them. The palladium precatalysts show improved stability and improved reactivity in comparison to previously-described palladium precatalysts.
US08981080B2 Silane-modified cationized polymeric compound and process for production thereof
A process for producing a silane-modified cationized polymeric compound, the process including the steps of: (1) cationizing a water-soluble polymeric compound in a mixed solvent of a water-miscible organic solvent and water in the presence of an alkali to produce a slurry containing a cationized polymeric compound, (2) adding an aminosilane compound to the slurry or a cake produced therefrom, thereby treating the cationized polymeric compound with the aminosilane compound, (3) optionally adding an acid to the slurry obtained in step (1) or a product obtained in step (2), and (4) drying a product obtained in step (2) or a product obtained by performing step (3) after step (2), wherein the drying step (4) includes a primary drying treatment step of performing drying at a temperature of 50 to 140° C. under a degree of vacuum of 4.0 to 53.3 kPa, and a secondary drying treatment step of drying the product obtained following the primary drying treatment at a temperature of 90 to 155° C. The process enables a silane-modified cationized polymeric compound having excellent water dispersibility to be produced with good efficiency.
US08981077B2 Methods and compositions for extraction and storage of nucleic acids
A solid matrix for the extraction, stabilization, and storage of nucleic acids is provided. At least one protein denaturant, and at least one acid or acid-titrated buffer reagent are impregnated in a dry state therein the matrix; and the matrix is configured to provide an acidic pH on hydration. The matrix is configured to extract nucleic acids from a sample and stabilize the extracted nucleic acids, particularly RNA, in a dry format under ambient conditions for a prolonged period of time. Methods for collecting and recovering the nucleic acids stored in the dry solid matrix are also described.
US08981075B2 PSA binding aptamer and method for diagnosis of prostate cancer
The present invention provides an aptamer that binds to prostate-specific antigen (PSA), the aptamer including: a preceding region having a random polynucleotide sequence consisting of from 1 to 10 nucleotides; a first region, at a 3′ end of the preceding region, consisting of nnnnCT wherein each n is independently selected from A, T, G and C; a second region consisting of nnCTTT wherein each n is independently selected from A, T, G and C, and at least one part of the second region is complementary to the first region; and a third region positioned between the first region and the second region and consisting of a random polynucleotide sequence having from 3 to 30 nucleotides.
US08981074B2 Lipid-modified double-stranded RNA having potent RNA interference effect
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel double-stranded RNA that has high nuclease resistance and high cellular uptake efficiency, and that is capable of producing an excellent RNA interference effect. The present invention provides a lipid-modified double-stranded RNA comprising a sense strand having a nucleotide sequence complementary to a target sequence, and an antisense strand having a nucleotide sequence complementary to the sense strand, the double-stranded RNA being capable of inhibiting the expression of the target gene, the sense strand having a lipid linked to at least one of the first to sixth nucleotides from the 5′ end side directly or via a linker.
US08981072B2 Nucleic acids encoding antibody polypeptides that antagonize CD40L
Antibody polypeptides that specifically bind human CD40L are provided. The antibody polypeptides do not activate platelets. The antibody polypeptides are useful in the treatment of diseases involving CD40L activation, such as graft-related diseases and autoimmune diseases. The antibody polypeptides may be domain antibodies (dAbs) comprising a single VH or VK domain. The half-life of the antibody polypeptides may be increased by modifying the antibody polypeptides to be dual specific reagents that can also bind human serum albumin (HSA) or another antigen.
US08981068B2 Compositions of standardized mixtures for determining an amount of a nucleic acid
The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for evaluating nucleic acids, methods of preparing such compositions, and applications and business methods employing such compositions and methods. In particular, the present invention provides business methods for operating a gene expression measurement service.
US08981065B2 Human anti-KIR antibodies
Compositions and methods for regulating an immune response in a subject are described. More particularly, described are human antibodies that regulate the activity of NK cells and allow a potentiation of NK cell cytotoxicity in mammalian subjects, and antibodies having antigen-binding properties similar to those of human monoclonal antibody 1-7F9 or 1-4F1. Described also are also fragments and derivatives of such antibodies, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same and their uses, particularly for use in therapy, to increase NK cell activity or cytotoxicity in subjects.
US08981063B2 B7-H1 Antibodies
The invention provides novel polypeptides useful for co-stimulating T cells, isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding them, vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules, and cells containing the vectors. Also included are methods of making and using these co-stimulatory polypeptides.
US08981062B2 Polypeptide compounds for inhibiting angiogenesis and tumor growth
In certain embodiments, this present invention provides polypeptide compositions (e.g., antibodies and antigen binding portions thereof that bind to EphB4), and methods for inhibiting EphB4 activity. In other embodiments, the present invention provides methods and compositions for treating cancer or for treating angiogenesis-associated diseases.
US08981061B2 Receptor TREM (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells) and uses thereof
Novel activating receptors of the lg super-family expressed on human myeloid cells, called TREM(s) (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells) are provided. Specifically, two (2) members of TREMs, TREM-1 and TREM-2 are disclosed. TREM-1 is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed selectively on blood neutrophils and a subset of monocytes but not on lymphocytes and other cell types and is upregulated by bacterial and fungal products. Use of TREM-1 in treatment and diagnosis of various inflammatory diseases is also provided. TREM-2 is also a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed selectively on mast cells and peripheral dendritic cells (DCs) but not on granulocytes or monocytes. DC stimulation via TREM-2 leads to DC maturation and resistance to apoptosis, and induces strong upregulation of CCR7 and subsequent chemotaxis toward macrophage inflammatory protein 3-β. TREM-2 has utility in modulating host immune responses in various immune disorders, including autoimmune diseases and allergic disorders.
US08981060B2 Method of inhibiting complement activation with factor Bb specific antibodies
A process of inhibiting the adverse effects of alternative complement pathway activation products in a subject includes administering to the subject an amount of anti-factor Bb antibody effective to selectively inhibit formation of an alternative complement pathway activation products C3a, C5a, and C5b-9, and activation of neutrophils, monocytes, and platelets.
US08981057B2 B-cell stimulating fusion proteins of an antigen with BAFF or APRIL
The invention relates to the fields of molecular biology, medicine, virology and vaccine development. Because the different forms of the presently available vaccines all have their specific drawbacks, there is a need for alternative vaccine strategies. The current invention provides means and methods for such alternative vaccine strategies.
US08981054B2 Compositions and methods for stimulating gastrointestinal motility
The present invention relates to a method of treating a transient impairment of the motility of the gastrointestinal system resulting from postoperative ileus in a patient wherein said method includes the step of administering a therapeutically effective amount of a peptidyl analog of ghrelin to said patient.
US08981047B2 Glucagon antagonists
Glucagon antagonists are provided which comprise amino acid substitutions and/or chemical modifications to glucagon sequence. In one embodiment, the glucagon antagonists comprise a native glucagon peptide that has been modified by the deletion of the first two to five amino acid residues from the N-terminus and (i) an amino acid substitution at position 9 (according to the numbering of native glucagon) or (ii) substitution of the Phe at position 6 (according to the numbering of native glucagon) with phenyl lactic acid (PLA). In another embodiment, the glucagon antagonists comprise the structure A-B-C as described herein, wherein A is PLA, an oxy derivative thereof, or a peptide of 2-6 amino acids in which two consecutive amino acids of the peptide are linked via an ester or ether bond.
US08981045B2 Innovative discovery of therapeutic, diagnostic, and antibody compositions related to protein fragments of methionyl-tRNA synthetases
Provided are compositions comprising newly identified protein fragments of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, polynucleotides that encode them and complements thereof, related agents, and methods of use thereof in diagnostic, drug discovery, research, and therapeutic applications.
US08981039B2 Caprolactam-based composition, process for manufacturing an impermeable element, and tank
The present invention relates to a composition that can be used to manufacture an impermeable, sealing, tight envelope, to a process for manufacturing an impermeable envelope, and to a tank. The composition of the invention comprises in % by weight relative to the total weight of the composition: from 70 to 90% of a monomer (I); from 0.1 to 1% of an activator (II), in which R is chosen from the group comprising CnH2n+2, n being an integer chosen from 1 to 10; —OH; —OCnH2n+2, n being an integer chosen from 1 to 10; and —NHR′ where R′ is either CnH2n+2, n being an integer chosen from 1 to 10, or an amine functional group; from 2 to 6% of a catalyst (III), in which X is chosen from the group comprising MgBr, MgI, Li and Na; and from 10 to 20% of an additive (IV), with: This composition can be used, for example, to manufacture elements that are impermeable to fluids, for example impermeable envelopes, for example that can be used in the manufacture of type IV tanks or hydraulic accumulators.
US08981036B2 Synthesis of and curing additives for phthalonitriles
A composition having a mixture of the below compounds having a mole ratio of at least 1:20. Ar1 and Ar2 are independently selected aromatic groups. A composition comprising phthalonitrile compounds that comprise at least 5 mol % of the first compound below. A method of: providing a solution of a dichloroaromatic compound having an electron-withdrawing group bound to each aromatic ring containing one of the chloride groups; a dihydroxyaromatic compound or anion thereof; an organic transition metal complex or a transition metal salt; an alkaline hydroxide base; and a solvent; and heating the solution to a temperature at which the dichloroaromatic compound and the dihydroxyaromatic compound react to form a dimetallic salt of an aromatic ether oligomer. The molar ratio of the dihydroxyaromatic compound to the dichloroaromatic compound is greater than 2:1. Water formed during the heating is concurrently distilled from the solution.
US08981027B2 Two-part, cyanoacrylate/cationically curable adhesive systems
Two part cyanoacrylate/cationically curable adhesive systems are provided.
US08981025B2 Polymerizable catonic peptide monomers and polymers
Disclosed herein are functionalized cationic peptide monomers: peptide chains of two or more positively charged amino acids chosen from lysine or arginine, or derivatives thereof, which are functionalized, meaning that they are bound to one or more polymerization moieties. The functionalized cationic peptide monomers can be described by the formula Z-Xaan-Z1n1 wherein Z and Z1 are polymerization moieties and n1 is an integer of 0 or 1; Xaa is each independently an amino acid Lys or Arg and n is an integer from 2 to 10 and wherein at least one Xaa amino acid of Xaa is Lys, wherein the carboxyl terminus of the amino acid sequence is amidated. Functionalized cationic peptide monomers can be combined and polymerized to form cell culture surfaces.
US08981023B2 Supported nonmetallocene catalyst, preparation and use thereof
This invention relates to a supported nonmetallocene catalyst and preparation thereof. The supported nonmetallocene catalyst can be produced with a simple and feasible process and is characterized by an easily controllable polymerization activity. This invention further relates to use of the supported nonmetallocene catalyst in olefin homopolymerization/copolymerization, which is characterized by a lowered assumption of the co-catalyst as compared with the prior art.
US08981020B2 Process for producing functionalized polymers
A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of (a) polymerizing monomer in the presence of a coordination catalyst to form a polymer, (b) inhibiting said step of polymerizing with a Lewis base, and (c) reacting the polymer with a functionalizing agent.
US08981019B2 Method for producing methacrylic-based polymer
There is provided a method capable of producing a methacrylic-based polymer excellent in pyrolysis resistance and excellent in fabricability in a high productivity. The method for producing a methacrylic-based polymer includes the following steps (1) and (2): step (1) of using a complete mixing reactor (A) to thereby obtain the first syrup, including specific steps; step (2) of using a reaction apparatus (D) including a plug flow mixer (B) and a plug flow reactor (C) to thereby obtain the second syrup, including specific steps.
US08981018B2 Internal material condition monitoring for control
The condition of internal or hidden material layers or interfaces is monitored and used for control of a process that changes a condition of a material system. The material system has multiple component materials, such as layers or embedded constituents, or can be represented with multiple layers to model spatial distributions in the material properties. The material condition changes as a result of a process performed on the material, such as by cold working, or from functional operation. Sensors placed proximate to the test material surface or embedded between material layers are used to monitor a material property using magnetic, electric, or thermal interrogation fields. The sensor responses are converted into states of the material condition, such as temperature or residual stress, typically with a precomputed database of sensor responses. The sensor responses can also be used to determine properties of the test material, such as electrical conductivity or magnetic permeability, prior to conversion to the material state. The states are used to support control decisions that control the process or operation causing the material condition to change.
US08981017B2 Polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane copolymer, process for production of the copolymer, and polycarbonate resin containing the copolymer
The present invention is a polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane copolymer (A-1) comprising a polycarbonate block composed of a specific structural unit and a polyorganosiloxane block composed of a specific structural unit, wherein (1) the content of the polyorganosiloxane block portion is 1 to 30% by mass, (2) the average number of the repeating structural units represented by the general formula (II) is 70 to 1000, (3) the viscosity-average molecular weight of the copolymer is 13000 to 26000, and (4) the content of the phenol residue having an allyl group in the copolymer is 400 ppm by mass or less, the copolymer providing a molded article having excellent thermal stability and excellent color tone after even when the molding is carried out at high temperature; a process for production of the copolymer; and a polycarbonate resin using the polycarbonate-polyorganosiloxane copolymer.
US08981012B2 Modified polydicyclopentadienes
The present invention provides novel, modified polydicyclopentadienes and methods to prepare modified polydicyclopentadienes. The modified polydicyclopentadienes prepared by the methods of the invention are useful in many applications including new and useful solid phases for chromatography.
US08981006B2 Method for manufacturing rubber composition, rubber composition, and tire using same
The present invention is a method for manufacturing a rubber composition containing a rubber component, a resin, a reinforcing filler and a crosslinking agent, and the method contains: a first step of adding the resin to the rubber component to produce a master batch; a second step of kneading the master batch with the reinforcing filler to produce a filled master batch; and a third step of kneading the filled master batch with the crosslinking agent, thereby providing a rubber composition having higher elasticity and large breaking elongation.
US08981004B2 Nano alumina or silica dispersed in polystyrene
Disclosed is a method of making a polystyrene based nanocomposite by combining a monomer with a nanoparticle to form a mixture and subjecting the mixture to polymerization conditions to produce a polymeric composite. In an embodiment the nanoparticle has been treated with an additive prior to combining with the monomer and the additive contains a silane moiety.
US08981003B2 Biorenewable copolyester thermoplastic elastomers
A thermoplastic elastomer compound is disclosed having copolyester elastomer, epoxidized soybean oil, and vulcanized vegetable oil. The compound has a biorenewable content of at least about 50 weight percent of the compound. The compound can be used to make a plastic article needing a Shore A hardness of from about 40 to about 70. The compound is a sustainable solution for extruded or molded articles.
US08981001B2 Method for the preparation of high molecular weight oligo(alkylene glycol) functionalized polyisocyanopeptides
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of oligo(alkylene glycol) functionalized polyisocyanopeptides comprising the steps of functionalizing an isocyanopeptide with oligo-(alkylene glycol) side chains and subsequently polymerizing the oligo-alkylene glycol functionalized isocyanopeptides. Several isocyanopeptide may be functionalized with various linear or non-linear oligo-(alkylene glycol) side chains having variable chain length. The alkylene glycol may be selected from the group consisting of ethylene-, propylene-, butylene- or pentylene glycol. Preferably the isocyanopeptides are functionalized with at least 3 ethylene glycol side chains. The peptides may comprise L aminoacids, D-aminoacids or D, L-aminoacids. The obtained oligoalkylene functionalized polyisocyanopeptides are a new class of materials with unique thermo-responsive properties.
US08981000B2 High styrene high vinyl styrene-butadiene rubber and methods for preparation thereof
A polymer has at least the following characteristics: (a) a block styrene content containing 4 to 6 styrene units from about 27 to about 50 weight percent based on total styrene content in the polymer; (b) a vinyl content from about 30 to about 80 weight percent based on total amount of polymerized 1,3-butadiene; and (c) a styrene content from about 40 to about 70 weight percent based on total weight of polymer. Processes for the polymerization of such a polymer, compositions containing such a polymer, and articles containing at least one component formed from such a composition are described.
US08980999B2 Functional materials having a controllable viscosity or reversible crosslinking via aza Diels-Alder reactions with bishydrazones or conjugated bis-Schiff bases
The present invention relates to innovative materials which are reversibly crosslinkable by means of a thermoreversible mechanism and/or whose viscosity is reversibly adjustable. Through the use of bishydrazones or conjugated bis-Schiff bases as diene components in aza-Diels-Alder reactions, functional materials are generated that feature controllable viscosity and/or reversible crosslinking.
US08980994B2 Elastic film/fiber formulations
The present invention relates to elastic film formulations that have surprisingly high tensile strengths in addition to good viscosity stability and are based on a blend of two styrene block copolymers, namely, styrene-isoprene/butadiene-styrene and styrene-butadiene-styrene. The blend of these two styrenic block copolymers in the range set forth and described herein yield high tensile strength that is at least 50% higher than that of the prior art based styrenic block copolymers and have good viscosity stability. Moreover, the present invention relates to a blend of two different styrene block copolymers that can be made by dry blending the block copolymer components. Then the blend can be extruded into uncross-linked film, fiber, or plurality of fibers.
US08980992B2 Low radio frequency loss, static dissipative adhesives
An adhesive including an amorphous carbon dispersed in a cyanate ester resin, wherein the adhesive has static dissipative properties and low radio frequency loss properties.
US08980991B2 Intermediate transfer members comprised of hydrophobic carbon nanotubes
Exemplary embodiments provide intermediate transfer members that can be used in electrostatographic devices and methods for using them in forming an image. The disclosed intermediate transfer members can include a plurality of nanotubes with high electrical conductivity, high thermal conductivity, and/or low humidity sensitivity. The hydrophobicity of the nanotubes can be controlled by covalently grafting hydrophobic components onto one or more nanotubes; surface treating one or more nanotubes; and encapsulating one or more nanotubes with hydrophobic components. In an exemplary embodiment, the nanotubes can be dispersed in polymer matrices and/or formed on the surface of polymer matrices of the intermediate transfer members. The intermediate transfer members can take various forms of belts, sheets, webs, films, rolls, tubes or any shape that can provide a smooth surface and rotatable function.
US08980990B2 Rubber composition
The present invention provides a rubber composition containing: (A) a rubber component containing 10% by mass or more of at least one kind of rubber selected from diene rubber synthesized by emulsion polymerization and natural rubber and 90% by mass or less of another kind of diene rubber; (B) silica having a n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) adsorption specific surface area of 140 m2/g or more and less than 180 m2/g measured according to a method described in ASTM D3765-92; (C) at least one silane coupling agent selected from a polysulfide compound and a thioester compound; and (D) a vulcanization accelerator, the rubber composition after vulcanization having an average aggregated aggregate area (nm2) of the silica of 2,300 or less, and thus provides a rubber composition that is improved in low-heat-generation property.
US08980988B2 Rubber composition
The present invention provides a rubber composition containing: (A) a rubber component containing from 90 to 100% by mass of at least one kind of diene rubber synthesized by solution polymerization and from 0 to 10% by mass of another kind of diene rubber; (B) a silica having a n-hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) adsorption specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more measured according to a method described in ASTM D3765-92; (C) at least one silane coupling agent selected from a polysulfide compound and a thioester compound; and (D) a vulcanization accelerator, the rubber composition after vulcanization having an average aggregated aggregate area (nm2) of the silica of 1,700 or less, and thus provides a rubber composition that is improved in low-heat-generation property.
US08980985B2 Temporary fixing composition
In the past, it was difficult to fix an adherend sufficiently during polishing processing and to peel off the adherend conveniently.Provided is a non-reactive temporary fixing composition for plane polishing having a shear stress strength of not less than 0.05 MPa and a normal stress strength of less than 100 N.
US08980983B2 Highly flexible, halogen-free and fire-resistant thermoplastic cable mixtures
Compositions comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer as component A, at least one C2-C4-α-olefin-vinyl acetate copolymer having vinyl acetate content of >40% by weight as component B, at least one plastomer produced via metallocene catalysis and based on ethylene and on at least one C4-C8-olefin as component C, where component C differs from component A, at least one polyolefin homo- or copolymer modified with an unsaturated carboxylic acid or with a derivative thereof, as component D, at least one flame retardant as component E, and also optionally one or more further auxiliaries and additives, a process for producing the compositions of the invention, the use of the compositions of the invention as insulation materials or, respectively, sheathing materials for cables or lines, insulation materials or, respectively, sheathing materials for cables or lines, comprising the composition of the invention, and also cables or lines which comprise the composition of the invention.
US08980981B2 Hot-melt adhesive composition intended to form a film suitable for wrapping a hot-melt adhesive product, and its use
A hot-melt adhesive composition intended to form a film: a) from 20 to 60% by weight of a styrene block copolymer; b) from 5 to 50% by weight of a particular tackifying resin; c) from 10 to 40% of a Fischer-Tropsch type wax; and d) from 1 to 30% of a polyethylene wax and/or at least one polyolefin polymerized by metallocene catalysis; said composition having a Brookfield viscosity at 180° C. from 3,000 to 70,000 mPa·s, a softening point of 80 at 130° C., and a modulus of elasticity at 60° C. of 2×105 to 108 Pa. A film for hot-melt adhesive product constituted by a hot-melt adhesive material of such a composition. A ready-to-use hot-melt adhesive product and its production, said hot-melt adhesive product having a coating constituted by such a film.
US08980978B2 Polymeric nanocomposites and processes for making the same
The present invention relates to processes to produce nanocomposites. In particular, the invention relates to solution processes using organic solvents and mixtures of solvents to produce polymeric nanocomposites.
US08980973B2 Siloxane compounds containing composition, method of production and use thereof
The invention relates to a composition for taking dental impressions, the composition comprising a siloxane component (A) comprising terminal vinyl groups, a siloxane component (B) comprising Si—H groups, a catalyst (C) being able to catalyze a curing reaction between components (A) and (B) and a silicone oil (D), wherein the silicone oil has a viscosity at 23 DEG C of at least about 600,000 mPa*s and is present in an amount from about 1 to about 20 wt.% with respect to the weight of the whole composition. The invention also relates to a method of producing such a composition and a method for adjusting the Shore hardness A of a composition.
US08980970B2 Radiation-curing binders and a process for their preparation
The invention relates to a process for preparing binders which contain 1) allophanate groups, 2) groups that react with ethylenically unsaturated compounds with polymerization on exposure to actinic radiation (radiation-curing groups) and 3) optionally NCO-reactive groups, by reacting at temperatures ≦130° C. A) one or more NCO-functional compounds containing uretdione groups with B) one or more compounds that contain isocyanate-reactive groups and groups that react with ethylenically unsaturated compounds with polymerization on exposure to actinic radiation (radiation-curing groups), and then C) with one or more saturated, hydroxyl-containing compounds other than B), at least one of these compounds having an OH functionality of ≧2, in the presence of D) a catalyst containing one or more zinc compounds, the reaction with compounds C) taking place at least proportionally with the formation of allophanate groups. The present invention also relates to the binders obtained by the process of the invention.
US08980969B2 Addition-fragmentation agents
Addition-fragmentation agents of the formula are disclosed having the following functional groups: 1) a labile addition-fragmentation group that can cleave and reform to relieve strain, 2) a free-radically polymerizable group, and 3) a surface-modifying functional group that associates with the surface of a substrate.
US08980964B2 Renewable polyester film having a low modulus and high tensile elongation
A film that is formed from a thermoplastic composition is provided. The thermoplastic composition contains a rigid renewable polyester and a polymeric toughening additive. The toughening additive can be dispersed as discrete physical domains within a continuous matrix of the renewable polyester. An increase in deformation force and elongational strain causes debonding to occur in the renewable polyester matrix at those areas located adjacent to the discrete domains. This can result in the formation of a plurality of voids adjacent to the discrete domains that can help to dissipate energy under load and increase tensile elongation. To even further increase the ability of the film to dissipate energy in this manner, the present inventors have discovered that an interphase modifier may be employed that reduces the degree of friction between the toughening additive and renewable polyester and thus reduces the stiffness (tensile modulus) of the film.
US08980963B2 Melt processable composition from recycled multi-layer articles containing a fluoropolymer layer
The invention relates to an article that has been obtained by the melt-process recycling of one or more multi-layer articles, where the multi-layer articles are composed of at least one melt-processible polyvinylidene fluoride layer. The composition of the invention is a compatible blend of the different layers from the multi-layer articles. The other layers of the multi-layer articles are also melt-processible, and include one or more layers chosen from: a) a melt-processible fluoropolymer of a different composition, b) a non-fluoropolymer, and c) a barrier layer. The composition is useful for forming an article in a melt-process operation. The composition may be used by itself, may be blended with other virgin or recycled materials, or may be used at low levels with melt-processible polymers as a process aid.
US08980958B2 Method for producing emulsion and thereby obtained emulsion
A method for producing an emulsion is provided. At least a fluid to be processed that forms continuous phase and a fluid to be processed that forms dispersed phase are mixed in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces arranged to be opposite to each other so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, whereby the emulsion having variation coefficient of 0.3 to 30% in a particle size distribution is obtained.
US08980955B2 Small molecule inhibitors of replication protein A that also act synergistically with cisplatin
Replication protein A (RPA) is a single-strand DNA-binding protein with essential roles in DNA replication, recombination and repair. Small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) with the ability to disrupt RPA binding activity to ssDNA have been identified and assessed using both lung and ovarian cancer cell lines. Lung cancer cell lines demonstrated increased apoptotic cell death following treatment with the SMI MCI13E, with IC50 values of ˜5 μM. The A2780 ovarian cancer cell line and the p53-null lung cancer cell line HI 299 were particularly sensitive to MCI13E treatment with IC50 values below 3 μM. Sequential treatment with MCI13E and cisplatin resulted in synergism, suggesting that decreasing RPA's DNA binding activity via a SMI may disrupt RPA's role in cell cycle regulation. Thus, RPA SMIs hold the potential to be used as single agent chemotherapeutics or in combination with current chemotherapeutic regimens to increase their efficacy.
US08980949B2 Lipid compositions for the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders and the promotion of intestinal development and maturation
The present invention provides a use of a lipid composition for the preparation of a nutritional, pharmaceutical or nutraceutical composition or a functional food, for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases and disorders, and for promoting intestinal development, maturation, adaptation and differentiation.
US08980948B2 Topical application of travoprost for combating hair loss
Travoprost medicament compositions for non-daily topical application are useful for simulating or inducing the growth and/or decreasing the loss and/or increasing the density and/or reducing the heterogeneity in the diameter of human hair shafts/follicles, e.g., for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, such medicament compositions being at least twice applied over a time interval of greater than 24 hours.
US08980947B2 Curing accelerator and method of making
A sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition including a cyanoacrylate composition and a cure speed enhancer, wherein the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition does not cure upon sterilization. A kit for applying the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition, including the cyanoacrylate adhesive composition and an applicator. A method of making the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition, by adding a cure speed enhancer to a cyanoacrylate adhesive composition and sterilizing the composition. A method of applying the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition to tissue by applying the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition as a liquid, and quickly curing the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition. A method of sealing tissue by applying the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition as a liquid to tissue to be sealed, quickly curing the sterilized cyanoacrylate adhesive composition, and sealing the tissue.
US08980937B2 Insecticidal aryl pyrrolidines
The present invention provides novel aryl pyrrolidines having an excellent insecticidal action as insecticides. Aryl pyrrolidines represented by the formula (I) and use thereof as insecticide.
US08980917B2 Methods for treating or preventing brain infections
The invention is directed to methods of treating organ specific infections in a host organism by administering compounds that target host receptors and/or host cellular signaling molecules to prevent a pathogen from infecting the organ. For example, the administration of a compound to prevent a pathogen from crossing the blood-brain barrier to prevent a brain infection.
US08980915B2 Inhibitors of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein and apo-B secretion
The present invention relates to compounds which are inhibitors of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein and/or apolipoprotein B (Apo B) secretion. These compounds can be useful for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, particularly atherosclerosis and its clinical sequelae, for lowering serum lipids, and related ailments. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and to methods of treating diseases, such as hypertriglyceridemia, hyperchylomicronemia, atherosclerosis, obesity, and related conditions using the compounds. A method for decreasing apolipoprotein B (apo B) secretion is also provided.
US08980914B2 Therapeutic agent for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and method for treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with the same
This therapeutic agent for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comprises, an active ingredient, at least one of a 7-aminoquinolinone derivative represented by the general formula (I): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R2 and R3 each represents a group selected from a hydrogen atom, an acyl group, an alkyl group and an alkenyl group; and R4 and R5 each represents a group selected from a hydrogen atom, an acyl group, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group and an aralkyl group, and its physiologically acceptable salt.
US08980905B2 Benzodioxole or benzodioxepine heterocyclic compounds as phosphodiesterase inhibitors
Compounds of the general formula (I) wherein each of m and n is independently 0 or 1; R1 and R2, together with the carbon atom to which they are attached, form a heterocyclic ring comprising one or two heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur, —S(O)— and —S(O)2—; R3 is —CHF2, —CF3, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —SCHF2 or —SCF3; X is a bond, —CH2—, or —NH—; A is aryl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl or heterocycloalkenyl, optionally substituted with one or more, same or different substituents selected from R4; and R4 is hydrogen, amino, thioxo, alkyl, haloalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, halogen, oxo, thia, or hydroxy; or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates or solvates thereof, have been found to exhibit PDE4 inhibiting activity, and may therefore be useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and disorders.
US08980900B2 Method for treating pain syndrome and other disorders
The present invention provides the use of certain compounds to treat peripheral or central pain syndrome and other disorders associated with the T-type calcium ion channels.
US08980899B2 Methods of inhibiting Ire1
Disclosed herein are, inter alia, methods for inhibiting Ire1 activity.
US08980898B2 Dendrimer like amino amides possessing sodium channel blocker activity for the treatment of dry eye and other mucosal diseases
Sodium channel blockers represented by the formula: are provided where the structural variables are defined herein. The invention also includes a variety of compositions, combinations and methods of treatment using these inventive sodium channel blockers.
US08980897B2 Benzenesulfonamide compounds, method for synthesizing same, and use thereof in medicine as well as in cosmetics
Benzenesulfonamide compounds having a structure of formula (I) are described. Also described, are methods for synthesizing the compounds and to the use thereof in pharmaceutical compositions for human or veterinary medicine and in cosmetic compositions.
US08980895B2 AMPK modulators
The present invention relates to compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters and prodrugs of Formula (I) or (II): which are useful as AMPK modulators effective in treating diabetes, obesity and cancer in a subject.
US08980893B2 Antiparisitic dihydroazole compounds and compositions comprising same
The present invention relates to novel dihydroazole of formula (I) and salts thereof: Wherein R1, A1, A2, G, X and Y are as defined in the description, compositions thereof, processes for their preparation and their uses to prevent or treat parasitic infections or infestations in animals and as pesticides.
US08980890B2 Compositions and methods of treating cell proliferation disorders
The invention relates to compounds and methods for treating cell proliferation disorders.
US08980884B2 Methods for treating Alzheimer's disease
Pharmaceutical compositions for treating Alzheimer's disease are disclosed. The pharmaceutical compositions include a compound having the general formula: and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods for treating Alzheimer's disease, inhibiting ATase I and/or ATase 2, reducing the activity of BACE1, reducing the level of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), and/or reducing the level of APP intracellular domain peptide (AICD) by administering such compositions are also disclosed.
US08980883B2 Arylpiperazine derivatives and methods of utilizing same
The present invention provides arylpiperazine derivatives which can be advantageously used for treating schizophrenia and related psychoses such as acute manic, bipolar disorder, autistic disorder, and depression.
US08980882B2 Pharmaceutical preparation comprising permethylated cyclodextrin
The invention relates to a pharmaceutical preparation for applying a pharmaceutical agent. According to the invention, the preparation contains: a) a pharmaceutical agent which has an aromatic group or an aromatic part and the molecule of which has a maximum diameter of ≦2 nm; b) a permethylated cyclodextrin having a degree of substitution of 3 methyl groups per glucopyranose unit. The permethylated cyclodextrin and the pharmaceutical agent form a complex.
US08980878B2 Compounds and methods for antiviral treatment
Compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters and compositions thereof, for treating viral infections are provided. The compounds and compositions are useful for treating Pneumovirinae virus infections. The compounds, compositions, and methods provided are particularly useful for the treatment of Human respiratory syncytial virus infections.
US08980876B2 Inhibition of microbial growth by aconitase inhibition
The present invention is directed to a method of inhibiting aconitase activity of fungal cells in an individual, the method comprising administering an inhibitor of aconitase activity to the fungal cell in an amount effective to inhibit activity of aconitase by said fungal cells.
US08980872B2 Agent for preventing and/or treating functional gastrointestinal disorder
A method for preventing and/or treating a functional gastrointestinal disorder, comprising administering, to a subject with the functional gastrointestinal disorder, rifaximin as an effective ingredient. The functional gastroinstestinal disorder includes a functional esophageal disorder, a functional gastroduodenal disorder (e.g., a functional dyspepsia), a functional bowel disorder (e.g., a functional bloating, a functional diarrhea), a functional abdominal pain syndrome, a functional gallbladder and Sphincter of Oddi disorder, a functional anorectal disorder (e.g., a functional fecal incontinence, a functional anorectal pain, a functional defecation disorder), a functional disorder in neonates and toddlers (e.g., an infant functional diarrhea), a functional disorder in children and adolescents (e.g., a childhood functional abdominal pain, a childhood nonretentive fecal incontinence), and other diseases.
US08980871B2 Methods of treatment for hemolysis
Provided herein are methods of treating hemolysis by administering an active compound in an amount sufficient to treat said hemolysis. It has been found that nitroxyl donors or similar compounds preferentially react with cell-free OxyHb, as compared to OxyHb encapsulated in a red blood cell, and reacts with MetHb to form iron-nitrosyl Hb or nitrite bound MetHb. It has also been found that such compounds reduce cell-free Hb and hemolysis. Active compounds are also contemplated for use in combination therapies, for example, in combination with the administration of red blood cells and/or an agent that promotes hematopoiesis, or in combination with the administration of a nitric oxide donor.
US08980865B2 Substituted nucleotide analogs
Disclosed herein are phosphorothioate nucleotide analogs, such as thiophosphoroamidate prodrugs and thiophosphates (including α-thiomonophosphates, α-thiodiphosphates, and α-thiotriphosphates), methods of synthesizing phosphorothioate nucleotide analogs, such as thiophosphoramidate prodrugs, and thiophosphates and methods of treating viral infections, such as HCV, cancer, and/or parasitic diseases with the phosphorothioate nucleotide analogs, such as thiophosphoramidate prodrugs, and thiophosphates.
US08980864B2 Compositions and methods of altering cholesterol levels
The present invention relates to compositions, methods and kits using polynucleotides, primary transcripts and mmRNA molecules.
US08980858B2 Treatment of methionine sulfoxide reductase a (MSRA) related diseases by inhibition of natural antisense transcript to MSRA
The present invention relates to antisense oligonucleotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase A (MSRA), in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase A (MSRA). The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of MSRA.
US08980856B2 Treatment of colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3) related diseases by inhibition of natural antisense transcript to CSF3
The present invention relates to antisense oligonucleotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of Colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3), in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of Colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3). The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of CSF3.
US08980855B2 Minor groove binder (MGB)-oligonucleotide miRNA antagonists
Compositions and methods for inhibiting the actions of non-coding RNAs such as miRNAs and piRNAs are provided. The compositions comprise single or double stranded oligonucleotides conjugated with Minor Groove Binders (“MGBs”). The oligonucleotides can vary in length, can contain nucleotides having one or more modifications, and have regions that are substantially complementary to one or more mature miRNAs or piRNAs.
US08980854B2 miRNA compounds for treatment of prostate carcinoma
The invention inter alia relates to new pharmaceutical compositions comprising miRNAs miR-130a, miR-203 and miR-205, and their use for the treatment of cancer, in particular prostate cancer.
US08980853B2 Compositions and methods for modulation of SMN2 splicing in a subject
Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating splicing of SMN2 mRNA in a subject. Also provided are uses of disclosed compounds and compositions in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of diseases and disorders, including spinal muscular atrophy.
US08980852B2 Methods for treating obesity
The present invention provides methods to reduce or inhibit weight gain by administering inhibitors of the SirT1 protein to a subject. Methods to identify such inhibitors are also disclosed.
US08980851B2 Methods for bone treatment by modulating an arachidonic acid metabolic or signaling pathway
Methods for promoting osteogenesis to accelerate or enhance bone fracture healing, treat bone defects, and enhance bone formation are disclosed. The methods modulate an arachidonic acid metabolic or signaling pathway in general, and, in particular, utilize 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors. These molecules can be delivered alone or in combination with one or more agents that inhibit bone resorption, regulate calcium resorption from bone, enhance bone accumulation, enhance bone formation, induce bone formation, impair growth of microorganisms, reduce inflammation, and/or reduce pain.
US08980850B2 Administration of a NEDD8-activating enzyme inhibitor and hypomethylating agent
The present disclosure relates to methods for the treatment of cancer in patients in recognized need of such treatment. The methods comprise administering to such a patient an NAE inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, such as ((1S,2S,4R)-4-(4-((1S)-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-ylamino)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-yl)-2-hydroxycyclopentyl)methyl sulfamate (MLN4924) or {(1S,2S,4R)-4-[(6-{[(1R,2S)-5-chloro-2-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-yl]amino}pyrimidin-4-yl)oxy]-2-hydroxycyclopentyl}methyl sulfamate (I-216), and a hypomethylating agent or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, such as azacitidine or decitabine. Also disclosed are medicaments for use in the treatment of cancer.
US08980849B2 Compositions and methods for treating pulmonary hypertension
The present invention relates to methods of treating pulmonary hypertension in a subject including administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of at least one anthracycline.
US08980848B2 Flavonoid dimers and their use
This invention relates to bis-flavonoid compounds, their synthesis and use for inhibiting multidrug resistance in chemotherapy and protozoan infection, wherein the bis-flavonoids compounds have the formula:
US08980847B2 Method for treating varicocele or male infertility using anthocyanin extracted from black soybean
The present invention relates to the therapeutic or ameliorating effects of anthocyanin extracted from black soybean on varicocele or male infertility. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for treating or ameliorating varicocele or male infertility using anthocyanin extracted from black soybean.
US08980845B2 Biotechnological production of cyanophycin dipeptides
The present invention relates to a process for the enzymatic production of a dipeptide composition from a cyanophycin (CGP) or CGP-like polymer preparation by degrading the polymer preparation with an CGPase, a CGPase particularly adapted for said process, and the use of cyanophycin (CGP) or CGP-like polymers or fragments thereof, notably a dipeptide composition obtained by the process as defined above, as pharmaceutical composition, medicament, or as food or feed substitute.
US08980838B2 Cyclized peptidomimetic small molecule inhibitors of the WDR5 and MLL1 interaction
Cyclic peptidomimetics that inhibit the interaction between MLL1 and WDR5 are disclosed. Methods of inhibiting MLL1 activity and methods of treating cancers also are disclosed.
US08980837B2 Inhibitors of IAP
The invention provides novel inhibitors of IAP that are useful as therapeutic agents for treating malignancies where the compounds have the general formula I: wherein X, Y, A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R4′, R5, R5′, R6 and R6′ are as described herein.
US08980836B2 Method of treating degenerative disorders of the nervous system
The invention herein related to methods and compositions for treating nervous system disorders. The methods comprise administration of antibodies directed towards peptides that bind to receptors important in disease progression, thus attenuating the disease.
US08980828B2 Combination of insulin with triazine derivatives and its use for treating diabetes
The invention relates to a composition for use as a medicament comprising insulin in combination with at least one compound of formula (I) wherein the radicals R1 to R6 have the meaning according to claim 1, and/or physiologically acceptable salts thereof. Another object of the invention concerns a pharmaceutical composition comprising as active ingredients effective amounts of insulin and at least one compound of formula (I), together with pharmaceutically tolerable adjuvants, for the prophylactic or therapeutic treatment and/or monitoring of physiological and/or pathological conditions that are associated with insulin resistance. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical package comprising insulin in a first dosage unit and at least one compound of formula (I) in a second dosage unit.
US08980823B2 Formulations of Factor VIIa inhibitors and utility
A method for treating a subject, such as a human patient, having a vascular disorder. The treatment method administers a therapeutic effective amount of a nanoparticle or a chemical structure to the subject to treat the disorders. The nanoparticle includes a poly L-arginine polymer and a Factor VIIa inhibitor conjugated to, or encapsulated in, the poly L-arginine polymer. The chemical structure includes a Factor VIIa inhibitor that includes at least one nitric oxide (NO) donor. The disorder may be sickle cell disease; stimulated or pathological angiogenesis associated disorders, cancer, ocular angiogenesis-mediated disorders such as diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, coagulation and/or platelet activation-associated disorders, pulmonary hypertension, or combinations thereof.
US08980821B2 Treatment with a pharmaceutical composition comprising MANF2 necleic acid
A method for treating a condition in a patient, wherein the condition is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke and peripheral neuropathy. The method consists of administering to the patient a pharmaceutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising the MANF2 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 or a functional fragment thereof.
US08980820B2 Fatty acid binding proteins as drug targets for endocannabinoids
The invention provides a method of modulating the level of an endocannabinoid in a subject in need thereof comprising administering an effective amount of an agent that inhibits the interaction of the endocannabinoid with an intracellular fatty acid binding protein (FABP). The invention also provides a method of identifying an agent for modulating the level of an endocannabinoid in a subject comprising testing the agent for its ability to modulate binding of the endocannabinoid with an intracellular FABP. The invention also provides a method of identifying an agent for modulating the level of an endocannabinoid in a subject comprising testing the agent for its ability to modulate expression of an intracellular FABP. The invention also provides a method of identifying an agent for treatment of a neurological disorder comprising testing the agent for its ability to modulate the interaction of an endocannabinoid with an intracellular FABP. The invention also relates to modulation of levels of fatty acid amides for treatment or amelioration of diseases or disorders by modulating binding of the fatty acid amides to fatty acid binding proteins. In one embodiment, the fatty acid binding protein is one or more of FABP3, FABP5, and FABP7. In one embodiment, the level of an endocannabinoid is modulated.
US08980819B2 4(3)-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-3-cyclohexene-1-carbonitrile
A compound and a fragrance composition containing the same are provided, wherein the compound has a citrus odor in addition to a muguet odor, which is useful as a fragrance, is stable in an aqueous vehicle, and can provide a bright muguet odor with good fragrance retention by being blended with another fragrance. Particularly, they are 4(3)-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-3-cyclohexene-1-carbonitrile and a fragrance composition containing 4(3)-(4-hydroxy-4-methylpentyl)-3-cyclohexene-1-carbonitrile.
US08980818B2 Low streak degreasing composition
The present invention relates to an aqueous composition comprising three components. The first component is a primary detergent, non-ionic surfactant with a critical packing parameters (CPP) of ≧0.95. The second component is a inorganic particle whose surface has been modified to improve stability. The third necessary component is a secondary surfactant with a CPP of ≦0.85. The secondary surfactant can function to improve the overall cleaning performance, the streaking performance and provide overall formulation stability.
US08980814B2 Automatic dishwashing detergent composition
An automatic dishwashing detergent composition comprising: a. at least 0.1 mg of active protease per gram of composition, wherein the protease is a variant of a protease that has at least 70% identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. wherein said variant comprise variations in one or more of the following positions: 32, 33, 48-54, 58-62, 94-107, 116, 123-133, 150, 152-156, 158-161, 164, 169, 175-186, 197, 198, 203-216 as compared with the protease in SEQ ID NO:1; and b. at least 0.05 mg of an active low temperature amylase per gram of composition.
US08980813B2 Cleaning composition having high self-adhesion on a vertical hard surface and providing residual benefits
A composition for treating a hard surface. The composition has: (a) at least one adhesion promoter; (b) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of: anionic, non-ionic, cationic, amphoteric, zwitterionic, and combinations thereof; (c) mineral oil; (d) water; (e) optionally, at least one solvent; and wherein the composition is self-adhering upon application to a surface to be treated, and wherein the composition provides a wet film to said surface when water passes over said composition and surface.
US08980812B2 Treatment liquid for inhibiting pattern collapse in microstructures, and microstructure manufacturing method using said treatment liquid
There are provided a processing liquid for suppressing pattern collapse of a microstructure which includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an imidazolium halide containing an alkyl group having 12, 14 or 16 carbon atoms, a pyridinium halide containing an alkyl group having 14 or 16 carbon atoms and an ammonium halide containing an alkyl group having 16 or 18 carbon atoms, and water; and a method for producing a microstructure formed of silicon oxide using the processing liquid.
US08980806B2 Preparation of a post-treated molybdenum amide additive composition and lubricating oil compositions containing same
The invention is directed to oil soluble additive compositions, lubricating oil compositions, and additive concentrates comprising the salt of (1) a molybdenum oxide, sulfide, or oxysulfide; (2) an amide reaction product of a carboxylic acid component and a polyamine component wherein the charge mole ratio (CMR) of the carboxylic acid component to the polyamine component is about 2:1 to 1:1; and (3) a post-treating agent.
US08980802B2 Chemically-modified mixed fuels, methods of production and uses thereof
A chemically-modified mixed fuel includes methane gas from at least two methane-production sources and can be utilized in any process that incorporates a Kellogg Primary Reformer. A method for producing the chemically-modified mixed fuel described herein includes providing a first methane-containing gas from a first methane-production source, providing a second methane-containing gas from a second methane-production source and blending the first methane-containing gas with the second methane-containing gas at a suitable pressure to form a chemically-modified mixed fuel. In some cases, at least one additional methane-containing gas can be provided from at least one additional methane-production source and blended with the chemically-modified fuel.
US08980795B2 Strigolactone analogues and their use
Novel compounds of formula (I) their use as germination trap for parasitic weeds, for the regulation of branching, tillering and root development, for enhancement of cambium growth, for the regulation of hyphal growth of mycorrhizal fungi and compositions comprising compounds of formula (I) and insecticides and/or fungicides.
US08980787B2 Method for producing graphite material and graphite material
There is provided a method for producing a graphite material and a graphite material produced by the method The method includes a kneading step of adding a hydrophobic binding material to a first carbonaceous raw material containing coke powder, followed by heat kneading to obtain a mixture, a pulverizing step of pulverizing the mixture obtained in the kneading step to obtain a second carbonaceous raw material, a granulating step of obtaining a granulated powder using the second carbonaceous raw material obtained in the pulverizing step, a hydrophilic binding material and a solvent, a molding step of subjecting the granulated powder obtained in the granulating step to cold isostatic press molding to obtain a molded body, a burning step of burning the molded body obtained in the molding step to obtain a burnt product, and a graphitizing step of graphitizing the burnt product obtained in the burning step.
US08980786B2 Metal oxide-platinum compound catalyst and method for producing same
The present invention relates to a metal oxide-platinum compound catalyst comprising 5 to 95 parts by weight of a metal oxide and 95 to 5 parts by weight of platinum as the balance. The platinum has a form to reticulately cover at least a part of a particle of the metal oxide. The wires constituting the platinum mesh have an average wire diameter of 5 nm or smaller.
US08980778B2 Mold system for casting of reactive alloys
The present invention relates to novel binder and slurry formulations used to form molds for casting metal alloys and, more particularly, reactive metal alloys. The shell molds lead to more uniform castings which exhibit limited alpha case as compared to other currently available shell mold systems.
US08980775B2 Powder for glass-ceramic dry refractory material
The invention relates to a powder comprising more than 70% of glass-ceramic and/or refractory particles, a particle of said powder being classed in the fraction called “matrix” or in the fraction called “aggregate” according to whether it is smaller than, or equal to 100 μm, or bigger than 100 μm, respectively, the aggregate, representing more than 60% of the powder, comprising: more than 40% of particles of a glass-ceramic material having a crystallization rate of higher than 50% and a thermal expansion value, measured at 700° C., of less than 0.3%, called “glass-ceramic grains”; less than 35% of particles of a refractory material different from a glass-ceramic material, called “refractory grains”, the quantity of refractory grains being higher than 10% if the aggregate comprises more than 40% of glass-ceramic grains having a thermal expansion value, measured at 700° C., of less than or equal to 0.15%; the matrix, representing more than 10% of the powder, comprising: less than 30% of particles of a refractory material different from a glass-ceramic material, called “fine refractory particles”, the quantity of fine refractory particles being higher than 5% and preferably lower than 25%, if the quantity of glass-ceramic grains having a crystallization rate of lower than 75% is higher than 5%; and between 0.1% and 18% of particles of a heat-activatable binder; all of the percentages being weight percentages in relation to the weight of the powder.
US08980773B2 Shaped body armor and method of making
This invention pertains to an article for use in body armor, comprising a plurality of discrete sheet subassemblies contoured to the shape of a female breast arranged in a stack, without bonding, such that the breast contours are positioned on top of each other, each of the subassemblies comprising at least two nonwoven layers of high tenacity yarns such as par-aramid, a binder and a resin.
US08980772B2 Barrier fabric
A barrier fabric with a nano-fibrous layer for mechanical retention of organic substances formed by a sandwich structure containing a basic material from unwoven fabric of “spunbond” type with areal weight of 15 to 50 g/m2 to which at least one nano-fibrous layer is arranged, selected from hydrophilic polymer, a hydrophobic polymer, or in the case of double-layer arrangement, a combination of the hydrophilic polymer in one layer and the hydrophobic polymer in the other layer. The nano-fibrous layer is equipped with a protective covering layer, and the individual layers of the sandwich are connected to each other. The nano-fibrous layer has an organic polymer material with areal weight of 0.05 to 0.3 g/m2 and thickness from 90 to 150 nm. The covering layer is selected from an unwoven fabric of “spunbond” type, “meltblown” type, cotton textile and/or a mixture of cotton and polyester.
US08980770B2 Composite materials
A composite material, the composite material comprising at least one prepreg, said prepreg comprising at least one polymeric resin and at least one fibrous reinforcement; and conducting particles dispersed in the polymeric resin.
US08980768B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A protective insulation film covering a surface of a compound semiconductor region is formed to have a two-layer structure of a first insulation film and a second insulation film which have different properties. The first insulation film is a non-stoichiometric silicon nitride film while the second insulation film is a silicon nitride film in an almost stoichiometric state.
US08980767B2 Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate disposed in a process chamber includes performing a process on a substrate disposed in a process chamber having a substrate support ring configured to support the substrate and a reflector plate disposed proximate a back side of the substrate; providing a first gas comprising one of an oxygen containing gas or a nitrogen containing gas to a back side of the substrate via one or more through holes disposed in the reflector plate while performing the process on the substrate; and maintaining the process chamber at a first pressure proximate a top surface of the substrate and at a second pressure proximate the bottom surface of the substrate, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure sufficiently to prevent dislodgement of the substrate from the substrate support ring during processing.
US08980764B2 Method and apparatus for plasma dicing a semi-conductor wafer
The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The method comprising providing a process chamber having a wall; providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber; providing a work piece support within the process chamber; placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece work piece; loading the work piece onto the work piece support; providing a cover ring disposed above the work piece; generating a plasma through the plasma source; and etching the work piece through the generated plasma.
US08980761B2 Directional SIO2 etch using low-temperature etchant deposition and plasma post-treatment
Methods for processing a substrate are described herein. Methods can include positioning a substrate comprising silicon in a processing chamber, delivering a plasma to the surface of the substrate while biasing the substrate, exposing the surface of the substrate to ammonium fluoride (NH4F), and annealing the substrate to a first temperature to sublimate one or more volatile byproducts.
US08980760B2 Methods and apparatus for controlling plasma in a process chamber
Methods and apparatus for controlling a plasma are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include supplying a first RF signal having a first frequency and a first period from an RF power source to a first electrode, wherein the first period is a first integer number of first cycles at the first frequency; supplying a second RF signal having a second frequency and a second period from the RF power source to the first electrode, wherein the second period is a second integer number of second cycles at the second frequency and wherein a first multiplicative product of the first frequency and the first integer number is equal to a second multiplicative product of the second frequency and the second integer number; and controlling the phase between the first and second periods to control an ion energy distribution of the plasma formed in a process chamber.
US08980755B2 Method of pattern formation
According to the embodiments, a method for pattern formation includes: creating a first self-assembly material layer which contains a first segment and a second segment, on a substrate on which a guide layer is installed; creating a first self-assembled pattern in which the first self-assembly material layer is phase-separated, the pattern including a first area containing the first segment and a second area containing the second segment; creating a second self-assembly material layer which includes a third segment and a fourth segment, in the first self-assembled pattern; creating a second self-assembled pattern in which the second self-assembly material layer is phase-separated, and which includes a third area containing the third segment and a fourth area containing the fourth segment.
US08980754B2 Method of removing a photoresist from a low-k dielectric film
Methods of removing photoresists from low-k dielectric films are described. For example, a method includes forming and patterning a photoresist layer above a low-k dielectric layer, the low-k dielectric layer disposed above a substrate. Trenches are formed in the exposed portions of the low-k dielectric layer. A plurality of process cycles is performed to remove the photoresist layer. Each process cycle includes forming a silicon source layer on surfaces of the trenches of the low-k dielectric layer, and exposing the photoresist layer to an oxygen source to form an Si—O-containing layer on the surfaces of the trenches of the low-k dielectric layer and to remove at least a portion of the photoresist layer.
US08980752B2 Method of forming a plurality of spaced features
A method of forming a plurality of spaced features includes forming sacrificial hardmask material over underlying material. The sacrificial hardmask material has at least two layers of different composition. Portions of the sacrificial hardmask material are removed to form a mask over the underlying material. Individual features of the mask have at least two layers of different composition, with one of the layers of each of the individual features having a tensile intrinsic stress of at least 400.0 MPa. The individual features have a total tensile intrinsic stress greater than 0.0 MPa. The mask is used while etching into the underlying material to form a plurality of spaced features comprising the underlying material. Other implementations are disclosed.
US08980751B2 Methods and systems of material removal and pattern transfer
Polymerized material on a substrate may be removed by exposure to vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation from an energy source within a gaseous atmosphere of a controlled composition. Following such removal, additional etching techniques are also described for nano-imprinting.
US08980747B2 Method and system for pre-migration of metal ions in a semiconductor package
Pre-migration of metal ions is achieved in a controlled manner to form a migrated metalover which an inhibitor is applied to prevent further migration. In a semiconductor circuit, pre-migration of metal ions is achieved by exposing a joined metal system to water, oxygen and an electrical field in a controlled manner. Conductors, joined to electrically isolating materials, are exposed to electrical fields in such a manner as to form one or more anodes to corresponding cathodes, thus liberating metal ions.The metal ions are then allowed to migrate in a controlled manner from the anode toward the cathode to form a pre-migrated metal. Finally, an inhibitor is applied on top of the pre-migrated metal to prevent further migration.
US08980744B2 Inexpensive electrode materials to facilitate rutile phase titanium oxide
This disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor stack and associated device, such as a capacitor and DRAM cell. In particular, a bottom electrode has a material selected for lattice matching characteristics. This material may be created from a relatively inexpensive metal oxide which is processed to adopt a conductive, but difficult-to-produce oxide state, with specific crystalline form; to provide one example, specific materials are disclosed that are compatible with the growth of rutile phase titanium dioxide (TiO2) for use as a dielectric, thereby leading to predictable and reproducible higher dielectric constant and lower effective oxide thickness and, thus, greater part density at lower cost.
US08980731B2 Methods of forming a semiconductor device
Methods of forming a semiconductor device are provided. The methods may include forming first and second layers that are alternately and repeatedly stacked on a substrate, and forming an opening penetrating the first and second layers. The methods may also include forming a first semiconductor pattern in the opening. The methods may additionally include forming an insulation pattern on the first semiconductor pattern. The methods may further include forming a second semiconductor pattern on the insulation pattern. The methods may also include providing dopants in the first semiconductor pattern. Moreover, the methods may include thermally treating a portion of the first semiconductor pattern to form a third semiconductor pattern.
US08980729B2 Silicon-on-insulator substrate and fabrication method
An SOI substrate and a method for forming the SOI substrate are provided. An SOI substrate can be formed by forming a silicon-germanium layer on a first baseplate. A top silicon layer can be formed on the silicon-germanium layer. A first insulating layer can be formed on the top silicon layer. An ion implanted layer can be formed in one of the silicon-germanium layer and the first baseplate. A second baseplate can be bonded to the first insulating layer. A first annealing process can be performed to anneal and split the one of the silicon-germanium layer and the first baseplate at the ion implanted layer. The silicon-germanium layer can be removed from the top silicon layer to expose the top silicon layer and to form the SOI substrate comprising the first insulating layer formed between the top silicon layer and the second baseplate.
US08980727B1 Substrate patterning using hybrid laser scribing and plasma etching processing schemes
Approaches for patterning semiconductor or other wafers and dies are described. For example, a method of patterning features within a substrate involves forming a mask layer above a surface of a semiconductor or glass substrate. The method also involves laser ablating the mask layer to provide a pattern of openings through the mask layer. The method also involves plasma etching portions of the semiconductor or glass substrate through the pattern of openings to provide a plurality of trenches in the semiconductor or glass substrate. The plurality of trenches has a pattern corresponding to the pattern of openings and comprising a pattern of through-substrate-via openings or redistribution layer (RDL) openings. The method also involves, subsequent to the plasma etching, removing the mask layer.
US08980724B2 Alignment target contrast in a lithographic double patterning process
A system and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device lithographically and an article of manufacture involving a lithographic double patterning process having a dye added to either the first or second lithographic pattern are provided. The dye is used to detect the location of the first lithographic pattern and to directly align the second lithographic pattern to it. The dye may be fluorescent, luminescent, absorbent, or reflective at a specified wavelength or a given wavelength band. The wavelength may correspond to the wavelength of an alignment beam. The dye allows for detection of the first lithographic pattern even when it is over coated with a radiation sensitive-layer (e.g., resist).
US08980718B2 PMOS transistors and fabrication method
A method is provided for fabricating a PMOS transistor. The method includes providing a semiconductor substrate, and forming a dummy gate structure at least having a dummy gate, a high-K dielectric layer, and a sidewall spacer surrounding the high-K dielectric layer and the dummy gate on the semiconductor substrate. The method also includes forming a source region and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate at both sides of the dummy gate structure by an ion implantation process, and performing a first annealing process to enhance the ion diffusion. Further, the method includes forming an interlayer dielectric layer leveling with the surface of the dummy gate, and forming a trench by removing the dummy gate. Further, the method also includes performing a second annealing process, and forming a metal gate in the trench.
US08980715B2 Multilayer dielectric structures for semiconductor nano-devices
Multilayer dielectric structures are provided having silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon oxynitride (SiNO) films for use as capping layers, liners, spacer barrier layers, and etch stop layers, and other components of semiconductor nano-devices. For example, a semiconductor structure includes a multilayer dielectric structure having multiple layers of dielectric material including one or more SiN layers and one or more SiNO layers. The layers of dielectric material in the multilayer dielectric structure have a thickness in a range of about 0.5 nanometers to about 3 nanometers.
US08980714B2 Semiconductor device with buried gate electrode structures
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes introducing at least a first and a second trench pattern from a first surface into a semiconductor substrate. An array isolation region including a portion of the semiconductor substrate separates the first and second trench patterns. At least the first trench pattern includes array trenches and a contact trench which is structurally connected with the array trenches. A buried gate electrode structure is provided in a lower section of the first and second trench patterns in a distance to the first surface. A connection plug is provided between the first surface and the gate electrode structure in the contact trench. Gate electrodes of semiconductor switching devices integrated in the same semiconductor portion can be reliably separated and internal gate electrodes can be effectively connected in a cost-effective manner.
US08980712B2 3D non-volatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A non-volatile memory device having a string of a plurality of memory cells that are serially coupled, wherein the string of memory cells includes a plurality of second channels of a pillar type, a first channel coupling lower end portions of the plurality of the second channels with each other, and a plurality of control gate electrodes surrounding the plurality of the second channels.
US08980707B2 Floating body memory cell having gates favoring different conductivity type regions
A method for fabricating floating body memory cells (FBCs), and the resultant FBCs where gates favoring different conductivity type regions are used is described. In one embodiment, a p type back gate with a thicker insulation is used with a thinner insulated n type front gate. Processing, which compensates for misalignment, which allows the different oxide and gate materials to be fabricated is described.
US08980704B1 Manufacturing method of thin film transistor and display array substrate using same
A manufacturing method of a thin film transistor includes hard-baking and etching processes for a stop layer. Two through holes are exposed and developed in a photoresistor layer, in which a distance between the two through holes is substantially equal to the channel length of the thin film transistor. Further, the etching stop layer is dry-etched to obtain the thin film transistor having an expected channel length.
US08980703B2 Method of forming semiconductor structure
A method of forming a semiconductor structure is provided. A substrate having a cell area and a periphery area is provided. A stacked structure including a gate oxide layer, a floating gate and a first spacer is formed on the substrate in the cell area and a resistor is formed on the substrate in the periphery area. At least two doped regions are formed in the substrate beside the stacked structure. A dielectric material layer and a conductive material layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. A patterned photoresist layer is formed on the substrate to cover the stacked structure and a portion of the resistor. The dielectric material layer and the conductive material layer not covered by the patterned photoresist layer are removed, so as to form an inter-gate dielectric layer and a control gate on the stacked structure, and simultaneously form a salicide block layer on the resistor.
US08980702B2 Method of making a transistor
A method for manufacturing a transistor includes forming a stack of semiconductor on insulator type layers including at least one substrate, surmounted by a first insulating layer and an active layer to form a channel for the transistor; forming a gate stack on the active layer; producing a source and a drain including forming, on either side of the gate stack, cavities by at least one step of etching the active layer, the first insulating layer, and part of the substrate selectively to the gate stack to remove the active layer, the first insulating layer, and a portion of the substrate outside regions situated below the gate stack; forming a second insulating layer on the bared surfaces of the substrate, to form a continuous insulating layer with the first insulating layer; baring of the lateral ends of the channel; and the filling of the cavities by epitaxy.
US08980701B1 Method of forming semiconductor device
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps. At least a fin structure is provided on a substrate and a gate structure partially overlapping the fin structure is formed. Then, a dielectric layer is formed on the substrate. Subsequently, a first etching process is performed to remove apart of the dielectric layer to form a first spacer surrounding the gate structure and a second spacer surrounding a sidewall of the fin structure, and a protective layer is formed in-situ to cover the gate structure and the first spacer. Finally, a second etching process is performed to remove a part of the protective layer and totally remove the second spacer.
US08980698B2 MEMS devices
A method of manufacturing a MEMS device comprises forming a MEMS device element 14. A sacrificial layer 20 is provided over the device element and a package cover layer 24 is provided over the sacrificial layer. A spacer layer 13 is formed over the sacrificial layer and is etched to define spacer portions adjacent an outer side wall of the sacrificial layer. These improve the hermetic sealing of the side walls of the cover layer 24.
US08980694B2 Fabricating method of MPS-C2 package utilized form a flip-chip carrier
Disclosed are a flip-chip carrier having individual pad masks (IPMs) and a fabricating method of a MPS-C2 package utilized from the same. The flip-chip carrier primarily comprises a substrate and a plurality of the IPMs. The substrate has a top surface and a plurality of connecting pads on the top surface. The IPMs cover the corresponding connecting pads in one-on-one alignment where each IPM consists of a photo-sensitive adhesive layer on the corresponding connecting pad and a pick-and-place body pervious to light formed on the photo-sensitive adhesive layer. After the photo-sensitive adhesive layers are irradiated by light penetrating through the pick-and-place bodies, the pick-and-place bodies can be pulled out by a pick-and-place process to expose the connecting pads from an encapsulant. The issues of solder bridging and package warpage can easily be solved in conventional MPS-C2 packages.
US08980692B2 Semiconductor device manufacturing method
A semiconductor device includes a circuit substrate, a first semiconductor chip disposed on the circuit substrate, a plurality of first spacers disposed on the first semiconductor chip, a second semiconductor chip which includes a first adhesive agent layer on a lower face thereof and is disposed on upper portions of the plurality of spacers, a wire which connects the circuit substrate to the first semiconductor chip, and a first sealing material which seals a gap between the first semiconductor chip and the first adhesive agent layer, wherein each height of the plurality of the first spacers is greater than height of the wire relative to an upper face of the first semiconductor chip.
US08980688B2 Semiconductor structures including fluidic microchannels for cooling and related methods
Semiconductor structures are fabricated that include a semiconductor material bonded to a substrate with a layer of dielectric material between the semiconductor material and the substrate. At least one fluidic microchannel extends in a lateral direction through the layer of dielectric material between the semiconductor material and the substrate. The at least one fluidic microchannel includes at least one laterally extending section having a transverse cross-sectional shape entirely surrounded by the layer of dielectric material.
US08980685B2 Method for manufacturing thin film transistor using multi-tone mask
An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor at low cost with high productivity in such a manner that a photolithography process is simplified by reducing the number of light-exposure masks In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a channel-etched inverted-staggered thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film and a conductive film are etched using a mask layer formed with the use of a multi-tone mask which is a light-exposure mask through which light is transmitted so as to have a plurality of intensities. In etching steps, a first etching step is performed by wet etching in which an etchant is used, and a second etching step is performed by dry etching in which an etching gas is used.
US08980684B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with favorable electric properties and high reliability, and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device with high productivity. In an inverted staggered (bottom gate) thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer, and a buffer layer formed using a metal oxide layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The metal oxide layer is intentionally provided as the buffer layer between the semiconductor layer and the source and drain electrode layers, whereby ohmic contact is obtained.
US08980678B2 Method for producing organic light-emitting element, organic display panel, organic light-emitting device, method for forming functional layer, ink, substrate, organic light-emitting element, organic display device, and inkjet device
To provide a method of efficiently manufacturing an organic light-emitting element with excellent light-emitting characteristics by application, the method includes: preparing ink and filling an inkjet device having an ink ejection nozzle with the ink; preparing a substrate having a base layer including a first electrode; and positioning the inkjet device above the substrate, and causing the inkjet device to eject a drop of the ink onto the base layer, wherein, in the preparation of the ink, a value Z denoting a reciprocal of the Ohnesorge number Oh determined by density ρ (g/m3), surface tension γ (mN·m), and viscosity η (mPa·s) of the ink and a diameter r (mm) of the ink ejection nozzle satisfies Formula 1, in the ejection of the drop of the ink, speed V (m/s) of the ejected drop satisfies Formula 2, and the value Z and the speed V (m/s) satisfy Formula 3.
US08980677B2 Transparent contacts organic solar panel by spray
A method of fabricating organic solar panels with transparent contacts. The method uses a layer-by-layer spray technique to create the anode layer. The method includes placing the substrate on a flat magnet, aligning a magnetic shadow mask over the substrate, applying photoresist to the substrate using spray photolithography, etching the substrate, cleaning the substrate, spin coating a tuning layer on substrate, spin coating an active layer of P3HT/PCBM on the substrate, spray coating the substrate with a modified PEDOT solution, and annealing the substrate.
US08980674B2 Image sensor with improved dark current performance
Provided is a semiconductor image sensor device. The image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate that includes an array region and a black level correction region. The array region contains a plurality of radiation-sensitive pixels. The black level correction region contains one or more reference pixels. The substrate has a front side and a back side. The image sensor device includes a first compressively-stressed layer formed on the back side of the substrate. The first compressively-stressed layer contains silicon nitride. The image sensor device includes a metal shield formed on the compressively-stressed layer. The metal shield is formed over at least a portion of the black level correction region. The image sensor device includes a second compressively-stressed layer formed on the metal shield and the first compressively-stressed layer. The second compressively-stressed layer contains silicon oxide. A sidewall of the metal shield is protected by the second compressively-stressed layer.
US08980673B2 Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing the solar cell includes stacking a solar cell device layer containing GaN on a sacrificial substrate, etching the solar cell device layer to expose the sacrificial substrate, thereby forming one or more solar cell devices comprising the solar cell device layer, anisotropically etching the exposed sacrificial substrate, contacting the solar cell devices to a stamping processor to remove the solar cell devices from the sacrificial substrate, and transferring the solar cell devices onto a receiving substrate. A high temperature semiconductor process may be performed on a substrate such as a silicon substrate to transfer the solar cell devices onto the substrate, thereby manufacturing flexible solar cells. Also, a large number of solar cells may be excellently aligned on a large area. In addition, economical solar cells may be manufactured.
US08980667B2 Charge sensors using inverted lateral bipolar junction transistors
A method for forming a sensor includes forming a base-region barrier in contact with a base substrate. The base-region barrier includes a monocrystalline semiconductor having a same dopant conductivity as the base substrate. An emitter and a collector are formed in contact with and on opposite sides of the base-region barrier to form a bipolar junction transistor. The collector, the emitter and the base-region barrier are planarized to form a level surface opposite the base substrate such that when the level surface is exposed to charge, the charge is measured during operation of the bipolar junction transistor.
US08980666B2 Method of fabricating sensors having functionalized resonating beams
Some embodiments relate to method of fabricating a sensor. The method includes providing a substrate wafer that includes a suspended beam; adding an adhesive layer to the substrate wafer such that the adhesive layer covers portions of the substrate without covering the suspended beam; positioning a cover wafer onto the adhesive layer such that the suspend beam is exposed to ambient air through openings in the cover wafer; and functionalizing the suspended beam by contacting the suspended beam with materials through the opening in the cover wafer.
US08980661B2 Method for manufacturing light emitting device
Provided is a method for manufacturing a light emitting device comprising a light emitting element and an optical part, the method comprising the steps of (i) forming a hydroxyl film on a bonding surface of each of the light emitting element and the optical part by an atomic layer deposition, and (ii) bonding the bonding surfaces of the light emitting element and the optical part with each other, each of the bonding surfaces having the hydroxyl film formed thereon, wherein a substep is repeated at least one time in the step (i), in which substep a first raw material gas and a second raw material gas are sequentially supplied onto the bonding surfaces of the light emitting element and the optical part, and wherein the bonding of the bonding surfaces in the step (ii) is performed without a heating treatment.
US08980656B2 Method of forming an array of high aspect ratio semiconductor nanostructures
A new method for forming an array of high aspect ratio semiconductor nanostructures entails positioning a surface of a stamp comprising a solid electrolyte in opposition to a conductive film disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The surface of the stamp includes a pattern of relief features in contact with the conductive film so as to define a film-stamp interface. A flux of metal ions is generated across the film-stamp interface, and a pattern of recessed features complementary to the pattern of relief features is created in the conductive film. The recessed features extend through an entire thickness of the conductive film to expose the underlying semiconductor substrate and define a conductive pattern on the substrate. The stamp is removed, and material immediately below the conductive pattern is selectively removed from the substrate. Features are formed in the semiconductor substrate having a length-to-width aspect ratio of at least about 5:1.
US08980654B2 Ion implantation method and ion implantation apparatus
The ion implantation method includes setting an ion beam scanning speed and a mechanical scanning speed of an object during ion implantation using hybrid scan in advance and implanting ions based on the set ion beam scanning speed and the set mechanical scanning speed of the object. In the setting in advance, each of the ion beam scanning speeds is set based on each of ion beam scanning amplitudes changing severally according to a surface outline of an object which is irradiated with the ions so that an ion beam scanning frequency is maintained constant for any of ion beam scanning amplitudes, and the mechanical scanning speed of the object corresponding to the ion beam scanning speed is set so that an ion implantation dose per unit area to be implanted into the surface of the object is maintained constant.
US08980653B2 Combinatorial optimization of interlayer parameters
The embodiments describe methods and apparatuses for combinatorial optimization of interlayer parameters for capacitor stacks. The capacitor stacks may include a substrate, an insulating layer disposed on the substrate, a ruthenium disposed electrode on the insulating layer, and an interlayer disposed on the ruthenium electrode, where the interlayer is configured to prevent etching of the electrode when growing a high-k dielectric using an ozone-based precursor. The parameters for forming the interlayer may include interlayer thickness, precursor chemistry, oxidant strength, precursor purge times, oxidant purge times, and other suitable parameters. Each of these parameters may be evaluated through deposition of the capacitor stacks through a combinatorial optimization process. Thus, a plurality of different parameters may be evaluated with a single substrate to ascertain associated properties of Ruthenium electrode etching in a combinatorial manner.
US08980651B2 Overlay measurement for a double patterning
A multi-patterning method of manufacturing a patterned wafer provides test structures designed to enhance overlay error measurement sensitivity for monitoring and process control. One or more patterns are overlaid on a first pattern, each of a given pitch, with the elements interleaved. Test structure is formed with elements of the overlaid patterns spaced away from respective mid-positions more closely toward elements of the first pattern. In some embodiments, test structure elements of the second pattern are overlaid midway between mid-positions of elements of the first pattern and measured by scatterometry. In other embodiments, test structure elements of the second pattern are overlaid at a slightly different pitch than the elements of the first pattern and measured by reflectivity. Measurements are compared with library measurements to identify the error, which may be fed back to control the patterning process. The multi-patterning may be formed by LELE, LLE, LFLE, or other methods.
US08980649B2 Method for manufacturing non-volatile magnetic memory cell in two facilities
In accordance with a method of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cell and a corresponding structure thereof are disclosed to include a multi-stage manufacturing process. The multi-stage manufacturing process includes performing a front end on-line (FEOL) stage to manufacture logic and non-magnetic portions of the memory cell by forming an intermediate interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, forming intermediate metal pillars embedded in the intermediate ILD layer, depositing a conductive metal cap on top of the intermediate ILD layer and the metal pillars, performing magnetic fabrication stage to make a magnetic material portion of the memory cell being manufactured, and performing back end on-line (BEOL) stage to make metal and contacts of the memory cell being manufactured.
US08980647B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a conductive film over a semiconductor substrate; forming a first ferroelectric film over the conductive film; forming an amorphous second ferroelectric film over the first ferroelectric film; forming a transition metal oxide material film containing ruthenium over the second ferroelectric film; forming a first conductive metal oxide film over the transition metal oxide material film without exposing the transition metal oxide material film to the air; annealing and crystallizing the second ferroelectric film; and patterning the first conductive metal oxide film, the first ferroelectric film, the second ferroelectric film, and the conductive film to form a ferroelectric capacitor.
US08980643B2 Dicationic liquid salts and methods of use thereof
Dicationic liquid salts and methods of using such dicationic liquid salts in techniques such as ESI-MS are provided.
US08980641B2 Method for detection of chemicals on a surface
A method of rapidly detecting trace materials including biohazards, toxins, radioactive materials, and narcotics in situ is disclosed. A corresponding apparatus is disclosed. A trace of the material is collected on a pad of the card component, collected by swiping the pad on suspected surface or exposure to the suspected air volume. A novel card component is disclosed that when inserted in a chemical detection unit (CDU), releases reaction chemicals from flexible walled capsules in desired sequence. The exposed pad containing trace material and chemicals are heated in the chemical detection unit to produce a spectral pattern that is analyzed by the optical electronics in the CDU and results are displayed, stored and/or transmitted over a communications network.
US08980640B2 Selective chemosensors based on the ferroelectric materials, mixed oxides, or temperature modulation of oxide polymorph stability
The present invention relates to gas sensors using doped ferroelectric materials. The sensors can be fabricated as an array where different portions of the array can operate at different independently controlled temperatures to detect different gas phase components of a gas sample. Preferred embodiments can be used for the diagnosis of conditions, such as, diabetes.
US08980639B2 Oxidation state sensors and methods for transition metal alloys
The present invention is concerned with a method of discriminating between, in a surface of a transition metal alloy, transition metals in different oxidation states using surface sensor molecules adapted to associate selectively with one of the transition metals. In particular, the present invention provides a method of identifying degradation in aircraft components such as turbine blades, engine casings and aerofoils. In embodiments, a surface sensor molecule comprising an oxidation state discriminating group, such as an imidazole, and a fluorescein probe is applied in aqueous solution to the surface of a service-run Ni alloy aircraft component. The sensor molecule selectively associates with transition metals in oxidation states greater than zero such that fluorescence imaging can be used to identify areas of degradation.
US08980638B2 Use of IMP3 as a prognostic marker for cancer
Provided herein are methods and compositions for the prognostic evaluation of a patient suspected of having, or having, cancer by assessing the expression of IMP3 in a biological sample of a patient. Methods can be used at the time of initial diagnosis of malignant tumors to identify a group of patients with a high potential to develop progression or metastasis later. Therefore, methods not only are able to provide very useful prognostic information for patients but also can help clinicians to select a candidate patient likely to benefit from early and aggressive cancer therapy. Methods and compositions for the treatment of cancer associated with expression of IMP3 are also provided.
US08980636B2 Automatic titrator
A system and method for performing automated titrations. An automatic titrator utilizes control devices and sensors adapted for various chemical reactions to perform titrations and determine the content of a desired component of a solution. Batch and continuous mode titrations are possible. Titrant is added to a sample either in varying amounts or rates and a titration endpoint is observed via sensors. Control devices detect when the titration endpoint occurs and calculates the desired content. Various reactions within the solution may be suppressed in order to titrate isolated components individually.
US08980633B2 Compositions and related methods for modulating transcriptional activation by incorporating GAG motifs upstream of core promoter elements
Compositions and methods for genetically modifying the production levels of nicotine and other alkaloids in plants are provided. An expression vector which comprises a tripartite GAG motif is also disclosed.
US08980628B2 Hair follicle precursor production by co-culturing mammalian dermal papilla cells and keratinocytes
This invention relates to methods of producing hair folliclesin vitro, compositions for producing hair follicles in vitro, in vitro produced hair follicles, methods of providing an in vitro produced hair shaft at an interfollicular or intrafollicular site, methods of treating hair loss by providing an in vitro produced hair shaft at an interfollicular or intrafollicular site and assays for studying the effect of test agents on hair biology. The invention also provides the similar methods and products which are, or use, immature follicles (“defined herein as proto-hairs”). The invention provides a method for in vitro production of a hair follicle or a proto-hair comprising co-culturing dermal papilla cells with keratinocytes, and optionally with melanocytes.
US08980626B2 Vectors, host cells, and methods of production and uses
Antibody expression vectors and plasmids can incorporate various antibody gene portions for transcription of the antibody DNA and expression of the antibody in an appropriate host cell. The expression vectors and plasmids have restriction enzyme sites that facilitate ligation of antibody-encoding DNA into the vectors. The vectors incorporate enhancer and promoter sequences that can be varied to interact with transcription factors in the host cell and thereby control transcription of the antibody-encoding DNA. A kit can incorporate these vectors and plasmids.
US08980624B2 Apparatus for high-throughput cell culture with mechanical compression stimulation
An apparatus for high-throughput cell culture with mechanical compression stimulation includes a cell culture vessel and a fluid pressure supply unit. The cell culture vessel includes at least one culture chamber, at least one pressure chamber disposed above the culture chamber, a membrane disposed between the culture chamber and the pressure chamber, and at least one pressurizing member that projects downwardly from the membrane into the culture chamber. The fluid pressure supply unit is connected fluidly to the pressure chamber, and has a fluid pressure supply device to supply a pressurized fluid to the pressure chamber so as to deform the membrane and move the pressurizing member, and a control device that is adapted to vary a pressure of the pressurized fluid in the pressure chamber.
US08980612B2 Fermentive production of four carbon alcohols
Methods for the fermentive production of four carbon alcohols are provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably 2-butanol is produced by the fermentive growth of a recombinant bacteria expressing a 2-butanol biosynthetic pathway. The recombinant microorganisms and methods of the invention can also be adapted to produce 2-butanone, an intermediate in the 2-butanol biosynthetic pathways disclosed herein.
US08980611B2 Compositions and methods for reducing the pathogen content of meat or meat products
Compositions and methods useful for reducing or eliminating the presence of pathogens in meat or meat products are disclosed. Administration of one or more lactic acid producing microorganisms to a live animal, to a carcass, to meat, to meat products, or in animal feed results in significant reductions in the amount of pathogens potentially harmful to humans when ingested. Synergistic effects can be achieved with the administration of multiple strains of microorganisms.
US08980610B2 Arginine inactivation of viruses
The present invention pertains to methods of using arginine to inactivate or reduce the infectious titer of enveloped viruses potentially present in biological compositions produced by eukaryotic cells (such as a antibodies or other therapeutic proteins). In some embodiments, inactivation or reduction of viral titers by exposure to arginine is achieved in a neutral (pH ˜7) or near neutral (˜pH 6 to ˜pH 8) environment.
US08980604B2 Mutant glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) for the production of a biochemical by fermentation
The present invention concerns a method for the production of 1,2-propanediol, comprising culturing a microorganism modified for an improved production of 1,2-propanediol in an appropriate culture medium and recovery of the 1,2-propanediol which may be further purified wherein the microorganism expresses a glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) enzyme the inhibition of which activity by NAD+ and/or its substrate and/or its product is reduced.The present invention also relates to a mutant glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) comprising at least one amino acid residue in the protein sequence of the parent enzyme replaced by a different amino acid residue at the same position wherein the mutant enzyme has retained more than 50% of the glycerol dehydrogenase activity of the parent enzyme and the glycerol dehydrogenase activity of the mutant GlyDH is less inhibited by NAD+ and/or by its substrate as compared to the parent enzyme and/or by its product as compared to the parent enzyme.
US08980603B2 Gaussia luciferase variant for high-throughput screening
Described herein is a variant of wild type Gaussia luciferase that catalyzes glow-type emission kinetics suited for high-throughput functional screening applications. Polypeptides, functional fragments, variants, and nucleic acids that encode the enhanced luciferase are further described. One such polypeptide corresponds to wild type Gaussia luciferase with a substitution mutation of I for M at position 43 of the mature peptide. Methods of use, assay systems and kits that contain the polypeptides and/or nucleic acids are further described.
US08980601B2 Marking paper products
Methods of marking paper products and marked paper products are provided. Some methods include irradiating the paper product to alter the functionalization of the paper.
US08980596B2 Fermentation and simulated moving bed process
The invention provides an improved method for the production, separation and recovery of one or more fermentation products from a fermentation broth. Further, the invention provides a method for increasing efficiency of a fermentation reaction. In particular, the invention relates to a fermentation system which incorporates a simulated moving bed for separation of fermentation products from a fermentation broth, and a corresponding method.
US08980593B1 Production of tunable polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers using glycerol and levulinic acid
This invention relates to the production of short-chain polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers which include C3 to C5 3-hydroxyacyl monomers. The process includes culturing a native microorganism capable of synthesizing polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers using as a carbon source an amount of glycerol, levulinic acid and mixtures thereof that drives the microbial synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymers.
US08980587B2 Process for producing reveromycin A or a synthetic intermediate thereof, process for producing compounds containing a spiroketal ring and novel antineoplastics, fungicides and therapeutic agents for bone disorders
A bacterium belonging to the genus Streptomyces having an ability to produce reveromycin A or a synthetic intermediate thereof, the bacterium being modified so as to increase expression of revQ gene coding for the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 36 or an amino acid sequence having an identity of not less than 80% to SEQ ID NO: 36 as compared with a parent strain, thereby the above-mentioned production ability is increased as compared with the parent strain.
US08980585B2 Process for preparation of tacrolimus
Genetically modified strains of Streptomyces tsukubaensis (S. tsukubaensis) can be used for an improved fermentation process for the preparation of tacrolimus or a salt or derivative thereof by cultivation of these genetically modified strains. Novel genes allowing biosynthesis of allylmalonyl-CoA can be used for polyketide production with allylmalonyl extender unit.
US08980581B2 Site-specific incorporation of amino acids into molecules
The invention provides certain embodiments relating to methods and compositions for incorporating non-natural amino acids into a polypeptide or protein by utilizing a mutant or modified aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase to charge the non-natural amino acid to a the corresponding tRNA. In certain embodiments, the tRNA is also modified such that the complex forms strict Watson-Crick base-pairing with a codon that normally forms wobble base-pairing with unmodified tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pairs.
US08980580B2 Heterologous expression of fungal polyketide synthetic gene in yeast and a method of preparing a compound produced by a protean encoded by the polyketide synthetic gene by the heterologous expression
The present invention relates to a method of removing an intron contained in a gene from a eukaryotic gene, and linking only the exon sequences to prepare an expression vector comprising the linked sequences. Specifically, the invention relates to a method of preparing an expression vector containing linked exon sequences comprising amplifying exon sequences by PCR as one or more fragments from a giant fungal gene containing an intron, and linking the fragments together with a restriction enzyme-treated vector using the gap repair cloning method; a method of preparing an expression vector containing a full-length cDNA sequence by synthesizing and linking cDNA fragments from a fungal giant gene; a transformant having introduced therein an expression vector prepared by the method; a protein produced by the transformant; and a method of preparing a compound produced by the protein using the expression vector.